Chapter 26: My Beginning Is (1)
Translator: Hwarang
Editor: Kidyeon
The news was true.
Ma Bong Gi had become the new Mengju. That old baboon had actually become the Mengju.
After telling my parents that I’d go into secluded training, I got on a horse and proceeded to ride towards Mu Hwan of Ho Buk Fortress, which serves as the headquarters for the Murim Alliance.
I was fully aware of my position. I knew that I couldn’t change anything since my martial arts hadn’t developed to the point where I had any level of influence.
Since I’d been reborn as Byuk Lee Dan, I hadn’t held any interest towards becoming the Mengju again. I simply wanted to live my new life in peace.
The reason that I was going to Mu Hwan was because I wanted to know what happened to Kal Sa Ryang.
This was something that couldn’t have happened unless something had happened to him.
Since the Mengju had already been decided, his fate had also most-likely been decided. And I wasn’t the type to wait around for the news to reach me.
The first place that I visited after reaching Mu Hwan was the Murim Headquarters.
I was able to see the Murim Alliance Building from quite far away. Mu Hwan was a place that bustled with so many people it wouldn’t be a surprise for it to be called an independent city.
Behind the large fence that surrounded the building stood numerous martial artists guarding the Murim Alliance Building. Just the gate alone had over thirty people guarding it.
I gazed at the Murim Alliance Building from a distance for quite a while. Coming back here and seeing it like... it somewhat calms my heart.
However, my instinct, which had gotten me through many difficult situations, was whispering to me.
That it was time for me to get calm.
I wonder how long it’s been since I last saw this building like this—from the outside.
I suddenly recalled the day that I’d first entered this place as the new Mengju.
Becoming the Mengju back then had been a major decision, even for myself, who was considered the Strongest Under the Heavens.
Although I hadn’t shown it on the outside, I was worried about my performance, and wasn’t able to sleep properly for the first few months.
It felt as if it were just yesterday, yet dozens of years have already gone by. The reason that I knew so much about the Murim Alliance was because it was part of me. No matter whether it be the streets or the buildings, I know where people are hiding their secrets.
I truly wanted to just scale the walls and run to Kal Sa Ryang’s office. However, I knew that I couldn’t just do that anymore, since I didn’t have the ability to casually come go in the Murim headquarters. I probably had the ability to enter the outer hall, but the inner hall it would be impossible with my current abilities.
***
I decided to just book a room at the nearest inn.
The owner said that I was in luck, as there was only one room left. Ever since the new Mengju had been announced, many Kang Ho-in from around the country had started to gather here. They’d arrived here early for the new Mengju’s appointment that was going to happen in a month.
There were rumors going around that this was going to be the grandest appointment of any Mengju yet. Because of this, the city was in a festive mood.
I came down from my room to the restaurant and ordered a bottle wine, deciding to listen in on others’ conversations whilst sipping on my wine.
One thing I learned while listening in on their conversations was that these people didn’t feel threatened at all by Ma Bong Gi becoming the new Mengju. They were ignorant since they didn’t know much about Ma Bong Gi. They just took Ma Bong Gi as one of the masters of the Five Great Clans of Central Pain.
Rather, there was another empty rumor flying around.
“Did you hear? Ma Bong Gi killed Princess Am Young, one of the Leader of the Thirteen Demonic Alliance!”
“Yeah, I heard about that. Someone told me that the previous Mengju took the credit for what Ma Bong Gi did.”
“Oh my! That really doesn’t seem like something that the Strongest Under the Heavens would do though.”
Hearing this made me really want to smash the table in front of me. I remember how much of a struggle I’d gone through to kill Princess Am Young.
I still remember the day that I’d killed Princess Am Young. How Ma Bong Gi had shown up after I’d finished doing all the dirty work. How he’d shown his ugly face to me right after avoiding the life-death situation.
In the war against the Thirteen Demon Alliance, the Five Great Clans of Central Plain had been forced to help the Murim Alliance. However, the Masters of these clans had done their best to keep their casualties low.
This was understandable. If it were me, I would’ve done the same.
However, of all of them, the Heavenly Dao Gate was the one that had barely gotten into any conflict with the enemy.
Ever since then, they’d been living under my watchful eye. How had he managed to become the Mengju?
But something was suspicious. Right as the new Mengju was appointed, praise had instantly started to spread about him.
I carefully watched the people who were spreading rumors, and trailed them when they left. It was as I’d antic.i.p.ated; they went to other inns to spread more rumors. They were mostly praising Ma Bong Gi’s hidden deeds, or just telling flat out lies.
These punks!
I was certain that they were from Heavenly Dao Gate.
I suddenly remembered what Kal Sa Ryung had said to me one day: “Even if you’re the Strongest Under the Heavens, you still can’t rule the Central Plains!”
To rule Kang Ho you needed power. But I was only able to unify the Central Plains as the Mengju because I had many subordinates who were willing to listen to my commands.
Being the Strongest Under the Heavens only meant that that person was the best fighter. That person could easily kill any Mengju. But as just the Strongest Under the Heavens? You can’t rule the Central Plains as that alone.
What was happening here was a prime example of that. There’s only so much a single person can do. Even if I were to beat these guys up right now, there were still others who will spread false rumors all throughout Kang Ho. Not that I was going to beat them up.
A few hours later, I entered a restaurant that was close to the Murim headquarters.
It was a popular restaurant where many martial artist from the Murim headquarter came by to drink. However, it wasn’t exclusive to the Murim-In; others were still allowed to drink here as well.
When I entered the restaurant, it was full of people. More than half of them were dressed as some sort of person from the Murim.
I took a seat at one of the tables to the side and ordered plenty of food and wine, as I was going to be staying here for quite a while.
Ever since I’d finished opening the last of my meridian points, my sense of hearing had been heightened to the point that I was able to hear every conversation that was happening with only a single thought.
Most of the conversation was centered around the new Mengju.
Some were saying negative things about him, others were talking about his problem with women... there were all sorts of different thoughts and opinions about the new Mengju flying around the room.
But I was patiently waiting.
Around midnight, I heard about the information on what I’d wanted to hear.
At the table closest to mine, I was able to hear a conversation that a couple of men from the intelligence sect were discussing.
“Have you seen Chancellor Kal lately? He hasn’t been looking too good.”
“Of course he wouldn’t be looking too good.”
“What do you think will happen to him?”
“Who knows? Won’t he be relegated, or be forced to retire at this rate?”
“Probably?”
“Didn’t you hear? When the new Mengju gets instated, he’s going to rea.s.sign the entire intelligence sect.”
“Do you think we’ll be alright?”
“Who knows?”
They trailed off.
I was able to feel part of the burden lifted from my shoulders now that I’d been a.s.sured that Kal Sa Ryang was still alive.
Yes, for now, I’ll be satisfied with just you being alive.
I wasn’t worried about Baek Hyo.
The absolute safest place from all of this political turmoil was the Fierce Guard Sect.
Since they were in charge of protecting the Mengju, and were treated as an independent sect, they wouldn’t become scapegoats for anything. Especially Baek Pyo, who was both innocent and uninterested in politics.
Now that I was certain of Kal Sa Ryang’s status, I wanted to know what had happened.
Why hadn’t he been able to stop it? Why had he delayed this for so long? If the three pillars that were under my direct control are still on board, there shouldn’t have been anything that could’ve stopped Kal Sa Ryang from doing what he needed to do.
Had they turned against him?
I wouldn’t be able to find out what happened here, so I left the restaurant.
***
Early the next morning, I left the inn I was staying in.
The best case scenario would be to hear it directly from Kal Sa Ryang, but I knew that that was impossible. Simply meeting the Chancellor of the Murim Alliance was highly difficult. Even if I was somehow able to miraculously meet him, he wouldn’t know me since I’m no longer the Strongest Under the Heavens, but Byuk Lee Dan.
I could have easily found out what I wanted to know through information brokers, but it would be impossible for me to purchase the information I wanted right now.
Something like this would cost over ten thousand Nyang; however, no one would be able to verify whether or not this information was correct.
Finding out what had happened was for another day. All I wanted now was to seeing Kal Sa Ryang’s face, even if it was just once.
Then I remembered someone.
With that person in mind, I arrived at a restaurant known as Unleakable Tavern.
“Welcome.”
A middle-aged woman welcomed me with a calm smile.
Only a few people in Kang Ho know about this secret. That the person who just greeted me is one of the leaders of the Heavenly Net Organization.
One of the top three information merchant organizations in all of Kang Ho.
The Heavenly Net’s name means that it’s a vast, large net which will not miss a single thing; it will scoop up and find every single thing that you’re trying to hide.
Heavenly Net was truly a name full of meaning.
How could you possibly gather all of that information with a net?
But just like their namesake, the operatives of this organization worked very hard so that they didn’t miss even a single shred of information.
“Is there a particular tea that you are looking for?”
“I’ll take whatever you recommend.”
“Please wait a moment.”
I sat down in one of the chairs by the window, then gazed at the cook who was currently in the kitchen. Even though the waitress was an expert, the real expert was the cook I was looking at. He was the waitress’s bodyguard.
There was a time when Kal Sa Ryang had brought her over to meet me. I had been surprised that one of the leaders of the Heavenly Net Organization was a female. Not counting the fact that she was in her mid thirties, she was a real beauty.
If my memories served me right, Kal Sa Ryung might’ve had some interest in her. However, since Kal Sa Ryung was so busy with his work, he didn’t have time to marry.
That was my first time seeing Kal Sa Ryung so interested in a women; thus I rooted for him. Later on, when I asked him about her, he’d just smiled.
After that event, I’d forgotten about her. But now that I might have to buy some information, I’d suddenly remembered this place.
Would Kal Sa Ryang visit this place?
“This is my favorite tea. Please try it.”
After smelling the tea, I was able to tell that it was one of those that calmed you down. The taste wasn’t bad either.
“It’s pretty good.”
“I’m pleased that you like it.”
When I’d first met her ten years ago, she’d been in her thirties, which means that right now, she should be in her forties. However, she still looked like she was in her early thirties.
“Is this your first time?”
“Yes, this is my first time here.”
This was the first time she may have seen me as Byuk Lee Dan.
“Are you here because of an appointment?”
“No.”
“Then, might I ask, what for?”
“To offer incense to the previous Mengju.”
“It was a sad news.”
I was able to see some regret on her face.
“Do you know the new Mengju?”
“About Lord Ma?”
Even though she was one of the people who had the most information about Ma Bong Gi, she just replied to me with a smile.
“I don’t know much about him. All I know is that he’s a master of one of the Five Great Clans.”
“Oh, alright.”
I wanted to ask her where Kal Sa Ryung was right now. How Ma Bong Gi had become the new Mengju. She could’ve told me everything.
But I couldn’t do it.
I ordered two more cups of tea, and waited until evening. However, Kal Sa Ryung never showed up.
“Then, I’ll be off.”
The waiter showed me out with a smile.
“Please come again.”
I was walking down one of the many alleyways.
There was another place I wanted to check out before going back to the inn for the night.
The place that I arrived at was also an tavern.
It had a banner with the word ‘wind’ written on it.
Was it because the owner liked the name ‘wind’? Or was it because the owner liked the feeling of being laid back? Back when I was still the Mengju, I’d frequently visited this place to have some wine when I’d wanted to take a stroll.
I like this place since it was quite a ways away from the Alliance Headquarters, and because it was a pretty small shop capable of fitting at most six people. Thus, it was empty most of the time.
Even though I don’t personally enjoy drinking, I came here quite often simply because I liked the atmosphere.
On those days only Baek Pyo would escorted me, he’d always declined the wine that I’d offered him.
He could’ve had one drink, but he was faithful to his duty, and had never took even a single sip. This showed how faithfully he carried out his duty, and how much I meant to him.
He was one of my most loyal followers, which made me want to see him just that much more.
“Welcome!”
Hearing the owner’s voice, I stopped dead in my tracks.
I was so surprised I almost yelled.
The one who’d greeted me was Baek Pyo.