Chapter 71 – When the First Snow Falls Again (3)
Jin and Su, whom I had sent as spies, returned after completing their mission.
“All the children from Cho Byeok’s pleasure house have been safely sent back to their hotowns. Also, all the old n who were there have been imprisoned in the dungeon. Not just them, but even those who had used the place before have all been arrested. They’ve all received sentences of several decades, so they won’t co out alive. Moreover, it’s a place where serious criminals are held, so it won’t be easy to survive in the dungeon.”
It was a satisfactory result. Fortunately, as I had thought, the discipline of the Martial Righteous Alliance had not yet been compromised.
But as ti passes, the various organizations of the Martial Righteous Alliance will start to beco corrupt. How can you expect the water below to be clear when the water above is murky? The upright individuals will soon start to be replaced by Ma Bonggi’s people.
“Commander-in-Chief Sima Cheon did not intervene in this incident. Rather, he’s probably trying to erase any connection with Cho Byeok.”
This was as I had expected.
“Can you secure evidence of the connection between Cho Byeok and Sima Cheon?”
“It might take so ti, but I think it’s possible.”
He has handled many tasks for Sima Cheon until now. Surely, sowhere there must be evidence that they were on the sa side, evidence they hadn’t managed to erase.
If we could secure that evidence, it could be used effectively when dealing with Sima Cheon later. Of course, I won’t use it right away. It would be evidence to be used at a critical mont later.
“Secure it carefully.”
“Yes.”
“At the sa ti, keep your ears to the ground for any movents in the Martial Righteous Alliance.”
“Understood.”
“You’ve done well.”
“It was nothing.”
I was pleased with how the two handled their work. Above all, they were fast, and they accepted orders without complaint even when given difficult tasks.
Although I’d need to observe them a bit longer, they could be considered to have passed the first test.
After eting Jin and Su, I went to find Gong Su-chan next. He was reviewing docunts in his room.
“Is the rchant group progressing well?”
“Yes, it’s proceeding smoothly. If I were to give an interim report…”
“No, that’s not why I ca. Please handle this matter entirely on your own, Chief Gong.”
“I see. Then what brings you here?”
“Have you perhaps seen Martial Artist Gwang? I haven’t seen him at all yesterday or today.”
I ca to ask Gong Su-chan because the two had been going around together recently due to work.
“I haven’t seen him.”
There was a slight hesitation in his answer.
“I see.”
It wasn’t sothing I could press him about, so I was about to turn and leave when Gong Su-chan called out to from behind.
“Young Master.”
“Yes, what is it?”
Finally, Gong Su-chan revealed the reason for his hesitation.
“If Martial Artist Gwang causes trouble, what happens? Is it a big incident?”
***
When Baek Pyo ca out to open the tavern door, he noticed soone standing across the street. It was Gwang-du.
“I felt like having a drink, so I ca.”
“Did you co alone?”
“Yes.”
“Please co in.”
Gwang-du stepped inside. Having just opened, the place was still in a state of disarray.
“Let help a bit.”
As Gwang-du stepped forward to help, Baek Pyo hurriedly stopped him.
“That would make uncomfortable. Please just sit and wait for a mont.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Gwang-du sat in the sa spot where he had sat with Byeok Ri-dan during their previous visit.
Baek Pyo quickly began tidying up the interior. With his skilled hands, he soon had everything in order.
Gwang-du quietly watched him. Although he was quite capable when it ca to work, Baek Pyo’s skills were no ordinary matter.
“Shall I bring you the sa drink you had last ti?”
“Yes, please. And the sa side dishes too. They were delicious.”
Baek Pyo brought the drink.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Our Young Master has spoken about you several tis.”
“About ? What did he say?”
“That he t a really good person.”
“Haha, I’m grateful that he thinks so highly of .”
“What do you think of our Young Master?”
“Master Byeok? Without a doubt, he’s a much better person than I am.”
Gwang-du quickly chid in.
“Right? He’s really a good person.”
“Yes.”
Until he first arrived, Gwang-du had intended to speak directly and tell everything.
But when he actually saw Baek Pyo, the words wouldn’t co out.
A big reason was that he was intimidated after learning that the other had been the commander of the White Tiger Regint that guarded the Martial Righteous Alliance Leader. He felt an inexplicable pressure. Until then, he had just been a tavern owner with a nice personality.
Gwang-du imagined the possible outcos of speaking up.
What if Baek Pyo exploded in anger, saying sothing like:
“How dare you! Who do you think you are to secretly help behind my back?”
What if he beat him up then? No, that would be getting off easy.
“Are you perhaps enemies targeting ? I’ll have to eliminate you and leave this place.”
What if he tried to kill them? Even though he had learned the Seven Forms of the Southern Sea technique, there was no way he could beat a forr White Tiger Regint Commander, right?
Gwang-du drank his alcohol in quick succession.
They say there’s no thief with a bad face, and you can’t judge a person’s heart by their appearance alone. Who knew what terrors might be hidden behind that innocent face?
‘No. Soone who was the Martial Righteous Alliance’s White Tiger Regint Commander wouldn’t do that. I should just say it. It could even go like this:’
“I’ve been waiting to find a new lord after leaving the Alliance. Thank you so much for telling .”
‘Should I just say it? Should I just blurt it all out?’
Gwang-du clutched his head.
Just then, a voice ca from right in front of him.
“Do you have sothing on your mind?”
Startled, he looked up to see Baek Pyo standing there with food.
“I’m sorry if I startled you.”
“Ah, no. I was just lost in thought for a mont.”
Baek Pyo smiled and set the food down in front of him.
As he was about to turn away, Gwang-du spoke to him.
“If you have ti, could you listen to what I have to say for a mont?”
“Of course.”
Baek Pyo sat down across from Gwang-du. He had been expecting that Gwang-du had co to say sothing to him, given that he had co alone and seed full of worries.
Gwang-du offered him a drink.
“Please, have a drink.”
“I don’t usually drink while working, but I’ll have just one.”
The two drank.
After taking a deep breath, Gwang-du began to speak.
“What I want to say is related to our Young Master.”
Having made up his mind, he was going to tell him everything.
“Did sothing happen to Master Byeok?”
Baek Pyo asked worriedly.
“Yes, sothing did happen.”
“What happened?”
“It’s because of you, sir.”
“Because of ?”
Baek Pyo was surprised.
Gwang-du told him exactly what he had heard from Byeok Ri-dan.
He told him about how Sima Cheon’s subordinate, Cho Byeok, had planned to threaten Baek Pyo’s family by taking them hostage with the help of the Three Shadows, and how Byeok Ri-dan had found out about it by chance and eliminated them.
This was the core of the matter as Gwang-du saw it. To let Baek Pyo know that Byeok Ri-dan had helped him.
Baek Pyo was shocked by this unexpected information. However, befitting his forr position as the White Tiger Regint Commander, he remained calm even after hearing everything.
“Why did he help secretly?”
Baek Pyo was no longer just a tavern owner, but had reverted to the commander who had led the White Tiger Regint.
“Our Young Master is that kind of person. He’s not the type to boast about doing righteous deeds.”
“Then why are you telling about this past event?”
“Because our Young Master likes you too much.”
Baek Pyo was surprised again.
“He likes ?”
“Yes. He wishes to join forces with you. But it seems he can’t express those feelings, so I’m saying this on his behalf. I know that telling you about how he secretly helped you earlier greatly diminishes our Young Master’s good intentions. But since he will never ntion it himself, if I don’t tell you, you’ll never know. I hope that by telling you this, you’ll join forces with our Young Master.”
Having poured out his words, Gwang-du squeezed his eyes shut. His heart was pounding as if it might burst. He was terribly anxious that Baek Pyo might explode in anger.
“If he finds out I told you this, I’ll be beaten to death.”
Just then, a voice ca from the entrance.
“So you do know that.”
Gwang-du turned his head in shock.
“Young Master!”
“I was wondering where you’d gone off to, and here you are causing trouble.”
I strode into the tavern. I didn’t need to ask what Gwang-du had said; I could guess.
I spoke to Baek Pyo.
“You don’t need to mind what that fellow said. And I’m sorry for not telling you about the matter related to Sima Cheon earlier.”
“How did you co to know about that incident?”
I couldn’t tell him that I was Cheon Hajin, and that I did it to protect him.
“As I told you before, I’m traveling the martial world to broaden my knowledge. During this, I learned that girls were being kidnapped across the martial world. Following this trail led to Wuhan. Then I discovered that Cho Byeok was running a pleasure house with kidnapped children. In the process of eliminating Cho Byeok, I found out that he was targeting your family. After I had already eliminated Cho Byeok and his group, I didn’t think it necessary to tell you.”
Baek Pyo didn’t say anything. It was a story that was neither easy to believe nor disbelieve.
It seed too clumsy to be a conspiracy, given that Gwang-du had co and brought up the story in such an awkward manner.
“There’s no need to take it too seriously. It’s all over now.”
“I’m very grateful that you think highly of , but… I have no intention of returning to martial affairs. I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Please don’t worry about it at all.”
Gwang-du asked weakly, his head bowed.
“I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I?”
I smiled and said,
“No, you haven’t.”
Gwang-du sighed.
“The fact that you say I haven’t ans I have.”
Gwang-du raised his head to look at . His eyes were brimming with tears.
“I’m sorry, Young Master. But I… I think you shouldn’t hide your feelings from soone you like. If we just let this pass, the owner here would never know your feelings, Young Master. I thought that shouldn’t happen. I thought that at least the choice should be made not by you, Young Master, but by the owner here. I’m sorry, Young Master.”
I approached and patted Gwang-du’s shoulder.
“I understand. Your feelings.”
Actually, now that Gwang-du had gone ahead and done this, I felt more at ease.
Gwang-du must have anticipated that I would never have said anything in the end. There’s a kind of intuition that only close people can feel.
Yes, he saw right through . I probably would have just left. Because I wanted Baek Pyo to be happy more than anyone else.
Just then, Gwang-du was startled.
“Oh?”
Baek Pyo and I followed Gwang-du’s gaze out the window.
Snow had started to fall outside.
Forgetting the atmosphere from a mont ago, Gwang-du said in an excited voice,
“It’s snowing.”
It was the first snow of this winter.
“They say if you see the mont the first snow falls, you’ll have good luck that year.”
Hearing my words, Baek Pyo was startled. These were the words Baek Pyo had said to on the day I died.
“Let’s go, Gwang-du.”
“Yes.”
Gwang-du stood up from his seat.
I bowed politely to Baek Pyo and said,
“This seems like it will be the last ti. If fate allows, we’ll et again.”
Baek Pyo still looked dazed.
He would feel sowhat sorry to just let go, but he wasn’t ntally prepared to join yet.
That last remark was my final gift to Baek Pyo. It was my wish for him to see the first snow every year and always have good luck.
Just as I was about to turn and leave, it happened.
Woong―
A vibration sound ca from sowhere.
Baek Pyo, as well as Gwang-du and I, were startled.
The wooden sword hanging on the wall as decoration had resonated.
I was the most surprised because I hadn’t intentionally sent any energy to the sword.
Wooong―
The Asura Bright King Sword was truly resonating.
In my previous life, I had used the Asura Bright King Sword for such a long ti, but it had never resonated on its own even once.
Woooong―
The vibration grew stronger and stronger. Finally, the wooden sword shook as if boiling lava was inside, and then…
Bang!
The wood surrounding the sword exploded.
The sword inside revealed its majestic form.
As everyone watched in amazent, the Asura Bright King Sword, finally freed from its confining shell, resonated with a deep, low sound.
Zing―
It was calling to .
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