Chapter 901: A Lucky Day (1)

Moyong Seongik had already left at dawn without even letting Qing offer her greetings.

At times like this, Moyong Jun, the only son, couldn’t exactly leave the Moyong Family compound behind.

So while Lu Bu proudly lifted his head, Qing looked down at the two who had come out to see her off.

Moyong Jun wore an expression that couldn’t hide his regret.

“I wanted to go with Beggar Sis, but Father left too, so...”

But, mm, did anyone say they were taking you?

To begin with, even Elder Sun-and-Moon wouldn’t have allowed his kid to run away all the way out to that border chaos.

Not because it was dangerous, but because there would probably be a lot of scenes that were... inappropriate for a little kid.

Still, it would be less painful for him if he thought that way, so maybe the elder left at dawn because he knew Jun would cling.

“Miss, you’re stopping by on your way back, right? I wanted to escort you too, but Jun is here, and....”

Unlike Moyong Jun, Moyong Juhee truly had to remain at the family estate because the Family Head was away.

If some major decision came up, someone had to make the call in place of the young Moyong Jun.

“Hey! If you stay just one more day, we can go together to Shenyang Tower—there’s the best restaurant in Shenyang—and we can stroll around and look at things too. Um, the Yobin Pagoda, and also, um, alsooo...”

Moyong Juhee trailed off.

Shenyang had a notorious reputation as one of the Central Plains’ top “nothing to see here” cities—something like the rough equivalent of a city whose only claim to fame was one famous bakery chain back in Qing’s hometown.

“Ahem. True friendship is the kind where one day of companionship becomes a lifetime of memories—one day’s bond is never forgotten. Yesterday we ate together, huh? Bathed together, and slept together too, huh? We did it all.”

“T-the rest of my life...”

“Huh? You don’t know it? It’s a phrase from the Book of the Later Han. If you’re truly friends, what matters isn’t how long you’ve known each other, but whether your hearts truly connect. Miss Moyong, study.”

“Yes, yes...”

Miss Moyong lowered her head, embarrassed.

Mm. For some reason, whenever she looked at Miss Moyong, she wanted to bully her—was it because she was always trembling?

“Hey. I’m joking, I’m joking. Then, Miss Moyong, see you later.”

“Yes! Later!”

After parting like that, Qing clicked her tongue against Lu Bu’s sides and left the Moyong Family estate.

Toward that Baekdu mountain spine, toward the Heavenly Lake.

Since she’d come this far, it would be better to see it once.

*****

According to what Elder Sun-and-Moon told her, that whole mess happened around the mid-to-lower reaches of the Amnok River, up to Changbai, the source, and beyond it.

Near Dandong County at the far lower reaches, the army was stationed there and order was maintained, so nothing like that happened.

So first, she would head to Huanin County in the west, toward the border that met Jilin—home turf of the Manchus—and then go straight up to Changbai, meaning Baekdu Mountain’s Heavenly Lake, asking around as she went.

Today, Lu Bu’s hoofbeats were especially brisk.

Because he had new horseshoes.

Apparently horses also walked easier when you changed the shoes, so they’d be excited for a while afterward.

He looked like he was desperate to keep running, but maybe because he understood you couldn’t gallop inside the city, he wasn’t fussing.

Seen like this, he was pretty smart too.

As Qing crossed Shenyang, admiring gazes stabbed into her in rapid-fire bursts.

The more that happened, the more Lu Bu’s long neck stiffened, his head proudly lifting so high you couldn’t even tell if he was looking forward or looking at the sky.

Ah. So this is because the horse is so good that everyone’s staring out of pure envy.

Back in her old life, even when she drove the mid-sized domestic car her uncle had handed down instead of junking, it was nothing compared to this level of presence.

Even the Moyong Family’s stablemen had made a huge fuss about the horse.

With the pride of a horseback people and Moyong Family money, they’d tended many fine horses, but they said they’d never seen anything like Lu Bu.

They praised him without holding back, saying he could be compared to the legendary thousand-li horses—Dapple, even Red Hare.

For a “valuable guest” welcome, it was a compliment with real sincerity behind it.

At this point, wasn’t his status like some red foreign sports car with a roof that popped open back home?

No, wait. This bastard Lu Bu—

Is he not walking calmly because we’re in the city?

Is he walking slowly on purpose because he’s starving for attention and wants to show off?

Either way, Shenyang’s people truly couldn’t stop marveling at a famous horse they’d rarely see in their lives.

The only pity was that while the horse was exceptional, the rider didn’t quite match—because even at the horse’s level pace, Qing’s upper body swayed up and down and forward and back, failing to properly keep herself steady.

But thanks to that, the massive mass produced an unforgettable wave you couldn’t tear your eyes away from—like the rolling surge of a giant tide.

“Huh—sis? Your eyes are totally going wild.”

“No, that horse—wow, that horse is insane—AAH!”

“Hmph! Whatever. I’m going home.”

But the men couldn’t help feeling wronged.

Having your gaze dragged into a giant wave like this was practically a man’s instinct—an unavoidable, brutal violence, you might say.

As countless wronged men got their sides pinched, Qing and Lu Bu passed through Shenyang with their heads held high.

Out through Shenyang’s west gate, heading west.

As with any big city, the view of the city continued for a while even outside the walls, expanded beyond them.

But not for long.

The tightly packed shop buildings on either side gradually began to spread apart, and the frequency of homes in between increased.

Then the houses became sparse, and now there were kitchen gardens and empty lots, until at some point, the foothills of the Changbai range appeared before her—bare hills stripped by merciless logging.

Pffft—Lu Bu blew out rough breath.

They were out of Shenyang now, and there were no people on the road, so he was urging her to hurry up and run.

“Hey. Tsk. Bad.”

Qing yanked the reins, and a sulking Lu Bu went clack-clack—walking with exaggerated steps.

He added extra bounce on purpose, a fully sulky gait, so the Qing riding him was swallowed into a horrifying ride where she popped up an entire chi with every step.

Mm. Real temper.

But cars that prioritize “presence” are always something you endure discomfort for.

And Qing’s body had iron-like durability that wouldn’t be harmed by this kind of jolt, plus the generous flesh protecting her hips absorbed the impact.

So even in that miserable riding environment, Qing didn’t care at all, humming a little tune.

And she really was in a great mood.

Why?

Because she was about to start the day by getting a refreshing taste of blood on her hands.

West of Shenyang, between the bare ridgelines of the Changbai range heading toward Musun County—

She entered the valley where the road had been cut, and the moment she rounded the bend—

“Stop!”

A wagon sat brazenly blocking the center of the road, and several men holding swords.

Behind her face veil, Qing’s smile deepened.

“For what reason are you blocking the road?”

There was a little laughter she couldn’t hide in her voice.

But to the listener, that laughter might have sounded like her voice was trembling.

“No need to be that scared. It’s not like we’re saying we’ll eat you.”

The men puffed their chests and snickered.

Maybe because she was a sword-wearing woman—and because there was that famous Murim advice about four dangerous types—they’d actually been pretty tense.

But if her voice was shaking, then what did it matter.

“Our elders need to travel, but the horse is spooked, so we can’t pull the wagon. We need a bit of help. And your horse looks awfully spirited.”

“And?”

“It looks like we just need to get to Musun County. Your horse can pull the wagon, and you can ride with us in the wagon, yeah?”

“Mm. Is that all?”

“As if. The road’s boring, we’ve got nothing to do, and now that there’s men and a woman together, isn’t there something fun we can do?”

The men let out low, filthy laughs, snickering.

Behind her face veil, Qing’s smile deepened.

Back outside Shenyang’s gate, those guys saw her and started whispering busily before heading off somewhere.

And the ones following behind were obviously the same pack.

So if she ran too fast, she might slip right past them—so she endured the uncomfortable ride and came slowly, didn’t she?

And finally, behind her, a mounted rider went clack-clack-clack and blocked her rear.

Three men climbed down from the cart the horse was pulling.

They raised their swords with savage smiles, like they were telling her: yes, we’re bandits too, so give it up nicely.

“Haa...”

Qing let out a relieved sigh.

If the people following behind had been innocent, she might’ve been disappointed.

Qing stroked Lu Bu’s mane.

This horse is so good that even bandits are swarming.

Is that why everyone rides famous horses?

Qing slowly drew Moonlit Night.

SHIIING—there was the light, trembling buzz unique to a well-forged famous blade, and PFFFT—Lu Bu snorted lightly, sensing battle.

But the men were unbothered.

“Hey now. Are you really going to refuse a wine of courtesy and drink the wine of punishment? If you behave, we’ll at least spare your—”

“Enough. GIDDYUP!”

Qing yanked the reins hard—NEEEEIGH! Lu Bu reared high, spun a full circle, and dropped facing the rear.

Then the excited warhorse lunged forward, rapidly accelerating.

The mounted bandits rushed close in an instant.

A horse was originally an extremely sensitive—and timid—creature.

Unless it was a specially trained warhorse, it startled easily, and a startled man’s horse, seeing a vicious rider charging straight at it, would flail its feet on its own and run right into the oncoming threat.

Moonlit Night was a long weapon, long enough to swing properly from horseback.

The moment the two horses brushed past—

A head floated up into the air.

SPLAAASH—blood shot high, and the even more terrified horse went wild and sprinted toward the wagon.

CLATTER-CLATTER—an empty cart bounced with a deafening boom as it followed behind.

One man stood there, like he still didn’t understand what was happening, facing a furious rider charging straight in.

Qing leaned her body, let the blade hang low, then rolled her wrist and scooped up hard.

“Huh?”

It was a last word too stupid to be anything else.

The man’s torso split diagonally into upper and lower halves and collapsed, spilling what was inside, steaming white in the cold air.

Next, Qing sprang up off the horse.

Her body rotated vertically with the rebound.

One rotation, two, three—then Qing straightened her legs.

Her heel drove perfectly into the exact center of the bandit’s crown.

CRACK—bone, the hardest in the human body, collapsed, and at the same time the softest organ was crushed, a tactile sensation that made her skin crawl.

Tap—Qing landed lightly.

Beside her, a bandit finally jerked in shock and drew his blade.

Qing lightly tapped his jaw with her left fist—then extended her leg and delivered a hearty kick straight between the man’s legs as he staggered.

His eyes rolled back.

He flew away noisily, foam spraying from his slack mouth.

Clack-clack-clack!

In that time, Lu Bu, having completed his turn, came back toward Qing.

Qing hopped up and landed on his back.

It wasn’t horsemanship or anything—she simply jumped with raw physical ability, and clever Lu Bu slowed down to catch her, nothing more.

Back on horseback, Qing approached the wagon blocking the front and pulled the reins to slow.

NEEEEIGH! On Lu Bu’s rearing body, Moonlit Night rose higher still, scattering that cold starlight—blue Force Aura.

The men, sweating bullets as they tried to calm the horse dragging the wagon, turned deathly pale at the blue Force Aura and froze, slack-jawed.

Qing tossed out a single line.

“What are you doing? Nobody running? Want me to show you again? Here, look. Sparkle-sparkle, sparkle-sparkle. This isn’t a glow that comes out of my mouth.”

NEEEEIGH! Lu Bu roared as if answering.

But the bandit boss who’d been swaggering a moment ago flailed his hands desperately.

“W-wait! Great Hero! There’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! It’s all a misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?”

“We were only asking for help—”

“Really? Then what comes next? You said since men and a woman gathered, we could have fun together. Sounds to me like I heard something I absolutely can’t let slide—something very, very serious. Is that a misunderstanding too?”

“T-that, ah, th-that—double-six! Since the road is boring, we meant we should pass the time playing double-six—that’s what we meant!”

Double-six was a general term for gambling with two dice—either both sides threw dice and whoever rolled higher won, or gamblers bet money on the numbers rolled.

“Double-six, my ass. You’ve robbed so much your numbers are bright red, that’s all.”

“Huh?”

“Talking about fun makes me kind of bored. And look—there’s a chivalrous hero and a bunch of bandit bastards gathered here. Isn’t there something fun we can do together?”

Qing smiled white and continued.

“Now run. Hurry.”