Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 25: Observation Class (5)
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Showing off his backing was fine and all.
"There. See? Let me guide you to the best inn around here."
At Dang Gan's words, the passerby (a volunteer playing the role) twitched at the corner of his eye.
And after a long silence, he replied in a dry tone.
"Young master. I. Have no idea. What you're talking about."
"What's that? Can't you see the Tang Clan insignia? Are you messing with me?"
"Young master. I. Have no idea. What you're talking about."
"You don't understand... Ack!"
Crack.
Dang Gan clutched the back of his head and hopped around.
Watching him, Chu Un-hwi said pityingly.
"You're the one who doesn't understand. What were you thinking, flashing your clan insignia like that?"
Dang Gan shot back indignantly.
"In Tang Clan territory, just showing this gets you safe passage."
"Showing the Tang Clan insignia instead of money and calling it good?"
"Of course."
"Ugh."
Smack. Smack.
Chu Un-hwi swatted Dang Gan's back.
"Ow! Ow! Why?!"
"Listen, idiot. Tang Clan territory is full of people with the Tang surname. Of course they recognize the insignia. But this is Kaifeng in Henan Province."
"The Sacheon Tang Clan's name shakes the world."
Truly hopeless.
Good thing I drilled early education into my kids.
They could find the best local eatery even in a place overrun by unorthodox sects?
These ones, on the other hand, were utterly useless.
Already exhausted, Chu Un-hwi growled at the new recruits.
"Your escorts handled it? The inn comes to you if you ride in a carriage? Bullshit. Follow me."
The recruits, their pride wounded, started moving reluctantly.
Finding an inn was surprisingly grueling.
"So. Is there. An inn here. That outsiders. Often visit?"
He had to train them out of intimidating tones and into gentle conversation.
"Looks like that place is crowded."
He briefly explained how to pick the most suitable inn from recommendations.
There was some confusion along the way.
"Iron coins? Aren't coins usually silver or gold?"
"First time seeing coins made of iron."
"They're fake, right?"
He even had to explain the difference between iron coins and silver coins.
The excuse that they'd never seen iron coins because they spent big was novel.
They finally settled into a proper inn.
After a full half hour of struggle.
"Ugh. So frustrating."
As he gulped down water, Nangong Yun-ho cautiously asked Jegal Tan.
"Tan. Aren't they especially ignorant? Or. Am I weird?"
"Haha. You're pretty shocked."
Surprisingly, Jegal Tan seemed to think it was natural.
"They're not half-baked like you or me, so it's inevitable."
"Half-baked?"
"Handpicked geniuses from their clans. With full clan support."
Glug.
Jegal Tan refilled his cup and continued.
"Raised on gold and jade, when would they ever go out alone? Probably never even bought a snack with their own hands."
"...I see."
"Think of your little brother."
"...Now that I think about it, he's never gone out alone."
"The Nangong Family's top prodigy in a century. They'd keep his hands spotless. All support poured into training. So even your brother would be clueless buying something at market. Always escorted with a gold pouch, so who knows about money sense."
"No way. That far?"
"Could be worse. Orthodox sect geniuses are even more extreme."
Moyong So-hye, sipping water, spat it out.
"Even worse cases?"
"Real stories..."
The tales that followed were grim.
Overpaying silver left and right, marked as easy marks by local merchants.
While tailing an unorthodox master covertly, complaining about the bed and blowing cover.
Even a Shaolin student offering to recite sutras instead of paying, leading to a brawl.
Jegal Tan glanced skeptically, but there they were: self-proclaimed top students counting iron coins one by one, learning to tally.
Great grades, but blind to the world. Fitting.
"Unbelievable."
"Not all are like that. Most are worldly-wise."
"The chosen few are the problem."
"The more talented, the more they're pushed to focus solely on martial arts."
Listening, Baek Ri-seol pushed up the end of her cheek with her finger.
"Why is it like this?"
"I think I know."
Once the Murim Alliance's archenemy, he knew their biggest flaw.
"Martial arts supremacy. No real fights for decades."
"...Spot on. Heroes scolding the jianghu together matter less than the number of peak masters."
The demonic cult once eyeing the world split into Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and Blood Cult, now at odds. Unorthodox sects eyeing clashes unified under Iron Chain Alliance.
The Murim Alliance? The leader's strengthened authority banned infighting, hierarchies solidified.
Forces entrenched, large battles rare.
Issues resolved through faction coordination, not combat.
Robbing jianghu fighters of wild adaptation.
Result: common sense-lacking, martial prowess-high oddities.
Pitiful, thinking of the future.
But none of my business.
He's no longer plotting war on Alliance weaknesses—just a low-paid instructor.
"Ahem. Sorry."
Un Ho-seung, finally snapping out of it, pulled out a chair and excused himself.
"First time in a place like this."
"Yeah. People aren't anxious with such low ceilings, huh."
"Chopsticks on a bare table? Gross."
Blocking the twins' fuss with a hand.
"Introductions first."
He tapped the table with his finger.
"I'm Chu Un-hwi. As you know, temporary instructor. Twenty-five. Marriage-age bachelor living alone."
As the group introduced themselves.
"Hm? Using the Nangong name?"
A faint spark lit Im So-jeong's sleepy eyes.
Nangong Yun-ho replied nonchalantly.
"No longer tied to the Nangong Family."
"Some circumstances, huh."
Once intros ended, Un Ho-seung stepped up first.
"Un Ho-seung of the Jinju Un Family. Current patriarch is my father."
Pure gold spoon, as Jegal Tan said.
"I'm Jeok So-il."
"I'm Jeok So-i."
"Dang Gan."
Last, all eyes on sleepy-eyed Im So-jeong.
Under the gazes, she gave a slight eye-nod.
"Im So-jeong. From Hainan Island."
Her voice lacked energy.
As if she'd slam her head on the table and sleep any second.
Sleep clung to her drooping eyes.
"Hobby: sleep. Specialty: sleeping long."
"Huh. Similar to me."
His casual remark drew Baek Ri-seol's sharp reaction.
"Instructor. Flirting forbidden. Especially in front of her."
What the hell, kid.
Anyway, glancing over, her previously faint presence felt even stranger.
"Hmm."
"Problem?"
Her brow furrowed at the stare.
"Not South Sea Thirteen Sword Waves."
"...?"
"That sticky, drooping aura feels oddly familiar..."
Chu Un-hwi paused, head tilting.
"Sun and Moon--. Side?"
"!"
For the first time, sleep vanished from Im So-jeong's eyes.
"...How did you know?"
"Awake now?"
"Sun and Moon..."
Minding the stares, her voice dropped.
"...Shouldn't be known."
"Listen when the instructor speaks. No sleeping. Be careful next time."
"......"
Im So-jeong's gaze deepened.
Un Ho-seung was shocked seeing it.
Im So-jeong this agitated?
Usually oblivious, rarely showing emotion.
First time seeing her so surprised, caught off-guard.
South Sea Thirteen Sword Waves? Hainan Sword Sect's specialty, mimicking rough waves.
But no martial art starting with 'Sun and Moon'.
Something's up.
But atmosphere forbade questions.
Just wary of this foul-mouthed instructor.
"......"
The waiter (instructor in role) broke the awkward silence.
"Here we go. Delicious beef soup."
Clunk clunk.
As the skilled waiter set bowls and vanished, Chu Un-hwi was already fixated.
"You okay?"
Nangong Yun-ho's question got eager nods.
"Hold on."
Slurp.
Face in the bowl, he tossed his chopsticks.
"Damn it."
Now what?
"You bastard. Why's it so good?"
"...Good is a problem too?"
"Yeah. The beef soup at Hongmi Pavilion I know isn't this fancy."
What now?
Confused, he gripped chopsticks again, grumbling.
"What! Short ribs in the toppings?!"
"Peak master hand-pulled these noodles? So chewy."
"Seafood? Who puts abalone in three-iron-coin noodles!"
"Hongmi Pavilion's soup is the commoner's taste!"
"Don't mock the commoner's taste!"
What the...?
The group quietly buried faces in bowls as he ranted nonstop, chopsticks flashing like lightning.
Embarrassing.
They desperately ignored him, pretending not to know.
The fuss ended after he licked the last broth, writing improvements.
- Give back the commoner's taste.
"Did you have to go that far?"
"They were total cheapskates."
To Nangong Yun-ho and Moyong So-hye's criticism, Chu Un-hwi asked what he meant.
"Hongmi Pavilion's beef soup signature is that almost-rough noodle texture."
Owner sleeps drunk, roughly mixes flour, etc.
Wife-chewed-out-next-day noodles chewiest, etc.
As he spouted trivia, Moyong So-hye asked.
"Been to Kaifeng before?"
"Yeah. Probably."
"Either you have or not. What's 'probably'?"
"Tsk tsk. That's why kids don't get it."
He wagged fingers both ways.
"Adults say they went even if they didn't."
"What?"
"You'll know when you grow up."
"How adult do I need to be for useless trivia?"
"Halfway up the adult ladder?"
Rambling nonsense, Nangong Yun-ho returned arms full of spices.
"Instructor. Time."
"Huh? Already?"
Turning, Jegal Tan noted the quintet following.
"Moving to sudden training site."
"Oh. For real."
As Jegal Tan said, observers killing time freely now headed one way.
"Bell rings soon, head there."
Shortly after explaining.
Ding. Dang.
Power-infused bell, then booming voice.
"Come on! Observers, this way."
The recent blacksmith actor tossed a towel, shouting.
"Today's scenario: 'Your comrade turns out to be an unorthodox master!'"
What. This eerily prickly setup.