CH 96

Hong Yushin frowned.

“You mean he visited the Water Lily Pavilion? When?”

“Half an hour ago.”

“But why are you reporting this to me now?”

“I ran as fast as I could, my Lord!”

The general secretary of Water Lily Pavilion explained, sweating profusely.

“Did you find out why he came to the Water Lily Pavilion?”

“I’m not sure about that. But Cho Hyang, the best courtesan in the Water Lily Pavilion, was put in, so we’ll be able to find out soon.”

“Is the child named Cho Hyang reliable?”

“She is the best courtesan in the Water Lily Pavilion. She is naturally coquettish and has received special training from the headquarters, so she is reliable.”

“Hm!”

Hong Yushin frowned and let out a sigh.

Cho Hyang was not only outstanding in beauty, but also excellent in martial arts, so she was a talented person that the Hao clan respected. 

Since such a talented person was put in, it was enough to trust and wait. However, Hong Yushin was unable to endure it and got up from his seat.

“I will go myself.”

“Huh? What?”

“I’m going to go directly to the Water Lily Pavilion and observe the situation.”

There were times in his life when he had a strange feeling of anxiety. It was like that now. Hong Yushin was enveloped in a strangely uneasy feeling.

He immediately left his residence and headed for the Water Lily Pavilion.

“You’re here?”

The brothel keeper was the first to greet him.

“What about him?”

“He’s in the Plum Room now.”

“A girl named Cho Hyang is dealing with him?”

“Yes. They’ve been drinking a lot, so I’m sure they’re going to get drunk soon. Then, when Cho Hyang uses the Art of Seduction, he’ll tell her everything he knows.”

The Art of Seduction is a technique passed down to the Hao clan, and it coincides with unmarried wine. If there is something else, it is that it attracts opponents by maximizing the beauty and coquettishness of the user.

Cho Hyang was particularly good at the art of seduction. After listening to the explanation, Yushin Hong nodded.

“Okay! I’ll be waiting here, so if there’s anything wrong, report it right away.”

“Alright.”

The brothel keeper bowed her head deeply and backed away.

Hong Yushin, who was left alone, tapped the table with his finger.

“Why did he come here? Did he really come here by accident, not knowing that this place is the Hao clan base?”

A confused expression appeared on Hong Yushin’s face.

He waited for the brothel keeper to return with good news. However, even after waiting for one hour and two more hours, the brothel keeper did not return.

Eventually, he stayed up all night and greeted the morning. The brothel keeper went to his room with a blank expression on her face.

“What about him?”

“I’m sorry.”

“How did it go?”

“The incense didn’t come out.”

“Did you get hurt?”

“No. That’s not it.”

The brothel keeper’s face flushed. Her face was full of embarrassment.

This is because Cho Hyang and her partner did not stop their overnight activities in the Plum Room.

When she sent her to seduce the man, she fell for him instead and struggled with pleasure all night long.

When she asked Cho Hyang, who had been exhausted, if she had found out anything, she just shook her head helplessly.

And she just repeated these words.

“He’s not human. Humans…”

Cho Hyang went back to her residence and fell asleep. She was exhausted because she had been tormented greatly by Pyo-wol.

He was exhausted from how much he had been tormented by Pyo-wol.

“I’m sorry.”

The brothel keeper bowed her head.

Hong Yushin suddenly stood up.

“I’ll go to him. Guide me!”

“Yes?”

“It seems that he has come to visit me. Please guide me to his room.”

“Oh, I see.”

The brothel keeper hurriedly guided Hong Yushin.

Inside the Plum Room where Pyo-wol was staying, the laughter of courtesans could be heard. Other courtesans were put in instead of Cho Hyang.

Hong Yushin opened the door without notice. Then, the situation inside the room was revealed.

Pyo-wol was sitting at an angle with his shirt off, and to his left and right, half-naked courtesans were holding his hands.

Even though Hong Yushin suddenly came in, there was not a single change in Pyo-wol’s expression. Hong Yushin confirmed that his guess was correct.

“You must have come to see me, right?”

“Have a seat.”

“How did you know this place?”

“Your body shares the same smell of the courtesans here.”

“Were you a dog in a previous life? How is that possible?”

“I just can.”

“Huh! What an amazing person.”

Hong Yushin shook his head and sat down in front of Pyo-wol.

He nodded to the courtesans. Then the courtesans got up and went out. The faces of the prostitutes were full of regret. In that short time, they were already mesmerized by Pyo-wol.

“That face is a scam, a fraud! If you wear a skirt, anyone will be enchanted. Damn it! Don’t you want to come to the Hao clan? I’ll give you the best treatment.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and just sit down.”

“Yes! Yes! But didn’t you threaten to kill me if I approached you? I don’t know if I can sit down.”

“If you don’t sit down, I’ll kill you right away.”

“Okay, I’ll sit down. I’m already sitting down. Damn it!”

Hong Yushin frowned.

It was the first time he’d met someone who made him speechless. He didn’t know it would be so difficult to regain the lost initiative. Hong Yushin muttered as he looked at the messy appearance of Pyo-wol.

“Looks like you had a very hot night.”

“They just grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.”

“It seems like I need to re-educate them. I told them to seduce a man, not to stop you from leaving.”

“You take care of that.”

Pyo-wol’s voice lowered.

At the same time, Hong Yushin’s expression hardened like a stone. This is because he felt that from now on, Pyo-wol would come to the main point. 

“Tell me about the Seven Stars.”

“Why are you asking about them?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Then I can’t tell you.”

“Looks like someone wants to die.”

“It’s no use taking my head off. Even if I look out of shape. Although the Hao clan looks out of shape, it’s not a place you can just use at your own discretion.”

“………….”

“It’s no use killing me. Even if you kill all the prostitutes here, you won’t get what you want.”

“So?”

“Let’s make a deal.”

“Deal?”

“Yes! Giving and receiving what each other needs. Shouldn’t there be that much flexibility?”

“Okay. Tell me what you want.”

When Pyo-wol agreed immediately, Hong Yushin felt embarrassed.

“Huh? What are you up to? Why are you suddenly being so nice?”

“You said you wanted to make a deal.”

“That’s right, but–”

Hong Yu-shin blurted out the end of his speech.

In an instant, Pyo-wol’s voice lowered.

“You only get one chance, you better think carefully before you speak.” 

“Okay. What is your purpose?”

“Purpose?”

“I’m asking about your ultimate purpose.”

“Nothing.”

“What?”

“I never lived with a grand purpose in mind in the first place.”

“Still, with your level of achievement and capability, haven’t you dream of becoming a reigning powerhouse?”

“I learned martial arts in order to survive. I’ve lived like a savage for revenge, but now that I’m finished with my revenge, nothing remains in my heart. It can be said that all the remaining ones were burned down.”

Hong Yushin looked intently at Pyo-wol’s face.

“You… really mean it.”

“Because I have no reason to lie.”

“Do you have any other goals?”

“None.”

“Do you have any intention of wanting to become the leader of Sichuan?”

“It’s annoying!”

“Ha! This is too much for me.”

“I was telling the truth.”

“Huu…”

Hong Yushin sighed once more.

He looked disappointed, but he was relieved inside. Because he knew all too well what would happen if someone like Pyo-wol had great ambitions.

The more he learned about what Pyo-wol did in Chengdu, the more fearful Hong Yushin felt.

From the meticulous planning and preparation, to the determination to actually proceed with his plans, and the powerful martial arts that support him.

The more he got to know Pyo-wol, the more similar he was to a disaster.

It was by no means a coincidence or luck that the Emei and Qingcheng sect suffered great damage and went into isolation at the same time. 

The existence of Pyo-wolf made it possible to do ridiculous things.

So he was afraid. It is because they know how much chaos will occur if such a being has great ambition and plans to become a strong powerhouse. That is why he was not able to leave Chengdu and was keeping a close eye on Pyo-wol.

Hong Yushin asked.

“What do you want to know about the Seven Stars?”

“The purpose for which they came here.”

“If I ask you why you are curious, would you answer me?”

“I think their purpose has something to do with me.”

“Is that a hunch?”

“My intuition is the reason I have survived until now. My hunch is pretty accurate.”

“Okay. Let’s take a look. We were also wondering why they came to Chengdu when they have no connection here whatsoever.”

Hong Yushin shook his head.

He was well aware of how accurate the senses and intuition of martial artist was.

Warriors who have reached a high level are able to draw conclusions that cannot be guessed with their excellent insight. This is because they are able to grasp the surrounding environment, atmosphere, and people’s psychology and behavior.

People don’t know exactly why and how the warriors came to that conclusion, but most of the conclusions the warriors gave unconsciously were horrifyingly correct.

Hong Yushin thought that Pyo-wol was also like that.

Pyo-wol might now know exactly why he thinks the Seven Stars  would be related to him, but it was clear that he already felt some causal connection with him anyway.

“By the way, isn’t it time for you to return it?”

“What?”

“Chengdu’s Directory of Martial Artist. If we can’t retrieve it, we’re going to get in trouble too.”

As soon as Hong Yushin finished speaking, Pyo-wol pulled out a yellow booklet from his bosom and threw it on the table.

It was the Chengdu’s Directory of Martial Artist Hong Yushin had been looking for.

All the contents in it were kept in Pyo-wol’s head, so he can return it without any regrets.

Hong Yushin put the booklet into his arms and said,

“Is this enough to say that our relationship has progressed quite a bit?”

“You could say that you escaped from the worst.”

“Not bad.”

Hong Yushin smiled softly.

Considering that his first meeting with Pyo-wol was the worst, such progress could be considered a miracle.

Hong Yushin got up from his seat and said,

“Then go have fun. Oh, you know that the services of the Water Lily Pavilion is quite expensive, right? As long as you pay the bills well, there will be no problem.”

“I heard I don’t have to.”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t worry about the money, just stay as long as you can.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“All the women who came into my room. They begged me to stay because they’ll pay for it at their own expense.”

“Bastard!”

Hong Yushin spit out abusive language without knowing it, and then smiled awkwardly.

“Ah! I didn’t say that to you. It was just— I just suddenly feel like the world was unfair. Someone else would normally squeeze out all their courage to talk to a woman. But to think it’s too easy for some people…”

Hong Yushin’s eyes were moist.

Pyo-wol looked at Hong Yushin indifferently.

Looking at Pyo-wol’s face, Hong Yushin clearly felt how absurd the world was once again.

If he was a woman, he felt like he would also have no choice but to untie his skirt the moment he sees his face.

‘His thing have to be small, they have to be small. If there really is karma in this world, the heavens should balance it out at least that much.’

However, his expectations were terribly shattered by the voices of prostitutes from outside.

“Cho Hyang unnie says it’s amazing.”

“What?”

“His…”

Hong Yushin closed his eyes tightly.

‘This bastard…!’