〈Episode 579〉 Nightfall.
After the dragon leaves.
When I finished the small talk and came back, Paejon was already inside the guest house.
There was even a lot of stuff spread out on the table.
“What is this?”
“Can’t you tell if you look?”
I know.
I know very well that this is a problem.
“Why did you order so much food?”
“There’s also some food to eat. Aren’t you curious?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Even monks eat dumplings. I can’t help but be curious.”
“…”
I had to pause for a moment after hearing that.
‘You noticed.’
This old man. As expected, he seemed to have noticed.
The guy eating dumplings at the inn is the Shaolin dragon.
Well, I looked into it, but there’s no way Paejon wouldn’t have noticed.
He pulled up a chair and sat down with a sheepish expression on his face.
He asked, picking up a dumpling on the table.
“Can I eat this?”
“Why are you asking after touching it with dirty hands?”
“You say it’s dirty? I wash well and go out.”
“You should wash up well and go out. If you don’t do that, what are you planning to do?”
“…”
What is this annoying conversation?
I took a bite of the dumpling with my nose wrinkled.
Yeah, the dumplings are still delicious.
It was the taste that I had asked Mo Yong-hee to bring me.
It’s rich in flavor.
It smells good and tastes good.
Well, I don’t know about anything else, but I think it would be annoying if this place disappeared.
After stuffing the remaining dumplings in one bite, I asked Paejon.
“So, what happened?”
In response to the question, Paejon folds his arms and leans back in his chair.
Advertisements
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s what happened earlier. What happened after that?”
The dragon was silent… what was it?
Anyway, this was what happened right after I knocked that guy out. That was the question.
“What could possibly happen? All that happened was that the Meng people came and took it.”
As expected, nothing special seemed to have happened there.
‘Maeng took it.’
If you say that Maeng dragged away a first-class soldier who was drunk and acting up.
I didn’t think it would come out in a very good way.
Maybe I can’t.
‘I won’t be seeing you around here for a while.’
That was fortunate.
I was watching the people causing trouble in the guest house… .
‘I was thinking of doing it quietly.’
I felt like I didn’t need to get blood on my hands.
In that spirit, should I eat one more dumpling?
As I was thinking that, I was about to reach out my hand.
“Did you have a good conversation?”
Pajeon asked the question.
The appetite that had been burning at those words suddenly disappeared.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“The child didn’t get hurt?”
“…?”
I frowned, as if I had heard a strange question.
“What are you talking about, you idiot? If anyone heard you saying something, it would be a big problem.”
This is ridiculous.
Who do you think the neighborhood thug is? What kind of a thug are you?
“I wasn’t the kind of guy who would get beaten up just because he was a fan.”
“Hmm.”
In my words, Paejon doesn’t really bring up negativity. It can’t be helped.
The dragon was obviously an absurd being.
“Certainly. Cheonan has created a strange guy.”
What a strange guy.
The fact that such words came out of the mouth of the Emperor was an extraordinary level.
When I heard that, I smiled and said.
Advertisements
“Did you like it?”
When I asked him what he wanted to say, the corners of his mouth slightly went up.
“Why, are you jealous?”
What the heck? What the hell is this?
“Old man, you’re going crazy…!”
As soon as I uttered the words, something came right in front of my eyes and stopped me.
I looked for something and it turned out to be chopsticks.
“Should I give you your eyeball instead of the dumpling? It looks like your eyeball is broken.”
“… I’m sorry.”
After offering a brief apology, only then did Paejon take back his chopsticks.
Looking at this, I had to suppress my uneasy feelings.
The reason is none other than this.
‘I couldn’t see it.’
The problem is that you don’t turn on your mind.
It was because I couldn’t properly capture the movements of the loser.
Did Paejon’s movements become faster as he ascended the stairs?
I don’t know. I don’t know, but if there’s anything I can clarify, please let me know.
‘I won’t be able to complain for a while.’
I thought it was barely worth rubbing, but now it’s no longer possible.
Even so, it was such an annoying thing that I couldn’t just get over it.
“What kind of jealousy is this? There is nothing else to be jealous of.”
Drag drag.
Paejon laughs at the words that are spoken with emotion.
“It’s true that you have a good body, but that’s useless.”
“Why? Didn’t I say that one body was amazing?”
“That’s right. But aren’t you the only one who meets the standard?”
That’s right.
It is a body created through regression and various coincidences.
There were many people who had the minimum skills to learn the Tuapacheonmu.
Oh, it’s not that there are a lot of them, but it’s not that you can’t find them if you look for them.
‘I learned it better when I learned it myself.’
Unlike Pajeon, who was looking for someone with an enormous body and talent.
The Tuapacheonmu was not a martial art that required that much talent.
Unlike when I was nervous about how difficult the martial arts would be.
When I learned it, it wasn’t that difficult of a power.
Advertisements
At first, I felt that way, but the more I learned, the more I understood.
The fact that I, who had absolutely no talent, had no problem learning it is proof of that.
‘Honestly, I think this is largely due to the power of the underdog.’
Until something that can’t be done becomes possible.
If that doesn’t work, try again with a different method.
There is nothing in this world that is impossible.
That was the theory of the failure.
When I moved according to his will, it really happened.
What a fucking mess.
When I see this.
At that moment, I thought that contrary to the meaning of the word ‘Paejon’, the Tuapacheonmu might not be such a difficult martial art.
“You poor disciple. You are making a big mistake.”
Paejon speaks to me, clicking his tongue briefly.
“As you said, there are many people whose physical condition matches.”
There was a look of pity in his eyes.
“How many people your age would fit those criteria?”
“That’s true.”
A body that possesses the conditions to contain the Toua Pacheonmu.
That may be a lot, but how many people have achieved that at a young age?
If you follow this, it won’t be hot.
Should I count the ones that come to my mind right now? Four?
It means four including me.
“There. The most important talent for learning martial arts is neither physical strength nor talent.”
“sure?”
“Be patient.”
Patience?
Judging from Paejon’s expression, it seemed like he was being sincere, but it wasn’t a story that I could really relate to.
Patience is the most important thing.
Isn’t that something that should be included in learning martial arts?
If the obvious is the most important thing, then I couldn’t really sympathize with it.
As if that thought was showing on his face, Paejon looked at me and clicked his tongue briefly.
“Do you think not?”
“… I don’t really sympathize with that story.”
I knew exactly what you meant.
The pain felt while learning the Toua Pa Chun Mu.
Advertisements
It moves bones and stimulates blood vessels beyond muscles to artificially transform the body.
Because of this, I felt pain as if someone was dancing with swords inside my body.
When expressing the movements, there had to be no sloppiness or even the slightest confusion.
I had to repeat the same movements tens of thousands of times while enduring the pain.
‘Once I finished taking one step, I had to do the next one.’
When it piles up like that, I can’t even count how many times I’ve moved.
If you were going to count, you should count by date.
I’ve been throwing punches for ten days now.
I did it for another two weeks with the waist twisting.
It was that kind of time.
That’s how it got to this point.
The slow thing didn’t rush me, so I repeated it until it was perfect.
No one was impatient or frustrated.
Time feels increasingly pressing and insufficient.
If you want to blame someone, just blame me for living a bad life in my past life. I didn’t blame anyone.
So now it is.
that is.
“What was difficult?”
What on earth was so difficult?
If you want to learn martial arts, you must have patience.
I lived my past life like a worm without realizing it.
I’m just trying not to do that now.
Pain is something that can be endured.
Feeling frustrated is something you just have to endure.
“Let’s go now. It’s getting late.”
At those words, I also got up.
“So, what do you have to say in the end?”
“Huh? Ah.”
He followed Paejon and asked.
I asked because I was curious about what you were going to tell me earlier.
“It was nothing. You’ll find out later anyway. Don’t worry about it now.”
“… I’m more concerned.”
How can you tell me not to care when you say things like that?
This was especially true when it was Paejon who said this.
That guy tells me every day not to cause any trouble.
Advertisements
‘I’m not a very quiet person myself.’
When Paejon was young, he single-handedly destroyed the school, saying he wanted to test his martial arts skills.
The story of him going around looking for Sapa masters and reassembling his opponents is still famous.
No wonder the nickname of Paejon during his youth was Mad Dog.
In my opinion, that person is also crazy about martial arts.
‘People are just crazy… .’
WHEEK-!
“…!”
Suddenly, like before, chopsticks dug into my eye.
I quickly turned my head to avoid it, but it was really close.
Looking at that, he shouted at Paejon with a startled face.
“What are you doing all of a sudden?”
“I thought I was talking nonsense, so I stopped without realizing it.”
“…”
shit.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
He was still very perceptive.
When I raised my head again, Paejon had already left the guest house.
I also followed behind Paejon quietly.
at that time.
“I, I… . There…”
Someone speaks to me.
When I looked up, it was the woman who had been harassed earlier.
Was it Misun or Misuk? Something like that?
‘It doesn’t matter what.’
He said, looking at the woman.
“What is it?”
It was a novel experience to have someone who wasn’t a human being speak to me.
I answered with my eyes slightly wide open.
“Eek…!”
The woman looks at me and steps back in fear.
“…”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… .”
I would just let it go for most things, but what happened just now was really hurtful.
Is my face that bad?
Advertisements
The kids all said they were okay.
Anyway, I couldn’t get annoyed at a normal person, so I barely held back and asked back.
“… So, what is it?”
“Ah, ah… that, that… that…”
The woman points somewhere.
This is a traitor who has already left the guest house.
With some hurried steps, Paejon disappears from sight.
What, are you that hungry?
I thought that Pajeon had a surprisingly big appetite.
“… Ah, not yet… .”
The woman said to me.
“You, you didn’t… do the math…”
“…?”
You didn’t do the math?
I just brought some food?
My eyes narrow as I hear those words.
‘Wait a minute, no way…’
The moment I looked back at the woman with a cool thought.
“The same… person in the group… will pay the bill.”
“…”
The woman spoke thus, sobbing.
haha.
What a sick old man… .
******************
Since when did it start?
It hasn’t been that long, but I’ve been having dreams often lately.
It’s not that surprising.
It’s a dream, I used to have it quite often.
The only problem is that most of them are nightmares.
Or remembering things I did in my past life.
Most of my dreams were of those I could not save and of those who died for me.
This is truly a terrible nightmare.
That’s why I hated dreams.
Because all the dreams I had were like that.
But.
Advertisements
I’ve been having a bit of a different dream lately.
It must have been shortly after that I barely stopped dreaming.
Just when I thought I could finally sleep comfortably.
I started having different dreams.
This is not a dream about a past life.
I’ve never experienced it before.
These were situations I had never seen before.
Even the sights I always saw changed.
If there is one thing that doesn’t change.
The point is that I appear in dreams, and the person next to me doesn’t change either.
It was the same today.
Today I was walking somewhere again.
The same person who was always there was walking next to him.
[My hands are cold.]
These are the words I spat out while holding someone’s hand.
He turns his head and looks at the person next to him.
The face was not visible.
Just the fact that the character is a woman.
I just knew that he was a character that always appeared in my dreams.
How can you think like that when you can’t see my face?
Somehow I could tell.
Yeah, I just could tell.
Let me take your hand carefully.
The woman laughs.
[Haha. It’s fall now. It’s not even cold.] [… If I’m cold, then I’m cold.]
That kid is acting up.
I feel like throwing up when you do that to my face.
What kind of crazy dreams are these? I’m in a particularly bad mood today.
Even in such a situation, the woman smiles happily. It seems to be because it is a dream.
What woman would like that kind of nonsense? He does that because it’s a dream.
[The leaves are blooming.] [Are they pretty?] [They’re especially pretty this year.]
The hand I was holding felt stronger.
It was a woman who led the way.
I was following along, and, funnily enough, I was thinking that I wanted to walk more slowly.
[You’ll be prettier next year.] [How can you be sure of that?] [I know. I’m smart.] […Yeah.] [You don’t believe me?] [I do.]
How old are you?
If I had to be specific, I looked like I was around that age right before I died in my previous life.
When I gave a vague answer, the woman let out a voice that showed she was not satisfied.
[I really know everything. Why can’t I believe it?] [Didn’t you clearly say you believe it?] [No. You don’t believe it.]
It also sounded like a slightly distorted voice.
Advertisements
At the same time, let go of the hand you were holding.
As the feeling disappeared, a feeling of regret crossed my mind.
The woman, who had been walking lightly, turned around gently and spoke to me.
[Then shall I tell you one more thing?] [What do you mean?]
It’s a happy voice.
me too.
That woman too.
Even the blooming maple leaves.
It felt particularly like that.
[Is this child a boy or a girl?]
At the words the woman spat out while caressing my stomach.
I had to swallow my breath.
Looking at it, the woman’s belly was slightly swollen.
Looking at that made me feel a bit suffocated.
[I don’t know.] [Don’t you have any wishes?] [… It doesn’t matter. Whoever it is.]
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a son or a daughter.
At least I will be a better father than my own.
In my dream, I was thinking like that.
The woman laughs at me, looking at such a stupid person.
[Yeah. I knew you would say that.]
I can’t see the face.
For some reason, it seems like he’s smiling brightly.
I don’t see a smile.
Still, it felt clear.
I want to catch it.
I wanted to reach out and hold the woman’s hand again.
Move.
If it’s a dream, move as I wish.
As I wish so earnestly, my body begins to move slowly.
Approach the smiling woman.
Come closer and extend your hand.
Yes, he tries to hold the woman’s hand again.
[no.]
The woman distanced herself from me.
Why? Why are you suddenly distancing yourself?
I looked at the woman with a bewildered reaction, and she spoke to me with a smile.
[You can’t do this.] [Why…?] [You can’t remember this.] [What are you talking about all of a sudden?] [That’s it. It’s our promise.]
Walk away.
Ignoring the words I couldn’t understand, I walked towards the woman.
but.
The distance has not been narrowed.
Advertisements
I’m getting impatient.
Why isn’t it narrowing down?
I tried stretching out my hand and then running, but it was still the same distance.
[What…!] [You know.]
The woman says as she watches me running tenaciously.
[Please be happy.]
For a horse that is said with a smile, it is full of sadness.
[Okay. I think I’ll be okay.] [What on earth are you talking about…!?]
That’s when I knew.
Before we knew it, the beautiful scenery had disappeared, and only pitch-black darkness remained around us.
It gradually sinks.
A dark and scary darkness was engulfing us.
Even though he knew that, his legs didn’t stop.
I try to run to catch the woman, but the woman just quietly whispers to me as she watches me.
[hi.]
That was the end.
With those words, darkness swallowed me up.
“Ugh…!!”
I was able to open my eyes.
“Keuk… gasp… .”
I sat up straight and took a deep breath.
“… What the… What the fuck… .”
I turned my thoughts to the terribly unpleasant feeling. I wondered what kind of shit dream this was.
“uh?”
But.
‘…What kind of dream was it?’
For some reason, I couldn’t remember a single thing about the dream I had just now.
It was as if my dream had been a lie, and I couldn’t remember even a little bit.
that is.
I felt absolutely fucking sick.
