WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 92: One or Two? (1)

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The duel was three days away.

The confrontation between Baek Socheon and Yeom Sawon had become so widely known throughout the Central Plains that no one had failed to hear of it. People called it the Orthodox-Unorthodox Duel.

Martial artists from every region flocked to Wuhan to watch it.

Only invited guests could attend the duel, but people gathered anyway, hoping they might somehow catch a glimpse without an invitation.

No martial tournaments had been held during the long war. Now that a duel between representatives of the orthodox and unorthodox factions was taking place, it was regarded as a great festival of the martial world.

With so many people gathering, strange sights followed.

Martial artists who had not received invitations swarmed the Murim Alliance to protest. It was the first time anything like this had happened in the history of martial tournaments.

"Let us watch too!"

"This is a historic confrontation. Hold it as a public event!"

"Be fair to everyone!"

That was impossible. Not only was there no duel platform large enough for all these people, but even if such a venue existed, they could not be controlled.

It would be an important occasion, attended by the Alliance Leader, the Murim Alliance's key figures, and renowned masters from every region. Black Heaven Alliance assassins could easily blend into such a massive crowd.

To soothe the angry public, the Alliance held several events near its headquarters. They invited performance troupes to stage puppet shows and plays, while Murim Alliance masters gave martial arts demonstrations and lectures. Small martial tournaments hosted by minor and mid-sized sects were held every day as well. Wuhan was swept up in an unprecedented fever.

Martial artists were not the only ones who had gathered.

Where people gathered in large numbers, merchants from across the Central Plains naturally followed. They called out to customers in the streets and sold goods rarely seen in Wuhan. Many merchants had even come from the lands beyond the borders.

Gamblers came as well, organizing betting pools. Countless people placed money on this closely matched duel. The wagers had evolved beyond simply picking a winner. Bets were placed on the total duration of the duel, how many exchanges it would take to decide the outcome, who would be injured first, where the decisive blow would land, and countless other details.

This time, even the Murim Alliance turned a blind eye to betting on the martial tournament.

While Wuhan was in such an uproar, Yeom Sawon, who had been confined within the Alliance for some time, tried to go out. The martial artist assigned to him blocked his way.

"You cannot leave."

"I'm just going out to get some air."

The martial artist assigned to him was much older and held a position equivalent to a Unit Commander within the Alliance, but Yeom Sawon treated them with complete contempt.

"Many martial heroes have gathered in Wuhan. Among them are many who lost family to the Black Heaven Alliance during the last war. It is dangerous for you to wander around carelessly."

"Let them try something. I'll send every last one of them to join their families."

"Young Master Yeom."

"Young Master? Didn't I tell you to call me Great Hero?"

"Great Hero Yeom! There are only three days left until the duel. What will you do if an unpleasant incident occurs at a time like this?"

"Move, unless you want to die."

In the end, the martial artist stepped aside before Yeom Sawon's forceful presence.

Jan Baek and Go Goeng simply let Yeom Sawon do as he pleased. They followed at a distance, focusing only on protecting him.

As Yeom Sawon was about to leave the Alliance, he looked toward the duel platform, where the final construction work was in full swing.

It was the largest duel platform he had ever seen in his life.

Only after seeing it in person did it truly sink in that he would be fighting Baek Socheon.

'I'll kill him here.'

He would kill Baek Socheon and regain his father's trust.

Yeom Sawon left the Alliance and strode through the marketplace. As expected, the streets were packed with martial artists.

'Damn it!'

He wanted someone to recognize him.

-That's Yeom Sawon! The heir of the Black Heaven Alliance!

-Kill him! Someone, kill that bastard!

Then, after being thoroughly beaten by him, they would cry out like this.

-A master! We need a master too! Someone go bring a real master!

He had hoped for such a commotion, but none of the passersby recognized him. In this crowded, chaotic atmosphere, it felt as though no one would look twice even if he walked around with "Heir of the Black Heaven Alliance" written across his forehead.

'These idiot orthodox bastards! One day, I'll wipe every last one of them out.'

Rather than returning to the Alliance, Yeom Sawon stopped by Cheon Geuk's Daru.

"Forget the tea! Where's your owner? Bring her out."

"Yes, understood."

The attendant went to the kitchen to inform her, and Cheon Geuk soon appeared.

"Great Hero Yeom, you've come."

Cheon Geuk greeted him with a bright smile. Of course, it was not a smile of welcome. It merely reflected how good her mood had been lately.

"Hmph! You smile at any man. Is that how you seduced that Baek bastard?"

"Why? Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Don't get the wrong idea!"

In truth, Cheon Geuk did look beautiful to Yeom Sawon. When he was with Baek Socheon, all his attention was fixed on Baek Socheon, so Yeom Sawon had not noticed. Seeing her alone now, though, he realized she was truly beautiful. Myeol Jiryun was younger and possessed an exotic beauty, but she still could not compare to Cheon Geuk.

"Once our Alliance unifies the martial world, you'd better watch yourselves. The fact that you sided with Baek Socheon will not disappear."

Cheon Geuk found him laughable. He was nothing more than a pathetic man who oppressed others by relying on the Black Heaven Alliance behind him rather than his own ability.

"You misunderstand. How could we possibly join hands with the orthodox faction?"

"Then why are you associating with Baek Socheon?"

"Do you not know the relationship between Baek Socheon and us?"

"What relationship?"

Surprisingly, he did not know about the Assassin Alliance's past relationship with Baek Socheon.

'What has this pathetic fool even been doing with his life? Rather than kill him, making him the Black Heaven Alliance Leader would be the quickest way to ruin the Black Heaven Alliance.'

Cheon Geuk truly thought that at that moment.

"Baek Socheon killed all of our senior assassins. How could we disobey him?"

"Did he? Come to think of it, I may have heard something like that. But you're lying."

"What do you mean?"

"Baek Socheon lost all his internal energy, didn't he? If you wanted to kill him, you could do so whenever you liked."

"But the Murim Alliance is backing him, isn't it? Why else would I have been dragged all the way here to sell tea?"

That explanation worked perfectly. Yeom Sawon had not understood why she was selling tea here either.

"If what you say is true, then the Murim Alliance bastards are truly a treacherous lot."

"Please lower your voice. Someone might hear you."

Cheon Geuk handled Yeom Sawon as easily as a pebble in her palm.

"So what if someone hears!"

Yeom Sawon raised his voice instead.

Cheon Geuk thought to herself that if the martial world were filled with people like Yeom Sawon, she truly might be able to achieve the unification of the martial world.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to her. Perhaps Baek Socheon sometimes had similar thoughts when he looked at her or other people.

"Baek Socheon will die in this duel anyway."

"Then I'll finally be freed from this tiresome oppression."

When Cheon Geuk looked at him expectantly, Yeom Sawon felt pleased.

Looking at Yeom Sawon, Cheon Geuk was reminded again what a decent person Baek Socheon was. The two could not have been more different.

"By the way, have you seen Baek Socheon recently?"

"No, I haven't seen him at all."

Cheon Geuk lied without the slightest hesitation.

As though even thinking about it annoyed him, Yeom Sawon spoke irritably.

"Where the hell has that Baek bastard been, and what has he been doing? He hasn't shown his face at all lately."

Cheon Geuk lowered her head and thought to herself.

'You idiot, that precious man has been busy taking lessons from me!'

* * *

Myeol Jiryun was drinking tea with Rapsa in her quarters.

"The duel between Baek Socheon and Yeom Sawon is three days away."

"The streets of Wuhan are packed with people."

"Aren't you nervous?"

"I'm not the one fighting."

"That's true."

When she was with Rapsa, Myeol Jiryun acted like an innocent young girl.

"Elder, you must be tired. Please go and rest."

"You should rest early as well, Young Lady."

"Yes."

Rapsa left the room. He did not know about this plan. He sincerely believed she had come here to avoid marrying Yeom Sawon.

Once he was gone, the innocent girl vanished, leaving behind a woman with a poisonous heart entrusted with a weighty mission.

'When truth and lies are mixed together, the other side falls into confusion.'

As Baek Socheon had suspected, the split between Myeolsaeng and Jeok Parap had all been deliberate.

Myeol Jiryun recalled the day before she left the Blood Cult.

There had been a farewell in the Blood Cult's most secret place.

-Daughter.

-Yes, Father.

Myeolsaeng was dressed as a monk. At the center of his shaved head was a blood-red tattoo of nine intertwined serpents, while his entire body was covered in strange characters and images of unknown form. Simply facing him was unsettling and terrifying.

-Your role this time is extremely important. Can you do it?

-I can.

-Good. I raised you to be strong. It was for a day like this.

-I have also waited for this day, when I can render great service to our cult.

Jeok Parap stood beside Myeolsaeng. His appearance was far from normal as well. Though he was over a hundred years old, his skin was taut, and he looked even younger than Myeolsaeng. Through his own unique heretical art, he maintained his youth by absorbing the vitality of young people.

-The fate of our cult rests on you.

-Yes, Great Grandmaster.

-Do not be afraid. Pajeong will assist you, so you will not fail.

Pajeong was no ordinary martial artist. He was Great Grandmaster Jeok Parap's new disciple.

Jeok Parap had declared that Myeolsaeng would be his final disciple, yet Pajeong's talent had changed his mind, and he accepted him as a disciple. He was still young, but his skill was exceptionally advanced.

The veteran master Rapsa was one of the Blood Cult's Ten Great Masters, but Pajeong was even stronger than Rapsa. That was why Myeolsaeng and Jeok Parap had confidently sent her to the Murim Alliance.

-Be especially careful of Baek Socheon. Though he has lost his internal energy, he is by no means an easy opponent. You must be more wary of him than Ak Sogun or Zhuge Hyeon.

Myeol Jiryun returned to the present.

'Don't worry. I'll make this succeed and fulfill our cult's long-cherished ambition.'

Her gray eyes darkened further.

At that moment, the young guard Pajeong entered the room.

"Baek Socheon has deposited the money in the Continental Bank."

Still looking out the window, Myeol Jiryun gave a derisive laugh.

"Those orthodox bastards act so high and mighty, but that's all they are."

"It's such a waste that we gave him three hundred thousand nyang."

"Once we accomplish our great undertaking, that amount will be no more than pocket change."

She turned to Pajeong.

"How are the preparations?"

"They are proceeding according to plan. The disorder caused by this martial tournament has actually made my work easier."

"You must be careful. Baek Socheon's instincts are no ordinary thing. He already suspects me."

"Do not worry. We are proceeding in secret, and he will be too occupied with preparations for the duel."

Myeol Jiryun smiled in satisfaction, as though she thought the same.

Then Pajeong suddenly raised a finger to his lips. He quietly walked over and flung open the window beside her. Cold air rushed in through it.

"What's wrong?"

Pajeong sharpened his senses and looked around. There was no one outside.

"It's nothing."

He closed the window again.

"Was I not paying attention to my surroundings?"

"My apologies. I believe I was mistaken."

But he had not been mistaken.

A short distance from the window, Baek Socheon stood concealed. He had deceived Myeol Jiryun, who had been close by, but Pajeong, who had been farther away, had nearly detected him.

'He's no ordinary man.'

It was not a matter of martial skill or internal energy. Just as he had detected Cheon Geuk even when he lacked internal energy, Baek Socheon possessed exceptionally sharp innate senses.

'What exactly are they plotting?'

It was now certain that the Blood Cult was planning something significant. All that remained was to uncover the nature of their conspiracy.

There were now three days until the duel.

Just as he had come, Baek Socheon vanished without a sound. His movements were as natural and secretive as darkness settling over the world.

Footnotes:

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