OGHOU C38

Chapter 38

The masked man clearly hadn’t expected anyone to enter the room—his startled eyes gave him away. He looked as though he’d only just climbed in through the open window. When Jeha swiftly seized the sword leaning against the wall, the man recoiled in alarm, taking several steps back.

Jeha’s gaze was steady and sharp as he studied him. The stranger’s eyes, visible through the narrow slit of the mask, were uneasy, and the way he gripped his sword was untrained.

His martial ability isn’t high.

His Master had always taught him: before drawing your sword, observe your opponent. Even if you couldn’t sense their inner strength, their expression, posture, and aura could reveal both their skill level and their temperament.

Years of practice had honed his instincts. This one—this intruder—was no match for him.

Of course… Master also said not to let pride cloud your judgment.

Shifting his grip, Jeha spoke in a low, calm tone.

“Who are you?”

“……”

“What are you here for?”

A man who came masked at night had to be harboring impure intentions. Whether his target was Jeha or someone else, Jeha wouldn’t let him leave freely.

“Che.”

The sound hissed through the man’s teeth—then everything happened at once.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he had stood. Startled, Jeha rushed to the window. A shadow was already darting across the rooftops in the distance.

That fast?

There was no time to think. Jeha vaulted through the window and gave chase.

The man flew across rooftops with astonishing speed, barely visible between blinks. Jeha had never seen anyone move like this, save for his own Master.

Could this be 이형환위 (yihyeong hwanwi), the elusive body-swapping technique?

No… impossible. He didn’t look like a man who had reached that level.

Regardless, Jeha had to catch him first and ask questions later.

He noted the direction of the man’s retreat. After years of accompanying his Master through Sichuan, he knew Chengdu’s backstreets like the lines of his palm. That path led to nothing but open flatlands.

Then he realized—the man was baiting him. He wasn’t running to safety but leading him astray, hoping to lose him through pure speed because he lacked the skill to fight directly.

Jeha frowned in thought. The man’s movements lacked any killing intent; his stance had been sloppy. He wasn’t an assassin. Then what—some kind of thief? But his sword was too fine, cumbersome even, for petty robbery.

Then an idea struck him, and Jeha’s eyes narrowed.

If my guess is right… then he must be caught.

Trusting his intuition, Jeha veered off the path.

He arrived at a district lined with inns, ducking into the shadows. Sure enough, the same masked man came racing toward him across the rooftops. Thinking he’d escaped pursuit, his pace slowed.

Jeha exhaled slowly, then struck. Channeling his energy through the sword, he slashed down on the roof tiles.

A loud crack! echoed as the first tile split in two—then the next, and the next, shattering in a chain reaction. The man stumbled mid-stride, his foot slipping through a broken tile, and plunged off the roof with a helpless grunt.

Perfect. Fast feet, but nothing else.

“Ugh…”

Clutching his knee in pain, the man rolled on the ground. Jeha strode over with a faint, humorless smile and grabbed his mask, pulling it away to reveal a contorted, frightened face beneath it.

“Which inn sent you?”

Jeha dragged the man back to the Cheongyeon Inn, bound tightly in rope, and dumped him in the center of the dining hall. Sword in hand, he kept vigil over him all night, unwilling to wake the Innkeeper after his rough day.

By morning, as customers trickled in for breakfast, word spread quickly, and a curious crowd gathered. After briefly explaining the situation to the staff, Jeha stood watch, waiting for Cheongyeon to come down.

It wasn’t long before he appeared—still tousled from sleep, clothes hastily thrown on, anxiety written over his face. He pushed through the circle of onlookers until he reached Jeha.

“What on earth is this? Who’s that, and why is he tied up like that?”

“Ah, you’re awake! Did you sleep well?”

Jeha smiled brightly, relieved to see him looking better than the night before.

“Can you explain this?”

Bewildered, Cheongyeon gestured between him and the bound man. Jeha nodded.

“He snuck into my room last night, sword in hand.”

“What? Your room? Why?”

“Said he thought it was empty.”

“What was he trying to do there? Steal something?”

“He confessed he was going to damage the room—tear up the floors, break the furniture.”

“…What?”

Jeha gave the squatting man’s shoulder a couple of impatient taps.

“Tell him yourself.”

The captive only lowered his head further, refusing to speak. Sighing, Jeha turned to Cheongyeon.

“Is there an inn nearby called 단향객잔 (Danhyang Inn)?”

“Uh… yeah. The big five-story one. Why?”

“He’s one of their hired mercenaries. They’ve been sabotaging your inn—wrecking rooms to hurt business. Apparently, this has been happening for some time.”

“…”

“Despicable cowards. Instead of competing fairly, they resort to tricks like this. They probably couldn’t stand how successful you’ve become.”

“Well… that’s something.”

“You now have witnesses—everyone here can testify. Just calculate the total damages and charge the Danhyang Inn, Innkeeper.”

Jeha’s chest swelled with quiet satisfaction. Finally, he had done something truly useful. The Innkeeper would surely be pleased—after all the trouble destruction had caused.

He recalled countless nights when Cheongyeon had muttered frustrations about ruffians destroying furniture, even in unoccupied rooms. Now, finally, he’d caught the culprit.

“So that’s what this was about.”

“Yes! Exactly, so we should—Innkeeper?”

But Cheongyeon just yawned, indifferently glancing at the man before collapsing into a chair.

“You already knew?” Jeha asked, baffled.

“No, first I’ve heard of it.”

“Then why do you look so calm? That man ruined—”

“Would’ve all broken anyway.”

Jeha blinked. He hadn’t expected praise, but not even mild approval after spending all night awake felt disappointing.

“But Innkeeper, do you even realize how fast I had to chase him? His speed was incredible!”

The words slipped out like a child seeking attention. Of course, it hadn’t truly been difficult—but he wanted, just once, to hear well done.

“Fast, you say?”

Now Cheongyeon looked intrigued, straightening up. His eyes sparkled suddenly as he turned to the intruder.

“Besides running fast, do you have any other skills?”

“…None, sir.”

“I see. Don’t worry, I won’t bite. Speak.”

“I—I can only run errands, sir. That’s all I was hired for—quick get-ins, quick get-outs.”

“How much were they paying you per job?”

Jeha frowned slightly. Why was the Innkeeper asking that instead of how much damage he’d caused or how long this sabotage had gone on?

After questioning the man a while longer, Cheongyeon clapped his hands decisively.

“Alright. You’re hired.”

Jeha stared, aghast.

“What?”

“I said, work for my inn instead. I’ll pay you better.”

The man blinked in disbelief. Jeha nearly dropped his sword.

“You’re… hiring him? After everything he’s done?!”

“He’s fast, isn’t he?”

“What does that have to do with—?”

“I’ve been planning a new business venture. I need someone quick-footed for it.”

“A business venture—? No, Innkeeper, that makes no sense! This man sabotaged us!”

“So what? As long as he does the job well, it’s fine.”

Jeha opened his mouth, then shut it again. No words came.

“The third house past the main crossroads. They placed the order two days ago for a family banquet—six dishes total. Double-check that list.”

“Yes, Innkeeper!”

“Speedy delivery! Safe delivery! Don’t forget!”

Smiling with satisfaction, Cheongyeon watched as his new runner—laden with stacked packages—bounded onto the roof and disappeared across the skyline.

And thus, the age of food delivery had dawned upon the Central Plains.