Chapter 152
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: On the Way to Dongting Lake (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Though they were from the unorthodox sects.
Baek Liyeon still held deep respect for Seo Dohee, who had risen to the ranks of absolute powerhouses as a woman—put another way, she had never witnessed the instructor fawning over anyone.
"Y-You insolent... Mmph!"
Reacting with the righteous fury befitting a young man upon seeing her respected instructor being toyed with, she stepped forward, only to be swiftly subdued by Geum Sihyeon.
Baek Liyeon's eyes clearly screamed, 'Are you insane, Geum Sihyeon?!'
Geum Sihyeon merely shook his head and shot Seo Dohee a look that said to just watch.
Soon enough, Seo Dohee spotted Baek Liyeon and Geum Sihyeon entering the inn behind her.
Right after that.
"Oppa! Over here...!"
She put on a troubled expression and called for help.
Geum Sihyeon's face soured instantly.
The thugs surrounding Seo Dohee turned their gazes toward the voice.
Geum Sihyeon's luxurious robe, which screamed high class to anyone looking.
And the sword sheaths hanging from Baek Liyeon and Geum Sihyeon's waists caught their eyes.
Up to that point, their youthful bravado might have flared up even more.
But the moment they spotted the single badge on Geum Sihyeon's sheath.
"S-Sorry for the intrusion!"
The cocky postures that had been oozing masculine provocation vanished in an instant, replaced by the demeanor of lowly street rats as they bolted out of the inn.
A lightning-fast change in attitude.
"...Instructor. Oppa, have some conscience, you... Ack!"
The righteous youth Geum Sihyeon tried to offer some advice.
But he was met with merciless violence.
Baek Liyeon couldn't comprehend it.
Even a fraction—a tenth—of the power behind the punch Geum Sihyeon had just taken to the side would have been enough to crush those thugs moments ago.
How could an absolute expert let it slide so carelessly, especially while spouting nonsense like calling him "oppa" without regard for his age?
Was this really something that could be brushed off so lightly?
No.
"I'll be right back."
As Baek Liyeon placed her hand on her sheath and turned to leave.
"Cadet Baek Liyeon. Just sit down."
Geum Sihyeon, who had shed his pained expression in that brief moment and regained his solemn demeanor, spoke softly.
How could he do that?
Before those thugs escaped, justice...
"Sit. You must be exhausted."
Even Seo Dohee chimed in agreement.
The atmosphere grew heavy in an instant.
Unable to defy both of them and chase after the thugs, Baek Liyeon reluctantly took a seat.
But her face was etched with unmistakable dissatisfaction and anger.
Geum Sihyeon and Seo Dohee sighed in unison.
After a brief silence.
Geum Sihyeon spoke first.
"Junior. What did you want to do about those thugs just now?"
"Well..."
Kill them all.
She was about to spit out the simple, straightforward answer that required no preamble or philosophy when she hesitated.
Geum Sihyeon: Did you know?
Seo Dohee: Yes. The Alliance Leader...
Geum Sihyeon: So that's why you brought her along.
Seo Dohee: That was part of the intent.
Geum Sihyeon gazed into Baek Liyeon's eyes, where murderous intent stirred, confirming the heavenly killer aura dwelling within.
"Junior. How would you gauge those guys' skill levels just now?"
"Third-rate... at best. Their Sun Acupoints were barely bulging, so they didn't seem to have trained any proper martial arts."
"Exactly. Probably some cheap street-bought manual or peeking over shoulders at a local no-name dojo. Does that make them martial artists?"
"...Isn't harassing women separate from that?"
"Well, true. If they'd picked the wrong opponent, they'd be dead. The jianghu's always been a place where failing to recognize an expert is a death sentence."
"...?"
Unable to grasp what Geum Sihyeon was getting at, Baek Liyeon opened her mouth to ask.
"Here? Yeah? You sure?"
"Yes!"
Amid the boisterous clamor.
The inn's door burst open as a gang of men poured in.
Among the rough-looking bunch.
Spotting the same thugs who had been harassing Instructor Seo earlier, Baek Liyeon gritted her teeth without thinking.
"Aigoo, Boss! If you were coming, you should've sent word ahead."
As the men bowed at right angles in greeting.
"Don't call me Boss, you idiots. Hey, Jang Sam-i, you. Didn't I tell you to train the newbies properly?"
Hearing Seo Dohee's scolding with her hand on her waist, Baek Liyeon felt her mind go blank.
She had overlooked it.
The fact that she was the leader of the Green Forest.
"We've committed a mortal sin, aaagh!"
"Kill us if you must, aaagh!"
Finally grasping the situation, the two Green Forest newbies slammed their heads on the ground voluntarily.
"Ah, the newbies have only been here a week..."
"A week-old newbie sees a woman alone in an inn and thinks it's okay to harass her? You wanna die first? Bury you in the hills? I said train 'em right!"
As Seo Dohee's voice rose.
"Let's go."
To escape the internal discipline session, Geum Sihyeon grabbed Baek Liyeon and headed out of the inn.
"Kyau!"
She hugged the shrunken, obedient wolf pup that had been waiting patiently, trotting over with a wobble.
"What do you think would have happened if we'd killed those guys earlier?"
"..."
Baek Liyeon pondered Geum Sihyeon's question.
"...They still harassed a woman. They didn't recognize their superior, and they're bandits to boot..."
Fortunately, Instructor Seo wasn't present, so she gave a relatively honest answer.
But Geum Sihyeon shook his head.
"Junior, do you know which sect has the most disciples in the current jianghu?"
"The Beggars' Sect."
"And after that?"
"Haomun... maybe?"
"Wrong. The Toll Road Party—that is, the Green Forest. Why do you think that is?"
She had never really considered it before.
Not waiting for an answer, Geum Sihyeon continued smoothly.
"I'm not one to talk, born into privilege, but people's upbringings vary wildly. Aside from a handful of martial artists, ordinary folk carry the weight of survival on their shoulders their whole lives. The Toll Road Party opened a path for them to make a living. Instead of wielding blades to rob others, they sweat to build and maintain roads and collect tolls. Sure, there are experts like Instructor Seo, but most are just regular people."
"..."
"Like any sect, they take pride in belonging. Yeah, there are punks like those. But."
Geum Sihyeon paused, then cupped a hand to his ear, signaling her to listen.
Baek Liyeon focused her hearing.
"You bastards still haven't learned? I'm so damn embarrassed, how can I call myself a branch leader anywhere? Wanna go back to banditry and get chased by the garrison again?"
"Sorry, brother!"
"I'm not your brother, aaagh!"
The sounds of vigorous beatings and an enraged Seo Dohee drilling the Green Forest bandits reached her ears.
"Can't we show a little mercy to those trying to reform? Sure, holding back is hard. Killing's easy. But once blood stains your hands, it's tough to wash off. The jianghu's all tangled in debts of gratitude and grudge. If you'd drawn your sword and slaughtered them, others would've had no choice but to grab axes out of loyalty and come after you. Then... the knot becomes impossible to untie. That's why I avoid killing whenever possible."
She didn't fully grasp the meaning.
But she understood the intent behind the lesson.
"...Yes. I understand."
Baek Liyeon nodded in acceptance.
"As expected, you're sharp, junior. Oh, and as a side note—if they'd called her 'auntie' instead of 'miss,' they'd probably be dead by Instructor Seo's hand... Eek!"
Teasing with a mischievous grin, Geum Sihyeon yelped and rolled away from the axe flying out of the inn.
"Pft."
Baek Liyeon burst into laughter.
After that, things proceeded smoothly.
Baek Liyeon, finally rid of motion sickness with medicine, felt at ease.
Geum Sihyeon teasing her by calling her "Dohee miss" whenever he got the chance.
And Seo Dohee snapping back irritably each time, though inwardly giggling.
Their footsteps carried them over three days to Dongting Lake's mid-island, and specifically to Junshan Island, the chosen school trip destination.
Admiring the dense bamboo groves.
Sipping the local specialty, Junshan Silver Needle tea, and comparing flavors peacefully during the site visit.
"Hm?"
Seo Dohee, feigning sophistication while savoring the tea, narrowed her eyes and stared at the horizon.
At first, just a tiny dot.
But as the dot grew in size, multiplied in numbers, asserting its presence, and formed into a fleet, Seo Dohee's brow furrowed.
"No way."
"What's wrong?"
"...I hope not."
Having clashed repeatedly with the Waterway Stronghold lately, she tried to suppress the rising unease.
But as the approaching fleet came into view, the lead ship—the one carrying the Waterway Stronghold's chief—heading straight for them.
Seo Dohee couldn't help cursing inwardly.