The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

"Are you alright?"

Unlike his words, his voice and expression were dry.

Nevertheless, there was no other way to express his face, on which the moonlight had settled, than to say it was enchanting.

Even at the appearance of a beauty that would make anyone stare in a daze, Jin Sohyun was no different from usual.

"No. I'm on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion."

Cheon Yerang felt that Jin Sohyun was sweating all over and that his breathing was also unsteady.

'He's a person who doesn't get tired easily.'

Having spent four days together, Cheon Yerang had never seen Jin Sohyun get tired.

What had made Jin Sohyun, who had an unfathomable amount of internal energy and stamina, like this?

Cheon Yerang took out a water bottle and handed it to Jin Sohyun.

"Ah, thank you."

Jin Sohyun, who had received the water bottle, wet his throat with the cold water inside.

"Hooah! I feel alive now."

"Are you injured anywhere?"

"No. Fortunately, I'm not injured anywhere. What about you, Young Lady?"

"I'm fine too."

Jin Sohyun smelled the scent of blood from the neat-looking Cheon Yerang.

Although there were no visible bloodstains, there was a high possibility that she had passed through a place full of the fishy smell of blood.

'This side must not have been idle either.'

Jin Sohyun thought that Cheon Yerang must not have been idle either.

In fact, Cheon Gaseong, who had appeared afterward, was exuding an even thicker scent of blood.

"You're alive."

"My future dream is to live a long and healthy life."

"You have a difficult dream for your station."

Among the martial artists of the martial world, living a long and healthy life was everyone's dream and hope.

It was because surviving in the rough martial world was the same as becoming a master of martial arts and making a name for oneself.

Of course, for the lazy Jin Sohyun, living a long and healthy life was not about becoming a master or making a name for himself.

He just wanted to live a peaceful life, lazing around to his heart's content.

While Jin Sohyun and Cheon Gaseong were having a short conversation, Yu Useon and one young martial artist appeared blankly.

Fortunately, they seemed to have been safe by the side of Cheon Gaseong and Cheon Yerang.

"Young Hero Jin!"

While a strange current was flowing between the five people, Oh Seolhwa, who had left to look around, returned.

She was startled when she discovered Cheon Gaseong and Cheon Yerang.

"Young Hero Cheon and Young Lady Cheon... you're all safe. That's a relief. Ah! I have good news! I met the martial artists of the Alliance."

As soon as Oh Seolhwa's words ended, a group of people appeared behind her.

They, who were wearing the martial arts robes of the Alliance, were very happy when they discovered the three.

"Hahaha! It's a relief that you're safe. From now on, we will protect you, so don't worry."

"And Young Lady Si is also safe!"

"Really?"

As Jin Sohyun asked happily, the martial artist of the Alliance nodded his head up and down vigorously.

"She's safe without a single injury, so don't worry. For now, it would be better for us to join them too. Follow me."

Cheon Gaseong and Cheon Yerang followed the warriors of the Alliance without a word, and behind them, Jin Sohyun and the rest of the group also joined.

The place where the six people and the martial artists of the Alliance were heading was a place where a single peak stood tall.

It was a place where the officials of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple, who had survived thanks to the efforts of Jin Sohyun and Oh Seolhwa, had gathered, and the martial artists of the Alliance, who had discovered this, had set up a base there and had gone on a rescue mission.

The temporary base created on the side of the peak was truly a scene of chaos.

"Heuk... heueuk!"

"It hurts... why does it hurt so much?"

"My leg! My leg...!"

"I can't see my younger brother. Where did my younger brother go?"

The officials who had survived by a stroke of luck were gathered like criminals, and the officials who had lost their families and companions were wailing and sobbing.

The officials who had barely survived from the brink of death looked at their lost limbs and despaired.

Those who could no longer walk properly or hold a sword.

As they, who had lived their whole lives as martial artists, could no longer live the life of a martial artist, a sense of despair swallowed them.

"It's the White Moon Palace."

"As expected... they're fine."

They stared at Cheon Gaseong and Cheon Yerang, who were not injured in the slightest, with a gaze of awe.

But the gaze that looked at Jin Sohyun was not kind.

"Why did that moron survive?"

"He's not injured anywhere."

"He was lucky."

"Or he was hiding well."

"Seeing that he came with Young Hero Cheon, he must have received the help of the White Moon Palace."

"I wish that brat had died..."

Ironically, those who had lost their loved ones or a part of their bodies hated those who had survived unscathed.

Especially, that hatred was even more severe for Jin Sohyun, whom they had not looked upon favorably even in normal times.

"Those idiots!"

Oh Seolhwa could not stand it any longer.

The majority of the martial artists who had survived with all their limbs intact had had their lives saved thanks to Jin Sohyun's help.

To protect them, Jin Sohyun had to fight and fight without rest.

But they did not know that fact.

'I have to tell them. How much Young Hero Jin suffered! How much he tried to save the officials!'

Oh Seolhwa, who knew the truth, was about to step up to correct the misunderstanding.

But Jin Sohyun stopped her.

"Young Lady Oh. Stay still."

"...What?"

"I'm fine."

"Even if others don't know, Young Hero Jin shouldn't be treated like this. More than anyone..."

Oh Seolhwa could not continue her words.

The dead officials and the officials who were injured and had fallen into despair.

Jin Sohyun's face, who was looking at them, looked very sad.

'Why...!'

Oh Seolhwa was frustrated.

It was not Jin Sohyun's fault that the officials had died or had been injured.

On the contrary, if it weren't for Jin Sohyun, more people would have died or been injured.

Although she wanted to tell them this, the words would not come out when she looked at Jin Sohyun's face.

'If I had been faster, if I had been... stronger...'

Jin Sohyun's heart was heavy and stuffy.

"Young Lady Oh. Please keep what I did a secret from others."

"What? Keep it a secret?"

Although Oh Seolhwa was about to question him, the officials who had discovered her came in a line.

"Young Lady Oh! We survived thanks to you."

"If it weren't for the Young Lady... thank you so much."

"N-No. I... I..."

Oh Seolhwa, whose face had turned red, looked for Jin Sohyun, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Following that, familiar faces came to Oh Seolhwa.

"Junior Sister Oh!"

"Senior Brother! You're safe."

"I heard the story. You saved the officials from the unorthodox faction group and then guided them here, right?"

"Senior Brother... I have something to tell you..."

—For now, just say yes.

At the telepathic message from Hyeok'ugun that followed, Oh Seolhwa had no choice but to nod her head.

"...Yes."

"As a fellow disciple of the Huashan Sect, I am very proud of you."

"...Thank you."

"I plan to join the martial artists of the Alliance to find the officials who have not yet been rescued. Will you join me?"

"I will also lend my strength."

Hyeok'ugun took Oh Seolhwa, who was surrounded by the officials and was receiving their thanks, and left the place.

As they moved away from the people, Oh Seolhwa opened her mouth.

But Hyeok'ugun spoke first.

"I know what you're trying to say. You are still not enough to deal with that many unorthodox faction martial artists."

"That's right."

Hyeok'ugun had already calmly assessed Oh Seolhwa's skills.

That's why he had approached the truth to some extent.

"You received the help of the White Moon Palace, did you not?"

Hyeok'ugun had seen her come with Cheon Gaseong and Cheon Yerang and had mistaken it for her having received their help.

Oh Seolhwa fell into thought.

Originally, it was right to tell the truth about Jin Sohyun.

But she could not ignore Jin Sohyun's request to keep it a secret.

"...That's right. I just told the martial artists who had had their lives saved to gather at the peak."

"You did well. Thanks to you, many people were able to save their lives. So don't blame yourself."

Hyeok'ugun said with a sigh.

"Also, don't try to reveal the truth. The prestige of the White Moon Palace has risen due to this incident. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before one palace is established above the Nine Sects."

'No. Perhaps...'

Oh Seolhwa recalled Jin Sohyun's flying sword, which had flown a distance of a hundred zhang and had killed the unorthodox faction group.

'Above one palace and the Nine Sects... one family might rise.'

Oh Seolhwa's mind, who knew the truth alone, was very complicated.

***

'What happened to me?'

Jong Ryeo'ak opened his eyes.

'A strange ceiling.'

A strange ceiling he had never seen before was visible.

It was like a kind of tent.

No, it was a tent.

'I'm so thirsty.'

He tried to get up, but it was impossible.

It was difficult to even move a single finger due to the tremendous pain, as if all the bones in his body were broken.

"Kkeung!"

As Jong Ryeo'ak let out a groan, Siu, who was sitting next to him, was startled.

"Mister... no, Young Hero Jong!"

"Wa... wa..."

"Hwaaaang! He's not dead!"

With words that were ambiguous as to whether she was happy that he was not dead or had wished for him to be dead, Siu buried her face in Jong Ryeo'ak's chest and began to cry.

"Wa... waaeu."

"What did you say?"

As Siu came over, pouring out tears and snot, Jong Ryeo'ak's eyebrows twitched.

Although the tears and snot that she had not been able to wipe away were pouring onto his face, there was nothing Jong Ryeo'ak could do.

"What is it?"

"Wa... water."

"Ah! Water? Just a moment."

Siu hurriedly brought a bucket of water and, after pouring it into a cup, poured it into Jong Ryeo'ak's mouth.

Gulp— Gulp—

After drinking the water, Jong Ryeo'ak's expression became much more comfortable.

"Are you alright?"

Jong Ryeo'ak, who had wet his throat, asked.

"I'm fine. I'm not injured at all."

As Siu said, nodding her head, Jong Ryeo'ak smiled lightly and said.

"Then get lost now."

"..."

"Don't bother me."

"Hmph! I nursed you so hard while you were sleeping, mister!"

"I don't need it anymore."

"You don't even have the strength to move a single finger. Can you even drink water?"

At Siu's sarcasm, Jong Ryeo'ak extended his hand, but his hand could not reach the bucket of water.

"See? You can't even drink water by yourself."

"I'll take care of it myself... so stop it and get lost."

"I don't want to."

"What?"

"I am a maidservant of a merchant family! Although I'm not a merchant, I hate living in debt. Don't put on airs later, saying you saved my life or protected me, and just receive my devoted nursing now. I'm an expert at this kind of thing."

"I said I don't need it!"

"Be quiet and lie down!"

"This damn wench!?"

"You're acting strong when you don't even have the strength to move a single finger!"

As Siu poked his side, Jong Ryeo'ak's body flinched.

"This! I'll kill you!"

"What can you do, mister? What can you do with that body?"

"I shouldn't have saved you..."

Regret was regret, even if it was late.

While the two were bickering, the closed tent opened, and a familiar face appeared.

"Young Master!"

"Siu. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. By the way, our Young Master... why have you become so pale!?"

"It's nothing, so don't worry."

Jin Sohyun soothed Siu and approached the simple bed where Jong Ryeo'ak was lying.

"You protected Siu."

"A brat who was no different from a piece of luggage, I just moved her out of the way because she would be a hindrance."

"Really? Then I don't have to be grateful."

"This hell! The damn couple is going crazy together!"

As Jong Ryeo'ak, who could not stand it any longer, burst out in anger, Jin Sohyun smiled and patted his chest.

"It's a joke, a joke."

"Ugh!"

At Jin Sohyun's pat, Jong Ryeo'ak's whole body was in pain as if it would break.

"Thank you. This is sincere. Thanks to you, Siu was able to be safe."

"If you know... please... both of you, get lost..."

"Siu. Take good care of this brat."

"Yes!"

Jin Sohyun, who had ignored the shouting Jong Ryeo'ak and had come out of the tent, looked at the forest with a low gaze.

The forest seen from here was quiet.

Although the lives and deaths of numerous people had crossed and intertwined, the forest seen from a distance was peaceful.

This was the essence of the Central Plains.

The world seen from the Jin Family was peaceful, but in the martial world, blood and flesh were rampant.

Although he had denied it and denied it again, Jin Sohyun was feeling it.

The fact that he had dipped his feet into the rough and hot waves of the martial world.

"Sigh... I don't want to do it."

Forcibly suppressing his boredom.

Jin Sohyun's figure was quickly shot out.

(End of Chapter)