Chapter 65
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: What's Going On?
Yeon Baek-jin slowly made his way through the Dragon Training Pavilion.
For now, his destination was the Pavilion Lord's Hall.
He needed to let them know he'd arrived. His sole superior was Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul, but the man was currently away.
There wasn't really anyone he had to report to directly, but he did need to inform the martial artists and administrators handling day-to-day affairs that the vice pavilion lord had arrived.
After all, his appointment letter would have gotten there ahead of him.
Did the gate guards send word?
Standing at the main gate of the Pavilion Lord's Hall was a burly man with a fierce-looking face, pacing back and forth as if waiting for someone.
Yeon Baek-jin's eyes met his.
"Ah!"
The man recognized him and rushed over in a heartbeat.
"Are you perhaps Vice Pavilion Lord Yeon Baek-jin?"
"I've been appointed as vice pavilion lord and have come accordingly."
At Yeon Baek-jin's response, the man bowed deeply, cupped his fists in salute, and grabbed Yeon Baek-jin's hand in a tight grip.
"You've truly arrived at last. We've been waiting with bated breath."
His sparkling eyes told Yeon Baek-jin that the man meant every word.
Such bright eyes in a face like that.
"What in the world..."
Yeon Baek-jin pulled his hand free with a horrified look and asked hurriedly.
"My apologies. I've been terribly rude upon first meeting. I'm Ki Yu-chan, assigned as your direct attendant guard. Please call me whatever suits you."
He looked to be in his early forties. The thick beard covering his face made him look even fiercer.
"Yes, got it. But were you waiting here for me?"
"Yes, Vice Pavilion Lord. Let's head inside."
Ki Yu-chan led Yeon Baek-jin along almost by the hand. He guided him swiftly from the first floor of the Pavilion Lord's Hall onward.
His pace was like lightning frying soybeans.
'What in the world...'
"And this is the vice pavilion lord's office. Your workspace. I'll show you to your residence when it's time to clock out. The floors above only hold the pavilion lord's office, so you won't need to go up there for now."
Unlike his appearance, he handled things with remarkable efficiency.
"Then, this way."
Ki Yu-chan opened the vice pavilion lord's office and stepped inside first.
Yeon Baek-jin followed, just about to set foot inside, when his body froze solid.
His gaze locked onto the desk facing the door, trembling faintly.
He'd suspected there might be a desk buried somewhere under a mountain of documents.
"What in the world..."
This time, the words didn't just stay in his head—they spilled right out of his mouth.
What on earth was going on here?
"With the pavilion lord away for so long, documents needing approval have piled up. And with that incident at the Pang family, no one knew when he'd return..."
News of the tragedy at the Pang family had already spread throughout the Dragon Training Pavilion.
"I'm not the pavilion lord, just the vice..."
"Your appointment letter came with separate orders. Aside from a few major matters, you have the authority to approve on the pavilion lord's behalf."
He swallowed the thought, 'Probably created the vice position just to handle this.'
"What..."
"That's why I've been reassigned from the pavilion lord's direct attendant to yours. He has three in total, so it's no issue without me, and it's better for advising you on work matters. Official assignments might get adjusted after he returns. Now, let's get started."
Ki Yu-chan pushed Yeon Baek-jin toward the desk and sat him down. Then he took a seat at his own separate desk nearby.
"No, even so, I just arrived at the Dragon Training Pavilion today. I don't know a thing..."
"That's why I'm here. I'll explain everything. This is the most urgent matter."
With that, he thrust a document forward.
Yeon Baek-jin stared down at it with a dazed expression.
It seemed to be about foodstuffs. As if he knew anything about that. He'd only just arrived today.
"Kuh... Kuhuhu."
Under the shadow of the Pavilion Lord's Hall eaves.
Ha Mu-baek, perfectly blended into the shadows, let out a chuckle.
He'd heard about the new vice pavilion lord from Dam Mu-hyeon and stopped by to get a quick look at the man. What he found was an amusing scene.
Buried under a mountain of papers the moment he arrived.
"Well, the pavilion's been creaking along without its lord for a while now."
Of course, Ha Mu-baek was the one who'd caused that in the first place, but what did it matter?
The Pang family head had only gotten what he deserved.
"Haa..."
Yeon Baek-jin let out a deep sigh as he stepped out of the Pavilion Lord's Hall for a moment.
Just for a moment.
He'd have to go right back in soon.
Ki Yu-chan was waiting with fire in his eyes.
Stars dotted the sky.
A pitch-black night sky.
Looking up at it gave him a rough sense of the time.
"Damn it. Just past the hour of the rat."
He'd arrived at the Dragon Training Pavilion in the afternoon.
And entered the Pavilion Lord's Hall shortly after.
Since stepping into that office, this was the first time he'd come out.
He'd done nothing but stare at papers without eating or drinking.
Ki Yu-chan had worked just as diligently at his side. Swept up in the momentum, Yeon Baek-jin had lost himself in it too.
The break Ki had granted—under the excuse of needing the bathroom—lasted a mere quarter-hour.
On his very first day, he was already being ground to dust.
Recalling Ki Yu-chan's manic expression as he joyfully threw himself into the work sent a shiver through Yeon Baek-jin's body.
'Maybe I came to the wrong place... I thought it'd be nothing major...'
He missed his nephew back at the clan, under constant watch.
In hindsight, he should've brought the boy along. At least then he could've shared some of this insane workload.
Yeon Baek-jin stared blankly up at the sky with a soul-drained face.
A gaze watched him from a distance.
It was Ha Mu-baek.
"Heh... well..."
A low exclamation slipped from Ha Mu-baek's lips.
When he'd met Pang Do-yul at the Pang family estate, he'd asked him about it.
-What happens to the pavilion if you're gone so long?
-It's fine. There's this workaholic maniac named Ki Yu-chan there. It'll keep running somehow.
Earlier, he'd overheard the introduction: the vice pavilion lord's attendant guard was Ki Yu-chan.
Pang Do-yul had good reason to say that.
Every time Ha Mu-baek visited the Pavilion Lord's Hall intending to get a read on Yeon Baek-jin, he failed.
All because of Ki Yu-chan.
Ki had previous occupants tied down tight with work.
'Getting sleepy myself...'
He'd napped plenty during the day, but it was already past the hour of the rat.
No helping the drowsiness at this deep hour, even after a nap.
Of course, if he put his mind to it, shaking off mere sleepiness was child's play.
But when sleepy, it was best to surrender to it and sleep soundly.
Ha Mu-baek shifted his foot slightly. He made no effort to hide his presence.
His footsteps echoed softly in the silent night.
Yeon Baek-jin reacted to the sound.
"Hm? Who's there?"
Yeon Baek-jin's gaze turned toward Ha Mu-baek.
Ha Mu-baek's figure gradually emerged. His face was expressionless, lips pressed tight.
At the sight, Yeon Baek-jin tilted his head.
This was the courtyard in front of the Pavilion Lord's Hall. Anyone who could wander in so freely had to be from the Dragon Training Pavilion.
"Fierce Dragon Corps Instructor Ha Mu-baek."
But his pondering stopped in an instant.
Because of the name that came from the man's mouth.
His expression hardened.
He knew that name too.
'Ha Mu-baek...'
The hidden hero of the recent war.
And the hidden culprit who'd smashed the Pang family this time.
The rumors in the martial world called it the work of some mysterious expert, but the key figures in the White Path Alliance knew full well that expert was Ha Mu-baek.
"So it's Instructor Ha. What brings you to the Pavilion Lord's Hall?"
Ha Mu-baek didn't answer Yeon Baek-jin's question. He simply stared at him steadily.
Caught off-guard by the direct gaze, Yeon Baek-jin soon let out an exclamation.
"Ah, my manners. I'm Yeon Baek-jin of the Hubei Yeon Clan. As of yesterday—or today, rather—I've taken up the post of vice pavilion lord here."
"Just out for a night stroll."
Ha Mu-baek replied curtly and turned to leave.
"Wait..."
At that moment, Yeon Baek-jin seemed about to say something. It looked like he had words for Ha Mu-baek.
But he didn't get the chance.
"Vice Pavilion Lord. A quarter-hour has passed. Where are you?"
It was the voice of the work-mad attendant guard, Ki Yu-chan.
When Yeon Baek-jin hadn't returned on time, he'd come looking himself.
Ha Mu-baek heard it too.
He could only chuckle inwardly.
'He really is insane about work.'
Perhaps because he'd gone to bed so late the night before, thanks to Ki Yu-chan.
Ha Mu-baek woke up later than usual.
Then he strolled leisurely to the training ground.
The seven cadets in his group were already deep in practice, as if it were routine.
Ha Mu-baek sat on the rock that had become his designated seat and watched them quietly.
"A bit better."
The issues he'd pointed out yesterday showed some improvement.
Making that much progress in a single day was impressive.
However.
"Hmm."
Ha Mu-baek gazed steadily at Yeon Ha-min.
Her killing intent was gone. Completely.
But her sword was trembling.
Trembling badly.
Her skill had regressed, in fact.
And Yeon Ha-min alone couldn't focus on her training.
Ever since Ha Mu-baek arrived, she'd kept stealing glances at him.
In stark contrast to the other four, who were fully immersed in their swordwork.
'She must've heard.'
About the new vice pavilion lord.
Who'd entered grandly through the main gate and gone straight to the Pavilion Lord's Hall.
Ha Mu-baek knew Yeon Baek-jin's every movement, thanks to his senses.
With that kind of entrance, one night was plenty for rumors to spread.
The Dragon Training Pavilion was full of gossip-loving busybodies, after all.
There was nothing strange about Yeon Ha-min hearing the news.
Ha Mu-baek gave her a slight nod. She'd been peeking at him and caught the signal. She sheathed her sword and approached.
"Your mind's elsewhere."
"......"
"I said drop the killing intent, not everything else."
"......"
Yeon Ha-min had no response to Ha Mu-baek's calm assessment.
From then on, the other four group members started glancing over too.
Their focus broken as well.
"Let's walk."
Ha Mu-baek stepped down from the rock and led the way. Yeon Ha-min followed quietly behind.
They walked along the pavilion's outskirts to a deserted area.
Ha Mu-baek scanned the surroundings with his senses as he walked, ensuring no one within three jang—about nine meters.
On top of that, he spread a qi barrier to block sound.
Maintaining a moving barrier was far more advanced than a stationary one.
Ha Mu-baek did it effortlessly.
Yeon Ha-min didn't even notice.
"Because of the new vice pavilion lord?"
She froze.
Ha Mu-baek's sudden thrust straight to the heart left her no choice but to stop.
"That place you don't think of as home. The Hubei Yeon Clan, right?"
Yeon Ha-min stood still, staring at the ground.
She had no idea how to answer the questions piercing her core one after another.
"Remember what I said before?"
"What..."
"That if you get slighted, it pisses me off more."
"Ah!"
Yeon Ha-min recalled that moment.
The mess started by that Dorim Sect bastard toying with her.
"Start aside, you're my cadets either way. Whether it's Dorim or the Hubei Yeon Clan."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, Yeon Ha-min's eyes trembled faintly, turning red.
"Then, shall we talk properly now? What's going on?"