WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 88: The Time of the Hunt (2)

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Crash.

Bang!

“...Ugh.”

A cacophony rang in Song Baek’s ears.

As he tried to shake off the irritating noise, he remembered that he had been facing Jin Sowoon and the Taeul Sect disciples only moments ago. He sprang to his feet.

“Young Master, are you all right?”

The guard’s usually impassive face was filled with concern.

Song Baek touched his face, drawn by the sticky, unpleasant sensation there. His fingers came away bloody.

“What happened...?”

“That bastard ambushed you before we could react, Young Master...”

“...”

Wasn’t that what I employed you to prevent?

The words nearly slipped out, but Song Baek held them back.

The Martial Arts Academy examination prohibited first-rate martial artists or higher, so he had no choice but to hire guards far inferior to those who normally accompanied him.

If he punished them now, it would only disgrace him further for failing to stop an ambush by mere Taeul Sect disciples.

“Those bastards... Did they run away?”

“No... Well...”

Song Baek turned toward where the guard pointed and found utter chaos.

Countless people who had stayed out of the fight for fear of offending the Radiant Flower Escort Agency were now rushing Jin Sowoon.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Jin Sowoon faced more than ten swords alone, yet he did not seem strained.

His sword was marvelous, its true blade and illusory afterimages mingling as they appeared and vanished.

His black blade seized the eye as it bloomed and faded, like a curled flower bud opening before withering away.

“Urgh!”

“Ghk!”

“Argh!”

Every time that black flower bloomed, three or four people suffered deep wounds and were knocked out of the fight.

‘His martial attainment is simply...’

Most martial artists gathered in Suzhou were only second-rate. Many of the examination candidates had not even reached first-rate.

Yet facing ten or twenty such opponents at once was no easy task.

Jin Sowoon was doing it nonetheless.

“His junior brothers... Take them first...”

Song Baek quickly searched for the Taeul Sect disciples, dressed so shabbily they were indistinguishable from Beggar Sect members.

From what he had seen, their martial attainment was at the ten-year level.

If he subdued them...

“They aren’t easy to deal with either.”

“What?”

Beside Jin Sowoon, Geumpyo, Eunho, and Dongryong made strange noises.

Each held a sword in their right hand and food in their left.

‘Food?’

Clang, clang, clang!

Slurp.

Clang!

Smack, smack.

The three moved in perfect harmony, as though they were one person.

When Geumpyo lowered his head to pick up a bite of scallion-mixed tofu, Eunho blocked the sword flashing toward his back.

Dongryong, the youngest, struck his opponents’ vital points with a blade fiercer than either of his brothers’.

“Ghk!”

When one opponent fell, Eunho lowered his head to pick up a bite of twice-cooked pork. Geumpyo watched his back while Dongryong attacked.

They looked like a street troupe performing a comical play in perfect rhythm.

The problem was that real martial artists kept being knocked out throughout the performance.

“All martial artists from the Hanseong Martial Arts School are unable to fight!”

“The Gwan Tae Martial Arts School disciples have already fainted!”

“What?”

The Radiant Flower Escort Agency directly supported as many as twenty martial arts schools in Suzhou.

They had even gathered candidates taking the Academy examination from all over, yet they could not handle a few Taeul Sect disciples?

“Where are the martial artists from the Yanghwa Martial Arts School and the Hahwa Martial Arts School?”

“...”

The guard’s expression stiffened.

“Young Master, they are the ones prepared for you.”

No matter how many martial arts schools there were, in the martial world, a difference in strength outweighed numbers.

That was why the Radiant Flower Escort Agency had selected its finest escort warriors and used them to operate fake martial arts schools, much like other sects’ hidden martial artists, all for Song Baek’s sake.

“When will we use them if not now?”

Thanks to them, Song Baek had passed the first and second gates without difficulty.

He had mobilized three times as many people as others, so few opponents had even dared approach him.

“If the Mount Cang Sect seniors feel slighted by this, I won’t gain much even after entering the Martial Arts Academy.”

People thought everything ended once they entered the Martial Arts Academy, but admission was only the beginning.

One had to make the right connections there, work alongside them, earn high scores, receive a favorable assignment, and gain the seniors’ support to rise to a good position within the Martial Alliance.

Only then could the Radiant Flower Escort Agency become not merely one of the five greatest escort agencies north of the Yangtze River, but one of the top three. Perhaps even the greatest.

“Understood.”

The guard bit down on a finger and let out a long whistle.

The piercing sound made several people clutch their ears.

Then, sensing something ominous, they stopped moving.

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

Bang!

The doors flew open as though they were about to break, and martial artists poured in.

“Eek!”

The innkeeper, who had been cooking in the kitchen, trembled as though the day they had feared had finally come.

Crash!

Creak!

The inn began filling with countless martial artists in an instant.

Even so, they kept pouring in.

When the entrance became blocked, a small window leading outside rattled before shattering.

Soon, even the wooden wall was torn away, and more martial artists flooded through the opening.

“Grand Senior Brother! They just keep coming!”

“What do we do?”

“...If you’re going to say that, at least put down the food first.”

No matter how strong they were, they could not withstand such numbers.

The three brothers finally put down their food and casually wiped their greasy left hands on their clothes.

“Please come with us quietly.”

Song Baek wiped the blood running from his nose and mouth with his silk robes.

“So it was true. The Radiant Flower Escort Agency created fake martial arts schools and had people enter the examination dishonestly.”

“!”

Words Song Baek had never expected came from Jin Sowoon’s mouth.

Only a handful of people within the Radiant Flower Escort Agency knew that secret.

How could Jin Sowoon possibly know?

Song Baek composed himself so no one would notice his shock.

“I have no idea what you mean. Cooperation among candidates is something the Martial Arts Academy itself recommends.”

“That applies only to cooperation. Giving orders directly from the start makes it clear you hired more martial artists than permitted and had them take the examination dishonestly.”

“...I don’t even want to deny something so absurd. If you truly wish to settle the matter of right and wrong, come with me.”

“But is it all right to waste such valuable manpower on us?”

“What do you mean...?”

“You should know that something more important than the examination itself awaits at the third gate.”

“That is not your concern.”

“Ah, will you ask your Mount Cang Sect senior brothers for help?”

“What are you all doing? Subdue them at once. Take all their Gate Tokens as well.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

The martial artists’ voices thundered through the large inn.

The Taeul Sect disciples were forced into one corner, with barely enough room to stand.

At the front, Jin Sowoon’s martial robes swelled as though they were about to burst.

The martial artists approaching him flinched and stopped.

How much internal energy did he possess to release such powerful force?

The moment Jin Sowoon extended his left hand, the martial artists instinctively raised both hands to protect their heads.

...

...

Nothing happened.

Embarrassed, the martial artists were about to rush in, as though there was no reason to delay any longer.

Creak. Crack. Crunch!

The pillars supporting the second floor broke apart one after another, and everyone waiting upstairs came crashing down at once.

“Aaaah!”

“Move!”

“Argh!”

The inn, already crammed with martial artists, descended into utter chaos.

Jin Sowoon swung his hand toward the ceiling, opening a huge hole.

Then, as the three brothers grabbed different parts of his body, a long thread shot from his hand toward the ceiling.

“Thanks for the meal! Oh, and I’ll put this to good use.”

Jin Sowoon waved a golden pouch and looked up.

The four Taeul Sect brothers slipped through the ceiling as though climbing a spiderweb.

It was a bizarre sight, even among street troupes.

“...”

Song Baek stood dazed for a moment before recalling the pouch Jin Sowoon had waved.

He frantically searched inside his robes.

Gone. Gone. Gone. It was gone!

His banknotes, his money pouch, even the golden pouch that mattered most.

Why had he not noticed his pockets had been completely emptied?

“What is it, Young Master?”

“Th-that bastard...”

“Yes?”

“Catch him! He took the Gate Tokens!”

#

After we broke through the inn’s ceiling using the Flying Dragon Claw, Eunho let out a small sigh.

“Won’t people call the Taeul Sect a vagrant troupe at this rate?”

Didn’t he realize that the way they had maintained a sword formation while eating earlier had looked even more like a vagrant troupe?

I’d watched plenty of street performances, but I’d never seen anyone work together so comically and perfectly as those three.

“Is that what matters right now?”

“We should leave Suzhou, right?”

“Wasn’t that always the plan?”

“Ah... I thought we might get to rest for a while.”

Below us, Radiant Flower Escort Agency martial artists and martial factions acting under the Radiant Flower Escort Agency’s orders shouted as they pursued us.

“Oh! That’s the waiter from before. He must be bringing our things now.”

The waiter I had asked to buy bathwater and clothes was running toward us with a bundle, unaware of how the situation had changed.

I dropped to the ground.

“Gasp! You startled me.”

“Is that ours?”

“Ah... Young Master. Yes, I bought four sets of black martial robes.”

“Thank you. Take this.”

I handed the pouch I had taken from Song Baek to the waiter.

The waiter jumped at its weight.

There was obviously far too much money inside for a simple errand.

“You don’t need to do this. If you’re feeling generous, one tael of silver would be plenty.”

“Keep three taels of silver for yourself and give the rest to the innkeeper.”

“What?”

“You’ll understand when you get there.”

“They’re over there!”

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

Leaving the stunned waiter behind, I fired the Flying Dragon Claw again and climbed onto the rooftops.

“Senior Brother, you stole something from that Song Baek, or Hong Baek, or whatever his name was, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Otherwise, there’s no way to explain why they’re chasing us as though their lives depend on it.”

When I looked back, several Radiant Flower Escort Agency escort warriors had leaped onto the rooftops and were running after us.

Perhaps because they were escort warriors, their movement arts were exceptional.

I waved the golden pouch.

“Why do you keep making unnecessary enemies?”

“I’m not making enemies. I’m giving a reason to people who would become enemies without one. Wouldn’t you feel wronged if people chased you for no reason?”

“...”

Geumpyo and Eunho sighed at the same time.

“We should get outside the city first, right?”

“We can’t shake them off completely inside the city.”

Even if the authorities and the martial world did not interfere in one another’s affairs, the government office would have no choice but to act if swords were drawn within the city.

Since neither side could kill, the smaller group was at a greater disadvantage. One wrong move, and we could be overwhelmed by the crowd and subdued, just as we had nearly been at the inn.

“...”

I gradually increased my speed.

Geumpyo, Eunho, and Dongryong briefly stopped their qi circulation and began matching my pace.

Dongryong, at the back, could not adjust in time and kept muttering something.

“...When they chase you for no reason, give them a reason. When they chase you for no reason, give them a reason. When they chase you for no reason, give them a reason. When they chase you for no reason, give them a reason.”

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t have paper and ink right now. I’m repeating it so I won’t forget.”

“...”

#

It was certainly faster to cross rooftops than run through crowds.

After several pursuing escort warriors were knocked down by flying swords, no one continued chasing us, either over the rooftops or below.

By the time Geumpyo, Eunho, and Dongryong were struggling because their internal energy was running low, the city gate came into view.

Had it been night, we would have simply crossed the city wall. With the sun high in the sky, though, we had to leave through the proper gate.

“Grand Senior Brother, there are too many people ahead.”

Near the city gate, dozens of people and dozens of carts stood in long lines facing the exit.

As soon as we landed, I asked a wagon driver who appeared to be doing escort work.

“Sir, is the line here usually this long?”

“How could it be? Since when did those bastards manage people going in and out of the city?”

Suzhou was a city where goods gathered in extraordinary volume and trade flourished, even within Jiangsu Province. Such strict inspections usually earned the resentment of many people.

“Are they asking for bribes?”

“How would I know? I’m busy, so stop asking questions!”

Though the wagon driver seemed to have nothing else to do, I quickly took out a silver coin and held it out.

“Ahem. Since you seem to know how to behave, I’ll tell you. Earlier, the head of the Gangjang Merchant Group was beaten to a pulp while trying to bribe the constables.”

“...”

One incomprehensible event followed another.

There had been no inspection when we entered Suzhou.

“I heard the Radiant Flower Escort Agency asked them to tighten inspections on people leaving for a few days. The county magistrate newly assigned to Suzhou is one of the Radiant Flower Escort Agency’s Giant Escort Warriors, is that not so?”

Only then did the pieces fall into place.

The Radiant Flower Escort Agency had turned the entire city of Suzhou into an encirclement.

“Is it the same elsewhere?”

“This road to the north gate is the least strict. The constable captain there is an infamous scoundrel. They might be persuaded if you feed them enough money.”

At that moment, a commotion began rising in the distance.

The Radiant Flower Escort Agency and the martial artists gathered in Suzhou were drawing close.

“Should we hide somewhere else first?”

“Let’s move first.”

We ran straight toward the east gate, only to stop.

A group emerged from an alley as though they had been waiting, blocking our path.

When we moved toward the south gate, the Radiant Flower Escort Agency escort warriors who had been pursuing us arrived. To the west, those summoned by the escort warrior’s whistle appeared.

‘They intended to capture us among the constables from the start.’

Since it was near an inspection point, the open ground was wide, and the nearby constables were tense as though ready to rush out at any moment.

They would surely intervene if anyone was killed. They would also intervene if the fight intensified, since civilians might be harmed.

The trap had been complete from the moment we entered Suzhou.

“What do you think of the trap I designed?”

Song Baek stepped out from among the Radiant Flower Escort Agency escort warriors.

There was none of the anxiety he had shown when his Gate Tokens were stolen.

He looked smug, like someone who had called checkmate in a game of chess.

“You have talent too good to waste beneath the Mount Cang Sect.”

That was my honest assessment.

If I had been the Radiant Flower Escort Agency’s heir, I would have created the same encirclement.

“But do you think we’ll give up the Gate Tokens because we’re afraid to kill?”

“...We’ll find out.”

Song Baek looked toward the city gate. The apparent county magistrate waved a flag.

Archers atop the city wall began nocking arrows.

“No wonder you managed to cheat your way into the Martial Arts Academy regular examination.”

“Now, return them quietly.”

Song Baek held out his hand.

I looked at Geumpyo, Eunho, and Dongryong.

Every one of them gave a small shake of the head.

Song Baek read the intent of my junior brothers and added, “My senior brothers wanted only Young Master Jin from the start. They don’t care what happens to your junior brothers.”

Song Baek gritted his teeth and growled.

Without hesitation, I reached into my robes for the pouch.

“Wait!”

A clear, high voice rang across the open ground.

People hurriedly looked around for its source.

Rumble, rumble, rumble.

Then, accompanied by a faint tremor beneath their feet, one hundred and fifty mounted martial artists radiating a dragonlike presence appeared.

Their imposing arrival made even the county magistrate and constables atop the wall flinch.

“Young Master Jin!”

“Young Master Jin!”

I was so startled by the unexpected arrivals that I forgot to keep watch on Song Baek.

“Miss Seong Moran... Miss Namgung Seonhwa?”

Footnotes:

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