novelraw Chapter 193 : In Sichuan
Chapter 193 : In Sichuan
Chapter 193: In Sichuan
After coming down from Mount Emei, where many things had happened, our group naturally set foot on the land of Sichuan.
While the warm air of the season shifting from summer into autumn brushed against my skin,
I glanced at the tired-faced woman trudging along beside me and opened my mouth.
“Hey, thief.”
Xiangyang stopped walking and shot me a sharp glare. Her expression looked as though she had heard a word she simply could not tolerate.
“……It’s Xiangyang. And I clearly said I’m not a thief, but a Divine Thief.”
Her voice carried a mix of irritation and a strange sort of pride.
She emphasized once more that she was different from ordinary thieves, asserting her identity.
“What are you talking about? You’re a thief.”
“Hah, coming from a mere troubleshooter.”
She snorted in mockery, firing back that it was the kind of job usually done by thugs of the Unorthodox factions.
A high-level conversation between a self-proclaimed Divine Thief and a troubleshooter from the Beggars’ Union.
“Still, it’s a job where I earn money honestly, you know? Unlike you.”
I replied calmly. Occasionally, like this time, requests with blurred lines between good and evil did come in—but most of them still stayed within legal boundaries.
“Very funny. How about you take off that female disguise before talking? The way you’re dressed looks just… like a pervert.”
At Xiangyang’s sharp remark, I momentarily lost my words.
A pervert, she says. It was simply the result of throwing myself fully into the request.
Still, now that I had removed the disguise but was still wearing this fluttering female Daoist robe, it did feel like my arguments lacked weight.
I should probably stop by a cloth shop soon and change into new clothes.
“By the way, what were those things earlier—Beyond-Heaven, stars, moons, and all that?”
As we walked, she suddenly asked, curiosity apparently getting the better of her.
“It’s just… circumstances.”
I shrugged.
“……Hmph. So you don’t plan to tell me. But it doesn’t matter—I’ve heard of something called a Beyond-Heaven Being at least once.”
Apparently, she had once heard about it in passing from the Fourth Divine Thief, who was also her grandfather.
She said that even if I tried to hide it, she would dig it up eventually anyway. Well, even if she did find out, it wasn’t like I had anything to be ashamed of.
“Then let me ask something too. Why were you trying to steal the Yitian Interspatial Sword from the Emei Sect?”
Had someone commissioned her to steal it?
But the Yitian Interspatial Sword was far too famous across the Central Plains. The moment someone carried it, it would immediately be exposed as stolen property.
The entire Emei Sect would pursue you.
“……Just, well, there were circumstances. Don’t pry too much.”
She returned exactly the same vague answer I had given earlier.
Judging by her behavior so far, it felt less like she wanted the value of the Yitian Interspatial Sword and more like she needed the authority contained within it.
And that authority was probably its ability to detect beings that had strayed from the Orthodox path.
The feeling that she carried some kind of story began to grow stronger.
“Hey, thief. If you ever want work later, come find me.”
A Divine Thief, in other words—the best stealing ability in the Central Plains.
Connections with officials were important for a troubleshooter, but knowing skilled specialists like this was also crucial.
Especially for someone like me, who needed contacts to rely on when strange requests came in.
“Seriously? Me calling you? As if. The moment a thief calls a troubleshooter, it means the job already failed.”
Xiangyang shot me an incredulous look before turning away and continuing.
“And I never fail at stealing!”
After replying energetically to my proposal, Xiangyang disappeared into the crowd of Sichuan’s streets as if swept away by the flow of people.
A stealth technique so perfect it could fool even ghosts.
“Those types are the ones who come crying later after they fail.”
“Exactly, Captain.”
Seeing her arrogant figure vanish, Ilhong and I each threw in a comment.
It was the beginning of autumn, as summer was coming to an end.
‘The strange energy… has increased to two….’
Ever since the Energy of the Moon had settled faintly inside my body, the Salseong would flare up red and complain like that whenever it pleased.
Since then, as time passed, it seemed to speak to me more and more frequently.
It must have been quite a burden for it to keep its mouth shut all the time.
“Anyway, what exactly is this purple energy?”
I couldn’t really control it. It simply sat quietly within me.
Could I use this somehow later? For now, I should ask Hwang Geolgae about it.
He’d probably scold me a bit for getting tangled in another strange matter though.
“Captain, since we already got paid by the Sect Leader, should we relax and have some fun before leaving?”
She tilted her head toward the streets filled with sights for the Mid-Autumn Festival and made the suggestion.
Especially when the smell of freshly baked mooncakes tickled her nose, she grew even more insistent.
Certainly, this request had been exhausting, so taking a break wouldn’t be bad.
“Why did you take off your disguise on your own?”
It seemed she wanted to enjoy herself here, far away from Beijing, not as Ilhong the man but as Hong Geum the woman.
“Ah, it’s fine. I’ve grown enough that no one recognizes me, and with a wig and makeup they definitely won’t.”
She spun around proudly, showing off her appearance fully dressed as a woman.
“Hmm. At least wear a veil.”
“Geez….”
At my firm response, Ilhong made a sulky face and covered herself again with the white veil she had worn earlier.
While doing so, she muttered that to achieve her dream she would probably have to eliminate a certain person and take their place.
“But if I wear this halfway, it looks even more suspicious. It’s not like I’m some noble young lady from a prestigious clan….”
“Then just act like one. A young lady from a prestigious clan.”
I told her to perform skillfully just like when she disguised herself as a man.
“Then Captain, you have to cooperate too.”
She asked me to play the role of a bodyguard escorting a young lady who came out to enjoy the festival.
Well, she had fought hard against Venerable Huiyin during this mission.
“Lead the way, Young Lady.”
When I struck a pose, Ilhong smiled brightly.
“Hoho, Martial Warrior Dan Mujin. Shall we?”
Together with Ilhong, I decided to rest briefly here in Sichuan.
While we were enjoying the festival, looking at fascinating things and tasting delicious food,
From an alley somewhere, a strange presence suddenly rushed toward me.
Feeling the aura of a powerful martial artist that made the hair all over my body stand on end, I gripped my sword hilt and stepped into the alley.
Wondering who it could be, I saw a surprisingly familiar figure reveal himself in that shabby area.
The ruler of Sichuan where this festival was being held.
Clan Leader Tang Yangcheon of the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
“How is it? The Mid-Autumn Festival of Sichuan is quite a spectacle. There are even craftsmen here who make fireworks using black powder.”
When I first saw him before, he had looked seriously ill, but now all signs of sickness had vanished. It seemed he had fully become a poison master, radiating vitality.
The poison of the Human-faced Spider that Tang Yeo-hye and I brought him must have been extremely effective medicine.
“And the mooncakes are quite delicious as well. Have one.”
I inspected the mooncake that the Tang Clan Head handed me.
If it had been someone from the Tang Clan of Sichuan, they would have gratefully devoured it without hesitation.
“You didn’t poison it, right?”
“…I am not Yeo-hye.”
In my case, I had experienced far too many things until now to take it without suspicion.
Still, since a Clan Leader said so, I bit into it.
The aroma of savory nuts spread through my mouth—truly exquisite.
“And poisoning the one she likes has been Yeo-hye’s trait since she was little. She did the same to Neung Sam.”
“Pfft!”
I ended up spitting out part of the precious mooncake.
So all those poisoning attempts before had mostly been gestures of goodwill—her way of showing affection?
Tang Yangcheon watched my sweating reaction with great amusement.
“But how did you know I was here?”
Surely he hadn’t just coincidentally come out to enjoy the festival and run into me.
“This is Sichuan. Everything that happens here reaches my ears. Your movements were reported to me from the moment you entered Mount Emei.”
So he had kept watch and came to find me as soon as we descended from Mount Emei.
“Ah….”
His territory, after all. Truly worthy of being called the ruler of Sichuan.
“But Dan Mujin Master, who is the woman beside you?”
At that moment, Ilhong appeared, rushing toward me after noticing I had suddenly disappeared while escorting her as a young lady.
The moment she saw me with Tang Yangcheon, she clung to my arm tightly.
“He’s the man I’m promised to marry.”
She pulled off her white veil dramatically, displaying her beauty as if marking her territory.
“Hmm, is that so?”
Tang Yangcheon looked at me, letting out a thoughtful hum at the sight of such striking beauty.
“That’s impossible.”
I answered briefly.
“Ha, even with such a fine woman beside you, you say that? Well, since you’re close with my daughter, perhaps your tastes are unusual.”
“That’s not it at all.”
This man was saying something dangerous.
I quickly denied having that kind of preference.
“Anyway, why did you come? Surely you didn’t find me just to brag about Sichuan.”
Tang Yangcheon nodded as if confirming my guess.
“Do you know that Yeo-hye, who joined the Demon-Slaying Unit, hasn’t returned home even once?”
Even during a festival when people would travel far just to see their families,
she still hadn’t come back, he said with a slightly bitter expression.
“I think she has done enough of what she wanted. Now bring her back to the Tang Clan.”
Since Tang Ak, who had been competing for the position of successor, was already out of the picture,
the only remaining heir shouldn’t be wandering outside.
“For the sake of the clan, bring her out of the Demon-Slaying Unit,” Tang Yangcheon said.
“Why don’t you do it yourself?”
“She absolutely refuses to listen to me.”
Apparently she used to listen somewhat when he got angry, but after she saved the Clan Leader’s life last time, she no longer felt indebted and completely ignored him.
“If she won’t listen to her father, will she listen to me?”
“Well… she might listen to you, surprisingly. Yeo-hye seemed to have feelings for you.”
“…Ahem.”
I didn’t know exactly what he meant, but if she had heard that herself, she would probably have made a huge scene like she did with Neung Sam.
“Since we’re on the subject, how do you feel about my daughter?”
Perhaps the most burdensome question in the world.
A father asking directly what you think of his daughter.
“She’s extremely intelligent, talented in martial arts, and someone without flaws—”
“Not that kind of formal answer. Your feelings.”
The grip of Ilhong’s hand on my arm tightened painfully.
“We’ve clashed a lot and she’s cursed me plenty, but she’s one of the few comrades I truly trust.”
It was my honest answer, without embellishment.
“Hmm. Only that much for now? I heard you two grew close while nearly dying together.”
“There’s a problem I’m currently facing. Only after I solve it will things like marriage even be possible.”
Tang Yangcheon stroked his chin.
“Hmm. Are you suffering from some fatal illness? You say it’s a serious problem.”
“Yes. Something like that.”
It wasn’t a fatal illness, but I did carry a star that could kill everyone around me if I let my guard down.
“Hm… then it can’t be helped. In that case, consider it a request. If you have time, go see how she’s doing and persuade her to come home.”
“Yes. If I ever pass through Shaanxi or encounter the Demon-Slaying Unit, I’ll do so.”
Satisfied with my answer, the Clan Leader of the Tang Clan of Sichuan finally left.
After he disappeared, Ilhong, who had been standing there with a gloomy expression, raised her head and asked me.
“So that’s what it was…?”
“What?”
She looked as if she might cry.
“You had a fatal illness… that’s why no matter how much I approached you, you reacted like that….”
“No, that’s not it.”
I had simply rejected her because I’d grown used to seeing her as a younger brother due to her male disguise.
And even as a tomboyish beauty, she still lacked a bit of maturity.
“But right now I’m a very beautiful woman, you know?”
She pulled away the veil again and tugged on my arm.
“Hey, people are watching. Put that back down.”
Her beauty attracted attention immediately, drawing the gaze of people in Sichuan.
“Hurry and cover it.”
“No!”
She pulled my arm as if urging me to go enjoy the festival.
And so we ended up walking down the street while bickering for quite a while.