At the End of Fate’s Branch (3)
In my past life, I wasn’t exactly clueless when it came to women.
I wasn’t a playboy, but I did have a fair share of female company.
Back then, I was the best in the world, and to put it bluntly, many women were drawn to me.
As I mentioned before, I even dated the most beautiful woman of that era. Of course, that relationship ended because her family was more interested in using me to gain power than she was in me.
I met countless renowned beauties, the so-called “Four Great Beauties” of the martial world. Whether it was love, lust, or just a fleeting connection, even now, it’s hard to say what those relationships truly were.
After parting with one beautiful woman, I always wanted to meet someone even more beautiful. And then someone even more beautiful after that. More, and more…
If I hadn’t become the leader of the martial alliance back then, I might have been consumed by that endless pursuit. Even knowing it was a futile indulgence, I might have fallen into that trap. The swamp of pleasure is the deepest and most dangerous of all, and the more you struggle, the deeper you sink.
“What are you thinking about?”
Song Hwarin’s voice pulled me out of my reverie.
I couldn’t very well say, “Old flames.”
“Just… thinking about a woman who danced well.”
“Who?”
“It’s nothing. Here, have a drink.”
I raised my glass, and she lifted her teacup for another toast.
The dancers left the stage, and a soft melody filled the room.
She stared intently at my empty glass, prompting me to ask, “Want a drink?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
We continued chatting about various topics, from the martial world in Shandong to our families.
“Your mother seems like a wonderful person.”
Perhaps I felt that way because I lost my own mother early on.
“You say that because you haven’t been on the receiving end of her fist.”
“Really? She seemed so dignified.”
“You’ll find out later. There’s a hidden punch behind that dignity!”
I mimed a punch, and she chuckled.
The evening with her was as pleasant as the atmosphere of the place. We finished a bottle of wine and continued talking for a long time.
I wasn’t sure how Song Hwarin felt, but I didn’t find her company boring.
“I had a good time.”
She smiled at my words.
“Me too.”
Her smile was truly beautiful.
Just then, a group of martial artists rode past the tavern.
About a dozen of them, all in matching uniforms, and the man leading them had an impressive presence. Even as they sped by, it was palpable.
The horses came to a sudden stop.
The man at the front dismounted and started walking toward us.
I noticed Song Hwarin stiffen upon recognizing him.
The man looked at her in surprise and said, “I thought it might be you. It’s really you, isn’t it, junior sister?”
The term “junior sister” caught me off guard as well.
“Senior brother.”
Her address confirmed their relationship.
“What happened? You left for home without a word?”
“It just happened that way.”
Song Hwarin introduced the man.
“This is my senior brother, Hoyeon Tak from the Hoyeon family. And this is…”
I didn’t give her a chance to hesitate over my introduction.
“I’m Byeok Lidan, Hwarin’s fiancé.”
“Oh, so you’re engaged?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Tak, Hwarin’s senior brother.”
He seemed bright and straightforward, and his gaze at Song Hwarin held nothing more than brotherly affection.
“Please take good care of my junior sister.”
“That’s my line.”
Song Hwarin asked Hoyeon Tak, “What brings you here?”
“I came down with our master to handle some matters in Shandong.”
At the mention of their master, Song Hwarin’s expression hardened.
“Is Master here too?”
“Yes, he came with us. He’ll be happy to see you. Make sure to visit. We’re staying at the Gu family manor in Chuseong. I have to go now, but do come by.”
“Okay.”
Hoyeon Tak also bid me farewell.
“See you next time.”
“Sure.”
Hoyeon Tak and his group left.
I could sense her mood plummeting.
“Shall we head back?”
As I turned to leave, she grabbed my sleeve.
“Let’s have a drink. For real this time.”
Not far from there, we found a modest tavern.
This time, we drank there.
Song Hwarin seemed intent on downing all the drinks she’d held back until now, gulping down several glasses in quick succession.
I simply watched her.
Eventually, she shared a story she’d kept buried deep inside.
It was about her master.
“I started learning martial arts from my master when I was fifteen. My father was thrilled to have secured a master from the prestigious Hoyeon family.”
The Hoyeon family was one of the four great families in the martial world, renowned just below the Five Greats of the Central Plains.
“At first, everything was fine. My master treated me well. But as I grew older, his gaze changed. Still, I couldn’t believe it. He’d always treated me like a daughter. But one night when I was twenty, I woke up to find him standing over me, reeking of alcohol. I could see it in his eyes—he wanted to hold me. He was hesitating, unsure whether to act on his desires. I jumped up and slapped him. My mind went blank, and I ran away from the sect and returned home.”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Now I understood why she disliked alcohol.
She had returned home, only for me to show up drunk and cause a scene. I felt like apologizing on behalf of that fool, Byeok Lidan.
I also understood why she wanted to succeed based on her abilities, not her looks. She was fed up with men who only saw her for her appearance.
“I couldn’t tell my father. I just said my training was complete and came home. Since then, I’ve been plagued by nightmares. Even now, I dream of that night. No matter how much I tell myself it’s all in the past, it doesn’t help.”
It was the betrayal by someone she trusted. Eventually, tears streamed down her face.
It pained me to think that both Baek Pyo and she were tormented by their own nightmares.
After wiping her tears with her sleeve, she emptied her glass again.
“Have you heard from your master since?”
She shook her head.
“No, nothing. I thought it was all over…”
“You said you still have nightmares. That means it’s not over.”
“No, it’s all over. I… I don’t know.”
She lifted her empty glass, and I refilled it.
When she drank, I drank with her. I didn’t offer any words of comfort. I couldn’t think of anything to say. As a fellow man of this era, I just felt sorry.
Yes, if this helps you release it, then do it.
Drink, get angry. Shout if you want to, curse if you need to.
If you keep dwelling on something insignificant, it can grow from a speck into a mountain.
Don’t let that happen.
Let it end as just a speck.
I carried her home on my back.
As she lay there, she mumbled something.
”… Don’t hate me too much. I’m trying.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Bite.
Song Hwarin bit my shoulder hard.
“Ouch!”
“Liar! You do hate me.”
This girl!
I was about to get angry, but she had already fallen asleep, breathing softly.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Her actions didn’t annoy me. Today, she had confided in me something incredibly difficult for a woman to share. It was a sign of trust.
And to think, this was the first time I’d been bitten by a woman.
We arrived home at dawn.
I expected the Song household to be in an uproar, but surprisingly, the reaction was calm.
Suran gave me a sharp look, but she couldn’t hide her relief and joy that Song Hwarin was safe.
“Since you were with her, I wasn’t worried.”
Song Wookyung’s unwavering trust melted away the fatigue of carrying her home.
Of course, he must have been worried. How could he not be, with his precious daughter out late with a grown man?
But now that she was back safely, he chose not to show his concern.
“I’m sorry. We lost track of time while having fun.”
“But for Hwarin to drink so much… Did something happen?”
“It wasn’t anything bad. We drank in good spirits.”
“Then that’s fine. You must be tired. Go rest. Thank you for bringing her back safely.”
“Not at all. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
I had no intention of worrying Song Wookyung. Song Hwarin wouldn’t want that either.
Now that I knew, I could deal with that master myself.
Whether he’s a lecher who deserves to die or just a pitiful old man facing his first test of desire, I’ll find out.
“I’ll come by again in the daylight.”
“Please do.”
Song Wookyung’s satisfied smile revealed his true intention—to see Song Hwarin as often as possible.
As I was about to turn away, Song Hwa-rin, who had been piggybacking on Su-ran, suddenly lifted her head.
“Hey! Byukridan!”
Everyone was startled as she shouted with a dazed expression.
“Who is she? That girl who dances so well, who is she?”
Both Song Woo-kyung and Su-ran widened their eyes at this unexpected side of Song Hwa-rin.
I pretended not to hear and quickly slipped out of there.
Goodness! So she had been holding onto that thought all along! Even Song Hwa-rin was just a woman at heart.
The next day, I immediately began investigating the Ho Yeon family.
Song Hwa-rin’s master was Ho Yeon-nam.
He was the third brother of Ho Yeon-se, the head of the Ho Yeon family, and a figure of considerable renown in the martial world.
This much was easy to find out, but the real question was why he had come to Shandong. Surprisingly, I learned the reason through my father.
“The martial world in Shandong is in turmoil.”
“What’s happening?”
“Do you remember Ma Jeong-su from the Cheondo faction who came down here before?”
“Of course.”
“We thought he left quietly, but it turns out he was killed.”
I reacted with shock.
“What! Who did it?”
“There’s a rumor that the Shandong Yasan was responsible for their deaths.”
“I see.”
Fortunately, the rumor had spread just as I intended.
“To investigate the matter, Cheondo has sent someone named Yeom Hwa.”
Yeom Hwa, the Sword of Precision.
I knew him. Within Cheondo, he was known as the Butcher. When Cheondo wanted someone eliminated, he was the one they sent.
He wasn’t an assassin. He was the one who stepped in when brute force was needed. Sending him meant Cheondo was playing hardball. They weren’t looking to negotiate; they wanted revenge.
“What is Yasan doing in response?”
Yasan was an enigmatic organization. They had branches all over the central plains, but no one knew how they were connected.
“They’re not just sitting back. They’ve called in reinforcements.”
Could it be?
“I heard a master from the Ho Yeon family came to Shandong to mediate.”
Now I understood why Ho Yeon-nam had brought his disciples here.
They came to support the Shandong Yasan.
The fact that they could mobilize the Ho Yeon family meant Yasan wasn’t just some small-time operation.
In the end, both sides were bound to clash fiercely.
Cheondo and Yasan were obvious adversaries, but even the Ho Yeon family was not to my liking at the moment. There was the issue with Song Hwa-rin, and their alliance with Yasan was troubling.
Given the situation, I needed to keep a close eye on their movements. If there was anything to gain from the chaos, I intended to seize it.
The division among my enemies was an opportunity for me.