Chapter 187: How Strong Was It (2)
Chapter 186 – How Strong Was It (2)
‘C-Can a person beat someone up like that?’
Paeng Su-hyeok, whose eyes were the only part visible through the bushes, swallowed hard.
Namgung Cheon was truly like a yaksha risen from hell.
Was he not beating him up almost one-sidedly before Baek Mu-geuk could even attempt any resistance?
Thud! Thud! Thud-thud-thud! Bam!
Crash!
Finally, Baek Mu-geuk, who was thrown back, crashed miserably, even breaking the pavilion’s railing.
As if still unsatisfied, Namgung Cheon rolled up his sleeves and strode over.
‘This is a bit too much. Should I go out and stop him now?’
Just as Paeng Su-hyeok flinched, another person entered the backyard.
“Young Hero Namgung!”
The one who hastily called Namgung Cheon was none other than Yun Gyeong.
When Namgung Cheon strode toward Baek Mu-geuk without even looking back, Yun Gyeong, startled, ran over to stop him.
“What on earth is going on? Did you do this, Young Hero Namgung?”
“Get out of the way! I am going to stomp that bastard to pieces.”
“Geez, if you are going to drink, you should drink quietly…”
“Do I look like I am doing this because of alcohol right now?”
“Th-Then what on earth is this about?”
“That guy wanted it, so do not concern yourself and get out of the way.”
“Uh, I do not know what happened between you two, but calm down! He will die at this rate!”
As Yun Gyeong barely managed to pull him away, Namgung Cheon, who had been huffing with his shoulders twitching for a while, finally calmed down and turned around.
Perhaps having heard the commotion in the backyard, Jin So-hong and Yun Jong-seung also ran over.
“What is going on here?”
“Gasp! Why did Baek Mu-geuk end up like that?”
When Jin So-hong and Yun Jong-seung wore bewildered expressions, Yun Gyeong shrugged and spoke.
“Let us move Young Hero Baek first.”
Jin So-hong and Yun Jong-seung nodded and ran to Baek Mu-geuk.
Seeing Baek Mu-geuk’s expression, Jin So-hong flinched.
“This patient is smiling?”
“What do you mean by that?”
When Yun Gyeong rushed over, was Baek Mu-geuk not indeed covered in blood, wearing a faint smile?
“Yes, Namgung Cheon… I… wanted this. Truly… Come at me. Come at me some more. It is not… over yet.”
Baek Mu-geuk murmured as if in a state of trance.
Namgung Cheon’s eyes rolled back.
“Ah, get out of the way! I will kill that bastard once and for all!!”
“N-No! Hold back!”
“He will really die at this rate! Hold back! I will believe it was a fair duel!”
Namgung Cheon glared at Yun Jong-seung.
“You will believe it? You wiiill?”
“Come, come, let us go have a drink and talk. We are hometown friends, are we not?”
Yun Jong-seung pushed Namgung Cheon while forcing a smile. Jin So-hong supported the unconscious Baek Mu-geuk and walked away.
After a bout of commotion, as the people drifted away like the ebbing tide, silence returned to the backyard.
Paeng Su-hyeok, who was watching with only his face sticking out from the bushes, blinked his eyes like an owl.
‘No, what on earth is all this?’
Questions piled up, but it was none of his business.
What was important now was consuming the Lesser Returning Pill!
‘Fhew, I can finally ingest it in peace.’
Paeng Su-hyeok calmed his fluttering heart and stared quietly at the Lesser Returning Pill in his hand.
And just as he was about to pop it into his mouth again,
“What are you doing there?”
“Uaaak!”
Startled, Paeng Su-hyeok fell flat on his buttocks.
“Aguggu…!”
As he stood up rubbing his buttocks, was Yun Gyeong not watching from across the pond with wide eyes?
‘What? That guy did not leave?’
Yun Gyeong asked, tilting his head.
“Why are you so startled? No, more than that, what are you doing alone in the bushes… Ah…!”
As if realizing something belatedly, Yun Gyeong wore a strange smile.
‘What is it? Why are you smiling? What did you think of? What? What?’
Yun Gyeong backed away, waving his hand with an apologetic expression.
“I will not tell anyone.”
“Huh? What?”
“Indeed. Since there were many people today, the outhouse was a bit crowded. I understand. When a person is in a hurry, it cannot be helped. How can one help physiological phenomena?”
“No, what on earth are you…”
“It is fine. Originally, when you eat a lot of greasy food after a long time, the intestines get a bit active, do they not? Please continue what you were doing… Ahem. Go ahead. Well, do your best!”
“No, what do you mean do my best…”
“Clean up well too! Goodbye!”
“Uh? Wait! Stand right there! I tell you, it is not what you are imagining!”
As Paeng Su-hyeok jumped up, unable to endure it, Yun Gyeong flinched and narrowed his eyes. Was Paeng Su-hyeok, whom he thought would have his pants down, not wearing them perfectly fine?
“Ah… perhaps before doing your business yet? Or are you already finished?”
“That is not it… Uh, wait! It is not here! Damn it!”
Paeng Su-hyeok looked around in panic. The Lesser Returning Pill he was holding just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.
As he kept looking around, Yun Gyeong called out, frowning deeply.
“Young Hero… Paeng?”
“Wait a moment! This is all because of you! It is too dark to see!”
“What are you talking about? Don’t tell me… you are looking for your poop?”
“Why would I look for poop, you bastard! Poop! And what poop? No, why are you repeatedly bringing that up since earlier?”
“Young Hero Paeng. That is not something to be ashamed of, but a natural physiological phenomenon…”
“Wait! Found it!”
Instantly, Paeng Su-hyeok’s gaze directed into the pond.
Was the Lesser Returning Pill not dropped inside the shallow pond?
If not for the bright full moon and the lamps lit in the backyard, it would have been hard to recognize.
‘Wait, that guy must not see this.’
Paeng Su-hyeok glanced at Yun Gyeong standing on the opposite side. Was Yun Gyeong not a cadet who did not even know of the existence of the Demonic Pill Valley?
The more people who knew about the Demonic Pill Valley, the more dangerous it would naturally be for the cadets.
Unfortunately, however, Yun Gyeong’s gaze followed Paeng Su-hyeok’s and settled underwater.
A dark brown, round lump.
Yun Gyeong frowned deeply and muttered.
“That is…”
“Wh-What are you looking at! It is mine! I said it is mine!”
When Paeng Su-hyeok shouted out of anxiety, Yun Gyeong nodded with a strange expression.
“Well… I know that, but. Uh? Young Hero Paeng, what are you doing?”
As Yun Gyeong shouted in surprise, Paeng Su-hyeok replied while dipping his hand into the pond.
“What do you think! Since it is mine, I have to pick it up!”
It was then.
Just then, did a carp swimming in the pond not swim over and gulp down the round brown lump as if it were bait?
At that moment, Paeng Su-hyeok and Yun Gyeong cried out in horror simultaneously.
“It-It ate…!”
“I-It ate that…?”
Though the two were surprised for entirely different reasons, their level of shock was similar.
Instantly, Paeng Su-hyeok’s eyes rolled back.
“No, how dare this carp bastard eat my thing?!!!”
Splash!
When Paeng Su-hyeok jumped into the pond without checking his footing, the startled Yun Gyeong ran over.
Splash, splash!
“Young Hero Paeng! Pull yourself together! This is not something to go this far for! Is it not rather for the best?”
“No, what do you mean for the best? That fellow ate my thing!”
“The evidence has been destroyed!”
“Even if evidence is destroyed, I am saying that should be inside my stomach!”
“I know that! But in any case, it has already come out into the world!”
“Still, that fellow must not eat my thing! Let go of me! Let go!”
Paeng Su-hyeok roughly shook off Yun Gyeong’s hands and scanned the pond with burning eyes.
However, since dozens of carp were already mixed up in the pond, there was no way to know which fellow had gulped down the Lesser Returning Pill.
“Ah! This is all because of you! As expected, when you get involved with Daoist bastards, nothing goes right!”
“Hey, your words are too harsh… Whoa! Wh-What are you doing now!”
“Can’t you tell by looking? It is not too late, I have to split its stomach open right now!”
“Uh! Young Hero Paeng! No matter what, this is not right!”
Late at night, the loud voices of the two soared endlessly in the backyard.
* * *
The next morning.
“Haha-ha-ha!!! Kekeke. Oh, my stomach…”
Namgung Cheon clutched his stomach and burst into laughter. He tried to hold back his laughter several times, but it kept bursting out again.
Paeng Su-hyeok, who stood beside him with dark circles under his eyes, spat out in a sullen voice.
“Is it funny? Is that funny to you?”
“Pfft! So-Sorry. But really, this… is just too funny, pfft-hahaha!!!”
Namgung Cheon clutched his stomach and burst into laughter again. He laughed so much that tears welled up in his eyes.
“You are practically crying. Crying.”
When Paeng Su-hyeok grumbled, Namgung Cheon responded while constantly snickering.
“Pfft-hah. No, why on earth did you try to eat it there of all places? You should have eaten it… pfft!…more carefully. Keke!”
“I did it because I feared saving it would turn it into waste!”
“But it really became waste, did it not? Pfft-hahaha!”
“This bastard is really…”
Paeng Su-hyeok grit his teeth and let out a sigh.
“Sigh, life is futile.”
“Stop, stop making me laugh, you bastard. Hahaha!”
“You heartless guy. You really treat someone else’s misfortune as your own happiness.”
Paeng Su-hyeok let out another long sigh and glanced at Namgung Cheon.
Namgung Cheon was still clutching his stomach and shedding tears of laughter.
Ah, if it were up to him, he would just kill him, but…
“Hey.”
“Hmm? Pfft!”
“So, about that, by any chance, a Lesser Returning Pill…”
“No way.”
Instantly, Namgung Cheon stopped laughing and put on a serious face.
Paeng Su-hyeok’s cheeks trembled.
“No, how did you know what I was going to say?”
“In any case, no.”
“Wow, look at this bastard’s expression changing in an instant.”
“What cannot be done cannot be done.”
“Fine, go eat well and live well by yourself! Is a single spiritual pill so wastefully precious to a comrade who crossed the jaws of death with you?”
“Yeah. It is precious.”
“Damn it! Heartless guy.”
“Even if I wanted to give it, I do not have one right now. And am I some kind of philanthropist? Did I not give it to you? What do you expect me to do when you could not even eat what was given? After all that effort to give it to you, a carp… a carp… pfft!”
“Enough, enough!”
Paeng Su-hyeok shouted and strode off somewhere.
Namgung Cheon clutched his stomach again, laughed for a long time, and muttered.
“Ah, the poor carp.”
Seeing the carp that died this morning after eating the Lesser Returning Pill, Yun Gyeong had also muttered the same thing.
And he added.
“How toxic it must have been… tsk, tsk.”
* * *
Finally, the day arrived for the Jangheung Escort Agency to leave the Wuzhou Merchant Association.
“We had a pleasant stay.”
When Yi Sa-heum greeted with clasped hands, Chae Seon-il smiled gently.
“I will continue to rely on you. From now on, the Jangheung Escort Agency will exclusively handle the cargo of the Wuzhou Merchant Association.”
“Thank you for trusting us, Leader.”
“Not at all. I am the one who should be grateful. And…”
Chae Seon-il’s gaze turned to Namgung Cheon.
“Divine Dragon of the Jianghu, thank you. I will look forward to your future actions.”
“No need for expectations. Thanks to you, I ate well and rested well before leaving.”
When Namgung Cheon spoke while patting his stomach, Chae Seon-il smiled pleasedly and nodded.
When looking at him at times like this, did he not seem like a rogue who knew no formality? He seemed like someone who had rolled and tumbled in the harsh Jianghu for a lifetime.
‘The more I know him, the more mysterious a child he is.’
Chae Seon-il gathered his thoughts and exchanged farewells with everyone.
Once the greetings were over, the Jangheung Escort Agency left their regrets behind and set out on their way home.
Namgung Cheon smiled continuously as he followed the escort convoy.
“It was a good journey.”
He had secured the elixirs of the Demonic Pill Valley, and even received a hefty bounty by handing Gang Sang-do over to the Martial Alliance’s Wuzhou Branch.
Yeon Chu-ryang and Yi Sa-heum gave all of Gang Sang-do’s bounty to Namgung Cheon, just as they had promised.
It was truly a path where wealth could be seen.
Only…
“Sigh. Life is futile.”
Beside him, Paeng Su-hyeok walked with a face that looked like he was about to cry, letting out a long sigh.
Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue and shook his head.
‘Ah, this guy. He is making my heart soften. Should I just give him a Lesser Returning Pill when we return? No, that will not do. I might end up flat broke at this rate.’
Namgung Cheon slapped his own cheek and raised his head with a firm expression.
Anyway, when life gets comfortable, one’s mind gets lax.
It is time to go now.