Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Lost Item (5)
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Kwang!
Another table had been smashed.
But Jang Cheol-sim still couldn't suppress his rage.
"What... what did you say?"
"Seven injuries in Silver Hall as well. Two of them are critically wounded."
"Wh-who started this mess?"
"Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi."
That guy again.
"Urk."
A pathetic groan escaped him involuntarily. Jang Cheol-sim ground his teeth and swallowed his frustration.
'I should have expelled him instead of just confining him.'
How could he keep a thunderbolt troublemaker like that around?
The problem was that he'd been completely taken in by his show of chivalry.
Even a wild roadside pebble can look pretty sometimes, right?
It was a momentary illusion that had fooled him.
"...What is Bronze Hall Master Chung-hyun doing?"
"He's currently under review for next year's new Silver Hall personnel assignments."
"Cancel it. No, tell him to prepare for disciplinary action."
"Pardon? Ah, under... understood."
It was an illusion, but Bronze Hall Master Chung-hyun had contributed to this disaster too.
- He's unpredictable, but occasionally useful.
For a guy who had to take disguise pills every day, to say he was useful sometimes?
'Disciplinary action on top of disciplinary action.'
With eyes bulging, Jang Cheol-sim returned to the main topic.
"Chu Un-hwi. Where is this punk right now?"
"He's been confined to the Disciplinary Office's punishment cell for the time being."
Even as an instructor, getting into a brawl with students in broad daylight.
It seriously damaged the instructor's dignity, and there were multiple victims, so confinement was only natural.
"Hng. The Disciplinary Office, huh. Let's go. We need to assess the situation."
"I'll escort you right away, senior instructor."
Tak.
Jang Cheol-sim rose with a flourish of his sleeves.
"It's been a while here too."
Chu Un-hwi, sitting on the long bench inside the iron bars, turned his head.
There stood Mok Yeon-seong, covered in dust and crusted blood, grinning ear to ear.
"Did you see it? I properly smashed one of those bastards."
"Saw it clear as day. You did pretty good."
Especially that head-crack with the stone knife. Perfect.
Whether it's a person or a fish, you always start by breaking the skull first.
As he rattled off the compliments, Mok Yeon-seong beamed.
"Haha. I took down that damn bastard."
Mok Yeon-seong, his face swollen and bruised, let out a groan.
"Ugh. This hurts pretty bad."
"But like I said, right? Those guys can't kill you."
"It was true."
"Do it a couple more times, and they'll freak out thinking of you every time they turn a corner."
"That would be truly satisfying."
"What comes around goes around. That's the way of the world."
"I never thought... a day like this... would come..."
"They say if you laugh then cry, you'll grow hair on your ass."
"Who said that?"
"My mom."
"You said you don't have a mom."
"Whoa—this punk. Pretending not to listen while hearing everything."
They chuckled for a good while. Only then did Mok Yeon-seong's mind ease, and he gave a worried look.
"By the way, what are you going to do?"
"About what?"
"Over there."
Looking over, fierce-faced people were glaring at them from beyond the bars.
Each one had skin shining with luster, clearly from prominent families of note.
Kuduk.
Some even pressed with their auras.
To constrict someone far away beyond iron bars with sheer energy alone was a realm only achievable at the pinnacle of mastery.
"I don't get why such big shots act like this."
"...That old master with the flowing white beard is the Supreme Elder of Blazing Sword Sect."
"Impressive guy?"
"He's quite famous even among the notables of the Murim Alliance."
"Big trouble. Guess I should pray he dies of natural causes before he comes back for revenge."
Clang.
The old master, glaring murderously, gripped the bars.
Kududuk.
As the tempered iron bars crumpled, a frantic Disciplinary Office clerk rushed over.
"S-Supreme Hero So-yang! This is the Disciplinary Office! Please, restrain yourself!"
"Hmph. I used too much force. I'll compensate."
The old man gave the clerk a displeased glance and stepped back.
Then he spoke in a voice sharp as a blade.
"Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi, was it? I won't forget this."
Euduk.
His entourage began spewing vicious threats in agreement.
"That's the punk who critically wounded our youngest."
"Our child's legs are both broken. Lost five teeth too."
"Doing thug-like crap to our precious disciples."
"We won't let this slide."
Mok Yeon-seong's voice shrank under their piercing glares.
"...You okay?"
"I'll be fine. I went a bit overboard, but it was self-defense."
"That's true, but..."
"Don't wimp out. Wimping out means you lose."
Watching him slump casually against the backrest, utterly unconcerned, Mok Yeon-seong let out a dazed sigh.
"Instructor, how can you be so nonchalant?"
"It's just how I am."
"These are powerhouses. People who can fabricate crimes out of nothing."
"Then I'll smash these bars, hunt down the schemers, and crack their skulls."
Then beat them indiscriminately, and if that fails, burn down the Divine Martial Academy.
If all else fails, storm the Murim Alliance and smash the Alliance Leader's head first—absurd ravings poured out, making Mok Yeon-seong panic and stop him.
"Where do these insane ideas even come from?"
Chu Un-hwi replied curtly.
"My skills."
In another room of the Disciplinary Office.
Un Ho-seung and his group, called in as witnesses, received an unexpected proposal.
"So."
Un Ho-seung repeated the proposal.
"You're telling us to falsify our statements?"
Kwak Jong-geun, sitting opposite, took over.
"Not at all. Just consider the circumstances."
A faint smile played on his lips as he leaned forward.
"You didn't really see anything clearly anyway, did you? You were just wandering around looking for your friend and caught a glimpse from afar."
"We saw and heard it clearly."
Thud thud.
Tapping the stack of documents on the desk, Kwak Jong-geun continued.
"Many others have already agreed. They all say they were watching from afar and didn't know the details of the fight. Isn't it odd if only you claim to have seen and heard everything?"
"......"
As they fell silent, more words followed.
"Moreover, Student Mok Yeon-seong claims this started due to organized bullying. But no one saw any 'bullying' no matter how we searched."
Kwak Jong-geun stated firmly.
"Thus, internally, we've concluded it as 'violence from Student Mok, who fell into delusions of persecution due to his poor skills.'"
Already discussed internally to that extent?
"Nanju Mok Clan may have switched sides, but their roots are in the unorthodox paths. They belong with the Iron Blood Alliance, not the Murim Alliance. Meanwhile, the victims?"
Peng Family's collateral branch and Mount Hua Sect's lay affiliate. Even excluding them, all from renowned Murim Alliance clans.
"Think it over. This is for your sake too."
You can't afford to fail the supplementary exam again.
Un Ho-seung shut his mouth at the single remark.
"Guaranteed pass on the supplementary exam and conveniences during your江湖 journey."
"The young master of Jinju Un Clan can't stay in limbo forever."
Kwak Jong-geun's gaze swept over the others.
The twins, Tang Gan, and Lim So-jeong's faces twisted.
Then Un Ho-seung answered.
"We'll accept the proposal."
"!"
As everyone else was shocked, only Kwak Jong-geun beamed with joy.
"Haha. Really?"
"Truth be told, we were dissatisfied too. Kicking us out right before the exam, saying he didn't want to teach anymore."
"Oh? That happened?"
"He's a pretty irritating guy on a personal level. Doesn't know his place."
Un Ho-seung's eyes gleamed as he said that.
"Plus, exemption from supplementary exam and support for higher ranking? It's overly generous as payment for removing a troublemaker staining the academy."
The desired response made Kwak Jong-geun smile.
"Wise indeed. Bright future for Jinju Un Clan."
"Just one thing I'd like confirmed..."
A sharp glint flashed in Un Ho-seung's eyes.
"Is the supplementary exam pass really possible? I heard exam results are strictly monitored and can't be rigged."
"You doubt my word?"
"I've been backstabbed so many times in life."
Kwak Jong-geun's brow twitched at Un Ho-seung's arrogant, leg-crossed demeanor.
But only briefly.
'He's always been like this.'
Recalling his hot-tempered, short-sighted nature, Kwak Jong-geun relaxed.
"Don't worry. There are ways."
Even the utterly nonchalant Chu Un-hwi shrank back at the new arrival beyond the bars.
"I'm done for!"
It was Moyong Seon-ya.
Rushing over after getting the news, she pressed her brow seeing Chu Un-hwi lounging casually.
"I thought the familiar name sounded off."
"Meeting in Silver Hall is a fresh change."
"Precisely the Disciplinary Office. This is the visiting room."
Grinding her teeth, Moyong Seon-ya asked.
"How the hell did you cause such a huge incident?"
"Just as you heard."
"Sigh. I heard about the bullying among students, but never imagined it'd escalate like this."
"Now that you know, isn't that enough?"
She sighed deeply at his breezy reply.
"It's not that simple."
Furrowing her brow deliberately, she explained.
"Every involved student is no pushover. And the people who gathered here?"
"The ones who tried smashing the bars and got chased off?"
"They're now storming the Disciplinary Office head's room, raising hell that they can't overlook this."
"If they have time for nonsense, they should focus on educating their bratty kids."
"The situation isn't looking good."
Moyong Seon-ya's explanation was quite grim.
"Some instructors have stepped up to investigate the bullying. If it were just an investigation, fine. But they're shouting that bystanders to injustice are accomplices too."
An incident already being hushed up, now implicating enablers?
"No one will step up to testify."
"They'd just get disciplined as accomplices themselves."
Nine times out of ten, they'll stay silent.
But that wasn't the only issue.
"With everyone keeping quiet, it instead becomes proof that no bullying occurred."
In conclusion, the situation wasn't favorable for them.
But Chu Un-hwi remained nonchalant.
"Divine Martial Academy is impressive. Pre-learning the dirty side of the martial world."
"Time for jokes?"
Prepare some counterarguments at least!
After a scolding tirade, Moyong Seon-ya huffed off, saying she'd try pulling some strings.
"Instructor."
"Don't worry, kid. Come on, don't you trust me?"
Mok Yeon-seong looked glum watching his blustering instructor.
But defying Moyong Seon-ya's warning, that very evening, it happened.
"Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi of Bronze Hall. Student Mok Yeon-seong of Silver Hall."
A Disciplinary Office clerk, accompanied by burly warriors, announced.
"Come out at once. Attend the disciplinary hearing."