CLS-Chapter 202

Chapter 202

Wei Yan-ho looked at Peng Daoji’s disheveled appearance as he rushed in front of the group and spoke.

“What is this strange sense of déjà vu?”

Wei Yan-ho’s brow furrowed involuntarily.

No matter how he looked at it, that human before his eyes seemed to be that water ghost.

“Am I dreaming, or have I returned to the past?”

“Do you know him?”

At Jin Ye-ran’s words, Wei Yan-ho turned to look at her and muttered.

“Seeing that the people around me are different, it doesn’t seem like I’ve returned to the past.”

Then there was only one conclusion.

That water ghost definitely had a hobby of appearing before people in such a disheveled state. And he probably also had the obvious hobby of bringing along a bunch of enemies to screw over other people.

Wei Yan-ho sighed as he anticipated what would unfold, but Seok Muncho, who had no way of knowing such circumstances, was tilting his head while looking at the suddenly appeared Peng Daoji.

“What brings you here? You should be heading to Mount Hua, so why are you coming this way?”

“Huh? Mount Hua?”

Peng Daoji tilted his head as if he had no idea what he meant.

“Weren’t you at the main house?”

“I was in the middle of carrying out a certain mission under special orders from the Military Strategist.”

“So that’s why communication couldn’t reach you. Well then, why are you here in such a state?”

“Ah! Instructor! This is no time for this. I’m being pursued.”

“Pursued?”

“Yes. The order I received was…”

Peng Daoji, who was about to speak, turned his head back.

“…We’re screwed.”

The bushes lining both sides of the official road shook entirely, and then people in green martial robes came rushing out from both sides toward them in a crowd.

Seok Muncho’s face instantly hardened like stone.

“Green Forest?”

He couldn’t be certain they were Green Forest bandits just from their green martial robes. There were plenty of others who used green martial robes as their symbol. But the martial robes Seok Muncho was looking at now were definitely those of the Green Forest.

Seok Muncho’s knowledge wasn’t so limited that he couldn’t distinguish that much.

The Green Forest bandits who discovered the group stopped their approaching steps and quietly observed them.

“Tell me what happened.”

“…I cannot tell you everything. It’s a direct order from the Military Strategist…”

“Hmm…”

“What’s certain is that I infiltrated to investigate them, and in the process, I was discovered by them and was fleeing.”

“You infiltrated the Green Forest…”

Seok Muncho slowly nodded his head.

“Great Hero Wei.”

Seok Muncho looked at Wei Jeong-han, who had brought his horse closer to his side, and asked.

“What would be best to do?”

Wei Jeong-han slowly stroked his chin and spoke.

“Since this is an official road, wouldn’t it be better to refrain from killing if possible? The children are safe, so if we can send them back peacefully, let’s do so.”

Seok Muncho looked at Wei Jeong-han with interest in his eyes.

‘The Righteous Hero Sword’s temperament has softened considerably.’

In the past, the moment Green Forest bandits came into sight, Wei Jeong-han would have drawn his sword and cut them down without asking or questioning anything.

Wasn’t the name Righteous Hero Sword earned precisely because of that upright nature and blade-like temperament that forgave not even the slightest evil?

Seeing that same Wei Jeong-han trying to avoid conflict made the saying that time changes people feel newly real.

Wei Jeong-han, receiving Seok Muncho’s gaze, smiled wryly.

“It’s not that. Their numbers are considerable, so if a conflict breaks out unnecessarily, I’m worried the children might get hurt. Our mission is to bring these children safely to Mount Hua, isn’t it?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Seok Muncho nodded deeply as if he hadn’t thought that far. Certainly, now wasn’t the time to discuss personal righteousness. The mission had to come first.

“Listen.”

Seok Muncho spoke to the Green Forest bandits who were quietly watching them while maintaining their formation.

“I don’t know what happened, but from this moment on, this young man has come under the protection of the Righteous Alliance. If you don’t intend to make enemies of the Righteous Alliance, turn back now.”

Seok Muncho clicked his tongue regretfully.

Not only himself but also Wei Jeong-han was here, yet letting these people go was bound to be regrettable.

Normally he wouldn’t have tried to punish Green Forest bandits indiscriminately just for seeing them, but these were people who had just been trying to kill his disciple. Sending such people away with all their limbs intact made his stomach churn.

But whether they knew his feelings or not, the Green Forest bandits began to wear strange smiles.

“What if we do intend to make enemies of the Righteous Alliance?”

“How scary? So scary that I want to slit your throat right now.”

“Enemies… Kuk kuk kuk kuk.”

Seok Muncho’s face hardened.

‘What are these bastards?’

Ordinary Green Forest bandits wouldn’t show such a reaction. No, before that, if they were ordinary Green Forest bandits, Peng Daoji wouldn’t have been chased here like this.

Not because he was his disciple, but Peng Daoji was a late-stage expert who wouldn’t fall behind anywhere in the world. Wasn’t Peng Daoji the one who, along with Wei San-ho, had claimed at least the lowest seat among the Five Dragons of the previous generation?

That same Peng Daoji was chased by Green Forest bandits?

No matter how considerable their numbers were, it had to feel awkward.

“These aren’t ordinary fellows.”

“Hmm…”

Hearing Peng Daoji’s words, Seok Muncho slowly nodded. They seemed to be at least Green Forest elites.

“Are you saying you’re not afraid of the Righteous Alliance?”

At Seok Muncho’s words, the Green Forest bandits laughed low and ominously.

“Of course we’re scared. The Righteous Alliance is a frightening place.”

“We know that fact better than anyone.”

“But…”

Those standing in front leaped into the air and landed behind the group. They had cleanly blocked the retreat route.

“If you all die here, who would know it was our doing?”

Seok Muncho ground his teeth quietly. There were limits to looking down on people – how dare mere Green Forest bandits!

Just as Seok Muncho was about to have an outburst, Wei Jeong-han gently urged his horse forward. As the Righteous Hero Sword stepped forward, Seok Muncho took a low, deep breath to calm his anger.

Wei Yan-ho watched the situation with an excited expression.

Wasn’t this exactly the kind of situation Cho Hyeon had talked about!

“I wonder how far it will work?”

Lee Seol-hwa tilted her head.

“Work?”

“My father’s reputation. According to my Military Strategist Grandfather, when my father says a word, most kids back down. I wouldn’t know since I was always at home, right?”

Wei Jeong-han’s ears perked up.

‘That child.’

Finally recognizing the greatness of this father.

Wei Jeong-han, now full of spirit, opened his mouth.

“I am the Righteous Hero Sword, Wei Jeong-han.”

“Wei Jeong-han?”

The Green Forest bandits’ aura changed in an instant. The atmosphere was transforming as if tension had been pulled taut.

The moment Wei Jeong-han’s name was mentioned, all the Green Forest bandits slightly lowered their stance and glared at Wei Jeong-han as if to bore holes through him.

‘This is a bit ambiguous?’

This reaction alone seemed to sufficiently show his father’s dignity, but somehow this much didn’t feel sufficient.

“If you know my name, you must also know how merciless my sword is. I won’t speak at length. Today I’m busy with official and private matters, so I’ll specially open a path to life for you. So clear the way and withdraw.”

Wei Jeong-han squared his shoulders.

“Oh!”

Wei Yan-ho nodded as he watched that scene.

“He’s definitely different from how he is at home.”

He was like a martial hero from a storybook. Both his speech and actions were perfectly in line with the way of righteousness.

But the reaction was a little different.

The Green Forest bandits who should have tucked their tails and fled were grinding their teeth while glaring at Wei Jeong-han.

“Wei Jeong-han…”

The Green Forest bandits stared at Wei Jeong-han with eyes as if facing a mortal enemy.

Both Wei Jeong-han and Seok Muncho were intuiting that something was going wrong.

‘What is this reaction?’

It was a reaction that ordinary Green Forest bandits couldn’t show.

Of course, the number of Green Forest bandits Wei Jeong-han had cut down wasn’t small, but why was the Green Forest what it was? The Green Forest was a place created by gathered bandits. As such, wasn’t the Green Forest a place where changes were quick and the turnover of members frequent?

If they had enough loyalty to consider someone who killed their past comrades as an enemy, they wouldn’t have joined the Green Forest in the first place.

But these people were clearly harboring resentment toward Wei Jeong-han.

Just as Wei Jeong-han was about to say something in response to this incomprehensible reaction, one of the Green Forest bandits shouted.

“Kill them!”

“…”

“Kill them all! Especially don’t let Wei Jeong-han escape! He must be killed!”

“Damn…”

Wei Jeong-han’s mouth fell open.

And a painfully sharp comment pierced his ears.

“Fame being helpful, my ass.”

His child’s cold assessment tore at Wei Jeong-han’s heart.

‘This isn’t how it should be…’

Among all the many Green Forest bandits in the world, why did he have to meet these particular bastards and lose face?

No, that’s not what’s important right now!

Wei Jeong-han placed his hand on his sword hilt to face the charging Green Forest bandits. However, even though the attack order had been given, the Green Forest bandits couldn’t easily charge forward.

One of them spoke up.

“…We cannot handle Wei Jeong-han like this. Permission to activate?”

“Denied.”

“Leader!”

“That is His orders. We would rather die here than disobey His commands.”

“…”

“And we cannot let Wei Jeong-han go like this either. Rather, die here.”

“Acknowledged!”

Wei Jeong-han’s face hardened like stone.

He couldn’t understand what they were talking about. The bastard giving those strange orders was weird, and the bastards following those orders were equally strange.

‘I’ve seen this method somewhere before…’

But Wei Jeong-han’s thoughts couldn’t continue deeply.

The Green Forest bandits who had received orders all drew their weapons and began charging at them.

“These crazy bastards!”

Seok Muncho shouted in shock.

“Everyone dismount!”

The Righteous Alliance members who jumped down from their horses also drew their weapons and faced the charging Green Forest bandits.

Creak.

Wei Jeong-han also leaped down from his horse while drawing his beloved sword.

How dare mere Green Forest bandits charge at him?

“You’ve forgotten my sword.”

Wei Jeong-han’s sword rang with a clear sword cry.

Wei Jeong-han lightly swung his sword toward the Green Forest bandit charging at him.

Clang!

Then he stepped back with a bewildered expression.

‘What?’

It was incomprehensible. A mere Green Forest bandit had parried his sword.

It wasn’t that he had looked down on his opponent.

Considering the aura felt from the surface and the momentum emanating from their bodies, he had infused enough true energy to kill them in one strike, yet that single sword strike was deflected so absurdly easily.

“They’re stronger than expected! Everyone don’t let your guard down! Think of them as twice as strong as they appear!”

That was the best Wei Jeong-han could do.

Wei Jeong-han gripped his sword hilt tightly while looking at the Green Forest bandits charging toward him.

Their identity was unknown and they were full of strange points, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things. When facing an enemy, useless thoughts must be forgotten. He only needed to focus on defeating the enemy before his eyes.

Wei Jeong-han’s gaze sank deeply.

His usual bumbling appearance was nowhere to be found, and a swordsman with a blade-like bearing stood there.

“Come.”

A voice flowing out low.

Wei Jeong-han went forth to meet the Green Forest bandits charging at him.