Chapter 152: Hundred Cats Chaos (4)

“Ugh. I thought it was a miraculous elixir.”

Baek Ri Seol, looking dejected, slumped her shoulders.

“The last one seemed pretty good though.”

“The last one…”

Hearing this, Mo Yong So-hye asked with a cold look.

“You mean the one that’s good for middle-aged men, menopausal women, the elderly, and teenagers?”

“Yes, it was perfect for me.”

“And where did the middle-aged men, menopausal women, and the elderly go?”

“They also said it was perfect for a pretty and cute girl like me.”

This is exactly that.

Mo Yong So-hye’s eyes showed that she couldn’t believe someone could fall for such a sales pitch.

“Do you think there’s a cure-all medicine that’s good for everything?”

“It might exist. The salesman said it was made from a special elixir found in Tian Shan.”

“Do you really think such a precious item would be sold at a street stall?”

Really?

Seeing Baek Ri Seol tilt her head, Mo Yong So-hye retorted.

“Even the salesman had a look like he had found the perfect sucker.”

Baek Ri Seol’s weakness was her inability to read people’s intentions.

Having lived a life with little interaction, it was understandable.

“Don’t fall for a salesman’s sweet talk!”

“…Okay.”

But her strength was that she listened to the advice of those around her.

“Well, it’s disappointing but unavoidable.”

Trying to shake off her regret, Baek Ri Seol muttered.

“But if it’s just the cat perfume…”

“The perfume that brings back the ‘wayward one’?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Yeo Mae-hong laughed.

“Who could our cute Baek Ri Seol want to bring back?”

“Oh my, Baek Ri Seol is growing up.”

Mo Yong So-hye glanced at the teasing older women and then looked at someone else.

She shook her head.

“You’re wrong. The person you’re thinking of is beyond help.”

Not sure why, but that made me feel really bad.

***

The group of five wandered around Myojinmun.

No matter how much preparation had gone into it, there were endless new attractions throughout the day.

“The Hundred Cats Chaos is really fun.”

“Yes, it’s been so long since I enjoyed myself like this.”

Cho Un-hwi, joining Yeo Mae-hong and Mo Yong Seon-ya’s conversation, said.

“Enjoy it while you can. Youth doesn’t last forever.”

“Hey! Watch your mouth!”

He got hit.

“There’s still a long way to go before youth ends!”

No, he got hit twice.

The second one hurt more because it came from someone nearing the end of their youth.

“But where is Namgung Yun-ho?”

“Brother? Oh, Namgung Yun-ho.”

Mo Yong Seon-ya, suddenly looking mature, smiled warmly.

“Our So-hye is at the age for love.”

“Hey! It’s not like that!”

“Right. Mo Yong So-hye, love passionately and yearn intensely.”

Cho Un-hwi, acting like an instructor, advised.

“Yes, love deeply. If you wait too long, you’ll miss your chance…”

He got hit.

Twice.

He got hit before he could finish speaking.

This world, the Jianghu, was very unfair.

“Oh? Isn’t that Namgung Yun-ho and Jegal Tan?”

At Baek Ri Seol’s words, they looked and saw the two.

Walking shoulder to shoulder, they were coming out of a small temporary house.

The sign on the house caught their attention.

– Divine Cat Fortune.

‘Divine Cat Fortune?’

A brief explanation was written below.

– Fortune, wealth, luck.

Aren’t you curious about your fate?

“Oh, Instructor.”

Recognizing them, Namgung Yun-ho approached first.

“I didn’t see you around. You were here.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Waving the paper in his hand, Jegal Tan hid his hand.

“Jegal. Did you get your fortune told?”

“Well…”

“The calculating genius of the Jegal Clan believes in fortune-telling?”

“Ugh.”

Jegal Tan, blushing, closed his mouth.

‘There’s a way to handle this.’

Turning his gaze, clueless Namgung Yun-ho tilted his head.

“Namgung.”

“Yes, Instructor.”

“Did you get your fortune told?”

“Yes, I did.”

Unlike Jegal Tan, Namgung Yun-ho admitted it.

“Actually, this year has been quite eventful, so I got my fortune told out of curiosity.”

“Really?”

“Someone said that following you around, Instructor, one never knows when misfortune might strike, so I should at least check my fortune.”

“Was that someone Jegal?”

“…It was an acquaintance.”

*Thwack!*

“Ugh!”

Jegal Tan grabbed his shin and rolled on the ground.

“…I didn’t say it was him.”

“Don’t play dumb. You don’t have any friends besides him.”

“…!”

Namgung Yun-ho looked like he’d been hit in the heart.

“But fortune-telling.”

It’s surprising that people spend money on such nonsense.

‘…Or so I thought.’

The women beside him were sparkling at the word ‘fortune.’

“Fortune-telling! I’ve always wanted to try it!”

“And it’s cat fortune-telling! They say a divine cat does the fortune-telling?”

Baek Ri Seol and Mo Yong So-hye were excited.

“Hoho. It’s natural to be interested in such things when young.”

“Let’s check it out for fun.”

The two older women were also delighted.

“If you say so…”

It wouldn’t hurt to check it out for fun.

In this life, there’s no need to avoid trivial pursuits like before.

***

Pulling back the curtain and stepping inside, it was more elaborate than expected.

There were about ten shelves, each with a small box and a cat.

The boxes were labeled with words like ‘wealth,’ ‘fortune,’ ‘business,’ etc., which Mo Yong Seon-ya pointed out.

“It looks like you can specify the type of fortune you want to check.”

“Oh, that line is the longest.”

Yeo Mae-hong pointed to a place where a couple was putting silver coins into a money box below the shelf.

*Clink.*

At the sound of the money box, the cat perked up its ears.

*Meow~.*

With a lazy meow, it reached into the box labeled ‘fortune’ and pulled out a wooden ball.

*Clink.*

The ball rolled down a chute and landed beside the money box.

“Let’s see…”

Crack.

The man, nervously opening the ball, sighed.

“Minor fortune. So close.”

“It’s okay. At least it’s not bad luck.”

“That’s true.”

Intrigued, Baek Ri Seol stepped forward.

“I’ll go first.”

Meow!

Seeing Baek Ri Seol, the cat bristled but didn’t leave its spot, showing its professionalism.

“Cat deity! Please give me great fortune!”

Baek Ri Seol clasped her hands and dropped a silver coin into the money box.

*Clink. Clink.*

At the sound of the money box, the calico cat let out a lazy meow.

*Roll. Clink.*

The ball rolled in front of her, and Baek Ri Seol opened it with a big smile.

“Wow! It says, ‘You are usually cool-headed, but warm to those you like!'”

‘What nonsense is this?’

Isn’t it normal to be warm to those you like?

He thought, but.

“Oh, it’s really mystical.”

Baek Ri Seol was hooked.

“Sister, it’s really accurate. Cat fortune-telling is amazing. I want to try!”

Mo Yong So-hye was also hooked.

The content that followed was equally nonsensical.

Though it was long-winded, it boiled down to this:

– If you meet a good person, you will succeed. If you meet a bad person, you will be unhappy.

‘Isn’t this strange?’

It was so common-sense that it was surprising.

But Baek Ri Seol, captivated by the first sentence, was completely taken by the cat fortune.

“It’s really amazing. Even if it’s minor fortune.”

Mo Yong So-hye, also taken in, said.

“Cat deity! Can I make many friends?”

No? Really?

“No?”

She could read people’s minds, but not cats’, and was devastated.

“Great fortune! Please give me great fortune!”

“I can’t be satisfied with minor fortune.”

Not only were they hooked on the fortune-telling, but they couldn’t accept the results and kept putting silver coins into the money box.

They were so fervent that even the cat was startled.

Seeing this, Mo Yong Seon-ya stepped forward.

“You two, fortune-telling is done only once. The first fortune is the real one.”

Yeo Mae-hong added.

“Not accepting the result is childish.”

“As martial artists, accept the result humbly!”

At the mature reprimand, the two dejectedly replied, “Yes.”

At that moment.

“Oh, Instructor Cho?”

A familiar voice called from inside, and Instructor Jo Hyeon appeared.

Beside her was Instructor Yang, leaning on crutches.

Their faces turned red, not expecting to run into him.

“Why are you here when you’re not well?”

Embarrassed, Instructor Jo Hyeon replied.

“They say the cat fortune is mystical.”

“Hmm. Out of curiosity.”

Seeing their red faces, Instructor Jo Hyeon defended.

“Instructor Yang just indulged my unreasonable request.”

– We were curious about our compatibility…

With those words, silence fell.

“Com… Compatibility?”

“Right, compatibility.”

“Compatibility. In other words, love fortune.”

Breaking the silence, Yeo Mae-hong awkwardly laughed.

“Ho. Ho. Ho. Compatibility is intriguing.”

“Indeed. Fortune is good, but the highlight is always the connection. Love, not just any connection.”

“Love fortune. It’s perfect for me.”

Everyone was laughing, but for some reason, a chilling sensation crept over.

Then, from the back, the three people’s screams were heard.

“No! This is invalid!”

The mature Mo Yong Seon-ya started throwing a tantrum.

“This can’t be happening.”

There was no acceptance from Yeo Mae-hong, who had preached humility.

“Stupid cat!”

Baek Ri Seol, who had worshiped the cat earlier, threw the wooden ball at it.

“It’s just for fun…”

Ripping up the fortune papers, the three clung to the money box again.

“Great fortune. Great fortune.”

“Please give me great fortune.”

“Please, great fortune. Really great fortune.”

*Clink. Clink.*

Seeing them aggressively shaking the money box, Cho Un-hwi asked.

“You said the first fortune is the real one.”

Thinking he was making a valid point.

– Be quiet.

The sharp gazes from the three were quite terrifying.

“Oh dear. How immature.”

The fact that Mo Yong So-hye was the most mature made him worry about the future of the Jianghu.

Come to think of it.

‘Fortune-telling… This is my first time.’

Curious, Cho Un-hwi put a silver coin into the money box.

*Meow!*

With a lazy meow, the wooden ball rolled out.

*Clink.*

Opening the ball and unfolding the paper inside, he read the short message.

– Great misfortune.

Your life is ruined.

*Clink.*

Putting the fortune back into the ball and smashing it, he put another silver coin into the money box.

Seeing this, Jegal Tan tilted his head.

“Didn’t you say fortune-telling is done only once?”

“Shut up.”

Knocking Jegal Tan down, Cho Un-hwi drew another fortune.

– Great misfortune. If you have a conscience, don’t expect happiness.

– Extreme misfortune. It might be better to die now.

“Sigh.”

Putting in a fourth silver coin, Cho Un-hwi growled at the cat.

“Do it right. Unless you want to end up in a stew.”

*Hiss!*

The trembling cat carefully drew a wooden ball.

– Great fortune.

Only flower paths await you.

Are you ready to enjoy life?

Finally satisfied, Cho Un-hwi nodded.

“Cat. You’re mystical.”

Feeling content, he noticed Namgung Yun-ho’s silence and Mo Yong So-hye’s gaze.

“You said it was immature.”

Cho Un-hwi pretended not to hear and whistled.