Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Wow! We’re staying here?”
Dan So-mi gazed around the inn, her eyes sparkling with delight.
She’d seen many places during her travels and tasted countless dishes, but she’d rarely encountered an inn as lavish as this one.
Magnificent murals carved into the walls captured one’s attention instantly, alongside the tables and chairs.
The inn itself was so sprawling that one could run through it for ages and still find new corners to explore.
The guests inside were equally resplendent.
Most wore fine clothing, and the dishes they’d ordered brimmed with delicacies she’d never glimpsed before.
There were dumplings and thin noodles too, but even these looked infinitely more appetizing than anything she’d tasted thus far.
This place was different from anywhere she’d been.
She felt it at once.
“It’s the finest inn in all of Anhui. There’s a small connection here.”
“What good is a connection if you can’t acknowledge it?”
At Sa Do-hak’s remark, Namgung Cheon lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
There was a connection, yes, but he couldn’t speak of it. With his identity concealed, he had no choice but to keep silent.
Besides, the atmosphere of this place felt wrong.
Though people came and went, dining and talking, he’d noticed unsavory types scattered throughout. It seemed the entirety of Hefei had already fallen under their control.
“Welcome!”
Just then, a waiter rushed forward with energy.
Whether to dispel the heavy mood or not, his voice rang out loudly. He bowed respectfully and began clearing a path to seat them.
Yet it was Namgung Cheon who blocked his way.
“We’ve eaten already. We’d prefer to rest first, if you would.”
“Ah, is that so? How many rooms will you need?”
“The annex. Separate quarters.”
Namgung Cheon stepped forward smoothly and pressed five Silver Coins and two Copper Coins into the waiter’s hand. For an instant, the man’s expression hardened, but he recovered quickly, breaking into a silent smile and bowing deeply.
“Thank you! Please, this way!”
At his loud announcement, all eyes turned toward them. But just as quickly, the guests lost interest and returned to their meals. Renting the annex was a luxury only the wealthy could afford.
Surely they were of that sort.
“The annex costs a Gold Coin per night—quite the extravagance. Impressive, that lot.”
“What’s unusual about that? They’re probably just showing off their wealth. But wait—those masks… they look like those hero masks the children adore, don’t they?”
“Hahahaha, what buffoons!”
Laughter rippled through the room.
By their voices, they were clearly elderly men. But what could be more absurd than old men donning the hero masks beloved by children and strutting about?
Even those who’d been watching them smirked and turned away.

Meanwhile, Jom So-i led the party swiftly to the annex. It was the most secluded section of the inn, accessible only to special guests or those willing to pay substantial coin.
Thus, only the ostentatiously wealthy, those wielding true influence in the courts, or renowned merchants among the trading community frequented it.
“Here we are! Please choose whichever room suits you best.”
Jom So-i gestured to the many chambers, his words flowing freely.
But with so many rooms, each equally ornate, no one moved to enter first. Only Dan So-mi looked about with an excited, eager gaze.
“Then I shall… take my leave!”
Soon after, Jom So-i bowed and hurried away.
Something urgent seemed to have arisen—his complexion had shifted noticeably from moments before, grown tight with tension. Yet Namgung Cheon paid it no mind whatsoever, simply opening the largest door and stepping inside.
“You’ll use this room. It’s the finest for the Clan Head.”
“A decent place. Though…”
“Ah, it’s fine. Hehehehe.”
Dan Woo-hyun gave Jom So-i a subtle glance.
Surely he’d sensed something. No one could miss it from the man’s expression and demeanor alone. Kwon Mu-jin had almost drawn his blade, but Dan Woo-hyun had stopped him before blood could spill.
“I never knew such an inn existed in Anhui! I must tell Jin-rang about this!”
“Hehehehe, indeed it is splendid. It’s renowned not only throughout Anhui but even in Henan and Beijing.”
At So-mi’s words, Namgung Cheon smiled warmly.
The Hwangryong Inn.
While Beijing had many renowned establishments, none could compare to the Hwangryong Inn. So famous and excellent were its dishes that throngs of visitors crowded its halls even late into the evening.
Any trip to Anhui, no matter the expense, meant stopping here at least once.
Thud-crash!
Then, without warning, a tremendous noise erupted from outside.
Bewildered by the strange sound, Dan So-mi tilted her head, her eyes fixed on the door. Soon came the sound of approaching footsteps, and she felt someone stop just beyond the threshold.
“Ahem! I am the proprietor of this establishment. I’ve come to pay my respects.”
“Come in.”
Namgung Cheon ushered Dan Woo-hyun inside without waiting for his permission. The door opened, and a familiar face appeared to him. The man’s eyes widened in genuine surprise as he took in the others present.
“I… welcome to our humble inn. Today…”
“That will do.”
Namgung Cheon settled into a seat as he spoke. Then he removed the mask he had worn without fail since leaving Honam, setting it aside and offering a slight smile.
“Y-you… the Alliance Master… you were alive?”
“Let us dispense with the title of Alliance Master. I set it down long ago. And keep my survival to yourself.”
The innkeeper swallowed hard and nodded.
These were the words of Namgung Cheon himself—no one else. The innkeeper owed him his life more than once, and this man had granted him the opportunity to establish himself in Anhui.
A man should never forget such debts.
That was why Namgung Cheon revealed his identity.
He knew this man would never betray him, even unto death.
“So the Sword Emperor, who has been silent all this time, returns because of the Namgung Clan…?”
“Indeed. Do you know the full account?”
“Yes.”
The innkeeper exhaled a long, weary breath.
How could he not know?
He had witnessed it with his own eyes.
The innkeeper settled into a seat, glancing cautiously at the others present besides Namgung Cheon.
“The story is rather long. Is that acceptable?”
Namgung Cheon cast a sidelong glance at Dan Woo-hyun and Dan So-mi.
He was concerned they might find it tedious.
But Dan Woo-hyun nodded.
“It’s fine. We’re interested—please proceed.”
“Ah… understood. The story begins two months ago.”

***

“Namgung So-hye slipped through your fingers?”
“Yes… I am deeply sorry.”
The man with only one arm bowed deeply, his body trembling. Cold sweat poured unbidden as he faced the presence of the Mysterious Man before him.
He waited for a response, unable to move or even swallow without fear of profaning the moment.
“You captured Namgung Gang and the Clan Head, yet Namgung So-hye escaped?”
The Mysterious Man’s brow darkened as he regarded Kang Do-hyul, leader of the Sachul Pill Faction. The expressionless gaze left no room for any words to be spoken.
“Where did she vanish?”
“At the… border between Hubei and Jiangxi. She disappeared there.”
“She did not flee to the Murim Alliance, then. A clever mind, it seems.”
The man smiled thinly.
If she had entered a Murim Alliance branch, he would already have intelligence. The fact that she disappeared instead suggested she understood that reaching out there would yield no aid.
“Hmm.”
He exhaled with a bored expression.
Where could she have gone?
To the Zhuge Family, her closest relatives?
No, unlikely.
Namgung So-hye was a clever girl. In this situation, uncertain of their reach, she would realize that hiding with the Zhuge Family might bring ruin upon them as well.
Moreover, Zhuge Yun, the Zhuge Family’s Clan Head, had been absent for months, so even his counsel would not be available to her.
Then where?
A place where she could hide and plan her next move.
Having thought this far, the Mysterious Man let out a soft chuckle.
“She will surface soon enough. Next time, there will be no mistakes. But what of the conquest of Anhui—how does it progress?”
“With the collapse of the Namgung Clan, many factions have gone into hiding, while others have decided to pledge themselves to us. In a few more months at this pace, Anhui will be firmly in our grasp.”
“Too slow. There are limits to how long we can hold back the Murim Alliance. We cannot remain idle forever, so we must seize Anhui swiftly before that time comes and prepare accordingly.”
“We will accelerate our efforts to the fullest.”
Kang Do-hyul responded quickly and bowed his head.
If matters reached that point, they would suppress the remaining resistance through force. They already possessed the power granted by these men, and that would suffice.
“Is there any other matter requiring our involvement?”
“No. We have already received your assistance with the matter of the Namgung Clan. We will handle future matters ourselves… though there is one report: certain unfamiliar groups have arrived.”
“Unfamiliar groups?”
“They are currently staying at the Hwangryong Inn, I believe. Most are unremarkable, but there are two among them who wear masks.”
“Masks?”
“Yes, that… the Gentleman’s Sword and the Heavenly Demon’s mask…….”
“Puhahaha! How delightful you all are.”
The man laughed with genuine amusement.
Playing such games—weren’t those the pastimes of children? Yet listening to the account, they seemed more like adults than children. He found himself genuinely curious about what they looked like.
“Watch them, but keep it subtle. If you stir up unnecessary trouble, you’ll only provoke the Nine Schools and One House. Heaven knows they’re already in enough of a frenzy…….”
“Understood.”
“And what of the ones you’ve captured?”
“For now, we’re using them as bait to draw in Namgung So-hye. Later, if matters drag on and the Murim Alliance is forced to intervene, we’ll use their lives as leverage.”
“Fine. I entrusted you with affairs in Anhui precisely for that reason. You may do as you see fit—but should you cross that person’s will, death will come swiftly.”
The man’s eyes bored into Kang Do-hyul’s.
It was a gaze that diminished a person merely by being seen. He had met many formidable masters, yet none had ever made him tremble as this one did.
But the problem that troubled him most was this:
‘And this is merely a subordinate?’
The figure standing before him was nothing more than a foot soldier in their organization. He could not fathom how many greater powers stood behind them. The very fact that even the fearsome Murim Alliance danced at their fingertips—that was reason enough for him to bend his neck in unwavering devotion.
‘If I follow them…… the power I would gain would be incomparable to merely losing an arm.’
Having settled his thoughts, Kang Do-hyul bowed deeply.
Betrayal? Or defying someone whose identity he did not even know?
Nonsense.
To witness such power before his eyes, to have stepped into a position where he could seize everything he desired—he would never entertain such folly. He would follow them, execute their commands, and claim everything as his own.
That was why Kang Do-hyul offered them his submission.
“Have no doubt, sir. I, Kang Do-hyul, have offered everything to that person.”
A snort escaped from the man’s nose.
As well it might.
He did not know that person’s true nature, had never laid eyes on their face. No one would believe that loyalty could be sworn to someone unseen.
Yet the man paid it no mind.
Kang Do-hyul understood well enough that such empty words were not without their use.
And besides, the man standing before him—
‘You don’t know either. Not that person’s true identity.’
He smirked inwardly at the loyalty of the man in front of him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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