WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Former Supreme ◈
Chapter 94: Duel Begins (1)
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The person Baek Socheon went to see was Cheon Geuk.
She was busy brewing tea in the kitchen. People had flocked to Wuhan, and both taverns and teahouses were packed with customers.
Most people would have closed for the day or hired help for the kitchen, but even amid all this chaos, she was brewing the tea herself.
Baek Socheon entered through the kitchen's back door and asked,
"Want a hand?"
"Oh? You're here? Yes, please."
"What should I do?"
"Start with those dishes."
"All right."
"Thank you."
Baek Socheon helped her wash the pile of dishes.
'Living like this, just the two of us...'
He stopped himself from thinking any further.
He liked Cheon Geuk, but living together was another matter entirely.
The future and happiness he dreamed of were freedom. If he were with someone, how could he live a life where he simply shook everything off and left whenever he wanted?
And it was not only about him. Her reality was no simple matter either. She led an entire organization. She had far more to give up than he did.
"The duel is the day after tomorrow, yet you seem relaxed."
"There's nothing to be busy over."
"Yeom Sawon came by earlier."
"What for?"
"Just to pick a fight. He left determined to save me from you."
Baek Socheon could picture the scene without seeing it, and he snorted.
"What brings you here today, then?"
"To help you make money."
"Pardon?"
Cheon Geuk stared at Baek Socheon with wide eyes.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Have you heard there are wagers on this duel?"
"Of course."
"Place a bet. On me winning."
"I already did."
"What?"
Baek Socheon was startled.
"Did you think I'd let such a good opportunity pass me by?"
"You like gambling?"
"No. This is the first time I've ever placed a bet. I always warn my assassins that if an assassin starts gambling too, they've fallen as low as they can go."
"Then why did you do it?"
"This isn't gambling. It's like picking up money someone dropped on the ground, isn't it? I'm the one who knows best that you'll win."
When she put it that way, Baek Socheon asked,
"How can you know what will happen? I could lose."
"You won't. How could you lose?"
"He might reveal some hidden trump card."
"You still won't lose. Even if lightning struck you during the duel, you wouldn't lose."
"Why are you so certain?"
"Because if you lose, I'll lose money!"
Baek Socheon snorted again at her answer.
"How much did you bet?"
"One hundred thousand nyang."
One hundred thousand nyang held symbolic meaning for her. She wanted to put in every last coin she owned, but that would make it real gambling. So she had used her personal funds to bet only one hundred thousand nyang, the amount that immediately came to mind when she thought of Baek Socheon.
She asked him,
"Should I place a bet for you too?"
"Me? Can I even do that?"
"Of course. Restricting the actual participants would be meaningless anyway. They could just have someone else place the bet for them."
"True. I suppose the two people dueling could even collude to fix the match."
"Exactly. That's what duel gamblers are most wary of, those kinds of swindlers. But there is no need to worry about that this time, so I heard enormous sums are being wagered. It's a chance to make a lot of money. Give me your money, and I'll place the bet for you."
"I'll pass."
"Mm, as expected."
"As expected?"
"Nothing."
"You were thinking this, weren't you? Ugh, what a frustratingly old-fashioned orthodox fossil. Who's going to appreciate all that moral scrupulousness?"
Cheon Geuk grinned and asked,
"Did you learn mind-reading too?"
"Ha ha."
There was nothing he could do if that was how she saw him.
"Still, I'm not a complete fossil, am I? I don't try to stop you or the people around me."
As Baek Socheon became subtly conscious of his age, Cheon Geuk comforted him.
"You're not at the point where anyone needs to worry. If you really do become a fossil, I'll tell you bluntly."
"All right. You have to tell me."
Without someone like that, no one would tell him. People grew older without realizing what they said or how others saw them. Baek Socheon had seen many such people. He only hoped he would not grow old that way.
"You know what happens if you lose, right? Every assassin will be mobilized!"
"I'll win."
"Good."
"I've helped you make money, so I have a favor to ask."
Cheon Geuk blinked with a baffled expression.
"Wait a moment. Didn't you just say something that doesn't quite add up? Didn't you hear that I had already placed the bet before you told me?"
"I heard."
"And?"
"There wouldn't even be a duel if it weren't for me."
"Seeing you force that logic again, this must be an important request."
Cheon Geuk liked that side of Baek Socheon. Men who fit too neatly within the rules were stifling. Though he belonged to the orthodox faction, Baek Socheon had a boldness that set him apart from the rest.
Perhaps that was why Yeom Hwasin found Baek Socheon interesting as well.
"Nothing in this world comes free."
Cheon Geuk laughed and accepted Baek Socheon's shamelessness.
"Of course. The closer you are, the more diligently you should look after your interests. What's the favor?"
"Keep an eye on someone."
"Who?"
"A man named Pajeong, who came with Myeol Jiryun. He nearly saw through my concealment."
Cheon Geuk was startled.
"Really?"
Baek Socheon nodded and warned her to be careful.
"You don't need to get close. Just find out where he goes and who he meets. Every meeting, no matter how trivial."
"That much won't be difficult."
For anyone else, even that would be extremely difficult. It was something he could ask only of Cheon Geuk.
"Then I'm counting on you."
"Aren't you worried I might be discovered by this Pajeong?"
"I am. I'm worried you'll kill Pajeong."
She snorted.
"Isn't that overestimating me a little?"
"I know your martial arts better than anyone. I can afford to overestimate you."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Then I'll be going."
Baek Socheon left Daru.
He was not worried about her. If anyone should be asked who was worrying about whom, it was Cheon Geuk. Beyond her skill, she possessed cool judgment and knew how to control her own emotions.
* * *
Another day passed.
After one more night's sleep, the day of the final battle would arrive.
Baek Socheon went to find Zhuge Hyeon in the Strategic Command Center.
"I came because I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"Could I borrow the Dragon Scale Armor you lent me before, one more time?"
"Of course. But why so suddenly?"
"Yeom Sawon received the Black Dragon Divine Armor from Yeom Hwasin."
Zhuge Hyeon was startled. The exceptional defense of the Black Dragon Divine Armor was well known. Put simply, it meant that where one strike would normally suffice, two would be needed.
"Will you be all right if Yeom Sawon is wearing the Black Dragon Divine Armor? You could invoke the duel rules and prevent him from wearing it."
"No, let him. I'll wear the Dragon Scale Armor as well."
"Naturally. You need to keep things balanced."
"Not to keep things balanced. If I win, I can use the Dragon Scale Armor as an excuse and say I won because of it. Since his side is wearing armor too, they won't be able to nitpick the result."
He was already thinking ahead to victory. It was hard to believe, but at Baek Socheon's current level, protective armor was no more than another cumbersome layer of clothing.
"Ah, I see. Take it at once."
Zhuge Hyeon had a subordinate strategist bring his Dragon Scale Armor.
"At times like this, it feels as if you should have become a strategist."
"How could that be? Compared to you, Strategist, I'm only good at little tricks."
"No. If you had set your mind on becoming a strategist from the beginning, you would have become an excellent one."
"You think highly of me."
He meant it sincerely. There was a clear difference between concentrating one's thoughts to solve a problem when it arose and spending all day doing that work when it became one's own responsibility. One should never underestimate the strength of people who had steadfastly walked a single path.
Just then, the subordinate strategist brought the Dragon Scale Armor.
"Thank you."
At that moment, Sima Iljung rushed in with an urgent expression.
"Urgent news."
"What happened?"
"Please look at this."
When Zhuge Hyeon saw the urgent dispatch in Sima Iljung's hand, his expression stiffened. The small cylinder holding the dispatch was black with gold-leaf decorations.
It was an official dispatch from the Black Heaven Alliance.
Zhuge Hyeon read its contents and was startled.
"This is..."
"What is it?"
"It's a dispatch from the Black Heaven Alliance."
The contents were so shocking that Zhuge Hyeon could only stare at it in silence for a moment. Then astonishing news came from his lips.
"Yeom Hwasin has sent word that he will attend the tournament personally."
"What?"
Even Baek Socheon was startled.
"The duel is tomorrow."
"It seems he has already set out. He says he will arrive here tomorrow morning."
It was truly unexpected. He had likely informed them only the day before so they would have no time to prepare.
"He is confident we will not attack him at an official duel tournament."
This was where the orthodox faction stood at a disadvantage against the unorthodox faction. If it were the other way around, could Ak Sogun attend a Black Heaven Alliance tournament and return safely?
There was another reason Yeom Hwasin could attend with confidence.
Even if an unexpected situation caused a clash, he was confident he could leave alive.
The question was why he wanted to attend.
Did he intend to watch his son die in person? Was he trying to heighten his own rage?
Or was it something else? Did he intend to save his son at the critical moment?
Yeom Hwasin was truly impossible to read.
There was one more critical problem.
What if Baek Socheon had to use internal energy, even secretly? He might be able to hide it from the other masters, but could he really hide it from Yeom Hwasin's eyes?
The thought of Yeom Hwasin made him feel the same unconscious fear as when one imagined the deep, dark sea.
'What exactly are you planning?'
* * *
At last, the day of the duel dawned.
The duel was to be held at noon, but countless people had camped out near the Murim Alliance from early morning.
If they learned Yeom Hwasin himself was coming, they might even riot and force their way into the Murim Alliance. They feared Yeom Hwasin deeply, but they also desperately wanted to see him in person. The Murim Alliance had therefore kept his attendance completely secret. They planned to introduce him just before the duel began.
Baek Socheon rose early, bathed, and lightly warmed up.
Then he felt an immense presence behind him. There was only one person whose presence felt like this.
'He really came.'
Sure enough, a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"Did you have a good dream?"
Baek Socheon turned around and saw Yeom Hwasin sitting atop the wall, looking down at him.
"When you visit someone else's home, you knock on the door. Why are you climbing over the wall?"
"How could the nature of an unorthodox bastard change?"
Yeom Hwasin grinned and leaped down. He deliberately landed with a heavy thud, making the ground shake as if there had been an earthquake. It was almost as if he were announcing, "I'm here."
"What exactly are you thinking?"
"You're questioning me the moment you see my face. I came from far away, so offer me a cup of water."
Beon Saeng came outside after feeling the tremor.
"What's going on?"
He flinched, overwhelmed by Yeom Hwasin's imposing build.
Yeom Hwasin said to him,
"Bring me a cup of water."
"Ah, yes."
Beon Saeng went inside and brought out some water.
He handed it to Yeom Hwasin. Yeom Hwasin drained it in great gulps, then gave the empty bowl back to Beon Saeng.
"You gave me water, so I will spare your life."
Beon Saeng laughed.
"Ha ha, what a funny joke. Why are there so many people around me who make frightening jokes? There is a female martial artist who enjoys making similar jokes."
"I'm not joking."
"Ha ha, she always says she isn't joking either. But you seem familiar... Where have I seen someone with such an impressive build... Now that I think about it... In Chongqing... Urgh!"
Only then did Beon Saeng realize that the person before him was Yeom Hwasin, the Black Heaven Alliance Leader.
He had seen him speaking with Baek Socheon near the Chongqing border. Yet he had only seen him from a distance, and he had never imagined he would see Yeom Hwasin in his own courtyard.
"...I must not be fully awake. I think I am seeing things. Then I will go back to sleep."
With a tearful expression, Beon Saeng backed into the house.
'Ah! Now I'm even fetching water for the Black Heaven Alliance Leader!'
Yeom Hwasin looked at Baek Socheon with a smile.
"He's a cute one."
"At a time like this, you should be doting on your son. Don't tell me you came to see me before even seeing your son?"
"That is correct. Are you not my son too?"
"You really..."
For some reason, Yeom Hwasin looked delighted.
Baek Socheon strode up until he stood directly before him.
They were now close enough to touch if either reached out a hand. He could see even the smallest changes in Yeom Hwasin's expression.
"Let me ask you one thing. Answer honestly."
"Ask."
Baek Socheon came straight to the point.
"Do you truly intend to let your son die by my hand?"
Footnotes:
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