After the Mosan Great War, the Martial World became peaceful after defeating the remnants of the Blood Sect.
Suddenly, a rumor began circulating in the Martial World regarding the origins of Geum Myeong-wol, who was one of the heroes of the Martial World and a member of the Brain Knife Outcast group.
In Shanxi, it was claimed that Geum Myeong-wol was from there.
In Hubei, another claim emerged that Geum Myeong-wol was a Hubei native.
This wasn’t simply confined to Shanxi or Hubei.
Nationwide!
Indeed, people across the nation began to assert that Geum Myeong-wol belonged to their region’s martial artists.
The rumors floating around were incredibly diverse: Some claimed she was the heir of a solo martial lineage from a certain mountain. Others said she was a practitioner who had self-taught martial arts. There were even rumors that she had received a legendary swordsman’s techniques after encountering a fortuitous event in a cave.
There was so little known about Geum Myeong-wol that nothing could be confirmed, but the rumors presented as evidence of her local origins were convincingly diverse, creating quite the chaotic situation.
Yet, despite the confusion, people in various regions adamantly claimed that Geum Myeong-wol hailed from their locality.
The circulating rumors held a certain level of plausibility, and those who had already accepted Geum Myeong-wol as one of their own simply wouldn’t doubt their so-called “local hero.”
What was once thought to be a fading glory—the region that produced a hero of the Martial World—continued to spark fierce debates across regions without any sign of diminishing, focusing everyone’s attention on one place.
That was the whereabouts of Geum Myeong-wol, who could solve all these doubts.
However, regrettably, the Brain Knife Outcast and her companions had completely vanished from sight after their trip to Dongjeong Lake. The countless people searching for Geum Myeong-wol were forced to look for other sources in a “luck instead of pheasant” manner.
The people they sought out were the martial artists associated with the Martial Forest Alliance who had temporarily been with the Brain Knife Outcast.
Thirsty for information about Geum Myeong-wol, they bombarded these martial artists with questions, but they couldn’t provide any satisfactory answers.
They hardly knew anything about Geum Myeong-wol in the first place, and even if they did, it was a situation where they couldn’t just speak freely.
Revealing the identity of someone who had been living incognito in the martial world could lead to dangerous resentment. With the entire martial world stirring over Geum Myeong-wol’s origins, who would dare to speak knowing that any careless word could have unpredictable consequences?
As the curiosity about Geum Myeong-wol and the frustration of the masses continued to build, a certain rumor spread through the world.
Moyong Seo from the Moyong Clan mentioned Geum Myeong-wol!
“I too don’t know the identity of Great Hero Geum Myeong-wol very well. But I can certainly affirm her martial arts level – she is undoubtedly an expert on par with the Brain Knife Outcast.”
Equal martial prowess to the Brain Knife Outcast!
While the discussion surrounding her actions could be endless, the Brain Knife Outcast was undeniably a martial artist whose name would be etched in the history of the Martial World.
In her twenties, she had reached the Hwa-gyeong level… Though her origins may have been that of a bottom-tier outcast, her ambiguous status and distinct ties to the Heavenly Demon Sect made it tricky to define her solely as self-made… Nevertheless!
Despite being alone, she had proven her true expertise by crushing the formidable adversaries of Ak-yang’s top sect while claiming her title in the process!
Moyong Seo’s statement spread like wildfire, causing the entire martial world to stir with excitement.
This was not just some baseless rumor but a statement from a credible source, and it was enough to spark expectations about Geum Myeong-wol.
Additionally, people came to a realization: To gather information about Geum Myeong-wol, it was necessary to connect with those who genuinely had ties to her.
If there were anyone with closer ties to Geum Myeong-wol than Moyong Mo, they might just share some valuable insights!
The gaze of the eager martial artists and curious onlookers naturally turned toward those intimately associated with the Brain Knife Outcast.
That meant the Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon!
Plus, Tang Do-yeon and Tang So-yeol, who had traveled alongside the Brain Knife Outcast and Geum Myeong-wol for a long time aboard the Bicheongmacha!
Having thoroughly enjoyed their time with the Tang Clan, Wi Seoryeon was now wandering the world at the request of the Martial Forest Alliance alongside the Bicheongmacha, gathering crowds wherever they stopped.
Naturally, both the gambling house where Wi Seoryeon visited and the places where the Bicheongmacha stopped attracted throngs of people like clouds.
“I want to hear about Great Hero Geum Myeong-wol!”
“Please, say a word!”
The two individuals who had received a letter from the male Ho Cheon-an beforehand were prepared to welcome the crowd.
It was, unfortunately, a rather unfortunate situation for the audience.
* *
The Gilu of Shanxi, known for its bustling gambling scene, Mingjeongru.
Being a famous establishment in Shanxi, it usually saw a substantial amount of foot traffic, but today’s Mingjeongru saw a crowd far surpassing the typical numbers.
All had gathered in hopes of meeting one person.
“You all have come here hoping to hear about Geum Myeong-wol, haven’t you?”
With the presence of the Black Dragon Qi and the Heavenly Demon, Wi Seoryeon silenced the Mingjeongru.
“However, my stories come at a price. Only those who can defeat me in a game shall earn the right to hear them.”
Wi Seoryeon, while gazing down at the quaking individuals, extended a finger.
“I don’t intend to entertain everyone indiscriminately, so losers will receive a flick on the forehead.”
The faces of the people in the gambling house turned pale at Wi Seoryeon’s threat.
The Heavenly Demon’s flick!
It was terrifying to think that an expert who could knock someone out just by manipulating their qi would personally strike them!
It was akin to saying they risked their lives for a scrap of information.
“Now, are there any challengers?”
With that, Wi Seoryeon reclined back comfortably in her chair, and the temperature in the Mingjeongru plunged into a heavy silence.
Although they had traveled far to obtain information about Geum Myeong-wol, they weren’t prepared to gamble their lives for it.
After a long moment of everyone merely watching Wi Seoryon, the first challenger finally stepped forward.
“Oh, you there! What’s your name?”
“Sa, Samgwang.”
“Very well, Samgwang. I allow you to be my opponent.”
The two faced off at the gambling table.
Samgwang recalled all the rumors he had collected about Wi Seoryeon and steeled himself. It was common knowledge that Wi Seoryeon loved to gamble—many rumors circulated regarding her exploits. After gathering and analyzing such rumors, Samgwang concluded that Wi Seoryeon was not a mere run-of-the-mill gambler; she was a top expert!
He very well may have found angles to exploit and could potentially win at least one round.
“This is definitely a gamble worth taking!”
Visualizing himself defeating Wi Seoryeon and obtaining information about Geum Myeong-wol, Samgwang prepared himself.
With hopes of making his name known throughout the world, he asserted, “I challenge you with cards!”
Driven by ambition, Samgwang challenged Wi Seoryeon, but their match could only be summed up with one of her words.
“Pathetic.”
It was a devastating defeat!
“Wh, what?!…”
Samgwang stared in despair at his money, now in Wi Seoryeon’s possession, gone without a single coin left.
He had completely underestimated Wi Seoryeon’s gambling skills!
The difference between Wi Seoryeon’s gambling prowess before and after she left the Tang Clan was like night and day. Naturally, anyone basing their analysis solely on prior rumors about her? They were asking for a disaster!
“Aah…”
Contentedly ignorant of this fact, Samgwang could only gasp in horror as he watched her extending fingers approach.
Smack!
The Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon, having crushed aspirations through a game of chance, was now renowned throughout the martial world for exposing the identity of the mysterious Geum Myeong-wol.
The crowd that had watched the duel fell into a collective sigh of despair.
It was evident that obtaining information from Wi Seoryeon through gambling was no easy feat.
‘This is hopeless…’
‘I hope that those pursuing the Bicheongmacha can gather information about Geum Myeong-wol.’
The crowd in Mingjeongru gave up on acquiring information from Wi Seoryeon and instead hoped for information to trickle from the Bicheongmacha. But those pursuing the Bicheongmacha weren’t faring much better.
* *
As Wi Seoryeon defeated countless challengers effortlessly, the crowd that had flocked not to Wi Seoryeon but to the Bicheongmacha was also facing hardships.
Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum!!!
The mobility of the Bicheongmacha was beyond words.
Trying to keep up with the rapidly moving Bicheongmacha proved to be a challenge for all those attempting to spread rumors.
After much toil, those who barely caught up or overtook the Bicheongmacha found themselves meeting none other than Tang Do-gyeong.
Once a fierce fighter, now merely a cheerful young man transformed, Tang Do-gyeong greeted the incoming crowd with a friendly demeanor, but unfortunately, he was not the one with the answers they sought.
“I’m sorry, everyone. I, too, know nothing about Miss Geum Myeong-wol.”
People were left with no choice but to approach the martial heroes, Tang Do-yeon and Tang So-yeol.
“Tang So-yeol, we want to ask…”
“Get lost.”
“No, wait, I haven’t even…”
“Shoo.”
How could the world-weary Tang So-yeol honestly cater to the crowd? His martial arts were insufficient for drawing swords, yet none could demand fair treatment, considering he had staved off the actions of the Blood Sect and made a name for himself.
So, the crowd was reluctantly drawn toward the elusive Tang Do-yeon aboard the Bicheongmacha.
“Could you say just one word?”
“Hahaha! Of course! Why not board the Bicheongmacha to chat?”
Tang Do-yeon, ever charming, insisted that they must board the Bicheongmacha to start the conversation!
“Alright!”
Those eager for news about Geum Myeong-wol jubilantly climbed aboard the Bicheongmacha. While some were indeed curious about Geum Myeong-wol’s identity, others were more drawn to the prospect of returning with a tale of having met someone close to her.
Well, not only would they learn about Geum Myeong-wol, but they would also ride the world’s fastest vehicle with Tang Do-yeon who had remarkable feats during the Blood Sect’s uprising!
It would be like multiplying their tales of valor, encouraging the crowd to eagerly board the vehicle.
The Bicheongmacha was filled to capacity in the blink of an eye!
The crowd observed enviously as passengers boarded under joyous laughter, yet this bliss was interrupted before long.
“Wh-what is this?!”
“Ugh! Tang Do-yeon! Please slow down!”
“Hahaha! What are you saying? The Bicheongmacha is supposed to operate at this kind of speed!”
The complexion of the passengers turned ashen.
“Is this the norm?”
It was only the bizarrely effective structure of the carriage that allowed them to withstand these jolts; if they were on a normal cart, their tails would have shattered ages ago!
“Hmm… So, this is the Bicheongmacha…”
“What makes it the best in the world?”
Passengers felt a strong sense of danger but forced themselves to maintain a façade of nonchalance, for the envious glances from those who could not board the Bicheongmacha lingered heavily in their minds.
After all, how many people in the world had the chance to ride it?
Passengers wished that their experience aboard hastily be unique and wondrous, crafting stories of their adventure even more illustrious! Unable to escape this delusion, they bravely quipped.
“Ho! Certainly!”
“Hahaha! Unique functionalities unseen in other vehicles! I shall have my eyes opened today!”
“Indeed! I really anticipate it!”
Yet, the bravado among them waned rapidly.
Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum!!!
The Bicheongmacha surged forward explosively uphill! The passengers couldn’t endure the growing acceleration and began to scream.
“Miss! Miss! You must slow down!”
“We’re going to fly!”
Panic-stricken passengers began to pound the sides of the vehicle as Tang Do-yeon observed their genuine reactions with refreshing delight.
Having thoroughly explored the world with Ho Cheon-an in the Bicheongmacha had been a joy, yet he still felt a pang of regret. The regret of longing for more passengers to experience it.
But now he had no reason for regret.
Soon there would be throngs of passengers seeking news on Geum Myeong-wol!
“Hahahaha!”
All lingering regret scattered as Tang Do-yeon laughed heartily, soaring through the skies with the Bicheongmacha.
Boom!!!
“Aaah!”
“Eek!”
“Hahaha!”
As the Bicheongmacha flew, the passengers screamed, and Tang Do-yeon just laughed.
“Put me down!”
“Help!”
“I’m sorry!”
“Mommy!”
It was pure pandemonium in the carriage! Tang Do-yeon slowed down the Bicheongmacha and asked amid the chaos.
“Oh dear, if you get off now, you won’t hear about Geum Myeong-wol. Are you sure about this?”
“I want off! Right now!!”
“Just hold on a moment longer. You’ve experienced the fundamental feature of the Bicheongmacha, at least sample our high-speed obstacle avoidance feature and rapid inertia regulation feature using chains before…”
“Save me!”
Tang Do-yeon reluctantly brought the Bicheongmacha to a halt, and the instant it stopped, passengers rushed out as if shot from a cannon.
Watching the fleeing passengers with trembling legs, Tang Do-yeon couldn’t hide his disappointment. Having passengers on board, he had hoped for feedback regarding various functionalities of the experience…
Yet, before he could dwell too long, a smile appeared on his face.
He remembered that upon returning to the inn, there would be plenty waiting to board!
“Hahahaha! Now, let’s go back!”
Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum!
Thus began the reckless journey of two individuals holding Geum Myeong-wol’s information hostage.
