[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 85

“Kkulkul, you cheeky brat. You’re too young to know how big the world is. I don’t know if you’re Melville’s illegitimate child or his hidden daughter, but remember, you only have one life. Keep that in mind.”

While glaring at the old woman, Herman slowly walked up from behind.

“That should be enough.”

“Well, well. If it isn’t Melville. His descendants don’t know their place and act all high and mighty.”

“Since when does the Hongmun’s matron sharpen her claws on a child?”

“The blades of Hongmun don’t discriminate between child and adult. I understand you grew up in Melville’s embrace, but you should still know your place.”

The old woman sneered.

Grandfather Herman’s face twisted as he faced her.

“Ha. You crazy hag.”

“What did you say? This old woman’s ears aren’t what they used to be.”

Grandfather Herman, who always smiled despite his high status, let out a string of curses.

“She called you a damn bitch, Grandma.”

“…..”

“Can’t you hear, you damn bitch? Huh?”

My sudden translation made Grandfather Herman look at me in disbelief. I handed him the cigar I was holding.

“Pfft. Grandfather, calm down.”

“Hoo—. Ga-eul, I didn’t say that.”

“She said you should stop acting like you’ve lived all these years for nothing and hurry up and kick the bucket.”

“…..”

“…..”

[Is the room master really crazy? LOL]

“Ha, Xiaolin. Let’s stop here.”

“She said if you don’t want to die, fix your jaw angle.”

Grind.

The sound of the old woman’s teeth grinding echoed loudly.

“….I think I’ll have Ga-eul move out when we get back.”

“Your dental health is concerning. She asked if this gold tooth is yours or if this denture is yours!”

“Ga-eul.”

“Yes. I’m sorry. But Grandfather, that crazy woman keeps messing with our kid.”

Grind grind.

She’s glaring like she’s about to take someone down.

“I’ve survived until twilight, but I’ve never seen a brat as arrogant as you. You might be fine under Melville’s protection, but can you protect your friends too?”

“Aha! I’ll have them buried with you, you heretic.”

“Ah! Room master, please!”

“Not coming over?”

[The room master’s going full throttle again, stop her!]

[Suppress her! Suppress her!!]

The old woman kept talking about friends, and as she lunged forward, the chairman barely managed to hold her back.

“Ahhh! Why is the room master so strong?!”

“Shut up, you damn bitch. See that sharp thing at the end of the mount? I paid 3,000 won to sharpen it so I can poke a hole in your head.”

“Please, room master. Stop!”

“Not coming over?”

“Huh, what a crazy filly.”

[Stop shaking the phone, it’s making me nauseous]

[Ugh]

[Why does that crazy woman MK-2 keep provoking the room master?]

Finally, the chairman’s grip slipped.

With her body free, she took a big step forward, bringing her face close to the old woman’s.

“Hey. Didn’t I just say if you mess with my kid, you’re dead? Do I look like I’m joking?”

The thought of her loved one being threatened made her blood boil even more.

“Lower your gaze.”

“….You’ve crossed the line.”

The energy that had been coiled inside her merged with her rage and surged outward.

“Lower it.”

“Arrogant…! Ugh, ugh….”

Thud.

An invisible force brushed past the old woman, who had been standing tall, and she collapsed as if struck by lightning.

Ding!

[I’ve been robbed by a noona like this before…]

[I know a bit about face reading, and if I saw the room master in person, I’d immediately bring her a warm pizza bun microwaved for 15 seconds and a cool apple juice.]

[Wow, a seasoned pro]

“Ugh, disgusting.”

Despite the strange events, all I could think was how revolting it was to see yellow liquid trickling down the old woman’s legs.

“Hey, you lumps. What are you staring at? Clean this up.”

As soon as I spoke, the thugs behind the fallen old woman twisted their faces and pulled out sashimi knives from their pockets.

When the knives appeared from their chests, the surroundings grew tense.

“Wait. If you act recklessly, the matron will be harmed. Put them away.”

The one who seemed to be the leader of the thugs stopped his underlings and helped the old woman up.

“Really, you thugs carry sashimi knives around? You’re something else.”

“Hongmun never forgets a grudge. You’d better be careful.”

“Yeah, yeah. Be careful~. Stop spouting nonsense and go pick up your damn heads.”

“…..”

The big guy, realizing the old lady had completely lost consciousness, carefully picked her up and held her.

At that moment, Grandfather Herman stepped forward.

Like a thousand-year-old tree that had stood firm in one place for millennia, Grandfather’s prayer completely turned the situation around.

“When Wen Shaolin wakes up, tell him this.”

The big guy, about to leave with the old lady in his arms, stopped in his tracks.

“…What should I tell him?”

“That the moment he lays a hand on my friend, I will personally step in.”

“Understood.”

As the big guys finished their response and rushed out, the orchestra’s music started playing again, as if trying to refresh the atmosphere.

“Room Master. What just happened? Why did someone suddenly faint? No, that’s not the important part—stop causing trouble. Seriously!”

“Just… I didn’t like the angle of the jaw punch.”

“J-jaw punch. Ugh.”

[LOL, the chairman looks like he aged 10 years.]

[From a distance, the chairman was a comedy, but up close, it’s a tragedy, LOL.]

[He’s a troublemaker through and through, LOL.]

As I watched the chairman clutching the back of his neck, I thought about what had just happened. Lately, even without provoking anyone, my head has been buzzing more frequently.

No matter how much I thought about it, this was beyond my understanding.

“Hmm, no idea?”

[No idea.]

[LOL, Ga-eul is so cute.]

No matter how much I pondered, there was no answer, not even a clue.

“Ga-eul! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yes, I’m fine!”

While the other person fainted and even wet themselves, Isabel’s concern was entirely focused on me.

The grandfathers, who had struggled to survive in the slums to protect their families and evolved into fighting machines with just their mouths, simply smiled kindly as if it were nothing.

Except for Grandfather Kamar, who was putting his handgun away.

[But who was that crazy woman MK2 who was acting like the Room Master earlier?]

[No idea, Shaolin? She was saying something about the Room Master being a thug or something.]

Looking at the phone in my hand, the viewers seemed busy chatting among themselves.

“She said it was Hongmun (洪門).”

[What’s Hongmun? A martial arts sect?]

[Were they from Shaolin Temple?]

“Kids, do you think Shaolin Temple uses sashimi knives?”

[LOLOLOL]

[That’s true, LOL.]

As I racked my brain, a few strands of knowledge from books I’d read before came to mind.

“Probably just a bunch of thugs, right?”

[Is Hongmun a gang?]

“Don’t you know Hongmun? Bailian. Qingfang. Hongmun. And even Tiandihui.”

“Huh? Ga-eul, how do you know that?”

Grandfather Herman, puffing on a cigar, looked at me with curiosity.

“It’s famous. China has always been under an autocratic monarchy. Literally, absolute royal power. After the Ming dynasty fell and the Qing dynasty solidified, the ‘Overthrow the Qing, Restore the Ming’ movement began. That’s what it’s about.”

“Ohhh.”

Grandfather Herman and the party members listened intently as I spoke, stroking their chins.

“When the Ming dynasty began to collapse and the Qing dynasty solidified, that’s when these groups emerged. Bai-Qing-Hong.”

“Hmm, so it’s over, right?”

“Right. It’s over. Due to the corruption in the Qing dynasty, the Xinhai Revolution happened, and after the third revolution, the Qing dynasty completely collapsed. That was the grand finale, but these guys are delusional, thinking they’re carrying on the will of Bai-Qing-Hong. They’re just shallow drug dealers.”

“I see.”

“That’s what’s known as the Triads or Tiandihui nowadays. They sell human organs, drugs, and are just idiots.”

“Wow….”

[??? Who are you?]

[Can’t our Room Master get rid of this rottenness from his body?!]

“My kids. Is it time for your meds again?”

[Wait, is this really our Room Master?]

[What’s going on??]

Seeing the viewers’ cute reactions made me laugh.

“I’ve always liked history. The only genres I really read were historical narratives and myths.”

[Our Room Master wouldn’t be like this.]

[Our Room Master is a strength character.]

[Is that even important? So, were you messing with the Triads earlier?]

“Triads? They’re organ sellers. If they mess with my kids one more time, I’ll turn them into Abai Shun.”

[Wow, our Room Master is a real psycho.]

[She’s reliable, though, LOL.]

[For real, LOL. Having a crazy dog on our side is reassuring.]

“Alright, enough. Let’s go find the real treasure. Was his name Wayne Dickens?”

As I looked around, everyone avoided eye contact, but an old man stood awkwardly, looking at me.

“I’m right here.”

“Oh? You were right next to me.”

“Haha. I’m the host for this round.”

“I came because I thought something happened to Bonnie.”

“Good timing. I’ve collected all the treasure maps!”

[Finally!]

[So curious]

Wayne Dickens, looking at the notes spilling out of a small pouch, was sweating bullets.

“Five pieces, right? Give me the treasure!”

“Ah, well…”

As the party members approached me, Wayne Dickens cautiously opened his mouth.

“Th-the treasure is…”

“Yes? The treasure is…?”

Wayne Dickens, stuttering heavily, looked pitiful.

[Drumroll please]

[Come out already!]

“It’s a light aircraft.”

“Huh?”

[???]

[What?]

“It’s a light aircraft. Sorry. It was kind of a joke, so there’s nothing particularly grand prepared as a treasure.”

He apologized profusely, sweating buckets.

“A light aircraft? Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“It’s not a model, it’s a real light aircraft. Worth about $150,000.”

Their conversation was oddly misaligned.

“No, I live in a rooftop room. I’d rather have an Apache helicopter with Hellfire missiles.”

[LOL]

[150,000 is like 200 million won? Not that expensive for a plane, huh?]

[About the treasure being too extravagant]

While I was dumbfounded, Wayne Dickens seemed to realize his mistake and brightened up.

“Couldn’t you give me something more… usable?”

“Usable, you say? Hmm, usable…”

He muttered about not understanding why Melville’s child lives in a rooftop room, and watching him made me start worrying too.

After pondering, I remembered the shepherd quiz I had solved earlier.

“Mr. Dickens, I heard you make watches.”

“That’s right. It’s a watch made stitch by stitch by craftsmen, including me. A watch that embodies the dignity of craftsmanship.”

“So you participate in the making too?”

“Of course.”

Wayne Dickens, overflowing with pride about watches, looked incredibly cool being so passionate about something.

“Wow! That’s so cool.”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

“Do you have a watch you’ve made?”

“Of course!”

Mr. Dickens, grinning ear to ear, pulled out a watch from his pocket.

“Ooh, cool. A pocket watch?”

“Haha, you have a good eye, ma’am. This watch, you see…”

The pocket watch looked heavy enough to fill a palm. On its surface was a shepherd tending cows and sheep, looking quite vintage and elegant.

“It’s so pretty!”

“Hahaha.”

“Mr. Dickens, you’re so cool!”

“Hahaha.”

“Wow! Cool guy! Cool guy!”

“Puhahaha!”

“Can I take this instead of the plane?”

“Sure. Huh?”

His eyes widened.

“Wow! Cool guy! A true gentleman. A gentleman always keeps his word, right?”

“Well, I… I misspoke…”

“The last gentleman of this era! Cool guy Wayne Dickens! Woo!!! Landlady!!”

[Why are you calling for the landlady LOL]

[Laaandlaaady!!]

I kept chattering with my palm outstretched, and Mr. Dickens, trembling, broke into a cold sweat.

“It’s okay. I also struggled a lot when choosing my game nickname and job. Yeah, I get it. Worrying just plants more worries. But when you actually do it, it turns out fine.”

The gentlemanly Mr. Dickens, staring at my palm, bowed his head deeply and placed the watch on my hand.

“I fought! I won! Dduuuk! I did it!”

[Wow, crazy LOL]

[He’s eating the Botes watch LOL]

[Isn’t the plane more expensive?]

[LOL Are you gonna build a runway on the rooftop? Make sense, and that’s more expensive]

“Kyah! So delicious~ Thank you so much, Mr. Dickens! Hontoni meccha umai desu ne. Pohahaha.”

[Oh, hybrid language LOL]

[Ah, sis, we’re supposed to be teaching proper speech, why are we scolding?]

The party members looked at my crazy outburst and the bowed man with pity.

“Pfft. Should I brag? Should I brag? Mr. Dickens, trust me. I’ll promote you like crazy.”

“…Please do.”

“Of course, of course. Attention, my babies!”

[Attention!]

[Laaandlaaady!!]

The watch had “No.000.001” engraved under the shepherd’s picture.

“Oh, what’s this? The first one made? Number one, huh.”

*Click.*

When I pressed the protruding button on top, the pocket watch opened up.

Above it unfolded a world of stars. I wondered what was placed on top of such elegance, and it turned out to be a star design.

Following the ticking second hand, the intricately interlocked gears moved subtly, making the stars dance slowly.

“Wow─. It’s really, really pretty. Guys, you should each get one. Since it’s a promotional item, I should do it properly.”

[You crazy woman, the cheapest one from Vautes is a billion won.]

[The room master has lost her mind lolololol.]

[What’s the name of that watch?]

“Grandfather, isn’t it so pretty?”

“It suits you well.”

“It suits the young lady very well.”

─Clap clap clap clap.

Grandfather Kamar clapped again.

“Hehehe. Right?”

[I searched the image, and it’s a pocket watch called the Zodiac Twelve Palaces. Vautes made only two in 1940, and one was auctioned for 23.1 billion won. Damn.]

[For real?]

“Grandfather, grandfather! Isn’t it pretty?”

“Of course! It suits the beautiful young lady very well.”

[The room master seems to have already lost her mind.]

[Lol, the room master is so cute, jumping around like crazy.]

[Someone send a sponsorship message. I searched it, and it’s really 23.1 billion won?]

“Pfft. But it suits grandfather even better!”

“····Yes?”

“It suits Grandfather Kamar better. I’ll give this to you.”

[???? You crazy woman?]

[Room master, please look at your phone.]

From the moment I received the watch, I couldn’t shake the thought that it matched Grandfather Kamar perfectly.

“No, young lady. It’s too much for me.”

“Mr. Dickens!”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I want to give the treasure I received as a gift to grandfather. Is that okay? It feels a bit improper, so I’m hesitant.”

Mr. Dickens, who had been staring blankly at me, finally smiled.

“Haha. Of course. The treasure belongs to the one who collected all the maps.”

“Right? Grandfather! Did you hear what Mr. Dickens said?”

“Young lady····. I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s too much for me.”

“Who was it that kept pushing even after I asked not to be called ‘young lady’ when we first met?”

In the midst of everyone’s attention, Grandfather Kamar blinked and answered.

“It was me.”

“Haha. Right? Then let’s call it even. Or trade it with grandfather’s pocket watch.”

Grandfather Kamar took out his pocket watch from his pocket and looked at it.

“This one? It’s a common watch you can easily buy anywhere.”

“By any chance, is that watch a cherished item or something with significant meaning?”

“No, it’s just a product I bought from a department store.”

“Then let’s trade! I’ll give it meaning.”

I quickly snatched the watch from Grandfather Kamar’s hand and placed the new one in his palm.

“····Thank you, young lady. I will cherish it.”

After quietly looking at the watch I gave him, his eyes suddenly turned red.

“Oh my. Why are you crying? Grandfather, hug!”

As I spread my arms, he hugged me and gently patted my back, but it was actually grandfather who was crying.

“Please take good care of our chairman.”

“···Ah··of course.”

Thud.

A drop of water fell from the evergreen pine tree that had been providing shade all year round.

Was it a tear?

It was just empty.

[But what did Wayne do to deserve this?]

[The crime of meeting a crazy woman.]

[Aha! I completely understand now.]

****

The room master broadcasting and Pposiraegi dozing off in the back room.

Room master

x

Baekseol (Pposiraegi, the room master’s gum wrapper)