Sichuan's Mad Dragon (Novel) - Chapter 126 - Hidden Move
Chapter 126 – Hidden Move
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Edited by Celestial Knight
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The top floor of Azure Sky Tower.
From the outside, it appeared to be an ordinary pleasure house, but unless one was a considerable expert, one couldn’t reach this summit without permission.
The Tower Master’s office was quite bizarre.
Divination sticks and talismans, all manner of books on astrology and arithmetic.
Scrolls inscribed with strange foreign letters and folding screens depicting auspicious beings.
Small shrines dedicated to gods and statues of Buddha, large and small.
Taoism, Buddhism, faiths from the Western Regions, and even objects from ancient shamanic traditions packed the office to the brim.
At the same time, atop the desk was a neatly arranged pile of documents relating to the pleasure house’s operations.
A middle-aged man with a straight back sat quietly at that desk, his fine brush moving.
-Ssuk, ssuk.
Only the solemn sound of brush sliding across paper filled the office.
Amidst all the superstitions and religious symbols, an ice-cold intellect carrying on its work… a strange scene.
The middle-aged man’s face was quite handsome, the kind that must have made women weep in his youth.
Yet now, decades of mental anguish had carved deep wrinkles crisscrossing his features.
Soon, a knock came, followed by a woman’s voice.
“Tower Master, someone wishes to see you.”
“Deal with them yourself and send them away.”
The middle-aged man replied without even looking up. It had already been months since he’d withdrawn into seclusion and stopped meeting outsiders. As the years passed, he felt increasingly like a snail shrinking into its shell. Given more time, he would shrivel hideously like a salted snail and vanish from this world entirely.
But the next thing he heard compelled even him to listen.
“This visitor is the one who defeated Dae-woong in the cricket fight. He offers purchase rights to the cricket in exchange for just one meeting.”
“Hmm!”
The middle-aged man pressed his brow and let out a groan.
A cricket that could beat Dae-woong was without a doubt a goose that laid golden eggs.
After all, Dae-woong was ranked among the very best anywhere in Southern Zhili… no, the entire Jianghuai region.
Azure Sky Tower’s Master, Namgung Cheon-u, needed money.
In truth, even now… building a famous pleasure house and amassing great wealth… he always needed money.
The reconstruction of the Namgung family.
And erecting a fortress of gold so no vile group could ever threaten them again.
As long as he held such goals, this guest’s offer was too valuable to dismiss.
‘They called him Mad Dragon…’
He’d heard the man was a friend Chun-mong, whom he’d raised like an adopted son, had recently made. They’d even sworn brotherhood, he knew.
‘To procure such a cricket in such a short time. He must have some hidden cards.’
Advanced martial prowess wasn’t particularly noteworthy. Jianghu was full of people who were good at hurting others.
But to obtain a cricket that could beat Dae-woong in just a month?
Whether connections or financial power, it proved this was no ordinary man.
‘Unless he actually raised it in that short time.’
That was absurd, so he must have obtained it somewhere through some ability.
Namgung Cheon-u drew a deep breath and spoke.
“Show him in.”
Soon, a handsome young man in a green robe arrived, guided by the courtesan Su-ran.
* * *
Ju-seong glanced at Su-ran, who guided him to the office while meeting his gaze straight-on, then looked away.
‘Indeed worthy of making that Chun-mong fellow go all dopey.’
Without doubt, you’d be hard-pressed to find ten women in the entire Jianghuai region more beautiful than her.
Of course, Ju-seong had been sufficiently hardened by Lady Wol-hyang’s beauty, so he didn’t lose his senses staring.
Namgung Cheon-u raised one eyebrow with interest at this.
Most young men couldn’t keep their wits around Su-ran’s beauty.
Was this fellow iron-willed, or had he transcended desire? After meeting her eyes once, he simply turned his head away.
Su-ran seemed almost offended and glared at the back of Ju-seong’s head before shutting the door and leaving.
Ju-seong strode boldly to the desk and cupped his fists.
“I greet Azure Sky Tower Master, Senior Namgung Cheon-u.”
Namgung Cheon-u gestured and replied curtly.
“Sit down. And what’s with ‘Senior’? I have no talent for martial arts, so at my age, I’m probably weaker than you.”
“Isn’t this more important for a man than fists?”
Ju-seong made a circle with his thumb and forefinger, grinning.
“I heard you like money, Senior, so I brought a proposal that might interest you.”
As he spoke, Ju-seong let his gaze sweep the office.
‘This man… is on the brink of madness. Or maybe he’s already gone round once and come back looking normal.’
When people go mad and can’t go any madder, they sometimes regain an outward calm like this.
A man who probably suffered all manner of nightmares the moment he shut his eyes…
He sat calm as the eye of a storm amidst the warding talismans and idols of strange gods.
Namgung Cheon-u tapped the desk and spoke.
“…What’s that cricket’s name?”
“Geo-geun.”
A brief silence fell between them.
“If I buy that cricket, I can change its name, right?”
“The name’s up to the owner, isn’t it?”
Namgung Cheon-u said flatly.
“Good. Ten nyang of gold. What do you say?”
“That’s a bit low. Shouldn’t you add at least five more?”
When Ju-seong balked, Namgung Cheon-u looked straight into his eyes and said.
“I need to deduct the price of granting your request.”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
“I already know without hearing. You want permission for Chun-mong to reveal himself to the world, something like that, right?”
Ju-seong tilted his head and regarded Namgung Cheon-u for a moment, then nodded.
“That’s right.”
“I don’t intend to keep that boy caged forever. Once the foundation for the Namgung family’s restoration is laid and I confirm there’s no one left plotting revenge against us, I will certainly…”
Ju-seong shook his head.
“When will that be? When will you set your mind at rest, Senior?”
Namgung Cheon-u was a man afflicted with anxiety disorder and paranoia. A sickness of the mind…
‘That’s hard to cure.’
Just as neglecting lung disease turns one into a lifelong cougher…
If you let a sickness of the mind fester that long, it leaves scars on the soul that can never be shaken off.
When would such a man ever admit, ‘I’m sufficiently prepared’?
“…I have no intention of clipping that boy’s wings forever.”
“But even if he spreads them, it’ll be after his best years are gone, won’t it? Regret and longing will become inner demons that shackle him.”
“Inner demons…”
Namgung Cheon-u contorted his brow and chewed on the words.
What was the reason he’d stagnated at this level despite all these years?
He’d learned the ancient military martial arts passed down through the Namgung family, yet never reached the ranks of the truly strong.
The reason was the inner demons that pounced the moment he tried to peer inward and seek enlightenment.
He didn’t want Chun-mong, whom he’d raised like his own son, to suffer the same fate.
“…Tell me your plan. I’ll at least listen.”
Ju-seong slightly raised the corner of his lips.
After about half a sichen of persuasion and explanation, Ju-seong stood up with twenty nyang of gold.
Namgung Cheon-u was a man of clear calculation.
He might have offered a low price earlier, but he had no real intention of cheating him.
The man before him sincerely cared for Chun-mong, his adopted son.
Unconditional goodwill was too precious to lose over petty merchants’ tricks.
He even paid extra for the cricket.
Ju-seong rose from his seat and, glancing around, spoke.
“Will Buddha give you even one glance for this, or will Heaven’s Celestial Venerable send down a divine attendant?”
“…Without doing at least this, I can’t even close my eyes at night.”
“Save yourself, Senior. What kind of man kneels before shrines and idols to beg?”
“Are you lecturing me?”
“Just… asking. Anyway, take care. I’ll see you again, Senior.”
Ju-seong hastily cupped his fist, handed over the cricket box, and left the office.
Namgung Cheon-u was alone in the office once more.
-Chirrrk, chirrp.
Inside the wooden box, the cricket sang with an unusually booming voice.
“What kind of man kneels before shrines and idols to beg?”
Namgung Cheon-u stared at the ceiling, mulling over the words his junior had tossed at him.
* * *
After concluding his meeting with Namgung Cheon-u, Ju-seong returned to the inn with his sworn brothers.
From now on, the Round of 16 matches were scheduled, so they didn’t drink.
They simply killed time until late into the night, swapping stories back and forth.
These were men who trained every moment except when eating and relieving themselves.
They needed to force themselves to sit at the table and look at each other’s faces and talk.
Chun-mong was curious about what Ju-seong had discussed in the Tower Master’s office, but Ju-seong didn’t tell him.
After the younger brothers retreated to their rooms and fell asleep, Ju-seong sat by the window of his room, gazing down at the rain-soaked night streets.
Soon, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the streets.
“There’s a strange fellow lurking around.”
In a low mutter, Ju-seong detected the breathing and footsteps of one martial artist who hadn’t left the vicinity of the inn for over a sichen.
Of course, Anqing was currently overflowing with martial artists from all over the Central Plains.
A martial artist’s presence wandering about was nothing remarkable.
But for a martial artist’s presence to linger… not as an inn guest, not with business at nearby shops… that was odd.
“Maybe I’ll take a little night stroll.”
Ju-seong casually opened the inn door, stepped into the night street, and walked straight toward where he’d sensed the presence.
It was a short route: out the front of the inn, across the main road, and into the opposite alley.
The rain had stopped, and the night streets were bustling. With Ju-seong not wearing his long robe and the darkness, no one recognized him.
Thugs and performers, peddlers who’d arrived late at night, and street merchants passed by.
Ju-seong spotted a glint of eyes from deep within the alley and quickened his pace, pushing through the crowd.
Just then…
“Hm?”
No sooner had Ju-seong sensed something and turned his head…
From among the passersby, a moon-pale woman’s face suddenly loomed up. Chubby cheeks, small eyes with barely any white showing, and pale, makeup-like skin… it was a truly alien face. Ju-seong felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end for an instant.
By the time he saw her face, it was already too late. She tapped his left shoulder lightly and walked right past him.
Ju-seong tried to grab her by the nape of the neck, but her movements were nimbler than expected and he failed.
“Ha…!”
Ju-seong let out an incredulous laugh.
Soon, his left shoulder felt like it was caving in, and excruciating pain arrived.
When Ju-seong turned to check the alley, the martial artist who’d been leaking presence was already gone.
An absurdly well-laid trap.
A trap set by those who knew Ju-seong had extremely keen senses.
‘Is it the Ten Thousand Ears Gang? Or the Martial Alliance?’
The Ten Thousand Ears Gang would know since they were Ju-seong’s mortal enemies, and the Alliance had seen his abilities displayed when he chased the lecherous villain with their pursuit team.
Ju-seong stood still, looking around.
He held his breath and exhaled the air in his lungs very slowly through his nose.
Because the pale woman’s scent might still linger in his inhaled breath.
Ju-seong caught a strong musk fragrance and the smell of perfumed oil.
Someone who could regularly bathe and anoint her body with expensive perfume.
“Hmm…”
Ju-seong looked down at his own shoulder as if troubled.
Slowly, sensation was draining from his fingertips.
“That’s a terrifying hidden force strike.”
A technique of channeling massive power so imperceptibly that the opponent didn’t even feel the strike.
Usually, what people called ‘hidden force’ was just a quick, sharp strike… not truly hidden.
But what Ju-seong had just been hit with was the real thing.
If he didn’t deal with it fast, he wouldn’t be able to use his left arm for a while.
They must have known he had some medical expertise… so they didn’t bother with acupoint strikes or clumsy poison arts.
They simply wrecked his arm honestly.
A crooked smile hooked the corner of Ju-seong’s lips.
He was starting to get an idea of who the assailant was.
“So because you didn’t like me, you tried to cripple my arm… Even the orthodox sects have some real rotten eggs, huh?”