Chapter 34: San Dojeon and Baek Sang-ah (3)

Though San Dojeon was considered a symbol of benevolence within the Wind Demon Unit, he was undeniably a former mountain bandit with a naturally rough disposition.

‘A martial artist who strictly upholds the chain of command and never tolerates insubordination.’

San Dojeon’s strength was already well-honed, so it was clear how that reckless brat’s fate would turn out.

Still, it seemed there were some in that squad who hadn’t lost their minds just yet.

“Hey! Stop it!”

“Do you want to be expelled before you even take the exam? No matter how dissatisfied you are, this isn’t the way!”

As several people immediately voiced opposition, the expression on the trainee who had defied San Dojeon twisted in frustration.

“D-Damn it!”

I smirked at the sight.

‘He probably thought that if he took the lead, the others would naturally follow. But that was a miscalculation.’

Desperation could drive someone to resist.

But desperation could also make someone endure.

That guy belonged to the former, while the ones who stopped him belonged to the latter.

“I’m sorry.”

Perhaps realizing he had no chance, the trainee lowered his head and apologized to San Dojeon.

San Dojeon also didn’t seem intent on escalating the matter further, and simply declared the end of training.

Thus, the attempted insubordination against San Dojeon was quietly swept under the rug.

“…Maybe you’re right after all.”

Ma Jinseong, who had watched the entire situation unfold, muttered blankly, as if in shock.

“Things are probably similar in other squads too.”

“Then what do we do? Just stand by and watch?”

“We need to bring balance.”

“And how exactly do we do that?”

“I’ll have to step in. Isn’t that why you came to find me in the first place?”

In the end, the simplest way to resolve this situation was for me to get involved.

Only, I had to approach it in a different way than the blatant insubordination Ma Jinseong had initially suggested.

“I’ll talk to the squad leader first. We’ll decide the next move after that.”

***

“Sigh.”

All I inhaled were worries, and all I exhaled were sighs.

“Ughhh…”

My gaze wouldn’t lift from the ground.

“What’s troubling you so much?”

Baek Sang-ah’s constant gloom was interrupted by a heavy voice echoing in her ears.

“Ah, Venerable Warrior San Dojeon.”

“Seems like things aren’t going well for you either.”

“Same goes for you, Venerable Warrior.”

San Dojeon quietly took a seat a short distance from Baek Sang-ah.

And then, he did exactly what she had just done.

“Whew…”

“How are things? Are your squad members still not listening?”

“No, they do follow along, though they occasionally say unpleasant things. It’s just…”

“Just?”

San Dojeon covered his face with his thick hand, perhaps recalling a moment of shame.

“They manage to endure things so well, yet some old guy like me couldn’t even hold back and ended up causing a mess.”

“Ah…”

A faint smile crept onto Baek Sang-ah’s lips.

“Come to think of it, you nearly got expelled back then… didn’t you?”

“If it weren’t for Senior Han’s intervention, I really would’ve been kicked out.”

Truthfully, San Dojeon had been lucky.

Despite beating up his squad leader, he not only avoided expulsion but even ranked within the top ten.

“No amount of thanks would ever be enough for what he did.”

“Yeah, he definitely seems to be someone with a lot of virtue.”

Baek Sang-ah nodded.

One of the top-ranked in their cohort and currently the most prominent man in the Thousand-Day Pass—Han Muyeon.

But to Baek Sang-ah, he was a man whose thoughts were unreadable, and who seemed to harbor a strange sense of inferiority.

San Dojeon cautiously opened his mouth, watching her reaction.

“Um, the thing is…”

“Another recruitment offer?”

“I’m sorry. Senior really wants to recruit you.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s natural for a lord to desire talent.”

Despite her words, Baek Sang-ah shook her head.

“But as I’ve said many times, due to personal circumstances, I can’t affiliate myself with any group. Please pass on my apologies to Senior Han.”

She had already turned him down several times.

Despite that, he kept persistently pursuing her. But Baek Sang-ah was beginning to run out of patience.

San Dojeon, well aware of that, bowed his head apologetically as though he were guilty of something.

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about, Miss. If Senior brings it up again, I’ll try to dissuade him myself.”

“Hehe, thank you, even if it’s just words.”

With that, a short silence fell between them.

Normally, this would’ve been the time to wrap things up and return to the dormitory. But San Dojeon had a strong feeling that if he left now, his connection with Baek Sang-ah would be severed for good.

So, he deliberately tried to change the subject and strike up conversation.

“Um, Miss…”

“Yes?”

In truth, they were merely peers.

But to San Dojeon, Baek Sang-ah gave off a daughter-like vibe.

For some reason, he wanted to look after her and care for her, like a father would.

…Considering the age difference, she really could be like a daughter, anyway.

“Come to think of it, I heard there’s a big shot in your squad.”

“Ah, a-ah, y-yes…”

The moment she heard the word “big shot,” Baek Sang-ah’s expression turned to one of utter despair.

“This is seriously a disaster. Grandpa told me again and again to never get involved with that guy, and now fate’s gone and done this to me.”

“M-Miss?”

The always composed and polite Baek Sang-ah suddenly began to unravel, even spewing crude language.

“He listens well enough and his eyes aren’t too rebellious or anything, but if he ever decided to go after me, I’d be done for. Normally he just goes around grinning like some carefree loafer, but you never know when that face might suddenly cause a disaster, and that’s what makes it terrifying!”

“M-Miss, please calm yourself…”

San Dojeon gently tried to soothe the suddenly rampaging Baek Sang-ah.

A cold sweat began to trickle down his back.

At that moment, a third voice interrupted the two of them.

“She’s right, Miss. Even if he’s involved, talking behind his back like this…”

“Hmm?”

“Hmm?”

San Dojeon and Baek Sang-ah tilted their heads in unison, exchanging glances.

They were standing in a garden slightly removed from the dormitories.

Though called a garden, it was a place rarely visited due to the persistent cold.

“Who’s there?!”

San Dojeon suddenly shot up and shouted.

“Reveal yourself!”

He bared his hostility more than usual and growled.

‘How could I miss someone’s presence?!’

That same thought crossed both San Dojeon’s and Baek Sang-ah’s minds simultaneously.

She, too, slowly reached for the sword hanging at her waist.

Then, from beyond the darkness the two of them were staring into, a young man’s voice rang out.

“Ah, long time no see… No, it’s our first time meeting, Venerable Warrior San Dojeon —no, Senior.”

A man appeared, muttering under his breath, ‘Tch, I just can’t break that habit.’

“J-Jin Yeomyung!”

Baek Sang-ah gasped when she recognized the man’s identity.

***

Baek Sang-ah shot me a sharp glare, putting on an indignant expression.

“Young Master Jin Yeomyung, this is not where your cohort resides!”

I nodded nonchalantly.

“I’m aware.”

“You came despite knowing that? Do you take the rules of the Thousand-Day Pass so lightly?”

“And you say that while knowing who I am?”

Just as a flicker of disdain was about to flash in Baek Sang-ah’s eyes—

“I entered with the Pavilion Master’s permission. Isn’t that obvious?”

“Huh? I-Is that so?”

He said he had the Pavilion Master’s approval—so what could she even say?

A flush of red instantly spread across Baek Sang-ah’s cheeks.

Leaving the flustered Baek Sang-ah behind, San Dojeon stepped forward.

“Seems like you’ve got business with the young lady. What brings you here at this late hour, junior?”

“Well!”

I paused for a moment and studied San Dojeon’s face.

He looked much younger than I remembered, but overall, his impression hadn’t changed.

No, maybe the truth was that his original face was already so weathered that even twenty years later, there hadn’t been much change.

“This is perfect, actually. I have business with both of you.”

“What? Me too?”

San Dojeon’s eyes widened.

Without hesitation, I extended my hand toward him.

“Senior San Dojeon, would you join me?”

He clearly hadn’t expected a recruitment offer the moment we met, and his eyes widened even more.

“You… Do you even know who I am?”

“Of course.”

Better than anyone here in the Thousand-Day Pass.

“You’re the former leader of Mighty Hero Fortress—Slaughter Blade San Dojeon, aren’t you?”

“…!”

“S-Slaughter Blade?!”

Baek Sang-ah was so shocked she was about to faint.

Never had she imagined that the peer she’d been close to was a renowned mountain bandit, and one with a nickname that included the word “slaughter” at that!

“R-Really?”

“….”

San Dojeon didn’t respond to Baek Sang-ah’s timid question.

His silence was affirmation. The way he stared at me, cold and intense, was all the confirmation needed.

“Amazing. That someone who knows my past turns out to be a member of the Six Great Demonic Clans.”

“I’ve taken an interest in you, senior.”

“I don’t recall doing anything to draw the attention of a junior like you.”

“Well, it was rather memorable when the Seventh Elder dragged you out of the Ten Thousand Mountains along with your entire stronghold.”

It was exactly as I said.

San Dojeon hadn’t originally belonged to the Green Forest, but he was daring enough to engage in banditry within the territory of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Because it was a remote part of the Ten Thousand Mountains, the cult didn’t pay much attention to it—until the current Seventh Elder, the Yin-Yang Fist Demon, decided to go on a whim of a subjugation trip.

The Elder had been impressed by San Dojeon’s talents upon their first meeting and decided to absorb Mighty Hero Fortress into the cult to recruit him.

It had been a well-known story among the higher ranks at the time.

“Still, isn’t it bold to make a recruitment offer to someone you just met?”

“I have complete confidence in your potential, senior.”

In his past life, San Dojeon only rose to become the Wind Demon Unit Commander, but with the proper support, he could go even further.

“Senior San Dojeon, I know exactly what your weakness is.”

Flinch!

“Weakness, you say?”

A twitch appeared in San Dojeon’s eyes.

“Yes. It’s internal energy. And advancement-level martial arts.”

“….”

The tension in his eyes slowly faded.

“So, you’re saying you can provide me with those?”

“Of course. You’re the one who reached First-rate by learning Second-rate martial arts late in life, aren’t you?”

Not just First-rate—he was practically at Master Level.

“I can guarantee, under the name of Jin Yeomyung and the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan, that you will receive the full support you need.”

“Based on what…?”

“I promise I can make you a peak Master Level expert in ten years.”

“P-Peak Master Level?!”

Baek Sang-ah, standing beside him, let out an audible gasp.

Peak Master Level—an absolute powerhouse, of which only a few dozen existed across the entire Central Plains.

I was confident San Dojeon would accept.

In the future, we’d even shared drinks together.

During those times, he often grumbled about wanting advanced martial arts and spiritual medicine.

He reached Peak Master Level without any support over twenty years.

But if he had the full backing of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan?

He could smash that ten-year mark with ease.

He might even become one of the few in the Six Great Demonic Clans to reach the Extreme Demonic Realm.

‘Come on, take the offer!’

I waited for San Dojeon’s answer with confidence.

“…Sorry.”

“I was sure you’d say yes—wait, what?”

Did I hear that right?

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline.”

Wait, what the hell?!

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