Chapter 19: Jo Seong-won (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19: Jo Seong-won (1)
As Jo Seong-won flinched and came to a halt, Unit Leader Na Sim-hyeong, who had been brimming with expectation, furrowed his brow.
Judging by the way the boy’s Adam's apple quivered, he was likely sending a hurried message via sound transmission.
Jo Seong-won stood perfectly still, not even glancing in my direction as he sent his reply.
[I have no idea what you’re talking about.]
The brat was playing innocent.
He probably figured that reacting any further would give him away.
But what could I do? Even if you’re a thorn in my side, I need to bring you in first.
[You’re a beggar. We both know it.]
[What on earth are you...]
[It’s dangerous to side with the Chamber Leader just because he’s in Kaifeng.]
The moment I sent that message, his pupils trembled like aspen leaves.
He seemed even more shaken now than when I had simply called him a beggar. By now, he must have realized the truth: I knew exactly who he was.
“What are you doing?”
Unable to contain his frustration, Unit Leader Na Sim-hyeong spoke to him directly.
However, the shocked boy didn't seem to hear him. His gaze was fixed solely on me.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
I had to recruit him one way or another.
As I stared back at him intently, he finally responded.
[...What is it you want?]
Instead of answering, I simply gestured toward the space in front of me with a tilt of my chin.
After glaring at me for a moment longer, Jo Seong-won finally moved.
“Welcome—!?”
Contrary to Na Sim-hyeong’s expectations, Jo Seong-won walked straight toward me.
With a stiff expression, he performed a fist-and-palm salute and shouted, “Great Leader So! I wish to be assigned under the command of the Venerable One!”
Success.
He had changed his mind.
With this, the history of Jo Seong-won as I knew it had officially been rewritten.
“Khahahaha!”
Haeakcheon didn't bother hiding his delight, letting out a boisterous laugh. He seemed even more pleased than before, having snatched up a talent everyone else was eyeing.
The other unit leaders, however, felt quite differently.
[Great Leader... So. What did you say to him?]
Unit Leader Na Sim-hyeong sent me a sound transmission without even turning his head.
He was likely wary of Haeakcheon. Considering he hadn't even flinched when the second candidate, Ha Mun-chan, made his choice, the fact that he was sending me a message now showed just how bitter he was.
[I didn't say much.]
[You didn't say much?]
[I simply told him I wanted us to work together.]
There was no need for elaborate excuses, so I left it at that.
Na Sim-hyeong frowned but didn't send another message. He seemed to have resigned himself to the result, knowing there was nothing he could do.
Unlike him, several other unit leaders were glaring at me so fiercely it felt like my skin was being pricked by needles.
That’s a harsh evaluation.
But then again, not everyone could be as composed as Unit Leader Na Sim-hyeong.
I could understand their frustration. Having lived as a spy, I knew better than anyone that nothing was harder than controlling one's emotions. If it was hard for me, how much harder must it be for them?
Just then, Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung moved the proceedings along.
“Next, the fourth candidate.”
It was cold.
It felt like a dagger had been driven into my chest.
Haeakcheon was staring at me with a face so terrifyingly distorted he looked like an enraged demon.
Unfortunately, I had failed to recruit all six.
Since three had joined in a row, I’d had a good feeling about it, but the next two candidates had applied for other units.
One joined Song Pil-chung, a unit leader under the Third Venerable Gu Je-yang, and the other joined Na Sim-hyeong, who served under the First Blood Star.
Fortunately, the final candidate and the only woman among them, Gong Hye-ryeo, applied to join our side.
In the end, four out of the six had come to us.
The Namcheon Iron Sword was right.
Everyone has their own thoughts and motivations, so whenever people are involved, variables are inevitable. That’s why they say there’s no such thing as a perfect strategy in the art of war.
Haeakcheon spoke to me gruffly.
“So that silver tongue you bragged about only worked sixty percent of the time.”
He could have rounded it up to seventy, but saying sixty made it sound like I’d barely passed half.
Still, I couldn't deny the failure.
As I silently bowed my head, Song Jwa-baek, standing behind me, was grinning ear to ear. He seemed thrilled that I was getting scolded after he’d been the one catching flak all day.
“Still, the Young Master’s skills are quite extraordinary.”
‘Huh?’
I heard an unfamiliar voice from behind.
Turning around, I saw a middle-aged man with a thick scar across the bridge of his nose approaching us.
To be honest, I hadn't noticed him until I heard his voice.
‘He’s a master.’
His ability to suppress his presence and qi was remarkable.
Song Jwa-baek hadn't noticed him either, judging by the bewildered look on his face.
The middle-aged man looked at us and gave a smirk.
‘Was he testing us?’
Suppressing his presence in a situation where there was no need to hide suggested he was gauging our awareness.
My gaze naturally drifted to his hands. Since he carried no weapons, he appeared to be a fist expert, and sure enough, his knuckles were heavily calloused.
“Heh, if you’re here, you should have come over immediately. Were you just standing there watching?”
Haeakcheon spoke to him familiarly. It seemed they were well-acquainted.
Clap!
The middle-aged man performed a fist-and-palm salute.
“My apologies, Elder. It was so interesting that I couldn't help but watch.”
“What’s so interesting about it? Tsk.”
“I think I understand now why you took the Young Master as your disciple.”
It seemed they were more than just acquaintances. This was the first time I’d seen Haeakcheon act so cordially toward someone.
“He’s still got a long way to go. You think he’s something special just because of this? Anyway, greet him. This fellow used to serve under me until ten years ago.”
At Haeakcheon’s introduction, the middle-aged man saluted us and spoke.
“Escort Unit Leader Jang Mun-woong greets the Young Masters.”
As expected, he was a unit leader.
I couldn't be certain without exchanging blows, but compared to the other unit leaders present, he felt strong enough to handle almost all of them, save for a select few.
Clap!
I returned the salute.
“I am So Woon-hwi. It is an honor to meet you, Unit Leader.”
“I am Song Jwa-baek. Greetings, Unit Leader.”
“Song Woo-hyeon... greetings.”
Unit Leader Jang Mun-woong gave a slight nod at our greetings and relaxed his posture.
He immediately turned back to Haeakcheon.
Why did I feel a lingering sense of unease? Even though we had exchanged greetings, I got the impression he didn't truly acknowledge us as Haeakcheon’s disciples yet.
Jang Mun-woong spoke to Haeakcheon.
“As you ordered, I have secured the personnel from Geoak County.”
“And the results?”
“Twenty low-rank warriors, thirteen intermediate candidates, and two advanced candidates.”
“Passable. You’re no better than this brat here,” Haeakcheon grumbled.
Regardless of his trust in the man, his prickly personality remained unchanged.
“My apologies. I lack the Young Master’s eloquence, so this was the best I could do.”
From their conversation, I gathered two things.
First, Unit Leader Jang Mun-woong was someone Haeakcheon trusted deeply. Second, Haeakcheon’s fifteen-day absence six months ago was likely related to this.
‘Geoak County...’
I knew there were three other locations besides Six Blood Valley where new warriors were trained.
Since they were organized like an intelligence network, even I didn't know their exact locations. It seemed Jang Mun-woong had secured these people from one of those sites on Haeakcheon’s orders.
“Regarding the residence you requested...”
“We’ll discuss that later.”
At Haeakcheon’s intervention, Jang Mun-woong fell silent.
It wasn't just about securing personnel; it seemed they were also preparing a base of operations.
‘Tell me about it.’
Though he hadn't told us, he was steadily preparing to expand his influence.
A Venerable One was indeed a Venerable One. His vision was far broader than I had imagined. I found myself wondering just how vast the "forest" he was planning truly was.
“Heh, now that the household has grown, I suppose our days of living in a cave end today.”
That was the best news I’d heard in a long time.
The weather was warm now, but living in a cave during the winter had been a nightmare. Even with internal energy to protect the body, spending all day in the freezing cold was no easy feat.
Besides, there were far too many bugs lately.
‘What?’
If I’d known, I obviously would have spat them out.
‘Why didn't you tell me?!’
‘You!’
‘What?’
‘Stop!’
Just thinking about it made my skin crawl.
Does that mean Song Woo-hyeon ate centipedes along with the spiders? It was a miracle he hadn't gotten sick.
As I stood there with a look of pure disgust, Haeakcheon called out to Song Jwa-baek and me.
“Take a few of the kids and bring everything from the cave.”
It seemed we were moving immediately.
Since the four of us had lived there for a year, we’d accumulated quite a bit of luggage.
‘No reason to throw things away.’
Besides, there were many of Haeakcheon’s personal belongings in there—things he’d forbidden us from touching.
“Hey. How many people should I take?” Song Jwa-baek asked.
Assuming we moved everything in one trip, seven people, including the two of us, should be enough.
“Seven. You seemed to have the kids under control earlier.”
“Ahem. Well, yeah.”
“You want to pick them?”
“Wait right here.”
He stepped forward and began selecting candidates.
It was convenient having him take the initiative. Song Jwa-baek was the type who was easy to put to work.
Listening to their banter, I was never bored.
In the meantime, Song Jwa-baek selected candidates who were proficient in lightness skills, ensuring they could navigate the mountain peaks easily.
Among those who volunteered was Jo Seong-won.
I knew.
He hadn't taken his eyes off me since the selection ceremony ended. He was likely sitting on pins and needles because I knew his secret.
The fact that he volunteered for the moving crew suggested he was looking for a chance to get me alone.
Well, I needed some private time with him as well.
“Alright! Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”
With Song Jwa-baek in the lead, we set off for the cave.
Using lightness skills from the Six Blood Valley headquarters, the peaks were less than two miles away.
As we began to ascend, Jo Seong-won spoke to me.
“Great Leader.”
“Hmm?”
“I have something to discuss with you. Could you spare a moment?”
Since we were constantly moving in a group, he was struggling to find an opening, so he decided to create one.
I decided to play along.
I looked at Song Jwa-baek, who shook his head and said, “Catch up quickly. You know what that old man—I mean, Master—will do if we’re late.”
“I know.”
“The rest of you, follow me!”
Swish!
Song Jwa-baek leaped up the mountain first.
The other candidates couldn't hide their admiration for his skillful lightness technique. Having learned Haeakcheon’s unique body lightening method, his mountain-climbing skills were likely among the best of his peers.
Of course, I could do it now too.
While I couldn't yet run up a vertical cliff as if I were walking on flat ground like Haeakcheon, I could navigate the ascent with ease.
Once Song Jwa-baek and the four candidates had vanished from sight, Jo Seong-won spoke with a hardened expression.
“So Woon-hwi.”
Oh?
The brat was suddenly using my name.
“Third son of the Yikyang So Family in Yul Rang County, Hunan Province.”
Look at this.
As expected of a Beggar’s Sect spy, information about me flowed from his mouth effortlessly.
“Your mother was of low birth, and after your dantian was damaged by qi deviation in your youth, you were called the trash of the family. That is the information I have on you.”
“Ha!”
He’d summarized the main points quite well.
Was this the power of one of the three great intelligence organizations? Or did he know because the Yikyang So Family was one of the three most prestigious martial families in Hunan?
“Are you planning to stop hiding that you’re a begg—”
It happened in an instant.
He suddenly lunged toward me with incredible speed.
In that moment, he thrust his palm toward my abdomen.
‘A palm technique?’
Tap, tap, tap!
I quickly used my footwork to retreat.
However, he followed me closely, using a unique, staggering footwork.
Tap, tap, tap!
My assessment had been wrong.
He wasn't just close to being a first-rate master; he already was one. Furthermore, the footwork and martial arts he was displaying were far from ordinary.
Whoosh!
Closing the distance instantly, his hands swept downward before surging upward.
It was as if a dragon were ascending to the heavens.
‘What?’
I was stunned by the mention of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.
Wasn't that the peerless palm technique only learned by the Sect Leader or the Junior Chamber Leader of the Beggar’s Sect? Even though I’d been a mere third-rate warrior before my regression, I at least knew the names of the ultimate techniques of the famous sects.
‘Tsk!’
I needed to draw my sword, but there was no time.
His powerful palm strike surged upward, threatening to shatter my jaw.
I slammed both my fists down toward his palms.
Boom!
“Guh?!”
The palm technique looked simple, but the power behind it was immense. It was enough to lift my body slightly off the ground.
In that state, he reached out toward me again.
A fierce pressure unfolded, as if a dragon were opening its maw to devour me.
The Namcheon Iron Sword seemed to recognize the form.
There was no other way. If I couldn't avoid it, I had to meet it head-on.
I pushed my internal power to ten stars and thrust my hand toward his palm.
Boom!
The difference between a proper palm technique with a specific energy circulation path and a strike that simply relied on raw power was stark.
Slide!
Upon impact, I was pushed back.
My right palm trembled violently, as if I’d been struck by a blunt mace.
It really was the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.
As I stood there with my hand shaking, Jo Seong-won spoke.
“I suggest you stay still. The palm force has entered your body through your hand. If you don't circulate your energy to neutralize it, you’ll be in danger.”
“You certainly hid your strength well.”
At my words, he gave a smirk.
“If you’d drawn your sword, I might have had a bit of trouble, but it wouldn't have changed the outcome.”
Look at this guy. He was overflowing with confidence.
He spoke again.
“You realize now that you’re no match for me, right? Now, you’re going to answer my questions.”
He was trying to interrogate me instead.
Looking at him, I lowered my trembling hand and let out a sigh.
“Whew.”
“I’m glad you’re quick to realize your situation.”
“Don't get ahead of yourself.”
“What?”
In that instant, I drew the Namcheon Iron Sword like a bolt of lightning.
I lunged toward him and swung the blade down.
“Foolish!”
As the domineering sword pressure surged toward him the moment I drew the blade, Jo Seong-won hurriedly tried to execute a palm technique.
Using his fluid footwork, he attempted to deflect the blade to the side.
At that moment—
Clang!
The palm that touched the blade was sent flying back.
“What?!”
His eyes widened.
Maintaining my momentum, I smoothly rotated the sword and struck his abdomen with the flat of the blade.
He desperately tried to block the incoming blade with his palms.
However—
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Jo Seong-won was sent flying back as if he’d been hit by a cannonball.
He forced his body to spin in mid-air to dissipate the sword force that had pierced his palms.
After several rotations, he crashed to the ground.
Thud!
He looked at me with an expression of utter disbelief.
“You... you were hiding your strength?”
I lunged toward the stunned boy and replied.
“Even if you know, it’s too late.”