Chapter 38: Saying No When Everyone Says Yes (2)
Chapter 37 – Saying No When Everyone Says Yes (2)
While the cadets scrambled to run toward Mount Mulan and Namgung Cheon walked leisurely, there was someone watching all of this in silence.
Martial Alliance Leader Mok Cheon-ak.
From atop the roof of a high pavilion, he silently looked down at the cadets rushing away like an ebbing tide and murmured.
“I see many promising sprouts this year.”
“That is a relief.”
“Well. I wonder about that…”
As Mok Cheon-ak murmured with a faint smile, Murong Sin glanced back at him with his usual icy expression.
“Is there something on your mind?”
Instead of answering, Mok Cheon-ak raised his head and looked at the panoramic view of Wuhan.
“Is it not peaceful?”
Murong Sin followed Mok Cheon-ak’s gaze.
The panoramic view of Wuhan’s streets stretching below the Martial Alliance was truly peaceful. Merchants soliciting customers in the marketplace, women giggling as they looked at trinkets on the stalls, and naive children falling down while running around and laughing.
Mok Cheon-ak continued.
“I have devoted a great deal of effort to maintain this peace.”
“…”
Murong Sin only listened.
Mok Cheon-ak liked Murong Sin’s silence.
If Murong Sin had replied that he knew or said something like he understood, Mok Cheon-ak would have surely been disappointed.
For no one would know of his efforts.
Especially since those with the backing of the great clans would be even less likely to understand.
A long time ago, when the previous alliance leader suddenly died, the prestigious clans of the Jianghu turned into beasts of prey looking for their next target.
Because the position of the Martial Alliance Leader was a target too good to pass up for growing the influence of one’s sect or family.
After a fierce political struggle, they ultimately elected Mok Cheon-ak, who had no background to speak of, as the alliance leader.
However, even until then, they did not realize their mistake.
How could they have known that the political maneuvering of Mok Cheon-ak, whom they had placed as a puppet, would be as flexible, strong, and venomous as a snake?
Mok Cheon-ak slowly but steadily took control of the Martial Alliance.
He rooted out the corruption that occurred frequently within the alliance and solidified his position by punishing the unorthodox and evil factions that caused trouble from time to time.
Finally, he was reborn as a true alliance leader who stood above the influence of the prestigious clans.
Now, no one from the prestigious clans could treat Mok Cheon-ak carelessly.
For he was the justice of the Jianghu, the face of the Orthodox path, and the Martial Alliance Leader in both name and reality.
The martial artists of the Orthodox path, who had always been divided, united solidly around the Martial Alliance Leader.
There was nothing the prestigious clans could do about the Martial Alliance Leader, who enjoyed the respect of everyone.
“Peace is inherently sensitive to internal cracks. While external threats actually strengthen unity, internal cracks become the root of all evil.”
“I will take it to heart.”
“No. Rather than hearing it, feeling it is what is important.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“That child.”
Murong Sin, who followed Mok Cheon-ak’s gaze, replied quietly.
“You mean Namgung Cheon.”
“The bastard son of the Great Killing Star ranked first in the first exam.”
“I am already watching him closely.”
“People like anomalies. They like plot twists, and they like unexpectedness. Once a good topic to talk about is provided, they tend to welcome it rather than reject it. Moreover, if it is something that happened within our alliance, it is even more so. Do you know why that is?”
“Because they trust our alliance.”
“Indeed. Because they believe in the peace our alliance has protected all this time.”
“You mean that if Namgung Cheon achieves noteworthy results, they will welcome it for what it is.”
Mok Cheon-ak nodded.
“Indeed. There is nothing better to hear than a story about a son making up for his father’s sins. There might be negative people, but there will also be those who are not. Is it not the perfect topic to get people talking?”
“That would bring about a minor crack.”
Murong Sin’s eyes grew sharp.
“As expected, you are quick to understand. I want to protect this peace.”
“As the leader of the Blue Wave Corps, I will make sure to prevent that crack.”
Mok Cheon-ak nodded and continued.
“Unexpectedness will give birth to chaos, and chaos will surely become the greatest prey for unorthodox and evil factions.”
“Such a thing will never happen.”
“It must not. Even if it is somewhat boring due to the lack of anomalies, is it not a hundred times better to be peaceful?”
Mok Cheon-ak turned back to Murong Sin and showed a bright smile.
Murong Sin, who bowed his head, narrowed his eyes and thought.
‘Gang, now it is your turn to step up.’
* * *
The sun was slowly setting.
Crack, crackle…
The campfire crackled occasionally as it burned the firewood.
The warmth spread to the surroundings, driving away the chilly late autumn wind.
Beside it, Paeng Su-hyeok paced back and forth with his arms crossed, unable to stay still for even a moment.
“Wow, it smells good.”
Namgung Cheon swallowed hard, looking at the roe deer meat roasting over the campfire.
Yun Jong-seung looked at him as if it were absurd, and Jin So-hong watched with interest.
And Paeng Su-hyeok…
“Ah! I can’t take it anymore! What on earth do you plan to do?”
He shouted and strode toward Namgung Cheon.
Regardless, Namgung Cheon rubbed his hands together and stared intently at the roe deer meat roasting to a golden brown.
“What do you mean? We’re going to eat delicious meat.”
“Roe deer meat in this situation! Can you even swallow that kind of meat right now?”
“Can’t you swallow it? Did you eat dinner?”
“Ugh…! Who eats dinner? We are in the middle of the second exam right now!”
“We do all this just to make a living, so we should fill our bellies first. What is more important than eating?”
Indeed, kids these days were too well-fed.
Even when I lived as a fugitive in my past life, the thing I valued most was not skipping meals.
You had to eat something to gain strength, and only with strength could you fight or run away, right?
Much less if we wanted to catch a spiritual beast, we had to eat even more.
“Oh, it is well-cooked.”
Namgung Cheon blew on the thick meat skewered on the Emerald Silk Sword as he flipped it back and forth.
If Namgung Geom had seen this tragic scene where the Emerald Silk Sword was used as a mere meat skewer, he would have flown into a rage, but Namgung Cheon was currently thinking of nothing but eating it deliciously.
Indeed, watching the meat roast to a golden brown and drip with juice made Yun Jong-seung and Paeng Su-hyeok’s mouths water as well.
Paeng Su-hyeok swallowed his saliva, then suddenly raised the corners of his mouth as if he had thought of something.
“I see. I know your plan.”
“What is it?”
Instead, Yun Jong-seung asked out of curiosity.
Paeng Su-hyeok sat down heavily opposite Namgung Cheon, picked up a piece of roe deer meat, and said.
“Your intention is to snatch the spiritual beast when other guys catch it.”
“A-Are we allowed to do that?”
At Yun Jong-seung’s words, Paeng Su-hyeok smirked.
“Didn’t you hear? They said to catch it by any means or methods.”
“Ah…!”
Jin So-hong looked at Namgung Cheon.
“Is that really it?”
“No, it’s not?”
At the exceedingly nonchalant answer, the three of them wore blank expressions again.
Paeng Su-hyeok stopped chewing a piece of roe deer meat and furrowed his brow deeply.
“It’s not?”
“Yeah, it’s not.”
“Then what on earth do you plan to do?”
“We have to catch it ourselves. You shouldn’t think of pettily stealing from others. A person should have a broad mind, tsk tsk. Your thoughts are quite wicked, aren’t they?”
Namgung Cheon shook his head while eagerly tearing into the roe deer meat.
Instantly, Paeng Su-hyeok’s face turned red.
It was as if Namgung Cheon’s expression was criticizing him, asking, ‘Are you still an Orthodox martial artist after doing that?’
In the end, Paeng Su-hyeok threw his skewer to the ground and sprang up.
“Damn it! Then what the hell do you want to do? It’s already evening, so if we just sit around, will the spiritual beast crawl out on its own? Or are you just a pushover bastard who got intimidated by the other guys after all?”
“Hey.”
The moment Namgung Cheon spoke with a freezing cold expression, the surrounding atmosphere froze icy cold.
Namgung Cheon stood up from his seat and approached Paeng Su-hyeok with smoldering eyes.
“Am I that funny to you?”
“Then why don’t you tell me a plan that isn’t funny?”
Paeng Su-hyeok growled back, refusing to back down.
Yun Jong-seung watched with an anxious heart.
‘We’re in trouble. A pushover. He touched his pride.’
However, Namgung Cheon picked up the meat that had fallen to the ground and dusted off the dirt.
“If you throw meat in front of me one more time, I won’t let it slide.”
‘That was the issue?!’
While everyone wore dumbfounded expressions, Namgung Cheon blew on the meat and muttered.
“This is such a delicious cut. Tsk. Not even knowing how precious it is.”
Tsk, those who grew up well-fed.
As Namgung Cheon shook his head and returned to his seat, Paeng Su-hyeok, who had been tense for a moment, shouted.
“Damn it! Do whatever you want! I was stupid to believe in someone like you! No! I never believed you! I just thought there would be something… No! Right! I knew all along there was nothing! It was just that we got into the same boat to give a fair opportunity!”
As Paeng Su-hyeok walked away grumbling, Yun Jong-seung stared at his retreating figure.
‘I feel like I just witnessed the process of someone’s ego collapsing.’
When the surroundings became quiet after Paeng Su-hyeok left, Jin So-hong approached, sliced off a piece of meat with a dagger, and began to eat.
Namgung Cheon glanced at her and asked.
“Aren’t you going?”
“No. Why? Do you mind?”
“Well, a little.”
“…”
“Ah, that’s the part I was going to eat.”
“…”
Like that, the dinner of the two continued in an awkward atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Yun Jong-seung opened his palm and repeated the words Namgung Cheon had said.
In fact, since the second exam started, what filled Yun Jong-seung’s head was the single phrase Namgung Cheon had thrown.
“What is important is a complete lotus, even if it is faint.”
Certainly, the Red Lotus Palm he used could not produce a complete lotus.
It was crushed somewhere, or a few petals had fallen off.
The more force he added, the more distorted the shape of the lotus became.
‘Does it mean that instead of unconditionally using brute force, precision is needed?’
It was unfamiliar.
Because in palm or fist arts, the most important thing was strength.
Since weapons were not used, the power was bound to drop significantly unless accompanied by fierce strength.
Yet he was told to pay attention to precision rather than strength?
Swoosh, thud!
Yun Jong-seung suddenly struck out with a palm toward the tree trunk beside him.
A thin, long scar appeared on the tree trunk.
It was as if it had been struck by a hand sword.
To become a lotus shape, a rounder and wider mark would have to be left.
Should I try again?
Swoosh, thud!
It was the same this time.
It was a distorted lotus.
Again.
Yun Jong-seung repeatedly extended his palm toward the tree trunk.
Thump! Thump! Thump…
No one paid attention to him.
Namgung Cheon raised his head and looked around.
One teammate ran off alone, another was striking an innocent tree, and another was stealing his precious meat.
What a hopeless free-spiritedness.
It felt like he was experiencing the nostalgia of his fugitive days after a long time.
Even after finishing the roe deer meat, Namgung Cheon idled around and did not move.
Jin So-hong just watched Namgung Cheon with interest, while Yun Jong-seung kept striking the tree trunk.
Like that, quite a bit more time passed.
Just when Yun Jong-seung, who was striking the tree, and Jin So-hong, who was watching calmly, were starting to feel anxious, Paeng Su-hyeok finally appeared, panting heavily.
“You guys! Huff, puff! I caught it!”
As Yun Jong-seung and Jin So-hong turned around at the same time, a blood-covered Paeng Su-hyeok shook a snake he was holding.
A snake with colorful silver-threaded patterns on a blue background. The creature wrapped around Paeng Su-hyeok’s thick forearm, struggling desperately to escape.
Blue-Scaled Silver-Thread Snake.
Perhaps due to the struggle to catch the spiritual beast, Paeng Su-hyeok’s robe was torn and tattered here and there.
Just looking at his blood-stained appearance, one could guess how much he had suffered.
Yun Jong-seung was the first to look delighted.
“Wow! You really caught it! Now we just need to go back!”
Even while heavily exhausted, Paeng Su-hyeok squared his shoulders, but Namgung Cheon smirked and muttered.
“It’s a Blue-Scaled Silver-Thread Snake. If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to even present such a low-grade spiritual beast.”
“What…? Ugh…!”
Paeng Su-hyeok, who hung his head, trembled all over.
Yun Jong-seung watched Paeng Su-hyeok with anxious eyes.
No, surely not…
However, a bad feeling never proved wrong.
“Hmph! Who said I was going to bring this kind of thing back? I just brought it because I thought there might be some fool who doesn’t even know what a Blue-Scaled Silver-Thread Snake looks like!”
Paeng Su-hyeok yelled and threw the Blue-Scaled Silver-Thread Snake away.
As the Blue-Scaled Silver-Thread Snake disappeared into the darkness like a star, Yun Jong-seung clutched his head and cried out.
“Uwaaa! Even so, how could you just throw it away?!”