Chapter 25
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: 바둑기협-25화
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Clue to Immortal Assembly Valley
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At that moment, the two who spotted Yi Ho-chang also cried out simultaneously.
"Young hero?"
"Benefactor?"
At those words, they turned to each other with surprised looks on their faces.
Both wore expressions questioning how the other knew Yi Ho-chang.
Yi Ho-chang was just as startled, so he approached them and asked,
"I heard voices arguing and came to check... Miss Sima, what happened here?"
Pung Yeong answered instead of Sima Hwa-yeong.
"Benefactor, do you know my younger sister?"
"Your younger sister?"
"Sima Hwa-yeong here is my blood sister."
Ah.
So that's how it was?
Now that he looked closely, they did resemble each other a little.
As Pung Yeong greeted Yi Ho-chang familiarly, Sima Hwa-yeong asked in bewilderment,
"Then how do you know my older brother...?"
Yi Ho-chang explained what had happened the day before, leaving Sima Hwa-yeong flustered with remorse.
"What am I to do, I'm so sorry..."
"It's fine. I didn't help expecting anything in return to begin with. Besides, it wasn't a large sum."
Just then, Pung Yeong spoke up with a wronged tone.
"I rushed right back to the inn, but the benefactor was gone—I was beside myself. I felt terrible..."
"Haha..."
Yi Ho-chang averted his gaze at Pung Yeong's words.
He hadn't expected his connection with Pung Yeong to unfold this way.
At that, Pung Yeong clasped his fists in a grateful salute once more.
"In any case, it seems we truly are fated. With that in mind, allow me to reintroduce myself properly. I am Sima So-gun, eldest son of the Sima Family and leader of the Drifting Wind Squad in the Murim Alliance's Intelligence Division."
"Then 'Pung Yeong' is...?"
"It's the moniker given to the Drifting Wind Squad leader. I apologize for using an alias—I couldn't reveal my true name carelessly."
"No need. Everyone has their reasons."
"Haha, thank you for your understanding. Here's hoping we get along well from here on, young hero."
"The feeling's mutual."
I see.
Pung Yeong—no, Sima So-gun—was even more remarkable than he'd imagined.
But a man of his stature had gone through that yesterday?
Yi Ho-chang swallowed a wry chuckle inwardly and asked,
"By the way, what were the two of you quarreling about?"
Sima So-gun scratched his head at the question.
"Well... it wasn't a real quarrel. My voice just rose a bit while asking my sister for a loan."
"A loan?"
"Ahem. To claim our operational funds, I need the gold badge proving my Drifting Wind Squad leadership. But wouldn't you know it—somehow it went missing. And with the badge, my entire money pouch vanished too. That's what led to yesterday."
"Ah... So you came all the way to Zhejiang Province to borrow from your sister?"
"No, not quite. The Drifting Wind Squad rotates patrol zones monthly, and this time it was Zhejiang. I stopped by Shaoxing to see her while resupplying."
"I see. Losing your pouch and badge must be a real headache."
"You said it. This isn't like me at all... It's bizarre. I know I tucked it securely in my robe."
Sima Hwa-yeong narrowed her brows at that.
"Ugh, so hopelessly careless."
"...Sorry."
Sima So-gun hung his head under her scolding.
But Yi Ho-chang couldn't quite grasp his predicament.
The Sima Family's own eldest son, strapped for cash over a lost pouch and badge?
And they didn't seem at odds, so why refuse the loan?
Reading Yi Ho-chang's peculiar expression, Sima Hwa-yeong hurriedly clarified.
"Ahem, lest you misunderstand, young hero—the family head's recent directive has slashed support funds for those operating outside. I'd love to lend it, but I'm scraping by myself..."
Aah.
Got it.
That explained it.
He had no idea why the family had tightened the purse strings, but it tracked well enough.
Not that an outsider like him had any say anyway.
Yi Ho-chang turned to Sima So-gun.
"Have you tried Elder Jo Jung-seon? I hear the Sima Family shares a deep bond with him."
"That was the plan, but he wasn't around. And I won't have another chance to visit White Go Hall otherwise... haha."
"Tight schedule?"
"Yes, heading to Hubei soon."
Yi Ho-chang pondered briefly, then said,
"Wait here just a moment. It won't take long."
When Yi Ho-chang returned, he handed Sima So-gun a stack of banknotes—the ones Jo Jung-seon had given him free use of.
"Here, take them."
"Y-young hero...!"
"N-no, I couldn't possibly..."
"You planned to borrow from the elder anyway, didn't you? I'll handle explaining to him, so take it easy."
Sima So-gun wavered, then shook his head.
"No. I already owe you from yesterday—how could I impose again today?"
"Impose? Think nothing of it. If it helps, just do me a few favors later."
"Favors?"
"The world's full of things I'm curious about. Intelligence man like you must know plenty—scratch that itch for me sometime. That's all I ask."
Sima So-gun's face lit up with genuine emotion at Yi Ho-chang's words.
Yi Ho-chang had spoken from the heart, but Sima So-gun took it as tactful consideration.
He nodded firmly.
"Thank you, young hero! You have my word."
"Perfect. That's all I need."
Deeply touched by the gesture, Sima So-gun saluted with clasped fists and departed first.
His schedule truly was packed.
Once he was gone, Yi Ho-chang resumed waiting for Jo Jung-seon.
But Sima Hwa-yeong showered him with such effusive thanks the whole time that he sorely missed the elder.
About two shichen later, Jo Jung-seon finally returned.
"Ho-chang, my boy."
Jo Jung-seon greeted him warmly on sight.
Yi Ho-chang responded with the easy affection of kin, and the pair, reunited after so long, bloomed into lively conversation over untold stories.
Of course, Yi Chan-seong's admonition kept Blood Cult demons off the table.
When talk had mellowed nicely, Yi Ho-chang at last produced the stone go board as a gift.
Jo Jung-seon eyed its curious form with keen interest.
"What an intriguing shape."
"Right? Brought it just to show you, elder."
Inspecting the stone board, Jo Jung-seon stroked his beard.
"'Abandon Small, Take Large' inscribed on the side... Fine words indeed. Thicker than your average board, though?"
"Yes, yet surprisingly light."
"Hmm. Carved lettering suggests it's no trinket..."
With that, Jo Jung-seon ran his fingers methodically over the surface.
Suddenly, he paused at the 6-16 point.
"Only here is the stone smoothly polished."
Feeling it confirmed as much.
Yi Ho-chang searched likewise and found not one or two such spots.
Some felt faintly concave; overall, textures split into smooth or indented.
Could it be?
A hunch dawned on Yi Ho-chang.
Seeing is believing.
On impulse, he set white stones on smooth spots, black on indented ones.
What he'd suspected materialized before their eyes.
"This is..."
"A game in progress."
Yet incomplete—like mere opening moves.
Jo Jung-seon asked Yi Ho-chang,
"Coincidence, you think?"
"No chance."
"Nor I. Looks like a mechanism of sorts."
Mechanism.
The word hung as they wordlessly studied the stones.
What had its creator meant to reveal?
Yi Ho-chang spoke up, still gazing at the board.
"Elder, shall we pick up the game from here?"
"Heh heh. Go with an ancient master? Sounds delightful."
They flowed into play seamlessly—Jo Jung-seon black, Yi Ho-chang white.
After several exchanges, Yi Ho-chang eyed his elder's move and pondered.
"Hmm..."
A play screaming sacrifice.
Black trying to live there? White's riposte would spell catastrophe.
Better abandon the point, chase bigger ground... Wait—what?
A spark in Yi Ho-chang's mind.
Abandon Small, Take Large.
One precept from the Ten Go Precepts: forsake the trivial, seize the vital.
Perfect fit.
On a whim, Yi Ho-chang cut white at the single-stone snap in upper left.
That instant—
Click.
A sound of opening.
They froze, exchanging glances.
Jo Jung-seon set down his stone.
"Seems it unlocks only with correct stones on marked points. You cracked it, Ho-chang."
"No, elder—your opposition made it possible."
"Heh heh, pretty words."
Yi Ho-chang lifted the board; the base rose, exposing inner workings.
But eclipsing the gears was a slip of paper tucked inside.
仙會谷, 五
(Immortal Assembly Valley, 5)
Yi Ho-chang unfolded it.
A maplike sketch lay within.
He showed it to Jo Jung-seon.
"Looks like a map to me... Elder, any idea where this is?"
"Hmm... Traveled the whole continent in my day, but nothing like this."
Then what?
Yi Ho-chang flipped the paper over.
In the corner, same hand as the board's inscription:
仙會谷, 五。
Yi Ho-chang's eyes widened.
Immortal Assembly Valley, 5?
Unmistakable.
He double-checked with Jo Jung-seon, who read it the same.
Yi Ho-chang swallowed hard.
Finally, a lead on Immortal Assembly Valley...!
Time had passed since he'd set foot in the martial world.
A clue at last—how could he not rejoice?
But... Valley makes sense. What's the 5?
A hint?
Then it hit him.
Wait—Abandon Small, Take Large is the fifth precept of the Ten Go Precepts, right?
Spot on.
His recall never failed.
Which meant...
Nine more like this out there?
Ten precepts total—odds were high.
And the map shape? No doubt...
Fragments of a map to Immortal Assembly Valley...!
Yi Ho-chang's eyes gleamed.
Jo Jung-seon, scrutinizing the precepts carved on the board, spoke up.
"Odd... This handwriting rings a bell."
"The script?"
"Mm. Ages ago, I think..."
Rummaging memory, Jo Jung-seon suddenly clapped.
"Right! Saw it at Shaolin Temple."
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