WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 244: Today's Fortune (3)
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The Black Path leaders, anxious that a hidden assassin might kill them at any moment, searched everywhere for money.
A thousand nyang was not a large sum compared to the assets held by their respective sects.
The problem was that they were here in the Black Alliance, a thousand li away from their headquarters.
What was more, no lender would loan money to Black Path people with no credibility to speak of.
Unless they sold the treasures or precious swords they had on hand, there was no way for them to raise the money.
In the end, there was only one place they could turn to.
“You said you wanted to borrow money...?”
“We'll repay it as soon as we return to our headquarters.”
Black Alliance Lord Cha Seokdu looked down at the sect leaders from the war faction with an unimpressed expression.
“Lending you money isn't the issue, but are we on such terms that we should be exchanging money?”
“Alliance Lord... Now that we've formed an alliance, shouldn't we move forward together?”
“That is strange. Until only a few days ago, didn't you want to expel me because you claimed I was colluding with the Martial Alliance?”
The sect leaders groaned and lowered their heads.
“...Now that hidden assassins have appeared, how about we forget the past and make a fresh start?”
Unlike the Black Lion Society, Nine Dragons Gang, and Blood Tiger Sect, which had shared Cha Seokdu's goals from the beginning, the leaders of the four sects that had secretly tried to remove him found themselves in an unbearably awkward position.
Even so, Cha Seokdu generously gave them the money.
“Alliance Lord, why did you lend it to them? You could've taken this opportunity to teach them a lesson.”
Hwang Busik could not understand why Cha Seokdu had handed over the money so readily.
Cha Seokdu patiently explained.
“They're people who must remain in this alliance with us anyway.”
“But they won't be grateful for your generosity, Association Leader... no, Alliance Lord. That's simply the kind of people they are.”
Cha Seokdu nodded readily.
“I know. But now they owe us a debt, don't they? That's politics.”
“...”
Since forming the alliance and coming to the Black Alliance with Cha Seokdu, Hwang Busik had heard one thing more than anything else.
He needed to learn politics.
“You don't understand, do you?”
“I apologize.”
Cha Seokdu patted Hwang Busik's shoulder.
“It's fine. You can learn little by little. We'll have plenty of time from now on.”
Not only the other sects, but Jin Sowoon had also extorted five hundred nyang from the Four Emperors Association.
Even so, Cha Seokdu looked as though he had received a great gift.
As Hwang Busik watched him, he recalled Jin Sowoon's face.
“Is politics also why you're in such high spirits?”
“Politics... Yes. It's because of politics.”
Watching Cha Seokdu laugh heartily, Hwang Busik thought he still did not understand what politics was.
#
After receiving the full remaining payment, Jin Sowoon lined up those who had brought the money and checked once more to make sure nothing was missing.
“Hmm... It's all there.”
“...Did you think we'd try to deceive you?”
“Of course I did. How could I trust Black Path bastards?”
“...”
The Demonic Path Sect martial artists wanted nothing more than to knock the brat's teeth out for speaking so freely in the heart of the Black Alliance.
But they could not move carelessly.
“Ahem. Then will you begin at once?”
“Now? The sun's about to set.”
“We kept our deadline. Now it's your turn to keep yours.”
The martial artists representing each sect pressed Jin Sowoon as solemnly as they could.
“Just what I'd expect from Black Path people with tempers like yours. Tsk.”
Jin Sowoon dug at his ear, then clicked his tongue.
“...”
The man who had cut off a head and brought it to show them after they had said enough was enough had no right to call anyone ill-tempered.
The Black Path martial artists cursed inwardly, but none dared say it aloud.
They did not know when he might use that damned mind-reading art(?) again.
Jin Sowoon looked over the silent Black Path martial artists and clapped his hands.
“Then shall we go?”
He immediately headed toward the rear of the hall.
“The exit is this way.”
One martial artist spoke, but Jin Sowoon did not stop.
“Ah, I figured you'd rush me, so I captured him in advance.”
“...Captured him in advance?”
He led them to a grain storehouse beside one of the annexes.
Once inside, he opened the door in the corner. A gagged man crawled out with wide eyes.
Jin Sowoon crouched in front of him.
“This man boldly tried to infiltrate the Black Alliance. He even followed the proper procedures to get in. If I'd left him alone, he probably would've risen all the way to the highest ranks of the Black Alliance.”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Jin Sowoon grabbed the gagged man's cheek and pulled hard.
The man tried to move his face along with Jin Sowoon's hand to lessen the pain, but with his hands and feet bound, there was little he could do.
Riiip.
Skin tore away, but not a drop of blood flowed.
Another layer of skin appeared beneath the torn skin.
“Even the Black Path should conduct basic identity checks. Otherwise, people like this will infiltrate again and come for your heads.”
Shing.
Slice.
Jin Sowoon drew his sword and cut off the hidden assassin's head in one stroke.
The head rolled across the floor, and even the Black Path martial artists clicked their tongues.
Then one martial artist stepped forward.
“When are you going to catch the other hidden assassins?”
Jin Sowoon tilted his head.
“Other hidden assassins? This was the last one.”
“What?”
“I said this guy was the last one. Didn't you hear me?”
“...”
Jin Sowoon stood and began loosening his shoulders.
“Anyway, this chivalrous man has taken care of every hidden assassin. Please tell everyone to return to their quarters and rest easy.”
The Black Path martial artists all looked murderous.
‘Damn it... Then why did he take our money?’
‘That means this bastard had nothing to do with our sects from the beginning!’
‘...Black Flame Dragon, you vicious bastard!’
As their expressions grew stranger, Ilmyeong, who had watched everything unfold beside Jin Sowoon, whispered worriedly.
“Benefactor Jin... Was it necessary to provoke them this much? You could've simply told them the hidden assassins had been dealt with.”
Unlike Ilmyeong, who had lowered his voice as much as possible, Jin Sowoon shrugged.
“So what if they get angry?”
“Pardon?”
“What are they going to do about it?”
Ilmyeong's worries only deepened at Jin Sowoon's confident words, which showed not a trace of concern. Yet for the entire following day, not one person objected to Jin Sowoon or voiced any complaint.
As though they wanted this storm of an incident to pass as quickly as possible, everyone kept their heads lowered in silence.
Jin Sowoon patted the bulging front of his robe and laughed heartily.
“The Black Path bastards must've learned what happens when they do bad things. Kyakyakyakya.”
Ilmyeong could not understand how Jin Sowoon could call anyone else bad.
#
“...So that happened.”
Gun Yuhyeon let out a quiet sound of admiration after hearing the story.
He had thought White Path martial artists would at least possess a certain degree of integrity.
Dam Ak, who had relayed the story, also let out a long sigh.
“I have no idea what's in that man's head. ...I'm not even sure he's truly White Path.”
“Haha. In the end, aren't White Path people and Black Path people both people of the martial world?”
“Pardon?”
Dam Ak tilted his head at Gun Yuhyeon's meaningful remark.
Gun Yuhyeon did not elaborate.
A guard posted outside the hall had stepped forward to stop him.
“We must inspect your belongings.”
“What do you mean?”
At Dam Ak's question, the guard bowed.
“The Alliance Lord has ordered us to disarm all those entering the hall from now on.”
“What?”
Was Cha Seokdu still bothered by what Jin Sowoon had said?
Dam Ak calmly gave an order.
“You know very well who this man is. Step aside.”
“I cannot.”
“You dare...!”
As Dam Ak was about to vent his anger on the guard, Gun Yuhyeon quickly intervened.
“It's fine, Strategist Dam. It's not difficult.”
“...But...”
Gun Yuhyeon slowly shook his head.
“It truly is fine.”
He then looked at the guard.
“Must I take out all my belongings?”
With relaxed movements, he took a small pouch, a horse plaque, a brush, and an inkpot from his sleeve and displayed them.
At the same time, another guard slowly felt over Gun Yuhyeon's clothes to check for other weapons.
“That is all. You may enter.”
“I apologize, Young Master Yuhyeon.”
“It's nothing. Strategist Dam is an important person, so isn't that only natural?”
Still unable to calm his anger, Dam Ak glared at the guards and ordered them away.
“That is enough. Leave us.”
“...We cannot.”
“Didn't I say it already? I have matters to discuss with Young Master Yuhyeon in private. Dismiss not only yourselves, but everyone who comes afterward as well.”
“...Understood.”
After the guards left the hall, Dam Ak and Gun Yuhyeon entered.
An attendant served tea for the two of them, but even after Gun Yuhyeon filled his teacup, Dam Ak's expression showed no sign of easing.
Gun Yuhyeon tried to soothe Dam Ak with his usual gentle smile.
“I'm fine, so please calm yourself. I fully understand how you feel.”
“It's not only because of you, Young Master Yuhyeon.”
Dam Ak took a moment to compose himself before continuing.
“...That Jin Sowoon is stirring up the Black Alliance far too much.”
He was truly an irritating man.
His work was done, so he should have quietly returned to the Martial Alliance.
Instead, he kept meddling in Black Alliance affairs to the very end.
Gun Yuhyeon lifted his teacup and said casually, “Isn't he doing it all for the Black Alliance?”
“What would a White Path man do for the Black Alliance? Who knows what scheme may be hidden behind it?”
Gun Yuhyeon savored the fragrance of the tea and slowly nodded.
“Hmm... People of the martial world certainly tend to distrust one another.”
“...”
For some reason, Dam Ak felt that today's conversation with Gun Yuhyeon was not flowing as smoothly as usual.
Clink.
“But... why did you ask to see me privately?”
Gun Yuhyeon set down his teacup and asked. Only then did Dam Ak gather his thoughts.
“As the Black Alliance has gradually stabilized, we can now put more effort into finding the culprit behind the attack on Blue Tile Academy.”
“Oh... Is that so?”
“Yes. And at last, the day has come when I can repay the Tian'gwan Sect for its kindness.”
For a brief moment, the smile on Gun Yuhyeon's face vanished.
“...?”
“With the Black Alliance's support, the Tian'gwan Sect will take charge of one of the Black Alliance's South Sea branches.”
Dam Ak was excited like a child at the thought that he could finally repay even a little of the debts that had accumulated over time.
“The annual support will likely be considerable. There is one more thing. I submitted a letter of recommendation for you to the Alliance Lord.”
“...A letter of recommendation for me?”
“Yes. I thought perhaps you might be able to work with us in the Strategy Department...”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Dam Ak, who had been speaking enthusiastically, carefully watched Gun Yuhyeon's reaction when his expression did not change.
“I worry that I may have acted too rashly.”
“Ah! No. I expected it would happen.”
“Pardon?”
Gun Yuhyeon smiled as if it were nothing.
“Ah, it's nothing. Please continue.”
“...”
Dam Ak strongly sensed that Gun Yuhyeon was somehow different from usual.
Then Gun Yuhyeon slowly opened his mouth.
“After that, you intended to ask us to put more effort into finding the families of your dead companions, didn't you?”
“...”
A cold sweat seemed to run down Dam Ak's back.
Gun Yuhyeon paid no attention to the frozen Dam Ak and leisurely took a sip of tea.
“But what should we do?”
He looked at Dam Ak and smiled.
“They're already all dead.”
“...!”
Gun Yuhyeon's words struck like a bomb, leaving Dam Ak no time to sort through his thoughts.
“W-what do you mean...!”
Dam Ak barely managed to hold together a body that felt ready to collapse. Gun Yuhyeon's cold voice pierced him.
“I mean exactly that. You won't find them. They all died long ago and were buried deep underground.”
“What?”
Then.
Shk.
A pain like a branding iron seared through his abdomen.
Dam Ak reflexively lowered his head.
Gun Yuhyeon's hand had already pierced through his stomach.
“Cough!”
Blood burst from his mouth with an uncontrollable cough.
“W-what is this...?”
Gun Yuhyeon left Dam Ak staring in disbelief and became engrossed in examining his bloodstained hand.
“Why didn't it go in properly? Are you wearing a protective artifact?”
“Cough...”
Dam Ak's lips moved.
Why... Why...
More than anything, he wanted to ask why, but no words came out.
Gun Yuhyeon wore a gentle yet strangely cold smile.
“You look as though you want to ask why. There was no particular reason. Hmm... If I must say anything, it's that from the beginning, I was never the person Strategist Dam believed me to be.”
Dam Ak had wondered whether Gun Yuhyeon might be a hidden assassin wearing a human-skin mask, but somehow, he did not think that was it.
“I originally intended to use you to pit two martial world factions against each other and drain their strength... What a shame. It's come to this before I even saw your skills in action.”
Gun Yuhyeon wore his usual expression, his usual smile, as he swung his hand.
Shk.
“Please blame Jin Sowoon.”
As though this had been his true face all along.
#
[You fool. Do you think I would ever wish for you to seek revenge?]
For some reason, Dam Ak could hear his master's scolding.
Yes, if Master Cheonhak were here, he would surely tell Dam Ak to forget revenge and focus on his own work.
Even so, Dam Ak had been the one who insisted on entering the martial world.
He had thrown himself into it, determined to make those who believed martial strength was everything taste this world's bitterness.
Yet what had been the result?
He had only been toyed with in their grasp.
‘When did it begin?’
There was no need to think about it. Every piece had already fallen into place.
The attack on the academy, the murder of his master and companions, and even his own rescue had all been part of that person's plan.
The one who had comforted him in his despair and given him the courage to face the world again was also that person.
All of it had been nothing but a stepping stone for this absurd puppet show.
‘There is still one consolation.’
No matter who that person was or where they belonged, two things consoled Dam Ak.
Jin Sowoon had stopped their plan.
And Dam Ak had become enough of a threat that they had to kill him personally, even though Gun Yuhyeon should have disappeared without a trace.
‘I don't know whether I can call that a consolation.’
Because he wore the Iron Scale Armor Cha Seokdu had given him, he had not died from the first blow. Yet that only made him suffer even more pain and bitterness from the betrayal.
“Heh...”
Perhaps his body had calmed down a little, because laughter escaped him.
Was this the last flash of vitality people of the martial world spoke of?
Then...
“You can still laugh. You are truly a great man, Strategist Dam.”
A faint voice reached him.
“Who... are you?”
“Who I am is a meaningless question.”
The voice was terribly cold and dry.
“...Then?”
“Where I came from is what matters.”
Dam Ak barely forced out the question.
“...Where did you come from?”
“From the hell at the end of the world.”
“Hell...”
It was a place that suited the person before him perfectly.
Only someone who lived in such a place could harbor this much malice toward another person.
“...Did you truly kill everyone at Blue Tile Academy, along with their families?”
A familiar yet unfamiliar smile formed on the man's face.
“Thanks to that, didn't Strategist Dam work even harder with a grudge against the Martial Alliance?”
“Is that so...”
Dam Ak let out a hollow laugh, then suddenly wondered.
“...Aren't you afraid? Of the Black Alliance's revenge?”
“It's something I must face someday.”
Dam Ak looked toward the doorway, wondering whether he should at least shout. Yet the surrounding area had already changed into a blood-red space.
It resembled the mystic formation he had experienced at the Four Emperors Association.
No matter how loudly he shouted, no one would hear him now.
“Still, the time we spent together was enjoyable. I don't think I'll ever forget it.”
“You make me sick.”
Had Dam Ak truly considered this person his one true confidant without realizing what he was?
More than the fact that the man had stabbed him in the stomach, more than the fact that he had attacked Blue Tile Academy, the knowledge that he had deceived Dam Ak all this time filled him with bone-deep rage.
‘To think I entrusted my companion's family to someone like this...’
If he had the strength, even the strength to pay any price, he wanted to burn away this body and take revenge on that man.
‘What can someone who hasn't learned even a scrap of martial arts do...?’
Perhaps the martial world had never been a place for him.
His eyelids gradually grew heavy.
Was it because he had lost too much blood?
It seemed as if he could see his master and companions.
‘I hope I do not meet them just yet...’
Just as Dam Ak's eyes were slowly about to close.
Crack.
A golden fissure appeared in the blood-red wall.
The wall began to crumble around that thin crack.
Whoosh!
A streak of golden light shot through.
Dam Ak's eyes flew open of their own accord.
‘A dragon?’
The golden streak wrapped around Gun Yuhyeon's hand and began pulling it away.
“What in the world...!”
Gun Yuhyeon, who had been about to deliver the final blow, furrowed his brow and turned toward where Dam Ak was looking.
A man sauntered in, a sword wreathed in golden light slung over his shoulder.
‘Jin Sowoon?’
“Black Flame Dragon...!”
Jin Sowoon swung the Black Dragon Sword without hesitation.
Boom! Boom boom boom!
Golden sword qi poured forth from the sword as though it would cut Gun Yuhyeon in two.
“Open wide. Justice is coming!!!”
Footnotes:
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