Chapter 305: Zhuge Clan (3)
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Turning my palm toward the heavens, I unleashed demonic qi. Peng Chae-hyang’s pupils shook even further.
“H-how……?”
Peng Chae-hyang could not conceal her confusion.
“Well, it is a bit of a long story.”
It seemed it would be harder than explaining it to Myeong-gyeong. Even so, I proceeded to explain step by step.
I did not want to tell lies as much as possible. So, excluding the fact that I had regressed, I told her everything.
From consuming the Divine Demon Pellet to the fact that I was currently managing one of the Demonic Cult’s branches.
Aside from that, I also explained in as much detail as possible so she could understand the relationship between demonic qi, Great Ming, and the Great Empire.
Having heard it all, Peng Chae-hyang nodded with a conflicted look.
“……So that was it.”
“I am sorry.”
“Somehow, well, it is overwhelming.”
“That is only natural.”
I thought that if Peng Chae-hyang left me here, it could not be helped. Since I could not possibly hold on to every person.
Since I ultimately had a stronger identity as a Demonic Cult member now, she could well feel a sense of betrayal.
“To think there was a nation called Great Ming, and that perceptions of the Demonic Cult were made negative in order to persecute that nation. It truly is hard to believe easily.”
“Likely so.”
To orthodox martial artists, demonic qi was the enemy. That was a notion firmly rooted since childhood. Overturning this notion would not be easy.
“Are you a little disappointed?”
“For me to be disappointed would be odd, given that I have learned I possess demonic qi as well.”
“That is true.”
Peng Chae-hyang burst into a soft laugh. Curious, I asked.
“Is it something to laugh about?”
“No. I just find myself funny. Originally, I was feeling terribly anxious and despairing over possessing demonic qi. Wondering what I would do if you looked at me strangely, Gaga, or what I would do if something went wrong with me. Because it is common knowledge that if an orthodox martial artist cultivates demonic qi, martial deviation follows. But funnily enough, learning that you possessed demonic qi, Gaga, brought me relief. When originally I would have thought it dreadful and felt anxious. It is truly funny.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. At least I have come to know one thing very well now.”
“What is that?”
“That you have taken a place deep within my heart, Gaga.”
Peng Chae-hyang blushed. Because she spoke so bashfully, even I felt embarrassed. Even though that could not be the case, hearing her say it like that made it sound needlessly like a confession of love.
“A-anyway. I was not disappointed at all, so please do not worry.”
“A-a-all right.”
Because Peng Chae-hyang stammered, I ended up stammering needlessly as well.
Perhaps because our words cut off at a strange point, an awkward atmosphere drifted between us. Right then, Peng Chae-hyang’s hand came up onto my thigh. At that warm and soft touch, I thought a shiver ran through me for a moment.
Come to think of it, Peng Chae-hyang had even slept with her head on my thigh, so making a fuss over something like this felt childish as well. Let us calm down. I took a deep breath so as not to get caught.
“Sometimes when I look at you, Gaga, I feel as though I have changed a great deal.”
“In what way?”
“Originally, I was afraid of men when I saw them, so I wished they would not approach me if possible.”
“Ah. Has it become a bit different now?”
“It has probably changed far more than you think, Gaga. Because now I even wonder whether I look attractive to a man.”
“Oh. I see.”
“So.”
Peng Chae-hyang tucked her side hair behind her ear and looked at me.
“How is it?”
I was momentarily at a loss for words. Hearing the word attractive for no reason made that appearance look attractive. In truth, she was pretty even without doing anything, though.
“Well, you are always attractive.”
I gave the correct answer. And that was also my genuine sincerity without pretense. Peng Chae-hyang had never not been pretty.
“Do you truly think so?”
Peng Chae-hyang’s eyes opened brightly. Her eyes were shining more brightly than I had ever seen on Peng Chae-hyang.
“Of course. What man would not fall for you?”
“Then that is truly a relief.”
“It seems you have someone on your mind recently.”
“Yes, of course I do.”
The first person who came to mind was Namgung Hwi. Because when I was away, he probably spent the most time with her at the New Justice Association main headquarters.
Their ages were similar, and Namgung Hwi’s appearance was outstanding as well. If she paired up with him, they would truly be a well-matched handsome man and beautiful woman.
“You are not asking who it is.”
When I stayed still, Peng Chae-hyang spoke in a somewhat sullen tone.
“……Ah. Who is it?”
“Hmph, you are too late.”
“I see.”
“Good grief. How can you simply accept that right away?”
Peng Chae-hyang spoke as if frustrated.
What was I supposed to do? I was truly weak in such areas and did not know. Because I was a person for whom things were either true or false.
“By any chance, is it Namgung Hwi?”
I asked. Peng Chae-hyang’s eyes narrowed. Then she sprang up.
And she opened the door roughly and walked out. Had she gotten angry? I wondered if what I said was something to get that angry about, but Peng Chae-hyang opened the door and returned.
For some reason, held in Peng Chae-hyang’s hand was a green gourd bottle stoppered with a red cloth. Judging from the fragrance that spread as soon as she entered the room, it was clearly liquor.
Before I could even ask if it was liquor, Peng Chae-hyang pulled off the cloth, overturned the gourd bottle, and poured it down her throat.
The sound traveling from the liquor bottle into her throat was as crisp as a valley stream.
Some people even died suddenly from drinking liquor so hastily. Of course, because Peng Chae-hyang was a trained martial artist, there was no possibility of that.
However, as if she had not driven away the intoxication with internal energy, when she set down the liquor bottle, her face was as red as an apple.
“Gaga.”
“Yes.”
“I am truly frustrated.”
“……About what?”
Did she mean I was frustrating? But Peng Chae-hyang shook her head.
“With myself. I find myself so very frustrating.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Yes.”
Right then, Peng Chae-hyang approached, pushed my shoulders as I sat, and knocked me over onto the bed.
“Chae-hyang?”
Flustered, I blinked my eyes and looked up at Peng Chae-hyang.
Bracing both hands beside me, Peng Chae-hyang looked down at me. Her soft hair grazed down my neck, and through her slightly parted lips, the sweet scent of liquor wafted strongly.
“……It seems I drank the liquor too quickly.”
“It looked that way.”
Probably even Zhang Fei of the Three Kingdoms period had few days where he drank like that. In the first place, it seemed this was almost my first time seeing Peng Chae-hyang drink liquor.
Suddenly, Peng Chae-hyang collapsed softly onto my chest. Was she sleeping again like last time? Peng Chae-hyang’s body and mine stuck tightly together. It was a moment where Peng Chae-hyang’s curvaceous body was felt through all five senses.
I immediately shook off improper thoughts and tried to push Peng Chae-hyang off to lay her on the bed. Right then, Peng Chae-hyang merely raised her head slightly from my chest.
“You were not sleeping.”
“No.”
Peng Chae-hyang grasped my shoulders and crept upward while rubbing her body against mine. Feeling embarrassed, I raised my face, averted my eyes, and spoke.
“Do not drink a lot of liquor in the future.”
“Do you think I act like this with just anyone when I drink liquor?”
“No, I did not mean it like that.”
“I know. It is a joke. How could you say such a thing, Gaga?”
Peng Chae-hyang smiled softly. From that smile, I felt that she truly should not drink a lot of liquor. Because coming from that pure appearance, such a cute smile seemed to carry immense destructive power.
“Right. Let us sleep now.”
“Yes, we should sleep.”
Having crept up while rubbing her body, Peng Chae-hyang had before long reached the point where our faces almost touched. Peng Chae-hyang’s face descended downward toward mine.
I froze momentarily. Peng Chae-hyang’s face grazed mine and moved to the side. It was a posture where our heads were crisscrossed.
Just then, at a sudden shudder, I straightened my back stiffly. Peng Chae-hyang had bitten my ear with her lips.
“Ch-Chae-hyang.”
And Peng Chae-hyang raised her upper body, wearing an inscrutable expression. Perhaps because it was loosened by excessive drinking, the look in Peng Chae-hyang’s eyes as she sat pressing down on my stomach and looking down at me was considerably seductive.
There had also been the case with Gwan Seo-ye, but this was a considerably different feeling. It might also be the difference between someone I had known before and someone I came to know for the first time in this life.
It was right then. The presence of someone ascending from the first floor was felt. Judging from the footsteps, it was clearly a refined martial artist.
For a martial artist to suddenly come to such a secluded place. I could only think they had come targeting us.
Meanwhile, as if she had also kept her senses awake, Peng Chae-hyang blinked several times and returned to the eyes of the Peng Chae-hyang I knew.
For now, setting aside that we were terribly embarrassed with each other, Peng Chae-hyang and I concealed our presences, picked up our weapons, and stared at the door with tense expressions.
“Is anyone there?”
Sure enough. A young man’s voice was heard. Even from the calm tone of his voice, firmly tempered internal energy could be felt.
We did not answer for the moment. Then an anxious-sounding voice came from outside.
“I came knowing you are inside. We did not come with hostile intent. We came to offer help.”
“Help?”
I opened my mouth.
“That is right. Help. You have business with the Zhuge Clan right now, do you not? I can resolve that business, however.”
“Knowing what business it is?”
“Whatever business it may be.”
Confidence was imbued in the voice of the man outside the door. I narrowed my eyes.
“Step inside.”
At my words, the door opened immediately. Looking at the martial artist who entered, I narrowed my eyes. Because he was someone I seemed to have seen in passing somewhere.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Won, the shadow guard of Young Lady Zhuge Yan.”
The man gave a martial salute and bowed his head. At those words, I knew where I had seen him.
When I first went out into the jianghu with Myeong-gyeong and met Zhuge Yan for the first time, he was the martial artist who stood beside her back then. Because it had been such a brief encounter, even I, who remembered faces well, could not recall him immediately.
“……Ahem. It seems I have interrupted a wonderful time. My apologies.”
Seeing Peng Chae-hyang, the man cleared his throat and averted his gaze. Due to being too startled, I had not looked properly either, but looking at Peng Chae-hyang again, her disheveled clothes not only exposed her bare shoulders, but even faintly revealed her chest area.
Belatedly realizing her shameful state, Peng Chae-hyang flushed red and fastened her clothes.
“It is not what you are misunderstanding, so it is fine. So, I would like to hear what you mean by helping us. No, before that, there is something I must ask.”
“Ask whatever you wish. But since I have little time, I hope you will keep it brief.”
“Seeing you have enough confidence to say whatever business it may be, this is not an independent action and Zhuge Yan seems involved as well. I would like to ask why Zhuge Yan wishes to help me. When she was originally so eager to devour me.”
“That is simple. To borrow the young lady’s expression, it is because the Zhuge Clan is currently a sinking ship.”
“A sinking ship?”
“That is right. If things continue like this, we have no choice but to die together. That is why we are trying to escape.”
“That is quite cowardly.”
“The young lady said that at least you would be able to understand.”
“Me? It seems she has vastly overestimated me.”
Understand. Frankly, it was contemptible. To think of betraying and abandoning one’s own clan to escape. If it were me, I would never think of betraying Wudang Sect to escape like that.
“To be precise, the young lady attached the condition, ‘if it is the Company Lord of the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company.'”
“Ah.”
At Won’s words, I let out an exclamation. The Company Lord of the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company. If it were merchant Muk Hui-yeong, it was a different story altogether.
Because at that time, I had rather held contempt for staking something for the sake of mere life.
If it is you as a merchant, you will understand. That was what Zhuge Yan meant.
Suddenly, I remembered what Grandmaster Hyeon-wol had said to me. Do not deny the merchant that is your past. That too is you.
Perhaps I had been projecting myself onto the notion of a martial artist that I had created. In the past, conversely, I had projected myself onto the notion of a merchant.
Was Grandmaster Hyeon-wol saying that? That because notions are ultimately merely one’s own perspective, there is no need to cling to them.
Me as a merchant.
Me as a martial artist.
Such things were illusions I had created from the start.
When my thoughts reached that point, surprisingly, I felt as though I could understand Zhuge Yan just a little.
“Very well. Let us talk.”
I clapped my hands. It was the first step toward tearing down the high castle walls of the Zhuge Clan.