Endless Hatred (2)
The stones clicked together, their tails linking as they connected.
Even with Paeng Ju-hyeok's simple-minded nature, I had expected the game to end quickly, but he surprisingly continued to defend stubbornly, finding corners to cling to even when cornered.
“This game is going to last quite a while, huh.”
“Haha. I can't accept defeat gracefully! It's different from our family tradition, but since it's my child, anyway!”
A few stones that interrupted my flow naturally led to a formation aiming for the five-in-a-row. Paeng Ju-hyeok was aiming for the lines I hadn't seen, winning several times.
Considering the ratio of wins and losses, it was about 1 to 3.
In murim novels, it was often seen that the personality of a martial artist would show in the temperament during board games like Go or chess.
So Paeng Ju-hyeok is the type who doesn't give up easily?Perhaps this person suits the Dang family more than the Paeng family. Usually, the Dang family martial artists are known as eccentrics, but Paeng Ju-hyeok was dignified, yet in the path of heroes, the word 'eccentric' suited him.
A sound rang out. I had won this move. While sorting the board and trying to distinguish the black and white stones,
—Boom—
A sound like that of a huge drum echoed. I recalled a modern concert hall. The singer's voice transmitted through giant speakers gives the sensation of shaking the audience's very bones.
That kind of vibration had just risen from the floor.
—Dong—
Again, the sound resounded. The intervals were regular, but the vibration felt on the body had slightly increased compared to before.
On the third time, the sound resounded, and the vibration slightly more powerful enveloped the body. Just then, I could realize its origin.
“Footsteps...”
Someone's footsteps. The true qi of a skilled murim master possesses the destructive power to overturn the surrounding area.
However, the true qi approaching now did not convert the contained power into destruction. To announce his arrival, he suppressed the power only to the extent of shaking the two bodies imprisoned in this room, giving direction and gently pressing down on the ground.
It was not an ordinary method.
Simultaneously,
'This crazy high-level expert is playing it cool...'
It was not an ordinary stabbing. How many peak masters and vast internal energy was he using just to show off his skill?
Perhaps to intimidate, this insane Jinyiwei commander was walking especially slowly. But even so, he would arrive within half a step.
I don't know what he's going to say after charging in.
“Paeng hyung, do you feel it?”
“Um. The situation might be more serious than I thought.”
“Serious?”
Paeng Ju-hyeok explained the Jinyiwei command system to me.
“The commander of the Jinyiwei is usually called a do commander. The formal name is Jinyi Qinqun Duzhisishi or something, but few people call it that long name.”
Under the do commander, there were two do commanders, and one commander assistant each to assist the do commanders.
“This side is, so to speak, generals. If they want to move properly, they are people who cause very big things to happen. Below them are on-site workers. The household that handles history and edicts to catch rebellions... called by the number of troops, like Baihu or Qianhu...”
With this level of skill, a Thousand-man Commander, the highest in Jinyiwei below the generals, was what Paeng Ju-hyeok's explanation meant.
“What is this high official doing detaining us like this?”
I didn't lift my head and immediately moved my hand. Such a high official would likely be laying a trap with a board game to welcome himself.
Quickly sweeping up the Go stones and organizing them, I threw out a line.
“Time is running out?”
“No.”
“It seems those sword-wielding ruffians who were pestering us have come to cause bloodshed. Let's use that as an excuse to interrogate them, right?”
“Similar.”
I turned my head. At first, I naturally thought it was Paeng Ju-hyeok's answer. Because the sound had come from in front of me.
However, the second was different. Still the sound was coming from Paeng's position, but I could feel the subtle difference in the tone.
Behind me stood an old man wearing golden armor.
His appearance with flying white eyebrows looked like a scholar, but the sturdy build that suited the armor didn't allow the word 'literary'.
It was a method similar to Liuhe Chuansheng.
By applying the trick of Liuhe Chuansheng, which makes voices come from all directions including up and down, to make the sound come only from one direction.
“Sharp, aren't you.”
Clearly moving his lips in front, but the sound was coming from behind my head.
Turned around again. Paeng Ju-hyeok was pursing his lips. Since no sound was coming out, he must have been hit at the Ya point.
'When...?'
Doubt arose and then subsided.
'He stepped with extreme flamboyance saying 'I came'. If not just to show martial skill, but to suppress the blood vessels?'
Amazing martial skill. At that distance, the qi spreading from the floor making the acupoints succeed?
Then a second doubt arose.
'Even if Paeng Ju-hyeok, a peak master, was hit in the acupoint, what about me?'
The old man also had the same doubt.
“Strange, the qi doesn't seem that deep. Is it a body constitution issue?”
With the word 'constitution', I could infer. The Jinyiwei old man was thinking of innate qualities like Tianwu Zhiti or Juyang Zhiti.
'Did the blood of the shadow anomaly cause mutation in the blood vessels?'
There was no sense of discomfort in circulating qi, but I had to check properly someday.
Either the Zhenmai didn't detect something, or additional change from using internal energy during these days of Jingxinfa.
I organized my thoughts and opened my mouth.
“Who are you?”
“Call me Baek Cheon-ho.”
'Qianhu!'
As expected by Paeng Ju-hyeok. Close to the highest official in Jinyiwei!
“...I don't know why an old man like you is persecuting us, a mere bureaucrat.”
“Merely a bureaucrat? Merely a bureaucrat?”
Baek Cheon-ho laughed loudly. The laughter contained deep internal power, shaking the whole body.
Truly a destructive laughter. I desperately pulled up internal energy to protect qi and blood.
'Insane martial skill. Far surpassing Paeng Ju-hyeok, at least Transcendent, or perhaps Transformation?'
The laughter soon stopped. Baek Cheon-ho wiped the smile with a single breath and muttered.
“The Management Records Bureau's 'merely' bureaucrat, you say?”
Suddenly, thoughts ran wild in my mind.
Should I pretend not to know? Or should I say that the Management Records Bureau is also an organization under Murim Alliance, so it's not 'merely' a bureaucrat?
Before that, how does this old man know about the Management Records Bureau?
In the blink of an eye. Sound came from behind.
“Guk, kuhyeok...”
Paeng Ju-hyeok, who had just barely escaped drowning in deep water, spat out rough breath and immediately spoke.
“This, it seems your personality is the same as always, Baek Cheon-ho. Don't bully friends who know nothing, talk to me instead.”
Baek Cheon-ho's gaze shifted. His eyes burning brightly despite his age shot at Paeng.
“You know me?”
The self-introduction just now, hearing the name, but the words 'personality is the same' were said.
Is this person a celebrity?
Perhaps as a prince of a famous family, he knew names of influential officials in the court.
But Paeng's answer went beyond all my expectations.
“The Management Records Bureau contains all the rules and regulations of the Rituals Department. I have read the rules regarding you too.”
“What was written?”
Paeng Ju-hyeok frowned and opened his mouth.
“Do not show the demeanor of a martial artist. Do not reveal that you belong to the Murim Alliance. Above all else.”
“Above all else.”
“Do not speak of the marriage, funeral, etc. matters.”
Baek Cheon-ho's mouth curved strangely. It felt like the smile was endlessly rising, as if the mouth was tearing.
“Yes, yes. You hit it exactly...”
He approached us with a bizarre smile.
Ah, damn it.
This old man is not a martial artist, but a warrior.
And warriors are always entangled in grudges. Surely Baek Cheon-ho has a grudge against the marriage, funeral, etc.
I quickly opened my mouth.
“Old man. The bloodshed in Changsu Village was not caused by the marriage, funeral, etc.”
Upright. Baek Cheon-ho's footsteps stopped.
“No?”
In my mind, advice about the rules came up. Paeng said, if you meet guys like the heretical punishment squad, just hand over the rules and find a way to live.
Baek Cheon-ho seemed like a human not sane enough to compare to the heretical path.
I took out the booklet from my pocket.
“If you're an old man, you should know what this is.”
“It's not the rules written by your kind, the record keepers. They are extremely sloppy.”
'Extremely sloppy?'
At least I survived thanks to the rules of the Management Records Bureau in the Manghon Villa. The record keepers, having experienced it themselves, should have secured minimal trust by writing the lines.
“Yes. My daughter couldn't be saved, an ungrateful defective product, right?”