C 429
Ji Moo-hyeong's mind was a mess.
He didn't know what to say when he looked at Pyo Wol's face.
He had never imagined that Pyo Wol, who had been hired as a temporary guard, was such a terrifying martial artist.
If Pyo Wol had harboured a grudge, the company's escort would have been annihilated in no time.
It was unbelievable that they had hired such a formidable expert as a temporary guard.
Ji Moo-hyeong didn't dare to look directly at Pyo Wol's face.
Pyo Wol spoke to Ji Moo-hyeong.
"Leave as soon as things are settled."
"Yes! I will do that."
Although he wasn't Pyo Wol's subordinate, Ji Moo-hyeong replied politely.
Pyo Wol turned and went back to his seat.
"Let's go together, brother!"
Do Yeonsan followed him.
"Phew!"
Ji Moo-hyeong breathed a sigh of relief only after they were far away.
He stood like a statue for a moment, trying to clear his mind.
When his thoughts became clear, he shouted.
"Workers, hurry up and take care of the dead and injured."
"Yes!"
"Guards, tie up the remaining thieves who are still alive and load them onto the cart. We're going to hand them over to the authorities of the nearby town, so tie them up tight."
"Understood."
"And collect all the horses the thieves rode. We'll sell them at the market as well."
"Yes!"
His subordinates replied and set to work.
A single horse was worth almost as much as a house.
And there were over a hundred.
They were all well trained and could be sold for a huge profit.
Ji Moo-hyeong had no intention of keeping the money from selling the horses. He planned to give all the money to Pyo Wol.
Since Pyo Wol had subdued all the thieves, the money made from selling the stolen property also belonged to Pyo Wol.
Never offend him.
Moments ago, Seo Gun-hwi had been the top priority, but now everything had changed.
Pyo Wol and Do Yeonsan were the people he had to prioritise now.
That didn't mean that he wouldn't take care of Seo Gun-hwi. But he would inevitably fall down the priority list.
If the Ghost Sword Manor was a local figurehead, Pyo Wol was a top martial artist known throughout Kangho.
It was clear who should be given more attention.
"Hurry up. We'll sleep outside again tonight."
"Yes!"
At his urging, the warriors and workers of the trading company moved even more eagerly.
As a result, they were able to get everything done and leave in less than two hours.
The people on the road were silent.
Without saying a word, the warriors of the trading company and the warriors of the Ghost Sword Manor kept their mouths shut.
Even the captured thieves joined in, causing the group of well over a hundred people to move along in silence. No one breathed out loud, which made it all the more strange.
Pyo Wol was at the centre of it all.
Both the warriors of the trading company and the warriors of the Ghost Sword Manor were watching Pyo Wol's every move. However, Pyo Wol himself sat in the back of the wagon with his eyes closed.
If Pyo Wol had spoken, the atmosphere would have been much brighter, but his silence made it even heavier.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before they saw a city.
When Ji Moo-hyeong arrived in the city, he rented a whole inn. Then, with the thieves in custody, he was on his way to the authorities.
Pyo Wol and Do Yeonsan were given the best rooms.
Since they knew Pyo Wol's identity, they couldn't treat him like the other guards. Besides, they were indebted to Pyo Wol. It was only natural that he should be given the biggest and best room.
Pyo Wol didn't refuse and accepted their hospitality.
As soon as they entered the room, Do Yeonsan said,
"Brother, there's a well outside. I'll wash up first."
"Alright!"
As soon as Pyo Wol gave permission, Do Yeonsan rushed to the well.
His body was also covered in blood from the fight with the thieves.
It was better for those who were defeated by Pyo Wol.
That's because Pyo Wol had defeated them with minimal injuries. On the other hand, the condition of those defeated by Do Yeonsan was miserable.
This was because Do Yeonsan's control of his power wasn't perfect yet.
He tried to control it to some extent, but even the minimal injuries were severe.
As a result, his body was covered with a lot of blood.
Do Yeonsan stripped off his clothes and drew water from the well to wash the blood off his body.
There was no blood on Pyo Wol's body.
He didn't look like someone who had been in a fierce fight.
Pyo Wol took out the tea set on the table while he looked around the room.
He put water on the stove and prepared the tea.
Pyo Wol waited for the water to boil.
That's when it happened.
Knock, knock!
Someone knocked at his door.
"It's me, Seo Gun-hwi. Can I come in for a moment?"
"Come in."
When Pyo Wol gave permission, Seo Gun-hwi opened the door and entered.
His face clearly showed a mixture of complex emotions.
He bowed to Pyo Wol and said,
"Thank you for your help, Grandmaster Pyo."
It was a difficult sentence for him to say.
Seo Gun-hwi's pride was sky high.
It was the first time he had ever shown such humility to anyone.
But since he had received help, he had to express his gratitude.
In Kangho, even the smallest favours were not overlooked. It was the law of Kangho to repay any help received, even if it hurt one's pride.
"If it wasn't for your help, I would have been out of luck. I will definitely repay this favour".
"You don't have to pay me back. I didn't really want to help you."
"Nevertheless, I must express my gratitude properly."
"Then do as you wish."
"May I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Why did you conceal your identity? If you'd told me from the beginning, I wouldn't have made any mistakes in etiquette."
"I didn't want to be bothered."
"Was that the only reason?"
"Do you think there's another reason?"
"Was that the only reason?"
"Do you think there's another reason?"
At Pyo Wol's counter question, Seo Gun-hwi bit his lip.
After a moment's hesitation, he said something he shouldn't have.
"Did you feel superior? You are already at the top of the Kangho, and you were laughing inwardly as you watched a clueless novice like me act as if I knew everything, weren't you?"
Pyo Wol's look was full of contempt.
It was a common reaction from young martial artists who didn't know the height of the sky and thought they were the best.
That's when it happened.
"Yes, I laughed at you."
Do Yeonsan walked in and said the words.
He was still wet and wearing only his trousers.
Seo Gun-hwi's eyes became sharp.
"What did you just say?"
"I said I laughed, not him... me."
"How dare you..."
"How dare what? Is your pride so important?"
"Watch your words."
"You people are always like that. You value your pride so much, but you never care about the feelings of those who seem less capable than you."
"You..."
"Did my brother blatantly ignore you? It was you who ignored him. So why are you acting like you're the one who's been hurt? Is this the pride of a respectable family?"
Do Yeonsan was harsh.
His voice turned into a dagger that pierced Seo Gun-hwi's heart.
Seo Gun-hwi's lips quivered, but he couldn't think of any excuses.
Do Yeonsan's criticism made him think deeply.
Seo Gun-hwi closed his eyes and tried to calm his emotions.
When his feelings were somewhat settled, he opened his eyes and spoke.
"I'm sorry. I was short-sighted. What's your name?"
"My name is Do Yeonsan."
"Right, Do Yeonsan. Thank you for enlightening me. I apologise, Grandmaster Pyo. I have committed a breach of etiquette."
"It's okay!"
"Thank you. I promise there won't be any such incidents in the future. Please rest comfortably."
Seo Gun-hwi bowed to Pyo Wol again and left the room.
Bang!
As the door closed, Do Yeonsan commented.
"At least he doesn't flaunt his pride thoughtlessly."
"He seems to have some sense."
"That's right."
Do Yeonsan looked disappointed.
If Seo Gun-hwi had become angry and attacked, he would have been ready for a fight.
His self-confidence was at an all-time high after acquiring the power of the Ghost King.
He didn't have the ambition to make a name for himself. But he wanted to fight with all his might at least once. However, he couldn't force a fight with someone who had already left the room.
He changed his expression and asked Pyo Wol,
"Brother, aren't you going to wash up?"
"I will."
Pyo Wol got up and walked to the well.
In the restaurant on the first floor of the guesthouse, members of the Great Pearl Merchants and workers gathered in groups of three or five to eat.
Pyo Wol's intervention had saved their lives, but their expressions were not very cheerful. Many of their colleagues had been killed or injured.
There weren't many people who drank alcohol even when it was in front of them.
Normally, they would have boasted loudly about their martial arts exploits that day. But today, not a single person raised his voice.
The same was true for the martial artists of Ghost Sword Manor.
Sitting at a single table, the martial artists of Ghost Sword Manor were silently sharing cups of alcohol instead of talking.
Their faces showed their complicated thoughts.
Seo Gun-hwi did not come out of his room at all, and Seo Yul-hee felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere and kept her mouth shut.
It was then.
Thud!
With the sound of footsteps, two people appeared.
The moment they confirmed their identities, the already quiet restaurant was enveloped in silence.
They were none other than Pyo Wol and Do Yeonsan.
The martial artists of the Great Pearl Merchants and the Ghost Sword Manor held their breath and stared at them.
The two looked around for a moment before sitting down at an empty seat.
"What would you like to order?"
The server asked carefully.
Being perceptive, he realised that the atmosphere was not normal and that Pyo Wol and Do Yeonsan were at the centre of it. So he couldn't help but be more polite when addressing Pyo Wol.
Pyo Wol replied,
"Bring me whatever everyone else is having."
"What about alcohol?"
"No need."
"So you're just eating? I understand. Please wait a moment and I'll bring it to you."
The waiter bowed to Pyo Wol and ran towards the kitchen.
Do Yeonsan looked around and said,
"The atmosphere is cool."
"Indeed."
"Ah, it's tiring!"
Do Yeonsan exaggeratedly rubbed his shoulders with both hands.
It was at that moment.
"Can I sit here?"
Seo Yul-hee approached and asked before they knew it.
Do Yeonsan smiled and offered a chair.
"Of course."
"Thank you."
Seo Yul-hee quickly sat down.
"What about your brother?"
"He hasn't come out of his room."
"Really?"
"He must have been quite shocked because of someone."
Seo Yul-hee looked at Pyo Wol.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes!"
"Unexpected. But he is your brother, right?"
"My brother is someone who has never experienced failure. He thinks he's the hero who makes the world go round. That's why he's so cold to people who aren't him. If someone doesn't meet his standards, he tends not to see them as a person. So it's OK for him to experience failure once. That way, he can objectively re-evaluate himself.
Seo Yul-hee's words were sharp.
Do Yeonsan found Seo Yul-hee fascinating.
Seo Yul-hee didn't like her brother very much.
Although it is said that there aren't many close siblings in the world, Do Yeonsan loved his sister very much.
Her death made him furious, and he stained the Taeho region with blood.
He tried his best not to involve unrelated people, but undoubtedly some innocent people lost their lives.
It was a sin he had to bear until his death.
The reason for committing such a sin was his sister and family.
Do Yeonsan raised the teacup in front of him and said,
"Be good to your brother."
"Huh?"
"Because having him is much better than not having him at all."