Chapter 100: Volunteer Work (5)

Il-mok's expression of disbelief might as well have been invisible to Chu Il-hwan, who continued beaming with that insufferably cheerful smile.

"What else can we do? A test is a test; it must be fair, wouldn't you agree? I'm sure you'll perform well enough in the next exam, so don't trouble yourself over this."

Chu Il-hwan even had the gall to clench his fist in what appeared to be genuine encouragement.

Il-mok responded with an audible sigh this time.

"Yes. I'll take my leave."

The moment Il-mok left the office, he activated his stealth technique and moved with caution. The last thing he needed was to catch the attention of lunatics the likes of Bang Mi-hwa, Dokgo Pae, or Mak Ho-yeol.

‘Any of those three would spell trouble.’

His recent torment under Elder Kang had sharpened his abilities, but that also made facing Bang Mi-hwa directly all the more dangerous. Getting into fights or listening to nonsense from guys like Dokgo Pae and Mak Ho-yeol would also be tiresome in many ways.

Il-mok's destination remained unchanged: that familiar, secluded clearing where he always lazed around. He planned to disappear into its deep shadows and finally catch his breath.

After moving stealthily with his stealth technique pushed to the limit, Il-mok was able to reach the clearing without being spotted by those crazy bastards.

Then he stopped dead and rubbed his eyes.

There sat Jeong Hyeon, hunched over like a frightened animal, forcing out the most awkward laugh he'd ever heard.

"Ahaha... hahaha..."

Even stranger, Baek Cheon stood beside him giving Jeong Hyeon some strange teaching.

"No, no. That's not it! That's all wrong. UHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You need to do deep breathing like this!"

Il-mok wondered if the side effects of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword had worsened, making him see hallucinations.

***

Several days earlier, around the time Il-mok had just gone missing.

The senior disciples of the Hall of the Demonic Way were touring the Xinjiang region with the White Tiger Corps as part of their practical training.

The White Tiger Corps's mission was straightforward: patrol the Xinjiang area and eliminate bandits and other scum. But after more than twenty days together, tomorrow would mark the end of their assignment and their return to the Hall of the Demonic Way.

Perhaps because they had become somewhat comfortable after spending over twenty days together, the White Tiger Corps members and Hall disciples now conversed with surprising ease.

"So, how do you find working with the White Tiger Corps?"

"Ever think about joining us after you finish at the Hall?"

Some were bold enough to recruit the disciples openly. Others had grown comfortable enough to ask personal inquiries.

"Speaking of which, it's been quite some time since the youngest Young Master entered the Hall. How is he doing?"

Since the youngest young master had accumulated various achievements even before entering the Hall of the Demonic Way, they couldn't help but be curious.

Before anyone could respond—

Snap!

A fan opened with a theatrical flourish.

"HAHAHAHA! What an excellent question, senior!"

Baek Cheon's fake boisterous laughter cut through the air as he suddenly stepped into the center and began speaking.

Silence descended over the area. Every eye turned toward him, but not with the expression of people wondering what was wrong with this madman.

Instead, they all shook their heads in weary resignation.

They had already experienced more than enough of this crazy bastard's antics over the past twenty days.

His peers had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since his "mistake". Word had even spread to the White Tiger Corps during their training.

But Baek Cheon didn't care.

"Senior, have you ever experienced something like opera?"

"When we visit the next village, can we see a performance?"

He didn't care whether others cursed him or gave him the cold shoulder. Only his newfound obsession with ‘opera’ consumed his attention, and he bombarded the White Tiger Corps members with endless questions.

His shameless persistence had actually yielded results. He'd managed to extract stories about theatrical arts and even witnessed an actual performance in one village. He'd even cornered the performers afterward, pestering them for teaching him until they taught him something.

Ever since that day, every conversation followed the same pattern.

Swish!

"The Eighth Young Master! His brilliance reaches the heavens—show him one thing, and he grasps ten!"

He flourished his fan like a prop, speaking in the tones of a stage actor while spouting increasingly ridiculous praise.

The spectacle of Baek Cheon's one-man show continued, his Il-mok worship reaching new heights of absurdity.

"Was he always like this when he first joined the Hall?" A member of the White Tiger Corps asked a nearby disciple.

The disciple's reply came with visible reluctance. "Originally, he was just an arrogant brat. Nothing like... this. He changed after receiving that punishment, senior."

"The punishment for his fight with the youngest Young Master?"

"That’s correct, senior."

"Strange. For someone who was punished by him, he seems to hold the Young Master in unusually high regard..."

"......."

The remark left the disciple speechless. Even now, Baek Cheon, who had taken center stage, was continuing his praise of Il-mok.

After watching the display, the disciple sighed. "Honestly, I think he's just lost his mind."

"Ah." The White Tiger Corps member who had been watching Baek Cheon nodded as if he understood his junior's plight.

***

The following day brought their parting with the White Tiger Corps.

Under the instructors’ supervision, the disciples made their way back to the Hall of the Demonic Way, arriving by evening.

And they encountered shocking news.

The youngest young master had gone missing. Worse, he'd likely wandered into the Oblivion Ridge.

More shocking still: tomorrow morning, the Heavenly Demon himself would venture into that place to search for him.

Despite news of the Heavenly Demon's personal intervention, most faces showed only grim resignation. No matter how skilled that Eighth Young Master was, they thought surviving two days in the terrible place called the Oblivion Ridge would be impossible.

"HAHAHAHA! The Young Master is about to make history once again!"

Baek Cheon's theatrical proclamation cut through the somber atmosphere like a blade, completely oblivious to—or rather, uncaring about—the mood.

Everyone around him recoiled, shaking their heads and distancing themselves.

"Hmph. Fools. I’ll savor your expression when you see his return.”

When that glorious moment arrived, he would regale them all with songs and performances celebrating the young master's triumph!

'Ah! Inspiration is flowing! I can already see their faces moved to tears by my songs and plays, focusing their eyes on me!’

Baek Cheon trembled with anticipation at his own fantasies. Those who had already retreated frowned and put even more distance between themselves and the madman.

But Baek Cheon paid them no mind.

"Magnificent! Truly magnificent!"

He continued his practice, babbling and singing while rehearsing the grand performance he'd someday present to adoring crowds.

That afternoon, after returning from their extended training, he'd claimed the center of the practice grounds and spent the entire day rehearsing, blind to others' stares. The next day is no different; he occupied the same spot and continued his theatrical shouting.

Naturally, everyone avoided him and kept a safe distance. But Baek Cheon remained convinced that someday, somehow, they would all acknowledge his presence.

During a brief pause in his passionate training, as he cleared his throat—

"Ahem. Um..."

"Excuse me... senior..."

A timid voice barely reached his ears.

Baek Cheon turned to find a fellow disciple standing roughly ten feet away, looking at him anxiously with furtive glances.

That anxious demeanor told him everything he needed to know.

‘Oh, she's clearly smitten with me.’

For someone who thrived on attention, discovering he'd already gained a devoted follower sent waves of euphoria through him.

Baek Cheon, trying to hide his joy, asked while pretending to be cool.

"Hmm. Yes. What is it?"

The junior disciple, Jeong Hyeon, crept closer with a trembling voice.

"Pl-pl-please teach m-e!"

Jeong Hyeon was so nervous that her voice even cracked at the end.

"Aha! I see you've also developed an interest in the theatrical arts! Hahaha. Do you wish to join the troupe I'll establish in the future?"

Hearing Baek Cheon’s nonsense about the troupe nearly sent her into a panic attack. "A theater troupe?!"

The mere thought of performing in front of people drained the blood from her face. She looked ready to collapse.

"No? Then what exactly do you want me to teach?"

Baek Cheon's question prompted Jeong Hyeon to take several steadying breaths.

For someone who struggled to speak even to Baek Cheon, approaching him for instruction took tremendous courage.

The main reason for this is Il-mok. More precisely, it was because of what happened on the day Il-mok went missing.

‘If only I hadn't been such a coward...’

She remembered the moment Il-mok had tried to speak with her; she'd panicked and run away.

At that time, she was simply embarrassed. The mere thought of conversing with Il-mok had been unbearable.

'I'm content just staying here with Disciple Jeong.'

Il-mok's words wouldn't leave her mind.

She wasn't deluding herself, though. Someone as exceptional as that young master couldn't possibly harbor special feelings for her. It’s just that the combination of what had happened in her mental realm and her overly active imagination made it difficult for her not to run her mind wild.

Absurd fantasies kept surfacing, making it impossible for her to maintain composure around Il-mok. So she'd avoided him.

She'd told herself that even though she was avoiding him now, someday her heart would settle and she'd find the courage to face him again.

Then came that terrible evening. When she heard the news that the young master had gone missing, she fell into panic.

‘If I'd been with the Young Master...’

Like during the first and second tests, if she'd stayed by his side, this disaster might never have happened.

Such regret was eating away at Jeong Hyeon.

Then, by chance, she'd witnessed Baek Cheon's declaration upon returning to the Hall.

"Hmph. Fools. I’ll savor your expression when you see his return.”

Jeong Hyeon, who had been trapped in regret, couldn't help but be shocked.

‘That senior actually believes the Young Master will return...’

Why had she automatically assumed he was dead?

The thought haunted her as she began observing Baek Cheon in secret.

'If I could be confident like that senior...'

She envied his complete indifference to others' opinions, that bold confidence that nothing could shake.

Finally, she'd summoned every scrap of courage she possessed.

'Right, I can't keep running forever. Even if the Young Master returns, nothing changes if I remain like this.’

Determined to transform herself, she'd approached Baek Cheon for teachings.

"I... I find it incredibly difficult to speak in front of people... It's... it's just too hard..."

Jeong Hyeon, who finished speaking while trembling, hung her head low. Even this simple confession left her gasping for breath.

Baek Cheon, who had been watching her for a moment, asked. "So you want to learn how to talk to people?"

Jeong Hyeon silently nodded.

"Because like now, when you try to speak, you tremble and your breathing becomes rapid?"

She nodded again.

Jeong Hyeon found it hard to speak, so she just nodded vigorously in response to the questions.

Baek Cheon, who had been staring at Jeong Hyeon as if evaluating her, suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

"UHAHAHAHA! You've come to the right person! You must have recognized my natural gift for drawing people’s attention."

His fan snapped open as he slipped into his theatrical persona.

"However, I possess innate talent, that's why I bask in people’s love and admiration. No amount of effort could make you like me. It's simply impossible."

As Baek Cheon basked in his own perceived magnificence, Jeong Hyeon quietly averted her gaze.

It wasn't embarrassment that made her look away.

‘I probably shouldn't mention that I only approached him because he's always alone...’

The biggest reason Jeong Hyeon had asked Baek Cheon for help.

Because he never had anyone around him.