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Chapter ‌‌80
'A strategist who understands the will of Heaven itself. They said he was perfect in every way, except for being an oddity who never married despite reaching a ‌‌suitable age....'
Je ‌‌Gal Hyeop's reason for remaining unmarried was quite ‌‌unique.
There was a woman who had captured ‌‌his ‌‌‌heart, but she happened to have a child.
Because of this, no matter what he said, she wouldn't budge—until one ‌‌day ‌‌she made a proposal.
She would marry ‌‌‌‌him if ‌‌he could solve the riddle she posed.
But the story went that Je Gal Hyeop had yet to solve that riddle to ‌this day.
Him, the legendary prodigy renowned throughout the realm.
Hong Seol tilted her head as she recalled the riddle from that tale.
'Why couldn't he solve something so simple?'
There were truly many things in this world that Hong Seol couldn't comprehend.
"We'll be arriving in Wuhan soon, won't we, Grandfather?"
Hong Seol asked, stealing a glance outside from within the cabin. ‌
Nam Goong Baek lay there like a corpse, utterly ravaged by seasickness.
"We should arrive within the hour."
Seeming relieved by those words, Nam Goong Baek stirred and let out a feeble groan.
Hong Seol cast him a sympathetic glance before pressing further.
"How long will we stay in Wuhan? ‌‌‌Will we visit the Martial Arts Alliance as well?"
Nam Goong Ho, seated beside Hong Seol, made his position clear.
"We ‌‌will not be stopping at the Martial Arts Alliance this time."
At those words, Hong Seol felt a pang of disappointment.
'If we went there, I could see not only Je Gal Hyeop, the military ‌‌strategist, but also Eon Soo Ryang, the current Alliance Master who wields the Soul-Stealing Palm.'
Hong Seol recalled the name she had heard from Changcheon Master Nam Goong Ui Gyeol.
'The Soul-Stealing Palm—a palm technique that even strips away one's very soul!'
Of course, she well knew that Grandfather Nam ‌‌Goong Ho and the Family Head's abilities were no less formidable.
Still....
'It's fascinating!'
I yearned to witness with my own eyes the prowess of these other masters who commanded the world.
Someday, I too wished to become such a legendary hero.
All of this stemmed ‌‌‌from the hope that my Yin-Yang Meridian Deficiency could be cured.
But Nam Goong Ho, the very one who had given me that hope, showed no sign of changing ‌‌‌his mind.
"Should we visit the Martial Arts Alliance, word will surely reach the Je Gal Family. Your mother is one of them, after all."
It was a warning to be careful lest it be discovered that Hong Seol ‌‌had ‌‌‌placed herself under the protection of the Nam Goong Family.
Hong Seol nodded with a dejected expression.
"Moreover, the situation surrounding the Dang Family seems far from ordinary. Therefore, we shall change boats immediately upon arrival."
"Not even staying one night in Wuhan?"
It was the first major city we would encounter on our journey, and my shoulders sagged slightly.
"I'm afraid it cannot be helped."
"Ugh..."
At those words, Nam Goong Baek, still lying down, turned an ashen shade.
After all this hardship, he couldn't even rest for a single night on land.
His face suggested he might grab the ship's railing and retch at any moment.
That was when it happened.
"Come in."
Nam Goong Ho, ‌‌sensing someone's approach, spoke quietly.
As expected.
Pyo Du entered the cabin with an uncomfortable expression.
"We have a problem, sir."
They had ‌‌agreed not to use direct titles to avoid exposing their ‌identities.
"What sort of problem?"
"To leave this place and navigate upstream ‌‌‌through the Yangtze River Three Gorges, we absolutely need a tow boat. However, Gang Woo Bang, who typically handles such work, recently passed away."
"Hmm...."
"As a sign of respect, the tow boats won't operate for seven days."
It meant we couldn't change boats ‌‌‌‌today.
Nam Goong Baek's face brightened faintly.
"What about traveling overland?"
"Because the waterways are so well-developed, ‌‌the roads there are relatively treacherous. If we encounter bandits, we might fall even further behind."
"Hmm."
"Waiting and departing by boat again is the best course."
"Your experience speaks true."
After Pyo Du left, ‌‌‌‌Nam Goong Ho clicked his tongue bitterly. ‌
"Tsk."
I didn't even know the exact situation of Poison King Dang Yi Mu, and this unexpected delay troubled ‌‌‌‌me.
"Are you alright, Grandfather?"
"Yes, it can't be helped. Since we're here anyway, let's relax and see the local attractions."
"Attractions?"
"Follow me and you'll see."
As one of the elders of the Martial Arts Alliance, Nam Goong Ho, who had frequented Wuhan ‌countless times, grinned widely.
* * *
Sizzzzle!
Molten metal, heated to a brilliant red, scattered across the pitch-black night sky. The sight resembled a golden willow tree ‌‌sprouting instantaneously.
"Waaaaah!"
The crowd that had gathered ‌‌like clouds gasped in wonder.
"Ooh!" ‌‌‌
Hong Seol couldn't tear her eyes away from the spectacle, both hands covering her astonished mouth.
"What do you think? Magnificent, isn't it?" ‌‌
Nam Goong Ho asked casually. He seemed genuinely delighted to be showing the children something new.
"Yes, yes! I've never seen anything like this before, ‌‌‌‌Grandfather!"
"...."
My indifferent grandson didn't answer and simply turned his head away.
Yet from the way he kept stealing glances at the night sky, it was ‌clear he was utterly mesmerized.
"It's the most beautiful sight in the world!"
Seol Ah finished the thought the boy couldn't quite express, so I felt no disappointment.
Nam Goong Ho explained with a contented smile.
"It's a form of fireworks called Tachiehua. ‌‌Fireworks have ‌‌always symbolized prosperity, haven't they?"
In other words, it was an event to wish for business to flourish like wildfire.
Sure enough, I could see people throughout the crowd clasping their hands and making wishes as they ‌‌‌‌watched the scattered sparks.
'Oh, I should make a wish too!'
Since coming ‌‌‌to stay at the Nam Goong Family Estate, I had accumulated quite a few things to wish for.
'Please, please. ‌‌‌Let the Mu Young Merchant Guild, the Hong Family Fabric Shop, ‌‌‌‌the Weaving Workshop, and the Wandering Minstrel ‌‌Tavern all prosper! ‌‌Fill them with customers!'
I squeezed my eyes shut and sent my wishes into the scattering sparks.
Nam Goong Ho, watching ‌‌‌‌me with a pleased expression, asked.
"Aren't you getting hungry by now?"
"Starving! I think I could eat paper at this point."
"We can't have our Seol Ah eating paper after coming all this way. I'll take you both to the finest restaurant in Wuhan."
"Yay!"
My face bloomed with smiles. Meanwhile, Nam Goong Baek, who was picky about food, simply turned his head away in pretense.
"Come on, hurry!"
I tugged Nam Goong Ho's hand while also grabbing Nam Goong Baek's hand as he stood feigning indifference.
The three of us had just begun walking toward the restaurant.
When a faint song drifted from somewhere.
A hero of great renown, with the azure sky upon his back, once spoke ‌‌‌thus
I was hurrying along, holding both grandfather and older brother by the hand, when I suddenly turned my head.
"Hmm?"
"What is ‌‌‌‌it?"
"Oh, nothing. I ‌‌just heard children singing a song..."
"Is that ‌‌so? Children are always singing songs. Some they make up to tease their friends, and some are songs from wandering ‌‌‌musicians. When I was young, you see..."
Nam Goong Ho continued with childhood anecdotes in an excited voice, caught up in the rare outing.
"Sigh."
"Baek, did you just sigh disrespectfully at your grandfather?"
"P-please be reasonable, grandfather!"
Trying to mediate between them, I had no time to think further about the song.
Meanwhile, in the place where I and my companions had left, ‌‌a woman wearing a bamboo hat stood alone.
It was Dok Bi Jo.
Though the street was crowded with people, somehow ‌‌‌‌a lonely atmosphere clung to her surroundings.
"To think I would see Tachiehua again ‌‌in my lifetime."
Uncharacteristically, her eyes ‌‌‌appeared deeply sorrowful. Dok Bi Jo gazed at the night sky scattered with fireworks for a long while, then turned ‌and disappeared into the darkness.
* * *
We slept soundly that night at an inn with a floor that didn't sway, something we hadn't experienced in ages.
And the next morning began with a chilling sight.
Thump, thump, thump.
After finishing a hearty breakfast, I was heading out to explore the Market District when I froze in terror, clutching desperately at Nam Goong Ho's sleeve.
"Kyaaah!"
Nam Goong Baek's face drained of color as his hand instinctively moved toward the sword at his waist.
And with good reason.
Five men were bounding toward us in rhythmic unison, their arms thrust forward with each thunderous step—thump, thump.
Their faces ‌‌‌‌‌bore the sickly pallor of corpses, and their bodies appeared rigid as stone.
Their half-lidded eyes stared blankly into the void, and emblazoned upon each forehead was the character for "Life."
‌‌‌‌

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please ‌read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------