Late Winter's Piercing Wind (3)
Thanks to the commotion my father kicked up(?), the banquet came to an abrupt end. At first, the Black Dragon Stronghold crew had glared at the unremarkable middle-aged guy picking a fight, but once they realized he was my dad, they bowed politely in greeting.
"Ah! So you're the Grand Chieftain!"
"……."
My father, somehow even angrier, promptly chased the Black Dragon Stronghold guys out right then and there. Along with the tribute money they'd brought.
Whoa, how much was all that worth?
I had no choice but to slip out at dawn after the banquet wrapped up to meet the Black Dragon Stronghold members.
"You brought it?"
"Yes, Chieftain."
"I told you not to call me Chieftain."
"My apologies, Chieftain!"
"……."
I hated being called the Black Dragon Stronghold Chieftain too. It didn't make any sense from the start—I wasn't even a bandit, so how could I be their chieftain?
"We exchanged it all for bills of exchange, as you instructed."
"Good."
But money was innocent, right? I suppressed the grin tugging at my lips and checked the amount on the bills, tilting my head.
"Huh? There were precious metals too, but you got full value for everything?"
"Ah! That guy tried to pull some tricks, so we gave him a little education."
"……."
To pull this off against a battlefield-hardened veteran who shed no tears or blood before money... These subordinates I'd only just met today seemed pretty capable. I was starting to like these guys.
"Ahem."
"Your orders!"
They reacted so swiftly even to my cough. Made me like them even more.
"Listen up."
I drew a clear line, just in case they got any funny ideas.
"I can't be your chieftain, and I have no intention of becoming one."
"What do you...?"
"Who am I?"
The vicious-looking thugs timidly tilted their heads at my question.
"The Black Flame Dragon... Chieftain."
"No, not that. What's my public position?"
"Murim Academy's top ranker...?"
"Exactly!"
The Black Dragon Stronghold operated alongside the Green Dragon Stronghold. You had to see them as one unit. And the chieftain of this Twin Dragon Stronghold was Bang Du-chil.
I gripped the bills tightly in my hand and declared,
"A man who will become a pillar of the righteous sects can't be a bandit stronghold chieftain."
"……."
The bandits glanced at my hand, then drooped their heads like lost puppies without an owner. Staring at the backs of their heads, I added,
"So from now on, send the tribute straight to me. All converted to bills of exchange."
"Pardon?"
They all snapped their heads up, faces full of confusion.
"My dad finds out, and we're in deep shit."
"Uh... what? You just said you're not the chieftain...?"
Why couldn't they get it? I waved the bills in front of them.
"Don't you want to give me the money?"
"……."
They were so insistent on giving it—how could I refuse? Turning down their goodwill would be rude. I wasn't that tactless.
"And if possible, send it on a fixed day each month. A big lump sum raises the risk of fund tracing."
"……."
The bandits looked utterly dumbfounded.
The next day, as planned, we left the Great Heavenly Merchant Group to head back to the academy. Everyone from Tae-eul Gate had come out to see us off.
"...Outer Hall Lord isn't here."
Everyone except my dad. Saryeon glanced worriedly at me, and I shrugged.
"He's probably busy."
Then Gang Chaeseok approached with a small bundle.
"Take this."
"What's this?"
"Your dad prepared it last summer for you. Though... yesterday he said he'd burn it and left it by the firewood."
What a total doting dad. I chuckled and unwrapped the bundle. Inside was a black martial robe I often wore.
"It's custom for parents to make clothes for top rankers, right? Your dad heard about it late and begged the best seamstress in town multiple times."
Silver thread wove subtle patterns, and the sleeves bore the characters for 'Tae-eul'. Thank goodness it didn't say 'Top Ranker' on the chest.
I rewrapped it with a smile.
"Tell him thanks."
"He'll curse me out for meddling."
"Still."
The farewell was brief. Thanks to last night's fiasco, everyone in Tae-eul Gate was wary of Jin Taesan.
Unlike the trip there, we took an escort office this time for a comfortable ride back to the academy. The weather noticeably warmed from Hebi to Muhwan.
In the carriage, I listened to my junior brothers' endless chatter. At set times, we ate the meals prepared by the escort office's escorts.
The best part of traveling with an escort office? No need for night watches. They mostly stayed at inns, but even outdoor camps were comfortable.
By the time we reached the academy, spring flowers were starting to bloom.
"Oh? You arrived today? I should've come from Hebi with you."
Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa had arrived the same day as us.
"It was sososo good!"
Eunseollan, looking even happier after her hometown trip, arrived two days later.
"Haa, hyungnim...?"
Three days after, Moyong Jaehwa showed up—with a sword at his waist, of all things.
"Grandpa said what if I run out of arrows."
He no longer opposed archery outright, but insisted on swordsmanship for emergencies, and Moyong Jaehwa had agreed readily.
"Ugh...?"
He realized too late that it turned his break into hell. He'd trained one-on-one with Moyong Gang without a single day off.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
Eunho chided him for complaining about personal training from a master, but Moyong Jaehwa teared up, on the verge of sobbing.
"H-He just, like, thrust the sword at my throat, and real flesh was getting sliced, and I passed out from the hits. B-But you know what's scariest...?"
"……."
"It hurt so bad I thought I'd die, but the next day I'm fine again. And it repeats... I really, really wanted to run away so many times...?"
Eunho, who'd been scolding him, nodded deeply in understanding and patted his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it—that feeling where you think you can't but you do it anyway... Go ahead, cry. It's okay!"
...But why was that guy looking at me?
Soon, the academy representative office members all returned.
"Hope you fared well, Representative."
"Heard about the Jeondeungmun incident."
"As expected of the Representative."
The rep team buzzed with Jeondeungmun talk for a while. They unpacked stories like they'd been waiting for classes to start.
"A Golden Gong practitioner hiding in the righteous sects? Horrifying."
An academy student shuddered as he spoke, and another replied gravely.
"Back home, a sect was attacked on suspicion of Golden Gong cultivation."
That sparked similar tales among the reps.
"Huh? A sect near my school got hit too."
"Ours had one."
Stories poured out like they'd coordinated. But as they shared, they sensed something off.
"...So many sects practicing Golden Gong?"
The absurdity silenced them. Even if many practiced it, proving guilt wasn't easy. How were so many pinpointed so quickly?
It's already started.
Purging dissenters. Most reported sects were rivals of the reporters— the intent was obvious. No need for Murim Alliance help; strike first under 'Golden Gong extermination,' and even if innocent, the victim sect is gone, no rectification needed.
They see it as opportunity before the Alliance Lord's decree.
Reports and ambushes wouldn't stop until the decree. Best chance to expand power.
Delayed it, but same problem in the end?
I'd thought shortening the Blood Cult incident reduced casualties, but this spread was unforeseen. Bitter taste. Once real demonic art users emerged, who knew? The jianghu was hyped on 'Golden Gong'—Alliance needed swift action to calm them.
"At least our sect elders have ties to the Inspection Hall."
"That's why sects cozy up to the Alliance."
"We need good assignments too. Starting at a branch office kills momentum."
As academy students, they knew the core wasn't 'Golden Gong' but power struggles.
Dirty business.
Those with high Alliance posts or close ties wouldn't be hit easily. Attacking them? No 'mistake' excuse would fly. Only works on weaker foes.
The 'Golden Gong' frenzy boosting academy students' motivation wasn't amusing.
"Hey."
I met Cheol Sunjik before classes started. Had something to give him.
"Looks like no incidents."
Basically, You're still alive? Tch. I got it instantly—guess I'd adapted to his speech.
"You'd know if you watched Jongnam."
"Didn't wanna bother."
Prissy as ever.
"Anyway, you bring it?"
Cheol Sunjik tilted his head at my question.
"...I distinctly recall me coming to receive something. What would I even have for Representative Jin?"
What? He didn't bring it? I crossed my legs and held out my hand.
"Iron Ring."
"……."
"You were supposed to recover the Iron Ring. That's valuable."
He stared me down. Hmm, familiar look. The What kind of bastard is this? face.
"What, you really didn't?"
Cheol Sunjik glanced around and muttered low.
"Don't you know crimes always get exposed via evidence? Naturally melted it all down."
Why toss it? Remake it into something. Born rich, doesn't know thrift?
"Tch, can't trust you with anything."
"Don't wanna be trusted."
As the brat stood abruptly to leave, I pulled a small inlaid vial from my bosom and set it on the table. Cheol Sunjik froze mid-step.
I nodded at it.
"The promised item."
This is why I skipped that spirit pill. Well, got Geumgangcheong, no big loss.
"……."
He sat back, staring at the vial, then looked up at me. Still confused.
"You're... really giving it?"
"Would I give fake? It's real."
He grabbed it, popped the lid with a pop, sniffed, then resealed.
"Real. More than expected too."
Shook it to gauge amount.
"...Why give this? Could've claimed low quantity or purity—no way to verify."
"Man, even giving it causes drama."
"……."
I shrugged at him.
"Promised, didn't I? Just keeping my word."
"Promise...?"
How does he see me?
"……."
"Don't want it? Fine."
As I reached, he snatched it into his bosom. I smirked at his face.
"Deal's done. You're an accomplice now. No backtalk later."
This shuts him up. As I rose to leave,
"You know the jianghu's in uproar over 'Golden Gong'?"
Cheol Sunjik wanted more chat. Makes sense, few friends.
I leaned back.
"So?"
"Heard academy classes are changing."
"What?"
"Changing student evaluation methods."
"Their gain?"
"Nine Great Valleys and Five Great Families are building their own factions."
I chuckled. Old news.
"Twelve Bongseong acting aloof?"
Ignoring me, he continued.
"All instructors and assistants replaced."
Now?
"With Alliance hall leaders minimum. All volunteered."
"Volunteers from Nine Great Valleys and Five Great Families?"
He nodded.
"Hall lords and elders leading it. To shake up the stagnant system."
"Why now?"
Prep takes time... Can't wait a cohort, changing mid-semester?
"Too rushed?"
"...Urgent times."
Something I don't know?
"What's urgent?"
He stared silently.
Why so tight-lipped?
"Anyway, that's all."
Never spills the key info. Still, sharing classified intel—why?
He hesitated, eyes down.
"...Payment for this."
Pat his chest with the vial, then stood.
Thud, thud, thud.
The man entered the auditorium, stood still, and scanned the room.
"Confused by the sudden mess?"
He smiled amiably and continued.
"Sad not to see familiar instructors... Some even protested?"
Did the instructor know? Protests weren't about the sudden swap, but the replacements' origins.
"Lots of chatter, like those eunuchs from Beijing."
Dismissing complaints, he spoke freely.
"But this crisis is your cohort's fault."
The hall chilled.
"Your achievements lag far behind priors, forcing extreme measures."
Absurd blame—one student raised a hand.
"...What do you mean?"
They'd aced the deadliest entrance exam ever. Lagging?
Instructor nodded approvingly, then hardened.
"Graduating you as-is harms the Alliance."
"...Doesn't make sense."
"Ahem, cohort's just low caliber?"
"……."
He shook his head with a sigh.
"Like this: My era, Baekrang Pavilion level goes to Jeokryong Pavilion now."
"……."
"That's the gap. But don't worry—new assistants and instructors will boost you and assign fairly via absolute eval..."
"Pfft!"
I couldn't hold back the laugh.
This was hilarious.
"Kh!"
"...!"
Instructor froze mid-start. Then glared sharply.
"...Who? Who laughed?"
No one stepped up; he leaked killing intent. Front rows paled first.
"Won't come forward? All, push-up position!!!"
His bellow shook the hall.
Useless guilt-by-association. Alliance folks always show it. So stuffy.
No choice—I stood.
"Me. Sorry."
Spotting me, he growled low.
"...Jin Sowoon. Instructor amusing?"
"No. Just... lost in thought."
He cut me off.
"Front and center."
Cold voice weighed the hall heavier.