WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 58: Wield It Secretly (1)

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Cheon Geuk was the first to react to Baek Socheon's question.

"That's impossible!"

Baek Socheon smiled awkwardly.

"It would be difficult after all, wouldn't it?"

Still unwilling to give up, he asked Na Sarin, "I'm not asking to learn the Soul-Seizing Art itself. I only need to learn how to tell whether someone has fallen under it."

"If it's only that much..."

When Na Sarin left room for the possibility, Baek Socheon asked again, "How long would it take to learn?"

"Naturally, that depends on the learner's talent."

At least she had not said it was impossible.

"Then could you try teaching me? Of course, I know how rude this request is."

He was asking her to reveal one of her secret arts.

"But this is the only way to find out without putting you in danger."

Cheon Geuk and Na Sarin both understood what he meant. It was far too dangerous for Na Sarin to examine the Alliance Leader in person.

Na Sarin looked to Cheon Geuk for permission.

"Shall we give it a try?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine."

Cheon Geuk looked between the two, then nodded.

"All right. Let's try it."

Baek Socheon rose from his seat.

"Then let's go to my house."

The three left Daru wearing bamboo rain hats and cloaks.

As they walked through the rain, Cheon Geuk watched the two ahead of her.

They looked like siblings, yet they could have passed for a father and daughter.

The feeling was strange, yet somehow familiar. It was likely because of how she felt about them both.

Just a few months ago, she could never have imagined doing something like this with the two of them in front of the Murim Alliance headquarters.

At some point, her heart had stopped racing. Nothing that happened in a day felt new anymore. Who had succeeded in an assassination, who had failed, who had died, who had survived... Though she received reports of people living and dying several times a day, she had gradually grown used to that life.

But after meeting Baek Socheon, her heart began to race again.

Even simply watching the two of them from behind made her heart pound with the tension of this unfamiliar situation.

Swoooooosh!

The sound of her heartbeat was simply drowned out by the pouring rain.

Once they arrived home, Baek Socheon called Im Chung and Beon Saeng.

"I have matters to handle at home for the next few days. Take care of the Sage Heaven Corps' work yourselves. If anything requires me, Beon Saeng, come and tell me."

"Yes, understood."

The two turned to leave.

As Beon Saeng went out, he patted Na Sarin's head.

"You're really cute. How old are you?"

"Eighty-four."

"Hahaha. You're just like your older sister. You're good at joking, too."

Beon Saeng followed Im Chung out with a laugh. At the door, he stopped and asked without turning around.

"I made another mistake, didn't I?"

Cheon Geuk answered his tearful question seriously.

"Your tongue is already scheduled to be cut out, so I suppose we only need to cut off that hand."

Beon Saeng lowered his head and left the room.

Once the door closed, Baek Socheon said to her, "Stop teasing him."

"As you can see, he keeps giving me material. He plays along well, too."

Cheon Geuk smiled and smoothly vanished.

"I'll guard the area around the house, so you can begin."

Baek Socheon and Na Sarin sat across from one another at the table.

"There is no time, so I will teach you the secret method immediately."

"Thank you."

"First, memorize the formula I recite."

"Yes."

Na Sarin taught him the formula. Baek Socheon possessed the kind of mind that had memorized all of the Heaven-Turning Nine Fists while riding in the carriage back.

After she repeated it twice, Baek Socheon recited the formula perfectly.

Na Sarin was inwardly astonished.

'He has an extraordinary mind!'

She had expected him to possess exceptional martial talent, considering he had reached the position of the strongest under heaven, but she had not expected his memory to be so remarkable as well.

"Now, circulate your energy according to that formula."

"Yes."

While the lesson continued, Cheon Geuk sat atop the roof in the rain.

A voice transmission came from Eastern Star, one of the Guardian Assassin Stars, from far away.

-You'll catch a cold.

She had ordered them to remain far away while this matter was underway. The Guardian Assassin Stars worried over her day and night from a distance. At least Na Sarin was with her, which reassured them somewhat.

-It feels cool and pleasant to be rained on again after so long.

-May we come closer for a moment?

-Come.

The four Guardian Assassin Stars flew to her side.

They took out cloaks and spread them above her head, making a small tent.

As their leader, Eastern Star was steady and reliable. Northern Star handled information-related matters because of their keen analytical ability and judgment. Southern Star was especially loyal, while Western Star, the sole woman among them, spoke so little that it was impossible to know her personality. Yet seeing how she loved flowers, Cheon Geuk could not help feeling that her nature did not suit the Assassin Alliance.

"What would you do without me?"

"I've never imagined a world without you, Alliance Leader."

"If something should..."

"Alliance Leader."

"Let me finish."

"Yes."

"If something happens to me, scatter and live your own lives. That is an order."

"......"

None of the four Guardian Assassin Stars answered.

They knew what their fate would be. If Cheon Geuk died, they intended to take revenge and kill themselves. But perhaps they would not even have to go that far. If someone was skilled enough to kill Cheon Geuk, their revenge would fail.

No. They would die trying to protect her. They would never simply stand by and watch her die.

Cheon Geuk also knew they would not live their own lives. Having always been with the Guardian Assassin Stars, she knew them well.

"Fine. We'll live together, and we'll die together. But if we can, let's cling to life with everything we have."

This time, all four answered at once.

"Yes!"

"Do you think it'll get cooler once this rain stops?"

It was rain that announced the end of summer.

Swoooooosh!

Three days later.

Baek Socheon and Na Sarin stood in a forest near Wuhan.

Ten men stood before them. Half were Na Sarin's disciples, while the other half were ordinary assassins.

They simply stood there without releasing a trace of aura.

Baek Socheon passed by them, then stopped at the end and picked out five.

"First, third, fourth, seventh, and eighth."

At Na Sarin's order to withdraw, the ten assassins disappeared in an instant.

"How many do you think you got right?"

"All of them."

Baek Socheon answered confidently.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Didn't I learn from someone worthy of such confidence?"

At last, Na Sarin's expression brightened.

"Well done. You got them exactly right."

Na Sarin was deeply surprised. She had not expected him to learn this secret method in only three days. Naturally, he could not use the Soul-Seizing Art itself. What Baek Socheon had learned was only a secret method for determining whether someone had fallen victim to the Soul-Seizing Art or learned it.

In truth, this method was one of the most important secret arts within Na Sarin's Soul-Seizing Art. Being able to pour someone a cup of tea and determine whether they had any connection to the Soul-Seizing Art was an achievement possible only at the highest level.

She had taught Baek Socheon this secret method without holding anything back. Of course, she had done so not for his sake, but for Cheon Geuk and the Assassin Alliance.

"If the Soul-Seizing Art was cast by someone stronger than me, you won't be able to notice it. Otherwise, you'll definitely be able to tell."

"Thank you."

"I hope you haven't forgotten this old woman's request."

She was reminding him once again of her request not to use the Assassin Alliance.

"You've given me such tremendous help. How could I forget that debt? Please don't worry."

"Thank you."

Na Sarin was relieved.

Cheon Geuk soon revealed herself.

"Elder."

Instead of thanking Na Sarin with words, she took her hand.

"Alliance Leader."

Cheon Geuk was deeply grateful that Na Sarin worried only for her and the alliance.

After expressing her gratitude to Na Sarin, Cheon Geuk said to Baek Socheon, "The Alliance has acquired that Daru. It will operate normally, so if you need to contact me, do so through its owner."

"Thank you."

Baek Socheon turned and strode away.

Watching his back, Na Sarin said, "He's a good person."

"Isn't he?"

"That is why he is dangerous as well. You understand what this old woman means, don't you?"

"Yes."

...That was also why she found herself drawn to him.

In any case, the two could not leave yet. At the very least, they had to see whether Baek Socheon succeeded before they left.

Baek Socheon did not deliberately seek out the Alliance Leader.

He had never voluntarily gone to see the Alliance Leader even once over the past three years, so the Alliance Leader might grow suspicious if he went now. Besides, his goal was to use the secret method. He had to find a natural opportunity to meet the Alliance Leader again.

To find a way, Baek Socheon went to see Zhuge Hyeon.

Zhuge Hyeon was not in the office at the Sage Heaven Pavilion.

"The strategist is in the Strategic Command Center. I will send word."

At the Sage Heaven Pavilion martial artist's words, Baek Socheon turned around at once.

"No need. I'll see Zhuge Hyeon myself."

Baek Socheon had been granted access to the Strategic Command Center. Zhuge Hyeon had truly given him every authority.

When Baek Socheon entered the command center, every strategist turned to look at him.

In a way, the strategists here were among the people closest to Baek Socheon.

Every operation assigned to him during the Orthodox-Demonic War had been sent from here.

The strategists here knew exactly how much Baek Socheon had accomplished in the last war.

Several senior strategists who had been with him since the beginning of the war politely greeted Baek Socheon. He returned their greetings with equal courtesy.

As he walked inside, Baek Socheon stopped before the wall bearing the Martial World Ranking Record.

He looked at the Alliance Leader's name at the very top, then saw that the Blood Cult Leader had newly risen above it. He then looked at the name of the Black Heaven Alliance Leader in third place.

'For someone that strong, third place?'

As he looked at his own name on the final line, Zhuge Hyeon came to stand beside him.

"It has been a long time since you came here."

"Three or four years, I believe."

When he had been the Secret Pavilion Master, Baek Socheon had come and gone freely here. During the Orthodox-Demonic War, when he was one of the orthodox faction's core forces, there had been nowhere he could not go and no information he could not handle.

As they looked at the Martial World Ranking Record together, Zhuge Hyeon swallowed the words rising in the strategist's throat.

'Sometimes, I miss the days when you were first.'

It was a regret for Zhuge Hyeon, but it would be too deep a wound for Baek Socheon.

"What brings you here?"

"I came because there is something I wish to say."

He was just about to ask Zhuge Hyeon to arrange a natural meeting among Baek Socheon, Zhuge Hyeon, and the Alliance Leader.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

An alarm bell rang, and the strategists tensed.

"An urgent dispatch has arrived from the Cheonmun Branch. The Slanted Shadow Sect has reportedly been ambushed by unidentified individuals."

Zhuge Hyeon was startled. The Slanted Shadow Sect was one of Hubei Province's foremost orthodox sects and actively supported the Murim Alliance. If something had happened to them, the Murim Alliance had to help.

"Who attacked them?"

"We do not know. They have taken the Slanted Shadow Sect Leader and the entire family hostage, and the Cheonmun Branch martial artists have surrounded the Slanted Shadow Sect."

If this was the Black Heaven Alliance's doing, it was a clear challenge. This had happened in Hubei Province, where the Murim Alliance headquarters stood, not in some other region. Cheonmun was not even far from here.

This was on an entirely different level from pressuring border regions. They had crossed the border and taken people from a sect on this side hostage.

Still, that possibility was low. If it had been their work, they would have caused trouble and fled already. There was no reason for them to stage a hostage situation like this.

"Which strike force is closest?"

"The Fourth Unit of the Iron Cavalry Corps is returning to headquarters after an operation nearby."

"Send an urgent dispatch and deploy the Fourth Unit of the Iron Cavalry Corps there immediately!"

"Yes."

The strategists moved swiftly. The strategist responsible for the Alliance Leader's Hall reported the situation there, while another sent the deployment order to the Iron Cavalry Corps.

Then another emergency dispatch arrived.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

"Another dispatch has arrived from the Cheonmun Branch."

It meant the situation at the scene was developing that rapidly. It seemed a new development had occurred immediately after the earlier dispatch was sent.

Of course, it concerned events from half a shichen ago.

After reading the contents, Sima Iljung was startled.

"What is it?"

"The person holding the Slanted Shadow Sect Leader hostage has made their demands known."

"What are they?"

Sima Iljung's gaze shifted to Baek Socheon, who stood behind Zhuge Hyeon. Unexpected words came from Sima Iljung's mouth.

"They demand that Unit Commander Baek be brought to them. They say that if Unit Commander Baek isn't brought before them by midnight today, they will kill one hostage every half a shichen."

Footnotes:

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