WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈

Episode 217: Flash (4)

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Was there a set format for writing martial manuals?

He had not known. There was barely enough time to reorganize the main squad, yet it seemed he truly needed to add annotations.

'Right... The manuals in the Gold-Piercing Martial Treasury were all considerate.'

Before creating his own unique martial arts, he had studied the techniques stored in the Gold-Piercing Martial Treasury at the main fortress. Looking back, it made sense.

They had felt as though his parents were personally pointing out the essentials to him.

Every line in each book had been detailed. Some had even felt warm.

They resembled the Jeong Family Youth Technique he had written as a child through countless trials and errors.

The martial arts he had given others were the same. They had plenty of blank space. They differed from the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects, a document compiling counters to every kind of martial art.

'I was careless this time. It isn't as if only established masters will learn it.'

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly nodded.

Then he spoke before the seniors, who wore strange expressions, could say anything.

"This was my oversight. Please give it to me."

He held out his hand toward the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects in Xiahou Wi-jin's grasp. There was no need to snatch it away with a joint lock.

The moment his fingertips touched the book, he took it back with effortless ease.

The martial manual had been reclaimed by its owner. No one could object.

Swish.

Jeong Yeon-shin tucked a letter and the manual into his robes. They were the Blood Guard Squad Leader's message and the sole copy of the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects.

He recognized it as a copy from its unfamiliar texture. Its cover was slightly stiffer.

The Grand Chief Steward had said only one copy would be made, yet it had already been completed. It seemed to have been delicately dried by a breeze raised with an inner-energy force wave.

Only Jeong Yeon-shin had been informed among the experts under the Divine Sword Squad. The original had reportedly been taken by the Lord of Desolate Fortress.

'Did the Lord notice something unfinished in it?'

Jeong Yeon-shin wondered.

Only after the two documents had been fully put away beneath his black robes did someone speak.

"No, um...?"

Xiahou Wi-jin blinked.

It had caught him off guard. His grip had loosened more easily than when he faced Ak Su-rim's joint lock.

The Leader of Demon Wings had not used martial arts. His junior had simply taken it back as was proper. Resisting would have been stranger.

"I'll add separate annotations and return it. I should send it to the Grand Chief Steward, correct?"

"...That's right."

Xiahou Wi-jin answered a beat late.

Un So-yu's gaze sharpened behind her dark eyes. She could not blame Jeong Yeon-shin.

It was a wordless reprimand for the Heaven-Treading Forest Squad Leader who had caused this situation. Ak Su-rim only burst into laughter.

"That big fellow will receive the punishment he deserves, whether it's discipline or something else. Seom-ye, take your time with this. Your condition concerns me more than the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects. You completed quite a large mission, so you've earned some rest as well."

"You're too kind."

Ak Su-rim waved off Jeong Yeon-shin's slight bow.

"Still, you'd better come prepared for the Squad Leader Assembly. It's tomorrow at the Hour of the Rooster, in the evening, so make sure you eat well beforehand. Meetings at Wonpyeong One Sword Hall are practically sparring matches. We just don't draw our swords. This will be your first time attending properly as a Squad Leader, won't it?"

"What will tomorrow's agenda be?"

Jeong Yeon-shin asked quietly.

Ak Su-rim rolled her eyes upward as though considering it, then spoke.

"Mission assignments, promotion examinations for your subordinates, and reports on the current state of the martial world, things like that. The fiercest clashes will be over securing the missions you want and getting your people promoted. You need to choose not only your own missions, but also the ones you assign to your subordinates. You'll need to select people suited to each situation. If you send a subordinate whose Body Movement Scripture is slow against an enemy who uses archery martial arts, they're finished."

"...Understood."

"Oh, and let me tell you beforehand. If you lower your voice in Wonpyeong One Sword Hall, you'll lose out. Don't act polite just because the Black Uniforms sitting with you are seniors. You have to shout and come on strong, for your subordinates' sake too."

She continued with a faint smile.

"None of us will say a thing. Everyone did it."

Xiahou Wi-jin lowered his large upper body slightly and cut in.

"The Divine Sword Squad Deputy Leader was especially bad. The former Azure Sky Squad Leader, who retired to the countryside, sent a letter saying he still eats porridge for all three meals. A force wave from a spear strike tore apart his jaw muscles. He can barely move his jaw properly."

"That old man deserved it. Did he forget the nonsense he spouted at me?"

Jeong Yeon-shin had no desire to watch his two seniors quarrel.

"I'll keep it in mind."

He quickly brought the conversation to an end.

As soon as he said it, he realized it. There were no senior-junior relationships within Wonpyeong One Sword Hall.

It meant he could conduct himself as he had outside the main fortress, without being overly restrained.

It struck him as extremely important. He had no intention of yielding missions or subordinates. That was separate from the respect he held for his Black Uniform seniors.

'I just need to act as I always do.'

Jeong Yeon-shin smiled faintly. Ak Su-rim glanced at her newly appointed junior, and her smile deepened a little.

"How did such an adorable kid end up sitting in a Squad Leader's seat? The stale atmosphere will clear right up. I'm so excited."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

He cupped his hands. There was nothing else for him to say.

Hummm.

The aura barrier Xiahou Wi-jin had spread dissipated. The scenery of yellow earth, stone walls, and thickets became clear in an instant.

No matter how many times he saw it, the control of inner energy was astonishing.

"See you tomorrow! The state of the martial world is extremely bleak right now, so it won't be a pleasant gathering! Remember that!"

"That Leader of Demon Wings' long robe has its own charm, I suppose... but it looks like it needs ironing. Come wearing it properly ironed."

Ak Su-rim and Xiahou Wi-jin turned away.

The Law Enforcement Squad Leader, Un So-yu, moved her lips several times but ultimately said nothing. Her gaze was fixed on Jeong Yeon-shin's chest.

She appeared to have business concerning the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects.

Come to think of it, she was said to be a supreme master of counters. Perhaps she had come with some special purpose.

'If I submit the annotated version quickly, that should be enough.'

Jeong Yeon-shin bid his seniors farewell, wishing them a peaceful night.

* * *

It was an exceptionally splendid palace hall.

It looked as if an inner imperial palace had been moved there whole. Even the stone trees carved from floor to ceiling gave that impression.

This was the Imperial Grandson's residence within Desolate Fortress. Moonlight streamed in, pooling blue against the window frame. The room was utterly quiet.

The master of the reception room possessed the ability to command wind. Only the occasional mournful chirp of insects broke the silence.

"Im Jin-myeong."

The peerlessly handsome young nobleman called for Desolate Fortress's Grand Chief Steward. He sat upon a grand preceptor's chair carved from marble.

His ears were as sharp as a divine sword's blade. Black lightning flickered in his eyes.

His face revealed none of his thoughts, carrying a cold and indifferent air. It seemed natural for him to look down upon the huge Grand Chief Steward kneeling before him.

A noble figure.

He was the Imperial Grandson of the Ming Dynasty.

"It is hard to believe."

"You must believe it."

The Grand Chief Steward answered calmly.

The Imperial Grandson slowly opened his mouth beneath moonlight that slanted through the window.

He spoke as though he alone existed in the world.

"The Tyrant Hero regained his youth? No such rumor has reached the main fortress. You know well that I possess more than two ears. Yet the hidden swords authorized by the Grand Preceptor have reported nothing."

"Secrecy has been enforced thoroughly. The loss of two Purple Uniforms has been spreading in secret, and many sects across the world know the main fortress has weakened. The movements of the orthodox sects that gather and scatter, as well as the Thirteen Heavens, are unusual. We intend to conceal the Tyrant Hero's Rejuvenation for a time and make one great strike against those with impure intentions. He was originally a divine sword, after all."

"So it is true."

"Yes."

The Imperial Grandson fell silent for a moment.

He did not ask how it had happened. It had already happened, which was why. The Grand Chief Steward knew the Imperial Grandson well.

He was the sort to consider future events first. His own world was clear and firm.

Only after some time did the Imperial Grandson speak again.

"The Forbidden City in Beijing had been lamenting this. Purple Uniforms have their duties. They said the loss was painful, since there were no hands left to take on noble missions at all times."

"The matter concerning Lady Ju of the Ma family..."

"Yes, the Tyrant Hero destroyed Ju Yeon-jeong's two dantians."

"That is correct."

"The Forbidden City will make good use of that matter. They cannot bring themselves to act against a peerless Purple Uniform master, but they will believe they have gained a card to hold and wield. Is the justification not clear? Harm done to imperial kin."

"..."

"The junior martial brother whose grandfather is the Tyrant Hero may be saddened. I heard he has been quite active lately."

The Imperial Grandson's fingers slowly tapped the armrest.

"I should submit a memorial so the matter can be settled as gently as possible. Even so, the Tyrant Hero will have no choice but to remain in Beijing for a while. The Purple Uniform posts in Desolate Fortress have been vacant for too long. There was a time when one was desperately needed, but no one could go."

"I am sorry."

"It must be regrettable. I know the martial world is in chaos. In my limited judgment, at times like this, the Black Uniforms who lead the Seventeen Squads matter more than the few Purple Uniforms. That is why promising newcomers like my junior martial brother are precious. The Tyrant Hero has only one body, after all, even if he achieved the miracle of Rejuvenation."

He muttered as if reciting his thoughts in an antiquated manner. It was an old habit.

'My lips are itching to speak.'

The Grand Chief Steward thought.

The Leader of Demon Wings, Seom-ye, was the one responsible for the miracle. Even if only briefly, he had exceeded the level of a Black Uniform.

The Grand Chief Steward had been overwhelmed by shock and joy while wondering how to reward him, then had come at the Imperial Grandson's summons.

'I should say this after all.'

The Grand Chief Steward organized his thoughts. It was not something that could be passed over just because the Imperial Grandson had not asked. If he did, a stern rebuke would fall one day.

He spoke at once.

"It began at the hands of the current Leader of Demon Wings."

"What did? Speak in context."

"Your Highness's junior martial brother turned back the Tyrant Hero's time."

At one side of the reception room, the moonlight surrounding the window frame trembled.

* * *

The next day dawned.

The newborn season descended in clear sunlight. Crisp cold air flowed through the square window in the Leader of Demon Wings' office.

It passed over his sleeves and the back of his neck, leaving them cool.

It was an early winter wind.

'Time is passing quickly.'

Jeong Yeon-shin leaned back against the stone chair.

Pung-ran and Na Il-cheon of the Blood Guard Squad stood before him.

"As the Squad Leader's hands and feet... we hope to receive much guidance from you in the future."

"We earnestly await the Squad Leader's instruction."

Their words and bearing were respectful. Their gentle movements seemed to breathe with precision.

For many reasons, the Blood Guard Squad was a combat unit avoided even within the Divine Sword Squad.

They were therefore said to be particularly faithful to law and etiquette. More like a military force than any other combat unit.

'The Law Enforcement Squad and the Blood Guard Squad. They said those are the representative units people avoid.'

Jeong Yeon-shin was left with a favorable impression instead.

The Blood Guard Squad Leader, Jin Myeong-jo, had not held a sparring match. Instead, he had sent subordinates without warning.

Jeong Yeon-shin had read the Blood Guard Squad Leader's letter the previous evening.

At his bedside, where the cold night wind slipped through the crack in the door, he had taken the unusually moving words to heart.

He had now carefully placed it inside his office desk drawer.

It held the letters, orders, and messages from the Lord of Desolate Fortress that he had received from various seniors since entering Desolate Fortress.

Jin Myeong-jo's letter deserved a place among them.

[...I had the same experience. Immediately after the previous Squad Leader died suddenly away from home, I took command of the main squad as soon as I became a Black Uniform. No one but the Grand Chief Steward offered me help.

Is it not a truly unfamiliar environment?

A single word from a Squad Leader determines the fates of Blue Uniform elite masters, while throughout the world, common people suffering under the tyranny of countless martial artists desperately await us taking action.

Much was confusing. That is why your difficulties have weighed heavily on my mind.

Once cumbersome procedures begin, there is no end to them.

I feared the time you need to reorganize Demon Wings as a new Squad Leader would be drawn out. For that reason, I decided to send people who can immediately become part of your strength.

Pung-ran, the Blood Blade Ghost, and Na Il-cheon, the Shura Demon Soul, are masters recognized even in the main squad.

Their Blue Uniform long robes hardly do them justice. I do not mean they should be Black Uniforms, of course.

In any case, Pung-ran's Blood-Wielding Blade Art can be called peerless, while Na Il-cheon's Dark Night Iron Claw displays terrifying power in night battles.

They have also absorbed the arts of your martial lineage very well. They are companions who grow stronger without end.

The two of them can easily do the work of three.

Pung-ran and Na Il-cheon have learned supreme arts of yin-cold qi. Their cultivation grows even more powerful at night.

I believe you will find them useful. Please cherish them. I will end here.

With boundless joy at welcoming the brightest and most promising new junior in the main fortress.

Blood Guard Squad Leader Jin Myeong-jo.]

The words had been written in one unbroken sweep. They were still vivid in his mind.

The strokes had trembled here and there, as though Jin Myeong-jo had been overcome with emotion while sending subordinates for his junior's sake. Even that felt human.

'Senior Jin of the Blood Guard Squad is a great man.'

He respected him.

Jin Myeong-jo had readily sent him two Blue Uniform masters.

He might be the Black Uniform senior most worthy of emulation.

Jeong Yeon-shin could not imagine how great his capacity was. Had Jin Myeong-jo belonged to another faction, he would have called him a great hero.

Jeong Yeon-shin had once called Weiji Myo-hwa, the Sword Dragon of the Zhongnan Sect, by that title.

"Welcome to the family. Aside from your signature techniques, what martial arts have you learned?"

Jeong Yeon-shin asked even though he knew. He had learned this from Hyeon Won-chang and Baek Mir-yeo.

They had told him that to build bonds with others, he should share conversations even when they served no particular purpose.

―You are now much like the head of a sect. The position of leading a Divine Sword Squad combat unit is extremely weighty. Remember that your rank is higher than that of the leaders of most factions, and I hope you will lead us well. At the end of it, your reward will surely await you.

Those were Baek Mir-yeo's words. Baek Mir-yeo had urged him to broaden his view a little more, to think with the heart of a sect leader guiding a sect.

"I have trained in Phantom Wing Step, and Pung-ran is working toward the Ultimate Realm."

Na Il-cheon answered. Pung-ran, standing beside him, nodded.

Her jawline was slender, and her complexion pale. The two resembled siblings. The irregular waves radiating from their bodies felt strangely bewitching.

They also seemed accustomed to carrying out orders like members of the military.

'That makes twenty-three Blue Uniforms.'

Cheong Myeong and Baek Mir-yeo had spoken of twenty-four. It was the same number as the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of the Mount Hua Sect.

They had said that once the number of Blue Uniforms reached that level, they could fight the elites of any major sect.

He was one short, but he could not demand one from the Blood Guard Squad Leader, who had shown him goodwill first.

'It's fine.'

The strongest of all the world's opium poppy addicts was sprawled across the roof.

The only issue was that fellow's unranked attire. Jeong Yeon-shin intended to propose a promotion examination this time.

'We have the minimum strength. Now, if I make them master the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects and improve Demon's Light before teaching it to them, they will become an incredible force.'

It was time to reorganize internally.

There were said to be conflicts and unfulfilled desires within Demon Wings as well. They had gone through an incident at the City of Master Craftsmen serious enough to change their Squad Leader.

They could not all be getting along. Shin So-bin, his White Uniform junior, was also being detained by the Shin Family. He needed to retrieve Shin So-bin somehow.

Cheong Myeong's words remained vivid.

―Regardless of the color of Shin So-bin's martial uniform, Shin So-bin could be called a pioneer of your martial lineage. Shin So-bin uses the Sihwa Boundless Fist and Phantom Wing Step very well and practically worships you. I heard Shin So-bin recently beat the older sister in the Swift Heaven Wing Squad to a pulp. Apparently, the one called Shin Bin-bin complained that you were taking White Qilin around as though White Qilin were your subordinate.

As soon as the Squad Leader Assembly ended, he intended to send word to the Shin Family.

Give me my subordinate.

'If they refuse, claiming it is a family matter...'

Jeong Yeon-shin did not continue that unpleasant assumption.

He could think about it then.

He cleared his thoughts and rose from his seat. As he did, he spoke slowly.

"We will review your martial arts tomorrow. Temper your energy and wait."

Pung-ran and Na Il-cheon silently bowed.

"You may leave."

After sending them away, Jeong Yeon-shin took a letter from his robes. Its paper was backed with splendid pink silk.

When he unfolded it from top to bottom, his maternal grandfather Ma Yeon-jeok's handwriting appeared.

It was writing suited to the phrase, dragons and serpents soaring. It truly looked as though a dragon were alive and moving.

[I hear the underlings are gathering at Wonpyeong One Sword Hall.

This grandfather ought to show his face as well, so would you not go together with me? I shall come to the Demon Wings hall.

The imperial family will surely summon this old body in utmost secrecy... I wish to spend much time with you, Yeon-shin. I also wish to see your first Squad Leader Assembly with my own eyes.]

Jeong Yeon-shin recoiled in disgust. It had nothing to do with how he felt about Ma Yeon-jeok.

A grandson going to work with his grandfather in tow.

It was enough to make him kick his bed. It would happen that very evening.

'I should leave first.'

Step.

He immediately began walking.

The black robes of the new Leader of Demon Wings fluttered behind him.

Footnotes:

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