Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Translator: Penny
Chapter 92
Between Favor and Falsehood (2)
The next day, rumors of the Nameless Great Hero once again swept through the Martial Arts World. Just as the initial flames of gossip had begun to die down, they were suddenly reignited, burning even brighter as if doused with oil.
If The Butcher had been a symbol of power, the Lecherous Buddha was a villain who preyed on ordinary people. He was a vile fiend who had raped countless vulnerable women.
Everyone praised the Nameless Great Hero, but deep down, some still suspected that his heroic deeds might serve some hidden political agenda.
However, with the elimination of the Lecherous Buddha, those doubts vanished completely.
People rejoiced and became fervent about the birth of a new hero.
Even at the inn where I was having dinner, everyone was buzzing about me—or rather, about the other me, the Nameless Great Hero.
"If only I could catch a glimpse of the Great Hero's face, I'd have no regrets in life."
"Since the Cheon Alliance Leader passed away, there hasn't been a true hero in the Martial Arts World. But now, one has finally emerged."
"Exactly! Heroes are born in times of chaos, and things have been too peaceful lately."
"Since the Great Hero's righteous deeds took place in Henan Province, he might still be somewhere around here."
As he spoke, one of the men glanced around.
His gaze landed on me. Our eyes met briefly, and he immediately turned back to his companions.
He probably thought it was too easy to encounter the Nameless Great Hero so quickly, but the person he so desperately wanted to see was right in front of him.
I was astonished by how rapidly the rumors had spread. Creating a rumor usually requires considerable effort, time, and manpower.
Yet this wildfire of rumors was sweeping through the Martial Arts World, consuming it in an instant.
When I was the Alliance Leader, I only saw the Martial Arts World through Gal Saryang's reports. Now that I was experiencing it firsthand, it was nothing like I had imagined—far more vibrant and alive.
Another thing I realized was how desperately Martial Artists craved the birth of a hero. I was grateful they remembered me as the last hero, but it was bitter to think that the peace I had brought had prevented the emergence of new heroes.
Someone sat down across from me without asking permission.
"How does it feel to be a hero?"
To my surprise, it was Ma Lingyin. He had left his guards outside and entered the inn alone.
"I'm still dazed. What's so special about killing one measly thug? Do they even know I claimed the full bounty from the Martial Arts Alliance?"
"Knowing that won't change anything. They'll just assume you'll use the money for good."
"How absurd."
"A hero must seize the right moment. Killing the same man at a different time would have earned you no recognition."
"That makes sense."
"Anyway, we should celebrate with a drink. Since you don't drink alone, I'll keep you company."
He summoned a waiter and ordered wine.
"I'm grateful for the hero status and the money, but why are you showing me such kindness?"
"It's a gift."
"A gift?"
"To celebrate our new friendship. Why the suspicious look?"
"Can I be honest?"
"Go ahead."
"This whole situation feels like a trap. It's strange that someone as powerful as you would go out of their way to help me."
"You have no faith in people, do you?"
"In all my years, no one who told me to trust them has ever proven truly trustworthy."
"Trust me just this once."
He offered his glass, but I didn't clink it against his. I drank alone.
Ma Lingyin emerged from the inn and boarded the waiting carriage.
Chu Dochi was already inside. As soon as Ma Lingyin settled in, he said, "Let's make one more move for that man. Do we have a suitable opportunity?"
"There is one, but..."
"Make it the biggest one possible. And if you can, make sure he gets a generous sum of money too."
"Yes, sir."
Chu Dochi answered obediently, but he couldn't suppress his rising doubts.
"Forgive me, but I must ask: why are you going to such lengths for that man?"
"Does it bother you that much?"
"Yes, so much that I can't sleep at night."
"You'll find out soon enough. Get some rest. Now, let's depart."
I stood at the window of my second-floor inn room, watching the carriage below.
As the carriage began to move, Ma Lingyin leaned out the window. He smiled warmly and waved at me by the window.
I gave a slight nod and deliberately drew the curtain closed. If Chu Dochi had seen this, he would have fumed, "That arrogant bastard!"
Yet there was a reason for my actions.
The more I distanced myself, the less suspicion I would arouse.
Chu Dochi came to find me early the next morning.
I happened to be eating breakfast on the first floor of the inn at the time.
"If you haven't eaten yet, join me."
"I'm fine."
"They say a hearty breakfast is the key to a long life."
"Do you want to live long?"
"Of course. Otherwise, why would I be tied to you people?"
"Another mission has come down."
"What?"
My chopsticks, which had been moving busily between dishes, froze for the first time.
"I haven't even spent the bounty I got for capturing that Lecherous Fiend yet."
"You can spend it all at once later. The reward for this mission is substantial too."
I glared at him, but Chu Dochi simply shrugged, as if to say, "What are you going to do about it?"
"Fine, I understand making someone you hate do your dirty work, but why are you helping me make money? It's not like you're taking in orphans to make them beg. Are you planning to kill me and take everything in the end?"
"Do you think we'd go to all this trouble for a few coins?"
"Then why are you doing this?!"
Chu Dochi clearly didn't know the answer either. He must have been frustrated that he couldn't tell me.
"Here, take this."
He handed me a piece of paper listing the names and locations of villains, along with details of their crimes.
This confirmed my understanding of the organization's true nature.
Selfish bastards!
They had all this information on these villains, yet they refused to capture them. This meant they only acted when it directly benefited their organization.
You're the real villains here, not the ones listed on this paper.
The man I captured this time was Jongbaek, a former assassin who had established his base in Henan Province and continued his assassination work there.
Assassins were a dime a dozen in the Martial Arts World, but what set Jongbaek apart was his ruthlessness. For money, he would kill anyone—not just those untrained in martial arts, but even children.
It wasn't until after our fierce battle, as he lay dying, that he finally realized something about me.
"...Who are you, exactly?" Jongbaek gasped, his remaining life force ebbing away.
"In the Martial Arts World, they often call me The Nameless Great Hero," I replied.
"...How did you find my hiding place?"
When I arrived at his residence, he sensed my approach and hid behind a secret wall inside the house.
How did I know he was behind the wall?
During my time as Alliance Leader, assassins were the enemies I encountered most frequently. Especially during the war against the Heretics and Deviants, there were periods when assassins came every other day.
Sometimes, they even came morning and evening. I could honestly write a whole report on assassins if asked.
"...You... were you an assassin?"
Those were his last words before he died.
He must have sensed it throughout our fight, using the unique instincts of an assassin. He realized I saw through him—through his true nature as an assassin.
This time, the Seopyeong branch of the Henan Province Martial Arts Alliance was thrown into chaos.
The legendary Nameless Great Hero had brought in the corpse of Jongbaek, a terrifying assassin with a bounty of nine thousand taels on his head.
This incident once again spread the Nameless Great Hero's legend throughout the Martial Arts World.
Justice for the wicked!
The Nameless Great Hero became a symbol of hope for ordinary people and the dream of children aspiring to master martial arts.
Even without Ma Lingyin's influence, I had intended to make the Nameless One a hero of the Martial Arts World. Now, thanks to him, I was achieving my goal with remarkable ease.
However, I still didn't understand Ma Lingyin's true motives. In terms of Go strategy, I was currently conceding the first move and needed to reclaim the initiative.
Several more days passed.
In the meantime, I had killed two Watchers who had been assigned to me. Some days they were present, others they were absent altogether. Ma Lingyin and Chu Dochi showed no reaction to my killing the Watchers.
We were all growing accustomed to each other.
Though the journey that had begun with the Cipher's guidance was growing longer, I wasn't worried about those waiting for me.
Gwangdu might be concerned about my absence, but fundamentally, they were all intelligent individuals. They would be handling their tasks independently.
Over the past few days, the place I had been targeting for information was the Zhengzhou Martial Arts School.
The Zhengzhou Martial Arts School was the enemy's main base in Henan Province. While they might have several branches or safe houses scattered throughout the province, I was certain this was their central headquarters.
First, the Zhengzhou Martial Arts School was quite large, housing at least two hundred officials. While some were regular staff, a significant portion were likely subordinates.
More importantly, since the estate with the Underground Secret Chamber was located in Zhengzhou, establishing a major base here would have been necessary to support that operation.
In any case, the Zhengzhou Martial Arts School was far less heavily guarded than the estate.
Chu Dochi primarily resided there. On days when no Watcher was present, I would infiltrate the school to monitor him. I had discovered a hidden space where I could eavesdrop on his conversations in his office.
On the day Ma Lingyin visited the West Spear Gate and East Sword Association, he had also stopped by here for about fifteen minutes.
This meant he might return. By listening to their private conversations, I might uncover some clues.
After several days of monitoring Chu Dochi, Ma Lingyin finally visited the Zhengzhou Martial Arts School.
After some preliminary conversation, my name came up.
"What's Nameless been up to?"
"Just his usual routine. Visiting brothels, drinking, wandering around."
"Find a way to make him even more famous."
"Young Master, please tell me now. Why are you showing this man such favor?"
"Are you that curious?"
"Yes, I must know."
"Then you're asking the wrong question. I'm not showing him favor."
Ma Lingyin then revealed a truth he had kept hidden until now.
"Do you know what's happening in Zhengzhou next month?"
"Next month? Isn't the Golden Grand Banquet being held?"
"Exactly."
The Golden Grand Banquet was the Central Plains Merchant Alliance's annual grand gathering, a festival for all merchants, from wealthy magnates leading massive Merchant Guilds to small-scale traders. It was truly a celebration for every merchant in the Central Plains.
The ten-day event drew not only merchants but also the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, key figures from the Martial Arts Alliance, and renowned masters from across the Martial Arts World.
"Boss will be there too, won't he?"
Chu Dochi immediately understood that the "Boss" Ma Lingyin referred to was none other than Ma Cheolgun.
Chu Dochi blinked in surprise, then gasped in shock.
"No... no way?"
He nearly clamped his hand over his mouth to stifle his astonishment.
Yet, despite Chu Dochi's shock, Ma Lingyin spoke with unsettling calm.
"I'm sending Nameless to assassinate Boss."
Chu Dochi swallowed hard, stunned by Ma Lingyin's words. Ma Lingyin continued his explanation:
"Nameless is now hailed as a Great Hero in the Martial Arts World. What would happen if such a figure were to kill our Boss?"
Chu Dochi finally understood Ma Lingyin's true intentions.
In the succession struggle, Ma Lingyin's greatest rival was undoubtedly Ma Cheolgun. He was immensely popular within the Heavenly Blade Gate, and most Martial Artists in the world predicted he would become the successor.
But what if Ma Cheolgun were to die?
The most formidable candidate for succession would then be Ma Lingyin himself.
While the other candidates were generally considered evenly matched based on public perception, Ma Lingyin was a completely different person from the image he projected.
Of course, it couldn't be said that none of the other successors had hidden depths, but in Chu Dochi's eyes, none could rival Ma Lingyin's true nature.
"Nameless is not only incredibly skilled but his internal energy has also increased dramatically. What do you think? Isn't it worth a try?"
"But can he really kill Ma Cheolgun?"
Ma Cheolgun's martial arts prowess was unmatched among the successors. Moreover, he was surrounded by formidable experts.
"Even if the assassination fails, it doesn't matter."
"Huh?"
"The important thing is the fact that the Nameless Great Hero attempted to kill him. People will start to wonder: Why would such a righteous knight-errant try to kill our Boss? Could he have been doing something sinister behind the scenes?"
"Ah!"
Only then did Chu Dochi grasp Ma Lingyin's true intentions.
"But what if he's captured and confesses?"
"He'll die on the day of the assassination attempt."
"Huh?"
"We have that, don't we?"
The mention of that sent a chill down Chu Dochi's spine.
Ma Lingyin had likely conceived this entire plan the day he received my report about bringing the Nameless Great Hero to him. Chu Dochi was deeply impressed by the scheme.
Ma Lingyin smiled triumphantly and said, "Then let us nurture our hero to become even greater and stronger."
I had been eavesdropping on their entire conversation.
So that's the reason? I speculated inwardly. They intend to use me as a sacrificial lamb for some kind of trial, just like that man who bled to death from his Seven Orifices that day.
But this reason? It was truly beyond my wildest imagination.
What exactly did Ma Lingyin mean by "that"? Could it be connected to the Underground Secret Chambers of the Estate?
Having regained the upper hand, a triumphant smile spread across my lips. Ignorance is the problem; once you know, you can prepare.
Very well, I gladly accept your favor.