Chapter 105 - The Secret Behind The Jade Plaque (2)
Bang!
The muscles on Mumuâs body turned grey, and steam began to billow out of him.
âHaâŠâ
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.
âThen what happens if at least one was taken off?â
Mumuâs present form looked far from human. His appearance looked almost like a guardian protecting the Buddha. Mo Il-hwa shook her head again. This wasnât important right now.
âDid you find it?â
Mumu shook his head.
âNo, I couldnât see anything.â
âIf you jump that high, can you really see the surroundings?â
âYes.â
ââŠâ
At Mumuâs 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.
âHe really jumps high. He is reallyâŠâ
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,
âIs it even wise to try to find someone in that brief moment of you being at that height? Miss, Iâd rather we just use our feet to find them.â
âThat was how I found senior Kang Mui.â
âWhat?â
âThe higher I go, the more I can see. Looks like Iâm still unable to see inside buildings, though.â
Jin-hyuk frowned at Mumuâs words. Was that really true?
Well, Mumu had shown so many unreal abilities, so his words canât be refuted outright.
ââŠyou think he is in a building?â
âYes.â
At this, Jin-hyuk looked at Mo Il-hwa.
âThere are hundreds of buildings in the academy. If they are determined to hide, finding them would be nearly impossible.â
Mo Il-hwa nodded in agreement. After all, Ha-ryun and Ja Muk-hyun both had tried to kill Hae-ryang.
They didnât know if the two realized that Hae-ryang was still alive, but it was certain that they would continue to try until he died.
âAnnoying. However, we canât ask the academy for help.â
âThen the deputy?â
âThe deputy?â
Mo Il-hwa questioned Mumuâs words.
âWe are trying to find the secret behind the jade plaque, and you want to involve the deputy headmaster? Can you trust him?â
âYes. The deputy is a good person.â
âThat was the story when he didnât know the secret of your birth.â
At Mo Il-hwaâs 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 Mumuâs birth came up.
âRight. Miss Mo is right. We need to be very careful. Stop thinking everyone is like us or will stand in your favor.â
â⊠Uh. Okay.â
Jin-hyuk sighed at Mumuâs words. Judging from his reaction, it seemed like Mumu trusted the deputy way too much. But it was harder to believe the deputy.
âHe has been going against the unorthodox sects for a long time. If Mumuâs birth was related to the Forces of Evil, there is a high chance he would act hostile.â
Therefore, it was very risky to ask him for help. Mo Il-hwa mumbled in an irritated voice.
âAhhh. So annoying. Because the academy is so wide, it will be difficult to find.â
âThen how about during the roll call time?â
âIt takes too long.â
âTrueâŠâ
âHa-ryun knew about the jade plaque, too, right? But on the way back, maybe he decided to kill Hae-ryang? Maybe he wonât even come to the dorm.â
âIf that is the case, then we have no way.â
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.
âThen, based on the assumption that they ran from the academyâŠâ
âIt wonât be that.â
âUh? They might not have left just yet.â
âKang Mui had the jade plaque too.â
âAh!â
Mo Il-hwa looked at Mumu and said,
âHa-ryun looked at Mumu and said he is loyal to the lord. If that was a mistake due to guessing the wrong personâs identity, then Kang Mui must be the real person above them. And since we caught their heads, will they run?â
âRight!â
Jin-hyuk nodded at her words. Her brain was moving too fast.
âThey must be hiding in the school building.â
âRight. But when we see that the jade plaque is there and he is the lord, then can it not be that Mumuâs parents are quite notorious in the Forces of Evil?â
âNotorious?â
âThere is no way that Ha-ryun would have treated us with such kindness unless your parents were very strong fighters.â
Jin-hyuk sighed at Mo Il-hwaâs words. He had thought of the possibility but hoped it didnât turn out that way.
No matter what, he swore to stand by Mumu and hoped things would go smoothly.
âI donât know much aboutâŠâ
âEhh. Still, it is a little less shocking if we can think about such things beforehand.â
ââŠbe considerate of Mumu.â
âJin-hyuk, you are too stubborn. This isnât a matter of taking care of him.â
âIf his parents are leaders of the Forces of Evil, with infamous names, would Mumu have been abandoned? You know this, right?â
At Jin-hyukâs words, Mo Il-hwa nodded her head.
âWell. That is true.â
It wouldnât make sense for them to abandon Mumu, make the child live in exile, and neglect him.
âHmm, it is strange.â
They couldnât understand what was happening around Mumu.
âAh!â
At that moment, Mumu clapped his palms as if he had thought of something, which prompted Mo Il-hwa to ask,
âWhat is it?â
âThere 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.â
âWhat are you saying?â
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 couldnât figure out why. Finally, Ha-ryun said,
âHow long are we going to be like this?â
âUntil I think it is enough.â
âButâŠâ
âShut it and stay quiet.â
âShit⊠what is he up to? There must be no proper answer.â
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.
âThe one who will be the lord.â
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.
âVoid Movement?â
It did seem very similar to that. Ha-ryun was shocked too. He didnât think that the lord would be such a skilled person.
ââŠbut there is no reason to waste time in an empty hall for that.â
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.
âKang Mui.â
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,
âKang Mui is the lord candidate he was talking about.â
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?
âHe spoke as if he was the sole lord of the jade plaque and complicated everything. Just what is this?â
He didnât 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.
âIf Kang Mui is the real lord, and Master Sa Muheo was under him, both being caught is the worst possible situation.â
They were in danger of being forced to disband now. Someone had to act, but Ha-ryun thought everything was too frustrating.
âDamn it!â
[As you said, Mumu, if that man is another owner of the Jade plaque, wouldnât he think that you are the one responsible for the cause of the death of the person who followed you?]
If it werenât for those words, Ha-ryun wouldnât be here. Now he was forced to hide with this man. Someone then walked into the hall.
A person in a guardâs uniform reported something by whispering in the manâs ears, and his expression soon changed.
And then his lips turned to a smile.
âWhat?â
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,
âSit downâ
âLetâs start talking now.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âI came over to tell you about the jade plaque, and after hearing the news about the rumors around Kang Mui, I still stayed silent.â
âSo what?â
âI need to know. Who owns the other jade plaque?â
At Ha-ryunâs question, the man sighed and closed the book he was reading.
âYou want to know?â
âI am also a member of the Eight Evil Families. Then I should have the right to know it.â
âRightsâŠnot all the members are the same.â
Ha-ryunâs eyes turned hard.
âNow it sounds like you are ignoring my sect.â
Being left in the dark made him feel the need to uphold the White Valley Sectâs honor. It was at that momentâŠ
Shhh!
The manâs 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,
âThe one who knocked Kang Mui out and put him in detainment is the other lord you talked about.â
âUh?â
Ha-ryun was shocked. Not long after they saw Mumu jump in the air, Kang Mui was detained.
Then, did Mumu overpower him?
âDo I need to trust you at all?â
ââŠâ
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.
âA-are you suspicious of me?â
âI am. You believe in the other jade plaque owner, and all that man does is just hinder our plans.â
âThatâŠâ
Shh!
As Ha-ryun tried to move, the man pushed the blade closer, making his blood flow out. This made Ha-ryunâs face turn pale.
âE-even, I donât know why he is like that!â
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 didnât know the reason either.
âYou donât know?â
The man snorted.
âWhy does a man who doesnât know that claim to be his limbs?â
âI-I didnât do it. I only followed the command to follow the person who holds the plaqueâŠâ
Pak
The blade was pushed closer.
âHuk!â
The man whispered.
âI wonât drag this out. Why do you think I kept watching over you here?â
âI-I donât know! IâŠâ
âNo, donât bother thinking. The White Valley always wanted to be the center of the Eight Evil families. But they were wrong.â
âWrong?â
The man continued.
âYou and the other owner of the jade plaque crossed a line which shouldnât have been crossed.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âStill 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?â
Ha-ryunâs eyes fluttered wide. Competing for the position of the lord?
Then he wasnât one of the bloodâŠ
Flinch!
The man suddenly turned to the hall, and so did Ha-ryun.
âThree people?â
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-ryunâs throat.
âAmazing.â
They didnât expect to find them like this.
âHa.â
Was this possible?
Ja Muk-hyun narrowed his eyes.
â⊠how did you find us?â
He had done everything to hide his presence here. He even erased any trace which could be found, and Mumu answered casually.
âI heard it.â
Ja Muk-hyun frowned. Heard it?
What did he hear? Mumu scratched his head and said,
âHow long do you plan to be like that? Shut your mouth and stay quiet. You said that, right?â
â!?â
At Mumuâs words, Ja Muk-hyun was shocked along with Ha-ryun.
Those were the words the two of them spoke just moments before!