84 Chapter 83 (1/2)
'I-it's there!'
A sign with the words 'Hwagyeong Inn' written on it caught his eye.
Although he had been sold as a slave owing to the fall of his family, he had belonged to a prestigious noble family. In other words, he had learned to read and write in preparation for a governmental role.
He had hidden this fact thus far for the sake of his family's honour.
”...!”
His eyes widened all of a sudden.
He had caught sight of a man in a blue uniform, standing near the rear-end of the inn.
Despite it being night, he had a clear vision of the man's clothes due to the light shining from the inn window.
'Th-those clothes? There's no doubt! It's the academy uniform!'
He was instantly able to recognize the Hwacheon Academy's teacher uniform since its appearance was quite widely known.
He abruptly prostrated at the feet of the young man.
”Daehyeop! Please help me! Daehyeop!”
Kang-hyuk looked at the man who was prostrating at his feet.
'He reeks of blood.'
The smell of blood that Kang-hyuk had sensed since he had first entered the village was rather concentrated on this man.
He had just spoken about smelling blood in the village, while Byeok Ae-rin had just spoken to him about the source of that smell.
She asked him whether he wanted to pay a visit to the source of the blood, but Kang-hyuk shook his head in response.
Kang-hyuk's main reason for entering the village was for the students' public service, and so, he felt as though there was no reason for him to take interest in other matters.
His only priority was the students' safety.
'But…seeing as this fellow appeared in front of me, what on earth am I meant to do?'
A crease was forming at the centre of Kang-hyuk's forehead.
”He couldn't have gotten that far!”
”Catch him!”
The roar of dozens of warriors echoed out from behind them. The man, whose face had now paled, spoke, ”I'm a blood fighting slave!”
”...!”
Kang-hyuk's expression drastically changed in an instant.
”You're a blood fighting slave?”
”Yes! I escaped to seek your help after I heard of your arrival in the village. Please help me!”
Kang-hyuk was well aware of what a blood fighting slave was.
There wasn't a chance that he would be unaware.
Kang-hyuk had been called to the palace, and after having a personal audience with the emperor, had received an imperial edict.
'I thought I had completely wiped that out, but I guess blood fighting is still happening here and there?'
He had initially been reluctant to get involved, but things had now changed. This matter was now an important one.
The issue of addressing blood fighting was one officially under the Clan Leader's jurisdiction, but Kang-hyuk had been the one that had personally received an imperial edict on the matter from the emperor.
He also swore an oath to the emperor that he would remove all traces of blood fighting from the land.
'I didn't just promise him, I swore an oath. This isn't something I can ignore.'
He looked into the eyes of the blood fighting slave, Blood Ghost. They were the eyes of someone who was telling the truth.
Kang-hyuk then turned to look at Byeok Ae-rin.
”Take this fellow and hide him somewhere temporarily.'
”Alright.”
She immediately escorted Blood Ghost away, disappearing off far into the distance within a few moments. Almost as soon as they had left, a group of warriors approached Kang-hyuk.
”Look here, has there been….?”
”What's the matter?”
The warrior became startled as he noticed Kang-hyuk's clothing.
”I-it can't be, that uniform?”
”I'm Kang-hyuk, a teacher of the Hwacheon Academy. And this man over here is an elder of the Hwacheon Clan.”
”Huh?!”
The warriors immediately prostrated in front of Shim-gu.
They had heard that a teacher of the Hwacheon Academy and an elder of the clan were in the village, but they did not expect to actually meet them.
'N-noticing it now, this is the Hwagyeong Inn!'
'Damn it! We shouldn't have come this way!'
Shim-gu spoke, after receiving an eye signal from Kang-hyuk.
”Ahem ahem. Who are you fellows?”
One of the warriors spoke up, stammering his words.
”The thing is, we are…just passing by…”
The warriors were well aware that their job involving blood fighting was dangerous.
The nearby southern Hanam branch of the Hwacheon Clan had secretly given them their backing, and because of that, they hadn't had many issues thus far. Of course, an elder of the Clan, as well as a teacher of the Hwacheon Academy were important figures that wouldn't turn a blind eye.
The destruction of blood fighting venues was still a task of the Hwacheon Clan.
They had somehow managed to sweet-talk the Hanam Branch Head into not reporting them, but this was unlikely to work in the case of a clan elder.
'Da-damn it!'
'We're fucked!'
'We've gone to the dogs!'
Shim-gu glared at the warrior in response to his timid reply.
”If you all just happened to be passing by, you should have gone on your way quietly. Why did you stop to ask us something? There must have been a reason, no?”
”A-about that…”
Shim-gu began to drive the warriors into a corner, rendering them speechless.
”Are you unable to speak because you actually approached us in an attempt to commit robbery? Did you think of us as weaklings? You bastards!”
”Th-that's not it!”
”That's not the case at all!”
”What do you mean that's not it? Why would you approach us with such a vicious energy about you if that wasn't your intention?”
The warriors felt so wronged by Shim-gu's 'misunderstanding' that they felt as though their insides were going to burst.
They approached him and Kang-hyuk with the intention of finding out the whereabouts of the escaped blood fighting slave, but had now been caught up in an unfortunate situation.
Confessing the truth wasn't an option if they wanted to stay alive.
”....”
”Seeing as all of you aren't replying, there's no doubt! I guess I'll have to hand you over to the government office!”
The warriors felt a sudden relief.
Their employer, the owner of the blood fighting venue, had connections within the government, so they would most likely have to spend a maximum of a night in discomfort until they were released.
But…
”No! No! I can't bother the government office with such a trivial matter. Not only that, even though you all look weak, you are still fellows that have martial abilities, and therefore, you should be treated with the laws of Moorim….”
Shim-gu placed his weapon, his fan into his waist belt.
”All of you should repent. Each and every one of you will be receiving a blow, one-by one.”
”Sorry?”
Before they could question further, Shim-gu's body had already moved into action.
*Pok!* *Pok Pok Pok!* *Pok!*
As Shim-gu's foot lodged into their shoulders, they let out a groan of pain, falling onto the floor.
”Huh…”