episode_0027

Seomuncheong, set off!

…or at least that was the plan, but Jinjangmyeong clung tightly to Cheong.

Hold off on setting off.

“Unni, don’t go.”

“You’re not really leaving, are you? If you act like that, you’ll become someone who won’t come back.”

“What are you talking about? I’m coming back?”

“You’ll be coming and going. Where are you going after leaving the home you’ve finally settled in?”

Cheong recalled her humble abode.

One room, one porch, and a kitchen outside – it was a small, old house.

But it was ‘her home.’

There was a profound sense of fulfillment that touched the heart of a modern person.

“You’ll come back, right? Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Really really?”

“Don’t keep saying ‘really really.’ Just because I’ve softened up a bit doesn’t mean you can act cute, okay?”

“Tsk.”

“I’m thinking about coming back in the winter. It’s not fun to wander around when it’s cold. Anyway, I’m diligently practicing.”

“When that time comes, I’ll be a top-notch expert.”

“Yeah. Next in line after the top experts.”

At the mention of returning, Jinjangmyeong let go of Cheong’s hand.

“Taesasukjo-nim! You must come back!”

“Taesasukjo-nim! Take care on your journey!”

“Taesasukjo-nim! Bring back something delicious!”

“Me too!”

“Me too!”

The gatekeepers who came to see them off made a fuss.

Seomunsurin did not come out.

But in reality, after Cheong tearfully bid farewell and bowed deeply.

Thinking back, it wasn’t necessary, but she got caught up in the atmosphere.

It was just the right atmosphere for it.

Like in a K-drama, it felt like, “Now cry!”

In any case, she received a new sword as a token of her tears.

Moonlight Sword (No. 8), has returned!

Anyway, Seomuncheong, set off!

Cheong confidently stepped out into the mountains.

And immediately opened the rewards for the mission.

There was still work to be done quickly while the sense of belonging and regret lingered.

Thanks to bringing Jinjangmyeong, the current rewards were well over a thousand.

And another exchange at a thousand points.

Thanks to the master of traditional medicine who could sense and identify things like a ghost, she couldn’t add a new martial art, so now was the perfect opportunity.

Cheong still remembered the fear of facing a top expert’s swordsmanship without a sword.

So she needed a martial art without a sword.

A very powerful martial art.

Fortunately, she already had something in mind.

Sosumagong.

They say when it reaches its peak, the area under the elbow becomes like diamond.

A rocket punch that can block swordsmanship!

The bright purple border would guarantee its power.

Cheong immediately received the rewards for the martial art.

The essence of Sosumagong penetrated her mind.

A dirty memory technique that she had experienced several times.

However, there were no more training points left to digest the purple martial art.

Cheong raised the level of Sosumagong to 6 stars.

It was a wise investment.

Strangely, martial arts tended to become significantly stronger at 6 stars.

As you use martial arts, training points accumulate and you move on to the next level.

There was no need to over-invest in valuable free training points.

There were some leftover free training points.

She raised the Yeorae Sinjang from 2 stars to 6 stars.

Where should she use the remaining points?

As enjoyable as building a character was-

“Stop gaming addiction! Enjoy reality! Enjoy enjoy enjoy!”

Cheong shouted urgently.

She had let her guard down for a moment.

Cheong’s hands were trembling.

She had just finished a touching and human farewell.

And now, this.

Cheong immediately tried a mental defense technique.

This is how harmful a gaming brain can be.

I’ve temporarily turned off all systems.

That was the standard for those who had experienced the original work.

It was an individual choice, and I don’t see it as a loss.

It’s okay to lose, what’s important is an unbroken spirit.

That’s right!

What’s important is an unbroken spirit!

Thank you, Deft Teacher.

But that’s something that has never actually happened, right?

“Sigh…”

Cheong let out a long sigh.

It just wasn’t working out.

Extraordinary measures were needed.

It was the only means available right now.

Cheong turned around.

There was no other choice.

I’ll have to stay and rest at our house for one more day.

—-

Jinjangmyeong’s childhood was affluent.

Now, it’s just a bitter memory that brings out a wry smile.

It was money stolen from the temple.

Anyway, for the sake of the frail Jinjangmyeong, his parents assigned a private tutor named Taesu, who was known for his calligraphy.

The tutor always emphasized the importance of words.

He said that words are more precious than gold, and sometimes, they alone can make a person live.

Jinjangmyeong didn’t agree.

“If words can make a person live, then why am I in this state right now? Saying things without understanding others’ situations.”

By then, Jinjangmyeong, who already knew the seriousness of his condition, had been cut off from the tutor shortly after, and he later learned the reason from overhearing his parents’ conversation.

He had gotten drunk, turned into a dog, didn’t recognize the inspector, and cursed at him.

That’s why he was dismissed from his position.

What the tutor said was not just empty words.

It was sincere and heartfelt.

If a single word can save a person, then a single word can also kill them.

The tutor must have spoken with that kind of sentiment.

A long time ago. An incident that didn’t need to be remembered.

But suddenly, that memory was revived in the cold and dark underground cave.

You did nothing wrong.

What can you do about being born that way?

Just say you were unlucky and leave it at that.

Did you ask to be saved? No, you didn’t.

Go eat dirt.

From that moment on, Jinjangmyeong fervently agreed with the tutor’s words.

The weight of guilt that had burdened his young life, so heavy that it was suffocating and made it hard to breathe, was lifted by those words.

So Jinjangmyeong decided not to dwell on his parents’ actions.

He still loved them, but honestly, he didn’t want to see them anymore.

On the other hand, living in the women’s quarters of the temple meant living with women for the rest of his life.

That’s why Jinjangmyeong had witnessed truly bizarre scenes.

Sisters-in-law who walked arm in arm, never taking their eyes off each other, intertwining their fingers tightly, it was not a simple display of friendship.

Friendship ends with a light hug, putting an arm around each other, or something like that.

But fingers tightly intertwined, it was a strange, bizarre, incomprehensible thing.

Every time, Jinjangmyeong recalled that dark cave.

The cozy darkness.

The warmth that enveloped his body.

Being tightly embraced, hugged, hugged tightly, hugged tightly, tightly clinging, the sound of a thumping heart, incredibly soft and fluffy, touching each other’s skin…

That was when it happened.

“Hey, Myeong. I’ve decided to stay and rest for one more day.”

“….?”

—-

After receiving a hearty farewell, Cheong left the women’s quarters and returned to his room in half an hour.

The awkwardness of our gazes meeting was truly unbearable.

But mental health was important.

Jinjangmyeong’s eyes, upon meeting again so quickly, were mysterious.

‘What is this person doing?’ he thought.

Cheong felt a slight sting.

Nevertheless, knowing that he would leave the next day, Jinjangmyeong suggested coming to sleep together in the middle of the night to heal the sting.

Separately, Cheong, who found the idea of sharing a bed with a high school girl shocking, sent Jinjangmyeong away.

And once again, Seomun Cheong, back in action!

With the spirit of owning a home, Cheong once again set out on the road to recovery.

He had already decided where to go last night.

A wise man always plans ahead.

Cheong was now a wise man.

First, he headed to the city.

He would join any faction and receive hospitality.

No matter how much he thought about it, it was a perfect plan.

Where he was going was not important.

What was important was the hospitality.

And there was a city near Musan.

Jagwi. It was a port city attached to Janggang.

Seomun Cheong had visited the city several times before.

Sinnyeomun was not a self-sufficient female-oriented community like other factions.

They attached tenants to their land instead of owning it outright, and exploited the male visitors who were limited to being temporary guests.

However, they were at a disadvantage compared to other factions in the inner world because they did not receive protection fees, which were a major source of income.

But Sinnyeomun was quite wealthy.

How?

By selling specialty products.

Sinnyeomun was a mysterious faction that worshipped Yeomje and their third daughter, Sinnyeo.

In modern terms, Yeomje was the sun god and also the god of agriculture and craftsmanship.

With the support of farmers and craftsmen, she would become the most worshipped god in the central plains!

So, it was inevitable that Sinnyeomun’s specialty products would be rumored to be extraordinary.

Amulets, charms, handmade items like talismans, and embroidered fabrics with spells, etc…

He used the money he earned to buy the things he needed.

And things he didn’t need.

How can a person live on just food?

Once a month, when the list of items the factions wanted came out, senior officials took turns buying the goods.

Seomun Cheong was considered a senior official, so he had accompanied them a few times out of boredom.

During such formal outings, one had to wear a veil on their face.

Because of this rule in Sinnyeomun, he didn’t find it enjoyable.

It was hot, yet he had to wear a veil on his face all day.

Of course, there was no way it could be fun.

As Cheong headed to the city, he swung his hands continuously.

Ssyaek, ssyaeeak, the sound of cutting through the air was sharp.

Sosumagong.

The most sinister martial art in the world, the rare martial art that could be counted on one hand, had pierced the air.

To the extent that the person with Sosumagong was called Sosumain or Sosumanye, a special title for those who possessed Sosumagong.

It was the wisdom of the martial arts seniors, passed down through generations, that the bastard with Sosumagong must be caught and killed.

Of course, Cheong was unaware of this fact.

Even his master, Seomun Surin, could not have predicted this.

It was impossible for a man who had mastered the martial arts of the Dao to suddenly learn martial arts.

Even Gwangin would be amazed and say, “What an imaginative idea!” rather than expecting someone to suddenly learn martial arts.

Cheong had achieved this difficult task.

Cheong marveled at the brutal power of martial arts.

“Wow. It’s powerful. Hm. I wonder if I can attach fire to my hands somehow? Would that work?”