Book 20 Chapter 1

Wailing

-And rain [雨]

Shoot!

I wonder if there's a hole in the sky. The thick rain pounded the ground like a madman. As if the sound of a mournful song were tearing at the heart of the listener, the heavy rain shook the heavens and earth. It was as if the heavens were crying and the earth was wailing. As if to drown out the loud cries, a wailing sound burst forth from somewhere. It came from an incense burner in a remote part of the Heavenly Academy.

"No, Sang, you can't leave me!"

A woman in a white robe wailed as she clutched a black coffin. The woman, who still looked young, had tears streaming down her face. Her eyes, obscured by tears that flowed like rain, could no longer open properly.

"Gene Sojae! Gene Sojae! …please calm down."

Clenching his fists to the point of crushing, Hyun-woon forced himself to speak through the pain.

"Jinyoung, calm down, please, calm down!"

Namgung Sansan, a member of the Seven Peaks, his colleague, and his lover's sister, dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief, trying to calm the distraught Qinling.

But despite their efforts, Qin Ling refused to fall from the ominous black coffin. His eyes were red and bloodshot from endless tears, and his face, which had lost its breath from violent sobs, looked as if it might collapse at any moment. Tears were still pouring out of her eyes like a broken dike during the rainy season.

"Boom!"

The sight of the workmen lined up a short distance away, watching the spectacle, was unbearable. Some bit their lips as if to stifle their grief, others clenched their fists as if they would bleed. Some clenched their hands into pitchforks and squeezed their thighs. All were desperate to get something inside.

"I'm in trouble."

Cheong Hyeon shook his head and said something.

"You're right. This is going to be a real headache."

MooYoung Baek agreed.

"I never thought things would come to this……."

Things couldn't get any tighter than that. Besides, what they had to do under the circumstances was to perform an autopsy. It was their job to remove the woman who clutched that dreary coffin, dazed with grief, and open it to reveal the corpse lying within.

However, it was unlikely that the masterminds, who wore white robes and white sashes like the white-robed Qin Ling, would be happy to grant such permission, so they dared not even mention the idea of identifying the body. The fierce glare that threatened to cut them to pieces at the mere mention of the word was frankly overwhelming, and though their walls were larger than most, they were not inclined to risk their lives to make that estimate in such an ambiguous, tenuous, shallow, and damned situation.

"Qinghun, do you think you can beat Gene Sojae?"

"Why me?"

Cheong Hyeon replied with a shaky voice.

"Who else here but you would dare to cross swords with Gene Sojae?"

"Why do you, you, you, one of the Seven Peaks of Kowloon, drag me into this? I'm not like you, I'm weak with women. So please leave me out. Besides, Gene Sojae is not the same Gene Sojae from three years ago! I can't guarantee a victory without a scratch either. Besides, he's got his fellow Kowloon swordsman Hyun Yun standing by his side. Even I'm not strong enough against him. He's always smiling, but his sword is not as smooth as his face."

"So… you're saying it's impossible without seeing blood?"

They were united in their insistence that they did not want to dishonor the deceased. I tried to convince them that both customary and national laws authorized autopsies in such cases, but it was no use: it was clear that they had already made up their minds internally to resist. Qin Ling, in particular, who had just lost his beloved to a spear, was almost out of his mind; he refused to let the coffin even approach, let alone be touched.

"What are you going to do now, Munsang?"

It was up to Baek Moo-young to come up with a plan at a time like this, but he wasn't doing a very good job.

"What am I supposed to do?"

There was not the slightest trace of thought in his bewildered half-sentence. No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn't seem to come up with a sharp, clever solution.

"Are you going to break through?"

In that case, verbal negotiations would be useless, and our options were very limited. Bai Muyoung shook his head.

"No, we can't force a breakthrough. Even so, it would be unwise to start a dispute over a dead man's body when the atmosphere in the academy is so toxic and public sympathy for them is so high. If you insist, you'll be the villain of the piece."

"You're the bad guy, aren't you?"

Qingfeng's eyes widened in surprise, as if he couldn't believe he hadn't realized that before.

"Thank you!"

When Baek Moo-young receives his joke with genuine appreciation, Cheong-heon is flustered.

"Well, what are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for saving my life."

"No, when did I save your life, that's a long time ago?"

"Haven't you ever heard that a warrior dies for those who recognize him?"

"Of course I've heard of it."

If his memory serves him correctly, it seemed to come from somewhere in Samachun's Fiery Fever.

"Exactly. Doesn't that mean I don't have to die for a man who doesn't recognize me? How grateful I am that I don't have to die for you! A life, a life well earned, isn't it?"

"……."

"No, what's wrong with you, you look very shaky and your complexion is not good."

"Um… go back."

Qingfeng just gave up trying to talk and turned away, and there was no need to talk anymore.

Qingfeng walked forward, satisfied.

The Dean was stunned.

Nam Gongsang, a direct descendant of the Nam Gongsang family, a member of the Keelung Seven Peaks, a master of the Zhu Clan, and the next generation to lead the Heavenly Martial Academy, had died. The aftermath was unimaginable.

Not only did he elevate the Zhu Jia Clan, which was considered the lowest of the four, to its rightful place at the top of the Four Sacred Sources, but he also made waves by winning the next few tournaments in quick succession. While still a student, he led the Zhu Jia Clan in a series of victories over powerful bandit groups such as the Tianlong Clan, forcing them to change formations three or four times, and never hesitated to go toe-to-toe with the many enemies who challenged him. His performance at the last Volcano Covenant meeting was even more impressive.

Some rash individuals have gone so far as to say that only the Thunderbolt Dragon Namgungsang can defeat the shining star of Shaolin, the Chinese New Year Lord Long Tianming. Among the newcomers to the academy, as well as those who hadn't made it, he had become almost a myth, and his following was growing by the day. He was now in a much different position than he had been three years ago.

In their experience, Namgungsang was an existential cilantro, not the kind of cilantro that felt out of place and uncomfortable, but a real cilantro that was so real that it could be worn on the skin.

So, no one expected him to be killed by a hunter who was only out to catch sun chicks. No wonder everyone was shocked, as if they had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.

The shock spread like wildfire, and you could hear about it everywhere. We didn't need to do any publicity to spread the word. Everyone was excited about the story of their own accord.

While the Heavenly Martial Academy was still reeling from the death of the Southern Palace Master, Jang Hong made a quiet visit to Bi Ryuyeon. Outside, no one was paying attention to Bi Ryuyeon because they were too busy freaking out about the death of the Southern Palace Master.

"Looks like it went well."

As soon as she saw Jang Hong's face, who had found her once again, Bi Ryuyeon said.

"Huh? That's good?"

Jang Hong was intrigued by Bi Ryuyeon's words, which sounded like they were coming from a mind of their own.

"Where do you get that confidence from? I haven't said anything yet."

"Do you really have to say it in words? There are people everywhere who can't understand you, and you're still resorting to such an inadequate means as words, and it's written all over your face."

"All written? Do you think my face is some kind of scribble?"

To a man like Jang Hong, who was specially trained to hide his emotions, such words were an insult.

"I'm glad to hear you're familiar with it."

"What, what!"

It was never a pleasant experience to be pointed out to me, even though I had been deliberately lax in my control.

"What does my face look like?"

Jang Hong asked, already thinking about how to retort.

"Umm… you look like a kid who played with fire and burned down a whole house."

Jang Hong was at a loss for words as the analogy poked at his chest like a beast of burden.

"That looks right, that's great."

Ryu-yeon Bi blurted out.

"Well, that's a good thing, because this has gotten out of hand. I was hoping for a light bonfire, but now it's spreading like wildfire on a windy day. I honestly don't know how I'm going to get this thing under control."

"So that's good. Your reputation has gone up."

Bi Ryuyeon said with a nonchalant face.

"Is this a rise to fame? It must be a tumult, a tumult, a tumult, a tumult, the whole academy is in turmoil."

"It's better to have a bad reputation than no reputation at all. We need to make some noise to alert the bad guys, whoever they may be, to our intentions, and the louder the noise, the better for us. A big fire, a big fire, you can see it from a mile away, can't you?"

"That's true, but… I'm afraid this side will burn down first before they see the fire and run over there."

"If you're only good enough for that, you're only good for ashes."

"You're cold, you."

"Do you realize that now? You're pretty dull, too."

"Uh-huh, well, I guess I'm going to have to apologize to Mr. Gongsang anyway."

"Not everyone gets to have that kind of unique experience, so it's a windfall, so don't feel bad."

Jang Hong was dumbfounded by Bi Ryuyeon's words.

"I'm worried I'm mishearing you, so I'll ask again… when you talk about this extraordinary experience, are you referring to dying?"

"No!"

She shook her head.

"So……?"

"Rising from the dead!"

Jang Hong's legs wobbled for a moment, but he managed to right himself.

"I see you've thought of doing him a favor, then. How dare he throw his life away for a friend like you."

The last one was sarcastic.

"Cancer, yes! Isn't that all because of all the induction you've been doing?"

If Namgungsang had been here, he would have vomited blood, fallen into the pool, and drowned.

"Induction? Isn't that the first thing your mind lost? Since when did you have the ability to create something out of nothing?"

"Well?"

Bi Ryuyeon deliberately ignored the suspicious glances Jang Hong was sending her way.

Finally, Jang Hong let out a long sigh and surrendered.

"Phew! That's it, that's it, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Well, I'm sure I've found another weakness to squeeze."

That was as far as Jang Hong could reason.

"By the way, what happened to the coffin?"

Bi Ryuyeon's question made Jang Hong scratch his head.

"That's… that's what all the fuss is about. There's been a bit of a problem……."

"Problem? What problem?"

"There's a group of people who want the body to be examined somehow. They're from the military, and they're claiming it's an administrative necessity. The problem is, they're just doing their job."

"So?"

"There's a standoff. Gene Sojae is insisting he'll never hand over his body."

"Hmm, that must be pretty loud."

Could there really be someone who could subdue a spirit? The answer was so skeptical that Bi Ryuyeon was still able to remain unperturbed.

"What are you going to do now, Ryuyeon, this has become a big deal?"

Jang Hong asked in a concerned tone.

"Well, that's good. A hot response, even in this cold underworld, exceeds my expectations!"

"To be able to say something like that with such nonchalance… Damn, you amaze me every time I see you."

"Lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, lol."

Bi Ryuyeon said smugly.

"By the way, this backstabbing… I doubt it will end well……."

"They say the only thing that comes with age is wrinkles and worry. Don't worry. It's still quiet outside, so I guess everything's okay. It must be okay."

The perpetrator of the incident was a bit of a softie.

"Hey, Ryuyeon, I have a question for you."

Jang Hong asked.

"One, maybe. You'll have to ask."

"Where did you dispose of the… body? The coffin, I mean……."

"Empty?"

"Yes, that's right, it's not the insult to the dead that's the problem, it's the fact that there's nothing in the coffin to be insulted!"

That's right. The coffin that Qin Ling and Hyun Yun were now guarding, weeping and wailing, was an empty coffin.

"Don't worry, I've asked someone I know to do it."

"Do you think I'm not worried now? Where the hell is it, and can you tell me without me knowing?"

"Can I count that as a second question, because I only have one answer, and I'm running out of reserves……."

It was an unequivocal no.

"Hey, Ryuyeon, you're between us, aren't you?"

Hearing Jang Hong's protest, Bi Ryuyeon exclaimed angrily.

"Don't you dare say anything that will get you in trouble if anyone hears! There's nothing between us, nothing! Don't you dare say anything that will get you in trouble if anyone hears. You don't want to ruin anyone's day, and besides, you're not my kind of guy!"

Bi Ryuyeon said in a firm voice.

"How dare you, we're bound together by a bond of friendship, don't you dare answer me!"

"Uh huh, so you should have asked the question better the first time, because then the answer would have been there. You don't ask the right question, so you don't get the right answer. I'll give you this lesson for free."

And then I stopped talking about it.

"Chet, quit, quit, quit!"

He knew all too well that it would take a lot of money to reopen her mouth.

"My pockets are empty today, so I'm going to leave. Next time, be sure to give me an answer."

"Let me line my pockets first, and then I'll think about it."

As Bi Ryuyeon waves goodbye, Jang Hong's steps slow as he walks away, and he turns around to say something.

"You cheating bastard!"

Bi Ryuyeon smiled and replied.

"Kudos!"

"Okay… So, Gene Sojae?"

Hyun-woon asked with a worried expression, a white handkerchief in one hand.

"Ugh! What should I do, Hyun-woon? I can't stop crying."

Qin Lie's eyes were wide and puffy, and he whimpered. Hyun-woon cringed at the pitiful sight and unconsciously pulled back slightly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you're such an unimaginably stupid person. Even if you were stung by a wasp, you wouldn't have swollen as much as Gene Sojae's two snowballs right now. What the hell did you use to make you such an idiot?"

"This!"

She then held up the handkerchief in her right hand, the one she'd been wiping away her tears with all day. Inside was a circle of wrapping paper.

"What the hell is this?"

"Black…… chili powder and… phew… chopped onion. phew."

"Boom!"

Hyun-woon's face crumpled. He didn't dare to imagine the pain. Of course, experiencing it was even worse.

"One effect… that must have been awesome."

"Black, black, gasp… So… I'm still in pain, gasp."

"Who the hell suggested such a cruel and horrible method?"

"Black, black, black… who could it be…… sigh. There's only one person……. Humph!"

Hyun-woon nodded in understanding.

"You must be… a big brother……."

"Phew! That's right! Puff."

Jinryung nodded in frustration.

"I was a fool to listen to my big brother, huh."

"But the effect was great, and I had a hard time holding back the laughter. Now, look at my hands."

Hyun-woon's hands, held out in front of Qin Lie, were deeply gouged with nail marks, and extremely discolored.

"You must have had a hard time holding it in, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm sure all my other friends have one somewhere, whether it's on their lips or their thighs."

"But is anyone worse off than me?"

After a moment's thought, Hyun-woon shook his head and answered.

"Ummm… nothing!"