WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 33: To Hire You (1)

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After returning to the branch, Baek Socheon went to see Yeom Jeonggil.

As soon as Baek Socheon entered, Yeom Jeonggil, who was in the interrogation room, gave him a displeased look.

"What are you doing here?"

"If you don't want to see me, I'll just leave."

As Baek Socheon turned to go, Yeom Jeonggil snapped.

"You bastard! Stop fooling around and sit down."

Baek Socheon sat across from Yeom Jeonggil.

"You wouldn't have come for no reason. So, what is it?"

"I gave a lot of thought to whether I should come or not."

"Cut the nonsense."

"Hall Leader Wang was released a little while ago. I came to let you know in case you hadn't heard."

"What?"

Yeom Jeonggil was startled.

"What do you mean?"

"I said Hall Leader Wang was released."

"That's what I'm asking! What does that mean?"

Yeom Jeonggil shouted.

After being locked in the interrogation room for days, Yeom Jeonggil was hardly in his right mind. To someone on the verge of exploding, Wang Gon's release was like pouring oil on a blazing fire.

"Hall Leader Wang was released after being cleared of suspicion in this case."

To Yeom Jeonggil, those words sounded like, 'You remain here because you're under suspicion.'

"They say they need to investigate you further."

Yeom Jeonggil's expression turned cold. There was no reason they would release Wang Gon while keeping only him detained.

"Tell me everything you know."

"Apparently, headquarters is watching the Liang Qiu case closely."

"I know that! Tell me how Hall Leader Wang was released!"

Baek Socheon hesitated, pretending to be reluctant to answer.

"Tell me if you don't want to die!"

"That makes me not want to tell you."

Yeom Jeonggil, who had been about to shout again, restrained his anger.

"You have nothing to lose by cooperating with me. Wang Gon is only a Hall Leader, while I am one of the Mythic Gang's Four Great Martial Artists."

"Yet the mere Hall Leader was released first."

Yeom Jeonggil's gaze sharpened. Baek Socheon continued to show the same insolent attitude he had always shown Yeom Jeonggil. Such consistency would erase any suspicion toward him.

"Fine, I'll tell you. Hall Leader Wang bribed Corps Commander Jeong."

"What?"

"Hall Leader Wang learned that Corps Commander Jeong intended to make one of you two the culprit behind the Liang Qiu case. So he got himself out first."

"How did he learn that?"

"I told him."

"You little bastard!"

"I don't think you should be angry at me. I'm someone Hall Leader Wang hired."

That was true. This was not the time to be angry at Baek Socheon.

Yeom Jeonggil had lived his whole life without fear. Yet this time, he was afraid. No matter how formidable the Mythic Gang was, it could not stand against the Murim Alliance.

The fact that the Mythic Gang had done nothing while he remained imprisoned was proof enough.

He did not know that Master Jong, who had come down to handle this matter, had already been eliminated. He was already inwardly furious at the Mythic Gang's helplessness and indifference.

What if the Murim Alliance forcibly made him a scapegoat? Would the Mythic Gang truly go so far as to protect him?

He could not be sure.

Then Wang Gon had gotten out first. Wang Gon must have understood that reality as well.

"Is it really true that Hall Leader Wang won over Jeong Pung?"

"He said he raised an enormous sum by even putting up his home as collateral. With clear evidence like that, why would I lie?"

Yeom Jeonggil clenched both fists. Baek Socheon could tell that, at that very moment, Yeom Jeonggil had decided to kill Wang Gon. In a situation where one of the two had to die, bribing someone to get out first was no different from deciding the person left behind should die.

"Why are you telling me this? Aren't you Hall Leader Wang's lackey?"

"How long have I even known him for me to be his lackey?"

"Why are you betraying him?"

"After I gave him decisive help in getting out, do you know what that bastard gave me?"

Baek Socheon showed him the bracelet on his wrist.

"Just this. What is this supposed to be? Is he trying to make a fool out of me?"

Yeom Jeonggil recognized it as the bracelet Wang Gon always wore.

'He's betraying him over something so trivial!'

Still, Baek Socheon already had a history.

On the first day, Yeom Jeonggil had warned Wang Gon. Baek Socheon was the sort of man who had decided to kill his own superior in five seconds, so he would decide to kill Wang Gon in three.

Just as Yeom Jeonggil had expected, Baek Socheon betrayed Wang Gon without batting an eye over such a trivial reason. Thinking his intuition had proved correct, Yeom Jeonggil found nothing suspicious about Baek Socheon's betrayal.

"So you want to switch ships?"

"Wouldn't anyone want to sail on a bigger, more comfortable ship if they could? Of course, only if the captain allows it."

Yeom Jeonggil openly snorted.

"I hate bastards like you more than anything."

"All the better. You'll need me when you want someone to do the things you hate."

When Yeom Jeonggil said nothing, Baek Socheon rose.

"If you don't want me, forget it."

As he was about to leave, Yeom Jeonggil spoke.

"Board my ship."

He said it as though he were granting a favor, but it felt miserable, like climbing onto Baek Socheon, a mere raft, from a sinking ship.

"How can I help you?"

"First, I need to get out of here."

If Murim Alliance headquarters was watching this case, he could not expect help from the Mythic Gang's headquarters. Baek Socheon was Yeom Jeonggil's only option now.

"Find a way somehow. Find Jeong Pung's weakness, or kidnap his child if you have to. I don't care what it is. Find a way to get me out. That will be your ticket to board my ship."

* * *

Baek Socheon was looking for a ticket.

Unfortunately for Yeom Jeonggil, it was a ticket that would put him aboard a ship bound for the abyss of hell.

"You want me to release Yeom Jeonggil? In the end, you're saying we should release both men we captured."

Jeong Pung was startled by Baek Socheon's request.

"That's right. Release Yeom Jeonggil tomorrow night."

If they released him right away, he would become suspicious. They needed to make it look as though time had been spent trying to secure his release.

The frustration of confinement would only make Yeom Jeonggil's anger grow.

The reason for releasing him at night was simple. Where would Yeom Jeonggil go after leaving the interrogation room with his rage at its peak? Would he go sleep at an inn? Would he return to the Mythic Gang's headquarters in the middle of the night? He would certainly go to Wang Gon's home first.

"Then why did we capture him in the first place?"

"We've already achieved the purpose of capturing him. Now we'll release him to achieve another purpose."

"What purpose?"

"Tomorrow night, both of them will die. I probably won't even need to get blood on my hands when it comes to Wang Gon."

Jeong Pung flinched. That meant Baek Socheon intended to make Yeom Jeonggil kill Wang Gon. No, Baek Socheon was certain Yeom Jeonggil would kill Wang Gon.

After staring at Baek Socheon for a moment, Jeong Pung spoke in a trembling voice.

"You really mean it."

"I told you before, didn't I? Everyone involved in this will die."

"Still, those two are important people in the Mythic Gang."

"If they're important in a pile of trash, doesn't that just make them worse trash? Let's clear them all out while we're at it."

Jeong Pung could not say anything, burdened by one concern after another.

"Zhejiang is your territory. Wouldn't it be good if it became cleaner? Why worry so much?"

"That's exactly why. Wouldn't it be nice if this had happened in Fujian or Anhui instead?"

Baek Socheon asked Jeong Pung, who let out a sigh.

"Are you afraid?"

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Don't be. They're nothing more than a pack of villains."

"They may be nothing to you..."

To him, they were a massive tidal wave and raging storm.

Jeong Pung was afraid. Not of the enemy, but of having Baek Socheon as an ally. Then and now, Baek Socheon was a man who knew no limits. Once all those people died, even among their enemies, those who broke past their limits would emerge.

"Corps Commander Jeong."

"What is it?"

"Don't you want to go to headquarters?"

Jeong Pung flinched at the sudden mention of headquarters.

"Why do you ask?"

"I was just asking. I wanted to know how you felt."

"Of course I do. Who wouldn't want to go?"

"If you handle this matter well, won't you get a chance to go to headquarters?"

"Even without trying to tempt me with that, I'll help you to the end. Once this is over, you should hurry back to headquarters yourself. Only come to Zhejiang again when you're old and want to reminisce about the past."

Baek Socheon gave a quiet laugh at Jeong Pung's words.

As Baek Socheon turned to leave, Jeong Pung's final concern stopped him.

"But will it be all right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Yeom Jeonggil is one of the Mythic Gang's Four Great Masters, a peak master. Even for you, dealing with him won't be easy."

"I won't be the one dealing with him. Someone else will handle that bastard."

"Who?"

Instead of answering, Baek Socheon said something else and left the room.

"Branch Chief, you've hidden liquor in that display cabinet over there."

"Answer my question!"

But Baek Socheon had already left.

After sighing over all his worries, Jeong Pung finally took out the liquor from the cabinet.

"I don't know anymore."

* * *

As Baek Socheon entered the courtyard of his residence, he looked toward the wall in the darkness and spoke.

"Come out."

Cheon Geuk released her concealment technique and revealed herself. She had been sitting atop the wall.

"You don't even have internal energy, yet you find me like a ghost. Did you recruit one of my guards? Right? They're telling you I'm here, aren't they?"

"Why do you keep coming to someone else's house?"

"What do you mean, keep coming? This is the first time I've come without business. And are we really strangers?"

"Then are we friends?"

"Well. We're not friends either. Not strangers, not friends. What are we?"

"Enough. Why are you here? Aren't you busy?"

"I'm not busy."

"That's good news for the martial world."

"Even when you speak, you have to make it sound like that."

"Go. I'm going to wash up and sleep."

Baek Socheon went inside.

Cheon Geuk shook her head and spoke to the Guardian Assassin Stars hidden nearby.

"Ah, that makes me mad! I can put out an assassination commission too, right?"

The Guardian Assassin Stars did not dare say anything and could only smack their lips.

Honestly, she was not in a bad mood at all. This kind of cold treatment was refreshing. No one else dared treat her this way.

"Is there anyone you want dead? I'll do it for half price."

Baek Socheon's reply came from inside.

"No."

"Tch."

At least he had answered her.

She stood in the courtyard and looked up at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.

She should have left, but her feet would not move.

Then Eastern Star, leader of the Four Heavenly Assassins, sent her a voice transmission.

-You may rest in Wencheng for a while. Everything concerning the Alliance can be postponed.

Cheon Geuk gave a small laugh. That was why he led them. He was so quick to read the situation.

"Come on. Let's have a drink among ourselves."

Then Baek Socheon spoke from behind her.

"How much would it cost to hire you for a day?"

When she turned, Baek Socheon was standing at the window, looking outside.

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"I..."

Of course, she did not accept assassination commissions, but if she did...

"I'm very expensive."

"You said you'd do it for half price."

"Even then, I'm very expensive."

"How about one thousand nyang?"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Cheon Geuk looked at him in disbelief.

"One thousand nyang is exactly my price."

"Are you insane?"

"Listen carefully. Sleeping with you costs one hundred thousand nyang, right?"

"Who said I'd sleep with you? Fine, let's say it does."

"Which costs more, killing one villain or sleeping with you?"

"Sleeping with me, obviously."

"Right? Then how many times more expensive would it be? At least a hundred times, wouldn't it?"

"Huh?"

"No? Is the value of sleeping with you not even a hundred times the price of killing one villain?"

"Of course... it is."

"That's why it's one thousand nyang. Actually, even a hundred times is far too little. To sleep with you, someone should pay a thousand times that much. Let's make it one hundred nyang. How about it? That's fair, right? Sorry for underestimating your value so badly."

"No, it's fine."

Cheon Geuk blinked. Once again, she had fallen for Baek Socheon's sophistry.

"There's somewhere we're going tomorrow night. See you tomorrow."

With that, Baek Socheon disappeared from the window.

The Guardian Assassin Stars, who had been listening and watching while concealed, exchanged voice transmissions among themselves.

-Tell her she's being fooled!

-She's one of the smartest people in the world. She's only pretending to be fooled.

-Are you sure?

-...

Unaware or unconcerned about the Four Heavenly Assassins' conversation, Cheon Geuk started walking with a hum.

"That's right. To sleep with me, it should cost a thousand times more. What are you doing? Hurry up, let's go drink!"

Footnotes:

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