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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“No, he’s on our side, the Gang Clan!”
“I never said I was siding with only one of you.”
“Pardon?”
I grinned at their bewildered expressions.
“Let’s talk business.”“I won’t interfere, so deal with it yourselves.”
“Wait!”
Why were they causing a scene at the inn instead of fighting amongst themselves? I seriously considered knocking them all unconscious and going back to sleep, gently stirring my dormant mana core.
Preparing for battle.
But the two groups simply glared at each other, neither showing any intention of actually fighting. No one had drawn their swords.
“Could you reconsider?”
“I don’t see why I should get involved in this city’s affairs.”
“We’ll offer you a handsome reward—”
“Is there a reason why you need to recruit me?”
“…Historically, wars between established powers in the Murim have often been decided by the involvement of masters. The number of martial artists employed by each faction doesn’t differ significantly, so overwhelming them with numbers is ineffective.”
That surprised me.
I looked at Mokgyeong, who had appeared beside me, radiating a sharp aura. He looked slightly disheveled, probably because he had been woken up by the commotion.
Bathed in moonlight, Mokgyeong looked strangely alluring.
…I’ve been in the military for too long. My eyes must be going bad.
I need to get them checked—
“I see.”
“…Since this isn’t a war, the effectiveness of group battles is limited. Even if you use a formation, formations are meant to counter a single strong opponent. In a chaotic battle, you never know when you might be attacked from behind, so their practicality is questionable.”
“…That’s true.”
“Th-that’s the reason! So please—”
“It seems strange for two clans to be so eager to recruit a single peak expert.”
I pointed out the obvious, but neither side protested, simply sighing. They seemed to be acting out of necessity, even though they didn’t like the situation.
“Wi is not just any peak expert. How many people can even say the words ‘just a peak expert’?”
“Is that so?”
I was starting to understand. Recruiting me meant recruiting Mokgyeong and Hye-ryeong as well.
In war, justification was paramount.
If they could claim that the Haenam Sword Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, was on their side, people would assume they were the more righteous faction. That was why they wanted to recruit me.
My reputation had even reached this small city, so it was understandable that they were interested.
But I didn’t see a reason to get involved.
I hadn’t done anything wrong.
I wasn’t personally involved.
The only benefit would be monetary, and there was a chance the risks would outweigh the rewards.
War was something I couldn’t control, so there was no reason to participate unless absolutely necessary.
“At this point, you should resolve this yourselves. I have no intention of participating in this war.”
“Please reconsider! If I fail to recruit you, I’ll be killed!”
“There’s nothing more dangerous than walking into a death trap for someone else’s sake.”
I wasn’t going to risk my life for his.
As the Gu Clan martial artist knelt and pleaded, the Gang Clan martial artist followed suit.
“Unlike that Gang Clan fool, I can promise you a substantial reward! Elixirs, enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life! And if necessary, a deep connection with our clan…”
“Noooo!”
That startled me.
“Hye-ryeong, didn’t you learn that shouting in the middle of the night is rude?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Hye-ryeong, just…”
I gently pulled Hye-ryeong towards me and hid her behind my back.
You shouldn’t be seen in such disarray.
“…Absolutely not!”
“Quiet down. You’ll wake everyone in the inn.”
“I think they’re already awake.”
“Are…they?”
Well, I had to resolve this quickly and get back to sleep. This was such a nuisance.
“Let’s go downstairs and talk. We shouldn’t be making so much noise while everyone’s sleeping.”
“But she was the one who shouted…”
“Let’s go.”
Don’t try to shift the blame.
I cut off the martial artist, who looked like a wronged Shih Tzu, and closed the door.
“I’ll change and come down, so wait for me. Hye-ryeong, you stay here.”
“I want to go too.”
“Go get dressed properly first.”
“…Hehe.”
Her robe was untied, revealing her collarbone.
This wasn’t the free-spirited Hainan Island. Walking around like that in the Central Plains, where even showing your ankles was considered scandalous, would cause a commotion.
Hye-ryeong chuckled sheepishly.
“I’ll come down later.”
“I’ll go with you now.”
When did you get fully equipped?
Considering how he always woke up and got ready before me, he must have prepared while I was talking with those martial artists.
I should get dressed as well.
I would have preferred to wash my face, but those uninvited guests were waiting, so I quickly put on my robe.
“Aww…”
“Aww, what?”
“Hehe…”
“Mokgyeong, let’s go.”
“…Yes.”
I had to resolve this quickly and leave this city. I sighed and opened the door.
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“Oh dear…”
The innkeeper’s sigh, having rushed down at this early hour, filled the dining hall. The martial artists from the two clans seemed aware of the disturbance they had caused, coughing awkwardly and averting their gazes.
“Let’s hear the story. You said your young masters were killed. What happened?”
“Those bastards killed our young master!”
“What?! You…!”
“Calm down and think clearly. It sounds like both of them were assassinated. Were they killed without any witnesses?”
“Gu’s young master didn’t return home long after his usual time, so we went looking for him and found him dead, locked in a mutual kill with Gang Un-gi! That bastard must have tried to kill our young master and was counterattacked!”
“Nonsense! That’s what we should be saying!”
This was going to escalate into a real fight.
I channeled aura and tapped the table twice to get their attention, then asked,
“Hold on, calm down. You seem too agitated to think straight. Where are the bodyguards?”
“They were also found dead nearby.”
“Are there…no survivors?”
“There’s one, but…he’s on the verge of death.”
So, the only witness was barely clinging to life, which meant there wasn’t much information. But something about this stank.
“Calm down and think rationally. Has Gang’s young master been taken to a physician?”
“Of course, we checked. But the physician had disappeared. He was skilled, but he had ties to the Gu Clan, so we were suspicious…and now he’s done this…!”
“We know nothing about this!”
“Those shameless bastards!”
“I don’t understand why I’m playing judge here…but in any case, were they on such bad terms? Enough to try and kill each other in an alleyway?”
“Well…”
I turned my attention to the innkeeper, who had cautiously spoken up. He was sweating, clearly nervous, but he seemed desperate for this situation to be resolved.
“Innkeeper, do you have something to say?”
I spoke as gently as possible to reassure him.
“Recently, both young masters were courting the same woman. Perhaps…”
“A love triangle gone wrong?”
Considering their personalities, which led them to start a sword fight in an inn, it wasn’t surprising that they would fight over a woman…but to the death?
Neither of them seemed reckless enough to attempt murder.
Those with the guts to kill were different.
“They were certainly competing for a woman named Myeong-hui, but…”
“So, the innkeeper’s words hold some truth.”
There was circumstantial evidence.
Whether they actually killed each other was another matter…
“Well, regardless of the reason…you want to recruit me because of the war between the two clans, correct?”
“Yes. If you help us, our Clan Leader promises a great reward…”
“I’m sure your Clan Leaders are blinded by rage right now.”
Their sons had been killed.
They were probably consumed by rage, their rationality gone.
“So, when are you fighting?”
“Pardon?”
The apparent leader of the Gang Clan martial artists looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
Did he not understand the situation?
“You both seem ready to explode…isn’t this on the verge of becoming a full-blown conflict?”
“W-well, yes.”
“Oh dear…”
The innkeeper’s sigh echoed through the inn.
…Right.
It wasn’t the soldiers who suffered in war, but the ordinary citizens.
Sigh.
“Let’s negotiate.”
“Are you siding with us?!”
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