Chapter 30

Moreover, there were even absurd rumors circulating that they had promised to spend their lives together and exchanged jade rings, and that they had even bought a house here to settle down. After saying that, the martial artist cried out as if he was wronged.

"Anyway, it's true that Young Master Baek Ri didn't return to the inn last night! That's why people are saying the rumors are true."

However, Geum-hye could only turn red and blue in the face and couldn't refute it. She couldn't bring herself to say that the reason Cheong-ra didn't return last night was because he had been beaten up by Dang Ran-yeong until he lost consciousness. Only after Geum-hye glared at him as if she would kill him and Ju Mu-gwang showed his heavy fist, telling him to shut his mouth, did the martial artist close his mouth that had been babbling.

Cheong-ra's face darkened as he quietly watched the scene. It was because he was worried that he had caused trouble for Geum-hye and Mu-gwang, as well as the sect. Judging from the circumstances, it was clear that Dang Ran-yeong was the one spreading these false rumors.

Moreover, in the afternoon of that day, Mi-a even came to the inn where Cheong-ra was staying, dressed lavishly. Worried that meeting her would create more false rumors, Cheong-ra didn't even leave his room.

Then Mi-a chattered on as if the false rumors circulating in the city were true, acting like they were about to get married. When Geum-hye couldn't stand it anymore and rushed out growling, Mi-a ran away in a hurry. Now the rumors had spread to the point where people were saying that Cheong-ra and Mi-a loved each other, but Moon Lake Sect was opposing it because of Mi-a's unclear background. It was truly absurd.

Dang Ran-yeong's despicable revenge didn't end there. The shops all over the city started treating them stingily.

"Oh my, we're out of stock. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean you're out of stock? What are you selling here right now?"

"Those are all reserved by other customers who left..."

When they went to buy something they needed, the shops would say they were out of stock even though the products were clearly there.

"It's fifty coins."

"What? I just saw you selling it to the person in front for twenty coins?"

"That person lives here! It's fifty coins for outsiders."

They were either making exorbitant profits because they were outsiders, or even if they bought items at the right price, the quality was so poor that it was as if they had been scammed.

Of course, Moon Lake Sect was not a sect that skimped on money for disciples on missions. Rather, they tended to give them plenty of extra money in case something happened. Especially this time, they were even able to bring silver taels, saying it might be a long-term mission.

However, if they kept buying necessities at such high prices, they would quickly run out of money. Still, this was rather tolerable. If they really ran out of money, they could write a loan note using Moon Lake Sect's name. The biggest problem was the false reports.

"Sigh. I went to the eastern clan village where they said they were hiding, but I've never seen them."

"You too, Martial Sister? I also went there, but I came back empty-handed. In the first place, a person can't appear in all four directions at the same time."

Every day, they returned empty-handed from dozens of false reports pouring in. With sightings coming in of the same person appearing in all directions, it was clear to anyone that multiple people were lying and making fun of them.

No matter how much Dang Ran-yeong looked like the embodiment of his secret desires and was somewhat captivated by him, Cheong-ra couldn't help but get angry at this point. The food was poor, and his body and mind were exhausted. The three of them, completely tired, returned to their room and remained silent, not even having the energy to speak. It was then that Cheong-ra abruptly got up from his seat and rushed at Ju Mu-gwang.

"Wh-what!"

The startled Ju Mu-gwang screamed and was pinned down by Cheong-ra. One of Cheong-ra's hands grabbed his friend's collar. And in the other hand... was a container of the beauty water he usually applied. Ju Mu-gwang screamed.

"Hey! What are you trying to apply!"

"As a direct disciple of Moon Lake Sect, how can you walk around with rough skin?"

"Martial Sister! Do something about this guy!"

The tired Geum-hye turned over on Cheong-ra's bed and replied weakly.

"Yeah, maybe it's because the weather is dry, but your skin has become very rough."

"Ah, Martial Sister!"

Since Ju Mu-gwang was also lacking energy, he had no choice but to let Cheong-ra make his skin shiny and smooth. Not satisfied with that, Cheong-ra swept and wiped everything in the room, but he still couldn't feel better.

The next day, instead of sending assassins, Namgung Hyeon-sang came to the inn and started causing trouble. The inn owner endured it for now because the sales were good, but it seemed he would be kicked out soon.

In the end, Cheong-ra, who was furious to the core, went to Dang Ran-yeong's mansion again. With a face frozen cold, he knocked loudly on the tightly closed main gate. He thought Silver Lotus Twin Claws Hwan-hong would come out to greet him this time as well, but Dang Ran-yeong opened the door as if he had been waiting, making him even angrier.

"Dang Ran-yeong! Come out right now!"

Cheong-ra shouted as he stepped inside with the same momentum he had when knocking on the gate. If he were the only one going through these hardships, he would endure it, but seeing Geum-hye and Mu-gwang suffering made him miserable. He felt even more so because he thought this wasn't just a prank for refusing the proposal, but a continuation of revenge from the previous assassin incident.

"I told you that you would regret it, didn't I?"

Dang Ran-yeong spoke with a smile on his face, and for a moment, Cheong-ra forgot his anger.

In front of him was a perfect and ideal martial artist's body. It was a flawless muscular build that could be called a heavenly warrior. The thick pectoral muscles and solid abs were clearly visible under his bare upper body. It was because he was only wearing a red silk robe loosely over his naked torso.

Due to the state of his attire, which barely covered his shoulders and back, his muscular upper body was fully exposed. It was an exposure that was not just lazy but embarrassing enough to make anyone who saw it blush. Cheong-ra's eyes wavered.

Cheong-ra had almost no scars on his body. He himself was careful not to get injured enough to leave scars, and since childhood, his uncle, senior brothers, and martial sister had protected him to the point of overprotection. Even after that, he rarely encountered enemies who were more skilled than him, so it was possible.

However, Dang Ran-yeong was different from Cheong-ra. He was someone who was known to pick fights everywhere and had earned grudges, but he had no scars on his body. Even though he must have dueled with Lightning Whip Sword Yoo Cheon-so, who was recently known to have reached the supreme realm, there were no traces of any wounds. It was chilling to imagine just how high his martial prowess was.

And at the same time, he was greatly captivated by that fact.

It was an emotion he had never felt even once when meeting Gong Hyeok-rin, who was stronger than him, or other powerful individuals. Noticing Cheong-ra's gaze, which wavered and crumbled after looking at his upper body, Dang Ran-yeong grinned, revealing his teeth.

"Young Master Baek Ri."

Then, in the blink of an eye, he slammed Cheong-ra against the wall. The red robe fluttered and settled in the swift movement that occurred unconsciously. Cheong-ra couldn't move at all due to his arm being twisted back painfully. As he broke out in a cold sweat, Dang Ran-yeong pressed him even harder against the wall and spoke into his ear.

"I had my doubts from the beginning, but now I know."

"What is this sudden...!"

Cheong-ra's mouth, which was about to protest against his arm being twisted even more as if it would be pulled out of his shoulder, closed. A groan escaped involuntarily. He was pressed and suppressed by Dang Ran-yeong's entire body, unable to move, and the body touching his back was as hard as a rock. Dang Ran-yeong's hand entered inside his clothes. His mind went blank at the touch that shamelessly groped from his chest down to his lower abdomen.

"I didn't expect you to be a pervert, acting so noble with such a pretty face."

Then he painfully grabbed the inside of Cheong-ra's thigh. The grip of his rough hand was so strong that it felt like the flesh would be torn off.

"No! What nonsense are you talking about!"

Cheong-ra struggled with all his might, trying to break free. He managed to kick Dang Ran-yeong's shin with his heel, but what followed was a pain that made him see stars. This thug had roughly grabbed and kneaded Cheong-ra's crotch this time.

Dang Ran-yeong spoke so close that his lips pressed against Cheong-ra's earlobe. His thick, low voice resonated in Cheong-ra's eardrums and invaded deep into his mind. Cheong-ra's mind turned white. Something heavy was pressing against his tailbone due to the other party being too close. The volume and feeling of that part were unmistakable for a man…

"Every time you get beaten up by me, you look at me desperately, but did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Aah!"

The way he touched was so forceful that it was painful, as if Cheong-ra's manhood would be damaged. His raised heels trembled, wanting to escape. After torturing him a few more times, Dang Ran-yeong suddenly tilted his head.

"...Are you a eunuch?"

His voice was doubtful, as if his judgment couldn't be wrong. He muttered that it couldn't be.

Then he roughly and lewdly poked with the firm tips of his fingers, characteristic of a martial artist, from the perineum to the testicles. Cheong-ra, who had never experienced such a thing in his life, was so perplexed that he couldn't even speak. Goosebumps rose from head to toe, and his body stiffened.

"The sensation is strange..."

The tips of Dang Ran-yeong's fingers, which had become stiff and hard, blatantly rubbed against the pillar and root that were being painfully constricted by the fabric. The startled Cheong-ra used all his strength to barely push the other party away, even if his arm would be dislocated.

And his eyes met Dang Ran-yeong's.

He was looking at Cheong-ra with a gaze that seemed to penetrate him, as if he understood everything. One corner of his mouth slowly curved up.