Chapter 139
Myo-seon's heart was still pounding.
The surprise and awe at So-ah's martial prowess she had witnessed last night.
Furthermore, the funeral arrangements for the Liaoning branch members who had become corpses at the hands of the Eastern Depot, and the compensation for their bereaved families.
And the correlation between the chronic illness she was suffering from and the peerless divine art called the <Sunflower Manual>.
It was understandable, as the tasks she had to handle had piled up like a mountain overnight.
Moreover, since a murder had occurred on the very first day she had become the temporary branch leader, Myo-seon even had the ridiculous thought that she might be fated to work like an ox.
But.
'I have to get a grip. There are people who died while on security duty... Right now, handling their affairs is the top priority!'
Myo-seon was not a spoiled disciple of a prestigious orthodox sect.
Having wandered as an orphan since she was young and having established an indomitable will after much hardship, she soon began to move busily to handle the posthumous affairs of the fallen alliance members.
The first thing Myo-seon did was to send a letter to her master and the leader of the Martial Alliance, Abbess Hongryeon.
「To the Alliance Leader.
The Eastern Depot, known as the second major martial force of the imperial court, raided the Liaoning branch and attempted to kidnap the temporary branch leader, Myo-seon (myself), but was blocked by Young Hero Jin So-ah of the Moyong family and failed, resulting in a large number of deaths.
It is presumed that the Eastern Depot raided the branch with the intention of kidnapping and recruiting a martial artist suffering from the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, having them learn a peerless divine art called the <Sunflower Manual>, and using them as a trusted subordinate. (The result of Young Hero Jin capturing one person alive and gathering testimony through torture and interrogation)
In the process, the branch's alliance members who were on security duty were killed in action.
This branch leader plans to hold their funerals as grandly as possible and then, in accordance with Article 16 of the Martial Alliance's rules regarding the treatment of fallen warriors, to pay the highest amount of emergency living support funds and consolation money for the fallen to all bereaved families, including their widows and children.
In the future, we plan to launch an investigation into the White Lotus Cult branch in the Liaoning region, so we request that support troops be dispatched from the main office.
P.S.: Alliance Leader. Currently, So-ah has left Liaoning to raid Eunuch Han, who is behind the Eastern Depot. He says he plans to seize the <Sunflower Manual>, but I couldn't stop him. First, as soon as the situation is under control, I will visit the main office with So-ah. Please be well!
Temporary Branch Leader of the Martial Alliance's Liaoning Branch, Myo-seon's official seal—」
Since it was her first time writing an official document as an official, Myo-seon's sentences were somewhat convoluted.
But around the time she finished writing the letter with all her heart, racking her brain.
Coincidentally, a guest visited the branch.
"Lady Myo-seon..."
"Oh! Chairman!"
The guest was none other than the head of the Moyong family, Moyong Baek.
"I heard you had a hard time."
"Ah... yes. But thanks to Young Hero Jin of your esteemed family helping me, I was able to be safe."
Moyong Baek got the impression that Myo-seon, who was using quite a business-like vocabulary with a shyly reddened face, was cute.
'Haha. If Lady Myo-seon hadn't had the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, she would have become an external disciple of our family at my father's recommendation.'
To Moyong Baek, Myo-seon was not a person who could be dismissed as a mere junior in the martial world.
Although the period was short, she was a child his father had raised when she was young, and hadn't she even become a disciple of the Emei Sect at his father's recommendation?
Therefore.
"Hoho. Lady Myo-seon. Every time I see you, I am reminded of my daughter. Considering the connection with your father, the relationship between you and the Moyong family can also be said to be deep. So, you can be comfortable when you treat me."
"...How can I. You are a great senior in the martial world."
"Hahaha. Look at So-ah. Doesn't So-ah call the leader of the current Martial Alliance, Abbess Hongryeon, 'Grandma'? Is that all? He calls the leader of the Beggars' Sect, the great hero Hong In-geol, 'Grandpa', and he doesn't hesitate to do crazy... no, strange things like serving the Bandit King and the Waterway King as his sworn brothers. Since So-ah and you are like siblings, it's alright for you to treat me comfortably."
Watching Moyong Baek's good-natured smile and gentle demeanor, a warm breeze blew in Myo-seon's heart.
'As expected, he is worthy of being the son of the Living Buddha Grandpa. He is a truly warm person.'
Moreover, for Myo-seon, who was an orphan, the kindness of Moyong Baek, who was like a father figure, must have been extremely welcome.
"Yes! Chairman. I will treat you comfortably from now on!"
"Hohoho. Then, Lady. What should I help you with first?"
"Pardon?"
"So-ah left with a stern warning. To help you."
"Ah!"
It was as clear as day without even looking.
What So-ah must have said before he left.
'I can't stop him!'
A faint smile flowed from Myo-seon's lips.
***
—Papapapapang!
'Ugh... ugh!'
—Papapang!
'Oop...'
—Papapapapang!
"Uwe-e-e-ek!"
What was bound to happen had happened.
The Eastern Depot man, who was floating in the air, carried like a piece of luggage on So-ah's shoulder, suffered from a sense of floating and a headache, and vomited.
"Th-This bastard, are you really crazy?!"
So-ah's eyes flipped.
The white long robe he had tailored at the cloth store just ten days ago was stained with the man's vomit.
"Y-Young Hero Jin! This is unfair. In the whole world, if you perform lightness skill faster than a flying bird... I... I have no way to endure it!"
But even at the Eastern Depot man's protest, So-ah's expression did not loosen a bit.
"You punk, then you should have followed me on your own, shouldn't you? You have to arrive faster than your comrades."
"Didn't you destroy my dantian, Young Hero? I have become a cripple who can never use martial arts for the rest of my life, so how can I follow such a supreme lightness skill..."
"But look at this bastard talking back. Were you always this good at talking?"
"Pardon?!"
"Keu-a-a-a-ak!"
A huge scream echoed in the deep mountains.
Although he felt it every time he was hit, So-ah's flick on the head was on the level of being replaced by a blunt weapon itself.
'That towering mountain peak... it's like my head.'
The Eastern Depot man, caressing his head which had risen high without knowing the height of the sky, had to shed hot tears once again.
"Phew! You! If I can't get a single penny, I'm breaking the promise to send you to the Martial Alliance."
"What does that mean...?!"
"You punk. I have to get my service fee too."
"Pardon?!"
"You Eastern Depot guys have done a lot of bad things so far, right? Then the amount of money you've accumulated through corruption must be no joke, right?"
"Ah...!"
"Phew... I'll sweep it all up without leaving a single penny."
"Was that it?"
"What?"
"Are you going to catch Eunuch Han for that money?"
"Do you want to die?"
"No."
"Shut up and go wash your clothes."
So-ah, who had taken off the long robe stained with the man's vomit, threw it and glared at him.
The man hurriedly picked it up and went to the stream to wash it until his hands were raw.
'In all my life, I'm even doing laundry. Phew! That son of a bitch!'
In that moment.
"I can hear everything, I can hear everything."
'Gasp!!!'
So-ah, who was sitting at a distance and plucking dandelion seeds, spoke as if he had read the Eastern Depot man's mind like a ghost.
"I, you punk. I am the owner of the heart lamp, the owner of the heart lamp. I can hear everything~ and see everything~. Got it?"
'Is that really a person?!'
The man closed his eyes tightly and trembled to drive away the chilling goosebumps.
Of course.
'If you know, you know, you brat. Kekekek.'
So-ah's words were just a 'maybe, maybe not' kind of throwaway line.
***
"As expected, the hemostatic medicine from Doctor Heo's pharmacy is the best. Wow! The scab has already hardened so much that not a single drop of blood is flowing."
"Y-Young Hero Jin."
It was a moment where the character for 'surprise' was continuously drawn.
So-ah, while tormenting the man with violence from beginning to end, was also carefully examining his wounds and continuing the treatment so that he could endure the forced march well.
Before he knew it, the wound on the flesh where salt had been sprinkled had healed, and perhaps because the effect of the medical treatment by So-ah's acupuncture and moxibustion had shone, the internal injuries were also subsiding smoothly.
'The more I know, the more amazing he is. Crazy martial arts, crazy personality... even his medical skills are at a crazy level. Besides, he's so thorough with his profit and loss calculations. I wonder if there has ever been such a rascal in all of history.'
Watching So-ah's behavior of lifting and putting down a person, the Eastern Depot man fell into such thoughts.
But his contemplation did not last long.
"Now! Since your body seems to have entered a recovery period to some extent, we're going to run at full speed from now on. Hold on tight. If you fall, you'll break your head."
"Y-You're going to run faster than now? Is that possible?"
"You'll know when you see it, you bastard."
'Ugh... I can't say anything!'
So-ah did not grant the man human rights from beginning to end.
And then.
Grab—
He roughly grabbed him by the collar and, with his broad shoulders, hoisted the man up.
Papapang—
Wasn't he performing the lightness skill at a speed that was on a different level from before?
'I'm going to fly at this rate, I'm going to fly!'
Because the speed was beyond words, the man fell into the illusion that he had become a bird in the sky.
The figures of the two people, crossing the red-burning sunset horizontally, thus embroidered the air.
***
A few days later—
"Why is there still no news?"
Eunuch Han, who was waiting for news with an anxious heart at the villa, the meeting place of the Eastern Depot in Hebei, drew his eyebrows into an eight and let out a complaint.
"Please wait a little longer, Eunuch Han. Wouldn't it take a considerable amount of time to reach here from Liaoning?"
"Then, shouldn't they at least send a letter to inform us of the success of the matter!"
Eunuch Han showed his impatience.
Now that he thought he could get his hands on Myo-seon, he couldn't help but be anxious.
"My lord. If the matter had gone to waste, they would have sent a letter, but since no news is good news, you don't have to worry. All 30 of the Eastern Depot's elite have been deployed. Even if there is a top ten master of the Orthodox Path at the Liaoning branch, they will not be able to stop them."
"Kekeke. Indeed... since all of the Eastern Depot has been deployed, who can stop them? However, I can't help but feel impatient at the thought that I can get the successor of the <Sunflower Manual>."
"How could it not be so? Soon, you will achieve your great dream, my lord."
"My doll who has mastered the Sunflower Manual to the extreme... kekeke. Just thinking about it is thrilling."
"You will seize the world."
"Then I will make sure that you can also get a big share."
"Thank you, Eunuch Han!"
"Kekekeke."
Eunuch Han and his trusted subordinate curled the corners of their lips as they spread their wings of thrilling imagination.
Eunuch Han in his own way.
The subordinate in his own way.
It was a moment when they were burning with their respective ambitions.
But just then.
Thump—
There was a sound of someone knocking on the main gate of the villa from outside.
Since this villa was built in the mountains and it was extremely rare for external guests to visit, the two looked at each other with puzzled expressions.
"Could it be that our people have arrived?"
"I will go and see, Eunuch Han."
The trusted subordinate who had said that hurried to the main gate.
And then he opened his mouth in a solemn voice.
"Who is it?"
"..."
"Didn't I ask who it is?!"
"..."
There was no answer.
Only then did the man realize that something was wrong.
If it had been a passing traveler, they would have naturally revealed that they were a guest, and if it had been a person from the Eastern Depot, they would have naturally revealed their identity.
—Clang!
The man hurriedly drew his sword.
It was to prepare for an unexpected situation.
In that moment.
The main gate of the villa was shattered.
At the same time, what came into the man's sight was.
"It's me, you f*cking bastard!"
...the sight of So-ah, who was grinning while cursing, and his colleague, who was making a tearful face with a leash around his neck.