I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 27

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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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Pointlessly Joining the Murim Alliance — Episode 27
Seo Woo-chan of the Sunyeong County Branch tilts his head curiously, asking Jang Hye-in.
“Vice Captain. Doesn’t it strike you as strange? The Baek Ri Clan’s Clan Head searching us out like this?”
“Strange how? You planning not to go?”
“Well… no, of course not.”
The Baek Ri Clan’s Clan Head is summoning them—how could they refuse? And if they didn’t show, who knows what excuse the Clan Head would seize to make trouble for them.
In Sichuan Province, after the Dang Clan comes the Baek Ri Clan.
“If you can’t keep your complaints to yourself, then shut up and just come.”
“Geez. What kind of vice captain are you?”
“Listen here—I’m not complaining and I’m walking just fine, you punk.”
In Hyuk interjected.
“No, but you ate the Thousand Year Ginseng, and yet you don’t have the energy to even complain? Seems like it.”
His tone was barbed—suggesting that having eaten the ginseng and grown stronger, they should be able to stand up to the Baek Ri Clan’s Clan Head.
“You bastards sure are itching for a fight, aren’t you?”
“Itching? More like you keep appearing in my dreams and pissing me off so much I feel like I’m going to die in my sleep.”
“Fine then. Go ahead and die. Drop dead.”
“Wow. Takes the Thousand Year Ginseng and abandons his men. Just like that.”
“A terrible vice captain.”
Then Sa Urin, who had always remained quietly in the background, spoke up.
“But is the Baek Ri Clan really that impressive?”
After all, he was supposedly the branch captain of the Murim Alliance’s Sunyeong County chapter, yet this Clan Head was summoning him like he was nobody.
“Youngest. It’s the Baek Ri Clan.”
“And?”
Suddenly everyone stopped in their tracks.
“Wow, this punk… Now that the Dang Clan’s backing him, he looks down on the Baek Ri Clan too? That what you’re saying?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what?”
“I asked, didn’t I? Whether the Baek Ri Clan is really that impressive of a sect.”
“You don’t… you really don’t know about the Baek Ri Clan?”
“I’ve heard the name, at least.”
“Just heard the name… Wow.”
Hye-chan and Jung Geol began clapping in perfect unison.
Clap, clap, clap.
“Truly impressive, our youngest.”
“A martial artist in the Sunyeong County Branch of Sichuan Province who doesn’t even know about the Baek Ri Clan.”
“Vice Captain, is the youngest acceptable like this?”
So Jang Hye-in answered instead.
“He hasn’t been with us long—it’s understandable. He can learn gradually, step by step. But why don’t you senior members try teaching him patiently? Why do you only look for faults? You ungrateful bastards. Who got you the Soqing Pills in the first place? If you were decent people, you wouldn’t act like this.”
Right. Well said.
‘Wow.’
‘We were just going to tease the cute and lovable youngest a little bit.’
‘Now we’ve got nothing to say.’
‘The Thousand Year Ginseng effect really is remarkable.’
‘No mercy. Not a shred.’
So Jang Hye-in walked on, staying close beside Sa Urin, and gave him a brief overview of the Baek Ri Clan, hitting only the important points.
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
“So they were a sect that competed with the Dang Clan of Sichuan?”
“Not to that extent. You could say so in the very distant past, but not anymore.”
“Still, the Baek Ri Clan does want to surpass the Dang Clan and become number one in Sichuan, right?”
“Well, probably. Everyone wants to be the best.”
“Then… the Baek Ri Clan could be involved in this Yin-Yang Gate incident.”
Jang Hye-in’s footsteps halted again.
“…What?”
“Think about it. If something goes wrong with the Dang Clan, who benefits the most?”
Hyung-jun, the oldest among them, spoke up.
“They’re already in second place even without lifting a finger. If they overreach and something goes wrong, they just lose everything. They wouldn’t push that far.”
“Then why do people cling to life when they know they’ll die? Why do they covet what isn’t theirs when they know it will get them killed?”
“…Uh… well…”
No one had a ready answer to that.
“The seniors were the same way, weren’t they?”
“…… What do you mean by that?”
“They were thrilled to receive the Soqing Pill, but when the squad leader got the Thousand Year Ginseng instead, they acted like they’d missed out on something huge.”
“Hey. That was…….”
Jang Hye-in cut himself off and stepped forward.
“Now that I think about it, something’s off. Right. The Baek Ri Clan and the Clan Head have no connection to us whatsoever, no shared history—so why would they suddenly come looking for us?”
“Then, turn it around. Let’s say what In Hyuk said is true. Well, the Baek Ri Clan’s Clan Head isn’t an idiot—would they really seek us out knowing they’d be suspected like this?”
“No.”
“No what?”
“The Dang Clan would’ve naturally entertained this level of suspicion too. Anyone could make it easily. The thing is, since this isn’t our affair, we’ve simply never given it any thought.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“That level of suspicion wouldn’t be enough to bring down the Baek Ri Clan. When the Dang Clan itself won’t step forward, who’d dare say such things to their faces? If there were evidence—if anyone dared to bring up something so massive, they’d lose their head on the spot. Isn’t that right? Or am I wrong?”
“…… Yeah, that makes sense. But then, why come looking for us right now of all times?”
“Exactly.”
He hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Everyone in the squad had been grinning ear to ear at the prospect of visiting a high-class establishment, but suddenly their faces fell into grim silence.
“Ah, squad leader. I’m starting to lose my enthusiasm about going.”
“Me too…….”
“I have this feeling something’s wrong.”
Jang Hye-in felt it too. Something dangerous seemed to be creeping toward Squad Eleven.
“For now, let’s go anyway. Our suspicions could be wrong.”
The words came from Jang Hye-in’s own mouth, but they rang hollow.
He felt it strongly—something was there. Yet at the same time, he prayed it wasn’t.
If it was, Squad Eleven might be drawn into a vortex of death.
As they walked, Jang Hye-in glanced briefly at Sa Urin.
The one silver lining, at least, was that they could rely on the Dang Clan’s support because of the youngest member…….
But would they really……offer help?
Even knowing the other side is the Baek Ri Clan?
He’d certainly heard promises that sounded absolute in front of Sa Urin, but there was no guarantee.
In the martial world, trust and faith couldn’t be given or received carelessly.
Everything in the martial world changed swiftly and unexpectedly.
Whether it was trust or faith.
So one couldn’t afford to be halfhearted. The price would be far too fatal.
* * *
It was the most upscale inn in Sunyeong County. But it couldn’t compare to the guesthouse where they’d stayed a month ago.
In any case, Squad Eleven had been frequenting finer establishments lately as if they’d gotten a promotion, and that didn’t feel bad.
Yet at this very moment, everything felt off.
So their squad leader, Jang Hye-in, spoke up.
“Everyone understand? We act like we always do. Drink as little as possible. We could make careless mistakes otherwise. Clear?”
“Clear. But hearing you say it like that makes me even more nervous.”
“You’re one to talk. You’ll do fine.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
The tension that had been visible on the walk over vanished like it had never been, and Squad Eleven transformed in an instant into its usual playful, spirited self.
Even beneath the lingering unease, confidence showed through. The squad members had grown stronger on the Soqing Pill—a gift they owed to someone—and that confidence now surpassed what the old Squad Eleven had possessed.
Jang Hye-in, who’d consumed the Thousand Year Ginseng, felt it even more keenly. And so he believed in himself and his squad mates.
But.
‘I’m still a bit uneasy…….’
The worry was about Sa Urin, the youngest.
He was sharp enough to handle things well on his own, but his nature was to do as he pleased and speak whatever crossed his mind—that worried Jang Hye-in.
Yet the more he observed, the more his trust grew, somehow.
‘Especially that face…….’
No, never mind that.
“Let’s go in, then.”
And so Squad Eleven stepped into what might be a maelstrom of death.
The moment they entered, a server somehow knew to guide Squad Eleven to the second floor, to the room where the Baek Ri Clan’s Clan Head was seated.
Jang Hye-in and the squad members had expected only the Clan Head to be there, but they were mistaken. Still, they didn’t panic.
Whether one person or two.
Though in this case, there were three.
Baek Ri-hyeon, the Baek Ri Clan’s Clan Head, along with his sister Baek Ri-hyang and Baek Ri-ga-jin, greeted Jang Hye-in and Squad Eleven with warm hospitality.
“Thank you for taking the trouble to come all this way.”
For reference, Seo Woo-chan, the Clan Head of the Baek Ri Clan, is currently thirty-one years old, and Jang Hye-in is thirty-three.
When Jang Hye-jin, representative of the Eleventh Bureau, smiled brightly, his courtesy was impeccable.
“You do us great honor, truly. To meet the Clan Head of the Baek Ri Clan in such a splendid place is a privilege we don’t deserve.”
“Ha, ha, ha. I’m grateful to hear you say so. I couldn’t match what the Dang Clan of Sichuan has done, but still, I took considerable pains with the arrangements. I’m only uncertain how they’ll strike you.”
The words carried an edge—he knew everything that had transpired with the Dang Clan, and he was asking them to speak freely.
“Not at all, sir. The Baek Ri Clan stands shoulder to shoulder with the Dang Clan of Sichuan without the slightest shame.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course.”
“Ha, ha, ha. Even kind words warm the heart. Come, let’s all sit.”
Everyone took their seats, each carrying their own hidden purpose.
Though all had settled, Baek Ri-hyang still stood rooted, her gaze fixed entirely on Sa Urin’s face.
‘How can a man look like that….’
“Ri-hyang.”
“……Ah, brother.”
“Why are you staring so intently? Ah.”
Sa Urin’s face fell directly into Seo Woo-chan’s line of sight.
“Ha, ha, ha. It seems our Ri-hyang has taken quite a fancy to your countenance. Do forgive us.”
Sa Urin replied stiffly.
“I understand, sir.”
It wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened.
Back when he worked at the gambling house, women would flock around him dozens of times a day.
This sort of attention barely registered as noteworthy.
Even on the journey here, he’d been bathed in the heated gazes of countless women.
Young and old alike, for that matter.
Baek Ri-hyang, entranced by Sa Urin’s face, sank into her seat in a daze.
So Seo Woo-chan sent Transmitted Sound to her.
‘Gather yourself.’
Since Baek Ri-hyang couldn’t receive Transmitted Sound, she simply glanced at her brother’s face once, nodded, and settled into her seat.
Seo Woo-chan turned back to Jang Hye-in with a bright expression.
“You must be fortunate, having such a talented subordinate as your Branch Head.”
“I’m grateful for such words, sir. However, he’s still young and inclined toward willfulness—I confess I worry he might cause some trouble at this very gathering. So if he makes any missteps, I would be most grateful if you could overlook them with a generous heart.”
Sa Urin, utterly bewildered by Jang Hye-in’s words, shot upright.
“Bureau Chief, when have I ever done anything like that?”
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t recall any such thing.
“……Listen here. This is what I mean.”
“Ha, ha, ha. Don’t worry. We’re all people who’ve walked a long road.”
“Indeed, the Clan Head of the Baek Ri Clan carries himself with a different grace.”
It was no exaggeration.
That was why he’d earned fame throughout Sichuan Province as one of the most promising Rising Stars.
By contrast, Dang Yi-hyuk, the eldest of the Dang Clan, possessed talent far too ordinary for a clan bearing such a name; Dang Yi-su, his younger brother, had talent that matched Seo Woo-chan’s own, but because of the Yin-Yang Gate, he shut himself away in his chambers; and Dang Yi-ryeong, despite exceptional gifts, squandered them in foolish escapades born of the Yin-Yang Gate—so the entire fame of Sichuan belonged solely to Seo Woo-chan.
Jang Hye-in continued.
“Therefore, I must ask: why would such a prominent Clan Head seek out people with whom he shares no prior acquaintance?”
“Now, what’s the rush? First, let’s share a drink, and we’ll take our time discussing matters.”
With that, Seo Woo-chan began pouring wine into Jang Hye-in’s cup.
“Come now, let’s all wet our throats first, enjoy some fine food, and savor this meeting.”
Everyone drained their first cup lightly.
Clink.
Seo Woo-chan set his emptied cup down on the table with a sharp sound, and in that instant, his eyes shifted.
“But here’s the thing. I happened to visit Chengdu recently and heard something curious—that the martial officers of the Sunyeong County Branch received Soqing Pills from the Dang Clan. And so I thought to myself: what tremendous merit could anyone possibly earn to warrant such rare treasures being bestowed upon mere officers of the Murim Alliance? What deed, pray tell, could be so great? I’m absolutely consumed with curiosity. How about it—might you enlighten me?”
So much for taking things slowly….
After merely draining a single cup, here he was wielding his tongue like a blade, still wet with wine and dripping.
Spit would likely fly.

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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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