Chapter 155: The Stronger You Become, the Hotter the Desire Burns

TL: FoodieMonster007

Jin Haryong ordered noodles and alcohol. Though she came alone, she ordered two bowls of noodles for some reason.

Her expressionless face and low voice tensed the air around her. The waiter taking her order and Seo Daeryong, sitting opposite her, both avoided her gaze.

She had a knack for finding people who were not tense around her.

Our eyes met. A slight glimmer of interest passed through hers. It must have been rare for someone to look at her so calmly.

However, she soon averted her gaze.

A telepathic message flew from Seo Daeryong.

[She's really beautiful. The women of the orthodox sects are just so beautiful.]

Seo Daeryong's voice was flushed with excitement. Jin Haryong felt his furtive glances but paid them no mind, as if it were a familiar part of her daily life.

Soon, the alcohol and two bowls of noodles arrived.

As she was about to pour the alcohol, Seo Daeryong mustered his courage.

"Let me pour you a drink."

Jin Haryong stared intently at Seo Daeryong.

"I don't mean anything by it. It's just that sitting at the same table is a kind of fate."

However, Jin Haryong silently poured her own drink and drank it.

A telepathic message of world-shattering self-blame flew in.

[Ah, was that too cliché? Saying sitting at the same table is fate! Ah! Even my grandfather wouldn't have said something like that.]

Just then, Jin Haryong put down her cup and asked me, "Are you participating in the Young Dragon Tournament?"

I looked at her for a moment, then turned to Seo Daeryong. "My young master is participating."

"Young master?"

"Yes. I am the attendant who serves the young master."

Jin Haryong looked back and forth between me and Seo Daeryong with a surprised expression. Her gaze seemed to ask, Aren't you the young master and he the attendant? Seo Daeryong needlessly berated me.

"It's because this young punk grew a beard. You brat! Isn't the Young Lady confused because of that messy beard?"

"I'm sorry, Young Master."

Soon, as if she did not care, Jin Haryong started eating her noodles.

Another telepathic message flew from Seo Daeryong.

[Looking at her again, she's not that great. This woman.]

I smiled inwardly at Seo Daeryong's pouting.

Just then, a man in his early thirties entered the inn. His revealed qi and gait marked him as a considerable master. He looked like Jin Haryong's bodyguard.

"I've been looking for you for a while."

"……"

"You must leave now."

"Just sit down. We're not the only ones here, are we?"

The man quickly scanned us and sat down right next to her.

She pushed a bowl of noodles in front of him.

"Eat. The noodles here are delicious."

She ordered two bowls of noodles knowing this man would come looking for her.

"It's alright."

"I'm not alright. Hurry up and eat."

"……"

The man started eating the noodles. He slurped them down and quickly finished the broth.

If Lee Ahn were here, she would have said she understood that man. Bodyguard martial artists cannot help but make a habit of eating so quickly.

Just then, Jin Haryong said to him, "If you keep eating that fast, you'll die from ruining your stomach before you die by the sword."

"I'm fine."

"You're fine. It's always me who's not fine."

The man stood up and urged her, "We must go now. They will be looking for the Young Lady."

"Alright, let's go."

Jin Haryong finished her drink, stood up, and left with the man.

As she disappeared into the distance, Seo Daeryong spoke with wistful eyes. "She came like destiny, only to eat noodles and leave."

"Didn't you say she wasn't that great when you looked again?"

"That's just me being petty, not that she's ugly. She's the prettiest woman I've seen since coming here."

"That woman is off-limits."

"Why? Are you saying it's impossible for someone who looks like an attendant? Is that it?"

"Even this handsome me, who can't hide being a young master no matter how long I grow my beard, can't have her."

"Why not you, Director?"

"Because a love between the son of the Heavenly Demon and the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman is too fateful a love."

Seo Daeryong was shocked by the words 'granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman'.

"The granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman?"

"……"

"Why is the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman eating noodles in an inn like this? And even sharing a table?"

"I don't know either. Maybe she got tired of the expensive and rare dishes served at a banquet and ran out. Or maybe she just wanted to eat this place's noodles."

"Ah! Life is truly unpredictable. Who would have known I'd end up sharing a table with the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman at an inn in front of the Murim Alliance with you, Director?"

"Is that all? You'll also end up having a duel with that granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman."

Seo Daeryong was even more surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"She will also be in the Young Dragon Tournament."

Seo Daeryong's eyes widened.

This is why I remember this Young Dragon Tournament. It was the tournament where she made her name known to everyone.

The winner of this tournament was none other than Jin Haryong.

At the time, I just thought, I guess that's how it is, and moved on. It was not surprising for the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman to win a duel tournament for prodigies.

However, now I know. I know that the Heavenly Enlightenment Society is behind this tournament.

The fact that Jin Haryong's fate later flowed in a direction that would shock the world also had this tournament as its starting point.

"Win it all, Detective Seo."

Realizing I was speaking sincerely, Seo Daeryong drank the alcohol in front of him.

"You're saying things I can't answer with a sober mind."

The next day, Seo Daeryong had his first duel.

The outer grounds of the Murim Alliance were set up with dozens of duel stages, each one bustling with participants and spectators. Despite the large crowd, the duels proceeded in an orderly fashion.

The Murim Alliance gives off a certain intimidating aura. Furthermore, the martial artists running the tournament were from the Green Dragon Brigade, one of the alliance's elite organizations, so no one started fights or caused disturbances.

A martial artist managing the Yellow Character Group, which Seo Daeryong belonged to, came and gave a warning.

"Intentionally inflicting serious injury or killing an opponent will result in immediate disqualification. Furthermore, you may be held accountable and thrown in prison, so be careful. This is a proper duel, not a life-or-death battle."

His first opponent was a martial artist from a swordsmanship sect in Hubei. He had a rather sturdy build and a sharp gaze.

"I'm so nervous I could die."

"Were you this nervous when you took the promotion test for Detective Seo at the Sanzu River Hall?"

"I wasn't nervous at all back then."

"It's the same, isn't it? The effort you put in."

Seo Daeryong's eyes widened as he looked at me.

"I know very well that you trained harder than anyone. That's why you're here. If that were not the case, I would have grown my beard longer and gone up myself."

My words seemed to give him strength. Seo Daeryong nodded vigorously.

"I'll go win and come back."

Seo Daeryong knocked down his opponent in just three exchanges and came down. He won without even drawing his dao.

"That was too easy."

"Don't forget whose disciple you are."

Seo Daeryong finally had the chance to objectively see his own skills. He did not yet know how important this was for him as a martial artist.

Just then, a martial artist running the duels came and informed them, "There is one more duel in the afternoon, so don't go anywhere and wait."

It seemed they were holding two duels a day since it was still the early stages of the tournament.

"So if you get injured in the morning duel, you have to fight the afternoon duel in that injured state. They're testing our fighting spirit, aren't they?"

"Fighting spirit? What fighting spirit. They're probably just on a tight schedule."

"Don't you dare look down on the fighting spirit of our orthodox sects!"

"Yes, Young Master! Let's see you burn with fighting spirit!"

Seo Daeryong also won the afternoon duel easily. This time, too, he won without using his dao.

"How does it feel to win two in a row on the first day?"

"It feels good."

Although he had trained diligently under the Blood Heaven Blade Demon until now, Seo Daeryong had never dueled in a real fight like this.

"I was very nervous before going up, but once I was on the duel stage, I wasn't that nervous. It was a strange experience."

"I told you it would be a good experience."

"I've never regretted listening to you, Director."

"Go on ahead and rest."

"What about you, Director?"

"I'm going to look around a bit before I go."

"Yes, then I'll go on ahead."

After sending Seo Daeryong off, I looked around the duel stages. Duels were still in full swing on all of them.

I saw one duel stage that was unusually crowded with spectators. When I went over, I saw Jin Haryong from yesterday on the stage.

As the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman and a beauty called the First Beauty of Hubei, she was truly the center of attention. The spectators exchanged stories about her.

"But why did the Chairman's granddaughter enter this tournament?"

"I guess he won't just give her a position even if she's his granddaughter. If she wants to enter the Murim Alliance, she has to do it proudly with her own skills, right?"

"Right, right. Didn't Miss Jin's older brother win a tournament a few years ago and enter the Murim Alliance?"

"As expected! Our Chairman is a just and fair man."

Jin Haryong also subdued her opponent without drawing her sword.

Receiving cheers as she came down from the stage, she left without giving anyone a single glance. People were even more enthusiastic about her aloof demeanor.

I looked around at a few more duels before returning to the inn. Seo Daeryong went to the mountains to train and returned late at night. Even though he had won easily today, it seemed he was concerned about the remaining duels.

"As I've said, I have the kind of personality where I can't stand not being first. If I'm not going to participate, I won't, but if I do, I have to do my best."

Where did Seo Daeryong's resolve come from? It must be a personality forged through such effort.

Seo Daeryong also won his match the next day.

"Are you saying you didn't even watch my match?"

"There was an interesting match on another stage."

"Who? Don't tell me it was the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman?"

"That's right."

I watched Jin Haryong's match this time as well. Considering Seo Daeryong's skill, he might have to face her. Not right away, since they were in different groups, but if he became the group winner and advanced to the main tournament, he could face her.

There was a more important reason I was paying attention to her. She was the target and center of the conspiracy being plotted by the Heavenly Enlightenment Society this time. She would surely become a channel connecting me to them.

"What if I run into a strong opponent?"

"Do you think I just left? I saw who your opponent was before I went. You won by attacking the opening on his left, right?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

"By watching the way that guy walks."

I eased the astonished Seo Daeryong's mood. Because this was a moment when I should be astonished by him.

"Feels good to win, doesn't it?"

"Honestly, it's amazing!"

"Well done."

Seo Daeryong could not hide the joy on his face.

"Do you know when it feels the best? Surprisingly, it wasn't the moment I defeated my opponent. It was when I finished the duel and came down from the stage. That moment when people looked at me, cheered, and applauded was more thrilling and exciting. I learned this time that I'm someone who's this conscious of other people's gazes."

"The stronger you become, the more you'll want them to watch."

"There's no way."

"Why? You think you'll become more dignified? More humble?"

"Am I wrong?"

"Let's assume someone becomes the world number one. Would they be happier the moment they defeat the previous world number one? Or would they be happier because from that day on, everyone respects and looks up to them as the world number one?"

Imagine going somewhere and someone shouts, 'The world number one is here!' Imagine every person you meet looking at you with respect and envy. Imagine always hearing the drums of victory and the sounds of applause and cheers.

"Everyone's heart is the same. No, the stronger you become, the hotter and more primal your desires might become. The world number one has a bigger heart? Is that really true? 'I'm the world number one, and you treat me like this?' Are you confident you won't fall into that trap? Are you confident you can keep that pettiness, which you no longer have to hide, buried until the very end?"

After a brief pause, Seo Daeryong said, "But you're not like that, are you, Director? You wouldn't be, right?"

"Why do you think I'm not? Am I not human? I'm the same. I just try not to be."

"Having this conversation with you, Director, feels so good. I feel like I've finally become a real martial artist. I can't remember the last time my heart pounded like this. I sincerely apologize for insisting I wouldn't participate in this tournament."

However, our Seo Daeryong's feelings changed the very next day.

"I almost died! I'm not exaggerating, I really almost died! Ugh, I told you I wouldn't do it! I want to go back!"

"It's just a scratch. You're fine."

"A scratch? Can't you see this blood? Ah, if I hadn't dodged by a hair's breadth, I would have had a hole this big in my shoulder! And his sword was so huge."

"Your opponent can't even get up right now."

The opponent who had drawn blood from Seo Daeryong's shoulder was unconscious and still had not come to his senses.

"I don't care, please send me home! I need to go water my plants!"

This same Seo Daeryong was in a good mood again the next day. He was receiving the gazes he had wanted, even off the duel stage.

Even when he was just walking, many eyes glanced at him. They would also whisper amongst themselves.

"What is this?"

"That guy from yesterday was a candidate to win the Yellow Character Group. Thanks to that, you've also become one of the people drawing attention in this tournament."

He had taken all the attention that his hard-won opponent from yesterday had.

"Don't look, but that person in blue on the right. They've looked at me twice. Ah, they're looking again."

"Even so, can't you walk a little faster?"

Seo Daeryong was moving slowly, savoring everyone's gazes.

"Ah! I think those women at the far left are whispering while looking at me."

"To my eyes, it looks like they're discussing what to eat."

Just then, a young woman wearing a sword came running up and greeted Seo Daeryong.

"I enjoyed your match yesterday. Fight well today, too."

She bowed and left.

Seo Daeryong stood frozen, staring blankly at her retreating back.

"Director."

"What?"

"You didn't happen to pay people to cheer me up, did you?"

"Considering your smugness, I'd like to say I did, but no."

"Really? This feels like a dream."

Seo Daeryong was truly happy. It seemed to be the first time a woman had approached him and expressed interest like this.

I hoped he would savor this joy and excitement. He would never forget the duels here for the rest of his life.

I hope that Seo Daeryong will one day sit his grandson on his knee and tell him the stories of these days. The kind of story that starts with, 'It might be hard to believe, but when this old grandpa was young…'

"Let's go! To win!"

Was it thanks to the woman's encouragement?

Seo Daeryong continued to win, smoothly winning his Yellow Character Group and advancing to the main tournament. The main tournament was now a series of duels between the winners of each group.

"I'm going all the way!"

Seo Daeryong was burning with passion, separate from his mission. Yes, this was a moment that comes only a few times in life. It would be a more thrilling, exciting, and precious moment than becoming the world number one in old age. Yes, burn brightly, Daeryong.