Chapter 231: Chapter 231
Chapter 231: Rehabilitation (6)
"That's the kind of pretty-boy face that'd make plenty of women weep," Il-mok remarked while studying the sketch.
Little Tiger Beggar burst into laughter at his assessment before quickly adopting a more serious expression and adding, "Sharp eyes as always. Truth is, this bastard's the sex fiend the Murim Alliance has been hunting down for lately. A real piece of trash who's been harassing women all over the place."
"His face certainly fits the profile. If I happen to run into him, I'll make sure to tear off his little friend down there," Il-mok replied dryly.
"Hahaha! I'll be counting on the Maitreya Luminous Cult to handle it, then!"
With that, Little Tiger Beggar pushed the wanted poster forward, basically telling him to keep it.
Il-mok couldn't bring himself to touch a piece of paper that had been tucked in a beggar's clothes, so he subtly shifted his gaze and gestured to the others with his eyes.
Finally, one of the physicians nearby stepped forward and picked up the wanted poster.
"Well then, I'm off to hunt down the remnants of the Blood Cult."
Maybe he just came to prove he was actually doing his job, Little Tiger Beggar left without any lingering attachment, leaving behind only a single wanted poster and an overwhelming stench.
As a somewhat chaotic atmosphere settled over the room, Il-mok cleared his throat and spoke. "Ahem. Physicians, clean this place up and get ready to see patients.”
Did it sense that the real 'treatment' was about to begin? The demonic sword at Il-mok’s waist started humming loudly. Thıs content belongs to N0veI.Fiɾe.net
Il-mok patted the scabbard like he was calming a pet, then left the medical staff behind to look after the laborers on the county’s outskirts.
“Build a pavilion here. One that is as grand as the one we got in Lanzhou. No scratch that, make it even bigger.”
Il-mok pointed to a vacant lot on the edge of town and gave orders to Deuk Gwang, the head carpenter.
"Why are you building such a massive hall out here?" Chimed in Hong Gae from the side.
"Once the building is completed, we'll be holding the theatrical duel and plays inside."
Hong Gae stroked his filthy beard thoughtfully before arriving at his own conclusion. "So you can still hold performances even when the weather's bad?"
"That's part of it, but the bigger reason is to control who gets in. Once this building is finished, we're planning to charge admission fees."
“…Wait, I thought these shows were to save the poor souls here? What do you mean you’re charging money?” Asked the beggar with a suspicious expression.
But Il-mok remained confident in his response.
“If we just keep feeding them and entertaining them without them lifting a finger, do you really think this town will ever get better? Think about it from another angle. If someone gives alms to a beggar every single day, do you think that beggar will ever try to stop being a beggar?"
Having lived as a beggar for decades himself, Hong Gae couldn't confidently say “yes” to that question.
“Human beings are inherently lazy and always look for the easy way out. Also, it’s hard to feel rewarded when you’re working just to survive. That’s why we’re charging money. To give them a purpose in life.”
It was a common concept in modern times.
Il-mok himself was a perfect example of that.
What was work-life balance all about?
It was all about working just enough to pay the bills and fund your hobbies, then enjoying your free time. There was even a story about a certain football-crazed nation where the citizens earned money specifically to watch football matches.
“I will teach the people here the satisfaction that comes from earning money. So they can work hard, earn their wages, and then enjoy quality entertainment in a proper facility."
Hong Gae still looked skeptical even after hearing that, “Still, people aren’t going to be happy if you start charging for something they used to get for free.”
Il-mok just shrugged. “Don't worry. I’m not going to rip them off. We’ll have different prices, so it’ll be pretty cheap for the locals. Besides, it won’t just be a theater. It’ll be a practice room for the duels, plays, and music, and we’ll use it for classes, too.”
“Classes? Oh, are you going to teach them to read like in Lanzhou?"
“We’ll do that too, but since this town is going to be the capital of the arts, I’m thinking of teaching them how to play instruments as well.”
Lastly, though he didn't mention it aloud, it would also serve as a gathering place for his cult’s assemblies.
Either way, Il-mok was sure this new building would become a symbolic hub of culture for Pingliang County.
While the physicians started treating patients and the workers started building the grand church, a big problem popped up for the theatrical duel team.
“Honestly, aren’t you guys getting bored with this?” asked the middle-aged man, a former storyteller who now served as the narrator for the matches.
The others in the meeting awkwardly coughed or looked away.
But the middle-aged man wasn't about to let it slide. "Every single time, it ends with the Azure Sword Hero winning. At this point, you don’t even need to watch the show to know the outcome of the story.”
“Stop the bullshit! The Azure Sword Hero is divine! The Single Hand of the Clear Wind That Breaks the Sky is invincible! Justice always wins in the end! What’s wrong with the good guys beating the bad guys?!”
“Screw justice! What’s the point of watching if you know exactly how it ends? Aren't we supposed to be entertaining people?”
Despite the theatrics being wildly popular, the team was stressed out for one simple reason.
It was because of the guy who represented ultimate justice in their little universe, the Azure Sword Hero.
“Plus, since the story is always about the Azure Sword Hero crushing bad guys, it’s a pain in the ass to keep inventing new villains. We only have so many fighters from the Beggars’ Gang, so we’re constantly slapping makeup on them to recycle the cast.”
"Ahem. Since we designed him as someone who never forgives evil, there's really no way around it."
“You can't just say we're stuck and move on! Besides, the Beggars’ Gang fighters are leaving soon to do actual beggar work. What’s the plan for that?”
"Well, the Maitreya Luminous Cult said they called in some new fighters. Why don’t we just have Azure Sword Hero lose and die right when the beggars leave?”
Another storyteller tried to half-ass a solution, and the narrator started waving his fan furiously, "You really think the fans will buy that?! If we end it like that, the crowd will riot on the spot! You guys just sit inside writing stories and never come out to see the crowd, so you have no idea how serious this is!”
As the narrator blew his top, Baek Cheon, who was sitting in on the meeting, stepped in to mediate.
"Everyone, calm down! This is a problem that we need to address immediately. More importantly, it's getting harder to keep finding new bad guys every time, and creating new entrance music for each one isn't easy either."
After Baek Cheon spoke, nobody dared to say a word.
It wasn’t just because he was a martial arts master. It was because they all knew just how obsessed this young man was with his ‘art.’
This was a man who spent his whole life chasing inspiration and trying to figure out how to get famous. If someone like him said making new entrance music was hard, then it was indeed a serious problem.
Once things calmed down a bit, Baek Cheon summed it up.
“So, it boils down to two things, right? First, we're running short on martial artists who can actively participate in the duels. Second, since the Azure Sword Hero wins every single time, it's starting to get boring."
"Since the Beggars’ Gang member playing the Azure Sword Hero will have to leave soon anyway, we ultimately need to find someone to replace him. Wait, this is actually a simple problem we've been overthinking. Hahaha."
As Baek Cheon laughed confidently, the others at the meeting looked at him with anticipation.
And with a face that said this was the most obvious solution in the world, Baek Cheon dropped the bomb.
"I'll take the role. I was born to be the main character, after all.”
They were speechless for a second, then suddenly remembered a very important detail.
While this guy was indeed serious about art, he was also a total nutjob who would literally die if he wasn't the center of attention.
Sometimes he even tried to crash the theatrical duels mid-performance just to sing or play his instrument in the middle of a fight.
Realizing the nutjob might actually end up being the main character if he didn't say something, the narrator shouted.
When the nutjob asked, the narrator responded, "You lack a sense of mystery. You’re already the star of every play and concert we have. We can't have the same guy running the duels too.”
"Exactly. Besides, someone who's already handling so many responsibilities can't possibly take on acting in the matches as well; you’ll burn out.”
"That's right! We need someone who can focus exclusively on the theatrical duels."
The theatrical duels might seem simple, but the process of choreographing the fight was actually a monumental task. It took a lot of rehearsal time, making it difficult to juggle other responsibilities.
And so, they needed someone who was good at martial arts, possessed the charisma and mystery to replace the popular Azure Sword Hero, and more importantly, someone who was currently unemployed so they could focus entirely on the show.
The moment their thoughts reached that point, everyone's eyes simultaneously turned toward the same person without even needing to say a single word.
Jeong Hyeon hiccupped as all eyes landed on her.
Deep within a mountain thick with overgrown vegetation, hidden among the brush, lay a dark cave shrouded in an ominous aura.
Inside, mysterious crimson Formation was drawn across the ground, and an old man sat with his eyes closed, surrounded by flickering candles.
As the candle flickered due to the ghostly wails, the old man's eyes opened.
At the old man's question, a middle-aged man who had appeared at the cave entrance out of nowhere responded, "We received a report that the Murim Alliance and the Beggars’ Gang are moving differently, Cult Leader.”
Upon hearing the unpleasant news, the Cult Leader frowned, "The cause?"
"It seems that man at Mount Kongtong has been discovered by the Beggars’ Gang."
“Tsk. His greed has invited disaster.”
The Cult Leader clicked his tongue, recalling a certain Taoist he had recruited ten years ago by bribing him with the Blood Curse Record.
But he wasn't particularly concerned. Aside from key figures who had been loyal to the cult for years, most of their operations were structured as isolated cells. Even if that man had been exposed, it wouldn't mess up their plans.
“Just in case, tell everyone else to lay low for a while and stay hidden inside the Formations.
“I shall obey your command!”
"And what about the situation in Sichuan?"
“The tension between the three big powers there is at an all-time high.
"The conflict between the three major powers in Sichuan Province has already reached its peak. Beggar Chaser, the Eight-Knot Elder of the Beggars’ Gang, is attempting to mediate, but things should proceed according to our plans."
The Cult Leader nodded at the report.
“Proceed slowly and carefully, preparing for even the unlikeliest of scenarios. We have waited for seventy years; we can’t afford to commit a mistake simply because we couldn’t endure a mere few months.”
"I will keep that in mind."
The man at the cave entrance prostrated himself fully before departing.
Left alone in the cave with the howling wind, the Cult Leader stared intently at the flickering candle.
“This time, things will be different.”