Chapter v9c1

When looking around, one can notice that there are surprisingly many people who regard their erroneous beliefs as absolute truths and blindly rush forward without looking around like a blind person. These people often make such mistakes.

Of course, they are nothing short of a huge nuisance to those around them.

A common characteristic of these people is that they have lost their ability to judge, unable to distinguish between restraint and futile efforts. They are blissfully unaware that they are, at this very moment, digging their own graves.

Their stubbornness is monumental, a king of obstinacy.

“Please! Let go of me!” The man fidgeting before her eyes was making his demands very clear.

He was forcefully demanding a voluntary apology from her, who had been adored like the sky and raised with precious care.

What is an apology?

The dictionary definition of an apology is to express regret for one’s mistake or to acknowledge and repent for it, but the function of an apology is not so simple that it can be fully expressed in just a few lines of text.

An apology is one of the means of communication. Its function is both special and varied because it can restore broken conversations and relationships. However, sometimes unyielding pride can completely obstruct this useful and convenient means of communication.

Looking around, one can find many people who take their wrong beliefs as absolute truths and run amok without looking around like blind people. They usually make such mistakes, and of course, they become a significant nuisance to those around them. These people have lost their judgment, cannot distinguish between restraint and futile efforts, and are unaware that they are digging their own graves at this very moment.

In cases like this, whether ten or a hundred, the situation only escalates in a bad direction, with no good outcome—except by some whims of fate.

But do not resent apologies. Even if someone’s wrong belief and stubbornness lead the situation in the wrong direction, it is the fault of the fool who misused the tool, not the apology.

Regardless, the fact remains that apologies are one of the useful means that make society run smoothly and are essential for creating a harmonious society.

Without apologies, the world would be full of endless conflicts, arguments, and fights. A vicious cycle where conflict begets conflict and fights lead to more fights could emerge. Such a society would be even more desolate and unpleasant than the current one.

Still, despite all the excellent and useful aspects of apologies, it was an impossible act for her. For her, it was no longer a matter of right or wrong. The simple and clear definition that one must apologize for one’s mistakes did not apply to her.

“Crazy fool!”

That was all the response she could muster.

“As the leader of an organization, do you think I feel like apologizing for such trivial matters? Absolutely not! Besides, what have I done wrong that I should apologize? Shouldn’t you be the one apologizing to me? How dare such an insignificant person stand up to me, the leader of a powerful assembly!”

Maha Ryeong would not have apologized even if she had made a mistake due to an oversight. That was her way of life, and it inevitably caused trouble for those around her. As a result, her stubbornness showed no signs of abating.

Given her current feelings, an apology was impossible. Instead, her animosity was turning into murderous intent, rapidly escalating to its peak. She was fully leveraging her rationalization of being the leader of the organization.

Her excessive pride, vanity, and self consciousness seemed to prefer the world splitting in two rather than offering an apology.

“Would I bow my head to such a lowly person?”

Her true feelings made a peaceful atmosphere impossible. The atmosphere between the two, connected by hands and wrists, was destined to become colder and more dismal. Those watching felt suffocated by the tension, frustration, and pressure spreading from the two and filling the surroundings.

“Frightening…”

This was the common sentiment among the members of the Gu Jeong Hoe, who were closely monitoring the situation behind a human barrier. They were already fearful of how the situation might escalate, reluctant to be hit by the sparks flying around just for being nearby.

“But what kind of person is this guy?”

Their questioning gaze was directed at Bi Ryu yeon, who maintained an attitude as if Maha Ryeong’s personal preferences had nothing to do with him.

With a grin!

Bi Ryu yeon was now casually deflecting Maha Ryeong’s venomous gaze with a refreshing smile.

“This… This…”

Maha Ryeong was flustered when her formless energy, which should flow into the sea like a river, elicited no response. Formless energy is an invisible force that can only be emitted by top level masters, originating from a trained mind and accumulated internal energy, like a maximized aura of lethality.

The formless energy released by a master of her caliber would normally have a shocking impact on the psyche of the opponent, like the effect of actual martial arts. Any ordinary warrior would normally be trembling uncontrollably, like a frog encountering a snake. Yet, the unfortunate man in front of her was standing there calmly, letting her murderous formless energy flow away without a trace. For Maha Ryeong, it was an utterly frustrating experience.

“Indeed, he’s not just a simple fool! But still… Never… Would I apologize!”

Her innermost feelings were resolute and clear without the slightest flicker of hesitation. It seemed she would rather die than apologize. It was questionable why apologizing was such a difficult action for her.

However, when it came to stubbornness, Bi Ryu Yeon was no pushover. Moreover, he was the type to consider somewhat bizarre and violent methods without hesitation if they could lead to the desired outcome. Bi Ryu Yeon was originally more flexible in his means and methods than most.(TLN: Ryu Yeon would say the N word in a black neighborhood 100%, dude is a menace)

With his broad flexibility, it seemed Bi Ryu Yeon intended to extract an apology from this obstinate lady, who epitomized arrogance and pride, even if he had to actively leverage that flexibility.

Given the polar opposite nature of their thoughts, friction was inevitable, and the standoff was naturally prolonged. Gazes collided, sparking brilliant flames.

Bi Ryu Yeon and Maha Ryeong, both with lips sealed, were not without conversation. An intense, wordless dialogue was sparking fierce flames between them, a fire that was not so easily extinguished (hence the headache it was causing everyone).

Maha Ryeong’s icy gaze was doing its utmost to penetrate the barrier of hair in front of Bi Ryu Yeon’s eyes. Bi Ryu Yeon, currently on the defensive, remained unmoved, as if wondering where the dog was barking.

Swept up in the atmosphere of the two, the tension around them began to escalate. No, it had already reached an excessive level of tension that seemed as if it might induce indigestion.

The situation was a fight between a lord of the military council, which controlled half of Cheonmu Academy’s power, and a mere official who had been lucky enough to win the Samsung Muje by chance (although winning the Samsung Muje in itself was no small feat). Whether by status or by ability, they were opponents who he should not have been able to fight, yet shockingly, the impossible fight was materializing, causing everyone around to be dumbstruck. The fact that this fight was not one sided was causing universal astonishment.

Gulp!

Those watching the standoff (a stubborn man and an unyielding woman) had their hearts drying up like parched fields in a drought.

“This is maddening!”

One of those with a burning heart, actively involved in this sudden situation, was Baek Mu yeong, whose mind was as tangled as knotted thread.

“How could such a thing happen in reality? Normally, these things don’t happen.”

The current situation was beyond the calculations of his mind, his inherent knowledge, and common sense.

Yet a conclusion, however forced, was necessary—a conclusion that could satisfy both himself and those around him. But no matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t think of a solution, and he began to doubt his own intelligence, which he had always been proud of.

His gaze turned to a man.

“Why him again? Why!”

In his bleak field of vision, the figure of Bi Ryu Yeon came sharply into focus.

“How could anyone be convinced by anything other than the conclusion that this man is insane? Even for me, who saw that day, I still can’t distinguish whether it was a dream or a collective hallucination…”

It still didn’t feel real to Baek Mu yeong that he had closely witnessed, with his own eyes wide open, the unbelievable divine authority that Bi Ryu Yeon had wielded alone in front of the Ironclad Horse Brigade.

“I might end up being treated as the madman huh?”

Baek Mu yeong barely suppressed the urge to tear out his hair. Doing so would not bring any other sharp plan to mind.

“I vowed not to be surprised by whatever he did after that day…”

It was a futile resolve that had crumbled to pieces before even a lunar month had passed.

“Is there nothing I can do but watch now?”

Faced with a sudden situation that had grown tens of times larger than expected, even Baek Mu yeong, renowned for his quick thinking, was at a loss. He should have acted before Bi Ryu Yeon’s hands had mercilessly gone back and forth across the precious cheeks of Cheonmu Academy.(TLN: :3) But by the time he had arrived, it was already too late.

Having already touched the sky high pride of Maha Ryeong, even a slight misstep could escalate into a major incident leading to a clash between the two major forces of Cheonmu Academy.

“Damn it!”

Now, there was no choice but to let go and entrust one’s fate to the flow of the world. The feeling that Baek Mu yeong was deeply experiencing could not be described in words.