Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Translator: Penny
Chapter 70
When the First Snow Falls Again (2)
"Stop them! No matter what, we must stop them!" Baek Pyo roared until his throat tore, but his voice didn't carry. As if trapped in a dreamlike illusion, everything moved in slow motion, shrouded in silence.
Enemies swarmed from all directions, and the Alliance Guard Corps' martial artists fell one by one.
Baek Pyo swung his sword wildly, like a madman. The enemies were too numerous. For every one he cut down, two more charged in; for every two he felled, four more attacked.
Through the fallen enemies, he saw his subordinates being butchered.
He couldn't reach them. Enemies were closing in from all sides.
"Where's the Alliance Leader? Where is he?"
He screamed frantically, but his voice remained trapped in his mind, echoing only within his skull.
Baek Pyo cut down enemies as he searched for Cheon Hajin.
Hundreds of warriors clashed in a chaotic melee, yet an eerie silence hung over the battlefield. The surreal stillness only amplified the horror unfolding before his eyes, as comrades' limbs were severed in slow motion.
How long had he been wandering through this nightmare?
Finally, Baek Pyo spotted Cheon Hajin.
In the distance, Cheon Hajin lay motionless on an altar.
Then another sight caught Baek Pyo's eye:
A pitch-black, humanoid shadow was striding toward the altar.
No! Stop it! Protect the Alliance Leader!
Baek Pyo roared himself hoarse as he charged forward.
Enemies blocked his path. He slashed and cut them down relentlessly.
No! Please! You bastards! Get out of my way! Move!
But the enemies continued to swarm him. Meanwhile, the black shadow climbed onto the altar.
"Alliance Leader! Dodge! Please wake up!"
But Cheon Hajin lay asleep on the altar.
The black shadow drew its pitch-black Shadow Sword.
"No!"
Thwack!
The black shadow's sword pierced Cheon Hajin's chest.
Blood splattered. The droplets flew outward in slow motion, each one visible as it arced through the air.
"Alliance Leader!"
Cheon Hajin slowly turned his head to look at Baek Pyo.
The moment their eyes met!
Suddenly, everything that had been moving in slow motion sped up.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Swords flew from all directions, piercing Baek Pyo's body in rapid succession.
"Aaaah!"
With a piercing scream, Baek Pyo jolted awake from his nightmare.
Beside him, his wife Jeong Yeong sat up as well.
"Honey, are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
She poured him a cup of water from the kettle beside them.
"Here, drink this."
"Thank you."
Jeong Yeong watched Baek Pyo drink, her eyes filled with concern.
Her husband had been plagued by nightmares every night.
When he announced his decision to leave the Alliance Guard Corps, she hadn't opposed him. Instead, she had encouraged him to rest and do what he wanted.
With the money he had diligently saved during his time as Head of the Alliance Guard Corps, they bought a tavern and the house attached to it.
She had believed they could live happily like this, but her husband was tormented by nightmares every night.
"It's all over now," Jeong Yeong said, wrapping her arms around Baek Pyo from behind. She tried to sound calm and supportive, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her anxiety.
"You don't have to protect the Alliance Leader anymore."
She knew her husband felt guilty about the Alliance Leader's death. Some emotions faded with time, while others grew sharper. For her husband, the Alliance Leader's death belonged to the latter category.
"I'm sorry," Baek Pyo murmured, letting out a soft sigh.
"It wasn't your fault. Please don't apologize—not to me, and not to the Alliance Leader either."
She only wished for her husband to break free from the wounds of the past as soon as possible.
Her hands tightened around him, holding him close.
The next day, I didn't go to Pung Tavern.
Meeting Baek Pyo before making up my mind would only confuse me further.
Gwangdu also avoided mentioning Pung Tavern or Baek Pyo.
Gwangdu went out with Gong Suchan to help establish the Merchant Guild, leaving me to wander the market district alone.
If my opponent were Gal Saryang, I wouldn't hesitate. I've already made my decision.
When the time comes, I will make Gal Saryang my man.
But why is Baek Pyo hesitating?
It must be because of his family.
His desire to live happily with his wife and children is what's making me hesitate.
What would my past self have done?
I probably would have acted on impulse, without much deliberation. I might not even have considered the consequences.
Back then, I prioritized my own feelings over the other person's.
You could call it selfish, but there were unavoidable circumstances.
In my youth, I lived with a single-minded focus.
Driven by the ambition to become the Foremost Person Under Heaven, I ignored everything else. Even if I had wanted to look back, I couldn't afford to. The journey itself was perilous and arduous enough. Looking back would have made it impossible to reach my goal.
Becoming the Alliance Leader, waging war against the Heretics and Deviants, and battling the hidden power struggles within the Orthodox Factions—for an incredibly long time, I knew nothing but combat. My life was far from normal.
At the time, I didn't realize it. I simply assumed this was the natural life of an Alliance Leader.
But now it's different.
I'm not just following my own emotions; I'm thinking about Baek Pyo.
Would he truly be happy spending the rest of his life as a tavern owner? Or would he be happier roaming the Martial Arts World with me again?
Is my desire to be with him clouding my judgment? Or is this very worry preventing me from making the right decision?
The answer remains elusive.
Just as I only understood so much after dying in my previous life, the solution to this dilemma may only become clear with time.
I paused, gazing at the sunset painting the sky beyond the distant mountains.
Baek Pyo, I truly don't know what's best.
Far across the vast plains, another figure stood silhouetted against the distant, setting sun.
It was Ma Cheolgun.
His resolute gaze and tightly pressed lips radiated unwavering determination as he stood alone in the open field. Even in his stillness, the bearing of the Heavenly Blade Gate's most promising successor was unmistakable.
How long had he been standing there?
A figure approached him. To his surprise, it was none other than Ma Bonggi, the Martial Arts Alliance Leader.
"You've come, Father."
"Why did you ask me to meet you here?"
"In the Alliance, we must always be mindful of prying eyes and ears, wouldn't you agree?"
"Then why not send a Telepathic Message?"
"I wanted to speak to you directly, Father. I've already scouted the area. No one will overhear our conversation."
The guards stood at a distance, far enough that they couldn't overhear the conversation between the two men.
"Father, please listen to what I'm about to say without misunderstanding."
"Speak."
"Why did you send our brothers to various regions of the Central Plains?"
"Didn't I explain that when I sent you all out?"
"Are you truly conducting a succession test?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you send me out as well?"
"Someone had to guard the Heavenly Blade Gate, didn't they?"
"Does that mean I'm also being tested?"
"Of course."
Ma Bonggi was lying. He had already chosen his successor in his heart. Sending his children to the Central Plains wasn't for a succession test, but to strengthen the Heavenly Blade Gate's influence across the region.
To keep the forces that had made him Alliance Leader in check, he needed to strengthen the Heavenly Blade Gate. Boosting the Martial Arts Alliance's power was pointless, as he couldn't trust who among them might be colluding with the enemy.
Of course, the enemy likely knew his intentions—that he was using the guise of a successor test to amass power.
Even if they know, so what?
What could they do? Try to stop him? And how would they stop him? By killing him? If they thought killing him would be so easy, they wouldn't have made him Alliance Leader in the first place.
He was the one wielding the Martial Arts Alliance as a powerful weapon. They might have made him Alliance Leader, but that didn't mean they could control him at will.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Is there someone behind Father?"
Ma Bonggi's expression instantly hardened.
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
"I'm asking who's behind you, Father. You need to tell me. No matter what anyone says, I'm on your side."
"Why do you think that?"
Seeing his son hesitate, Ma Bonggi exploded in anger.
"Do you believe I couldn't have become Alliance Leader without someone pulling the strings?"
"No, that's not it. I just can't understand why the Three Core Corps of the Martial Arts Alliance supported you. You've never had any dealings with them, have you?"
Ma Bonggi's sharp demeanor softened slightly.
"For other matters, communication would be crucial. But this is about choosing the Martial Arts Alliance Leader. We need a greater cause, far more important than personal connections."
The gazes of the son, seeking the truth, and the father, offering falsehoods, tangled in the air, fraught with unspoken tension.
Finally, Ma Cheolgun lowered his head and said, "I spoke out of turn. My apologies."
Their eyes met again in the void.
"I repeat: there is no hidden hand behind this!"
"I will trust your word, Father. Then I'll take my leave."
Ma Cheolgun turned and walked away.
Watching his son's retreating figure, Ma Bonggi muttered under his breath, his expression conflicted, "Damn it!"
Meanwhile, Mister Go, who had been waiting at a distance, asked Ma Cheolgun, "How did it go?"
Ma Cheolgun sighed heavily.
"You're still hiding the mastermind behind this, aren't you?"
Ma Cheolgun was convinced there was a hidden hand at play.
His sigh seemed to transfer to Mister Go.
"What will you do now?"
Ma Cheolgun bared his teeth like a wild beast, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a fierce, sharp edge.
"We need to make a move. We can't just let all our hard work go to waste, can we?"
The next day, the spies sent by Jeong Yeo arrived.
"Jin."
"Su."
Jin appeared to be in his forties, while Su looked to be in his twenties.
Their ages and appearances differed, yet they shared one striking trait:
They were utterly unremarkable. Their faces seemed vaguely familiar, as if I'd seen them somewhere before, making me momentarily mistake them for people I'd met in the past.
But I'd never encountered them before. If they were to join my group at the other table after speaking with me, they would blend in seamlessly, as if they'd been there all along.
"Will you now follow me?"
"We've heard everything from Association Leader Jeong. From now on, we will serve you as our Liege Lord and pledge our utmost loyalty."
"Good. I trust you both."
Jeong Yeo sending these two meant they possessed both skill and trustworthiness.
Whether we would be compatible professionally or personally would only become clear with time.
I gave each of them one thousand taels.
"Use this for the operation and to ensure your safety. If you need more money in the future, don't hesitate to ask."
Their faces lit up with gratitude. It wasn't just the unexpected sum of money, but the fact that I prioritized their safety that truly moved them.
"Thank you," they said in unison.
I issued their first order: to gather intelligence on the Martial Arts Alliance. Specifically, I instructed them to focus on information related to Sama Cheon for the time being, and to investigate the Secret Brothel's fate in connection to Jo Byeok.
"Remember, our opponent is the Martial Arts Alliance. Do not take unnecessary risks. I value small, safe intelligence over grand, recklessly obtained information."
"Yes, we understand."
I dismissed them. If they continued to demonstrate loyalty, they would become central figures in the newly formed intelligence organization.
Of course, the leadership position would remain reserved for Gal Saryang.
"Is something troubling you?" Gong Suchan asked, jolting Gwangdu out of his reverie.
The two were dining at an inn when Gwangdu suddenly stopped eating, his chopsticks frozen mid-air as he stared blankly into space.
"No," Gwangdu replied, resuming his meal. "Where did you say we were going after this?"
"I need to stop by the Manchun Merchant Guild briefly."
"Let's finish eating quickly and get going then."
Since starting the Merchant Guild project, Gong Suchan had been tirelessly on the move. He visited the Financial House, various merchant guilds in Wuhan, escort agencies, estates, and even information brokers. He was truly everywhere.
It was clear that establishing a Merchant Guild was no ordinary task.
"You're truly remarkable. How do you manage to handle so many complex tasks?" Gwangdu exclaimed in admiration.
Gong Suchan smiled faintly at Gwangdu's praise. "It becomes second nature once you get used to it. I think Martial Artist Gwang is the truly remarkable one."
"Please, don't call me Martial Artist Gwang. Just call me Younger Brother Gwang," Gwangdu insisted, still feeling awkward about being addressed as a martial artist.
"If you're going to say that, then why don't you call me 'Boss'?" Gong Suchan countered.
"That's... because I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," Gwangdu admitted.
Gwangdu understood why Gong Suchan was saying this. He, too, found the formal address awkward and burdensome.
Gong Suchan smiled and said,
"Being remarkable isn't about evaluating someone for handling tasks they've been doing habitually since childhood. True greatness, I believe, lies in fearlessly tackling something you've never done before."
Gong Suchan was astonished to learn belatedly that Gwangdu had originally been a servant. Even after discovering the truth, it was hard to believe—Gwangdu seemed every bit the martial artist, and a convincingly strong one at that.
At Gong Suchan's praise, Gwangdu shook his head slightly.
"I shouldn't accept the compliment. If not for you, Young Master, I'd still be sweeping the courtyard."
"You're both remarkable."
"This is surprisingly pleasant, isn't it? Sitting here, giving each other compliments face-to-face."
Gong Suchan chuckled at Gwangdu's self-deprecating joke. Usually, he only offered a faint smile, so this hearty laugh was nearly a roar.
At first, he had wondered how a mere servant could become a Martial Artist. Such a thing was rare.
But after traveling with Gwangdu from Qufu to Wuhan, he began to understand why Byeok Ridan cherished him so. Gwangdu possessed an undeniable charm.
"Steward Gong," Gwangdu said casually, glancing out the window, "I think I'm about to cause some trouble soon. What should I do?"
Taken aback by the sudden, seemingly random remark, Gong Suchan didn't ask for details. He replied immediately, "Go ahead."
Gwangdu's eyes widened as he stared at Gong Suchan.
"Really?"
"Don't you want to cause that trouble? When you do, you just do it. How can you cause trouble if you're worried about the consequences?"
This was something you could only say if you had complete faith in the other person.
"Have you always been this reckless?"
"No, I'm a very calculated person."
"Then why?"
"Because it's not my problem."
Good heavens, Gong Suchan thought, watching Gwangdu's bewildered expression. He smiled and added, "Besides, trouble you announce in advance isn't really trouble, is it? So go ahead and cause it."
Gwangdu stared at Gong Suchan for a moment before rising from his seat.
"Let's go to work."
"Yes."
As Gong Suchan followed him up, he could sense that Gwangdu had just made a decision.