Palgap’s words left me with no choice but to tense.
“What? The Murim Alliance?”
“Yes. That’s right, sir. They’re in the reception room right now, sir.”
I tried to calm myself as I headed for the reception room.
The other side was the culprit that had annihilated Snow Wind Palace.
And considering how careful and thorough they were in everything they did, there was no way they would send someone to me without a reason.
What the hell are they scheming?
Ah, come to think of it, there are people I need to be careful about.
I sent a Voice Transmission to Escort Guard Myeong Jong.
— Tell Escort Guard Jin Yu and Young Lady Seohyang to stay in their rooms.
Escort Guard Myeong Jong quietly nodded and moved.
After seeing that, I asked Palgap through Voice Transmission.
— The person from the Murim Alliance didn’t happen to see Escort Guard Jin Yu or Young Lady Seohyang, did he?
“He did not, sir. I took him straight to the reception room, sir.”
Then that’s a relief for now.
Suddenly, I remembered the Disguise Art that Master had mentioned before.
With the Murim Grand Assembly this autumn and all, I had a feeling I would need it from now on.
I should ask Master about it.
Before long, I arrived at the reception room.
The person waiting for me there was a young man I had never seen before.
A sword hung at his waist, but something about it felt strange.
Ah, that sword is a smokescreen.
His main weapon is the Flexible Sword hidden inside his belt.
Aside from Mother’s family, the Yeongseon Min Clan of Gansu, what other clan was famous for Flexible Swords?
“This humble merchant, Eun Seo-ho, greets the Murim Alliance’s Great Hero.”
“Haha, aren’t you, Handsome Young Hero, also called a Great Hero? There’s no need for such excessive courtesy.”
His words sounded polished enough, but his manners had already been tossed straight into the gutter.
There probably wasn’t much of an age difference between us, yet he was speaking down to me from the very first meeting.
He might be calling me Great Hero, but he was already treating me as someone beneath him.
“Pardon me, but may I ask for Great Hero’s honored name?”
“Ah, I was late in introducing myself. My name is Won Eop. Have you heard of Mount Huang?”
“Is there anyone in the empire who hasn’t heard of Mount Huang?”
“The clan that made that Mount Huang its courtyard is none other than my clan, the Huangshan Won Clan.”
“I see.”
He seemed to have tremendous pride in his clan. After all, he was giving me a grand explanation before I had even asked what clan he was from.
Or perhaps he simply wanted to elevate his clan’s prestige.
“The reason I came here is because the Alliance Leader ordered me to deliver a letter.”
Then he held one letter out to me.
“Take it.”
I accepted the letter politely.
“May I read it?”
“Of course.”
By the way, this bastard isn’t even telling me to sit. Normally, this would be about the time to offer someone a seat.
I read the letter.
[To the martial world’s hero and the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering’s hero, Great Hero Handsome Young Hero.]
They’re flattering me right from the opening. Why does that feel so unpleasant?
[I am sending this letter because I have an urgent favor to ask of you. In truth, there is an item I left in Shandong Province. I want you to bring that item to me. You may move together with Team Leader Won.]
The Alliance Leader left something in Shandong Province?
And he wants me to bring it to him? What the hell is he plotting?
If he’s going out of his way to ask me for something he could easily ask anyone else to do, then there must be a reason.
[I know you are busy, but this matter is necessary for the peace of the martial world, and it will also raise your name even higher. I hope you will not refuse.]
In other words, “I refuse your refusal.”
I’m already busy enough to die, so what kind of nuisance is this?
Hah. I folded the letter again and slipped it back into the envelope.
I had a rough guess as to why this was happening.
It was probably because I had rescued the people trapped in the Black Cat Sect’s Underground Prison.
He wanted to confirm whether I had known the Murim Alliance’s secret when I saved them, or whether it had simply been a coincidence.
Now that I think about it, I have interfered with the Murim Alliance quite a bit.
It was about time my existence started becoming annoying to them.
However, I couldn’t just stand by and watch the Murim Alliance do as it pleased simply to protect myself. My goal in this life was already clear.
Revenge against the Baekcheon Merchant Group and the Murim Alliance.
I had moved while hiding my tracks as much as possible, but in the end, it couldn’t be helped that I would become an eyesore.
That was why the Alliance Leader must have felt the need to make a clear judgment about me.
Whether I knew the Murim Alliance’s secrets and was interfering on purpose, or not.
That meant I couldn’t refuse this offer.
If I did, harm could come to me or the Eunhae Merchant Group.
Revenge was revenge, but before that, living happily, healthily, and for a long time with my family was also one of my goals in this life.
Damn it.
Now I can’t avoid going to Shandong.
I spoke to Team Leader Won Eop.
“The Alliance Leader wishes for me to move together with Team Leader Won.”
“I wondered why he told me to stop by you. So that was why.”
“It appears so. Pardon me, but may I ask what order Team Leader Won received from the Alliance Leader?”
“Ah, my task is to retrieve a Golden Buddha Statue being kept by a sect on Mount Tai.”
“A Golden Buddha Statue?”
“As you know, the Murim Grand Assembly is being held this autumn, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I am aware.”
“We need that Golden Buddha Statue to strengthen the protective Trap Formation around the martial stage so that nothing like the last Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering happens again. That Golden Buddha Statue has the ability to amplify and reinforce a formation’s effects.”
“In that case, there must be quite a few people after it.”
“Indeed. That is why the Murim Alliance is sending an exceptional talent like me. Hahaha.”
“…”
I was so dumbfounded that I was left speechless, but he continued as if he did not care.
“Honestly, I don’t know why the Alliance Leader worries so much. He could have simply entrusted the matter to me, yet he told me to receive your help as well.”
I forced a smile and said,
“Perhaps he is simply being that cautious.”
“I suppose so. We will depart for Shandong Province tomorrow morning.”
“I will prepare accordingly.”
By the way, this bastard really isn’t going to tell me to sit until the very end?
Well, it doesn’t matter.
There will be plenty of chances to make him understand our actual hierarchy.
“Then show me to my lodgings.”
For a moment, I was taken aback by his attitude, as if it were only natural that I would prepare lodging for them.
“Do you intend to stay here at the Beijing Branch?”
“Of course! Aren’t you the famous rich man of Beijing? Hahaha. Surely you weren’t planning to make me sleep on the street?”
Hah. Shameless bastard.
If I could, I honestly would.
To be honest, I didn’t like the fact that someone from the Murim Alliance had entered the Beijing Branch at all.
I was putting up with it because this was the reception room, but if he had gone any farther inside without my permission…
Hah.
In any case, I did not want him staying at the Beijing Branch.
Not only Team Leader Won, but the others who came with him might spy on the branch.
They might even lay hands on the branch’s people.
I could not tolerate that.
“There is a decent inn nearby. I will arrange for you to stay there.”
“Hm? Not here?”
Ask for something reasonable, you bastard.
I swallowed those words and answered with a smile.
“The Eunhae Merchant Group’s Beijing Branch is too lacking to host a Murim Alliance guest like Team Leader Won. And I have heard that powerful martial artists such as yourself have sharp senses.”
“Mm. That is true.”
“With the merchant group’s carriages coming and going all day, how could you properly rest?”
“Ah! You’re right.”
“Do not worry. I am the famous rich man of Beijing, so would I make you sleep in some shabby inn?”
“Of course not. Hahaha!”
I intended to have him stay at Yuryeon Inn.
It might not look like it on the surface, but in truth, it was an inn where the Embroidered Guard collected information.
Every single waiter at that inn was also a member of the Embroidered Guard.
Now that he had walked into the tiger’s den on his own two feet, how could I possibly let him leave untouched?
I should strip away everything that can be stripped away.
Every last piece of information he knows, too.
Ah, of course, this is not revenge for never telling me to sit until the very end, nor is it revenge for speaking down to me from the moment we met.
I’m not that petty.
.
.
.
After ordering them to guide Team Leader Won’s party to Yuryeon Inn, I returned to my office.
Then I took out the letter the Alliance Leader had sent and read it again.
“Hah…”
I let out a sigh.
This is clearly the Alliance Leader’s test. And this test will decide what happens from here on out.
I had to show the Alliance Leader as much as possible that I was not a dangerous person.
To be honest, I wanted to openly point my sword at the Alliance Leader, but for now, that would be like striking a boulder with tofu.
I did not like this situation, but if I wanted revenge, I needed the kind of resolve that could lick gall and keep going.
I grinned.
The Alliance Leader should not have tried to test me.
Through this test, I will make him think I am tofu. In reality, hidden inside that tofu is a dagger forged from Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron, sharp enough to split a boulder.
And I will keep quietly sharpening that dagger.
The door opened, and Palgap entered.
“Young Master, I have escorted them to Yuryeon Inn, sir.”
“Good work. You didn’t forget to secretly deliver the letter to the innkeeper, did you?”
“Of course not, sir.”
The innkeeper will be delighted, saying he has a chance to raise his achievements.
And separately, I sent a letter to Warrior Jin Yeong through Escort Guard Lee Pil.
It was a letter explaining the current situation, meant to be reported to the Emperor.
“Let’s pack.”
“Understood, sir.”
“And tell all the escort guards to gather.”
A short while later.
All the escort guards gathered in my room.
“Did you call for us?”
At Escort Guard Seo Wu’s words, I nodded and spoke.
“We will be leaving for Mount Tai tomorrow. This time, only Escort Guard Seo Wu, Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am, and Escort Guard Lee Pil will move with me.”
At my words, the escort guards nodded.
They also knew.
They knew why I was leaving three escort guards behind.
First of all, Escort Guard Jin Yu’s identity could not be exposed.
Escort Guard Myeong Jong and Escort Guard Chang Un were, because of the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering, considered criminals who had sinned against the martial world.
It would be hard for them to endure the Murim Alliance’s warriors sneering and mocking them.
“My lord.”
Escort Guard Myeong Jong carefully spoke up.
“We know you are being considerate of us, but we are fine.”
“That is right. If it is for the sake of protecting our lord, we can endure any insult.”
At that, I shook my head.
“No. It cannot be endured.”
“We truly are…”
“I cannot endure it.”
“Yes?”
“You two are my escort guards. Before that, you are precious people to me. If anyone insults you? I cannot tolerate it.”
“My lord…”
“Khup!”
The two escort guards looked moved to tears.
Was that really something to be that moved by? It was just obvious.
“In any case, that is how it will be, so the three of you can think of this time as a vacation.”
“We obey.”
Then Palgap asked,
“But couldn’t they say something about you only bringing three escort guards, sir?”
“Good point.”
I spoke to the three escort guards.
“That is why I have thought of a suitable excuse. I will say the three of you made a mistake, and that I am punishing you.”
“Understood.”
Then Escort Guard Jin Yu spoke.
“This may not be the right time to ask this, but there is something I would like your advice on.”
“What is it?”
“What kind of training do you think we need most right now?”
“Yes?”
“I know this question is sudden, but…”
I looked at Escort Guard Jin Yu. His eyes looked deeply earnest.
If so, then I had to answer sincerely as well.
“My master said that a warrior’s realm rising is the process of the body and mind finding balance.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“To be honest, while helping me, you have traveled all over the place and moved your bodies more than enough. But I suspect you have lacked the time to put all of that in order.”
“Are you referring to something like seated meditation?”
“Yes. Time to observe and reflect on yourselves.”
“If it is that, we have consistently made time for it whenever we could.”
“Have you ever taken enough time to go deeply into it?”
“…”
“Use this opportunity to take enough time and enter deep self-reflection. The same goes for you two. If you do that, this vacation will be a great help to all three of you.”
.
.
.
That night.
I walked through the rear garden to organize my thoughts.
“Hm?”
In the middle of doing so, I ran into a woman in the rear garden.
It was Young Lady Seohyang.
“You came.”
Seeing her smile, I realized she had known in advance that I would come here tonight.
“It is a beautiful night.”
“The moon isn’t out, though.”
“Ahem. It was just an expression.”
At her smile, I smiled back.
“Seeing as you came out here, I think you have something to say to me.”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“In truth, I saw a future related to the Murim Alliance a very long time ago. The threat against me is probably because I saw the future of the Murim Alliance.”
She was intelligent.
With just a few clues, she could easily infer that much.
“I am curious as well. Just what did you see that made you fear the Murim Alliance so much?”
“It isn’t fear.”
She continued.
“I was angry. The Murim Alliance is sowing the seeds of conflict throughout the martial world. At a time when even uniting the martial world wouldn’t be enough, I have no idea why they are doing such a thing.”
“I see. That certainly is strange.”
“So please, be careful. And…”
She stepped closer and whispered into my ear.
The reason my face felt strangely hot was probably because she was too close.
But soon, I had no choice but to blink.
I was taken aback by what Young Lady Seohyang told me.
However, I quickly controlled my expression, smiled, and cupped my fist.
Her advice was that important.
“Thank you, Deputy Gwak.”
Without her advice, I would have suffered like a dog.
–TL Notes–
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