Chapter 33
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Nangyo's Fury
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The boiled octopus—no, Nangyo—exploded in rage.
"Y-You mad bastard?!"
"What's wrong? I was just asking out of genuine curiosity."
Barbarian for barbarian.
Trash talk for trash talk.
As the saying goes, those who thrive on words perish by words, but Yi Ho-chang made it a virtue to give back as good as he got.
Man, this guy's got some serious mileage.
Just one little question and he's screaming like that.
At Yi Ho-chang's words, Yu Kyung barely held back her laughter, while Abbot Hyeon-yong and Hwanjo busied themselves trying to calm Nangyo down.
"Who the hell is this punk?! Where'd you drag in a rude little shit like this?!"
"Senior Brother, calm down. This kid came to help you this time."
"Help? What the hell kind of help?!"
"With the task you're working on. That's why he came."
At that moment, Nangyo shook off Abbot Hyeon-yong's hand gripping his arm and snapped.
"Junior Brother, have you finally lost your mind in your old age? What are you thinking, spilling that to an outsider?!"
"Senior Brother, it's not like that. Let me explain how this happened..."
"Forget it, I don't wanna hear it. I don't know how this punk sweet-talked you, but he ain't pulling that shit on me. Help from a squirt smaller than a Go stone? Yeah, right."
"Senior Brother!"
"I said drop it!"
Nangyo was Nangyo, through and through.
He wouldn't even hear Abbot Hyeon-yong out, just shaking his head like a stubborn mule.
That's when Yi Ho-chang, who had been quietly watching, spoke up.
"They say an empty cart rattles the loudest, and damn if it isn't true."
"What?"
"Low-skill players always yell the loudest to hide their game."
"Ha!"
Nangyo's face twisted ferociously at Yi Ho-chang's words.
He shoved Hwanjo aside with brute force—the man who was trying to hold him back—then glared down at Yi Ho-chang.
"Kid, I don't know what nonsense they taught you at home, but if you don't wanna reach nirvana right here, you'd best scram now."
"And you, old timer—did they teach you to judge without even looking?"
"What?"
"See for yourself and judge. Or what, too scared to even chat over a game?"
"You? With me?"
"Lacking confidence?"
"Say that again?"
"I asked if you're lacking confidence."
If he backs down, he croaks.
Yi Ho-chang didn't bat an eye, provocatively calm, and it was more than enough to rile up the boiled octopus.
He had full confidence, of course—not just in his skill, but that types like this would charge in if you scratched them just right.
And sure enough, Nangyo started grinning like a demon.
"Kekeke, fine. Let's see that fancy skill of yours. But how about a little bet?"
"Betting Go? Sounds good to me."
"Good. If I win, you shave your head bald and spend five years as my errand boy in silent meditation. Deal? Then I'll graciously accept your provocation."
Nangyo grinned like the devil himself.
But he was dead serious.
Abbot Hyeon-yong jumped in a panic at Nangyo's terms.
"N-No, Senior Brother! They're guests—how could you..."
But Yi Ho-chang answered instead.
"And if I win?"
"Won't happen. I'm winning for sure."
"What if I do? You gonna make me play Go without enlightenment?"
"Oh?"
Nangyo retreated to the back, rummaging through a cabinet against the wall.
He soon pulled out a wooden box a bit smaller than his palm and shoved it forward.
"If you win, this is yours."
"What's this?"
"Open it and see."
"Hm."
What could it be?
Didn't look like much.
Yi Ho-chang opened it to reveal a small golden bead inside.
He held it up and asked.
"What's this? Gold?"
At that instant, everyone except Nangyo and Yi Ho-chang gasped in shock.
Abbot Hyeon-yong was especially stunned, stammering.
"S-Senior Brother! Have you lost your mind...? N-No! You can't just pull out the Resurrection Pill like that!"
"Resurrection Pill?"
Resurrection Pill?
What was that?
It rang a bell...
As Yi Ho-chang tilted his head, a trembling Wi Soso explained.
"Y-Young hero, this is one of Shaolin's two great sacred medicines, the Resurrection Pill. Even top martial artists flip out if offered one."
"...This?"
Come to think of it, he'd seen it in some old wuxia novel.
A special elixir passed down only in Shaolin.
But this foul-mouthed geezer had one?
'Kinda suspicious.'
Abbot Hyeon-yong might have one, but this brute? Hard to buy it.
Yi Ho-chang narrowed his eyes.
"This the real deal?"
"Tch tch, as shallow as you look. Got it straight from the Abbot myself back in my youth."
"Really?"
"I said yes!"
"Hm..."
"Argh, you little brat! I swear on Buddha! Happy now?!"
Well, if a monk's invoking Buddha...
He could afford to get duped once.
Even without that, Abbot Hyeon-yong stamping his feet nearby was proof enough.
Anyway, the cost-benefit looked solid.
Achieve his goal and score a Resurrection Pill on the side.
Yi Ho-chang grinned.
"Deal. Let's play."
"Fine. Sit."
As the board was set, Nangyo hauled over the Go board and placed it before Yi Ho-chang.
It hit with a solid thud—turns out, it wasn't wood, but carved stone.
'Handstands and stone boards... This guy skips actual Go for corner workouts?'
Yi Ho-chang clicked his tongue inwardly.
"You take Black, elder."
"Hah. Look at this punk. Pride or stupidity?"
Saying so, Nangyo still pulled the black stones toward himself.
"Kekeke, you'll regret it. You'll wail when you're bald, scrubbing my chamber pot and lamenting your fate."
"Done talking? Place your stone."
"Place a stone?"
"Don't know handicap Go? Lay... five stones or so?"
That instant.
BAM!!
The furious Nangyo slammed the board.
"You cocky whelp—got too much hot air? Spoiling you made you climb higher?"
"If you don't like it, just say no. Why the rage?"
Truth be told, he had reason to blow up.
Black doesn't always mean weaker.
But handicap Go, five stones?
'That's some next-level dissing.'
Yi Ho-chang knew and provoked anyway.
You counter dirty talk with dirty talk.
The air between them sharpened, and watching Abbot Hyeon-yong was desperate enough to borrow even a cat's paw, pleading with Wi Soso.
"Wi... Wi Escort Leader... Please, stop the young master."
But surprisingly, Wi Soso was nonchalant.
"It's fine."
"P-Pardon? What do you... N-No, then the Dragon Pearl Gang Leader..."
"It'll be okay. He's sharp—no way he's charging blindly. Just watch."
"Aigoo... Namu Amida Bul."
About to explode any second, and she says it's fine.
Abbot Hyeon-yong recited sutras in resignation.
Buddha was his only hope now.
Around then, Yi Ho-chang said.
"Mutual first move it is."
Time passed, and Yi Ho-chang placed a stone on the resignation point.
Clack.
Normally a resignation, but not this time.
Yi Ho-chang looked at the head-hanging Nangyo.
"How about another game?"
"......"
The match ended.
No handicap, but Yi Ho-chang yielded first move anyway, and the result was an overwhelming gap.
Nangyo couldn't lift his head, and even Wi Soso, knowing his skill, couldn't stop marveling.
'Unbelievable prowess...'
Even the game they'd played felt like child's play now, scaled to her level.
Abbot Hyeon-yong, watching beside her, was equally stunned.
Then Yi Ho-chang spoke to the silent Nangyo.
"As advice from a superior player: holing up alone doesn't improve your Go."
Nangyo's temple vein throbbed.
He wanted to retort but couldn't even think it.
Yi Ho-chang's skill was that dominant.
Perhaps because of it?
The vast gap didn't breed denial but endless curiosity.
Nangyo turned to Abbot Hyeon-yong.
"Nangjin."
"Yes, Senior Brother."
"...What the hell is this kid?"
"...A bodhisattva sent by Buddha to revive Shaolin, no?"
Nangyo snorted.
"Yeah. That tracks."
After long with head bowed, Nangyo met Yi Ho-chang's eyes squarely.
"Brat, who taught you Go? How'd you come up with that first move?"
His address shifted: punk to guy to brat.
A huge leap—his tone softened too, clear sign of full respect.
Yi Ho-chang pocketed the wooden box with the Resurrection Pill.
"I just know at a glance."
"Wh-What...? Ha, haha! Hahahaha!"
Nangyo laughed like a madman at the answer.
Definitely nuts.
Mad Monk fit as a nickname.
Finally stopping, he said.
"Haven't laughed that hard in ages. What a riot you are. Yeah, with your help, we'll make real progress."
Nangyo unlocked a box on the back cabinet.
He pulled out a half Go board.
'That!'
The half Ten Go Precepts Abbot Hyeon-yong mentioned.
Real deal.
Proof: two characters carved on the side.
Yi Ho-chang squinted, reading.
"Isolated Force... Isolated Force, Seek Harmony (勢孤取和)?"
Isolated Force, Seek Harmony.
Make peace first if isolated in enemy territory.
Better to live slyly than die fighting.
Nangyo nodded.
"You know it. The other side probably says 'Harmony' or whatever."
With that, he added a worn book.
"Heard the basics from Nangjin before coming?"
"Yes, old master."
"Makes it easy then. This is the clue to finding the other half."
Yi Ho-chang took and opened the book.
Full of problems. He quickly grasped what they were.
'Vital point solutions, all of them.'
Vital points: the single best move for max gain.
Know it or not, and the game's outcome is obvious.
The knower wins 100/100 times— that crucial.
'Gotta solve all these.'
Yi Ho-chang asked.
"Old master, how far did you get on these?"
"......"
"...Old master?"
"Ahem. Well..."
Nangyo coughed, dodging.
No way...
"You haven't solved a single one?"
"Ahem!"
Nangyo's face flushed red again.