Chapter 51. Hah, So We’ve Got Some Big Shot Coming, Do We? (5)
“And just what, exactly, do you think you’re doing?” Hwang Jong-ui’s voice boomed through the courtyard.
The disciples of Jongnam, flustered and pale, could only stare at him in stunned silence.
What on earth were they supposed to say?
“Khuk… cough. Kuheuk…”
“…….”
Ordinarily, this would have been the perfect moment for an excuse, but the fountain of blood spurting from Chung Myung’s mouth was burying every possible explanation under the mess.
At this point, not even Jang Liang’s grandfather would have been able to come up with a decent defense.
Hwang Jong-ui confirmed that Chung Myung was sprawled on the ground and let out a thunderous roar.
“An apothecary! Bring me an apothecary at once! There should still be one in the outer courtyard who hasn’t left yet! What are you all standing around for?”
“Yes, Young Guild Leader!”
One of the servants who had been escorting Hwang Jong-ui sprinted toward the outer courtyard. Hwang Jong-ui strode straight over to Chung Myung, who was lying collapsed on the ground.
“…….”
The Jongnam disciples hurriedly stepped aside to make room.
Kneeling down beside Chung Myung, Hwang Jong-ui examined his condition, and fury instantly surged across his face.
“And these are the ones who dare call themselves a prestigious sect!”
At his words, the faces of the Jongnam disciples darkened at once.
“You use a killing strike on a child so young? I still thought of Jongnam as a sect of righteousness and chivalry, but how am I supposed to understand the people who would commit such an act right before my eyes?”
Yi Song-baek’s face went ghastly white.
A killing strike?
He had never used a killing strike.
Hell, I even drew back my inner energy!
Yi Song-baek still stood there in dazed confusion, unable to understand what had happened. But one thing was painfully clear.
Judging by Hwang Jong-ui’s expression and the look in his eyes, no excuse in the world was going to work.
At that moment, the servant who had gone to the outer courtyard returned with the apothecary. The apothecary took one look at the situation and rushed to Chung Myung without a word, immediately starting to check his pulse.
“Mmmm!”
The apothecary’s face hardened.
“Move him inside! Quickly! His body is a complete wreck, so you must be careful. Careful, I say!”
Hearing that, the Jongnam disciples hesitantly moved forward to carry Chung Myung.
“Step back!”
But Hwang Jong-ui would not let them put a hand on him. He glared at them with eyes sharp enough to cut, then barked at the servants.
“What are you all doing? Did you not hear what the apothecary said?”
“We’re sorry, Young Guild Leader!”
The servants rushed in and carefully lifted Chung Myung. Blood continued to trickle from his mouth, soaking his chest and dripping in a long line to the floor.
“Careful! Careful, I told you!”
The apothecary stayed pressed close to Chung Myung’s side as he and the servants headed toward the inner quarters. Only Hwang Jong-ui and the Jongnam disciples remained there, watching as Chung Myung was carried away.
Once Chung Myung’s figure had disappeared completely, Hwang Jong-ui turned his head.
“I will not forget what happened here today.”
“Young Guild Leader!”
“Leave the guild.”
The faces of Yi Song-baek and the others turned ashen.
Eunha Merchant Guild was important even to Jongnam. That was why one of their elders had come all the way here in person.
If this incident soured the relationship with Eunha Merchant Guild because of their mistake, the fallout would be far beyond anything they could hope to bear.
Just as Yi Song-baek was about to say something, a sharp voice rang out.
“What on earth is going on here?”
It was Gi Mok-seung. Confusion flickered in his eyes.
“Young Guild Leader. What exactly happened here? That blood…”
He was about to say more, then shut his mouth tightly.
The pool of blood on the ground and the shattered wall made it easy enough to guess what had happened here.
These idiots!
Gi Mok-seung’s gaze shifted to the second-generation disciples. Seeing them avert their eyes and refuse to meet his gaze, he let out a heavy sigh.
“Young Guild Leader. It seems there was some kind of accident here…”
“You call this an accident?”
“……Young Guild Leader.”
“The person who was treating my father has been murdered by disciples of this so-called righteous sect. And you call that an accident? An accident is something that happens unintentionally. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Gi Mok-seung turned his gaze to Yi Song-baek.
It was a clear order: you’re the one who caused this mess, so clean it up yourself.
Realizing what Gi Mok-seung meant, Yi Song-baek bit his lip hard and stepped forward.
“Young Guild Leader. I think there has been a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
Hwang Jong-ui gave a cold, mocking laugh.
“You may as well call me a blind man if you like. I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, so what misunderstanding could you possibly mean?”
“I did not strike with excessive force. There must be some kind of mistake here…”
“Listen to yourself.” Hwang Jong-ui’s eyes turned icy as he glared at Yi Song-baek. “Is excessive force the only issue? From the start, why did you, a disciple of Jongnam, draw your sword against a child from Mount Hua?”
“It was a proper match.”
“A match?”
Hwang Jong-ui ground his teeth.
“I may not be well-versed in the laws of the martial world, but from what I understand, a match is meant to be a contest between equals, where both parties test their martial skill. Are you saying you matched blades with a child who’s barely half your age? Is that Jongnam’s idea of righteousness?”
No one could answer.
If the spar had ended without incident, they might have had an argument to fall back on. But with things having turned out like this, no words could absolve them now.
“I won’t waste any more time. Leave the guild with your disciples.”
“J-just a moment, Young Guild Leader, please hear me out…”
“I said leave.”
“…….”
Hwang Jong-ui glared at Gi Mok-seung, then spoke again.
“I have no intention of making this into a larger issue, out of consideration for the long-standing relationship between Jongnam and us. But right now, I do not want to see the faces of anyone from your sect. Leave this place by the end of the day. I say this as the Young Guild Leader of Eunha Merchant Guild, and as the acting guild leader.”
At last, Gi Mok-seung could not withstand the pressure and slowly nodded without a word.
“Very well. Young Guild Leader, there was an unfortunate accident, but please remember that Jongnam sincerely wishes for Lord Hwang’s recovery.”
“Of course. Though it hardly looks that way from where I’m standing.”
Hwang Jong-ui spun away, his movement sharp as a winter wind, and headed toward the inner quarters. After staring after him for a long while, Gi Mok-seung slowly turned and shot Yi Song-baek a withering look.
“Elder, I…”
“I won’t say much. As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it. You will remain here and, by whatever means necessary, beg the Young Guild Leader’s forgiveness and settle this matter before returning to the main mountain. I will take the children back first.”
Yi Song-baek’s face went pale.
How was he supposed to win the Young Guild Leader’s forgiveness in a situation like this?
This wasn’t an order. It was a punishment. But with Gi Mok-seung’s expression so cold, no other words would come to him.
“……Understood.”
Gi Mok-seung stared at Yi Song-baek in silence for a long moment, then turned away.
“We’re leaving.”
“Yes, Elder.”
The second-generation disciples exchanged uneasy glances with Yi Song-baek before quickly following after Gi Mok-seung.
Watching them go, Yi Song-baek bit his lip so hard it almost bled.
* * *
“How is he?”
“……It is not good.”
“Mm.”
At the chief steward’s answer, Hwang Jong-ui’s face grew dark. The steward carefully studied his expression before continuing.
“According to the apothecary, his qi and blood have been thrown completely into chaos, and the situation is dangerous. He is doing his best to regulate the circulation for now, but he can’t guarantee a full recovery.”
“So you’re saying there’s no danger to his life?”
“That seems to be the case.”
“At least that’s a relief.”
Hwang Jong-ui let out a breath of relief.
A disciple of Mount Hua dying at Eunha Merchant Guild’s hands after being killed by a disciple of Jongnam?
It was a nightmare he didn’t even want to imagine.
Besides, Chung Myung had come to Eunha Merchant Guild in order to treat Lord Hwang. Of course, the blame for this would lie with Jongnam, but Eunha Merchant Guild would not escape public criticism either.
And on a personal level, Hwang Jong-ui found it utterly intolerable.
Chung Myung was the only person so far who had improved Lord Hwang’s condition. He might well have been the only hope of saving him.
To attack such a person and knock him unconscious… If they had even the slightest shred of respect for Eunha Merchant Guild and Hwang Mun-yak, they never would have done it.
Jongnam has become unbearably arrogant.
If it had been this one incident alone, there might have been room for understanding. But thinking back on Jongnam’s conduct up to now, and Gi Mok-seung’s words and behavior, it had become impossible to trust them any further.
Hwang Jong-ui, his expression uncomfortable, coughed a few times and looked up at the steward.
“Then when do they expect him to regain consciousness?”
“At least two or three days…”
“Hmm. Then I pray his condition does not worsen in that time.”
Hwang Jong-ui sighed deeply.
He had only just thought they had found a way to cure his father, and then something this absurd happened. Heaven truly was indifferent.
The steward glanced at Hwang Jong-ui’s face and spoke carefully.
“But, Young Guild Leader.”
“Hmm?”
“Can that child really cure the guild leader’s illness? I simply can’t bring myself to trust it.”
“What do we stand to lose by believing?”
“That may be true, but…”
Hwang Jong-ui said firmly, “None of the countless famous doctors could determine what was wrong with my father. And yet that young Taoist from Mount Hua identified his illness without even seeing him in person. More than that, hasn’t Father already shown enough improvement for me to see with my own eyes?”
“Yes.”
“This is not blind faith without basis. It is Heaven’s help. In any case, make sure nothing interrupts the young Taoist’s recovery. Spare no support.”
“I will remember that well. Then I shall take my leave.”
“Go on, then.”
The steward bowed deeply and rose from his seat.
“Mm.”
Watching the steward leave the room, Hwang Jong-ui let out a low sigh.
* * *
Shhhk.
Shhhk.
Soft, shallow breaths slipped from Chung Myung’s lips as he lay on the bed. His face was so pale there was not a trace of blood in it, showing just how precarious his condition was.
His breathing came and went as though it might stop at any moment. It would not have been strange if he had simply stopped breathing right then and there.
Shhhk.
Only those short, faint breaths filled the room. Then, in the midst of that eerie silence—
Click.
With a tiny sound, the door opened just a crack.
And then nothing happened for a long while.
Had another quarter hour passed?
Creeeak.
Very slowly, the door began to open wider.
Before long, someone slipped inside. The movement was so careful, so silent, that not even the sound of footsteps could be heard. The room was wrapped in deep darkness, making it impossible to tell who had entered.
The newcomer, moving like a cat stalking prey, edged inside and looked down at Chung Myung from beside the bed.
Shhhk.
Shhhhk.
Chung Myung’s pale face, still drawing its faint breaths, came into view.
The figure stared at his face for a long moment, then slowly raised a hand.
His fingertips turned a pitch-black color, as though he had plunged them into ink.
“I don’t have any particular grudge against you. Consider this the price of interfering with my work.”
The man muttered under his breath and brought his ink-black hand down toward Chung Myung’s neck.
At that very moment—
Grab!
Chung Myung, who had been lying motionless as if unconscious, suddenly threw off the blanket and sprang up, seizing the man by the wrist.
“Huh!”
Chung Myung, who had been deathly pale a moment ago, flew open his eyes.
“…….”
A strange smile curled at the corner of his mouth. A smile that was utterly vile, utterly triumphant.
“Got you, you bastard!”