Then There Is Only One Way. (1)

“So.”

Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

“So you came back without even saying a word?”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong flinched under the creeping unease, but there was hardly any excuse they could offer.

“Well… it wasn’t exactly a situation where we could do anything, was it?”

“….”

“If it had been some martial sect, I could’ve grabbed them and tried to talk, but… the magistrate’s office told us to leave, so what were we supposed to do… Yaaah! Why are you suddenly throwing a book!”

“What are you shouting about, as if you did something right!”

Chung Myung roared.

“So? You just slunk back without even figuring out the reason? Huh?”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong quietly turned to Im So-Byeong. They had gone together, yes, but wasn’t the one responsible for all this the Green Forest King?

Under their gazes, Im So-Byeong awkwardly cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

“I understand perfectly well why you’re angry, Taoist, but coming back was the right decision.”

Lightly waving the hand that held his folded fan, Im So-Byeong smiled faintly and continued.

“Officials are naturally very proud. If you had expressed dissatisfaction there, it might have left this child with an unpleasant memory, so for now, withdrawing and reassessing the situation is in keeping with the natural order… ”

In an instant, Chung Myung shot toward Im So-Byeong like a bolt of lightning.

“Huh?”

Thwack!

Crack!

Kicked by Chung Myung, Im So-Byeong flew upward like an arrow and rammed straight into the ceiling.

“Wow….”

The Mount Hua disciples stared at Im So-Byeong, half-buried in the ceiling with only his lower body dangling down, and swallowed hard.

Chung Myung pointed furiously at the Im So-Byeong stuck in the ceiling and shouted again and again.

“Natural order? What? Naturrrrral order? Quit spouting nonsense about natural order! You bastard, what do you know about natural order and you’re out there banditing around? How dare some bandit bastard put fancy words in his mouth? Are you trying to die?”

“Actually, that is true.”

“That is an undeniable truth.”

“But the person who should hear it seems to be dead already? Blood is dripping down…”

Chung Myung ground his teeth, glaring at Im So-Byeong as though he might burn him alive.

“No. This is not the time for me to be beating that bandit bastard. He said he couldn’t tell us the reason, but told us to get lost? I’ll just—!”

When Chung Myung suddenly tried to rush outside, Baek Cheon shouted in alarm.

“Grab him! Grab that brat, quickly!”

“Pin him down! Pin him down!”

“Oh no! Chung Myung, you bastard!”

“Let go! Aren’t you letting go of this?”

Clinging to Chung Myung’s leg, Yoon Jong pleaded as if he were about to cry.

“This time your opponent isn’t a martial artist! He’s an official from the magistrate’s office!”

“So what? Can’t a knife still go into an official’s belly? Does getting hit not hurt them? Officials or whatever, if they did something that deserves a beating, they should get beaten!”

“No, this isn’t something you solve by hitting people!”

“You won’t know until you try hitting them!”

“Why would you need to hit them to know that, you lunatic!”

Hae Yeon, watching Chung Myung thrash about as usual, spoke in a somewhat serious voice.

“I do not think this is something to take so lightly, benefactor.”

“What are you talking about now?”

“Judging by that official’s reaction, it seems this was something he himself could not help. In that case, beating him would not solve anything.”

“….”

With a face twisted in disgust, Chung Myung clicked his tongue, then shoved aside those holding him down as if he had calmed a little. Then he glanced at Yu Han-Bin.

“Hey. Unclench your face.”

“Taoist Chung Myung….”

Yu Han-Bin, who had only been observing the mood, spoke in a subdued voice.

“I think perhaps…”

“Thoughts, my ass. Has anyone with a brain ever lived like that?”

“…Pardon?”

“Don’t think. This is an adults’ problem.”

Chung Myung furrowed his brow sharply and said it as if he had reached a conclusion.

Indeed, this was a different kind of problem from those Chung Myung had dealt with so far. More information was needed.

“First call the beggar. I need to get a proper look at this.”

“You mean Branch Leader Hong Dae-Kwang?”

“How would that old man make it all the way here? I mean the beggar uncle in Jinan.”

“Grr. Got it.”

Can’t do it? What do you mean, can’t? If there’s no way, make one.

Watching Jo Gul hurry outside, Chung Myung’s eyes sharpened.

“Well…”

Beggar Sun-Hak swallowed dryly under the sharp gazes being poured on him.

“It wasn’t my fault, was it? You don’t have to look at me like you’re about to eat me alive…”

“Did you check?”

Beggar Sun-Hak squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Those Mount Hua bastards wouldn’t even be picked up by beggars.’

As the Branch Leader of the Beggars’ Union, he held a position that would earn respect anywhere in the murim world, yet these crazy Mount Hua Taoists summoned him as if they were calling over some stray dog.

But what could he do? They were stronger than he was.

“Yes. I checked as soon as I heard your words, but… this problem is more complicated than I expected.”

“Stop dragging it out and get to the point. Who is it?”

“Pardon?”

“Anyway, there must be someone who gave that order. We just need to find out who it is.”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung in shock.

“What are you going to do once you find out?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? I’ll have a proper talk with him.”

“What kind of talk, you lunatic! You’re planning to beat him up, aren’t you!”

“Fists are the best means of communication, sasuk. Even the young master agreed with that.”

“He never said that!”

Baek Cheon, who had been shouting at the top of his lungs, turned to Beggar Sun-Hak with desperate eyes, but it seemed there was no need to worry.

“To get to the conclusion first… we could not confirm where the order came from.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“To be more precise, such an order never existed in the first place.”

“Pardon?”

The Mount Hua disciples stared at Beggar Sun-Hak with faces that showed they did not understand. Chung Myung wore an expression that said, What nonsense did this beggar brat hear this time?

With a groan, Beggar Sun-Hak continued his explanation.

“There is no officially imposed punishment on the Yu family of Shandong. So naturally, no order exists saying that the descendants of the Yu family cannot hold office. Therefore, Young Master Yu here is fully eligible to take the provincial exam.”

“No, then why?”

“That is the problem.”

Beggar Sun-Hak let out a long sigh and a low groan.

“A non-existent order is being enforced. Do you understand what that means?”

When everyone hesitated, unable to grasp it right away, a flat voice suddenly cut in.

“It means someone secretly interfered.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Chung Myung.

“And a pretty high-ranking one at that. Right?”

Beggar Sun-Hak slowly nodded with a grave expression.

“I can’t confirm it directly, but I think so too.”

“And there’s no way to know who that bastard is?”

“Yes. Although we are far removed from the government, we still have our own information network. Yet in this matter, we simply could not trace its roots. If we investigate further, we might find a clue, but… ”

“If we do, the other side will likely notice our movements too?”

“…That is correct. You truly understand this well.”

Beggar Sun-Hak looked at Chung Myung as though seeing him anew.

When it came to matters involving the court, it was no exaggeration to say that most martial artists were utterly ignorant. Martial sects usually kept their distance from the government on purpose. That Mount Hua Divine Dragon would likely be no different.

But Mount Hua Divine Dragon had perfectly grasped how the situation was unfolding from only the circumstances he had seen in Jinan and a few words from Beggar Sun-Hak.

‘Is this why they call him the Mount Hua Divine Dragon?’

He had heard that the higher-ups feared Mount Hua Divine Dragon’s judgment more than his martial strength, and now he felt he understood why such rumors circulated.

Whether Beggar Sun-Hak was astonished or not, Chung Myung was deep in thought, sensing that things were becoming serious.

‘This is more complicated than I thought.’

If it were simply a matter of some punishment having been imposed on the Yu family of Shandong, it would have been easier to untangle, because there would be a clear party to blame.

But that was not the situation now. He had to deal with a punishment that did not exist and an enemy that was only faintly visible. He had to face both.

“Hm.”

After frowning and thinking for a long while, Chung Myung motioned upward with his chin and said,

“Take that down.”

“…Wouldn’t he be dead?”

“He’s alive. Take him down.”

“Got it.”

The Mount Hua disciples pulled Im So-Byeong down from the ceiling. Im So-Byeong, dropped to the floor, groaned and twisted his body.

“If you keep lying there like that, you’ll really die.”

“Come on, no way. I’m completely fine.”

Im So-Byeong quickly got up and sat cross-legged, wiping away the blood streaming from his nose as if he were used to it. Seeing that, Beggar Sun-Hak gave a dumbfounded laugh. What kind of bizarre man was this now?

“What do you think?”

“Well. It doesn’t look like there’s an answer.”

“No answer?”

“H-hey, wait a second. No! Why do you reach for your fist every time I say something!”

“Fists make answers.”

“…Honestly, who is the Evil Sect here?”

Im So-Byeong let out a long sigh and shrugged.

“It’s impossible to resolve this by the book. Given the nature of officials, if you trace a problem like this upward from the bottom, it will definitely be cut off somewhere in the middle. At this point, even trying to find who first issued the order would be impossible.”

Chung Myung nodded. This wasn’t something that happened only among officials; it was common in large organizations.

“Even if you painstakingly found the person, it’s often the case that they’ve already retired from office, or some equally hopeless situation arises. So this is, from the outset, an impossible problem to solve… No! Please listen to me until the end! Don’t draw your sword!”

Im So-Byeong shook his head and said,

“So this is… not a problem to solve, but one to cut off.”

“Cut off?”

“Yes.”

Im So-Byeong snapped open his fan and waved it lightly.

“What does it mean that it wasn’t an official order to begin with? It means some powerful person has been using people as he pleased, does it not?”

“Exactly.”

“Then there is only one method. We use power on our side too.”

At that, Baek Cheon let out a small exclamation and spoke.

“So, if we issue an order that lets another person in power step in, the problem is solved?”

“Exactly. Of course, if the one who issued the original order still remembers this matter and tries to block Young Master Yu again, that would create another problem.”

Im So-Byeong shrugged.

“Well. Would they still be worrying about an order related to something that happened more than ten years ago? Probably not. Powerful people are more persistent than you’d think, but also more fickle than you’d think.”

All the Mount Hua disciples nodded.

Clearly, this seemed like the fastest and most reliable way to resolve the entire situation.

Yes. But…

“But.”

“Hm?”

“That powerful person—how are we supposed to recruit a high official like that?”

“….”

The silent Mount Hua disciples all turned to Im So-Byeong, hoping that a giant like him might know a high official or two.

Understanding the meaning in their eyes, Im So-Byeong spread his fan with a snap and smiled confidently.

“I’m a bandit.”

“….”

“What exactly are you expecting from me?”

“…Right.”

“I want to snap that fan in half.”

Having immediately accepted that, the Mount Hua disciples now turned to Beggar Sun-Hak.

Meeting those gazes, Beggar Sun-Hak gave an awkward smile.

“As you know, the Beggars’ Union forbids contact with people like high officials at the branch level.”

“If it didn’t forbid it, could you make contact?”

“Do you think that would work, when I’m a beggar?”

“…I suppose not.”

Baek Cheon covered his face and muttered,

“Honestly, the fact that a bandit, a beggar, and a Taoist are gathered here discussing connections to power and high officials is weird enough.”

“It’s basically a sequential list of jobs unrelated to power.”

“And of all the people to gather, why did they have to gather like this?”

What good was a method, in the end? Everyone sighed as if the ground were collapsing beneath them and lamented, but frustration changed nothing.

“Then, Soso. By any chance, the Tang Family…?”

“My family is in Sichuan. If we had a connection like that, why would we still be living in Sichuan?”

“R-right… ”

While everyone was sunk in despair and scratching at the ground, Hae Yeon, scratching his shiny head, opened his mouth with an odd expression.

“Um… not a high official, but… ”

“Pardon?”

“Well, depending on how you look at it, I do know someone who could be called a high official.”

“Gasp! Really, monk?”

At once, everyone’s eyes turned to him. Hae Yeon awkwardly nodded.

“Yes. There’s no need to explain; he is someone all of you know well.”

“We know him well?”

No matter how hard they thought about it, no one came to mind. When had they ever met someone who held office?

“Ah!”

But there was at least one person who understood Hae Yeon’s meaning.

Tang Soso let out an exclamation and turned sharply to Jo Gul.

“Right?”

“Depending on how you look at it… maybe.”

“No, he’s really a high official. He’s the Imperial Teacher.”

Once that was said, everyone understood and nodded vigorously with bright expressions. Well, except for one person.

Chung Myung, tilting his head, stared blankly at the Mount Hua disciples whispering among themselves.

“What is it? Who are you talking about?”

“You stay quiet for a second. But monk, will that person hear our request?”

“Hm. Well, I’m not sure. I’ve never asked him for such a personal favor either. But… ”

“But?”

Hae Yeon glanced at Chung Myung.

“If it were no one else but Taoist Chung Myung asking personally, wouldn’t he move as well?”

“…Huh?”

“It’s not so much that I think we should make him owe us a favor, but rather that he would likely be very pleased by the very fact that the Mount Hua Divine Dragon is making a request.”

The Mount Hua disciples brightened and agreed with Hae Yeon’s opinion.

“…That’s convincing.”

“This will work. It really feels like it could work.”

Chung Myung narrowed his brow.

“No, I’m asking who you’re talking about! Why are you all talking without me in the discussion!”

To that question, Jo Gul grinned and answered.

“It’s someone you know well too.”

“Who?”

“The highest-ranking person you’ve ever met.”

“Someone I’ve met…”

Chung Myung muttered the words to himself, then suddenly fell silent. At the same time, his pupils rolled in neat little circles.

Thinking of the face he least wanted to remember, Chung Myung opened his mouth stiffly.

“…No way?”

“Yes.”

“The person I’m thinking of… no, surely not?”

“I said yes.”

Chung Myung’s expression visibly hardened, and he staggered backward.

“Chung Myung.”

Baek Cheon quickly grabbed Chung Myung’s shoulder as he tried to back away.

“This is for Han-Bin. You only have to bow your head once.”

“N-no, I don’t want to.”

“Hey! This is for the greater good. Are you going to act so petty?”

“No! I said no! Really!”

Chung Myung’s scream pierced the walls of the abandoned house and echoed far away.

“I said nooooooooooooo!”

“Hm?”

And at the same time.

Shaolin’s Abbot, Beop Jeong, who had been staring at the Buddha statue before him with a stiff face, tilted his head and scratched his crown.

“I feel like I just heard a pleasant jade voice from somewhere.”

For some reason, Beop Jeong found himself in an inexplicably good mood.