Chapter 27

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 27

Chapter Title: The Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress Releases Poison into the Central Plains

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“Still so many pieces of trash around.”

Sweeping his sword through the air to flick off the blood coating the blade, Wijiryang withdrew his signature heart-image technique—Martial Return to Primal Chaos—and murmured impassively.

The bandits who had surrounded him just moments ago, brimming with arrogance as they hurled curses and taunts at him...

Were now reveling in the exhilarating experience of their bodies merging with grains of sand, silently cheering in ecstasy.

This was already the third ambush.

And the third total annihilation.

With the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult recently holding back on all external activities, the bandits who had been lying low, biding their time, must have decided to ramp up their operations.

Not that it mattered. They were just flies, after all.

Grabbing a water flask tied to one of the camels the bandits had ridden and taking a swig to wet his throat...

Wijiryang set off walking once more.

Whoooosh—

Suddenly, a vibration hummed from his waist.

Wijiryang pulled out his smartphone and stared at the screen.

Hmm. Dick, huh.

As if he even had one.

Wijiryang chuckled softly and casually ignored the messages.

Raising his head once more, the panoramic view of Jade Gate Pass came into sight far in the distance.

“The Central Plains are just ahead.”

Muttering to himself, Wijiryang slowly advanced.

He had hurried this far to quickly escape the endless desert.

But now that he was truly entering the Central Plains, he could afford to take it easy.

It had been nearly forty years since he'd last seen this scenery. It would carry a unique charm.

Not as enjoyable as back then, though.

Until Wijiryang reached Xi'an...

About 1,800 km ahead, by Western Regions standards.

Now hailed as the foremost righteous faction master, the Supreme Under Heaven, the greatest of past and present.

Even aspiring to become a transcendent first-rate expert who shines at night.

But right after possession, I hadn't even dreamed of learning martial arts.

I mean...

The moment I possessed this body, my entire body's meridians and blood vessels tore apart, followed by excruciating pain like having salt rubbed into the wounds.

To treat it, I gulped down every bitter herbal decoction imaginable.

Even after rising from my sickbed and hearing about the Hundred Flowers Academy, I hadn't fully grasped that I'd possessed the game Raising a Martial Artist.

So during the treatment and rehab process...

I tried embodying the cliché from Japanese manga: the 'super-genius isekai protagonist'.

But...

Trampled by the ignorance and prejudice of these primitive ancient savages.

They couldn't recognize my era-transcending genius.

How lamentable.

After that...

- As a man of the Geum family, you must achieve mastery in at least one field. I support you rising again from your setbacks.

My father's tactful advice, having assessed my mediocre talents...

And...

- Hmm... Geum Sihyeon. The sword suits you better than the brush. I recommend switching paths now.

The Life and Death Divine Doctor's golden words prompted me to dive headfirst into martial arts.

But...

Upper-class man trait.

No such thing as failure.

Keep smashing your head until success.

So, with the mindset of a British guy forging silver from opium, I unleashed poison on China centuries early.

In the distant future.

Successfully upholding the ancient continental tradition of 'union long must divide,' yet failing at 'reunion long must unite'—Zhang Daqin's regret.

In the distant future.

Even Mao Daqin, who eradicated the very concept of the 'good Chinese,' couldn't ban it.

I had poisoned the Central Plains with the ultimate toxin: Mahjong.

It wasn't hard.

I just poured massive investments to craft high-end mahjong tiles from jade, distributing them for free to replace low-quality gambling like bone tiles or leaf games.

Wrote a crystal-clear guide even a mutt could understand in one go.

And added a strip mahjong app to the default smartphone apps.

...Life really is all about money and connections.

Ten Thousand Gold for the win.

But...

“...I didn't expect it to be this successful.”

“Young Master Geum, what's wrong?”

“Ah, nothing. Let's go.”

At the club fair, the largest and most crowded booth in the hobby section...

Was the Mahjong Club—Kokushi Musou Society.

Turning the clock back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bit to this morning.

“Ugh...”

I woke up crushed by an ominous pressure of cosmic scale, like sleep paralysis.

“Kyau!”

Picking up the mutt who insisted on sleeping on my chest with her butt in my face despite the king-sized bed, and setting her down...

I savored a peaceful weekend morning.

Normally, I'd head to the library for tearful hard qigong training with Teacher Chicken Thighs.

But...

- I need to step out this weekend to manage some business. Don't slack on training.

Whether collecting protection money or whatever, her absence meant...

A true happy-go-lucky weekend!

No one to stop me!

And today had a special event too.

The first date invite from a girl in my life...!

Is spring coming to Geum Sihyeon's life!

Sihyeon Giants' championship still 20 years away!

Luri? Perfect for child-rearing practice.

And so time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠passed, leading to now...

A precious golden time strolling side by side, browsing clubs.

There are two types of clubs.

Martial arts clubs and hobby clubs.

You can join one of each.

Martial arts clubs focus on training—Swordsmanship Research Society, Fist Technique Society... boring stuff like that.

Hobby clubs are for pastimes and socializing, like that demonic Kokushi Musou Society.

Passing by a sculpture of the One-Week Bird formed by stacking mahjong tiles like pointillism...

Beyond that den of original-work destroyers, I calmly viewed the canonical clubs, soaking in the academy's atmosphere.

But...

Every single one was kinda...

“Heavenly Secrets Leak Club! Bringing new trends to the martial world! Preference for 1,000+ Martial Star followers!”

“Eww. They got group disciplinary action last year for ranking female instructors' looks...”

“Foodies, welcome to Flame Kitchen House! Recreate and taste regional specialties!”

“They tried complex dishes last year and the whole group was bedridden in the infirmary for a month...”

Every booth we passed, a sweet whisper beside me helpfully commented.

“...How do you know all this, Narang Lil Sis?”

I couldn't help asking.

“Hehe. Wanna see?”

Narang Lil Sis handed me her smartphone.

Yeah.

Hardly any normal ones...

The clubs I remembered were just: grab a member if time allows, raise affinity, stats go up at end.

That's it.

“The righteous factions... are seriously weird...”

Luri, who had slipped between my shoulders and poked her head out, murmured softly.

Says the Demon Cultist...

Sorry...

Is it the mod's fault?

Yeah, the mod.

Everything's the mod's fault.

We kept circling with Narang Lil Sis and Luri, but...

Not a single club that could stir a man's heart—or even a squirrel's.

My grand plan...

Joining a club to cuddle with Narang Lil Sis? First wish shipwrecked.

After a farewell laden with regret...

I headed straight to the main building's admin office.

Of course, being the weekend, no one was on duty.

But the admin kiosk stood firm, welcoming me.

Every time like this, it feels like I'm dreaming.

Am I the butterfly, or is the butterfly me...?

Anyway.

One goal.

Our dear Sword Department Teacher.

Here to verify the info from esteemed Kitten-chan.

Member names were anonymized, surnames redacted.

But 1st-year Moyong■■ is Moyong Wicheon.

1st-year Moyong■ is Moyong Taek.

Ju-cheok Moyong■ is Moyong Seol.

In the martial world, where surnames cluster, what's the point?

Thus.

I'll cherry-pick the high-performing 2nd and 3rd-years whose names I remember.

And join the hobby club with the most of them.

Martial arts club? Swordsmanship, obviously.

...No archery club anyway...

After reading the kiosk-spat documents, ranking and evaluating...

“The righteous factions are totally fucked...”

I couldn't hold back my lament at the martial world's horrific state.

Ranking of clubs most joined by righteous faction's promising young talents!

1st. Wind Moon Branch.

2nd. Mind-Image Sword Debate Society.

...3rd. Kokushi Musou Society.

Porn 1st? Fine.

VR 2nd, Mahjong 3rd?

This...

...is wuxia?