Baek Woo Jin and Namgong Soo.
A strange current flowed in the gaze shared between the one known as the weakest and the one known as the strongest.
“Hello, Gong Soo-ah?”
The first words Baek Woo Jin threw out were truly shocking.
Even though he knew Namgong Soo was a member of the Namgong clan, speaking in such a manner was akin to disrespecting the most prominent clan among the Five Great Clans which was also known as “The First Sword Clan of a Thousand Autumns”.
Of course, Baek Woo Jin didn’t think that far ahead when he said it.
“…Are you as a member of the Shaanxi Baek clan planning to insult my Namgong clan?”
When Namgong Soo spoke in a low voice and with a fierce expression on his face, Baek Woo Jin shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t understand his words.
“I was just saying hello; why bring up our clans?”
“Knowing that I am a direct descendant of the Namgong clan, calling me in such a manner is an insult in itself.”
“If that’s the case, my apologies.”
His expression was anything but apologetic.
Namgong Soo hesitated for a moment.
The one who picked the fight first was Baek Woo Jin. He even dared to provoke Namgong by name. If that was the case, wouldn’t it be justified to knock him down as a lesson?
As he was slowly gathering his energy, Namgong Soo made eye contact with Yoo Hwa Yeon over Baek Woo Jin’s shoulder.
She looked anxious as if something terrible was about to happen.
The thought that her expression wasn’t out of concern for him only fueled his anger further, but he soon relaxed his gaze.
“Just state your business.”
The fact that he approached so boldly meant there must be a reason. It seemed best to finish this quickly and go their separate ways.
“I made good use of the first stepping stone you prepared for me.”
He was referring to Gu Wang Soo.
After using the Drunken Immortal Sword Technique and the Drunken Immortal Steps when fighting the first-rank mountain bandit on his way back over the mountain, this was the second time he’d employed them.
Through his brief duel with Gu Wang Soo, he had succeeded in further enhancing his mastery of the Drunken Immortal Sword Technique and the Drunken Immortal Steps.
But this guy is still out of reach.
To Baek Woo Jin, Namgong Soo felt like an insurmountable wall.
There were limits to what could be bridged by experience alone.
For someone who had only just stepped into the realm of first-rank, facing Namgong Soo who was on the verge of breaking through to the peak master level was like trying to smash a rock with an egg.
He scanned the students standing behind Namgong Soo, as if they were claiming to be his subordinates, with a cold gaze.
“Who’s next? Him or him?”
As he pointed at the ones on either side of him, their faces quickly twisted in anger.
Every action of his was extremely irritating.
Namgong Soo took a deep breath. He tried to suppress his boiling anger before he growled in a low voice.
“You must be feeling pretty high and mighty after beating Gu Wang Soo, but do you really think you can act cocky in front of me?”
In front of the fierce aura that seemed ready to tear him apart at any moment, Baek Woo Jin just smiled slightly and moved his lips.
Then he spoke in a very small voice that was just loud enough for Namgong Soo who had highly developed senses to hear.
“Do you think it’s okay to snatch away a woman who already has a fiancé?”
Those words touched Namgong Soo’s injured hand.
“You…!”
Namgong Soo’s large hand shot out and grabbed Baek Woo Jin by the collar.
Even with that rough grip, Baek Woo Jin continued speaking.
“Are you really that shocked?”
“……!”
Those who had been hit right where it hurt all reacted in the same way.
The inferior ones simply denied it, while the average ones got angry as if to emphasize their innocence.
Namgong Soo was just average.
How on earth did this guy…!
His meetings with Yoo Hwa Yeon were conducted so secretly that they were almost like spying operations.
Even when they met during class, they never exchanged anything other than official conversations and they hardly ever made eye contact with each other.
They only met after enduring for a long time, in the early morning when everyone was asleep, in a hidden corner of the academy, where they would briefly share their feelings and then part ways with hearts full of longing.
Yeon Mae couldn’t have told him yet.
All these actions were carried out because Yoo Hwa Yeon who officially had Baek Woo Jin as her fiancé wanted to keep everything a secret until the moment when she could sort everything out.
How on earth!
Moreover, no one but Yoo Hwa Yeon and herself knew about their relationship.
That means…
At some point, Baek Woo Jin must have witnessed them meeting or heard about it from someone.
If not, it would have been impossible.
Damn it, we were so careful!
Beads of sweat formed on his back.
If Baek Woo Jin went around blabbing about this, everything would fall apart.
The moment he made it public, whether the other students believed him or not, Yoo Hwa Yeon and he would no longer be able to be together.
Namgoong Soo released his trembling hand from Baek Woo Jin’s collar.
“Oh, I thought I was going to suffocate.”
He wanted to plant a fist in that exaggerated coughing face but held back with superhuman patience.
At this moment, he was not in a position of power.
“What do you want?”
Namgoong Soo decided to see this as an opportunity.
Clearly, Baek Woo Jin must have wanted something if he came to him first without telling others. He planned to grant his wish and force a breakup with Yoo Hwa Yeon.
“What do I want? Nothing.”
The problem was that the guy in front of him wouldn’t move according to his plan.
In fact, when Baek Woo Jin approached Namgoong Soo, he hadn’t even thought of mentioning the two of them.
He was simply curious about how Namgoong Soo would react if he called him “Gong Soo” instead of “Namgoong Soo”. He was also wondering what kind of expression this arrogant bastard would make when his secrets were exposed.
What do you want? Nothing. His curiosity had already been satisfied by seeing Namgoong Soo’s twisted face.
Oh, there is one thing.
He pointed to the man standing to the left behind Namgoong Soo.
“Next, I think I’ll go with him.”
His second stepping stone.
“Well then, good luck.”
Namgoong Soo watched Baek Woo Jin’s retreating figure. The confusion he felt was clear in his eyes.
Drinking Wine cultivation technique
For Baek Woo Jin who loved alcohol, it was the ultimate internal energy cultivation technique.
However, Baek Woo Jin recently discovered a small flaw in what he had thought was a perfect technique.
Due to the method’s nature of accumulating energy from the alcohol consumed, Baek Woo Jin spent most of his active time slightly intoxicated.
“Controlling my emotions is not easy in this state.”
A drunk person is emotional, impulsive, and unpredictable.
That’s how Baek Woo Jin was now.
How would he react if I called him Gong Soo?
Out of playful curiosity, he had turned the prestigious Namgoong clan into the Nam/Gong clan.
What kind of expression would he make if he found out I knew about the two of them?
On a sudden whim, he revealed the card he was holding.
“It wasn’t even a card I intended to use, but oh well.”
Having many things is always better, isn’t it?
“Well, it doesn’t feel bad.”
Living without caring about others’ opinions, isn’t that a life everyone wants to try at least once?
“Let it be.”
Anyway, it was a problem that needed to be resolved soon.
He had been keeping his distance because he hadn’t sorted out his feelings yet, but now that it had come to this, it didn’t seem so bad to clear everything up.
While he was organizing his thoughts one by one, Shin Ye Hwa who had been standing at a distance came over and poked his side with her elbow.
“What on earth happened?”
Her elbow was sharper than he thought, and it hurt more than expected.
“What do you mean what happened? I just took care of someone I didn’t like.”
Seeing Baek Woo Jin speak so nonchalantly like this, Shin Ye Hwa felt an inexplicable sense of distance between them.
What could have happened to him during the month he was missing for him to change so much?
“You really seem to have changed a lot.”
Shin Ye Hwa covered her mouth with her hand and looked very surprised at the words she blurted without realizing it. As if she was in a trance.
Baek Woo Jin lightly raised the corners of his mouth as he looked at her and responded.
“Whether late or early, everyone faces moments of change.”
A period of upheaval always comes for people.
Whether internally or externally.
Whether by one’s own will or by others’ influence.
Facing a turning point that could completely change one’s life and standing at the crossroads of choices.
Whether one’s life was right or wrong.
Whether it should change or stay the same.
Whether to move forward or stop.
After making all these decisions, a person changes in some way.
But that doesn’t apply to me.
Of course, Baek Woo Jin had changed souls entirely, so it had nothing to do with him.
He mentioned that he had some sort of change only because it would make things easier moving forward.
“I see…”
It was difficult for Shin Ye Hwa who hadn’t yet faced that moment to understand though.
She simply accepted that he had decided to change after a brush with death.
She felt heavy-hearted as if she were partly to blame for his change and forced a smile.
“Let’s go find a mission after our class!”
“Mission?”
“Mhmm. You haven’t done all your contribution points yet. I’ll help you!”
She puffed out her chest as if expecting gratitude. Baek Woo Jin unconsciously had to forcibly pull down the corners of his mouth, and he shook his head.
“It’s fine. I’ll go alone.”
“Huh, what?”
There is no one else like you.
Baek Woo Jin who always thanked her with a smiling face while saying that “There is no one else like you”.
He now spoke with a serious expression he had never shown before.
“I told you a moment ago, didn’t I? Everyone has a moment of change.”
She answered with a crestfallen face.
Seeing that face, he felt a little sorry but shook it off and continued speaking.
“The same goes for you and me.”
“Why you and me…?”
As she looked up at him with a bewildered face, it reminded him of a cat in boots looking up pitifully. This made him smile unwittingly as he poked her forehead with his finger.
“It’s time for us to go our separate ways, kiddo.”
There are times when you have to give up something you have to gain something else.
Shin Ye Hwa was the same.
“You like my brother, right?”
“Uh, yes.”
Her face turned red.
“Then focus on that. Don’t worry about me.”
You saw me take down Gu Wang Soo with one hit earlier, right?
Shin Ye Hwa who was pushed away so blatantly stared at Baek Woo-jin with a blank face, then clutched her chest tightly.
She didn’t know why, but she felt like her heart was being squeezed.
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