Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (15)
Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (15)
Hwang Ryong-seong.
He was the leader of the Eight Trigrams Association, a group backed by the Murim Alliance. Despite his striking looks, he walked with a swaggering, thuggish gait, and the corners of his mouth turned up as if he were sneering at everyone. His head tilted at an angle, like a boulder perched on a mountain peak, looking down on everyone. As soon as he saw us, he adopted a formal tone.
"The 'upper boards' are truly a rare sight, all gathered in one place like this."
Of course, that didn't mean his words were actually refined. I tilted my head at his bizarre choice of words, and Hong Ye and Seon-go exchanged glances.
"Upper board?"
When Zhuge Yeong-yu asked in return, Hwang Ryong-seong tilted his head the other way and spoke boastfully.
"It's a term for the face, using the 'sang' from 'sangpan' and the 'pan' from 'pandagi' to elevate it, is it not? For a man of the Zhuge Family to ask me to repeat such a thing, your jest goes too far."
"Ah, I see."
He was indeed a man of the Zhuge Family. He didn't question it or make a strange face. He nodded as if he'd genuinely learned something new, then asked Hwang Ryong-seong in return.
"So, what brings the leader of the Eight Trigrams Association here? You must be busy meeting so many people."
"How could I possibly... stay still in one place like a blade of grass? How should I put it... I heard the Sect Leader of the Hongdeungga is quite skilled, so I came to see his face and have a word with him."
"...Crimson Ring Sect."
It wasn't a sect I founded, but getting the affiliation wrong was a clear mark of disrespect. When I politely corrected the name, Hwang Ryong-seong's face stiffened like a wax doll. Then, a beat later, he burst into a loud, hearty laugh and exclaimed.
"Ah, the Hanja is similar, so I got confused. It's only natural when one... studies hard, no? Anyway, I came here because I wished to meet the Sect Leader of the Crimson Ring Sect."
Then Hwang Ryong-seong looked at us and winked. He hadn't committed any evil act against me yet, but he was the kind of person whose mere appearance provoked revulsion. I managed my expression and spoke with a smile.
"I am the Sect Leader of the Crimson Ring Sect. I've heard many rumors about the Eight Trigrams Association—that it's a sect formed from the most promising rising stars handpicked by the Murim Alliance. For the leader of such a place to come see me in person, it's an honor."
Hwang Ryong-seong looked straight at me and said.
"A smooth-faced pretty boy, just as I'd heard."
What the hell did that bastard actually come here for? Zhuge Yeong-yu, seated in his chair, looked at Hwang Ryong-seong and asked.
"So, what did you come here to do? It doesn't seem like you came just for small talk."
Hwang Ryong-seong rolled his eyes for a moment at Zhuge Yeong-yu's words, then smiled again.
"Ah, of course, besides the Sect Leader of the Crimson Ring Sect, I had something to say to Great Hero Yeong-yu of the Zhuge Family as well. Seeing you two together, this is truly... that... uh..."
Hwang Ryong-seong raised a finger, trying to spit out a phrase as if bluffing, then frowned. Zhuge Yeong-yu tilted his head with a disgruntled look and asked back.
"Killing two birds with one stone?"
"Exactly! Killing two birds with one stone! Since the two of you are together, I can speak with you both at once, killing two birds with one stone. Isn't that right?"
Hwang Ryong-seong said this and laughed heartily, spreading his arms wide. Normally, a group leader should have dignity befitting his position, but all I felt dealing with this bastard was irritation and fatigue. Hong Ye stood behind me, and Seon-go subtly pushed her chair back, putting me forward. I asked.
"I see. So, what did you want to talk about?"
Hwang Ryong-seong glanced around again. Many people were sneaking glances this way, but there was no sign of anyone trying to eavesdrop. On closer inspection, members in Eight Trigrams Association uniforms had quietly drawn near and were standing like sentries. Hwang Ryong-seong pointed to his uniform and spoke.
"Would it be anything special? When idlers fresh to the martial world gather, what else would they talk about? Think about it. For the Zhuge Family, for the Crimson Ring Sect, wouldn't it be wonderful to have a reliable backing like our Eight Trigrams Association?"
Apparently, contrary to what I thought, the leader of the Eight Trigrams Association was no strategist. Or perhaps it was a smokescreen. I glanced at Zhuge Yeong-yu. Zhuge Yeong-yu was, for some reason, wearing a smile.
"That's quite a good idea. But such important matters can't be decided by my will alone, can they? Sect Leader Docheol of the Crimson Ring Sect also shares our common cause, so I will discuss it with him and decide afterward."
"Ah, of course. A story this important needs time for deliberation. Naturally, I'll be expecting a favorable answer."
Hwang Ryong-seong said this, then burst into a loud laugh and turned away. As soon as he slipped off, the Eight Trigrams Association members standing around flocked after him, asking Hwang Ryong-seong.
"Ah, Brother, how did it go? My flesh was practically trembling."
"A favorable answer will come. Look forward to it."
Hwang Ryong-seong was brimming with confidence.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Yeong-yu and I faced each other. Hong Ye wrapped her arms around herself, visibly displeased.
"He's a disagreeable man. Layered in pretense and bluster, I could feel his intent to deceive. It's fortunate his trickery was so shallow; had he been a man of even slightly higher refinement, he might have caused real trouble."
"Isn't that the fairness of the world? No one can have everything, and the heavens always toss in a flaw or two."
Zhuge Yeong-yu nodded at Hong Ye's words and said that. I looked around once more. The area was still crowded. It wasn't good to keep chattering here. I said.
"Let's move somewhere else for now."
******
Being told it was too early to explain the matter we were discussing, I had no choice but to part ways with Hong Ye. Since she had matches again the next day and had to stay with her sect members, Hong Ye waved at us with a regretful expression.
"Take care... First Wife."
"Take care. Second Wife."
Then Hong Ye threw her arms around me and whispered in my ear.
"Once the Dragon Phoenix Gathering is over, I will be sure to visit."
Just imagining what I'd do with Hong Ye when she came to the Crimson Ring Sect later made my lower half bulge out and refuse to calm down.
I lumbered along, following Yeong-yu back to his room. The chair Seon-go was sitting in had a wide backrest, making it easy for her to hide herself.
******
Zhuge Yeong-yu's room was the opposite of the debauched rumors about him. Given the gossip that he enjoyed women and was a regular at brothels, shouldn't there be at least a collection of erotic art in his room?
But every time I entered, the room was neatly tidied and filled with a strangely pleasant fragrance. Did he usually hang a perfume pouch? I felt like I'd been in here before, but the fragrance seemed even nicer today.
"Snnnfff..."
As I breathed in deeply, Zhuge Yeong-yu spoke with a look of disgust.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Nothing, there's a nice scent in the room. Do you use a perfume pouch? It's a decent scent; I should buy one to take with me."
"Ha, I don't use perfume pouches, so stop it!"
I couldn't understand why he was angry if he didn't use one. I settled myself onto the bed, and a servant of the Zhuge Family came and served tea. Yeong-yu, his face red, cleared his throat to suppress his anger and then spoke to me.
"Hwang Ryong-seong proposed an alliance to us. And I think this is an opportunity. We can find out which sect is backing Hwang Ryong-seong, and we can root out the Eight Trigrams Association, which is disrupting the order of Hubei Province."
I expressed my opposition to Zhuge Yeong-yu's words. When things resolve too easily, you have to be suspicious at least once. It seemed true enough that Hwang Ryong-seong was a strange fellow, but just because Hwang Ryong-seong was an idiot didn't mean the Eight Trigrams Association was run by morons.
"Couldn't it be a smokescreen? For the leader of the Eight Trigrams Association, backed by the Murim Alliance, to request cooperation from the Zhuge Family, which has ties to the imperial household—what could his intention possibly be?"
Zhuge Yeong-yu nodded at my words. It seemed Yeong-yu had the same thought.
"That's a valid point. However, the fact remains that if not now, we cannot seize the opportunity. There's a great difference between extracting information from the inside and investigating those bastards from the outside. When they give us an opening, we need to go inside and confirm their true nature."
"Even with the risks involved?"
Zhuge Yeong-yu shook his head at my words.
"There are risks, but from the Eight Trigrams Association's perspective, it's probably also true that they want to get close to you, great hero. They didn't even mention the incident from last time, did they? He might look dim-witted before our eyes, but I don't think he's as stupid as he seems."
"What benefit is there for them in befriending a single sect leader like me? Why do they want to get close in the first place?"
"Aren't you entangled with more sects than one might think? If I had to guess, when they first clashed with you, great hero, they probably had their eyes on picking a fight and ordered a background check. But when they actually looked into it, you were a man tied to the Zhuge Family, promised in marriage to the direct disciple of the Yang Family Taijiquan Gate, and connected to the direct disciple of the Hengshan Sect. The one who had that friction with Miss Yang last time was a low-level member of the Eight Trigrams Association. You've simply become too big a figure to touch just to save face for a man like that."
I was rubbing my chin without saying a word. When I made a serious face, Zhuge Yeong-yu asked.
"Why do you look like that?"
"No, I just didn't realize I was such a big shot."
Zhuge Yeong-yu narrowed his eyes and stared at me. Seon-go also whispered to me.
"Docheol. If you want compliments, I'll give you plenty."
No, really, I'd never been told that before?