Chapter 116: It's Time to Go Home (2)
Chapter 115 – It’s Time to Go Home (2)
Was this guy insane?
One of the gatekeepers let out a hollow laugh.
Where did this green youngster come from, asking for Instructor Cha Mu-jin, the most popular instructor in the academy these days?
And what? “Our boy”?
The gatekeeper raised his eyebrows high and took a step forward.
“Kid, did you have a drink in the middle of the day?”
“Huh? How did you know? I was drinking until just a moment ago. Do I smell like alcohol?”
“What? No, where did this crazy guy come from…”
“Watch your mouth.”
Son U-gon, who had been watching silently, narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.
However, Namgung Cheon soon raised his hand to stop him.
Only then did the gatekeeper judge that Namgung Cheon’s status was not ordinary, and he showed a modicum of politeness.
“I do not know which clan’s young master you are, but if you are looking for Instructor Cha Mu-jin, you must formally…”
“I came from the Namgung Clan.”
“Namgung…”
“I am Namgung Cheon.”
“Namgung Cheon?”
The gatekeepers looked at each other.
If it was Namgung Cheon, wasn’t he the bastard child of the Great Killing Star who had led the Namgung Clan down the path of ruin?
They had heard that he was not even treated properly in the Namgung Clan, yet he suddenly appeared at the Songbai Academy and demanded Instructor Cha Mu-jin out of nowhere?
Had he truly gone completely out of his mind?
Wait, now that they thought about it, there was a rumor going around that he had won the Joint Conference…
Was he relying on that to come here and act violently?
If so, they would have to teach him a proper lesson.
One of the gatekeepers scowled and took another step forward.
“Instructor Cha Mu-jin belongs to our academy. I do not think there is any reason for the Namgung Clan to visit him.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Cha Mu-jin originally belonged to our clan’s Azure Eagle Squad. It seems he was just looking for temporary work for a while, but I’m telling you, it’s time for him to go home now.”
“Tsk, you are completely unreasonable. How arrogant of you just because you luckily won the Joint Conference. Stop acting so violently and turn back at once.”
“I’m just here to bring our boy out.”
“I told you to back off! Where do you think this is, to dare behave so outrageously?”
The gatekeeper strode forward and shoved Namgung Cheon’s chest.
After being pushed back a couple of steps, the corners of Namgung Cheon’s mouth twitched upward, and he turned to look at Son U-gon and Bok-seong.
“You all saw that, right? They pushed first.”
“Huh? Ah, yes. That is true, but what are you planning…”
Thwack!
Before Bok-seong could even finish his sentence, Namgung Cheon kicked the gatekeeper in the abdomen.
* * *
“You do not need to come all this way out, Director.”
Even though Cha Mu-jin strongly discouraged him while walking toward the main gate, Yi Se-jeok, the Director of the Songbai Academy, did not stop walking.
“I am merely seeing you off to the main gate, so why do you find it so burdensome?”
“At any rate, you do not need to worry about what you said today. I will remain faithful to my role as an instructor under the Songbai Academy…”
Crash!
At that moment, the main gate burst open, and wasn’t the giant gatekeeper flying in like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind?
After rolling across the floor for a long time, the gatekeeper finally stopped right at the feet of Yi Se-jeok and Cha Mu-jin.
“Argh!”
“Wh-what on earth is this?”
A startled Yi Se-jeok whipped his head around. Beside him, Cha Mu-jin reflexively drew his sword and glared at the wide-open main gate.
Just then, a young man who looked to be barely twenty was striding inside.
“Mu-jin! Cha Mu-jin! Let’s go home, Mu-jin!”
Seeing the youth shouting out of nowhere, not only Cha Mu-jin but also Yi Se-jeok stood dumbfounded with his mouth wide open.
Yi Se-jeok stiffly turned to look at Cha Mu-jin.
“Is he a child you know?”
“I do not know him. Wait…”
At that moment, Cha Mu-jin narrowed his eyes.
Now that he looked closely, he was definitely…
“The bastard child of the Great Killing Star?”
“What did you say?”
Yi Se-jeok asked back, raising his eyebrows high.
Regardless of their reaction, Namgung Cheon, who had been shouting at the top of his lungs, tilted his head as he looked at the two men standing before him.
“Mu-jin? Is that you?”
Where did this crazy bastard dare to…!
While Cha Mu-jin was too dumbfounded to react, two men entered through the open door one after another.
One was Bok-seong, and the other was Son U-gon.
Recognizing Son U-gon, Cha Mu-jin confirmed what he had been uncertain about.
“It seems they came from the Namgung Clan.”
Yi Se-jeok’s face warped in anger.
“What? The Namgung Clan! Didn’t you say with your own mouth that there was no reason for the Namgung Clan to seek you out?”
“Do not worry. I will send them back quietly.”
Just as Cha Mu-jin finished speaking, a middle-aged man appeared, leading a group of martial artists as if they had heard the commotion.
The middle-aged man was Jeon Hwang, the first-class instructor.
“Director! What is going on?”
“They say that kid came from the Namgung Clan!”
“From the Namgung Clan?”
Jeon Hwang looked back at Namgung Cheon with an absurd expression.
“Who are you to dare come to the Songbai Academy and act so violently?”
“Violently? Your side used violence first. As a good citizen, I merely acted in self-defense. Isn’t that right?”
When Namgung Cheon looked to his side and asked, Bok-seong and Son U-gon nodded their heads with somewhat awkward expressions.
“Yes, well… that’s how it was.”
“You see? In fact, I am the one who should receive an apology.”
“What? You insolent little punk…!”
“Instructor Jeon Hwang, I will handle this.”
As Cha Mu-jin quickly stepped forward to stop him, Jeon Hwang scowled deeply and looked back.
“Instructor Cha! Seeing this, it seems this happened because of you. How can you handle things so poorly?”
“I apologize. I will resolve it immediately.”
Cha Mu-jin bowed his head slightly and walked toward Namgung Cheon. Glancing at Son U-gon standing beside Namgung Cheon, he asked.
“Captain, what on earth is the meaning of this?”
However, instead of answering, didn’t Son U-gon gesture toward Namgung Cheon with his eyes?
Namgung Cheon opened his mouth.
“Where are you looking and talking? Your master is right in front of you.”
“Master?”
“Yes. Stop wandering around now and let’s go home. The time has come.”
“You crazy bastard…! Just because you inherited the Namgung surname as the bastard child of the Great Killing Star, do you think you’ve become someone important?”
“Is that some kind of script you all share? How can you all say the exact same thing? Well, for now, I haven’t become anything yet, but I will soon.”
“What?”
“I’m going to become the Young Patriarch soon. So, I am practically your master-in-waiting.”
By this point, Cha Mu-jin was beginning to wonder if Namgung Cheon had truly gone insane.
However, wouldn’t it be strange for Son U-gon to appear here if that were the case?
In the end, he threw a question to Son U-gon again.
“Brother, what on earth is this? Why did you come all the way here with a fellow like this…”
“Mu-jin, watch your mouth. He is the person who will become your master.”
“Brother! Why are you behaving like this too!”
“I can hear you even if you do not yell.”
Cha Mu-jin stared blankly for a moment, then shook his head.
Had they gone mad as a group?
He let out a long sigh and turned back to Namgung Cheon.
“I do not know what is going on, but it seems the Namgung Clan has decided to completely cross the line now. Of all the things in life… good grief.”
“Is it because of the salary?”
“What?”
“I asked if you are staying here because of the salary. How much do you get from the Songbai Academy?”
“Why? If I name a figure, can you pay that much?”
“I could.”
“I have no idea where you get such reckless audacity from.”
“We will see whether it is reckless audacity or well-founded confidence. I told you to name a figure. How much do you want? How much will it take?”
“Forget it. I have no intention of returning to the Namgung Clan. So leave now. I will try to clean up the mess you made here somehow.”
“Ah, you’re really playing hard to get.”
Who is playing hard to get, you crazy bastard!
Before Cha Mu-jin could refute anything, Namgung Cheon shook his head and spoke.
“That won’t do. The one who used violence first was that gatekeeper. I haven’t even received an apology yet.”
“Come on! I told you to stop this and go back!”
While Cha Mu-jin shouted, Jeon Hwang, who had been watching silently, approached threateningly.
“It seems you cannot resolve this. Step back, Instructor Cha!”
“Instructor Jeon Hwang, if you give me just a moment, I will talk to him nicely…”
“Nicely? Did you think you could settle this situation with nice words after what happened?”
“Pardon?”
“Two gatekeepers of our academy were beaten up. Yet you talk about settling this nicely? What about compensation for damages? Are you planning to pay for it?”
“…”
“Move. That ruffian doesn’t seem like someone who understands words anyway. How dare the bastard of the Great Killing Star come here, of all places?”
“Instructor, please don’t do this, let me talk to him first…”
Slap!
In an instant, Cha Mu-jin’s head was slapped to the side.
Losing his balance, Cha Mu-jin staggered before barely regaining his footing and coming to a stop.
While Son U-gon clenched his fists tightly as he watched, Jeon Hwang rebuked Cha Mu-jin with a murderous expression.
“Were you always such a dull man? What a huge disappointment. Do not interfere any further and get out of the way at once!”
“…”
“You won’t move?”
As Cha Mu-jin caressed his cheek and let out a sigh, a deep furrow etched into Jeon Hwang’s brow.
It was at that moment, as he raised his hand again.
“Hey.”
A low, anger-laden voice popped out.
As Jeon Hwang’s brow twitched and he whipped his head around, Namgung Cheon approached with a cold face, his footsteps echoing.
“Who do you think you are, hitting my boy?”
“…What?”
“Do you want to die?”
“You crazy son of a b—!”
Slap!
Spin, crash!
It truly happened in the blink of an eye.
Before anyone could realize that Namgung Cheon’s hand had flashed, wasn’t Jeon Hwang, who had been slapped, spinning like a top on the spot before collapsing to the ground?
Not only Lee Se-jeok but also the other martial artists, Son U-gon, and Bok-seong froze like stone with their mouths wide open.
To make Jeon Hwang like that with just a single slap!
Gulp…!
Lee Se-jeok swallowed hard and took a step back.
As Jeon Hwang was defeated in a single move, the other martial artists also backed away slowly, their bodies tense.
Regardless of the reaction, Namgung Cheon turned to Cha Mu-jin and furrowed his brow.
“Why did you just stand there and take a hit from a weakling? You might not have money, but do you lack pride?”
“N-no… why on earth did you do this…”
While Cha Mu-jin muttered with a dazed look, Son U-gon strode over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Mu-jin. Let’s go home.”
“Brother…?”
“I have made my decision. I will start anew with him. Although I do not know what lies at the end of this road, I have resolved to walk it.”
“Are you serious, Brother?”
“Yes. Do you see nothing in him?”
“Well. He just looks like a crazy bastard to me.”
“*Sigh*. Well, that’s not bad in its own way. The Jianghu is originally a place where one can only survive by being half-mad.”
“Brother. You are serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“But I…”
It was at that moment.
“You crazy bastard! How dare you behave so outrageously, knowing where this is! Do you have any idea how much the penalty is if Cha Mu-jin leaves here? And do you even know who is backing our academy? Do you think you will be safe after committing such a deed?”
“If you have a complaint, step out.”
“What?”
“I said, if you have a complaint, step out. Because I have plenty of complaints myself.”
Namgung Cheon’s eyes turned freezing cold.
At that gaze, Lee Se-jeok reflexively flinched and stepped back.
‘How can a kid have eyes like that…!’
Didn’t he look like someone who had spent his entire life roaming battlefields piled high with corpses?
It was at that moment.
“Why is it so noisy here?”
Just then, a familiar voice sounded from the main gate, and a man was striding inside.
At the same time, Director Lee Se-jeok’s face lit up.
‘He’s here! You’re dead now!’
Rejoicing, he ran toward the man entering the main gate.
“Young Master, you have arrived!”
There stood Yun Jong-seung, receiving a warm welcome from Lee Se-jeok.