Cheongwol pressed the beggars.
“Pardon? Where’s the shopkeeper?”
“...”
The beggars only glanced at each other, refusing to speak.
These were the same guys who would normally chatter away, spreading Cheongwol’s rumors far and wide, yet at this crucial moment, they chose silence.
Could they be any more infuriating?
They had been sprawled out in front of the Leather Room, but now they awkwardly got to their feet.
The older-looking man among them smacked his lips and spoke.
“Uh... miss, did our Seojin do something wrong...?”
Cheongwol looked at the two of them before answering.
“No. He hasn’t done anything wrong. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, your expression looked so stern... just in case.”
Another beggar hurriedly chimed in.
“That, uh, Seojin kid! He’s a good boy! If he did something wrong by any chance... please go easy on him...”
Only then did Cheongwol realize the weight of the aura she had been emanating.
She softened her stance, and the two middle-aged men both let out deep sighs of relief in unison.
“Haa...” “Hoo...”
Cheongwol awkwardly opened her mouth.
“...Sorry. May I have your names...?”
The man who seemed a bit older answered.
“I’m Gu Yeong, and this is Ma Childeuk.”
“...Gu Yeong, sir—then—”
“—No need for ‘sir.’ Speak comfortably.”
“Then... Gu Yeong. Could you tell me where the Leather Room’s shopkeeper went?”
“Seojin stepped out for a bit on some business. Far as I know, he told the villagers something vague.”
...He didn’t tell me.
Cheongwol’s insides twisted even more uncomfortably.
He’d shared the story with all the villagers but hadn’t told her, someone he’d spent time with?
...Was he really that angry at her?
Cheongwol asked again.
“Where to...”
“No idea.”
Cheongwol immediately knew that was a lie.
She could tell just from the way they cleared their throats and rolled their eyes.
Ma Childeuk cut in.
“Wait just a few days, and he’ll be back, so don’t worry too much.”
“When?”
“Well... probably around thirty nights...”
Cheongwol’s brow furrowed deeply.
“...Thirty nights?”
Where could he have gone that would take so long?
What business could the Leather Room shopkeeper possibly have outside that would keep him away for a full month...?
She could barely endure ten days, let alone thirty.
Cheongwol took a deep breath, then spoke in a calm tone.
“Truth is, I have something urgent to discuss with the shopkeeper. If you could tell me where he went... I’d be grateful.”
Thirty nights was too long. She would go find him.
Gu Yeong shook his head.
“Didn’t say I don’t know.”
“...Sir.”
“Told you, no ‘sir.’”
Just as frustration began to bubble up, Ma Childeuk interjected.
“Miss.”
“...”
“We’re just beggars with loose lips and nothing to our names, no learning either. But we live by our loyalty and righteousness. You might not know, but that Seojin kid is like a nephew to us. Even you won’t tell us why you’re looking for him—how could we sell out a kid like that?”
Cheongwol had no reply, her frustration matched only by her lack of words.
Ma Childeuk added one last thing.
“As I said, he’ll come back. Please wait.”
Cheongwol stood quietly in front of the Leather Room for a moment, gazing at the empty shop... then clasped her hands in a fist salute to the beggars before leaving.
“...Pardon the intrusion.”
.
.
.
Gu Yeong and Ma Childeuk watched Cheongwol’s retreating figure.
“...What the hell is that Seojin kid up to? Brother, you saw that miss’s face.”
Gu Yeong clicked his tongue in response.
“Yeah, no kidding. Never thought she’d make a face like that...”
It was practically a look that could kill.
Gu Yeong wiped his sweat-drenched palms on his pants.
His heart was still racing for no reason, so he quietly lay back down on the ground. He needed to calm his nerves.
Ma Childeuk lay comfortably on the ground as well, then rolled in the dust with a grin and looked at Gu Yeong.
“Oh, brother. What if it’s that?”
A mischievous smile appeared on his face.
“What?”
“This.”
Ma Childeuk wiggled his pinky finger.
Gu Yeong stared at the grinning Ma Childeuk, picked up a stone from the ground, and chucked it at his forehead.
“Ow!”
“Kid, say something that makes sense.”
“Hey, why! Last time in the basement, didn’t Emei Sect robes come out too!”
“So that means they’re a thing?”
“N-no... not like that... she’s not a nun from Emei, I didn’t mean it that way...”
“Hey, you idiot! Even joking about that could get Seojin’s head chopped off! If that miss heard you, you’d be dead! And you’re old enough to know better, spouting nonsense like that!”
Ma Childeuk rubbed his forehead and groaned, while Gu Yeong smacked his lips again and continued his thoughts.
...But seriously. Why was Cheongwol so desperate to find Seojin?
There didn’t seem to be any connection between the two at all.
****
“Huff... huff...”
“Hey, Seojin.”
“Huu... cough! Huff...”
“Seojin.”
“D-don’t... make me talk.”
My legs were shaking. How far does this uphill go?
It felt like climbing an entire mountain.
The road ahead was long, yet every single hill and slope left me gasping for air.
It had already been two days since we started walking.
My legs were screaming. Blisters had already formed on my soles.
And yet, Gwak Du Uncle was fine as ever beside me, looking at me with eyes full of pity.
No matter that Uncle was older than me, a Beggars’ Sect martial artist was still a martial artist.
On top of that, he was a branch leader. A second-rate warrior, sure, but his stamina was on another level.
Second-rate was still impressive.
He knew I was just a commoner who hadn’t memorized a single incantation, so he didn’t nag me about it, but his eyes said everything.
Uncle looked at me for a moment, shook his head, and changed the subject.
“By the way, I heard the Tang Clan Leader invited late-stage disciples to Chengdu this time. Won’t get everyone, but some big names should show. Should be fun to watch.”
“Oh.”
Was that now?
Right. After Cheongwol and Dang Soran’s spar.
Talk about perfect timing.
I knew about it, but with my own nose to the grindstone, I’d forgotten for a bit.
Not like I could skip it.
I had no idea what Dang Soran and Cheongwol planned to do with me.
It was a do-or-die escape situation.
Anyway, that gathering was where the protagonist, his companions, and a few villains all met up.
You could say that’s when the leads and supporting cast started getting familiar.
I let out a small sigh amid my ragged breaths.
...Gotta live quietly in Chengdu, stay out of sight.
Of course, why would martial artists care about a nobody commoner like me?
“Huff... huu...”
“Seojin.”
“Hoo... damn... seriously...”
“Seojin.”
“Uncle... please... just until this uphill ends... be quiet... I beg you...”
“You’re really not gonna talk about it?”
“About what?”
“Why you suddenly wanted to tag along.”
“...”
“You’ve never done this in ten years, so of course I’m shocked. You knew it’d be this tough, so what’s the reason? We’re not even staying long in Chengdu.”
I caught my breath and plopped down on the ground.
“Haa...”
I dusted off my palms for a moment and looked up at the sky.
Then I scanned the surroundings.
No Cheongwol in sight. No Tang Clan either.
Of course not.
I let out a deep sigh.
Yeah, it was something I had to say anyway.
“Uh, Uncle.”
“Yeah.”
I finalized the plan I’d been hiding for so long and laid it out plainly for Uncle.
“...I’m leaving Mount Emei for good.”
Uncle stared at me blankly, as if speechless.
Then, after a moment, he finally opened his mouth with difficulty.
“...What?”
He looked genuinely shocked.
He mumbled wordlessly for a while before asking.
“Why?”
“Haa...”
Where to even start? How much to say?
I scratched my head vigorously.
I couldn’t tell the truth. But I had to say enough for Uncle to understand.
“...I’m screwed.”
“Screwed how? What?”
“I got on Cheongwol miss’s bad side.”
Uncle rolled his eyes and tilted his head.
“...What’re you talking about?”
“I pissed off Cheongwol in the worst way possible!”
“What did you do?”
I was frustrated too. I wanted to spill everything, but I absolutely couldn’t.
The SM stuff with Cheongwol was a secret I’d take to my grave.
The moment I confessed, the odds of my head rolling would snowball.
Plus, I loved Gwak Du Uncle dearly, but I knew he had a loose tongue.
“Ah... damn... it’s just... that kind of thing.”
“No, what did you do that’s got you running away, you fool! I can see the fear in your eyes.”
“...”
Uncle scratched his head and said.
“Can’t you just apologize or something? I’ll go with you.”
“Huh?”
“Whatever you did, she’s a nun you trained with for years—she’d forgive you no problem. Anyone else, maybe not, but abandoning your home out of fear of Cheongwol miss? She’s so kind. There’s another reason, and you’re not telling me.”
...Ah, Uncle doesn’t know her true nature. Makes sense he’d say that.
I dug in my ear and laid it out for him.
“Uncle. You speculated before.”
“About what?”
“The slaughter on Mount Emei. That it might’ve been Cheongwol.”
“That was just talk...”
Uncle realized what I was getting at and hardened his face.
I bit my lip and said.
“...I saw it, Uncle. I saw it all with my own eyes.”
“...My god.”
“I really thought I was dead back then.”
“...”
Uncle plopped down on the ground at the news too.
“Don’t tell anyone. Not even the Sichuan branch leader. I’m the only one who survived that scene. If word gets out... Cheongwol would know exactly who spilled it.”
“...Hoo... so it really was the Extermination Sword?”
Shock was etched clearly on Uncle’s face.
He looked more worried than I did now.
Uncle mumbled for a long time, then whispered even though no one was around.
“Hey, you idiot. Why tell me now?”
“What would change if I’d said it sooner?”
“...Still...”
“It’s in a lull now, and she doesn’t seem about to do anything right away... but it’s only a matter of time. Can’t live with this anxiety forever.”
“So what’re you gonna do?”
“Find a place to land. Can’t stay on Mount Emei anymore... Starting from Chengdu, I’ll find somewhere to live low-key. Save some money, prepare properly... then make a midnight run.”
“...Can’t you just live in Chengdu? I don’t like you going so far away...”
I didn’t mind Uncle’s straightforwardness.
He was truly the only person in this world I could call family.
Sometimes annoying, sometimes a hassle, sometimes infuriating... but still the only one worthy of being called a great hero. In my heart, he was a father.
Uncle seemed to see me as a son to some degree too.
“Hm? Seojin. Then live in Chengdu. Even Cheongwol miss won’t find you there.”
“Uncle.”
“Yeah?”
I smiled and said.
“...I got on Dang Soran’s bad side too.”
Uncle pulled out his staff and swung it at my head.
“Argh!”
“Hey, you bastard! What the hell have you been doing!!”