Chapter 182

“Hey, isn’t that Je-gal and Tang Nan-ah? What brings you here? Oh, I guess everyone’s bound to gather anyway.”

“Have you been well, sister?”

“Qing Ah!”

“Why so formal? Come on, give me a hug!”

As Tang Nan-ah rushed over with an expression of pure joy, Qing released a quiet exhale, then changed her mind and opened her arms wide.

Tang Nan-ah attempted a full-body tackle.

The impact? Totally negligible.

It turns out, strength is dictated by speed and mass (excluding the cosmic mystery of True Energy), and Qing was not weak enough to be bowled over by a light charge from a girl.

Qing even braced herself to take the hit, and Tang Nan-ah flung herself onto Qing’s neck for a proper hug.

In that moment, a warm, milky scent wafted through the air.

“Are you feeling alright? If you have a fever or anything, don’t hold back. You need to let me know! If a wound gets infected, that’s going to be a problem. By the way, I heard you were in jail. Did those guys treat you badly?”

“They were definitely rough…”

Of course, Qing was the perpetrator, the one who did the roughing up.

She gave those girls in jail a lesson on manners; after all, starving on the meager rations hardly stuck to her stomach, but ultimately, taking their meals away felt a bit too harsh, so she let them eat.

“So, what happened? How’s Old Man Ban’s kid?”

“Grandson, sister.”

“At nineteen, what’s the difference between a grandson and a son? He’s an adult either way.”

“That’s true. The grown-up son has returned to the old grandpa, so you don’t need to worry. I heard that the young lady from the family is going to settle at Seolga Merchant Association. Do you know the place?”

“Well, it makes sense they couldn’t keep running from that stall. That’s good news. It’s a small shop run by a friend. Ah, I’m so hungry. Have you all eaten? Hey, Jeomsoi!”

Moving to a private room, Qing vented her frustrations from the day and a half wasted on the innocent food.

“Sister, can you even taste it?”

“Yup. It’s delicious. Oh, by the way, do you know about Je-gal and Mugeong Shinsu?”

“Mugeong Shinsu! You’re talking about the stealth technique of the Mugeong clan! Yes, I learned about that interesting little thief when I was eleven years old, on the eighth of July, while studying military strategy from the esteemed scholar…”

“Wow, you sure talk a lot… Have you increased your chatter all of a sudden? Is Tang Nan-ah not listening to you?”

“Well, she doesn’t listen to anyone but sister Seomun, it seems. Quite fascinating.”

“W-who listens to you!”

“What? You’re not going to listen to me? Tang Nan-ah, I’m quite disappointed.”

“No, I am listening, I just—”

“What was I saying? Oh, Shintu is…”

To summarize Je-gal Lee-hyun’s long-winded explanation, it went something like this.

Mugeong Shintu is known as the secret skills passed down from a long line of thieves.

Primarily, they target merchants or government offices, sometimes robbing rich folks to distribute their ill-gotten gains among the common people.

They don’t specifically choose bad rich folks, but in reality, the chances are high that they indeed are nothing but scumbags.

As a result, robbing scumbags is seen as a good deed, and even if they happen to rob one decent rich person among a hundred, it’s still money disbursed into the public. Hence, they’re sometimes called noble bandits.

That said, they are basically ambivalent thieves within the law.

“Hmm. Sounds like a pretty soft reputation.”

“A thief is a thief, right? My master, the esteemed scholar, mentioned they only pocket the extra bits, flaunting their generosity by spreading the leftover scraps—picking a style that’s as lowly as it gets.”

“So, what’s Mugeong Shinsu? When did this turn into a whole thief story?”

Mugeong Shinsu, or Mugeong Shinnal, is a technique that involves taking and grappling, not your usual striking arts.

While other martial arts typically focus on strong strikes, Mugeong Shinsu opts for a finesse that uses subtle pulling and pushing, manipulating joints and destabilizing an opponent.

But Mugeong Shinsu itself specializes in different aspects.

Legends say that even shadows can’t spot their subtle hand movements, able to strip a woman of even her most secretive undergarments without a whisper, making it the best pickpocket technique in the world.

“What? That analogy is a bit much, isn’t it? And it sounds a bit inappropriate. How convenient is it to have an empty undergarment?”

“This is documented in the tales—a bet between Great Master Mucheondae and Shintu, about whether Shintu could steal without the woman noticing, and he reportedly won.”

After which, Shintu apologized and returned the undergarments, only to get slapped across the face.

It was then that Mucheondae took the blame and disappeared with the lady.

Apparently, Mucheondae was also famous for his looks.

Despite winning the bet, Shintu had to return feeling utterly defeated.

“Hmm. Definitely deserving of that slap. I mean, yeah, I can see it.”

“Isn’t that totally a creep? What type exists like that? Did they rub paralysis powder on their hands or something? Creepy. Uh, um…”

Qing caught Tang Nan-ah mumbling under her breath about paralysis powder.

Then she placed fried pork ribs atop Qing’s plate, speaking softly.

“Qing Ah, we’re supposed to be friends tonight.”

“Hey, what’s with the paralysis powder? When my chest was split open, I wasn’t using any. I was just sewing my flesh back together and remember it vividly. Totally creepy.”

“Ah! I-I don’t know what you mean! And, and what! Come on! It’s not like it’s going to wear out!”

“So you’re just going to be bold about it then?”

Qing narrowed her eyes.

Tang Nan-ah boldly held her gaze, giving her all the strength she could muster.

Of course, her eyes were quivering and her complexion pale, looking terrified. Still, that bravery…or was it just ignorance?

Then a thought struck her.

“Oh? Speaking of which, how was the lodging? I heard every inn was booked solid.”

“Some generous hosts offered accommodations. Oh right, sister! You should visit the family’s lodging! I swear, they’re all in an uproar trying to get you! How did you two get so close in such a short time?”

“Kids usually like me. Even that little brat from the Mo-yong family was all over me calling me ‘big sister.’”

“I guess you understand them well. Since your maturity matches theirs, ugh!”

*Ding!* The small bell chimed, and Je-gal Lee-hyun clutched his head.

“Don’t think I won’t find you just because you’re far away. My smack doesn’t recognize distance. Why do I feel like you’re getting bolder with each passing day? Just calling me sister and sister!”

“Who in the world smacks the Buddha for calling him sister…”

At that sight, Pang Dae-san’s eyebrows twitched.

Je-gal Lee-hyun has always been genial and polite, treating everyone courteously, regardless of being just a year older.

But that courtesy also carried a certain distance, so even if he was friendly with folks from the Dragon and Phoenix Association, he had no best friends.

He did stick to Huang Bo Woon-cheok, but that was only because they were close cousins.

And then—

“Wait a second. Did you say Buddha’s Physical Body?”

“Pang, didn’t you know? Sister is the inheritor of Buddha’s Physical Body!”

“That’s news to me.”

“That’s because I didn’t mention it, right?”

Pang Dae-san’s eyebrows twitched again.

“What’s with those twitches? There’s no custom of sharing all martial arts with friends. I don’t even know what you learned in the mountains!”

“Well… that’s true…”

“Wait! What did you just say? In the mountains! You two are… involved, aren’t you! No way! No, that’s invalid. I refuse to acknowledge this!”

Just then, Tang Nan-ah interrupted again.

Pang Dae-san froze, glancing at her with that expression of disdain he always reserved for women.

And oh, there was this insufferable woman.

From the Tang family, boasting her accomplishments, believing she was the center of the world and everyone should revolve around her—selfish through and through.

She had been a horrifying presence back when we met twice during an event in Sichuan.

Having forgotten about the dread since they’d avoided her lately, I was reminded of how chill-inducing she was.

Pang Dae-san’s face turned frostily solemn.

But it was only momentary.

“Even if you’re Lord Pang, that’s crossing the line. Our pure Qing’s being seduced, and clearly, this is some kind of setup, pretending to be just friends. Oh, this is exactly what I wanted to discuss! How could you even get only one room for both of you? How is this even possible?”

Tang Nan-ah’s voice grew louder as she continued.

She seemed to be getting angrier at herself for saying anything in the first place.

“Even if our Qing is nice enough to offer two beds, you, the lord, should find another place to sleep! No way should you risk lying in the same room and later get caught up in some scandal!! What a total scoundrel!”

Pang Dae-san, with an expression of disbelief, pointed a finger at his own face.

Is that how you really feel about me?

“What’s this nonsense? Just because I’m decent looking, you think I would lavish you with all my secrets? Sure, I can just leave it at that!”

“How ridiculous.”

“The ridiculous one is me!”

Tang Nan-ah shot back, unapologetic.

Pang Dae-san lowered his voice.

“At the elder’s birthday party, do you not recall what you said to me?”

“Ugh!”

“You came right out saying you’d allow me one wife and one concubine, didn’t you? And you even said that my figure was starting to sag and I should wait five years before having kids?”

“Ugh.”

“Seems like that wasn’t such a big deal. At least you didn’t overly pursue the matter. You simply acted like the main wife without permission.”

If this were some other story outside of martial arts, she’d be the villainess who throws wine in the protagonist’s face at the beginning. The sort that, in exchange for providing moisturizing wine, happily exterminates the protagonist’s family and inevitably tortures their very spirit eternally in the fires of hell.

That’s why Tang Nan-ah should be thanking her lucky stars she was born in the Central Plain.

“Well, that time! I was just young!”

“Hmm. So, you bear no feelings towards me now, is that what you’re saying?”

“Ha! Do you think all the women of the world adore me? You’re seriously deluded.”

Pang Dae-san’s expression crumpled.

Qing could see it escalating and jumped in.

“Tang Nan-ah spoke the truth! Right! That’s what I’m talking about!”

“See? Looks like I’m the only one!”

“Yeah, yeah. But what’s this thing about allowing one wife and one concubine? Did you really say that? And that I should wait five years for kids?”

“That was during our first meeting.”

Pang Dae-san gleefully spilled the tea.

Tang Nan-ah’s face turned scarlet as if it were going to burst.

Meanwhile, Qing found it amusing.

“You weren’t much kinder back then, were you? What was that? A new tactic? You said my chest was too common and knocked off a hundred points?”

“…It wasn’t that extreme.”

Pang Dae-san shyly diverted his gaze.

One’s face was right on the cusp of exploding, the other couldn’t lift her head, naturally, the quarrel came to a close.

“Ah, truly impressive, sister! You hear everything and cleverly catch both sides’ weaknesses, taking them down simultaneously! Such a cunning scheme; I’m genuinely moved, dear sister! This is truly extraordinary!”

“Yeah, Je-gal. This time, I’ll let it slide, so clear the table after dining. And to defend yourself, search for materials other than glass. You’ll end up with shards in your hair!”

“Yes, sister. I’ll bear that in mind.”

With dinner concluded.

As a matter of course, while sipping tea, Qing spoke up.

“Oh, about that young lady—Gongson… Gongson Chan? Hmm? Who’s Gongson Chan? Why does that name stick in my mouth?”

“Oh, do you mean Gongson Chan? Well, Gongson Chan is—”

“Quiet down. It’s Gongson Yo-ye. She’s from the Gongson Family.”

Pang Dae-san cut off Je-gal Lee-hyun’s chatter. A quite appropriate intervention, I’d say.

Qing asked him again, “So, anyway. She proudly stated her lineage; she must come from a famous clan, right? Then you must know where she is? Where’s that young lady now?”

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