I Am This Murim's Crazy Bitch-Chapter 244: Even a Ronin Has the Loyalty of a Ronin (17)

When it really hurts, people don’t scream loudly.

Lightning struck inside Qing’s mind.

The noise coming out of her — gasping, choking, pathetic — clashed against her breathing, unable to even form a proper scream.

Watching her like that, Moyong Juhee started crying and smiled at the same time.

"Yeah. That’s it.

That's all this is.

Just a weakness.

Pathetic.

Pathetic, useless thing.

I don’t need this anymore."

"Let— let go, seriously, it hurts— Ugh!"

At that point, Qing's temper flared.

This bitch was even using her internal energy now — she was really trying to break her.

Fine, then.

If that’s how you wanna play, Qing would use her trump card.

She grabbed Moyong Juhee’s wrist with all her strength.

The kind of strength that could crush iron.

A shrill scream tore from Juhee’s throat, and her hand fell limply away.

Juhee howled, clutching her wrist.

"What, you thought I was a joke!?

You thought if you bared your fangs at me, I'd just tremble like some pathetic coward?!

You think I’m— Fine! I am a pathetic idiot who got caught and had her fucking teeth yanked out!

Maybe I should jam them back into my gums!

I was finally starting to forget!"

Ah.

The strength drained from Qing’s hands.

She hadn't even thought about it much. It was supposed to be a gift.

But now she realized — she hadn’t just scratched at Juhee’s wounds.

She’d torn them wide open and dumped salt inside.

"I... I’m sorry. I never meant it that way.

I just thought — it might be comforting..."

"Comforting!? How the hell is that supposed to be comforting?!

You— you’re insane!

Every time I close my eyes, I still see it—"

Juhee clamped her hand over her mouth as acid surged up her throat.

It was all still there, sharp as ever.

The feeling of carving into living flesh.

Tearing muscle, under force stronger than her will.

The raw, wet screaming of someone she was killing with her own hands.

The sickening chorus of sobbing and death rattles.

And the moment the life snapped out, like a delicate thread breaking — dropping away like a discarded ornament.

"Why... why did it have to be like that?

Even if they were bad people... even if they were monsters...

That’s not — you’re not supposed to do that.

No one should— No one—"

Juhee’s voice cracked into sobs.

Pain rots people from the inside out.

And Moyong Juhee was thoroughly rotted.

Qing’s prescription had been simple: vengeance.

Sure, maybe if it hadn’t been so extreme, it might have helped.

But Qing, caught up in her own bloodlust, hadn’t held back.

Even Buddhist compassion didn’t try to stop the killing intent against monsters.

It wasn’t mercy — it was saving the world by taking on the world's sins.

Qing just tilted her head.

What’s wrong?

What’s not okay?

Torturing the Blood Sect scum until they died — why was that bad?

They deserved it.

Every second of it.

"You see, Moyong Sojeo," Qing said gently.

"Those bastards deserved everything they got.

Unlike you.

You did nothing wrong."

"That— that doesn’t make it right."

"If killing them could guarantee they'd be judged and punished properly in the afterlife, sure, I would’ve just slit their throats.

But it doesn’t.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

Death is just... a coward’s end."

Juhee’s whole body trembled.

It was nothing but horror to her.

"You— you enjoyed it.

You grinned while you— while you carved them up.

You smiled because you could.

Don’t give me that bullshit about justice!"

Qing scratched her cheek with a fingernail.

"Mm. I don’t quite get what’s wrong.

If I’d cried while doing it, would that have made it okay?

Either way, they suffered and died, just as they deserved.

The fact that I happened to enjoy it — does that suddenly make it wrong?"

Juhee stared at Qing like she was the most revolting thing in the world.

"You... you’re a monster.

A blood-crazed killer."

"I won’t deny being called a killer.

But monster feels a bit harsh, no?

I’ve never once done anything I’m ashamed of... ah, forget it."

Qing exhaled heavily.

She’s broken.

No rational conversation’s gonna get through.

Was this... that thing, like when captives start siding with their kidnappers?

Or was it just that she was so hurt, she couldn’t bear to see anyone else hurt?

"I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean to hurt you.

The teeth — that wasn’t supposed to be cruel.

Please, get some rest."

With that, Qing stood up.

Nothing else she could do if Juhee didn’t want her around.

It’s not like Qing lost anything except some bruised ribs anyway.

But then—

"W-wait!"

Juhee called out desperately.

"What is it?"

"Where... where are you going?"

"I thought it’d be easier for you if I left.

I won’t bother you again.

Just get some rest—"

"W-wait, wait, please—"

"Do you need something?"

"No, it’s just—"

"If not, I’ll be going.

I don’t want to make you even more uncomfortable."

"It’s not that!"

Juhee grabbed Qing’s wrist.

Qing frowned down at her, half-expecting her to start squeezing again.

But instead, in a tiny, fragile whisper, Juhee said:

"Just... stay.

Just for a little."

"...Sorry?"

"Because of you.

Because of you, all the horrible memories came back.

So you have to stay.

I can't— I can't be alone right now.

You’re responsible.

Stay with me."

Her hand trembled against Qing’s wrist.

Qing grimaced.

"If I stay, won’t it just make it worse?

I can call Tang Nanah for you instead—"

"No!

No!

You!

It has to be you!

Not anyone else.

Stay until I fall asleep."

"But you hate me."

"I don’t!

I don’t hate you!

I just...

When I see you, the memories come back and it’s horrible, but it’s not hate.

It’s not.

I swear.

I’m sorry.

I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you.

I just... I didn’t want to hurt people.

And you made me—"

"Moyong Sojeo?"

"No!

No, it’s fine.

I’m fine.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I said horrible things but I didn’t mean them.

Please.

Please.

Just stay.

I’m begging you."

Ah.

She was having a full-blown panic attack.

Suppressing a sigh, Qing sat down on the edge of the bed.

The trembling in Juhee’s grip slowly eased.

Before long, the sound of her breathing deepened, sinking into a fitful sleep.

On the vast bed of the finest guest room, Moyong Juhee curled into the tiniest ball, as if she were still trapped inside a box.

Watching her, Qing thought to herself:

It’s like I’ve turned into her panic button.

Maybe full-blown anatomy lessons were a bit too much for a beginner after all.

Honestly, she gets coddled for every little sob, and now it’s going to be such a pain dealing with her.

Yeah.

Better not show my face around her unless absolutely necessary.

Or so she thought. Hm.

"What the hell?

Why’s she acting like that?"

Tang Nanah narrowed her eyes, following Qing’s gaze to the sight ahead:

Moyong Juhee, sitting alone in the corner of the training hall, knees hugged tightly to her chest, burying her face into them.

She’d dragged herself here on her unsteady legs, rejected any attempt at small talk with a cold shove — "Don't act like we're friends" — but then refused to leave, just curling up miserably by herself.

"I have no idea. Must’ve been the Blood Sect. Looks like she’s... pretty broken."

"Yeah, but...

It looks bad.

Like we're the ones bullying and isolating her or something."

"I dunno.

How would I know what’s going on inside her head..."

Ever since the day after their hospital visit, she'd been like this — and now it had been three full days.

Sitting silently in a corner during training.

If someone invited her to eat, she’d snap at them not to pretend to be friendly.

But leaving her alone felt wrong too — she looked so pitiful.

Nobody could figure out what she wanted.

With that, the slightly awkward "spectator" became a regular at the semi-sword gathering’s practice arena.

Before they knew it, time had slipped away again — the semifinals were set for tomorrow.

And that night...

Cheon Yuhak finally returned.

"Aigo, my useless little disciple — you’re so sloppy, your poor master has to suffer.

Aigo, come on, massage my shoulders a bit.

Aigo, they’re so stiff."

"What is this, Master?

You just vanish for days without a word and now you want pampering?"

Grumbling, Qing nonetheless pressed her thumbs firmly into Cheon Yuhak’s shoulders.

"Ahhh, now that's a good grip.

This is why it’s worth raising a disciple! Kuhuhu."

"And what’s with the ridiculous delivery charge you left me with?

Five taels of silver just to deliver a ten-word message?"

"You fool.

If you pay them beforehand, you think they'll actually deliver it properly?

You pay after they deliver it — that way they run straight to you, no detours.

And five taels?

That's just enough to make their eyes bug out and sprint."

"Ugh..."

Now that she thought about it, it made sense.

It wasn’t something she could exactly argue with, since the message had just said "Don't worry about me."

Qing decided to change the subject.

"So, what were you doing all this time?

Gone for a whole ten days?"

"Kuhuhu.

There’s a box over there — don’t be too shocked, but it’s got a human head inside.

None other than the Blood Sect’s infamous demon lord, the Bloodwheel Ghost."

"...Huh?

Why's his head here?"

"You idiot.

You all rushed in and overwhelmed their base, but didn't even realize the bastard slipped out the rooftop?

I don’t know much about Gu parasites, but when you’re hunting the puppeteer, you have to kill them far, far away.

So I chased him all the way to Henan Province and smashed his skull in."

"Wow.

That’s... pretty far."

"Anyway, take that head back to the wanderers.

Tell them it’s safe now.

The 'new hero' personally ripped it off for them."

"Um, Master... about that.

The Gu parasite issue?

It’s already solved.

You’re kinda... late."

"What?"

"I dealt with the rest while you were gone.

All the Blood Sect scum, all the parasites — cleaned up."

Qing reported everything that had happened in his absence.

"...What the hell.

Then I went through all that crap for nothing?

I ran my ass off for this—"

"Hey, don’t say it like that!

It’s still amazing!

Wasn’t the Bloodwheel Ghost supposed to be a Haegyeong-level master?

You took him out solo?"

"Listen carefully, kiddo.

It went like this—"

Cheon Yuhak ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) puffed himself up, eager to brag.

Sure, it was a massive case of showing off after the fact...

But thanks to him, everything was wrapped up cleanly.

At the same time...

Elsewhere, Ximen Surin once again found herself experiencing a very particular emotion:

The distinct feeling that all common sense was leaking out of her skull.

"These little bastards.

The first time I forgave you for ignorance, but this time..."

The wandering martial artists had returned to the Guest Pavilion.

And once again... they were begging for Ximen Surin to lead them.