Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Hall Masters' Meeting
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#030 The Hall Masters' Meeting
After some back-and-forth negotiations, an MOU was signed, reducing the meal cost from two nyang to one.
Thanks to this, the First Squad's workload decreased significantly, leading to exceptionally peaceful days.
‘This is nice.’
I spread a mat in the open area of the First Squad Pavilion and lay down, gazing at the sky.
The truly amazing thing was that even while lazing around like this, my salary was paid on time.
And it was nine nyang, three times more than before!
‘Is this why executives play golf?’
I figured this must be why people of high social standing gather to play a round during work hours.
“Yaaawn...”
Just as I was about to drift off for a long nap, a voice called out to me.
“Already lying down just because you got promoted?”
It was Vice Hall Master Ga Rip.
I shot up.
“I pulled an all-nighter yesterday, so I was just closing my eyes for a moment...”
I hadn't, but the lie slipped out like a passive skill. It was a survival technique I'd learned in both Hell Joseon and this hellish martial world.
“I understand, so don't worry about it.”
Ga Rip smiled faintly as he looked down at me.
“So, how's the work treating you?”
“I have not forgotten the grace of your promotion, sir, and I am always doing my utmost!”
I may have been lying down for a moment, but since my promotion, I hadn't spared any effort.
Didn't I successfully negotiate with Yong Ma-san, shaving a whole nyang off the monthly food costs?
As if guessing my thoughts, Ga Rip nodded with a somewhat reluctant expression.
“...I, I see.”
“To what do I owe the honor of a visit from someone as lofty as the Vice Hall Master?”
“Ah, it's nothing much. I just came to let you know that a Hall Masters' meeting is being held.”
“Ah, so it's that time already.”
“It is a quarterly event, after all.”
I recalled the Hall Masters' meeting I'd attended with Bukgung Baek before.
Back then, I was unfairly made a scapegoat, but not anymore.
One of the duties of the First Squad Leader is to assist the Hall Master.
“Understood. I will prepare for it.”
“Well then, carry on.”
After Ga Rip left, I steeled my resolve.
‘As the First Squad Leader, this is my first official event. I can't afford any mistakes.’
For times like this, you need an expert.
“So-pyeong!”
I summoned the best document specialist I knew: Yu So-pyeong.
***
Three days later.
The morning of the Hall Masters' meeting arrived.
“Let's see...”
All the documents are checked.
My clothes are neat.
My face...
‘This should be good enough.’
Everything was perfectly prepared. I even ate the special meal Myo Hyang had made for me before heading out.
“Son of a bitch.”
Bukgung Baek was nowhere to be seen.
He wasn't in his office, nor could I find him at his residence.
This could lead to an unprecedented disaster where a Hall Master fails to attend the meeting.
My heart pounding with anxiety, I rushed all over the Outer Fortress.
‘And this is an era without cell phones...’
I honestly felt like installing a couple's tracking app on him.
As I ran around so much my feet felt like they were on fire, I ran into a familiar member of the Two Immortals Gang.
“Hey, you. Have you seen the Outer Hall Master?”
“I have not, sir.”
“Where the hell did that man go?!”
As I grumbled in frustration, the gang member cautiously approached me.
“Um... If it's not too much trouble, could this humble one offer some assistance?”
“Suddenly?”
“Our Gang Leader told us to help the First Squad Leader in any way we can if we see you. Plus, if we mobilize our boys, I think we can find him quickly.”
“Really? Then I'll take you up on that.”
“Then please wait here for a moment. We'll find him and let you know right away.”
The gang member said something to a colleague nearby.
And in less than five minutes, he returned.
“He's at the Yangcheon Inn in front of the West Gate. Apparently, he drank all night and is now sleeping it off.”
“...?”
Seeing my questioning gaze at the unexpectedly fast feedback, the man scratched his head sheepishly and said.
“Hehe, our Two Immortals Gang is close with the innkeepers. We also maintain good relations with the courtesans.”
“Thanks. I won't forget this favor.”
“Hehe, call on us anytime.”
I rushed to the Yangcheon Inn and found Bukgung Baek passed out on a table.
Normally, I would have taken my time to wake him gently, but with the Hall Masters' meeting just around the corner, I shook him awake immediately.
“Hall Master...!”
At that moment, Bukgung Baek's hand shot out like a lightning bolt.
*Crack!*
The hand tore through the air, homing in on my neck.
‘I can't dodge this!’
My entire focus was on this unexpected attack.
If I didn't block it properly, my neck could snap from this single blow.
“Hup!”
It was too powerful to be blocked with a single move.
I used both hands, alternating between them to execute the defensive forms of the Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes.
*Baaam!*
The first strike slowed its speed.
*Thwack.*
The second strike reduced its power.
*Thud.*
And with the third, I barely managed to catch his hand.
“Shit.”
I had almost been sent to the next world in one go, so a curse escaped my lips unconsciously.
“Not bad.”
Bukgung Baek said, his eyes half-open.
He probably did that on purpose just to mess with me.
‘This bastard?!’
I wanted to plant a soccer kick right in his face, but that was something I could only do in my imagination.
Fuming, I bowed my head.
“The meeting time is approaching.”
“Is it that time already?”
“Yes, please take this and let's go.”
“What's this?”
“It's a hangover remedy developed by the physician staying at my home. It works surprisingly well.”
“It smells musty. And it looks all dark and grimy.”
“It may look that way, but its effects are certain.”
“Thanks.”
Bukgung Baek tossed the as-yet-unnamed pill into his mouth and immediately stood up.
“But is it alright for you to go like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“No matter what, it's a meeting with the Fortress Lord. I thought it would be better to be properly dressed.”
“Why does that matter? I am who I am.”
What an ignorant bastard.
Ignoring me, Bukgung Baek began to walk with long strides.
Bukgung Baek really had a talent for making things difficult in all sorts of ways.
***
"""We greet the Fortress Lord."""
And so, the Hall Masters' meeting began.
Perhaps because of the war with the Southern Heaven Palace, the meeting hall quickly heated up.
“What was the Military Affairs Department doing while those Southern Heaven Palace bastards were surrounding Mount Diancang?!”
Several Hall Masters condemned the Military Affairs Department for failing to predict the Southern Heaven Palace's movements.
“What on earth was the Intelligence Pavilion doing to remain ignorant until things got this bad?! Could it be that the personnel recruited by the Red Dragon Hall are incompetent?”
They also shifted the blame to the Red Dragon Hall, the only one in the Nine Dragons Fortress that operated an intelligence organization.
“Hmph! And did the Gold Dragon Hall agree to the funding request from the main fortress?”
They immediately retorted.
‘The Hall Masters themselves aren't saying a word.’
One peculiar thing was that all these arguments came not from the Hall Masters' mouths, but from their aides who had accompanied them.
It wouldn't do for the Hall Masters to get into petty squabbles themselves, after all.
Thanks to this, the inside of the meeting hall quickly became boisterous.
It felt awkward to just stand by, so I thought about chiming in, but it was obvious no one would listen to me, someone from a minor affiliate, so I just kept my mouth shut and watched.
Still, as I listened, I found it rather interesting.
‘This is fun.’
I finally understood why parliamentary hearings, which you'd think no one watches, get at least some ratings.
After a long while of bickering, the once-noisy meeting hall fell silent.
They had exhausted all the prepared lines they had for attacking each other.
And then.
“Is everyone done talking?”
The Fortress Lord spoke.
Despite him exuding no particular aura, a chilly air swept through the meeting hall.
“Even dogs can bark at a fleeing enemy's back.”
A scathing criticism.
He was right.
They had repelled the Southern Heaven Palace's attack, but they hadn't been able to stop them from escaping.
Just pouring out criticism like this would change nothing. If they did nothing, the Southern Heaven Palace would surely target Mount Diancang again.
Only then could those bastards achieve their long-held desire to conquer Yunnan.
At that remark, the Hall Masters exchanged cold glances.
It was as if they had anticipated what would be said next.
And just as expected.
“I think it would be best to prepare. What are your thoughts?”
The Fortress Lord proposed a counterattack, and the Hall Masters answered in unison.
“Your words are wise.”
With that, the Fortress Lord left.
Coordinating the various halls to form an expeditionary force was a job for the Military Affairs Department.
***
On the way back to the Outer Hall.
The scenery of the main fortress, which I hadn't seen in a while, came into view.
‘It's still ridiculously huge every time I see it.’
As befitting a conglomerate formed from eight sects, the grounds of the Nine Dragons Fortress were vast.
With the Fortress Lord's Hall, like a holding company headquarters, at the center, each Hall was situated in one of the eight directions, covering a staggering expanse.
You could say it was slightly larger than the Forbidden City where the emperor lived. And the area of the outer fortress surrounding this main fortress was several times larger.
Anyway, as we were passing through the main fortress on our way back to the Outer Hall, Bukgung Baek asked.
“Isn't it funny?”
“Sir?”
“I'm talking about the Hall Masters. The Fortress Lord says one word, and they all shut their mouths and just nod.”
This crazy bastard!
Insulting the eight Hall Masters inside the main fortress? Is he out of his mind?!
“Um, Hall Master? Given where we are, perhaps you should be a little more careful...”
“Have you ever seen me care about such things?”
As if being crazy is something to be proud of.
Just then, a group of people approached from a distance.
Bright red uniforms. They were the warriors of the Red Dragon Hall.
“It's been a while, Hall Master Bukgung.”
“Indeed.”
The Red Dragon Hall Master, Jeok Sa-jung, a man with a familiar face, spoke to him, and Bukgung Baek answered listlessly.
It was a completely different attitude from how he treated the Great Pure Adept, who was of a similar age.
“Is there something you need?”
“My business isn't with you, Hall Master Bukgung.”
Jeok Sa-jung looked at me and continued.
“Could you spare me a moment?”
“...”
A Hall Master of the main fortress is essentially the head of a major sect.
A typical martial artist would probably say 'thank you' and follow along, but I had other thoughts.
‘I have a feeling I'm about to get dragged into something troublesome...’
I didn't want anything to affect my comfortable life.
So I glanced at Bukgung Baek, hoping he'd help me out.
However.
“What are you doing? Go with him.”
Bukgung Baek, completely oblivious, didn't stop them but instead pushed me forward.
“Ah, no.”
The Red Dragon Hall warriors ignored my opinion and surrounded me.
“Let's go.”
The view of the Red Dragon Hall, where I was dragged off to, was spectacular.
Dozens of pavilions, two to four stories high, filled the area, and the empty spaces were embroidered with red flowers.
Thinking of the Black Dragon Hall, which was just a few single-story pavilions on a wide-open lot, I finally understood why Lenin started the communist revolution.
“We haven't been properly introduced.”
As the servants brought tea, Jeok Sa-jung spoke with a friendly-looking smile.
I couldn't be fooled by that smile.
Although I wasn't certain, this old man was one of the top murderers in the Nine Dragons Fortress.
The Red Dragon Hall's predecessor, the Red King Gate, originated from a killing sect run by the now-defunct Underworld Sect.
Recalling this background, I greeted him with the utmost courtesy.
“I was in a rush earlier and couldn't greet you properly. I am Jin Mujeon, Squad Leader of the Outer Hall's First Squad.”
“There's no need for such formalities. Be comfortable.”
“How could I dare...”
“The late Hyeon Geomja and I were like brothers.”
“...!”
An unbelievable story.
How could a Taoist of great power and a killing demon be friends?
However, after hearing what he said next, I had no choice but to believe him.
“About a decade ago, he boasted of finding a treasure in Anhui. The next year, he was greatly disappointed when that treasure refused to become a Taoist.”
Because he was recounting my story exactly.
“I see.”
Jeok Sa-jung let out another hearty laugh.
“So, what is your relationship with Yong Ma-san—no, the Lord of the Underworld Sect?”
“Eh?”
He mentioned a name I never expected.