WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 219: An Unwelcome Delegation (2)
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The Martial Alliance subjugation force attending the Black Alliance's founding ceremony... no, the delegation, departed Wuhan and headed north.
The Black Alliance was based in Shanxi Province.
To get there from Wuhan, we had to cross Hubei Province and pass through Henan Province.
There were no major difficulties along the way.
Capable escort warriors guided us along good roads, while the Martial Alliance flag at the head of the caravan deterred minor trouble before it could begin.
“It's still a shame.”
Dang Seohui sat atop a horse that somehow seemed larger than everyone else's, her expression sulky.
“I heard that a caravan's journey is always full of incidents, big and small.”
What a terrifying thing to say.
If this group got caught up in an incident, there'd be no salvaging it.
We should be preventing trouble, not getting dragged into conflicts of every size.
...Just imagining it was horrifying.
Yet Dang Seohui's sulky expression showed no sign of easing.
“Senior Dang, haven't you been active in the martial world for quite some time?”
“When I travel with the Dragon-Phoenix Association, no one ever picks a fight with us.”
“...Isn't that a good thing?”
When I looked at her in confusion, her cheeks puffed out slightly.
“...As a chivalrous warrior, I want to subdue villains.”
“...”
Ugh, what was with that expression?
I shook my head and pulled myself together.
Hadn't she done enough playing at being a chivalrous hero while working with the Dragon-Phoenix Association?
Why did everyone in the Black Path martial world shudder whenever they heard the name White-Handed Divine Maiden?
Because more people had died by her hand than the entire Dragon-Phoenix Association had dealt with...
“We're a delegation. It would be better if we didn't get entangled in such matters.”
Besides, Henan Province could practically be considered Shaolin Temple territory, so even the Black Path would watch their behavior.
But Shanxi Province, which we were now entering, was where the Martial Alliance's influence began to weaken.
That meant we had to remain on high alert.
‘Still, they chose an excellent location.’
I had assumed the Black Path Alliance would be established near the Dabie Mountains in Henan Province, just as it had been in my previous life. Instead, the Black Path Alliance in this life had settled in Shanxi Province.
The Martial Alliance's influence would reach them no matter where in the martial world they put down roots, but Shanxi Province was in a delicate position.
There were many Black Path sects around the Dabie Mountains in Henan Province. If they ever fought the Martial Alliance, they could use the Dabie Mountains as a forward base.
And if they aimed for Shaolin Sect, a pillar of the martial world, they could form an encirclement from both the Dabie Mountains and Shanxi Province.
On the other hand, if the Martial Alliance raised an army to subjugate the Black Alliance and marched north, the emperor in neighboring Beijing would immediately bristle and suspect the Martial Alliance of treason.
The Martial Alliance would have to watch Beijing's reaction before it could even strike the Black Alliance.
‘Does the Black Alliance have someone serving as its brain?’
In my previous life, the Demonic Cult's attack had come so swiftly that the Black Path Alliance had been formed in a rush. Even then, it had not lasted long before falling apart.
In this life, the Black Path Alliance had formed even earlier and secured a strategic position as well.
I began to hope that the history of the future might truly change.
As I was lost in thought, the ideological inquisitor of our delegation... no, our commander, Ak Byeongbi, spoke.
“We lower the flag from this point onward.”
“What?”
Ak Byeongbi stared at me with the same look that said he still didn't like me.
“What is it? Do you object?”
“We're entering Shanxi Province now. We don't know what dangers may be waiting for us, yet you want to lower the flag?”
“If we keep the flag raised in Shanxi, it could be mistaken for a signal that the Martial Alliance has yielded to the Black Alliance.”
Wasn't it usually the other way around?
Why was he trying to protect his pride in a dangerous place?
“With the Black Alliance's founding ceremony, Black Path martial artists throughout Shanxi Province will know that large amounts of supplies are passing through here. There will certainly be trouble.”
Even after my calm explanation, Ak Byeongbi shouted with his usual impassive gaze.
“Hmph! I fear no Black Path scum!”
Damn it. This was why I hadn't wanted to come.
If an administrator who knew nothing about martial arts had come instead, they never would have suggested lowering the flag.
Amid the uneasy atmosphere, Ilmyeong calmly pressed his palms together, his shaved head gleaming.
“Benefactor Jin, please don't worry so much. Black Path martial artists are people too. They won't mistreat just anyone.”
What would a monk who knew nothing of the world understand?
As my sigh deepened, Dang Seohui's eyes sparkled with rare excitement.
“My heart is pounding!”
Mine was pounding too. Damn it.
#
After passing Zhengzhou, going through Luoyang, and crossing Jiyuan, we soon entered Shanxi Province.
Contrary to my concerns, no major trouble occurred in the smaller cities.
‘Then again, our caravan is rather unusual.’
A hulking man carrying an iron spear. A monk rolling prayer beads through his fingers. A girl in green silk who gave off an ominous aura.
Even a thug who strutted around like they owned the place wouldn't dare approach a group like that.
Come to think of it, even in the Black Path martial world, people were warier of those dressed strangely.
Unless they were important figures, they wouldn't rush us so easily. And important figures would have no interest in us to begin with.
Perhaps my concerns had been needless after all.
‘That was how it should have been...’
Gaoping was the first large city where we stayed after entering Shanxi Province.
As we ate an awkward meal at an inn in Gaoping, a voice tickled our ears.
“You fucking bastard, do you have a death wish? Why aren't you lowering your eyes?”
“You piece of shit! Want me to use your intestines as a jump rope today?!”
A common quarrel at an inn.
With Black Path martial artists from all over the country gathering for the Black Alliance's founding ceremony, fights broke out inside inns more often than usual.
“You fucking bastard! Are you so desperate to die? Do you know the Evil Sword Society? Its lord is my eldest brother's sworn brother!”
“You piece of shit! You! Do you know the Evil Tiger Sect? Its sect leader is my older cousin's friend's wife's cousin!”
As their voices rose, the companions of the two fighters began to stand one by one, and the small scuffle put everyone around them on edge.
‘It still won't turn into a real fight.’
If they truly intended to fight, they would have grabbed their weapons and rushed at each other already.
But both sides had a fair number of people. They would likely end things after nothing more than this posturing.
Just as I stopped paying attention and turned away...
Thunk.
A strange sound rang out, followed by screams that filled the inn.
“Aaagh!”
“Ugh! Ch-chopsticks?!”
A wooden chopstick was embedded in each of the two fighters' arms.
Then a voice with a strange hint of excitement came from beside me.
“I've tolerated enough. Do not harm people any further.”
I turned to Dang Seohui in disbelief.
...She held a bundle of chopsticks in her hand.
When our eyes met, she whispered in a strangely proud voice.
“I practiced for situations like this.”
‘She's insane!!!’
They hadn't even picked a fight with us. They were fighting among themselves, so why was she throwing chopsticks at them?
As I stood there too dumbfounded to speak, the fighters with chopsticks in their arms rolled their eyes and tried to rush us.
“You fucking bastard! Did you just ambush us?”
“You piece of shit, are you trying to die?!”
With chopsticks lodged in their arms, the Black Path martial artists eagerly decided we were their enemies.
Rather than fight nearly forty people, they had decided it would be better to beat up the four of us, strange clothes or not.
I quickly looked toward Ilmyeong and Ak Byeongbi.
Ilmyeong silently rolled his prayer beads while watching the Black Path martial artists. Ak Byeongbi, on the other hand, slammed his iron spear against the floor as if he were ready to strike at any moment.
You're the commander! You should stop this, not join the fight!
‘Ha... My head hurts...’
I didn't care anymore.
I'd done all I could.
Well, it wasn't as if the famed Blood Star, White-Handed Divine Maiden, and Little Buddha would die to Black Path rabble.
This would probably just ruin our relationship with the Black Alliance, destroy the alliance, break the agreement, and start a war.
Tsk.
As though a string in my head had snapped, all strength left me. Just as I sat down and was about to pour liquor into my mouth...
“Huh?”
Two people mixed into the Black Path crowd caught my eye.
A beautiful woman who looked to have only recently turned thirty, and a gaunt old man who appeared to be at least eighty.
Their eyes shone as if they were waiting for the fight to begin.
Those people...
My mind went numb, as if I had been struck.
‘Flame Ghost Consort and Blood Brawl!’
Their appearances were different, but their habits, movements, and even their eyes were identical to what I had seen in my previous life.
Notorious supreme masters of the Black Path had concealed their presences and hidden among the Black Path rabble!
I had no time to consider why they were hiding here before I shouted.
“W-wait!!!!”
My voice boomed through the inn.
Everyone who had been about to start fighting looked at me. I hurried into the middle and rummaged through my robes.
“Oh, dear... I'm sorry. My companion made a mistake.”
At my sudden change in attitude, the Black Path martial artists narrowed their eyes.
They glared at me and pointed at the chopsticks stuck in their arms.
“A mistake?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I gave them the friendliest smile I could manage.
“I apologize. I apologize. That person is a daughter of the Tang Clan, but she has trained so intensely in martial arts that her hands sometimes lash out even in daily life.”
“A-a daughter of the Tang Clan?”
I could see both fighters' eyes waver slightly.
I quickly nodded.
“Yes, surely you've heard of the White-Handed Divine Maiden of the Dragon-Phoenix Association?”
“Gasp...”
I took out a gold coin for each of them and held them out.
“I know money can't compensate for the pain of your injuries, but wouldn't it be better than getting hurt further in an unnecessary fight?”
As the gold coin glinted before his eyes, the Black Path martial artist hesitated, then reached out and took it.
“Hmph! Keep your companion under control from now on! If she makes the same mistake again, you'll meet the lord of the Evil Sword Society, my eldest brother's sworn brother!”
“Be careful if you don't want to meet the lord of the Evil Tiger Sect, my older cousin's friend's wife's cousin!”
“Y-yes. Of course. Of course.”
The Black Path martial artists turned sharply and began filing out of the inn.
Fortunately, Flame Ghost Consort and Blood Brawl also left the inn, unable to hide their disappointment.
“Haah...”
When I let out a long sigh and turned around, Dang Seohui and Ak Byeongbi were glaring at me with deeply displeased expressions.
“Why did you interfere? Because of you, justice in the martial world has been brought low!!!”
She didn't even know I had saved her!
Besides, punishing those bastards wouldn't make justice prevail anyway!
“You... The fact that you worry over the Black Path martial artists' losses proves that your roots truly lie in the Black Path!”
Ak Byeongbi, the ideological inquisitor, glared at me as if he wanted to carry out justice immediately.
‘Ha, damn it, you all almost died here!’
If I died on this delegation, it would probably be from stress.
I felt like chanting Buddhist scriptures, no matter how much I hated the thought.
#
After passing Gaoping, spending a day in Shangchi, and heading toward Jinzhong, we stopped to rest and eat.
The escort warriors kept watch over the surroundings and inspected the cargo and carriages. At the same time, the horse handlers fed and watered the horses and prepared our meal.
This was what made traveling with an escort agency so convenient.
Other people did all my work for me.
As I ate my meal with satisfaction, a quiet voice came from beside me.
“Um... Is it really all right for you to eat with us?”
I answered the middle-aged horse handler.
“It's fine. I think I'd get indigestion if I ate over there. Is my presence making you uncomfortable?”
“N-no! We're fine.”
I had originally been meant to eat with the delegation, but Ak Byeongbi watched me with suspicion every time I lifted my spoon. I couldn't swallow a thing.
‘This journey will shave at least a year off my life.’
If they were openly picking a fight with me, I would have crushed them at once and needled them even harder. But since that day, Ak Byeongbi had not raised any other issues with me.
He still didn't approve of me on this journey, yet he treated me well enough as a member of the delegation. That made things even more uncomfortable for me.
The middle-aged horse handler lowered his head slightly.
“Th-thank you, Young Master.”
“What for?”
I had told the horse handlers and escort warriors to speak comfortably around me, but my status as an Academy student seemed to make them tense.
“You always stop fights, don't you?”
The middle-aged horse handler scratched his head awkwardly.
“I can't tell you how reassuring that is.”
Well, the weakest people were always the first to die when a fight began.
“It's nothing.”
“Still, I'm worried about what lies ahead. We'll soon encounter mountain strongholds, and the flag has been lowered... I'm worried the commander won't let us pay a toll and pass through peacefully.”
I asked in confusion.
“Mountain strongholds? Are there many?”
“There used to be only two large strongholds on the road from Shangchi to Jinzhong, but a drought struck Shanxi Province this year, and many have appeared.”
The kind of bandits driven to it by survival.
The harvest had ended only recently. How could people already be fleeing to the mountains?
From what I heard, the officials of Shanxi Province must have been thoroughly corrupt.
“They won't demand much of a toll, though. Especially if they see martial artists, they won't be eager to attack us...”
I understood what he meant.
I reassured him.
“Don't worry. The delegation's mission is to reach Taewon safely, not to cause trouble along the way.”
Of course, we had one person who exploded like a Thunderclap Bomb at the mere scent of the Black Path, and another who couldn't distinguish martial arts novels from reality... Still, we had somehow made it this far.
The middle-aged horse handler lowered his head, his eyes shining with emotion.
“Th-thank you!”
“Thank you, Young Master!”
The other horse handlers bowed in unison, as though they had been deeply worried about the same thing.
For their sake as well, I resolved to keep my wits about me.
Not long after we left the main road and began climbing an unnamed mountain, an escort warrior at the front of the caravan raised a hand, bringing us to a stop.
“What is it?”
At Ak Byeongbi's question, the escort warrior pointed ahead.
“It appears a group of people is blocking the road.”
“A mountain stronghold?”
“There wasn't one here before. It seems to have appeared recently. They're probably people who went into the mountains because they had nothing to eat. What should we do?”
If we wanted to pass, we would have to pay a toll. If we didn't want to pay, we would have to fight.
Naturally, the delegation would not fall to amateur bandits. The escort warrior was suggesting that we give them money and pass through.
They knew how cruel it was to be unable to bring food home to their families as the head of a household.
But...
“The Martial Alliance neither compromises nor turns back!”
Look at this stubborn fool.
At Ak Byeongbi's words, the escort warrior let out a quiet sigh.
The other escort warriors, as if they had expected this, all began taking clubs into their hands rather than drawing their swords.
Even if they couldn't give money, they didn't intend to take lives.
When we reached the top of the hill, a strange sight came into view.
Dozens of amateur bandits were kneeling on one side. On the other side, a man and a woman stood over them, looking down at the bandits.
Then an unpleasant smell drifted over on the wind.
‘Blood?’
My gaze turned toward the pile of corpses on one side.
Bodies still dripping blood, as though they had died only moments ago.
The escort warriors immediately put down their clubs and gripped their swords again.
As the delegation members cautiously drew their own swords...
“Oh, my. Who could this be? Didn't we meet in Gaoping?”
The beautiful woman who had been looking down at the bandits turned toward us and waved gracefully.
“What a coincidence.”
A coincidence?
The routes escort warriors took might be predictable, but there were dozens of roads from Gaoping to Taewon.
It was too perfect to be called a coincidence.
I looked at the woman with a beautiful, picture-perfect smile and the old man standing straight beside her.
‘Damn it... Were they waiting for us?’
The man and woman were none other than Flame Ghost Consort and Blood Brawl.
Footnotes:
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