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Chapter 37
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I didn’t expect any major changes just because the training period was ending.
After all, I’m still a rookie. There’s no track record to assign any significant duties.
It’s not like I’m hoping to subdue some notorious demonic faction villain or defeat an infamous villain who incites bloodshed.
‘But isn’t this just too menial?’
“Thank you for your cooperation as always.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just glad to lighten the burden on the government, even if just a little.”
An official greeted Jegal Yeong with a polite bow, and she responded just as respectfully.
We were delivering some scoundrels, known as the Three Bears of Hwangsan, to the government office.
‘Just petty criminals who bully the merchants on the streets.’
They must have run out of titles to bestow if they went so far as to name themselves after a mountain and bears.
Trying their street-thug antics in Anhui Province after they were only successful in small towns—trusting their second-rate martial arts—was as foolish as their bear-like nickname suggested.
All the recent tasks have been like this. Just rounding up petty criminals and delivering them to the authorities. Pickpockets, street thugs. People who hardly qualify as martial artists, let alone second- or third-rate martial artists.
“Is this kind of work typical for rookies?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, we don’t really need to handle these sorts, do we? A small detachment of soldiers from the government office would be enough.”
“Even if it’s easy as twisting a child’s wrist for us, it would take ten soldiers to subdue just one of these third-rate martial artists. And if injuries occur….”
Jegal Yeong’s point was valid.
“These tasks may seem trivial, and they really are, but handling them is more important than you think.”
“…”
“It’s like earning points in advance. No matter how much we say that martial and government affairs don’t overlap, it’s not as if the Murim Alliance can freely apprehend martial artists as they please.
So we fill in for the lack of administrative force. The excesses of martial artists are best curbed by other martial artists. It’s about creating that perception.”
I understood.
No matter how big a scandal a martial artist causes, having the Murim Alliance arrest them might look like private punishment from the government’s perspective.
This is about showing a responsible approach, building a perception through a form of public service.
“Are you bored dealing with just second- and third-raters?”
“Well, honestly… yes.”
“Appreciate it while you can. Someday, when you’re traveling across cities for missions, you’ll look back and think this was the good part.”
Will that day ever come? Right now, it just feels like we’re a subcontractor for the government office.
“So, where are we headed next?”
“Moonlight Pavilion.”
“What? A brothel?”
“Yes, we received a report about someone pestering one of the courtesans there. Apparently, he’s been causing a ruckus.”
“Sigh…”
I couldn’t help but sigh.
***
Moonlight Pavilion was a small establishment, just about managing to stay afloat thanks to a handful of regulars.
It was the owner of Moonlight Pavilion who had requested our help. Usually, the owner of such a place would be a retired courtesan, but here, it seemed the manager also doubled as the owner.
The rotund owner waddled about, dabbing his greasy forehead with a cloth.
“Oh, thank you for coming, noble warriors. I didn’t expect you to come all the way to this humble place. Please, have a seat.”
He greeted us in awe, not expecting the Murim Alliance to send two martial artists.
Following his instructions, the table was quickly laden with food, clearly the kind you’d have to spend a fortune on.
“You don’t need to go to such lengths. It could cause problems if we accept this.”
“Please, think of it as just a token of my gratitude. You need to eat something, don’t you? If you don’t accept even this, I won’t be able to show my face.”
“Senior, isn’t it impolite to outright reject his goodwill? Thank you for the meal, owner.”
“Sigh. Alright then. Could you explain the situation to us?”
“Well, here’s what’s happened…”
A courtesan named Hwaran.
She was so popular that she accounted for half of Moonlight Pavilion’s revenue. Apparently, her charm lay in her ability to melt a man’s heart with her sweet words.
Many men came to Moonlight Pavilion just to catch a glimpse of her.
“Recently, a certain martial artist has been causing trouble, demanding we hand Hwaran over to him.”
I’d heard about customers like that before. Courtesans sell smiles, and the sweet words they whisper to their patrons are all a facade.
But there are those foolish enough to take them at face value.
Umgang, the martial artist, was exactly that type of fool.
“He even laid down a hefty sum of silver, claiming he and Hwaran are in love. Even when we politely refused, he was relentless.”
Good grief.
If they were in love, she would have left Moonlight Pavilion with him. I couldn’t help but feel curious about how pitiful he must look.
“Though, the food’s not as good as I expected.”
“You were served, so just eat.”
“What can I do if it tastes bad? It seems this place is more about something other than the food.”
“…”
“How amazing must this Hwaran be, I wonder.”
“Are you curious?”
“Huh?”
“Are you that curious about her?”
Jegal Yeong suddenly questioned me, almost accusingly.
Why the sudden change?
“Curiosity is natural. Isn’t it important to understand the cause of the case properly?”
“You’re still a man, after all. Getting interested in a courtesan.”
“No, it’s just pure curiosity, I swear.”
We were passing the time in this trivial conversation when Umgang finally appeared.
“I’ve come for Hwaran!”
As soon as he entered Moonlight Pavilion, Umgang shouted with inner energy imbued in his voice.
He looked better than I’d expected.
I’d pictured a rough, bearded man, but he was rather clean-cut, wearing a blue hero’s headband.
If not for the story we’d heard from the owner, I might have mistaken him for a respectable martial artist.
“Hwaran!”
In response to his call, a courtesan descended from the second floor.
Her face was somewhat plain compared to her extravagant attire.
Is that Hwaran?
“Sir, I’ve told you time and again not to cause trouble.”
“How can you speak so coldly? Have you forgotten the promise we made to spend our lives together?”
“Don’t you think it’s best to let go of what happened at the brothel along with your drink? I trust a wise man like yourself would understand.”
It was an unusual sight.
Hwaran coldly dismissing the man’s declarations of love.
Upon hearing her rejection, Umgang began to lash out, seemingly unable to believe it.
“You’re saying things you don’t mean! Is it because of the owner? Today, I will take you away no matter what!”
“Kyaa!”
Umgang quickly lunged toward Hwaran and grabbed her.
A smooth movement, not something you’d expect from a third-rate martial artist.
He held a sword to Hwaran’s neck, backing toward the entrance.
“Don’t come any closer! If I can’t have her, I’d rather kill her!”
‘This should be a decent warm-up.’
It was time to move.
I exchanged a glance with Jegal Yeong, seeking her consent, then approached Umgang.
“That’s far enough.”
“Who are you!”
“I’m Lee Se-woong from the White Sun Squad.”
“W-White Sun Squad?”
Umgang’s eyes widened in shock. Even though he dared to stir up trouble in Anhui Province, it seemed he still feared the White Sun Squad. He quickly shouted in panic.
“Don’t come any closer! Take one more step, and I’ll slit her throat!”
“This is amusing.”
Despite his threats, Umgang was trembling all over. I wondered how a coward like him ended up causing this kind of commotion. I flicked my right hand in his direction, using a simple finger strike.
“Ah!”
Umgang’s wrist was struck, and he dropped his sword. I rushed at him, first pulling Hwaran away and then hitting Umgang. Struck in the abdomen, Umgang fell to the ground, rolling across the floor.
“Ugh…”
He looked up at me with a resentful expression, subdued within just two moves. He must have realized by now that resistance was futile. However, his eyes still glimmered with an unwillingness to give up.
“Why waste time on something pointless?”
“Even if you use force, it’s no use!”
Would he come to his senses if I beat him a few more times?
Since the situation had escalated, roughing up Umgang a bit more could be considered an extension of my duties, right? Just as I was mentally calculating the “treatment” I’d give Umgang, I felt a hint of killing intent from behind me.
The threat was faint, barely enough to pose any danger, but my senses didn’t miss it. While keeping my foot on Umgang, I turned around to intercept the attack aimed at my back.
Ping!
Without even needing to activate my defense aura, I deflected the strike with a simple hand gesture.
“Eek!”
The assailant collapsed with a scream—it was Hwaran, who had been held hostage by Umgang just moments before.
“What are you doing?”
“P-Please… don’t hurt him anymore!”
Hwaran, barely standing, clutched a silver dagger with both hands, pointing it shakily at me. She was trembling so much that she posed no threat whatsoever.
‘This is getting ridiculous…’
I had a rough idea of what was going on.
Umgang was causing trouble by demanding that Hwaran be handed over to him. Hwaran, in turn, had been firmly rejecting him.
From the start, it seemed strange.
Umgang’s reason for coming was obvious, yet Hwaran had come down as if she had been waiting for his call.
In such a situation, the owner should have hidden her away securely, but she had come down directly, which seemed suspicious.
“So, this whole thing was staged?”
If we hadn’t been here, this hostage scenario would have played out smoothly.
It was nothing more than an agreed-upon plan—a romantic escape orchestrated by the two of them.
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