My Dad Is the Strongest Under Heaven
Chapter 44
# Chapter 44
Chapter 44. Handing Over the Credit
“Speak your mind if there is something you wish to say.”
They had left the village behind long ago, descending the mountain path on their return journey to the Paeng Family estate.
The gaze of the White Wolf Troop upon Yeo Woonhwi had utterly transformed from when they first set out toward the village.
It was only natural. Having witnessed such an unbelievable spectacle with their own eyes, how could they ever view him the same way again?
Because of that, their eyes kept straying back to Yeo Woonhwi without them even realizing it.
Oh Chae-mu was no exception, nor were Gu Tae-san, the twin brothers, or Do-gyeong.
At Yeo Woonhwi’s prompt, Oh Chae-mu carefully spoke up.
“Could it be that… the Patriarch also knows about your true abilities, Captain?”
Without realizing it himself, Oh Chae-mu addressed Yeo Woonhwi as Captain without the slightest hesitation.
In the world of martial artists, possessing sheer, unadulterated martial prowess was enough on its own to command immense respect.
On top of that, Yeo Woonhwi had saved the entire White Wolf Troop from the brink of total annihilation.
And he had done so by doing battle with Geugaksoma, one of the Absolute Great Evils, and severing his head.
How, then, could Oh Chae-mu or any member of the White Wolf Troop dare to deny him?
Those whose fatal flaw was being overly rigid and righteous were, by that same token, remarkably simple at heart.
Yeo Woonhwi was their savior.
“He does not.”
“Then what about the young miss…”
Yeo Woonhwi shook his head.
“Th-then does that mean no one at all knows? Could the martial arts you practice be an Unorthodox art, or perhaps… demonic cultivation…?”
“Haha! Did it look that way to you?”
“No. It did not appear that way at all.”
This time, Oh Chae-mu shook his head.
“Indeed. That is not the case.”
“Then why on earth…?”
“Truth be told, until now, there was neither a reason nor a situation that called for revealing it. Above all, I despise getting tangled up in bothersome affairs.”
Though it hardly felt like a satisfactory explanation, Oh Chae-mu gave a rough nod, looking at Yeo Woonhwi once more with an uncomprehending expression.
“Then, Captain… why this time…?”
“Well, I have only just become your Captain. How could I simply stand by and watch my own subordinates be slaughtered by an arch-demon?”
“…….”
My own subordinates.
Every single member of the White Wolf Troop, starting with Oh Chae-mu, was deeply moved by his words.
At the same time, awe washed over them.
They, too, had heard the rumors and knew well enough.
They knew what kind of treatment Yeo Woonhwi had endured since arriving at the main estate.
Branded a useless, frail scholar who knew nothing but books, he had endured every manner of mockery and contempt without ever revealing his power—yet he had readily unleashed it solely for their sake.
Even though they had made no secret of their distaste and treated him with blatant disrespect.
Had this very assignment not been arranged purely to give Yeo Woonhwi a hard time and drive him away?
Only for them to cross paths with an arch-demon and nearly lose all their lives.
The more they listened to Yeo Woonhwi speak, the more the members of the White Wolf Troop wished they could crawl into a hole and hide from sheer shame.
Besides, deep down, the White Wolf Troop already knew that Yeo Woonhwi’s martial arts were neither from the Unorthodox faction nor derived from demonic arts.
Such dark techniques invariably radiated a foul, sinister aura the moment they were unleashed.
They would have recognized it instantly.
Be that as it may, the undeniable truth remained that Yeo Woonhwi was now the savior of the entire White Wolf Troop.
And the White Wolf Troop never forgot a debt of gratitude.
“Ah, and as for this incident—let us report that the entire White Wolf Troop joined forces to bring down Geugaksoma. Given the vast difference in cultivation realms, we will say he was severely wounded by someone else and recuperating in the mountain stronghold when we happened upon him. How does that sound?”
“Excuse me?”
Not just Oh Chae-mu, but the entire White Wolf Troop gasped in disbelief.
“No, why on earth would you do that?”
Gu Tae-san, who had been quietly listening from behind, cut in with a question.
He was not the only one.
Utter bewilderment was written across every face.
It was only natural.
For martial artists, the greatest opportunity to carve their name into the martial world was by taking the head of a notorious demon.
What was more, if the opponent was Geugaksoma, one of the Absolute Great Evils, it was a golden opportunity to elevate one’s prestige—a prize no one in their right mind would ever yield.
Yet why would he hand over all the credit to subordinates who had dragged him out to this remote mountain specifically to torment him and chase him out?
“We cannot possibly accept that.”
Oh Chae-mu spoke with absolute resolve.
“You faced him alone and took his head, Captain. We have no desire whatsoever to steal your rightful glory.”
The rest of the White Wolf Troop seemed to share the exact same sentiment.
At that, Yeo Woonhwi offered a slight grin.
“It is fine. When you think about it, all of this was possible thanks to you all, so it is only right.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“In the first place, did we not come all the way here because you decided to take on such a perilous task? Even if your primary aim was to give me a hard time.”
“Ah… you knew?”
“Of course. I am hardly a fool, you know. Haha.”
Oh Chae-mu and the troops wore thoroughly sheepish expressions.
“Ahem, we apologize…”
“No, no. I can fully understand why you did it. I know what was going through your minds. Besides, I did not bring this up to hold it against you, so pay it no mind.”
Yeo Woonhwi shook his head gently.
“In any case, the fact remains that your decision ultimately saved countless villagers. Is that not so?”
“Haha… does the logic really work that way?”
“Of course! Because you brought me all the way here, I was able to sever Geugaksoma’s head.”
Somehow, his reasoning sounded both entirely correct and completely absurd.
“And above all else, if the truth of this matter gets out as it happened, my life will become far too troublesome. So please, lend me a hand here.”
“…….”
Lend him a hand? What kind of talk was that?
If anything, it was they who should be bowing to him a hundred, a thousand times over.
How could they possibly refuse the request of a man who had saved his subordinates’ lives and now selflessly offered up his own monumental achievement?
When he put it that way!
“Good grief. What a predicament.”
To think the day would come where they were practically begged to take credit for an extraordinary feat.
After exchanging brief glances with the other members of the troop, Oh Chae-mu let out a long sigh and nodded.
“If other arch-demons line up wanting to test the mettle of the ones who took down Geugaksoma…”
“I shall kick their backsides in a single breath.”
“You make such terrifying promises sound so terribly casual.”
“Haha. Did I?”
“Then, since you have given your word… so be it. We shall do as you say.”
Though lingering doubts remained about whether this was truly acceptable, once they had agreed, there was no turning back.
Oh Chae-mu turned to face the White Wolf Troop.
“Brace yourselves, everyone! From this moment on, we will be known as the ones who severed the head of Geugaksoma!”
“Understood!”
Though their expressions were still dazed, the members of the White Wolf Troop answered with resounding vigor.
Well, things would work out somehow.
Their horses galloped all the faster back toward the Paeng Family estate.
***
“Hey, have you heard the news?”
A man rushed into the inn with an utter lack of composure, calling out to his close acquaintances.
At his commotion, the patrons who had been drinking turned to look at him with curious eyes.
“What news are you babbling about?”
“About the White Wolf Troop!”
“The White Wolf Troop? Which troop was that again?”
“Ah, you mean that martial squad from the Paeng Family? The ones who do nothing but stir up trouble?”
“That’s the one! Them!”
“Why, did the White Wolf Troop cause trouble again? Weren’t they put under house arrest just recently for beating a wealthy merchant’s son half to death because he was harassing a young maiden in the streets?”
“Eh? They did the right thing, so why were they confined?”
“They broke both of the brat’s arms and legs, making it so he couldn’t even move for a full year! They said it went way too far.”
“Haha. Those folks truly are something else.”
“No! That’s not what’s important right now!”
“The White Wolf Troop went out to subjugate bandits, and they ran straight into Geugaksoma…”
“What? Geugaksoma? That notorious arch-demon?”
“Aiya, so they all perished, then? No matter how much trouble they caused, their sense of righteousness was unmatched…”
“No, that’s not it! They took his head!”
“Eh?”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Who cut down whom?”
“The White Wolf Troop severed Geugaksoma’s head, I tell you!”
“What?!”
The White Wolf Troop had returned to the Hebei Peng Clan.
And news of their grand exploit had spread throughout all of Hebei before they even arrived.
The news that they had taken the head of Geugaksoma, one of the arch-demons known as the Absolute Great Evils, was nothing short of earth-shattering.
And with good reason—who was Geugaksoma?
Was he not a monster who had struck terror across the entire Murim?
In the current martial world, those capable of facing him on equal terms were, at best, supreme existences like the Twelve Venerables of the World or the Ten Great Masters.
Such was the terrifying might Geugaksoma wielded.
Yet who had taken whose head?
Most people who first heard the news scoffed, dismissing it as a ridiculous rumor.
However, those who saw the White Wolf Troop carrying Geugaksoma’s severed head could scoff no longer.
Furthermore, when word spread that Geugaksoma had actually been severely wounded in a prior battle and was hiding in the stronghold to recuperate—and that the troop had barely managed to sever his head through a desperate, united effort—the people finally realized the story was true.
“Hahaha!”
Inside the Patriarch’s Hall of the Hebei Peng Clan.
Booming laughter rang out without pause.
“Well done! You all went through great hardship!”
Patriarch Peng Mugang wore a profoundly satisfied smile as he looked upon the White Wolf Troop standing before him.
“I thought you were good for nothing but causing trouble, yet you return carrying the head of Geugaksoma! Splendid! Absolutely splendid! My heart could not be more pleased. You have accomplished an extraordinary feat!”
“We thank you, Patriarch.”
Oh Chae-mu bowed his head respectfully.
Beside him stood Yeo Woonhwi, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his lips.
Normally, such reports were delivered by the troop’s Captain.
However, because Yeo Woonhwi had only just received his appointment and was still in the middle of learning the ropes from Oh Chae-mu for this mission, he merely stood by and observed in silence.
“I am in magnificent spirits today! Haha!”
It was entirely understandable for Peng Mugang to make such an uncharacteristic fuss.
Geugaksoma was a monster whom both the Murim Alliance and the Evil Faction Alliance had spent years trying desperately to capture, all in vain.
Moreover, Geugaksoma was an expert so formidable that even Peng Mugang himself could not guarantee victory against him in a duel.
Even if the demon had been wounded, he would have remained exceedingly dangerous.
Yet the White Wolf Troop had taken Geugaksoma’s head without losing a single member—how could he not shower them with praise?
Naturally, the prestige of the Paeng Family would soar tremendously because of this.
Above all, since this illustrious achievement was forged by the White Wolf Troop—infamous as the biggest troublemakers not just in Hebei, but throughout the entire Murim—it was an immensely encouraging development for the clan.
True, under normal circumstances, launching a collective assault on a wounded opponent might be called cowardly.
However, the adversary was a mass-murdering arch-demon, a public enemy of the entire martial world marked for subjugation; thus, their victory was worthy of nothing but praise.
Had Geugaksoma not perished this time, there was no telling how many more innocent lives would have been snuffed out by his hands.
Thus, everyone showered the White Wolf Troop with accolades.
They had truly performed a magnificent deed.
“By the way, Patriarch.”
Amidst the delightfully warming atmosphere, one of the elders quietly stepped forward.
“Hmm? What is it?”
“It is simply that, having achieved a feat of this magnitude, the name of the White Wolf Troop will undoubtedly be on the lips of the entire Murim. It is quite likely they will receive invitations from various prominent factions.”
“That may very well be.”
“Of course, for our clan, that is an exceedingly fortunate turn of events. However…”
The elder wearing a sly, greasy smile was named Paeng Kyung-ho.
He was a man notorious for his boundless greed.
Glancing sideways at Yeo Woonhwi, he continued speaking.
“It seems to me that such weighty affairs are far beyond what the current Captain of the White Wolf Troop is capable of handling.”
At his words, the atmosphere surrounding the entire White Wolf Troop froze over in an instant.