Book 22 Chapter 13

Reject

-rejected

"Go somewhere else."

Yunbi's eyebrows rose slightly at the man's blunt response.

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't you hear? If you're going to prank me, do it separately."

The fat, middle-aged man's demeanor was dismissive.

"Oh, you think we're kidding?"

A smile tugged at the corners of the talking Yeonbier's mouth, but Mr. Zhang, the middle-aged man in his forties manning the reception desk at the arena, seemed to be so far removed from the wilderness that he had lost much of his sense of danger.

"So you're saying no?"

"Of course I mean it."

But Mr. Zhang still didn't seem to believe it, and he quickly shook his head.

"Nope."

"You have your reasons ready, right?"

"…… is the rule."

"You're lying!"

Yeonbi said, sternly.

"What, you're lying?!"

Ms. Zhang, the receptionist, was puzzled, and her reaction only proved that what Yanbi had said was true. The smile on Yunbi's face deepened.

"I don't remember saying anything wrong, because it's true. There are no rules. You're just afraid you won't get paid."

The more she talked, the more the energy emanating from her became concentrated. In Zhang's eyes, the black lady in front of him was pretty, but her laugh was somehow frightening.

"No business?"

"It's like, 'No fools are going to bet on these fragile, pretty smilers,' or something, and if the stakes get too high, there won't be anything left for the organizers."

Mr. Zhang's complexion turned white as if he had been struck. An unknown pressure squeezed his heart from all sides, and he couldn't even breathe easily.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Mr. Zhang replied, his voice slightly shaky.

"What can I do, I can't, I have to go back. Go, Rin!"

After shrugging her shoulders once in mourning for those enslaved by stereotypes, Yunbi turned around without hesitation and stomped out of the room. When Na Yerin saw him, she panicked and called after him.

"Wait, Yeonbi. What are you going to do, give it up?"

A fueler with a black umbrella whirled around.

"Yes? No? Why? Are you really giving up? There's very little you can do in this world if you give up because of one rejection."

At least he didn't seem to be taking the world for granted.

"Then how?"

"If there are no eyes down there, the only way to see is to peck upwards."

Yunbi's smile deepened as she looked at Na Yerin. His left eye, sparkling like a jewel, was filled with mischief.

"No way……."

"You know, the one where you suddenly get a little tingle of curiosity about what the owner of this arena looks like… Oh, my God!"

Na Yerin tried to curb her Yeonbi once, but soon gave up. I don't think that's possible, her dragon eyes were screaming.

'Why is it that sometimes this person looks exactly like the person I used to know…….'

The more I thought about it, the more strange it seemed.

"What are you going to do when we meet?"

"We'll have to convince them."

"Convince me of what?"

"Of course."

It was not an easy thing to believe, but Na Yerin couldn't help but nod. She had already passed the point of no return.

"Where do you think the man who rules this arena is holed up? I'll have to find that place first."

Yeonbi said in an excited voice.

The ruler of this arena was called the Don King, and he ruled not only this arena, but also the dark order of the Ganghorando. He had the wealth and power to maintain his control, so his bodyguards were highly skilled and numerous.

"You're sure this is the place?"

It was natural for a common sense person to have such a suspicion. For the passage leading to the residence of the wealthy tycoon was empty. The entrance was much wider and higher than expected, and the ornaments on either side of the staircase looked very ornate and expensive. The broad staircase led into darkness, and the shadows of the guards were nowhere to be seen, which made it all the more suspicious.

"What should I do?"

Na Yerin asked in a cautious tone.

"We'll just have to see."

She wasn't indecisive enough to hesitate in a place like this. She stepped onto the stairs without hesitation.

Pew Pew Pew Pew Pew! Weddings!

Pah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah!

The welcome was very loud and boisterous. It was clear that the welcoming party had not been given the slightest consideration. For very few people like the rain of flying swords and the sharp points of spears that pierce like arrows. Without warning, forty-eight halberds, twenty-four spears, and twelve swords came crashing down at Yan Fei's feet like an island battle. The spearmen, who must have been blind, didn't care whether they pierced her heart, stomach, or head. But she was very interested in that. She didn't even bother to retrace her steps, moving only the upper half of her body to dodge all of the incoming spears.

Yeonbi laughed.

"Gee, you've definitely come to the right place."

And to my surprise, there was an enthusiastic welcoming crowd. One by one, shadows emerged from the walls and filled the stairwell. Before I knew it, the stairs were packed so tightly that I could barely get through.

"Well, at least I had someone to guide me."

I was skeptical of Yunbi's words. He seemed to specialize in chasing people away rather than guiding them. Just then, a man stepped out from among the black horde. He wore a black headband with red trim and a very intense look in his eyes. He was apparently the leader of the group, judging by his prayers.

"Turn back. This is no place for you to be!"

The man said.

"Congratulations before I'm even told what you're here for, and a half-assed response right off the bat. I'm starting to wonder if you have a bad attitude. They don't teach basic things like that around here, do they?"

His eyes were smiling, but his tongue held a blade. The man's eyes narrowed for a moment. He hadn't expected anyone to be so free with their mouths in the presence of his hundred and eighty-eight guards. Especially one so young.

"What, what… are you done?"

"There's still time…tsk tsk, if this doesn't make your head spin……. What do you think we're going to do to clean up after ourselves if we're the honored guests who have a prearranged appointment with the owner of this place?"

Yanbian's words sent chills down the spine of the fearless man.

"Hey, did you have an appointment?"

In an instant, the man's demeanor changed. His arrogantly open shoulders narrowed and his stiff back quickly slumped. The palm flip seemed to take longer than that.

"No."

Of course, it wasn't supposed to be that way.

"Yay!"

The man's face turned red as he realized he had been mocked. Yunbi smirked at the sight.

"That's why I said 'if.'"

An assumption was an assumption, and you're an idiot for not recognizing it. It was enough to turn the tables on the listener.

"You don't have to be so upset, you're about to be an important guest."

Still with a nonchalant complexion, Yunbi said.

"What does that even mean?"

"Well, that's a pretty dark way of saying, I'm going to ask the owner of this place for a meeting."

"What are you going to do with the master?"

"Of course we have to talk about work."

"Work?"

"That's business, and I don't think the rest of it is for you to talk about."

"Ho-oh, so you're going to see the master without any reservations or connections, is that what you're saying?"

"I see you're finally getting it."

His tone was that he was very bored waiting, which is another way of saying that he was not happy.

"Ho-ho, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

He crossed his arms and nodded his head, suddenly realizing what was so satisfying. Then he exclaimed.

"Mighty God!"

Thump!

With that word, the entire staircase rumbled with a thud. It shook like an earthquake.

Then something began to walk toward them: a shadow that filled the entire staircase.

At first I thought it was just a shadow. I even suspected that the lights on the stairs were going out one by one, but that wasn't the case. To my surprise and disbelief, it was a human being, and a huge one at that, filling the entire staircase with its bulk.

Still, his arms were filled with muscle instead of scaffolding. Hot, hot, hot, hot tendons pulsed against his skin, making the Sojaes uncomfortable. As if in protest, he had taken off his shirt and attached the iron plate protecting his heart with a leather band in the shape of an axe paternity. He looked like he was about to throw a punch and yell, "You're already dead!" at any moment. It's not unreasonable to wonder if the lid of the head is filled with muscles, too, and the question comes up again and again.

"Hmph!"

His intellect was inversely proportional to his muscles, and he said nothing more than a savage laugh. He did, however, bulge his muscles in demonstration.

"I'm not going to talk to you, is that what you're saying?"

Yeonbi sighed in disbelief at the pathetic, unpleasantly hot sight.

"Hmph, of course!"

Clearly, those jagged, bumpy muscles were having a negative effect on the language system in my brain. Instead, it was the blackguard who explained.

"What do you think, are you surprised? This mighty god has mastered a special exoteric technique called the 'golden zong', and no ordinary sword can even scratch its skin, so even if you regret it, it's too late. There's no way back, so let them reflect on their foolishness in the little time they have left!"

Pow!

The hulking man known as the God of Strength grinned eerily as he clenched his rock-hard fists together, a look that seemed to be capable of inflicting mental damage on his opponents.

"You're blind, aren't you?"

The big man stiffened at the sudden question of Yeonbi.

"Well, how do you do that?"

"Oh, well, I had a feeling that might be the case."

Yeonbi was shrugged off as no big deal.

"Lord, this is awesome!"

The mighty god could not forgive Yunfei for touching his vulnerable spot. Of course, it didn't matter whether he forgave or not.

Meanwhile, Na Yerin watches the situation with quiet eyes. She knew now was not the time to intervene. She decided to trust the Yeonbi.

"Well, okay, I'm a pacifist, but I'm not going to say no if that's how you want to come across, because conversation isn't necessarily the only way to communicate."

Yes, sometimes you can communicate with your eyes, sometimes with your heart, and sometimes, really sometimes, with your fists. Yunbi never expressed a negative opinion about the possibility of nonverbal communication. Sometimes he preferred the latter to the former. His disciples and priests would certainly recognize the sentiment. Some of them might bite the bubble, but that's life. Talk to them and it will all work out. He was not so inflexible as to insist on his own way.

"It's impossible for humans to fully understand each other, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try…there might be some intersection, right?"

Yunfei smiled broadly, a wry smile. He grabbed his folded black umbrella with both hands.

Voila!

Yeonbi's left foot lifted slightly, and he stepped forward forcefully on the axis of his stationary right foot, gently pivoted at the waist, and swung his arms sideways with the force of that rotation, which traveled from his toes, through his waist, and up to his shoulders.

"Kaka!"

With a grotesque sneer, the mighty god intercepted an umbrella flying toward him with a palm the size of a pot lid. And……

Bam!

A sound like the popping of a leather drum tore through the air.

"Kuehuehuehuehuehuehuehuehuehue!"

The next moment, the hulking body of the mighty god, which must have weighed several hundred pounds, folded in half and flew at breakneck speed up the stairs. Of course, there was no way that the countless bodyguards in its path were safe. In its wake, there was nothing but a horrific mess that could only be described as abominable.

"Hmm, no bells, barely a drum roll……. I'm disappointed."

Nowhere does it say that just because you've mastered a gold bell, it has to ring when you beat it. If it did, it was only for the sake of Yeonbi.

"Shall we go then?"

Yeonbi said, turning his head to the door with a big smile on his face. This was just the beginning.

There were as many stairs left to climb as there were people to stop them. Yunbi was still ready to communicate by means other than words.

There was no falsehood in his words, no falsity in his intentions, no faltering. But once you've met the person, you're not going to be able to persuade them with words or not! For Yanbi, there was only one person to persuade: the person at the top. He didn't have the time to play favorites, so he decided to play a little rough. He seemed to be prepared for it, so I figured he wouldn't mind.

"This is called self-defense, right?"

It was a very bad usage, but there was no one around to point it out.