Chapter 548
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 548
Chapter Title: Then, What's the Second One?
"So, you're saying that some woman who popped up out of nowhere did that to our big brother? Right now?"
Gwan Po's savage words made Sa Hoon nod.
He had no choice. It was the truth.
"She was a peak expert, Brother."
Sa Hoon's expression was filled with grief.
"A peak expert? How strong could some wench possibly be?"
"She used blade aura."
Sa Hoon had also collapsed from Gwan Ha-kyeong's strike, but he hadn't lost consciousness.
However, fearing he'd get hit again if they noticed he was awake, he'd pretended to pass out and cracked his eyes open to survey the surroundings.
And what he saw was enough to make his eyes bulge wide.
He'd maintained that state with desperate endurance.
Who wouldn't be shocked to see a man and woman suddenly burst in, wielding sword aura and blade aura?
Even the Maehyang Sect warriors had retreated without doing a thing.
The skin on her hand felt rough yet soft.
For a moment, Sa Hoon recalled the sensation when Gwan Ha-kyeong had grabbed his wrist and dragged him away.
"Blade aura?"
Gwan Po's voice was still fierce, snapping Sa Hoon back to reality.
"Yes. The man who came with her used sword aura."
In other words, two peak experts had suddenly appeared.
"You think that makes any sense?"
"I'm only telling you what I saw with my own eyes. And they're peak experts of that caliber, so who else could have left Big Brother in such a state?"
There was no arguing that.
It was absurd.
For a martial hall on the brink of collapse to suddenly have two peak experts show up.
"I should have gone too."
It was a murmur laced with regret.
Then at least he could have prevented his brother from ending up like this.
"Those bastards are still at the Yuun Martial Hall, right?"
"Ah, no, Brother Gwan. No matter how strong you are, there are two of them. We'd be outnumbered."
"Our brother got turned into that, and you're spouting nonsense like that?!"
Gwan Po exploded in fury.
His presence was truly terrifying.
It rivaled the aura of those experts from the Yuun Martial Hall.
But Sa Hoon didn't back down.
"And if something happens to you in the process, what then? You know why the Maehyang Sect is just sitting back and watching us! It's because of Big Brother!"
Gwan Po faltered at Sa Hoon's desperate shout.
He wasn't wrong.
Seeking revenge for his brother could end up endangering the brother himself.
But that was only if he lost.
"You think I'm going to lose?"
Gwan Po growled at Sa Hoon.
"How can one hand beat two? Besides, Brother's condition is..."
Sa Hoon trailed off.
There were only Seon Gyu, Gwan Po, and himself here, but words could still leak out.
"......"
Gwan Po made no reply.
"And don't rush in recklessly. Let's wait and see how the Maehyang Sect plays this."
"The Maehyang Sect?"
"What do you mean?"
Seon Gyu, who had been watching the argument, asked both at once.
"Yu Gwi-gwang, the Yuun Pavilion Lord, figured out that the Imperial Guard Squad Leader and a few others are Maehyang Sect disciples."
Sa Hoon explained calmly now.
"So what?"
Seon Gyu asked with a puzzled look.
"What do you think happens if word gets out that a righteous sect—no, the strongest in the South—teamed up with black path scum like us to attack a martial hall over some ridiculous pretext?"
"Their face and reputation would hit the dirt."
"That's what they live by in the righteous faction. To prevent that, they'll try to take down the Yuun Martial Hall before the rumors spread."
The two nodded.
"More importantly, those two peak experts who showed up at the Yuun Martial Hall. They seemed close to Yu Gwi-gwang. Do you think people like that would sit idly by after learning the strongest sect here is at odds with the Yuun Hall? They'll step in to resolve it, which means clashing with the Maehyang Sect."
Sa Hoon laid out his read of the flow.
"So what do we do?"
Gwan Po asked.
"There are two options."
"Two?"
Seon Gyu, his face swollen and ready to burst, showed curiosity.
"When the two peak experts from Yuun attack the Maehyang Sect first."
Seon Gyu and Gwan Po focused intently on Sa Hoon's lips.
"Brother Gwan hits the Yuun Martial Hall. Without those two peak experts, it's nothing for you alone."
"And take the Yuun people hostage, right? Heh heh heh."
Seon Gyu's mind worked fast when it came to dirty deeds.
He chuckled as if it was already satisfying just thinking about it.
He could practically feel that wench who did this to him kneeling before him, ready to be ravaged at will.
"Exactly. It's the best scenario for us, but probably unlikely. From what I saw today, Yu Gwi-gwang's no slouch when it comes to scheming. He'll anticipate this too."
"Tch. Then what's the second?"
"When the Maehyang Sect moves on Yuun, Brother Gwan lends a hand. That's probably how it'll go."
Gwan Po frowned at that.
"Why would I help those bastards?"
"Didn't I just say? One hand can't beat two."
It was true.
He didn't like it, but it was clearly the best move.
The Maehyang Sect had several experts even Gwan Po couldn't guarantee victory over.
If he joined them, they'd win easily.
"So I just help out?"
"I'll negotiate ahead of time. In exchange for you stepping in, they up our cut by five parts and hand over the wench who did this to Big Brother."
Seon Gyu grinned widely at that.
He was more interested in the wench than the extra five parts.
"To be honest... even without us, the Maehyang Sect will sweep them away on their own. They'll take some hits in the process. That's when we swoop in for the fisherman's profit. Best case."
"Then? Why only mention two options?"
Gwan Po asked curiously.
"You wanna do that?"
Gwan Po shook his head firmly at Sa Hoon's question.
"That's why I didn't bring it up. I still think it's the best considering your condition, Brother Gwan."
"Don't worry about me."
Gwan Po spoke with unshakeable resolve.
"And fisherman's profit? The wench who did that to Brother will pay with her life by this hand."
Seon Gyu looked at his sworn brother with moved eyes.
Sa Hoon shook his head with a now-I-get-nothing expression.
What luck does Big Brother have to form a bond like this with Brother Gwan? A miracle given Big Brother's personality. Really.
Sa Hoon knew the circumstances.
That's why it was even more astonishing.
The actions Seon Gyu took back then didn't match his usual character at all.
"Then I'll head to the Maehyang Sect."
Sa Hoon stood and left the Flower Crimson Tower.
He'd have to spend quite a tiring time haggling with their chief steward again.
Better to go early.
Especially since Gwan Po was so set on it.
The minor disturbance in Sangnam.
A clash between a third-rate black path faction and a martial hall was just a blip in the vast Central Plains.
Of course, two peak experts suddenly barging in and displaying sword aura was rare.
But on the scale of the world, it wasn't unheard of.
Not enough to draw the attention of the great prestigious sects.
No matter how rare peak experts were, any sect worthy of "great" had more than two hands could count.
But the Beggar Sect's express pigeons took flight busily.
Relaying through various points, their final destination was the Anbok Branch in Shangseong Province.
Because of one man lurking nearby.
Chil Hwa-gae scowled at the report that arrived via pigeon.
"This smells like the Maehyang Sect stirred up trouble."
Five first-rate experts from the Black Face Room attacked the Yuun Martial Hall's lord?
He'd believe it if one peak expert had stepped in.
There was clearly one such expert.
But the Black Face Room had no first-rates. Yet five appeared out of thin air.
In Sangnam territory, only the Maehyang Sect had that capability.
Normally, he'd dismiss such regional power struggles as commonplace.
The problem was Ha Mu-baek's interest in the Yuun Martial Hall.
That made it far from ordinary.
"Tch, Ban Yun... I figured that guy would cause trouble someday, but why now..."
Chil Hwa-gae clicked his tongue, pocketed the report, and left the hut.
He unleashed full lightness skill toward Seobok.
These things were best delivered quickly.
By the time he raced through Seobok to the Fierce Dragon Corps camp where Ha Mu-baek was, night had deepened.
"What is it this time?"
"Gah!"
Once again, Ha Mu-baek appeared like a ghost, without a sound.
Damn, scared me. What kind of person moves like a specter...?
Chil Hwa-gae patted his chest, pulled out the report, and handed it over.
"News just in from Sangnam."
"Oh? The Beggar Sect even does this? Haomen doesn't seem to have updates after the initial."
As Ha Mu-baek took the report and spoke admiringly,
"Hoo. Haomen was a paid formal request, right? More info means another request. We..."
Chil Hwa-gae swallowed the resentful follow-up.
It wasn't polite.
He wanted to snap that you were the one working them like dogs without asking.
But with orders from the sect leader and deputy to fully cooperate with Ha Mu-baek, underlings had no choice.
Truth be told, delivering unrequested info first might be overkill.
But better to preempt and avoid later gripes, so Chil Hwa-gae had rushed.
"Hm. Maehyang Sect... They timed it perfectly, huh?"
The Sangnam report detailed how Feng Jian and Gwan Ha-kyeong arrived at the critical moment and revealed peak expert prowess.
"Thanks. I won't forget this debt."
Ha Mu-baek smiled at Chil Hwa-gae, then lightly kicked off the ground.
And vanished.
Ghostly movement indeed.
For a brief fool's moment, Chil Hwa-gae wondered if he'd really spoken to a ghost, then shook it off.
"Won't forget, huh... Please don't. I beg you."
He muttered earnestly, turned back toward Anbok, and trudged away.
For now, he'd crash at some roadside shrine or hut in Seobok.
It was already too late.
Han Seol-bing, lying in bed asleep, snapped her eyes open.
"Hah. What now?"
She muttered softly, rose from the bed, and draped her windbreaker cloak over her nightclothes.
She left the room.
Ha Mu-baek stood atop the estate's roof.
She'd woken sensing his aura.
An aura only she could feel, so the estate remained quiet.
"Why?"
Han Seol-bing landed lightly on the roof and asked.
"Something interesting happened in Sangnam."
Ha Mu-baek held out the report Chil Hwa-gae had given him.