Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Return
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Chapter 27: The Return
It was a resounding victory.
We had driven a wedge between the Southern Barbarian tribes and the Southern Heaven Palace bastards, giving us the upper hand in numbers.
Three days of surprise attacks had significantly worn down their forces.
And killing their commander, which sent their morale plummeting into the abyss, proved decisive.
However, our side was not without its own casualties.
“Sohyeon! *Sob*...”
“Don’t you fall asleep, you crazy bastard!”
“Open your eyes! Please, just open your eyes!”
“N-No!”
No matter how advantageous the battle, it was impossible for no one to get stabbed by a sword.
Seventeen deaths.
That was the toll our side had paid in this battle.
That was the number for now, but it would likely increase as time went on.
In a world without antibiotics, let alone the concept of blood transfusions, an injury was just that dangerous.
After a brief moment of silence, Wi Ji-pung, covered in blood, approached me.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m dead tired.”
He answered casually, but his eyes were filled with sorrow.
It was because two of the Black Dragon Hall's disciples had died, as he had been at the very front.
But we couldn't stay downcast forever.
I forced a smile, trying my best to ignore the grief radiating from him.
“Your sword’s gotten sharper.”
“I trained some under my grandmaster. It was hell, but it's why I'm still alive.”
As if sensing my intention, Wi Ji-pung managed a small smile as he spoke.
“Are you officially inheriting the Black Dragon Hall?”
“Looks that way. There's no one else to do it.”
True, it's been twenty years since he became the head disciple; there really was no other successor.
“I’m sorry.”
An unexpected apology.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m sorry for refusing to help with the mission last time.”
So that's what this was about.
He was apologizing for not being able to help with Cheong So-so's rescue mission.
“No need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one who’s sorry. I was being pushy without even knowing the Black Dragon Hall was providing support to the Mount Hua Sect.”
The Black Dragon Hall was already suffering from a severe manpower shortage, with few wanting to become Daoists.
“I appreciate you thinking that way.”
“Let’s get going. Everyone looks exhausted. We need some rest.”
“Let’s.”
A short while later.
As soon as we returned to the cave, the warriors of the Green Dragon Hall began moving busily.
Just as poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin, they were all versed in the healing arts as a basic skill, so they were acting as medics.
“Phew...”
As I watched them, leaning against a wall to rest, the senior officers came to see me.
Then, out of nowhere, they cupped their fists and bowed their heads.
“Squad Leader Jin, thanks to your courage and wisdom, we were able to save our lives.”
The one-eyed man from the Red Dragon Hall stepped forward as their representative to express their gratitude.
“I was just trying to save my own skin. There’s no need for such praise.”
“No. We were able to save the disciples of our respective halls thanks to you. How could this be mere praise? This is our heartfelt gratitude.”
Well, it didn't feel bad.
***
The fighting continued the next day.
But it wasn't a life-or-death battle like the day before.
We merely dealt with the enemy scouts who tried to infiltrate.
‘Strange.’
At first glance, it seemed fortunate, but when I considered the circumstances, it didn't make sense.
They should have been throwing all their forces at us, yet they were only sending a trickle of scouts.
‘Are they planning to ignore the enemy at their rear and face the Nine Dragons Fortress vanguard head-on?’
No matter how I looked at it, it didn't add up.
Even if they were confident in their numbers, their opponent was the Nine Dragons Fortress.
It would be a tough fight even at their best; they wouldn't leave a threat at their back.
After a moment of thought, I came to a conclusion.
‘A retreat.’
That was it.
For some reason, they had decided to withdraw.
'Why? Is it due to internal conflict? Or did the Grand Chancellor devise some secret plan?'
Mobilizing ten thousand men meant the Southern Heaven Palace was staking its future on this battle. It didn't make sense for them to back down so easily.
After pondering for a moment, I quickly made up my mind.
‘They’ll figure it out.’
Nothing would change no matter how much I worried about it.
And three days later.
My prediction was spot on.
Just one day before the vanguard reached Mount Hua, the Southern Heaven Palace began to retreat.
In a way, it was the right decision.
Strategically, they couldn't afford to pour their forces into fighting the defense force at their rear while also facing the vanguard.
It was better to bide their time for a future opportunity.
“The enemy is retreating!”
At the news brought by the scout, the senior officers shot to their feet.
“Is that really true?!”
“Yes! I saw it with my own two eyes!”
“Hoorah!”
The cave filled with cheers.
The damn war was finally over.
***
“You’ve done well.”
Bukgung Baek's words of praise.
“Thank you, truly. Thanks to you, my disciples’ lives were spared.”
“As soon as we return to the fortress, I’ll speak with my hall and see that you are rewarded. Think about what you might want.”
“Jin Mujeon, was it? Our White Dragon Hall owes you a great debt.”
The leaders of each hall offered their thanks and promised rewards.
And that wasn't all.
*Thump.*
“If you ever need the Green Dragon Hall’s help in the future, bring this with you.”
I was even given a golden token of gratitude that shone with a brilliant yellow light.
‘How much is this thing worth?’
All that hardship had paid off.
I wanted to grin from ear to ear, but as a rising star of the Nine Dragons Fortress, I had to maintain my composure. I cleared my throat and assumed a polite posture, cupping my fist.
“To be praised so highly by the esteemed seniors of the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, I don't know what to do with myself.”
Graduating from the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion was a prerequisite to becoming a core member of any hall.
In other words, everyone here was bound by school ties.
I was just casually mentioning those ties to burnish my image.
‘I don't have regional or blood ties, so I have to milk these school ties for all they're worth.’
Why?
Because in the martial world, a world of connections, you had to raise your favorability to get bigger quest rewards.
The reaction was immediate.
The general manager of the Red Dragon Hall showed interest.
“Oh, you’re from the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion?”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Haha, after the Blue Dragon Sword, we haven't seen any remarkable talent, but it seems one was hiding in the Outer Hall. Isn't that right?”
“Indeed. Squad Leader Jin Mujeon... I never dreamed Hall Master Bukgung was hiding such a talent.”
“I feel the same. I'd heard a rising master called the Fighting Dragon had appeared in the Outer Hall, and he truly lives up to the name.”
“A young man with a bright future. He’ll surpass us before long.”
“Surpass my seniors, who are the ones truly managing the Nine Dragons Fortress? That is an utterly preposterous notion.”
I made sure to throw in some flattery here and there.
“Ho! And humble too? I thought he was just skilled, but he’s a good man as well! Hahaha!”
And so, the last night on Mount Hua passed in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The next day.
After stationing a portion of the vanguard at the Mount Hua branch, the rest began the journey back to the fortress.
The defense force, having endured so much, was also ordered to return.
Perhaps because the enemy had fled before we even had to fight, the mood on the way back was cheerful.
The only problem was the incredibly long journey home.
‘It takes twenty days to get to the next town over. This world is needlessly massive.’
I couldn't afford to waste such precious time.
I sought out the masters from each hall with whom I’d become acquainted and listened to their stories.
“If you entrust your money to the Gold Dragon Hall, we provide an annual interest of twenty percent. What? You want to know how to get a higher rate? That’s simple. Just deposit a large sum. Let’s see... if you deposit around five hundred gold nyang, we offer an interest rate of thirty percent. But why do you ask all of a sudden? You want to make a deposit? Haha, a young man living so diligently.”
“A future development site... Hmm, our White Dragon Hall predicts it will be near Nine Dragons Lake. We’ve actually invested quite a bit there ourselves.”
“You want to get into the debt collection business? I wouldn't really recommend it. To an outsider, it might look like easy money, but that line of work can drive a man insane. You have delinquent debtors coming at you with knives. Another business? Let's see... Ah! How about this?”
At a glance, it might have seemed like useless chatter, but it wasn't.
These were all seasoned leaders of the Nine Dragons Fortress, so every word they spoke was a nugget of wisdom.
For example, the Gold Sword Captain of the Gold Dragon Hall introduced me to various financial products and promised me a special preferential interest rate.
The Vice Hall Master of the White Dragon Hall, renowned as a land baron, told me about areas likely to be developed.
And the general manager of the Red Dragon Hall, an old hand in the money-lending business, told me stories of various ventures.
“A way to make money? Who needs something like that? If you just go to a mine and swing a pickaxe, you can make as much money as you want...”
Of course, in the case of the Gray Dragon Hall, which boasted an invincible labor force, their advice wasn't particularly helpful.
‘Still, I’ve learned a lot.’
It was a great help in planning how to invest the reward money I received from my previous mission.
And the highlight of the day came from Wi Ji-pung.
“We have something in the works, too.”
“With what money?”
“Hey now, we may be short on funds, but that doesn't mean we're completely broke.”
“Come on, you can’t even buy the kids a piece of candy.”
“What was that? Are you looking down on the Black Dragon Hall?”
“You’re the one who needs a reality check, brother. Talking about business when you have no money. And even if you did have money, you need experience to run a business.”
“It’s not a business.”
“Then what is it?”
“Education.”
“Education...?”
“There’s an empty lot on the east side of the fortress.”
I remembered seeing it a few times when I was on patrol at the east gate.
“So what about it?”
“We’re planning to build a martial arts school there.”
“A martial arts school? Did the landowner give you permission?”
Wi Ji-pung looked around and spoke in a small voice.
“Don’t be surprised. Not long ago, the landowner donated that land to us.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think? Because our Black Dragon Hall is the holy land of Sichuan Daoism, of course.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Real estate prices in the Nine Dragons Fortress were skyrocketing by the day.
A plot of land right next to the fortress gate had to be worth at least twenty gold nyang.
In modern terms, that was a value of over two million dollars.
My stomach churned with jealousy at the thought of those clueless Daoists getting such a prime piece of land for free.
“Shh! Quiet. It’s not good for others to hear.”
Wi Ji-pung fussed, bringing a finger to his lips.
Many people would be inconvenienced if the Black Dragon Hall started making money.
They were underestimated not because they lacked power, but because they lacked funds.
But this plan was doomed from the start.
“You’d be better off opening a shop. A martial arts school on such good land is a bit...”
In modern terms, it was like opening a math tutoring center on the ground floor of a building in the middle of Times Square.
Hearing my question, Wi Ji-pung answered with an unconfident look on his face.
“We have no talent for business, so there’s no other way.”
“I suppose you have a point.”
“Ahem, but you see.”
Wi Ji-pung cleared his throat and began to speak. His face was flushed, like someone about to ask a difficult favor.
“We have the land, but we can’t exactly open a school in an empty lot, can we?”
“……”
“So, we need a bit of money to build the school…”
“My goodness! Look at the time. Brother Wi, let’s continue this conversation another time.”
At the unexpected mention of money, I hastily rose from my seat.
Then I immediately used the War King Step to get away.
However, it seemed Wi Ji-pung had come well-prepared.
*Thwip.*
Out of nowhere, warriors from the Black Dragon Hall appeared and blocked my path.
They, too, had beet-red faces, as if they were ashamed.
“Brothers, you too...?”
“It breaks my heart to see the young disciples eating nothing but weeds every day.”
“You wouldn’t understand the pain of splitting a single piece of candy among them.”
“And what about the senior uncles? They’re so frugal they can’t even afford a bottle of yellow wine, let alone white wine.”
I could have pushed my way through, but hearing their pleas, the faces of the young children of the Black Dragon Hall and the people who had looked after me when I was young flashed through my mind. I couldn't bring myself to take another step.
‘Ugh, for fuck’s sake.’
The bond forged through shared hunger was a terrifying thing.
That day.
I was more or less forced to invest 250 of my remaining 750 nyang reward money in the Black Dragon Hall.
‘My dream of living in the lap of luxury is slipping away again!’