Chapter 769: A Favor, Not a Proposal (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 769: A Favor, Not a Proposal (2)
“What did you just say?”
Hearing my answer, the One Azure Sword stared at me with a look of pure disbelief.
I savored his expression before replying.
“I said, I won’t do it.”
“May I ask for your reason?”
“My reason…?”
There were plenty of reasons, and I pondered which one I should give him.
A newly created Captain position. An offer to place me in that seat.
On the surface, it didn’t sound bad. In fact, it was a staggering offer. The position of a Captain within the Alliance required not only a high level of martial attainment but also significant political influence.
There were branch managers who oversaw entire regions with enough authority to command those territories, yet even they were powerless before the Captains of the main branch. Recalling that a Captain’s authority included the right to command those very branch managers, the weight of the position became even clearer.
Furthermore, considering the reputation one would gain across the Central Plains and the benefits received from the Alliance, the offer was undoubtedly a great one.
But that’s all in the past.
To the current me, it was meaningless. Looking at the current state of the Alliance, it wasn’t even a particularly valuable position…
To be more precise.
Clink.
I set down the teacup and let the corners of my mouth curl upward.
“It’s the part where you call it an… ‘offer’ that I find so amusing.”
“Pardon?”
The One Azure Sword’s eyes narrowed. He seemed to have taken offense at the word “amusing,” but I had no intention of correcting myself.
It truly was laughable.
“This isn’t something you should have brought to me as an offer.”
“What do you mean…”
Screak.
Leaning back fully into my chair, I stared him down.
“This isn’t an offer. This is something you should be begging for.”
“…!”
His expression crumpled instantly.
“…Star King. What is the meaning of this?”
“Was I being indirect? I don’t think so. It’s exactly as you heard.”
It wasn’t some pathetic excuse for an offer.
“You should have been begging me politely, and even then, it might not have been enough. That’s what I mean.”
“Star King—!”
Thud—!
The One Azure Sword shot up from his seat, the table rattling violently. Judging by his flushed face, he was genuinely furious.
This is great.
I was pleased with how well things were going. Forcing down the smile that threatened to spread across my face, I looked at him, then glanced toward the door.
“I am aware of your astonishing level of skill, as well as the good deeds you performed in Henan.”
As his Combat Qi filled the room, the One Azure Sword spoke with chilling eyes.
“It is because we knew of this that the Alliance, in an unprecedented move, designated you as King-level even before a detailed investigation could be conducted. Yet you are unbearably arrogant. Do you take the Alliance for a joke?”
“Yes.”
“…What?”
My calm reply seemed to fluster him. I found his reaction hilarious.
“Well, is it not a joke?”
“You insolent…!”
“Anyone would think you’d given me something priceless. How absurd.”
As I spoke, I grabbed the teacup on the table.
And then.
Trickle.
I tilted it slightly, letting the tea stream onto the floor. It was a sudden, pointless act, but it didn’t matter. The One Azure Sword’s gaze flickered toward the insignificant action.
In that brief opening, I drove my point home.
“Now that public opinion has gone to shit, you think you can just slap a title on me to divert everyone's attention? Who do you think you're fooling?”
“…!”
“You think I’m going to become some famous figure, hailed as the youngest King or a hero, just to buy you some time while you figure out how to salvage this mess? What? You want me to be a Captain?”
A sneer spread across my face.
“Those fucking bastards need to know when to stop spouting bullshit.”
Fwoosh—!!!
“…Keuk!”
I unleashed my energy, crushing the One Azure Sword’s Combat Qi. That part went well, but…
Throb—!
Ah, I’m fucked.
A surge of pain shot from my heart, and I felt blood rise in my throat. I hadn’t properly checked my internal injuries. I had been so focused on figuring other things out that I hadn’t paid attention to my own body. It was in much worse shape than I thought.
If I kept releasing my energy like I usually did, my meridians would twist. I had to slowly retract the pressure I was emitting.
“Star King, my ass. Did I ask for it? You just throw it at me and expect me to say, ‘Oh, thank you so much, I’ll do whatever you say’? Don’t make me laugh.”
Even as I withdrew my energy, my mouth didn’t stop.
“Who do you take me for, an idiot?”
I had to hide my condition as much as possible.
“And a new Captain position? A fine pretext. But you know what?”
Tap… tap.
I tapped the table four times with my fingers. My thoughts were organized.
“Be honest. The truth is that you can’t handle this without me, isn’t it?”
“…!!”
“And yet you call it an offer? When you should be begging politely and graciously. Am I wrong?”
The One Azure Sword’s expression shattered as if I had hit a nerve. That was enough.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
“…You bastard.”
I tilted my head at his reaction.
“Dropping the honorifics, old man? Want me to do the same? It’d be easier for me.”
“…Grrrind!!”
He looked like he wanted to draw his sword right then and there. Honestly, if he did, it would be dangerous. If he were trying to kill me, I could manage, but otherwise, I’d be at a disadvantage.
However, I wasn’t worried. It was about time for the main character to make his entrance.
“Must you truly see blood—!”
“Captain of the Blue Dragon Army.”
Flinch.
At the sudden voice, the One Azure Sword froze. It was a frail voice coming from outside the door. I didn’t have to wonder who it was. With the Alliance in such a state, there was only one man they would surely call upon.
“Cough.”
The sound of a cough echoed, and at the same time…
Creeak—!
The door opened. The first to appear was an old man with a massive physique. No, it wasn’t that his body was large—it was his presence.
The Sword Emperor.
A man from the upper echelons of the Ten Masters of the Central Plains, the guardian of the Murim Alliance. It was jokingly said that he never ascended to the level of the Three Venerables just so he could remain to protect the Alliance.
So, was this old man the one who had called out?
No.
The Sword Emperor entered first, followed by another man. He was small-framed, covering his mouth with a cloth as he entered. If anything, he gave off a similar vibe to the Immortal Healer.
That was him. The person I had been waiting for.
“That is enough.”
When the weary-looking old man spoke, the One Azure Sword’s face contorted.
“But, Elder…! The Star King has shown contempt for the Murim Alliance. Are you telling me to stand by after hearing his remarks?”
The One Azure Sword, his reverence for the Alliance fueling his anger, spoke as if arguing.
“There is nothing incorrect in what he said.”
“…Elder!”
“I have given my Captain a difficult task. I apologize, but I will handle the rest of the conversation with the Star King… Please leave us for a moment.”
“…Hngh.”
“I ask this of you.”
At the old man’s words, the One Azure Sword finally turned red in the face and left. Even as he departed, he showed the utmost respect to the elder. It meant the old man held a formidable position within the Alliance.
That was correct.
They’ll need that old man to survive now.
The Murim Alliance was currently fractured. As far as I knew, that old man was the only one who could fix it.
Right after the One Azure Sword left, the old man approached the vacated seat and looked at me.
“May I sit?”
A cautious question. I nodded.
“Please do. The owner of the seat just left.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Receiving permission, the old man sat down. From that moment on, I straightened my posture as well. This was where it truly began.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Star King.”
The air felt heavy. It wasn’t his energy—the old man wasn’t strong enough to radiate such an aura. This was a pressure that came from his very presence. It was a sensation I felt when the Immortal Healer was practicing medicine, or on the rare occasions Lady Mi was angry with my father.
In other words, this old man had achieved a pinnacle in his own field.
As proof of that…
“It seems you know who I am, so I suppose introductions are unnecessary.”
He had already seen through me.
“I don’t know. Still, since it’s our first time meeting, wouldn’t it be better to introduce ourselves?”
“Ah, if you wish… That is fine as well. Introducing oneself is a fine thing to do.”
The old man nodded briefly and spoke.
“This old one’s name is Mukyeon.”
As I heard his name, I began to ponder.
“Unbefitting of my appearance, I serve as a strategist for the Murim Alliance.”
How should I get rid of this old man?
That was my concern.
* * *
Mukyeon.
An old man I knew to be over eighty, not affiliated with any particular clan or sect. A so-called unaffiliated martial artist. This wasn’t particularly unusual in the Alliance; low-ranking positions were often filled by unaffiliated individuals rather than those from noble clans.
However.
This old man is special. Very special.
Mukyeon was in a league of his own. He was someone who, despite being unaffiliated, had risen to the very top of the Murim Alliance. Moreover, he was a man with no martial arts and a frail body, yet he had reached the third-highest position in the Alliance in the past.
This was during the time when the Sword Venerable served as the Alliance Leader. Back when it was said the Tamer of Wild Dogs was the Sword Venerable’s mouth and ears, and the Heavenly Eye was his eyes… the one who served as his brain was none other than Mukyeon.
A genius who never forgot what he saw and could assess a situation in an instant.
The Ink-Knowing Sage, Mukyeon.
That was the name of the most brilliant strategist in the Alliance’s history. And that strategist was right in front of me.
To be precise…
Not anymore, though.
It would be more correct to call him the former strategist. A few years after the Sword Venerable stepped down, the Ink-Knowing Sage also retired and left the Alliance. More than a decade had passed since then.
He hadn’t appeared for all that time, so why would he show up now? It might seem strange, but it wasn’t actually surprising.
…It was the same in my past life.
Right after the Heavenly Demon revealed himself and foretold the blood disaster, Mukyeon had reappeared then as well. Despite his old age, he had joined the Alliance to lend a hand one more time, but…
He died in the end.
The Ink-Knowing Sage died not long after. Why? Because the first people the Young Prodigies dealt with were that old man. The Young Prodigies, the brains of the Demonic Cult, had set out to eliminate Mukyeon using all their forces. After a three-month battle of wits, they finally succeeded in killing him.
The tale of how the Young Prodigies single-handedly killed three peak-level martial artists while escaping? This old man was the one who had orchestrated that trap. He was a man of incredible strategic prowess.
“I am Gu Yangcheon.”
After hearing his introduction, I introduced myself as well.
“It is an honor to meet the hero of Henan,” Mukyeon said with a smile.
I returned it with a slight smirk of my own. “I’m getting nervous myself, meeting the man called the brain of the Murim Alliance.”
“Hahaha, that is all in the past… Merely the glory of a bygone era.”
“The glory of a bygone era…” I mulled over his words before looking at him. “For someone who says that, you still seem to be in good health. Creating a situation like this, I mean.”
My words didn’t cause the slightest change in his expression. The smile he directed at me only seemed to deepen.
“May I ask why you think so?”
Ah, this wasn’t good. Just a few meaningless exchanges, and I was already sure.
This old man. He’s the type I hate.
The kind of person I find most troublesome. So much so that I should kill him right now if possible.
“The first thing I found strange was when you offered me the Captain’s seat out of the blue.” I barely managed to calm my insides and continued. “I was about to dismiss it as you being desperate enough to need a distraction.”
Tap, tap.
I tapped the table twice.
“The fact that the Blue Dragon Army came to get me—that bothered me a little.”
“And the reason?”
“It’s simple. The Alliance may seem vast, but it’s a small world. News travels fast.”
“That is correct.”
“But no matter how busy and incompetent the Murim Alliance was, could they really not have known? I had a minor clash with the One Azure Sword. In such a situation, not only does the Blue Dragon Army come to get me, but I’m made to face him in an interrogation room? And all for the sake of making some offer under the guise of an investigation? Isn’t that strange?”
Even if it wasn’t a major clash, it had happened, and people knew. Yet, they put me and the One Azure Sword together for such an important discussion? It was absurd. They couldn't be foolish enough to orchestrate things this way without a reason.
“Either you wanted to deliberately provoke me, or… you wanted to create a specific situation.”
“Hmm.”
“Then another question arises. I don’t see what good could come from provoking me. So the reason must be the latter. What kind of situation were you trying to create?”
A series of events, tangled yet neatly intertwined. Within them, I discovered the problem.
“It feels less like provocation was the goal, and more like you were using the One Azure Sword to test the waters. Why? Why would you want to gauge my reaction?”
At this point, it was more of a guess than a certainty. But it didn’t matter. For now, I would speak as if I were certain. An attitude of ‘if I’m wrong, so be it’ was important.
“It’s because you don’t know me. You don’t know how I will react or what kind of response I will show. You wanted to find out, and a reaction to provocation is the clearest indicator of character.”
“And at the end of that prediction, you believe this old man would be there? To see the Star King’s reaction?”
“No. That’s essentially correct, but it’s a bit more profound.”
It was partly to test me. But more importantly…
“You were standing outside the door while I was talking with the Captain, weren’t you?”
“I was.”
“I’ve heard you’ve barely learned any martial arts.”
“That is also correct. I have only learned a little for self-defense.”
“But an elder who has been active in the Alliance for decades would not have expected me to be unaware of your presence outside.”
“…”
Mukyeon fell silent. I saw his eyes change slightly.
“You must have known very well. Yet you stayed outside. The Sword Emperor concealed your presence with his energy, but you must have studied my known level of skill enough to know I wouldn’t be fooled by that.”
“…Hmm.”
“Nevertheless, the fact that you did so means…”
Flick.
I flicked a finger once.
“You wanted to find out not only my personality, but my current physical condition, whether I hold any animosity toward the Alliance, and exactly what kind of person I am. Isn’t that right?”
It was an act to determine if I could sense him. Half of it… no, most of it was sophistry. It was a stretch to assume Mukyeon had called me for such a trivial reason. This was purely a series of predictions based on the fact that he had appeared in my past life as well.
The Blue Dragon Army coming to meet me? It could have been for the mission. The One Azure Sword interrogating me? He was a hothead; I could see it happening.
However, when you placed the old man named Mukyeon into the equation, things looked different. I had woven it all together like a spider’s web.
“Hahaha.”
Mukyeon ended his silence and smiled deeper than before. After a short laugh, he…
“Cough!”
A cough escaped him, and he covered his mouth with the cloth. He seemed to be in considerable pain, yet his smile didn’t falter.
“Well now, Star King.”
“Yes.”
“By any chance, would you be interested in taking this old man’s place in this seat?”
A ridiculous joke. I answered it sincerely.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m not as smart as you, Elder. I’m more comfortable using my body.”
When I spoke with distaste, the old man tilted his head. “…Hmm… Is that so?”
Ignoring his reaction, I asked the real question.
“So, Elder. What business do you have with me, now that you’ve gone to such lengths to meet me?”
If Mukyeon had wanted to see me, there must have been a point.
“First, it is true that this old man wanted to see the Star King. For that, I apologize.”
To my surprise, he admitted it easily. To think I was right was actually a bit funny. I was only half-sure when I took that shot in the dark. Maybe I was actually good at this.
As I was nodding to myself in satisfaction…
“However, I did not plan to meet you directly like this… but this is even better. Is it not proper to ask a question while looking into the other person’s eyes? Therefore, I will take this opportunity to ask what I wish to ask.”
“You’re right. So, what is it?”
“Star King, what is your relationship with the Heavenly Demon?”
“…”
For a moment, my breath caught in my throat.