The big city is certainly different.
That was my first impression upon stepping into the bustling market. Hye-ryeong, who also seemed to be here for the first time, caught my eye as she looked around with shining eyes.
Feels like watching someone who just arrived from a small countryside village.
Ah, that must be it.
Hainan Island, located on the frontier of the Central Plains, is an island after all. It was once regarded as a barbarian land…
If it weren’t for the Holy Martial War, it might still be treated that way.
“Hey, Mister! Look over there! It’s so tall!”
“Probably some kind of tavern.”
In martial fiction, tall buildings are usually taverns. The type where the protagonist goes in and inevitably starts a fight.
Actually, wherever the protagonist goes, even if it’s just a restroom, trouble tends to happen. So this type of thinking was kind of meaningless to begin with. Besides, I had no plans to visit any taverns.
I don’t particularly enjoy drinking, and certainly not with Hye-ryeong around.
“That’s the Moon Harbor Tower, quite a famous tavern in this area.”
Judging by how he immediately named it, had Elder Baek been here before?
Elder Baek provided a brief description of Moon Harbor Tower and then led us down the main street towards an inn he knew.
“Hey, Mister, don’t you feel the stares? It feels like everyone’s looking at us.”
“If it bothers you, we can move inside.”
It was inevitable that people would sneak glances at Hye-ryeong since she stood out so much. Not only was she beautiful, but her…assets…were also quite noticeable.
How many people had seen something of that size? At least I hadn’t, aside from Hye-ryeong.
“No, people are staring at you, Mister.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Great Hero Wi, it seems like it’s true.”
Even though I tried to conceal the fact that I’m a colored-eyed person by wearing a wide-brimmed hat…
Upon hearing Hye-ryeong’s words, I focused on the conversations around me.
“Isn’t that the colored-eyed person accompanying the Hainan Sword Sect’s warriors? I’ve heard he recently gained fame in Wuchang under the name Blue-Eyed Lion…”
“A colored-eyed person? Why would someone with colored eyes come inland?”
Confused and surprised voices. Having been preoccupied with sightseeing, I just now noticed that people in the city were whispering about me.
Perhaps I should have paid more attention to my surroundings.
“I’ve heard that he once grabbed an iron pot with his huge hands and hurled it…”
“All the witnesses said they thought an earthquake had occurred.”
“Not only that, but the sound that comes out of his throat is like a lion’s roar, making people wet their pants just by hearing it.”
“Quite impressive.”
This, I can hear distinctly.
While it’s partly due to my excellent hearing, watching people treating these stories about me as snacks is making my head ache.
Is this the plight of a renowned martial arts practitioner?
Letting out a sigh, I reflected that this kind of attention was essentially meaningless to me.
I don’t particularly enjoy being noticed.
To the people of the Central Plains, gaining a nickname means having something to boast about, but I didn’t wish to draw that much attention to myself.
After all, in martial fiction, the more noticeable you are, the more likely you’re to get embroiled in events. While I’m not ready to live reclusively, maintaining a modest level of visibility would likely reduce the chances of getting entangled in unnecessary trouble.
I don’t know what the entity who made me the protagonist of this world wants, but I intend to sit back and enjoy some popcorn from the sidelines.
“Ahhh, Mister, we’ve arrived at the inn!”
Was I lost in thought for too long? Upon hearing Hye-ryeong’s cry, I lifted my hat to glance at the inn’s sign.
“One Step Above Inn?”
Sounds like a place where they might serve excellent archery sessions.
As I lowered my hat again, the group had already entered the inn. Following them inside, I noticed just how much more spacious this inn was compared to the one we stayed at in Muchang County.
It’s almost gym-sized.
And considering it’s located in prime real estate, it must be quite expensive. It crossed my mind that Elder Baek may be pushing his finances a bit too far.
Following their lead, I took a seat at an open table and placed my hat next to me. Immediately, I could feel the gazes converging on me.
“That’s the colored-eyed person…”
“Just as we’ve heard…”
The inn guests’ conversations had shifted toward me. I made an effort to carry on casual talk with my group without showing any signs of discomfort.
There was no need for me to overly worry about it anyway. Traveling with the Hainan Sword Sect meant that very few would dare to approach me. The Hainan Sword Sect, though smaller, is still one of the Nine Great Sects and not easily dismissed.
“Mister, you’ve become quite famous.”
“You’re also frequently mentioned, though.”
Hye-ryeong’s response to my statement was filled with dissatisfaction.
“Ugh, I don’t like that at all. You’re not renowned for your martial arts prowess but for your looks. People keep repeating the same thing—how pretty you are! Martial artists earn their name through martial skills, not beauty. Being known for looks is embarrassing.”
Typically, women take pride in being regarded as beautiful, don’t they?
“Hahaha, Hye-ryeong, once you showcase your skills in the Martial Arts Competition, people will naturally give you an honorific title that reflects your martial prowess.”
“That’s correct. Miss Hye-ryeong has the potential to make a name for herself through her swordsmanship.”
Sitting around the round table, we whiled away the time with such chit-chat when a server approached, placed the teacups and teapot in front of us, and addressed Elder Baek.
“Two rooms for two days and bring us some food.”
“Yes, sir.”
As usual, Elder Baek ordered meals and accommodations, then sipped the tea on the table.
“Hmm, this tea tastes good.”
“It seems like a quality inn, using high-grade tea.”
“I prefer alcohol over tea…”
“Hajin!”
“Ah, yes. Sorry.”
…
Honestly, I couldn’t quite discern if the tea was good or bad. Before my transmigration, I mostly consumed tea from PET bottles and, if I ever had a hot drink, it was usually just an Americano.
Compared to coffee, tea is bound to taste bland, so if asked if it was delicious, I could only shake my head.
Still, I had to keep up appearances, so after taking an appropriate sip, I chimed in.
“What good tea.”
“The tea leaves must be of high quality.”
Hye-ryeong happily sipped her tea with a smile, seemingly enjoying it.
After this brief moment of leisure, a server arrived and began setting exquisite dishes in front of us, ranging from famous dishes like red-braised pork belly to various unknown ones. As the table filled with various delicacies, Elder Baek picked up his chopsticks and spoke.
“Alright, let’s eat.”
“Yes.”
Following Elder Baek’s lead, we began our meal. True to its reputation as a high-end inn in the bustling market, the taste of the succulent meat paired with a tangy sauce was unparalleled, leaving me no choice but to continuously use my chopsticks.
After eating for a while, I paused and put down my chopsticks, not because I was full, but because I sensed someone approaching me.
“Elder Baek! Long time no see! How have you been?”
“Ah, Young Hero Yan. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
“Haha! I didn’t expect to run into anyone I knew either! But what great fortune! While touring the Yangtze River and heading towards the Dongting Lake, I stumble upon you! Haha!”
That’s an awfully loud voice.
The way he was yelling made it unclear whether he was making a statement or issuing a shout. It was evident that he wasn’t a normal person. Given that he was an acquaintance of Elder Baek, he must be from the martial world.
“…Long time no see, Sir Yan.”
“Haha, is there really any need for formality between us? Call me Young Hero Yan!”
Hajin greeted the self-proclaimed Young Hero Yan with a polite bow, who responded with a hearty laugh.
Was this character from the original story?
All martial novels seemed to have names that were similar and confusing.
The Nine Great Sects were always the same, the demonic sect was recurring, and only the heterodox factions differed slightly between works. While there were often variations such as the Jianghu and the Green Forest factions, these were almost always present.
Thus, it was difficult to determine whether newly introduced characters were from the original work.
Just thinking about Nan Gung So-so, whom I had encountered over ten times…
“Yan Hero, is the family head doing well?”
“He’s as vigorous as ever. Recently, he entered a retreat to explore a new realm. By now, he might have achieved great success.”
“I hope he attains it.”
“Thank you. But might I inquire about this gentleman…”
His eyes were fixed on the back of my head.
He was clearly pretending to be casual while actually probing, and it seemed he had targeted me from the start.
Why me?
Why would a complete stranger look at me with such intense eyes?
While I was mentally formulating 108 possible reasons why this man might target me, Elder Baek responded.
“This is Great Hero William. Our guest and benefactor from the Hainan Sword Sect.”
“Oh, a most illustrious person! I am Yan Iron Mountain, the second son of the Yan family of Zhen Zhu. In the martial community, they call me the Iron Wind Fist.”
“My name is William, or William Marshall.”
“Recently, they’ve started calling me the Blue-Eyed Lion!”
“Hye-Ryeong, that wasn’t necessary…”
“Ah, Blue-Eyed Lion, I’ve heard of you. They say you practice the fist techniques of the Western Regions and possess a lion-like spirit.”
Seems I’m known as a fist specialist now.
Of course, considering the events in Hainan are mostly unknown, it makes sense.
As I nodded, Yan Iron Mountain lit up and said,
“Young Hero William, how about we have a friendly match while we meet?”
…I stepped in dung again.
With this encounter, there would be no quiet end. Letting out a sigh, I resigned myself to the inevitable.
