Chapter 62
Chapter 62
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Something Big is Coming
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Namgung Urin returned to the Moonlit Pavilion, a book from the village chief, Sa Jung-u, tucked under his arm.
But someone who shouldn't have been there was in the Moonlit Pavilion's annex. Zhuge Siyeon was sprawled on the training ground floor, spewing all sorts of curses, while the Five Swords of Namgung stared at her, mouths agape.
Baekri Jang-won held a wooden sword, and another lay on the ground next to the prone Zhuge Siyeon.
It was obvious.
Zhuge Siyeon must have charged at him, demanding a spar again.
Having grasped the situation, Namgung Urin walked toward the training grounds. The Five Swords of Namgung bowed respectfully as he approached.
Then, Baekri Jang-won suddenly dropped to one knee on the training ground floor, just as he had at the tournament a month ago.
He then sent a telepathic message to Namgung Urin.
[Greetings, Master of Primordial Chaos...]
"Enough. Cut the useless formalities. Why are you here?"
He couldn't have come here wanting to die. If he were that kind of man, he would have simply died that day.
And unlike that day, he felt no urge to kill Baekri Jang-won. No, it wasn't that the thought didn't cross his mind; rather, Namgung Urin's objective had changed.
"I have something urgent to discuss with you..."
Namgung Urin cut him off with a glare.
"Just act like you normally do. Drop the insincere honorifics."
"...Thank you."
At the sight of Namgung Urin and Baekri Jang-won, the previously prone Zhuge Siyeon shot up, and the Five Swords of Namgung watched the unfolding scene with eyes full of confusion.
Baekri Jang-won straightened his knee and rose to his feet.
"I'd like to talk."
"About what?"
"It's a bit difficult to discuss it here."
"Then follow me."
Namgung Urin headed for his room.
Before following, Baekri Jang-won spoke to Zhuge Siyeon.
"Don't forget our promise for drinks. A loss is a loss, my lady."
"Dammit."
Namgung Urin, who had been walking toward his room, stopped and turned his head.
"You're drinking with Siyeon?"
Baekri Jang-won asked with surprised eyes.
"Why? Is... is that not allowed?"
It wasn't that it wasn't allowed.
Not at all, but...
"No. It's your business, you can handle it yourself."
They say there's no cure for a mad dog's bite.
Whether Baekri Jang-won was bitten by a mad dog or a mad bitch, it was none of Namgung Urin's concern.
Namgung Urin turned back toward his room, and Baekri Jang-won followed.
"That damn bastard."
For a moment, Zhuge Siyeon had started to feel happy, thinking Namgung Urin was concerned about her, but she quickly stopped herself.
* * *
"Alright, now speak."
Baekri Jang-won swallowed. As he prepared to speak, his throat felt parched.
But hadn't he come all this way, spending a great deal of money, just to say this?
Steeling his resolve, Baekri Jang-won began to speak.
"I know what you're going to do."
"What? What is it you think you know?"
"You... you're planning to kill either me or my father."
"Of course. You'd do the same in my position."
Baekri Jang-won let out a long sigh.
Right. Putting himself in Namgung Urin's shoes, it was only natural. And now, he was certain.
"You intend to kill my father, not me."
After all, he wasn't trying to kill him right here and now.
"That's right. Surely you didn't come all this way just to confirm that. Don't tell me you came to beg for your father's life."
Though not immediately, Namgung Urin had vowed to kill the Baekri Family Head with his own hands. He figured it would be possible in about a year.
With his Shadows, Namgung Urin judged it was entirely possible.
Baekri Jang-won spoke in a subdued voice.
"Can't you spare my father? If you do, I will pledge my utmost loyalty to you. You must know what my loyalty signifies."
Baekri Jang-won pledging loyalty to Namgung Urin was essentially the same as the Baekri Family pledging loyalty to the Namgung Family in the future.
Of course, Namgung Urin was well aware of this.
"Do you think I care for your loyalty? You should know better."
"Still, I'd like you to reconsider. I know my father's wrongdoing was great. But... you know as well as I do. It wasn't just my father; every clan in the martial world wanted to surpass Namgung. My father was momentarily swayed by the Martial Alliance Leader's sweet words. He was blinded by greed for a moment. So please, I wish you would give him a chance to atone. I'm begging you."
Namgung Urin knew.
That was why he had thought the Namgung Family had suffered because they were weak.
"Atone? And if he atones? Does that erase what happened five years ago? No, it doesn't. Stop talking before I decide to kill you too, and just leave."
If he hadn't been to the Abyss of Primordial Chaos, if his emotions were still as they were before, he would have cut off Baekri Jang-won's head right then and there.
But...
But his myriad emotions gave rise to countless thoughts. The reason Baekri Jang-won was going this far also resonated deep in his heart.
A son's desperate plea to save his father.
And so, his resolve wavered.
Given the chance, Namgung Urin would have done the same.
*Thud.*
Both of Baekri Jang-won's knees hit the floor.
"Please... I beg you to reconsider."
*Damn it all.*
Namgung Urin gritted his teeth.
To steel his weakening heart.
It was then.
His father's words struck him like a bolt of lightning. *I go because I am Namgung. Even if it is a place of death, I must go because I am Namgung.*
'Damn this Namgung name!'
Right.
Damned or not, he was still a Namgung.
And a grand picture began to form in Namgung Urin's mind. A path for Namgung to move forward as Namgung should.
However, it was a grand picture of a path that another Namgung—one who resembled Namgung Urin himself—would have to walk.
The corners of Namgung Urin's mouth lifted.
'So this is why you can't ignore experience and wisdom.'
How much experience and wisdom of the martial world could Namgung Urin possibly have? But was he able to paint such a grand picture thanks to that short experience?
No, perhaps it was because of this bastard, Baekri Jang-won.
A smile playing on his lips, Namgung Urin spoke.
"Fine."
At Namgung Urin's word, Baekri Jang-won's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"But on one condition."
"Anything, as long as you spare my father."
"Your father must come to our Namgung Family in person and apologize for what happened that day."
"That's..."
This was a condition he hadn't considered. No, it was a condition he had prayed he wouldn't have to face.
And in addition to that.
"You have one year."
Right, asking for anything more would be truly shameless, Baekri Jang-won thought.
"Understood. And thank you. Sincerely."
"One more thing. If you change your mind, you and your father must be prepared to die."
"Of course. That won't happen."
"Good. Then follow me."
"...Where?"
There was nothing more to say.
"Didn't you pledge your loyalty? Is this what you call loyalty?"
"...Ah, understood."
And so, in the dead of night, an alarm was raised among Namgung Urin's party staying in the annex.
No.
It wasn't quite an alarm.
The Beggars' Sect Leader Jang Gae, Namgung Urin's uncle Namgung Yul, the Iron Blood Sect's Leader, along with Namgung Urin and Baekri Jang-won, all gathered in one room.
Jang Gae, Namgung Yul, and Han Seo-hui were shocked. To see Baekri Jang-won standing brazenly beside Namgung Urin.
A cold sweat ran down the spine of Namgung Family Head, Namgung Yul. It hadn't even been a full day since he woke up, and now what kind of trouble was this? With Baekri Jang-won standing there unharmed, this was no ordinary matter.
No.
A chilling premonition that something earth-shattering was about to come out of Namgung Urin's mouth sent a shiver down the spine of Namgung Family Head, Namgung Yul.
So he opened his mouth.
"No! I don't know what it is, but absolutely not! Sect Leader, let's leave this room. This is no ordinary matter. Quickly."
But the Beggars' Sect Leader, Jang Gae, avoided Namgung Yul's gaze with a cough, his expression saying, 'Why? This looks like it'll be fun.'
"Ahem. Hehehe."
"Sect Leader!"
"Ahem. Are there mosquitoes even in winter?"
Namgung Yul's face was crestfallen. He looked as if he'd been betrayed. It was an utterly baffling situation. After all, breaking his damn nephew's will on his own was no easy task.
*Shing.*
Just then, Namgung Urin drew his sword.
"..."
"..."
Everyone's eyes went wide as saucers.
Just when they thought he was better, he was pulling another crazy stunt!
The tip of Namgung Urin's sword touched Baekri Jang-won's neck.
"My uncle says no. It seems I have no choice but to kill you. And your father, too."
"..."
What in the world was this situation...
It was baffling how the atmosphere could change so suddenly and drastically, but they were all too stunned to speak.
However, Baekri Jang-won knew exactly whose hands this situation rested in. He sent a desperate look toward the Namgung Family Head, Namgung Yul.
*Please save me.* He didn't know why the Family Head was acting this way, but he pleaded with him to at least listen to this man.
Unfortunately, Namgung Yul's gaze was unwavering.
His eyes seemed to say, *Your death alone could bring peace to our Namgung Family. Weren't you destined to die by his hand anyway?*
Just then, Jang Gae stepped forward.
"Let's at least hear what it's about. I'm dying of curiosity."
Namgung Yul jumped.
"Sect Leader! If we hear it, it's over. Over! Don't you understand?!"
"No, but what can I do? I'm curious."
"No! Absolutely not!"
"You don't even know what it's about, do you?"
"Ignorance is the path to a long life."
Namgung Urin cut in.
"So that's what you were thinking, Uncle. I truly had no idea."
For a moment, Namgung Yul wondered if he had misspoken, but after a quick review, he knew he hadn't. Nevertheless, he was anxious about what his damn nephew would seize upon this time.
"...What do you mean by that...?"
"Grandfather and Father passed away. Ninety percent of the Namgung people died. And yet, here you are, hoping for a long life. It's truly lamentable, Uncle."
"...Th-that's..."
How could his words be twisted like that...
His damn nephew was now weaving sorcery with his tongue alone, driving him mad.
Jang Gae clicked his tongue as if it were a great pity.
"Tsk, tsk. And he's the Family Head. Worse than his own nephew."
The Iron Blood Sect Leader, Han Seo-hui, also gave him a look that said, 'You shouldn't be like that.'
A victorious smile was spreading across Baekri Jang-won's face.
"Huuu."
A deep sigh, as if the ground were collapsing, escaped Namgung Yul's lips. Then, the Namgung Family Head's head drooped.
Laughing as if it were all very amusing, Jang Gae said.
"Just sit down. Do you really think you can beat that kid by struggling?"
He knew.
He knew, but.
This time, it felt like something truly big was coming.
"Huuu."
Right, once that damn nephew of his set his mind to something, it was bound to happen eventually.
Right.
Thinking it wouldn't be so bad to know in advance and prepare, Namgung Yul sat down.
"Fine, let's hear it."