WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 582: In the Line of Fire (4)
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While Yuseong Unit gathered separately to enjoy liquor and meat,
two people could not join them.
“Black Phoenix! Black Phoenix! Black Phoenix!”
“Anyone who wants a challenge, come at me!”
Dang Seohui, the Black Phoenix Stronghold Leader, was busy competing against the Green Forest bandits in drinking contests.
As for Hwa Jeongsan, who had clashed with the members of Yuseong Unit over Jin Sowoon, he was not shameless enough to join them now as if nothing had happened.
No matter what, though...
He did feel a little hurt.
Where else could he go in a place full of nothing but Green Forest bandits?
If they had invited him to drink with them, he would have taken a seat while pretending he could not refuse.
Yet the heartless members of Yuseong Unit did not offer Hwa Jeongsan a single warm word.
In the end, he had no choice but to drink alone with a few bottles of liquor and some jerky.
“““Waaaaah!”””
“The Black Phoenix Stronghold Leader has defeated the Killing Tiger Stronghold Leader!”
“Who is the next challenger?!”
Dang Seohui now looked almost like a queen among the Green Forest bandits.
Her hands were vicious despite her tiny stature, and she could drink even sturdy adults under the table. From the bandits’ perspective, how could they not cheer for her?
“Tch. Dang Seohui eats so much poison normally. Do they think she’d get drunk from that little liquor? Idiots... they don’t even realize they’re being fooled. Tsk, tsk.”
He mocked the bandits’ stupidity, but somehow, the more he did, the more miserable he felt.
Why was he being treated like this?
He had always been admired and respected wherever he went. How had he... how had he ended up like this?
Right.
“Grrrk, Jin So... woon.”
This was all Jin Sowoon’s fault.
That damned Jin Sowoon had made him this lonely(?).
Wasn’t it a Hall Master’s duty to understand and look after the people in his unit?
Step, step.
Hearing someone approach, Hwa Jeongsan quickly changed his posture.
“Ahem, it’s fine. I’m more comfortable alone...”
“Pardon?”
“...Aren’t you from Yuseong Unit?”
“...I’m a member of the Green Forest Alliance.”
“...”
His face burned with shame.
Then he suddenly noticed something strange.
‘A member of the Green Forest Alliance?’
Green Forest bandits called themselves Green Forest bandits, mountain bandits, or bastards. They did not call themselves members of the Green Forest Alliance.
“...”
Hwa Jeongsan seized his sword and unleashed a quick-draw strike.
Shing!
In a single exchange, the man’s hair was cut, and Hwa Jeongsan’s sword was already resting against his Adam’s apple.
A flawless quick-draw strike without a wasted motion.
“Eek!”
Hwa Jeongsan narrowed his eyes.
The man wore clothes made of stitched leather, like a Green Forest bandit, but something about them looked unnatural.
It felt as though a Green Forest bandit had put on martial attire, the two styles clashing awkwardly.
“Who are you?”
“G-Green Forest Alli...”
“There is no bandit here who calls himself an ‘alliance member.’”
“...”
Only then did the man realize what he had done wrong and swallow nervously.
“T-Truthfully... I’m a member of the Martial Alliance.”
“The Martial Alliance?”
“Here is an identification token to prove my identity...”
“Don’t move.”
Hwa Jeongsan reached into the man’s clothes himself and retrieved the token.
The man truly belonged to the Martial Alliance.
But he was affiliated with the Vermilion Bird Hall, not Cheonmok Pavilion.
A martial artist from Vermilion Bird Hall, rather than Cheonmok Pavilion’s intelligence-gathering division, had disguised himself and entered the Green Forest Alliance...
No matter how he thought about it, there was no innocent reason for that.
“...I-I’m not a spy!”
The man hurriedly spoke when Hwa Jeongsan’s gaze changed.
“To be precise, I infiltrated this place because of the Orthodox Society.”
“The Orthodox Society?”
“Yes. The people dispatched by the Orthodox Society could no longer be contacted...”
“What does that mean?”
Since seeing the severed heads at Puyang Plains, Hwa Jeongsan had not seen a single member of the Orthodox Society, even when they seized Jungak Stronghold.
Naturally, he had assumed the operation had gone wrong because of the Demonic Cult and that they had abandoned it entirely.
“Didn’t they return?”
“...There were no members of the Orthodox Society left at Jungak Stronghold?”
Hwa Jeongsan answered with silence, and the man explained the situation.
“They did not return. Not one of them.”
“...Not one?”
The fact that no one had returned bothered him more than the claim that they had suddenly disappeared.
Surely...
‘Yong Soa.’
Yong Soa had been among those wearing gray martial attire.
“And if an emergency occurs during an operation, aren’t they obligated to report in regularly?”
When something unexpected happened in the field, those carrying out the mission were required to submit at least a minimal report.
“There was nothing?”
“That’s why I came to investigate.”
“Investigate what?”
“Whether the operation... failed completely.”
“What do you mean, failed completely?”
The man hesitated before speaking.
“Before Jungak Stronghold was seized, several thousand bandits from the main headquarters headed toward Despair Valley.”
“And?”
“I wondered whether the Special Operations Unit had been trapped there...”
“Damn it!”
Hwa Jeongsan’s face flushed red.
“Then you should go save them! Why are you here trying to confirm it?”
“...You know as well, Great Hero.”
The man’s hesitant attitude vanished in an instant, and cold words followed.
“That it would be impossible to reveal the Orthodox Society’s involvement in an operation like this.”
His expression was devoid of emotion, as though he were simply confirming that a dog he had raised was dead.
“Then I’ll return and make my report.”
“...”
Would anything change even if the man reported it?
Even if the Orthodox Society broke its own rules and acted, Hwa Jeongsan worried that it might already be too late.
‘Yong Soa...’
He was unpleasant, hateful, and someone Hwa Jeongsan resented.
That did not mean he wanted Yong Soa to die like this.
Yong Soa was the most important person in the Wudang Sect, the Orthodox Society, and even the Martial Alliance.
More than that, Hwa Jeongsan wanted to surpass the realm Yong Soa had reached someday and show him how much he had grown.
‘He’s... in danger?’
Still, there was nothing he could do right away.
He could not follow the man back, nor could he set out alone to find the members of the Orthodox Society when he did not even know where they were.
“Damn it!”
Bang!
A tree snapped and toppled over beneath his irritated punch.
“Ah!”
Someone cried out in surprise from the direction it was falling.
Slash!
Sword qi burst forth and cut the tree into pieces.
Thud!
The person who had cleanly cut the tree apart was Dongryong.
“...”
Hwa Jeongsan did not know whether he should apologize or angrily ask why Dongryong had been standing there.
Before he could decide, Dongryong spoke casually.
“Senior Hwa, the Hall Master is calling for you.”
“Me?”
“All members of Yuseong Unit are being summoned.”
“...”
His mind was already a mess. Was Jin Sowoon trying to irritate him even more?
Determined to settle things with Jin Sowoon this time, he followed Dongryong.
Dang Seohui had already arrived where the members of Yuseong Unit were gathered.
Apparently, she had lasted until the very end, and her body reeked of strong liquor.
“Everyone’s here,” Moyong Seol said.
Jin Sowoon spoke.
“You all worked hard carrying out this operation.”
Hwa Jeongsan hated the sight of Jin Sowoon acting like their captain without even knowing what was going on.
“The operation assigned to Yuseong Unit is effectively over, and from now on, you may spend your time as you please.”
Just as Hwa Jeongsan was about to speak, Jin Sowoon’s next words made him fall silent.
“Still, I intend to undertake an additional operation, and I hope you will all help me.”
“An additional operation?”
“Unfortunately, this was not ordered by the Martial Alliance, so it will be difficult to receive recognition for any achievements. It is also more dangerous than the previous operation. In the worst case, you could die.”
Had Jin Sowoon known the Orthodox Society was in danger?
“What... operation is it?”
“It seems the Orthodox Society, which was helping the Northern Forest Alliance, has fallen into danger. We’re going to save them.”
Hwa Jeongsan’s expression hardened.
The Orthodox Society had helped the Northern Forest Alliance interfere with the Southern Forest Alliance.
Over the past while, the Orthodox Society had hindered Jin Sowoon, and the conflict between them had only deepened.
Jin Sowoon especially hated Yong Soa. Yong Soa felt the same way.
That was why Hwa Jeongsan’s next question was only natural.
“Why? Why are you going to save them?”
Jin Sowoon tilted his head at the question, then answered as if it were obvious.
“Because they’re... in danger?”
“They’re... the Orthodox Society. And Yong Soa... that bastard is among them.”
“That’s why we’re going.”
“...!”
For an instant, Hwa Jeongsan felt something drop heavily into the deepest part of his heart.
It was like someone had struck his head with a hammer. Goosebumps rose across his body.
“That’s... why you’re going?”
It was the embodiment of a word he had long forgotten.
An ideal he had sealed away deep in his heart, dismissing it as unrealistic and naïve.
The man before him, Hall Master Jin Sowoon, had casually pulled from the water what Hwa Jeongsan had hidden so carefully.
“Yes. They aren’t our enemies.”
It was chivalry.
Jin Sowoon had casually brought forth something even Hwa Jeongsan had forgotten.
Then a drunken sound transmission reached Hwa Jeongsan’s ears.
-Do you still see Jin Sowoon as an enemy?
Those words shook his heart more than anything else could have.
#
Yuseong Unit left Jungak Stronghold and raced east.
The Southern Forest Alliance, which would now be called the Green Forest Alliance, decided to vacate Jungak Stronghold immediately.
The Southern Forest Alliance’s main headquarters was easier to defend, and no one knew what confusion would arise if the Demonic Cult attacked Jungak Stronghold.
Half of the Gale Unit headed to the main headquarters with the Southern Forest Alliance, while the other half went to save Yong Soa.
Bang Duchil, who had to lead the Gale Unit, moved with them. Yuseong Unit left behind the horses scattered throughout the Northern Forest Alliance and used their movement arts at full speed.
“Hic... Black Dragon Stronghold Leader. Is it really fine for the Alliance Leader not to come with us? Hic...”
The terrible stench of liquor stung my nose.
Just how much had she drunk?
Her body swayed as though she were completely drunk, but her movement art was not slow compared to the others.
It was almost remarkable that her upper and lower body could move so separately.
“By Alliance Leader, do you mean Alliance Leader Bang Duchil?”
“Who else would I mean?”
“...”
Had she completely forgotten that she belonged to the Martial Alliance?
“If the Gale Unit is attacked, the Green Forest Alliance will suffer damage it cannot recover from.”
“Hm...”
Dang Seohui kept hiccupping and could not relax her frown, as though she were worried about something.
“And please stop pretending to be a Stronghold Leader. It’s time to return to being a member of the Martial Alliance.”
The armband on her arm bearing the words Black Phoenix was unbearable to look at.
Was becoming the Stronghold Leader of a bandit stronghold really that enjoyable...?
“Hic... What are you talking about? Once a Green Forest bandit, always a Green Forest bandit!”
Good grief. I really couldn’t take this anymore.
I gave up on taking her armband. At that point, it was practically the same as trying to take her candied fruit.
We did not rest for a single moment as we made for Despair Valley.
Too much time had already passed, and arriving late would be worse than not going at all.
With Despair Valley just ahead of us, I gave everyone half a day to rest and recover their primordial qi.
“Bleegh!”
Dang Seohui finally began vomiting repeatedly.
How much had she managed to drink with that tiny body?
“If it’s too hard, Deputy Hall Master, you can rest here.”
After vomiting, Dang Seohui looked up at me with half-lidded eyes.
“Those people used members of our Green Forest Alliance as disposable tools... blegh... This Black Phoenix Stronghold Leader absolutely... blegh! cannot forgive that.”
At this rate, she really was going to join the Green Forest Alliance for good.
#
After recovering their primordial qi, Yuseong Unit had not gone far before it became clear they had reached Despair Valley.
“Hmm?”
Green Forest bandits had already begun appearing.
“Who the hell are you?”
Around fifty people who looked like obvious bandits were huddled together around a fire.
Clang! Clang!
The moment they saw us, they raised their weapons.
“I asked who you are.”
Anyone watching would think we had barged into their home.
“We’re from the Green Forest Alliance.”
“The Green Forest Alliance?”
“Yes. The war ended in the Southern Forest Alliance’s victory. Go back now, all of you.”
“...”
The Green Forest bandits exchanged looks in silence before suddenly bursting into laughter.
“Bwahahaha!”
“Kahah! That’s not even funny.”
“Khehehe. Looks like they’re not in their right minds.”
What was this? Their reaction was extremely strange, and the reason was...
“You expect us to believe you’re Green Forest bandits dressed like that?”
It was because of our clothes.
Everyone was wearing martial attire or formal uniforms, so it was understandable that they would misunderstand.
“There’s a reason for this. We’re actually...”
“I’m already furious because this feels like pointless labor, and now some brats show up to make trouble!”
The Green Forest bandits began releasing killing intent.
It seemed the Demonic Cult had selected only people who knew martial arts and brought them here.
“Attack!”
There was no more room for conversation. They attacked immediately.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
This was an extremely troublesome situation.
“Hall Master Jin, may I kill them?”
I shook my head at Hwa Jeongsan’s question.
Bang Duchil was coming, and the Gale Unit would see it.
Besides, if we began killing from the entrance, we would have to fight even more battles the farther we went inside.
‘What should I do...?’
Thump!
The bigger problem was that their fighting spirit was excessive.
I sent one Green Forest bandit flying, but another bandit charged in without fear.
Even after seeing their comrade’s arm break before their eyes, they foamed at the mouth and rushed forward as if desperately struggling.
They were completely different from the Green Forest bandits we had faced so far.
“Hic... Because Alliance Leader Bang Duchil was there, it was easier for the Northern Forest Alliance members to surrender...”
“What do you mean?”
“To them, a stronghold leader is their parent and their king. Hic!”
Dang Seohui spoke with a slurred tongue and glanced at me.
“A stronghold leader is more than... someone who gives them orders.”
What was with that strange, drunken look in her eyes?
Still, after spending so much time with the Green Forest bandits, she seemed to have learned how they thought.
In other words, they had not needed to fight to the end because Bang Duchil, though an enemy, had been a legitimate absolute authority to them.
“Then without Alliance Leader Bang Duchil, they’ll fight to the end?”
“If their stronghold leader doesn’t look after them... they have nowhere else to go.”
They had already become criminals, so they could not return to being ordinary people. Their martial arts were too weak for them to survive on their own.
That was why they would offer even their lives for a purpose.
We had run into opponents more troublesome than the Demonic Cult.
‘What do I do...?’
After slamming a Green Forest bandit into the ground, Dang Seohui spoke.
“It’s not as if there’s no way... hic.”
“Then you should have told me sooner!”
“But... I didn’t say it because the Hall Master would hate it.”
What was there to like or dislike at a time like this?
Handling the situation came first.
So what in the world was this method...?
“The Black Dragon Stronghold Leader should say it.”
“...”
What kind of nonsense was that?
“From what I heard, hic! The Black Dragon Stronghold Leader had tremendous status even within the Northern Forest Alliance.”
I was dumbfounded by the absurdity of it.
No matter how great the Black Dragon Stronghold Leader’s reputation was, would these people accept it just because I said so?
“You won’t know unless you try.”
Was that even an answer?
I could not bring myself to speak.
When I turned my head,
‘...Why are you all so excited?’
Dang Seohui, Dongryong, and Jaehwa all wore expectant expressions.
After considering it, I finally made my decision.
It was better than fighting our way through Despair Valley like this.
I gathered as much internal energy as I could and irritably unleashed a Lion’s Roar.
“Everyone, stop moving!!!!”
The Lion’s Roar echoed off the cliffs. The Green Forest bandits froze for an instant and covered their ears.
As silence fell, I released another Lion’s Roar toward them, this time in a low voice.
“Do you know in whose presence you dare wield your weapons?”
“...?”
The bandits looked confused at my words.
Then Dang Seohui cut in.
“This person is... hic! The Black Dragon Stronghold Leader you have all been looking for.”
“...T-The Black Dragon Stronghold Leader?”
The Green Forest bandits tilted their heads, unable to understand.
Then one of them pointed at me in surprise.
“Could your epithet be... B-Black Flame Dragon?”
I immediately dashed forward and punched him in the mouth.
“Guhk! Why...?!”
I spoke to the man as he protested indignantly.
“How dare you point at me, one of Alliance Leader Bang Duchil’s sworn brothers?”
“...”
“T-Then are you really the Black Dragon Stronghold Leader?”
I stared at them without answering and released killing intent.
“B-Black...”
“Urgh!”
Then I said, “How long do you intend to hold your weapons so disrespectfully?”
“...”
“Did you not hear me? The war is over.”
Clatter.
Clatter.
The bewildered Green Forest bandits began lowering their weapons one by one.
Then they knelt and looked up at us.
“A-Are you truly the Black Dragon Stronghold Leader?”
I was speechless as I watched them doubt it.
‘Is that even something to doubt?’
It was unbearably embarrassing. Even so...
“Yes. I am...”
Hadn’t I promised myself I would not run from what I had to do?
“The Black Dragon Stronghold Leader.”
The commotion grew louder.
Perhaps overwhelmed by my presence, more and more people dropped to their knees.
Up to that point, it was still tolerable.
“Black Dragon! Black Dragon! Black Dragon!”
“Black Dragon! Black Dragon! Black Dragon!”
“Black Dragon! Black Dragon! Black Dragon!”
...Until Dang Seohui, Dongryong, and Moyong Jaehwa began adding their chants from beside me.
Hey, you’re on my side, right...?
“““Black Dragon! Black Dragon! Black Dragon!”””
When even the Green Forest bandits of the Northern Forest Alliance began shouting it, I wanted to throw everything away and hide away in the mountains.
This was driving me insane.
Footnotes:
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