Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 223
Chapter Title: Unforeseen Variables
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Reversing Heaven's military advisor bowed his head low.
His forehead had to touch the ground. No, he needed to lower it even more.
The man before him was his lord, after all.
Besides, after a string of blunders, he couldn't even think of lifting his head...
To keep his neck intact, he held his breath as much as possible.
Please.
"Military Advisor."
"Give the order!"
The black-haired man donned the shirt he had taken off. He turned and stood before him.
Daring not to gaze upon that noble visage, the advisor pressed his forehead even deeper into the earth.
A voice came from above his head.
Like the sun itself, too brilliant to behold, whispering down.
"Lately, the jianghu has been rife with events I didn't foresee."
"Just give me some time, and I'll handle everything...!"
"Variables. I called them variables. The incident at the Fourth Battalion was ultimately the biggest unforeseen event. The clash between the Fourth Battalion and the Murim Alliance has temporarily halted..."
Reversing Heaven's lord murmured.
Each word carried the weight of a mountain.
"In this world, shouldn't anything beyond my foresight be impossible?"
"You're absolutely right!"
"Yet it happened anyway... which means the worms have leveled up."
"......."
The voice receded. The sound of him sitting reached the advisor's ears.
His body was clearly farther away, yet the voice resumed as if whispering right beside him.
"Martial arts accumulate, and people inevitably evolve. Eventually, they'll reach an era beyond control."
"......."
"The variables started cropping up recently, didn't they? I'd been pleased with how things were unfolding lately and waited... but now another plan has gone awry. It's completely different from the time when everything was under control. Inevitably, a sword capable of reaching me will be forged someday."
"I will stop them!"
"That's not your role. I have no intention of blaming you. You're competent as a messenger, the worm who conveys my words best."
Reversing Heaven's lord.
The Lord of Reversing Heaven murmured languidly.
"How go the preparations for the Counter-Offensive Force?"
"At a single command, they're ready to move at any time...!"
"It's time to bury this era once more. Time to burn the accumulated martial arts to ash and reduce all human achievements to rubble."
The Lord of Reversing Heaven issued his command.
"I will tolerate no more variables, no matter how small. It's time to purge the current jianghu. And before the campaign begins, send a letter to the Heavenly Demon of the Demon Cult."
"That means...?"
"I've shown enough mercy. Make it clear: will they join Reversing Heaven... or..."
The sound of fingers drumming on the armrest echoed.
And that was the end.
"Become the sacrificial lamb for the campaign."
...
"Junior Sister."
...Hold on.
Was I lost in thought?
Gu Hwa-rin, a disciple of Mount Hua, opened her eyes. As a fellow Mount Hua disciple, it was a title she naturally deserved.
But in truth, only one person ever called her that. No one else subtly regarded her as a true peer.
Yet the man before her was different.
His consistent use of the title reminded her of who she was.
Baek Hyun.
She turned to him.
"Senior Brother."
His once noble face had grown gaunt. What had resembled a young nobleman now brimmed with the aura of a battle-hardened warrior.
His eyes, tempered through endless real combat, lay still like a serene lake.
But within them lingered a trace of loneliness.
He sat beside her. Gazing quietly at the moonlight, he whispered softly.
"You'll catch a cold."
"...Pfft."
A cold, of all things.
Gu Hwa-rin laughed for the first time in ages. Baek Hyun chuckled too.
They sat in silence, gazing at the moon together, before beginning a quiet conversation.
"I heard the Pearl Language House was threatened to join the Old Murim Alliance."
"One more thing to do."
"Forcing fights on those who don't want them... whatever happened to the reason the Murim Alliance was formed?"
His sigh was deep. Gu Hwa-rin hugged her knees.
"The New Murim Alliance isn't much better. They preach justice from their mouths, but they pressure others to join just the same."
"...At least the silver lining is that the Fourth Battalion suddenly halted their advance. With only the Demon Cult left to face, fewer people will die."
"The Demon Cult..."
Gu Hwa-rin gazed quietly at the moon.
The place where that person was. But she didn't know its true nature.
Many trembled at the mere name of the Demon Cult. But if you pressed them on why...
Why they hated the Demon Cult.
No one knew exactly what they'd done.
"...The Demon Cult's advance isn't that swift either. They're coming here steadily and surely, but the pace is incredibly slow. The new Heavenly Demon must be an extremely cautious person."
"What matters is that we're losing ground bit by bit."
Baek Hyun uncorked the gourd at his waist and gulped down the cheap liquor inside.
Gu Hwa-rin stared at it blankly. In the past two years, Baek Hyun had taken to drinking, something he never did before.
Daoists shunned meat and alcohol as virtues, but...
The once strict adherent to precepts now couldn't sleep without it, starting two years ago.
"...Mind sharing a little?"
"Knew you would. Brought an extra."
"Thanks, Senior Brother."
"No need between us."
They clinked gourds lightly and drank. Baek Hyun murmured.
"Wish Gwang-yang and Na-rin were here too."
"...Yeah."
The conversation cut off abruptly. Gu Hwa-rin took another sip to chase the bitterness in her mouth.
But no matter how much she drank, she wouldn't get drunk. It was just the act of drinking.
She could force her energy down to induce intoxication, but...
Unlike Baek Hyun, she didn't want to rely on alcohol.
She had things to do.
"...What will become of the Nine Societies' future?"
"Mount Hua sent someone regarding that."
"Who?"
"The sect leader."
He pulled out a letter. Gu Hwa-rin unfolded it quietly.
The message was concise.
[Return. To Mount Hua. It's too dangerous there. The Old Murim Alliance is targeting the Nine Societies.]
"......"
The New Murim Alliance viewed them unfavorably but didn't directly threaten.
The Old one was different.
The old powers united under the Alliance Leader saw them as thorns in their side. They'd even sent assassins before to eliminate some members.
Of course, it was never proven they were behind it. But the circumstances pointed clearly to them.
"...If they're targeting the Nine Societies... are they planning to send assassins like before? Or use another faction to raid us..."
"Hard to say. But... they'll come at us one way or another."
Baek Hyun took a swig.
"I already told Na-rin and Gwang-yang first. If Mount Hua's sect leader warns personally, they're preparing something big. It'll be far more dangerous than before. Told them now's the time to go into hiding."
"What did Na-rin and Gwang-yang say?"
"......."
Baek Hyun smiled bitterly.
"Told me to cut the nonsense. Running now would shame our late master."
"...Figures."
"Still, Junior Sister, for courtesy's sake: what will you do?"
What will I do.
Gu Hwa-rin downed the rest in one go. She set the empty gourd aside and stood.
"I was planning to draw my sword anyway. I've long decided to smash the Old Murim Alliance."
"...This feels different. You could really die."
"Doesn't matter. Whether they frame us with some scheme or brand me a public enemy to the jianghu, making every warrior condemn me..."
Gu Hwa-rin placed her hand on her sword.
"The Murim Alliance Leader will die by my hand. Without fail."
"...Can't let you go alone on such a perilous path..."
Baek Hyun stood as well.
"As your senior brother, I'll have to see it through to the end."
"You can go back, Senior Brother. It's fine. Really."
"I don't want to."
Baek Hyun smiled bitterly.
"...Sending Master to the Heavenly Dragon Society was right. The more you dig into that man, the more corruption pours out. Regardless of Master's words, he's someone who can't be left alone. When everyone's turning a blind eye out of fear, someone has to speak up, right?"
Baek Hyun placed his hand on his sword.
"That's the justice he taught us."
...
Gu Ok-kyung's day began and ended with work.
Given her carefree demeanor, you'd think she skimped on duties, but she didn't.
"Ugh. Such a hassle."
She griped about it, yet handled every task meticulously. She tallied damages from riots and wars cleanly, steering the wayward Fourth Battalion back on course.
The war had paused briefly. No telling what came next, but securing the internals was the right call.
The clash between the orthodox sects and Fourth Battalion had entered a temporary lull.
"Lots of looting in Honam's granary regions... Probably because it was Heavenly Dragon Society territory."
"Ok-kyung."
"Got it. Jeez. I hate messing with civilians too. But we'll take some taxes. If not, the underlings throw fits. Anyway, keep it around Heavenly Dragon Society levels..."
Once the truth of the fake and real switching overnight became public, the warriors who'd hunted her with a dragnet came groveling en masse.
"Kill me!"
"Sure. Die."
"Y-yes?"
"You punk. No guts, yet begging for death? Wanna die for real?"
"S-sorry!"
Her infamy was such that even without a word from her, the terrified fools lined up outside the city walls with apology gifts.
Gu Ok-kyung accepted them all. No rejections.
"They did hunt me, after all. What, you gonna complain about that too?"
"Of course not."
"Want this? This too?"
"I'm good."
"Not giving. Lending. They'll circle back to me eventually, right? Yeah? So take it all. This too. Return one a month. I'll lend about ten thousand pieces."
"Ok-kyung..."
"Time to bathe in gold and jewels. Feels gritty? Don't recommend it. Not refreshing."
Gu Ok-kyung wasn't the only busy one. The Greatest Sword of the Evil Factions, Black Great Cloud, whom I hadn't seen in a while, came to me.
"Here to keep my promise."
"...No way."
"Indeed."
He smoothly introduced someone.
"The Fourth Battalion's top craftsman, you could say. Took some effort to bring him. Tell him what you want. Pure skill-wise... on par with Ghost Valley Night Forge. A master whose fame matches it. Called the Adamantite Blacksmith."