Chapter 19
The moment the Murong Clan martial artist drew his sword, Dokgo Ryeong squeezed her eyes shut.
‘Heo Gwan-yeong, you son of a bitch…’
The martial artist held his sword out in front of him and slowly closed the distance.
“Who are you?!”
“Oh, sir….”
“Don’t give me that nonsense! How dare you come here…”
Before the martial artist could finish speaking, Heo Gwan-yeong’s hand moved.
“Ghk!”
The Murong Clan martial artist crumpled to the ground without even managing to scream.
Heo Gwan-yeong scratched his head and gave Dokgo Ryeong an awkward smile.
“Hahaha… Why… isn’t this working?”
“…”
Heo Gwan-yeong looked awkward as he smiled, but Dokgo Ryeong felt unsettled watching him.
‘…What the hell is this guy?’
Though she now had a woman’s body, Dokgo Ryeong’s senses were still as sharp as ever.
Yet Heo Gwan-yeong had made a move that had completely escaped her senses.
He’d probably struck the man’s pressure points, but Dokgo Ryeong didn’t know anyone in the Hao Sect with hands that fast.
‘…This feels really fishy.’
It was only natural to feel uneasy about traveling with someone whose identity she didn’t know.
Whether or not he sensed what was on her mind, Heo Gwan-yeong tilted his head.
“…Miss?”
“Hurry up and move him, you idiot. We’ll be found out.”
“Yes. But it went according to my plan!”
“…Weren’t you just saying we should pretend to be locals and pass by?”
“Yes. I only needed the Murong Clan uniform for that. Really.”
“…”
His talent for making excuses was awful.
After stripping the fallen martial artist of his clothes, Heo Gwan-yeong gathered them up and said,
“Then I’ll go change.”
“…Sure.”
Watching Heo Gwan-yeong disappear behind the trees, Dokgo Ryeong fell into thought.
‘…Can I trust Heo Gwan-yeong?’
Wi Ilcheong had vouched for him, but those Hao Sect bastards were all a bunch of turncoats.
If information could make them money, they’d sell it to anyone, whether they were Unorthodox or even members of the Demonic Cult. They even had a hand in the Black Market (黑市), where you could supposedly get your hands on anything—even a virgin’s balls.
She couldn’t help thinking that Heo Gwan-yeong, as a member of an organization like that, might betray her the moment it benefited him.
And more than anything, she just had a bad feeling.
People tended to scoff when someone said they had a feeling, but Dokgo Jin had survived one bloodbath after another by trusting his instincts above all else.
His instincts were the warnings his accumulated experience gave him on a primal level.
Just then, Heo Gwan-yeong returned.
“Miss Dokgo, I’m back.”
“…Yeah.”
Dokgo Ryeong eyed Heo Gwan-yeong suspiciously as he came back in Murong Clan martial attire. He scratched his head awkwardly.
“Doesn’t it suit me after all?”
“…No. More importantly, you…”
“Shh.”
Heo Gwan-yeong suddenly clamped a hand over Dokgo Ryeong’s mouth.
“…A considerable number of martial artists are approaching.”
When she focused on what he said, she sensed a large group heading toward the river from the direction Heo Gwan-yeong had come from.
At the same time, the suspicions she’d had about him turned into certainty in her mind.
‘This bastard’s a master.’
Dokgo Ryeong’s senses were better than Wi Ilcheong’s at the moment.
But somehow, Heo Gwan-yeong’s instincts were even sharper than hers.
“…They’re coming this way. Could it be…?”
Just then, Dokgo Ryeong swung her arm and drew her flexible sword.
Clang!
After blocking the sword of a martial artist who had suddenly attacked from behind, Dokgo Ryeong got to her feet and shouted,
“We’ve been spotted… Guh.”
A pain shot through the back of her neck, and Dokgo Ryeong lost consciousness.
When Dokgo Ryeong opened her eyes again, a sharp pain and the discomfort of being bound from head to toe assailed her.
She checked the ropes binding her and frowned as she looked around.
It looked like some sort of hut.
“Ah… Miss, you’re awake?”
“…”
She looked toward the voice and saw Heo Gwan-yeong, bound with ropes as well.
“…You son of a bitch.”
“I’m sorry….”
“Shit….”
Dokgo Ryeong let out a sigh.
When he’d said they were spotted, she had sensed someone approaching from behind her.
But that was all.
No matter how sharp her senses were, they were useless if her body couldn’t keep up.
She had clearly noticed the attack, but she couldn’t dodge it.
‘This shitty body… Damn it.’
Frustration welled up inside her.
The helplessness of being unable to do anything.
The exasperation of having to rely on someone else.
As Dokgo Jin, if he wanted something, he’d always done it himself. But ever since becoming Dokgo Ryeong, there wasn’t a single thing she could do by herself or on her own terms.
‘Shit…’
Just as her irritation reached its peak, she sensed someone approaching.
The moment she recognized his face, Dokgo Ryeong couldn’t hold back her laughter.
“Pfft.”
The man who appeared had a severely swollen right cheek.
Watching Dokgo Ryeong fail to stifle her laughter, Noh Geukmyeong let out a hollow chuckle.
“Ha! You can laugh?”
“You’re Noh Sun-pyeong’s kid, right? I suppose so. Noh Sun-pyeong does have a heavy hand.”
“…”
Noh Geukmyeong sighed, then lifted his foot.
“Ghk…!”
“You don’t know your place, and you’re getting uppity.”
“Guh…”
Noh Geukmyeong’s foot landed squarely in Dokgo Ryeong’s solar plexus.
Unable even to breathe, Dokgo Ryeong wheezed as she endured the pain.
‘Shit… It’s been so long since I felt pain…’
Watching Dokgo Ryeong writhe on the ground, Noh Geukmyeong crouched in front of her, grabbed her by the hair, and lifted her head.
“Red hair, sharp eyes, and a foul mouth. By all accounts, you’re the one.”
“Kh… What…!”
“You’re the Mad Demon’s daughter, aren’t you?”
“!!”
“You’re surprised. So am I. I never imagined that bastard Mad Demon had a daughter.”
Smack!
Noh Geukmyeong slapped Dokgo Ryeong across the face.
“The Murim Alliance sent out a top-priority dispatch. I had a bad feeling when I heard you were traveling with the Lust Demon.”
“…”
“Ha! Even that foul mouth of yours has gone quiet in a situation like this.”
“…How did you know?”
“Hm?”
“…How did you find out so quickly?”
“Ah… Curious?”
“…”
When Dokgo Ryeong quietly shut her mouth, Noh Geukmyeong grinned.
“What would you do with that information?”
“…You fucking bastard.”
“Heh… Hehehe… Hahahaha!!”
Noh Geukmyeong laughed loudly, then lifted Dokgo Ryeong’s face and slammed it into the dirt.
“Keep barking, you stupid bitch. You’ll be dragged back to the Murong Clan and made a slave.”
“Guh…!”
“Oh, and don’t worry even if your father abandons you.”
His eyes were filled with lust.
“Looks like you could fetch a high price, hahaha!”
Noh Geukmyeong laughed as he went outside.
“Keep a close watch. This is our chance to restore the Murong Clan’s honor.”
“Yes!”
After Noh Geukmyeong left, Dokgo Ryeong trembled with rage.
‘You little nobody…!’
If she still had Dokgo Jin’s body, she was confident she could slaughter Noh Geukmyeong and tens of thousands like him all by herself.
But right now, she was only Dokgo Ryeong.
Thump. Thump.
When Dokgo Ryeong couldn’t contain her anger and began banging her head against the ground, Heo Gwan-yeong slipped his hand between her head and the dirt.
“…Please stop hurting yourself, Miss. This is part of my plan, too.”
“You son of a bitch! You can still say that shit in this situation?!”
As the furious Dokgo Ryeong tried to butt Heo Gwan-yeong with her head, he caught her forehead with his own and sent her a voice transmission.
[Yes. Just keep getting angry and listen. I was the one who leaked the information to Noh Geukmyeong.]
“…What?”
[There are two guards outside. Just keep cursing, Miss.]
Hearing that, Dokgo Ryeong started hurling whatever insults came to mind.
“You impotent bastard, you ought to be deep-fried in shit!”
[That one stings a little. Anyway, there’s no way to get out of the Pajeo River without anyone noticing. I looked around, and there are too many Murong Clan martial artists nearby. And we can’t ignore the presence of experts.]
‘…Noh Sun-pyeong. And perhaps…’
[If the Murong Clan Head comes, even the Jade-Faced Young Master is done for.]
Dokgo Ryeong had to agree with him.
Noh Sun-pyeong and Murong Byeok were in completely different leagues.
More than anything, Murong Byeok had fought to a draw with the current Murim Alliance Leader, Sword Immortal Namgung Jin, several times. Even Dokgo Jin couldn’t confidently claim an easy victory against him.
‘…If we fight to the end, I’ll definitely win, though.’
Thinking that, Dokgo Ryeong started cursing again, and Heo Gwan-yeong continued speaking.
[So I thought it’d be better to let ourselves get caught on purpose and buy some time.]
‘What kind of bullshit is that?’
When that thought showed on Dokgo Ryeong’s face, Heo Gwan-yeong smiled awkwardly.
[A fish that’s already been caught tends to let its guard down. And I have a secret trump card.]
As soon as he finished speaking, Heo Gwan-yeong’s body began to shrink little by little.
Crack. Crunch.
A horrifying sound, like bones being crushed, rang out. A moment later, Heo Gwan-yeong looked completely different.
Silver hair, red eyes, and skin as white as snow.
And, just a little, a fuller chest.
Dokgo Ryeong’s eyes widened in shock at the sight.
‘Bone-Shrinking Art (縮骨功)!’
A secret art that altered the body by changing the size and position of one’s bones and organs.
Only then did she understand Heo Gwan-yeong’s confidence.
‘Wait, but this bastard was a woman too?’
When Dokgo Ryeong tilted her head, Heo Gwan-yeong smiled and bowed to her.
“Hehe, surprised?”
“…”
“I’ll take care of the two guards outside first and come back, Miss.”
“Uh… yeah. Sure…”
Heo Gwan-yeong walked out of the hut, her hair fluttering behind her.
“Ghk!”
“Ugh!”
A little while later, Heo Gwan-yeong returned to the hut after knocking out the two guards.
“…Nice to meet you, Miss Dokgo. I’m sorry for hiding my identity all this time.”
“Uh… yeah. Sure…”
“I’m Eun Gwan-yeong, a candidate to become the Hao Sect’s next Sect Leader.”
Heo Gwan-yeong—or rather, Eun Gwan-yeong—clasped her hands and bowed politely. Dokgo Ryeong returned the greeting with a bemused look.
“…‘Eun’ Gwan-yeong?”
“I was an orphan with no surname, but when I became a candidate for Sect Leader, I inherited the surname ‘Eun.’”
“Oh…”
“I was ordered by the Sect Leader to hide my identity while assisting the Jade-Faced Young Master. I’m inexperienced, but I hope you’ll understand.”
“…”
“Hehe, please treat me the way you treated ‘Heo Gwan-yeong,’ Miss.”
“Ah, shit… Easier said than done… Ah!”
Dokgo Ryeong suddenly came to her senses and asked,
“…Hey, how are we getting out of here?”
“Hehe, there’s always a way.”
Eun Gwan-yeong looked at the two unconscious guards, then chose the bigger one.
“…If I do this, and this…”
“Oh… You’re pretty damn good.”
“Thank you, Miss. By the way, Miss Dokgo, I’m curious about something too.”
“What?”
“Do you know our Sect Leader?”
“No.”
“…Then if you ever meet him, could you refrain from saying things like ‘fuck’?”
“Ah, shit. Hurry up and get to work.”
“P-Please don’t hit me on the head! A delicate girl like me…”
“Bullshit. You told me to treat you like Heo Gwan-yeong.”
“Hiiing…”
And a little while later…
*
Noh Geukmyeong was in a good mood.
“Heh heh…”
He’d been feeling down after his father scolded him, but ever since capturing the Mad Demon’s daughter, he’d been riding high.
She was none other than the daughter of the Murong Clan’s enemy.
Now that he’d captured her, his father would look at him differently.
Besides, he couldn’t even imagine what sort of reward he’d receive upon returning to the Murong Clan.
‘Besides, there’s a bounty from the Murim Alliance, too.’
He was lucky.
By chance, a messenger pigeon from the Murim Alliance had flown right along his route,
by chance, the pigeon had been tired and landed for a short rest right above his head,
and by chance, the letter it carried contained news about the Mad Demon’s daughter.
“Heaven must be helping me!”
As Noh Geukmyeong reveled in his good fortune, he soon felt a chill run down his spine.
“C-Captain! We’ve got a problem!”
“What is it?”
“The prisoners we captured have escaped.”
“What?!!”
Noh Geukmyeong shot to his feet and headed for the hut where he’d locked the two of them up.
There he saw the two guards lying unconscious.
“Th-this…”
Noh Geukmyeong tremblingly opened the hut’s door.
But, thankfully, the Mad Demon’s daughter was still inside.
Seeing her there, Noh Geukmyeong breathed a sigh of relief.
“Phew…”
The other one didn’t matter anyway.
In the end, Dokgo Ryeong was the one who mattered, so Noh Geukmyeong sneered at her prone figure.
“Tsk, tsk… How unpopular must she have been to run off alone?”
Noh Geukmyeong pointed to the other martial artists who had come with him and said,
“You, you, and you. The three of you will guard this hut from now on. Don’t let anyone come near.”
“Yes, sir!”
“And… you can torment that woman, as long as you don’t injure her.”
“Heh heh heh… Understood.”
The guards’ eyes filled with lust.
Noh Geukmyeong kicked the two fallen guards to rouse them.
“Guh… Where…?”
“Huh!”
“You useless fools…”
When the guards came to and stood at attention, Noh Geukmyeong kicked their feet.
“You bastards. When we get back to the Murong Clan, I won’t let you off. Understand?”
“…Yes, sir!”
“We’re sorry!”
“Haah… Both of you, get out of my sight.”
“Yes.”
Watching the two guards walk away, Noh Geukmyeong sighed.
“Phew… I almost made a huge mistake.”
Whether heaven had lent him a hand or not, the Mad Demon’s daughter had fortunately remained in the hut.
It really was a lucky day.
Noh Geukmyeong firmly believed that.
Not knowing who had created that good fortune.
The two guards walked off sluggishly, and one of them peeled away from the other along the way.
Seeing him do so, the other man asked,
“Hey, Chun-pyeong. Where are you going?”
“I’m going to take a piss. Go on ahead.”
“…All right. Sigh…”
The other martial artist trudged back to the lodging with his shoulders slumped.
The man called Chun-pyeong went into the woods, looked around, then pulled up his shirt.
Dokgo Ryeong popped out from where she’d been strapped to his belly.
“Phew, I thought I was going to die holding my breath.”
“See? I told you I’d planned this far ahead!”
“Bullshit. You little punk, did you think I wouldn’t hit you if I knew you were a woman?”
“…You wouldn’t?”
“Who’s my father?”
“…Senior Mad Demon.”
“Do you think I’d hesitate to beat someone just because they’re a man or a woman, after being raised by him?”
“Hiiing…”
“Shit, don’t say stuff like that with that face. It’s creepy.”
“…Yes.”
Eun Gwan-yeong returned to her woman’s body.