Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: Upheaval in Nine Dragons (9)
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“Teacher… no, Master.”
“What is it?”
“You should become the Lord of the Fortress.”
At my casual suggestion, my master looked at me as if to say, *What is this brat plotting now?*
“Wouldn’t it be great? Since you’re already part of the Nine Dragons Fortress, you might as well serve as its Lord before you retire.”
A salaried president, or in professional terms, a professional manager. In American terms, a CEO.
It was a position anyone in a company would aspire to, but my master wasn’t just ‘anyone.’
“Nonsense.”
“No, why not?”
“It’s a waste of time.”
He just kept drinking, as if annoyed by the very idea.
“Even if it’s a waste of time, you have to do it.”
“…Why is that?”
“For the War King Clan to grow.”
“Explain in detail.”
“Before that, you said that if the Green Dragon Hall Master becomes the Lord, the War King Clan cannot grow.”
“That’s right.”
“Why is that?”
“…”
“Could it be that you’re hoping for the Nine Dragons Fortress to disappear, with the War King Clan taking its place?”
“…Correct.”
A plan to devour the fractured Nine Dragons Fortress.
It was cold and despicable, but I couldn’t condemn him.
I knew how important the reconstruction of the Bukgung Clan was to him.
“I knew it.”
“You expected this?”
“A little.”
“As clever as I am. You truly are my disciple.”
“…”
“I didn’t think of it from the beginning. I thought that no matter how much Baek Jung-cheon rampaged, he would never get the position of Lord.”
“…But?”
“I can’t tell you the details, but a certain event convinced me that he would win. So, I decided to remain a bystander.”
“Because that would tear the Nine Dragons Fortress apart?”
“Correct. I thought it would be an opportunity for the War King Clan. With my father here, things would be even smoother.”
My master downed his drink in one gulp and asked.
“Alright, if I become the Lord as you say, can we rebuild the clan faster than this?”
“Of course not. How could we beat such a destructive plan?”
“Then?”
“Instead, we can protect the lives of the common people. Imagine if the eight halls of the Nine Dragons Fortress were to split. That day, Sichuan would become a living hell. Even if the War King Clan stepped in, there’s no telling how many years it would take to clean up the mess.”
I refilled his empty cup and continued.
“What does it matter if we’re a little slow? What’s wrong with taking our time? What’s important is building a solid, tall tower. We’re still young, aren’t we? And I have no intention of letting this opportunity slip by either.”
“…”
“I’m going to devour the White Dragon Hall and put an end to this old, bitter feud.”
And while I was at it, I’d reclaim the Bukgung family’s legacy.
A faint smirk.
Master Bukgung let out his characteristic sneer and drained his cup.
“Fine. I’ll do as you say. I’ll become the Lord. But don’t I need the Green Dragon Hall Master’s consent for that?”
“I already settled it with him yesterday. All that’s left is your decision.”
That was the conversation we had the day before the Nine Dragons Assembly.
* * *
And today.
As promised, the Green Dragon Hall Master nominated my master for the position of Lord in front of everyone.
“…”
Silence fell over the Nine Dragons Assembly.
Not only the warriors of the fortress but also the Hall Masters of each hall stood with their mouths agape.
Receiving their collective gaze, the Green Dragon Hall Master spoke in a powerful voice.
“The Outer Hall Master is a man whose affection for the Nine Dragons Fortress runs so deep that he fought at the very forefront of the war against the Ten Demon Alliance. His martial arts are sublime, enough to be counted among the ten greatest masters in the world. I believe there is no one more suitable to be the Lord.”
He might not be a perfect 100 as a Lord, but my master was at least a 70.
With the absolute master, the Green Dragon Hall Master, coolly giving up his claim and declaring his support, my master’s score shot up to a 99.
Then came the endorsement from the Red Dragon Hall Master.
“The Green Dragon Hall Master is absolutely right! We of the Red Dragon Hall will support the Outer Hall Master.”
And the Black Dragon Hall Master’s endorsement followed.
“The Black Dragon Hall also believes there is no one else we can entrust the future of the Nine Dragons Fortress to but the Outer Hall Master.”
I immediately sent a telepathic message to express my gratitude.
[Thank you, Hall Master.]
[Just treat Hwa-ran well, you rascal. I heard you stood her up recently?]
[Pay it no mind. The Green Dragon Hall Master nominated the Outer Hall Master in his stead, so it is only natural to follow him.]
This was all thanks to my diligent social life.
After all, when one lives to the best of their ability, it always comes back in some form, doesn't it?
‘This is as good as won.’
As the situation changed drastically, the White Dragon and Silver Dragon Hall Masters shouted.
“The White Dragon Hall supports the Blue Dragon Hall Master.”
“The Silver Dragon Hall does as well!”
They had essentially called for a shareholder meeting to change the atmosphere.
However, even this was within the board I had set.
Supporting my master were the Green, Red, and Black Dragon Halls.
Supporting the Blue Dragon Hall Master were the White, Silver, and Blue Dragon Halls.
With the votes tied, only the Gray and Gold Dragon Halls remained.
Well, as for the Gray Dragon Hall…
“The Gray Dragon Hall will not offer an opinion. Just let anyone do it, what is all this nonsense…”
I hadn’t expected anything from them anyway, as their brains were filled with nothing but muscle.
They would have remained neutral regardless of who was nominated or who bribed them with how much.
That left only the Gold Dragon Hall.
Although I hadn’t been able to meet with the Gold Dragon Hall Master beforehand to work things out due to the confidential nature of the plan, I was confident.
Not only had I personally saved his life, but the War King Clan and the Gold Dragon Hall were also business partners.
You could say we were allies.
‘A 4-3 victory for us.’
Oh, and for the record, the Outer Hall, lacking a stake, had no voting rights.
In any case, I was certain of victory.
“Hehehe.”
A nearly perfect endgame.
A laugh escaped my lips.
I had completely thwarted Baek Jung-cheon’s scheme.
Now, all I had to do was find evidence that he had joined hands with the Lion Alliance and bring about the downfall of the White Dragon Hall.
No, I didn’t even need evidence.
In the martial world, evidence was something only the powerless cared about.
I just had to insist he was the culprit.
‘After all, dead men tell no tales.’
All that was left was to seize the White Dragon Hall’s assets and businesses and absorb them into the War King Clan.
And my master, the new Lord, would help with that.
“Let’s see now…”
I turned to look at the face of the loser, Baek Jung-cheon.
And then.
“Huh? What’s this?”
I felt that something was wrong.
Baek Jung-cheon wore a serene smile, showing no signs of panic at all.
Just as a sense of unease washed over me…
“…The Gold Dragon Hall supports the Blue Dragon Hall Master.”
Overturning my expectations, the Gold Dragon Hall Master betrayed us.
[Hall Master!]
I immediately sent him a telepathic message, but he kept his eyes closed and showed no reaction.
“It seems our side has won…”
Baek Jung-cheon sneered, wearing the arrogant expression of a victor.
I couldn’t just stand by. If the Nine Dragons Fortress fell into his hands, the War King Clan would not be safe.
“I object!”
“So it’s the Lord of the War King Clan. I don’t know how you got in here, but this is an important assembly to elect the Lord. It’s no place for an outsider.”
“I came as a disciple of the Outer Hall Master. And as someone who fought hard enough to earn the highest honors in the recent war, don’t you think I’m entitled to say a word?”
Baek Jung-cheon glared at me. Beside him, the Heavenly Sword Baek Sang-ji and the Silver Dragon Hall Master focused their gazes on me.
“Then speak.”
“As I understand it, the great Heavenly Sword Baek Sang-ji retired thirty years ago. For such a person to take the position of Grand Chancellor and assist the Lord, does that not go against the code of retirement?”
“I wondered what argument you would make, but it’s just the same old cliché.”
Baek Jung-cheon infused his voice with internal energy and continued.
“What is the code of the martial world?!”
At his shout, everyone in the Nine Dragons Fortress held their breath and focused.
“It is the consideration the strong show to the weak. The master gives the novice a chance, and the one who has learned martial arts does not wield his sword against the common people. Is this not so?!”
“…”
“How can you speak of the code of the martial world when a hermit of the reclusive forests has returned to the world to protect the common people living in these chaotic times?!”
‘A classic red herring…’
My question was about the unspoken rule of retirement, but Baek Jung-cheon countered with the martial world’s duty to protect the weak.
His answer was completely irrelevant.
The problem was that the uneducated warriors of the Nine Dragons Fortress were nodding in agreement.
It seemed to be a habit of the righteous martial world—they’d nod at the mere mention of the common people, like some kind of fan club.
‘This is driving me crazy…’
I once again pressed the issue.
“Is there any proof that the great Baek Sang-ji has come out to protect the common people?”
“The proof lies in the chivalrous deeds the Heavenly Sword performed in his youth.”
At that, applause erupted from all around.
*Yeah! That’s right! Lord of the War King Clan, step down!*
*Grind.*
I clenched my teeth at the chorus of condemnation erupting from all sides.
‘Just look at the context, you idiots.’
I asked for proof, and he was just insisting that the man had performed chivalrous deeds in his youth.
Yet the warriors were cheering, making me sigh in frustration.
‘These martial artists are all the same…’
Their heads were clearly filled with nothing but swords.
I was certain that if you let a few of Korea’s con artists loose in the martial world, they could fleece the Central Plains of all its money.
In any case, at this rate, it was obvious the Blue Dragon Hall Master would become the new Lord.
I tried to overclock the CPU in my head to find a way out, but…
‘It’s checkmate.’
Nothing came to mind.
Baek Jung-cheon, aware of this, smiled in triumph.
“It seems there are no further objections… Wouldn’t it be right to conclude this? Green Dragon Hall Master.”
“…”
He subtly pressured the Green Dragon Hall Master.
However, what kind of man was my master, Bukgung Baek?
Wasn’t he a man to whom common sense did not apply?
“No matter how I think about it, I see no reason to take orders from someone weaker than me. If the Blue Dragon Hall Master becomes the Lord, I will leave the Nine Dragons Fortress that very day.”
“Hmph, by all means…”
“And I will simultaneously crush every single business of the White Dragon Hall. I won’t leave a single one.”
*Gasp.*
He had gone beyond a mere quarrel and declared war.
And he did it in front of two thousand warriors of the Nine Dragons Fortress.
Though he must have been furious, Baek Jung-cheon, thinking the victory was his, responded calmly.
“As I said before, that matter…”
“Are you saying it’s fine because the Heavenly Sword over there will assist the new Lord?”
“…That is correct.”
“And that’s the problem.”
“…?”
“How strong can an old man on the verge of death be? He’d be lucky not to break his back swinging a sword.”
At this point, I had to admit it.
The best trash-talker in the martial world wasn’t me, but my master.
There was no way the Heavenly Sword would stay quiet after hearing that.
“The sheer arrogance! Even your father showed me respect!”
“Looks like you’ve gone senile in your old age. My father isn’t the type to show respect to just anyone.”
“If I do not kill you today, I will cut off my own arm!”
“A father and son, both one-armed… How cool.”
*Whoosh!*
The two men unleashed their auras at each other.
Meanwhile, I watched the chaos unfold and thought.
‘Since it’s come to this…’
This might actually be for the best.
The die was cast, and if I did nothing, we were doomed. It might be better to just kill Baek Sang-ji right now.
The lesser of two evils was always better than the worst, wasn’t it?
*Crackle. Sizzle.*
I prepared the Hell Force to feed to Baek Sang-ji.
Just as my master and Baek Sang-ji were about to clash…
“Stop!”
Three old men flew in from somewhere.
One of them was a familiar face.
“Grand-uncle?”
It was the Great Pure Adept of the Black Dragon Hall.