Chapter 174 : What Is This

“I’ll go ask.”With those words, Seomun Ak strode toward the children.

The children, who had been chatting among themselves, flinched and looked at him with nervous faces.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom realized belatedly. They had gotten so used to him that they had forgotten—Seomun Ak’s appearance was actually rather fierce.

“Seo Sohyeop.”

Jin Seong-un tried to say something, but it was already too late.

Seomun Ak put on what he thought was the kindest smile possible. Instead, that expression only frightened the children even more.

“Would you tell me in detail what you were talking about? We’re not bad peo—”

“Kyaaah!”

Before he could even finish speaking, the children shrieked and ran away.

“…They screamed just from looking at my face?”

Seomun Ak, left behind, stood there with a wounded expression, staring blankly at the children’s retreating figures.

Seo Yu-gyeom’s shoulders shook briefly.

“Shall I chase after them and ask?”

“Leave it. Rather than scaring the children further, it would be better to ask the adults.”

When Jin Seong-un said that, Lee Seowon quickly agreed, saying it was a wise idea.

Lee Seowon was growing more and more fond of Jin Seong-un. If it had been Ha Joo-yeon, he would have immediately ordered martial artists to drag the children back, threatening and intimidating them until his curiosity was satisfied.

After a brief walk around the village, the group went straight to the village headman’s house.

The headman was the one who oversaw all matters, great and small, in the village.

“Are you here?”

Calling quietly from outside the fence, they soon saw an old man with a head of white hair peek out and look them over.

The old man’s eyes held a clear wariness toward strangers, but as soon as Jin Seong-un spoke, the suspicion began to melt away.

“I am Jin Seong-un of the Seong-un Inn in Yichang. I heard your village suffered greatly from flood damage, so I came to offer financial support.”

Jin Seong-un began, and Lee Seowon added detailed explanations.

He laid out clearly under what justification the donation would be made, how much, and by what method.

The headman’s expression shifted repeatedly before his eyes finally began to drip with gratitude.

“Heavens, how could we be blessed with such kindness…”

The headman eventually called several villagers and explained the promises made by the Seong-un Inn.

Soon, the villagers wore expressions similar to his, gazing at Jin Seong-un’s party.

“We are truly grateful for the great master’s generosity.”

“How could we ever repay such grace…”

A middle-aged woman and man bowed again and again in gratitude.

The stronger-than-expected reaction left the group a little embarrassed, until the headman spoke again in a solemn tone.

“As the headman of this village, I give you my word. The funds you have provided will only be used where truly necessary, and should any remain, they will be returned to you without fail.”

At that, a strange glint appeared in Lee Seowon’s eyes.

Money was always spent one way or another—there was rarely any left over.

To be exact, even if some could be left, people simply did not bother to leave it.

Once people tasted bread, they soon longed for meat—that was the nature of man.

“With someone like you, we can entrust this with peace of mind.”

When Lee Seowon said that, the villagers nodded vigorously in agreement.

It seemed the headman was quite trusted within the village.

Taking that in, Lee Seowon continued.

“If any resources are left over, we would be grateful if you could pass them on to other struggling villages.”

The true goal was to raise the reputation of the Seong-un Inn in a short time, suppressing the actions of the Myriad Gold Manor.

Of course, beyond that purpose, the starving villagers were simply grateful to have their hardships eased, even a little.

While the conversation continued, Seomun Ak, who had been standing idly to the side, suddenly spoke as if he had made up his mind.

“Soon, the Seomun Clan will also send rice to the village. I noticed even the children looked hungry.”

As the wealthiest one present, Seomun Ak had felt uneasy just standing by.

However, the headman’s reaction was a little strange.

“Ah, thank you. So you’re from the Seomun Clan.”

While the others only expressed gratitude, the headman flinched for a moment at the mention of the Seomun Clan’s name.

Seomun Ak did not miss it.

When he turned to glance at his companions, he saw that Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom had noticed as well, though Lee Seowon gave no reaction.

Just as a peculiar tension settled, Jin Seong-un opened his mouth.

“On the way here, we heard some unsettling talk. Is it true that children are being sold in this village?”

“Selling children” meant exactly that—selling one’s offspring.

The headman and villagers instantly flinched.

“Ahem, it is true that, in dire cases, children are sometimes sent to nearby noble households. It is something done only out of sheer desperation. If not, the entire family might starve to death.”

In other words, rather than let their children die of hunger, they sold them into servitude.

The villagers, too, nodded with heavy expressions. What parent would ever want to sell their child?

“I see.”

“Of course, we do not send them to just any household. Only to families that can feed them properly and will not treat them cruelly.”

If what he said was true, that was somewhat fortunate.

Better to live than to die of starvation.

Seo Yu-gyeom, who had been listening quietly, suddenly joined the conversation.

“Well, that will no longer be necessary. The inn is providing a large sum, and now the Seomun Clan is sending rice too.”

“That is so. Once again, we are deeply grateful for the great masters’ generosity.”

The headman and villagers bowed repeatedly.

The group politely declined their offer of a meal and slipped outside.

For a while, they walked idly around the outskirts of the village.

Everyone seemed lost in thought, speaking little.

Finally, Seomun Ak, still wearing a sullen face, stretched and spoke.

“No matter how hard life gets, how could parents sell their children? Is that even allowed by the laws of the land?”

Instead of the silent Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom, Lee Seowon answered.

“You may not know, Seo Sohyeop, but it is not entirely rare. Parents keep it quiet out of shame, that’s all. According to the Great Ming Code, buying and selling people who are not already slaves is prohibited, but…”

Lee Seowon trailed off, watching children run about at the edge of the village.

“…When famine strikes, or when society falls into chaos, the authorities often turn a blind eye. The land is too vast to care for every subject. If they were too strict, many more would simply starve to death.”

“Is that so.”

Seomun Ak nodded, still wearing a displeased expression. Perhaps it was because he had grown up in a wealthy household, unfamiliar with such cruel realities, but deep down, he could not help feeling a strong sense of rejection toward it.

After that, the group continued to walk, conversing about various things. The main subject of discussion was Lee Seowon’s strange talent.

Seo Yu-gyeom spoke in a tone of disbelief.

“You formed your dantian so quickly, yet you still struggle to swing a sword properly?”

“Some people are just smart in the head but hopeless with their bodies. Looks like he’s one of those.”

Seomun Ak said this, but Seo Yu-gyeom still couldn’t understand.

Ordinarily, Seomun Ak’s words would have been correct. However, this was Lee Seowon, the very man whose talent Jin Seong-un himself had acknowledged.

Clearly, something unexpected was at work inside that body.

The problem was that none of them had the faintest idea what it could be.

“What do you mean his insight is too great, and that’s the reason?”

Seo Yu-gyeom turned to Jin Seong-un.

Insight meant intellect—the ability to memorize, comprehend, and grasp truths.

Everyone knew Lee Seowon was intelligent, and intelligence generally made it easier to learn martial arts.

Therefore, Jin Seong-un’s claim that excessive intellect was interfering with martial training sounded absurd.

After some thought, Jin Seong-un finally spoke.

“I don’t know either.”

At that, Seo Yu-gyeom, Seomun Ak, and Lee Seowon all wore dumbfounded expressions. If Jin Seong-un didn’t know, who could possibly know?

But Jin Seong-un couldn’t reveal that the advice had come from Martial Gods themselves—specifically, the Blood Demon.

As the four of them shared the same sense of frustration—

“Wait.”

Seo Yu-gyeom turned his head sharply to one side.

His expression grew deadly serious.

He and Jin Seong-un exchanged glances.

Seomun Ak, bewildered, asked,

“What is it?”

“There’s another child-selling taking place over there.”

Seo Yu-gyeom pointed toward a certain direction.

There was only an ordinary house and wall there, but naturally, he was indicating something beyond them.

When Seomun Ak still looked lost, Seo Yu-gyeom deliberately widened his eyes and said,

“Ah, right. With your senses, you wouldn’t be able to hear a conversation from this distance. Let’s get a bit closer.”

It was concern in appearance, but in truth mockery and ridicule. Seomun Ak’s fist trembled quietly in response.

The group gradually moved closer to where the voices came from.

.

.

.

In a secluded alley, away from the crowds, four people had gathered, each with different expressions and stances.

A burly man with a knife scar across his face stood crookedly, eyeing the child.

The child had already realized he was about to be sold. He hung his head low. Perhaps understanding why as well, he tried to suppress his tears, showing a maturity far beyond his age.

Beside him stood his mother, her face twisted with sorrow, and an old man who seemed to be mediating between them.

It was none other than the headman.

Contrary to his earlier words that no more sales would occur, he was in the middle of arranging one.

Perhaps aware of prying eyes, he whispered—but he had no idea that martial experts capable of hearing even such faint voices were nearby.

“Elder, can I truly trust you with this?”

“You speak nonsense. All the children of this village are like my own.”

Most of the villagers were simple farmers. Illiterate parents entrusted the headman with reviewing contracts for selling children.

The people trusted him. For decades, he had shown himself as a headman who truly cared for the village and its people.

Indeed, the headman now spoke sternly to the buyer.

“You must ensure the child eats at least two meals a day. And under no circumstances are you to beat or abuse him. No, better yet—this should be written into the contract itself.”

The buyer sighed but wrote something additional into the contract.

The parents’ hearts broke at the sight, yet it offered them some relief.

Better for the child to eat scraps in a wealthy household than starve to death at home. Two meals a day sounded like a blessing.

The headman narrowed his eyes, examined the contract one last time, and handed an ink container to the mother.

“It’s settled. Dip your thumb in ink and press it here. I know your heart aches, but this is for the child’s sake.”

Both mother and child held back tears.

They knew crying would only make things worse.

The mother was just about to ink her thumb when—

“That’s not what it says.”

A sudden voice came from beside her.

Startled, she turned sharply. A handsome young man was leaning in, eyes fixed on the contract in her hand.

It was Jin Seong-un.

Before she could calm her pounding heart, another voice came from the opposite side.

“This is downright vile.”

It was Seo Yu-gyeom.

Soon, Seomun Ak and Lee Seowon also stepped forward, peering down at the contract.

Even the normally reserved Lee Seowon frowned, while hot-tempered Seomun Ak’s face grew steadily redder.

In a calm voice, Jin Seong-un began reading aloud.

“From this day forward, Child ‘Eul’ shall be the ‘property’ of ‘Gap.’ The parents shall never reclaim ‘Eul’ under any circumstances.”

“……”

“‘Gap’ holds full rights over ‘Eul’s life and death. Should anything befall ‘Eul’ in the future, the parents may not object nor demand the body’s return.”

“What… what did you say?”

The mother gasped and clutched her child tightly.

At the same moment, the burly man who had sought to purchase the child scowled and threw a punch.

“What the hell kind of nonsense—”

But his fist never extended even halfway.

Like Guan Yu from history books, Seomun Ak’s face burned red as he seized the man’s wrist and twisted it mercilessly.

Crack—!

The unorthodox man’s thick wrist shattered like overripe corn.

The man howled in agony, but before the sound could escape, Seo Yu-gyeom stepped forward and clamped a palm over his mouth.

He didn’t want the child to be frightened.

“Mmphhh!”

The man thrashed briefly, then fell still after locking eyes with Seo Yu-gyeom at close range.

Jin Seong-un continued reading aloud.

“‘Gap’ has all rights over ‘Eul’ and may sell, gift, or mortgage him to any third party without restriction.”

There was nothing in the contract about feeding two meals a day or refraining from abuse.

Lifting his head, Jin Seong-un looked straight at the headman as he finished.

“For acting as guarantor of this sale, Headman Hwang Seok-won shall receive one nyang of silver.”

“……”

“What is this supposed to be?”