The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 48

 

Hanzhong was a place famous for horses.

 

Hanzhong was the center connecting the Central Plains and the Western Region.

 

The variety and quality of horses were diverse, and Baimadian was a sect that started from such horse trading, still managing and training horses in some areas.

 

There was a reason why Jang-hwi’s position was Horse Commander.

 

Therefore, he approached it much more sensibly than Seo Yun, at least.

 

“I’ll pay you well. How much would it take?”

 

Jang-hwi approached with a smile on his lips.

 

However, his eyes were cold, so it seemed there was no option of not selling.

 

Though he spoke of being from Hanzhong, he didn’t seem much different.

 

In fact, those Hanzhong people were a bit strange too.

 

Was it because he was an outsider? But wasn’t this originally a city with many outsiders?

 

Xie Baowei shook his head.

 

“Not selling.”

 

“There’s a sick person, you see.”

 

“I’m sick too.”

 

Xie Baowei said, showing his limping leg.

 

Moreover, even if it was an old tiger, he nearly died dealing with that old beast.

 

His appearance was quite disheveled from newly acquired wounds.

 

He wanted to show his pale complexion that looked like he might collapse, but it was regrettable that the sun was setting.

 

“…Wouldn’t it be better for both of us if we settled this with money?”

 

Jang-hwi’s voice lowered.

 

His eyes and lips still formed gentle curves, but…

 

“I have plenty of money.”

 

It wasn’t Xie Baowei’s concern.

 

He firmly shook his head and brushed past Jang-hwi.

 

He deliberately limped a bit more. Now they must have seen it.

 

As he tried to leave, the behavior of people around him was strange.

 

They were subtly slow and sluggish, as if blocking his path…

 

Xie Baowei frowned and looked around. Everyone was pretending to mind their own business, but something felt awkward.

 

Was this some kind of territorial behavior toward outsiders?

 

These Hanzhong bastards were really terrible people!

 

Still, when he forcibly pushed his way through, a path opened up.

 

“Please, show some consideration. I’ll treat you as my benefactor.”

 

Jang-hwi, who had been sighing behind him, created a business smile again and clung to him.

 

What consideration…

 

“…Well then. How much are you offering?”

 

Well. The tiger wasn’t something he had wanted originally anyway.

 

What these people wanted was obvious.

 

Sick person or whatever, they probably wanted the honor of having caught a great tiger or its hide.

 

He had heard that bones, oil, organs, etc. were used as medicine, but they were all for stamina or vitality, right?

 

“Oh! How much do you want?”

 

Jang-hwi brightened up. He looked at Seo Yun with a “see that!” expression, acting smugly in a youthful way.

 

Xie Baowei shrugged his shoulders.

 

Though he said that, since it was an old tiger with many wounds on its hide, he would give it for a reasonable price.

 

“Well. Just give me a fair price. I caught it by chance anyway… It would be good if you could cover the medicine costs too.”

 

At that, Jang-hwi’s expression became strange.

 

“Hmm. There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

 

“What? It’s still a tiger though…”

 

Are you planning to lowball me? Really?

 

Xie Baowei tilted his head sideways.

 

Jang-hwi said.

 

“What I want are the deer antler and medicinal herbs. Sell them all.”

 

It was a firm voice.

 

Xie Baowei frowned.

 

“Did all the herb gatherers in Hanzhong die? The surroundings are all mountainous.”

 

“…There are circumstances, you see.”

 

There really seemed to be some circumstances.

 

However, everything had its limits.

 

These were Xie Baowei’s belongings, and he wasn’t going to an apothecary to sell them.

 

Xie Baowei shook his head.

 

Jang-hwi’s expression twisted.

 

It was when Seo Yun was about to step forward.

 

The faces of both men, no, everyone turned in one direction.

 

“Brother Xie.”

 

It was because a very handsome man suddenly appeared.

 

He looked urgent, anxious, and shaken.

 

It was the first time seeing him like this.

 

It was Namgung Bin.

 

“Seol has disappeared.”

 

Yingying would be the same as well.

 

Xie Baowei’s face also hardened.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“…Again?!”

 

Two voices.

 

The eyes of Xie Baowei and Namgung Bin turned toward them.

 

Again?

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Hanzhong was ominous.

 

Xie Baowei, who had been wandering outside all day, didn’t know well, but the atmosphere wasn’t good.

 

It was a city at the center of Sichuan and Shaanxi where many outsiders came.

 

Being wary of outsiders was natural, but showing hostility wasn’t easy.

 

“It would have been about half a month ago.”

 

A small martial family in western Hanzhong was severely damaged.

 

There had been friction with a group of merchants, and it was said to be a merchant group with many injured people.

 

It seemed the warriors clashed while they were buying up medicinal herbs and such in bulk.

 

No, did they pick a fight first? What kind of warriors carry spears and bows around?

 

They stayed for several days, and it was like that every time. Yet because their skills were very good, no one could touch them.

 

Eventually, Baimadian had to step in.

 

“They were guys with ghostly sword skills. Cruel too.”

 

“…Geomhoe.”

 

Xie Baowei glanced at Namgung Bin. His face was firmly set with no change in expression.

 

Jang-hwi continued.

 

“The Master… the Commander… they all fell. They just barely didn’t kill them.”

 

The sect leader couldn’t even step forward. If he fell too, there would be no one left.

 

When the closely connected Hanzhong Checkpoint stepped in, they became polite as if they were different people.

 

However, these people were defeated by someone else.

 

“…It was a man with a shaved head. He looked like a monk, but also like a madman.”

 

He had entered on the same day as that merchant group but acted separately.

 

Without eating or drinking, only chanting Buddhist prayers, he suddenly grabbed one of the respected old masters of Hanzhong Checkpoint and disappeared.

 

After beating to death all those who tried to stop him.

 

“That’s when it started. The merchant group left, but people have been disappearing.”

 

Already more than ten people.

 

And all of them were highly reputable individuals.

 

At first, it started with respected scholars and Taoist masters, but in recent days, it’s mainly been famous martial artists who disappeared.

 

No, who were dragged away.

 

“…Was Shihui the type to move like this?”

 

“This isn’t his usual method.”

 

People disappear about once a day, and there’s no way to stop it.

 

He was a monster who would break through walls and even destroy those trying to block him.

 

All his followers were injured.

 

The government posted a bounty, but when even the martial artists are trembling, let alone the soldiers, who would step forward?

 

“We’ve contacted the Alliance, and fortunately you’ve come like this…”

 

“I apologize for my rudeness.”

 

Seo Yun bowed his head deeply toward Xie Baowei.

 

Thinking there was a monster living nearby that kidnapped people, the herb gatherers had been staying put in that one spot.

 

With many injured but precious herbs not coming in, it was natural that both men’s eyes turned to the herbs Xie Baowei had brought.

 

Xie Baowei nodded as if it was fine.

 

“It seems like.”

 

He looked back at Namgung Bin with an expression that said, ‘This is probably because of you.’

 

Namgung Bin responded without any change in expression.

 

Nevertheless, his previous wavering had disappeared somewhere, replaced again by firmness.

 

“It’s strange. I can’t tell if he’s acting alone or following orders.”

 

A two-week gap. The difference had widened more than expected. With that much of a gap, it wouldn’t be easy to catch his trail even in a large city like Chengdu.

 

Yet he leaves someone behind to hold them back?

 

Shihui was the most exposed figure among the Yukgwi.

 

Unlike Tougui who was unpredictable or Aesoo who hid in the shadows, he always moved openly.

 

That’s how he quickly built his notoriety. If not for Qitian, Shihui would have been the most dangerous one.

 

However, this wasn’t his usual method.

 

If this had been his way, he would have died before even meeting Qitian.

 

Had he decided to abandon this? Or was this also a trap?

 

“We need to find him quickly.”

 

It was the obvious thing to do.

 

“We’ll help too.”

 

Nam Gilin’s reputation had already crossed the Qinling Mountains.

 

With the Alliance’s support, especially the appearance of a master who competed for the top position in Jayuneong, Seo Yun and Jang-hwi’s eyes sparkled with renewed hope.

 

They too hadn’t been staying quiet because they didn’t want revenge.

 

Moreover, among those injured while blocking Shihui were quite a few people related to them.

 

And the last notable person kidnapped was a highly respected old monk from Hanzhong, whose sermons everyone had grown up listening to.

 

Their desperation was no less than that of Namgung Bin and Xie Baowei.

 

…Though whether they would actually be of help was another matter.

 

Namgung Bin nodded.

 

“That would be most welcome.”

 

“Let’s move immediately.”

 

***

 

Yingying held back the tears that were about to come.

 

‘It’s because of me. I’m always useless. I shouldn’t have been born.’

 

-I’m sorry.

 

Her mother had been a courtesan. Even when she was too young to understand what that meant, she remembered feeling bad when people said her mother was expensive.

 

-Love is a beautiful thing. I have never once regretted loving your father.

 

In Yingying’s memory, her father was a rough and stern person. At the same time, he was also a very, very warm person.

 

But before she could fully feel that warmth, her mother died.

 

Simply because she had conceived her, because that had ignited the anger of someone important.

 

It was around that time that her father changed too.

 

-It’ll be okay.

 

Yingying didn’t really believe those words.

 

Though her mother had repeated them countless times, things had never turned out as she said.

 

Was it because they had filled her name with something absent from her fate?

 

Yingying had never known peace.

 

“It’ll be okay.”

 

Sister… Actually, by Yingying’s standards, she was closer to an aunt, but the perceptive Yingying called her sister.

 

Namgung Seol also spoke like her mother had.

 

Meaning, she said it not because it was actually true, but because she hoped it would be.

 

Thunk.

 

Thunk.

 

Sister kept flicking pebbles.

 

It was something Yingying couldn’t understand, but she accepted it. When people are anxious, they do things they normally wouldn’t.

 

Even this beautiful, wonderful, strong person had to submit to an even greater power.

 

What was sad was that the person she had vaguely hoped to become like had been captured here because of her.

 

Because of a mere cursed and inadequate mixed-blood.

 

“Even a mere pebble can hold one’s heart, hehe… Truly befitting of Nangong.”

 

Suddenly, a rough voice emerged from the darkness.

 

Somewhat slow and coarse.

 

A voice like a beast growling.

 

Yingying trembled.

 

Each time the owner of the voice walked, the ground seemed to rumble with thud, thud sounds.

 

In reality, it was her own heart making that noise.

 

She was scared and afraid.

 

Her father’s words to live, to survive, were the only thing maintaining the life of a girl who couldn’t understand their meaning, but the girl had no great attachment to life.

 

Even so, that man alone frightened her.

 

It was as if a monster from stories had manifested.

 

Not knowing her feelings, Namgung Seol taunted.

 

“Are you afraid of this mere pebble? …You must be. That’s why you’re hiding without even lighting a fire, isn’t it?”

 

Namgung Seol’s hand movements stopped, then resumed.

 

Thunk, thunk.

 

Pebbles shot in all directions, carelessly disturbing the grass.

 

“Suffering… heh. Soon becomes joy.”

 

The monk smiled gently.

 

No, it was a twisted smile. His grotesquely distorted face was misaligned and malformed.

 

So his words and laughter were also slow.

 

But it wasn’t funny at all.

 

Unwashed blood was vivid at the corners of his mouth.

 

Two had gone, but only one returned.

 

This was so frightening, disgusting, and horrible that Yingying couldn’t even look at the monk.

 

“…Where did the great master go? You mad monk! Crazy bastard. Don’t you fear heaven? You’ll receive divine punishment.”

 

Namgung Seol struggled with her tightly bound body.

 

Along with a thunderous roar, intense killing intent and rage filled the dark cave.

 

She writhed as if she would break free from her bonds and burst out at any moment.

 

But Yingying, who was burying her head behind her, knew.

 

Her sister’s hands were trembling.

 

She too must be afraid.

 

How could she not be afraid.

 

Blood vessels had burst, turning her eyes red, and over her swollen skin like a corpse soaked in water, worm-like veins protruded.

 

Her teeth were sharp like a beast’s, and from her jaw that couldn’t close properly, saliva mixed with blood dripped down, drop by drop.

 

Compared to half a month ago, he was a completely different person.

 

Literally in the form of a monster.

 

“Shii… Hehe. The life of a young… huu… young child has nothing worth tasting… I would prefer if you didn’t make noise.”

 

Shihui raised his finger covered in black hair to his lips.

 

At those words, instead of struggling, Namgung Seol blocked the gleaming gaze as if trying to hide Yingying even a little.

 

The monk laughed as if he found Namgung Seol’s appearance pitiful or perhaps delightful.

 

Then he looked up at the dark night sky.

 

He seemed to have no hesitation at all in looking up at the heavens.

 

Soon, the bloated mad monk slowly turned his head to look at Namgung Seol.

 

“Hehe. Heaven. Hehe. I am… heu… I am one who will become Buddha by devouring worldly desires. I am not… not one to be blocked by mere heaven.”

 

Shihui said.

 

His red eyes gleamed as if looking at prey.

 

If heaven blocks him, he would simply devour even heaven.

 

“Your heaven seems like it would taste truly delicious.”

 

Only those last words contained no madness, no Buddhist devotion, just pure gluttony.

 

Ah.

 

Yingying couldn’t endure any longer and fainted.

 

Even Namgung Seol couldn’t continue speaking. He could only grit his teeth and hope this moment would pass.

 

Thud.

 

Thud.

 

Pebbles brushed against the grass.

 

Shihui smiled eerily and crouched in the darkness.

 

His greatly bloated body was embedded like a reclining Buddha carved in a cave.

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