I'll Set the Stage (1)
“Yes, understood, Young Master.”
Once Cheolno left, Han Bin narrowed his eyes at the guards' quarters.
No matter how he looked at it, they were rundown.
By the Paeng Family's rules, where everything was decided by strength, it was only natural treatment.
The problem was that the Mangho Squad warriors had done nothing wrong except serve the wrong master.
Han Bin didn't take his eyes off the quarters for even a moment.
That's when Cheolno returned with lacquer sap in a bamboo container.
Confirming the sap, Han Bin said,
“Sorry, but could you get some water for washing and some food too, Cheolno?”
“Why water all of a sudden?”
“I have a feeling I'll need it.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Cheolno vanished like the wind.
Han Bin quietly approached the quarters.
A moment later, he emerged silently from the quarters, lacquer sap and brush in hand.
Just then, Cheolno returned.
“Young Master, I'm back.”
As Cheolno set down the bamboo tub of water, Han Bin grinned and said,
“I'm hungry now—get some drinking water and food. And if I'm not here, just wait quietly. You can do that, right?”
Speaking softly, Han Bin got a quick, hushed reply from Cheolno.
“Yes, Young Master.”
Once Cheolno left again, Han Bin held his breath and watched the quarters.
That's when someone sneaked inside.
Han Bin suppressed his presence as much as possible and peered through a crack in the window to observe.
The man in black martial robes pretended to clean while slyly searching with his hands.
Han Bin's lips curled up naturally at the sight.
Once the man left, Han Bin entered the quarters and meticulously searched every spot the intruder had touched.
After lingering briefly, Han Bin vanished somewhere.
He returned about fifteen minutes later.
Han Bin strolled casually back toward the tree where Cheolno waited.
Sitting down, he ate the food Cheolno had prepared.
After finishing, he casually wiped his hands on his clothes.
“Young Master, that might leave food smells on your robes.”
“That noticeable?”
“Yes. I could tell exactly what you ate just from the scent.”
“Perfect. Let's go, Cheolno.”
Han Bin grinned.
His scent had been completely erased, just as he'd planned.
Then Cheolno asked,
“Yes, Young Master. But what exactly did you do?”
“Cleaned up!”
“Cleaned?”
“They're my guards—least I can do is that much.”
“For real?”
Cheolno's eyes widened.
To him, Han Bin had always been a frail young master.
But lately, things had changed.
Some whispered the youngest young master had lost his mind, but Cheolno didn't believe it.
Yet here he was, acting strangely again.
'Repairing his subordinates' quarters and even cleaning them?'
This was behavior Han Bin had never shown before.
Grinning, Han Bin led the way.
Cheolno glanced at his back.
Han Bin's robes were soaked with sweat from his vigorous cleaning—like he'd sprinted full tilt.
* * *
Deputy Steward Heo Manwi, overseeing the western wall repairs, was speaking with Mangho Squad Leader So Daeseop.
Heo Manwi gave an awkward smile.
“Squad Leader So Daeseop, sorry about this. I had no idea this young master would put you all to work like this.”
He meant it sincerely.
After the typhoon ravaged Hebei, laborers were short everywhere, so he'd planned to delay the work.
But this young master had conscripted the youngest young master's guards as laborers.
Mangho Squad Leader So Daeseop shook his head slightly.
“It's fine, Deputy Steward.”
His words said one thing, but his chest boiled with rage.
The Paeng Family's mistreatment stemmed solely from their ill-fated master.
So Daeseop resented his direct superior, Han Bin, even more than the young master who'd assigned them here.
That's when they spotted Han Bin sauntering over from afar.
So Daeseop gritted his teeth to swallow his bursting fury.
As Han Bin finally approached, So Daeseop sighed inwardly and cupped his fists.
“Young Master, you've arrived?”
“Doing well? So what's this about working here?”
“Family repairs...”
“I mean, why are my Mangho Squad doing it? This is laborer work.”
Deputy Steward Heo Manwi quickly interjected.
“Laborers are short after the typhoon...”
Han Bin cut him off.
“That's not what I'm talking about, is it?”
“Then what do you mean?”
“Whose orders put you here? I never gave any.”
“It was this young master's...”
“Exactly. Don't a young master's guards answer only to their direct superior or the family head?”
“...”
“Was it the family head's order, perhaps?”
“...”
Deputy Steward Heo Manwi couldn't respond.
By family rules, he had no ground to stand on, even with ten mouths.
Silence fell briefly.
As So Daeseop moved to speak amid the awkwardness,
Han Bin called out first.
“Hey.”
His gaze fixed on So Daeseop.
So Daeseop's mind reeled.
“Yes?”
“Who said to follow this young master's orders over mine? You answer for that judgment.”
“Gasp!”
So Daeseop's face paled.
'Damn. Damn it.'
He barely swallowed the curses bubbling up.
Han Bin hadn't shown his face since the audience days ago.
Despite the rumors of madness, So Daeseop hadn't expected this toward men scraping by like dogs.
He couldn't take it anymore.
Sticking by the youngest young master Han Bin led nowhere good.
Better to leave the Hebei Paeng Family and live as a ronin.
Time to submit his resignation.
“Young Master.”
“What, Squad Leader So Daeseop?”
“I just can't anymore...”
As So Daeseop's lips parted,
Someone rushed up from afar and cupped fists to Han Bin.
“Young Master, we're from the Enforcement Hall.”
Han Bin's eyes gleamed faintly.
Erasing it, he asked,
“What's the Enforcement Hall want?”
“Summoning Squad Leader So Daeseop on suspicion of attempting to smuggle family manuals outside.”
“Such a thing happened?”
Han Bin asked nonchalantly, but So Daeseop stepped forward, eyes wide.
“What are you talking about?”
“No speaking from here on.”
The Enforcement Hall warrior stamped his sword on the ground.
Thud.
Before the echo faded, So Daeseop shouted,
“Me, smuggling manuals?”
The Enforcement Hall warrior ignored him and turned back.
“Bind the criminal!”
So Daeseop's eyes trembled violently.
Absurd charges.
He glared at Han Bin, eyes bulging.
'What’s that look? Like it has nothing to do with him!'
Anyone could see Han Bin was enjoying this.
Mangho Squad Leader So Daeseop ground his teeth.
'This dog of a master!'
Deputy Steward Heo Manwi, eyes round, interjected.
“What in the world?”
“Sorry, Deputy Steward, this is Enforcement Hall business.”
“Hm.”
Heo Manwi sat like a dog by the hearth, at a loss.
The repair site turned to chaos.
Cursing inwardly, So Daeseop knew Han Bin was his only hope now.
He had to hold off quitting until the false charges cleared.
Shaking off the warriors, So Daeseop rushed to Han Bin.
“Young Master, I'm innocent!”
Han Bin feigned ignorance.
“Innocent? Tell me what's wrong, Squad Leader So.”
“I swear I did nothing wrong. Manuals? What?”
As So Daeseop vented, the Enforcement Hall warrior cupped fists to Han Bin again.
“Evidence is sufficient.”
“Evidence?”
“Physical proof and circumstantial.”
“Circumstantial?”
The warrior replied to Han Bin's question.
“Heard his daughter is ill.”
“And that makes it circumstantial?”
“A sick child needing money is motive enough for smuggling manuals.”
“Both circumstantial and physical?”
Han Bin glanced between the warrior and So Daeseop.
The warrior eyed Han Bin cautiously.
Rumors said he was mad.
Who knew what crazy thing he'd do?
Then Han Bin spoke.
“Can't be helped, then. Do as you will.”
“Pardon?”
The stunned warrior gaped at Han Bin in disbelief.
Definitely mad.
Ignoring his subordinate's pleas was beyond normal.
So Daeseop struggled forward.
“Young Master, I really...”
He couldn't finish.
An Enforcement Hall warrior struck his pressure points.
The warrior shouted to his men.
“Risk of evidence tampering—bind the rest too!”
They swarmed Han Bin's remaining guards.
Swish, swish.
Ropes tightened amid the Mangho Squad's cries.
Deputy Steward Heo Manwi shuddered slightly.
Over twenty years in the Paeng Family, yet he'd never seen such a tense scene.
'What's becoming of us...'
Regardless, Han Bin grinned and strode ahead.
Dumbfounded Cheolno asked,
“Young Master, where to?”
“Enforcement Hall!”
Han Bin replied curtly and moved before the warriors even started.
Watching from behind, Deputy Steward Heo Manwi found it baffling.
His subordinate dragged off, and he eagerly leads? Not normal.
“The youngest young master really has gone mad...”
Heo Manwi trailed off.
Even the warriors hauling bound So Daeseop stared at Han Bin in bewilderment.
Hebei Paeng Family Enforcement Hall.
A man tapped the armrest of a steel chair while reviewing documents.
Bulky with sharp eyes, a scar ran along his jaw.
It suited him like tiger stripes.
He stroked it fondly, like a badge of honor. His forearm muscles writhed like earthworms on rock.
His name: Paeng Daewi.
Han Bin's third uncle and Enforcement Hall leader.
In the martial world, called the Paeng Family's third tiger.
As the door opened, Paeng Daewi tossed aside the documents irritably.
His gaze shifted to So Daeseop being dragged in.
Mangho Squad members followed in a line.
Paeng Daewi rose.
The hall felt oppressively full—his presence alone.
He approached So Daeseop slowly.
Releasing his mute acupoint, Paeng Daewi waited.
So Daeseop cried out.
“I'm innocent! I've never tried to smuggle manuals!”
Paeng Daewi clapped once.
Clap.
A burly man with a large saber at his waist and a woman in black robes appeared.
The eye-catching man was Third Young Master Paeng Kyungbin.
Beside him, assisting like a shadow: Guard Leader Sim Miho.
Han Bin beamed at Sim Miho.
Only a week of tailing her.
Tracking her so long bred an odd familiarity.