Heavenly Martial Arts Academy. Reception office in the main hall.
The headmaster looked at Oh Muyang with a stiff face.
It was Do Jeong-myung who had thought that it would not matter if there was an imperial officer in the academy. There would be no reason for the palace to intervene because they had solved the case since Sa Muheo had confessed to everything after Mumu caught him.
However, unexpected words came out of Oh Muyang’s mouth.
“You must have been through a lot. After the main office’s investigation, it seems like the culprit is indeed Sa Muheo.”
“Wasn’t that because the palace had sympathized with the academy?”
“You really do deserve to be called the best academic institution in the land.”
“You saying that gives us such relief, so would you like to close the case and return to the palace?”
“I cannot do that. We have to move the criminal away right now.”
“The criminal?”
What? Transfer the criminal?
As the headmaster was shocked by those words, Oh Muyang put his hands together and said,
“I will personally let the main office and the Emperor know that you did your duties correctly.”
“… Unless I heard your words wrong, it sounded as if you were talking about taking the criminal into your custody?”
“You didn’t hear me wrong then. You heard me right.”
“Huh.”
The headmaster was shocked.
Neither he nor the officials were the ones who had caught the culprit. Indeed, the biggest victims of this case were the students who could have lost their lives. Logically then, the academy should have the right to punish the perpetrators.
The headmaster took a deep breath and spoke in a soft voice.
“This should be left in our hands. Although the culprit did confess, he is clearly a warrior of murim, and this incident took place inside the academy. Therefore, the right to punish the crime is in the academy’s hands.”
It was an obvious refusal. At that, Oh Muyang stroked his beard and said.
“So you think that way?”
“I don’t think we cooperated with you with other thoughts. We have been open with you, so the execution of the culprit has to be in our hands.”
“Hahaha.”
Oh Muyang, smiling widely, pulled something out of his sleeves. It was a scroll sealed with golden thread.
Do Jeong-myung’s eyes trembled as he saw the scroll.
“That…”
“This letter is under the Emperor, His Majesty’s name.”
Wang Zhen.
He was the younger brother of the current Emperor.
Unlike others who just received empty titles, Wang Zhen was someone who had authority over a fortress in the Sichuan province.
Even though he was officially just a vassal, he was the official ruler of that region and someone trusted by the current Emperor. It was unexpected that his name would be mentioned here.
“It is the supreme command from His Majesty Wang Zhen to transport the culprit to the palace.”
Do Jeong-myung frowned.
“Are you saying His Majesty Wang Zhen’s order is the Emperor’s order?”
“Why do you think so?”
“Then how could you…”
“First, it is absurd to say that only the academy has the right to execute the punishment. There are children of officials here, too, headmaster.”
“…”
They were always using this as an excuse. Do Jeong-myung’s expression darkened.
“To say that is the first reason means there is a second too. What is that?”
“The office wanted to meet with the headmaster exclusively to keep this confidential.”
“Confidential?”
“In this academy is a noble county princess of our Majesty Wang Zhen’s family.”
‘!?’
For a moment, the headmaster was speechless.
Ordinarily, the title of county princess was given to women who were the children of the Imperial Family.
And with Wang Zhen being an ally to the Emperor, the title was easily passed down to his side too.
But why was such a person in their academy in the first place?
“Uh…how…”
“That is why I said it was confidential.”
“His Majesty allowed her to enroll in this academy because he cares for her. This is a fact that is unknown even to the palace.”
Of course, they didn’t know.
A family member of the Emperor enrolling in a martial arts academy? Obviously, no one knew. This was something that could not be told to anyone at all.
“His Majesty was quite angry about this. However, since this was something which couldn’t be said publicly, I was asked to handle this separately.”
‘Haa.’
Even the headmaster couldn’t hide his shock. That man, who was a direct vassal of the Emperor, was involved in this matter.
If this was the case, then there was no way he could refuse anymore. To refuse Wang Zhen would mean that he needed to prepare for war.
‘A county princess…’
He did know that Wang Zhen was an eccentric man who was difficult to understand despite belonging to the Royal Family. However, he didn’t foresee that a child of that man would be sent here without the knowledge of the Imperial Palace.
If her life was at stake, he couldn’t refuse this.
“Will you reject the order?”
“How can I do that?”
Although the issue of punishing criminals was also significant, it was impossible to overrule the Imperial Family.
“Hehehe. I knew the headmaster would make a good choice.”
The headmaster clicked his tongue at this—no wonder this man was sent here.
“Ahh. His Majesty also hopes the lady would return home due to the incident.”
“Right.”
That was natural.
Even if they did manage to prevent any loss, from Wang Zhen’s point of view, it would be impossible to entrust his child to the academy anymore.
“I think I should proceed with His Majesty’s order.”
“Right.”
“If I do, I will have to know her identity.”
“I was told she is here right now under the name of a disciple from Sichuan’s Yuhwa Sect.”
‘Ahh.’
That child.
Somehow, she did have a strange dignity compared to the other children. The headmaster immediately knew that child’s real identity because he had been paying attention to her.
“I see. I will call her…”
Kwaang! Rumble!
Before the words could even finish, a roar could be heard, and the vibration shook the table.
At this, the headmaster was forced to stand up.
“What is this sound?”
“I think we should go.”
“If another incident occurred in the academy, I should be coming.”
The headmaster sighed. What else could he do?
Clench!
“Kuaak!”
Mumu’s tremendous gripping power crushed all the bones in Kang Mui’s fingers, making him scream and twist his body in pain.
“I am curious about it, but just because I have a calm father doesn’t mean that I like being dragged around.”
Kang Mui was shocked by Mumu’s words. Would a guy who wanted to know the meaning behind the jade plaque act like this?
“Kuak… kuak… you…”
“Same side? So many conditions.”
Kang Mui clenched his teeth at those words.
His strength, manner of speaking, and actions had all looked simple, so he thought he could use Mumu. Instead, this boy was proving to be more annoying than he thought.
He only looked simple, but nothing else about him was simple.
“You said people will come. Let them come. Then we’ll deal with it.”
Kang Mui grunted. This guy was being too bold.
Was this guy really taking the lead here? Kang Mui looked at Mumu and said,
“Haaa… ha… you… with strength… let’s see….”
He, too, had pride. Even if he died, he had no intention of succumbing to Mumu.
“Then it cannot be helped. Sleep.”
“What?”
Shhh!
Mumu brought his thumb and middle finger to Kang Mui’s forehead and held them there.
Kang Mui frowned.
‘A forehead flick?’
Mumu snapped his fingers.
Snap!
‘Kuak!’
At that moment, Kang Mui felt like he would pass out from the pain…
Mumu looked down at Kang Mui, who had fainted, and scratched his own forehead. Looking at the atmosphere, it was unlikely that Kang Mui would speak now.
‘…umm.’
If he had only discovered that this man was one of the enemies, he would have continued beating him up.
If the mouth was the only thing that needed to work, leaving him a cripple wasn’t a bad option.
However, Kang Mui knew something about the jade plaque, which was related to his birth.
‘What if my parents were bad people too?’
Mumu thought as such.
Seeing how Kang Mui was like this, he couldn’t think of any other possibility.
Wouldn’t that mean he might end up on the same side as villains? He might even end up destroying everyone in the academy. With those thoughts in his head, Mumu felt a strange hesitation for the first time.
‘My head hurts.’
If there was some connection, were his parents the villains?
His mind was filled with complicated thoughts as Mumu stared at the fainted Kang Mui. He then began searching his arms.
He took out the jade plaque that Kang Mui had. The front had the same pattern as his plaque, but…
“Mui?”
On the back of Kang Mui’s plaque were the words Mui, with the same character of Mu in his name.
[Mumu]
It was written the same way as his. Seeing that the name on the jade plaque was different, but the first character was the same, Mumu knew there had to be a connection. However, it was challenging to find precisely what it was.
‘Should I force him to speak out?’
Mumu’s questions about the name would not be resolved unless Kang Mui decided to speak directly. While he was considering this, people of the academy began arriving at where Mumu was.
Mumu placed his necklace back on himself and put Kang Mui’s in his pocket.
And then he turned the dials to 8.
Rrrng.
Not just the guards, but Tang So-so, Master Dan Baek-yeon, the officials, and the headmaster had also come.
“Mumu?”
It was Yu Jin-sung, who was Mumu’s big step-brother
Except for Tang So-so and Dan Baek-yeon, the timing of everyone’s appearance was a bit different. The sound of the collapsed building must have also led them to search the library, which was close by.
The headmaster, a bit shocked, asked Mumu.
“Mumu. What happened?”
He had arrived here after hearing a series of sounds and witnessing what looked like the aftermath of a serious fight.
No, was it even violent?
Looking at Kang Mui’s unconscious form, that was most likely what had happened. At this lull, Tang So-so took the initiative and said.
“Headmaster. I am Tang So-so, a 2nd-year student. I am afraid there is a misunderstanding. Mumu, student Mumu was trying to catch the culprit behind the murder of student Young Chun from a few days ago.”
“Culprit? What do you mean? Do you mean that student Kang Mui is related to it?”
“Yes!”
Tang So-so looked over at Dan Baek-yeon.
Understanding what So-so was aiming for, Dan Baek-yeon nodded and said.
“What student So-so said is correct. The old research building had collapsed while I was looking for the traces left behind by student Kang Mui who I had suspicions of due to a student’s report. Fortunately, we escaped, and student Mumu came out here to make sure they wouldn’t cover up the evidence.”
Tang Soso clicked her tongue at this explanation. It was certainly difficult to ignore this woman’s experience as a teacher when she could speak much better than her.
“Right!”
The headmaster frowned at these reports.
What did this mean?
Are they saying that they had found the true culprit behind the murder? At that exact moment, Oh Muyang clicked his tongue.
‘Because of just one guy, the entire academy turns upside down.’
Oh Muyang looked at Mumu. He definitely felt hatred for this student down to his core.
At first, he had thought that Mumu would be a minor nuisance, but not just surviving the collapsed building, he had also managed to catch onto Kang Mui.
‘A passionate person? Or animal instincts?’
Whatever he was, he was annoying.
‘Tch tch.’
Oh Muyang looked at Kang Mui, who had fainted. To think that this guy was considered one of the most intelligent of the jade plaque holders.
And he got taken down by someone called Mumu.
‘It isn’t good to deal with annoying enemies with force alone. I will teach that to you this time.’