…
My palm tingles.
“Mmm…”
When I opened my eyes to the soft sensation of something pressing against my palm, I found Hye-ryeong asleep with her head resting on my right hand as if it were a pillow.
I was sure there was a fair distance between us when we initially fell asleep. Yet looking now, there was barely three feet of space between us. If she rolls over just once, she might end up right in my arms. This would be problematic, so I’ll have to remove my hand.
However, if I pull my hand away, her head will surely fall onto the dirt ground. To prevent this, I subtly summoned some inner energy, enveloping it around my arm.
With effortlessly strengthened might, I carefully cradled Hye-ryeong’s head, allowing the pressure on my hand to gradually ease and gently pushed her head away.
After doing this, I noticed blood circulation returning to my hand.
Indeed, wrapping energy around your hand is usually enough to solve problems like these.
If it doesn’t work, one must first consider whether they’re lacking in energy.
Anyway…
No.
I shifted my gaze from her décolletage, which was more exposed due to her disheveled clothing, to glance at the sky. The ambiguous predawn sky, still dark, was scattered with silver stars.
However, I couldn’t make out any constellations.
In the first place, what constellations were even up there? The night skies of Seoul are so lacking in stars that despite clear skies filled with stars now, I could hardly recall much.
The only constellations I remembered were the Big Dipper and the Heavenly Killer Star often mentioned in martial tales, but I had no clue what they looked like.
“Mmm…”
At the sound from beside me, I turned back to Hye-ryeong. She was furrowing her brow and shifting positions, seemingly uncomfortable.
Her chest naturally followed gravity, catching and pulling my gaze.
Wrapped in several layers of bandages, no skin was visible, yet it still felt excessively perilous.
Frankly speaking, if we were alone, I might not have resisted the temptation to touch.
…Phew.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
I sighed, becoming aware of the damp sensation from her saliva on my palm.
It seemed if I continued like this, saliva might pool and overflow from my palm. Carefully turning my body, I supported Hye-ryeong’s head with my left hand and slowly withdrew my right.
Ugh, so sticky.
Next time, I need to create more space between us to sleep.
Despite her beauty, having my hand soaked in saliva wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
“…There should be a stream nearby.”
Where exactly was it? Examining my surroundings with my sticky hand still outstretched, I saw my sleeping comrades and a man sitting silently.
Gyusan.
When he noticed me getting up, he turned to look at me, glanced at Hye-ryeong, then looked away. Perhaps he thought it was improper.
I gently adjusted Hye-ryeong’s posture and covered her up to her neck with the blanket. The undulating curves under the blanket were quite blatant despite my attempts to hide them.
They were just too large.
Covered with the blanket, Hye-ryeong seemed to feel a bit warmer, relaxing and breathing steadily.
She might not even notice if someone carried her away. I carefully straightened her scattered hair with my left hand and stood up.
“…Do you know which way the stream is?”
“…?”
That way, I see. Turning in the direction Gyusan pointed to with his finger, I saw trees swaying eerily in the cool night breeze.
It felt like something might suddenly leap out.
Of course, from the perspective of someone trained in martial arts, average wild animals aren’t threatening, so there’s no need to worry.
Though, tigers or bears would certainly be dangerous.
Even with inner energy, there’s always a risk of fatal mistakes.
Still, wild beasts with good senses usually don’t attack martial artists lightly.
Is this where it is?
After about five minutes of walking, I was amazed by the sight in front of me.
A stream—not wide enough to be called a river—yet with a distinct presence.
Is this what they call hidden natural beauty? Watching the fragmented moonlight flow downstream made it feel like a scene from a painting.
…Is it just the morning making my emotions so heavy?
I sighed as I dipped my hands into the stream. The icy water cooled my hands instantly.
After washing away all traces of Hye-ryeong’s saliva, I dried my hands and sat on a nearby rock, spacing out for a moment.
I was suddenly wide awake due to the cold water.
I ended up washing my face as well, completely dispelling any sleepiness.
“…Thinking about it, I haven’t had this much alone time in quite a while.”
My whispered words were lost amidst the sound of the flowing stream.
Turning my head in the direction the stream flowed, it seemed to stretch endlessly.
It must be heading towards Donghu Lake to the east of Hubei Province.
I idly speculated while blankly staring at the stream. Staring at the clean flow somehow felt therapeutic.
I took out the first volume of the Muyeongshin Thu skill manual hidden in my robes after some time.
…Maybe I should study it a little.
Even if I don’t fully understand it now, memorizing the whole thing and slowly digesting it later would be wise.
Even if it’s difficult to understand, studying it continuously should help me grasp some clues.
Although it’s a thief’s light stepping technique, it’s still a renowned skill in the Jianghu world, better than an average light stepping technique. It’s better than knowing nothing.
I cautiously opened the first page.
[This humble one is from the Jin Yang Sect… known in the world as Muyeongshin Thu…]
Even thieves belong to the martial realm, it seems.
The introduction of this not-so-thick two-volume manual started with a self-praise of the Shadowless Divine Kick.
A five-page preface filled with boasts of stolen goods and a declaration of identity. The part I skimmed through was dreadfully boring, so I unhesitatingly flipped past it.
One round of self-praise is enough. More than that is just useless chatter.
Who would want to listen to another’s boasting more than once?
I continued reading. If not for the language proficiency I gained during the possession, I might have struggled, given the intricate characters that might have distracted me.
Thankfully, the book’s author was a thief, making it relatively straightforward compared to the ornate prose typical of similar works.
Unlike Western art manuals that unnecessarily complicate things with overly complex metaphors that would give anyone a headache.
Why must one study Plato’s philosophy to practice arts?
Why must one memorize the Bible word for word?
[The Moon Shadow Leap is a technique created by observing the shadows cast by moonlight…]
…Sigh.
What’s the point of dwelling on the past?
I need to memorize more lines from this manual.
I buried my head in the book, reading eagerly.
Regrettably, I couldn’t finish the book.
I closed it and tucked it back into my robes.
I sensed movement across the stream.
The rustling among the trees. The distance seemed considerable, but the heightened senses I sharpened during my time on the battlefield remained sharp.
“Who’s there?”
I lightly rested my hand on the hilt of my sword and slightly widened my stance, ready to draw and swing at any moment.
Animal?
Or human?
There was no reply from the other side.
Only the sound of brushing through the grass reached my ears.
The presence was getting closer.
Should I attack first? Or wait?
The moment for decisions is brief.
If they suddenly leap out, I must strike immediately. I began to draw a little essence from my mana core.
Not knowing the level of the foe ahead, I had to prepare my best option.
Soon, a bright azure blade glowed distinctly on my sword.
“Show yourself.”
Whether it was due to my command or because they intended to approach here all along, an unexpected unwelcome visitor pushed through the bushes. The visitor silently stared at me.
A face filled with bewilderment.
A strangely familiar face that made me unable to look away.
The woman seemed like someone I’ve encountered somewhere.
“…Ah.”
Why are you here?
“…Where am I? I was clearly taking a stroll—”
That’s what I’d like to know.
The distance from here to Wuhan is quite considerable. How did you manage to get here?
Did I twist the timeline too much?
A woman with grayish hair looked at me.
As far as I know, there are only two women with gray hair in the original story.
With the age difference being rather insignificant…
Placing my hand on my forehead, I was at a loss upon this unexpected encounter with an original heroine.
