Chapter 34

• The Ordeal of Sunpung Sanbui Na Daei

Gyeongsuni Na Jung-hae. Age 45. Occupation: Information Merchant.
He is the one who holds the grand position of master of the Sunpungdang, the largest private information trading organization in the current Nanchang area.

Sunpungdang is an information trading organization that has steadfastly established its foundation even within Nanchang Castle, where dragons and tigers are said to run rampant, based on its rock-solid credibility and outstanding information network. Its scale was so large that it was openly talked about as being the best in Nanchang Castle.

The person who oversaw, managed, and operated that Sunpungdang was the person right in front of them, Gyeongsuni Na Jung-hae. People usually call him Sunpung Sanbui Na Daei.

Originally, 'Sunpung'i' refers to a person who picks up a lot of various rumors, and this nickname was given because he was said to have several of these 'Sunpung'is' scattered in various places. His original nickname, Gyeongsun'i, was a quote from an ancient story passed down from old times. It was a distortion, or rather, a manipulation, of the story that Confucius, at the age of fifty, reached the stage of 'isun' (ear-soothing), where he could discern what he heard.

However, befitting a nickname with an artificial manipulation, his stage was also a distorted and crooked one. When he gathered and listened to people's stories, he did discern them, but in Na Jung-hae's case, he distinguished between stories that would make money and those that wouldn't, which is why the character for 'light' (gyeong) was added in front.

Moreover, his ears were as large as his nickname suggested. Their size was so large that Liu Bei of the Three Kingdoms would have called him 'big brother'. From a distance, it was a comical sight, as if he had two pouches hanging on either side of his face, so some people jokingly called him 'Twin Pouch Ears'. Of course, he hated the nickname 'Twin Pouch Ears', so much that if one spoke of it carelessly, their limbs would not be safe from his fits.

Nanchang was the origin and front yard of the Cheonmu Academy, which was called the number one martial arts faction in the Murim world, so there was a limit to how much a person with a small to medium-sized sect like Na Jung-hae could expand their influence, being pressed down by the power of the Cheonmu Academy. At best, they were likely to be reduced to the status of an assistant to the Cheonmu Academy.
That's why, even though he was the master of an organization, it was hard to escape the limits of a small-time information merchant here in Nanchang. But Na Jung-hae, based on his innate cleverness and wit, had not only acquired the reputation of being the number one information organization in Nanchang but was also a man of ability who had some connections even within the Cheonmu Academy. As such, the amount of information he was currently handling and had control over was so vast that it defied public speculation.

Although he was a recognized man of ability even within Nanchang, Na Jung-hae was now prostrating himself in the lower seat of his own office with the utmost courtesy. On his face, which already gave a thin impression due to being long and slender overall, beads of sweat were forming, about to fall at any moment, and his long, broad, lucky-pouch-like ears were drooping limply.

The rat-tail-like mustache under his thin, pointed nose was trembling like the tail of a drenched mouse, a sight so pitiful that it showed he was extremely nervous. In the upper seat in front of him (the very seat where he usually conducted his business, organized information, calculated his income, and gave orders), a middle-aged man with a fierce impression, who was all red, was sitting with a very dignified appearance. His strong and sturdy appearance of red hair, a red beard, and red eyebrows, and his physique, which was reminiscent of the grandeur of the Five Great Mountains, were exuding an enormous aura and presence that seemed to suffocate the onlookers.

This middle-aged man, who seemed to have written who he was all over his body, emphasizing it one by one, was a person that Na Jung-hae, who was in the information business, could not possibly not know, even if he tried not to—it was none other than Yeomdo Gwak Yeong-hui. Perhaps even if one were not in the information business, anyone who was a part of this Jianghu of the Nine Provinces could not possibly not know this Yeomdo.

But the peculiar point was the fact that there was one person sitting shoulder to shoulder with Yeomdo, who, despite his enormous and terrifying skill, liked to act alone due to his terrible social skills. It was a strange young man of about twenty, with thick, long black hair and bangs that came down below his eyes, making it difficult to discern his facial features. The fact that a seemingly small and shabby-looking young brat was sitting in a position equal to Yeomdo, who was exuding a terrifying pressure, right next to him, was something that Na Jung-hae, who, although prostrating, had everything in his head working perfectly fine, found hard to believe and utterly incomprehensible.

Moreover, to make matters worse, the strange young man, as if he had three or four spare lives, was in a very insolent posture, with his right arm propping up his chin and his legs crossed. That's why Gyeongsuni Na Jung-hae's surprise was even greater. To put it frankly, he was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out, his heart fluttered as if it would burst, and his liver repeatedly expanded and contracted.
'Does he have a thick coat of fur on his heart, and did his liver pop out of his body, saying, "Come and get me"?'

This was because it was something he couldn't even imagine in his dreams, that there would be a person who could sit in such a posture, with not even half a speck of courtesy, next to the great Yeomdo of the world. Wasn't it because of the pressure and the notorious(?) temper that the name and existence of Yeomdo gave off that he was now in this state, kneeling obsequiously, bowing his head, and trembling with fear? His secret nickname, 'The Burning Piece of Shit,' which secretly circulated in the Murim world, was not given for nothing.

But to think that there was a person who could sit in such a posture next to the famously fiery-tempered Yeomdo and still preserve their life, be safe and sound, and have all their limbs intact, it was impossible not to feel a surge of curiosity about him. Is it that one can't deceive their profession? Hundreds and thousands of question marks flickered in and out of existence in the sea of his thoughts. His brain twisted and tangled, spinning furiously, and thoughts slithered through his mind like snakes.

But no matter how much he racked his brain and rummaged through information, he couldn't even find a shadow of a person like the strange young man. While he was so intensely and passionately racking his brain, the strange young man's mouth opened, stopping Gyeongsuni Na Jung-hae's thought process. In that instant, the question marks that had been rummaging through his head disappeared as if by magic.
The identity of the strange young man was, without a doubt, the self-proclaimed master of Yeomdo, Bi Ryu-yeon. But right now, Bi Ryu-yeon was in a very bad mood, with marks of dissatisfaction dangling all over his face.

"It's over?"

It was a reaction to the answer Na Jung-hae had given to his question earlier. But for some reason, the reaction seemed unusual. Na Jung-hae felt very uneasy.

"Yes, it is as I said."

Cold sweat automatically soaked his back. For now, Na Jung-hae answered politely. Because when dealing with an unidentified person, being careful and more careful would not be bad for one's health and longevity at all. Especially for a person in the Murim world, self-restraint, caution, and prudence were the three essential virtues.

"I definitely heard that the exam date is tomorrow. Isn't that why everyone is making such a fuss and being so noisy? But you're saying it's already over, does that even make sense!"

Bi Ryu-yeon's face, who was shouting with veins popping out, enough to make the office shake, crumpled in an instant. It was a sign that reflected his current mood. His mood, too, must have been crumpled just like his face right now, and if that wasn't enough, it must have been twisted as well. Whether he knew his mood or not, Na Jung-hae continued to speak.

"Yes, I'll say it again, the date of the Ascending Heaven Martial Festival is definitely tomorrow, but the registration for participation already ended a month ago. The Cheonmu Academy entrance exam, the Ascending Heaven Martial Festival, is famous for being difficult and tricky! As it is an exam to select people to enter the Cheonmu Academy, which guarantees the best martial arts training environment, status, and fame and reputation, the number of applicants is countless. It is realistically impossible to test that many applicants one by one. Therefore, after registration, a period of one month is given to first weed out a group of less-than-stellar individuals. Like weeding out weeds from a field. That's why there are countless people who fail the document screening during this one month and can't even participate in the preliminaries."
Na Jung-hae mobilized all the knowledge and information he knew, summarized it, and explained it in detail so that even a slow-witted person could easily understand. But whether he knew of his efforts or not, it didn't work on Bi Ryu-yeon at all. It seemed he had no intention of listening and understanding the story from the beginning. It was proven that his constant efforts were all in vain. 'What a dog-like personality,' Na Jung-hae thought. Though he never showed it on the outside...

At noon today, Gyeongsuni Na Jung-hae was about to enjoy a meal with a grateful heart, in front of a table laden with so much food that the legs were about to break. But what was this, a thunderbolt from a clear sky, a misfortune in broad daylight! Just as he was about to lift his spoon and take a bite, the door in front of him, which had been standing perfectly fine, shattered to pieces, and through the gaping entrance, two figures entered. One of them, judging by his appearance like a red demon as if he had a bucket of blood poured over his head from the top, and his rough and terrifying aura like a blazing flame, was definitely the owner of the fame he had heard so much about, Yeomdo Gwak Yeong-hui.
On the other hand, the other impolite visitor who had barged in with him was a strange young man in his early twenties whom he had never seen or heard of. They had so easily knocked down the eight guards who were protecting the exterior of the Sunpungdang main building, and as if that wasn't enough, they had roughly and barbarically smashed a perfectly fine door that could have been easily opened, and the first thing they said after coming in was just,

"Hey, excuse me. How do I get into the Cheonmu Academy?"

So Na Jung-hae answered. Some might curse him, asking if a man without any guts would just answer, "Ah, it's like this and that," when asked by two uninvited guests who had thrown his sect into chaos. There would probably be many. Isn't it the way of the Jianghu to live by honor? But the identity and status of the uninvited guests were such that they could overcome and annihilate his resistance, so Na Jung-hae gave up resisting all too easily. It was because of his will to survive, to maintain the lineage of his sect and make a living. Na Jung-hae obediently answered the question.

"You can pass by taking an exam."

With this one sentence, Na Jung-hae almost had his coffin prepared that day. Perhaps the reason for his failure was that he was terrible at reading the atmosphere. Bi Ryu-yeon asked Na Jung-hae again, who was rubbing his bruised eye sockets.

"Pass by taking an exam? I know that too. What I want to know is more accurate, detailed, and certain information to take the exam. What do I have to do to participate in that exam called the Ascending Heaven Martial Festival, and what do I have to do to pass? You said the exam is tomorrow, right? I need to know something to apply and take the exam. So that I can pass and enter the Cheonmu Academy!"

"Well..."

Na Jung-hae hesitated for a moment at Bi Ryu-yeon's question, as if there was something difficult to answer. It seemed he was trying to avoid Bi Ryu-yeon's question.

"Well... what's next? You don't know? Stop beating around the bush and tell me quickly."

Unable to bear Na Jung-hae's hesitation for even a moment, Bi Ryu-yeon retorted. His temper was still short.

"Well... so, to participate in the Ascending Heaven Martial Festival, you have to wait another y-year."

"What, a year? Am I crazy, am I? I don't look crazy, do I? How can I wait another year? Why? Didn't you say that exam, the Ascending Heaven Martial Festival or whatever, is definitely tomorrow?"

"Well, I'm sorry to say this, but although the exam is tomorrow, the registration for participation has long since ended a month ago."
In that instant, Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes widened like lanterns, blinked twice blankly, and then shrank again. And then, in the next sequence, Bi Ryu-yeon's facial muscles twisted strangely and crumpled like a piece of paper thrown in the trash. He took a posture that showed his whole body, in a stark and naked way, that 'I am in a very foul, unpleasant, and disagreeable mood right now,' and remained silent for a moment.

This was the whole story of what had happened until just now. Then, Bi Ryu-yeon broke the cold silence of a moment, forced his twisted facial muscles to relax, and asked again in a calm voice. Next to Bi Ryu-yeon, who was now sitting with his face twisted and scowling again, Yeomdo, who had been sitting silently all this time, uttered a word, his eyes shining brightly.

"So you're saying it can't be done?"

"..."

Na Jung-hae couldn't answer his question. He just hesitated, looking restless.

"Looks like you can't."

Bi Ryu-yeon said, his cold expression, as if angry, instantly turning into a very suspicious smile.

"There's no way?"

"..."

Bi Ryu-yeon's fingers fiddled with a brush that was stuck in a brush holder, looking full of dissatisfaction. At a glance, it was nothing, but Na Jung-hae suddenly felt an ominous sign from his appearance. It was the sharp intuition of an information merchant that had been honed for over 30 years.

"The registration ended yesterday?"

"..."

Still no answer, still Na Jung-hae couldn't find the words and just sat there with his head bowed low, as pitiful as a mouse in front of a cat. He really couldn't think of a solution. So he had nothing to say in response to Bi Ryu-yeon's question. He too was frustrated to the point of going crazy right now. He was even beginning to doubt whether he was really the master of Sunpungdang, the number one private information trading organization in Nanchang, or if it was just a delusion. If things went on like this, the sign of Sunpungdang might come down today. This continuous silence also made Bi Ryu-yeon's annoyance surge. And finally, things exploded.

Swiiissssh!

With a sound of tearing air, a cold chill brushed past Na Jung-hae's large ear. Due to the wind pressure generated at this time, a few strands of hair were cut off and fluttered in the air.