Chapter 5 – To Hanzhong (1)

Chapter 5 – To Hanzhong (1)

Yoo-hwa was buried. And after two days, his aimless steps led him to a guesthouse somewhere.

A guesthouse located at the southern end of Shaanxi Province. The name Yonghwa was engraved on the plaque. Over fifty dining tables in a two-story structure. And ten Jumsoi. It was a scale that could not even be compared to the Soho Tavern he operated.

The place where So-mu was drinking alone was in the most corner of the guesthouse on this floor. He was staring out the window with a mesmerized look on his face.

In front of Yoo-hwa's grave, he cut off all the disheveled hair. It was to bury So-mu, the owner of Soho Tavern, with an oil painting.

As the warm sunlight illuminated his distinct features, his strong impression shone brightly. His neatly organized appearance made his face look like a different person.

‘It’s painful.’

I wanted to get drunk just for today. However, no matter how much you drink, your superhuman body will not allow you to get drunk.

That wasn't all. The sound of hundreds of people in the room chatting at the same time. Whether I wanted it or not, all those words were piercing my ears.

Their conversation was all focused on one topic. This was also the reason why there were unusually many customers in the guesthouse today.

So-mu, who was drinking in silence, looked intently at the table on the right. Two martial artists were seen talking gibberish in excitement.

“Oh my! I never thought it would be Heavenly Chu’s fault that I wasn’t there!”

“Who knew that the Sword Saint was in Baiyang County? Those bastards from Hui Dynasty were so tired that they couldn’t even go near it.”

“Giggles. Isn’t that obvious? By the way, you said you were searching the entire Baiyang County area to find the Sword Saint from the Martial Alliance, but you still haven’t found it?”

“Don’t even talk about it. They say there’s chaos over there right now. The Martial Alliance’s masters are all flocking in and running around, so they’re ready to clash with the elite soldiers of the State of Hui. It’s a close call.”

“Oh, really? Isn’t it a rule that the martial arts and government forces do not interfere in each other’s affairs?”

“You too be careful. Since the opponent is a Martial World member, I just leave them alone. If those bastards look easy, they are a member of the Martial World group and there is no harm in doing so. They will catch them all and kill them.”

“You’re crazy. Why on earth?”

“I don’t know. And this is really high-level information. Do you know who the Sword Saint’s identity was?”

“What identity? Are you saying that he has been hiding his identity all this time?”

“Hehehe. Don’t be surprised. The true identity of the swordsman is… the guest’s innkeeper.”

“Hey, you crazy bastard! What kind of person is the Sword Saint and can he do innkeeper? Did he turn around?”

“Oh, it’s true. Our Master Moon must have heard this information from an acquaintance of the Martial Alliance.”

“Shut up and stop drinking! If you insult him one more time, you will be thrown into my hands!”

So-mu shook his head excitedly. If you look closely, they were disciples of a small, second-rate sect. If the rumor had spread to them, it would have to be assumed that the Martial World League was scouring this area as well. It was clear that they would stop at nothing to brought him back to power.

‘I can’t stay here anymore.’

So-mu ignored the noise around her and went back to her own thoughts. This was because I have not decided on my future course of action.

‘We will find out the cause that led to Yoo-hwa’s death. ‘For the sake of Yoo-hwa, who died so cruelly, we will break this chain of evil deeds.’

After emptying his glass, So-mu filled it up again.

‘This was not a problem that can be solved by randomly killing the soldiers of the State of Hui. Since other people will be forcibly conscripted and filled in, what crime was there for them?’

So-mu’s eyes turned to the window. The only place on this street that was noisy was Yonghwa Tavern. And it was certain that this place would soon meet the same fate as Baiyang County.

‘Is it simply the Emperor of Hui who was the problem? Or was there something else? No matter how much I am, it was impossible for me to invade the imperial family of a great country alone. However, it was impossible to join the Martial Alliance again and create a bloody country. How many people had to lose their lived in the war that lasted for ten years? If I emerge as a strong player again, the wind of blood that never stopped will only continue to blow.’

His gaze looked out the window and did not move until Ban Si-jin passed by. As he continued to think, Il-gwang's words suddenly appeared in his mind.

‘Did you say you were recruiting new soldiers in Hanzhong? It wouldn't be a bad idea to start there. If you experience everything in their world from the beginning, you will be able to find the answer. But before that… … .’

So-mu poured the last of his drink into his mouth and looked out the window.

‘I guess we should catch and kill Ha-chil first. ‘I just can’t forgive this guy.’

So-mu's gaze outside the guest room's window was fixed on a beggar walking on the street. This was the person he had been eyeing for a while. A habitual beggar among beggars with a scruffy appearance. Two knots tied at the waist. It was a door of openness.

So-mu stuck his right hand out the window and flicked his finger. One chopstick shot out of his hand. It hit the beggar right on the back of the head, like a hawk snatching its prey.

Taaaak-!

“Kaaak!”

Clutching the back of his head, Gyeong-gae's eyes bulged as he desperately searched for the person who had carried out the sneak attack. He looked very angry, his face scrunched up.

“What kind of bastard are you!?”

After looking around for a while, the beggar immediately found a person who he thought was an evil beast.

The second floor window of Yonghwa Tavern, where six pieces fell. There, someone was gesturing towards him.

Gae Gae Do clenched both fists and walked towards the guesthouse.

“You bastard died today. You know who I am….”

However, his steps stopped before he could take just five steps. This was because an unbelievable message was heard in my ears.

– You guys were looking for the Sword Saint now, right? I know his location.

the beggar’s eyes opened wide as if they were torn apart. His anger disappeared immediately, as if it had never happened before.

The Martial Alliance's masters were searching the surrounding area to find the Sword Saint. If you accomplish that task, you will not only be promoted to a Samgyeol disciple, but you will also have something to brag about that will follow you for the rest of your life.

But how can we easily believe what he said? Gyeongjaedo looked at So-mu’s appearance closely with a suspicious expression.

Using telepathic message from this distance was not easy. If so, he must be an expert who has learned martial arts to a considerable level. It was clear that he was not a person to be taken lightly.

“Uh, where is it?”

– I understand that Shaanxi Branch was located nearby. Go now and call Branch Leader and I'll tell you. A disciple of Lee Gyeol would be able to convey that much, right?

“Our Branch Leader is not a man who moves carelessly. And how can I trust you?”

So-mu gave the Jeon-eum again as if she knew that would happen.

– Just tell Heogyu that an old acquaintance has come to visit. It's up to him to decide.

I know Branch Leader’s name. Then it was clear that he wasn't playing with words. Moreover, he was said to be an acquaintance of a young man with a bluish-black face.

Who was Heo Gyu? It was worn out and worn out and was like stagnant water in a river. It was clear that the person in front of him was either a crazy person or a great martial arts master who had achieved Return to Simplicity and Truth .

‘There was definitely something.’

Above all, it was a business with nothing to lose. Even if things go wrong, at best it will only be a slap in the face. After completing the calculation, the beggar nodded and said.

“Just wait a moment.”

When the openness disappeared, So-mu ordered two more bottles of bamboo leaf syrup.

By the time he finished the bottle. There was a beggar who appeared on this floor of Yonghwa Tavern in a huff.

The eyes of everyone in the guesthouse were focused on him. It was because of the five knots tied to his waist.

The rank of openness was indicated by the number of knots. Ogyeol was no different from a major figure in the martial arts world.

Heo Gyu looked around, then quickly walked to the seat in front of So-mu and sat down.

“Hey, how long has it been since this happened? It hasn’t changed at all over the years.”

There were tore in Heogyu's eyes as he looked at So-mu.

“The old man is in charge. Get a drink.”

Heo Gyu subconsciously looked around. This was because everyone's eyes were focused on them.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve already covered it with energy.”

An invisible curtain of energy spread around them. Therefore, the conversation could not be heard even at the table next to the table.

“Do you mind if I stay here like this? All of the Branch’s disciples are being mobilized to look for you.”

“You have no choice but to pretend to look for it out of concern for the Martial Alliance.”

“Did you know?”

A faint smile appeared on So-mu’s face as she emptied her drink.

“I know very well that you are not the kind of person who would sell me out.”

“That’s why I chose Shaanxi, my jurisdiction.”

The sight of them taking turned drinking a glass of wine was like being a close friend. Except for the appearance.

As So-mu remained silent, Heo Gyu opened his mouth again.

“Anyway, there was something I wanted to ask you the most.”

“I’ll answer anything. I also have one favor to ask.”

Suddenly, a sly smile appeared on Heogyu's face.

“I’m talking about serving guests. They say that for beggars like me, food is more important than pride, but how did the Sword Saint of the World manage to please all the guests? I was really curious about this, but I should be able to endure it.”

“For a guesthouse owner to serve guests is to be faithful to his duty, not to bend his pride. For me, it was actually a happy day. Even more so than when I was at the peak of martial arts. No, I should say that it was painful at that time. Anyway, everything was good. Until a few days ago….”

“But the Hui Dynasty bastards have messed with you.”

“That’s right. What kind of person is the emperor of the State of Hui?”

“Unfortunately, there is not much information. All we have found out so far is that the mastermind behind the Hui imperial family is Shadow Sect. They have been planting spies in the Jin imperial family and military for a long time and have usurped the throne.”

“It’s Shadow Sect… this is my first time hearing about it.”

“It appears to be a force that has been storing up power in the shadows for a long time. It began to take action when the power of the martial arts group weakened immediately after the end of the Great War.”

Because Sumu had been away from Jianghu for a while, he was in the dark about the deep state of affairs. At best, it was all the information I picked up from the guesthouse.

“Is it related to the Demonic Cult?”

“I don’t know… It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but there is information that the remnants of the Demonic Cult have been absorbed into them.”

Although the Demonic Cult was defeated in the Great War, its power was greatly weakened, but it was still a force that could not be ignored. If it was able to absorb them, it means that Shadow Sect's power was greater than So-mu's imagination. The identity of those people who dyed the world in darkness was a problem that must always be revealed.

"hmm……."

“Anyway, today is a happy day, so let’s forget about the troubles and have a drink.”

A long time ago, So-mu risked her own life to save Heo Gyu's life. Since So-mu had also been indebted to him several times, there was something more affectionate than friendship between them.

They laughed and talked a lot until it got dark. Although alcohol did not make their bodies intoxicated, their minds were already in a state of intoxication.

“Thank you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t mentioned a single word about the Martial Alliance. You are the open-minded Branch Leader. There must be a mountain of things you want to say to me, right?”

“You have already sacrificed so much for us. Don’t ever look back here again.”

So-mu emptied the last of his glass and had a bitter look on his face.

“And the favor I mentioned earlier.”

Heo Gyu nodded and showed his willingness to listened to anything.

“Just say anything.”

“There’s a bastard named Hachi. Please find him. He was the king of Baiyang County, but he probably hasn’t left Shaanxi yet.”

A look of puzzlement appeared on Heo Gyu’s face.

As far as I know, the person in front of me rarely swears. I couldn't help but be curious as he couldn't control his killing spirit and suppressed his anger.

“. .”

“Just find the location and tell me. I need to take care of that guy.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. Shaman is in the palm of my hand. Besides, if he was a beggar king, wouldn’t it be a piece of cake to find him?”

So-mu’s mouth drew a meaningful smile.

“And one more person. A young beggar named Ah-gwang is probably wandering around nearby. He may already be a member of the open organization. Can you find him and take care of him?”

“What could be easier than that? I don’t know where this guy came from, but as the owner of the Branch, I will take care of it myself, so don’t worry.”

“And I have one more favor to ask you. I don’t know if it’s okay if I tell you.”

“Even if I don’t accept it, you know I’m going to talk about it anyway.”

So-mu searched inside his chest and put something down on the table. It was five coins.

“The guesthouse is ruined, and this is all the property I have. If we have to pay for what we ate, it’s a bit lacking, so maybe you can add more? If it’s Branch Leader, it should be enough to cover the cost of drinks, right?”

At first glance, the cost of the alcohol they consumed was close to twenty yep coins. Heo Gyu put his hand on his forehead and sighed as if he had a headache. His expression was darker than ever today.

“I’m so sorry… I can’t believe the world’s greatest swordsman is trying to get money from a beggar…”