Chapter 114 – Back to Hahoe

After finishing up my business at Mosan, I came down and saw a woman I didn’t recognize pretending to know me.

“Ah-ha! As I expected, you were here, right? I didn’t expect it to take this long, though.”

Her brown hair was tied back in two braids, and she was short, with a body-hugging dress that went down to my chest. Her features were youthful, but her sharp, cat-like eyes gave her a fierce look.

She was not just pretty, but unforgettable.

…But I had never seen her before today.

I wondered if she was a friend of someone else’s, so I looked at Hong Yeon-hwa, who was looking at me with the same expression.

So, does Pung So-so know her?

When our eyes met, Pung So-so pointed at herself as if to say she didn’t know the woman either.

“I’m sorry, soldier? I think you might have mistaken me for someone else.”

“Mistaken?”

The girl tilted her head with a sassy attitude and pointed her finger at me.

“Samjae Geomryong. That’s you, right?”

“Uh…yes.”

“And this is Maeng Yeon-dobong.”

“Yes? Yes, but…who are you?”

“I’ll tell you later. Lastly, this is… “

As she tried to move her hand, she flinched for a moment, then straightened her fingers and pointed at Hong Yeon-hwa with a polite gesture.

“Cheonma-nim.”

“Uh-huh. That’s right.”

Hong Yeon-hwa nodded in agreement, and the girl looked back at me as if to say, “See? You found us easily. I don’t make mistakes like that.”

“Well, I understand that you came to find us. However, I have no idea who you are, soldier. Could you tell me your name?”

Hong Yeon-hwa showed an exceptionable amount of respect, but the girl’s high-handed attitude was still present, even though she knew who Pung So-so and I were.

Maybe she’s a person of high status, equal to or greater than Odaese-ga.

The girl seemed to realize something when I asked my question.

“Well, I suppose that’s possible. After all, not everyone here has been on the martial arts path for very long.”

The girl put her hand on her hip and the other on her chest, striking a proud pose.

“Remember me well. I am…”

Just as the girl was about to say her name, a powerful force was felt from inside the village.

Could it be an attack?

Reflexively, I reached out and grabbed the hilt of my sword. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was definitely stronger than me. It was probably a highly skilled martial artist.

“….!”

I felt a bit late to react, but Pung So-so also reached out behind her, only to be stopped by Hong Yeon-hwa.

“Calm down. I don’t sense any enemies.”

“Oh, okay.”

Hong Yeon-hwa was right. The force was strong, but not sharp or directed towards us. It was aiming for…

As Pung So-so and I looked at the girl instead of holding our weapons, she took a step back in surprise.

“What, what is it? I was just trying to introduce myself! But why the sudden sword…ah!”

The girl finally realized our approach and turned around in a hurry.

Snap!

“Ow!”

She was hit on the back of the neck by a woman who suddenly appeared.

Snap! Snap!

“Ouch! It hurts! Ow!”

It didn’t end with just one hit.

***

The woman who grabbed the girl like a vise bowed her head repeatedly in apology.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Our child is sorry!”

“Huh? Oh, no, there’s no need to apologize that much.”

Although her tone was a bit unpleasant, there was nothing else to it. In fact, I was more surprised than annoyed.

After Hong Yeon-hwa and Pung So-so said they were okay, the woman breathed a sigh of relief and wiped her chest. Only then could I see her properly.

She had her hair tied back in one bundle and, except for her eyes, which were tightly closed, she looked very similar to the girl.

I wondered how she could move with her eyes closed, but she must have some way since she was a top-notch martial artist.

She had been emitting a powerful force since earlier, maybe extending her inner energy to sense her surroundings.

Anyway, if the girl grows up like this, she’ll probably feel like this all the time.

She called her “our child,” so maybe they’re sisters.

As the girl seemed to have recovered from the pain, she pouted and muttered.

“Sigh. You could have just said it with words, why hit me like that!”

“Are you still lacking?”

But at the woman’s words, she flinched and lowered her head towards us.

“I’m…I’m Samma Yeoryeong. I’m sorry for earlier.”

“What is this…”

As her attitude suddenly changed and she used an odd honorific, I was bewildered.

But before I could say anything, Pung So-so’s eyes widened as soon as she heard Samma Yeoryeong’s name.

“What? Samma Yeoryeong? Could it be the Samma Yeoryeong of Sahwa?”

“Yes…that’s me. I’m Samma Yeoryeong.”

“What? Who is she…”

“I’ve heard of Samma Segaga, the prestigious martial artist of Sahwa, but I don’t know the details.”

“I don’t know anything about her.”

Hong Yeon-hwa and Pung So-so both looked at me, and Pung So-so nodded her head.

“Well, Hong Unni has a point. Let’s see…you do know that Yongbongjihoe is a martial arts event, right?”

“Of course I know. It’s a martial arts event held by the Muhlim League.”

“There’s also a post-tournament martial arts competition called Heukcheonje in Sahwa. And the person who won the youngest ever at last year’s Heukcheonje was Sahwa.”

“Really?”

I was interested in the winner, so I took a quick glance at Samma Yeoryeong’s martial arts skills.

Although I was recording it quite carefully, my heightened senses from opening the Upper Realm made it impossible to deceive me.

It was roughly at the peak level.

Unless there was some kind of cheat code like Namgung Cheon, whom I met at Yongbongjihoe, she was good enough to aim for the championship.

As I understood this, I had one question.

Samma Segaga is undoubtedly a great family, but in terms of power, they are not enough to overwhelm the Pung family.

Especially in Kangsosung, which is the territory of the martial arts faction.

Of course, her martial arts skills are quite impressive…but not overwhelming.

Especially since we have Hong Yeon-hwa, who is like a cheat code, and they seem to know that too.

What did she believe in to come out so aggressively at first?

As I thought about this, I realized I was staring at her. Samma Yeoryeong noticed my gaze and raised her eyebrows slightly.

“What are you looking at?”

“…What’s with the weird honorifics? If you’re going to do that, just speak comfortably. I’ll do the same. By the way, youngest ever? You’re younger than me?”

“Huh?”

Samma Yeoryeong frowned for a moment, then suddenly realized something and smirked.

“Oh? I get it now. You’re just a loser who ranked fifth at Yongbongjihoe trying to beat me with your age?”

“What? No, I was just asking.”

How twisted does someone have to be to come up with that kind of idea?

I was dumbfounded, but Samma Yeoryeong continued to mock me in a sarcastic tone.

“But what can you do? I’m also twenty years old. We’re the same age, but I won first place and you got fifth place, you loser!”

“Loser…?”

“Why? Do you want to hear more? Loser, loser!”

Damn it! Are you really that good at fighting?!

Just as I was about to suggest we have a match, a woman suddenly hit Samma Yeoryeong’s back.

Snap!

“Kyaa!”

The woman hit her hard enough to make a loud sound.

“Yeoryeong! Can’t you control yourself? Can’t you understand if I say it nicely?”

“Ugh…”

In the end, Samma Yeoryeong just bowed her head and didn’t say anything.

Sighing deeply, I turned to the woman who seemed to be Samma Yeoryeong’s older sister.

“Well, never mind. Anyway, I understand that you came from Samma Segaga. But why did you come all the way to Kangsosung, which is far from your prestigious family in Gwangdongseong?”

“I’m curious about that too. It seems like they came looking for me and my companions.”

“Well…”

The woman hesitated for a moment before speaking politely.

“I am Samma Mang, the head of the Samma Segaga family. First of all, I apologize for my daughter’s rudeness.”

Samma Mang? How can someone’s name be Samma Mang?

“Wait a minute. Daughter? Not younger sister?”

“Oh? You have a way with words that pleases women, Pung So-so. That’s why my husband and I are both leading her.”

Samma Mang chuckled with her hand covering her mouth.

Pung So-so pinched my arm, but then asked, “Have you heard of Samma Segaga before?”

“I’ve only heard a little bit about it, so I don’t know much.”

My knowledge of the Samma family was based on stories I heard from my master. Other than that, it was just rumors.

Even if I tried to learn more about the prestigious family in Sampha, which was far away, how much could I really know?

Pung So-so pinched my arm again and said, “She’s the head of the Samma Segaga family, Samma Mang, also known as the Brain and Soul Witch.”

“The Brain and Soul Witch…”

It sounds like a very strong and wicked nickname. But the Samma Mang I saw was the opposite image.

Was it because she had her eyes closed? Or was it because of her slightly raised mouth? She gave off a very soft impression overall.

Of course, judging by Samma Yeoryeong’s sharp eyes, Samma Mang’s atmosphere might change if she opened her eyes.

Samma Mang heard my mumbled voice and wiped her eyes before smiling softly.

“Hehe…it’s just an old nickname. It’s too much for me now.”

Was it really because of her eyes?

She was still looking in my direction, but the angle was slightly off. Even a top-notch expert who could substitute their sense of sight with their intuition would be weakened if they couldn’t see ahead.

Did she feel my gaze? Samma Mang cleared her throat and spoke again.

“Ahem. Anyway, to get back to the point…my daughter and I came all the way here from Gwangdongseong to ask for help from you three, or more precisely, from the Heavenly Demon.”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been debating whether to give Samma Yeoryeong a good beating, was startled and turned her head.

“Huh? Did you say something, my lady?”