Chapter 793: New Heroes Are Always Welcome
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 793: New Heroes Are Always Welcome
"I am speaking of the Uicheon Alliance—an organization dedicated to the realization of justice, pursuing righteousness and chivalry."
Sun-woo spoke slowly, his eyes sweeping over the crowd.
"The Uicheon Alliance?"
"The Uicheon Alliance?!"
"He’s forming a new organization?"
Confusion rippled through the crowd. It was a statement no one had expected.
"The Uicheon Alliance will perfectly fulfill the role previously held by the Cheonmu Alliance. We will dispatch martial artists to keep the Outer Murim in check as they eye the Central Plains. We will do our utmost to prevent the exploitation and annexations perpetrated by demonic villains and the Evil and Heretical Sects. Furthermore, we will maintain a constant effort to ensure the peace and well-being of the Murim."
Sun-woo spoke with a steady gaze, looking straight ahead. His expression was one of absolute dignity and confidence.
"How very strange."
It was Kwak San, the County Magistrate, who had been listening in silence. He spoke up now, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Did you not say you would take responsibility and disband the Cheonmu Alliance? Yet here you are, talking about creating a new organization called the Uicheon Alliance. Is this not merely a ploy to wash away the Cheonmu Alliance’s disgrace by changing the nameplate while absorbing its power?"
Kwak San glared at Sun-woo with cold eyes. It was a common tactic—swapping out a sign to scrub away past sins. Kwak San was certain that the man before him was doing exactly that: laundering the Cheonmu Alliance’s stained reputation to swallow its influence whole.
"That is not my intention," Sun-woo replied calmly.
"And why should we believe that?" Kwak San asked with a sneer.
"The Uicheon Alliance will take over the Cheonmu Alliance’s responsibilities, but it will not absorb what the Cheonmu Alliance has built."
"…What is that supposed to mean?"
"The Uicheon Alliance will not be based here in Jinan, where the foundation is already laid. It will be established in Nanchang."
"What?!" Kwak San’s eyes widened in shock.
Nanchang? That place was the countryside of all countrysides. Why on earth would he establish the Uicheon Alliance there?
"Furthermore, we will not force anyone to join. We will simply pursue the unique chivalry of the Uicheon Alliance in Nanchang, far from Jinan."
Sun-woo looked at Kwak San with a composed gaze.
"What do you think? Do you believe me now?" A soft smile played on Sun-woo’s lips.
"..............."
Kwak San fell silent, his mouth clamped shut. He had no choice but to believe him. Sun-woo had just declared he would completely abandon his power base.
The foundation the Cheonmu Alliance had built in Jinan over the past twenty years was staggering. They generated enormous profits through direct and indirect contracts with countless merchant guilds based in the city. They maintained tight-knit relationships with high-ranking officials: the Regional Military Commissioner who managed the troops of Shandong, the Provincial Administration Commissioner in charge of governance, and even the Judicial Commissioner responsible for the law.
And yet, he had declared he would throw all of that away. He could have enjoyed everything they had built simply by absorbing them, but he chose not to. How could Kwak San not believe him now? He truly had no intention of just 'absorbing' the Cheonmu Alliance.
"Um..."
Just then, Ga Ju-gyeom, an ordinary martial artist of the Cheonmu Alliance, spoke up hesitantly. All eyes turned toward him.
"Go ahead, Hero Ga," Sun-woo said gently.
"......If the Cheonmu Alliance is disbanded.....what.....what happens to us members?"
"Severance pay commensurate with your years of service will be provided."
"Are we... are we being fired?" Ga Ju-gyeom asked, his eyes trembling as he stared at Sun-woo.
"The alliance you belonged to is simply ceasing to exist. It is different from being fired. It isn't as if you members did anything wrong to cause this," Sun-woo replied calmly.
"..............Hah.."
Ga Ju-gyeom let out a hollow laugh. The reality finally hit him: the workplace where he had vowed to spend the rest of his life was completely gone.
What do I do... next month is... the due date...
Worry began to cloud his face. His wife’s due date was fast approaching. His own flesh and blood was about to be born, and suddenly, the Cheonmu Alliance was disbanded. He had become unemployed at the very moment he needed money the most.
What am I going to do... how... I won't be able to find another job...
Ga Ju-gyeom’s expression grew increasingly grim. If the Cheonmu Alliance disbanded, thousands of martial artists would be out of work. That meant the competition for jobs would skyrocket. Unless one was exceptionally talented, finding a decent job would be impossible, and unscrupulous employers looking to exploit cheap labor would pop up everywhere. For someone like Ga Ju-gyeom, who desperately needed money, this was a nightmare.
Damn it... damn it all.... Why did they have to disband...
He felt a surge of resentment toward Sun-woo and the leadership. They could have just apologized and moved on, but they insisted on taking responsibility and disbanding. Furthermore, even though they were starting a new organization, they weren't even absorbing the Cheonmu Alliance’s strength. They were leaving for Nanchang, a place with no foundation. How could he not resent them?
Is there a way... any way...
Ga Ju-gyeom agonized, searching for a way to secure a livelihood.
Flash.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. A brilliant idea.
".........I have a question."
Ga Ju-gyeom spoke up, his mind made up.
"Go ahead," Sun-woo said.
".....If.....if I want to join the Uicheon Alliance.....will you accept me?"
His voice trembled. He was terrified of being rejected.
"The Uicheon Alliance does not bar any chivalrous person from joining," Sun-woo replied with a gentle smile.
"Re-really?!"
Ga Ju-gyeom’s face brightened instantly. He hadn't expected such an easy approval.
"Of course. However, there is one thing you should know. The living conditions in Nanchang, where the Uicheon Alliance will be located, cannot be called good, even as a figure of speech. Please keep that in mind."
".....It... it doesn't matter!" Ga Ju-gyeom answered immediately.
What did living conditions matter when his family of three was about to starve? Putting food on the table came first. Besides, once the Uicheon Alliance moved in, the surrounding area was bound to develop before long. There was no need to worry at all.
"Then I shall grant you entry. New heroes are always welcome."
Sun-woo’s smile was warm.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Ga Ju-gyeom bowed repeatedly. The relief of knowing his livelihood was secured filled him with pure joy.
"Can... can I join too?!"
"Me too..."
"I want to join as well!"
One by one, the other ordinary martial artists who had been watching began to raise their voices. They were in the same boat, their livelihoods at stake. They knew better than anyone that the job market would collapse once the Cheonmu Alliance was gone. To them, the Uicheon Alliance was a perfect alternative—a stable job to replace the one they lost.
"I'll move to Nanchang right away!"
"Please, let me join!"
The martial artists began to shout at the top of their lungs, begging to be accepted, pleading for entry into the Uicheon Alliance.
Seeing this, a deep smile spread across Sun-woo’s face. The enthusiastic response, even greater than he had anticipated, pleased him greatly.
"The Uicheon Alliance does not refuse any chivalrous soul. Our doors are always open."
Sun-woo spoke to the warriors of the Cheonmu Alliance. It seemed absorbing their strength would go much more smoothly than expected.
Meanwhile, the local landlords and County Magistrate Kwak San watched him with utter disdain. They were furious at Jang Sun-woo’s declaration to leave Jinan and start a new organization.
"Magistrate, are you just going to stand by and watch?" one of the landlords asked, looking at Kwak San with a face full of anxiety.
If the Uicheon Alliance was established in Nanchang instead of Jinan, Jinan’s growth would grind to a halt. A massive amount of manpower would follow the alliance out of the city, houses would be left vacant, and eventually, land prices would plummet. The city would be ruined in an instant. They couldn't help but be anxious.
"Of course not," Kwak San said slowly, his tone cold.
"Do you have a plan?" the landlord asked, his face brightening. It sounded like he had a solution.
"I intend to impose sanctions."
"Sanctions? How?! He is the World's Greatest Martial Artist!"
The landlord looked at him as if he were talking nonsense. Jang Sun-woo was the World's Greatest Martial Artist, possessing martial power greater than anyone else in the Murim. How could they possibly sanction such a man? It was incomprehensible.
"He may be the World's Greatest Martial Artist, but he is nothing more than a commoner. If state authority intervenes, he will have no choice but to tuck his tail and run."
Kwak San spoke with absolute conviction. No matter how strong martial artists were, in the eyes of the Imperial Court, they were nothing more than thugs with a bit of muscle. They might act big in their own backyards, but the moment the Imperial Court intervened, they were fragile beings that could be swept away in an instant.
The martial artists knew this better than anyone. That was why they were always so careful not to provoke the government troops. If they made even a single mistake, a million-man army might descend and wipe the Murim off the map. Thus, Kwak San was certain: if state authority intervened, they could easily thwart his plans.
"..........Seeing how he fought with you, it doesn't seem like he's the type to listen......." the landlord said, still looking uneasy.
"He might not listen to me, but the story changes if it's someone higher than me." A thick smile spread across Kwak San’s lips. "The Regional Military Commissioner of Shandong, for instance."
Kwak San’s eyes glittered sharply.
*
Tremble, tremble, tremble.
Lee Geom-han, the Regional Military Commissioner of Shandong, was shaking all over. The rage boiling deep within his heart was becoming unbearable.
"Say that again. The Sword God did... what? The Cheonmu Alliance is... what?" Lee Geom-han asked, his expression sharp.
"It is reported that the Sword God, Jang Sun-woo, has declared the dissolution of the Cheonmu Alliance. Furthermore, he added that he will establish a new Murim organization based in Nanchang, not Jinan," Ju-tae, the Vice Regional Military Commissioner, replied calmly.
"That wretched bastard!" Lee Geom-han spat out a curse, his face flushed red with fury.
He was livid. How could he not react when someone was trying to ruin Jinan, which was under his jurisdiction?
"Absolutely not! I will not allow it!" Lee Geom-han roared. He couldn't let things proceed according to Sun-woo's plan.
Jinan was the place where the most taxes were collected in all of Shandong. The numerous merchant guilds based there, the countless workers they employed, the tourists who flocked to visit the Cheonmu Alliance—the city was reaping massive benefits because of the alliance's presence. The flow of capital was enormous.
And now, the Cheonmu Alliance was disappearing from Jinan? It was practically a death sentence for the city.
"Magistrate Kwak San also protested several times, saying he could not accept this, but he could not break the man's stubbornness," Ju-tae continued grimly.
"Are you saying a mere commoner refused the order of an official?"
"That is correct."
"..........What an arrogant brat. To dare ignore the command of an official."
Grind.
Commissioner Lee Geom-han ground his teeth. He felt the dignity of officialdom had been dragged through the dirt by that ruffian.
Thud.
Lee Geom-han stood up abruptly and began to march out.
"Wh-where are you going?!" Ju-tae asked, startled by his sudden movement.
"I'm going to see that arrogant brat's face for myself. I'll see if he can still act so high and mighty in front of me!" Lee Geom-han shouted, his voice thick with anger.
He intended to go there personally to see if Sun-woo could keep his head held high in his presence.
"My Lord, why don't you calm down for a moment?"
"Do I look like I can calm down right now? The dignity of an official, a servant of the Emperor, has been trampled! By a mere commoner! How can I be calm? I'm going to go right now and show him his place!"
"Coercive measures might backfire. If the martial artists revolt as a group, it would be quite troublesome for you as the ruler of Shandong, wouldn't it?" Ju-tae tried to persuade him cautiously.
"..........Hmm..."
Lee Geom-han looked convinced. Ju-tae wasn't wrong.
"Then what do you suggest I do?"
"Why don't we try to win him over first?"
"Win him over?"
"Yes. If he doesn't bend his stubbornness, you will be the one who loses in the end. Martial artists value their pride more than their lives; they won't easily listen just because you try to pressure them with power."
"What on earth am I supposed to use to win him over? The man declared he's moving to Nanchang and abandoning his foundation!"
"There is a saying that money can even make ghosts do your bidding," Ju-tae said calmly. "He may be the World's Greatest Martial Artist, but in the end, his essence is that of a greedy human. If you dangle enough money in front of him, you will be able to persuade him."
Ju-tae, the Vice Regional Military Commissioner, looked absolutely certain.