Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Third-Rate Martial Family Becomes World's Best
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The first floor of the Hundred Whites Pavilion.
The guest who had requested the meeting was a completely unexpected person.
'A kid?'
A boy who appeared to be around twelve or thirteen, dressed in scholarly robes that didn't suit his age.
It was him.
The boy, who had been sipping tea with an air of premature maturity, stood up.
"You've arrived, Great Young Master Baek Yang-hui of the Baek Clan Manor. This scholar is So Ga-ra of the White-Clothed Sect."
This scholar. So Ga-ra of the White-Clothed Sect.
Normal kids didn't refer to themselves like that.
"Yeah, yeah. Kid, what do you want with me?"
The boy furrowed his brow.
He clearly didn't like being spoken to like a child.
"I've heard you're sixteen, Young Master Baek. I'm only three years younger, so please drop the 'kid' label."
Brat, age might be debatable physically, but mentally, you're still a kid.
"Sure, kid."
"......"
"Your big bro here's busy. Can you get to the point quick?"
"......"
"Those titles you passed on. Where'd you hear them?"
The boy puffed out his cheeks as he replied.
"I didn't hear them. I came up with them myself. On the contrary, I'd like to ask you, Young Master. You passed on Righteous Bandits of the Green Forest, so you must have something to say about it."
Yang-hui stared at the boy silently for a moment.
Righteous Bandits of the Green Forest. One of the novels One Stroke Writer had written in his previous life.
Meaning, at this point in time, no one in the world should know about it.
Yet this boy knew about Righteous Bandits of the Green Forest.
'Is this kid the real One Stroke Writer?'
No way. The One Stroke Writer from his previous life had been at least twenty years older than this boy.
That left a few possibilities.
"Dunno. I've got nothing to say to you."
"If that's how you're going to play it, fine. I'll have to break it down point by point. The novels publicly released by the author One Stroke Writer are Pure Sword Spans Myriad Miles, Eastern Land Against Western Demons, Peerless Love's Endless Delay, and Return to Mount Hua. Eastern Land Against Western Demons is a tale of protecting the East—that is, the Central Plains—from the demonic beasts of the West. The protagonist is a half-blood inheriting blood from both East and West, but resolves to safeguard the Eastern spirit. The early setup harmonizes these elements perfectly into the story structure, shaping the other characters' personalities to fit seamlessly based on that foundation, and the subsequent plot proceeds accordingly..."
The boy went on for quite a while, reciting intricate details about Eastern Land Against Western Demons.
Not satisfied with that, he rattled off equally detailed explanations of the other novels.
Ugh, this kid sure loves to talk.
"Get to the point."
"I'm telling you the point right now."
"Short and sweet."
"I am being short and sweet."
"This is short and sweet?"
"You want even more detail? They're all plotted out, even if not public yet, so I could go on forever."
Not that you could—you want to.
Not wanting to indulge him further, Yang-hui cut straight to the core.
"So. You're saying you're the original author of the novels put out by One Stroke Writer of the Baek Book Merchant Group?"
"More precisely, Young Master Baek stole the book compiling my personal scribbles and notes."
"Me?"
"Yes. Because you're One Stroke Writer."
Strong conviction laced the boy's words.
'That's why he dangled Righteous Bandits of the Green Forest. To test me.'
His scheming was impressively sharp for his age, at least.
"Suppose that's true. How do you know I stole your notes?"
"Because no one but me could craft stories that good. My notes only had rough concepts, but you nailed the core elements. It's obvious you stole them."
On top of clever scheming, he had rock-solid confidence in himself.
No, it bordered on arrogance.
Acting all grown-up was one thing, but does he have a ghost that died bragging attached to him?
"Kid."
"I'm not a kid."
"Hm. Then Little Scholar."
"Eek, not Little Scholar either!"
"You said So Ga-ra?"
"You just added 'little' to make it Little Scholar!"
"Little or not, you're still Little Scholar. So, what's your point? You want me to return your stolen goods?"
"I demand proper compensation."
"How?"
The boy's demand was simple.
"Make me the sect leader of the White-Clothed Sect."
An absurd statement, a demand straight out of fantasy.
But.
Listening to the boy's request, realization dawned.
The question he'd had moments ago. The reason the White-Clothed Sect had shown greater cunning in his previous life.
'It's this kid.'
"You get permission from the White-Clothed Sect elders?"
"What good is permission from those muddle-headed fools bound by mere numbers like age? Especially when the clan is on the brink of ruin."
Fair enough. Intoxicated by his own brilliance, he hadn't yet learned to temper his speech for others.
But in four or five years, when the White-Clothed Sect rose to prominence, he'd be grown and command respect. The timeline fit.
In his previous life, this kid had been the White-Clothed Sect's strategist.
'Hm. Feels like a whole watermelon vine just rolled in.'
Time to dig deeper.
"Why should I grant your request to make you sect leader?"
"You've been shameless since the theft, as expected. But my request benefits you too. Simple reason. First, your Baek Clan Manor—no, now the Heaven-Covering Baek Clan. The Heaven-Covering Baek Clan, proclaiming unyielding righteousness, has entered Nanchang, the White-Clothed Sect's territory. From a big-picture view..."
The brat was rattling off from start to finish again when asked for reasons.
Couldn't resist showing off how deeply and broadly he thought.
"Stop. You want me to make you a puppet?"
"I hadn't gotten there yet. You're sharp too, huh? No wonder you polished my concepts into something decent."
Pretty sharp? Is that how you talk to an adult?
Smart, but green.
Still... definitely a gem.
For sure, this kid's the real One Stroke Writer. The guy revealed as such in the past was a fake.
He didn't know what happened in his previous life—whether his concepts were stolen or the kid himself was used by an imposter.
'In the previous life, the White-Clothed Sect went beyond Nanchang's best to Gangseo's top sect.'
The driving force behind their expansion was bold, cunning maneuvers.
The strategist had elevated them nearly to hegemon of the province.
If that strategist was this kid...
'Still, gotta test him.'
"Kid. Er, Little Scholar. I'll give you a shot."
"Not a kid! Mind your words! And trying to end it with just a chance? Hm, it's meager recompense for the theft, but... I can raise you up myself. Fine."
Yang-hui grinned and took the Little Scholar up to the top floor of the Hundred Whites Pavilion.
"Father. Uncle. I have something to say."
"What is it? Who's the kid you brought?"
The Little Scholar burst out indignantly.
"I'm not a kid! Call me Little Scholar!"
Baek Mu-ryang looked at Yang-hui instead of responding.
His gaze clearly asked what was going on.
"He's from the So family, one of the elder houses in the White-Clothed Sect. I have some questions for him, and thought you'd both want to hear the answers."
He continued, looking at the Little Scholar.
"Don't ask how I knew the So are an elder house. You wouldn't have brought up sect leader otherwise."
"Indeed, Young Master, you're worth talking to at least. Pretty clever."
Ignoring the arrogant retort, he waited for Baek Mu-ryang and Jeon Jeon-seon's approval.
Fortunately, both seemed intrigued by the Little Scholar.
"I don't know what you're asking or what answers you'll get, but this should be fun."
"Yang-hui, spill whatever scheme you're cooking up this time."
"Yes, sir."
He shared some key info on the Baek Clan's current situation with the Little Scholar.
The ten-year pact with the Dang Clan.
The bet in nine months... no, the Namcheon Martial Hall's young hall master's wager with Baek Heon-so.
The incident at Jeongwol Gate and the upcoming meeting.
And the Baek Clan's finances and affiliated businesses.
Baek Mu-ryang trusted Yang-hui and said nothing, but Jeon Jeon-seon clicked his tongue.
"Yang-hui. Is it okay to reveal such detailed internal matters? He's from a house we might still consider enemies."
Even Jeon Jeon-seon reacted that way, yet the Little Scholar remained nonchalant.
As if seeking counsel from someone of his caliber was only natural.
"It's fine. If he seems off, we'll just wipe him out."
Of course, a lie. Just to scare him a bit.
The Little Scholar's response was bold as ever.
"No need for that! You'll grant my request and treat me with utmost respect!"
"Yeah, yeah, Little Scholar. Now, your thoughts. Under these conditions, what's the best move for the Baek Clan?"
After rolling his eyes around in thought for a moment, the Little Scholar spoke up.
"Strike Gilju first among Gilju and Wonju. No—seize everything in Gilju."
"Why?"
"The Baek Clan was at a disadvantage against the White-Clothed Sect. Without the Jeon Jeon Clan's intervention, they'd be celebrating victory."
"Agreed."
"One reason only. The Baek Clan's manpower is too small. Half your warriors are from the Black Path, right? You've integrated them well, but outsiders see it as insufficient. Even absorbing Chaegil Escort Agency with money—most are escorts. Still short."
"You mean we need people loyal to the Baek Clan, ideally family who see themselves as one with it?"
"Ho. Guessed from the Gilju mention? Not just clever—you know your stuff."
"Brat, I'm older than you. Doesn't feel great hearing that from a kid."
Baek Mu-ryang and Jeon Jeon-seon eyed the sixteen-year-old and the thirteen-year-old.
Who was calling whom a kid.
Well, both were acting beyond their years.
One had proven it consistently, the other was proving it now.
"Anyway. Gilju will be the driving force for the Heaven-Covering Baek Clan to advance faster and stronger. Because."
"Once secured, Gilju becomes a massive power base like your home county of Agan."
What if you insulted Wudang near their mountain village?
The common folk would stone you.
Even non-martial artists would always back their sect.
Controlling the base around a sect was that crucial.
"Heaven-Covering Baek Clan's home is Agan County. A single county limits big steps."
"Yeah. I get what you mean."
"Already? I have more to say. To use the Namcheon bet... for the Dang pact, there are specifics to consider..."
"Enough."
Letting him spiel would take more than an hour.
"You pass, Little Scholar."
"Wrong, Young Master. Ask to serve me honorably. Politely."
Yang-hui checked his expression.
This kid was holding a grudge over the kid treatment?
To take him in, might need to humble him a bit.
"But. You missed something."
"What? Impossible!"
Watching the flustered Little Scholar, who refused to admit any flaw.
Yang-hui grinned and continued.