Silent Exit (2)
Majungsoo placed the pouch filled with receipts into the safe.
He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face, thrilled by the unexpected success of his plan.
He called the woman over and boasted about how he had borrowed the money, as if it were his own accomplishment. He added with pride, “You should’ve seen them trembling.”
I overheard the conversation from outside the door.
How could he be so shameless? Especially knowing I was right there, listening.
“Make sure you tell them properly, alright?”
I heard him say, and soon the woman stepped out. She glanced at me briefly.
Her eyes seemed to ask, Was this all your doing?
She must have observed Majungsoo for some time and realized he wasn’t the type to pull off such a bold move.
I didn’t give her any indication of agreement or denial.
She left immediately. Watching her retreating figure, a doubt crept into my mind.
Was she really sent by Mabonggi? Despite Majungsoo’s unsavory character and his struggles in the succession battle, would he really treat his master’s kin with such coldness?
Of course, if she had been raised as a weapon from a young age, devoid of fear or emotion, it might be possible.
But if she wasn’t raised by Mabonggi, and that’s why she acted this way?
Even that assumption raised questions. Why would someone raised by a third party be sent to Mabonggi’s kin? Why would Mabonggi allow it?
“Come in, Galmuin.”
“Yes.”
As I entered, he greeted me with a smile.
“I borrowed a bit of your glory, Galmuin. Hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
“Haha, I knew you were a big-hearted fellow.”
I returned his insincere compliment with a pleasant smile.
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Do the other heirs have companions like that woman?”
Majungsoo nodded.
“That’s what I’ve heard.”
“Are they all women?”
“I’ve heard there are both men and women. But why do you ask?”
“I thought I should know everything if I’m to assist you, Master Ma.”
I intended to extract as much information as possible before eliminating him.
Unaware of my intentions, Majungsoo beamed with satisfaction.
“How did your father become the leader? Did he prepare for a long time?”
“Well… of course.”
He hesitated, indicating he didn’t know much either.
Considering he had fathered over twenty children indiscriminately, how could he possibly keep track of them all?
“Why do you ask?”
“I was just imagining the moment when you become the leader of the martial alliance.”
“Me, the leader? Isn’t that a bit far-fetched?”
“It’s not entirely impossible. If you become the heir, it’s within reach, isn’t it?”
“If you help me, it might be possible.”
“Since we’re on the topic, who do you see as your strongest competitor?”
“It would have to be Macheolgun.”
Macheolgun was the fifth of Mabonggi’s twenty-two sons and currently served as the interim head of the Cheondo sect.
I had met Macheolgun before. Unlike Mabonggi’s other sons, he was intelligent, sharp, and had a decent personality.
“And next?”
“Marengin is sly, Mayanghwa is cunning, Magungtae is just a brute, and Maseonghu is an ignorant child.”
Of course, these were Majungsoo’s assessments. I’d have to meet them to know for sure. But they couldn’t be worse than Majungsoo.
Macheolgun, Marengin, Mayanghwa, Magungtae, Maseonghu, and Majungsoo. These were the six contenders in the succession battle.
“One of them is sabotaging my efforts.”
Majungsoo gritted his teeth.
“Isn’t it because you’re the most threatening in the succession battle, Master Ma?”
His face brightened at the sweet words.
I spoke with genuine sincerity.
“I’ll do my utmost to assist you.”
“I’ll count on you, Galmuin.”
Majungsoo brought up something unexpected.
“Oh, and we’re heading to Jinan.”
“To Jinan?”
“Yes. Just between us, I’ve run into some trouble recently. The funds promised by the Shandong Trading Company have been cut off, and the martial arts school contract has been canceled.”
“Oh, I see.”
“So I’m planning to take the money there myself and finalize the contract as soon as possible.”
There was a way to summon the person for the contract. But it would take time to send the message, and there was no guarantee he would come immediately. Rumors of my bankruptcy had spread, and he might think it was a trick and make excuses not to come.
“So I’m going in person.”
I lowered my voice.
“But traveling with such a large sum, ten thousand nyang, is dangerous.”
“I’ll only take the two thousand nyang needed for the deposit. With you and that woman, the escort should be sufficient.”
I disliked the woman, but losing the money was a worse prospect.
There was a safer way to transfer the money.
I could deposit it here in Jeonjang and retrieve it at the Jinan branch.
But that would take at least ten days. In a time-sensitive situation, that wasn’t an option.
“If she’s coming along, I feel more at ease.”
“You trust her.”
“Not at all. You warned me to be cautious, Master Ma. I just meant two hands are better than one.”
“We’ll leave early tomorrow. Be prepared.”
“Yes.”
I briefly considered eliminating him that night.
But I decided against it. Traveling to Jinan together would give me a chance to learn more about the woman’s true identity.
Don’t be too pleased about surviving a few more days. You’re just unlucky. You’ll face even deeper despair when you discover the receipts are fake.
The next day, I was driving the carriage.
The woman sat beside me. I couldn’t refuse Majungsoo’s order that she accompany us.
We traveled for a while, but she didn’t say a word. Knowing she wasn’t talkative, I didn’t bother starting a conversation.
I could see her hands up close. They were rough, not like a woman’s hands at all. The calluses on her knuckles were those of someone who had trained in martial arts.
So, she had learned martial arts.
And it was clear she had undergone rigorous training for a long time.
There was also a scar. It ran from the back of her left hand up her arm. Her clothing hid how far it extended. I wondered if she had more scars hidden beneath her clothes.
Sensing my gaze, she subtly hid her hand.
I felt a pang of guilt, but pretending not to notice seemed even ruder.
“Have you trained in martial arts?”
After a moment, she replied.
“Yes.”
“Why martial arts, of all things?”
Martial arts weren’t a common choice for women, given their natural lack of strength.
“I… didn’t have a choice.”
The conversation paused. Her words confirmed she had likely been raised by some organization from a young age.
“I was once captivated by martial arts myself. The idea of fighting with bare fists, without any weapons, seemed incredibly appealing.”
I meant it. Besides swordsmanship, I had learned various martial arts, including spear and staff techniques, and even martial arts.
I was particularly fascinated by martial arts because of the Gwangse Pungshin Fist I had learned.
The Gwangse Pungshin Fist was a martial art from a previous martial arts king, discovered in the archives of the martial alliance.
It was difficult to master alone, and at the time, my pride in my swordsmanship was sky-high, so I only reached the fifth level before stopping.
“If I hadn’t pursued swordsmanship, I might have seriously trained in martial arts.”
She suddenly interjected.
“That’s just an excuse.”
I turned to look at her, and she stared back at me.
“You just didn’t want to learn martial arts.”
“Swordsmanship requires precise hand movements, while martial arts have a more aggressive nature, don’t they? If I had learned staff techniques, maybe, but swordsmanship and martial arts don’t really complement each other.”
“Who says?”
I was taken aback. What I had just said was common knowledge among those who practiced martial arts. Surely she had heard it before.
“Did you ask the greatest martial artist in the world?”
“No.”
Well, well, mysterious lady. This is what the greatest martial artist would say.
Then she spoke.
“I don’t think the greatest martial artist would say that. They wouldn’t be bound by such conventions.”
Her words struck a chord in my heart.
If someone were the greatest martial artist, shouldn’t they be different? Even if something had been accepted as a truth for a long time, shouldn’t the greatest martial artist be able to interpret and apply it differently?
Because they are the greatest. The only one in the world.
Shouldn’t they be able to reveal that what everyone believes to be true might not be?
I hadn’t verified it myself.
Whether swordsmanship and martial arts truly didn’t complement each other. I hadn’t reached the pinnacle of either discipline.
If martial arts reached their ultimate form, and swordsmanship did too, wouldn’t they interact in a way that revealed a realm I hadn’t imagined?
Even if not.
Shouldn’t I have approached martial arts with this mindset from the start?
When you perceive martial arts as nothingness, without any constraints, and break free from all forms, isn’t that when you can truly manifest the sword of the heart?
Lost in these persistent questions, I found myself slipping into a trance.
When I finally came to, the carriage was being driven by her. Seeing me deep in thought, she had taken the reins.
This journey was meant to uncover her identity, yet it turned into a valuable experience where I confronted my own limitations and preconceptions. Though it was just a moment of deep reflection, I had a feeling that today’s realization would greatly aid my future martial arts training.
Just as I was about to thank her, the carriage rounded a corner on the main road.
“Ah!”
She let out a brief exclamation. In the distance, the mountains were adorned with vibrant autumn foliage. It was a truly breathtaking sight.
For a woman who seemed unlikely to be moved by such things, her awe was all the more striking.
I turned to her and said, “Thank you.”
She flinched slightly, as if she wasn’t used to hearing gratitude, and kept her gaze fixed on the colorful leaves, pretending not to hear.
How long did we travel like that?
Up ahead, a group of riders approached us.
I was taken aback when I recognized the person leading them.
It was Song Woo-kyung. Riding beside him was Song Hwa-rin. The others were warriors from the Song family. They were likely returning from some family business.
Meeting them in such an unexpected place was quite a surprise.
Of course, I was wearing a mask, so they didn’t recognize me.
They passed by us.
Just then, Ma Jung-soo, who was inside the carriage, spoke to me.
“Stop the carriage.”
I brought the carriage to a halt.
He leaned out the window and called out loudly, “Master Song!”
The riders stopped.
Recognizing Ma Jung-soo, Song Woo-kyung turned his horse towards us.
“Oh! Isn’t it Master Ma?”
Ma Jung-soo hadn’t stopped them for Song Woo-kyung. It was because of the elegant woman beside him.
Song Woo-kyung dismounted, followed by Song Hwa-rin and the warriors.
“This is my daughter, Hwa-rin. Greet Master Ma of the Cheondo School.”
Song Hwa-rin bowed to Ma Jung-soo.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hwa-rin.”
“Oh, to think such a beautiful lady! My heart is racing.”
Though he spoke jokingly, Ma Jung-soo was sincere. He couldn’t take his eyes off Song Hwa-rin.
Feeling the weight of his gaze, Song Hwa-rin smiled and said, “What a pity. I’m already engaged.”
“Ah, yes, I’ve heard. To the scoundrel of the Byeok family, oh, my apologies.”
He feigned an apology after deliberately making the comment.
I could see his true nature.
He trembled with fear before the strong, but with those he deemed weaker, he was sly and manipulative. A classic bully, strong against the weak, weak against the strong.
“If I may ask, I heard you requested to break off the engagement?”
Song Hwa-rin smiled at the potentially awkward question.
“Women are fickle creatures, you know.”
“Does that mean you won’t break it off?”
“All I can say is that Master Byeok is a much better person than what the world knows.”
“Oh, to have such faith from a lady. It seems Master Byeok has a side that men don’t see.”
Damn him, he’s itching to criticize me.
Song Hwa-rin smiled gently and said, “It seems Master Ma is similar in that regard.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Song Hwa-rin only offered a mysterious smile.
But both Ma Jung-soo and I understood. She was subtly implying that despite his reputation, Ma Jung-soo was lacking in person. She had cleverly put him in his place.
Had she done that in front of me, I might have been less grateful. But seeing her do it when I wasn’t visible, I felt not just gratitude but admiration.
The woman beside me murmured softly, “You’re no different.”
“What?”
I turned to her.
“You couldn’t take your eyes off that woman.”
“That’s…”
I couldn’t explain my connection with Song Hwa-rin, leaving me with no room for excuses.
Sensing the awkwardness, Song Woo-kyung quickly bid farewell.
“We’re busy today, so we’ll be on our way. I’ll formally invite you to our manor next time.”
“Let’s do that.”
With a frosty expression, Ma Jung-soo climbed back into the carriage.
Song Woo-kyung and his group quickly disappeared in the opposite direction.
From behind the carriage, I heard his voice.
“That insolent woman! How dare she ignore me? That wretched woman!”
Listening to his fuming words, I couldn’t help but smile. A petty man who loves to belittle others can never stand being on the receiving end.
Well done, Hwa-rin.
I urged the carriage to go faster, letting the wind drown out Ma Jung-soo’s voice.