Wuxia Alliance, I Have Returned (3)
“Your sword has grown sharper.”
“You’ve improved a great deal as well, Im So-hyeop.”
After finishing a brief spar, I cupped my fists and offered Ha Jin a respectful bow. It was the least I could do for a man who refused to neglect his training even amid his crushing responsibilities.
The position of sect leader demanded political skill far more than raw martial prowess, so it would have been easy for him to grow lax. Yet here he was, training through sleepless nights. So many relied on talent alone and let their diligence slip.
“Haha, I still have a long way to go. Thank you for indulging me in this friendly match today.”
“Not at all. I’m already indebted to the Hainan Sword Sect, so this is the least I can do…”
Unlike sparring with people who offered me nothing, crossing blades with the future leader of the Hainan Sword Sect had been genuinely beneficial. Hye-ryeong and Ha-gyeong had yet to master enough of the Hainan Thirty-Six Swords to make a proper match, and the Hundred-Year Elder was far too advanced in age for me to request a bout without hesitation. That left only Ha Jin.
Besides, building rapport with the next sect leader of the Hainan Sword Sect was its own reward. Asking him for a friendly match first had been a stroke of good fortune on my part.
“You both worked hard!”
The moment the spar ended, Hye-ryeong brought us towels. I wiped the dust from my face and watched her chat with Im So-hyeop.
“Thank you, Hye-ryeong.”
“It’s nothing, Senior Brother!”
“I wonder if I was any help at all.”
“Just watching the way you use the later forms is already a huge help! I haven’t learned them properly yet.”
“When you return to the Hainan Sword Sect, the sect leader will teach you the latter half. Until then, keep polishing the first eighteen forms. Even the opening half of the Hainan Thirty-Six Swords is a magnificent art.”
They really did feel like family. Well, they practically were.
“Great Hero Wi, I’ll be taking my leave. I have a mountain of work waiting.”
“Take care, Senior Brother!”
“Enjoy your time as well.”
“…Hehe.”
Im So-hyeop glanced between Hye-ryeong and me before turning away and leaving the training ground. Once he was gone, Hye-ryeong drifted over to me with natural ease.
“Uncle, what are you doing now?”
“I’m going to meet someone.”
“Someone?”
“You know, Jegal Hyeon-sang.”
He was an eccentric, but he’d proven useful in more ways than one. Since he’d already invested in me and profited, it was time to put him to work. The bigger the return he expected, the easier it would be to draw out a larger hand.
“Will you be coming back late again today?”
“I’ll be back before dinner.”
There was no reason to linger long with another man, and we didn’t have that much to discuss anyway.
“Are you going alone?”
“No, Mok-gyeong is coming with me.”
“Young Hero Dan as well?”
“Yes. He seems interested in Mok-gyeong, and introducing them feels like a worthwhile investment.”
A man obsessed with connections would definitely take an interest in Mok-gyeong. This was as good a time as any to make the introduction. Hye-ryeong looked up at me with a faintly sulky expression.
“So I have to stay by myself?”
“I heard there’s a gathering for the young ladies.”
“It’s boring. All they do is glare at each other.”
…So it was a meeting of daughters and disciples from prestigious martial families. The mental image of them gathered in one place, locked in a silent battle of wills, made me shudder.
“Sounds dreadful.”
“Right? I’d rather just stay with you, Uncle.”
“You’re like a puppy.”
“Should I bark for you? Woof woof?”
“Forget it. If anyone else hears that, I won’t be able to show my face…”
“…Ahem.”
Mok-gyeong, your timing is impeccable. I sighed at the sight of him cupping his fists toward me with an awkward expression. At least he hadn’t witnessed the worst of it.
“Oh, you’re here.”
“It looked like the spar was wrapping up…”
Mok-gyeong trailed off, studying me. He was dressed as neatly as ever. The refined air of a noble heir had faded, leaving only a clean, slightly worn robe and the face of a handsome young man with an androgynous charm.
I didn’t know how connecting him with Jegal Hyeon-sang would alter his fate, but it might at least help revive the ruined Dan Family of Yunnan. With the Jegal Clan’s influence, even a minor sect could obtain useful information.
“I’ll be back soon, so behave yourself.”
“You’ll return quickly?”
“Of course.”
“Haha, it’s been a while, Great Hero Wi.”
“It’s good to see you again, Young Master Jegal.”
“A pleasure to meet you again, Young Hero Dan.”
“No need for the usual pleasantries, I suppose.”
He looked exactly like a nouveau riche who had struck it rich overnight. I poured wine into Jegal Hyeon-sang’s cup while watching the sheer delight radiating from his face.
“I’ve been living quite happily, listening to tales of your exploits. It confirms that my eye for people is truly exceptional. Hohoho…”
He was acting drunk before he’d even taken a sip. I watched him preen and raised my own cup. The alcohol burned pleasantly down my throat, smooth enough to suggest it was quite fine.
While I savored the taste, Jegal Hyeon-sang hid his twitching lips behind his fan and glanced at me.
“By the way, Great Hero Wi, I didn’t expect you to summon me first.”
“You said you were investing in me. It’s only natural I put you to use in return.”
“Haha, quite right. A relationship grows stronger when both sides give and take. That’s why you’re introducing Young Hero Dan to me as well, isn’t it?”
“Since he’s traveling with me, you two should at least be acquainted. While we’re at it, passing along some useful information to Young Hero Dan wouldn’t be a bad investment either.”
“An investment, you say. Hmm… If it’s a recommendation from you, Great Hero Wi, I doubt it will be a losing proposition.”
The young strategist of the Jegal Clan smiled with his eyes. It was the crescent moon of a man who smelled profit.
“You sound more like a merchant than a martial artist when you talk like that.”
“Haha, one of my ancestors once said that everything in this world ultimately comes down to calculation. How well one calculates determines the rise and fall of a life.”
“An interesting sentiment.”
“I believe it strikes at the heart of the matter.”
“Well, enough small talk. Let’s get to the point.”
“The point, is it? What is it you wish to request?”
“Three things.”
“Three… Let’s hear them.”
“First, information on the Three Treasures Sword King and the Seongcheon Merchant Guild, which is believed to hold his secret manual. Second, information on the assailants who attacked the Dan Family of Yunnan. Lastly, I’d like you to arrange a private audience with the Wuxia Alliance Leader.”
“Those requests are… rather difficult for me to fulfill.”
For the first time, Jegal Hyeon-sang looked troubled. Understandable—an obscure martial artist asking the Jegal Clan to arrange a meeting with the Alliance Leader was absurd on its face.
“He’s already interested in me. All you need to do is create a plausible pretext and deliver the message.”
It was more roundabout than using Seo Ryeon, but this way carried fewer risks. I couldn’t exactly charm the Alliance Leader with my looks the way the original Mok-gyeong might have. A woman who had only just come of age falling for a face that looked forty would make everyone question her taste. Besides, Seo Ryeon might seem airheaded, but she knew exactly what she liked.
“The first two requests are manageable, but the last one… I cannot guarantee success.”
“Just try.”
As long as the Alliance Leader heard that I had made the attempt, that would be enough.
Jegal Hyeon-sang seemed to grasp my meaning and nodded.
“Understood. I will do as you ask.”
There were other favors I wanted, but this wasn’t the time to voice them. I set my fan aside and picked up my chopsticks, turning my attention to the lavish spread on the table. Since we were already at a restaurant, I might as well eat my fill.
“I’ll eat well.”
“Haha, please enjoy, Great Hero.”
With the host’s permission granted, it was time to eat in earnest. I set to work with my chopsticks, sampling each dish in turn.