Chapter 67: Kaifeng Rogues' Guild
Jayeong and I headed toward where the shouts were heard.
"Look there. rchants are slamd on the ground."
"Right. Seems like that group's doing."
Several rchants rolled on the ground, with one fruit vendor surrounded by so group before his stall.
Just recently Luoyang's appearance.
Thought Kaifeng would be different?
The group's shouts were heard.
"Didn't I say to prepare top-quality waterlon!"
"Madam Jeong wants it!"
The group seed to be servants of soone called Madam Jeong.
Murmuring sounds from surroundings were heard.
"No, what waterlon in this season?"
"All a sche. A sche."
Sche? What sche?
"Making impossible demands like that, then later using it as pretext to beat down prices."
"Damn. Great houses are worse."
"Anyway, if only it weren't Madam Jeong's household, could do business with peace of mind."
Fortunately, different from Luoyang.
Kaifeng market street's trouble was one person—Madam Jeong.
The fruit vendor waved hands protesting.
"Even importing from south of Yangtze River, top quality is difficult. Would spoil on the way—how to prepare top quality?"
"That's what makes you a rchant!"
Kkumteul—it was Jayeong.
I felt it. This is right before explosion.
A heroine who spent days protecting common people as Rogues' Guild mber—her steel abacus was about to fly.
"Wait. Jayeong, wait."
"Eh? Why?"
"They're not even martial artists. Can't hit them."
"No. Just hit appropriately."
"Umm."
Following logic, that's so—but doesn't seem like she'll stop at appropriate hitting.
The feeling of body itching unable to endure.
Left like this, might cause big accident.
"First let's curse. Isn't tongue faster than fist?"
"Good. Then..."
"But."
"?"
"That cursing, can I try once?"
"What? You can curse?"
Can't.
New life has new learning—opportunity to refine cursing.
At Master Dongpae's estate, got scolded for unnecessarily cursing parents.
Will make up for that.
"If it seems strange, please guide and correct."
"Umm. You cursing?"
Leaving still-doubting Jayeong behind, I stepped forward.
"Stop!"
"?"
Madam Jeong's subordinates looked my way.
"You say there's no waterlon. The season is old pumpkin, so tell her to eat that!"
Waterlon and pumpkin—hard outside, soft inside. Aren't they similar?
Looking at Jayeong, she pursed lips in circle raising thumb.
Mm, good start.
I recalled several next curses choosing one among them.
"What on earth is Madam Jeong's mouth? Top-quality waterlon in this season—saying nonsensical things, trying to eat nonsensical things, so not a mouth but anus, isn't it?"
Then looking at Jayeong again—
"Ey, that's..."
She was frowning.
"This also isn't it?"
"Isn't it bit vulgar for you? Words are too long too."
"Didn't cursing need to be vulgar?"
"Also differs depending on who does it."
Ah—curses one can use differ by user?
"Whew, cursing's world is too difficult. Will strive, strive more."
"No need to strive that far..."
However, contrary to Jayeong's reaction, the vulgar curse's effect was trendous.
"A-anus? Did he just say anus to Madam Jeong?"
"There's such a crazy bastard!"
"Where's Samcheomdao? Show that fellow a lesson!"
The group intimidating the fruit vendor all turned toward .
Seeing Mukheun at my waist, they searched for soone called Samcheomdao.
Right—swords are easier for than cursing too.
"Where's Samcheomdao? Co out quickly showing a lesson!"
"?"
The gruff fellow walking out confidently looked at strangely.
"Show you a lesson?"
"That's better."
"What the hell are you saying?"
Then Jayeong shot from beside—tok.
"What does it matter what he's saying? Between martial artists, do words matter?"
Thanks for helping, wife.
The gruff fellow had a three-pointed blade with long handle on his back—seems alias followed weapon.
He scanned us couple.
"From outside?"
"Why ask?"
"Do you know whose mouth you spoke about? Madam Jeong. She firmly controls Kaifeng's comrcial world."
Many nad Jeong, yet saying Madam Jeong, everyone seems to know.
Firmly controlling Kaifeng's comrcial world—makes think she's soone Golden Cloud Trading should contact.
Ey, doesn't matter—Captain Zhu Hochong wouldn't work with owners of such people anyway.
We drove out such fellows in Luoyang.
"Right, outsider. So doesn't matter to ."
"Really? Then shall I hear your esteed great na?"
"Called Ink Sword Hero Jin Yeomyeong. Yours?"
"Ink Sword Hero? From Luoyang?"
"Right."
Samcheomdao didn't introduce himself, suddenly narrowing eyes staring at intently.
What's this act?
"Hmm. So you're that fellow?"
That fellow?
"Heard false fa transmitted from Luoyang."
False fa?
"Can't believe at all. Smashing ten-plus Black Path sects in fifteen days, rooting out Demonic Cult hidden in Alliance—how much exaggeration to transmit such rumors?"
Then pointing finger at :
"Think Kaifeng martial artists will fall for such empty rumors? Ca crawling here after making so na in dying Luoyang?"
"Ah?"
He was now comparing Luoyang and Kaifeng speaking.
Could this be... that thing I never experienced before regression?
Holding expectations, I waited for next words.
"Return to Luoyang!"
"Ooooh!"
Before regression, belonging to Alliance and active, so never directly experienced it—but appeared frequently in other martial artists' stories!
"Local hostility!"
This ti Jayeong looked at strangely.
"What?"
"Local hostility! Regional hostility! Regional martial artists firmly maintaining relationships excluding martial artists from outside—that hostility!"
"That's not it—why are you happy about that?"
"I'm happy. New life has new experiences! Once is fine, isn't it?"
"So? Since it's new experience, how is it?"
"Experiencing directly, indeed trashy and petty."
"Eee... I told you lately strange."
Even when coming to Luoyang—Alliance sent , and I lost duels beforehand bowing entering, so no big hostility.
"What! Trashy and petty?!"
"Exactly that. Very grateful, Samcheomdao."
"Hostility?! As Kaifeng martial artist, I'm just filtering out outside trash!"
"We decided to call that hostility."
"Kwaak! This bastard from earlier! Only spouting strange words!"
Samcheomdao rushed in—his imposing skill was—
"So-so?"
Or did I get too strong too fast?
Every single punch he threw was too slow—footwork too.
I didn't drag ti—the mont his slow fist approached again:
Ppeobeobeobeobeobeok—total six punch strikes exploded at head, shoulders, waist, ear, nose, ear.
Samcheomdao staggered dazed from ear strikes then lay on ground as is.
"U-ugh? What just now...?"
Unable to grasp what happened, he painfully raised head.
"I admit my words are strange. There are circumstances."
"?"
"But your action doing Madam Jeong's cleanup as martial artist is fine?"
"!"
Samcheomdao tried protesting but—ppaak—Jayeong struck down with steel abacus burying his head in ground again.
"Uh... Wife, I hit softly. Put rcy in my hands."
"I also hit softly?"
Didn't sothing shattering sound occur? Here limbs are twitching now.
Feeling my gaze, Jayeong stuck out tongue smiling.
"This person is martial artist, right? Don't need to hit appropriately."
"Your words are right but..."
"And!"
"?"
"To hostility, greet like this."
"Ah, really?"
Learn, learn—new life has new learning.
Stored well the knowledge Jayeong taught.
"U-uwah!"
"Samcheomdao Jeon Jayang got one-sidedly beaten!"
"Ru-run!"
Madam Jeong's subordinates started fleeing hurriedly—since not martial artists, didn't particularly chase.
"Uwaa!"
"Amazing! Samcheomdao in just few moves!"
"What's that person's alias and na?"
"Ink Sword Hero from Luoyang!"
rchants gathered around us two.
"Um, Hero Couple! At least take these fruits!"
Plums suddenly entered from beside.
"Take these too!"
Pancakes and dumplings also entered.
"These clothes, wouldn't they suit the Hero Couple?"
Huh? Even clothes coming in.
"Our bookstore has baby books. Look and take anything you like freely."
Oh, baby books?
First decline everything else.
"We're traveling, so we can't take things. Will only visit the bookstore, so other folks please keep them."
Then asked just in case:
"Didn't we cause trouble making things big needlessly?"
"No. Whether you intervene or not, nothing changes. Rather, feels refreshing!"
Fortunate.
After waving hands at clinging rchants, we headed to bookstore.
"This way. Please enter."
Ears hurt from rchants' cheers—but everyone stepped back entering bookstore.
"Whew. Beca quiet."
Ancient books were tightly stuck in lined bookshelves—fragrance from books cald even the heart.
"Baby books. What's that?"
Jayeong imdiately showed interest in baby books the bookstore owner ntioned.
"This is it. Look."
Opening the booklet he offered showed black-white patterns of stars, squares, circles regularly arranged.
"Called focus book."
Newborns gradually develop eyesight—looking at these patterns helps developnt while focusing and is also fun.
"Let's get this. How much?"
"Ayu. It's fine. So exhilarating seeing you beat Jeon Jayang earlier, hehehe."
The aged owner smiled warmly wrinkling his face fully.
We also responded to his smile with smiles.
"..."
All three erased smiles.
There are people whose impression greatly differs when smiling versus not—the owner was so.
Thick deep wrinkles seed like scars obtained breaking through years.
Deeply shining two eyes seed like war veterans surveying battlefields.
Jayeong opened mouth first.
"You're Kaifeng Branch Leader."
Right—this elder was precisely Rogues' Guild's Kaifeng Branch Leader.
"Right. Called Kaifeng Branch Leader Han Sanha."
He looked at steel abacus in Jayeong's hand and Mukheun at my waist.
"Iron Bead, the Guild Leader's sister? This side is husband."
"Yeom Jayeong."
"Ink Sword Hero Jin Yeomyeong."
We clasped hands greeting.
"Did you know from the start I'm Branch Leader?"
"Though you didn't ntion baby existing, you told us to buy baby books. You gave signal, so couldn't not know."
"As expected, Iron Bead."
"Heard you refused support from Guild mbers outside Kaifeng. But I'm the Guild Leader's younger sister. You can trust , right?"
"Of course."
I left conversation to Jayeong examining Branch Leader.
Han Sanha—thought he'd be younger.
Though only I know now—this elder, before regression, was the Rogues' Guild Leader after Jayeong's brother died.
"Brother's news?"
From him flowed stories about Rogues' Guild Leader's disappearance.
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