Chapter 1147: Scorched World.

“Kuhuk!”

Kluk!

As Wisuk’s strength gave out, he collapsed onto his knees on the floor. He immediately vomited repeatedly.

“Keok… Kluk…!”

Though his appearance, with tear-filled, reddened eyes and a mouth smeared with saliva, was utterly wretched, the sight of him glaring at me with those damn eyes made me move my feet.

Ppak-!

“Kek!”

The guy who got hit in the jaw lost consciousness and collapsed right onto his own vomit.

Turning my gaze from that guy, I looked back at the woman.

“…Miss Hyeon.”

Hyeon Soyeon.

A woman of unbelievable beauty stood there. She was so pretty that, even with Wisuk’s condition, other male members were staring at her, completely mesmerized.

Of course, she’d be pretty.

Who wouldn’t she resemble?

No, that’s not right…

‘It’s the other way around; she resembles him.’

Anyway.

“…Why are you here?”

I asked, looking at Hyeon Soyeon who had appeared out of nowhere. Then Hyeon Soyeon tilted her head.

“Why? Am I not allowed to be here?”

“Usually, no.”

The Blue Dragon Corps’ building. In the first place, outsiders aren’t supposed to be able to enter the main alliance headquarters carelessly. And within that, for an outsider to enter the building of the main force, the Sword Division? It’s an absurd situation.

“Hmm… Well, I suppose.”

Hyeon Soyeon nodded her head back and forth at my question.

“But I made it possible.”

She added, smiling brightly.

“Because I decided to sponsor the Blue Dragon Corps.”

“…What?”

“Ah, to be precise, it’s our merchant guild… but anyway.”

“……”

She decided to sponsor them? The Blue Dragon Corps?

Hearing that, I scrunched up my face.

“…Suddenly?”

“It wasn’t sudden; I sent a letter a while ago. It was probably the day Young Master Baek left.”

That means it wasn’t even that long ago…

If we’re talking about the timeframe, probably.

“You wouldn’t have had time to receive a reply, would you?”

If you sent it, received it, and then departed, it should have arrived at least two months later, even at the earliest. It makes no sense that it arrived just a few days after I did.

When I pointed that out, Hyeon Soyeon replied as if it were obvious.

“Of course, I sent it and just came.”

“…What?”

“I didn’t have time to get a reply, and besides, there was no need, right?”

“Why was there no need?”

“Who would refuse this?”

“……”

I shut my mouth. She was right. Normally, no one would refuse. It’s not even a sponsorship for the entire Murim Alliance, but direct sponsorship for the Blue Dragon Corps…

‘The Corps Leader must have accepted it by any means necessary.’

The reason Mi Hyoran can currently move around the Alliance directly under the guild’s name is also due to the Blue Dragon Corps Leader’s influence. And yet.

‘Someone who wants to offer sponsorship appeared, even though there was already one.’

There might have been some discussion with the Baekhwa Merchant Guild during this process, but…

‘…The fact that she’s already here and wandering around like this…’

Means the Blue Dragon Corps Leader accepted it, no doubt.

As if to prove it.

“Well now. This is an interesting situation?”

A middle-aged man landed on the ground, smiling broadly.

Flap-! The center of his light blue martial arts uniform, fluttering, depicted the symbol of the Murim Alliance and a blue dragon.

“We greet the Corps Leader…!”

Those who saw the man immediately paid their respects. The one who appeared was none other than the Blue Dragon Corps Leader.

“Hmm…”

The Blue Dragon Corps Leader glanced between the fallen Wisuk and me, then looked my way and slightly frowned.

“So, you caused trouble again. My youngest, I mean.”

“……”

Should I apologize? I pondered for a moment, but the Blue Dragon Corps Leader’s move came first.

Hooook-!!

With a slight gesture, the fallen Wisuk floated into the air and flew towards the other members.

“Uheok!”

One of the members caught the flying Wisuk.

“Send him to the infirmary.”

“…Y-Yes!”

After quickly taking Wisuk away following the Corps Leader’s command, the Blue Dragon Corps Leader turned his gaze to Hyeon Soyeon.

At that moment.

“Oh my, our precious, precious sponsor has arrived.”

“……”

He showed a rather lighthearted attitude. His appearance, even rubbing his hands together enthusiastically, left me speechless.

“It’s not enough even if I went to personally escort you. Since you’ve made the effort to come all this way, I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”

“No, no. I’m just grateful that you accepted.”

“Ahahaha. You speak as beautifully as you look.”

“Oh my.”

Hyeon Soyeon covered her mouth and laughed at the Blue Dragon Corps Leader’s cheap flattery.

“We should have shown you only the best side. It’s truly regrettable. Our boys are full of youthful vigor. Hahaha.”

“No, no. Warriors should be like that.”

“Thank you for your consideration. So, would you like to come inside and talk first?”

“Certainly.”

With those words, the Blue Dragon Corps Leader moved, taking Hyeon Soyeon with him. From the gap, a voice reached my ears.

-When the conversation is over, come to my room.

It was a heavy tone, completely different from how he addressed Hyeon Soyeon.

‘Hmm.’

I had a feeling I was about to get chewed out.

---

After some time passed, around the time the clear sky began to show the sunset. Since the Corps Leader had to speak with Hyeon Soyeon, the scheduled meeting was canceled, leaving me with free time. So, I finished a bit more training, thinking it was enough, and headed to the front of the Corps Leader’s office.

Then.

“Come in.”

As soon as I reached the door, a voice was heard. I made my presence known intentionally. Hearing the response, I immediately grabbed the door and opened it.

Creak. As the door opened, I saw the Blue Dragon Corps Leader sitting there.

“Sit down.”

I approached and pulled out a chair to sit. At that moment.

Kooong-!!

A pressure emanated from his body.

“Baek Yangcheon.”

“Yes.”

I felt the pressure fully. Without resisting, I took in all the energy the Corps Leader was emitting.

“Do you think this Corps Leader is easy to deal with?”

“No, sir.”

“I can’t understand. You say this isn’t looking down on me?”

A chilling sensation swept over my body.

‘…He’s strong.’

The Blue Dragon Corps Leader is certainly strong. Ilcheonggeom, whom I know. He was on a different level from that pathetic bastard. This kind of person is the Corps Leader? He seems on a different level from the other Corps Leaders. Or perhaps the Corps Leaders of this era are exceptionally strong.

“I believe I let the first incident you caused slide, didn’t I? Or am I wrong?”

“That is correct.”

“The reason I showed leniency was because your value was that significant. However. This is rather problematic.”

Sssseuuu.

My throat feels constricted. The Blue Dragon Corps Leader was emitting considerable power.

“Any more than this is enough to affect the main unit. Why on earth did you clash with Wisuk? You didn’t seem foolish enough not to know better.”

“……”

I scratched my cheek. Honestly, I did punch him because I was pissed off. And I didn’t want to hold back more than necessary even after coming here.

“He resembled someone I hate.”

Someone I wanted to kill. And someone I killed. Thinking he was that guy’s childhood self made me incredibly angry.

“…Is that all?”

“Besides that, he unnecessarily tried to intimidate me, so I suppressed him a bit excessively. That is correct. I apologize.”

“Your apology shouldn’t be directed at me, should it?”

“No. I don’t feel particularly sorry towards him, so apologizing to you, the Corps Leader, is the right thing to do.”

“Huh?”

“As it’s an organization, I can concede to a certain extent, but my temper isn’t good enough to overlook such pointless actions. And I probably won’t hold back if something similar happens in the future.”

I said confidently. I have no intention of holding back if I’m subjected to such bullshit.

“As long as they don’t provoke me first, I won’t step in, but… If something happens, I don’t think it will be any different.”

“So? You intend to cause trouble again?”

“It’s an incident that won’t happen if I’m not provoked.”

“Do you think I’ll easily let that slide?”

“If you don’t let it slide… it’s a shame, but what can be done. I’ll have to leave the main unit.”

“Huh?”

If I don’t like it, I’ll leave the Blue Dragon Corps. At those words, the Blue Dragon Corps Leader’s face contorted fiercely. But even seeing that, I didn’t feel intimidated. If you ask if I see the main alliance as just that, I have nothing to say.

‘Because it really is just that.’

It was the same in my past life; I don’t particularly place much value on the Murim Alliance. Even in this world? It’s even more meaningless. The reason I came here is ultimately one thing.

‘What needs to be resolved.’

What I need to know in this world. It was merely a means to meet my father.

‘Even if I leave here. I have ways now.’

Since I’ve already entangled what needed entangling, if I leave, I just need to find another way. At the very least, with Sword Master having taken notice of me, staying longer would only put me in danger, so if I leave, I leave.

‘The problem is.’

Indeed.

‘Will you let me go?’

I had a premonition that the main alliance wouldn’t let me go now. And as if to prove that thought.

“Hahahahaha–!!”

The Blue Dragon Corps Leader burst into laughter. Simultaneously, the pressure directed at me subsided.

“…This one’s quite something, aren’t they?”

The pressure was gone, but the tension within my body hadn’t subsided.

‘…Wow.’

This guy.

‘He’s using Heart Sword?’

A sensation that sent chills down my spine. The feeling that sword tips were glaring at me from all directions. The Blue Dragon Corps Leader had his Heart Sword raised.

“You see,”

The Corps Leader said to me in this situation.

“I like those who know their own worth well. No matter who they are.”

“If this is praise, should I just say thank you?”

“There’s no need for that. I’ll ask just one thing.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Are you an enemy of the Murim Alliance?”

“……”

It was an unexpected question. What could be his intention? I thought for a moment, but the answer was already forming.

“Well. For now, no.”

“Ho? For now?”

“Yes. It would depend on the circumstances, of course.”

“What do you mean by ‘circumstances’?”

“It’s the same.”

I ran a hand through my hair. There’s only one case where the Murim Alliance would become my enemy.

“Don’t provoke me. Then I won’t consider the Murim Alliance my enemy either.”

Don’t mess with me when I’m minding my own business. That’s all it takes.

“Hmm.”

At my answer, the Corps Leader tilted his head. And then.

“It’s not an answer I particularly like, but it doesn’t seem entirely bad either.”

He then chuckled and took a letter from his robes, handing it to me.

“…What is this?”

“Regardless, I must give you a punishment. Whether you know your own worth or not. This is that punishment.”

“……”

I took the letter and unfolded it. A punishment? What could it be? The moment I looked at it with curiosity.

“Go to Shanxi and cause some trouble for a while. I’ve assigned the Vice Corps Leader as your supervisor, so it would be best not to do anything foolish.”

“……”

It was a letter detailing a mission concerning Shanxi.

“…Understood.”

It was called a punishment, but this was proof that my father had received what he intended from his talk with Sword Master.

‘This guy.’

It seems the Blue Dragon Corps Leader knows that too.

‘Hmm.’

I nodded inwardly. Regardless, it was the moment my trip to Shanxi was decided.