Chapter 1481: Why Are You Suddenly Here? (Part 1)

"Sasuk."

"...Don't talk to me."

"No, it's not that, Sasuk."

"...Speak clearly or stay silent."

In the end, Yoon Jong gave up on what he was about to say and lowered his head.

'Does he hate it that much?'

Baek Cheon's every movement was stiff. He could sense he was reluctant to the touch of Southern Edge's fabric. Even if you made clothes out of disgusting bugs, you wouldn't get that kind of reaction.

"I... why did I..."

Everyone looked at the despairing Baek Cheon with sympathetic eyes.

Still, he hadn't had to suffer humiliation like that for a while...

"No, but seriously, now that I see it like this, it's really amazing. His father wouldn't recognize him at this point. How can brothers look so alike?"

"...Just a change in expression and clothes can make a person so unfortunate."

"Every time we said we were unfortunate, he sympathized. But if he set your mind to it, he could become so unfortunate. He endured a lot." 

"...Mumbling fool."

Baek Cheon glared fiercely with bloodshot eyes. Everyone subtly avoided eye contact.

But amid all this, one person, despite the tense atmosphere, couldn't help but speak up.

"But Sasuk, I'm really curious. Are you upset because you're impersonating Southern Edge, or is it because you're impersonating your brother... Oops!"

With a strong blow to the side, Jo Gol twisted his body like an squid on fire.

"...You'll get a beating, a beating!"

Tang Soso scolded while combing her hair with her hand. Why did that matter right now?

"No..."

"Hush. Someone is coming."

In an instant, everyone's faces tensed. One of the passersby spotted them and approached, looking surprised.

"Oh! Aren't you the Southern Edge's Jin Daehyeop?" ['Daehyeop' = polite address]

The Five Swords swallowed dry saliva and looked at Baek Cheon. Meanwhile, Tang Soso reached out her hand at the speed of light and straightened Hye Yeon's slightly crooked wig.

"Do you remember me? We met once in Shaanxi. We even had a meal together."

'This is bad.'

'We're fucked.'

'I told you guys this wouldn't work, you bastards.'

Cold sweat streamed down everyone's faces. Even Chong Myung, who had insisted all this, shed sweat with a defeated expression.

However, Baek Cheon remained calm, casually glancing at the approaching figure.

"Hmm."

After briefly inspecting the person from top to bottom, he calmly opened his mouth. However, the person he addressed wasn't the person who approached but someone in his group.

"Yoon Pyeong."

"..."

"Yoon Pyeong!"

"Yes? Uh... yes, Sasuk!"

Yoon Jong answered quickly, lowering his head deeply.

"Observe well. Such rudeness is easy to commit in Kangho."

"My apologies, Sasuk. It's hard for a foolish person like me to understand Sasuk's teachings. Please blame my foolishness."

With slightly narrowed eyes, Baek Cheon, who had glanced at Yoon Jong, spoke with an emotionless voice.

"Whether you have a relationship or not, when speaking to someone in Kangho, you should first reveal your identity and status. Otherwise, it becomes a great rudeness. Remember that. If a disciple of Southern Edge makes such a mistake, I will not forgive it."

"Uh, I'll keep that in mind."

Just as Yoon Jong was about to react more, the person who approached opened his mouth first with a pale face.

"Haha, I am Goilsan of the Pear Flower Sect in Henan! A few years ago, I met you with the Sect Leader of the Pear Flower Sect in Shaanxi. We even had a meal together. I apologize for my rudeness. I'm sorry, Daehyeop."

"No need to apologize."

Eventually, Baek Cheon smiled gently. It was a smile that seemed soft, but it was the kind of smile that made the viewer's stomach twist slightly.

"What I said was just the courtesy that a disciple of Southern Edge should observe. There's no reason to request the same courtesy from someone of a different sect."

"..."

"Unfortunately, since so much time has passed, please understand that I do not remember you. If you were the Pear Flower Sect Leader, I would remember, but..."

"Well, yes. I was also present at that time. The appearance of the Daehyeop was so impressive that I'm delighted to see you again in a place like this..."

"I'm also pleased to see you again."

Baek Cheon cut off the person's words and looked at Goilsan with an indifferent gaze.

"I'll do my best to welcome you next time. Goodbye."

"Um... I wish you good fortune."

Guoilsan bowed so deeply it was as if he were groveling, and distanced himself as his butt was on fire.

Astonished exclamations mixed with awe burst from the onlookers who were staring blankly at the scene.

"Amazing..."

"What on earth did I just witness?"

"...Perfect."

Jo Gol shivered, whispering.

"Sa, Sasuk. You haven't even conducted research, how did this happen so suddenly? It's truly unfortunate that perfection is so identical."

Baek Cheon looked up at the distant sky with a bitter expression.

"I've seen it millions of times."

"Oh..."

It must have been tough. Well, that's probably why he ran away.

A little later, when Baek Cheon turned into an alley and confirmed no one was around, he grabbed his clothes with both hands.

"Hehey!"

"Don't tear that!"

"Whoa. Sasuk, endure a little more. Yes, good. Good."

"Sago...Don't overdo it with the sweets."

"...Really?"

Yoo Iseol, who had been offering sweets, discreetly withdrew her hand. Tears welled up in Baek Cheon's eyes.

Why did I...?

"Sasuk. But the person from earlier really seemed to have a good relationship with Southern Edge. Is it okay to treat him like that? Clearly, it might cause negative feelings..."

"What do I care? Geumryong will eat take the blame."

...At Baek Cheon's indifferent reply, everyone nodded with relieved faces. Indeed, this person wasn't normal either.

"See! I told you they wouldn't even suspect!"

Baek Cheon raised his bloodshot eyes at the triumphant tone and an evidently proud expression. His gaze, filled with resentment, turned towards Chung Myung, who was grinning.

"This...fucker."

"Hehehehe."

In his heart, Baek Cheon wished he could rush over and forcefully shove the cursed clothes into that damn bastard's face. [not sure?] But doing so would bring shame not to him but to Mount Hua, so he had to endure.

"This... is this something a person does?"

"Why are you so upset? It used to be the clothes you wore every day."

"Chung Myung, stop it. Sasuk might explode at this rate."

He was indeed inflating a bit.

"More importantly, are we really going the right way now?"

"Just a moment."

Chung Myung lightly tapped his chest. In response, a small bundle of white fur peeked out. His black eyes blinked blankly, as if he had dozed off for a moment.

"Hey, which way?"

When Chung Myung asked, Baek-Ah craned his head and quickly wrinkled his nose.

Kiii!

Then he stretched out his paw and pointed towards the northeast.

"That way."

"It's a bit far from the headquarters."

"Hurry. Honestly, just wearing this outfit makes me feel like my stomach is unraveling."

"Yes. Let's go, Sasuk."

"...Wait a moment, Sijus. My head keeps spinning. How can I..."

"Please don't sweat. Your head keeps sweating, making the wig slip off, right?"

"How can I not sweat in this situation?"

"Put a towel inside."

"But then it becomes bulky and awkward. Isn't it weird if only my head is swollen?"

Hye Yeon complained with closed eyes.

What crime did I commit to deserve this punishment? Life is repentance, life is...

"Someone is coming from behind. Let's go quickly."

"Yes."

The group resumed walking, portraying convincing Southern Edge disciples. Passerbys looked at them without a hint of suspicion, instead sending admiring glances.

Yoon Jong, unable to comprehend the situation, spoke up.

"But, Chung Myung."

"Yeah?"

"How on earth is this working?"

"What do you mean?"

"No, no matter how amateurish this is, it's unbelievable that no one suspects... especially in Kaifeng."

"That's obvious nonsense."

Chung Myung chuckled.

"There are certainly people who suspect. But if they do, what can they do themselves?"

"... What kind of strange talk is that? If there's suspicion, they'll investigate."

"To whom?"

"Well..."

Yoon Jong tried to say something but closed his mouth. He understood now.

"If someone suspiciously checked because they doubted him, what would happen if Dong Ryong is really Geumryong? Would that crazy guy, with his personality, just let someone who doubted him go?"

"..."

"Moreover, Geumryong is the next head of the the Southern Edge Sect. In the midst of rumors circulating that the position of the head is about to change, would someone dare offend Geumryong? But if some big guy comes and asks, 'Are you really Jin Geumryong?' What about that? Those guys are already buried under the bridge."

"Ah..."

Everyone nodded in agreement. But suspicion didn't completely disappear.

"Are they just going to let it go?"

"They can't just let it go. It's impossible. Messages are already flying wildly. How much will that lunatic react when he finds out about this? They're going to confirm if Geumryong is really here."

"That, is that so?"

"But!"

Chung Myung smirked with a sinister smile.

"By the time that's confirmed, we won't be here."

Everyone sighed in admiration simultaneously. Oh, except Baek Cheon.

"Wow..."

"It's amazing."

Showered with praise, Cheong Myung stuck out his stomach with pride.

"This is the perfect crime, the perfect crime."

"Your cleverness is really working."

"It's not my cleverness, but that face that made this plan possible. Hey, even if you look at it again, it's too similar. It gives me chills."

"Shut up."

Whether he protested or not, Chung Myung just watched Baek Cheon proudly while muttering.

"Anyway, there may be those who suspect us when they see us, but there won't be anyone taking action. So, act casually. Haha. Just thinking about how Geumryong will react when he finds out about this, I already feel the accumulated frustration of ten years dissipating. Hehehe!"

With truly devilish reactions, Chung Myung moved forward. Everyone clicked their tongues and followed suit.

"Okay. Anyway, well...it's all good as long as we don't get caught."

"We need to finish quickly and leave, Sasuk. What a disgrace it would be if we got caught?"

"I am prepared to bite my tongue and die on the spot."

It was the moment when the disciples of Mount Hua exchanged jokes while turning the corner.

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

"Uh...?"

The disciples of Mount Hua stopped in their tracks as if they had encountered something extraordinary.

What they faced was a group of beggars who were clearly different from ordinary beggars.

Of course, this wasn't a big deal. It was natural for a group of martial artist beggars to flock around Kaifeng.

The problem was not the beggar group, but the one person who was with that group.

"Uh..."

A pure white robe with cloud patterns engraved on it.

A clean head, adorned with a silver cloud-patterned crown and white hair ties hanging forward. And large, startled eyes.

It was a very familiar sight to the disciples of Mount Hua. Everyone froze as if they had been hit by cold water when he stood in front of Baek Cheon and blinked his eyes.

"S... Sahyung? Uh?"

At that moment, from Chung Myung's mouth, which had been frozen like a wooden statue, a voice of genuine surprise came out.

"Lee...Song...Baek."

"..."

Haha. Ha ha ha ha...

Why are you suddenly here?

I'm going crazy, really...