Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Translator: Penny
Chapter 50
There is no next time (1)
Late at night, Jeong Yeo came to find me, a bottle of wine in his hand.
"Would you care for a drink?"
"Very well."
The fact that Jeong Yeo, who always treated me with such deference, had come to see me at this hour meant he had made a decision.
Would he follow me, or remain as the Association Leader of the Yang Association?
He had reached his conclusion sooner than I expected, and I couldn't guess which path he had chosen.
We drank and exchanged light conversation. He did most of the talking, while I listened.
He told me about his first venture into the Martial Arts World.
As a child, a Martial Artist had slain the Green Forest bandits and saved his family. After that incident, he had resolved to become a Martial Artist himself.
He then recounted the various trials he had faced since then.
By the time the wine bottle was empty, he had finished recounting his life story.
"As you can see, I'm just an ordinary man. Or perhaps even a bit below average. Through a series of circumstances, I rose to become the Deputy Association Leader of the Yang Association, only to be discarded like a worn-out tool. It was then that I met Young Master Byeok, who helped me become the Association Leader."
He fixed me with a steady gaze and asked, "Even someone like me is acceptable?"
I kept my response brief.
"Acceptable."
"One final question, then. What is Young Master Byeok's ultimate goal?"
The first thing that came to mind was the Heart Sword Realm.
My burning desire to reach the Heart Sword Realm was a pure aspiration as a martial artist. It had been a persistent weight on my chest and a thorn in my throat throughout my previous life.
Of course, there were many other things I wanted to achieve.
First, if it was confirmed that I had been assassinated, I would seek revenge. If I hadn't known, I might have let it go, but if that were the case, I would hunt down and kill every last one of them. If those who turned their backs on Gal Saryang after my death were involved, they too would face retribution.
I would rebuild the Byeok Clan Sword School and make it the Greatest Clan Under Heaven. Naturally, I also wanted to honor my parents. I wanted to raise Gwangdu and Sword Guard to become magnificent Martial Artists, and of course, I wanted to bring Gal Saryang and Baek Pyo back.
Come to think of it, there were truly so many things I needed to do.
Jeong Yeo was asking about my ultimate goal, so I needed to give a single answer.
What answer should I give?
Then, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind, and before I knew it, I blurted out:
"I want to be happy."
If I achieve all my previous goals, wouldn't I finally be happy?
"I want to be happy, and I want everyone around me to be happy too."
Jeong Yeo, who had been staring at me blankly, burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
He quickly composed himself and apologized.
"I'm sorry. Your answer was so unexpected that I was rude."
"It's fine. But what kind of answer were you expecting?"
"I was secretly bracing myself for you to say 'Unification of the World.'"
Given that he saw me as a Hidden Dragon preparing for the coming era, his reaction was understandable.
Having already achieved the Unification of the World, I believe the goals I just mentioned are just as challenging.
"I'm sorry if my answer fell short of your expectations."
My awkward reply made him smile as he rose from his seat.
Jeong Yeo bowed deeply and said,
"I greet you, Liege Lord. I swear to the heavens and earth that I will remain loyal until death."
I could tell that my answer—that I wanted to be happy—had resonated more deeply with him than the ambition of unifying the world.
I firmly grasped both his hands and helped him rise.
"From this day forward, I will consider you family. I sincerely hope you will assist this 부족한 man."
"I will gladly give my life for you."
"And I, in turn, will prove today that you made the right choice."
"Please, I hope to find happiness alongside you, Liege Lord."
I was pleased. It hadn't been difficult to win him over in the first place, since I had saved him from a crisis. But if I had relied on that debt of gratitude or used force to coerce him, I wouldn't have felt this genuine joy.
He was genuinely impressed by me and sincerely wanted to pledge his loyalty.
Following Gwangdu, the Minor Sword Guard, and Gong Suchan, I had now gained Jeong Yeo as another loyal subordinate.
I would continue to cultivate my relationships with them in the future.
Their loyalty could change tomorrow, or it might remain unwavering forever.
That loyalty could vanish with a careless word, or it might endure even a thousand insults.
Acknowledging this inherent instability, I would continue to build my relationships with them, operating under the fundamental principle that no human relationship is ever truly complete.
I returned home.
Having relentlessly pushed Ma Jeongsu to the brink, I decided it was time to rest and consolidate my affairs.
For the time being, I resolved to let the Yang Association operate independently. Jeong Yeo had offered to surrender the association and join my ranks immediately, but there was no need for such a move, nor should it be done.
After nurturing these various organizations independently, I would unite them at the decisive moment.
I was the only person in the Martial Arts World who had managed hundreds of organizations like the Yang Association under my command.
Instead, I assigned Jeong Yeo two tasks.
First, I had him plant a skilled spy within Ma Jeongsu's ranks, with strict orders to report any movements related to Song Hwarin immediately.
Secondly, to maintain close communication with Jeong Yeo, we introduced Messenger Hawks. Of course, we didn't keep the hawks at our residence.
Instead, we established a small communication post nearby. Jeong Yeo had similarly set up a separate post outside the Yang Association, as Ma Jeongsu's faction still had members within the organization, necessitating caution.
Furthermore, we ensured that the martial artists staffing the communication posts were trustworthy individuals. In any Martial Arts organization, intelligence gathering is of paramount importance.
To further enhance security, we implemented an additional safeguard:
We established a cipher that only Jeong Yeo and I could decipher. The Martial Arts Alliance employs various cipher systems, ranging from simple codes to highly complex ciphers that are virtually impossible for outsiders to crack.
Of course, I used the highest-grade cipher, a modified version of the one used by the Pavilion of Righteous Intent. It was a cipher that no one else could possibly decipher.
Jeong Yeo was once again impressed that I knew such an advanced cipher system.
This was how you earned the trust of your subordinates.
Even if later they lived with conflicting emotions, unsure whether it was loyalty or resentment, now was the time to constantly demonstrate my capabilities.
I informed Gwangdu of Elder Flower Fan's death.
"Ah! You did a truly excellent job!" Gwangdu rejoiced as if he had avenged his own enemy.
"You're that happy?"
"Of course! The child and the elder must be rejoicing greatly in the afterlife. If I could, I'd even contact that landlord who fled our homeland and tell him, 'Your enemies have been avenged!'"
"You'll find out someday."
"Do you think so?"
"Of course. How could you ever forget that incident? As long as you remember, you'll learn the truth about it and believe that justice still exists in the Martial Arts World."
I wanted to tell them everything immediately, but that would put them in danger. Everything would fall into place later.
"I sincerely hope so."
"Gwangdu."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Become stronger."
This single sentence carried profound meaning, and I was confident Gwangdu understood its full weight.
In the afternoon, I observed the Sword Guard members' training for the first time in a long while.
"Are you all training hard?"
"Yes!"
Their response was filled with vigor, and their eyes sparkled with determination.
With individual training, Sword Guard drills, and Dagger Technique practice all piled on, it must have been incredibly grueling. Yet not a single member showed any sign of fatigue throughout the entire session.
Any instructor would feel the same way. It's only natural to be drawn to those who are truly dedicated to learning.
If you all are putting in this much effort, I will give my best as well.
Thanks to their diligent training, everyone had made significant progress.
In particular, Gwanhwi and a few others had achieved remarkable results, which I praised publicly before the entire group.
After the training session ended, Gwanhwi remained behind.
"Captain, I have a question about my martial arts."
The young man's eagerness to learn was palpable. Even after sweating through such a grueling session, he immediately sought further guidance on his techniques.
"Whenever I execute this form, I keep feeling like my center of balance is shifting," he said, demonstrating the technique for me.
After watching his demonstration, I said, "That's because you're distributing your weight incorrectly. This form involves stepping forward with your right foot, but you're actually putting more weight on your left foot, aren't you?"
"Yes, that's right. I was taught that balance is paramount in this form. Since the right foot naturally bears more weight, I've been consciously shifting more weight to my left foot to compensate."
"That's precisely what's throwing you off balance. Let your right foot naturally bear more weight, and compensate for the imbalance with upper body movements."
"Is that... allowed?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"I was taught that the lower body should always maintain balance," the young man said.
The martial art he had learned was the Academy Sword Art, a style commonly taught in martial arts schools. Unlike family-inherited sword techniques, this was a publicly accessible style taught in schools across the Central Plains.
The sword art itself was excellent, which is why so many martial arts schools taught it.
However, the Academy Sword Art had its limitations. As a style designed for teaching students, it inevitably adhered to rigid formalities.
Gwanhwi had learned the sword art properly. Because he had learned it properly, he would later clearly recognize its limitations.
But there was no need to tell him that yet. He still had a long and arduous path to tread within these formalities.
"In martial arts, there is no such thing as 'always.' Martial arts can change at any time—and must change."
"Ah, I understand. Thank you, Captain."
In truth, his words carried a deeper, unspoken essence of martial arts wisdom.
The calloused roughness of his hands bore the marks of relentless training. He had taken my words to heart, burying his efforts in the passage of time.
Therefore, I gave him advice that directly contradicted what I had said before.
"Gwanhwi."
"Yes, Captain."
"You don't need to rush so much. Diligence is good, but pushing yourself too hard will backfire. Just like your Forms earlier."
"I will keep that in mind."
Gwanhwi bowed deeply before turning and sprinting away. Despite my warning, he would undoubtedly continue to push himself.
Perhaps those words were meant for myself more than for him.
Gwanhwi, still only twenty-three, might not yet understand, but I knew:
There are things in this world that can only be seen when you slow down.
"I'm not comfortable with this collaboration," Baek Jung, the Chief Steward of the Shandong Merchant Guild, said with concern. "We should cancel it now."
Go Sunkyung, the Society Head, remained reclined in his comfortable fur-lined chair, his eyes closed. Having known Go Sunkyung for many years, Baek Jung could sense his displeasure at the bluntness of his words. Under normal circumstances, he would have retreated, but this situation demanded his unwavering stance.
"Judging by his past actions, Ma Jeongsu is a dangerous man. Society Head, I implore you not to make the mistake of inviting a tiger to chase away a wolf."
Go Sunkyung opened his eyes at Baek Jung's earnest plea. "If we're about to be torn apart by wolves right now, what does it matter if a tiger enters the room?"
Baek Jung flinched in surprise.
"Is the situation really that dire?"
"Indeed. The Hebei Merchant Guild and Seok Family Manor are retaliating fiercely for what happened last time."
The Shandong Merchant Guild had tried to expand into Hebei by leveraging the Yang Association. This led to repeated clashes, deeply wounding the pride of both the Hebei Merchant Guild and Seok Family Manor.
"Now that they know we failed to secure the Song Family Manor's support, they're pressing us even harder."
The Hebei Merchant Guild was cornering the Shandong Merchant Guild.
By pushing forward despite their own losses, they were inflicting severe financial damage on the Shandong Merchant Guild.
Nowhere does news travel faster than in the Merchant World. As rumors of the Shandong Merchant Guild's crisis spread, their financial lifelines began to dry up, and even their established clients started turning away.
Baek Jung wore a grave expression. As the Chief Steward responsible for internal affairs, he hadn't realized the situation had deteriorated so drastically.
"Even if that's the case, we can't possibly raise such a massive sum—one hundred thousand taels—immediately. What were you thinking when you promised them a joint venture?"
"I plan to borrow the money from the Night Merchants."
Baek Jung was momentarily stunned.
The Night Merchants, or Yasang, were shadowy figures who conducted clandestine transactions. They typically lent money at exorbitant interest rates or orchestrated mergers between merchant guilds for a fee.
While borrowing from them seemed like an easy solution, it was an incredibly risky deal. Beyond the usurious interest, if the debt couldn't be repaid, they would stop at nothing to recover their funds.
"The Night Merchants are truly dangerous entities."
"I know," Go Sunkyung replied.
"No, you don't understand. If you did, you wouldn't even consider getting involved with them," Baek Jung insisted earnestly.
"The Night Merchants' swordsmen are truly terrifying. It's not just their martial arts prowess that makes them dangerous. They're cruel and relentless. Once they hold a grudge, they never forget it. Countless people have vanished after crossing paths with them. Rumor has it they even use forbidden hidden weapons from the Martial Arts World to deal with Martial Artists."
But even these warnings failed to sway Go Sunkyung.
"Borrow One Hundred Thousand Taels from them."
"Society Head!"
Go Sunkyung closed his eyes and sank deeper into his chair.
"After all, wolves and tigers are already prowling in this room. What harm could a venomous snake crawling in do?"