I was methodically planting bombs as I went along, but the fuse hadn't been lit yet.
The ten days that Dang Soran's husband candidates had decided to stay in Chengdu.
Over those ten days, Dang Soran had to divide her schedule and meet the men in turn.
Sometimes it felt like they were spending time inside the Tang Clan grounds, and other times they strolled through Chengdu's streets like with Jegal Yong.
Today was the latter.
Since yesterday had been with Namgung Yeon, today it was Wi Cheonsang.
And I, who still had unfinished business with Wi Cheonsang, trailed doggedly after them.
The uncles were with me too.
“...”
I gestured with my chin for her to look ahead.
Wi Cheonsang was busy trying to repair his recently tarnished reputation.
Even now, he was making excuses to Dang Soran about it.
“...So, just trust in me alone, and my heart will be at ease. Women and such. I don't enjoy that. I only want pure encounters with the woman I love.”
Hearing this, Dang Soran responded with absurd words, perhaps to push Wi Cheonsang away.
“When you're working, a bit of fooling around with women is inevitable. I have no intention of saying anything about it.”
“Haha, even if you probe like that, I truly have no interest. But it's strange that you're okay with it. No woman welcomes that. Even thinking about the others, do you feel the same?”
“The others...? Ah, yes. Young Master Wi, Young Master Jegal, Young Master Namgung... I've given it some thought, and even if they fool around with women, it doesn't stir any feelings. It's not a matter of fidelity. It's a matter of emotional connection.”
Cool.
Was that just talk to make him lose interest, or was she really that nonchalant?
Honestly, since Dang Soran was far from nonchalant, it felt like she was trying to make him back off.
At that moment, Dang Soran looked at me again.
Then she blinked thoughtfully, furrowing her brow sharply.
She suddenly seemed angry.
She was so scatterbrained that I had no idea why.
If I didn't know Dang Soran's real personality, even I might have been flustered.
Whether knowing this was a blessing or a curse.
Then, perhaps because she kept looking back so much, Wi Cheonsang turned to look this way too.
He met our eyes.
He seemed to recognize our faces.
“...Haa.”
Wi Cheonsang let out a deep sigh and slowly approached us.
“Brother. That guy's coming over, uh, Seojin...!”
Look at this bastard.
Was it because the uncles were with me?
I widened my eyes too, tensed up, and strode toward him.
I couldn't back down!
To this guy who treated the uncles like thieves and soured the mood.
Uncles, stay put. I'll handle this punk.
“Why are you following us?”
Wi Cheonsang asked.
I answered.
“Acting like you own Chengdu already? I can walk wherever I want. Who are you to question me?”
“It's uncomfortable having you trail us everywhere.”
“I'm not uncomfortable at all.”
“...My future wife is uncomfortable, so could you disappear?”
“Future wife...”
I looked around.
“Hmm. No courtesans in sight.”
Gu Yeong Uncle said from behind.
‘Hey, Seojin, well done.’
Machildeuk Uncle laughed loudly, practically taunting.
I turned back, high-fiving the air like a third-rate villain.
Ah, now I get why Dang Soran was acting childish and playful.
This was fun?
“You must be the one who spread those ridiculous rumors.”
Wi Cheonsang frowned and spoke in a hostile tone.
“What ridiculous rumors.”
“That I enjoy women...”
“Or that you enjoy men? That one?”
The uncles reacted again.
It felt like a rap battle with them hyping it up perfectly. Fun.
Wi Cheonsang's face flushed even more red as he now glared at me outright.
“Yeah. It was you. Even if I'm no martial artist, I've achieved some social success. You wouldn't want to incur my grudge, so how about stopping here?”
“Don't frame innocent people. Why do you think I spread it?”
“Beggars' Sect beggars carry rumors, so who else?”
I clicked my tongue.
“And again... Beggars' Sect beggars do carry rumors, but they don't spread falsehoods. This is the second time. Framing us for things we didn't do. Last time it was stealing our silver, now spreading rumors?”
But honestly, I didn't ask for it. Big Bro Wi Chang threw in that slander about you as a freebie. I didn't even want it.
“It's not baseless conjecture; it's the truth. As a merchant, I've met countless people. You get a sense of someone from talking to them.”
...Well, Wi Cheonsang did have that talent.
He'd tricked people left and right with it. Lived as a spy because of it.
Even his closest ally at Mount Hua Sect, Baekdam, had been used because he knew the guy was kind-hearted.
I replied.
“This time your sense is wrong. To be honest, I didn't like the previous insult much. Beggars' Sect beggars may have nothing else, but they hold onto their conscience.”
“Ridiculous. Who doesn't know Beggars' Sect beggars have sticky fingers? I've seen plenty as a merchant. You really want to claim there are no thieves in the Beggars' Sect?”
“...I won't deny there are thieves, but they're everywhere, aren't they? Lumping them all together pisses me off. By that logic, I've seen plenty of trash merchants too. Cheating people, scamming...”
I took one more step toward him.
And whispered quietly.
“See, if I said you were... a dog following the Public Enemy of Murim around, handing out money from his tail end, you wouldn't like that, right?”
Wi Cheonsang's face froze at those last words.
Whoa. Scary. Shouldn't have said that.
But whatever. You're done for anyway.
Who told you to mess with the uncles?
Then, Dang Soran wedged herself between us to stop me.
“Both of you, stop this...!”
Wi Cheonsang wore a strange expression seeing Dang Soran cling to me instead of him.
But more than that, he seemed too rattled by my words to care much.
“Young Master Wi, enough! The Beg, Beggars' Sect folks too, just stop here...”
I shrugged at Wi Cheonsang.
“So, let's not judge each other harshly. Apologize quick. For treating my uncles like thieves. Then I'll leave.”
“...”
But anxiety was already rising in Wi Cheonsang's eyes.
Left, right.
His eyes darted busily.
He was visibly tightening up.
At the same time, the sound of a crowd rushing over.
I heard from Big Bro Wi Chang that it had reached the Poison King, but the response was quite late.
Soon, Tang Clan uniforms fluttered here and there.
I told you, uncles.
Something fun would happen today.
I asked.
“...Won't you apologize quick? Looks like your chance is running out.”
“...Kuh!”
Grasping the gravity, Wi Cheonsang revealed his true colors and bolted.
Dang Soran stared at the fleeing Wi Cheonsang in shock.
“Kraaak!”
But he tripped like a fool first.
At the same time, a man appeared beside him.
It was the Poison King.
“Euk...! Uwaaak!!”
The Poison King stepped coldly on Wi Cheonsang's back.
A terrifying sight that sent chills down the spine.
...But in the original story, Cheongwol killed this Poison King.
Cheongwol was truly exceptional.
Wi Cheonsang dragged himself across the ground with his hands, his legs unmoving.
Even so, he barely looked up at the Poison King.
Dang Soran cried out in shock too.
“Cl-Clan Leader! Why suddenly!”
But Dang Jeokcheon had no intention of listening to his daughter.
“I spent the day investigating diligently.”
“Euk!!”
“Wi Cheonsang. Confess everything honestly, and I'll grant you a painless end.”
Rarely showing anger, everyone watching swallowed hard.
They all sensed this was no light matter.
Wi Cheonsang, pinned down, suddenly burst into giggles.
Like shedding a mask, the man changed.
I was the one who orchestrated this whole situation, but watching it unfold before my eyes made my heart pound.
He was doomed to die someday anyway, but my hands were somewhat stained with blood too.
Above all, seeing someone transform like in a movie gave me goosebumps.
It felt like drawing out the demon inside him.
I was shocked, so how must Mount Hua Sect's Baekdam have felt?
“...Is my liege safe?”
“A sufficient answer.”
Dang Jeokcheon pressed somewhere on Wi Cheonsang's neck, and he went limp like a puppet with cut strings.
He apparently had no intention of killing in front of all these spectators.
“Whew. Clean up the area.”
Mugyeol clasped his fists in salute and began organizing the surroundings.
While the Tang Clan retainers cleared the street, Dang Jeokcheon stared silently at me.
“...”
“...”
After seeing him subdue a grown man like blowing his nose, looking at his face felt pretty intimidating.
He might be a kind father to Dang Soran, but to an outsider, he looked like one scary bastard.
It only hit home after moments like this.
That martial artists and I were entirely different species.
I lowered my gaze.
Once lowered, Dang Soran came into view before me.
She was still in shock, scanning the surroundings.
In the end, she asked.
“...What in the world is this? This too... was your doing, Young Master?”
I didn't bother answering.
Instead, I asked what I'd been dying to know.
“But is that for real? You don't care if your husband goes to brothels?”