A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 32

32. The Ferocious Dragon Crosses the River

“Heh heh.”

A light chuckle escaped the darkness. Accompanied by soft footsteps, a figure emerged.

*Swoosh, swoosh.*

The tall young man was clad in snow-white silk robes. Silver threads subtly embroidered patterns that shimmered like ripples under the moonlight.

“To drag me out…”

He spoke, lightly veiling his mouth with a fan that had a tinge of transparent green. His voice was sweet, almost fragrant, like a whispered secret to a lover.

“That’s quite an amusing thing to say.”

The young man’s eyes curved into a gentle smile. Atop his head, a transparent green coronet [a small crown or ornamental headdress] sparkled beneath the moonlight.

The soft lines of his face visible above the fan, and the graceful drape of his robes, were admirable even to Sun Bin, a fellow man. One would feel that even a great beauty would pale in comparison standing next to him.

“Who are you?”

Sa Su-yeon asked in a low voice. The young nobleman’s words and expression were gentle, as if he had encountered an acquaintance by chance during a moonlit stroll.

However, Sa Su-yeon couldn’t relax her guard. In fact, she was even more tense than before.

“Well? Who do you think I am?”

The young man’s eyes sparkled with playfulness. Sa Su-yeon frowned.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Oh, no, not at all.”

He said with a slight smile.

“Actually, I’m waiting too. Waiting for someone to tell me who I am.”

It was still a playful answer, but his gaze was sharp. Sa Su-yeon realized from that look that he had no intention of giving any other answer.

“Then, what brings you here?”

Sa Su-yeon asked again. Instead of answering, he lowered his gaze slightly, looking at Sa Su-yeon’s sword. The sword, emitting a low wail, was swirling with an eerie blue energy.

*Whoo-oong.*

“That sword,” he said.

“Do it again.”

Sa Su-yeon frowned again.

“What…”

“Do it again. That sword you showed me earlier.”

Sa Su-yeon realized what he was referring to.

‘Jade Dragon’s Reverse Scale Strike.’

“I refuse.”

Sa Su-yeon’s face hardened, and she answered in a firm voice.

“So please, leave now.”

“Heh heh.”

He smiled.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

*Swoosh.*

He lowered the hand holding the fan, pointing it towards Sa Su-yeon. At that moment, Sun Bin felt an eerie energy emanating from him. The chilling energy, enough to make his spine tingle, rushed towards Sun Bin and Sa Su-yeon in an instant.

*Whoo-oook.*

The moment Sun Bin felt that eerie energy, Sa Su-yeon felt it too. Almost instinctively, Sa Su-yeon tried to swing her sword, but she couldn’t do anything. The moment that eerie and cold energy enveloped Sa Su-yeon, she couldn’t move even a fingertip.

‘Ugh.’

It felt as if something was constricting her entire body. No, it wasn’t just constricting. Not only were her attempts to move blocked, but even the slightest movement of her muscles was completely sealed off. Her whole body felt as if it had turned to stone.

“To dare tell me to leave. Really, it’s been a very, very long time since I’ve heard that.”

He slowly raised the hand that had been behind his back. The person that hand was directed towards was Sun Bin.

*Whoong.*

“Heok.”

*Swish.*

As if someone was pulling him, Sun Bin’s body was helplessly dragged away. The next moment, slender white fingers lightly wrapped around Sun Bin’s neck.

“But let me politely ask you one more time.”

With Sun Bin’s neck in one hand, he spoke to Sa Su-yeon with a cold gaze.

“That sword, do it again.”

He didn’t say a word about Sun Bin, but it was a clear threat. Sa Su-yeon’s eyes were filled with anger, but there was nothing she could do, and he knew that fact.

“Heh heh.”

The young man smiled, leisurely gazing at Sa Su-yeon’s gaze filled with anger, as if savoring it. And then he raised his fan again, slightly covering his mouth. Red lips, like those of a woman, hid behind the transparent green fan.

“Ugh.”

With a short groan, Sa Su-yeon regained her freedom. Sa Su-yeon turned her head to look at Sun Bin. And then, she lowered her gaze to look at her sword. Her sword, which had been emitting blue energy, had long since lost its light.

*Gritting.*

Sa Su-yeon bit her lip, but she had no choice.

“Who you are.”

Just then, Sun Bin’s voice was heard. Sa Su-yeon’s gaze turned to Sun Bin. The man with the fan also looked at Sun Bin.

“I think I know…”

*Twitch.*

The young man’s eyebrows twitched. Looking straight into his eyes, Sun Bin said.

“You are the person called Okryong.”

“Heh heh.”

He laughed.

“That’s right. There are people who call me that. But how did you know?”

“The silver patterns decorating your clothes are in the shape of a dragon, and that fan and your coronet are also jade-colored.”

“Hmm.”

Okryong said with a look as if he wasn’t very interested.

“Weak arguments with excessive leaps and hasty conclusions. At that level, it would just be a coincidence…”

“And that aura you showed just now,” Sun Bin said, interrupting him.

“I can only think of one person who could stand against it.”

Okryong was silent. Sun Bin slowly continued.

“So you must be Okryong. The only person in the world comparable to Saja Hyuk would be Okryong.”

“Heh heh.”

He smiled. It was a darker and more sinister smile than before.

“Not bad.”

Okryong looked straight into Sun Bin’s eyes. The white hand holding Sun Bin’s neck turned as cold as ice.

“But you seem to be a little ignorant of your place.”

*Sreuk.*

Slowly, Okryong lifted Sun Bin up.

“Ugh.”

Like a weightless paper doll, Sun Bin was easily lifted. At the same time, his white and cold hand tightened around Sun Bin’s neck.

“You are nothing,” Okryong whispered, looking up at the struggling Sun Bin with cold eyes.

“To me, you have no meaning. Do you understand? So you can live, only if you silently and faithfully fulfill your role as a hostage. But the moment you have meaning,” he said in a cold, dry voice, “you die.”

A chilling cold ran down Sun Bin’s spine. It was definitely a sweet and beautiful voice, but at this moment it was as eerie as a ghostly wail echoing from the darkness.

“So don’t you ever do anything presumptuous like evaluating him and me again. No, don’t even think about it. Got it?”

Sun Bin couldn’t answer. No, he *couldn’t* answer. Okryong’s hand was tightening around his neck. Sun Bin’s face began to turn blue as he couldn’t even groan.

“Stop it!”

*Whoo-oook.*

With Sa Su-yeon’s sharp voice, her sword lunged towards Okryong.

*Shwiik.*

Her sword, scattering blue energy, was threatening, but Okryong didn’t even turn his head. He simply raised his jade fan lightly, pointing it towards Sa Su-yeon.

*Seuk.*

“Ugh.”

Sa Su-yeon let out a short groan, and just like that, all her movements were blocked. She couldn’t move even a fingertip.

“There’s something you’re misunderstanding,” Okryong smiled and turned to look at Sa Su-yeon.

“The reason I took this child hostage is because I don’t want to kill you. Someone like you probably wouldn’t have followed my words even if it meant losing your life. In fact, someone like you could be dealt with by just one of my fingertips…”

Instantly, Sa Su-yeon felt her heart constricting. It was an eerie feeling as if someone was gently squeezing her heart.

‘Kueh.’

Terrible pain washed over Sa Su-yeon. Her eyes began to fill with terror in an instant.

“Hoot.”

Looking into her eyes, Okryong laughed lightly. At that moment, Sa Su-yeon’s body regained its freedom. The terrible feeling of squeezing her heart also disappeared, as if it were a lie.

‘Ugh.’

At the same time as regaining her freedom, Sa Su-yeon first looked at Sun Bin. Okryong, aware of her gaze, lightly released the hand holding Sun Bin.

*Thud.*

“Keo-eok.”

Sun Bin, who had fallen to the ground, gasped for breath.

“Haa, haa. Cough, cough.”

Okryong’s slender fingers lightly rested on Sun Bin’s pale head.

*Flap.*

Okryong lightly raised his fan, covering his mouth. The jade fan shone faintly under the moonlight.

“Now, shall we politely ask again? Do that sword from earlier, again.”

Okryong said with a gentle smile, but that smile no longer felt gentle. It didn’t even look like a smile.

“I will,” Sa Su-yeon said briefly. Okryong nodded slightly with a satisfied look.

*Step, step.*

After retreating a few steps from Okryong, Sa Su-yeon lowered her sword and stood. The blue energy disappeared from her sword.

“Hoo.”

Standing in the middle of a small clearing where moonlight poured down, Sa Su-yeon slowly composed herself. And then she slowly raised her sword.

*Seuk.*

The blade sparkled under the moonlight above her head. Sun Bin saw Okryong’s eyebrows twitch slightly for a moment as he watched her.

*Sarak.*

At the same time as Sa Su-yeon took a step, her sword slashed through the air.

*Shwiik.*

It was a smooth trajectory without any unnecessary movements or shaking. The sword, cutting through the wind and falling, rose again towards the sky.

“Stop.”

*Ping.*

Instantly, something was shot at Sa Su-yeon along with a low voice.

“Heut.”

Sa Su-yeon immediately turned her body and swung her sword. Her sword sharply cut through the air, and her clothes rippled under the moonlight.

*Clang!*

“Ugh.”

Her sword accurately deflected whatever was flying towards her, but Sa Su-yeon lost her balance due to the impact.

*Pa-ba-bak.*

Sa Su-yeon rotated her body, deflecting the energy. Small pebbles scattered wildly under her feet.

“You’re really bad. No, you don’t know anything.”

Okryong frowned and flicked his fingers again towards Sa Su-yeon. A sharp aura fiercely shot towards Sa Su-yeon from his empty hand.

*Piing.*

*Whoo-oong.*

Sa Su-yeon’s sword had already begun to scatter blue energy. Her sword drew a semicircle from the ground to the sky, leaving a blue trail, and it collided accurately with the sharp, intangible aura that was flying towards her.

*Clang!*

‘Kueh.’

The impact shook Sa Su-yeon’s insides. She had clearly deflected it, but the aftermath alone was enough to make her whole body tremble.

*Chwak.*

Sa Su-yeon took a step back.

“Do you even understand what kind of sword you’re trying to unleash? That’s not a sword that can be unleashed with shallow techniques. It’s not a sword that can be unleashed with power or internal energy. Even if you understand it, you can’t unleash that sword. Do you understand?”

*Piing, piing.*

Okryong continued to launch auras with his empty fingers. Sa Su-yeon gritted her teeth and was receiving the auras.

*Clang, clang.*

She was no longer being pushed back as she deflected the swords. However, thin streaks of blood were beginning to flow from the corners of her mouth.

“The only person in this world who can unleash that is the one person who was taken away from me.”

*Gritting.*

A chilling sound flowed from Okryong’s mouth, and an enormous aura emanated from him.

“It’s you.”

*Hoo-uk.*

“Dodge it!”

Sun Bin shouted without realizing it. That can never be received. It shouldn’t be received. Sun Bin could say that with certainty.

And Sa Su-yeon had the same thought as Sun Bin, but where to dodge? It was the very moment when Sa Su-yeon’s eyes were filled with despair.

“Miss!”

*Kwaaaa!*

Sa Su-yeon saw it. Behind that enormous aura that was rushing towards her as if to swallow her up, Sun Bin was shouting something, but she couldn’t hear it. That enormous aura had swallowed even the sound.

However, at the moment she saw Sun Bin’s eyes, Sa Su-yeon realized what she had to do.

*Whoo-oong.*

The sword cried. Sa Su-yeon took a step forward towards that enormous aura that was approaching her like death. And the next moment, an enormous impact swept around with an explosion.

*Kwaaaang!*

*Kwaga-gak!*

The trees swayed as if they had encountered a storm, and not only pebbles and dirt but even the water in the stream splashed in all directions. The thick dust made it difficult to see properly.

‘Ugh.’

Sun Bin covered his face with his hands, trying to find Sa Su-yeon’s figure. In the midst of that chaos, a laughter was heard above Sun Bin’s head.

“Hoot hoot.”

Okryong smiled with a leisurely expression.

“Excuse me. I got a little emotional for a moment,” Okryong said as if nothing had happened.

“Let’s correct that. It wasn’t you.”

Okryong lightly waved his fan.

*Hoo-uk.*

Another aura, different from before, swept through the clearing. The dust flew away, revealing the surroundings of the clearing. In the middle of the completely devastated clearing, Sa Su-yeon was standing.

“So…”

*Tak.*

A cold hand rested on Sun Bin’s head as he tried to shout, like an eerie warning.

“It was someone who resembled you.”

“Haa, haa.”

Sa Su-yeon gasped for breath. Her clothes, torn here and there, could no longer be recognized. Her hair was also completely disheveled, but her sword was still emitting blue energy.

*Whoo-oong.*

“Haa, haa.”

Along with Sa Su-yeon’s slender shoulders heaving, her sword cried softly.

“Not bad,” Okryong said with cold eyes.

“Indeed. A ferocious dragon cannot cross a rough river. The reason he chose you is not just because of blood ties. Hoot hoot.”

Okryong’s eyes narrowed into a smile.

“Very… impressive.”