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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Half of them were duds.”
“But half of them were correct!”
“That’s true.”
As Hye-ryeong said, the information from the Hao Clan had a 50% success rate.
Exactly half.
I had raided six locations, deposited the spoils with the Hao Clan, and returned to Wuhan.
“Mister, that was an exhausting journey…”
“But you gained a level, so it was worth it.”
“I’m glad I reached the perfected level, but…wasn’t it a bit much throwing me into those situations?”
Hye-ryeong pouted. I felt a bit guilty. I had pitted her against opponents I deemed suitable for her level.
As a result, she had been forced to fight for her life repeatedly, and her skills had improved significantly. She had reached the perfected level.
With my constant guidance, sparring matches with Mokgyeong and me, and life-or-death battles, it was inevitable that she would improve.
Hye-ryeong was naturally talented. Despite her usual demeanor, she would eventually become a transcendent expert after a period of secluded training in the latter half of the original story.
Though her role became insignificant due to the rushed ending.
“It helped you improve, didn’t it?”
“Still, throwing me into a group of enemies was a bit much.”
“I’ll buy you lots of tanghulu, so don’t be mad.”
“I’m not a child.”
Who would believe she was barely an adult?
She acted like a child. It was remarkable that she had grown up in such a harsh environment.
Though, for someone who had been pampered like a princess, she was surprisingly adept at decapitating people.
Having grown up on an island plagued by pirates, perhaps it was to be expected. I poked Hye-ryeong’s cheek.
“You’re acting like a child.”
“What do you mean, acting like a child?”
And stop subtly pushing your chest forward.
She knew her advantages.
Sometimes, she was more like a fox than a penguin.
I resisted the urge to look down and gently pinched her cheek. It stretched like a rice cake.
Wow, soft.
“Ouch~”
“You’re a martial artist. Stop pretending it hurts.”
“It hurts!”
“Alright, alright.”
“Stop it. Mokgyeong is watching…Mokgyeong, why are you making that face?”
Why did he look envious?
Was I imagining things?
“I-it’s nothing. I was just…remembering something from my childhood…”
It sounded like an excuse, but I accepted Mokgyeong’s explanation and turned back to Hye-ryeong.
“…Let’s go back.”
There was no reason to stay here any longer.
I needed to return to the Martial Alliance and rest.
We headed back.
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“You’ve finally returned.”
“Elder Baek, has anything happened?”
“I’ve been incredibly busy. I never imagined there were so many Demonic Cult branches hidden near Wuhan…if it weren’t for a certain hero’s report, we would have been sleeping soundly, unaware of the danger.”
…I felt guilty for causing him so much trouble.
Of course, it was necessary to prevent the Martial Alliance from being crippled as in the original story.
The question was, was it worth it?
“Is Commander Seo Mun-gang leading the search for Demonic Cult branches?”
“Indeed. He’s been the brains of the Martial Alliance for decades. He’ll find them quickly.”
“I see.”
“Those Demonic Cult members are persistent. Hiding near Wuhan for decades, building their strength. If only we had discovered them sooner…”
“Hmm…it wouldn’t have been easy. Even if rats are living in your house, you won’t know until you see them.”
I wondered how much the spy within the Martial Alliance had obscured their vision. Even the Martial Alliance was blind if their eyes were covered.
I had to eliminate that rat to prevent the Alliance Leader’s assassination and the Demonic Cult’s invasion.
The problem was, the spy had built a strong foundation of trust within the Martial Alliance.
He had been pretending to be loyal for decades, so no one suspected him.
Therefore, my plan was to disrupt the Martial Alliance’s operations by targeting Demonic Cult branches and then search for evidence of the spy’s collusion.
I hoped it would work.
While the spy would have taken precautions, considering the slow speed of information dissemination in this era, he probably hadn’t grasped the full situation yet.
I had to act quickly and discreetly.
The abbot of the Shaolin Temple’s visit to the Martial Alliance was an unexpected opportunity.
“Elder, I heard that Abbot Gak-won is visiting the Martial Alliance…”
“Oh, I almost forgot. He’s been requesting an audience with you.”
“Excuse me?”
While it was good news, it was unexpected. I had anticipated a test of some sort, not an immediate endorsement.
I had to ask.
“May I ask why you’re endorsing me without even asking for my reasons?”
“A young man like you challenging the Alliance Leader to a succession duel…how could I not endorse you? Such boldness is a privilege of youth.”
“You know my…age?”
Why did these masters keep trying to determine my age based on my appearance? Did I really look that old…?
“A weathered exterior means nothing. You’re still young at heart.”
“Is that so.”
I met his gaze. An unfathomable depth I couldn’t comprehend.
Was this the level of insight required to become the abbot of the Shaolin Temple?
“Then I’ll be looking forward to it. Whether you’ll succeed in purging the infection, or…be purged yourself.”
That was an unsettling comment.
“…Thank you for your endorsement.”
“Here you go.”
I tucked the endorsement letter into my pocket and left the room.
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