Bang!
The muscles on Mumu’s body turned grey, and steam began to billow out of him.
‘Ha…’
Mo Il-hwa stuck her tongue out as she could not get used to Mumu in this state. She recalled that the bands around his wrists and ankles were what controlled it.
‘Then what happens if at least one was taken off?’
Mumu’s present form looked far from human. His appearance looked almost like a guardian protecting the Buddha. Mo Il-hwa shook her head again. This wasn’t important right now.
“Did you find it?”
Mumu shook his head.
“No, I couldn’t see anything.”
“If you jump that high, can you really see the surroundings?”
“Yes.”
“…”
At Mumu’s answer, Mo Il-hwa looked suspiciously at him. They were trying to find Ha-ryun and Ja Muk-hyun, and Mumu had said that this way would be faster.
He was demonstrating it as she had asked how that would be possible.
‘He really jumps high. He is really…’
Beyond common sense.
However, if he can jump up that high, even people would look like dots from there. How would he be able to tell the difference in their faces? Jin-hyuk sighed and said,
“Is it even wise to try to find someone in that brief moment of you being at that height? Miss, I’d rather we just use our feet to find them.”
“That was how I found senior Kang Mui.”
“What?”
“The higher I go, the more I can see. Looks like I’m still unable to see inside buildings, though.”
Jin-hyuk frowned at Mumu’s words. Was that really true?
Well, Mumu had shown so many unreal abilities, so his words can’t be refuted outright.
“…you think he is in a building?”
“Yes.”
At this, Jin-hyuk looked at Mo Il-hwa.
“There are hundreds of buildings in the academy. If they are determined to hide, finding them would be nearly impossible.”
Mo Il-hwa nodded in agreement. After all, Ha-ryun and Ja Muk-hyun both had tried to kill Hae-ryang.
They didn’t know if the two realized that Hae-ryang was still alive, but it was certain that they would continue to try until he died.
“Annoying. However, we can’t ask the academy for help.”
“Then the deputy?”
“The deputy?”
Mo Il-hwa questioned Mumu’s words.
“We are trying to find the secret behind the jade plaque, and you want to involve the deputy headmaster? Can you trust him?”
“Yes. The deputy is a good person.”
“That was the story when he didn’t know the secret of your birth.”
At Mo Il-hwa’s words, Mumu became a bit flustered. Mo Il-hwa was right.
No matter how much deputy Dan Pil-hoo had taken care of Mumu and helped him in the academy, he had no idea what would happen if the secret behind Mumu’s birth came up.
“Right. Miss Mo is right. We need to be very careful. Stop thinking everyone is like us or will stand in your favor.”
“… Uh. Okay.”
Jin-hyuk sighed at Mumu’s words. Judging from his reaction, it seemed like Mumu trusted the deputy way too much. But it was harder to believe the deputy.
‘He has been going against the unorthodox sects for a long time. If Mumu’s birth was related to the Forces of Evil, there is a high chance he would act hostile.’
Therefore, it was very risky to ask him for help. Mo Il-hwa mumbled in an irritated voice.
“Ahhh. So annoying. Because the academy is so wide, it will be difficult to find.”
“Then how about during the roll call time?”
“It takes too long.”
“True…”
“Ha-ryun knew about the jade plaque, too, right? But on the way back, maybe he decided to kill Hae-ryang? Maybe he won’t even come to the dorm.”
“If that is the case, then we have no way.”
This made them think that the people they wanted to find may have already left the academy. In that case, catching them would be difficult.
“Then, based on the assumption that they ran from the academy…”
“It won’t be that.”
“Uh? They might not have left just yet.”
“Kang Mui had the jade plaque too.”
“Ah!”
Mo Il-hwa looked at Mumu and said,
“Ha-ryun looked at Mumu and said he is loyal to the lord. If that was a mistake due to guessing the wrong person’s identity, then Kang Mui must be the real person above them. And since we caught their heads, will they run?”
“Right!”
Jin-hyuk nodded at her words. Her brain was moving too fast.
“They must be hiding in the school building.”
“Right. But when we see that the jade plaque is there and he is the lord, then can it not be that Mumu’s parents are quite notorious in the Forces of Evil?”
“Notorious?”
“There is no way that Ha-ryun would have treated us with such kindness unless your parents were very strong fighters.”
Jin-hyuk sighed at Mo Il-hwa’s words. He had thought of the possibility but hoped it didn’t turn out that way.
No matter what, he swore to stand by Mumu and hoped things would go smoothly.
“I don’t know much about…”
“Ehh. Still, it is a little less shocking if we can think about such things beforehand.”
“…be considerate of Mumu.”
“Jin-hyuk, you are too stubborn. This isn’t a matter of taking care of him.”
“If his parents are leaders of the Forces of Evil, with infamous names, would Mumu have been abandoned? You know this, right?”
At Jin-hyuk’s words, Mo Il-hwa nodded her head.
“Well. That is true.”
It wouldn’t make sense for them to abandon Mumu, make the child live in exile, and neglect him.
‘Hmm, it is strange.’
They couldn’t understand what was happening around Mumu.
“Ah!”
At that moment, Mumu clapped his palms as if he had thought of something, which prompted Mo Il-hwa to ask,
“What is it?”
“There is one thing I want to try. My wrists are a bit sore, so I may not be able to tell much of a difference.”
“What are you saying?”
At that question, Mumu moved his hand to the band on his right hand.
Ha-ryun sat, clicking his tongue, as he looked at the man flipping through the pages.
It was difficult to tell what this person was thinking. They had been sitting in the empty hall for an hour, and he couldn’t figure out why. Finally, Ha-ryun said,
“How long are we going to be like this?”
“Until I think it is enough.”
“But…”
“Shut it and stay quiet.”
‘Shit… what is he up to? There must be no proper answer.’
Ha-ryun clicked his tongue. There were two reasons why they had locked themselves in here.
After dealing with that child from the Lower District Sect, they constantly moved around and stopped here. They were waiting here for the only person they could speak to.
‘The one who will be the lord.’
Ha-ryun had thought that Mumu was the one. As they were moving, they saw Mumu jumping in the air. Even that person, who was cold and arrogant, was shocked at this.
‘Void Movement?’
It did seem very similar to that. Ha-ryun was shocked too. He didn’t think that the lord would be such a skilled person.
‘…but there is no reason to waste time in an empty hall for that.’
The real reason why this person had made this decision was due to hearing that Kang Mui had been detained.
The news that spread around alongside the rumors said that Kang Mui was complicit in both the arson act and the framing of Hong Hye-ryung for the death of a fellow student.
The man then came and brought Ha-ryun to this shut-down hall.
‘Kang Mui.’
Ha-ryun looked at the man with suspicious eyes. Indeed, he had said this.
[You are asking the wrong question. The person who directly dealt with the disciple Young Chun was the one who will be the lord.]
And he also said,
[Did you… maybe meet another owner of another jade plaque?]
That meant,
‘Kang Mui is the lord candidate he was talking about.’
Combining the meaning of all his words, it was clear that Kang Mui was at the center of all their plans. This meant there was a high chance that the White Valley would bow down to Kang Mui.
Then another question arose.
Then who was Mumu?
‘He spoke as if he was the sole lord of the jade plaque and complicated everything. Just what is this?’
He didn’t know anything about it. Instead, he was concentrating on something else.
There was an ongoing search for other descendants and spies from the Eight Evil Families in the academy. Everyone now was rushing to plot something, though this was understandable under these conditions.
‘If Kang Mui is the real lord, and Master Sa Muheo was under him, both being caught is the worst possible situation.’
They were in danger of being forced to disband now. Someone had to act, but Ha-ryun thought everything was too frustrating.
‘Damn it!’
[As you said, Mumu, if that man is another owner of the Jade plaque, wouldn’t he think that you are the one responsible for the cause of the death of the person who followed you?]
If it weren’t for those words, Ha-ryun wouldn’t be here. Now he was forced to hide with this man. Someone then walked into the hall.
A person in a guard’s uniform reported something by whispering in the man’s ears, and his expression soon changed.
And then his lips turned to a smile.
‘What?’
He ordered something to the guard, sent him out, and returned to reading the book. Ha-ryun got up and approached the man as he said,
“Sit down”
“Let’s start talking now.”
“What do you mean?”
“I came over to tell you about the jade plaque, and after hearing the news about the rumors around Kang Mui, I still stayed silent.”
“So what?”
“I need to know. Who owns the other jade plaque?”
At Ha-ryun’s question, the man sighed and closed the book he was reading.
“You want to know?”
“I am also a member of the Eight Evil Families. Then I should have the right to know it.”
“Rights…not all the members are the same.”
Ha-ryun’s eyes turned hard.
“Now it sounds like you are ignoring my sect.”
Being left in the dark made him feel the need to uphold the White Valley Sect’s honor. It was at that moment…
Shhh!
The man’s body blurred as he let the book he was reading drop to the ground. Ha-ryun then felt a chill run down his spine.
He gulped as he felt the presence behind him.
Shh!
He could feel the cold blade on his neck. A little tug and he would die right there. They were all of the same Eight Evil Families, but the difference in their skills was too high!
And the man said,
“The one who knocked Kang Mui out and put him in detainment is the other lord you talked about.”
“Uh?”
Ha-ryun was shocked. Not long after they saw Mumu jump in the air, Kang Mui was detained.
Then, did Mumu overpower him?
“Do I need to trust you at all?”
“…”
Ha-ryun was confused. So far, it was clear why this guy had said nothing.
He never trusted Ha-ryun. No, this was proof that he was being considered an enemy.
“A-are you suspicious of me?”
“I am. You believe in the other jade plaque owner, and all that man does is just hinder our plans.”
“That…”
Shh!
As Ha-ryun tried to move, the man pushed the blade closer, making his blood flow out. This made Ha-ryun’s face turn pale.
“E-even, I don’t know why he is like that!”
This was the truth.
Ha-ryun was going crazy with the actions of Mumu. He had only thought Mumu was trying to hide his identity in the academy.
But to go so far as to take out another jade plaque owner changed everything! He didn’t know the reason either.
“You don’t know?”
The man snorted.
“Why does a man who doesn’t know that claim to be his limbs?”
“I-I didn’t do it. I only followed the command to follow the person who holds the plaque…”
Pak
The blade was pushed closer.
“Huk!”
The man whispered.
“I won’t drag this out. Why do you think I kept watching over you here?”
“I-I don’t know! I…”
“No, don’t bother thinking. The White Valley always wanted to be the center of the Eight Evil families. But they were wrong.”
“Wrong?”
The man continued.
“You and the other owner of the jade plaque crossed a line which shouldn’t have been crossed.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Still playing around? Even if you compete for the position of the lord, there is a line one has to follow for the sake of our grand scheme. Your lord deviated from it. Still, you want to live?”
Ha-ryun’s eyes fluttered wide. Competing for the position of the lord?
Then he wasn’t one of the blood…
Flinch!
The man suddenly turned to the hall, and so did Ha-ryun.
‘Three people?’
It was then.
Kwang!
The door slammed open, and someone appeared.
It was Mumu, Jin-hyuk and Mo Il-hwa who came inside. Mo Il-hwa was shocked to find Ja Muk-hyun holding a sword to Ha-ryun’s throat.
‘Amazing.’
They didn’t expect to find them like this.
‘Ha.’
Was this possible?
Ja Muk-hyun narrowed his eyes.
“… how did you find us?”
He had done everything to hide his presence here. He even erased any trace which could be found, and Mumu answered casually.
“I heard it.”
Ja Muk-hyun frowned. Heard it?
What did he hear? Mumu scratched his head and said,
“How long do you plan to be like that? Shut your mouth and stay quiet. You said that, right?”
‘!?’
At Mumu’s words, Ja Muk-hyun was shocked along with Ha-ryun.
Those were the words the two of them spoke just moments before!