The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything - Chapter 412

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 412: The Reason to Live (6)

──────

Munch, munch, munch, munch.

Jegal Cheongi watched Dang Seohui and wondered,

‘How does that tiny body hold so much candied fruit?’

As he stared at her in amazement, Dang Seohui hesitated, discreetly shielding the candied fruit from view.

“...Do you want some too?”

Shouldn’t she be offering it as she asked that?

Reading her true feelings from her actions, Jegal Cheongi shook his head.

“Ah, I’m fine.”

“You don’t like candied fruit?”

He did like it.

But wouldn’t most people get sick of it after just two or three?

“Yes. I don’t eat it very often.”

Dang Seohui stood on tiptoe and patted Jegal Cheongi’s head.

“Good. Eating too many sweets is bad for your body.”

Jegal Cheongi stared blankly at the remains of nearly thirty candied fruits she had already slaughtered.

“Th-this can’t be helped. Junior Jin gave them to me as payment for helping him with this matter, so I have no choice...”

“...I see.”

Even so, Jegal Cheongi wondered if it was really right to visit a candied-fruit shop first upon returning to Wuhan when they did not even know how the mission had ended.

“Shouldn’t we pack these up and return to the Alliance first? I want to know what happened with the mission...”

He had worried the entire way back to Wuhan that Jin Sowoon might have been hurt or captured.

Jegal Cheongi knew how capable and tenacious Jin Sowoon was, but his opponents were no ordinary people.

Still.

“You don’t need to worry. Junior Jin wouldn’t have failed.”

Dang Seohui clutched a candied fruit and shook her head.

Jegal Cheongi looked at her in surprise.

Did she trust Jin Sowoon that much? The remarkable White-Handed Divine Maiden herself...

“...And candied fruit tastes best when it’s freshly made.”

“...”

Thinking that was probably the more important reason, Jegal Cheongi finally gave up.

In any case, he was not in a position to enter the Alliance alone.

Just as Dang Seohui picked up another candied fruit to put in her mouth.

Slice.

A single leaf flew in and cut through its skewer.

In that absurdly strange coincidence, Dang Seohui swiftly seized a fresh skewer, pierced the falling fruit, and caught it.

“Eating candied fruit builds up impure qi in a pure body.”

She shot a sharp glare in the direction the leaf had come from.

“Is the impure qi from candied fruit really scarier than my poison qi?”

“Come on, it was a joke.”

Hwa Jeongsan grinned and reached for the mountain of candied fruit piled before Dang Seohui.

Tap, tap-tap-tap.

Yet he could not get past Dang Seohui’s nimble hands.

As the two of them played around, Yong Soa, who had approached at some point and stood beside them with an impassive expression, asked,

“I heard about Dam Ak. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Dang Seohui questioned him in return.

“Why didn’t you know about it?”

“I asked first.”

Dang Seohui bit into the candied fruit she had snatched away, her lips slightly pursed.

“Junior Jin told me not to say anything.”

“You knew it was wrong... and still helped him?”

Jegal Cheongi frowned at Yong Soa’s almost accusatory question.

“I think the premise of that question is wrong. Why have you already decided it was wrong?”

Usually, having one’s opinion challenged would cause some discomfort.

Yet Yong Soa showed no trace of displeasure as he looked at Jegal Cheongi.

Only indifference.

His gaze rested on Jegal Cheongi for a moment before returning to Dang Seohui.

Jegal Cheongi felt helpless before that immense indifference.

“Yong Soa, if you had known, would you have tried to kill Dam Ak?”

“Jin Sowoon forcibly twisted what should have proceeded according to its natural course. He will bear the backlash.”

He did not answer directly, but his meaning was clear enough.

Hwa Jeongsan added,

“I’m not saying we did the right thing, but plenty of people are uncomfortable with this. After all, it feels like a betrayal of the White Path.”

Hwa Jeongsan was right.

Dang Seohui could not easily refute him, and silence soon settled over them.

Then.

“He.”

A voice cut through the silence as though it would not let the opening pass.

“Has he considered even that?”

At Yong Soa’s question, Dang Seohui put down her candied fruit.

“Whether it becomes a backlash or a new current, no one knows.”

Yong Soa’s indifferent gaze, which had rested on Dang Seohui, somehow turned to Jegal Cheongi again.

“A current...”

Jegal Cheongi shivered beneath that empty gaze, but tried not to show it.

“Jin Sowoon has already accumulated considerable karmic debt. Backlash built up layer by layer like that cannot be overcome easily through human endurance and tenacity.”

It was clearly an answer directed at Dang Seohui.

Still, Jegal Cheongi felt as though those words were arrows aimed at him.

As though he himself was one of those many debts.

“Eventually, he will be crushed beneath that weight and vanish from history.”

“We’ll see.”

After saying that, Dang Seohui turned away from Yong Soa as though she were in a bad mood and began eating her candied fruit.

Hwa Jeongsan, who had looked troubled between the two, eventually led Yong Soa away.

“...”

Jegal Cheongi, who had been breathing heavily beneath the strange tension, let out a long sigh and went over Yong Soa’s words again.

Taken at face value, they were nothing more than malicious remarks born from jealousy and personal feelings.

Yet Yong Soa’s unique aura of indifference and stillness made it impossible to tell where those accusations came from.

By the end, Jegal Cheongi even found himself thinking that things might truly unfold as Yong Soa had said.

Had Dang Seohui read his unsettled thoughts?

“You don’t need to worry. There’s a fifty-fifty chance of that happening.”

With a hand sticky from picking up candied fruit, Dang Seohui patted Jegal Cheongi’s head.

“...Does that mean it could happen?”

“That won’t be a problem either.”

After thoroughly wiping her hand on Jegal Cheongi’s hair, Dang Seohui grabbed his shoulder.

“You can help him when that time comes.”

Dang Seohui’s final words.

The moment he heard them, the fear constricting his chest seemed to burst apart, leaving him strangely refreshed.

‘Me... helping Brother?’

Perhaps this was the opportunity he had wanted for so long.

“Still, wishing for misfortune is bad. ...Are you listening to me?”

Jegal Cheongi no longer heard any malicious words in his ears.

I could have moved as soon as I woke up, but I deliberately chose not to.

I had pushed my body too hard, and my injuries were severe enough that I thought it would be better to recover fully before leaving.

Besides, I had nothing else to do. I wanted to walk around the Black Alliance’s camp and see how different the current Black Alliance was from the one in my previous life.

Three hundred more martial artists had joined the two hundred cavalrymen who had arrived first.

I had felt it when I first saw the cavalry, but the Black Alliance definitely had a military air about it.

They could not fully armor every horse, but even the horses wore light armor. The martial artists riding them were even better equipped.

What impressed me most were the martial artists who did not ride horses. Their martial arts were at a lower level, but their movements were disciplined, and their military order was firmly established.

Black Path bastards with military discipline.

Their martial arts were weaker than those of the White Path martial world, and their members could not naturally unite as one. It seemed they had found the best way to bring them together regardless.

I did not need to think deeply to know whose decision that had been.

‘Dam Ak is still Dam Ak.’

Even in that desperate situation in my previous life, he had been the one to suggest training in the White Tiger Sword Formation before fighting.

‘Still, seeing it like this, it’s pretty damn impressive.’

The armored cavalry and armored martial artists clearly showed the influence of the Four Emperors Association.

I did not need to see them on a battlefield to know how useful they would be.

Their presence was something I could never imagine from White Path martial artists, who would throw a screaming fit if you tried to make them carry even a wooden shield, shouting, “Just kill me instead!”

That was also what I aimed for in this life.

‘My people are gradually getting used to it, but White Wolf Pavilion will be a problem later...’

They were not even from prestigious sects, yet just thinking about them baring their chests and whining that they could not wear armor made my fists itch.

“Well, no one can stand up to a beating.”

Three days passed, and I no longer had any trouble moving.

The Black Alliance members began preparing to withdraw as well.

Their purpose had been to rescue Chief Strategist Dam Ak.

Since they had to travel from Anhui Province to Shanxi Province, it would be better to leave as soon as possible.

But... what would happen with the agreement?

Surely Dam Ak would not return and immediately declare, “War!”

“Have you recovered already?”

Dam Ak, still looking pitiful because his recovery was slow, stared at me in disbelief.

“Didn’t I tell you? Martial artists recover quickly.”

Yeah, sure. That was how it was.

“...To be honest, I almost want to take you to the Black Alliance and experiment on you.”

“What a shame. If you did that, a war would break out between the Black Alliance and the Martial Alliance.”

A dry chuckle escaped Dam Ak’s lips.

What was that laugh supposed to mea...

“You aren’t such a valuable talent to the Martial Alliance, are you, Young Master Jin? You’ve probably made even more enemies because of this incident.”

“...”

He really was hard to deal with through words.

Before, he had looked like some bookish scholar, so it had been fun to tease him.

Maybe spending time among Black Path men had sharpened his sarcasm. He was exceptionally good at it now.

“This happened because of you, Chief Strategist Dam. Remember that.”

I deployed the most effective counterattack when I was at a disadvantage.

Its name was blaming someone else.

It was a petty attack, so I had braced myself for his response, but Dam Ak suddenly bowed deeply.

“I will not forget. No, I cannot forget.”

“...”

Why was he taking it seriously all of a sudden? Now I felt awkward.

Anyway, I was the kind of person who wanted one act of repayment over a hundred words.

“Then will you help me someday as well?”

“Of course.”

Nice. I had obtained a favor from the Black Alliance’s Chief Strategist.

How should I use it? If I asked for too much, he would refuse.

Had the Black Alliance built a treasury? If so, could I take a look and pick something?

As I was thinking, Dam Ak rummaged through his clothes and pulled something out.

In his hands were a small wooden box and an envelope containing a letter.

“What are these?”

“One is for Jegal Somyeong. The other is for Young Master Jin.”

If he was giving me something, I hoped the wooden box was mine. The envelope was clearly a letter, not a banknote.

“Um... would I look pathetic if I asked which one is mine?”

“...Yes. I feel like even the grain-sized bit of goodwill I had toward you has vanished.”

Wow, harsh. To the person who saved his life.

Just as I was about to pout.

“Of course the wooden box is for Young Master Jin.”

“I see. What does the letter say? You’re not making some absurd request for me to deliver a declaration of war, are you?”

Dam Ak calmly took even my jokes without changing his expression.

“If I wanted to kill with a borrowed knife, there are many other ways.”

“What a relief.”

I accepted the wooden box and letter lightly.

Then I opened the wooden box.

“Sniff, sniff.”

The scent was extraordinary the moment I opened it.

‘What is this? This expensive... no, mysterious scent feels like it belongs in the immortal realm.’

It had a deep, refreshing aroma unlike any spiritual medicine or elixir pellet I had ever consumed.

“To be honest, I do not know who the Black Alliance’s true enemy is. Still, there is one thing I realized through this matter. The Martial Alliance will never change.”

I had tried the elixir pellets from Mount Hua and Shaolin Sect, considered the finest among the martial world’s three great elixir traditions, but even they did not have this kind of depth.

“And I wonder whether those unseen enemies in the Demonic Cult... are truly more dangerous than the Martial Alliance.”

My heart pounded wildly, and I could feel saliva gathering at the corner of my mouth, but I could not hide my confusion.

Elixir refinement was one of the processes of pursuing the Way.

How had Black Path bastards who had thrown the Way to the dogs long ago made an elixir pellet like this?

“The Black Alliance cannot fight alongside someone we cannot trust... Are you listening to me?”

“Sniff, sniff. No, it’s just... this smells so good... I heard you, Chief Strategist. But may I ask where this elixir pellet came from?”

Eating an elixir pellet whose maker was unknown was no different from eating poison.

“...”

Dam Ak looked at me as if I were ridiculous, then sighed softly.

“You need not worry about that. It is a genuine item made by a trustworthy sect.”

“Then where is it from?”

“I heard it is Wudang Sect’s Taiji Pellet...”

“Fuck!”

I was so startled that I nearly swallowed the elixir pellet in the wooden box at once.

Was this stolen property?

“Are you insane?!”

Ah. My thoughts and words had gotten switched around.

“It is not stolen property. It was a gift.”

Was this man crazy?

“We agreed to call things like that stolen property!”

Dam Ak tilted his head.

“Was it such a remarkable item?”

“The Taiji Pellet is an elixir pellet that only the Wudang Sect Leader or figures of equal standing can consume. It cannot be exchanged for any amount of power or wealth.”

What the hell was happening?

“Then give it back. If it is such a dangerous item, I should quickly dispose of the evidence.”

Huh? No, that would not do.

Smack!

“...Young Master Jin, did you just stop my hand?”

“I gave it some thought. Is it really right for Chief Strategist Dam to keep such a dangerous item? After thinking about it for a while, I reached a conclusion.”

“...”

“It is best for me to handle something this dangerous.”

“Your eyes have changed.”

Of course they had. I knew when to be serious.

Dam Ak continued as if he found it fascinating.

“I now understand what it means when someone says a person’s face is full of greed.”

“...”

Pretending I had not heard him, I quickly tucked the dangerous item into my clothes.

Still, if it had been a gift Dam Ak received, it probably had no trace that could lead back to anyone.

Whoever gave it to him would not have presented him with something that could be tracked.

Keeping my hand over it, I looked at Dam Ak with a solemn expression.

“So, what were you saying?”

Although I had returned to the main subject, Dam Ak blinked at me for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh.

“I decided to trust Young Master Jin.”

Then came words I had not expected.

“I thought we should believe in why you fight and what you wish to protect, and work together. That is all.”

A sharp ache ran through one side of my chest.

Not because the wooden box was pressing against my skin.

I felt as though the burdens on my shoulders had grown a little lighter, knowing I had repaid even a small part of the heavy debt I owed him from my previous life.

I raised my head and met Dam Ak’s eyes. He was looking at me too.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

“Chief Strategist! Preparations are complete.”

At the report from the Black Path martial artist who had come to escort Dam Ak, he nodded.

“We will meet again, Young Master Jin. Next time, we will not sit at the same table.”

“By the time we meet again, I will have risen high enough to sit at the same table as you, Chief Strategist Dam.”

Dam Ak’s posture as he turned and walked away was upright.

His body was tiny compared to the armored martial artists guarding him, yet he did not look small in the slightest.

He moved away steadily and powerfully, without wavering.

“A friend...”

After watching him for a while, I turned around.

His fight with the Martial Alliance had ended, but mine with the Martial Alliance was only beginning.