Chapter 365: Be careful with flames when you wake up, let’s check even the extinguished ones again (8)

There are moments in life when time seems to slow down so much that it feels as if it has stopped completely—when a single blink stretches out endlessly.

This can happen in the face of mortal danger, or when someone or something more precious than life itself is in peril.

Or perhaps when one falls in love.

Such a miraculous moment came for Ryu Mang-yeok—Golden Guard’s elite soldier, thirty-seven years old, married—who had come to the grain warehouse hoping to find a beautiful woman.

As the crouching woman turned around, perhaps mistaking him for someone she knew, her welcoming smile was suddenly etched deep into his eyes.

That moment stretched on like eternity.

A true beauty is beautiful from every angle.

In that endlessly extended time, the most beautiful woman in the world slowly turned to him.

Her large eyes, seeming ready to pull him in, with delicately spreading long lashes fluttering up and down like blooming petals.

Ryu Mang-yeok stood there dumbfounded, like a lost child, endlessly staring.

For him, it was an incredibly dramatic moment.

But not for Qing.

What the hell is this guy?

He thought he was free, but here was some unknown bastard standing there with his mouth hanging stupidly open, eyes glazed like a drug addict, staring right through her face.

When pulling the cart, Qing had disguised herself with a hat and scarf, but after swimming in the river, her cotton clothes were soaked through, so she had come out barefaced to dry.

Qing knew she was pretty.

But she had no idea how dangerous that beauty was—how fiercely it could destroy a man’s eyes and brain.

She only thought, judging by his dazed face and shabby clothes, that he wasn’t a local.

No one wearing silk clothes and looking clean exists in this country village.

Even less so if carrying a sword.

When Qing’s expression turned fierce, Ryu Mang-yeok suddenly snapped to attention.

“Ahem, miss. This soldier is no bad man. Please don’t glare so.”

“I’ve seen bad men call themselves bad men, ah, many do.”

Human scum often pride themselves on how bad they are.

Because of that, many who boasted of their wicked deeds before Qing ended up suffering worse, unfairly.

Though numbers don’t lie.

Qing read the three smeared characters above the soldier’s head.

From the density, she could at least make out the number one, even if she couldn’t read the other digits.

But the first number was swollen thickly—so he had surely exceeded at least one hundred ninety-nine points.

“Well, whatever. Who are you?”

“I am Ryu Mang-yeok of the Jeongjeong Ryu family. Do you know the Jeongjeong Ryus?”

“A famous family?”

“Yes. Proud as I am to say it, we’re the great landowners of the Jeongjeong region, owners of a manor with 104 rooms, a prestigious family in Beijing—the finest among the finest. And I personally own seven rooms in Beijing.”

What is this? Bragging? It sure sounds like bragging.

“And I am a Huang soldier belonging to the Golden Guard’s elite corps.”

Ryu Mang-yeok introduced himself like that.

In fact, at the Golden Guard level, self-introduction is just showing off.

Good family, residence in the capital, high-ranking job with a fat salary, always out on assignments, little time at home.

Truly the perfect groom!

But Qing’s expression was sour.

So what, what do you want me to do?

And isn’t the Golden Guard the same bastards who chased me like they wanted to kill?

Seeing Qing’s face, Ryu Mang-yeok realized his mistake.

Probably thought she didn’t know how powerful they were, living in the countryside.

“The Golden Guard are the emperor’s finest generals. And I am one of the best of the best in that Golden Guard—an elite soldier of the special corps who gets promoted just by breathing and rides the fast track to power.”

Qing stared at Ryu Mang-yeok.

Did this bastard come alone?

There were quite a few numbers earlier; where are the rest?

Can they even run now?

That kid shooting fire from his hand was Hwakyung, and even if it’s one-on-one, maybe he could handle it—but with enemies attached to him and only me as a lump, no chance.

“There’s no need to be so wary. Honestly, I fell for you the moment I saw you. Will you be my wife?”

Qing’s eyes went wide.

A sudden marriage proposal?

From some country bumpkin in a sweet potato warehouse?

What the hell? Is this idiot?

If anything, it’s more accurate to say he considered Qing an idiot.

Because she’s a village girl, not even a concubine, and he’s offering to take her as his wife, naturally expecting her to be moved to tears and follow him.

A chill ran down Qing’s spine.

Still, this was a good chance to assess the situation.

Physical investigation for truth would be more enjoyable but takes too long, and the reliability of that information is hardly better.

“Um, we just met—how do you know it’s okay to immediately make such a proposition to a young lady?”

“Ah! I didn’t ask your name. I apologize. Would you grant me the honor of hearing your noble name?”

Qing smiled brightly and answered.

“I am Yeon Yeon-yeong of the Jinju clan.”

Now the name came out without hesitation.

****

Selling her name as Yeon Yeon-yeong brought little satisfaction.

Because even if Ryu Mang-yeok, now dead, reported to King Yama, “Yeon Yeon-yeong killed me, she’s a bad woman,” the register would certainly say, “Death caused by multiple compound fractures and multi-organ failure due to beatings by Ximen Qing.”

But better safe than sorry.

Even if it’s a death sentence, Qing’s caution in using a false name to prepare for unknown dangers could be considered growth.

Still, Ryu Mang-yeok, unaware he stood before a deadly killer, spilled every known and unknown tale trying to curry favor.

At least his departure was easier.

Currently, the Golden Guard numbers stationed near the North Gate total twenty-four.

Two are seriously wounded and out of action, leaving twenty-two, with one Hwakyung master, five ultra-expert masters, and seventeen expert masters.

All said to have received special favor from the emperor, but Qing knew this meant some blood-sucking cultivation method that strengthened their bodies.

The soldiers called it the Yellow Silver Blood Technique.

True heirs of the emperor’s blood receive the highest blessings and are the strongest.

Other soldiers supposedly receive a lesser blessing called Yellow Silver Chamber Blood Technique, also containing royal blood.

These blood-enhanced druggie soldiers are known collectively as the Special Corps.

Does the royal blood act as some kind of elixir?

If so, could drinking my blood make me stronger?

But according to the old master Dok, the Supreme Head of the Tang family, this is a vicious blood technique of the Blood Sect.

They collect human blood and coat themselves with it, mixing in a drop of royal blood for bragging rights.

Just like they stole all the martial arts and renamed them the Yellow Silver Divine Arts.

So, these warriors gained unshakable loyalty by grinding people down into hardened bodies and, on top of that, acquiring stamina as tough as stone that can utterly destroy a woman.

As for the latter, he’d rather not know.

But anyone who boasts about that kind of thing in front of women is already a lost cause.

No wonder all the bastards pulling the carts had bad karma written all over them—truly scum deserving death.

That aside, the warriors’ combat power was no joke.

Of course, due to the side effects of their cultivation methods, their speed was reduced.

The original thirty-one barely managed to keep up with a single cart, struggling badly, so the side effects seemed severe.

Thanks to this, Qing’s complexion grew more serious.

Side effects or not, when a bunch of tough bastards swarm in groups, there’s no answer.

“The Golden Guard bastards have entered the village. (Crunch crunch) We caught one, but there’s no time, (gulp) we have to get out right away. Damn, how can raw sweet potatoes be this sweet? Pumpkin sweet potatoes?”

Qing spoke with a grave expression, crunching on raw sweet potato.

No time to roast them, so raw sweet potatoes would have to do.

The content was serious, but the woman chewing on sweet potatoes made it hard to take it seriously.

Yeon Pa thought.

Still, hmm, maybe she’s conserving energy?

Saving every second to speak so she can stuff sweet potatoes in her mouth to evacuate the prince...

This isn’t right.

After cooking a cauldron full of porridge and scarfing down more than half, now she’s chewing sweet potatoes again?

Yeon Pa, who was about to give her points, gave up this time.

If there’s even a drop of water left in the cup, you can think positively, but if it’s completely dry, no matter how hard you try, it’s hopeless.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“We’ll just slip out quietly. They say they’re going to North Sunyeong County, so we’ll take the mountain ridge and head west around it.”

A ridiculously simple plan to sneak south while the Golden Guard rested.

“There happened to be a small cart, so I brought it along.”

Jayu and Yeon Pa’s faces went pale.

Again? Another cart?

Qing smirked.

“Hey, this time I’ll pay attention to the ride comfort, so don’t hate it. Just put a bed on it and cover it with a blanket.”

Yeon Pa suddenly snapped out of it.

Is this the time to complain about a cart?

“Wait, you’re going to pull a cart again in that condition? And with a bed on it?”

“That’ll be good for your recovery, Yeon Pa, and it’s way more comfortable for Jayu, too.”

Tears welled in Yeon Pa’s eyes.

That damn recovery excuse!

How could a woman be happy pulling a cart like a beast of burden?

It’s a humiliating insult, like being treated as a mare or cow, enough to make anyone grind their teeth and vow revenge.

Yet she volunteered herself despite her broken body.

How could someone’s heart be so kind and beautiful?

A hundred points added for the precious princess’s admirable heart.

Jayu still vividly remembered Qing’s jade-like back when closing her eyes.

It was probably the most beautiful silhouette in her life, unlikely ever to fade before death.

But at the same time, the horrific wound swollen like a pumpkin, a rotting sweet potato (now confirmed with her own eyes), remained etched in her mind.

Still, there was no other choice.

They had already lost several subordinates they considered family, and they didn’t want to lose Yeon Pa too.

It was a bone-deep helplessness.

A deep shadow fell over Jayu’s face.

“Hm. Friend, I feel ashamed. Yeon Pa’s condition isn’t good, so I can’t refuse.”

“Hey, what’s this about friends being good?”

“Friend, huh...”

“All right. Then pack up. I’ll put a bed on the cart. I’ll patch it up here and there; it won’t be as sturdy as a military cart...”

Modifying a cart isn’t difficult.

Because Qing’s strength is the greatest under heaven—a powerhouse strong enough to make even General Xiang Yu rename himself as a Southern Warrior.

Add the skill of a young carpenter, and modifying a cart requires hardly any tools.

Thus was born Cart Number Two, the Ride Comfort Modification Edition.

“This is, um, surprisingly good.”

“Girls are pretty handy, huh? Well, it’s good to have skills.”

A ten-point bonus for the princess’s handiwork.

The luggage seemed satisfied too.

But either it was the curse of Cart Number One—overworked and broken into pieces, then disassembled and discarded—or Qing got so into the modification that she put too much effort into it.

Usually, when you prepare something thoroughly, you never end up needing to use it.

Cart Number Two never got to show its worth.

Because as soon as they sneaked out near the South Gate, they ran straight into a fully armed army.