Chapter 120
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: The Dong-ro Branch is the Grand Alliance Headquarters!
The Flying Dragon reached Dong-ro Port, and while the boatswain, Chae Gwang, and the crew were unloading the cargo, Jang Ung came running.
It seemed he had rushed over as soon as he heard the Flying Dragon had arrived.
“My lord!”
Jang Ung was genuinely happy to see me after forty days.
“Chief Steward Jang.”
When I took his hand, Jang Ung gripped it back even tighter, as if he had been waiting for it.
I had never felt the affection of a family before, but I thought the feelings I had for Go Un-hyo were probably similar.
And during the forty-day journey on the Flying Dragon, living and eating every meal with Ja-un, Chae Gwang, Ha Mong-un, and the others, I felt a different kind of emotion than what I felt for Go Un-hyo.
It felt less like family and more like being part of a household.
“Anything unusual happen?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, sir.”
Jang Ung merely nodded upon seeing Ja-un.
We headed into the county.
Jang Ung studied my expression.
“My lord, did something happen?”
“I killed the Lord of the Northern Underworld.”
“Is that so?”
Jang Ung, who was not easily surprised, was greatly shocked this time.
“Did the Northern Underworld attack?”
“They unleashed poison, but I annihilated them.”
“Are you all right?”
Jang Ung was only concerned for my safety.
“Don't I look fine?”
“That's a relief.”
Everything was fine, except for my dark expression.
My mind was filled with thoughts of the Underworld. Jang Ung was not one to miss such a thing.
“Please tell me what's wrong.”
I said simply.
“I've become a target of the Underworld.”
“…”
“According to the Lord of the Northern Underworld, I killed one of their people.”
When I glanced at Jang Ung, his face had turned deathly pale.
If he had shown a composed expression, I might have felt a bit relieved, but he was even more shocked than I was.
After walking in silence for a while, Jang Ung spoke in a heavy voice.
“I will look into it.”
“Over three thousand people have joined the Alliance.”
Jang Ung reported as we walked through the county.
Perhaps because my heart was heavy, I didn't reply. My mind was still filled with thoughts of the Underworld.
“There are seventeen people waiting to challenge you, my lord.”
I reacted slightly to that.
“What kind of people are they?”
“Among them are one master each from the Invincible Registry of the Divine Province and the Registry of Hidden Masters.”
“Oh?”
My interest was piqued.
“Explain in detail.”
As I listened to Jang Ung's explanation, my thoughts of the Underworld began to fade. The idea of fighting the seventeen challengers ignited my fighting spirit.
I am still a warrior.
Just as Jang Ung finished his explanation about the seventeen people, a sharp cry came from the distance.
“Brother Yong!”
The sharp voice, coming from inside the Grand Alliance headquarters construction site, belonged to Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo.
However, a large partition just inside the construction site entrance blocked her from view.
A moment later, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo appeared from behind the partition, darting toward me as if flying, followed by Sang Gang-jo and So Yang-gun.
I had been passing by the Martial Alliance's Grand Alliance headquarters construction site, and it seemed they had spotted me.
As I silently watched the approaching Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo, I wondered what I truly thought of her.
*‘In the past forty days, was there ever a time I missed Byeok-gyo?’*
Not even once.
*‘Then am I happy to see Byeok-gyo now after so long?’*
I am happy to see her. But not so happy that I'm jumping for joy. That's all.
“Brother Yong!”
*Thwump!*
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo crashed into my arms.
“Urk!”
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo must have expected me to stand firm, even as she threw herself into my arms with such force.
*Whoosh!*
“Whoa!”
Unable to withstand the force, I was sent flying backward like an arrow, a single entity with Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo, and an urgent groan escaped my lips.
But in that instant, my martial arts activated, and I floated into the air, holding Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo.
Overjoyed to see me, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo didn't seem to notice that I had been helplessly knocked back when she embraced me.
“Brother Yong! Where did you go without a word?”
“I had some business to attend to.”
“For forty whole days, without telling me?”
It seemed Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo had been counting the days since I left.
This sudden spectacle in the street caused many passersby to stop, gather around, and stare up at us floating high in the air.
As I slowly descended to the ground with Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo in my arms, some of the onlookers who recognized me bowed respectfully.
Just then, a group of warriors in the Dong-ro Branch uniform rushed out from the construction site and shooed the crowd away.
“That is the Grand Branch Master! Step back!”
“It's nothing to see! Everyone, be on your way!”
Sang Gang-jo, wearing a pleased expression, quickly guided me inside the Grand Alliance headquarters construction site.
“Grand Branch Master, please come this way.”
“Where are we going?”
“To where we are staying.”
“You mean you're staying here?”
“That's right. The young lady and her aides are all staying here.”
The young lady he referred to was Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo. But it was strange to hear they were staying at a construction site.
A moment ago, I had been passing the Grand Alliance headquarters construction site while listening to Jang Ung's explanation, but now, looking at it properly, I was quite surprised.
The construction site was enclosed by a long wall, fifty feet high, facing the street.
Except for the thirty-foot-wide entrance I was walking through, the high wall stretched for hundreds of yards along the street, completely hiding the construction site from view.
Furthermore, a large partition just inside the entrance made it impossible to see into the site before entering.
Moreover, the entrance was heavily guarded by a dozen armed warriors.
But what surprised me even more was the sight that unfolded after passing the partition: dozens of pavilions sprouting up like bamboo shoots after a rain across the entire construction site. At a glance, it was a spectacular sight, like a forest of pavilions.
Although only the frameworks were up, compared to forty days ago when they were only digging the foundations, this was a monumental leap in progress.
So Yang-gun explained.
“There are currently over ten thousand people working here.”
To have over ten thousand people working on the Grand Alliance headquarters construction site was incredible.
Seeing my surprised expression, he smiled faintly and pointed toward the Qiantang River.
“We've built a temporary dock on the other side, by the Qiantang River, and materials are continuously being brought in through there.”
As I walked further in, I saw that not only were there pavilions, but also man-made lakes, forests, gardens, and bridges being constructed throughout the area.
In addition, paths connecting them all spread out in every direction like a spider's web.
For a moment, I forgot about the Underworld.
“The speed is incredible.”
“A tremendous amount of money is being poured into the construction for an early completion.”
This was only possible because Lord Chungmu had agreed to fund the Martial Alliance. There is almost nothing in the world that money can't do.
Beside me, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo walked with both her arms wrapped tightly around one of mine, her eyes never leaving my face.
The construction site was completely surrounded by the high, long wall, not just on the street side, making it impossible to see inside without wings.
We entered a three-story pavilion, one of three located deep within the construction site.
According to So Yang-gun, they had poured the best and largest workforce into these three pavilions to serve as lodgings for Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo and her aides, nearly completing them in just ten days.
“I was taking care of some personal business, so don't ask any more questions.”
I cut short the barrage of questions from Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo, Sang Gang-jo, and So Yang-gun about what I was doing and where I had been.
After So Yang-gun's various trivial reports, a brief silence fell.
I felt that the silence was like the calm before a storm.
Then, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo finally let go of my arm and spoke.
“I'll be the one to say it.”
She looked at me and spoke clearly.
“I ask for your understanding, Brother Yong.”
I suspected that what she was about to say was the conclusion they had reached after serious discussions in my absence.
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo spoke with a calm and composed expression, unlike her usual self.
“This place will become the Dong-ro Branch of the Martial Alliance.”
The words were simple and clear, but their meaning was profound.
She was saying that this site, where the Grand Alliance headquarters was being built, would become the Dong-ro Branch of the Martial Alliance.
My mind raced.
It meant that since they weren't fully prepared to declare the establishment of the Grand Alliance headquarters in Dong-ro County, they would hang the sign of the Dong-ro Branch instead of the Grand Alliance headquarters until everything was perfectly ready.
The Dong-ro Branch was already larger than most major factions, so no one in the martial world would find it strange.
However, I soon realized my prediction was wrong.
“What's so important about the name 'Martial Alliance' or 'Grand Alliance Headquarters'?”
An ominous feeling crept over me at Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo's words.
“The three thousand or so people who have gathered here to join the Alliance did so with the sole purpose of becoming members of the Dong-ro Branch. If we were to tell them they were becoming members of the Martial Alliance, not the Dong-ro Branch, it would surely cause great confusion.”
Her words made perfect sense. But to someone with my devilish insight, the ulterior motive was plain to see.
The three thousand-plus applicants had gathered purely because they heard of my fame—the Fire Dragon Sword.
Therefore, as long as I was here, and as long as they were my subordinates, there would be no trouble.
The important thing was the continued presence of the Fire Dragon Sword here.
And by declaring this place the Dong-ro Branch instead of the Grand Alliance headquarters, they could somewhat lessen the attention and scrutiny from the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union, the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, and other powers.
I didn't know for sure, but Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo and her aides must have come to this decision after careful deliberation.
As the elders who supported the Martial Alliance, they valued honor above all else, so making such a decision could not have been easy.
But after coming here, seeing the situation in Dong-ro County firsthand, and hearing vivid accounts of my fame that was shaking the martial world, they must have coolly accepted reality.
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo waited for my reaction, and when I said nothing, she continued.
“And I, along with all my aides, will receive new positions within the Dong-ro Branch.”
That meant Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo and all her aides intended to become my subordinates—the subordinates of the Fire Dragon Sword.
Because the highest position in the Dong-ro Branch was Grand Branch Master—in other words, me.
“You…”
“Go on.”
As I opened my mouth to speak for the first time and looked at her, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo's solemn expression vanished, replaced by a shy smile.
I smiled faintly and stroked her head as if she were a child.
“Byeok-gyo, you're… cute.”
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo was currently speaking as the Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance, so for me to pat her head was an incredibly presumptuous act.
In truth, this was a small provocation on my part. If Sang Gang-jo, So Yang-gun, or Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo were to show any displeasure at this action, they would be falling for my provocation. That was exactly what I was aiming for.
But I had miscalculated. Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo would be pleased, never displeased, by me stroking her head. Whether in public or in private.
And Sang Gang-jo and So Yang-gun, who knew me and my relationship with Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo all too well, would never dream of objecting to my actions. As expected, the two of them just watched with faint smiles.
Of course, Jang Ung and Go Un-hyo were exceptions.
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo smiled prettily.
“Thank you.”