Chapter 2: This is What Happens When You Follow a Handsome Older Brother

“You there!”

The men who had been drinking and reveling turned around at the sound of Yoo Somyeong’s clear voice.

“Huh? Who’s that woman?”

“I don’t know, but she’s really pretty!”

“She looks like the Boss’s type. Let’s grab her before he gets here!”

The men were already too drunk to think straight. They didn’t care about Yoo Somyeong’s sudden appearance; they were just excited by the arrival of a beautiful woman. One of the more impulsive men stood up and approached her.

“Hey, you! Come here…”

Yoo Somyeong looked at him with empty eyes. He was already slow, and the alcohol made him even more vulnerable.

Yoo Somyeong channeled her Inner Qi into her fist.

Willow Flower Fist.

Her slender arm and small fist shot out and struck the man’s abdomen. He let out a scream and rolled several times before collapsing near his comrades.

Only then did the mountain bandits stop drinking and widen their eyes in shock.

Yoo Somyeong gave them a sweet smile. It was undoubtedly a pure smile from a beautiful woman, but to the bandits, it was anything but.

Mercy was useless against such ruthless people. Yoo Somyeong spoke in a firm tone.

“Stop speaking so rudely.”

“……”

“Or you’ll get seriously hurt.”

“You wench!”

Another man charged at Yoo Somyeong with a blade, but she easily dodged and struck his head with the flat of her sword.

“Ugh!”

“I told you not to do that.”

In an instant, two men were down. The remaining bandits, realizing they were no match for her despite her young appearance, immediately lowered their stances.

“I am Dongryong, the Deputy Leader of this place. What brings a Young Lady like you to such a shabby place?”

To survive in Murim, an Unorthodox Sect member must bow low rather than wield their sword well.

Amused by the sudden change in his attitude, Yoo Somyeong chuckled and spoke.

“I heard that this place has been harassing the weak and stealing their possessions.”

Dongryong began to sweat profusely. It was all true, after all.

“So, if you return all the wealth you’ve extorted and turn yourselves in to the authorities, I’ll spare your lives.”

“What, what is this!”

“Hold on! Bang-sam!”

Bang-sam shouted in frustration at the thought of losing everything, but Dongryong stopped him. He seemed to have made a decision and wore a serious expression.

“I will accept the Young Lady’s terms.”

“Deputy Leader!”

“Then, shall we start by bringing out what you’ve taken from the common folk?”

“Understood. All the wealth is stored in the warehouse. Please wait a moment!”

“Deputy Leader! How can we just give up everything we’ve worked for!”

“Silence, you fool! That wealth was never rightfully ours. It was only a matter of time before we paid for our sins. It’s better to atone for everything now and be reborn as new men.”

“Deputy Leader…”

Seeing Dongryong’s firm resolve, Yoo Somyeong smiled slightly. She believed that even the wicked could repent and be redeemed.

“It’s good to see you repent. It’s a noble mindset. Of course, once you’ve paid for your sins, you can be reborn as good people. Now, when will you give me the key to the warehouse…?”

“Ah, just a moment… I’m getting it. Ah, here it is.”

Something glinted in Dongryong’s hand. Yoo Somyeong thought it was the key reflecting the light. But it wasn’t.

Whoosh, whoosh!!

Dongryong threw daggers at her from his sleeve.

“Here’s your key! Take this, you wench!”

“Ugh!”

Barely managing to block the daggers with her sword, Yoo Somyeong was then attacked by two more men.

“Ugh…! Don’t you think your fighting style is too dirty?”

“Dirty? We’ll use any means necessary to survive!”

“This is how, we of the Unorthodox Sects live.”

While Yoo Somyeong was momentarily distracted, Dongryong channeled his Inner Qi into his blade.

“Take this! It’s the Thousand Power Sword Technique taught by our Boss himself!”

Suddenly, the weight of the sword increased several times, causing Yoo Somyeong to lose her balance. Bang-sam seized the opportunity to strike.

“Ugh!”

Yoo Somyeong quickly twisted her body to avoid the blade’s tip, but it grazed her waist, drawing a small amount of blood.

“That was close, Bang-sam!”

“I’ll do better next time, Big Brother.”

Yoo Somyeong glared coldly at Dongryong and Bang-sam. There was no point in being polite now that she had seen their true nature.

“So, you have no intention of surrendering peacefully?”

“Damn right.”

“Get lost, you wench.”

Yoo Somyeong let out a deep sigh.

Yes, it was a mistake to approach mountain bandits with the ways of the Orthodox Sect from the beginning.

Yoo Somyeong gripped her sword tightly. The change in her aura made Dongryong and Bang-sam swallow nervously.

Willow Flower Sword Technique.

People don’t know if willow flowers exist or what they look like. But willow flowers bloom softly and persistently, unnoticed by anyone.

It was not a mere imitation of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, but the very sword technique that led the Shanxi Yoo Family to its prime.

Yoo Somyeong held her sword upright and leaped.

“Get ready, Bang-sam. She’s coming!”

Dongryong watched Yoo Somyeong’s sword. It seemed much slower than before, but he felt it. He could win.

He filled his blade with Qi and swung it at her. But the sensation was strange. It felt like cutting through thick cotton. When he came to his senses, she was already behind him and Bang-sam.

“H-how…?”

“It’s a Quick Sword that appears slow but cuts swiftly and precisely. That’s the Willow Flower Sword Technique.”

With those words, Dongryong and Bang-sam fell to the ground.

“Ugh.”

“Aaah!”

Yoo Somyeong hummed a tune as if nothing had happened and asked.

“I didn’t strike any vital points, so you should be able to talk. Where’s the treasure?”

“Just kill me!”

Yoo Somyeong shook her head.

“No, I’m turning you over to the authorities. Stop being difficult…”

“Stop right there!”

At that moment, a desperate voice came from outside the mountain hideout. The sound came from where the coachman and woodcutter were hiding.

No way?

When Yoo Somyeong turned her head, she saw that one of the men she had knocked out earlier was holding a blade to the woodcutter’s neck.

She had let her guard down.

She had been so focused on using the Willow Flower Sword Technique that she hadn’t paid attention to the important things.

“P-please save me.”

“Drop your sword right now! Or I’ll cut this man’s throat!”

The woodcutter was trembling in fear, and the coachman had already fainted and was lying next to him.

Tch.

Yoo Somyeong clicked her tongue. For some reason, she didn’t like seeing the woodcutter’s life in danger. She was conflicted. Even if she dropped her sword, the man wouldn’t release the woodcutter.

‘When I put my sword down, push his arm away at the same time.’

It was a Whisper Technique Yoo Somyeong sent to the woodcutter. He looked confused at first, but soon understood the situation and nodded slightly.

Confirming that he understood, Yoo Somyeong slowly began to lower her sword.

“Alright, I’ll put my sword down. You’ll let him go, right?”

As she lowered her sword, she whispered numbers to the woodcutter to synchronize their timing.

“I’m putting it down now.”

One

Two

Three

As soon as the sword touched the ground.

Now!

The woodcutter desperately pushed the man’s arm away, and as the startled bandit tried to cut the woodcutter’s throat, Yoo Somyeong leaped.

There was no time to pick up her sword again. She thrust her fist forward.

Willow Flower Fist.

Boom-!!

The force of her fist sent the bandit’s body flying backward.

“Huff, huff!”

It took immense concentration to hit only the bandit with her fist’s energy without harming the innocent woodcutter. It was even more crucial because an innocent person’s life was at stake.

But the result was a great success. The bandit was down, and the woodcutter was safe.

“Young Lady!”

The woodcutter ran to her, his legs weak from the tension.

Seeing his bright expression, Yoo Somyeong felt a sense of pride.

It was all over. Now, all that was left was to return the stolen wealth to the innocent common folk and punish the cruel Unorthodox Sect…

Thud.

“Ugh!”

But Yoo Somyeong couldn’t finish her thought. All she felt was an unfamiliar pain and the discomfort of not being able to breathe.

What happened?

She couldn’t understand what had just occurred. All she could see was the woodcutter, who had approached her with a bright smile, striking her throat with all his might…

…

……?

“Oh, she didn’t pass out?”

The woodcutter was now grinning mischievously. Yoo Somyeong, struggling to stay conscious, asked him in confusion.

“W-what is, ugh, this…?”

“Ah, sorry, Young Lady Yoo. I tried to knock you out, but it didn’t work. I’ll try hitting the back of your neck this time.”

His tone had changed from the innocent one he had used when they first met to that of a rogue, scoundrel.

He raised his hand, ready to strike again. Yoo Somyeong instinctively tried to block him, but she failed.

“W-wait…”

“Next time, don’t follow a handsome man you don’t know, okay?”

Thud.

This time, the pain in her neck was so intense it felt like her spine was breaking, and her vision went black.

“Hey, Bongchun. Your acting has improved. Are you okay?”

“Hehe, Boss. I’ve gotten a lot better, right? But that woman’s fist really hurt. I can’t get up.”

“Dongryong! Are you alright?”

“Damn… Boss. Next time, I’m not taking this role. I’ll be the one doing the deceiving.”

“Haha, women don’t like you because you look too rough.”

“Damn it.”

With the joyful conversation of one man and the grumbling of the others, Yoo Somyeong’s consciousness faded away.