Chapter 423: A Battle of Wits and Hearts (8)

Guests from other private rooms showered them with endless words of thanks.

Of course, it wasn’t pure gratitude.

If you could afford a private room here, you weren’t an ordinary customer—you were the kind who poured out gold ingots for a single day’s tab.

And for people like that, connections were the most valuable treasure in the world.

So, under the pretext of repaying a favor, you give your thanks, slip in an invitation, and then over one drink, then two, get acquainted—maybe even marry off a daughter or niece into the family. That was the ideal. If not, well, no loss.

Right on cue, some big-spending fathers gave meaningful looks to their daughters.

The daughters, of course, preferred a promising young hero of Murim—handsome, chivalrous—over some faceless political marriage partner a hundred times over.

Thus, father-daughter interests aligned perfectly.

With a woman’s instinct, they immediately picked the easiest targets—

Two girls latched onto Chang Bin, and another two onto Jo Hakche, all saved maidens owing a debt of life.

As for the rest of the young heroes—tough luck. If they were bitter, they should’ve raised their cultivation higher.

Jo Hakche’s grin nearly split his face.

Chang Bin, meanwhile, was deeply troubled.

“Great hero, great hero, please take my drink as well.”

“...Mm.”

“Oh my, how taciturn you are. A true man should prove himself with actions, not words, yes?”

“But great hero, might you perhaps have... no other duties tonight?”

“Cough—cough!”

“Oh my, even your spitting is so bold. Ah—come to think of it, there’s been a rat sneaking into my room lately. If you wouldn’t mind... could you help me... always. At. Night.”

“Th-there is... the separation of... men and women...”

Chang Bin’s head was spinning.

And amid all this, one woman had her attention fixed on a very different target.

“Rangrang has had a great enlightenment. The greed of humankind is truly terrifying. Indeed—it devours all.”

And she jabbed a finger into Qing’s upper abdomen.

“...Hey, what?”

“I wondered if it would burst if I poked it. It is very firm.”

Somehow, during the victory banquet, Rangrang had slipped in and was now kneeling beside Qing, watching her eat with rapt attention—

Occasionally dropping in comments like, “Oh. Wow. Impressive,” in a flat, utterly unastonished tone that didn’t match the words at all.

“At this rate you’ll get indigestion. What, here to watch the show? Why are you staring holes into me while I eat?”

“To be frank, in all the time Rangrang has existed, this is certainly a rare spectacle. Rangrang guarantees it. Be proud, Heavenly Flower Sword.”

“...Go away.”

“The Heavenly Flower Sword cannot compel Rangrang’s free will.”

“Ugh... I’m this close to using physical means, you know?”

“Violence is fine, but harm to Rangrang is not good.”

Somehow, without seeming to move her knees, Rangrang smoothly slid backward—

What, did she have wheels under there?

Just then—

Jo Hakche, apparently not satisfied with having two women on each arm, came swaggering over to Qing’s table, where she sat with three.

Spotting Rangrang, he froze.

“Th-the beautiful lady...? Haven’t we met before?”

“Rangrang does not wish to answer.”

Qing brightened.

Yes, hit on her. Hit on her.

First time I’ve been glad to see you try this, Jo.

Maybe I should take this chance to help Chang Bin, who’s clearly struggling under that... rather aggressive assault from the ladies.

Damn, look at that—she’s flat-out rubbing her chest on his arm.

At this rate, he’s going to get boob-shaped bruises.

...On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t ruin the best night of his life.

Better go cheer up the Fire Dragon Squad friends whose eyes are about to pop out from jealousy.

Qing was just about to stand when—

“Ah! Ha Hu Pyo-mae! It’s me, Jo Hakche! Don’t you remember?”

“This bastard still has no tact. Yet he never forgets a woman’s face. An insufferably persistent, disgusting man.”

“...Pyo-mae?”

Strictly speaking, pyo-mae meant cousin, but in the Central Plains, cousins often didn’t bother to distinguish the term from siblings.

If used at all, it usually meant a distant branch relative.

“You two know each other?”

“Ah. She’s my cousin.”

“She is not. Rangrang has no such cousin.”

Their answers differed—yet neither was lying.

The Jo and Ha Hu clans were essentially sworn-brother families.

Even Qing—whose knowledge of Romance of the Three Kingdoms came mostly from skimming illustrations—immediately grasped that this was why a Jo and a Ha Hu might call each other kin.

Perfect.

Let the relatives catch up, and I’ll go make my rounds again.

But just as Qing was rising—

“Rangrang is only Rangrang. The Ha Hu Clan is annihilated. Ha Hu Rangrang is a dead person who no longer exists.”

“...That’s... unfortunate. About your family...”

“It’s fine. But I will accept your condolences.”

Jo Hakche’s expression turned grave.

For all his womanizing, even he wouldn’t chase skirts in front of a cousin whose entire family had been slaughtered.

Qing settled back down, feigning adjustment of her posture.

...Great. Now it feels like a funeral in here.

“It’s true. Rangrang no longer clings to it. The past is the past. Rangrang looks only to a sound future.”

Jo Hakche’s expression darkened further.

Rangrang tilted her head.

“This is the pure truth. Why do you not believe me? Ah—I see. Is it because Rangrang has no expression? After the clan’s destruction, Rangrang’s body no longer connects emotions to facial expression. But emotions themselves remain, so the Jo family lecher need not worry.”

Expressionless as ever, yet her choice of “Jo family lecher” conveyed her feelings just fine.

Jo Hakche seemed to get the hint—his expression eased into a wry smile.

“All right. If you ever need help, come to the Jo Family Manor.”

“I need help right now. Rangrang intends to observe—no, serve—the Heavenly Flower Sword, to repay my debt of life.”

“Huh? I don’t need—Hee-Sis? What’s wrong?”

A sudden, warm pressure wrapped around Qing’s arm.

She turned her head to find Gyeon Pohee’s face inches from her own, looking up at her with a strangely yearning gaze.

Oblivious, Rangrang went on speaking.

“There is no need to refuse.”

“I’m not refusing out of politeness—I don’t want you to. Who said you could—”

“I refuse your refusal. Rangrang’s heart cannot be compelled by the Heavenly Flower Sword. Because Rangrang’s heart is Rangrang’s heart.”

“What the hell is wrong with this woman?”

“Yeah. What’s wrong with this woman?”

Pohee chimed in—yet Rangrang’s face didn’t change a bit.

“It’s fine. For that reason, Rangrang currently requires a great deal of money to pursue my sole hobby, gourmet dining. Jo-brother, quickly provide Rangrang with material assistance.”

“You still only call me ‘brother’ when you want something, huh?”

“Hand it over, Jo family lecher.”

Jo Hakche actually pulled out an entire sheaf of money notes and held it out.

“About a hundred gold.”

The women clinging to him gasped.

Handing over a hundred gold as casually as pocket change—

Qing, too, revised her opinion slightly.

After all, without the women, he might even be considered a respectable older brother.

“Thank you. But I will not visit the Jo family. Past ties only bring back unpleasant memories.”

“...Fair enough. Then I’ll take my leave. Ladies, shall we find a quieter place and talk... in depth?”

“Yes!”

“Love to!”

The two women’s eyes sparkled.

“And perhaps you as well, Lady Seo Mun—”

“Do you want me to hit you with a pork trotter, Jo?”

So much for revising her opinion.

She’d rather never see him again.

Even as he disappeared with the two women, still talking about “next time,” Qing scooped up a handful of well-gnawed pig’s knuckles and hurled them at his head.

They arced through the air and lodged neatly in his hair.

Amid jealous stares, Jo Hakche left with his new head ornaments—and Rangrang edged closer.

“Do you wish to know Rangrang’s past? It is nothing special. The Ha Hu Clan was annihilated for treason.”

“...Ah.”

The Emperor again? What the hell is wrong with this country?

Qing’s face twisted, but Rangrang shook her head.

“There is no need for pity. We truly did prepare treason.”

“...Oh. Really. I see.”

“The Ha Hu Clan was simply too weak and so was destroyed. Had it been otherwise, the imperial family would have been the ones destroyed. That is all. Rangrang holds no regret over this point.”

“...Right.”

Qing had no idea what to say.

Rangrang continued.

“But if you wish to offer emotional aid to such a Rangrang, I can tell you that the Heavenly Flower Sword’s graceless, filthy, and vulgar eating habits have brought me an unprecedented joy. That a human eating could provide such pleasure—Rangrang has been greatly enlightened.”

“...Please, I’m begging you. Could you just leave?”

“Apologies. Rangrang does not wish to grant your request. Apologies—ah, that was a lie. Rangrang is not sorry at all.”

“Ugh—just go over there!”

****

Not far in the past, there was an old man who had set out on a long, winding journey—over mountains, across rivers, through countless bends in the road.

It was, in a sense, an escape, so he hurried, making it no easy trip for an elderly body.

But the old man was not lonely—he had sturdy “children,” cold-blooded beasts he had raised like his own offspring.

An old man who carried many venomous snakes in his bosom—

In the martial world, they called him Sasasi, the Boa of Venom.

He even had a new disciple in tow.

A bit slow—teach him ten things, and he might learn one—but obedient.

And Sasasi hadn’t taken him in for his talent anyway.

At last, they arrived in Hubei Province, in Jagwi County.

From a distance, the estate of the Seol Trading Company came into view, and Sasasi’s feelings grew complicated.

They said it was a small trading house... and it really is small.

No, wait—why would anyone actually introduce me to something this tiny? That old fox wouldn’t be trying to cheat me again, would he?

He had come only because that girl, Seo Mun Qing, had suggested it—said he might be able to help them with labor.

But looking at the trading house now, it was far too small to serve as a safe haven.

Of course, just staying in Hubei would make it hard for the Demonic Alliance to touch him.

What could those Demonic Path bastards do in Orthodox territory?

The real problem was the Orthodox themselves.

Could a speck of a trading house like this truly protect him from old grudges with the Orthodox sects?

Still, Sasasi was the one in need.

Even if it didn’t work out, dropping the Heavenly Flower Sword’s name might earn him a bit of money—and if nothing else, he could feed his snakes a proper tonic meal.

After spending a mere season in Guangxi, he’d already forgotten how harsh the winters of the Central Plains could be, and cold was a snake’s natural enemy.

So he had his disciple unload their things and stow them in an inn, then began walking toward the Seol Trading Company.

But... something was off.

Very off.

The men hauling carts, the porters carrying loads, even the women pushing vegetable barrows—

Every one of them kept sneaking glances this way.

No—these weren’t furtive looks.

It was more like, We are watching you. A warning.

And the oddest thing—most of the “workers” going in and out of the trading company were Peak Realm experts.

Here and there, an Absolute Peak; occasionally, even a First-Class fighter slipped in among them.

This was no ordinary trading company.

Sasasi swallowed hard.

When he finally reached the main gate, even the gatekeepers were Peak Realm experts.

“Greetings, elder. What business brings you to our trading company?”

Sasasi began carefully,

“This is the Seol Trading Company, yes? I am Sasasi, a physician. I have some ties with the Heavenly Flower Sword—Seo Mun Qing, that girl—and she said I might help out here a bit.”

The gatekeeper’s demeanor changed instantly—

For the better.

His face lit up like a lantern.

“Oh-ho! You were sent by the young lady herself? Why didn’t you say so right away? Please, come in! My, the cold is vicious this winter. May I ask whether you prefer warm tea or wine?”

“Ah... tea suits me.”

“Ah, we’re in luck—some excellent Nocheong just came in. I’ll take you to the Central Pavilion, to the trading master’s reception room.”

Nocheong was Hubei’s specialty, the tea that represented the province.

Like all such regional specialties, it was very expensive.

A tea connoisseur like Sasasi couldn’t help but smile in reflex, mouth watering—

“Hey! You hear that? A guest of the young lady! Disperse!”

In an instant, the crowd of passersby in front of the trading house scattered in all directions.

And stranger still—they were all smiling. Which only made it more unsettling.

A chill ran down Sasasi’s spine.

The “workers” disguised as martial masters were merely a diversion—

The true fighting force had been lurking among the passersby, blades drawn in their minds.

Beside him, the Boa of Venom tensed for an entirely different reason.

What... what in the world is this? Why does the Heavenly Flower Sword have such a force hidden in Orthodox territory—right under the nose of her own sect, the Divine Lady’s Gate?