Chapter 13: Who Asked for Help? (2)
Chapter 13: Who Asked for Help? (2)
“Sect Leader! We have a problem!”
The urgent cry of a subordinate pierced his ears.
Ma Jae-ho, the leader of the Blood Saber Sect, who had been enjoying a pleasant nap sprawled across a long couch, frowned and spoke.
“What is it?”
“It’s a disaster. The men who went to the Twin Dragon Sect have returned, but… they’re in a terrible state.”
“The Twin Dragon Sect? What are you talking about?”
In truth, Ma Jae-ho had already forgotten he’d even sent people there. But then…
“Wh-What in the world…?”
The moment Ma Jae-ho saw the condition of his subordinates, he was momentarily stunned.
Their faces were so swollen they looked like they’d shoved their heads into a beehive. They were limping along, leaning on makeshift canes, looking so pathetic that even a beggar from the Beggars’ Sect would have felt sorry enough to toss them a copper coin.
“Wh-What happened? How did this happen?!”
To the roaring Ma Jae-ho, the subordinate who had personally visited the Twin Dragon Sect spoke up.
“The Twin Dragon Sect peop—no, those bastards did this.”
“How many of them did it take to do this to you?”
As Ma Jae-ho interrogated him with fire in his eyes, the subordinate thought to himself.
Technically, only one guy did it.
Though he doubted whether that thing was even human or a demon, it was indeed just one person. However…
“There were at least two hundred of them.”
His survival instincts, sharp as a blade, told him that if he answered honestly here, he was a dead man.
Well, there were over a hundred people there, right? So it’s not technically a lie.
He didn’t forget to rationalize it to himself.
Grind.
Watching Ma Jae-ho grit his teeth, the man quickly continued.
“We did our absolute best. But the situation was just too dire, and it ended like this.”
They had done their absolute best to get beaten up.
And as for the situation…
[Die! Die! Just die already, you Unorthodox trash who aren't even worth the air you breathe!]
Yeah. It was definitely dire.
Honestly, he had to admit that much.
Despite the subordinate’s report being a severely distorted version of the truth, Ma Jae-ho screamed as he ground his teeth.
“How dare those bastards use their numbers to insult me, Ma Jae-ho? This is a direct challenge to the Blood Saber Sect!”
Ma Jae-ho stood up indignantly and shouted.
“Gather the disciples immediately and bring me my saber! I’ll make them pay for daring to challenge the Blood Saber Sect!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
And so, the curtain rose on the war between the Blood Saber Sect and the Twin Dragon Sect.
* * *
Whoosh.
The scene was the very definition of "bleak."
Even though Patrick had gathered them through honeyed traps and schemes, over a hundred disciples had recently been sweating and training hard at the Twin Dragon Sect. But now…
[A war with the Blood Saber Sect…?]
[This is crazy. This is suicide!]
[I… I’m quitting. I’m out!]
[I have nothing to do with the Twin Dragon Sect. You don’t even have to return my training fee. Goodbye…!]
This was the result.
As the disciples drained away like the ebbing tide, Patrick clicked his tongue and spoke.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Kids these days have no grit. No grit at all…”
“Is this really a matter of grit?”
“Don’t you think so?”
At Patrick’s words, Moon Yul pounded his chest and shouted.
“No! They ran away because they didn’t want to die! Who in their right mind would stay when we’re going to war with the Blood Saber Sect?”
“You.”
“…Huh?”
“And me, the Sect Leader, and Sona.”
“Uh… well, that’s…”
“That’s four of us right there.”
“…….”
It felt so unfair.
No matter how he looked at it, he was the sane one and the Bong Gong was definitely the crazy one.
But why was the sane person losing the argument to the crazy one…?
Whack!
“Agh! Why did you hit me?”
“Because you were looking at me like I’m a lunatic.”
“…Are you a ghost?”
When Patrick’s hand went up again, Moon Yul shouted urgently.
“That’s not the point right now! What are we going to do about the war with the Blood Saber Sect?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’? We fight.”
“It’s the Blood Saber Sect! It’s the sect led by the Blood Wolf Wanderer, Ma Jae-ho, the disciple of the Heaven-Shattering Martial Emperor!”
“So?”
“If it were just Ma Jae-ho alone, maybe you and Senior Sister could team up and stand a chance. But the Blood Saber Sect itself is a massive Unorthodox power with over three hundred members!”
“So?”
“Do you still not get it? This is a war we shouldn’t be fighting. Even now, we should apologize…”
“What? Apologize?”
Patrick’s expression turned grim.
“Hey, kid. Have I ever apologized to anyone in my life? Wait, have I? No, right? Yeah, probably not.”
“…….”
Just what kind of life has this man lived?
“Anyway, I’m that kind of person, and you want me to apologize? And you want my glorious first apology to be to some Unorthodox trash? Do you think I’d do that? Huh? Do you?”
“Then what are we going to do? Are you going to continue this unwinnable war?”
“Who said it’s unwinnable?”
“Is there a chance?”
“Of course there is.”
“And what is the basis for that?”
Patrick pointed a finger at himself and said, “Look. Right here. The embodiment of victory. Lord Patrick Schneider himself.”
“…….”
Moon Yul wanted to cry.
Realizing that words wouldn’t work on this man, Moon Yul turned to the only relatively normal person left.
“Senior Sister, please, say something to stop him.”
It was Persona.
The peerless beauty who was strict during training but usually kind. She was currently sharpening her blade a short distance away. She spoke up.
“Just calm down, Junior Brother.”
“How can I be calm right now? Don’t you know how strong the Blood Saber Sect is?”
“I don’t.”
“…….”
Ah, she doesn’t know.
Right. Our Senior Sister came from the World Beyond.
“Senior Sister, the Blood Saber Sect is—”
“But it doesn’t really matter.”
Persona cut Moon Yul off and sheathed her blade.
“I don’t care how strong the Blood Saber Sect is. As long as Master and I are here, the Twin Dragon Sect will not know defeat.”
“No, Senior Sister, the Blood Saber Sect is…”
“Junior Brother. I don’t know how strong the Blood Saber Sect is. How could I, when I’ve lived outside the Central Plains my whole life?”
“That’s…”
“But there’s something you don’t know either.”
“What is it?”
Persona gave a small smirk.
“You have absolutely no idea what kind of monster our Master really is.”
“…….”
“It’s a war we can’t avoid anyway, right? Don’t worry and just enjoy it.”
“What kind of nonsense is that…?”
“Hmm? Isn’t there a saying like that in the Central Plains? ‘If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it’?”
“I’ve never heard that in my life.”
At that, Persona shouted toward Patrick.
“Master! Didn’t you say during training that there was a saying like that? That it was our sect’s rule?”
“I think there was one a long time ago… I wonder when it disappeared?”
“You damn old man…”
Watching the Bong Gong and Senior Sister bicker, Moon Yul’s shoulders slumped.
No matter how he thought about it, this was wrong.
It was definitely wrong, but…
Sigh, there’s no way out.
The milk was already spilled, and there was no way to clean it up. But just then…
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of someone knocking on the main gate of the Twin Dragon Sect echoed through the air.
“Huh? Who is it?”
Moon Yul went out to the gate himself. There, he saw some very familiar faces.
“You guys are…”
“Brother Yul.”
“Please accept us into the Twin Dragon Sect.”
“Me too.”
Huddled there was a group of about ten children.
Even the oldest among them looked to be only thirteen or fourteen.
Moon Yul knew these children well.
They were the neighborhood kids from the slums where he and his Master used to live.
“What are you all doing here? And why do you suddenly want to join?”
The tallest boy stepped forward as their representative.
“We want to become disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect and fight with you.”
“What?”
“We heard the news. That you’re going to war with the Blood Saber Sect.”
“You guys… Ah, that…”
Moon Yul bit his lip, struggling to find the words.
He knew why these children had come. And he was grateful for their sentiment. However…
“Go back,” Moon Yul said in a stern voice.
“Brother, we want to help.”
“Please take us in. We can fight too.”
“That’s right!”
As the children clamored in protest, Moon Yul roared at them.
“Do you think this is a joke? Get lost this instant!”
If he wasn't harsh now, these kids would just be stubborn for no reason.
“You lot won’t be of any help anyway. Scram!”
Moon Yul spoke as cruelly as he could.
If they didn't listen even after this, he was prepared to drive them away with a wooden sword if necessary.
The children did flinch. However…
“We’re not going. We can’t!”
“No! We’re going to fight too.”
“I’m all grown up now!”
Though they were startled, none of them backed down. Moon Yul frowned.
“It seems you won’t learn until you’ve been punished—”
“What’s going on?”
Patrick had approached from behind before anyone noticed.
“Bong Gong.”
“I asked what’s going on.”
“It’s nothing. These foolish children are throwing a tantrum, so I’m trying to chase them away.”
At Moon Yul’s words, Patrick glanced at the children.
“Do you know them?”
“They’re the kids the Sect Leader used to look after.”
“The Sect Leader? He did that?”
“Yes. Back when he ran the clinic in the slums, he took in and cared for children who had lost their parents and were wandering the streets.”
“As expected of a pushover…”
“Pardon?”
“No, nothing. So? These kids came here to lend a hand?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Hmm…”
Patrick seemed to be deep in thought. Moon Yul spoke quickly.
“I’ll chase them away immediately. They’re just being immature—”
“Forget it. Let’s take them in.”
“Underst—Wait, what?”
To the shocked Moon Yul, Patrick gave a long yawn and repeated himself.
“Do I have to say everything twice? I said, let’s take them in.”
“But Bong Gong!”
“What?”
“You mean you’re going to accept them as disciples?”
“That’s what I said.”
“…….”
“They look to be in their early teens. It’s the perfect age to start teaching the basics.”
“Bong Gong…”
“Sona.”
“Yes, Master.”
“We have new recruits. Get them something to eat and wash them up.”
“Yes, Master.”
And so, the ten or so children from the slums filed inside, huddling together like ducklings following their mother.
Watching the scene, Moon Yul clutched his head and spoke in a despairing voice.
“This isn’t right. This is so wrong…”
* * *
That evening.
Go Seok-hyeon met with Patrick.
“Bong Gong, I heard you accepted the children from the slums as disciples.”
“Yes. I apologize for handling it on my own without seeking your permission, Sect Leader.”
“…….”
Go Seok-hyeon thought for a moment before speaking.
“I trust that you have your reasons, Bong Gong. However…”
“Please, speak freely.”
Go Seok-hyeon let out a sigh.
“With a war against the Blood Saber Sect looming, I don’t understand why you would take in new disciples—especially children who are still practically infants.”
“Well, I’m not sure how to put this, but…”
Patrick looked at Go Seok-hyeon.
“Every single thing I do ultimately boils down to one goal.”
“…….”
“Restoring the Twin Dragon Sect. Everything is for that purpose.”
“And that’s why you took the children in?”
“Sect Leader, what do you think is the most important thing for a martial sect?”
At Patrick’s question, Go Seok-hyeon thought for a moment.
“I suppose you’re going to say ‘people’…”
“Correct.”
Patrick gave a thin smile.
“You’ve seen it yourself lately. Those who joined on a whim and quit the moment the training got tough. And those who ran away the second the sect faced a crisis.”
“Mmm…”
“I don’t really blame them. It’s only natural for people to value their own lives, isn’t it?”
“…….”
“But for our sect to truly stand tall, we need real disciples who will show loyalty and devotion to the sect. Like you, Sect Leader, or that kid Yul.”
At Patrick’s words, Go Seok-hyeon smiled faintly.
“I am merely grateful that you think so highly of my lacking disciple.”
“Character is more important than talent.”
[Look who’s talking…]
Ah, shut up.
What’s wrong with my character?
“Ahem, anyway.”
Patrick looked Go Seok-hyeon straight in the eye.
“The children we took in today have received grace from you, and they showed the loyalty to try and repay that grace. That alone makes them more than qualified to be disciples.”
“I see.”
Go Seok-hyeon agreed with Patrick’s sentiment. However…
“But in order to discuss those children’s futures and potential, don’t we first have to survive this war?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Patrick gave a short laugh.
“We aren't going to lose. Ever.”