Chapter 94 : The Slacker Makes a Move (2)

Chapter 94: The Slacker Makes a Move (2)

The man in green robes at the front opened his mouth, his voice slightly trembling.

“Are you truly the Righteous Hero Sword?”

“I am Wi Jeonghan of the House of Wi.”

“...Why would the Righteous Hero Sword be here?”

Why was someone who should be in Guangdong appearing all the way out here?

“That’s none of your concern.”

He could’ve just said he was going to find his son, but that felt too embarrassing. Wi Jeonghan changed the subject.

“So what’s it going to be? Will you step aside, or do you want to find out just how sharp my sword is with your own body?”

The Green Forest Bandits silently backed away.

If he truly was the Righteous Hero Sword, there was nothing to consider. Their numbers were only five. Even if they were fifty, it would’ve made no difference—they could never take on the Righteous Hero Sword.

“Please, go ahead.”

The bandits stepped well aside, splitting to the left and right.

“Hmph, at least you know how to listen.”

Wi Jeonghan clicked his tongue as he repeatedly grabbed and released the hilt at his waist.

The sight of it, as if he were disappointed not to have a chance to loosen his hand, sent chills down their spines.

“The Green Forest has no intention of opposing the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong.”

“Well, I have intentions.”

After giving them a last regretful once-over, Wi Jeonghan climbed back into the carriage.

Mosan-a stepped in to mediate.

“The Hao Clan has no desire to be at odds with the Green Forest either. However, the one riding with us is... well...”

“I understand.”

Mosan-a bowed her head lightly and climbed aboard. The carriage began to move forward slowly.

As the carriage receded into the distance, one of the men finally spoke.

“Are we really letting them go like this?”

“So what if we are?”

“The Green Forest King ordered that no one be allowed to pass.”

“He did.”

“If we let them go like this, it’s a direct violation of the Green Forest King’s command.”

“It’s fine.”

“But—”

“I said it’s fine. Would you block the Emperor himself if he passed by, all because of the Green Forest King’s order?”

“...”

“Don’t be so rigid in your thinking. That’ll only end up tightening the noose around your neck. If the higher-ups complain, just say it was the Righteous Hero Sword. That’s enough.”

“Understood.”

The bandits stared blankly at the receding carriage.

‘They really stepped down.’

Though she had expected it, the outcome still came as a shock. Just the mention of "Righteous Hero Sword" had been enough to make the Green Forest Bandits stand down.

‘Even after invoking the name of the Green Forest King…’

To invoke the name of the Green Forest King was to signal that they were absolutely unwilling to negotiate. And yet, that one name—Righteous Hero Sword—had broken their resolve.

It meant that, beyond what she knew, the name Righteous Hero Sword was a byword for terror in the underworld.

Though she had read it in reports, Mosan-a now realized there was a huge difference between knowing something on paper and experiencing it firsthand.

But then...

“I told you it’s too slow!”

“Sang-a, a little delay won’t kill Yeonho.”

“If even a scratch ends up on my precious child, you better spend the rest of your life doing nothing but those martial arts tournaments you love so much.”

“Hm? That doesn’t sound bad.”

“Oh, it’s great! So don’t even think about coming home!”

“Isn’t this carriage too slow?!”

Leaping up from his seat, Wi Jeonghan shouted toward the coachman, prompting the escort to reply with a wry smile.

“We’re going as fast as we can. If we push any harder, the horses won’t hold out. We’re adjusting the pace so we can switch them at the next market that sells horses. Please bear with us.”

“...You heard him.”

“Then you should’ve wrapped things up quickly! Why did you have to drag it out again?”

“It’s my fault.”

Thinking that Wi Jeonghan might just attain nirvana at this rate, Mosan-a cracked the window and spoke softly.

“Please try to speed up a little.”

“This is the best I can do.”

“Pretend you’re saving someone’s life.”

“...I’ll try.”

Once she understood the situation—that he was on his way to reunite with a son who had been missing for five years—Mosan-a did sympathize. But watching him get scolded like that made her feel sorry for Wi Jeonghan.

“Sang-a, I can’t say it because of my guilt, but don’t you think you’re being too harsh? Isn’t it time you forgave me?”

Mosan-a, unknowingly nodded.

“He left a newborn at home and vanished for years on his Martial Arts Tournament Journey—what exactly am I supposed to forgive? Just do what you did back then.”

“What?! That happened?”

Mosan-a did some fast calculations in her head. Comparing Wi Yeonho’s age to the timing of Wi Jeonghan’s Martial Arts Tournament Journey, her gaze turned cold.

“How could you do something like that?”

She now looked at Wi Jeonghan as if he were some kind of insect.

“I even gave birth alone.”

“Oh dear!”

“I heard other husbands went out to find imperial peaches in the dead of winter for their pregnant wives, but I... sob!”

Mosan-a concluded there was no room for sympathy and reopened the window.

“Uncle.”

“Yes, young lady?”

“Let’s go at standard speed.”

“...Yes, ma’am.”

The escort, who had been listening from the outside, clicked his tongue quietly.

As a fellow man, he did feel sorry for Wi Jeonghan. But if he tried to take his side now, he’d just get caught up in the storm himself.

He’d once heard a story where a man’s son had been scolded for not buying what his pregnant wife was craving—and the father, hearing that, sighed and said he’d been enduring such treatment for thirty years.

‘Should’ve done better from the start.’

Wi Jeonghan’s sighs were urging the coachman’s hand.

*         *         *

Jin Soa now understood what “lightning speed” truly meant.

Just two days after Wi Yeonho had spoken up, the place where the Black Land Manor had once stood was already shaping up into a proper medical clinic.

“This side is the herb room, and that one’s the treatment room. The manor lord’s office is over there! Just fill it with whatever looks fancy on the outside!”

And at the center of it all stood Ha Daebung.

No one could quite understand how someone who was once the head of a pawnshop had such talent, but Ha Daebung seemed like someone born to be a Chief Steward. Once a plan was in place, he estimated the budget at a fearsome pace, gathered people in no time, organized the clinic, stocked it with medicinal herbs, and started recruiting skilled personnel.

“Hurry up! Hurry! I said Don’t straighten your backs while working! Only after moving ten sacks of herbs are you allowed to stretch!”

“...A demon.”

Ha Daebung shouted incessant nags in between tasks, driving the workers with relentless energy. Since he was paying them daily wages, he was determined to squeeze every last coin’s worth out of their time.

‘Well, he is a penny-pincher after all.’

People had started poking their heads in, wondering what was causing all the commotion at the Black Land Manor.

Once they saw the construction in full swing, murmurs began to spread.

“What’s going on here?”

“Looks like someone new is moving into the building?”

“What happened to that gang of thugs?”

“You don’t know? They were all crippled and kicked out a few days ago.”

“Weren’t they the kind even the authorities wouldn’t dare touch? Who pulled off such a feat?”

“That, I’m not sure of either. But there are more than a few people who saw those thugs, all broken and limping, supporting each other as they fled.”

“Then who’s taking over the place now? Still, that was a vile crowd... who would willingly move into a place they used?”

“Exactly.”

But their curiosity was soon answered.

A large signboard was being installed above the front gate.

“Sacred Hand Grounds?”

The gate was quickly covered by a large sheet of cloth, but by then, everyone had already seen it.

“What’s this about? A medical clinic moving in? Into a place those awful thugs used?”

“It’s a good thing, but...”

Though the arrival of a clinic was welcome news, the fact that the place used to be occupied by notorious lowlifes worried the locals. What if those villains came back and caused trouble?

People were hesitant. They feared getting caught up in trouble just for visiting the clinic—like getting frostbite just by standing next to the wrong person.

Just then, someone stepped out from within.

“Oh?”

Everyone widened their eyes at the sight of a middle-aged man, radiating confidence and dressed in fine silk robes.

“Esteemed townspeople! Two days from now, we will be holding a celebration to mark the opening of the Sacred Hand Clinic! Please come and share in this joyous occasion.”

“Ohhh!”

A celebration?

While it wasn’t unheard of to light firecrackers or hand out rice cakes at an opening, throwing a full celebration was rare.

“Can we bring others?”

The middle-aged man gave a warm smile and nodded.

“Of course. Please spread the word to as many people as possible. We’ll prepare plenty of food, so don’t worry.”

“Let’s do it, then.”

With a gentle smile, Ha Daebung turned and headed back inside. But the moment he turned away, his expression changed.

“Who told you to rest?! We need to finish construction by the end of today! I told you, didn’t I?! That’s the staircase patients will be using, so don’t build it high—keep it low and evenly spaced! How many times must I repeat myself?!”

Ha Daebung’s nagging never ended.

Jin Soa nodded approvingly as he watched him. Success belonged to people like that.

“But...”

Where did Young Hero Wi go?

“Such lovely weatherrrr\~”

Wi Yeonho was sprawled across the edge of the roof, basking in the sunlight and patting his belly.

Ha Daebung had given him a dried persimmon and told him to just eat that and stay out of the way instead of wandering around and interfering with the construction. With a cool breeze brushing over him, it felt like paradise.

Wi Yeonho’s preference leaned more toward being inside a room than on a roof, but with all the chaos happening indoors—every room being converted into patient wards—he had no choice but to stay out.

“Nothing in life is easy.”

Watching everyone work so hard drove the point home again. Just then, someone leaned a ladder against the eaves and started climbing up.

“Hm?”

Ha Daebung poked his head over the edge of the roof.

“Everything’s nearly done.”

“That was fast.”

“There wasn’t as much to do as expected. The building already existed, and since those guys used to live here, there wasn’t much to repair. We just had to patch up places where the wind might seep in and make the space accessible to patients.”

“Yes, makes sense. And preparations are going smoothly?”

“Of course.”

Ha Daebung nodded firmly.

The way the opening ceremony was handled would determine how people saw the clinic. Given all the bad history attached to the place, he had to be meticulous.

Ha Daebung clenched his fists.

He knew instinctively—this was the turning point of his life. Fueled by the determination to make the opening a success, he was ready to give it his all.

“Ouch, hot!”

Rolling away from Ha Daebung with a groan, Wi Yeonho muttered bitterly.

“Too much enthusiasm causes accidents, you know.”

“I’ll be careful. So... is the matter I mentioned ready?”

“It’s time to go.”

Wi Yeonho sighed.

He just wanted to lie down and relax for half a day. Why was there always so much to do?

“That’s the key.”

“Got it.”

With a reluctant groan, Wi Yeonho got up and slowly climbed down from the eaves. Then, slipping out of the building, he disappeared somewhere.

Ha Daebung watched him go, his fists clenching once more.

And so, with everyone’s hopes and worries bundled together, the morning of the Sacred Hand Grounds’ grand reopening arrived.

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