The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 44

Chapter 44
## Chapter 44. A First-Rate Warrior Who Gathers People (3)

The territories belonging to the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans stayed constantly packed with travelers, regardless of whether they were situated near major metropolitan hubs.

Whether these factions chose to plant their roots upon one of the Five Sacred Mountains or within a secluded countryside hamlet, a bustling settlement invariably cropped up in their vicinity.

In a distinct departure from the norm, the hamlets bordering the Jegal Clan were filled with a steady stream of Confucian Scholars and literary academics traveling back and forth.

While I remained uncertain regarding their prowess in Martial pursuits, when it came to the realm of Letters, no place across the land could dream of rivaling the Jegal Clan.

Upon departing from Yueyang and charting a course toward Mount Longzhong, I permitted myself a single day of rest before pushing straight through to the Jegal Clan.

It proved to be a grueling journey that required non-stop travel from dawn until dusk, yet after cleansing my physical form with Innate True Qi inside Wolhyang’s tomb, I scarcely experienced exhaustion any longer.

“Huh…….”

The moment I stepped up to the Jegal Clan nestled at the base of Mount Longzhong, a loud and restless gathering had already formed from the main entryway onward.

“What on earth…….”

Unsure if my memory had failed me and I had inadvertently arrived on a day reserved for a Jegal Clan memorial ritual, I racked my brain, yet this particular date held no historical significance whatsoever.

“Perhaps…….”

As I lingered there in a daze, an elderly gentleman positioned just ahead of me cast a wary look in my direction.

“Have you also journeyed here on official matters, Warrior?”

“Are you referring to me?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“I suppose I have.”

“In that case, you ought to secure a spot in this queue.”

The elderly gentleman was dressed in tattered garments and clasped the hand of a young girl who appeared to be his granddaughter.

“I see. Old Master, are you quite familiar with this region?”

“Old Master? Such a title is far too grand for the likes of me. Please, simply refer to me as Old Man Heo.”

The elderly gentleman flinched back in astonishment as he spoke, though his attention remained locked onto the Black Dragon Sword.

“I could not possibly call you that. Furthermore, I carry this blade purely for personal protection, so please put your mind at ease.”

Despite my reassuring words, the elderly gentleman maintained an incredibly deferential posture.

“I have traveled here repeatedly on account of a critical crisis threatening my hamlet. This marks my seventh journey to this place.”

“What sort of crisis could possibly compel you to make seven separate trips?”

“A Lesser Dragon made its presence known within our village.”

“……A Lesser Dragon?”

“Indeed. A year ago, a Lesser Dragon manifested and commenced preying upon the local residents. We hired Escorts in an attempt to capture the beast, but that vile Lesser Dragon’s hide proved so resilient that neither arrows nor lances could pierce its flesh.”

“Ah…….”

“The Escorts informed us that this particular Lesser Dragon was far too formidable to be taken down through ordinary means, claiming we would need to deploy a complex tactical formation to ensnare it.”

I was already well aware of the true nature behind the Lesser Dragon mentioned by the elderly gentleman.

It was the Ironclad Black Python Great Serpent.

This was the very creature destined to emerge in Zaoyang, Hubei Province, subsequently decimating five local settlements in that region, among which was a Slash-and-Burn Farmer Village.

Its outer scales possessed the density of solid steel, and its physical scale was massive enough to swallow a full-grown ox whole in a single gulp.

It was a terrifying Demonic Beast possessing such colossal power that erasing a residential compound as expansive as a grand palace would take it less than fifteen minutes.

The primary reason this specific Demonic Beast emerging in Zaoyang, Hubei Province, had evaded capture for such an extended duration was that, contrary to typical Demonic Beasts, it did not harbor a internal Spiritual Pill.

Only after all five settlements had been completely wiped out and hundreds of lives had been claimed did the Murim Alliance finally choose to intervene.

‘If I recall correctly, the Victory Tiger Hall Master alongside the Deputy Hall Master were both devoured whole back then.’

In the course of my past life, this catastrophic event resulted in the destruction of three distinct halls within the Azure Dragon Pavilion, forcing a complete reorganization of the Victory Tiger Hall.

This was a far cry from a place like the White Wolf Pavilion, which housed the Sojeong Squad and served as a gathering ground for second-rate martial artists; rather, it was a collective of elite masters who found themselves swallowed whole by a lone Ironclad Black Python Great Serpent.

“Good grief. What sort of response has the Jegal Clan offered you up to this point?”

“They claimed that incidents of this nature must be formally submitted to the Murim Alliance and granted official authorization before any action can be taken.”

The hope that the elderly man clung to was entirely hollow.

For the Jegal Clan to mobilize meant, when all was said and done, that the Murim Alliance would be forced to foot the bill.

Furthermore, there was absolutely no scenario where the Murim Alliance would agree to retain the services of the Spell Practitioners from the Jegal Clan—whose exorbitant rates were universally recognized as the highest beneath heaven—solely to protect a mere Slash-and-Burn Farmer Village.

‘When it finally came down to it, they opted to slay the beast outright rather than sealing it away.’

Even though the final outcome was clear to me, I could not bring myself to simply crush his hopes with such a brutal truth, so I deliberately steered the conversation elsewhere.

“I sincerely hope the situation resolves itself favorably. Is this young lady your granddaughter, Elder?”

When I extended a hand while looking down at the young girl, the child appeared struck with fear and shrunk back behind the elderly man’s leg.

The elderly gentleman seemed wholly unaccustomed to the demands of childcare.

“My son along with his wife were both devoured by the Lesser Dragon during this recent tragedy, leaving me to bring her along.”

“Ah……項目”

I had attempted to lighten the conversation, yet the atmosphere had somehow plunged into even deeper despair.

Fortunately, the elderly man’s position in the queue finally arrived, but when the individual garbed as a scholar overseeing the intake at the main gate caught sight of him, his brow knit together in irritation.

“You again! Have I not made myself clear? We shall get in touch with you the moment a formal determination is reached.”

“My lord, a mere fortnight has passed, yet the Lesser Dragon has already struck again, devouring ten more of our people. I beg of you, allow me an audience with the Clan Head just this once.”

The scholar let loose a heavy, weary sigh.

“Do you genuinely believe the Clan Head functions as some common village lawman? For a mere leader of a Slash-and-Burn Farmer Village to display such audacity……”

As the scholar expressed his disgust with a click of his tongue, he cast a sharp look toward the sentries posted near the entryway, prompting the warriors to step forward to eject the old man.

Watching the elderly gentleman get forcibly pushed away while his young granddaughter burst into tears, I found it impossible to remain a passive bystander.

“Hold on a moment.”

“What do you want?”

The scholar cast his gaze up and down my form as he spoke.

“This individual is traveling in my company.”

The scholar immediately discerned the true nature of our connection and let out a derisive snort.

“I recognize that you are acting out of basic compassion, but you would do well to avoid unnecessary meddling. This fellow hails from a common Slash-and-Burn Farmer Village.”

“What exactly is wrong with hailing from a Slash-and-Burn Farmer Village?”

“…….”

“He shall accompany me inside. Kindly deliver word to the Clan Head.”

The scholar along with the surrounding sentries who had massed around us broke out into fits of stunned, mocking laughter.

“Have these fools lost their minds and taken to drinking before dusk……”

Before his mocking sentence could be completed, I thrust a high-value Promissory Note directly before his eyes.

“Ha! A mere Promissory Note like this is… what… truly… excep… tional…….”

The scholar’s jaw locked tight the moment his eyes registered the figures on the Promissory Note.

The sentries who had been chuckling a moment ago similarly craned their necks forward out of sheer inquisitiveness, and upon catching sight of the document, their eyes bulged with profound shock.

“T-Two hundred gold taels!!”

Following the words spat out by someone as if they could scarcely swallow the truth, intense murmurs swept through the ranks of the clan members and the gathered crowd alike.

Securing a single Spell Practitioner for an external mission from the Jegal Clan typically demanded a sum of roughly twenty gold taels for an entire year.

A fortune of two hundred gold taels represented enough capital to secure ten such elite Spell Practitioners for a full twelve-month duration.

Furthermore, within the protocols of the Jegal Clan, a strict directive dictated that for transactions of such immense scale, the Hall Master of the Artisan Hall or the Clan Head of the faction itself was required to personally step forward to oversee the arrangement.

“May we proceed inside?”

“Ah…… naturally, of course. Allow me to show you the way.”

The scholar instantaneously bowed profoundly from the waist and gestured toward the main entryway using both hands.

I turned back to face the elderly gentleman.

“Let us step inside.”

—

If one were pressed to identify a martial faction possessing the expertise to construct Mystic Gate Formations, the Maoshan Sect would certainly be brought up, though in practical terms, the specific domains where the Maoshan Sect maintained a distinct advantage centered primarily on Demon Suppression and Spirit-Command Subjugation.

To put it another way, they demonstrated far superior capabilities when combating practices such as dark sorcery and Ghost Arts favored by those typically classified within the Unorthodox Factions.

Should one search for the supreme martial lineage regarding the mastery of Mystic Gate Formations, it was beyond any shadow of doubt the Jegal Clan.

While the vast majority of factions within the Murim established trading associations or operated mining enterprises to generate revenue, the Jegal Clan leased out Mystic Gate Formations to various sects across the Murim World, amassing a fortune that easily eclipsed the wealth of the remaining Five Great Clans.

The implementation of Mystic Gate Formations was an incredibly intricate endeavor, and they likewise demanded constant upkeep. Because of this reality, save for exceptional anomalies like the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation, a lack of regular tuning would cause their internal Formation Axes to warp and destabilize as weeks turned to months, ultimately culminating in a total Formation Dissolution.

On account of this, the various houses of the Murim World found themselves forced to continuously shell out massive sums not merely for the initial assembly, but for ongoing technical support.

Granted, the exorbitant financial burden proved heavy, yet the Mystic Gate Formations produced by the Jegal Clan delivered unparalleled security, meaning that for martial strongholds plagued by endless rivalries within the Murim World, they represented an absolute requirement rather than a luxury.

“Please step inside this way.”

Following our arrival at a reception salon reserved for welcoming important clientele, the guide in charge of our arrival indicated that he had compiled the paperwork concerning the deployment and handed over the scrolls.

“A fair amount of time will be required for the formal clearance to be finalized and for the audience to commence.”

“I am prepared to wait.”

The scholar continued to monitor my expressions, yet he simultaneously appeared highly displeased by the presence of the elderly man within these quarters.

“Might I request that your audience with the Clan Head be conducted in private?”

“Did I not already state that he is accompanying me?”

“……項目”

If the guide found the arrangement highly unorthodox, the elderly gentleman was downright terrified by it.

He had pleaded for an audience with the Clan Head of the Jegal Clan, but he had clearly never envisioned a scenario where he would actually find himself granted one in this manner.

Furthermore, the scholar along with the guards stationed inside the reception salon were casting icy stares down at the old man.

For an individual who found it intimidating even to converse with a youth of my age, bearing up under such a suffocating environment was visibly taking a toll.

“Elder, there is no need for concern. Please ease your anxiety. You journeyed here simply to present your grievances, did you not?”

When I directed my speech toward the young granddaughter, whose fingers looked pale from the sheer force with which he was clutching them, the old man abruptly snapped out of his daze and loosened his grip.

“My goodness. Are you unharmed, child?”

“…….”

Mirroring her grandfather’s cautious behavior, the young girl nodded silently while monitoring the room, then gingerly took hold of her grandfather’s fingers once more.

A brief moment later, a pair of individuals stepped into the salon.

One was a middle-aged gentleman dressed in unadorned robes, while the other was an elderly figure arrayed in a lavish fashion that stood in stark contrast to the ragged appearance of Old Man Heo on our side.

He possessed a stout build and was draped in fine silk attire.

He arrived adorned with an array of extravagant ornaments, lazily operating a hand fan crafted to replicate the legendary White Feather Fan once wielded by Jegal Liang in ancient times.

This individual was none other than Jegal Jeong, the current Hall Master of the Artisan Hall and the de facto commander over the Formation Masters and Spell Practitioners operating under the Jegal Clan banner.

Although he did not hail from the primary bloodline of the Jegal Clan, he occupied a position within a closely linked secondary branch, and he likewise stood as the younger first cousin to Jegal So-myeong, the renowned Grand Strategist of the Murim Alliance.

“Ah, Chief Heo. The reports reached my ears. I understand your settlement has fallen victim to a terrible misfortune?”

Jegal Jeong strode forward briskly, taking the old man’s hands into his own as he spoke. The elderly man, addressed now as Chief Heo, was caught completely off guard.

“You, you actually recall who I am?”

“Naturally I recall you. Did we not cross paths once at Mount Geummok roughly twelve years back?”

“Ah……項目”

Chief Heo gazed at Jegal Jeong with eyes brimming with profound gratitude.

“I had already been briefed regarding your plight, Chief Heo. The moment I discovered that you had petitioned us repeatedly without receiving a timely resolution, I delivered a severe reprimand to the staff.”

“No. Not at all. The guards are entirely blameless in this matter.”

Chief Heo waved his hands frantically as if completely overwhelmed.

“The reality of the situation is as follows. The instant word reached me that a Lesser Dragon had surfaced, my immediate impulse was to personally guide our clan’s elite to contain it without delay, but by its very design, a tactical formation cannot be deployed haphazardly without securing express authorization from the Murim Alliance.”

“Ah…… in that case, what course of action remains for us?”

“I shall dispatch envoys once more without delay to secure the necessary clearance before further casualties can mount. Should that approach falter, I shall personally travel to the headquarters of the Murim Alliance to extract a resolution. I intend to see this issue resolved once and for all.”

“Oh, blessings upon you, Elder. Truly, you have my eternal gratitude.”

Chief Heo began to weep openly, going so far as to drop to his knees to press his forehead against the floorboards.

Jegal Jeong reached down hastily to assist him back to his feet.

“You ought to begin your journey back up the trails. Does the daylight not fade rapidly within the high peaks? Your young granddaughter appears thoroughly exhausted as well.”

“Indeed, indeed. I must depart. I place my faith entirely in your hands.”

Chief Heo offered deep bows toward Jegal Jeong, the middle-aged gentleman lingering beside him, the scholar, the sentries, and even directed a gesture toward me before stepping out of the reception salon.

Once his departure was completed, Jegal Jeong along with the middle-aged gentleman took their designated places.

Then, in a sharp departure from the warm demeanor he had displayed toward Chief Heo moments before, Jegal Jeong’s face darkened as he spoke.

“The reports indicate you are Jin So-un representing the Taeul Sect?”

“It is a distinct privilege to meet……”

“What compels you to instigate such unnecessary complications?”

“……you. I am Jin So-un.”

Rather than offering a direct reply to his query, I simply tilted my head slightly.

“On account of your insistence on bringing that peasant across our threshold, the Jegal Clan now finds itself saddled with an unwelcome obligation, does it not?”

Upon hearing his statement, I gave an understanding nod.

“Precisely as I suspected, your entire display was a fabrication.”

“What did you say?”

“There is absolutely no scenario where the Jegal Clan, a faction famous for its exorbitant pricing, would engage in charitable endeavors out of pure goodwill.”

Claiming that clearance from the Murim Alliance was required to erect a formation?

To begin with, the deployment of formations was never an action that mandated external administrative approval. Who under heaven went about filing reports with the Murim Alliance each time they chose to set up a tactical array?

When all was said and done, Jegal Jeong had simply deflected the accountability onto the Murim Alliance as a convenient method to rid himself of Chief Heo.

“You arrogant whelp. Do not presume to display insolence simply because your pockets are deep. Our presence here is not motivated by your gold, but rather because word reached us that you offered assistance to the Namgung Clan, a house that shares close ties with our own.”

“Ah, is that the reality? It would have been far more beneficial had your faction stepped forward to assist us during that crisis as well. Am I to assume that back then, it was also an issue of poor timing rather than financial compensation that prevented your involvement, correct?”

“……Impudent brat. Did you journey to our estate merely to provoke an altercation with me?”

“Far from it. Let us pivot our focus toward actual affairs.”

“Before we proceed to that. You.”

Jegal Jeong thrust a finger in the direction of the scholar.

“You lacked the basic competence to draft a simple Dispatch Application Form accurately, presenting a flawed record such as this?”

Jegal Jeong slapped the scroll toward the scholar, causing the parchment to strike the man squarely in the face before tumbling onto the rug.

“You were explicitly required to record the specific identity of the requested asset along with the designated timeframe!”

“N-No, that omission occurred because this client stated the individual was absent from the standard ledger and insisted on providing a personal clarification, which is why I left it blank.”

“Absent from the standard ledger?”

Jegal Jeong directed his gaze toward the array of hundreds of individual nameplates arranged across a designated section of the salon wall.

These items bore the titles of every currently qualified candidate available for external service within the Jegal Clan.

“Whelp, what specific individual are you seeking?”

I cast a brief glance toward the quiet individual seated alongside Jegal Jeong before delivering my answer.

“Jegal Cheon-gi. The requested duration for the assignment is five years.”

A sudden flinch.

The middle-aged gentleman fixed a piercing, unwavering glare onto my face.

Jegal Jeong likewise appeared to register the subtle shift in dynamic, clearing his throat before resuming his speech.

“I remain ignorant as to how you unearthed knowledge regarding that youth, but that individual does not possess the status of a certified Spell Practitioner.”

“That detail is of no consequence to me.”

“……It is of immense consequence. Such an arrangement directly violates the established protocols of our lineage……”

“Ah, and I should clarify that the figure of two hundred gold taels I recorded was intended to signify that I shall provide two hundred gold taels on an annual basis.”

“……項目”

Jegal Jeong possessed an immense fixation on wealth.

The moment his compulsory term of service within the Murim Alliance reached its conclusion and his contemporaries chose to remain within the organization to vie for higher rank, he journeyed back to the clan ahead of everyone else, focusing his energies on capturing administrative authority over the Spell Practitioners. From the days of his youth, he had recognized that the department overseeing the deployment and regulation of Spell Practitioners commanded the largest flow of capital within the entire faction.

“I have been led to understand that financial gain holds a special place in your heart.”

Jegal Jeong’s previously blank countenance flushed a vivid crimson.

At that exact juncture, the middle-aged gentleman who had maintained his silence up to this point deliberately broke his peace.

“Might I inquire as to the specific purpose you have in mind for Cheon-gi?”

This man was Jegal Hyeon-un, the reigning Clan Head of the Jegal Clan and the biological offspring of Jegal So-myeong.

“Please drop the formal honorifics. If the supreme authority of the Jegal Clan addresses me with such deference, will the public not heap scorn upon my name?”

“Ahem, very well. For what purpose do you wish to employ Cheon-gi?”

“As it stands, the Taeul Sect is entirely devoid of defensive fortifications. My goal is to assign that specific responsibility to his care.”

“Regrettably…… Cheon-gi’s grasp regarding the complexities of Mystic Gate Formations remains vastly deficient.”

There was absolutely no truth to that assertion.

Jegal Cheon-gi was a prodigy in the domain of intellectual scholarship on a tier identical to Yong So-ah.

He simply harbored no passion for the standard curriculum and abstained from studying it. Even if Jegal Cheon-gi commenced his education from this very hour, he would without question amass a level of expertise eclipsing any standard Formation Master within the Jegal Clan in the shortest conceivable timeframe.

“You can dismiss those apprehensions. The responsibility I intend to vest in him does not involve Mystic Gate Formations.”

“……項目”

“……項目”

Jegal Jeong along with Jegal Hyeon-un traded bewildered glances.

Moments later, Jegal Jeong’s brow furrowed deeply as he spoke.

“Surely, your objective cannot be the assembly of mechanical traps? Absolutely not! Those crude innovations are dangerous apparatuses designed solely to inflict physical harm.”

In the contemporary era, the general consensus regarding Mechanism Formations placed them as vastly inferior when measured against Mystic Gate Formations.

Yet the revolutionary paradigm destined to completely shatter that mainstream consensus in the future was none other than Jegal Cheon-gi’s specialized Mechanism Formations.

“Furthermore, that youth is currently confined within the subterranean Prison as punishment for the offense of inflicting severe bodily harm upon an individual via a mechanical apparatus. Consequently, his deployment is an absolute impossibility.”

“Is it not a given that mishaps and injuries will manifest during the developmental phases of research? Does a faction genuinely consign its own blood to a dungeon over such occurrences?”

According to the personal accounts of Jegal Cheon-gi, the underlying reason for his sentence within the Prison stemmed from the reality that the entirety of the traditional Formation Masters within his lineage harbored a deep loathing for the unconventional Mechanism Formations he designed. I had intentionally highlighted that specific detail.

Jegal Jeong’s facial expressions began to project an increasing amount of hostility and irritation.

“Should any loss of life or injury manifest as a consequence of the Mechanism Formations Jegal Cheon-gi implements at the Taeul Sect, the Taeul Sect shall step forward to shoulder full legal and moral culpability for every incident. If it puts your mind at ease, I am entirely prepared to formalize this via a written covenant.”

“……項目”

Jegal Jeong cast a look toward Jegal Hyeon-un, silently pressing him to voice an objection.

And yet, for reasons unknown, I perceived that Jegal Hyeon-un was quietly aligning himself with my position.

Following a prolonged scrutiny of my demeanor, he shifted his attention toward Jegal Jeong and delivered his assessment.

“Taking into account the arguments presented thus far, in my capacity as Clan Head, I find myself unable to justify a rejection.”

“Clan Head!”

“Is it not an undeniable reality that physical mishaps are a natural byproduct during the evolution of experimental research? Within the Sichuan Tang Clan, dozens of operatives fall victim to accidental poisonings on a monthly basis as well. If we completely insulate ourselves from such trial and error, will our lineage not eventually deteriorate into a stagnant pool of water?”

Jegal Hyeon-un directed his gaze back to me.

“In addition, if we are afforded a venue to test the viability of Mechanism Formations utilizing the infrastructure of the Taeul Sect, it would provide an avenue for our house to expand our overall capabilities as well. From where I stand, I discern no compelling reason to decline the offer……. That being said, the Grand Elder retains ultimate veto power over all external deployments, so I must ask you to view my stance purely as a recommendation.”

Though he cloaked his position in terms like “recommendation” and “stance,” it was not an opinion that Jegal Jeong could simply brush aside with ease.

The supreme leader of the faction had already articulated a logical defense for the arrangement. Furthermore, even though Jegal Cheon-gi’s sentence within the Prison had been handed down through a unified vote by the Elder Hall, Jegal Cheon-gi remained Jegal Hyeon-un’s youngest biological child, regardless of the administrative circumstances.

“Ahem……項目”

Jegal Jeong shifted his eyes rapidly back and forth as he frantically scrambled to formulate a counterargument.

“If the Clan Head goes to such lengths to endorse the concept, then we ought to proceed accordingly. However, does our Jegal Clan not adhere to a strict policy of only accepting clientele who satisfy our rigorous institutional benchmarks? Most regrettably, the Taeul Sect falls completely short of those benchmarks.”

Jegal Jeong swept his replica White Feather Fan through the air with an aura of relaxed superiority.

Despite being fully aware of the precise nature of those benchmarks, I proceeded to inquire nonetheless.

“What specific benchmarks are you referring to?”

Jegal Jeong let out a mocking chuckle before answering.

“A prospective client must possess a pre-existing history as an established patron of the Jegal Clan.”

This precise policy represented one of the cornerstone reasons why the Jegal Clan’s reputation was heralded as the absolute pinnacle beneath heaven.

The Jegal Clan went so far as to dictate who was permitted the privilege of transferring wealth into their coffers.

“That strikes me as an entirely absurd and circular piece of logic.”

“Had your organization met the necessary criteria, a formal procurement invitation would have already been issued from the Jegal Clan.”

Figures within the Murim World frequently utilized the receipt of a procurement invitation from the Jegal Clan as a definitive metric to gauge a faction’s true power.

Through the implementation of this system, they succeeded in making their institutional endorsement carry a value far greater than pure gold.

“Hm…… If that is the reality, then the Taeul Sect shall simply have to exercise patience for a while longer.”

“Hmph. Not a single new invitation has been dispatched over the preceding five centuries. Do you genuinely entertain the fantasy that one will ever materialize for your sect?”

“That may be true. In that case, why not afford me a single opportunity to prove our worth?”

“An opportunity?”

“Precisely. Should I pull off a feat of such magnitude that even you are forced to validate it, you shall agree to authorize Jegal Cheon-gi’s external deployment.”

“Heh heh. What imaginable feat could you possibly pull off that would compel me to grant you validation?”

“How do you view the elimination of the Ironclad Black Python Great Serpent? I am referring to the very Lesser Dragon concerning which you just spun fabrications to Old Master Heo.”

“Hm?”

“Should I successfully slay the beast, shall we agree to view the Taeul Sect as having fully satisfied your benchmarks?”

At that declaration, not merely Jegal Jeong’s, but even Jegal Hyeon-un’s eyes widened in profound astonishment.