Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: The Benefactor's Secret
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“Chui-dal, your words carry some righteousness. How about letting him go for a short while?”
“Exactly. It’s not like we’re heading off to fight, so there’s no real need for him to tag along.”
Watching Dang-gun and Dang-yeon take Chui-dal’s side, Yang-hui wore an awkward expression for a moment.
‘Not a single one on my side.’
It would be stranger to deny someone wanting to find the benefactor who saved their life.
It would’ve been great if Gu-ak, who knew the full story, were here right now.
‘If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I should’ve dragged Brother Gu along no matter what.’
In truth, he’d already tried tempting him to come, but got firmly rejected.
Gu-ak had said that going all the way to Sichuan might make his daughter Hwa-hwa forget her father’s face.
It was the perfect reason, one that even Yang-hui couldn’t bully his way past.
“Brother, why’re you so quiet? We’ll find him quick and head straight to Sichuan, so just give us the okay.”
‘You’re never gonna find him quick, you brat!’
Your benefactor is right in front of you.
There was never any finding to do in the first place.
Maybe he should’ve just told him he was the benefactor when he saved him?
‘No, if I had, we wouldn’t have this playful relationship we have now.’
Back then, Chui-dal had been utterly terrifying.
Forced to learn a ferocious heart technique, he barely showed any emotion and was so gravely serious it didn’t suit a kid—would he really have gone around calling him “benefactor, benefactor”?
Just imagining Chui-dal acting like that...
Chills!
‘Ugh. No way. Definitely not.’
“Brother, if Chui-dal wants to go, let him. I, your true little brother, will guard your side!”
Baek Heon-so finished speaking, his eyes gleaming.
‘What’s gotten into this guy now?’
From his attitude, it felt like he was determined to reclaim some position he’d lost.
It might’ve been cute back in the day, but now Baek Heon-so had gone through Pursuing Energy and Blood Clotting, growing into a six-foot-tall fifteen-year-old youth.
Not cute—downright creepy.
True little brother? Technically, you’re not blood-related either, So-ya.
‘So everyone except me wants to send Chui-dal off?’
“Chui-dal, if you go, where am I supposed to get my info from?”
“We’re heading to the Tang Clan—when would we even need info? If it’s really necessary, we can just ask the Young Clan Leader of the Tangs.”
“Right, Brother Hui. If you’re curious about anything, you can use the clan’s information network.”
“If that doesn’t work, I’ll assign one of the Baek-ri Pavilion agents to you.”
Hm. Info excuse failed.
“Chui-dal... Seol-ha and A-du already left, and if you go too, I’ll be so lonely...”
“Brother! I’m here! I, Baek Heon-so, will fill that void for you!”
Flames ignited in Baek Heon-so’s eyes.
...You clueless brat.
Appeal to emotions failed too.
“That’s how it is, Brother. So this little brother will be off now?”
“Hold it.”
“Ah, why?!”
Time for the final resort.
Since ancient times, sages facing crises had one ultimate trump card.
A false statement.
In other words, a lie.
“Chui-dal, Chui-dal, the ‘chui’ from freezing cold...”
“Hey, I’m not cold!”
“The otter from otter.”
“I don’t look like an otter either!”
“You little punk?”
Seeing Chui-dal quickly cover his head, Yang-hui continued.
“Truth is... I know who your benefactor is.”
“Gasp? Really? Then why didn’t you tell me... wait a sec.”
Chui-dal’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“You’re not just lying to keep me from going, are you?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then swear it on the honor of the Heaven-Covering Hundred Families.”
“I swear. I really do know who your benefactor is.”
‘Of course— it’s me.’
It wasn’t a lie, anyway.
He did know who the benefactor was.
Well, technically it wasn’t a lie yet.
‘To deceive someone, mix truth with lies!’
This was a masterful strategy straight out of Sun Tzu’s Art of War.
Feint east to strike west— the ploy of Cheng Dong Ji Xi!
“I’ve sworn as you wished, so I can keep going? The simple reason I haven’t told you who your benefactor is until now...”
“What is it?”
“...is because the benefactor doesn’t want it.”
“What?”
Chui-dal looked shocked.
“Why not?”
“Think about it logically. What kind of hero boasts about saving one little kid?”
“...”
“Your benefactor was a hero straight out of a painting. His bearing and the aura he exuded were the epitome of heroism. Do you think someone like that would want thanks from a child he saved?”
Yang-hui continued with eyes full of longing.
“It’s what sparked my own sense of justice in my heart... He embodied such a pure, beautiful righteousness.”
“Ooh... Yeah, he must be like that.”
“Anyway, your benefactor wouldn’t want you seeking him out.”
“I see. But Brother, shouldn’t I still express my gratitude? Think about it. The kid he saved long ago grows up, tracks him down, and offers proper thanks. Wouldn’t that feel great? Deeply moving, right?”
‘Huh? Well, yeah, it would.’
“So tell me who it is, and I’ll go pay my respects quick and come back. Spill it.”
“...”
“Brother?”
“I do know his alias and name, but... how about this instead?”
Feeling cold sweat trickle down his spine, he desperately racked his brain.
“Wouldn’t it bring him greater joy if the saved child showed up not as some nameless nobody, but as one of the top young experts in the world? Don’t you think?”
“Well...”
“That’s part of why I brought you on the trip to Sichuan. Better to go after rising from Yi-li Chui-dal to at least Baek-ri Chui-dal, right?”
“Ah, Yi-li Chui-dal isn’t even my alias!”
“Hey now. Chui-dal, Chui-dal, the ‘chui’ from freezing...”
“I’m not cold!”
Yang-hui raised the corner of his mouth as Chui-dal huffed indignantly.
That should’ve shaken his composure. This excuse felt solid enough. Perfect.
“Anyway, refute that. You wanna go as an unknown scrub, or as a famed young expert?”
“...”
“Ah, here’s an idea. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is in three years. Step up then, earn recognition as a top young expert among the masses. Then go find him!”
“...”
“Your reunion with the benefactor will feel all the more fitting!”
Chui-dal pondered deeply, then nodded slightly.
“If you’re sure you know, then yeah, no need to waste time searching. But why not tell me now and let me go later?”
“Huh?”
“It’s not hard to just tell me.”
That was true...
“Chui-dal.”
Baek Heon-so chimed in at just the right moment.
For reference, he and Chui-dal were the same age and had become like friends at some point.
Or rather, rivals burning with inexplicable competitive spirit.
“There’s a reason Brother isn’t telling you. It’s Brother, after all.”
“Hm. True.”
“Even I’ve felt frustrated when Brother wouldn’t just come out and say things straight, but looking back, it was always for my own good. Isn’t this the same?”
Dang-yeon, who’d been listening, smiled and rode up beside Baek Heon-so, patting his shoulder.
“Our So really trusts Brother Hui, huh? That was kinda cool just now.”
At the touch, Baek Heon-so flushed like a shy schoolboy and bowed his head.
“No, Sister.”
“It was. Trust between brothers is so important. My big brother just nags me all the time.”
“That’s because you make him nag, Yeon-i.”
“See? Nagging right now.”
Baek Heon-so, embarrassed, put some distance between him and Dang-yeon before turning back to Chui-dal.
“Anyway, Chui-dal. Brother always thinks steps ahead of us. Trust him and wait. He swore on the clan’s honor.”
Convinced by Baek Heon-so, Chui-dal looked at Yang-hui.
“Brother. I’ll train harder. But you have to tell me for sure later.”
‘Whew. Good job, So-ya. Perfect!’
With that thought, he nodded solemnly.
“Of course. It’s all for your sake. When the time comes, you’ll know who your benefactor is. I swear this on the clan’s name too.”
Though when that time would be remained TBD.
Crisis averted for now.
Better change the subject before it reignites.
“By the way, Brother Dang. Got a sudden question.”
“Shoot, Brother Hui.”
“What do the people of the Tang Clan think of us?”
Baek Mu-ryang had decided to send Yang-hui and Baek Heon-so to the Tang Clan because of the ten-year vow.
The Tang Clan was one of the world’s top prestigious sects, elevated to great clan status in the eyes of the world.
Yet by birth, they were destined to be tools of the Nine Great Clans and Five Great Families.
The Baek Clan, once the world’s greatest who founded a clan and claimed a seat among the Five Great Families, had fallen so low they were scorned as third-rate even by local unorthodox gangs.
The content of the vow between such Baek and Tang Clans was simple.
If within ten years the Baek Clan rose to become one of Gangseo’s top martial families...
...then together, they would conquer east and west Hunan simultaneously to expand their influence.
“After this Black Dao purge, the main clan is hailed as Gangseo’s top martial family. Think the Tang Clan elders will be satisfied?”
Honestly, the Tang Clan had no reason to ally with the Baek Clan of old.
No matter how leashed they were, the power gap back then was hundreds-fold.
Even now, the Tang Clan was three or four times stronger.
“To be frank... it’s iffy. The Baek Clan’s current forces are woefully insufficient to start conquering Hunan right away. And... even our Tang Clan.”
Decades ago, after Sword King’s Massacre of the Blood Cult, Hunan became Black Dao territory.
No matter how devastating the blow to Hunan’s orthodox sects, one province falling entirely to the Black Dao had a single reason.
“Hunan... is essentially Blood Slaughter Union territory.”
The top unorthodox clan, Blood Slaughter Union.
The perpetrators of the Sword King’s Blood Cult Massacre that wiped out Hunan’s orthodox forces decades ago—they were a colossal power even the Nine Great Clans and Five Great Families hesitated to challenge.
“The Blood Slaughter Union rules Hunan indirectly through the Black Dao out of caution, but...”
“The moment we eye Hunan, they’ll surely make a move.”
Dang-gun gave a wry smile as he continued.
“Even before that... whether we can afford to eye it at all.”
Conquering a province was no small feat.
With Blood Slaughter Union involved, the Nine Great Clans and Five Great Families would surely intervene.
“Brother Hui. The heroic spirit you showed as a child was admirable. But now we must reconsider. We bear the responsibility of facing reality.”
He was right.
The ten-year vow had bound the two clans tightly, so there were plenty of other things they could do together besides conquering Hunan.
Baek Mu-ryang sending both sons to the Tang Clan was likely mostly to build stronger ties.
But.
‘The Blood Slaughter Union must fall someday.’
Conquering Hunan wasn’t just about claiming territory and growing power—it was essential for the future.
And to achieve it, one condition—or rather, one constraint—had to be overcome.
‘Brother Dang. I’ll make the Tang Clan a true great clan in every sense.’
And scout for anything useful to the main clan while I’m at it.
Without revealing his thoughts, Yang-hui grinned slyly.