Do You Know Dan Mok-gyeong? (2)
The Wulin Alliance Patrol Division.
Among the organizations belonging to the Wulin Alliance, it was one of the lowest-ranking. Its primary duties centered around maintaining public order in the orthodox faction territories, with Wuhan as its focal point, as well as tracking down wanted criminals.
The reason the Patrol Division handled security instead of the government stemmed from a certain agreement between the Wulin Alliance and the authorities. The biggest factor was that the government found it difficult to control the martial world. After decades of exhausting national resources to fend off the barbarians, they lacked the capacity to enforce strict internal discipline. While they could have done so if they truly committed to it, entrusting the task to the Wulin Alliance allowed the Alliance to solidify its own influence, while the government saved money. It was, as they say, a win-win arrangement.
Because of this background, the Patrol Division effectively served a role akin to the police throughout Wuhan and, more broadly, across the martial world. Since government soldiers could not handle martial artists, the Patrol Division, spread throughout the regions, had no choice but to fulfill that duty.
That was why the original novel's protagonist, Dan Mok-gyeong, took the entrance exam for the Wulin Alliance Patrol Division—the easiest way to join the Alliance—and entered at the top of the class. Starting her martial career in the Patrol Division allowed her to accumulate achievements the fastest. Other units or departments only recruited once every few years, required proper status, or demanded at least first-class realm at minimum. For her, a disciple of a reclusive master with no strong ties to the orthodox factions, it was the best choice. Moreover, few places showcased the protagonist's abilities better than the Patrol Division, where combat was frequent.
Anyway, true to her role as the protagonist, she rapidly built a dazzling record, rising from ordinary patrolman to squad leader, then to deputy division commander at breakneck speed. She caught the eye of the Wulin Alliance Lord and was entrusted with important responsibilities…
"Mister?"
"Hm? What is it?"
"Didn't you say we were going to the Patrol Division?"
"We've finished eating, so it's time to head out."
At my words, Hye-ryeong's gaze dropped downward before rising again. What now?
"Mister, you eat that much but your stomach doesn't stick out! I'm jealous!"
"I haven't lived carelessly enough for my stomach to protrude from just this much."
A knight lives by his meals, so one must eat as much as possible when food is available. Remembering the days when supplies were cut off and we fought for a week while starving, more food was always better.
"Even if I eat just a little extra, my stomach sticks out…"
A little?
"You ate two portions too, didn't you?"
"For a martial artist, that's one portion!"
Is that so.
I decided not to argue with Hye-ryeong. It wasn't strange for martial artists who put their bodies through harsh training to eat a lot.
"Hye-ryeong, do you know where the Patrol Division is?"
"Uh… If we go around the outer walls, we'll probably find it. I heard it's on the outskirts—"
So she didn't know the exact location. Well, since I needed to familiarize myself with the Wulin Alliance's layout anyway, I could circle around a few times and look for the Patrol Division headquarters along the way. Standing side by side with Hye-ryeong, I looked toward the north.
North.
Since the lodgings and dining hall were in the north, following along the wall should eventually lead us to the Patrol Division.
"Let's go."
"Okay~"
Hye-ryeong and I began walking slowly along the wall.
"This building is…"
"It's the headquarters of the Four Divine Beasts Division! All the later-generation disciples enter the Four Divine Beasts Division, so I'll probably join the Vermilion Bird Division in a few months too!"
"I see."
The Vermilion Bird Division, huh. There was a heroine there as well, though she didn't have much presence. One of the reasons the original novel was criticized was its unnecessary addition of trophy heroines to pad the length. Then, when popularity dropped, it hastily wrapped things up with a rushed conclusion after defeating the Heavenly Demon. Thinking about it, why did I transmigrate into this kind of novel? If it had been a more peaceful story, I wouldn't have had to worry about how to fight the Demonic Cult.
"Mister? Are you listening to me?"
"Ah, sorry. What does 'Four Divine Beasts' mean?"
When I smoothly changed the subject, Hye-ryeong eagerly took the bait.
"It refers to the Four Divine Beasts! The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise! The Four Divine Beasts Division is the Wulin Alliance's main force, named after the Four Divine Beasts!"
This part was the same as in the original novel. Though there was no reason for even these details to change.
"The Four Divine Beasts Division…"
"Couldn't you join too, Mister?"
"I wonder…"
Me? The Four Divine Beasts Division only recruited the most outstanding later-generation disciples of the orthodox factions. It was a place that carefully selected only the most renowned talents from the Central Plains. Even the protagonist had taken quite some time to enter the White Tiger Division from the Patrol Division. Though that was only a year.
"I want to be with you in the Vermilion Bird Division, but since you're a man…"
Hye-ryeong looked up at me with a regretful expression. Was it really that disappointing?
"Is there a need to join the Vermilion Bird Division specifically…?"
"If I don't join the Vermilion Bird Division, where would I go?"
"I don't know."
Honestly, I didn't think Hye-ryeong's skills would improve meaningfully just by joining the Vermilion Bird Division. After all, the Vermilion Bird Division felt more like a social gathering than a place for serious training, so unless networking was necessary, it seemed rather questionable. The Patrol Division, where one could gain real combat experience, might actually be better. Just as a fledgling bird must eventually learn to flap its wings to fly, Hye-ryeong would one day have to stand on her own as a martial artist, leaving the embrace of the Hainan Sword Sect.
"How about the Patrol Division?"
"Hmm—but if I said I was going to the Patrol Division, everyone would oppose it."
"…I suppose they would."
If I sent her to a place where she'd have to put her body through harsh conditions, the Hundred Elder would probably come storming over in a rage, and even the sect leader might personally show up. Just from a glance, it was clear how much the Hainan Sword Sect cherished Hye-ryeong, so sending her to the Patrol Division wasn't a good option. It would create friction with the Hainan Sword Sect, and the chances of her skills improving meaningfully weren't high either.
"What are you planning to do, Mister?"
"For now, I have no intention of joining the Wulin Alliance."
As a foreigner with no connections, I needed considerable fame to secure a position in the Wulin Alliance. For example, bringing back the head of Blood Saber Asura Gwak Mu-sam, who appears in the latter part of the Patrol Division arc. Or destroying a Demonic Cult branch. Great achievements become great justifications. When the time was right, I planned to earn money while hunting down targets, capturing Demonic Cult leaders, and slowly building my reputation. At the very least, I needed to ensure the Wulin Alliance couldn't restrict my freedom of movement. If possible, I also wanted to train toward becoming a master.
…I wonder if that's even possible.
The division commander had said it took him ten years to become a master. At a point where I needed to achieve it much faster, the difficulty was only higher, not lower. It wasn't like the old days, living on a battlefield where simply surviving greatly aided realm advancement.
"If not the Wulin Alliance, where will you go? Are you going far away?"
"You know the answer. I'm not going far. I just… won't be joining the Wulin Alliance."
"Ugh…"
Hye-ryeong made a groaning sound and crossed her arms. The chest resting naturally atop her arms blatantly revealed its large and beautiful shape.
…Was she doing that on purpose? Or was she unaware?
I patted Hye-ryeong's shoulder and spoke.
"Don't worry too much. I'll just be using the Wulin Alliance as a base of operations. My goal for now is to raise my realm."
"Your realm…?"
"I want to break through the wall of master—that is, super-first-class."
"Super-first-class…"
"It won't take that long."
It wasn't something that happened just because you wanted it, but I still had to try.
"Are you going to do closed-door training?"
"No. I won't do closed-door training."
Western arts didn't benefit much from closed-door training like in the Central Plains, so even if I did it, it wouldn't mean much. It would only result in me chewing on fasting pills for no reason while experiencing seclusion. So… I needed more real combat experience. If I engaged in life-and-death battles with martial artists different from the Mamluks, enlightenment would come to me on its own. Therefore… I needed to find a place to fight. But before that, finding the protagonist came first.
"Hye-ryeong. Let's start moving now."
"Okay~"
I took Hye-ryeong and began walking along the path again.
"So this is the Patrol Division headquarters."
It was big. Thinking about it, since it had the largest number of personnel among the divisions, it was only natural. I scratched my chin as I watched the patrolmen busily entering and leaving the headquarters.
If I went inside and asked outright, it would seem strange, wouldn't it? Since Hye-ryeong was with me, mixing in unnecessary lies would also look odd. How should I go about finding Dan Mok-gyeong? While pondering this, I stepped into the Patrol Division headquarters.
"Mister, everyone's staring at us…"
"Don't mind it. They're just looking because it's unusual."
Anyone would stare if a Westerner appeared in the middle of the Central Plains. Paying no heed to the gazes, I fiddled with my bamboo hat and looked around. I didn't know her face, but since she was described as strikingly handsome at a glance, I thought I'd get a rough sense just by looking at faces… There weren't any handsome guys here. As expected of martial artists, every face looked fierce.
"Mister?"
"Ah, sorry."
"E-excuse me…"
"There's no need to be alarmed. I can speak the Central Plains language."
"A Westerner who can speak our language… Could it be the Blue-Eyed Lion?"
"That's correct."
At my answer, a middle-aged man who seemed to hold some position in the Patrol Division let out an exclamation and looked at me.
"To think I'd get to see the Blue-Eyed Lion who dealt with the Blood Saber Asura. How surprising."
"Is that so?"
"I've been hearing quite a few rumors about you lately."
"I see."
The rumors seemed to have spread farther than I'd thought.
"Haha, but what brings you to the Patrol Division?"
"I wanted to observe the Patrol Division, which works tirelessly day and night for the peace of the martial world. Would it be all right if I looked around?"
"An observation, you say…"
At my words, the middle-aged man, who seemed to be among the higher ranks in the Patrol Division, glanced at Hye-ryeong before nodding and speaking.
"Understood. However…"
"I have no intention of causing trouble, so don't worry."
"Ahem, then please look around as you wish. Just don't go inside…"
Had he recognized the Hainan Sword Sect uniform? Well, anyone from the Wulin Alliance would recognize it.
Now then, shall we get moving?
"Hye-ryeong, let's go."
"Okay."
I began to properly tour the Patrol Division headquarters.