《Sword Fanatic Wanders Through The Night》 CH 1 In a fog so thick that you could not even see that there were people from the outside, Two twins with the same face, but their clothes and atmosphere were completely different, so anyone could easily tell them apart. The man in the black robe was called Dokma (Venom), but his mood was dark, and the man in the white robe was called Ui-seon (Medical Immortal), and he had an atmosphere like a bachelor. It could be said that even though the face is the same, the atmosphere of the face changed depending on the field in which he studied throughout his life. Among them, the venom demon drank black tea of an unknown identity and then spoke bluntly to the disciple. ¡°Hassan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you sure. After only 12 years of training¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick of poison, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°no.¡± The poison demon spoke while his eyes were closed. ¡°You will become involved in the affairs of powerful experts if you attend to Heukdo. In reality, it is better for people to live peacefully in an area with beautiful mountains and fresh water. Like us¡­ ¡­ .¡± While the master talked, the student, Jin So-han paid attention to his facial expressions. That wasn¡¯t about what the venom demon said. Because Master Venom Demon was a troublemaker who started off young. However, the poison demon always converses in this manner, so the student was not alarmed. ¡°Master, the original saying is that we are allowed to go back to our hometown every four years (the disciples) .I ¡®ve been here for 12 years. Think of it as a vacation,¡± The venom demon snorted. ¡°Vacation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you believe the swordsmanship school you formerly attended will remain or exist on the Black Island?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to check.¡± ¡°¡±You won¡¯t find anyone there that must have been smashed long ago. There were a lot of beautiful women, weren¡¯t they?¡±¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The show was also quite popular. right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡±The Sword Dance may have been destroyed if the Black Sword Breakers had charged in. They would murder the males and sexually assault the women. I believe the Gates of Blood or the Gates of Judo were responsible.¡± Jin So-han¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Yes. It is possible.¡± ¡°Ah, are you saying that you are expecting that much?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡± As the venom demon waited for an answer, Jin So-han calmly said. ¡°I am twenty-six this year.¡± ¡°Know.¡± I was with you for twelve years, but fourteen of those were spent with the Sword Dance group that raised me as an orphan.If there is a favor, I will repay it, and if there is a grudge, I will repay it. ¡° When Jin So-han responded with a serious expression, the venom demon smirked. ¡°You should know that your martial arts aren¡¯t finished yet¡­ ¡­ .¡± Jin So-han said with a smile. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t complete, is the disciple of the venom demon easy to deal with?¡± At the disciple¡¯s words, the poison devil snorted at him. ¡°What do you say? you are not like us. If you think that you can beat many of Kangho¡¯s masters just because you have unusual physical regeneration, you are mistaken.¡± Uisun, who had been silent, added a word. ¡°I¡¯d rather send you to an area ruled by the orthodox faction¡­ ¡­ Isn¡¯t your hometown the realm of the Black Island?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think Venom was accurate in his judgment. There will be a lot of blood when you leave. Are you continuing?.¡± Jin So Han persisted until the very end. His answer was also simple. ¡°Yes. If still is even one person alive, I will repay him the disciple¡¯s grace.¡± Poison Horse and Eui-Sun clicked their tongues at the same time. ¡°Tt¡­ ¡­ .¡± At Jin So-han¡¯s words, the venom demon sighed. Since he was a disciple who had been with him since childhood, he couldn¡¯t get a sense of what Kangho was looks like . Jin Su Han wanted to get out of the arms of his masters. Gentlemen¡­ ¡­the Poison Demon in particular, the Poison Demon did not belong to the class of ordinary people. If he was a normal person, he wouldn¡¯t confirm the effectiveness of the poison by poisoning Jinsohan without any sympathy. He got tired of being poisoned and treated, over and over again. so much so that he hated his regeneration power. The deadly poison gradually turned Jin Su Han¡¯s eyes red. He was pleased to have learned martial arts, but every time he was used as a test subject, he had to put up with suffering that was too much for him to handle. Of course, thanks to that, it wasn¡¯t a full blowout, but it was a situation where it was Naturally, he was able to master the Thousand Poison Technique as a result of that. but, He doubted how long his body would last, though. ¡®I want to go back.¡¯ Whether it¡¯s Hasan, Kanghochuldo, or returning home¡­ ¡­ It didn¡¯t matter. Jin So-han wanted to go out to the outside world. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if his masters, who are trying to create eternal members, sacrificed him at any point if he continued here. The attachment between them had grown over the last 12 years, so it was good that venom demon was now willing to listen to his narrative. How much effort did Jin So-han put in for such a relationship? The effort was due to the desire to return home one day. Also, Jin So-han knew more than anyone that venom demon had to leave soon. All the poison and herbal ingredients have run out¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Since they are not ordinary masters, they will have to search the world to find rare medicinal herbs. Feeling that the student¡¯s decision was not normal, the poison demon sighed and said. ¡°Your stubbornness is not possessed by anyone else¡­¡­ After a long time, let me hear your bullshit (fake stories) for once.¡± Jin So-han responded positively. nonsense gossip. ¡°Okay, from now on, the disciple will tell a story again.¡± Frankly, this is a lie. In other words, it was a diverse talent he had learned from a young age in the dance group, but the master saw Jin Soo Han¡¯s talent and gave him the name Heo Eun Shin Gong. In short, it was lying. The two masters rejoiced every time the disciple spread the false rumors. Jin So Han changed his expression and smoothed out his voice to spread the lie. Ma-sun didn¡¯t care whether the disciple¡¯s words were true or false. It was because they were unique men who would believe them if they were fun and interesting, and would consider them a lie if they were boring. Jin So-han, who had organized his thoughts, continued his speech. ¡°Actually, my body hasn¡¯t been like this since I was born.¡± ¡°That sounds funny.¡± When Ma-seon¡¯s eyes started to shine brightly, So-han Jin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a good start¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Jin So-han responded with a serious expression. ¡°Even if I had told the truth, it was so vain that both Masters would not have believed it.¡± Eui-sun dazzled his eyes with an innocent expression, as if he would unconditionally believe the words of his disciple. Uisun had a completely different personality from his venom demon . Of course, they were similar in terms of being nerdy. Jin So Han continued his speech. ¡°It is said that I was born in a dye shop that was doing business on Jungang-daero on Seoheuk-ro. I lost my parents and joined the sword dance group. ¡° ¡°I already know that.¡± At Dokma¡¯s words, Jin So-han continued. ¡°Actually, there was a peach tree in the corner of the wide dance hall used by the swordsman.¡± ¡°Peach tree?¡± ¡°What about the peach tree? Jin So-han¡¯s words continued. I ate most of the most delicious peaches on that tree. because I was hungry and I knew exactly when it was open and when it was the best. But one year the peach tree smelt strangely fragrant and sweet. A golden peach, which had a completely different color from the other peaches, hung high on the tree, and no matter how hard I hit it with a branch, it did not fall. I specifically called it Son Goku Peach. In any case, it was untouched, so I was just watching, but one day, a strange-looking snake, with his head in it, was dangling from the peach of Son Goku.¡± The venom demon was surprised. If he was a rare snake, Jin So-han looked at Dokma¡¯s expression and continued speaking quickly. ¡°I knew it as soon as I saw it. That snake got drunk while eating my Son Goku¡¯s peaches¡­ ¡­ After a while, the snake fell to the ground¡­ ¡­!¡± ¡°it fell! What happened?¡± Jin So-han paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°What do you mean he has two heads? Masters, is there such a case?¡± At this time, the vnom demon raised his voice. ¡°The lie has reached its peak.¡± Eui-sun added positive comments. ¡°It¡¯s two-headed. One of a kind¡­It is definitely a spirit creature that exists. ¡° A poisonous devil clicked his tongue. ¡°If it actually existed, it would have produced the greatest poison in the history of Kang-ho, which is a pity.¡± Jin So Han continued his words without a break. ¡°Anyway, the two-headed body was strangely transparent. One head was red and the other was golden. ¡° ¡°It¡¯s not a normal two-headed creature,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the name. Anyway, I was angry that he ate the Son Goku peach that I wanted to eat from later. Usually, when I was hungry, I often caught a snake and roasted it, so I took out a knife and cut off the drunken snake¡¯s two heads¡­ ¡­ .¡± When Dokma¡¯s pupils shook, Jin So-han¡¯s words changed. ¡°I grabbed the part I could and went to the kitchen. It was early, so there wasn¡¯t anybody there. After boiling water in a pot, I thought about how to eat this bastard. But there was no need to cook.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡®Is it true that snakes that are close to spiritual creatures have inner ends? I came here to learn that. ¡° ¡°right.¡± ¡°The two heads that ate the peaches from Son Goku threw up their inner pods for whatever reason.The inner tier is red and golden, but the problem is that the tier also smells like a deep peach, no? It seemed that something was wrong with the twins eating the Son Goku peaches. ¡° Even though it wasn¡¯t a big deal, Dokma and Uiseun each had a point, so they swallowed their saliva. Ironically, one person thought of extreme poison, and the other person thought of an extremely effective elixir. The venom demon asked ¡°So what do you mean?¡± Jin So-han suddenly slowed the pace of what he was saying. ¡°After eating this inner altar, will you absorb the energy of the elixir that will never exist in heaven?¡± ¡°Of course I should have eaten! Master detoxifies¡­ ¡­ Ah, that was the time when I hadn¡¯t met you.¡± ¡°Yes. Anyway, I closed my eyes and decided to eat. The reason I was able to gamble was because I believed that the poisons of the red and golden inner altars were neutralized by the effect of the magical peach. I swallowed them both immediately. ¡° ¡°Oh, you did really well.¡± As Dokma nodded, Uisun also hurriedly asked for the next story. ¡°So what happened?¡± Jin So-han paused for a moment. It was because he learned through performance that he should take his own breath when telling a story. CH 2 The venom demon made an impression. ¡°Ah, why are you taking a breath right now? Come on tell me.¡± Uisun was quietly speaking, but he was curious as well. ¡°So, how did your body react?¡± Jin So-han shook his head and said, as if recalling his past. I slept for three days . I had a very long dream. I don¡¯t remember exactly what it was. On the third day, I woke up and my body felt really light. That¡¯s it. I wasn¡¯t hungry and was full of energy. Just because I slept for three days, my nickname in the Sword Dance Sect has become the sleepy since that day.¡± ¡°How old were you?¡± ¡°I was thirteen.¡± Eui-sun praised the disciple¡¯s courage. ¡°Great. Good job. ¡° The venom demon, on the other hand, was still smiling in doubt. ¡°It was fun. The nonsense is getting deeper day by day.¡± Anyway, the story was fun, to the point where it sounded real. Inevitably, Jin Soo Han knew very well what kind of stories his masters liked. Jin So-han responded cautiously. ¡°Thank you. Master¡­ ¡­ .¡± Jin So-han was always sincere while spreading lies. No matter how absurd the story was, the most important thing was the sincerity of the person telling the story. Anyway, Jin Soo Han is from a performance troupe. Changing hand movements, tone of voice, and tone of speech has been something he has practiced since he was a child. Jin So-han was able to spread false rumors in a realistic manner as if they were true. While the two masters laughed and rejoiced, Jin So-han suddenly put his hands on his chest and bowed his head, followed by a more serious tone than before. ¡°Actually, the story I told you earlier¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s all true.¡± The venom demon snorted at Jin So-han¡¯s serious words. ¡°What did you say?¡± Eui-sun nodded his head. ¡°It must be true. I always believed in you. ¡° Jin So-han nodded his head. ¡°It is not a lie. The next year, the masters appeared at the concert hall and sprinkled chwimongsan (poison) on people. ¡° ¡°I did. It wasn¡¯t a poison that might harm a person¡¯s body. I was only testing it out with a small number of people. ¡°I know. In any case, it was then that I stood alone unaddicted without losing consciousness, and then I met the two of you. Thanks to that, I came to Masonru and received great blessings from the masters. ¡° The venom demon said with a wide smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me until now?¡± ¡°The story was so pretentious that you wouldn¡¯t believe it. And if you thought that I had a body capable of defending against basic poisons, you would probably have raised the level of the poison that you applied to me from the beginning. I was afraid. ¡° The venom demon put his hand on the disciple¡¯s shoulder and said with admiration. ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡­ You¡¯re a dragon. You¡¯re pretty good. ¡° ¡°I¡¯m sorry. And anyway, this time¡­ ¡­ . I was expecting the two masters to give me permission. That¡¯s why I decided to confess. ¡° the venom demon said ¡°What do you mean, you expected it?¡± ¡°Because both of you ran out of material at the same time. Usually, when one of you runs out of ingredients, don¡¯t you take turns visiting Kangho? This time you must go out together. While the two of you are looking for ingredients for medicinal herbs and poisons, it would be a good time to let me go back to my hometown.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s your first descent into the world.¡± Dokma (venom demon) and Uisun (primitive healer) nodded their heads. In retrospect, there was a mysterious side to Jin So-han¡¯s recovery ability to be dismissed as innate. No matter how good the medical skills of Eui-seon are¡­ ¡­ It was a remarkable thing that hid body could endure the poison of the venom demon for over ten years. And it was Jin So-han¡¯s ability to endure Chimong at a young age, which even the masters of Kang-ho had to endure by operating their own qi for a while. That¡¯s not all. Eui-seon¡¯s treatment technique worked really well for Jin So-han. To those who use poison and to those who use drugs, Jin So-Han is truly a heavenly body. The strange thing was that they did not ask again whether the story of the Peach Tree and the Two Heads was true or false. The two thought it was just that and moved on. Suddenly, Dokma and Uisun exchanged glances. ¡°Is this goodbye?¡¯ ¡®I guess so.¡¯ They were masters who were unable to express their actual emotions. * * * The venom demon said in a dull tone. ¡°Before you go down¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The venom demon held out two knives on the table. ¡°Take the twin moons in front of you.¡± His average height was longer than Jin Su Han¡¯s forearm. Each has the shape of a thin crescent moon, but when the ends of the handles are connected together, they become a strange moon sword. It was a weapon that was longer than a general long sword. It is a weapon that Venom Demon used when he was young. Jin So-han shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t get it.¡± The poison horse snorted his snort. I haven¡¯t used them for a long time. As you know, I have others¡­¡­¡± Poison is the venom demon¡¯s first choice, while acquiring weapons is his second. The venom demon said again. ¡°You will use them more often than I do. Remain quiet and take them. ohan Jin couldn¡¯t refuse anymore. ¡°All right. Then the disciple will use them well.¡± Eui-sun said as he held out his fan. ¡°Take this fan as well.¡± Uisun had no obsession with the fan in the first place. He was a master who had an affinity for herbs, tea, refreshments, and paintings. Jin So-han responded with joy from inside. ¡°okay. thank you.¡± the venom demon pulled out of his arms again and said: ¡°Take these dark needles also. You will find them quite helpful.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± An antidote, a golden potion, and even a large amount of money emerged from Eui-Seon¡¯s bosom. Seon¡¯s The two were taken aback by how their connection had changed¡ªhe was no longer a student but had become more of an adopted son. Eui-sun said with a sigh. ¡°Sohan-ah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what Poison Eamon thinks. Anyway, I¡¯ve been supporting your descent from the beginning. It¡¯s a miracle that you¡¯ve been with us for twelve years. It would be terrifying to hold on to you for much longer. ¡° ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Black bastard¡­ always be wary of them, whether they are nice, malicious, or weak. Because they are all crazy people. ¡° Jin So Han cleared his throat and lowered his head. ¡°All right.¡± However, the words of Eui-sun are not over yet. ¡°The white bastards also need to be careful of them. Because they are stubbornly crazy. ¡° Jin So-han responded while holding back his laughter. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Eui-sun nodded his head as he spoke. ¡°You will also meet demons if you go to the countryside.¡± ¡°yes.¡± ¡°These guys in particular, you need to be careful of them. They are somewhat different from black or white. They are just crazy animals.¡± ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡± When Eui-seon¡¯s words were roughly finished, the venom demon continued. ¡°The three of us have been hiding here for over ten years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It is impossible to know what kind of masters haf appeared in Kangho. The road to the peak is long and difficult. When you arrive at Heukto, you will have to measure your level and work carefully. Well, you¡¯ve been through quite a bit, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to it. ¡° ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± First of all, the two masters did not want to argue with Jin So-han because they understood that once he went, he would never return. The venom demon nodded his head. ¡°Go, do well. Take good care of you back.¡± It was a word with many meanings. It also meant not to damage the master¡¯s reputation, and it sounded like a saying to go and deal with those who offend you. However, the meaning of the phrase ¡°take good care of your back¡± was ambiguous. Because it sounded like a word with a meaning. Jin So-han thought about the meaning and bowed his head. ¡°yes.¡± Eui-sun said with a soft smile. ¡°I will listen to your news in Kangho.¡± Jin So-han, who finally realized that the masters¡¯ nagging was over, responded with a smile. ¡°All right.¡± Jin So-han made eye contact with the masters. They said no more. The farewell ended in their own way, and the bewildered Jin So-han hurriedly bowed down. It¡¯s time to leave the masters and go back to his hometown. Contrary to his expectations, Jin Su Han was feeling cold and sad. CH 3 Chapter 3 ¡°My hometown Heukdo.¡± On this particular night, the streets of Seoheuk-ro were quieter than usual. This area was Heukdo¡¯s territory, but it was also a place where even outsiders with hidden identities would come to buy illicit goods from the criminal underworld. The nearby Heukdo gangs were rougher and more dangerous than any other place, as a tremendous amount of wealth was exchanged in one night. Jin So-han looked around and muttered with a frustrated tone as he stood in front of a building with the sign ¡°Wolyaru¡±. ¡°They¡¯re gone. The Sword Sect¡­ they¡¯re gone.¡± It felt empty, like the twelve years he spent flowing like the wind, caught by his masters. The Sword Sect was made up of friends he grew up with and seniors who trained with him. ¡°Where could they have all gone?¡± The passing years felt cruel. He felt like he had come back too late. The people who would recognize and welcome him had all disappeared like smoke. It was a feeling similar to when he was an orphan. To him, the Sword Sect was like a family he had regained, but now it was gone. And that wasn¡¯t all. The landscape of Seoheuk-ro had completely changed. Buildings were denser than before, and the bustling crowds seemed to have multiplied by the hundreds. The fact that not a single person knew where the Sword Sect had gone made Jin So-han¡¯s heart ache. The word that attacked Jin So-han¡¯s heart was none other than ¡°Heukdo,¡± the criminal underworld. This was Heukdo¡¯s territory. Every building on the street exuded a dark energy. ¡°¡­The Sword Sect wouldn¡¯t have disappeared so suddenly like this.¡± Jin So-han instinctively raised his collar against the strong wind and looked across the street. Fortunately, the old Gye-dugakjan was still there, just as it had always been. Jin So-han brushed off the dirt on his shoes and went inside. Gye-dugakjan. This is a place where people who sell swords often gather. When a customer in unfamiliar clothing entered, the eyes of those who were avoiding the cold in the tavern turned to Jinsohan. Jinsohan¡¯s hat was pulled down deeply, so his eyes naturally drew attention. However, the reason why the people in the tavern were surprised was because of the clothing Jinsohan was wearing. Jinsohan was wearing a black cloak over his white clothes. Someone murmured, ¡°Black clothing?¡± ¡°Black clothing?¡± ¡°Little brother, are you in trouble?¡± ¡°What is this all about?¡± A man spoke abruptly to Jinsohan. ¡°Who are you to be wandering around at this time of night in such attire?¡± As Jinsohan looked around, the expressions of the people in the inn were all fierce. ¡°Oh, these must be the sword sellers. I forgot that black is forbidden here.¡± Jinsohan thought there was no need to answer and moved to an empty seat. There are no specific colors prohibited in the world. Especially when it comes to commonly used black. However, it had been a long time since anyone could wear black in a place where the black market had taken hold. ¡°Avoid wearing black clothes and painting your weapons black.¡± These words had been circulating openly for quite some time. Sometimes in life, there are strange and incomprehensible logics that take root in people¡¯s minds. For some inexplicable reason, black became the ideal color for knife fights in this area. Of course, it was abnormal. However, as the number of people who died from knife fights increased to an uncountable level, people began to naturally avoid black. Of course, this was not true for everyone. There were always exceptions in the world. Those who had power or were strong enough not to care about the local masters in this area could freely decorate themselves in black without any problem. There were also many challengers who deliberately wore black and appeared in the black market area to provoke conflicts. It was a time like that. Jin Sohan cleared his throat when he saw someone he knew approaching the checkpoint. To make matters worse, the person, Jeomsoui, had a knife on him. Only then did Jin Sohan realize that he was truly back in his hometown. ¡°Was his name Doh-gon¡­?¡± Anyway, it was nice to meet someone he knew. But he had no intention of pretending to know him right away. Judging by the gloomy atmosphere, it seemed like they should first communicate with their bodies rather than words. ******* Jin Sohan took off his cell. A handsome face with cool-looking features was revealed on his white skin. The neat face that didn¡¯t suit the blackness of Hukdo was making the people in the inn even more uncomfortable. Since they were always people who wielded swords and saw blood, they were often dissatisfied and picked fights over trivial matters. Sure enough, when Jin Sohan looked around again, everyone in the inn was not avoiding his gaze. ¡°Oh, it seems only the masters of staring contests have gathered here.¡± As Jin Sohan chuckled softly, the atmosphere in the inn brightened in an instant. Even those who were about to pick fights lost their momentum and regained their dignified expressions. ¡°Strange guy.¡± Jin So-han had groveled under the supervision of the masters called Ma-seon, but the third-class vagrants in the inn were surprised that they didn¡¯t even care about him. ¡°When they were members of the Geommu-dan, they looked quite intimidating, these swordsmen.¡± A man named Jo So-i, who was named Do-gon, approached Jin So-han and asked him, ¡°What can I get you?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Seeing that Jin So-han was speaking politely, he did not recognize him. It was inevitable, as Jin So-han had grown in size and changed from a boy to a young man. Jin So-han replied, ¡°Two dumplings, two eggs, and one bowl of noodle soup.¡± As he recited the most commonly ordered food in this place, Do-gon raised his head. ¡°¡­Have you been here before?¡± While looking at Dugon, Jinsohan deliberately spoke in banmal (informal language). ¡°I¡¯ve been here before.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± What caught Dugon¡¯s eye at that moment was Jinsohan¡¯s strange sword. But even the sword was completely black. Dugon¡¯s expression shook. ¡°Oh, this is going to be trouble.¡± Dugon asked urgently, trying to control his expression. ¡°Oh, um¡­ You don¡¯t drink, do you?¡± Jinsohan shook his head, and Dugon quickly turned around. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll prepare it.¡± Dugon sighed briefly, knowing that a fight was imminent, and headed for the kitchen. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the end of business today.¡± ***** As soon as Do-gon entered the kitchen, a middle-aged man from the guesthouse asked Jin-sohan. ¡°You¡¯re dark overall. Your knife sheath is black, and your gloves are also black. Clearly, you¡¯re from outside.¡± Jin-sohan retorted while looking at the middle-aged man with a red face from drinking. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m dark.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ this young man¡¯s way of speaking¡­ It¡¯s like the way they talk in a martial arts world. So, which world are you from? Seomun? Dokgo?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± As laughter erupted from the surroundings, the middle-aged man continued to speak, as if teaching Jin-sohan while looking at him with a stern gaze. ¡°Here, we accept black as a challenge itself. It¡¯s a story that¡¯s well known outside, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Jin-sohan looked into the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes and replied. ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t know, but I just forgot. However, I only have one set of clothes, so I can¡¯t help it. Please understand. I have no intention of causing trouble¡­¡± From Jinsohan¡¯s mouth came another falsehood, but her face was adorned with a fluttering smile. Didn¡¯t they say you can¡¯t spit on a smiling face? Furthermore, as the handsome young man with a cool smile, who was rarely seen in Seoheungro, grinned, it was the customers in the tavern who became awkward. Some even guessed that Jinsohan might be a master and kept their mouths shut. However, the middle-aged man had no intention of stopping his argument. ¡°Everyone here only has one outfit. Shouldn¡¯t you choose your colors more carefully? Fortunately, the uniform is white. Let¡¯s start by taking off that jacket and see.¡± Jinsohan continued to smile, ignoring the middle-aged man¡¯s argument. ¡°This is the outfit my master gave me. I can¡¯t just take it off.¡± The middle-aged man, who thought there might be something behind the word ¡°master,¡± took a step back and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? We don¡¯t give weapons to outsiders. It would be better to go back before daylight. If you walk around in that brand new outfit, a knife will pop out every time you pass an alley.¡± ¡°Weapons?¡± This is a common occurrence in the Black Market. When a faction wants to blatantly crush a certain place, they hire people like this. Jin Sohan replied calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for an ambush. Actually, this is my hometown. I came back after a long time.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s been a long time?¡± ¡°About 12 years¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a long time.¡± The middle-aged man looked at the man next to him and asked, ¡°Back then, the Black Market was also prohibited, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The middle-aged man looked back at Jin Sohan and asked, ¡°The entire Seoheukro is not a hometown. Where are you talking about if you say hometown?¡± Jin Sohan pointed outside the inn with his finger. ¡°I was born across from the Gedu Inn.¡± The middle-aged man replied with a laugh, ¡°Ah¡­ so you¡¯re from the Wol Ya Roo?¡± At the man¡¯s words, the people burst into laughter. ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha.¡± Being the child of a beggar meant that a fight was not an unusual situation. However, whenever Jin Sohan looked around, the laughter subsided one after another. Then, one quick-witted man carefully stood up, threw a few words to Dokgon, saying he had enjoyed his meal, and left with a thud as the door opened. At that moment, the atmosphere was strangely subdued. But Jin Sohan was still calm. Instead, he remembered the words of the leader of the Poisonous Horse Gang. ¡°The tongue is the problem. If you mix a pinch of paralysis powder made from the skin of a thick toad with a little bit of tea, it will start to harden from the tongue to the internal organs¡­¡± Translated to English: The words of the toxic horse sage were ringing in Jinsohan¡¯s ears. What could be the reason for thinking of the sage¡¯s words even after coming all the way here? Jinsohan spoke, trying to push thoughts of the sage out of his mind. ¡°The current location of Wol-ya-ru used to be the Hyun-wol Sword and Dance Troupe.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s expression changed in surprise. ¡°What? Hyun-wol Sword and Dance Troupe? Oh, you mean the Hyun-wol Dance Troupe.¡± Jinsohan corrected him with a stern expression. ¡°Hyun-wol Sword and Dance Troupe.¡± The man shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, whatever. You remember the sword and dance troupe¡­ It seems like you¡¯re still quite young. Oh, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve heard that name. Do you all remember?¡± His companions nodded their heads. ¡°Why can¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a place I miss. I think about it from time to time. Hehehe.¡± Jin So-han didn¡¯t miss the expressions of those who called themselves Muheedan. It was an expression of nostalgia, or perhaps of resentment and greed. Jin So-han looked at the forty men who had come to him and asked, ¡°Do you know about the Sword Dance Troupe?¡± The middle-aged man nodded vigorously. ¡°Do I know¡­ I miss it. I long for it!¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s expression was full of longing. Recognizing this, Jin So-han quietly stood up and pointed to the table opposite him, saying, ¡°Good. I¡¯ll treat you to a drink.¡± CH 4 Chapter 4: ¡°At the guesthouse¡± ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re going to buy alcohol?¡± At the middle-aged man¡¯s words, Jinsohan turned to face him with an expression that showed he wanted to hear news about the Geommudan. The middle-aged man laughed and got up, then sat down opposite Jinsohan. ¡°Young man, up close you¡¯re quite a handsome fellow.¡± The middle-aged man positioned his sword (daedo) at an angle next to the table so that he could quickly grab it. Jinsohan examined the handle of the daedo. The cloth wrapped around the handle was covered in stains, and there were bloodstains smeared all over it. When Jinsohan looked at the handle, the middle-aged man smiled faintly while looking at his own sword. ¡°Order some drinks first.¡± Jinsohan flicked his finger and looked at Jumsoui, who was looking around the place. ¡°Dokon, bring us a bottle of old liquor (noju) here.¡± When Jinsohan called out Jumsoui¡¯s name, everyone was surprised. The middle-aged man looked at Jinsohan. ¡°Oh? You know Dokon?¡± ¡°I saw him before.¡± ¡°Saw him before? What¡¯s your age and name, young man?¡± ¡°Jinsohan, I¡¯m twenty-six this year.¡± When Jumsoui carefully brought the food and old liquor that Dokon had ordered and placed them on the table, the middle-aged man intentionally asked Dokon. ¡°Dokon, how old are you this year?¡± ¡°What? My age is¡­.¡± The middle-aged man knew that Dokon was twenty-eight this year. He said to Dokon, ¡°Control your expression. Hmph¡­¡± When the middle-aged man raised his hand to hit Dokon, Dokon¡¯s expression suddenly crumpled and he pulled his head back, then went straight into the kitchen. The middle-aged man¡¯s brothers chuckled and laughed. This seemed to be a usual way they teased him. The middle-aged man turned his gaze to Jinsohan and spoke. ¡°Twenty-six¡­ are you from a martial arts school? You seem to be a disciple of a fairly well-known martial arts school¡­¡± The middle-aged man threw the question as if he were just trying to make conversation, but Jin Sohan shook his head in response. ¡°I don¡¯t belong to any martial arts school. Please enjoy the food and drink as a sign of my hospitality. I¡¯ll have the crab and tofu soup¡­¡± The middle-aged man nodded his head and swallowed his saliva. ¡°Sounds good. I won¡¯t decline.¡± As the middle-aged man began to eat his dumplings, Jin Sohan poured him a drink. Suddenly, the middle-aged man who had been closely examining Jin Sohan¡¯s gaze found that his dumpling wasn¡¯t going down his throat smoothly and seemed to be stuck. ¡°What¡­ this guy has a strange look in his eyes.¡± Jin Sohan¡¯s eyes had a light gray tint. The middle-aged man pounded his chest and downed the drink that Jin Sohan poured for him. In the midst of his coughing, the middle-aged man said, ¡°Little brother, your way of speaking is a bit off-putting, but you have some manners.¡± Then Jin Sohan replied politely instead. He also changed his tone to a more respectful one. ¡°If my manner of speaking bothered you, I apologize. By the way, I haven¡¯t heard of your esteemed name.¡± As Jin Sohan spoke politely, the middle-aged man¡¯s momentum was broken and he retorted. ¡°What do you mean by esteemed name¡­Oh Je-cheol, huh? By the way, it¡¯s really nice to meet someone who knows about the current month¡¯s dance troupe. The Muheedan was a famous group in our Seoheok-ro. You probably know it well too, little brother¡­¡± ¡°Please feel free to call me Jin-ah. And it¡¯s the current month¡¯s Sword and Dance Troupe.¡± ¡°Uh¡­right. The current month¡¯s Sword and Dance Troupe.¡± Oh Je-cheol didn¡¯t know, but the people in the room who were listening to the conversation realized that Oh Je-cheol¡¯s voice was getting quieter. As a result, Oh Je-cheol¡¯s brothers, who couldn¡¯t see Jin Sohan properly because of Oh Je-cheol¡¯s size, were making sour faces. ¡°Why is he like that?¡± ¡°Not like an older brother should be.¡± **** ??? was looking closely at Jinsohan again. He was handsome, but his eyes were clear and his posture, movements, and voice were very calm. Moreover, even the sword that was briefly visible at his waist emitted a cool atmosphere. Only then did Ojecheol realize how well Jinsohan and the Black Clothing Three matched. Ojecheol judged that it seemed impossible to harass or exploit the stranger as usual. He was naturally discouraged during the conversation. After swallowing his saliva once, Ojecheol spoke, ¡°The swordsmanship group was the dream of men like us.¡± ¡°Is that so? If it was a dream?¡± ¡°People said they were excellent with their bodies and beautiful appearance, so they were excellent in their swordsmanship.¡± When Jinsohan looked at Ojecheol at those words, Ojecheol was inadvertently avoiding eye contact. ¡®Ah¡­ This isn¡¯t going to work.¡¯ He felt that something was wrong. After putting the cold noodles that came out late in front of Jinsohan, Jinsohan stirred the noodles with his chopsticks and then put them in the broth. ??? asked cautiously, ¡°Are you perhaps affiliated with the Geommu-dan (Sword Dance Troupe)?¡± ¡°No, I am not,¡± replied Jin-sohan softly. Perceiving Jin-sohan¡¯s expression, Oh-jechul asked, ¡°Then, how do you know about the current Geommu-dan?¡± ¡°There were a few dyeing houses next to the Geommu-dan. When you mentioned ¡®Wol-ya-ru,¡¯ you were referring to the building story. Wol-ya-ru now occupies the place where the Geommu-dan and dyeing houses used to be. Do you remember the dyeing houses?¡± Continuing to speak politely and denying any connection with the Geommu-dan, Jin-sohan gave Oh-jechul some courage to respond enthusiastically, ¡°Ah! I forgot that there were dyeing houses. Oh, that¡¯s a relief!¡± What was fortunate about this? As the conversation progressed, Oh-jechul¡¯s words followed that he had thought Jin-sohan was a son of a dyeing house owner in the past. ¡°Do you know about the Hwaeomun?¡± Jin Sohan nodded his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The Hwaeomun tried to take over the Geommudan. They wanted to consume everything, the Geommudan¡¯s spicy income, their women, and even the orphans they raised. They even forced them to perform in their underwear.¡± ¡°Perform in their underwear and do a sword dance?¡± Jin Sohan was at a loss for words and took another drink. During the Geommudan¡¯s performances, there was a trick where they cut each other¡¯s clothes off. However, they usually wore underwear underneath, but it seemed that the Hwaeomun demanded that they take that off as well. Of course, the Geommudan would not tolerate such interference. Jin Sohan was becoming bitter because what the monks were saying was so accurate. O Jecheol continued to speak. ¡°The Geommudan wasn¡¯t a gentle group either. At that time, the Hwaeomun didn¡¯t yet have complete control over the Seoheungro area¡­ so the enraged Geommudan and the Hwaeomun clashed from time to time.¡± At those words, Jin Sohan thought of the leader of the Geommudan. She was a woman with a truly commanding personality. Is she still alive¡­? Jin Sohan was curious, but he didn¡¯t show it and instead led Oh Jecheol¡¯s story. ¡°I remember that the Geommudan suffered a lot too. Still, how could they have endured the Haehyeolmun?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It would have been good for the Geommudan to just obediently step aside when Haehyeolmun reached out their hand.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t Haehyeolmun not forcefully push their way through? As far as I know, there were quite a few places that helped the Geommudan.¡± ¡°Where were these people who so readily opposed Haehyeolmun? Haehyeolmun sent one of their unarmed men to the Geommudan, as usual. But as soon as he stepped inside the entrance of the Geommudan, he started vomiting blood and died. The dead man probably took the poison Haehyeolmun gave him without even realizing it. Then the war broke out. It was Haehyeolmun¡¯s typical tactic.¡± Jin Sohan retorted with a calm expression. ¡°They made seven people suffer from a despicable tactic.¡± Oh Jecheol nodded in agreement. ¡°At that time, there was a man who liked a woman from the Sword Dance Group. He was someone who ran a military office and brought fifty men to support the Sword Dance Group. However, they couldn¡¯t handle the Blood Sect. The Sword Dance Group was covered in the blood of those men.¡± Jin Sohan nodded and raised his bottle of alcohol. ¡°Such a thing¡­please have another drink.¡± As O Jecheol swallowed his drink, he remembered the past. ¡°Everyone who had some connection to the Sword Dance Group left. It must have been too difficult to handle.¡± ¡°Did everyone from the Sword Dance Group die at that time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Some of the women who were taken away by the men and even the women who the Blood Sect leader had his eyes on were left alone. The women who were especially beautiful in the Sword Dance Group were probably taken by the Blood Sect leader.¡± O Jecheol was now telling Jin Sohan about the before and after of the Sword Dance Group in great detail. He seemed to know more than Jin Sohan had expected. Perhaps it was because he had frequented the nearby inn for a long time. However, O Jecheol was becoming increasingly uncomfortable under Jin Sohan¡¯s gaze. ¡®Is he a mage¡­ with his attire and all. Ah, the more we talk about this, the stranger I feel. I should stop here.¡¯ As Oh Je-cheol tried to stand up from his seat, Jin So-han let out a sigh and muttered, ¡°Anyway¡­the Hwehyeolmunju is still a son of a bitch, even now.¡± Oh Je-cheol¡¯s brothers were the most sensitive to this remark. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Hehe, listen to the kid¡¯s tone.¡± Oh Je-cheol¡¯s brothers were the first to become agitated. Naturally, the people in the tavern became quiet. Of course, they were not members of the Hwehyeolmun, but there were not many people around who could curse the Hwehyeolmunju. Jin So-han deliberately provoked the rough prayers with one word. Oh Je-cheol, who was already crestfallen, forced a smile and quieted down the noise. ¡°It¡¯s noisy. Quiet¡­quiet!¡± As Oh Je-cheol¡¯s brothers looked bewildered, he spoke as if he was concerned about Jin So-han. ¡°Little brother, even though there are no members of the Hwehyeolmun here, you won¡¯t be able to survive if you keep talking like that in my name.¡± Jin So-han retorted while looking at Oh Je-cheol. ¡°Do you not belong to the Blood Sect?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re just-¡° Oh Je-cheol felt as though the gazes and expectations of those around him were pushing him towards a cliff. Above all, the young man in front of him showed no emotional response despite insulting the Blood Sect leader. Trying to defend himself, Oh Je-cheol spoke. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m just saying this for my little brother¡¯s sake.¡± Upon hearing this, Oh Je-gwang, Oh Je-cheol¡¯s youngest brother, exploded with anger. He didn¡¯t like his timid brother and especially didn¡¯t like the young man¡¯s calm tone and language. Oh Je-gwang spoke in a resentful tone, as if he was planning to draw his sword. ¡°Come to think of it, there was a woman named Du Hyang in the Swordsmanship Sect. I remember now. Do you all remember her?¡± Oh Je-cheol¡¯s heart sank as he turned around, feeling uneasy. ¡°Jegwang, shut up.¡± When O Jecheol looked back at his youngest brother with a lot of tension, he glanced at the man who opened his mouth. While looking at Jinsohan, O Jegwang was laughing. ¡°Do you remember Doo-hyang?¡± O Jegwang had less skill and awareness than O Jecheol, but he could be considered a man one step above O Jecheol with his cruel disposition and ostentatious personality. O Jegwang continued, ¡°Doo-hyang didn¡¯t get involved in that situation, even if he had gone on an errand. Thanks to that, our brothers were able to secretly take Doo-hyang away to a quiet place.¡± When O Jecheol opened his eyes wide and shouted, ¡°I told you to shut up!¡± even the clueless second brother expressed his dissatisfaction with O Jecheol. ¡°Big brother, why are you so scared? Did you get scared by your younger brothers?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ these guys only say stupid things today.¡± Cold sweat was dripping down Ojecheol¡¯s back. Normally, he would have started a fight, robbed the guests, or killed them and disposed of them somewhere. But not today. Ojegwang looked at Jinsohan and said, ¡°If you know a woman named Duhyang, I can tell you in great detail about her appearance.¡± In response, Jinsohan pointed his chopsticks at Ojecheol¡¯s brothers and said, ¡°Your brother told you to shut up, so why do you keep interfering? You bastards.¡± For a moment, the guests fell silent. CH 5 Chapter 05: Beautiful Lady The brothers of Oh Je-cheol stood up simultaneously, emitting a sense of tension. Oh Je-gwang approached with a knife in his hand and said, ¡°I knew you would come out like this.¡± Somehow, Oh Je-cheol, who had no intention of fighting today, suddenly stood up and stopped Oh Je-gwang. ¡°This crazy bastard! Can¡¯t you just shut up?¡± said Oh Je-gwang. ¡°Did this son of a bitch not hear what I just said?¡± replied Oh Je-cheol as he slapped Oh Je-gwang¡¯s cheek several times. ¡°Are you disrespecting me right now? Huh?¡± Just as the two brothers were about to fight with their knives drawn, Jin So-han¡¯s calm voice interrupted them. ¡°Doo Hyang¡­¡± Jin So-han poured himself another drink while thinking about Doo Hyang. He spoke solemnly: ¡°She was such a beautiful lady.¡± Feeling uneasy from his tone, Oh Je-cheol turned around to face Jin So-han when something passed by him quickly followed by a thud sound. Startled by the noise and looking back at his brother whom he was holding onto tightly before turning around to face Jin So-han again; there was chopstick stuck in his forehead. As soon as Oh-Je Gwang took one last breath after being impaled by the chopstick on his forehead; all of his weight fell into the hands of Ohe-je Cheol who held him tightly. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± cried out Ohe-je Cheol¡¯s second younger brother as he rushed over towards them both shouting: ¡°Je-Gwang! Hey!¡± Another thud sound echoed through the room followed by yet another body hitting the ground ¨C it was Ohe-je Cheol¡¯s second younger brother whose head also had been pierced with a chopstick that caused him to fall backwards onto the floor lifelessly. With two of his brothers dead, Ohe-je Cheol looked at Jin So-han with eyes full of anger and frustration but there was nothing he could do. ¡°F*ck! I knew this would happen¡­¡± He thought to himself as the realization that his predictions had come true hit him. However, he knew that he couldn¡¯t fight back against such a formidable opponent. Ohe-je Cheol was torn between begging for mercy or fighting until death. Looking at Oh Je-cheol shivering all over his body, Jin So-han filled his glass with soju. ¡°Sit down.¡± With this much difference in martial arts skills, escape was impossible. Oh Je-cheol, who thought it was inevitable, cautiously sat back down and said in a gloomy tone, ¡°Younger brother¡­ no, Jin So-hyup. They made a slip of the tongue. My brother liked Duhyang liquor. It was a slip of the tongue to provoke Jin So-hyup.¡± Jin So-han raised his head. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like a slip of the tongue.¡± Continuing, Jin So-han first grabbed Oh Je-cheol¡¯s sword and looked at the blade from side to side. It was quite a solid sword, but when it was in Jin So-han¡¯s hand, it moved lightly like chopsticks. Then, one of the customers cautiously stood up and spoke to Jin So-han. ¡°¡­Uh, So-hyup, we¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°We have nothing to do with the O family brothers.¡± ¡°We have nothing to do with the Hwahyeolmun.¡± Other people also stood up carefully and waited for Jin So-han¡¯s words. Then, Jin So-han, who was admiring the blade of the sword, lightly retorted, ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Those who had stood up sat down again. Jin So-han did not make an angry expression, nor did he show any excitement. He had returned to the state of conversing with Oh Je-cheol in front of him in no time. Jin So-han spoke. ¡°What is the name and whereabouts of the man who helped the swordsmanship team with his colleagues?¡± After swallowing his saliva, Oh Je-cheol responded. ¡°Chumyeongwi (Ugly Face Ghost)? Yes, it¡¯s called Chumyeongwi. I heard that he was badly injured and escaped, but the Hwahyeolmun (the organization) hasn¡¯t found him yet.¡± Before she knew it, O Je-cheol¡¯s tone had changed to a respectful one. Jin So-han echoed the nickname once. ¡°Chumyeongwi¡­ ¡° Chumyeong meant a very ugly face, and the word ¡°wi¡± was attached to mean ghost. Toxicity overflowed from the nickname. Regardless of his appearance, she may have helped the woman from the Geommudan (Swordsmanship Sect) out of warmth in her heart, or she may have helped her out of admiration for the beautiful nun. Either way, she could say she was a much better man than the trash she had killed today. Jin So-han asked O Je-cheol, thinking about the man called Chumyeongwi for a moment. ¡°What else do you know?¡± If he said he didn¡¯t know, he was about to be killed on the spot. O Je-cheol shouted desperately while looking at his Dae-do (sword) in Jin So-han¡¯s hand. ¡°Ah! The¡­ women taken away by the Hwahyeolmun¡­ Huk!¡± Jin So-han reached out his left hand and twisted O Je-cheol¡¯s neck. O Je-cheol¡¯s face began to turn red. Jin So-han looked into O Je-cheol¡¯s eyes and spoke. ¡°Those damn Hwakdo (Black Robe) bastards¡­ just as the Master said when you returned.¡± Suddenly, the words of the Dokma (Poisonous horse) Master came to mind. ¡°Do you think the Geommudan is still holding out in Hwakdo?¡± And also the words of Uiseon (Righteous Lineage) Master. ¡°Will there be more bloodshed if you go back? Will you still go?¡± ¡°I felt like you knew everything from the beginning.¡± Of course, in the deep recesses of his heart, Jin Sohan had some sense of what was going on. However, hearing that even some nobles had fallen victim to these third-rate individuals called Hwahyeolmun, Jin Sohan¡¯s mind was turned upside down. Jin Sohan muttered towards the priests. ¡°It¡¯s going to be bloody¡­¡± With his left hand, Jin Sohan twisted Oh Jecheol¡¯s neck, and with his right hand, he stabbed him in the chest with the shoddy sword he was holding. ¡°Ugh!¡± Because of Jin Sohan¡¯s grip, Oh Jecheol couldn¡¯t even scream properly and fell to the floor of the inn. To those who knew the rough side of the O family brothers, it was an even more shocking death. As if there was nothing more to see, Jin Sohan threw the shoddy sword he had used on Oh Jecheol¡¯s corpse. Those who called themselves ¡°O Sam-gwi¡± and lay on the floor of the inn were lying peacefully, and those who watched them couldn¡¯t even say a word. At that moment, Jin Sohan hesitated for a moment about whether to eat the kalguksoo with the new chopsticks he pulled out of the chopstick container. When his appetite disappeared and he put the chopsticks back in the container, someone let out a sigh of relief. ****** Jin Sohan called Dongon, who was anxiously raising his head in the kitchen. ¡°Dongon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Startled, Dongon answered in a very loud voice. Jin Sohan gestured. ¡°Come closer.¡± ¡°Yes, what else do you want me to do¡­ The kitchen isn¡¯t closed yet. Should I boil the noodles a little more? Or¡­¡± As Dongon rambled on, Jin Sohan gestured for him to come closer and said. ¡°Let me take a closer look at your face. Are you the Dongon I know?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± Dokon could finally meet Jin So-han¡¯s eyes. ¡°His eyes¡­ Is he a mage?¡± Internally, Dokon¡¯s heart raced as he tried to calm himself down. When he leaned his head forward, Jin So-han¡¯s hand moved. There was a loud smack on Dokon¡¯s forehead. ¡°Oops!¡± Even though he only flicked his finger and hit his forehead, Dokon¡¯s mind became dizzy as if a firework exploded in front of his eyes. Dokon rubbed his forehead and recalled Jin So-han from his memory. ¡°Ahh! It was Mong-a who danced with swords!¡± As a child, Dokon had often gambled with Jin So-han in front of the audience. It was impossible for him to forget. When Dokon called Jin So-han by his old nickname, Mong-a, Jin So-han grinned. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Mong-a who danced with swords.¡± Dokon retorted as he rubbed his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re a completely different person now¡­ Where have you been and what have you been doing all this time?¡± Because Dokon was older, the two of them spoke comfortably. At Dokon¡¯s question, Jin So-han sighed. ¡°How can I summarize all that has happened? All I can say is that I¡¯ve had a lot of suffering.¡± He was captured by the enemy and poisoned, then cured by his comrades. He wanted to tell Dokon that he had been repeating that for more than ten years before returning, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. Dokon¡¯s mind was also in chaos as he recalled the old days. ¡°Mong-a who danced with swords¡­ The swordsmen had desperately searched for him¡­¡± Dokon thought he should tell Jin So-han about it and added some emotions to his words. ¡°At that time, you disappeared and the members of the Geommudan (Sword Dance Clan) searched for you extensively. Some people even said that you were kidnapped. Many people also thought that you might have died. I saw something myself at that time, so I told them several times¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said it seemed like Hyeok-uiin (Black Shadow) took you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what happened.¡± Jin Sohan, who was uncomfortable talking about this, changed the subject. ¡°By any chance, does Siwol (Ë»ÔÂ) know anything? Or news about other nobles?¡± ¡°Siwol? Ah! Siwol! Siwol must still be alive. We haven¡¯t been in contact yet, but he promised to come to me if he returns.¡± ¡°He¡¯s alive?¡± ¡°Yes. On that day, I had a feeling something was off, so I told Siwol, who was playing in the guest room, not to go to the Geommudan. We watched together that day, the fight between the Hwehyeolmun (Blood Blade Sect) and the Geommudan¡­.¡± Jin Sohan breathed a sigh of relief and patted Dogon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you. What happened after that?¡± Surprised by Jin Sohan¡¯s gesture, Dogon responded. ¡°He said he would hide here for a few days, learn martial arts, and then take revenge¡­ He completely disappeared from Seoheung-ro (West Gate Street) afterwards. I haven¡¯t seen him since. He said if he joins a famous faction, he can kill them all though.¡± While talking, Dogon realized that he was using informal language, but Jin Sohan didn¡¯t seem to care about it. They were originally on familiar terms. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Jin Sohan let out a sigh of relief. Siwol was his younger brother and a child orphaned by the Geommudan. Since he was a child who had been beaten to death, he felt a strange sense of relief when he heard that he was alive. Both Jin Sohan and Siwol started wielding a sword as soon as they took their first steps. Commonly speaking, Si-Wol was a loner. The phrase ¡°I will seek revenge after mastering martial arts¡± perfectly suited Si-Wol¡¯s personality. Jin-So-Han nodded her head. ¡°It seems Si-Wol is alive. That¡¯s a relief.¡± After Jin-So-Han put down money for the food on her lap, she spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again. If you happen to see Si-Wol before me, tell him I¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°Okay. But where should I say you are?¡± In response to that question, Jin-So-Han looked across the room. ¡°I should sleep in Giru. Wasn¡¯t it called the Wol-Ya-Ru?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ where the Hoihyeol gatekeeper watches over.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? I¡¯m just going to sleep. Besides, they don¡¯t know me yet, except for you and the people in this inn.¡± For some reason, Do-Gon¡¯s words sounded frightening. ¡°Are they going to kill all of us?¡± Jin-So-Han shook her head in response to Do-Gon¡¯s words. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Just dispose of these bodies properly.¡± Upon Jin-So-Han¡¯s words, the guests in the inn let out a collective sigh. Do-Gon, unlike his usual self, raised his voice and scolded the guests. ¡°Ah, let¡¯s clean up together. Are you going to leave the smell of blood vibrating in a store that people visit every day?¡± Then several people stood up. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s clean up together.¡± Someone said this. ¡°Sohyup did a good job killing him.¡± ¡°I knew Oh Je-cheol would end up like this someday.¡± As they chattered on about this and that, someone suddenly snatched Do-gon¡¯s towel and began wiping the table, while someone else kept diligently wiping the bloodstains from the floor. The whole scene was ridiculous. Amidst the noise, Jin So-han spoke up, ¡°If anyone asks about what happened today¡­¡± The other customers all joined in as if they had rehearsed this many times before. ¡°We know nothing!¡± Do-gon also grinned awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle the interrogation. After all, these people are all weaklings who are being bullied by the Blood Moon Society. Adding a sword would only make it worse.¡± Jin So-han thought that, including Sihwal¡¯s case, Do-gon was highly skilled at saving people while running a tavern. However, Jin So-han himself didn¡¯t really care if someone were to betray the Blood Moon Society. After all, they were planning to kill all those involved with the Society anyway.