Chapter 150
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: The Road to Dongting Lake (1)
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It's been two weeks since the Hundred Flowers Academy cadets collectively reopened their classes.
"Good morning, President!"
"You're Jang Palli from the poison department, right? Good morning."
"That's right! I'm honored you remember me!"
"Honored? Ha ha."
They say a position changes a person.
I've grown accustomed to the life of a celebrity.
My fellow cadets from the same year greet me far more often now, and the underclassmen look at me like I'm half god, half man.
This is the weight of being an insider...
The only downside...
Last year, when I was intentionally on the fringes, it didn't matter if I flirted with Narang somewhere or scooped up Luri in my arms.
But now, every single action of mine could spark nasty rumors, so I had no choice but to restrain myself, mindful of public scrutiny.
Well.
Now that I've lost the excuse of the Heavenly Beast Heart-Returning Art, there's no reason for me to get tangled up with anyone outside anyway.
As I swallowed my regrets and strolled along lazily,
Moyong Wicheon popped out of nowhere like a wild Pokémon.
"Hey, you average Joe."
"Oh, Wicheon. You're still alive."
"...So you're saying I should've died? Your arrogance still pierces the heavens."
"Let's have a mind-image sword debate next time. I'll make sure to kill you for real."
"Grr... You average bastard...!"
From lowly scum to less lowly scum, and now just average.
I could feel my reputation rising even in these little jabs.
And moreover...
[Original post]
[Original post]
[Original post]
[Original post]
The fact that searching the gallery actually yields results shows my notoriety is steadily climbing.
That punk Yongtaek—I need to file a formal challenge soon and put him in his place.
He's gotten awfully cocky lately.
.
.
.
"That's all for today's class. Before the next one, copy pages 34 to 77 of the first volume of the Great Victory Triple Sutra."
After receiving the horrific homework bomb from Geum Sirang—who, despite being a powerless mortal, constantly provokes us martial artists with assignments—
"Sihyeon! Hehe, wanna walk to the student council room together?"
"Tired."
I briefly healed my shaken spirit by looking at Narang and Luri.
I desperately wanted to chat with them all the way to the student council room.
"Sorry. I've got pre-survey stuff today."
"Aha! See you later then! I'll wait in the student council room! Let's go, Luri."
"Hmph."
With so much work piling up, I couldn't savor that happy time.
Instead,
"What the—Gumga... Gah—"
For daring to slander me on the gallery, I fed Yongtaek one Marine Jjajang production pill.
Now he'll feel it in his bones: clean netiquette and online etiquette matter.
The gallery isn't your house. No one will overlook your screw-ups. That's how society works...
I watched with satisfaction as Diarrhea Taek bolted away, face pale as a ghost.
Then I headed back to my original destination.
The Western Family Chief's quarters.
- I should be going with you... I really wanna go together... Ugh, if only my seniority was a bit higher...
Exactly.
Normally, Instructor Seol, our student council advisor, should join the school trip pre-survey.
But rookies get all kinds of hazing.
After an emotional tearful farewell due to her fate as the youngest instructor, I needed to meet the one filling in for Instructor Seol: Dakbu-nim.
...She didn't push Instructor Seol aside just to snag the fun trip spot, did she?
.
.
.
"As if. What do you take me for?"
Dakbu-nim dismissed my suspicions outright.
"Honam, where Dongting Lake is, is half in the unorthodox faction's territory. Tianzishan near Dongting Lake was once the Green Forest Bandit King's stronghold, so even for scouting potential dangers, my presence minimizes disturbances—it's the best option."
"That was back then. What about now?"
"Where I am is the stronghold now."
Oh.
That line was pretty cool.
I quickly jotted it down in my mental Geum Sihyeon quotes collection—a remark befitting the head of a household.
"But why's that guy over there acting like that?"
The Western Family Chief's place, visited after a long time, had an extra illegal resident.
The weird guy at the end of my gaze.
The lecher grinned smugly at me.
"'That guy'? Watch your mouth around a prospective instructor, Geum Sihyeon."
The ways of the jianghu have fallen to the ground.
How can a Blood Cult lecher become a prospective instructor at the righteous Hundred Flowers Academy...?
I shot Dakbu-nim a protesting glare conveying my disbelief.
"That's how it turned out. Call it a plea bargain. Of course, I've bound him tightly with restrictions so he can't swing his lower half around freely. No worries."
"Guh."
The lecher's face twisted like he'd eaten shit the moment restrictions were mentioned.
"What kind of restrictions?"
"Whenever he's in the academy, he has to wear that sachet around his neck."
"Hm?"
Curiosity piqued, I strode over and snatched the sachet from the lecher's neck.
Surprisingly, he didn't react, just watched me with a mocking expression.
"Sniiff, haa."
Result of the sniff test.
Wandering spider venom, thousand-vein butterfly powder, hollow heart grass, and all sorts of other stuff...
"Body-weakening poison, blood vessel constriction inhibitor, libido suppressant... Aha."
I got it.
Body-weakening poison plus erectile dysfunction meds.
"How'd you figure that out so fast?"
"Who am I? Geum Sihyeon, disciple of the Life and Death Divine Doctor."
"...Why are you fine?"
"Heh. Because you and I exist on different planes, you filthy lecher."
I channeled qi into my hand, sparkling, and smashed the lecher's face.
After shooing the lecher far away and speaking privately with Dakbu-nim, I got the rough rundown.
In exchange for handing over all Blood Cult intel and traceable leads, sparing his life—but keeping him at the academy for surveillance under restrictions.
"Hm..."
A bit iffy,
But from sniffing it myself earlier, the sachet's contents were legit, and he couldn't undo it alone.
For intel-gathering purposes, I could somewhat accept it.
"But he agreed to that? I'd have bolted somehow."
"Alliance Leader threatened castration if he refused. Plus his wives are hostages."
"Aha..."
This is...
the righteous factions?
I let out an admiring sigh at the righteous average today too.
Sometimes I self-audit if I'm not acting righteous enough,
But at this point, I'm clearly in the top 0.01% of righteous paragons.
Though united under the student council banner, they didn't gather in one place as often as you'd think.
Different classes meant different schedules, and post-semester-start, official duties were light.
Believing himself competent—and actually handling five people's worth solo—Geum Sihyeon was the only one suffering a bit, while the other execs enjoyed leisurely days.
But today,
After the Baekri Yeon welcome party, the student council execs gathered together for the first time in ages.
"Right after midterms, we have the school trip scheduled, so we need to do the pre-survey. I'll be away starting next week."
Murmurs rose at Geum Sihyeon's words.
"School trip?"
"Yeah. It's when friends all go have fun together!"
The voice of the little sect heir from distant Tianshan, where the concept didn't exist.
"I-I d-don't wanna gooo..."
"No can do, sis! We have to go together!"
The shut-in tyrant Tang Narin squealing.
Ignoring the local broadcasts,
"Instructor Seo Dohee will chaperone, and one exec needs to come with me... Anyone wanna join?"
"Me!"
No sooner had Geum Sihyeon finished than Little Sect Heir shot up reflexively, puffing her modest chest.
"Mm... Unfortunately, Cadet Cheon Luri can't come with me."
"Why?"
"It's for scouting. Cadet Cheon Luri's head is full of nothing but playtime."
"Eek."
Clear-cut fact hit her, and she had to back down.
With the first candidate sunk,
The other execs' minds whirred complexly.
Not just Myo Narang and Tang Narin, charmed by the idea of a trip (even if not alone),
Even Geum Siyu seriously considered applying.
Though genetic-level revulsion at traveling with Geum Sihyeon clashed with the appeal of legally skipping boring classes.
But,
"I'll go with you."
As if unaware of the fierce undercurrent glance-battle, Baekri Yeon raised her hand.
In that instant,
All eyes focused on Baekri Yeon.
Aboard a massive warship.
A burly man with a red face and long beard stood at the prow—you'd believe him if he claimed reincarnation of Guan Yu.
Ruler of the Yangtze, Waterway Stronghold Chief.
Water Dragon King Hyukryeon Kwang.
"Not sure if this is right..."
His low mutter scattered amid the spray.
Not just the Yangtze Waterway Stronghold—most unorthodox factions lately felt survival threats.
Normally, righteous, unorthodox, evil, and demonic should balance like a three-legged cauldron.
But with demonic cult and righteous factions declaring truce, unorthodox ground was steadily eroding.
Yangtze Waterway Stronghold hit hardest.
The Martial Alliance HQ moving from Henan to Wuhuan cut their mid-river control dead.
Splitting into eastern (Nanjing-centered) and western (Yangtze Three Gorges-centered) waterway strongholds.
In this dire crisis bordering extinction,
- Cooperate with our great cause, and we'll secure your survival.
A hand was extended to Hyukryeon Kwang.
He didn't state his identity, but his face-to-face opponent was the infamous grand demonic, Illusion Demon.
Behind him surely the Blood Cult, founded by demonic cult defectors.
But rejecting the offer?
Could Waterway Stronghold survive solo?
Even the Evil Alliance only backed him, the chief, and the relatively unorthodox-territory-nearer eastern waterway over the western.
"A poisoned chalice. Irresistible."
Following Illusion Demon's plan would make them fully hostile to righteous martial world, utter public enemies.
But.
Does it differ from now?
Since those filthy traitor Green Forest scum switched to righteous side, Waterway's position had only declined.
After deep deliberation,
Hyukryeon Kwang sent a message accepting the plan.
And then,
"Turn the bow! We're heading to Dongting Lake now!"
He bellowed with inner power, shaking nearby mountains and rivers.