Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Uwaaaaah!”
The roar of the crowd rose deafening.
The moment hundreds of constables escorted the Black Sword Society members into Ayang, every citizen of the city unleashed their cry toward Hong Won-chang.
Even the wanderers and martial artists who had come to verify the capture of the Black Sword Society could not hide their excitement in that instant.
‘Heh, a true hero walking among us.’
Hong Won-chang waved his hand and wore a satisfied expression.
Indeed, he had accomplished what even the great Murim Alliance could not, so such clamoring was only natural. In a way, he had seized the opportunity he had so long desired—a path to the center of power itself.
All of this was thanks to Dan Woo-hyun.
Since meeting him, everything had unfolded without a single hitch.
His position as County Magistrate of Ayang had already set him on a path of steady success, but now he was riding an unbroken wave of victory, and it seemed no one could stand in his way.
The total bounty on their heads came to roughly one hundred taels of gold.
An astounding sum indeed.
‘Considering the rewards coming down from the Imperial Palace, it’s hardly a loss at all.’
They had destroyed the Black Sword Society itself, after all.
With the royal court and the palace already in an uproar over such a momentous deed, there was no doubt that immense wealth and honor awaited him.
For ages, the Imperial Palace and the Martial World had watched each other warily while attempting to eliminate the society, yet none had succeeded until now.
Truly, it had been a long time since the Imperial Palace had asserted dominance over the Martial World.
Measured against such a triumph, the money he would give Dan Woo-hyun was a pittance, a debt that could never be repaid.
‘Even a million taels would not be too great a price for him.’
Hong Won-chang smirked.
Even if Dan Woo-hyun demanded his entire fortune, he would hand it over. His trust ran that deep, and lately his devotion to Dan Woo-hyun had begun to surpass even his loyalty to the Imperial Palace.
‘I will climb higher. For him and him alone!’
As County Magistrate, his ability to serve Dan Woo-hyun was limited—mere convenience, petty favors. But should he rise to a higher rank, he could do far greater things.
Hong Won-chang steeled his resolve and entered the magistrate’s office.

Meanwhile, a woman watched him in silence. Whether to avoid being seen by others or not, she wore a scholar’s hat with a veil attached, her gaze never leaving Hong Won-chang as he crossed into the office.
‘So he truly is a hero.’
Namgung So-hye let out a snort of contempt. She shook her head at his display—as if he had achieved this through his own strength.
Look at him, carrying himself as though he owned the world.
‘None of those around him seem skilled, and as for the man himself… he doesn’t strike me as capable at all.’
He barely had control over his own Qi—a third-rate martial artist at best.
If such a man truly had eliminated the Black Sword Society, even a passing dog would laugh him to scorn.
‘There’s someone behind him, that much is certain. But who?’
Namgung So-hye tilted her head.
The puzzle refused to yield its answer. She couldn’t very well drag Hong Won-chang in for interrogation, so frustration simply accumulated in her chest.
‘Ugh—! My funds are running low. If I don’t resolve this quickly and leave…’
Namgung So-hye let out a heavy sigh.
At first, her mission had been simple: patrol the villages around Cheonja Mountain and report back. She had set out with fifty taels of silver from the Murim Alliance, but the assignment had stretched far longer than expected, draining her purse considerably.
What remained in her possession now amounted to merely five taels of silver.
She could manage a night or two at a cheap inn, but soon food and lodging would become impossible.
Yet one option remained.
Seven days’ journey from here lay a Murim Alliance branch where she could collect funds, but during that time, someone else might make contact with the master hidden behind Hong Won-chang.
The dilemma weighed heavily on her.
‘I must finish this as quickly as possible and reach the branch to collect payment.’
Namgung So-hye nodded repeatedly to herself with that thought.

***

What the mind intends and what the body achieves are often two different things—a lesson Namgung So-hye learned within mere days.
Under the harsh midday sun, Namgung So-hye sat slumped in an alley seldom traveled by passersby, her shoulders sagging. She wasn’t thinking of anything in particular, nor was she attempting to accomplish anything.
Growwwwl—
She was simply hungry and exhausted.
“Curse it…”
Tears pricking her eyes, she gazed up at the sky.
The heat was merciless, and her frustration mounted with each passing moment.
Five days had passed since she entered Ayang. Between eating, sleeping, and moving about, fifty taels of silver had vanished in what felt like a heartbeat.
Despite all her careful rationing, on the fourth day after consuming one bowl of thin noodles, her purse had emptied completely. Now, a day and a half into starvation, she remained motionless.
‘If Grandfather finds out about my situation, he’ll have me executed…….’
Slumped and dejected, she could only pray that this fact wouldn’t reach anyone else’s ears.
The moment Namgung Cheon, the leader of the Murim Alliance, learned of it, the rigorous training that would follow would torment Namgung So-hye in ways others couldn’t even imagine.
‘Sigh…… What do I do?’
Her genius for Martial Arts was unquestionable, yet even as the leader of the Phoenix Pavilion, Namgung So-hye remained fundamentally a woman with a gentle heart.
More than that, she had never once experienced true hunger in her life.
As a direct heir of the Namgung Clan—the pinnacle of the Eight Great Families—and having displayed exceptional talent since childhood, she had known nothing but indulgence within her family.
Namgung So-hye pressed her fists against her temples.
‘Stupid! I should have bought just one sweet bun a day and rationed it into smaller portions……!’
Though she couldn’t say for certain how long that would have lasted, the fact remained that she’d spent all five silver coins in merely four days—a telling sign of her reckless spending.
Then it happened.
As she sighed and berated herself, a shadow suddenly fell across her vision. Startled, she jerked her head up in alarm.
“Huh?”
“…….”
At first, she thought her eyes were deceiving her. A child standing alone in this desolate alley was unusual enough.
Then came the bewilderment at what the child was holding out.
It was a small steamed bun. Though it bore the mark of a single bite taken from it, the warmth of fresh steam still emanated from it.
“Wh-what is this?”
“A steamed bun.”
“Why are you giving this to me……?”
The child suddenly remembered something and giggled. With a visibly delighted expression, she extended her hand again.
“I’m…… already full…….”
It was a lie.
There was clearly only a single bite mark on it—how could she be full?
Namgung So-hye stared up at the child with a dazed expression. Such innocent eyes and features, such genuine kindness in her gesture.
The child placed the steamed bun in Namgung So-hye’s hand.
“It’s delicious!”
Bright and shining.
The child’s eyes sparkled as she clasped her small hands together at her chest. Her gaze never wavered from Namgung So-hye, waiting eagerly for her to take a bite.
Namgung So-hye swallowed hard and took a large bite.
“It’s…… really good.”
“Isn’t it? Hehe.”
Such innocent artlessness—where did it all come from?
As Namgung So-hye chewed the steamed bun slowly, watching the child, she felt her heart grow warmer at the sight of those attentive eyes.
“Huh…….”
“What’s wrong?”
Namgung So-hye’s eyes brimmed with sudden tears at the surge of emotion.
Tears rolled down her cheeks like drops of rain as she continued eating the steamed bun.
The child watching her froze in confusion, fidgeting helplessly, until she carefully reached up and wiped away the tears.
“It’s okay! Don’t cry! I was like that too, but I’m fine now!”
Though her words were unclear, it was plain that she was offering comfort.
Namgung So-hye, finding unexpected strength, wiped her flowing tears away and gave a soft laugh.
“Little one, what’s your name?”
“I’m So-mi, Hwa So-mi.”
“What a pretty name. I’m Namgung So-hye.”
“Wow, that’s a pretty name too!”
Looking at the child’s radiant face, her heart seemed to melt without her realizing it. All the worries that had filled her mind seemed to vanish completely, replaced by a strange and soothing peace.
“Where are your parents? I should thank them…….”
“Huh?”
To receive kindness was to repay it.
It was Namgung So-hye’s absolute principle. Though she found herself in such a state now, she was resolved that when she returned to this place someday, she would repay her debt many times over.
But the child’s expression grew slightly downcast.
Had she made a mistake by asking about her parents, she worried.
“I don’t…… have parents…….”
“I’m this child’s father.”
Just as Hwa So-mi’s lips parted to speak, a man’s hand appeared from nowhere and gently stroked the child’s head. Startled, So-mi widened her eyes as she looked up.
There stood Dan Woo-hyun.
“Ah…… you are this child’s father? Really…… I’m so…… grate……?”
And in that moment, Namgung So-hye stared at the man intently. That face—why was it so familiar? Even his voice sounded like she’d heard it before.
Yet as she tilted her head, searching her memory, nothing came to mind.
The man led Hwa So-mi by the hand.
“How does it feel to go hungry?”
The question came wrapped in a light chuckle.
At first, she didn’t understand what he was saying and tilted her head in confusion.
‘How does it feel to go hungry? Well, it’s an odd sensation, but…….’
While she pondered this, Hwa So-mi and the man drifted further apart. Then, as if a memory had suddenly surfaced, Namgung So-hye shot to her feet.
‘That person?!’
It had to be him.
That man.
The strange man who had vanished so abruptly before her eyes.
At first, she’d wondered if it was a dream—he’d moved with such uncanny speed. He’d even emptied the bandits’ pockets right in front of her.
“You! You’re the one from back then, aren’t you?”
Dan Woo-hyun nodded, watching the intensity in Namgung So-hye’s eyes as she stepped into his path. There was no point hiding it, and he had no desire to.
“Thank goodness……!”
“Thank goodness? What’s so fortunate about this?”
Namgung So-hye clenched her fists tightly.
In truth, even speaking this way wounded her pride. Who was she? A direct descendant of the great Namgung Clan, destined to lead the righteous path of the Martial World.
But circumstances were dire now.
With no one she knew in Ayang and no easy way to seek help, she couldn’t bear to let slip this one glimmer of hope.
Especially since this man had saved her because of the child.
This was surely fate.
“I…….”
“No.”
“But I haven’t even asked you yet.”
“Doesn’t matter. The answer is no.”
“Please, just help us!”
Namgung So-hye’s face crumpled with desperation.
The man seemed to already know what she was about to say.
For the first time in her life, Namgung So-hye found herself begging someone for aid, and when he refused, she forced herself to hold on to him.
If anyone who knew her heard of this, they would have laughed in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Hwa So-mi watched the two of them bicker quietly. Then, pleased by something, she glanced down at her own right hand.
Dan Woo-hyun held it firmly, as if he would never let go.
The warmth radiating from that grip felt impossibly tender.

“I’m this child’s father.”

He wasn’t sure why he’d said it. Having lost his parents and never believing he would have them again, his heart swelled with a profound turbulence.
Hwa So-mi steadied her trembling heart and tugged gently at the hand clasping hers.
“Hmm?”
“Please help us…….”
Hwa So-mi murmured softly. Her voice grew fainter and fainter until it was barely audible, but then, as if she’d found courage, she squeezed her eyes shut and cried out.
“Father!”
“……!”
This was the first day Dan Woo-hyun had ever been truly shocked.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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