WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 57: Master of Soul-Stealing Arts (2)

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Zhuge Hyeon sat in Daru, drinking tea.

He blankly watched the passersby. A middle-aged man hurrying along with his eyes fixed ahead, young people laughing and chatting, a woman walking while tightly holding a child's hand, men and women browsing goods...

They had no idea how great a danger was approaching. Should war break out, this peaceful daily life would be shattered.

'We have to stop it somehow.'

Even as his brief reflection gave way to worry, the person he had arranged to meet approached from afar.

On Byeokhwa, the Secret Pavilion Master.

Known as the greatest female martial artist of her time, she had been personally brought in by the Alliance Leader and made Secret Pavilion Master.

Zhuge Hyeon did not know how the Alliance Leader had come to know her. They must have been very close.

When she spotted Zhuge Hyeon, she waved.

Zhuge Hyeon rose from his seat and waited for her.

Soon, she entered Daru.

"Welcome, Pavilion Master."

"I'm a little late, aren't I? My apologies, Strategist."

"Not at all. I only just arrived myself."

The two sat across from each other.

"I had tea here once before, and the flavor was excellent. I thought it would be nicer to treat you to tea here than in the stifling Murim Alliance headquarters, so I invited you."

"Oh, I see."

A young attendant came to take their order.

"What tea would you like?"

"Bring the same tea this elder is having."

"Yes!"

The child turned and ran into the kitchen.

On Byeokhwa asked Zhuge Hyeon, "What is this about?"

"There's something I wished to discuss concerning yesterday's banquet."

"Please, go on."

"I understand that you often spend time with the Alliance Leader."

"I visit from time to time to keep him company."

"I don't know what the Alliance Leader truly thinks of Unit Commander Baek. In my humble opinion, I couldn't understand yesterday's banquet at all."

On Byeokhwa nodded as if she understood what he meant.

"Once, I asked the Alliance Leader about Unit Commander Baek."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'I should cherish him more, but it isn't as easy as I want it to be.'"

It sounded meaningful, and Zhuge Hyeon remained silent for a moment.

Just then, the child brought their tea.

"I'll pour it for you."

The child poured tea for On Byeokhwa.

"Enjoy! If you need anything, please call for me."

"All right. Thank you."

The child went to sit in a chair by the counter near the entrance.

The conversation resumed.

Zhuge Hyeon said, "I'll speak frankly. What Unit Commander Baek accomplished in the last war was truly extraordinary. If not for him, the orthodox martial world would now be in the hands of the Black Heaven Alliance. I believe everyone should be grateful to him."

On Byeokhwa listened without a word as she drank her tea.

"We need him in this war as well. Though he has lost his internal energy, he has unmatched experience in war. On top of that, he is an excellent commander who can lead his subordinates."

"Yes, I acknowledge that."

"I hope the Alliance Leader and Unit Commander Baek can return to how they once were. I hope you will help make that happen."

"Of course I should help. It is the right thing to do for both the Murim Alliance and the martial world. But you know, don't you? Relationships between people aren't problems that can be solved just because someone steps in."

"That is why I'm asking for your help. I will do what I can, and so will you. If we can influence them, even little by little, their relationship will surely improve."

"All right."

"Thank you."

After speaking at length about the current situation, the two left.

Only after they had departed did the child attendant who had handled the bill enter the kitchen.

Instead of Daru's cook, who should have been there, Baek Socheon and Cheon Geuk were waiting inside. The child attendant was Na Sarin.

Baek Socheon had rented the entire Daru for the day for this purpose. Cheon Geuk unexpectedly knew a great deal about tea, so serving it from the kitchen had not been difficult.

"How did it go?"

"That woman has neither fallen under the Soul-Seizing Art nor practiced it herself."

Na Sarin had learned that during the brief moment she took their order and poured their tea.

"Thank you, Elder."

"It wasn't difficult."

Of the three people closest to the Alliance Leader, On Byeokhwa had seemed the most likely. If it was not her, they would have to check his son, Ak Seopyeong, and Pung Geukan, chief of the Secret Guard.

Yet arranging a meeting like this with either of them would not be easy. Pung Geukan in particular never strayed from the Alliance Leader's side.

The best option would be to meet the Alliance Leader directly and check. But seeing him would be difficult, and more importantly, there was a very high chance he would recognize Na Sarin's identity.

If Baek Socheon had recognized her, the Alliance Leader surely would as well. If it became known that an elder master of the Assassin Alliance had been near the Alliance Leader, matters would become serious. Na Sarin herself could be placed in danger. That was why they were checking those around him first.

"If it is all right with you, could you help us a little longer?"

"Of course."

Pung Geukan could not be met outside. Ak Seopyeong, however, could likely be met through Zhuge Hyeon. On Byeokhwa might find it strange if she learned of it, but she would probably assume Zhuge Hyeon was simply working hard for Baek Socheon by meeting people here and there.

"We'll have to rent this place for another day."

That night, Baek Socheon was at Daru rather than home.

He drank alone in the closed establishment.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Na Sarin entered.

"Not at all. Please come in."

He was there because Na Sarin had asked him to have a drink with her.

She smiled and shook the bottle in her hand.

"I brought some fine liquor."

Baek Socheon brought out cups and simple snacks he had prepared in the kitchen.

"You even prepared snacks?"

"Yes. I didn't make them myself. I bought them from a nearby inn."

He had arranged them on the finest dishes in Daru.

"The dishes are quite lovely."

Even past eighty, a woman was still a woman.

Baek Socheon remembered that when he had drunk with Cheon Geuk before, she had served the snacks on fine dishes. He had done the same. It was a small thing, but it earned him great favor with Na Sarin.

"Thank you for being so thoughtful."

"It was nothing. Please, have a drink."

Baek Socheon politely filled her cup.

They both emptied their cups in one refreshing swallow.

"Ah, that's good."

"The liquor is excellent."

"Had we never met, that would have been another matter, but now that fate has brought us together, I thought I should speak with you at least once."

"Please, speak."

"When I first became aware of the world, I was already an assassin. But I lacked talent as an assassin. In such cases, one usually dies during training. Cruel, isn't it?"

Baek Socheon quietly drank as he listened.

"Fortunately, someone took notice of me. My master. Thanks to my master, I survived and learned the Soul-Seizing Art. You might wonder what the Assassin Alliance needed with the Soul-Seizing Art, but the Assassin Alliance Leader at the time trusted no one. His distrust had gone beyond reason. He suspected everyone to a sickening degree. So he wanted a master of the Soul-Seizing Art at his side at all times, to expose the lies of others."

She spoke of her life in an even tone.

Baek Socheon had expected her to speak mostly of the illness that had halted her growth. Instead, she spoke only of the Assassin Alliance.

A thought suddenly came to him.

'Perhaps this elder never got to live her own life either.'

Perhaps she had been swept along by the fate given to her, living in a blur.

Was it the violence of the world? Or the cruelty of the martial world? By the time one came to one's senses, it was always too late.

"I have gone on too long. I asked to meet you today because I wanted to make one request."

"Please, tell me."

"When a great storm comes to the martial world, do not try to use the Assassin Alliance."

She made this request because she could tell Cheon Geuk's feelings for Baek Socheon were far from ordinary. She feared Cheon Geuk might place the entire Assassin Alliance in danger to help him. More than anything, she worried for Cheon Geuk herself.

"You need not help the Assassin Alliance. Just do not drive it into danger. This is an old woman's sincere request."

Baek Socheon emptied his cup again. He did not give a long answer.

"I understand. But I have one request as well."

"Speak."

"Please do not accept any assassination commission against me from now on."

"The Alliance Leader should be the one to make that promise, but I believe it is one that can be kept."

"Then that is enough for me."

Baek Socheon had never intended to use the Assassin Alliance in the war anyway. He had struck at the Assassin Alliance in the last war because he had grown furious at the assassinations carried out by assassins who came endlessly to kill him.

"Have a drink."

"Yes."

The two drank.

Na Sarin looked toward the kitchen and said, "Stop hiding in that cramped place and come out now."

Cheon Geuk, who had been hiding by the counter, released her concealment technique and appeared.

She smiled awkwardly.

"The liquor smelled so good that I couldn't resist."

Of course, that was not why. She had hidden there because she was curious what Na Sarin would talk about with Baek Socheon.

She brought her own cup from the kitchen.

"What were you two talking about?"

Baek Socheon and Na Sarin stared at her without answering.

"Why? Were you talking about me?"

Baek Socheon filled her cup and said, "I know you were here from the beginning. Even your acting now is clumsy."

"......"

"Come on. Let's drink."

The three clinked cups and drank.

More than anything, Cheon Geuk was grateful to Na Sarin. She only hoped Na Sarin would remain by her side for a long time.

Swoooooosh!

Rain began early the next morning.

Zhuge Hyeon met Ak Seopyeong at Daru, where he had met On Byeokhwa the day before.

Ak Seopyeong had a pleasant, handsome appearance. As he removed his rain-soaked straw cape, he politely greeted Zhuge Hyeon.

"It has been a long time, Strategist."

"Have you been well? I'm sorry to ask you to meet me when it is raining."

Zhuge Hyeon spoke comfortably to Ak Seopyeong because he had watched him grow up.

"Not at all. Thanks to you, I was able to enjoy the charm of walking in the rain for the first time in a while."

As they exchanged pleasantries, Na Sarin came over to take their order.

Their conversation continued until the tea arrived.

Zhuge Hyeon spoke to him openly. His sincerity had always been rooted in concern for the Murim Alliance and the orthodox martial world, so he had nothing to hide.

"I asked to see you today because I am worried about the relationship between your father and Unit Commander Baek."

"I feel much the same."

"You do?"

"Yes. At some point, I began to feel that Father was keeping Unit Commander Baek at a distance. You may not know this, but I have respected and admired Unit Commander Baek for a long time. To speak honestly, I wanted to become a martial artist like him."

"Is that so?"

It was a slightly dangerous thing to say. He should have said he wanted to become someone like his father.

'Could it be?'

A thought suddenly occurred to Zhuge Hyeon. Could the Alliance Leader have distanced himself from Baek Socheon because he knew Ak Seopyeong felt that way and had become jealous?

'He is not so narrow-minded.'

The Ak Sogun Zhuge Hyeon knew was a truly broad-minded man. That was why he suited the position of Murim Alliance Leader better than anyone.

"Have you ever said that to your father?"

"No. This is the first time I have said it."

"Oh, is that so?"

If so, then Ak Seopyeong could not be the reason.

"I heard that a banquet was held the other day. I also heard that the sword which had been taken back was bestowed upon him again."

"That is correct."

"Since Father willingly returned the sword, perhaps his feelings have eased."

"I hope so as well."

By then, the tea had arrived. Once again, Na Sarin poured it and left.

When the two finally departed after speaking a while longer, Na Sarin shut Daru entirely. Baek Socheon and Cheon Geuk emerged from the kitchen.

"It isn't him either. I found no trace of the Soul-Seizing Art."

Then there was only one person left to check.

Pung Geukan, the chief of the Secret Guard, who had protected the Alliance Leader for many years.

Since he always remained at the Alliance Leader's side, meeting him effectively meant meeting the Alliance Leader.

'It won't be easy.'

When Baek Socheon's expression darkened, Cheon Geuk said, "We have already involved ourselves in this matter. We'll wait around here for the time being, so don't rush things. Take care of it properly."

"Thank you."

Baek Socheon looked at her. Whether it was finding the spiritual medicine for him or helping with this matter, he was sincerely grateful to her.

"I will make sure you never regret choosing to help me."

Cheon Geuk's eyes brightened at his words.

As another woman, Na Sarin could feel her agitation.

She could feel Cheon Geuk's warmth. It made Na Sarin worry, because she believed assassins died when they became too passionate. An assassin had to remain cold at all times.

Still, she could not bring herself to stop Cheon Geuk.

At the end of the cold life she had lived, there stood Na Sarin herself. She had never once burned with such warmth.

But... was her own life truly one she could recommend to Cheon Geuk?

Swoooooosh!

The three watched the pouring rain, each caught in different emotions.

As he gazed blankly at the falling rain, Baek Socheon suddenly thought of a method.

'Could it be?'

If he could not bring Na Sarin before the Alliance Leader, could he not do it himself?

He assumed it would be impossible, but he asked Na Sarin just in case.

"Could you teach me the secret method so I can recognize the Soul-Seizing Art?"

Footnotes:

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