Chapter 163

As if in a great hurry, the Demon Pursuit Squad left the campsite early at dawn.

With twenty horses moving at once, it was naturally bound to be noisy. In the end, the sound of their departure woke most of the people up.

“Those ill-mannered sons of bitches!”

“If you’ve been helped, isn’t it common courtesy to at least say goodbye when you leave?”

“If they were the type to do that, they wouldn’t have acted so rudely in the first place. Anyway, they’re a bunch of unlikable bastards.”

The Wanderers spat out a torrent of curses.

Soma also muttered to himself.

“This is why we should have killed them all yesterday.”

He shot a resentful glance at Pyo Wol for no reason. But as soon as his eyes met Pyo Wol’s, his expression changed, and he flashed his characteristic smile.

Just then, Woo Jang-rak approached Pyo Wol and said,

“Since it’s come to this, we’ll be leaving early.”

“Do so.”

With Pyo Wol’s permission, Woo Jang-rak ordered his Subordinates to depart.

The Subordinates and the Wanderers packed up the campsite and immediately set off for Bishan. They actually looked rather pleased.

Sleeping for another Shichen on the bare ground wouldn’t relieve their fatigue. It was better to arrive in Bishan a little earlier and rest at an Inn.

They pushed on, barely resting.

As a result, they were able to reach their first destination, Bishan, before the sun set.

“It’s Bishan.”

“Finally, we can rest at an Inn.”

Cheers erupted from all around.

Woo Jang-rak found the largest Inn in Bishan and booked rooms.

“We will rest soundly here today and leave on the first boat tomorrow morning. Until then, please get plenty of rest.”

At his words, everyone cheered and dispersed to their respective rooms.

Pyo Wol and Soma were also assigned a separate room.

It was nothing more than a small bed, but it was much better than sleeping on the hard ground.

Pyo Wol glanced around the room for a moment before heading out of the Inn.

While the others were exhausted from sleeping outdoors, for him, it was a different story.

It had been much worse in the underground cavern. For Pyo Wol, who had grown up in such a place, sleeping outdoors was not a major issue.

For Pyo Wol, it was far more productive to explore Bishan in that time than to rest idly in his room.

Pyo Wol left the Inn and strolled through the streets of Bishan.

Bishan was a much larger city than Pyo Wol had thought.

It couldn’t compare to Chengdu, but it still had everything one could need.

Pyo Wol walked without a destination, letting his feet carry him.

The sun had set, but quite a few people were still wandering the streets.

The scenery of a place where people lived was the same everywhere.

Pyo Wol took a seat in a Teahouse.

The Teahouse was a place that sold tea, and quite a few people were sitting around, chatting idly.

The people, chatting over a cup of tea, looked relaxed.

No matter where he looked, Pyo Wol was the only one who had come alone. Still, Pyo Wol did not feel lonely.

He didn’t feel particularly lonely even when he was by himself.

He had always been alone.

Even when everyone else formed groups, he acted alone. As this habit continued, he had become more accustomed to being alone.

Slurp!

Pyo Wol drank his tea in silence.

The slightly bitter yet subtle aroma of the tea filled his mouth.

For Pyo Wol, who did not drink alcohol, tea was his only hobby.

At first, he couldn’t taste it, but now he enjoyed it whenever he had the chance.

It was then.

“Oh?”

Suddenly, a surprised voice came from the side.

Turning his head, he saw a familiar face.

“You enjoy tea too?”

The person looking at Pyo Wol with a surprised expression was none other than Seol Ha-jin.

By her side were Go Il-pae and the other Wanderers.

They had left their luggage at the Inn and were on their way out for a drink.

They could have drunk at the Inn where they were staying, but they felt self-conscious being with their client, so they had come out.

Pyo Wol put down his teacup and said,

“Why, am I not allowed to drink tea?”

“No! It’s just that it doesn’t seem to suit you…”

“Is there a certain type of person it suits?”

“That’s not what I meant, but…”

“Good tea brings peace of mind.”

That was the reason Pyo Wol drank tea.

Alcohol weakens the body and mind, but tea clears the spirit.

Pyo Wol preferred to always maintain a cool-headed mind rather than lose himself to drunkenness. That was why he drank tea.

Go Il-pae asked cautiously,

“We’re going to the tavern just ahead. Would you like to join us?”

“No, thanks. A cup of tea is enough for me.”

“I understand.”

Go Il-pae did not press further.

He hadn’t asked because he thought Pyo Wol would actually go with them. It was merely a polite gesture.

Hong Mugwang, seeing Pyo Wol, muttered,

“What a prissy little thing.”

He had intended to mutter it quietly, but it was clearly audible not only to the Wanderers but also to Pyo Wol’s ears.

Go Il-pae quickly tried to stop Hong Mugwang.

“Mugwang! Watch your mouth.”

“Why? Did I say something wrong?”

Hong Mugwang, on the contrary, glared defiantly.

He couldn’t stand the sight of Pyo Wol sitting there so loftily, drinking tea by himself.

“A man should naturally drink alcohol. What’s with this petty tea? His face is pale, and he acts like a girl.”

Hong Mugwang’s eyes, as he glared at Pyo Wol, were filled with clear hostility.

“Are you mad?”

Go Il-pae, horrified, tried to cover Hong Mugwang’s mouth. But Hong Mugwang turned his head, dodging Go Il-pae’s hand, and continued.

“What’s the matter? A man, by nature…”

Thwack!

At that moment, a soft sound echoed.

“Keuk!”

Hong Mugwang, who had been speaking without restraint, suddenly screamed.

A Flying Dagger was embedded in one of his eyes.

Hong Mugwang was a renowned Expert among the Wanderers, yet he hadn’t noticed the Flying Dagger coming until it was lodged in his eye.

It was the same for Go Il-pae and the other Wanderers.

Seol Ha-jin quickly looked at Pyo Wol.

He was the only one here who would throw a Flying Dagger at Hong Mugwang.

Pyo Wol was still holding his teacup.

But everyone present knew.

They knew that the owner of the Flying Dagger in Hong Mugwang’s eye was Pyo Wol.

“Kkeueueu!”

A beast-like cry erupted from Hong Mugwang’s mouth.

He glared at Pyo Wol with his one remaining eye.

“You…”

“The moment you say one more word, you will never see the world with your eyes again.”

At Pyo Wol’s voice, not only Hong Mugwang but all the Wanderers felt their blood run cold.

He spoke calmly as if it were nothing, but the content of his words was truly terrifying.

If anyone else had said this, they would have charged, disregarding life and death. The Wanderers were a tribe who were nothing but corpses without their pride.

They would sometimes risk even death for the sake of their pride. The reason they couldn’t even protest was that they instinctively felt Pyo Wol was not a man who made empty threats.

Like frogs before a snake, they were crushed by the formless atmosphere Pyo Wol had created, unable to even breathe loudly.

It was the same for Hong Mugwang, the one who had lost an eye.

“Eugh!”

He only let out a pained groan, not daring to lash out.

Fear and anger coexisted in his one remaining eye. But he couldn’t bring himself to express his anger. He felt that if he did, he would lose his other eye as well.

Slurp!

Pyo Wol drank his tea without even glancing at Hong Mugwang.

That sight seemed even more terrifying.

What made Pyo Wol frightening was that he did not reveal his Killing intent.

Many Martial Artists would first issue a warning by expressing their Killing intent.

A way of saying, ‘I might kill you.’

Then the opponent would react to the Killing intent and decide how to respond.

If the opponent’s Killing intent was stronger than expected, they would back down; if they thought it was worth a try, they would stand their ground.

But Pyo Wol had no such thing.

Because he attacked without revealing his Killing intent, it was impossible to predict when he would move.

His mind could not be read, and his actions were even more unpredictable. That was why he was terrifying.

‘Just as I heard, his methods are ruthless.’

Go Il-pae bit his lip.

Whether he liked it or not, he was the one in charge of the Wanderers present.

He had to decide how to respond.

The Wanderers looked at Go Il-pae with tense eyes.

Their relationship with Pyo Wol would be determined by the decision he made.

Under everyone’s gaze, Go Il-pae finally made a decision.

“I apologize for disturbing your peace.”

He bowed his head and apologized.

The Wanderers were surprised by Go Il-pae’s action.

Go Il-pae was extremely proud and did not bow his head to just anyone. The fact that he bowed to Pyo Wol without a moment’s hesitation was proof of how highly he regarded his opponent.

“I will ensure that such an incident does not happen again. So, for my sake, please forgive Mugwang just this once.”

It was polite, but not servile.

Go Il-pae’s dignified apology was quite impressive.

In that moment, Pyo Wol waved his hand. The Flying Dagger embedded in Hong Mugwang’s eye was retrieved without a sound.

At that sight, Go Il-pae and the Wanderers once again felt a chill run down their spines. Even with their Eye Power, they couldn’t figure out how the Flying Dagger had been retrieved.

The emotion of fear was deeply engraved in their hearts.

Go Il-pae bowed his head to Pyo Wol once more.

“Thank you for your forgiveness.”

He helped up Hong Mugwang, who was still groaning like a beast, and left the place, with the other Wanderers following behind.

Seol Ha-jin, who was lingering at the back of the Wanderers, glanced at Pyo Wol. The emotion of fear had also appeared on her face.

She had never imagined that the hands of the man with whom she had spent an ecstatic night could be so cruel.

‘Flashy, and cruel… A dangerous man who is all the more alluring for it.’

Seol Ha-jin shook her head and moved on.

Left alone, Pyo Wol ordered another cup of tea.

The Teahouse owner, who had been cautiously watching the clash between Pyo Wol and the Wanderers, quickly brought out his finest tea.

Pyo Wol savored the tea’s aroma, drinking it slowly.

The commotion from a moment ago was already gone from his mind.

To the Wanderers, it was an event so great they felt the threat of death, but to Pyo Wol, it was merely a small, passing disturbance.

As Pyo Wol looked out at the street, a strange light appeared in his eyes.

He had spotted some unexpected figures.

It was a rather beautiful girl and a man who appeared to be her escort warrior.

Wary of something, they were constantly looking around.

‘Was her name Mok Ga-hye?’

Soma had said she was the one who gave him the beef jerky he cherished.

Soma had told Pyo Wol several times that Mok Ga-hye was a good person. That was how Pyo Wol came to know her name.

Mok Ga-hye and her escort warrior, the Martial Sword, were unaware that Pyo Wol was watching them.

Pyo Wol watched them until they disappeared into an alley.

It seemed they had some circumstances, but there was no reason for him to concern himself with that.

Pyo Wol finished his tea and stood up.

When he returned to the Inn, Soma was the first to greet him.

“Hyung-ah!”

His disheveled hair, as if he had just bathed, looked a little neater.

Soma looked Pyo Wol up and down and asked,

“Where have you been?”

“Just went for a cup of tea.”

“Is tea tasty? I just find it bitter.”

“It gets tasty if you keep drinking it.”

“Ugh!”

At Pyo Wol’s answer, Soma stuck out his tongue and shuddered.

“Oh! I saw that girl.”

“Who?”

“Mok Ga-hye.”

“Huh? That Noona is in Bishan?”

Soma’s eyes widened.

His number one treasure was the beef jerky Mok Ga-hye had given him. He had savored it so much, but now it was really running out.

“Do you know where she’s staying?”

“I didn’t check that far.”

“Ugh!”

“Should I find out for you?”

“No! If we’re fated to, we’ll meet again.”

Soma answered quite maturely.

If he put his mind to it, finding Mok Ga-hye would be no trouble at all.

Bishan wasn’t as large as Chengdu, and the places an outsider like Mok Ga-hye might stay were obvious.

But Soma didn’t do it.

He was grateful for the beef jerky, but he knew she was afraid of him.

‘Still, being with Hyung-ah is the most fun.’