Chapter 20 : Have a Good Trip
"Ah..."
Namgung Ji just let out a sigh and looked at Namgung Il.
His lies were all revealed.
His mind had gone completely blank, so Namgung Ji didn't even know what he should say now.
"Since you're not saying anything, I'll take it that you admit my words, right?"
"...!"
"I'll eat this later when I need to nourish my body..."
Namgung Il muttered and carefully put the wild ginseng he was holding into his clothes.
And his gaze turned to Namgung Ji again.
Looking at Namgung Ji, who still couldn't say anything, Namgung Il said in a cold voice.
"Then shall I receive the real one now?"
"...!"
"Hand it over. Where is the thousand-year-old wild ginseng?"
"J-just wait a little longer!"
In the end, Namgung Ji had no choice but to beg Namgung Il and explain his situation.
He had thought about trying to do something with force for a moment, but how could he win against a brat who had beaten Namgung Hae in a spar?
The best he could do was to ask for time until Suseonghwa's mood improved.
"My mother's mood is so bad right now that it's difficult to ask her to get me a thousand-year-old wild ginseng right away!"
"..."
"A month... If you just give me that much time, I'll really give you the thousand-year-old wild ginseng, so until then..."
"Why should I?"
"...Huh?"
"The notarized document clearly states that it will be paid immediately after the spar ends. So why should I wait a month?"
"Th-that kind of talk, where on earth..."
Flutter—
"Namgung Ji will pay a thousand-year-old wild ginseng 'immediately' if Namgung Il wins the spar with Namgung Hae."
"...!"
"I read it to you earlier, have you already forgotten?"
Namgung Il showed the notarized document again and said.
To think that it was even written in the notarized document when the thousand-year-old wild ginseng would be paid.
He had never thought that Namgung Hae would lose the spar, so he hadn't looked at such detailed parts.
"St-still, there's such a thing as compassion! Not a year, but about a month..."
"How shameless."
"...?"
"Why should I show compassion to a brat who not only avoided me but also tried to scam me?"
If Namgung Ji had come to him first and said that, Namgung Il might have thought about it a little.
But to ask for time now after having done everything he could?
It was no longer worth considering.
"You think you're shameless too, don't you?"
"...Then what do you want me to do!"
Namgung Ji shouted as if annoyed.
It was no different from the pot calling the kettle black.
As if he had several layers of steel plates on his face, Namgung Ji continued to speak to Namgung Il in a loud voice.
"No matter what you say, I don't have a thousand-year-old wild ginseng in my possession right now!"
"Then you can pay ten times that amount as written in the notarized document."
"If you can take it, then take it!"
Namgung Ji was now saying so with a strange smile on his lips.
'Even if I don't keep that promise, what can the government office do to me?'
He was a person with the blood of the Namgung Clan.
On top of that, wasn't the head of the World Escort Agency his maternal grandfather?
With the power of both the Namgung Clan and the World Escort Agency, even the government office would not be able to touch him carelessly.
'Yes, why was I so scared until now?'
Even if Namgung Il went to the government office with that notarized document, he wouldn't be thrown in jail.
As that conviction grew, Namgung Ji's face became confident, and he said to Namgung Il.
"Are you feeling wronged? Then go to the government office with that piece of paper."
"..."
"I'm not scared at all."
The situation was now completely reversed.
Seeing Namgung Il's face, who was now with his mouth shut tight, a laugh naturally erupted.
Just then, Namgung Il opened his mouth in a low voice.
"Then I'll do as you say."
"Do as you please."
"How long does it take to get from here to Shaanxi?"
"...?"
Namgung Il muttered and was already turning around and walking away.
At that moment, the smile disappeared from Namgung Ji's lips.
As soon as he heard the name Shaanxi, Namgung Ji couldn't help but be flustered.
"W-wait a minute!"
"..."
"I said wait!"
Namgung Ji shouted in an urgent voice.
But Namgung Il's steps showed no signs of stopping, and in the end, Namgung Ji hurriedly ran and grabbed Namgung Il's arm.
"What is it?"
"You! Where are you going now!"
"Where else? To where your grandfather is."
"...!"
Shaanxi, that was where the headquarters of the World Escort Agency was located.
He had grabbed Namgung Il because he had a bad feeling, but to think he was really going to go there.
Just then, Namgung Il said to Namgung Ji in a calm voice.
"Why? You're not scared of the government office, but you're scared of your grandfather?"
"Th-that's..."
"Relax your face. You were laughing so well earlier, why are you so pale now?"
As he said, Namgung Ji could no longer smile.
His mood was already at its worst due to this spar, just like Suseonghwa's.
But what would happen if the brat who could be said to be the cause of it appeared in front of him and showed him that notarized document?
Namgung Ji got goosebumps just imagining that situation.
'This is bad!'
Su Majin was a double-edged sword for Namgung Ji.
Usually, he acted as a reliable backer, but if he failed to meet his expectations, Su Majin would boldly cut him off.
But to have to worry about getting on Su Majin's bad side for something like this.
Suseonghwa was one thing, but Su Majin was also an object of fear for Namgung Ji.
"Think about it one more time! Even if you go there, do you think you can dare to meet my grandfather?"
"Really? Then let's give it a try."
"N-no, that's not it... I get it! I'll give you the thousand-year-old wild ginseng, so don't go there!"
"Now?"
"If you give me a month..."
As soon as Namgung Ji said that, Namgung Il turned back without any lingering attachment.
'Wh-what should I do?'
Watching Namgung Il's back getting farther away, Namgung Ji's mind became very complicated.
Was there no way to stop that brat's steps?
In the end, as if he had made a decision, Namgung Ji opened his mouth as if eating mustard with tears.
"I'll get it for you now!"
"..."
"So... don't go there."
Namgung Ji said in a trembling voice.
And at the same time, his steps stopped.
Namgung Il turned back again and approached Namgung Ji.
"It would have been better if you had done that from the beginning, right?"
"..."
"From now on, live a good life by keeping your promises. Got it, younger brother?"
Namgung Il said, patting Namgung Ji's shoulder with one hand.
Seeing that, what should I say... rather than being angry, Namgung Ji was relieved that he had stopped Namgung Il.
"Then bring it within three days."
"..."
"Answer."
"...Yes."
To be honest, three days was also short.
But if he said no here, wouldn't Namgung Il turn his back and leave this place again like before?
Namgung Ji had no choice but to do as Namgung Il said now.
"Good."
"..."
"I should eat some chicken soup today. Since I got some good ginseng."
Namgung Il muttered and left the warehouse in a good mood.
Namgung Ji, who was still left in the warehouse, stared blankly at him.
A moment later, an unidentifiable shout was heard from inside the warehouse.
* * *
Clunk—
Namgung Il opened the wooden box placed in front of him.
"Oh—"
As soon as he confirmed the contents inside, an exclamation escaped Namgung Il's lips without him realizing it.
A root of wild ginseng, exuding a brilliant appearance, was placed inside the wooden box.
Namgung Il knew at a glance that it was a thousand-year-old wild ginseng.
"This time it's real."
"..."
"Good job. See, you can do it if you try, right?"
Although Namgung Il said it as if praising him, the expression on Namgung Ji's face in front of him was as dark as it could be.
How on earth did he get that thousand-year-old wild ginseng?
Thinking that it would go into that damn brat's stomach, Namgung Ji felt his insides twist.
"Mother... I have a request."
"A request?"
"I will also follow my second brother... and do... closed-door... closed-door training!"
This thousand-year-old wild ginseng was obtained in exchange for that.
In this situation, that was the only way to make Suseonghwa feel better.
Fortunately, as planned, Suseonghwa was happy and got him the thousand-year-old wild ginseng... but thinking that he had to be locked up in the Closed-Door Training Cave for at least a year, Namgung Ji was already trembling with rage.
"...I have one question."
"What?"
"How do you distinguish wild ginseng so easily?"
Namgung Ji was still puzzled by that.
Didn't he know immediately that it was a thousand-year-old wild ginseng as soon as he opened the lid this time too?
It was natural for Namgung Ji not to understand how Namgung Il had such knowledge.
'Yes, you must be very curious.'
There was one thing that people in the world surprisingly didn't know well about the Beggars' Sect.
That was that the medical skills of the Beggars' Sect were surprisingly excellent.
Especially when it came to medicinal herbs, they had knowledge that was by no means inferior even when compared to ordinary healers.
"..."
Namgung Il also didn't know the proper reason why the medical skills of the Beggars' Sect were so excellent.
From what he had heard from his seniors in the past, was it that the beggars ate this and that, and got sick so often that their medical skills naturally developed?
Of course, since it was said as a joke, it was not credible at all.
'I hated it back then, but now that I've learned it, it's surprisingly useful.'
When one became a disciple of the leader, it was essential to learn medical skills.
Was the name of the book the Beggar's Precious Mirror of Medicine?
Because it was a condition to become the leader to memorize that thick book and pass the test, Namgung Il had once sat at his desk and studied until his head exploded.
'Thank you for nagging me to study while hitting my butt back then, Master.'
Thanks to that, I didn't get scammed by a brat like this.
Namgung Il looked at Namgung Ji with a strange smile and opened his mouth.
"Are you curious?
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me quickly!"
"Hmm... If you get me one more root of thousand-year-old wild ginseng, I might tell you."
"What?"
"If you don't want to, then don't."
When Namgung Il said that, Namgung Ji's face turned red.
To annoy him like that until the end.
Just then, a voice was heard from outside the door.
"Young Master, it's time to go to the Closed-Door Training Cave."
"A-already?"
"Yes, please get ready and go now."
"..."
Ah, I really don't want to go.
But since he couldn't hold out forever, Namgung Ji forced himself to take heavy steps.
"Have a good trip."
"..."
"A year like that will pass quickly. Ah, and when you come out, make sure you become a person."
Namgung Il said from behind.
To speak so hatefully as if it were not his business.
Namgung Ji opened the door roughly with a face full of anger and left the room.
Swoosh—
Whether he did or not, Namgung Il's only interest now was the thousand-year-old wild ginseng.
'How should I eat this precious thing?'
Of course, it would have sufficient effect even if eaten raw.
But he couldn't just eat this precious thing so carelessly.
After thinking for a moment, Namgung Il got up from his seat as if he had made a decision.
"Yes, let's try making that."
Just imagining it made his mouth water.
Namgung Il wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and left the room.