Chapter 9: Where Is the Dog Barking?

In front of the large and spacious auditorium that could easily accommodate a thousand people.

“So, you’re telling me to wait for Cheon Sojin to arrive? When is he coming?”

Just as I was about to open the door, a sharp woman’s voice sounded.

“Yes, but if we wait until today…”

And there was a weak woman’s voice answering the sharp one.

“What do you mean, wait? How long are you going to pretend to be kind? You’re going to abandon him anyway… aren’t you?”

“Pretend to be kind? I’m just… and I’m not abandoning him…”

“Ah… was that too direct? Then how about this? You’re planning to turn your back on him, right?”

“Let’s leave it at that.”

A soft yet elegant voice gently stopped the two of them.

“Since even the usually silent Juhwa has spoken, we should stop now, right?”

“No… I…”

I couldn’t bear to listen anymore.

There was nothing useful in what they were saying, and the situation had already been understood.

Waiting any longer would be pointless.

Bang!

I kicked the door open, and the eyes of the hundred or so people waiting inside the auditorium gathered on me.

Naturally, I raised my hand and gave a casual greeting.

“Isn’t that Cheon Sojin?”

“Should we be worried about that now?”

“That’s not the point…”

“Namgung Jin! Don’t even think about laying a hand on our members!”

“Well, instead of blindly interrogating me, how about you understand the situation first? The lady herself told me she would come to me first. Am I wrong?”

“Y-Yes… I will join Namgung Jin’s Namgungdae…”

“What…?!”

There was a flurry of activity as members were recruited and replaced throughout the room.

The two hundred eyes quickly lost interest and returned to their tasks, but there were still some eyes that remained fixed on me in surprise.

“Looks like everyone’s gathered here.”

They were all familiar faces.

Although not exactly welcome.

“Cheon Sojin… I heard you were missing, but you’re really alive. That’s a relief.”

A beautiful woman with violet hair and wearing black armor spoke to me in a calm tone.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

She walked toward me, proudly displaying her curvaceous figure.

She was Tang Xiaoying, the daughter of the renowned Tang Clan of Sichuan.

As someone who used poison and assassination techniques, she was also in charge of heavy firepower for the Jin Cheon-dae.

“Hmph.”

Without saying a word, the woman with orange hair stood next to her.

She was Shin Juhwa from the Shin family, known for using spear techniques as her main martial art.

I waved my hand, but as expected, there was no response.

“Sojin… you’re okay, right? I was worried. Really… I’m so glad the false charges have been cleared. I always believed in you! I knew you didn’t do it.”

Back then, you had no problem casting me aside, but now you’re acting like we’re close again.

Do you think you can still reclaim your position as the successor of the Jin family?

She must truly be a bat-like woman.

With skin as white as snow and hair the color of the ocean, she flaunted her appearance.

The last one was Han Seol-a, the daughter of the Han family, and his childhood friend.

“Where’s Jihee?”

“Ah… Jihee…”

Looking at her hesitating expression, I could tell without her saying a word.

“She left the Jin Cheon-dae. It’s nothing to her. She can take that kind of disadvantage.”

As expected, it was the same words I anticipated.

His former fiancée, Gu Yang Jihee.

It’s a shame I couldn’t see her right away, but since I’ll be here for a while, it doesn’t matter; I’ll see her eventually.

Taking a letter out from my pocket, I pretended to be unaware and spoke.

“So, what’s going on?”

Even though I took out the letter, no one was quick to speak.

‘What should I do?’

I didn’t expect Cheon Sojin to actually show up, but before that, there was at least a little guilt on their part.

‘But it can’t be helped.’

I had seen Cheon Sojin, but still, their resolve hadn’t changed.

Cheon Sojin was a weak, low-ranking warrior…

“What are you doing? Hurry up and speak!”

A man approached with a smirk, laughing in a frivolous manner.

Although not as much as Cheon Sojin, he was fairly good-looking.

It was Namgung Jin, the young master of the Namgung family, who had just been arguing on one side of the auditorium.

“Uh, well… it’s like this…”

“Cheon Sojin, don’t misunderstand, just listen…”

He stuttered and couldn’t say anything clearly.

He was fumbling, unable to handle his gaze, staring only at the ground and empty air.

How frustrating.

“If you have nothing to say, shut up.”

“…Huh? Huh? Cheon Sojin, wait a second…!”

“Where are you going? I’m talking to you!!”

A bewildered voice came from behind as I did something unexpected.

I immediately walked over to the instructor who was waiting in the auditorium.

His name… I can’t remember.

Doesn’t matter.

“Master, greetings.”

“Oh? Isn’t that Cheon Sojin? I heard the false charges were cleared. Glad to hear that… but what brings you here?”

“I want to disband the Jin Cheon-dae.”

“Eh?”

From behind, various voices mixed with different emotions could be heard.

The instructor seemed confused as well, making a strange expression.

“Cheon Sojin… are you serious? You know that according to the rules of Jeongdo Mu Hak Gwan, once a group is disbanded, it can’t be reinstated.”

“I understand.”

“You have both success and failure. I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, but… in the end, you can bear fruit. Acting alone is… ”

Only those who are confident in their skills would dare to do this.

In my opinion, Sojin, you’re still lacking… How about thinking it over again?

In the martial world, only the strong survive.

The only thing you can rely on is your own abilities.

It’s just that it’s not my choice,

because if I mention the possibility of coming back later, I shouldn’t say that.

Of course, I have no intention of accepting it, but it’s better to make things clear.

A person who’s been humiliated once doesn’t change their nature.

So-called betrayal is in their blood.

It means the essence of a person doesn’t change easily.

The master hesitated for a long time but finally sighed and nodded.

“Sojin, it seems you’ve made up your mind. If that’s your wish… Disbanding is also the leader’s right. I will proceed according to the rules. The members of Jin Cheon-dae are Sojin, Tang So-young, Shin Ju-ha, Han Seol-a. The four of you, please wait a moment.”

The master called his direct disciples and entered a room, starting to handle something.

“So, Sojin… What exactly do you mean? Are you out of your mind? Without Jin Cheon-dae’s achievements, you’d struggle as a mid-level warrior, wouldn’t you?”

“What are you thinking, disbanding Jin Cheon-dae? I thought you were a man with some sense…”

When I turned around, I noticed the old members and other leaders of the group had gathered.

Their faces were filled with various emotions.

Regret, surprise, shock, guilt… all those emotions were present.

“As I heard. You all can go wherever you wish.”

With a light reply as if it was bothersome, they were taken aback.

“Ah…”

Behind me, Namgung Jin laughed mockingly, clutching his stomach.

“Heh heh… What’s this? Did you know? I thought you were a simpleton, but the blood of Jin Ga can’t be fooled, huh? Self-destruct, huh? Not bad…”

Their faces were filled with confusion.

This was not the reaction they had expected from me.

If I were the obedient successor of Jin Ga,

someone who valued relationships and loyalty, they probably thought I would try to hold onto them, beg with tears, or do something to cling to them.

‘Am I crazy?’

“Sojin… That is…”

“I’m surprised you knew.”

How could I not know?

You can tell just by looking into their eyes.

“Heh… Calmly… you’re quite the xia ke, huh?”

The man sent me a sticky glance as he approached.

He was the type to provoke others over the smallest things.

“…Really distasteful. Mocking a person who has already given up, you can’t even call yourself the heir of a prestigious family.”

“Yeah, really. What’s so great about him?”

The one who appeared behind Namgung Jin was none other than the two great masters of the world’s top ten, Gwon Jeong-gyeom, a disciple of the Heat-Burning Sword, and Seon Woo-jeong, the next Plum Blossom Sword Master of the Hua Mountain Sect.

“From the start, I was disgusted to be mentioned in the same breath as this weakling. The only thing he has going for him is being born into the Jin Ga family. He’s useless. To even associate me with this idiot, one of the heirs of the eight great families… That alone pisses me off.”

“To be angry over such a thing… you really lack dignity.”

“It’s not just dignity, it’s skill too!”

They were both the leaders of the Yeolcheon and Hwacheon factions.

“…Even you guys aren’t in a position to talk.”

“Of course. There’s no need to be picky when hiring talent, any means necessary will do.”

“Isn’t it a problem that someone with no skill is in a leadership position to begin with?”

You all should wait.

It’s still time to wait.

Even if I crush them on this cheap stage,

I won’t be able to deal a serious blow.

A duel without weapons, that’s the opportunity.

“Hey, trash, can’t you hear me?”

But this is nothing.

“Where’s that little dog barking from?”

“What? What did you just say? How dare you speak to me like that?!”

Ignoring the opponent, I was instead cursed at, and he charged at me in fury.

To fall for such a cheap provocation,

He couldn’t be anything but a fool.

Namgung Jin aimed directly for my face with a punch.

As the punch came straight at me, I swiftly moved diagonally and struck his empty leg with all my might.

CRACK

THUD

“Ha, hahahaha! Namgung Jin, did that idiot just fall down from a punch from a useless noble?!”

“It’s embarrassing even to watch.”

“Eh…? How did Sojin do that?”

In front of a hundred people, Namgung Jin, who had fallen disgracefully, immediately got up and drew his sword.

His face turned red with shame.

SWOOSH

The well-sharpened blade glistened sharply.

“Th-this… you bastard!”

What did he think would change by drawing his sword?