The RoFan Novel Fan Has Reincarnated Into A Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 32: The Complete Picture

"Cheon Gang..."

Time came to a halt.

The background faded away until only he remained. Even the music ceased to exist.

In Yeon’s world, there was only Cheon Gang, moving toward her. She held his gaze and slowly closed her eyes. It felt as if every moment in time, every step across space, had all led to this single instant.

Their souls were about to touch.

"KYAAAAH!"

A sharp scream shattered the fragile veil around them.

Time resumed its flow. The emotions that had nearly consumed all reason retreated, licking their wounds as they faded back into the depths.

"Let me go! Please!"

The desperate cry snapped Yeon back to reality. She exchanged a quick glance with Cheon Gang, their embarrassment buried for now, and they simultaneously peeked out into the hallway.

A man was struggling with a woman.

His half-glazed eyes and disheveled state were unsettling enough, but the white powder smeared across his cheek stood out even under the dim, reddish glow.

‘Wait a second...’ frёewebηovel.cѳm

Yeon recognized him.

He had been the merchant who offered her a drink at the banquet.

Back then, he had seemed like a respectable man—polished, well-dressed. Now, he looked like an entirely different person.

"This... this isn’t right. Please, just let me go..."

The woman’s voice wavered between pleading and sobbing.

Yeon couldn’t watch any longer.

"You should let go of her hand."

Both the man and woman flinched at her sudden presence.

Hope flickered in the woman’s eyes. The man, on the other hand, twisted his lips into an eerie grin, the whites of his eyes flashing unnervingly.

"Ohhh, you came to the Palace of Ecstasy too, huh? I knew you would! Come here, come on!"

“...What did you just say?"

‘Palace of Ecstasy? Is that what this place is called?’

Before she could piece it together, the man reached toward her. His hand grasped at empty air, as though he couldn’t even perceive the distance between them properly.

‘He’s completely out of it.’

Frowning, Yeon sidestepped and delivered a quick strike to his wrist.

"Agh! That hurt!"

The moment his grip loosened, the woman wrenched free and scrambled behind Yeon for cover.

The merchant immediately lunged at her again.

"You bitch! How dare you—"

Thud!

A well-placed front kick sent him sprawling.

Cheon Gang.

"Thanks, Cheon Gang."

"It was nothing."

Then, suddenly, the fallen man fumbled inside his robes and pulled out a small whistle. He blew into it with all his might.

SCREEEEECH!

A grating, ear-splitting sound, like nails on a chalkboard, cut through the hallway. Even the music stopped.

"Heh, heheheh... You’re all dead now!"

Doors flung open.

Men and women, half-dressed, staggered into the corridor.

All of them were merchants from the banquet.

"So this is where they all went."

"Dammit, we were just getting to the good part. Who the hell—"

A chorus of curses and shouts followed. Their wild, unfocused eyes confirmed what Yeon suspected—they weren’t in their right minds.

‘Wait... this...’

"They’re going to party all night again. Damn foolish merchants."

Jogan’s words came back to her.

Song Seonwoo’s strange symptoms.

The vacant stares of the merchants.

The name ‘Palace of Ecstasy.’

Everything clicked into place.

‘That’s it. I always wondered how Red Flower Gate, a minor sect, suddenly became so powerful.’

Even more than that—they had managed to establish their own trading group.

Merchants, who normally worked against one another, had all willingly gathered under a single sect’s banner. That alone was unnatural.

‘I thought it was just because the Hundred Flower Cult supported them. But no...’

It was this place.

The Palace of Ecstasy was the key to everything.

They had created a space that preyed on human weakness, a lure that entangled the merchants in an inescapable web.

And if Yeon’s guess was correct, this was far worse than she had initially thought. If these merchants had been coerced by brute force, there might have been hope for them.

But instead... they had enjoyed it.

"Isn’t that the girl from the Hwang Bo family?"

"Yeah! And that brat next to her—she’s the daughter of the Eastern Tiger Trading Company! She refused to join the group, didn’t she?"

"Heh... We were wondering when you’d show up. It was so hard holding back at the banquet."

Their casual, knowing laughter sent a shiver down Yeon’s spine.

If she had fallen for Song Seonwoo’s tricks, she would have been dragged here.

She didn’t even want to imagine what would have happened next.

‘These bastards...’

The merchants began closing in.

Their eyes, filled with base desire, disgusted her to the core.

But just as her stomach churned with nausea, a sharp sound rang out—

The shing of a sword being drawn.

Cheon Gang.

His blade gleamed in the dim red light, its edge pointed directly at them.

"Take another step, and you die."

The menace in his voice sent a chill down the hall.

For the first time, the men hesitated.

Gone was his usual impassive demeanor. His eyes now held a cold, seething fury.

Yeon stepped up beside him.

"Gentlemen, do you really think you can get away with this? Do you even understand the consequences of your actions? If any of you regret what you’ve done, this is your chance to surrender. I might be willing to consider leniency for the horrors I almost had to endure."

Not a single one moved.

Yeon smiled. Coldly.

"That’s what I thought. In that case..."

Lightning flickered around her clenched fist.

Sparks crackled over her knuckles.

"...This is self-defense."

****

Dealing with the merchants of the Palace of Ecstasy was laughably easy.

Yeon and Cheon Gang left the building together, supporting the daughter of the Eastern Tiger Trading Company.

"Cheon Gang, we need to get her to safety first."

"Agreed."

However, waiting for them outside—

Was Eom Gilyeon.

And Jogan.

Behind them, the warriors of Red Flower Gate surrounded the banquet hall’s entrance.

"What a lovely night, Lady Hwang Bo Yeon."

Yeon ignored him and instead turned to the girl beside her.

"What’s your name?"

"I... I’m Heo Yun..."

"You have a single-character name too?"

"Y-yes..."

"Yun, listen carefully. We’re about to fight these people. They will target you. Stay behind me, no matter what. Got it?"

Tears welled in the girl’s eyes.

"Wh-why is this happening to me...?"

"Yun, you can cry. But not now."

Yeon spoke firmly.

"We get out of here first. Then you can cry as much as you want."

Sniffling, Yun nodded. She was still trembling, but the sight of Yeon standing firm—and the steadiness of her voice—seemed to give her a small shred of hope.

"Lady Hwang Bo, what are you whispering about?"

Eom Gilyeon’s voice was filled with amusement. "You’re not leaving this place anyway."

Yeon finally turned to look at him.

"Master Eom, I’m actually quite grateful."

"For what, exactly?"

"For showing your true colors. You should’ve just done this from the start instead of using such disgusting, underhanded tricks."

Eom Gilyeon let out a low chuckle, but his twisted smirk barely concealed his wounded pride.

She had struck a nerve.

"I’ll admit, trusting that Flowing Flowers brat was a mistake."

The laughter faded from his face as he continued.

"But you’re quite the bold one. Maybe it’d be better to present you to the Elder instead of sending you to the palace. He has quite the preference for women like you. What do you think, Elder?"

‘Elder?’

Yeon’s brow twitched.

A voice answered from somewhere in the darkness.

"That wouldn’t be too bad."

A lone figure stood beneath the moonlight, savoring its glow.

He wasn’t even looking at them. In fact, his presence had been so faint that Yeon hadn’t even realized he was there.

That alone proved his level of skill.

‘A true master. He must be from the Hundred Flower Cult.’

Tension coiled in her gut.

Eom Gilyeon smirked.

"You’ll learn some manners once you’re with the Elder. No more stalling. Draw your swords!"

At his command, the warriors of Red Flower Gate unsheathed their blades in unison.

Eom Gilyeon stepped back, leaving Jogan to take the lead. His eyes locked onto Cheon Gang with murderous intent.

"You coward. You had to ambush me. If we fought head-on, you wouldn’t last a single strike—"

"Jogan!"

Eom Gilyeon’s sharp reprimand cut him off.

"Don’t create unnecessary variables. The Elder is watching."

Jogan grit his teeth but obediently lowered his head.

Then, he let out a furious shout.

"Unleash the Bloodfire Sword Art!"

The original name of the Red Flower Sword Art.

At his command, the warriors of Red Flower Gate raised their inner energy. A thick, almost tangible bloodlust spread through the night air.

Yeon’s eyes narrowed.

‘Cheon Gang was right. They’re different from when we saw them in daylight. And now we have to deal with the Elder too.’

"Lady Yeon," Cheon Gang said, "we should look for an opening to retreat."

"But..."

Could they really escape while protecting Heo Yun?

Just as Yeon was calculating their options—

"UNNIEEEEEE!"

That voice—

Yeon turned.

Two figures were racing toward them—Tang Soso and Gongye.

The warriors of Red Flower Gate flinched at the unexpected arrival.

Eom Gilyeon, noticing his men’s reaction, gestured for them to wait.

"Soso?"

Gongye reached them first, moving to shield them like a protective wall.

"Benefactor Hwang Bo! Are you all right? I was so worried that I ran all the way here! Everyone tried to stop me, but I insisted. Hahahaha!"

Tang Soso, still catching her breath, added, "U-Unnie, we came to help!"

Yeon’s eyes softened.

"Soso..."

Jogan, who had been eyeing them closely, suddenly spoke up.

"Master! These two are the ones I mentioned—the ones traveling with Lady Hwang Bo!"

Eom Gilyeon’s snake-like eyes narrowed.

"Lady Hwang Bo, is that true?"

He was clearly wary.

If they were members of a prestigious sect, the situation would become far more complicated.

His paranoia bordered on cowardice.

"Yes, they’re my companions. Did you hear anything interesting about them?"

"Hmph. One’s a drunkard, and the other’s an unknown nobody."

"Ahahaha!"

Yeon burst out laughing.

Honestly, just looking at them, that assessment seemed fair.

But why?

Just by standing there, their presence alone had driven away the fear that had been pressing on her.

"I’m glad you’re here. And you too, monk."

Something in Tang Soso’s hand caught Yeon’s attention.

"What’s that?"

"Oh, this? It’s a throwing weapon, Unnie."

"Benefactor Tang is quite skilled," Gongye chimed in. "She and I just dealt with a group of unorthodox fighters together."

"Soso did?"

Tang Soso flushed with embarrassment.

Yeon didn’t know the full story yet, but she’d soon find out.

"For now, Soso, you guard Heo Yun."

"Got it, Unnie. I’ll support from the back."

Nodding, Yeon turned back to Eom Gilyeon.

Her confidence had returned.

"Master Eom! Looks like we’ve gained two more allies."

"Hah. So what? That still makes only four of you."

"Really?" Yeon smirked. "I think you’re underestimating us. This is our complete set."

"What?"

The three of them moved into position beside her.

Cheon Gang, blade gleaming in the moonlight.

Tang Soso, gripping her bead weapon with a determined expression.

Gongye, taking up an odd but oddly relaxed stance.

Yeon couldn't help but snort.

A reincarnated martial artist, a shameless monk, a poison specialist who preferred medicine over toxins, and a drunkard who wanted {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} a drink more than a fight.

‘Honestly? Not even the Hundred Flower Cult’s grandmaster could take us down.’

A quiet smile spread across her lips.

Then, without warning—

She launched forward.

Cheon Gang and Gongye immediately followed, their movements swift and precise.

Tang Soso’s bead weapon shot past her, moving even faster.

CLANG!

A warrior of Red Flower Gate barely managed to block the projectile, stumbling backward from the sheer force.

If that had hit directly, he would’ve been down for the count.

‘The monk was right. Those beads are amazing. Who knew Soso had this kind of potential?’

Cheon Gang, Soso, even Gongye—there were still so many things about them Yeon had yet to learn.

How much more would she uncover as they fought side by side?

A lump formed in her throat.

Overwhelmed by the surge of emotions, Yeon threw herself into a kick.

Her body cut through the air, silhouetted against the dark night sky.

The golden moon above cast its light upon her, as if illuminating her every movement.