episode_0048

“It’s fine to insult my companions.”

“What?”

“But I cannot forgive you for insulting me.”

“……”

The surroundings instantly fell silent.

Bang Jongdae was just as surprised by Cheongun’s sudden nonsense.

No, wasn’t it usually the other way around?

At Cheongun’s unexpected remark, Bang Jongdae stared blankly at him with a dumbfounded expression.

Namhyuk covered his profusely bleeding mouth and assessed the situation.

He looked at the large pork bone Cheongun was neatly tearing apart.

It was a large, solid bone with meat still clinging to its joints.

It perfectly matched the bone that had been stuck in his teeth.

Namhyuk was momentarily flustered.

His teeth were broken by a mere bone like that?

He hadn’t even sensed its trajectory, let alone its approach.

As he realized that Cheongun was no mere wanderer, the anger that had surged to his head subsided.

However, people think differently.

Unlike Namhyuk, who had quickly assessed the situation and made his judgment, Ju Seoljin’s anger had already surged to his head due to his broken teeth.

Moreover, with everyone’s gazes fixed on him, if he backed down now, his pride would be crushed.

Before Namhyuk could stop him, Ju Seoljin jumped to his feet.

“You son of a bitch!”

Before he could finish his sentence, the bone Cheongun had hurled, spinning wildly, flew and embedded itself precisely in Ju Seoljin’s forehead.

“Agh!”

Ju Seoljin stopped speaking mid-sentence and fell backward with a thud, the bone stuck in his forehead.

Thud! Namhyuk’s complexion turned pale as he watched Ju Seoljin fall noisily.

‘What did I just see?’

Around the bone that had just flown, the faint form of sword aura clearly flickered.

No, sword aura on a pork bone?

Was that even possible?

Namhyuk swallowed hard.

‘Damn it, I messed with the wrong person.’

As his anger subsided, fear crept into the empty space.

The surrounding martial artists, who had grasped the situation, cleared their throats, lowered their gazes, and focused on their meals.

His companion, who lay collapsed beside him, showed no sign of waking up.

Cheongun, for his part, wasn’t even paying them any attention.

It was then, as Namhyuk nervously glanced around, trying to slip away and escape.

Whoosh.

Thud—!

Before he could even leave his spot, a large bone flew and landed at his feet.

The bone slid into the stone floor.

Smoothly, without a single crack.

Damn it.

He’d lived his whole life, but this was the first time he’d seen a lunatic throw a pork bone like a hidden weapon.

“Where are you going?”

Namhyuk squeezed his eyes shut at Cheongun’s voice coming from behind him.

Namhyuk carefully turned around and approached Cheongun, looking guilty.

Cheongun, tearing at another bone, asked.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Namhyuk.”

“Your affiliation?”

“It’s Manryong Escort Agency.”

Cheongun asked, seemingly surprised.

“You were an escort guard?”

“Yes, Master.”

Escort agencies were a type of transport and security company that existed in ancient China.

What kind of world was this?

Public order was practically non-existent, the land was ridiculously vast, and it was an era where a cheat code called martial arts existed.

Merchant groups had to contend with all sorts of bandits for road tolls every time they moved cargo, and taverns would constantly have troublemakers skilled in martial arts appear and cause havoc.

Thus, escort agencies emerged, referring to those who made a living by guaranteeing the safety of their clients in exchange for money.

“So why did you pick a fight?”

“Please spare my life!”

“You insulted my companion like that and now you want to be spared? Do you have any conscience?”

“Huh? But you said insulting your companion was fine…”

“Talking back?”

“No, I’m not!”

Namhyuk quickly bowed his head. He knew that anyone carrying two swords wasn’t entirely sane, but judging by his behavior, he was truly insane.

Moreover, as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together [meaning people with similar interests or traits tend to associate with each other]. That eccentric monk, his companion, was also clearly out of his mind in many ways, seeing a monk indulge in alcohol and meat in broad daylight.

It was best to avoid crazy people.

Of all people, he had to provoke crazy masters.

It was then, as Namhyuk swallowed hard and observed Cheongun’s mood.

“You said Manryong Escort Agency?”

“Ah, yes.”

Cheongun fell into thought.

Wasn’t Manryong Escort Agency one of the Ten Great Escort Agencies of the Central Plains?

More importantly, the head of Manryong Escort Agency was Lee Gunbaek, one of the Four Great Escort Guards.

“Are you sure?”

“…Well, to be exact, I’m affiliated with the Manryong Escort Agency’s Chengdu branch.”

Bang Jongdae nodded.

“Young Master Cheong, may this monk say something?”

“What is it?”

“Manryong Escort Agency is considered one of the Ten Great Escort Agencies, but its Chengdu branch is notorious.”

“Really?”

“They are especially known for committing land deed fraud, hiring thugs, and colluding with merchant groups to scam civilians.”

Oh, they’re basically hired thugs, aren’t they?

There was no one more vicious than them.

Even real estate fraud?

Suddenly, he remembered the time before he was transmigrated, when he was abruptly hit by a rental scam and ended up on the streets.

How was that back then?

It felt like a shock comparable to when he first transmigrated here.

Cheongun grinned and called out to Namhyuk.

“Hey, trash.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Should I spare you?”

“Please spare me!”

Namhyuk quickly replied.

Cheongun, looking at Namhyuk, nodded.

“If I spare you, you’ll run straight back and blab everything to your comrades, won’t you?”

“Huh?”

“You’ll drag everyone and their mother to get revenge for your broken teeth. Escort guards are incredibly protective of their own, after all.”

“M-master!”

“Then you’ll comb through the Chengdu area like a mouse hunt, searching for me?”

“No, absolutely not.”

“Good. Go on.”

“…Huh?”

When Namhyuk asked again, Cheongun waved his hand, telling him to leave.

“Just go now.”

“…”

Namhyuk was bewildered.

Just moments ago, his mouth had gone dry as Cheongun listed all the reasons why he should kill him.

But now he was telling him to leave?

What if he really went back and, as Cheongun said, brought his companions?

But looking at Cheongun, it seemed he actually wanted that.

‘…Does that mean he’s that confident?’

Among martial artists, there was a certain type who were obsessed with justification.

Those who, no matter how wildly they lived, wouldn’t act without proper justification.

So that’s why he was letting him go.

If there was any sign of retaliation, it meant he would then use that as justification to act.

“Get out.”

“Th-thank you, Master!”

It was then, as Namhyuk scrambled to leave.

“Haha, wait a moment.”

Bang Jongdae, holding the 108 prayer beads in his hand, stopped Namhyuk.

“Don’t you still have business with this monk?”

“Huh?”

“What did you say just now? Didn’t you say that this crazy monk was indulging in alcohol and meat in broad daylight, making Buddha weep?”

“Ah, no. That’s…”

Namhyuk was flustered.

Why was this monk suddenly acting up?

“It’s not alcohol, it’s grain water.”

“Huh?”

“And do you know this?”

“…?”

Bang Jongdae asked.

At the same time, he tightly wrapped the prayer beads around his fist and subtly lowered his stance.

“Buddha never forbade meat.”

“What nonsense… Ack!”

Thwack—!

Bang Jongdae’s fist landed squarely on Namhyuk’s face.

****

Namhyuk survived.

He was suddenly beaten by some crazy monk, and his face was a bloody mess, but he survived nonetheless.

He then carried the unconscious Ju Seoljin, who was sprawled on the floor, and returned to the Manryong Escort Agency’s Chengdu branch.

And he quickly investigated the identities of those two damnable individuals.

It wasn’t difficult at all.

They were quite famous, after all.

“Mad Heaven No Sword!”

Mad Heaven No Sword, Cheongun.

This year’s winner of the Tang Family Tournament, and the Sword Sovereign’s direct disciple.

And that wasn’t all.

The Blood Flame Pavilion and the Black Forest Gate were also swept away by this one person.

He was no ordinary big shot.

Namhyuk thought to himself.

If he had acted recklessly there, he would have died.

And another surprise was the identity of the monk next to the boy.

The only disciple of Justice Alliance Leader Geum Myeongju?

He was practically a monster backed by both the Shaolin Temple and the Justice Alliance, two massive forces.

‘That crazy monk…?’

It was hard to believe, but even after cross-referencing the information multiple times, it was true.

The moment he realized this, Namhyuk immediately abandoned any thought of retaliation.

Originally, he had planned to gather the escort guards and definitely grind those damnable individuals to dust, but now that he knew their true identities, it wasn’t even worth considering.

“Are we really just going to leave it?”

“Yes. Forget about it. Don’t even pay them any mind.”

“But he’s the one who broke Brother Nam’s teeth…”

“It’s fine. A few teeth broken is getting off cheap.”

For a novice challenging a master, a few broken teeth were getting off cheap.

If he had been that boy, he would have torn off an arm and a leg.

It was then.

“Intruders!”

A resounding cry made him snap to attention.

Namhyuk immediately ran to the escort agency’s central training ground.

The place was packed with people, as if all the escort guards had gathered.

Each of them had their swords drawn and were surrounding someone.

Namhyuk pushed through them and ran to the center.

In the center were two men.

A boy with two swords at his waist and a fishing rod slung over his shoulder.

And a bald monk, chuckling, with 108 prayer beads wrapped around his fist like brass knuckles.

It was Cheongun and Bang Jongdae.

“M-master? What brings you here?”

Cheongun replied to Namhyuk’s question.

“I broke your teeth.”

“Huh?”

Cheongun said with a wistful expression.

“Now, you may get your revenge on me.”

“……”

“It was summer.”

“……”