Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 4: Reading a Book a Hundred Times Reveals Its Meaning (3) A world without electricity or the internet is tedious beyond belief.
That is why the people of the Jianghu sought excitement by gathering and exchanging every scrap of gossip they could find. The market, the inn, the riverside laundry, the well—wherever people gathered, stories followed.
These were stories that were never fact-checked; tales heavily dramatized solely for the sake of a dopamine hit. By critiquing and empathizing with such rumors, the common folk endured their monotonous lives and grueling labor.
Discourse of the streets. Rumors of the back alleys.
Gadamhangseol—street rumors.
This was the community, the social media, and the messenger of this era. And in those circles, Yeon So-wol's name was starting to trend.
"Did you hear? A young man named Yeon So-wol from Annam asked Great Hero Lee Yu-baek to take him in as a disciple."
"Pfft. Ptui. That's old news."
"No, wait. Did you hear this part? When he was rejected, he offered thirty gold taels!"
"Bullshit. I heard he was a woodcutter. Where would he get thirty gold taels? He'd be lucky to have three silver taels."
"Think about it. What kind of man is Great Hero Lee Yu-baek? Would he change his mind for a measly three taels?"
"Bullsh—hmm. I suppose you have a point."
"Exactly! Three gold taels might be a fortune to us, but do you think it means anything to someone like Lee Yu-baek?"
"Still, isn't it a lot? Three gold taels is..."
"No, it was thirty. I heard it too. That youth is incredibly handsome, you see. I heard a high-born lady in Annam fell for his face and sent him the gold to marry her. But he took it all, crossed the sea, and offered it to Lee Yu-baek instead."
"Damn. Now that's a real man."
"...That's a madman. How is that a 'real man'?"
"You don't know? What, can't you get it up anymore?"
"You son of a bitch! You want to go?"
The group huddled in the corner of the market suddenly devolved into a scuffle, grabbing each other by the collars.
In the meantime, the three silver taels Yeon So-wol had actually offered were transformed into thirty gold taels and accepted as gospel. As it happened, there were others listening to this story.
Three men with fierce eyes and sturdy builds.
"Hey. You hear that?"
"Yeah. Lee Yu-baek took a disciple, huh?"
"Exactly. That bastard broke our Gon-cheol's arms and legs instead of taking him in."
Gon-cheol was a man who had visited Lee Yu-baek last month, cockily claiming he would become a disciple if Lee Yu-baek could beat him. Since these three were his close friends, they harbored a deep grudge against the Hall Master.
"So that dog ended up with thirty gold taels?"
"It pisses me off. Are we just going to sit here?"
"It's been a while since we pulled a job. What do you say? Eh?"
In this era, wealth was mostly stored in the form of grain or textiles. Gold made up only a tiny fraction of the economy. So, no matter how wealthy Lee Yu-baek was, the news of him acquiring thirty gold taels was bound to be a sensation.
Compared to the equivalent value in grain or cloth, gold was incomparably small and light. Thirty taels was roughly 1.2 kilograms—the perfect size to slip in and carry out. With that much, one could live a life of leisure for ten years in a mid-sized town like Sinheung County.
"Fine, fuck it. No matter how much of a master he is, if we sneak in while he's sleeping and snatch the gold, what's he going to do?"
"But do you know where he keeps it?"
"I know a kid who attended the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall until last year. I'll ask him where he thinks it might be."
"Oh, nice."
"Damn. We pull this off and we're leaving this shithole town for good."
The men looked at each other, their eyes gleaming with greed.
*
Lee Yu-baek, the Master of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, spoke with absolute certainty.
"It is impossible to enter the path of martial arts at the age of eighteen and become a capable warrior."
He looked back at his students practicing in the hall.
"These children started at ten at the earliest, or fifteen at the latest. Yet, even among them, barely one in ten will ever make a name for themselves. Most remain at the third-rate level before moving on to other work. The bad ones end up as street hooligans."
"That's right. Like that Bong-cheol or Ddong-cheol guy from last month. I broke his leg, and Senior Brother broke his arm."
"Quiet."
Lee Yu-baek flicked the forehead of his cheeky disciple and turned back to Yeon So-wol.
"However, they say that if one's sincerity is extreme, it moves the heavens. And if the heavens are moved, what is there that cannot be achieved? Isn't that right?"
"Yes, Hall Master."
Yeon So-wol bowed his head quickly. He figured this was the appropriate moment to agree. Since his admission was conditional, he had to do his best.
Lee Yu-baek smiled warmly.
"You truly have good manners."
Then, he waved his hand dismissively.
"But So-wol, as I see it, your sincerity is not yet extreme enough."
Yeon So-wol thought to himself, 'How would you know that, teacher?' but he kept his head down.
"I am sorry. I will work harder."
"No, there is no need to be sorry. It is naturally difficult for one's own will to become extreme on its own. Therefore, I shall help you."
Lee Yu-baek stepped forward. The three disciples standing nearby were startled and tried to stop him.
"M-Master, are you going to do it yourself?"
"No, please. Let a disciple do it."
"It's a hassle, Master. Please rest. We will handle it."
Lee Yu-baek shook his head gently.
"No. He is the one who sought me out, so I should teach him personally on his first day."
The disciples backed away hesitantly. Yeon So-wol thought to himself that this was a picture-perfect master-disciple relationship. The master was benevolent, and the disciples were respectful.
'As I thought. Common sense prevails here,' he mused.
That was, until one of the disciples looked at him with pity and whispered, "...I'll pray for your soul."
Wait, what?
"So-wol, come stand here."
Yeon So-wol stood facing Lee Yu-baek.
"You said you want to learn martial arts so you can dodge well?"
"Yes."
"No. You have no intention of dodging."
"Pardon?"
WHAM!
The moment he asked, Yeon So-wol saw the blue sky.
'Huh?'
Thud!
He fell backward. The ground beneath the back of his head felt like it was undulating. A terrible dizziness washed over him as hot blood began to stream from his nose.
'Uh... what?'
Yeon So-wol had never been hit like this in his life. At most, he'd had a few scuffles with other kids. He had never experienced a shock that made his nose explode and his brain rattle so hard he couldn't stand.
While he was completely dazed, a blow landed on his ribs.
CRACK!
The pointed toe of a leather shoe dug into his side.
"Gah!"
His breath was cut off. Yeon So-wol rolled across the ground. Then, a cold voice reached him.
"Get up."
Yeon So-wol had an instinctual realization: 'If I don't get up, I'm going to get hit more!'
Wheezing and gasping for the air that wouldn't come, he forced his trembling legs under him and wobbled to his feet like a dying fish. As soon as he stood, a question flew at him.
"Why didn't you dodge?"
Yeon So-wol was bewildered. He's the one who hit me out of nowhere, and now he's asking...
He tried to answer, but since he still couldn't breathe, only a wheezing sound escaped his throat.
"E-heck... keho..."
"Questioning me again, are you?"
He wasn't questioning him! He just couldn't breathe! But Lee Yu-baek didn't give him a second chance.
THWACK!
This time, a fist buried itself in his lower abdomen. The speed was so immense that Yeon So-wol couldn't even react.
"Kuh... hu?"
The world turned yellow. His entire body stiffened like a stone.
Flop.
Yeon So-wol collapsed. And then he saw it—a leather shoe flying toward his face.
'A soccer kick is a banned technique even in the UFC...'
CRUNCH!
Yeon So-wol saw it again. The blue sky. And the spray of red blood across it.
Thud.
As Yeon So-wol rolled on the ground in pain that felt like his face had been caved in, Lee Yu-baek asked, "Why didn't you dodge?"
The moment he heard those words, Yeon So-wol didn't feel bewildered this time. Instead, he endured the pain and rolled across the ground like a worm covered in salt.
Whoosh!
A heavy kick swept through the space where he had been lying just a moment ago.
"Oh?" Lee Yu-baek let out a low exclamation of surprise. "Have you finally developed the desire to dodge? Yes. The power I'm using right now is barely at a third-rate level. If your sincerity is extreme, you can dodge it."
He followed after the rolling, fleeing Yeon So-wol.
"Hieeeek!"
Yeon So-wol fled in sheer terror. Lee Yu-baek laughed.
"Yes! That's it! Run! Dodge! With everything you've got!"
Tak!
Kicking off the ground with a strange rhythm, Lee Yu-baek glided like a swallow and instantly blocked Yeon So-wol's path.
"Are you giving it your all?"
He looked as if he were about to reach out with his hand, but then he flicked his foot out. It was a kicking technique aimed at Yeon So-wol's shin. To a novice like Yeon So-wol, it was a wicked move—a feint with the hand designed to make him flinch, followed by a strike to the legs.
However.
"Ugh!"
Yeon So-wol leaped backward and tumbled across the ground.
"Huh?" Lee Yu-baek tilted his head. Even though he was holding back and just tapping him, that last attack wasn't something a beginner like Yeon So-wol should have been able to dodge.
'He dodged even with a feint mixed in? Was it a fluke?'
Lee Yu-baek caught up to Yeon So-wol with a light slide. Yeon So-wol caught a faint, sweet scent of lemons. In his peripheral vision, he saw Lee Yu-baek grinning, baring his white teeth.
Like a dog salivating at the sound of a bell, Yeon So-wol reflexively screamed, kicked off the ground, and twisted his body.
Whoosh!
A heavy fist grazed the spot where Yeon So-wol's head had been. His body trembled uncontrollably.
"That's it. Your body is shaking, isn't it? You're so scared you feel like you're going crazy, right? That is the attitude of someone who truly intends to dodge. You must always be like that."
He's insane. Yeon So-wol let out a silent scream. He's a lunatic. A total lunatic!
'Elder Jo Man-seok was right!'
The low voice warning him never to trust the people of the Jianghu echoed in his ears. At that very moment, Lee Yu-baek's fist, which he failed to dodge, struck Yeon So-wol's heart.
THUMP!
"Ick?"
He collapsed on the spot, letting out a pathetic yelp. The impact was so strong his heart had momentarily stopped. As he realized this, a cold shiver ran down his spine. Cold sweat drenched his entire body.
'Is this right? Am I going to die like this?'
It was strange. He was told Great Hero Lee Yu-baek was benevolent and loved nurturing talent. In Yeon So-wol's blurred vision, the black toe of a shoe suddenly appeared.
No. Wait.
WHAM!
Yeon So-wol fell backward once more. Looking down at him, Lee Yu-baek put his hands behind his back and asked, "Why didn't you dodge?"
*
I want to dodge. Yeon So-wol thought. I want to dodge.
He wished for it desperately. Truly, truly. He wanted to dodge.
After the first day of lessons ended, he sat in the quarters provided in the backyard of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, repeating that thought over and over.
'I want to dodge. I have to dodge somehow. No... I must dodge...'
It was because it hurt too much.
"I have to do this again tomorrow?"
The thought of quitting and running away immediately crossed his mind. The brutal violence he had experienced for the first time in his life was that terrifying.
But.
'No. You shouldn't run away when things get hard.'
That was one of Yeon So-wol's core beliefs. It was the same when he studied. If he rested because it was hard, the next time things got difficult, his first thought would be to rest again. So, Yeon So-wol never stopped when things were hard. He only stopped after he had finished what he set out to do.
'This world won't be any different. If I run away because it's hard here, I'll just end up running away somewhere else next time.'
Then his life here would become a mess. He would continue to live in a filthy, stinking place.
'I can't have that.'
Yeon So-wol grit his teeth.
"Ugh..."
He curled up as a sudden wave of pain hit him. It hurt so much he couldn't even sleep.
"But is this really okay? This pain feels... too strange..."
Yeon So-wol frowned as he examined his body. He was covered in bruises, but the pain he felt wasn't just from the impact. It felt as if something hot was wriggling inside those bruises.
"Agh..."
It was slowly spreading throughout his entire body. To use a metaphor, it was like the pain of hot earthworms swimming through and tearing his muscles.
Unable to sleep, Yeon So-wol stepped out of his room. He sat on the wooden porch and curled his body.
"Uuuu..."
Still, the cool night air seemed to clear his head a bit. He was enduring the pain when it happened.
Thump!
Suddenly, something leaped over the wall.
Thump! Thump!
Three of them, in fact.
"...Huh?"
All three were wearing pitch-black masks. Their eyes met Yeon So-wol's. In that moment, without a second thought, Yeon So-wol screamed with all his might.
"Thieves!!!"
"Son of a bitch!"
He had calculated that if he alerted everyone first, the thieves would be startled and run away. But their reaction was different from what he expected.
"Because of this brat!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him and let's go!"
The three masked men suddenly pulled daggers from their robes and lunged at him.
"!!!"
Yeon So-wol was terrified. But he didn't freeze. His body, which had been beaten, rolled, and forced to dodge all day, reacted almost reflexively.
Clatter! Crash!
"He dodged that?"
"Get him!"
"Surround him!"
The three masked men lunged at Yeon So-wol as he rolled across the porch to avoid them. Yeon So-wol dodged. He rolled. He threw himself aside. Just as he had done all day, he continued to dodge desperately.
But he was gradually being cornered.
'Why are they going this far?!'
He couldn't understand it. 'Why aren't the thieves running away?' Common sense-wise, it made no sense.
Yeon So-wol grit his teeth. "You lunatics..."
The blades gleamed under the moonlight. But in Yeon So-wol's eyes, they no longer looked like blades. They were merely... strands of thread.
A world made entirely of threads. A sword made of threads. A porch made of threads. People made of threads. The sky, the moon, and the stars—all made of threads...
Yeon So-wol twisted his body. He grabbed the opponent swinging the knife and pushed him away with his foot.
And then, 'Die.'
He snapped the threads that were entangled with him.
Snap.
Snap, snap.
Thud!
Crash.
Flop.
Heavy bodies collapsed onto the porch.
"..."
Yeon So-wol pushed them aside and stood up. He snatched one of the daggers and stabbed the throats of the already dead bodies.
If he killed someone with the power of the Heavenly Killing Star, no external wounds would remain. People might find that suspicious.
Stab.
Thrust.
Rip.
The sensation of the blade tearing through flesh wasn't pleasant. Yeon So-wol trembled.
A moment later, the people of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall came running to the backyard. Among them was Lee Yu-baek.
"Did you kill them?"
"...Yes."
Yeon So-wol hung his head, his hands stained with blood. He had killed people, after all.
"Will I... have to stand trial...?"
He might go to prison. 'Why did things get so messed up?'
Yeon So-wol hadn't cried once since coming to this world. But this time, he felt like he might actually cry. 'What did I do so wrong?'
One unfair thing after another.
Lee Yu-baek spoke to the completely dejected youth. "I checked their faces. They're just local hooligans."
Yeon So-wol stared blankly at Lee Yu-baek's face. He didn't understand why he was saying that. Could it be... if they were hooligans, he wouldn't have to go to prison?
"They were hooligans, but they were martial artists at the third-rate level. To think you managed to handle three of them on your own."
I see, Yeon So-wol thought. If it hadn't been for being chased around by Lee Yu-baek all day, he wouldn't have survived.
'...Not that I'm particularly grateful.'
And what did any of that matter if he was going to prison? To the worrying Yeon So-wol, Lee Yu-baek said:
"It seems you're strong in actual combat. I can increase the intensity of your training starting tomorrow."
"Pardon?"
Yeon So-wol was shocked. 'Training? Then what about the trial?' That was his first question. 'And you can increase the intensity even more?' That was his second.
To that single, condensed "Pardon?" Lee Yu-baek replied softly.
"Questioning me again, are you?"
!!!
A chill ran down Yeon So-wol's spine, and he reflexively bowed his head.
"No, sir! Thank you, Hall Master!"
Above him, Lee Yu-baek let out a low chuckle.
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