Chapter 80
“A strategist who knows the will of heaven. Aside from being an eccentric who hasn't married despite his age, I recall them saying he was perfect...”
The reason Jeok Galseon remained unmarried was quite unique.
There was a woman he was pining for, but as luck would have it, she already had a child.
Because of this, the woman, who wouldn't budge no matter what he said, had told him one day:
If he could solve the riddle she posed, she would marry him.
But the story went that Jeok Galseon had never been able to solve that riddle.
And this was a man rumored to be a genius of the age.
Hong-seol tilted her head, recalling the riddle from that story.
‘Why couldn't he solve such an easy riddle?’
There were so many things in the world that Hong-seol couldn't understand.
“We'll be arriving in Wuhan soon, right, Grandfather?”
Hong-seol, who had been peeking outside from within the cabin, asked.
Namgung Baek was lying there like a half-dead man, suffering from severe seasickness.
“We should arrive in about a shijin.”
Perhaps finding that news welcome, Namgung Baek tossed and turned, letting out a groan.
After giving him a pitiful look, Hong-seol asked again.
“How long are we staying in Wuhan? Are we going to the Martial World Alliance, by any chance?”
Namgung Ho, who was sitting next to Hong-seol, put his foot down.
“We will not be stopping at the Martial World Alliance this time.”
Hong-seol felt a little disappointed at those words.
‘If we went there, I could see not only Master Jeok Galseon but also the current Alliance Leader, the Soul-Snatching Palm, Eon Su-ryang.’
Hong-seol recalled the name she had heard from the Master of the Azure Sky Unit, Namgung Uigyeol.
‘Soul-Snatching Palm—a technique that can even snatch away a soul!’
Of course, she knew well that Grandfather Namgung Ho and the Clan Lord were no less capable.
Still...
‘It's fascinating!’
She had a burning desire to see the other masters who commanded the world with her own eyes.
She also wanted to become a hero like them someday.
This was all thanks to the hope that she could cure her Yin-Yang Severed Meridians.
But Namgung Ho, who had given her that hope, had no intention of changing his mind.
“If we stop at the Martial World Alliance, news of it will surely reach the Jeagal Clan. Hong-seol, isn't your mother from the Jeagal Clan?”
He meant that they had to be careful so that it wouldn't be known that Hong-seol had sought refuge with the Namgung Clan.
Hong-seol nodded with a sullen face.
“Besides, the situation with the Tang Clan seems unusual. So, we plan to change ships today.”
“Without even staying one night in Wuhan?”
It was the first large city they had encountered on their journey. Hong-seol’s shoulders slumped slightly.
“Yes, it cannot be helped.”
“Ugh.”
At those words, Namgung Baek turned pale.
To think he couldn't even rest one night on land after suffering so much.
He looked as if he wanted to grab the side of the boat and empty his stomach right then and there.
It was then.
“Come in.”
Sensing someone approaching, Namgung Ho said in a low voice.
Sure enough.
The head of the escort party opened the cabin door with a troubled expression.
“A problem has arisen, Elder.”
They had promised not to use direct titles to ensure their identities wouldn't be exposed.
“What is the problem?”
“To leave this place and travel up the Yangtze River Three Gorges, we absolutely need a tugboat to pull the ship. But the leader of the Gang-u Gang, who usually handles that, has passed away.”
“Hmm...”
“So, the news is that they will not be operating tugboats for seven days as a sign of mourning.”
It meant that changing ships today was impossible.
Namgung Baek’s face brightened faintly.
“How about going by land?”
“Because the waterways are so developed, the roads there are relatively rough. If we run into the Green Forest, we might end up even later.”
“Hmm.”
“Waiting and departing by ship again is the best course of action.”
“Your experienced words must be correct.”
Once the escort leader left, Namgung Ho clicked his tongue bitterly.
“Tsk.”
He didn't even know the exact situation of the Poison King Dang Yimu, and he was bothered by the delay caused by an unexpected event.
“Are you alright, Grandfather?”
“Yes, it cannot be helped, can it? Since it has come to this, let’s rest well while seeing the local attractions.”
“Attractions?”
“You'll know if you follow me.”
As one of the elders of the Martial World Alliance who had frequented Wuhan, Namgung Ho grinned.
* * *
Ssssss!
Hot, molten red iron was scattered into the pitch-black night sky. It looked as if a willow tree made of gold was growing in an instant.
“Wow!”
The people gathered like clouds let out exclamations.
“Oh!”
Hong-seol couldn't take her eyes off the sight. She covered her surprised mouth with both hands.
“How is it? A magnificent sight, isn't it?”
Namgung Ho asked slyly. He seemed quite pleased to be showing the children new wonders.
“Yes, yes! I've never seen anything like this in my life, Grandfather!”
“...”
The indifferent grandson didn't even answer and turned his head away.
Still, judging by the way he kept stealing glances at the night sky, he was surely amazed.
“It looks like the most beautiful sight in the world!”
Since Seol-ah was expressing what the grandson couldn't, he didn't feel disappointed.
Namgung Ho smiled contentedly and explained.
“It is a type of fireworks called Iron-Flower Striking. Fireworks, by nature, signify prosperity, do they not?”
In other words, it was an event to pray for businesses to rise like a wildfire.
Sure enough, people could be seen clasping their hands and making wishes while watching the sparks scatter.
‘Oh, then I should make a wish too!’
Since she started living at the Namgung Clan, Hong-seol had many things to look after.
‘Please, I pray to you. Please let the Muyeong Merchant Group, the Hong Silk Shop, the Weaving Guild, and the Eumyu Inn all do well! Please let them be packed with customers!’
Hong-seol closed her eyes tightly and sent her wishes into the scattering sparks.
Namgung Ho, watching her with a pleased expression, asked.
“Aren't you getting hungry?”
“Very! I think I could even tear off and eat paper.”
“We can't have our Seol-ah eating paper after coming all this way. I will take you to the most delicious restaurant in Wuhan.”
“Wow!”
A smile bloomed on Hong-seol’s face. On the other hand, the picky Namgung Baek just turned his head away, pretending not to hear.
“Hurry, hurry!”
Hong-seol grabbed Namgung Ho’s hand and, at the same time, took the hand of Namgung Baek, who was standing alone and pretending to be busy elsewhere.
It was when the three of them began to walk toward the restaurant.
A faint singing voice drifted from somewhere.
The hero who carried the blue sky on his back said...
Hong-seol, who was hurrying along while holding her grandfather and brother by both hands, suddenly turned her head.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Oh, it's nothing. Just, I heard a song the children were singing...”
“Is that so? Children are always singing songs. There are songs they make up to tease their friends, and songs of wandering musicians. When I was young...”
Namgung Ho continued with an anecdote from his childhood in a voice excited by the rare outing.
“Sigh.”
“Baek, did you just sigh rudely at your grandfather?”
“C-calm down, Grandfather!”
Hong-seol had no time to think more about the singing voice while trying to stop the two.
Meanwhile, a woman wearing a bamboo hat stood in the spot where Hong-seol’s group had left.
It was the Poison-Armed Eagle.
Even though the street was full of people, a lonely atmosphere somehow lingered around her.
“To think I would see the Iron-Flower Striking again in my lifetime.”
Uncharacteristically, her eyes looked deeply sad. The Poison-Armed Eagle stared at the night sky where the sparks were scattering for a long time before turning and disappearing into the darkness.
* * *
Hong-seol’s group slept soundly at an inn where the floor didn't shake for the first time in a while.
And the next morning began with a chilling sight.
Thump, thump, thump.
Hong-seol, who had eaten a hearty breakfast and was heading out to look at the market, became frightened and clung to Namgung Ho’s sleeve.
“Eek!”
Namgung Baek’s face also turned white, and he reached for the sword at his waist.
It was understandable.
Five men in the distance were jumping with their arms stretched forward in a steady rhythm—thump, thump.
The men’s faces were as blue as a corpse, and their entire bodies looked as hard as stone.
Their half-open eyes were staring blankly into the air, and the character for ‘Life’ (活) was written on their foreheads.
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