Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Martial Alliance Commissioner Go Jin-cheol - [2]
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As time passed, more and more martial artists stepped into the funeral hall.
Yi Pung carefully examined the face of every martial artist who arrived. Spotting some familiar faces, he approached Heo Pung-gae.
"Bro, people from the Martial Alliance are here too."
"Yeah."
"Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
"Introduce myself? Why would I?"
"Gotta show your face. We need to naturally let it slip that you're a disciple of Invincible BB Bullet, right?"
Heo Pung-gae quietly seethed with anger.
"You want me to make my martial world debut here?"
"Well... yeah..."
"That's a brilliant idea. The moment word gets out that I'm a disciple of Invincible BB Bullet, forget the funeral—this place turns into my superstar launch party. Everyone ignores the bereaved family and stares at me. Should've ripped off this mourning garb and worn a Hawaiian shirt instead."
"Ah, don't be sarcastic."
"You're such a childish punk."
Before Heo Pung-gae could curse more, Yi Pung slipped away. While grumbling in the corner,
someone who recognized Yi Pung approached and spoke.
"Yi Pung, what the hell are you doing here? Got some nerve showing your face."
Yi Pung recognized the old man and scowled. This asshole's here too?
Go Jin-cheol. Until five years ago, he had been the leader of the Gwanak Sect in Seoul. To Yi Pung, he was simply "that asshole"—an old geezer.
"What's it to you? Got a problem?"
Go Jin-cheol pinched his nose in mock disgust at Yi Pung's words.
"Problem? Damn right I do. Couldn't you have washed up first?"
"Do I smell like sweat right now?"
"You smell like shit. A shithead mixed in with all these esteemed masters—it's stinking up the place. Can't stand it."
Yi Pung started to sniff his armpit but sighed instead.
"Shithead" was one of the insults traded among martial artists. It meant turning precious elixirs into shit—used to demean those who fell behind in training due to lack of talent, or lowlifes in general.
"Anyway, you wasted your years, old fart. Picking fights even at a funeral."
"Is that how you talk to a martial senior? Did your brother teach you to be such a rude prick?"
"Senior my ass. Considering my brother's status in the martial world, as his disciple, I'm practically your grandpa."
"You're not even a formal disciple, are you? If you really were Invincible BB Bullet's official disciple, you wouldn't be standing here unscathed."
"What, you'd chop off my limbs or something?"
Go Jin-cheol replied,
"Something even worse."
Yi Pung crossed his arms and looked away. He spotted Heo Pung-gae still pretending to mourn, acting like he was family of the deceased.
That Invincible BB Bullet guy must have bat ears—he's hearing all this but playing dumb.
He knew why. Probably didn't want to ruin the solemn atmosphere by causing a scene at the funeral.
"Ah, fine. Since I'm not a formal disciple, just leave me alone. Right? You don't wanna touch a shithead and get shit on yourself?"
Yi Pung brushed off Go Jin-cheol and headed to the bathroom. Only after confirming the old man was chatting with someone else did he cautiously approach Heo Pung-gae.
"Hey, you need to be careful."
"Why."
"Go Jin-cheol's here. That guy's been a Martial Alliance commissioner for five years now."
Right then, Go Jin-cheol's voice rang out.
"Who's this guy you're talking to?"
Yi Pung panicked inwardly. Thought he'd lost interest, but he was eavesdropping?
"Ah, buzz off, you old fart."
Even as Yi Pung hurled insults to draw his attention, it was no use.
Go Jin-cheol's focus had already shifted to Heo Pung-gae, whom Yi Pung had been speaking with.
Go Jin-cheol said to Heo Pung-gae,
"Who the hell are you, having a secret chat with this shithead? What do you do?"
Heo Pung-gae truly didn't want to stir up trouble here. He stood up immediately, bowed his head, and replied politely.
"We're not that close."
"Doesn't look that way to me. I clearly heard that punk Yi Pung using honorifics with you. What do you do?"
"I'll reveal it later."
"Spit it out straight. What's your deal with that shithead Yi Pung? And what about that bastard Invincible BB Bullet he was glued to...?"
"I am..."
"Confess the truth right now. An elder's asking."
Lying his way out seemed impossible. Heo Pung-gae revealed his identity as courteously as possible, carefully.
"His disciple."
Go Jin-cheol's eyes bulged.
"Invincible BB Bullet had another disciple besides Yi Pung?"
"Yes. I was cultivating in the mountains until recently. Could you keep it secret here?"
"Secret? Why?"
"My master is quite famous, isn't he? I'm worried it might cause a disturbance at this gathering to mourn the deceased."
"Oh, thinking of the deceased? That doesn't sound like a great excuse."
"Do you have some grudge against my master?"
"Damn right I do."
Heo Pung-gae knew full well that the old man before him despised his former self—that is, Invincible BB Bullet. Still, feigning ignorance, he spoke in the most apologetic tone.
"I don't know the details, but as his disciple, I'll apologize on his behalf. How about I visit you after this event ends and we discuss it properly?"
But his efforts to avoid a commotion were utterly futile.
Go Jin-cheol bellowed,
"Think you can play games with me? You're caught—there's no escaping. Yi So-chan? Get over here."
At Go Jin-cheol's gesture, a young martial artist hurried over and stood before him.
Go Jin-cheol pointed at Heo Pung-gae and ordered,
"Watch this guy. If he bolts, you're dead meat."
The group's official name was the National Martial Committee, but people just called it the Martial Alliance. Or the Korean Martial Alliance.
This Martial Alliance shared only a name with the Ming Dynasty's Martial Alliance—it was a fundamentally different organization.
The Ming's Martial Alliance was a gathering of noble orthodox sects like Shaolin and Huashan. But the Korean Martial Alliance was a coalition of unorthodox factions. Essentially a criminal syndicate alliance.
The reason this nationwide crime group formed was simple: to preserve the martial world.
In advanced nations with strong state power, few crime organizations can withstand direct government intervention. Whether massive gangs or mafias, they crumble when the military police move in properly.
Even internationally renowned crime groups struggled against state power. Most massive violent organizations had their scales reduced under modern state crackdowns.
Korea's martial artists had good reason to fear proper state suppression.
How to prevent state crackdowns?
Simply avoid actions that draw national or public attention.
Look at those once-mighty mafias. They tried intimidating the government by openly assassinating a rebellious prosecutor, only to enrage the entire nation. That sparked a nationwide anti-mafia movement.
Their attempt to derail anti-mafia legislation by bombing two churches only boosted national support for the bill. The mafia withered after those incidents.
The Martial Alliance learned from the downfall of such international crime groups.
When you commit acts that terrify people, the government doesn't cower in surprise—it rallies to eradicate the crime groups scaring the public. So, never do that.
Under that conclusion, the Martial Alliance banned all acts that could draw unnecessary attention.
Things like murdering innocent civilians and leaving the bodies to be found, or killing police, judges, journalists, or politicians—provocative acts.
If any martial artist committed such forbidden acts, the Martial Alliance designated them a Public Enemy of the Martial World and sent hitmen to punish them.
The authority to designate Public Enemies lay with the leaders of the seven strongest sects.
They were the Martial Alliance commissioners, and Go Jin-cheol was one of them.
The funeral hall had an auditorium and a stage for speeches. Go Jin-cheol ascended the platform and addressed the gathered martial artists.
"As you all know, a crisis has befallen the martial world.
Look at the bizarre surge in drug trafficking. Done so brazenly without hiding, multiple arrests have already happened.
And this shooting incident... it's even more serious, no need to explain.
The police assume a martial faction member was killed, so the perpetrator must be a rival faction profiting from it. They're raiding sects left and right under the guise of investigation.
We don't know the results yet, but I'm already afraid. No outcome will be good for us.
Drugs and guns... both are prime-time news material. Issues that rattle the National Assembly and the Blue House. If we can't contain this, half the martial brothers here will end up in prison."
Someone listening to the speech shouted,
"The Alliance already investigated, right? So who the hell do you think did it? President Park?"
Go Jin-cheol shook his head.
"President Park, that martial hater? Sure, he'd have motive. Back in the day, he personally stabbed and beat martial artists with his own hands. But the committee's investigation shows it's not him."
"Then who?"
"The Demonic Cult. It's the Demonic Cult making moves."
What the hell kind of nonsense is that? Read too many wuxia novels?
As people murmured, Go Jin-cheol continued,
"I understand. Demonic Cult? Sounds absurd. But it's entirely possible. Suppose the government, fed up with the drug and gun issues, finally sweeps away Korean martial world.
The void we leave in Korea's shadows will be filled by vicious foreign crime groups. The Demonic Cult is eyeing that opportunity."
Go Jin-cheol pressed a remote.
A photo of a girl appeared on the auditorium's massive screen.
A blonde girl who looked like a doll. From the photo alone, she seemed like a Western model.
She appeared middle or high school age, but unlike whites who often looked older, her face was strikingly youthful. Innocent and pure. Utterly harmless.
Go Jin-cheol spoke about the girl.
"Rana Lebandofuska. Polish-American, Incense Master of the White Lotus Cult's Poland branch. For those unfamiliar with Demonic Cult structure: one of the two leaders running a branch.
Three years ago, she triumphed over the Polish mafia, absorbing their organization and operations entirely. Hard to believe from her looks, but separate from her Cult branch, she runs her own arms and drug trafficking networks. As you know, the Polish mafia survived even EU joint crackdowns..."
The screen photo changed.
The same girl in a hoodie, photographed against Incheon Port.
"This heavyweight was recently sighted in Korea. Seems she planned this for a while— even learned Korean. There's a YouTube video of her speaking it. I'll post the link; everyone check it out..."
Go Jin-cheol kept explaining. Captured drug dealers and armed thugs had all confessed to seeing this girl.
She was clearly the Demonic Cult's ringleader conquering Korea. Don't be fooled by her youth—she probably wasn't even that age. Never let your guard down.
Even more shocking statements followed, with her photo on screen.
She's presumed a peerless master. Even if you spot her alone eating a burger at McDonald's, don't rush in—report to the Martial Alliance first.
Go Jin-cheol declared,
"...The National Martial Committee has unanimously decided to designate this woman a Public Enemy of the Martial World. I announce this to all gathered. Use every means to capture or kill her. The martial world's fate hangs in the balance. The committee will reward you."
Thinking the announcement over, applause broke out.
But Go Jin-cheol wasn't done.
"And right here, I want to designate another Public Enemy of the Martial World."
Go Jin-cheol gritted his teeth, his voice thick with emotion.
"You'll remember the unsavory incident five years ago. Our dear peerless master attacked from low-level broadcast staff to executives and celebrities."
Heo Pung-gae's body stiffened. Go Jin-cheol pressed on.
"The martial artist raid on the broadcasting station."