Chapter 534

Jingle. Clack.

The inn’s door closed on the final ring of its bell. With it went the stares that had stabbed at the back of Sama Pyo’s head all the way down the stairs.

But Sama Pyo already knew this wasn’t the end. It was another beginning.

“Those two who just came out of Gowolru…”

“That’s them, right?”

“I’m certain. That’s the Black Dragon Saber, Sama Pyo—the Young Sect Leader of the Black Dragon Demon Gate. And the huge fellow beside him is the monster who crushed Blood Cudgel’s skull seven days and nights ago.”

“I heard he got into a fight with the Hwangbo Family’s Lesser Family Head earlier. Making trouble like that at a time like this… Tsk, tsk.”

“Leave them be. What else would you expect from demonic, heterodox practitioners? We need even their help to drive out Dark Heaven.”

“I don’t like it one bit. How do we know they won’t stab us in the back?”

“That’s what I’m saying… Shh. The big fellow is looking this way.”

Countless eyes watched them, and whispers followed. However quietly the onlookers spoke, they were close enough for Sama Pyo to hear every word if he cared to listen.

He kept walking, his expression unchanged.

Nothing unusual about it.

He knew the situation all too well. Even in Gansu, where the Black Dragon Demon Gate held immense influence, people had treated him the same way. The label demonic, heterodox practitioner had followed him since birth, a shackle he could never take off.

“Whoof.”

A rough snort came from beside him. Sama Pyo glanced at Taishan, whose enormous eyes were darting around, and moved his lips.

—Stop.

Taishan’s hand froze on its way to the two-section staff strapped across his back. Sama Pyo put more force into his Sound Transmission.

—Taishan. You little rascal.

—…Understood, Lord. Taishan will hold back.

—That’s right. Good boy.

—Taishan listens well. Taishan likes Lord. Hehehe.

Taishan broke into a broad grin as though nothing had happened, and Sama Pyo let out a quiet laugh.

—Yes. I like you very much, too.

—Taishan got praised a lot today.

—Oh? Who was kind enough to praise you?

—Mm. Blazing Flame Divine Dragon praised me.

Sama Pyo slowed.

—Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung?

—Yes. Jin Taekyung. Said Taishan was a good boy.

—You seem to like him.

—Like him. Very strong. Good. Taishan praised him.

Sama Pyo gazed at Taishan’s profile as the giant strode along excitedly.

Taishan had been born with outstanding martial talent and divine strength, but an accident long ago had injured his head and left him much like a child. Perhaps because he remembered the accident, he was wary of strangers and slow to trust anyone but Sama Pyo.

It’s rare for him to speak so highly of someone else.

Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung.

Sama Pyo pictured the young man’s carefree, sly manner—and the unfathomably powerful aura concealed beneath his calm face and voice.

There’s a reason they call him a Divine Dragon.

The world was vast, and masters were plentiful. People admired the Ten Dragons and Phoenixes as Murim’s finest young prodigies, but Sama Pyo had never acknowledged them.

Empty reputations bestowed inside walls they built themselves.

Anyone outside those walls was rejected. He had met plenty of orthodox martial artists who behaved shamelessly while hiding behind tiresome words like righteousness and the orthodox path.

But…

He was different. No question about it.

Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung.

Although their meeting had been brief, Sama Pyo had realized one thing for certain.

His astonishing martial power, which far surpassed that of any young prodigy, was one reason. But what made him feel even more extraordinary was his attitude—the way he differed from everyone else.

Their conversation from moments ago came back to him.

“I don’t know whether you’ve heard of the Black Dragon Demon Gate.”

“So what brings someone as important as the Young Sect Leader of the Black Dragon Demon Gate here?”

“Is that all?”

“What else do you need?”

“…!”

The question had caught Sama Pyo so completely off guard that he’d had no answer. No one had ever asked him that in all his years as the Young Sect Leader of the Black Dragon Demon Gate.

What else do I need? What else…

His lips moved soundlessly around the thought. Then he turned to Taishan.

—Let me ask you one thing.

—…?

—If you had to fight Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung, what would you do?

In an instant, the smile vanished from Taishan’s face. His expression hardened, and his Sound Transmission followed without the slightest hesitation.

—Taishan owes Lord a great debt. If Lord commands it, Taishan fights anyone.

—Didn’t you say you liked Jin Taekyung?

—Like Jin Taekyung. But not as much as Lord. Taishan would give his life to obey Lord.

—I see.

Sama Pyo gave a small laugh and shook his head.

—That’s enough. You’re a good fellow.

—Taishan good. And good Taishan hungry.

The enormous child looked at him with a mournful face. Sama Pyo laughed aloud.

“Come on. We’ll go somewhere. Tonight, I’ll feed you until you’re fit to burst.”

“Hehehe. Lord promised. Taishan believes Lord.”

“Yes, yes.”

“But, Lord.”

“Hm?”

“That woman earlier. Pretty. Very pretty. Who?”

Sama Pyo stopped dead. Taishan noticed and tilted his head.

“Lord?”

“No. Was she really that pretty?”

“Yes. Pretty and good.”

“They say you can see ten fathoms into the water, but not one fathom into a person’s heart. How could you know what was hidden inside her after seeing only her face for a moment?”

Taishan shook his head fiercely.

“No! Pretty women are good!”

“Don’t shout. People are staring.”

“Admit it! Taishan is right! Pretty means good!”

“Whew. You damned fool. I’m going on ahead.”

“Lord! Lord!”

Sama Pyo walked away, leaving Taishan’s desperate cries behind him. His face was as dry and expressionless as sand.

Ju Hwaran… I never expected to meet her here.

Whether it was coincidence or fate, Sama Pyo couldn’t say.

But one thing was certain. The woman who had been his fiancée, if only for a short time—Dagger Hidden Flower Ju Hwaran—would consider everything connected to him an ill-fated relationship.

An ill-fated relationship… It wouldn’t be wrong.

His gaze turned cold.

The rest of the meal went smoothly. The innkeeper treated us lavishly, everyone else kept staring, and outside the inn we exchanged farewells.

No. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that Ju Hwaran said farewell to us.

“I should get going. I have some Escort Bureau matters to take care of.”

Jab.

Gung Gibang poked me discreetly in the side. I’d been standing there in a daze, but my mouth opened on reflex.

“Oh, right. Goodbye.”

“Yes. You too, Great Hero Jin.”

Jab.

Damn it. Apparently that wasn’t the right answer.

“Um, Young Lady Ju.”

“Yes?”

“Would you like me to walk you back to your lodgings?”

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine. I hear you barely have enough time to train as it is.”

“Oh. Who told you? I have been a little busy lately.”

Jab. Jab jab.

Thanks, you bastard.

Gung-vigation was warning me I’d veered off course again. I tightened my grip on the wheel.

“Still, some strange men might approach you. It might be better if I walked you back…”

“Ahaha. I’ll be fine. I’m a martial artist, too.”

“Oh, right. I didn’t mean to underestimate you. It’s just…”

“No, my martial arts really do fall short of yours, Great Hero Jin. Besides, Captain Song is here.”

Song Ilseom spoke bluntly. “If any of them approach, I’ll cut them down in one stroke. Stop worrying about nothing.”

“You heard him, right?”

“…Yes. I heard him.”

Jab jab. Jabjabjabjab!

You’re going to put a hole in my side, you bastard.

But I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Thoughts tangled in my already muddled head, then slipped away. By the time I found any words, the moment had passed.

“I’ll be going, then. See you again.”

Hwaran smiled and turned away. Her fine, silken hair swayed, carrying a faint fragrance through the air.

I stood watching the two of them walk away.

That was when—

“This guy really is a fucking idiot.”

“Wow. You’re something else, Captain.”

“…”

I didn’t need to turn to know who’d spoken. I looked at Gung Gibang and Hyuk Mujin with a mournful gaze.

“Where did I go wrong, and when?”

They answered at the same time, as if they’d been waiting.

“Since you spat food in Young Lady Ju’s face.”

“Wasn’t Captain himself the problem from the start?”

Different answers, but they had two things in common: both pissed me off, and both were hard to argue with.

“Damn it.”

I kicked at the ground. Honestly, I felt a little aggrieved. How was I supposed to have stayed calm in that situation?

A fiancé, out of nowhere.

Just thinking about it made my head spin. Forget a grenade—that was a ballistic missile. My only comfort was the word former in front of fiancé.

“I told you not to ask,” Gung Gibang said.

“If I’d known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have asked,” I replied with a sigh. “Besides, Young Lady Ju brought it up first.”

“Because you made it so obvious you wanted to know.”

“Gung Gibang is right. You could have figured there was a reason and left it alone. Why did you have to—”

“The bastard who shit his pants can shut up.”

“…Yes, sir.”

“I didn’t shit my pants,” Gung Gibang said, “so I can keep talking.”

“Not for long. You’ll be shitting blood in a minute.”

“…Calm down. Put your fist down first.”

The truth was, I didn’t have the strength to hit him. At the customer’s request, I lowered my fist and stared into space.

“I want to turn back time.”

“You can’t.”

“You can’t, Captain.”

“Still, I didn’t let it show much afterward, did I? I was pretty calm.”

Gung Gibang and Hyuk Mujin gave me warm smiles.

“Of course. Couldn’t tell at all. Apart from the six times you knocked over your water glass.”

“And the seven times you dropped your chopsticks.”

“The best part was when the server asked us to add anything else we wanted to the order slip¹ and you glared at him.”

“Seriously, how did you connect an order slip to Sama Pyo? It took me ages to work that out.”

“You were practically insane.”

“Dark Heaven, at minimum.”

“…”

I get it, so stop it, you fucking bastards.

I wanted to beat the hell out of them, but I didn’t have the energy. Trudging along was about all I could manage. I couldn’t even be bothered to hide my face beneath my crooked bamboo hat, let alone care when people recognized me.

“Th-that man, could he be…?”

“Gasp! It is! It’s Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung!”

“But why is he walking like that?”

“How would I know?”

“Looks like a woman dumped him.”

“Ha ha. Good one.”

“…”

Don’t laugh. It’s not a joke.

I was taking damage from every direction just by breathing. I sighed and adjusted my bamboo hat, my thoughts still hopelessly tangled.

An ex-boyfriend. No, an ex-fiancé.

I knew roughly what had happened. Hwaran had told me about her past plainly and without hiding anything.

“It was a political marriage. I hadn’t even seen his face before that.”

Nothing unusual about that. The Yongbong Escort Bureau had been declining day by day, and the Black Dragon Demon Gate had reached out to Hwaran with an offer she couldn’t refuse.

“I made the decision myself. For my father, after he collapsed.”

Her calm voice and expression were still on my mind when someone called to me.

“My youngest.”

I blinked. We were in front of our lodgings. I hadn’t even noticed us arriving.

Jin Wikyung stood before me, a large man, though not quite as enormous as Taishan.

“Great Hero Mae—no, the Alliance Leader is looking for you.”