Chapter 61 - Martial Arts Masochist

"Didn't I tell you? You... I'll take responsibility for you." "Th-this isn't what I meant...!" "Why not? And if I'm going to take responsibility for you, shouldn't you become my possession?" -Smack! Chung Wol roughly shoved a leash into my embrace. "P-possession? Why do I have to be owned by you...!" The Emei Sect, known for its strong blend of Buddhist and Taoist influences, strictly prohibits coercion, a core principle in Taoism that cherishes free-flowing freedom. Therefore, the term "possession" must have been an unspeakable humiliation for her. ...Well, perhaps not. Even an ordinary person would find it objectionable. Upon reflection, this is reminiscent of an SM play. In the meantime, Chung Wol continued to protest. "And what makes you think...! You, just a mere leatherworker... dare to...!" It's a perfectly reasonable statement. Even disregarding that, she makes a valid point. As she said, there's an immense gap between us. No need to ascend to the Church of Seven Heavens to see that. Even right now, it makes no sense. I am just a leather tinker on the outskirts of the Emei Mountains, while she is the second disciple of the Emei Sect, a position so revered that crowds gather just to glimpse her. ...But why did I come here? Furthermore, what else could I find in the city of Seongdo for SM items besides a leash? Do you have any idea how I squeezed my pockets dry just to buy it? Even if I could afford an inn, the thin walls would definitely echo everything. What SM play can occur quietly? Conversation is essential to set the mood, and if even whispering is hard, outdoors is better. Hide a tree in a forest, they say, so the bustling street of Seongdo might be preferable. Moreover, lacking other gear means the intensity will inevitably increase. Tying up, whipping, blindfolding, gagging – while intriguing with appropriate tools, in their absence, the level tends to escalate to compensate. To draw an analogy: at a festive gathering, one can remain wholesome with a phone, a game console, or a TV, but without anything, it devolves into drinking and gambling. Thus, inns are out of the question. I urgently need to satisfy Chung Wol. As she stated, she's been intensely angry with me lately. I failed to control the previous session's intensity. Then, I was caught attempting to flee afterward. To top it off, I was seen fooling around in the brothel. I'm one step away from utter ruin. So perhaps that's why I'm especially sharp and composed today. I must serve her today genuinely. I need to calm her anger, neither too mild nor too intense. All the carrots are ready right in front of me. If I string them well, I might lead this leash play successfully. "Let's... as I said, let's change places first and think.” Chung Wol eventually whispered in embarrassment. I shook my head. "Moving where? Today's game starts right here." "Huh-what?" "Why so worried? I've covered my face. No one will know it's you. It'll be safe." "Starting here...! What does that mean?! And how's it safe?!" Chung Wol's body leaned further back. Her back hit the wall. I pressed her further. "...Don't you trust me? Even when I say it'll be safe?" "How can I trust the leader? Have you forgotten everything that happened recently? And what do you plan to do outside with all those eyes?" Hearing that, I stepped back a bit. "This is all I've prepared. If it doesn't appeal, give it up. If you can't trust me, don't do it." "Grr...! The leader always...!" "I don't force anything. It's entirely your choice." Chung Wol remained frozen for a long time. Her shoulders and head drooped in bewilderment. The only thing still filled with strength was the leash she was pushing into my grasp. -...Thump. At that moment, the trembling in Chung Wol's arms subsided. But in her hand, she still clutched the leash tightly. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized her holding it was her choice. "Well chosen." I whispered without missing the opportunity and gently took the leash from her hand. Once she decided, I pressed on. "Come, lift your chin." Chung Wol glanced at me briefly and then turned her head aside. "N-no." I lifted her veil and draped it over her hat. It seemed her face needed to be visible. "...Ugh." With her face revealed, Chung Wol tried to hide even more. Yet, her blushing cheeks were apparent, a mix of embarrassment and confusion that looked defenseless and, above all, human. There wasn't a trace of the brutal killer; instead, she appeared as a tender, confused girl two years younger than me. "Show me your neck, Wol.” I spoke cautiously. Chung Wol remained silent. Hesitation was palpable. I added again. "Should we stop?" Realizing her anger stemmed from knowing she'd only seen Tang So Ran, I goaded her further. "...I don't need to do this with just you." The reason for such a provocation is that from a masochistic perspective, it serves as an excuse. The sadist said such things, so I had no choice, see. "Grr...!" Chung Wol clenched her fists, biting her lip. When Tang So Ran was subtly mentioned, she couldn't help but react. There seemed to be a competitive tension between the two. Her expression turned fierce the moment Tang So Ran was brought up. I momentarily tensed, fearing she might hit me. Luckily, she didn't. Instead, Chung Wol closed her eyes tightly. And then, as if shedding her last defensive shield, Chung Wol exhaled with trembling breaths, slowly lifting her head. Her pale, delicate neck—so slender it could easily fit within a hand—was exposed. A person's vulnerable spot: the neck. Chung Wol had willingly revealed it to me, as if saying, "Put the leash on me." The sight of her vulnerable neck made me unintentionally freeze. ...I really did manage to persuade her. I didn't expect it to work, but it did. I felt my head fill with a buzzing sound, as if blood was rushing there, almost making me feel as if a nosebleed would start at any moment. This is driving me crazy. I wondered if Chung Wol felt this level of intensity too. In this mundane realm, such a moment is strikingly powerful. I calmed my racing heart. And then, as gently as I could—like a longtime lover placing a necklace around her—I fastened the leash around her neck. Chung Wol flinched at the touch of the leash but still exposed her pale neck to me. I secured the simple leash and held the end. Then, stepping back slightly, I observed her. Her hands hid bashfully behind her back. Her legs were crossed, as if embarrassment curled them together. Her head was turned to the side in shame, but the unmistakable leash was on her neck. A line connected my hand to her neck. Chung Wol bit her lip, still trembling. She was paralyzed, perhaps by embarrassment. "...Open your eyes." She needed to see this. If she didn't, it held no meaning. To my whisper, her eyelids slowly lifted. “...Ah!” Upon seeing the leash on her neck, she seemed to feel a loss of dignity—or was it the shock of transforming from human to pet that struck her? Suddenly, she slumped down, burying her face in her knees, whispering, "No... no. This isn't... this isn't me... What if Jang Moon In saw me like this..." I couldn't let her belittle herself like this. -Tug! For the first time, I lightly pulled on the leash. It wasn't strong, but it was enough. The sensation of Chung Wol's fragile body reached my fingertips. ...I never imagined the other party would be Chung Wol, but maybe this was the feel I'd often envisioned in dreams. “Ah!” Following the pull of the leash, Chung Wol looked up at me. There was evident confusion in her eyes, but another emotion seemed to intermingle. Was it because she was masochistic? Or is it because I wanted to believe so? In her eyes, there seemed to be a hint of faint excitement. As if a dark pleasure came from being dominated for the first time, finding it odd to allow such a thing. To the bewildered Chung Wol, I spoke, "Beautiful." From now on, all I can offer are compliments. "So beautiful, Wol." Chung Wol’s eyes wavered. Her breathing quickened, and she couldn’t tear her gaze from me. Our eyes locked for a long while. After swallowing hard and closing this initial phase of the encounter, the real beginning unfolded. “Wol. Remember this. You're not the Millennium Flower of the Emei Sect, not the future prodigy the world anticipates, not a lofty and pure woman...” “...Ha...ugh...” “From now on, you're simply the possession of a mere leatherworker, Han Seo Jin.”