Chapter 25
“This is getting more twisted than I thought?”
Worry crept into Gok Bo-ok’s expression as he looked down at the base of the hill.
He had seen Sa Bigang leave the academy with Yeom Ja-ryang in the middle of the night.
Immediately after, Gok Bo-ok had followed them along with Yeon U-gyeong.
But the place Sa Bigang had found was none other than Black Gratitude Gang.
He didn’t know how he had found this place, but contrary to expectations that he would be turned away at the front gate without being able to make a move, he had turned Black Gratitude Gang upside down.
Gok Bo-ok muttered with a bewildered expression.
“Instructor Sa… was his martial arts at that level?”
Although it was from a distance, this was the first time he had directly witnessed it like this.
“Surely things won’t go wrong?”
“Even if they do go wrong, it’s none of our business.”
Yeon U-gyeong, standing beside him, replied with a cold expression.
“But this is our doing…”
“We didn’t do anything. Except for spreading around that he was going to meet with Yeom Ja-ryang outside.”
“That’s true. You’re right about that.”
Gok Bo-ok nodded his head.
Looking at the always composed Yeon U-gyeong somehow made him feel at ease.
But then.
“What are you two doing here?”
A chilling voice.
A pitch-black shadow fell over Gok Bo-ok and Yeon U-gyeong from behind.
***
Deung Bu-hyeong was momentarily unable to continue speaking.
Of all places, Sa Bigang had to be here.
When Sa Bigang’s gaze glanced toward Dragon Ascending Blade, Deung Bu-hyeong quickly shouted.
“I, I just came here for personal business. What about you, Instructor Sa?”
“I also came for personal business.”
Sa Bigang grinned.
Meanwhile, Wi Sang-tak, realizing that the situation was taking an odd turn, furrowed his brow.
“You’re an instructor at Yongcheon Hall?”
“That’s right.”
“But why would you want to collect money that wasn’t even borrowed…?”
“That fellow borrowed money from our student. So I must collect it all back, including interest.”
Ah, so this guy is that guy.
When Wi Sang-tak glanced back, Deung Bu-hyeong nodded almost imperceptibly.
Wi Sang-tak inwardly sneered.
The fellow that Deung Bu-hyeong constantly complained about.
The very fellow who, despite lacking the qualifications of an instructor, merely occupied a position and muddied all the waters of Yongcheon Hall.
‘This might actually work out well.’
Crisis is opportunity.
This was his usual belief that had led Black Gratitude Gang.
If he could overcome this crisis well, Black Gratitude Gang would actually gain an even greater opportunity.
He didn’t know how he had found out and come all the way here, but he had surely come about the membership fee extortion incident.
But Sa Bigang wouldn’t have any material evidence.
Wi Sang-tak took a composed expression and made a Cupped Hands Salute.
“My son says he has never borrowed money, so it seems you’ve come to the wrong place, Instructor. Please clear up this misunderstanding and return.”
“That can’t be. That fellow definitely borrowed money, so I must get it back.”
Then Wi Deok-cheon flared up and shouted again.
“Shut up! Coming to our establishment without any evidence and causing trouble! We should be receiving compensation for the intimidation! And you still call yourself a proper instructor of the righteous path?”
“Of course. It’s because I’m a proper instructor of the righteous path that I came to guide these unorthodox rabble.”
“Your words are too harsh!”
This time even Wi Sang-tak couldn’t hold back and burst out shouting.
To dismiss Black Gratitude Gang as unorthodox.
This was the thing he hated hearing most.
But Sa Bigang paid no heed.
“Did I say something wrong? If you’re a father, instead of just covering for your child, shouldn’t you properly counsel him? He shamelessly borrowed money and is now playing dumb like this, and you’re just going to cover for him because he’s your offspring? Can you still call this the righteous path?”
Wi Sang-tak’s patience reached its limit in an instant.
As he trembled with rage, Wi Deok-cheon shouted again.
“Old man! How many times must I tell you before you understand? I have never borrowed money!”
“Then? You didn’t borrow it but stole it?”
“What?”
“Then the interest would be a bit higher. I’d have to collect double the principal.”
“What kind of dog-like…”
“If you admit it now and agree to pay back, I’ll reduce the interest by fifty percent.”
Wi Deok-cheon trembled while gripping his sword.
He wanted nothing more than to immediately start a sword fight and chop that fellow into pieces.
Just then, Deung Bu-hyeong, who had been just watching, stepped forward.
“Instructor Sa. I don’t know what this is about, but how about stopping here? What do you intend to accomplish by making such unreasonable demands without any evidence?”
“Those fellows are the evidence.”
Sa Bigang pointed to the two martial artists sprawled on the ground.
They were the ones who had been injured by Ja-ryang.
Wi Sang-tak quickly stepped forward.
“That can’t be considered definitive evidence either, can it?”
“Then, what if definitive evidence comes out after searching?”
“After searching…?”
“That’s right. If we search and find something like a money pouch, will you acknowledge it?”
“Ha! Are you saying you’ll search through the entire premises?”
“It’s not impossible.”
Wi Sang-tak was flabbergasted.
Just two people were going to thoroughly search through these vast premises?
Ridiculous talk.
There was no way that money pouch would still be here, but even if it were, how could just two people find it?
‘He’s more stupid than I thought.’
Wi Sang-tak inwardly sneered.
“Hmm. Then what will you do if nothing comes out?”
“Then… well, I’ll apologize.”
Since it was a part he hadn’t really thought about, Sa Bigang, having little to say, shrugged his shoulders.
Wi Sang-tak burst out laughing with an incredulous expression.
“Are you joking right now? You appear out of nowhere, cause all this commotion, and think it ends with just an apology? Moreover, while saying you’ll search through the entire premises?”
“Hmm. Then what should I do?”
Caught.
Wi Sang-tak stroked his bristly beard once and then looked back at Deung Bu-hyeong.
“Well now. What do you think, Instructor Deung? If we’ve been wrongfully suspected.”
“Hmm.”
Composure finally returned to Deung Bu-hyeong’s expression.
The fact that Wi Sang-tak was approaching it this way meant he was that confident.
“If no evidence comes out, Instructor Sa will be committing a grave mistake. In that case, having tarnished the reputation of our establishment and lost the students’ membership fees, severe punishment for Instructor Sa would be unavoidable.”
“Then, Instructor Sa would…?”
“Naturally, he would have to step down from his instructor position and pay all costs for repairing the damage to Black Gratitude Gang. Also, if Black Gratitude Gang desires, he would have to pay compensation as well.”
“…is what he says. How about it? Will you really try it?”
Wi Sang-tak now even wore a faint smile.
Now it’s your turn to take the bait.
Will you tuck your tail and retreat even now?
Of course, even if you did, you wouldn’t be able to avoid disciplinary action.
‘Still, in normal cases, one would stop here…’
“Good. But if a money pouch comes out, your side will also have to pay an equivalent price.”
“What kind of price?”
“I’ll collect double the extorted money.”
“What?”
“It doesn’t matter anyway, does it? If the small establishment owner is as innocent as you claim, no evidence will appear.”
Wi Sang-tak ground his molars.
He was confident that no evidence would appear, but he didn’t like the opponent’s arrogant attitude.
And…
‘This somehow unpleasant feeling…’
Then, Wi Deok-cheon burst out shouting.
“Fine! Go ahead and do whatever you want! But when no evidence comes out, you’ll have to take responsibility too!”
“That’s what I was hoping for.”
Wi Sang-tak didn’t even have a chance to step forward.
Wi Deok-cheon was completely confident.
And rightly so, since the money extorted from Yeom Ja-ryang had been completely squandered at the brothel over the past two days.
The money pouch had also been given to some courtesan, so there was no way it could be discovered.
Wi Sang-tak, who had felt somewhat uneasy, soon settled his mind.
There was no need to worry about evidence that couldn’t be found anyway, right?
Sa Bigang looked at Wi Sang-tak.
“Then may I take a look around this place?”
“Fine. However, I’ll only give you one shijin (30 minutes). We have our lives to live, don’t we?”
Wi Sang-tak smiled faintly.
Actually, how much could they examine in one shijin while searching these vast premises?
It would take about that much time just to search one room.
Sa Bigang grinned.
“Well, that should be enough.”
‘Enough?’
As Wi Sang-tak furrowed his eyebrows,
“Come in, Jeok-san.”
Sa Bigang spoke as if calling to the air.
Wi Sang-tak and the others looked around with bewildered expressions.
After quite some time passed with no change, Wi Sang-tak frowned and asked.
“Who are you waiting for now…”
Just then.
Swish swish swoosh! Swish! Swish swish swoosh!
About thirty martial artists leaped over the walls and gathered in black masses in front of Sa Bigang, then knelt on one knee.
“Did you call for us? My lord!”
The voices of those dressed in black martial robes echoed thunderously throughout the premises.
The martial artists of Black Gratitude Gang, including Wi Sang-tak, looked at them with stunned expressions.
‘Th-those people, where did they come from…? No, more than that, how did they hear those words…?’
Sa Bigang had merely muttered quietly.
It wasn’t even jeoneum (sound transmission).
Just simple mumbling.
Yet those who had been somewhere outside came rushing in instantly.
They were people who had definitely not been near Black Gratitude Gang.
Actually, this was Magic Mouth magic that transmits words over long distances, but there was no way anyone here would know about it.
Sa Bigang looked at Go Jeok-san and frowned.
“Why did you bring those?”
His gaze was directed at Yeon U-gyeong and Gok Bo-ok, who were collapsed with sacks pulled over their heads.
They seemed unable to move, probably having had their pressure points struck.
“They were spying on this place from the hilltop, so we captured them.”
“Well, that wasn’t really necessary.”
“I apologize.”
“Never mind that. Ja-ryang.”
“Yes… ah, yes?”
“How did you say the money pouch containing the membership fees looked? Answer loudly so everyone can hear.”
“Ah, that’s… it’s a pouch with plum blossom embroidery.”
“There, you all heard that, right? Find it. I’ll give you one shijin.”
“We’ll find it within one gak.”
“Yes, that’s what I meant.”
When Sa Bigang waved his hand, the black-clad martial artists scattered at once and began searching the premises.
Wi Sang-tak, who had been dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, soon spoke with an unpleasant expression.
“Look here, Instructor! You didn’t say that so many people would be searching the premises!”
“I never said that just the two of us would be searching either.”
“But…”
“Oh my, surely you didn’t limit it to just one shijin thinking the two of us would be searching? That would be unreasonable by anyone’s standards…”
“Grr!”
Wi Sang-tak clenched his fist and glared at Sa Bigang.
‘Fine, go ahead and cause all the trouble you want! As if a money pouch that doesn’t exist will appear…’
“Found it!”
Go Jeok-san used his lightness technique to quickly approach Sa Bigang.
As he knelt on one knee, he held up the money pouch with his hands.
“Please confirm.”
Sa Bigang grinned.
A money pouch embroidered with plum blossoms.
Yeom Ja-ryang, who happened to be nearby, brightened up and shouted.
“Oh? Y-yes! This is the pouch I used when collecting the membership fees!”
“Check the amount.”
The money pouch filled with silver coins was quite heavy.
Yeom Ja-ryang quickly placed it on the ground and began counting the money.
Meanwhile, Wi Sang-tak and Wi Deok-cheon opened their eyes wide and gaped.
‘Impossible! Why is that there!’
They had definitely used it all outside.
There was no reason for it to come out of this house!
‘Could it be…?’
Wi Sang-tak and Wi Deok-cheon’s gazes turned toward Sa Bigang.
Sa Bigang grinned mischievously.
“It looks like evidence has appeared.”
