Chapter 48

"You don't even like meat."

So he must have brought potatoes for himself.

Even that unexpected consideration.

Normally, she wouldn't have eaten it. She would have nagged, asking if the person who originally ordered the dish wouldn't be eating it soon.

Jeong Charyeon silently bit into a potato.

Near ink, one gets blackened.

She was being corrupted by Jeok Leegeon.

But it wasn't so bad.

Just like Jeok Leegeon said, watching the fight from a step back was surprisingly fun.

Jeok Leegeon went a step further.

"Wanna bet on who'll win?"

Did he even realize that he was the one who started this fight in the first place? Probably not.

"Okay."

Okay? Oh, she was completely corrupted.

Jeong Charyeon glanced at Jeok Leegeon's profile.

Through Jeok Leegeon, she kept encountering another side of herself that she didn't even know existed.

"How much are you betting?"

"Two nyang."

"That's your entire fortune. Are you sure?"

"Sometimes, a little adventure is necessary."

"Not bad."

"Can I bet first, though?"

To face you, I need at least this much of an advantage.

"Of course."

"I'll bet on Yang Sohyeop winning."

That was the obvious choice.

Yang Suchang was the heir of the Shoutern Mountains Alliance. No matter how many hidden cards Jang In-geol had, she didn't think he could beat the heir of the Shoutern Mountains Alliance. There couldn't be any variables.

"What do you think?"

"Okay. Then I'll bet..."

Jeok Leegeon stared at Yang Suchang and Jang In-geol.

"I'll bet on a draw."

"What?"

"Why? A draw is possible, isn't it?"

This guy was truly unpredictable. That's right. A draw was possible.

Since Jeok Leegeon bet on a draw, she felt like it might actually happen.

Whoosh.

Yang Suchang, making a grand gesture with his sleeve, snapped his fingers. It meant he could handle it with his bare hands.

Jang In-hwa shook her head and winked. It meant he shouldn't fight. Regardless of whether they were on good terms or not, he was her brother.

Eventually, Jang In-geol bowed his head.

"I made a mistake. I apologize. Let's go, In-hwa."

The opponent was the heir of the Shoutern Mountains Alliance. He wasn't confident he could win, and even if he did, he couldn't handle the aftermath.

As he turned around, Yang Suchang said coldly from behind.

"Stay right there."

Jang In-geol stopped.

"Who said you could leave as you please? Do you think I'm a joke?"

Yang Suchang had already decided to thoroughly crush Jang In-geol.

Im Ha-gi was still standing by, doing nothing. Jang In-geol found Im Ha-gi even more hateful.

"What do you want? Are you saying you want to see blood?"

"If you're a man..."

That's when it happened.

Crash!

Someone flew into the hall, breaking through the window. The man who flew in shattered a table and collapsed on the floor.

Everyone was startled and stepped back.

It was a middle-aged man covered in blood.

Even at a glance, his wounds were deep, and it looked like he would be in danger if he didn't get treatment right away. He was clearly being chased by someone.

The middle-aged man struggled to his feet.

Barely supporting himself with his sword, he looked like he was about to collapse at any moment.

With unfocused eyes, the man looked around and asked.

"Wh-where is this?"

Neither Im Ha-gi, Yang Suchang, nor Jang In-geol readily stepped forward. The middle-aged man's appearance was that precarious.

"Take me... to the Orthodox Alliance."

At the mention of the Orthodox Alliance, everyone's expression hardened, but no one stepped forward.

The relationship between the Four Great Hegemons and the Orthodox Alliance wasn't good. Moreover, the Orthodox Alliance hadn't been active externally at all recently.

The one who stepped forward was Sa Ma-yeong.

Compared to the Four Hegemons, the Sima Clan was closer to the Orthodox Alliance.

"Are you perhaps affiliated with the Orthodox Alliance, Senior?"

At Sa Ma-yeong's question, the man shook his head.

"No. But there's something I need to tell the Orthodox Alliance. Something important... cough!"

The middle-aged man, spitting out a mouthful of blood, identified himself with difficulty.

"I am Gu Ik-hwan."

Only then were they all surprised.

Dragon-Tiger Official Brush Gu Ik-hwan.

Using a pair of judge's brushes like twin swords, he was a famous Martial Artist known to all orthodox people. A man of unwavering courage, he was a figure with rich practical experience, having participated in the Orthodox-Demonic War in his youth.

Belatedly, Im Ha-gi and Yang Suchang rushed to support him.

"Junior, Im Ha-gi of the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan."

"Junior, Yang Suchang of the Shoutern Mountains Alliance."

He was not someone they could easily ignore.

"Where is this place?"

He must have been so desperate that Gu Ik-hwan had rushed in without even knowing where he was.

"This is the Great Peace Pavilion in Infinite."

"Is that so?"

"Your injuries seem severe, Senior. We should find a doctor quickly."

Then, Gu Ik-hwan shook his head with a pale face.

"Take me to the Orthodox Alliance quickly. This place is dangerous."

"Don't worry. We will protect you, Senior."

At Im Ha-gi's reassuring words, Gu Ik-hwan shook his head.

"I appreciate the thought, but you can't handle the opponent."

That's when it happened.

Whoosh.

Someone flew in again through the broken window.

The masked person, landing lightly with astonishing agility, was clearly a woman.

Her youthful eyes were very beautiful, but she exuded a cold aura that made it difficult to approach her carelessly.

Gu Ik-hwan's face turned ashen.

"Everyone, get out of the way."

He was clearly afraid of the masked woman. It seemed that this woman was the one who had made Gu Ik-hwan like this.

The woman said cynically.

"You managed to get this far."

It was a voice of someone around Jeong Charyeon's age.

Everyone was a little taken aback. To chase Gu Ik-hwan all the way here in broad daylight, wearing a mask. Moreover, the woman's age seemed similar to theirs.

"Who are you, young lady, to use such cruel methods?"

Yang Suchang asked with an angry face.

"Who are you?"

"I am Yang Suchang. People in Jianghu call me by the name Southern Ok-ryong."

"To call yourself Ok-ryong, you must be shameless."

Yang Suchang's face flushed slightly. But he was feeling a sense of attraction to the masked woman. The fact that she was covering her face made her even more mysterious.

"Who are you, young lady?"

When Yang Suchang asked again, the woman replied coldly.

"It's none of your business. Hand him over and get out of here."

"We can't do that."

The four Rising Stars stood in front of Gu Ik-hwan.

The woman scoffed as if she found it ridiculous.

Clang!

The woman drew her sword.

Whoosh!

The sword vibrated and began to emit a pure white light.

The four Rising Stars were surprised and shouted.

"Sword Aura?"

Indeed, what was imbued in her sword was Sword Aura.

In particular, Im Ha-gi and Yang Suchang's expressions were very stiff.

Even they, who had learned the best techniques and consumed all sorts of elixirs since childhood, could not yet wield Sword Aura.

But the level the woman was showing now was the level of naturally keeping Sword Aura on the sword. It was several times more difficult than scattering Sword Aura.

It was understandable why Gu Ik-hwan was terrified.

Among the spectators, Jeok Leegeon smiled and said.

"Not bad."

Not bad, but amazing.

Jeong Charyeon sighed. Judging by her eyes and voice, she clearly seemed to be around her age. She herself couldn't even create Sword Qi yet, let alone Sword Aura.

"Envious?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry. Your talent is better."

Easier said than done. Huh? But you say my talent is better? How do you know?

At that moment, someone appeared in front of the flustered Rising Stars.

Swoosh.

A masked man appeared like a ghost out of thin air. It was impossible to guess his age with just his exposed eyes.

Whoosh.

He drew his sword.

The woman's expression hardened as she stared at him. Just from the drawing of the sword, she felt that the masked man's skill was truly great.

Then another person stepped forward.

It was a middle-aged man among the spectators in the corner. He lowered his Bamboo Hat and said quietly.

"Please stop now."

The middle-aged man's energy was also extraordinary.

Suddenly, two experts appeared, and Jeong Charyeon felt a little puzzled.

"Who are they?"

"Who else? They're the secret bodyguards protecting those brats."

"Secret bodyguards?"

"You didn't think they'd just send those precious kids out into Jianghu, did you?"

"Ah!"

Only then did Jeong Charyeon understand. Indeed, they were the heirs of the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan and the Shoutern Mountains Alliance, as well as the Sima Clan and Green Water Villa. It wouldn't be strange if not one, but a hundred secret bodyguards appeared.

The woman's eyes flashed.

Her gaze swept across the inn as if looking for someone else.

Perhaps having found other bodyguards, a sneer crossed her lips. She had found the bodyguards of Sa Ma-yeong and Seol Byeokhwa. They were also hidden among the spectators. Each of them had a formidable presence.

But the woman was not at all frightened or intimidated.

Her gaze stopped. She made eye contact with Jeok Leegeon, who was sitting on the stairs beyond the people.

Jeok Leegeon waved his hand and grinned. A strange light flashed in her eyes.

Soon, she turned around.

Whoosh.

She disappeared through the window she had flown in through.

The bodyguards did not chase her. The masked man who had appeared first also disappeared, and the middle-aged man wearing a Bamboo Hat also vanished into the crowd.

Im Ha-gi and Yang Suchang wore triumphant expressions. Those two were their personal bodyguards.

Then, Sa Ma-yeong shouted in surprise.

"Great Hero Gu! Great Hero Gu!"

Everyone gathered around Gu Ik-hwan. A sigh of pity escaped.

Gu Ik-hwan was already dead.

While everyone was lamenting, Sa Ma-yeong shouted again.

"Look at this!"

The place she was looking at was the floor. It was the letter Gu Ik-hwan had left in blood before he died.

Swallow

It was clearly the character for swallow, yeon.

"What does it mean?"

"Isn't it saying the name of the assailant?"

Everyone nodded at Seol Byeokhwa's guess.

In any case, Yang Suchang lost his interest in fighting Jang In-geol due to the unexpected incident.

He left the inn first with Seol Byeokhwa. Everyone dispersed so anticlimactically.

Jeok Leegeon and Jeong Charyeon also came out, mingling with the crowd.

"Give me the money."

"What?"

"It was a draw, wasn't it?"

They didn't even fight in the first place.

As Jeong Charyeon was about to protest, she obediently took out the money. In any case, the result was a draw, and it was a bet that was advantageous to her from the start.

Jeok Leegeon's mouth widened into a grin.

In contrast, Jeong Charyeon's mood was a little down.

It was because of the bodyguards she had seen earlier.

They were, as expected, kids living in a different world from her. She felt a sense of alienation for some reason.

Jeok Leegeon blurted out.

"Why? Are you envious of those bodyguards from earlier?"

You're quick to notice.

"It's not so much envy..."

"Don't be envious. You have a great bodyguard too."

"Who?"

Jeok Leegeon grinned and said.

"Me! I'm protecting you."

What? I'm thinking the opposite!