It’s Not Like I’m Doing This For You. (3)

Do-Hyeon looked at those standing before him with subdued eyes.

“W-What are we going to do?”

“Even if you ask what we’re going to do……”

“Should we just kill him?”

“Have you really gone mad and decided you want to die? What do you think will happen if you kill the Chief Eunuch?”

They seemed to be trying to whisper, but their voices were loud enough for everyone to hear.

‘They’re sloppy.’

He was not judging them solely by their present appearance. Those accustomed to watching enemies, plotting schemes, and avoiding people’s eyes inevitably carried a distinctive sinister air. But there was not the slightest trace of such an air about these men.

If anything, how should he put it……

“You smell of incense.”

At those words, the masked men flinched, then began pressing their noses to their clothes and sniffing.

“D-Do I really smell?”

“No, these clothes were bought here! How could they smell of incense?”

“Th-Then is it coming from our bodies?”

“Oh, how dense. That’s not what he meant!”

Do-Hyeon let out a snort of laughter before he could stop himself.

It was the distinctive aura he had sensed from Taoists he had encountered a few times in the past. He had merely described it as the smell of incense, but he had not expected them to react so literally.

“They’re innocent fools. Completely unsuited to this sort of work.”

Do-Hyeon’s eyes grew colder.

“But……”

His gaze fixed squarely on Chung Myung.

“Despite that, you certainly smell like a big shot.”

“Haha.”

Chung Myung grinned and boldly met the gaze of Do-Hyeon, the Chief Eunuch.

“……A big shot? We’re just insignificant nobodies passing through.”

“……”

“Hahaha. It seems there has been some sort of misunderstanding. May we simply continue on our way, sir?”

“……”

Baek Cheon stared blankly at Chung Myung. How should he put it…… Those daintily clasped hands and hunched, shrimp-like back were almost……

“W-What’s wrong with that bastard? Why did he suddenly turn into a sycophant?”

“……So he has a terrible weakness for power. I never knew.”

“At this rate, he’ll be lying flat on his stomach any moment now.”

“Wait a second. He didn’t act like this around those old men, did he?”

“……Is it the difference between an incumbent and a former official?”

Do-Hyeon stared intently at Chung Myung, then shook his head as though he had a headache.

“Very well.”

“Oh, really?”

“Judging by the look of things, this was not something you started of your own accord. Did you agree to do the job in exchange for suitable compensation?”

“……”

“Then it’s simple. Confess who ordered you to do this, and I will let you leave unharmed.”

Jwa Go-Hak’s face twisted on its own.

It was true that the disciples of Mount Hua had failed to respond properly. But to grasp the situation in an instant after only a few words of conversation……

‘As expected of Do-Hyeon, the Chief Eunuch. It must be because of people like him that he has the Eastern Depot beneath his heel.’

Jwa Go-Hak turned to Chung Myung with a tense expression.

Jwa Go-Hak could stop his own mouth, but he could not stop Chung Myung’s. If even one of them opened his mouth, imperial troops under Do-Hyeon’s command would come pouring in—enough to fill Mount Tai and then some.

‘Taoist.’

Jwa Go-Hak’s pleading eyes met Chung Myung’s faintly sullen ones in midair.

“Hmm.”

Chung Myung suddenly straightened his bent back, then lightly cracked his neck from side to side.

“Well, even if you put it that way, we do have a certain loyalty we ought to uphold……”

Chung Myung abruptly tilted his head to the side and paused, then glanced back and asked the disciples of Mount Hua.

“Did we?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Loyalty is a bit much.”

“Right?”

Chung Myung nodded as though satisfied, then smiled brightly at Do-Hyeon.

“Where should I start?”

“Hey, you lunatic!”

Jwa Go-Hak writhed as though he were about to fall backward.

“My, you’re awfully worked up.”

“You crazy bastard! What the hell are you doing?”

“No, well…… He said he’d let us go if we told him.”

“You baaaastard!”

Jwa Go-Hak nearly rolled his eyes back in exasperation.

“I was gravely mistaken about you. Are you saying you will side with evil over a threat this minor?”

At those words, Chung Myung tilted his head as if something seemed strange.

“Evil?”

“……”

“Normally, wouldn’t the person holding an official post be the good side?”

Both of Jwa Go-Hak’s eyes shook violently.

“Th-That is true, but…… Uh……”

“Then isn’t it normal to listen to this side?”

“Well……”

Jwa Go-Hak was momentarily rendered speechless, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. It wasn’t exactly wrong, but……

“Th-That man isn’t an ordinary official, is he? Then……”

“Damn, it’s filthy difficult to live as a commoner. So I have to distinguish between good officials and bad officials among all the officials I meet? How am I supposed to know which is which? Will the government office tell me if I go ask?”

“……”

“An official is an official! Commoners like us just have to listen to officials. What right does some nobody who hasn’t even entered government service have to order us around?”

Under Chung Myung’s barrage of abuse, Jwa Go-Hak’s shoulders sagged helplessly.

Seeing that, the disciples of Mount Hua smiled faintly.

“There he goes again.”

“He has a talent for making nonsense sound strangely convincing.”

“It’s actually a completely useless talent.”

“Why? There’s nothing better for turning someone’s insides upside down.”

“……That is true.”

As the disciples of Mount Hua sighed once more, Do-Hyeon smiled as though he found it entertaining.

“Good. Have you made your decision, then?”

“Yes, yes, of course! How could a lowly thing like us dare defy the word of a high official?”

“……I suppose I should say you catch on quickly.”

Perhaps Do-Hyeon did not often deal with people like this either, as there was a hint of reluctance about him.

“Now, speak. Who is behind you?”

“Uh, about that……”

“Hmm?”

Do-Hyeon’s eyebrow twitched.

Chung Myung scratched the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly.

“I’d love to tell you, but the thing is, we were promised something by that side.”

“……”

“But if we switch sides here, we’ll lose it all. And honestly, for someone of the Chief Eunuch’s stature, it shouldn’t be all that difficult.”

Chung Myung deliberately left unsaid the rest: And since you’re probably the one who caused this mess, it would be fastest if you cleaned it up too……

Do-Hyeon let out a hollow laugh at Chung Myung’s words.

“So you want me to make up for whatever you were promised?”

“It’s not that you have to make it up to us. I’m just saying that’s how the world works, you know. Hehe.”

Do-Hyeon’s expression remained smiling, but his eyes changed in an instant.

“You truly have no sense of self-preservation.”

“……Huh?”

“You seemed like a fool swept into this without knowing anything, so I thought I would give you a chance. And yet you dare try to bargain with me? Even insolence has its limits.”

“Oh? You’re not going to do it?”

“Obviously not. Why should I grant your request?”

“Oh, is that so?”

Chung Myung nodded for a moment as though he understood, then whipped his head around to look at Jwa Go-Hak and shouted urgently.

“Don’t worry! I’ll rescue you right away!”

“……”

Jwa Go-Hak raised his head and gazed at the distant sky.

‘Elders.’

Was sending these bastards along with me truly the right choice?

Jwa Go-Hak had never once questioned the instructions of the great Confucian scholars, but at this moment he could not help being tormented by profound doubt.

“Just go die…… Please. If only for the sake of the world.”

“Come on, why say something so hurtful? We’re comrades.”

“……I’ve never had a comrade like you.”

Jwa Go-Hak squeezed his eyes shut and held back the tears that kept threatening to spill. To have his life depend on a man like that—wasn’t this far too cruel?

“Have you finished playing around?”

Though for different reasons, Do-Hyeon seemed just as displeased at being toyed with by Chung Myung.

He smirked and spoke.

“This feels less unpleasant than I expected. In fact, it’s almost enjoyable.”

“Huh? Why? You’ve got a strange personality.”

“Yes. I suppose I do.”

Do-Hyeon bared his teeth in a grin.

“I can’t remember the last time I met someone who behaved this insolently before me. Even His Majesty does not disregard me as you do.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Chung Myung put both hands behind his head, interlacing his fingers as he snorted.

“Well, that’s because you sit cooped up in the imperial palace and never see the wider world. Once you get out there, people bolder than me are a dime a dozen. Seems like you need to learn a little more about the world.”

“……”

Do-Hyeon’s mouth fell slightly open. Judging by how his eyes widened, he seemed genuinely surprised this time.

The disciples of Mount Hua smiled broadly at the sight.

“He’s so modest.”

“Right? There probably isn’t another person in the world as reckless as he is.”

“Whether that’s modesty or a complete lack of self-awareness……”

Either way, one thing was certain: those words had thoroughly provoked Do-Hyeon. His expression hardened, and an increasingly oppressive aura began pouring from him.

“You are certainly entertaining.”

Do-Hyeon looked at Chung Myung with one corner of his mouth twisted upward. Already imposing in size, Do-Hyeon distorted his face and began emitting a terrifying aura, looking every inch a fiendish demon.

“I will show you why people cannot treat me carelessly.”

“Because you’re a eunuch?”

“……”

Do-Hyeon once again lost his words and closed his mouth.

“Or, uh…… Hmm? Is there some other reason?”

Chung Myung tilted his head as though he genuinely did not understand.

“Surely those self-important Confucians didn’t hold their tongues because they were crushed by your authority, and it couldn’t have been because they were intimidated by your size.”

Chung Myung gave an unabashed grin and continued.

“Then all that’s left is martial arts. Well…… You seem fairly capable, I suppose, but not enough to brag about.”

“……”

“That leaves……”

Chung Myung’s gaze dipped downward, then quickly rose again.

“That…… Hmm. Yes. I suppose that is certainly difficult to talk about carelessly.”

“……”

Do-Hyeon stared at Chung Myung in silence.

The oppressive presence he had exuded moments ago had vanished without a trace. All that remained was a razor-sharp killing intent.

“I’m afraid you won’t be living much longer.”

“Oh?”

“You aren’t the only one here who can speak, so there is no need to keep you alive as well. I will kill you by cutting you into a thousand pieces.”

Do-Hyeon forcefully took one step forward. At that moment, Chung Myung reached a hand behind him.

“Good grief.”

Reading Chung Myung’s intention from that movement, Baek Cheon tossed the sword in his hand toward him.

“I thought you said you don’t fight high officials?”

“When things have come to this, I have no choice.”

“The question is who created this situation.”

“Tsk, tsk. You nitpick every little word like that, which is why people call you a petty man.”

“What did you just say, you bastard?”

Without even turning around, Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively, spun the sword once in his grip, and smiled at Do-Hyeon.

“Still, I do appreciate that you don’t hide behind others and manipulate people with a wagging finger like the other high officials. I’ll give you that.”

“Hmm?”

“But you should have known that too.”

Chung Myung lowered his voice further and spoke mockingly.

“Why do you think all those other gentlemen hide behind others and only point fingers? Because they’re stupid? Because they lack courage?”

Chung Myung drew his sword once across the ground, then lowered his body slightly.

“I’ll teach you the answer now, so pay close attention. It will probably help you a great deal in the future.”

“Arrogant bastard.”

Without delay, Do-Hyeon thrust one palm toward Chung Myung. A milky-white palm force imbued with tremendous internal qi flew straight at him.