WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 149: The Rear Waves of the Yangtze Push the Front Waves (23)

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"We were so young back then. Even when everyone said it couldn't be done, we charged straight ahead. We said we'd wipe out the water raiders from Dongting Lake. You gathered the heroes, and I persuaded the generals. We stumbled through it together."

The heat of midday.

The top floor of Yueyang Tower.

Before Yang Hoeam, provincial governor of Yuezhou, dozens of martial artists sat in rows to either side.

Yang Hoeam sank into his memories.

"Everything was so dazzling then. It was all so clear. This was right. That was wrong. Yes. Everything was obvious enough to blind us."

The martial artists seated before him were all people he had known in his youth.

Sometimes to carve out their own fate, sometimes to change the world, they had raced across Hunan with spears and swords in hand.

They had met as a young, ambitious official and young, hot-blooded figures of the Jianghu.

Yang Hoeam rose and personally filled each of their cups.

Jin Hyeogo, seated to Yang Hoeam's right and the first to receive a cup, also drifted into memory.

"There was something Your Excellency always used to say back then."

"Did I?"

"'If I don't accomplish it, who will?'"

"I said that?"

"Yes. I must've heard it a hundred times. Every time everyone said it couldn't be done. Every time even I tried to stop you, saying you were truly being reckless this time. Each time, you said it. If not me, who will accomplish it?"

"Hehe. I was young. So young. And in the end, I only became an old man who accomplished nothing."

Laughing, Yang Hoeam slowly walked around and filled the martial artists' cups one by one.

Jin Hyeogo objected to his words.

"What are you saying? You have achieved countless great deeds. Even if one denied every one of them, Wuling Island would still remain. The most destitute people in the world live under Your Excellency's care. How can you say you have achieved nothing when that alone exists?"

Yang Hoeam smiled bitterly.

"Wuling Island... Hehe. Is that so? Wuling Island... Thank you for viewing it so kindly."

Then the martial artists seated on both sides cried out as one.

"Those are not sweet words. Black Spear has simply spoken the truth."

They were all senior masters of Hunan's martial world.

Pillars of the Jianghu who had founded schools of martial arts.

No fewer than six were counted among Hunan's Twelve Experts, while more than twenty had been named among the Thirty-Six Heroes.

Yang Hoeam finally finished pouring everyone a drink and returned to his seat.

"Yes. Thank you all for thinking so well of me."

He sat down, lightly raised his cup, and spoke.

"Then I, Yang, have one favor to ask of you. If you remember the bond we share, please do not take it lightly."

His voice lowered.

"Can you help me just once? Don't ask questions or demand explanations. This Mid-Autumn Festival, I intend to declare a travel ban. Not even an ant must be allowed into Dongting Lake."

"...Then you want us to assist with restricting entry?"

"More precisely, I mean the people of the Jianghu."

"People of the Jianghu..."

"Hot-blooded young martial artists like Yeon Sowol."

"Ah."

"Youth is reckless. It is full of curiosity as well. I cannot explain the matter in detail, but this is an affair of great importance to the state. If Yeon Sowol acts rashly that day, even I will not be able to protect him."

"Hmm."

"So, as seniors of the Jianghu, I ask you to properly persuade the younger generation."

Yang Hoeam raised his cup high.

The senior masters of Hunan's martial world looked at one another. Whenever their eyes met, they gave faint nods.

It was a request from Yang Hoeam, with whom they had shared a deep bond for many years.

It was also for the sake of the younger generation.

There was no reason to refuse.

"Yes. We will speak with them. On Mid-Autumn Festival, we will guard the approaches to Dongting Lake as well. We will make certain nothing you fear comes to pass."

Jin Hyeogo answered for them and raised his cup in return.

"Thank you. Truly."

Everyone drained a cup of wine together with the smiling Yang Hoeam.

* * *

"We throw open Dongting Lake on Mid-Autumn Festival."

Yeon Sowol said that what would happen that day was surely human sacrifice.

At first, there had been much debate over that theory.

Would Yang Hoeam truly go that far?

No person could imagine doing such a thing.

What would they do if they were wrong?

After a long argument, though, everyone ultimately came to the same conclusion.

What Yang Hoeam was preparing had to be human sacrifice.

The decisive clue was Moyong Ha's diary.

- There is something in Dongting Lake. Perhaps something far stronger than I expected, a fiend or monster, a demon or ghost.

As the diary recorded, everything fit if some inhuman Strange Ghost or fiendish demon had become involved in this.

Moyong Ha, whose Movement Art was among the finest in Yuezhou, had died without even managing to flee.

Despite her being close to the peak realm, no one had sensed even the slightest ripple from a battle before she died.

And...

'If it's human sacrifice offered to fiendish demons and Strange Ghosts, everything fits perfectly.'

'They say that even the water raiders' list of supplies contains many things that seem more suited for a rite offered to fiendish demons and Strange Ghosts than to humans.'

Suspicion finally became certainty.

Once that happened, the response became obvious.

"Then we show everyone the scene of Yuezhou's provincial governor, Yang Hoeam, attempting human sacrifice."

What Yeon Sowol proposed was the simplest and surest strategy.

"If we can expose it clearly before everyone, we can cut off Yang Hoeam's head right there. Handing the people of the nation over to unknown fiends and demons is no different from treason."

"Hmm."

Jin Geol suddenly closed his fan and tapped it against his chin.

"Then the question is how we throw open Dongting Lake. On the day itself, soldiers will be guarding it under a travel ban, and they'll set up a mysterious formation array to block both access and sight."

"I'll break the formation array, and we'll have to find a way through the soldiers."

"You plan to ask the White-Robed League members for help?"

Yeon Sowol nodded at Jin Geol's question.

"...It's shameless, but I have to ask. We can't break through all that with our strength alone."

"If it's your request, Sowol, they'll follow you."

"We'll have to see. I'd be glad if even a quarter of them came with us."

"A quarter... Why? Because it means directly defying the provincial governor of Yuezhou?"

"Yes. It's different from wiping out the water raiders."

"What if we explain the human sacrifice?"

"We can try. But honestly, won't it be hard to believe? Even we argued over it for a long time."

"Hmm. That's true. Hah... Sowol, you're really going through a lot."

"It's nothing. Anyway! I'll arrange a gathering at Yueyang Tower."

"All right. We can gather to celebrate putting down the water raiders too."

How many would truly stand with him?

To hide the pounding of his heart, Yeon Sowol regulated his circulation.

He had not been this nervous even when fighting Yi Geuk...

"It feels exactly like taking an exam."

Unable to hold it in any longer, he muttered under his breath.

The mood settled somewhat.

Silence fell for a moment.

Namgung Ujin and Hwangbo Hwi, who had been silently listening, looked at each other and sank into thought.

Jin Geol broke the silence again.

"...Anyway. Fine. Let's say we somehow break through both the formation array and the army. There is still another problem."

Yeon Sowol raised an eyebrow.

"Another?"

"Yes. Yang Hoeam might declare a curfew that prevents every citizen of Yuezhou from coming and going."

"Ah."

"Even if we throw open Dongting Lake then, no one will see the truth. If everyone shuts their windows and stays inside their homes, that's it."

"That part..."

Yeon Sowol thought for a moment before turning his gaze.

"For that, we have no choice but to ask Mr. Ga for help."

Gaseopmyeong, who had been sitting there with a grave expression, flinched.

"M-Me?"

"Yes. I think we need to face him head-on. There isn't much time left until Mid-Autumn Festival..."

Yeon Sowol thought deeply for a moment, then clenched his fist.

"I will strike at Yang Hoeam head-on."

Gaseopmyeong swallowed hard.

"Can I... help?"

"Yes. I need your writing, Mr. Ga."

"My writing... would help..."

Tension trembled in Gaseopmyeong's eyes.

But the corners of his mouth twitched and slowly crept upward.

"My writing..."

Soon, the tremor in his eyes stopped.

"If it can help."

His eyes shone brightly.

* * *

Yuezhou.

The highest floor of Yueyang Tower, where Dongting Lake could be seen at a glance.

Yesterday, Yang Hoeam and the senior masters of Hunan's martial world had gathered here. Today, the White-Robed League members had come together.

As if they had made a promise, they all wore white robes, the gathering undulating like the white waves of Dongting Lake rising all the way to the top of Yueyang Tower.

The mood was already hot.

Not a single person had touched a drink yet.

After returning from their fierce battle against the water raiders, both body and mind had been so exhausted that they had fallen asleep as if they had fainted.

Now, after resting deeply and fully recuperating, they all felt as though they could fly.

And they were seeing the faces of the comrades who had fought alongside them that day again.

"Ha! Brother Gwak! You look much better now. Did you rest well?"

"Ah, Brother Jang! I did. More importantly, thank you so much for back then. If it hadn't been for you, my back would've been pierced through and I might not have made it here."

"What are you saying? If it hadn't been for you, my head would've been cut off and I would've been floating around Dongting Lake."

They had so much to catch up on.

The laughter and chatter of young heroes on the highest floor of Yueyang Tower spilled down into the streets of Yuezhou.

The people of Yuezhou passing by guessed what was happening. They looked up once at Yueyang Tower, perched high like a bird, then continued on their way with smiles. Some cupped their fists or bowed toward its highest floor.

The lively mood was just reaching its peak when a servant who delivered wine at Yueyang Tower asked the White-Robed League members,

"Should I bring up the wine now?"

At those words, the White-Robed League members all shook their heads.

"Not yet."

"Not yet."

"The League Leader hasn't arrived."

"Ah. I understand."

The servant let out a small cry, as if realizing a mistake, then bowed and withdrew.

Their conversation blossomed again.

Without wine.

Warmly and cheerfully.

Among them were Namgung Ujin and Hwangbo Hwi, both famous figures among Yuezhou's rising young talents.

Their voices were louder than the others', and an especially large number of White-Robed League members had gathered around them.

Not only were Namgung Ujin and Hwangbo Hwi famous, they were also regarded as Yeon Sowol's closest associates.

Then Namgung Ujin looked around at those nearby and asked in a booming voice,

"What do you all think? What was Yeon Sowol's greatest accomplishment after coming to Yuezhou?"

It was an intriguing question.

The White-Robed League members looked at one another and each raised their voices.

"Surely it was the martial arts tournament? It affected not only Yuezhou but the whole of Hunan's martial world."

"I'm not sure... I would choose the campaign against the water raiders. The martial arts tournament may have had a greater impact on the Jianghu itself, but if we consider the ordinary people's daily lives, the campaign against the water raiders had an overwhelming impact."

"That's right. It may not have changed the fate of the world, but it changed the fate of Yuezhou."

They went back and forth, yet in the end their opinions fell into one of two choices.

The martial arts tournament.

Or the campaign against the water raiders.

Namgung Ujin, however, said,

"You're all right. But I see it a little differently."

He turned to look at Dongting Lake, gleaming white in the sunlight.

"I think Yeon Sowol's greatest accomplishment here was fun."

"Fun?"

"Fun...?"

"That's right. Fun. That's it. Fun."

Hwangbo Hwi, beside him, immediately nodded in agreement.

The other White-Robed League members, on the other hand, wore puzzled expressions. They seemed to understand, but not quite.

"It seems like you almost get it? But it's simple. Since I was born, I've never had as much fun as I have over these past month or two."

"Ah."

"Ah... If you mean it like that."

Everyone nodded.

Fun.

Yes. It had been fun.

Raiding Old Man Jeon's manor to save the kidnapped people.

Holding the martial arts tournament.

Putting down the water raiders.

Every day they had spent with Yeon Sowol.

It had been fun.

"I found out that fun is important in life. It made me feel like I was living properly. It made me look forward to tomorrow. It made me want to do more."

Namgung Ujin smiled bitterly and tapped the table.

"Funny, isn't it? I've been here for years to prepare for the civil service examination. Yet I've accomplished more in the past month than I did over all those years. Even though I spent less time studying."

Namgung Ujin looked around.

"It was like waking from a hangover. Like someone had lit the candle that was me. All at once, everything felt new. Yes. It was really fun."

Before they knew it, every White-Robed League member at Yueyang Tower was looking at Namgung Ujin.

"So what I'm saying is, fun is more important than you might think. It can change your fate. Maybe it can even change the world."

"That's right. Ujin, you've said something sensible for once."

Hwangbo Hwi nodded and muttered,

"I haven't held a woman in my arms for over a month now. I think it was shortly after the martial arts tournament began."

Everyone was startled.

'The Amorous Hero hasn't held a woman...'

For ordinary people, going without a woman for a month was common enough. Some went their whole lives without holding one...

But the Amorous Hero?

Hwangbo Hwi slightly raised his head.

His eyes met those of the White-Robed League members.

"It wasn't intentional. It was just... fun. Even without holding women. Every day was fun. So I stopped thinking about it."

At those words, everyone sank into thought.

Fun.

Namgung Ujin and Hwangbo Hwi called it fun, but when one examined what they meant, were they not really speaking of change?

The greatest change that had come after Yeon Sowol arrived.

It was the change in me.

The world had become clearer and more vivid.

Strength rose in me day after day.

My will had grown firmer.

Looking back, it was a feeling that could only be called a change in fate.

I had changed, so my fate had changed.

Many people had changed, so naturally all of Yuezhou had changed as well.

Could the fate of the world be changing in the same way?

Goosebumps rose over their skin.

The noisy top floor of Yueyang Tower gradually quieted.

That was when it happened.

"Great Hero Yeon Sowol!"

"Leader Yeon!"

"Welcome!"

"The White-Robed League members are gathered on the top floor!"

The lower floors of Yueyang Tower suddenly became noisy.

Yeon Sowol had arrived!

The White-Robed League members' faces brightened.

Rumble!

Without exception, everyone sprang from their seats.

Creak.

Creak.

They listened to the sound of footsteps climbing the wooden stairs, all eyes fixed on the same spot.

The moment Yeon Sowol finally appeared at the staircase, they all cupped their fists and cried out,

"Greetings to the League Leader!"

Even Namgung Ujin and Hwangbo Hwi, scions of prestigious martial families who could not lightly place themselves beneath another, cupped their fists and offered their respects.

"Greetings to the White-Robed League Leader."

Yeon Sowol's gaze lingered briefly on Namgung Ujin and Hwangbo Hwi.

The two winked at him, as if telling him to do well, as if cheering him on.

Yeon Sowol gave a faint nod.

"Hoo..."

He took a quiet deep breath that no one else could hear and stood before them all.

Now,

Yeon Sowol's test began.

Footnotes:

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