The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family Chapter 33

The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family

Chapter 33

“……”

When Namgung Min couldn’t answer easily, Ha Hyeon asked an additional question.

“Life is precious, isn’t it?”

In a way, it was an extremely random question.

But Namgung Min realized it immediately.

‘Ah, earlier it really wasn’t okay.’

Ha Hyeon wasn’t actually unbothered at all.

He had been emotionally affected.

To be precise, it wasn’t that he was shaken because of the earlier incident.

Ha Hyeon showed no emotional response to the smell of blood, corpses, and combat.

Rather, Ha Hyeon’s disturbance came from the fact that he felt too unbothered by it all.

“If you ask whether it’s precious or not, wouldn’t it naturally be precious?”

“Right?”

“Why is that?”

“Actually, I need to apologize to you, brother. About your earlier question asking if I was okay… I pretended not to understand.”

Namgung Min now felt like his questions were being answered.

Come to think of it, even while punching the black-clothed person’s mouth, there’s no way a clever child like Ha Hyeon wouldn’t have understood the meaning of Namgung Min’s question.

Ha Hyeon just wanted to deny it himself.

Ha Hyeon continued speaking in a somewhat gloomy voice.

“The thing is… I really was okay. I felt nothing at all. That’s why I couldn’t say I was okay.”

“Ha Hyeon…”

“But when I thought about how normal people would react…”

Ha Hyeon’s voice trailed off.

After waiting a while for Ha Hyeon to continue speaking, Namgung Min said quietly.

“They would have reacted like Master Jung.”

Ha Hyeon nodded.

Master Jung had made an expression as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have when he saw the corpse, and even trembled.

Even an old man who claimed to have experienced everything through his years of business showed such a reaction.

In a way, that would be the normal reaction.

“I know that life is precious too, of course. But earlier, even after seeing someone die, and even after harming someone for the first time, I felt nothing. It felt like I just did what was natural.”

Namgung Min, who had been listening intently to Ha Hyeon’s story with a serious attitude, smiled and patted Ha Hyeon’s back.

It was completely different from his earlier suspicious attitude.

No, rather, he seemed relieved looking at Ha Hyeon.

“After hearing what you said, I understand.”

“What do you understand?”

“That you’re already a murimim (martial artist).”

“What?”

Instead of immediately answering Ha Hyeon’s question, Namgung Min turned his gaze back to the window and recalled the past.

“When I was fifteen, I fought my first life-or-death battle and killed my opponent. He was the leader of a small evil sect.”

Because his attitude was so serious, Ha Hyeon quietly listened to Namgung Min’s words.

“To be honest, I still sometimes dream about that time. The sensation of the sword piercing flesh, the final death cry, the light fading from their eyes.”

Namgung Min’s eyes seemed to waver as if recalling that time.

But after regaining his original gaze, he turned to Ha Hyeon and said:

“It was so painful. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his eyes, and whenever I held a sword, the sensation of cutting his flesh came back to life.”

Namgung Min continued with a face lost in old memories.

“So that’s when I asked my father for help for the first time while learning martial arts. I had no idea what to do in that situation.”

Ha Hyeon listened intently to Namgung Min’s words, his eyes shining.

“Then my father only said one thing to me. Do you know what he said?”

“What did he say?”

Ha Hyeon briefly thought of Namgung Gi-hyeon.

Along with his large body and boisterous voice.

Namgung Min imitated his manner of speaking and said:

“Min-ah. Remember this. The martial arts world is a wilderness where beasts who know how to take revenge live.”

“Ah…”

Without additional explanation, Ha Hyeon could understand what Namgung Gi-hyeon then, and Namgung Min now, wanted to say.

Naturally, he recalled his memories of when he first fled from the Shin family and headed to the Namgung clan.

When Ha Hyeon experienced terrible hunger, he hunted and ate wild animals in the mountains.

Chasing animals, killing them, eating them.

Within that cycle, Ha Hyeon was simply a part of nature.

“Since you’re smart, maybe you already understood without realizing it? After all, you’ve been through major events.”

Namgung Min smiled gently at Ha Hyeon.

To Ha Hyeon, that smile seemed to comfort him, saying there was nothing wrong with him.

“You’re right…”

Ha Hyeon could finally smile.

As Namgung Gi-hyeon and Namgung Min said, he was just one beast living in the vast wilderness called the martial arts world.

And his grandfather had said something similar before.

To mercilessly bite those who try to harm him.

That’s why Ha Hyeon already knew.

The way his world – the martial arts world – worked.

Today, Ha Hyeon realized he was already part of the martial arts world.

And he vaguely felt that he would continue to live in this world.

* * *

“You should have woken me up if something like that happened!”

Early the next morning, So-hwa stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Ha Hyeon.

“No, sister… I did try to wake you…”

“You should have shaken me harder to wake me properly! Oh my. Look at this hand. It’s going to scar.”

“Well, that can’t be helped. They say scars are medals for martial artists.”

“Are you going to say that again? I told you I would protect you. So why did you do something so dangerous alone!”

“I wasn’t alone, I was with Brother Min… No, you’re right. I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

When Ha Hyeon admitted his mistake, So-hwa’s nagging continued.

Namgung Min watched with an amused smile on his face.

“So, don’t do that again in the future. Understand?”

“Yes, sister…”

After So-hwa’s long lecture finally ended, Ha Hyeon looked more exhausted than when he fought the black-clothed men yesterday.

Just as Namgung Min was thinking how fortunate he was to be older than So-hwa, three martial artists from the Murim Alliance arrived at Master Jung’s estate.

While two faces were unfamiliar, one was well known to Ha Hyeon.

“Elder Chwiwol!”

“My eardrums are going to burst. Why such a commotion when we haven’t seen each other in a while?”

“But it’s been several months!”

“And you should call me Master, not Elder. Elder, really!”

Ha Hyeon and Chwiwol started bickering as soon as they saw each other after a long time.

“So-hwa is here too. Did you all come out for a picnic?”

“Grandfather! It’s not a picnic, it’s a mission!”

“You’re already old enough to go on missions? I must be near my death then. I’ve gotten too old.”

“Did you think I’d stay a child forever?”

So-hwa said confidently while showing the sword sheath at her waist.

“Even though sister didn’t do anything last night…”

“Hey! Ha Hyeon!”

As So-hwa was about to chase Ha Hyeon, Namgung Min, who had been watching, greeted Chwiwol with a respectful martial salute.

“It’s been a long time, Elder.”

Chwiwol, who had been watching Ha Hyeon and So-hwa with fondness, seemed embarrassed at having his true feelings exposed to Namgung Min and responded with an awkward laugh.

“Ahem. Yes. It’s been a very long time. I heard what happened. You did a great thing. So, have you figured out where the assassins are?”

“We haven’t properly investigated yet. Although there are suspicions…”

“The Demonic Cult?”

“Yes.”

Chwiwol shook his head.

“Right. As you well know, similar incidents keep happening. But something seems odd.”

“What do you mean?”

Chwiwol spoke with drowsy eyes.

“It seems like they’re openly advertising themselves as the Demonic Cult. As you know, those Demonic Cult bastards are cunning and don’t usually operate so openly.”

Namgung Min nodded with a serious expression.

Indeed, this seemed quite different from the Demonic Cult that Namgung Min had experienced until now.

“But, I’m going to insist to the Murim Alliance that this incident is evidence of the Demonic Cult operating in the open. If I push that this incident is evidence of the Demonic Cult surfacing, those stubborn sect leaders will start moving.”

Namgung Min agreed with Chwiwol’s words.

“That would help the investigation progress more.”

“Right. Whether it’s the Demonic Cult or not, it’s clear there are those causing harm to the martial arts world. But those damn old folks won’t move unless it’s related to the Demonic Cult.”

Chwiwol frowned and huffed as if getting angry just talking about it.

Namgung Min tried to calm him down.

“Isn’t it all because they’re wary of our orthodox sects exercising excessive control over the martial arts world?”

“I know that, but there needs to be flexibility. Flexibility!”

“Haha. Please calm down, Elder. I’ll return to the clan and discuss future matters with the clan leader. And we should investigate whether other regional leaders have experienced similar incidents.”

Chwiwol glanced at the two Murim Alliance warriors who came with him and said:

“I already arranged for that to be looked into as soon as we heard the news here. Yesterday when we got the news, seven of us set out from the Alliance. The other four dispersed to different regions.”

“As expected of you, Elder.”

Chwiwol glanced at Ha Hyeon, who was standing behind Namgung Min listening to their conversation, and said:

“Little one, your aura has changed significantly.”

“I’m working hard.”

“Good. You received my teachings too, so you should at least manage this much.”

So-hwa, who had been standing behind, quickly approached Chwiwol and said:

“Grandfather, what about me?”

“Our So-hwa has developed tremendously too. You really have talent. Won’t you join the So-hwa Association?”

“Ugh. I don’t want that!”

Chwiwol laughed heartily at So-hwa’s horrified reaction and turned back to Namgung Min.

“The Jung family here is moving to Hapbi?”

“Yes. They plan to leave today.”

“The Jung fellow in Goshi County will be shocked when he hears this.”

Ha Hyeon recalled the general store owner in Goshi County who had tried to scam him over the Hwa-Seop pot price, got caught by Chwiwol, and later had to give up his A-frame carrier and beef jerky.

“Are you talking about the grandfather from the general store?”

“That’s right. You must have met him. That guy is this Jung family’s younger brother. Thanks to being close with the younger brother, I became close with this Jung family too.”

Ha Hyeon felt anew how small the martial arts world was.

Without even taking time to sit and rest, Chwiwol loaded the still unconscious Demonic Cult member onto an A-frame carrier and stood up.

“Well, now that we’ve rested, we should get going. I’ll take this one to the Alliance, and I’ll personally deliver any information we get to the Namgung clan, so tell your grandfather to wait. Better I run there myself than sending someone else.”

“Yes, Elder. We’ll see you soon. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Hmph. What work am I doing? I just have to transport him, and the Alliance’s torture specialists will handle the rest.”

Chwiwol frowned at Ha Hyeon and So-hwa standing behind Namgung Min.

“Anyway, I’m going. Ha Hyeon, So-hwa. See you next time.”

“Yes, grandfather.”

“Yes, Master.”

Chwiwol, clearly pleased at being called Master, gave a silly chuckle before immediately departing with his warriors and disappearing from view.

He truly was like the wind.

“Ha Hyeon, So-hwa. Let’s head back too.”

“Yes, but brother, will you be alright without more rest?”

“I’m fine, but you and So-hwa being tired is the problem. You didn’t sleep at all last night, right?”

Ha Hyeon shook his head firmly.

“We can rest when we get home. Right now… I just want to get home quickly. And we don’t have any cargo this time. It’ll be much lighter than when we came.”

“This time I absolutely won’t fall behind on the way back. Don’t go easy on me!”

So-hwa said confidently.

She actually knew that Namgung Min and Ha Hyeon had been slowing down for her sake.

Namgung Min smiled brightly.

His siblings’ kind hearts made him smile.

“Then let’s depart right away.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Yes, brother!”

After briefly saying goodbye to Master Jung, the three began using their lightness techniques.

Ha Hyeon suddenly felt strange as he thought about finally going home.

He also recalled how naturally he had told Namgung Min earlier that he wanted to go home.

Without him realizing it, home to him was no longer the Shin family estate but the Namgung clan.

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