Chapter 194

Cheol Myeong-ho, My Face is the Three Calamities Sword Technique

This happened when Cheol Myeong-ho was entering his tenth year as head of the escort unit.

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“Brother, aren’t you getting married?”

Yuk Jinbo asked, and Yuk Myeongbo also looked at Cheol Myeongho as if curious.

Cheol Myeong-ho glanced at the Ssangbo brothers and chuckled.

“What marriage?”

Ten years as head of the escort unit.

Things had changed quite a bit.

Now, within the escort unit, there was no one who could match Cheol Myeong-ho.

Within the Martial Alliance itself, true rivals were actually very rare. Since they hadn’t risked their lives to compete head-to-head, they simply accepted it as it was, but Cheolmyeongho knew.

Except for the retired seniors.

Except for the leader, who was both his master and friend.

Cheol Myeong-ho himself was the second-ranked martial artist in the Martial Arts Alliance.

But the Ssangbo brothers were the same.

They entered as lowly guards, yet now, aside from Cheol Myeong-ho, they had no rivals.

If anyone could challenge them, it would be someone like Sima Jue…

Ultimately, it was also the result of time and effort forged by Dan Woo-sung’s tenacity.

Of course, some things never change.

The steadfastness of the Ssangbo brothers could not be changed.

Yuk Myeong-bo asked.

“You do like that Miss Hua, don’t you? Hua Yinshu.”

At Liu Mingbo’s words, Liu Jinbo nodded.

“That’s right. Lady Hua Yinshuo, she is beautiful.”

Cheol Myeong-ho glared at the Ssangbo brothers.

“Is it really okay for these brats to bring up their superior’s personal pain in such a carefree tone?”

“We apologize, Brother.”

“We’re sorry. You told us to speak freely when we’re among ourselves.”

Yuk Myeong-bo offered it to Cheol Myeong-ho with a stiff expression that showed no remorse whatsoever.

“Why don’t you confess again? Even Hwa Sojeo is past marriageable age.”

Yuk Jin-bo chimed in.

“It’s over.”

“Ah, I heard you’re still unmarried even though you’re past that age.”

Cheol Myeong-ho pointed at his own face with his finger as he spoke.

“Look at my face. What do you think people would think? Not you guys, but women, I mean.”

The Ssangbo brothers stared blankly at Cheol Myeong-ho’s face.

“It does look a bit scary.”

“It’s not exactly a face that inspires affection.”

Cheol Myeong-ho retorted.

“Ugh, you bastards… Anyway, about my face. In sword techniques, it’s the Three Calamities Sword Technique. Meaning it doesn’t work well.”

“That’s kind of sad.”

“I understand.”

Cheol Myeong-ho clicked his tongue as he looked at the Ssangbo brothers.

“You two aren’t exactly pushovers either. Anyway, with this face that doesn’t exactly appeal to women, if you rashly… especially if you keep challenging the most beautiful woman in the Martial Arts Alliance to a fight every time, wouldn’t that put her in a difficult position? Wouldn’t it?”

“It would be a problem.”

“It’d be a pain. Can’t exactly beat her to death.”

Cheol Myeong-ho said.

“That’s why you have to take the long view.”

“Haven’t you been pining for ten years?”

Cheol Myeong-ho raised his voice.

“Why the hell are you counting my years of unrequited love? You wanna die? Who the hell are you? Jinbo? Myeongbo?”

“Myeongbo.”

“Myeongbo, wanna die?”

“I’m sorry.”

Damn it, you bastards. You all look the same, and now that you’re getting older, it’s even more confusing. You shave that beard off completely. You keep growing yours. It’s driving me crazy. Is this some kind of demonic art of cloning? The world’s at peace, so why the hell are you using demonic arts? As if they weren’t scary enough already, now they’re in pairs… Ugh… And why haven’t you two gotten married yet?”

Yuk Jinbo retorted.

“How could we possibly get married when we look even scarier than you, Brother?”

“Let’s not talk about it.”

“…”

A moment of silence passed.

Cheolmyeongho was about to unleash another torrent of curses when he caught sight of the Ssangbo brothers gazing up at the night sky and felt pity for them, so he shut his mouth.

Cheolmyeongho suddenly rose from his seat and stood before the Ssangbo brothers, holding his iron-tipped umbrella straight up.

“I think I know why that damnable leader friend of mine taught me the Three Calamities Sword Technique.”

“Why?”

“It’s simple. The Three Calamities Sword Technique is me.”

As he always did, Cheolmyeongho shifted slightly before bringing his black iron umbrella crashing down toward the wide training ground of the escort unit.

A fierce sword wind surged out.

“Go ahead and curse me.”

He followed with a horizontal slash.

“Just throw your temper around.”

A thrust followed.

There’s nothing better for a simple, ignorant man to master. It’s been years since I realized that ultimately, no sword technique in the world can create a move that avoids the trajectory of the Three Calamities Sword Technique. While others agonized over how to deceive their opponent, what changes to make… even in that moment, I simply swung. Now, when executing a downward strike, I know precisely where to cut off, where to withdraw, and where I can deliberately halt—there are over a hundred such points. After training in the Three Calamities Sword Technique…”

Cheol Myeong-ho looked at the Ssangbo brothers again.

“The most terrifying people are… the masters who’ve mastered the fundamentals and trained relentlessly. Now I see it clearly. As for the rest, those flashy posers? Ah, I finally get it. They’re just trash. I’ll beat them all. Hahahaha…”

“You’re truly the master.”

“The leader’s fundamentals are truly excellent.”

The three looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hahahahaha.”

The three who had been bickering in the gambling den now found themselves in the Martial Arts Alliance, and occasionally they’d be startled anew by this reality, laughing like this.

As the laughter subsided, Liu Jinbo spoke.

“Stop whining. Just confess again.”

“Why are you bringing that up again? I only confess once a year. So it doesn’t feel like a burden.”

“That’s even scarier, bro.”

Yuk Jin-bo said.

“Once you get married, then we’ll start looking.”

“Recognize what? You lunatic, are you going to ask Hao Wen to find you a bride? Hao Wen couldn’t find brides for you two even if you paid him a fortune. Try commissioning him. ‘Sir, I must decline this request.’ That’s how it’d go.”

Yuk Myeong-bo surprisingly said this.

“I didn’t intend to go that far.”

Cheol Myeong-ho retorted.

“What is it?”

“It’s not about us. Look how mature the leader has become.”

At Yuk Myeong-bo’s words, the three of them burst out laughing again simultaneously.

“Ha!”

“Hahaha.”

Cheol Myeong-ho laughed so hard he clutched his stomach.

Anyway, to Lady Baek… Ah, why does calling her ‘Lady’ feel so awkward? Anyway, seeing how he can’t move an inch around Lady Baek, I wonder if he’s really the same stubborn bastard I knew. And yet, even though he achieved everything he set out to do, it seems he’s getting his comeuppance. On top of that, how terrifying is her father? Her father’s ancestor is Baek Moo-jin. Hahahaha.

Cheol Myeong-ho suddenly stopped talking and stared at the main gate of the escort unit.

‘Ah, damn it.’

A familiar voice called from outside the gate.

“The Guard Commander sure is badmouthing the Lord.”

“He’s always been that kind of guy, so you needn’t give him any mind.”

“Well, that’s true, but—”

“Is there some clause that says if you insult the leader, you get thrown in the dungeon for a few days?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Then I suppose there’s nothing to be done.”

The main gate opened, and Dan Wooseong and Hwa Eunwol entered.

The Ssangbo brothers hurriedly rose and paid their respects.

“We greet the Alliance Leader.”

Cheol Myeong-ho also lowered his iron-tipped umbrella and bowed.

“Lord Alliance Leader, Commander-in-Chief.”

Dan Wooseong extended his hand to Cheol Myeongho as he spoke.

“Our Guard Captain, please continue with what you were doing—my chest…”

Cheol Myeong-ho retorted.

“I’m envious. Why do you take it that way? Tsk tsk, you shouldn’t be like that as the leader of the martial arts world. Broad-mindedness and a warm heart are essential virtues a leader must possess.”

Dan Woo-sung tilted his head and said.

“The Head of the Escort Corps is unusually talkative today, isn’t he?”

Hwa Eun-wol nodded.

“Exactly.”

Cheol Myeong-ho suddenly fell silent and stared at Dan Woo-seong. He knew this leader wasn’t the type to be easily swayed, so something felt ominous. He sensed a fierce follow-up attack was coming.

Danwooseong looked out the door he’d left open as if he’d forgotten about it and said.

“We went for a walk as a trio, so why did only two of us come back?”

“Guess they felt uncomfortable.”

Cheol Myeong-ho’s face flushed bright red.

‘Damn it…’

Yuk Jin-bo and Yuk Myeong-bo exchanged glances before saluting their superiors.

“Then we’ll take our leave and return to our quarters.”

As the Ssangbo brothers vanished as if fleeing…

Cheol Myeong-ho cleared his throat.

Hwa Eun-wol addressed the doorway.

“Shouldn’t you at least say goodbye?”

She entered through the main gate.

Of course, it was Hwa Eun-seol, whom Cheol Myeong-ho had been secretly pining for over ten years.

As Hwa Eun-seol approached, he seized the initiative.

“Long time no see, Commander of the Escort Corps.”

Cheolmyeongho returned the greeting to Hwa Eunseol.

“Deputy Commander, welcome.”

Hwa Eun-seol was now the deputy leader of the military intelligence organization.

Dan Woo-sung muttered.

“You’ve grown talkative. The Guard Commander… Hwa Military.”

“Yes.”

“How about a light-footwork duel for old times’ sake?”

“Shall we?”

As Hua Eun-seol approached to greet them, Dan Woo-seong and Hua Eun-wol’s figures shot into the air and soared over the wall.

It was a truly absurd exit.

Both possessed such high martial prowess that it was impossible to even guess which direction they were now racing off in.

Cheolmyeongho looked around with a dazed expression, but no one was there.

Ah, Hwa Eun-seol was there.

This moment felt more terrifying than when he had hurled insults at the demonic cultivator on Gu Huashan.

Cheolmyeongho let out a long sigh.

“Ah…”

What could he possibly say to the person he’d loved for ten years, standing right before him?

Hwa Eun-seol looked around inside the escort unit and said.

“This is my first time here. Even within the same Martial Alliance, there are places I’ve never seen before.”

Cheol Myeong-ho finally found his voice.

“Ah, the leader cut the escort unit’s budget and drastically reduced personnel, so we moved buildings and ended up like this. We’re reducing the number of people stationed at the headquarters and continuing to send them out into the martial world.”

“I see.”

Hwa Eun-seol looked at Cheol Myeong-ho.

“The sound of your laughter was so loud during your walk that the Lord of the Sect asked me to bring you over.”

“Ah…”

“I quietly approached and deliberately eavesdropped, but you really didn’t have to speak ill of the Master like that.”

“Ah, well, it’s because we’re friends. Because we’re friends… It’s not a bad thing. The fact that the leader has finally come to his senses… Anyway, it’s admirable. That’s what I meant. What could be more important than a man coming to his senses?”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed.”

Cheol Myeong-ho finally looked straight at Hwa Eun-seol. It was also the first time in a long while he’d seen her face directly, face-to-face.

The man who had spoken harshly to the Demon Lord had no reason to back down here.

Cheolmyeongho spoke.

“By the way, you remain as beautiful as ever.”

“Out of the blue?”

“Yes. It’s not sudden. You were beautiful ten years ago too.”

“I’m getting old now.”

“I’m older than you.”

Hwa Eun-seol said.

“Are you still practicing the Three Calamities Sword Technique?”

“Yes.”

“Are you aware that word of the Alliance Leader’s personal guard master practicing the Three Calamities Sword Technique has spread not only throughout the Alliance but across the martial world?”

“I was unaware of that.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, might I see it? Is that too much to ask?”

“What’s so difficult about showing you the Three Calamities Sword Technique?”

Cheolmyeongho stepped forward, holding the iron-clad umbrella.

It would be a demonstration of the Three Calamities Sword Technique he would never forget.

Even though he was so familiar with the Three Calamities Sword Technique, it felt different from usual.

He deliberately refrained from infusing it with his qi, instead pouring his utmost sincerity into executing the Three Calamities Sword Technique.

A downward strike, a horizontal slash, a thrust.

Simple, steadfast, and unwavering.

It was simply the perfect Samjae Sword Technique.

Cheol Myeong-ho, who had demonstrated the technique, glanced at Hwa Eun-seol and grinned.

“You’re not disappointed it was too simple, are you?”

Hwa Eun-seol shook her head as if to say she wasn’t disappointed.

“Not at all. I enjoyed it very much.”

After gazing briefly at Hwa Eun-seol’s beautiful face, Cheol Myeong-ho took the first bow and said.

“Miss Hua, it was a pleasure to see you again today after so long.”

Hwa Eun-seol returned the greeting with a bright smile.

“Yes, your demonstration was impressive.”

Cheolmyeongho extended his hand as if to escort her to the main gate. After their brief journey together ended and Hwa Eunseol distanced herself from the escort, Cheolmyeongho closed the gate and stood there for a moment, his head pressed against it.

He had given his utmost to the Three Calamities Sword Technique.

He had also done his utmost to never lose his courtesy toward Hwa Eun-seol.

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Cheol Myeong-ho, who had been choking with joy at Lee Shin-woo’s return, headed to his own separate quarters prepared for the escort mission.

The annex was dark.

Cheolmyeongho entered, lit the lamps first, then washed his hands and prepared the food to cook dinner himself. Cooking was nothing new to him, so it wasn’t difficult. Though he could have eaten at the communal dining hall, having a meal in the annex was a pleasant change.

He chopped scallions, boiled noodles, and separately simmered a broth with meat.

There was quite a lot of noodles among them.

While making the noodles, a rumbling sound came from her stomach.

Suddenly, someone entered the annex…

Cheolmyeong-ho quickly washed his hands and poked his head out. Cheolmyeong-ho beamed a broad smile at the person entering the annex and said.

“Madam, you’re here?”

“I’m working late tonight.”

“Ah, I know. Just wait a little while.”

Cheolmyeongho was making noodles…

Hwa Eun-seol, who had already sat down at the table, peeked her head out and watched Cheol Myeong-ho cook intently.