Yellow Dragon Lord, Genius Swordsman
Episode 45
South street of Xi’an.
The place where the blue towers were lined up was as bright as day even after the sun had set.
Dozens of lanterns are hung in each pavilion, making it look like starlight is pouring down.
Among them, the largest and most outstanding pavilion was the Qixinglou (七星樓), the largest pavilion in Xi’an and Shaanxi Province.
As its name suggests, it has seven floors and is the tallest building in Xi’an.
A large crowd of people gathered in the huge banquet hall of Chilseongru.
There were countless empty bottles scattered on the floor, as if they had already been drinking heavily.
At the table in the center, a voice full of youthful energy was flowing out.
“So… … you’re saying that bloodthirsty mines will soon appear on the streets of Xi’an?”
“That’s right, Won So-hyeop.”
Won Woojin’s expression became serious at the other person’s answer.
“I’m curious as to how you were able to obtain such facts in advance… … but I also know very well that Mr. Jang is not a person who would lie. Isn’t that right, everyone?”
“of course!”
“If Mr. Jang says so, then it must be so!”
Others, who were sitting there, still drunk, clapped their hands in agreement.
It was a space that was almost entirely rented out on one floor.
There are about a dozen tables that can easily seat ten people.
The people who filled each table were all young-looking martial artists.
These are the main characters of the new martial arts alliance.
The leaders, including Songpungkwaegeom Won Woojin, were located in the center, and they were treating the middle-aged man called Mr. Jang with respect.
“Okay, I’d like everyone to be quiet. Mr. Jang is going to tell me something very important.”
The comrades became quiet at Won Woojin’s words.
Looking around at them, Mr. Jang repeatedly gave them a courtesy.
“First of all, I would like to express my deepest respect and gratitude to the little heroes gathered here.”
“That is rather what we should be saying.”
“Without Mr. Jang’s support, we young warriors would not have been able to come together like this.”
Mr. Jang, who smiled at the usual gratitude, soon changed the subject.
“As you all know, our Baek Eun Sang Hoe has been observing the flow of the Central Plains martial arts world for a long time through our own information network, separate from Gaebo or Haomun.”
Baek Eun Sanghoe.
He was a big shot among the top three in the various merchant circles of Xi’an.
There is no limit to the items they can handle, and their financial resources are so vast that they can buy several small villages and still have some left over?
This place, Chilseongru, the bluest of blue houses, was also half-owned by Baek Eun Sanghoe.
The real power behind Baek Eun Sanghoe is this man, Jang Du-woon.
He was the so-called Mr. Jang.
“Thanks to the preparations I had made in advance, I was able to contact you and provide you with some small assistance during the recent chaos.”
“It’s so small, don’t say that.”
“If it weren’t for Mr. Jang, we would all have been in big trouble.”
These students, including Won Woo-jin, were kicked out overnight just like the other students of the Murim Alliance.
You could have tried to be stubborn with your youthful spirit, but that only works when the other person is your opponent.
Since they had all seen the confrontation between Dan Sa-hyeok and Nam Gung-woon with their own eyes, when the fight was over, no one dared to step forward.
Anyway, when he was kicked out like that, the person who quickly approached him and extended a hand was Jang Du-woon.
The students who received support from Baek Eun Sanghoe decided to remain in Seoan instead of returning to their sects or families.
That would be the case, because even if I went back, there wouldn’t be anything better than now.
They knew it from the beginning.
They were just a bunch of outcasts who had been selected and sent to save face in the Murim Alliance.
The sect and family will already be turning to their successors.
Now, they say that if they go back, they will be treated like a rolling stone.
As I was feeling anxious, Jang Du-woon happened to scratch my itchy spot.
It was natural that they praised him.
“Of course, the reason I made that decision was because I felt sorry for your talents and qualities, but fundamentally, it was for the well-being of Seoan and the entire Central Plains martial arts world.”
“I guess so.”
“That is indeed a wise decision.”
Some cadets were dancing to the beat like ghosts.
“So… … I’ve already spoken to the Won So-hyeop here, but as a commoner, I would like to ask you all, the small heroes, one thing.”
“Just say anything, Teacher!”
“The achievements our students have made are all for the purpose of setting right the moral principles of the martial world.”
“It is a human duty to repay the kindness you have shown me before. Please speak freely.”
The hall became noisy with the shouts of the students competing to get ahead.
Jang Du-woon waited until their drunken blood had died down and then quietly brought up the main topic.
“There is a demon wearing a hat who has committed many murders.”
“A demon wearing a cloak… …?”
“That’s right. It’s the dark side of this world that the existing martial arts alliance has ignored.”
The cadets’ eyes took on a strange look.
Old, conventional, customary.
These are words that stimulate young people in every generation.
“I heard that he is a villain who has killed countless people. Why didn’t the old martial arts alliance punish him?”
“Of course… … .”
Jang Du-woon smiled bitterly, his voice trailing off.
“I think you know better than I do. After all, you are the ones who have seen the true nature of the Murim Alliance up close.”
“… … .”
“The last time Mine went on a rampage was two years ago, in a village called Daejuk in Sacheonseong. At that time, over a hundred people died, but the Murim Alliance took no action.”
“A hundred people each!”
“But why in the Murim Alliance… …?”
“We investigated it separately, but we didn’t make any progress. Now that the alliance has been disbanded, there’s no way to find out.”
“… … .”
“Anyway, I received urgent news that the madman will soon bring about a bloody disaster in Xi’an.”
“Hmm!”
“okay.”
The cadets each had serious expressions on their faces and were drooling.
It would have been natural for someone to doubt the source or authenticity of the information, but perhaps because they trusted Jang Du-woon so much, no one said anything.
Jang Du-woon, who had been silent for a moment, looked back at the cadets and continued speaking.
“Of course, Seoan is different from a small village like Daejuk in many ways. The authority and power of the government are also solid, and although the Murim Alliance has disappeared, the various sects and powerful families are still alive and well.”
“That’s true.”
“But knowing that and still being anxious is the nature of petty people like me.”
“Oh, you little rascal! Don’t say such things, sir.”
“Mr. Jang is a great man who has greater influence than any other collaborator.”
“Your words are truly kind. But I am still afraid. As you know, in such matters, the first to be sacrificed and killed are the weak, like our merchants.”
“We will protect Mr. Jang!”
“I don’t know what kind of crazy guy he is, but if we work together, I think we can subdue him.”
“So don’t worry too much, sir!”
Cadets rushing to their feet and shouting.
Although it was a reflexive reaction due to drunkenness and bloodlust, there was also their own calculation behind it.
‘No matter how much you say it’s a bloodbath, isn’t it just that you’re only harming the common people who don’t even know how to fight?’
‘Furthermore, this Xi’an is one of the largest cities in the Central Plains. Not only is the government troops powerful, but the clans’ power is also solid.’
‘Well, if that doesn’t work out, there’s a volcano and Jongnam right nearby… … .’
Even if things go wrong and the worst happens, I’m sure we’ll be able to work it out somehow.
Such thinking underlies the cadets.
“If this is what you want, I, as a mother, can truly feel secure.”
Jang Du-woon, who had been lucky like that, smiled meaningfully.
“We at Baek Eun Sanghoe have independently discovered more information, so I hope you will patrol accordingly.”
“Patrol… is that you, sir?”
“That’s right.”
Jang Du-woon nodded and whispered something to Won Woo-jin.
“Something will happen on the Geumwol battlefield in the next five to ten days.”
“This month… … on the battlefield?”
“That’s right. I already told the government, but they didn’t even listen. Now, the only people that Jang Mo can trust are Won So-hyeop and the Baekpal warriors.”
The exact number of these people was not one hundred and eight.
It’s just a roughly similar number of people, so I’m just expressing it that way.
Still, the number 108 itself seemed to have some kind of meaning, and Won Woo-jin and his comrades were unconsciously intoxicated by those words.
“Just trust us, sir.”
Won Woojin made his boast without even the slightest thought of getting drunk.
“We will definitely punish that madman or that guy.”
* * *
“Do you really think that method worked?”
“That’s right.”
“Haha, the people of the martial arts world are truly a simple and foolish people.”
“Isn’t that natural? Since childhood, all they’ve learned is how to use their fists, so it’s hard to find someone who even understands the Thousand Character Classic.”
The Senate of Geumwoljeonjang.
The elders and Jang Du-un of that place were sitting together and laughing.
“But wouldn’t it be better to gather all 100 of them there rather than just sending some of them on patrol?”
“There is a sequence to everything. If you happen to run into them on patrol, the Geumwol Battlefield side will offer you accommodations.”
“Hmm! Well, that would seem less suspicious.”
“I don’t know if those empty-headed people would be suspicious in the first place.”
“Hahahaha!”
The laughter of the old serpents filled the room.
As in any other community, even those who seemed to have no connection at all were tightly connected like a spider’s web.
It would be even stranger if Baek Eun Sanghoe had no connection to the Geumwol Battlefield, the largest battlefield in Xi’an.
Baek Eun Sanghoe has had a close relationship with Geumwoljeonjang, especially the Senate, for a long time.
“I will ask the elders to take care of the government department.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“I’ve been slowly roasting and boiling it for the past two months.”
“On that day, only the smell of the children’s blood will resonate here.”
Jang Du-woon nodded at the elders’ answer.
“Then there’s only one thing left.”
“What’s left to do?”
“Are you saying there is something else I need to worry about?”
“Of course, sir.”
A subtle expression flashed across Jang Du-un’s eyes.
“Can’t we ignore the Yellow Dragon?”
