Hmm. Looks like I was pretty oblivious.
Black Cat must be feeling quite complicated, facing Hyeok Gi-rin right now. From her perspective, she probably wants the situation sorted out quickly.
It would be best to confirm the upcoming schedule and leave.
“So, what are your plans moving forward, Great Hero Hyeok Gi-rin?”
“For now, I think I’ll meet with the bandits and try to negotiate.”
Hyeok Gi-rin’s face suggested he didn’t expect much change from meeting the bandits, but it was something that needed to be done. There’s a lot of information you can only get in person.
“At that time, I would like to borrow the insight and wisdom of the Outcast.”
“Um, understood.”
Usually, external escorts don’t accompany important meetings, so does that mean he intends to share critical information?
I could always use another piece of information.
“Haha, as expected, you are overflowing with negotiation spirit. This Hyeok Mo can’t help but bow my head.”
“Oh, just flattery.”
“Cough!”
Black Cat cleared her throat.
“To reach the mountain cabin by daytime, we need to leave at dawn tomorrow. It’s better to go to bed early for tomorrow.”
Hyeok Gi-rin nodded and stood up first. As I was about to get up too, Black Cat grabbed my sleeve.
“What’s wrong?”
“Senior, aren’t you being a bit reckless?”
“Hmm?”
“Hyeok Gi-rin gives a few compliments, and you’re all grinning… What if the bandits come out in force, and you make a promise to dive headlong into that situation?”
“Since I’m going to be traveling with Hyeok Gi-rin, I might as well take advantage of it as much as possible. Besides, considering the danger, it makes sense for us to stick close to Hyeok Gi-rin. We’ll need to know what’s happening if there’s any conflict with the bandits.”
“Still…!”
Hmm.
Maybe I was a bit lacking in consideration.
Black Cat’s feelings must be a tangled mess. Just facing Hyeok Gi-rin alone is a heavy burden. She probably wants some distance, but my actions have made her end up closer to Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Haha, don’t worry. I’ll stick to Hyeok Gi-rin like glue.”
“…Senior?”
“You can hang back a bit and gather your thoughts. I’ll handle Hyeok Gi-rin just fine.”
Black Cat trembled slightly. Hmm. Did I say that too obviously? She was adamant about denying any feelings for Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Senior! You said you had no interest in Hyeok Gi-rin at all!”
“Yep, got it. Just because Hyeok Gi-rin might seem intimidating doesn’t mean anything, right? So stay a bit back under the pretense of long-distance escort. I can talk to Hyeok Gi-rin without a hitch!”
I stopped there and ran off to my room. It’d be better for Black Cat to sort out her feelings by kicking her blanket around than dealing with me right now. It’s better to meet her tomorrow when her emotions aren’t so intense.
“Then, we’ll do it that way!”
“Senior! Senior~!”
I ignored Black Cat’s shout and swiftly escaped to my room.
* *
The next morning.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
The bizarre journey began. Just as I told Black Cat yesterday, I pulled my horse closer to Hyeok Gi-rin.
Then Black Cat started riding in between us.
What on earth is happening? I looked at her with confusion, and she quickly turned her head away.
I was waiting to see if she would say anything, but she just kept her head turned, silent.
Hyeok Gi-rin spoke to Black Cat with an awkward expression.
“Um, Miss. Is there something you wish to say to me?”
Black Cat, positioned between me and Hyeok Gi-rin, was still turned away from me. This meant she had been consistently looking at Hyeok Gi-rin.
Since I couldn’t accurately gauge Black Cat’s gaze due to the Black Shadow Qi Technique, Hyeok Gi-rin’s awkwardness was only natural.
“…It’s nothing much. Sorry for bothering you.”
“Haha, it’s alright. Walking side by side like this is somewhat cozy.”
Hyeok Gi-rin awkwardly smiled at Black Cat, who perhaps felt bad for making him uncomfortable, so she turned her gaze forward again.
“Ah, now that I think about it… since talking to me means you’re not talking to Senior, this was a way to go about it… I guess the charm effect wouldn’t work anyway…”
Muttering something, Black Cat suddenly perked up.
“Hyeok So-hyeop!”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Did you come to exterminate the bandits on behalf of the Jeomchang Faction?”
“Um… actually, it’s a bit different.”
Hyeok Gi-rin wore a wry smile as he continued.
“Speaking of which, don’t you both know about my younger sister’s situation?”
Black Cat and I nodded our heads.
“In that case, it’ll be easy to talk. It’s because of my younger sister. I want her to be able to focus entirely on her own tasks, which is why I left the sect like this.”
“I see. You must be quite close to Miss Yeo Il-ye to go out of your way like this.”
“Well, I’m not sure if we can say we’re close.”
“Hmm. That sounds odd. You’re out here doing all this yet saying you’re not close?”
“It’s true that I care for my younger sister, but I’m not sure how close we truly are. I suppose it’s just a desire to become closer that made me leave the sect.”
“Hehe, you sure have a talent for complicating your words.”
“Hahaha. I often hear that.”
What kind of situation is this? I have no idea what change Black Cat is experiencing, but she’s now full-on engaging with Hyeok Gi-rin rather than me.
As I observed the sudden change in Black Cat, the energy between the two started to brighten.
“Cats, huh? Even in the main text, there are little friends visiting in search of food. Haha. There’s not much food they would like though.”
“Just place a cardboard box in a warm sunny spot. Even if there’s no food, some will stop by to rest.”
I suddenly felt like an outsider, circling around while they chatted like popular kids. Hyeok Gi-rin appeared male, but he definitely had a feminine essence. In an instant, he was clicking with Black Cat and they started chatting away happily.
“Hehe!”
“Hahaha!”
“Wahahahaha! Uhpahatahat!”
As the two burst into laughter, I would occasionally chime in with a chuckle, but I felt completely left out from the conversation.
So, I rode along feeling isolated for a while.
“Looks like the mountain cabin is coming into view.”
We reached Jeongnam Mountain, where the bandits were gathered.
* *
Hyeok Gi-rin of Okryong Sinhyeop had an appearance recognizable by anyone, as long as they didn’t have a hole in their eyes. Bandits from Ho Wang-chae and the delicious folks easily recognized Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Intimidating, huh?”
Hundreds of bandits surrounded us, glaring with menacing eyes. My heart raced, and my mouth went dry, but Hyeok Gi-rin remained unfazed, maintaining his composure.
The demeanor of the number one among the Ten Prodigies.
It felt like he was singularly suppressing the fierce momentum emanating from the hundreds of bandits.
After a long, silent standoff with the bandits, we were finally guided inside the cabin.
Upon entering the cabin, four people were seated in large chairs in the center.
I wondered why they made us wait so long until I realized they were preparing this shabby setup.
“Welcome to our Green Leaf Alliance’s mountain cabin. So we meet the famed Okryong Sinhyeop.”
“I am Hyeok Gi-rin of Okryong Sinhyeop.”
“I am Wang Maeng-ho, the Sect Leader of Ho Wang-chae. From this side, the Sect Leaders are Chung Sik-dang, Green Veggie, and Sea Food Special.”
After a bit of light introductions, Hyeok Gi-rin immediately threw a direct question.
“The suffering of the people is astonishing, shaking the heavens and making the earth tremble. Immediately cease your plundering and return what you’ve stolen.”
“Hahaha! Nonsense! There are laws in the mountains! No matter how much of a Jeomchang Faction you are, you can’t change the laws of the mountain!”
“How long do you think you can endure here on Jeongnam Mountain? You’ve gone too far with your actions.”
The four leaders exchanged glances and scoffed.
“That’s none of your concern!”
It was clear there was someone backing these four. This wasn’t something only four Sect Leaders could pull off. It’s unprecedented for the entire Sacheon Martial World, so the calm confidence suggests they have strong support behind them.
Hyeok Gi-rin seemed to sense that truth too, and his expression hardened.
“Be careful! Don’t forget that your younger sister harmed a brother of the Green Leaf Seventy-two Alliance!”
“The matters between my younger sister and Mo Yeobu were merely personal grievances. If the Green Leaf Seventy-two Alliance seeks to interfere with personal grudges, then Jeomchang Faction will not remain idle either.”
Hyeok Gi-rin’s aura changed in an instant. The pressure he emitted sent chills down everyone’s spine.
“Are you threatening us now? The brothers of the Green Leaf Seventy-two Alliance won’t just sit back! Is Jeomchang Faction trying to plunge the world into chaos?”
“I will make it clear. The matter between Mo Yeobu and my younger sister is a personal grievance. The moment you mention it, both Jeomchang and Green Leaf Seventy-two Alliance will vanish from this Central Plains without a trace.”
Gulp.
The four leaders’ throats bobbed uncomfortably at Hyeok Gi-rin’s fierce demeanor and icy tone.
Ultimately, in the Martial World, strength speaks volumes.
It didn’t matter if Jeomchang Faction’s true capabilities were known. Just Hyeok Gi-rin and Yeo Il-ye touring the mountain cabin would be enough for Green Leaf Seventy-two Alliance to not last a few years.
Now I finally understand why Hyeok Gi-rin came to the mountain cabin directly.
Even if the bandits keep saying, “It’s all because of Yeo Il-ye,” deep down, it’s evident that it doesn’t hold much sense.
However, plenty of people in this world misidentify their targets of resentment.
Sometimes, it can be fatal even to have mere suspicions unrelated to the truth.
Hyeok Gi-rin decided to visit the mountain cabin personally to prevent such incidents.
“It’s true that Jeomchang is focused on rescuing people, but don’t forget that Jeomchang’s Taoists are the ones who uphold the banner of the fallen sun. If necessary, they will pierce the enemy without hesitation, so remember that.”
The Sect Leaders paled, unable to utter a single sound. No matter how great their backing, they couldn’t take the hit for Jeomchang Faction’s blade.
“Also, absolutely do not harm anyone. If I hear any news of harm, I will not spare you, regardless of the relationship with Jeomchang.”
With those final words, we left the mountain cabin.
