Chapter 20: I Can't Lie
Chapter 19 – I Can’t Lie
When Namgung Cheon sat back down instead of stepping forward, the Ghost King tilted his head in confusion.
“Are you not going?”
“Let’s go slowly.”
“Yes? We should hurry and help the subjugation force…”
“The subjugation force is probably coming from the opposite side of the mountain by now.”
“Then the group that came up from Luotian County…”
“They’re cadets from Dragon Heaven Academy like me. Participating to gain practical combat experience.”
The Ghost King asked, looking like he still found it hard to understand.
“If that is the case, shouldn’t we hurry down even more?”
“Why?”
“Because… chaos must have broken out by now. Even if there are outstanding rising stars, it would be difficult for them, with their lack of experience, to deal with the Blood Rain Forest. Not only is the Blood Rain Forest superior in numbers, but they also have several first-class experts. And of course, peak experts as well.”
“Foolish. That is why we should wait here, shouldn’t we?”
“Yes?”
“If we go down now, wouldn’t we just get swept up in the chaos and waste our energy? Once the instructors and cadets somehow hold out, the elite subjugation force will arrive. We can return around that time.”
At the incredibly selfish logic, the Ghost King’s mouth fell wide open.
*What was with this bastard?*
Even if he was a cadet of Dragon Heaven Academy, he must have been born and raised in a prestigious orthodox sect, yet wasn’t his slyness on the same level as his father’s?
Perhaps this was why the saying ‘like father, like son’ existed.
Namgung Cheon picked his ear and asked.
“More importantly, what is the level of your martial arts right now?”
“The vice-fortress chief and I have entered the beginning stages of the peak realm, and the rest are at the first-class level.”
“It seems you’ve understood well the points that I… no, that my father pointed out to you.”
“Yes, thanks to that, we made some small achievements.”
“And yet you still have many grievances against my father?”
“Ah, that… haha, well… since he was so strict…”
“Good. Since I’ve become your new master anyway, if you have any complaints you harbored against my father, let’s hear them. I’ll improve things for you.”
He was sincere.
The position of leader of a group did not suit his free-spirited nature, but wasn’t it his destiny to live under the surname of Namgung from now on?
If so, he would indeed need to possess a certain level of leadership, befitting a family of kings.
The foundation of leadership was listening to one’s subordinates.
This mind, as wide and deep as the sea.
Perhaps he was a born ruler.
The Ghost King slyly read his expression and asked.
“Is it really… alright?”
“Of course. Tell me everything.”
“Actually… the former master was a bit violent. He would beat my head at the slightest provocation, so lately I feel like I’ve become stupid…”
“It wasn’t that you were stupid from the start?”
“No, it isn’t. When I was young, I was called a prodigy…”
“Move on.”
“Yes, anyway, the former master had trouble controlling his anger. He beat us because the food tasted bad, beat us because he couldn’t take a satisfying dump, beat us because he couldn’t sleep well, beat us because he was bored, beat us because he was in a good mood…”
*Did I beat them that much?*
“You must have suffered a lot. My father went too far. It makes you feel like giving him a good smack, doesn’t it?”
“As expected, Young Hero understands our hearts well. Do you also have many grievances built up against your father?”
“After all, our father-son relationship wasn’t very smooth.”
“Indeed! Then I will take courage and tell you more. Truly, that bastard was like a madman. Because of that, I also lost my mind one day. On that day, I wanted to carve the exact same scar on his face as the one on mine. So, when he fell asleep, I drew my dagger and crept up to him, but suddenly his eyes flew open, you see?”
As the story grew interesting, Namgung Cheon’s eyes sparkled as he asked.
“And then?”
“Ah! I thought, ‘Oh shit, I’m fucked!’ but at that moment, a story flashed through my mind like lightning. It was the anecdote of Cao Cao failing to assassinate Dong Zhuo and presenting his sword instead.”
“Oho!”
“I fell flat on my face on the spot, held up the dagger, and said that I was presenting it to the master. It was a treasure sword in its own right. Then, foolishly enough, he believed it and even gave me a reward. Hehehe.”
The Ghost King laughed sillily.
“Ah. So that was it. You were trying to slash him with a blade. It wasn’t a loyal gift.”
“Tsk, it was a decent sword, but I don’t know what happened to it by now. If he was going to kick the bucket like that, he shouldn’t have taken it with him.”
*Right, I remember. That dagger.*
*It was probably thrust into the belly of some squad leader of the Martial Alliance at the end, right? In the confusion, I couldn’t retrieve it. The Martial Alliance must be keeping it safe by now.*
*By the way, hearing this makes me feel strangely unpleasant.*
Namgung Cheon smacked the back of the Ghost King’s head hard.
*Thwack!*
“Ugh! W-Why so suddenly…?”
“As an apology on behalf of my father.”
“Why is the apology like this…”
“Ah, is that so? Well, there’s also the saying ‘like father, like son’. Anyway, you will accept my apology, right?”
Having read something in Namgung Cheon’s flashing eyes, the Ghost King wore a somewhat foolish smile.
“O-Of course. Haha… ha…”
“Yes, people should always be positive like that. Now, since we seem to have rested enough, let’s start moving.”
“Yes, Master.”
The Ghost King and his subordinates also stood up from their seats.
Following behind Namgung Cheon, the Ghost King began to feel a vague anxiety that, for some reason, the new master would not be very different from the former master.
* * *
Clang! Clang!
Squelch! Woosh, crash!
“Argh!”
“Hiyah!”
A chaotic fight.
Battle cries and screams erupted here and there, and the sound of clashing weapons and breaking furniture blended together.
Those running urgently somewhere, those chasing closely behind them, those shouting, those screaming, and those curling up in corners and shivering.
It was literally a scene of absolute chaos.
Even amidst the mess, the ones who particularly stood out were the leading warriors of the Blood Rain Forest and the instructors leading the cadets.
“Everyone, keep your wits about you! The elite subjugation force will arrive soon!”
“Hold on just a bit longer!”
The instructors shouted one after another.
In one part of the mountain fortress, flames soared, spewing thick black smoke.
“Cough! Cough, cough!”
Yun Jong-seung, who was running while hacking up dry coughs, collided with a dark shadow and fell flat on his backside.
“Ugh!”
“Who goes there!”
Along with a sharp voice, a cold blue blade stopped right in front of his nose.
Raising his gaze, he saw it was a warrior of the Blood Rain Forest.
Confirming that his opponent was still a young cadet, the man curled his lips.
“What? Just a wet-behind-the-ears brat.”
At that moment, a sense of rebellion suddenly reared its head from the depths of Yun Jong-seung’s mind.
*This guy, that guy, everyone thinks I’m easy prey!*
Yun Jong-seung was already filled with resentment in his heart from becoming the official pushover of Dragon Heaven Academy.
Was it because he had inhaled too much smoke that he could not think straight?
“Eeek!”
His actions preceded his thoughts.
Springing up, Yun Jong-seung extended a single palm strike.
It was the Red Lotus Palm, the exclusive martial art of the Mount Huang Yun Clan.
Woosh, thud!
“Guh!”
The opponent, who was completely off guard, received the surprise attack and tumbled away.
Crash!
Haling and panting with his shoulders heaving, Yun Jong-seung looked down at his palm with a blank expression.
*I-I… a warrior of the Blood Rain Forest…?*
The elation of defeating an enemy in real combat filled his chest.
The words that one would become stronger by building a solid foundation.
Was it something like this?
Just then, a shadow loomed behind his back.
Feeling a murderous intent that chilled him to the bone, Yun Jong-seung slowly turned around.
Inside the dark smoke, eyes gleamed exceptionally bright.
A giant of a man swung a large axe diagonally downward.
“Gasp!”
Sucking in a breath, Yun Jong-seung was unable to make any response on the spot.
To think he would die so pointlessly!
Finally, the gruesome sound of tearing flesh brushed past his ears.
Splat!
Instantly, warm blood splattered all over his face.
*Huh…?*
There was no pain.
Slowly opening his eyes, he saw the giant man, whose upper body was half torn apart, collapse just like that.
Thud!
The person standing behind the giant shook off the blood by swinging his broadsword and said:
“Why are you standing there like a fool? Are you eager to die?”
“Pa-Paeng Su-hyeok…?”
“Don’t just stand there like an idiot; if it’s hard to fight, then at least run away!”
“Ah, y-yes. T-Thank you!”
Yun Jong-seung answered in a daze and scampered away.
Paeng Su-hyeok clicked his tongue as he watched his retreating back.
*Pathetic bastards, all of them!*
When they bullied the weak, they acted as if they were the strongest in the world, yet once real combat broke out, they were quick to tuck their tails and run.
Paeng Su-hyeok looked around the mountain fortress, which was enveloped in fog and smoke, after enhancing his eyesight with internal energy.
It was a dogfight with no tactics or anything of the sort.
The information had been wrong from the start.
To think the base of the Blood Rain Forest was closer to Luotian County.
Before the elite subjugation force arrived, the damage suffered by the cadets was severe.
Just as Paeng Su-hyeok was about to take another step, a loud shout echoed from above.
“Waaah!”
*Tsk! Have they finally arrived?*
Fortunately, the subjugation force seemed to have arrived.
Just then, instructor Gye Pyeong-ryang also ran over to where Paeng Su-hyeok was.
“Paeng Su-hyeok! Are you alright?”
“Yes, Instructor.”
“It seems the elite force has finally arrived. Can you find and lead the children of the Blue Dragon Class? Since the battle has become a mess, the group assignments have become meaningless.”
“What about you, Instructor?”
As Paeng Su-hyeok furrowed his brow, Gye Pyeong-ryang replied while looking around.
“I must find Namgung… no, Jo Gang-min. Not a single person from Group Twelve can be seen.”
“I understand.”
“Then I leave it to you!”
As Gye Pyeong-ryang sped away using lightness martial arts, Paeng Su-hyeok narrowed his eyes and watched his retreating figure.
“Group Twelve… was the group Namgung Cheon belonged to, right?”
* * *
“No, how on earth did this…?”
Song Won-gyo looked up at the cliff towering before his eyes with a hollow expression.
Hadn’t he climbed that cliff just half a shichen ago?
This was already the second time.
After reaching the top of the cliff and wandering through the forest, they had ended up back at the bottom of the cliff.
Of course, they could not find even a shadow of Namgung Cheon, who had gone ahead.
“I think it is a formation.”
At Baekli Hyang’s words, Song Won-gyo replied, rubbing his chin.
“If so, there’s no way Namgung Cheon set up that formation. Did the Blood Rain Forest install it?”
“Probably. Perhaps Namgung Cheon was captured by the Blood Rain Forest.”
“Or he is wandering somewhere just like us.”
As Song Won-gyo replied, he stealthily checked Jo Gang-min’s reaction.
Jo Gang-min, who always smiled brightly, was no longer smiling.
Resentment could be felt in Jo Gang-min’s voice.
“Whatever it is, we must find Namgung Cheon. Whether we cut him into pieces, slice him up, or skin him. Don’t we have to catch the fish first before we can cook it, juniors?”
“Senior Jo is right.”
“Then, instead of just chiming in like an idiot, shouldn’t you devise a way?”
“Mmm. A way to find Namgung Cheon…”
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly echoed from behind them.
“What? Were you still looking for me?”
In an instant, everyone froze and turned around.
The one who calmly appeared, parting the grass, was none other than Namgung Cheon.
Only then did a bright smile bloom on Jo Gang-min’s face.
“Where have you been all this time? We’ve been looking for you for a while. It is troublesome if you leave without permission like this, junior. You will be scolded by the instructors.”
“That is why I told you to go back first. If you had, you would have suffered like dogs by now, which is a pity.”
Namgung Cheon spoke his true feelings without realizing it.
*I am such an honest person.*
*I can’t tell a lie.*