Chapter 123: Habits Are Scary (2)
Chapter 122 – Habits Are Scary (2)
“Namgung Cheon?”
Hye-gwang, the leader of the Shining Monk Association, furrowed his brow slightly.
Although he was loosely wearing his Buddhist robes, his bare skin was clearly exposed through the undone front ties, and he kept breathing heavily, looking somewhat excited.
It was clear that he had called women and enjoyed himself since broad daylight. Furrowing his brow as if he was highly displeased that his fun time had been interrupted, he looked at Goe-bul-ja and Pa-gak.
‘Pathetic…’
While Pa-gak still looked fine, Goe-bul-ja was a complete mess. He looked like a child who had come back whining after being beaten to a pulp by some neighborhood thugs.
Pa-gak subtly read the room with his narrow eyes and continued speaking.
“Yes, he definitely said so.”
“Hmm. If it’s Namgung Cheon, isn’t he the Divine Dragon who won the Joint Conference not long ago?”
“It seems so.”
“Indeed. He must be at the peak of his momentum. Still, to think he would make Monk Goe-bul-ja look like this.”
Hye-gwang did not lose his benevolent smile from beginning to end, but Goe-bul-ja, who was kneeling, was on pins and needles.
“I-I am sorry, Leader!”
“What do you have to be sorry to me for? You should blame yourself for your lack of self-discipline.”
“I will focus on recovery.”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Hye-gwang clicked his tongue for a moment and turned to Pa-gak.
“But I heard Namgung Cheon does not receive proper treatment even within the Namgung Clan. Seeing as he was accompanied by escort warriors, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
“It seems his treatment changed after he won the Joint Conference.”
“Indeed. Even if it is a playground for kids, it is not something to be ignored in terms of Jianghu reputation. So, what did he say?”
“Well, that is…”
Pa-gak’s eyes narrowed to the point they were barely visible.
“Speak.”
When Hye-gwang urged him with his usual benevolent smile, Pa-gak let out a short sigh.
“He said he would invade us if we don’t go to negotiate by that time tomorrow.”
“Where? Here?”
“Yes.”
“Namgung Cheon, that kid himself?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“…”
“He is a crazy bastard.”
When Hye-gwang said that abruptly with a chuckle, Pa-gak did not deny it either.
“Yes, he did seem like a lunatic. However, the martial arts of those escorting him seemed quite strong.”
“How many of them are there?”
“About twenty.”
“Twenty.”
Hye-gwang muttered quietly, yet he did not know how to react.
It was only twenty.
On the other hand, more than eighty monks resided in the main building of the Shining Monk Association.
He was going to invade this Shining Monk Association with only twenty people?
Was he truly a lunatic?
Or perhaps he was just simple-minded.
He was so dumbfounded that he could barely speak.
Hye-gwang tapped the heavy iron table and muttered in a low voice.
“Amitabha. Delivering teachings to foolish sentient beings must also be the Buddha’s will.”
“What will you do?”
“Let’s hear it first. So, how much did that kid offer?”
“Well, that is… fifty thousand taels.”
“Fifty thousand taels?”
“Yes.”
Now, he could not even laugh.
It was certain that the kid named Namgung Cheon was crazy.
However, they could not let their guard down completely.
Because in this Jianghu, strange as it was, there were times when lunatics had longer lifespans.
“Monk Pa-gak, did it seem to you that the kid would truly invade us?”
“That is a bit ambiguous.”
“In what way…?”
“Thinking logically, it should be impossible, but judging by that kid’s tone and behavior, he was out of his mind enough to actually do it.”
“At the very least, he is not a harmlessly crazy bastard.”
“Yes. The escort warriors did not seem inclined to stop him either.”
“Hmm. Since we never know, we must tell the monks to be on alert as soon as the sun rises tomorrow. Let’s collect the alms again tomorrow morning.”
“Understood.”
“You must bring it back tomorrow without fail. Do not forget that saving pitiful sentient beings is our duty.”
“Yes, Reverend Leader.”
“You may leave.”
“Then, excuse us.”
As Pa-gak and Goe-bul-ja bowed and were about to withdraw, Hye-gwang’s voice stopped them in their tracks.
“Monk Goe-bul-ja, please stay.”
“R-Reverend…”
Goe-bul-ja’s face turned white as sheet, as if he had seen a ghost.
Hye-gwang smiled gently with an extremely benevolent expression.
“I will help you recover.”
“I, I can do it on my own…”
“I will help you.”
When Hye-gwang’s expression turned expressionless in an instant, Goe-bul-ja froze in place, unable to even protest.
Leaving the two of them behind, Pa-gak quickly slipped out of the room and let out a faint sigh.
Pa-gak muttered as he thought of Goe-bul-ja.
“Amitabha…”
Right at that moment, Goe-bul-ja’s desperate scream erupted from behind his back.
* * *
The sun set, and the moon rose.
Darkness settled over the streets of Yixian.
Even so, the Shining Monk Association’s manor was bathed in a bright light that matched its name.
On the roof of a pavilion that offered a clear view of the light-shrouded Shining Monk Association manor.
Twenty-one men dressed in black robes and masks stood in line with solemn expressions.
Among them, the one standing at the very front was Namgung Cheon. On his left stood Son U-gon, and on his right stood Cha Mu-jin.
Namgung Cheon crossed his arms and muttered.
“It’s practically a palace.”
“Uh… Lord.”
Son U-gon spoke up cautiously.
“What is it?”
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Why… are we wearing masks?”
“What?”
When Namgung Cheon stared at him as if asking why he would even ask such a thing, Son U-gon scratched the back of his head.
“It’s just that no matter how much I think about it, there doesn’t seem to be a reason to wear masks.”
Namgung Cheon gaped at him as if he truly didn’t know.
“You lack the basic attitude of someone going to fight in the dead of night. A mask is like a necessity for a martial artist.”
“But isn’t that only used when hiding one’s identity?”
“That’s right.”
“However, if we invade the Shining Monk Association right now, wouldn’t anyone know it’s us? Of course, they wouldn’t expect to be ambushed this quickly, but since we practically declared war during the day, they will likely figure out our identity in no time.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Namgung Cheon gape again, as if realizing something.
‘Could it be that he didn’t know?’
While Son U-gon tilted his head, Namgung Cheon tossed his mask away.
“Come to think of it, you’re right.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re right. We didn’t need to wear masks.”
Tossing it away just like that?
As Son U-gon watched with a blank expression, Namgung Cheon shook his head and muttered.
“Indeed. Habits are truly scary things.”
Namgung Cheon nodded deeply, as if he had gained profound enlightenment once again.
In his past life, he was always on the run, and even if he happened to launch an attack, it was his daily routine to wear black clothes and a mask without exception.
So he had naturally assumed he had to wear a mask for a night raid.
“Indeed. We are the great Namgung Clan. There’s no need to wear something like a mask. We will invade proudly through the front gate.”
“Then the point of a surprise attack…”
“Even so, those bastards won’t be prepared, so it will work.”
“That is true.”
Son U-gon understood and let it go at a reasonable point.
In truth, to carry out a proper night raid, they should scale the walls instead of going through the front gate, but doing so might lead to people pointing fingers at the Namgung Clan for behaving underhandedly.
If their identity was bound to be revealed anyway, going through the front gate was not a bad idea.
Namgung Cheon turned around and spoke in a stern tone to the Azure Eagle Squad members, who were still wearing their masks.
“Let’s go. Right now, no one recognizes you, but after today, everyone will.”
Why state the obvious…
Son U-gon swallowed the words that rose to his throat and replied boldly.
“Yes, Lord!”
As Namgung Cheon lightly leaped down from the roof, the Azure Eagle Squad members threw away their masks one by one and jumped down.
When the group of men in black, including Namgung Cheon, crossed the market street, people began to whisper and watch.
Namgung Cheon thought this wasn’t bad either. In fact, he felt a thrill that exceeded his expectations.
Men in black and a market street.
What a strange combination.
Usually, men in black would run along roofs or walls, or hide in back alleys.
Black clothes were worn by assassins, robbers, thieves, and fugitives.
Yet, they were all dressed in black, proudly strutting down the main street of the market.
‘To think a day like this would come in my life.’
Namgung Cheon felt a sense of grandeur swell in his chest and quickly hurried his steps.
Cha Mu-jin whispered to Son U-gon.
“Why does the Lord have such an emotional look on his face?”
“It must be because he is confident that we will soon reclaim the commercial rights.”
“Indeed, that makes sense.”
With each harboring their own thoughts, Namgung Cheon and the Azure Eagle Squad finally arrived in front of the Shining Monk Association’s manor.
Because their movements were so unusual, a crowd of onlookers had gathered around them in no time.
“What’s this? What’s this? Why are there so many men in black? Is it a war?”
“Who knows. Who are they? Are they going to fight the Shining Monk Association?”
“I heard rumors that they’re from the Namgung Clan.”
“The Namgung Clan? Why the Namgung Clan?”
“I heard they’re trying to take back the commercial rights that the Shining Monk Association took.”
“No way. Why would the Namgung Clan walk around in such pitch-black clothes?”
“Right? Aren’t they actually assassins?”
Amidst all kinds of speculation, Namgung Cheon walked toward the front gate with firm steps.
Perhaps because they operated under the name of a gathering of monks, there were no giant warriors guarding the gate.
With everyone’s eyes focused on him, Namgung Cheon walked toward the front gate with firm steps.
*Whoosh!*
Leaping into the air in an instant, Namgung Cheon kicked the large plaque hanging on the front gate.
*Crash!*
The plaque with the words “Shining Monk Association” engraved on it shattered into pieces and scattered.
“Gasp! The plaque…!”
“Just who is that guy? He looks quite young.”
Namgung Cheon resolved the people’s curiosity himself.
“Namgung Cheon of the Namgung Clan has come to take back the commercial rights of Yixian from the Shining Monk Association!”
As the Lion’s Roar erupted, the night air rang loudly.
Soon after, the sound of people rushing out from inside was heard.
Namgung Cheon, who was staring intently at the front gate, kicked forward just in time.
*Boom!*
The entire door was ripped off and sent flying by the kick infused with internal energy. As a result, the monks running across the yard collided with the door and fell like autumn leaves.
*Clatter!*
The people of Yixian watched this entire process with wide eyes.
Namgung Cheon stepped inside the wide-open gate, muttering.
“Bald bastards, you’re late to greet me. Let’s go!”
At that, the Azure Eagle Squad members let out shouts and rushed into the manor with terrifying momentum.
“Waaaah!”
“Oh, crap! You scared me.”
Their momentum was so fierce that Namgung Cheon, who was leading the way, turned around in surprise.
Watching the Azure Eagle Squad members swarm past him in a crowd, Namgung Cheon let out a sigh of relief late.
Indeed, habits were truly scary things.
Just hearing the oncoming shouts made his body semi-automatically prepare to flee.
In any case, this was a situation where he could now proudly shout and run.
Indeed.
It was no longer a time when he had to hold his breath and move like a ghost as he did in the past.
Wasn’t it fine to shout proudly?
Namgung Cheon took a deep breath, unleashed a Lion’s Roar, and began to run.
“Waaaah!”
*Thud! Slash! Splat! Whack!*
Fists and feet flew, and the sword blade danced.
The stars in the night sky shone, Namgung Cheon’s sword blade shone, and the bald heads of the fake monks shone as well.
His voice was just too good.
“Waaaah!”
*Stab! Splat! Thud! Bam!*
“Waaaah!”
Watching Namgung Cheon move freely and quickly among the monks, Cha Mu-jin spoke to Son U-gon with a dazed expression.
“Uh… the Lord seems way too excited.”