I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 95

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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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Needlessly Entering the Murim Alliance – Episode 95
So Seol-lu fixed her expression into something composed and offered Sa U-rin a light greeting.
“Hello. It’s good to see you again like this.”
“Have we met before?”
‘…What?’
This bastard.
Speaking casually right off the bat.
‘Oh!’
So this is the son of the Sapa Jijok?
Yes.
Arrogant enough, certainly.
Though I must say, I’m a bit disappointed. His mother is the Sapa Jijok, not himself—surely his own worth isn’t simply borrowed from that.
Of course, his face is handsome, but surely that isn’t everything.
In any case, whatever he possesses—
Whether it’s money, power, or martial strength.
“We met briefly at the Guizhou Alliance banquet last time. Though, of course, only I was privileged to see your face, sir.”
“Ah, that time.”
“But do you have business with me?”
“Yeah. That’s why I came.”
‘…Of course.’
She’d never seen discourtesy quite so blank-faced before. Usually, rude people carried their own distinctive expression—a certain arrogance to their features.
An air of confidence.
A smirk of superiority.
Sa U-rin bore none of these telltale signs.
“Then, shall I hear what business you have with me? Sir?”
“Not here, though. I’d prefer somewhere quiet. What do you say?”
‘What…?’
Wasn’t he being far too transparent about his intentions?
Today was supposed to be their first official meeting, and he was already making such advances?
‘…This guy’s a complete dog.’
If he’s in heat, let him go find a Giru!
Why were all men cut from the same cloth?
And yet…
‘…What do I do?’
She’d steeled herself, resolved her heart—
But now that the moment was upon her, it wasn’t so simple to say yes.
‘This is…’
Was he treating her worse than a courtesan?
A courtesan at least received payment.
‘And me?’
After going to some quiet place and indulging his perverted lust, what then?
‘What do I gain?’
Is it just… over?
Or will he come seeking her out whenever desire strikes him?
Perhaps that would be fortunate. But a man like this hardly seemed the type to limit himself to only her.
So So Seol-lu spoke.
“Can’t we talk here?”
“There are too many eyes and ears in this place.”
‘…No, this bastard!’
Who said anything about doing it here!
She just meant they could talk here!
‘Damn it.’
He was making her imagine things, the brute.
“No, I meant—we could simply have a conversation here, couldn’t we?”
“Right. That’s what I’m saying. We can’t do it here.”
‘Christ. This bastard…’
His lust has blinded him completely.
‘…What do I do about this?’
Follow him first, state her conditions?
And if he agrees… she’d have to go through with it…
If you won’t accept… I’ll just come back again.
‘No.’
I’ll hold out for now.
Whether you accept or reject me, I’d just throw my body away and end up discarded anyway, wouldn’t I?
And if I gave my body and, without realizing it, gave my heart as well?
I couldn’t bear that.
Besides, there’s no way a wretch like him would grant So Seol-lu any favors.
So So Seol-lu spoke with conviction.
“I have no intention of leaving this place. What will you do about it?”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Her resolve was absolute.
‘I’m never giving myself to the likes of you!’
Not my body, not my heart.
“Then you’ll die here? You’re fine with that?”
In that instant, So Seol-lu’s face went rigid.
‘…D-die? Me? Here?’
Just because I refused to do what he wanted?
‘This bastard really is something else!’
No matter that he’s the son of the Sapa Jijok, this is beyond the pale!
Where did he throw away his humanity?
Wait…
The Jang Clan isn’t known to raise villains like this…
Does that woman not know her own son has sunk this low?
It’s truly a shame.
A shame, but what can be done about it?
There’s nothing So Seol-lu herself can do for the witch Jang Ryeo.
By the look of it, teaching him wouldn’t make him human anyway.
Wouldn’t you agree?
How could anyone reshape someone so thoroughly rotted back into a person?
So she spat the words out.
“Do you have the confidence to kill me here?”
Now So Seol-lu decided to stop holding back. Courtesy seemed unnecessary for a wretch like this.
Even if he was the Sapa Jijok’s son.
“More than enough.”
“Ha.”
Words fail me.
Look at that arrogant bearing—and he calls himself a man.
So Seol-lu sized Sa U-rin up and down.
‘…What a year for delusion, truly.’
All she felt was a pathetic, third-rate aura. Is that not what one would sense?
It was hard to believe he was truly the Sapa Jijok’s son.
Whatever else, the bloodline of the Sapa’s jijok, the witch Jang Ryeo, seemed to have borne poor fruit in him. No, more than poor—it was as though disaster had struck and the land itself had become barren, too ruined even to farm.
Of course, So Seol-lu knew. She understood that the aura one felt wasn’t everything.
Still.
No matter how she looked at him, there seemed to be nothing praiseworthy besides his face.
“Your mother’s abilities must be more than sufficient. As for you… no, never mind.”
There was no point in needling the pride of the Sapa Jijok’s son.
“My words seem to have sounded like a joke to you. If you don’t move now, you really will die here.”
“…Don’t overdo it.”
There are plenty of women in this place. Why did it have to be So Seol-lu?
Then, a sudden Killing Intent surged toward her.
‘What… what is this Killing Intent?’
It grew stronger and stronger, bearing down on So Seol-lu like a weight.
‘…Damn.’
She couldn’t move a muscle. Yet something felt wrong.
‘The owner of this Killing Intent…?’
That dog-trash of a pervert right in front of her?
She’d thought him pathetic… how could he wield such power?
It was not far below that of So In-hu, the Master of Dae Heuk Moon and her foster father.
The Killing Intent tightened around So Seol-lu with each passing moment.
“If you hold out much longer like this, you’ll cough up blood and collapse. And a little while after that, you’ll be dead. Will you still refuse to obey me?”
“…Damn it. Fine, fine. I surrender, so stop.”
Damn this all to hell.
Part of her wanted to endure to the bitter end, to choose death in the end, but she had a living younger brother, and there was unfinished vengeance waiting for her.
‘That’s right.’
What did her body matter? Give it once and be done with it.
‘…Damn it.’
But this was her first time. To lose it to a monster like this, in a way like this….
No matter how strong one was in Gangho, she’d never imagined she would be cornered like this just to satisfy some brute’s lust.
Suddenly, as if by a cruel trick, the Killing Intent that had been suffocating So Seol-lu stopped. Only then could she breathe again.
“Phew. You alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“The rumors. There will be talk.”
He wouldn’t let this pass without retaliation. He would spread word throughout Guizhou Castle—no, throughout all of Gangho—that the son of the Sapa Jijok was a perverted dog-trash of a monster.
“…Rumors?”
“Yes.”
So he did have some fear in him after all, it seemed.
“I don’t concern myself with rumors.”
“Wow.”
She’d misjudged him. The bastard had no fear whatsoever.
How impressive. Truly impressive.
She felt like applauding. She could only wonder how one managed to wear such thick shamelessness like a mask upon one’s face.
“Let’s go.”
“…Fine.”
Since it had come to this, she might as well give freely. There was no point in nursing her wounded heart—only she would lose. Better to empty her mind and let it be.
Yes.
‘Damn it.’
But no matter what, her heart remained unsettled.
And so So Seol-lu followed in Sa U-rin’s wake. She followed, and yet….
Just as she’d feared.
The stares of everyone around them poured down like rain.
Those envious gazes, burning with desire.
‘Sigh.’
Fools. This isn’t something to envy. You know nothing of what lies beneath….
She wanted to scream at them on the spot, but the knowledge that she might truly die if she did kept her silent.
Still.
So Seol-lu answered their stares with a smile.
‘I’m spending my first night with the son of the Sapa Jijok,’ she seemed to say.
Looking fortunate beat looking wretched by a thousand times over.
Wasn’t this the only comfort she could wring from the situation?
‘Damn it all.’
Her fate was truly cursed. Once a woman was marked as doomed, she remained so in every conceivable way.
Just then, Jang U-jin, the Second Master of the Jang Clan, called out to Sa U-rin and stopped him.
“U-rin. Where are you going?”
There were so many people he should introduce her to.
“Brother, I’ll just have a brief word with this lady here, and then I’ll return.”
“Can’t you do that here?”
“No, it’s the sort of conversation that requires a quieter place.”
“Ah, I see.”
The cunning bastard.
She hadn’t given him enough credit.
Watching him train endlessly every day, she’d assumed him diligent and admirable.
But he’d seduced her with skill.
He’d charmed the woman known as the greatest beauty in Guizhou Castle.
“All right. Take your time.”
“Yes, Brother.”
And with whispers rippling through Juru, Sa U-rin and So Seol-lu departed.
Then the second son, Jang U-seok, approached Jang U-jin and whispered softly.
“Brother. I didn’t know U-rin had such skills.”
“Indeed. He’s quite something.”
“But still, So Seol-lu has quite a temperament. How did he manage to win her over?”
“That’s exactly why he’s quite something.”
“Ah, I see. I really do envy him.”
“Envy is defeat.”
“But I couldn’t win anyway, could I?”
“……Well, that’s true. Let’s just drink then.”
“That sounds good.”
* * *
Sa U-rin stepped out of Juru and glanced around, searching for a suitable place.
So Seol-lu pointed to a location with a gesture.
“There.”
It was a high-end inn.
“There are people there too.”
“No, I meant a room.”
“Ah, a room. Is it really necessary?”
“If we’re going to do this, might as well be somewhere nice.”
It wasn’t as though this would be her first time.
To escape the feeling of being forced, she wanted to experience this first time in an elegant, pleasant place. That way, at least she could find some comfort in it.
“I’d prefer a quiet, secluded forest or street, myself.”
‘This bastard really is a deviant.’
If that were the case, why not just do it inside Juru? Why go out?
Damn it.
“Could you compromise a little?”
It’s my first time, after all.
“Fine, then.”
And so Sa U-rin and So Seol-lu made their way into the high-end inn.
The innkeeper approached Sa U-rin with a welcoming smile.
“A table, or would you prefer a room?”
“A room.”
So Seol-lu cut in from beside him.
“Your finest, please.”
“Our finest is a separate pavilion, but the price is rather…….”
“Just give it to us.”
Sa U-rin turned his head to look at So Seol-lu.
Something seemed off about this.
The innkeeper asked again.
“How many nights will you be staying?”
Sa U-rin spoke.
“Just a brief visit.”
“Ah, I see. But if you’re only staying briefly, perhaps the regular rooms would be more suitable than——”
So Seol-lu interrupted the innkeeper’s words.
“Just give it to us.”
“……Yes, of course. Then, if you’ll follow me. As for payment……?”
Sa U-rin asked.
“Now.”
“Twenty silver coins.”
A typical family of commoners spent about five silver coins per month. In other words, an exorbitant price.
Which was precisely why this inn was so luxurious.
“Even though we’re only staying briefly?”
“Which is why I suggested the regular rooms rather than——”
“Just take it.”
“Yes, of course.”
Sa U-rin found it absurd, but he paid nonetheless. After all, he had brought her here.
Or rather, though it felt as though he’d been dragged here, he had been the one to pull her out of Juru.
And so Sa U-rin and So Seol-lu followed the innkeeper to the pavilion.
The interior of the pavilion was indeed worth every coin—exquisitely appointed.
So Seol-lu forgot her situation entirely, gazing around the pavilion with wide eyes.
“Wow. This really is luxurious.”
She had never been in such an ornate place before.
“What are you doing right now?”
He’d come to discuss something important, yet So Seol-lu seemed utterly absorbed in sightseeing, as though she were on a leisurely tour.
“Yes, yes. I know.”
So impatient. Tsk.
‘Well, I suppose this isn’t bad at all.’
When would she ever have the chance to stay in such a refined inn, much less in a private wing?
So Seol-lu steadied herself.
“Just a moment.”
‘Close my eyes and open them—done. That’s all there is to it.’
He’d said he was only staying briefly, so it’s not as though this would happen again and again, would it?
Besides, perverted bastard though he might be, the man did have a face worth looking at, so there was no reason not to enjoy it.
With that, So Seol-lu simply stripped off everything she wore.
But then……
Sa U-rin’s face—which had been expressionless until now, or rather, which was usually expressionless—colored with shock.
For it was the first time in his life he’d laid eyes on a woman’s naked body.
A woman’s naked body wearing nothing but air.

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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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