WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 341: Life and Death (2)
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Namgung Seonhwa was an officer of the Martial Arts Academy delegation.
For the time being, she was serving in Jin Sowoon's unit, standing at the center of the camp with her companions.
Sowoon moved around far too much for her to follow him everywhere. If she did, she would never have time to recover from her fatigue.
‘Just how much stamina does he have?’
Stamina and abundant internal energy alone could not make such a thing possible.
The human body had limits, no matter how exceptional it was.
Even her grandfather, known as the Divine Sword, grew noticeably gaunt if he trained without sleeping.
There was no way Jin Sowoon did not get tired.
He was simply enduring it.
“Watch your step, Sister Seonhwa.”
Seonhwa piled up supplies and climbed on top of them, observing what was happening in the Orthodox Society's camp.
They were too far away for her to see what they were doing, but she possessed the most internal energy among them. If she concentrated, she could at least make out roughly what they were saying.
“What are they saying, Seonhwa?”
“They're talking about breaking through the encirclement. But they want to form a unit.”
Seonhwa relayed the fragments of voices she could hear to her companions.
However, the pieces were so abrupt and disconnected that they could not convey the situation properly.
“A unit? What does that mean? Are they saying everyone should fend for themselves at a time like this? Have those Orthodox Society bastards gone insane? Are they only trying to save themselves?!”
“No. Young Master Jin was the one who brought it up.”
“Huh?”
Fragments of voices drifted over from afar.
Seonhwa strained her ears, trying not to miss a single word.
“Young Master Jin set a condition.”
“What condition?”
“Absolute obedience to orders.”
“What on earth is he thinking? Who would agree to that?”
They were a group tangled in complicated relationships, each with their own sect, clan, and alliance.
Joining someone else's command or working alongside certain people required consideration of complex political circumstances.
Besides, their pride would not bend easily.
Even to Seonhwa, it seemed impossible.
Yet...
“Still, it would be better than trying to get through this with people who can't agree with one another.”
The words slipped out as though it were a good thing.
It was unlike her.
She was not someone who placed her hopes in something as vague as wishful thinking.
Still.
‘Young Master Jin must have a plan.’
Just as he always had.
Then...
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
A voice reached her, incomplete but clear enough in meaning.
“Monk Ilgak says he'll join him.”
His voice was filled with resolve.
“What? Why would he? The Orthodox Society will definitely rally around him...”
“I don't know. He spoke with Young Master Jin, then said he would obey Young Master Jin's orders. The Orthodox Society is in an uproar because of it.”
Moyong Jaehwa, who had been quietly listening, cried out in delight.
“Then that's good news, isn't it, Sister Namgung?”
“It is, but...”
Seonhwa could not hide her bewilderment.
In a crisis like this, Ilgak of Shaolin Temple was choosing to enter Jin Sowoon's command instead of leading the Orthodox Society.
‘Considering his relationship with the Orthodox Society, he could never have accepted such a condition...’
She could not understand why at all.
“You don't understand why Monk Ilgak decided to join us?”
Seonhwa asked Seong Moran. Moran considered it for a moment, then shrugged as though it were nothing.
“Young Master Jin is special. You know that too, Seonhwa.”
“Because he's special?”
He certainly was special. What he showed differed from the conduct and way of thinking of ordinary White Path martial artists.
But was that enough to explain it?
“Hell has opened. Of course people would look for the Black Flame Dragon.”
Seonhwa suddenly recalled something she had heard at a drinking party.
When dragons and phoenixes frolic above the clouds.
The Black Flame Dragon roars in hell.
Compared to the current Dragon-Phoenix Association, she had thought it was nothing more than a rumor mocking Jin Sowoon for walking a grueling road with every step he took...
For some reason, she remembered what had happened during the Academy's regular examination.
She had joined Jin Sowoon's group to repay the favor she owed him from Demon Spirit Plateau.
‘Instead of helping them, I ended up receiving their help and entered the Academy with a higher score than I expected...’
After that, whenever they faced difficult circumstances, she had naturally overcome those hardships as long as she was with Jin Sowoon.
“Just look at us. You and I should really be with the White Path Society, but we're staying here as though it's the most natural thing in the world, aren't we?”
“You're right.”
Seonhwa nodded.
At some point, she had started to regard being here as natural.
If she had not sensed something special in Jin Sowoon, a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan like her would never have served under a Taeul Sect disciple.
The same was true now.
Had he not awakened the Academy students one after another as they sank into frustration and despair beneath the killing intent of the advancing Heavenly Net and Earthly Web?
If he had not been here, they might have panicked among themselves and all died.
Then Eunho cautiously joined in.
“Maybe Monk Ilgak was conned by Senior Brother? Senior Brother's always been good with words.”
“...”
“...”
It was strange. They should have objected, yet for some reason, neither could open her mouth.
Seong Moran’s gaze met Namgung Seonhwa’s.
It somehow seemed possible.
“If it's Senior Brother, he certainly could...”
“Ahem...”
Seonhwa turned her attention back toward the Orthodox Society, then suddenly frowned deeply.
“Huh? What's wrong?”
At Seong Moran's question, Seonhwa answered hesitantly.
“Young Master Jin... kicked someone who said they wanted to join the unit.”
“What?!”
“As expected of Senior Brother.”
“And... he's cursing at them.”
“Why would he curse at someone who wants to join him?!”
“Because he's Senior Brother.”
“Shut up, Lee Eunho!”
Seonhwa focused harder, trying to understand the situation.
“I don't know.”
“What is going through his head?”
Everyone nodded as if they agreed with Seong Moran's complaint.
Of course, none of them realized they were doing it.
Then a strange expression appeared on Seonhwa's face.
“But... the person he kicked says they want to join again.”
“Huh?”
“They said they'll follow his orders.”
Seong Moran's mouth fell open.
“What in the world is happening?”
That was the beginning.
[I will obey your orders as well! Take me with you!]
[I'll do whatever you tell me to.]
[You're the Academy Representative anyway, aren't you? Please let us follow you.]
[The Academy Representative and students will only differ by one rank even after we reach the Martial Alliance, so it should be fine.]
People who had once clung to their lofty pride began following Jin Sowoon.
The same people who had cursed him and pointed fingers at him until yesterday now desperately chased after him like children terrified of losing their mother.
Yet the sight did not seem strange at all.
It looked completely natural, as if this had always been how things were meant to be.
A faint smile spread across Seonhwa's lips without her realizing it.
“So we weren't the strange ones.”
“No, we just had a good eye for people.”
Like stars that could not be seen in the bright daylight.
There were people whose true worth revealed itself in the darkness of chaotic times and turmoil.
And people called such individuals...
[Follow my orders properly. Then I'll do whatever it takes to give you a chance to struggle on.]
Heroes.
#
Once more than half of them agreed to follow Jin Sowoon's orders, the remaining students also faced a moment of choice.
“The Namgwon Sect says they'll follow Jin Sowoon.”
“What do you mean?! They're obligated to protect us Academy students, and now they're all going to one person?!”
“That's why they're going. Jin Sowoon is the Academy Representative. With no lecturers here, isn't he ultimately the one with final authority?”
It had already been too late for them to gather among themselves and try to do something.
When Ilgak became the first to enter Jin Sowoon's command, Shaolin Temple and its lay sects followed him.
With the Wudang Sect and Kongtong Sect cast aside, and the Jegal Clan and Ak Clan members all choosing Jin Sowoon, it became difficult for either the Orthodox Society or the White Path Society to unite on its own.
At that point, those who had been watching for an opening began joining Jin Sowoon's unit one by one.
As though he had been waiting for them, Jin Sowoon split the new arrivals apart and assigned them to different units. The force was organized in a form that had never existed before.
Members of the Orthodox Society, White Path Society, and Twelve Peak Alliance were mixed together. Some units even had junior disciples giving orders to their senior disciples, overturning the usual hierarchy.
Even so, no complaints arose.
Once they had agreed to absolute obedience to orders, they were nothing more than unit members.
In the end, all the Academy students participated, but the force had been organized into something entirely different.
After dividing the force into eight units, Jin Sowoon immediately summoned the Unit Leaders.
“Take one each.”
With paper, brushes, ink, and inkstone beside him, Jin Sowoon began writing operation orders on the spot.
They had already learned about operation orders at the Academy, so that alone was not surprising.
What truly surprised them was Jin Sowoon's unhesitating manner.
“He looks as though he has already led operations before.”
Ilgak could not hide his admiration as he read the operation orders, and Cheol Sunjik nodded as well.
“I thought he would meet with the Unit Leaders after organizing the force, but he had already planned the entire operation. And there isn't even a gap in the plan.”
Had Jin Sowoon experienced something like this in the past?
The question would not leave Cheol Sunjik's mind.
Standing beside him, Ilgak was admiring something else.
“Benefactor Cheol, have you seen this? Looking at it now, the unit organization was not simply a matter of splitting up the factions.”
Cheol Sunjik compared his operation order with Ilgak's.
What each unit had to prioritize.
How they had to respond in an emergency.
Which people they should make the most use of, and whom they needed to protect above all else.
Everything was written in detail according to each unit's members and circumstances.
Only then did Cheol Sunjik understand what Ilgak meant.
“The units themselves were organized by considering every person's specialty and martial arts.”
There was a reason he, the first person to join, had been made the Third Unit Leader.
“Isn't it truly remarkable that he has memorized every person to this extent?”
Was it?
The Academy Representative could access every Academy student's information.
If he combined that information with what he had personally observed and learned, gathering knowledge at this level would not be particularly difficult.
Especially for Jin Sowoon.
“They say he was born with an exceptional memory. This must be nothing to him.”
“Even so, remembering each person's specialty and level of martial arts... doesn't that mean he cares about the Academy students?”
Care. So he cared, did he?
“Even while they were at odds, Benefactor Jin must have continued thinking of the Academy students with the heart of the Buddha.”
Cheol Sunjik tilted his head.
Jin Sowoon, of all people, had memorized the Academy students' information because he cared for them?
Knowing him...
“Didn't he memorize it in preparation for the day they became enemies? Representative Jin was prepared to fight all the Academy students if necessary.”
Yes, that had to be it.
Jin Sowoon was exactly the kind of person who would do that.
When he realized the conversation had stopped, Cheol Sunjik turned and found Ilgak staring at him intently.
What was that look for?
“Benefactor Cheol, I've been meaning to tell you something...”
Ilgak continued with a genuinely worried expression.
“It is not good to view the world so negatively.”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“When you see through the eyes of a demon, the world becomes hell. Hold the heart of a Buddha. Then the world will become the Pure Land.”
“...”
Who was he calling a demon?
Cheol Sunjik could list more than ten pieces of evidence proving that Jin Sowoon did not possess a gentle heart, but he kept quiet.
There was no time for such leisurely talk in the first place.
“Is there something on my face?”
Ilgak's eyes were shining far too brightly.
...More brightly than his head.
“No. Perhaps you're right.”
Cheol Sunjik felt that he finally understood why Ilgak was always swept along by Jin Sowoon.
#
The part I paid the most attention to while organizing the force was the wounded.
Many injured people from prestigious sects had qi-regulation healing formulas, so a fair number had recovered to some extent. Those from sects without such formulas had their wounds treated as thoroughly as possible with emergency care.
Those who could run and whose injuries were not severe were assigned to direct combat.
Those who could move were tasked only with carrying those who could not.
I collected all the weapons from those with limited mobility.
The recovered weapons went to people who had lost their weapons in battle or had them damaged.
Those whose weapons had been taken were given throwing knives and heavy swords for self-defense in case of emergency.
Of course, if they ever had to use those heavy swords, it would practically mean our unit was finished. I hoped they would never need them.
This would have been impossible under normal circumstances at the Martial Arts Academy, but after they had sworn absolute obedience to orders, things proceeded smoothly.
‘People who care about honor are easy to handle at times like this.’
Three hours had passed since the deserters fled.
I kept the unit waiting as we awaited the signal.
Then...
“Commander!”
Nam Hwaseong, the Second Unit Leader, suddenly raised his hand.
The question from someone who had been grinning despite not knowing what assignment the Second Unit would receive was delivered with a solemn expression.
“Now that we've established a unit, shouldn't it have a name?”
“A name?”
“We've given up our status as Academy students to become unit members. We should at least know what we're affiliated with!”
He had a point.
The Sojeong Unit, named for the small justice it sought to achieve, had also been quite attached to its name.
I looked up at the sky.
The sun was setting in the dimming light.
Once the signal flared, it would surely be clearly visible.
“Come up with one yourselves.”
“M-Me? I can name it? Ahem.”
As if it were an important matter, Nam Hwaseong thought seriously for a while before cautiously speaking.
“Ahem... How about the Self-Survival Unit?”
“...”
Trusting Nam Hwaseong's brain might have been...
“Self-Survival Unit sounds too much like Suicide Unit. How about the Return-Alive Unit instead?”
What was wrong with this one too?
Cheol Sunjik, who did not seem like the type, joined in with a serious expression.
Was this really that important?
“That makes it sound as though we are already dead and hoping to come back to life... Hmm. How about the Righteous Path Unit...”
“Damn it!”
“Shut up!”
Gwak Susan, the Fourth Unit Leader, offered an opinion next, only to be scolded into silence.
Then...
“Um...”
Namgung Seonhwa, the Sixth Unit Leader of the support unit, quietly raised her hand.
“How about Life and Death? The Life-and-Death Unit?”
Silence fell over the area for a moment.
Then murmurs began to spread like a song, as everyone tested the words under their breath.
And then...
“It suits our situation perfectly. We're standing at the crossroads between life and death.”
“I like it!”
“I support the Sixth Unit Leader's suggestion!”
One after another, they raised their hands and let out small laughs.
That was how the unit received its name.
Everyone repeated it once, looking at one another.
It did not last long before an ominous sound rang through the forest.
Pheeeeee!
Boom.
A red light flickered faintly, then quickly vanished.
Everyone here knew what that light meant.
The laughter and chatter from moments earlier felt meaningless as despair began seeping into the air again.
I looked at the sky, where the afterimage of the red light remained.
“We move.”
Then I lowered my head and met the gazes of my unit members.
“Life-and-Death Unit.”
A small flame rose in eyes where despair had been about to settle.
“At your command!”
“At your command.”
“At your command!!!”
With that signal, the units began moving.
We were standing at the crossroads of life and death?
Fine. Let's do this.
I’ll get you out of here, whatever it takes.
Footnotes:
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