Chapter 74: Don’t Look Back (2)
Translator: Hwarang
Editor: Klaurem
Ya Chun was a very experienced person.
He knew how important first impressions were so he was taking extra care in this first meeting with Ho Yeon Nam. he knew from the first glance that Ho Yeon Nam was a person who liked being complimented.
“Since you are here I am sure that the Decimator is no better than a piece of meat.”
“I don’t know without fighting him.”
Ho Yeon Nam hated someone like Ya Chun. Since he is member of a Dark Guild, Ya Chun is no better than trash who rips people off by putting high interest in loans.
But since Ya Chun came to him on his knees praising him, he sympathized him a bit.
“Isn’t your opponent the Heavenly Dao Gate? If you succeed then your reputation will only grow in
the Central Plains.”
Ho Yeon Nam gave a slight smile. Especially after Ma Bong Gi became the mengju, the Heavenly
Dao Gates’ morale went through the roof.
In times like this, something this was a chance for him to raise his reputation. This was another
reason why he wanted to kill the Decimator.
Ya Chun took out the thing that he prepared beforehand.
“I heard that you brought many disciples with you. We should have a few drinks together.”
It didn't amount to buying one or two drinks since it was around ten thousand nyang.
“Why did you do something unnecessary?”
Although he chastised him, Ho Yeon Nam didn’t return it and Ya Chun quickly added something,
“This is just a small gratitude from me.”
Ho Yeon Nam coughed.
Ya Chun quickly changed the topic since he knew how to read the atmosphere.
“I heard that since Ma Bong Gi became the mengju the Heavenly Dao Gate is doing all sorts of
evil deeds across the Central Plains.”
Ya Chun used the Heavenly Dao Gate to probe at Ho Yeon Nams mood.
“I heard about it as well.”
“Especially the person that came down here, the Decimator. I heard he was a very vile person.”
Then one of Ho Yeon Nam’s disciple, Ho Yeon Tak, yelled from outside, “It's your disciple Ho Yeon Tak. May I enter?”
“Come in.”
Ho Yeon Tak entered the room. He was the one who brought Ya Chun into this place.
“May I tell him how we are going about this business? Since my master doesn’t know the fine
details about it.”
“Yes, of course, he wouldn’t know the minute details.”
Ho Yeon Tak scanned his master’s face to see if he was overstepping boundaries.
This was also to prevent his master from making any promises in killing Yeom Hwa. However his
master remained indifferent.
“If my master entered the fray, taking down the Decimator is going to be very easy.”
“That is what I believe as well.”
“But we must be very careful in doing this since behind him is the Heavenly Dao Gate. So we are trying to talk this out. Asking them how much they want.”
“Of course, that is what you must do.”
This was what Ya Chun predicted since he knew that the Heavenly Dao Gate and the Ho Yeon
School will not fight for someone like him.
But the next part struck a nerve.
“If that happens we are going to need your assistance.”
“Of course I must give you all the help I can give.”
“They might ask for money. So it is better if you prepared it beforehand.”
Ya Chun was raging on the inside, ‘These thieves want me to spend more of my money?’
The amount of money he had to give the Ho Yeon School was two hundred thousand nyang.
He didn’t care if they got into a fight with the Heavenly Dao Gate or had talks with them since he
already paid them. But now they wanted him to pay more?
‘Never, I will never allow this to go on like this.’
With a deep sigh he said, “Because of the last incident our financial situation isn’t doing so well.”
“Then you must talk with the headmaster, we have no control of this matter.”
Ya Chun bit his lips, ‘These dirty cats.’
This was how powerful organizations worked. ‘Since I am just here to do my mission talk to my superior’, and when they talk to the superior they bring them back to the subordinate. One person sends them to the next, and to the next, back down and up. In the end, this was how they made you give up.
An hour passed by with them talking.
Ya Chun tried to coerce them but nothing was working in front of Ho Yeon Tak. He kept saying they are just following orders and there was nothing they could do. And Ho Yeon Nam was sitting
there as if nothing ever happened.
Ya Chun gave up and got up from his seat.
He could just not give the Ho Yeon School the two hundred thousand nyang, but that wasn’t the
right action since he would be making another enemy besides the Heavenly Dao Gate. They could
even form an alliance to kill him.
‘Should I run away with my money?’
Then he would give up everything and live the rest of his life running away.
After Ya Chun left, Ho Yeon Nam got up from his seat.
“Where are you going Master? I will accompany you.”
“You don’t need to follow me.”
Ho Yeon Nam disappeared into the darkness.
I tailed Ho Yeon Nam since I heard their conversation.
Since Ho Yeon Nam was a master I couldn’t get too close, but since I opened up all of my
meridians I could listen in on their conversation from a decent place where he wouldn’t sense me.
I was wondering where he was going dead at night, but the place that he arrived at was the
Gieseng House.
How can a famed expert like him go to a Gieseng House? I was stunned out of belief.
He called the most beautiful women and started playing with them.
An hour later, I was hidden outside the house.
From within the room I could hear all sorts of things, “Please… master! Master! Some more! More!”
And my heart grew cold.
***
Four days later, I stood next to Song Hwa Rin in an empty field.
We were able to call Ho Yeon Nam here by having Hwa Rin-ee write a letter to him.
After seeing his true colors, I didn’t want to delay this any longer.
During the last four days, I watched Song Hwa Rin train and when I thought she was good enough I asked her to send the letter.
The reason why I got involved in this was originally because of her. Since this was the best way to
fix the scar in her heart.
One person’s silhouette was sighted from afar. It was Ho Yeon Nam.
Song Hwa Rin, tensed after seeing him. Although she tried her best to stay calm she couldn’t.
Since it was her master that taught her martial arts for five years.
I asked her, “Are You ready?”
“I don’t know. But I think I practiced enough.”
Ho Yeon Nam was getting closer and she said to herself, “Don’t think of him as my master. He is the man that I must fight today. He is my enemy, not my master.”
Hearing her say this I gave her a final bit of advice, “You don’t have to think like that.”
“What?”
“Just accept it. He is your master. He is a master that doesn't care about his disciple’s feelings and almost caused an incident after getting drunk. He is a scoundrel but he is your master.”
There was a reason I told her this, because the human body is something that will try to do the opposite of what we want to do. By making herself believe that he is not her master, it will only break her flow and not allow her to move naturally. So I believed that it was better just to make
her accept it.
After saying “Your master is just an old fox.” I took a step back.
Now it was her fight.
Song Hwa Rin’s field of vision focused back on Ho Yeon Nam.
Although she didn’t look tense on the outside, her feelings were all over the place.
‘How can I fight him like this?’
She looked back at me.
I already knew of her worries so I nodded at her.
Song Hwa Rin accepted my warning and thought to herself, ‘Yes, he is my master. Yes, my master that is a scoundrel.’
Ho Yeon Nam was about ten paces away from her and after taking couple of breaths, she said,
“Master.”
“Have you been well?’
“Yes.”
Ho Yeon Nam sight was now on me. From his glance, he knew right away that I was her fiancée.
He heard about me, her fiancée, through her.
He believed that Song Hwa Rin was coming here alone but after seeing me his mood turned sour.
Since I didn’t show any signs of aggression, he understood that I was leaving everything to Song
Hwa Rin.
“Why did you want to meet me?”
“To ask you for as spar?”
Hearing something he never expected Ho Yeon Nam’s eyes widened.
“A spar?”
“Yes, Master. I want to spar with you, using the martial art that you taught me. Both you and me.”
Ho Yeon Nam gave a perplexed expression, but Song Hwa Rin didn’t tell him the reason.
After a moment he agreed, “Alright, let's spar.”
“Thank you, Master.”
After Ho Yeon Nam took out his weapon, Song Hwa Rin drew her weapon. It looked as if nothing had ever happened between these two and they were giving each other respect.
“Then I will attack.”
Song Hwa Rin started attacking.
Clash! Clang! Clash!
He was using the martial art that he taught her to block it.
When the spar started her head was in chaos. She was so tense that she didn’t even know what
she was doing.
But she was performing all of her attacks with precision and she finally understood what I was telling her. Why I was telling her that her body must remember it, because the only
thing that she could trust was her body.
She practiced this over and over for the last four days. So even when she used the advanced
techniques she didn’t feel any different.
It was at this moment!
An opportunity appeared itself before her without her having the chance to realize it. But since she
was in the flow, she didn’t even realize that she penetrated her master’s defenses.
“Ah!”
After screaming Ho Yeon Nam tilted his body to dodged her attack.
This was one of the two cases that I told her about.
“If he knows about the flaw then he is an even worse person since he taught it to you knowing fully well that it is flawed.
Slash
She continued her combination on Ho Yeon Nam and he yelled out.
“Ahh!”
She was able to cut his shoulder and blood started coming out.
After cutting him she withdrew her weapon and took a step back. She realized that she had won.
But of course, if he used his personal martial art she could have never been able to beat him. However, since they were both using the same martial art she knew she surpassed him.
He looked at her and asked, “How could this have happened?”
Song Hwa Rin said calmly, “I am just returning the martial art that you have taught me. In the
future I will never use this anymore.”
“What?”
“I will not try to forget what happened that night. I will remember it as how I met a master who
couldn’t get over his lust for me.”
Ho Yeon Nam’s face darkened. He wouldn’t be in this bad mood if she cursed at him, but she just
turned around after saying her farewell.
I stood there smiling, “Good Job.”
With my words, she made an expression as if she could fly. She was able to overcome this
battle against herself and this would only make her stronger.
“Let's go.”
She nodded and walked away with me.
Ho Yeon Nam was screaming from the back, “Uaaaahhhhh!”
He was yelling because he couldn’t overcome his anger.
She was tense since she was afraid that he was going to rush at them.
I calmly told her, “Don’t look back. He isn’t someone who you should look back to. Just look forward and live a good life.”
I kept walking and she followed me smiling.
We left the place together.
And is this the end?
Of course not, up to here was her revenge.
Now it was my turn, and it already started a few moments ago.