The Jeongmu Academy grew noisy.
The incident began when Baek Woo Jin, the second son of the Baek clan and a first-year student, failed to return from his mission.
When he didn’t come back even after the ten-day mission period had passed, the academy organized a search party and headed to the bandits’ stronghold on Yeongam Mountain, where the mission had taken place.
The bandits were still alive and plundering. And this made the situation clear.
Mission failure.
Interrogation of the captured bandits revealed that a student had visited them about fifteen days ago, but he was injured and fled into the mountains in a hurry.
“Well, such things do happen.”
It was a mission of the lowest rank. The bandit leader was a third-rank warrior, and the rest were either not proficient in martial arts or not even third-rank warriors.
The failure of a mission that anyone from the Jeongmu Academy should have completed was a problem, but the fact that Baek Woo Jin had disappeared and hadn’t been found was another problem.
“I will go and find him.”
In fact, Baek Woo Jin wasn’t a particularly important figure from the academy’s perspective. It wasn’t uncommon for students to die or go missing during missions.
However, the student growling in front of them was different.
Baek Moo Hyeok.
He was the older brother of the missing Baek Woo Jin—two years his senior, the eldest son of the Shaanxi Baek clan, and a prodigy known by the nickname “Dragon” who led the third-year students.
“I understand student Baek Moo Hyeok’s feelings. However, we cannot entrust the investigation to a student.”
“Then, please allow me to carry out my mission.”
“Haah… it’s obvious you’ll use your mission as an excuse to go to Yeongam Mountain. Do you think I’ll allow that?”
Baek Moo Hyeok bit his lip hard. Red blood stained his lips.
Woo Jin.
He was a kind and gentle younger brother. The image of him swinging his sword day and night, declaring he would become a righteous and compassionate hero who helps many people, still lingered in his mind.
He had been too shy to express it often, but he cherished his brother deeply.
“In that case….”
He gritted his teeth.
“Please expel me from the academy.”
Bang!
Instructor Kang Baek who was in charge of Baek Moo Hyeok and his team slammed his fist on the desk.
“Are you out of your mind right now!”
The Jeongmu Academy gathered the most promising talents of the orthodox sects. Being forcibly expelled from there would disgrace not only oneself but also one’s family.
Baek Moo Hyeok raised his head and met Kang Baek’s eyes.
“I am more clear-headed now than ever, Instructor-nim.”
“Huuh…!”
The brothers of the noble families in Moorim generally did not get along well. This was because they had to compete for the position of the family head, which came with honor and power.
So, people thought Baek Moo Hyeok and Baek Woo Jin would be the same, but they were not.
“Just wait a little. I will suggest dispatching a search team to the higher-ups.”
“…Thank you.”
Baek Moo Hyeok bowed his head with a trembling body, then turned and left the instructor’s office.
“Oh, brother.”
The one who was waiting for him outside was Shin Ye Hwa, Baek Woo Jin’s childhood friend.
“…Ye Hwa.”
“How did it go?”
“He said he would suggest sending out a search team.”
“Oh…! That’s really a relief.”
Shin Ye Hwa felt quite responsible for Baek Woo Jin’s disappearance.
I should have paid a little more attention to him.
They were always together. They went on missions together and shared most of their meals. But after Baek Moo Hyeok returned, they spent much less time together.
She felt anxious. As Baek Moo Hyeok’s success grew day by day, many women courted him. If things continued like this, she feared she would lose him without even conveying her feelings.
So, in an attempt to spend a little more time with him, she schemed to get rid of Baek Woo Jin. She used Baek Woo Jin to make an appointment with Baek Moo Hyeok to go on a mission with him, and then secretly arranged for Baek Woo Jin to be left behind.
Why on earth did I do that?
A wave of regret washed over her.
When she thought back, his face a few days before the mission had looked much thinner than usual.
Why did I only realize this now?
From the age of five until now, they had been childhood friends for a full fifteen years.
Whenever she asked for something, he would grumble but still do it for her. He was the kind friend who would take the blame for her mistakes and smile even while getting scolded.
When she thought of his sunken cheeks, it made her feel like she was about to burst into tears.
“It’s alright, Ye Hwa.”
Baek Moo Hyeok wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
“Bi-Big brother….”
“Woo Jin will be fine. I will definitely bring him back.”
His arm on her shoulder was so warm. She disliked her current emotions, which were swinging between joy and sorrow.
A search team was dispatched.
The search team, composed of ten first-rank warriors and twenty second-rank warriors, began gathering information about Baek Woo Jin. They thoroughly examined every path leading to Yeongam Mountain.
“Hehe! It would be nice if that guy doesn’t come back alive. Don’t you think so, Yeon Mae?”
Hearing Namgong Soo’s creepy remark, Yoo Hwa Yeon struggled to raise the corners of her mouth and lowered her head.
What is going on….
Baek Woo Jin’s disappearance deeply unsettled Yoo Hwa Yeon.
She had hoped for both herself and the Yoo family to rise to greater heights.
She once hoped that Baek Woo Jin who was chosen as her fiancé would grow up and take her to a higher place, but no matter how much she encouraged and supported him up over the past years, he never got better.
She grew tired and saw no hope.
Then came Namgong Soo, a man who possessed what she desired. She hesitated briefly but soon made up her mind.
Though she decided to leave him, she never wished for his death.
A few days ago, she had a big argument with Shin Ye Hwa who had come to see her.
– How could a bi*ch of a fiancée not care at all!
Those words made her feel guilty, but she became angry without realizing it.
– And what about you! As his childhood friend, what have you done?”
It almost turned into a sword fight, but thanks to the intervention of those around them, they managed to restrain themselves.
“Haaah….”
She lifted her head and sighed in frustration.
The leaves that were turning from green to yellow and red adorned the sky that stretched endlessly above.
Autumn had begun. Around late autumn, the festival of Jeongmu Academy and the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering for each grade would be held.
Yoo Hwa Yeon was convinced that Namgong Soo would take the position of the Divine Dragon among the dragons. And from that time, she began to distance herself from her finacé.
Unfortunately, events took a dramatic turn.
Perhaps…
She wondered if these events were happening because of her.
A pang of guilt weighed heavily on her chest.
The Vice Headmaster of Jeongmu Academy was not pleased with the current situation.
“Dispatching a search team for a failure who botched a low-ranked mission, tsk.”
Running a large search team consisting of ten first-rank warriors and twenty second-rank warriors required a significant amount of money.
Spending precious funds to search for a missing person who failed a low-rank mission seemed ridiculous to him.
“If it weren’t for that Baek Moo Hyeok…”
He didn’t care what happened to Baek Woo Jin, but Baek Moo Hyeok was a different matter.
Judging by the fact that he even asked the instructor in charge to expel him from the academy, it was clear he cared deeply for his younger brother. Ignoring this request would mean losing a key figure who could lead the orthodox martial arts world. Hence, he could only hope the search team would find Baek Woo Jin’s body soon.
At that moment,
“V-Vice Headmaster!”
The person who burst through the door of the office was Kang Baek, the instructor in charge of the third year.
“Instructor Kang Baek! What is this rudeness?!”
“I-I’m sorry! But there’s an urgent matter…”
“What could be so urgent that you burst in like this?”
“Baek Woo Jin who went missing has returned.”
“Oh, has the search team brought back Baek Woo Jin’s body?”
A smile spread across the Vice Headmaster’s face. Finding Baek Woo Jin’s body sooner than expected meant they could save a lot on operational costs.
“N-No, that’s not it. Baek Woo Jin has returned himself.”
“What?”
The Vice Headmaster was unable to believe what he was hearing and stood up abruptly.
“Where is Baek Woo Jin now?”
“He hasn’t arrived at the academy yet.”
“So, he’s on his way?”
“That’s right, but there’s something else…”
“What now?”
When the Vice Headmaster asked in an irritated tone, Kang Baek pointed to the academy entrance visible through the window.
“There are many people following behind Baek Woo Jin.”
“People? What kind of people?”
“Judging by their attire, they appear to be bandits…”
“What nonsense is this?!”
“I don’t understand it either. That’s what the report from the academy security said.”
“Damn it.”
The Vice Headmaster was unable to contain his curiosity, so he burst out of his office and headed toward the academy entrance. There, numerous students and instructors had already gathered, looking outside.
“Wh-What on earth is this…?”
As he got closer to the entrance, the noise from outside grew louder.
Naturally, his pace quickened.
Pushing through the crowd, the Vice Headmaster reached the front gate and gaped at the scene unfolding before him.
A large crowd was approaching this place. And the one standing at the forefront of the group was Baek Woo Jin, who was dressed in a torn black martial arts uniform and holding a sword in one hand and a small gourd in the other.
“Ah, what in the world is this…?”
He wasn’t just walking normally.
Baek Woo Jin was dancing with his brisk steps and waving his arms up and down. And it was the same for the rough-looking men who were tied up and following him.
As they got closer, the Vice Headmaster could hear Baek Woo Jin’s voice singing.
“Oiiii~ Ssigussigu, I’m going back.”
“Oiiii~!”
When he sang, those following him added their own exclamations.
“Jjeol~ Ssigussigu, I’m going back.”
“Oiya!”
It was a song they had never heard before.
“The wandering entertainer who came last year!”
“Eolssiguuu (Yes)!”
But strangely enough, the song made the students feel excited and their feet started tapping involuntarily. Yet, at the same time, they felt a deep and inexplicable sorrow that sent chills down their spines.
Before long, they reached the doorstep and he sang the final lyrics.
“Still alive and back again!”
“Jootaaa (Great)!”
Having finished the performance, Baek Woo Jin turned around and shouted at the men following him in a line.
“Stand at attention!”
“One, two!”
As soon as he finished speaking, their steps halted and they lined up neatly in rows and columns, moving like a military unit.
Baek Woo Jin turned around again and shouted at the cadets and professors gathered beyond the gate.
“First-year student Baek Woo Jin, reporting back after completing the mission to subdue the bandits!”
TN: The song he was singing is this: “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxqKqokNOtY”
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