Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Translator: Penny
Chapter 56
Silent Exit (2)
Ma Jeongsu placed the leather pouch containing the banknotes into the safe.
A smile never left his face, fueled by the joy of having accomplished something unexpected.
He summoned the woman and told her about borrowing the money, boasting about what I had done as if it were his own achievement. He proudly added, "You should have seen those bastards groveling."
I stood outside the door, listening to every word.
How can he be so shameless? I wondered, especially knowing I was listening outside.
"Get the message across properly! Understand?"
The woman emerged shortly after. She glanced at me.
Her eyes seemed to ask, Is this all your doing?
Having likely observed Ma Jeongsu for some time, she must have known he wasn't the type to display such courage.
I gave her no look that might indicate whether I agreed or disagreed.
She immediately left the area. As I watched her retreating figure, a sudden doubt arose in my mind.
Had Ma Bonggi truly sent her? Even though Ma Jeongsu was a vile-tempered turtle who had lost out in the succession battle, could he really treat his Master's own flesh and blood with such cold indifference?
Of course, it was possible if she had been raised from childhood as a living weapon, devoid of fear or emotion.
But what if Ma Bonggi hadn't raised her? What if that was why she could act this way?
Even with this assumption, questions remained. Why would a person raised by a third party be sent to Ma Bonggi's blood relatives? And why would Ma Bonggi allow it?
"Gal Muin, come in."
"Yes, sir."
As I entered, he greeted me with a smile.
"I've borrowed some of Gal Muin's exploits. Is that alright?"
"Of course, sir."
"Ha ha, as expected, you have a magnanimous spirit. I knew it."
I forced a pleasant smile in response to his insincere praise.
"I have one question."
"What is it?"
"Did the other heirs also have companions like this woman?"
Ma Jeongsu nodded.
"That's my understanding."
"Were they all women?"
"I've heard there were both men and women. Why do you ask?"
"I thought that if I'm going to help Great Hero Ma in the future, I need to know everything."
He was trying to extract as much information as possible before killing him.
Oblivious to this, Ma Jeongsu smiled contentedly.
"Then how did My Father become the Alliance Leader? Did he prepare for a long time?"
"Well... of course."
The answer didn't come immediately, indicating that Ma Jeongsu himself didn't know the full story.
After all, how could a man who had recklessly fathered over twenty children possibly keep track of them all?
"Why are you asking?"
"I was just imagining the scene of Great Hero Ma becoming the Martial Arts Alliance Leader."
"Me becoming the Alliance Leader? Isn't that a bit far-fetched?"
"It's not entirely a pipe dream, is it? Becoming the successor would make it perfectly feasible, wouldn't it?"
"If you were to assist me, it might be possible."
"Since we're on the topic, may I ask who Great Hero Ma considers his most formidable rival?"
"It would have to be Ma Cheolgun."
Ma Cheolgun was the fifth of Ma Bonggi's twenty-two sons and currently served as the acting Sect Leader of the Heavenly Blade Gate.
I had met Ma Cheolgun before. Unlike his father's other sons, he was remarkably intelligent, clear-headed, and possessed a decent character.
"And after him?"
"Ma Lingyin is cunning, Ma Yanghua is sinister, Ma Gungtae is a brute with nothing but brute strength, and Ma Seonghu is a naive child who knows nothing of the world."
Of course, this assessment was solely Ma Jeongsu's opinion. To truly know their capabilities, I would need to meet them myself. Still, I doubted they were any less capable than Ma Jeongsu.
Ma Cheolgun, Ma Lingyin, Ma Yanghua, Ma Gungtae, Ma Seonghu, and Ma Jeongsu—these were the six individuals vying for succession.
"One of them is sabotaging my efforts," Ma Jeongsu said, grinding his teeth.
"Isn't that because Great Hero Ma poses the greatest threat in the succession struggle?" I suggested, my words dripping with flattery.
Ma Jeongsu's expression brightened at the sweet compliment.
I continued with a sincere look, "From now on, I will wholeheartedly assist you."
"I trust only Gal Muin," Ma Jeongsu declared unexpectedly.
"Oh, and we'll be heading to Jinan soon."
"Jinan?"
"Yes. I'm telling you this in confidence: I've recently encountered some difficulties. The Shandong Merchant Guild cut off funding, leading to the termination of the Martial Arts School Establishment Contract."
"Ah, I see you've had quite the ordeal."
"That's why I'm going there myself with the money this time. I need to secure the contract as soon as possible."
There was a way to summon the other party to sign the contract, but that would take time to deliver the message, and there was no guarantee he'd come immediately, especially given the rumors of my bankruptcy. He'd likely dismiss it as a trick and make excuses to avoid coming.
"That's why I'm going there myself," I said, lowering my voice.
"But traveling with such a large sum—One Hundred Thousand Taels—is extremely dangerous."
"I'll only take the Twenty Thousand Taels needed for the down payment. With you and that woman from earlier as guards, we'll have ample protection."
I disliked the woman and resented having to rely on her, but losing the money would be far worse.
Of course, there was a safe way to transfer the money.
He could deposit it at the Financial House here and withdraw it at the Jinan Branch.
But that would require waiting at least ten days. In this urgent situation, that was impossible.
"If she comes with us, I think we can rest assured."
"You trust her?"
"Of course not! Great Hero Ma himself warned me to be cautious. I simply meant that two hands are better than one."
"We'll leave early tomorrow. Prepare accordingly."
"Yes, sir."
For a moment, he considered eliminating her tonight.
But he decided against it. Traveling to Jinan together would give him a chance to uncover her true identity.
Don't rejoice in surviving a few more days. Your luck has run out. You'll taste the deeper despair of discovering the banknote is counterfeit.
The next day, I was driving the carriage.
A woman sat beside me. I couldn't refuse Ma Jeongsu's order that she accompany me.
We rode for a long time without her uttering a word. Knowing she was naturally taciturn, I didn't bother trying to start a conversation.
I could see her hand up close. Unlike a woman's hand, it was remarkably rough. The calluses on the back of her hand were like those of someone who had rigorously trained their fist.
So she's mastered Fist Arts after all.
It was clear she had endured years of grueling training.
There was also a scar—a long, jagged line stretching from the back of her left hand up her arm. The scar was hidden by her sleeve, so I couldn't tell how far it extended. I wondered if she might have many other scars hidden beneath her clothes.
Sensing my gaze, the woman subtly concealed her hand.
I felt a pang of guilt, but pretending not to notice would have been even more impolite.
"Have you mastered the Fist Arts?"
After a moment, she replied, "Yes."
"Why the Fist Arts specifically?"
The Fist Arts were rarely chosen by women, likely due to their natural disadvantage in physical strength.
"I... didn't have a choice."
The conversation paused. Her words made it almost certain that she had been raised by some organization since childhood.
"I was once captivated by the Fist Arts myself. The idea of fighting bare-handed, without any weapons, seemed incredibly alluring."
I meant every word. Beyond Sword Arts, I had mastered various martial arts, including Blade Arts, Spear Arts, and Fist Arts.
Among these, Fist Arts particularly intrigued me, largely due to the World-Shaking Wind God Fist I had studied at the time.
The World-Shaking Wind God Fist was a martial art developed by the Fist King from two generations prior. I had learned it after discovering its Secret Manual in the Martial Arts Alliance's treasury.
Mastering it alone proved challenging, and at the time, my pride in the Soul-Chasing Asura Sword Technique soared to the heavens. Consequently, I only advanced to the fifth level before abandoning it.
"If I hadn't mastered Sword Arts, I might have pursued Fist Arts more seriously," I remarked.
She retorted bluntly, "That's just an excuse."
When I turned to look at her, she stared back intently.
"He probably just didn't want to learn Fist Arts."
"Sword Arts require precise hand movements, while Fist Arts tend to be more domineering, don't they? If I had learned Blade Arts, it might be different, but Sword Arts and Fist Arts aren't compatible."
"Who told you that?"
I flinched. What I had just said was common knowledge among anyone who had even a basic understanding of martial arts. She must have heard such things before.
"Did you ask the Greatest Expert Under Heaven?"
"No."
See that, you mysterious young lady? This is what the Greatest Expert Under Heaven would say.
Then she spoke.
"I don't think the Greatest Expert Under Heaven would say something like that. They wouldn't be bound by such formalities."
Something struck my heart with a sudden thump.
The Greatest Expert Under Heaven wouldn't be bound by such formalities. That's what I would have said in the past.
Listen, friend, even the Greatest Expert Under Heaven is no different from anyone else. They simply accumulated ordinary martial arts, layer upon layer, until they reached the pinnacle of mastery.
But hearing her words just now, that thought didn't come to mind.
Perhaps she's right. Perhaps they should be different.
Even if something has been considered orthodox martial arts theory for ages, shouldn't the Greatest Expert Under Heaven be able to interpret and apply it differently?
Because they are the Greatest Expert Under Heaven. The only one of their kind in the world.
Shouldn't they be able to prove that what everyone believes to be true is actually false?
I hadn't verified it myself.
I truly understood that Sword Arts and Fist Arts were incompatible because I had failed to master either to their ultimate form.
If I were to reach the pinnacle of Fist Arts and Sword Arts, wouldn't their interaction unlock a realm beyond my imagination?
Even if that weren't the case...
Shouldn't I have approached martial arts with this mindset from the beginning?
When one views martial arts as wu (武, martial) as wu (無, nothingness), free from all constraints, and shatters every preconceived notion, isn't that when the true Heart Sword can manifest?
Lost in these persistent questions, I drifted into a trance-like state.
When I regained awareness, she was driving the carriage. Seeing me deep in thought, she had taken over the reins.
This journey, undertaken to uncover her true identity, had instead revealed my own limitations and boundaries—a precious lesson. Though I was merely lost in deep thought now, I had a strong feeling that today's realization would prove invaluable in my future martial arts training.
As I was about to thank her, the carriage rounded a corner onto the main road.
"Ah!" she exclaimed softly. In the distance, the mountains were ablaze with vibrant autumn foliage—a truly breathtaking sight.
The woman, who seemed utterly indifferent to such things, was visibly moved, making her reaction all the more striking.
I turned to her and said, "Thank you."
I felt her flinch. Perhaps unaccustomed to hearing gratitude, she pretended not to hear me, her gaze fixed on the crimson leaves.
How long had we been riding like that?
A group of riders galloped toward us from ahead.
I was startled to see the leader of the group.
It was Song Ugyeong. Song Hwarin rode beside him, and the others were martial artists from the Song Family Manor. They must have been returning from some errand related to the Song Family's affairs.
Meeting them in such an unexpected place inwardly surprised me.
Naturally, they didn't recognize me, as I was wearing the Human Skin Mask.
They passed by.
Just then, Ma Jeongsu spoke from inside the carriage.
"Stop the carriage."
I halted the carriage.
He leaned out the window and shouted loudly, "Master Song!"
The horses that had been passing by came to a stop.
Song Ugyeong recognized Ma Jeongsu and turned his horse toward them.
"Oh! Great Hero Ma, isn't it?"
Ma Jeongsu hadn't stopped them for Song Ugyeong's sake, but because of the slender woman beside him.
Song Ugyeong dismounted, followed by Song Hwarin and the other martial artists.
"This is my daughter, Hwarin. Pay your respects—this is Great Hero Ma of the Heavenly Blade Gate."
Song Hwarin bowed to Ma Jeongsu.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Hwarin."
"Oh, I never imagined you were such a beauty! My heart is pounding."
Though he spoke lightly, Ma Jeongsu meant every word. He couldn't take his eyes off Song Hwarin.
Under his intense gaze, Song Hwarin smiled and said, "What a pity. I'm already engaged."
"Ah, I've heard about that too. The Byeok Clan Sword School's rascal—oh, my apologies."
He deliberately said it, then feigned an apology as if it were a slip of the tongue.
I could see his true nature.
He trembled with fear when facing the Night Merchants, but against those he perceived as weaker, he turned slick and manipulative, resorting to all sorts of tricks. A typical petty man—weak before the strong, strong before the weak.
"If I may ask a presumptuous question, I heard Miss Song requested the annulment of the engagement?"
Despite the potentially awkward question, Song Hwarin smiled and replied, "Women are fickle creatures, aren't they?"
"Does that mean you won't annul the engagement?"
"All I can say is that Young Master Byeok is far more remarkable than the Martial Arts World knows."
"Oh, to earn such faith from a woman... Young Master Byeok must have a side completely different from what men perceive."
Damn it, this bastard's itching to tear me down.
Song Hwarin replied with a gentle smile, "It seems Great Hero Ma is quite similar in that regard."
"What do you mean by that?"
Song Hwarin merely smiled enigmatically.
But both I and Ma Jeongsu understood her meaning. She was implying that the legendary Great Hero Ma Jeongsu, despite his reputation, fell far short of expectations—a veiled insult delivered with finesse.
If she had acted this way in front of me, I wouldn't have been particularly grateful. But witnessing her defense behind my back moved me beyond gratitude—I was genuinely touched.
The woman beside me murmured, "You're no different, are you?"
"What?" I turned to look at her.
"You can't take your eyes off that woman."
"That's..."
I couldn't explain my relationship with Song Hwarin, leaving me no room for excuses.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Song Ugyeong quickly bid farewell.
"I'm busy today, so I'll take my leave now. I'll formally invite you to Our Manor next time."
"Let's do that."
Ma Jeongsu climbed into his carriage with a frosty expression.
Song Ugyeong's party swiftly disappeared in the opposite direction.
From behind the carriage, I heard his voice:
"Arrogant bitch! How dare she disregard me? That damned woman!"
As I listened to his furious ranting, I smiled. Petty men who delight in crushing others can never tolerate being humiliated themselves.
Ha ha ha. Well done, Hwarin.
I urged the carriage forward, the wind drowning out Ma Jeongsu's tirade.