Chapter 279 – Hong Yeon-hwa’s World (3)

As we climbed over a hill, we could see a city in the distance.

Fortunately, it seemed like a proper city where people lived, not a ghost town. We could see a few people walking around.

“Finally… let’s go quickly!” Hong Yeon-hwa urged us with an excited voice.

***

It was a city we arrived at with hopeful steps, but it was just as different from what I had imagined.

Although this place was large enough to be called a city, there were too few people.

To tell the truth, the population was similar to that of my hometown, which was just a simple rural village.

It was so deserted compared to the city area that the thought crossed my mind.

“Yeon-hwa unni… here…”

Samayeo-ryeong cautiously asked Hong Yeon-hwa what was going on, feeling the same sense of alienation as me.

“Wow…!”

Hong Yeon-hwa looked around in awe with an overwhelmed voice.

“It’s amazing! Everyone is living so energetically!”

“Energetically…?”

“That’s right! In the past, there were far fewer people walking around, and even they looked like dead fish working hard!”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

The other members of our group were speechless at Hong Yeon-hwa’s cheerful response.

What kind of world was Hong Yeon-hwa living in…

As everyone looked at her with bored expressions, Hong Yeon-hwa tilted her head in confusion.

“Hmm? Oh, those who are considered ‘useful’ because they are pretty or handsome or whatever are inside, listening to the demands of the people.”

No, that’s not what we were curious about.

When we wordlessly stroked Hong Yeon-hwa’s head, she tilted her head again as if asking why, but soon shook it off and smiled.

“Then, shall we go and find out where we are and how long it’s been? If what Hong-unni said is true, the demons must be ruling the central plains, so we might be able to contact them right away.”

“Oh, right! I forgot for a moment because I was so happy. Let’s see… where should we go?”

The people around us had been wary of outsiders since we entered, and some of them were staring at us. We were wondering who to talk to when suddenly one person started walking towards us.

“Hey, you!”

Although he was thin, the middle-aged man had muscles bulging in his arms and legs.

He looked at us with a sharp gaze.

“You said you’re from the demons?”

“Yes? Yes… is there a problem?”

When Paeng So-so replied in confusion, the man clicked his tongue as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Huh, I knew it! I suspected it when I saw your behavior… you guys are the lackeys of the Murim who will be drowned in that shit water!”

“Uh?”

“Who are these guys dressed up like colorful monks in their robes, calling us ‘ma-gyo’ instead of ‘shi-gyo’? Don’t mess with me, you bastards!”

“No… it’s not like that! It was just a simple slip of the tongue!”

Paeng So-so desperately shook her head, denying the accusations.

Well, she did mix up the terms ‘shi-gyo’ and ‘ma-gyo’ since she usually only heard about them in stories. Hong Yeon-hwa didn’t seem to care much either.

Of course, the man didn’t believe Paeng So-so and continued to berate us.

“Judging by your complexion, you’ve been hiding and living well until now, and now you’ve come to suck the blood of people like me! But your luck has run out! The warriors of the shi-gyo will soon come and take you away!”

“It’s really not like that!”

Paeng So-so sent a desperate look to Hong Yeon-hwa, but it didn’t seem to reach her.

“Huh… a commoner who hasn’t even learned a single martial art technique can raise their voice like this to So-so, who is clearly a warrior… how pitiful!”

It seemed like Hong Yeon-hwa was moved by a strange part of the man’s speech, but it didn’t seem to reach her.

Anyway, it wasn’t just because we were outsiders that they were so guarded. It was because they suspected us of being Murim gang members.

Well, we were wearing the same clothes we usually wore, so it was understandable.

Anyway, we couldn’t just stand by and watch, so I stepped forward to mediate, but it seemed like I was a little too late.

“It’s already too late, you guys! Look! The warriors of the shi-gyo are already here!”

The man pointed behind us as if to say ‘look here’. When we turned our gaze along his outstretched finger, we saw six or seven warriors standing there.

They were all wearing robes with a black base and white trim, just like Hong Yeon-hwa’s clothes.

It was a unified outfit that could tell they were all part of the same group.

No wonder they recognized us as outsiders right away.

Actually, we knew they were coming even before the man shouted, because there was no enemy and the strongest person was only a low-level warrior.

But that was it.

As we confirmed their appearance, they raised their spirits and surrounded us.

The man who had been shooting at us just a moment ago began to bow his head like a meek lamb.

“Oh my! The warriors have arrived. These guys are the suspicious ones. They even called the shi-gyo ‘ma-gyo’, so this is certain.”

The sudden change left me dumbfounded, and I let out a hollow laugh. However, the woman who seemed to be the commander-in-chief of the group that had just greeted us with a bow had a serious expression on her face.

“…I understand. Everyone, step back! And request assistance from another branch of our religion!”

“What? But you guys are…”

“They are much stronger than us. Hurry!”

“What? Is it really that serious?”

Perhaps because she was trying to hide her momentum, the woman who seemed to be the commander-in-chief realized our presence a little late and shouted urgently.

As if making a life-or-death decision, she was prepared for the worst.

The man who had been confident until now opened his eyes wide as if he had seen a ghost.

Anyway, the conversation progressed quickly in just a short time.

Paeng So-so still shook her empty hands and insisted that it was a misunderstanding, but it seemed like they had no intention of listening to her.

They had been ignoring us since earlier, after all.

Sigh… there was nothing we could do.

I drew my sword with the intention of subduing them first and then talking.

“Just wait a moment.”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who had finally come out of her trance, stepped forward.

“Oh, it’s been a while, Heukgeom-daeju.”

“Hea…venly Lady?”

The woman…no, the Heukgeom-daeju, mumbled in a dazed voice, recognizing Hong Yeon-hwa.

As if to reassure her, Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head with a solemn expression.

“That’s right. Your Heavenly Lord has returned.”

A moment of silence. And then…

Thud.

The Heukgeom-daeju, who had dropped her weapon, prostrated herself before Hong Yeon-hwa.

“Hea…venly Lord has returned! Ten thousand demons bow down! We welcome your return, Heavenly Lord!”

“Welcome your return, Heavenly Lord!”

The voices of other warriors around us echoed loudly.

Yeah. Hong Yeon-hwa was indeed the Heavenly Lord.

It was the first time I had felt it so real, other than when we fought with all our might.

“What? Heavenly Lord…? What did I just do…?”

Well, it seemed like there was at least one person who was so surprised that they were stunned.

The complexion of the man who had fallen to the ground turned pale.

“Yes, someone had to stall for time…”

After a few more words of flattery, Hong Yeon-hwa sent the deeply moved man away.

I felt a bit uncomfortable with her leader-like demeanor, even though it was impressive.

I wasn’t the only one who thought that way. The rest of our group looked at Hong Yeon-hwa with uncertain expressions.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Hong Yeon-hwa shrugged her shoulders as soon as the man left, trying to act casual.

Now she seemed more like her usual self.

She looked around with a smirk.

The room was plain and simple, with no special decorations. It was said to be the best room in the Cheonma religion’s branch building in this city.

The Heukgeom-daeju, who had been standing still in a meditative pose, finally spoke up in a hesitant voice.

“It didn’t start out like this. The famine has been going on for years, and we had to sell off the decorations here one by one to import grain from the south…”

“Heh…and you bought them with the religion’s money.”

“To be precise, it’s not the religion’s money. It’s the accumulated wealth of the residents here that the Muryeommaeng gang squeezed out. It belonged to the people here from the beginning.”

The Heukgeom-daeju answered calmly.

But I knew it wasn’t an easy thing to do. When you borrow money, even if it’s someone else’s, you feel like it’s your own when you have to pay it back.

It’s a big deal to be able to give up something that’s already in your possession.

As I nodded my head, Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been watching our awkward conversation, spoke up with a sudden realization.

“Oh, by the way, you guys probably don’t know who each other are. Let me introduce you. This is Cheon Yawol, the Heukgeom-daeju who leads my direct swordsmen.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“And this is my husband, Jin So-chan. He has a nickname, but you probably don’t know it.”

“Hus…band?”

The Heukgeom-daeju was surprised, but quickly kneeled down and lowered her head.

“I greet the husband of the Cheonma Lord.”

“My name is Jin So-chan. Please don’t be so formal.”

“As you wish.”

It wasn’t a command, but…

As I watched the suddenly obedient Heukgeom-daeju, Hong Yeon-hwa continued to introduce the others.

“These are women who have the same husband. They’re concubines…but they’re like younger sisters to me, so you’ll understand.”

“What? You have other women when you have the Cheonma Lord…?”

The Heukgeom-daeju’s expression turned vulgar.

What a change in attitude.