Chapter 1111: Can I Do Well? (Part 1)

It's a concept easily overlooked, but the idea of being 'normal' is by no means absolute. When someone is referred to as a normal person, it implies that the person does not deviate significantly from the societal and cultural perceptions they belong to.

In other words, even if someone is considered normal in one place, they might be seen as strange if they find themselves alone in a completely different environment. And now, Namgung Dowi was keenly feeling this reality.

'Is it just me?'

While he might not have been so in the past, he now prided himself on being someone flexible with his thoughts. However, the events unfolding before him were not easy for even Namgung Dowi to accept.

No, this couldn't be his fault.

Who in the world could imagine such a situation in the world?

A disciple of Mount Hua standing on the son of the Tang Family Lord, punching his chin with a fist, and a female swordsman of Mount Hua ruthlessly breaking the arm of the Tang Family's successor.

Well, let's assume that much could happen. If your mind was as broad as the sea, you might nonchalantly understand such things.

However, if they see a Buddhist monk stamping a seal onto the face of a Tang family member with his shoe and a female swordsman from the Tang family stabbing her brothers with a sword, even those with such broad minds might have to change their perspective.

Oh? Someone seems to be missing...

"Step on him! Step on him!"

"Kill him!"

"Aaaahhh!"

Oh my, Yoon Jong Dojang. Why are you being stepped on there? Oh my, in the world. You seem to be quite enjoying it...

Watching the scene before his eyes with eyes full of distrust, Namgung Dowi soon closed his eyes tightly. After seeing a white marten in the black uniform of the Mount Hua sect hopping up and cheekily slapping the face of a Tang Clan member, he didn't want to think anymore.

'What will happen to the world?'

The guardians of Shaanxi and Sichuan were clashing on the Yangtze River. It sounded grand and remarkable, but in reality, it was just a street fight—no, it was closer to brawls in the back alleys where gangsters grabbed and slugged each other. 

The Namgung Family, who had been pushed to a corner of the training ground to avoid the cruel(?) and terrible fight, watched the brawl as if observing something rare.

"Indeed, Mount Hua has good stamina."

"There was a perception that the Tang Family was weak in melee fights, but it wasn't necessarily true. In such a melee fight, it's not easy to avoid the poison."

"For such a chaotic situation, Mount Hua fighters are doing well."

"They were trained by someone more poisonous than the Tang Family's venom."

"Ah, I understand now."

Don't understand! Why would you understand that!

As time went by, the Namgung family seemed to be stranger and stranger. Those who would have frowned upon such a sight in the past, thinking it was unseemly, were now sincerely admiring and even applauding.

But what could Namgung Dowi say? It was Namgung Dowi himself who had brought them into the Heavenly Comrade Alliance and turned them into this state(?).

"Oh, no. Is it really okay like that?"

With a bitter evaluation, it was difficult for the current Namgung Family to be compared to those two sects. Anyone familiar with Heavenly Comrade would consider those two sects as its core.

However, the two core sects are now cursing each other and fighting.

'Won't this build up bad feelings?'

Understanding the point of this training was difficult. But the bigger problem was that there was no way to stop Chung Myung or Tang Gunak. So the only option left was...

"Uh, there..."

"Yes?"

"That..."

Namgung Dowi looked at Im Sobyeong while swallowing dry saliva. Im Sobyeong, unlike Namgung Dowi, was leisurely observing the situation with an attitude that seemed to be saying, 'Nothing that happens in this guy's house can surprise me.' He slightly lifted his chin and made eye contact.

"Why are you doing that?"

Namgung Dowi's expression became extremely awkward.

He understood that. In the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, there was no boundary between sects, no distinction between righteous and evil. As long as they could trust each other, anyone could enter the fence of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

And Nokrim had proven that it qualified as a proud member of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. The moment Im Sobyeong, the leader of Nokrim, joined in to fight against the Demonic Sect risking his life, no one could doubt his sincerity.

'But...I know... I know that for sure.'

Even if he understood it in his head, it wasn't easy to speak to Im Sobyeong.

In the first place, he was the head of the Namgung family. He had never thought once in his life that the day would come when he would speak in a friendly way to a leader of the Evil Sect. To him, the Nokrim King was nothing more than a sacrificial lamb that would eventually have its neck cut off to send a message.

No, to be honest. What kind of people were the Nokrim? A bunch of leeches occupying a healthy mountain, sucking the lifeblood of commoners...

"Sogaju."

"Yes?"

"Now... it seems like you're calling people and cursing at them with your eyes?"

"No, that's not the case."

Namgung Dowi's expression became extremely awkward.

Namgung Dowi was the heir of a prestigious family. He was a rare person in the Heavenly Comrade Alliance who understood the concept of basic courtesy. He spoke what he intended to say sincerely.

"Well... It's just that, shouldn't we calm them down a bit?"

"Why bother talking."

"Yes?"

Im Sobyeong shrugged his shoulders as if he found it bothersome.

"Chung Myung Dojang will take care of it. The Tang Family Leader is also present."

"Oh, no. It's just that... I'm afraid that doing so will only build up bad feelings."

"Hooh?"

At that moment, Im Sobyeong stared at Namgung Dowi with meaningful eyes.

"Ah, so you have the insight to see further than Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword and the Poison King?"

"Huh?"

"So, are you the only one who knows something they don't and is now telling me to take the countermeasures? You want to use me, who has a bit of a position, as a messenger to make it less inconvenient for them over there?"

"Well, wait a moment..."

Namgung Dowi looked noticeably flustered. Could it be interpreted to that extent?

"In other words, are those two very inconvenient, but the bandit leader is easy?"

"...I-I didn't say that!"

"Ah, yes. A bandit leader right in front of you is such a foolish person that unless he speaks directly, he can't even catch on?"

"..."

Could a person be this twisted?

'Was he always like this?'

Certainly, even when they were going to Gangnam together, he complained frequently, but Namgung Dowi thought he was very clever and capable.

This reaction seemed strange even to the Nokrim bandits, so one tilted his head and secretly asked Im Sobyeong.

"Boss, why did you get so pissed off? He doesn't seem to have said anything particularly wrong."

"There's nothing he can't say."

"Yes?"

"The problem is the person who said it?"

The bandit who spoke to Im Sobyeong glanced at Namgung Dowi.

"...Is there a problem?"

"A problem? There's no problem over there. The problem is with me!"

"...No. What are you talking about?..."

"Why?"

At that moment, Im Sobyeong narrowed his eyes and stared at the bandit.

"Why? I fought desperately to distinguish myself somehow after being born into a bandit's family, but after failing the civil service exam and ending up resorting to banditry, do you think I can watch a young master born into a prestigious family, living in comfort and luxury, without feeling twisted in my gut?"

[I mean...he's not wrong...]

"..."

"Haha! It's not even funny! I don't envy him at all! Of course, even if I recite the principles of a righteous path, I'm just a bandit, and he's a guy who lives a comfortable life, able to kill a healthy person on the street and pass by with ease, with people saying after looking at his status and face, 'Ah, the dead guy probably did something to deserve it.' But I don't envy him at all. What do I have to be envious of in him?"

"....Take a breath and speak."

Not only the Nokrim members, but even the Namgung Family became solemn for some reason.

Once started, Im Sobyeong's words did not stop.

"Oh, I must have thought wrong. I was wrong. To have someone so noble entrust me with a task, a lowly member of the Evil Sect, I must fulfill it no matter what! How can I just go and report it now?"

Perhaps it could have ended awkwardly and shortly around here. If Namgung Dowi had thought quickly, he might have offered a brief apology. Of course, Namgung Dowi had the intention to do so, and he actually tried to apologize right away.

But things in the world rarely go as planned, and it always seems to spread from a small fire to a big one, doesn't it?

"Wow, you're taking it too crookedly."

At the voice coming from behind, Namgung Dowi turned around in surprise.

Standing behind him, one of the Namgung swordsmen threw a mocking remark while looking at Im Sobyeong with an indifferent face.

"You seem to be twisted like that."

"Shut your mouth..."

Namgung Dowi hurriedly tried to cover the swordsman's mouth. Despite his appearance, Im Sobyeong was the Nokrim King. Even though he was a mere individual, it wasn't so easy for a regular Namgung Sect member to speak so casually.

But before his words could finish, someone else took up the conversation.

"Twisted?"

"....!"

Namgung Dowi's head turned abruptly in the opposite direction this time. A Nokrim with a rough impression standing behind Im Sobyeong spat on the ground.

"Oh, must be nice to have no hardships in life and be equally carefree. Which little bastard dares to belittle the Nokrim King?"

"What? Do these bandits even know their place?"

"Bandits? Yeah, I'm a bandit. So what about you? Do you still think you're the old Namgung Sect? If it weren't for the Mount Hua sect, people like you would have been beaten to death long ago."

"Oh, really? By who? You guys? You wouldn't think you could do such a thing, would you? You need to know your place, you stupid bandits."

"Who doesn't know their place?"

The Namgung Family's swordsmen gripped their sword handles and subtly moved forward. In response, the Nokrim members also drew their knives from their waists and stepped forward threateningly.

"Consider yourself lucky? If it weren't for the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, you would all be dead here."

"Who's talking nonsense! If it weren't for Chung Myung Dojang protecting you, we would have taken care of you ourselves."

"What? Protecting? Those who abandoned their own family and ran away here!"

"What? Run away? Bandits like you are just spouting nonsense with your open mouths?"

The atmosphere became extremely tense.

In the midst of the confusion, Namgung Dowi, embarrassed, tried to intervene hastily.

"Oh, oh. The atmosphere."

"C-Chung Myung Dojang!"

Chung Myung, who had appeared unnoticed, approached with a leisurely pace. He looked through the Namgung Family, who held their swords, a Nokrim, who held their swords, then furrowed his brow. Namgung Dowi took a step forward to try to calm the storm.

"I'll handle this here..."

"Perfect timing."

"What?"

Chung Myung shrugged.

"It's good that you set the mood without any explanation. Anyway, you guys were probably bored just watching that, weren't you?"

"...."

"But there's one thing I don't like."

"W-What..."

"Even if you're the Namgung Family and Nokrim, if you have a complaint, shouldn't you use your sword or fists, rather than talking? Why are you talking when you have good swords?"

"Um?"

Chung Myung gestured dismissively.

"See over there? Where they're fighting."

"...Yes."

"Well, it's the same. The one standing at the end today gets to rest tomorrow. The losing side will be busy until dawn."

"...."

"Start whenever you want. The winner can come and report."

"Wait, Chung Myung Dojang? Chung Myung Dojang!"

Having finished speaking, Chung Myung walked away without looking back.

Namgung Dowi, who stood there with nothing to say, looked around with a pale face.

The Nokrim swordsmen, who held their swords, approached the Namgung Family, and the Namgung Sect's swordsmen stared down at them as if they were pitiful.

"Oh, I didn't want it to come to this. Seriously."

"Really without intention."

"Can't be helped. There's no ill will, but words won't do."

It'd be better if you cursed at each other, really.

"Heard everything? Let's show these gentlemen how formidable Kangho is today!"

"Let them know what happens when bandits come down from the mountains!"

In the end, it was a moment when Namgung and Nokrim, who had always regarded each other with hostility, vented their accumulated grievances, rushing at each other with full force.