Chapter 30

Creeeak. The door to the cabin creaked open.

A blood-stained figure entered, sporting a gentle smile that could fool anyone.

Qing scanned the cabin and smirked.

“Whoa. I know this one. A serial killer collecting souvenirs? This guy’s the ultimate piece of work!”

The walls were adorned with silks, and women’s accessories, like hair ornaments and clothing ties, were nailed up for display.

Or maybe this dude just had a quirky hobby of collecting women’s items.

Either way, it wasn’t a healthy pastime.

Cha Namjeong hurriedly spoke up.

“Hey, Miss! Please, hear me out!”

“Miss? Miiisss? You’re still out of it, huh?”

In the Central Plain, calling someone “Miss” usually meant they were something more than a friend but not quite a lover. “Young Lady” was more of a formal title.

Getting all chummy with “Miss” right off the bat felt like introducing oneself as a frivolous man with a weakness for women.

“No, listen, Young Lady! Even if our first meeting wasn’t the best…”

“Wait a second.”

Qing interrupted Cha Namjeong.

“I’m thinking. Hold on.”

“……?”

“No, never mind, let’s just ask.”

With an eccentric glare, she turned to Cha Namjeong.

“How would you prefer to die? I’ve tried a few things, but none of them seem right for me.”

“Uh, you can’t just not die…”

“Not happening.”

Qing sliced through his words with finality.

“Don’t you think the owners of those treasures would be way too upset if you alone got to live? Plus, your cultivation level is the highest. Who leaves the galbi and just picks at the side dishes, huh?”

She didn’t quite make sense, but at least it was clear she wouldn’t let him off easy.

Cha Namjeong mustered his last bit of courage.

“If you touch me, my father won’t take it lying down! He’s a Deputy War Official!”

A-Qing tilted her head with a smirk.

“Well, isn’t that how it should be? If anyone killed his child and the father didn’t react, that would be the real weird situation. So, why? Tell your dad to get moving. A middle-aged man needs his exercise, right? Ah, what a good son he would raise!”

“Are you insane?! You’re completely out of your mind! Bodyguards, what are you doing! Quickly, take her down…”

Cha Namjeong’s words trailed off awkwardly.

Suddenly, only the two of them were left in the cabin.

“Oh, that guy was sneaking away. Either way, running from the boat when there’s nowhere to go isn’t too smart.”

“You bastard…”

“It’s fine. It’s just a matter of order. Whatever.”

Then, Cha Namjeong pressed himself flat against the floor and yelled.

“Please, spare my life! From now on, I’ll live purely with a heart of repentance!”

“Oooh…”

It was a grand bow, exposing the crown of his head fully.

Qing couldn’t help but admire his proper posture.

But that was that, and this was this.

—-

Qing yanked Cha Namjeong by his hair and dragged him to the ship’s bow, where he timidly avoided making eye contact with the rough-looking men standing guard.

These guys were notorious for their evil deeds.

Qing tossed Cha Namjeong toward them.

Cha Namjeong flew through the air and landed by the men’s feet, squirming.

Because with his limbs broken, squirming was the only option left.

A-Qing, sitting with a wine bottle and cup while reclining against the rail, suddenly threw out another comment.

“Cut it.”

That came out of nowhere.

The men exchanged hurried glances, and the smallest one spoke up.

“You want us to cut…?”

“What does a man need cutting? The little buddy! It’s not like I can do it myself. And not all of us here have a hobby of gawking at another guy’s bits, right?”

At that, Cha Namjeong, who had been squirming, started to twitch again.

“Ahh! Aahhh!”

The effort of someone whose tongue had been cut out and jaw dislocated trying to speak was impressive.

Even after becoming mute and a cripple limping on four limbs, he seemed to treasure those last fleeting words.

If it was that important, he could have treated it with a bit more care.

Even with Qing’s polite request, the men were just hesitating in confusion.

Cha Namjeong was the only son of the Deputy War Official.

Castrating him would be equivalent to cutting off the family line of the Deputy War Official.

How could they deal with the aftermath of that?

Qing chuckled and urged them on.

“Become a eunuch or make him a eunuch. Ah, in the end, it comes down to one or the other, so hurry up and decide. Now that I think about it, stabbing him with a knife means you won’t have to see it.”

The men flinched.

No matter how afraid they were of the repercussions, someone else’s property wasn’t more precious than their own.

“I’ll count to ten. Ready? One, two, three…”

With that, the men lunged at Cha Namjeong.

For a while, the sound of his incoherent screams filled the air, a mix of rage and futility.

But even desperate screams had their own kind of authenticity to them.

A-Qing drank while using that sound as background music.

Even though it was still bland, drinking with the melody of his agony under the enchanting moonlight made it truly special.

“Ah. This is nice…”

Living at the Divine Maiden Sect was enjoyable, but you really feel alive when you get a little blood on your hands now and then.

It’s fun to laugh and live together, but then again, I’m still a stranger around here.

Also, with such warmth, there’s pent-up frustration.

Oh boy, what a time for feelings of misery.

Qing shook off the nagging emotions and clapped her hands.

“Alright then! Let’s head to the nearest port and be on our way. Where’s the closest port?”

“It’s Weichang, but…”

“Then that’s where we’ll go. Come on, let’s move!”

But the men just stood there, hesitating.

“Guys?”

“……”

“……”

No way. It can’t be.

A-Qing forced herself to sound cheerful.

“Is there anyone here who knows how to steer a boat? Raise your hand!”

“……”

“……”

“Don’t be shy; be confident.”

“……”

“……”

Ah. Phew. I must have killed them without thinking.

Seomun Qing, on the day of getting stranded.

—-

Day two of being stranded.

These bastards pulled one over on me.

They said the Yangtze River had thousands of boats, and I could ask for help.

Thousands? Not a single one in sight!

The guys on the boat don’t even know how to steer it. Unbelievable!

I couldn’t stand seeing these useless slackers, so I had them clean the boat and handle the bodies.

With how pathetic they are, they just kept gagging at the sight of corpses, making the mess worse.

But as I kept insisting, they grew accustomed to it and started tossing the bodies straight into the river, plunk, plunk.

Now I understand the deep meaning behind all the chores the supply officer had me do, from mopping to drying the floors under brutal sun.

Miss you, Supply Officer.

—-

Day three of being stranded.

I found that sneaky person who had been hiding.

It was quite amusing.

—-

Day four of being stranded.

Still no sign of a boat.

The banquet food is starting to spoil.

I remember the first time I opened my eyes in the Central Plain.

Living off scraps and trash.

But you know, back then, there was a certain romance to it.

When I defeated the street urchins and proudly laid claim to victory, I felt like I owned the whole world.

Thinking back to that makes me feel like spoiled food isn’t so bad after all.

No one should lose sight of their initial intentions; that’s the truth.

Besides, I don’t have a body that gets sick from eating spoiled food.

Speaking of which, the half-moon tavern… those bastards.

I swore I’d burn it down when I became a master.

The day I step back into Jianping, the Half-Moon Tavern will finally meet its destined doom.

Ugh, just thinking about it pisses me off.

Here I am, just trying to survive.

Those dirty pigs taking my food so their brats can eat should be the ones who die.

It’s a death sentence.

—-

Day five of being stranded.

Seems like I’ve entered the sea.

All around me is water, but the fog is so thick I can’t see anything.

Technically, they say it’s a lake.

But weren’t these bastards the ones who said boats pass by thousands daily without a care?

How can I trust anyone anymore?

On the bright side, the banquet food had maggots, so I bent a knife to make a hook to fish.

And let me tell you, the catch has been great!

When I made a bunch of hooks and handed them to those liars, they went wild with joy.

Just because the banquet food was slightly spoiled, they were thrilled to bits by freshwater fish infested with parasites.

I don’t get it.

—-

Day six of being stranded.

Today,

“A ship! A ship!”

“Over here! Help us!”

The commotion from a distance made Qing pause.

She’d been writing her diary for fun with the brush and ink available in the cabin.

When she stepped out to the bow, she saw the men going wild.

They looked as if they were about to collapse from excitement, but then suddenly, their energy surged again.

Piercing through the thick fog was a colossal ship.

Qing was taken aback.

Is that a ship or a warship?

Wait, did ancient China have this level of technology?

An unimaginably massive vessel revealed itself, flaunting its might.

Along with it came a thunderous voice.

The voice of a master filled with authority.

“How dare you defy the regulations of the River Patrol! You lot really have some nerve!”

The River Patrol was a group managing the Yangtze River.

In other words, they were the river’s self-proclaimed rulers.

They claimed the river as their territory.

The regulations were the perfect example of that.

They wouldn’t let any ship pass without permission, indicating a level of ownership only someone with guts could claim.

Of course, government ships were an exception.

If you mess with a government vessel, you’ll be facing a fleet equipped with the latest cannons, and trust me, that fleet would absolutely obliterate you.

The same reason applied to the regulations. They generally lasted only about two days.

If you broke the rules longer than that, you’d be the one tasting the wrath of specially equipped government ships.

But thinking about it, even though they said those rules only lasted two days, the duration before boats disappeared from the river might be longer.

That’s exactly why Qing was adrift.

“Stop! Halt the ship and kneel!”

But even now, they were still adrift.

There was no one here who could steer a boat.

“Stop, for heaven’s sake! What on earth are you thinking? Damn it! Everyone, brace for impact!”

The master’s voice grew frantic.

Qing watched as the giant ship of the River Patrol tore through the fog, her mind racing.

Ah, I see. It’s a ramming tactic.

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