Chapter 66. Dang Dang

Tae-mi, who had been approaching from a distance, suddenly stopped.

She had said she would make a grand entrance, but Socheon-gae was so welcoming that Tae-mi's pupils couldn't focus and kept shaking.

“Dang Dang!”

“Dang Dang Dang?”

“Dang Dang?”

“Dang Dang Dang Dang!”

It seemed Tae-mi and Socheon-gae were having a conversation, which made Jinjeokja's brow furrow in seriousness.

“What are you two doing?”

“Junior, do you understand what he’s saying?”

“I don’t think so….”

No matter what, the bold and unreserved Cheongongdan wouldn’t refuse a visitor.

“Hey, have you eaten? Come over here. Let’s eat together.”

“Yeah, stop being so dang dang and come over here!”

“Did you come alone?”

Socheon-gae ran over and dragged the awkwardly standing Tae-mi.

Caught up in the atmosphere, Tae-mi joined the group and sat down, holding chopsticks in her hand. She looked down at her own hand in a daze, thinking, “I didn’t come here for this,” which was clearly reflected in her eyes.

“Brother Dang Dang, how old are you?”

“Dang Dang!”

Tae-mi extended one finger and was about to extend another, but then frowned, thinking it was wrong.

Jinjeokja and the others from Cheongongdan burst into laughter.

“This kid has some spirit.”

“Dang Dang, can’t you speak at all?”

“Why don’t you try some meat? It’s top-notch.”

“But why did you come here?”

Tae-mi gestured and made a “dang dang” sound.

It was sign language.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Does anyone know sign language?”

“I don’t know sign language, but I can do some finger techniques. It’s a shame.”

Frustrated, Tae-mi kept making “dang dang” sounds and then wrote on the ground.

[Where’s your leader?]

The Cheongongdan members, who had been looking at what she wrote, burst into laughter again.

“Wow, you’re really scary. Why, are you going to kill us?”

“Hey, just eat your food.”

“Our leader is busy.”

“Dang Dang Dang Dang!”

Tae-mi, clearly frustrated, kept making “dang dang” sounds and then quickly wrote on the ground again.

[Where is he?]

“Brother, just eat your meat and stop this nonsense.”

“Yeah, we’re all fellow martial artists. Why do this?”

[Shut up. Do you want to die in my hands?]

The atmosphere suddenly changed.

Hangmasamhyeong tilted his head to the left.

Cheongongdan had already had enough of this.

“Are you going to keep making those sounds?”

“Can’t you breathe properly?”

Musan Twin Heroes spread a fierce aura.

“Laugh, you brat! Before I kill you.”

“Dang Dang Dang!”

Reacting to the aura, Tae-mi glared at Musan Twin Heroes.

“Not going to back down?”

“Dang!”

Tae-mi’s attitude became challenging, as if saying, “What are you going to do about it?” At the same time, a sharp aura rose from her entire body.

The atmosphere became hostile in an instant.

Finally,

Musan Twin Heroes raised their hands, increasing their aura. At the same time, Tae-mi’s hand gripped the crescent moon saber.

In the martial world, the boundary between life and death can come suddenly.

At the critical moment,

“Stop!”

Tae-mi, who had half-drawn the crescent moon saber, stopped and turned around. Musan Twin Heroes also turned their eyes in surprise. The leader stood at the door.

‘Brother?’

‘What is it?’

Musan Twin Heroes’ eyes had narrowed.

They were puzzled, not because they were annoyed by the leader’s sudden appearance and command to stop.

That was understandable. It was fine.

They were already his brothers.

What surprised them was that they hadn’t even thought of stopping.

But somehow, their aura was disrupted and momentarily scattered by their brother’s voice.

Even if they had wanted to ignore it, they couldn’t deny that it had affected them. Even a momentary lapse in focus can be a long time in a confrontation between experts.

A level of mastery that was not easily seen.

- Is it sound technique?

- Can’t be...

- But if not, then what?

Looking at the others, they seemed to have no clue.

Tae-mi was the same.

This meant that the sound waves were not radiated but focused on a single point, specifically on them.

‘What... this person...’

Hugong looked at the Twin Heroes with a blank expression.

Seeing their puzzled looks, he didn’t intend to explain the sound technique in detail.

He didn’t have a hobby of playing instruments, but sound techniques don’t necessarily require instruments.

It’s about the flow of energy and how to ride or disrupt that flow.

Hugong approached.

“Calm down. How can someone of your caliber, like the Twin Heroes, engage in a scuffle with a junior martial artist?”

Hugong joined the group, swallowing the words “these brats” in his mind.

By subtly boosting their dignity, Musan Twin Heroes put aside their doubts and looked embarrassed.

“Brother, it’s not like that. Dang Dang was being clueless and trying to do something to you, so I lost my cool for a moment. But I didn’t intend to kill him.”

“Yeah, don’t blame the leader too much. Dang Dang clearly did something wrong.”

“Right! Dang Dang’s courage for coming alone is impressive, but he went too far.”

Jinjeokja and Socheon-gae defended him.

Hugong, of course, knew.

To survive in the martial world, one must act prudently. If Tae-mi had encountered Hangma or Musan in a different place and situation, he would already be dead.

“Hmm, all is well, but why do you keep calling him Dang Dang instead of his real name? From now on, call him Tae-mi.”

“Oh! So his name is Tae-mi. But how did the leader know Dang Dang... I mean, Tae-mi’s name?”

Jinjeokja tilted his head in confusion. The others also found it strange and looked at him with questions. Even Tae-mi looked at him, saying, “Dang Dang?”

‘Damn...’

Hugong inwardly sighed. Pointing out that calling him Dang Dang was annoying had only made things more awkward.

“Ahem, I asked the branch leader.”

Cheongongdan’s brow furrowed even more.

They had eavesdropped on the conversation with the branch leader the night before, not missing a single word.

“You never asked, did you?”

“By secret message.”

“Oh!”

Cheongongdan finally relaxed, saying, “That’s it.” Tae-mi also nodded in agreement.

“...”

Hugong was taken aback by their quick acceptance.

He knew these guys were simple, but to this extent?

And Tae-mi, acting like a member of Cheongongdan, was nodding in agreement.

At that moment, Songhua, happy to see the leader, started grilling the meat again.

Hugong looked at Tae-mi intently.

Feeling his gaze, Tae-mi looked up, and their eyes met.

Hugong couldn’t help but smile.

He remembered the first time he met Tae-mi when the child was three or four years old, riding on his older brother Tae-ya’s back, with a pressed cheek and teary eyes, making “dang dang” sounds.

Tae-ya was also impressive.

At just eight years old, he carried his younger brother without showing any signs of fatigue.

It had been about fifteen years since then.

Tae-mi, now in his early twenties, stood before him.

Seeing the kid grow into a young man similar to himself was both strange and deeply moving.

“Dang Dang?”

Tae-mi frowned at his gaze.

Hugong made a sign language gesture.

[I’m sorry for yesterday. I spoke too harshly.]

He had been practicing sign language whenever he had the chance.

It was to keep the promise he made to the children, including Tae-dae.

The promise had three parts:

First, to engage in a friendly match when they visited the sect.

Second, to give them a gift when they met again.

Third, to learn sign language for Tae-mi.

The conditions were that they must not get hurt, not lose any of their group, and master the martial arts of Cheonjam to the best of their ability. They were to visit the sect together when they were confident in their skills.

Before leaving,

Tae-dae, biting his lip to hold back tears, was vivid in his mind.

And the twins Tae-il, Tae-i, Tae-sam, and Tae-mi, who was blinking on Tae-ya’s back.

“...?”

Tae-mi’s eyes widened.

Tae-mi was surprised not only by the apology but also by the fact that the scholar from Cheonhwa Library knew sign language.

The same was true for Cheongongdan.

“Brother, you know sign language?”

“Leader, isn’t that a bit much? Even a genius should have limits.”

“Brother, what did you do as a kid? You should have had fun. What kind of life did you lead?”

“Brother, you even learned sign language. When did you have time for that?”

[How did you learn sign language?]

Tae-mi made “dang dang” sounds and gestured.

His expression was already bright. It was natural. Tae-mi felt a sense of affinity just knowing that the person could use sign language. His original intention to do whatever it took had vanished in an instant.

Hugong replied.

[I had a favorite kid who couldn’t speak. I promised to learn sign language if we met again.]

[Ha ha, really? That’s pretty cool.]

[Cool? You could see it that way. But more importantly, I think that kid will grow up to be as impressive as you.]

[Wow, that’s really interesting.]

[What?]

[It’s similar. Hugong made a similar promise when I was a kid.]

[Oh, that’s impressive.]

[Yeah, that’s why we’re doing this.]

Hugong smiled.

[Your story is amazing. It’s a great achievement. It’s not something you decide to do easily.]

[It’s easy for us.]

[Maybe Hugong is still alive.]

[What do you mean?]

Tae-mi’s eyes widened.

[Because you remember him.]

[Ah, I see.]

In our hearts, right? Tae-mi looked up at the sky.

His eyes deepened, lost in old memories.

He then lowered his head and made a gesture.

[I’ve heard that too.]

[What have you heard?]

[About Hugong.]

[What about him?]

[We can’t get hurt or lose anyone. That’s why the eldest brother stepped back.]

[What happens if we get hurt or lose someone?]

[It’s a big deal. It’s a promise, but Hugong told our master. He said he would kill the master.]

[He... he did?]

Hugong’s gestures became slightly disordered.

It seemed that way, but it also seemed like he had done it. He felt a bit guilty towards Cheonjamnok, as the kid had always followed orders without complaint.

[Honestly... I still can’t believe Hugong left.]

[You don’t have to believe it.]

[Ha ha, what do you mean?]

Hugong also smiled.

[You said Cheonhwa Library?]

[Yeah.]

Tae-mi pointed at Hugong and gently touched his own heart.

[You’re in my heart.]

[You didn’t come to kill me, did you?]

[My mind changed just now.]

[That’s very pleasing to hear.]

[Ha ha ha ha!]

The Cheongongdan members, who had been watching from the side, were now expressionless.

No one was immune.

What was this warm and friendly atmosphere? Tae-mi even burst into laughter a few times, making it seem like they were old friends meeting again.

The leader was a good person, as they had come to realize over time, but Tae-mi didn’t seem to remember the harsh words Cheongongdan had once spewed at the Cheonjam Six.