WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 204: Musical Chairs (3)

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It wasn't only Moyong Jaehwa's lessons that had received suspension notices.

The White Tiger Sword Formation classes for coordinated attacks, as well as theory classes on Five Elements qi, including ice arts and fire arts.

Every class Jin Sowoon had created had received a suspension notice.

And the notices had come from a delegation that had not even been formally appointed.

"This has gone far beyond crossing the line! Of course, I know a threat like this means nothing to Young Master Jin, but...!"

At Seong Moran's words, even the usually calm Eunho could not hide his agitation.

"Eldest Senior Brother. We need to lodge a formal protest."

"..."

Jin Sowoon merely sat quietly with both hands on the table, covering his mouth.

The people who had been worked up suddenly felt a chill when they saw his eyes.

'Eldest Senior Brother again...?'

'Young Master Jin again...?'

Was it because half his face was hidden?

Though she could see Jin Sowoon's face, Namgung Seonhwa could not tell what he was thinking.

Then Nam Hwaseong abruptly rose to his feet.

"Fuck! This is completely unacceptable! Just say the word, Representative Jin! I'll go break every one of those White Path Society bastards' legs so you don't have to get involved!"

Jin Sowoon looked up at the fuming Nam Hwaseong and finally opened his mouth.

"The spy should stay quiet."

"I-I'm not a fucking spy!"

Jin Sowoon usually threw around the word "spy" as a pointless joke, but this time, his expression was utterly blank.

Feeling uneasy, Namgung Seonhwa calmed everyone down.

"Wait... We need to think this through calmly. If they've gone this far, they must have something to rely on."

Those who had been agitated gradually regained their composure at her words.

"Seonhwa is right. If it comes down to the student participation rate, we're still at an advantage."

Jang Woojae nodded at Hong Saryeon's words.

"Of course, but according to Lady Namgung, they have already spoken with the instructors. They've likely used their clans' influence."

"..."

"The best outcome would be to disband them, but if that isn't possible, we need to draw more people to our events than they do. That way, even if the instructors step in, the other side will lose its justification."

The number of people who had begun supporting Jin Sowoon had not changed by much.

"Should we say a little over half...?"

Eunho was estimating the number of Academy students expected to attend their events, just as everyone in the delegation had been doing.

"It would be good if the Orthodox Society members who went to Sichuan stepped forward as well."

"The lay martial sect members will probably help, but I'm worried whether the Orthodox Society's central figures will act."

"Representative Jin... What are your thoughts?"

At Jang Woojae's words, everyone's expectant gazes turned toward Jin Sowoon.

#

I had no choice but to admit it.

I didn't want to, but I had no choice.

It was this strange itch at the tip of my nose.

'Hmm... The fragrance is still lingering.'

I never knew tea could be so fragrant.

Seven-Colored Flower Tea really was delicious.

Now I understood why Beijing's high officials sought Seven-Colored Flower Tea over Junshan Silver Needle or Dragon Well Tea.

When I first swallowed it, I thought it was merely bitter, but its subtle fragrance lingered in my mouth all day.

The taste was so wonderful that I thought of it the next day, and the day after that.

I wanted to visit Jegal Jeonggi again and drink more Seven-Colored Flower Tea, but his side was currently at odds with our delegation.

With so many people watching, I couldn't just go see him.

I even asked the Head Attendant whether she could obtain some Seven-Colored Flower Tea, but she said, "Seven-colored or eight-colored, absolutely not," and refused.

Apparently, ten Seven-Colored Flower Tea flowers cost as much as a regular family's monthly food expenses.

It wasn't as though I lacked money, but I wasn't out of my mind enough to spend it on something like that.

'How can I drink Seven-Colored Flower Tea without paying for it?'

As I was pondering that...

"Young Master Jin! You're not thinking bad thoughts, are you?"

I came to my senses and looked around. Why was everyone staring at me with worried expressions?

'What is going on?'

Only then did I remember.

They said Jegal Jeonggi had sent notices suspending the classes I created.

Why did that man have to make trouble for me by doing something so pointless?

Well, he had tried to make me feel guilty during our last meeting, but guilt wasn't something you could simply plant in someone.

Even weeds could not grow in a desert suffering through endless drought.

Before an avalanche in the dead of winter, even the most splendid flowers would freeze to death.

Did he think I'd feel guilty for striking back against people who came after me?

They really took me for a pushover.

Was there no helping people who had been pampered within the Five Great Clans?

To reassure the delegation, who must have been flustered by the sudden situation, I looked at them one by one.

"Don't worry. A shallow provocation like this won't shake me in the slightest."

"..."

Huh? Why did their eyes look so strange?

Eunho's gaze in particular, since he'd been with me since childhood, was full of disbelief.

What was with this atmosphere?

"Eunho. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Eunho's expression grew even stranger at my question.

"Eldest Senior Brother, um... Do we look like we're worried about you?"

"Huh?"

Then who else would you be worried about...?

Nam Hwaseong cut in.

"See? That bastard clearly doesn't know how dangerous and crazy he is! I knew it from the moment he casually brought back the Young Cult Leader of the Blood Cult's head...!"

What was he talking about now?

I was about to fire back at Nam Hwaseong's nonsense...

But every member of the delegation surrounding me nodded at his words.

What was this atmosphere?

This time, Seong Moran spoke.

"Young Master Jin, um... No matter how angry you are, it would be best if you didn't take all the temporary Representative Officer Corps' heads..."

What were these people talking about?

Only then did I realize the cause of this strange atmosphere.

They weren't worried that Jegal Jeonggi and the White Path Society's scheme would put me in danger.

'Are they worried I might go too far instead?'

Should I be grateful that they trusted me, or dumbfounded that they saw me as a madman without blood or tears? Tsk.

I began speaking to reassure the officer corps in a different sense.

"Ahem. Don't worry. Taking heads is troublesome too. Besides, they have people backing them, so cleaning up afterward would be bothersome..."

"..."

Hmm. I had been joking, so why did everyone look even paler?

After comforting the officer corps as their representative, I recalled Jegal Jeonggi's expression.

He acted completely relaxed, but it looked like nothing more than a defense mechanism, puffing himself up to hide his impatience.

What had made him so desperate to take the Academy Representative position?

'The Jegal Clan must have completed it by now.'

If so, I could somewhat understand why he was moving so abruptly.

An incident capable of shaking the entire world was about to occur.

He must have thought stealing one Academy Representative position would be nothing in comparison.

As I considered these things, Namgung Seonhwa's expression hardened with resolve.

"I'll investigate further for now."

Unlike the other officers, her face seemed to show genuine concern for me.

That made me feel a little awkward.

"It's all right..."

Bang!

Before I could say anything else, Namgung Seonhwa rushed out.

"It's all right..."

In truth, I had already roughly formed a plan for dealing with Jegal Jeonggi and the fake delegation.

Still, I was glad that she was running around to help me.

Then a good idea suddenly came to me.

Thump.

"Eldest Senior Brother?"

Had I struck the table too hard?

My palm was tingling.

"I'll go see Jegal Jeonggi for a moment."

"G-go see him for what? You're not planning to smash his head in, are you? If you do that now..."

What did people think of me?

"I need to have a conversation with him."

No one would suspect that I was going there to drink Seven-Colored Flower Tea, right?

#

"L-Lady Namgung... I clearly told you. This puts me in a difficult position..."

The man kept looking around, carefully checking whether anyone was nearby.

If he was discovered meeting Namgung Seonhwa, he could be expelled from the White Path Society at any moment.

"That's why I'm asking. What exactly has Jegal Jeonggi prepared so confidently? What did he prepare that makes him act so openly?"

"I don't know either."

The man tried to end the conversation and flee, but Namgung Seonhwa blocked his path and continued pressing him.

"Are you afraid of Brother Gipyo but not afraid of me?"

"..."

"You know that the hierarchy between the Namgung Clan's direct and collateral lines is being reorganized, correct?"

"...Haa."

After looking around, the man lowered his voice as much as possible.

"I heard the Jegal Clan has prepared something new."

"Something new?"

"Yes. At the same time, formation masters who set up supreme formations..."

Namgung Seonhwa was fully focused on his words.

The man abruptly stopped speaking and looked past her in surprise.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Uh, th-this is..."

A powerful wave of qi passed narrowly by Namgung Seonhwa and struck the man's chest.

Cough.

"Urk!"

Caught off guard, the man vomited blood.

"What is this!"

Namgung Seonhwa was about to counterattack when she saw her opponent and froze.

"Brother Gipyo..."

Namgung Gipyo stood there, his eyes sharper than usual.

#

'Ah... Why?'

I visited the fake delegation, but Seven-Colored Flower Tea was not served this time.

Jegal Jeonggi clearly had a tendency to show off... Had he run out of Seven-Colored Flower Tea?

"What brings you here today?"

"What brings me here?"

I had been blankly staring at the Junshan Silver Needle. When I raised my head, Jegal Jeonggi wore a smug expression.

What should I say?

If I said I came to drink Seven-Colored Flower Tea, would he give me some?

"...Hmm. What do you think brought me here?"

Jegal Jeonggi rubbed the table in circles with his finger, then turned his gaze to me.

"Well. If you came because of the class suspension notices, I wonder whether there was any need for you to do so."

Jegal Jeonggi really did seem a little inferior to Jegal Cheongi.

He deliberately gestured toward me with his chin as he continued.

"If you retain the Academy Representative position, the notices we sent will have no effect."

Then why had Jegal Cheongi spent years locked in the Golden Prison in my previous life, while Jegal Jeonggi received the clan's support and rose through the ranks in the Martial Alliance?

"Are you that confident?"

Jegal Jeonggi gestured around the room at my question.

"Would I have spent so much money otherwise?"

Looking at the office he had decorated, every piece of furniture and finish was clearly made of expensive material.

The chair he seemed to use for work in particular looked ordinary at first, but when I sharpened my eyes, it was clearly a masterpiece, carefully designed down to the smallest hidden detail.

Oh, nice.

"The chair is unusual..."

"Hehe. Did you notice? That chair is special. Even in Beijing, only those of the third rank or higher use it. People commonly call such things masterpieces."

Wow, it really was nice.

"...What do you intend to do with these facilities if the fake delegation is disbanded?"

A laugh escaped Jegal Jeonggi's lips.

"Well, I haven't considered that."

If those items were all discarded after the fake delegation was disbanded, it would pain my heart.

How much had all this cost?

Wastefulness was like an enemy one had to be wary of.

Frugality was also tied to character and morality.

And I had quite good character.

"If the fake delegation is disbanded, how about leaving the facilities behind? It's not as though you'll have anywhere to take them and use them."

"..."

Jegal Jeonggi's face stiffened for the first time.

"Are you relying on the Hyeongsan Sect? That won't happen. Once you see what our White Path Society has prepared..."

"If you're that confident, how about promising to leave them behind?"

At my proposal, Jegal Jeonggi leaned back and tried to project an imposing air.

"Haha! Are you perhaps confident in the Invitation of Distinguished Figures? Unfortunately, you won't be able to receive the Namgung Clan's help..."

This bastard really was all talk.

I deliberately cut him off.

"So will you leave them behind, or will you take them away shamefully?"

"..."

After I cut him off a few times, Jegal Jeonggi's expression turned unpleasant.

Still, it couldn't be helped.

I liked the facilities here and the Seven-Colored Flower Tea quite a bit.

Once again, I swept my gaze calmly around the room.

"Of course, it would be nice if you left all the consumable supplies in the facilities as well."

Then I added as if granting him a favor.

"Ah, since it has come to this, I'll publicly announce that the White Path Society donated them."

"...Do as you wish."

Jegal Jeonggi's body trembled as he tried to curl his lips into a sneer. I nodded pleasantly.

"Oh, right! Why is Junshan Silver Needle being served today instead of Seven-Colored Flower Tea? You haven't run out of Seven-Colored Flower Tea, have you?"

Jegal Jeonggi's face crumpled like paper.

Still, what could I do? I had come here to drink Seven-Colored Flower Tea in the first place.

#

"What are you doing!"

Namgung Gipyo sneered at Namgung Seonhwa's words.

"There was a rat, so I took care of it."

"..."

"You're doing something unlike yourself as well. Working as a spy. Did that bastard order you to do it?"

"A spy? That's too much, Brother Gipyo."

Tsk.

Namgung Gipyo clicked his tongue in displeasure.

"I heard about it. You've been stirring up the Academy for some time now, haven't you? All for that Jin Sowoon bastard?"

"I only acted for the legitimate Martial Arts Academy delegation."

"On top of that, you tried to sell out Grandfather for that bastard."

"...What are you talking about!"

"Do you like him enough to betray your clan?"

"..."

Namgung Seonhwa bit down hard on her lip.

"The Namgung Clan has traditionally operated within the White Path Society as a member of the Five Great Clans. Not only Namgung Clan members, but the members of its lay martial sects all belong to the White Path Society."

Namgung Gipyo stared directly into Namgung Seonhwa's eyes.

"And yet a member of the Namgung Clan's direct line betrays the White Path Society and sells out her clan for her man... Aren't you ashamed?"

Namgung Seonhwa knew well what people had been saying behind her back.

She had not responded because she knew it could never be the correct view.

Joining the White Path Society was not mandatory. Nor was everything the White Path Society did just.

Was it not clear from everything they had done to remove Jin Sowoon, the legitimate Academy Representative?

Even so, words that dug into her heart when spoken to her face still wounded her.

Though she knew being with Jin Sowoon was right, a small sense of guilt at having betrayed others tightened around her.

Namgung Gipyo skillfully exploited that weakness.

"Shameless bitch."

As though her paralysis acupoint had been struck, Namgung Seonhwa could not move even at Namgung Gipyo's abuse.

Only profound shame reddened her face.

Thud.

Then, with a dull sound, Namgung Gipyo collapsed with a strange expression.

"W-Which bastard was that!"

Namgung Gipyo struggled to rise quickly.

But then...

Thud.

Another dull impact sounded, and Namgung Gipyo clutched his face and screamed.

"Aaargh!"

Calm footsteps sounded through his cries.

"This guy is completely insane. There's nothing he won't say to Lady Seonhwa."

The person who appeared with that familiar rude voice was none other than Jin Sowoon.

=======

Hello, this is Jeokseolmok.

Thank you so much for the overwhelming interest you have shown Jin Sowoon.

Thanks to you, I have been deeply moved every day, and I have been able to happily continue writing Jin Sowoon's story as an author.

Recently, after catching COVID and then suffering from enteritis, I fell into a deep qi deviation and struggled with poor health.

It seems this may have affected the work, and readers may have felt something was a little lacking.

Fortunately, I met a renowned divine physician and overcame my qi deviation by taking a Western elixir. Now I only need to get my condition properly back on track.

I will work to bring Jin Sowoon's story back on course.

I hope you will continue enjoying Jin Sowoon's story.

Oh, and another chapter will be uploaded in about an hour today.

Thank you always.

From Jeokseolmok

Footnotes:

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