Chapter 93: A New Encounter (6)

Chapter 93: A New Encounter (6)

Pure goodwill.

I was the sworn friend of a tragically deceased poison human. I wanted to help someone like Tang Hwarin, who reminded me of my friend. I thought this setting and motive were quite compelling.

However, the reality was that while the setting was appealing, the motive was problematic.

Paying for someone’s room and medicine because they remind you of a friend, and even accompanying them on a long journey, was definitely suspicious.

To avoid suspicion of pure goodwill, ironically, I had to create a direct relationship, like a fiancé who came risking their life or a childhood friend who reunited after 10 years.

Of course, if I had continued to act as a good person, I could have maintained the act until the end. But I failed to manage my expression for a moment at the mention of the printing press and was caught acting.

Now that I’ve been caught, should I reveal my true intentions?

‘The purpose of this approach was because of the printing press. I’m sorry for lying. If I bow and enter, it would be a loss.’

In Tang Hwarin’s heart, I must have already been branded a liar.

What if I said that the printer was the real purpose?

When a person unilaterally receives goodwill, if they contributed even a little, a cunning aspect inadvertently arose in the relationship.

Though she received a favor from a barbarian, the man was a liar, and in the end, she’d give him what he wanted. I could do as I please. In fact, I’m the superior one. It could turn out like this.

So, what should I do?

“Just create a new situation.”

Because of the truth I spoke, my setting will still be believed. If it was discovered that my goodwill was not pure but had ulterior motives, there’s still a chance for a retry.

Let’s abandon the good person concept and reveal my dark desires through informal speech.

With proper preparation, I can make Tang Hwarin beg on their knees to accompany them.

Tang Hwarin.

I must take control.

To regain control, I needed to prepare to open the closed door of Tang Hwarin’s room.

“Really, barbarian? You’re going to pay for the medicine?”

“Yes. I will pay the money. Innkeeper, please come too. I will also pay for the room.”

After paying the owner of the herbal shop and the inn staff, I secretly exchanged glances with them behind Tang Hwarin’s back.

“Was this good enough?”

“It was excellent.”

Actually, we had conspired together.

I’ll pay the money, so please press Tang Hwarin for the payment in front of her. Even if you speak harshly, because she’s a martial artist, don’t curse.

The dramatic entrance of a prince would make one reconsider, even if the prince was their sworn enemy.

Tang Hwarin would be grateful to me, and their anger would subside. Then, I subtly re-entered Tang Hwarin’s room successfully.

A good start.

Next, I needed to throw an excellent bait.

“How do you have this?”

Tang Hwarin asked with wide eyes about the container placed on the table.

“My sworn friend made this medicine. My friend died before seeing its completion, but I remember the formula.”

I looked at the container with a bitter face.

Naturally, the container didn’t hold a cure. It was a health supplement made of roughly ground grains or dried fish, similar to wall-breaking pills or emergency rations - a kind of meal replacement food.

Feeding fake medicine to Tang Hwarin, who had mastered poison arts, was risky due to the possibility of ingredient detection, so I decided to make medicine out of food instead.

“...If I eat this, will my body recover?”

Tang Hwarin, after hearing about my friend, seemed to notice something and cautiously asked.

How would I know?

I haven’t fully understood how my ability as a Defier of Heaven affected the poison human heroine.

“One pill a day. Just eat it, and the poison human’s pain will definitely disappear. I’m not sure about skin discoloration. By the time this was completed, my friend’s condition wasn’t just skin discoloration.”

I made a face like someone imagining the unfortunate appearance of a dear friend.

How far did the effect of the Defier of Heaven extend? Given the killing intent of the Heavenly Death Star, perhaps the end was merely the cessation of pain. I wondered about the range of any additional effects.

For the poison heroine, beyond the cessation of pain, there could be effects like skin whitening, alleviation of shoulder stiffness due to her large bust, or relief from muscle pain caused by martial arts training.

Then, I might have to charge more money.

“Is this really a cure for poison humans?”Yourr favorite stories at novelhall.com

Tang Hwarin extended a trembling hand towards the container on the table.

Where do you think you’re taking it? I pulled the container back into my embrace.

Tang Hwarin looked puzzled as I took the container away, wondering why I would show it only to reclaim it.

I presented an irresistible bait.

Now it’s time to cleanse myself.

“Hey. Tang Hwarin.”

I called out to Tang Hwarin confidently.

“Why?”

Tang Hwarin’s face turned red instantly.

Tang Hwarin. That expression. It’s like when you’re among friends and someone says, “Yun-ho, you’re a virgin, right? Fuck. Hey, I’m not!” pretending with that expression.

Tang Hwarin. You really had no friends.

Given your skin condition, no one would have approached you. Living only indoors, you only had people approaching because you’re from a wealthy family.

Alright. Then there’s a way.

“Tang Hwarin. People approach for various reasons. Then, among them, you grow closer to someone you resonate with, and that becomes the relationship based on goodwill you talked about. You don’t have such relationships not because the other party didn’t approach with pure goodwill, but because you didn’t gain their trust, right?”

“.......”

Tang Hwarin, having been confronted with many truths in her life, shut her mouth.

It’s not right to keep pushing her like this. Maybe it’s time to throw her a lifeline.

“Hey. Tang Hwarin.”

“What.”

“If you want to see pure goodwill. From now on, I’ll accompany you with pure goodwill.”

“What? You’re here because of my maternal grandfather.......”

“It’s not pure goodwill towards you. It’s pure goodwill for my deceased friend.”

I placed the hidden medicine back on the table.

“What are you talking about?”

“This medicine. My friend was researching this medicine but died without completing it. After dying, my friend asked to have his body dissected for research. Can you imagine? Bringing many doctors to dissect my friend’s body and research the medicine from it.”

I looked at the medicine container with a somber expression.

“You dissected the body?”

Tang Hwarin looked at me and the medicine container in shock, her mouth slightly open.

“My friend believed that I would complete this medicine even after his death. And I couldn’t betray my friend’s trust, so I completed this medicine. Thus, my friend’s legacy, my goodwill towards my friend, will accompany you to see you healed.”

“.......”

Tang Hwarin looked at me with a shocked face.

How about it, Tang Hwarin. Suddenly hearing a dark yet noble story. Must be hard to grasp, right?

Having sufficiently shaken her, it’s now time to take the lead.

“In return. From today, you try to earn my trust.”

I pointed at her with a faint smile on my palm.

“Why should I buy your trust?”

She asked in a somewhat brusque voice.

“Because I helped you when you were at your lowest in life.”

“What are you talking about?

“I helped you out of trouble without expecting anything in return, and even though you rejected me, I still wanted to help you and made a cure. Because I’m someone who is completely unaffected by your appearance. To you, I might be a failure, but I was the person who came closest to that damned ‘pure goodwill’ you desire. Because I can be the first and last person to approach you with goodwill in your life.”

“Uh.......”

Tang Hwarin froze like a lagging kiosk in response to my rapid-fire logical reasoning.

I took a moment to catch my breath before speaking for the last time.

“So, at the very least, try to buy my trust. Then, the relationship you want. It might be possible.”

In the original story, Tang Hwarin suffered from the side effects of poison which spread poison dust all over her body. A derogatory nickname was given to her, Poison Butterfly Tang Hwarin.

She committed evil deeds amidst people’s laughter, cursing the fate of the poison family, the Sichuan Tang Family. There could not have been anyone who approached her with goodwill in the original history.

I was the one extending a hand to her.

The lonely poison user. Poison Butterfly. Tang Hwarin.

If only you could reach out, I would grab it.

“...... What happens if we can’t build a trust relationship?”

She turned her head slightly and spoke to me as if unsure.

Good. Almost got her.

“When we arrive in Yichang, if we’re just companions, let’s get the money from your grandfather and part ways.”

“If we build it?”

“Ha ha. Well, should I split it like a friend?”

“What? What are you saying?”

“I can’t think of anything right now. Let’s think about it later. So, how will you try to buy my trust? Will you?”

“Are you going to come with me or not?”

I pushed the medicine container in front of her as a sign of agreement.

“You know what it means if you grab that, right?”

She looked back and forth between my face and the medicine container, pondering, then finally opened her mouth.

“......I’ll try.”

Tang Hwarin naturally picked up the medicine container.