A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 64

64. Poisoned Edge, Dang Worl-ah (2)

Tock, tock.

The sound of a bonfire crackling filled the air.

In the deep night forest, the sounds of birds and insects never ceased, but here, where quite a few people had gathered, it was unusually quiet.

Everyone was wrapped in blankets, but no one was asleep. Not just the escorts, but even the seamstresses were awake.

They were exhausted from hiking all day, but sleep didn’t come easily.

Because Nameless Old Man was right over there.

“Do masters sleep like that?”

One of the escorts glanced at Nameless Old Man and said in a small voice.

Nameless Old Man was sitting with his arms crossed on a fallen tree trunk, his eyes closed and his head held high, looking as if he were asleep, or perhaps just keeping his eyes closed.

“He’s been sitting there without saying a word since earlier. Are all masters like that?”

“Well? But if I were you, I’d just shut up and sleep. Even if you lower your voice, a master like that will still hear you.”

The escort who spoke first flinched. But soon, he let out a small sigh and grumbled.

“But, I need to sleep.”

Everyone there agreed with him. They had seen the realm of Sword Energy Manifestation [a high level of swordsmanship], which they could only dream of.

Just thinking about that scene made their hearts race, and now, the ultimate master who had unleashed that deep blue Sword Energy was right before their eyes. Moreover, he was there to protect them.

“By the way.”

Someone suddenly spoke.

“Just how high is our teacher’s level that he can stand against someone like that…?”

They couldn’t properly understand the meaning of the martial arts display that had taken place during the day. How could they, with their limited insight, understand the meaning of the sword techniques displayed by the ultimate master of Sword Energy Manifestation?

But at least one thing was certain.

Son Bin had stood against that ultimate master’s Sword Energy and had earned his recognition.

“To be honest, I don’t even know if he won or lost. It all happened so fast…”

“How would we know that?”

Someone grumbled, rustling their blanket.

“If I could figure that out, would I be here like this?”

“I wish I had the insight to at least recognize something like that…”

“Then train.”

Another escort said.

“Train yourself and swing your sword whenever you have a chance, like Master Son does. Then someday you’ll see it. You can’t see what you don’t know.”

Everyone already knew that Son Bin trained every single day without fail.

The escort grumbled inwardly, ‘That’s easier said than done,’ but he didn’t say it out loud. Instead, he pulled the blanket over his head and tried to fall asleep, even though he couldn’t.

Tock, tock.

Eun Cho-bin and Head Escort Jang were also unable to sleep. The two of them were sitting in front of a small bonfire, discussing their future plans.

“So, we’ll be taking a different route down than planned?”

Head Escort Jang asked. Eun Cho-bin nodded.

“Yes. According to the Old Man, it will be an easier path.”

Head Escort Jang glanced at Nameless Old Man. From his appearance, with his eyes closed and his head held high, he exuded an aura like an unapproachable mountain.

“I still can’t believe it. That someone like him is helping us…”

“Me neither.”

Eun Cho-bin said.

“An ultimate master of Sword Energy Manifestation helping with an escort mission… it might be every escort agency’s dream. Anyway, at least we won’t be unilaterally getting beaten anymore.”

Head Escort Jang silently agreed with Eun Cho-bin’s words.

It wasn’t just about not getting beaten. Nameless Old Man’s joining had changed a great many things. Mostly for the better.

“But earlier…”

Eun Cho-bin lowered her voice even further.

“What did the Old Man say? Something about a Perfected Man and a Martial Emperor… it seemed like something important related to Young Master Son…”

Head Escort Jang shook his head.

“How would I know about the world of such masters? Those names are unfamiliar to me. However, Perfected Man Hwanghak was indeed at Wudang [a famous Taoist temple and martial arts center], but…”

Even the famous Perfected Man Hwanghak was known throughout the world for his noble character and unassuming personality, but little had been heard about his martial arts.

The term ‘Four Heavenly Sages Beyond the World’ was completely unheard of.

“It seems to be a hidden secret of the martial world, so it’s best if you don’t try to learn too much about it, Miss.”

“But…”

“Miss.”

Head Escort Jang said in a low voice.

“In the martial world, there are more hidden secrets than revealed ones. There are many hidden grudges and buried truths. So sometimes you have to pretend not to know even if you do, and pretend not to see even if you do. For those of us without power, staying away from such things is the only way to protect ourselves.”

Head Escort Jang’s words were correct. Eun Cho-bin also agreed with him. In the past, she would have thought and acted exactly like Head Escort Jang.

But this was about Son Bin. And it was very important.

Eun Cho-bin couldn’t easily shake off her lingering feelings.

“Just what is Young Master Son’s level…?”

She had thought he was at the level of a named disciple of a prestigious family. But what had happened before her eyes today clearly showed that their assumptions were wrong.

“Young Master Son stood against an ultimate master of Sword Energy Manifestation.”

Head Escort Jang said quietly.

Even in the face of the deep blue Sword Energy, Son Bin had stood fearlessly. Just recalling that scene sent shivers down Head Escort Jang’s spine.

How could he do that?

“And that match, at least in my eyes, could not be called Young Master Son’s defeat.”

No one could accurately say the result of that confrontation that had taken place during the day. Even Head Escort Jang, the most skilled in martial arts among the escorts, could only vaguely guess.

“That’s definitely not a level that a named disciple of a prestigious family could show.”

“Then what level is it?”

Head Escort Jang quietly shook his head.

“I don’t know. But one thing is certain: we are not in a position to talk about that level.”

There was even a faint sense of awe in his voice.

“Yes, I see.”

Eun Cho-bin said softly. She agreed with Head Escort Jang’s words. What she had felt at that time was not much different from what Head Escort Jang had felt.

But the more she realized this, the more distant Son Bin seemed, and the more insignificant she felt. That feeling soon turned into a sigh that escaped her lips.

“Where is Young Master Son now?”

“Probably training. As always.”

“I see.”

Suddenly, she wanted to see Son Bin’s face. His face, always smiling gently and answering with sincere eyes. But she couldn’t go to him now.

‘I guess not, huh?’

Disturbing a martial artist’s training was like touching a dragon’s reverse scale [provoking someone’s wrath]. Eun Cho-bin knew that well.

“Haa.”

Once again, Eun Cho-bin sighed and shook her head, trying to pull herself together.

‘No. What are you doing acting like this? Get a grip, Eun Cho-bin.’

Eun Cho-bin still had work to do. The next few days would be crucial in determining the fate of Soeun Escort Agency.

“Let’s review the plan one more time.”

Together with Head Escort Jang, Eun Cho-bin began to review their future plans again, forcibly ignoring her empty heart.

∴

Rustle.

A small sound breaks the quiet silence. Son Bin turned his head. As he had expected, a slender girl with a veil was standing there.

“Couldn’t you sleep, Miss?”

Son Bin greeted her with a light bow. The veiled girl, Dang Worl-ah, stared at him.

‘A strange person.’

He was a strange person. Why could that man treat her so casually?

The other people on the escort mission, even those who knew nothing about her, were subtly afraid of her and kept their distance, but this man didn’t even show any wariness.

Swish.

Dang Worl-ah bowed her head in response to Son Bin’s greeting.

It was also unfamiliar for her to exchange such pointless greetings. Most people didn’t expect her to show courtesy.

“The moon is especially bright tonight.”

Son Bin looked up at the night sky. Dang Worl-ah also raised her head.

The moonlight was full in the middle of the dark night sky. Briefly captivated by the beauty of the moonlight, Dang Worl-ah didn’t notice the loneliness in Son Bin’s voice.

“You have something to say?”

At the sudden voice, Dang Worl-ah looked at Son Bin. Son Bin was looking straight at her, with his usual gentle and sincere eyes.

“Yes.”

Dang Worl-ah replied. Her voice was as low and rough as ever.

“How… do I look to you?”

It was an unexpected question that was completely unpredictable. After a moment of silence, Son Bin quietly opened his mouth.

“Well, I can’t see your face.”

“Pardon?”

Dang Worl-ah was a little embarrassed by his words. It was very different from the answer she had expected. But Son Bin continued to speak.

“But your eyes seem bright. Your voice is a bit rough, but I’ve never heard you say anything harsh. You have an interesting gaze, as if you’re seeing the world for the first time, but you don’t seem used to dealing with other people. You’re smaller and more slender than me, and mostly quiet without much to say, but sometimes you can be very active.”

Dang Worl-ah found herself listening to Son Bin’s words.

‘This is… how he sees me.’

This was how she appeared in his eyes. Not the self full of despair and disgust that she had seen herself, but her appearance reflected in his world.

It was an unfamiliarity like looking in a completely different mirror, and also another truth.

“Did that answer your question?”

Dang Worl-ah was awakened from her thoughts by Son Bin’s voice.

“Ah, um, no, that’s not it.”

Her voice was flustered.

“You should be able to see it. How the flow inside me is different from other people.”

Son Bin realized what she was talking about. The flow she was talking about was probably referring to the flow of internal energy, or inner force.

Son Bin wore a perplexed expression.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have any knowledge of medicine. Something like that…”

“No, you can see it.”

Swish.

Dang Worl-ah said in a calmer voice, taking a step towards Son Bin.

“The flow is everywhere. You said that. You just haven’t tried to see it, but you already know. No, you’re already seeing it.”

Swish.

With another step, she approached Son Bin.

“Only you in the world can save me.”

Her rough voice was trembling slightly. Son Bin stared straight at her.

Was it because they were so close? Her eyes could be seen through the veil. And those eyes were telling him that ‘her words’ were ‘the truth, word for word.’

“My answer is the same as before.”

Son Bin said in a calm voice.

“I will help you. Anything I can do.”

“Even if I have nothing to give you?”

Son Bin gave a wry smile.

“Yes.”

Dang Worl-ah hesitated, clenching her fist tightly. But it didn’t last long. She was already prepared.

“Then… look at me.”

A slender white hand lifted the veil. Shining eyes appeared, and then silver hair poured down.

She had completely taken off her hat. Her flowing, mist-like silver hair shone blue in the moonlight.

But her face below her eyes was still covered with a black cloth.

“I understand.”

Son Bin half-closed his eyes and slowly calmed his breathing, following the flow of the Hyuncheon Grand Circulation Art [a martial arts technique].

He didn’t have a sword in his hand, but it didn’t feel awkward. And as always, a huge flow embraced Son Bin.

Whooong.

She was right. He just hadn’t tried to see it, but the flow was telling him everything.

He could see it more clearly now that he didn’t have a sword in his hand.

The huge flow that surrounded him, and the countless small flows that constantly continued and flowed around it.

‘Ah.’

It was a very beautiful and overwhelming sight. He felt like he could stay like this forever, entrusting himself to that flow.

But the presence of a single heterogeneous being in front of him awakened Son Bin.

The flow surrounding Dang Worl-ah in front of him was very heterogeneous and very chaotic. There was no natural flow to be seen.

Even though he had never seen another person’s flow, he could clearly tell that this was not normal.

Even her breathing was unnatural. Everything was rejecting her, and veering away from her.

Swish.

Son Bin reached out his hand towards Dang Worl-ah. He wanted to know more accurately about her chaotic flow.

Rustle.

He felt the soft texture of silver hair at his fingertips. His hand touched the top of Dang Worl-ah’s head.

And at that moment, the flow of the Hyuncheon Grand Circulation Art flowing within Son Bin reacted.

Wooong.

What had been flowing quietly suddenly began to surge violently.

The flow was fiercely surging as if resisting Dang Worl-ah’s flow being transmitted towards his fingertips. The two flows were colliding at Son Bin’s fingertips.

‘Ugh.’

Son Bin instinctively controlled the flow of the Hyuncheon Grand Circulation Art.

His flow and Dang Worl-ah’s flow achieved equilibrium at his fingertips, and only then did the flow of the Hyuncheon Grand Circulation Art return to its original state.

Whoooo.

Dang Worl-ah’s flow was more violent and destructive than he had thought. The flow felt through Son Bin’s senses was so terrible that it should rather be described as atrocious.

Like a wild beast trapped in a cage harming itself, the flow raging within Dang Worl-ah was running towards destruction, destroying everything, including Dang Worl-ah herself.

‘Hmm.’

Son Bin clearly understood what she meant when she asked him to save her.

At this rate, she would die soon. Definitely.

‘But what can I do…’

He was not a doctor. But she had said that only Son Bin in the world could save her. Then there must be a way.

Whoong.

Son Bin quietly looked into Dang Worl-ah’s inner self.

While contemplating her deep inside within the huge flow that surrounded him, Son Bin recognized that one point was forming the center of all the destructive flows.

‘This is it.’

It was almost an instinctive reaction. Son Bin raised his index and middle fingers like a sword.

Following Son Bin’s will, the flow of the Hyuncheon Grand Circulation Art settled on his fingertips, and Son Bin reached out his hand towards the core of that destructive flow.

Clang!

As Son Bin’s fingertips touched her chest, the core of that destructive flow shattered as if its fierce power had been a lie.

Son Bin was relieved. But that fierce flow, which seemed to be about to die out after losing its core, soon began to rage uncontrollably.

Kuwahhhh.

‘Ugh.’

There was nothing he could do. The violent beast flowing within Dang Worl-ah had instantly begun to run wild.