78 (2/2)
After finis.h.i.+ng his gla.s.s Kw.a.n.g Du said in a happy tone, “Kaa, there is nothing more that I need. The drink after training is a real drink.”
I agree. It was truly fun being around Kw.a.n.g Du.
“It seems that the buzz in town is about what happened.”
The whole restaurant was bustling with the talks about the Ho Yeon School and Heavenly Dao Gate. Since it was a clash between two very strong forces, it was the center of attention.
However it seems that everyone had a different take on it.
Some were saying that it was Ho Yeon Nam’s fault for attacking first, others were blaming Yeom Hwa for killing him.
Some were even saying that the Ho Yeon School would be wiped out, while others did not.
Then Kw.a.n.g Du asked me with a worried expression, “Will Ho Yeon School really be wiped out? It is one of the Four Great Powers of Kang Ho.”
“Who knows?”
“What young master?”
“It is difficult raising a clan but taking it down is a very easy task.”
Big clans were just like big building. Shake their foundations and everything will crumble by itself.
Then a man suddenly rushed into the restaurant and spread a new, “Have you all heard? One of the disciples of Ho Yeon School committed suicide.”
“What? If you mean the disciple do you mean Ho Yeon Nam’s disciple?”
“Yes, him. I heard his name was Ho Yeon Tak. Anyway, it seems like he felt ashamed for not being able to protect his master so he committed suicide.”
This new surprised me. From what I can tell from seeing him once, he didn’t seem like a weak person who would break that easily. He could feel ashamed for the death of his master but to take his own life? A cold breeze swept through my heart.
Others in the restaurant were mourning his death.
“That’s too bad.”
“It’s sad to see a youth who was still blossoming in his springtime take his own life.”
“He seems like a real disciple of a famous school.”
They all said something about him.
And Kw.a.n.g Du added, “Isn’t it a waste?”
I also poured down a drink on the floor to mourn his death.
Then I said after filling up my gla.s.s, “Did he really take his own life? What if he didn’t?”
Seeing my expression Kw.a.n.g Du said, “Eh, why are you saying such thing?”
I looked into my cup. Its seems that famous clans and schools would become so inhumane as to kill off their own members to maintain their reputation and dignity.
“He could have taken his own life, but he could also not have.”
By killing off one their own disciple who wasn’t even fully blossomed they were able to place the blame away from them. Although it was Ho Yeon Nam who first attacked Yeom Hwa, now all the blame will be placed on Yeom Hwa.
“Since you don’t know which side is right … all the more reason for you to train.”
“Why?”
“To know the truth, you must be strong.”
Since this is a place where the strong ruled and weak become their food.
Kw.a.n.g Du looked at me with a stern face and said, “Yes young master, I will train diligently.”
If the Ho Yeon School truly killed him and disguised it as suicide… then they went over the line.
They will one day pay the price for going over that line.
***
A single youth was sitting beside a riverbank.
It was the Number One who received the report from Number Seven months ago.
He was just looking at the water cras.h.i.+ng into the bank when he finally raised his fis.h.i.+ng pole.
Then another man with a straw hat approached him. Surprisingly, the person who visited him was Ho Yeon School’s Ho Yeon Choon.
“Is there good catch today?”
“I was here since the morning, but it seems today isn’t the day.”
“I heard that fis.h.i.+ng can also be considered training.”
“There is such a saying.”
“But I am not very good at sitting down like this.”
“But fis.h.i.+ng is just like training.”
Ho Yeon Choon looked at him with a weird look, “What do you mean?”
“There is calmness in the stream of water. Within that calmness is the flow. Just waiting and watching patiently for the right time to attack with the fis.h.i.+ng pole just like a sword.”
“So that’s how it is.” But Ho Yeon Choon didn’t really care what he said. ‘If you think of it like that, whatever you do isn’t it training?’
Ho Yeon Choon stopped his banter and moved onto to the real talk. “I don’t know if you know it or not but we had a little conflict with the Heavenly Dao Gate.”
Then Number One coldly said, “Didn’t you say you were going to get two hundred thousand nyang from the Dark Guild of San Dong?”
Ho Yeon Choon felt bad. He didn’t have to bring out the talk about money but it seemed like he was stabbing at where it hurt.
“Although we minimized our losses I don’t know how the Heavenly Dao Gate will respond. Especially Yeom Hwa.”
Everyone knew what sort of person Yeom Hwa was. Even by killing Ho Yeon Tak they knew that this matter wouldn’t come to an end.
“I heard that he is headed to Mu Han to meet Ma Bong Gi.”
Then Number One nodded as if he already knew about the matter. He gave an impression that he knew everything that was happening.
“I understand. We will take care of this matter in our end.”
“Thank you.”
Then Number One said, “It's only this time. Make sure this never happens again.”
With a cold gaze Ho Yeon Choon asked, “What are you trying to imply here?”
Number One’s sight was back into the river. Then he coldly said, “It’s just a warning.”
Then Ho Yeon Choon left without saying anything.
After some time someone else approached him and Number One said, “Do you know the reason why I love water?”
The person who he was saying this to was Number Seven.
“I do not.”
“It was because my father drowned in water.”
Then Number Seven said emotionlessly, “So that’s how it is.”
Number One was smiling at her response. Since it was him who trained her to become like this.
“Take Midget with you and take care of this.”
Without a word Number Seven left the place.
After watching her leave Number One’s eyes were back on the river.
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