Chapter 131: Myojinmun (5)

Fortunately, the bandit camp had a considerable amount of food.

“Since it’s all stolen goods anyway, distribute it generously to the villagers.”

The villagers, who hadn’t had a warm meal in a long time, cheered, shouting praises for the sect leader.

“Phew. This is exhausting.”

“You’ve worked hard, Sect Leader.”

“Not as much as Instructor Shim.”

Seo Tae-myung, with a hearty laugh, turned serious and asked.

“Cho Un-hwi must have worked hard too.”

He wasn’t injured, was he?

When they called a disciple to ask, the answer was astonishing.

“When we were searching the storage, he followed us and found a bottle of liquor to take with him.”

Instructor Shim’s face turned red at the disciple’s words.

“He’s not a bad person.”

“Hmph.”

***

Cho Un-hwi was feeling uneasy.

“Instructor Shim, here you go.”

The hard-to-find bottle of liquor was now in Seo Tae-myung’s hands.

*Pour.*

As he filled the cups, Instructor Shim smiled.

“Haha. Thanks to the sect leader, I feel relieved. I hope my rash decision didn’t trouble you too much.”

“Hahaha. Isn’t this what the Shinmu Murim Excursion is for? It would be more shameful to ignore injustice.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

As they exchanged drinks and watched the bottle empty, Instructor Shim turned his gaze to Cho Un-hwi.

“Instructor Cho, I see you in a new light.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your way of handling the students is quite unique.”

Ah, that.

Nodding slightly, Cho Un-hwi heard Instructor Shim’s voice again.

“On the other hand, I’m not satisfied with my approach.”

Twitch.

Not far away, someone resting flinched.

Pretending not to notice, Cho Un-hwi responded.

“How were you when you were young, Instructor Shim?”

“When I was young?”

“Did you block hidden weapons, see the broader picture, and fly around in your first real combat?”

“Of course not.”

Stroking his half-white beard, he answered.

“I was rather dull. I was so nervous that I couldn’t even draw my sword properly.”

“I only remembered how to draw my sword after my master scolded me.”

At Seo Tae-myung’s words, Cho Un-hwi asked.

“Isn’t that natural? No one can do everything perfectly from the start.”

“I’m trying to make them aware of what I couldn’t do.”

“They’ll learn when the time comes.”

“The Jianghu is dangerous. Realizing too late can be life-threatening.”

Cho Un-hwi responded with a different topic.

“A friend of mine had a son.”

“Really? That’s something to celebrate.”

“But he was frustrated because his son only wanted to play and didn’t study.”

“As a parent, that’s natural. Studying hard is the key to success.”

“But this friend used to chase after women instead of studying.”

“…Hmm.”

“He married well and now has a good life, but he says studying is the most important thing in the world.”

“…What’s your point?”

“I don’t know.”

Muttering briefly, Cho Un-hwi spoke casually.

“I just prefer to watch and wait.”

“Discipline out of love is necessary.”

“If you want to show love, hug them or give them money.”

“Why discipline when you can give them good money?”

He added, grumbling.

“If discipline becomes a habit, they won’t understand real discipline later.”

Instructor Shim, being a reasonable person, understood the implication.

“Cheongsu is wise. He’ll understand.”

“How about praising his wisdom ten times instead of disciplining him?”

“Being too lenient can spoil them.”

“Isn’t discipline for when they really go astray?”

Instructor Shim was at a loss for words.

But, unwilling to concede easily, he justified it by saying, “It’s the way of the Wudang Sect.”

“It seems our educational philosophies differ.”

“I think so too.”

An uncomfortable silence followed.

Seo Tae-myung’s eyes darted around at the unexpected argument.

After a long silence, Instructor Shim finally spoke.

“…But your method seems reasonable too. I’m just too old to change.”

“Don’t ask others to do what you can’t do yourself.”

Is that something a temporary instructor should say to a Wudang Sect disciple?

*Gulp.*

Seo Tae-myung swallowed his suppressed groan.

***

Returning to their place, Namgung Yun-ho suddenly asked.

“What did you talk about?”

“I don’t know. Some old man was rambling.”

Grumbling, Cho Un-hwi glared.

“By the way, you guys.”

At his signal, Namgung Yun-ho handed over a silver coin.

“It was tough, but I managed.”

Next, Jegal Tan and Mo Yong So-hye reached into their sleeves.

“It wasn’t easy to keep the coin on the sword.”

“But I did it.”

*Tap. Tap.*

Watching the coins fall into his palm, Cho Un-hwi spoke.

“Jegal.”

“Yes?”

“Get down!”

“Why?”

*Thud!*

Jegal Tan rolled on the ground with a groan.

“Why did you ask?”

Do you really not know? His eyes asked, and Jegal Tan pouted.

“…How did you know?”

“Do you think I wouldn’t recognize my own pet silver coins?”

“The scratches and shine are different.”

At his words, Jegal Tan dejectedly lowered his head.

“Trying to deceive your instructor isn’t good.”

Lifting one leg, he sealed his own internal energy as a bonus.

“Wow. Demon.”

“Bloody Fist, you dropped it twice.”

Mo Yong So-hye, trying to hide it, jumped up.

“How did you know?”

It wasn’t replaced, and it was only for a short time.

Pinpointing it accurately, Cho Un-hwi glared.

“Do you think I wouldn’t recognize my pet iron coins?”

“Pet iron coins? That’s too much! Ugh.”

Mo Yong So-hye cried as she assumed a horse stance.

Thinking he was a truly harsh person.

***

That evening.

A faint shadow moved in the darkness.

Moving silently, the shadow reached the storage at the back of the bandit camp.

*Creak.*

Opening the door, they found bandits tied up and thrown inside.

The shadow moved further to the end.

Where the bandit leader, the Bandit King, was.

“Hehe. You really came.”

Seeing the shadow, the Bandit King sat up.

“I promised.”

“But it’s not easy. I didn’t expect the sect leader to be skilled in acupoint sealing.”

Acupoint sealing isn’t just about strong martial arts.

Even the notorious Bandit King couldn’t find a way to undo it.

The shadow, however, was different.

“This level of acupoint sealing is nothing.”

Cutting the ropes, the shadow swiftly tapped the Bandit King’s acupoints.

*Tap. Tap Tap.*

With a series of crisp sounds, the blocked energy flowed freely again.

“Ahhh.”

Regaining his freedom, the Bandit King stretched his limbs.

“Foolish righteous sect members. They think sparing us will make things right.”

Their shallow sense of justice will be their downfall.

As he muttered about revenge, the shadow tossed something at him.

At his feet lay an axe, glowing with a bloody light.

“This is better than my old weapon.”

“It’s time to keep your promise.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll repay this humiliation.”

If he were taken to the authorities, he would be a dead man.

Even if he escaped, no one would take him in without his subordinates.

“Better to join the Iron Thread Alliance than live miserably.”

So, the Bandit King chose brutal revenge.

With a reputation for ruthlessness, the Iron Thread Alliance might reluctantly take him in. In the worst case, the demonic sect might.

They hate the Murim Alliance.

“I’ll kill as many as I can. As promised.”

Muttering, the Bandit King was told by the shadow.

“It won’t be hard. They’re all drugged.”

They’ll be sound asleep.

At those words, the Bandit King laughed heartily.

“Haha. That’s good news. Let’s get started.”

He was about to wake his subordinates for a massacre when,

“Stop right there.”

A voice came from the darkness.

“Who?”

As he hesitated, a bright light appeared in the darkness.

*Fwoosh.*

A young face, illuminated by the light, appeared.

“You.”

“You’re quite lively. I thought you were almost dead.”

A playful voice that didn’t match the situation.

“You’re the instructor from Shinmu Academy.”

“Right. You have a good memory for someone who looks so weak.”

The Bandit King reached for his axe.

He intended to split him from the top with a single strike.

Whether he knew it or not, the voice remained cheerful.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

“What are you saying, you weakling?”

The light moved through the air, revealing the shadow’s form.

The shadow’s hidden figure was revealed.

The voice spoke.

“Glad to see you’re alive.”

“Isn’t that right, Jeong Yang?”

The eyes of Jeong Yang, standing next to the Bandit King, gleamed with a murderous light.

***

“When did you realize?”

“From the start, I didn’t like your face.”

I’m quite perceptive.

At his response, Jeong Yang’s lips twisted.

The naive look of a righteous sect member was gone.

Half-hidden in the darkness, he was now a killer exuding murderous intent.

“Tell me. How did you know?”

“I told you, I’m perceptive.”

But that’s not all.

Cho Un-hwi continued.

“On the first day we met, you reacted to the stone I threw.”

“You noticed that?”

“I sensed it right away.”

“Go on.”

“After I handed you over to the guards, how did a country bumpkin get out?”

“I explained that a friend helped clear the misunderstanding.”

Jeong Yang thought his flawless logic had erased any doubts.

But he was met with ridicule.

“That makes even less sense. Government soldiers rarely admit their mistakes.”

They knew he was innocent and released him?

People who hate admitting mistakes?

“Ridiculous.”

And there was a major flaw.

“A loner who came to the capital alone conveniently finds a friend?”

Jeong Yang gritted his teeth at the explanation.

“Fine. I admit my mistake.”

Jeong Yang’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

“I’ll make sure not to repeat it, thanks to your advice.”

“You didn’t like my explanation?”

“Your usefulness is over. I’ll kill you quickly as a thank you.”

*Swish.*

A short sword slipped from his sleeve into Jeong Yang’s hand.

Cho Un-hwi sighed, more in exasperation than fear.

“Sigh. You’re doing this too.”

Jeong Yang pointed the sword at his heart. At that moment, two piercing blue lights shone through Cho Un-hwi’s messy hair.

“Why? Did you think you were the only one from the Society?”

He knows about the Society.

*Clang!*

Instinctively, Jeong Yang’s short sword shot forward.