Tang Yeo-eun – 2
Our sudden appearance startled the warriors, who instantly turned their blades toward us and shouted:
"Who goes there?!"
"What are you?!"
But once they got a clear look at our faces, their jaws dropped and they froze stiff.
"Th-That face…!"
"Sh-She's…!"
I had expected some reaction, but their shock was far stronger than I anticipated.
Every one of their eyes was locked squarely on Lady Tang's face.
They gawked, slack-jawed, utterly forgetting the situation at hand.
Well, that works in our favor.
Pathetic as their behavior was, this was exactly the kind of reaction I had wanted to test.
I had revealed ourselves precisely to see how they would respond to Lady Tang's presence.
Taking a step forward, I clasped my fists and addressed them politely.
"We are merely travelers. We heard a commotion and came to see. But it appears that many of you are intimidating one man."
The first to respond was the burly warrior among them, who scowled and barked at me.
"If you're just passing through, then keep walking! Do you even know whose business you're interfering in?! Do you dare disrupt the Assembly of the Sichuan Association?!"
But even as he shouted, his eyes kept darting back toward Lady Tang, unable to hide the greed flickering within.
Hmm. You lose points for that.
Already I could tell—they weren't outright evil like the Blood Sect, but they weren't men of true righteousness either.
Turning my gaze to the encircled man, Do Munseung, I found him watching us with dark, conflicted eyes.
After a moment's hesitation, he slowly released his sword hilt and spoke.
"I thank you both for stepping in on my behalf. But this is not the situation it may appear to be. These are… old friends from my home. We simply have a disagreement, nothing more. You need not concern yourselves."
He was politely telling us to stay out of it.
But the intent was clear—he was worried for our safety, not his own.
That was all I needed to know. My decision was made.
The burly warrior shouted at me again.
"Why no answer?! I asked if you intend to interfere with the Sichuan Association's business!"
Now their hostility had shifted more toward me than Do Munseung.
The burly man stormed closer, snarling,
"Are you ignoring me? Huh?!"
And still his gaze flicked again and again toward Lady Tang.
That was enough for me to understand.
So they want to get rid of me, do they?
Clearly, it was because of Lady Tang.
I grinned.
They had just handed me the perfect excuse.
Well, thank you kindly.
I began to step forward, murderous intent rising—
"This is convenient…!"
But just then, Lady Tang's urgent voice rang in my mind.
— Gongja, no!
I froze mid-step.
No? Why?
Confused, I looked at her. She quickly sent another sound transmission.
— If they truly are from the Sichuan Association, then they are allies of the Tang Clan. My father, the Clan Lord himself, values them greatly….
Her words forced me to halt.
So these louts were the Sichuan Association's allies?
These men?
The taste in my mouth turned bitter.
If that were true, I couldn't simply cut them down—not without putting Lady Tang in a difficult position.
But letting this pass also left me deeply unsettled.
While I wavered, the burly one shoved close, yelling in my face:
"You bastard! Answer me when I speak! Huh?!"
Another warrior behind him jeered mockingly.
"Maybe he's too scared to talk! Look at that pretty boy face—bet he's quivering inside!"
"Kuha-ha-ha-ha!"
Their laughter ignited a blaze of anger in my chest.
Even for Lady Tang's sake, was I truly supposed to endure such insolence?
Just then, Do Munseung shouted at them:
"Won Wang! U Po! I'll go with you!"
Everyone turned toward him.
He had fully released his sword and now stood defenseless.
His voice was desperate but firm.
"I'll come with you. So stop this. You're supposed to be righteous warriors of the Sichuan Association! Should you really be threatening unrelated bystanders like this?"
The burly man scowled in displeasure, but eventually relented and stepped back.
With the Association's name invoked, he had no grounds to press further.
Clicking his tongue in frustration, he seized Do Munseung's arm roughly and began dragging him away.
"Let's go!"
Yet even as they departed, the men couldn't resist stealing regretful glances at Lady Tang.
Cheh.
I was just as frustrated.
If only they'd pushed further, I'd have had my justification to act.
As I watched them disappear, I turned to Lady Tang.
Her head was bowed, her expression dark, staring only at the ground.
***
Afterward, we quickened our pace, crossing into Sichuan's Yeongnam region.
Do Munseung had claimed to be of the Yeongnam Sword Sect, so this was likely his home territory.
Lady Tang broke her silence at last, her voice still somber.
"Will you go straight to the Yeongnam Sword Sect?"
"No. First, an inn."
If only I knew the local Hao Clan branch, I would have gone there directly. But for now, the inn would be the place to gather information.
At the largest inn nearby, we slipped some silver into the attendants' hands and soon had plenty of talk.
"The Sichuan Association, you say? Ah, that's our pride! Without them, none of us in southern Sichuan could live in peace! Even the powers of Qingcheng, Emei, and the Tang Clan don't reach this far south—but the Association keeps us safe!"
"Aye, it's true! Without them, the Blood Sect scum from Yunnan or the Six Demon Halls from Guizhou would have slaughtered us long ago!"
To my surprise, the Association enjoyed a sterling reputation among the locals.
As the attendants explained, the Association had arisen as a self-organized defense against outside invaders. The sects of southern Sichuan had each contributed disciples and funds, forming a joint vigilante force—that was the Association today.
But when it came to Do Munseung and the Yeongnam Sword Sect, opinions were split.
"Do Gongja of Yeongnam is a fine man! Gentle and fair, famed here in Yeongnam as a true model of a chivalrous hero."
"Hah! A model hero? He's a hypocrite! He defied the Association's summons and even tried to flee!"
"You fool! He's the only one holding up the Yeongnam Sword Sect! If he leaves, the sect collapses! Can't you see that?"
"That's just his personal excuse! Everyone else sacrificed too—if he shirks the call, how can he still claim to be righteous?!"
So, the Association had been conscripting disciples from the local sects like soldiers to maintain their numbers.
Do Munseung, citing his sect's dire straits, had refused. The Association, in turn, had declared him a traitor to be executed as an example.
I pressed further.
"Has this happened before? Have others ever refused the summons due to personal circumstances? And if so, were they immediately condemned to death as well?"
One attendant thought, then answered.
"Yes! When I was a child, a man refused because of his sect's troubles. But back then, they simply delayed his summons."
"Really? That happened?"
"Of course! It was Young Master Sang of Baekdo Sect, remember?"
"Oh, right—Young Master Sang! That's it!"
So I asked again,
"Then declaring execution for refusal—is this normal procedure?"
Both attendants shook their heads.
"No, I've never heard of such a thing."
"Nor I."
But then one quickly added,
"Still, the Association's situation is desperate these days! They say many have died fighting off the Blood Sect and the Six Demon Halls!"
"Ah, I heard that too."
I mulled it over slowly.
So the Blood Sect and Six Demon Halls have been pressing them hard, causing heavy losses?
I asked one final question.
"Have you actually heard of anyone personally harmed by the Blood Sect or the Six Demon Halls recently?"
They both shook their heads, smiling brightly.
"No, none at all! How could they, with the Association protecting us?"
"That's right! It's thanks to them that we live in peace!"
"I see. Thank you."
I pressed a little more silver into the attendants' hands before dismissing them.
Then, turning to Lady Tang who had been listening with me, I asked:
"What do you think, Lady Tang?"
She still looked dispirited as she answered:
"It does seem strange. The current leader of the Sichuan Association, Sword Guest Mak Ujeon, is a master on the verge of the Transcendent Realm. That's why my father, the Clan Lord, pays him such close attention. But to hear that they're suffering casualties from the Blood Sect and Six Demon Halls? If the Blood Sect had truly pushed past the frontlines and northward, there's no way we wouldn't know. And the Six Demon Halls certainly lack the strength to invade Sichuan."
It was an accurate analysis.
I too had found it strange.
The frontlines were intact—how could the Association be suffering attacks from the Blood Sect? And the Six Demon Halls of Guizhou invading a region where they were hopelessly outclassed? Nonsense.
It would be like claiming a pack of wolves was struggling because of cats invading.
But after saying so much, Lady Tang lowered her head, adding with bitter self-mockery:
"…Even so, what could someone like me possibly do? I'm sorry, Seonu Gongja. This is only making things harder for you."
Seeing her look as if she wanted to sink into the ground, I let out a long sigh.
She certainly had a problem.
That crushing lack of self-esteem—if left unaddressed—would one day wreck her life.
I'd sensed it before, and always wanted to speak with her about it. But until now, I hadn't dared reach out.
Now, though, I felt I could. No—I had to.
Looking straight at her, I began gently:
"Lady Tang, I very much like the side of you that you show only before me. It's so endearing, it makes me want to help you with anything."
Her eyes widened, her cheeks turning as red as an apple.
"N-Nani?"
But I pressed on.
"And I also like the side of you as Captain before your squad. It inspires trust, makes me feel like we can overcome any hardship together."
"Ah…."
Her expression wavered into confusion, as if she had no idea what I meant.
So I asked her seriously:
"I like both sides of you. Why do you reject them yourself?"
"…I… what?"
She seemed unable to understand, so I shifted to another story.
"There are times when I'm afraid of people. Since childhood I lost my mother, was shunned by my brothers and family… approaching others has always been difficult. I feared they'd leave me."
Her eyes grew moist at that sudden confession. Likely because she too had endured similar wounds.
"But before enemies, I can be cold as ice. I kill without hesitation, scheme without remorse. Bi Sa-yeong often cursed me as heartless when he saw how I dealt with the Blood Sect."
She nodded faintly.
"Y-Yes. I too…."
But I continued.
"And with my friends, I can be mischievous, like a child. When I'm with Bae Jong-gwan or Bi Sa-yeong, I sometimes play ridiculous pranks like a ten-year-old boy."
Then I met her eyes directly.
"This is all me. All these sides together make who I am. And as time passes, I'll surely change again. People aren't statues—we change, or else we rot."
"Then why, Lady Tang, do you insist that your true self is only that wounded little girl? Why do you hate her so?"
Her eyes trembled violently.
Indeed—she thought her true self was only the unloved child, and every other side was a lie that betrayed others. She hated herself, believed she deserved her mother's scorn, believed she was unworthy of love.
All because she was too kind to hate her own mother—so she turned that hatred on herself instead.
But anyone trapped like that could never be happy.
And I knew, because I too had once hated myself more than anyone.
"The Lady Tang I see is a lovable woman, a strong captain, and a steadfast martial artist. All of these make you who you are. And I'm certain your squadmates—and even Captain Myung Sa-hyeon who left us—felt the same."
At that, tears welled in her eyes.
Within them, I glimpsed the child—
the little girl who only wanted her mother's love,
who chose to hate herself rather than resent her mother.
I looked into those eyes and spoke with all the warmth I could muster:
"So let that child go. That child did nothing wrong—you know that better than anyone."
A single tear slid down her cheek.
"Ah…."
Startled by her own tears, she stammered in confusion.
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know why…."
But the tears kept coming, unending, carrying all her long-buried grief.
I could almost feel the tangled emotions spilling out with them.
So I quietly stepped outside, giving her time to herself.
"Huuhh…."
I exhaled deeply.
What I'd said to her wasn't only for her.
It was also for the Seonu Jin of my past life—the one who had ruined himself out of fear of hating his own family.
I wished someone had told him:
You were just a child. It wasn't your fault. You're understood. You're forgiven.
Overhead, the sky was turning hazy and grey.
***
Half an hour later, Lady Tang emerged.
Her face still bore the tracks of many tears.
But I couldn't help smiling in relief.
Her eyes shone clearer, freer, than I had ever seen.
With a radiant smile, she said:
"Thank you, Seonu Gongja. And also…."
She hesitated, then continued:
"I want to help that man, Do Munseung."
Her sudden declaration made me chuckle.
"Even though the Sichuan Association are allies of the Tang Clan?"
She answered with a faint, mischievous smile:
"Yes. Even so, I want to help him. Is there no way?"
That playful, confident glint in her smile was something I had never seen before.
It dazzled me.
Grinning, I replied:
"Of course there's a way. In this world, there's always a way. Let me find it."
Her smile bloomed like sunlight as she nodded.
"Yes! Please do!"
That smile—like a shell just shed, radiant in the sunlight—shone brilliantly.
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