Chapter 570
Chapter 570
Chapter 570. Let’s Hit the Jackpot (5)
Without warning, he kicked Warrior Myeongjong, who had been in front of me.
“Urgh!” (Myeongjong)
At the sudden attack, Warrior Myeongjong was about to shout angrily, then stopped short.
“What is this…… Muhyeon?” (Myeongjong)
“Yes! It’s me, Muhyeon! You foolish bastard!” (Muhyeon)
Watching that, I chuckled.
The distance between Warrior Myeongjong and me was not far, so I could have stopped that man named Muhyeon from kicking Warrior Myeongjong well enough, but I did not.
Because there had not been even the slightest hint of killing intent in that attack.
That must be why Warrior Myeongjong had been kicked.
The man named Muhyeon was grabbing Warrior Myeongjong by the collar and shaking him hard.
“I heard what happened. But still, does it make sense that you didn’t show your face even once? You should have at least sent a letter!” (Muhyeon)
“I’m sorry.” (Myeongjong)
“You think sorry is enough? You rotten bastard! Did you throw all the affection from all the times we shared life and death, trained together, and went through hardships into the gutter? You bad bastard!” (Muhyeon)
“I’m sorry.” (Myeongjong)
“I said, do you think sorry is enough!” (Muhyeon)
At that moment, perhaps having heard the commotion, several disciples who had been guarding the inn came running over.
“What’s going on? Muhyeon? It’s not like you to get so worked…… up, but I suppose you would. Damn it.” (Mount Hua Disciple)
“Gasp! Is that Senior Brother Myeongjong?” (Mount Hua Disciple)
Looking at them, Myeongjong smiled bitterly.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” (Myeongjong)
But he was still being held in Taoist Muhyeon’s hands.
That meant he could not avoid the rough welcoming greetings that followed.
“You bastard! Why are you only coming now!” (Mount Hua Disciple)
Thwack! Smack!
“You bastard! Do you even know how worried we were?” (Mount Hua Disciple)
Smack!
“Senior Brother! You really went too far!” (Mount Hua Disciple)
Smack smack!
“Aaagh! You bastard! Do you know or not know that a junior brother beating his senior brother is insubordination?” (Myeongjong)
“I don’t know!” (Mount Hua Disciple)
Watching that, Warrior Seowoo laughed.
“What a splendid welcome.” (Seowoo)
“It certainly is.” (Eun Seoho)
I answered so and quietly turned my head to look at Warrior Changwoon.
Warrior Changwoon was in the same situation as Warrior Myeongjong, only with a different sect.
Perhaps that was why, watching that scene, he seemed to be feeling a great deal.
“I should go rescue my escort warrior now. At this rate, he’ll end up with deep-seated injuries.” (Eun Seoho)
Saying that, I approached them.
“I think that is enough for the welcome.” (Eun Seoho)
“Who…… are you?” (Muhyeon)
At that, Warrior Myeongjong quickly stood up, straightened his clothes, and said,
“He is my liege.” (Myeongjong)
“If he’s your liege, then Master Chivalrous Pretty Boy?” (Muhyeon)
“That is right.” (Myeongjong)
Warrior Myeongjong answered with a proud expression.
“He is also my benefactor. He prevented something irreversible from happening because of my mistake, and saved me when I was in danger of having my qi center destroyed after being expelled.” (Myeongjong)
Taoist Muhyeon nodded.
“We know that too. We heard news about you through Junior Uncle.” (Muhyeon)
“It is a pleasure to meet Warrior Myeongjong’s fellow disciples.” (Eun Seoho)
I clasped my hands to them, then headed toward Brother Jinho.
It was a little late to return to Luoyang now.
And I wanted Warrior Myeongjong to catch up with them too.
Brother Jinho was in the middle of speaking with Head Escort Gi.
Listening to them, Head Escort Gi wanted to give him half the escort fee as thanks for helping them arrive safely here, and Brother Jinho was refusing, so they were in the middle of a back-and-forth.
I gently stepped in.
“I understand how you feel, Head Escort, but we cannot accept that money.” (Eun Seoho)
“But…….” (Gi Childu)
“We are fine, so please use that money as consolation funds for the escorts who died in this incident. That is all right, isn’t it, Hyung?” (Eun Seoho)
“Of course! I also think that would be best.” (Jinho)
“So please withdraw your words about giving us a reward.” (Eun Seoho)
Head Escort Gi said he had lost as many as four escorts this time. To accept a reward from such a man!
No matter how much I like money, I do have shame.
“…….” (Gi Childu)
At my words, he bit his lip.
“In truth, the escorts who died this time had also been weighing on my mind. But you have even cared for the escorts of our agency like this, so I am truly grateful.” (Gi Childu)
And as he put the money pouch back into his chest, he said,
“I will use this as you Masters have said.” (Gi Childu)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
“Please do so.” (Jinho)
“Thank you once again for helping our escort agency.” (Gi Childu)
“It is said that all within the four seas are fellow travelers, and we have merely formed a connection.” (Eun Seoho)
Head Escort Gi bowed respectfully, then went toward the remaining escorts.
I turned my head and said to Brother Jinho,
“Hyung, let us rest here today and leave early tomorrow morning.” (Eun Seoho)
“That would be best. Still, Mother, Father, and the Chief Administrator must be worried.” (Jinho)
At Brother Jinho’s words, I let out a sigh.
“You’re only thinking of that now?” (Eun Seoho)
“……Hahaha.” (Jinho)
I chuckled.
“I already sent Father a letter. I told him that something came up and we had to escort some young ladies going to the Mount Hua Sect, so we would finish as quickly as possible and go to Luoyang.” (Eun Seoho)
Of course, I asked Geumryeong to do it.
So I cannot let it pass for free.
“Two silver coins.” (Eun Seoho)
“Huh?” (Jinho)
“I said hand over two silver coins. The money I spent because of you was two silver coins.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, Brother Jinho whimpered and took two silver coins from his pouch, then held them out.
I quickly accepted them and said,
“Then let us go into the inn and rest now. I’m tired.” (Eun Seoho)
“Y-Yeah…….” (Jinho)
A short while later.
We took rooms at an inn close to the place where the women were staying.
Warrior Myeongjong must have a lot he wanted to talk about with the fellow disciples he had met after so long, but it would be troublesome for him to be too far from me, his charge.
And I ordered Warrior Myeongjong to go out, telling him to at least have a meal together with them after so long.
Unlike my other escort warriors, I had no intention of keeping Warrior Myeongjong and Warrior Changwoon with me forever.
I had accepted them as my escorts, but that had been to save them, who were without fault, at the time.
They must return to their respective sects someday.
Though I have grown quite attached to them over that time and would feel sad to send them back, I think they can accomplish greater things when they are in their own sects.
I sat on the bed and called Geumryeong.
“Geumryeong.” (Eun Seoho)
“Kkui!” (Geumryeong)
Geumryeong had already realized why I had called her, and her eyes were sparkling.
“Here, you worked hard this time.” (Eun Seoho)
I chuckled and held out the silver coins. They were the silver coins I had gotten from Brother Jinho earlier.
One coin for asking her to find Brother Jinho, and another coin for asking her to send Father the letter.
Geumryeong hugged the two silver coins and rolled around on the bed.
She really does like them.
I like it too.
Because none of my money went into it.
· · ·
Myeongjong was at a restaurant near the inn where Eun Seoho was staying.
Eun Seoho had booked a restaurant, even ordering food and paying for it, telling him to eat with his fellow disciples of the Mount Hua Sect.
Muhyeon, who was of the same generation as him and also his friend, said,
“Good grief…… your liege really is amazing. If he does this, we can’t exactly not eat the food.” (Muhyeon)
“Even in my eyes, my liege is certainly amazing.” (Myeongjong)
“In any case, I’ll enjoy it.” (Muhyeon)
Then Muhyeon picked up his chopsticks and began eating, and only then did Myeongjong pick up his own chopsticks.
Beside them, the others were already in the middle of eating.
Of course, not all the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect were eating.
Because they were standing guard in three shifts, those currently on guard were scheduled to come to the restaurant later and eat.
“By the way, weren’t you really too much? I thought you would at least send me a letter.” (Muhyeon)
Muhyeon grumbled as he looked at Myeongjong.
The reason he had participated in the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Arts Tournament was that he had been the most skilled among the disciples of the same generation at the time.
So when he left for Luoyang with their Junior Uncle, none of them had imagined that such an enormous incident would occur.
‘I thought he would proudly make the sword of Mount Hua known to the world and return.’ (Muhyeon)
Of course, there were also those who felt satisfied by Myeongjong’s downfall.
But most of Mount Hua’s disciples, including Muhyeon, had grieved and felt sorry for Myeongjong’s matter as though it were their own.
That also meant that Myeongjong’s character had not been warped.
“Ah! Let’s go up Mount Hua now! Junior Uncle and Elder Yeongjeong will surely be glad to see you too.” (Muhyeon)
At that, Myeongjong shook his head.
“No, I cannot do that. I cannot stray far from my liege’s side. Nor do I want to.” (Myeongjong)
“You truly follow your liege from the heart.” (Muhyeon)
“Of course.” (Myeongjong)
“He is your benefactor, so it makes sense, but it seems there is something else too…….” (Muhyeon)
At that, Myeongjong put down his chopsticks and said,
“I wonder? In truth, even I do not know very well. But it is certain that there is something special about him. I do not know exactly what it is, though.” (Myeongjong)
“You dull fellow.” (Muhyeon)
Muhyeon chuckled, but Myeongjong could only smile bitterly.
“And…… I still cannot enter the main hall.” (Myeongjong)
“Ah…….” (Muhyeon)
Currently, Myeongjong was in the position of a lay disciple, not a true mountain disciple.
Lay disciples of the Mount Hua Sect could not enter the main hall unless there was a special reason.
“I’m sorry. I was too thoughtless.” (Muhyeon)
“It’s fine. It isn’t as though you did anything wrong.” (Myeongjong)
It was then.
Bang!
The door of the restaurant opened, and someone came in.
Seeing him, Myeongjong’s and Muhyeon’s faces contorted. He approached Myeongjong and spoke with a face full of sneers.
“What brings you here? I thought you had run away because you were ashamed after pretending to be noble and then falling to the ground.” (Cheongjin)
“Did you come to pick a fight? Cheongjin!” (Muhyeon)
He was a disciple of the same generation as Myeongjong and Muhyeon. But he was not close to them.
Cheongjin had envied and been jealous of Myeongjong.
Since they were disciples of the same generation, they had tried to get along well with him, but Cheongjin rejected their efforts.
And he had also rejoiced at Myeongjong’s downfall.
“Pick a fight? Is speaking the truth also picking a fight?” (Cheongjin)
“Stop and leave.” (Muhyeon)
“Who are you to order me around? Do you think you are in a position to say such things to me?” (Cheongjin)
He poked Myeongjong’s chest with his index finger as he spoke.
“I am a true mountain disciple, and you are a lay disciple.” (Cheongjin)
“…….” (Myeongjong)
“And one who has fallen so low as to become an escort warrior for a merchant, at that.” (Cheongjin)
Among martial artists, the position of escort warrior is not highly regarded.
Because there was a tendency to look down on it due to the perception that they sold their martial arts for money.
“It is a position perfectly suited to you.” (Cheongjin)
“Thank you for the compliment.” (Myeongjong)
At Myeongjong’s words, Cheongjin frowned.
“Have you gone mad?” (Cheongjin)
“You said being my liege’s escort warrior suits me perfectly, did you not? To me, that is the highest praise.” (Myeongjong)
“…….” (Cheongjin)
At those words from Myeongjong, Cheongjin said with an expression that showed he did not like it.
“So they said you were an escort warrior for a lowly merchant who would hand over his liver and gallbladder if money were involved, and you are exactly the same.” (Cheongjin)
Myeongjong raised his head and met Cheongjin’s eyes.
At that gaze, Cheongjin could not help flinching for an instant.
“It is fine for you to insult me. But do not insult my liege!” (Myeongjong)
“Wh-What! You bastard!” (Cheongjin)
Not wanting to admit that he had been overwhelmed by Myeongjong’s force, Cheongjin deliberately came on stronger.
“If you don’t like it, come at me! It’s not as though we were ever the kind of people who exchanged words so politely.” (Cheongjin)
“That is true.” (Myeongjong)
Myeongjong rose from his seat and said to Cheongjin,
“Wait a moment.” (Myeongjong)
“……?” (Cheongjin)
“Because I must receive my liege’s permission.” (Myeongjong)
· · ·
I was eating dinner when I tilted my head at the sight of Warrior Myeongjong returning to the inn.
There is no way he has finished dinner already.
“Liege.” (Myeongjong)
His expression does not look ordinary. Did something happen?
“What is the matter?” (Eun Seoho)
“A matter has arisen that requires me to have a martial arts competition. I wish to receive your permission for it.” (Myeongjong)
A martial arts competition?
Why is he suddenly asking for a martial arts competition?
“May I ask you to explain?” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, he nodded and began explaining.
From the time he had entered the Mount Hua Sect as a disciple, there had been someone who envied and was jealous of him, and that person had insulted me.
“If it is because of my honor, you need not overdo it.” (Eun Seoho)
“This is a martial arts competition for you, Liege, but it is also a martial arts competition for me.” (Myeongjong)
“There is another story behind it, then.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, he nodded.
“Yes. He is someone who harassed not only me, but others as well…… and they say he still does.” (Myeongjong)
“Why do the elders of the sect not intervene?” (Eun Seoho)
“Because he does not harass people so openly. He is subtle enough that it is difficult for the higher-ups to intervene.” (Myeongjong)
Then it cannot be helped.
“And his skill is also among the best of the disciples of our generation. Because of that, there are no disciples who can restrain him either.” (Myeongjong)
“…….” (Eun Seoho)
“Although I have grown somewhat distant from the sect, I am their senior brother. So I want to bring an end to this matter with him myself.” (Myeongjong)
After thinking for a moment, I nodded.
“Very well. But you must win.” (Eun Seoho)
“Thank you. And I shall obey your order.” (Myeongjong)
“Then let us go.” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes?” (Myeongjong)
“My escort warrior is having a martial arts competition. How could I, as his liege, stay holed up inside?” (Eun Seoho)
I took the others and left the inn.
A place for the martial arts competition had been prepared in the front yard of the inn where we were staying.
I looked at the man called Taoist Cheongjin.
They said he had prepared the martial arts arena here…… It seems he really wanted to humiliate Warrior Myeongjong.
Since this was a place many people passed through, not only we but also several interested people had gathered.
But…… is he a fool?
Why can he not think that the same thing could apply to him in reverse?
Well, if he is someone that arrogant, he might not be thinking of that at all.
I looked at Taoist Cheongjin, then looked at Warrior Myeongjong.
This is worrying.
Not Warrior Myeongjong, but Taoist Cheongjin.
Soon, the martial arts competition began.
Warrior Myeongjong raised his sword and assumed the starting stance.
I felt a wind blowing from somewhere. Mixed into that wind was the scent of plum blossoms.
This, it seems Warrior Myeongjong has made up his mind.
I looked at Taoist Cheongjin and chuckled.
You’re dead, you bastard.