Chapter: 917
I hurriedly followed Gubong, who had rushed out.
Exiting the alley we had just entered, we returned to the bright street.
As we quickly stepped away from that place, a much wider area came into view.
Is this a square?
There were unknown stone statues erected, and something resembling a circular pond was created.
Gu Yang-cheon was gazing at it silently in fascination.
“That way!”
At the disciple’s words, Gubong moved forward with a sad expression.
I shifted my gaze accordingly.
“This doesn’t make sense!”
A murmur reached us from up ahead.
“You’re suddenly raising the price? That’s not what we agreed on!”
Who could be making such a fuss?
As I looked in the direction of the noise, I saw several people in familiar uniforms.
They were wearing the same Hwasanpa clothing as Gubong.
And ahead of them…
“How dare a lowly brat raise your voice?”
A man with his arms crossed was sneering at his disciples.
He had stark white hair cascading down his back, a rather large physique, and, as expected, animal ears.
From his appearance, he seemed to belong to either the dog or wolf family.
“No matter how noble your family is, this is clearly…!”
Crack—!
The disciple’s head snapped around.
That scoundrel slapped him across the face.
“You insect, how dare you mention the family name!”
His eyes were filled with disgust and ridicule.
“You should know your place. You pests who ran away because you weren’t chosen.”
I nodded slightly.
The choice of words was quite colorful.
“Weren’t chosen?”
I leaned in, eager to understand what he was saying. At that moment, Gubong rushed straight toward him.
“Baek Do-ryeong.”
At Gubong’s words, the white-haired young man turned to him.
“Who are you?”
The corners of his mouth began to rise.
“Aren’t we from the Black Nights?”
“…”
Gubong visibly flinched at his words.
“I am Gubong of Hwasan.”
“Oh, that’s right. Of course.”
The guy nodded repeatedly, as if he had just realized something too late.
“Well, a loser has little right to big names.”
“…”
“It’s been a while, Gubong. Looks like you’re in charge this time?”
“That’s right. But… it seems there’s a problem…”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Tap. Tap.
He playfully tapped the face of the disciple he just hit.
“Don’t you know your place? How dare you speak back to me?”
Seeing that, Gubong grabbed his disciple’s shoulder and pulled him back.
“…Master…”
The one who had been slapped looked at Gubong with a defeated expression.
“What’s happening?”
“That is… I clearly paid the agreed price yesterday. But suddenly they raised it and said they wouldn’t deliver unless I cough up the extra…”
Gubong frowned at those words.
“Baek Do-ryeong, is this true?”
“Yep. What’s the problem?”
“… Once a contract is made, it’s common sense to discuss other matters in the next transaction. Isn’t this unreasonable?”
“Unreasonable?”
Baek Do-ryeong chuckled.
It was an exceptionally arrogant laugh.
“Unreasonable? Gubong, how harsh your words are.”
“If this isn’t unreasonable, then what is…?”
“It’s not unreasonable; it’s just the right of the nobles.”
“…”
Gubong fell silent at Baek Do-ryeong’s words.
“Having power means you have the right to use it, right? You of all people should know that best.”
Gubong bit his lip at that statement. It felt like they had history.
Baek Do-ryeong’s smile deepened as he found Gubong’s reaction amusing.
“Oh, right. Let’s just call it unreasonable, as you say. But…”
Tap! Tap! His index finger poked at Gubong’s shoulder, pushing him back lightly.
“So what are you going to do?”
The disciples clenched their teeth and fell silent. The atmosphere became tense.
“Those who didn’t have the guts to endure and ran away—what exactly can they do?”
“This isn’t about status. This is a contract clearly established between the Volcano and the White family.”
“A contract? That’s rich! You begged your father to accept, and he did out of pity.”
“…Baek Do-ryeong…!”
Gubong’s voice rose but—
“If you don’t like it, why not settle it here?”
Gubong once again sealed his lips, responding to the provocation.
“Well, why not try things like old times? After all, I’ve never beaten you. Why? Scared?”
Baek Do-ryeong straightened Gubong’s rumpled clothes with a fingertip.
“Worried I might nick this noble body? Afraid of what your family will do? Is that it?”
“Baek Do-ryeong…”
“Of course, it’s frightening. If that happens… what was it again? That loser gang you belong to. Ah, did you call them Volcano? You’ll have issues there. Hence, you’re unable to do anything?”
Crackle!
Gubong’s shoulders trembled visibly.
He looked like he might burst with rage at any moment, but he managed to keep his cool.
Seeing Gubong like that, Baek Do-ryeong smiled widely.
“Are you angry? Well, why not put that anger to the test?”
“…”
“If you want to break a contract, I dare you to do it.”
Snicker, snicker.
Gubong’s teeth gritted, simmering with unspilled words.
“Of course, I don’t know where else you could go to contract outside of this place.”
At those words, not only Gubong but also his disciples had nothing to retort.
Every one of them wore a face full of humiliation but couldn’t make a single counterargument.
“Ah, but I have some mercy, so I’ll grant you one chance.”
Baek Do-ryeong gazed at them, zeroing in on Gubong.
“Gubong.”
The moment Gubong looked at Baek Do-ryeong, he said,
“Kneel down and beg.”
“…What?”
Baek Do-ryeong stated matter-of-factly.
Hearing that, Gubong’s eyes widened.
“Gubong. I want to see if your knees can still bend. How’s that sound?”
“…What’s that supposed to mean…?”
“I mean kneel on both knees right here and plead with me. Then I might consider giving you the original price.”
“….”
“Well? What do you think?”
Baek Do-ryeong spoke to Gubong as if he was serious.
The first to react wasn’t Gubong but his disciples.
“Master! No! Just give up…!”
“That’s right…! There’s no need to entertain such nonsense…!”
“Shut up.”
Clang!
The disciples felt blades pressed against their necks.
Those who had seemed to be Baek Do-ryeong’s guards suddenly closed in on the disciples.
“Who do you think you’re contradicting?”
Baek Do-ryeong glared at the disciples with disdain.
“You all keep quiet and just watch. Let’s see how this brat reacts.”
He approached Gubong, getting right in his face, whispering.
“Time is of the essence. Unlike you, my time’s precious, so make a decision fast. Will you kneel? Or will you return empty-handed to that filthy pit of yours?”
Gnnn…
Gubong clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
It seemed he was putting in a lot of strength since he was trembling.
After a brief moment of shivering, he finally relaxed his hands.
Was that a choice made? Or should it be called giving up?
Most likely, the latter.
To prove that theory right, Gubong’s body slowly lowered.
“Hahaha!”
Baek Do-ryeong erupted into laughter, as if he had been waiting.
“M-Master!”
“No!”
No matter what the disciples shouted, Gubong kept his mouth shut as he gradually knelt.
Baek Do-ryeong looked at Gubong with satisfaction and said,
“Indeed, that’s the perfect look for you…”
Just then.
“Idiot.”
Gubong froze in mid-knee.
“…!”
His eyes shot wide open, but it wasn’t by his own will.
Someone intervened, grabbing Gubong’s arm and yanking him up.
“What in the world…?”
Gubong looked to the owner of the arm and opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t finish.
The icy stare from those piercing blue eyes silenced him.
“I never expected you to be this much of an idiot. Far more of a fool than I imagined?”
Despite the coarse words, there was a lack of melody in the voice. Yet, it was packed with solid disgust and irritation.
“I thought the old man had a decent eye, but it seems he really misjudged you entirely.”
“…You…!”
As Gubong started to voice his anger, the young man, Gu Yang-cheon, was not paying attention to him.
He was looking right at Baek Do-ryeong, who was also glaring at Gu Yang-cheon with a twisted expression.
“What are you!?”
Baek Do-ryeong erupted with anger, as if he were disrupted from a delightful scene.
“You dare interfere? Are you looking to die?”
Gu Yang-cheon met Baek Do-ryeong’s gaze in silence, not responding.
“You trash…!”
No matter what Baek Do-ryeong shouted, Gu Yang-cheon, who had been observing him for a moment, finally uttered,
“Confirmation complete.”
Suddenly, he asserted.
“Do you know who I am…!”
Smash—!!
Thwap!
His hand swung, striking Baek Do-ryeong’s cheek.
His head jerked to the side.
“Wha…?”
What on earth just happened?
Baek Do-ryeong was completely oblivious to what had just occurred.
Feeling his stinging cheek, he realized—
Drip, drip! Something trickled down to his lips. Blood.
“What the… is this?”
Did I just get hit?
By none other than him? That useless piece of trash?
Realization flashed in Baek Do-ryeong’s eyes, igniting his anger.
“That disgusting brat—!”
Bam—!!
Gack!
Gu Yang-cheon swung once more, smashing his fists into Baek Do-ryeong’s face, driving him into the ground.
Crunch—!!
The ground cracked, debris flying everywhere.
Everyone watching gasped in shock.
“Uh… uh…”
Baek Do-ryeong, pinned to the ground, shook violently.
“So there aren’t many bathrooms around here, huh?”
Gu Yang-cheon commented as he looked down at Baek Do-ryeong.
“Hence, are you shitting out of your mouth? How filthy.”
Gu Yang-cheon’s expression remained as impassive as ever.
This meant—
He was genuinely angry, a rare occurrence for him.
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