Chapter 14:

Chapter 14:

Rather Good (1)

Mu-jin had shared a spiritual connection with Beob Gang, but today’s Beob Gang was different.

“What is going on here? You need to explain it to me in a way that I can understand.”

He was no longer acting as the opponent of Mu-jin but had returned to his original role as the self-proclaimed guardian of the martial law.

Noticing that a casual excuse wouldn’t work, Mu-jin immediately approached the crying Mu-gyeong and stripped off his clothes.

“What are you doing?”

Even Beob Gang, who was wearing a stern expression, was taken aback by the action and shouted in alarm, but Mu-jin was confident.

“Look at Mu-gyeong’s body, Master Uncle Beob Gang.”

Mu-gyeong continued to cry even after his clothes were removed. Beob Gang’s brows furrowed as he carefully examined Mu-gyeong’s body.

As a second-class disciple of Shaolin and a warrior in the martial world, he could easily tell that the scars and bruises on the body were the results of someone’s violence.

And they weren’t fresh wounds, but scars that had been there for quite some time.

“What has happened here?”

“The ones lying on the ground are the ones who have been tormenting Mu-gyeong for the past two months.”

“Are your words true?”

Beob Gang looked sternly at the novice disciples seated around the area.

His formidable presence made even Mu-gung shrink back, and two novice monks who had already been crying burst into even louder sobs, “Huuuuaaaahhh!”

The only ones not intimidated by Beob Gang’s presence were the confident Mu-jin and the indifferent Mu-yul.

Due to the outcry of Beob Gang and the weeping of the novice monks, other second-class disciples began to appear behind Beob Gang.

However, Beob Gang, as if uninterested in the second-class disciples who appeared behind him, continued to shout with a stern face and an intimidating aura.

“Why does no one answer! Mu-hwi, Mu-hwan! Did you truly torment Mu-gyeong?”

Beob Gang questioned the other two, excluding the beaten and unconscious Mu-tae, but they were only pressed by his presence and burst into even louder cries.

At that, Beob Gang turned his head towards Mu-gyeong and asked in a stern voice.

“Mu-gyeong! You must confess the truth! Have those two truly been tormenting you for the past two months?”

Naturally, Mu-gyeong also shrank back at Beob Gang’s fierce presence.

“It’s okay. Just tell it as it is. Master Uncle Beob Gang is a fair person.”

Encouraged by Mu-jin’s words as he stroked his head, Mu-gyeong gradually stopped crying.

“Hic. Mu-jin is right. I, I have been hit by Mu-tae and Mu-hwi, Mu-hwan over the past two months.”

Mu-gyeong, who had been crying violently, began to recount his experiences in a trembling voice.

Although the story was disjointed due to the emotional state of the young child, the core of the tale was clearly conveyed to Beob Gang.

“If, if I resisted. They, they said they would harass, harass my father.”

As Mu-gyeong finished his explanation, a moment of silence fell over the area.

And Mu-jin’s voice pierced through the stillness.

“I stepped in because they were planning to call out Mu-gyeong and beat him again today. Master Uncle Beob Gang, you said that Shaolin never abandons its disciples under any circumstances. I thought it was necessary to protect Mu-gyeong, as he is also a disciple of Shaolin.”

With his confident proclamation, Beob Gang looked at Mu-jin as if engaging in a battle of wills.

“However, those children are also disciples of Shaolin.”

“Are you saying that those who threaten a child over his father’s livelihood are disciples of Shaolin? Is that truly the spirit of Shaolin?”

“......”

Speechless at Mu-jin’s outburst, Beob Gang closed his mouth.

“That’s right. Your words are just.”

Parting the crowd of second-class disciples, an old monk revealed himself.

It was Hyun-seong, the Ban-dangju of the Arhat Faction, overseeing the entire faction.

“However, that is only if your and Mu-gyeong’s words are true. And whether those words are indeed true will be determined by an investigation that will commence now. If your words are found to be correct, those children will no longer be disciples of Shaolin.”

“Disciple. I have no doubt that a just and fair investigation will be conducted.”

Upon hearing Hyun-seong’s words, Mu-jin spoke up with a sense of responsibility, and Hyun-seong continued with a stern expression.

“However, even if those children are no longer Shaolin disciples, it does not erase all their sins. The essence of Shaolin martial arts lies in subduing, not in excessive violence, especially not against mere children.”

As Hyun-seong pointed at the beaten and fallen Mu-tae, Mu-gyeong tried to stand up and speak.

Or, he would have, if it weren’t for the figure who stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

“I apologize. Rage got the better of me because of those who tormented Mu-gyeong, and I failed to control my emotions.”

The owner of that back was none other than Mu-jin.

“Mu, Mu-jin?”

Mu-gyeong called out to him with a perplexed expression, but Mu-jin, while still looking at Hyun-seong, only waved his hand slightly backward.

It was a gesture implying not to worry.

‘It’s my fault that it has come to this, after all.’

He hadn’t expected things to turn out like this, but he knew he shared in the responsibility. However, he hadn’t stepped forward solely because of that sense of responsibility.

‘Above all, I can’t just let that guy become a blood successor.’

If he were to betray (?) Mu-gyeong again at this moment and shift the blame, there’s a chance that Mu-gyeong, disappointed by that act, could become a blood successor in the future.

‘Although it’s unlikely this child would do such a thing...’

Even as Beob Gang thought this, he continued to watch Mu-jin with a steady gaze for a long time.

Even though Beob Gang was fond of the child called Mu-jin, the law was still the law. Just in case, he watched Mu-jin’s back with vigilant eyes.

Mu-jin stood straight, his gaze fixed on the wall in a disciplined posture.

He observed Mu-jin’s back for quite some time.

As night fell, complete darkness enveloped the cave where they had arrived in the evening.

‘Indeed...’

Throughout the period known as ‘this moment,’ Mu-jin was immovable. He simply continued to look silently at the wall.

Since his back and neck were also straight, it was clear he wasn’t asleep.

‘Such focus and mindset at the mere age of twelve.’

Beob Gang slightly nodded in approval, impressed even by Mu-jin’s attitude toward receiving punishment.

And as for Mu-jin, who was already in the midst of his wall-facing meditation at this moment.

‘Ha. I wondered, but it seems [Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk] shares the same universe after all.’

Rather than meditating, he was busy contemplating the future based on the events of the day.

The previous works by Ga-gyeong, [Record of the Demon Sovereign’s Return] and [Legend of the Evil Emperor], shared the same universe—a Ga-gyeong Universe.

Furthermore, not only did these works share the same universe, but the periods of activity for both protagonists also overlapped. They barely encountered each other simply because they operated in different regions.

The first part dealt with the protagonist’s activities mainly outside the Central Plains as he strived to become the leader of the Demon Sect, while the second part focused on the protagonist’s activities within the Central Plains as it was about the evil sects.

Especially towards the end of the second part, [Legend of the Evil Emperor], which Mu-jin liked the most, a character named ‘Saint Monk’ appeared, so he couldn’t help but wonder.

One might think, since it’s the same universe as the two novels, why not just sweep up all the fortuitous encounters?

But there was one significant problem.

The protagonists of the first and second parts were not enemies of the Saint Monk.

‘I can’t interfere with the growth of the protagonists from the first and second parts... The problem is, I can’t remember any fortuitous encounters other than the ones they received.’

These were novels he had read during his school days, and it had been seventeen years. He could only remember the general plot; the finer details were hazy at best.

And even if he could remember, taking away the protagonists’ destined encounters wasn’t an option. If the protagonists didn’t become strong enough for their respective times and died prematurely, it would be a complete disaster.

In fact, the reason why Mu-jin was determined to stay at Shaolin lay here.

To not interfere with the paths of the protagonists from the first and second parts. And for his safe growth.

Frankly, even if he was aware of the fortuitous encounters, it wasn’t a world where a mere twelve-year-old could wander around at will. This world within the martial arts novels was unforgiving.

In that sense, staying and enduring within Shaolin might have been the best choice.

‘Because I’ve taken care of a blood successor.’

The protagonist of the first part was the most talented within the universe, and it was Mu-gyeong, the blood successor, who had fought closely with such a protagonist.

‘Wait a minute. Does this mean I’ve stolen his destiny?’

The protagonist of the first part gains enlightenment and becomes stronger at the climax of his fight with the blood successor. And now that the blood successor has disappeared, that enlightenment could be considered gone as well.

‘Ha. This is complicated.’

With these thoughts, Mu-jin concentrated as hard as he could.

And Beob Gang, unaware of such facts, simply looked on at Mu-jin with a proud expression.

About an hour had passed when...

‘Oh! That could work?’

Mu-jin came up with a decent idea and tried to firmly imprint it in his mind by going over it several times.

The method he thought of involved a time when the blood successor and the protagonist of the first part would meet—meaning it could only be used at least ten years from now.

After secretly watching Mu-jin for over an hour, Beob Gang carefully turned away as the time passed from ‘mi-shi’ (9-11 PM) towards ‘ja-shi.’ (11PM to 1AM)

Having observed Mu-jin for almost an hour and a half and seeing that he had not moved at all, Beob Gang felt further surveillance was unnecessary.

Certainly, stepping back was only a temporary measure. He planned to return the next dawn, and thereafter, he intended to periodically check in under the pretext of secretly bringing water and wall-nut pills.

Using the stepping technique to minimize noise, Beob Gang retreated.

“Phew. He’s finally gone.”

Once Beob Gang’s presence had completely disappeared, Mu-jin let out a sigh and muttered to himself.

Mu-jin had seven years of experience rolling with the special forces, and during those years, he had gone on several secret missions.

He had honed his ability to sense the presence of others in the mountains.

Of course, if Beob Gang had used an ear-listening technique or a method to blend in with nature, Mu-jin wouldn’t have known, but Beob Gang, who had considered Mu-jin no more than an ordinary novice, hadn’t gone to such lengths to conceal his presence.

Ultimately, this could be considered a mistake on Beob Gang’s part.

Thud.

Having confirmed Beob Gang’s departure, Mu-jin flopped down on the ground and grumbled.

“How am I supposed to pass the time for seven days and nights? I’d exercise, but there’s no beans or mushrooms for protein.”

It was already unsatisfactory to substitute meat with beans and mushrooms, and now he couldn’t even eat those.

“Sigh. I need meat. I need meat.”

After a moment of muttering to soothe his craving, Mu-jin suddenly sprang to his feet with a realization.

“Why don’t I just hunt and eat?”