Jjaak!
His vision flashed, and the world spun.
The slapped cheek swelled up and burned red.
More than the pain, the shock was greater.
Yun Jongseung caressed his stinging cheek and stammered.
"B-Baekri Sojeo...?"
Baek Rihyang, her arms crossed, spoke with an ice-cold expression.
"Say that again. What?"
"Th-that is, Namgung Cheon's memory hasn't fully returned... and he spent a lot of money today, so at this point, we should just stop..."
"So? You want us to go easy on that Hogu (Pushover)? Anyone would think we spent your money."
"Th-that's not it, but..."
Yun Jongseung bit his lip.
It wasn't not it. It was true that his money had been spent.
But he couldn't say that.
That he'd had all his travel money stolen by the official Yongcheongwan pushover?
He'd rather die than say that.
However, it was also a burden to keep tormenting Namgung Cheon like this.
Namgung Cheon had definitely become a completely different person. The martial prowess he had shown during the spar and on the way to the academy was not a level to be ignored.
His instincts were screaming at him.
That if he kept messing with Namgung Cheon, he'd be in for a world of hurt.
Yes, he had to stop here.
Before it became irreversible.
Yun Jongseung gulped and spoke his mind, as much as he dared.
"Namgung Cheon seems... somehow different. Still, isn't he from the Namgung Family? It doesn't hurt to be care..."
Jjaak!
Another slap flew, and Yun Jongseung staggered and fell.
Dammit!
In a flash of anger, he glared at Baek Rihyang, but he quickly lowered his gaze.
This was Baek Rihyang, a child of the Gangho Chil-dae-sega (Seven Great Families of the Jianghu). She was not someone he could treat as he pleased.
Baek Rihyang spoke in a cold voice.
"'Still the Namgung Family'? Ha! The Namgung Family of when? The very fact that the Namgung Family still lingers in a corner of the Murim is a disgrace to the Jianghu! Got it?"
"B-but, if Namgung Cheon tries to commit suicide again, it could become a problem..."
Baek Rihyang narrowed her eyes and stared at Yun Jongseung.
"Come to think of it, it seems the Hwangsan Yun Family is still walking on eggshells around the Namgung Family. Is it an unavoidable instinct, given your low-class origins? To think you'd still be licking the Namgung Family's boots."
"Sojeo! Your words are excessive!"
As the incensed Yun Jongseung shot up, Song Wongyo, who had been standing nearby, suddenly stuck out his foot.
Peo-eok!
"Keo-euk!"
Kudang-tang!
Song Wongyo glared coldly at Yun Jongseung, who was rolling on the floor.
"Who do you think you're yelling at? Are you crazy?"
"Song-hyeong...! How can you do this to me, too?"
"Who do you think you are? Ah, Namgung Cheon's servant?"
"Song-hyeong!"
"Shut up, you bastard. You think I don't know? I heard you escorted Namgung Cheon here in a luxury carriage, didn't you?"
"...!"
"Spit it out. Why are you suddenly groveling to that guy?"
"Th-that is..."
"Why? You suddenly grow a shred of pitiful sympathy? If you're not careful, that sympathy will fuck up your life, you bastard."
"That's not it! It's just..."
"Just what?"
After hesitating for a moment, Yun Jongseung let out a long sigh.
He had no confidence he could persuade them like this.
In the end, he confessed everything. What had happened in the spar when he visited the Namgung Family.
However, he didn't mention what happened on the way to the academy. He couldn't bring himself to say that his family's retainers had also been beaten by Namgung Cheon.
After hearing the gist of the situation, Song Wongyo burst out laughing as if it were absurd.
"This guy is a complete byeongshin (moron)."
"Song-hyeong! Your words are excess..."
Peo-eok!
"Keo-eok!"
"This bastard still hasn't learned his lesson. Who do you think you're yelling at? Huh?"
"B-but...!"
"You still have the energy to talk back?"
Peok! Peok! Peo-eok!
"Kkeueueuk...!"
Song Wongyo, his eyes gleaming with madness, kicked him relentlessly.
Yun Jongseung, who was being beaten one-sidedly, finally grabbed Song Wongyo's leg and begged.
"I-I was wrong. Please forgive me!"
His joints ached so much that tears streamed down his face.
"Hoo, do you understand your position now? From now on, you are not one of us. Don't you dare act like you know us. You Hogu bastard."
"Song-hyeong..."
"Shut up. From now on, you are the official Yongcheongwan Hogu. Got it?"
"Th-that..."
A look of despair crossed Yun Jongseung's face.
Song Wongyo sneered, one corner of his mouth rising.
"Namgung Cheon passed the test today, didn't he? What can you do? We already made a promise in front of the students. Now you have no choice but to take over his Hogu position."
Baek Rihyang, who was nearby, shot Yun Jongseung a pathetic look and snorted.
"Like they say, birds of a feather flock together. I guess pushovers stick together."
"...!"
As Yun Jongseung ground his teeth and glared at Baek Rihyang, Song Wongyo stepped in again.
"What are you glaring at? You still haven't learned."
Peok! Peok! Ppaak!
"Keu-aaak!"
Yun Jongseung curled into a ball and endured the one-sided beating. His entire body ached, and his barely healed leg bone began to swell again.
After letting out a long stream of kicks, Song Wongyo, huffing, said.
"You moronic bastard. Get on all fours."
As Yun Jongseung, letting out feeble groans, got on all fours, Song Wongyo grinned and looked back at Baek Rihyang.
"Sojeo, you must be tired from all this. Please, sit comfortably."
"I'll pass. I'd rather not dirty myself."
"Ah, my mistake. This is too lowly for you to sit on. Then I'll use it."
Song Wongyo plopped down onto the kneeling Yun Jongseung's back.
"Keuk...!"
Yun Jongseung grit his teeth.
It was humiliating and infuriating, but there was nothing he could do. His family's power was not as strong as theirs, nor was his own strength superior.
"But are you really just going to leave Namgung Cheon alone?"
"Of course not. We have to take care of him for good."
Song Wongyo replied, crossing his legs, and Baek Rihyang asked again.
"How?"
"This time, I plan to stomp him so he can never get up again. Today ended on a sour note, but it's not over."
"You're going to use force?"
"That's right. First, I plan to beat him to death. When he's out of energy, I'll shove about ten live earthworms down his throat and make him eat. That should restore his stamina, don't you think?"
"You're so mischievous. But using force should be a last resort. And true suffering isn't physical pain. The truly unbearable thing is tormenting... this."
Baek Rihyang pointed to her head with a long, white finger.
Song Wongyo hummed and asked.
"Do you have an idea?"
"I'll give it a try this time. I'm confident I can make it so he can't even set foot in the current Jianghu, even if he doesn't become a Great Killing Star like his father."
"You're going to get him permanently expelled from the Murim?"
"I plan to make it so not just Namgung Cheon, but the whole Namgung Family can't even lift their heads."
"Oho, I look forward to it."
"Just watch."
Baek Rihyang smiled faintly.
It was an ecstatic smile, dazzling enough to make any onlooker dizzy. But Song Wongyo knew. When she smiled like that, it meant she was thinking truly wicked thoughts.
Namgung Cheon, still half-asleep, scratched the back of his head and asked irritably.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Yun Jongseung, kneeling at his feet, forced his voice out.
"I want to know how you got strong."
"You came here in the middle of the night and caused this scene just to ask that?"
"Yes. I want to be strong, like you."
Namgung Cheon frowned slightly, then grabbed the bowing Yun Jongseung's chin and lifted it.
"You... did you get beaten?"
"Y-you don't need to know."
Yun Jongseung turned his head and replied sullenly.
"So pitiful, yet you still have pride."
"More importantly, tell me. How did you get strong?"
"Why should I?"
"P-please! I'm begging you like this!"
Yun Jongseung shouted, pressing his hands to the floor.
But Namgung Cheon was cold.
"Just suffer like hell. Get lost."
Well, it's the truth.
But Yun Jongseung did not back down.
"No! I can't leave like this!"
"Crazy bastard. Then kneel in front of my door all night."
As Namgung Cheon turned away, Yun Jongseung grabbed his pant leg and wailed.
"No! I can't! Tell me! How did you get strong! What was it? A fortunate encounter? Or an elixir? It wasn't that, was it? It was something else, right? How the hell did you get so strong overnight?"
"Let go."
"I can't! If this goes on... my life will be worse than hell! And it's all because of you! You know that? Because you suddenly started acting differently, those bastards... they..."
Namgung Cheon let out a shallow sigh.
This guy really had a talent for earning a beating.
Peo-eok!
"Keo-eok!"
Kudang-tang-tang!
Yun Jongseung was sent flying by the kick and rolled haphazardly.
Namgung Cheon walked over with a blank expression, grabbed his hair, and pulled him up.
"Worse than hell? A bastard who knows that... did those things? It's okay for me to suffer, but not you? You've got a serious character problem."
"S-sorry. I'm sorry. So... tell me. Please."
"Stop your pathetic act."
"Please... I want to be strong, like you. Otherwise, I'll become a Hogu like you were..."
Haa, it's been a while since he met someone who learns this slowly. At this point, it seemed like he enjoyed getting hit.
Peok!
Kudang-tang!
Yun Jongseung was sent flying again by Namgung Cheon's fist.
"Kkeueueuk...!"
Namgung Cheon strode over to Yun Jongseung, who couldn't even right himself.
"Since you want it so badly, I'll tell you."
"Wh-what is it?"
Namgung Cheon crouched in front of Yun Jongseung, his face like that of a death god.
"When you hit rock bottom, relationships tend to become clear. You should experience that hell for yourself. You'll definitely get stronger then."
Namgung Cheon stood up, spun around, and went back into his room.
Kwadang!
Even after the door slammed shut, Yun Jongseung couldn't bring himself to leave for a long time.
The next day.
When Namgung Cheon entered the Hoyeongak, no one bothered him.
In fact, a few students even greeted him, pretending to be friendly.
Can the atmosphere really change this much overnight?
Instead, the students were snickering while glancing at a completely different place—the seat where Yun Jongseung sat.
Yun Jongseung sat in a corner of the hall.
His face was swollen and bruised, as if he had just been beaten, and his lip was split and bleeding.
Moreover, his whole body was soaking wet, as if he'd been covered in filth, and a foul stench stung the nose.
'The 'Making of a New Hogu' has already begun.'
Kids these days are fast, anyway. Especially when it comes to adapting to bad deeds.
He scanned the students; not a single one stepped up to help Yun Jongseung.
Of course, among them were those who didn't even look his way or showed no interest, but the majority of students were participating in the "making of the pushover," showering him with criticism and ridicule.
When you look at it, the 'righteous faction' bastards always play dirtier.
They're always spouting off about justice this and justice that, but as you can see, their actions are a sight to behold.
They put a tiring amount of effort into this kind of viciousness.
Just then, Song Wongyo saw Namgung Cheon and approached with a bright smile.
"Namgung Cheon, welcome. Did you sleep well last night? By the way, it seems your Donghyang (compatriot) had an accident. The smell is awful. How about you give him a wash?"
"Why should I?"
"Huh? Well... because you're Donghyang?"
Song Wongyo stammered, looking slightly flustered.
Namgung Cheon glanced at Baek Rihyang, who was standing to the side, and smirked.
"So, you two are Donghyang. Does that mean you wash each other?"
"Wh-what are you talking about! Of course not!"
"If not, then never mind."
As Namgung Cheon replied indifferently, Song Wongyo huffed, his face bright red.
Just then, Baek Rihyang, who had been watching, approached with a refreshing smile.
"Namgung Gongja, you're amusing. Oh, and thank you for the meal yesterday. By the way, I hear you've become quite strong?"
Why is she suddenly using Jondaetmal (polite speech)?
And why is she so incoherent?
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