WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 40: A Busy New Beginning (2)

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The Sage Heaven Corps began with just three members.

It was the first time in the Murim Alliance's history.

Normally, when a new organization was established, there would be a grand celebration. It was also customary for other Alliance organizations to send congratulatory gifts.

Yet the Sage Heaven Corps held no celebration, and no one came to visit.

Once again, everyone was watching their step because of Baek Socheon. This time, there was someone besides the Alliance Leader whose reaction they had to consider. They also had to consider Zhuge Hyeon.

Considering Zhuge Hyeon, they should have offered congratulations. But rumors had already spread that Zhuge Hyeon had defied the Alliance Leader's wishes and forcibly brought Baek Socheon back. If that was the case, then no matter how powerful the Grand Strategist was, people could not simply ignore the Alliance Leader.

Im Chung and Beon Saeng thoroughly cleaned the Sage Heaven Corps headquarters.

They started with the Unit Commander's office on the top floor, leaving it spotless, then cleaned the workspace on the floor below where they would be working.

The building was old, but it had everything they needed. There were several rooms with beds, so they could sleep there if work kept them late.

There was also a kitchen where they could cook, with a dining area beside it. There was a place to drink tea and rest, as well as a place to read.

Once it had been cleaned up, it was not bad at all. More than anything, this was a space meant only for them.

"Whew. That should be enough for now. You worked hard."

"You too."

As Im Chung and Beon Saeng rubbed their aching backs and wiped away sweat, someone greeted them while passing by.

"You two have been working hard."

"Yes, welcome."

Beon Saeng raised a hand in greeting.

Im Chung, who had been facing away, asked a moment later, "That voice sounded familiar. Who was that just now?"

"The Grand Strategist."

"......"

"......"

Beon Saeng stared at the hand he had raised and jolted in alarm.

"Urgh!"

"Did you just wave at the Grand Strategist?"

"They passed by so quickly..."

"Someone might come this afternoon to cut that hand off."

"Don't joke about that!"

Only then did the two truly feel that their real life at headquarters had begun.

Zhuge Hyeon entered Baek Socheon's office on the top floor.

"Welcome."

"How is it?"

"Thank you for giving me such a fine place."

"No. I'm sorry to treat you like this. I'll move you somewhere better later."

"I like it here. What brings you by?"

"Here, take this."

Zhuge Hyeon handed him an iron token.

"It will grant you access to every place I may enter. I've already arranged permission for you, so you need only show the token."

A dragon soared into the sky on the iron token. It was an Ascension Dragon Token.

Baek Socheon accepted it respectfully. He knew how difficult it had been to obtain this authorization.

"And I'll send you the information arriving at the Sage Heaven Pavilion's Strategic Command Center in real time as well."

"Thank you."

It was possible because the Sage Heaven Corps belonged to the Sage Heaven Pavilion. Of course, this too was an immense political burden Zhuge Hyeon had taken on. The only reason Zhuge Hyeon was willing to risk their career was because they wanted to stop the war.

Zhuge Hyeon spoke cautiously.

"If you wish to see the Alliance Leader... come with me."

Baek Socheon answered just as cautiously.

"...I'll see the Alliance Leader another time."

"Very well."

Zhuge Hyeon left. As Zhuge Hyeon was about to step outside, they asked from the doorway, "By the way, where will you go first with that?"

Baek Socheon looked down at the ground.

Zhuge Hyeon smiled.

"You'll need good liquor, then."

That afternoon, Baek Socheon entered the Murim Alliance martial prison.

There was a joke that even if someone completely conquered the Murim Alliance, the last place to fall would not be the Alliance Leader's Hall, but this martial prison.

That was how dangerous it was, with formidable mechanisms and tight security everywhere.

The martial prison was divided into three sections according to the severity of one's crimes.

White Prison held ordinary criminals. Blue Prison held serious criminals who had to remain imprisoned for life. Finally, Red Prison held special prisoners.

Baek Socheon was headed for Red Prison, located at the deepest level underground.

On his way down, he had passed through six formidable mechanisms and encountered forty-six prison guards. Several of them were masters of at least a Unit Commander's caliber.

No one could escape before dying. No, they could not simply leave even after death. This was a place where prisoners who died inside had their heads cut off before being carried out, in case they attempted to escape using an evil technique such as the Turtle Breath Grand Method.

Red Prison was also divided into three levels, and Baek Socheon had arrived at the lowest one.

Red Prison held two surviving prisoners from the Ten Great Evildoers.

The Ten Great Evildoers had been truly formidable villains. They had existed since before the current Alliance Leader's era, but some had died outside while others had died after capture. Only two remained now.

The two were confined on separate levels, and Baek Socheon had come to see the one on the lowest level.

At Baek Socheon's arrival, an elderly figure with disheveled hair pressed their face between the iron bars. The figure recognized Baek Socheon at once.

"You bastard, you're alive?"

Their booming voice proved that death was still far away.

"You damned bastard! I'll chew you alive!"

The figure was Gwoe Yeo, one of the Ten Great Evildoers.

The reason Gwoe Yeo was hurling such abuse was simple. Baek Socheon was the one who had captured and imprisoned them here.

"Open this! Let's have another round! You don't have internal energy, do you? Neither do I. Let's fight fair and square! You pathetic piece of filth! You dog-bred bastard! Aren't you going to open this?"

Baek Socheon watched Gwoe Yeo pour out their rage.

Only after Gwoe Yeo had spat out every insult they could think of did their voice finally subside.

"Why are you here? To mock me..."

Then Gwoe Yeo sniffed.

"Huh? What is that? What is that smell?"

Their gaze fell to Baek Socheon's waist. A bamboo liquor flask hung there.

"You! That!"

"Yes. It's the Xinghua Village liquor you like."

Gwoe Yeo's eyes trembled. They loved liquor. Not simply enjoyed it, but loved it enough that few in the martial world could rival them as a drinker.

Baek Socheon removed the flask's cap. A rich scent of liquor spread through the stale underground air.

"Arghhhhh!"

Gwoe Yeo screamed. They had not tasted liquor since their capture, and the scent alone nearly drove them mad.

"Bring it here! Please, bring it here!"

Baek Socheon approached Gwoe Yeo, who licked their lips.

"Closer. Hurry!"

Gwoe Yeo thrust a hand through the bars.

Baek Socheon held the flask just beyond their reach.

"You vicious devil! You're determined to torment me!"

Then Baek Socheon stepped closer and held out the flask.

Gwoe Yeo grabbed it before they could stop themself.

"You're giving this to me?"

"Yes."

Gwoe Yeo eyed the flask suspiciously. They did not believe Baek Socheon would give them liquor so easily.

"You poisoned it, didn't you?"

"What is so special about you that I'd grant you the honor of being the first person I poison in my life?"

"Then why are you giving it to me?"

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

When Baek Socheon reached to take it back, Gwoe Yeo hurriedly retreated.

Even if it was poisoned, they could not endure any longer.

Gwoe Yeo gulped down the liquor.

"Arghhh. Good, this is good."

They drank and drank.

Like someone finding water in the desert, they shouted with joy as they emptied the flask.

Before long, they had drained every last drop.

"Kuhhh. I could die now without regrets."

A blissful smile spread across their face, as though they possessed the whole world. Naturally, their tone toward Baek Socheon softened.

"Why did you come?"

"I simply came to see your face after so long."

"How ridiculous. You're not the type to do that. Stop talking nonsense and tell me why you came."

Baek Socheon looked at Gwoe Yeo and spoke calmly.

"You saw through me. I came because I have something to ask you."

"What?"

"The Black Heaven Alliance Leader..."

Before he could finish, Gwoe Yeo flung the bamboo flask out through the bars.

They turned sharply and lay down on the bed in the corner with their back to Baek Socheon.

"Damned bastard! What do you take me for?"

Baek Socheon picked up the bamboo flask from the floor.

"I'll come again tomorrow."

Gwoe Yeo said nothing as they kept their back turned.

The following day, Baek Socheon came to see them again.

Once again, he brought liquor Gwoe Yeo liked.

"Go away!"

"All right. I won't ask anything, so drink this at least."

"Stop with your tricks and get out!"

Baek Socheon set the bamboo liquor flask just outside Gwoe Yeo's cell, where they could reach it.

Then he began physical training in front of the cell. He stood upside down on one finger and started training.

He was making up for the physical training he had neglected recently while practicing the Heaven-Turning Nine Fists.

Time passed, and sweat streamed down his body.

After some time, Gwoe Yeo spoke from inside their cell.

"What kind of madness is this in front of someone else's home?"

Baek Socheon gave no reply. Still upside down, he performed finger push-ups. Heavy bracelets still weighed down his limbs, but his posture was stronger and steadier than when he had first put them on.

He continued training without rest.

Gwoe Yeo knew Baek Socheon had no internal energy. That was why they could not believe it.

'How can he do that without internal energy?'

A few times would have been one thing, but how could he do it hundreds of times?

Baek Socheon had already reached his limit. He gritted his teeth.

'Just a little more! One more time.'

Whether he completed that final repetition would determine whether his body broke through its limits.

"Urgh."

Only after completing that final repetition did he collapse.

"Huff, huff."

Gwoe Yeo barked at the panting Baek Socheon.

"If you're going to do pointless things, do them somewhere else!"

Yet they quietly took the liquor flask placed just outside their cell. Then they went to the corner and silently drank.

The same routine repeated day after day.

Baek Socheon brought liquor and trained in front of Gwoe Yeo.

Gwoe Yeo only drank, without saying a word.

On the fifth day, Gwoe Yeo finally asked in a somewhat subdued voice, "What do you want to know about the Alliance Leader?"

They were one of the Ten Great Evildoers and a master belonging to the Black Heaven Alliance. Not only did they belong to the Black Heaven Alliance, but they had also been close to the Black Heaven Alliance Leader.

"There are several things I wish to ask about the Black Heaven Alliance Leader."

"Do you think I'll tell you? Do you think my loyalty is so worthless?"

"Your loyalty is admirable. Truly admirable. Since we captured you, you haven't uttered a single word about the Black Heaven Alliance or its Alliance Leader, have you?"

Gwoe Yeo had been captured just before the war ended and had remained imprisoned here ever since. Several attempts had been made to extract information about the Black Heaven Alliance from them, but nothing had worked.

"That's who I am! Then why are you pulling this kind of trick?"

"Isn't it time to stop being loyal? You've done enough already."

"What nonsense are you spouting, you madman?"

Gwoe Yeo shouted, but their eyes wavered.

They thought about it several times a day.

Why had the Alliance Leader not rescued them?

The Alliance Leader surely knew they were imprisoned here. If the Alliance Leader had truly wanted to save them, the Alliance Leader could have made any offer necessary to secure their release. The Black Heaven Alliance held many Murim Alliance personnel captive as well.

They had believed that if no one else was rescued, they would be. Yet they had been locked here for nearly four years.

'The Alliance Leader must have their circumstances.'

They comforted themself with that thought every day, but they could not prevent their body and mind from growing weary.

That was when Baek Socheon spoke.

"Your Alliance Leader must have their circumstances."

Gwoe Yeo flinched. Baek Socheon had said exactly what they had just been thinking.

"Alliance Leaders always have their complications, don't they?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"No."

After answering calmly, Baek Socheon walked away. Gwoe Yeo could tell that he was not being mocked.

"I'll come again tomorrow."

Gwoe Yeo watched Baek Socheon walk away through the bars without a word.

'Don't try any tricks!'

Yet part of them hoped Baek Socheon would bring liquor again tomorrow. At the same time, a question had arisen in their mind.

'What does he want to ask about the Alliance Leader?'

Footnotes:

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