21. Time to Get to Work
It had been fifteen days since Sun Wukong began staying at the Namgung Clan.
Sun Wukong, who had been absorbed in developing new mental cultivation techniques, stared intently at the visitor.
"You're asking for my cooperation?"
His tone was peculiar—polite, yet somehow condescending. It wasn’t just a simple mix of formal and informal speech.
'He looks down on people so naturally, and his manner of greeting from the seat of honor doesn’t feel out of place at all.'
It was as if he’d always acted this way. It was rather unsettling. Even though he was relatively young among the Namgung Clan, the elders and retainers all showed him ample respect.
Namgung Cheon-Young, the Master of Myeong'i Hall, forced himself to hide his rising discomfort and spoke stiffly.
"I'm requesting your cooperation in reclaiming the business rights and artisans of the Yangha Iron Workshop."
A sudden request for help from Namgung Cheon-Young.
Sun Wukong folded his arms and silently regarded him.
Thick eyebrows, unwavering eyes, lips pressed into a straight line.
A face that didn’t easily reveal its thoughts.
'Master of Myeong'i Hall. The head of the organization in charge of all internal and external information for the clan.'
Is he one of those who aren’t fond of this “Mr. Sun”?
He’d heard that he needed to earn their trust to stay. He figured that catching their nemesis, the Blood-Iron Fiend, should have been enough, but Sun Wukong understood this wariness.
'After all, I’m someone who seemed to drop out of the sky.'
Well, he did literally drop out of the sky.
Especially as the head of an intelligence agency, it was natural for him to be cautious.
Sun Wukong shrugged and asked,
"So, when you say 'reclaim,' you mean the business rights aren’t currently in the clan’s hands?"
"Before the Great War of Righteousness and Evil, they were under the Namgung Clan’s management for a long time, but now they’re in the hands of the Azure Hero Society."
"Azure Hero Society?"
At that, Wujing, who was standing nearby, chimed in.
"They’re basically the second or third most powerful group in Anhui Province. They used to be close with the Namgung Clan, but…"
Even without hearing the rest, Sun Wukong understood.
He knew well that after the Great War, the Namgung Clan’s ruthless methods had only earned them more grudges.
"So, you lost it?"
"It was inevitably handed over during the war."
"So the rights belong to them now."
"We intend to reclaim the business rights through a legitimate transaction. In fact, we’ve even offered a higher price than before."
"And yet, they refuse to deal with you. That means they just don’t want the Namgung Clan to have it back."
Sun Wukong let out a small laugh.
He’d been studying the ways of Murim lately.
"So, in the end, you want to force them to the negotiation table. That’s not quite what I’ve heard about the righteous sects."
It was basically coercing an unwanted deal.
No matter how good the offer was.
Namgung Cheon-Young replied calmly, as if there was nothing wrong with it.
"What’s the problem? We’re just reclaiming what’s rightfully ours."
"……"
"This is Murim. In the end, all justifications are meaningless before the sword. We’re not like Shaolin or Wudang, parading around with their lofty ideals. They can afford to do that. After all, the Namgung Clan suffered the most during the Great War."
His tone was cynical. Sun Wukong nodded. He’d heard that the Namgung Clan had become isolated from the other righteous sects after the war, and Wujing’s stories seemed accurate.
In fact, their pragmatic attitude reminded him of the group Wujing had mentioned.
"You’re more like the Black Path."
At this sharp remark, Namgung Cheon-Young’s eyes flashed.
"Mr. Sun, watch your words! If we were truly like the Black Path, the Azure Hero Society would have already been crushed by the Namgung Clan’s blade. Those weasels who hid behind us during the war and reaped all the benefits!"
Even the usually composed Namgung Cheon-Young couldn’t hide his fury when it came to the events of the Great War.
Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes and waved his hand.
"Not my problem."
It was a simple gesture. Namgung Cheon-Young’s gaze was drawn to the lightly waving hand, almost as if hypnotized. He shuddered involuntarily.
'His breathing…'
There’s a rhythm to breathing—a tiny gap when you exhale and inhale. With a single gesture, Sun Wukong slipped into that gap and cut off the flow. He did it at the perfect moment.
A hint of irritation flickered across Sun Wukong’s otherwise lazy expression. The moment Namgung Cheon-Young sensed that emotion, he felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
Pressure. Just from a gesture that disrupted his breathing and a flash of annoyance on Sun Wukong’s face.
As Namgung Cheon-Young’s eyes darkened with caution, Sun Wukong, as if he’d never been annoyed, flashed his usual playful grin.
"Anyway. So you want me to make them agree to a legitimate deal, right?"
"Exactly. If we were truly the Black Path, we’d have drawn our swords and started a war already. They’re just weasels who profited while we bled."
"It’s not that you can’t use your sword because you’re not the Black Path, is it?"
Sun Wukong replied smoothly. Namgung Cheon-Young seemed about to say something, then let out a sigh.
"The deadline is within ten days."
"Ten days?"
"We’ve received information that the Azure Hero Society has entered into an alliance with the Hoseong Sect, a neutral sect."
"Lots of unfamiliar names popping up. Got it. I’ll help with the job."
Sun Wukong nodded readily.
Namgung Cheon-Young paused.
"I have no intention of leaving everything to a retainer. The Namgung Clan’s martial artists will move with you."
Sun Wukong nodded as if it was no big deal. The straightforward decision, without any back-and-forth, left Namgung Cheon-Young satisfied for now as he stood up.
But even as he stepped outside, something nagged at him.
'Just as the clan head said. If he accepts such a request so easily, he must have a clear purpose for staying as a retainer. Who is he looking for?'
And that pressure he’d felt earlier…
'Just what…?'
As one of the Namgung Clan’s top Martial Masters, it was hard for him to accept that he’d felt pressured without Sun Wukong even using any inner strength.
Namgung Cheon-Young forced himself to ignore the unpleasant dampness on his back.
*
As soon as Namgung Cheon-Young left, Wujing spoke up.
"The Namgung Clan is truly something else. There’s a saying in the martial world: ‘The righteous sects are just—except for the Namgung Clan.’"
"I actually prefer them this way."
They’re all sword-wielding monkeys anyway.
Why pretend to be noble? They’re just humans.
Sun Wukong chuckled lightly. Humans had always been this way. They acted like they weren’t beasts, but in the end, all their actions boiled down to animal instincts.
All that talk about righteousness and nobility was laughable.
He actually liked the Namgung Clan’s approach better.
"Still, there’s a reason they can’t just attack openly. They’ve made too many enemies. If the Namgung Clan starts a fight, all the other righteous sects will jump in to mediate."
The Namgung Clan was ostracized even among the righteous sects.
If the other sects intervened, it wouldn’t necessarily work out in the Namgung Clan’s favor.
And in terms of justification, the Namgung Clan was at a disadvantage. No matter how good their offer, if the other side refused, what could they do?
If they drew their swords and forced the issue, it would just look like coercion.
"Honestly, the Namgung Clan is being pretty restrained. This is what Murim is really like. Even among the righteous sects, it’s normal to threaten and snatch things from each other."
Wujing continued.
"And now that the Azure Hero Society is joining forces with the Hoseong Sect, the Namgung Clan wants to resolve this before things get messy."
"Hoseong Sect?"
"They’re a neutral sect, but a big one. Even the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families don’t take them lightly. Now they’re trying to move into Anhui Province. Reclaiming the Iron Workshop’s business rights is just the beginning. The Namgung Clan wants to strike hard at the Azure Hero Society before their alliance with the Hoseong Sect solidifies."
"Complicated."
Sun Wukong frowned.
"Why did you agree to this request?"
Normally, such requests wouldn’t be made to a retainer.
Retainers usually helped the Namgung Clan out of a sense of duty.
But not directly. They’d use their reputation, background, and connections to help indirectly.
That was the reason for accepting retainers, and it was enough.
But this was different—almost like hiring a mercenary.
Wujing was starting to get really curious about why Sun Wukong insisted on staying with the Namgung Clan.
"Who are you looking for that you’d go this far, Great Hero?"
He asked as if calculating the pros and cons.
Sun Wukong let out a helpless laugh, as if his past life was showing through.
He looked at Wujing’s face.
The reason… Everyone must have a purpose for coming to the Mortal World.
"I’m curious about your reason, too."
"Sorry?"
"Why are you here?"
"…Because you dragged me into this, Great Hero."
*
Sun Wukong dashed out barefoot.
After their ascetic journey, everyone had scattered to their posts in the Heavenly Realm, making reunions rare.
"Come here, Wujing! You rascal, you scoundrel! You finally came to see your big brother?"
"Big Brother, have you been well?"
"Well? I’m so bored I’m crawling out of my skin!"
"Isn’t being bored a good thing, Big Brother? Better than getting caught up in trouble on the road to Tianzhu."
"Don’t state the obvious. Come on, let’s not stand outside—come in."
Sun Wukong’s bright smile was infectious, and Wujing couldn’t help but smile as well.
Most of the Heavenly Realm feared him, whispering about when he might turn the heavens upside down again. But Wujing knew the truth. Sun Wukong was just honest with his emotions.
He hated what he hated, loved what he loved.
He never hid his true self.
That was Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
"Here, try this."
"This is…"
"Queen Mother of the West’s peach."
Wujing’s eyes narrowed.
Sun Wukong coughed and looked away. Wujing sighed.
It was hard to believe this monkey was a renowned Buddha.
He hadn’t changed at all. Wujing actually liked that about him.
Wujing stared at the peach for a moment, then put it down.
"Big Brother."
"…?"
Sun Wukong looked puzzled at the sudden seriousness in Wujing’s voice.
"What’s wrong?"
"I’m thinking of descending to the Mortal World."
"The Mortal World?"
"I’m going to walk the path of reincarnation."
Sun Wukong was momentarily stunned by the unexpected news.
"What’s going on? Even Bajie came by recently to say he was heading off to reincarnate."
Wujing remained silent.
Sun Wukong was clearly angry, unable to hide his feelings.
Wujing managed a bitter smile under Sun Wukong’s icy gaze.
A chill ran through his whole body.
"Tell me. Bajie, and now you. What’s happening that I don’t know about?"
The playful glint in Sun Wukong’s eyes and voice was gone.
Wujing clenched his teeth. He was the most powerful guardian in the Heavenly Realm, but standing before Sun Wukong, he could barely stay on his feet.
He didn’t answer. Even under the crushing pressure, with his shoulders collapsing and legs trembling, he kept his mouth shut.
Once Wujing made up his mind, not even Sun Wukong could change it.
After a while, Sun Wukong sighed. As if nothing had happened, all the pressure vanished.
"You little brothers…"
"Sorry, Big Brother. I’ll explain everything later."
"Fine. Take this with you."
"This is…"
He handed over a pill with a noble fragrance. Wujing tilted his head.
"Isn’t this Grand Marshal Tai Shang’s elixir?"
Sun Wukong looked away awkwardly, his golden ears turning red. He muttered,
"I didn’t steal it, so don’t worry. I got it as a reward for handling a favor for Grand Marshal Tai Shang."
"This is too precious…"
"Just take it and get lost."
Sun Wukong grumbled, still avoiding his gaze.
Then he glanced over slyly.
"Are you really not going to tell me why you’re going down there?"
"Are you that worried about me?"
"Worried? As if!"
Sun Wukong snapped. Wujing laughed heartily.
"If you’re that worried, why don’t you come down and watch over me, Big Brother? Then I’d have nothing to fear."
"Worried, my foot. You want me to go back to the Mortal World? Forget it. Just hurry back. I’ll raid the Jade Warehouse and prepare the finest wine for your return."
Sun Wukong spoke as if it was nothing.
If anything happened to Wujing or Bajie, he’d just take care of it himself.
That’s what he thought.
*
"Why are you staring at me like that? You’re starting to creep me out."
Wujing’s words snapped Sun Wukong out of his thoughts.
He stood up with a chuckle.
"Since we’ve got work to do, let’s get started."
"…Huh? I’m coming too?"
Sun Wukong nodded as if it was obvious.
"How could the youngest just sit around when his big brother’s heading out?"
"…I’m pretty sure I’m older than you."
Sun Wukong stepped outside. The sky was high and clear.
"It’s about time this Mr. Sun got to work for real."