Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Translator: Penny
Chapter 30
My Beginning (1)
The news was true.
The new Alliance Leader was none other than Ma Bonggi—the lecherous old man I knew so well.
After informing everyone I would be entering seclusion for training, I immediately mounted my horse and galloped toward Wuhan, Hubei Province, where the Martial Arts Alliance Headquarters was located.
I knew rushing to the headquarters wouldn't change anything. My martial arts hadn't yet reached the level needed to influence the Alliance's major decisions.
Besides, having been reborn as Byeok Ridan, what did it matter who became the Alliance Leader? I could simply live quietly in my new life.
Yet I still raced toward Wuhan, driven by worry that something might have happened to Gal Saryang.
How else could Ma Bonggi have become the Alliance Leader?
The announcement of the new Alliance Leader meant that his fate had already been sealed. Yet, I couldn't simply sit and wait for further news.
Upon arriving in Wuhan, my first destination was the Martial Arts Alliance Headquarters.
In the distance, the majestic headquarters loomed into view. Its immense scale made it practically an independent city, teeming with permanent residents.
Martial artists stood guard atop the high walls, while the main gate was guarded by no fewer than thirty warriors.
I stood at a distance, gazing at the imposing structure for a long while. Seeing the Martial Arts Alliance Headquarters in person calmed the turmoil that had been churning within me throughout my journey.
It was my survival instinct, honed through countless crises, whispering to me.
Now was the time to remain calm.
It had been so long since he'd last observed the Martial Arts Alliance building from the outside.
Suddenly, he recalled the day he first entered this place as the newly appointed Alliance Leader.
Even after ascending to the position of Foremost Person Under Heaven, becoming the Martial Arts Alliance Leader required a monumental decision.
Though he hadn't shown it outwardly, he had been deeply worried about whether he could truly succeed. For the first month or two, he barely slept.
That day felt like yesterday, yet decades had passed.
Thanks to this, he knew the Martial Arts Alliance as intimately as his own body—every path, every building, every guard's post, and every person stationed within. He felt an urge to leap across the courtyard and rush straight to Gal Saryang's office in the inner hall.
But I couldn't.
My skills weren't yet sufficient to freely infiltrate the Martial Arts Alliance's inner compound. I might have been able to slip into the outer compound, but the inner compound was impossible. I knew all too well how strict the security there was. Infiltration was out of the question.
First, I secured a room at an inn near the Headquarters.
The innkeeper made a fuss about how lucky I was, claiming it was the last room available. He said countless martial artists were flocking to Wuhan since the announcement of the new Alliance Leader. It seemed people were gathering early for the inauguration ceremony scheduled for the beginning of next month.
Rumors were already circulating that this would be the largest inauguration ceremony in history. Wuhan was completely swept up in a frenzy surrounding the new Alliance Leader's inauguration.
I went downstairs, ordered a bottle of wine, and listened to the conversations around me.
After spending two hours there, I realized that most people didn't feel any particular sense of crisis about Ma Bonggi becoming the Alliance Leader.
They accepted it as a natural consequence, given that he was one of the leaders of the Five Great Forces of the Central Plains. Surprisingly, people didn't seem to know much about Ma Bonggi himself.
In fact, baseless rumors were circulating.
"Did you hear that Sect Leader Ma killed the Dark Shadow Palace Master, one of the Thirteen Dark Alliances' leaders?"
"I heard that too. They say the Former Alliance Leader took credit for the kill."
"Good heavens! So Cheon Hajin didn't eliminate them all after all."
As I listened, I barely restrained myself from slamming my fist down and shattering the table. The thought of the desperate struggle I had endured to kill the Dark Shadow Palace Master flooded back to me.
I still remember that day.
The day I killed the Dark Shadow Palace Master. The belated arrival of Ma Bonggi after mopping up the remaining stragglers. His infuriating habit of avoiding any truly dangerous fights.
During the war against the Heretics and Deviants, the Five Great Forces of the Central Plains reluctantly aided the Martial Arts Alliance, desperately trying to minimize the damage to their own clans.
I understood their motives. If I were in their position, I would have done the same to protect my family.
Yet among them, the Heavenly Blade Gate had been particularly cautious, prioritizing self-preservation above all else.
Ever since that day when my eyes were branded with the sight, I've lived suffocatingly. An Alliance Leader?
But suddenly, a strange thought struck me.
As soon as news of the new Alliance Leader spread, praises for him began circulating.
I carefully observed those spreading the rumors and followed them when they left the inn.
I couldn't believe it, but my suspicions were correct. They went to another inn and continued spreading the rumors.
Someone was systematically spreading these rumors.
Further investigation revealed that it wasn't just these individuals. Others were also systematically spreading rumors.
Most of the rumors were exaggerated or completely fabricated tales of the Heavenly Blade Gate Sect Leader's hidden heroic deeds and virtuous acts.
These bastards!
They must be from the Heavenly Blade Gate.
Suddenly, Gal Saryang's words from long ago flashed through my mind:
"Becoming the Foremost Person Under Heaven doesn't mean you can rule the Central Plains."
Power governs the Martial Arts World. During my time as Alliance Leader, I commanded tens of thousands of subordinates, allowing me to govern this vast Central Plains.
The Foremost Person Under Heaven is merely the strongest fighter in the world. Of course, being the strongest, they could probably kill the Alliance Leader. But that doesn't mean they could rule the Martial Arts World.
This very incident proves it. I can't stop these rumors spreading across the Central Plains. Beating up the guy spreading them wouldn't solve the problem. And I'm not even the Foremost Person Under Heaven anymore.
A while later, I entered a tavern near the Martial Arts Alliance Headquarters.
This tavern was primarily frequented by Martial Arts Alliance members. While they were the main patrons, it wasn't off-limits to ordinary people.
Stepping inside, I found the place packed with customers. As expected, over half were dressed in the Martial Arts Alliance's distinctive attire.
I settled into a corner seat. Knowing I'd be here for a while, I ordered a generous spread of food and wine, then tuned in to the surrounding conversations.
Since opening my Ren and Du Meridians, my hearing had become remarkably acute. By focusing my mind, I could eavesdrop on conversations from every corner of the tavern.
The main topic of discussion was the new Alliance Leader.
Negative rumors, tales of his affairs with women, unexpected praise for his abilities, fabricated stories, and all sorts of unverified gossip filled the air.
I waited patiently and persistently.
Around midnight, I finally heard the information I had been waiting for.
The conversation coming from nearby was exactly what I had been waiting for. They were wearing the uniforms of the Pavilion of Righteous Intent.
"Did you see Strategist Gal today? He looked terrible."
"No wonder."
"What's going to happen to Strategist Gal now?"
"Who knows? Maybe he'll be demoted?"
"Probably."
"There's a rumor that the new Alliance Leader will replace the Head of the Pavilion of Righteous Intent first."
"We'll be okay, right?"
"Who knows?"
They then moved on to other topics.
I was relieved to hear that Gal Saryang was still alive. The tension and stiffness in my body and mind instantly dissolved.
Yes, as long as he's alive, that's all that matters.
I wasn't worried about Baek Pyo.
The Alliance Guard Corps was one of the safest places during political storms. Their primary duty was protecting the Alliance Leader, and as an independent organization, they were unlikely to become victims of power struggles. Baek Pyo, in particular, was a martial artist who showed no interest in politics, focusing solely on fulfilling his duties.
After confirming Gal Saryang's fate, genuine doubts began to surface.
Why couldn't they stop it? Why delay the announcement for so long?
As long as my Three Direct Corps remained intact, there should have been no reason for Gal Saryang to fail to carry out his will.
Could they have turned against me?
I wouldn't find answers by sitting here for a hundred days.
I immediately left the tavern.
I left the inn early the next morning.
The ideal solution would have been to learn the full story from Gal Saryang himself, but that was realistically impossible. Meeting the Chief Strategist of the Martial Arts Alliance was difficult enough, but even if I managed to do so, I was Byeok Ridan, not Cheon Hajin.
Uncovering the truth would require the services of an information broker. Of course, I couldn't afford such services right now.
Information of this magnitude would likely cost over ten thousand taels of silver. Moreover, there was no guarantee that the information had even been acquired yet.
Still, I was confident that a way to uncover the full story would eventually present itself.
For now, I simply wanted to see Gal Saryang's face one last time.
Then, someone came to mind.
Arriving with a sliver of hope, I found myself at Bulu, a teahouse whose name meant "impenetrable" or "leakproof."
"Welcome," a calm, middle-aged woman greeted me with a smile.
At this moment, I was about to confront a secret known to only a handful of people in the Martial Arts World.
This woman was none other than the Society Head of the Heavenly Net Society—one of the three great intelligence organizations of the Martial Arts World.
The teahouse's name, Bulu, was directly related to the Heavenly Net Society's name:
Tianwang huihui, shu er bulu (天網恢恢疎而不漏).
This proverb meant "The net of heaven is vast and sparse, yet nothing escapes it," implying that all sins will inevitably be punished.
The name "Heavenly Net Society" carried an ironic weight. How could a vast and sparse net possibly capture all information?
But just as the Heavenly Net's net was meant to catch everything, their intention was to leave no piece of information uncollected.
"Are you looking for a specific tea?"
"I'll have whatever you recommend."
"Please wait a moment."
I took a seat by the window.
Through the kitchen window, I could see an elderly woman with snow-white hair. While the Society Head was a formidable martial artist, the true master was this old woman in the kitchen—the Personal Bodyguard who protected the Society Head.
She had once greeted me alongside Gal Saryang.
I remembered being surprised that the Society Head of the Heavenly Net Society was a woman, and even more astonished by her youthful beauty, appearing far younger than her actual age in her thirties.
As far as I could recall, Gal Saryang seemed to harbor feelings for her. Like him, she had dedicated her life to military service and never married.
Seeing Gal Saryang show genuine interest in a woman for the first time, I sincerely hoped things would work out for them. Later, when I subtly inquired about her, Gal Saryang brushed it off with a smile.
I had forgotten about her until the thought of buying information suddenly brought her to mind.
Could Gal Saryang have visited this place?
"This is my favorite tea. Please try some."
The aroma was calming, and the taste wasn't bad either.
"It's good."
"I'm glad you like it."
It had been over a decade since I last greeted her, so she must be in her forties now. Yet she still looked like she was in her early thirties.
"Is this your first time at my place?"
"Yes, this is my first time in Wuhan."
Byeok Ridan must truly be visiting for the first time.
"Are you here for the inauguration ceremony?"
"No."
"Then...?"
"I came to offer incense to the former Alliance Leader."
"A tragic loss."
A genuine hint of sorrow flickered across her face.
"Do you know anything about the new Alliance Leader?"
"You mean Great Hero Ma?"
She was likely one of the most informed individuals in the Martial Arts World regarding Ma Bonggi, yet she replied with a faint smile:
"I don't know much. Only that he's the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Blade Gate, one of the Five Great Forces of the Central Plains."
"I see."
I wanted to ask: What happened to Gal Saryang? Why was Ma Bonggi chosen as Alliance Leader? She could answer everything.
But that couldn't be done.
I ordered tea several more times and waited until late afternoon, but Gal Saryang never appeared.
"Then I'll be going now," the woman said with a smile as she bowed.
"Please come again," I replied.
After exchanging farewells, she left the teahouse.
I was walking along a narrow path on the outskirts of Wuhan.
Before returning to the inn, I wanted to visit one more place.
A small tavern came into view ahead.
A fluttering banner bore the character for "Wind" (風).
Was it the appealing name "Wind" that drew me in? Or perhaps the tranquil atmosphere of this secluded corner? During my days as Alliance Leader, I often stopped here for a drink during my nocturnal outings.
Located quite a distance from the Headquarters and so small that it could barely accommodate three or four patrons, the tavern rarely had more than one or two customers at a time.
I didn't personally enjoy drinking, but I loved the atmosphere here.
On days like this, only Baek Pyo would accompany me on my outings. He always stubbornly refused the drinks I offered.
Even if I insisted he only have one cup, he wouldn't budge. When it came to his duty as my personal bodyguard, he was absolutely unyielding in his principles. He was as loyal as they came, and I missed him dearly.
"Welcome!"
The innkeeper's greeting stopped me in my tracks.
I nearly gasped aloud in shock.
The innkeeper who had greeted me was none other than Baek Pyo himself.