Habuk Pengga Swordsman Genius - Chapter 184



Only Noblemtl

Episode 184. The House of Four Sides (4)

It was natural for Seo Jae-oh to be flustered.

He thought things were going wrong now.

I didn’t know what to say in response to the strange, ominous feeling that ran down my spine.

He turned his gaze without realizing it.

However, Kang Yu-chan’s warm gaze was still felt.

As soon as I turned my gaze, my eyes met with Kang Yu-chan’s.

Looking at Kang Yu-chan’s eyes, it seems like he is encouraging him, saying, ‘Of course you should stay here too.’

Which one is more fearful, the plague or private education?

It was natural that the scales would tip towards additional private tutoring.

However, no matter how I looked at it, it was impossible to stay in Jangwoonhyeon, where people would continue to die.

When Seo Jae-oh was speechless and blankly staring, Kang Yu-chan looked into the leather pouch again.

“Hmm, there’s a note inside.”

“Huh? A note?”

When Seo Jae-oh asked with a slightly surprised expression, Kang Yu-chan unfolded the note and spoke.

“It seems like it was sent by the Four Princes of Pengga.”

“What is it about?”

“… … .”

Despite Seo Jae-oh’s question, Kang Yu-chan read the note without saying anything.

Seo Jae-oh looked at Kang Yu-chan with a sense of relief.

Because Kang Yu-chan’s expression was gradually becoming softer.

While he was checking the note, Kang Yu-chan’s gaze suddenly turned to Seo Jae-oh.

Seo Jae-oh asked again at Kang Yu-chan’s ominous gaze.

“What’s going on? Private lessons.”

“I will accept your patriotism.”

“What do you mean?”

“Prince Peng wrote about you here.”

“You wrote about me?”

“You wanted to stay here for the sake of your country, right? You also said it was to protect the honor of the Hwasan faction… … .”

“Ah, so… … that’s it.”

When Seo Jae-oh stuttered, Kang Yu-chan glared and asked.

“Then, is it possible that what Prince Peng said was a lie?”

For a moment, Seo Jae-oh’s eyes became blank.

As expected, my ominous feelings were never wrong.

As the anxiety became reality, the visions he had only heard of unfolded before Seo Jae-oh’s eyes.

From the moment he was born into this world, to his initiation into the Hwasan faction and becoming a plum blossom swordsman, each scene flashed before his eyes like a picture.

There is also a bad relationship with Habukpangga… … .

When I thought of Hanbin, the flashing images stopped.

Then, the image of Hanbin smiling appeared before my eyes.

‘You said you’d go in peace! You rascal.’

This was a perfect trap.

It was clear that Hanbin was trying to get himself involved in this matter.

Bam!

Although he gritted his teeth, Seo Jae-oh had nothing to say since the honor of the Hwasan faction had been revealed.

Seo Jae-oh smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“Oh, private. It’s true that I said that.”

Kang Yu-chan’s twitching eyebrows found their place.

“I see. Prince Peng told you to evacuate this place because it was dangerous. Is that true?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Even though I told you not to, you still stay here! As expected from our Hwasan faction’s plum blossom swordsman. Did you learn loyalty from Peng Gongja after spending time with him?”

“Well, that’s… … .”

Seo Jae-oh trailed off.

What does loyalty mean?

Well, it’s not like I learned nothing at all.

I did learn the technique of writing a contract while I was there.

Kang Yu-chan, who saw Seo Jae-oh hesitating, said with a satisfied expression.

“I will report your good deeds to the elders of the sect.”

“Go, thank you, private.”

Seo Jae-oh reflexively threw away his winning ticket.

However, I couldn’t decide whether I should like this or not.

At that sight, Kang Yu-chan smiled even more sincerely.

“Then thank you for your hard work. The royal family and the Hwasan faction will remember you.”

After finishing speaking, Kang Yu-chan lightly patted Seo Jae-oh on the shoulder.

For a moment, Seo Jae-oh tilted his head.

It was a greeting as if sending someone off far away.

It felt like crossing the Samdocheon River, from which there was no return once I crossed it.

As the thought crossed his mind, Seo Jae-oh flinched and shook his shoulders.

At the same time, an unknown chill ran up my spine.

‘Ah, Peng Hanbin!’

Seo Jae-oh shouted the name of the mastermind behind all this in his mind.

Why does it feel like I lost the match, not just got hit?

Is this what it means to be a martial artist?

Does that mean he was just a frog in a well?

Seo Jae-oh asked himself numerous questions.

A question that keeps going round and round.

Seo Jae-oh closed his eyes without realizing it.

In the dark space, countless questions lingered before my eyes.

Then, a ray of light came down.

Seo Jae-oh could see that this was the very end of enlightenment.

Is this a clue to surpassing the current level?

Or maybe it is a clue to attaining enlightenment that one should pursue as a Taoist.

It seemed like if I caught that ray of light, I would see the answer.

That was when.

A cold wind blew from behind.

Whoosh!

This time, strangely enough, I felt a real chill.

Seo Jae-oh opened his eyes without realizing it.

The beam of light that had been flashing before my eyes disappeared in an instant.

Then, the sound of grass rustling came to Seo Jae-oh’s ears.

At the same time, a long shadow appeared in his field of vision.

Seo Jae-oh turned his head without realizing it.

There, the master of the shadows was smiling.

The joy at seeing a familiar face was fleeting.

Seo Jae-oh shouted with a resentful expression.

“Your Majesty! Why did you come now of all times?”

The person in front of me right now was Hong Chil-gae.

“It’s as if you’ve lost track of your true self.”

“Ha, how did you know?”

“While I was with my disciple, I noticed that there was one more joke.”

“This is not a joke… … .”

“By the way, what are you doing here?”

“I am…….”

As Seo Jae-oh hesitated, Kang Yu-chan, who was next to him, took a step forward and spoke.

“I decided to stay in Jangunhyeon for the sake of the people.”

“Haha, as expected, the plum blossom swordsman of the Hwasan faction. The old saying that the best of the school is Hwasan and the best of the defense faction is Gaekyung really fits the bill.”

“Haha, thank you for your advice, sir.”

Kang Yu-chan couldn’t control his expression and kept raising and lowering the corners of his mouth.

If you ask anyone to name the most powerful faction in the political sect, they all say it is Ilmun (一門), Ilsa (一寺), and Ilbang (一傍).

The first one refers to Shaolin Temple, and the other one refers to openness.

However, the best of the sects changes with the times.

The current volcano is slightly behind Mudang and Jongnam.

However, when Hong Chil-gae, the elder of openness and the most strict of them all, said that the Hwasanpa was a clan, Kang Yu-chan could not hide his delight.

At that time, Hong Chil-gae said.

“It started to move,”

At those words, Kang Yu-chan asked urgently.

“Where are you?”

“Let’s look at the map first.”

They entered the barracks, leaving Seo Jae-oh outside.

Kang Yu-chan guided Hong Chil-gae to a table with a military map on it.

Hong Chil-gae, who had seen the map, marked dots on the military map without hesitation.

“Now, strangers are heading here, here, and here.”

“Thank you, Elder Mujeja. I appreciate you staying in a dangerous place to help me.”

Kang Yu-chan politely gave Hong Chil-gae a round of applause.

“Well, isn’t this for the good of the martial arts world and the country? If the people are having a hard time, who will the beggars beg from?”

“Thank you for thinking so. Looking at you, Elder, I think it’s only natural that Gaebong is admired as the only one in the martial arts world.”

“When we’re done, give our servants some warm soup.”

“Is the soup a big deal? I personally stepped forward because it was His Majesty the Emperor’s special order. I will make sure that Hebei Province’s open-door policy does not go hungry.”

“That won’t do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Is a beggar a beggar if he lives in luxury? Isn’t he a true beggar if he goes hungry sometimes? Haha.”

Hong Chil-gae laughed like a Taoist monk.

At that sight, Kang Yu-chan lowered his head without realizing it.

In his eyes, Hong Chil-gae looked like a Taoist monk who had attained enlightenment.

The appearance of the founder of the Hwasan faction, who had attained enlightenment after seeing a plum blossom, and Hong Chil-gae overlapped slightly.

* * *

Seo Jae-oh waited for Kang Yu-chan and Hong Chil-gae in front of the barracks, and quietly looked up at the sky.

“Ah, my realization… … !”

But his cries were scattered into the sky, and no one answered.

In Seo Jae-oh’s mind, there was only regret and a desire for enlightenment.

To him, the end of enlightenment was like a sweet incense.

If you don’t know what alcohol tastes like at all, you’ll give up, but once you smell the sweet scent of alcohol, it’s a similar phenomenon to not being able to erase it from your mind.

At that time, a question arose in Seo Jae-oh’s mind as to where the edge of enlightenment had come from.

As Seo Jae-oh searched for an answer, a face appeared in his mind.

Of course it was Hanbin.

Come to think of it, I had vaguely felt the edge of enlightenment when I first came to Cheonsujang.

“Should I really go back… … .”

At that moment, Hong Chil-gae just came out of the barracks.

Hong Chil-gae, who came out of the barracks, looked at Seo Jae-oh, who was standing awkwardly in front of him, and said.

“If I go back to the inn, would you like to go with me?”

“Ah, I… … .”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. We’ll be going through thick and thin together for the next few months. Why are you so hard on yourself?”

Hong Chil-gae smiled brightly and grabbed Seo Jae-oh.

Seo Jae-oh was being dragged helplessly by Hong Chil-gae, and tilted his head as he watched the troops moving hurriedly.

“What’s going on?”

“The opening was in charge of surveillance against the enemy.”

“I heard last time that opening is a window… … .”

“The spear is right. We stab, and the government troops cut.”

“Oh, so that’s what the window meant?”

Seo Jae-oh nodded.

Stabbing with a spear and cutting with a sword are the most basic ways to use weapons.

Instead of taking your life, you stab the government troops where your position is?

It may sound like a pun, but in some ways it could have been a creative mission.

Hong Chil-gae added an explanation after seeing Seo Jae-oh’s expression.

“These are forces whose identities we don’t even know, so is there any need for us to step forward?”

“… … .”

Seo Jae-oh looked at Hong Chil-gae quietly.

It was all correct.

Hong Chil-gae nodded and continued speaking.

“Those who are harassing the people should leave the country. From now on, anyone who leaves here will become an enemy of the government.”

“Anyone?”

“Of course, there will be no one among our troops who runs away, so the group that escapes is definitely a subversive group. With 20,000 government troops, it’s not easy for anyone to escape. Of course, this is my disciple’s plan.”

“Ah, so that was Prince Peng’s plan.”

Seo Jae-oh nodded reflexively.

He tilted his head for a moment.

You don’t associate your enemies with the martial arts world, and you don’t associate them with your own family?

This was a level of sophistication that was unthinkable at such a young age.

But why does this density feel so natural?

Seo Jae-oh’s head gradually tilted as he continued to ask questions.

“But honestly, I’m curious about something.”

“Feel free to ask.”

When Hong Chil-gae answered with a smile, Seo Jae-oh spoke with a serious expression.

“You have to block them from coming in, not from leaving! Where is that kind of strategy? And you say you’re doing it for the people?”

“They said they would corner him in Jangwoonhyeon and catch him.”

“Who is it?”

“Who are you? You are my disciple.”

“Ah! That’s also Prince Peng’s plan.”

When Seo Jae-oh let out a sigh, Hong Chil-gae smiled sincerely.

Is it a coincidence that Hong Chil-gae’s smile and Han Bin’s smile overlap?

Seo Jae-oh chattered without realizing it.

In his view, Hanbin’s plan could be explained in one sentence.

It was a plan to borrow a knife.

Borrowing someone else’s sword to deal with an enemy.

Making enemies of the country rather than your own?

As a martial artist, it was the most fearful thing.

It is often said that official duties are inviolable, but that is only when subject to the power of the state.

If you cause suffering to the people and disobey the orders of the country, you will inevitably become an enemy.

A single sect stands against the country?

That was impossible.

In some ways, it was the easiest way to erase the enemy.

Seo Jae-oh really wanted to look into Han Bin’s mind.