Chapter 172: The Namgung Clan (4)

Rubbing his wrists, which were chafed by the ropes, Cho Un-hwi asked, “What happened?”

“We were all disciplined,” someone replied.

“Disciplined? Why?”

“We don’t know. The Inspection Department suddenly barged in and confiscated all the documents.”

Cho Un-hwi asked Instructor Yang and Instructor Jo Hyeon, who had approached him, but they seemed just as clueless.

“We’re not sure. It was all very sudden.”

“They even isolated us here, claiming we might hide evidence.”

In this baffling situation, a familiar instructor provided a clue with a somewhat rude comment.

“People say if you stay near the Lucky Sword, your luck gets sucked away. Seems like bad luck stuck to us.”

Though his tone was unpleasant, it seemed he knew something. Cho Un-hwi approached him.

There were four official instructors from Euncheon Hall sitting there, people he had seen occasionally.

“Do you know anything?”

“Do you think we’d tell you if we did?”

Though the response was sharp, Cho Un-hwi, aware that the Euncheon Hall instructors didn’t like him, patiently asked again.

“I thought it might help.”

“Haha! A temporary instructor thinks he can help?”

“Well, you never know with the Lucky Sword.”

“That’s true.”

Though they grumbled, they seemed to have no real hostility. One instructor shrugged.

“In cases like this, it’s usually one thing.”

“It’s because we lost in a political fight.”

“Otherwise, we wouldn’t be suddenly excluded from our duties like this.”

“The Inspection Department’s behavior is also suspicious. They rarely act this harshly before the investigation results are out.”

When one person started talking, the other instructors also chimed in.

‘A political fight…’

One instructor, who had been explaining weakly, pointed to a direction.

“You should ask the senior instructor. He’s also under the Inspection Department’s surveillance.”

“Where is the senior instructor?”

“There’s a small storage room behind the annex. He should be there.”

“They locked a person in a small storage room?”

Though he thought it was too harsh a treatment for a senior instructor, even if the Inspection Department was involved.

“No, it’s not that. He keeps sneezing non-stop because of the cat hair.”

“Oh.”

It seemed there was still some sense of honor left in the martial world.

***

*Clank.*

Behind the annex, there really was a small storage room.

It didn’t seem like a place where a person could live, but it was the only place to avoid the cat hair, so…

“Senior Instructor.”

As he entered, Jang Cheol-sim, who had taken off his uniform and was sitting on an old chair, looked up.

“You’re here.”

“You look surprisingly well.”

“Disciples of the Cheongseong Sect maintain their dignity at all times.”

Even while staying in a storage room, he was neatly dressed in white and his hair was meticulously combed.

‘As expected of Jang Cheol-sim.’

That was his impression.

But when he subtly checked his energy, he found it unstable, possibly because his internal energy had been sealed for quite some time.

“Since you look calm, there’s no need to beat around the bush.”

Pretending not to know, Cho Un-hwi greeted him and asked, “What’s going on?”

“The Inspection Department summoned me. They nitpicked about the matter with Seo Ok-rang.”

“I thought the matter with Seo Ok-rang was resolved.”

“It was. The decision for both of them was already made. The issue was something else.”

“Something else?”

“The instructors from Euncheon Hall reported me to the Inspection Department, claiming I abused my authority for personal gain.”

Even though he was a senior instructor, they dared to investigate him.

“Honestly, I wasn’t entirely blameless. I had to cover up a few things. They might have caught on.”

This was a painful mistake.

“Why didn’t you just deny it outright?”

“Because I wasn’t entirely innocent.”

As Jang Cheol-sim rubbed his temples, Cho Un-hwi understood the situation.

‘In my previous life, the cleanest people were the first to die.’

Those who survived were the ones with thick skins, who blamed others for their mistakes and never acknowledged their own faults.

On the other hand, those who were ashamed of their small flaws and admitted them were the first to be criticized and disappear from the history of the martial world.

‘In the end, only the crows survived.’

The crows sold the martial world to the Heavenly Destruction Society for their own safety, and the world was drenched in blood.

‘Tsk. Seeing the same thing here.’

He felt bitter.

Jang Cheol-sim spoke again.

“Anyway, I’m under investigation, so I can’t congratulate you on your return.”

“I didn’t expect a warm welcome.”

Though he hadn’t expected such a gloomy atmosphere either.

“The person assigned to Myojinmun in my place is Eo Jeong-geun.”

“I saw him on my way here. He tore up my report and threw it in my face.”

“…Seeing him must have been unpleasant. He’s quite a twisted person, so be careful.”

Jang Cheol-sim stood up and walked to one side, picking up a dirty rag.

“Leave. Just meeting me could get you involved.”

“I was planning to leave anyway.”

“For now, you should rest. Since your return hasn’t been approved, you have no work to do, right?”

*Sigh.*

Seeing him return to his meditative state in the lonely storage room, Cho Un-hwi turned to leave.

As he was about to step out, Jang Cheol-sim’s voice called out.

“Ah. I have one question.”

Turning around, he saw Jang Cheol-sim asking over his shoulder.

“Have you had any conflicts with the Namgung Clan?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then it’s nothing. Forget I said anything.”

Seeing him return to his cleaning, Cho Un-hwi realized there was something Jang Cheol-sim wasn’t saying.

‘So that’s how it is?’

Quite a bold move, Namgung Clan.

It reminded him of the old days.

***

Being under house arrest in the annex made it difficult to go outside.

“Until the investigation results are out, no one can leave.”

The rude inspectors were glaring at him.

“…We’re just following orders, so please understand.”

Seeing them urging him to go back inside, Cho Un-hwi chuckled.

‘So they don’t even want me to meet people now?’

Quite a determined move.

‘Well, I have my own ways.’

***

“What’s this? How did this happen?”

The visitor to the annex was Myo Gwang.

Even though contact with the outside was cut off, the Namgung Clan wouldn’t dare to intimidate the head of the guest house.

“I brought some food.”

Though he couldn’t avoid the inspectors who tailed him.

Seeing the sweet-smelling food, the instructors, who had been lying around, approached one by one.

“I brought plenty. Please, have some.”

The warm-hearted cat lover’s offer brought tears to the instructors’ eyes.

“Thank you, Master.”

“Even in this situation, you’re the only one looking out for us.”

Though some might have enjoyed the break from night shifts, everyone looked gloomy.

‘Well, they were already addicted to night shifts.’

Playing with cats might be more of a hardship for them.

As he watched them gather around to enjoy the sweet treats and tea, a voice transmission reached him.

[It was just as you suspected, my lord.]

[The Namgung Clan?]

Nod.

Seeing Myo Gwang’s slight nod, Cho Un-hwi tilted his head.

[They went this far just to bring back one child?]

[It’s the first outing of the new head of the family, so they’re taking it very seriously.]

Moreover.

[It seems it’s not just about Namgung Yun-ho.]

Hearing this unexpected news, Cho Un-hwi was surprised.

[It seems the Sword Saint is also interested in Baek Ri-seol’s talent.]

Damn it.

‘They’re even eyeing Baek Ri-seol?’

The thought of them reaching for the tree he had painstakingly cultivated made him angry.

[They’re subtly trying to connect her with the Namgung Clan. They see it as an opportunity to gain two prodigies at once.]

[They wouldn’t stay idle.]

[Baek Ri-seol herself is quite resolute, and Elder Baek Ri is firmly opposed, so it’s okay for now.]

[Once someone gets greedy, they don’t back down.]

[Elder Sima is also worried about that.]

Myo Gwang explained that this was the reason the Namgung Clan had secretly intervened.

[The worst part is that Eo Jeong-geun, who is connected to the Namgung Clan, is involved.]

I’ve seen him.

[He’s quite an opportunist. He’s trying to take down Jang Cheol-sim and curry favor with the Namgung Clan.]

It’s a common tactic among lazy people in the righteous sects.

‘Borrowing someone else’s knife to stab in the back.’

They call it “Borrowing the Knife to Kill” or “Letting Two Tigers Fight,” but it’s just dirty tricks.

‘Does using fancy terms make it feel less dirty?’

As someone who prefers direct confrontation, he found it distasteful.

[What should we do?]

[There’s only one thing to do in times like this.]

Picking up a cookie from the basket, Cho Un-hwi grinned.

“Turn everything upside down.”

Crunch.

Chewing the cookie, Cho Un-hwi’s eyes glinted.

***

As expected, they made the first move.

“Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi.”

It was Eo Jeong-geun, accompanied by five instructors, whom he treated like his subordinates.

“You have no business here.”

He coldly dismissed the approaching instructors.

“Have you grasped the situation yet?”

“What do you mean?”

“Still haven’t figured it out, huh.”

Grinning, Eo Jeong-geun approached and whispered.

[It’s about the Namgung Clan.]

He seemed cautious, starting with a voice transmission.

“If you cooperate, I might be willing to help you.”

“Really?”

“I’ll approve your return and let you resume your duties.”

How about it? Tempting, isn’t it?

“Just me?”

“Haha. I’m quite capable. I can make sure everyone is satisfied with the outcome.”

Of course, Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim is a lost cause.

“I see.”

“What do you think? Will you do as I say?”

“I’m tempted.”

“You’re not entirely foolish.”

Then follow me.

As he was about to turn, Cho Un-hwi casually asked.

“By the way, if my return isn’t approved, what state am I in now?”

“Don’t you know? You’re like a ghost, living in limbo.”

As he tried to intimidate him, Cho Un-hwi’s mouth slowly curled into a grin.

‘Something’s wrong!’

In that moment of realization.

*Whack!*

With a massive impact, Eo Jeong-geun’s head snapped to the side.

*Crack!*

His jaw joint screamed in pain as it failed to react to the sudden twist.

But there was no time to feel the pain.

‘What… what is this?’

The first sensation was the blinding flash and the feeling of the world spinning.

(TLN: bro was slaped by a djinn)

Then came the pain.

*Whack!*

His head snapped to the other side.

“Argh!”

This time, he couldn’t hold back the scream.

The madman who grabbed his hair pulled hard and punched his stomach.

“Ugh!”

“Instructor Cho!”

“Instructor Cho!”

“Temporary Instructor!”

The shocked voices came from all around.

Dazed, the instructors who had followed Eo Jeong-geun looked up to see Cho Un-hwi casually picking his ear.

“So you got beaten up by a ghost?”

Kid.

“You should have been nicer to the ghost.”

Everyone’s jaws dropped.