Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 273

273. A Cruel Afternoon

“Hey, mister.”

A man with narrow, slit-like eyes called out to Unhyun.

“Come over here for a second.”

Unhyun, who had been strolling leisurely through Mount Wolsu, gave a wry smile.

“…I’m sorry, but.”

Unhyun lightly spread his hands.

“I have nothing.”

He had impulsively set out on this journey because his mind was troubled from the start.

He hadn’t had any money to begin with, so Unhyun was currently completely broke.

“Aish, this guy’s got a smart mouth. When we tell you to come, just come. Why are you talking back?”

“Tsk. So you’ve learned something, huh? You looking down on us right now? Huh?”

“Ptooey, even his face is unlucky.”

The men standing there each spat out a curse and approached.

Unhyun, who had initially thought they were just trying to snatch some petty cash, tensed up.

The flimsy clubs they were holding weren’t just for show, it seemed.

Before he knew it, the thugs had half-surrounded Unhyun.

“Normally, if we find something after searching you, it’s one hit per penny.”

The man with the slit eyes sneered as he spoke.

“But today, we’ll skip that.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the club he was holding whistled through the air as it swung.

Whoosh.

The club was aimed precisely at Unhyun’s side.

The man had no doubt that Unhyun would clutch his side and collapse from that one blow.

Swish.

‘Huh?’

His expectation was shattered when he realized that his club had only cut through empty air.

He was left with the unsightly display of staggering from his missed swing.

“What the heck? What are you doing?”

“Are you messing around?”

The thugs next to him frowned.

However, there was one who knew the exact reason.

“No. Right now, that guy… he dodged it!”

At his words, the thugs’ expressions twisted even more.

The face of the man who had missed his swing was particularly contorted, but Unhyun himself was even more surprised.

‘Huh?’

Unhyun couldn’t hide his bewildered expression.

‘Just now…’

The trajectory of the club aiming for his waist was clearly visible.

Moreover, it was too slow.

In that instant, his body unconsciously retreated slightly.

Just enough to avoid the club.

The thugs who were picking a fight looked menacing, but they weren’t that scary.

Unhyun had seen far more terrifying individuals than them.

‘I dodged it?’

However, his reaction just now was truly unexpected.

He knew all too well how weak his body had become.

“This bastard…! Hey! Attack him all at once!”

The man, his face flushed with embarrassment, shouted.

Thwack.

He swung his club with intent, and three other clubs lunged towards Unhyun.

And at that moment, a single, clear sword path that could neutralize those attacks instantly appeared before Unhyun’s eyes.

‘Ah.’

Suddenly, the memory of the morning flashed through his mind.

Was it a wooden sword? Or wasn’t it?

If he had picked it up back then, what would have happened?

Watching the clubs lunging at him, Unhyun suddenly had such thoughts.

But right now, Unhyun had nothing in his hands.

It was at that very moment.

Whoosh.

A sword manifested in Unhyun’s heart.

A sword that could cut nothing, yet could not be blocked by anything in the world.

It was the mental image of the rough wooden sword that Unhyun had held in his dream.

‘Ugh.’

However, Unhyun convulsively rejected the sword.

The sword in his heart flickered for a moment, and the thugs’ clubs fell on Unhyun’s shoulders and back.

Thwack, Thwack, Thud.

“Ugh!”

“Keep hitting him!”

The clubbing didn’t end with just one blow.

The excited thugs raised their clubs again.

“What are you doing!”

A sharp female voice burst out.

The thugs turned their heads and saw two men and a woman standing there.

“How dare these guys assault innocent civilians in front of me?”

At her shrill words, the thugs realized that things had gone wrong.

The woman was unknown, but it was clear that the burly man behind her was no ordinary person.

Besides, wasn’t he carrying a sword?

“Tsk, let’s go!”

The judgment was quick, and the decision was swift.

The thugs abandoned Unhyun and quickly began to flee.

Even in the midst of all this, the man with the slit eyes kicked the crouching Unhyun one more time.

Pow!

“Consider yourself lucky!”

The man spat on the ground and ran off.

Of course, he didn’t forget to glare at the interlopers once.

“Seriously, what a bunch.”

Jin Yelim didn’t hide her unpleasant expression as she spoke.

The men were the very epitome of back alley thugs.

She walked towards Unhyun, who was sitting there.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be seriously injured.

His clothes were a bit dirty, but there was no blood.

He probably just had some bruises.

“I’m fine.”

There wasn’t much sincerity in Unhyun’s voice as he kept his head down.

Jin Yelim felt a little annoyed, but she hadn’t expected any thanks in the first place, so she didn’t pay it any mind.

Swish.

Unhyun got up and brushed the dirt off his clothes.

His shoulders and back ached, but he wasn’t seriously injured.

Rather, what had just happened weighed more heavily on Unhyun’s mind.

The sword that had unknowingly appeared in his heart.

“Thank you for your help.”

Unhyun bowed politely.

But somehow, the woman’s face looked familiar.

‘Ah, back then…’

Unhyun remembered her.

The woman who had been on the carriage to Gwangju, the one who hadn’t lost her composure throughout that long journey.

But Unhyun didn’t show it.

“Then, I’ll be going now…”

After saying his farewell, Unhyun quietly left the place.

“What is it?”

Dam Soha asked, watching Unhyun’s retreating figure.

“He’s awfully stiff for someone who received help, isn’t he?”

“Don’t be like that. It’s not like we helped him that much,” Jin Yelim replied.

In truth, she hadn’t helped him with any grand favor in mind.

As someone who received a stipend from the nation, she couldn’t simply ignore someone being beaten by thugs, especially when she was supposed to ensure the peace of the people.

Of course, it was easier to decide because she recognized his face, but could they really claim a relationship just because they rode in the same carriage?

“Who is that man?”

“Why? Are you curious, Brother Hang?”

“Does Jin Mae know him?”

Hang Jang-ik’s expression was quite serious as he asked.

“He was on the same carriage as us when we came to Gwangju. I don’t think he remembers, though… Why?”

“Perhaps…”

Unhyun had already disappeared from sight, but Hang Jang-ik was still staring intently at the spot where Unhyun had vanished.

A fleeting, chilling sensation.

What could it have been?

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Hang Jang-ik dismissed the thought.

It didn’t make sense to him that he would sense such an aura from someone being beaten by thugs.

“Well, let’s go eat.”

“Yes!” Dam Soha said happily.

The three of them hurried toward the center of Hangzhou.

***

As dusk began to settle, a maid from the Hacheong Merchant Troupe rushed to find Ha Yeong-ryeong, panting.

Ha Yeong-ryeong, elegantly dressed, was just about to leave the mansion.

Because Gwangju was at its most beautiful when the lanterns began to light up the streets, one by one.

However, Ha Yeong-ryeong’s mood, as she prepared for her pleasant outing, was soured by the maid’s words.

“What? It failed?”

“No, it’s just that someone suddenly interfered…”

The maid said, trying her best to soothe Ha Yeong-ryeong’s feelings.

“But he was beaten pretty badly with clubs. His back, shoulders, and sides… Oh, I think he avoided the worst of it?”

“Avoided it?”

Ha Yeong-ryeong’s brow furrowed.

“No, that’s not it… Anyway, he got a good thrashing. Getting a club massage in broad daylight, wouldn’t you say he got a good thrashing?”

Despite the maid’s words, Ha Yeong-ryeong’s expression remained displeased.

It felt like she had started something but couldn’t see it through to the end.

With a somewhat suspicious look, Ha Yeong-ryeong asked, “Was he hurt badly?”

The maid, misunderstanding something, smiled brightly.

“Oh, Miss, you’re worrying for nothing…”

Her face even reddening, the maid said, “Oh my, he’s fine. Your young master is perfectly fine, so don’t worry… Ack!”

The maid quickly covered her mouth, noticing Ha Yeong-ryeong’s glare.

“Who’s my young master?!”

Ha Yeong-ryeong shouted in a venomous voice.

But soon, she tried to calm her anger, tapping her forehead with the back of her hand.

“Ugh, I can’t get wrinkles on my makeup…”

The maid carefully watched Ha Yeong-ryeong’s expression and cautiously asked, “Um, should I tell them to try again? This time with something stronger?”

“No!” Ha Yeong-ryeong said firmly.

“I hate dragging things out. Tell them to forget about it, and from now on, don’t you meet with those kinds of people either. You’ll get tainted.”

‘Tch. Who was it that ordered the job in the first place…’ The maid grumbled inwardly, but didn’t say it out loud.

There was no need to provoke Ha Yeong-ryeong’s anger.

“There will be plenty of other opportunities. Hmph! Just you wait and see.”

As long as this marriage talk continued, there would be plenty of opportunities.

An opportunity to thoroughly humiliate him in front of everyone and get rid of him for good would surely come.

Ha Yeong-ryeong was certain of it.

She suddenly frowned, looking at her Tang shoes [traditional Chinese shoes].

“The pattern on the shoes doesn’t match my outfit! Bring me something else. And you, wear something prettier too!”

“Yes, yes, Miss.”

At Ha Yeong-ryeong’s irritable words, the maid scurried away.

‘The Tang shoes you’re wearing are the ones you picked out yourself,’ the words rose to her throat, but she had to swallow them down.

If she wanted to go on a glamorous night out with Ha Yeong-ryeong today, she absolutely couldn’t upset her.

***

Unhyun hurried down Mount Wolsu.

His mind was so confused that he didn’t even know if he was heading to the Unha Merchant Troupe properly.

‘No. It can’t be.’

Toc, toc, toc.

As he walked, Unhyun shook his head vigorously.

But Unhyun already knew.

The meaning of what happened on Mount Wolsu was clear.

The moment the swordplay to block the clubs raining down on him came to mind, the image of a sword appeared in his heart, as if in response.

It was the same in the Forbidden City, in the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance], and in front of the Hermit Wabul’s hut.

His sword, which invariably came to mind whenever he practiced swordsmanship, had reappeared.

What if he had even a wooden sword in his hand at that time?

Would he have been able to unfold the swordplay according to that image?

Would that natural swordplay, like flowing water, have revealed itself as always?

‘…Now, of all times.’

Unhyun bit his lip until it bled.

When he really needed it, he couldn’t even move a fingertip, but now that he had given up everything…

‘No, it can’t be.’

Toc, toc, toc.

As he walked as if being chased, Unhyun shook his head violently.

It couldn’t be.

He had completely severed ties with things like martial arts and inner energy [qi or internal energy].

Unhyun himself knew best how broken his body was.

But suddenly, this was happening.

Unhyun couldn’t control his mind at all due to betrayal and confusion.

It was then.

Toc.

Suddenly, Unhyun’s steps stopped.

‘I am…’

Suddenly, his head went cold.

His confused mind calmed down as if by magic.

And bitter regret washed over him like a tide.

Standing blankly, Unhyun murmured faintly like a person who had lost his soul.

“…I’m not worthy.”

The wind brushed through his empty heart.

He was not worthy to wield a sword.

It wasn’t a matter of whether his inner strength returned or not.

It was the problem of his own self, who had failed to protect what he had to protect.

Tear.

Tears flowed from his eyes.

But Unhyun didn’t seem to notice, standing there as he was.

He couldn’t hear the gazes of the people passing by, nor the noise of the busy street.

On the main street of Gwangju, where many people came and went, Unhyun stood there aimlessly, like a person who had lost his way.

That day, when the afternoon sun shone softly, was a truly cruel day for Unhyun.