Chapter 76: Spreading Fame (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 76: Spreading Fame (1)
“Look over there!”
“No, over that way!”
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of clashing steel echoed through the night sky.
In the empty air, far from where they had first looked, blue sparks suddenly erupted. Though the figures were faint, the intensity of the sparks allowed everyone to guess just how fierce the battle was.
The escort guards let out a thunderous cheer.
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
“Great Hero So Woon-hwi is fighting the Blood Demon!”
Naturally, the sailors joined in, shouting with joy.
“He—he must have been the one who drove off the pirates, too!”
They believed the pirates had retreated because of the spectacle they were witnessing now. In truth, they didn't know the exact reason, but given the atmosphere, they had no choice but to believe So Woon-hwi had done something. The guards, swept up in the excitement, chanted his name.
He was nothing short of a hero.
“Ah! Look up!”
Just then, something fell toward the mast like a flash of silver lightning. It wasn't just falling; it was hurtling toward the ship with terrifying momentum.
“Whoa!”
“Get back!”
The guards and sailors scrambled to clear the area where the silver flash was about to strike, but another object flew in to intercept it.
Claaaaang!
Two swords collided and locked against each other, barely four yards above the deck.
They were the Blood Demon Sword and the Namcheon Iron Sword.
One of the more martially gifted guards recognized them and shouted, “It’s the Namcheon Iron Sword!”
“Did it just block the Blood Demon Sword?”
To any observer, it looked as if the Namcheon Iron Sword had moved to protect the transport ship from the Blood Demon Sword. Overwhelmed with emotion, the excited guards cried out.
“Great Hero So Woon-hwi is protecting us!”
“Hang in there, Great Hero!”
“So Woon-hwi! So Woon-hwi!”
Before long, the guards and sailors were cheering for So Woon-hwi with one heart. They believed that only his victory over the Blood Demon would save them from peril—completely overlooking the fact that the Blood Demon hadn't actually caused them any harm yet.
Perhaps it was a prejudice against the Evil Faction that went beyond their fear of the Blood Cult.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Blood Demon Sword and the Namcheon Iron Sword, which had been clashing violently above the deck, shot back up into the sky like arrows. For a long time, the people below couldn't take their eyes off the blue sparks dancing in the heavens.
Then, a faint cry of pain drifted down.
“Urgh! You bastard, Blood Demon!”
A low voice followed.
“So Woon-hwi. You are no match for me. Begone.”
The voice was just loud enough for the martial artists among the guards to hear, even if the sailors couldn't. The guards’ faces turned pale. From the sound of it, So Woon-hwi was being pushed back or had already been defeated.
Suddenly, a guard pointed.
“Ah! Look there!”
Someone was falling from the sky. As the figure grew larger, his identity became clear.
“Young Master So!”
It was So Woon-hwi.
Fortunately, he struck the partially unfurled sail. The broad fabric acted as a cushion, slowing his momentum before he tore through it and landed on the deck.
Several guards rushed forward to catch him. Seeing So Woon-hwi looking pale and coughing up blood, they asked frantically:
“Young—Young Master So, are you alright?”
“Is the injury severe?”
So Woon-hwi coughed and spoke.
“Cough... cough... Is everyone... safe?”
Despite being injured himself, he was worried about them. The guards were moved to tears once again.
“We are safe!”
“It’s all thanks to you, Young Master So.”
Of course, not everyone was purely focused on his well-being. A few guards asked anxiously:
“What happened to the Blood Demon?”
“Did he wound you?”
They were clearly terrified that if So Woon-hwi had lost, the Blood Demon might come for them next. So Woon-hwi coughed up more blood as he answered.
“Cough, cough... He possesses truly formidable martial arts. I was helpless against his skill. He vanished after inflicting this internal injury on me.”
“He vanished?”
“I’m not sure. As I took his blow, I managed to land a lucky punch on his chest. Perhaps he retreated because he suffered an internal injury as well.”
At those words, the guards’ faces brightened. If that were true, it meant the Blood Demon had fled in haste after being wounded. The crowd erupted in cheers.
Ho Jin-gak, the leader of the Geumhwapyeong Merchant Group, pushed through the crowd and offered a fist-and-palm salute.
“Young Master So! Everyone is safe thanks to you. Thank you.”
“I only did my duty as a guest escort.”
“No, if you hadn't driven off the pirates and fought the Blood Demon, who among us would still be alive?”
“The Merchant Group Leader is right. It’s all thanks to the Great Hero. Isn't that right?”
“He’s right! It’s all thanks to Young Master So!”
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
As they showered him with praise, So Woon-hwi waved his hand weakly.
“I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I wasn't the one who drove off the pirates.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“When I arrived, the pirates were already frantically sailing away in retreat.”
Everyone was stunned. Ho Jin-gak asked, puzzled:
“What are you saying?”
“I arrived on the ship to find all of you unconscious, and the elderly Chamber Leader and Brother Hong Geol-gae dead. Just then, the Blood Demon appeared on the ship, and assuming he was the culprit, I attacked him. However, the Blood Demon told me not to harbor useless misunderstandings. May I ask what exactly happened here?”
At So Woon-hwi’s question, everyone’s expression turned strange, as if they had suddenly realized something.
“Why are you all looking like that?”
After a long silence, Ho Jin-gak spoke cautiously.
“Actually, Young Master So...”
As Ho Jin-gak began to recount the events that had occurred before they lost consciousness, a meaningful glint flashed in So Woon-hwi’s eyes.
After leaving the ship, I was traveling back while riding the Namcheon Iron Sword. The voice of the Lesser Conversation Sword echoed in my mind.
He sounded impressed, clicking his tongue. And for good reason—my plan to stage a fight by playing two roles at once had worked perfectly. I had used every trick in the book.
I used the afterimages created by the Wind Shadow Eight Streams to make it look like two people were fighting, and on top of that, I had the Evil Connection Sword cast hallucinations on those who were waking up to make the scene even more realistic.
For the sake of appearances, I had the Namcheon Iron Sword and the Blood Demon Sword duel above the ship. But once I gave them the freedom to move on their own, a subtle rivalry seemed to ignite between them. Since the Namcheon Iron Sword took great pride in its former master, it usually stayed calm, but it was exceptionally proud when it came to swordsmanship.
The Evil Connection Sword was busy pouring oil on the fire. That’s all well and good, but don't drag me into it.
In any case, thanks to this double-role performance, I had secured numerous witnesses. With so many guards and sailors seeing it with their own eyes, who would ever suspect that the Blood Demon and So Woon-hwi were the same person?
‘Ahem. Let’s stop talking about that.’
Even after years of being a spy, this was a first for me. It felt like my personality was splitting in two.
Regardless, the execution was flawless. Now, the Blood Demon was seen as someone who had actually saved the transport ship before vanishing, and I had established myself as someone who tried to protect the ship from him despite the misunderstanding.
Fraud? This is what you call a brilliant strategy. Though, in the end, I did deceive them thoroughly.
Anyway, where did they dock the ship?
Following their lead, I saw people holding small torches. I also spotted the transport ship docked with its bow smashed—the result of a forced landing on the shore. Since the crowds from the ship were gone and only a few torches remained, it seemed like people were waiting for me.
It was likely Sama Yeong and the others. I flew down toward them.
“It’s Young Master So!”
“Young Master So has returned!”
“Young Master!”
As I drew closer, I heard their shouts. I expected only my companions, but I saw about eight members of the Beggar's Sect as well. Looking at the knots on their pouches, one of them appeared to be an Elder. It seemed they had stayed by Jo Seong-won’s side, recognizing him as the Successor.
“Young Master! I’m so glad you’re safe!”
Sama Yeong was the first to come running toward me.
“I don't see the others?”
“We heard there might be an ambush, and since there were many wounded, everyone moved southwest first.”
That was the right call. So that’s why only this group remained.
“Did everything go well, Young Master?” Sama Yeong asked curiously.
If the Beggar's Sect members weren't here, I would have told her everything candidly. I’d have to tell her later or explain the details via Sound Transmission. I gave a brief summary of what had happened.
Upon hearing my words, several Beggar's Sect members collapsed to their knees in despair.
“The—the Chamber Leader is dead...?”
“How could this happen...?”
“Chamber Leader!”
They mourned deeply. It seemed Chamber Leader Hong Gu-ga hadn't lived a wasted life, seeing them look so devastated. However, a few others just stood there with grim expressions. I couldn't understand why.
[The Beggar's Sect Chamber Leader and that beggar named Hong Geol-gae abandoned the ship to save themselves. That’s why they’re acting like that.]
Sama Yeong cleared up my confusion via Sound Transmission. Ah, so that’s why they were on the other ship. In the end, it worked out for the best.
“Sigh...”
The Beggar's Sect Elder let out a long sigh and spoke to me.
“I am Ui Gu-saeng, an Elder of the Beggar's Sect. Young Master So... what of the two bodies...?”
“The Munjeong Escort Agency has agreed to recover the bodies and transport them to the Beggar's Sect headquarters. I offer my condolences for your sect’s tragic loss.”
I spoke to him with feigned sorrow. I said the words, but as someone who had a hand in their deaths, I didn't feel particularly sorry. Hong Gu-ga and Hong Geol-gae had met their end because they only cared for their own safety. If they hadn't left the original ship in the first place, they wouldn't have died.
However...
[Jo Seong-won.]
I called out to Jo Seong-won via Sound Transmission. Unlike the other sect members, he had a look of relief on his face. Idiot.
[Fix your expression.]
[What do you mean?]
[Even if you can't cry, you should at least pretend to be sad.]
At my words, he hurriedly changed his expression. He lowered his head and began to let out forced sighs. It was lucky the other beggars were focused on me; if they had seen his face, they would have thought him heartless. I understood his feelings—he was disappointed beyond measure and had taken his revenge for being abandoned—but he was the Successor now. He had to consider the eyes of the other members.
How did someone who lacked even these basics think he could be a spy for the Blood Cult?
The Blood Demon Sword clicked his tongue at me. You stay quiet.
‘Ah!’
I should give it to him now. I opened the wooden case and took something out. Elder Ui Gu-saeng and the other beggars recognized it immediately.
“The Dog Beating Staff!”
It was indeed the Dog Beating Staff. While the Munjeong Escort Agency was handling the bodies, I had brought the staff along since I knew there were Beggar's Sect Elders on the other ship. Instead of handing it to Jo Seong-won, I gave it to Elder Ui Gu-saeng.
“It is the Chamber Leader’s final possession.”
Elder Ui Gu-saeng took the staff with a heavy heart and muttered, “He should have just stayed on the ship... what kind of longevity was he hoping for...”
He seemed genuinely saddened. Given their ages, they were likely close. That made his grief even more poignant. Then, Ui Gu-saeng turned around and respectfully offered the Dog Beating Staff to Jo Seong-won with both hands.
“Please, take it.”
Jo Seong-won, who had been pretending to be sad after my scolding, acted surprised.
“Elder. How can I...”
Tell me about it. Fortunately, the other beggars didn't suspect a thing. In the midst of the Chamber Leader’s death and the appointment of a new one, it would be stranger to nitpick such minor emotional details.
Ui Gu-saeng spoke.
“It is only natural for the Successor to follow in the Chamber Leader’s footsteps. Please, accept it.”
The other beggars echoed his words.
“Please, accept it!”
At this, Jo Seong-won took the Dog Beating Staff as if he were being forced to.
It seemed so. He got his revenge, and Jo Seong-won regained his original position. No, he gained even more than that. Since he was now the leader of the Beggar's Sect, I essentially had the Orthodox Faction’s largest intelligence network in the palm of my hand. I wanted to laugh, but I kept a straight face.
“All disciples, come forward.”
At Elder Ui Gu-saeng’s command, the beggars gathered around. They crossed their hands over their chests, and then, one by one, they spat at Jo Seong-won.
“Ptooey!”
Ah... I think I’ve heard of this. I’d heard that the Beggar's Sect has a custom of spitting on a new leader when they are appointed. It was meant to signify that as the leader of beggars, they must be the filthiest of all. It was very beggar-like, but still a bit much.
“Hock-ptooey!”
Who was that guy gathering phlegm just now?
I was about to grimace when Sama Yeong sent me a Sound Transmission.
[Young Master. Could you come here for a moment?]
I glanced back at the Beggar's Sect members. After spitting, they were performing some kind of ritual, bowing and chanting something about protecting the country. It seemed the appointment process would take some time. I decided to follow her.
I walked down along the shore and found Song Jwa-baek and Song Woo-hyeon, who had been missing until now. I had wondered if they had followed Hwang Hye-ju, the leader of the Hwangyeong Escort Agency, without waiting for me, but that wasn't the case.
‘Wait?’
I saw a figure lying on the ground in front of them. I focused my eye power and saw a man whose entire body was half-charred and covered in burns. It was none other than Jang Mun-ryang, the Ghost-Slaying Fist Demon, one of the Four Great Villains.
“How did you find him?”
Song Jwa-baek answered my question.
“After we got off the ship, we were scouting the area for any ambushes and found him crawling onto the shore before he collapsed.”
Hah... what an incredible man. To get caught in that explosion and still make it this far on his own.
Sama Yeong spoke to me in amazement.
“But Young Master, he’s not dead yet.”
At her words, I approached the corpse-like Jang Mun-ryang. His condition was even worse than it looked. But to me, something else was more peculiar than the fact that he was still alive.
‘Didn't he have a recovery ability?’
Based on his earlier reactions, he definitely seemed to possess one. It was strange that his burns hadn't healed.
‘Wait?’
No. I leaned down to examine him more closely. It wasn't that the burns weren't healing; they were healing—just incredibly slowly. Was it because the speed wasn't noticeably fast that I hadn't realized it?
“Oh? It looks like he’s actually healing.”
Song Jwa-baek seemed to have just noticed it too. His tone suggested that there had been no recovery at all until now.
Crackle. Crackle.
The charred bits of skin were slowly flaking off. The recovery seemed to be accelerating. Sama Yeong drew her sword from its scabbard.
“If he’s healing, should I just take his head?”
“No. Wait a moment.”
If he was healing, it might be better to place a restriction seal on his Dantian and interrogate him. With his level of martial prowess, he might hold a significant position within the Golden Eye organization.
“Woo-hyeon, grab his arms. Jwa-baek, you hold his legs.”
“Are you going to seal him?”
“Yeah.”
At my command, Song Woo-hyeon and Song Jwa-baek grabbed Jang Mun-ryang’s limbs. I placed my hand on his Dantian. Since his recovery ability might even fix a shattered Dantian, it was safer to use internal energy to apply a restriction seal.
Just as I was about to send my True Qi into his Dantian, Jang Mun-ryang suddenly began to thrash.
Then—
Thwack!
“Gah!”
Jang Mun-ryang’s kick landed squarely in the groin of Song Jwa-baek, who had been holding his legs. Jwa-baek’s face scrunched up in agony. Aaaah... just watching it made me feel the pain.
“You son of a—!”
Blind with rage from the pain, Song Jwa-baek lunged at him and began stomping on him. There was no time to stop him. But as he was being pummeled by Song Jwa-baek’s kicks, Jang Mun-ryang curled into a fetal position and cried out:
“Don’t—don’t hit me! It hurts when you hit Mun-ryang!”
“!?”