“Hmm…”
I ended up receiving a counter-proposal instead. How did this come up so suddenly?
Preparing to trigger a trap by striking the stage where the Gijinibo were, in case of the worst scenario where a conflict arose due to Heokmyo and Gijinibo, I suddenly halted at the unexpected proposal.
What does Heokmyo think of me?
I could tell there was a certain level of favorability. After all, I was with Heokmyo and had been able to read her. Heokmyo enjoys entertaining sights and intriguing incidents.
It seems today’s experience was quite impressive to her.
Heokmyo’s suggestion was what I had been hoping for.
Yet, it also leaned toward being a more forward proposal. All I wanted was for Heokmyo to join in a couple of extraordinary encounters. However, what she was asking me now was clearly about a more long-term relationship.
“So what you’re saying is, even if one of us stops being a Sacheon Outcast, we’d still team up to hunt for extraordinary encounters?”
Heokmyo silently nodded twice. It meant she wanted to hang out with me apart from the allied forces.
“Hmmm…”
My doubts about Heokmyo still hadn’t been fully resolved.
But watching Heokmyo be so joyful today did indeed diffuse some of those doubts.
She looked just like a child at an amusement park today. So, wanting to ensure that we would hunt for extraordinary encounters together next time was only natural.
But that wasn’t all.
Heokmyo definitely wanted to be with me today. She even tried yielding the bomb and nudged me, yet she waited for me instead of dashing off on her own out of curiosity.
In the end, she even showed signs of yielding the Gijinibo.
Could this all be an act? It didn’t feel that way. No matter how much I thought about it, the favor she had been showing me since that day felt genuine.
After contemplating, I came to a conclusion.
I reached out my hand toward Heokmyo, who was patiently waiting for me to gather my thoughts.
“Hmm?”
“It’s like this, you hold my hand tightly and shake it.”
So I ended up stretching out of the curled-up position I was in, right? If Heokmyo needed me, managing her favorability would be enough. Having fun and enjoyable experiences together. If that’s what Heokmyo desired, then I would respond accordingly.
I spoke as I shook hands with Heokmyo.
“It’s a contract, then.”
*
The head of the Tang Clan, Tang Guanglie, was feeling quite good about life these days.
Rumors were swirling that Tang Do-gyeong had declared his severance, and that a Sacheon Outcast had risen. Not to mention the gossip about being deceived by some swindler that almost made him choke on his own blood.
However, Tang Do-gyeong, summoned by the Tang Clan, had become a new person, shaking off all past grievances.
Was he simply a new person?
He returned with a new martial arts technique called the Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method.
“Well, there had been some fuss surrounding the Sacheon Outcasts, but if this little turmoil led to such great results, it feels like a steal.”
A righteous faction’s hidden weapons technique. A truly contradictory term, but the Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method could only be described that way.
“A hidden weapons technique infused with the righteous faction’s spirit.”
Strictly speaking, it existed somewhere between hidden weapons and martial techniques. Tang Guanglie, along with most of the Tang Clan, was profoundly shocked by the hidden weapons part of the Bat-Leaping Tiger Method.
A dynamic concealment, hiding the secret techniques not with sleeves or darkness, but through dazzling movement!
The virtual openings created from presenting the martial techniques suggested that hidden weapons could not even be held in hand!
With all those hidden weapons movements intertwined with the martial techniques, it even encompassed the spirit of the righteous faction.
Tang Guanglie envisioned the day the Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method would be unveiled to the world. Just imagining it made his old heart race like crazy.
“Indeed, that guy was always exceptional from childhood. They say great talents take time to mature. The long wandering path has shaped him, filling his vessel with blood and flesh.”
Tang Do-gyeong would not be allowed outside the Tang Clan for the next three years and, during this time, would be punished by teaching the clan’s children at the academy. Additionally, he would become the top priority for any significant family matters requiring peak stage warriors.
Whether he gained insights while creating his martial arts or not, it could be said that his clarity deepened further, and he even invented martial arts that would leave a mark in the clan’s history, so he was sure to be filled with great pride.
The issue with lacking hidden weapons techniques would be resolved with training in the future.
“But, you know…”
Feng Ying Hall Master Tang Cheosu, under the head’s discontented gaze, hung his head low while cursing inwardly.
“Seriously, what do you want me to do when things happen?”
“While building closeness among the blood relatives, a little gambling might be possible, and it’s only natural for items to flow during gambling. Should we take issue with a child who already has so many scars over something trivial like this?”
“I apologize.”
Receiving word through Feng Ying Hall Master that Tang Do-gyeong had been ransacking the gambling den recently made Tang Guanglie somewhat uneasy.
“Didn’t you also gamble a bit in your youth?”
Tang Cheosu coughed awkwardly. In truth, there were direct line members who didn’t enjoy gambling, but there were none who didn’t know how to gamble. As they trained hidden weapon techniques or martial arts, they naturally had the opportunity to encounter dice or card games, leading them to dabble in gambling.
Within the Tang Clan, instances of directly gambling hidden weapons or poison were fairly common. Disputes about the distribution of hidden weapons or poison often arose among the direct line members, and gambling served as a decent mediation tool. It was peaceful and upheld the elements of handcraft and hidden weapon techniques.
“Even so, if someone loses too much, feelings are bound to be hurt.”
It seemed necessary to press down on Tang Do-gyeong so he wouldn’t run riot in the gambling dens too often.
Guanglie took out a box of hidden weapons from under the desk.
“This is fund money. Before gambling causes fights among the children, you should rein him in a bit.”
“Honor!”
Watching the Feng Ying Hall Master smilingly plan to legally enter the gambling den, Tang Guanglie couldn’t help but click his tongue, but at least he’d patched up even the small rifts Tang Do-gyeong might cause, so the clan should be peaceful.
Thinking this comfortably, he had no foreknowledge of what was to come the next day when Feng Ying Hall Master was seen combing his hair in the family head’s quarters.
“…..What’s going on here?”
“I’m sorry, Family Head. We’ve been robbed.”
In the end, Tang Guanglie had no choice but to directly summon Tang Do-gyeong.
“Greetings to the Family Head.”
“Ha…”
Seeing Tang Do-gyeong, Tang Guanglie couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. The box of hidden weapons strapped to his belt was the very one given to him by Feng Ying Hall Master the day before, while his belt and shoulder strap were filled with all sorts of hidden weapons.
Ten Thousand Explosive Talismans, Feather-Dart Talismans, Spirit-Butterfly Talismans, Heavenly Kings’ Crushing Talisman, and more. This was Tang Do-gyeong, adorned with the rare hidden weapons of the Tang Clan!
“Tang Do-gyeong, what happened to all those hidden weapons?”
“Oh, this? I’ve become serious about hidden weapons techniques. Naturally, I grew curious about trying the Tang Clan’s Vision Hidden Weapons. I couldn’t receive the Vision Hidden Weapons directly, but I heard that direct line relatives gamble to exchange hidden weapons.”
“Ha ha ha ha…”
“Once I started acquiring them one by one, look what’s happened!”
Seeing Tang Do-gyeong’s bright smile, Tang Guanglie slapped his forehead and laughed.
“Hahaha!!”
“Right, I completely forgot what kind of kid this is!”
Tang Do-gyeong had no sense of danger at all!
He should have known when to take his winnings and leave. Instead, he ended up hoarding all the clan’s hidden weapons!
Just because his rebellious nature toward the clan had improved didn’t mean all flaws vanished! No matter how much he changed, Tang Do-gyeong was still Tang Do-gyeong.
This could not simply be overlooked. Even though exchanging hidden weapons or poison through gambling had become somewhat of a clan tradition, would it make sense for one person to sweep away all the hidden weapons of the direct line relatives?
“Moreover, how’s it that a mere Tang Do-gyeong, who’s yet to thoroughly hone his martial arts skills or the experience with hidden weapons, managed to clean out all the direct line members?”
The fact that Feng Ying Hall Master ended up with empty pockets indicated Tang Do-gyeong’s gambling skills were extraordinary.
“Ha ha, Tang Do-gyeong, I called you here just to have a friendly game of gambling with you.”
It was absurd to think of entering into a serious gambling duel with someone as young as Tang Do-gyeong. Tang Guanglie felt a familiar headache returning as he gestured toward Feng Ying Hall Master, who had been bowing his head all day.
At lightning speed, Feng Ying Hall Master brought out gambling tools and laid them down in front of the two.
“Ha ha! I must thank Brother Ya. If I’d known the Family Head and the direct relatives enjoyed gambling like this, I would have studied a bit more seriously.”
“Ha ha! Is that Ya, the one who took your Blood Jade Plaque?”
“Ha ha ha! Yes indeed! Compared to Brother Ya, I resemble a firefly before a full moon, yet I’m managing to utilize the skills I’ve learned.”
“That guy is the mastermind behind all this.”
Tang Guanglie mentally noted the name “Brother Ya” as he placed tiles on the gaming board.
“Ha ha! As all hidden weapons of the Tang Clan have concentrated on one person, I can’t just sit back and watch as the Family Head. So I called you here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Family Head. I’ve troubled you.”
Looking at Tang Do-gyeong, who finally seemed to catch on, Tang Guanglie chuckled. How can a person be so imperfect? Now that he had amended his rebellious attitude toward the clan, a little social awkwardness was to be forgiven.
“Perhaps I learned to gamble too intensely from the start. It’s vital to promote harmony, and I should have let you win some too.”
Tang Guanglie’s expression slightly shifted. This doesn’t look right. It seemed like he was pushing a form of hospitality gambling onto this much younger Tang Do-gyeong.
“Ha ha, that’s not what I meant. I called you here because I want to challenge you since your gambling skills are outstanding. I wanted to tell you not to take it too far and just enjoy it.”
“Yes, I’ll take the Family Head’s words to heart.”
Tang Guanglie admired the seemingly respectful Tang Do-gyeong. Even if he had gone out causing trouble, he now showed no sign of remorse, listening to his words attentively, which quelled his anger.
“Indeed! A man should have a competitive spirit. It’s admirable to give your all in everything you do! Now I shall put my position as Family Head aside and have a serious match as man to man!”
Tang Guanglie laughed heartily as he picked up the tiles. Now that he seemed to understand, Tang Do-gyeong would know to gamble moderately. So, the next task would be to return the hidden weapons he had hoarded to the rightful owners.
“Yes, Family Head!”
The difference in their levels was evident. Martial arts depths, techniques, skills… and even gambling experience. Tang Guanglie was the head of the Tang Clan! He had honed his hidden weapon techniques and poison skills to ascend to this position, competing countless times in the fierce gambling circles to acquire hidden weapons and poison!
“It’ll serve as a decent lesson for Do-gyeong, I suppose.”
Tang Guanglie thought as he took out the hidden weapon collection.
The gambling between the two began.
Watching the match unfold, Feng Ying Hall Master addressed Tang Do-gyeong.
“Do-gyeong, it’s getting late. How about we wrap this up for today?”
“Oh, right! Ha ha! It seems I’ve become too engrossed in my match with the Family Head.”
“Ha ha! That can happen! It’s getting late, so hurry along home now.”
“Yes, Family Head. I intend to tidily organize this game now. What do you think?”
Tang Guanglie nodded silently, and Tang Do-gyeong quickly tidied up the gambling tools and handed them over to Feng Ying Hall Master, proudly adorned with numerous “hidden weapon collections” strapped to his sides as he walked out confidently.
After Tang Do-gyeong left, a heavy silence fell between the two remaining in the Family Head’s quarters.
“…Wow.”
“Yes?”
“That guy, Brother Ya… whatever kind of outcast he is, bring him here immediately!!!”
Tang Guanglie’s shout shook the Family Head’s quarters.
