Chapter 89
“Thank you, hero, truly, thank you!”
“Ha-ha, it was nothing…”
Countless women were expressing their gratitude to me. They must have suffered terribly, because their once-delicate faces were in quite a state.
Even as I waved my hand dismissively, I heightened my perception and searched my surroundings. Fortunately, I could no longer sense any other presence. Still, just in case, I helped the women safely make their way outside.
Once we stepped outside, I could see a half-collapsed building and a signboard barely hanging in place, as though it might fall at any moment.
Green Snake Sect.
Yes, all these women were people who had been kidnapped by the Green Snake Sect.
And the one who had rescued them was me.
Flower-Glutton, Dan Yeonjeong.
That was my other identity.
‘So many things have happened during that time…’
It had already been ten years since I parted ways with Young Lady. I had gone through all sorts of things.
By sheer accident, I became the leader of the Gwangjin Cult, followed Sahyeon and the others, stayed at the Gwangjin Cult’s hideout, and even honed my Hoemuseonggwanggyeong there.
And throughout all of that, I continued searching for Young Lady.
At first, I could only listen to the news brought back by the cultists. At the time, I was still spending most of my time learning martial arts, and I wasn’t strong enough to venture outside.
But that information wasn’t particularly useful. No, it was all fruitless. From the beginning, there weren’t many reports about girls who looked like Young Lady, and even when something did come in, most of it turned out to be false rumors or someone else entirely.
Eventually, I felt that simply receiving information wasn’t enough. So as soon as I was old enough, I personally ventured into the martial world.
I went to so many places.
Just as Aso had told me to, I traveled around to see scenic places and bought plenty of delicious food to eat.
‘I didn’t get to wear pretty clothes very often, though.’
To be honest, I did try them on a few times out of curiosity. But they were more uncomfortable than I expected, and since I was wandering the martial world, dressing like a wandering martial artist was much more practical, so I quickly took them off.
I went everywhere and met all kinds of people, but… I couldn’t find Young Lady.
Young Lady was nowhere.
It was almost bizarre how there wasn’t even a clue, as if Young Lady had simply vanished into thin air. At the same time, I gradually became more and more impatient.
At first, I searched leisurely, taking my time. But at some point, whenever I heard even a rumor that ‘there’s a pretty woman here,’ my eyes would light up, and I’d rush over.
I didn’t even care whether that ‘pretty woman’ was unmarried or married. I simply wanted to see the pretty woman’s face by whatever means necessary, and I couldn’t rest until I personally confirmed whether she was Young Lady or not.
Maybe it was because I caused such a huge commotion everywhere I went?
Before I knew it, I had acquired a rather… no, quite… outrageous nickname.
Flower-Glutton. A bird that covets flowers (women).
In other words, a yeomisae (a guy who’s crazy about women).
‘Damn it.’
How did a woman like me end up becoming a guy who’s crazy about women?
But I couldn’t help it. Even I had to admit that I really did go around looking only for pretty women like some lunatic…
‘I should’ve stopped obsessing over faces so much.’
No, but honestly, isn’t it only natural? If Young Lady is beautiful, what’s wrong with me looking for beautiful women?
…What if our Young Lady’s looks changed for the worse as she grew up?
Would I have to search through every single woman now? Would I truly become a yeomisae?
“Uncle.”
I had unconsciously been rubbing my forehead when a clear, ringing voice came from directly in front of me. I lowered my hand and looked down.
A little girl who looked about eight years old was staring up at me with bright, sparkling eyes.
‘These crazy bastards.’
I knew they’d dragged away every remotely pretty woman they could find, but did they really even drag a child this young here?
I should’ve made them suffer more before sending them off.
I ground my teeth inwardly, but forced myself to smile as kindly as possible and asked,
“Why?”
“Uncle, you really don’t want anything from us? I heard Uncle really, really likes pretty women.”
‘I’m not an uncle. I’m an aunt.’
“Those bad uncles were like that too. At first, they treated us nicely, but then they suddenly dragged us away. And then they yelled at my mom to serve them against her will…”
‘Mom? Did her mother get brought here too?’
Just as I was startled, I heard someone shouting from a distance.
“Yua!”
A beautiful woman who still looked to be only in her twenties was running toward us. She hurriedly pulled the child into her arms, then scolded her in a stern voice.
“What kind of way is that to speak to the person who saved us? Apologize right now!”
“B-but what if that uncle becomes strange too!”
“……”
“Like the man next door! What if, what if he suddenly comes looking for Mom? If he hits Mom and says he’ll make sure she pays him back for everything he did for us, and that he won’t let her off otherwise… Waaaah!”
The child suddenly burst into tears. She must have recalled some unpleasant memories from the past. Seeing the child cry, the woman also began tearing up. But she desperately held back her tears, hid the child behind her, and bowed her head to me.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. My child is still young and doesn’t know how to watch her words. If you would please show mercy and forgive her just this once…”
“No, it’s really nothing…”
I awkwardly scratched my head.
Perhaps because of my nickname, I occasionally received misunderstandings like this. People assumed that I approached women with ulterior motives and intended to demand an appropriate price from them later.
So far, I’d always managed to clear things up with words. If necessary, I could simply loosen my clothes a little and show my chest.
Even though those who confirmed that I was a woman would go around saying, ‘Flower-Glutton is a woman,’ nobody believed them because of my reputation for being obsessed with women…
‘How am I supposed to explain this?’
It felt a little inappropriate to suddenly bare my chest in front of a child, so I pondered for a moment.
Then I suddenly said,
“Kid, it’s true that Uncle likes pretty women.”
“…I knew it!”
“But Uncle doesn’t treat pretty women carelessly like those bas–those bad uncles did. Because the feelings Uncle has for them are sincere.”
“Huh?”
The child tilted her head.
“That’s what truly liking someone means. Wanting to cherish and treasure that person. Wanting them not to suffer, wanting to treat them well so they can be happy.”
“Hmm?”
“Now, think about it. Do you like your mom or not?”
“I like her!”
“Then do you want to treat Mom well, or do you not want to treat her well?”
“I want to treat her well!”
“That’s what I mean.”
Only then did the child nod. I smiled brightly and continued.
“So if there’s someone who says they like you but treats you carelessly, kick them away. Because that person doesn’t really like you. Understand?”
“Yes!”
“And there’s only one thing Uncle wants. For you and your mother to safely return home and live happily. Seeing pretty women living happily is what makes me happy. And it’d be even better if you thought of Uncle from time to time.”
“I will!”
“Good.”
I looked back at the woman and said,
“Now go. You should get home before sunset. You made sure to keep the money I gave you, right? If some other guy bothers you, feel free to use my name too.”
“Ah…”
The woman blushed at my words. She nodded and whispered softly,
“Thank you so much.”
“It’s nothing.”
Soon, the child and the woman held hands and left.
The child’s face had become much brighter as she walked along, chatting happily with her mother. I couldn’t help but keep watching the backs of the close mother and daughter.
Then, suddenly, the child turned around and looked at me. For whatever reason, she shouted loudly,
“Uncle! Your face is kind of weird, but you’re a good person, so you’ll get a pretty bride!”
“Yua!”
I burst into loud laughter at the child’s well-intentioned blessing that wasn’t quite a blessing.
‘If I get a bride, I’m screwed. It’d open up an even bigger world.’
But since I couldn’t say that, I simply waved at the child. Then I replied cheerfully,
“Take care!”
I sincerely hoped the two of them would live well together.
***
Only after seeing all the women off did I finally set out.
It had gotten later than I’d expected.
I should have returned long ago, but unfortunately, because I had gotten involved in the Green Snake Sect incident along the way, I ended up being delayed by several days.
“They’ll be worried…”
I clicked my tongue and quickened my pace. However, after arriving at a nearby village and grabbing a quick bite to eat, the sun soon set. In the end, I had no choice but to spend the night at an inn.
I entered my room and sat down at the table. Several bottles of liquor I’d ordered in advance were lined up on the table. Leaving the liquor untouched, I reached up and grabbed one side of my face. When I pulled firmly, there was a riiiip sound, and a layer of skin peeled away.
It was a human-skin mask.
A hideous face covered in bumpy, pus-filled boils lay in my hand.
Whenever I ventured into the martial world, I wore a human-skin mask like this. Partly to hide my identity, but also because I thought that if I had an ugly face, perhaps Young Lady would recognize me.
‘Still, is this one too ugly?’
I chuckled and placed the human-skin mask on the table. Then I suddenly stopped.
Without even realizing it, my hand was trembling violently.
‘Damn it, again…’
My breath caught in my throat.
It began since i started cultivating the Hoemuseonggwanggyeong.
By now, it was a pain I had grown accustomed to.
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