Chapter 117: It's Time to Go Home (3)
Chapter 116 – It’s Time to Go Home (3)
“Why is the atmosphere so chaotic? The door is open too… Huh? Isn’t that person collapsed over there our instructor?”
Yun Jong-seung, who had not yet noticed Namgung Cheon, asked as he looked at Jeon Hwang sprawled out on the floor.
Then, one of the gatekeepers ran over with a swollen face and shouted.
“That is correct, Young Master! Some crazy bastard showed up and started throwing a fit out of nowhere, so things are a bit loud right now! We are sorry!”
“A crazy bastard? No, what kind of crazy bastard dares to make a scene at the Songbai Academy?”
“It is that guy over there!”
The gatekeeper huffed as he pointed at Namgung Cheon’s back.
As Namgung Cheon slowly turned around, Yun Jong-seung also recognized him and flinched.
“Uh…? Namgung Cheon?”
“Yeah, it’s me, Jong-seung.”
“Why are you… here?”
As Yun Jong-seung asked with a slightly frozen expression, the tactless gatekeeper raised his voice with veins bulging on his neck.
“I tell you, that crazy bastard came out of nowhere and said he was going to take Instructor Cha Mu-jin away! What is more, he is a malicious rascal who even used force when our guard was down!”
“Instructor Cha Mu-jin?”
“It is that fellow standing over there.”
As Yi Se-jeok chimed in and pointed, Cha Mu-jin nodded with a reluctant expression.
“Greetings, Young Master. I am Cha Mu-jin.”
When Yun Jong-seung looked back, apparently wanting an explanation, Yi Se-jeok squared his shoulders and blabbered proudly.
“He was originally the Vice Leader of the Namgung Clan’s Azure Eagle Squad. But the Namgung Clan is already ruined anyway, isn’t it? Rather than sucking his thumbs while waiting for a Young Patriarch who knows when will be decided, I suggested he come to our academy and take up an instructor position.”
“And so?”
“He readily agreed, and we even signed a contract.”
Yi Se-jeok looked at Yun Jong-seung with a proud expression. It was a look like a puppy waiting for praise.
Since he had hired a talent who had risen to the position of Vice Leader in the Namgung Clan, which once ruled the world, was it not something worthy of praise?
However, for some reason, Yun Jong-seung’s expression looked like a dog that needed to take a dump.
Under normal circumstances, he would have patted him on the back.
While Yi Se-jeok felt a strange sense of incongruity, Namgung Cheon spoke to Yun Jong-seung.
“You arrived at a good time. Was this place under your family’s jurisdiction?”
Then, even before Yun Jong-seung could reply, the gatekeeper pointed his finger again and yelled at the top of his lungs.
“You, you! You crazy bastard! How dare you wag your tongue in whose presence! Even if you kneel down and apologize right now, we might not even forgive you!”
“You over there, shut up for a moment.”
“Wh-What? To think you are acting so high and mighty just because you won the Joint Conference, when you are nothing but the bastard of the Great Killing Star! If our young master had set his mind to entering the tournament, do you think a measly championship would have gone to the likes of you? Isn’t that right, Young Master?”
“Ahem! Stop it.”
“No, Young Master! We need to make sure a guy like that knows reality! Didn’t you say so yourself, Young Master? That if you had set your mind to participating in the tournament, you would have won.”
“Ahem! I told you to stop.”
“Young Master! If you are too humble, you might look easy to a madman! We must imprint it clearly on that crazy bastard who doesn’t even know his place!”
You crazy bastard! Do you want to see someone get killed? Stop it! Just stop!
However, the gatekeeper, with Yun Jong-seung beside him, acted as if he had nothing to fear now and grew high-spirited, continuing to speak while spitting saliva.
“You scoundreeel! Will you not kneel down right this instant! How dare you stiffen your neck and glare in front of our young master! Will you only regain your senses after seeing hell? I’ll gouge those eyes out right…!”
Thud!
Unable to hold back any longer, Yun Jong-seung ended up striking the back of the gatekeeper’s head hard.
Then, he mercilessly stomped on the gatekeeper, who had collapsed onto the ground.
“I told you to stop, didn’t I? You crazy bastard! Why would you gouge out his eyes! How disgusting! Huh? Are you going to take responsibility for what happens next?”
Thud! Thud! Thud…!
“Ack! Y-Young Master…? Why all of a sudden… Urgh!”
“Shut up, you bastard! What? See hell? Have you actually experienced hell? Do you even know what hell is like!”
Thud! Thud! Thud…!
As Yun Jong-seung suddenly began to beat the gatekeeper, not only the academy director but also the other martial artists turned pale and retreated hesitantly.
Unable to watch any longer, Yi Se-jeok stepped forward.
“Y-Young Master? Please calm down. He is going to die at this rate.”
“No, then why the hell did he not listen to me!”
Yi Se-jeok bowed his head tactfully.
In truth, the fact that he, whose martial arts were weak, sat in the position of the Songbai Academy Director was also thanks to his quick wits.
“I will lecture him properly, Young Master.”
“Dammit!”
Only then did Yun Jong-seung spit out a curse and turn around. Sensing that the atmosphere was strange, he cleared his throat and continued speaking.
“Ahem! Namgung Cheon is my friend! Disrespecting my friend is the same as disrespecting me!”
Huffing for a while, Yun Jong-seung took a deep breath, turned back to Namgung Cheon, and smiled awkwardly.
“Just as you said, this is an academy operated by our family. I am sorry about this.”
“Is that so? Then that makes talks faster. As you have heard, Cha Mu-jin is the Vice Leader of our clan’s Azure Eagle Squad. It seems he took on the instructor job because he needed something to do for a while, but I have to take him back now. I hear that there is a toxic clause in the contract making the penalty for breach absurdly expensive, so what do you think about this matter? For your information, I am in a very bad mood right now.”
At those words, Yun Jong-seung’s complexion turned dark.
As he looked back with a fierce expression, Yi Se-jeok pulled his neck back like a turtle and shrugged his shoulders.
“Th-That is… My excessive desire to recruit talent got the better of me…”
“How could you be so wicked in your thoughts, Academy Director?”
“Pardon?”
“If a neighboring family fell into difficult circumstances, instead of helping them both materially and spiritually, you took advantage of the gap to poach their talent? And you go around blabbering about it as if it’s something to be proud of? Do you want to see someone get beaten to death?”
No, seriously, did this guy eat something wrong?
Why is he suddenly pretending to be nice so out of character? Besides, what on earth is he talking about with getting beaten to death?
Under normal circumstances, this would have earned me a pat on the back, but at this rate, isn’t it a relief just to avoid getting hit on the back of my head?
Yi Se-jeok let out a shallow sigh and bowed his head.
“I am sorry.”
“It is not a matter you should be apologizing to me for, is it?”
“Mmm. Young Master Namgung, I am sorry for this.”
Seeing Yi Se-jeok clasping his hands and even bowing his head, Yun Jong-seung spoke to Namgung Cheon.
“I am sorry. It seems we made a mistake on our part. Please let this matter slide at this point.”
“My boy got slapped on the cheek.”
“What…?”
Yun Jong-seung looked back at Yi Se-jeok, the corners of his eyes trembling.
‘Is this damn old man really trying to see someone get killed?’
‘Hieek!’
Feeling a chilling sensation, Yi Se-jeok slapped his own cheeks hard.
Yun Jong-seung clicked his tongue and turned around again.
“Can we not call it even with this?”
“My mood is not improving, though.”
“Please let it slide, even if it is just for my sake.”
“Looking at your face only makes it worse.”
“Mmm. Then what should we do? Ah, how about we compensate you financially?”
It was truly a bizarre situation.
It was Namgung Cheon who had caused the breach of contract, and it was also Namgung Cheon who had come first to make a scene, yet Yun Jong-seung was the one walking on eggshells.
Cha Mu-jin, who had only been watching, whispered to Son U-gon.
“Brother. What on earth is going on here?”
“How would I know? However, I am merely confirming that my eyes were not mistaken.”
“What did your eyes see, Brother?”
Son U-gon stared at Namgung Cheon and murmured quietly.
“A hidden dragon.”
“…!”
Meanwhile, Namgung Cheon crossed his arms and said indifferently.
“Do I look like a beggar to you?”
“N-No. That is not it, but…”
“Forget about the money. Nothing comes to mind right now.”
“Then?”
“Let us borrow your family’s strength once when I need it.”
“What?”
“I do not know when that will be. However, your family will help me once when I need it. How about it?”
“But my father…”
“That is your business.”
As Namgung Cheon coldly cut him off, Yun Jong-seung bit his lip hard and bowed his head.
His gaze happened to fall upon the armguards he was wearing on both arms.
The armguards that Namgung Cheon had given him without asking for any particular price.
As if having made up his mind, Yun Jong-seung soon nodded.
“Alright. I will do that.”
“Everyone heard that, right? What the young master of the Mount Huang Yun Clan promised?”
“We heard it.”
Bok-seong and Son U-gon replied at the same time.
Namgung Cheon slapped Cha Mu-jin on the back with a loud smack.
“Now, let us go. You can thank me later.”
“Ah, no. Wait a second…”
“Well, if you want to say your goodbyes, take your time and come. I will head out first.”
As Namgung Cheon spun around and strode away, Cha Mu-jin did not know what to do before quickly following after him.
Yun Jong-seung, who had remained standing until Namgung Cheon vanished, finally sat down on the spot, unable to control his trembling legs.
‘Wow, I almost pissed myself.’
Just thinking about what would happen if Namgung Cheon went wild was terrifying.
Meanwhile, Yi Se-jeok quickly approached and supported Yun Jong-seung.
“Young Master! Are you alright?”
“Academy Director!”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to see someone get killed?”
“Pardon?”
“Why on earth did you commit such an act!”
“Th-That is… I only did it for the academy…”
“Shut up! I will hold you separately responsible for this matter!”
Furious, Yun Jong-seung walked away with long strides.
He had no other desire but to return home quickly, fearing that Namgung Cheon might come back again.
* * *
“Homing instinct is something that cannot be easily ignored.”
Namgung Cheon continued speaking as he filled Cha Mu-jin’s cup.
“I believe that the reason the Vice Leader is here right now is also because of that homing instinct. In some corner of your heart, you hold an identity as a member of our clan.”
“There is no such thing.”
Cha Mu-jin replied with a lukewarm expression.
Namgung Cheon narrowed his eyes.
“Really?”
“Dammit, sense of belonging? Identity? What is all that nonsense? I can barely even feed myself right now!”
“I told you I would pay you a salary.”
“How can I believe that?”
“If you cannot believe it, then go back?”
“Are you seriously saying that right now? After you caused that whole scene at the Songbai Academy, you want me to go back?”
“Why? If it is just to feed yourself, what is it that you cannot do? You must not be hungry enough yet.”
“Ha! And here you were, telling me not to throw away my pride for money!”
“Of course you should not throw away your pride for money. However, throwing away your pride to survive is courage.”
“Ha!”
Cha Mu-jin was dumbfounded and could not continue speaking.
Yet, he did chew over Namgung Cheon’s words.
How could a young fellow speak as if he had already lived through his entire life?
“Fifteen days.”
“…?”
“We have to finish the job within fifteen days. After that, an opportunity to become the Young Patriarch will arise.”
“What is this? So if we cannot finish the job within fifteen days, the position of Young Patriarch is out of the question? Furthermore, even if we finish the job, we do not become the Young Patriarch, but only get an opportunity?”
“As you know, it is because I am the bastard of the Great Killing Star.”
“….”
“Naturally, the opposition will be severe. Even so, I will become the Young Patriarch. So, cooperate with me. Call and gather all the kids by the day after tomorrow. And we are going to reclaim the commercial rights of Yi County.”
“What? Going to Yi County? Are you saying that while knowing what kind of state that place is in right now?”
“Does it sound like I’m saying this without knowing?”
“Ha!”
Namgung Cheon stared at Cha Mu-jin.
“If you lack confidence, pull out.”
“No, it is not a matter of having confidence or not, is it?”
Cha Mu-jin, who had shouted out, picked up his wine cup.
Namgung Cheon suddenly spoke.
“If you drink that wine, today is day one.”
“What…!”
“Drink it, or go back. Choose.”
Namgung Cheon and Cha Mu-jin’s gazes entangled intricately in the air.
Soon, Cha Mu-jin glanced at Son U-gon, who was sitting silently beside him, before closing his eyes tightly and clicking his tongue.
“Dammit! After making such a mess of things, you tell me to go back! Tsk!”
In the end, Cha Mu-jin roughly emptied the wine cup into his mouth.