Yellow Dragon Lord, Genius Swordsman
Episode 29
“There’s no need to play with words, right?”
Samaran opened his mouth.
“It would be safe to say that the Murim Alliance has effectively been disbanded. Furthermore, Hwangryongseong has become the property of the Dansahyeok Grand Master.”
“If you ask me to persuade him to give back his surname, I will refuse.”
Bukseoung said bluntly.
“Not only are we not that close, but we have no right to make such demands on me or anyone else.”
“It doesn’t seem like you dislike or fear the Great Dan Sa-hyeok.”
“You don’t like it? Are you afraid? That guy?”
Bukseoung smiled vainly.
“You said Sima Lan, Chief of Staff? That’s ridiculous. How many people do you think have been saved here thanks to that guy?”
“It certainly seems like a considerable number.”
“Not many. All of them. Everyone. Everyone in the Gansu Province branch has avoided death at least once thanks to Dan Sa-hyeok.”
“That is truly an incredible story. But does that mean that even you, Your Majesty… …?”
“Of course, the same goes for Branch Manager Nana. But the Branch Manager will definitely deny it.”
“Haha, is that so?”
Bukseoung narrowed his eyebrows at Samaran’s faint smile.
“It’s not something worth talking about. No matter what, it’s a story that almost ended in failure.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make fun of you.”
“Don’t worry, even though I’m not your staff member, I have the intelligence to discern that level.”
A response that is blunt but considerate.
Bukseoung changed the subject.
“By the way, have you heard anything about the branch manager? We’ve lost contact since he left for Xi’an with the remains of the Blood Heavenly Demon.”
“Chief Oh Du-seok remained in Hwangryongseong. To be exact, he accepted our request and returned while he was returning here.”
“At the request of the General Staff?”
“The staff… … Rather than say that, it was a request from Samase, or rather, from my father.”
“Why did you do that?”
“It’s a long explanation, but I would appreciate it if you thought of it as a way to respond to the crisis that will occur in the martial arts world in the future.”
Bukseoung smiled bitterly at Samaran’s answer.
“A crisis in the martial arts world. It sounds like something like this has never happened before.”
“Your Majesty, that is… … .”
“You don’t have to make excuses.”
Bukseoung cut off Sima Ran’s words.
“That’s just how reality is. While someone is risking their life fighting those bastards in this remote area, back in the warmer places, other people are enjoying the warm spring breeze and sipping on bamboo leaves.”
“… … .”
“I don’t intend to whine that such a life is unfair. But I think we should be aware of the magnitude of the crisis that must be causing this.”
“We haven’t yet fully grasped its true nature. However, we are certain that the Dan Sa Hyuk Dae Hyeop is preparing for it.”
“So in the end, if you want to know the truth, you should ask Dan Sa-hyeok directly.”
“Or, you can bury everything here and find a new life.”
Bukseoung, who had pulled his upper body up, looked at Samaran from a slightly tilted position.
“Miss Samaran, what is the exact purpose of your visit here?”
“It is to support the Dan Sa Hyeok Dae Hyeop.”
Bukseoung closed his mouth that had been smiling again.
Samaran slowly lowered his gaze at his appearance, which seemed to demand an explanation.
“If you try to help directly, you’ll probably be rejected. If you wanted help from the existing factions and Sega in the first place, you wouldn’t have sent a strong man to drive them all out.”
“Why is Dan Sa-hyeok like that?”
“I think that’s because no one in the group can be trusted. On the other hand, it seems like the people here, including Branch Manager Oh, can be trusted.”
“Trust. Well, do you know that? We’ve only known this guy, Dan Sa-hyeok, for a little over half a year now?”
“I did check it through the records of the Dan Daehyeop. However, there was something that seemed questionable.”
“I don’t know if it’s because he feels uneasy or what, and I’m not sure if someone as good as Dan Sa-hyeok would trust us after only six months of relationship.”
“I will do it.”
When Samaran answered forcefully, a strange light flashed across Bukseoung’s eyes.
“Why do you think so?”
“I’ve already brought one warrior under my command from headquarters.”
A man called Jang Woo-cheol.
Samase conducted a quick investigation, but he was just an ordinary warrior with nothing noteworthy to be found.
Even a man like that, although he may not be important, is being used as a subordinate.
What that meant was surprisingly clear.
“I don’t think the dissolution of the Murim Alliance was simply an act of retaliation based on distrust of the existing powers. Rather, it was more like simply clearing the old framework and starting over from scratch.”
“Please explain it to me more simply.”
“To put it simply, it’s annoying so I’m going to tear it all down and start over.”
“Hmm.”
“I don’t know if the name of the newly built sand castle will be Murimmaeng or not, but its form will sufficiently reflect the will of the Great Swordsman Dan Sa-hyeok.”
“And you want us to have a hand in it too?”
“I would appreciate it if you would do so, but I will respect it if you decline.”
Bukseung is silent for a moment.
Finally he opened his mouth.
“Isn’t there any other option than staying here and dealing with the Bloodthirsty Cult guys like before?”
“You are free to do so if you wish, but you will not receive the same support from the Blind as before.”
“Huh. Jiwon, you’re good with words. At best, all you sent was food that was worse than food and half-rusted blades.”
“sorry.”
“It’s not something you should apologize for. Now that I think about it, I think Dan Sa-hyeok may have gotten his revenge on her properly.”
“That might be the case.”
Buk Seo-eung, who had been lost in thought with a smile on his face, soon got up from his seat.
“It seems like what you said is right. I think I need to meet Dan Sa-hyeok in person before I can make a judgment.”
“Then come with me to Xi’an.”
“Are you going too, young lady? Well, fine. I’ll let my subordinates know first, so let’s meet again tomorrow.”
The sun had just set and it was getting dark.
Because it is a night in the mountains, it is fast and deep.
Of course, there weren’t many martial artists who would fear the darkness itself.
Because the thing we have to be most vigilant about is always people, not nature.
“Please wait a moment. I will call someone to guide you to your guest room.”
“All right.”
Perhaps a telegram was sent.
After the two people waited for a while, a warrior came to Bukseoung’s room.
She was a rough-skinned woman wearing an eyepatch, with a face that combined the roughness of a warrior with the playfulness of a girl.
“Did you call, General?”
“Yes, Yehong. Since you are a guest from far away, please guide me to the guest room.”
“Okay, follow me.”
“Oh, yes.”
Samaran followed the warrior Ye Hong outside.
She walked ahead into the darkness without lighting a single lantern.
“Is it okay if it’s a little dark? It looks like you’ve learned some martial arts.”
“Yes, it’s okay.”
“It may seem funny that I can’t even light a single bonfire because I’m so serious. But it’s all the headquarters’ fault, so please tell them well when you get back.”
“You know I belong to headquarters.”
“Well, it’s just a show. In the first place, it’s not that common for a branch manager or general manager to serve guests.”
“okay.”
“How is the headquarters? Well, I’ve never actually been there, although I’ve asked about it.”
“Headquarters is… … .”
Samaran trailed off.
It seems that the warriors here are still unaware of the situation in Xi’an.
At best, only Bukseoung seemed to know the truth, and even they didn’t seem to know it for very long.
‘I heard it from a merchant I passed by on my way here.’
In that case, there is no need to tell Yehong the truth now.
Tomorrow, Bukseoung will let you know, but letting you know in advance would only cause confusion.
“The headquarters is always the same. It’s just lazy people who forget to be grateful to you and just fill their boats with oil.”
“Wow, it’s sharper than I thought. It also sounds like something he’s just saying to make us feel better.”
“No, I sincerely thank you all.”
“Is that so? Even though it feels like I’m bowing down to you, it feels good. But you don’t have to feel too sorry. Half of these guys here are no different from the Bloodthirsty Cult.”
“So… … are you going?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Yehong continued speaking without looking back.
“There are some cases where people like the director or branch manager were unfairly demoted, but most of them were kicked out because they deserved to be kicked out.”
“Yes, how are you, ma’am?”
“Yes, ma’am? Oh, me? Well, I’m… … Let’s just say I’m not at their level.”
“okay.”
Yehong, who had been walking away without a moment’s pause, shrugged her shoulders and smiled bitterly.
“About three years ago, when I was at the Sacheon branch, I stole a sachet of incense from a colleague from the Tang clan.”
“A sachet from the Tang family?”
“Yes. But I got caught before I could get very far, and instead of breaking my tendon, I ended up here.”
“A tendon?”
“Yes. Even though I only have one left arm, it’s fatal to a martial artist.”
“What on earth was in that sachet?”
“Well? Since it’s from the Sacheondangmun, there must have been something great about it.”
“Why did you try to steal it?”
“There was someone who said he would give me a lot of money.”
Yehong simply shrugged her shoulders as she answered like that.
“I did something that deserved punishment, and I got what I deserved. That’s all. I don’t intend to make excuses or say that it was unfair. Even if you despise me, I think it’s deserved.”
“No. That’s not true… … .”
“It’s over there.”
Yehong, who had arrived in front of the guest room, pointed ahead.
It was a shabby thatched cottage located a little away from the warriors’ quarters.
“It’s a bit shabby, right? But please understand. Even though it looks like this, it’s better than a regular Musashi dormitory.”
“It’s okay. Thank you for guiding me, my lady.”
“Yes. Um, so… … .”
“This is Samaran.”
“Oh, yes, Miss Sima. Then I’ll see you later.”
After Yehong left, Samaran also went inside the thatched cottage and went to sleep.
“……phew.”
As I struggled with the unfamiliar bed, the cold floor, and the worn-out bedding, it was already dawn.
When she sensed that there was a strange commotion outside.
Suddenly someone threw open the door to the thatched cottage.
“Miss Sima!”
“… Yes, ma’am?”
“Ouch, this is a big problem!”
The one and only Yehong’s eyes were filled with bewilderment.
“General Bukseung… …was murdered by someone overnight!”
* * *
Yumen Pass (玉門關), a border gate built at the northwestern tip of Gansu Province.
From the watchtower there, which holds nearly a thousand years of history, a man was looking in the direction of Mt. Daeseol.
“It must have started by now.”
