Interlude of a Forsaken Alliance
Episode 34.
Murim Alliance Headquarters.
"So you’re saying we should wipe out the unorthodox bastards who’ve set up shop in Shaanxi and Shanxi first!"
The man in the gray martial robe widened his eyes and raised his voice.
"Aigoo, think before you speak. Do you really think the Black Path Alliance will just sit still and take that? Are you asking for another war?"
"Let him rant. It’s not the first time he’s said something like that. At this rate, he probably got his trade caravan robbed by the Black Path trash again."
At the leadership’s cold reaction, the man in gray flushed red and shouted back.
"What? You think I brought this up because I’m blinded by something as trivial as money? I’m worried about the common folk…"
"How is that any different? Instead of spending every waking moment thinking about how to make money, you should use some of that energy for the Murim Alliance. You’re worried about the common folk, are you? Then the sun must be rising in the west."
"…Are you insulting me right now? You do know that your clan made a handsome profit because my caravan took the hit, don’t you?"
"Don’t make wild accusations. I’m only stating facts."
Are these really the leaders of the righteous faction that’s supposed to guide Murim?
Watching them, the scholar in white frowned.
"Haa…."
A sigh slipped out of me as I pressed a hand to my forehead.
While I was doing that, the man in gray sprang to his feet and yelled, "You bastard, are you really looking for a fight?"
"Then who’s scared of you? Looks like you need to be taught a lesson today!!"
The way they tore at each other over their own interests—
were the righteousness and chivalry the orthodox faction kept preaching even still inside these people?
By now, it was getting nauseating.
With a bitter smile, I turned my head to the left.
"Has Heat-Subduing Sword not come again this time?"
An elderly man with snow-white hair, an old beggar, and a middle-aged man who still looked vigorous came into view.
All three of them possessed an unbelievably powerful aura.
"As if that old man would bother showing up. He’s probably off training again."
The white-haired elder clicked his tongue and answered.
"Still? Tch. Even if he keeps at it, he won’t beat Alliance Lord anyway… What a waste of effort. A complete waste. That wall called the Heavenly Martial Physique can never be crossed by effort alone."
"How can you be sure?"
"What do you mean, how? You know it too, don’t you? The title of Number One Sword Under Heaven isn’t some empty boast. That’s exactly why it’s pointless."
"Hoho, listen to you. How can you look at the path of martial cultivation so narrowly? Do you not understand that the road of martial arts has no end?"
"There you go talking nonsense again. If you can’t reach the Profound realm, you won’t even last ten moves against Alliance Lord anyway. Isn’t that just a waste of breath?"
"I shouldn’t have said anything… It’s like talking to a wall."
That was when the middle-aged man with an eyepatch, who had been silent until then, looked around and spoke.
"Enough of that. Where are the others…? Isn’t Oho Doje coming again? And Namgung Sword King?"
"Only the two of them? Plum Blossom Sword Empress isn’t here either. It’s just the three of us again this time."
"Tsk, tsk… I don’t like it when the same old faces are all I ever see. I suppose I should start preparing for seclusion myself."
"Seclusion isn’t something just anyone can do. A friend like you would be perfect fodder for demon lords to capture and refine into a jiangshi."
"What nonsense is that old beggar spewing now?"
The elders were killing time with idle chatter.
They didn’t seem to have any intention of leading the rest of the leadership at all.
"Haa…."
Rubbing at my throbbing head, I let out another sigh.
Then I looked at the remaining nine empty seats.
Normally, they should have answered the Murim Alliance Lord’s summons at once, but….
It can’t be helped.
I couldn’t force them.
The wounds left by the great war against the Blood Cult fifteen years ago still hadn’t healed.
I bit down hard on my lower lip.
The taste in my mouth was bitter.
What was unfolding before my eyes was the real state of Murim today.
Creaaak—
Suddenly, the door opened and a handsome man walked inside.
Then he turned his head and surveyed the people in the room.
He’s finally here.
At last, I could relax.
"……."
"……."
The noisy conference hall fell silent in an instant, as if the commotion of a moment ago had never happened.
Probably because they’d been overwhelmed by the man’s charisma.
The middle-aged man with the handsome face strode to the head seat and sat down with great dignity.
Murim Alliance Lord Wei Taetian.
After sweeping the room with his hard gaze, he spoke in a calm voice.
"This Wei wishes to express his gratitude to all of you for answering the summons of this alliance. Thank you."
"Not at all. Of course we should come when Alliance Lord calls."
"Alliance Lord, summon us anytime! I’ll follow you anywhere!"
"It doesn’t matter when you call us! Isn’t this all for the Murim Alliance?"
The leadership hurried to greet him, all of them competing to be the first to speak.
Every one of them was singing from the same songbook.
Disgusting.
But I didn’t show it.
The Murim Alliance Lord gave a single nod and then gestured toward me.
"Military Advisor, begin."
Now it was my turn.
It would be a long story, but explaining things so they could understand was my job.
I walked forward at an unhurried pace.
"Thank you all for gathering here. I’ll get straight to the point."
*
*
"Gegall Military Advisor. Are you truly saying such absurd nonsense in earnest?"
"Hohoho, in this age, a divine relic? Even the Black Path scum passing by would laugh at that."
"To think the Military Advisor, hailed as a treasure of the Geogalsega, believes in such legends… You’re joking, surely."
"……."
A divine relic in this day and age.
I hadn’t expected them to believe me at once.
Frankly, I wouldn’t have believed it either if I hadn’t seen it myself.
"More importantly, is it true? That the Gongdong Sect has been half-destroyed?"
"Th-this is unbelievable."
"…My word. How could such a thing happen."
The room was filled with shock and disbelief.
They couldn’t believe the suspicious talk about a divine relic, but the fact that a sect strong enough to stand among the Nine Great Sects had been reduced to half its strength had clearly shaken them.
"So Cheonsal made a move."
"As expected of the number one figure among the unorthodox path."
And by only one person, no less.
"At least the fact that Gongdong Jinin survived is fortunate, but… it’s hard to believe they attacked the Gongdong Sect over some treasure called Cheonyok, isn’t it?"
"The very fact that they were keeping some object called Cheonyok deep within Mount Gongdong is suspicious as hell."
"Even so, to half-destroy an entire sect… What exactly is Cheonsal thinking? Is he planning to start a great war between righteousness and evil?"
"Would he have any reason? The man’s clearly insane."
They began exchanging opinions among themselves.
When I turned to look at the Murim Alliance Lord, he was sitting with his arms crossed as usual, saying nothing, and the elders looked as if they knew something but had no intention of explaining.
So be it.
It was time to bring out the proof.
One demonstration would be worth a hundred explanations.
"Junior Cheong, this is inappropriate."
"That’s right. The mediation isn’t even finished yet, and you can’t just barge in like this…!"
"Move aside!"
At that moment, there was a commotion outside the conference hall.
Kwaaaang!
The door was kicked open, and an unwelcome guest stormed in.
"Do you even know where you are?"
"Who dares be so rude! ...Wait, that person is?"
"No, how can a Jinin of Wudang be here…?"
"Why is Junior Cheong here…?"
The intruder was a renowned Murim master, wearing the unmistakable black-and-white taiji robes and radiating pure inner energy.
However—
His energy was not gentle as usual.
The Wudang sect leader glared at the Murim Alliance Lord with bloodshot eyes.
Then he unleashed a murderous aura and shouted, "Alliance Lord, we must go to war with the Blood Cult! Declare the great war against blood at once!!"
*
*
Rattle—
Rattle—
The carriage jostled noisily along.
I didn’t feel great.
My headache was getting worse.
"……."
It wasn’t because the ride was uncomfortable.
"Haa… I have no idea what Raeji-saebam is thinking."
The black-haired girl let out a sigh.
"Miss Namgung, please don’t worry so much. I’m here, aren’t I? ...And I’ve heard that he was evenly matched with Namgung Jin. Raeji-saebam vouched for his skill, so there’s no need to wor—"
Before the good-natured man could finish, Miss Namgung shrieked, "You’re cutting me off? Do the people of the Namgung family get no home training?!"
She cut him off? Do the Namgung bastards not know basic manners?
"Junior Brother Jong! Namgung Jin’s a notorious scoundrel back in his own family!! If he was evenly matched with someone like that, doesn’t that just mean he’s at the same level? And he’s only at the 3,000th-rank level, so what exactly are we supposed to expect? It’d be a relief if he doesn’t turn out to be dead weight."
"Still, without him, we wouldn’t have even gotten started. Didn’t you also volunteer because you needed to satisfy the requirement for entering the duel arena?"
"Yes, that’s right."
The reason for my headache was simple.
It was that stupid fellow sitting beside me.
They want me to complete the mission with this burden? Should I just clean house and be done with it?
In truth, it wasn’t uncommon for academy students sent on missions to die, though it wasn’t exactly common either.
"……."
I shook my head and sighed inwardly.
There was also Raeji-saebam’s "earnest request," but the fact remained that I’d accepted this troublesome condition in order to pursue Ten Flowers and meet the qualifications to enter the duel arena.
A man who accepts hardship for the sake of his goal.
That was me.
"In that case, let’s not worry about it and focus on the mission. If everyone does their part, we should be able to finish quickly."
I turned to look at the man sitting across from me.
Not bad.
He was living up to his reputation as the future successor of the Kunlun Sect.
The Namgung family’s daughter, on the other hand, was useless….
"We should be arriving soon, so shall we at least introduce ourselves?"
"Hmph! I’m fine!"
"Well then, there’s no helping it. Junior Cheon, I’m Jong Jinwon. I look forward to working with you on this mission."
He was unusually polite for someone from the academy.
I faced him and gave a light martial salute.
"...I’m Cheon Sojin."
"Cheon Sojin. ...That sounds stupid. What, changing your surname to Cheon makes you something special? You’re really ridiculous!"
A sneering voice came from beside me.
Mocking someone who was introducing himself—
what kind of manners were those?
The Namgung family really was something else.
She looked me up and down.
Her eyes were full of contempt as she glared at me.
She was way too full of herself.
She needed to be put in her place at least once.
There are always some people who only learn their lesson after getting hit.
I glared back at her, pouring my inner energy into it.
Now that my middle dantian was open, it wasn’t difficult.
"Hngh! What are you doing…."
"Miss, is something wrong?"
I smiled faintly as if I knew nothing at all.
It had taken less than three seconds, but I’d subdued her completely.
Almost immediately, her face turned flush with confusion.
"W-wha? Whaa??"
The black-haired girl trembled all over, looking utterly lost.
But I didn’t care.
It was only right to make her experience this much.
"Miss Namgung, why are you so startled…? Wait, what is this water?"
Ugh, it stinks.
##
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