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< Big picture >
The Jin Ga Gak Jan was deserted today too.
Because it was a small inn located in a rural village, there were hardly any customers, and most of the customers who came were regulars.
Jin No-in, who was sweeping and cleaning the inside of the guest house, turned to his grandson and spoke. His face was bright.
“Hyun-ah. How about having some fish soup for lunch after a long time?”
Mr. Jin has been smiling a lot lately.
It was thanks to this that Hyun-i, who had been weak since birth, had recently improved her physical condition a lot.
‘It’s surprisingly good. I wonder if Hyun-i has ever had such a good complexion…’
I don’t know the exact reason why Hyun-i’s physical condition suddenly improved.
I thought it was because of the changed medicine, so I gave the pharmacy a generous amount of money for the medicine, but the doctor who heard the story was just amazed.
“That’s really interesting. It’s just an ordinary health supplement…”
“Haha. There is a different medicine for each body type. Anyway, thank you very much. Thank you!”
Jin No-in is talking from ear to ear these days because of Hyeon-i’s improved complexion.
Although he thought he didn’t show it much, Namgung Hyun could see it all.
A snicker escaped his lips, but Hyun scolded his grandfather for no reason.
“Ah, fragrant meat? How much does it cost? We’re eating it among ourselves. It would be better to make it ourselves and sell it to customers.”
“There won’t be any guests anyway. Your mother must have received the money from selling her jewelry. Let’s take care of ourselves after a long time.”
“Oh my. I don’t think that’s the purpose of selling the goods···.”
Hyun-i pouted her lips. But a smile was spreading across her lips. It was the same as Jin-no-in.
“Haha! The elixir you need will arrive within today or tomorrow, so don’t worry.”
“Who cares?”
Hyun looked down at his body.
It was really strange. For the past few days, every morning when I woke up, my body felt so light.
‘I don’t have the chills or fever that I used to get every now and then, and I don’t get out of breath right away even with the slightest movement.’
To ordinary people, these are all natural things, but to Namgung Hyun, it was a series of amazing miracles.
‘This is what it feels like to be healthy. I wonder if it has something to do with the dreams I have every night?’
In fact, there was one thing Namgung Hyeon didn’t tell Jin No-in.
For the past few days, she has been having dreams every night.
No, it was more of a feeling than a dream.
It feels like someone familiar is hugging me warmly from behind, and I just want to curl up and act spoiled.
And when I woke up the next morning, my body couldn’t have felt more refreshed.
But I didn’t tell that to the old man.
It was difficult to explain exactly, and I was worried that my grandfather would be disappointed if my health worsened again.
and···.
‘I feel embarrassed to say it.’
Namgung Hyeon said carefully.
“Grandpa. I don’t think I need to take elixirs anymore. My body doesn’t hurt as much anymore…”
But Jin No-in shook his head with a hardened expression. He was strict only at times like this.
“That’s not right. At times like this, you need to take extra care of your health.”
“but···.”
“Hyun-ah.”
Hyun couldn’t help but nod at his determined expression. He couldn’t refuse because he knew that his grandfather cared more for him than anyone else.
“all right.”
“I’m starting to get hungry.”
“So, in the end, you want to eat fish sauce?”
“I think the fish sauce made by my grandson will taste even better.”
The two prepared a meal together.
Hyun boiled noodles and fried pork in two large pots. In the other pot, Jinnoin skillfully prepared vegetables.
Knock, knock, knock. Whoosh. Chiiik-!
As the food was prepared, a delicious smell wafted outside the room.
“Then shall we eat it?”
It was when they wiped a table and began placing the finished dishes on it.
Knock knock.
The only guest in the inn opened the door and came out.
While yawning with her mouth wide open.
“Hwaaam-. Good morning.”
The man walked over, scratching his head. He brought a chair and sat down calmly between the two people at the table.
“Oh. Is that Eohyang Yuksa? Hmm···.”
The man wiped the booger from his eyes, picked up the meat with his chopsticks, ate it quickly, and exclaimed in admiration.
“Wow. This is delicious. Hyun-ah. Just one bottle of bamboo leaf tea.”
Hyun, who was about to sit down, glanced at the elder and brought out three bottles of bamboo leaf tea. Each person received one bottle.
“How come you come out of your room like a ghost every time it’s meal time?”
The man sniffed and said.
“Your grandfather’s cooking smells so good.”
“I made it today.”
“Really? You’re quite the person. When you get married, your wife will love you.”
“My brother is lazy, so I think he’ll give his wife a hard time when he gets married.”
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The two people had become quite close in just a few days. The two pairs of chopsticks moved around quickly like two eagles targeting the same prey.
“Oh! I picked that out to eat later!”
The man spoke while chewing on the meat in an annoyed tone.
“A kid once said something similar. So I taught him that there is no later, that if you don’t eat something delicious quickly, someone else will. He never made the same mistake again.”
“Don’t act cool with weird words!”
“···I wonder if the kid is doing well in school without any accidents.”
Jin No-in just smiled happily at that sight.
As if it were an ordinary day, the three of them had a meal together while chatting away.
The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the wide-open doors and windows. A cool breeze blew pleasantly through my hair.
‘Today is another peaceful day as always.’
Daein really liked the life here where both his body and mind naturally became lazy.
There were hardly any people coming and going, the air was clean, and above all, Jinnoin and Hyeon-i’s cooking skills were beyond expert level.
The three of them had become quite friendly during their few days at the inn, and now they were able to share some personal stories.
“By the way, you. Aren’t you going to practice?”
“Huh? Cultivation?”
The old man looked at Jin No-in with an expression as if asking if that was a new menu item.
At that moment, not only Jin No-in but also Namgung Hyeon clicked his tongue.
‘Huh. This guy. He has a really nice personality···.’
The old man looked at the elder with a regretful expression.
In his opinion, Daein was too lazy for a martial artist. Even he himself would wake up at dawn, do some martial arts, and go out to the backyard to train his body.
But I had never seen the great man run, let alone do anything.
‘At first glance, you can tell that he has great muscles… If he trains diligently, he could become a first-class or higher martial artist.’
The level of martial arts that Jinnoin judged was second-rate at best. He probably wouldn’t even be able to use his sword skills.
Feeling sorry, Jin No-in started nagging, something he normally wouldn’t do.
“Your stamina is exceptionally excellent. It’s not too late, so if you train hard, you’ll see great results.”
The man shrugged his shoulders and answered, but his chopsticks continued to move without stopping.
“Well, it seems like you’re still doing enough martial arts training.”
“···There is not enough martial arts training.”
Jinnoin rarely showed a serious expression.
Although he is currently hiding his identity, he is also a martial artist who has reached the peak of his power. His attitude towards martial arts cannot be anything but serious.
“Even if you reach the pinnacle of your power and can freely release your energy, even if you are not restricted by your instincts. Even those masters constantly practice mental imagery in their heads. Let alone a second-rate person like you… I’m sorry. Young martial artists should take their time and train. The world of martial arts is a dangerous place. If your skills are lacking, you never know when something will happen to you….”
After giving a passionate speech, Jin No-in suddenly looked embarrassed and turned his gaze to his chopsticks.
“Ahem. I’m sorry for being so rude to an old man who runs a guesthouse.
“What you said is all true, but whatever.”
The old man poured the bamboo leaf tea into his glass and drank it down. Seeing his still calm appearance, the old man burst into laughter.
“Anyway, don’t ignore what I say. As someone who once taught many young people as a martial arts instructor, I’m saying this because I feel it’s a waste of your talents.”
At that moment, Jinnoin saw the serious eyes of the great man for the first time.
“What did you just say?”
“I feel sorry for your talents···.”
“No, before that. You were a martial arts instructor before?”
The old man nodded his head sheepishly.
And then he said, thinking back on what he had said wrong.
“That’s right. It was a minor issue, but···.”
Although the Geomhwangmun was in decline 15 years ago, it was by no means a small military office.
‘Even at that time, it was at least within the Baekdaemun faction.’
Jinnoin had pride. He was a martial arts master who had taught hundreds of warriors.
Even though I have to lie like this now…
“···He was a small village official. He taught about twenty children.”
“Really? Hmm···.”
Of course, the man knew the truth hidden in his lies.
‘He is a martial arts instructor from the Geomhwangmun. Should I take him to the guild as a martial arts instructor?’
“Hmm···.”
The man narrowed his eyes and looked at Jin No-in. It was, what could I say, similar to the eyes of a hawk hunting its prey.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
The man asked in a quiet voice.
“Do you have any plans to get re-employed in a career position?”
“Hmm?”
The man started poking him in earnest.
“We at Baekgageommun are looking for capable martial arts instructors. The best treatment in the industry, a family-like atmosphere, no mandatory retirement, and we take responsibility for the four major insurances as well as your children’s college education…”
But Jinnoin shook his head before he could hear the rest of the words.
“I appreciate your offer, but I have to decline. I’ve been retired for a long time. My skills have all rusted… I’m no longer in a position to do this kind of work.”
‘lie.’
The man was convinced that Jinnoin’s words were a lie.
Jinnoin practiced every morning, evening, and whenever he had time. Even though he was close to seventy years old, his solid muscles and calluses on his hands were proof of this.
The old man smiled kindly and said.
“And we’re going to clean up the guest house and move out in a few days. Like I said last time… You should probably find another guest house.”
Jinnoin didn’t go into detail.
The elixir-bearing merchant would arrive in town from the city sometime today or tomorrow. After taking it, the two planned to leave to find a new hideout while avoiding any pursuers.
The man didn’t ask for details. He just nodded.
“Then I guess I should go to another city soon.”
“Have you decided where to go?”
“Yes. I found out where the item I was looking for is.”
“That’s a relief.”
Daeindo did not just play around like a bum for a few days.
I went around looking for information to find out the whereabouts of the Heavenly Sword.
And I was able to find the location much easier than I thought.
The Murim Alliance.
It was said that the Changcheonshin Sword is currently being stored in the Murim Alliance.
‘The problem is how to get it out···.’
Contrary to expectations that it would take a long time to figure out where it was, the location was quickly found.
However, the problem was how to get the Heavenly Sword that was stored in the Murim Alliance.
‘If you touch it wrong, you won’t even be able to pick up the bone.’
With tight surveillance, hidden experts everywhere, and even a secret agent who can’t tell what’s coming out.
Infiltrating the Murim Alliance was so dangerous that even a great person would have to risk his life.
And the great man did not want to risk his life for martial arts.
‘I think there might be another way···.’
The last few days have been a time of thinking about how to do that.
Thanks to that, I now have a rough idea of the big picture.
The old man poured wine into the old man’s glass and said.
“Today might be the last time I drink with you, sir.”
“Heh heh. That could be true. Thanks for being my drinking buddy for a few days.”
It was then that a new guest entered the inn.
“Oh my. I came in because it smelled delicious, and you guys were already having a drink.”
The middle-aged man was a hunter.
He had rough skin and thick leather clothes. He had a bow on his back and five swords with different uses on his waist.
He was cross-eyed with a patch over his left eye, and he walked with a slight limp.
The man said, putting the deer he was carrying on his shoulder on the ground.
“Sir, please take this apart.”
“You too. Why don’t you take this to Mr. Wang, the butcher, and bring it to me?”
The old man grumbled as he carried the deer to the kitchen. The hunter naturally brought a chair and sat down at the table, saying:
“Mr. Wang, that gentleman. To be honest, his skills are poor. The old man is much better. Let’s grill some meat together. Mr. Im So-hyeop. Do you only go to the inn?”
“I usually go out in the afternoon and come back at night.”
He pretended to know the Indian hunter. He was one of the few people I had come to know during my few days at the inn.
“Yang Dae-hyeop, you came early today?”
The hunter known as Yang Daehyeop grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.
“What kind of great swordsman is that? He’s a cripple who returned to his hometown.”
The man’s name was Yang Chun-sam.
He is the nephew of Yang, the closest friend of Jinnoin in this village, and he lost both his parents during the plague 30 years ago.
He was a man with a long story who ran away from the village to become a martial artist, but only returned to his hometown a few months ago.
Jinnoin quickly finished butchering the deer and cut up the meat to grill.
Chewing gum···.
The smell of grilling meat wafted outside the guest house.
With deer meat as an appetizer, a drinking party took place inside the inn.
The three men quickly got into the mood.
“Hahaha! Even though I’m an invalid now, there was a time when all the gisaengs in Hanam Island would die! That b*tch Aeng-Aeng wanted to run away with me in the middle of the night….”
As the alcohol took effect, Yang Chun-sam began to tell tales of his past exploits. Even though he drank almost the entire bottle of bamboo leaf tea, he showed no sign of being drunk.
“Those pure white breasts. They are so soft and heavenly. And the valley below is so lush…”
“······.”
Namgung Hyun’s face gradually turned red as he listened to the story. Yang Chun-sam smiled mischievously at the sight.
“Look at this guy. The bastard blushes at such talk… Let’s see if his pepper has grown any bigger.”
When Yang Chun-sam tried to reach between his pants, Namgung Hyeon got scared and pushed his hand away.
“Don’t do it!”
Then he quickly got up and ran to the kitchen. Yang Chun-sam saw him and laughed hysterically.
“Hahahaha! I bet my life on that guy’s pants being bulged!”
Jin No-in said with a bitter smile. It was he who dressed Namgung Hyeon in men’s clothes and raised him like a man.
“Take it easy. He’s still a little kid.”
Yang Chun-sam giggled for a while longer before finally stopping laughing.
“Khuhuhu… Ah, yes. Khuhuhu!”
Yang Chun-sam was not a bad man, even though he was mischievous.
Before the Great Man came, he was Jinnoin’s only drinking companion, and he also relayed relatively recent news from the martial arts world.
‘Even though he may be a little bit shy, he’s a nobleman after experiencing the rough world of martial arts.’
At that time, the great man asked Yang Chun-sam.
“Yang Dae-hyeop. If you’ve been active in Hanam, do you know anyone in the Murim Alliance?”
“The Martial Arts Alliance? Well, that’s not non-existent… But why is that?”
The old man smiled slyly and filled Yang Chun-sam’s glass with alcohol.
“I have some business to attend at the Murim Alliance. If you know anyone at the Alliance, I was wondering if you could write a letter of introduction for me… Could you please help me with this?”
“Well, it’s just a letter of introduction···.”
Suddenly, Yang Samchun made an uncertain expression. Jin Noin suppressed his laughter when he saw that.
‘It’s because this is a rural area that he’s bragging. Yang Chun-sam probably hasn’t even entered the Murim Alliance.’
Indeed, Yang Chun-sam began to scratch his head with a troubled expression.
“···Haha. Of course I should write it if my little brother wants it. But I don’t know if those friends are still in the Murim Alliance···. It’s been quite a while since I left Hanam···.”
The man also cancelled his request tactfully.
“Come to think of it, it’s not polite to ask such a thing. Please pretend I didn’t hear.”
“No, it’s not like it’s impossible… hahaha! Little brother, your glass is empty. Have a drink first!”
The three men emptied their glasses, eating venison as an appetizer.
They got along very well. Although they had different personalities, ages, and goals, they quickly became close friends while sharing drinks in the boring countryside.
It was then that another guest entered the inn.
“Jingaya!”
The person who came in screaming was an old man with white hair.
“Brother. What’s going on?”
“Hmm? Uncle?”
Jinnoin and Yang Chun-sam looked back at each other and spoke at the same time. The old man with a stern expression was Yangnoin, Jinnoin’s closest friend in the village.
“There’s chaos right now! The bandits are robbing the merchants who were coming into town!”
At those words, the old man suddenly stood up from his seat. At that moment, the first thing that came to mind was one thing.
“What elixir should we give to our Hyun?”
The old man said, beating his chest as if he was frustrated.
“You punk, is the elixir the problem right now? All the stuff I was carrying on the ship was stolen! People are dead!”
And the old man sighed and continued speaking softly.
“It seems like they somehow found out that the top prize this time contained expensive elixirs.”
“······.”
Jin No-in’s expression hardened. Yang Chun-sam’s expression hardened as well. Dae-in was the only one sipping his remaining alcohol without any sense of foreboding.
Yang Chun-sam, who was a hunter and was familiar with the surrounding mountains, said.
“If it’s that way, it’s probably the work of the Palryongchae guys. I heard that the leader changed recently, so maybe that’s why···.”
“How many of them are there? Do you know where their base is?”
“There are probably about 50 people. The mountain is a cave, and I’ve only been close to it…”
‘If there are 50 people.’
It was a number that even the best of the best could easily deal with. It wasn’t even the Nokrim 18chae, so there couldn’t have been any great masters among them.
The old man thought.
‘How could the elixir I found be taken away?’
Sometimes, even if you have money, you can’t get the elixir. And in a rural area like this, it’s even harder to get it.
It was an elixir that was obtained after much searching, and it was bought at a very low price by selling the last belongings left by Hyun’s mother.
‘I can’t make a bandit drink that elixir.’
There was no time. If I didn’t hurry, the elixir might end up in the stomach of a thief who didn’t even know its value.
‘Then I’ll have to split open that ship and get the elixir.’
The old man, having made up his mind, went to the kitchen and grabbed his sword. He placed the old sword on his scabbard.
“I went and came back.”
“Elder!”
Yang Chun-sam also jumped up from his seat.
Perhaps because he had been drinking quite a bit, he seemed to be enraged by the bandits’ actions. He drew his sword and shouted.
“I will go too! This island, Yang Chun-sam! I will cut down the thieves and prove that justice is still alive in the martial arts world!”
The old man said with a very unpleasant expression.
“You just guide me to the vicinity of their mountain lair. And then come back…”
“Yes! Leave your back to me!”
“······.”
Yang Chun-sam had to go with them, even if it meant he needed a guide. Jin No-in sighed deeply and looked at the elder.
“Maybe you too···”
The man shrugged and said.
“I don’t want to go. I’m a little tired because I drank.”
“···Good idea. You’d be better off here.”
I had hoped that he wouldn’t follow me from the beginning, but I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed when he said that.
‘···There’s no need to be disappointed. Anyway, with the skills of a second-rate warrior, it won’t be of much help.’
Jinnoin called Namgung Hyeon.
“Hyun-ah. Grandpa will be back soon.”
“Do you really have to go? I think it’ll be okay if you don’t take the elixir…”
Namgung Hyeon looked up at his grandfather with a worried face. Jin No-in smiled warmly and sent a message.
[Have you forgotten who this old man is? He won’t budge even if there are 50, or even 500, of those bandits. Don’t worry.]
[Should I go with you?]
The old man shook his head.
It was impossible for Namgung Hyun to climb a mountain with his physical strength. Namgung Hyun could defeat even the most elite players in a 1:1 match, but a fight that required a lot of physical strength was too much for him.
[It’ll be safer here. I’ll be back soon.]
And Jin No-in left the inn with Yang No-in and Yang Chun-sam.
“grandfather···.”
Namgung Hyeon stood in front of the guest house door and kept looking in the direction where his grandfather had disappeared.
At that time, the king called Namgung Hyeon.
“I’m out of my mind, so come here and sit down. And close the door because flies are coming in.”
bang!
Namgung Hyeon closed the door and walked in with brisk strides, sitting across from the man.
“Brother, you don’t have to worry about what happens to our grandfather. But I have only one family. How can you not worry?”
“What are you worried about? Your grandfather is three years old.”
“That’s really strong… How did you know that, hyung?”
Daein snickered at Namgung Hyeon, who asked with wide eyes in surprise.
“You can tell just by looking at it.”
The man emptied the remaining alcohol and looked around.
There were only two people in the empty guest room.
The inn was located on the outskirts of town and had few guests.
Yang Chun-sam was hiding his martial arts skills,
The old man was poisoned.
Jin No-in, who loved his granddaughter so much, would not have taken Namgung Hyeon to the bandits’ den.
‘And I’ve been feeling strange presences for the past two days.’
They watched the guesthouse from a distance that even the best masters would not notice, but they would never have imagined that there would be more masters than that in the guesthouse.
“Tsk. Look at this. Look at this.”
The man looked around and clicked his tongue.
“When the owner is away, flies start to flock.”
The man tossed one of the chopsticks he was holding with a simple snap of his wrist.
WHEEK!
The chopsticks flew like a bullet and stuck in the wall.
“Cough!”
Blood flowed out of the hole in the wall where the chopsticks had been stuck. Namgung Hyun screamed when he saw it.
“Whoa!”
At the same time, the walls and ceiling of the guest house shattered and masked people poured in.
“Catch the dot!”
The man stood up from his seat, holding one of his remaining chopsticks. He made Namgung Hyeon stand behind him and twirled the chopsticks around like a ballpoint pen.
“Then, shall we do our future martial arts teacher a favor?”
< Big Picture > End
ⓒ Ganjjajang
