GTHWCS~08

CHAPTER~08

Yeong-won and Sorae kept their heads down, shrinking their bodies as much as they could while walking among the rough, menacing people.

They tried their best not to draw any attention.

Then suddenly, a piercing sound—like a pig being slaughtered—ripped through the street.

Startled, Yeong-won lifted her head. The color drained from her face in an instant.

In front of a dried-fish stall, a pig’s severed head rolled across the dirt, and beside it stood a man gripping a knife that gleamed cold and blue.

Blood splattered across his face and clothes, making his already fearsome expression look downright savage.

“Hey! Kim Kaya! If you don’t come out right now, I’ll slice off that mangy mutt’s head next!”

“Yelp! Whine—!”

To prove his words weren’t an empty threat, the man grabbed the yellow dog barking beside the stall by its neck.

“You filthy butcher! You’ve lost your damn mind, haven’t you? I’ll rip that foul mouth of yours wide open!”

A one-eyed man with a sturdy build burst out from inside the stall, clutching a hatchet, and began swinging wildly.

The poor dog was tossed aside and disappeared into the crowd that had stopped to watch the fight.

“Ugh, what the hell! What’s that stench? Who the—damn it!”

Frozen in shock by the sudden, bloody brawl, Yeong-won flinched at the sound of the curse and immediately grabbed Sorae, pulling her away from the commotion.

She hurried toward a quieter street, almost breaking into a run.

She feared the man might think they were the source of the foul odor and turn his rage on them.

Even though Sorae knew some martial arts, brute strength alone wouldn’t help here—especially not in a place where people drew weapons before asking questions.

“Miss! Miss, I think this is far enough. Please, stop for a moment.”

At Sorae’s plea, Yeong-won finally stopped. She let go of Sorae’s hand and bent forward, catching her breath.

“Sorae, we need to do something about this smell on us. We nearly got into real trouble back there.”

“I know. Once we reach the Geom clan, we should bathe right away. Honestly, my nose is about to fall off. Hehe.”

Sorae pinched her nose playfully—just as a sharp voice rang out behind them.

“So now even beggars wander in here? Who are you two? I haven’t seen you around. Show me your dopae!”

Startled, Yeong-won turned.

An elderly man in a pine-colored overcoat stood there, a lean, stern figure with a middle-aged servant at his side. His sharp eyes were filled with irritation.

When they didn’t answer right away, the old man scowled fiercely and barked again, his tone cutting like a whip.

“Are you deaf, girl? Didn’t you hear me? I said show me your dopae!”

“…Dopae?”

Yeong-won and Sorae exchanged puzzled looks.

“Yes! If you’re authorized to live here in Jejado, you must have a dopae, a wooden token!”

Yeong-won swallowed nervously.

So people needed a dopae to stay in this place.

But before she could say anything, the old man’s eyes narrowed.

“You don’t even know what that is, do you? So you entered without permission. How did you get this far without a dopae?”

The man eyed them suspiciously, as if they were thieves, then flicked his hand.

“Tie them up. Do you think this place is open to every stray cat and dog?”

“Wait, sir! Please! We’re not strays. We came here searching for Jejado! This is Jejado, isn’t it?”

Startled by his thunderous voice, Sorae quickly stepped forward, speaking louder to make herself sound confident.

But instead of answering, the old man frowned, turned away, and gestured to his servant.

The middle-aged man began approaching, clearly intending to drive them out.

Sorae instantly stepped in front of Yeong-won, glaring sharply at him.

Unlike the escaped convicts they’d faced before, this was only one man—she might stand a chance this time.

But Yeong-won didn’t hide behind her. Instead, she slipped to the side and hurried after the old man.

They had come too far to be thrown out now. Besides, judging by his manner, he must have lived here for a long time.

“Sir! Please, wait a moment—may I ask you one question?”

Her voice came out deeper, steadier than usual. The old man wrinkled his nose as if annoyed but didn’t stop her.

“I’m looking for the Geom clan. I was told they reside here in Jejado. Is that true?”

The man, who had been about to walk off, froze mid-step. Slowly, he turned around, staring at her with disbelief.

“The Geom clan? How do you know of them?”

Yeong-won felt a rush of relief. His reaction confirmed the clan truly existed.

But before she could answer, the old man’s voice grew agitated.

“Tell me! How do you know about the Geom clan? Don’t tell me rumors about us have spread outside?”

He didn’t even pause to let her respond, his anger rising like a storm.

“That cursed fool! Ever since he started taking in prisoners, it was only a matter of time before our secrets leaked! I knew that wretch would bring disaster!”

Yeong-won stared at the furious man, her mind catching on one particular phrase—our Geom clan.

Her face brightened instantly.

“Sir… are you perhaps from the Geom clan?”

The old man stopped mid-rant. Her voice this time was soft and clear, unlike her earlier trembling tone. It startled him enough to break his fury.

“I’ve come a thousand miles to find the head of the Geom clan,” she said, carefully drawing a small black jade token from her inner pocket—the one she had guarded so closely all this time.

The old man’s eyes widened as soon as he saw it. He snatched the token, turning it over again and again, his expression shifting from suspicion to shock.

“This…! So that’s how you managed to enter without a dopae! Because of this jade token!”

“I wish to meet the clan master,” Yeong-won said firmly, her patience thinning at his cryptic words.

But instead of answering, the old man suddenly blurted out something entirely different.

“Y-you’re… a woman?”

“What?”

Before she could react, the old man burst into roaring laughter, doubling over as his frail body shook.

Yeong-won instinctively stepped back in alarm.

Sorae hurried to her side and whispered, “Miss, he’s crazy. Why is he laughing like that?”

“Shh.”

Yeong-won gave her a warning glance and looked back at the old man.

“Hahaha! A beggar, of all things! The one carrying this jade token is a beggar! Oh, heavens, what was Eun-pyo thinking—sending a wretch like this—ha!”

“Sir, our lady is not a beggar—”

Sorae tried to protest, but Yeong-won shook her head.

Though it seemed clear the man was indeed from the Geom clan, his temperament was… less than pleasant. It was best not to argue.

“Come! Follow me! I’ll take you to meet the clan master myself!”

The old man’s face lit up suddenly, all his laughter melting into a broad grin.

“I am an elder of the Geom clan. Call me Elder Hwa.”

Yeong-won exchanged a wary glance with Sorae, then followed him.

Elder Hwa walked ahead with an oddly cheerful spring in his step.

So this is the girl Eun-pyo chose as Lee Shin’s bride? A beggar holding the clan’s jade token! He told me never to mention that arra

ngement again—and now look at this! Ten years of irritation gone in an instant!