Chapter 196
Chapter 196
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: A Calculated Provocation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Wi Cheon-gyeong couldn't hide his surprise.
‘To grasp one's martial skill or internal energy with a mere glance is something only masters who have surpassed the Transcendent Realm can do.’
In truth, he was gravely mistaken.
Having worked as a mortician for a long time, Bu Eun-seol could perceive a person's body shape and muscle structure as if seeing through their clothes, and he could remember them as easily as faces.
He had discerned that the thigh muscles of the second squad members, including Wi Cheon-gyeong, were well-developed.
‘That kind of thigh musculature not only allows for maximum explosive strength but also provides exceptional muscular endurance.’
After observing the muscles of Wi Cheon-gyeong and the second squad, Bu Eun-seol turned his head.
Hyeok So-jin, Jo Nam-cheon, and the members who had not yet been assigned to a squad were standing there blankly.
“The leader of the third squad is...”
At that moment, Hyeok So-jin glanced at Jo Nam-cheon and grinned.
Since he was known as Bu Eun-seol's follower, he naturally assumed he would be the leader of the third squad.
“Jo Nam-cheon, you're in charge.”
Instantly, Hyeok So-jin's face contorted.
“B-Brother Bu? Then what about me...”
“Hehehe, you truly have a good eye for people.”
And Jo Nam-cheon smirked at Hyeok So-jin.
But Bu Eun-seol’s next words wiped the smile clean off his face.
“And So-jin, you are the Vice Commander. From now on, you will take command whenever I am absent.”
In that instant, Jo Nam-cheon's face crumpled mercilessly.
“Puhahaha.”
Hyeok So-jin, his eyes curving into crescents, leaned right into Jo Nam-cheon's face and said with a solemn expression,
“From now on, I'm calling you 'Mr. Presumptuous.'”
Then, as if nothing had happened, Hyeok So-jin beamed, his eyes twinkling. He was the very picture of obnoxious.
“Stop your nonsense and get out of my way.”
As Jo Nam-cheon trembled, a vein throbbing on his forehead,
“By the way.”
Wi Cheon-gyeong, who had been silent all this time, spoke up, staring intently at Bu Eun-seol from under his bangs.
“Why do you call Squad Leader Jo... no, the third squad leader, by his proper name?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why am I 'Bangs,' and he is 'Jo Nam-cheon'?”
When Wi Cheon-gyeong demanded in a rebellious tone, everyone around him looked surprised.
He was usually taciturn and a man of few words.
“When we spoke, he was the only one who stated his name and offered a greeting.”
Bu Eun-seol swept his cold gaze over Wi Cheon-gyeong and the other members.
“What did you do, other than say you didn't want to be a squad leader?”
For a moment, Wi Cheon-gyeong was at a loss for words, lowering his head in silence.
Just then, Won Se-mun stepped forward tactlessly and said,
“My name is Won Se-mun.”
“It's too late, Twin Swords.”
At Bu Eun-seol's curt reply, Won Se-mun's face flushed crimson.
However, perhaps for the sake of his dignity as a squad leader, he bit his lip and didn't argue further.
“But why did you reorganize the squads?”
Bu Eun-seol answered Jo Nam-cheon's question.
“Barring a full-scale battle, there will be no occasion for all thirty of you to rush out at once. From now on, each squad will undertake missions separately.”
“But, will you be all right?”
Suddenly, Han So-ung, who was standing behind Won Se-mun, tapped his bronze breastplate and spoke.
“Going to Shaanxi like this, I mean.”
“What are you talking about?”
When Bu Eun-seol asked, Han So-ung grinned, a challenging smile on his face.
“Isn't this a mission with virtually no chance of success as it is?”
He then pointed to the squad members who were either grinding their teeth or glaring at Bu Eun-seol as if they wanted to kill him.
“There's no need to handle things so arbitrarily and earn the squad's animosity on top of it all.”
In fact, aside from Jo Nam-cheon, Won Se-mun, and Wi Cheon-gyeong, most of the members wore openly disgruntled expressions.
There was only one reason they, a group of troublemakers, had managed to survive in the Demonic Sanctum.
Most of them possessed skills at the peak level, allowing them to carry out missions alone.
There was no one in the Demonic Sanctum who could treat them lightly, so the pride of the Mu-bon Squad members was sky-high...
So what if he was made Commander by the order of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor? To treat them like common mutts?
The majority of the squad members could not yet accept Bu Eun-seol's attitude.
“It doesn't matter.”
But Bu Eun-seol just smiled coldly.
“Because what's needed for this fight isn't unified strength anyway.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Even if I were given ten times the members of the Mu-bon Squad, we couldn't win a direct confrontation with the Ma-ban-mun.”
Han So-ung's mouth fell open.
Could it be that Bu Eun-seol had given up on everything and was heading to Shaanxi with a 'whatever happens, happens' attitude?
“Then why bother leading the squad to Shaanxi? It's a losing battle anyway.”
At that, Bu Eun-seol looked up at the distant sky and gave a faint smile.
“Just do as I say.”
At that moment, all the members of the Mu-bon Squad wore expressions of bewilderment.
—Just what is this man?
All their previous commanders had tried to dominate them with their martial arts or issued commands by flaunting their authority.
But Bu Eun-seol, despite his superior skills, didn't use force, nor did he brandish his high position.
He had an indifferent and cynical nature and remarkable powers of observation. And he possessed a strange charm that subtly captivated people's hearts.
He was even making them curious, as if there were something unknowable about him.
Curiosity.
The relationship between people begins with curiosity.
It is human nature to want to know the unknown.
*‘Is this a good first step?’*
Bu Eun-seol smiled as he looked at the squad members' suspicious eyes.
*‘They will follow my orders, to some extent. If only out of curiosity about who I am and what consequences my commands will bring.’*
“We're departing.”
As Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin turned, the members of the Mu-bon Squad, who had been blinking as if mesmerized, hurriedly followed.
***
Falling Goose Tower.
It was the most famous tavern in Xi'an Prefecture.
This was partly due to the beautiful surrounding scenery, but also because it sold the baijiu crafted by the master of the Xi-feng Distillery at a low price.
*Murmur, murmur.*
The interior of the three-story Falling Goose Tower was filled not only with travelers but also with scholars who had come to enjoy a drink.
“...”
By a window on the upper floor, five martial artists sat at a table, drinking with grim expressions.
They were all dressed in blue martial arts uniforms, and at their waists hung swords with two plum blossom-patterned tassels.
They were the second-generation disciples of the Mount Hua Sect.
*Grind.*
The martial artists were all grinding their teeth as they glared at a banquet room on the third floor.
Unbelievable nonsense was spilling out from that room.
“Hey, you guys know this? Baek Mun-ryong, the third of the Ten Swords of Mount Hua, used to be a handyman who cleaned the stables at my house.”
“Hahaha. What's that? Gu Dae-won, an elder of the Mount Hua Sect, used to work as a debt collector under my father, who's a moneylender.”
As the voices from the banquet room grew louder, the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect clenched their fists.
Just what kind of audacious madmen were in there...
To be spouting such nonsense in Xi'an Prefecture, which could be called the territory of the Mount Hua Sect, of all places?
“Hold on. Haven't you heard the saying, 'Even the king is cursed behind his back'?”
Bang Uk, the eldest of the second-generation disciples present, said in a low voice.
“If a disciple of the great Mount Hua Sect gets angry over the nonsense of some drunken louts... there's nothing more ridiculous.”
At his words, Bang Uk's junior, Gok Sang-cheon, forced a laugh and added,
“Senior Brother is right. There's no need to react to every little thing those madmen say...”
But his words were cut short.
Another, utterly intolerable remark flowed out from the banquet room.
“That's nothing. Did you know? The current Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Pung Won-san, his family were hereditary servants in my house...”
When even the Sect Leader's name was brought up, the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect could no longer contain their rage and rose to their feet.
“What madman is spouting such nonsense in broad daylight!”
Bang Uk, enraged, strode to the front of the banquet room and shouted.
“The one who just took the Sect Leader's name in vain, get out here now!”
The door to the banquet room opened, and a man with flushed cheeks staggered out.
“Who're you?”
“We are disciples of the Mount Hua Sect!”
“If you're disciples of the Mount Hua Sect...”
At Bang Uk's shout, the man stared blankly for a moment before clapping his hands.
“Then we're all one big family!”
“One family? What nonsense is that?”
The man grinned, revealing yellowish teeth.
“You're the disciples of Pung Won-san, who was a servant at my house, so that makes you all servants too...”
The man's words didn't continue.
Enraged, Bang Uk threw a punch at the man's face.
“Hmph.”
But the man snorted and lightly dodged Bang Uk's fist.
“Just like the disciples of a servant's house, your fists are pathetic.”
Bang Uk's eyes blazed like torches at the man's mocking attitude as he picked his nose.
“Only death awaits those who dare to insult our sect!”
*Shing!*
As Bang Uk drew his sword, all the second-generation disciples behind him drew theirs as well.
But the man just grinned, then stuck his head into the banquet room and said,
“Hey, the servant's disciples have drawn their swords, saying they're going to kill me.”
At that, men armed with weapons began to emerge one by one from the banquet room.
There were nine of them.
Moreover, every one of them had sharp eyes and a stable stance.
Only then did Bang Uk realize that the group before him were not ordinary drunks, but martial arts masters.
“Who are you?”
“This will be our answer.”
*Crash! Crack!*
The inside of the tavern where the fight broke out became a scene of pandemonium.
The six disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, including Bang Uk, stood their ground, swords in hand.
The fight, which had seemed destined to be fierce, ended surprisingly quickly.
“Ugh.”
Not even a quarter of an hour had passed.
The six disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, including Bang Uk, had been thoroughly beaten and lay wretchedly on the floor.
“Do you think you can touch our sect... and leave the lands of Shaanxi unscathed?”
At Bang Uk's furious words, the man grinned and shook his head.
“We're not leaving.”
“What?”
“What fault do greenhorns like you have? It's all that servant's fault for teaching his disciples poorly.”
The man smirked, knelt on one knee, and forcibly took the sword from the waist of the fallen Bang Uk.
“What is the meaning of this!”
“Be sure to tell that servant. We'll be sightseeing around Shaanxi for four days, so if he wants his sword back, he should come find us himself.”
“Servant?”
“Pung Won-san, I mean.”
*Grind!*
A blue flame shot up like a blade in Bang Uk's eyes.
This man was still calling the Sect Leader of Mount Hua a servant, insulting him.
“Fine. I will be sure to go.”
Bang Uk swallowed the rage and killing intent that was boiling up from his throat and spoke.
“If you lot are men, don't you dare flee from Shaanxi!”
“Hahaha. You worry about the strangest things.”
The man who had stolen Bang Uk's sword, Won Se-mun, tucked it into his own belt and said with a laugh,
“This old man is a man of his word. When you come, be sure to bring that servant with you.”
***
Zhongnan Sect, Jade Purity Hall.
This was a small Taoist temple located about ten *li* from the main grounds of the Zhongnan Sect.
Originally, the Jade Purity Hall was a place for meditation or spiritual cultivation, but it was now used as the residence of Jin Ga-ryeong, the grand-uncle of the Zhongnan Sect Leader.
Having retired long ago, he had escaped the miscellaneous duties of the sect and was living a reclusive, immortal-like life here.
“Well then, shall I study the *Lishan Go Records*, said to have been played by the immortals, today?”
For this man, who was over a hundred years old, his only joy in life was Go.
He had even set up a separate Go room in a corner of the Jade Purity Hall where he would play.
—*Murmur, murmur...*
But from the direction of the main Zhongnan Sect grounds, he could hear the chatter of many people.
Faint shouts and curses were mixed in, so it didn't seem to be the voices of the Zhongnan disciples.
“Where has everyone gone?”
Most of the disciples who should have been around the Jade Purity Hall were gone, and only a young attendant doing chores was crossing the yard.
Feeling puzzled, Jin Ga-ryeong asked the attendant who was sweeping the front yard of the hall.
“Is something the matter?”
“Since noon, some ruffians showed up one by one and started causing a scene, demanding to test their skills against the first-generation disciples of our sect.”
“What? Test their skills?”
Jin Ga-ryeong was puzzled.
Occasionally, there were young martial artists who traveled between sects on a sparring tour to make a name for themselves.
But in such cases, it was common to seek out reclusive masters or sects that dominated a region.
There were no madmen who would come to a great sect like one of the Nine Sects One Union and demand a spar.
“Is that why the disciples from this hall went out as well?”
“The elders said that most of the main sect's disciples are away on worldly affairs, and...”
“Hmph. I see.”
Feeling annoyed by the commotion, Jin Ga-ryeong waved his hand. Hadn't he washed his hands of the sect's affairs long ago anyway?
Entering the Go room, he carefully opened a cabinet in the corner.
Inside were a Go board made from five-hundred-year-old ginkgo wood and Go stones made of jade.
He had even cast aside the beloved sword he used in his days of roaming the martial world, but he cherished this Go board and stones so much that he polished them meticulously every day.
*Creeak.*
Smiling with satisfaction, Jin Ga-ryeong,
“...”
froze, his mouth gaping like a fish on a hook, his eyes wide.
The box containing the antique Go board and stones was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a black lump, reeking of a foul odor.
It looked exactly like a cowpat...
and its smell and shape were also that of a cowpat.