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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: 108 Fortuitous Encounters
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Oh, dear me.
Wh-what is this? Even though he's from a prestigious martial clan, he's only level 8?
And I knew he was dumb, but Wisdom 4...? And... what the hell is Reputation -35? It can go negative?
Come to think of it, there was a sword hanging at his waist.
He drew it out and examined it.
It was really... rusted.
A martial artist who couldn't even maintain his own weapon?
Well, he must've played dead without even drawing it, sprawled out on the ground.
This guy's true scumbag character.
Han Ibi smacked his lips bitterly.
Still, it's better than starting from scratch... right?
He moved his body this way and that.
At any rate, he could feel his body was much lighter than before.
'But now... what do I do for real.'
Suddenly, Han Ibi thought of his mother.
With his father gone, only he and his mother were left.
If he just vanished like this, how heartbroken she'd be...
His body wasn't even fully recovered... Aaaah.
He had to somehow, someway get back.
He absolutely had to return.
She'd spent her whole life suffering beside her incompetent husband. This time, he had to make her smile bloom on her face.
But poverty was a tenacious thing that loved to pass down through generations.
He'd sworn not to live like his father, but in reality, he'd been following the same path.
If he could go back... this time would be different.
Han Ibi bit his lower lip hard.
'But how...'
He racked his brain, rusted from years of grueling social life.
'Right. For now... I need to listen to that system girl's words.'
Han Ibi's gaze suddenly turned toward the hut where the middle-aged man had vanished. He didn't like it, but no other options came to mind.
He slowly walked toward the hut entrance.
That was when it happened.
A 'ding' rang in his ears.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜
Main Quest: Receive disciple status from the hut man.
🎁 Reward: Inherit the man's legacy.
Huh? Wh-what's this?
Receive disciple status from the man in the hut?
And... unlike that sudden quest earlier, there's no difficulty rating?
So it must be a mandatory mission regardless of difficulty.
But... what kind of vague, subjective instruction is this!
Still, he'd just resolved to himself moments ago.
To listen to the system and get home.
He opened the rickety door of the shabby hut and stepped inside.
'Ugh, did I wander into a sauna by mistake?'
A musty smell assaulted his nose. Han Ibi quickly looked around.
Dried herbs hung haphazardly on the walls.
Not seaweed... it smelled like a sauna or herbal shop, so probably medicinal herbs.
Which meant this man might be a shaman... no, an herbalist?
Han Ibi's eyes scanned for the man.
And soon found him.
The man was already lying on the bed, arms pillowed under his head.
He must've heard him come in, yet he showed no reaction, as if it didn't matter.
Not even a sidelong glance.
Being ignored so thoroughly started to irk Han Ibi a bit.
But he had to endure. It was the only way home.
Recalling his 'sales school' memories, Han Ibi forced a smile, lifting only the corners of his mouth, and approached the middle-aged man.
"Have you already retired for the night?"
The man said nothing.
Was he asleep?
"Um... sir."
Suddenly, the middle-aged man's eyes snapped open.
"Who gave you leave to flap your mouth! What 'sir'? Shut it! I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Get out! Don't disturb an elder's sleep!"
Han Ibi flinched and replied.
"My apologies, Elder."
He thought to himself.
'Nobu is that wuxia term old folks use for themselves... so this 'sir' is actually a grandpa despite appearances? Marrow cleansing or something?'
The man... or rather, the one claiming to be an old man, abruptly sat up.
"You! Who permitted you to enter here?"
Han Ibi stammered in surprise.
"Ah... I... well, no one, but... haha. Isn't it true that all under heaven are one family in the martial world...? When in distress..."
"Quit fooling around. Get out quick!"
But Han Ibi felt he couldn't back down here.
Like auditioning for acting school, he poured his heart into squeezing out fake tears.
"Elder... I've just lost my entire family in tragedy, becoming an orphan without equal in the world. Even if you drive me out, please, I beg you, let me shelter from the wind just a moment."
The man dug at his ear violently, as if he'd heard something unbearable, then flopped back down.
"I'll say it again: get out on your own feet before I throw you out. Consider this your warning."
"Thank you so much, Elder!"
Not being chased out immediately was blessing enough.
An awkward silence flowed for a while. The man said nothing at all.
He didn't even ask why he was staying.
Darkness seeped through the door cracks. The sun set early in the mountains, as expected.
The man seemed truly asleep.
No. Wait... his breathing sounds off.
At any rate, no extra bed. Han Ibi cautiously lay down in the corner.
As evening came, a chill set in. Maybe that's why—the man had been shivering faintly since earlier.
If you're cold, at least cover with a blanket...
But the trembling grew worse.
Eventually, he shook like a leaf in the wind, convulsing like someone in a fit.
Worried, Han Ibi sat up.
Noticing, the man bellowed.
"You meddlesome wretch! Mind your own business and sleep or get out! Interfere more, and I'll toss you out right now!"
What? He only sat up out of concern.
No need to snap like that.
Irritated, he flopped down. But it was chilly. He curled up tightly.
Then drowsiness poured over him.
Such... such an exhausting day.
Not content with half being fired from work, all this chaos here unleashed his pent-up fatigue like a storm.
The man's shivering body, which had trembled like a beggar in the wind, seemed to stabilize somewhat.
'Does he have some chronic illness? Anyway... even here, looks like sleep is necessary.'
The hazy boundary between waking and dreaming.
Memories of joyful times with mother and father shone like recollections. Tears streamed unknowingly...
He absolutely, absolutely had to return.
Absolutely...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Did he sleep like a log all night?
The slightest noise woke him. What time was it now...?
The hut was still dark, but he faintly sensed the bluish dawn.
'Where am I? Who am I?'
His senses snapped back, and he bolted up.
The man was already preparing to leave.
"Elder. Where are you going so early?"
He said nothing. Han Ibi said urgently.
"Elder. I'll... I'll go with you."
The man snorted.
"Hmph. You think you know where I'm going and follow?"
"Ah... I don't know, but..."
"Forget it. Sleep and get out quick."
This baby-faced geezer seemed desperate not to take him along.
Han Ibi decided to activate shameless mode.
"E-Elder... then is there any task you'd like me to..."
"Ah! Right."
The man continued as if something occurred to him.
"There is one thing."
Oho. Finally opening up?
Han Ibi brightened.
"Please tell me."
"Now get lost."
What...
Leaving the dumbfounded, frozen Han Ibi behind, the man hurried out.
'Damn. What a cold-hearted old fart.'
Sitting blankly a moment, Han Ibi changed his mind and stepped outside the hut.
But...
'Gasp!'
He was shocked breathless.
The outside was total chaos.
A living hellscape.
Yesterday's carnage remained untouched.
And...
'Ugh. What is this smell...'
A stench like rotting food waste wafted up.
The corpses had been decomposing overnight, it seemed.
Han Ibi grimaced at the gruesome sight and spotted Jong Ri-gang's body slumped against a tree stump.
Unlike the others, his face looked somewhat peaceful.
'Sigh. The others are no concern of mine... but shouldn't I at least bury this Jong Ri-gang? He's Jong Ri-mae's uncle, after all... But... no shovel in these mountains, and digging by hand would break my nails over three days and nights.'
After a moment's thought, Han Ibi decided to scout the terrain first.
This place was deep in the mountains; aside from the flat around the hut, everywhere was treacherously steep.
'Damn, easy to get lost. Gotta be careful.'
Then...
'Ah! This looks good.'
A massive, flat boulder protruded over a sheer cliff.
In modern terms, a selfie spot or soju spot.
If he couldn't bury it, tossing it over there seemed better.
Not ordinary, but leaving the body would mean unbearable stench.
Most likely, it'd fall to him anyway.
Better handle it before decomposition advanced.
Resolved, Han Ibi swiftly hoisted Jong Ri-gang's body and headed to the cliff.
So heavy he wanted to quit several times.
'Huff huff! Now I get why serial killers in movies dismember bodies to carry them...'
Han Ibi laid Jong Ri-gang on the flat rock, bowed his head briefly to pray for his soul.
No religion, but it felt right.
Then he pushed the body off the cliff.
So deep—no sound rose, just occasional branches scraping.
'Whew. Sent one off...'
Sweating buckets, Han Ibi returned to the hut. The gruesome corpses never got easier to look at.
'Damn. That bastard or old geezer, merciless to the end. Bad vibes all around.'
He first moved the Zhongli Clan retainers' bodies to the cliff.
Some were surprisingly light, blood drained completely.
Half a day later...
Finally, all Zhongli Clan bodies were disposed over the cliff.
Now the masked men's corpses remained. Then a thought struck.
'Wait. In games, don't enemies drop loot when killed? This isn't a game, but still...'
Suppressing nausea, Han Ibi began searching the dead masked men's pockets.
Felt creepy, but just in case...
Nothing from the first two.
'What? They came to massacre without even pocket change?'
Now one of the remaining masked men—the one who'd swung the huge sword like a toothpick.
Waist snapped, upper and lower body twisted impossibly.
'Whew, even patting down is heavy. Carrying this to the cliff? I'd die.'
As Han Ibi suppressed chills and rummaged the man's waist,
Drring.
The system reacted.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Information on one of the '108 Fortuitous Encounters' has been detected. Check via 'Status Window.' Confirm now? (Yes/No)
Huh? 108 Fortuitous Encounters?
Fortuitous encounters—the wuxia cliché you can't live without.
But... 108 of them?
'Anyway, yes.'
(To be continued in the next installment)