Chapter 101
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Investiture of the Dao Lord
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A long stretch of red brocade carpet.
A man in ornate robes adorned with all sorts of decorations and a splendid sword at his waist slowly set foot upon it.
Looking up, the sky was embroidered with white flower petals scattered by the flower boys.
The pale-faced man, Gok Ja-heon.
His gaze, descending with the falling petals, turned toward the stone throne atop the distant platform.
After twists and turns, everything had finally fallen into place.
He had reclaimed the legitimate seat of the Gok Clan, passed down from his ancestors.
Worried servants approached to support his unsteady steps, as his body had not fully recovered.
“…It’s fine. I’m okay.”
Smiling as he refused their help, Gok Ja-heon slowly took a step forward.
Rustle, rustle.
His trembling gait soon steadied, and strength returned to his faltering toes.
Thud, thud.
His footsteps had grown heavy and immensely confident.
As he advanced along the carpet strewn with flower petals, those lining both sides knelt in deep respect, and the musicians gathered at the rear began their performance.
At last, ascending the platform, he slowly turned and sat upon the throne, looking down imperiously as the kneeling crowd offered their profound bows.
Soon, Yang Lim, the leader representing the Yue Clan among the six tribes, stepped forward and unrolled the scroll in his hand to read aloud.
A long, drawn-out congratulatory address.
The content was as always.
From the time of the previous Dao Lord to the present, his achievements in governing Haenam Island were enumerated in summary, and at its conclusion, it was proclaimed to all that Gok Ja-heon had now become the new Dao Lord.
Though it was a modest investiture ceremony without congratulatory gifts or envoys from distant lands, it was more than enough.
The new history of Haenam would begin peacefully and serenely.
With Gok Ja-heon’s firm resolve, the investiture came to an end, followed by the celebratory banquet.
Harried by people droning on about this merit and that for quite some time, Yu Hyun and his group sought a quiet spot on the outskirts of the banquet hall to escape the bustle.
“He’s a strong one. He must be exhausted just from the investiture, and his body isn’t even fully recovered yet.”
“…”
Turning at Gye Du-sin’s admiration, they saw Gok Ja-heon seated at the head table, exchanging cups with the six tribal leaders as they pledged their loyalty in offering tribute.
Fresh from his sickbed, yet not a hint of disarray showed. He sat ramrod straight and dignified, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter to display his robust health.
“He has to be.”
“…”
“It’s a position everyone’s watching, isn’t it? A true leader must never show weakness, no matter the circumstances.”
“Well, yeah…”
Gye Du-sin and Nangong Seong nodded at Yu Hyun’s words as he drained his cup in one go.
The young lord of the Nangong Clan and the youngest disciple of the Beggars’ Sect leader.
Those fated to one day stand above others would know it better than he.
To represent others, or to stand at the top, meant sometimes being a sturdy pillar for those looking up to you, and sometimes being worthy of trust even at the cost of one’s life.
Thus, one must not easily reveal emotions, must always remain steadfast, and sometimes even cold.
Gok Ja-heon was probably hiding a pained expression behind that smile.
The pain of his body was one thing, but soon he would have to execute his own flesh and blood. He smiled because he knew he had to endure it.
“…”
Yu Hyun gazed at him steadily, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
“No point trying to recruit him into the Latent Dragon Troops now. He’s not just some young island lord anymore—he’s the Dao Lord.”
“Yeah.”
Gye Du-sin and Nangong Seong chuckled softly and nodded.
Well, it didn’t really matter.
Gok Ja-seong had been nothing more than a pretext for obtaining the Millennium Shell Plate from the start.
In any case, both Gok Ja-heon and Haenam Island would emerge from this stronger and more resolute. Like soil hardening after rain… So even if chaos came in the distant future, they wouldn’t crumble easily.
This experience would serve as medicine for them, fortifying them against recruitment, and one day becoming a reliable force…
That was enough. More than sufficient.
“The only thing left is to figure out who those bastards were that tried to devour Haenam Island…”
“Yeah. Who’d have thought such people existed…”
The two nodded in agreement with Yu Hyun’s words.
There was no need to hide it anymore.
The Beggars’ Sect was already pursuing them after the An-hui incident, and the Justice Alliance would have mobilized following the Iron Fleet Leader’s assassination attempt.
Moreover, they themselves had now experienced it twice.
Perhaps it was something they absolutely needed to know. Better to have a clear target than to run aimlessly.
Raised on righteousness and chivalry, they would redouble their training henceforth.
“We’ll have to wring a lot out of that detained saboteur and Gok Ja-seong.”
“Probably.”
“In any case, Uncle’s swift and precise judgment saved Haenam Island. And we’ve uncovered the existence of those disrupting the martial world.”
“…”
Yu Hyun chuckled wryly and nodded at Nangong Seong’s words.
That’s thanks to you lot.
You sent me here to catch those bastards and beat answers out of them…
But for some reason, Gye Du-sin’s expression looked odd.
He fidgeted like a puppy desperate to poop, lips twitching as if…
“What is it? Got something to say?”
“Huh? Oh, no, it’s just… I…”
“…”
Why was this guy squirming like a worm?
“Spit it out already.”
“W-Well… Damn it!”
Urged by Yu Hyun, Gye Du-sin scrunched his face like crumpled paper before suddenly downing the liquor in front of him.
“Hey! You!”
“Du-sin!”
Startled by the sudden scene, Yu Hyun and Nangong Seong shouted.
He’d been eating well all this time—what the hell had gotten into him now?
If a guy who couldn’t hold his liquor caused a scene at someone else’s party…
Yu Hyun quickly scanned the surroundings, while Nangong Seong clenched his fist, poised to knock Gye Du-sin out if he started trouble.
“Guh…”
“…!”
As Gye Du-sin drained the cup clean and grimaced, Yu Hyun and Nangong Seong exchanged wide-eyed stares.
Damn it, Seong-ah!
Yes, I’ll handle it.
With a tacit exchange, Nangong Seong raised his clenched fist, but Gye Du-sin shoved some seafood from the table into his mouth.
Crunch, crunch.
“Phew… Thought my throat was burning up.”
“…?”
What? His speech was clear?
Normally, one sip would slur his tongue into something incomprehensible like “Muh thwoat buwnin up.”
“Hmm, this stuff I’ve been eating—it’s really delicious. What meat is this?”
“…”
Yu Hyun stared silently at him as he marveled and kept wielding his chopsticks nonstop, then glanced at the dish on the table.
The tentacled monster Yu Hyun had fought to the death for the Millennium Shell Plate: the eight-armed octopus.
He’d brought it to the cave, and the Yue Clan folk must have salted and preserved the leftovers for the banquet.
But…
“Hmm, weirdly delicious.”
“…”
Slurp, sluuuurp, crunch crunch.
Gye Du-sin, who’d get drunk off one cup, was now knocking back drinks nonstop and chomping vigorously on the thinly sliced octopus legs, even stabbing the red innards…
“You okay?”
“Huh? Yeah.”
“That’s your fifth cup.”
“…”
Gye Du-sin paused at Yu Hyun’s words.
“Oh, it is.”
“…”
“Weird. Why am I not drunk? Is the liquor good? It tastes amazing too…”
Sluuuuurp!
He was downing it like a champ.
Hard to believe this was the same guy who’d harassed a tribal girl after one drink last time.
Could it be…
“You’re not Gye Du-sin, are you?”
“Yeah, you some spy wearing Gye Du-sin’s skin?”
As Yu Hyun narrowed his eyes and subtly clenched his fist, and Nangong Seong flashed sharp eyes while gripping his sword, Gye Du-sin waved his hands in bewildered denial.
“Hey, come on, don’t joke. Why are you like this too? It’s me, Gye Du-sin. A spy?!”
“…”
“N-No, don’t raise that fist like that. You too, drop the sword! Come on!”
“…”
Still suspicious.
His actions and mannerisms seemed like Gye Du-sin’s, but… why wasn’t he drunk?
Tilting his head, Yu Hyun suddenly glanced at the octopus.
No way it was because of that?
Did the flesh of the near-spirit beast octopus contain some insane hangover cure?
Unlikely, but if it had fully spiritualized…
Sluuuuurp, crunch crunch.
Meanwhile, Gye Du-sin kept drinking and eating, puzzled by his sobriety but not stopping.
“Man… The booze is going down so easy today. Sweet, so sweet.”
“…”
Yu Hyun couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Gye Du-sin drumming solo on table and drum, chugging drink after drink.
He’d planned to teach him drinking to groom him as the future Drunken Fire, but it was getting fixed from an unexpected source.
“But, Du-sin.”
“Yeah?”
“So what were you trying to say earlier?”
“Oh! That…”
“Out with it.”
“…”
Pressed gently by Yu Hyun, Gye Du-sin hemmed and hawed before slowly speaking.
“Actually, I wanted to apologize.”
“Apologize? What for?”
“Well… The Grand Marshal ordered me to observe the Division Leader closely and report back.”
“Huh?”
“Sorry. I just couldn’t get a read on you…”
“…”
Yu Hyun stared blankly at Gye Du-sin, who smiled awkwardly while scratching his head.
You think this is funny?
But part of him understood.
Jeonggal Su-beom had openly suspected him from the start. What was odd about planting a mole nearby? Gye Du-sin would’ve been a perfect choice…
Still, he had no intention of saying he understood while the guy looked so awkward.
That damn old rat—snooping behind my back?
No, that wouldn’t do. Time to correct that habit.
He’d become Yu Hyun’s disciple and loyal subordinate from here on.
“Hmm, is that so? So you’ve been secretly reporting all this time?”
“Yes.”
“About what?”
“E-Every little action and gesture.”
“…Ah, I see.”
“I’m truly sorry.”
“It’s fine. What’s the big deal?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, I went out of my way hoping you’d improve—giving you pointers on martial arts improvements, even demonstrating personally, down to pointless worries! But you had your own position to consider.”
“D-Division Leader…”
“Rats are everywhere, right?”
“…”
“Yeah, sure. It happens. You scurried around alone trying to save Haenam Island with righteousness and chivalry, risked your life as bait for your sake, yet still spied on me like a rat and blabbered reports—but I’m fine.”
“…”
Gye Du-sin’s face grew paler at the tirade that clearly screamed “not fine” to anyone watching.
“Haha, I said I’m fine! What can I do if you’re the one who spied with your own mouth? I’m okay. Right, Seong-ah?”
Nangong Seong glared at Gye Du-sin like trash and chimed in.
“Yeah. We just trusted you like a comrade. Didn’t know you were a rat… Uncle risked his life against those incredible experts with profound qi, even the saboteurs, and all that.”
“H-Hey, Seong, not you too…”
“Hey! Where are you putting your hands? What if rat fur sticks to these fine clothes!”
“…”
As Nangong Seong slapped his hand away and sneered like at a bug, Gye Du-sin’s face turned as black as a rotten persimmon.
“Uncle, let’s move seats. What if we catch fleas from the rat?”
“Oh, right. It’s fine that Du-sin’s a rat, but fleas spread—no good!”
At Nangong Seong’s urging, Yu Hyun shot to his feet, and Gye Du-sin’s face drained of color.
“I-I won’t ever do it again! Never spy again!”
“Hey, it’s fine. Keep spying. No big deal. We just don’t wanna drink with rats. Right, Seong-ah?”
“Of course, of course. You can’t drink with rats.”
“…”
Unable to chase after the two who quickly relocated, Gye Du-sin slumped in place with a deep sigh.
Damn it…
That damn Grand Marshal—why make me spy on such an upright Division Leader…
Never again.
As Gye Du-sin pulled a long face, Yu Hyun and Nangong Seong glanced his way while whispering.
“…”
He couldn’t hear clearly, but damn rat, filthy vermin, trash, ungrateful wretch, gu poison… cicada nymph? What the hell?
“…”
Hearing the endless string of insults, he suddenly craved a drink.
That’s why people drink, huh.