I wish they would all just die. (5)
“Hey, get a hold of yourself!”
“I haven’t lost consciou…”
Smack! Smack!
“Now you’re spouting nonsense. I said snap out of it!”
“I-I am in my right mi… Agh! Aaaagh! Why are you hitting me?!”
“Tsk, tsk. The shock must’ve been pretty severe.”
Watching Baek Cheon seize the opportunity to gleefully slap Jwa Gohak across the face over and over, Yoon Jong slowly shook his head.
Well, it was true that there had been quite a lot of pent-up resentment.
“Get out of the way! You damned Taoist!”
Shoving Baek Cheon aside, Jwa Gohak snorted furiously.
“You lunatic! Is this really the time to be fooling around?!”
“If it came across as a joke, then I guess I wasn’t sincere enough.”
“What the hell are you talking about, you crazy Taoist?”
Clutching his head, Jwa Gohak took a moment to steady his breathing.
Baek Cheon was getting on his nerves, but these weren’t the right circumstances to waste time on him.
‘Ridiculous as it is, that Taoist bastard is right.’
This alone wasn’t enough to drive Do Hyeon into a corner. It sounded absurd when the evidence was sitting right in front of them, but… power had the ability to make even undeniable evidence disappear as though it had never existed.
Even if Jwa Gohak rushed off showing off these weapons as proof, who in Beijing would be willing to risk their life to accuse Do Hyeon?
“If I’d known it would come to this… I would’ve dragged at least one big shot along with me.”
“Mm-hmm. But all your big shots are off playing Immortals, aren’t they?”
“Ugghhh…”
Jwa Gohak clutched at his chest and trembled. Did those Taoists hole up in the mountains just to learn how to infuriate other people?
“Hoo… Right.”
“Hm?”
Jwa Gohak, having barely managed to settle his churning stomach, looked straight at Chung Myung and spoke.
“I’ll admit it. You’re right.”
“Oh?”
“But this still isn’t over.”
“Hm?”
Jwa Gohak’s expression hardened.
“As you said, goods on this scale could all be moved elsewhere before any proper investigation even begins. So these alone aren’t enough to serve as irrefutable evidence. But!”
Straightening his shoulders, Jwa Gohak thumped his chest with the palm of his hand.
“If it’s true that he’s been steadily bringing weapons in all this time, then there has to be a place where he’s storing them! If we can just find that place, we can really send Do Hyeon to the execution grounds!”
“Oh.”
The disciples of Hwasan all nodded in agreement.
“That makes sense.”
“Well, if it’s something on that scale, it’d be conclusive.”
But the reaction he got back was strangely lukewarm.
“Exactly!”
Jwa Gohak raised his voice again.
“So our plan is this: tomorrow, when this shipment is moved, we’ll follow it and track down the place where that bastard Do Hyeon has hidden the weapons! Better yet, if we can find troops instead of just weapons! What do you think?”
Looking at the triumphant Jwa Gohak, the disciples of Hwasan smiled faintly.
“That’s a pretty good idea.”
“He really is smart.”
“Even if he’s an idiot when it comes to completely unnecessary things.”
Just as Jwa Gohak was about to continue speaking despite the disciples of Hwasan whispering among themselves…
“Right. Then first…”
“Oh, sure. It’s a good plan. But, you know.”
“Huh?”
Chung Myung spoke with a completely indifferent expression.
“Why is that ‘our’ plan?”
“…Huh?”
Jwa Gohak could only stare blankly at Chung Myung, blinking in confusion.
❀ ❀ ❀
“Master [선생님 – seonsaeng-nim ㅠㅠ]!”
“Ah, get lost. Since when was I your Master?”
“Then, Taoist Master [도사님 – dosa-nim]!”
“‘Taoist Master,’ my foot. What was it you called us? Horse-faced bastards? Creatures that hide in the mountains eating nothing but grass?”
“What lunatic would ever say something like that?!”
“You.”
“M-Maybe you’re mistaken? I’ve always admired Taoist Masters and respected the Tao, and…”
“At least wipe the spit off your lips before you lie. Or I’ll tear those lips right off.”
“No, no, please.”
Jwa Gohak hurriedly grabbed hold of Chung Myung’s pant leg and clung to it.
“Let go! Are you going to let go or not?”
“Please, Taoist Master…!”
Yu Hanbin stared blankly at Jwa Gohak desperately begging while clutching Chung Myung’s pant leg, then quietly turned his head away.
“Dojang-nim.”
“Hm? Uh… what is it?”
Jo Geol flinched before answering in a somewhat timid voice.
“So… you told me… that the best life for me would be to study Confucianism and become an official… didn’t you?”
“…Well, that wasn’t exactly my opinion.”
“And you said that no matter whether you spent your life throwing punches or being a Taoist monk, you’d end up groveling before government officials anyway.”
Unable to meet Yu Hanbin’s eyes, Jo Geol simply stared silently ahead.
Right over there, that Confucian scholar was groveling while clutching a Taoist’s pant leg.
“…He’s not an official yet.”
“But he’s going to be one soon.”
Jo Geol covered his face.
Why did that lunatic have to pull something like this, and of all times, in front of the kid…?
“There are always exceptions.”
“There sure do seem to be a lot of those exceptions.”
“…”
Jo Geol, who had fallen completely silent as if his mouth were stuffed with honey, let out a sigh as he watched Jwa Gohak, who was now practically wailing.
“Let go! Are you going to let go or not? Hey, now you’re pulling my pants down!”
“Taoist Master! Come on, even so! You can’t just back out all of a sudden! Have you already forgotten the friendship we shared, however brief it was?”
“Friendship, my ass!”
Chung Myung yanked hard at the pants Jwa Gohak was clutching and snapped in irritation.
“Back out? When did we ever get involved in the first place? Is this our problem? It’s yours! From the beginning, the only thing we were hired to do was find evidence of whatever that eunuch was up to. And we found it. So why are you asking us to do more?”
“B-But you’re the one who said this isn’t conclusive evidence!”
“Yeah. I did. So what does that have to do with me? When did you ever ask me to find conclusive evidence?”
“…”
“Whether it’s evidence they can’t escape from or evidence that sprouts wings and flies away, once I’ve found it, my job is done! If you’ve got a complaint, you should’ve written a better contract!”
“Ugh…”
Tears welled up in the corners of Jwa Gohak’s eyes.
No matter how capable he was, how could he possibly have predicted the situation would turn out like this and drafted a contract for it?
“No, wait. I wasn’t even the one who made that contract!”
It was unfair. Painfully, unbelievably unfair.
But what was the point of arguing about it now?
“Master!”
Jwa Gohak shot forward like a beam of light and once again threw himself at Chung Myung’s pant leg.
“This is treason! Treason!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“If this goes wrong, the country could fall!”
“I told you, I know.”
“T-Then how can you be so calm? As someone who’s benefited from the grace of this nation, shouldn’t you at least…”
“Has this bastard ground up his conscience together with his ink on the ink-stone or something?!”
With an emotionally fueled kick, Chung Myung kicked Jwa Gohak away.
“Gyaaaaah!”
Sent flying, Jwa Gohak rolled across the floor before crashing into the wall with a heavy thud.
“You bastards are always oppressing martial artists whenever you feel like it, and looking down on Taoists while you’re at it! And now what? ‘The nation’s grace’?”
“N-No…”
“I’ve never even seen the Emperor’s face once in my life, so what does it matter to me whether the Emperor changes or not?”
Jwa Gohak’s jaw dropped in utter shock.
“H-How can you say something so blasphemous…”
“Blasphemous, my ass. That’s only a concern for people like you whose heads will roll. It’s got nothing to do with us.”
Horrified, Jwa Gohak turned to look at the other Taoists. But Hwasan’s disciples were all nodding as though they completely agreed with Chung Myung.
“Well, he’s not wrong.”
“We’ve already left the secular world. Why should we care whether the Emperor changes or not?”
“The country has never really done anything for us in the first place. Why should we feel loyal to it?”
“Amitabha. It may sound rather cold, but that is precisely what it means to renounce the world. One severs one’s ties with the secular realm. Hoho.”
Out of everyone there, it was that Monk’s completely innocent remark that twisted Jwa Gohak’s insides the most.
“Enough.”
Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively, looking thoroughly fed up.
“We’ve pretty much finished everything we came here to do, so we’re heading back now.”
“Y-You’re leaving?”
“Make sure you tell your old men this. If they don’t keep their promise, I’ll collapse that cliff and fill the whole lake with it, so they shouldn’t even think about trying anything. Got it?”
Jwa Gohak’s shoulders slumped helplessly.
If he were acting on impulse, he felt like stripping off his clothes and throwing himself onto the ground in protest. If they refused to help, then the lead they had finally found to bring Do Hyeon down would have to be abandoned.
With his strength alone, there was no way he could slip past the Eastern Depot’s surveillance and find the stash of weapons Do Hyeon had hidden.
But Jwa Gohak also knew one thing all too well.
The opponent was none other than the Chief Eunuch Do Hyeon. If they were discovered while investigating his corruption, things would not end even if everyone here offered up their lives.
Asking them to continue accompanying him in such dangerous work would not be the conduct of a gentleman.
“Phew……”
When he let go of his impatience, he could see it clearly. Just how great a risk these people had taken to come this far.
If he truly considered himself a gentleman, he could no longer force more danger upon them. Rather, he was the one who should be grateful that they had gone this far for him. As Jwa Gohak was someone who considered himself a gentleman more than anyone else in the world.
Jwa Gohak cleared his throat and politely bowed towards the disciples of Hwasan.
“Understood. Then, first of all…”
“Ah, we’re not doing it!”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“We’re not doing it!”
“That’s…”
“Do you not understand what I’m saying? I said we’re not doing it!”
“…”
“Blah, blah, blah! Blah, blah, blah! I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you!”
“…”
Those damned horse-faced bastards…
If I ever associate with Taoists again, I’ll change my family name. I swear.
“Even if you say that, I won’t go…”
“Ah! You don’t have to go! Don’t!”
Jwa Gohak shouted furiously and ground his teeth.
“You don’t need to help me! I’ll do it by myself!”
“Huh? But it’ll be dangerous.”
At Chung Myung’s words, Jwa Gohak hardened his expression and replied.
“This is something done for the sake of the nation. How could I value my own life more?”
“Wow… Is he insane?”
“…I really should stop talking.”
Jwa Gohak shook his head.
They were people with completely different ways of thinking from the very beginning. Continuing the conversation would only leave him frustrated.
“In any case, thank you for your help up until now. I will make sure to convey that child’s matter properly, so you need not worry.”
“Hm.”
“Then!”
Jwa Gohak once again politely bowed and turned to leave.
Watching him go, Chung Myung shrugged and said.
“He’s got some temper.”
“If you keep poking someone like that, even the Buddha would smack you with his Moktak.”
“Amitabha. I agree.”
“…Aren’t you a monk? Shouldn’t you not be agreeing with that?”
As Hwasan’s disciples scratched their heads at the awkward situation, Yu Hanbin, who had been watching them, tilted his head in confusion.
“Um, but.”
“What?”
“Is it really okay to just let him go?”
At those words, Baek Cheon patted Yu Hanbin’s shoulder.
“Are you worried about him? I understand how you feel, but getting involved any further would be far too dangerous.”
“No… It’s not that.”
“Then? Is it because of your family’s matter? Of course, if we fail to completely deal with Do Hyeon, restoring your family’s status might become a little difficult. But there should still be a way, so you don’t need to worry too much about that.”
“No, it’s not that either.”
“Huh? Then what is it?”
Yu Hanbin tilted his head.
“I mean, that man is going to investigate the Chief Eunuch by himself right now, isn’t he?”
“That’s…. true?”
The disciples of Hwasan looked at Yu Hanbin as if they didn’t understand what the problem was.
“But that person doesn’t seem to be all that capable, so wouldn’t it be difficult for him to succeed alone?”
“Probably.”
“He was a good person.”
“May he rest in peace.”
“Shouldn’t we hold a memorial service for him?”
Watching Hwasan’s disciples cleanly sever their ties with him, Yu Hanbin stammered.
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
“What is it that keeps not being the case?”
“If he dies, then there’s nothing we can do about it, but what if he gets captured?”
“….Hm?”
“Do you really think that person will protect his loyalty towards us until the very moment he dies?”
“…”
“They say the Eastern Depot is infamous for its brutal torture. Do you really believe that, while enduring such cruel torture, he would never let the words ‘Hwasan’ slip from his mouth?”
As though they had made a promise beforehand, the only response was silence. Yu Hanbin shook his head.
“When I look at you Taoist Masters sometimes, you really do seem overflowing with trust in people. Maybe it’s because I’ve lived a rougher life, but I just can’t bring myself to trust people that much. Don’t you agree?”
The disciples of Hwasan stared blankly at Yu Hanbin with expressions as though they had just been struck hard in the back of the head, then soon turned to look at one another.
“Th-That… Sahyeong, is this really something a child should be able to think of?”
“Don’t ask me. I don’t know anymore either.”
That kid is really going to become someone great.
Truly.
Special Spinoff Chapter 71 >>>
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