Fist Demon of Mount Hua ( Novel ) - Chapter 271
Chapter 271 – Being a Friend Means Being Cold (3)
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The next day at dawn, Dam-ho and Eum Yu-kyung left Little Mount Hua.
Suddenly Eum Yu-kyung looked back. She could see Dan Hwa-ran seeing them off. But Cho Yeon-woon was nowhere to be seen.
Shocked by last night’s events, Cho Yeon-woon had gone back into the forest. And Little Mount Hua had suffered all night long. Because of the tyrant Cho Yeon-un.
Eum Yu-kyung asked:
“Will he be alright?”
“What?”
“He must have been deeply hurt.”
“He’ll be fine!”
“…”
“He’s not a man who would collapse from just that. He is…”
Eum Yu-kyung’s eyes shone at Dam-ho’s answer.
‘Does he trust that man that much?’
Only then did Eum Yu-kyung realize what she had been thinking wrong about.
She had thought Dam-ho was a lone wolf. Someone who couldn’t cooperate with anyone, and a cold-blooded person who wouldn’t give his heart to anyone.
No matter how strong, there are always limitations to what one person can do alone. There’s clearly a big gap between what one person can do and what many people can do together.
Because of this, she thought that while he might become a dominant force in one region, he would be insufficient to aspire for the world. But that wasn’t the case.
It was true that Dam-ho was a lone wolf, but that didn’t mean there were no people around him. There were people around Dam-ho. And they were clearly growing.
‘He is never alone. People are gathering around him.’
Eum Yu-kyung’s feelings became complicated.
Right now she was receiving Dam-ho’s help, but she was basically the Holy Maiden of the Demon Cult. Dam-ho becoming stronger meant that the threat to the Demon Cult grew that much larger.
“Sigh!”
She unconsciously sighed then was startled. She felt she was being too shameless.
Eum Yu-kyung shook her head to clear her thoughts.
That’s when Dam-ho asked:
“What’s the fastest way to Sichuan Province?”
“We’ll use the road from Hanzhong in Shaanxi Province to Guangyuan in Sichuan Province.”
“The Shu Road?”
“That’s right. There’s no faster way than that currently.”
Sichuan Province had a basin terrain surrounded by highlands that pierced the sky. The highland terrain was so treacherous that there were few roads into Sichuan Province.
The most famous among them was the Shu Road. A place so rough and treacherous it was beyond description.
The name of the mountain where the Shu Road ran was Dragon Gate Mountain. Another name for Dragon Gate Mountain was Sword Gate Mountain. It meant a treacherous mountain range reminiscent of a blade.
No wonder they called it Sword Gate Shu Road? The Shu Road was that treacherous.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
The two rode their horses side by side. After passing Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, they entered a deserted official road.
A scenery appeared where not a single house could be seen even after riding horses all day. Fortunately, both were people accustomed to sleeping outdoors.
When there were no houses or inns, they simply slept by the roadside. After riding like this for exactly seven days and nights, they could reach Hanzhong.
Hanzhong was an ancient capital with a long history, exuding an antique feeling from the entrance.
Eum Yu-kyung said:
“Let’s stay at an inn today and cross the Shu Road tomorrow.”
Dam-ho nodded in agreement with her opinion.
After looking around briefly, the two unpacked at Lamp Light Inn. Lamp Light Inn was located in the center of Hanzhong and was quite large, with many people staying there.
When the two entered the inn, they immediately attracted people’s attention. Though Eum Yu-kyung had half-covered her face with cotton gauze, she couldn’t completely hide her innate beauty. People’s eyes naturally showed admiration looking at Eum Yu-kyung.
Opposite to her, Dam-ho’s appearance exuding coldness also couldn’t help but attract people’s attention. But the moment they saw his eyes, most people were startled and quickly looked away.
‘W-what kind of eyes are those…’
Just meeting his gaze made their hearts feel like they would drop, and their knees weakened. That’s how terrifying Dam-ho’s eyes were.
“W-welcome.”
Even the innkeeper seemed intimidated by Dam-ho’s eyes, greeting from a distance without easily approaching. So Eum Yu-kyung stepped forward.
“Do you have rooms?”
“Yes! We do. Shall I give you one?”
“Give us two.”
“Two?”
The innkeeper looked back and forth between Dam-ho and Eum Yu-kyung with a puzzled expression.
“Why, is there a problem?”
“N-no. The rooms are separated, is that alright?”
“That’s fine.”
“Understood. Please follow me.”
The innkeeper guided the two to their rooms. As he said, the two assigned rooms were far apart.
Before entering her room, Eum Yu-kyung said to Dam-ho:
“I don’t feel like dinner tonight, so please eat alone, Hero Dam.”
“I will.”
“Then I’ll see you in the dining room tomorrow morning. Rest well.”
After Eum Yu-kyung entered her room, Dam-ho also entered his assigned room. The room the innkeeper guided him to was very shabby. But the window was quite large, offering a view of Hanzhong at a glance.
Dam-ho sat by the window looking at the sunset. As darkness fell, lanterns lit up one by one on the streets of Hanzhong. It was a dreamlike scenery as if fireflies were swarming in the night sky.
After a while, Dam-ho left the inn and walked the streets.
“Hohoho!”
“Sir over there, come in here.”
After walking a short distance, a red-light district appeared. Courtesans were sticking their heads out of windows, enticing drunk passersby.
They were also gesturing to Dam-ho. But Dam-ho didn’t give them a single glance and continued walking.
That’s when it happened.
“Ah!”
Suddenly a soft exclamation rang out. The sound was so small that most people couldn’t hear it. But Dam-ho’s keen ears didn’t miss that faint sound.
Dam-ho raised his head and looked at the window of a nearby brothel. He saw someone quickly ducking their head beyond the window.
Dam-ho’s eyes wavered for a moment. He immediately entered the brothel.
As soon as he entered, the manager looked him up and down and said:
“How may I help you?”
“Yun-jeong?”
“What?”
Instantly, a look of strong wariness appeared on the manager’s face. Dam-ho spoke coldly:
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
The manager’s pupils wavered.
Dam-ho looked at such a manager and said:
“If you resist, not just you but everyone here will die.”
“Kuh!”
Though Dam-ho spoke calmly, the manager’s face crumpled like paper. His body was trembling.
The manager glanced around the first floor of the brothel. His subordinates were hiding behind large pillars with weapons. If he gave the order now, they would rush out and attack Dam-ho. But the manager couldn’t do that. No, he couldn’t.
‘This man is Fist Demon.’… He recognized Dam-ho’s identity at a glance.
The emotionless face, all-black attire, and slightly limping left leg. If one couldn’t recognize Dam-ho’s identity from these three things, they shouldn’t be in the information business in the martial world.
Though it looked like an ordinary brothel, this place was one of the branches of the Hao Sect. That’s why the manager immediately showed wariness upon seeing Dam-ho.
The problem was why Fist Demon had entered here. The manager’s mind raced with countless thoughts like a kaleidoscope.
Sweat flowed between his tightly clenched fists, and his spine was so stiff he couldn’t move. That’s how overwhelmed the manager was by Dam-ho’s gaze.
“I, I…”
“The manager doesn’t need to strain himself.”
At that moment, a voice saving the manager rang out on the first floor of the brothel. Only then did the manager’s tension ease.
A courtesan who looked about seventeen or eighteen was coming down the stairs. She had round eyes and a gentle smile that left an impression, a beautiful courtesan. But her expression was slightly stiff like the manager’s.
Dam-ho looked at the courtesan.
“It’s been a while.”
“Do you… remember me?”
At the courtesan’s words, Dam-ho silently nodded. Then the courtesan softly sighed.
“I never thought I’d be discovered by a single exclamation.”
The courtesan’s name was Yun-jeong. Three years ago, she had been a child courtesan at Celestial Pavilion in Yueyang, serving as Gi Ye-hwa’s subordinate. That’s when she first met Dam-ho.
Three years was enough time to turn the child courtesan Yun-jeong into a mature woman. Now she was no longer a simple courtesan but the top courtesan of Heaven Cloud Pavilion. High officials and nobles lined up every night to meet her.
Today too, Yun-jeong was getting ready to meet a guest. During a brief moment of leisure, she looked out the window. That’s when she saw Dam-ho walking alone on the street.
She was so surprised that she unconsciously let out an exclamation, and Dam-ho noticed her.
Yun-jeong said to the still dazed manager:
“Manager, please turn away all guests who were supposed to meet me today.”
“Understood.”
The manager quickly answered. He secretly sighed in relief. He was relieved not to have to confront Dam-ho.
Yun-jeong said to Dam-ho:
“I’ll guide you to my quarters.”
“Hmm!”
Dam-ho followed Yun-jeong up to the third floor of the brothel. It was a place only a select few VIPs could enter at Heaven Cloud Pavilion.
Yun-jeong offered Dam-ho the seat of honor and sat demurely to one side. Her appearance exuded the fragrance of a mature woman.
Yun-jeong asked directly:
“What brings you to Hanzhong?”
“Just passing through.”
“Ha! That’s ridiculous. You just happened to meet me while passing through? If it’s coincidence, it’s truly remarkable, and if it’s bad karma, it’s incredibly persistent.”
“What about Gi Ye-hwa?”
“She is…”
Yun-jeong bit her lip firmly. After hesitating briefly, she continued with difficulty:
“She entered the headquarters.”
“Headquarters?”
“Haah! Do I have to tell such stories… Alright, I’ll tell you everything. Madam became the vice sect master. So she left the front lines and entered the headquarters. Whew!”
Yun-jeong shook her head with a sigh.
Three years ago, she had treated Dam-ho more comfortably. But now she couldn’t. She had grown older and now knew how terrifying the world was. And how terrifying Dam-ho was.
If Dam-ho decided to, a branch of the Hao Sect like this could disappear without a trace overnight.
‘Even if Madam were here, she would act the same as me.’
Yun-jeong comforted herself thus.
Yun-jeong, still young, was too overwhelmed by Dam-ho’s presence to even breathe properly.
“And I’m in charge of this Heaven Cloud Pavilion, though it’s humble.”
“When did you come here?”
“It’s been about a year.”
“A year?”
“Yes! The headquarters decided to completely cut ties with the Martial Alliance and replaced everyone exposed externally with new faces. That’s why I was assigned here too.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! I never thought I’d meet Hero Dam here though.”
Yun-jeong sighed again.
Meeting Dam-ho was truly coincidental. That made her feel even more helpless. She still didn’t have the confidence to handle Dam-ho’s gaze. So her voice became tiny.
“Where is Hao Sect’s headquarters?”
“I can’t tell you that. Even if you are Hero Dam.”
“Then a meeting with Gi Ye-hwa?”
“Honestly, it’s difficult. Even I haven’t seen Madam for over two years.”
Yun-jeong raised her head provocatively to look at Dam-ho.
She knew that if she was dragged along by Dam-ho, she would end up neither dead nor alive. So she gritted her teeth and endured.
“I’m going to Sichuan Province.”
“Why Sichuan Province?”
Yun-jeong unconsciously blurted out.
Dam-ho didn’t answer. At this, Yun-jeong’s pupils wavered.
“There’s something in Sichuan Province, isn’t there?”
“…”
“Right?”
She couldn’t hide her true feelings. No matter how much more mature she was than before, she was still only eighteen years old. She was far too insufficient to face a warrior like Dam-ho who had been through everything.
“Do you want to know?”
“Yes!”
At Dam-ho’s question, Yun-jeong nodded.