“Wow~ It’s gold!”
“Hahaha….”
“To think this could be done in just a day…”
A hundred pieces of gold. Neither Hyeok Gi-rin nor Black Cat nor Samayeom were people short on money, but seeing more than a hundred pieces of gold stacked in front of them was indeed a special sight.
“Those with dazzled eyes might do something crazy, so please strengthen the guards.”
“Haha, don’t worry, Great Hero.”
The Black Cat started stacking the gold, while Hyeok Gi-rin fidgeted, worried that it might topple over. If Black Cat’s eyes were visible, they’d surely be shining brighter than the gold.
It wasn’t that Black Cat was particularly greedy for gold; it was just shiny and exciting.
“Is everything going well?”
“I was just working hard until a moment ago. Everything is ready, all we need to do is fish.”
In the past, the Black Cat felt like a bad omen of the night, but these days, they transformed into something akin to a startled house cat, fussing around at home.
However, despite their appearance, Black Cat’s position as the head of Wolbok-dang remained unchanged, so they must be trusted.
Wolbok-dang was no ordinary organization.
How persistent do you think the players are? The developers bite their lips, hiding their hidden pieces and Easter eggs. Players are ultimately those who will unravel every element hidden in the game.
Mystical places appearing once in a millennium, secret texts of fallen grandmasters no one knows about, the hidden legends of the Martial World. What’s the big deal? Once tagged by a player or veteran, everything gets laid bare, pretty guideposts drawn, then packaged as strategies.
But Wolbok-dang succeeded in keeping their secrets from players. A mysterious info organization, Wolbok-dang. Many users have dug into Wolbok-dang, but no player has ever grasped its true nature.
So I thought it was either an unimplemented element or just a MacGuffin.
There’s no need to doubt the capabilities of Wolbok-dang or its head, Black Cat.
“By the way, I heard you two know about my disguise as a man.”
“Who told you? Did Samayeom the Governor mention it?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’d appreciate it if you could keep it a secret regarding my gender.”
I nodded, and Black Cat readily agreed.
“Of course! I already considered Hyeok Gi-rin a male friend, so when it’s just us, let’s act comfortably without the male role!”
“Hehe, understood.”
“Great!”
Black Cat flew and hugged Hyeok Gi-rin. The tower of gold shook in response.
“Ah! Don’t move like that!”
Shake!
The tower of gold swayed.
“If it falls from this height, the gold will get dented!”
Hyeok Gi-rin, startled, poked the side of the wobbling tower. Having instantly grasped the unsteady balance, the tower teetered just once before standing firm.
“Ooh… impressive!”
Clap clap clap!
“Oh no, why are you clapping for this?!”
Clap clap clap!
“P-please stop!”
Hyeok Gi-rin blushed, while Black Cat found Hyeok Gi-rin’s embarrassing display cute and clapped even more. Hyeok Gi-rin wriggled in embarrassment, while Samayeom witnessed the whole scene.
Hmm.
Is it alright to trust people like these and proceed with the plan?
“What are you two doing?”
The cold gaze of Miss Yeo Il-ye, who had changed from her makeup to regular attire, landed on the tower of gold.
“This is the money earned from gambling all night by the Honorable Person! Put it back where it belongs!”
With Yeo Il-ye’s scolding, Black Cat grumbled as they rearranged the gold. Black Cat’s nonchalant attitude didn’t seem to please Yeo Il-ye, as she narrowed her eyes.
“Do you know how hard the Honorable Person worked for this money? He threw away his pride and dignity, gathering this money with all his heart! It shouldn’t be treated carelessly.”
“What exactly did the Senior do?”
“He trembled in fear of people’s laughter, acting all bashful. And that lasted all night!”
“Hehe. And?”
“Despite winning, he couldn’t even joyfully accept it, sneaking glances while gathering his money, which was pitiful to witness! Even knowing it was acting, I couldn’t help but admire the performance!”
“Ahem… please stop.”
“No! You should know how much he disgraced and embarrassed himself to earn this money. Then you will grasp its significance!”
“No, I said stop.”
Just stop sharing embarrassing moments. Given how Black Cat was snickering, I had a feeling all the tales about last night’s exploits at Seongnakru would be organized and preserved as documents.
As Yeo Il-ye passionately recounted my shameful past while Black Cat and Hyeok Gi-rin listened intently, I was interrupted by a voice.
“The Bicheongmacha has arrived.”
The Bicheongmacha had made its entrance.
* *
“Senior Ho. It’s been a while.”
Tang Do-yeon, with a shining face, presented the case.
“…Where’s Brother Do-gyeong?”
Without answering, Tang Do-yeon opened the cart door. Inside lay a single corpse. Tang Do-gyeong was dead in the cart.
Though he wasn’t truly dead, about 90% of him was out cold.
“…Uuuurgh.”
“Come on, Brother Do-gyeong. Wake up. You’ll feel better after a sip of water.”
As I supported Tang Do-gyeong, he began to speak.
“Ho, brother… why did you summon me on the Bicheongmacha?”
It’s because of you that I even got on this cart.
You knew this but I didn’t. I thought I was really going to die!
Waiting for my silence, the head of Tang Do-gyeong drooped. Upon checking, he wasn’t unconscious; he simply lacked the strength to lift his head.
Black Cat circled the Bicheongmacha, curious as ever.
While others approached with caution, asking, “What could make an Peak Expert faint?” Black Cat was intrigued.
“Ooh, interested in the Bicheongmacha?”
“The Bicheongmacha..? It does look fast.”
“Of course! It’s revolutionary transport that can get from Sacheon to the Tang Clan in just a day and a half. This historic vehicle of the Tang Clan has been in operation for five years now.”
Tang Do-yeon started bragging again. At this rate, even Black Cat could fall victim to his lies.
While trying to prevent Black Cat from getting into the Bicheongmacha and wasting precious time, Tang Do-gyeong, who had miraculously recovered from his near-death experience, finally joined us.
“Brother Do-gyeong, how many bandit leaders can you take out?”
“If you want to kill them, four or five is no issue. The Hidden Weapons have been generously provided from the secret stash.”
Tang Do-gyeong tapped the hidden weapon pouch at his waist. It didn’t seem to differ significantly in quantity from the time he carried all the direct lineage’s hidden weapons. Just how generous was the supply?
“Do-yeon focused mainly on poison. If used solely for lethal purposes, the two of us could wipe out the bandits of Jeongnamsan without issue.”
Hyeok Gi-rin and Yeo Il-ye swallowed nervously. Well… even if Tang Do-gyeong spoke so nonchalantly, it wasn’t easy to simply say they could crush the bandit alliance.
This is the fear of the Tang Clan.
Martial artists derive their power from qi. But this qi isn’t something that can increase overnight. Spiritual medicine may boost it overnight, but can you really obtain spiritual medicine whenever you want?
There’s a limit to how much one martial artist can achieve alone. However, the martial artists of the Tang Clan partially escape such restrictions. If one is ready to unleash hidden weapons and poison without hesitation, they could act with the prowess several folds or even dozens of times that of other martial artists of their level.
If they can indiscriminately scatter hidden weapons worth more than gold like birdseed, then it’s feasible for two Peak Experts to subdue four or five hundred martial artists.
Of course, these two would only perform the minimal actions required.
They must remain supporting characters in this narrative.
While accepting help from outside was unavoidable, the affairs of Sacheon should be handled by the people of Sacheon.
That was precisely why a branch of the Nine Great Sects was being established in such a flurry.
“Hmm. But can we really distribute this flyer as it is? Wouldn’t it reveal that the Great Hero has interfered openly?”
Unexpectedly, Samayeom was concerned about me.
“Well, can I just hide in the shadows after stirring things up like this?”
My identity was already exposed. In most martial arts novels, disguises fail to go unnoticed most of the time. In this martial arts world, that level of disguise is akin to divine transformations claimed to be foundational in martial arts.
Consider it akin to plastic surgery. No matter how talented a surgeon, it’s evident that they have undergone it. It isn’t as simple as using qi to reshape one’s face naturally.
Most disguises reveal themselves in an instant. While you might not catch a glimpse passing by, you can’t use them under the watchful eyes in Gilu.
But that’s not what I intend.
I need to subtly reveal my shadow to instill chaos and rage within Hwang Geum-seon, clouding his judgment.
“Proceed as planned.”
Samayeom nodded.
* *
“Phew…”
Jang San, the martial artist of the Gwangyang Sect, exhaled. Gwangyang Sect was fairly well-regarded in Sacheon. Simply being allied with the Jeomchang Faction, a part of the Nine Great Sects, indicated a level of competitiveness among the sects of Sacheon.
Not all sects in this region are linked to the Nine Great Sects. Unless one is a reasonably strong mid-sized sect, the Nine Great Sects don’t even bother contacting you. The actual number of sects allied with them might only be about thirty percent of all sects in Sacheon.
Because of that, he could walk the streets with his chest out and pride intact…
“Those damn bastards…”
“Look at them casually strolling around despite that!”
Rumors that the sects of Sacheon opposed the involvement of larger sects due to concerns about their own interests circulated, making even walking down the streets difficult.
Especially the declarations of the five great sects spread doubt about these rumors, making people’s gazes sharper than ever after such declarations.
“Am I really to live in fear like this?!”
If he could clear up this misunderstanding, that’s exactly what Jang San wanted to yell out. But what could be done? The bandits were strong and the sects of Sacheon were weak.
“Announce! Announce!”
While he was fretting and venting, the royal guards came around, scattering flyers everywhere.
“The Governor is recruiting a militia to subdue the bandits! He will conduct an explanation session at the official’s platform soon, so take note!”
‘Subduing bandits?’
Jang San gazed a bit disinterested at the guards. The blunt ends of their tridents were indeed for restraining, but even their stance seemed sloppy. Were they merely third-rate martial artists? Would the issues really be resolved with these royal guards taking action?
The surrounding folks seemed to share similar sentiments, observing the guards with indifference. Well, I might as well check what the flyer says.
With that thought, Jang San picked up a piece of paper.
“…What’s this?”
[♚♚Call for Volunteers by Sacheon Governor♚♚Come and witness$$All attendees will meet Governor Samayeom☜☜Guaranteed Meeting Opportunity 100% ※ ♜Sacheon Tang Clan Fighting Dog Tang Do-gyeong, Tang Do-yeon ♜Expected Participation ￥ Participating Sects §§ No Conditions §§ Victory Parade ★Participation Possible★ Chance to Earn Prestige @@@ Instant Travel: In front of the government office at Bukcheon Road.]
It felt like a whirlpool, but the content engraved itself in his mind.
“…The Tang Clan. Are the people of the Tang Clan going to join the militia?”
It was an unrealistic notion. But the royal guards were the ones spreading this announcement.
Jang San, feeling bewitched, headed toward the government office. The place was swarmed, almost impossible to find a foot to stand on. Jang San spotted various martial artists standing among the crowds. Perhaps they too had come to relieve their frustration.
“Hello everyone. I am Sacheon Governor Samayeom.”
Wooaahhh!!
The crowd roared as Samayeom made his appearance. Since a decision had been made to send troops against the bandits, the cheers were just as natural. Once the crowd settled, Samayeom’s clear, ringing voice echoed through.
“I have heard reports that bandits have been marauding in the vicinity of Sacheon, and I must regrettably admit that I am an unworthy scholar, ill-equipped to handle martial matters, causing this delay.”
Samayeom’s respectful demeanor and persuasive voice regained the crowd’s composure, resulting in a silence.
“However, it seems that relying solely on the royal guard for the subjugation of these bandits could result in considerable losses. Therefore, I have issued this proclamation requesting the heroes of Sacheon for assistance.”
A murmur arose.
But the quiet was soon shattered. Didn’t it seem obvious that the sects of Sacheon lacked the strength to defeat the bandits? So why was the governor trying to catch up now?
Some hasty individuals cursed him for being ignorant, but Samayeom continued.
“Due to my insufficient martial skills, I can’t lead this mission. After much deliberation, I reached the conclusion to request the help of the famous noble family of Sacheon, the one holding the position of Jungyangjin.”
“…Jungyangjin? Isn’t that an official title?”
“Correct. So a family with a government position isn’t leading the expedition?”
“What is going on?”
Just as the crowd began to muddle through their confusion, a young man stepped onto the platform. Those who recognized his face gasped in shock.
“It’s Fighting Dog Tang Do-gyeong!”
“Wait… So that means the clan with the Jungyangjin title is the Tang Clan?”
“The Tang Clan had an official position? This is news to me!”
“This man! Did we forget that the Tang Clan is one of Sacheon’s local aristocrats? It surely must be connected to an official position!”
“Nice to meet you.”
His inner power softly suppressed the crowd’s commotion. Though confusion lingered, expectant expressions began to shine on faces. While the details were unclear, the Tang Clan was stepping forward to handle the bandits, right?
“I am Tang Do-gyeong, having taken full authority for the upcoming bandit subjugation at the request of Governor Samayeom. Heroes of the Jianghu may be more familiar with me as Fighting Dog Tang Do-gyeong. Hearing the people of Sacheon are suffering from the bandits, I rushed over with joy upon receiving the governor’s request.”
Wooaahhh!!!
Tang Do-gyeong! Tang Do-gyeong!!
“I, Tang Do-gyeong, believe my spirit rivals that of anyone else, but even with my strength combined with that of the royal guards, it’s still insufficient to completely eliminate the bandits. If we charge in recklessly, we’ll leave behind a fire that could ignite further chaos in the future. Hence, I collaborated with the governor to circulate this proclamation.”
“I’ve admired the martial spirit of the sects in Sacheon for long. It pains me to see them unable to showcase their talents, but given the current situation, how could I not think of the heroes of Sacheon? Though there is strength, the ability to act has been lacking, leaving them simply watching.”
‘This is the chance!’
Jang San clenched his fists. He instinctively sensed the opportunity to clear up misunderstandings among the people of Sacheon.
“To honor the spirit of the heroes participating in the subjugation, the government has prepared several modest incentives to encourage participation.”
At Samayeom’s mention, those in martial attire perked their ears up.
“First, there will be a monument erected in the center of Sacheon, recording the deeds of the martial artists and sects who contributed to subduing the bandits.”
Jang San’s ears perked up. Did he hear wrong? A record of their accomplishments would be… preserved?
Even if they participated in a campaign, they rarely made it beyond a fleeting buzz before disappearing without a trace, with questions of authenticity arising shortly after. But to have an acknowledgement in the form of a monument?
“Additionally! A ceremonial march for those capturing bandit prisoners to escort them back to the government office will be organized.”
A ceremonial march? To walk proudly and receive the admiration of the Sacheon people?
Then a series of benefits were announced—sections of gratitude to be given to participating sects and individuals, bottled rewards validating participation, and decorations to wear on their weaponry.
“Oooooo!!”
With each announcement, the martial artists cheered loudly. You mean the mere act of being in this atmosphere would automatically label them a hero? It was an item they needed to obtain at all costs, even if it meant losing their lives.
Modern ideas shimmered brightly! Those martial artists, witnessing marketing tactics from the present, were utterly spellbound.
The space in front of the government office was already ablaze with excitement. For ordinary people, the prospect of bandit subjugation becoming a reality had them thrilled. Martial artists were eager for the chance to elevate their honor and achievements, receiving accolades all at once.
“Everyone!”
Tang Do-gyeong concluded with force.
“This matter is urgent! All preparations have been made at the government office! I’ll be accepting participation applications until midnight tomorrow, with the departure planned for three days from now! Spread the word!”
People rushed off, eagerly spreading the news. Others dashed toward the government office to sign up for participation.
Jang San raced toward the Gwangyang Sect.
‘This is it! I must participate!’
Sacheon was starting to heat up!
