Chapter 109
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: The Final Signature
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I Rip glared at Hong Jeok-mun, who spoke in a teasing, slightly annoying tone.
Just then, Dan Ak-seon and Bang So-bang, who had been talking at a distance, looked back toward them.
Dan Ak-seon's eyes widened.
He then quickly approached and bowed his head.
"Hello, Sect Leader."
"Haha. Yes, it's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Yes, thanks to you."
Dan Ak-seon turned his head, looking back and forth between Bang So-bang and I Rip.
"You know So-bang?"
"He is my disciple."
Hong Jeok-mun looked at I Rip in surprise.
Bang So-bang did the same.
Blinking as he processed the situation, Bang So-bang soon threw his hands up in a silent cheer. However, Dan Ak-seon, unaware of the full story, simply smiled and nodded.
"Ah! So that's how it was!"
Dan Ak-seon looked up at I Rip and asked.
"I heard you were looking for me?"
"I have something to ask you."
Then, as if remembering something, I Rip suddenly glanced around.
"What's wrong?"
At Dan Ak-seon's question, I Rip lowered his voice to a whisper.
"She's not here, is she?"
"Who?"
"Her."
Just the thought of Han Seol-hwa made I Rip feel inexplicably intimidated.
In that moment, a telepathic message reached I Rip.
*Don't do anything foolish.*
I Rip flinched and began to scan his surroundings.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
"You're acting a bit strange today. Should I check your pulse?"
I Rip sighed and shook his head.
"No. There's no need. Let's move somewhere else."
The place they moved to was an open lot at the edge of the village where Dan Ak-seon often played with his friends. After confirming no one was around, I Rip got straight to the point.
"Why are you ignoring us?"
"What? Me?"
"If not, there's no reason to collect signatures for the petition from everyone but our sect, is there?"
"Ah!"
Finally understanding the reason, Dan Ak-seon smiled faintly.
"I was planning to ask you last, Sect Leader."
"Why? Why last? Is it because of that? Because we're the 'one sect' in the 'Nine Great Sects, One Sect'?"
"Pardon?"
"Just because it's called the 'Nine Great Sects, One Sect' doesn't mean we're at the bottom. If you think about it, it should be the 'One Sect, Nine Great Sects'. You may not know this, but our sect has the longest history of them all. Before we were called the Beggar's Sect, we were known as the 'Dirty Clothes Sect', and even back then..."
Hong Jeok-mun sighed and interjected.
"You just said 'Nine Great Sects, One Sect' yourself, Sect Leader."
"Huh? Did I?"
"You did."
As Hong Jeok-mun looked for confirmation, Bang So-bang also nodded.
"You did."
"Ahem. Anyway!"
Embarrassed in front of his new disciple, I Rip unfairly directed his frustration at Dan Ak-seon.
"Why are we last?"
"That's because..."
Dan Ak-seon added with a bright smile.
"Because you're the Beggar's Sect. It was because of the symbolism you hold."
"Huh?"
"Just as you said, Sect Leader, you're the oldest sect in the Central Plains. Moreover, throughout all those long years, you've never once wavered in upholding justice and faith."
At Dan Ak-seon's unexpected answer, I Rip laughed awkwardly.
"Ahem. We are a bit like that."
"I wanted the Beggar's Sect to complete the petition."
I Rip blinked silently for a moment before speaking.
"So... you wanted us to put the final touch on this grand plan?"
I Rip was now grinning from ear to ear.
"You intended for our sect to play the role of adding the eyes to the dragon?"
When Dan Ak-seon nodded, I Rip burst into a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! That's right! Of course, it should be so. That's the proper order of things. Yes, indeed."
Then he whipped his head around to glare at Hong Jeok-mun.
"See! I told you he wouldn't ignore us!"
Hong Jeok-mun stared at I Rip with a look of disbelief.
Even though he was his sect leader and friend, at times like this, he just wanted to close his eyes and give him a good thrashing.
"Your disciple is watching. Please maintain some dignity. For a sect leader to be so swayed by joy and sorrow over such a small thing..."
I Rip glared at Hong Jeok-mun for a moment before turning back to Dan Ak-seon.
And he exclaimed cheerfully.
"Leave it to us! Our sect will take responsibility for announcing the petition."
"Really?"
"Of course! We have a wider information network and more contacts than anyone. A task like that is a piece of cake."
Dan Ak-seon's face lit up.
"Wow! That's a relief. I was actually wondering how to announce it to the martial world."
"Heh heh. Who are we? We're the Beggar's Sect of justice, aren't we? When it's the right thing to do, of course we'll roll up our sleeves and help."
Just then.
*That's enough.*
I Rip flinched at Han Seol-hwa's sudden telepathic message. He then gave Dan Ak-seon an awkward smile.
"Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, you can go. We'll see you again."
Dan Ak-seon smiled and bowed his head.
"Thank you again."
Dan Ak-seon waved to Bang So-bang.
"See you tomorrow."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
Bang So-bang looked at Dan Ak-seon with new eyes.
He knew the boy was unusual, but he was a much bigger deal than he had expected.
Watching Dan Ak-seon walk away, Hong Jeok-mun suddenly spoke.
"It seems he obtained the masters' signatures more easily than expected."
"In today's martial world, who would take the Divine Physician's name lightly? It shows how much virtue he has accumulated."
Once Dan Ak-seon was out of sight, the smile vanished from I Rip's face.
"But I'm worried."
I Rip let out a low sigh.
It was because of the urgent news that the Martial Alliance had made a move.
And Namgung Baek himself was heading here, to Hubei.
"I think he's caught on."
Hong Jeok-mun, too, could easily guess the reason.
"Doesn't the boy know anything?"
I Rip shook his head.
"No. He probably knows. He's a smart kid. The problem is..."
I Rip trailed off, his expression grave as he stared in the direction Dan Ak-seon had disappeared.
"...that despite everything, it seems the boy will side with them."
"If something happens, what do you plan to do?"
"That's what I'm worried about."
After organizing his thoughts for a moment, I Rip looked at Hong Jeok-mun with a bitter smile.
"You might have to go through some trouble."
Hong Jeok-mun sighed.
"So that's your conclusion?"
"We have to protect that boy, at the very least."
In fact, that was the real reason they had come here.
The Beggar's Sect, too, had been watching Dan Ak-seon for a long time.
Dan Ak-seon's movements.
Through the constant stream of large and small incidents that followed his every move, they had faintly sensed the presence of Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi.
Then, Beom Gye-wi appeared at Shaolin, and decisively, the sect leader of the Qingcheng Sect was killed by Cho Ak-ryang.
Through this, the Beggar's Sect became certain that besides Han Seol-hwa, Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi were also with Dan Ak-seon.
The reason for creating the petition must also be because of those two.
"But Sect Leader, are you sure about this?"
"......?"
"If they really are Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi, the arrows of blame could easily be aimed at our Beggar's Sect. Especially from that girl of the Jegal family, who is hell-bent on finding flaws in the Nine Great Sects, One Sect."
I Rip nodded.
"I hear she's been particularly confrontational with the Martial Alliance Leader recently. What on earth is she thinking...?"
"Public criticism aside, we can't ignore the backlash from within. How many of our members have died at the hands of the Ten Great Villains?"
"Do you think I don't know that?"
I Rip continued, his eyes serious.
"But the martial world's strength cannot be weakened any further."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It means that when there is internal turmoil, it's harder to notice external movements."
I Rip asked Hong Jeok-mun in return.
"Have you ever thought it strange?"
"......?"
"The movements of the outlying regions, including those beyond the borders, have been too quiet for some time now."
"If those bastards are being quiet, isn't that a good thing?"
"No. It's too quiet. That's what makes it more suspicious."
I Rip's eyes glinted sharply.
"Moreover, there's information that since the Martial Alliance declared its crusade against the Hundred Great Villains, someone has been secretly gathering the unorthodox faction members who are being hunted."
"Don't tell me...?"
Hong Jeok-mun's gaze wavered.
"I can't be certain yet, but it's true that the current situation feels somewhat contrived."
"Is that why you're helping the boy?"
I Rip nodded.
"Once the petition is completed and announced, Muwei will become a safe place for the unorthodox faction. If those being hunted by the Martial Alliance take refuge there, this situation, stained with unnecessary slaughter, will be resolved to some extent."
"As a side benefit, it would also be easier to keep an eye on them."
"It would be much easier than when they're scattered all over."
Nodding, I Rip let out a deep sigh.
"In any case, protecting that boy is the priority for now."
"There will be considerable internal conflict."
Hong Jeok-mun explained his thoughts to the puzzled I Rip.
"The Qingcheng Sect will rise up immediately, won't they? With two of their sect leaders dying in succession, they won't welcome your decision."
This was exactly what worried Hong Jeok-mun.
The relationship between the Martial Alliance and the Nine Great Sects, One Sect was already strained, and this decision could shake the unity of the sects themselves.
But I Rip was firm.
"The Qingcheng Sect won't have the luxury for that."
"Why is that?"
"If they want to keep their spot, even at the bottom of the Nine Great Sects, they'll have to watch what the other sects are doing. I heard the Hengshan Sect, which is trying to get back into the Nine Great Sects, has already been contacting the other sects."
After some thought, Hong Jeok-mun conceded the point.
I Rip spoke to him again.
"The situation is a tangled mess. With no way to break through, that boy has, in a way, opened a path for us."
Hong Jeok-mun answered with a silent nod.
Though he sometimes made things difficult with his unpredictable behavior, the man before him possessed insight and an upright heart superior to anyone else.
Hong Jeok-mun was proud that such a man was the leader of the Beggar's Sect.
"That amazing guy is my friend."
At the sudden remark, I Rip and Hong Jeok-mun couldn't hide their bewilderment.
They could see why Bang So-bang was called the "Little Beggar."
He had been so quiet, hiding his presence, that they had forgotten he was there.
I Rip burst into a hearty laugh.
"That will probably be the best thing you ever do in your life."
* * *
"What?"
Ga Du-dal's eyes widened. His expression was one of disbelief at what he had just heard.
Beom Gye-wi frowned and said.
"Leave. While we're letting you go nicely."
"So suddenly?"
Like a bolt from the blue, Ga Du-dal hurriedly spoke.
"But there are still two duels left, aren't there? Besides..."
Cho Ak-ryang cut Ga Du-dal off.
"The bastards from the Martial Alliance are coming."
Ga Du-dal was startled.
He knew that Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi had been having some serious discussions lately, but he never imagined it was related to the Martial Alliance.
No matter how much he coveted Dan Ak-seon, survival came first.
Cautiously watching their expressions, Ga Du-dal slowly backed away. Then, at a certain point, he turned and fled without a second glance.
"What are you going to do now?"
"What else can I do? Now that things have come to this, is there any other way?"
A flash of lightning-like light flickered in Cho Ak-ryang's eyes.
"I brought this upon myself, so I must bear it."