novelraw Chapter 176 : It Feels Like a Formal Meeting Between Families
Chapter 176 : It Feels Like a Formal Meeting Between Families
Chapter 176: It Feels Like a Formal Meeting Between Families
Ever since the day a massive pillar of fire shot up in the Imperial Capital, Beijing, the name Dan Mujin began spreading widely throughout the entire city.
Originally, only the influential figures had quietly known of it among themselves, but now even ordinary residents of Beijing spoke of it. There was practically no one left who didn’t know the name.
And rumors always have two sides.
As stories spread that I had blown up the warehouse of the Byeok Clan and confronted the Imperial Army, my reputation also began swinging between extremes.
Some people liked me, saying that I seemed to be someone who would do absolutely anything for a client.
But at the same time, I was also labeled a troublemaker who could cause huge incidents at any moment and whose actions were impossible to predict.
In particular, rumors had spread that I had fearlessly confronted the Imperial Army head-on—meaning I had clashed with them. Because of that, everyone was watching the Imperial Household’s reaction, and for a while, no customers came to the office.
“This is a bit unfair.”
I let out a sigh while staring at the empty guest chair.
“But none of it is wrong, though.”
Ilhong added casually while carefully inserting a fuse into an iron sphere packed with Black Powder.
Since she had been fiddling with that thing like a madwoman during this lull in work, her hands had now become quite skillful.
“Yeah, you’ve caused too many incidents lately.”
Jo Harang also chimed in while training her physical strength in the Horse Stance.
It seemed she was training without using Internal Energy, as beads of sweat had formed on her pale forehead.
“So you’re saying I brought it upon myself? Still feels unfair.”
All I had done was run around diligently to fulfill my clients’ requests.
But the destiny given to me by the heavens never left a Heaven-Slaying Star like me alone.
As if trying to drag me toward becoming a Murderous Spirit, even ordinary requests often turned into matters that led to killing.
Of course, this body had overcome all such trials and steadfastly accumulated only Good Karma.
‘How funny… How long… can you keep that up…?’
Then a mocking voice echoed, as if laughing at my continued success and saying it had once been the same.
It was the Salseong, who had recently begun speaking again and mocking me.
Ignoring the thin palm that twitched as though it were giggling, I blankly stared at the door of the empty office.
Since I had the reward money received from the Byeok Clan, there was no problem paying the Summer Tax collected in summer or the Winter Tax due in autumn for the time being.
But sitting here doing nothing while waiting for customers was starting to itch under my skin.
Jingle jingle.
Just then, the small bell hanging on the door rang, announcing a visitor.
“Oh, a customer!”
I jumped to my feet, but the visitor wasn’t a client—it was the waiter from Soso Inn.
“Delivery!”
“….”
The waiter neatly placed dishes one by one on the table from a rectangular wooden container.
When I handed him ten iron coins for his trouble, the kid grinned brightly and left the office.
“Captain, have some too. The noodles are a bit soggy, but they’re still good.”
Ilhong skillfully worked her chopsticks, slurping noodles.
Spending time leisurely eating Chinese food in the office like this suddenly reminded me of the old office days.
There had been times back then when business slowed down and I worried about how to pay the rent.
“Should I mobilize the Beggars’ Union to clean up my image?”
The main issue was that no one wanted to get involved because they didn’t know how the Imperial Household would react.
Well, things like this usually get resolved with time. Since Cheon Sugong was backing me, the office would eventually suffer no disadvantages.
People would realize in the end that there was nothing to worry about.
But until that time came, idling around like this was a bit problematic.
This wasn’t a matter of money—it was a matter of lifespan.
Jingle jingle.
At that moment, as if on cue, the bell rang again.
“A customer!”
Certain this time, I threw aside what I was eating and sprang up.
“A letter!”
“You damned bastard.”
A shabby Beggars’ Union operative with a knot tied around his waist suddenly held out a letter sent from afar.
I extended my arm lazily to take it, but the Beggars’ Union operative shook his head.
“It’s a letter addressed to Hero Jo Harang.”
“Huh? Me?”
The letter passed to Jo Harang, who had been devouring food with her head lowered.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and accepted the letter.
“Um, by the way, Dan Mujin Master. As you know, there’s a custom when delivering letters…”
“You want a delivery fee, right?”
“Ahem. I heard you made quite a tidy profit from the Byeok Clan matter.”
As expected of a Beggars’ Union operative—rumors traveled fast. Even someone who came from afar knew about the events here.
I flicked a silver coin from my sleeve toward him.
“Thank you. But Master, I ran here for quite a while and haven’t eaten anything…”
I tossed him a hot meat dumpling as well.
His face brightened immediately, and he bowed repeatedly.
“As expected of someone our Sect Leader has taken notice of. You’re very generous.”
Take what you can when you can—that was the Beggars’ Union rule, faithfully followed.
He even tried subtly flattering me as if lining himself up like Parkchil.
A truly capable talent of the Beggars’ Union.
“The Sect Leader took notice of you? Mujin, what does that mean?”
“It’s nothing like that. Anyway, who sent the letter?”
After observing the two of us, Jo Harang finally unrolled the letter and read it carefully.
“Huh? My Master sent this.”
Her eyes widened as she said it had come all the way from Mount Song.
So it came from even farther away than I thought. No wonder that beggar squeezed both a fee and food out of me.
“What does it say?”
“Well, it says…”
As Jo Harang continued reading, her expression became strangely complicated.
She flinched and alternated glances between me and the letter.
“It says I should return to Mount Song. She wants to see my face.”
A summons from her Master. Perhaps she missed the disciple who had gone out into the jianghu and wanted to see her after a long time.
It would be like going home during a holiday—just show her face and come back.
“Alright, have a good trip.”
I chuckled and waved while sitting beside Ilhong.
For the time being, Ilhong and I would guard the office alone.
Thinking that, I slurped a mouthful of noodles.
“Mujin, she said to bring you too.”
“What…?”
Jo Harang’s words startled me so much that the noodles slipped right out of my mouth.
So they were telling me to come to Mount Song as well?
The Master who trained and raised the Purple Tenuity Star was calling a Heaven-Slaying Star like me to her sect?
“……”
Even the Salseong had gone silent in bewilderment.
I swallowed deeply, sensing that something unusual was beginning.
Gulp.
If the Mount Hua Sect stands at Mount Hua in Shaanxi Province, then the Shaolin Temple stands at Mount Song in Henan.
Just like that, each of the Five Great Mountains of the Central Plains was home to a famous orthodox sect that represented it.
And according to Jo Harang, the sect representing Mount Song was not only Shaolin Temple.
“There’s another one—the sect I came from! The Purple Mist Sect!”
The Tiger of Mount Song looked extremely lively, like a fish in water, happy to have returned home after so long.
She lightly walked ahead, pointing out places where she had trained and trees, rocks, and valleys filled with memories.
“The sect isn’t big, but it’s warm and simple—like my own home!”
While Shaolin Temple stood high on Shaoshi Peak, the Purple Mist Sect was located on a lower mountainside, making it much easier to visit.
Thus we walked step by step toward the mysterious sect that had raised the Purple Tenuity Star.
‘This is madness…’
Even the Salseong, who usually sneered mockingly, was trembling slightly.
A red hand gestured as if slapping my cheek, as though asking whether I had lost my mind.
But they had specifically asked for me.
If any suspicion had arisen, it would be better to resolve it directly rather than avoid it and let it grow.
After all, that Master wasn’t someone trapped in one place. If necessary, she could come find me herself.
If that happened, my office—into which I had poured my entire fortune—might be destroyed.
“Mujin, this is the Purple Mist Sect!”
Harang happily introduced the place filled with her childhood memories.
And contrary to my expectations, the Master of the Purple Tenuity Star welcomed me warmly.
“Welcome back, Harang. I’ve been waiting. And this gentleman is…?”
“I am Dan Mujin of the Dog-Beating Dragon. Your disciple has always helped me greatly. Please take good care of me.”
As the owner of the Troubleshooter Office, I offered a Clasped Hands Greeting to the Master who had practically provided me with high-quality labor free of charge.
“Hoho, helped you? Is that so?”
The woman smiled elegantly, nodding lightly as she accepted my greeting.
“Mujin, this is my proud Master—Song Ryeong.”
This was the person who had raised the Purple Tenuity Star into a human weapon and instilled in her the mission to find and eliminate the Heaven-Slaying Star.
I had heard she was quite old, but seeing her in person, she looked only like an elegant woman in her early thirties.
At first glance she even appeared ordinary, which made it obvious she had reached the state of Returning to Simplicity—an extraordinary master.
“I had only heard about you, but I didn’t know you were such a graceful and beautiful lady. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Kind words invite kind replies.
Her eyes curved like crescent moons at my polite tone.
“Young Master also appears handsome, and a gentle aura quietly flows from you. It’s clear you are a chivalrous hero walking the same path as Harang.”
Pleasantries went back and forth.
As expected of Jo Harang’s Master, she seemed capable of reading a person’s aura to some extent.
Though it didn’t seem she could probe too deeply.
“You flatter me. I’m still far from deserving the title of chivalrous hero.”
“Oh my, such good manners. No wonder my child has been so shaken.”
Apparently pleased with my answer, Song Ryeong continued speaking with an even deeper smile.
“What do you mean ‘shaken’?”
“Ah—ah! Maybe I should do some training after so long! While breathing in the air of Mount Song!”
At my question, Harang suddenly shouted and changed the subject.
That looked suspicious.
Just what had she been saying about me? Ever since earlier, this woman named Song Ryeong had been looking at me with great interest.
I glared at Jo Harang, silently demanding the truth.
But she whistled and desperately avoided my gaze.
“Let’s not stand at the entrance. Please come inside, Young Master Dan Mujin. I’ve prepared a warm meal.”
Smiling gently, Song Ryeong led us inside.
Since long ago, I had a strange weakness for calm and mature women inviting me like that.
The place we entered wasn’t flashy, but it was just the right size for three or four people to live comfortably.
Song Ryeong brought steaming dishes to the table.
As soon as the food appeared, I gave thanks and began eating furiously with Jo Harang.
It was something like a stew filled with mountain ingredients—roots, vegetables, and mushrooms gathered from the surrounding hills.
“Oh my, Young Master eats well too?”
It made sense that Jo Harang, who grew up in the mountains and loved food, would eat like that.
But Song Ryeong seemed surprised that someone from Beijing was devouring the meal just as enthusiastically.
“I’m not picky about food. And perhaps because it was prepared by Sect Leader Song Ryeong, it’s quite delicious.”
There was a time when I had stuffed even roots and poisonous mushrooms into my mouth without hesitation.
This was nothing.
“…Hoho, you’re more composed than I heard.”
The woman nodded with a pleased smile.
But the atmosphere had felt strange for a while.
How should I put it? It felt like visiting a girlfriend’s house and meeting her mother for the first time.
The conversation and the situation somehow felt like a formal meeting between families.
“So what exactly did Jo Harang tell you about me?”
“Well… she told me quite a lot.”
Jo Harang froze mid-bite while eating the vegetable stew.
That brat definitely said something.
I looked at her again, but the Wildcat of Mount Song avoided my gaze and pretended not to notice.
“You and this child have become quite close, haven’t you, Master Dan Mujin?”
Song Ryeong asked curiously, perhaps thinking it must have been difficult to get close to someone so rough.
“With this Wildcat of Mount Song?”
“Hmm? Not a tiger? Why is she called that?”
Song Ryeong’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
That was because someone who had sworn she’d never be found out ended up having her identity as the Purple Tenuity Star exposed to my Master.
I still remembered how she apologized while wearing the Hwang Geolgae and then ran away.
Since then, I occasionally called her the Wildcat of Mount Song.
“M-Mujin! You can’t say that!”
And the Wildcat of Mount Song suddenly jumped to her feet as if she were about to overturn the table.