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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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The movements of the Comrade Faction were aggressive.
Whenever the Comrade Faction showed signs of crossing the line, such as trying to talk about requests or introduce intermediaries to Tang Do-gyeong, the Flower Path Faction would change the atmosphere by asking about trivial personal matters or Tang Do-gyeong’s personal history, resulting in an intense battle.
The competition between the two factions began to heat up gradually.
“And then they ran away with their tails between their legs. Hahaha.”
“Wahahahahaha!!”
“Uhahahahaha!!”
What was this situation?
Tang Do-gyeong had just told an anecdote about teaching some ruffians a lesson at a dining table, and it had turned into a reactionary competition between Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang.
“Ahahahahahaha! My sides are splitting!”
“Puhahahahahaha! What a joke!”
Outcasts belatedly joined in, bursting into laughter at the sight of the two.
It was a horrific scene of outcasts divided into two factions centered around Tang Do-gyeong, competing in laughter while eating!
They were making a fuss, stopping their meals, banging on the table, falling backward, or rolling on the floor.
“Ugh… ughh…”
And I trembled in fear watching this scene.
This is… this is…
“Background laughter, laugh tracks…”
“Senior, what did you say?”
“Aaargh! Get back, you evil spirit! Get lost, memories of my past life!”
“What’s wrong all of a sudden, are you okay, Senior?”
While Black Cat was worrying about me, Tang Do-gyeong opened his mouth subtly.
“Ha, ha. It seems I’ve struck some chord with the outcasts.”
Tang Do-gyeong, too, showed an awkward smile at the extreme reactions of the Sacheon outcasts.
Of course, he would find it strange if people suddenly started rolling on the floor and falling backward while eating.
Realizing they had crossed a line, the outcasts cleared their throats and resumed eating.
“Hehe, I guess the image of those ruffians was so vivid.”
While Jeong Sam sheepishly added a word, I signaled Black Cat.
This awkward and subtle atmosphere was the perfect time for our casual conversation to sink in.
I had felt a conscience prick about attacking someone who was once a colleague.
Still, Jeong Sam’s recent action erased even that hesitation.
His laughter, intended to score points with Tang Do-gyeong, had caused a butterfly effect that summoned my military-colored memories.
How dare you make me recall those lost two years?
You’re now sentenced to death, to death, I say.
“Senior, have you ever worked with other people before?”
“Well, yes. I’ve done many requests with my colleagues too… Sigh, I’ve had a lot of trouble because of Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang.”
In the irretrievably awkward atmosphere, Tang Do-gyeong and the outcasts of both factions, who had just been burying their heads in their rice bowls, couldn’t help but be drawn into the conversation between Black Cat and me.
Especially since Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang, who could be called the leaders of the two factions now, were mentioned, their internal energy naturally flowed to their ears.
I, too, pretended to be aware of my surroundings as I called Black Cat closer and lowered my voice.
Of course, I reduced the volume so those who had infused internal energy could hear better, but I enunciated very clearly.
“Jeong Sam, didn’t that bastard slip on dog poop while doing a request?”
Pfft, Puhpft!
Jeong Sam spat out the fried rice he was eating, and someone burst into laughter.
Black Cat moved her body closer.
Again, an unidentified fragrance invaded my nostrils, and my gaze was drawn to something changing shape due to the arm pressed close.
Wow, I can’t keep my mind straight when she gets a little closer.
My heart was racing, and my little one was trying to take over my brain again.
Still, the military-colored memories remaining in my head prevented the invasion of this wicked thing.
That laugh track I had seen while watching the military broadcast with the promotion-obsessed regimental commander…
“So who was it… Anyway, I remember it was a situation where three men were surrounding one woman, asking her to have a cup of tea. Well, it wasn’t that dangerous a situation… One martial artist was making a passionate confession, and the young lady seemed to be troubled because she wasn’t really interested… And that young lady was exceptionally beautiful.”
“Hmm. And then?”
“So Jeong Sam rushed out, saying ‘You bastards! In broad daylight, harassing a woman…’ but there was dog poop right there, wasn’t it? He slipped on the dog poop in his running posture… As he did the splits, his pants on the floor smeared with dog poop…”
“Kuhup…”
“Jeong Sam did the splits while smearing poop on his pants and fell sideways, and those three people were startled when an outcast wearing a black hat suddenly appeared, then froze with their eyes rolling as he fell down smelling of poop, and that young lady, frightened by the sudden appearance of a strange outcast, hid behind those three with a pale face… Whew, really.”
After that, I continued to unfold Jeong Sam’s stories of failure.
Jeong Sam tried to interrupt my story with a red face, clearing his throat.
Still, while all the outcasts were listening to my story and bursting into laughter, it was strictly a whispered conversation between Black Cat and me, so he had no pretext to intervene directly.
Jeong Sam’s reflexes are high.
Wasn’t he who reacted most quickly to Tang Do-gyeong’s story just now?
Of course, his judgment wasn’t as excellent as his reflexes, so incidents like this often occurred.
A typical all-or-nothing type.
I don’t think the Comrade Faction will collapse just from hearing stories like this about Jeong Sam.
But after hearing various stories, at least the fact that ‘Jeong Sam has made hasty judgments many times’ will stick in their minds.
Today’s story can serve as a speed bump before agreeing when Jeong Sam strongly asserts something.
After laying out many of Jeong Sam’s failure stories, I fled.
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Today, Tang Do-gyeong requested a one-on-one match without spectators, so we conducted the shell game in Tang Do-gyeong’s room.
“Ya brother.”
“Speak.”
“Are there factions among Sacheon outcasts too? I’m a bit worried that the conflict is intensifying because of me.”
Tang Do-gyeong had finally started watching my hands.
Even when I deliberately slowed my hands sometimes to show techniques, he only flinched briefly without shouting [Go!], which seemed to indicate that he had developed the will to learn gambling techniques.
“It’s a place where people live, how could everyone think the same? I don’t think it’s something Hero Tang needs to worry about.”
“…That’s true.”
For these past two days, I had no choice but to follow Tang Do-gyeong around and watch the nonsense of both factions all day.
Tang Do-gyeong was just a likable person.
If you remove his obsession with this match, he deserves the title of Mr. Likable.
At first, I thought he was just an open-minded idiot.
You know, the type who doesn’t care about others’ gazes and just does what he wants.
I thought he was the type who pretended to be a hero by being slightly conscious of others’ gazes.
Still, surprisingly, he had common sense and the ability to read the atmosphere as well as others.
Even at the Outcast Inn, he didn’t cause trouble except during training, showing he had tact.
I thought he was just a madman, but he turned out to be a decent member of society.
That’s why I understood even less.
He had the sensitivity to perceive that his presence was stirring up the currents in the Outcast Inn and the brains to understand it, so why was he doing this here now?
He would fully understand what kind of uproar the Tang family would cause, so why was he doing this at the Outcast Inn…
“Hero Tang. Is this Blood Jade Plaque precious to you?”
“Hmm? Well, it does have some energy… but no special meaning. I wouldn’t feel much even if I exchanged it for another treasure.”
I slowly demonstrated one technique.
It was a hand technique using blind spots in vision, a movement that could also be used quite often in secret techniques.
When I blatantly showed the technique, Tang Do-gyeong frowned.
As I gauged Tang Do-gyeong’s psychological limits, I increased my hand speed again.
Tang Do-gyeong’s expression returned to normal.
If the Blood Jade Plaque wasn’t that precious, why was Tang Do-gyeong going this far to oppose the Tang family?
Tang Do-gyeong’s behavior was too rational to be seen as a simple obsession with victory.
“I have something I want to ask.”
This time, Tang Do-gyeong asked a question.
“What’s your reason for wanting to return the Blood Jade Plaque to me? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for Ya brother if I never won this match?”
What is this guy talking about?
I just wish he would take the Blood Jade Plaque and disappear.
I still hadn’t even caught a clue about breaking through my realm.
It hadn’t even been a week since I joined hands with Black Cat.
Is the Central Plains martial world that vast?
It’s normal for even basic inquiries to take several months, so it was too short to criticize for not producing results.
The problem was that in this short time, things were happening as if caught in a storm.
“I just wanted to stop the fight there. And since I stopped the fight, I should return the collateral.”
“…I see.”
“I’ll just return it, so will you take it and leave?”
“Hahahahaha! Do I look like that to you, Tang Do-gyeong?”
I tried probing just in case, but it didn’t work.
It seemed like it might work because the atmosphere was good, but it was far from it.
I laughed along with Tang Do-gyeong, who was inwardly smacking his lips and bursting into laughter as if he had heard a sensible joke.
“[Tang Do-gyeooong!]”
And that was my last conversation with Tang Do-gyeong.
A Six Harmonies Divine Voice filled with deep anger echoed through the Outcast Inn.
Much earlier than I had expected, the Tang family’s masters had arrived.
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