Coughing Blood Is What Warriors Do
Swish. Thud!
One after another, every last Black Tiger gang thug collapsed in miserable heaps across the courtyard.
Jin Cheong-un was just drawing a short breath to steady himself when Jeong So-so's frantic voice rang out from behind him.
"U-Uncle!!"
Internally, Jin Cheong-un chuckled at the thread of worry woven into her cry.
Well, that's that.
Apparently this whole mess had swept Jeong So-so up in it too.
She hadn't just stepped in to help at a moment like that—she'd flattened four armed men on top of it. Even a total stranger would be moved to gratitude, let alone a disciple. Respect for one's master was simply a matter of course.
"A-Are you all right? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? They said you retired from injuries, and to see you fight like this...!"
"Oh, this much is nothing."
Jin Cheong-un turned around, deliberately wearing the benevolent, unbothered smile of a seasoned elder.
"Dealing with a pack of thugs? Easy work. I barely had to try."
"Gah!"
"What's the matter?"
Jeong So-so's face had gone white as a sheet.
"B-Blood!"
"Hm?"
"There's blood—from your mouth!"
"Blood?"
Jin Cheong-un casually wiped his lips with the back of his hand. Sure enough, a faint smear of red came away.
"Hmm, must have picked that up during the fight. Nothing to worry ab—*hack*! Hm?"
What was that? Why was he coughing?
Jin Cheong-un tilted his head, puzzled—and in that instant—
"*Hack hack*! *Hurk*!"
—he doubled over and vomited up a mouthful of blood.
"Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine. Something just went down the wrong pipe."
"You call hacking up BLOOD going down the wrong pipe?!"
"It happens. *Cough!* Why, scrapping with some village thugs is hardly enough to—*hurk*!"
"Aaagh!"
Fresh blood trickled freely from the corner of Jin Cheong-un's mouth. Jeong So-so turned ghost-pale and stamped her feet in a panic.
Of course. He overexerted himself—for our sake!
Really, what kind of sense did it make for a retired bodyguard to take on four men alone? He'd clearly pushed himself past his limits.
Of course, she was only half right.
Tch. There goes my dignity. Of all the times...
Jin Cheong-un awkwardly dabbed at his mouth with his sleeve.
This mysterious qi resonance did not follow the methods of King Yama's Ten Mantras (The Ten Precepts of the King of Hell), the hardline internal art he had cultivated in the past.
But internal energy, by its very nature, had to be circulated through careful, precise methods. Force it out prematurely, and of course the qi and blood vessels would tangle themselves into knots.
I never learned this thing—where the hell did it even crawl in from?
To put it in a metaphor, an uninvited lodger had moved into the house of his qi and blood without so much as introducing itself.
It paid no rent, ignored the landlord's instructions, and threw a full tantrum whenever anyone tried to evict it.
That was exactly why he'd been planning to coax it along gently and figure things out after retirement.
"You're really sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. A true warrior coughs up blood every now and then. It's practically tradition."
"..."
That wasn't a warrior. That was a patient.
"Anyway—what about you, So-so?"
"I-I'm fine."
Having answered, Jeong So-so suddenly glanced around at their surroundings.
"But..."
A heavy shadow fell over her face.
Only then did Jin Cheong-un take in the ruined courtyard as well.
What a disaster.
A collapsed boundary wall. The main house's floorboards sunken into the ground. The garden pine snapped tragically in half. And Black Tiger thugs planted face-first everywhere he looked...
Crunch.
Jin Cheong-un clenched his fist and murmured in a low voice.
"The Black Tigers... daring to turn someone's precious home into rubble. I will not forgive this."
"You're the one who did all that!!"
"Me?"
"Yes, you!"
"I acted in legitimate self-defense. They're the ones who started this whole riot—did you not see?"
"All they did was knock down a little bit of the wall!"
"I repay grudges tenfold."
Yeah, and why exactly does repaying a grudge involve demolishing your own house?
That was when it happened.
"Sister!"
"So-ryong?!"
Jeong So-so whirled around in shock.
"I told you to stay inside! Why did you come out?!"
"I'm fine. What happened? Are you okay, Sister?"
"This is nothing for you to worry about, so get back in your room."
Though she was the one who'd nearly come to real harm, Jeong So-so fussed anxiously over her little brother, checking him over from head to toe.
Jeong So-ryong took her hands in his and said quietly,
"Sister, I'm family too. When someone I love nearly gets hurt, how could I not worry?"
"...!"
"I'm really glad you weren't hurt."
Jeong So-so's eyes welled up with tears.
"S-So-ryong..."
Her baby brother had grown up so much while she wasn't looking...
Overcome with emotion, Jeong So-so flung her arms wide to pull him into a hug—
Whoosh!
"Ah, right. One moment."
—and embraced nothing but empty air.
Jeong So-ryong had already leapt clean past her toward the back.
"...?!"
While Jeong So-so stood frozen in stunned disbelief, the boy made straight for Jin Cheong-un, who was standing off to the side.
"...?"
Jin Cheong-un flinched and lowered his gaze.
Jeong So-ryong was looking up at him, eyes sparkling so brightly it was almost unbearable.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"Yes."
Jeong So-ryong neatly clasped both hands in front of his navel and bowed deeply at the waist.
"Thank you for protecting my sister today."
Then, one beat later, came the rest:
"...Master."
"...!"
"...!?"
Jin Cheong-un's eyes went round as saucers, and Jeong So-so's jaw dropped wide open.
"Master?"
"Sister told me. That you cured my illness and are going to teach me martial arts. That makes you my master, doesn't it?"
"Well, technically, but... so suddenly?"
Jeong So-ryong balled his small fists tight. Then, quivering with excitement, he declared:
"You were so cool today! If I learn martial arts, can I become like that too?"
"What?"
"I want to learn martial arts and grow strong. I want to become just like you, Master!"
Jeong So-so couldn't believe her ears.
What?
Become like him?
At that very moment, Jin Cheong-un let out an exclamation of pure delight.
"Ho! Hooo! Well, what do you know—a disciple with this much passion!"
Grinning from ear to ear, he declared with utmost confidence:
"AHEM! Of course you can! From this moment on, you will address me as Master!"
"Yes, Master!"
"That's right! And who am I?"
"You're my Master!"
"Indeed I am! And of course you can become just like me!"
Watching this spectacle from the sidelines, Jeong So-so's expression curdled into sheer horror.
"N-No, wait—!"
After escorting Jeong So-ryong back to his room, Jeong So-so emerged looking utterly drained. Glancing around at the wreckage with a haggard face, she ventured cautiously,
"Should we... start cleaning up?"
"Cleaning?"
"Yes. We can't exactly leave it like this."
"Hmm."
Jin Cheong-un surveyed the courtyard and gave a solemn nod.
"Right. Best of luck."
The moment he tried to palm the whole job off on her without a shred of shame, Jeong So-so stared at him, dumbfounded.
"You're just... leaving? You're not going to help?"
"Mmm. Sudden internal injury, you see..."
"A-Are you all right? Should I support you? Fetch you some water? I-I'll handle the cleanup by myself, so please go inside and rest right away!"
"..."
It had been a joke, but watching her scramble like this made his conscience twinge painfully.
In the end, Jin Cheong-un sighed and rolled up his sleeves.
"Never mind, false alarm. Where do we start?"
"You're really okay?!"
"I told you, I'm fine. What needs doing first?"
Jeong So-so fidgeted and turned her head away.
"I can manage everything else, but... th-those people..."
Her eyes landed on the Black Tiger thugs sprawled across the ground.
Jin Cheong-un nodded thoughtfully.
"Hmm. Do we have a cart and some rope?"
"Ah—yes! We do. Shall I go get them?"
"Please."
Jin Cheong-un dragged the Black Tiger thugs over one by one and laid them out side by side. When Jeong So-so came trundling back with the cart, huffing and puffing, her eyes suddenly widened with suspicion.
Rustle, rustle.
Jin Cheong-un was going through the fallen men's pockets.
"...What are you doing?"
Jin Cheong-un looked at her as though she'd asked something absurd.
"Collecting damages, obviously."
"...!"
Once he finished his work, Jin Cheong-un began trussing up the Black Tiger thugs and piling them onto the cart like sacks of cargo.
Jeong So-so, stealing nervous glances at the scene, flinched hard.
D-Don't tell me...
Out of nowhere, a chilling image flashed through her mind.
A dark night. A remote mountain path. A deep, freshly dug pit, and soil being shoveled over...
"That's everything loaded."
At that moment, Jin Cheong-un dusted off his hands and gripped the cart's handles.
"Keep cleaning. I'll be right back."
"W-Where are you going?!"
"Hm? Why are you so startled?"
"D-Don't tell me you're dragging them somewhere quiet to bury them—"
Jin Cheong-un's eyes went round with disbelief.
"Are you a dark-path fiend?"
"What?"
"How can you talk about burying people alive that easily? We caught a bunch of criminals, so obviously they go to the authorities. Bury them? Bury them where?"
"Huh."
"They say kids these days are terrifying, and they're right. Back in my day, everyone was so much more innocent."
Jeong So-so learned for the first time in her life that when you're too outraged to speak, the words simply refuse to come.
"Anyway, I'll be back. Keep at it."
And Jin Cheong-un pushed the cart away.
Rattle. Rattle.
Late evening in Yinghua Village. The cart Jin Cheong-un pushed rolled to a stop in front of the government office.
"Wh-Who goes there!"
"Are those... corpses?"
The instant a grim-faced man came pushing a cart piled high with bodies, pandemonium erupted inside the office.
"Corpses? These are perfectly alive men, if you ask me."
"They're alive?"
"That's right."
"...This is—"
"'This is'? How dare you speak of living people as though they were objects?"
But beating them into this state is fine, apparently?
It was a horrific sight. Better to have simply killed them—how could anyone leave a man looking like this?
"B-But why are you bringing Black Tiger thugs to the authorities...?"
Jin Cheong-un's eyes narrowed.
That's a strange reaction.
Why did it feel less like they were welcoming the capture of troublesome criminals, and more like he'd just handed them a headache?
"They're not just Black Tiger thugs."
"Th-Then what are they?"
"Villains of the highest order."
"V-Villains of the highest order?"
"Men who extorted ordinary folk and wantonly wrecked someone's precious home! These bastards!"
Jin Cheong-un suddenly smacked the unconscious Song Un-chan across the cheek.
The bailiffs jumped and hurried to restrain him.
"P-Please, compose yourself."
Why is he so suddenly terrifying?
Moments later, a man who appeared to be the bailiffs' leader came waddling out at a flustered trot, his belly fat wobbling.
"I am Geum Tae-bang, Chief Bailiff of this office. Might I hear the details of what happened?"
Jin Cheong-un calmly laid out the situation.
Geum Tae-bang's eyes bulged.
"They caused a rampage, drew blades, and made threats? The Black Tigers... did all that?"
Several things could be read from his flustered reaction.
First, the Black Tiger gang held enough influence to be on speaking terms with the authorities.
Second, they might not be the mindless thugs he'd assumed—perhaps they actually managed their reputation carefully.
Being on good terms with the local office meant the Black Tigers had cultivated their public image well.
Or, alternatively, they were simply good at sweeping their messes under the rug.
"Do I look like I'm lying?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
Geum Tae-bang rolled his eyes this way and that, reading the situation carefully.
That one there—isn't that Song Un-chan?
A man strong enough in the martial arts that nobody dared touch him. And this stranger had beaten him and three others senseless?
Is he a master of the Martial Alliance?
At the very least, he was clearly a master of a righteous sect. Beating up dark-path thugs was practically a righteous sect's national pastime, wasn't it?
Having finished his calculations in the space of a heartbeat, Geum Tae-bang hurriedly offered a respectful bow.
"Thank you for your hard work, honored sir. Leave the handling of these villains entirely to us."
"I'll leave them in your care."
A brief silence settled over them.
Geum Tae-bang asked,
"So... why haven't you left—"
"By any chance."
"By any chance?"
"Is there a reward?"
"A reward? Those are only paid for capturing men listed on wanted posters..."
Jin Cheong-un clicked his tongue and turned away.
"If there's none, forget it. We'll be seeing each other often."
As Jin Cheong-un swept off, the Chief Bailiff couldn't believe his ears.
Seeing each other often?
He snapped back to his senses and hurried after him.
"W-Would you grace me with your name, honored master? Whence do you hail?"
If this man intended to settle down in the area, he needed to know exactly who he was. Masters of the martial world had a habit of stirring up trouble the moment they got bored, after all.
Jin Cheong-un nodded and introduced himself—loudly, and with impeccable pride.
"Jin Cheong-un, Master of the Cheongun Martial Arts Academy, opening soon just up the road."
"...?"
"We plan to run an adult class as well. Should you wish it, we will open a special class exclusively for government officials."
"..."
"We look forward to your enthusiastic enrollment."
With those parting words, Jin Cheong-un sauntered off into the night.
Geum Tae-bang stared blankly after his retreating back, the color draining from his face.
"Wh-What in the world did that madman just say?"
"That he's running a special class..."
"Not that part!"
"Ah! H-He said he's a martial academy master."
"He's setting up shop HERE?"
A crack ran straight through Geum Tae-bang's composure.
Why does this kind of thing have to happen to OUR Yinghua Village?!
His life's motto: no trouble, no waves. His philosophy: live thin and long, like a strand of silk.
Geum Tae-bang, the adequately incompetent and adequately righteous Chief Bailiff of Yinghua Village, broke into a cold sweat at the bolt-from-the-blue news.
"Wh-What should we do? Should we notify the Black Tigers first?"
The Black Tiger gang leader wasn't just some common rogue. Wasn't he a local magnate who exchanged toasts with the county magistrate himself?
But what if he finds out I just let that academy master walk away?
After churning it over in his head for a long while, Geum Tae-bang spoke slowly.
"W-We must treat the wounded first. That's the priority."
"Of course. Criminal or not, a patient is a patient..."
"And until they wake up, there's nothing we can do, is there?"
"What? Can't we just notify the Black Tiger gang?"
Geum Tae-bang barked furiously.
"What Black Tiger gang? These men are in no state to be questioned, and with their faces looking like that, we can't even verify their identities. How exactly are we supposed to know they're Black Tigers?"
"Ahh! Of course, sir!"
Geum Tae-bang nodded with satisfaction.
Yes. This was the way.
Evade responsibility at all costs, and postpone anything that can be postponed!