Chapter 87: In the Gray Area Between the Truth and the Lie (1)
Translator: hwarang
Editor: Klaurem
The place that Ma Ryung In arrived at was the Western Spear School.
It was one of the two martial art schools that represented the Ha Nam.[a]
The other martial art school that represented the Ha Nam was the Eastern Sword School. These two schools have been a rival school that represented the Ha Nam for countless years.
Just like when Ma Jung Soo came down to San Dong and went to the Yang Clan, Ma Ryung In was doing the same with the Western Spear School. Due to this, the Western Spear School was in a festive mood with alcohol and food.
The meeting between the two parties was held for more than an hour.
However I didn"t attempt to listen in on what they were saying. I didn"t find it necessary to fight my way past those eighteen experts to listen to their conversation.
Even if I got past those eighteen, there was that man from "the Organization" that I had to go through. I was certain that he was stronger than Number Seven.
After another hour, Ma Ryung In came out of the Western Spear School.
He didn"t go back to his place but went somewhere else, so I followed him this time as well. Since I kept my distance they didn"t know that they were being followed.
After about half an hour the place that they arrived at was the rival school of the Western Spear School, the Eastern Sword School.
This Punk! So you want to shake things up for both sides.
This place was also bustling with food and alcohol.
I didn"t know how he was able to achieve this but I knew that he must have manipulated them into it. He must have used a similar method he used with me, by telling them nine truths and one lie. He was incomparatively more skilled and experienced than Ma Jung Soo.
After he got out of the Eastern Sword School, he was headed to Jung Ju Martial Art School. Probably he was headed to where Chu Do Chi was. After an hour, he left the place.
Accompanied by Chu Do Chi he got on the carriage once again.
He was truly a busy person.
Seeing where the carriage was headed, I was a surprised since they were going in the direction of the inn where I was staying at was.
So I hastened my pace got there a step before them.
A moment later someone knocked on my door.
When I opened the door, it was Ma Ryung In.
"Did I wake you?"
"No, I couldn"t sleep."
Since he was very skilled I didn"t want to arouse his suspicion by pretending to sleep.
"Well, it seems that I couldn"t sleep today. Anyways, it seems like you have had drink or two already."
"I should have visited you earlier."
"Well, I know you are busy."
"Haha, sounds just like you." He laughed as if he was impressed by me, "Will you make me stand here?"
"Please come in."
He entered my room and scanned it. Since I didn"t have anything there was nothing he could discover.
"Since you can"t sleep why didn"t you have a drink?"
"I don"t drink by myself."
"So that how it is."
"Your name, I just remembered who you are. Are you one of the successors of the Heavenly Dao Gate?"
"Yes, I am. There are five other successors."
"You are from a famed clan…"
"But why am I stuck in a bas.e.m.e.nt doing something so suspicious?"
"Yes." I nodded.
"Didn"t you say that the difference between a righteous person and a unrighteous person is as thin as a single word?"
This was what I said to Chu Do Chi.
"Yes I did."
"Well, you can see it as the same, a famed clan…"
What? What are you comparing?
But he didn"t finish.
"I understand but s.h.i.t! I want some wine in the morning."[b]
Then Ma Ryung In took out something from his pocket and placed it on the table. It was a banknote worth about a thousand nyang.
"If you can"t sleep then go downstairs and buy some drink or even go have fun. I am sure you can sleep well in a girl"s lap."
This was an interesting turn of events. This monster"s tail keeps on wiggling.
With a smile, I took the banknote, "Thanks."
"What do you need to be thankful for?"
"Although I acted tough, I couldn"t sleep. I killed a couple of your men… I tried not to think about it but I kept on getting on the back of my mind. But why are you treating me so well?"
"Should I tell you why? First didn"t you eat three of the Devil Spirit Pill? Well although it may be cheap compared to other cultivating medicine, it still takes a lot of ingredient and time."
"Is that the only reason?"
"Of course not. I have another reason."
"What is that?"
"Seeing you, I feel that this might be the work of fate."
"Work of fate? We are men, no need to say something like that."
"When I first saw you I got the feeling that our relationship was going to run deep. Let"s just say that I took a liking in you."
If it was the thirty-year-old me, I would have fallen under his manipulation. Who wouldn"t fall under his spell when he offered you a thousand nyang and praised you?
"Anyway thanks. I will put this money to a good use."
That night I didn"t proceed to observe Ma Ryung In anymore.
Instead I went to the entertainment house and ordered the best food, wine, and girl.
I was joking around with her merrily. This was because I got a feeling that he was going to observe me.
Even if he didn"t, I would just consider this as my day off.
Although I stayed at that place for a long time I didn"t sleep over. I was just here to fool them, not to enjoy myself.
Since I had already experienced the physical relations between a man and a woman in my past life, I wasn"t embarra.s.sed at all.
"Do you have someone you have on your mind?" The girl asked me.
"No."
"You probably do."
"I don"t. Don"t think that you know me."
"We females have a sense for these things."
"Haha. I am someone who likes being free."
She laughed.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Just because. That"s what all man who wander their whole life say. But in the end, they all say they want to settle down since having too much freedom can get boring."
"Don"t be fooled. They are saying that to fool you. That"s how people are."
"They may be." She smiled.
I laid on her lap looking at the moon.
In the moon I saw Song Hwa Rin"s smiling face.
Then the girl asked me, "Is the girl you are thinking right now the one you love?"
"I am thinking about you."
She laughed and looked at the moon.
"The moon is very beautiful today."
***
"What are you thinking about Miss?" Soo Ran asked.
"Just about him."
"What?" Soo Ran was surprised, "Could you be thinking about Master Byuk?"
"What? I can"t think about him?"
"No. But you have never thought about h…"
"Yes, I have never thought about him before."
"Yes, but do you have something in your mind miss?"
"No. I just answered your question about him."
Soo Ran could tell that her feelings for Byuk Lee Dan was getting stronger by the day.
"But aren"t you getting closer to him?" She said this to comfort her but it was the opposite effect.
"No, he is getting further and further away from me."
Soo Ran looked at her with a confused look.
"It feels like when I take a single step, he takes three." The feeling that Song Hwa Rin was feeling was regret.
"To me, you are the best Miss."
Song Hwa Rin gave a little smile then waved at Soo Ran to come to her side.
When she came to her side, Song Hwa Rin stared at the moon again.
And Soo Ran thought, "She definitely changed."
***
The next day a mission came down.
It was a kill mission. He wanted me to kill a man named Um Haeng Bool. He was a pretty famed rapist and killer who was wreaking havoc in Ha Nam.
To track down this man people lost their lives, and there were no further words about his location till now.
"Is he your enemy?"
"No."
"Then?"
"He was someone who wasn"t caught for his crimes all this time. Luckily this time we found his location."
A trap?
This was what I believed at first.
Maybe he wanted to kill me in this mission and cover it up as an incident? But why? He could use many other methods to eliminate me.
"You must capture him so we can hand him over to the Alliance."
"So he even has a price on his head?"
"Yes."
"And the reward?"
"You can take it."
Showing that I didn"t understand I blinked my eyes two times. But it seems like he was already expecting my response.
"What are you scheming?"
"What do you mean what are we scheming? We are trying to catch someone evil."
"Bulls.h.i.t! Who are you trying to fool?"
"Watch your mouth."
"Fine, why are you trying to kill him?"
"Didn"t I tell you? Because he is someone evil."
"And you aren"t one?"
Chu Do Chi laughed and said, "I don"t understand why Lord Ma is treating you so well."
So it seems like the one who ordered this was Ma Ryung In.
"Fine. I"ll catch him. I guess I"ll take out my rage on him."
I did as I was told since I needed to find out more.
***
Two days later I entered one of the Alliance Office building in Jung Ju.
The person that I was dragging into the office was a man named Um Haeng Bool. I dragged him into the office as he was all b.l.o.o.d.y and half dead since half of his bones were broken.
"I have someone who has a price on his head."
One of the officials asked with a surprise, "Who is he?"
"His name is Um Haeng Bool."
Everyone seemed surprised at what I said since he was a pretty famed killer in Ha Nam.
"He is still alive so you can verify that it is him easier."
The whole office was in disarray.
The City Lord even came after receiving the report.
"What is your honorable name sir?"
"The people in Kang Ho call me the Nameless Warrior."
"Oh! So it"s you Lord Nameless Warrior!"
All the other officials rose from their chair and started clapping for me.
It seems that even amongst the people in the Alliance my reputation for killing Yeom Hwa and denouncing the Heavenly Dao Gate was pretty good.
Now that I even captured Um Haeng Bool they were really praising me.
By the time I got the reward money, people from the whole city were lining up to see my face.
Just a few days ago I was surrounded by enemies. Now I am surrounded by these people as a hero.
That day I became the hero of Jung Ju.
The reward for capturing Um Haeng Bool was seven thousand nyang. This showed how much evil he did.
Taking care of an evil person, getting rewarded, this mission wasn"t a trap.
But the real question remained.
Why was Ma Ryung In treating me like this?
[a]why does this say "the Ha Nam" is Ha Nam a group of people or is it a city/location?
[b]Hey kidyeon, can you check over this whole conversation for me? It keeps sort of jumping around and I"m having a bit of a hard time following it, especially at the end.