Chapter 407
Chapter 407
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 407
Chapter Title: An Indispensable Unit
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“Hoo.”
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath as he left the Hall of Sacred Might.
Until now, he had met masters who stood at the pinnacle of the martial world and had felt the reality of their power.
The Sword Saint, Baekri Mu-jo.
But he was different from the powerful figures he had met so far.
It wasn't because of his immense power or any phenomenon, but because of a characteristic inherent to the man himself.
The Harmonious Energy.
It refers to the balanced energy between heaven and earth.
An aura only seen in those who have achieved a state akin to a Buddha who has reached enlightenment through long ascetic practice.
And yet, Baekri Mu-jo lacked the flaws that any human should possess.
He possessed the Harmonious Energy, a perfect aura that balanced heaven and earth.
‘As a Division Head of the Murim Alliance, he wouldn't have undergone ascetic training. Does that mean he's never experienced a single setback or failure?’
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
His grandfather, Bu Jan-yang, had said that humans were beings who could develop precisely because they were imperfect.
—But what if an outstanding person appears who has never failed since birth?
When Bu Eun-seol had asked that, his grandfather had replied.
—If someone has never experienced failure or frustration since birth, they would truly be a divine being sent from the heavens. Naturally, they would be cloaked in the harmonious energy between heaven and earth.
But Bu Jan-yang had been certain.
—But that's impossible. Because a perfect human cannot exist.
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
If his grandfather's words were correct, then Baekri Mu-jo was either a divine being sent from the heavens... or he was manifesting a false Harmonious Energy.
“Whatever the case, the martial world is vast.”
When he had consecutively defeated Geol-wang, Hwan-wang, the successor of Yeom-hwang, and No Bong, the successor of Hyeol-hwang.
Bu Eun-seol had been confident he could face any powerhouse in the martial world in a decisive battle.
But after meeting Wiji Mu-a and Sinsanja, Bu Eun-seol realized he still had a long way to go.
And now, upon meeting a man like Baekri Mu-jo...
He realized that the masters of the martial world possessed something that could not be expressed simply by the level of their martial arts.
“The fortunate thing is that the power Division Head Baekri showed was not a 'phenomenon' that appears at the State of Infinity.”
Baekri Mu-jo had probably arranged not just the reception hall, but every single piece of furniture within the entire building himself.
Perhaps the building itself was constructed under his direction.
Every trace, inside and out, revealed the nature and martial arts of Baekri Mu-jo, who pursued harmony.
And that 'harmony' was not a 'phenomenon' manifested by reaching the State of Infinity... but was likely due to the meticulous and perfectionist nature of the man called the Sword Saint.
—There are still many supreme masters in the martial world you do not know. And there are martial arts that transcend the stages one must naturally pass through.
The words Cheon Un-gwang had spoken when he passed down the Nine Dragons' Flash Thunder came to mind again.
At the time, he had thought it was merely a comment about the successors of the Eight Sovereigns and Three Saints... but looking back, it seemed to describe the characteristics of supreme masters who remained hidden from the martial world.
‘Martial arts that transcend the stages one must naturally pass through.’
Perhaps Baekri Mu-jo had also learned such martial arts.
Which meant.
Baekri Mu-jo also had to be considered a suspect in his grandfather's murder, and he would have to be thoroughly investigated as soon as Bu Eun-seol gained power.
“I don't like it.”
Bu Eun-seol smiled bitterly.
He didn't know what kind of person Baekri Mu-jo was, but he felt no hostility from him.
To be more precise, he was a person who evoked an inexplicable sense of warmth.
Just like So-yo.
“What am I thinking?”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
The one who killed his grandfather could be wearing any kind of mask. He should never judge a person based on an inexplicable 'warmth'.
***
The Murim Alliance, befitting its massive scale, had various meetings.
The Grand Assembly, hosted by the Alliance Leader, where the highest echelons of the Murim Alliance, such as the Elder Hall Masters and Division Heads, gathered.
The Council of Elders, attended only by the elders and senior members.
The General Hall Masters' Assembly, hosted by a Division Head or the Commander-in-Chief, where all Hall Masters were present.
And the Division Hall Masters' Assembly, where Hall Master-level figures summoned the Hall Masters of related departments to discuss matters big and small.
The Murim Alliance, Hall of Martial Ascendance.
Here, a Division Hall Masters' Assembly was being held under the supervision of Yuk Jang-cheon, the Hall Master of Martial Ascendance.
But the atmosphere in the meeting room was strange.
The attending Hall Masters repeatedly scowled as they glanced toward one side of the room.
Seated there was Seonu Jin, the leader of the Zenith Squad—a newly formed, third-class unit of the Murim Alliance belonging to the Sacred Might Division.
—Still, to let the leader of a newly established, third-class unit attend the Division Hall Masters' Assembly.
Of course, they were well aware that the Zenith Squad's affiliation was in limbo.
It was a pitiable situation, yet they still treated him with contempt. They were displeased that someone from a merchant guild had become the leader of the Zenith Squad.
No matter how they looked at him, he didn't seem like a master capable of surpassing Cheon Hwa-in, a great warrior of outstanding skill.
The Hall Masters had only heard stories about how he was chosen as the squad leader.
Moreover, the energy emanating from his body was ordinary, and his frame was far too slender.
—Surely he didn't buy his position with money?
The suspicion gained credibility because he had transformed the temporary barracks in the bamboo forest of the North Gate into a magnificent estate.
And the second reason.
They hated the bizarre situation itself: though he was under the command of the Sacred Might Division Head, he had to attend the Division Hall Masters' Assembly of the Hall of Martial Ascendance to receive missions.
A third-class squad leader from the Sacred Might Division entering the Division Hall Masters' Assembly, which was only attended by Hall Masters under the Hall of Martial Ascendance... it was only natural they wouldn't look upon it favorably.
“Ahem.”
A few Hall Masters made disgruntled coughs, unable to hide their discomfort.
Despite this, Bu Eun-seol sat calmly, as if he hadn't noticed a thing.
In fact, this wasn't his first meeting.
Bu Eun-seol had attended the Division Hall Masters' Assembly three times now, and on all three occasions, he had just sat there like a forgotten sack of barley.
‘This is proving to be unexpectedly difficult.’
Bu Eun-seol wore a bitter smile.
The Murim Alliance was a place where background and connections were valued above all, and where a subtle power struggle between the old and new generations was taking place.
In the eyes of the younger figures, the Zenith Squad was a unit created by the old guard, so they had no intention of warmly embracing it.
“This is the final agenda item.”
At that moment, Yuk Cheong-a, the Hall Master of the Forging Hall, spoke in a low voice.
“Currently, a series of thefts have been occurring at our Alliance's Seoha and Hoehyeon branches.”
“Thefts.”
At that, Yang Baek-mun, the Hall Master of the Hall of Eight Virtues sitting opposite, furrowed his brow.
“Is it that Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces, up to his foolish tricks again?”
The only thief bold enough to have robbed Murim Alliance branches so far was Yu Cheong-rim, known as the Divine Thief of a Thousand Faces.
Rumors were rampant that he had not only robbed the Murim Alliance but also the imperial treasury, using his ability to change his appearance in an instant.
“Probably not.”
Yuk Cheong-a said firmly.
“The Fire Essence Stones stored in the armories of each branch were stolen.”
“Fire Essence Stones?”
The Hall Masters frowned with bewildered expressions.
Fire Essence Stones were used to create a powerful flame in an instant, typically for cremating people or for starting large, strategic fires.
But to infiltrate a Murim Alliance branch with great difficulty only to steal Fire Essence Stones?
“Why on earth would anyone steal Fire Essence Stones?”
In response to Yang Baek-mun's question, Yuk Cheong-a spoke in a low voice.
“It seems likely related to the recent murders of vagrants.”
Recently, a series of incidents had occurred across the Central Plains where large numbers of vagrants were found burned to death.
At first, they were thought to be accidental fires.
However, it was discovered that the burned vagrants had had their acupoints sealed and were then set on fire with Fire Essence Stones.
In other words, a murderer who was intentionally burning vagrants to death had appeared.
Since Fire Essence Stones were stolen from Murim Alliance branches around the same time... it was highly probable that the two incidents were closely related, or were the work of the same person.
“Isn't that a matter for the authorities to handle?”
At Yang Baek-mun's words, Yuk Cheong-a shook her head.
“If the person who stole the Fire Essence Stones and the murderer who burned the vagrants are the same, we can't just call it the authorities' jurisdiction.”
“Hmm.”
Yang Baek-mun grunted.
If nothing else, the thief who robbed the Murim Alliance branch's warehouse had to be caught.
Not only would the Alliance's prestige suffer, but other bold thieves might be inspired to commit similar crimes.
“This is troublesome.”
Yang Baek-mun rubbed his brow.
“To think that the elite warriors of the Murim Alliance have to go out and catch a petty thief... just because some Fire Essence Stones were stolen from a branch.”
The Hall Masters all nodded in agreement.
The optics weren't good, and investigating the deaths of vagrants would bring neither profit nor fame.
—If it were lustful fiends, that would be another story.
The evil deeds committed by lustful fiends stir public outrage.
Therefore, catching them would earn one a corresponding amount of fame.
But catching a petty thief or an arsonist who targets vagrants... no one would care.
“Is there any hall willing to take on this case?”
A silence fell over the room at Yuk Cheong-a's question.
They were all wondering if stepping forward to catch a petty thief would be more embarrassing than anything else.
“There is a suitable candidate, isn't there?”
Just then, Pung Jung-seon, the Hall Master of the Hall of Pure Unity, pointed to Bu Eun-seol, who was sitting in the corner of the room.
“Wasn't the Zenith Squad created to handle matters like this? I can't think of a more suitable mission.”
At that, the Hall Masters all chuckled and nodded.
“A perfect mission indeed.”
“The founding purpose and the mission align perfectly, don't they?”
Through the murmurs of the sneering Hall Masters, a low, solemn voice was heard.
“Leader of the Zenith Squad.”
Yuk Jang-cheon, the Hall Master of Martial Ascendance, had spoken.
“Will you take on the mission of finding the culprit in this theft case?”
“I will.”
As Bu Eun-seol stepped forward without hesitation, the sneers on the Hall Masters' lips grew wider.
“He's a squad leader, yet he snaps up a mission to catch a petty thief.”
“He must be quite desperate.”
Yuk Jang-cheon, deliberately ignoring the Hall Masters' whispers, asked again.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Yuk Jang-cheon nodded.
“Then, the Zenith Squad will handle it.”
The Division Hall Masters' Assembly was over.
Bu Eun-seol only rose from his seat long after all the Hall Masters had left the meeting room.
*Step, step.*
As he calmly walked out of the Hall of Martial Ascendance, he saw two people standing side by side in front of the flower garden, their heads close together.
It was Yuk Jang-cheon and Yuk Cheong-a.
“Farewell.”
Bu Eun-seol gave a light bow to the two of them and was about to walk away when,
“Don't be too disappointed.”
Yuk Jang-cheon's low voice echoed in his ears.
“There will be plenty of missions in the future where you can achieve great merit.”
In truth, that was hard to expect.
If there was a mission that offered a chance for merit, the Hall Masters would never pass it on to the Zenith Squad.
However, Yuk Jang-cheon knew that Bu Eun-seol's martial arts and strategic mind were considerable, and he believed he would become a great talent.
That was why he spoke, hoping that Bu Eun-seol wouldn't be discouraged by the cynicism and discrimination.
“Thank you.”
Bu Eun-seol, seemingly guessing Yuk Jang-cheon's goodwill, smiled and cupped his hands again.
“Farewell.”
“Squad Leader Seonu. If you need my help with anything, please let me know.”
At that moment, Yuk Cheong-a spoke, her sparkling eyes curving into crescents.
“Anytime.”
“Understood.”
Cupping his hands lightly once more, Bu Eun-seol left the Hall of Martial Ascendance.
‘Even if I handle this mission properly, they won't give me the next one easily.’
The Zenith Squad was originally created to recruit Cheon Hwa-in, with Gu In-jeong at the center of it all.
But all the plans went awry, and the position of Zenith Squad Leader fell to Bu Eun-seol.
Naturally, they had no intention of nurturing a martial artist from the merchant world who wasn't even a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.
From now on, and in the future.
The missions assigned to the Zenith Squad would be nothing more than menial tasks.
‘Is this the difference between the Orthodox Faction and the Demonic Path?’
Unlike the Demonic Cult, which valued strength and ability, the Orthodox Faction placed great importance on connections and seniority.
Especially in an organization like the Murim Alliance, where the leadership favored their own sects, one could never survive on their own strength.
If you wanted to climb up?
You absolutely had to create connections that would pull you up.
—Anytime.
Bu Eun-seol could understand why Yuk Cheong-a had said those words with such confidence.
She was the youngest Hall Master, and she had the solid backing of Yuk Jang-cheon.
Not only that, but having spent her entire childhood in the Murim Alliance, her network of contacts must be substantial.
If he were to grasp the lifeline she offered? Bu Eun-seol would gain a foothold to truly begin his ascent.
*Step, step.*
Leaving the Hall of Martial Ascendance with quick steps, Bu Eun-seol headed for the bamboo forest near the North Gate.
“We have a mission.”
Zenith Squad, meeting room.
Having gathered all the squad members, Bu Eun-seol calmly explained the mission he had received at the Division Hall Masters' Assembly.
Upon hearing this, the faces of Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do turned dark.
They, too, had instantly grasped the situation the Zenith Squad and Bu Eun-seol were in.
“If they're just tossing us a mission like that... it seems the leadership has no intention of keeping the Zenith Squad around.”
Tae Mu-ryong said with a frown.
“Even if we solve this case, there's a high chance they won't give us another mission afterward.”
That was an opinion that matched Bu Eun-seol's own thoughts.
Then, Jeong Jong-do spoke in a suggestive tone.
“At this rate, shouldn't we really go see Hall Master Yuk?”
“Why would the Squad Leader go see Hall Master Yuk?”
When Tae Mu-ryong asked, Jeong Jong-do sighed, looked at Bu Eun-seol, and began to speak.
“Hall Master Yuk is a very ambitious person... she might be willing to nurture our Squad Leader.”
Hearing this, Bu Eun-seol was lost in thought for a moment.
In truth, the status of a Murim Alliance Squad Leader was only a temporary position for him.
In that case, wouldn't it be a decent option to use Yuk Cheong-a to at least secure proper missions and quickly rise through the ranks?
‘No. I can't do that.’
After pondering for a moment, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Relying on connections just to raise one's status is not the best course of action.
To become a core force in any organization, one's abilities must be widely recognized by many people.
Besides, if he used Yuk Cheong-a to take the fast and easy path? Yuk Cheong-a would surely try to use him in return.
Not only would it be difficult to refuse the requests of someone who had helped him, but he could also become her puppet.
“We just need to slowly prove that this squad possesses outstanding abilities.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“It's just that the opportunity hasn't arrived yet. There's no need to be too hasty.”
His voice and gaze were gentle, yet capable of captivating people's hearts.
He had already led the Four Shadows Division through countless difficulties and trials.
As a result, an aura that could inspire admiration in all people naturally flowed from him.
“I, the Squad Leader, will go out into the martial world and handle this matter.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“As I've instructed until now, use the information network of the Hall of Ten Thousand Reverences to gather intelligence, and maintain a system for frequent contact with me.”
The Hall of Ten Thousand Reverences was the Murim Alliance's top intelligence organization, similar to the Demonic Cult's Flying Shadow Pavilion.
However, unlike the Flying Shadow Pavilion, which only disclosed information to a select few in the leadership, the Hall of Ten Thousand Reverences provided information to any martial artist affiliated with the Murim Alliance.
Of course, there were different tiers of information accessible depending on one's rank.
“From now on, this squad will become an intelligence unit.”
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had been training the Zenith Squad not just in combat, but also in knowledge of the martial world's affairs.
He had even been training them in the secrets of selecting and refining information.
The members had felt it was strange, but they had followed his orders faithfully without a word.
But to find out it was all to turn them into an intelligence unit?
“But will that be alright?”
Tae Mu-ryong asked with a worried expression.
He had guessed what Bu Eun-seol intended by creating an intelligence unit.
“You, Squad Leader, will be out in the martial world, doing the legwork, while we're just here sorting information.”
“If brute force were needed, the Murim Alliance would have sent a combat unit.”
Bu Eun-seol's eyes sparkled with the light of wisdom.
“What the Alliance requires of this squad is, literally, to handle the various affairs of the martial world. If I were to lead all the members around for tasks like this...”
Pausing for a moment, Bu Eun-seol's expression turned resolute.
“We would be seen as a completely useless squad. A squad that wastes manpower... dragging everyone along for a trivial matter.”
And in a powerful voice, he calmly continued.
“But if this squad becomes an intelligence unit, the story will be different.”
Taking a deep breath, he looked around at the squad members and said.
“All members will work together to analyze and refine the information obtained from the Hall of Ten Thousand Reverences to solve the mission. If they witness this process, no one will dare say the Zenith Squad is useless.”
In the silent meeting room of the Zenith Squad, Bu Eun-seol's soft yet powerful voice echoed once more.
“In other words, this squad will become something that has never existed in the Murim Alliance before. An intelligence agency dedicated to handling the affairs of the martial world.”
The squad members all wore stunned expressions.
—An intelligence agency... I see.
A while ago, when the Beggars' Sect sealed its doors, the Orthodox Faction, including the Murim Alliance, effectively lost an outstanding intelligence organization.
When an intelligence vacuum formed throughout the entire Orthodox Faction, the Murim Alliance recruited a large number of intelligence agents to fill the gap.
But that wasn't enough to quickly fill all the deficiencies.
In other words, Bu Eun-seol had devised a way for the Zenith Squad to survive in the brutal jungle that was the Murim Alliance, where one couldn't even compete without connections.
“I... I see.”
Tae Mu-ryong spoke with a dazed expression, as if he had just woken from a dream.
“After all, the Zenith Squad wasn't created out of necessity, but to solve problems that couldn't be handled by force.”
At that, Jeong Jong-do nodded.
“So the Squad Leader intends to turn the Zenith Squad into a direct intelligence agency linking the Murim Alliance and himself... to quickly handle missions while emphasizing that all members are doing useful work.”
Bu Eun-seol smiled brightly when Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do fully understood his intentions.
“Exactly.”
“If that's the case, is there a need to continue such arduous training?”
Jeong Jong-do asked again.
The training up to now had been far more grueling than that for a simple intelligence unit; it was more like training for an elite combat squad.
“Of course, for now, we are an intelligence unit. But if force is required, we must also be able to become a combat unit.”
Bu Eun-seol said without hesitation.
“In short, this squad must be a jack-of-all-trades. We must become a unit that is absolutely necessary to the Murim Alliance. Only by becoming an irreplaceable, competent squad can we survive without connections.”
In the Murim Alliance, where connections and seniority reigned supreme, Bu Eun-seol was steadily preparing a plan to survive on skill alone.
*Thump, thump.*
All the squad members' hearts were pounding.
Their blood seemed to circulate wildly, and their hearts felt as if they would burst.
—The Squad Leader... is the real deal!
They could feel it instinctively.
That with Bu Eun-seol's ability and strategic mind, they would surely rise to the top.
The Zenith Squad would not be a unit that handled all sorts of menial tasks and minor affairs of the martial world...
But a force capable of changing the landscape of the martial world and controlling its affairs.
“Can you do it?”
To Bu Eun-seol's gentle question,
—We will follow your command!
The squad members cupped their hands in unison and shouted loudly, as if by prior agreement.
The Zenith Squad was now stretching its wings. From now on, they had to leap high with all their might.