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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: What? No, Why?
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Clink. Clink.
We were rummaging through the pockets of the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion thugs' corpses, pocketing anything that looked like it might fetch some coin.
In the end, Taeu—who had finally gripped a sword—had slain every last one of them. Now, the dark back alley held only five bodies and a heavy silence.
Right before they died, those men had weakly opened their eyes, their trembling hands feebly grasping at the blades buried in their chests. Taeu never once averted his gaze from their pleading stares.
Whether he knew that was the final courtesy one owed the dying or not, that was none of my business. What mattered was that Taeu's hand hadn't trembled on the hilt.
Taeu had talent.
"Man, these guys grabbed their money thick even while fleeing in a panic?"
Pooling all their cash came to about thirty taels of silver. That was enough to live easy for three months, no sweat.
Who knew how long we'd have to lay low? They must've emptied their pockets just to have something on hand.
"Here, take this."
I tossed ten taels to Taeu.
"Huh? No, that's too much. I barely did anything."
"Just take it. Think of it as your last responsibility to the lives you took—put that money to good use."
"...Yeah, got it."
A kid with a sense of responsibility.
Straight and upright enough that it seemed a shame to let him rot as a beggar.
Not quite noble clan material, but if he'd been born into wealth, he might've become a renowned hero shaking the world.
And it was I who had dragged that kid into the blood-soaked world of murim.
The least I could do was shoulder a little responsibility.
I pocketed my ten taels, then handed the remaining ten to the women who'd been locked inside the building.
"Thank you... thank you so much..."
Two taels per woman ought to cover medical bills with some to spare.
Five women, subjected to horrors too vile to speak of.
Mere coin couldn't restore their dignity, but it could at least give them the strength to face tomorrow.
Seeing me do that, Taeu started divvying up every last bit of his own silver too.
"Think of this as the best I can do."
Acting all cool, huh?
But sure, let him believe for now that he'd swung his sword 'to save those women.'
"Don't come whining later for a cut from my share—I ain't givin' it."
"Obviously."
Only then did he crack a smile.
The gloomy kid who'd viewed the world with dead eyes had finally bloomed into a vibrant grin amid the ruthless jianghu.
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"Hey, don't we still have more to buy?"
"Of course. Wolhyang's probably waiting at home, dying of anticipation."
Taeu followed along, arms loaded with bags.
Having a pack mule sure made things easier.
With cash burning a hole in our pockets, we'd headed to the market outside the slums and grabbed whatever caught our eye. Once it ran out, we could just beat down some bastards and take more—no need to hold back.
"Whoa, so pretty..."
Walking along, Taeu suddenly halted in front of a clothing shop, staring intently at the women's garb on display.
Makes sense—he was at that age where girls were on the brain.
...He wasn't eyeing it for himself, was he?
With his pretty face and delicate build, watching him like that stirred something oddly uncomfortable.
"I'll take one."
But the dress really was lovely, so I bought it on the spot as a gift for Wolhyang.
I could already picture her, the future Qinghai's Greatest Beauty, adored by all.
What if she got too popular?
No way I'd hand her off to anyone weaker than me. Suitors would need to be at least the World's Greatest to even dream of it...
Lost in such thoughts, I arrived home before I knew it—where Wolhyang was waiting.
"Oppa, you're back?"
She must've been waiting right by the door, because she came running out and threw herself into my arms the moment I approached.
My adorable little sister.
"But who's that behind you?"
"Oh, hi. I'm Taeu. Uh, Sowol's friend."
Taeu blushed, shy around strangers.
Come to think of it, Wolhyang was sixteen now—probably around the same age as him?
They looked about right, but asking outright now would be awkward.
"Huh? Oppa has a friend?"
"Wolhyang, that tongue of yours has thorns."
"But I thought you were mean to everyone else, so you had no friends."
What an insult. Even in my past life, I had friends.
Well, just the one—the guy called Mad Demon—but hey, one counted.
"Good thing you have such a pretty friend, oppa."
Pretty friend?
Wolhyang, Taeu's off-limits.
He's a good kid and all, but you think I'd let my sister go to him?
"Me, pretty? Nah, you're way prettier, Wolhyang."
"Taeu."
I called his name more seriously than ever.
"Yeah?"
"Eye my sister, and you're dead by my hand."
"What? No, never! I'd never even think it."
Right?
Good thing Taeu was the obedient type.
Wolhyang tilted her head at me, then pointed to the bags Taeu was holding.
"But what's all that?"
"Presents from oppa for you."
I unpacked the market haul onto the floor, and Wolhyang's eyes went wide as she alternated glances between me and Taeu.
"Oppa, I've been wondering... you didn't start doing bad stuff, did you?"
"As if."
Sure, it'd all been taken from others yesterday and today—but from bad guys, so it didn't count as bad.
Probably.
"No, Wolhyang. Sowol got these as thanks for helping some people."
Taeu stepped forward from where he'd been watching, backing me up.
Good boy, Taeu. All that training paying off.
"Huh? Oppa helped someone?"
Wolhyang seemed less shocked by the fancy haul than by me helping anyone. Keep that up, and your oppa's gonna get hurt feelings.
"Well, I've carried the stuff, so I'll head out."
Taeu stood to leave.
"Weren't you split off from Dongcheol's crew? No place to go? Crash here."
"Huh? Live together here?"
"Not like it's a big deal. If you don't want to, fine."
"No, it's not that I don't want to..."
Taeu fidgeted, glancing around before bowing his head.
Growing up without family must make sharing a roof feel embarrassing.
Wolhyang eyed us curiously, then said she'd make food and headed to the kitchen with the ingredients I'd bought.
She wasn't getting the wrong idea, was she?
Wolhyang, oppa's not into that.
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"What do I do? It's so good!"
Wolhyang devoured the braised pork like she'd never tasted meat before.
Come to think of it, lifetime slum dweller—she probably hadn't had quality pork like this.
Taeu wolfed it down too, saying it was the best food of his life.
Objectively, it wasn't anything special.
I hadn't dined on delicacies in my past life either, but this was standard fare at any decent eatery.
Maybe it tasted better because Wolhyang made it. Or because it was this warm atmosphere—something the Blood Demon era never knew.
Either way, it was my first truly delicious meal.
"Taeu, after you eat, there's water by the hearth—wash up."
Some time had passed, so it should be fine, but better safe than sorry if Wolhyang caught a whiff of blood.
"Got it."
Taeu seemed to grasp the hint.
"I'll take a night stroll."
"There's still food left—sure you don't want more?"
"You two finish it."
Me stepping out would let them chat easier. Might even get them bonding.
Leaving a boy and girl alone felt iffy, but Taeu knew better than anyone what I'd do if he touched a hair on her head.
Handing Wolhyang off after just two days? Guess I trusted Taeu more than I thought.
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"This spot should do."
Outside, I slipped into a quiet alley, found a clear patch, and sat cross-legged.
Circulation and Breath Adjustment anywhere—even deserted spots—was risky.
I was used to it from sloppy habits, but the alliance had called me mad for it.
Couldn't do it at home with Taeu and Wolhyang around, and tonight was perfect for building qi—too good to pass up.
"Hoo..."
Exhaling, I calmed my energy. Extending my senses inward, I traced the qi flowing through every meridian.
My channels thrummed wildly, scattered everywhere.
A fresh novice pushing to the limit in combat? No wonder.
Building internal or external arts both followed the same: rough carve, then gentle polish.
Muscles grow stronger from tears; dantian surges after explosive drains in life-or-death fights.
Unlike muscles, though, qi needed one full circuit before the dantian's blast reconverged without scattering.
"Sss..."
Post-battle, pure qi depleted, the turbid qi stood out starkly—like moss revealed on a drained riverbed.
The dantian's surge flushed it out with residues, black sweat oozing from my pores.
"Hoo..."
One circuit expelled the filth, gathering qi back to the dantian—which had doubled from dew-drop size.
Clearer channels felt like clearing decades of sinus hell—blissfully refreshed.
Past life mastery made progress swift. Senses sharpened—no more sloppy ambushes.
Qi bolstered, refreshed, I lightfooted across rooftops, savoring the night air.
Stars in the sky, bright full moon, crisp clean breeze... perfect.
Sniff sniff.
"What the hell is that smell?"
A foul stench wrinkled my nose—the culprit? My own body.
Beggar life stank anyway, so I'd figured it was par for the course.
But post-turbid purge? This could knock out even the Demonic Cult Leader.
Go home like this, and it'd be Wolhyang fainting, not him.
Deciding to wash up, I headed to the kitchen. Through the thin paper window, a silhouette flickered.
Right, I'd told Taeu to clean off.
Heard righteous sect youths bonded washing post-training. Bonding with Taeu? Not a bad idea.
Thinking I could at least scrub his back, I flung the door open.
And that...
Was how it all began.