WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 39: A Busy New Beginning (1)

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The Murim Alliance was enormous.

Im Chung and Beon Saeng were overwhelmed by its scale.

'Look at that building! It's so tall I can't even see the top!'

'We're going to get lost at this rate.'

'Gasp! Look at those martial artists. Brother, lower your eyes. Hurry!'

Those were the conversations the two would have had if Zhuge Hyeon had not been guiding them.

The training grounds between the grand buildings were vast, and the martial artists hurrying back and forth looked especially imposing.

The Murim Alliance consisted of fifteen organizations, known as One Hall, Two Courts, Three Pavilions, Four Corps, Five Units.

The One Hall was the Alliance Leader's Hall, which handled all matters related to the Murim Alliance Leader. The head of the Secret Guard held overall responsibility for it.

The Two Courts consisted of the Elder Council, where retired masters of the alliance belonged, and the Disciplinary Court, which upheld the alliance's laws.

The Three Pavilions consisted of the Sage Heaven Pavilion, an organization of strategists that directed operations; the Shadow Pavilion, which inspected Murim Alliance martial artists; and the Secret Pavilion, which carried out covert operations under the Alliance Leader's orders.

The Four Corps were led by the Iron Sword Corps, known as the Murim Alliance's finest elite force. They also included the Iron Cavalry Corps, a mounted force that trampled enemies with long spears while riding armored horses; the Blue Dragon Corps, which boasted the largest numbers; and the White Dragon Corps, which defended the alliance.

The Five Units consisted of the Flying Dragon Unit and Righteous Hero Unit, which handled ordinary combat; the Pursuit and Execution Unit, which pursued, captured, or eliminated evildoers and criminals; the Internal Affairs Unit, which handled various affairs within the alliance; and the Support Unit, which handled affairs outside it.

All of those organizations were stationed within the Murim Alliance headquarters, which was divided into an inner compound and an outer compound.

After walking for quite some time, they reached the place Zhuge Hyeon had led them to. It was a small building on the outskirts, far from the center of the alliance.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to start here."

The building was so small and old that Zhuge Hyeon had felt compelled to apologize. It was clearly shabby, obviously renovated from a structure that had once served another purpose.

Still, a plaque hung above the entrance.

Sage Heaven Corps

Zhuge Hyeon spoke to Baek Socheon.

"I named it the Sage Heaven Corps after my pavilion. What do you think?"

"It's good."

"I wrote the sign myself as well."

The vigorous brushwork carried Zhuge Hyeon's feelings. Zhuge Hyeon would have liked to name it the Socheon Corps, but for now, Zhuge Hyeon needed to lend Baek Socheon Zhuge Hyeon's authority to protect him.

"Well, I'm busy, so I must be going. Get what you need ready today, and begin your proper duties in two days. I look forward to working with you."

"I look forward to working with you as well."

Once Zhuge Hyeon left, someone else arrived.

"You came sooner than expected."

Baek Socheon turned to find Hwang Ilbi, First Unit Commander of the Iron Sword Corps. He was the very man who had regretfully said he would have followed Baek Socheon to Wencheng if not for his family.

"The countryside was still the countryside. I got bored, so I came back."

"I'm glad you're here."

Hwang Ilbi was genuinely pleased by Baek Socheon's return. He had expected him to come back, but not this soon. That likely meant the situation was more urgent than he had thought.

Baek Socheon introduced Hwang Ilbi to Im Chung and Beon Saeng. Both were startled to hear that he was a Unit Commander in the Iron Sword Corps.

Naturally, a question arose in their minds.

'Why is a former Squad Leader speaking so informally to a Unit Commander? Is it because he's older? Rank should come first in the Iron Sword Corps.'

Hwang Ilbi had a question of his own.

'Who are these people he brought with him? Hidden masters?'

Yet no matter how he looked at them, they did not seem like masters.

As they exchanged appraising looks, an Iron Sword Corps martial artist ran over, delivered a message, and left.

"First Unit Commander, the Corps Commander is looking for you."

Hwang Ilbi looked around and said, "It seems they've assigned a watcher to follow me. They only call for me at times like this."

"See you later."

"Yes."

As Hwang Ilbi walked away, he glanced at the plaque on the building and asked, "Are there any qualifications for joining the Sage Heaven Corps?"

"There aren't any qualifications, but there is a disqualifying reason."

"What is it?"

"You're rejected."

"Why?"

"Because I'm sick of you."

"Where else will you find someone as entertaining as me? Why? Are you worried our Corps Commander will explode with jealousy?"

"No."

"Then why?"

Baek Socheon gave an answer Hwang Ilbi had never expected.

"If something happens, you'll have to take charge of the Iron Sword Corps."

"......!"

"So stay put and serve your Corps Commander loyally."

Hwang Ilbi had never heard or even considered such words before. What Baek Socheon had just said meant he saw him as the next Corps Commander of the Iron Sword Corps.

For the first time, Hwang Ilbi felt that Baek Socheon had acknowledged him. His heart pounded like a drum. He hid his trembling emotions and said goodbye.

"Thank you for rejecting me. Honestly, I can't start over as a Rank-and-file Martial Artist. I'll be going."

Once Hwang Ilbi left, Beon Saeng finally released the breath he had been holding.

"Is the ranking system at headquarters reversed? Is a Rank-and-file Martial Artist the highest rank, while Corps Commanders and Pavilion Masters get lower and lower?"

He had long known Baek Socheon was no ordinary man, but seeing such remarkable people visit one after another left him dazed.

"Let's head back for today and get the house in order first. We'll sort this place out tomorrow."

"Yes."

Im Chung and Beon Saeng watched Baek Socheon walk ahead, then looked at each other.

"Whew, this is a lot to take in."

"It is."

Though they stood at Murim Alliance headquarters, it still did not feel real. It was like a dream.

"I should be excited and thrilled, but... honestly, I'm nervous and scared."

Im Chung patted Beon Saeng's shoulder once.

'I should be even more so.'

After all, he had brought his wife and child with him. Still, he was not alone.

"Let's do our best together!"

"Yes!"

* * *

Of course, while some welcomed Baek Socheon's return, others were beside themselves with rage.

Choong Yang, the Corps Commander of the Iron Sword Corps, was furious when he heard Baek Socheon had returned. He was the one who had pressured the alliance into sending Baek Socheon down to Wencheng.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on?"

Hwang Ilbi, standing behind him, answered.

"It must have been a decision from the Alliance Leader's Hall."

Choong Yang gritted his teeth. Since that was entirely possible, he could not bring himself to curse outright.

"He came as a Unit Commander, right? How many people does he have?"

"Yes. It didn't seem like there were many yet."

"Then he should be a Squad Leader. Why make him a Unit Commander?"

"Even so, he's a tiger without teeth. You don't need to worry about him."

But Choong Yang still vividly remembered being beaten by that toothless tiger.

"If you're concerned, I can monitor his every move and report it to you."

"You just want to stay by that bastard's side, don't you?"

Hwang Ilbi flinched.

'He's far too perceptive.'

With a serious expression, Hwang Ilbi said, "I'm a practical man. I don't like toothless tigers."

"Are you sure?"

"If you doubt me, assign someone else. I'm busy too."

"No, you go and watch him. Report exactly how many people gather around him and what he's doing."

"Yes."

Perhaps his head throbbed, because Choong Yang pressed hard against the space between his brows.

"That bastard will try to reclaim the position of Iron Sword Corps Commander."

"Are you afraid?"

"Afraid? He's just a bastard without internal energy."

"That's right. Don't be scared."

"I said I'm not scared! Rumor has it that the Grand Strategist defied the Alliance Leader's will and stubbornly pushed this through. In other words, the Alliance Leader's heart has completely turned away from Baek Socheon. We need to drive him out again somehow."

Hwang Ilbi silently listened to him.

"Hey, Unit Commander Hwang."

"Yes, Corps Commander."

"Find a way to drive that bastard out."

"Understood."

Hwang Ilbi left the Iron Sword Corps Commander's office and walked down the corridor. He was happy Baek Socheon had returned, but worried that Choong Yang would cause trouble. Choong Yang still feared Baek Socheon. Even the beating he had taken from Baek Socheon in the past had happened because he feared him.

'You don't need to be ashamed. Even without its teeth, a tiger is still a tiger. Of course you should be afraid.'

* * *

That night, Baek Socheon arranged a modest drinking gathering.

Since he had never done anything like this before, Im Chung and Beon Saeng were secretly nervous.

Believing the time had come, Baek Socheon told them about himself.

"I am the man who was called the War God during the Orthodox-Demonic War."

Beon Saeng laughed.

"Hahaha, it's been a while since Brother started telling tall tales. Don't you think so, Second Brother? Huh? Why are you acting so scary?"

Im Chung stared at Baek Socheon with a stunned expression.

"That's right. The War God's name was Baek Socheon."

Im Chung knew of the War God, but he had not thought about him in recent years and had forgotten.

Yet the moment he heard the name War God, he remembered that the hero's name had also been Baek Socheon.

"The War God... was you, Brother."

Im Chung's voice trembled.

Beon Saeng still did not remember the War God. He had heard of him before, but the memory had faded away.

Zhejiang Province had avoided the whirlpool of war, and at the time, Beon Saeng had been a newly recruited martial artist living through difficult and busy days. He had let all news and rumors about the martial world pass him by.

Im Chung told Beon Saeng, "He is the man who saved our orthodox martial world in the last Orthodox-Demonic War."

Only then did Beon Saeng's eyes go wide.

"So you weren't boasting?"

"He wasn't boasting. He's been too humble all this time."

"My heavens!"

Only now could he understand everything. Why he had wondered whether he had done something unbelievably reckless by taking Baek Socheon as his brother. Why Wang Gon had seemed almost cute.

"I didn't mean to deceive you, but I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"No, Brother. No, are we even allowed to call you Brother?"

"You are."

Im Chung asked seriously, "Why did you bring us here?"

He had to ask again. It was not simply that a former Iron Sword Corps Squad Leader who was doing well had brought them here.

Beon Saeng tentatively answered for Baek Socheon.

"Because we're easy suckers to use?"

"That's one reason, but there is another."

"What is it?"

"Because you're good people."

The unexpected answer made Im Chung and Beon Saeng blink.

"Since I was six, I dreamed of becoming a Murim Alliance martial artist. I wanted to become one and protect good people. I thought I had awakened from that dream long ago, but..."

Baek Socheon emptied his cup alone. As one grew older and endured the hardships of the world, one eventually learned that dreams were only dreams. The more childish the dream, such as wanting to protect good people, the sooner one would awaken from it.

'Even so, seeing that I brought you two along, perhaps I'm still half-asleep.'

Im Chung and Beon Saeng could not say anything. They had never expected such words to come from Baek Socheon.

They did not know that, regardless of his outward actions, that feeling had sustained him for a very long time.

"Do you know why the Grand Strategist called me back?"

"Why?"

"Another war is about to begin."

Im Chung and Beon Saeng were startled. Only three years had passed since the previous war ended.

"This war will be different from the last. We will fight until one side is destroyed. If we lose, they will kill everyone belonging to the Murim Alliance. You asked why I brought you here? If we cannot stop this war, you will die anyway. This time, even if you remain in some corner of Zhejiang Province, you will die."

"......!"

The two were shocked into silence for a long while.

"We will stop it."

Beon Saeng asked in a trembling voice, "Does that include the two of us?"

"Yes. You were the first ones included."

"Who are we up against? Not a Black Society like the Great Righteous Sect, right?"

"Our enemy is the Black Heaven Alliance."

Im Chung and Beon Saeng went pale.

The Black Society and the Black Heaven Alliance. Apart from both names sharing the word black, they were as different as heaven and earth.

"When we heard it was the Mythic Gang, you saw me throw up, right? I feel like I should faint now."

"If you faint, you'll die while unconscious. If you run, you'll die while running. This will be that kind of war."

Im Chung and Beon Saeng drank. They could not tell whether the liquor tasted bitter or sweet.

This time, Im Chung asked, "Then the Sage Heaven Corps is an organization meant to stop this war."

"Yes. It was created for that purpose alone. I intend to make the Sage Heaven Corps the finest organization in the alliance. If necessary, I will bring people in from the Secret Pavilion, the Iron Sword Corps, or anywhere outside the alliance, and recruit new members as well. Can you help me do that?"

"Yes!"

Im Chung and Beon Saeng answered forcefully at the same time.

Im Chung suddenly recalled something Baek Socheon had once said.

If one intended to turn away, one should turn away completely. If one intended to get involved, one should commit fully.

At least he did not intend to turn away from the life before him, so the time had come to take his own life firmly in hand.

"I will train hard from now on."

"Me too."

"Do it for yourselves, not for me or the Murim Alliance."

"Yes!"

Baek Socheon raised his cup. The two toasted him with vigor.

"Ah! I was happier when I thought all of this was just Brother's tall tales."

As Baek Socheon refilled Beon Saeng's empty cup, he said, "I enjoyed it when you believed that too."

Footnotes:

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