How Can a Soldier Be So Fair? (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
An impression so cold it went beyond chill—like moonlight in the night sky, painfully sharp.
An intense aura that overwhelmed people with just a glance.
Even the sword pressed against Yeon Woo’s throat.
The same tension from their first meeting swirled again between Yeon Woo and Geon.
Geon let out a voice as cold as his appearance.
“No need to go far. I’ll behead you right here.”
“W-wait! I’m not trying to desert!”
Just as Geon was about to tighten his grip on the hilt, Yeon Woo cried out desperately.
She couldn’t possibly die so pointlessly after coming this far.
Above all, she had to clear up this misunderstanding, so Yeon Woo hurriedly continued, urgency in her voice.
“I’m Hong Yeon Woo, one of the new trainees! I was looking for a merchant nearby!”
“A merchant?”
As Geon frowned, Yeon Woo trailed off in a timid whisper.
“Yes. We need meat and wine for today’s myeonshin-rye, and I heard there’s a merchant selling them near the North Gate…”
The myeonshin-rye—a corrupt custom among noble-born officials—was unheard of in Prince Gwang Ho’s unit.
It seemed newer trainees had brought it with them, and the older soldiers were asserting their seniority.
Geon muttered quietly, too low for Yeon Woo to hear.
“So there are those who still perform myeonshin-rye.”
The blade withdrew from Yeon Woo’s neck and slid back into its sheath.
Now freed from the threat, Yeon Woo worried Geon might recognize her disguised face and quickly covered it with her sleeve.
It was already too dark to see clearly, and now she was hiding her face—her action only drew Geon’s attention further.
“Lower your arm and show your face.”
“I can’t!”
Yeon Woo desperately covered her face at Geon’s order; they were already acquaintances, so there was a real risk he’d recognize her.
If she slipped up even slightly, she’d be exposed as a woman on her very first day of enlistment.
Yet her efforts to conceal her identity were swiftly rendered useless.
“If you don’t show your face, I’ll behead you.”
A chill ran down Yeon Woo’s spine at Geon’s warning, and her body flinched.
This man was certainly capable of cutting her down without hesitation.
He saw me only once—surely he won’t remember?
Besides, he’d been gravely wounded back then and probably hadn’t been thinking clearly.
Clutching a faint hope that Geon wouldn’t properly recall her, Yeon Woo slowly lowered the hand shielding her face.
The darkness still partially obscured her features, so Geon couldn’t clearly make out her face.
“Come forward a bit more.”
At Geon’s command, Yeon Woo stepped forward a few paces.
Moonlight lifted the veil of darkness, gradually revealing her face.
Her face, reflected in the moon’s halo, was pale and petite.
Though clearly that of a man, her eyes drew one’s gaze irresistibly.
Yeon Woo’s large eyes shimmered like the night sky filled with stars, painting a mesmerizing cosmos.
Her lips, tinged faintly red like cherries, gleamed so lustrously they could easily be mistaken for a woman’s.
Her slender face traced elegant lines, and her skin was smooth as porcelain.
Moreover, although they’d clearly never met before, this soldier carried an oddly familiar air—strangely comforting despite the ambiguity.
Geon stared at Yeon Woo with suspicion and asked,
“Have we met somewhere before?”
“Impossible! Not even in dreams have I seen you!”
Yeon Woo shook her head in alarm, but Geon’s doubt remained unresolved.
Then Yeon Woo cautiously spoke again.
“Um… since it came up, do you happen to know where the merchant is? I’ve looked everywhere and can’t find them…”
She smoothly shifted the topic to divert Geon’s attention—after all, it was true she hadn’t found the merchant despite searching everywhere.
So much time had already passed; if she lingered here any longer, she’d be late for the myeonshin-rye. She needed to hurry.
But things weren’t going her way.
“There’s no merchant here.”
“W-why not?!”
“This is the West Gate.”
“Oh…!”
Unfamiliar with the place and hindered by the darkness inside the camp, Yeon Woo must have taken a wrong turn.
She’d ended up at the West Gate—there was no way any merchant would appear here, no matter how hard she looked.
“What am I going to do?! The myeonshin-rye is starting soon…!”
Anxious, Yeon Woo stamped her foot impatiently.
Geon watched her intently, a flicker of curiosity stirring within him.
It was strange. Normally, he wouldn’t care if some mere trainee got lost—but this one inexplicably stuck in his mind.
Looking at this trainee before him, Geon felt an odd sense of frustration, as if he’d forgotten something important.
“…Follow me. The North Gate is this way.”
Casually tossing out the words, Geon turned around.
He was heading to the North Gate anyway—to return to his barracks after training.
So he decided to take Yeon Woo along as well.
“Thank you!”
Yeon Woo bowed deeply toward Geon’s broad back.
Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as he appeared—just that single act of kindness altered her impression of him entirely.
As she followed Geon, Yeon Woo’s eyes drifted to his lean waist.
The spot where she’d treated his wound still bore a scar.
That injury had been severe enough to keep an ordinary person bedridden for over half a month—yet here he was, walking around perfectly fine. Truly an enigmatic man.
Moreover, Geon bore many other scars across his body beyond the one she remembered.
She’d assumed he was some nobleman’s young master, but several things didn’t add up.
A young nobleman wouldn’t have been left abandoned in the mountains with grievous wounds, nor would he carry so many scars.
‘Now that I think about it, who is this man really? He’s clearly connected to Prince Gwang Ho’s unit, but…’
Since Geon had taken off his upper garment, it was hard to judge his rank by uniform.
Though it was too dark to see clearly, he was wearing trousers that seemed like standard trainee attire.
He must be a soldier, then.
As she diligently followed Geon’s shadow, Yeon Woo cautiously asked,
“Are you perhaps a senior soldier?”
“No.”
“Then are you a trainee like me?”
“Must I explain everything to you personally?”
“Oh…”
Geon’s sharp reply instantly clarified things for Yeon Woo.
‘So this man is also a trainee. He must’ve gone out to buy food for the myeonshin-rye after training.’
She simply assumed incorrectly that he was just another recruit.
She never imagined the madman from Baekak Mountain was Prince Gwang Ho himself.
“You must have been training.”
“This hour is ideal—no one’s around.”
“You’re truly diligent.”
He must have trained so intensely to have taken off his shirt.
Despite his fearsome looks, he seemed earnest—perhaps he knew quite a bit about the unit.
“Do you happen to know what happens during the myeonshin-rye?”
“No.”
Geon answered bluntly.
Dae Bok would have rambled on even if he didn’t know anything.
Unlike certain others, this man was remarkably terse.
Yeon Woo thought it’d be perfect to blend these two personalities together.
Perhaps Dae Bok’s chatter had rubbed off on her, because she kept talking.
“It’s not just the myeonshin-rye… I’m worried the senior soldiers will be harsh.”
The dark camp was frightening, the silent man walking ahead was intimidating,
and the thought of encountering a man named Gap Dol during the myeonshin-rye left Yeon Woo deeply uneasy.
She felt that if she kept chattering nonstop, her worries might lighten, even just a little.
“…”
Whether Yeon Woo spoke or not, Geon walked ahead in silence, offering no reply.
Undeterred by exhaustion, Yeon Woo continued pouring out her concerns.
“What worries me most is Prince Gwang Ho.”
“…?”
At the mention of himself, Geon—who’d shown no reaction until now—flinched slightly.
Why would a trainee he’d never seen before dare speak his name so casually?
Unaware that the man before her was Prince Gwang Ho, Yeon Woo kept talking.
“Since it’s just us, I’ll tell you—Prince Gwang Ho’s military title uses ‘Gwang’ meaning ‘mad’ and ‘Ho’ meaning ‘tiger.’ It essentially means ‘mad tiger.’”
“…”
Gossiping right in front of the person himself—what a bold trainee.
Geon turned around, dumbfounded that Yeon Woo had just outright called him a madman to his face.
He wanted to see just how far this oblivious trainee would cross the line.
“Go on, say more.”
Surprised by Geon’s sudden interest after his earlier silence, Yeon Woo’s eyes lit up.
Finally, he seemed interested in her story! Excited, she launched into more chatter.
“Have you heard? True to his title, Prince Gwang Ho is said to have a violent temper. They say he buries any officer who displeases him alive—need I say more?”
“…”
“That’s not all. I heard when he’s hungry, he rips live animals apart with his bare hands, and when thirsty, he drinks human blood!”
“Ha!”
Geon let out an exasperated sound at Yeon Woo’s ridiculous claims.
Even though he usually didn’t care about rumors, hearing such absurd slander directly from someone’s mouth left a strange taste in his mouth.
Just who did this trainee think he was?
Unaware of his bewilderment, Yeon Woo kept digging herself deeper.
“This isn’t funny. We might be next.”
“You’re beyond ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?! He’s still a prince of this nation, no matter how wild he is! You should watch your words.”
“…”
Calling him a mad tiger, claiming he devours live beasts—she’d hurled every imaginable insult at him,
yet took offense when he called her “ridiculous”?
On top of that, she deliberately twisted his words.
This soldier truly left him at a loss—where should he even begin correcting her?
Just as he wondered what outrageous remark she’d make next—
“Oh! There’s the merchant!”
Yeon Woo pointed toward the merchant in the distance.
Apparently, while gossiping about Geon, she’d already arrived at the North Gate where the merchant was stationed.
With little time left before the myeonshin-rye, Yeon Woo was in a hurry.
She rushed past Geon toward the merchant’s stall.
“Two baskets of dried meat and two bottles of wine, please!”
“Here you go.”
Yeon Woo paid the merchant after receiving the food.
Her arms grew heavy carrying the abundant provisions.
Having accomplished her task, Yeon Woo turned to speak to Geon—
Or rather, she tried to.
“The first nobleman I’ve met won’t buy anything? Come to think of it, what’s your name aga…?”
He’d definitely been nearby just moments ago—yet Geon had vanished without a trace.
“Where’d he go…?”
No matter how much she scanned the area, not even his shadow remained.
How could someone disappear so quickly? It was almost uncanny.
“He’s still the same—vanishing whenever he pleases.”
Yeon Woo murmured to herself, looking at the spot where Geon had stood.
Only the gentle chirping of insects and the crackling of torches filled the empty, silent grounds.
The myeonshin-rye was to be held in the senior soldiers’ barracks.
Fortunately, thanks to her haste, Yeon Woo arrived just in time.
Dae Bok stood outside the senior soldiers’ barracks.
“Hyung! Why are you out here?”
“Oh—ah, there you are, younger brother!”
Dae Bok hurried toward Yeon Woo as soon as he saw her, clearly uneasy about something.
Noticing his unusual demeanor, Yeon Woo asked,
“Is something wrong? You don’t look well.”
“It’s just…”
Before Dae Bok could finish, laughter and loud chatter erupted from inside the barracks.
Hearing the noise, Yeon Woo tilted her head and asked Dae Bok,
“Did they already start? I thought it wasn’t time yet.”
“What’s all that commotion outside?!”
Before Dae Bok could reply, Gap Dol’s booming voice rang out from within.
Dae Bok simply sighed, giving up on explaining.
“Let’s just go in.”
Confused about what was happening, Yeon Woo followed Dae Bok into the barracks.
Inside, a large table was already lavishly spread with food brought by the trainees.
The senior soldiers were laughing and feasting on the expensive dishes the trainees had supplied.
Yeon Woo shifted her gaze—and her expression hardened at the sight before her.
While the seniors ate and celebrated, the trainees knelt prostrate, foreheads pressed to the ground, enduring punishment.
Then an unpleasant, grating voice spoke up.
“You’re here awfully early!”
Turning toward the voice, Yeon Woo saw Gap Dol seated among the senior soldiers.
Gap Dol, already clearly drunk—his face flushed red and reeking of alcohol—pointed at Yeon Woo and shouted at the prostrate trainees,
“Hey! Do you know why you’re being punished?”
He then gestured toward Yeon Woo.
“Because this one arrived way too late! How noble—your comrades take the punishment in your place!”
She hadn’t even been late, yet he was accusing her of tardiness.
Yeon Woo replied as calmly as possible,
“Didn’t you say the myeonshin-rye starts at Hasi (9–11 PM)? It’s not yet Hasi.”
“Arriving after your seniors means you’re late! That’s how military discipline works. Tsk!”
“What kind of rule is that?”
It was utterly nonsensical.
The myeonshin-rye took place in the seniors’ barracks—of course they’d be there first; they lived there.
Gap Dol’s excuse was clearly meant to humiliate her.
“Don’t you know a senior’s word is law?! And who are you—a mere trainee—to talk back?!”
Gap Dol’s temper flared at Yeon Woo’s persistent replies.
From their first encounter, this brat had never shown proper deference.
With his delicate, effeminate looks, Yeon Woo reminded him of a courtesan’s brother—someone he deeply disliked.
Gap Dol intended to crush her spirit during this myeonshin-rye.
“Remember, everyone’s punishment today is because of you.”
Gap Dol glared at Yeon Woo, then jerked his chin toward a young soldier beside him.
“Punishment for talking back. Put the sandbags on.”
At Gap Dol’s command, sandbags were placed one by one onto the backs of the kneeling trainees.
The added weight drew pained groans from the already struggling trainees.
Gap Dol planned to intensify the punishment every time Yeon Woo dared speak back.
He believed forcing her comrades to suffer would finally make this insolent trainee obey.
Moreover, he intended to make her despised by her peers, driving her out of their circle.
Faced with Gap Dol’s transparent scheme, Yeon Woo could only press her lips shut.
Yet even amid this, Gap Dol’s eyes shifted to the food Yeon Woo carried.
“Show me what you brought. You didn’t forget what I told you, did you?”
Indeed, Gap Dol had specifically instructed Yeon Woo to bring double portions—so she’d purchased exactly that from the merchant.
Yeon Woo set down the bundle of dried meat and bottles of wine before Gap Dol.
But his expression darkened upon inspecting the food.
Gap Dol scrunched up his face and sneered with thick lips,
“Didn’t I tell you to bring triple portions just for you? Are my words a joke to you?”
“You clearly said double.”
“You talking back again?”
“…”
Yeon Woo distinctly remembered him saying “double.”
Gap Dol was now resorting to outright lies just to torment her.
Gap Dol rose from his seat and approached Yeon Woo, his mood turning ominous.
He poked Yeon Woo’s shoulder with thick fingers, causing her slight frame to inch backward.
Yeon Woo kept her eyes fixed on the floor, unwilling to meet his gaze—but showed no sign of fear or trembling.
“You’ve just ruined your good fortune. Let me show you what happens when you cross me.”
—Crash!
Gap Dol kicked over the basket of dried meat and bottles of wine Yeon Woo had brought.
The dried meat scattered across the floor, rolling everywhere, while the bottles shattered, wine splashing in all directions.
The festive atmosphere instantly fell silent.
Gap Dol’s face hardened as he lowered his voice,
“Pick it up.”
“…”
These foods were precious—things Yeon Woo might eat only once a year, if at all.
And they weren’t cheap either.
Seeing Dae Bok’s thoughtful gift ruined and strewn across the floor, fury boiled inside Yeon Woo.
But what Gap Dol said next twisted the knife deeper.
“What are you waiting for? Not picking it up? Should I add another sandbag for each of them?”
Sweat already dripped from the foreheads of the trainees enduring punishment, soaking the floor.
Then, unable to bear Gap Dol’s actions any longer, a fellow soldier stepped forward.
“Gap Dol, it’s their first day—maybe ease up a bit? If someone higher up finds out, this won’t end well…”
“You volunteering to take their place?”
“…”
Gap Dol clenched his fist menacingly, and the soldier promptly shut his mouth. Among the seniors, Gap Dol clearly held significant influence.
At Gap Dol’s gesture, soldiers prepared to add more sandbags onto the trainees’ backs.
Yeon Woo couldn’t stand watching innocent people suffer because of her.
She bent down and wordlessly began picking up the scattered dried meat from the floor.
“Who said to use your hands?”
Gap Dol watched her with a cruel smirk before speaking again.
“Pick it up with your mouth.”
To be humiliated like this in front of so many people—Yeon Woo’s hands trembled violently from the unprecedented shame.
If she lost her temper now, only innocent people like Dae Bok would suffer.
As Yeon Woo hesitated, Gap Dol crouched down, grabbed the back of her neck tightly, and shoved his large face close to hers, threatening,
“Not doing it? Need my help?”
In an instant, the barracks grew as cold as an ice cellar.
Everyone except Gap Dol and Yeon held their breath. The silence was so absolute one could hear an ant’s footsteps.
Chun Chul, another senior soldier, approached Gap Dol trembling uncontrollably.
“J-Jang Gap Dol… p-please, stop…”
“Didn’t I tell you not to interfere?”
Despite Chun Chul’s plea, Gap Dol showed no intention of releasing Yeon Woo.
Terrified yet persistent, Chun Chul grabbed Gap Dol’s arm to stop him.
“P-please… stop…”
“You want trouble too?!”
“Agh!”
Gap Dol roughly shoved Chun Chul to the ground—
At that moment, someone else’s feet, clad in fine leather boots, appeared before Gap Dol’s eyes.
Such boots, made from specially treated leather, were too valuable for ordinary soldiers to wear.
This could only mean the person standing before him held a high rank—definitely not a common soldier.
Since myeonshin-rye was strictly forbidden by the court, exposure meant severe punishment.
Cold sweat poured down Gap Dol’s body like a waterfall.
Slowly, Gap Dol raised his head to see the face of the person looking down at him.
“Huh…!”
The moment he recognized the face, Gap Dol gasped as if choking.
With lips trembling violently, he stammered,
“Y-your Highness… Prince Gwang Ho…!”
Geon, now fully dressed, had silently entered the barracks and was glaring at Gap Dol with eyes sharper than a tiger’s.
But Gap Dol wasn’t the only one shocked into breathlessness.
At the mention of “Prince Gwang Ho,” Yeon Woo slowly turned around—and nearly fainted from shock.
Her mouth hung open as she stared up at Geon.
‘The madman from Baekak Mountain is Prince Gwang Ho?!’
All the gossip she’d just spouted about him replayed in her mind like a flickering lantern—
And Yeon Woo collapsed to the floor, utterly dizzy.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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