Chapter 113: The Night Before the Murim Excursion (5)

“Ugh. My head.”

Rubbing the back of his neck early in the morning, Instructor Yang Dae-cheol groaned for a long time.

“I didn’t even drink last night, but it feels like I have a hangover.”

Clearing his foggy mind, Instructor Yang Dae-cheol stepped out and found someone collapsed in the common area.

The pitiful figure groaning on the ground was a familiar face.

“Hey, Instructor Cho. What are you doing up so early?”

This was a man who usually didn’t get up until the sun was high in the sky.

“Ugh. I’m dying.”

“You look terrible. Did you stay up all night?”

As he inquired about his condition, the sound of someone clicking their tongue came from an open door.

“Haha. You’re awake.”

It was an old man he had never seen before.

“…Who are you?”

“Ah, it seems you haven’t been informed.”

The old man, smiling warmly, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

“I’m Wang Woo, the new caretaker. You can call me Old Wang.”

“Ah, Old Wang.”

Responding appropriately, Yang Dae-cheol was puzzled.

A caretaker for a temporary residence, not an official Euncheon Hall dormitory?

Though curious, Yang Dae-cheol decided to ask something else.

“Old Wang, why is Instructor Cho like this?”

“Unfortunately, he received some very disappointing news.”

“Disappointing news?”

“He was overjoyed to be appointed as the Murim Excursion instructor, but then he was told to complete the instructor logs and miscellaneous tasks he had neglected before starting his official duties.”

“Of course.”

This was a man who never attended morning meetings or wrote daily logs.

‘I bet all his logs are blank.’

He’d stake his entire fortune on it.

“He’s going to have a hard time for a while.”

“Indeed.”

Yang Dae-cheol was surprised at how easily he found himself conversing with the old man.

Known for being reticent, he never expected to have such a friendly chat with a stranger.

“Thank you for the explanation. Please take good care of Instructor Cho.”

“You seem to care for him a lot.”

“For some reason, I find him likable.”

“I see.”

With a face that radiated warmth, the old man said,

“I’ll take good care of him. In fact, a friend asked me to look after this place.”

A friend asked him to look after this place?

‘I thought being assigned to a remote location meant being unwelcome.’

Apparently, that wasn’t entirely the case.

“Ah, Instructor Yang, you’re up.”

As they chatted, other temporary instructors began to appear.

“Instructor Ga.”

“Oh, you two are already up.”

The instructors from Dongcheon Hall, who appeared one by one, all looked exhausted.

“I feel strangely achy.”

“Yeah, I slept through the night, but…”

“Ugh. My joints hurt.”

As expected, they all looked terrible.

‘Is this place cursed?’

It was strange, considering they had been fine until now.

“Hey, Instructor Cho.”

“What are you doing down there?”

They all began to speak to the pitifully sprawled Cho Un-hwi.

(TLN: bro i feel like sima bai controlled them into helping him to do his duties at night xD)

*Clap. Clap.*

Clapping his hands to gather attention, Instructor Yang Dae-cheol looked around and said,

“Don’t bother Instructor Cho. Get ready for the day.”

Another busy day was beginning.

***

After some time had passed.

“Instructor!”

With a clatter, a cheerful voice echoed.

“Who is it?”

Poking his head out, the old man startled Mo Yong So-hye, who grabbed Baek Ri-seol’s sleeve.

“Sister, there’s someone else here!”

“Huh? That’s strange. I thought Instructor Cho would be the only one lounging around during the day.”

Soon, Jegal Tan and Namgung Yun-ho appeared at the temporary residence.

They had come looking for the instructor who hadn’t shown up despite their wait.

It wasn’t common for students to visit an instructor’s residence, but it was a familiar occurrence for them.

Namgung Yun-ho tilted his head, seeing Baek Ri-seol hesitating at the entrance.

“Lady Baek Ri, what’s the matter?”

“There’s someone inside.”

Only then did Namgung Yun-ho remember that female students couldn’t enter a male instructor’s residence.

Euncheon Hall strictly separated male and female living areas.

‘I didn’t think she’d care about that.’

It was an unexpected side of her.

“Is Instructor Cho still not up?”

“I’ll go check.”

As Namgung Yun-ho stepped into the yard, he realized why Baek Ri-seol had been hesitant.

An old man he had never seen before was busy sweeping the yard.

‘So she couldn’t enter because someone was here.’

As he pondered how to address the situation,

“…Eighty-fifth, eighty-sixth?”

He heard the old man muttering something strange.

Startled, he looked at the old man, but the old man was still smiling.

“Go ahead.”

The calm voice brought Namgung Yun-ho back to his senses.

‘Was I imagining things?’

Rubbing his goosebumps, Namgung Yun-ho spoke.

“Excuse me, sir. May I ask you something?”

“Hmm… This is quite.”

Chills.

“Sir?”

Looking up hastily, he saw the old man still smiling.

“Go ahead.”

Regaining his composure, Namgung Yun-ho scratched the back of his head.

‘Did I imagine it?’

Rubbing his goosebumps, Namgung Yun-ho continued.

“We’re here to see Instructor Cho Un-hwi.”

“Ah, Instructor Cho.”

The old man explained that Instructor Cho had received some bad news and was lying down.

‘No wonder he’s late.’

Having experienced this more than once, Namgung Yun-ho nodded.

“May we help him up?”

“Haha. If it’s for that, go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

As Namgung Yun-ho was about to step inside,

“Oh, everyone’s here.”

A charming woman appeared at the low wooden gate.

Jegal Tan moved.

“Instructor Yeo, what brings you here?”

“Oh, Instructor Jegal. I have something for Instructor Cho.”

She waved the work log in her hand.

“I heard the news and thought it might help, so I brought my work log.”

Hearing this, Jegal Tan rested his chin on his hand and spoke seriously.

“…I see.”

“Yes. The instructor log should include training details and daily morning meeting notes.”

“Our instructor…”

“Never attended a single morning meeting.”

“…This will be very helpful.”

As Jegal Tan and Yeo Mae-hong conversed, Namgung Yun-ho heard suspicious muttering.

“Wide hips, good for childbirth.”

“Large chest, plenty of milk.”

“Straight teeth, good health…”

Hearing the muttering, Namgung Yun-ho turned around.

The old man was still sweeping the yard, unchanged.

“Did you know? I’m raising cattle these days.”

“Is there a barn here?”

“It’s a personal matter. Don’t worry about it.”

Is that so?

As he was about to ask more,

“Oh, so you’re the new caretaker.”

The new caretaker?

Yeo Mae-hong, holding the work log, approached and greeted him.

“I’m Instructor Yeo Mae-hong from Dongcheon Hall, now a temporary instructor at Euncheon Hall.”

“Haha. Instructor Yeo.”

“I couldn’t find my colleague, so I came to look. May I go inside?”

“You have a kind heart. Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

As she walked briskly inside, a pained groan came from nearby.

“Ugh. That chest monster.”

“Sister, hold on. She can hear you!”

It was the same as always.

As he was about to turn away,

*Chills.*

Shivering, Namgung Yun-ho quickly turned around.

But the old man was still sweeping the yard.

“What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Listening to his racing heart, he heard Jegal Tan approaching.

“Yun-ho, let’s go inside.”

Patting his shoulder, Jegal Tan tilted his head.

“…You don’t look well. Is something wrong?”

“Well…”

As he tried to speak, Baek Ri-seol’s enthusiastic shout interrupted.

“Hurry up! We can’t let that chest monster see the instructor’s handsome face first!”

“Sister! Instructor Yeo can hear you!”

Letting go of his pounding heart, Namgung Yun-ho shook his head.

“No, let’s go inside.”

After the commotion, only Wang Woo, or rather Sima Bai, remained in the yard.

“Haha. You’ve raised an amusing one.”

Isn’t it rare to have such entertainment?

“To see such fun in my old age, I’m fortunate.”

He felt grateful for his decision.

Two days earlier.

Returning to the Murim Alliance, Sima Bai, as Wang Woo, sought out Chui Geol-gae.

“Brother Wang! I’ve been waiting for you.”

Delighted, Chui Geol-gae said,

“I got permission from the Alliance Leader. He was quite shocked by the recent events and readily agreed.”

“Of course. Knowing the depth of the Heavenly Destruction Society’s roots.”

An elder of the Beggars’ Sect, a famous figure, was attacked in broad daylight.

It wasn’t just a martial artist’s fight traitors from all over had emerged.

It was only natural to devise a plan.

“The internal masters will assist us. We’ve also requested help from the Nine Sects and the Ten Great Clans.”

It was encouraging to receive support from the internal masters, but even more so from the Nine Sects and the Ten Great Clans.

“That’s a relief. Honestly, I was very worried when the infamous Sun God Technique appeared.”

“Haha. I told the Alliance Leader that without you, this old beggar would have been a pile of ashes.”

Chui Geol-gae laughed heartily, then suddenly changed his expression.

“But what brings you here at this late hour?”

“It’s about the person we discussed earlier.”

“Instructor Cho Un-hwi?”

Nodding seriously, Wang Woo said,

“After observing him, he seems a bit frivolous, but he doesn’t appear to be a bad person.”

“Is that so? Others have said the same.”

Still suspicious, Chui Geol-gae listened as Wang Woo continued.

“They say you can know the depths of water but not the depths of a person’s heart. We’ll have to keep watching to see his true nature.”

“You’re right. It takes time to truly know someone.”

Wang Woo, speaking earnestly, made a request.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“From what I’ve observed, he has some shortcomings, but he seems talented in swordsmanship.”

So…

Pausing thoughtfully, Wang Woo continued.

“Would it be alright if I taught him some swordsmanship?”

“Your swordsmanship?”

“Strangely, I feel drawn to him. He seems well-suited to Kunlun’s martial arts. Finding someone to teach in a place like this is fate.”

“What would the One-Eyed Sword God say?”

“I don’t plan to take him as a formal disciple. Just to teach him some of Kunlun’s techniques. It’s unrelated to my formal disciples.”

“If he’s not a formal disciple, there’s no issue with sharing techniques.”

Muttering, Chui Geol-gae twisted his dirty beard.

“They say he has a rough personality.”

“That’s due to a lack of proper guidance. As an adult, I can lead and refine him.”

That’s what a teacher is for.

With a sincere and earnest request, Chui Geol-gae couldn’t refuse.

Honestly, it wasn’t a bad idea.

‘It’s good to observe him and uncover any secrets, and it’s also good if he inherits Kunlun’s martial arts.’

It was a win-win situation.

Having made up his mind, Chui Geol-gae added one condition.

“If that’s your wish, but I have a request.”

“I’m listening.”

Raising his index finger, Chui Geol-gae said,

“If you notice anything suspicious, you must inform me.”

Wang Woo, with a kind smile, promised.

“If I see even the slightest suspicion, I will inform you.”

Thus, a new caretaker for Shinmu Academy was born.