By Zephyria Expert in Disappearance and Kidnapping (2)
“This is all thanks to the grace bestowed upon us by Mount Hua.”
He feigned modesty, patting his disciple’s shoulder as if he had done well.
“Then, to respect the opinions of those involved, we will not hold Young master Seong Mu-yeon responsible in any way.”
The Sect leader declared, and the meeting concluded. Jang Han-soo cast a meaningful glance before departing with his Master.
“A load off your mind, Young master. I wasn’t of much help, though.”
Ma Jin-cheon said to Seong Mu-yeon with an awkward smile. Seong Mu-yeon shook his head.
“No, Ma Instructor. You have no idea how much your help meant to me.”
He meant it sincerely.
Few people in this Mount Hua believed in Seong Mu-yeon. Baek Ryeo-il, at least, treated him without formality, but it was as if he were a fun toy he had acquired in a moment of boredom, and Wang Ho-jun had a clear purpose. Gang Woong was a child, so no one could blame him for trusting anyone easily.
It was the first time.
That someone had offered him a warm hand for his sake.
Seong Mu-yeon was genuinely moved.
One person, unable to bear the soft and warm atmosphere, threw out a remark as if it were unpleasant.
“Of course, you should be grateful. If you know your place.”
Baek Ryeo-il vigorously picked at his ear.
Ma Jin-cheon opened his mouth to rebuke him, but someone else beat him to it.
“Baek Ryeo-il, your insolent attitude is going too far.”
It was the first generation disciple who had quietly warned Ma Jin-cheon earlier. He continued fiercely.
“Senior Brother Ma, I’ve been holding back because of your face, but how are you educating your disciples? How can you let him act so insolently in a place where even the Sect leader and Elders are present!”
He was so enraged that his face was turning red. Ma Jin-cheon sighed as if he were used to it.
“I will sternly scold Ryeo-il for his insolence, but Junior Brother, you should have set an example as a martial uncle.”
“Excuse me? What did you just say?”
The atmosphere between the two Senior Brother was ominous. However, Seong Mu-yeon had no time to pay attention to that. He was busy trying to stop Baek Ryeo-il, who looked like he was about to explode at any moment.
From the moment the first generation disciple approached, Baek Ryeo-il tensed all the muscles in his body and became wary. Then, when the first word came out, he began to get unusually agitated. The sound of his tightly clenched fist cracking as he suppressed his anger, and all the veins in his arms and neck bulged out.
“I, Instructor. It looks like it’ll be a real problem if you cause an accident here, okay? Please, hold back.”
Seong Mu-yeon whispered desperately.
“……Let go.”
“Ugh! Why are you so strong!”
Fortunately, Ma Jin-cheon and his Junior Brother seemed to be continuing their conversation, unaware of what was happening on this side.
Ma Jin-cheon, who was usually gentle, still spoke calmly.
“As the eldest Senior Brother, I was speaking, but didn’t Junior Brother interrupt first? If you want to teach someone else’s disciple, you should set an example first.”
“……Senior Brother, you…….”
“However, it is true that Ryeo-il did wrong, so I will make sure to teach him properly.”
With those words, Ma Jin-cheon turned away as if he had nothing more to say.
“Ryeo-il, Young master……. What are you two doing right now?”
Seong Mu-yeon was almost hugging Baek Ryeo-il’s face. Ma Jin-cheon witnessed the two of them while Baek Ryeo-il was pulling at his clothes as if he were about to tear them off to get Seong Mu-yeon off him.
“……This isn’t a good place to talk, so let’s go for now.”
Ma Jin-cheon took Baek Ryeo-il and Seong Mu-yeon out of the meeting room. As they moved far enough away from that place, Seong Mu-yeon was sweating profusely trying to stop Baek Ryeo-il from glaring at the first generation disciple over his shoulder until the end.
“Why did you act like that to the people who came to pick me up earlier? Don’t tell me…….”
Seong Mu-yeon trailed off.
“Was it because of me?”
“Are you crazy?”
Baek Ryeo-il retorted sharply. It was so sharp that it felt like he was being cut.
“What are you talking about? Don’t flatter yourself. You saw it earlier, didn’t you? How much those old geezers were disrespecting our Master.”
I knew it. Seong Mu-yeon felt relieved. The goosebumps that had risen on the back of his neck when he had thought that earlier had not yet subsided.
He gnashed his teeth, still glaring at the meeting room where they were probably still there, as if he couldn’t shake off his anger.
Ma Jin-cheon, who had been walking in silence for a while, suddenly turned his feet when the area became deserted.
“Baek Ryeo-il, what did I tell you?”
“Yes? About what.”
Baek Ryeo-il replied sullenly.
“Are you not satisfied until you tarnish my reputation in front of the martial uncles, Elders, and even the Sect leader?”
“I just summarized what Master was going to say anyway.”
“This rascal, really!”
“Isn’t it? If not, I’ll apologize.”
That ‘apology’ was all Baek Ryeo-il roughly nodding his head. Ma Jin-cheon trembled.
“Oh my, Ma Instructor. Why are you doing this? Calm down. Everything worked out well, didn’t it? Master Baek, too. Hurry up and apologize to Master. What’s the point of fighting each other on such a good day?”
It was at that moment. Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from the sky, and thick raindrops began to pour down.
“…….”
“Haha……. Why is the weather suddenly like this.”
Even the weather isn’t helping.
Ma Jin-cheon gently pushed Seong Mu-yeon to the side.
“Baek Ryeo-il. You really are hopeless. No matter how much I teach you, you don’t listen, so what would your parents, who are my Senior Brother and Senior Sister, say if they saw you from heaven!”
Ma Jin-cheon shouted fiercely over the rain.
He seemed genuinely angry. He looked just like an enraged Baek Ryeo-il. Seong Mu-yeon was terrified and clung to the tree next to him.
‘……I wondered where Baek Ryeo-il learned it, but Ma Instructor is so scary when he’s angry.’
“I don’t know what they would say. I don’t even remember their faces. It seems like Master knows, so you can tell me instead.”
Baek Ryeo-il said sullenly. Then Ma Jin-cheon lost his will to fight and covered his face. Thick raindrops flowed down his fingers.
“Yes……. You don’t know.”
His voice was full of regretful sighs.
“Senior Brother and Senior Sister were wonderful people. If they were here……. You might have lived a better life than you are now.”
Baek Ryeo-il just shrugged his shoulders.
“Then what’s the point? They’re not here anyway.”
“That’s what I’m saying. I think it’s mostly my fault. I feel like you grew up so self-willed because I raised you so tenderly because I felt sorry for you, who lost your parents. If they were here, you would be a little more…….”
Ma Jin-cheon sighed and turned around.
“Anyway, as punishment for being insolent, you will have to transcribe the Taoist Scripture 10 times.”
“Sure, whatever.”
Ma Jin-cheon left with tired steps.
Baek Ryeo-il acted like a monkey who couldn’t feel any emotions in front of Ma Jin-cheon, but he couldn’t take his eyes off his Master’s retreating figure.
‘……This is driving me crazy.’
And Seong Mu-yeon felt like he was sitting on thorns.
Talking about his deceased parents was a foul.
It was even more so if the person who killed those parents was his own father.
Baek Ryeo-il beckoned him to come closer as he was just looking around, unable to do anything.
“Come here. Let’s go.”
“…….”
“What are you doing? I said let’s go.”
Baek Ryeo-il strode over and grabbed him by the back of the neck and started walking. Seong Mu-yeon could only hang limply.
He felt so uncomfortable.
Why was Baek Ryeo-il being so lenient with him?
If Cult Leader Seong Hyeok-gwang really killed both of his parents, it would be normal for him to have even more resentment than Jang Han-soo.
The expression on his face, which he looked up at slightly, was exactly the same as usual.
Was he pretending not to know, or was he holding back to seize the best timing for revenge over time?
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“Y-Yes? Me? No, I’m not?”
“Yes, you are.”
Baek Ryeo-il placed him down on the wet ground with a splash. The rain was still pouring down.
Seong Mu-yeon squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to open the closed box. He didn’t want to open it and check what was inside, whether it was alive or dead. He wanted the tightly closed box to be forgotten forever in that closed state.
Otherwise, what could he do?
He had no intention of inheriting his father’s sins. He didn’t want to take responsibility for it either. To do that, he had to stay as far away from the problem as possible.
“When you look at me……. What do you think?”
But there were also problems that could not be ignored forever.
Just thinking about living in the same space as Baek Ryeo-il with these ambiguous speculations and anxieties made Seong Mu-yeon feel like his blood was running dry.
He wanted to know what Baek Ryeo-il was thinking. Even just a little bit. Only then would he be able to prepare and be ready in advance…….
“……You’d want to kill me, right.”
Baek Ryeo-il was taken aback by the quietly added words.
“Why is everyone like this today? Why is everyone acting like they know what I’m thinking?”
Baek Ryeo-il ruffled his wet hair wildly. After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth.
“I really don’t have any thoughts. I don’t even remember when my parents passed away, and I don’t have any memories of living with my parents. I was only three or four years old at the time, so what would I know? You need memories to have longing, right? Why are other people making such a fuss?”
“…….”
That could be…… possible?
If he was three or four years old, he might not remember. Seong Mu-yeon also barely remembered anything from when he was that young.
From the time Baek Ryeo-il began to develop his ego, Ma Jin-cheon was everything to him.
“So, don’t you or Master have any strange thoughts.”
“Yes, well…….”
It was a good thing for Seong Mu-yeon.
However, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy in one corner of his heart.