Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Meeting
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"Hm?"
Staring quietly at that shining bald head for just a moment.
Soon enough, the giant monk seemed to sense their presence and turned his head toward them. A faint smile crept onto his lips as he began walking their way.
Baek Hyun managed an awkward smile of his own, pondering how best to greet him in that instant.
-Tap
A grubby-looking young boy brushed lightly past his shoulder.
And in the very next moment.
-Crunch!
He grabbed the nape of the boy who had passed him.
Then, he casually retrieved his money pouch from the boy's hand, tucked it back into his sleeve, and spoke calmly.
"Kiddo. I'm fine with it. But you can't go pickpocketing martial artists like that. You'll get in real trouble."
"S-sorry..."
"Hey, no need to apologize. Like I said, I'm good."
He patted the boy's back a few times before nonchalantly resuming his stride toward his destination.
His powerful, ground-shaking steps formed a stark contrast to Wudang Beetle's leisurely, gentle gait.
"Ah, Lady Seol-ha. Right on time. Who's the young hero beside you? New face..."
Could you be the Sun?
With those words, he lowered his head to peer down at Baek Hyun's face, studying it intently.
His tone was casually neighborly at first glance, but that face of his made even the slightest gesture feel utterly intimidating.
"Without a Single Shortcoming... right?"
A single cautious word, uttered under the strange pressure emanating from his massive stature and muscles.
He grinned and continued.
"Yeah, that's me. Damn, you're handsome as hell, huh? Nice to meet you. Choi Kang-seok here. In-game name's 'Mujin,' and as you can see, I'm with the Shaolin Temple."
"Mm, figured as much."
Baek Hyun nodded a few times, steadying his nerves.
He'd been momentarily thrown by the overwhelming presence, but even without full introductions, it sank in that the man before him was a familiar gaming buddy.
Unlike the other players with their crude, primal chat, this guy's speech felt refined, like it'd been filtered once in his head.
Seemed like this bro's attitude didn't differ much between game and reality.
So no need to feel overly formal, then.
"Nice to meet you. Name's Baek Hyun, martial artist. Pre-possession name was Lee Hyun—same Hyun, actually. You look older than me at a glance, so... bro? Or uncle?"
"Not an uncle yet. Subtract the time here, and I'm only 34."
"Whoa, first I've heard that 34 isn't uncle territory."
"Get over here."
"Gyaah! W-wait!!"
His speech was the same, but Baek Hyun had forgotten one key fact: in reality, physical force was an option.
"I've barely put a hand on your head, punk."
"Ah, if I really gripped it'd make you bolt, so I'm prepping the reaction to keep you from getting mad."
"...You're exactly the same as in the game, huh?"
"You too, bro."
"People are staring! Cut the skit and hurry up already!!"
And so, Hubei's final possessor joined the party.
"This is Okhwa Pavilion. Hubei's top high-end inn-cum-tavern."
The place Sam-soon led them to, Okhwa Pavilion, exuded the refined luxury of an upscale oriental hotel.
From the extraordinary interior to the mouthwatering food and the clearly elite clientele...
It was enough to send the plebeian DNA from a lifetime of scrimping into overdrive.
"We're talking here? Feels awkward... too many people."
"Of course not here. You think I'd converse in the same space as those mediocrities?"
Zhuge Seol-ha instantly demoted the hundreds of high-society figures around them to "mediocrities" and handed a token to a maidservant who had approached to attend her.
Suddenly, maids surrounded the group, smoothly guiding them somewhere.
Yet they didn't so much as tread on the group's shadows, bowing politely all the while.
"We're heading to the absolute top floor. Barely any people, perfect soundproofing—ideal for confidential chats."
"Oho, VIP treatment? Rich girl perks, huh?"
"Not VIP. This inn's mine, so I keep the top floor off-limits to other guests."
"...Talk about worlds apart."
No wonder the interior felt subtly modern and chic.
This massive inn was apparently her stronghold.
Or more accurately, one of them.
"Phew, good thing. A monk taking over an inn would've looked bad, but this way, no weird rumors."
"But bro, you're not planning to chow down on meat or booze just 'cause no one's watching, right? If you're worried about breaking precepts, I can handle your shares too..."
"Never touch booze. Meat for protein sometimes, on the sly, but seasoned stuff? Nah."
"...Lame."
"What'd you say, punk?"
How long had it been since they started following the maids?
After climbing countless stairs and floors, the bustling presences faded away, replaced by a few martial artists lurking in shadowy corners, auras concealed.
They met eyes without flinching or fleeing—likely guards stationed here.
Even they thinned out nearing the top, until all presences vanished completely.
-Creak
At last, they reached the sole secret chamber on the top floor.
A spacious private room decked out in the most luxurious, comfortable decor imaginable.
It screamed Sam-soon's personal taste.
"Yo, Cloud bro."
"Sun wrapper, welcome."
Cheon-un, who had arrived first, waved lazily with his feet propped on the massive central desk.
Mujin, having already exchanged greetings with Cheon-un, took a seat nearby and questioned him.
"You've been here before, huh? Makes sense—you started in Hubei too."
"Nah? First time for me."
"...Then why so comfy?"
"Ahem. Kinda awkward solo in such a big space."
Cheon-un hadn't expected company so soon. He sheepishly lowered his legs from the desk, wrapping up his minor rebellion.
Zhuge Seol-ha, on the verge of yanking the rod from her waist and swinging, swallowed her rising irritation and let go.
"Whew, after all the twists... we're finally all together.
A few possessors aren't here, but with four of us assembled, it's time to tackle the crucial matters we couldn't before."
At Zhuge Seol-ha's words, the possessors' expressions turned deadly serious.
Basic introductions were done, awkwardness thawed with some banter.
Now for the main event.
"A full discussion on the Parlun Society..."
"Let's all do a PvP round! Follow me to the nearby arena!!"
“““…………”””
The mood chilled in an instant.
"Arena now!? Obviously time to strategize on Parlun!!"
"What, scared? Five years training these bodies, no confidence? Still haven't shaken off the game rust?"
Encouraging words to steel the hesitant.
Mujin and Cheon-un, versed in Daoist and Buddhist mind-calming arts, merely grimaced slightly.
But Zhuge Seol-ha, merely of a righteous famed clan, couldn't endure Baek Hyun's "encouragement" and erupted.
"Don't make me laugh! I'm the one who's been dying for PvP with you most!! Know how hard I've worked because of you!?"
"Oh? Confession?"
"Spot on."
"Sam-soon, quit teasing. Guys, lay off. Kid's gonna cry. Hyun, ease up."
"That too."
"Don't call me Sam-soon!! It's my grandma's name!!"
Her heated reaction only fueled the three guys' newfound amusement, prompting them to team up and tease harder.
"Ashamed of your beloved grandma's name? Gimme her!! I want seol money from a grandma too!!"
"Spot on."
"Sam-soon sounds kinda cute anyway, no?"
"That too."
"I picked it to hide being a girl!! I'm not Kim Sam-soon!!"
Only when their "warm encouragement" brought tears to Sam-soon's eyes did it finally end.
"Ahem, kidding. Obviously Parlun countermeasures first. Where to start?"
"Hmph! Knew you'd say that... prepared the meeting materials."
She dabbed her face with a handkerchief while somehow procuring a chalkboard utterly familiar to any 21st-century soul.
Made to her exact specs, it bore a bold title at the top: 'Parlun Society Activities and Countermeasures.'
Beneath sprawled her meticulously gathered intel and analyses on the Parlun Society.
"...She really put in the work, huh?"
"Sweet, we just ride the bus."
"Our leader's rock-solid!"
The three men, prior rudeness vanished, offered shameless applause. Zhuge Seol-ha cleared her throat lightly and began.
"Ahem. Parlun Society Activities and Countermeasures presentation, commencing."
-Swish!
She drew the long rod from her waist, pointing at board sections as the proper presentation kicked off.
"Some might've missed it, so basics first.
The Parlun Society is this world's shadowy cabal we must topple. Their goal: rebellion to enthrone the 'Crown Prince' as emperor and found a new dynasty.
Any obstructing martial forces? Subjugated or outright exterminated."
In typical wuxia, most shadow groups aim for murim unification at best—a mere stepping stone for them.
Absurd even on repeat, yet plausibly feasible. That was the nonsensical part.
"Their hierarchy: under the leader 'Crown Prince' come the top 'Heir Apparent' executives. Below them, one 'Grand Army'-level cadre per stronghold.
From gathered intel, even the lowest Grand Army boasts Pinnacle Realm martial prowess, equivalent means, or forces. Formidable foes in themselves, but..."
The real issue: zilch on Heir Apparent level.
"Post-faction founding, nonstop intel ops, yet zero on Heir Apparents.
Baek Hyun, your tip on 'commands a formation-using scholar subordinate'... pretty much our sole lead. Crown Prince above? Nada.
I speculate a Beggar Clan or Haomen leader's a Heir Apparent cadre... but hardly insightful."
Even Baek Hyun, who swapped intel with her regularly, couldn't hide slight disappointment—let alone the others.
Truth was, the rest contributed zilch to intel gathering.
His own shares were meager too, so no grounds to grill her solo effort.
Still, the sheer scantiness of Parlun intel felt stifling.
Well, even Sam-soon couldn't pierce the world's top two intel nets with a fledgling faction...
"That said, we've ID'd over half the Grand Army cadres."
"...Huh?"
A dumbfounded noise escaped Baek Hyun.
Undeterred, Zhuge Seol-ha simply distributed bundles of papers detailing countless identities.
Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of info, Baek Hyun lost his words briefly before yelling in shock.
"H-how!? Surely Beggar Clan and Haomen stonewalled hard..!!"
"Attacked every suspect. These are the survivors."
“““…………”””
The mood chilled once more.