CLS-Chapter 45

Chapter 45:

Generally, the Hebei Peng Family receives two types of evaluations.

— A heroic family that cannot stand injustice.

And…

— A family where only madmen gather, who think with their muscles instead of their heads when trouble arises.

This was precisely the Hebei Peng Family that received such polar evaluations.

Though they received extreme evaluations, if one had to choose between them, it was still a family that was evaluated rather favorably overall.

Though they occasionally acted rashly and escalated situations, their chivalrous spirit was second to none anywhere under heaven.

At least they weren’t cunning, and even when they caused trouble, most of it stemmed from good intentions, so while people might criticize them, few called them evil.

When someone from such a place spoke like this, it must surely be a grave matter.

“But how could we…”

Gok Bi-hang was troubled.

“There are people pursuing me. With my martial arts, I cannot shake off their pursuit. If you could just let me hide in the escort convoy and escape this mountain, I will surely repay you.”

Gok Bi-hang sighed.

Morally, this was something he should help with.

But the problem was that if they got entangled in this matter through some mistake, not only the escort convoy but the entire escort agency’s fate could be endangered.

That dangerous scent was wafting thick in the air.

‘What should I do?’

Gok Bi-hang pondered.

If it were just one life at stake, he would have helped without thinking, but the matter at hand was not so simple.

What troubled him most was that this affair didn’t seem easy at all. How could they help with something that even someone from the Hebei Peng Family couldn’t handle?

Yet if he refused coldly and things went wrong, it wouldn’t be strange to face retaliation from the Hebei Peng Family later. Of course, they wouldn’t retaliate openly, but from now on, it would be difficult to even set foot in Hebei territory. There would be no one in Hebei willing to deal with an escort agency that had been marked by the Hebei Peng Family.

After long deliberation, Gok Bi-hang finally seemed to make up his mind and nodded.

“I will help you.”

Peng Daoji’s face brightened.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll accept your thanks later. First, quickly hide yourself in that cargo.”

Peng Daoji bowed deeply and approached the cargo wagon that Gok Bi-hang pointed to.

“Climb up there and get into the cargo.”

“Yes.”

Peng Daoji climbed up onto the cargo as Gok Bi-hang instructed.

There, he discovered a young man with a very sullen face, sprawled on top of the cargo.

“…”

The young man was looking at Peng Daoji with an extremely displeased expression.

“Ah, greetings.”

Flustered by those hostile eyes, Peng Daoji unconsciously offered an awkward greeting.

The young man, Wei Yan-ho gave Peng Daoji an annoyed look, then closed his eyes.

“Um…”

Peng Daoji was bewildered.

He needed to hide his body in the cargo, but with Wei Yan-ho lying sprawled on top like that, he couldn’t burrow inside.

“If you could move aside a little…”

But no matter what Peng Daoji said, Wei Yan-ho remained unmoved. Peng Daoji looked at Gok Bi-hang with a pleading expression.

Then Gok Bi-hang climbed up onto the cargo wagon in panic.

“What are you doing! Move aside quickly.”

Wei Yan-ho opened his eyes.

“Why?”

“Why, you ask!”

“Why should I move aside?”

Gok Bi-hang coughed loudly.

“Just move aside for a moment. After this person hides in the cargo, you can lie down again, can’t you?”

“I don’t want to.”

“You don’t want to? Why not?”

“It’s bothersome.”

Gok Bi-hang looked at Wei Yan-ho with an incredulous expression.

What on earth was this behavior supposed to accomplish?

“There’s no time for games! Move quickly.”

“Uncle.”

“What is it! Move quickly!”

Wei Yan-ho answered with a very bothered expression.

“He doesn’t have to hide here specifically. He could cling under the wagon or disguise himself as a porter.”

Instantly, Gok Bi-hang’s face flushed with anger. Anyone could see it meant he wouldn’t move aside because it was bothersome.

But Wei Yan-ho continued speaking.

“If not that, we could just leave him and go.”

“I won’t say more. Move aside quickly.”

“I paid money to join here, you know? Though it’s not my money.”

Hearing this, Gok Bi-hang sighed deeply.

After listening to the end, it seemed it wasn’t simply because he found it bothersome. Then an explanation was needed.

‘It’s not just us here.’

Considering Wei Yan-ho, it was right not to invite danger. This was clearly Gok Bi-hang’s mistake. Acting too naturally like cargo had made him forget that there was someone who needed to be kept safe in this urgent situation.

“I understand what you mean. You also have the right to travel safely. I know our escort agency should guarantee that. If any problems arise, I’ll risk my life to protect you, so please move aside now.”

Wei Yan-ho still looked displeased, but he rolled over and moved to one corner.

“Even if something happens, I won’t help. I’m telling you in advance.”

“I understand.”

Gok Bi-hang clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Help with what? It would be fortunate if you’re not a burden.’

Gok Bi-hang untied the ropes binding the cargo tightly and removed the top items. Then, after getting Peng Daoji inside, he covered him with cargo again and tied the ropes securely.

His skills were quite good, so from the outside, one could never guess that a person had entered inside.

When the work was finished, Wei Yan-ho rolled back and sprawled on top of the cargo again.

Gok Bi-hang looked at Wei Yan-ho with a displeased expression.

‘A young man of similar age is risking his life for martial world justice, while this good-for-nothing just lies around rolling about.’

He was never someone he could view favorably normally, but with such direct comparison, he felt several times more displeased than usual.

Gok Bi-hang wanted to give him a lecture, but remembering that Wei Yan-ho had an illness, he turned his head away.

‘I must understand. He’s sick.’

Gok Bi-hang, having stopped paying attention to Wei Yan-ho, began attending to Peng Daoji.

“You absolutely must not make any sound.”

“I understand.”

A low voice flowed from inside the cargo.

Gok Bi-hang nodded and went down below the cargo wagon to resume the escort journey.

Wei Yan-ho lay sprawled on the cargo and sighed.

‘What a meddlesome person.’

Being kind was good, but people who couldn’t distinguish between their own business and others’ business and interfered rarely lived profitable lives. If he were smart, the moment he saw Peng Daoji injured, he should have looked away and gone his way.

Originally, Peng Daoji would have lost his life on this mountain, and if he was worried about the Peng family, he could have just kept his mouth shut and said he’d never seen such a person.

‘Well, I don’t dislike that sort of thing, but…’

Then, a small voice came from inside the cargo.

“How does it look outside?”

“Don’t know.”

“You don’t know? What do you mean by that?”

“I’m lying down, so I don’t know.”

“…”

Perhaps bewildered, Peng Daoji’s words were cut short.

After a long silence, Peng Daoji carefully spoke again.

“Then won’t you sit up for a moment and look around?”

“Why should I?”

Peng Daoji fell silent again.

“If you want to see something, come out and look, or stay buried there. Don’t bother people for no reason.”

Peng Daoji realized that he couldn’t communicate with the person on top of the cargo.

Moreover, he grasped that the person on the cargo definitely didn’t have good feelings toward him.

But Peng Daoji was the type of upright person who thought of his own faults first, so rather than blame Wei Yan-ho’s words and actions, he prioritized an apology.

“I’m sorry for making you face danger because of me. If this matter is resolved well, I will surely repay everyone here.”

Wei Yan-ho snorted.

“What use is repayment after you’re dead?”

“That’s…”

“Don’t you have any conscience? Putting all these people in danger. If you had any conscience, you should have pretended not to see even after seeing.”

Wei Yan-ho’s words became daggers stabbing Peng Daoji.

“I think so too. But this matter is so crucial…”

“Not crucial to the escort agency.”

Peng Daoji tried to make some excuse.

“Enough, don’t keep talking to me. I’m going to sleep.”

“…I understand.”

Wei Yan-ho closed his eyes.

For a while, the wagon rolled along without incident.

Gok Bi-hang was tense and constantly looked left and right, but nothing particularly strange happened. While the wagon was almost descending the mountain, no one appeared looking for Peng Daoji.

‘Did we get through?’

When Gok Bi-hang was feeling a little relieved, trouble struck.

Up ahead, about ten men in green clothes were standing.

Gok Bi-hang’s eyes trembled with anxiety.

“Es-Escort Leader?”

“Let’s keep going. Don’t act suspicious.”

Gok Bi-hang reassured the porter driving the wagon.

Then he whispered low.

“Whatever happens, absolutely do not make a sound.”

This was said to Peng Daoji hiding in the cargo.

As the wagon approached a little closer, the men blocking the path became clearly visible.

Green clothes with the forest character embroidered on them.

What this signified was significant.

The Green Forest Eighteen Strongholds that were said to dominate the mountains under heaven.

Even among them, this was clothing worn only by the elite.

Ordinary Green Forest bandits had free dress codes and didn’t wear such clothing.

No, more precisely, they lacked the skills to wear it.

‘Damn, it was Green Forest after all.’

He said there were pursuers, but who would have thought they’d be Green Forest? Well, if it weren’t at least Green Forest level, there would be no reason for Peng Daoji to be pursued.

If it weren’t for Peng Daoji, there would be no reason for as many as ten Green Forest elite to appear here.

And there would be no reason to block the path.

Soon, as the wagon reached them, Gok Bi-hang got off with a tense expression and cupped his hands.

“Gok Bi-hang of the Swift Dragon Escort Agency greets the heroes of Green Forest.”

Even so, the men in green clothes just glared at Gok Bi-hang without any response.

Despite Green Forest’s hostile reaction, Gok Bi-hang never lost his composure. If he panicked here, everything would be over.

“The Swift Dragon Escort Agency has maintained good relations with Green Forest. If there’s anything we can cooperate with, we’re willing to cooperate fully, so couldn’t you tell us your business?”

Then, one of the men in green spoke.

“Haven’t you seen a young man in red clothes?”

Gok Bi-hang shook his head.

“We’ve never seen such a person.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes.”

A sinister smile appeared on the green-clothed man’s lips.

“I don’t think so.”

Gok Bi-hang bit his lips tightly.

The reaction was very unfavorable.

It seemed unlikely to end well today.

But fighting these men with only those protecting the cargo would be like hitting a rock with an egg.

“I don’t know what you mean, but we really have never seen such a person. Why would I lie? The Swift Dragon Escort Agency has maintained good relations with Green Forest for a long time. Why would we, who have such relations, hide the whereabouts of someone we don’t even know and make enemies of Green Forest?”

Gok Bi-hang desperately argued.

But the man coldly opened his eyes and pointed at the top of the wagon.

There was Wei Yan-ho.