The Founding of Cheongongbang
I could feel the Martial Alliance Leader, Cheon Mujin, growing deeper in thought. After taking a slow sip of tea, he set the cup down and looked at me.
“Your abilities have already been proven beyond doubt. There is something I’d like to propose to you. Will you hear me out?”
I lifted my head and met Cheon Mujin’s gaze. Outwardly, I remained calm, but inside I never let my guard down.
“Please speak.”
“Would you consider becoming a guest elder of the Martial Alliance? If a talent like you were to join us, hunting beasts would become far easier.”
Guest elder.
A position for those not formally belonging to the Martial Alliance, yet still granted special treatment in return for cooperation. It was a seat many martial artists longed for, but it held little appeal for me. Still, I did acknowledge the need for cooperation.
“I’m grateful for the offer, but I do have conditions.”
A flicker of interest crossed Cheon Mujin’s lips.
“Go on.”
I gathered my thoughts for a moment, then laid them out one by one.
“First, I want full independence for Cheongongbang. It must be allowed to operate freely without interference from the Martial Alliance.”
“That goes without saying.”
So he accepted that too easily.
It seemed it had already been one of the conditions he expected.
“Second, I want my duties clearly defined. I’ll be responsible for standardizing the beast classification system and producing the hunting manuals. Participation in actual raids will only be necessary when needed.”
Cheon Mujin thought for a moment before speaking.
“Continue.”
“Third, all equipment made by Cheongongbang will be supplied to the Martial Alliance’s hunting forces first, but we will be paid a fair price.”
“Of course. That much is only proper.”
Then I added the most important condition of all.
“And I want all of this written into an official document, sealed by both sides.”
Cheon Mujin laughed heartily. He seemed to appreciate my caution.
“Ha! You really are a careful one. Very well, I accept everything. I’ll have the document prepared by tomorrow.”
We nodded at one another across the table. It was the moment a new cooperative relationship began. There was anxiety in it, yes, but it was a necessary choice.
The next morning.
Zhuge Hyeonggeon came looking for me, his face bright with excitement. The anticipation on his features was infectious enough to stir me as well.
“Young Master Hyeon, I have good news!”
“What is it?”
“The clan has decided to provide the eastern lot for Cheongongbang! It’s quite a spacious tract, so we should be able to build both a research hall and workshops.”
My eyes lit up on their own. Seeing how quickly this had all been arranged, it seemed the news of my negotiation with the Martial Alliance Leader had already reached the Zhuge Clan’s ears.
“That’s excellent.”
“Shall we go check out the site at the clan headquarters?”
I followed Zhuge Hyeonggeon eastward into the Zhuge Clan compound. By the time we arrived, Jinu was already there, busily inspecting the ground.
“Senior Brother, you’re here? They say this will be the site of our Cheongongbang.”
Jinu’s eyes sparkled like those of a child. I could understand his feelings completely. For Jinu, who had once done nothing but errands and menial chores at an ordinary herbal shop, everything happening now must have seemed impossible.
“So I hear. What do you think after looking around?”
Jinu looked over the area and said, excitement clear in his voice, “The location is wonderful. It’s close to the Zhuge Clan, which makes cooperation easy, and it isn’t far from the city either, so securing supplies should be convenient.”
Zhuge Hyeonggeon unfurled a scroll. A blueprint he had apparently worked on through the night was spread before us.
“I drew up a rough layout last night. What do you think if we arrange it like this? A research hall in the center, a smithy to the east, an herb and potion laboratory to the west, and storage and quarters to the north...”
I studied the design in detail. As expected of Zhuge Hyeonggeon, it was a flawless plan that took everything into account, from traffic flow to sunlight and ventilation.
“Excellent. Let’s proceed exactly like this.”
“Then I’ll call the carpenters at once and begin construction. The basic buildings should be finished in a month.”
Jinu said this with an elated expression.
“I’ll refine the herb laboratory design in more detail. We need to divide the space so that we can extract Illusion Stones and manufacture pills at the same time, and...”
The three of us launched into an animated discussion. In my mind, Cheongongbang’s future was already taking shape, clear and vivid.
A week later, the framework of the Cheongongbang buildings had begun to rise. In the meantime, I had something even more important to handle: hiring staff.
Once news of our agreement with the Martial Alliance spread, more artisans than expected applied to Cheongongbang. I spent the entire day conducting interviews, choosing carefully from among them.
The first applicant was a broad-shouldered, middle-aged blacksmith.
“Your name?”
“I’m called Cheolsan. I’ve been forging weapons and armor for twenty years.”
His experience seemed sufficient. But what mattered most was whether he had the flexibility to accept new things.
“Have you ever worked with beast by-products?”
“No, but I’m confident I can learn.”
I took one of the beast by-products set aside nearby and handed it to him.
“Try handling this.”
Cheolsan carefully picked up the material and examined it from several angles. I could see his eyes changing little by little. It was the moment a craftsman’s instinct awoke.
“Incredible. Harder than iron, yet lighter... With material like this, I could make entirely new weapons.”
“What kind of weapons would you want to make?”
“A flexible sword that makes full use of the beast by-product’s properties, or perhaps a lighter set of armor.”
It was a good answer.
He wasn’t merely clinging to old methods; he was someone who could see new possibilities.
“Good. We’ll notify you separately whether you’ve been accepted.”
Next was a young pharmacist. He looked young, but his eyes seemed sharp.
“My name is Unguk. I worked at Hoechundang for five years.”
“Have you ever handled Illusion Stone extracts?”
“Not directly, but I’ve read every related book available these days. I’m especially interested in the interaction between Illusion Stones and medicinal herbs.”
Jinu, who had been watching beside me, asked a question.
“What kind of reaction would occur if you mixed Earth-Class Illusion Stone extract with angelica root?”
Unguk thought for a moment, then answered, “In theory, the blood-nourishing effect of the angelica would be amplified. But if the ratio is wrong, it could become poison.”
I could see Jinu nodding in satisfaction. He was a cautious person who understood both theory and danger.
By the end of the day, I had decided to hire ten blacksmiths, five pharmacists, and twenty laborers. I gathered the new staff together and spoke seriously.
“Welcome to Cheongongbang. We are not merely an equipment workshop. We are a place that studies new ways to fight beasts and creates tools that can save more lives.”
Their eyes shone. I could feel their sincere agreement with my words.
“I’ll pay wages far higher than an ordinary workshop. But with that comes responsibility. One piece of equipment we make could save a person’s life—or cost it.”
Everyone nodded with solemn expressions.
“And one more thing. You must swear not to leak the techniques you learn here outside Cheongongbang.”
One by one, the employees filled out the oath forms I had prepared. That was the official birth of Cheongongbang. My shoulders felt heavier, yet my chest swelled with pride.
That night, I sat beneath a candle flame with a brush in hand. It was time to organize the beast classification system for submission to the Martial Alliance.
Beast Classification System
Heaven Class: Possesses enough power to wipe out an entire castle on its own.
Extreme Class: A beast that can threaten a small or medium-sized city, or an entire county.
Profound Class: A high-tier beast with mysterious abilities. It possesses special powers or high intelligence.
Earth Class: A powerful beast that can be taken down only by a lone elite or a small force.
Human Class: Strong in combat; a master at the Transcendence Realm or above can face it alone.
Livestock Class: A small beast that can be handled by multiple First-Class martial artists or a Peak Realm martial artist.
Finally, there was the God Class, but I did not mention it yet. Just then, someone knocked at the door.
“Senior Brother, are you still awake?”
It was Duseong’s voice.
“I still have work to finish. What is it?”
“I came with Hwaung. We have something to discuss.”
Duseong and Hwaung entered. Unlike usual, both of them looked serious.
“What is it? Tell me.”
Hwaung spoke first. His voice carried a firm resolve.
“What kind of work will you have us do in Cheongongbang? We want to be of some use, however we can.”
I looked at the two of them and smiled with satisfaction.
“I was planning to give you both positions already. How about this: Duseong will take charge of training the hunting force, and Hwaung will oversee equipment testing?”
Bright smiles spread across both their faces.
“Senior Brother, thank you!”
“I’ll do my best!”
Seeing them like that lifted my own spirits too.
“But understand that these responsibilities are heavy. Especially Duseong—remember that the lives of the hunters will depend on your training.”
“I’ll keep that in mind!”
The three of us talked late into the night about Cheongongbang’s future. To think that being together like this could feel so reassuring.
Time passed quickly.
The Cheongongbang buildings were nearing completion, and the beast classification system I had written was approved by the Martial Alliance and spread throughout the Central Plains. I felt proud, but with that pride came a deeper sense of responsibility.
That morning, Zhuge Hyeonggeon burst into the laboratory, panting hard.
“Young Master Hyeon! We finally succeeded!”
“Succeeded at what?”
Zhuge Hyeonggeon pulled out a round, mirror-like device with trembling hands. Set into its center was a Profound-Class Illusion Stone, radiating a mysterious light.
“I’ve named it the Beast Detection Mirror. With this, we can detect beasts within a radius of ten li.”
I accepted it with a look of disbelief. The moment it touched my hand, I felt a faint vibration.
“Does it really work?”
The Beast Detection Mirror was something that hadn’t existed even before my regression.
“See for yourself. There’s a Human-Class beast caged over there.”
Zhuge Hyeonggeon poured internal energy into the mirror. Instantly, a faint light appeared on its surface, pointing exactly in the direction where we stood.
“Amazing... Can it distinguish grades as well?”
“That’s the problem. At the moment, it can only identify rough strength. I’m improving it so that the color of the output can be used to distinguish them.”
I examined the mirror closely. It was a remarkably clever use of the properties of a Profound-Class Illusion Stone. With the information about beasts that Zhuge Hyeonggeon had rapidly gathered after meeting me, along with the by-products he had acquired, it seemed this device had been born from all of that together. Once again, I had to marvel at his genius.
“Even this alone should greatly improve the safety of the hunting forces.”
“The issue is that Profound-Class Illusion Stones are too rare. With what we have now, I can only make about three prototypes.”
Then Jinu rushed in, a small pill bottle in his hands.
“Senior Brother! I succeeded too!”
Jinu thrust out the bottle with obvious pride.
“It’s a recovery pill made from Profound-Class Illusion Stone extract. It’s ten times more effective than ordinary hemostatic medicine!”
I carefully took one pill out and examined it. The pill, encased in a transparent film, glowed softly.
“Any side effects?”
“None have been found so far. I tested it on a small wound myself, and it healed immediately.”
Zhuge Hyeonggeon was full of admiration.
“Incredible! With just these two things, the hunting force’s survival rate will rise enormously.”
I nodded. It was the moment my companions’ efforts bore fruit.
“Good. Let’s keep the detection mirrors for ourselves for now and send the prototype recovery pills to the Martial Alliance for evaluation. If the response is good, we’ll move into full production.”
Three days later, an urgent message arrived from the Martial Alliance. Cheon Mujin himself had called for me. When I reached the Martial Alliance headquarters, he welcomed me with an unusually bright smile.
“Guest elder Hyeon! I’ve received the recovery pills you sent.”
“How were they?”
“How were they? Can you make a hundred more right away?”
The Martial Alliance Leader’s reaction was far more enthusiastic than I had expected. I could only make an embarrassed expression.
“We’re short on Illusion Stones... Right now, mass production would be difficult.”
Cheon Mujin nodded with regret.
“I see. Then please at least provide us with that much for now. We’ll pay you enough.”
“Thank you.”
Cheon Mujin’s expression suddenly turned serious. He must have another request in mind.
“And there is one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“I want to reorganize the hunting forces, and I’d like your advice.”
I had already been thinking about that. Calmly, I said, “The biggest problem with the current hunting forces is that they have no system.”
“No system?”
“Yes. There’s a limit to how far you can get by having everyone charge beasts recklessly. Roles need to be divided.”
Cheon Mujin leaned forward, clearly interested.
“Roles? How should they be divided?”
I took out a sheet of paper and began to draw. It was the moment I gave concrete shape to the systematic beast-hunting methods that had been in my head all along.
“First, the reconnaissance unit. Their role is to identify the beasts’ locations and classifications. It would be best to form them from those skilled in swift movement techniques.”
“Hmm. Continue.”
“Next, the main force. They’re the core combat strength, the ones who actually fight. But you can’t just gather only the strongest people. You need to clearly divide them into defensive roles, offensive roles, and support roles.”
Cheon Mujin nodded as though he understood.
“Finally, the support unit. They handle treatment of the wounded and supply distribution. Even during battle, they must be able to continue supporting from the rear.”
The Martial Alliance Leader let out an exclamation.
“Excellent concept! We must implement it at once.”