After his encounter with Sera Kang, Yi Shi-Woon returned to his training routine with Master Goo, but now with a different perspective. Sera's words had planted a seed of doubt in his mind, and although he still respected and admired his master, he could no longer help but view him with a more critical eye.
I noticed the lines of tiredness around his eyes, the way he sometimes got lost in thought, as if he were dealing with an invisible weight. During training breaks, Shi-Woon would subtly try to get information out of him about his past, about his enemies, but Master Goo always diverted the topic with evasive or curt answers.
"Master," Shi-Woon would ask casually, as they drank water, "have you ever had... many friends in the Murim?"
Master Goo would look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Why do you ask that, boy?"
"Just curious," Shi-woon would reply, shrugging. "In the stories you tell me, there always seems to be a lot of rivalry and conflict."
"The Murim isn't a place to make friends easily," Master Goo would say, his tone somber. "Trust is a luxury you can't always afford."
Shi-woon also paid more attention to his surroundings during their training sessions. He looked for signs that someone was watching them, any hint of the threat Sera Kang had hinted at. Sometimes he thought he saw shadows moving through the trees, or heard distant whispers, but he was never sure if it was his imagination playing on his nerves.
One afternoon, while training in the forest, Master Goo was teaching him an advanced evasion technique. Shi-Woon struggled to coordinate his movements, frustrated by his lack of progress.
"Focus, boy," Master Goo chided him, his voice harsher than usual. "You must be aware of your surroundings. In real combat, a second of distraction can be fatal."
The reprimand took him by surprise. Master Goo rarely raised his voice. Shi-woon felt a pang of resentment. How could he concentrate fully when his mind was filled with unanswered questions about his master and the dangers surrounding them?
"It's hard to concentrate when I don't know everything that's going on," Shi-Woon said, his voice slightly raised.
Master Goo stopped, his gaze fixed on Shi-Woon. There was a moment of tense silence between them.
"I already told you not to worry about that," Master Goo finally replied, his tone softer now. "Trust me, boy. I'm teaching you what you need to know to protect yourself."
But Shi-woon's confidence had been shaken. Sera Kang's words had planted a seed of doubt he couldn't ignore. He needed more information, needed to understand the truth, even if it meant going against his master's wishes.
In the following days, Shi-woon seriously considered contacting Sera Kang again. He had her number, and he knew she was willing to talk. But he also feared the consequences if Master Goo found out about their meeting. It would be a betrayal of the trust his master had placed in him.
Eventually, the need to know overcame his hesitation. One afternoon after school, instead of heading straight to the training grounds, Shi-woon detoured to a public library. He knew it would be risky to use his own phone, so he planned to use one of the library's computers to search for information on the Murim, the Azure Dragon Tablet, and any mention of anyone named Goomoonryong or the Nine Arts Dragon.
He spent hours surfing the internet, searching obscure forums and websites dedicated to martial arts. He found some vague references to the Murim, portraying them as a secret society with its own rules and hierarchies. He also found mentions of the Azure Dragon Tablet, described as a legendary artifact with immense power.
But information about Goomoonryong was more scarce and mysterious. He found some forums where Nine Arts Dragon's name was mentioned with reverence and awe, describing him as an incredibly powerful martial artist who had disappeared from the Murim years ago. Some said he was dead, others that he had retreated to a secret location. There were no photos or concrete details about his appearance or his past.
The search in the library didn't provide all the answers he sought, but it confirmed that Master Goo was an important and mysterious figure within the Murim. It also made him realize that the world he had entered was far larger and more dangerous than he had ever imagined. The shadow of doubt about his master lingered, but now it was accompanied by a growing sense that he, too, was in danger.
To be continued...
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