Chapter 201 : It Has to Be Done Properly. -02
Chapter 201: It Has to Be Done Properly. -02
Beopmu strongly agreed.
If one was an adult, if one was a martial artist, they had to take responsibility for their actions.
Even if it meant risking their life.
“I know what you’re worried about. But it’s a pointless concern. No matter what the Shangguan Family does, Shaolin will not be shaken. The Shangguan Family Head knows that too, which is why he came out so humbly today. Rather than thinking about what to do with the main temple, he’s probably worrying about how to avoid damage to the Shangguan Family moving forward. The Shangguan Family is certainly a powerful martial family, but it cannot do anything alone.”
Damhyeon said with a grin.
From the moment they came to Songshan, the outcome had already been decided.
If they had intended to fight it out, Shangguan Bo would never have come to see him.
“I think the Shangguan Family Head came because he knows that. Honestly, it would be stranger if he didn’t.”
“In the end, Murim is a world of survival of the fittest. To put it bluntly, if Hojin decided to turn everything upside down, the Shangguan Family wouldn’t have any way to stop him. That’s why I’m curious about your thoughts. What do you think the Shangguan Family Head will do?”
“Well… this is my first time seeing him too. But one thing is certain—it won’t be an easy choice. There’s no best option, only the worst and the second worst.”
At Ban Hojin’s words, Damhyeon nodded.
The expression “worst and second worst” fit perfectly.
But for Shangguan Bo, he had no choice but to pick one.
“If he chooses the worst?”
“Even if I don’t step in, they’ll slowly wither away, won’t they? As time passes, the Shangguan Family’s power will weaken. There are already two forces below them rising rapidly.”
“Then if he chooses the second worst?”
“Publicly, we’ll have no choice but to forgive them. But secretly, we’ll keep a close watch. Until we find something definitive. Fortunately, I have acquaintances who are skilled in that area, so I’m not too worried about it.”
“You’ve thought it through well.”
Damhyeon smiled kindly.
He had been a little worried, but not anymore.
He had feared Ban Hojin might act emotionally, but it had been an unnecessary concern.
“Still, I think it wouldn’t be bad to make an example of them at least once. There are clearly places that claim to represent the Orthodox Path but behave worse than the underworld. From what I’ve looked into, the Shangguan Family isn’t exactly clean either.”
“I know. So let’s watch for now. The karma one accumulates eventually returns to oneself. And Hojin, do as you wish.”
Damhyeon looked past Beopmu and at Ban Hojin.
Whatever result came, he would support him.
If Ban Hojin chose something, there had to be a reason.
And since Ban Hojin had never disappointed him, Damhyeon trusted him this time as well.
“Understood.”
“I’m curious too. What kind of choice the Shangguan Family Head will make.”
Murmuring as he sipped his tea, Damhyeon spoke.
Beopmu nodded as well.
He was just as curious.
---
In the early hours, when the dawn fog had yet to clear, Nan Hee-ju climbed Songshan together with Baekseol and five escort guards.
As always, she had more than half her face covered with a veil.
However, her expression as she ascended the main road toward Shaolin was noticeably different from usual.
She looked bewildered, tilting her head from time to time.
“It seems you really can’t believe it, Rumor Lord.”
“Baekseol, does this situation feel real to you?”
“It’s surprising, but Young Master Ban is the one who did it. So I think it’s entirely possible. Since it actually happened, wouldn’t that be why they sent word to you?”
“That’s true, but even hearing about it is shocking. The great Shangguan Family…”
“You already knew, didn’t you? That the Shangguan Family Head and the Young Lord secretly headed to Shaolin.”
Unlike Nan Hee-ju, who kept tilting her head, Baekseol remained calm.
She was just as surprised, but she didn’t dwell on it.
She simply accepted the facts as they were.
“I did know. But I didn’t expect things to unfold like this.”
“For the Shangguan Family Head, it was inevitably a tense situation. They couldn’t avoid Young Master Ban and Shaolin forever. The war with the Nine Heavens Gate isn’t even over yet, and the situation in the Neo-Outer Murim is unstable. At a time when they should be strengthening ties with other prestigious families and major sects, they were instead being subtly ostracized. Of course he’d be anxious.”
“They were in a corner. Everyone had turned their backs on them. And they probably know we’ve been thoroughly investigating them too.”
“They had some room for excuses, so they made a decisive gamble.”
“Right.”
As they chatted, Shaolin came into view.
However, Nan Hee-ju’s destination was not Shaolin, so she naturally took a side path.
“You came early.”
“As expected of a master. You sensed us, didn’t you?”
“That too, and I figured you’d come around this time. You’re diligent.”
“That’s a compliment, right?”
“Of course.”
Seeing Ban Hojin waiting to greet her, Nan Hee-ju smiled brightly.
It might have seemed trivial, but she appreciated this kind of consideration.
At the same time, it meant that Ban Hojin understood her well.
Bow.
As the conversation with Nan Hee-ju seemed to wind down, Baekseol and the guards bowed deeply.
Their greeting was filled with respect.
In return, Ban Hojin also brought his palms together in a Shaolin-style salute.
“What do you think will happen, oppa?”
“The decision?”
“Yeah.”
“Since he hasn’t left, doesn’t that already answer it?”
Shangguan Bo had plenty of time.
He could have left Shaolin and returned to his main house at any moment.
But he hadn’t.
That fact alone pointed to one answer, so Ban Hojin replied without hesitation.
“Hmm!”
“Why? Are you worried?”
“A little? Honestly, this kind of situation has never happened before. It feels satisfying, but also a bit scary.”
“The great Nan Hee-ju?”
“Am I not human? I’m not even twenty yet. I’m still young.”
Nan Hee-ju shot him a sulky glance, but Ban Hojin ignored it.
He knew it was just a complaint.
“Let’s go in. I sent word when I came out, so they should be on their way too.”
“It’s been a while since a three-way meeting. Or should I say four, including the Shangguan Family Head?”
Though slightly tense, Ban Hojin could see it.
Nan Hee-ju was subtly excited.
Step, step.
As if summoned by words, footsteps came from the direction of the Guest Reception Hall.
It was Shangguan Bo and Shangguan Jeok.
Since Ban Hojin’s summons could only mean one thing, neither of them was surprised upon seeing Nan Hee-ju.
They simply wore slightly uncomfortable expressions.
“Let’s go in.”
“Very well.”
As Shangguan Bo approached with heavy steps, Ban Hojin coldly spoke and entered the pavilion.
Nan Hee-ju quickly followed behind him.
Clink.
Even after sitting down, Ban Hojin did not pour tea for them.
He only poured for himself and Nan Hee-ju.
It was blatant discrimination, but Shangguan Bo could only twitch his lips and say nothing.
Sip.
Nan Hee-ju also noticed the discrimination but didn’t comment on it.
She calmly drank her tea.
Deliberately making more noise than necessary.
Shangguan Jeok glared at her heavily, but she did not avert her gaze.
Since she wasn’t even afraid of Shangguan Bo, Shangguan Jeok meant nothing.
And the reason she had been wary of the Shangguan Family was due to their alliance with other families, not fear of the Shangguan Family itself.
If it was just the Shangguan Family alone, the Hao Sect could handle them.
‘And on top of that, there’s oppa.’
Despite Shangguan Jeok’s fierce glare, Nan Hee-ju showed no fear.
She knew he couldn’t do anything here.
Sip.
Just like her, Ban Hojin calmly sipped his tea.
As if the silence meant nothing to him.
In truth, the ones at a disadvantage were Shangguan Bo and Shangguan Jeok, so Ban Hojin leisurely drank his tea.
“Ahem! After hearing what you said, I thought about it a great deal.”
“You’re not saying you still haven’t decided?”
“As I said before, there was a slight misunderstanding between us. Regarding that, I apologize to you and the Rumor Lord. Even if we say otherwise, what you felt could naturally be different.”
Nan Hee-ju, who had been quietly drinking tea, made a dumbfounded expression.
She had roughly understood through the letter, but hearing it directly was truly absurd.
Yet at the same time, she found it clever.
He had precisely identified and exploited a loophole.
“Then go ahead and apologize now.”
“In the end, we caused you trouble. I sincerely apologize. From now on, such a thing will never happen again. I also apologize to the Rumor Lord. I’m sorry.”
With an awkward smile, Shangguan Bo bowed his head to Ban Hojin and Nan Hee-ju.
The forced nature of his smile made the corners of his mouth tremble slightly, which Ban Hojin noticed.
“…I’m sorry.”
Following him, Shangguan Jeok also bowed his head.
However, there was not a trace of sincerity in his voice.
It sounded entirely forced.
Still, the fact remained that they had bowed and apologized, so Ban Hojin let out a silent chuckle and spoke.
“It’s not satisfying, but I’ll accept it.”
“Th-thank you.”
Though Ban Hojin’s response was far from gracious, Shangguan Bo forced a smile.
What mattered was not the underlying content of the conversation, but the result.
The process hadn’t been smooth, but since it had reached a conclusion, Shangguan Bo considered his goal achieved.
His pride was wounded, but avoiding the storm was the wiser choice.
Fighting an unbeatable natural disaster would be foolish.
Shangguan Jeok, still young, might not accept this situation easily, but with time, it would resolve itself.
‘A gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years.’
Though he had no choice but to bow now, Shangguan Bo did not believe this hierarchy would last forever.
In ten years, their positions might very well be reversed.
With that thought, he looked toward the future.
“You may leave now.”
“Let’s meet again with smiles next time.”
The seat had been unbearably uncomfortable for him anyway, so Shangguan Bo welcomed the dismissal.
At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel impressed.
Despite his young age, Ban Hojin never relinquished control of the situation.
This wasn’t just about martial strength—this kind of composure usually came with experience.
Yet Ban Hojin, still so young, handled it masterfully, making Shangguan Bo inwardly laugh in disbelief.
Creak.
Seeing that Ban Hojin neither responded nor stood up, Shangguan Bo gave a bitter smile.
But he didn’t dare question it.
Murim was a world where the strong ruled.
Power itself was law and order.
Knowing that better than anyone, Shangguan Bo patted his son’s shoulder and left Ban Hojin’s quarters.
Clench!
The moment they stepped outside, the expressions of Shangguan Bo and Shangguan Jeok changed instantly.
Their faces twisted like demons, their eyes blazing.
The anger they had suppressed until now poured out through their gaze.
Yet they did not release killing intent.
‘I will never, ever forget this humiliation! You bastards!’
Shangguan Jeok clenched his fist.
He exerted so much force that his arms trembled.
But he didn’t even realize it.
“Unbelievable.”
“Is it really that shocking?”
Meanwhile, after the father and son left, Nan Hee-ju muttered in a daze.
Her expression looked as though she couldn’t tell whether this was a dream or reality.
At her reaction, Ban Hojin smirked.
---
New Terms/Characters Introduced
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