Chapter 51: Chapter 51
Chapter 51. Cho Yeon-seo (1)
“…W-Why is the Rogues’ Guild here?”
It was Yang Ho-myeong who broke the silence that had fallen upon the area.
However, he couldn’t hide the bewilderment in his voice.
“Why, you ask? If you’re asking why I’m interfering while you were so diligently tormenting our young master, then I have no choice but to ask ‘why’ myself. Ohoho!”
Yang Ho-myeong’s brow gradually furrowed.
He looked back and forth between Lee Byeok and Cho Yeon-seo with a grave gaze before slowly opening his mouth.
“Our young master, you say. Does that mean that fellow belongs to the Rogues’ Guild?”
“Well, you could see it that way, or you could not.”
“…If I recall correctly, when I asked about his sect just a moment ago, he mentioned some absurd name.”
“Ah, then this will be quick. The master of that absurd sect happens to be my superior.”
“Well, isn’t it not so different from the Master of the Righteous Sword Sect claiming to be a disciple of Diancang~?”
There was nothing to refute.
Yang Ho-myeong clenched his fists tightly.
Nothing was confirmed—not whether that statement was true, nor if that person was even a member of the Rogues’ Guild to begin with.
But none of that mattered.
Despite his bizarre appearance, the man’s presence was real. Even he himself couldn’t guarantee victory.
The moment an expert of that caliber appeared, the point where he could push through with force had already passed.
Yang Ho-myeong turned to Lee Byeok.
‘Was he stalling for time?’
How dare he. Against a disciple of Diancang.
A frost-like aura emanated from Yang Ho-myeong’s entire body. Gasp. The head disciple, Jang Mak-su, swallowed hard and took a step back.
“Ohoho, are you thinking of having a go? I don’t dislike men like you, Sect Master… but if you wish, I’ll gladly engrave my traces onto your body.” ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novelꜰire.net
Cho Yeon-seo licked his lips.
He took a step forward as if to protect Lee Byeok.
Soon, a chilling energy began to well up over his shoulders.
The energies of peak experts clashed.
The air, which had become heavy in an instant, pressed down on the shoulders of everyone present. Their hair stood on end, and breathing became difficult.
A tense, touch-and-go situation.
Hesitantly, the disciples of the Righteous Sword Sect began to draw closer behind Yang Ho-myeong.
As if not to be outdone, the remaining disciples of the Invincible Sect who could still move swarmed out from all directions.
“Good work, Unnie. But the support from the Rogues’ Guild has exceeded my expectations in many ways.”
“Ah, ahaha, has it now……?”
“Kekeke! This is thrilling!”
Gongson Su and Pa Jin-seong also moved to stand by Lee Byeok and Eon Mi-hee. Amidst the escalating tension, the Flying Dragon Squad members blocked the path in front of Lee Byeok.
The three of them thought the same thing.
They didn’t know the reason, but they had just seen Lee Byeok being pushed back, unable to display his usual skills.
Whatever the reason, they would protect him first.
Yang Ho-myeong swallowed a groan.
If they clashed , the damage would be anything but light. However, it had become a fight from which he could not back down.
Had the Rogues’ Guild not appeared, it would have been a different story, but with their intervention, retreating now meant there would be no next chance.
Entering negotiations without having subdued the Invincible Sect.
The picture that Diancang and the Righteous Sword Sect had intended to draw in the Hunan Murim, centered around Huaihua, would collapse.
He quickly calculated their forces.
The remnants of the Invincible Sect didn’t matter.
Those young ones looked quite formidable, but with Chang Myeong, Chang Seong, and Jang Mak-su, they could surely win.
The problem was the man before him.
Of course, he would have to face him.
In the end, if he could just defeat this man, it was a battle they could win one way or another.
However… something felt unsettling.
It was a problem that went beyond martial arts or presence.
A sort of instinctual repulsion was rising from the man who kept looking at him and licking his lips.
The man closed one eye and opened it.
Yang Ho-myeong reflexively averted his gaze. Then, his eyes met Chang Seong’s. Chang Seong gave a slight nod.
‘…Right, I can’t back down.’
For the honor of the sect.
It was the moment Yang Ho-myeong, trying to compose himself from an anxiety he had never felt before in his life, was about to grip his sword.
From outside the destroyed main gate, behind the Righteous Sword Sect party, the sound of footsteps from a crowd began to rush in.
Yang Ho-myeong quickly turned around.
A cloud of dust was rising in the distance. At a glance, it was not a crowd of one or two people.
Could it be… reinforcements from the Rogues’ Guild?
“Tch, this is no fun.”
At that moment, Cho Yeon-seo clicked his tongue as if the fun had been spoiled. Judging by his reaction, they didn't seem to be from the Rogues’ Guild.
However, Yang Ho-myeong still couldn’t guess the identity of the approaching people.
A figure shot up from within the dust cloud. Tossing his body in mid-air, he shot forward like an arrow.
The next moment, the figure had already reached the inside of the Invincible Sect’s grounds.
An incredibly swift movement.
Tat. The figure landed between Yang Ho-myeong and Cho Yeon-seo. He abruptly stretched out both arms, blocking the two of them.
“Stop! I ask that the Righteous Sword Sect Master and Great Warrior Cho of the Rogues’ Guild please withdraw your auras!”
It was a man in beggar’s rags.
No, he wasn’t just in rags; he was a real one.
“Hey, beggar mister, are you kidding me right now? If you were going to interfere, you should have done it sooner. Why wait for me to make a move? Do you look down on the Evil Faction?”
“…My apologies. It’s just that it took some time for our Gang Leader to decide to intervene in the affairs of Hunan.”
“Come on, let’s not be between people who know better, shall we? We have to see each other often for work anyway, really~”
“Kekeke! So I said! I stepped up right there and said it! That this great body, the rising star of Hainan, would gladly become your strength!”
“As expected! You’re amazing, Big brother!”
Pa Jin-seong raised his voice.
In the very center of the Invincible Sect’s dining hall, a group of warriors, including the head disciple Pyo Wang-ho, surrounded Pa Jin-seong, letting out continuous cheers.
On the surrounding tables, along with empty plates, numerous wine bottles were rolling around. The flushed faces were already calling each other ‘hyung’ and ‘brother.’
“…He’s surprisingly popular, isn’t he?”
“Well, he is talented enough to stand out in the Hainan Sword Sect, which is famous for its fierce, if not brutal, competition. He must have his own ways.”
Sitting at a corner table far away and watching the scene, Eon Mi-hee and Gongson Su exchanged words.
Looking back, even when they first met at the Evil Faction Alliance’s reception hall, many prodigies who followed the Hainan Sword Sect had surrounded him.
It meant it wasn’t just a halo effect.
“B-But Big brother! Weren’t you afraid? Becoming a member of the Flying Dragon Squad means…”
“Ah, of course! The possibility of being at odds with my sect is something that requires a certain resolve! But how could a man! See injustice! And pretend not to see it?! Huh?!”
Pa Jin-seong beat his chest gallantly.
“That… whatchamacallit, as they say, huh?! If you truly care for your sect! You must be prepared to stand against it when it’s heading down the wrong path!”
“Keoheongheong! I respect you, Big brother! You’re a true man among men! I want to serve you for life!”
In an instant, the dining hall was turning into a sea of tears.
“…He’s a good talker.”
“Ahaha, I think the story’s a bit different, though…”
As Lee Byeok and Eon Mi-hee each added a comment, Gongson Su let out a soft laugh, propped her arm on the table, and rested her cheek on her hand.
“Well, he’s a bit of a jerk, but let’s leave him be. After being beaten up for a whole month, how excited must he be to be surrounded and praised by guys weaker than him for the first time in a while?”
“And well, those antics will ultimately serve to imprint the name of our Flying Dragon Squad. In his own way, Sir Pa is playing a role we can’t.”
The three of them were eating separately from the others.
Occasionally, the envious gazes of the Evil Faction disciples would glance their way, but they couldn’t dare to approach.
It was because even at a glance, the atmosphere at their table was different.
“So, Orabeoni, was that guy really that ridiculously strong? Strong enough to overwhelm you?”
Gongson Su suddenly changed the subject.
He knew who she was talking about.
Earlier, during the battle with Diancang’s third great disciple, Chang Seong, Lee Byeok had been unilaterally pushed back for a moment.
“Flash Dragon Chang Seong. Among Diancang’s three great disciples, he is the one who shows the most promise, one of the so-called Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes of the Righteous Path. But according to the information our Dark Shadow Pavilion has, he’s still just a prodigy, not to the level of pushing you back—”
“No, he wasn’t an opponent I couldn’t handle. It’s just that…”
Lee Byeok closed his mouth.
He didn’t know how to explain the reason he couldn’t use the sword of the Seonwoo Clan, which could be called his roots.
“I’m sorry, but it’s difficult to say.”
“…That means the problem wasn’t with that guy, but with you yourself, Orabeoni.”
“Ah, it’s fine. Is there only one or two things I don’t know about you, Orabeoni? It’s because I haven’t earned that much of your trust yet. Time will solve it, I guess. Or maybe not.”
Hwik. Gongson Su turned her head.
Her tone seemed to have a bit of a sting to it. Clatter, clatter. Chopsticks moved back and forth in the silence.
Gulp. Eon Mi-hee began to glance between the two. Lee Byeok thought for a moment.
“…It’s a problem with my martial arts.”
“What? Your martial arts?”
“The man called the Righteous Sword Sect Master seemed to have an inkling about the roots of my sword. It didn’t seem like he was certain, but I was held back by the past.”
That was the most Lee Byeok could tell the members of the Flying Dragon Squad for now.
A brief silence followed.
Gongson Su smiled faintly.
“Thank you for telling me, Orabeoni.”
“Well, looking at your sword, Orabeoni, I thought there might be a story like that. In many ways, the name ‘Evil Faction’ feels like ill-fitting clothes for you…?”
Hiccup. Eon Mi-hee hiccuped.
She hastily covered her mouth with both hands. Seeing this, Gongson Su let out a soft laugh.
“But I see. If it’s such a fundamental problem… it’ll be difficult to solve right away. To think we can’t use you at full strength in a pinch, that’s a painful blow, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not something to apologize for. I’m just trying to play my role, just like Sir Pa.”
He knew it was a question without an answer.
Yet, he couldn’t escape it.
Just because he had erased it from his mind didn’t mean the existing Seonwoo Clan would disappear somewhere.
He didn’t want to avoid or run away. But he never wanted to confront it either.
If he met Seonwoo Hyeop again, if they were to meet, what should he do then?
Would that child try to kill him once more?
And could he kill such a Seonwoo Hyeop?
Suddenly, the scar on his back throbbed.
If he had never left Flower Pavilion Village and had stayed there, it would have been a problem he wouldn’t have had to worry about.
But now, he couldn’t go back.
In that case… perhaps it was a problem that would have to be concluded in some way, someday.
“A-Anyway, what happens from now on?”
At that moment, as if to lighten the mood, Eon Mi-hee spoke up.
“The fight ended rather anticlimactically… Of course, it would be great if the Righteous Sword Sect released the sects they’ve occupied and retreated, but they won’t, right?”
“I agree, Unnie. It’s already an issue involving not just Huaihua but the entire Hunan Murim. But I never imagined the Rogues’ Guild and even the Beggar’s Gang would roll up their sleeves and step in…”
Hmm. Gongson Su fell into thought.
The Flying Dragon Squad had sought the assistance of the Rogues’ Guild’s Huaihua branch through Eon Mi-hee to overcome their immediate disadvantage.
However, that was only to pressure the Righteous Sword Sect by borrowing the presence of the Rogues’ Guild; they hadn’t expected any substantial reinforcement.
But as a result, Cho Yeon-seo, a member of the Rogues’ Guild’s Guardian Squad and a peak expert, was unexpectedly reeled in.
And the movement of such an expert seemed to have spurred the Beggar’s Gang, who were already watching the situation in Hunan, to also move in a hurry.
Before the mediation of the Iron-Faced Beggar, a fifth-rank disciple of the Beggar’s Gang and a direct disciple of the Gang Leader, even the world-renowned Righteous Sword Sect Master had no choice but to grit his teeth and turn back.
The Rogues’ Guild and the Beggar’s Gang.
In many ways, they had a lot in common.
They were the representative information forces of the Evil and Righteous Factions, respectively, but at the same time, they were groups with ambiguous affiliations.
The Rogues’ Guild was merely in an alliance with the Evil Faction Alliance, not a part of it. Thus, they were relatively free from its influence.
The Beggar’s Gang was similar.
Even as the Murim Alliance split into the Righteous Path Alliance, centered on the Taoist sects, and the Righteous Blood Alliance, centered on the five great clans, the Beggar’s Gang did not join either side, remaining by Shaolin’s side.
“Well, whatever the case, we’ll have to wait and see for now, right? Since the major powers closest to the middle ground have stepped in, our next move is the problem after that—”
“Ohoho, hello there, Young Master? And young ladies? Sorry to interrupt your meal, but would it be all right if I borrowed the Young Master for a moment?”
Speak of the devil, a figure who had approached without a sound suddenly took an empty seat at the group’s table.
It was Cho Yeon-seo of the Rogues’ Guild.
“You said it’s a problem with your martial arts, right? I thought something was strange. Anyway, I think I might be able to help a little.”