Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

"What did you say?"

Lazy Flame Dragon asked, his thick eyebrows slightly raised.

Jung Yeonshin could guess the meaning of his words just by looking at his face.

It wasn't that he hadn't heard. It looked like he was giving a chance to rephrase.

"I've been locked up in the underground prison for a long time. My hearing must've dulled. Say it again."

He subtly raised the corner of his mouth, showing dominance in reverse.

He had once been the heir of a great noble family.

As a local aristocrat in Jinan, Shandong, his status probably rivaled that of many royal families, so his attitude was understandable.

Jung Yeonshin spoke calmly.

"If you were part of Radiant Demon Squad's command, then you are indeed under my authority."

"Are you provoking me right now?"

The faint smile in Lazy Flame Dragon's eyes narrowed even further.

His eyes already cast deep shadows, making him look as if he might collapse into a coffin at any moment.

Despite his intense presence, he looked like a broken man.

Whoosh!

Amidst the fiery surge of energy, he twisted his lips into a languid smile. As always, he was a strange one.

"What's going on?"

"Someone I've never seen before. Is he fighting Lightning Genius?"

"We should tell the adults."

"Idiot. They're all out on missions. Jung Senior is the highest rank here right now."

Lazy Flame Dragon's loud voice earlier had drawn the attention of the nameless disciples of Radiant Demon Squad, who had come out to watch.

One of them, a boy a couple of years older than Jung Yeonshin, stepped up and sent the children away.

"Let's go to the back of the hall. They're obviously experts. We don't want to get in Senior Jung's way."

"But that guy doesn't even have any color?"

"Just go."

It was a relief. The boy had stepped in to fill the role of Shin So-bin, who was the only remaining official warrior of Radiant Demon Squad.

Jung Yeonshin activated Radiant Demon Squad's formations, calculating their positions.

It was to preemptively block any paths where the children might be affected. Fortunately, it was simple.

The area behind Lazy Flame Dragon was wide open.

He spoke again.

"Obedience to orders. That's how it works in the Divine Sword Squad."

Lazy Flame Dragon smirked at Jung Yeonshin's words.

"The kids are cute. Anyway, I'm almost thirty years old. Do I really need to call you senior?"

"Just calling me senior is enough."

"I was trained by Hwangbo's family head. He was such a cantankerous old man that I hated even calling him father, but among the Eight Great Clans, he was one of the oldest ghosts. Judging by the martial world's hierarchy, your claim is strange…"

It was then that Shin So-bin, who had been sneaking closer, shouted.

"Lightning Genius senior was trained by the Lord of Desolate Fortress!"

"..."

Lazy Flame Dragon's mouth shut tight. Hierarchy in the martial world crumbled before noble bloodlines.

His arguments were completely nullified. Lazy Flame Dragon awkwardly parted his lips.

"But still, my age…"

"A nameless disciple challenging a blue-ranked warrior?"

Shin So-bin asked with cat-like eyes. It was a peculiar dynamic.

While Jung Yeonshin and Lazy Flame Dragon faced each other, she stood to the side with her hands on her hips, her pitch-black eyes scanning them both.

She looked ready to counter anything Lazy Flame Dragon said.

Shin So-bin stirred the energy around her to withstand the presence of two masters.

Her white robe fluttered softly like the garment of a heavenly fairy.

Was it sheer courage? She didn't seem tense in the slightest.

"My family was one of the Eight Great Clans."

Lazy Flame Dragon spoke, still focused on Jung Yeonshin. The response came from Shin So-bin.

"But it was annihilated, wasn't it?"

Her words were curt. Yet, Lazy Flame Dragon couldn't turn his head.

Jung Yeonshin had already released the energy of Jung Clan's Dynamic Arts, letting out a deeply submerged aura.

He was now at a level where he could be called a rising master.

He had even killed the Azure Qilin, who was Lazy Flame Dragon's ally, proving himself as one of the top warriors of the major factions.

"What a bother."

Lazy Flame Dragon furrowed his brows, as if suddenly exhausted.

"…I have earned my reputation in the martial world. Surely, you've heard the rumors of my triumph at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering?"

"But didn't WWhite Qilin, who also triumphed, lose to Lightning Genius senior?"

"Consider my status. I was the heir of a great family."

"What does a fallen family matter? And by the way, Lightning Genius senior is the direct disciple of the Lord of Desolate Fortress, and I am the legitimate daughter of the Desolate Shin Clan. Lightning Genius senior is a blue-ranked warrior, and I am a white-ranked warrior. And you…"

Shin So-bin slightly raised the corner of her lips, looking bold.

"Didn't you call yourself a lowly nameless disciple earlier?"

"..."

"Are you out of your mind? If you've entered the main fortress, you should follow its laws. Are you looking to be thrown back into the dungeon? My grandfather is a former elder councilor. If I just say the word, you'll be…"

Her sharp words grew stronger, like a cat's piercing cry. She seemed fitting for the nickname White Cat.

"..."

As Lazy Flame Dragon visibly lost his composure, Jung Yeonshin continued to keep his guard up, feeling slightly disappointed.

His opponent wasn't some nameless junior disciple. He was simply asserting his authority as a senior of the Radiant Demon Squad.

And yet, Lazy Flame Dragon's confrontational stance had been strangely pleasing.

'I was hoping for a real match at full strength, without relying on provocations.'

The boy thought.

Then he slowly spoke.

"By the way."

"What now?"

"I only know your alias. What's your name?"

A skilled martial artist naturally spreads their fame.

But most often, only their aliases are widely known. It was a matter of the vastness of the land.

In Jung Yeonshin's hometown of Xinye County, Henan, even large rumors barely reached.

Yet it was unusual for a martial artist of Desolate Fortress not to know Lazy Flame Dragon's name.

After all, there were only eight heirs to the Eight Great Clans.

'Even during the mission, I was only given his appearance and alias.'

There was a reason. Even Jung Yeonshin's senior, Baek Miryeo, knew of Lazy Flame Dragon's short lifespan.

Hwangbo's clan had raised Lazy Flame Dragon, an illegitimate child, as an heir, only to replace him later after using his talent to boost their reputation.

That's why his name was hidden. They wanted fame but also someone disposable. It was ironic.

Jung Yeonshin saw himself in Lazy Flame Dragon's circumstances, another reason he distanced himself from his maternal clan, the Desolate Ma Clan.

Rustle.

A pleasant scent wafted by. Shin So-bin had approached the boy's side without him noticing.

Their eyes met, and she flashed a bright smile, looking more like a puppy than a cat for a moment.

Jung Yeonshin swallowed his curiosity about her sudden change in attitude. Asking would only be tedious.

Meanwhile, she urged Lazy Flame Dragon again.

"Senior asked you. Answer."

"I don't feel like telling."

Lazy Flame Dragon replied, his face marked with weary indifference that somehow suited him despite his age.

Perhaps it was because of his striking features.

The direct descendants of noble families, such as the Azure Qilin and White Qilin, all had exceptional appearances.

Thinking about it, Shin So-bin and Ma Se-in were no different.

'Looks are also status.'

These were words from Desolate Divine Spear Yue Shou-lin who accompanied this mission.

Jung Yeonshin thought briefly of the Lord of Desolate Fortress. Someone who lacked nothing.

A noble status, unrivaled martial arts, and even boundless longevity. Could such a person even know what it meant to be incomplete?

At the same time, Shin So-bin's eyes sharpened again.

"What did you just say? You don't feel like it? Are you out of your mind?"

"It's a discarded name. I don't want to be tainted by the Hwangbo surname."

Lazy Flame Dragon replied with a faint smile, regaining his composure.

He shifted his tone freely, yet it didn't seem out of place. His inner strength was evident.

It made sense that he had held his ground as an heir to a grand family.

"I haven't received any word about this beforehand. Let's head to the General Affairs Bureau together. I need confirmation—whether you were really released from the dungeon and assigned to the Radiant Demon Squad."

Jung Yeonshin spoke. Lazy Flame Dragon had come alone, without any escort from the General Affairs Bureau.

It was an almost impossible situation. If what the man said was true, he must have shaken off his assigned guide.

At that moment, Shin So-bin's breath lightly touched his shoulder.

She was about half a head shorter than Jung Yeonshin, and the way she stared up at him felt slightly burdensome.

"Senior, should I come too?"

"No. The children might feel uneasy. Calm them down."

He was referring to the nameless disciples of the Radiant Demon Squad, who received the warmth he had missed at the Jung manor.

Everyone in the Radiant Demon Squad was like that. He couldn't ignore them.

"They're not even ordinary village kids."

Shin So-bin pouted her small lips but reluctantly stepped back.

Jung Yeonshin locked eyes with Lazy Flame Dragon, who had been smirking at her.

"Let's go now."

Verifying the truth came first. Jung Yeonshin led Lazy Flame Dragon toward the General Affairs Bureau.

Lazy Flame Dragon followed, grinning lazily as he sauntered along.

They walked for a while under the twilight, passing several hall complexes.

"Young Hero Jung."

They ran into the Chief Administrator. He appeared to be heading into the General Affairs Bureau hall.

He still had his imposing stature and commanding presence.

He looked entirely out of place against the fading struggle of the setting sun.

Jung Yeonshin calmly raised his fist in salute.

"Chief Administrator. We were just on our way to see you."

"Ah, I can guess the reason."

The Chief Administrator beamed, as if he were looking at his own son.

His eyes flicked past Jung Yeonshin's shoulder. Lazy Flame Dragon stood there, one leg slightly raised.

"It seems to be about that young man, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"He has been officially assigned. Lazy Flame Dragon will be a formidable sword of the Radiant Demon Squad. While managing him is the duty of his superiors, I trust that you and the Radiant Demon Squad will handle it well."

"…Understood."

"It's not an easy matter to accept, of course. However, the Lord personally oversaw this case. You can set your mind at ease. After all, the Lord's command is justification enough."

"Ah."

Jung Yeonshin let out a soft exclamation.

He pictured the Lord of Desolate Fortress gazing at Lazy Flame Dragon.

Leaning against the massive tree trunk that filled the office, not releasing even a hint of energy, observing him quietly.

It was a vivid image. Lazy Flame Dragon appeared insignificant, reflected in those deep green eyes that seemed to hold an abyss.

The eyes of a transcendent being among the noble clans. They were said to pierce through all essence.

Jung Yeonshin's doubts subsided.

"Thank you for your words."

He raised his fist in salute once more and began to turn away. The Chief Administrator's voice stopped him.

"If you're not in a hurry, why not step into the General Affairs Bureau for a moment? A dispatch regarding the Radiant Demon Squad, stationed in Sichuan, has just arrived. My subordinates should be reviewing it now."

"Would that be all right?"

Jung Yeonshin asked immediately. The Chief Administrator smiled kindly.

"Of course. As someone personally taken in as the Lord's direct disciple, your integrity is beyond doubt. Come with me. They should have decrypted the coded letters by now."

"Wait."

Jung Yeonshin spoke briefly. It wasn't directed at the Chief Administrator.

Lazy Flame Dragon raised his eyebrows, seemingly annoyed at being treated like a dog, but the boy didn't look back.

Step.

Jung Yeonshin followed the Chief Administrator into the General Affairs Bureau.

The moment he stepped over the massive threshold, sounds that seemed to have been waiting for him struck his ears.

Murmurs filled the hall, calm yet chaotic, and pressed in urgently.

'It's a formation.'

Even with his heightened senses, he hadn't heard it from outside. Jung Yeonshin was once again struck by the vastness of Desolate Fortress.

"…Two white-ranked members, deceased. Bodies being recovered. Twenty-three other Radiant Demon Squad members, including team leaders, have gone missing after engaging an unidentified group."

"There are signs of a wide-range technique. Traces of projectiles within an eight-jang radius (about 24 meters). All patterns are densely packed. Believed to be the signature move of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Full Sky Flower Rain. Unknown whether they were allies or enemies."

"Appearance of the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader in Yongan Prefecture, Sichuan. Accompanied by elders from the sect."

"A gathering of rising talents in the Sichuan Patrol Office. Attendees include Ten Perfection Sect, Pure Demon Alliance, and many other heretical martial artists. Observed guards include several high-level experts, at least blue-ranked."

"Representatives from the Nine Great Sects also spotted—Little Sword Queen of Wudang Sect, Golden Staff Divine Lady of Emei Sect, and Red Cloud Dragon of Qingcheng Sect. All in the Sichuan Patrol Office."

It was the General Affairs Bureau of Desolate Fortress, where news from across the world gathered.

Scholars trained in martial arts exchanged views under sharp gazes.

"Shouldn't we send reinforcements?"

"Impossible. The main sect's defenses are already stretched thin. Fifteen out of seventeen squads are deployed."

"The Divine Sword Squad stationed in Sichuan—Radiant Demon Squad, Heavenly Squad, and Obeying Heaven Squad. As of now, Radiant Demon Squad is to be considered out of operational status."

Amidst the urgency, there was an area where a deathly silence spread.

Near the entrance. A blue robe fluttered.

Though the figure stood still, the surging energy radiated upward, pressing against the ceiling like a tidal wave.

It was the aura of a single person.

"The judgment of excluding them from operations…"

A voice rang out, its tone thickening as it approached adulthood.

"should be reconsidered."