Chapter 280
Chapter 280
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 280
Chapter Title: The Jang Clan's Eldest Son (1)
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Sending Eon Yong-i back first, we too hurried southward.
Upon arriving at the Righteous Martial Academy, there were people there to greet us.
Just... not many of them.
Woo So-rung tilted her head and said,
"Fewer people came to greet us today? The Chancellor doesn't seem to be here either. And from the Blue Bamboo Hall students, I only see Brother Eun."
Cheon Jang-ho and Yin Xia Lian then spoke up.
"Not sure about the Chancellor, but the Blue Bamboo Hall students make it first-come, first-served every time Brother Yong-un returns. They probably just said 'screw it' and didn't show."
"The Blue Bamboo Hall knows Young Master Eon's personality best among the dorms. They know better than anyone that if they did that, he'd make them run laps around the front gate or Mount Wudang instead. No way that's it."
As we reached the front gate, the Administrative Director, who had been waiting, explained what we were wondering about.
"Professor Chang-ryang. Student Council President. Student representatives. You've all worked hard. The Chancellor went to Mount Wudang to request cooperation for next year's entrance exam, and it seems the talks are running long."
Ha Seong explained about the students.
"You returned sooner than expected, so the other students besides those of us who submitted group assignments still have one or two exam subjects left. Senior Seol-ji told everyone to focus on studying, so I was the only one who came today."
Professor Chang-ryang then spoke.
"I see. With the Chancellor away and everyone likely exhausted... let's skip the full report."
Those words surprised me.
The professor who breaks out in hives if principles, rules, or procedures aren't followed was skipping the report?
"......"
As I gaped in surprise, the professor furrowed his brow and spoke.
"What's with that look?"
"Ah, sorry. It was just unfamiliar seeing you suggest skipping the report."
"...Do you think I'm someone without that much flexibility?"
"...I didn't think you had any?"
I answered while pointing at Namgung Yun.
"Look. Student Namgung Yun is nodding vigorously too."
At my words, Namgung Yun hurriedly straightened his neck after unwittingly nodding.
Whether he did or not, I continued.
"No, you do have flexibility. At the Mo Yong estate, for our sake..."
Professor Chang-ryang then cleared his throat loudly.
"...Ahem! Why bring that up out of nowhere?! The outcome was good, but for a Righteous Murim warrior, it's something to avoid—do you plan to spread it all over town?!"
At the professor's words, Master chimed in.
—It seems closer to him spreading it all over town himself...
'True.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I returned to the dorm and unpacked.
After bathing in hot water and catching my breath, a message soon arrived in the dorm.
Swoosh—
It was Head Matron Gyeong-hye's relayed words: come anytime since she was in.
I straightened my clothes and headed straight to the Chancellor's office.
"Oh dear. I didn't mean to interrupt your rest..."
"Not at all. Thanks to the heart method I learned, I'm free of travel fatigue."
"Ah, I see. Then shall we chat a bit? I heard the gist from Professor Chang-ryang. The Five Great Families of the Pearl Eon Family have returned—congratulations."
"Thank you."
"But you turned down the young family head position again? Saying it's hard with your duties at the academy."
"Ah... Did the professor mention that too?"
"Having been expelled from your family once, the weight of that position must be immense, yet you prioritized the academy's student council president role and declined. Student Eon Yong-un, you are a true gentleman."
There seemed to be a slight misunderstanding, but no real need to correct it.
"Anyway. Winter break is coming up soon. Have you decided how you'll spend it?"
Thankfully, the Chancellor changed the subject first, easing the awkward atmosphere.
"I think I need to visit Sichuan once."
"Hmm. Sichuan. Winter break seems long but passes quickly. You know we have to accept new students afterward, right? We usually rely on the autonomous council presidents, but now the student council president needs to handle it."
"Yes. If I go, I'll take care of what needs doing and schedule with some buffer."
"The exam questions are handled by our operations committee... Student Eon Yong-un just needs to select the student assistants for now."
"Understood."
"Good. Sorry to call you while resting. Go ahead."
"It's fine. Then I'll be going... Ah, Chancellor."
"Yes?"
"Has Student Mo Yong-gil returned?"
"Yes. He returned two days ago and reported to Binni."
"Thank you."
Leaving the Chancellor's office, I stopped by Fragrant Orchid Hall and called out Mo Yong-gil.
"...Why me?"
"Why? We decided you'd be my sworn little brother from now on."
I headed to the student council room with him.
Various voices came from inside.
"And so the Mo Yong family served cold rice like it was a feast! Right then, Brother Yong-un... Hm."
"...Brother Jang-ho? Why stop there?"
"My throat's dry. Isn't there some cool liquor prepared as story fare?"
"Jang-ho, why would there be alcohol in the student council room? And if your brother finds out, you'll get scolded?"
"Ah, Brother Yong-un said to rest today!"
Cheon Jang-ho seemed to be recounting the excursion.
I flung open the door.
"I said rest, not that you could drink."
Seeing me enter, Cheon Jang-ho jumped in fright and fell on his butt.
Amusement spread briefly at his sight.
Eon Yong-myeong looked at me with a resentful expression.
"...Big brother!"
He must have heard that the Pearl Eon Family's Five Great Families had returned.
I patted Yong-myeong's shoulder, then said to Ye Hae-su,
"Senior. Is that notebook for the newsletter?"
"That's right?"
"That guy Jang-ho mixes exaggeration into stories like breathing, and thinking of it combined with your talent... makes me dizzy."
"Pardon?"
"Never mind. I'll summarize the Mo Yong family visit in a letter, so use that."
"Ah, got it."
Finishing, I asked Yin Xia Lian,
"Didn't I say to rest today?"
"Resting today just doubles tomorrow's work. So, what do we need to do?"
At our exchange, Master clicked his tongue.
—Ha-yeon there always says she wants to run from work in words, but in truth can't let go of tasks. Birds of a feather...
'?'
—?
Pretending not to hear Master, I said to Yin Xia Lian and Jeon Gal Seol-ji,
"Break is coming soon. And after break, we accept new students."
Just that, and the two immediately grasped the tasks.
"Then we need to select entrance exam assistants? Ah, during the exam period, examinees—not current students—use the dorms, so we need to handle that too."
"While Yong-un and Ha-yeon are away, I already posted a notice for volunteers. When the applicant list from administration comes, we select based on grades and reputation."
Thus beginning, Yin Xia Lian and Jeon Gal Seol-ji dove deep into discussing details.
With those two so capable, no need to worry.
Leaving them, I asked the others,
"But where's Dang Ok-gi?"
Woo So-rung and Jeong Hyeon spoke in turn.
"Sister Dang is in the lab."
"Some provisional samples from the Thousand Poison Pill research showed good reactions, so she's holed up there lately. Jeon Gal said to leave her be, as interrupting wouldn't be good."
No urgent need to catch up.
'She'll grumble about why I didn't tell her... but research comes first.'
Going to Sichuan during break needed to wait for contact from the Alliance Leader anyway.
"Good job."
Nodding, Paeng So-cheon, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke.
"But why's that Mo Yong-gil here?"
Ah, right, I brought Yong-gil along.
I wrapped an arm around Mo Yong-gil, who stood like a rice straw, and spoke.
"I accepted him as a sworn little brother."
"Why?"
Paeng So-cheon narrowed his eyes at my words.
"Mm. For the eternal prosperity of the Righteous Murim?"
"Profound."
"Jang-ho hasn't finished spilling about the excursion yet. Uncle and Sister So-jin know too."
"They do?"
Paeng So-cheon nodded without further complaint.
From the start, holding grudges between families as students wouldn't suit his temperament.
I formally introduced Mo Yong-gil to the other sworn brothers.
"Let's welcome Yong-gil, who joins the family today, with applause."
Clap clap clap clap clap—
A round of applause followed.
Mo Yong-gil parted his lips with a complicated expression.
"...Mo. Yong-gil."
Eun Ha-seong said to him,
"Brother Gil. Not sure if you know, but we rank by joining order. So think of your spot below even Yong-i."
Gulp!
"......?"
"Anyway, now include Mo Yong-gil in the student council manpower."
As Mo Yong-gil's introduction ended and the sworn brothers peppered him with questions,
Bok-cheol of the Three Beggars entered the student council room and handed something to Jeon Gal Seol-ji.
Jeon Gal Seol-ji pointed at me and said,
"Not me, give it to Yong-un."
"Yes."
"Yong-un. You asked to check if Yong-i's application was received. Administration said mostly late applicants from Hubei. Here's the list. To check for Demonic Cult infiltrators?"
"That's one reason."
Nodding at Jeon Gal Seol-ji's words, I took the documents from Bok-cheol and said,
"Alright, let's start our assigned tasks."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ There weren't many applications received yet.
Just basics: name, sect origin, notable achievements or aliases earned.
Reviewing them didn't take long.
Fortunately, the one I sought was there.
'Jang Seon of South Zhanghyeon in Yangyang. No alias or reputation.'
Xiangfan Mad Dog Jang Seon.
He enters the Righteous Martial Academy when the original protagonist's generation reaches third year.
'Pure talent-wise in the original, a genius hard to gauge. Never even showed full potential unlocked.'
But life was harsh.
Unlike Namgung Yun or Yin Xia Lian with solid families, Jang Seon was born with nothing.
Lost both parents to plague young.
Like Jeong Hyeon's early years, but he at least met Lady Tae-yeong and was taken to Mount Wudang.
'...He was dumped with trash relatives.'
Treated as a jinx, wasting his talent doing chores.
The relatives who saw him as less than human naturally ignored his plea to take the academy exam.
He couldn't even read.
Instead, stuck doing relatives' dirty work, got tangled with underworld scum.
Thus, meeting a proper master and learning swordsmanship came late.
By entry time, Demonic Cult was rampant, so he always fought filling skill gaps with grit.
'...Always desperate.'
Wanted to find him sooner if possible, but no way.
'Tried inferring via future alias "Xiangfan Mad Dog," but hard.'
Xiangfan covers vast Yangyang and Fancheng; Jang a common surname like John Doe.
'Name even means "Jang Clan's eldest."'
Needle in haystack.
Sole clue: with acquaintance's help, submitted academy application.
Thankfully, amid twisted events, that happened as is.
'Not Fancheng but Yangyang, South Zhanghyeon. Narrowed enough—definitely findable.'
Nothing to prepare.
I, treated as near-apprentice Beggar Clan member.
Details from local branch.
Grabbing a bamboo hat, I headed to Yangyang.
"Here it is."
"Thanks."
Arriving in Yangyang, reaching the Beggar Clan branch and getting specifics on Jang Seon went smoothly.
'Hm. Uncle who gambles—the place is here?'
The uncle, biggest obstacle to Jang Seon's exam.
Spotting an inn called City Inner Fortress to deal with him,
BAM!!
KABOOM!!!
I discovered Jang Seon himself, hurling two gamblers.
"You swindlers!"