Chapter 40 – The Brown Bear’s Roar (3)

Chapter 40 – The Brown Bear's Roar (3)

Following the man, So-so soon found herself leaving the bustling main streets. The shops along the road vanished, and the streets grew increasingly deserted. Having finished her tanghulu, she was beginning to grow bored.

"How much further do we have to go?"

A subtle smirk touched the corner of the man's mouth.

"We're almost there."

Turning a corner, a dilapidated building came into view. The man pushed the door open, revealing a rotund, middle-aged man sitting inside. Sitting at a desk, the fat man scanned So-so from head to toe, his eyes gleaming.

"We've got a top-grade one here."

"Yes, boss. She is the best-looking child I've seen in a long time."

So-so didn't understand what they were talking about.

"What is a 'top-grade'?"

The fat man gave a sleazy smile and said, "Haha. A very pretty child like you is called a top-grade, sweetie."

Though she felt a strange sense of unease, she didn't think much of it since they called her pretty.

"Where can I buy the present?" So-so asked.

The man in the cloth hat pulled back a folding screen, revealing a stone door behind it.

"Open it, boss," the man said.

The fat man pressed a mechanism on the desk, and to So-so's amazement, the heavy stone door began to slide open on its own.

Rumble!

So-so blinked in wonder at the sight.

"Go inside, and you'll find what you're looking for."

Torches were mounted along the walls of the passage, lighting up the interior. She could see stairs leading further down. She couldn't help but be curious.

"Wow~ amazing! What's down there?"

"Go in and see for yourself."

"Thank you!"

As So-so stepped inside, the two men exchanged knowing glances. The fat man operated the mechanism again, and the stone door closed with a heavy grind.

Rumble!

The moment the door shut, the man who had brought her burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! I've never seen a kid walk in on her own without a single suspicion!"

"Heh, I had my doubts when I told her to go in, but she went right along. A top-grade child indeed—different in every way."

"For a kid like that, we should get at least thirty silver coins, right?"

"Double that. She is exactly the kind of child that client is looking for."

"Shall I tell him to come by this evening?"

"Of course. He needs to check the quality before we negotiate the price."

"Hehe. Understood."

The fat man tossed a pouch of copper coins to the scout.

"Take the boys and get something good to eat. If this deal allows our Black King Gang to join the Crane Alliance, you'll be my right-hand man."

"Thank you, boss."

* * *

Stepping into the underground stone chamber, So-so looked around in confusion, walking deeper into the darkness.

The place had been constructed by excavating and modifying an ancient royal tomb. The interior was as vast as a maze, and a chilling draft swept through the corridors. For So-so, who cultivated internal force, the cold draft felt rather refreshing.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

Only silence answered her. An ominous dread began to creep into her heart.

Ever since she lost her memory, she had only experienced kindness in the world. She had never had a reason to suspect anyone.

But now, she suddenly felt terrified. A traumatic memory that she had suppressed deep down was slowly rising to her consciousness.

She had once spent over a day trembling in a dark, cramped underground space. The instinctual terror of being trapped alone in a dark, sealed room washed over her.

Unable to hold it back, So-so sank to the floor and burst into tears.

"Daddy… where are you…?"

The realization that she had been tricked was a massive shock to So-so.

She missed her father terribly. She wanted him to come rescue her. Though she had no clear memory, she felt as if he had saved her from a similar situation in the past.

So-so wept bitterly for a long time.

After about a quarter of an hour, she managed to calm her breathing and wipe away her tears. Suddenly, she looked around, her ears twitching. She had sensed a presence nearby.

A martial artist's senses far surpassed those of ordinary people. Standing up, So-so walked deeper into the chamber.

The sound she had heard grew louder. It was crying—and from more than one person. There was definitely someone here.

Hurrying her steps, she reached the end of the passage and finally discovered the source. Her face brightened. Two young girls were hugging each other, sobbing. They looked about a year younger than her.

At the sight of other children, the terror she had felt vanished instantly.

"H-Hello?"

The sobbing girls turned their tearful eyes toward So-so. She felt slightly shy, as it was her first time speaking to children her age.

Terrified, the girls could only blink and say nothing. So-so crouched before them, opening her pocket.

"Do you want to eat this?"

She offered the snacks she had brought from the barracks—a few sweet potatoes and traditional pastries. The girls' eyes lit up at the sight of food.

"Yes!"

"Thank you, big sister."

The girls began devouring the food as if they hadn't eaten in days. Watching them, a proud smile spread across So-so's face.

"Hehe. Is it good?"

"Yes, it's delicious!"

"You eat some too, sister."

So-so took a piece of pastry and ate it with them. With food in their bellies, the heavy atmosphere in the chamber began to lift.

"Did the bad guys trick you too?" So-so asked.

"Yes."

"I was at home when…"

One of the girls, A-hae, had been lured away with the promise of treats. The other girl, Cheong-a, had been kidnapped while her parents were out.

As they talked, drowsiness washed over them. Lying down on the cold floor, So-so fell into a deep sleep. A quarter of an hour later, she was sprawled out, snoring softly.

Sometime later, she was jolted awake by the girls shaking her.

"Sister So-so!"

"Sister, wake up!"

So-so sat up instantly. She saw A-hae and Cheong-a trembling in fear.

Footsteps were approaching from the corridor. The stone door had been opened.

"A-hae, Cheong-a, stay close to me. Understood?"

The three girls walked toward the sound. Faint voices drifted through the dark passage.

"Hehe. You will be highly satisfied this time, Elder."

"Well done. I wish to see her immediately."

A moment later, they came into view. So-so's eyes flared with anger. Walking toward them was an elderly man in a luxurious blue robe, accompanied by the fat pig who had locked her in.

"You tricked me!" So-so yelled.

The elder gave a sleazy smile, finding the girl's anger amusing. The fat man sneered and said, "She came out on her own. Do you like her? This brat…"

He couldn't finish his sentence. So-so's fist shot out from her waist, striking his abdomen like a thunderbolt.

Crack!

"Argh!"

With a sharp cry, an unbelievable sight unfolded. The fat man's massive body was lifted clean off the ground.

Thud!

It was a strike from the Mountain Cleaving Fist she had learned from Il-gwang. Though the fat on his stomach saved his life, the man lay on the floor, dry-heaving violently.

The elder's jaw dropped in sheer shock. Before he could react, So-so turned her fury on him.

"You're a bad guy too, Grandpa!"

So-so's right leg swept out in a sharp arc, striking the elder's shin. It looked like a twig hitting a log, but the result was devastating.

Crack!

With the sickening sound of snapping bone, the elder collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony.

"Aaagh!"

The children seized the opportunity, slipping past the fallen men and sprinting toward the exit. So-so led the way, with A-hae and Cheong-a running behind.

But how fast could five-year-olds run without martial arts?

"Ouch!"

"Sister So-so!"

So-so whipped her head around. The fallen men had reached out, grabbing A-hae and Cheong-a by their ankles.

"Let go of them!"

Sprinting back, So-so kicked the fat man's face with her instep.

Thud!

"Urgh!"

Though it was a quick kick, it carried her internal force. Several teeth flew through the air, and blood poured from his nose.

"You… you little bitch…"

So-so stomped hard on the fat man's wrist.

"Bad hand!"

"Aaagh!"

Leaving the writhing man behind, So-so crouched down.

"A-hae, get on my back!"

With A-hae on her back, So-so looked at Cheong-a. She wanted to save Cheong-a too, but she couldn't carry both of them at once.

Just then, she heard rapid footsteps approaching from the entrance.

Sensing the quick approach, So-so's expression darkened. Judging by the speed, the newcomer was undoubtedly a martial artist. She had to make a decision.

"Cheong-a, wait here! I'm going to bring my uncles to save you!"

"Sister…"

Carrying A-hae, So-so dashed toward the entrance. Startled by her sudden speed, the approaching martial artist flinched.

As the distance closed to two zhang, So-so leaped into the air. Spinning mid-air, she delivered a sharp side kick to the man's chest. It was the Leaf-Sweeping Leg Technique of the Mount Hua Sect, which she had learned from Cheong-hae.

Thud!

"Urgh!"

Though the kick landed, the opponent was a skilled master. He slammed against the wall but quickly regained his stance.

However, So-so ignored him and sprinted past, rushing toward the exit.

Watching her vanish in the blink of an eye, the elder shrieked in rage, "Damn you, brat! Do you know who I am?! I will tear you to pieces!"

The newly arrived martial artist helped the elder up. "Are you alright, Elder?"

His eyes bloodshot with rage, the elder roared, "Send the Black Slayer Squad! Catch her at all costs!"

"This city is our domain, Elder. We will have her within an hour."

* * *

Having successfully escaped, So-so ran toward the central market with A-hae on her back.

The sun had set completely, and the streets were bathed in moonlight. While the daytime crowds had thinned, many taverns were still open.

So-so's gaze drifted toward a noodle stall on the right. Come to think of it, she hadn't eaten a proper meal all day. A-hae's stomach also rumbled. So-so swallowed her saliva.

"Should we eat before we go?"

"Yes, sister."

"Let's eat quickly and get our strength back to rescue Cheong-a!"

The outdoor stall had three tables set up under a canopy.

As the two young girls sat down in a corner, the owner walked over with a bewildered expression. She was a middle-aged woman dressed in dark brown cotton clothes.

"Are you two here all by yourselves?"

To see customers who looked barely five or six years old—and at this late hour. In her ten years of running the stall, she had never seen anything like it.

"Two bowls of noodles, please!" So-so ordered.

The woman stared at them, completely stunned.

"That will be eight copper coins. Do you have the money?"

The woman felt a twinge of pity. Even if they had no money, she had already decided to feed them.

So-so opened her pouch. Exactly eight copper coins remained. Her present for her father was gone, but satisfying their hunger was more urgent.

"Here you go!"

"Oh my… next time, come with your parents. Wait here, I'll bring it right out."

* * *

Having spent the entire day searching the streets of Hanzhong, Il-gwang was growing incredibly frustrated.

He had confidently declared to the General that he would resolve the underbelly's issues in five days. But no matter how much he searched, he couldn't find a single hoodlum.

The ecosystem here was completely different from Baiyang County. They operated in highly secretive, cell-like networks.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Il-gwang sat down at a nearby tavern table and yelled, "Innkeeper! Forget the food, just bring me two bottles of Bamboo Leaf Green!"

He hadn't been able to swallow a single bite of food all day.

A country bumpkin like him had received a prestigious mission directly from the General. Yet, things weren't going well.

Receiving the liquor, Il-gwang gulped it down. Emptying the first bottle, he grabbed the second.

"Phew… Damn it."

As the alcohol kicked in, his frustration only grew.

Just then, his gaze drifted toward the noodle stall across the street.

He saw the backs of two little girls devouring their noodles. They ate as if they hadn't eaten in days. One of the girls wore a dress that looked very similar to the one his beloved niece wore. Thinking of So-so, his chest tightened with affection.

"Innkeeper!"

A middle-aged man walked over, bowing. "Yes, master. How may I help you?"

"Take two plates of dumplings to those little girls across the street. Put it on my bill."

To deliver food to another stall was a strange request. But seeing Il-gwang's terrifying expression, the owner didn't dare refuse.

"U-Understood. I will prepare them right away."

Il-gwang rested his chin in his hand, quietly watching the girls while sipping his liquor.

Half a quarter of an hour later, his brow furrowed. A group of men had bypassed his table, quietly closing in on the girls. Judging by their movements, they were clearly martial artists. Moreover, they wore masks to conceal their faces.

Soon, their whispered voices reached Il-gwang's ears.

"Found them."

"You little pests. How dare you run away?"

A clear murderous intent was carried in their voices.

Their target was obvious—the two young girls eating noodles across the street.

Il-gwang's eyes twitched, his body trembling with a sudden, boiling rage.