Martial Arts Masochist

“Noble...! Why so suddenly...!”

Wi Chang burst through the door as if he were about to shatter it.

I sat alone in the room, fuming, and caught my breath when I saw Wi Chang.

No matter how much I thought about it, I was pissed.

I’d given the uncles money so they could go have some fun, and they treated them like thieves?

It’s true that the Beggars’ Sect values loyalty and righteousness above all, but like any group, they have their trash.

I knew some Beggars’ Sect members had sticky fingers since they lived without much.

So I could understand that perception.

But even a merchant shouldn’t act like that, let alone the head of a merchant house.

Especially that slimy bastard, of all people, targeting my uncles... Wi Cheon-sang’s glare and attitude kept nagging at me, stirring me up.

Yeah, the engagement was going to fall through anyway. You walked right into it.

“I have a favor to ask, that’s why I called you.”

I told Wi Chang.

Wi Chang swallowed hard, closed the door, and sat down in front of me.

A pot of fragrant tea steamed gently before us, but I wasn’t in the mood to drink.

“As much as you need.”

Wi Chang sat with a resolute expression.

“I wanted to apologize for messing up last time. I’ve been agonizing over how to make amends, so this time, I’ll do whatever it takes to fix it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Just say the word, Noble. I’ll do anything you ask.”

“Anything?”

Wi Chang nodded and said.

“Even any crime.”

“...”

Wi Chang’s gaze didn’t waver.

Only after seeing him like that did a sense of reality hit me.

Yeah, I’m really dealing with murim folk.

I’m getting tangled up with the kinds of people I tried to stay away from.

The one sitting in front of me wasn’t the righteous folks always around me.

This was pure evil faction.

One of the giant evil sects, no less.

Their martial prowess might not be the strongest, but no one ignores the Hao Gate’s influence.

And right now, that influence was exactly what I needed most.

“Bury Wi Cheon-sang for me.”

I said.

“...Wi Cheon-sang of the Shangping Merchant House?”

“Yes.”

“The one currently staying in the holy city?”

“Yes.”

Confusion spread across Wi Chang’s face.

“N-Noble... I-It’s possible, but... at least give me a reason... Otherwise, putting a hit on the head of a massive merchant house... there’ll be too many mouths I have to silence...”

“I’m not asking you to put a hit on him.”

Confusion turned to puzzlement.

“...Then?”

I leaned in slightly.

Wi Chang leaned in too.

“Brother Joo... no, Brother Wi.”

“Drop the formalities, Noble.”

“Brother Wi. Do you know Baek Sa-hyeon, the leader of the Sa-hon Gate?”

“If I didn’t know Baek Sa-hyeon, I couldn’t be the deputy head of the Hao Gate’s Sichuan branch. You mean that infamous public enemy of murim, known for his cruelty?”

“I hear he’s close with Wi Cheon-sang...”

.

.

.

Rumors about Wi Cheon-sang began spreading like wildfire in an instant.

“Did you hear? Wi Cheon-sang’s a real womanizer.”

“Last time, one of the women he raped even came forward! And he’s got three kids out of wedlock or something...”

“I heard he’s into men too?”

“Whew...”

I walked the streets, nodding my head.

Brother Wi Chang. You get things done right.

Doesn’t matter what else, you’ve got power here in the holy city.

I could get addicted to this influence.

The Beggars’ Sect doesn’t spread false rumors, which is why they hold back... but the Hao Gate spreads bullshit like nobody’s business. Perfect.

The more the rumors spread about Wi Cheon-sang, the more the Shangping Merchant House shrank back.

I hadn’t exactly hoped for these baseless rumors, but since I wanted him buried, it felt like extra service.

“...What the hell did you do?”

Gu Yeong Uncle clicked his tongue.

As a Beggars’ Sect member himself, he’d know this kind of rumor-spreading wasn’t normal.

“A young man everyone loved just yesterday, and now his reputation flips overnight.”

“What did I do? He was always like that. You saw how he treated us yesterday. If it leaks inside, it leaks outside too. It’s just finally showing.”

Clasp... At that moment, Dang Soran, who was walking beside me with her face veil flipped back, grabbed my hand.

“...?”

I tried to pull away, but it wouldn’t budge.

“...What did you do?”

Dang Soran asked.

“Didn’t you just hear? I didn’t do-”

“-Liar.”

Her grip tightened.

“...You’re lying, Young Master.”

“...”

No need to repeat the lie.

Once you start something, see it through to the end.

It’s not ending with Wi Cheon-sang, right?

“...Anyway. Wi Cheon-sang’s about to have a rough time... Next up is Jegal Yong.”

“Huh?”

“Little Soran. Will you do as I asked?”

****

A few days later.

Dang Soran walked the streets of the holy city with her father, younger brother, and Jegal Yong.

“...I had a feeling something was off.”

Jegal Yong argued passionately beside Dang Soran.

“It’s still just premature rumors, but even the possibility...”

“Maybe.”

Jegal Yong was telling Dang Soran about the hot gossip scorching the holy city: Wi Cheon-sang.

Walking together, she could feel it clearly—Jegal Yong’s feelings for her ran deep.

But every time she sensed it, gratitude took a backseat to burden.

He didn’t even look that desperate.

Look at Han Seojin.

...Hard to even catch.

But when he grabs you, he grabs you for real...

‘Don’t get married, Soran.’

“...Ugh.”

Just thinking of those words made her heart race.

“...Miss Soran?”