Chapter 164 : Jaseung, Drinks

Chapter 164: Jaseung, Drinks

At the same time Baek Seolyoung was meeting with Nam Seohyang, Mujin and Ma Young-gi were peeking through the crack of the door into Dan Woobin’s room.

They could see Dan Woobin sitting blankly in a chair. He was blaming himself for Ban Yeo’s assassination, thinking it had been his own mistake.

Even if, as Lee Jaseung said, it would have been difficult to prevent the assassination, there would still have been ways if he had tried harder.

He could have hidden Ban Yeo somewhere no one could find her, or kept Lee Jaseung close to her at all times.

Of course, those methods would have been nearly impossible during an election, but if he had anticipated the danger, he might have found a way to prevent it.

‘It’s clearly my mistake.’

What infuriated Dan Woobin most was that he had failed to notice something he should have seen immediately.

‘Why didn’t I realize that nominating the Lady was a scheme to get Ban Yeo assassinated?’

Dan Woobin slammed his hand on the table so hard that his palm went numb.

Watching him, Mujin and Ma Young-gi exchanged glances, uncertain of what to do. Normally, they would have already gone in and joked around, but Dan Woobin looked far too despondent for that now.

If they tried to comfort him carelessly, they might only deepen his grief.

As they hesitated, someone opened the door and entered. It was Lee Jaseung.

“Both of you, come in as well.”

Startled by Lee Jaseung’s sudden arrival, Dan Woobin jumped to his feet.

“You’re here?”

Mujin and Ma Young-gi were surprised for another reason. They hadn’t even sensed Lee Jaseung approaching from behind them.

“I can’t even measure up to our Lord’s footsteps anymore.”

At Mujin’s comment, Ma Young-gi’s face turned solemn.

“If I want to keep up, I’ll have to train until I die.”

“Wrong.”

“What?”

“As a person, you don’t look up at the sun in the sky and think to yourself that you will become hotter than it, right?”

Then Ma Young-gi suddenly said something absurd.

“When I was a kid, I once decided I’d go and catch the moon. I even ran away from home because of it.”

Mujin looked at him in disbelief.

“You’re not making that up, right?”

“No.”

“That’s exactly the problem!”

Just then, Lee Jaseung called from inside the room.

“What are you doing? Come in already.”

“Yes, yes, we’re coming.”

Mujin went in first, and Ma Young-gi followed behind him.

Lee Jaseung set two bottles of liquor on the table. Dan Woobin could guess why Lee Jaseung and the others had come, which only made him feel more pressured.

“Why are you drinking in broad daylight?”

At Dan Woobin’s sharp tone, Lee Jaseung smiled.

“What does it matter if it’s daytime?”

Mujin walked to the side cabinet.

“Of course, day drinking’s the best kind of drinking.”

He opened the cabinet like it was his own home and took out some cups. Dan Woobin was surprised.

“How did you even know there were cups in there?”

“There’s a sun in the sky, fish in the sea, and cups here.”

“What kind of nonsense is that! You searched the place last time, didn’t you!”

“Not searched! Just inspected.”

Dan Woobin shook his head, exasperated.

After that short banter, Lee Jaseung poured drinks for everyone.

“I’m sure you all know why I’m here.”

He had come to cheer up the dispirited Dan Woobin.

Dan Woobin lowered his head.

“Forgive me for showing such a pathetic sight.”

“Yes, it’s fine to make mistakes, but not fine to let them weigh you down forever.”

“Yes.”

Dan Woobin nodded weakly.

Lee Jaseung raised his cup.

“It’s been a while since the four of us drank together.”

The four clinked their cups and drained them in one go. It seemed like the start of a noisy night, but the drinking did not turn out that way.

Neither Lee Jaseung nor Mujin tried to lighten the mood.

They simply drank in silence. The bottles Lee Jaseung had brought emptied quickly, and halfway through, Ma Young-gi went out to buy several more.

By the time those were finished, everyone was drunk. No one offered words of comfort, no one mentioned the election, and no one even brought up women as men usually did when drinking.

Each of them just drank, lost in his own thoughts.

After seven or eight cups, Dan Woobin finally relaxed. The alcohol was doing its work.

He thought how lucky he was to have people who would come drink with him when he was down. That alone made life feel worth living.

When the liquor ran out again, Mujin went to buy more. Complaining he didn’t want to make another trip, he bought an enormous clay jar of it instead.

Looking down at the jar, Mujin said,

“Ah, this brings back memories. We really drank a lot that day, didn’t we?”

He was talking about the day they first vowed to take over the Black Way Alliance, the night they had sat around a jar like this and drunk until morning. It felt like it had been only yesterday.

After that came the long war to seize the Black Way Alliance.

During those seven years of war, they had all grown stronger. Thanks to that, life is easier now. They had survived death itself and come out tougher.

Ma Young-gi glanced at Lee Jaseung.

‘Of course, there’s one person here who keeps growing endlessly like a monster.’

Feeling his chest burn, Ma Young-gi drained another cup. When he saw someone strong, he too wanted to become stronger.

They drank late into the night.

The first to collapse was Dan Woobin. He had held out quite a while despite his weak tolerance, but when he woke, his hangover would surely be terrible.

After ten rounds of drinks, Ma Young-gi fell next. When Mujin teased him for giving up so easily, he waved his hand and crawled to bed.

Now only Lee Jaseung and Mujin remained.

They continued to drink quietly. When the jar was nearly empty, Mujin spoke suddenly.

“I was a real mess back then, wasn’t I?”

Lee Jaseung looked down at his cup.

“Everyone was at that age.”

Mujin chuckled faintly.

“Not comforting Woobin was the right choice.”

He meant that “Everyone was at that age” wouldn’t have been any comfort, because Lee Jaseung at that age had already been different.

Lee Jaseung smiled and raised his cup.

Mujin made a toast.

They emptied their cups again.

After several more rounds, Mujin collapsed too.

Lee Jaseung stood up.

The intoxication hit him hard.

As he was about to leave, he looked around the room. Seeing the three men sleeping in a heap, he smiled softly.

Dan Woobin would recover soon enough.

He might look fragile on the surface, but his spirit was strong. And he had good comrades by his side.

Lee Jaseung stepped outside.

At that moment, someone was walking toward him.

It was Baek Seolyoung, returning from her meeting with Nam Seohyang.

“You went out?”

“I had something to take care of.”

“At this hour?”

“Have you been drinking all this time?”

Lee Jaseung narrowed his eyes.

“Why are you dodging the question?”

“Are you worried? Afraid I was meeting another man?”

“Of course not.”

He was flustered. Normally he wouldn’t have been, but maybe it was the alcohol. He had asked out of curiosity, not suspicion.

Baek Seolyoung gave him a teasing look.

“Oh? This feels nice. I finally get to see you jealous.”

“I’m not jealous!”

Lee Jaseung answered firmly, so firmly it sounded like a confession. The alcohol had made him more emotional than usual.

“Sometimes a man’s jealousy can be charming, you know.”

“You’re misunderstanding.”

He didn’t want her to think of him as a jealous man, even if she found it charming.

They both chuckled. Who would have thought they’d ever share a conversation like this?

They looked up at the night sky together.

After a long silence under the stars, Lee Jaseung spoke quietly.

“I’m not the type to doubt people.”

“Oh! And persistent too.”

She burst out laughing. The playful exchange wasn’t unpleasant at all.

“So what if you do? Doubt, get jealous, be persistent. That’s how people live.”

Lee Jaseung turned to look at her. Somehow she looked different now, ever since she had said she wanted to make him the Leader of the Murim Alliance.

“How’s it going?”

“What is?”

“Your plan to make me the Alliance Leader.”

Half joking, half serious, he asked, and Baek Seolyoung shrugged.

“I did my best, but I don’t know what the result will be.”

The outcome depended on Nam Seohyang of the Golden Ants. Whether she accepted Baek Seolyoung’s proposal or not.

Even if she did, who knew how much it would sway the tide? It had been an instinctive gamble.

Not wanting to talk more about the election, Lee Jaseung changed the subject.

“By the way, how’s the sword? Do you like it?”

Baek Seolyoung’s face brightened.

“I love it.”

At the mention of the sword, her expression lit up. The more she used it, the more it felt perfectly suited to her.

She had never imagined that simply finding a sword she liked could make her this happy.

When she lay down at night, she couldn’t wait for dawn to come so she could train again. The thought of practicing filled her with excitement.

Of course, that wasn’t just because of the sword.

One hundred eighty years worth of inner Qi.

Who could have imagined she’d ever possess such inner Qi, even in her dreams?

When she swung her sword with her Qi, rocks split apart. Her Sword Qi now was nothing like before.

“By the way, there’s something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Do you think I can use sword force?”

Lee Jaseung understood why she asked. She probably hadn’t used sword force before. It required precision and consumed enormous inner Qi.

But now that she had attained one hundred eighty years worth of Qi, she naturally wanted to try.

Scratching her head shyly, she asked,

“Is it greedy of me?”

Lee Jaseung shook his head.

“No. It’s a natural desire. With that level of Qi, you should be using sword force.”

“Oh, I can?”

“Just train until you can control it freely. Until then, never use it in real combat.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

Her face brightened. She had worried he might think she was being arrogant after her advancement, but he had told her to go ahead and learn.

That was what she liked about him.

He simplified things that could have been complicated, cutting straight to the truth. Advice like that could only come from genuine confidence.

“Go get some sleep. I’ll make hangover soup when you wake up.”

Watching her walk away, Lee Jaseung glanced at the empty air and spoke.

“Why are you smiling?”

A startled gasp came from nowhere, followed by Mook Young’s voice.

“You sensed me smiling?”

He had smiled because Lee Jaseung’s eyes were so warm when looking at Baek Seolyoung, but somehow Lee Jaseung had noticed.

He had even read the expression of someone in stealth?

“So you did huh.”

At that, Mook Young realized Lee Jaseung had only guessed.

“My apologies.”

“If you’re sorry, buy me a drink.”

“What?”

“Let’s have another.”

“You’ve already had plenty.”

“It’s fine. I’ve got someone to make me hangover soup.”

“What about me?”

Without answering as if telling him that it wasn’t any of his business, Lee Jaseung strode off.

Even though he wanted to pout, Mook Young watched him go with the same warmth that had been in Lee Jaseung’s eyes earlier when he looked at Baek Seolyoung.

He understood Lee Jaseung’s heart. He had felt guilty for not inviting Mook Young to drink with the others earlier.

‘Thank you, my Lord. But you don’t have to take care of me this much.’

He would give his life for him anyway even if he didn’t.

Once Mook Young gave his loyalty, he never took it back, no matter how he was treated.

He followed after Lee Jaseung, walking into the darkness.