16-252

EP.252 Training Martial Arts Like Crazy (1) 

I was surprised to realize I’d opened my eyes. 

Did I really survive? 

Even considering being caught in the explosion, 

it was hard to believe I’d survived falling from that height over a waterfall. 

I slowly checked my hands, arms, legs, and feet. 

Aside from being a bit creaky, 

I could move so well it was hard to believe I’d fallen from a waterfall. 

Did I really make it out alive? 

I sighed in relief and lay back down— 

just then, someone, presumably the owner of the house, entered. 

“Hm? Already awake? That’s faster than I expected.” 

“You are…!” 

The owner who entered the shabby little hut 

was none other than the person I’d been searching for—Saoling’s master, 

an executive of the Chinese branch of the Erotic Administration. 

“If you recognize my face, you must not be an ordinary person.” 

“Are you Saoling’s master, Jin Mei?” 

Instead of being surprised by my question, 

Jin Mei whistled, asking how I knew. 

She scratched her messy hair and sat cross-legged in front of me, propping up her chin. 

“Calling me by that name… Are you from the Erotic Administration?” 

‘So it really is her.’ 

Anyone else would have reacted differently. 

Above all, the pressure I felt from her— 

so overwhelming that even Hwayeon or Gayoun would have to bow their heads— 

sent chills down my spine. 

This is bad. There’s no chance I could win. 

Amidst the tension, Jin Mei spoke carefully: 

“Alright, I surrender. I’ll go back to work soon.” 

“Huh?” 

Her anticlimactic answer left me speechless. 

What was she saying? 

Sensing my confusion, she studied my face, trying to guess my identity. 

“You don’t seem like one of my subordinates. But you don’t look like one of my disciple’s people, either.” 

She circled around me, then, as if something clicked, 

struck a pose like a famous detective and guessed: 

“You’re a fan, aren’t you? Here for an autograph, right?” 

“No.” 

“………….” 

When I denied it, she glared at me sulkily. 

I don’t get why she’s glaring when she’s the one who guessed wrong. 

But is this really Jin Mei? 

“So who are you, and why did you come looking for me? Or, since you drifted here on the river, did someone who knows me just happen to arrive by chance?” 

“Was there anyone else besides me?” 

“Hm?” 

Worried that someone else might have been caught up in this, 

I quickly asked her. 

Jin Mei shook her head, saying I was the only one who’d come here. 

That was a relief, though still concerning. 

At least I was the only one who’d fallen off the waterfall. 

“So, are you going to tell me who you are and why you’re here?” 

Her playful demeanor disappeared, 

replaced by the solemn air of an Erotic Administration executive. 

Yeah, I didn’t expect this to be easy from the start. 

“I’m Kim Jinwoo, a director candidate from Korea, just like Saoling.” 

“A director candidate. So you’ve made it this far already. You must have had a rough time coming all the way from Korea.” 

Jin Mei flashed a dazzling smile. 

But she pressed for more, leaning in close. 

“So what are you here for?” 

“I came looking for you, but it wasn’t intentional.” 

“Then?” 

“I was traveling by carriage when the bridge exploded and I got swept away by the river to here.” 

A mysterious explosion. 

I didn’t know who was behind it, 

but it was definitely related to those who’d been tailing me since the Yongbongjihoe ended. 

Who could have ordered it? 

Jin Mei suddenly started laughing, slapping her thigh. 

“Oh man. Saoling… she still hasn’t fixed that rotten habit.” 

“She hasn’t fixed her habit?” 

“She loves to stab people in the back when they least expect it. Betrayal is practically her erogenous zone.” 

So it was Saoling after all. 

I’d suspected as much, 

but I thought she’d at least wait until I found Jin Mei. 

Or maybe she anticipated even that and struck when I was most off guard. 

The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt. 

“So why are you looking for me?” 

“Saoling asked me to. She promised me the Russian director candidate in exchange for finding her master.” 

“She’s bad, but you’re just as awful as a human being.” 

I didn’t deny it. 

I moved people like chess pieces. 

When I shrugged as if to say “so what,” she just laughed it off. 

“Alright, so now that you’ve found me, are you going to take me to Saoling?” 

“That was the plan at first. But…” 

If that explosion was really Saoling’s doing— 

if I just handed Jin Mei over as she wanted, 

who knows what might happen next. 

I’d have to be ready to get revenge, no matter what it took. 

“Wow, your eyes are on fire. Well, considering what she did, I get it.” 

“Thanks for your help. I’ll be going now.” 

When I stepped outside the hut, I was stunned. 

It was so beautiful, it felt like the paradise from a novel. 

The sight was so peaceful, I was at a loss for words. 

Where was I, and how did I end up here? 

Jin Mei came out and shrugged as if she’d expected this. 

“This is the Peach Blossom Land. Ordinary people can’t get in here.” 

“This is… really the Peach Blossom Land?” 

Not just a metaphor, but the real thing? 

It truly felt dreamlike, not part of the real world. 

No wonder Saoling couldn’t find her if she was here. 

“So you’ve been here all this time…” 

“I’ve been living like an immortal, in peace. Not a real immortal, though.” 

In China, “immortal” refers to a being considered a true god. 

For a second, I wondered if Jin Mei had become one, 

but she said herself she wasn’t. 

So why is she here, and how did I end up here? 

As if reading my mind, Jin Mei answered: 

“This too is fate. No matter what, you were destined to come here.” 

“Fate?” 

I’m not one to believe in fate, 

but somehow I felt drawn in by her words. 

But my fate wasn’t the Peach Blossom Land— 

it was the woman in front of me, Jin Mei. 

‘Maybe I came here naturally because she was here. 

Or maybe it’s because I’m Marily’s owner. 

Either way, there’s no scientific explanation.’ 

As I gazed into the distance, 

Jin Mei muttered to me: 

“At this rate, you’ll never beat Saoling.” 

“I can’t beat her?” 

If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t care, 

but Jin Mei had known her for a long time—her words carried weight. 

Is Saoling really that strong? 

When I first met Anastasia, she was in a state without a personality. 

Does that mean Saoling can induce personality expulsion? 

If so, going for revenge now would be dangerous. 

“Jin Mei, can I ask you something?” 

“Don’t call me Jin Mei—just Mei.” 

“Does Saoling use personality expulsion on her opponents?” 

Jin Mei answered with a sly smile. 

It seemed my guess was right. 

Personality expulsion… 

I’d only seen that in correctional facilities, but Saoling could use it? 

“Wait. Then my companions right now…” 

The thought sent chills down my spine. 

Now wasn’t the time to be relaxing here. 

I had to get out and return to my friends. 

‘But how?’ 

I glanced at Jin Mei. 

Maybe she knew a way out. 

But if she did, why hadn’t she left herself? 

After a moment of pondering, I realized I was being stupid and slapped my own cheek. 

“Whew, what’s wrong with me lately?” 

Maybe my brain had been corrupted by China. 

Normally, I wouldn’t even hesitate. 

I approached Jin Mei and asked directly: 

“You know how to leave, right?” 

“Of course. But are you really going to go? Saoling won’t just sit back.” 

“I can’t just stay here without knowing what’s happening to my friends.” 

Jin Mei looked at me with interest, 

then stood up and led me back into the hut. 

Inside, she placed her hand on a tray of water. 

“This is…!” 

“It’s an ero item that lets you see other places. Originally, it was for voyeurism, but you can use it like this too.” 

As expected of an Erotic Administration executive. 

I didn’t care about the item itself— 

as long as I could see what was happening elsewhere. 

I saw Nami and Anastasia tied to poles, 

along with Hwayeon and Gayoun. 

A message from Saoling said, 

“If you want to save them, stop hiding and come to me.” 

“That damn woman…!” 

If this kept up, my friends’ personalities would be in danger. 

But if I rushed in now, 

as Jin Mei said, I’d just lose. 

I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

As I bit my lip in frustration, Jin Mei made a suggestion. 

“If you want, I can train you.” 

“Train me?” 

It was unexpected, 

but with my friends captured, I couldn’t waste time. 

I was about to refuse, 

but Jin Mei anticipated even that and explained: 

“Time moves ten times slower here than in the real world. Ten days here is one day out there.” 

‘A Room of Spirit and Time?’ 

It was similar to that, 

but that wasn’t the important part. 

“I want to learn martial arts, but I’ve failed every time.” 

I’d tried to learn from Hwayeon, but never even learned the basics. 

Would it be any different with Jin Mei? 

I was about to give up, 

but Jin Mei waved it off and told me to follow her. 

She led me to a giant rock in the middle of a misty lake. 

“Climb up there.” 

“On top of that rock?” 

I had no idea what was going on, 

but she didn’t seem to mean me harm, so I obeyed. 

I sat cross-legged on the rock, and Jin Mei handed me a piece of fruit. 

“Eat that. If you don’t, it’ll be tough from here on.” 

“Hm, a peach?” 

I ate as instructed, 

and was overwhelmed by its subtle sweetness and rich peach aroma. 

It was the most delicious peach I’d ever tasted. 

After I devoured it, Jin Mei put her hand on my shoulder and asked: 

“How was it? Tasty? I love that fruit, so I eat it often.” 

“It was delicious. What kind of peach is it?” 

“A heavenly peach.” 

Did I hear that right? 

A heavenly peach? 

The kind Sun Wukong got punished for stealing? 

Why was she just handing out something so incredible? 

Maybe it’s easy to get in the Peach Blossom Land, 

but giving me something so precious without warning made me suspicious. 

“You really can’t accept kindness easily, can you?” 

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who fed me something without explaining.” 

“It’s all for your own good. Otherwise…” 

She suddenly gripped my shoulder, 

and an unknown force slammed into my body. 

“So you can completely remake your body!” 

“Gaaaaaah!” 

A scream escaped me before I realized it. 

But Jin Mei didn’t stop. 

She told me to hold on a little longer, 

and I barely endured, teetering between life and death, 

catching a glimpse of her faint smile as I lost consciousness. 

“Is this a time loop story?” 

When I came to, I was back in the shabby hut. 

Did I have to pick the right option to escape? 

That thought crossed my mind— 

then I realized I was naked. 

“…Well, it doesn’t really matter.” 

I was so used to it, clothes sometimes felt cumbersome. 

I’d worn clothes in China, 

but in Korea, I was practically naked all the time. 

Anyway, since I was awake, I got up. 

“Hm?” 

I was shocked at how light my body felt. 

What happened to me? 

It wasn’t a metaphor—I literally felt as light as a feather. 

What was going on? 

Just then, Jin Mei came in. 

“Oh, you’re awake. Did you sleep well?” 

“What did you do? What happened to my body?” 

“I told you, you’ve been completely remade.” 

Remade? 

Isn’t that only possible after reaching a certain level? 

But nothing else could explain how light I felt. 

Did I really undergo a complete transformation? 

“It was forced, so it’s unstable, but at least I cleared out most of the turbid energy.” 

“Turbid energy?” 

“You came to China knowing nothing, didn’t you?” 

Jin Mei looked at me in disbelief. 

Who could have guessed China would turn into a martial arts world? 

I glared at her in protest, and she shrugged and explained: 

“Turbid energy is like waste that builds up in your body. You couldn’t learn martial arts before because all your meridians were blocked by it.” 

“Hm.” 

So now my body is clean, and I can finally learn martial arts? 

Jin Mei laughed as if to say “finally got it,” 

and immediately urged me outside for training. 

What kind of training would it be? 

I went out, full of anticipation— 

and saw a cauldron filled with hot sand. 

“This is the classic Iron Palm training. From now on, you’re going to stick your cock in here!” 

“What?” 

She wants me to become a sand-dicked man? 

She’s finally lost her mind.