Chapter: 666
There was a time when the tea wasn’t as beautifully fragrant as it is now.
– Over there.
There was a time when I was called Seolbong (雪鳳) rather than by my name.
A day and time that no one remembers anymore.
A time when we were like blades facing each other, trying to avoid direct contact.
Whenever we did meet, good words never came out, yet there was a time she still sought me out.
I frowned as I noticed Seolbong approaching me.
She looked equally sour, but Seolbong bluntly remarked at me.
– Eat.
– No, I won’t.
Coming all this way to mention food? It was absurd, yet somewhat familiar.
Whenever Seolbong came to see me, it was either to chat about food or to hurl insults.
– Eat. Everyone else has started eating too.
– Is that even food?
It’s not even decent sustenance.
They just cooked the monster meat they caught and are filling their stomachs with it.
Especially since there was nothing better, everyone was starving and barely holding on.
Upon hearing my words, Mo Yong-hee gave me a completely pitying look and remarked.
– Did you come all the way here just to be picky? Just eat whatever is given!
– I said I’m not eating. Is your hearing blocked? Why do you keep making me repeat the same thing?
– Then what? Should I let you starve to death?
– Maybe dying here is preferable to living.
Bam-!
– Ugh!
With pain coursing through me, my head shook.
That’s because Seolbong had just smacked the back of my head.
It hurt so much I nearly passed out.
– You crazy girl…!
As the heat boiled up inside me, I tried to unleash my fury at Seolbong.
– Don’t talk nonsense when everyone else is fighting to survive.
I froze when I looked into Seolbong’s eyes.
– I know all about your foolishness. I know people who wouldn’t be surprised if they died at any moment.
– Then don’t come around here bothering me and just leave. Why care? You hate me anyway.
– That’s right. I do hate you. I genuinely despise people like you who don’t recognize the value of life.
– But then why on earth…?
– Still, I can’t let you die like this.
– Huh…?
You don’t want to let me die, yet despise me? What kind of nonsense is that?
Just as I was about to unleash my pent-up frustration.
– You won’t make a dent in the food supply if you eat one more. So don’t worry and just join us for a meal.
– …!
I found my mouth clamped shut by Seolbong’s words.
– Do you really think I don’t know? Everyone else knows why you’re acting like this. So stop acting stubborn and eat. You’re too weak to keep the monsters at bay, even while on guard duty here.
– …What the hell are you talking about? Why am I even keeping guard? I’m just out here because I can’t stand looking at you guys.
I tried to explain, but Seolbong’s expression showed no sign of believing me.
– I don’t know what your intention is. I don’t care. So I won’t say thank you either.
– Why even say that to me? You’re just saying this because you want me to die, so please leave!
Finally, when I shouted at her, Seolbong turned away without saying a word and disappeared.
Looking back now, I think I understand why Seolbong was so obsessed with life.
It was probably due to the illness she was dealing with.
Among us all, the one who was truly struggling to survive was Seolbong.
In her eyes, I must have been a pathetic creature.
I didn’t mind when I died, and I had zero desire to cling to life.
Even looking at my past self now, I would have wanted to tear him apart.
No, I would have definitely torn him apart.
I was that foolish.
And that’s why.
There was something I just couldn’t grasp.
Shortly after our argument.
Again, not long after, Seolbong showed up before me.
– I told you to leave, so why are you back again…?
I frowned upon seeing Seolbong reappear.
She was holding an armful of something.
– Eat.
It was monster meat.
The food she had gathered for us to eat.
– Wow, are you really out of your mind?
– Yes, I am. So just eat it.
I was ready to explode. Why did you bring this?
Why am I sitting here as if I’m trying to flee?
And the amount, too, was substantial.
If she brought this much, there must be others who couldn’t eat it.
– What do you expect me to do with all this?
– If you don’t eat, I’ll just bring more. And if you still don’t eat, I’ll throw it all in the dirt so no one can eat it.
– Huh…?
No matter how I protested, Seolbong truly intended that.
Her eyes were serious.
She was genuinely ready to throw everything on the ground if I didn’t eat.
Why on earth was she doing this?
Why in the world was she going to these lengths for me? I stared at Seolbong, hoping to understand.
– So eat.
Seolbong repeated her earlier command to me.
– And live. If it’s an unavoidable situation, that’s one thing. If you can live, then just live.
– …You.
This is an abnormal obsession with life. She was a woman who seemed perfect, yet had a broken quality lurking beneath.
Why was she so fixated?
At that time, I couldn’t comprehend the reasoning.
I was too young, too lacking in experience to grasp it all.
Yet what I could understand was the faint kinship I felt.
There was a woman called Seolbong who was twisted just like I was.
How could that all stem from this brief memory?
– …Tsk.
The reason I accepted the food while putting on airs about my pride.
The reason I later agreed to fulfill Seolbong’s request for a sacrifice without a second thought.
It was all likely due to this brief yet poignant memory.
“…Why are you staring like that?”
Mo Yong-hee tilted her head at my gaze.
Yes, it wasn’t Seolbong, it was Mo Yong-hee.
“I just suddenly recalled some old times.”
“Old times? When? When we first met?”
“It’s kind of similar.”
“Come to think of it, several years have passed. You were prettier back then when you were younger.”
Mo Yong-hee said it with a hint of regret.
That was genuinely amusing.
How much time has actually passed?
“You’re laughing again. What’s so funny? Or are you really saying you were prettier back then?”
“Well…”
I thought for a moment before bluntly stating.
“I didn’t realize it then; but now you seem quite pretty to me.”
“…Huh?”
Back then, I didn’t even have the luxury to observe Mo Yong-hee’s face.
Our relationship has changed significantly since I didn’t even try to look at her.
‘You’re no longer frowning at me.’
Oh, maybe you still do sometimes, but I don’t feel bad anymore seeing the emotions reflected in your eyes.
That’s why I try to meet your gaze these days.
And the more I look, the more I realize you’re actually quite pretty.
“What, what is this? Why are you suddenly saying that?”
Mo Yong-hee’s face flushed at my words.
Her exceptionally pale skin made it quite conspicuous.
“Did something go wrong with the skewer…? No… this feels strange…”
“How do you even see people?”
“Are you feeling well, my Lord? The God hasn’t mentioned anything…”
“Who said I’m hurt…? Wait a moment.”
I caught something odd in Mo Yong-hee’s words.
“Why on earth is the God mentioned here?”
“Ah.”
Mo Yong-hee’s face shifted as if she had realized something.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve been asking the God about my health condition?”
“No, there’s no way that could happen.”
“…”
She didn’t pay me any mind but looked doubtfully at me.
Shin-ui was the kind of person who would never indiscriminately discuss a patient’s state of body.
I was convinced it couldn’t be true.
“Oh, I’m hot. It’s really hot, isn’t it, my Lord? Let’s go grab something cold to eat.”
Mo Yong-hee walked ahead as if to change the subject.
I chuckled to myself as I watched her retreating figure.
“Oh, goodness.”
Mo Yong-hee rarely made mistakes, but when she did, she got really flustered.
I found that little trait rather charming…
‘…Hmm?’
I stopped in my tracks.
Charming? Did I just think that Mo Yong-hee was charming?
‘You must really be out of your mind.’
It wasn’t like me to think that way.
Shaking my head, I followed after Mo Yong-hee, who was walking in front of me.
“Wait. We should go together.”
But even as I called her, Mo Yong-hee, her ears red with embarrassment, didn’t stop.
After that, we visited a couple of inns.
Fortunately, nothing particularly strange was noted unlike the upper room or the inns we had seen before.
It was around that time, past noon, which had already slipped into the afternoon.
“This wraps up the upper level’s work.”
Mo Yong-hee, now holding a pile of letters, spoke.
Upon hearing that, my expression frowned deeply.
“Upper level work? What do you mean by that?”
“Yes?”
“Are you telling me there’s more work to do?”
When I asked with confusion, Mo Yong-hee smiled and replied.
“Don’t worry. The rest won’t take long.”
So there is indeed more work.
“…Do you usually work this much?”
“No. It’s the accounting day that comes every two months. It’s easier to catch up if we do a surprise attack like this.”
Water change… Of course, it was figurative. I doubt they meant actual water.
“Why on earth was I dragged out on a day like this?”
“No, of all days, I pulled you out intentionally.”
“What…?”
“Because it provides a good excuse to keep you around for longer, right?”
Mo Yong-hee kept walking, her voice as sweet as ever.
In the meantime, she never released the arm she was holding.
Unlike earlier when we were wandering around town, we were now following a forest path.
“Where are we going now?”
No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem there would be an upper level.
Being summer, the number of bugs seemed to have increased, and it felt hot and humid.
Since Mo Yong-hee had an extreme aversion to insects, I made sure to create a barrier around her to keep them away.
“There is something that the faction leader has been up to lately.”
“What’s this about?”
“Yes. He bought land in one part of the forest and is building a structure there.”
I’ve heard of this.
That was also why Beomdong had come to see me earlier.
‘It was about Ddoldol landing on the land Baekhwasangdan had bought.’
Now that I think back.
“…Here?”
“Exactly. That’s the spot.”
It was the precise location where I’d arrived riding Ddoldol.
“Due to that, he’s aiming to tighten control over the association and the inns.”
“What on earth are they trying to build there?”
“It’s a billiard office.”
“…Huh?”
Upon hearing that, my head tilted in confusion.
A billiard office?
“Does Baekhwasangdan intend to set up a billiard office here?”
“Yes.”
That made no sense to me.
Building a billiard office at the top?
That wasn’t particularly unusual.
In times like these, especially with monsters roaming about, it’s not uncommon for associations to operate their own offices.
It makes sense since they can’t hire martial artists indefinitely to lend protection; they would have to establish their own.
To that extent.
“There already exists a department there.”
Baekhwasangdan had been running one for some time now.
Wasn’t it called Baekhwa Pyo-guk? I heard it was operated alongside the main Baekhwasangdan, so in this context…
‘They’re trying to set up another office in Hanam?’
Of all places, they choose Hanam.
It’s a place where no one even thought of putting up a sign, given the presence of the Murim Alliance and Shaolin nearby.
Also.
“Did the alliance allow this?”
Setting up a branch here required formal permission from the League.
However, I had never heard of anyone getting permission to set up a branch office in Hanam until now.
“That part hasn’t been approved yet… but the faction leader said he has a plan.”
He has a plan.
If the lady says something like that, then she must have something solid in mind.
“So, that means you’re buying the land first and then building the office?”
“Exactly. I heard they started preparations today, so we’re heading to check it out.”
Not long after I heard those words, sounds drifted through the forest.
Boom! Boom!
– Hey! Watch out for the trees!
– Mr. Jang-!! The frame doesn’t fit here-!!
It sounded like the commotion of carpenters engaged in construction.
Should I head that way?
Just as I was about to follow the noise.
“That direction isn’t correct, my Lord.”
“Huh?”
Mo Yong-hee pulled my arm and began walking in another direction.
“Where are we going? The construction is happening over there.”
“You can see the building later on. Since they just began constructing today, there’s no need to rush and check now.”
“Huh?”
“What we need to check is not the building but the people.”
“Huh?”
You want me to check on the people?
The unexpected phrasing struck me as odd.
Dragged along, we stumbled upon a clearing not far off.
It didn’t seem like it was a naturally occurring spot.
At a glance, it gave the impression of having been purposely arranged.
And one could sense a palpable energy there.
‘What’s this?’
People had gathered in the clearing, their collective energy lingering in the air.
And what a robust energy it was.
At a quick glance, the gathering seemed to exceed several dozens…
‘All of them must be elite?’
Each and every one of them bore an extraordinary level of skill.
“What’s going on with these people?”
I asked Mo Yong-hee, inquiring about what was happening.
“They’re all reserve agents.”
“…?”
Those folks are all reserve agents?
Even the term ‘reserve’?
‘But why is their skill level so high?’
If they’re truly reserve agents, their level should be that of the first class, yet why do they seem superior to that?
I wanted to express my confusion, but then…
“It seems the faction leader has plans to form a unique office.”
Mo Yong-hee noticed my confusion and added an explanation.
“So, they gathered this many people for this?”
A first-class agent would be the baseline, but beyond that, there were many even more exceptional talents.
This illustrates that most of them are far too gifted to merely qualify as agents.
“Well, therefore, I hoped my Lord could lend a hand in this, you see.”
“…And what help are you asking for exactly?”
“We need to pick exactly seven from this group… I thought you might be able to choose the best ones.”
“…”
Are you asking me to be a judge?
And for selecting agents?
In an utterly absurd situation, I released a hollow laugh as I surveyed the gathered crowd.
A throng of discontent passed over their faces.
Understandably, under this blazing sun, who would feel delighted about being assembled for judging?
Especially as first-class fighters in their prime.
I glanced around after hearing her.
‘A first-class’s pinnacle is around fifteen… and there’s one who’s already reached the peak too?’
How did they come to express themselves as such skillfully? It was amazing just by their presence alone.
Just then, as I cast a casual eye toward each one, my gaze suddenly locked onto something.
“…Huh?”
My wandering sight landed on a particular spot.
At the very back of the sea of faces.
While everyone else looked visibly annoyed, one particular person stood stoically amidst them.
My gaze was glued to that point.
‘…What is going on…?’
Not only was it a familiar face, but it was a face that shouldn’t have been present here.
Our eyes met.
The other person must have already recognized me since they waved lightly upon our eyes locking.
It seemed to be a friendly wave, yet I couldn’t respond.
Why on earth?
‘…Why are they even here?’
Is that the Heavenly Demon?
I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
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