I Am This Murim’s Crazy Bitch Chapter 11

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Peng Daesan offered her a handkerchief.

Since A-Qing had practically bathed in blood, one handkerchief would never be enough.

Even so, the gesture was surprisingly touching, especially since he would have to throw it away afterward.

“Ah, keep it. I’ll just wipe myself off quickly. There are plenty over there.”

A-Qing stepped outside and picked up one of the fallen handkerchiefs.

She wiped her face, squeezed blood from her hair, discarded the cloth, picked up another, and repeated the process until the dampness finally faded.

When she returned to her seat, the water had arrived just in time, so she cheerfully splashed her face clean.

“…Now, would you mind explaining?”

“Explaining what?”

“You said you were going to the lavatory, then came back like this. And now you have the nerve to ask ‘what’?”

“Huh? Why are you suddenly angry?”

“Ha. Me? Angry?”

Peng Daesan’s response was unusually sharp.

“Hey, you! Mister over there! You stop too! If you go over there and get caught up in this, that’s not my fault, okay? Remember, what does curiosity do? What does curiosity kill?”

A-Qing shouted toward the back door.

The man who had been quietly sneaking toward it suddenly seemed to achieve enlightenment and promptly turned around.

A-Qing then returned her attention to the tea table.

“Seriously, I don’t know, okay? Calm down. It was just a small scuffle, and I won. I left my sword behind, so they underestimated me. That’s all.”

“Is that really something you should talk about so casually?”

“I mean, it wasn’t anything special. It happens all the time.”

It happens all the time.

Peng Daesan felt as if he had been punched in the gut.

A-Qing was a young master.

And masters like her did not simply appear out of nowhere.

To reach such a level at such a young age, one needed both natural talent and the right environment.

Support from one’s clan, for example.

Or a long series of real battles where one’s life was constantly on the line.

While Peng Daesan was lost in thought, A-Qing snapped her fingers and changed the subject.

“Ah, right. Hey, Jegalie. You’re a Jegal, so you know a lot about martial arts, right?”

In truth, the two cousins still weren’t very familiar with her. And since this seemed to be an issue between a man and a woman, they had been sitting there awkwardly, unable to say a word.

Honestly, the two cousins still weren’t very close to her. And since this seemed like a matter between a man and a woman, they had been sitting there awkwardly, unable to say a word.

But thanks to A-Qing changing the subject, they finally found a chance to join in. Jegal Ihyeon answered her.

“Martial arts, Elder Sis?”

“Yeah. What’s the strongest hand technique?”

A-Qing remembered the moment she had beheaded Nogal.

The feeling of her hand closing around his throat.

It had been the best.

For a brief moment, inspiration had struck her like lightning.

Ah. I should learn a hand art.

Despite the sudden question, Jegal Ihyeon, who fundamentally could not resist explaining things, answered sincerely.

“Elder Sister, it is impossible to say right away which martial art is the strongest.”

“Why?”

“Because this topic has been debated in Murim for thousands of years. In truth, whenever two or more men gather, the conversation inevitably turns to which martial art is the strongest. Without exception.”

“Then what do you think, Jegalie?”

“In my opinion, hand arts themselves are not particularly good martial arts.”

“Why?”

“Well, hand arts are naturally very brutal. Some people already dislike the feeling of injuring someone with a sword. So imagine how much worse it must feel to scratch, slice, and tear flesh apart with your bare hands. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Wouldn’t that make them even better?

A-Qing tilted her head.

Maybe she simply belonged to the wrong era.

“Are you going to keep rambling? Which one’s the strongest?”

“Fortunately, when it comes to hand techniques, all martial artists agree on the answer.”

But just as he was about to take a sip, Peng Daesan’s sharp glare made him flinch.

It was a look that clearly told him to hurry up and finish.

So Jegal Ihyeon quickly concluded.

“The strongest hand art is the White Hand Demonic Art.”

“White Hand Demonic Art?”

“Ah! My throat suddenly feels so dry!”

Jegal Ihyeon abruptly started busying himself with other things.

A-Qing, knowing exactly why, turned to a new target.

“Hey, why are you scaring Jegalie and killing his mood?”

“Is this really the time to sit around and casually discuss martial arts? After coming back in that state? Look at yourself!”

“Well, it’s because I don’t think I’ll get another chance unless I ask now.”

“…What is that supposed to mean?”

A-Qing wasn’t reckless enough to charge headfirst into a sect by herself.

She knew perfectly well that even a late-stage Peak Realm expert couldn’t fight an entire sect alone.

She had been chased out of places before.

“The Black Shadow Association. That’s a pretty big sect, right?”

“…Those people were from the Black Shadow Association?”

“Unless they were impersonating them.”

Peng Daesan rubbed his face.

Luoyang was dominated by three major powers.

The Chae Clan.

The Scarlet Devil Union.

And the Black Shadow Association.

The Chae Clan was a prestigious military family that had produced generations of Grand Generals. The Scarlet Devil Union and Black Shadow Association, meanwhile, were both sects of the Unorthodox Faction.

Even though governmental authority had weakened over the years, the Chae Clan still possessed a general’s sword and the military authority that came with it.

In practice, they were the true rulers of Luoyang, controlling most of its rights, interests, and privileges.

However, because of the dignity expected of a family of Grand Generals, they largely ignored the city’s underworld.

That left the darker side of Luoyang divided between the Scarlet Devil Union and the Black Shadow Association.

“I mean, they were openly trying to traffic people in broad daylight. They obviously weren’t ordinary thugs.”

“You knew that and still attacked them? No, forget that—with your skills, was there even any reason to fight them in the first place?”

The Black Shadow Association would never attempt to kidnap a Late-Stage Peak Realm martial artist unless they had completely lost their minds.

Which meant A-Qing had chosen bloodshed even though simply revealing her strength would likely have solved the problem.

And A-Qing proudly confirmed his conclusion.

“I don’t avoid fights. And if a bad guy starts one, then even less so. A real man never runs away.”

Is this woman actually insane?

A thought suddenly crossed Peng Daesan’s mind.

Right. I’d forgotten.

She’s the same woman who actually punched me after I told her to go ahead and try.

“Can you at least think a little before acting? How exactly are you planning to deal with the consequences…?”

“I’ll leave, obviously.”

She meant she was going to run away.

Moments ago she’d been talking about what a real man would or wouldn’t do, and now she was casually announcing that she’d flee.

Peng Daesan felt all the strength leave his body.

“So you’re just going to run away?”

“You must know exactly when it’s time to leave! The retreating figure of one who understands the moment is truly beautiful! Like scattered falling blossoms!”

“Stop talking nonsense! Can you be serious for once?!”

Peng Daesan finally raised his voice.

A-Qing merely smiled.

This kid.

Look at him yelling just because he’s gotten a little attached to me.

“Sorry. Was it Diaochan Dining? I’ll treat you next time we meet.”

“If only you’d exercised a little restraint in the first place…”

“What? It’s not like we’re going to live together forever. Maybe another two weeks? We’re parting a little earlier than expected, that’s all. If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

Peng Daesan fell silent.

Now that he thought about it, she was right.

They had only joined the same escort mission temporarily.

Once they departed the day after tomorrow, they would have separated anyway.

Come to think of it, there wasn’t really any reason to stop her.

Leaning back in his chair, Peng Daesan said nothing.

A-Qing rose to her feet.

“Ah, damn. All my luggage is still with the trading company. Oh well. Tell the Escort Leader I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly. And see you around, Little Supreme Justice. Jegalie.”

“Take care of yourself, Young Lady.”

“Yes, Elder Sister. Until we meet again.”

A-Qing stepped out of the teahouse.

Now that she had left, she didn’t actually have anywhere in particular to go.

But then again, she hadn’t come to Murim because she had somewhere she needed to be.

Her life had always been one of wandering wherever her feet carried her.

Catching a thief here.

Beating up a bandit there.

And now she had a new objective:

The White Hand Demonic Art.

With that thought, A-Qing kicked off the ground and vanished into the distance.

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