The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 52
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 52
There are always those kinds of guys.
The kind who say things like “If I win this battle, I’ll go back home and confess to her.”
Or “Let’s defeat the enemy and return together.”
Or “Come visit my hometown, I’ll prepare good liquor for you.”
Or “What do you want to eat most when we get back?”
They all died.
Or those who say things like “Did we finish off that fallen enemy general?”
Or “Don’t be afraid. There’s only one opponent!”
Or “No one has ever survived the general’s true charge!” or,
“Is it over?”
Damn it.
Xie Baowei cursed himself.
To think he’d already forgotten.
To think he’d spoken those ominous words with his own mouth.
That’s why this kind of thing happens.
“I, I paid!”
Uncle Huang Shi quickly bowed his head and spoke.
To the people living on this Shu Road, Mugyeongrim were like a lifeline.
They would save you from falling off cliffs, block beast claws, and repair broken bridges.
They were that reliable and trustworthy, but on the other hand, they were also fear itself.
They weren’t entirely good people, as he had seen countless times what happened to those who opposed them.
“Hmm.”
“I, I’m from Xiaohua, my name is Hwangshim. Please check the name in the next monthly report!”
The man blocking the path stroked his rough chin. Then he snapped his fingers and a voice came from above.
The voice echoed and buzzed in the narrow ravine.
“Oh. I think I know him. I’ve seen that man a few times.”
Of course.
There wouldn’t be any guide bold enough to lie. And Huang Shi was clearly a guide even if you looked at him upside down.
“You collected the party’s share too, right?”
“Of course! The employer personally paid it.”
Uncle Huang Shi looked back at Namgung Bin and nodded.
Namgung Bin briefly made eye contact with the man.
He, as well as Namgung Seol and Xie Baowei, all had blank expressions, but the men didn’t seem to care about that.
The man nodded.
“The rope on the path up the cliff ahead has snapped. We haven’t replaced it yet, but we’ve marked it. Be careful.”
“Yes!”
Huang Shi nodded vigorously. Though they were fearsome beings, when they were on your side, no one was more reliable.
Xie Baowei also relaxed his expression, seemingly surprised by the unexpectedly gentle atmosphere.
They didn’t seem to be completely lawless people.
Come to think of it, curses only seem to work on battlefields.
No, maybe it’s just that everyone dies there regardless of curses or anything else.
He was having such trivial thoughts and walking with a bitter smile when—
“What happened to Iron Axe?”
The atmosphere changed instantly.
From what Xie Baowei had heard, most of the Nolim’s subordinates were people who gathered out of respect for the Eight Elders and truly worshipped them like gods.
Indeed, that seemed to be the case, as they responded very sensitively even to Namgung Bin’s casual question.
Swish. Swoosh.
Thunk.
Two arrows flew and embedded themselves at the feet of Namgung Bin and Namgung Seol.
A blade flickered before Namgung Bin’s eyes.
The lightness skill that moved without a sound even on the narrow, rough path was impressive.
Rather than admiring it, Xie Baowei clicked his tongue as he watched.
That upright fellow is unexpectedly causing trouble. This is why you can’t trust a quiet cat…
“Who are you to be interested in our leader’s personal affairs?”
“Seeing how tense you are, is there really something wrong?”
Namgung Bin spoke without batting an eye.
His finger lightly pushed the blade away.
The man looked at that firm face and the sword tip.
“Do you know our leader?”
“Three years ago, I briefly met him in Hebei.”
“Ho… So you’re someone who knows our leader’s movements.”
It doesn’t seem to be trouble after all.
Xie Baowei nodded at the conversation flowing less roughly than expected.
That’s right. As expected of an upright fellow. You have to enter the tiger’s den to catch its cubs.
The man sheathed his sword and waved his hand.
The grass surrounding them became quiet again.
It seemed like the tightly drawn bowstring had been released.
“Who are you?”
“I’m from Cheonjusan, called Blue Sword.”
Hah.
A shallow snort escaped from the man. Xie Baowei felt the same way.
Namgung Seol glared at the man with fire in her eyes.
“Only people from great families introduce themselves like that. How truly noble. Still, this is an honor. I get to see Nam Gilin of the Nangong family.”
The man seemed to find that way of speaking amusing. Though he didn’t dare find the Nangong family itself laughable, he cupped his fists with a serious face.
“I’m Biseon of Mugyeongrim. I remember hearing from my leader that the Nangong family’s spirit is indeed high.”
Only then did Namgung Seol’s expression soften.
Biseon’s eyes turned to Namgung Seol.
“I’m Namgung Seol.”
“Jiang Nanbi!”
“…Would you rather call me Bai Yijian?”
She didn’t seem to like that nickname.
Biseon glanced at Namgung Seol’s expression and face, then grinned and spoke again.
“My apologies. Zhu Hun.”
Zhu Hun was also her nickname.
Namgung Seol nodded as if that was better.
“I’m Xie Baowei.”
“…Nice to meet you.”
He didn’t seem to recognize him.
That was fortunate.
He didn’t want to hear “Sandong Daeyun” again.
Oh really.
“So, about Iron Axe?”
“He’s fine. Well, something did happen, but that man is still like iron. Nothing to worry about.”
Biseon answered smoothly.
Namgung Bin seemed disappointed by this, but soon nodded.
He sensed a solid wall in the man’s attitude.
“Please give him my regards.”
“Of course.”
Leaving those words, Biseon stepped back.
Because the path was narrow, they barely grazed the wall as they passed each other.
Only after walking for a long while did Namgung Bin speak.
“We can’t go back this way.”
“We weren’t planning to come back anyway.”
Namgung Seol replied with somewhat tense eyes.
Xie Baowei shook his head.
It seemed like the way out wouldn’t be easy either.
Feeling the persistent gaze clinging to his back, Xie Baowei turned Yingying around and held her close.
Huang Shi said.
“Once we cross this pass! It’s Jian Ge.”
***
Though they didn’t know it would take a full day to cross that pass, they safely made it over Jian Ge.
Even after crossing Jian Ge, the mountainous terrain continued for two more full days. But it gradually became easier.
Finally, leaving the tiresome mountain path behind them, a vast plain spread out before their eyes.
“I’ll take my leave here and head back.”
“Huh? Why, when Chengdu is only a day’s distance away, won’t you rest for a day and go… We’ll treat you to a grand feast.”
Though Namgung Seol gently urged him, Huang Shi shook his head.
The group looked at each other at his troubled yet resolute attitude.
Namgung Bin nodded and settled the payment.
“I’ve included plenty. I would have liked to ask for your help on the return journey too, but it’s unfortunate our schedule isn’t clear.”
“…Take care.”
Huang Shi bowed deeply. He hesitated momentarily at the heavy money pouch.
As he turned to leave, his hand gently patted the hood over Yingying’s head.
It was strange behavior for someone who had shown no interest in Yingying until now.
Then he disappeared again into the treacherous mountain path of Jian Ge.
“…Wow. It really is wide.”
Leaving behind their farewell with Huang Shi, the group moved forward again.
The view was wide open, and the road was broad.
It felt like they had come to a different world.
The heat clinging to the tail end of midsummer dragged at their bodies.
Still, looking at the grain filling every vast field made even that heat bearable.
Perhaps because a shower had just passed, the group was damp all over.
But it was rather refreshing.
As if nothing had happened, the sun was blazing brightly.
The air that would normally be full of humidity was lighter than ever.
The sky was clear, as if all the clouds had been swept away.
It was a pleasant start.
“Well then, shall we run a little?”
The horses, finally able to run after so long, excitedly pawed the ground.
Chun-gil snorted unhappily, watching the horses ahead.
“Easy there, you rascal. I’ll let you run to your heart’s content later.”
Xie Baowei said, stroking Yingying’s head as she apologetically patted Chun-gil’s mane.
Chun-gil snorted as if he understood.
The long, long journey to Chengdu that had started as a pursuit team for the wounded was just coming to an end.
“This feels good.”
No.
The journey to Sichuan, now changed to Yukgwi’s pursuit team, was just beginning.
Xie Baowei tried to shake off his gloomy mood.
“If they’re going to run like that, they should at least wear flowers. Then people might feel sorry enough to offer them a drink of water.”
“Tsk tsk. Why worry about it? Leave them be. Let’s see if they can run all the way to their graves like that.”
Xie Baowei led Chun-gil behind Namgung Bin and Namgung Seol, who had run ahead excitedly.
Yingying, who had been in his arms, walked on her own feet, curious about the flat road.
Farmers taking a break from weeding sat in the shade of trees, joking around.
Sichuan’s characteristically leisurely dialect stuck in their ears.
The scent of cheap liquor wafted up. As he unconsciously sniffed, a wine cup was suddenly offered to him.
“What, does the guest want a drink before running too?”
At the cheerful voice, the people around chuckled.
Fingers full of unknown bits and dust were dipped into the wine cup.
Ah. It tasted very good.
“Where are you folks from? There’s no place better for traveling than Sichuan.”
“We came from Shandong.”
“My, you’ve come from far away.”
Xie Baowei answered the subtly probing question.
For people living inside such treacherous paths, asking outsiders this much was a natural question.
“Has the child eaten?”
A rice ball was offered to Yingying as well.
It was a woman with an innocent smile.
Yingying, who had been hiding at Xie Baowei’s feet, looked up blankly at the gentle voice.
Soon she pressed her lips together and accepted the rice ball.
“Thank you.”
But the woman’s reaction was strange.
“…Oh, hapa. It’s a hapa!”
It was after making eye contact with Yingying under the deeply pulled hood.
With a shriek, the atmosphere changed completely.
The woman stepped back as if she had seen a ghost.
The rice ball fell to the ground with a thud.
As if they had never been kind, wariness rose in people’s eyes.
“Did you come from Guizhou?”
“What is there to eat in this land!”
“Go back to your own land!”
“Go back! Right now!”
Thud, thunk.
Several stones flew at them.
Perhaps afraid of the sword hanging at Xie Baowei’s waist, they scattered at his feet, but it must have hurt as much as if someone had been hit.
Xie Baowei’s face hardened as he picked up Yingying.
“Let’s go.”
He hurriedly mounted Chun-gil and spurred the horse.
Uneasy gazes followed them for a long time from behind.
Yingying pulled her hood down deep.
A faint trembling was felt against his chest.
“…It’s okay.”
Xie Baowei whispered softly.
It’s okay.
Child, it’s okay.
He couldn’t tell her why it was okay, or how it was okay.
He had simply said, without knowing it, the words he had wanted to hear from someone unknown long ago when he was alone, trembling with his knees drawn up.
He didn’t know if it would give Yingying strength too.
Though he had wondered things like “Why was I born?”, malice directed at one’s very existence…
Even he, who had experienced a harsh childhood, had never felt such a thing.
“It’s okay.”
Xie Baowei repeated it once more to himself, as if making a vow.
If it’s not alright, I’ll make it alright.
Chengdu was right before their eyes.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
