Cloud Dream Tower's Tower Master, Jang Pa, picked his nose while listening to the report from his mid-level manager, the steward Jo Yeolman, and said.
"...Again?"
"Tower Master, this time it's a gold token."
"...A gold token?"
Jang Pa's face, full of dissatisfaction, changed in an instant.
"What happened for Hao Gate to throw in something as valuable as a gold token?"
"They said not to ask questions precisely because they're throwing in something as valuable as a gold token."
"...Fair enough. So?"
"They've requested two or three top-class courtesans. However... they must not show any sign of being expensive ones from a high-end brothel. It has to be natural. The guest mustn't feel out of place or harbor any suspicions."
"Not too much, not too little... So basically, they want us to perfectly seduce one person."
"That's right."
"But what kind of person is worth Hao Gate throwing a gold token to make such a request? Who on earth is the target?"
Jo Yeolman shook his head.
"You know we shouldn't get curious."
"Who said anything about investigating? I'm just curious as a person."
Jang Pa muttered while lifting his cup.
"So? When are they coming?"
"The day after tomorrow, at the hour of the sheep."
"Morani, Seohyu, Doi. Keep all three of them off duty starting today. We only need to seduce one person, so two would suffice... but since it's Hao Gate, better to play it safe. Tell the girls that if they successfully seduce the target, there'll be a reward."
"Tower Master, if we pull Doi, the customers will complain loudly."
"We can't afford to lose Hao Gate's backing for business. When they ask for favors, read the room and handle it wisely."
"Understood."
At that moment, the door burst open.
Cloud Dream Tower's guard came rushing in breathlessly.
"T-Tower Master. You need to come out."
"What now?"
"...An unidentified female warrior has appeared..."
Jang Pa jumped up from his seat, brushed off his pant legs with the back of his hand, and hurriedly straightened his appearance.
In the Central Plains, there's a common saying: "Beware of the elderly and children." But in brothels, the adage is different.
Beware of women.
That's the whole saying.
Why?
A brothel is a place where emotions are bought and sold.
A place where love and desire become entangled.
That's why romantic dramas unfold so easily.
And a woman entangled in love becomes the most irrational being.
It doesn't matter if she's a martial artist.
Rumors of brothels burning down in the Central Plains often stemmed from the jealousy of female experts.
Stories of a brothel being completely destroyed by a female expert who saw her beloved man visiting one.
It's not even just rumors.
Cloud Dream Tower itself had risen to this position after a rival brothel was ruined by a female expert.
That's why no place is as wary of female martial artists as a brothel.
Number one threat.
Especially if her identity is unknown.
'Fuck.'
Jang Pa cursed under his breath upon seeing the entity that had arrived at the brothel.
A figure with her face covered in a silk veil. Not even wearing martial robes.
Her face, body, all covered... but her wide hips, slender waist, and moderately sized breasts proclaimed her to be a female warrior with a sensual figure.
Yet she boldly entered with a sword on her back, which meant she had considerable confidence in her skills.
As the most popular brothel in the holy city, Cloud Dream Tower employed martial artists as guards.
Of course, having second-rate martial artists on constant standby was the limit.
First-rate martial artists were barely kept as backers.
Martial artists don't stick around guarding brothels long-term because it lacks prestige.
Cloud Dream Tower's current backer was Hao Gate.
Hao Gate's second-rate martial artists, Hao Gate's first-rate martial artists, and so on...
That didn't mean Cloud Dream Tower could act recklessly.
If they got cocky relying on Hao Gate and ran into a martial artist even Hao Gate couldn't handle, the brothel would be the one swept away.
It was wise to carry weapons but avoid using them as much as possible.
Mutual caution was best.
That was the way of survival in this business.
Jang Pa offered a clasped-hand salute with a kindly smile.
"Welcome to Cloud Dream Tower. Uh, w-what brings you here?"
It would be easier if she were a lesbian. It'd be great if she just said she came to play.
Or even if she said she just came to drink.
"..."
The unidentified warrior said nothing.
Jang Pa mustered his courage with difficulty and made a request.
"...C-Could you at least remove the veil—"
"—No."
A seductive, clear voice.
But more than that, Jang Pa's courage wilted at the confidence she exuded.
She really was an expert, it seemed.
Moreover, judging by the emotion in her voice, she was a bit angry.
"Uh... how may we assist you?"
Jang Pa asked.
"...A man..."
"...Pardon?"
"I'm... looking for a man. I heard he might come here."
'Fuck.'
Just as he thought. The most troublesome kind.
Think about it.
For some powerless commoner who looks weak at a glance, you could just beat them lightly and chase them off.
But how do you do that to someone boldly covering their face and carrying a sword openly?
First off, the aura she exuded was extraordinary.
You could tell just from how his second-rate guard had come rushing to fetch him in a panic.
Martial artists recognize each other. Even he could see a formidable person had arrived.
Even now, every time the guard flinched and shifted his stance, the female hero subtly adjusted her foot position as well.
Jang Pa could sense the subtle power struggle unfolding tacitly.
Better not get involved. Not worth it.
"Y-Yes, we'll help however we can."
Her bamboo hat tilted slightly to the side.
"...Really?"
"Yes. We have no desire to cause any trouble. Haha, we know well that there are many scoundrels who come to brothels despite having wives—"
"—Not a wife."
The female hero's voice grew louder. Jang Pa hastily swallowed his words.
"Ah, then a lover—"
"—Not a lover either."
Her slightly trembling voice carried even a hint of shame.
But conversely, that made Jang Pa close his mouth for a moment.
...Fuck, then why are you here?
But he couldn't say that.
"...Then, uh... perhaps seeking an enemy..."
"...No."
"..."
"I-I'm here to find a friend."
Ah, so that's it.
What kind of friend is this?
Friends don't make a fuss when their friend visits a brothel, you crazy bitch.
Jang Pa was gradually revising his opinion of her.
A twisted old monster who's aged poorly?
An ugly woman or someone with a defect?
Otherwise, she wouldn't act like this.
A beautiful female martial artist wouldn't keep a loved one merely as a "friend."
Unless she was drunk or something.
...Anyway.
"R-Regrettably, we cannot check the faces of guests who enter private rooms, so please understand."
The female warrior's fist clenched.
The guard began to sweat profusely, Jo Yeolman started gulping, and Jang Pa kept glancing at her fist.
Shallowly, she nodded.
Jang Pa took another precarious step.
"Th-That said, not everyone heads to private rooms. We can check most faces, so please follow our steward to look for the man you're seeking. If he's here, that is."
"T-Tower Master. Why me—"
"—Shut up. And if he's not here, we'll prepare a seat at the entrance for you. You can wait there if you wish. Provided it doesn't inconvenience other guests."
The warrior stood in place for a long while without reaction, then nodded shallowly.
Jang Pa sighed in relief.
.
.
.
And two days passed.
Jo Yeolman whispered to Jang Pa.
"...She's still sitting there?"
"Fuck."
****
Cheongwol didn't know why she was sitting here.
During the day, she wandered the holy city, and at night, she monitored this brothel.
Why was she doing this?
...It absolutely wasn't to stop Han Seojin from coming to a brothel.
Who was she to do that?
If he wanted to, let him.
She didn't care.
...But she couldn't bear not to check.
Something felt stuck in the middle of her chest, making it hard to breathe, with irritation and frustration that wouldn't subside, leading her back to this seat.
A world utterly alien to her as an Emei Sect nun.
Yet paradoxically, monitoring this place now felt like it was opening her airways.
Behind the veil, Cheongwol kept bringing the straw rope she'd bought that day to her lips.
The end of the straw rope frayed softly like a brush, and pressing it gently to her lips felt like it was tickling them.
Doing so seemed to clear her stray thoughts, making her feel like she could somewhat suppress her heart demon.
It was the second day.
The holy city drew even more crowds, and Cloud Dream Tower began to bustle.
Those entering this massive brothel would glance at her in the corner of the first floor, her face hidden behind a veil, but soon realize the atmosphere was off and avert their eyes.
Frankly, Cheongwol thought they were making the right choice.
The longer she stayed here, the more futile her search for Han Seojin felt, and her heart sank into darkness.
It felt like her heart demon was seeping in, tickling her ears.
She might just act on her impulses.
It was the Tower Master's fault.
She had clearly told him about her heart demon, so why had he left her behind?
Why, in that basement, had he only looked at Dang Soran?
Yet people feared her, and fortunately, that allowed her to somewhat control her emotions.
"...Hoo."
Cheongwol let out a sigh.
The noisy clamor filled her ears.
The courtesans' clear laughter, the men's lewd jokes, and the murmur of revelry all mixed together.
Listening to that horrific noise for so long seemed to bring her back to her senses.
...What on earth was she doing here?
There were countless late-generation experts who had come to the holy city.
She could tell just from the voices in the brothel.
'The Ink Dragon has arrived!'
'People have come looking from all sorts of places?'
'The Namgung Family's second son came too. That fool.'
'Huh... I was hoping for the Thousand-Year Flower, but she hasn't shown up...'
'It's the Thousand-Year Flower, after all. Not someone you see easily.'
While other late-generation experts were attending the gathering at the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
She, called the Thousand-Year Flower of Emei Sect, was in a brothel.
Of course, she wasn't doing anything untoward, but the situation itself felt pathetic and ridiculous even to her.
It was time to stop this bizarre behavior and head to the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
Truth be told, this straw rope was just a straw rope—there was no certainty Han Seojin had made it.
The more she chewed on it, the less sense her actions made.
She had impatiently fled Mount Emei to come to the holy city.
She didn't even know if Han Seojin had come to the holy city or gone elsewhere.
Was there anything more foolish than searching for him like this?
Finding him here was an absurd coincidence to begin with.
Come all the way to the holy city and meet him in a brothel?
Cheongwol realized how stupid that thought and plan had been, and stood from her seat.
She should just give up.
Show her face at the Tang Clan of Sichuan once, then return to Mount Emei.
And wait for the Tower Master to come back.
"..."
And when he returned...
Cheongwol's eyes gleamed dangerously behind the veil.
Just as she was about to leave Cloud Dream Tower...
"Ehey! Hey! I said no, but this!"
"I know, I get it. We were just gonna drink and leave, so why make a fuss?"
"Ehey. Can't pretend not to know big bro's sincerity, hey."
Cheongwol's body stiffened rigidly.
A prickling sensation ran up her spine.
Pleasure? Rage? She couldn't tell.
"Ehey... Big bro. Then really just one drink. Just one."
Why was he laughing so carefree?
Why did his face look so untroubled?
I've been suffocating with frustration. Looks like you've been having fun?
Cheongwol didn't know how to express the fierce emotions raging within her.
Anger? Disappointment? Relief? ...Killing intent?
But one thing was certain.
It was the Tower Master.
Han Seojin was standing there.
That fact alone made her vision spin.
Unknowingly, Cheongwol slowly raised her finger.
Extremely slowly, quietly, so he wouldn't see from behind the veil, but clearly.
Pointing at Han Seojin.
Jo Yeolman, sitting beside her, noticed the gesture.
His face paled instantly as he bent at a right angle at the waist and whispered in her ear.
"...E-Even if it kills me, I won't let the courtesans touch that man. I'll make sure to tell them clearly."
Hearing that eased her mind.
Cheongwol nodded shallowly from behind the veil.
"That would be... for the best."
It was sincere, without a shred of falsehood.