154

Chapter 154 - Journey to Sacheon - 2

Traditional martial arts-style food, of all things. To think that a guesthouse would sell nothing but noodles and dumplings.

Of course, it's not that noodles and dumplings don't exist in this world.

I, too, have occasionally ordered noodles and dumplings at a guesthouse, forcing a bitter smile at the absurdity of the food being served. However, a guesthouse that sold exclusively noodles and dumplings? 

GALL! This isn't a martial arts dating sim!

It was so bizarre it felt like something you'd want to shout from the rooftops. And it wasn't just the strange food menu that was off.

'They didn't hand out a menu, and they brought water over without being asked.'

They came over to explain the menu in person. And even if there were no other customers, the fact that the server brought water seemed too attentive. Water service is typically self-serve, that's the unwritten rule. Now that I look again, I notice the water isn't just plain but thoughtfully prepared, infused with tea leaves.

Suspiciously too suspicious.

It felt like observing android robots or reptilian humans disguised as people. A closer look around the guesthouse revealed plenty of oddities.

Lifting my eyes to the wall, I noticed a neat rectangular mark.

Surrounding areas showed sun-faded patches, but the neat rectangle remained clean. Likely, there once hung something like a menu.

If the mark made by the sun was this distinct, the item must have been removed after being left up for a long time. But why remove it?

'It must mean they can't serve the food listed anymore.'

Maybe the ingredients ran out, or the chef changed, or perhaps all the guesthouse staff were forced into retirement and replaced with someone who couldn't properly cook the dishes on the menu.

Removing the menu altogether was a way to avoid raising suspicion when they couldn't serve the listed items.

'Bamboo leaf liquor is from the distant mountainous province of Seorak. It's even weirder that it's ordered from a remote village.'

In typical martial arts lore, bamboo leaf liquor would be kept in any guesthouse fridge, but in this world, it was a drink that required quite the effort to procure.

Even the guesthouse owner's reaction was puzzled and awkward when I asked if they had bamboo leaf liquor. Perhaps the owner had thought through how to deal with the food menu, but was thrown off by an unexpected question about the drinks.

The more I observed the owner's awkward hospitality, the more the neglected aspects of the guesthouse started to stand out unnervingly.

If these things nagging at me were not just an overreaction, what could they be?

'The guesthouse itself is a trap, a classic martial arts cliché.'

The very reason for coming here was that two paths on the way were blocked. It was suspicious that I hadn't encountered any bandits on the road, but if this guesthouse was where the bandits were waiting?

They could have prepared this situation to rob travelers who let their guard down. Or, if we delve into the darker side of martial arts, it might be a guesthouse run by those who enjoy turning people into dumplings.

'It's just speculation. But it's worth voicing my concerns.'

If it's just my overreaction, then it's a matter I can simply laugh off. But if it's true, lives could be at stake.

--------------

"The guesthouse is suspicious, you say?"

Hwarin asked me without skepticism, almost expecting my concern about the guesthouse being a trap.

"Yes."

The fact that Hwarin accepted the possibility of a crisis situation without probing for a reason touched me. Hwarin, I'm moved.

"Well, let's check it out."

Hwarin reached for the cup of water I had stopped her from drinking.

"Hey..."

There might be poison in it, so don't drink it. I hurriedly tried to stop Hwarin, but she just raised her hand to signal it was okay, then downed the tea-infused water.

I wonder if it's fine for Hwarin since she has a resistance to poison.

Hwarin savored the tea like a judge in a cooking manga, tilting her head before swallowing.

"It's not poison?"

"It's not?"

Perhaps my suspicion was unwarranted.

Yes. Even in this world, guesthouses specializing in noodles and dumplings could exist. It was I, I who had become corrupted.

As I was about to reproach myself for my guilty conscience, Hwarin continued.

"Yep. But this tea is not just ordinary."

"What do you mean?"

"It has a strong astringent taste. It's not poisonous, but it seems like a type of tea leaf that dulls the sense of taste and smell."

"A petty trick likely used before poisoning the food."

The quiet guesthouse master muttered to himself upon hearing our conversation.

"Yes. It's difficult to mess with tea, but this is a decent groundwork," Hwarin nodded to the master, finishing the remainder of her tea.

"Tch, it seemed too quiet to be good."

The master clicked his tongue and drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

— Tap tap tap-tap-tap.

As the master rhythmically tapped on the table, the other members' gazes sharpened. Was that a signal to be on alert?

"The noodles and dumplings are served. I have to go tend to some matters, so here's the key to your room. Make yourselves at home."

The guesthouse owner laid out the noodles and dumplings in front of us and vanished somewhere.

The tea might not necessarily have been prepared for poisoning. It could be they only had such tea leaves, or perhaps they wanted to mask the taste of cheaper ingredients or cover up the lack of flavor.

Hwarin lifted her chopsticks as everyone else hesitated, casting wary glances at the food.

"Hwarin."

I called out to Hwarin with apprehension.

"It's okay. It's not like the lethal poison that bastard Goho used to give, and I can detect toxins in the food."

Hwarin, my concern isn't whether you can handle it, but whether it's dangerous if it's poisoned. Sure, as a trained poisoner, Hwarin might not be at risk, but I can't help worrying about a friend willingly ingesting poison.

Ignoring or unaware of my concern, Hwarin tasted the noodles and soup with the discernment of a connoisseur.

"These noodles have a rather stimulating flavor. Is it sleeping poison inside? The purity is fairly high. They've emphasized the drowsy effect to accompany the spicy noodles. It's quite palatable."

Poison as a spice to you, then? Hwarin commented as if identifying a secret ingredient in the noodles.

"Is it as expected?"

If it's sleeping poison, then they might be planning to attack once everyone is asleep.

"What's inside the dumplings... Why?"

"Do you really need to taste them to know?"

I blocked Hwarin's hand as it reached for the dumplings and looked over at the master of discipline who was silently holding his acupuncture needles. Hwarin, we have no idea what kind of meat could be inside those dumplings. Let's not eat them.

"It seems to be a paralytic poison from the Ji Hyo Sung group."

The dumplings were also poisoned.

"Should we apprehend the innkeeper?" 

A member of the disciplinary branch quietly inquired about the master's intentions. The master shook his head sideways, then silently raised his hand.

One of the members caught the signal and nodded before discreetly and quickly beginning to search the inn's interior.

"Those people. They're too few for the crimes they've been committing."

I whispered quietly as I watched. To face the mighty Sacheon family with a stunt like poisoning—only one with an extraordinarily strong heart could attempt such a feat.

"It appears there are no enemies hidden in the guesthouse, so they must be lurking somewhere in the village."

The enemy had intended to catch us off-guard while we slept. There was no need for them to hide inside the guesthouse. The problem was, in this small village of very few households, it was impossible to know how many would appear.

A heavy silence enveloped our party.

"One of the members reports sensing a thick scent of blood in a remote area."

A member returned from their search to quietly report to the master. It meant there were already victims.

"Sigh. To think there are those who commit such high crimes against heaven. And it doesn't seem to be their first time judging by the skill involved."

The master's voice carried a suppressed anger upon hearing of the blood scent.

"What are you planning to do?"

"We could find the innkeeper right now, break his neck, and be on our way."

"Night is approaching. It would be problematic if we were pursued."

I do not doubt the might of the Sacheon family, but we do not know the number of enemies. If a pursuit were to happen on a dark night, it could be risky not for the family members but for me.

"We could also pretend nothing happened and leave as planned. It would require some acting skills, but if you're worried, why not take the lead?"

"Hmm."

"Under normal circumstances, we would indeed punish those who commit such outrageous acts. But we're in the midst of a mission. Moreover, we're escorting two guests who must be protected."

The master shot me a glance that seemed to suggest this was all on me.

Throwing the ball in my court in the midst of this situation.

Right. The poison tester Dang Hwa Rin, and the illegitimate child of the family head, Kang Yun Ho. Indeed, both must be safely delivered to the Sacheon family. Prioritizing the safety of the guests in such a case is unquestionably the rational approach.

All the members of the disciplinary branch were quietly observing me, waiting for my opinion.

What should we do? If a blood scent has been detected, it means we're not the first here. There could be future victims. However, do we need to risk ourselves to deal with this?

By simply turning my head, it ceases to be my concern. Just because I have the power to deal with it doesn't mean I must use it.

In an instant, my days wandering the Central Plains, gripping my hungry stomach as a foreigner with black hair, flashed before my eyes.

What am I thinking about? There's only one thing that needs to be said in this situation.

"Turning away when one has the power to act is injustice, and to remain silent upon witnessing evil is to be complicit with it."

You're the so-called righteous factions, aren't you? If you ignore this, you might as well tear off your badge of righteousness. Why ask such a thing?

I faced the master, preparing to be critiqued for making a naive decision without understanding what truly matters.

But contrary to my expectations, the master was smiling at me with pride.

The other members who had been paying attention to me also nodded quietly with smiles on their faces.

"Yes, indeed. As pillars of the righteous path, we cannot overlook such actions."

Without shedding his proud expression, the master spoke loudly enough for the others to hear. At his words, all the members nodded.

"We'll wait until nightfall. Everyone, enter your rooms."

We went to our rooms to prepare for the individuals who intended to ambush us in the night.

--------------

"How did you realize it?"

Why am I sharing a room with the master of discipline, of all people? Ignoring Hwarin and the other members, the master looked at me and inquired.

"Predators might dismiss the rustling in the bushes as nothing, but the deer that feed on grass are always attuned to such sounds. I felt an anomaly. Paying attention revealed the incongruities. That's all there is to it."

Because the main menu had noodles and dumplings. I avoided admitting the actual reason by giving a roundabout answer.

"Upstarts on the martial path think they are predators, letting their guard down. In contrast, you exhibit admirable caution and sharp intuition."

Why praise me all of a sudden? I thought my skin might crawl with unease from the unexpected praise that differed from the hostility you've shown before.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Maybe he's trying to befriend me before we get closer to Sacheon Province.

"Of course, everyone would have realized it once the food was served."

Chuckling dismissively, the master implied that my realization was unnecessary. I thought he was praising me sincerely for a moment.

"If someone did well, it's good to prai—"

"Even so. Your recent words reminded me of someone from my younger days."

He cut me off mid-sentence, his voice taking on a tone infused with nostalgia. Was he talking about the family head?

"Living as a barbarian with black hair in the Central Plains, I encountered countless injustices. I've seen too many people turn away despite having the strength not to. I resolved that if I were ever in the opposite situation, I would not turn away so easily."

"Living according to chivalry and justice, those are beautiful concepts. But in Jianghu, helping one person often angers ten others."

"It is because they can bear the weight that they are considered venerable and righteous factions."

The master appeared a bit surprised by my response, his eyes widening slightly. He looked at my face with a sense of longing, as if searching for someone within me.

Perhaps it's something he's heard before, long ago.

"Indeed, you're right. Nonetheless, one can't simply carry out one's own justice without looking around. If such a person exists, they need someone by their side who isn't afraid to voice unpleasant truths."

With a bitter expression, the master lowered his head. Maybe he was referring to his own experiences.

"For someone making such a point, the master seems to have a rather good reputation."

"Haha, you are quite cheeky. Even if someone has to voice their dissatisfaction with me, as a member of the righteous factions, I have strived to act without shame."

Was it because I praised him? His response, calling me cheeky, lacked the hostility I had grown accustomed to.

"Yun Ho, start getting ready. The sleeping incense is coming up."

It seemed the time had come. Hwarin, who had been on guard by the door, informed me that the smoke meant to induce unconsciousness was rising.

I covered my mouth with cloth and quietly waited for the right moment, making use of the technique Hwarin had taught me to expel the poisonous air.

-------------------------

A couple of hours past midnight, by my estimation, noisy activity started downstairs along with the sound of the guesthouse door opening.

"Brother! These Sacheon family guys are nothing special, right?"

"The medicine we've used this time can't even be bought with money! They should all be sound asleep by now."

"Let's go see whether the Sacheon family's blood is purple or red."

Their triumphant voices ended there.

"How—how is this possible?"

Because all the disciplinary branch members had emerged from their rooms.

"How dare you use poison before the great Sacheon family. Such vanity is laughable."

"Brother, it—it seems like we're screwed? Aaah!"

"There is only one reason to be awake at this late hour. Eradicate them all."

The master raised his hand, deciding the grim fate of the malevolent bandits.

"Please, have mercy!"

"I can't breathe!"

"It's itching! It's itching so much! It hurts!"

"Ugh!"

The defeat was so one-sided. It was practically a clean sweep.

As faint dawn began to illuminate the dark night outside the window, the screams from outside ceased.

There were many bodies. Stepping out of the guesthouse, the dead lay around us, their cause of demise indiscernible in the nighttime chaos, perhaps attributed to overwork.

"Report the casualties."

The master was receiving reports amidst the bodies.

"We have several with minor injuries, but no serious casualties! Since we used a lot of hidden weapons and poison, we can just restock in the next town."

The master nodded and then lifted up the innkeeper we'd seen earlier by his collar as if to finish things off.

"Your wicked deeds end here."

Ah, that's pretty cool. Like something out of a fighting game, announcing to a defeated foe. Surely he isn't about to perform a fatality is he? I'm not too good with gore.

In the midst of this, the innkeeper spat out an unexpected response, not showing any trace of fear.

"Damn it. Just because we specialize in medicine, they say we're weak! You can never trust these righteous faction bastards. Screw them all."

"What are you talking about?"

What's this guy saying? His words suggest this wasn't a chance encounter—they were targeting us. But why?

"What do you mean, damn it? Do you think we're stupid enough to attack you guys? Caught up in some shitty family feud—Arggh!"

Suddenly, a hidden weapon flew through the air and pierced the man's throat.

"Who's there!"

The master and the disciplinary branch members all turned towards the direction the weapon had come from.

From a place yet untouched by the light of dawn, figures clad in black, their faces covered, were walking towards us.

This doesn't bode well. People in black garb with their faces covered.

The figures stopped at a distance, and from among them, a man with purple hair, not covering his face, approached confidently.

"It's been a while, master of discipline."

"You—why are you here?"

Even with the master's voice laced with surprise, the man continued to approach us unabated.

The face of a woman seemed to occupy the man's focus as dawn's light began to fall upon him.

Although I had never seen this man before, his was a face I had heard of all too well.

The man Hwarin had spoken about with such fury.

The man with the body of a tiger but the deceitful nature of a viper.

"Why do you think? I've come to reclaim what I put so much effort into crafting."

It was Dang Geo Ho.