A Damnably Nostalgic Face (2)
"What the hell are you?"
"……."
"I'm asking what the fuck you are, you mangy mutt!"
The moment he saw Yaryul Jae's feral glare as the man whirled around, Jin Sowoon realized it.
Shit…….
The current Yaryul Jae didn't know him.
And.
"Answer me, you dogshit! Why the hell are you grabbing a guy who was just minding his own business?!"
……In his previous life, Yaryul Jae had a filthy temper.
"……No way it's that bastard Jang Sikyeong who sent you?"
Yaryul Jae's hand drifted toward his sword hilt, as if ready to draw it any second.
Even in this life, his personality didn't seem much different from before.
What now…….
There was no way he could reveal that he'd regressed into the past, and he couldn't just walk away after calling the guy's name.
He wouldn't lose in a fight, but that would only breed suspicion about him.
"Why aren't you answering? You mute or something!? How the hell did you call my name if you're mute?!"
Ignoring Jin Sowoon's circumstances entirely, Yaryul Jae prepared for battle right away.
Goddamn, every single one of those Small Justice Squad bastards had a short fuse…….
Haa…….
As he debated whether to unleash Heavenly Lone Walker God Step and bolt.
"Jin Sowoon?"
A boy with a bushy, unkempt head of hair poked his head out from behind Yaryul Jae.
He looked vaguely familiar…….
"Jin Sowoon, you bastard! What the hell are you doing here?!"
It was none other than Yaryul Geuk.
In that instant, Jin Sowoon's mind raced.
"Uh……yeah! Yaryul Geuk! I called for you."
"……."
Yaryul Geuk tilted his head, looking utterly confused.
Playing dumb, Jin Sowoon asked him.
"I……called for you, but someone else reacted……. Ahem, who might this gentleman be?"
"……."
Yaryul Geuk eyed him suspiciously but answered curtly.
"What's it to you?"
Goddamn, this rude little shit…….
He'd have to drag his ass back to the academy and make him train all day to knock some sense into him. Tsk.
As Jin Sowoon plotted Yaryul Geuk's reformation.
"Jin……Sowoon? The Black Flame Dragon young hero, yes?"
The response came from Yaryul Jae.
And then.
"To meet you like this!"
The guy who'd just tried to kill him, mistaking him for Jang Sikyeong's underling, suddenly cupped his fists in respect and bowed.
Huh? What?
"I've heard much about you. I am Yaryul Jae, brother of Geuk-i."
His speech even shifted suddenly.
It was hard to adjust.
"Ah, I see……That explains why you looked familiar."
"Meeting the Black Flame Dragon young hero like this stirs deep emotions in me as well."
"Pardon? Y-young hero?"
His head tilted.
What the hell was this?
This wasn't the Yaryul Jae he knew…….
"I've heard a lot from Geuk-i. He said he has a friend who helps him a lot at the academy."
"Whaaat?! When the hell did I say that?!"
Yaryul Geuk flipped out and lunged at his brother.
Yaryul Jae stood firm, extending his arm to pin down the boy's head.
"Thank you for looking after this dishonest rascal. I've heard rumors of your prowess, young hero, and they prove true."
It gave him goosebumps to be called a friend of that screeching little shit.
But the kid seemed mortified too, desperately trying to shut his brother up.
Playing the chivalrous academy representative wouldn't hurt.
Jin Sowoon plastered on a benevolent smile and returned the cupped-fist salute.
"No need for thanks. It's only natural……only natural."
Yaryul Jae's face was definitely different from what he'd seen in his previous life.
There was a sharpness to it, but no vicious aura, and he even smiled occasionally at his screeching little brother.
Was the personality from his previous life forged after Yaryul Geuk's death?
Damn, this felt awkward.
"He seems to admire you greatly, young hero Jin. I leave him in your care."
"That's not it! Shut your mouth!"
Meanwhile, Yaryul Geuk's face flushed beet red, on the verge of exploding.
Ho, this was too good to pass up.
Jin Sowoon gazed at Yaryul Geuk fondly.
"I see. To think Geuk-i felt that way……! I'll have to look after him even more from now on."
At his words, Yaryul Geuk's face went from red to a deathly black.
This was pretty entertaining?
So don't fucking climb all over me, you little punk.
After flashing a grin at the kittenish brat, he turned to Yaryul Jae.
"If I may ask, what line of work are you in, great hero?"
"Great hero……haha."
Yaryul Jae had pressure-pointed the explosive Yaryul Geuk into submission and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"I'm no great man. Just scraping by eating sword rice, humbly."
"Is that so? Even so, I hear Yuyunmun's arts aren't shallow."
Yaryul Jae humbly shook his head.
"That was long ago. Lately, I'm glad Geuk-i seems to have found a new path."
Then he cupped his fists again.
"I hear you greatly aided his enlightenment. Sharing it must not have been easy……Thank you again."
"……."
It was a path Yaryul Jae had found on his own originally, but unaware of Jin Sowoon's circumstances, he felt as if he'd received a hard-won gift.
"No. I merely passed it along."
"……Huh? Passed it along?"
Jin Sowoon nodded slowly, recalling the Yaryul Jae who'd toiled more than anyone in his previous life.
"Yes. The original owner would have wanted it that way."
Yaryul Jae tilted his head.
No point explaining—it'd be incomprehensible anyway.
Jin Sowoon changed the subject quickly.
"Do you plan to continue as a ronin?"
"Ah, actually, that's not working out, so I'm looking to settle down."
"Settle down……."
"I hear the Murim Alliance is recruiting low-grade warriors, so I'm thinking of applying there."
So it ends up like this after all.
The events so far had diverged from his previous life, but the outcome was much the same.
He prodded needlessly in his haste.
"Have you considered other work? Commerce, perhaps……."
"What the……."
A "Chun" creased Yaryul Jae's brow.
Bracing for curses, Jin Sowoon said.
"I hear low-grade Murim Alliance work is no easy task."
"……."
But contrary to expectations, he didn't spew filth or draw his sword.
"I appreciate the concern, but as a Yuyunmun disciple, I have confidence to overcome any hardship."
And in that moment, he realized.
This man had no intention of leaving the world of the jianghu he belonged to.
He'd thought of Yuyunmun's revival, never once abandoned his life as a warrior, and he never would.
Just as he hadn't regretted it until his dying breath in his previous life.
"I see……."
"Ah……Sorry. I got worked up for no reason……."
Jin Sowoon bowed politely.
"No. I spoke out of turn."
Not the Murim Alliance—even without it, he wouldn't leave the jianghu.
Like in his previous life, the man before him would toil endlessly for Yuyunmun's revival.
And in the end.
He'd step into the Righteous-Demonic Great War.
If it's inevitable…….
If he couldn't leave the jianghu, best to keep him close.
"If you pass, I recommend applying to Baekrang-gak."
"Baekrang-gak?"
"Yes. I hear many outstanding people are assigned there."
"Hmm……Is that so?"
"Yes."
Hoping he'd end up in Baekrang-gak's Small Justice Squad like before, truly hoping to meet again.
Jin Sowoon turned and returned to his group.
#
"Sniff sniff, I'm trash."
"Yeah, Lord Geum Pyo is trash."
Geum Pyo shot Eunho a glare at his words.
"This fucker keeps changing my surname!"
"You gonna keep the Yi surname after getting a Mu evaluation?"
"It was a mistake! A mistake! I can turn it around in the practical!"
But Eunho didn't back down.
"From someone who always loses to my little brother Dongryong……."
"You fuck! Wanna die?!"
"Yes yes, you're Yi and Lord Geum Pyo has no surname……."
Crash!
As Geum Pyo lunged at Eunho and Dongryong tried to intervene in the chaos.
Nam Hwaseong, who'd been sulking these past few days, suddenly spoke up.
"Why'd you bring me?"
"Huh?"
"Why bring an outsider to sit with your group?"
The big lug pouting his lips was pathetic.
Jin Sowoon chuckled at him.
"If I left the outsider alone with the delegation, he'd steal secrets. So I brought him."
"Fuck……."
Nam Hwaseong downed his cup in one gulp and wiped his mouth roughly.
As he refilled and went to down another, he suddenly whipped his head toward Jin Sowoon.
"I don't even know what the hell I'm doing anymore."
After hesitating, Nam Hwaseong emptied another cup and fixed his blazing eyes on him.
"One question. If I join you……will you protect my sect?"
"What's this sudden talk?"
"I'm serious, Jin Sowoon. If I follow you……can you protect Samwonmun's 108 Peaks status?"
Seeing Nam Hwaseong more serious than ever, something must've happened.
"Why should I?"
"What?"
"Why the hell should I worry about your sect's status?"
He'd avoided enemies in Jeongdohoe, Baekdohoe, 12 Bongseong—not to get dragged into petty politics.
He hadn't promised the academy delegation a rosy future for the same reason.
"……."
Nam Hwaseong's stiff expression cracked into a smirk.
"Right, not your responsibility."
As he went to down another cup, Jin Sowoon continued.
"Instead, I'll tell you how to protect your sect."
His motion froze.
"What?"
"I'll tell you how to keep your sect from being wiped out in the coming war, and if danger strikes, I'll fight alongside you."
"……."
Sudden silence fell over the rowdy drinking party.
The Sahwal-dan officers, his juniors and priests—all stopped talking to listen to Jin Sowoon and Nam Hwaseong.
"What the……."
Nam Hwaseong looked dazed, uncomprehending, so Jin Sowoon answered clearly.
"That's as far as my promise goes. Handle your promotions and sect status yourselves. I lack the power or desire for that shit."
"……."
Nam Hwaseong stared blankly at his face, fiddling with his cup, still not getting it.
Ilgak asked on his behalf.
"Young hero Jin…… Do you think war will break out?"
Jin Sowoon nodded readily.
"Why do you think it won't?"
"But the Blood Cult is already……."
"Is the Blood Cult the only enemy?"
"……."
"The Murim Alliance is in its most glorious golden age ever. But that doesn't mean there are no enemies."
He scanned his group one by one.
"When this golden age ends, great chaos will come, and the jianghu will be engulfed in the flames of a massive war."
"……."
As they pondered who these 'enemies' might be from his fragmented glimpse of the future.
Nam Hwaseong, having made up his mind, spoke.
"Jin Sowoon, you'll really fight for Samwonmun?"
Jin Sowoon nodded.
"The sects of my comrades and subordinates are my own sects."
"Comrades and subordinates……."
Muttering the words, Nam Hwaseong downed his cup.
"Keu…… Jin Sowoon, there's something you need to know."
"What?"
"Ran into Cheol Sunjik recently. Seems the 12 Bongseong guys are scheming something."
Cheol Sunjik. Time for him to move at last.
#
Plotter Cheol Sunjik.
That was his nickname in the previous life.
He had an official title, but people called him the Plotter.
No one could easily match him in schemes and intrigue.
In the war, he claimed the most victories with the least losses.
Considering most of his unit were 12 Bongseong members, it wasn't just skill or tactics.
Demonic Cult wasn't an enemy tactics worked on properly anyway.
So what allowed his endless victories?
He always fought the weakest units.
When his unit faced a strong foe, he'd use every trick to dump them on another unit.
Well, if that's a talent, it is one.
Even before entering the Murim Academy, he'd marked Cheol Sunjik as the top threat.
In his previous life, Baekrang-gak suffered the most casualties because of Cheol Sunjik's unit.
Their grudge might trace back to then.
He endured a long time too.
Thinking of their connection from the entrance exam, it was a long wait from Cheol Sunjik's view.
Jin Sowoon strongly felt it was time for him to move for his own goals.
And sure enough.
"Representative, the academy students want to set up a debate with you."
"Debate?"
His head tilted at the unfamiliar proposal from his previous life.
Jang Ujae continued with a worried look.
"Yes. They want to discuss the academy's future direction."
"All the students?"
"No. Representatives from the students."
"……."
Jang Ujae smirked incredulously.
"They call themselves the 'Academy Council.'"
The moment he heard the unheard-of term 'Council,' a face came to mind.
"Is Cheol Sunjik among them?"
"Huh? How did you……."
How? With the academy rep right there, electing student representatives…….
"Ha, I can hear the gears turning from here."
No one but Cheol Sunjik could pull that off.