Chapter 329 |
Chapter 329
Who is the Fool?
A massive inn located near Dongting Lake.
The inn, using the signboard [Pungwol Inn], was one of the famous inns around Dongting Lake.
Currently, Hwang-bo family had almost entirely booked the inn.
Due to the sudden visit of about 200 people from Jeongmumaeng, there was no space in the alliance's building to accommodate them.
Among them, the top floor of Pungwol Inn was used as a place for the direct descendants of the Hwang-bo family.
Hwang-bo Ak raised his glass, taking the moonlight reflecting on Dongting Lake as a side dish.
"Hahaha. My son, how is your training at Jeongmumaeng?"
'Hmm... Didn't they say alcohol is not good for muscles?'
For some reason, the warning from today's training by Kwon Je came to mind naturally for Hwang-bo Tae.
'I've been drinking since I was a kid without any issues, so it should be fine, right?'
He soon forgot Kwon Je's warning and drank.
As the alcohol spread through his tired body, which had been trained to the limit, he felt the drunkenness rising faster than usual.
"The training was much tougher than I expected, Father. Hahaha."
He laughed heartily and started talking about today's training.
"What! You mean that guy discriminated against our Hwang-bo family?"
Hwang-bo Tae poured his father's drink as his father, who had been drinking happily, suddenly became angry.
"At first, I thought so too, but it seems I misunderstood."
He explained that Kwon Je trained them at the same level as everyone else, and even conducted difficult external training that they could not follow.
"Hahaha. I thought I wouldn't lose to anyone in strength, but it seems I was a frog in a well."
Seeing his son explaining with an innocent laugh, Hwang-bo Ak felt a complex emotion.
It sounded like the alliance's young people were truly being taught external techniques.
However, he felt bad.
The main reason was Hwang-bo Tae's honesty.
'Did he just say that guy might be stronger than me?'
Though Hwang-bo Tae's comment was made casually, it strangely hurt the pride of Hwang-bo Ak, who had been proud of his strength since birth.
At that moment, a middle-aged man who had been listening quietly to the two father and son's conversation spoke calmly.
Unlike the robust Hwang-bo father and son, he had a normal physique, but seemed somewhat smaller being between them.
"Brother, it seems Kwon Je is showing regionalism."
"Hmm~? Do you think it's regionalism too?"
Hwang-bo Ak, who had been holding back from getting angry alone to avoid looking petty, couldn't help but react to the man's words.
"Of course. Kwon Je and the current alliance leader Hyun-cheon are both from Shaolin. It's clear they're trying to harass the Hwang-bo family members because you're aiming for the alliance leader position."
It was a sharp insight into Mu-jin.
However, the naive Hwang-bo Tae tilted his head in confusion.
"But he taught us so diligently, Uncle."
"Our dear nephew is too naive. To deceive someone, you mix one lie with nine truths. He's only pretending to teach you properly to fool you. If he wasn't trying to discriminate and harass us, there'd be no need to conduct separate training like that."
Hearing his uncle's sharp critique, Hwang-bo Tae looked confused.
He wasn't sure if his uncle was right or not.
But unlike the confused Hwang-bo Tae, Hwang-bo Ak was already convinced by his words.
"I agree with you! How dare that young punk try to fool our family!"
With his face flushed as if drunk, Hwang-bo Ak gulped down his drink, forgetting the beautiful scenery outside the window, and asked.
"Tell me, brother. What should we do about that damned kid?"
Just as the man was about to answer Hwang-bo Ak's question, there was a presence felt at the door.
"Master, Jegal Muhwan has come to speak with you."
As soon as the man standing guard at the entrance finished speaking, the three drinking companions looked at each other.
"What should we do?"
Hwang-bo Ak asked, and the man replied.
"You should meet him first. We’ll leave just in case."
Hwang-bo Ak nodded in agreement, and the man added a word of caution.
"Jegal Muhwan is a sly man. Master, only discuss the purpose of his visit briefly. If the conversation drags on, it would be best to drive him away appropriately."
"Hahaha. Don't worry."
Confidently assuring them to trust him, Hwang-bo Ak shouted toward the entrance.
"Give him some time and bring him here!"
"Yes, sir!"
Immediately after, the man left the drinking table with Hwang-bo Tae.
Then, the inn's courtesans, who had come on the man's orders, cleaned up the drinking table and set up a new one.
As if the three of them had never drunk together.
And when the preparations were roughly done, Jegal Muhwan arrived there with a warrior from the Hwang-bo family.
"Why would the busy chief strategist come all the way here?"
At Hwang-bo Ak's question, Jegal Muhwan sat down with his characteristic sly smile.
"I'm thirsty from the wait. Can we talk while drinking?"
"Ahem. Go ahead."
Jegal Muhwan naturally picked up the bottle, filled Hwang-bo Ak's glass to the brim, then filled his own.
"Did you ask why I came?"
"Yes."
Instead of answering right away, Jegal Muhwan sighed deeply and drank his glass.
"Sigh. I came to have a drink because I'm frustrated."
"Frustrated? What do you mean?"
"If I come all the way here to tell you I'm frustrated, who else could it be about? It's obviously the current alliance leader."
"Oh?"
At Jegal Muhwan's words, Hwang-bo Ak's lips twitched.
Seeing this obvious reaction, Jegal Muhwan smiled inwardly.
The easiest way to approach and flatter someone was simple. Just badmouth the person they disliked together.
"Since Shaolin was at the center of the alliance's founding, we had no choice but to support Hyun-cheon as the leader. But he's not suited for the position."
"Hmm. Why do you say that?"
Struggling to maintain composure, Hwang-bo Ak asked, and Jegal Muhwan began his criticism.
"He just talks nonsense every day. This is why monks who practiced in the mountains aren't suitable. Oh, since he's a monk, it should be prayers, not practice."
"Indeed, so there was such a problem."
Hwang-bo Ak maintained his composure, and Jegal Muhwan decided to adjust his strategy a bit.
"But the person I dislike the most is not the alliance leader."
"Then, who is the biggest problem?"
"It's that Mu-jin who relies on the alliance leader and acts out."
"Do you mean Kwon Je?"
"Sigh. The nickname Kwon Je is wasted on him. His reckless behavior, if he weren't a favored successor of the alliance leader, I'd want to kick him out of the alliance immediately."
"Hahaha. Is he really that much of a scoundrel?"
Jegal Muhwan quickly calculated his moves as he saw a more intense reaction when criticizing Mu-jin than when badmouthing the alliance leader Hyun-cheon.
'Oh, it seems criticizing Kwon Je is hitting the mark.'
Realizing he had the right bait to catch a fool, he kept talking without pause.
"Calling him a scoundrel is an understatement. Do you know how much Shaolin dotes on him just because he's somewhat skilled in martial arts?"
"The arrogance of that brat, who's still called a future successor, is unbearable. He even disrespects me, the chief strategist of the alliance."
"He sometimes looks at me with suspicious eyes, and the murderous intent in his gaze is as if he's threatening to kill me if he catches me doing something. How can someone, supposedly a disciple of the orthodox sect, be so filled with murderous intent?"
Jegal Muhwan's rant, initially a fabricated story, soon turned into genuine grievances.
Hearing Jegal Muhwan's sincerity, Hwang-bo Ak unknowingly added his own interjections.
"Huh. How can a young brat be so insolent!"
"It's all because the alliance leader blindly protects that scoundrel just because he's a bit skilled in martial arts!!"
Fully engrossed, Jegal Muhwan began to criticize not just Mu-jin but also Hyun-cheon and Shaolin.
He kept pouring and drinking the liquor for himself and Hwang-bo Ak.
"I came to you because I had no way to quell this anger. Please, accept my drink, Master."
By now, Hwang-bo Ak's face was flushed red, and he loudly agreed with Jegal Muhwan's complaints.
"That damned brat, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson someday, Chief Strategist."
"Hahaha. You've had a hard time, Chief Strategist!"
Having realized that he was almost done reeling in the fool, Jegal Muhwan, with a drunken face, spoke.
"So, why don't you teach that brat a lesson and take the alliance leader's position as well?"
"Hahaha. I'd love to, but how can things go my way?"
"Hehehe. I, Je-gal, will assist you. With me, who has been the chief strategist in Murim Alliance and here, supporting you, becoming the alliance leader is only a matter of time."
"Haha. Just hearing it makes me feel confident."
"Hohoho. You become the alliance leader, and I will be content with just holding the chief strategist's position."
Jegal Muhwan's words made Hwang-bo Ak smile awkwardly, his drunken face showing slight discomfort.
"Hehe. That might be difficult. The position of the chief strategist is for my dear brother..."
Feeling that he was about to get the information he wanted, Jegal Muhwan suppressed his excitement, but Hwang-bo Ak didn't continue.
After uttering "dear brother," he realized he had said too much in his drunken state.
However, instead of probing or pushing like an amateur, Jegal Muhwan pretended not to notice and moved on.
"Hahaha. Since this is our first drink together, you may not fully trust me yet. I suppose I need to prove my ability first."
Jegal Muhwan continued to make small talk and drink a few more rounds before getting up.
"I'll bring important news for the alliance leader position next time I visit, Master."
"Haha. Take care."
After exchanging the final greetings with Hwang-bo Ak, Jegal Muhwan staggered out of the inn and headed towards Jeongmumaeng's mansion.
He wasn't acting; he was genuinely drunk.
It was impossible to drink with someone more skilled than himself and pretend to be drunk without getting caught.
But despite his drunken state, his sharp mind was still planning the next steps.
To his knowledge, none of Hwang-bo Ak's younger brothers or cousins went by the name 'Hwang-bo Son.'
This meant there was someone with the last name Son who was close enough to be like brothers.
'I need to instruct Biyounggak to investigate once I return to the alliance.'
Jegal Muhwan cast his net, targeting the fishing rod controlling the fool.
* * *
The next morning.
As Mu-jin was about to leave his quarters to lead external training as usual, someone visited him.
"...What brings you here so early in the morning?"
Mu-jin swallowed the words "looking like that?" that almost slipped out.
It was understandable since Jegal Muhwan looked half-dead as he approached Mu-jin.
But as if reading Mu-jin's expression, Jegal Muhwan replied.
"I'm a bit hungover, so please understand. Ah, the reason I came today is to thank you for your great help last night."
"...Help last night? What do you mean?"
"There's a story to that."
- And soon, I'll find out who contacted the Hwang-bo family.
After saying that, Jegal Muhwan hurriedly walked away as if he had said everything he needed to.
"Ugh..."
Covering his mouth with one hand.
Mu-jin, watching his retreating figure with a bewildered expression, chuckled and headed to the training ground.
Some had arrived before Mu-jin and were warming up, while others were arriving after him.
As the training time approached, the warriors of the Hwang-bo family also arrived in groups.
Seeing the person leading them, Mu-jin involuntarily frowned.
"...What brings you here, Master?"
To his astonishment, Hwang-bo Ak himself had come to the training ground.
"Hahahaha. I heard from my young master that your external techniques are excellent, so I came to see for myself."
"...Do you intend to join the training as well, Master?"
Mu-jin asked sincerely, despite the ridiculous situation.
Mu-jin had no intention of going easy just because the person was the head of a family.
But the answer he received was even more unexpected than he thought.
"Hahaha. It would be a burden for you to teach me, so that might be difficult. But since I've heard so much about your excellent external techniques, how about we spar right now?"
"Do you mean with me, Master?"
"Haha. Don't be burdened! There's nothing for you to lose. Who would blame you for losing to the head of the great Hwang-bo family?"
Seeing Hwang-bo Ak acting as if he couldn't even imagine losing in external techniques, Mu-jin couldn't help but laugh.
Meanwhile, the young warriors around them, regardless of their sect or family, looked on with anticipation.
A sparring match between the head of the Hwang-bo family, renowned for his strength across the Central Plains, and the newly emerging powerhouse Kwon Je, who displayed incredible strength yesterday.
The young warriors couldn't help but be interested in this duel.
"...Sparring with Mu-jin in external techniques?"
"Does he want his back bent in half?"
"Amitabha."
Except for the Shaolin monks.