Chapter 83: A Day of Rest (2)

“They’re so heartless.”

Cho Un-hwi grumbled, squatting on the floor.

“I came all the way here just to do this again.”

He looked around and saw the students struggling with blocks of wood.

They were all clumsily wielding carving knives, while Mo Yong So-hye clapped her hands and walked around, offering guidance.

“Brother Namgung, try holding the knife upright.”

“Like this?”

“No, like you’re holding a stone knife.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Namgung Yun-ho immediately understood the analogy of a stone tool.

“Brother Jegal, you’re doing great.”

“Sigh, this is tiring.”

Jegal Tan was steadily carving a wooden training dummy.

*Crack!*

Baek Ri-seol, who had been working on a block of wood, frowned as she accidentally turned it into a chopstick.

“…This is too hard.”

“Are you having trouble controlling your strength?”

“Yes, it’s not working properly.”

Baek Ri-seol, who had never been very dexterous, had become even stronger after her summer break training.

*Crack!*

She crushed the chopstick in her hand, turning it into a toothpick, and ruffled her hair in frustration.

“Instructor! I can’t do this!”

“How long do we have to keep doing this pointless task?”

“Shouldn’t we do something about this?”

Cho Un-hwi replied gloomily, “Whose fault is it…?”

“Ugh.”

“Who was the one who told that student, ‘You look like an egg that was dropped from the top of a mountain’?”

“W-well, I might be a perfect wife and daughter-in-law material, but I have my flaws.”

“Sister, that student was balding.”

Calling someone a raw egg and saying they were “sparkling like a human” was a bit harsh, especially for someone who was already sensitive about their hair loss.

“Ugh, I’ll reflect on my actions.”

“Good girl.”

He doubted she would change, though.

He couldn’t imagine Baek Ri-seol being polite.

“I can’t believe I’m being treated like this again, even after what happened at Dongcheon Hall.”

Cho Un-hwi was feeling despondent.

The other Dongcheon Hall instructors had all been assigned students, but he was the only one who was being ignored.

“I didn’t expect to be this unpopular…”

Jegal Tan said, “I think Euncheon Hall is deliberately doing this.”

“Huh? Really?”

“They must be trying to get back at us for humiliating them.”

But there was something he didn’t understand.

“Euncheon Hall was the one who asked for our help because they were short-staffed. Why are they doing this now?”

“Maybe they’re waiting for an opportunity.”

“An opportunity…”

He suddenly remembered something.

It had happened a few days ago.

***

Dokgo Yul and Danya smiled at each other.

“It’s been a while.”

“Hehe, how have you been?”

Danya cracked his neck, glaring at Dokgo Yul.

“What the hell is this bullshit you wrote in the report?”

It was strange.

Danya was a rude jerk, but he usually respected his seniors. It was rare for him to start cursing as soon as they met.

But Dokgo Yul’s reaction was also strange.

“I only wrote the truth. Have you gone blind?”

“Why are you calling yourself the left arm?”

“Because I am the left arm.”

“Bullshit!”

*Crash!*

Danya slammed his fist on the table, splitting it in half.

“I’m the left arm. You’re the right leg… no, the left leg.”

*Thwack.*

Dokgo Yul glared at him.

“You’re not even the left leg. You’re the middle leg.”

“You wanna fight?”

As they glared at each other, growling, Cho Un-hwi’s fist shot out.

*Thwack!*

“Ow!”

*Thwack!*

“Ugh.”

Cho Un-hwi glared at them, as they clutched their heads and groaned.

“What’s all this talk about left arms and right legs?”

Who was claiming ownership of his limbs?

And he would never give up his middle leg.

Danya quickly replied, “My lord, I’ll never give up the left arm. Even the right arm… no, even Master Sima agrees.”

“Master Sima?”

“Yes, your father. I asked him, and he said, ‘Of course, Danya is the left arm.’ I’m not making this up. I have proof.”

He heard an ominous word in Danya’s rambling.

“Did you meet with Master Sima?”

“Of course. I had to entrust him with my precious ones.”

His precious ones in the desert.

The Desert Assassins.

Master Sima was the perfect person to control those wild assassins, but he was also the person Cho Un-hwi wanted to avoid the most.

“Sigh…”

Cho Un-hwi sighed, realizing the truth he had been trying to ignore.

Dokgo Yul tried to comfort him.

“You knew this was going to happen, right?”

He did.

But it was still a shock to hear it confirmed.

He punched Danya.

“Ugh, you useless little toe.”

“Hey, why are you only picking on me? This is unfair!”

Danya grumbled, and Dokgo Yul said, “We have to act quickly.”

“You’re right.”

Master Sima, or Sima Bai, was unpredictable. There was no telling what he would do now that he knew Cho Un-hwi’s whereabouts.

“We have to find my wife and make it official before he arrives.”

“The best solution would be to get married and have a couple of kids to solidify our position.”

“But he’s already caught our scent. He could show up at any moment.”

Sima Bai was known for his elusiveness, even among the members of the Dark Soul Black Wind Guard. They didn’t have much time.

And he was incredibly quick to act. They were more likely to run into him before they could even find the wife, let alone get married.

“This has become quite challenging.”

“Is there no other way?”

“I’ve assigned someone to keep an eye on Student Seo Ok-rang.”

Seo Ok-rang of the Mount Cheongseong Sect.

Cho Un-hwi had spotted her when he went out with Instructors Mo Yong Seon-ya and Yeo Mae-hong. She had the same scent as his wife. He had been keeping an eye on her, hoping she would lead him to his wife…

“…But lately, she seems to be more interested in romance. She’s been spending more time with male students than her female friends.”

“Damn it. Aren’t the male and female dormitories separated?”

“Some classes are co-ed. She’s quite clever. She’s creating opportunities so subtly that there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Damn it, I want to kill that bastard.”

If she was lonely, she would go back to her female friends.

But he couldn’t do that.

He felt a strange sense of camaraderie with her, as someone who was also waiting for love.

‘If I interfere, it might affect the future.’

He couldn’t risk ruining his future with his wife by acting rashly.

“Keep watching her.”

“Yes, my lord. Your left arm will always meet your expectations.”

As they were concluding their discussion, Danya chuckled ominously.

“So it’s true that you’re looking for your wife.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not like Master Sima. I’ll accept your decision.”

Danya seemed surprisingly agreeable.

He wondered why, but it seemed that Danya was quick to accept reality.

“You were so tongue-tied in front of the Branch Leader.”

It couldn’t be helped.

No matter how insensitive he was, he didn’t want to talk about his beloved in front of another woman.

‘Just in case.’

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

He didn’t know what kind of trouble the Hao Clan would cause if they found out about his wife.

“What do you want to say?”

“My lord, I’m the left arm.”

He understood.

‘This guy wants to get beaten up.’

He was about to punch him when Danya raised his hands in alarm.

“H-hear me out.”

“You better have a good explanation.”

“That fake left arm of yours is trying to find someone within the heavily guarded academy. Do you think that’s going to be easy in the notoriously strict Shinmu Academy?”

“So?”

“Let’s target her when she’s outside.”

Dokgo Yul shook his head.

“I’ve thought about that. But now that the semester has started, the students rarely leave the academy. And I assigned you to monitor those who do leave.”

Danya crossed his arms, looking smug.

“Let’s think outside the box.”

Think outside the box?

“My lord, even if there are a few students who leave the academy, how are we going to check every single one of them in this massive city?”

“Then what?”

“Let’s lure the students we want to see.”

Dokgo Yul frowned.

“You’re suggesting we use the Murim Excursion?”

“That’s right. It’s an event where all the talented students participate.”

“That’s impossible.”

Dokgo Yul immediately rejected the idea.

“The Murim Excursion is conducted under tight security. It’s not easy to find out their destination.”

“And the instructors can change the itinerary at any time, depending on the situation.”

“It’s already difficult enough to manage them within this city. Tracking them down all over the Murim? Impossible.”

It was absolutely impossible.

But Danya was still smiling triumphantly.

“You’re not listening to me properly.”

He was so far from being the left arm.

Dokgo Yul’s eyebrows twitched at his blatant provocation.

Danya sneered.

“Left leg, listen to me.”

“You’re not even a little toe.”

“That hurts.”

Danya turned to Cho Un-hwi.

“My lord, listen carefully. I’ll show you who the real left arm is.”

Danya’s suggestion was simple and tempting.

After a brief explanation, Dokgo Yul murmured in admiration, “…That’s a good idea.”

“I told you, I’m the expert in these matters.”

“Isn’t that right, my lord?”

Cho Un-hwi replied curtly, “I’m counting on you, left arm.”

Dokgo Yul was deeply disappointed.

***

“…Instructor?”

Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought.

He snapped out of his daze and saw Mo Yong So-hye standing in front of him with a pile of wooden dummies.

“I finished today’s quota.”

“Oh, good.”

“We’re going back now.”

“Already?”

He was about to pack up and leave when Namgung Yun-ho said gloomily, “I can sleep here.”

“Yun-ho, be patient. We already have a bad reputation. If we start living in tents here, people will talk.”

Namgung Yun-ho, who was now more comfortable living outdoors than indoors, was dejected.

Baek Ri-seol, on the other hand, was excited.

“It’s time to go back to our love nest.”

“I don’t care where we live, as long as we have a place to stay.”

The reason they were in a hurry to leave as the sun began to set was simple.

There were no vacancies at Euncheon Hall.

‘They’re being stubborn for no reason.’

It seemed that they were still trying to save face after their previous humiliation.

They were putting up a wall by refusing to provide them with accommodation.

‘It works for me.’

It made it easier for him to sneak in and out of the more relaxed Dongcheon Hall, so he could contact Dokgo Yul and Danya.

“Well, it’s nice to go home.”

Shall we go?

“Yes!” they replied in unison.

“Oh my, you’ve worked hard today.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”

They exchanged greetings with the instructors they met on the bridge connecting Euncheon Hall and Dongcheon Hall, and another day came to an end.