Chapter 297: Chapter 297

“Here.”

“Huh?”

Rising early in the morning, Jeok Mu-seong watched the approaching Jang Sam-tae’s actions with a peculiar expression. Soon, clutching what he extended in his hand, he tilted his head in wonder.

“What is this?”

“Can you not tell by looking? It is a manure shovel.”

Jang Sam-tae muttered with a face asking if he did not even know that.

Startled, Jeok Mu-seong dropped the shovel.

“A… a manure shovel?”

“Ah! Good grief! What if you drop it? If it breaks, I have to ask him to make it again… and the Family Head finds it bothersome.”

Astonished again by the statement that he had made such a thing himself, Jeok Mu-seong’s eyes widened. No, in the first place, why did he give him a manure shovel?

Not knowing the reason, he looked at Jang Sam-tae.

However, as if Jang Sam-tae had no intention of even explaining, he pointed to a place with his finger.

“The outhouse is over there.”

“Hmm? I know that too… but why are you telling me that?”

“Why, to shovel the manure, of course.”

Tremble!

The corners of Jeok Mu-seong’s mouth trembled.

He was an existence who was called the sun of the Unorthodox Faction.

He was the leader of an organization and had led numerous masters.

No matter where he went, he was not in a state to carry a manure carrier.

“Are… are you telling me to do it?”

“Then should I do it? Of course you should do it. Originally, things like this are done by servants.”

“Are you not the servant?!”

“You are being awfully annoying, you person. That is why from today, you are also a servant!”

Jang Sam-tae bellowed.

In this Hunan Dan Family, the only servant was Jang Sam-tae.

Although there was Mae-hyang as a maid, since it was the man who did the hard work, Jang Sam-tae had taken charge of everything until now.

Under those circumstances, since Jeok Mu-seong had entered, was it not natural to make him do the hard work?

Jang Sam-tae cleared his throat and rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Since I am your senior, follow me well.”

“S… Senior?”

“That is right! Even among servants, there is strictly a hierarchy, is there not? I have worked for a long time, and you are a greenhorn who just entered!”

“What on earth… I am… a servant?”

“Change those clothes to something else too. A servant should not wear clothes that are just flashy and uncomfortable to move in.”

He was speaking in earnest.

Jang Sam-tae was speaking now with an expression that was by no means lying.

Turning the peerless Five Emperors into a servant?

Jeok Mu-seong’s face flushed bright red.

“You rascal! How dare you… to me…”

“What is happening?”

The moment he was about to vent his anger, a familiar voice was heard from behind. In that not even a presence was felt, Jeok Mu-seong could instantly tell who the owner of the voice was.

Turning his head with a swish, sure enough, Dan Woo-hyun was in sight.

“Ah, greetings.”

“…Yes. It suits you well.”

“Ahem…”

At the words that it suited him, Jeok Mu-seong’s face turned bright red.

That the appearance of holding a manure shovel suited him?

“I will ask just one thing… do I really have to act as a servant?”

“That is the only position left. Or you can stay as a guest paying five taels of silver a day.”

At the words that drifted over, Jeok Mu-seong flinched. He had no money because he had fled in a hurry. No, even if he did have money, it was out of the question to stay while paying five taels a day.

No matter which inn in the world he went to, five taels of silver a day made no sense.

“N… No, but still… I can do as much as those old men…”

“You may go out to the streets wearing a mask if you wish.”

It was a story about Gentleman Sword and Ma Cheon-gun.

Jeok Mu-seong, whose nerves were not brazen enough to shout before people that he was an apostle of justice, wore a horrified expression.

“As… as a guard too…”

“What guard…”

The one who smirked and rained on his parade was none other than Jang Sam-tae. Although there were a few people in this manor who called themselves guards, they were entirely useless.

Because in the first place, no one dared to cross the wall.

Jang Sam-tae shook his head and looked to one side.

Zhuge Yeon, Ma Jang-gang, Gwon Mu-jin, and Namgung So-hye glared at Jang Sam-tae with sharp expressions.

He felt as if they would come to grab him right away.

He turned his head, breaking into a cold sweat without realizing.

“There is no need.”

“…”

“What is needed now is a servant. Since the number of people has increased too much for this fellow to do the housework alone.”

“I… I see…”

“If you want, try to become the best servant.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

Although Jeok Mu-seong was angered by the tone that was clearly mocking him, he could not muster the courage to strike a palm at Dan Woo-hyun.

It felt like stretching a fist toward Sado Hak would be a hundred or thousand times better.

* * *

“Pfft, pfft.”

“Giggle!”

“Do not laugh… hehehe…”

Ma Jang-gang, Zhuge Yeon, and Jang Sam-tae watched Jeok Mu-seong carrying the manure carrier back and forth.

Since the peerless Five Emperors was doing such things, they could not help but laugh.

Although they were laughing with suppressed voices, Jeok Mu-seong’s face was flushed redder than ever.

He was someone whose five senses were superior to others, just like his martial arts.

Just seeing that there were only five rivals under the heavens was enough to guess his level.

No matter how much they suppressed their voices, there was no way it would not reach his ears.

The moment Jeok Mu-seong wore an expression that looked like he would explode at any moment.

“You brats, is there some spectacle? If you have nothing to do, go do more training!”

Sado Hak stepped forward, his eyes shining sharply.

That gaze was so fierce that their laughter vanished of its own accord. Flinching and trembling, those who were watching carefully turned their backs.

“Th… Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Don’t feel too embarrassed either. I have felt this a lot here, but our names spread across the Central Plains are of no use.”

“…”

“Everything is according to that Dan guy’s whim anyway.”

Jeok Mu-seong felt that to his bones.

Here, Dan Woo-hyun was king.

Who could oppose him.

The words he spat out were absolute, and there was also no one who did not follow them.

Only, if there was a slightly different point, was it that the atmosphere was gentler and more comfortable than other organizations of the Martial World?

‘But with this force…’

It was certain that it was a power so grand that no force could ever look down upon it.

“Just what is that Dan Woo-hyun’s identity? I have never even heard that such a strong person existed.”

Jeok Mu-seong grumbled and asked.

They say there are numerous strong people in the Central Plains.

Although not revealed, it was also possible that those whose realms were comparable to or higher than the Five Emperors were hidden somewhere in the world.

Dan Woo-hyun was undoubtedly one of those people.

That was why Jeok Mu-seong wanted to know his identity.

“Do not try to know. You will get hurt.”

“Is… is it to that extent?”

Startled, Jeok Mu-seong broke into a cold sweat.

It was a statement from none other than Sado Hak. If he spoke such words, he thought he must be a figure so grand that even Sado Hak could not face him.

At the moment he sent a tense gaze with that thought.

Sado Hak’s voice drifted over.

“And… you smell like manure, so go away.”

“…”

Jeok Mu-seong’s face turned redder than ever.

* * *

“Excuse me, are you really alright?”

Jang Sam-tae quietly approached beside Dan Woo-hyun, who was fishing in front of Lake Dongting, and asked.

Although he was treating Jeok Mu-seong as a servant as Dan Woo-hyun ordered, it was unavoidable for Jang Sam-tae to feel uneasy from his perspective as well.

While Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang might seem easy to deal with since they had years spent together, Jeok Mu-seong was truly the heaven beyond heaven, the one who was called the sun of the Unorthodox Faction.

Ordering such a person around roughly was not very appealing.

Because no matter how much Jang Sam-tae had lost his fear, he did not fail to know the dreadfulness of the Five Emperors.

If an angered Jeok Mu-seong had truly struck a blow, Jang Sam-tae would surely be scattered, leaving only a trace of having been alive.

“It is fine. He should do at least that much.”

“I do not understand the meaning well, but…”

Dan Woo-hyun wore a mysterious smile.

Although he said he did not know, he did not bother to delve into it. Jang Sam-tae, thinking of Dan Woo-hyun’s intention in his own way, did not try to pry.

This was also the very reason why Dan Woo-hyun kept Jang Sam-tae by his side.

“He is a fellow who has already fallen to the ground with nothing left to salvage.”

“Even if he defeats those fellows and reclaims the Martial Emperor Castle?”

“Even if he does, would he be able to trust those by his side?”

Jang Sam-tae let out a groan.

Jang Sam-tae had directly seen the closest example.

It was none other than Sado Hak; although he had reclaimed the Demonic Cult through strength once again, in the end he abandoned that place and was staying here.

Although it might also be because he was already feeling deep skepticism, it must be that he realized he could no longer trust those by his side.

Jang Sam-tae thought that Jeok Mu-seong would surely be like that too.

“I understand, sir.”

Watching Jang Sam-tae nod, Dan Woo-hyun slightly raised his fishing rod. A fish was caught and pulled up, flapping vigorously.

“It is a big catch.”

Just as Dan Woo-hyun said, a fairly large carp was hooked and pulled up.

Having grown plump with meat, it looked like it would taste good.

Packing it into the basket, Dan Woo-hyun spoke.

“And the more one has sat in a high position, the stronger their pride tends to be.”

“Yes?”

Jang Sam-tae could not contain his wonder at the suddenly heard words. Did that statement not apply to other people too?

Sado Hak and Namgung Cheon, that is.

Dan Woo-hyun smiled looking at Jang Sam-tae.

“Because one must crush that pride to make them easy to order around.”

“Ah…”

Only then did Jang Sam-tae realize Dan Woo-hyun’s intention.

If he thought about it quietly, Dan Woo-hyun was someone who did not mind subtly using Sado Hak or Namgung Cheon until now.

Although they themselves did not seem to notice, knowingly or unknowingly, they could not escape the frame Dan Woo-hyun had drawn.

Therefore, now if Dan Woo-hyun ordered something, they followed without a single complaint.

But what about Jeok Mu-seong?

He had not been here for long, and Dan Woo-hyun did not want to take a lot of time.

He seemed to think it would be comfortable only if he crushed his pride in a single blow.

Jang Sam-tae broke into a cold sweat.

It was a moment where he felt sorry for Jeok Mu-seong for no reason.

He felt that he would likely suffer the greatest hardship from now on.

‘Even so…’

Jang Sam-tae looked up at the sky.

Today, the sky was exceptionally clear.

Did that not mean his own future?

‘As long as I am comfortable, it’s fine.’

Thinking comfortably, he grinned.

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