Chapter 50
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Laying the Bait
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The Green Forest was closer to the government forces than any other group in the Central Plains. The more a group or faction was involved with the common folk, the exponentially higher the chances of encountering the government forces tasked with maintaining public stability.
In that sense, the Green Forest was more likely than anyone to face government troops.
There was a saying that circulated among the bandits of the Green Forest, one that the Yangsan bandit knew well.
"Better to catch a lucky break falling off a cliff than to be captured by government soldiers."
As he recalled this grim saying, the Yangsan bandit, one of those who had already half-given up on life, wore a sour expression.
"...Why such luxury?"
The lavish food and wine laid out before him, and the man who had untied his ropes and was now smiling benevolently, left the Yangsan bandit bewildered.
"All the bandits we captured said the same thing. That you're the highest-ranking one after the chieftains."
At those words, the Yangsan bandit's face twisted. The bastards had sold him out. A bunch of rats with no sense of loyalty.
The man, indifferent to the bandit's contorted expression, spoke in a low voice.
"That's why I'm telling you this. I'm going to give you a chance."
A kind face and a merciful tone.
The Yangsan bandit stared at the man as if mesmerized.
"Ten gold taels."
The sudden mention of gold made the Yangsan bandit tilt his head in confusion.
"Does that not ring a bell?"
"...It doesn't."
"I'll ask again. Even if my words are brief, your answer should be long and detailed."
As he spoke, the man placed his hand on the hilt of a sword resting next to his chair.
Gulp.
He swallowed hard. A bandit needed good instincts. That's how you survived long in this line of work.
Instinctively, the Yangsan bandit realized the man before him was no ordinary person.
"...N-no, nothing."
"Are you sure? This is your last chance."
The once kind face grew increasingly menacing. The merciful tone turned colder.
"Try to recall even the smallest detail. If you tell me anything true, the food before you is yours. And if it's a decent answer, the wine will keep flowing."
The food and wine shimmering before his eyes, coupled with the man's sweet words, sent the Yangsan bandit deep into thought.
"There must have been times you moved on a regular schedule. If not you, then the chieftains themselves. But this has been going on for over five years. You couldn't possibly be unaware. No matter how meticulous they were."
No human is without flaws. An operation that had been running for over five years couldn't remain a perfect secret among hundreds of watchful bandits.
Shing.
"There's that saying, isn't there? Better to find luck falling off a cliff. But let me be clear, if you can't remember... No, if you have nothing useful to say..."
The tip of the sword glinted sharply.
"I can guarantee you'll find no such luck. I swear it on my name."
Gulp.
Swallowing dryly, the Yangsan bandit realized this man was not one to make idle threats, not even as a joke.
Then, the man's next words made the blood drain from his entire body.
"Oh, and for your information, I am the Asura Corps Commander, Hwang Cheonho."
The front line established at the foot of Mount Sandong was never Namgung's to begin with. It was a joint effort, with the Hwangbo Familythe masters of Shandong Provincetaking the lead, joined by the Namgung, Moyong, and Paeng families.
The problem was, at the time the front line was formed, no one from the Hwangbo Family could surpass the reputation of one man.
The Iron-Blood Sword Saint, An Baek.
Martial renown, public recognition, level of martial arts.
Lacking in none of these, An Baek's presence meant that no matter who the Hwangbo Family put forward, they couldn't eclipse his fame.
And An Baek explained that there were political reasons for this as well.
"...Even with the Namgung Family backing me, it was more convenient to put me forward. The Hwangbo Family was already trying to take charge of overall command, supplies, personnelall the administrative aspects. The other families must have felt threatened."
A front line signifies the creation of a new faction. And when a faction is established, it becomes a source of power.
When one's power grows, rival factions become uneasy. In other words, the Moyong, Paeng, and even the Namgung families did not want the Hwangbo Family's influence to expand any further.
"...Pointless. Nothing but petty thoughts."
I considered all of it unnecessary. A group gathered to ensure the stability of the common people, yet they were busy calculating their own interests. They all seemed like hypocrites to me.
Seeing my reaction, my uncle shook his head.
"Don't think that way. If you become the Family Head, a time will surely come when you won't be able to persuade the family members without weighing such gains and losses."
At his words, I looked my uncle straight in the eye.
Namgung Han, Namgung Seok, and even the Asura Corps Commander Hwang Cheonho were here listening.
And yet he spoke of me becoming the Family Head so casually. Honestly.
I shot my uncle a look of disapproval, but...
"What's the big deal? I've been your guardian for six years now. If I can't even say this much..."
Tch. I couldn't argue with that.
"Anyway."
My uncle returned to the main topic.
"After being granted command, I took charge of the overall operations, leading the Namgung and Paeng families to manage the front line. Communication with the Moyong and Hwangbo families was also smooth, but problems arose once the full-scale war with the Green Forest began."
My uncle continued, then let out a sigh.
"Those bastards knew the weakness of this front linethe friction between the families. They relentlessly targeted members of the Moyong and Hwangbo families. After suffering losses, those two families began to doubt my command and strategy, not the Green Forest."
The Red Tiger, White Tiger, and Green Tiger Fortresses.
There was a reason my uncle shuddered at the mention of the three chieftains.
They were insidious, unlike typical bandits, and skilled in petty tricks, which they used to throw the front line into chaos. That was the first problem. The second was...
"...And not long after, a situation arose that required Great Warrior An to return to his main family."
Namgung Han picked up the story.
It was literally one disaster after another.
To make matters worse, when An Baek, who was leading the charge, had to return to Anhui Province due to the death of his sister, Lady An, the front line completely fell apart.
The Moyong and Hwangbo families, who already harbored doubts about my uncle, withdrew their forces.
"From the Paeng Family, Great Warrior Paeng Gak of the Tiger Blade took over command out of loyalty to Great Warrior An, but even that didn't last long. The Paeng Family leadership concluded there was no longer any reason to commit resources to maintaining the front line."
The reason the Namgung Family alone remained after all the others had left was...
"...With nowhere else to go, what choice did we have? We held our ground and requested permission from the main family to establish a Namgung branch in Shandong."
Namgung Han and Namgung Seok, having decided it was better to form the Shandong branch with collateral family members who had already been hurt by Namgung Mubaek, established their base in Shandong.
I narrowed my eyes.
"The Hwangbo Family permitted you to establish a branch here? I don't understand."
Who would allow a rival faction to set up shop in their own front yard?
At the Hwangbo Family's incomprehensible move, my uncle, Namgung Han, and Namgung Seok all fell silent.
Then, the one who broke the silence was the Asura Corps Commander, Hwang Cheonho, my sworn brother.
"...Using barbarians to fight barbarians."
It was Hwang Cheonho who provided the answer.
"By giving up a mere piece of land, they put you in their debt, get their dirty work done without lifting a finger, and deal with a nuisance all at once."
Tapping the table a few times, Hwang Cheonho's eyes curved into a smile. He found it interesting.
"It seems there's someone in the Hwangbo Family who knows how to play tricks. Brother Ban."
"Yes, Brother."
"Tomorrow."
"...We'll need to prepare the trap."
"Fortunately, one of the bandits remembered the place where they trade the gold."
"You've worked hard."
"It's not certain. It seems the chieftains handled it themselves. But he must have learned about it naturally after serving them for so long. They were more thorough than I thought."
"...I'll tail them."
"That's what I was going to ask. Who else could do it but you?"
With that, Hwang Cheonho issued an order.
The Red Tiger, White Tiger, and Green Tiger Fortresses.
The twenty-five strongholds that had dominated Mount Sandong were gone, but very few knew this fact. The Shandong branch and the Asura Corps were tasked with concealing it thoroughly, ordered to watch the surroundings so that not even a single passing traveler would take notice.
"I hear there's a group in the Central Plains called the Beggars' Sect. We must be wary of even the beggars, and no other bandits can find out either."
"Also, we must be careful of children, the elderly, and women."
If we were going to do this, we had to be thorough. At my words, Hwang Cheonho smiled in satisfaction.
The next day, after dawn, the Yangsan bandit set out with a few other bandits in tow.
"Brother Yang, where are we going?"
"Where do you think? Just follow orders, you lot."
Jingle.
He had to suppress the urge to run away, thinking of the heavy pouch of gold in his robes. He had to be careful, as the other bandits would drool and pounce on him if they heard it.
In a situation where he had to be careful of everything, he recalled the Asura Corps Commander's warning that he couldn't guarantee what would happen if he tried any funny business. The Yangsan bandit quickly dismissed any foolish fantasies.
Leaving the foothills of Mount Sandong and approaching Mount Tai, sheer cliffs unlike those of Sandong came into view. Below them were quite a few smooth rocks, and there, the Yangsan bandit quieted his men and held his breath.
It should be around this time.
He paced, making his presence known, but when no one appeared, the Yangsan bandit grew anxious. The miserable end that awaited him if he had lied flashed vividly in his mind.
Just then.
"Why haven't you spoken the code word?"
A deep voice emerged from the shadows, bringing the Yangsan bandit a sense of relief that he hadn't been wrong, mixed with a tension that made the back of his neck stiffen.
"...I wasn't given one."
"Where is Hosan? Sending a nobody like you instead of coming himself."
The word "nobody" made the Yangsan bandit's eyebrows furrow.
"..."
But as the figure slowly emerged from the shadows, the Yangsan bandit had to swallow a groan.
The biggest man he knew was Pyo Gap, the chieftain of the Green Tiger Fortress. Yet the figure before him had a build and fists the size of cauldron lids that would make even Pyo Gap seem small. He couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
"Tell him if he doesn't come himself next time, the deal is off."
"...I will."
The Yangsan bandit took out the jingling pouch of gold from his robes. The shadowy figure, surprisingly nimble for his massive frame, closed the distance in a single bound and reached out.
And in that instant.
Shwing.
"...To think there were really people backing these bandit scoundrels."
Crackle.
The tip of a sword, shimmering with blue lightning energy, sliced through the air between the Yangsan bandit and the shadowy figure.