Chapter 139
Translator: penny
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Red Peak's Suspicion
Baek Iryeong arrived in front of me with a furrowed brow and shot out curtly.
"Hey, do you have something to say to me?"
Starting off with informal speech like that.
It was my first time being treated this way by a woman since my regression, so I was pretty taken aback.
Sure, Baek Iryeong was my senior, but it still felt a bit rude.
It wasn't for nothing that Baek Rihyeon called me "you."
'She must be really pissed off.'
Her expression wasn't casual either.
It vaguely reminded me of how she'd looked back when I was the Lecherous Demon.
Before I could even respond, Baek Iryeong snapped again.
"Why do you keep glancing at me? It's annoying."
If I had to give a reason, it was obviously because she was beautiful.
Between staring at a bunch of guys and checking out a pretty lady, the latter was obviously better.
But I couldn't exactly say that out loud.
In fact, I'd anticipated this situation and prepared an excuse in advance.
'But how do I bring it up?'
Jumping straight to the point might make things awkward.
As I pondered for a moment, murmurs rose from the surroundings.
"Is the newbie trying to hit on Red Peak?"
"Huh? Didn't someone say he's dating Sword Phoenix?"
"Oh yeah! So does that mean... he's making moves on Red Peak even though he has a girlfriend?"
They were whispering among themselves, but their voices were loud enough to carry.
Baek Iryeong must have overheard, because she furrowed her delicate brows again.
"Sword Phoenix? What's that about?"
She seemed so oblivious to the gossip around her that even though the rumors had spread far and wide, she looked like she'd never heard them before.
I hurriedly spoke up, worried the conversation might veer into weird territory.
"I was just excited to see you."
"Excited? Do you know me?"
Of course I did.
Was there anyone in the Murim Alliance who didn't know Red Peak?
But that wasn't what Baek Iryeong meant.
I gave an embarrassed smile and pulled out my prepared excuse.
"Um, do you happen to know Mok Jiyeon?"
I was selling out my little sister, who'd just joined Mount Hua Sect.
Red Peak Baek Iryeong was a true disciple of Mount Hua Sect.
And recalling my past life, the two of them had been quite close.
'That's why they came looking for me together, vowing to kill me.'
But in this life, they hadn't built that kind of bond yet, so Baek Iryeong tilted her head.
"Mok Jiyeon...?"
"She's my youngest sister. She joined Mount Hua Sect as a disciple at the beginning of the year. When my senior mentioned you were from the same sect, I couldn't help but stare out of excitement."
"Oh, I know who you mean! The girl that Elder Baek Soeun brought in! She's your sister?"
Baek Soeun was the Mount Hua Sect elder who'd visited our clan before.
A female Taoist who looked at least in her fifties.
Yet Baek Iryeong called such an elder "sis."
'Of course, I already knew that.'
Baek Iryeong's generation in Mount Hua Sect was incredibly high.
She was in the same 'Baek' generation as the sect leader himself.
This was due to her exceptional talent; a former elder had suddenly taken her as a direct disciple, messing up the genealogy.
'And our Yeon-i is in a similar boat.'
My little sister, who'd entered Mount Hua Sect at the start of the year, also had a high generation rank.
Since she wasn't formally inducted but taken directly as a disciple by an elder, our youngest was placed in the first-generation disciple rank right away.
Considering that second-generation disciples were usually in their early twenties to mid-thirties, she was ranks above the rest.
Two people in similar situations.
I suspected that was why they'd grown close in my previous life.
And I'd approached with that in mind from the start.
"Yes. We saw each other at the beginning of the year but haven't met since because we've both been busy. Seeing you reminded me of her, so I stared without thinking... I'm sorry if that upset you."
"No, I misunderstood. I thought you were like those other guys, being a nuisance... Sorry about that."
You weren't wrong; I was planning to be a nuisance.
No, even more than that.
But I hid my true intentions and smiled brightly.
"No problem. By the way, it seems you haven't heard yet. I actually have a fiancée."
"Ah... Is that Sword Phoenix?"
Baek Iryeong recalled the squad members' mutterings from earlier and tilted her head.
It wasn't something I'd normally announce myself, but it wasn't something I could hide anyway.
'The rumors are already everywhere. What can I do?'
So I had to acknowledge it boldly.
And aim for something bigger in return.
"Yes. I heard from Hui-a that you two are acquainted... How about we grab a drink together sometime?"
She'd never agree to meet one-on-one, but since I was selling out my little sister Yeon-i and throwing in my official fiancée Moyong Hui as well, Baek Iryeong hesitated slightly.
She seemed like she might come around with a little more coaxing.
Unfortunately, something interrupted.
"Break's over! Fall in!"
A full incense stick's time had passed already, and the captain's shout rang out.
The onlookers responded in unison.
"Fall in!"
Baek Iryeong was among them, and it looked surprisingly cute coming from a beauty like her.
After that, I didn't get a chance to talk to Baek Iryeong alone.
The others kept swarming me during every break.
"Is it true you're dating Sword Phoenix? How'd you land her?"
"You have a sister? Is she pretty?"
"How'd training look? Can you keep up starting tomorrow?"
I nearly lost my temper at one weirdo in the middle, but I responded to everyone with saintly patience and smiles.
Because Baek Iryeong kept glancing our way now and then.
'Tch, what a pain.'
Once she confirmed the crowd around me, she took her break separately.
I'd hoped to set something up today, but it looked impossible.
Work was over, and it was time to clock out.
Some who'd trained all day let out cheers.
"It's over!"
Were most of the shouters from our First Squad, or was that my imagination?
Even the squad leader was cheering the loudest.
'Acting like he's been through a real battlefield.'
Of course, training and actual combat were worlds apart.
I was someone far removed from practice or drills myself.
Anyway, with the day done, the captain called everyone together.
"Tomorrow, we'll be reporting directly to the Chief Strategist. Be ready to deploy into battle at any moment—keep your guards up. Especially you, Yang Dogun!"
"Ahem, Captain. We have a newbie who just joined today. Calling me out like that..."
Yang Dogun, having forgotten his own behavior moments ago, immediately threw me under the bus.
Only then did the captain's gaze turn to me.
"Right. I gave you a pass on your first day, rookie, but starting tomorrow, you'll join in too. Think you can handle it?"
"Sure, I guess..."
It was a hassle, but not difficult.
After watching all day, I'd already memorized the formation's flow, and Baek Rihyeon had explained it diligently beside me.
'Though I wasn't really listening.'
He'd caught on that I was distracted and started quizzing me midway, but I answered flawlessly every time.
The theory wasn't that hard anyway.
'The White Tiger Formation is about first-rate martial arts level, if you compare it to techniques.'
Better than third- or second-rate formations like the Three Talents or Five Elements, but inferior to elite ones like the Six Harmonies or Eight Trigrams from major sects.
For someone like me who'd mastered countless supreme arts, it was child's play.
But the captain apparently needed more than my word and turned to Baek Rihyeon, who'd been stuck to me all day.
"What do you think, Baek rookie?"
I was just "rookie," and Baek Rihyeon was "Baek rookie," huh.
Still better than being called "Mok rookie."
"He picks it up fast. He could join tomorrow no problem."
Baek rookie—no, Baek Rihyeon—backed me up to the captain.
The captain eyed me with a surprised look.
"You look like a slick troublemaker, but you're sharper than I thought. And your skills aren't bad either... Fine. Welcome to the White Tiger Squad."
A welcome after everything was finally done.
I nodded casually.
"Thanks."
I thought that was it, but the captain had more to say.
"By the way, rookie, aren't you curious what happened to that Juwangpil guy?"
For a second, I blanked on who Juwangpil was.
Then I remembered it was the vanguard I'd beaten up earlier.
"Not really?"
I genuinely wasn't.
But the captain ignored me and kept going.
"Juwangpil's laid up in the medical ward. Four days till discharge, two weeks for full recovery, they say. What do you think?"
"Nothing much?"
Really, nothing.
That's exactly why I'd beaten him like that from the start.
But hearing my response, the guy suddenly burst into laughter.
"Haha, we definitely got an entertaining one. Alright, that's it for today. Dismissed."
Tch, why bother prying if you're just gonna laugh it off.'
Who knew?
Once the captain left, people started filing out of the training ground in groups.
I considered catching Baek Iryeong for a chat in the gap, but she'd already left first.
'Damn, should I just head back?'
I couldn't exactly chase after her here.
As I moved to follow the others, murmurs came from ahead.
"Huh? Isn't that...?"
"Sword Phoenix? Here for the newbie?"
It was Moyong Hui, come to meet me.