Chapter 35: The Uninvited Guest (4)

“Hehe, here are the duty logs, Master Dokgo.”

Yeom-gwang offered the logbooks with a subservient smile, a far cry from his usual dismissive attitude.

He was now glued to Dokgo Yul’s side, catering to his every whim.

“Ugh, this is disgusting.”

“Quiet, masters have sharp ears.”

Yeo Mae-hong slapped Cho Un-hwi’s shoulder.

‘These guys…’

He lowered his head and pretended to be busy, under Yeom-gwang’s watchful eye.

Yeo Mae-hong, flustered, doodled aimlessly on a piece of paper, pretending to work.

“Good.”

The instructors’ office was eerily quiet.

Usually, it would be filled with the boisterous chatter of the heavy drinkers, but today, the only sounds were the scratching of brushes and the rustling of paper.

It couldn’t be helped.

Dokgo Yul, the One-Eyed Sword God.

The powerful master, who was sure to become a prominent figure in the Shinmu Academy, was sitting in their midst.

Thud.

After reviewing the duty logs, Dokgo Yul expressed his gratitude in his deep, gravelly voice.

“This was very helpful.”

“Haha, I’m glad we could be of assistance, Master Dokgo.”

“Don’t be so formal. We’re both Chief Instructors, even if it’s just temporary. You can drop the honorifics.”

“Ha, ha, ha. S-should I?”

Yeom-gwang couldn’t bring himself to speak informally to Dokgo Yul.

It was like a private addressing a general.

In the Murim world, the difference in their status was even greater.

Dokgo Yul was one of the Ten Great Swordsmen and one of the One Hundred Great Masters, while Yeom-gwang was just an ordinary martial artist with a minor reputation in Muhan City.

But Dokgo Yul’s words seemed to have ignited the hearts of some of the female instructors.

“He’s so humble and approachable, despite his fame and power.”

“I understand why everyone calls him ‘Master Dokgo’ now.”

“I wish the other Dongcheon Hall instructors were half as kind and considerate.”

The female instructors whispered amongst themselves, their eyes sparkling with admiration.

Even Yeo Mae-hong seemed impressed.

“He’s so down-to-earth, despite his reputation.”

“Yeah, he is.”

Cho Un-hwi replied absentmindedly.

***

“Phew, I thought I was going to suffocate.”

Yeo Mae-hong sighed as Dokgo Yul left the office with Yeom-gwang.

“His presence is so overwhelming.”

“I know, right? Masters are different. Did you see his smile? It’s so charming.”

“Oh my, Instructor Jo, are you smitten?”

“No, I’m just saying.”

“You never know.”

The female instructors gossiped about Dokgo Yul.

The male instructors, on the other hand, were dejected.

“Damn it, how are we supposed to survive this?”

“I’ve been sober for a week because of his arrival. How am I going to last for six months?”

“I hope he finishes his observation soon and moves on to Geumcheon Hall or Shincheon Hall. Anywhere but here.”

Cho Un-hwi ignored their chatter and stared at the door, his brow furrowed.

Dokgo Yul, the One-Eyed Sword God?

‘How?’

He was confused.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

He rubbed his temples, trying to clear his head, then headed to the training ground.

***

Mo Yong So-hye, sensing his low spirits, asked, “Instructor, what’s wrong?”

“Adults have adult problems.”

He sighed and paced back and forth like a dog that needed to poop.

Mo Yong So-hye discreetly read his emotions.

Usually, he was filled with boredom, hunger, and sleepiness. But today, she sensed fear, anxiety, and a sense of impending doom.

‘My instructor is feeling a sense of doom?’

Her lazy instructor, who was always calm and collected, was feeling a sense of doom?

Something was definitely wrong.

She thought about recent events and quickly realized the reason.

It wasn’t a difficult mystery to solve.

It was the talk of the town.

“Is it because of Dokgo Yul, the One-Eyed Sword God?”

She knew about Dokgo Yul. And she could easily predict what would happen.

A righteous hero had arrived at Dongcheon Hall.

It was only a matter of time before he clashed with her instructor.

Even she, the youngest student, knew that her instructor was a terrible role model.

She didn’t need a famous hero to tell her that.

‘What should I do?’

She liked her instructor, despite his laziness and his tendency to tease her.

He was the only one who had ever treated her like a true martial artist.

She didn’t want to see him get into trouble.

She glanced at him, then whispered to Baek Ri-seol, “What should we do, Sister?”

She had become close to Baek Ri-seol, who usually kept everyone at arm’s length.

But she had a soft spot for Mo Yong So-hye, the dummy master.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think Instructor Cho has been targeted by the new Chief Instructor.”

“…Really?”

“He seems really stressed out. What should we do?”

Baek Ri-seol pondered for a moment, her face alternating between worry and excitement, then said, “I think five children would be the perfect number.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Being the son-in-law of a prestigious clan is much more stable than being an instructor at the Shinmu Academy. Definitely.”

This was hopeless.

She couldn’t communicate with Baek Ri-seol.

And the strange glint in her eyes was unsettling.

Namgung Yun-ho, who had been listening to their conversation, interjected, “He seems to be under a lot of pressure.”

“Yun-ho, aren’t you worried about your instructor?”

Namgung Yun-ho shrugged.

“If there’s going to be a problem, I’ll go directly and settle it myself. Whether I have to kneel or plead, I have to protect the instructor, even if it means selling my house. No matter how forgotten I am as a child, if I say I’ll live my whole life like I’m dead, maybe they’ll grant me at least one request? I can even offer to be disowned in exchange for their help.”

“…”

Jegal Tan was speechless.

“I might not be as smart as you, but I know the difference between what’s possible and what’s not.”

Jegal Tan chuckled.

“That’s a much more practical solution than anything I could come up with, Namgung Yun-ho.”

The three of them felt relieved.

“It’s a shame I can’t have him all to myself, but if you want to keep him around, I’ll help. My family is willing to do anything for me after the recent incident.”

“Same here. My parents wouldn’t refuse if their spoiled son suddenly decided to turn over a new leaf.”

“Well, that settles it.”

Mo Yong So-hye watched them return to their training, their worries forgotten.

‘I’m glad I stayed here.’

She felt a sense of camaraderie that she hadn’t felt before.

***

“Ugh…”

As evening approached, Cho Un-hwi was lounging in his room when he heard Yeo Mae-hong’s voice from the other side of the wall.

“Aren’t you going, Instructor Cho?”

“Going where?”

“Chief Instructor Yeom has called a meeting to discuss the midterm exams.”

“I’m not going.”

“Head Instructor Chung-hyeon said everyone should attend.”

“Snore… zzz… zzz…”

“Ugh.”

He heard Yeo Mae-hong sigh and move around.

She was gathering her things.

“I’ll let you know if there’s anything important.”

The sound of her footsteps faded away.

Cho Un-hwi lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

As darkness fell, he sat up.

“This is so annoying.”

He clicked his tongue and looked out the window.

The moon was hidden behind clouds, and the world outside was dark and silent.

But he could sense it.

A faint tingling sensation.

Someone was watching him.

He yawned and stepped onto the windowsill.

“This is such a pain.”

He sensed the observer’s presence and kicked off the windowsill.

He vanished into the darkness.

***

He moved swiftly, his body a blur.

The scenery around him distorted as he increased his speed.

He arrived at a secluded clearing on the outskirts of Dongcheon Hall.

He landed softly, his feet barely touching the ground.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the darkness.

“You called?”

There was no one there.

But then, the darkness rippled, and a figure emerged.

He had rough clothes, unkempt black hair, a strong jawline, and tightly pursed lips.

His eyes were sharp and intense.

Dokgo Yul, the One-Eyed Sword God.

The newly appointed Chief Instructor.

He walked towards Cho Un-hwi, his aura radiating power.

Cho Un-hwi’s voice was laced with annoyance.

“What do you want?”

“…”

Dokgo Yul didn’t answer. He just stared at him with his intense gaze.

“Hey, Yul. What’s with the ‘One-Eyed Sword God’ nonsense?”

Dokgo Yul’s eyes widened, and his face lit up with joy.

“Sima Yul greets his lord!”

He dropped to his knees.