25 Chapter 25 (2/2)
Byeok Ae-rin let out a scream.
”I know, okay! I know! Even without you pointing it out, I'm aware. I'm already upset that even when it rains, my joints begin to ache.”
”Then, for what reason is an oldie like you working as a maid at Hwacheon Academy?”
A grin slowly spread across Byeok Ae-rin's face.
”I'll explain all of that later, but for now, there's something I need you to help me with.”
She took something out of her sleeve. It was a folded piece of paper. Shim-gu unfolded it.
Written on the paper was the name of a person and a description of their appearance.
”I need you to deal with this person.”
”His name is….Oh-Tae?”
”I need all of the information you can find on him.”
Byeok Ae-rin was the former Head of Jimilgak, and Shim-gu was the former head of Hyeonmugak. Their jobs seemed similar, but in actuality were quite different.
Hyeonmugak's focus was on information. In summary, it was a place where information was collected, and then analysed.
The role of the Head of Hyeonmugak was to utilize this information for certain purposes, for example, to use as a threat.
Others, who wished to obtain information, also came to Hyeonmugak for their services.
Jimilgak, and Hyeonmugak had a type of symbiotic relationship in this manner.
”Find information on him… Is he a lad you've fallen for by any chance?”
”Orabeoni, are you senile? Didn't I just tell you to deal with him?”
”Then, has he been harassing you?”
Byeok Ae-rin shook her head.
”It's not about me. To be honest, I would have preferred him to harass me.”
”...?”
Byeok Ae-rin smiled at Shim-gu's confused expression.
”He's been harassing the person I'm serving.”
”...!”
Shim-gu narrowed his eyes.
There was only one person that Byeok Ae-rin would serve.
He was aware that many years ago, she had sworn her allegiance in blood to serve her one eternal lord.
That lord was the only person she treated with the utmost respect and courtesy. It was none other than the Retired Leader, Kang-hyuk.
”He harassed Hyung-nim?”
”He slandered him, saying that he wasn't of the same level as them, and is even trying to expel him from the Academy….”
”Hold on! Wait!”
Shim-gu held his hands up to stop Byeok Ae-rin from speaking any further.
”You're always in such a hurry! This old man's going to die like this!”
”Orabeoni, I'm over eighty as well.”
”I'm three years older than you.”
”....”
Shim-gu took a deep breath before speaking.
”Anyways, if I got this right, Oh-Tae is trying to expel Hyung-nim by slandering him, right? But you seemed to have missed some details out here.”
He lifted his head and stared at Byeok Ae-rin.
”What on earth is Hyung-nim doing at the Academy? Expulsion… what is going on here?”
”He...I mean, Kang Seonsaeng is at the Academy as a Horticulture teacher.”
Shim-gu suddenly became lost in a daze, then, in a few moments, burst into laughter.
”Hahaha! Ae-rin-ah. It looks like I'm really becoming senile as you said, seeing as I keep on hearing nonsense. I guess the time for me to leave this world is soon approaching.”
”This old man, really! Do you want me to personally send you to the Grim Reaper?”
Shim-gu shrank at her emanation of furious energy. He had felt it many times before, but it was still fear-inducing.
”I'll pass on that offer. So you're saying that Hyung-nim is working at the Academy as a teacher?”
”Exactly!”
”Isn't Hyung-nim ninety-eight? He must still be feeling rather vigorous!”
Byeok Ae-rin grinned.
”Yes, he's feeling very vigorous indeed. It's not surprising, seeing as he's undergone reverse aging.”
”Hahaha, I think I….”
”If you say that you think you're becoming senile again, I'll beat you until you really become senile!”
”….so he's really undergone reverse aging?”
As Shim-gu's fan dropped to the floor, Byeok Ae-rin muttered under her breath.
”He's really surprised, isn't he? He even dropped the fan that he never drops.”
***
Baek-gap was looking at the mountain in front of him incredulously.
”M-my god…..”
Kang-hyuk, who had turned his head, was also looking at the unbelievable sight.
It hadn't even been a day since they left the residence, but they had already arrived at the base of Mu-dang Mountain.
Baek-gap had initially assumed that the 'Mu-dang Mountain' Kang-hyuk and Byeok Ae-rin had been referring to was a mountain with the same name that was close to the Academy.
There were many mountains bearing that name within the central provinces.
He couldn't have predicted that the Mu-dang Mountain they were going to would be the Mu-dang Mountains in Hubei, where the headquarters of the Wu-dang Sect were located.
”It's the real Mu-dang Mountains…”
Kang-hyuk looked at him oddly.
”What do you mean? Is this the first time you've seen the Mu-dang Mountains? It's strange for you to have never visited the mountains as a Jimilgak Warrior. I heard that when you first join Jimilgak, you travel around the whole central province for five years.”
”That's not it!”
Baek-gap screamed his words out.
”I know that these mountains are the Mu-dang Mountains. My last assignment was near the Wu-dang sect headquarters! Anyways, it usually takes at least five days to get here! My god…. I can't believe it…”
Seeing Baek-gap's almost crazed state, Kang-hyuk muttered under his breath.
”Has his head gone weird because we travelled too fast?”
Kang-hyuk had been frustrated with Baek-gap's slow pace, and so, he sped things up using his Qi energy. It was thanks to this that they were able to arrive within a day. However, Kang-hyuk thought this may have adversely affected Baek-gap as his cultivation was only at peak level.
Baek-gap having slumped onto the ground in a daze only confirmed his suspicions further.
Kang-hyuk raised his fist and spoke, ”If that's the case, I'm sure you'll be fine if I hit your head again….”
”I- I'm completely fine!”
Before Kang-hyuk could even finish his sentence, Baek-gap immediately jumped up.
”Are you really okay?”
”O-of course! I'm just in shock that we arrived here within a day!”
Kang-hyuk lowered his fist, and Baek-gap breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew that if he hadn't gotten up within that very moment, he would have almost definitely received a beating.
(1) Orabeoni- Korean Honorific that a female uses to address a close male that is older than her.