WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Haruto

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Martial Alliance Rulebook Archives ◈

Chapter 46: Shadow of the Clan (2)

──────

Murong Sung was a young man with a cold demeanor.

Though his expression was chilly, he looked as if he had only recently shed the last traces of boyhood. Perhaps because his face still retained some youthful freshness, he lacked the oppressive presence that powerful figures often seemed to exert over those around them.

Yet he possessed a different kind of pressure, one born not of age or experience, but of the fierce presence radiating from his accumulated internal energy.

His aura called to mind a biting northern wind. Was that the Murong Clan's family style?

"Thank you for the Martial Alliance's support."

Murong Sung opened in a weighty tone that did not quite suit his youthful appearance. Was that manner of speech the result of clan upbringing, or simply his own nature?

I returned the greeting lightly.

"How could we spare resources when the Murong Clan is working so hard for the martial world? I only regret that I lack the authority to provide greater support."

A little preliminary groundwork. Murong Sung's brow furrowed.

"You need only report the clan's valor to the Alliance headquarters exactly as you have seen it."

I nodded. It seemed Murong Sung had already reached some sort of agreement with the Martial Alliance behind the scenes. If the supervisor testified to the Murong Clan's role in the subjugation of Iron-Steel Stronghold, they could use that as a basis to secure further support.

Several thoughts surfaced in my mind.

Murong Sung was the third young master, yet ambitious enough to compete with his two older brothers for succession.

I could roughly see the agreement he had made with the Martial Alliance.

He likely wanted to build a reputation both inside and outside the clan, gaining an advantage in the selection of its successor.

The Martial Alliance, of course, wanted stability in the martial world.

More precisely, it wanted stability without shedding too much of its own blood. Murong Sung must have approached them with something like, "I'll gather the manpower, so provide the supplies."

It was a deal that benefited both sides, but...

"Please don't misunderstand, Young Master Murong. There was an attack during this supply transport operation."

The problem is, I was not a party to that agreement.

"What?"

"The procession was attacked on the way to Iron-Steel Mountain. The culprit had killed the supervisor and disguised themself as the supervisor, so..."

Murong Sung's cold expression twisted. Fury as hot as flame surged across his face, then vanished.

"...Explain the circumstances."

He was openly speaking down to me. Still, I understood the intent. There was no need for empty formalities. We should get to the point.

I briefly explained Lamp-Extinguishing Executioner's scheme, including the nighttime killing carried out while posing as the supervisor.

We had somehow succeeded in driving Lamp-Extinguishing Executioner away, but the supervisor who should have known the outline of the original mission was gone.

"Since I was the second-most senior among the participants, I'm temporarily serving as the person in charge. But I know nothing about the practical work involved here."

That was why I had sent word through a White Sword Squad member to a nearby Martial Alliance branch. It would be best to wait until someone capable of handling the work properly arrived. I thought I had explained things reasonably well.

Murong Sung ran a hand through his hair.

"Those damned bastards. So this is how they mean to play it..."

The words slipped out before he could contain his anger.

I realized that Murong Sung believed one or both of his older brothers had sent an assassin to interfere with him.

'That doesn't seem likely...'

It was a plausible suspicion from Murong Sung's position, but from what I had seen, it was a leap.

Lamp-Extinguishing Executioner seemed to have come to kill someone among the White Sword Squad.

"Young Master Murong. I don't believe your brothers were involved in this matter."

He frowned and jerked his chin. The gesture held both the authority of a direct descendant of a great clan and the urgency of someone trapped in an unfavorable situation.

"First, if your two brothers had sent an assassin, they would not have sent someone like me down as the second-most senior official."

I intended to quickly hand things over to the working-level official from the Martial Alliance branch and leave. If I had been a spy sent by the Murong Clan's two young masters, I should have taken this chance to use the supplies as bait and make Murong Sung's life difficult.

"If they had the means to plant an assassin as the most senior official, they could have placed one of their own as the second-most senior official as well. But I must soon leave and inspect Martial Alliance branches. I am not the right person to pester you and hold you back."

"Then why?"

I shrugged. That much was beyond me.

"How many debts and grudges are there in the martial world? I was too busy keeping myself alive in that situation. If you wish to know the truth, you must investigate it yourself, Young Master."

With that final statement of, 'This is all I know,' I had said everything I needed to say.

I was only the temporary person in charge, so I did not know what had happened.

Don't pull people away from the subjugation of Iron-Steel Stronghold just to counter your brothers. There were too many gaps for this to be infighting within a powerful family.

Finally, since I truly knew nothing, don't trouble me over it. Speak with the working-level official the Martial Alliance would send later. I thought that would be enough for Murong Sung to accept that he had simply been unlucky enough to get caught up in something troublesome and wait quietly.

"...Please wait."

Hm?

His tone had become subtly more polite.

A faint unease rose in me. Since he had been the first to speak down to me, I had loosened my tongue a little. Now, I reined it back in.

"You said you were a researcher?"

"That is correct. I am Yeok Cheonmyeong of the Formation Array Research Department. It is not as though I shoulder the calling of sages who truly handle the Eight Trigrams and Five Elements. I'm closer to a menial worker within the department."

"You said you would make inspection rounds once this matter was concluded. Where will you be going?"

"Martial Alliance branches near Iron-Steel Mountain. When bandit subjugations occur, there are always those who flee, aren't there? I'll be sending notices warning them to watch for remnants of Iron-Steel Stronghold."

* * *

It was an important post.

That was the first thought that came to Murong Sung after hearing the official position of the man named Yeok Cheonmyeong, who had informed him that his plans had gone awry.

At first, he had been too busy suppressing the Murong Clan's distinctive fire affliction, which had risen to the fore, to give it any thought. Yeok Cheonmyeong had said he was merely the temporary person in charge and had no interest in practical matters, while Murong Sung's plans had fallen apart. Too many variables had arisen at once.

Yet the deduction Yeok Cheonmyeong had casually offered was sharper than expected.

His mind had been heated by the fire affliction, making it difficult to reach conclusions he ordinarily would have noticed with ease, but the same was true for the other side.

Had Yeok Cheonmyeong not barely survived a life-and-death duel with an assassin only yesterday?

People could remain calm about matters unrelated to them, but the more deeply they became entangled in an incident, the more likely they were to lose that composure.

Yet Yeok had continued calmly, analyzing the facts as though a physician were diagnosing a patient.

It was far too keen a mind for an incompetent temporary person in charge. The sense of wrongness was enough to cool his fire affliction.

That was why Murong Sung had casually asked about Yeok's original position. The Formation Array Research Department, along with inspection rounds of Martial Alliance branches...

As he considered the position and the mission, Murong Sung reached a chilling conclusion.

Yeok Cheonmyeong was the Martial Alliance's backup plan, sent in preparation for his failure.

A formation array researcher meant someone accustomed to mobilizing martial artists on a large scale.

The task of visiting Martial Alliance branches surrounding Iron-Steel Mountain?

As Yeok had stated, it might be a measure to strengthen the watch and maintain public order. But if the situation turned unfavorable, the Martial Alliance would likely be prepared to step in for the Murong Clan and sweep away Iron-Steel Stronghold itself.

The Martial Alliance wanted stability in the martial world. Naturally, it would have prepared a safeguard to deal with the chaos that would follow should Murong Sung fail to kill Iron-Headed Fire Axe.

Iron-Steel Stronghold, having spent its strength in battle against the Murong Clan, would be helplessly overwhelmed by the Martial Alliance's subsequent subjugation.

'That person truly has no interest in the clan's factional struggles.'

Yeok Cheonmyeong was a safeguard sent by the Martial Alliance. They would never have sent someone lacking the nerve to attach himself to a great clan.

But the moment that safeguard was activated would also be the moment his reputation crashed into the ground...

And the circumstances were what they were.

Ordinarily, that safeguard would have watched the subjugation of Iron-Steel Stronghold and only moved if it clearly ended in failure.

But now, the first supply transport had already begun to go wrong. If the assassin who had interfered with the White Sword Squad also attacked the Murong Clan camp, the entire encirclement could be shaken.

No one knew how Yeok Cheonmyeong would act in that case. He might abandon support for the Murong Clan and have the Martial Alliance launch its own subjugation of Iron-Steel Mountain, crushing the chaos before it began.

If that happened, he would certainly lose the succession contest.

'But the situation isn't entirely bad...!'

Had Yeok Cheonmyeong not said it directly? If he wanted to know the truth, he should find it out himself.

It was a hint that Yeok wanted to see how he handled the situation.

If he uncovered the truth behind the attack on the White Sword Squad and prepared measures to suppress such unexpected situations in the future, then perhaps the Alliance would not go so far as to take the hardline approach of subjugating Iron-Steel Stronghold in the Murong Clan's place.

Having reached that conclusion, Murong Sung gave a respectful fist-and-palm salute.

"This Murong will take Research Officer Yeok's words to heart."

Instead of calling him an ordinary researcher, Murong Sung added an official title, subtly showing respect. It was his way of showing that he respected the other party.

"...?"

Yeok Cheonmyeong tilted his head at the unexpected greeting, then simply nodded along and left.

He thought to himself.

'Martial artists being strange was nothing new.'

Author's Note

Murong Sung was originally the person responsible for the subjugation of Iron-Steel Stronghold, but I mixed his name up with Gongson Hu, the special physician's real name, and mistakenly wrote Murong Hu in the previous chapter.

The mention of Murong Hu in the previous chapter has been corrected to Murong Sung!

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried