Chapter 80
“Hey, sorry, sorry. I ended up on those guys’ ship without even realizing it! I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again. But what are you all doing here at this hour? Isn’t it time for morning training? Aren’t you going up Yeomo Peak?”
As the ship docked, Dam Suyeon came down to the harbor and spoke cheerfully to the Third Generation Disciples who had gathered around her, as if nothing had happened.
The people who had been on the verge of tears from the emotional reunion quickly dried their eyes in the face of her nonchalant attitude.
Especially Yoon Taeshin, who held onto her shoulders, speechless.
“Right, senior brother. Are the mentors and elders really angry? I didn’t mean to cause trouble this time…”
“…Is that really what you should be saying right now?”
His voice carried not just disbelief, but a hint of anger, and Suyeon quickly shut her mouth.
Yoon Taeshin was known to burst into scolding at times like this, so she immediately took a respectful posture to avoid being nagged.
She lowered her head deeply and folded her hands neatly in front of her, when suddenly a shadow loomed over her.
She braced herself for a sharp slap on her back and squeezed her eyes shut—but instead,
Swoosh—
A warm embrace enveloped her entire body.
Suyeon blinked in confusion. Yoon Taeshin’s hair tickled her cheek.
“Uh, uh? B-big brother…?”
It was the first time she had ever been hugged by him, and she blushed, flustered, flailing her arms in the air without managing to hug him back.
“Do you… do you even know how worried we were…?”
His voice was wet with tears. Suyeon froze.
“The youngest said you ended up on a pirate ship! But then the currents changed, and we couldn’t follow! We wandered around that area just in case, but you were nowhere to be seen! We all thought you were dead!”
Suyeon looked around at the faces of the Third Generation Disciples surrounding her.
They were all trying hard to hold back tears, their eyes red and swollen.
“You asked if the mentors and elders were angry? Yes! They’re furious! And they were also worried sick! Even the Sect Leader came down to the sea to search for you himself!”
Yoon Taeshin grabbed Suyeon by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. His face was drenched in tears.
The ever-cool and rational leader of the Third Generation Disciples was crying for the first time.
“Waaaah! I thought you were dead, sister!”
The youngest of the disciples burst into tears too.
“See! I told you to listen to senior brother and the mentors! Why did you go to the pirate ship?!”
“Thank goodness you made it back! If anything had happened to you, we… we would have…!”
Suyeon, who had been stunned, started to pout and then suddenly burst into tears as well.
“Waaaah, I’m sorry! It was my fault! I’ll never do it again…!”
Soon the entire dock at Haegu was filled with sobbing.
And watching this heartwarming scene were a few onlookers.
“…Good grief.”
It was Eun Sowol’s group.
Dok Go-ryong, in particular, turned his head away with a sour look as if the sight disgusted him.
“Whyyy~ crying isn’t embarrassing, you know?”
“I just don’t like seeing grown men clinging to each other and bawling.”
Yeah, her uncle didn’t cry like a baby—he was a proper adult, a real grown-up.
As Eun Sowol crossed her arms and shot him a look—
“Suyeon-aaah!”
“Where have you been?! Do you know how worried we were?!”
A group of middle-aged people in blue martial robes suddenly appeared.
They too were all on the verge of tears, and Dok Go-ryong’s expression grew colder.
“Let’s just go.”
“Huh? But we haven’t greeted Miss Dam yet…”
“The mere thought of being surrounded by that crowd giving thanks gives me goosebumps.”
Dang Jin-ak glanced between Dok Go-ryong, who was dragging Eun Sowol away, and Dam Suyeon surrounded by the Third Generation Disciples, then quietly followed after Dok Go-ryong.
“Leaving a debt to the Nine Great Sects isn’t always a bad thing. Especially Hae-nam Sect—once they’re grateful, they never forget it.”
At that moment, a rough voice from behind stopped the trio in their tracks.
It was Yang Huicheon.
Dok Go-ryong paused and looked at him, then turned to walk away without replying.
Yang Huicheon’s eyebrow twitched, and in a flash, he leapt into the air and blocked Dok Go-ryong’s path.
“You insolent brat! Did you not hear this old man speaking?!”
“Oh, were you talking to me?”
He feigned ignorance, but his face was the picture of calm.
‘You were obviously pretending not to hear.’
Eun Sowol squinted at him suspiciously.
“Hmph… Didn’t you say last time that you knew all the good fishing spots in Hae-nam Island? Why are you acting like it’s your first time here?”
“You’re mistaken.”
“Mistaken, huh. Do you even know there’s no hot spring where you’re headed now?”
Dok Go-ryong flinched and avoided his gaze, clearly refusing to admit anything out of pride.
Yang Huicheon snorted.
“Thought so. I’ve been to Hae-nam more than my own hometown. I know this place like my own backyard. If you want, I could even let you join me for hot spring fishing?”
He had a smug look, as if daring Dok Go-ryong to beg.
Dok Go-ryong narrowed his eyes and said nothing, but Sowol seemed to read his thoughts.
‘If he goes with Grandpa, he could find the Thousand-Year Flower easily, but his pride won’t let him follow so easily.’
Those two always bickered like cats and dogs.
Eun Sowol decided it was time for her to step in.
“Grandpa! Are you going to travel with us now?”
Yang Huicheon looked surprised—he hadn’t expected Eun Sowol to speak up.
He had planned to tease Dok Go-ryong over the flower and fishing, but now this innocent girl was staring up at him with sparkling eyes and a beaming smile—and he felt a twinge of guilt.
“I like Grandpa! Being with Grandpa is fun!”
“A-hem! Is that so?”
Of course, it was all part of Eun Sowol’s plan.
She buttered up Yang Huicheon…
“Grandpa said hot spring fishing is really hard. But with my uncle’s skills, I bet he could catch a lot!”
…and flattered Dok Go-ryong too.
“I’ll ask Uncle to catch some for you too, Grandpa! Let’s catch lots of fish together!”
With both sides unable to say no, she created the perfect setup for temporary cooperation—without hurting anyone’s pride.
As she hoped, Yang Huicheon and Dok Go-ryong exchanged awkward, but interested looks.
“…Well, at least your fishing skills are decent.”
“If you show us a good spot, I suppose I could catch one or two.”
Reluctantly, the two agreed to travel together.
“Good job, Sowol.”
“Hehe.”
As Dang Jin-ak whispered praise, Sowol giggled softly.
She walked between the two men and grabbed their hands.
“Okay, let’s go! Grandpa, take us to a yummy inn!”
“Haha, our little Sowol wants something tasty? Let’s see, there’s this place with the most amazing steamed fish…”
Just then, Baegun, perched on Sowol’s shoulder, perked its ears and turned around.
Thud, thud, thud—
“Beneeffaaactooorrrr!”
Along with the sound of what felt like galloping hooves, Dam Suyeon’s shout echoed behind them.
She ran up to Dok Go-ryong, panting hard, and grabbed his hand.
“You can’t leave like this! I haven’t even properly thanked you yet! Our mentors, elders, and even the Sect Leader all want to thank you personally!”
“…Damn it.”
It was Dok Go-ryong’s worst-case scenario.
Sure enough, a crowd of people in blue robes came rushing over.
As they got closer, Sowol’s jaw slowly dropped.
‘Wh-why are they all so huge…?’
She hadn’t realized earlier during the tearful reunion, but now that they were up close, they were all massive.
Not just the Third Generation Disciples—middle-aged Second Generation ones, and even the elderly white-haired elders were all giants.
‘It’s like those mountain bandit uncles cloned themselves.’
Until now, the biggest person she had seen was Goh Taehong of Pachochae, but today that record was broken.
As she stared at them, a white-haired but sharp-eyed and sturdy elder approached their group…
