Book 23 Chapter 19

A woman called Ma'nim

—To be called Ma'nim—

That man from Hwang was a swordsman with extremely piercing eyes. The years of training, which couldn't easily be hidden, were etched into the man's body. Simply by the man standing silently, the other passengers on the boat dared not approach him. What was even more surprising was that this man, clearly an exceptional swordsman with peak martial arts, was merely a bodyguard.

The person he was guarding was currently sitting on the boat's railing, gazing at the flowing river with an indifferent look. The woman, who revealed her face boldly, had a very voluptuous figure yet possessed an inexplicable grace. She appeared to be in her forties, and it seemed even time had failed to tarnish her beauty. Many of the male passengers were mesmerized by this Madam Mi's beauty, staring blankly. However, due to the terrifying bodyguard who had erected an invisible barrier, they dared not look her in the face and could only steal glances. If they happened to make eye contact with the bodyguard, they would flinch as if burned by fire, exclaiming "Ah, hot!" and quickly retreat into their cabins.

Again, a night breeze blew from the river, scattering Madam Mi's hair. Nights on the water were invariably cold. The bodyguard, who had maintained his silence until now, approached her and said in a quiet voice,

"Ma'nim, the wind is chilly. Please go inside."

Only then did Madam Mi, who had been fixing her gaze on the flowing waves, turn her head.

"Thank you, but no. I feel suffocated inside, so I'll just stay here."

"If you catch a cold…"

If that happened, he would have no escape from being blamed. The problem was that this Ma'nim was too stubborn.

"Do I look that weak?"

To her, who disliked being called weak, even to the point of despising it, he couldn't answer that way.

"Ah, no. How could I think such a thing…"

In a way, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was the strongest in the Baekdo Murim. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that no one could stop her except for the Cheonmu Samsung.

"Then there's no problem. I'll just stay here."

Having said that much, he had nothing more to say.

"What is he doing now?"

The woman asked, as if she had just remembered.

"He is still in the cabin."

"I already know that. I want to know something else now."

The woman said in a petulant tone. She seemed very displeased.

"He is still processing documents."

He had no choice but to tell the truth. It was something he couldn't help with. This was because he was not the highest authority, nor was he the one who would bear the responsibilities that came with that position.

"Hmph, does he have to bring work even to a place like this?"

Madam Mi grumbled lightly in a petulant tone. This seemed to be the reason for her sulking until now. This was not something he, as the bodyguard, could do anything about. His lord was probably restless about it right now. His lord, who feared nothing in the world, feared only this Ma'nim. He tried to make excuses on behalf of his lord.

"But… he had to leave so suddenly after receiving that letter, so there was no other choice. If he doesn't process the backlog of documents, it will be a real problem. He cannot neglect official duties for personal matters, that is the leader's…"

"I already know that. So there's no need to say any more."

"Yes, Ma'nim."

However, knowing it didn't seem to calm her anger. Namgung Jin had no choice but to shut his mouth.

"Ah, this is a disaster. If he takes up so much time here, my wife will get angry…"

The old man, while restless, continued to wrestle with the documents. Now he even suspected that these documents were sent intentionally by assassins targeting his life. If he continued to leave his wife alone while fighting these incredibly piled-up documents, he might be killed by his enraged wife.

"Ugh, whoever you are, to use such a wicked 'borrowed knife' scheme…"

However, he was the leader of the Baekdo Murim Alliance, and these documents could not be delayed even a moment. That's why he was out here, even renting an entire cabin on the boat to focus on his work.

"Udadadadadad!"

But as time passed, the work showed no sign of ending, and Na Baekcheon felt like he was dying. Without even looking, he could feel his wife's anger level rising.

"Adadadadot!"

Even the most supreme martial art was of no help in processing documents that required such brainpower.

"If I had known, I should have brought Mun Sang or Strategist Je-gal…"

Namgung Jin, the Left Dharma Protector, was skilled in swordsmanship but not particularly adept at handling documents. Furthermore, he doubled as a guard to prevent any unwelcome flies from bothering his wife, making it difficult to pull him away. Therefore, the leader longed for the two brilliant minds within the alliance who possessed exceptional document processing skills. However, as the boat glided over the surface of Dongjeong Lake, it was already too late.

Na Baekcheon, having barely finished the piled-up paperwork, hurried to the deck. His mind was so rushed that he was disoriented. As expected, his wife, Ye-cheong, was sulking. He had an exceptional ability to gauge his wife's mood. It was a kind of survival instinct. If he carelessly crossed her, his marital happiness would not be guaranteed. The old man, who opened the cabin door with such haste that he worried it might break, quickly looked around. His wife was nowhere to be seen. But he knew where he had to go. Because of her outstanding beauty, his wife always drew attention wherever she went, so he only needed to find the place where people were clustered.

The old man strode purposefully towards the place where people had gathered, maintaining a slight distance and pretending not to notice, then pushed through the crowd and entered. Upon reaching the middle-aged beautiful woman, her previously stern and solemn face disappeared, replaced by a beaming smile.

"Uh… Wife… are you angry?"

The old man asked, rubbing his hands together obsequiously. Surprisingly, this old man seemed to be Madam Mi's husband.

"Hmph, I don't know!"

Madam Mi snorted and turned her head sharply. Despite this, the old man did not seem displeased at all. On the contrary, he was the one apologizing.

"Wife, I was wrong. So please forgive me."

"What did you do wrong? Are you really sorry? You were just catching up on work, weren't you? There's no need to apologize if you did nothing wrong."

If it weren't for the sharp tone of her voice, the content would have been touching, but the way she spoke made it have no such effect.

"Th-that's true, but… I'm sorry to you."

The old man tried to appease her. His pride as the leader of the martial arts alliance was irrelevant at this moment.

"Do you truly feel sorry?"

"Of-of course."

"Then will you definitely play with me? Without being distracted?"

"I promise. From now on, I won't be distracted and will definitely play with you."

As the old man pleaded with folded hands, the middle-aged beautiful woman seemed to have softened a little.

"Then it's fine."

At some point, wearing a smile like a spring breeze, the wife rose from her seat and offered her husband her spot.

"Here, sit down, my lord. I've warmed the seat for you."

With elegant movements, the woman wrapped her arm around Na Baekcheon's arm and said with a sweet smile.

"You must have been tired from working all this time. I'll make you a cup of tea."

Her fierce demeanor from moments ago had completely vanished. What was present here was a virtuous wife concerned for her husband's health and well-being.

"Haha, no, there's no need for that… It's fine, it's truly fine. You must be tired from the long journey too, so why would I bother you? Let's just sit here together and enjoy the breeze and watch the moon."

"You are indeed the only one who thinks of me. All right. Let's sit here and watch together. The moon seen alone is cold and lonely, but the moon seen together must surely possess a warm and gentle light."

Saying this, the middle-aged beautiful woman sat down close beside Na Baekcheon, wrapping her slender arm around his strong forearm, and they looked up at the moon, enjoying the river breeze.

The river breeze couldn't steal their warmth, and the moon hung quietly in the night sky with a gentle and warm hue.

Only Namgung Jin, realizing that another war had reached a dramatic resolution and entered a truce, let out a quiet sigh of relief beside them. Who was the victor of this battle? His desire to offer his arm to his lord was nonexistent, leaving him momentarily lost in deep contemplation. However, having seen it so often, it was time to get used to it. So he just sighed and decided not to say anything. He knew well that there was not even half an inch of space for him to insert himself between them.

The boat carrying Na Baekcheon and his wife Ye-cheong finally reached its destination. A ramp was soon lowered.

"Well, Ma'nim, let's disembark."

Namgung Jin said, naturally clearing a path through the crowd.

"Thank you, Left Dharma Protector! Let's go, dear."

"Ah, let's go, wife."

Na Baekcheon nodded and extended his left arm, to which Ye-cheong naturally linked her arm.

Because of her dignified demeanor and outstanding beauty, everyone was mesmerized, staring at this middle-aged beautiful woman. Some even drooled with their mouths agape, indicating the extraordinary level of this lady's beauty. The past years seemed to have not inflicted significant damage on her beauty.

Ye-cheong, known as Bingwolseonja, did not cover her face with a straw hat or veil and revealed her face boldly. Even as she disembarked and walked down the middle of the main road, this intense attention continued. Passersby would stop and turn their heads again, a common sight. One person even lost their balance and fell off their horse after turning their head incorrectly. This made things even more uncomfortable for Na Baekcheon. With each lustful gaze that increased, a fierce killing intent simmered and bubbled within the old master's heart like molten lava.

"Um, Wife."

Unable to bear it any longer, Na Baekcheon finally called out to Ye-cheong cautiously.

"What is it, dear?"

Seeing Na Baekcheon's less-than-bright expression, Ye-cheong asked.

"Um… what if you wore a straw hat or a veil?"

"Oh, why?"

Feigning ignorance of his intentions, Ye-cheong asked playfully.

"Ahem, ahem. Well, it just… I suddenly felt that it might be good."

Na Baekcheon stammered excuses, clearing his throat repeatedly.

"Hmm, is that all? Is there nothing else you want to say?"

Her bright eyes, unlike those of a middle-aged woman, sparkled with mischief. Normally, it would have been a delightful sight. Having such a wife by his side made him feel younger.

"…It's just that I don't feel very good about people stealing glances at your face. Ahem."

Perhaps embarrassed to say such things in his old age, Na Baekcheon cleared his throat uncomfortably. Ye-cheong then smiled and asked,

"You don't like my face?"

Na Baekcheon, startled, waved his hands with both palms, as if one wasn't enough.

"Of-of course not! How could such an absurd thing ever happen!"

"Really? Then is there a need to hide it? It's not an unsightly face, nor a face to be ashamed of. Beautiful women are bound to attract attention wherever they go. It's not bad to think that I can still compete with younger women even in my old age."

"Hoho, how can immature young girls compare to your mature beauty? It's impossible."

"Oh my, you've become quite the flatterer."

Pretending to be surprised, Na Baekcheon cleared his throat again.

"Ahem, thanks to you, I've practiced a lot. Ahem."

He said, smiling brightly like myriad flowers in full bloom in spring.

"I'm truly happy that you say that."

Then, she moved even closer to Na Baekcheon. As the warmth spread, he felt an innate joy, as if he wanted to burst into song. However, given his dignity, he couldn't.

"Since you find it pleasing, I'll continue to display it. In fact, I've never worn a veil here before."

Even twenty years ago, she was still beautiful and received the gazes of countless people. However, she had never feared those gazes. She never failed to teach harsh, unforgettable, and eye-opening lessons to men who approached her with ill intentions. Therefore, now that she had returned here, she had no desire to timidly cover her face with a straw hat or veil.

"If you wish it so, do as you please."

Na Baekcheon had no choice but to admit that his wife was indeed different from ordinary women. Of course, he liked even her sharp personality.

"Well then, where should we go from here, Wife?"

Na Baekcheon asked in a polite tone. Ye-cheong's answer was simple.

"First, we must visit Du-no-i's house."

"Who is Du-no-i?"

"He is the oldest information broker on this Gangho Land."

At that moment, something astonishing happened. A hoarse voice was heard from somewhere.

"Well now, you're doing well in your old age. You've really set up house. Are you happy playing house at a hundred years old?"

Angered by the taunting voice, Ye-cheong whirled around in the direction from which the sound came and shouted sharply,

"Who's there?"

*Thump!*

At that moment, Ye-cheong was so shocked she felt like she would faint. An unknown hand had grabbed one of her buttocks.

'Wh-when did that happen?!'

The unknown old man cackled and said,

"Ohyohyo~ Wow, your buttocks are really plump. They look delicious when roasted."

Ye-cheong, who had rarely been subjected to such insult, spun like a whirlwind and secretly unleashed Hanwolchimchim, the first move of Bingwoljang, towards the old man's face. A cold energy extending from the palm shot towards the old man. It was a fearsome technique that could freeze one's internal organs in an instant if hit directly.

However, with a single flick of his hand from the unknown old man, the cold Bingjang energy vanished as if it had never been. By then, the old man had already moved his body back towards Ye-cheong's buttocks. It was an unfathomably elusive movement technique. The old man sighed and said,

"Oh dear, why are you so angry? It won't wear away just because I touched it."

Then, he committed the outrageous act of rubbing his face against her buttocks.

"You old pervert!"

Enraged, Ye-cheong unleashed her technique again, but still failed to hit him. Although a pervert, the depth of his martial arts was extraordinary.

"Wife, step back!"

Na Baekcheon, enraged at his beloved wife being insulted, unleashed the first move of Noeseongjang, applying pressure to the old man's entire body.

*Rumble!*

With a faint sound of thunder, the palm force emanating from his twin palms enveloped the old man's entire body. The momentum was like that of a dragon or a tiger, truly powerful. He was, after all, the leader of the martial arts alliance, Na Baekcheon. In the current martial world, the number of people who could withstand one of his palm strikes could be counted on one's fingers.

"Hoho, look at this kid. He's trying to kill me just for a little joke!"

This palm strike was indeed filled with terrifying force, and even this strange old man could not take it lightly. He assumed a proper stance and slowly extended his twin palms. Even though it was a very slow move, it contained an inexplicable power. He gathered the overwhelming force of Na Baekcheon's Noeseongjang palm strike and rolled it into a sphere in his hands, then slowly brought his palms together as if in prayer. The overwhelming force of Noeseongjang vanished as if it had never been, and the sound of thunder stopped as if it had never occurred.

"Th-this is impossible! Even though it was a palm strike with seventy percent of my power, to neutralize the palm force so simply…!"

It was natural for Na Baekcheon's eyes to widen in disbelief. At that moment, a thunderous telepathic voice struck his eardrums.

"You useless henpecked fool! Did you leave your eyes at the alliance when you came out?"

"Wh-who?"

There was no need to look around; there was only this bizarre old pervert who could send such a telepathic message. However, he couldn't quite recall. The voice sounded very familiar, though.

"With that vacant look on your face! There are many people watching here, follow me!"

Leaving those words behind, the bizarre old man quickly leaped over walls and buildings, disappearing into the darkness.

Na Baekcheon and Ye-cheong, who were momentarily stunned and looked at each other, soon nodded and, along with Namgung Jin, dashed in the direction the old man had disappeared.

After four peak masters had mingled and then suddenly disappeared, no one knew what kind of marvel had just occurred. They could only stare blankly at the spot where they had mingled and vanished, lamenting their inability to see the beautiful woman again, their mouths watering at the thought. Then, as if the previous event had been a fleeting dream, they returned to their daily lives, walking along their original paths.

***

"Are you certain?"

The man in red, having received the urgent report, confirmed once more.

"Yes, I am certain. He was with his wife, Bingwolseonja Ye-cheong."

Don-wang reported.

"What? Ye-cheong?"

This time, even the man seemed a little surprised.

"Yes, that is correct."

"Hoho, that is unexpected news."

A cruel smile spread across the one-armed man's lips, as if he had heard good news.

"You have finally arrived, elder brother. You have no idea how long this younger brother has waited for this day. And with sister-in-law as well…"

At this point, he could not remain idle due to circumstances.

"I will prepare a more splendid festival for you. A splendid festival of blood the likes of which has never been seen before."

It was time to cut the threads of the relationship that had continued incessantly.

"Elder brother, you will not leave this place alive. Die tasting the most bitter despair and sorrow. I will prepare the stage for you."

This would require preparation.

"Do not miss a single moment of their movements."

"Understood! I will keep it in mind."

The dark plan began to roll forward step by step.