Chapter 239: Battlefront. (9)

It was just around the time I returned to the barracks after playing around a bit with those Hwangbo bastards and circling the area.

“Where have you been coming from since this morning?”

I ran into Gu Huibi, drenched in sweat as if she had just finished training.

Talk about bad luck; it feels like my luck’s gone completely south today.

Of all people, I had to run into Gu Huibi.

“The usual.”

“Ah, that walk?”

“Calling it a ‘walk’ makes it sound unnecessarily sentimental.”

“Well, this big sis here is quite the sentimental type, you know.”

I replied with a grin at Gu Huibi’s words.

“You’re being extra bitchy today….”

‘Well, that’s true.’

“…Little bro, it seems like your inner thoughts are coming out instead of what you mean to say.”

“Oops, my bad.”

My mouth has been causing trouble lately.

Maybe it’s because I’ve consumed too much demonic energy.

“Seeing my little bro’s mouth getting coarser and coarser makes this big sis very sad.”

“…Big sis, you might not know this, but my mouth has always been coarse. Maybe not as much as yours, though.”

“Wanna spar?”

The moment Gu Huibi said that with a grin, a thick aura of fighting spirit wafted towards me.

Sensing it, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

‘She’s gotten stronger again in the meantime.’

Perhaps the words saying she’s the most suitable candidate for the new Sword Empress after the Plum Blossom Sword Empress weren’t lies.

Gu Huibi’s talent knows no bounds and continues to soar.

Moreover, she possesses the effort to back it up.

It wasn’t strange for her to grow stronger by the day.

However, if I had one wish.

It would be that perhaps the title ‘Mad Sword,’ which she received in her past life, suits Gu Huibi better than something like ‘Sword Empress’….

‘No matter how I look at it, ‘Sword Empress’ doesn’t quite fit that personality.’

It just doesn’t feel right.

The vibe.

As the surroundings gradually became consumed by her fighting spirit.

I could feel a faint heat mixing in between.

Gu Huibi had subtly started emitting heat.

Sensing this, I let out a deep sigh.

“Can you even fight in that state?”

She just finished training, so what’s with wanting to spar?

At my words, Gu Huibi smiled as if she were deeply moved.

“Little bro, are you worried about me right now?”

This is driving me crazy.

I shook my head, as if saying I’d heard enough nonsense.

It was quite bothersome how she kept trying to pick fights lately.

‘Even if this doesn’t happen, she’ll throw a fit later anyway.’

If she finds out about the trouble I just caused, I can already picture her getting angry.

I needed to get out of here before that happened.

Thump.

I took a step forward, passing through Gu Huibi’s fighting spirit and heat.

Thump-!

Grrrind-!

“…!”

As I infused my step with energy and unleashed it like an explosion, the surrounding fighting spirit and heat were swept away by the wind.

Gu Huibi’s face showed utter surprise as she observed the scene, but…

…my steps didn’t stop.

Because I didn’t know what kind of trouble I’d get into if I stayed here.

“…Later. I’m on duty today, so I’m busy.”

“Honestly, all talk and no action.”

Instead of criticizing my attitude, Gu Huibi just laughed heartily.

If it were in the past, she would have scolded me harshly, saying she needed to fix my lack of common sense.

“Weren’t you on duty yesterday, big sis?”

“So?”

“Then why are you training right now?”

“What does that have to do with anything? Duty is work, but for a martial artist, training is life.”

I nodded at Gu Huibi’s words.

I wish that piece of shit Gu Jieye would at least learn something from this.

‘Though, I’m not exactly learning it myself either.’

I decided to pretend not to know about this part.

Because you need to be selfish sometimes to get by in life.

“We were supposed to go later tonight, right?”

“I prefer daytime, but someone here issued a shitty order to go at night.”

“Night is better. The weather’s cooler.”

“…Since when do we care about the weather?”

Gu Huibi chuckled at my grumbling, a smile on her face, then walked off in the opposite direction.

That direction was definitely where the Five Swords usually trained.

Which meant Gu Huibi was going to train even more.

“She’s crazy.”

She’s going to train again like that?

At this point, she was clearly obsessed with training.

---

As soon as I returned to the barracks, I looked for Moyong Hi-ah’s quarters.

It was within the Gu family’s territory, but managed separately by members of the Moyong family.

As if to prove it, most of the people inside wore Moyong family attire.

I could feel an aura emanating from them, like that of a well-honed sword blade.

Paying no mind to their gazes, I stepped inside.

“Greetings, Young Master Gu.”

As if expecting me, a Moyong family guard came out to greet me.

“Good to see you. You don’t do that anymore these days?”

“…Haha.”

Before, they used to stick to me, asking all sorts of questions and checking things every which way.

But recently, they haven’t been doing that.

‘Maybe it’s because I flipped out on them once.’

Perhaps it was because they were so bothersome that I flipped out and told them to stop.

Or maybe Moyong Hi-ah’s influence played a part; I don’t know.

But as long as it’s convenient for me, that’s all that matters.

“Is she there right now?”

I immediately asked about Moyong Hi-ah.

The guard’s expression flickered slightly at my question.

“…The young lady is not here right now.”

“Not here?”

“Yes.”

“If she’s not in her quarters at this hour, where else would she go?”

“…”

“Don’t you think that sounds like a strange excuse, even to you?”

Moyong Hi-ah doesn’t usually go out to hunt monsters, nor…

…she usually trains, but otherwise spends her time in her quarters.

Or she’d barge into my quarters to chat.

Occasionally, like now, she’d be reported as not being in her quarters.

And the reason was always the same.

“Why is she sulking again?”

It’s when she doesn’t want to see my face.

That’s why she stays holed up in her quarters and doesn’t come out.

There was a time I stormed in and dragged her out.

What reason did she give me back then?

‘…Was it when she was supposed to meet me, but I forgot and went training?’

Something like that, I think.

It was my fault for forgetting our arrangement and not going out, but…

Moyong Hi-ah, who would normally chatter away coolly and rapidly at others…

…I don’t understand why she clams up and runs away from me.

‘Should I go in again this time?’

I considered going to ask her directly why, but…

…after a moment’s thought, I turned away.

The first reason was that she probably had her own reasons.

The second, and most significant, reason was that it was bothersome.

“Tsk.”

I glanced at Moyong Hi-ah’s quarters, then turned my back and walked away.

Even now, I could clearly sense her presence inside.

Honestly, Moyong Hi-ah was the pinnacle of incomprehensibility.

“Please go inside.”

“Tell her to eat properly. She gets so thin every day.”

“Yes, I will be sure to tell the young lady that when she returns.”

“You have a hard time too.”

…She’s obviously inside, but she’s really committing to the act.

I decided to leave Moyong Hi-ah be for now and turned back towards the Gu family’s territory.

It was almost lunchtime, and Namgung Biya would likely be waking up and waiting.

‘Speaking of which, it’s about time for letters to arrive.’

Letters often arrived once every fifteen days.

This was around that time.

The news sent by the Gu family about events within the clan,

the information about the Central Plains that I managed and exchanged separately.

And the ones from Tang Xiaoye-that makes three in total.

‘…Tang Xiaoye is quite something too.’

Tang Xiaoye initially wrote some nonsensical things in his letters, like intending to follow me to the Frontline or saying he’d come over to my side soon.

But in the next letter I received, it said he probably couldn’t make it because he was captured by the clan head, the Poison King.

And amidst that…

‘There was also a mention that the Poison King wanted to see me….’

I really don’t know how terrified I was back then.

To catch the eye of the Poison King, of all people.

It was as terrifying as having my name remembered by the Dark King.

‘Although, there haven’t been any major issues so far.’

It was highly likely he just said it in passing, but…

…I couldn’t help but feel tense, whether I realized it or not.

The Poison King, along with the Dark King, was a figure who held significant sway over the deaths of martial artists.

‘He probably doesn’t care too much… right?’

Even though I’m being called the True Dragon or whatever.

I’m just a late-stage disciple at best.

Someone like the Poison King wouldn’t pay attention to me.

No, he absolutely shouldn’t.

As I walked towards the barracks, filled with worry.

“What the?”

I noticed people I hadn’t seen before.

“These crazy bastards…!”

And I spotted one guy rampaging as if furious.

‘Who is that?’

I pondered who it could be for a moment, but thankfully, I quickly remembered.

It was a martial artist from the Alliance that Gu Jieye had brought.

Right, the guy who fainted after seeing my face.

His name was probably Bi Yeonseom.

“Why is he acting like that?”

As I got a little closer, I could figure out who the visitors were.

The clothes worn by the unfamiliar guys were the exact same martial arts uniforms of the Murim Alliance as Bi Yeonseom’s.

The man at the front of the group was speaking to Bi Yeonseom.

“Member Bi… back then, we….”

“Member? What member? Stop talking such crap.”

Bi Yeonseom just scowled, seemingly unwilling to listen to his story.

The man continued, looking troubled.

“Hmph, it was an unavoidable situation back then, wasn’t it? Why are you so unforgiving, young man?”

At the man’s words, Bi Yeonseom bristled, veins popping out on his neck.

“An unavoidable situation? How is that an unavoidable situation by any measure?”

Furthermore, a sneer bloomed on Bi Yeonseom’s face.

“Is throwing me out as bait to save yourselves an ‘unavoidable situation’?”

“…Member Bi. Well, we couldn’t all just die there, could we?”

“Have some shame…. To come here like this after throwing your comrade to the wolves and running away? Don’t you have any conscience?”

Hearing Bi Yeonseom’s words, I started to understand the situation.

‘A common occurrence.’

It was a common thing on the Frontline.

Throwing a comrade as bait right before death to survive; that’s just common, really.

‘People are more treacherous than you’d think.’

Even when facing death, concepts like righteousness, loyalty,

or the beliefs of the orthodox sects-how many people can truly uphold them?

To me, who had seen so much ugliness that I’d become numb to it,

this seemed like the normal way of things.

‘Humans are more monstrous than monsters themselves.’

You can’t survive if you get hurt by such things every time.

That was the reality of the Central Plains.

‘So, that guy should just accept it reasonably and go back….’

“I’m not going back.”

“Huh?”

Bi Yeonseom’s words left me momentarily stunned.

What did that guy just say?

“I won’t go to a place with trash like you. I’d rather stay here and…!”

At Bi Yeonseom’s shout, the Alliance members standing before him faltered.

I couldn’t see their expressions clearly, but they must have been quite troubled.

I was no different.

Watching this, I suppressed my rising irritation and spoke.

“According to whose permission?”

“…Ah!”

Bi Yeonseom, who just noticed me, and…

…the Alliance members who came looking flinched.

They probably know me.

“Tr-True Dragon Junior Hero.”

“Hey, sirs. Didn’t you hear that you’re supposed to call me by name when you see me from the Alliance? I think I kindly informed the guys who came looking last time too.”

I made sure they wouldn’t have any aftereffects or scars. That was quite considerate of me.

“S-Sorry. Young Hero Gu! I made a slight mistake.”

“Never mind that. If you came to pick them up, just take them. Why are you fumbling around? Can’t you do your jobs properly?”

“Th-That’s because….”

At my words, they hesitated, unable to answer easily.

Honestly, they were guys who were terribly bad at handling business.

If someone doesn’t listen, you just beat them up a bit and take them, but they only act like proper orthodox martial artists when it comes to situations like this.

“You too.”

“Yes, yes?”

“They came to pick you up. So go quietly now.”

At my words, Bi Yeonseom subtly averted his gaze.

See?

“Hey, I said go.”

“I… I won’t go.”

“What?”

“Those inhuman bastards…. They… me.”

Bi Yeonseom bit his lip, still looking furious, but…

…all I could do was let out a deep sigh at the sight.

“So what?”

“Yes…?”

“Whatever you went through, whatever those guys did, do I need to know?”

“It’s not that….”

“Then what is it? If you have a problem, you should fight it out and solve it yourself. What’s that thing hanging at your waist, a back-scratcher? What do you mean you won’t go? Get lost, quickly.”

“…”

He’s even wearing a sword, so why is he babbling with words?

“…I am a martial artist. Martial arts… are not meant to be used for things like this….”

“You’re shitting out of your mouth. It’s always the ones with nothing who talk about profound beliefs that don’t suit them.”

Just like Gu Jieye.

I don’t know why they act like that.

Bi Yeonseom’s eyebrows furrowed slightly upon hearing my words.

“Your words are a bit harsh.”

“Of course they are, I’m saying them specifically to piss you off.”

Bi Yeonseom’s face contorted under the barrage of my words.

I added, looking at Bi Yeonseom’s face.

“Besides, what do you mean ‘left behind’? Do you know how many guys like you I’ve seen until now?”

“What do you mean….”

It wasn’t just the guys Gu Jieye brought.

There were many martial artists brought by others too.

Among them were members of the Murim Alliance.

And there were guys like Bi Yeonseom who suffered terrible things.

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened to someone like Bi Yeonseom.

“So what if you don’t go? Are you staying here?”

“…If you permit it…. I too would like to stay here and help…”

“I told you I won’t permit it! Why are you arbitrarily indulging in romantic notions?”

“…”

“What can we even do for you if you stay here? It’s already hard enough to pay the kids’ salaries, and you’d just be another mouth to feed.”

That was a lie.

I don’t even manage the salaries, let alone…

…the Gu family tends to generously provide funds to martial artists for such matters.

It was rumored that my father’s only luxury was giving money to the Sword Cadre.

However, Bi Yeonseom didn’t seem willing to back down despite my words.

“I don’t need money or anything like that.”

His words, full of determination, made me react slightly.

“…You don’t need money?”

“Yes…. At the very least, while on the Frontline, I just don’t want to be in the Alliance.”

Bi Yeonseom wore a determined expression, as if he had made up his mind.

“If you would just permit it…. I could here…”

“So.”

“Yes?”

“You don’t want to go back there, and you want to stay here. You won’t even take money, just let me work and live here?”

“Yes, yes? Work…? Ah, yes, that’s right.”

Perhaps because of the strange words inserted in the middle, Bi Yeonseom faltered for a moment, but…

…he quickly nodded.

Perhaps he thought I was changing my mind.

I pretended to ponder for a moment, then said to Bi Yeonseom.

“Then we’ll need to write up a contract. Is that okay too? It’s better to be clear about these things.”

“…Ah! A-Are you permitting it?”

“What’s with the ‘permission’ between us? So, you mean you’ll write the contract?”

“Y-Yes. If you just permit me to be here…!”

By now, the address had changed from ‘that guy’ and ‘this bastard’ to ‘us’, but…

…Bi Yeonseom still didn’t seem to notice.

Seeing Bi Yeonseom’s determination, I grinned and nodded.

“Yeah, yeah. You can hear the important stuff from the squad leader later…. Ah, what were we talking about?”

After our brief, pleasant conversation with Bi Yeonseom.

I turned my gaze towards the Alliance members who had come looking.

“What was it again?”

“Squad Leader Gu sent a letter saying he was protecting a Murim Alliance martial artist here, so we came to pick them up….”

“Ah, right.”

Thanks to the man’s words, I could recall the story again.

I nodded repeatedly and said, looking at the men before me.

“So, who bullied our kid?”

“Yes…?”

“I asked, who bullied ‘our’ kid?”

“Young Hero Gu…. What is this all of a sudden?”

“You guys threw our kid out as bait and ran, didn’t you?”

“No, what are you talking about all of a sudden!”

“Who did it…. Ah, was it all of them? That’s convenient for me too, since picking and choosing is a bit bothersome.”

“J-Just a moment. Young Hero Gu…! No, Great Hero! Why, why are you acting like this!”

Crack.

As I approached, casually stretching my hands.

Bi Yeonseom, who had been watching from behind, wore a bewildered expression.

‘What is this sudden turn of events…?’

His face was flustered by my changed attitude.

Perhaps because of that, Bi Yeonseom didn’t seem to notice.

The sight of Gu Jieye struggling, caught by the squad leader’s hand over there.

Gu Jieye’s eyes were speaking to Bi Yeonseom.

-Run away!

It was an incredibly desperate plea, but it was words that wouldn’t reach Bi Yeonseom’s ears.