‘… oh my.’
Yu Yeop-kyung, who watched the scene from afar, covered his face with one hand.
The two seemed to be doing something until his son knocked out the prefect.
Yu Yeop-kyung was about to get up thinking about how to cover it, but Oh Ji-kang waved his hand, saying it was fine.
“Yu Hakjeong, it’s no big deal.”
“What’s no big deal! Prefect Jang just went flying.”
“Hahaha. Prefect Jang is a master in martial arts. No matter how strong your child is, he isn’t the type who will be beaten so easily. Maybe he was just playing with Mumu.”
‘Playing? Hmm. Really?’
It seemed like the officers near the prefect flocked to him.
He was still shocked, but Oh Ji-kang didn’t care and changed the topic.
“Are you really okay with that? To pass by?”
“Is there something wrong with that? If you want to go and see them, there is no way I will refuse.”
In the sixth division, the Penal Division was in charge of executing sentences and other tasks related to prisoners.
And the one in charge was the Minister of Criminal Affairs, and everything done was written down.
Even though Yu Yeop-kyung was granted a special pardon for the nation’s sake, he couldn’t refuse the call of this man who was responsible for the implementation of exile.
“But I don’t know why I’m being called.”
Yu Yeop-kyung was confused.
It had been more than 17 years since he went into exile because of that ‘incident.’
From what he heard, a significant number of people in the political world had changed, and only a few people knew him.
He couldn’t understand why they wanted to meet a mere sinner.
‘Hm… actually, I can guess why.’
“What do you mean?”
In response to Yu Yeop-kyung’s question, Oh Ji-kang said,
“I was going to tell you this when we reached our destination as a surprise, but I guess not anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe it’s because of your sons.”
“Sons? By any chance, did my kids do something?”
Yu Yeop-kyung asked anxiously.
He had two sons whom he hadn’t met in a long time.
The first must be an adult by now, and the second one had to be the same age as Mumu.
“Ah, don’t jump to conclusions. It isn’t that.”
“Then?”
“You have wonderful sons.”
At those words, Yu Yeop-kyung couldn’t understand.
Then, Oh Ji-kang spoke with a smile.
“The first one graduated from Heavenly Martial Arts Academy in second place and was appointed as the 7th inspection censor (Imperial inspection censor, directly under the Imperial family, has access to every record and document).”
“W-What?”
Yu Yeop-kyung was confused.
If it meant inspection censor, then it had to be at the inspection agency of the Imperial city.
The inspection agency performed administrative duties and audits. They enjoyed more authority than others.
Being an inspection censor of the Imperial city was a great job.
‘He’s living the dream.’
That made even the Hakjeong jealous.
And from a family with one of its members in exile, a high-ranking official came out.
It was shocking but even more incomprehensible.
“Are you pulling my leg? How can a member of a family with one of its members in exile be appointed for that role?”
“Ahh. Naturally, you don’t understand.”
“What are you even saying?”
“I don’t know how to explain this… ah! Do you remember the Heavenly Martial Arts Academy I mentioned earlier?”
“I do. You mentioned that when you were talking about the first kid? What is that place?”
It was his first time hearing that name.
When he was free, he never heard of such an academy.
Judging by its name, it didn’t seem like a scholar academy. Instead, it seemed like a martial arts academy.
“Yu Hakjeong. By any chance, do you remember the Ungpae Association?”
“If I recall correctly, that was the vicious group of martial artists which threatened the Imperial palace and said they would conquer the entire central lands, right?”
At that time, the Ungpae was starting out.
And most people who were known to have connections with them were declared criminals and exiled.
Even Yu Yeop-kyung, who knew almost nothing about Murim, knew how many people the Ungpae Association had instilled fear in.
“But what about them?”
“Do you know who defeated them?”
“Wasn’t that… the Four Great Warriors?”
“Yes. And the Heavenly Martial Arts Academy was founded by two of the four.”
“So what if one graduated from there?”
“Well, one of the four is a member of the Imperial family.”
At that, he was shocked.
As he was in exile, there was no way he got that information.
Moreover, he wasn’t even interested in the Murim family.
‘Imperial famil…’
“Shockingly, one was a member of the Imperial family and is called the Southern Sword Hwang-suk as he was one of the great warriors in Murim. And he founded it together with the Fist of the Northern Star.”
“Huh. I see.”
“The Imperial family and the government recognized the achievements of the Four Warriors, and one of them was the Southern Sword Hwang-suk who saved the land from the Ungpae Association. And only those who have graduated from the Heavenly Martial Arts Academy of theirs are given the posts of Soldiers, Imperial Guards, and posts within the policing department.”
Yu Yeop-kyung, who was unaware of it, was shocked.
So in such a way, even Murim people were given a chance to serve.
At one time, the Imperial family and Murim didn’t get along.
But he had one question.
“But is that possible for a child of a criminal who was exiled?”
It wasn’t like it was something that could be overlooked.
And they were close relations.
At that, Oh Ji-kang smiled.
“Yu Hakjeong. Even His Majesty calls him Hwang-suk, and he favors and respects the man. That is why he declared that he would give anyone a chance regardless of past history and age.”
“Ah!”
At those words, Yu Yeop-kyung exclaimed.
If those words were true, then his son had completed his study at the Heavenly Martial Arts Academy in second place and was appointed to a provincial office.
He couldn’t be happier than he was now.
“Are you crying?”
“Ah, no! Embers flew into my eyes.”
“If it’s embers, you’ll turn blind.”
“Can we just drop this?”
“Hahaha. If I left exile and learned that my family had grown up and worked hard, I would shed tears too.”
Yu Yeop-kyung wiped his tears with the back of his hand.
Who would have thought that such a joyous thing would happen?
But then, he suddenly thought.
‘How did he get into that academy?’
When he left, the kid was only four years old.
And his family had been scholars for generations.
He wondered what kind of connections had to be used to get the kid in there.
Besides, if he was in second place, there must have been a lot of competition.
‘What all happened?’
It seemed like he would know shortly.
The second question was.
“So you meant that the Head of Criminal Affairs called me because my eldest son was given an official post?”
“That’s what I think. I heard that he is trying to get another son into the same academy. Maybe it has something to do with that?”
“Another son…”
Somehow, the words felt strange.
After that, it took a fortnight to arrive.
During that time, Mumu couldn’t use the training tools he kept secret as his father was keeping an eye on him.
And Mumu was losing his mind, so now he would usually train his body to its limits by doing things like 10,000 push-ups or 1000 squats at night.
‘Ha…’
And Prefect Jang, who kept an eye on him, bit his tongue.
Once he was conscious, he was unable to say anything to Mumu.
The biggest reason was that his front teeth fell out.
He had to keep his mouth shut the whole time so that the others didn’t see and laugh.
‘How is his body like that?’
He watched Mumu over and over again.
The training method was too extreme and full of things that he would be unable to do.
It was amazing that Mumu was doing it with just his body.
‘… with just his strength, he overcame me.’
That was a shock.
While the prefect was struggling in the battle, he got dragged by Mumu.
He wanted to know just how Mumu created his body, but the opportunity passed.
The officers waved their hands to Mumu and said goodbye.
“Mumu. Take care.”
“If there is ever a chance, let’s meet!”
“Don’t forget us!”
“Yes, yes. I will surely come to play with you!”
Mumu also bowed his head and thanked them.
The mission of Prefect Jang and the other officers was done.
Now that they arrived at the end of their mission, they had to head back to their province.
As everyone was about to leave, Prefect Jang approached Mumu and gave him something.
A finely folded paper.
“Mumu. We made a promise back then, but this is a simple gift from this Mister.”
“What is this?”
“If you have any interest in martial arts in the future, then open this paper. Okay then, until next time.”
With those words, he left.
In his heart, he wanted to open the paper and see what was in it.
He was curious about what happened in the martial arts world and wondered if people who were physically trained could even learn martial arts.
Of course, there was also a desire to just continue with his own way.
Mumu looked at the paper once again and shoved it into his sleeve as if he had no interest.
And Mumu followed his father and the man Oh Ji-kang.
Mumu looked around at the bustling streets for the first time in his life, the stylish houses made of tiles, the stores, everything.
“Father, look there.”
“Doesn’t that look delicious?”
“Are those pretty people in skirts all women?”
Yu Yeop-kyung looked at his son in joy.
Since the child was confined to mountains, he was glad that Mumu was finally looking at the real world.
After moving, they stopped at a place.
“Woah!”
Mumu exclaimed as he looked at the wall and the entrance, which was incomparable to the other houses.
The manor where the Head of Criminal Affairs lived.
When Oh Ji-kang said something to the one guarding the entrance, they went inside, and then someone came out of the manor.
“Welcome. Even though it doesn’t look like it, the Master was waiting for you.”
With that, they entered.
Although it looked gorgeous on the outside, the inside was even more splendid.
From the pond in the middle of the yard to the flower bed full of colorful plants.
When they finally arrived near the building, the butler said.
“Is this man the son of Yu Hakjeong?”
“Ah. Yes.”
At that, the butler nodded.
“However, the Master said that he would only see the two of you, so I think your son will have to wait outside.”
Yu Yeop-kyung was puzzled by it but told Mumu,
“Please wait here patiently by looking at the pond. I will go meet him and come back.”
“Yes.”
With that, Yu Yeop-kyung and Oh Ji-kang went up
Meanwhile, Mumu was looking at the pond in the yard.
There were different colored carp in the pond, which he had never seen in the mountains.
Two people were watching him.
“Look at that one.”
A boy with a slightly droopy but tall look, standing next to the pillar on the right side of the building, said while pointing to Mumu.
The girl with pretty eyes next to him answered with a dazed face.
“… looks handsome.”
“That one is handsome? He looks like a sissy.”
“He definitely looks better than my brother.”
“What?”
His body expressed his displeasure at the girl’s comment.
He was a proud person, and when she said that Mumu looked better, he didn’t like it.
He looked at Mumu and said,
“Will he be like Yu Jin-sung?”
“Rumors say that he might be as talented as his older brother, so wouldn’t he be the best?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s an exaggerated rumor.”
“Are you jealous?”
“Jealous? Haha. This brother will never be wary of such a guy. Let’s test how good he is.”
With those words, the boy stepped forward.
“Wait a minute, brother!”
The girl tried to stop him, but he was already heading over to where Mumu was.
The boy, who strode closer to him, said.
“Look here.”
“Huh?”
Mumu, who was busy looking at the carp, turned his head.
The boy stretched out his hand and said.
“Nice to meet you. Are you the son of Yu Hakjeong? I’m Mo Il-seo of this house.”
“Huh?”
At Mumu’s question, the boy frowned a little.
If this kid was the son of the Yu family, then he would immediately know who he was, but why was this one in front of him looking so confused and innocent?
Actually, it was Mumu’s first time meeting someone close to his age.
“Why are you extending your hand?”
“I heard that it’s a popular handshake in the Imperial palace, didn't you know?”
“Handshake?”
“It’s a greeting that westerners do. They meet and shake hands like this.”
“Is that so?”
“Are you going to avoid my hand?”
Mumu reached out at the words of Mo Il-seo.
Mo Il-seo’s eyes twinkled at it.
He was using the handshake to test the kid.
“This Mo Il-seo will check how good you are.”
Grab!
Mo Il-seo, held the hand.
He, who was trained, raised his internal energy and focused it in his hand.
At once, he raised the level eightfold and continued giving strength to his hand.
However,
‘Oh?’
He was applying force with his hand, but the guy was looking at him blankly.
Naturally, he thought that the man would struggle or fight back.
In that case, he thought he would find the difference between them, but what’s with the weird reaction?
Mumu spoke then.
“Is this where we put strength into our hands?”
“Huh? That, yes.”
“Like this?”
With that, thick muscles bulged on the back of Mumu’s hand.
Crack.
“Kuak!”
At that moment, Mo Il-seo’s body twisted in pain.