Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Dong-ro County, a Paradise on Earth!
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“What’s the other thing?”
“Martial artists are flocking to Dong-ro County, and their goal is to join the Martial Alliance's Dong-ro Branch.”
This, too, was far from what I had expected.
“Aren't they here to fight me?”
Jang Ung smiled.
“Who would dare fight you, my lord, after you killed the Sword Demon King, the Red Serpent Divine Sword, and the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable of the Fifteen Venerables of the Martial World?”
“Is that so?”
“Moreover, with the rumor spreading that you fought seven hundred masters of the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path alone on the plains beyond the Heavenly Eye Ridge, killing nearly a third of them and driving the rest away, who but a madman would dare to face you one-on-one?”
“The rumors travel fast.”
“They're spreading faster and with more exaggeration than you might think, my lord.”
After a moment of thought, I spoke.
“Do you know what the County Magistrate thinks about the common people migrating to Dong-ro County?”
The government, not the martial world, is responsible for managing the migration and settlement of the populace.
“While you were away, my lord, the County Magistrate actually sent a subordinate to the Dong-ro Branch to ask for your opinion.”
“Is my opinion necessary?”
“What are your thoughts on the matter, my lord?”
Jang Ung usually asks questions when he wants to know my opinion.
I suddenly recalled So Yang-gun suggesting they move the Martial Alliance's Hangzhou Branch to Dong-ro County, and then proposing to establish the main headquarters here instead.
As long as I stay here, it's inevitable that Dong-ro County will be safe and continue to grow.
I can't stop the people from migrating to this so-called 'paradise on earth' when their lives are so harsh.
How severe must the tyranny of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path be for them to call Dong-ro County a paradise on earth?
The Dong-ro Branch of the Martial Alliance growing larger and stronger is also an undeniable reality.
So, even if not the main headquarters, I'll have to endure the establishment of the Hangzhou Branch in Dong-ro County.
Still, the fact that the County Magistrate in charge of Dong-ro sent a subordinate to the Dong-ro Branch to ask for my opinion made me feel strange, wondering if my influence had really grown that much.
Traditionally, the government and the martial world are like well water and river water; there's an unspoken agreement that they don't interfere with each other, showing a certain degree of consideration or deference.
“I think it's fine for the people to migrate here.”
“If you are fine with it, my lord, please instruct the Dong-ro Branch Master to relay that message to the County Magistrate.”
“I will.”
However, I hadn't expected the reason martial artists were flocking to Dong-ro County was to join the Martial Alliance's Dong-ro Branch.
But after hearing it from Jang Ung, it didn't seem entirely incomprehensible.
There's probably no other branch in the world like the Martial Alliance's Dong-ro Branch. Of course, it was my doing, and since my current position is Grand Branch Master of the Dong-ro Branch, it is an accomplishment of the Dong-ro Branch.
The Dong-ro Branch, a mere branch, has become invincible. That's why martial artists are gathering here.
People are naturally drawn to places they admire. The martial artists admire the Dong-ro Branch, which means they admire me.
“Is that all you have to report?”
“Yes, my lord.”
I stood up.
“Come see me later.”
“As you command.”
As he saw me off, Jang Ung gave a word of caution.
“Among the martial artists who have entered Dong-ro County, there will be those targeting you, my lord.”
“I'm sure there are.”
“Please be careful.”
“I will.”
***
Go Un-hyo and I are heading to the Dong-ro Branch.
The streets were much more crowded than before. More than half were migrants. And quite a few martial artists could be seen as well.
Some of the Dong-ro County residents who recognized me bowed politely from here and there.
This prompted the migrants and martial artists to realize who I was.
Then, the residents, migrants, and martial artists began to gather around and greet me.
Because of this, Go Un-hyo and I found ourselves unable to walk. But I couldn't just force my way through the crowd.
‘Well, this is something.’
I stopped walking and nodded to the people with a smile.
As I did, I tried circulating my internal energy.
‘It's working.’
My body reacted on its own, knowing I could be attacked in a chaotic situation like this.
I focused my hearing, scanning for sounds within a hundred feet. I filtered out the ordinary noises and focused only on the unusual ones.
Go Un-hyo followed like a shadow, two steps behind me.
“Are you the Fire Dragon Sword?”
“Great hero! Allow me to introduce myself!”
“I've come all the way from Shandong Province to join the Martial Alliance's Dong-ro Branch!”
While the common folk greeted me from a distance, the martial artists pushed them aside to get closer, each clamoring to say something.
“Stand back!”
Go Un-hyo shouted in a clear, sharp voice. He had taken it upon himself to act as my guard.
But the martial artists paid him no mind, continuing to chatter as they closed in, getting close enough to reach out and touch me.
Furthermore, word that the Fire Dragon Sword had appeared spread quickly, drawing in more martial artists from nearby, their numbers steadily increasing.
I had already detected assassins targeting me from three directions.
On the roof of a two-story building to the left, in front of a shop to the right, and hidden among the throng of martial artists.
There were about thirty attackers in total, with five of them mixed into the crowd of martial artists, slowly inching closer.
They were the ones hiding behind the chattering martial artists, their hands tucked into their robes or gripping the swords at their waists.
Even if they hadn't made such movements, I could tell by the glint of killing intent in their cold, sunken eyes.
Just then, Go Un-hyo sent me a mental message.
[Brother! I think there are assassins!]
Go Un-hyo, his internal energy now doubled, had also sensed them.
[I know.]
My concern was that if the assassins attacked, innocent martial artists and common people might be killed or injured.
‘How strange. Since when do I worry about others?’
In the past, I was so busy just trying to survive that I never even considered, let alone worried about, the harm others might suffer because of me.
I don't know if these feelings mean I've grown or if I've just gotten soft.
In any case, no matter how precisely I eliminated the assassins, their own attacks could miss and harm others. I couldn't rule out that possibility.
‘Hah! This isn't like me.’
It seems I've grown fond of Dong-ro County. But I don't want to dwell on it. I just have to face reality.
Besides, I have no desire to deal with every single small fry.
[Un-hyo, let's get out of here for now.]
[Yes!]
*Swoosh!*
We shot straight up into the air and then flew toward the Dong-ro Branch.
With that, the assassins' attempt was foiled, and the people were safe.
I have no intention of dealing with every last small fry who comes to Dong-ro County to kill me.
A truly strong opponent wouldn't try to assassinate me like this.
***
A long line of martial artists was formed in front of the Dong-ro Branch's main gate, so we had to enter through the back.
The back of the Dong-ro Branch connects to the Qiantang River, so there's no wall. Instead, a large vegetable garden in the backyard serves as a boundary.
The Branch Master and the other members were in an uproar upon seeing me, who had suddenly disappeared and then reappeared after half a month.
The Branch Master, An Do-pil, his face pale, exclaimed.
“Grand Branch Master! Did you see the sea of martial artists crowded outside our main gate?”
“I saw them.”
Gathered in the Daybreak Hall, An Do-pil and the other branch members couldn't hide their excitement.
“Do you know why all those martial artists have gathered at our branch?”
“Why have they gathered?”
They were so worked up, I didn't want to pour cold water on their excitement, so I pretended not to know.
“Prepare to be amazed! All of them are martial artists who want to join our branch!”
Hyeong In-geol added with a flushed, excited face.
“So far, over five hundred people have come seeking to join our branch!”
An Do-pil said, whining anxiously.
“There will be more and more of them in the future. What should we do?”
“What did you do before?”
“The branch itself would conduct a review of their documents and martial skills to decide whether to accept them, and successful candidates would then receive final approval from the Hangzhou Branch.”
I crossed my arms.
“There are too many people for that.”
“It's not just a lot. I'd wager that not even the Hangzhou Branch or the Main Headquarters gets this many applicants.”
An Do-pil shook his head back and forth.
“Accepting one or two new members is no problem, but a number this large is far beyond my authority.”
“Alright. I'll handle it.”
On the way to the annex, I spoke to Go Un-hyo.
“Un-hyo, go to the Purple Cloud Pavilion and bring So Yang-gun and Sang Gang-jo.”
But Go Un-hyo didn't answer right away.
“What is it?”
“Please be careful.”
“Careful of what?”
“The assassins might attack while I'm gone. So, brother, you should…”
“Hahaha! You fool! Who do you think I am?”
“Brother.”
“What do you think those assassins can do to me?”
“I'm sorry.”
Go Un-hyo bowed his head deeply.
“I will go at once.”
Watching Go Un-hyo leap into the air and disappear, a corner of my heart felt warm.
All I know is that Go Un-hyo, like me, is an orphan.
But that doesn't matter. I'll get to know the rest over time.
***
When I entered the annex's lounge, Jang Ung, So Yang-gun, Sang Gang-jo, An Do-pil, and Hyeong In-geol were seated, while Go Un-hyo stood behind me.
An Do-pil and Hyeong In-geol had seen So Yang-gun once before, when he came with Hangzhou's Regional Master Do Hyeon-tak to the dinner at the Purple Cloud Pavilion half a month ago, but they didn't know who he was.
At the time, An Do-pil and all the other branch members were dead drunk and completely out of it, so they had no idea who was who or what was going on.
After I finished explaining the situation, I looked at So Yang-gun.
“So that's the situation.”
I could guess what So Yang-gun's answer would be, but decisions regarding the Martial Alliance weren't for me to make.
“Excellent!”
So Yang-gun said with a bright face. From what I've observed, So Yang-gun is the type who doesn't hide his emotions. Which means he's pure-hearted.
“On my way here just now, I saw the martial artists outside the Dong-ro Branch's main gate. There were about fifty of them.”
An Do-pil spread his arms in an exaggerated gesture.
“Today alone, over a hundred people have inquired about joining. If you count from the first day, about ten days ago, it's over five hundred!”
“Did you say five hundred?”
So Yang-gun was surprised.
“It will probably surpass a thousand before long!”
Hyeong In-geol chimed in.
“The inns in the county are overflowing, with hundreds of martial artists staying in them! The local inns can't handle the influx of martial artists!”
So Yang-gun looked surprised, then turned to me.
“What will you do?”
“Why are you asking me?”
I didn't understand when I asked, but I soon realized So Yang-gun's intention. Since I had accepted the Peerless Phoenix Jade Tablet and become her prospective husband, he was asking me to approve the establishment of the Martial Alliance's main headquarters in Dong-ro County.
It felt like the noose around my neck was tightening a little more.
“Are you giving your permission?”
Granting permission would be an indirect approval of my marriage to Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo, so it was better to sidestep it for now.
However, if the Dong-ro Branch grew massive and its influence expanded, the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path would send even more formidable masters, which was a good thing for me.
“In my personal opinion, it would be good to accept them.”
I modestly stated it as my 'personal opinion,' not as Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo's prospective husband.
So Yang-gun didn't hide his joy and smiled brightly.
“Excellent! In that case, let's begin the admission screening immediately!”
An Do-pil and Hyeong In-geol looked at So Yang-gun and spoke cautiously.
“Excuse me, but who are you?”
“Who are you to make such a momentous decision?”
Sang Gang-jo pointed at So Yang-gun.
“He is the Chief Strategist of the Main Headquarters.”
“Ah!”
An Do-pil and Hyeong In-geol were flabbergasted.