Chapter 350
Chapter 350
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 350
Chapter Title: Exchange Students (1)
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The city of Guiyang was in an uproar overnight.
"Hmph. What in the world happened?"
"Didn't you hear the clash of swords? The martial artists must've had a go at each other."
"What kind of brawl leaves the whole place painted in blood like this?"
"Where are the guards and constables? Why aren't they showing their faces in this mess?"
"That's exactly why they're not showing up. You think they want swords sticking into them? They're using the excuse that officials can't be touched to stay away. I heard this place was a den for the Demonic Cult bastards."
"D-Demonic Cult? Let's just watch from here and get out. A blind blade might come flying."
However, the saying that the living must go on living isn't for nothing.
Amid the chaos, merchants opened their shops, and inns and restaurants started billowing smoke from boiling pots.
I headed to the one where smoke rose first.
"Innkeeper. Breakfast ready?"
The owner, busy at the stove, spoke without looking over.
"How many?"
"Let's see. Quite a few. Hmm, two... eight of us..."
As I started counting the group, the innkeeper glanced our way and flinched.
"?!"
Even though we'd wiped off as much as we could, he was startled by our blood-soaked appearance.
Of course, he didn't stay frozen for long.
Soon, he recognized the two behind me and spoke up.
"...Isn't that Deputy Chu Yeop? And those next to you look like Beggar's Sect elders?"
Then he seemed to recognize me too, clapping his hands and speaking again.
"And that tall young master up front—Mystic Dragon Eon Yong-un the Great Hero!? No wonder your face looked familiar! I've seen it so many times in portraits!"
But the innkeeper's endless admiration without getting to business must've frustrated someone.
The Beggar's Sect's Woo-sik branch leader spoke up firmly.
"So, does this dump serve breakfast or not? You're staring at us instead of answering. My stomach's practically glued to my back!"
Hao Mun's Deputy Chu Yeop shot Woo-sik a glare.
"Where does a beggar yap off in a sacred eatery?"
"We're customers today! Didn't you hear Mystic Dragon's buying?"
As the two growled at each other.
The innkeeper pointed to the tables.
"Y-Yes! Come in and sit!"
With that, we moved inside. I scanned the menu on the wall and ordered.
"I'll have thin noodles."
"......"
"......"
For some reason, silence fell over the room.
Then the group started ordering the same as me.
"...Thin noodles for me too."
"Thin noodles."
"Me too..."
"...Innkeeper, just make it all thin noodles."
Thin noodles just meant boiling noodles in broth, so the food came out quickly.
And eating it was even faster.
Slurp-
I polished off a bowl in no time, placed plenty of silver on the table,
and bid farewell to Chu Yeop.
"We must head out from Guiyang now."
"Already? Well, considering the status of the one you captured... better go quickly."
"Yeah. Us leaving soon is good for Guiyang too."
"Hrm. Yes. Thank you for your consideration."
"I'll leave the cleanup to you. Spread some vague rumors too—like the Demonic Cult's internal strife that broke out elsewhere happened here. Oh, and we need disguises. Help with that too."
"Understood."
"Good. As promised, I'll handle those Demonic Cult shops once I see the Alliance Leader or Grand Marshal."
"Thank you."
After parting with Chu Yeop, I turned to the Beggar's Sect elders.
"Woo-sik branch leader, and all you elders under him—good work. How should I repay your help?"
"Our sect leader always says beggars must be righteous."
"Not an official disciple, but I've heard that."
"Yes. We beggars don't have much, and we don't seek scraps like that. We're qualitatively different from that pretty-faced Chu Yeop."
"...Living off our charity while only your mouth thrives."
There seemed no deep grudge between the bickering pair.
'Just rivalry between peers in the same line of work.'
Thinking ahead, I spoke up.
"Deputy Chu Yeop, Woo-sik branch leader. After last night's events, aren't we comrades-in-arms? For now, the Beggar's Sect and Hao Mun cooperating would help Guiyang's peace."
Chu Yeop silently cupped his fists.
Woo-sik recited some half-remembered poem.
"Don't worry about that. Take care, Mystic Dragon. 'What goes around comes around.' We'll meet again."
At that, Cheon Jang-ho let out a snort.
Woo-sik furrowed his brow.
"Why's this punk splitting hairs so annoyingly?"
"It's 'comes around goes around,' probably."
"...Went to the academy a bit and now you're showing off."
"...When did I show off? I corrected you because it was wrong. And what's wrong with hierarchy?"
"Last night you were in a hurry calling him 'that punk' and 'this punk'! He's still older than you!"
"But that was..."
I grabbed Cheon Jang-ho's ear as he tried to retort and bid Woo-sik farewell.
"I'll educate Jang-ho properly."
"Please do. Give my regards to Elder No-sam too."
"I will."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ My Eon siblings and I disguised ourselves with Chu Yeop's help.
Transformed into Taoists transporting a corpse from afar, we placed Song Gil-joon in the coffin and left Guiyang.
Along the way, Cheon Jang-ho kept grumbling.
"Seriously. Never thought of you that way, Yong-un hyung..."
Master chimed in.
- Why's Jang-ho muttering like that since earlier?
I spoke up.
"What're you mumbling? Because of your ear? That's 'cause you kept dragging things out. Woo-sik branch leader's your senior too."
"No, pull my ear like a donkey or twist it like a rabbit, I don't care. But after shitting blood all night for just a bowl of thin noodles? The more I think, the more wronged I feel!"
"...?"
"You said you'd buy food, then buy thin noodles? Who does that? Is that all the great Eon Yong-un's generosity amounts to?"
At Cheon Jang-ho's rant,
Dang Ok-gi shook her head.
"Right. As soon as we entered, 'I'll have thin noodles.' He said he'd buy. What a personality..."
Eun Ha-yeon voiced agreement, Woo So-reung nodded,
"When the buyer's first order is thin noodles, it's hard to order anything else. A bit like that, yeah?"
"Exactly."
Meanwhile, Jeong Hyeon and Namgung Yun defended me.
"...Ahem. There were quite a few people."
"From dinner to dawn, we saw blood. Even if meat came, we wouldn't have wanted it. Think that way."
I gritted my teeth and spoke.
"...Jeong Hyeon. Namgung Yun. You think that's defending me? You're saying I'm cheap anyway? More infuriating than those three."
"O-Origin Heaven Sovereign."
"......"
At my words, Master and Eun Ha-yeon spoke in unison.
- Cheapskate confirmed.
"...True. Cheapskate."
I knocked on the coffin holding Song Gil-joon.
Thump thump thump.
"Forgot who's in here?"
We captured Song Gil-joon.
Found ledgers proving Prince Yeonwang colluded with the Demonic Cult.
Wiped out all the Demonic Cultists stationed in Guiyang.
"If word gets to the Demonic Cult that Guiyang base is raided, they'll hear this guy's with us."
But it wasn't a leisurely situation.
"They might send revenge blades our way, or guys to retrieve him. We need to put as much distance as possible, every moment counts. Right, Eun Sojeo?"
"...Yeah, that's true."
"Had to ask Chu Yeop for cleanup, so I picked something quick. Paid generously too, but they didn't order and blame me."
"Your beggar instincts—if we'd ordered something else, you'd complain..."
Smack!
"Ow! Aaa! On second thought, thin noodles were plenty! So full!! Aaa!"
Cheon Jang-ho's fuss ended there.
We hurried on.
Heading east along the coffin road for a good while.
In the Sangang region where Guizhou, Guangxi, and Hunan meet, an extraordinary aura approached rapidly.
- Someone's coming.
'...Yeah?'
My sensitive siblings instinctively reached for their waists,
but I signaled them to stay calm and drove the cart silently.
Moments later, the owners of the intense auras passed us by.
Whoosh-
Their faces looked familiar, so I stopped the cart.
"...Alliance Leader?"
They halted too and lifted their bamboo hat.
"Yong-un?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I stepped down, cupped fists to the Alliance Leader.
"Heading to Guiyang?"
"Precisely, looking for you. Heard trouble at Prince Chao's mansion, rushed from Anhui to Guangxi, now here nonstop."
"You've worked hard... But how'd you know our route?"
"Grand Marshal marked the likely path you'd take. Perfect fit. If we'd missed, I'd have gone to Guiyang's Beggar's Sect branch."
"As expected of Grand Marshal. 'Sees a thousand li seated' suits him."
After some exchange,
the Alliance Leader clutched his forehead.
"Anyway, you sure have a knack for stirring things up."
"...Roughly know, but Prince Chao's matter isn't on me."
"True. Strictly, you cleaned it up. So, did you find who you sought?"
At his question, I nodded and pulled out the ledger from the armory.
He sighed in relief upon checking it.
"Phew. Worth the risk. No one hurt either. Lucky all around."
"...Actually, another reward from the risk."
"?"
With that opener, I went to the cart and opened the coffin lid.
The Alliance Leader approached, tilting his head, then narrowed his eyes at Song Gil-joon inside.
"...Who?"
It wasn't incomprehensible.
Portraits of this era weren't precise.
Big difference between portrait and reality.
Plus, during transport, my siblings often dropped the stretcher by mistake, leaving him swollen.
I helped his understanding.
"Langzhong Demon Army of Prince Ma-no's successor, Song Gil-joon."
"???"
Needed a brief explanation after.
Why Song Gil-joon was here like this, what night we spent for it.
"...That's how it happened."
"...Good work."
After hearing it all, the Alliance Leader patted my shoulder with blazing eyes.
"Truly good work. With you all, I fear not the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's armies in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains."
"No need."
"But escorting this guy—better if Alliance and I take over now. You disguised knowing retrieval attempts might come?"
"Y-Yes."
"Too risky for you to take him to Luoyang now. Already guys targeting you? You and other cadets head back to academy this way."
His proposal made sense.
"Yes. Will do."
But some concerns, so I nodded and asked.
"Was on Prince Chao's orders—okay to skip report? Left Ye Hae-su senior and Response at the mansion."
"I'll take over all your missions. I'll report. Pick those two up at Xing'an and send to academy. Planned to stop at Prince Chao's anyway."
"I see."
"No need for you to tangle more in Prince Yeon and Chao feud. He'll understand. Praise you even."
We handed Song Gil-joon to the Alliance Leader.
Reset destination north, headed that way.
Crossed mountains, Dongting Lake, arrived at Dankanggu in Hubei.
"Hyung. Chancellor's out front."
"......"
As Righteous Martial Academy's main gate came into view, Chancellor was pacing before it.
We hurried over.
'...Gonna get scolded.'
As I braced for a scolding,
she spoke with a beaming face.
"Everyone, good work. Your actions and sense of justice this summer break have firmly engraved Righteous Martial Academy's banner across the world."
"......"
As my prepared excuses dried up, she asked me.
"Why the face, President Eon?"
"...Thought you'd chew me out."
"Does Binni scold carelessly?"
"No."
"Not scolding anyway. It's from care and worry. Actually less worried this time. Student council execs are full-fledged jianghu folk, and President Eon's even at Flower Realm."
"Then my guilt eases some."
"Speaking of—nothing more to report to Binni?"
"...Suddenly?"
"Matter involves royalty, info restricted. Demonic Cult infighting too—old habit, just checking."
Actually managing Vital Blood Pills via Dokgo Cheol,
but I played dumb calmly.
"No. Nothing."
"Good. Rest up, you're tired. Oh. Shaolin cadets are back."
After greeting Chancellor Kyung Hye, we went to student council room.
"Oh. Yong-un's back."
Socheon hyung greeted us doing one-finger pushups,
"Hyungnim!"
"Yong-un-nim! Ha-yeon-nim! Ok-gi!"
"Amitabha."
Zhuge Seol-ji, Eon Yong-myeong,
and Dokgo Cheol who'd stayed welcomed us.
"Good work."
"You too, Cheol."
Among them, a familiar monk.
"...But why's Monk Won-cheol here?"
"Heard academy accepts exchange students, applied. Approved."
"Ah, that for later-gen disciples from other academies or unorthodox?"
"Yes!"
"Why come here to learn when you're Shaolin's successor disciple?"
"Amitabha. What a seeker must accumulate isn't just martial arts."
"Hm. Alright. Get along well."
After chatting with Won-cheol, I clapped to refocus.
"Busy. Shaolin group—to sparring grounds, show your skills."
Then scanned Eon siblings.
"Eun Sojeo—take others, sort exchange student apps and semester schedule."
"......"
"And registered course plans, organize clearly."
"......"
"Ah, Dang Ok-gi—to lab."
"Ack!!!"