Chapter 689: No Refunds

TL: FoodieMonster007

"What are you thinking so hard about! What's with you today?"

Sa Chu was still half dazed, even after they had left the guest hall.

Under Ahn Hupyeong's displeased gaze, Sa Chu lowered his head. "It's nothing, sir."

"Go find Master Yong right now. Find out where the hell he is and what he's doing, and bring him here immediately!"

How could he possibly find someone who was no longer there? Was Master Yong melted with Bone Dissolving Acid and washed away, or was he buried somewhere in the rear garden?

Sa Chu hesitated. He knew that he should have been honest. He should have explained that Master Yong was likely killed by those people, and that they had even warned him to keep his mouth shut.

What would happen if he told the truth?

Ahn Hupyeong would surely run straight to the Chief. And how would the Chief react to the news?

He had kept Master Yong around despite his haughty and willful behavior solely for his martial arts. A furious reprimand would surely fall upon him for getting him killed on a useless errand.

And what would happen after that? Would he mobilize all the martial artists to go and kill them?

Or wouldn't they just decide to leave them be until the tournament was over?

That seemed like a strong possibility. The tournament was far too important, as it had already been widely announced throughout the murim.

Besides, they still didn't know why the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman had been invited to be a judge.

So, what if holding them accountable for Master Yong's death was postponed?

Sa Chu thought of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Faceless Warriors. If they were capable of killing Master Yong without a trace, then killing him would be a simple matter. In the end, he would pay the price for ignoring their warning to stay silent.

Even if the decision was made to capture them immediately, could they really catch them all?

Sending a few masters would be nowhere near enough. And they wouldn't start a war right before such a major tournament.

No matter the outcome of his words.

I will die.

If Ahn Hupyeong had been a leader who cherished him, he wouldn't have reached the conclusion that he needed to save his own skin first.

"I don't think we'll be able to find Master Yong."

"What do you mean?" Ahn Hupyeong demanded.

Sa Chu wasn't saying this because the man was dead, but to save himself from a palpable killing intent.

"I believe the Chief may have intervened and sent him back."

"Father?"

"You know Master Yong's personality, don't you, sir? It's impossible that he wouldn't have come after saying he would. But since he's not here… who else could have stopped him midway?"

It was a plausible guess, so Ahn Hupyeong nodded in agreement.

It had been strange from the start that his father had summoned Master Yong in advance. He must have done it to prevent him from using the man for this kind of work.

"Fine, forget Master Yong. Just find out who those veiled bastards are. They're clearly not ordinary."

Ahn Hupyeong started walking away, then added as if he had just remembered something.

"Oh, and I heard a woman from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is attending this tournament. Find out where she's staying."

A beauty from the Demonic Cult? He had never had the pleasure of being with a woman from the Demonic Cult before. This was his chance.

Even in this situation, his lust and desire for women remained as strong as ever.

"Yes, I understand."

Sa Chu let out a sigh and glanced back toward the guest hall, now far behind him.

In that instant, Sa Chu flinched in shock. A gasp escaped his lips.

The Faceless Warriors were plastered against the guest hall window, staring directly at him. There were so many of them that he wondered if it was even possible for that many faces to fit in a single window.

The sight was as bizarre and terrifying as their earlier 'shushing' gesture.

Sa Chu whipped around and quickened his pace, fleeing the area.

Find out who they are?

Ah! He really didn't want to know.

Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn took a room at an inn located in the marketplace.

"A large room with two beds, please."

Lee Ahn was startled. She had naturally assumed they would get two separate rooms, but Geom Mugeuk had only requested one.

"We'll sleep in the same room until this tournament is over."

Now that he had confirmed their opponent was an assassin, he had no intention of letting her sleep alone.

Feeling needlessly shy, Lee Ahn spoke. "You still don't trust my skills."

"That's not it. I need you to protect me."

The inn owner smiled warmly, wearing an expression that seemed to say, 'I know exactly what you're up to.'

"Let's eat first. You've never had Anhui province cuisine, have you?"

"No. Have you, Young Master?"

"Of course I have."

Geom Mugeuk called over a waiter and skillfully ordered their food. He was well-acquainted with the region's famous dishes and smoothly ordered things that would suit Lee Ahn's palate.

"My, when did you come here and try all this?"

I got to eat it thanks to you. Because you saved my life.

The inn was filled with people who had come to participate in the tournament. Lee Ahn's gaze deepened as she watched them.

Geom Mugeuk had said it earlier. This street was full of beautiful assassins.

If that was true, it was possible that among the people eating right next to them was an assassin under her command.

"You asked me to protect you, Young Master, but I didn't even realize that woman was an assassin."

A bodyguard was supposed to be good at sensing assassins. They had to be.

But she hadn't sensed at all that the woman was an assassin. She had even felt jealous of her. Thinking about it now, it was so embarrassing. It would be embarrassing for a long, long time.

"That's because they are special assassins."

"But you recognized her, Young Cult Leader?"

That's because I already knew.

"That's because I'm a special person."

Lee Ahn laughed at Geom Mugeuk's boast, which she hadn't heard in a while.

"They probably didn't receive the typical training that assassins go through. That's why you can't feel the unique habits or the specific aura of an assassin."

She and the Beautiful Bridges she led were not ordinary assassins, after all.

Lee Ahn nodded and said. "They wouldn't have needed assassin training. They possess a weapon more powerful than any other."

The price for that enchanting smile would be one's life.

Three days later.

Lee Ahn's expression was grim as she walked out of the building where the preliminaries had been held.

She walked with her head down, trudging along.

"I knew this would happen. Me, the world number one beauty? I knew it when they made such a fuss before it even started! That's why I told you I didn't want to do it!"

She waited for words of comfort, but there was no reaction from Geom Mugeuk.

When she lifted her head, she saw Geom Mugeuk already crossing the training ground, walking far ahead of her.

"……"

Lee Ahn hurriedly ran after Geom Mugeuk. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? We have to hurry and prepare for the main competition."

"I told you, I was eliminated."

"A monkey can fall from a tree, and the Sword King can drop his sword, but there's no way you'd be eliminated from a beauty contest. Especially not in the preliminaries."

A hint of joy flickered across Lee Ahn's face. She was happier about Geom Mugeuk's words than about passing the preliminaries.

"Don't praise me so much! I'll… I'll really start to expect things."

"All the better to tease you with later."

He had hoped to at least see the face of the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman, but she wasn't at the preliminary judging. It seemed she would be judging from the main competition onward.

The preliminaries had ended the moment she removed her veil.

"But where are we going now?"

"Didn't I say we're going to prepare for the main competition?"

"Where?"

The place Geom Mugeuk took her was a building a little ways off from the marketplace.

From the outside, you couldn't even tell what it sold, but upon entering, they found it was a clothing shop.

It was different from the other shops in the marketplace. It handled very precious clothes. They were garments made by renowned artisans from all over, and naturally, the prices were high.

"How did you know about this place?"

"The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman told me. She said to bring you here later and buy you a dress."

"Ah, I see."

It seemed the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman, unable to look after her personally, had spoken to Geom Mugeuk in advance.

And she hadn't only spoken to Geom Mugeuk.

"Welcome."

A middle-aged woman who appeared to be the owner came out to greet the two. She too seemed to have been contacted by the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman, as her attitude toward them was very respectful.

"Please, choose a dress you like."

Lee Ahn looked around the interior. There were so many gorgeous and beautiful clothes that she felt rather flustered.

"I've… never been to a place like this before."

Was Lee Ahn the only one? Geom Mugeuk had never been to a place like this either.

"Take your time and choose."

The middle-aged woman held back for the time being, watching to see what kind of dress she would pick.

Lee Ahn looked over the clothes. Since they were made by artisans, how could the quality be anything but superb?

However, as someone who had only ever worn a martial arts uniform, she couldn't quite judge which dress was good or which would suit her.

Then, Lee Ahn's gaze stopped before a pure white palace gown that caught her eye. It didn't have any flashy patterns, but it was a dress that accentuated the figure more than the one she was currently wearing.

"Could I really wear a dress like that?"

Her face was already turning red just from imagining it.

"If it's just once in your life, wouldn't it be okay to try it on at least once?"

After a moment of deliberation, Lee Ahn made her decision. Geom Mugeuk's words had helped her decide.

"I'll take that one, please."

At that, the middle-aged woman smiled. "An excellent choice. It's a dress made stitch by stitch by an artisan."

Lee Ahn had never owned such an expensive dress. If I wear that, I'll be too afraid of tearing it to even draw my sword!

Just then, someone spoke from behind her.

"I'll buy that dress."

Turning around, she saw a woman entering the shop.

To her surprise, it was Cha Yiran.

Even though she now knew her opponent was an assassin, Lee Ahn treated her naturally.

"They say if a coincidence keeps happening, it's not a coincidence. We meet again."

Cha Yiran was honest about the encounter. "This time, it's not a coincidence."

It probably wasn't last time either.

"I saw this Young Lady enter here and followed you in."

"……"

"To scout what kind of dress my competitor is buying."

Cha Yiran looked at Geom Mugeuk and gave him an enchanting nod of greeting.

"And to have that meal we couldn't have."

She was frank.

Faced with her blatant show of interest, Lee Ahn gave an unexpected response.

"Could I ask you for a favor?"

"Go ahead."

Please stay away from my bodyguard! Instead, she said.

"Please help me pick a dress."

At the unexpected request, Cha Yiran wore an expression of interest.

"That's not a request you should be making of a competitor."

"And asking a competitor's bodyguard out for a meal isn't something one should do either."

Cha Yiran smiled as if in acknowledgment. "You have a point."

A smile suited her well. She was charming no matter how she smiled.

"Alright, I'll pick one out for you."

She scanned the clothes hanging inside.

First, she dismissed the dress Lee Ahn had initially chosen.

"No matter how many stitches the artisan put into it, this dress doesn't suit this Young Lady."

She also explained why.

"This Young Lady has a pure face. If the clothes are also pure, it becomes cliché and boring. That dress over there would be a much better fit."

She pointed to a vibrant red palace gown hanging on the opposite side. It was more revealing and far more flamboyant than the white gown.

After a moment of hesitation between the two dresses, Lee Ahn told the middle-aged woman.

"I'll take both, please."

She also revealed her reason for buying both.

"Whether I believe Young Lady Cha's words or not, I have to buy both."

"What do you mean?"

"If what Young Lady Cha says is true, then this white gown would suit you, so I should buy it. And if you were lying, then it would suit me, so I should buy it."

Cha Yiran smiled brightly. How could anyone look at a woman smiling like that and think of an assassin? It was that kind of smile.

Lee Ahn sent Geom Mugeuk a telepathy message. [I had no choice, for the sake of appearances.]

[One of them is coming out of your monthly salary.]

[No! I can't walk around wearing a year's worth of my earnings!]

The middle-aged woman wrapped up the clothes in Lee Ahn's size, and Geom Mugeuk paid for them.

After buying the clothes, the three of them left the shop.

Cha Yiran said to Geom Mugeuk. "Let's have a meal. You promised we would."

Geom Mugeuk smiled slightly and refused. "I have never made such a promise."

"Just for a moment."

She glanced at Lee Ahn.

"No. Even if the Young Lady gives her permission, I will not."

At Geom Mugeuk's firm words, Cha Yiran smiled and said. "This just makes me want to be with you more, doesn't it?"

Lee Ahn smiled, then bid her farewell. "It seems I should have let you have the white dress."

She walked away, leaving behind the implication that Cha Yiran needed to be prettier to tempt her bodyguard.

Geom Mugeuk followed behind her, holding the clothes in both hands.

Watching their retreating figures, Cha Yiran smiled. "Cute."

Cha Yiran lifted her head and looked at the sky. As her expression turned blank, she looked like a different woman. Her clear eyes turned cold, and her bright charm transformed into a dark, demonic allure.

"No matter what dress you wear, a person who is meant to die will die."

The road back to the inn was a road of regret.

"I'm ruined! I'm the kind of person who saves money even when buying a single meal. Ah! Style is fleeting, but debt is forever."

"And there wasn't even any style."

"This won't do. I'm going back right now to return it."

"That elegant and kind-looking owner said this when I was paying. Sorry, but no refunds!"

"She didn't even want the white dress!"

Lee Ahn, who had been agonizing, suddenly had a sparkle in her eyes.

"In that case, there's only one way."

"Right, thirty thousand taels!"

Shouting about their one shot at life, the two returned to the inn.

Unexpected people were waiting for them there.

It was none other than the Young Master, Ahn Hupyeong, and Sa Chu.

"They've arrived."

At Sa Chu's words, Ahn Hupyeong, who was sitting with his back to them, lowered his voice into a refined tone without turning around.

"You're the first woman to ever make me wait like this."