WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 153: Contact (4)
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The Leader of Demon Wings’ office was a peculiar place.
The scents of ink, iron, and oil mingled together. An unusual fragrance drifted over the furniture, including the stone-carved desk.
The wall that had once displayed several of Ma Jin’s sabers was now filled with treasured swords from the Desolate Ma family.
There were more than ten of them. The precious stone display stand was completely full.
Swords were consumable goods, meant to be chipped and worn down. The letter sent with the gifts from the Ma family had mentioned as much.
They were presented to the new Squad Leader for use in sparring practice.
It stated their unconditional support for Jeong Yeon-shin. Ju Yeon-jeong, Ma Se-in’s mother, and the main family’s Council of Elders had signed their names beneath it.
Those who had once been so proud had promised their support as though they had signed a joint petition. They claimed to want nothing else.
‘Connections and status really are everything.’
To think it could be resolved this easily.
Seated at his desk, the boy considered two reasons.
The first was, of course, his appointment as Leader of Demon Wings. One of the seventeen Squad Leaders of the Divine Sword Squad was an absolute master who could become a major power in any major faction.
As part of the main fortress’s upper ranks, martial artists regarded them as members of Desolate Fortress’s leadership.
Now that his status had changed so dramatically, no one could challenge his origins or casually plot against him.
Every clan would have to choose one of two attitudes. Unless they were prepared to risk everything to oppose him, they would have no choice but to treat him as an honored guest.
Jeong Yeon-shin, Leader of Demon Wings, was that sort of person.
“...Good. This is how you approve it. Your handwriting is quite elegant, Yeon-shin, so I needn’t worry about you writing letters.”
The second reason was Ma Jin’s appointment as Family Head. Seated across from him, Ma Jin was handing over the Leader of Demon Wings’ duties to Yeon-shin.
Ma Yeon-jeok’s condition was close to retirement. He needed to recuperate.
Yet Ma Se-in, who had been raised as the next Family Head, was still very young.
It was an exceptional matter for Yeon-shin, a peer who had already matured as a martial artist, to take the position of Squad Leader.
He had to be considered separately from the Young Sect Master of the Ming Cult, which had recently risen in rebellion, a Grandmaster of sorcery arts.
‘Se-in must feel a great burden too. The pressure to grow will be immense.’
Ma Jin would take charge as Family Head until Yeon-shin’s friend came of age.
The dwarven race of the City of Master Craftsmen said their qi-powered prosthetic arm would soon be complete. Ma Jin had lost his left arm, leaving flaws throughout his meridian system.
By the time Ma Jin stepped down as Family Head, he would likely have demonstrated the skill needed to return to the Divine Sword Squad.
Having once again sensed his own end at the Squad Leader Assembly, the boy felt relieved anew.
He often imagined what would have happened if he had failed to overcome his heavenly affliction and fallen.
Whenever he did, his attachment to his companions and blood relatives grew stronger. He simply did not show it.
They would all remember him after his death. They were precious to him.
‘Thank goodness.’
Warmth suddenly passed through the boy’s eyes. The corners of his lips lifted for a moment.
It was an unusually rare sight, but Ma Jin caught it with his practiced eye technique.
“You brat.”
His scarred face softened with surprising ease. He did not look like the next head of the Ma family, famed by the epithet Hell Slayer.
Rather than an absolute master known for an undefeated record, he looked like an uncle gazing at his nephew.
Ma Jin continued with a faint smile.
“Anywhere you go, the higher you rise, the more they value those skilled in both letters and arms. You don’t need to pursue scholarship to a lofty level, but there are people who judge others by how well they understand common principles and how well they write. They are usually from old, prestigious families or the imperial court. You’ll have to deal with them endlessly from now on.”
“The imperial court?”
“Squad Leaders of the main fortress have special authority. If a corrupt official obstructs a mission, someone of Black Uniform rank can execute them on the spot.”
It was an astonishing privilege, authority that directly defied the Great Ming Code and the current imperial policy.
Yeon-shin recalled the elven race county magistrate who had caused trouble at the Huangbo branch family.
As the branch family head’s husband, the magistrate had tried to obstruct the mission Yeon-shin had received.
Had Cheong Myeong, who belonged to the same race, not been there, he would have been in serious trouble.
‘It means nothing can hold me back now.’
The thought was refreshing. Yeon-shin silently listened to Ma Jin’s explanation.
“Only two conditions must be met. There must be plausible circumstances and few witnesses. Afterward, a cause and effect that never existed will be created. Terrifyingly naturally, at that. Of the imperial Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard, whichever can more easily act in that region will conduct covert operations. They’ll make it seem as if the person died with no connection to Desolate Fortress.”
It truly was terrifying. He had vaguely known of it before, but hearing it directly exceeded anything he had imagined.
The Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard. Even in Beijing, where the Forbidden City stood, they ruled as emissaries of death.
They exercised extralegal authority that surpassed the Great Ming Code. Yeon-shin had heard much about them.
They were called the King of Hell even by high-ranking officials.
The Emperor’s swords cooperated with the Squad Leaders of Desolate Fortress. Such power was rare in the world.
Ma Jin’s expression, however, was somewhat heavy. The scar on his forehead had drawn together slightly. His face held a trace of concern.
“I mentioned handwriting, Yeon-shin. Don’t let the imperial court look down on you. If you do, they may manipulate you.”
“What does that mean?”
“They’re people too. They value convenience. If you execute a high-ranking official because of a mission, you place a rather troublesome burden on them as well. How tiresome would it be to fabricate evidence unrelated to the main fortress and announce a cause of death? At times, they have to take the blame for what we did, so they can’t always be favorable toward us. It’s a political burden.”
“I understand.”
Yeon-shin slowly nodded.
Ma Jin continued.
“They are loyal to the Son of Heaven, but they wield great discretion. They may impose restrictions on your missions as they please. It has happened often enough. There are only a few people above Black Uniform rank. Squad Leaders are too embarrassed to report matters like that to the Divine Sword Squad Leader or the Lord of Desolate Fortress, so many newly appointed Squad Leaders simply endure it and let it fester. The Swift Heaven Wing Squad Leader was the same during his first appointment.”
“What about you, Uncle?”
The boy suddenly asked. Ma Jin’s lips curved slightly.
“Eunuchs from the Eastern Depot came to see me. Back then, the Chief Eunuch’s power pierced the heavens, but they didn’t pick a fight with me. Perhaps it was because this uncle had a more domineering presence than the Swift Heaven Wing Squad Leader. I was like that from the beginning.”
“...”
“There’s nothing else to seizing the initiative. Be strong in speech or martial arts. When the time comes, crush them with your martial arts.”
“...Is that all right?”
“Both we and they have clearly defined duties, so there’s no need to worry that a contest of wills will ruin a mission. You, Yeon-shin, have even less reason to bow your head.”
“...?”
“The current Emperor was personally taught by the Lord of Desolate Fortress, and the Lord of Desolate Fortress is the Emperor’s teacher and a Prince of Commandery of the Ming dynasty. The seventeen Squad Leaders of the main fortress are that lord’s treasured swords. Besides, you learned martial arts from the Lord of Desolate Fortress, just as the Son of Heaven did. You are not of lower status than the Eastern Depot or the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”
Ma Jin’s finger pointed toward a section of the document on the desk. At the bottom was a seal reading, “Leader of Demon Wings.”
It was proof that Yeon-shin had approved supplies for the Demon Wings.
If he sent an unranked disciple such as Languid Flame Dragon or a White Uniform warrior to the Chief Steward’s Office, money and goods corresponding to the listed items would be delivered to Yeon-shin.
“Your background is the best among all newly appointed Squad Leaders in history. Still, the pride and self-respect of those imperial court people encompass the world. A clash is inevitable. It will be a struggle for the initiative.”
There was a reason Ma Jin was offering this advice now.
A message had arrived telling Yeon-shin to clear his schedule for the day. He had been ordered to pay respects to the Imperial Grandson residing in the main fortress.
The Imperial Grandson of the Ming dynasty.
A direct descendant of the imperial family who learned martial arts from the Lord of Desolate Fortress. He was said to bear final responsibility for matters involving the main fortress and Ming officials.
When Yeon-shin had just risen to Blue Uniform, the Imperial Grandson had given him the clue for Sword Song. They had not met since.
His mission departure was tomorrow.
To race freely through the martial world as a Black Uniform of Desolate Fortress, he had to be able to cut down even officials who stood in his way.
This was a meeting to introduce someone who would cooperate with Yeon-shin from now on.
“This may be for the best. It’s better than meeting an Eastern Depot or Embroidered Uniform Guard official alone for the first time. Rumors say the Imperial Grandson favors you.”
“Favors... me?”
They had only met a few times. His brows rose slightly in confusion.
Ma Jin smiled faintly.
“The Imperial Grandson has few pleasures in life. Anyone who performs melodies with a sword earns his favor regardless of status. Even masters of inner arts in the imperial palace cannot easily display such a skill.”
“Ah.”
Yeon-shin remembered Sword Song.
It was an ultimate art he did not use. It consumed his lifespan.
Until he reached the realm where essence, qi, and spirit became one, Three Flowers Gather at the Crown, he did not think he could ease the burden on his Baihui acupoint. So he had set it aside.
Perhaps it was fortunate that he had caught the Imperial Grandson’s eye before then.
“It is a condition you must fulfill before entering the martial world. Only after establishing a system of cooperation with the imperial court can you fully carry out missions as a Squad Leader of Desolate Fortress.”
Ma Jin did not seem terribly concerned.
Perhaps it was because he had seen Yeon-shin kill the Sword Scorpion Demon and the Pure Demon Divine Hand one after another in the City of Master Craftsmen. He calmly concluded,
“Form a relationship by any means. It is the most important task that must be settled first.”
“Yes.”
The boy rose.
* * *
He arrived at an exceptionally splendid hall, accompanied by an attendant dressed in luxurious silk.
When he had been promoted to Blue Uniform, he had come with several warriors. This time, he was alone. The attendant kept glancing at the boy in his pitch-black long robe.
It was an odd look. The crooked Black Uniform cuff seemed to be bothering the attendant greatly.
“Squad Leader, please exercise the utmost decorum.”
The attendant spoke. Yeon-shin silently nodded.
This was the Imperial Grandson’s residence. Its rafters carried both deep indigo and sunlight.
As befitted the dwelling of someone august, it was utterly quiet. Even the sound of a gentle breeze brushing across the floor was clear.
“The Leader of Demon Wings from Desolate Fortress has arrived.”
The attendant announced upon entering. A quiet answer soon resounded, telling them to let him in.
At the same time, the bronze doors opened to either side. There was no sign of anyone grasping the handles.
They moved on their own, like the Lord of Desolate Fortress’s Remote Object Manipulation.
As his view slowly opened, Yeon-shin crossed the threshold with composed steps.
Two pairs of eyes watched the boy.
“It has been a while.”
An incomparably beautiful young man spoke slowly. He remained seated in a grand preceptor's chair.
The Imperial Grandson. The third heaven of the Ming dynasty.
His ears were sharp like the tip of a treasured sword. He was shorter than Yeon-shin. Yet though the Crown Prince was still alive and well, he had been appointed Imperial Grandson.
The presence gathered between his thick brows was extraordinary. It was not a matter of martial skill. He simply felt like someone whose true thoughts were impossible to grasp.
Cool and indifferent, he looked down at Yeon-shin as though it were natural.
It was a strange gaze. His black pupils flashed with contained lightning.
“Jeong Yeon-shin, Leader of Demon Wings, pays respects to the Imperial Grandson.”
The boy prostrated himself in formal greeting.
“You are already a Squad Leader. At such a young age, you have risen very quickly.”
The Imperial Grandson spoke from within the sunlight slanting through the window.
He spoke as though he existed alone beneath heaven.
“Congratulations on becoming part of those who govern the world. There is no need for us to speak privately, so speak with Myeong Yeo. He is the Chief Eunuch’s right hand.”
As if he intended only to listen, he closed his eyes. The person standing beside the Imperial Grandson with both hands folded stepped forward.
“His Highness’s words overwhelm this humble servant. I dare not accept praise as the Chief Eunuch’s right hand, but I shall receive it as encouragement to work that much harder for the affairs of the state.”
The archaic speech unique to the imperial court flowed as smoothly as water.
Sharp ears like sword points stood out. He was an elven race eunuch.
The boy sensed an unusual aura. The eunuch standing on the dais was clearly an expert.
‘He must have mastered the Child’s Yang Technique that eunuchs cultivate. I heard it is an incredible martial art because its price is so great. How profound is it?’
Just as he felt a faint curiosity, Myeong Yeo’s eyes narrowed slightly, then curved gently. He stared intently at Yeon-shin.
A eunuch of the Eastern Depot, the Ming imperial family’s intelligence agency, smiled with his eyes at the boy.
“Seeing such a young hero feels as though my eyes have been opened.”
“I am the Leader of Demon Wings.”
Yeon-shin calmly clasped his fists. Unlike before the Imperial Grandson, he did not prostrate himself.
Myeong Yeo’s lips formed a peculiar curve.
“I heard you depart tomorrow, so we should address urgent business first. This official dares to test the Squad Leader.”
“A test?”
“I wish to know your abilities more precisely. Of course, I watched the promotion sparring closely. Yet it was far from enough to properly analyze the new Leader of Demon Wings, both as a Squad Leader and as a martial artist.”
Myeong Yeo’s tone was soft. His voice was also rather thin.
It was likely because he had been castrated as a child.
“This is very important. One test cannot determine a person. What martial arts they are weak against in what situations. The strength of their powerful attacks and changing forms, their feints and the mobility of their Body Movement Scripture. This official must know everything.”
“...”
“It is for efficient deployment. Our Eastern Depot must devote considerable effort to every one of the seventeen Squad Leaders of the Divine Sword Squad, so I hope the Leader of Demon Wings will be understanding.”
“Do you question the imperial examinations?”
Yeon-shin calmly asked in return.
“Oh my.”
Myeong Yeo smiled.
“Even the imperial examination system has three examinations. The provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination. If the Squad Leader considers promotion to be passing the provincial examination, I believe it would be best to consider this the metropolitan examination. Of course... a mere provincial graduate cannot be compared to a Squad Leader of Desolate Fortress.”
“Is there a palace examination as well?”
“That is actual combat. This official is also curious how much the young Squad Leader will contribute to the people’s welfare.”
His tongue was not to be taken lightly. He was a eunuch who had survived in the world’s harshest political arena.
‘As expected. He was only favorable to Uncle.’
It seemed different from Ma Jin’s first appointment. The boy understood inwardly, though he felt sorry for his uncle.
Even then, Myeong Yeo continued speaking.
“The Martial Alliance’s grand founding ceremony. A boy who has just reached Black Uniform rank is entrusted with such a major task...? Those who do not take the records at face value react similarly. They all say the same thing. ...That it is muddled and suspicious.”
Muddled and suspicious.
It described something disorderly and suspect.
It primarily carried the sense of confusion and complication, a phrase rarely used.
It demonstrated the attitude of the Eastern Depot, which pursued perfection, toward a teenage Squad Leader.
“The Leader of Demon Wings’ sparring was certainly impressive. Yet this official’s eye may be dull, for there were matters I found difficult to discern.”
Myeong Yeo looked down at Yeon-shin.
“That sword strike which ended the sparring. It was truly confusing. Did you pour in power freely gained from spiritual medicine, or did you draw a profound sword path from a flash of insight?”
“Is that important?”
“It is extremely important. It is a matter of reliability. The density of the aura the young Squad Leader possesses was unusually high. If you attained your rank because you are especially skilled in techniques effective only in a single burst, the Eastern Depot and I will have to expend great effort supporting you. It would be another matter if you could unleash such a sword strike whenever you wished.”
Myeong Yeo gestured at the same time.
Whoooong!
A hazy wind rose within the hall. In an instant, the power spreading through the air shook the atmosphere.
It branched into many strands like a tangled skein of thread and began to toy with the surroundings.
The powerful gusts, as if they possessed form, swept through the furnishings. It would have been impossible unless the Imperial Grandson had already granted permission.
“Leader of Demon Wings, I ask that you regard these as blades and make your way to me.”
Myeong Yeo spoke with a smile.
“Any means will do. Whether you evade or shatter them, this official will analyze the Squad Leader’s true martial arts.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“What did you say?”
Myeong Yeo’s expression turned strange. The boy did not take back the words he had uttered without thinking.
‘No need.’
He simply looked over the tangible strands of wind spread before him.
The eunuch Myeong Yeo appeared to be an elven race martial artist who had primarily trained Force Projection through qi. That was rare among Yeon-shin’s acquaintances.
Cheong Myeong, his senior, was a master of sword arts, while the Lord of Desolate Fortress stood too far above him to easily ask for instruction.
‘Something comes to mind. This seems like a good opportunity.’
The boy moved without hesitation. His upper dantian burned white.
The Baihui acupoint, which had been flashing so frequently lately, writhed refreshingly within his mind.
Whoong.
Before a strand of wind could even brush his chest, he opened the Jianliao acupoint below his right shoulder wide. At the same time, he tensed the deltoid muscle in the same area.
The subtle movement of his muscles and minor meridians generated Force Projection.
The firm qi of the Record of the Dharma Light Wheel burst briefly, lightly pushing Yeon-shin’s shoulder.
Swish.
As he took a step, he naturally evaded it.
It was as though he had been shown even the path for the approaching wind to pass by. His reaction was a level faster.
Myeong Yeo’s eyes widened in that instant, and Yeon-shin took another step.
Fwaak!
He faced two streams from the side and front at once.
The moment he released the tension in the erector spinae behind his back and the psoas muscle in his lower waist, the Shenshu acupoint at his right waist blazed with the Record of the Dharma Light Wheel.
It was Force Projection generated by relaxing his strength. His body, honed through the Jeong Family Youth Technique, adjusted the minute muscles around his acupoints.
Saaak.
His whole body spun twice as he slipped through the gaps. His movement resembled a drifting leaf.
The mnemonic formula for the movement technique he had pondered for so long began to take concrete shape. Once, twice, he stepped on the ground with ever more supernatural lightness.
The black long robe fluttered only with Yeon-shin’s movements. Myeong Yeo’s force waves, which he had likened to blades, could not even brush his collar.
Whoong.
The movement he had modeled after Cheong Myeong’s teachings began to change. The boy’s own reaction speed, muscle movements, and control of qi created elegant motion.
The unified mnemonic formula within his upper dantian flashed. It was as though unceasing lightning illuminated his mind.
The insight gifted through the workings of the wind force waves was immense. It was enough to finally transform martial arts that had never been systematized.
‘Wind Body.’
Two words appeared within the wind drifting through his mind. It was the name of the movement technique.
The motions he had used without a name until now were woven into a clear mnemonic formula. A system meant only for Yeon-shin had taken shape.
The movement technique Wind Body was born from the Body Movement Scripture.
Step.
He was already before Myeong Yeo. Dust burst from the boy’s final footprint.
The vortex of force waves wrapped around the hem of his trousers and rose briefly. Then, with a small explosion, it unraveled every one of Myeong Yeo’s wind streams.
Fwaaak!
Myeong Yeo’s body swayed. As the one who had initially unleashed the martial art, he suffered the backlash.
“What is wrong?”
The Imperial Grandson asked. He had been seated beside them, quietly looking up at Yeon-shin.
There was something strange about the way he rested his elbow on the armrest and supported his chin. He seemed unconcerned by the boy’s approach.
“Th-that... Cough...!”
Myeong Yeo could not answer. His pale Adam’s apple kept moving, as though he were swallowing blood.
‘Did he suffer an internal injury?’
Yeon-shin thought. Wind Body, the movement technique. He had received a great gift just before setting out. A trace of goodwill appeared on the boy’s face.
He was grateful to Myeong Yeo. The eunuch had effectively handed him a martial art. The new Leader of Demon Wings’ gaze softened noticeably.
“His qi seems muddled and suspicious.”
The boy answered in his place. He spoke before the Imperial Grandson, a direct member of the imperial family. It seemed better than bluntly saying that Myeong Yeo had suffered an internal injury.
The Imperial Grandson removed his hand from his chin and began to laugh heartily.
Footnotes:
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