The Invincible Commander – Chapter 8

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HwasanSect

[Translator: Chyluck]

[Proofreader: Chyluck]

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Chapter 8

The next day, Sohyang steeled herself and stepped outside.

She was determined to drive him out of their lives.

To ensure he’d have no influence on Chang.

“Oh my, my lady, you’re out?”

Sohyang froze the moment she opened the door.

Cheon Sinwoo was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an old woman with a wrinkled face smiled at her.

“Who… are you?”

Bewildered, Sohyang asked, and the old woman suddenly dropped to her knees.

“Oh, my lady, I heard from my son. He was mixed up with those rotten thugs, doing vile things, wasn’t he?”

“What?”

“I ate the medicine and food he brought, not knowing they came from wicked deeds.”

“…”

“He’s a wretched boy. Beating him to death wouldn’t be enough. The Seoga family did so much good for people.”

Sohyang couldn’t hide her confusion.

What was all this about?

Who was this old woman?

“Oh my, my lady, you’re up?”

A man, carrying a load of firewood on his back, ran up and dropped to the ground.

Still wearing the firewood basket.

It was a miracle he didn’t topple over.

But his face was familiar.

One of the men from last night, part of the Huangdu Gang.

“You fool! Hurry up and apologize to the lady! What a beast! How dare you join those vile thugs and cause trouble at the Seoga manor!”

“I’m sorry, my lady.”

The old woman smacked the man’s arm, shouting.

If he weren’t carrying the basket, she’d have hit his back.

“I’ve committed a grave sin.”

“It’s all my fault, my lady. This foolish boy did it to pay for his old mother’s medicine and keep us fed. Please forgive him.”

The old woman bowed her head to the ground, and the man followed suit.

Sohyang was at a loss for words.

No, first, she needed to get the old woman up.

With wrinkles, a hunched back, and more white hair than black, she was clearly elderly. How could she let her kneel on the cold ground?

“Please, get up, ma’am.”

“No, how could you call me that? I’m the one who should die. I didn’t know you were struggling so much, too busy scraping by…” She sobbed.

“What?”

“It won’t happen again.”

“…”

“My boy’s vile deeds, I’ll repay them as long as I live.”

“Ma’am…”

“Call me Jeongyang’s wife. That’s what the late master called me.”

“What? You knew my father?”

“I worked here before I married. But I think the master I remember was your grandfather, not your father.”

“Oh…”

Given her age, that made sense.

“He gave me a plot of land as a dowry, but my late husband gambled it away.”

“…”

“Chased by creditors, we barely survived as slash-and-burn farmers. If I’d known you were struggling, I’d have come back to serve you sooner.”

The old woman couldn’t stop her tears.

“I’ll live as your servant from now on.”

“What?”

“My boy will too. The kindness the late master showed me, and the sins my son committed against you, we’ll repay like this.”

“N-No…”

“Please don’t cast us out. If you do, I’ll stay outside your gate, and even as a ghost, I’ll guard this house.”

Sohyang didn’t know how to respond.

What was going on?

First Cheon Sinwoo, now this old woman and Woosaeng.

Why were they all so eager to repay some debt?

The retainers had fled with the family’s wealth, yet these people…

“My lady, wait a moment. I’ll cook breakfast right away.”

Jeongyang’s wife hurried off.

Now that she noticed, smoke was rising from the chimney.

Sohyang sighed and followed her.

Even if she’d once worked for the Seoga family, they’d given her a dowry and sent her off, so she was no longer bound to them.

She claimed to be a servant, but Sohyang hadn’t asked for this. How could she let an elderly woman work while she stood by?

“Oh my, my lady, why are you doing this?”

“Let’s do it together.”

“What?”

“It’s food we’ll eat together. As for staying… I’ll think about it.”

Jeongyang’s wife and Sohyang’s voices drifted outside.

From the roof, Cheon Sinwoo, listening to their conversation, smiled faintly.

He’d hidden up there, unsure how to face her anger, but this connection was a stroke of luck.

Good thing.

What if he’d killed Woosaeng?

It was a whim, but telling him to bring his mother was a fortunate choice.

“Guess I’ll have to ask if people are tied to the Seoga family first.”

Cheon Sinwoo chuckled to himself.

At least there were more hands to help now.

He was unmatched at protecting, but housework was a worry.

Now Woosaeng could chop wood and sweep the yard, and his mother would handle the kitchen.

“But why’d she get mad about me being a martial artist?”

That question still nagged at him.

He needed to know why to make an excuse.

For now, he’d have to keep watching from hiding.

“By now, the merchants should be showing up.”

He’d deliberately dumped the beaten thugs in the middle of the village.

Let everyone see and spread the word.

The Seoga family was stronger than the thugs, so come to them.

Words alone wouldn’t do.

Seeing is believing.

Merchants have a knack for sniffing out profit.

Rather than paying protection fees to the Huangdu Gang, they’d come to the Seoga family with their pleas.

Until then, he’d let the Huangdu Gang live.

As dawn broke, the quick ones should be moving.

From the roof, Cheon Sinwoo glanced at the gate and grinned.

They’re here.

The fast ones.

And just the guy he needed.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Im Gilhyeon, a carpenter, my lady.”

The man bowing to Sohyang with a smile was the carpenter Cheon Sinwoo had visited about the roof tiles.

“What brings you here?”

“I heard the Seoga manor’s tiles are in bad shape, letting the rain in.”

“What?”

“Look at those old things. How have you lived like this? It breaks my heart.”

Sohyang, just finishing breakfast with Jeongyang’s wife and her son, looked puzzled.

“Don’t worry. I’ll fix the pavilion where you stay, good as new.”

“What? The tiles?”

“Absolutely.”

“But we never asked for that…”

“Oh, my lady, what’s that talk? Your servant came by earlier to ask about it.”

“What?”

“No need to worry about payment. It’s free, free. All from the goodness of my heart.”

Sohyang was dumbfounded.

A man who’d never visited before suddenly offering to fix the tiles for free? It was baffling.

What was going on?

“But, I don’t see him around.”

“Who?”

“I heard a servant named Cheon Sinwoo is staying here…”

“What?”

Sohyang frowned as Im Gilhyeon looked around.

What was this about?

Why was he looking for Cheon Sinwoo?

“Big brother’s not here,” Woosaeng answered.

“Oh?”

“He went out last night and hasn’t come back.”

“Really? But you… wait, Woosaeng?”

Im Gilhyeon, briefly disappointed that Cheon Sinwoo wasn’t there, jumped when he recognized Woosaeng’s face.

The strong, dim-witted collector from the Huangdu Gang, known far and wide.

Why was he here?

He’d seen the Huangdu Gang members beaten to a pulp that morning while sending out his workers.

Had he misunderstood something?

“The Huangdu Gang?”

“I quit those bastards.”

“What?”

“I’m big brother’s brother now.”

“Huh?”

“My mom’s got a place to live. From now on, I’m a Seoga servant.”

“What?”

Im Gilhyeon blinked, stunned.

“That’s just how it is.”

Woosaeng, never good with words, brushed it off, leaving Im Gilhyeon blinking.

“You little brat! Talking half-sentences to an elder! Being rude to someone here to help the lady with tiles! Did I raise you like that? Don’t you know the Seoga family’s honor depends on your words?”

“Sorry, Mother.”

Jeongyang’s wife, unable to stand it, smacked Woosaeng’s head, and as always, he just mumbled apologies.

She was no ordinary woman.

“Oh, my boy’s a bit slow, please understand.”

“Yes… yes.”

“Have you eaten? It’s early.”

“Not yet.”

Food?

Who had time to eat?

He’d rushed over without thinking about it.

He was in a hurry.

A carpenter might not seem tied to the Huangdu Gang, but he was more connected than most.

Big jobs were different, but carpentry involved all sorts of tasks.

If there was money, no job was too big or small.

The problem was, payments often came after the work.

When cash was needed, it usually came from the Huangdu Gang’s loans.

Interest piled up, growing bigger than the principal, leaving nothing after a job.

No matter how much he pleaded, those vicious thugs took even the job earnings, leaving him struggling.

And now they were raising interest again.

He was on the verge of ruin.

But then, a solution appeared.

The Seoga family.

They were stirring again.

His only regret was not offering to do the tiles for free when Cheon Sinwoo asked.

Fearing he’d made a bad impression, he’d rushed over at dawn.

Grumble.

His stomach growled at the mention of food.

“A carpenter doing hard work can’t skip meals. My lady, may we offer him some food?” Jeongyang’s wife asked.

“What?”

“It’s before breakfast, and the Seoga family can’t turn away a guest…”

Sohyang gave an awkward smile and nodded.

What was going on?

Im Gilhyeon polished off a bowl in no time.

“Must’ve been hungry. Another bowl?” Jeongyang’s wife asked.

“Yes? Yes.”

Im Gilhyeon nodded without thinking.

Not to curry favor—her cooking was just that good.

It tasted like his mother’s.

Only after his stomach was full did he get to his purpose.

He counted the needed tiles, subtly mentioned how the Huangdu Gang was killing him, and hinted that someone’s help would be nice.

He stressed it was to Cheon Sinwoo too.

And emphasized the tiles were “free.”

But strange things kept happening after he left.

“My lady, what’s with these clothes?”

The cloth merchant measured Sohyang and Chang for new clothes.

“The Seoga family’s dishes? They’re all chipped!”

The dish seller swapped them out on the spot.

Their words were all the same.

“The food was so good…”

“Sit down.”

Jeongyang’s wife generously served food, and everyone asked about Cheon Sinwoo’s whereabouts.

But how’d she make so much food?

“Was there rice at home?”

“What? There was plenty.”

“What?”

Sohyang frowned at Jeongyang’s wife’s words.

She had a guess who the culprit was.

Cheon Sinwoo.

She needed to tell him to stop, but the constant stream of visitors stole her time.

Of course—

Grumble.

“Ugh, I’m starving.”

The real culprit, Cheon Sinwoo, who’d secretly bought the rice, was hiding on the roof to avoid Sohyang’s eyes, going hungry all day.

He couldn’t leave.

Who knew when the Huangdu Gang would show up?

“Hilda.”

That’d be the fastest way.

But for now, he needed people to come to the Seoga family for help.

Look at that.

Free tiles, new clothes, and new dishes already.

Grrr.

Who said you’re full without eating?

…Gonna tear their mouth if I find them.