Moorim Pochang - Chapter 57

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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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Chapter 57. Party of Guests.

Bang………..! Bang…………!
Yang Jung swung his sword, digging graves.
By now, the work of exhuming corpses and burying them had become routine.
Once he had dragged all the bodies into the ground, he gathered the weapons and brought them to Kang Jo.
“We’ve finished burying them all.”
“Good work.”
Kang Jo examined the weapons Yang Jung had collected.
Most were short blades, though among them lay some bizarre implements—long awls without edges.
‘Nameless.’
From the short swords, Kang Jo picked up one in particular: its blade gleamed with a cold, keen edge.
It had belonged to the most covert of the assassins, and below the blade’s spine was inscribed the small character for Nameless.
After examining the blade, Kang Jo tossed it into the room.
Clang..
The sword crashed among the other weapons in a heap.
Kang Jo turned to look at Yang Jung, who stood dejected.
“You have something to say?”
“Did you… use me as bait?”
Yang Jung’s face was moments away from tears.
“You’re still alive, aren’t you?”
“Even so… I feel hurt, brother.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“It’s not a matter of trust or distrust. You used me as bait, and that’s what troubles me.”
Sigh……..
‘This bastard..’
Kang Jo let out a long breath and tried to comfort him.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Only then did Yang Jung’s expression brighten a little.
“You must never do it again. Do you know how hurt I was? You’re fine with everything, but you never think about my position at all. That’s why I was so upset about…………”
His complaints went on without end.
Sigh………
Kang Jo had no choice but to listen to his grievances.
At any other time, a punch would have already flown his way, but with the guilt he carried, he was helpless.

*

The clash between Jamryong-hoe and the Seongma Group had dragged on for more than ten days.
The tenacious Seongma Group from Ma-gyo had grown weary, and Jamryong-hoe too was ready for it to end.
“Should we begin again today?”
As Baek Won-yeong stepped forward first, Dok-go Il met him.
“I’ve been waiting.”
The moment they faced each other, both Jamryong-hoe and the Seongma Group had no choice but to kindle their fighting spirit anew.
But just then, the Alliance Leader appeared.
“Put off the duel until tomorrow. Everyone drink together today.”
The moment his words ended, Jamryong-hoe hastily bent their waists.
“We accept your command.”
Among the skilled personnel of the Seongma Group, some also bowed toward the Alliance Leader.
“We accept your…”
But they quickly straightened, watching their comrades’ reactions carefully.
Dok-go Eun stepped forward and spoke first.
“We were thinking of drinking at that Guest Inn.”
At her words, Baek Ha-yeong bristled and shot back.
“That Guest Inn is the place we planned to visit first.”
Snort..
“That’s ridiculous.”
Dok-go Eun snorted and set her Body Technique in motion first.
Dok-go Il followed in her footsteps, and the Seongma Group’s skilled personnel trailed after them in turn.
“Let’s go too, brother.”
Baek Ha-yeong grew anxious.
The Seongma Group had quite a few attractive women among them, and she felt a pang of worry.
Especially Dok-go Eun—in her eyes, the woman was far too beautiful.
But Baek Won-yeong’s thoughts ran differently.
He too wanted to drink at Kang Jo’s Guest Inn, but the space was cramped.
“How could we possibly fit in a room meant for perhaps thirty people at most?”
“Still, let’s go to that Guest Inn, brother.”
Even Yeon Ja-seol sided with Baek Ha-yeong.
When she insisted, Baek Won-yeong found himself at a loss.
‘We won’t even have room, let alone enough bowls and utensils.’
As he hesitated, the Alliance Leader’s voice carried over.
“I think that place would be fine.”

*

The Alliance Leader watched the retreating figures of the Seongma Group and Jamryong-hoe as they departed the Murim Alliance.
‘I am doing exactly what Dae-hyung once did.’
Back then too, the space for drinking had been tight.
But somehow, room was always found—they sprawled across the bare earth and raised their cups.
Now, when he thought back on it, those memories seemed truly precious.
One by one, the friends with whom he had once shared that wine began to lose their lives.
Over nearly three years, each time a cup was emptied, the number of friends grew smaller.
Though the memories were aching ones, if he could return to those days, he would.
So he wanted to raise cups with the lost friends once more.
“You too—build memories you will never forget.”
*
Kang Jo stared at the flood of arriving guests in dismay.
There seemed to be over a hundred of them pressing in, yet the Guest Inn had only six tables.
Even if six people sat at each table, only thirty-six could be seated.
And that was aside from the lack of bowls—there weren’t even enough chopsticks.
In a situation like this, the proper response was a polite refusal.
“I apologize. We cannot accommodate you—there simply isn’t enough space.”
But Dok-go Eun paid no mind to his protests.
“No matter. We can sit on the floor.”
With that, she sprawled across the bare earth first.
The moment she did, all the Seongma Group’s skilled personnel claimed spots on the ground and sat down.
Kang Jo stood bewildered—and then the Jamryong-hoe’s skilled personnel crossed the Stone Bridge.
“My sincerest apologies. The Guest Inn is currently full with patrons….”
Kang Jo wanted to turn them away.
“Those people are sitting on the floor too—what’s the problem?”
But Baek Won-yeong, gazing around at the Seongma Group sprawled on the ground, smiled.
Unlike him, most of the Jamryong-hoe’s skilled personnel wore reluctant expressions.
If not for the Alliance Leader’s command, complaints would have already burst forth.
Snicker, snicker, snicker……….
“We claimed this place first—find somewhere else.”
The Seongma Group’s skilled personnel sneered at them in response.
Then Baek Won-yeong stepped forward and took a spot on the ground.
Yeon Ja-seol and Baek Ha-yeong followed in, and Paeng Mu-ho and Ak-hwan made their way inside as well.
Kang Jo looked them over and raised his voice.
“Sam-ryong…………………..!”

*

“I’m busy—why do you keep calling…….”
Yang Jung, muttering as he came, froze in place with eyes wide open.
The Guest Inn was teeming with young martial artists.
‘What on earth is happening all of a sudden?’
Flustered, he quickly composed himself and offered a subtle smile.
“Welcome, all of you.”
As he bowed in greeting, the eyes of the young men turned cold as ice.
‘Insufferable bastard.’
‘I’d like to kill him right now.’
But the gazes of the young women were entirely different.
‘He’s handsome no matter when I see him.’
‘I never knew there was a man more handsome than Dok-go Il.’
Yang Jung asked Kang Jo in a clear, melodious voice, as though indifferent to the men’s thoughts.
“What brings you here, brother?”
“Go to the village and bring back as much pork, dishes, chopsticks, and wine as you can.”
Ha ha……
“Brother, surely there is no cart to be had?”
“Then buy a cart as well and load it on that.”
“Understood, brother.”
“Make it quick.”
Despite Kang Jo’s urging, Yang Jung strolled leisurely toward the stable.
Kang Jo, whose patience was wearing thin, wanted nothing more than to shout in exasperation.
But with so many eyes watching, he couldn’t afford to.
‘Damn that bastard…’
As Kang Jo ground his teeth, Baek Ha-yeong rose abruptly.
“I’ll go with you, Yang Jung.”
“Miss Baek, please stay here. I’ll return quickly on my own.”
Yang Jung had no desire to go to the village with Baek Ha-yeong.
But she was persistent.
“It’s fine. Let’s go together.”
The young women fixed her with murderous stares.
Ha ha……
“Surely two people cannot ride one horse together, can they?”
Only then did Baek Ha-yeong reluctantly return to her seat.
No matter her station, she could not ride a horse with a man.
*
The Guest Inn held a hundred people, yet the silence was so profound that even breathing could scarcely be heard.
Kang Jo watched them all while seasoning vegetables.
Among the young martial artists sprawled across the floor, few had unblemished faces.
Most bore bruises large and small across their features.
Between the Murim Alliance martial artists and the Ma-gyo martial artists, an odd tension hung in the air.
‘It seems they’ve been fighting and striking each other, doesn’t it?’
As Kang Jo considered this, Dok-go Eun rose and approached him.
“Is there anything I can help with? If so, tell me.”
When she spoke to Kang Jo, the young men of Ma-gyo glared with obvious displeasure.
Dok-go Eun treated every Ma-gyo martial artist without regard to rank or dignity.
Yet she was far from being a woman of loose virtue.
Rather, she was harsher and more ruthless than anyone.
Men who mistook her appearance and harbored desires for her found their bones shattered or limbs severed without hesitation.
That was why many in Ma-gyo admired and revered her.
“You seem quite skilled in cooking?”
Ho ho…
“Far less so than you, but I’m not bad at it.”
Kang Jo conversed with her in an easy manner.
“Still, please rest yourself. I cannot ask a guest to work.”
“Then teach me the secret of your cooking.”
“The secret of cooking is sincerity. What else could there be but sincerity?”
Hmph…
“That’s such a clichéd answer.”
Disappointed, Dok-go Eun turned to leave.
But then Kang Jo posed a question to her.
“Do you perhaps know of any assassin from among the ranks of the assassination guild who has the character ‘Nameless’ engraved on his sword?”
At that question, not only Dok-go Eun, but also Baek Won-yeong, Dok-go Il, and Yeon Ja-seol’s eyes flashed with sudden interest.
“I heard the Master of the Heol-gyo carries a sword engraved with the character ‘Nameless.’ So what are you getting at?”
“Then you’d know where the Heol-gyo’s hideout is?”
Kang Jo didn’t answer directly; instead, he turned the question back on her. Dok-go Eun’s brows knitted slightly.
The Heol-gyo was infamous throughout Gangho—an assassination guild ranked among the top five.
“I’d need to know why before I tell you anything.”
Ha ha……
“No particular reason.”
Kang Jo smiled and cast a sidelong glance at Eon So-ryong.
The man’s face was dark with displeasure.
‘He didn’t hire them directly, it seems. Still, nothing changes.’
Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun had no idea where Kang Jo’s gaze was directed.
But Baek Won-yeong and Yeon Ja-seol understood well enough who he was looking at.
‘This is going to end badly.’
Baek Won-yeong felt a chill of dread.
There was no reason for Kang Jo to suddenly be curious about an assassination guild.
Which meant that assassins—directly or indirectly—had come looking for this inn.
If things went wrong, a blood feud could erupt between Kang Jo and whoever had sent them.
Thwack………! Thwack…………!
Kang Jo began working the dough against the chopping block.
His palm had healed completely; there was no stiffness in his movements.
“The Heol-gyo’s said to have a hideout somewhere in Hubei Shipji Mountain, but no one knows the exact location.”
“Thank you.”
As Kang Jo began pulling the noodles, the strands multiplied rapidly—two became four, four became eight, eight became sixteen.
Once he’d drawn out dozens of strands into delicate threads, he scraped away the remaining dough and began pulling again.
Thwack…! Thwack……!
A moment later, the sound of hoofbeats reached them, and Yang Jung appeared pulling a cart across the Stone Bridge.
Yang Jung unloaded the meat first, then brought the wine and bowls into the kitchen one by one.
“Bring out the vegetable side dishes and wine first.”
At Kang Jo’s word, Yang Jung portioned the seasoned greens into wooden platters.
“Give those here—I’ll set the dishes out.”
Baek Won-yeong rose and pitched in.
He placed the platters of vegetables before the Seongma Group’s skilled personnel.
As he lent a hand, Dok-go Il also stood.
“Pour me some as well.”
Yang Jung produced the wine jar and cups, his smile gentle and easy.
That smile made Dok-go Il’s stomach turn.
‘That’s the face of someone I’d like to hit.’
He kept such thoughts hidden.
What had happened ten days ago was still vivid in his mind.
Oh…
“This is delicious!”
One of the Seongma Group’s personnel let out an exclamation after tasting the vegetables.
The others followed, picking up their chopsticks and filling their cups with wine.

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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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