Book 2 Chapter 3

Please don't touch that guy.

Jang Woogang was full of complaints. Very full.

Those complaints were now piling up inside his body, accumulating,

and now they were at the verge of explosion, even a half-step beyond,

in a very serious situation.

His complaints began to pile up neatly and amicably after he received New Year's leave from the sect and returned home, and then accompanied this escort mission. It's common for young people, especially energetic twenty-somethings, but their minds are rigid and don't work well, and their pride, born from arrogance and self-conceit, is so high that they don't know their place.

Some people occasionally ask about the difference between self-conceit and arrogance, and the only answer I can give is that they are "separated by a hair's breadth." Arrogance (傲慢) refers to a haughty attitude, while self-conceit (自慢) refers to boasting about oneself haughtily. Some people might ask if they're the same thing, but that's why I say they're "separated by a hair's breadth." So let's not argue about it any further.

Jang Woogang, who is currently suffering from a loss of fear, is not far from this case. This case, as you might know from the explanation above, is an incurable symptom called 'loss of fear,' or as some call it, 'enlarged liver syndrome.'

He truly couldn't understand. The fact that his father, who looked less than twenty years old and smelled of milk, was deferential and bowing to some brat was a humiliating thing that he, full of youthful vigor and pride, could not and would not tolerate. Even confined within the deep mountain sect, Jang Woogang had heard countless rumors about the escort agency his father managed. Every rumor he heard was grand, brilliant, and incredibly proud.

"Invincible Escort Agency," "Protection of a Hidden Master," "Destroyed 2 of the 72 Green Wood Forts!", "Absolutely Safe Escort Agency," "Used tissues in the trash can, escort items to Joongang Escort Agency!" etc., all were grand and astonishing rumors that pleased his ears and filled his heart with pride. The rumors were so widespread and vibrant that it was said Joongang Escort Agency would soon be the number one among the ten major escort agencies in the Central Plains.

Rumors are usually exaggerated, so one must listen to them after discounting them by three times, but even after reducing them by three times, it was still astounding. However, Jang Woogang, who believed them without any reduction or purification after three rounds, just thinking "That must be it!", how high must his self-conceit have been?

As rumors spread and the status of the escort agency grew, Jang Woogang's own pride also grew, and his heart was soon filled with arrogance and self-conceit, to the point where it was overflowing. Even when he came down from Mount Qingcheng after receiving permission from the sect for the New Year, his heart was still full of such self-conceit and arrogance.

Jang Woogang was a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, a great righteous sect that occupied a position among the nine major sects and shared power in Sichuan. His father, Jang Wooyang, sent Jang Woogang to the distant Qingcheng Sect, not the Emei Sect, to expand his influence and strengthen his background in Sichuan. And currently, he was diligently practicing the Qingcheng Sword under the tutelage of Monk Jeolwon, a junior disciple of the current sect leader.

However, when Jang Woogang actually arrived home, something felt greatly wrong and out of place. It was an unavoidable instinct to feel "This isn't right." No matter how much he tried to ignore it, he couldn't shake off that feeling. It was a kind of premonition, an anxiety. Furthermore, as he accompanied the escort mission, this feeling only grew stronger. The unpleasant feeling that made his heart uneasy was all because of one escort, who was lazing around and goofing off.

It was certain that the guy was no ordinary escort. He knew from his father that he was just accompanying the escort mission to Namchang. However, his father's attitude became cautious when talking about the guy, which his pride simply could not tolerate. His pride was on the verge of exploding when his father said that he must never be rude to that guy. Moreover, since the escort mission began, the guy accompanying the mission had done absolutely nothing. He didn't walk like other escorts, he didn't guard the escort items, and he didn't take turns on guard duty while sleeping. He didn't even walk on his own two feet, but instead lay on a cart pulled by others, idly and comfortably, doing nothing else of significance. Among the new escorts, there were many complaints about this. Everyone was displeased that one strange guy was receiving special treatment.

In their naive eyes, who had never seen an escort agency fall apart, there was no reason for that guy to be treated specially. He didn't have the status, he didn't show any skill, and he wasn't even the client. To them, the newcomers, and Jang Woogang, he was just a simple escort brat. Yet, his father and the other escorts and veteran escorts did not reprimand or lecture him. They all seemed to be deliberately ignoring him. Instead, everyone seemed to be acting cautiously in front of him.

Jang Woogang could keenly feel the strange atmosphere pervading the entire escort mission. And at the center of that strange atmosphere was the brat. He really didn't like the guy. The guy, doing nothing and just lazing around, yet receiving top-class treatment. He always ate with his father, Director Jang Wooyang, and the diet and quality of food were always top-notch.

He had been told absolutely not to touch him, but Jang Woogang couldn't tolerate it. He didn't like the guy's attitude, as if he thought Joongang Escort Agency was a mere errand boy or a pawn. And he thought it was impossible for him, a disciple of Qingcheng, to be inferior to that incredibly young guy. Although he lacked skill – he argued it was due to bad luck – he had given up his dream of entering the school after failing the entrance exam five times. However, he had still diligently practiced Qingcheng's secret techniques. He could never imagine losing to some nameless brat. Jang Woogang was now biding his time, intending to show that guy a thing or two someday.

Jang Woogang's eyes, filled with deep dissatisfaction and murderous intent, turned towards the guy lying around on one side. He glared at the idler, who was leisurely lounging like a venomous viper. His gaze seemed capable of piercing rocks, his fierce aura as if he would pounce on the guy at any moment.

Watching him with concern from behind was someone else: Deung Yeoho, the younger brother of Joongang Escort Agency's chief director and the deputy director. His gaze was filled with worry and impatience as he watched Jang Woogang writhing like a bomb about to explode. Deung Yeoho cautiously called out to his young master from behind Jang Woogang.

"Young Master?"

"What is it?"

Jang Woogang turned around sharply, his eyes bloodshot. Even though Jang Woogang was the son of Director Jang Wooyang, he couldn't be so disrespectful to Deung Yeoho, the deputy director, who held a formal position in the escort agency, unless he had a special position within the agency, solely based on the status he was born with. Seomyeon Chang Deung Yeoho was the person in charge of the practical duties of almost all the escorts at Joongang Escort Agency. Currently, his brother, Kweichang Deung Yeoun, remained at Joongang Escort Agency in Sichuan as acting director. This was because someone was needed to manage the escort agency in the absence of the director. Therefore, while the chief director, the elder brother, remained at the escort agency, the younger brother, he, accompanied this escort mission. Thus, no matter how much of a son of the director he was, he was someone who should not be treated carelessly. From this, it can be easily concluded that Jang Woogang was a rude fellow with a severe lack of learning the word "manners."

"Please be patient."

"With what?"

To receive such an impertinent answer from an elder who was kindly advising him to control his temper, he was undoubtedly a fellow who was severely lacking in the four characters of etiquette and manners (禮儀凡節). Unless Jang Woogang was his superior within the escort agency – the title of young master was not a de facto position, merely a nominal title – it was his duty to maintain at least a minimum of courtesy (禮義). This was true no matter how much of a son of the director he was. Fortunately, Deung Yeoho had watched Jang Woogang since he was young, so he overlooked this level of rudeness. Deung Yeoho wrote the character for patience (忍) several times in his mind and said to Jang Woogang,

"That full of spirit and murderous gaze. Please restrain yourself."

"Why should I? Do I have to grovel before such a brat?"

"However, Young Master! Everyone is worried. The atmosphere of the current escort mission could become a tense standoff. Don't you understand? Young Master, please be patient. The escorts are also worried."

"Why should I consider their feelings?"

"It is the natural posture of someone who will stand above the escort agency in the future."

While Deung Yeoho's words were natural, Jang Woogang was unwilling to concede.

"I don't like it, I don't like it. Why do all the people at the escort agency grovel before such a scoundrel? Why do they fear such a guy? Who exactly is that old master…"

Instantly, Deung Yeoho hurriedly covered Jang Woogang's mouth.

"Be cautious with your words and actions. I fear something terrible might happen."

It was a plea for the young master to exercise self-restraint.

"Ugh… Ugh… Ugh-guh…"

"Don't speak loudly carelessly. Terrible things will happen. There are things in this world that should not be said."

Deung Yeoho looked at Jang Woogang with cautious eyes and covered his mouth even more tightly. He did it to give him time to calm his mind.

"…………"

"………"

"……”

"…”

Jang Woogang's face turned progressively red. But as time went on, his flushed face even began to show a bluish tinge.

"Ah!"

Only then did Deung Yeoho realize that his pot-lid-sized hand was covering both Jang Woogang's mouth and nose simultaneously and he quickly removed his hand.

"Phew, *huff huff huff*. I almost suffocated to death. Who, who on earth is that person that everyone is trembling with fear?"

Jang Woogang asked, catching his breath, as if questioning him. Fortunately, he didn't die a disgraceful death by suffocation, so Deung Yeoho's action only amounted to attempted murder.

"Just because."

"Huh?"

Deung Yeoho had a glorious record of being knocked unconscious by a blow to the back of his neck when he, along with his brother Deung Yeoun, attacked Bi Ryuyeon disguised as the old master during the previous Joongang Escort Agency intrusion incident. Behind a glorious record lay the lessons learned and experience gained. Since then, a fear of the old master and a slight sense of awe had begun to blossom deep in Deung Yeoho's heart. Furthermore, he was in a position where he could not carelessly reveal the relationship between the escort agency and the old master. This was because of the director's command to never tell his son. It stemmed from the father's desire not to reveal his son's shameful parts, his hidden flaws. However, without knowing his father's burning heart, the son had no intention of humbling his petty pride. For Deung Yeoho, watching from the side, it was frustrating.

"You mean, for such a trivial reason, I have to show courtesy to that scoundrel? Tell me!"

'Everyone is worried about the safety of the escort agency. And more importantly, about your life!'

But he couldn't bring himself to express his true feelings. Deung Yeoho had no choice but to remain silent, and the conversation soon reached a stalemate. It was a conversation without any progress or gain.

Deputy Director Deung Yeoho had accompanied the escort mission the previous time, the Goryeo celadon escort. The escort agency's most skilled person could not have missed such an important escort mission. At that time, his life had been saved by the old master's disciple. A swarm of bandits descended like a dark cloud, and sixteen men stood to block them head-on. However, even the impregnable defensive line of sixteen had the weakness of numerical inferiority. He, along with his elder brother Kweichang Deung Yeoun, fought at the very front against the enemies who bypassed their small defensive line. A skilled person must perform their duty and demonstrate their skills in a place befitting them, with commensurate compensation and value. That was a natural responsibility and obligation.

However, their skills were insufficient to fight against the tide of humanity that rushed in like a pack of dogs for long. Exhausted from fighting the enemies, he, making a once-in-a-lifetime mistake, dropped the spear he held and was in a desperate situation, waiting for death, when a stone flew and saved him. Deung Yeoho never knew his name, but it was a stone thrown by Dang Cheolyeong. The stone flew and pierced the abdomen of a bandit who was about to strike him down with a seemingly crude greatsword, who was intending to deliver death to him.

Of course, the bandit fell with a scream, and he was able to pick up his spear and rise again. It was a narrow escape, an incident where he gambled with his life. Thus, Deung Yeoho, who had experienced their skills firsthand while performing a precarious feat on the brink of life and death.

Although arrogant, the person lying around there was also the old master's disciple. Therefore, he couldn't help but worry about the situation where the young master was determined to act. Moreover, wasn't he his beloved disciple? It wasn't difficult to imagine the outcome of a fight with him. Therefore, Deung Yeoho had no choice but to desperately try to stop the young master. No, he had to stop him. He couldn't let the old nightmare repeat itself.

However, the burden of being in his late forties was too heavy to control the surging blood of his twenties. The sword of experience and the shield of age were like rusty antiques, like a toothless tiger, to suppress the youthful spirit of one's twenties. Deung Yeoho's efforts ended up as futile struggles, and Jang Woogang continued to glare at Bi Ryuyeon with malicious eyes, burning with useless animosity born of arrogance and self-conceit.

Seomyeon Chang Deung Yeoho cautiously untied the blue pouch he wore at his waist, brought a small pellet inside to his mouth, and carefully chewed and swallowed it. He sighed with relief… The name of the elixir was 'Hwang family's Secret Prescription (黃家秘傳) Hwang family's Stomach Medicine (黃家胃腸藥)', a pellet specially ordered from Physician Hwang of the Hwang family clinic, whose skills in treatment were the best in Sichuan and who was currently the regular physician of Director Jang Wooyang.