Chapter 032
"Huh...?"
"W-What the hell!"
With the shouts of the young nobleman's guards, pieces of sliced metal fell to the ground before their feet. Accompanied by the clear sound of metal fragments colliding, Namgung Somin appeared in front of the guards, having moved from her seat in an instant.
"Thugs like you. How dare you swing your swords at the weak."
"Who the hell are you?!"
Though they hastily retreated after losing their only weapons, they still maintained their aggressive stance. Namgung Somin stood blocking their path, glaring at them with cold eyes.
'First-rate skill level... yet they draw their swords so recklessly in broad daylight. No wonder Teacher was lamenting.'
This wasn't chivalry or righteousness—just plain violence. Namgung Somin was filled with disgust.
The young nobleman in fancy clothes looked at her.
"Who are you?"
Namgung Somin didn't answer.
The guard escorts stepped forward.
"How insolent!"
"Do you know who this is?!"
"This is Young Master Yi of the Dragon Gate Li Clan of Luoyang, whose honorable name is Jonhwi! How dare a nobody martial artist from Murim!"
"Dragon Gate Li Clan?"
Baek Sugyeong rose to his feet. Not only was his food spilled, but it seemed they deliberately started trouble, and now a familiar name caught his attention.
"Owner?"
"Master Baek?"
Ignoring So Ssanga and Gal Yerung's voices, Baek Sugyeong turned his gaze. His eyes naturally fell on the young nobleman's face. He looked somewhat familiar.
As Baek Sugyeong carefully examined the face, he heard the rough voices of the guards.
"And who are you?!"
"Just a passing scholar. The food that waiter spilled when you tripped him was what I ordered."
"What?"
"What nonsense is that!"
As the guards denied it, Baek Sugyeong's gaze shifted to the young nobleman.
"I saw you trip him and pretend not to notice."
"I did no such thing!"
"I figured you'd say that."
Baek Sugyeong smiled.
"You've been like that since childhood. Still haven't broken that habit of denying everything first."
"What?"
This time, it was the young nobleman who looked surprised.
Baek Sugyeong continued:
"You don't seem to remember me. Yet you once learned the Gam Jin Sik Bo from me."
"G-Gam Jin Sik Bo? How would you know what I learned as a child...?"
"Teacher, do you know this person?"
At Namgung Somin's question, Baek Sugyeong nodded. Hearing the name Dragon Gate Li Clan and seeing his face, his memory became clear.
Young Master Yi Jonhwi. The troublemaking second son of the Dragon Gate Li Clan.
"Young Master Ahwi. Have you forgotten my face?"
"Who are you to know my childhood name...?"
"Would you remember if I said I was Inspector Baek from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency?"
At Baek Sugyeong's words, Yi Jonhwi's face turned pale.
"I-Inspector Baek?"
"W-Who are you to impersonate Inspector Baek?!"
"My face shouldn't have changed that much. You don't remember? That's interesting."
Baek Sugyeong stroked his chin with genuine amusement.
As he caressed his smooth, beardless chin, his expression turned sharp. His face transformed into something different from usual, filled with anger.
"You still haven't outgrown your childish habits? Still dragging guards around and causing trouble whenever you don't like someone? That dog-like behavior?"
"T-Teacher?"
"Owner?!"
"Master Baek...?"
The three women exclaimed in surprise at Baek Sugyeong's harsh words.
Ignoring their voices, Baek Sugyeong walked forward. Standing before the waiter who was making a pitiful face with his clothes soaked in hot broth, he said:
"You remembered my habit of ordering just one dish of water-parched tofu. Waiter, your name was Jang Chillang, right?"
"Oh-I-Inspector, sir, is that really you?!"
"If you don't recognize my face after three years, I guess it has been a long time."
It had been three years since Baek Sugyeong quit the Dragon Gate Escort Agency and went to Wuhan.
Looking at the waiter's clothes, Baek Sugyeong clicked his tongue.
"Young Master Ahwi. Would it be faster for me to report to your father that you're still causing trouble like this, or...?"
"I-Is it really Inspector Baek... no, Master Baek?!"
"There's only one Baek Sugyeong in this world, not two."
Baek Sugyeong curtly replied as he helped the waiter to his feet.
"Tsk. I hope your skin isn't damaged. Go wash up and change your clothes. I'll speak to the innkeeper."
"B-But..."
"I won't ask you to pay for the food. Go quickly."
"Th-Thank you, sir!"
The waiter named Jang Chillang scurried away as if escaping.
Baek Sugyeong stood where the food bowls had been spilled and broken, looking at Yi Jonhwi with cold eyes.
Despite meeting after a long time, Yi Jonhwi's face—still not completely shed of its youthful appearance—was filled with fear.
Striding up to him, Baek Sugyeong grabbed Yi Jonhwi's ear and yanked it hard.
"Come with me, Young Master. We need to see your father."
"Aaagh! Master Baek, this is, I mean-!"
Baek Sugyeong coldly cut off Yi Jonhwi's words.
"Quiet. I stop by Luoyang after so long, only to find you still behaving so disgracefully. I told you until I was blue in the face not to tarnish the name of the Dragon Gate Li Clan!"
"Ow! Oww! My ear's going to come off, Master Baek!"
"An ear that only hears what it wants to hear might as well be torn off! Ah, you there. Could someone call the innkeeper?"
Gal Yerung, Namgung Somin, and So Ssanga all wore stunned expressions at the storm-like scene unfolding before them.
'What on earth is happening?'
...
"Hoho, Master Baek, your temper hasn't changed a bit."
"That's all in the past now. I'm no longer an inspector at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, nor Young Master Ahwi's teacher. Just an ordinary scholar."
In the reception room of the Dragon Gate Li Clan, Baek Sugyeong sat across from a well-built middle-aged man holding a cup of Dragon Well tea.
The three women had followed him, but their faces showed they hadn't adapted to the sudden change in circumstances at all.
The Dragon Gate Li Clan was a famous family even in Luoyang. They had produced many renowned officials and had connections to the imperial palace, as well as considerable influence in Murim.
The head of the Dragon Gate Li Clan was traditionally respected and addressed as "Lord Yi."
For someone called "Master" by the head of this clan that encompassed government, commerce, and martial arts—a clan whose power was by no means weak in Luoyang—to be Baek Sugyeong was quite surprising.
In response to Baek Sugyeong's words, the head of the Dragon Gate Li Clan, Lord Yi Jonhyo, laughed.
"I hear you're called Master Sugyeong these days?"
"Somehow it turned out that way."
"Oh? You don't deny it. I've been enjoying reading 'Wudang Sword Hero.' I'm always looking forward to the next volume."
Baek Sugyeong gave a bitter smile at Yi Jonhyo's words.
"Your second son hasn't changed. He still hasn't broken that bad habit of denying everything first, my lord."
"What can I do? Since you left, not a single person has been able to teach that boy properly."
"Is that so?"
"I should have stopped you when you said you were leaving."
"I would have left anyway."
At Baek Sugyeong's firm response, this time Yi Jonhyo gave a bitter smile.
Whether it was Baek Sugyeong before he returned to his hometown or Baek Sugyeong now, his personality remained the same.
He was someone who absolutely refused to do what he didn't want to do.
This man.
"I suppose you would have. That's why it's even more regrettable. But what brings you to Luoyang?"
"I was passing through after visiting Shaolin Temple. I thought I might see the Agency Master, but by chance..."
"Tsk tsk. That worthless Jonhwi must have been jealous of you. But who are these three ladies?"
When Yi Jonhyo pointed to the three women standing behind Baek Sugyeong, he replied:
"Two lady heroes from the Ming Wang Hui and Namgung Clan, and the guild leader of a trading company I met when I went to Wuhan. Lady Namgung, Lady Gal, Guild Leader So. Please greet Lord Yi Jonhyo, head of the Dragon Gate Li Clan."
At Baek Sugyeong's words, the three women greeted him in their own ways.
"I am Namgung Somin of the Namgung Clan."
"I'm So Ssanga of the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company."
"I'm Gal Yerung of the Ming Wang Hui."
After receiving their greetings, Yi Jonhyo laughed with interest.
His kind smile was touched with a strange light in his eyes.
"The Ming Wang Hui that's at odds with Shaolin, a lady hero from the renowned Namgung Clan of Anhui Province, and the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company whose influence has been remarkable lately. You've made good connections, Master."
"Well, fate brought us together somehow."
"All thanks to 'Wudang Sword Hero,' I'm sure. These days, I live for the pleasure of reading it."
"My lord, if you pressure me like that, it will be difficult to write the next volume."
"Hoho, you caught me?"
Yi Jonhyo laughed heartily and said:
"So how much longer do you plan to stay in Luoyang, Master?"
"I was thinking of returning to Wuhan as soon as I see the Agency Master. I need to write the next volume..."
At Baek Sugyeong's words, Yi Jonhyo replied:
"If you mean Agency Master Ji, he probably won't return to Luoyang for a while. He took on a major escort mission and went toward Liaodong."
"All the way to Liaodong?"
"I heard he accepted a request from the Murong Clan, but who knows. He said he was going to Yanshan."
"He must have taken a ship from the Shandong Peninsula and sailed up the Liao River."
"Well, I suppose so. Anyway, Agency Master Ji is definitely not in Luoyang right now."
At Yi Jonhyo's words, Baek Sugyeong stroked his chin slightly.
He had thought to see Ji Wisang while in Luoyang, but Ji Wisang was away.
He felt genuinely disappointed.
"I was hoping to see him after so long. Thank you for letting me know, my lord."
"Are you planning to return to Wuhan right away, Master Baek?"
"Yes, but..."
"Hmm. It seems a shame to let you go so soon."
Yi Jonhyo looked genuinely regretful.
"Besides, if I had known you were writing 'Wudang Sword Hero,' I would have made you stay in Luoyang and just write. How could you have such talent for writing masterpieces yet never put pen to paper? It's a pity you wasted your talent working at the escort agency."
"I didn't expect things to turn out this way either. I must say it was heaven's will."
'I really didn't expect things to turn out this way, my lord.'
Baek Sugyeong swallowed his true thoughts and took a sip of Dragon Well tea.
"By the way, I heard that the protagonist of your next work is from Shaolin... Would you consider featuring our family too?"
"Haha, I'll consider it. But please note that I don't accept solicitations, my lord."
"Hoho, that is disappointing!"
As the two men continued their amicable conversation, a slight crease appeared on Gal Yerung's forehead.
'This guy, what kind of person was he exactly?'
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📚 Author's Note:
Big thanks to Rigchel for the 2 shiny Power Stones!
🐧