Chapter 276
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: Feeling Wronged?
Shim Cheol-san stared blankly at the female cadet who had let her sword hang limply at his neck.
It was a face that would stick in your mind even if you just passed her by.
For all the wrong reasons—an ugly one.
But her eyes were exceptionally clear and transparent.
At the declaration of her victory, she flashed a bright smile and sheathed her blade.
Wa Dragon Corps Squad 20 cadets staggered over to Shim Cheol-san's side.
Wiped out in an instant.
That's why death judgments kept popping up, and everyone had watched this final moment unfold.
Gong Ya-hwi-yeon's gaze turned to Eun Hwa-ryang.
"Feeling wronged?"
Eun Hwa-ryang chuckled and shook his head.
"Our skills fell short, so we lost the fight. That's all there is to it. Congrats on the win."
As he accepted the loser's mark and turned to head down the mountain,
Byok I-gyeom and Tak Mu-jeon, also bearing losers' marks, glared at the five victors with eyes blazing like fire.
"Cowardly bastards..."
The words slipped through Byok I-gyeom's lips.
He couldn't say more.
Not with three judges watching.
"Cowardly? Hah..."
The scoff of disbelief and sigh didn't come from Wa Dragon Corps Squad 20.
It was Gong Ya-hwi-yeon.
Byok I-gyeom whipped his head toward her.
"You. Think you could've blocked that last arrow of mine?"
"Hmph. It packed a punch, sure, but I could've handled it just fine..."
"What if ten came flying at you in a row?"
Byok I-gyeom had no answer to Gong Ya-hwi-yeon's follow-up.
He just glared with eyes screaming, You think you could do that?
"What? You couldn't? Sigh... This is why the skill-less ones..."
Gong Ya-hwi-yeon shook her head in exasperation and picked up an arrow from nearby.
Then she unleashed four shots into the air in rapid succession.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!!!
The arrows vanished into the sky, leaving far more destructive shockwaves than the one that eliminated Yeong Hu-in.
Not holding back like before.
This was her full-power Overlord Arrow.
Anyone hit by these—even without arrowheads—wouldn't escape unscathed.
Gong Ya-hwi-yeon shot Byok I-gyeom a sly grin.
Byok I-gyeom stared back in disbelief, his eyes trembling faintly.
"H-how... How are you in Fierce Dragon Corps...?"
"What? Fierce Dragon Corps is full of strong ones."
Byok I-gyeom shut his mouth at her retort.
Maybe due to last year's East Tournament, some late-entry disciples had deliberately joined Fierce Dragon Corps.
Like Un Do-heon, son of the Dorim Sect Leader whom Ha Mu-baek had crushed.
"Your loss wasn't because those guys played dirty. Like they said, you lost because your skills suck."
Byok I-gyeom clenched his fists, trembling with rage at Gong Ya-hwi-yeon's words.
"And who do you think kept you alive this long? We were gonna send you packing right at the start."
Byok I-gyeom and Tak Mu-jeon were speechless at her final jab.
Whatever.
Gong Ya-hwi-yeon just kept walking her path.
Wa Dragon Corps Squad 20 followed behind.
Finally, Byok I-gyeom and Tak Mu-jeon trudged along.
Bringing up the rear was the judge from Wa Dragon Corps Squad 1.
"N-no way! This can't be real!!!"
Cheol Ryeong was throwing a fit.
How?
How had they been eliminated before those trash?
Runner-up to those losers?
Even harder to believe than Fierce Dragon Corps Squad 9 taking first.
The other Wa Dragon Corps Squad 1 cadets around the raging Cheol Ryeong stayed silent.
Byok I-gyeom had the most reason to flip out,
but Gong Ya-hwi-yeon's insane arrow and her words at the end had left him half-dazed.
What if she'd targeted them first with those arrows to spare?
They'd have been out first.
And she'd have extra grudge against him, too.
He remembered what he'd said when he saw her at Devouring Dragon Pavilion.
That ugly mug he wanted to forget but couldn't.
His vile rant that even a brothel wouldn't take her looks.
Cheol Ryeong, mid-tantrum, whipped his head toward Byok I-gyeom.
"You bastard. You take responsibility."
"What?"
Byok I-gyeom snapped out of his daze and looked up.
"You made the bet, so you handle it. Serve them personally or become their errand boy—your mess."
Byok I-gyeom's eyes sharpened at Cheol Ryeong's shout.
But the problem was the others nodding along.
Fight here, and it'd be four against one.
Trash bastards...
Words he'd spat at Wa Dragon Corps Squad 20, now aimed at his own squadmates in his mind.
"You all agreed when we made the bet."
"I don't know. Handle it yourself. You led the bet, you set the terms. Fuck. Shouldn't have come to this damn Dragon Training Pavilion."
With that, Cheol Ryeong turned to leave.
But he couldn't.
Fierce Dragon Corps Squad 7 had appeared out of nowhere.
"What's that? You lose a bet, you own up."
Dang Jin-san said with a sleazy grin.
"Screw that. It was between you two. We just watched!"
Cheol Ryeong yelled, face twisted.
Dang Jin-san nodded.
Recalling the moment, it checked out.
"True. We bet our five against your five, and you just watched. Isn't that tacit agreement? If you hated it, you could've spoken up then."
"......"
Cheol Ryeong ground his teeth.
"See you in the second half, then. Don't chicken out with some withdrawal."
Fierce Dragon Corps Squad 7 glanced over them coolly and left.
Their path led to the jubilant Wa Dragon Corps Squad 20.
"Hoo. Damn it all."
How many times had he said that?
Byok I-gyeom looked up at the sky.
Still morning, but it looked pitch black.
"Ah! Withdrawal. There's withdrawal."
Cheol Ryeong muttered as if struck by realization.
Four pairs of eyes turned to him.
Eyes screaming, Withdrawal? In a bet staking sect honor? Are you insane?
"Back then, we bet Tang Clan honor against Thunder Citadel honor. Iron Fist Gang never put ours on the line, right?"
A smile crept onto his lips before he knew it.
A face saying, screw this nonsense, just bail.
His words enlightened the other three, too.
No matter how they replayed it, that was the case.
Byok I-gyeom had stepped up for Thunder Citadel honor alone.
The other four just watched.
Thus, the eyes of the three excluding Cheol Ryeong changed, too.
Byok I-gyeom watched them quietly.
Trash, confirmed.
Whatever now.
Whether these guys withdrew or not wasn't his problem.
Whether they smeared their sects' honor with that bogus logic.
How many cadets had witnessed it?
Would that crap logic fly with them?
Byok I-gyeom made a fed-up face and started walking.
His second half was set anyway.
Errand boy, huh. Damn.
Walking beside such a Byok I-gyeom was one other.
Tak Mu-jeon.
"Withdrawal's tough for me. Dad'd kill me."
Now he had a fellow errand boy cadet.
"Shaolin's come to Wuchang?"
Byeok Ryeok-gae frowned at his subordinate's report.
Only one reason Shaolin would enter Wuchang.
Had to be the news relayed to headquarters in Kaifeng recently.
So Shaolin found out... Must be a rat in Beggar Clan.
Byeok Ryeok-gae's eyes turned icy.
Same righteous faction or not,
they were different sects.
News they'd never shared had leaked—especially Beggar Clan's info specialty.
No way he'd be pleased.
"Guess I need to visit Kaifeng."
Dan Mok Un-hye was fully recovered, and Dan Mok Un-roe was growing stronger by the day.
No reason for him to stay tied to Wuchang anymore.
Ha Mu-baek.
Thanks to that monster.
But was that monster staying in Wuchang really a good thing? No answer.
The reason Shaolin came to Wuchang?
Trace it back: Ha Mu-baek.
Saha Alliance sent that guy an envoy... Tsk.
Haepyeong So.
The Saha Alliance envoy who had entered Wuchang.
He possessed considerable martial prowess.
Had to—going alone into the heart of righteous faction territory as an envoy.
Carefully selected man.
Especially his swift lightness skill, for escape if needed.
That was why Clan Lord Baek Song had chosen him.
The Dragon Training Pavilion Lord was reasonable.
Recalling their prior meeting, Haepyeong So downed his tea.
No liquor on mission.
So he was killing time at a modest teahouse.
"Hot."
Summer Solstice.
The longest day.
Summer was near, but it already felt like peak heat.
Pavilion Lord said Ha Mu-baek returns after solstice.
Soon he'd meet him, complete the mission, and head back.
Thinking that, he lifted his teacup,
when
What?
His spine prickled.
He scanned around.
No one.
Ominous.
Another reason he was picked as envoy.
His uncanny instincts.
They screamed now: Danger in Wuchang—get out.
Haepyeong So bit his lip.
Decision quick.
As a fiend faction warrior, his instincts had saved him countless times.
Haepyeong So moved at once.
Left the teahouse for an inn.
Packed his things, slipped out, followed instincts on foot.
Never hurried to a run.
Just casually strolled.
Once past Wuchang's gates,
he kicked off the ground.
Seeking a good hiding spot.
Couldn't leave Wuchang.
Still on mission.
Right after Haepyeong So exited the gates,
opposite direction.
A group in bamboo hats passed through into Wuchang.
From Shaolin Temple.
Secular disciples down in the world moved first.
Catching a fiend seed was urgent.
Those from sacred Mount Song were rushing full speed, too.
"A fiend bastard in Wuchang..."
The leader muttered, scanning surroundings.
"Find him quick."
At the low command, his companions scattered every which way.
The issuer strode along Wuchang streets.
Purposeful steps, destination set.
Darim Teahouse.
Run by a Shaolin secular disciple.
Always where temple disciples stayed in Wuchang.
"Welcome, Senior Brother Yeon Jin."
The teahouse owner bowed deeply.
"Heard the news, Junior Brother Gong?"
Yeon Jin's question made owner Gong Ji-deok nod.
"Yes. Word from the temple."
"Good. I was touring secular branches when the urgent call came, so here I am."
"A fiend scourge hiding in Wuchang—tragic affair."
Gong Ji-deok said with a pained face.
"Indeed. Met the Dragon Training Pavilion Lord, too—makes it worse. Righteous faction still underestimates fiends. Tsk tsk."
"Come in and rest first. Long journey must weary you."
"No. I ordered the disciples to search—how could I rest? Just courtesy stop as a guest to the host. See you soon. Amitabha."
"Amitabha."
With farewells, Yeon Jin left the teahouse and vanished into Wuchang streets.
Gong Ji-deok, watching his back, had no clue.
That the quiet guest who'd left days ago was the man his senior sought.
"Finally see you."
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul smiled faintly at Ha Mu-baek.
Post-Summer Combat Festival cleanup in full swing.
Pang Do-yul could finally meet him.
Couldn't see Ha Mu-baek before it started,
and after, his own duties piled up.
"What is it?"
"You have a guest in Wuchang."
"From Saha Alliance?"
[They sent him.]
Ha Mu-baek scowled at the transmission reply.
Seemed tied to today's winner.
"Tch."
Ha Mu-baek unwittingly clicked his tongue.