Chapter 260
Chapter 260
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Year-End Festival (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“You, who exactly are you?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“From the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were no ordinary fellow. But what you showed at Lake Dongjeong this time... it exceeded my wildest imagination.”
The Beggar Elder's eyes narrowed.
“Are you perhaps from the unorthodox sects?”
“Why do you think that?”
“It's the way you breathe, speak, and act. It feels like you were born in the unorthodox ways.”
“I was born completely good and shouted 'Righteous faction!' from the moment I came into the world, you know?”
“Hah.”
The Beggar Elder let out a sigh and shook his head.
“I can't fathom what I was thinking when I recommended someone like you. It was as if I was bewitched.”
“Everything's going smoothly, isn't it? No need to worry.”
“Going smoothly...”
With a sigh laced with grumbling, the Beggar Elder twirled his beard and glared.
“If you're thinking of doing anything nefarious, abandon it. I'll be watching.”
Chu Un-hwi teased him as he pressed forward.
“Did you call me just to threaten me like this?”
“...No, that's not it. Actually, I sought you out because there's something I wanted to tip you off about.”
The Beggar Elder cleared his throat and chose his words carefully.
“Has that Nangong Family boy said anything to you?”
“You mean Yun-ho? I haven't heard a word from him.”
What's going on?
“It seems the Nangong Family hasn't given up on him yet.”
“They promised not to touch him before, but the Nangong Family is being awfully petty.”
“It's about the family heir, after all. They can't force him, but they can appeal to his sense of duty.”
His darkened expression... was it worry over family matters?
'He's a good kid, so he won't easily brush them off if they approach.'
The Beggar Elder seemed to share the same view.
“I thought you should know. Matters of the world's greatest family aren't something to speak of lightly. But since you're someone the good kid trusts and follows, you can guide him right. Choosing the family means betraying his brothers, and choosing his brothers means the family weighs on his mind.”
“If it even affects his relationship with Nangong Yong-ho, does that mean they're considering him as a potential heir?”
Simply approaching from the family is one thing; treating him as heir is entirely different.
It would mean stripping Nangong Yong-ho, the Nangong Family's chosen successor, of his title and publicly reversing it.
“That's right.”
“The Nangong Family has drawn their sword. All for showing a bit of talent.”
“They must see the depth of his talent differently. Plus, it aligns with the principle of primogeniture.”
His voice deepened.
“It's the world's greatest family, after all. Even if it means some embarrassment, they'll choose their heir coldly and rationally.”
The words that followed weren't something to brush off lightly.
“What do you think?”
“It's a hassle and a bother. He's got a big head on his shoulders, so he'll figure it out.”
“This is someone you could call your disciple. Doesn't it excite you that he might become the Nangong Family heir?”
“If he chooses a troublesome, bothersome position over martial arts, it'd be a shame.”
“Pfft!”
The Beggar Elder finally burst into laughter at the response.
“You have no ambitions at all. That student, that instructor?”
“Pardon?”
“You don't seem like unorthodox sect material after all. You don't seem to have much greed.”
With a relieved expression, the Beggar Elder turned and waved as he walked away.
“Who knows, though. Maybe you're from the Demonic Cult, with nothing in your head but fighting.”
Watching his retreating figure disappear, Chu Un-hwi broke out in a cold sweat.
“What a sharp one.”
They say to beware of women and elders in the jianghu, and his insight is a hundred times sharper.
There are too many perceptive people in the world, Chu Un-hwi thought, patting his chest.
Returning to the marshlands, Chu Un-hwi groaned as he pondered amusements.
“What proposal should I make? What fun activity will capture their attention?”
He was rolling on the ground, fiddling with his fishing rod, deeply engrossed in thought.
“Instructor. I'm back.”
“Instructor. We're here~.”
Jegal Tan appeared with Dang Gan.
But unexpectedly, there was another companion.
“Dang Ae-hui?”
What's this woman doing here?
As he glared, Dang Gan replied in his subdued voice.
“You said you're looking for festival amusements? People who've played around a bit know best about these things.”
“......”
Dang Ae-hui didn't exactly look like someone who'd played around much.
As his distrust deepened, Dang Gan added.
“Despite appearances, I saw and learned a lot in the Sichuan Dang Family. I even glimpsed the elders' pastimes over their shoulders.”
Nod. Nod.
Her cold face nodding vigorously up and down was surprisingly enthusiastic, full of motivation.
'I thought she was only immersed in poisons and hidden weapons.'
With this new life, he was discovering sides of her he hadn't known before.
“Good. Student Dang. What amusement should we submit?”
“You want something novel that grabs attention, right?”
“Yeah, exactly. I'm special, so I'm planning to submit something unique.”
“How about venomous toad duels?”
“Venomous toad duels?”
“Fill a jar with venomous toads full of deadly poison and let them fight until only one survives.”
The spectators' faces stiffened at her confident answer.
“...Instructor. This is.”
“Not quite right, is it?”
But Dang Ae-hui's voice carried more strength.
“And for the spectators, boil the last surviving toad and make venom liquor for them.”
“......”
“I'm not sure of the details, but the Dang Family elders said, 'It's tasty, even better at night— the best!'”
This woman, as expected.
“Sounds good?”
“Instructor!”
“Agh! Instructor!”
Objections erupted here and there, but true innovation always faces opposition.
“Above all, it's novel. No one else will propose toad deathmatches.”
“If no one else proposes it, maybe there's a reason?”
He let Moyong So-hye's snark go in one ear and out the other.
'It clicked with me perfectly.'
“It's entertaining, good for the body, and even allows a little gambling.”
Who comes up with such brilliant ideas?
'Makes me see Dang Ae-hui in a new light.'
As he gave a thumbs up, for some reason Baek Ri-seol and Dang Ae-hui exchanged fierce glares.
Dang Gan in the middle yelped “Ah, hot!” in a fuss.
“Hey, Dang. Did you bring the wrong advisor?”
“Well, Student Baek. If my sister says it's good, I'm good with it.”
“You really have no opinions of your own, not even a speck.”
As Baek Ri-seol pecked at Dang Gan, Dang Ae-hui approached on tiptoe and squatted beside him.
“By the way, how was the bait I made?”
“Uh, that... it was good.”
As in, the fish bit well.
Though the caught fish twitching and convulsing after swallowing the dangerous bait was a bit much.
“I'll make it for you anytime.”
“Uh. Thanks.”
“When you have time, how about visiting Sichuan? There's a fisherman I know well.”
“...Going all the way to Sichuan just to fish is a bit much.”
“You won't regret it.”
As they talked, Baek Ri-seol dashed over, waving her hands threateningly and yowling like a dawn cat.
'This is chaotic.'
It felt like returning to everyday jianghu life, but it was distractingly messy.
“Anyway, venomous toad deathmatch it is. Let's write the proposal around this.”
He kicked Jegal Tan's butt once and smacked the back of his head twice with his palm, and a plausible proposal was complete in an instant.
“Alright. Game on!”
For that chance encounter with a courtesan!
However, the hard-earned plan was crumpled before his eyes.
“Are you in your right mind?”
Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim rubbed his brow, then started scratching furiously.
“Making toads fight and letting people bet on it? You think that's an amusement?”
“What's wrong with it as an amusement?”
“It's novel, sure. But where exactly is the entertainment value?”
“Fierce battles. The toads' desperate struggles to survive. Especially those bumpy toad backs—aren't they cute?”
Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim clamped his mouth shut, his eyes turning white.
“Rejected.”
Riiip. Riiiip.
As the carefully crafted proposal was crumpled and torn, Chu Un-hwi protested.
“What's the problem exactly?”
“The fact you're asking what's wrong is the problem. What do you think the Year-End Festival is?!”
“This is abuse of power by a superior.”
“Abuse?”
His eyes completely flipped.
Startled by the sudden change in the mild Mount Qingcheng expert, Chu Un-hwi stepped back in alarm.
“Shall I abuse my power and cut your head off? Or make you patrol all night?”
Raising both hands in surrender, he saw Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim's eyes flash.
“No more nonsense. You're patrolling all night.”
Bam!
Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim slammed the table and shouted.
“That's an order!”
Jianghu decorum had hit rock bottom.
On the way back, he ran into Dokgo Ryul.
He explained the situation seeking sympathy, but the response was icy.
“This time, my lord is in the wrong.”
Betrayed by his loyal subordinate.
“I thought it was a perfect plan.”
“...I can't fathom where you saw perfection in it, but the senior instructor is to be pitied.”
Facing successive betrayals from his subordinate, he tried various rebuttals, but only cold stares returned.
“Damn it.”
“Why are you so serious about the festival? You never cared for kids' games.”
“Well, I realized one amazing fact.”
“An amazing fact?”
“Yes. Even if you unify the martial world as a conqueror or become the Murim Alliance Leader, there's one opportunity right in front of you now that you can never obtain otherwise.”
“...An opportunity even world conquest can't provide?”
Dokgo Ryul's eyes changed.
“No way. Someone you want to recruit? A chance to gain attention and a key position in the Murim Alliance? Foreseeing the future and laying the foundation to seize the jianghu...”
“Nah, nothing like that.”
Chu Un-hwi raised his index finger.
“The sweet school days with courtesans don't come back.”
“......”
“What's the point of white hair, riches, and glory? Memories of sweet school days with courtesans can't be bought no matter how much money you have.”
“...Huh?”
He'd hoped for agreement, but Dokgo Ryul just pinched his brow again.
“...If you really need it, just reveal your real age now and attend the academy together.”
“Impossible. I'm older, remember?”
The path from first love with an older woman straight to marriage was truly arduous.
“I need to advance the relationship before the year ends.”
The world, the jianghu, offered no help.
“Truly, nothing in the world goes as you wish.”
Dokgo Ryul did not agree.