Chapter 20: The Treasure of the Baek Ri Clan (5)

Taking advantage of the chaos, Cho Un-hwi quickly slipped out of the Muhan Branch, Baek Ri-seol in tow.

“So, how does it feel to be a martial artist? Pretty messed up, huh?”

“Yeah, it is,” Baek Ri-seol replied, her voice subdued.

“That’s the Murim world for you. Congratulations, you have even more messed up days ahead of you.”

It must have been a lot to process.

Her family had been brainwashed and manipulated by a demonic practitioner, and her beloved nanny turned out to be the mastermind behind it all.

‘She even witnessed her exploding eyeballs.’

It was a harsh reality for a young girl to face.

Even Cho Un-hwi, whose heart had long since turned to dust, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy.

He wasn’t good at comforting people.

He knew that, but he couldn’t just stay silent.

“Don’t worry, there might be some good days mixed in with the bad.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I can’t guarantee it, but… maybe?”

“Hehe, that’s good enough for me.”

She was still smiling?

She was taking it surprisingly well.

Was it because she was a teenager?

‘They say teenagers can find amusement in anything, but this is a bit extreme.’

Perhaps it was a side effect of the Soul Control Technique.

‘Something’s not right.’

He glanced at her, and she met his gaze with a strange smile, her eyes sparkling with an unsettling light.

“Keep your eyes on the road when you’re running.”

“I will.”

“You’ll trip and fall.”

“Yes, I’ll be careful…”

And just like that, she tripped and fell.

Cho Un-hwi caught her before she hit the ground and sighed.

“See? I told you to watch where you’re going.”

“I will from now on. But right now…”

He sighed again as he lifted her into his arms.

Her body was burning hot.

‘Tsk, it’s natural for her to be exhausted after breaking free from the Soul Control Technique.’

She mumbled incoherently, her head resting against his chest.

“I just want to sleep for a little while.”

“Go ahead. When you wake up, the nightmare will be over.”

“Sorry… just let me rest for a bit…”

He watched as she drifted off to sleep, her breathing shallow and even.

“She’s a handful.”

He grumbled as he lifted her into his arms and leaped into the air.

***

“What happened?!”

A group of people rushed into the annex.

Among them was Baek Ri Seon-ho, an elder from the main branch of the Baek Ri Clan.

He had rushed to the Muhan Branch as soon as he heard about Baek Ri Jeong-sun’s sudden decision to marry off his daughter.

Being a skilled martial artist, he was the first to sense that something was amiss and arrived at the annex before anyone else.

And there, he heard an unbelievable story.

“A demonic practitioner? A demonic practitioner infiltrated the Muhan Branch?”

“Yes, Elder. The master was brainwashed by the demonic practitioner, and the young masters and the mistress were also…”

The guards’ explanation was shocking.

What was most unbelievable was the identity of the culprit: a servant of the Muhan Branch.

And not just any servant, but Baek Ri-seol’s personal maid.

Baek Ri Seon-ho was speechless.

“How could this have happened? How did no one notice?”

The guards lowered their heads in shame.

It was understandable.

A demonic practitioner had infiltrated the heart of their most secure branch, and no one had noticed for ten years.

“Baek Ri Jeong-sun was praised for his efficiency, but he can’t even manage his own household! How can we trust him with anything important?!”

“Elder, we need to focus on resolving this situation first. We can deal with the consequences later.”

The captain of the guard spoke up, and Baek Ri Seon-ho reluctantly agreed.

“You’re right. We can’t let this news spread. It would damage the Baek Ri Clan’s reputation.”

But did he know?

The person responsible for this mess had already left.

And the White Dragon Swordsman, the pride of the Baek Ri Clan, had been defeated by a nameless instructor from Dongcheon Hall.

*Be careful.*

Baek Ri Seon-ho stormed out of the room, his robes billowing behind him.

‘I hope he keeps his promise.’

The captain of the guard sighed heavily.

***

Bang!

Yeo Mae-hong woke with a start.

It was still dark outside.

“Who could that be at this hour?”

She was about to get dressed when the knocking continued.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

It was more than knocking it sounded like someone was trying to kick the door down.

She grabbed her sword and flung the door open.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Instructor Cho? Student Baek?”

“Haha, sorry to bother you.”

“Come in, come in.”

She stepped aside, and Cho Un-hwi stumbled into the room, carrying Baek Ri-seol in his arms.

He tossed her onto the bed.

“Ugh, she’s heavy.”

“…That’s not very nice. Student Baek would be heartbroken if she heard you say that.”

Yeo Mae-hong ignored his grumbling and examined Baek Ri-seol.

‘I thought she was injured…’

But she couldn’t find any wounds.

Baek Ri-seol was fast asleep, her breathing soft and even.

Yeo Mae-hong’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Instructor Cho, you didn’t kidnap her, did you?”

“Why would I kidnap her?”

“Well…”

She tapped her lips thoughtfully.

“Instructor Yang said he saw you wandering around the academy, singing about kidnapping students. Chief Instructor Yeom was so alarmed that he ordered everyone to keep a close eye on their students.”

“…”

Cho Un-hwi’s jaw dropped.

He had been caught red-handed. There was no point in denying it.

“Hehe, just kidding.”

He gently laid Baek Ri-seol’s head on the pillow and turned to Yeo Mae-hong.

“I know this is a lot to ask, but can you look after her for a few days?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her. She might not be my student anymore, but I’m still fond of her.”

Yeo Mae-hong smiled warmly.

‘he does care about her.’

She had been disappointed by his seemingly indifferent attitude when Baek Ri-seol announced her withdrawal from the academy.

‘I was wrong. He must have been working behind the scenes to help her.’

He was a good person after all.

She felt a surge of warmth in her chest.

As she tucked Baek Ri-seol into bed, she heard Cho Un-hwi grumbling.

“My arms are killing me. What does she eat? Rocks?”

She stopped tucking in the blanket and glared at him.

“You need to learn how to speak more kindly to women.”

“I thought I was being kind.”

“You were not!”

She launched into a lecture.

“Never tell a woman she’s heavy!”

“And Student Baek is actually quite slender!”

“Think before you speak! Your words can hurt people!”

So it was about her weight?

He decided to keep his mouth shut.

“And it’s not just about her weight! You should be praising children, telling them how wonderful they are! These kids are delicate flowers! You need to nurture them with kind words and encouragement!”

Cho Un-hwi sighed.

“I can be nice.”

“Oh?”

“You look lovely in your pajamas.”

He winked at her, and her head spun around.

Her gaze darted between him and the bandages hanging on the wall.

And then…

“Get out!”

Whack!

“Ow! Help!”

He fled the room, dodging a pillow that was hurtling towards his head.

***

The incident at the Muhan Branch was quickly swept under the rug.

The Baek Ri Clan had decided to keep it a secret.

It was understandable.

Their clan leader had been brainwashed and manipulated by a demonic practitioner.

They wouldn’t want to publicize such a humiliating event.

This was all part of Cho Un-hwi’s plan.

‘It happened in the annex, so it should be easy to contain. There were only a few loyal guards present, so they should be able to silence any rumors.’

He had instructed the captain of the guard to handle the situation, and it seemed to have worked out perfectly.

But there was one unexpected development.

***

Cho Un-hwi was contemplating his next move when Chung-hyeon approached him.

He looked different.

He was smiling, and he was addressing Cho Un-hwi with an unfamiliar level of respect.

“Instructor Cho, you’re a talented man.”

Even his tone was different.

He had gone from calling him “you little…” and “that bastard” to “Instructor Cho.”

Cho Un-hwi was suspicious.

“What’s going on?”

“What do you mean? I’m just showing my appreciation for your hard work.”

He tried to put his arm around Cho Un-hwi’s shoulder, but Cho Un-hwi dodged him.

“Why are you acting so strange? Did you eat something that disagreed with you?”

“What a way to talk.”

Chung-hyeon didn’t seem offended. He just chuckled and shrugged.

Even Yeom-gwang was confused.

“Head Instructor, what’s the good news?”

“There is good news! Wonderful news!”

Chung-hyeon pulled out a silk-wrapped scroll from his robe.

The scroll was adorned with a golden inscription that read: “Baek Ri Clan.”

“The Baek Ri Clan sent me a letter of gratitude!”

“The Baek Ri Clan?”

“They thanked me for correcting their mistake. And they even sent a generous donation! We can finally have that beef dinner!”

The other instructors stared at Cho Un-hwi, but he just shrugged, feigning ignorance.

Chung-hyeon beamed with delight.

“And yesterday, I was summoned by the Headmaster himself!”

The Headmaster was the leader of the entire Shinmu Academy, overseeing all three halls: Dongcheon Hall, Euncheon Hall, and Geumcheon Hall.

He was a powerful figure, far more influential than Chung-hyeon.

It was rare for the Head Instructor of Dongcheon Hall, a place often referred to as the “dumping ground,” to be summoned by the Headmaster.

But that wasn’t the most important part.

“He praised me for my leadership and said I could expect a promotion soon.”

The Headmaster was the one who decided promotions.

That was why Chung-hyeon was so ecstatic.

“I might finally be able to retire to Euncheon Hall!”

He had always dreamed of escaping Dongcheon Hall and living a peaceful life in Euncheon Hall.

The retirement benefits were much better there.

The other instructors whispered among themselves.

“He said he was going to make a house call yesterday.”

“Yeah, I thought he was going to get chewed out, but it seems he’s a natural problem solver.”

“It’s rare for a prestigious clan like the Baek Ri Clan to express their gratitude, let alone reverse their decision.”

“What did he do?”

What did he do?

He beat up the master of the Muhan Branch and knocked some sense into him.

Cho Un-hwi kept his mouth shut, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Chung-hyeon was in a good mood, feeling generous and forgiving.

This was his chance.

“Head Instructor.”

“Yes, my dear Instructor Cho?”

“Can I have two students only?”

“No.”

“Three is too many…”

“No. I’m not changing my mind. Go away.”

He was surprisingly stubborn.

And then, he counterattacked.

“You seem to have a knack for handling troublesome students. Would you be interested in taking on a few more?”

“There are a few students that the other instructors are struggling with.”

“What do you say? Three more students, just like that. And maybe even ten more, if you’re up for the challenge.”

Cho Un-hwi backed away, his hopes dashed.

‘Ugh, this is a headache.’

Life in the Murim world was unpredictable.

Things rarely went according to plan.