Chapter 31

## Chapter 31. Here I am!

"Drunk driving?"

Pang Sae-hyuk looked up at the sky with an expression of disbelief.

As if he had just heard a boring joke.

However, Cheong-cheon only looked around the mess inside the inn with a serious face.

Cheong-cheon frowned and said to the students,

"There are clear signs of alcohol consumption. Please submit your identification badges."

Under the law, teenagers under eighteen were prohibited from drinking unless a guardian was present.

But,

"This isn't a joke... "

The students of the Blue Dragon Academy were not ordinary people but martial artists.

Children who learned to wield a sword as soon as they could walk.

It was an 'unspoken rule' that ordinary laws did not apply to martial artists.

So-called inviolability of martial artists.

"Constable, this is a matter of the martial world. It's not something the government should interfere with."

Pang Sae-hyuk stepped forward, emphasizing this point.

He subtly raised his inner energy as if to pressure Cheong-cheon, but Cheong-cheon's expression didn't change at all.

'Pang family brat. That guy is a constable who has mastered demonic arts.'

A typical constable would be intimidated by a sword-wielding martial artist of Pang Sae-hyuk's size, but that wasn't the case with Cheong-cheon.

Instead, Cheong-cheon snorted.

"A matter of the martial world... Has a criminal who has mastered demonic arts appeared here?"

"Excuse me?"

Stupidly repeating the question, Cheong-cheon coldly retorted,

"All I see are broken tables and chairs, drunk and violent teenagers, and adults who are scared for some reason. I don't see any wanted criminals. May I ask what you were doing here that you call a matter of the martial world?"

"That's not what I meant..."

"Or do you think that just by attaching the word 'martial' to it, any action you take is acceptable?"

"..."

Pang Sae-hyuk's words were cut off as he tried to defuse the situation by invoking the inviolability of martial artists.

As the successor of one of the Five Great Clans, which claimed to be righteous, he couldn't say that young people drinking and playing was a matter of the martial world.

Cheong-cheon, holding up a piece of a broken chair, said with a blank face,

"This is an inn that does business with customers. I received a report about underage drinking, but it seems there will be additional charges for obstruction of duty and property damage. There are also signs of assault. There's a lot to investigate."

Grinding his teeth, Pang Sae-hyuk asked,

"Who reported it?"

"That's something I can't... "

"Me."

I raised my hand, and Pang Sae-hyuk turned his head sharply to glare at me as if he wanted to kill me.

[Dragging in the government? Does a martial artist have no pride?]

A fierce mental message pierced my ear.

I chuckled and shrugged.

Then, I mouthed to Pang Sae-hyuk,

'What are you going to do about it?'

"!!"

Clearly understanding, Pang Sae-hyuk's shoulders trembled like an angry wild boar.

But he couldn't act recklessly anymore.

He was about to face a very difficult situation if the matter of underage drinking by martial artists became known.

"Will you come to the government office and cooperate with the investigation?"

"......It was just a small accident while we were having fun. It's nothing serious. We'll pay double for the damages. Also..."

Pang Sae-hyuk started to make excuses to defuse the situation.

He was trying to catch the weaknesses of the prospective new instructors to control them like his own subordinates in the future.

But that was only when we were among ourselves.

'If he gets investigated at the government office and today's incident becomes known... it won't end with just embarrassment.'

Honor and reputation.

Sometimes, in the righteous factions, that was everything.

Especially in prestigious families.

If he got branded as a troublemaker at the government office, it wouldn't end with just a scolding from the elders of his family.

So, Pang Sae-hyuk would definitely not want to go to the government office.

Sure enough,

"......Constable, if you consider today's incident, I will sincerely repay you in the future."

He bowed respectfully, subtly hinting that he would offer a bribe.

But who was our Cheong-cheon?

A constable who had mastered demonic arts, a ruthless and merciless person, and a clean and incorruptible civil servant.

It might seem like a contradictory description, but anyway.

"What?"

Cheong-cheon's eyebrows twitched violently. His voice became even colder.

"I think I should add charges of bribery and obstruction of duty."

"Ugh......"

With Cheong-cheon's firm stance and Pang Sae-hyuk's refusal to go to the government office,

Pang Sae-hyuk was the first to change his approach.

"I don't think everyone needs to go to the government office. Only those who caused the problem should be taken. There are no demonic arts practitioners among us, but..."

He pointed at me with his finger and said,

"This guy was drunk and did something indecent to a female student at the academy. He even assaulted other students who tried to stop him. The table broke and this chaos ensued while trying to stop the fight."

Pang Sae-hyuk turned his head to apply silent pressure to the students and prospective instructors.

"You all saw it, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes."

"Exactly as Young Master said."

The students and some of the prospective instructors agreed with Pang Sae-hyuk, and the rest nodded or lowered their heads in silent agreement.

'Tsk tsk.'

I watched this spectacle and looked at Cheong-cheon.

Of course, Cheong-cheon wouldn't believe such lies.

Even if I had really done it, Cheong-cheon would take my side.

'Stupid guy. You're just making things worse for yourself.'

I clicked my tongue and looked at Pang Sae-hyuk.

I had thought about letting it go if he admitted his mistake and apologized.

But if he kept this up, I wouldn't let it slide.

'He's trying to pin all the blame on me and get away with it... I'll refute each point.'

Just as I was about to speak,

"This is a false accusation."

Aek Yeon-ho, who had been quietly listening, stepped forward.

It was a face I had never seen before, filled with determination.

"The one who tore the skirts of the female students and hit the male students is not Su-ryong, but Pang Sae-hyuk over there! He set a trap and lured us here!"

"Ha. That's ridiculous. Why would I do such a thing?"

"To make the new instructors your puppets and control them!"

"Why would I? As the Young Master of the Northern Pang Clan, why would I be worried about my career after graduation?"

"That...!"

Aek Yeon-ho was momentarily speechless.

He was a more innocent guy than he looked and didn't think Pang Sae-hyuk would do such things just for fun.

'He shouldn't have responded like that in the first place.'

If Aek Yeon-ho reacted emotionally like this, it would look like he was making things up to a third party.

I grabbed Aek Yeon-ho's shoulder and pulled him back, saying,

"Thanks, but that's enough. I'll handle it, so you just stay quiet..."

"No. I can't keep relying on you. I'll handle this problem."

"I know your martial arts are strong, but this isn't something that can be solved with force."

"I know."

Aek Yeon-ho confidently turned his head and looked around.

'What is he planning?'

Sucking in a deep breath, Aek Yeon-ho said in a clear voice.

"What I'm saying is the truth, and I swear it on the name of the Shandong Aek Family."

"!!"

The Shandong Aek Family.

Although not traditionally one of the Five Great Clans, the current Shandong Aek Family's name is not inferior to the Northern Pang Family.

Because the family head is Changwang Aek Bi, one of the Ten Great Martial Artists.

It is said that the current influence and power of the Shandong Aek Family rival those of the Five Great Clans.

Pang Sae-hyuk's face turned pale when Aek Yeon-ho invoked his family's name.

"Are you crazy? Just for this? Do you know what it means to invoke your family's name?"

"It means putting the family's honor and history on the line."

"Even knowing that...!"

Honor and history.

Invoking one's family name meant that the entire family could go to war depending on who made the statement.

"Why? Pang Sae-hyuk, are you not confident in your words?"

"......Your words and mine carry different weight."

"You're scared. That's why you shouldn't talk recklessly."

"Aren't you afraid of family discipline? You can't be unaware of what happened to the Hyunwon Clan in the past."

"I think one life will be enough here."

"You're a stubborn brat."

"Why do you keep talking to me informally? Use respectful language, brat."

Pang Sae-hyuk and Aek Yeon-ho glared at each other, their auras clashing, as if they were about to draw their weapons.

"Anyway, martial artists..."

Cheong-cheon sighed deeply, watching the scene.

He glanced at me and sent a mental message.

[What should I do? Take them to the government office? Or settle this here and leave?]

If Cheong-cheon pretended to back down, Pang Sae-hyuk would also stop trying to control the prospective instructors and back down.

But I had no intention of letting Pang Sae-hyuk off easily.

If I didn't properly deflate his ego today, he would keep acting like this.

I mouthed to Cheong-cheon,

'Wait and see.'

[How long?]

I need to quickly advance the Reversing Heaven Art to the third level; it's frustrating not being able to send mental messages.

Taking advantage of everyone's attention on Pang Sae-hyuk and Aek Yeon-ho, I muttered quietly,

"Until Grandfather arrives."

[Grandfather?]

When I sent the waiter earlier, I didn't just inform Cheong-cheon.

Whoosh~

A cold wind, like the north wind and snow, began to blow from somewhere.

Pang Sae-hyuk and Aek Yeon-ho, who had been ready to fight, shivered.

Their heads turned in the same direction.

"What..."

"Can't be..."

Soon, other instructors and students, who were sensitive to qi, also turned their heads in the same direction.

Thud. Thud.

A steady, rhythmic footsteps, as if a storm couldn't affect them.

Snow-white hair and a deep green robe that matched it.

The old man standing at the door spoke to the constable blocking his way,

"I was invited, but... Is there something wrong inside?"

Seeing the face over the constable's shoulder,

One of the students muttered in fear,

"Y-Young Master is here..."

The inn, which had been heated up, instantly turned cold.

At the same time, I raised my hand and shouted,

"Grandfather! Here I am!"