Chase and Encounter

He was different.

He wasn’t some fool shouting about family honor,

nor was he a madman hell-bent on becoming stronger with some obsession.

He was just a guy living life as it came.

Even when he became her disciple, he didn’t seem particularly moved.

And how arrogant he was, constantly arguing with his Master, whom he should have revered.

–

What are you looking at?

–

Hehe, can’t you tell? I’m looking at the sky.

He kept spouting nonsense like some Taoist, so she cracked his skull a few times, and he became a bit more obedient.

She was concerned about her disciple.

Such a peculiar human. She had never met anyone like him in her life.

He didn’t try to impress her, nor did he aim for the top.

He didn’t try to achieve anything, nor did he covet anything.

He simply trained silently by her side.

–

Why do you learn Martial arts?

–

Do you ask because you don’t know? I learn because Master tells me to.

That earned him a limp in his leg.

That was how they spent two years together.

Their time as Master and disciple, which seemed like it would last forever, suddenly came to an end one day.

–

Open your eyes! Open your eyes!

–

Ah, it hurts. I thought I was used to it.

The mark of a sword piercing his chest. She could only watch as crimson blood gushed from the wound.

–

Master. Ah, Master.

–

Don’t speak! Calm your breathing and gather your energy! Quickly!

–

It’s too late. My dantian is already destroyed.

–

Ah…

His dantian was empty. Seeing that, she let out a cry of despair.

-Don’t cry, Master.

Her disciple wiped away her tears with his fingertips.

Even as the flame of his life flickered, her disciple smiled brightly and said,

-Master, we will meet again someday.

“……”

The Heavenly Demon, rising from her bed, found her back soaked with cold sweat.

Was it because of Seo Hwa, whom she had embraced while sleeping? She moved the figure still in her arms and cleared her throat.

“Are you outside?”

“Yes, yes, Leader.”

A small maidservant scurried in.

“You’re on duty today. What was your name again?”

“Yeonhwa, I am called.”

“Yes. What time is it?”

“It is the hour of Chuk.”

“I cannot sleep, so bring me some simple refreshments.”

“Yes.”

A moment later, Yeonhwa, stiff as a board, creaked as she brought in the refreshments.

“Sit here as well.”

She called out to the maidservant, who was turning to leave.

“Yes? But.”

“Must I say it twice?”

“……”

The Heavenly Demon munched on a sugar-glazed cookie and took a sip of tea.

Yeonhwa didn’t know how to act in this situation, fidgeting several times but not doing anything in particular.

“Would you like some?”

Perhaps noticing that she was staring at the food, the Heavenly Demon asked.

“How could I? This is the Leader’s food.”

“It is my food, so it is my will to give it to you. Eat. If you don’t, I will personally shove it down your throat.”

“I will eat gratefully.”

With trembling hands, she picked up a cookie, turned her head, and put it in her mouth.

A subtle sweetness spread in her mouth.

“Yes, let’s have a conversation. What shall we talk about?”

The Heavenly Demon spoke as if to say, ‘Hurry up and tell me an interesting story.’ Yeonhwa rolled her eyes, trying to choose a topic.

Amused by her behavior, the Heavenly Demon watched her for a while before opening her mouth first.

“Never mind. I will bring up the story, so just listen. I will tell you about my disciple.”

“Are you speaking of the Leader’s disciple?”

“Yes, a story about a very inept disciple.”

Even as she said that, she wore a smile.

Yeonhwa had the impious thought that the expression looked like the smile of a pure maiden in love.

A faint moonlight illuminated the room through the window.

“……”

Namgoong Soyeon, awakened from her sleep, glanced at the scenery outside the window and then looked at the bed opposite her.

“Kuh-ah-ah-ah-ah~~”

Inho was sprawled out, snoring loudly.

He must have been sleeping very soundly, as he even scratched his stomach with his hand from time to time.

She didn’t think he looked ugly or undignified.

Rather, she thought it was a charm that drew her attention even more.

Like a cat looking at a strange toy, she stared at him with wide eyes, continuing to observe him.

The only men she had met so far were all Martial Artist.

People who chanted about righteousness, chivalry, and loyalty like a mantra.

Their pride was so strong that they would engage in life-or-death duels over the smallest things.

She thought that was foolish.

In that sense, she found Inho fascinating.

He didn’t seem to be a Martial Artist, but he had a reasonably trained body.

He seemed to have lived a rough life, but at times, she sensed a deep knowledge.

An enigmatic person shrouded in mystery.

“He’s an interesting person.”

What on earth had led him to be captured by the Black Heaven Cult?

Could he be someone’s precious son?

She wondered.

That’s why she proposed the Martial Arts Alliance. There would be many ways to help him.

That’s why she was also worried.

‘If the Gang Gongja is being chased by the Black Heaven Cult….’

There were no signs of pursuit yet, but it would be troublesome if someone were after him.

Protecting an ordinary person who didn’t know Martial arts and getting to the Martial Arts Alliance would be a very difficult task even for her.

‘I have to go as unnoticed as possible.’

Hoping that their journey would be smooth, she lay down again and tried to sleep.

“Kuaaa kuh-kuk kuh-kuh-kuht~”

‘Hmm. It might be a bit annoying.’

Unfortunately, the night was long.

“Ugh….”

“What’s wrong?”

Even though she had slept well, her body felt stiff.

Her body felt heavy, and her head was spinning, as if she had a mild cold.

Well, she had been pushing her body too hard.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Yes. Please tell me if you feel unwell.”

Knowing that she had already delayed them a lot because of her, she decided to endure as much as she could.

They were crossing a hill, and unlike the wide road they had been traveling on, today they were in a sparsely populated area.

The only people they had met while crossing the hill were two peddlers.

The summer sun was shining intensely, and sweat poured down like rain.

It seemed like she was sweating a lot, even for sweat caused by the heat.

She also felt like her focus was slightly off at times.

“There, stop for a moment.”

A thick voice was heard, and three or four people blocked their path.

Oh, come on. This is such a cliché.

“What’s the matter?”

Namgoong Soyeon asked the person in front of the group, and the leader laughed heartily and said,

“How dare you try to cross this hill without showing any respect to Chae Gang, the master of this mountain?”

“Miss, I think they’re bandits.”

“Yes, I suppose they are.”

As I whispered, she replied as if she had seen a butterfly on the road.

Honestly, I’m not that scared. I haven’t seen her skills, but Namgoong Soyeon is the one who single-handedly infiltrated the Black Heaven Cult to assassinate that Heavenly Demon.

With her as my companion, there’s no need to be afraid.

Or maybe I’ve become indifferent to death.

“I don’t want to make a fuss, so can’t you just let us pass?”

Namgoong Soyeon smiled brightly and said to them, and they burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! A little brat who’s learned a bit of Martial arts at some dojo doesn’t know her place.”

“We’ll kill the guy behind you right away, and we’ll use you to nourish our bodies.”

Those were their last words.

If you were to pick the most skilled person in infiltration, assassination, and tracking in the Black Heaven Cult, excluding the Heavenly Demon, everyone would unanimously say Youngma.

Many powerful figures in the Jianghu had lost their lives at her hands, and 80% of them died without even knowing they were dying.

The reason why the righteous people feared her was that no matter where they hid, she would always find them.

Even if they secretly moved the residence of an important figure, it would be discovered in less than half an hour, and even with escorts, the person being protected would become a cold corpse within two days.

To be targeted by her was to be as good as dead, and some even said that it would be better to go directly to her and beg for mercy.

For her, tracking down the traces left by Inho was a piece of cake.

Youngma, who had followed them all the way to Sichuan, gave a few coins to the Shopkeeper of an inn, heard which direction they had gone, and immediately followed.

As if the oath she had made to the Heavenly Demon was not just a bluff, Youngma had come close enough to grab the back of Namgoong Soyeon and Inho’s necks.

“Ugh…”

Unlike the wide and flat road where the traces were clear, today the traces were sparsely erased and remained on a deserted road.

“I thought there would be a skilled group, but… I didn’t expect it to be this much.”

This was clearly an action taken in anticipation of being tracked.

She thought that she should be careful if they were to confront each other.

As she ran further down the road, the pungent smell of blood stung her nose.

“Bandits? They cleaned them up neatly.”

The corpses of the fallen bandits had only one sword wound each.

With this level of swordsmanship, the sword wouldn’t even be stained with blood.

“About an hour from here.”

She muttered, putting her finger in the wound to check the temperature.

Taking a deep breath, she circulated her inner energy and stomped her feet.

“Gang Gongja. Wake up.”

Namgoong Soyeon was carrying Inho on her back as she walked.

When she turned around after dealing with the bandits, Inho was lying on the ground, gasping for breath.

His condition, with sweat pouring down like rain, looked bad at a glance, so she put him on her back and started running to find a nearby doctor.

‘I think I pushed him too hard. If I hadn’t been urging him.’

Feeling a sense of responsibility, she tried to hurry even more when her senses tingled.

“……”

She put Inho down in the shade of a tree and drew her sword.

-Sreung

A clear sword rang out, and she pointed her sword towards the direction of the dense bushes.

“Come out.”

“……”

Soon, a woman with short black hair appeared from beyond the bushes.

“Youngma…!”

As Namgoong Soyeon muttered, seeing her, Youngma replied to the greeting with her usual expressionless face.

“It’s been a while, Thunder Sword.”