Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Seo Ok-rang (1)
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The sun was dipping behind the mountain ridge.
"We'll rest here for the night."
The instructor leading the way came to a halt.
The trainees following behind let out heavy sighs as they scattered to claim their spots.
Out of the twenty or so, more than half—eleven in total—gathered around Nangong Yong-ho.
"Captain. Shall I set up camp?"
"I'll start the fire first."
"I'll fetch the water."
It had been a month since their journey into the jianghu began.
The trainees, now somewhat accustomed to camping, moved with practiced efficiency.
There were still awkward moments, but compared to their first day when they couldn't even handle flint, it was a huge improvement.
However, one thing set their group apart from the other jianghu squads: the atmosphere.
"……."
"……."
Every one of them shot dissatisfied glances in a single direction, deliberately ignoring its occupants.
At the end of those gazes stood a woman and a young man, standing alone without joining any group.
"……."
"……."
Unaware or perhaps indifferent to the resentment aimed their way, the woman perched on a rock fiddled irritably with her long hair, twisting it around her finger. She pouted.
"Tch."
Then, she abruptly brushed off her clothes and stood up.
"I'm going to get some air."
Hmph!
Without waiting for a reply, she vanished into the darkness. Instructor Ja-gyeom sighed deeply.
"...I'll go after her. Everyone, stay vigilant."
Once even Ja-gyeom, trudging reluctantly after her, had disappeared...
"Haa."
"Damn it."
"This is all because of who?"
The trainees vented their frustrations with sighs.
They then turned sharp glares toward the last one still preparing his spot alone.
"So, satisfied now?"
Il-pyo paused as he unpacked his blanket at the question.
Another trainee sneered.
"What? Not quite going according to plan?"
"...I have no excuse."
"That's all you've got? After dragging a girl to a secluded spot and forcing the Audit Department to get involved, you've got nothing to say?"
The complaints spread like an infection.
"Fine, seducing a Qingcheng Sect disciple for a big score—whatever."
"For a no-name sect, it might be a life-changer."
"The problem is it got all of us summoned too."
"If you've got a mouth, at least defend yourself!"
As criticism erupted from all sides...
"……."
Il-pyo silently resumed, preparing a second sleeping spot.
One trainee watching him snapped in outburst.
"Hey. This isn't the time to fluff up your love nest."
"...You."
For the first time, heat flickered in Il-pyo's eyes.
"Blah blah blah. So annoying."
A small head popped up with a raspy voice.
She clutched a pitifully crumpled blanket, rolled up haphazardly.
"Can't even set up my bed with all your yapping!"
Wah!
Her shout rang out piercingly, assaulting their eardrums.
Ugh!
Several nearby trainees winced, rubbing their brows.
Giggles followed.
"What, like she's ever done anything right?"
"Never once."
Shut up, twins.
Un Ho-seung ruffled his hair irritably after snapping back.
"If you've got gripes, settle it with fists among yourselves!"
Or should I do it for you?
The trainees who'd been jeering turned away from the growling Un Ho-seung.
A month of travel had taught them this brute wasn't all talk.
"Tch. No fun."
They shook their heads.
A sleepy-eyed woman tilted her head.
"Ho-seung. Why are you so excited?"
"Do I look it?"
"Yeah."
Dang-gan, smoothing her bedding nearby, chimed in.
"Your nostrils are twice as big."
"Quiet."
Un Ho-seung wagged a fist at Dang-gan, his lips curling into a grin.
"We're heading to So-ho."
That's where that guy's at.
"Instructor Chu Un-hwi, temporary."
Im So-jeong shook her head, her face bored.
What, over something like that.
She looked utterly uninterested.
But Un Ho-seung was confident.
"Thought we'd barely dodged failing, but now the Audit Department's coming."
But Instructor Chu Un-hwi's there.
"He's lucky. Play it right, and he'll sort it out slick."
The twins burst into laughter at that.
"No way. Totally impossible."
"Lucky, sure, but just a temp instructor. What can he do?"
Dang-gan agreed it was nonsense.
"Don't get your hopes up. Honestly, if the Audit Department does their job, he's the first they'll nab."
Is that so?
Un Ho-seung thumped his chest anyway.
"Nah. My gut says it'll work out fine."
Im So-jeong shook her head at the baseless claim.
She wanted no more pointless talk.
"For real this time. Trust me just once."
The area suddenly grew rowdy.
A few trainees frowning at the noise glanced at Nangong Yong-ho.
"Yong-ho. Letting them carry on like that?"
Getting more reckless by the day.
"Shouldn't you rein in the discipline a bit?"
Nangong Yong-ho shook his head at the suggestion.
"Leave them. For now."
Normally, he'd have confronted the mood-breakers.
But right now, his mind was elsewhere.
Instructor Chu at So-ho?
Then surely...
Brother's there too.
Recalling recent events weighed on his heart.
Didn't want to reunite like this.
Yet the thought of seeing him again stirred inexplicable anticipation.
A regrettable, expectant, impossible-to-pin-down feeling.
"I'll take the offer."
He declared it first thing at dawn, and Jang Cheol-sim looked genuinely surprised.
"Huh. Thought you'd dodge the hassle."
"Gotta work sometimes."
Or you'll cut me loose?
Jang Cheol-sim chuckled.
"Never planned to fire you."
"Really?"
"Not a word of a lie."
Even a senior instructor couldn't arbitrarily dismiss a full-time one.
"Then, reconsider..."
"But I can dump enough grunt work to make you want to quit."
"No thanks!"
A man's word is gold!
He clamped his mouth shut, and Jang Cheol-sim smiled with relief.
"Thanks for the unreasonable favor."
"The deal only covers diverting and protecting the trainees?"
"I know. No time to be picky when begging."
With that, Jang Cheol-sim pulled out a small envelope from his desk.
"The trainees arrive in So-ho by tonight."
Not much time.
Audit Department's due soon.
"Tonight. Wait at the north gate. I'll bring them."
"Coming personally?"
"Better me than arouse Ja-gyeom's suspicions. Easier to make excuses."
True enough.
But as a senior instructor, he'd know the implications of stepping out himself.
Taking responsibility if things go south.
That's the prickly Jang Cheol-sim I know.
Past impressions revived slightly.
"I leave it to you."
Chu Un-hwi replied.
"We'll see."
He paced before the north gate for quite a while.
Only as night deepened did familiar robes faintly appear in the distance.
Rushing hard, apparently—Jang Cheol-sim's usually impeccable hem was disheveled.
"You came out on time."
After a nod, Chu Un-hwi peeked past him.
"These them?"
A sullen-faced familiar girl and an ordinary-looking trainee followed.
Jang Cheol-sim nodded and addressed them.
"Introduce yourselves. This is Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi."
"Hello. I'm Il-pyo."
Il-pyo greeted cautiously, sensing the situation, unlike...
"Tch—. What's this in the middle of the night?"
The flashy girl pouted immediately.
Twisting her hair ends, she unleashed a barrage of complaints.
"Who's this guy? Temporary instructor? You're handing me to a temp?"
"Watch your mouth!"
She flinched at the rebuke but kept pouting.
Her whole body screamed 'I've got a headache'—childish despite her mature looks.
"So-ho's full of delicacies, they say."
"Tons of fun and entertainment."
"Not enough time for fancy, glamorous stuff."
"Why stick me with this temp?"
This isn't glamorous.
No sparkle.
"Can't it be helped, Senior Brother?"
Jang Cheol-sim's patience seemed at its limit with her all-complaints demeanor.
"You rotten little foal!"
He snapped fiercely at Seo Ok-rang.
"You immature brat!"
"Do you know how many suffered because of you?"
"Not content with extravagance as a Qingcheng Sect disciple, scattering salt around?!"
"Will it take ten years locked in the punishment room to straighten you out?"
Only then did Seo Ok-rang whimper, tears welling in her eyes at his stern roar.
Shaking his head, Jang Cheol-sim spoke with uncharacteristic apology.
"Sorry you had to see this."
"No problem."
Entertaining show.
"Might've been a bad idea. This one's beyond saving. Forget my proposal."
Visibly angry, he turned to leave, but Chu Un-hwi said,
"Whenever you change your mind, come back. No worries."
"...Thanks."
Silly to say after asking the favor.
"If she shows no reform, bring her back anytime for punishment. I'll take full responsibility."
At Jang Cheol-sim's rare vulnerability, Seo Ok-rang finally grasped the gravity, shuffling her feet and scraping the ground.
Jang Cheol-sim pointed five fingers at her.
"Exactly one week."
By then, the Nangong family's guests would depart.
"After that, I can't help you."
So.
"Do whatever—indulge or reflect—for these last five days, then return."
His ruthless declaration made Seo Ok-rang's face desperate.
"D-Do I really have to face punishment?"
This is too much!
"Just my usual pranks. Curiosity, that's all."
Jang Cheol-sim brushed off her pleas coldly.
"Adults bear responsibility for themselves."
Curiosity or not.
"Especially jianghu folk living on knife's edge?"
Jang Cheol-sim flicked his sleeve and left without looking back.
And Seo Ok-rang...
"……."
Watched his receding figure endlessly, biting her lip.
After Jang Cheol-sim departed.
Glancing at the sky to gauge time, dawn was breaking far off.
Overtime pay?
Private favor—might swing it.
Turning back, the two seemed to have grasped reality.
"...My apologies."
Fortunately, Il-pyo stayed composed, having pieced it together.
While the girl...
Crunch.
Grinding her teeth, tears plopped from her big eyes.
Drip.
"So frustrating—."
Tears falling, Seo Ok-rang let out a frustrated yell.
"Really! Why do I have to go through this?!"
Prank! Just a prank!
"Aaaah!"
Screaming into the void didn't vent her rage; she fumed for a while.
"You!"
As her large, teary eyes fixed on him...
"Whew."
Chu Un-hwi, picking his ear, grinned.
"Me?"
Hey, check this out.