In the early dawn at the training hall.
“So, I had another gambling match with that guy named Tang Mu-ji, who possesses quite a significant speed in his moves. Especially considering my concentration was quite scattered after the recent fights…”
Wi Seoryeon, who barged into the training hall, started rambling about what happened yesterday at the gambling house, holding me and my friends captive.
I knew that Tang Do-gyeong was gambling with Wi Seoryeon, but the result was pretty unexpected.
It wasn’t about how much Wi Seoryeon managed to tease Tang Do-gyeong during the gambling; it was the fact that the Tang Clan seemed to actively support Wi Seoryeon in continuing to gamble.
I thought the Tang Clan was merely dragged along reluctantly, but it seemed they were enjoying the gambling with Wi Seoryeon in their own way.
“So, I twisted my wrist and spun the cup to dazzle Tang Mu-ji, winning that round and…”
Even though the conversation was filled with gambling techniques and psychological warfare, it was obvious why Wi Seoryeon was so thrilled.
It seemed that she was really happy to become friends with the members of the Tang Clan who frequented the gambling house.
“Heh, so?”
“So, I focused my internal energy to maintain that flow. If I could take just one attack from Tang Mu-ji, I could solidify the advantage completely. Tang Mu-ji has a habit that shows up whenever he uses specific techniques. So…”
The Black Cat watched Wi Seoryeon endearingly while chiming in, but Wi Seoryeon was oblivious and continued her lively tale.
Well, making friends is a joyful thing.
As I listened to Wi Seoryeon, I started sensing movement at the entrance of the guesthouse.
It was probably Tang Do-yeon, Tang So-yeol, and Tang Do-gyeong.
“Oh, speaking of the tiger, here he comes, right on cue.”
“Miss Tang Do-yeon! Long time no see, Miss Tang So-yeol!”
My party warmly approached the two, who we hadn’t seen in a while. Do-gyeong also tried to greet Wi Seoryeon and me.
But soon, puzzled expressions filled our faces. It was because the atmosphere around Tang Do-yeon and Tang So-yeol felt strangely off.
While my companions were gauging the atmosphere, Tang Do-yeon opened her mouth.
“Today, we’ve come to say our goodbyes.”
“Eh? What do you mean…?”
It was Tang Do-gyeong who answered my party’s question.
“There’s been a request from the Martial Forest Alliance to the Tang Clan. They’ve asked us to deliver charms that calm entities across the world. If the timing gets delayed, it could lead to bloodshed, so the Tang Clan has decided to mobilize the fastest cart.”
Everyone’s expressions stiffened.
Who doesn’t know that the fastest cart from the Tang Clan is Bicheongmacha? This meant that Tang Do-yeon and Tang So-yeol, being the driver and mechanic of Bicheongmacha, had to part from the group and gallivant around the world.
In other words…
It was a farewell.
“Ah…”
“Right.”
The faces of my companions were filled with regret.
“When are you leaving?”
“I’ll be leaving soon,” Tang So-yeol said while exhaling cigarette smoke.
“That soon?”
The indifferent reply from Tang So-yeol made Hyeok Gi-rin’s face turn gloomy. Perhaps it was because they wouldn’t even have the time for a proper goodbye.
Tang So-yeol stared at the gloomy Hyeok Gi-rin for a moment, then cupped his face with both hands and playfully squeezed his cheeks.
A satisfied smile spread across Tang So-yeol’s face, but all Hyeok Gi-rin could do was look on with a sorrowful expression.
“Someday, we’ll meet again.”
Chirp!
Seo Gong, who had been beside Hyeok Gi-rin, approached Tang So-yeol. For once, Seo Gong, who generally stayed quiet, nuzzled against Tang So-yeol’s leg.
Did Seo Gong sense that he would also have to part from Tang So-yeol?
As usual, Wi Seoryeon just flicked off the ash from her cigarette and gently scratched the top of Seo Gong’s head.
“Take care, disciple.”
“Yes. Please be careful, Master.”
This was not just a standard greeting.
Tang Do-yeon was in a more dangerous state than ever.
Having been driving the unmaintained Bicheongmacha for so long, the urge to speed was building up. And now, they were set to receive a fully repaired new Bicheongmacha, with the added pressure of delivering charms quickly for the peace of the Martial World?
I could hardly bear to imagine it.
I shivered without realizing it. Tang So-yeol appeared to understand that my advice to be careful meant something, as he responded with a wry smile.
“I don’t know why I’m driving that thing to suffer like this.”
Oh, life is bitter.
I couldn’t help but smile bitterly as I watched Tang So-yeol take a deep drag from his cigarette.
I could easily guess what kind of feelings Tang So-yeol was experiencing by looking at Tang Do-yeon, who was greeting everyone.
“Miss Tang Do-yeon, I really appreciate everything.”
“Hehe, I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to you, Senior Ho and everyone, I can proudly say that this Tang Do-yeon and Bicheongmacha have gained the honor of being the best cart and driver in the world.”
“Will we meet again someday?”
“Of course. I plan to keep roaming the world tirelessly. Someday, somewhere, we will meet again.”
The conversation seemed normal… or was it? But on Tang Do-yeon’s face, there was a mix of regret about parting and excitement for the journey ahead.
Just how far does she plan on running?
The Bicheongmacha, which had allowed my party to travel the world for so many years, held many memories. Yet, her expression suggested that those memories might just be swept away entirely.
“Such a pity, I wanted to have another round with you.”
“Someday there will be another opportunity.”
“Sure, I won’t be able to beat you right away. A promise with no deadline fits perfectly.”
Wi Seoryeon said this with a smile, and Tang Do-gyeong also laughed heartily, nodding along.
I observed Tang Do-gyeong with a sympathetic gaze.
It’s truly pathetic that he has to board the unstoppable Bicheongmacha. Thinking this, I noticed the faint smile on Tang Do-gyeong’s face while he was bidding farewell to Wi Seoryeon. It somehow resembled the serene smile of a Buddha who had reached enlightenment.
“Take care, brother.”
“Senior Ho.”
Tang Do-gyeong looked at me with a calm expression before suddenly asking,
“Senior Ho, you haven’t ridden the Bicheongmacha for a long time, have you? Is there a secret to enduring it? Or a trick perhaps?”
It seemed Tang Do-gyeong had not reached the plane of enlightenment just yet.
I smiled faintly and replied.
“There’s nothing like that. You just have to get used to it.”
“Ah.”
Tang Do-gyeong lowered his head. Just be strong, Do-gyeong.
While I smiled bitterly at the sight of his despair, my eyes caught the scene of Wi Seoryeon and Tang So-yeol exchanging farewells.
“Thank you. I really enjoyed it.”
“It was nothing, so no need for thanks.”
“Still, being grateful is being grateful.”
A rare hint of guilt appeared on Wi Seoryeon’s face. I guess things got a bit chaotic because of the hidden weapons Tang So-yeol passed on to her. From Wi Seoryeon’s perspective, her gift probably caused some trouble for Tang So-yeol.
Tang So-yeol merely chuckled at Wi Seoryeon’s concern.
“Wow, you’re finally making a more human-like expression.”
“…Huh?”
A more human-like expression, huh.
That could be true. While Wi Seoryeon was expressive in her actions, her face had always been either blank or in an ominous smile; now her expressions seemed to have become more natural.
Is that because she’s now mingling with others?
“Just keep being yourself. Just like this.”
After saying that, Tang So-yeol turned his back without any lingering feelings. I watched the three of them leave alongside my regretful companions and the sobbing Hyeok Gi-rin.
The excited Tang Do-yeon, the composed Tang So-yeol, and the slumped shoulders of Tang Do-gyeong vanished from sight and soon, familiar sounds filled the air.
Thud thud thud!!!
Although the guesthouse was located inside the Tang Clan, I couldn’t see the Bicheongmacha, but the faint sound of hooves fading away and the dust swirling up indicated that Bicheongmacha had departed.
Finally, when even that faint sound faded away, we all moved into the guesthouse with disappointed expressions.
“Ho Cheon-an.”
At that moment, Wi Seoryeon called out to me.
“Would you like to have a match with me?”
Drowning the loneliness of parting in a hobby isn’t bad at all. I was about to nod eagerly, but Wi Seoryeon’s words came out slightly quicker.
“Using all your strength, I mean.”
It seemed that Wi Seoryeon intended to challenge me.
* *
Wi Seoryeon recalled Tang So-yeol’s words.
“Just keep being yourself.”
It was puzzling; she had no memory of doing anything worthy of such praise.
From Wi Seoryeon’s perspective, it was a bewildering occurrence, and she pondered deeply. Soon, she found an answer.
What is the purpose of martial arts?
To defeat the enemy and protect oneself.
Then what is the purpose of gambling?
To win money.
But is the only goal of gambling to make money? Then Wi Seoryeon wouldn’t have bothered learning it. If one wanted to rob money from others, martial arts is a far better means.
So, why did she learn gambling?
To ease her father Wi Ji-cheon’s loneliness. Since she couldn’t stand beside her father using martial arts, she chose gambling as a means.
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Wi Seoryeon soon realized the answer.
Gambling requires an opponent. You sit face to face with your opponent and share the outcome of the match, regardless of victory or defeat.
This is, in essence, about connection.
In truth, it’s hard to build friendships through gambling. It involves money, so grudges can easily form, and it’s a hobby that’s hard to openly display.
“However, it must be a good fit for me.”
Wi Seoryeon recalled the events she attended since coming to the Martial World. Those drinking and dancing gatherings, considered the best for making friends, but how many dared to approach her? And among those few, was there anyone she truly liked?
Not a single one.
In contrast, how was the gambling table at the Tang Clan? In the past ten days, she had become friends with those she had faced off against and those who supported them in the background.
Where did this difference come from?
Was it because Wi Seoryeon was inexperienced with drinking and dancing while experienced in gambling?
Or was it because she had spent more time with the members of the Tang Clan?
Wi Seoryeon shook her head.
The difference lay in immersion.
Wi Seoryeon couldn’t immerse herself in drinking and dancing. She didn’t enjoy the sharpness and sweetness that alcohol brought, didn’t get lost in the rhythms of dancers and musicians, nor had any interest in conversations with strangers.
But what about the gambling with the Tang Clan?
Wi Seoryeon focused on winning against the Tang Clan while they focused on defeating her, making them intensely concentrated on the match like never before.
That kind of focus led to mutual understanding and connection.
That’s why Tang So-yeol must have left her with those words to keep being herself.
Fully grasping the meaning behind Tang So-yeol’s words, Wi Seoryeon felt gratitude. And she made a resolution. She would commit herself more to gambling and pursue that devotion zealously.
The result was throwing down a challenge to Ho Cheon-an.
If she were to pursue that devotion, of course she should aim for the best in the world!
Someone might hear that and be baffled, questioning how this makes sense, but for Wi Seoryeon, it was only natural.
She was the Heavenly Demon.
Resolutely, she intended to topple Ho Cheon-an standing before her.
And so, with her will firm, Wi Seoryeon narrowed her eyes, staring fiercely at Ho Cheon-an.
Ho Cheon-an, taken aback by Wi Seoryeon’s demeanor, scratched the back of his head and said,
“Are you really going all out?”
“That’s exactly what I want.”
“Well… okay.”
Ho Cheon-an casually nodded and placed the gambling tools on the board. It seemed we were about to play dice.
“Isn’t your specialty in sleight of hand? I want to taste your full abilities.”
“No matter the game, my skills remain the same.”
What an audacious claim.
“Still, rolling dice is my most favorable game.”
“Is that so.”
The dice were thrown to determine the turn order. Fact is, it’s a well-known rule in the gambling world that turn order doesn’t mean much in dice gambling. After all, getting the outcome one wants from the dice in your cup is extremely difficult.
However, if one can manipulate the dice as one desires, the advantage of going first is clear.
Ho Cheon-an rolled two dice and got a double six, a perfect twelve in one throw.
Wi Seoryeon also rolled her dice, matching with another twelve, keeping pace with him. But Ho Cheon-an casually picked up the dice and rolled them again, producing another effortless twelve.
Wi Seoryeon gritted her teeth and kept up.
After seven rounds of throwing the dice to determine the order, the first move went to Ho Cheon-an.
Seeing Ho Cheon-an hold the cup, Wi Seoryeon smiled bitterly.
She tried to take the initiative, but to no avail.
Instead, not only did she expend her internal energy, but she also experienced a sense of overwhelming reliability from Ho Cheon-an, as if he could keep rolling twelve over and over. What a loss!
But Wi Seoryeon had no time to lament.
“Let’s get started.”
Ho Cheon-an immediately began the game.
Clink! Clink!
Wi Seoryeon narrowed her eyes and focused on Ho Cheon-an’s handling of the cup. The motions were consistent; the rhythm was constant. It was just an ordinary shaking of the cup.
Thud.
That was all.
Ho Cheon-an shook the cup about five times, then set it down. With such a straightforward shaking, Wi Seoryeon looked down at the cup and plunged into thought.
She had discerned the dice. The numbers were 2 and 6.
Although it appeared straightforward, Ho Cheon-an was using several mixed techniques, and Wi Seoryeon saw right through it. The techniques weren’t too hard to discern, but also not too easy, so Wi Seoryeon’s head began to whirl.
Was the dice truly an 8? Was I being deceived?
But could it be possible to be so well fooled without the slightest hint of unease?
In the past ten days, Wi Seoryeon’s skills had explosively improved. And Ho Cheon-an knew that her skills had improved but could only guess how much she had grown.
So maybe he was testing her with appropriate techniques to gauge her reactions.
Wi Seoryeon fell into deep contemplation, as it felt like every assumption she had could be correct. So, what could possibly be the conclusion? While she was deep in thought, she suddenly looked at Ho Cheon-an.
As she was gazing at the inscrutable expression on Ho Cheon-an’s face, she inadvertently produced five bets and spoke.
“I’ll bet two with five.”
Placing her five on the opening round’s betting was audacious to the point of being extraordinary. Wi Seoryeon felt compelled to trust her current judgment.
Was it a test of his skills? Or a psychological battle for the next round?
All of that was wrong.
‘It’s just a fantasy created by my own weaknesses.’
Who is this Ho Cheon-an standing before me?
A person who prided himself as the world’s best gambler, who had repeatedly overcome adversities for half a year without ever conceding defeat to a Heavenly Demon and proven his skills.
Would such a person waste a move in a match he claimed he would go all out in?
Of course not.
So every strategy Ho Cheon-an played was infused with psychological warfare, tactical plays, and a benchmark for skill verification.
Fearing the true magnitude of this wall in front of her, she dismisses the thought that she was deceived. Imagining that perhaps just for this first move at least, Ho Cheon-an might be satisfied with a passive play and fantasizing that he might end up simply checking skill wasn’t farfetched.
All these thoughts, even acknowledging that these are baseless delusions, she couldn’t face her trembling self due to fear.
As Wi Seoryeon met Ho Cheon-an’s gaze, she realized that was her true self.
And it was that whisper from the Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon that pushed her to plunge right into that fear without hesitation.
For even if this path and choice would lead to her defeat, facing fear was the most righteous road to climbing to the top.
So, 2 it is.
To see her first matchup and uncover the secrets of Ho Cheon-an’s cup in a single throw? That’s simply improbable, so believing it was a trick to outplay him was the right thought. If so, what numbers must be revealed to throw me into the biggest shock?
The answer was either 12 or 2.
Upon revealing anything that would clearly show Wi Seoryeon had been effortlessly led astray by Ho Cheon-an, she would take the greatest impact. Even thinking such was just folly, but perhaps if Ho Cheon-an read her mind to twist it once more, that wouldn’t be a bad thing either.
Even if she lost and lost her money, her spirit wouldn’t be entirely crushed, and what’s more, it would help ignite some confidence.
To throw a 2 or a 12 reveals an intent to achieve overwhelming victory in the psychological game. But to throw another number?
This just means Ho Cheon-an believed he could accomplish a full victory over Wi Seoryeon in psychological warfare.
To think about how Ho Cheon-an could infer that meant, even if he lost the stake, he would gain a portion of that psychological advantage.
So then why was it a 2 instead of a 12?
‘It’s because it feels worse to lose to a small number.’
Wi Seoryeon couldn’t help but chuckle. Her thoughts seemed absurd even to herself. Yet, that petty side was nevertheless a part of Wi Seoryeon.
She believed Ho Cheon-an could see through even her small pettiness.
Wi Seoryeon gazed at Ho Cheon-an and asked.
“Am I correct?”
“Indeed.”
Ho Cheon-an replied back.
55 to 45.
Taking a pleasurable bite, Wi Seoryeon grasped the cup.
