CLS-Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Chronicles of the Martial 

“Mmm, it’s the mountains.”

Wei Yan-ho looked around his surroundings.

No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t feel even the slightest trace of human presence.

“Why did he drop me off here?”

It wasn’t that he thought there was some ulterior motive.

Since he had hitched a ride on the cart, wherever the owner chose to drop him off was the owner’s prerogative. He shouldn’t blame the person who dropped him off just because he didn’t like where he was left.

However, the reason Wei Yan-ho had such thoughts was because this place was in the middle of a mountain.

The fact that the old man had specifically dropped Wei Yan-ho off here meant that from now on, the old man was heading to a place he couldn’t go with others.

A place deep in the mountains where he couldn’t go with strangers…

“Must be his home, I suppose.”

Wei Yan-ho didn’t think deeply about it.

Since the old man seemed to have some story, traveling with a shadow, it wouldn’t be strange if he had some reason he couldn’t tell others.

And it was right not to be interested in such personal matters of others.

If it had been something worth telling, he would have told him long ago.

The important point wasn’t that, but rather that the place where Wei Yan-ho was now located was in the middle of some unknown mountain, and the sun had already set.

One shouldn’t move carelessly in the mountains after sunset. Even a three-year-old child knew this common sense.

Of course, Wei Yan-ho was a sensible person. And even if common sense were reversed and he should move quickly to escape the mountain after sunset, Wei Yan-ho wouldn’t move.

There was no way Wei Yan-ho, who disliked walking on his own feet even in broad daylight, would hurry along a path in the middle of the night.

“Let’s see.”

If the sun had set, he should sleep.

That was an absolute truth that must be followed as long as one was born human.

Wei Yan-ho looked around, searching for a suitable place to sleep.

The most perfect sleeping place he could find in this area would be a beast’s den. If there was a large den and he could endure the animal smell, it could become a warm and cozy sleeping place.

However, unless it was deep in the mountains, finding a den large enough for a person to sleep in was not easy, so that had to be ruled out.

Then the second place he could look for was not a beast’s den but a cave.

It wouldn’t be fluffy like a beast’s den and would be damp with moisture, but it would still be a good sleeping place since it could shelter him from wind and rain. Unfortunately, no matter how much he looked around, he couldn’t find anything resembling a cave.

The third thing he could consider was digging a den himself.

In this case, he wouldn’t need to worry about animal smells or moisture. Moreover, since Wei Yan-ho had learned martial arts, if he set his mind to digging a den, he could do it in an instant. It would just require a little effort.

“Hahaha.”

But Wei Yan-ho just laughed.

Wasn’t he looking for a den because he didn’t want to make that little effort?

Wei Yan-ho finally decided to choose the last method.

Wei Yan-ho, who had been looking around, began walking slowly toward a large tree visible in the distance.

“I’ve slept under eaves before, so why can’t I sleep under a tree?”

Still, if he was going to do it anyway, a red skirt was better – a large tree that was comfortable to lean against and lie down would be good. Wei Yan-ho, who had spotted a large tree not far away, shuffled toward it.

“It’s eerie.”

Perhaps because the moon wasn’t very bright today, the forest was quiet. Strangely, he couldn’t even hear any animal sounds.

“It’s nice and quiet, at least.”

Wei Yan-ho climbed up the tree.

“Hmm.”

Wei Yan-ho, who had climbed up the tree, found the largest branch and lay down on it.

“It’s nighttime, after all.”

It would be sufficient to come down from the mountain after the sun rose.

Wei Yan-ho took out a blanket from his bundle, covered himself with it, and went to sleep.

While ordinary people wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully in such a place, Wei Yan-ho was someone who had endured five years in that damp cave. This was like a soft bed in comparison.

The fact that no bone-chilling cold rose from the ground was enough to make it a sufficiently good sleeping place.

As if to prove this fact, Wei Yan-ho slowly fell asleep not long after lying down.

Sleep was something that the more you got, the more you needed.

***

“You couldn’t find him?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

Jin So-ah sat down halfway in a daze.

“What do you mean you couldn’t find him? What kind of person is he that he would have already escaped from Wuhan?”

“If he’s too fast it’s a problem, but if he’s too slow it’s also a problem. With an ordinary person’s predictions, it’s impossible to know his route.”

“Even so…”

Jin So-ah was at a loss.

He hadn’t thought he would be with Wei Yan-ho forever, but he also hadn’t thought this kind of farewell would come.

“Is there no way?”

“If we made a request to Hao Clan or Beggar’s Sect, we could find his whereabouts, but I wonder what meaning that would have. Since he left with purpose, even if we found and visited him, he wouldn’t return.”

“That’s true.”

Looking back, Wei Yan-ho had always carried out his own will.

“Sigh…”

Jin So-ah, who felt it was futile to continue searching for Wei Yan-ho, nodded.

“If that’s his will, we shouldn’t bother him further.”

“I think making the clinic prosper would be the way to follow his will.”

“Yes. I understand what you mean.”

The answer wasn’t difficult, but Jin So-ah had to feel as if one side of his heart was empty.

Since he had already half-parted ways with his older sister, he was now virtually alone in the world. In the midst of this, Wei Yan-ho’s presence had been somewhat comforting, but when even Wei Yan-ho left, a deep loneliness came over him.

“Chief Steward! Chief Steward! Hall Master!”

At that moment, an urgent voice was heard from outside.

“What is it?”

“Someone came and delivered a letter! It seems to be from the Supreme Elder!”

“Bring it in immediately!”

But those words were unnecessary. Jin So-ah ran outside barefoot and snatched the letter from Jwa-geol’s hands.

“To Jin So-ah personally.”

Jin So-ah, who confirmed the characters written on the front, immediately tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter.

“So-ah, read this.

I was just going to leave, but there’s something on my mind so I’m writing again. I feel somewhat troublesome and uncomfortable about it, but I think it’s something I must convey, so I’m sending this letter – please read the contents and judge for yourself.

Right now your older sister is going around the slums treating patients. She’s doing the foolish thing of giving away money to patients with the remaining money from settling Sacred Hand Hall.

I tried to stop her, but her will was so firm that I couldn’t prevent it.

If we leave things as they are, she’ll soon lose all her assets and face ruin, so it seems we need to take some action.

If you’re thinking of cutting ties with your sister, you can just forget this letter. But if that’s not the case, it would be good to secretly support her with appropriate medicine costs and living expenses without revealing your name.

For reference, I’ve taken my own measures regarding safety issues, so don’t worry.

Relationships may be easily severed, but blood ties never break.

I hope you won’t leave eternal regret due to momentary passion.”

Jin So-ah put down the letter and sighed.

“He could have just told me to support her directly.”

How embarrassed must he have been to write in such a roundabout way?

“What’s the matter?”

“Look at this.”

Ha Dae-bung read the letter and nodded.

“That’s definitely right. She’s Hall Master’s older sister. If she continues going around alone like that and her situation worsens, it will certainly damage Hall Master’s reputation. I’ll anonymously support her with medicine separately.”

“I’m in debt to you again.”

“…Hall Master is already doing enough for me.”

“Is that so?”

“If you really think it’s a debt, just become an even more excellent physician than you are now. Then I’ll make more money based on that, so wouldn’t that be good for the Supreme Elder as well?”

“That’s right.”

Jin So-ah nodded.

“Then we don’t have time for this. I should go study.”

At that moment, a man who had entered through the main gate whispered something with the servants and then walked toward Jin So-ah.

“Huh?”

If he were a patient, he wouldn’t ignore that long line and come inside.

“What business do you have?”

Jwa-geol blocked the man.

At first glance, he was no ordinary man.

A man dressed in spotlessly clean red martial robes, with a neat Hero’s Headband tied on his forehead. His eyes were bright and clear, and the massive blade at his waist brought both fear and reverence.

‘If Young Master Wei had looked like this, perhaps Black Spider Brotherhood wouldn’t have fallen.’

It was the appearance of the young hero that the former Black Spider Brotherhood leader had described repeatedly.

“Let me ask you something. Isn’t there a person named Wei Yan-ho here?”

“Why are you looking for Young Master Wei?”

Jin So-ah’s eyes sharpened.

“Do you know him?”

Jin So-ah didn’t answer. He wasn’t such a spineless man that he would readily give answers when someone carrying a sword suddenly came looking for an acquaintance.

“Ah!”

The man, understanding the situation, politely cupped his hands.

“I am Peng Dao-ji of Hebei Peng Family. I came to see Young Hero Wei Yan-ho regarding Martial Alliance business.”

“Martial Alliance? Hebei Peng Family?”

Even though Jin So-ah was a physician, there was no way he didn’t know the names of the Orthodox Martial Alliance and the Hebei Peng Family

“Why are such people looking for Young Master Wei?”

“I’m not looking for him with bad intentions. Previously, I was involved in some matter of his, and I’m looking for him to ask about something related to that matter, so please set aside your suspicions.”

“Ah…”

Jin So-ah immediately dropped his suspicions. He was never gullible or someone who easily trusted others, but the significance of the names Hebei Peng Family and Orthodox Martial Alliance was great enough that even someone like him had to drop his suspicions immediately.

“It seems you’ve come a long way, but unfortunately Young Master Wei left three days ago.”

“Three days ago?”

“Yes. He left three days ago.”

“Do you happen to know where he went?”

“That, I also don’t really know…”

“I see.”

Peng Dao-ji looked disappointed but soon raised his head and cupped his hands.

“I was rude. Then, farewell.”

As Peng Dao-ji cupped his hands and went outside, Jin So-ah asked with a blank expression.

“Chief Steward.”

“Yes, Hall Master.”

“Was our Young Master Wei such a great person? Why is Orthodox Martial Alliance looking for Young Master Wei?”

“Great…”

Ha Dae-bung lightly stroked his beard and chuckled.

“If you don’t call someone with such schemes and martial prowess at that age great, who would dare use the word ‘great’? Supreme Elder is a Crouching Dragon among Crouching Dragons.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Naturally.”

But Ha Dae-bung didn’t bother to add one thing.

He was a Crouching Dragon all right, but that damn Crouching Dragon was literally lying down and showing no signs of getting up.

A Crouching Dragon is only a Crouching Dragon if it flies – if it keeps lying down, it’s just forgotten.

“There should be an opportunity for him to soar.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

Ha Dae-bung waved his hands and dragged Jin So-ah toward the treatment room.

“We’ve delayed too long. You need to work now.”

***

Wei Yan-ho quietly opened his eyes to a strange feeling.

‘What is it?’

Considering that Wei Yan-ho rarely woke up on his own once he fell asleep, the fact that he woke up by himself when the sun hadn’t even risen yet was a very surprising event.

Wei Yan-ho, who had been pondering why he woke up for a while, was soon able to find the reason.

‘What is this?’

Wei Yan-ho, who discovered something flickering before his eyes, opened his eyes wide.