Chapter 416

The Civil Engineering Fairy is leaving!

The divine woman has turned Gwangju Seonbang upside down, making her the very essence of Gwangju’s specialties, its landmarks, and its pride.

Every little thing she did was the talk of the town.

Yesterday, they said the divine lady polished off the baekun-jo (a special dish), leaving the leftovers of the pig’s feet bones so clean that they looked polished—so shiny you could see your reflection in them.

Reportedly, those bone piles reached up to chest height, and she must have taken down around twelve pigs worth of legs.

Usually, when such rumors spread, they’re just funny stories to chuckle at.

Did some bone-licking brat show up?

Twelve pigs? That’s enough to joke about eating forty-eight feet—what are we, pigs?

But this is the Civil Engineering Fairy we’re talking about, who cursed and took down the vicious loan sharks at Gwangju Seonbang.

With her spiritual and physical powers combined, the divine lady helped most of Gwangju’s common folks clear their debts.

In the cold winter, it’s hard to find citizens without debts in Gwangju, and asking them to catch a few fish usually comes with a side of loan reminders.

So it’s no wonder shrines dedicated to the Civil Engineering Fairy have started popping up around Gwangju, resembling little houses on alley corners.

You can only imagine how revered she is by the people of Gwangju.

Right? The divine lady wouldn’t have had that baekun-jo for no reason. There must be a grand intention behind it. A diet that aligns with the movements of nature? A magical meal? Perhaps a menu fit for luck?

Then let’s all eat baekun-jo too!

Just like that, Qing’s dinner became the essential dish for the people of Gwangju the next day, with Gwangju-style white pork hock rice soup flying off the shelves.

Thanks to that, countless pigs shed their tears.

So the Civil Engineering Fairy listened closely to every chitchat during meal times, hoping to catch even a sliver of divine secret.

“Uncle, what’s there in Hwado? Anything worth seeing?”

“Hwado? What’s that?”

“Um. I guess that’s right…”

“I don’t know! Ah, this is delicious.”

“Delicious, but why are you giving it all to me?”

“Hehe. Just eat up, Uncle. But why are we talking about Hwado? Are you planning to go there?”

“Got to head back. Gwangdong construction needs me.”

“When? Are you going now?”

“Planning to leave after lunch tomorrow.”

That was shocking news.

Of course, the common folks eavesdropping on their conversation perked up their ears while awkwardly waving their chopsticks in the air, unsure if the food was going in their mouths or noses, just trying to get it to their lips.

Hearing the collective gasps from the common people, Qing finally felt safe to start a proper meal.

Of course, with Qing’s heartfelt eating, the common folks were again left gasping in awe, showering her with praise.

And as Qing was leaving, the entire populace of Gwangju gathered in droves.

If Qing didn’t know any better, she’d think there was some kind of festival going on.

“What’s this? Is there a festival or something?”

Of course, Qing was clueless and asked.

“Did you hear the divine lady is leaving?”

“What? Is this to see me off?”

Looking at the throng of people flocking like they were watching a parade, Qing felt a mix of bittersweet nostalgia.

“Divine lady! Don’t go!”

“Divine lady! Please come back! Next time, we’ll treat you big!”

“Thank you! We won’t forget!”

“Thanks to you, my son survived! I’ll pray for your lifelong health!”

Everyone tossed in their words, and I thought to myself, did I really do anything that warrants this level of gratitude?

I never expected to get this much fervent response just for dealing with one heterodox sect.

After all, they were the long-suffering common folks.

Since the Civil Engineering Fairy was so down-to-earth, it made her approachable.

But there they were, a bunch of scoundrels blocking the road.

As soon as they spotted Qing, they kneeled in front of her and cried real tears, unsure if she was the genuine article or an imposter.

“Oh, divine lady, you can’t leave like this! Please lift the curse and go!”

Looking at their good-for-nothing faces, Qing raised an eyebrow.

What curse, huh? she thought.

Yeom Hwi-young must have been cautious not to bring Qing any enmity, carefully selecting whom to take out.

And thus, the remaining loan sharks got missed.

“If you perform a sacrificial rite for us, I’ll offer all the gold and silver you want…”

“Ha, you want me to pray for evil? What filthy gold and silver would that even be good for?”

“Divine lady! I’m sorry! Just tell me how I can avoid the curse before you go…”

That curse sounds like something Son Representative Ho cooked up.

In the end, they were begging for their lives.

With their lives hanging by a thread, they were regretful but not repentant.

Regret and repentance—totally different things!

Qing’s voice turned fierce.

“What if I don’t tell you? Want to throw down?”

Qing lifted the hammer.

The loan sharks flinched, their fear evident as they backed away.

They’d come out to see the Civil Engineering Fairy take on Gwangju Seonbang, but how were they supposed to match her?

“Who tied the knot must undo it. If you know how grievances pile up, then you also understand how to untangle them. So, you all handle it! I’ve never seen such absurdity in my life.”

“Divine lady! Please don’t—”

Smack!!!

In an instant, a cloud resembling a mushroom billowed up, it was like a fantastical illusion.

Wrinkles appeared across everyone’s faces. Ouch, that’s gotta hurt, I’d bet.

Of course, those clueless fools crawled on their knees, and Qing delivered a stern punishment using her hammer.

The loan shark clutched his head, unable to scream as he rolled on the ground.

It was almost like the Civil Engineering Fairy had to take one last swing before she left.

Look at that scoundrel squirming and completely lost. That’s the kind of release I’m talking about, the essence of Qing!

And just like that, she took her leave.

…But?

…Wait, what?

The people of Gwangju felt something strange.

From Jin Gajang’s guest, the Cheonhwa-geom, there was an oddly familiar scent of the divine lady emanating from a strange woman.

Of course, Cheonhwa-geom was known as the goddess of the martial world and the doyen of orthodox sects.

Did they really need to mimic the Civil Engineering Fairy?

At first, no one had any thoughts.

No, their minds were forcibly cleared.

Why? Because that stunning beauty could wipe out any thought just by looking at her.

Just the sight of her face would freeze their feet, and they were lost in her beauty, unable to tear their gaze away — time slipped by unnoticed.

They say she contends for the title of the most beautiful in the central plains, but who even said that? She’s simply the most beautiful!

Standing next to Jin Seol made Jin Seol look ordinary, didn’t it?

Qing usually radiated elegance when her mouth was closed.

A beauty that aligns with the traditional standards of the central plains, similar to the delicate White Lotus, but with slightly smaller features and more pronounced eyes, nose, and mouth—by Qing’s hometown standards, she was the upgraded version.

But compared to White Lotus, famed for having the most perfect bosom known throughout history (always bragging about it) hers felt massive and somewhat gaudy.

But, hold on, wasn’t that massive body familiar somehow?

Tall and with a ridiculously dramatic curve from her waist to her hips, it felt like I had seen such an impressive figure somewhere…

It’s strange how familiar and astounding her graceful demeanor was, enhanced by Jin Seol’s specially tailored shaman attire that emphasized all the right curves.

Of course, Jin Seol believed that showing off beautiful curves was only natural.

That’s the reason Jin Seol always flaunted her deep cleavage from either her chest, waist, or the deep valley in between.

On top of that, traveling alongside her shaman sister gave off that vibe too.

The people of Gwangju referred to the woman who was the shaman sister of Cheonhwa-geom as a vixen.

Why a vixen? Well, it was just obvious!

She had a face that could make a man furious—absolutely enticing! Pure lust!

With two contrasting women together, even the people of Gwangju, who were already dazzled by Jin Seol’s beauty, flocked to see yet another beauty.

And above all, the food!

How on earth could two women exist who ate—no, devoured—like that?

At first, it seemed charming and beautiful to see someone eat so eagerly.

But uh, somehow… that lady seemed familiar… could it be the divine lady?

But since she’s pretending not to be, what can we do?

Not that she didn’t have the wits to figure it out, but having benefited from her kindness, it seemed best to play along and not let on.

In fact, whether she was trying to hide or not remained questionable.

Because why would the goddess of martial arts be out in the field working on restoration and showing off carpentry skills like a master carpenter?

Similar height. Similar figure.

And the simple uncle nearby.

Spending time with that Son Representative Ho.

A seasoned carpenter. So down-to-earth.

Constantly stuffing her face.

Hmm. That’s simply the divine lady.

And as the restoration of Jin Gajang was progressing, with the exterior remaining intact but the interiors transformed, the sad remnants of the past gradually faded away, leading the people of Gwangju from suspicion to belief, and from belief to certainty.

Just fifteen days after the divine lady returned…

The restoration of Jin Gajang was finally complete.

—-

As Jin Gajang celebrated the end of the construction with a feast, another place was shrouded in a somber atmosphere, resembling a funeral.

That was the Salwalmun.

Known as “martial artist” in Gwangju, not “bloodshed,” they referred to the bloody winds that tore through Gwangju as it rightly deserved.

That bloodbath was what took down Gwangju Seonbang.

It wasn’t just any downfall; it was a meticulous slaughter where they sought out every single one related within their organization.

And the Gold Robbery Guild also fell.

The owners of the Golden River, affiliated with the Gold Robbery Guild, were found dead in their homes day by day. Now, only a few remained, reduced to penury after burning their debt papers and depleting all riches.

The three heterodox sects set out to dominate Gwangju.

They aimed to crush Jin Gajang to ensure it would never rise again. However, the moment their plans fell through, their strategy of “three against one” went to waste.

They were in danger of having to flee without ever ruling Gwangju.

Jin Gajang sent out word that it would recruit martial artists and disciples across all of Guangdong.

It wouldn’t take long before they regained their former prominence, even if it was not quite the peak but definitely the highest in Gwangju.

Thus, the master of Salwalmun, Lee Wang-chul, was in a frantic state.

“Bang Jeoksa, has Sado Sect said they can’t provide support?”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already sent word. The Gold Combat Team from Sado Sect will be here before long.”

“Oooh, Bang Jeoksa! Truly the one and only!”

The Gold Combat Team was the elite force of the Sado Sect.

Any sane person would know it wouldn’t make sense for them to deploy an elite force just to help Salwalmun.

The selection of masters from each sect’s faction means invaluable resources would be spent, not just in gold and silver but in impact as well.

But, is the help that Sado Sect provided something we can dismiss?

Sending the head strategist from Nanggo-gak over, not to mention, hindering Jin Gajang’s recruiting efforts while simultaneously sending crates of elixirs—it all shows how invested they were. Helping in dangerous times must follow suit.

“Indeed, Bang Jeoksa is my right-hand man!”

But Lee Wang-chul sincerely meant it.

How grateful is he that he even sent a precious writing brush, all prepared for the exams, to the son of Bang Jeoksa?

It’s not an instant show of gratitude; it illustrates his appreciation that he’d send something that would only be recognized later when the son returns to Sado Sect.

Though he did want to make a good impression on Bang Jeom-myeong, the head strategist.

Someone with the influence to pull up crates of elixirs naturally set aside the favor for Lee Wang-chul’s future reference in case he forgot.

“If it weren’t for Bang Jeoksa, would I have had the guts to come this far? Truly, uh, uh, naturally, you are the embodiment of the great strategist, Zhang Liang!”

Lee Wang-chul praised Bang Jeoksa with utmost sincerity.

But Bang Jeoksa was getting tired of being called Zhang Liang—it was hard to listen to.

Is he the only one who knows anything other than that?

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