I sat there in a daze, chomping away on dumplings.
“This stingy bunch... They won’t even fill you up.”
Gwak Du Uncle glanced at the plain dumpling in my hand and grumbled.
No helping it.
This was the best we could do.
After getting kicked out of the Drunken Cloud Pavilion, I explained everything to Uncle, and he flew into a rage, ready to throw down with that waiter.
He couldn’t stand seeing me treated like that.
What a guy who lives and dies by his emotions. In the end, I had to hold him back.
Then Uncle went to a shabbier inn and dug up the info himself.
...and in this Central Plains with no takeout containers, the options were limited.
Only stuff that could be wrapped in cloth bundles.
No soups. No saucy dishes. No spicy food with chili oil that’d stain clothes...
...which left dumplings.
And even those were hollow ones without filling.
Uncle had no choice but to take what he could get.
“This was info worth a feast. And all we get are empty dumplings.”
Uncle sighed toward the inn.
I tapped his leg to console him again.
“Uncle. I’m fine. Thanks.”
Seeing me stuff my face with plain dumplings in this food-famous Chengdu must’ve tugged at his heartstrings, because he said,
“...I’m the one who’s sorry. Should’ve been more careful. Have I been mooching off you too much?”
“...Even with money, I couldn’t spend it. Has nothing to do with that.”
Still, no one dies of hunger. My belly was sorta full.
The spinning world had steadied.
But as always, the real issue was what came next.
If selling such valuable info only got us empty dumplings... what else could we do here?
How’s my luck this bad?
Right at this moment, the Tang Clan of Sichuan gets scammed by someone who looks just like me.
“...Wow... that’s impressive, though.”
I hadn’t realized until I saw it with my own eyes, but I was witnessing the Tang Clan’s influence over Chengdu in real time.
Before long, every guy who looked like me was wearing a Tang token at their waist.
And as those guys multiplied, the suspicious stares turned toward folks like me who weren’t wearing one.
Power sure is scary.
“Once the Tang Clan marks you, you can’t even set foot in Chengdu.”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
A middle-aged man stretched his neck as he walked up to me and said,
“Hey, friend. No Tang token on you? The Tang Clan’s looking for a guy right now... You’ll get misunderstood like this. Why not go to them and verify your identity?”
I let out a hollow laugh.
Gwak Du Uncle shot back first.
“Does a Beggars’ Sect beggar need to check that too?”
“Beggars can’t scam? If you’re innocent, just go and come back. Heard the Tang Clan’s giving beggars free bowls of noodles. What’s the harm?”
“We’ll handle it ourselves, so mind your own business.”
“Tch, touchy. I was just giving friendly advice.”
The man walked off, clicking his tongue.
Anyone could spot the suspicion planted in his eyes.
Even the passersby who’d seen the exchange were giving me weird looks now.
The noose was tightening.
“...Up we go.”
Uncle and I both stood at the same time.
We both sensed it was time to move.
Once we’d shifted to a decent spot, Uncle shuddered and said,
“...Damn, that’s scary. If you’d really pissed off Dang Soran, would it have come to this?”
“Tell me about it. Good thing she doesn’t know I’m here.”
Scary for real.
A clan that can control a whole city.
What’s this if not a kingdom?
Poison King as the king, Dang Soran as the princess.
...Nah, Poison King’s wrapped around Dang Soran’s finger, so she’s the real power here.
As we walked, we ended up in Chengdu’s market.
The place I’d wandered for days looking for leads, but now even that was off-limits.
No token, no human treatment.
“Uncle.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s call it quits.”
I’d made up my mind.
Nothing left to do here. Throwing a fit wouldn’t change that.
“No point anymore.”
The past couple weeks felt like a total wash.
Couldn’t escape Cheongwol’s grasp, came to Chengdu and achieved zilch...
...time to give up.
Uncle nodded.
“...Yeah. No choice.”
“Emei! Looking for workers heading to Mount Emei!!”
That’s when someone bellowed in the bustling market.
Uncle and I whipped our heads around.
It was a merchant.
Standing on a cart hitched to a sturdy horse, he waved his arms and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“No pay! But I’ll give you a ride and simple meals! In return, help load the cart and lend a hand on the road! To Emei! Heading to Mount Emei!”
Not many folks heading home would go to Mount Emei, so he was probably recruiting like this.
Cheaper than hiring laborers.
I glanced at my waist.
...No token. Will they take us?
Uncle looked conflicted too.
I said,
“No harm in trying, right?”
“True enough. Let’s go.”
Uncle and I stood before the merchant.
“Heading to Mount Emei?”
The shouting merchant looked down at me.
“That’s right. You too?”
“Yeah, we want to go there.”
The merchant eyed my hands, shoulders, and back, then nodded.
“You both look like you’ve done some hard labor. But...”
He glanced at my waist.
“...no Tang token...”
“No good?”
The merchant scratched his head and said,
“Why not go to the Tang Clan and get your token?”
“About to leave town. Too much hassle. You know the lines for those tokens?”
“Well...”
“If not, we’ll pass. We walked to Chengdu; we can walk back.”
“...Hold on. Got it. You know how to drive a cart?”
“Teach me, and I’ll learn.”
“Good. Hop on this one for now. I’ll bring another cart.”
He patted his cart and hopped down.
We exchanged cupped-hands salutes.
“Just wait in the cart?”
“Better than standing in the sun. Up to you. Fine outside too.”
“...We’ll wait inside. Thanks.”
The merchant nodded lightly.
“There’s already a couple folks in there. Chat if you’re bored.”
As the merchant left to fetch the other cart, Uncle and I smiled.
“At least luck’s with us at the end.”
“Yeah. Didn’t expect a ride to Mount Emei.”
We lifted the rear flap and climbed in carefully.
Sure enough, two people were inside.
...Huh.
One was a martial artist.
The sword propped beside him exuded a heavy presence.
Couldn’t tell his sect.
Hidden Dragon Society tourist maybe?
Next to him sat someone with a cloth pulled low over their head.
Hiding their identity, breathing quietly.
The martial artist’s aura made even them seem unapproachable.
...Fat chance of chit-chat.
Should’ve stayed outside.
As I debated hopping off, the martial artist spoke.
“Climb in. Looks like we’re traveling together.”
...Fine. We’re all going to Mount Emei anyway. No point chickening out.
Uncle and I boarded.
Uncle joked,
“What sect’s esteemed senior are you?”
The cart started moving.
“Huh? Why’s it moving?”
As Uncle moved to check, the martial artist lightly pressed his thigh down and said,
“This one is... a retainer of the Tang Clan of Sichuan.”
...Tang Clan?
The person beside him revealed their face.
Uncle and I froze.
“Young Master.”
A woman with a bright smile.
“I’ve been waiting.”
It was Dang Soran.
.
.
.
In the rocking cart, we swayed like dolls.
Suffocating tension.
...Fuck, do these people have a disease that kills them if they don’t scare folks?
Cheongwol and now Dang Soran—why are they all like this...!
“Young Master. Long time no see.”
“...”
“Thinner than last time...?”
“...”
“...Why so quiet?”
Uncle gently stroked my thigh.
That snapped me back.
“Ah, haha. Yeah. Long time, Miss.”
“Hm? Your speech is different. Weren’t you kinda arrogant back then—”
“—Ah! Haha!! Was I? Don’t remember. If so, my apologies. Haha.”
Uncle’s grip tightened at Dang Soran’s jab.
Like he was asking what the hell I’d done!
Can’t say.
Tang Clan martial artist glaring right there.
I looked at Dang Soran.
Her half-lidded eyes sparkled with amusement.
This woman’s doing it on purpose.
I was confused.
Was Dang Soran always like this?
She was straightforward as the protagonist’s ally.
Not the type to enjoy troubling people.
Now it felt like watching some spoiled rich girl.
Dang Soran said,
“I’ve wanted to see you since that day. Our goodbye was so sudden, right?”
My brain was spinning.
“...W-why would you want to see me...? Haha.”
“Who knows? Don’t you know best?”
...Gonna kill me? Getting madder the more she chewed on it?
Maybe that day was the worst humiliation of her life?
Should I grovel? What about Uncle?
But Dang Soran casually changed the subject like nothing happened.
“Anyway, what brings you to Chengdu?”
“Business...”
“...Thousand-Year Flower?”
Uncle and I both flinched.
Even the Tang martial artist frowned, puzzled.
I instinctively gave Dang Soran pleading eyes.
Please stop there!
Dang Soran just grinned happily. The Tang martial artist eyed her curiously.
“W-why would I come here for Cheongwol Miss...?”
“Hm? Not here to see Wol-i at the Hidden Dragon Society?”
“Ah...! Y-yeah! Right, that.”
Dang Soran smiled lightly, then voiced doubt.
“But did you call her ‘Cheongwol Miss’ before...? My memory says otherwise...”
“W-what else would you call Cheongwol Miss?”
“True. Otherwise you’d be crazy.”
“...”
Dang Soran stared at me with subtle eyes for a while, giggled once, then sighed deeply.
“Haa... Just teasing, Young Master. Relax.”
“Yes?”
Dang Soran’s demeanor eased too.
“Sorry for the hassle to meet you. Thought you’d show up quick. Wanted to treat you to a meal, but why didn’t you?”
...How? After you smacked my feet and stormed off yelling.
But that means...
“So all this... was just to meet me?”
“Seemed most natural. Me coming to you is weird, dragging you is weirder... Wanted to say thanks.”
Overwhelmed by her power. All this really for me?
Chaebol daughters operate different.
“...Thanks... for what?”
Her gentle vibe eased Uncle and me up.
Didn’t seem like a murder plot.
“You helped me that day. Felt bad leaving without thanks.”
“N-no big deal. Didn’t even help, right?”
Got my soles smacked, yelled at you, left. What thanks?
Just spare me.
Dang Soran smiled quietly.
“Help or not, thanks are in order.”
...Whoa. Felt some class there.
“...No need to thank me.”
“No. Makes me feel better.”
“...Thanks received. Glad you’re grateful. Feels good.”
I gestured to the cart’s rear.
“If that’s all, can we hop off...?”
Dang Soran just smiled, no reply.
“...”
“...”
Awkward silence. I rolled my eyes around.
She broke it.
“...You really have gotten thinner, Young Master.”
“...Well...”
“Heading back to Mount Emei?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll struggle like that. Eat up proper before you go.”
“...”
“Stop by the Tang Clan. Let me treat you to a meal. That much okay?”
The dumplings from earlier were already gone.
After days of barely eating, the offer tempted me hard.
Non-starvers don’t get it. How pathetic true hunger feels.
How strong food’s pull is.
Saliva pooled at the mere suggestion.
“...Just... a meal?”
I blurted.
Not gonna torture me inside, make me an ‘Emei beggar’ exhibit, test poisons... right?
Dang Soran tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.
“Meal not enough? Want more—?”
“—N-no, no. Not that.”
“Fill up good, then head out. Lend a cart if needed. Just a moment.”
I glanced at Gwak Du Uncle.
He’d dropped his guard too.
Fair enough.
Maybe I was overthinking.
It’s Dang Soran.
Protagonist’s key ally.
No way she’d kill a nobody like me over a foot-smack.
She’s good people. Don’t mistake kindness for malice.
The more we talked, the more it felt like pure intentions.
“...Alright. One meal it is.”
A fleeting odd glint in Dang Soran’s eyes.
‘...Haa.’
A dangerous exhale.
But so quick, probably my imagination.
Victim complex still acting up.
Dang Soran smiled purely.
“Sure.”
She wiggled her foot and said,
“Ah... sure.”