Chapter 306
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 306
Chapter Title: Sorry, Grandpa
A gloomy sky.
The clouds hung thick, as if ready to pour rain at any moment.
A sky that perfectly mirrored Gongya Hwiyeon's current mood.
She glanced up at the heavens, then turned her gaze toward the prow.
They had already arrived in Nanchang.
The boat would dock at the pier soon, and then they would have to disembark.
The deck was packed with passengers preparing to get off.
Each one carried their own stories and troubles, their faces a mosaic of expressions.
Beneath her veil, Gongya Hwiyeon's face remained expressionless.
Her heart was far darker and heavier than that sky, but with her mother beside her, she couldn't let it show.
'Instructor...
'And because she trusted Ha Mu-baek.
As the boat drew closer to the pier, the murmur of the crowd grew louder.
Voices laced with their personal sentiments swelled.
But then.
As they got even nearer.
The murmurs began to quiet, little by little.
Eventually, silence fell.
Gongya Hwiyeon tilted her head and shifted her gaze from the river to the pier, curious about what had hushed everyone.
What caught her eye was...
A large flag fluttering in the wind.
Three characters emblazoned on it.
Evil Sea Alliance.
A group of martial artists gathered beneath it.
The heavy, murderous aura they exuded.
It left both the people on the pier and those on deck speechless.
Umun Gayul had also spotted the Evil Sea Alliance members.
[It seems the Alliance Lord has come to greet us personally.]
She couldn't see him with her eyes.
But amid the martial artists, Umun Gayul could sense Gongya Jangcheon's presence.
Soon, the boat reached the pier.
The tense atmosphere had evaporated, and people hurried off the vessel.
They rushed to finish their business and flee the pier as quickly as possible.
The crew moved just as frantically.
Stealing glances at the Evil Sea Alliance warriors.
"Not this boat either..."
One of the martial artists muttered.
"This is the one."
Gongya Jangcheon said in a low voice.
Silence fell over the martial artists at his words.
Gongya Jangcheon had sensed it the moment the boat's mast appeared faintly in the distance.
Even then.
He had already felt Umun Gayul's energy.
Focusing his senses more intently, he confirmed Gongya Hwiyeon was with her as well.
Once everyone else had disembarked.
Only the veiled Umun Gayul and Gongya Hwiyeon remained on deck.
The crew stole glances at them.
But soon.
The Evil Sea Alliance warriors parted to the sides.
And all eyes turned to the white-haired, white-bearded elder standing in their midst.
Only to quickly lower again.
The terrifying aura emanating from the elder was palpable even to the crew, who knew nothing of martial arts.
Umun Gayul and Gongya Hwiyeon stepped off the boat.
"Welcome. You've had a hard journey."
Gongya Hwiyeon threw herself into Gongya Jangcheon's arms.
At the sight, the crew's faces drained of color.
How could they not?
These were the women they had glimpsed countless times during the voyage to Nanchang.
Moreover, some had briefly harbored indecent thoughts upon seeing them linger on the boat.
Their movements grew even more frantic.
"Sorry, Grandpa."
Gongya Hwiyeon emerged from his embrace, bowing her head as she spoke.
Gongya Jangcheon patted her back.
"It's fine. As long as you're safe. Let's go. My dear. You've worked hard too."
Umun Gayul gave a slight bow at Gongya Jangcheon's words.
With that, they headed to the annex of Nanchang's largest inn.
Even calling it an annex, it was the size of a small manor, and they had rented the entire place.
No one dared approach near the fluttering Evil Sea Alliance flag.
Gongya Jangcheon took Gongya Hwiyeon's pulse and closed his eyes.
He slowly probed her internal energy, then opened his eyes and shook his head.
"This... even I can't do anything about it."
His voice brimmed with regret and anger.
Anger at his own powerlessness for failing to resolve the strange energy invading his granddaughter's body.
"Mu-baek said he would find a solution."
At Umun Gayul's words, Gongya Jangcheon and Mun In Baek-song's eyes widened in shock. Bewildered expressions.
Mu-baek?
Mu-baek?
Did she mean the Ha Mu-baek they knew?
At least within their common sense, no one in the martial world called Ha Mu-baek "Mu-baek" so intimately.
They could only guess that perhaps Ha Mu-baek's own master, who might not even know of his existence, could.
"Are you speaking of Ha Mu-baek?"
Mun In Baek-song asked cautiously.
"Yes."
Umun Gayul replied calmly.
Shock faded from their faces, replaced by deep puzzlement.
What on earth was going on?
Gongya Hwiyeon's eyes sparkled.
Her itching mouth soon chattered away.
In this moment, the shadow on her face vanished.
"Here's how it happened, Grandpa. It's such an amazing connection."
Umun Gayul remained silent, while stories poured endlessly from Gongya Hwiyeon's lips.
Once the full tale was told.
Gongya Jangcheon and Mun In Baek-song exchanged glances.
What...
Could they believe this story?
"Heh... so that day, that's why... this is just..."
Gongya Jangcheon muttered, still unable to fully believe it.
Umun Gayul, on that day.
Because she was late and caused harm to the alliance, she still lived considering herself a sinner.
But.
The reason for her lateness that day.
It was a story they had never known.
She had kept her mouth shut, never speaking of it.
She hadn't even made excuses for herself.
That's why his own son, Gongya Jeongmun, had raged even more.
That worthless fool.
Yet now he learned the truth.
Not from her, but through his granddaughter's words.
So.
That day, she had been late saving one child—no, two children.
And that child she saved was Ha Mu-baek?
That Ha Mu-baek?
Did this story even make sense?
Should they believe it?
Mun In Baek-song seemed to feel the same.
His eyes trembled incessantly, pupils darting without finding focus.
His mind raced as if grappling with something, yet no clear conclusion emerged.
Ha Mu-baek.
He was famous.
For his clear distinctions between (grace) and (resentment).
Yet Ha Mu-baek owed a life-saving grace to Gongya Jangcheon's daughter-in-law.
Not just him, but his younger sibling too.
In the current situation, this wasn't a fault—it was merit.
To have bestowed a life-saving grace upon Ha Mu-baek, of all people.
Gongya Jangcheon and Mun In Baek-song, who had briefly locked eyes, now turned their gazes to Umun Gayul.
The emotion in those gazes was awe.
What else could it be?
"Incredible. Truly."
Umun Gayul merely bowed her head silently at Gongya Jangcheon's words.
"It's true. Incredible doesn't even cover it. The entire Evil Sea Alliance couldn't have done it. Really..."
Mun In Baek-song's lavish praise followed.
Gongya Jangcheon nodded in agreement.
Umun Gayul's cheeks flushed slightly.
She didn't know where to put herself amid the excessive praise.
"Quite right. Absolutely right."
Gongya Jangcheon nodded vigorously.
"Is saving Instructor Ha such a big deal?"
Gongya Hwiyeon asked with genuine curiosity.
Instructor Ha Mu-baek.
She knew he was the world's best.
She understood bestowing life-saving grace upon such a man was impressive.
But her grandfather and the strategist seemed to regard it as far grander than she imagined.
"You bet it is. Ha Mu-baek, of all people."
Gongya Jangcheon's words carried complex, subtle emotions.
"You said he's the world's best."
That's why Gongya Hwiyeon had run away to meet him.
"He's not just any world's best. He's a man who can single-handedly annihilate an entire faction."
"A faction?"
"Yes. Like the Pang Clan, for instance."
Gongya Hwiyeon frowned at Gongya Jangcheon's answer.
"Isn't the Pang Clan too massive to call just a 'faction'?"
"Even that Pang Clan—he toppled it alone."
Mun In Baek-song interjected.
"The Pang Clan is child's play for him. Perhaps even..."
Gongya Jangcheon trailed off.
But it was enough to guess the implication.
"G-Grandpa. Even so..."
Gongya Hwiyeon couldn't finish her sentence.
"A guest has arrived."
At that moment.
A martial artist's report came from outside.
An unexpected visitor.
Gongya Jangcheon furrowed his brow.
No one had registered on his senses.
Only a handful in the world could evade Gongya Jangcheon's perception.
One of them visiting now?
It was obvious who.
"Heh heh. That rascal must think he's a tiger or something."
"Not a tiger—a man."
The door burst open, and Ha Mu-baek strode in.
Behind him stood a perplexed warrior, unsure what to do.
"It's fine. Go."
The warrior bowed and closed the door at Gongya Jangcheon's command.
Ha Mu-baek entered and first clasped his hands in greeting toward Umun Gayul.
"I'm later than expected. My apologies, Madam."
Umun Gayul looked troubled as Ha Mu-baek ignored Gongya Jangcheon and Mun In Baek-song to greet her directly.
"It's been a while, both of you."
Ha Mu-baek then lightly greeted Gongya Jangcheon and Mun In Baek-song.
He had read her discomfort and acted accordingly.
"Heh, heh heh. Heh heh heh heh."
Hearing and seeing were so different.
Gongya Jangcheon had just heard the story moments ago.
Yet seeing Ha Mu-baek so courteous now felt like beholding another person.
Even if it was toward his daughter-in-law, not himself.
He had never imagined witnessing such a side of Ha Mu-baek.
"Seeing you like this, it must be true. That my dear saved you."
"I owe a great debt to the Alliance Lord's daughter-in-law."
Ha Mu-baek replied stiffly to Gongya Jangcheon.
Gongya Hwiyeon and Umun Gayul were stunned by his attitude.
What martial artist in the world would dare act so before the lord of the Great Evil Sea Alliance?
Unthinkable.
Yet Ha Mu-baek was doing it now.
Still, Gongya Jangcheon showed no displeasure.
He acknowledged Ha Mu-baek's strength and thus overlooked the attitude.
He had the qualifications.
"So, what of that Mad Monk of Light Death—no, Hyunwang that bastard?"
Gongya Jangcheon's eyes filled with thick killing intent as he asked.
"Sent him to Yama."
Gongya Jangcheon smiled faintly at Ha Mu-baek's reply.
The killing intent vanished as if washed away.
As expected of him.
"Then, that foul energy in Yeon's body?"
The original purpose was to find a way to resolve it.
Gongya Jangcheon had examined it himself moments ago, but saw no path.
"I found a way, so I sent that bastard to the afterlife. Just burn away that puny energy."
Ha Mu-baek smirked.
Gongya Jangcheon eyed him with exasperation.
Who didn't know that?
The issue was they hadn't found a way to burn "that puny energy."
They could probably force it, but...
With his granddaughter's body unable to withstand it.
Her meridians would burst before the energy burned.
Gongya Hwiyeon, meanwhile, trembled.
How could she not? A solution existed.
That smile shone brighter than anything in the world to her.
The unidentified energy still gnawing at her dantian bit by bit.
He had found a way to destroy it.
"Nothing wrong with Yeon, right?"
"She's my benefactor's daughter. Would I harm her?"
"I'm her benefactor's father-in-law."
"Cancel the engagement, and we're strangers."
Ha Mu-baek said nonchalantly.
"Kuhahaha! Hahaha!!"
Gongya Jangcheon burst into laughter.
What amused him so?
"Right, exactly. But Jeongmun doesn't seem to know. My son is truly worthless."
"Shall I handle him?"
Ha Mu-baek's eyes gleamed coldly.
He understood the implication.
Gongya Jeongmun—Umun Gayul's husband and Gongya Jangcheon's son.
The reason for Umun Gayul's hardships.
Umun Gayul startled at his words.
"Absolutely not! Don't even think it, let alone speak it!"
Ha Mu-baek backed down readily at her urgent cry.
"Yes. Understood."
He looked like the meekest lamb.
Mun In Baek-song found it utterly astonishing.
He had only seen the untamable mad dragon side.
"If there's a way, resolve it now. Need anything? Or should we step out?"
"Her pulse."
At Ha Mu-baek's curt words, Gongya Hwiyeon sat across from him and extended her wrist.
Ha Mu-baek channeled his energy into Gongya Hwiyeon's body.
His eyes remained open, no need to close them.
His energy slithered through, seeking the intruder.
Reaching her dantian, he encountered it.
In just a few days, it had grown considerably.
At this rate.
'A month was the limit.'
After that, it would have devoured her.
'Abyss. What manner of being are you...'
Ha Mu-baek's face briefly twisted.
The four in the room's hearts sank at his expression.
Wondering if something was wrong.
But it wasn't.
Ha Mu-baek began operating his energy in earnest.