Chapter 59
“Branch Leader, a document has arrived from Headquarters.”
“Yeah. Bring it here quickly.”
The Beggar’s Sect gathers all information from every corner Under Heaven. The Beggar’s Sect Headquarters, where such information is accumulated, can truly be called a Great Storehouse of information.
Naturally, not just anyone could read it, but someone at the level of a Branch Leader gained the authority to view a certain degree of classified information.
Hunan Branch Leader Jangsong received the document that the Yi Gyeolgae had brought from Headquarters with a somewhat Uneasy feeling.
“Just what are the Dokgo Noble Family and the Murim Alliance hiding?”
A few days ago, he had heard some questionable words from the Haomun Hunan Branch Leader, Munseok.
“Someone of your level should be able to find out what truth the Murim Alliance and the Dokgo Noble Family have been hiding.”
If he stayed still after hearing that, he could be said to lack the qualifications of a Beggar’s Sect Branch Leader. Right after Munseok left, Jangsong requested information from Headquarters, and it had arrived just like this not long after.
The document he was holding right now contained the past actions of the Dragon Slaying Squad Leader, Dokgoyeong, who had died in the recent disaster.
Jangsong pulled it out and slowly read through it.
And then…
“Ah…”
…he let out a sigh the moment he saw the first page.
[Top-tier Secret]
[In the Jipyang-hyeon Unorthodox Faction Suppression Incident, it was determined that there were no Unorthodox Faction Gang members among Those Exterminated, and all were Jipyang-hyeon Villagers. If Revealed, there is a Concern of Creation of Social Repercussions and Public Criticism directed at the Murim Alliance and the Dokgo Noble Family. As it was a mistake stemming from a misunderstanding by the Party Concerned, Dokgoyeong, a Decision to Conceal has been made. Active Cooperation is required by putting pressure on the nearby Magistrate’s Office.]
The Jipyang-hyeon Unorthodox Faction Suppression Incident.
This was an incident that Jangsong also knew about.
An Unorthodox Faction Group had run rampant in Jipyang-hyeon, a small Village in the corner of Henan Province, massacring the villagers, and the Second Son of the Dokgo Noble Family, who had just made his Debut in Jianghu, suppressed them and made a name for himself.
Jangsong remembered how everyone who heard this rejoiced, saying that another Hero of the Righteous Faction had been born. He had felt the same way.
But…
“There were no Unorthodox Faction Gang members among Those Exterminated…, and they were all villagers…?”
…Just what kind of nonsense was this?
Furthermore, even though the Murim Alliance and the Dokgo Noble Family knew about this, they chose concealment. Even going so far as to pressure the Magistrate’s Office to disguise innocent Civilians as an Unorthodox Faction Group.
A young Martial Artist who had just debuted mistakenly killed all the innocent villagers, and they covered it up?
…Was this something that could happen in the Righteous Murim?
Jangsong continued reading the following information with trembling hands.
Most of it was about Dokgoyeong defeating Evil Persons and faithfully carrying out the Murim Alliance’s missions.
However…
“This too…, and this too…!”
…Among them, a few incidents with similar patterns to the Jipyang-hyeon Unorthodox Faction Suppression Incident were mixed in.
Once again, Dokgoyeong had killed innocent people by “mistake,” and the Dokgo Noble Family and the Murim Alliance had concealed it.
The document clearly stated it was a “mistake.”
But Jangsong could immediately tell.
“This is absolutely intentional.”
Unless one’s eyes were a Knot hole, an extremely trained Martial Artist could not commit this many “mistakes.”
Whatever the reason, This Fellow Dokgoyeong had killed people on purpose.
And even knowing that fact, the Dokgo Noble Family and the Murim Alliance concealed the incidents.
“These-, sons of Bitches.”
The reason the Murim Alliance and the numerous Sects and Noble Families of the Righteous Faction were in their current positions was not solely due to Powerful Strength.
It was the faith and support of the Common People.
The faith that when they fell into danger, Righteous Faction members would help them in accordance with Righteousness and Chivalry. And the Absolute Support that stemmed from that faith.
Without that, the Sects were nothing more than Gangster Armed Groups.
“How could they not know such an obvious fact…! …Ah.”
Jangsong began to Tremble with Rage at the behavior of the Dokgo Noble Family and the Murim Alliance, but then he realized something and ended up collapsing into his seat.
Where was this document containing this information written?
…It was none other than the Beggar’s Sect.
The Beggar’s Sect he belonged to. The Beggar’s Sect he had been proud of his entire life.
The existence of this document meant that the Beggar’s Sect definitely knew all these facts as well.
…But even knowing, they took no action.
They merely stood far away and watched as bystanders.
…That very Beggar’s Sect, which valued Righteousness and Chivalry above all else.
“Fuck…”
Jangsong had never been Ashamed of his affiliation in his entire life. But right now…, his face burned so hot that he couldn’t lift his head.
“We shouldn’t be like this…”
If other Sects and Noble Families forgot chivalry, they became Gangsters. And…, if the Beggar’s Sect forgot it, they just became a Den of Beggar Bastards.
As he recalled this, Jangsong, who was left with a bitter and miserable feeling, remembered the words Munseok had spoken.
“If you learn the truth and your mind changes, come find me.”
“…That Branch Leader Ajae already knew everything.”
He could tell by looking at Dokgoyeong’s past actions. This clash with the Green Forest too…, it definitely must have had Dokgoyeong’s schemes mixed into it.
“Could it be that even the killing of the Spy was…?”
It was a Leap of Speculation, but it seemed somewhat plausible.
In the first place, there was no way the Green Forest side could have found out that a Murim Alliance Spy had come, and even if they did, there was no reason for them to go out of their way to kill a Non-hostile Spy and incur the Murim Alliance’s wrath.
Jangsong felt as if pieces of a puzzle were coming together in his head. So he immediately called his Subordinate and gave an order.
“From this moment on, go to Haomun right away.”
“…Pardon? Haomun? Why there…”
“Seek out the Haomun Branch Leader and convey my intentions. Tell him that I, Hunan Branch Leader Jangsong, will provide Active Cooperation in mediating between the Green Forest and the Murim Alliance.”
Perhaps the Victim in this incident was the Green Forest. If so…, he had to help them.
If the Beggar’s Sect wouldn’t step forward, then he had to step forward himself to protect the essence of the Beggar’s Sect.
When a Group that had bestowed a profound grace upon Hunan fell into a crisis Unjustly, if extending a Helping Hand wasn’t chivalry, then what was?
“Also tell him that I will provide all necessary help if needed.”
“…You want me to tell Haomun that? …Understood for now.”
The Subordinate looked doubtful about conveying words that sounded like they were bowing to Haomun, but unable To Refuse the Branch Leader’s order, he soon nodded and placed his hand on the doorknob.
It was then.
Creak-!
“Branch Leader-!”
As soon as the Subordinate who was supposed to deliver the message to Haomun opened the door, another Beggar entered inside at the same time.
It was a Beggar he was seeing for the first time, and there were three knots hanging from his waist. Feeling puzzled that a Three-Knot Beggar from another Region had come all the way here, Jangsong asked.
“Who are you? Where did you come from?”
“…I, I am Yeonggang, who came urgently from the Murim Alliance Headquarters. Just now, the Murim Alliance Headquarters ordered the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance to raise their Alert Status.”
“Raise our Alert Status…?”
…Why?
Right now, there was no particular reason for anything major to happen Under Heaven.
Even if it was rotting on the inside, on the outside, it was an Era of Peace and Prosperity. But to suddenly raise the Alert Status, what was this…
As Jangsong tilted his head, the Three-Knot Beggar Yeonggang delivered the news he had brought.
“This is news that just arrived from Qinghai…”
Hearing Yeonggang’s words, Jangsong could only let his jaw drop wide open.
“…Is that true?”
* * *
“…Munseok Ajae. Is what you just said true? In Qinghai…, what happened?”
Qinghai.
It was the region located in the furthest Northwest among the Murim Alliance’s Territory, where the Kunlun Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance, reigned as Hegemon.
And Qinghai was also… a place that bordered the Demonic Cult’s Territory. A few years later, when the Demonic Cult’s invasion began in earnest, the Kunlun Sect’s Main Headquarters, Kunlun Mountain, and its Territory, Qinghai, would be reduced to a wasteland.
Right, a massive uproar definitely happens in Qinghai. But…, that was definitely supposed to be an event a few years in the future…?
“…A dispute broke out in Qinghai over the Border between the Demonic Cult and the Kunlun Sect. This is something that happens frequently, but…”
“…”
“…This time, it was quite Serious. They say a Demonic Cult Elder severed the right arm of the Kunlun Sect Leader who had come out for an inspection.”
“…Why.”
Right now was definitely the time for the Original Protagonist to gather fortuitous encounters and grow. And it was the time for the Heavenly Demon Cult Bastards to be making War Preparations As if Dead Quiet.
But suddenly, a Heavenly Demon Cult Elder burst out from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and severed the Kunlun Sect Leader’s right arm…?
…
…Just why?
This was definitely something that wasn’t in the original work.
I suddenly remembered the words the former Haomun Leader had told me.
“It appears the Executives of the Heavenly Demon Cult have left the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and infiltrated the Central Plains.”
I was surprised when I heard that, but in truth, I could Understand it to some extent. It could have been that the Executives were infiltrating the Central Plains to Scout in preparation for war.
But this time…
“This is twisting the original work way too blatantly…”
Amidst my confusion, Munseok Ajae’s words continued. Of course, my head was spinning, so I couldn’t hear him well.
“Right now, the Murim Alliance is in a complete State of Confusion. Even though the Kunlun Sect Leader is quite old now, he was once someone whose name was brought up as a Subject of Debate for the Strongest Under Heaven…Of course, our Haomun was also very surprised. To think those Fanatics possessed such strength…”
Actually, they’re F*cking Strong.
In the novel, it stated that every single Heavenly Demon Cult Elder had skills equal to or greater than the Sect Leaders of the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance or the Family Heads of the Five Great Families.
An Old Man who was about To Retire soon was absolutely no match for them.
Of course, the current perception of the people in the Murim Alliance was that the Demonic Cult Bastards were just Fanatics stuck in a corner, so this fact would be surprising to them now.
“More importantly, why is the original work changing like this? Just why?”
What exactly is different from the novel? Does my existence affect the flow of the novel that much? Or is the Protagonist, this Bastard, not on his 2nd playthrough, but his 3rd or 4th?
For a moment, there were so many thoughts running through my head that it was hard to keep my sanity.
And then, to me…
“…Pull yourself together, Muyeon!”
“Ah…”
…Munseok Ajae woke me up by gripping my shoulder tightly.
Munseok Ajae spoke clearly and articulately toward me, who had cloudy eyes.
“Of course, you must be surprised as well. But this is an opportunity for us.”
“…An opportunity?”
“The Alliance Leader and most of the Murim Alliance’s Armed Force have gone to Qinghai.”
“…!”
The Murim Alliance Leader…, to Qinghai?
“You can Understand what I’m saying, right? We don’t know yet whether the Righteous-Demonic War will break out or not, but anyway, the important thing is that the Murim Alliance’s attention on us will have significantly decreased.”
“Ah…”
…I see.
Right. That was correct. With that uproar happening in the North, the strength the Murim Alliance could pour into us would be greatly reduced.
Just hearing that the Murim Alliance Leader had personally directed his steps to Qinghai said it all.
However…
“I don’t know what kind of coincidence this is, but we must make good use of this Heaven-sent Opportunity. I will make sure we are fully prepared to make contact with the Murim Alliance.”
“…Right,”
I felt Uneasy. It felt like wearing shoes completely soaked in the rain.
…Of All Times, right at this timing when a crisis struck our Green Forest, the Heavenly Demon Cult showed an Extreme movement that wasn’t in the original work. Thanks to that, our Green Forest gained an opportunity to escape this crisis more easily.
Strictly Speaking, the Demonic Cult’s actions had been helpful to us.
Was this truly a coincidence…?
‘If it’s not a coincidence… Then what in the World is it… What are those Bastards thinking?’
Even while feeling Uneasy, I tried to shake off my distracting thoughts because there were things I had to do first.