Chapter 160

Chapter 160: There Are Things That Must Never Be Touched (1)

Pitter-patter!

Rain fell.

Raindrops struck the water's surface, creating countless concentric rings that appeared and vanished. The clamor of the rain assailed the ears of all.

When the rain poured down, most people hurried inside to the cabins. But there were exceptions. The warriors guarding the carriage.

They stood unmoving in the downpour, guarding the carriage without so much as a tremor. Their fierce, unwavering gaze lent them an air of solemn determination.

Dam Ho sat on the railing, watching them in silence.

Beside him stood the Dark Horse. Rainwater streamed down its ink-black coat.

Perhaps sensing Dam Ho's gaze, the leader of the warriors guarding the carriage raised his head and looked at him.

A middle-aged man with a sturdy build reminiscent of a millstone. His gaze was as piercing as his frame, the sort of man no one of faint heart could face directly.

The moment the middle-aged man's brow twitched.

Thud!

The boat had reached the landing on the opposite bank.

"Everyone, disembark!"

The crewmen shouted heartily.

The middle-aged man withdrew his gaze from Dam Ho and shouted to his men.

"Hurry and unload the carriage!"

"Yes, sir!"

The warriors responded with vigor and began to unload the carriage.

The carriage passed directly before Dam Ho.

Screech!

The deck groaned under the wheels, threatening to give way at any moment. Through the crack in the carriage, a pair of dark eyes was visible once more.

In that instant, one warrior moved to block the crack with his body, and the dark eyes disappeared from view. The carriage was unloaded from the boat and quickly receded into the distance.

Dam Ho also led the Dark Horse off the boat. The rain showed no sign of letting up.

Dam Ho rode on regardless. The Dark Horse seemed to revel in the gallop through the rain, snorting with enjoyment.

The Dark Horse lived up to its reputation as a thousand-li steed. It had been galloping fiercely through the rain for nearly half a day, yet showed not a trace of exhaustion.

In the distance, a city appeared.

It was called Huaxian, one of the larger cities in Anhui Province. But Dam Ho did not know this.

The sun was setting, and the rain refused to cease. He decided it was time to rest.

Perhaps because of the rain, the streets of Huaxian were remarkably deserted. Dam Ho entered the first inn he saw.

A young girl, appearing to be no more than ten years old, hurried out to greet him.

"Welcome!"

"Is there a stable?"

"Of course! We just laid fresh straw on the floor, so it's wonderfully dry. Your horse will love it."

"Put the horse in the stable and give it good oats."

"I will! You'll be staying the night, right?"

"Mm!"

"Please wait inside. I'll put the horse away and be right back."

The girl took the Dark Horse's reins and headed for the stable. The sight of the small girl straining to lead the massive Dark Horse was quite endearing.

Dam Ho entered the inn.

Perhaps because of the rain, the inn was quite empty. Of the dozen or so tables, only two were occupied by guests, the rest were vacant.

Dam Ho took one of the empty seats and gazed out the window. After sitting for a moment, the girl came running back.

"Huff! I put the horse in the stable and gave it oats and good hay. I also drew a fresh bucket of water, so you won't need to worry about it tonight."

The girl smiled brightly, her face flushed from the exertion.

Dam Ho handed her a copper coin. The girl's smile widened even further.

"Wow! Thank you."

"Bring me something simple to eat."

"Yes! Shall I bring wine as well?"

"Yes!"

Dam Ho nodded, and the girl scurried off to the kitchen like a squirrel.

Though Dam Ho did not normally drink, today he felt the urge for a cup. Perhaps it was the rain.

Dam Ho sat in silence, watching the rain fall.

After some time had passed, the girl came struggling back with a tray larger than herself.

"Duck roast and our inn's specialty, the red wine. My father brewed it himself, so the taste is exceptional."

As the girl had promised, the red wine gave off a sweet, inviting aroma. Any wine connoisseur would have been enraptured by its magnificent fragrance.

"Very good."

"Enjoy. If you need anything, just call. Oh, your room is the first one at the top of the stairs."

"Mm!"

Hearing Dam Ho's response, the girl darted back to the kitchen. She still had the air of a flying squirrel.

Left alone, Dam Ho poured the red wine into a cup and drank.

The taste was as exquisite as the aroma. Anywhere in the world, this would be regarded as a fine vintage.

The duck roast was also delicious. The lean, well-rendered meat suited Dam Ho's palate perfectly.

Dam Ho enjoyed the red wine with the duck roast and the rain falling outside as his accompaniment. This was perhaps the first time since entering the world that he had enjoyed such a moment of solitude.

While Dam Ho was savoring his solitude, two horses came galloping toward the inn through the rain.

A rider sat atop each horse. The girl ran out to take the reins, and the two riders entered the inn.

"The rain is really coming down."

"My Lady, please sit here."

The two who entered were wearing large rain hats and raincoats.

The moment they stepped inside, they removed the large rain hats from their heads. A refined woman and an elderly man with a face full of wrinkles were revealed.

The refined woman possessed a mysterious aura. Her hair, tinged with a faint crimson sheen, was mesmerizing enough to captivate anyone who beheld it.

The woman went ahead and removed the cumbersome raincoat as well. Beneath it, her figure was surprisingly curvaceous, at odds with her refined features.

She brushed back her rain-dampened long hair and spoke.

"With the rain coming down like this, there is nothing to be done. We will have to stay here tonight."

"When heaven rains, no man can defy it. Since even the weather does not cooperate, let us rest comfortably today."

"That is well said."

"You have been through much. Shall we have a hearty meal tonight?"

"Will you be paying, my Lady?"

"Fire Hand has more money than I do."

"My funds are all public money."

"Must you be such a miser?"

"Public and private funds must be strictly separated, my Lady."

"Hah!"

The woman shook her head at the old man's shameless reply. But only for a moment. She soon smiled and spoke.

"Very well. I will treat Fire Hand to a meal today."

"Thank you, my Lady. I shall feast well today."

"Just this once."

"Of course."

"Come here, child."

The woman raised her hand and called the girl.

The girl, who had been hovering nearby, quickly ran over.

"You called?"

"What dishes do you do well here?"

"We do everything well! My father is a wonderful cook."

"Excellent."

The woman ordered food from the girl. The girl gazed at the woman, utterly mesmerized.

The woman tilted her head at the girl's reaction.

"What is it?"

"You're just… so beautiful."

"Thank you. You are beautiful now, and when you grow up, you will be even more so."

"Really?"

"Of course!"

The woman's answer drew a radiant smile from the girl.

"What is your name, Miss?"

"My name is Jong Ri-yeon."

"Even your name is beautiful. Mine is so rustic. They called me Dong-i because I was the second child born in winter. I don't know what my father was thinking when he named me."

Dong-i pouted her lips, and even that was utterly charming. Jong Ri-yeon smiled brightly and stroked Dong-i's head.

"Dong-i is also a very beautiful name. And above all, it is a name given to you by your father. Treasure it."

"Yes, Miss! Then I will go place your order."

Dong-i responded with vigor and ran off to the kitchen.

Jong Ri-yeon watched Dong-i's retreating figure with a smile.

"You are simply too kind for your own good, my Lady. To show such concern for a mere errand girl in an inn. She is nothing more than a servant."

"Speak no such words, Fire Hand. No one can know what the future holds for that child. Who is to say that she might not become a female hero who shakes the Murim one day?"

Jong Ri-yeon's words drew only a silent smile from Fire Hand.

His mistress was too naive about the world.

'The reality of today's world is that a parent's limits are a child's limits. Unless that child Dong-i possesses extraordinary martial talent, becoming a martial artist is impossible.'

But Fire Hand did not voice his thoughts.

He liked Jong Ri-yeon's innocence. In this harsh world, it was not so bad to have one person who still dared to dream.

While waiting for the food, Fire Hand surveyed the inn. His eyes fell upon Dam Ho.

Disheveled black hair and tattered black robes. Dam Ho was the kind of figure that drew attention wherever he went.

The moment Fire Hand saw him, he felt every hair on his body stand on end.

When he had not been paying attention, he had not noticed. But the moment he became aware, every nerve in his body screamed in alarm.

'Who on earth is that man?'

Though he had retired from the Murim to serve as Jong Ri-yeon's bodyguard, Fire Hand had once been a renowned martial artist in his prime.

He had weathered every storm and met countless individuals, yet never had he encountered a man who could chill his spine just by looking at him, the way Dam Ho did.

"What is wrong, Fire Hand?"

Jong Ri-yeon asked when Fire Hand's expression hardened, not understanding the reason. Fire Hand quickly shook his head.

"It is nothing."

"Just now your expression was quite frightening…"

"I was merely lost in thought."

Fire Hand hastily changed the subject.

Jong Ri-yeon looked toward Dam Ho. She had noticed that Fire Hand's gaze had been fixed upon him.

'Is there something special about that man?'

Jong Ri-yeon tilted her head.

It was said that you could only see what you knew.

At Jong Ri-yeon's level, she could not perceive Dam Ho's terror.

Dam Ho, seemingly aware or unaware of Jong Ri-yeon's gaze, simply continued to sip his wine.

Time passed, and the rain did not cease. Before long, the wine bottle before Dam Ho was empty.

Dam Ho rose from his seat without hesitation. It was time to rest for tomorrow.

Just as Dam Ho was about to leave.

Clatter!

The inn door suddenly burst open, and a group of men strode inside.

Some twenty men, all of them exuding an extraordinary presence, surveyed the inn before making their way with heavy strides toward where Jong Ri-yeon and Fire Hand sat.

The man who appeared to be their leader addressed Jong Ri-yeon.

"Are you Miss Jong Ri-yeon, the Divine Healer?"

"That is correct."

"We are from the Namgung Family. The Namgung Family currently requires Miss Jong Ri-yeon's assistance."

Jong Ri-yeon, the Divine Healer.

She was one of the most renowned figures in Anhui Province.

She was a physician. And an exceptionally gifted one at that.

It was said that as long as the breath had not ceased, she could save anyone. There were even rumors that she had brought back the dead.

What other explanation could there be for the title "Divine Healer"?

Anyone who lived in Anhui Province would know her name. And they would all seek to forge a connection with her.

To know the Divine Healer was to have secured an extra life.

The warrior who had introduced himself as being from the Namgung Family bowed politely.

"Please, help the Namgung Family, Miss Jong."

Jong Ri-yeon wore a troubled expression.

"What shall I do? I am on my way to treat a critically ill patient."

"I do not know the circumstances, but could you change the order of your visits? Our compensation will be generous."

"That is difficult. A patient whose life hangs in the balance is waiting."

"Our situation is equally dire."

The voice of the Namgung Family warrior turned stern.