Chapter 66: When the first snow falls again (2)
Translator: hwarang
Editor: Klaurem
“Defend! Whatever happens, you must defend!!”
Baek Pyo was screaming on top of his lungs, but his voice could not be heard. Everything was dreamlike and moved in slow motion.
There were enemies all around them and the members of the Fierce Guard Sect fell, one by one. Baek Pyo was wildly swinging his sword. There were too many of them. When he killed one person, two replaced him. As he saw his subordinates get taken down he wanted to go help them, but he simply couldn’t since there were too many enemies.
“Mengju-nim? Where is the Mengju-nim?”
He screamed as loud as he could, but nothing came out of his throat. He was taking down his enemies to find his master. He was in an unrealistic state fighting hundreds of enemies as he watched his subordinates get killed one by one.
How long had it been?
Finally, Baek Pyo saw Chun Ha Jin’s silhouette. He was sitting on his chair with his eyes closed.
Then the scenery changed and a silhouette started to approach Chun Ha Jin.
“No! I must protect him! I must protect Megju-nim!”
He was screaming at the top of his lungs as he rushed to that place. He was cutting down everything that got his way.
“NO! Please! Punks Get out of My way!”
However there didn’t seem to be an end to them, and the shadow finally reached the chair that Chun Ha Jin was sitting in.
“Mengju-nim! Please get up! Please dodge it!”
But Chun Ha Jin still had his eyes closed, and the shadow took out what looked to be a sword.
“Noooo!”
Stab!
The shadow stabbed Chun Ha Jin in the chest and blood started spraying everywhere. Everything slowed down as this took place.
“Mengju-nim!”
Chun Ha Jin opened his eyes and looked at him. At that moment everything seemed to have sped up and his enemies around him broke through his defenses and stabbed him repeatedly
“Ahhhh!”
With a loud scream, he woke up from his nightmare.
His wife, Jung Young, who was next to him asked, “Honey? Are you alright?”
“I am alright!”
She got him a cup of water.
“Drink it.”
“Thank you.”
Jung Young watched her husband with a very serious expression. Her husband was having nightmares every day now.
When her husband said he was going to quit the Fierce Guard Sect, she didn’t oppose him. She just wanted him to take a rest and let him pursue his pa.s.sions. After that, he bought a restaurant and the house with the money that he saved when he was the head guard. She thought everything would become peaceful, but her husband was having nightmares every night.
“It’s already over.”
She hugged Baek Pyo from behind. She wanted to lighten her husband’s burden as much as she could.
“You don’t have to protect Mengju-nim anymore.”
She knew that her husband was feeling guilty for the death of the previous Mengju. She knew that her husband was hating himself every day.
“I am sorry.” Baek Pyo said with a sigh.
“It’s not your fault. So don’t be sorry. For me and … for Mengju-nim.”
She just wanted her husband to get over it soon and become better.
*****
The next day I didn’t go to the Wind Tavern. I still hadn’t made up my mind over Baek Pyo. Also, Kw.a.n.g Du didn’t bring up anything about Baek Pyo and the Wind Tavern either. Kw.a.n.g Du just helped Kong Soo Chan in the creation of the merchant guild, so I walked the streets alone.
If it was Kal Sa Ryang, I would have second thoughts about it. Since I have already made my decision about him.
When the time was right, I planned on making Kal Sa Ryang one of my subordinate.
But why was I so hesitant about Baek Pyo?
Maybe it was because of his family. I wanted his family to be happy as well. Thus, I was being hesitant.
If it was me from before how would I have proceeded this?
I probably would have done what I felt like without taking anything into consideration. Back then I didn’t think much about other people’s emotions, only my goal. Maybe it was because I was ignorant or maybe that was just how I was. All I thought about was getting stronger so I didn’t look at anything else or anyone else around me. Even after I became the Strongest Under Heaven I didn’t look back.
When I became the Mengju and waged the war on the Demon Sects I didn’t look back. I was just looking forward at my goal, and everything around me was irrelevant.
I didn’t know back then since that was how I was, but it is different now.
My feelings aren’t the only ones that are important, I was also taking into account Baek Pyo’s feelings, Kw.a.n.g Du’s feelings, and everyone else’s feelings.
Was he happy living as an owner of a tavern? Or would he be happy clashing swords again?
I was hesitant in my decision because I didn’t want to make the wrong choice.
There were many things that I realized now that didn’t occur to me before, but I was certain that there was a solution to this.
I stopped my stroll and looked into the mountain, ‘Baek Pyo-ya, I don’t know what to do.’
*****
On the other side of the city, there was someone else who was also on a stroll. It was Ma Chul Goon. One could sense an aura of calmness and light around him showing the world that he was the most likely candidate to become the successor of the Heavenly Dao Gate.
How long had he stood here?
Then another person approached him. Surprisingly the person who approached him was the Murim Mengju, Ma Bong Gi.
“Have you come, father?”
“Why did you ask me to come here?”
“Because there are ears and eyes around the Alliance that we must be wary of.”
“Then you could have sent me a message.”
“This is something that I want to personally say to you. So I already scanned the area so that no one can listen to our conversation.”
Although there were guards around they were stations far enough so that they couldn’t listen to the conversation.
“Father, please don’t take what I am about to say the wrong way.”
“Go ahead.”
“What was the reason that you sent our brothers to different parts of the Central Plain?”
“Didn’t I tell you when I sent you?”
“Are you truly testing the successors?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you send me?”
“Doesn’t someone have to take command of the tower?”
“Then is this part of my test as well?”
“You think it’s not?”
Ma Bong Gi was definitely lying. In his heart, he had already determined the next heir. The reason why he sent his sons away was so that Ma Chul Goon could solidify his strength in the Clan and expand Heavenly Dao Gate’s sphere of influence across the Central Plain.
To be on guard against the forces that made him the Mengju, he needed to strengthen his clan. Since the Alliance could turn against him whenever those forces wanted to act against him.
They probably knew that the reason why he sent his successors was to expand the power of the Clan. However, he didn’t mind if they knew it. What were they going to do about it? Were they going to stop it? Kill them? If they were going to kill him that easily they shouldn’t have made him the mengju.
The person who was in control now was Ma Bong Gi. He was not going to be their puppet.
“What is it that you want?”
“Is there someone around you that is pulling the strings?”
Ma Bong Gi face grew cold and said, “Watch your mouth!”
“I just asked you if there was anyone pulling the strings father. You must tell me father. I am on your side.”
“And why do you think that?”
Ma Chul Goon stared at his father dumbfounded.
“What you think I can’t become the Mengju without someone pulling the string?”
“No that’s not what I meant. I don’t understand why the three pillar sects would support you?”
“If it was something else there might have been more drama, but picking the Mengju is a very important matter. And different things factor in.”
In the end, Ma Chul Goon lowered his head and said, “I am sorry for asking father.”
“I will say again there is no one pulling the string.”
“I will trust your words father. Then I will get going.”
Ma Chul Goon turned around and left. Seeing his son leave Ma Bong Gi’s expression wasn’t good, “Son of a…”
Teacher No asked, “How did it go?”
Ma Chul Goon said with a sigh, “He was hiding it till the end.” Ma Chul Goon was certain there was someone pulling the string.
“What will you do now?”
Ma Chul Goon showed his teeth like a predator. This scene was completely contrasted his normal calm aura, his aura now was that of a cold killer.
“I must do something. I can’t let them do as they please.”
*****
The next day, the spies that Jung Yeo send arrived.
“I am Silver”
“I am Spoon”
Silver was someone in his forties while Spoon was in his twenties.
Their age and their looks were different. But the thing that they had in common was that they appeared normal. Too normal. When I first met them, they gave the feeling as if I had seen them somewhere before. However, I had never met them before. If more people were here and I was having a conversation with them, I wouldn’t even notice them amongst the crowd.
“Will you follow me from now on?”
“I heard everything from Lord Jung. We will serve you faithfully master.”
“Good, then I will trust you.”
Since Jung Yeo sent them, they must have the skill. But I will still test them in the future.
“Use this money as you see fit, but make sure you never get discovered. If you need more you can always ask.”
They were moved since this was larger than they had expected.
“Thank You, Master”
I gave them their first order. It was to gather information about the Murim Alliance. Especially anything that was related to Sa Ma Chun and how he dealt with the death of Jo Byuk.
“Since our opponent is the Murim Alliance you should always be careful. Never try to overstep your limits to get more information. I don’t mind if you get a small amount of information, but safety is the key.”
“Yes understood.”
I sent the two of them. If they showed their loyalty I would use them to set up the information sect. Of course the head of the sect would be Kal Sa Ryang.
***
“Are you concerned about something?”
Kw.a.n.g Du came back to his senses when Kong Soo Chan asked him a question.
When the two of them were eating at a restaurant, Kw.a.n.g Du stopped eating and was in a deep thought.
“No, I am not.”
Kw.a.n.g Du started eating his food again, “Where did you say you were going to go again?”
“Man Choon Merchants.”
“Let’s hurry and eat so we could go there.”
Kong Soo Chan was busy visiting place to place so that he could start up our merchant guild. One time he went into an inn, next he went into a merchant store. He visited the blacksmith, the gardens, and even the information merchants. Creating a merchant guild was truly a difficult task.
“You are truly impressive seeing how you take care of all these complicated matters.”
Kong Soo Chan just smiled and said, “It’s just practice. I think you are truly impressive Warrior Kw.a.n.g.”
“I told you to not call me Warrior Kw.a.n.g but younger brother.”
“Then why aren’t you saying brother to me?”
“That’s…”
He couldn’t say it because he was afraid that he was going to be a burden to Kong Soo Chan.
“I was doing this since I was young. It’s just second nature to me now. What truly impresses me is to do something that I have never done before fearlessly.”
Kong Soo Chan was surprised that Kw.a.n.g Du was originally a servant before he picked up martial arts. He could believe that Kw.a.n.g Du was still a novice since Kw.a.n.g Du had the skills and the looks of a warrior.
Kw.a.n.g Du just shook his head and said, “I shouldn’t be the one getting compliments. Without young master I would still be sweeping the yard.”
“I think both of you are impressive.”
“I think this is pretty good. Complimenting each other.”
Kong Soo Chan started laughing at Kw.a.n.g Du’s jokes. Although he usually smiled he never laughed like this.
He was curious how one was able to turn a servant into a martial artist? Since these sort of things are a rarity. On their way here, he understood why Byuk Lee Dan kept Kw.a.n.g Du close by him. It was because Kw.a.n.g Du had a certain charisma around him.
“Manager Kong.” Kw.a.n.g Du looked out the window and asked, “I think I might cause a little accident, what should I do?”
Kong Soo Chan didn’t ask for the details and said: “Then go do it.”
Kw.a.n.g Du looked at him with a wide eye, “I should?”
“Do you really want to do it? If there an itch you should scratch it so that you don’t regret it in the future.”
“Were you someone like this. Who don’t plan ahead?”
“No, I am a very calculating person.”
“Then why?”
“Since it doesn’t concern me.”
Kong Soo Chan started laughing at Kw.a.n.g Du’s face
“And if you already know what you are going to do then it’s not an accident. So you should do it.”
After a few minute Kw.a.n.g Du got up his seat, “We should get going.”
“Yes”
Kong Soo Chan could sense it, that Kw.a.n.g Du made up his mind.