My Dad Is the Strongest Under Heaven
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Chapter 24. Morning Run
“Excuse me, might I have a moment of your time?”
The Hebei Peng Clan.
Someone approached and spoke to Yeo Woonhwi as he was strolling through the manicured garden.
The man appeared to be a martial artist of the Peng Clan, bearing an insignia on his chest worn only by squad leaders.
“What is it?”
At Yeo Woonhwi’s words, Noh Ilbong’s face twitched for an instant.
It was due to the utterly natural, informal way Yeo Woonhwi spoke down to him.
Yet Yeo Woonhwi was the husband of Peng Seoyeon, the eldest daughter of the Patriarch.
Speaking to him as a superior was, in truth, only natural.
It was just that the vast majority of the Peng Clan, Noh Ilbong included, refused to accept that reality.
‘Hah, look at this bastard?’
His stomach churned with irritation, but that was not what mattered right now.
Concealing his temper, Noh Ilbong offered a pleasant smile.
“It is nothing grand, but now that you have become part of the Hebei Peng Clan’s family, it seemed a pity that we have had so little interaction. I took the liberty of speaking to you out of that regret.”
“Is that so?”
“I have heard you devote yourself to your studies, but if it pleases you, how about joining us for morning exercise?”
“Morning exercise?”
“Yes. It is merely a matter of lightly jogging a lap or two around the vicinity each morning, so you need not feel burdened in the slightest.”
“Hmm.”
“Scholarship is important, of course, but wouldn’t this be a fine opportunity to look after your health as well?”
Noh Ilbong coaxed Yeo Woonhwi with crescent-curved, smiling eyes.
Yet contrary to Noh Ilbong’s dismissive framing, the morning run of the Hebei Peng Clan was known among its warriors as the ‘Hell Run.’
It was far from a light jog of a lap or two around the grounds.
It was an annual tradition for robust, healthy new recruits to collapse on their very first day, retching their guts out after a single session.
Naturally, there was no way this scholar would know that.
“Hmm.”
After pondering Noh Ilbong’s proposal for a brief moment, Yeo Woonhwi gave a nod.
“Very well. I shall do so.”
At that reply, Noh Ilbong smiled warmly.
“Then I shall see you early tomorrow morning.”
Yeo Woonhwi turned and went on his way.
Watching his receding back, Noh Ilbong broke into a malicious smirk entirely different from his expression just moments before.
Tomorrow, that scholar bastard would taste hell.
All Noh Ilbong would have to do was laugh to his heart’s content as he watched him splayed out on the ground, vomiting pathetically.
Hehehe.
Just thinking about it sent a thrill through him.
And so, Noh Ilbong found himself wishing tomorrow would arrive as quickly as possible.
***
Early in the morning, before the chill of dawn had even begun to fade.
Peng Seoyeon woke to the rustling sound beside her.
Rubbing her sleep-laden eyes, she pushed herself halfway up and saw Yeo Woonhwi preparing to head outside.
“Where are you going?”
“Ah, I thought I’d go for a light morning run.”
“A run?”
“Yes. I received an invitation.”
An invitation at this hour?
Puzzled by her husband’s baffling words, Peng Seoyeon tilted her head.
For some reason, her husband seemed quite busy from the early morning hours lately.
“I will be back.”
Yeo Woonhwi gave a bright grin to the bewildered Peng Seoyeon.
***
Peng Seojin, who had been engrossed in reviewing clan documents, suddenly snapped his head up.
“A morning run?”
“Yes.”
Peng Seojin’s brow furrowed.
It was due to the report from Heo Ukil, his right-hand man and the Vice-captain of the White Tiger Squad.
The Captain of the White Tiger Squad was none other than Peng Seojin himself.
Regardless, Peng Seojin was well aware that the clan’s sentiment toward Yeo Woonhwi had been turning increasingly hostile lately.
Thus, even though his father, Peng Mugang, had declared he would not lend his aid, Peng Seojin could not simply stand by and watch.
Yet, stepping in directly to warn them not to touch Yeo Woonhwi would only pour fuel on the flames of their resentment.
So, Peng Seojin had discreetly assigned his trusted subordinate to watch over Yeo Woonhwi—
To ensure he did not suffer anything that crossed the line.
And now, a morning run.
This was completely unexpected news.
“Ha, unbelievable.”
If the martial artists had merely invited Yeo Woonhwi to join their morning run and Yeo Woonhwi had readily accepted, Peng Seojin had no pretext to intervene.
Of course, if it were truly a simple morning jog, there would be no issue whatsoever.
But Peng Seojin knew.
He knew just how many warriors tasted hell every single morning because of that run.
Ugh.
A deep crease formed between Peng Seojin’s brows.
Yet no matter how much he racked his brain, no solution came to mind.
No way to spare Yeo Woonhwi from that morning run.
“It seems brother-in-law is in for quite a rough time today.”
Peng Seojin let out a helpless, dry chuckle.
***
The Peng Clan’s training grounds.
Men of burly builds and fierce, piercing eyes had gathered, lightly warming up as they conversed.
“He really agreed to come?”
Amidst them, a man with a relatively gentle countenance asked in surprise.
“I told you, he did.”
“No, but is that really alright? If something goes wrong…”
“Hey! What could possibly go wrong? I only suggested we do a morning run together. It’s not as if I told him to train with us all day.”
“Well… that’s true.”
“I just want to teach him a light lesson, that’s all. The other warriors want it too. Putting that arrogant, brazen face in its place, I mean.”
“Hmm, is that so? Still, I have an uneasy feeling about this. It doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Just leave it to me. I’ll handle everything. I’ll make sure to teach that bookworm—who doesn’t know a lick of martial arts—exactly what it means to live as a son-in-law in our Hebei Peng Clan. Hahaha!”
The squad leaders reacted in various ways to Noh Ilbong’s excited chatter.
While some agreed with the idea of teaching him a lesson, quite a few felt uncomfortable and voiced their concerns.
Noh Ilbong was merely one of these many squad leaders.
However, the gentle-looking man was displeased with Noh Ilbong’s unilateral decision to invite Yeo Woonhwi to the morning run without consulting any of them.
Regardless of anything else, Yeo Woonhwi was the husband of Lady Peng Seoyeon of the direct line.
He too found Yeo Woonhwi unpalatable, but he differed on whether provoking him in this manner was the right course of action.
Still, just as Noh Ilbong said, simply inviting him for a morning run was something difficult to fault openly.
If there was a problem, it was only that the run in question was known to many as the ‘Hell Run.’
Furthermore, today’s run was one where Noh Ilbong, who had issued the invitation, was in charge of leading from start to finish.
Even he could hardly find fault with it any further.
The morning run was led by each squad leader in rotation, and it was an absolute rule that everyone must follow that leader’s orders unconditionally on their assigned day.
“Still.”
Another squad leader chimed in.
“That’s only if the scholar bastard actually shows up. If he doesn’t come at all, isn’t this all for nothing?”
“Well… I suppose that’s true.”
Noh Ilbong smacked his lips.
“If he doesn’t even show up for a promised morning run, what can we do? We’ll just have to consider him a man of only that much caliber.”
Well, that would ruin his reputation even further in its own way.
It was obvious that rumors about Yeo Woonhwi would take an even worse turn afterward.
Yet Noh Ilbong had little interest in that.
His only regret would be missing the chance to properly humiliate the scholar.
Just then.
“He’s coming. Over there.”
One of the martial artists spoke in a voice audible only to the squad leaders.
At those words, every head turned in that direction.
There, Yeo Woonhwi was strolling toward them with leisurely steps.
“Oh? So he isn’t a coward after all, huh?”
Identical smirks spread across the faces of the squad leaders present.
“Am I late?”
“Not at all. You have arrived right on time.”
“I see. And who might these men be?”
“These are fellow squad leaders of the Peng Clan, just like myself.”
“Greetings. It is an honor to meet you.”
When Yeo Woonhwi looked at the squad leaders following Noh Ilbong’s introduction, the men each offered their greetings and introduced themselves.
Soon, Yeo Woonhwi nodded.
“Well then, let us get on with it quickly. I shall fall in among them.”
“Pardon? Ah. Ah, yes. Understood.”
For a moment, Noh Ilbong’s face flushed red.
‘Curse that wretched scholar bastard.’
The man’s strange leisure and the way he naturally spoke down to them rubbed him completely the wrong way.
However, Noh Ilbong quickly composed his expression.
Now was not the time for that.
Forming a feigned smile, Noh Ilbong stepped forward before the warriors.
“Alright, we begin the run as usual! Maintain your ranks and files no matter what happens!”
“Yes, sir!”
Dispensing with unnecessary words, the run commenced at once.
The numerous warriors of the Peng Clan ran in tight, disciplined formation.
Some time passed.
‘Huh? Look at him.’
‘He’s doing surprisingly well?’
Yeo Woonhwi was keeping up far better than anyone had anticipated.
Everyone felt a touch of surprise, though they were not overly shocked.
Up to this point, the pace was something an ordinary adult male could manage with enough effort.
The real challenge, however, began now.
Passing through the main gates of the Peng Clan, the path they took led straight toward the most treacherous mountain in the vicinity.
This was the very reason the Hebei Peng Clan’s morning run was so infamous.
A grin spread across Noh Ilbong’s face.
‘Go on, suffer to death, you scholar bastard. You’ll be wishing you were dead soon enough. Hehehe.’
Every warrior running alongside them harbored the exact same thought.
Their goal today was singular.
To give this slick, soft scholar a taste of true agony.
They were certain of it.
Before long, Yeo Woonhwi would be splayed out on the dirt, tears and snot streaming down his face, begging that he could go no further.
And shortly after that, he would make an utter disgrace of himself, heaving up whatever was in his stomach.
The warriors could not help but feel that today’s morning run would be far more entertaining than usual.
However—
‘Phew, morning air really is the best.’
They had no idea.
They did not know that Yeo Woonhwi was thoroughly, immensely enjoying this moment.
His footsteps were incomparably light.
