Chapter 382
Translator: penny
Chapter: 391
Chapter Title: The Mad Dragon's Willing Escort
"Ah, no—how did that guy show up without even being called?!"
Namgung Jangcheon stared at Namgung Hyeok standing in front of the guest hall, utterly flustered.
The leadership was shocked and at a loss, floundering in confusion.
No, Namgung Hyeok wasn't supposed to appear here!
"What's wrong? Any problem?"
A problem?
Of course there was.
A massive one.
Namgung Jangcheon swallowed a groan and glanced sidelong at Gal Wi-hyeon of the Justice Envoys.
They might have hidden it to the end, but with the man himself strutting out like that, there was no escaping it now.
Gal Wi-hyeon's lips twisted subtly.
Namgung Hyeok stood there cockily, chewing on jerky with loud crunches.
"What's that?"
Geum Cheom-sang, who had been attending him, bit his lower lip hard.
"...He's from the Justice Envoys. Seems like he came from the Righteous Heavenly Alliance..."
"Justice Envoys? Something like that exists?"
"Th-the Alliance's inspection squad. Oh dear, that's why I said we should head back, right?"
"Did I commit a crime? I'm just here 'cause they're looking for me."
There are people you avoid even if you haven't committed a crime, young master!
Geum Cheom-sang rolled his eyes frantically in panic.
Watching Namgung Hyeok rattle on regardless of the suffocating tension in the guest hall, Geum Cheom-sang burned with anxiety.
'...Ah, I'm doomed. What are you going to do with the Justice Envoys now?'
Namgung Hyeok had been wandering the newly expanded areas of the Namgung family grounds when he heard the commotion and came over.
But of all people, it was the Justice Envoys causing the ruckus.
And of all bad luck, these Justice Envoys—said to be scarier than the grim reapers—had come looking for none other than Namgung Hyeok himself.
Over an investigation into a demonic sword.
They said no one ever walked out of the Justice Envoys' clutches on their own two feet, so how could even Namgung Hyeok stand there so boldly?!
"Y-young master. Pl-please, just be compliant..."
"I'm being compliant."
Not at all, you're not?
You're standing with your legs spread wide, tilted at a thirty-degree angle.
Namgung Hyeok eyed Gal Wi-hyeon from his slanted stance.
Gal Wi-hyeon's eyebrow twitched faintly.
'This punk?'
Not intimidated by the Justice Envoys at all.
Should he praise this?
Or call it foolish?
He could see why Mount Wudang's Priest Heo-won got all riled up at the mere mention of the Mad Dragon.
"Young Master Namgung Hyeok!"
"Yeah?"
"We have intelligence that you possess a demonic sword. To ascertain the truth, we will escort you to the Alliance. This will proceed by procedure, and refusal will result in enforceme—"
"Fine, I'll go. What's the big deal?"
"......"
......Huh?
Gal Wi-hyeon's impassive pupils slackened weakly.
The Justice Envoys, who had been glaring sharply at the Namgung leadership as they approached, staggered for a moment.
Go?
Just like that?
"You punk!"
Namgung Jangcheon shouted at Namgung Hyeok in a slightly agitated voice.
Namgung Hyeok shrugged.
"Why? They said they have business with me."
"......!"
"Not going?"
Namgung Hyeok looked at the people with mouths agape, then crooked a finger at Gal Wi-hyeon.
"What's the holdup? Let's go. You said to come, right?"
"Uh, uh... The Justice Envoys will escort Young Master Namgung Hyeok..."
"Ah, hurry up."
"......To the Alliance..."
"H-Hurry up already!"
Namgung Hyeok kept beckoning insistently, urging the Justice Envoys.
Gal Wi-hyeon was dumbfounded.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go!
They were supposed to resist fiercely, rebel, or spout endless excuses!
And we were supposed to drag him!
What was this?
"......Hurry and follow him!"
As Namgung Hyeok strode ahead, dragging(?) the Justice Envoys along, Namgung Jangcheon and the leadership gaped.
What the hell was in that guy's head...?
Namgung Jangcheon turned to the leadership.
"Prepare immediately and send word to Elder Namgung Sang at the Alliance."
Namgung Sang was a figure seated as an elder in the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
What contact was he planning to make?
Grand Elder Namgung Wi-gyeong asked in bewilderment.
"F-Family Head! What do you plan to do?!"
"Stop it! If we can block it, we block it; if we can smooth it over, we smooth it over!"
"The Justice Envoys represent the Alliance's authority! We should observe the situation first..."
"You think watching will resolve it? The Righteous Heavenly Alliance has the Nine Great Sects' influence firmly entrenched. If it would resolve itself, the Justice Envoys wouldn't have shown up!"
"Family Head! You must stay calm! There will be a way, so please hold steady..."
"A way?"
Though Namgung Wi-gyeong pleaded earnestly, Namgung Jangcheon's resolve was firm.
"Have the Nine Great Sects ever let a matter of lost face slide lightly?"
"......"
"The Justice Envoys, who turn even the innocent into cripples. Who knows what schemes the Nine Great Sects will pull in that dragon's den? I won't just hand over my second son like that."
Namgung Jangcheon spoke in a resolute, grave tone.
"Send urgent missives to the heads of the Five Great Families! Inform them of every detail of today's events and declare we'll discuss this matter!"
"Family Head."
"I'll get my son out of the Alliance somehow."
Namgung Jangcheon clenched his jaw and watched the Justice Envoys disappearing into the distance.
* * *
Namgung Hyeok trudged toward the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
The Justice Envoys' warriors flanked him left and right, staring at him in bewilderment.
No, it went beyond bewilderment to sheer absurdity.
Why was he so brazen?
Namgung Hyeok turned his head as he plodded along.
"Hey."
"......"
"Hey, hey. Mister, hey. Heyyy."
"......"
"Heyyy, you in red. You, the one who made eye contact. Big boss mister. Hey?"
The Justice Envoys flinched and looked to Gal Wi-hyeon.
Gal Wi-hyeon's face flushed red then pale in alternation.
'Just what is this punk...? Does he think this is a casual outing?'
Ever since leaving the Namgung family grounds, Namgung Hyeok had been chattering nonstop.
Not a single reply, yet he kept yapping without pause.
It was practically outright ignoring them, but he kept calling out like he'd yap until they responded.
It was maddening.
In all his time as a Justice Envoy—known as the underworld messengers of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance—this was the first guy treating them so casually(?).
And this wasn't some minor case!
A demonic sword, no less.
A massive incident that could make him a public enemy of the martial world or doom his entire clan.
Yet this guy was hailing the Justice Envoys like old pals.
In all his countless missions, this type was unprecedented.
Absolutely impossible.
How did this look like the face of someone being hauled off by the Justice Envoys?
No, in this situation, it seemed like the Justice Envoys were following him.
Surrounded by them, giggling away—how was that being dragged off?
He was practically arm-in-arm with them.
"You, skinny mister."
Should he kill him?
"No answer?"
"......Why."
"Heh heh. Thought you were a statue."
This was going to drag things out.
No, it already was.
Gal Wi-hyeon ground his teeth and glared at Namgung Hyeok.
Namgung Hyeok grinned innocently.
"Why?"
......Should he kill him?
Just kill him now and recover the demonic sword?
No.
Follow procedure.
Procedure...
"Hey."
"......Do you not grasp your situation? You're under suspicion of possessing a demonic sword and will be investigated by the Justice Envoys. Therefore, you..."
"Got any more jerky? I ate it all."
"......"
"If none, just say so. Why glare? Small-minded. Have a bigger heart."
At Namgung Hyeok's giggling words, a few Justice Envoys sucked in breaths.
I saw that, you lot.
Gal Wi-hyeon glared at the few stifling laughs, then said lowly.
"Let's see how long you keep laughing. You clearly don't know what the Justice Envoys are like yet..."
"But don't you have that?"
"What?"
"The prisoner cage or cart. You Justice Envoys have two jobs, right? Execute or transport. Transporting, so why no cart?"
Whoa...
What was this?
What kind of creature was he?
They'd at least prepared to give minimal courtesy as the second young master of the Namgung family, but what?
A cart?
"I'm the type who rides a carriage after just ten li, so my legs hurt. My legs. Give me a ride, please."
"......"
"Ride, please. Ah, I can't walk anymore?"
Namgung Hyeok started whining.
The Justice Envoys panicked.
No more hollow laughs now.
Was this guy actually insane?
Was the Mad Dragon moniker because he was truly mad?
What...
"What do we do?"
Gal Wi-hyeon ground his teeth.
"Get a cart!"
"Pardon?"
"We're transporting a criminal! So the criminal..."
"Not a criminal yet."
Gal Wi-hyeon clutched his head at Namgung Hyeok's sudden interruption.
Why did this feel harder than transporting a grand demon lord?
Namgung Hyeok's relentless machine-gun chatter was cracking his skull.
Gal Wi-hyeon scowled.
"Hurry and procure a cart!"
At his sharp command, the Justice Envoys scattered in all directions to fetch one.
Namgung Hyeok cackled at the Justice Envoys hopping about everywhere.
"Look at 'em, like red grasshoppers."
Gal Wi-hyeon ground his teeth furiously.
'Let's see how long you laugh!'
How long you laugh...
How long...
"......Ah, so how do you do torture these days? Back in my time, we'd skin demon bastards first. No, start with chopping finger joints? Still do that?"
......Whoa, whoa.
"Wow, Righteous Heavenly Alliance. Wow, talk about seas turning to mulberry fields. Right? Back then, man. What's the point of talking? Want me to tell you? Curious, huh?"
"Shut up already. Before I rip your mouth."
Gal Wi-hyeon sighed at the Mad Dragon rattling on nonstop even in the cart.
He just wanted to get back, please, please.
* * *
People blinked in surprise at the procession entering the road to the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
"Justice Envoys!"
"Hmm! Who's caught this time?"
"Huh? The Justice Envoys' faces look off. What demon lord has them like this?"
"First time in my life seeing the Justice Envoys so pallid. Worse than when they hunted down the Yin Demon of Shaanxi back then."
"Who the hell is it?"
People whispered at the Justice Envoys' ashen, deathly pale faces.
More disorganized than usual, utterly drained.
Their gazes naturally turned to the grand demon lord(?) in the cart.
"So when they raided the Black Dragon Sect, the warehouse had seriously creepy, seriously creepy treasures... Hey? You listening?"
"......Pl-please, spare me. St-stop..."
"Why? Huh? Blood? You hurt internally?"
Drip.
Gal Wi-hyeon wiped the blood trickling from his ear, dry-heaved, and recoiled.
Onlookers gaped at the sight.
What the...?
"......Isn't that the Namgung family's second young master?"
"Huh? Mad Dragon?"
"Namgung Hyeok, the Mad Dragon?"
"No way! Why's the Namgung second young master bound like a criminal...? That's binding, right?"
"The Justice Envoys are dodging him?"
This couldn't be.
People clamped their mouths shut.
What in the world?
"That... crazy bastard."
It slipped out unwittingly from Paeng Jung-hyeok, who was hunching in the crowd.
He'd tried hiding, but his bulk was unmistakable.
Beside him, Dang Myeong-jin stuck out his tongue.
"......The world's Justice Envoys are throwing a fit. Is that really the one being taken?"
"Looks like he's enjoying it? See, he's acting up more for the crowd."
Everyone so serious, but him in his own world.
No idea what was in that head.
A demonic sword.
Demonic sword.
Paeng Jung-hyeok furrowed his brow.
'What the hell is he planning? Any countermeasures? No, did he even have time to make some?'
He'd rushed after hearing Namgung Hyeok was being taken by the Justice Envoys, but no clue what to do next.
Gloomy.
Even the great Namgung Hyeok wouldn't emerge unscathed if the Alliance was dead set...
Clatter clatter!
"Ah, come on! Y-you maniacs! St-stay still! Wh-why are these crazy skinny bastards so brutally strong?!"
From behind, Hwangbo Chung grunted, wrestling the thrashing Namgung Ryong.
It'd been like this since Namgung Hyeok got "taken" by the Justice Envoys—no sign of tiring.
Strength in martial arts alone wasn't...
"My brother! No!"
"Stay still! No my ass! Commit a crime, face the punishment!"
"I'll protect him! Me!"
"Waaah!"
Hwangbo Chung and So Geol-gae flailed along in Namgung Ryong's mad dance.
Paeng Jung-hyeok sighed deeply.
"Let's head into the Alliance first. Damn it, it's not just the Nine Great Sects' elders there!"
"My brother!"
"We'll figure something out! And the Mad Dragon isn't called that for nothing. Nothing's decided yet. Calm down, Brother Namgung!"
"Mmm!"
Paeng Jung-hyeok finally soothed Namgung Ryong.
And so, the Mad Dragon's crew followed the Justice Envoys toward the Alliance.