Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Conflict with the Iron Wire Fairy
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A large steamed fish was brought out to the center of the table for dinner.
Instructor Kang and Se Yeong sat down first, followed by the squad members taking their seats around the table.
Se Yeong peeled off a bit of the fish flesh and brought it to his mouth.
He immediately grimaced.
"This is grass carp?"
Se Yeong had caught grass carp a few times back home.
But it had such a foul grassy and fishy smell that he always released them—no taste worth mentioning.
"Yes."
"If you can't cook it right, go learn somewhere."
"...I'm sorry, Hero Han."
Sa Sa Un bowed his head with a crestfallen look.
But he had bowed out of fear of Se Yeong, not shame.
He had used cinnamon and star anise to mask the off-flavors, and he was confident it tasted decent.
"It has a bit of that grassy note, but the flavor's good enough."
Unlike Se Yeong, Instructor Kang seemed to enjoy the steamed grass carp.
"It's delicious."
"Only if you like the taste."
The other squad members echoed Instructor Kang's sentiment.
"Tastes awful."
Only Paeng Se Gi sided with Se Yeong.
But he was shoveling rice and fish into his mouth nonstop.
Sa Sa Un peeked up, feeling better, but the moment his eyes met Se Yeong's, he bowed low again.
With nothing else to eat, Se Yeong had no choice but to keep going with the steamed grass carp.
As he debated taking another bite of rice, he suddenly set down his chopsticks.
Expert.
Instructor Kang soon sensed it too and turned toward the training ground entrance.
"Looks like we have a distinguished guest."
The Iron Wire Fairy entered the Tenth Squad's small training ground with the First Squad members.
"Greetings to the Golden Flower Nun of Emei."
Dang Ok Yi, recognizing her, stood first and paid her respects.
The Iron Wire Fairy nodded with her usual haughty, icy gaze.
"Greetings to the Golden Flower Nun."
"An honor to meet the Iron Wire Fairy."
The squad members belatedly clasped their hands and bowed to her.
The Iron Wire Fairy's eyes shifted from the squad members to Instructor Kang and Se Yeong.
Her expression screamed: Who are you two, not bowing?
"I'm Kang Seok Hyeon."
The elder Instructor Kang bowed first in greeting.
But the arrogant Iron Wire Fairy ignored his courtesy and glared at Se Yeong instead.
That's the Iron Wire Fairy.
Se Yeong had heard the rumors long ago—he wasn't deaf.
And he despised her.
It stemmed from the human traffickers he'd encountered, who were backed by the Moyong Family—and she was their courtesan.
"What brings you here?"
Se Yeong skipped greetings and asked her business.
Her already cold face frosted over.
"What's your name?"
"Han Se Yeong."
"Can't you see?"
The Iron Wire Fairy indirectly scolded Se Yeong for not showing respect.
"I'm looking right now."
Se Yeong had no intention of bowing.
The First Squad members watching from behind erupted in fury.
"What do you think you're doing, Han Se Yeong?!"
"How dare a mere squad member act so insolent?!"
Clang...!
Namgung Seok, the Moyong Family courtesans, and Emei disciples among the First Squad drew their swords.
As they did, the Tenth Squad gripped their weapons in response.
Heh heh heh...
A laugh escaped Se Yeong's lips as cold sword gleams met his eyes.
"If you're so confident, come at me."
The Iron Wire Fairy, watching Se Yeong's brazen confidence, raised a hand to restrain her squad.
Truth be told, she was angrier than they were.
She desperately wanted to cleave him in two, but her pride wouldn't allow it.
He was just a Tenth Squad member; she was an instructor.
"A nobody gets a little fame and turns arrogant."
"State your purpose."
Her lip twitched at Se Yeong's mocking tone.
"The Four White Clans... invited your squad. But my squad and I will attend in your stead. Know that."
The squad members, Instructor Kang, and even Se Yeong were stunned.
"The Four White Clans invited us?"
"Deaf too, are you? You'd only shame the righteous factions. My First Squad will represent as the delegation."
Se Yeong quickly assessed the situation.
Revenge? Or a rematch?
Either way, it was his doing.
He couldn't pawn it off—or let it be pawned off.
"I'll handle it."
How could he pass up a chance to tour the Four White Clans?
The moment those words left Se Yeong's mouth, the Iron Wire Fairy's slender brows twisted.
"You... will 'handle' it?"
Se Yeong didn't even hear her voice.
Does she know about her family's shame?
Facing her stirred that question relentlessly in his mind.
"A few years back... I ran into human traffickers in the martial world. They snatched young girls from remote villages and sold them to brothels and pleasure houses."
What was Han Se Yeong talking about now?
The Tenth and First Squad members stared blankly at his face.
"Tracking them led to courtesans from some noble house pulling strings behind them."
Se Yeong watched the Iron Wire Fairy's face closely as he continued.
"So... what did you do?"
A smile crept across Se Yeong's lips at her strained voice.
She knows.
Se Yeong answered and countered with a question.
"Smashed them all with an iron rod and burned the place down. What do you think of that, Iron Wire Fairy?"
Her body reacted before her mind could.
Her vision blurred with boiling rage, her body trembling uncontrollably.
That bastard's the one who burned my sisters alive.
She tried suppressing her killing intent, but her body wouldn't obey.
Se Yeong, taking her killing intent full-on, spoke again.
"What do you think of it?"
Grind...
The Iron Wire Fairy clenched her teeth and barely managed a reply.
"They... deserved death."
Ha ha...
Se Yeong nodded with a laugh.
"Right. Not just them—the whole family should pay. Ah, no idea why I'm rambling. Anyway, the Tenth Squad's going to the Four White Clans."
To the squad, it sounded like an announcement.
But the Iron Wire Fairy heard it differently.
It was a threat, not a notice.
Back down, or he'd expose the noble house as the Moyong Family.
That's how it rang in her ears.
But without evidence or witnesses, it was just hot air.
"Can the Tenth Squad... truly uphold the Murim Alliance's honor?"
She laced her voice with scorn.
Se Yeong crushed it utterly.
"I guarantee it: none of us will return alive."
"How dare you...!"
Her rage rippled outward on waves of inner energy.
Green leaves quivered like blades in her killing intent; the Tenth Squad shrank back.
Facing it head-on, Se Yeong raised his hand backward.
Shing...
His sword flew from beside the dorm wall straight into his hand.
"Object summoning...?"
A trembling voice escaped someone; the First Squad gaped.
The Iron Wire Fairy's killing intent wavered in surprise.
The rumors understated it.
Far more impressive than I imagined.
Instructor Kang, witnessing the feat from over five zhang away, couldn't hide his admiration.
He'd known Se Yeong was exceptional since they met.
But pulling a sword from that distance? Unthinkable.
He might even surpass me.
Instructor Kang stepped forward, shelving his awe.
Any further, and blood would truly spill in a deadly clash.
Best to stroke her pride and let her withdraw gracefully.
"Allow me a word. The Four White Clans won't let a famed Iron Wire Fairy slip away easily. Who releases a tiger from their net? This started with the Tenth Squad, so they should resolve it."
His words worked; her killing intent ebbed.
Comparing her to a tiger was flattery, after all.
"Fair enough. Then... Instructor Kang, lead your squad well."
"Understood."
She glared at Se Yeong with murderous eyes, then turned away.
Better this way. He won't survive the Four White Clans.
In all her years, she'd never met his like.
If he lived, he'd become a dire foe to her family.
She had to end him first.
"We're leaving."
At her command, the First Squad turned as one.
Only Namgung Seok still glared at Se Yeong.
"We'll see, Han Se Yeong."
To him, it was a grave threat; to Se Yeong, just a mosquito's buzz.
Heh heh heh...
"I'll head to the Four White Clans tomorrow morning. I'd love for us all to go, but who knows what awaits—only come if you want."
"I'll follow you, brother."
Paeng Se Gi answered first.
"Me too."
"Count me in."
Yi Cheon Yeong and Dang Ok Yi followed suit.
"You could die."
"We know. But life and death are heaven's will."
Yi Cheon Yeong brushed off the warning calmly.
That left Hahu Yeon and Sa Sa Un.
"If everyone's going... I'll come too."
Se Yeong nodded at Hahu Yeon and turned to Sa Sa Un.
"I'll... stay here."
As expected.
Se Yeong hadn't planned to drag him along anyway.
But Instructor Kang thought differently.
"I'll take Sa Gongzi with me."
Sa Sa Un paled instantly.
"N-no, it's fine, Instructor. I won't help much—I'll stay."
He tried everything to remain, but Instructor Kang was firm.
"Sa Gongzi, you're not yet a true warrior. You must face life-and-death to earn that respect. It'll change your mindset—don't miss this chance."
With the instructor so insistent, Sa Sa Un felt like he might lose his mind.
Going there meant certain death.
The others were lunatics, fine—but he didn't want to die at the Four White Clans.
As Sa Sa Un hesitated with a miserable face, Se Yeong infused his voice with killing intent.
"Decide now: die here beaten to death, or survive the Four White Clans."
The killing intent pierced his ears like awls amid his grimace.
Sa Sa Un finally bowed his head.
"I-I'll go. ...I'll go."
"We'll treat the Four White Clans' invitation as declined."
The Strategist spat those words the moment the Tenth Squad arrived.
"How can you say that, Strategist?!"
"Alliance Leader's strict orders. Off with you."
Paeng Se Gi protested fiercely, but the Strategist ignored him.
Heh heh...
Instructor Kang just chuckled dryly, saying nothing more.
"Fine. But we'll claim a hefty price for this later."
Se Yeong withdrew from the Strategist's room without protest.
Ten thousand silver taels? No way.
He planned to squeeze a million out of this mess.
The happiest as they left? Sa Sa Un.
"Let's hurry back to the dorm."
He quickened his pace toward it, but Se Yeong headed elsewhere.
"Where to, brother?"
Paeng Se Gi asked.
Se Yeong turned with a grin.
"The Four White Clans."