WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 106: The Grand Journey Through Hellish Chaos (5)
──────
“Damn it, look at him strutting around just because he earned a little fame!”
Nam Hwaseong of the Samwon Sect fumed.
His opponent had clearly made a foolish, idiotic choice, yet for some reason, his resentment would not fade.
“...”
“...”
The others felt much the same.
They had been unable to tear their eyes away from Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran, who looked as though they had just rolled out of bed yet were far more radiant than Ha Yeongyeong, who had appeared in extravagant dress to seduce the Black Flame Dragon with their looks. That only made their frustration worse.
“Brother Cheol, seeing him so besotted with pretty faces, it seems the rumors about his intelligence were all lies.”
Cheol Sunjik did not answer Nam Hwaseong’s question.
“...”
“Brother Cheol?”
“Hm?”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
Cheol Sunjik replayed what had just happened.
He had made his offer, and Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran had sent Jin Sowoon a sound transmission as though they had given up.
Anyone who saw it would have thought they were telling him to choose the Twelve Peak Alliance over them.
Given the circumstances, it should have been only natural for him to reluctantly choose the Twelve Peak Alliance.
‘But he didn’t.’
There had not been a moment of hesitation.
He had rejected them as though it were the obvious choice.
It could not simply be that his sense of loyalty was so strong that he could not abandon those who had traveled with him. Taeul Sect held far too many Academy Admission Tokens.
Four expected entrants.
Among the lower-ranked sects of the One Hundred Eight Peaks, many could not send as many disciples into the Academy as Taeul Sect.
Would he give up such an opportunity for loyalty?
Even Shaolin Temple’s abbot would laugh at that.
‘Could he have noticed?’
That absurd suspicion naturally led to the things Cheol Sunjik had intended to do after bringing Taeul Sect into his fold.
Things that would strengthen the alliance and maintain the balance of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.
If four people from Taeul Sect entered the Martial Arts Academy at once, it would cause a major stir among the One Hundred Eight Peaks.
That would create disorder, and disorder would weaken the unity of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.
It would be better for their future unity to offer appropriate compensation and reduce Taeul Sect’s number of entrants.
In return, they would elevate the Black Flame Dragon as a hero of the One Hundred Eight Peaks, raising Taeul Sect’s standing while fostering the impression that the One Hundred Eight Peaks truly led the martial world.
Naturally, that would also lessen their obligation to distribute Academy Admission Tokens to Bifung Sect and Ghost Bow Sect. It was killing two birds with one stone. No, three.
Yet all those plans had fallen apart because of one sentence from Jin Sowoon.
“That is a problem.”
“What is?”
“Taeul Sect.”
“I agree. Aren’t they unbearably arrogant?”
“That is not what I mean. I am concerned that the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Clans may steal the opportunity the One Hundred Eight Peaks have finally seized.”
Whether Jin Sowoon was involved or not did not matter much.
If they lacked a hero, they could simply create another.
But for the first time, the Twelve Peak Alliance had a chance to surpass the Nine Sects One Gang and claim the top admission spot.
If Jin Sowoon and his vulnerable companions had their Academy Admission Tokens stolen by the Nine Sects One Gang, they would have to wait through another long, tedious stretch of years.
“What can we do? He’s throwing away his own good fortune.”
“Even if he refuses, can he cast aside his duty? As one of the One Hundred Eight Peaks, we must make him take responsibility.”
“How?”
“Send word to Bifung Sect and Ghost Bow Sect. Tell them there is no need to come all the way to Zhengzhou.”
#
“...Why did you say that?”
Seong Moran’s cheeks were strangely flushed as she left the reception room.
Had I done something wrong?
I thought I had upheld loyalty in my own way.
“They keep calling me the Black Flame Dragon. What’s so good about that epithet?”
“...Young Master Jin.”
“Of course, I wanted to travel with the two of you.”
“...”
“...”
I’d made a joke to lighten the solemn mood, but it only became more awkward. Their ears turned red as though they were angry at my lame joke.
“...I’m not so heartless that I’d turn my back on people who ended up in this situation because of me.”
“...Still, given the circumstances...”
“Besides, the two of you aren’t so insignificant that I’d trade you for the Martial Arts Academy.”
What if I could quickly persuade the Namgung Clan, Iron Sword Sect, and Moyong Clan during the Orthodox-Demonic War?
Wouldn’t that be far better than the sluggish response of my previous life?
From that perspective, entering the Martial Arts Academy was important, but strengthening my ties with them was even more important.
“...!”
“...!”
Seong Moran stared at me blankly, unable to close her mouth, and Namgung Seonhwa’s expression was no different.
Silence lingered for a moment.
“I, I’ll never give up.”
Namgung Seonhwa suddenly clenched both fists.
“What? Isn’t that obvious?”
“No matter how hard things become, I won’t say they’re hard. No, I won’t even think of them as hard.”
Had those people’s rude behavior given her some kind of motivation?
Seong Moran let out a quiet sigh.
“I told you, Young Master Jin is different. I won’t complain about things being difficult from now on either.”
“Is that so? That’s fortunate. I think things are about to become even harder.”
“What?”
The eager expressions on Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran’s faces crumpled with unease.
Hadn’t they just said they would work hard?
“Didn’t you hear what they said earlier? Bifung Sect and Ghost Bow Sect are two days away, aren’t they?”
“...Yes, but what does that have to do with things becoming harder?”
“Those two sects are notorious Gate Token thieves.”
“...”
“Then who do you think would be the most tempting prey for them?”
“Um... Taeul Sect?”
Namgung Seonhwa was trying to escape reality.
“No. Taeul Sect traveling with the Namgung Clan, Moyong Clan, and Iron Sword Sect.”
Seong Moran, who had been listening, opened her mouth in shock and muttered,
“We’re doomed.”
#
Great Journey.
Compared to the distance they had traveled to clear Gate I and Gate II, the route for Gate III was short.
Yet people called this road the Great Journey not because of its distance, but because of its brutality.
It was such a fierce journey that people said it would be better called the Skull-Cracking Journey, since so many heads were broken along the way. Even prominent sects, including the Nine Sects One Gang and Five Great Clans, often became targets.
For candidates who had spent their entire lives focused solely on the Martial Arts Academy, this Great Journey was their last chance to enter it.
With no next chance to hope for, the candidates clung stubbornly to those provisionally admitted as though they had no tomorrow.
“Hm?”
A strange sight entered my view. Martial artists from different sects had formed a mixed formation.
“...That formation is rather...”
Gang Seopyo answered my question.
“The Moyong Clan’s martial artists aren’t yet familiar with the White Tiger Sword Formation, so we mixed them together.”
“That’s possible?”
The Iron Sword Sect, Moyong Clan, and Namgung Clan all took immense pride in their own martial arts.
Even though most of them knew how poorly the Martial Alliance regarded the White Tiger Sword Formation, they had joined together to learn it?
“They have to if they want to eat.”
I could only let out a bitter smile at the thought that the White Tiger Sword Formation, created by the genius Jegal Cheongi, was being used simply to protect their meals.
“Young Master Jin...”
Gang Seopyo spoke with an unusually serious expression.
“From now on, please give us orders directly.”
“What?”
I asked again, wondering if I had misheard.
“I mean exactly what I said. Until we reach Wuhan, you may speak to us directly without going through anyone else.”
“...”
Our chain of command had been for me to tell Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, and the recently joined Moyong Jaehwa, then have them relay my words to their sect’s martial artists.
“If orders are relayed, our response will be delayed.”
“Will that truly be all right?”
I did not mind, but I wondered whether the martial artists would accept it.
“If anyone refuses to listen, I’ll smash their skull.”
“No, that won’t be necessary...”
“Both young ladies, the young master, Unit Leader Choe, and Unit Leader Baek have already agreed.”
When I looked around, everyone who had been listening to my conversation with Gang Seopyo nodded one after another.
“Very well. I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“Thank you.”
“I should be the one saying that.”
“No, not for that... Thank you. Truly.”
“Hm?”
Choe Mubin, who was running beside us, spoke as well.
“I thank you too.”
I did not understand what they were thanking me for, so I looked at Seong Moran. She quickly changed the subject.
“Th-then, where are we going? We’re heading toward Shaoshi Peak, right?”
To leave Zhengzhou and enter Hubei, we had to pass through Mount Song. There was a route through Taishi Peak and another through Shaoshi Peak.
Of the Five Great Mountains, Mount Song’s Taishi Peak was especially known for its steep and arduous paths.
Instead of answering, I asked Moyong Jaehwa.
“If it were you, which way would you go?”
“...Me?”
“Between Taishi Peak and Shaoshi Peak, which route would you take?”
“Uh...”
Seeing Moyong Jaehwa flustered, Namgung Seonhwa grinned.
“Jaehwa has loved going out to play since he was little, so he never studied military strategy or tactics.”
“Sister Seonhwa!”
Moyong Jaehwa blushed, thought for a moment, then stammered out his answer.
“I, I would take Taishi Peak.”
“That idiot...”
“Oh dear...”
That was the obvious response. Speed was our greatest priority, after all.
“Then we will go through Taishi Peak.”
“What?”
“Young Master Jin!”
“B-Brother!”
Even Moyong Jaehwa, who had made the suggestion, turned pale and tried to stop me.
“From now on, we can’t think only about those chasing us from behind. We must also think about those waiting ahead.”
“Ah...”
“Even so, wouldn’t it be better to take the easier path if we must fight them? Taishi Peak puts us at a disadvantage too.”
“The ones I’m concerned about among the thieves are Bifung Sect and Ghost Bow Sect.”
The thieves.
Among the scavengers hunting Academy Admission Tokens, they were the ones who had given up on the examination from the start, waited a long time while targeting only the Great Journey, and conserved their strength. If they encountered terrain where their martial arts could shine, they would be able to face any enemy.
“Why are they suddenly relevant?”
“Didn’t Cheol Sunjik say they planned to join up in two days? Mount Song happens to be exactly two days from Zhengzhou. And Shaoshi Peak is the terrain archers favor most. Isn’t that right?”
“Huh? Y-yes.”
“It sounds like you answered without knowing anything.”
“S-Sister Moran, I knew before answering.”
As Mount Song drew closer, pursuers began to gather behind us.
“It’s the Twelve Peak Alliance.”
“Since they came on horseback, as you said, Young Master Jin, they must intend to end this quickly.”
“Should we increase our speed?”
I shook my head.
“There’s no need. They won’t approach us until we enter Shaoshi Peak.”
Even if their numbers were small, the Five Great Clans were still the Five Great Clans.
If they fought us recklessly and suffered losses, they would have to worry about being torn apart by the other scavengers. Their best choice was to wait until we entered Shaoshi Peak.
“Let’s go.”
When the road split between a broad, level path and a steep, narrow one, we entered the steep, narrow route without hesitation.
The group from the Twelve Peak Alliance pursuing us visibly hesitated.
“Young Master Jin! They stopped!”
“We’ll increase our speed from here.”
“What? The carriage won’t be able to keep up.”
“We’ll leave the carriage here. We’ll cut straight across Taishi Peak and strike Bifung Sect and Ghost Bow Sect from behind.”
No matter how I thought about it, I didn’t know when I would meet Cheol Sunjik again. Since I had run into him this time, I ought to punch that face of his at least once before leaving.
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried