I'll Put It on Hold (4)

Paeng Kyungbin's blade was clearly aimed at severing Sim Miho's arm.

Sim Miho trembled with rage in her shoulders.

She couldn't even dodge, thanks to someone behind her sealing her acupoints.

'Betrayed by my own liege, and now even my subordinate turns traitor?'

The others couldn't hide their bewilderment either.

Chopping off his own subordinate's arm?

It was beyond anyone's expectations.

Paeng Daewi simply stood his blade upright on the ground, watching impassively.

Like a spectator observing how the pieces moved on a chessboard.

Everyone except Paeng Daewi had their mouths agape when—

Clang.

A clear, ringing sound echoed in everyone's ears.

At the source, Hanbin's dagger clashed against Paeng Kyungbin's blade, locked in place.

However, Hanbin's dagger—overpowered—had dipped slightly lower.

As a result, Paeng Kyungbin's blade rested lightly on Sim Miho's shoulder.

Hanbin narrowed his eyes.

Pushed back due to lack of strength?

For a martial artist, that was fatal.

Drip!

The wound wasn't deep, but blood trickled from Sim Miho's shoulder.

Hanbin released her pressure point and shouted,

"Fall back!"

"……."

Sim Miho instinctively retreated.

Everyone's gazes shifted between Hanbin, Sim Miho, and Paeng Kyungbin.

In their eyes, Hanbin might as well have saved the enemy.

As all wondered what was going on, Hanbin growled,

"Who told you to touch my stuff?"

Paeng Kyungbin tilted his head at Hanbin's words.

"Sim the guard is your stuff?"

Unlike Paeng Kyungbin's curious expression, Hanbin was dead serious.

"In the first bet earlier, this young master and I clearly wagered our guard squads."

"I remember that too."

Paeng Daewi stroked his beard, and Hanbin beamed, enunciating clearly,

"Promises must be kept, right? Isn't that so, Branch Head?"

Paeng Daewi chuckled at Hanbin's words.

"Guardian Tiger Second Squad shall henceforth be incorporated into Guardian Tiger Fourth Squad."

As Paeng Daewi grinned after speaking, Paeng Kyungbin urgently cried out,

"Handing over the guard squad means……."

Pop!

Paeng Kyungbin's words cut off as Paeng Daewi sealed his acupoints.

Paeng Daewi chin-nodded impassively.

"Execute the agreement."

"Understood, Enforcement Branch Head."

Hanbin approached Paeng Kyungbin with his sword in hand.

Just one step.

Paeng Kyungbin's expression shifted wildly.

Hanbin sheathed his dagger at his waist and swung his fist straight at Paeng Kyungbin's face.

Crack!

With a crisp impact, text appeared in Hanbin's vision.

The power he'd felt lacking while blocking Paeng Kyungbin's blade was now filled!

The formula perfectly compensated for Hanbin's physical shortcomings.

The Basic Chapter was, in a word, like an inner power cultivation method.

Hanbin smiled.

Ignoring the fallen Paeng Kyungbin, he threw another punch.

Crack!

The sharp sound echoed around, but the Enforcement Branch warriors blocked all views thoroughly—no one knew the source.

The gathered warriors mistook it for sparring between Hanbin and Paeng Kyungbin.

Setting aside the others' misconceptions, Hanbin curled his lip.

After pummeling for a good while, Hanbin finally stopped.

No more formulas to extract.

Formulas enhancing physical abilities had taken root.

Increased speed, strength, and even stamina.

Confirming the text, Hanbin's smile deepened.

As the leather-drum bursting sounds ceased, murmurs rose outside the curtain.

People stared toward the curtain, imaginations running wild.

"Another spar?"

"Fourth Young Master comes out unscathed—could it be……."

"No way!"

"But he's too fine."

"Is the rumor true?"

"That Fourth Young Master beat Third Young Master fair and square."

"Nah, no way."

Amid the buzz, Hanbin swept the curtain aside and strode out.

Paeng Daewi's voice followed from behind.

"What will you do?"

Hanbin turned to look at Paeng Daewi.

"Do about what?"

"The agreement."

Paeng Daewi replied curtly, gesturing to the arm.

It was absurd.

Paeng Daewi had just permitted chopping off Paeng Kyungbin's arm.

'This guy's totally nuts too.'

Tsking his tongue, Hanbin murmured low,

"I'll put it on hold."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll cut it later when I have time. I'm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠busy now."

Hanbin scratched the back of his head with an innocent grin, making Paeng Daewi throw his head back in laughter.

"Haha, a joke?"

"Since I'm the winner of the bet, ownership of the arm is mine too. I'll log it in the ledger as soon as I get back to my quarters."

Grinning, Hanbin leaned toward the fallen Paeng Kyungbin and whispered,

"Touch me again, and I'll bite it clean off next time! Sometimes a mad dog scares more than an angry tiger."

Hanbin bared his teeth slightly.

His mad-dog vibe carried an eerie intensity.

Confirming the surrounding stares, Hanbin continued,

"Kidding, big bro."

With those final words, Hanbin quietly left Guardian Tiger Fourth Squad's quarters.

The Guardian Tiger Fourth Squad followed wordlessly.

As Hanbin's group departed, Sim Miho nodded to her subordinates.

A signal to follow Hanbin.

The crowd ebbed away like a receding tide, leaving Paeng Kyungbin staring blankly at the ceiling in a daze.

Even the Enforcement Branch warriors were stunned, unsure what had just happened.

Enforcement Branch Head Paeng Daewi watched Hanbin's retreating figure with gleaming eyes.

Paeng Daewi had clearly seen Hanbin's speed.

'Hanbin, not even Second-Rate, matching a First-Rate warrior's speed? Maybe even beyond…….'

Paeng Daewi pressed his temple, replaying the scene in his mind.

Hanbin's sword had been fast and precise.

Blocking Paeng Kyungbin's blade with a narrow dagger was astonishing.

Undeniably impressive speed.

Then a subordinate called to Paeng Daewi.

"Branch Head! Are you alright?"

The voice snapped Paeng Daewi from his thoughts.

"What a shame."

Paeng Daewi smacked his lips, and the subordinate asked,

"Hungry? Shall I escort you to the dining hall, Branch Head?"

"No, let's head back."

Paeng Daewi waved with a smile.

Twenty warriors stood in formation before Guardian Tiger Fourth Squad's quarters training ground.

The original Fourth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Squad and the newly absorbed Second Squad gazed at Hanbin with solemn expressions.

Only Second Squad Leader Sim Miho's face shifted through a whirlwind of emotions.

Anyone would mistake her for a Peking opera actor straining to express joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure all at once.

Thump, thump.

Her heart still pounded fiercely.

An hour ago, Sim Miho thought she'd lose an arm.

For a warrior, that meant the end of her career.

Then the unexpected happened. Hanbin—the enemy—saved her.

Sim Miho's heart raced after Hanbin called her 'my stuff.'

It instilled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an inexplicable sense of belonging, boiling her warrior's blood.

As Sim Miho awaited Hanbin's words, a question arose in her mind.

'Who swapped the Ohodanmundo manual?'

The chill came from realizing someone inside Paeng Family had swapped it under everyone's noses in under two hours.

If such a person existed, they could slit any throat at any time.

'To think I made an enemy of Fourth Young Master, who has that under him!'

Sim Miho unconsciously stroked her nape.

The more she thought, the more her hairs stood on end.

As her shoulders quivered faintly, Hanbin spoke.

"Squad Leader So Daeseop, Squad Leader Sim Miho."

"Yes, Young Master!"

"Young Master!"

So Daeseop and Sim Miho stepped forward with cupped-fist salutes, and Hanbin pointed to the training ground floor.

"Bow!"

Gasps erupted here ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and there.

"Gasp!"

"Did Young Master just……."

"What's this sudden situation?"

As confusion spread, Hanbin said,

"Squad Leader So Daeseop!"

"Yes, Young Master."

"As I said earlier, who does Guardian Tiger Fourth Squad take orders from—me or anyone else?"

"The family head."

"Then whose responsibility is acting on this young master's orders earlier?"

"M-mine."

Hanbin stood before Sim Miho.

"You tried to screw me over, so we do initiation rites. You bow too. And……."

Hanbin trailed off, eyeing the rest of the guards.

"Anyone unhappy with my punishment—step up now!"

"……."

Silence fell in the suddenly frigid air.

Fourth and Second Squad members fidgeted, unsure where to look.

As the guards only glanced at each other without speaking, Hanbin barked,

"Execute!"

So Daeseop and Sim Miho's heads simultaneously dropped toward the ground.

That was when Hanbin shouted,

"Hold it!"

The two froze mid-bow.

Hanbin stood before So Daeseop and Sim Miho.

"I'll put this on hold too. Got it?"

"Pardon?"

"Didn't hear? I said on hold. Next time something bugs me, I'll add interest and punish then."

"Ah, understood, Young Master."

Oddly, So Daeseop's eyes—who'd nearly suffered humiliation—shone brighter than ever.

Sim Miho's burned even fiercer, like the sun rising at midnight.

Glancing nonchalantly at their gazes, Hanbin stepped between So Daeseop and Sim Miho.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Hanbin clapped their backs hard.

The sounds rang intensely in the quiet training ground.

The firm pats were like the end-of-day bell.

Her back stung, but Sim Miho didn't mind.

In fact, Hanbin's strikes matched the intensity he'd used beating Paeng Kyungbin.

It was deliberate.

After patting So Daeseop and Sim Miho's backs, Hanbin gazed into empty air.