Chapter 132
Chapter 132
After finishing the meal, drinking tea, and completing the maintenance of my Hidden Weapons, Beopgong and Jin-sung had not returned.
“They’re late……”
I muttered, watching the sun setting outside the window, and Yeon-ryang patted my head.
“Do you want to go rest if you’re tired?”
“It’s okay. It’s nice to spend time alone with you, Oppa, after so long. If they don’t come, let’s eat something delicious ourselves.”
“Okay. That sounds good too.”
Yeon-ryang chuckled at my reply.
However, I could sense that he was subtly listening to the sounds from downstairs in the inn. He seemed concerned about the two being late as well.
I looked at Yeon-ryang, scratched my cheek, and asked.
“Hey, Oppa. Who is Chaehonggyo that you’re so wary of?”
“Salhyung? A great Demonic Cultist who treats killing people like a game. I saw her once from afar, and she was completely insane. An old woman in her sixties pretending to be nine years old.”
“……Huh? Pretending to be what?”
I asked back, doubting my ears, and Yeon-ryang smacked his lips before repeating.
“Pretending to be nine years old. She’s an old woman who Reverted to Childhood. Seeing her go around saying she’s nine years old, she’s definitely not right in the head……. But seeing how quickly the Evil Faction is growing, she must be good at what she does.”
“Ugh, just hearing about it is disgusting.”
My brow furrowed involuntarily at the bizarre story. Yeon-ryang, looking at me with concern, held my hand tightly.
“So, let’s not get involved with the Evil Faction. No matter what those two are doing, don’t interfere. It’s dangerous. We just need to go to Wuhan and clear our name. Got it?”
“Yeah. But what if the monk throws me into an Unorthodox den again?”
“……Oppa will stop him.”
Yeon-ryang said with determination. I nodded obediently.
Seeing how often he got caught up with Beopgong, it didn’t seem easy, but he was saying it so seriously that I couldn’t say anything.
I hesitated, opening and closing my mouth, before asking carefully.
“Oppa. Is it very uncomfortable going with Jinseong disciple?”
Yeon-ryang gave an awkward smile at my question.
“It’s okay. It’s not uncomfortable.”
“It is uncomfortable.”
“It’s not. When we go to the Alliance, it will be even worse, so I need to get used to it. Don’t worry about it. Shall we go out for a walk before sunset? And buy some jerky for Woolly.”
Yeon-ryang, trying to lighten the mood with a playful tone, winked and got up. That made me even more concerned.
I knew very well that Yeon-ryang pretended to be cheerful whenever he was troubled, so there was no way I wouldn’t be worried.
“……Yeah. I almost forgot Ju-ryeong’s snack. Let’s go out too.”
I forced a smile and followed Yeon-ryang.
\ \ *
Beopgong and Jin-sung returned the next morning.
“You’re back?”
“Yeah. We’re back. Jeomsoi! A bottle of liquor here!”
Beopgong, who ordered liquor as soon as he arrived, groaned and plopped down next to Yeon-ryang.
Jin-sung, who followed behind, bowed his head slightly and sat properly next to me.
“Two bowls of noodles, please.”
“Yes! Two bowls of noodles!”
The Jeomsoi, having received the order, shouted loudly and ran to the kitchen.
I cautiously spoke to Jin-sung.
“You must have been busy.”
“There was a little work.”
“It seems so.”
Whatever had happened, Beopgong, who was usually energetic even after beating up ships all night, was completely exhausted.
Beopgong, with dark circles under his eyes, muttered as he grabbed the liquor bottle the Jeomsoi brought.
“I hate paperwork……. It should be enough to submit the report, why do they keep asking me to write more?”
“There are procedures for everything, Great Master. You must follow the necessary processes.”
“That’s why I wrote it diligently. Ugh, stop nagging. It’s giving me a headache.”
Beopgong grimaced and covered his ears. Despite his annoyance, Jin-sung’s expression didn’t change as he picked up his chopsticks.
Even the way Jin-sung ate the noodles was neat and proper.
It was amazing how he could empty the bowl without spilling a single drop of broth.
And the fact that there wasn’t a single stain on his Taoist robe, he was a very clean person.
Meanwhile, Yeon-ryang, who had finished eating and put down his chopsticks, asked.
“Monk. Are we crossing over to Wuhan today?”
“Ah, about that, let’s walk for a few days. The ship won’t be leaving. It seems the waterways will be controlled by the government for the time being.”
“Really? I see.”
Yeon-ryang tilted his head and nodded.
He seemed puzzled, but he didn’t seem to want to pry.
I also chewed on my noodles, thinking it couldn’t be helped. I was used to sleeping outdoors, and walking for a few days was nothing.
I should have realized it then.
What it meant for a Taoist and a Demonic Cultist to travel together for several days.
Yeon-ryang and Jin-sung didn’t match in any way.
Unlike Yeon-ryang, who was sincere about every meal, Jin-sung didn’t place much importance on the act of eating.
He didn’t even touch the meal that Yeon-ryang had carefully prepared. Instead, he only ate Grain-avoidance pill.
“Why don’t you try eating it? Yeon-ryang is a good cook. How can you have any strength eating only weeds every day?”
Beopgong casually suggested, but Jin-sung calmly shook his head.
“This is enough for me.”
“If you’re not going to eat it, then don’t. Yeon-ryang. Give it to me.”
“Get lost. I’m going to eat it.”
Yeon-ryang replied sharply and poured Jin-sung’s share into his own bowl. It was obvious that he was in a bad mood.
“I suppose the noble Taoist only eats noble food.”
“I am merely refraining from it because the heat of the food interferes with my training.”
“I see.”
Yeon-ryang snorted and turned away coldly.
Jin-sung’s face also showed that he was a little upset by Yeon-ryang’s sarcasm, but he didn’t show it and quietly put the Grain-avoidance pill in his mouth.
The atmosphere became awkward, and I couldn’t tell if the rice was going down my nose or my mouth.
I kept looking at them throughout the meal, and then reached out to Yeon-ryang.
“Oppa, if you’re done, give it to me. I’ll go wash the dishes.”
“No. Let’s go together.”
Yeon-ryang ground his teeth as he washed the dishes, as if trying to calm himself down.
The way they rested during the long journey was also different.
When Yeon-ryang swung his sword to loosen his body, Jin-sung took out his Mystic Tool and meditated.
At such times, the clear Qi of the Taoist Sect gently spread around.
Naturally, Yeon-ryang was displeased. There was no way he could feel good when the conflicting Qi was constricting the surroundings.
I glanced at Yeon-ryang, who was suppressing his annoyance, and tried to lighten the mood by talking to Jin-sung.
“Jinseong disciple. I have a question.”
“Yes, Miss. Please speak.”
“Why do you carry around a mirror and a seal?”
Then Jin-sung showed me the Mystic Tool and replied.
“It is a Mystic Tool used in the Taoist Sect. It has become a formal object now, but I heard that it was used in the past to perform rituals to chase away ghosts.”
“Oh, so can Jinseong disciple also chase away ghosts?”
“No.”
“What about amulets?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re a Taoist, though?”
Jin-sung lowered his eyes awkwardly at my question.
“Modern Wudang do not handle exorcism. Exorcism is handled by the Maoshan Sect, so if you are interested, you should look for a Maoshan Sect Taoist.”
“Ah.”
So they used to do it in the past, but they don’t do it now.
Perhaps because the flow was interrupted by my question, Jin-sung put away his Mystic Tool and got up earlier than usual. As he gathered his Qi, the wrinkles on Yeon-ryang’s forehead also smoothed out a little.
But this was just the beginning. Because they were so different from each other, similar things happened over and over again.
After two days, both of them were seething like volcanoes on the verge of erupting.
Only I, who was watching, felt my blood drying up.
Unlike me, who was fidgeting with worry about the unusual atmosphere, Beopgong seemed amused by the situation.
He playfully raised the corners of his lips and patted Yeon-ryang on the back.
“Yeon-ryang. What’s wrong with you?”
“What is it.”
“You’re like a hedgehog, all prickly. Are you still sulking? Why are you making a fuss about what a kid said?”
“Shut up. You may think everything in the world is easy, but I don’t.”
“Are you really sulking? Ahahaha! Hey, why are you acting like a child? Kid, your Oppa is such a narrow-minded guy.”
Beopgong, who had been chuckling for a while, said while rolling his prayer beads.
“Then have a fight.”
“What?”
“Instead of giving him the stink eye throughout the journey, just beat him to a pulp now.”
“Are you serious? Don’t blame me.”
“Swordmasters can lose an arm or two in a fight, so what.”
What are you talking about. They can’t just lose an arm.
My mouth dropped open at the absurd remark. But I was the only one who didn’t know what to do, Yeon-ryang and Beopgong seemed to take it for granted that they would settle things with swords.
Jin-sung, who had been listening quietly, calmly walked out and greeted Yeon-ryang with a fist and palm salute.
“Jin-sung, a first-generation disciple of Wudang, asks for guidance from a senior in the Jianghu.”
His voice was calm, but his eyes were fierce. Yeon-ryang’s face turned grim.
“Ah, so the little Taoist also has a lot of feelings towards me? Want to try to suppress me?”
“That is not the case, but I do wish to properly witness the Swordmaster’s sword.”
I hurriedly stepped between the two, who looked like they were about to draw their swords at any moment.
“Wait, wait a minute! What are you doing in the middle of the road? Calm down. Calm down. Oppa, don’t draw your sword either. Uh-oh, don’t draw your sword.”
After separating Yeon-ryang from Jin-sung, I ran to Beopgong and mouthed.
‘What are you doing? We’ll get caught!’
“That kid already knows. He saw everything.”
“Huh?”
“Jin-sung is the type of guy who only believes what he sees with his own eyes. Trying to hide it clumsily will only backfire. Let him confirm for himself what he saw.”
“Even so……!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for your Oppa’s life no matter what happens. The thing you’re worried about won’t happen.”
Beopgong said confidently. I looked at Beopgong with distrust and asked.
“How are you going to take responsibility?”
“Well, if it doesn’t work out, we’ll break into the prison together and escape, or something.”
“Are you crazy? Don’t make my Oppa an Enemy of the Martial Arts World.”
“Why. Isn’t it fun?”
I was so disgusted by Beopgong’s grinning face that I wanted to tear out all his hair.
He patted my shoulder as if to reassure me and waved at the two.
“Hey, swordsmen! Let’s settle this cleanly and go! This will be an interesting sight.”
He acted as if he was going on an outing.
I glared at Beopgong, who was walking away, breathing heavily through my nose.
Scratch what I said about liking him a little. I hate that monk.
