HDCLSSRS Ch 4

Chapter 4 I Need to Get Out of Here. (4)

 

“You must’ve had a lot of hardships at such a young age.”

The man acted like an elder even though he looked to be only in his early thirties.

“It’s alright. Thanks to it, I grew up without lacking anything. So…”

Seong Muyeon trailed off mid-sentence and furrowed his brows.

“What’s wrong?”

He had been poking around the fish on his plate. He had picked up a big piece, but upon closer look, there were too many bones to eat easily.

“Just a moment.”

The man, who had been watching Seong Muyeon’s fierce battle with the fish bones with a pitiful look, reached out and took the plate.

“Fish is great and all, but the problem is the bones. It’s hard to eat.”

Then, with skillful hands, he neatly deboned the fish and pushed the plate back to Seong Muyeon.

“Here, eat up. Judging by how you look, you don’t seem to eat well normally, so when you find something that suits your taste, you should eat plenty.”

He even gave a kind smile.

Seong Muyeon was moved.

He deboned the fish for me… You… you were a good person all along.

He scooped up a large bite of the steaming white fish and put it into his mouth. The savory fish melted gently on his tongue.

“Is it good?”

Seong Muyeon nodded.

‘As expected… Zhongyuan is a wonderful place.’

Now that his stomach was full, everything looked beautiful. The scene outside the window, where willow trees swayed and their long leaves fluttered in the wind, and the man sitting in front of him sipping his drink. Even Ilgwang’s face, who was fuming with anger.

“Young lord, come to think of it, I don’t even know your name yet, do I? Since fate brought us together like this, may I ask for your name?”

The man, who had been pouring from the bottle, gave a deep smile at the question.

“You want to know?”

“Yes! I plan to stay here for a few days, so if you’d keep me company again sometime…”

“Baek Ryeoil.”

“Excuse me?”

The man’s smile grew deeper. What had seemed like a purely innocent smile suddenly carried a hint of madness.

“I said, Baek Ryeoil. That’s my name.”

The man was none other than the one Seong Muyeon must absolutely never meet.

The protagonist of Sword Supervisor of the Righteous Path, the top swordsman of Mount Hua, who would one day earn the title Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign…

Baek Ryeoil.

Is this what people meant when they said their blood ran cold?

Even under normal circumstances, Seong Muyeon tended to have a cold constitution. But now, goosebumps ran over his entire body, and the chill was enough to make him tremble.

The man before his eyes, Baek Ryeoil, slowly poured himself a drink with an incredibly relaxed hand.

Drip, drip…

“Why the sudden silence?”

A bead of cold sweat ran down Seong Muyeon’s back.

“R-Right… Baek Ryeoil Dojang-nim*, I’ve heard much about you.”

(*Dojang: martial arts master or instructor.)

Seong Muyeon tried hard to maintain a calm demeanor. Thanks to that, a fairly natural-looking smile appeared on his face.

Baek Ryeoil let out a small chuckle as if it were nothing and emptied his cup. Standing behind him, Ilgwang’s cold face came into Seong Muyeon’s view, their eyes meeting.

Ilgwang shot a silent reprimand at Seong Muyeon.

He had known.

That this man was no ordinary figure.

Of course, he probably hadn’t known he was Baek Ryeoil of Mount Hua, but he had noticed that the man possessed highly refined martial skill and had tried to warn Seong Muyeon. The problem was… Seong Muyeon hadn’t listened.

Seeing Ilgwang visibly tense, which was unlike his usual self, Seong Muyeon began to sweat in his palms. The atmosphere inside the guesthouse suddenly felt frozen.

Baek Ryeoil, who moments ago had looked so cheerful, now seemed completely different. His once spirited black eyes now gleamed like a predator’s, and his thick smile seemed laced with killing intent.

‘Stay calm. Even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, if you stay composed, you’ll survive.’

He steeled his mind.

“My, is our young lord frightened? Why is that?”

“H-Haha… W-Why would I be scared? That’s ridiculous! It’s truly an honor to meet the famed great hero of Mount Hua!”

“Your hand’s shaking.”

Just as he said, Seong Muyeon’s hand trembled so much that the tea spilled from the cup, soaking his sleeve.

“Th-this is… why…?”

Fortunately, Baek Ryeoil refilled his cup without much concern.

Glug glug glug glug…

As the cup filled, Seong Muyeon’s throat grew parched.

“By the way, young lord. Did you hear the news?”

“News…?”

Seong Muyeon barely managed to still his trembling hands enough to sip a little tea. The bitter taste snapped his mind back into focus.

‘That’s right. Baek Ryeoil doesn’t know anything yet. I just need to get through this moment. If I do, there’ll be no problem.’

“There’s a rumor that the Demon Cult Leader’s son is wandering around this region.”

Pfffft!

Baek Ryeoil was doused with the tea Seong Muyeon spat out.

“Aha, haha! Th-the Demon Cult Leader’s son?! Don’t say such terrifying things!”

Seong Muyeon hurriedly fumbled through his pockets to offer a handkerchief, but Baek Ryeoil wiped his face with his sleeve.

“It is terrifying. Who does he think he is, setting foot in a place like this with his filthy feet?”

After wiping his face, Baek Ryeoil wore an expression as cold as ice. As if his earlier kindness had all been a lie.

“Don’t you agree?”

‘I’m dead.’

“That reminds me, I still don’t know your name, young lord, do I? Since I’ve told you mine, shouldn’t you now tell me yours?”

Seong Muyeon’s eyes darted around, and he met the gaze of Ilgwang, who stood quietly nearby.

It was in that instant Ilgwang very subtly shook his head.

Bang!

“Urgh…”

Ilgwang was suddenly pinned under Baek Ryeoil’s foot.

His senses were so sharp that he reacted instantly to the slightest movement of someone standing behind him.

He moved so fast that Seong Muyeon hadn’t even seen how Ilgwang had been subdued.

Seong Muyeon swallowed dryly.

“Your name.”

Baek Ryeoil’s icy voice weighed heavily on him.

Seong Muyeon knew this man well. At times like this, Baek Ryeoil had absolutely no mercy.

In the story, Baek Ryeoil was the person the Demon Cult feared the most. His hatred for them was unimaginable, and when facing them, he never held back. Through surviving countless life-or-death encounters, he eventually earned the title Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.

However—

‘It’s not yet.’

Baek Ryeoil was still young. The story hadn’t even truly begun yet.

His hatred hadn’t reached that extent, and although his martial arts were formidable, they hadn’t yet reached an insurmountable level.

And Baek Ryeoil had a weakness. Seong Muyeon had prepared for this very situation. If they had met years later, he wouldn’t even have dared try—but now…

Seong Muyeon let out a soft sigh.

“You already knew, didn’t you, Dojang Baek?”

Baek Ryeoil’s eyes gleamed at the tone of resignation in his voice.

“There’s no point pretending anymore. Yes. My name is Seong Muyeon. Just as you suspected, I am the son of the Demon Cult Leader.”

“You thought I wouldn’t know?”

The gentle, friendly young man vanished without a trace. In his place stood Baek Ryeoil, fierce as a demon returned from hell, growling between his teeth.

“What business do you have in Zhongyuan? What filthy scheme are you plotting?”

“You may find it hard to believe, but I truly didn’t come here to do anything evil. As I said earlier, I came here to recuperate. Please believe me.”

“You’re good at spouting sugar-coated lies. I don’t believe a single word from a Demon Cult dog.”

“I understand your mistrust. But please, just listen to me—”

“Quit your nonsense and tell me the truth. Why are you here?”

Baek Ryeoil sneered. His hand twitched, as if he might reach out and twist Seong Muyeon’s neck at any moment.

Seong Muyeon exhaled a long, slow breath.

‘I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but…’

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out the item he had prepared just in case.

Tap.

“Th-that’s—!”

Baek Ryeoil’s eyes widened like lanterns when he saw what Seong Muyeon placed on the table.

What he revealed was none other than a white liquor bottle.

“This is Baekhwa-ro. Do you see the red ribbon?”

Tied around the neck of the dazzlingly white bottle was a red ribbon.

“Top-grade.”

Baek Ryeoil murmured as if in a dream.

Baekhwa-ro. A liquor said to be brewed from the dew of a hundred flowers. A rare drink, nearly impossible to obtain even with money. And this one—was top-grade. This level was something even emperors only brought out on special occasions.

“B-Baekhwa-ro…”

Baek Ryeoil’s pupils trembled nonstop. Seong Muyeon smiled with satisfaction.

Baek Ryeoil’s only weakness—was his extreme love of alcohol. No, to be precise, it went beyond love. He was obsessed. He would throw himself at the mere sight of it.

‘In the original story, he got into a lot of trouble because of drinking too.’

Of course, he got a bit better about it as he grew older.

When Seong Muyeon shifted the bottle to the left, Baek Ryeoil’s gaze followed it. His dazed expression looked like he might start drooling any second.

Seong Muyeon cleared his throat to draw his attention.

“Though I may be of lowly origin, would it be alright if I offered this Baekhwa-ro to Dojang Baek as a tribute? I ask for nothing in return! I only hope that Dojang might enjoy this fine drink.”

Seong Muyeon opened the bottle’s cap. Immediately, an exquisite fragrance enveloped the space.

Baek Ryeoil’s facial muscles relaxed significantly more than before. He was clearly shaken.