Chapter 37: First Strategist (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 37: First Strategist (3)
Jang Myeong stared in astonishment at the go stones held in my left hand.
This should be enough to settle the matter.
While Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik’s disciple, Jang Myeong, was undoubtedly skilled, I had demonstrated a level of prowess at least two steps above his.
Gwak Hyeong-jik looked at me, a furrow forming between his brows.
“Try catching this with your hand.”
He flicked a single go stone with his finger.
Whirrr!
Since I was holding the Namcheon Iron Sword in my right hand, I dropped the stones I was holding in my left and snatched the flying one out of the air.
A strange light flickered in Gwak Hyeong-jik’s eyes.
“You know how to use your left hand.”
“I do.”
This was the difference between me and ordinary martial artists. To master the Eight Thunder Short Sword Art and the Flash Shadow Throwing Dagger Technique, I had diligently trained my left hand as well.
His lips twitched.
Was he dissatisfied that I had shown greater potential than his own disciple?
But then, the corner of his mouth curled upward.
“Brother Ho raised his disciple well.”
His tone was no longer blunt like before. Instead, it was warm, as if he were speaking to the successor of an old friend.
“You haven't fallen short, so there is no need to feel ashamed.”
At Gwak Hyeong-jik’s words, Jang Myeong offered me a fist-and-palm salute and spoke with genuine admiration.
“Your swordsmanship is truly remarkable. This must have been your first time attempting to distinguish go stones, yet you performed better than I did. I am deeply ashamed of my inadequacy.”
He conceded gracefully. It seemed he had cleanly accepted the difference in our skills.
At the Lesser Conversation Sword’s remark, I was reminded of that guy too—Jin Yong, the grandson of Ardent King Hegemon Jin Gyun.
Drunk on his grandfather’s fame and his own talent, he had been arrogant beyond belief. Compared to him, Jang Myeong was a true gentleman.
Gwak Hyeong-jik spoke to me.
“Forgive me for testing you upon our first meeting. I have often seen those who tarnish the names of old friends, so I unintentionally committed an act of rudeness.”
I bowed respectfully in response to his apology.
“Not at all. How could I blame Great Hero Gwak, who shares a deep bond with my master?”
“Your spirit is exactly like your master’s. Like master, like disciple.”
Gwak Hyeong-jik nodded with a satisfied expression.
I felt a sense of relief that I hadn't tarnished the Namcheon Sword Guest’s honor. Along with Hae Ak-cheon, Namcheon Sword Guest Ho Jong-won was a master to me. How could a disciple bring shame to his teacher’s name?
“It is a pity. I prided myself on surpassing Brother Ho when it came to nurturing disciples, at least.”
Gwak Hyeong-jik lamented his indirect defeat through our duel.
In truth, Jang Myeong’s skill was exceptional enough to place him among the top five of his generation. He simply had the misfortune of facing the wrong opponent.
Jang Myeong bowed his head in apology.
“My lack of skill has brought dishonor to you, Master.”
“There is no such thing as absolute superiority. There is always a heaven above the heavens. Take this as a lesson and devote yourself to your progress.”
“I will keep that in mind. Deeply in my mind.”
Watching the two of them, they were the very model of a proper master-disciple relationship. If it had been Hae Ak-cheon, he would have thrown a fit, screaming that I’d disgraced him.
Anyway, it was just as I expected.
‘That he intended to compare me with his disciple.’
He could have tested me alone, but he went out of his way to involve Jang Myeong. It was likely to gauge who had done a better job of raising a successor.
A rival, huh?
If what the Namcheon Iron Sword said was true, it was only natural for him to feel a sense of competition.
Thinking back, it was truly tragic. Both were men who had been in the spotlight, expected to become the next generation’s Eight Great Masters or even join the Nine Great Masters. Yet both had failed to break through the Wall and met unfortunate ends.
“This strategist must also offer an apology.”
Zhuge Won-myeong rose from his seat and offered a polite fist-and-palm salute.
“Given the weight of my position, please forgive the rudeness of verifying your identity directly.”
I had expected this to some extent. Claiming to be the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest, who had been missing for nearly sixteen years, meant I had to endure a great deal of suspicion.
Furthermore, my counterpart was the strategist of the Martial Alliance and the man in charge of all intelligence. It was only natural for him to be vigilant.
“I heard that you reappeared after being missing for over a year. It is no common occurrence for a young man whose Dantian was destroyed and who was cast out by his family to return as the successor of the vanished Namcheon Sword Guest.”
Zhuge Won-myeong’s words made me inwardly tense. As expected, he had gathered basic information about me in that short window of time.
“Though Hengshan’s First Sword guaranteed your identity, as a strategist, I had no choice but to minimize any room for doubt.”
So he had even questioned Jo Cheong-un. He wasn't called the Chief Strategist for nothing. It was a relief that I had met with the First Sword of Hengshan back at the Yikyang So Family.
“Please, do not worry. I am simply glad that the doubt has been cleared and my master’s honor remains untarnished.”
“I am grateful you see it that way.”
With those words, Zhuge Won-myeong shifted his gaze toward Sama Yeong. He was indeed meticulous. Unlike the First Sword of Hengshan, he didn't let anything slide.
Information about me was relatively easy to obtain since it was well-known. But Sama Yeong was different. She was wearing a human skin mask and wasn't using her real name, so there was no way for him to know who she was.
“I am called Ma Yeong.”
At my subtle nod, Sama Yeong offered a salute and introduced herself again.
“If it isn't too rude, may I ask how you became a disciple of the Great Hero Ho Jong-won?”
“I was living as a herb gatherer near Ailao Mountain in Yunnan Province when our fates crossed.”
Naturally, I had prepared a cover story in advance. Countless herb gatherers live near Ailao Mountain, a famous peak. Since I had also taken into account that the Namcheon Sword Guest’s hometown was Unhyeon County, it would be difficult to verify without sending people to search every corner of the region.
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Zhuge Won-myeong stroked his beard. He was a man full of suspicion.
“When my master was unwell, my junior sister went through a lot of trouble to care for him. That is why he accepted her into the sect.”
“Was the Namcheon Sword Guest very ill?”
It was worth changing the subject. Zhuge Won-myeong showed interest in that direction.
“He has recovered significantly now. You need not worry.”
However, at the mention of his ill health, Zhuge Won-myeong’s gaze shifted from me to Gwak Hyeong-jik. His Adam's apple trembled slightly, as if they were conversing via sound transmission.
When I looked at them curiously, Zhuge Won-myeong spoke as if feeling a bit embarrassed.
“Haha. Look at this. I’ve let guests stand here without even offering tea. You must think me a very cold-hearted man. Please, sit.”
Zhuge Won-myeong gestured toward the empty guest seats. It was the spot directly across from Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik.
As Sama Yeong and I took our seats, servants entered with tea as if they had been waiting outside. Seeing the steam rising from the cups, it seemed they had predicted I would pass the test from the beginning.
‘Hmm.’
A sudden curiosity struck me. Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik had no connection to the Martial Alliance before my regression. There was no way he had come here just to verify my identity in such a short time.
‘Perhaps.’
Otherwise, there was no reason for him to be here. Moreover, considering he had brought his disciple, he might even intend to have him participate in the upcoming Successor's Martial Discussion.
Then, at a gesture from Zhuge Won-myeong, everyone—including the guards in his office and the servants—filed out. They were even clearing the entire floor.
As I looked on in confusion, Zhuge Won-myeong spoke.
“You must be wondering why I am clearing the room.”
“...The atmosphere suggests you are about to say something that others shouldn't hear.”
At my remark, Zhuge Won-myeong replied with a faint smile.
“Precisely. No one else must hear what I am about to say.”
I felt inwardly conflicted. To tell us something that no one else should hear... I understood the need to prove my identity, but why create such a secretive setting during our first meeting?
[Deputy Unit Leader. Is this okay? Won't getting involved in this interfere with our mission?]
Sama Yeong’s sound transmission made sense. I stood up and offered a salute to Zhuge Won-myeong.
“I apologize. If it is such a heavy topic, I do not think I am in a position to listen...”
“I do not intend to burden you. Why not listen first? If it is something that has nothing to do with you, you are free to leave.”
What on earth was he trying to say? I couldn't predict it at all.
As if echoing my confusion, Gwak Hyeong-jik spoke to me.
“This is a matter that may also concern your master. If you truly wish to leave, you may walk out of this office now.”
It concerns the Namcheon Sword Guest?
That made me hesitate. If I acted completely uninterested now, it would only invite more suspicion.
‘Ah...’
To think they would use this angle. The name of the Namcheon Sword Guest’s disciple had become a shackle.
“I understand.”
I sat back down for the time being. If, after hearing the question, I judged it to be something I shouldn't get involved in, I would leave without hesitation.
Once I was seated, Zhuge Won-myeong looked between Sama Yeong and me before asking.
“By any chance, did you ever hear your master mention fighting a man with one golden eye?”
‘!?’
This was completely unexpected. I had forgotten about him for a while, but now the Golden-Eyed Man was being mentioned.
The Namcheon Iron Sword suddenly showed intense interest. It was only natural. That mysterious man was the one who had driven his former master to his death.
I fell into a brief moment of contemplation. It seemed Zhuge Won-myeong and Bukyeong Doseong knew something, but I wondered if it was wise to share information with them.
Not much information? Sodam. This was information about the man who murdered the Namcheon Sword Guest. The problem was that I couldn't reveal the fact that he had been murdered.
The Namcheon Iron Sword’s words tugged at my heart. I had started thinking of these swords as brothers or family, so his consideration for me made me care even more.
After some thought, I decided to reveal a partial truth.
“...I heard about him from my master.”
“As I thought!”
At those words, Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik reacted violently. Chief Strategist Zhuge Won-myeong held out a hand to calm him down.
Then he asked me.
“Does it have anything to do with why your master was unwell?”
From his words, I could guess why the two of them were so concerned about the Namcheon Sword Guest’s health. I didn't need to invent a new lie; I just had to align my story with theirs.
“It does.”
At my confirmation, Zhuge Won-myeong let out a sigh.
“Hah. So that was it. Just like Bukyeong Doseong.”
“Just like Bukyeong Doseong? What do you mean by that?”
In response to my question, Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik slightly extended his loose right sleeve. Then, he spoke in a heavy voice.
“That man is the reason my arm is like this.”
“Ah!”
So that "unfortunate duel" had been against the Golden-Eyed Man. No wonder it was strange that the identity of his opponent had never been made public.
Gwak Hyeong-jik asked me.
“Did your master also spend his time searching for that man?”
‘...So the reason Bukyeong Doseong vanished from the martial world was to search for the Golden-Eyed Man.’
I could infer as much from his question. Unfortunately, the Namcheon Sword Guest had lost his life after that duel. He hadn't been in any position to go searching for anyone.
“No, he did not.”
At my answer, Gwak Hyeong-jik frowned and muttered to himself.
“Did he accept the result, then?”
It seemed Gwak Hyeong-jik had not. But how had he survived? Based on the stories of the Namcheon Sword Guest and the Dagger-Killing King Han Ji-sang, that man was not the merciful type to leave anyone alive.
“Did your master mention anything else regarding that man?”
“Nothing.”
“Not even a little?”
“No.”
At my firm reply, Gwak Hyeong-jik looked at Zhuge Won-myeong with a grim face. Zhuge Won-myeong nodded regretfully. It seemed they had hoped to hear even the slightest clue from me.
But what could I do? Even the Namcheon Iron Sword, who had witnessed the entire scene, knew nothing.
“May I ask why you are looking for him?”
At my question, Zhuge Won-myeong, who had been stroking his beard, finally spoke.
“What I am about to tell you is a secret known only to those of Elder rank or higher within the Alliance. I am telling you because it concerns your master, so please, keep this a secret.”
“...I understand.”
If it was a secret of that magnitude, it would likely be more helpful than harmful to me.
At my response, Zhuge Won-myeong opened his lips and spoke in a grave tone.
“It seems the Blood Cult will soon rise again.”
‘...Wait... what?’