Reaper of the Drifting Moon

The Demon Chasing Team left the camp early in the morning.

Since twenty horses were moving at once, they were bound to cause a commotion. Eventually, most of the people from Wu Jang-rak’s party woke up to the sound of them leaving.

“Those rude bastards!”

“Isn’t it polite to say goodbye when you leave?”

“If I knew they were going to be like that, I would have acted shamelessly. I don’t like them anyway.”

The mercenaries spit out a barrage of complaints.

Soma also muttered to himself,

“I definitely should have killed them all yesterday.”

He looked at Pyo-wol with resentful eyes. However, when his eyes met Pyo-wol, he immediately changed his expression and gave him his characteristic smile.

Wu Jang-rak came up to Pyo-wol and said,

“Since it’s already like this, we can leave early.”

“Okay.”

After obtaining Pyo-wol’s permission, Wu Jang-rak ordered his men to leave.

Wu Jang-rak’s subordinates and hired mercenaries cleared the camp and set off right away for Bishan.

All of them had a tired look on their faces. Sleeping on an unpaved road did not relieve their fatigue from the trip at all.

It would have been better for them to arrive at Bishan a little earlier so they can finally rest at a guest house.

The party marched without taking a break.

As a result, they were able to arrive at their first destination, Bishan, before sunset.

“We’re here!”

“We can finally rest in a guest house!”

Cheers burst from everywhere.

Wu Jang-rak found the largest guest house in Bishan and booked their rooms.

“We will rest here for today and leave tomorrow morning by taking the first ship. Take a good rest until then.”

Everyone cheered at his words and dispersed to their respective rooms.

Pyo-wol and Soma were also assigned their own rooms.

The room only had a small bed, but it was much better than sleeping on a hard pavement.

Pyo-wol looked around the room for a moment and then came out.

Everyone else was tired from camping outside, but it was different for him. He stayed in a much worse environment than this. Camping outside was not a big problem for Pyo-wol, who grew up in the underground cave.

Pyo-wol found it more productive to go around Bishan than to rest in his room.

Pyo-wol left the guest house and walked around the city of Bishan.

Bishan was a much smaller city than Pyo-wol expected. The size is incomparable to Chengdu, but nonetheless, everything was still there.

Pyo-wol did not have a set destination so he walked wherever he could.

The sun was already setting, but there were still quite a few people walking around on the street.

The landscape was the different wherever people lived.

Pyo-wol took a seat in the tea house.

A tea house is a place where tea is sold so quite a few people were sitting and talking. There was plenty of room for them to chat while having a cup of tea.

No matter where he looked, he was the only one who came alone. Still, Pyo-wol didn’t think he was lonely.

He didn’t feel particularly lonely whenever he was alone.

He was alone from the start. Even when everyone was in a group, he would act alone. As this habit continued, he became even more used to being alone.

Slurp!

Pyo-wol drank the tea without saying a word.

The sweet yet bitter taste of tea filled his mouth.

For Pyo-wol, who does not drink alcohol, tea was his only hobby. He didn’t like the taste at first, but he soon grew to enjoy it over time.

That was then,

“What?”

Someone’s voice suddenly came from the other side.

He turned his head around only to see a familiar face.

“So you also enjoy drinking tea?”

Seol Hajin was the one who looked at Pyo-wol with a surprised expression.

Beside her were Ko Il-pae and other mercenaries. They all left their luggage in the guest house and were on their way out for a drink.

It was possible to drink at their accommodation at the guest house, but since it was where the client was staying, they became conscious and decided to go out.

Pyo-wol put down the teacup and said,

“Why? Am I not allowed to drink tea?”

“No! I just don’t think it suits you—”

“Why doesn’t it suit me?”

“I mean–”

“A good tea can bring peace of mind.”

That was one of the reasons why Pyo-wol drinks tea.

Alcohol weakens the mind and body, but tea clears the mind. Pyo-wol always preferred to keep a cool head than to lose himself under the influence of alcohol. So he chooses to drink tea.

Ko Il-pae asked cautiously,

“We’re going to a nearby pub, do you want to go together?”

“No. A cup of tea is enough for me.”

“Alright.”

Ko Il-pae did not ask twice. He didn’t expect Pyo-wol to go with them in the first place, so he didn’t invite him any further. He just did it once out of courtesy.

Hong Mugwang looked at Pyo-wol and muttered,

“What a dweeb.”

He might have said it softly, but his words reached not only the mercenaries but also Pyo-wol’s ears.

Ko Il-pae hurriedly sermoned Hong Mugwang,

“Mugwang! Be careful with your words!”

“Why? Did I say something wrong?”

Hong Mugwang raised his eyebrows.

It was unbearable to see Pyo-wol sitting alone and drinking tea.

“If he’s a man, he should be drinking alcohol. Why is he drinking tea? Not only are his actions girly but even his face looks like a girl.”

There was clear hostility in Hong Mugwang’s eyes, who was staring at Pyo-wol.

“Are you crazy?!”

Ko Il-pae became scared and tried to shut Hong Mugwang’s mouth. However, Hong Mugwang turned his head to avoid Ko Il-pae’s hand and continued,

“Why are you like this? As a man–”

Puck!

At that moment, a soft voice resounded.

“Keuk!”

Hong Mugwang, who had been speaking without hesitation, suddenly screamed.

A dagger was lodged in one of his eyes.

Hong Mugwang was also a well-known expert among the mercenaries, but even he did not notice the dagger flying until it pierced his eyes.

It was the same for Ko Il-lpae and other mercenaries.

Seol Hajin hurriedly looked at Pyo-wol.

There was no other person who could throw a dagger at Hong Mugwang.

Pyo-wol was still holding the teacup.

But everyone in this room knew. The fact that the owner of the dagger which was stuck in Hong Mugwang’s eyes is Pyo-wol.

“Kkeuuek!”

A beast-like cry erupted from Hong Mugwang’s mouth.

He glared at Pyo-wol with one remaining eye.

“You…!”

“If you say one more word, you will never see the world with your eyes again.”

At that moment, Pyo-wol’s voice cooled not only Hong Mugwang, but also the blood of the other mercenaries.

He spoke calmly as if it was nothing, but the content contained within his words were terrifying.

If someone else had said this, they would have ignored his warning and rushed in. The only reason why they couldn’t even resist is because they instinctively felt that Pyo-wol was not the type of person who lies.

Like a frog standing in front of a snake, they were crushed by the intangible atmosphere created by Pyo-wol. They cannot even breathe properly.

It was the same for Hong Mugwang, the person who lost his eye.

“Ugh!”

He only let out a painful moan, but did not dare to cause a fuss.

Both fear and anger were apparent in his remaining eye. But he could not dare express his anger. He felt like he would lose his remaining eye if he did.

Slurp!

Pyo-wol drank tea without even paying attention to Hong Mugwang.

His figure looked even more terrifying.

The scary thing about Pyo-wol is that he didn’t reveal his murderous intent.

Many warriors often express their murderous intent or give a warning to their opponent first that they wanted to kill them.

The opponent would then decide on how to react to the provocation. If the opponent’s strength and killing intent is tougher than they expected, they would bow down. But if they think they have a chance, they will try to give it a shot.

But there is no such thing with Pyo-wol.

He attacked without revealing his killing intent so the opponent could not predict when he made his move.

The mercenary couldn’t read Pyo-wol’s mind, so his actions became even more unpredictable.

This characteristic of Pyo-wol made them feel scared.

‘As I have heard, he doesn’t hesitate to attack.’

Ko Il-pae bit his lip.

Whether he liked it or not, he was in charge of the mercenaries here. He had to decide on how to deal with the current situation.

The mercenaries looked at Ko Il-pae with nervous eyes.

Their relationship with Pyo-wol depends on what decisions he makes.

With everyone’s attention on him, Ko Il-pae finally made his decision.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

He bowed his head and apologized.

The mercenaries were surprised at the sight of Ko Il-pae bowing down.

Ko Il-pae was very proud. He never bowed his head to anyone. The fact that he bowed his head to Pyo-wol without any hesitation was proof that he treated the other party with high regard.

“I will make sure that this kind of thing never happens again. So I hope you will overlook it this time and forgive Mugwang.”

Respectful, but not submissive.

Ko Il-pae’s bold apology was quite impressive.

At that moment, Pyo-wol waved his hand. Then, the dagger that had been lodged in Hong Mugwang’s eyes was recovered without a sound.

At that sight, Ko Il-pae and the other mercenaries once again felt goosebumps all over their bodies. Even if it happened before their eyes, they could not figure out how the dagger was recovered.

A feeling of fear was deeply engraved in their hearts.

Ko Il-pae bowed his head to Pyo-wol once more.

“Thank you for your forgiveness.”

He helped Hong Mugwang, who was still groaning like a beast, out of his seat, with the mercenaries following behind him.

Seol Hajin, who was in the back of the mercenaries, glanced at Pyo-wol. There was also an expression of fear on her face.

He had no idea that the hands of the man who she had spent an enchanting time with last night could be so cruel.

‘Glamorous, cruel… he’s definitely a dangerous yet attractive man.’

Seol Hajin shook her head and moved forward.

When he was left alone, Pyo-wol ordered another cup of tea.

The owner of the tea house, who saw the clash between Pyo-wol and the mercenary, hastily brought out their best tea.

Pyo-wol savored the aroma before drinking it little by little.

The disturbance of a moment ago was no longer in his mind.

For the mercenaries, it was a big event that made them feel the threat of death, but to Pyo-wol, it was just a small miscommunication.

Pyo-wol looked at the streets. A look of recognition flashed on his eyes.

He saw some unexpected characters.

It was a beautiful girl and a man who seemed to be her escort.

The two were constantly looking around with a wary look on their faces.

‘Was it Mok Gahye?’

It was her who gave Soma the beef jerky.

Soma has told Pyo-wol several times that she is a good person. So Pyo-wol got to know Mok Gahye.

Mok Gahye and Shin Mugum, the escort warrior, did not know that Pyo-wol was watching them.

Pyo-wol watched them until they disappeared into an alley. It looked like something was going on, but he had no reason to worry about them.

Pyo-wol finished his tea and stood up.

When he returned to the guest house, Soma was the first to greet him.

“Brother!”

Soma’s hair looked a little tidy as if he had just finished taking a bath.

Soma scanned Pyo-wol up and down and asked,

“Where have you been?”

“I just had a cup of tea.”

“Is the tea delicious?”

“It was delicious because I managed to finish it.”

“Eww!”

In response to Pyo-wol’s answer, Soma stuck out his tongue and groaned.

“Oh, I saw someone.”

“Who?”

“Mok Gahye.”

“Huh? Older sister is in Bishan?”

Soma’s eyes widened.

His number one treasure was the beef jerky given by Mok Gahye. He tried to save it as much as he could but it was about to ran out.

“Do you know where she’s staying?”

“I haven’t been able to confirm that.”

“Ugh!”

“Do you want me to find out?”

“No! We’ll meet again if it’s meant to be.”

Soma answered quite proudly.

If he puts his mind to it, it wouldn’t be too hard to find Mok Gahye.

This is because Bishan was not as big as Chengdu, and places where outsiders like Mok Gahye could stay were only few.

But Soma didn’t do that.

He was thankful for the beef jerky she gave but he knows that she’s afraid of him.

‘It’s still more fun when I’m with brother.’

SoundlessWind21’s Notes

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoy the chapter~