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EPISODE 2
In an instant, Yu-gang’s vision flipped, and he instinctively tried to draw upon his inner energy. But the familiar face before his eyes made him hold his breath without realizing it.
“I told you not to move recklessly when I’m not around, didn’t I?”
“……!”
“Did my words not sound like words to you?”
It was Cheon-rang—his beloved disciple with whom he had spent his final moments, the one he loved enough to give up his own life.
“Cheon… khk…!”
As Yu-gang groaned in pain, Cheon-rang loosened his grip on his throat slightly. Yu-gang staggered from a fit of coughing, and Cheon-rang gave him a light push away, saying,
“Go back to your place.”
“… Cough, cough!”
“Unless you want to die.”
Yu-gang grabbed his sore neck, staring at him.
Dark blue hair, reminiscent of the night sky, trailed along the nape of his neck. His black eyes, tinged with crimson as though soaked in blood, carried a wild and sensitive gleam.
“Cheon-rang…”
It felt unfamiliar. The face was undeniably that of the Cheon-rang he knew, yet somehow, it didn’t feel like him.
His unkempt hair.
His suddenly grown frame.
He resembled the Cheon-rang he once knew, yet looked so very different.
“Have you gone deaf now?”
At his sharp tone, Yu-gang’s eyes widened.
Just now…
“Was that anger?”
His adorable disciple, who never knew how to pout, let alone get angry?
Yu-gang quietly studied Cheon-rang’s face.
‘Rang wouldn’t act like this without a reason.’
The Cheon-rang Yu-gang had known for nearly ten years was the most gentle and kind person he had ever met. He wasn’t someone who would strangle another out of mere irritation.
“Rang-ah.”
Yu-gang, who had stumbled back a little, approached again, swaying slightly.
The tenderness and deep affection in his voice made Cheon-rang look at him as though he had lost his mind.
Yu-gang continued,
“Are you perhaps… unwell somewhere? Or is your stomach upset?”
“……What?”
“Don’t try to hide it. Tell me, so I can give you medicine, rub your belly, or do something to help—”
Cheon-rang’s face turned pale. But only for a moment—soon, it flushed red, then purple.
“You…”
He reached out and grabbed Yu-gang’s shoulder, slamming him hard against the wall.
“How dare you imitate my master?”
In that moment, as suppressed hatred erupted, Yu-gang finally realized his mistake.
‘Ah, that’s right. I’m not Man Yu-gang right now…!’
Stupid fool!
Having lived as Man Yu-gang for nearly ten years, he had completely forgotten that his body had changed.
“I… I mean… this is—!”
While he stammered in panic, Cheon-rang’s grip tightened further. The pressure felt like it would crush his bones, and Yu-gang couldn’t help but cry out, “Ack!”
“I’ll say it again.”
“……”
“Go back to your place. If you try anything foolish again, I’ll tear your limbs apart and scatter them across Sichuan.”
Like a ferocious beast growling, Cheon-rang turned and left the cave.
Left alone, Yu-gang could only hold his throbbing shoulder and stare blankly at his retreating back.
Fidget, fidget.
Yu-gang sat huddled in the corner of the cave, massaging his shoulder. The spot where Cheon-rang had gripped him was already bruised in the shape of his hand.
‘At least the bone isn’t broken.’
He had assumed the owner of this body was frail because of his delicate appearance. But since he carried the jade plaque of the Tang Clan of Sichuan, he must have trained in martial arts to some extent.
‘Come to think of it…’
When Cheon-rang burst into the cave, he called him “Dang Baek-seon.”
That must be the name of this body’s owner.
“……Dang Baek-seon.”
Yu-gang repeated the name several times, recalling the contents of the novel.
“Hmm… I don’t remember who that is at all.”
In truth, even if the character had appeared in the novel, he probably wouldn’t have remembered. It had been ten years since he read it, and Baek-seon wasn’t a lead—or even a supporting—character. How could he possibly remember a background extra?
“Still… Rang is furious right now…”
How was he supposed to soothe him?
Muttering to himself, Yu-gang—or rather, Baek-seon—quietly looked around.
When he first came to, he hadn’t noticed, but this cave was surprisingly spacious. At its deepest point was a pond, and traces of daily life were scattered throughout, as if someone had stayed here for quite a while.
“Why is Rang living in a cave… Ah!”
Baek-seon clapped his hands as if remembering something.
After ‘Man Yu-gang’s’ death, Cheon-rang spent a long time holed up in a cave.
For one reason only—
To bring Man Yu-gang back to life.
Of course, the attempt failed. Though he stumbled upon the Blood Sect’s soul-summoning technique, it required far more time than he had. Meanwhile, ‘Man Yu-gang’s’ corpse was taken away by the Martial Alliance.
“If he’s still living here, that must mean he’s at the stage where he’s trying to learn the Blood Sect’s technique.”
What should he do?
The truth was, he had no reason to stay with Cheon-rang anymore. After all, he wasn’t his master anymore.
“‘Dang Baek-seon’—I don’t even know why he’s here in this cave with him…”
It was definitely not with good intentions.
After a moment of thought, Baek-seon nodded to himself. He couldn’t remember the details clearly since it had been so long since he’d read the novel, but he recalled that every time an outsider entered the cave where Cheon-rang stayed, something bad always happened.
“Sichuan Tang Clan…”
He didn’t know how long he would live in this body.
But now that he had become Dang Baek-seon, he had to learn about him. Only then could he pretend to be him properly and blend into the role.
“I’d like to at least say goodbye to Cheon-rang before I go…”
Baek-seon looked quietly at his shoulder. Judging by how hard Cheon-rang had gripped him—hard enough to almost crush him—he must have held quite a bit of animosity toward Dang Baek-seon.
“…He looked sad, though.”
The deep wound reflected in his black eyes when he uttered the words ‘Master’… They were the eyes of someone who still couldn’t forget his teacher, who had been dead for several years.
Of course, honoring the dead wasn’t wrong. But to remain in grief for years was bound to take a toll on Cheon-rang.
“Just a little longer…”
Couldn’t he stay just a little longer?
At least until Cheon-rang’s grief over losing Man Yu-gang had calmed down a bit. Just until then—he truly wanted to stay with him.
But part of him felt his presence might not be helpful to Cheon-rang.
“…No, I shouldn’t be greedy.”
It hadn’t even been one shichen (about two hours) since he resolved to break the original storyline. To do that, he first needed to figure out how useful this Dang Baek-seon identity could be.
“If he’s a Tang Clan member who dresses this well… he might even be someone with authority to move the entire Sichuan Tang Clan.”
He should go back and prepare to meet Cheon-rang properly. With that thought, Baek-seon stretched his crouched body.
Crack, crack, pop—the sound of his joints echoed as he moved. Soon after…
“So it’s true? The disciple of the Blood Rain Sword Demon, Cheon-rang, is really hiding in a place like this?”
“Well, someone claimed to have seen him. It’s worth checking, isn’t it?”
“Let’s confirm quickly and leave. The yin energy in this mountain is too strong; I don’t want to stay long.”
Unfamiliar voices reached his ears.
Baek-seon looked toward the source and saw several men holding pickaxes. They, too, stopped dead when they spotted him at the cave entrance, holding their breath.
While no one spoke, waiting for someone else to make the first move…
“Who are you…?”
Baek-seon asked as he stepped closer.
His face came into view from inside the cave, and the men gasped.
“…Dang Baek-seon?”
“Dang Baek-seon? Isn’t that the missing First Young Master of the Tang Clan? D-Don’t tell me the disciple of the Blood Rain Sword Demon kidnapped him to use as a sacrifice…!”
“What a vile fiend!”
As they shouted, veins bulging in their necks, Baek-seon tilted his head slightly.
…Missing? Kidnapped? What on earth were they talking about?
He opened his mouth to ask, but before he could—
“Young Master Dang. You’ve been here for a while, so you must know where Man Yu-gang’s corpse is, don’t you?”
“Tell us where it is! No, better yet, let’s hide and ambush the disciple of the Blood Rain Sword Demon when he returns. With the Poison Prince here, it shouldn’t be too hard.”
Blinking slowly, Baek-seon finally understood.
Ah. So this was that scene.
The one where, while Cheon-rang was away, the Martial Alliance raided the cave and took Man Yu-gang’s body.
“Come on, tell us where—”
Just as they pressed him for answers, Baek-seon’s hand closed around the hilt of his sword at his waist.
Srrng—
He drew it, his eyes narrowing as he pointed the blade at them.
“Who do you think you’re standing in front of… and whose death did you just threaten?”
