Chapter 102
**
The sunlight was behind Yeon Mi-ryeong as she turned to face me, her eyes reflecting something unusual.
She walked slowly towards me and stood in front of me, her head bowed.
“Brother Mu.”
“…Yeon So.”
“You can call me Mi-ryeong.”
Fortunately, Yeon Mi-ryeong’s external injuries weren’t severe, but there was one concerning part.
The part of the tendon that had been cut long ago. Thankfully, it wasn’t completely severed, but most of it was damaged, preventing her from running carelessly.
I wondered if even Man-sa-shin-ui could heal her.
Ju Ryeongryeong, seeing Yeon Mi-ryeong in my arms, had a changed expression. She glanced back at me and carefully cradled Yeon Mi-ryeong in her embrace.
“I’ve seen it before, but she’s really small.”
“…Sister Ju?”
“Hmm? Sister? Oh, right. I’m your sister. Why?”
“Nothing. Just…”
Yeon Mi-ryeong closed her eyes and rested her head on Ju Ryeongryeong’s shoulder.
“It’s comfortable… Is it okay if I stay like this for a moment?”
“Of course! It’s absolutely fine! Ahhh! Mu Myung! This child is so cute! Right?! Right?!”
“That’s right.”
“Hehehe…”
Given her circumstances, I felt oddly pleased.
Ju Ryeongryeong had lost a sibling who was like family at one point…
Having another relationship might help her.
I locked eyes with Yeon Mi-ryeong, nestled in Ju Ryeongryeong’s arms.
“The healer said that a light walk might be beneficial for the body. I was thinking of going to the tavern nearby to buy some food. Would you like to join me?”
“…Can I really come along?”
“Of course.”
“I want to go.”
“Ryeongryeong, please take care of Yeon So.”
“Yeah. Leave it to me. Now… slowly…”
It had been a while since I exited the building. Morning arrived five days after the incident.
We weaved through the crowd and reached the tavern. Most of the buildings were damaged, but they were quickly being restored.
Survivors from various sects had also pitched in for the repairs. Once the proud martial artists began to lend their strength, the heavy materials were moving swiftly, and wooden houses were rising rapidly.
Initially, only the center had been completely destroyed, while the surrounding structures were merely slightly peeled. Naturally, the rate of recovery was also rapid.
“I heard there were a lot of casualties this time.”
“I’ve heard it’s no joke…”
Independently acting demons suffered heavy losses, and among them, many members of the Blood Sect lost their lives as well.
Numerous warriors dispatched from the sect had also perished. Eungmin was now a chaos soup, and ironically, the stories of the Turtle Messenger Black Wild Dan quickly faded into the background.
Everyone was just whispering about the Blood Sect.
Thanks to that, Yeon Mi-ryeong’s identity was safe. When she emerged in a veil, no one paid her much attention as they glanced and passed by.
Just to be safe, I requested a separate room. Jin So-i clasped her hands.
“Sir, due to the high number of guests, the usage fees have increased a bit…”
“I’ll borrow it.”
“Thank you!”
We packed some food and decided to enjoy a meal at our own pace during that time. Ju Ryeongryeong slowly served food to Yeon Mi-ryeong.
“It’s not that I hurt my hands, so I can do it myself.”
“But you’re still hurt.”
“…Sister, you’re the same.”
“I’m completely fine. I’m nearly a monster, you know.”
Yeon Mi-ryeong fidgeted with her hands, serving the food and placing it in front of Ju Ryeongryeong.
“Sister Ju, you should also eat.”
“…….!”
Ju Ryeongryeong’s eyes quivered.
“Mu Myung. I think I just got proposed to.”
“That’s really over the top.”
“Can you give me a little bit of wedding money in advance?”
“I said that’s too much.”
But I was glad to see their camaraderie. Yeon Mi-ryeong subtly extended her bowl of food toward me.
“Brother Mu.”
“Yes, Yeon So.”
“Thank you for avenging me…”
“It was also involved with me. You don’t need to thank me so much…”
“Thank you. Brother Mu.”
“Yeon So, you seem pretty stubborn too.”
I nodded slightly.
“I will keep it in my heart.”
Yeon Mi-ryeong smiled softly. Suddenly, a loud *thud* was heard from the next room.
“…Isn’t that right?”
“…That’s correct, Lady Seo.”
Murmurs and whispers arose. I flinched at the familiar voice and discreetly glanced towards the door.
—*Knock knock.*
A light tapping sound was heard. I subtly gestured to Ju Ryeongryeong.
“Should I? Why me?”
She pointed at me and shook her head in response. Ju Ryeongryeong cleared her throat.
“Who is it?”
“I am Yeon Guang. A familiar voice has prompted me to request a moment inside…”
“Yeon Guang? No way.”
“It’s okay. I call him brother and he has a similar voice… Is it possible for me to come in?”
Ju Ryeongryeong glanced over. What can we do if he’s a benefactor?
I had hoped to avoid any encounters, but who would have thought we’d run into each other at a tavern like this?
…Wait, there aren’t many places operating properly in Eungmin now, so it makes sense that people would gather.
I sighed, retrieved my mask from my waist, and put it on. I signaled to the others to wear their veils as well.
“Come in.”
“…This voice…!”
The door opened. Yeon Guang’s face froze momentarily as he faced a group of concealed figures. Seo Cho-hee, peeking from behind, wore the same expression.
Her eyes were rolling in surprise. Then, as if she caught a whiff of my scent, Seo Cho-hee burst into a cheerful smile.
“Senpai!”
What am I, a dog?
“…It’s been a while, Haebak.”
“Are you, are you really the senior?! What are you doing here?!”
“I just dropped by for a mission. Why are you two here?”
“We were dispatched to gain practical experience in Eungmin. I’m now officially a member of the Brain Corps… Lady Seo has come for other purposes.”
“I’m here for the medicinal herbs available in Eungmin. We need them to create what my family requires… If I had known you were here, I would have visited you earlier!”
Both sides, which had been empty, were now filling up. Ju Ryeongryeong asked quietly.
“Are they acquaintances?”
“…In a sense.”
“Greetings! Sorry for the late introduction! I’m Yeon Guang from the Brain Corps!”
“I’m Seo Cho-hee from the Northern Literature House! I admire you, Senpai…!”
“…You’re quite popular.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is!”
“No!”
After correcting her for the second time, I sighed. Yeon Guang rolled his eyes.
“Hyung, why the mask…? We already know your face.”
“Is this part of the mission too? If so, we should leave now…”
“The face I had before is different from now.”
“What?! So the previous one was fake?!”
“I suppose you could say that.”
Greed flashed in Yeon Guang’s eyes. Seo Cho-hee seemed the same.
“I’m prepared to keep the truth of your face hidden for a lifetime, regardless of what it looks like. If it leaks out, I’ll cut my own tongue.”
“I won’t surrender even under harsh torture. Even if a needle pierces my body, I won’t speak. Senpai.”
“…….”
“Hyung.”
“Senpai.”
…I really wanted to avoid running into them.
But under the intense scrutiny, I finally took off my mask. Some people had already seen it, and I figured these guys wouldn’t speak up about it anyway.
I had never met anyone who followed me so obediently before… I had no idea how to react.
It wasn’t that I didn’t cherish meaningful connections.
But I felt… a bit awkward.
“Is that enough?”
“…Kreeeee!!! Hyung!!! Even your one weakness, your appearance, isn’t real!!!”
“Papers! Papers! We must document this moment!”
“Why are you kids like this?”
“I have no idea. Yeon So, don’t mind it and eat.”
“The veil is getting in the way.”
“As long as it’s in front of these kids, you can eat. They might be light and silly…”
Well, in any case,
I could say one thing for sure. I smiled slightly.
“One mouth is going to be heavy. They’re the kind of kids that would stick to their will even on a cliff.”
“……! Hyung…”
“I, I’ll even die… if it’s good…”
After the ruckus, the atmosphere finally returned to normal, and Yeon Guang’s eyes widened.
“The last heir of the Seven Star Gate…! So if that’s the case…”
“Let’s keep it a secret.”
“Understood! Hyung!”
“I won’t say a word, even if I’m threatened! Senpai!”
“That’s a bit too intense. You guys are hilarious.”
Ju Ryeongryeong chuckled, and now naturally fed Yeon Mi-ryeong some food.
For some reason, Yeon Mi-ryeong had a comfortable expression as she accepted it completely. Seo Cho-hee cautiously spoke up.
“Um, Senpai.”
“Yeah?”
“Could I take a closer look at your face?”
“…Isn’t that usually a question you wouldn’t ask?”
“Uh, it feels rude to stare so hard…”
“Go ahead and look.”
Each of her observing glances made me feel slightly bashful. But it wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t handle it.
After thoroughly inspecting, Seo Cho-hee raised her hand and covered her eyes. After a few tilts of her head, she covered her mouth.
“Senpai, were you at the center of Eungmin that day?”
“…What?! No way! Lady Seo, that means…!”
“Did you draw swords against the one presumed to be the Blood Demon…?”
“That guy known as the Shadow’s Man! Even the sects warned to keep their mouths shut about him…!”
“Senpai!”
“Hyung!”
“Senpai!!!”
“Hyung!!!”
“Ahhh! What are you kids doing?! This is so funny!”
I felt embarrassed.
Please stop…
. . .
Man-sa-shin-ui.
He finally arrived, the one who said he would come. The man wearing a veil that concealed his face moved silently around the healer’s room.
His aging voice was a bit rough. But an inexplicable aura flowed from him.
Man-sa-shin-ui, having fixed his eyes on Nine Heavens Jade Woman, spat softly.
“You’ll heal without injury.”
“I didn’t expect to receive treatment from Man-sa-shin-ui.”
“Thanks to surpassing the realm of Huaxing, even though your body is far removed from ordinary, if you don’t take care, you’ll regret it later. I recommend not moving until your wounds heal.”
He pointed at Huachun Quenma.
“If left alone, you’ll heal naturally.”
“No! Take care to treat me too!”
“Your body, polished in external techniques, is recovering well on its own. Why bother? Just let it do its work. No need for me to intervene.”
His expression stiffened as he pointed at Blood Sea Member Wolhyang.
“This is serious.”
“Hey now. You’re going too far, old man.”
“The fact that you’re enduring this pain is impressive mental strength. But… it’s nothing that can’t be healed. Thankfully, you managed to eat something while your life was at stake. This energy… it’s Turtle Messenger Black Wild Dan, isn’t it?”
“You’re quick on the uptake, old man. You caught me. Eek! I’m so embarrassed!”
“You’ve acquired a lucky encounter. Thanks to that, there should be no issue with the treatment itself. But don’t move too recklessly. Your wounds might reopen. So stop eating meat.”
“Do you know that too? As expected of Man-sa-shin-ui.”
“It’d be strange not to know with the smell of meat wafting all over. Eat something good for you. Like grass or something.”
“Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up.”
He sighed as he pointed at Black Wind.
“Your condition is critical, but… also not overly severe.”
“I feel like I’m gonna die.”
“You’re just exaggerating. I’ll give you a few acupuncture needles. You should be able to walk around soon. You said you’re with the Full Moon? Do you hunt people too?”
“It would be better to discuss that separately. Right?”
“That’s a fair point.”
He shrugged as he turned toward Ju Ryeongryeong.
“You’re looking sturdy. Next.”
“Eek! Say something nice to me.”
“Next.”
He glanced over Black Danhwa, scanning her face.
“The wounds on your body aren’t that serious, but… the burn on your face… it’s not a simple burn. Did you inflict it on yourself through self-harm?”
“…Yes. That’s right.”
“Other healers wouldn’t be able to assist. They missed the timing.”
“……”
“But I’m different.”
“R-Really?!”
A glint flickered in Black Danhwa’s eyes. Man-sa-shin-ui shrugged.
“I received instructions from the Master to take care of the martial artists who made significant contributions in this incident. If I can’t even treat a burn from self-harm, my name as Man-sa-shin-ui would become meaningless.”
“How long will it take…?”
“A month to heal. However, during that time, you’ll need to use a solitary room. It’s a complex procedure, and you’ll need to regenerate the scar… So you’ll have to stay away from light for that duration.”
“I-I’ll do it! Please help me!”
“I came here to do just that. Now, finally…”
Man-sa-shin-ui examined Yeon Mi-ryeong’s ankle.
“This can be healed too.”
Yeon Mi-ryeong broke down for the first time. Her previously resolute shoulders trembled slightly.
“R-Really…?”
“If you’re alive, I can heal anything at all. That’s why they call me Man-sa-shin-ui. No need to worry. The last heir of the Seven Star Gate.”
Man-sa-shin-ui rose to his feet.
“I’ll heal all the little wounds too. Just trust me.”
