Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Nangong Family (3)
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‘I expected a reprimand.’
Unexpectedly, what came back was Elder Nangong Chan's reply.
“Hahaha! Did he really say that?”
Nangong Mu-san's face twisted in confusion at the man's hearty laughter.
“Father. This is no laughing matter.”
“No laughing matter?”
“He ignored his father's summons. It's unfilial in private and a direct challenge to the family head's authority.”
“Heh heh. He's still just a child.”
Once his laughter subsided, Nangong Chan pointed out something else entirely.
“He's always been muddle-headed and dull about everything. Now that he's finally found his own voice, he seems more like a man.”
“...That's true, but.”
“Now I can finally believe what you told me. He has changed.”
It seemed snubbing Nangong Il-jun had only fueled Nangong Chan's interest.
“With such firm resolve, he'll be useful wherever we put him.”
“His eloquence was certainly exceptional.”
Nangong Il-jun recalled how the boy hadn't yielded an inch against him.
“He held his dignity without faltering, striking back sharply. Not something an ordinary person could do.”
“Heh heh. Then martial arts must be the issue...”
Meeting his gaze, Nangong Il-jun spoke with sincerity.
“He's definitely above his peers.”
“He wandered for so long. It was too late an age to start learning martial arts.”
“Even so, his level was quite impressive.”
“Good.”
Satisfied, Nangong Chan turned his head.
“Family Head, how do you intend to resolve this matter?”
A formal tone. It meant he was instructing not as a father, but as the family head.
Nangong Mu-san cleared his throat and spoke firmly.
“Simple. We'll keep summoning him until he responds.”
“Heh heh. Not a bad approach. But the timing isn't right.”
“The timing...”
Only then did Nangong Mu-san recall the Murim Alliance's request for the Blood Flow Stone and changed his words.
“Still, using a somewhat forceful method might be acceptable.”
Seeing his insistence on aggression, Nangong Chan tossed out a hint.
“Elder Il-jun. The family head wants Yun-ho. Is there another way?”
Straightening his posture at the official tone, Nangong Il-jun replied cautiously.
“He's so stubborn that ordinary methods won't work.”
“Even so, the family head's command can't be ignored lightly. Isn't there a way?”
“Well... He relies heavily on someone. A very capable individual...”
Listening, Nangong Chan nodded as if it finally made sense.
“So it was a person who changed the person?”
Then we just need to change that person too.
At his mutter, Nangong Mu-san let out an exclamation of realization.
“What if we win that person over?”
“Seems you've got the idea. So, what do you plan to do?”
“He's an instructor at the Divine Martial Academy, but just a temporary one. We can have a superior give him a heads-up.”
Hearing this, Nangong Il-jun cried out in objection.
“Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim is extremely stubborn. He's protecting Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi. It won't be easy...”
“Even if I make the request myself?”
“Well...”
Nangong Il-jun squeezed his eyes shut.
“There's a rule that martial sects can't interfere in Divine Martial Academy matters. This could lead to rumors no matter how it's done.”
“What a hassle.”
We can't risk damaging the family's reputation just to drag in one bratty kid.
As he muttered, Nangong Chan, who had been watching, chuckled.
“If the stone won't listen, just swap it out.”
But as family head, getting into a tussle with some mere instructor would be beneath your dignity.
“Think about why the family head came here to meet these lowly folks.”
“To... make use of the stone?”
“Heh heh.”
Instead of answering, Nangong Chan smiled enigmatically.
“The family head must select the stone with dignity and care.”
Withdrawing his formal tone, Nangong Chan smiled faintly.
“Handle this matter well.”
“Why the sudden summons?”
He'd been swamped by recent events.
Lately, with even the Sword Saint and family head from the Nangong Family visiting, his days had been non-stop chaos.
So a sudden call in the midst of all this naturally raised suspicions.
Bang.
“I heard you called for me.”
Opening the door to the familiar Myo-gwang's office, Jang Cheol-sim realized something was off upon seeing the gathered people inside.
‘Why is the Surveillance Division here?’
He thought the Seo Ok-rang incident had been properly wrapped up.
And it wasn't just them.
The recently joined instructors were there with the Surveillance Division.
As the senior instructor in charge of the expedition, he was responsible for everything.
Which meant he should know about all major and minor matters.
Yet he had heard nothing about such a meeting.
‘Who's behind this?’
In the midst of the suspicious situation, Jang Cheol-sim's eyes flashed upon spotting someone seated between the Surveillance Division and the instructors.
“Heh heh. You're finally here.”
The man was Senior Instructor Eo Jeong-geun.
A schemer skilled in politics and division.
Jang Cheol-sim had always kept his distance from the unpleasant fellow, who now sat smugly waiting. The situation became clear.
“Instructor Eo. Is this your doing?”
“Who knows?”
“You know full well this shakes the rules and order?”
Despite his warning, Eo Jeong-geun remained calm.
“Come on. Would a senior instructor like me ever violate the code?”
“The moment the expedition sets out, all decisions are made by the lead instructor. Have you forgotten even this basic rule?”
“Who knows. Whether it's a violation or proper authority—we'll have to find out.”
With a gesture, the Surveillance Division members behind him all stood.
“Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim. We have received a complaint against you.”
Jang Cheol-sim's eye twitched.
“What the hell is this?”
Returning to Myojin Gate, Chu Un-hwi tilted his head at the firmly shut doors.
The gate, usually bustling with people due to the White Cat Expedition's momentum, was now eerily quiet, with only cold winds blowing.
Even more eye-catching were the people strictly surrounding and guarding Myojin Gate.
“And who are these guys?”
Men in blue martial robes stood with swords at the ready, glaring threateningly at the surroundings.
As he lingered, three blue-robed warriors approached.
“Halt. Who are you?”
While eyeing them, he noticed the blue "cang" (蒼) character embroidered on their shoulders.
‘Azure Sky Hundred Swords Squad?’
He recalled their identity, but had no clue why they were encircling Myojin Gate.
‘This isn't the time to dawdle.’
As the blue-robed warriors placed hands on their sword hilts upon seeing him, Chu Un-hwi tapped his own shoulder pauldron.
“What's this about? I'm an instructor.”
The blue-robed warrior eyed the worn Divine Martial Academy pauldron threateningly.
“Who are you? Don't you know instructors are banned from entry for now?”
“I've been away quite a while.”
“State your name. We'll check the roster and let you in if there's no issue.”
“Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi.”
“Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi.”
Beyond the still-wary warriors, a martial artist flipped through the roster.
“Chu Un-hwi... Chu Un-hwi... Here it is.”
“Is it?”
Only then did the warriors release their swords and step back.
“Our apologies. You may enter.”
“What happened to make it so tense around here?”
He'd heard about the Nangong Family's visit.
But even they wouldn't act like they owned another sect's place so easily, so he asked.
The response was unexpected.
“You've been gone long, so you wouldn't know. There was an incident recently.”
“An incident?”
“It's Divine Martial Academy business, so we don't know details. We're just handling what we were asked.”
As the warrior turned away, clearly done talking, Chu Un-hwi tilted his head.
“What's going on here?”
The inside was just as strange.
He knew the squads out on expedition due to the demon's appearance had temporarily evacuated, but there were too many new faces.
“Where is everyone?”
Even the students were unfamiliar.
It felt like Myojin Gate was the same, but the people had all been swapped out.
“Should I report my return first and figure out what's going on?”
He planned to report back and casually inquire about the situation.
“So you're Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi? I've heard the rough story.”
Sitting in the office where Jang Cheol-sim had been pulling all-nighters was a man with a rat-tail mustache.
His thin lower jaw made him look terribly sly.
“Is this what you call a report?”
Flick.
His actions were as irritating as a rat's.
‘Should I just deck him?’
He wanted to, but couldn't risk causing trouble without knowing the situation, so he asked grudgingly.
“And who might you be?”
“Me? This puny thing?”
The rat-faced middle-aged man narrowed his eyes, swallowing a snort.
“No respect for a senior instructor.”
“I'm like that by nature.”
“Heh. As rumored, no sense of hierarchy or dignity as an instructor.”
If he knew, he'd let it slide.
Unfortunately, the man seized the chance, ripping up the return report and debrief.
Rip. Riiiip.
As if to grate on his nerves, he tore it slowly right in front of his face.
Shred.
Then scattered the pieces toward his face.
‘This fucking bastard?’
His fist nearly flew out.
Desperate patience saved one person today.
Oblivious, the rat-tail mustache twirled as he propped his feet on the desk, flashing a cunning smile.
“I'm Senior Instructor Eo Jeong-geun.”
“A senior instructor, huh.”
Divine Martial Academy sure can't pick 'em.
“By authority of a senior instructor, your return is denied.”
Do you get what that means?
His thin, ugly eyes asked. When Chu Un-hwi replied ‘No?’, a similarly thin, ugly smile hung on his lips.
“It means since your return isn't officially approved, you can't resume duties.”
Showing mercy, the rat-tail added one more line.
“You're suspended. Step away from your assignments.”
Step away from work?
‘I wanted to slack and get paid, but not like this.’
That wasn't the only demand.
“At the same time, you're confined to the annex until the investigation ends.”
“Surveillance officers!”
At Eo Jeong-geun's shout, the door burst open and Surveillance Division officers rushed in with ropes.
“We'll seal your internal energy. Hold still.”
Internal energy too?
To a martial artist, inner power was like blood and life itself.
Sealing it meant they intended to finish him completely.
‘Ha, these bastards.’
The situation escalating so extremely made him laugh instead.
“You'll regret resisting.”
Shing.
Seeing it as resistance, one Surveillance warrior pressed a sword to his throat.
“Heh heh. Just startled.”
“Why's a startled man laughing?”
“Can't even laugh when I'm shocked and depressed?”
Not yielding an inch, a Surveillance officer behind him quickly struck his acupoints.
Tap. Tap tap.
After repeatedly sealing his energy, the instructor stepped back.
Only then did Eo Jeong-geun smirk in relief.
“Lock him up. Make sure he doesn't dream of getting out till the investigation's done.”
The place he was dragged to was the annex cat quarters.
And there, he saw familiar faces.
But not worn out from work as expected.
Instead, they were drained by something else.
‘A sense of helplessness?’
He hadn't anticipated this.
“Ahem.”
At the sound, a woman sitting glumly in the corner brightened.
“Instructor Chu!”
Instructor Yeo Mae-hong came rushing over fiercely.