Chapter 65: Water Too Clear Has No Fish (13)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 65: Water Too Clear Has No Fish (13)
Ma Guk-do, the First Leader of Mount Cheonro, was in a foul mood.
“That Lee Yu-baek... isn’t he a complete fucking lunatic?”
The more he thought about it, the more wronged and furious he felt.
“Have I ever done a single thing to that bastard? Why does he act like he has some personal vendetta against me, pulling this shit every time? He went as far as killing his own sworn brother just to get to me. Isn’t that the very definition of a madman?”
The lesser leaders of Mount Cheonro raised their voices, chiming in.
“It’s all because you’ve been too soft on that bastard Lee Yu-baek, Elder Brother!”
“That’s right! We should have sent our men to wreck the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall long ago, even if it meant taking a loss!”
They thought they were humoring Ma Guk-do, but their words only soured his mood further.
“So what? Are you saying it’s my fault? That I should have charged into Xinxing County and burned down the Pungryu Martial Hall while the County Magistrate was watching with his eyes wide open? What’s next? You want us to wage an all-out war with the government army and take over the county?”
“Elder Brother, that’s… that’s not what we meant…”
“Shut up, you thick-skulled bastards.”
“…”
“Hah… Dammit. Hang In-woo... he was smart and quick-witted, a useful one to have around. Nothing is going right.”
As he spoke, he glanced furtively at the man sitting beside him.
A powerfully built man, with shoulders that seemed twice as broad as anyone else’s, sat crushing the chair beneath his weight. He had the presence of a bear and the spirit of a tiger. Yet, his chin was cleanly shaven, his hair was neatly tied up, and a faint scent of sandalwood emanated from his body.
He possessed the noble air of someone who belonged in the manor of a high-ranking general, not a mountain stronghold like this.
This was Yong Woo-seok, the leader of the Iron Dragon Stronghold. Until recently, his sect had held the lowest seat among the Green Woods Eighteen Strongholds. He was a martial artist of the Peak Realm, dreaming of a comeback after being driven out of the Eighteen Strongholds and losing his mountain in a power struggle. He had since returned to his homeland of Guangdong.
He and Ma Guk-do had run the back alleys together since they were young.
“Elder Brother,” Ma Guk-do called to him cautiously.
Yong Woo-seok, who had been drinking quietly, turned his head.
“Well, you know what they say—it’s best to avoid a sudden downpour, right? That bastard Lee Yu-baek has gathered martial artists from all over Guangdong, and his momentum is formidable. How about we leave the stronghold for a bit and come back later?”
“…”
As Yong Woo-seok stared at him in silence, Ma Guk-do added, as if making an excuse, “It’s… it’s not that I’m scared. It’s just that even if we win, our losses won’t be small. Our Mount Cheonro has decided to join forces under you, Elder Brother. Wouldn’t it be bad for you, too, if we lost a lot of men here?”
“Guk-do.” Yong Woo-seok tossed back his drink.
A slender woman huddled close beside him, her shoulders trembling as she refilled his cup.
“Talk sense, Guk-do. You want me to run away because I’m scared of some country bumpkin martial artists? What would that do to my reputation? Are you trying to drag my name through the mud?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“And don’t you worry. I faced countless challenges while leading the Iron Dragon Stronghold. From those orthodox faction bastards. From the government army. You think none of them were stronger than the Iron Dragon Stronghold? Wrong. There were many. Very many.”
Ma Guk-do’s eyes gleamed as he swallowed hard.
The man before him, Yong Woo-seok, was the man he had admired his entire life. A true man of the Jianghu who had left Guangdong for the Central Plains and become one of the eighteen leaders of the renowned Green Woods Eighteen Strongholds. He was a man acknowledged for having reached a summit through martial arts, reigning proudly above even the most exceptional first-rate masters.
Barring those who had practically transcended humanity, like Immortals or Monsters, he had reached the very pinnacle of martial arts from a mortal perspective.
The Peak Realm. A martial artist of the Peak Realm.
As he calmly recounted his experiences, Ma Guk-do’s chest swelled with a dream-like excitement.
“But did the Iron Dragon Stronghold fall? No, it did not. Guk-do, a bandit… does not lose in the mountains. The only reason I was defeated and driven out was because my opponent was also a bandit.”
“I see…”
“We can run around this vast mountain for days, striking here and there, breaking them down piece by piece and devouring them. It’s quite delicious. This is our home turf. What is not a path to them is a path to us.”
Thud!
Having said this, Yong Woo-seok slammed a large saber onto the floor. Dust puffed up from the wooden planks.
“And what’s there to worry about? I am here. I, Yong Woo-seok, am here. If it truly comes to the point where we must abandon the stronghold and flee, then I will block the entrance myself. I alone can buy more than enough time for all of you to escape.”
“Elder Brother…”
“What’s the rush? Their numbers are large, so they’ll leave traces when they start to move. Besides, the spies we planted in Xinxing County will report to us before that. We can watch how things unfold and make a decision then. It won’t be too late.”
“Yes! You’re right.”
“That’s right, Guk-do. Once we’ve dealt with Xinxing, let’s move on to bigger waters together. We’ll just leave a branch here. Understand, my brother?”
“Yes! Elder Brother!”
Though the conversation was brief, Ma Guk-do felt his heart lighten and his spirits lift for the first time in a while.
‘That’s right. It’s time for me to move on to bigger waters, too.’
Trials always follow those who harbor dreams. Once he killed Lee Yu-baek, all of this would become a great war story.
“What are you waiting for! Music!”
At his shout, his subordinates outside dragged in women who had been washed and dressed nicely, along with men carrying instruments. Soon, the sound of instruments played by trembling hands and songs sung by trembling voices filled the room.
Though they were in the mountains, it was a life fit for a king. The feeling of superiority as they looked down on others—the bandits’ moods improved immensely.
*
After the Xinxing County Martial Arts Tournament concluded successfully, Yeon So-wol had a quiet chat with Mo Cheong.
“Mo Cheong. What’s left now? Before the Mount Cheonro subjugation.”
“Well, we just formed the squads, so I guess the squad leaders and members will get to know each other and practice working together?”
“A kind of training?”
“Something like that.”
“Then it’ll take another half a month.”
“At least.”
“This Mount Cheonro subjugation isn’t going to be easy.”
“There’s a reason no one could touch those sons of bitches until now, you know?”
“True. If it were easy, they would’ve been dealt with long ago.”
Yeon So-wol felt a sense of daunting distance. When he’d encountered things like bandits in games or novels back on Earth, they were usually dealt with in a single day. Now that it was reality, he saw just how troublesome and difficult it was.
“Anyway, things might get busy again starting tomorrow, so our Squad Leader Yeon So-wol should get some sleep.”
“Huh?” Yeon So-wol gave Mo Cheong a strange look. “Why am I a Squad Leader? We’re all in the Detached Force. And it’s a ‘Detached Force’ in name only; we’re basically acting independently.”
“Right. But who’s the most influential person in the Detached Force right now?”
“…Great Hero No Hee-deok?”
“Exactly. And who does Great Hero No Hee-deok faithfully follow?”
“Hey now.”
Yeon So-wol threw a punch. Mo Cheong tried to dodge it lightly but failed, taking the blow near his shoulder.
Smack!
“Ow! Damn. I can’t even dodge it when I see it coming now.”
“What can you do? That’s the difference between a first-rate and a second-rate.”
“Wow… you… you… just because you got a little stronger after eating an elixir… Wow. Just wow…”
“Cut me some slack. I’ve taken way more hits from you over the years.”
“Hmm. That’s true. I’ll give you that.” Mo Cheong chuckled and stood up. “Anyway, I’m half-joking, but half-serious. Just because we’re acting independently doesn’t mean we’ll be moving like complete strangers. It’s a fact that you have influence, so try to keep everyone together before the subjugation. Keep the mood positive. I’ll help you out.”
“Alright. Let’s do that.”
“Yeah. Get some rest. It’s going to be busy again starting tomorrow.”
“You too.”
Mo Cheong waved and disappeared. Yeon So-wol changed his clothes and washed up. Was it because the martial arts tournament had gone so well? Feeling refreshed, he quickly fell into a sweet, deep sleep.
How much time had passed?
“So-wol.”
Sensing a presence at his door, Yeon So-wol sat up.
‘What? What time is it…?’
It was pitch black. In a world without personal clocks, Yeon So-wol had no idea what time it was. He could only tell that it was the dead of night.
As if sensing this, Lee Yu-baek spoke from the other side of the door.
“It is now the end of the Hour of the Ox, approaching the Hour of the Tiger.”
On Earth, that would be around 3 AM. Yeon So-wol blinked his drowsy eyes, opened the door, and greeted Lee Yu-baek.
“Yes, Father. What brings you here at such an early hour?”
Revealed in the dim light, Lee Yu-baek was wearing a form-fitting black knight-errant’s robe with a sword at his hip.
“We march.”
“…”
All sleepiness vanished from Yeon So-wol’s face.
“I will lead the main force and depart first. You will wake the Detached Force in exactly half a shichen and follow us.”
“Is this… the real thing?”
“Yes.”
The martial arts tournament was yesterday. The squads were formed yesterday. And they were marching at dawn today.
Lee Yu-baek bared his teeth in a grin.
“No one would ever expect us to march at this moment. It’s a shame we couldn’t practice coordinating beforehand, but we have overwhelming power, so it will be fine. Follow us with vigor. I will go on ahead.”
Pat.
Lee Yu-baek’s palm tapped Yeon So-wol’s shoulder once before he moved past. Feeling the heavy weight of that touch, Yeon So-wol answered a beat too late to Lee Yu-baek’s back.
“Yes!”
Yeon So-wol scrambled into action. There was no time to wash today. He just splashed his face with cold water, immediately donned his black knight-errant’s robe, grabbed the Demon-Slaying Sword, and headed outside.
Kang Mu-hyeok was already there, and soon after, Seon Je-hun and Mo Cheong appeared. They all looked a little flustered and very tense. And yet, they radiated a fighting spirit so palpable it felt like you could reach out and touch it.
The only one who wasn’t flustered was Kang Mu-hyeok. Having been briefed on today’s plan in advance, he calmly handed a sheet of paper to Yeon So-wol and his two junior fellow disciples.
“These are the names and lodgings of the martial artists in the Detached Force. Memorize them, and when this lantern burns out, go and wake them.”
Kang Mu-hyeok gestured with the lantern he was holding.
“When you reach the mountain entrance, herb gatherers will be waiting. They are all men the Master has been preparing for a long time. They located the Mount Cheonro stronghold and the bandits’ guard posts long ago. Follow their guidance, surround the path, and slit the throat of anyone you see. That’s all there is to it.”
Yeon So-wol’s eyes widened. This was the first he was hearing of such preparations. Noticing his expression, Kang Mu-hyeok gave a faint smile.
“Hasn’t the Master told you many times? He has been preparing for this for a very, very long time. Longer than you, the martial artists of Xinxing, or even the Mount Cheonro bandits could possibly imagine. And with the utmost seriousness.”
As they spoke, the light from the lantern Kang Mu-hyeok held gradually dimmed until it finally flickered out. Poof!
Thud!
Tossing the extinguished lantern to the ground, Kang Mu-hyeok spoke.
“Assemble the Detached Force. You have fifteen minutes.”
“Yes!”
The four of them simultaneously kicked off the ground, unleashing the Flying Wind Drift. They shot off in four directions—north, south, east, and west—into the deeply slumbering world of Xinxing’s martial artists.