Episode 303: The Red Thread

As soon as Tang Mujin heard Hong Geolge’s story, he clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Tsk. I knew this would happen sooner or later.”

From what Tang Mujin had observed, Hong Geolge’s gambling was peculiar. It wasn’t about winning every time, but rather winning six out of ten dice throws. Over time, he would come out ahead, but when the stakes were middling, it could be risky. This was the first time Tang Mujin had seen him actually lose money.

He asked Hong Geolge, “Did you bet everything in one go, all confident?”

Hong Geolge shook his head. “No, I spread it out.”

“How much?”

“I went to a bigger game, and they said the minimum was three silver coins. So I adjusted my bets accordingly.”

“And then?”

“I lost three out of five throws.”

Even though his friend had lost money, Tang Mujin couldn’t help but chuckle. Finally, the beggar had a beggar’s purse, as it should be. Of course, such natural order doesn’t always guarantee sweet outcomes.

Tang Mujin draped an arm over Hong Geolge’s shoulder. “Well, since it’s come to this… we have to go, right?”

Hong Geolge hung his head low.

The next morning, Hong Geolge clutched a small wooden plaque as he headed alone to the martial arts tournament registration desk. The plaque was simple.

[Gaebang Ogeolge Hong Jusan]

The plaque only needed to include the participant’s basic traits and name. However, most participants filled theirs with flowery language and self-praise, as the announcer would read from it during introductions.

But Hong Geolge had no such intentions. Just participating in the tournament felt humiliating enough.

‘Please, let there be few people.’

He aimed for an early morning registration, hoping it would be less crowded. His plan was straightforward: register quietly, then boldly appear at the tournament, defeat the challengers, and claim a clean victory. Since he couldn’t avoid the disgrace, he opted for the least disgraceful path.

However, his plan went awry from the start. There were an unusually large number of people around the registration area. Not just those registering, but over twenty people loitering, casting glances at the desk.

’…Why?’

Hong Geolge was unaware that the martial arts tournament involved an information war. While it was a stage for showcasing skills, it was also a fierce battle for the honor of families and sects. A good performance by a family’s young talent could elevate the sect’s reputation, so it was natural for them to support their participants with all their might.

One method was gathering intelligence—identifying participants, understanding their martial arts strengths and weaknesses, and devising strategies. The people eyeing the registration desk were all well-versed in martial arts rumors.

As Hong Geolge approached the desk, over twenty pairs of eyes bore into the back of his head, making it itch with their intensity. Just as he was about to hand over his plaque, he overheard whispers.

“Isn’t that… isn’t that the famed Hong Jusan? The youngest among the top martial artists of the Central Plains. I heard he recently reached the pinnacle.”

“Let’s see… Not yet thirty, with tousled hair and gentle eyes. His clothes are shabby but neat, and he carries a bamboo staff. The five knots on his rope confirm it. It’s definitely him.”

He wished he hadn’t heard, but Hong Geolge’s hearing was too sharp. The murmurs continued.

“But why is Hong Jusan lurking around the registration desk? Is he planning to enter the tournament?”

“Nonsense. His friend, the Dragon of Righteousness, clearly stated they wouldn’t participate. I heard it myself.”

“But… he’s here, isn’t he?”

Someone replied, exasperated, “The Dragon of Righteousness only asked the registrar a question and left, explaining to avoid misunderstandings. Hong Jusan must have a question too.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! Would he really enter the tournament against his friend’s wishes? I’ve heard he’s not that shameless.”

“But it’s odd that he’s alone. It feels like he’s sneaking around…”

Hong Geolge had come alone to avoid the inevitable teasing from his friends. Yet, even without them, he couldn’t escape trouble. The source of his woes had merely changed.

As he stood there, the registrar asked, “Are you here to register?”

His hand trembled as he held the plaque. Living as a beggar, Hong Geolge thought he had grown a thick skin. He had learned to ignore casual stares. But this situation was beyond his tolerance. Instead of handing over the plaque, he hid it in his sleeve.

In the end, Hong Geolge couldn’t overcome the challenge.

“Ah… no. I came to ask something, but I just found the answer myself.”

“Oh, I see. That’s good.”

The registrar replied indifferently, not recognizing who Hong Geolge was. After lingering a bit longer, Hong Geolge trudged back to the inn.

”…That’s how it went.”

As Hong Geolge recounted his tale, his ears burning with embarrassment, his friends were even more amused. One’s misfortune can be another’s delight.

Namgung Myung banged the table, feigning outrage. “What do you mean, ‘that’s how it went’? You haven’t solved anything!”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“If apologies solved everything, why would we need constables in this world?”

Tang Mujin sidled up again, draping an arm over Hong Geolge’s shoulder. “Look, if you hadn’t lost gold, I might understand. But you did, didn’t you? Ever heard of ‘tying up loose ends’?”

Hyeon Gong, sitting at the table with his hands clasped under his chin, spoke up. “Step back, Tang Mujin. Hong Geolge is the type who grows stronger the more he’s trampled. He’ll definitely register for the tournament before lunch.”

“Is that so?”

“If you ask again, I’ll take it as doubting Hong Geolge.”

“Oops! Almost made a big mistake.”

The three friends surrounded the hapless Hong Geolge, teasing him mercilessly. Meanwhile, Yang and Yeom, sitting at a nearby table, watched the scene, massaging their thighs in amusement.

Just then, the last member of their group appeared. Seolhwa descended the stairs, greeting them in a voice brighter than usual.

“Good morning!”

“Looks like you slept well.”

But Seolhwa looked different today. Normally, she wore her hair down, but today it was neatly braided. Her lips were a bit redder, and her cheeks had a healthy flush. Her outfit was slightly different too.

Though the changes were subtle, she seemed like a completely different person. Hyeon Gong, a bit flustered, stammered, “You look… different.”

“Since we’re resting today, I dressed up!”

Though her phrasing was odd, her meaning was clear. With plans to stay in Wuchang for a while, she seemed to have taken the opportunity to refresh herself.

Perhaps wanting to show off her rare, dolled-up appearance, Seolhwa wandered around the inn before heading outside. No one worried about her. Apart from Tang Mujin’s group, Seolhwa was among the top of her peers in skill. She could easily place in the tournament if she entered. Without such confidence, she wouldn’t have ventured so far from home.

While the others resumed teasing Hong Geolge, Tang Mujin was different. He had found a clue to a solution from Seolhwa.

After pondering for a while, Tang Mujin spoke up. “If you’re embarrassed, why not hide your face?”

Seolhwa’s recent exit and Tang Mujin’s comment hinted at his thoughts. Hong Geolge, who had been quietly enduring the teasing, suddenly turned serious.

“Are you suggesting I wear makeup? That’s ridiculous. No way.”

“No, who said anything about makeup? I have another idea.”

“What is it?”

Tang Mujin tapped the table with his fingers, recalling something. “Hong Geolge, do you know about Bell’s palsy?”

“Of course I do.”

Hong Geolge knew about Bell’s palsy not because he spent time at the Tang family estate, but because he was familiar with it even before meeting Tang Mujin.

Occasionally, when someone collapses and then regains consciousness, their eyes and mouth might become twisted to one side. They lose control over their facial movements. This condition is known as facial palsy.

Tang Mujin continued his explanation.

“Facial palsy is when you can’t control the muscles in your face, causing a significant change in appearance. As you’ve seen, people with this condition can look so different that even their family might not recognize them at first.”

Listening nearby, Physician Yang and Physician Yeom caught on to Tang Mujin’s intention.

“Are you suggesting we deliberately manipulate the muscles to alter Hong Daehyup’s face, just like how facial palsy changes one’s appearance?”

“Exactly. If people can’t recognize Hong Golgae, then our problem is more or less solved.”

“Interesting…”

“What do you think? Is it possible?”

Physicians Yang and Yeom fell into deep thought. After a moment, they gave the answer Tang Mujin was hoping for.

“If we can precisely control the facial muscles with internal energy, it should be possible.”

The three skilled physicians were in agreement.

This idea was quite appealing to Hong Golgae as well. Entering the martial arts tournament openly would be disgraceful, but if he could participate without revealing his identity, it promised to be an intriguing experience—one he had secretly anticipated.

Tang Mujin asked, “How much time do we have before the tournament registration closes?”

“Three days… No, they said registration ends at sunset the day after tomorrow, so we have about two and a half days.”

Could they invent a technique to change someone’s face in just two and a half days?

For an ordinary martial artist, even two and a half years might not be enough to achieve such a feat.

However, the current team was exceptionally well-suited for the task.

With two of the Six Masters, the world’s best physician, and three other excellent doctors, along with a skilled martial artist from the Northern Wulin and a Taoist, they had gathered the top experts in both martial arts and medicine.

It was no exaggeration to say they were perfectly equipped to tackle this unnamed technique.

Tang Mujin nodded. “There’s a chance.”

Yet, Hong Golgae couldn’t shake off his anxiety. “What if we fail?”

Tang Mujin smirked slyly. “Then you’ll go down in history as the first of the Six Masters to participate in a martial arts tournament.”

Two days later, as evening approached and the tournament registration was about to close, a crowd of latecomers rushed in, hoping to join.

There were hardly any amateurs among them. Those types usually flocked in as soon as registration opened.

Instead, these were contenders aiming for the top spots—those who had carefully assessed their chances of placing or, at the very least, were confident they wouldn’t disgrace their family or sect.

Participants eyed each other warily, sizing up the competition.

“That’s Joo Ilseop, the Swift Sword from Cheongdo. And the one lining up now looks like Jegal Seop from Bokryongsan. I can probably handle them.”

“That short-haired woman has an unusual outfit… Could she be from the Emei Sect? Luckily, many sects aren’t participating due to the ongoing war, so if I get a good draw, I might place.”

Then, a young man appeared, causing the crowd to part.

He wore a hero’s headband and a gray martial arts uniform. Yet, no one in the crowd failed to recognize him.

It was Namgung Hyun, one of the most promising talents from the Namgung family.

However, the crowd wasn’t overly surprised. To them, Namgung Hyun was like a force of nature.

If an overwhelming champion appeared, they could simply compete for second place.

People stepped aside, thinking similarly as they avoided Namgung Hyun.

“Hopefully, the draw works in my favor. If Namgung Hyun takes out the other strong contenders, I might end up in a high position by default…”

Namgung Hyun confidently placed his name plaque on the table and left.

The seven characters [Namgung Family Namgung Hyun] seemed to radiate an imposing presence.

Following Namgung Hyun, a Beggar Sect member approached quietly, almost unnoticed. He had only two knots on his belt.

His face was tense with nerves as he placed a small name plaque on the table.

[Hong Gyeon from Jueul Village, Beggar Sect]

Unlike Namgung Hyun’s plaque, no one paid attention to the Beggar Sect member’s plaque.

He appeared with a faint presence and disappeared just as quietly.