I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 69

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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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Entering the Murim Alliance for no good reason — Episode 069
The warriors of Ha-o-mun blazed with fury at the sight of Sol-ji, the branch commander, lying dead, and they hurled themselves at the team members.
But unfortunately, there were no masters among Ha-o-mun’s warriors.
The team had already grown confident. There was no need for everyone to intervene. Ju-un, the youngest aside from Sa U-rin, and Hyeong-u recognized that they had to step forward, and they moved with precision.
It was over in an instant.
Ha-o-mun’s warriors fell one after another, spraying blood as they dropped. With perfectly calibrated speed and Internal Force, they subdued them all.
It was truly the work of masters.
Truly efficient movements.
Before breaking through the Wall of Mastery, a task like this would have required all the team members to engage; now two of them alone could handle it with ease. The gap had widened that much.
And yet.
“Hah.”
A sigh escaped unbidden.
“There’s no turning back now.”
They’d reduced an entire Ha-o-mun branch to rubble. Ha-o-mun wouldn’t take this lying down.
Their branch had been struck.
So Jang Hye-in spoke.
“It’s fine, you bastards.”
They wouldn’t sit idle, true, but they wouldn’t marshal every resource to seek revenge against Jang Hye-in and the team either.
They’d probe. They’d certainly probe.
They wouldn’t waste manpower carelessly. Ha-o-mun was already thin on masters by nature.
If they tested the waters once and decided it wasn’t worth pursuing, they’d retreat immediately.
Compared to an invisible hand, they were soft tofu—easily bruised, quick to give way.
“Still, though.”
“They’ll definitely be a nuisance.”
Maybe not right now, but if they got incredibly lucky and made it back alive to the Murim Alliance, Ha-o-mun would probably start harassing Jang Hye-in and the team from that point on.
Not harassment so much as irritation—annoying rather than painful. Still, annoying was annoying. Of course, it wasn’t something to worry about this very moment.
“And besides, we haven’t achieved what we came here to do.”
They hadn’t come to learn about Hyeol-u-bang for nothing.
“…Well, that… we can just scout it out on foot.”
“We came all this way and now you want to scout on foot?”
Jang Hye-in’s eyes flashed.
“You bastard! Hey! So what! What do you want me to do! You want to fight me here!? Huh!”
“…No, that’s not what I meant…”
“Then shut your mouth and sit still! My head’s about to split! Got it!”
“…Yes.”
Jang Hye-in suddenly looked around, then vented his frustration on whoever was nearest.
“Hey, where the hell did Sa U-rin go! Find him, now!”
‘Damn it.’
‘He’s having one of those days.’
‘Hell.’
Hyeong-jun pointed to the rear and spoke.
“Sa U-rin’s right here.”
“Where!”
Hyeong-jun stepped aside and spoke again.
“Here.”
Sa U-rin was still sitting, sipping his tea contentedly. Jang Hye-in’s expression went blank with bewilderment.
“…What are you doing?”
In the middle of this chaotic situation.
“It’s delicious.”
Probably because of the poison in it.
“…It’s… delicious?”
“Yes.”
“…Hah.”
“Why are you so irritated? Would you like some alcohol? I think you’d feel better if you had a drink.”
He’d feel better, all right.
Better as his insides dissolved from the poison and he calmed down forever. He’d certainly perish then.
Part of him genuinely wanted to take a drink and just keel over right there.
“…Never mind. I’m not in the mood to die right now.”
He’d thought that with Sa U-rin’s mother, the First Daughter of the Evil Sect Chang-ryeo, and her subordinates lending their aid, there would be no more danger…
But what had just happened was far from reassuring.
If Sa U-rin hadn’t possessed that extraordinary ability, I would have swallowed the poison and died without resistance.
That’s why irritation flared up in an instant, hot and sudden.
It was because of Jang Hye-in himself—in moments when he couldn’t rely on Chang-ryeo’s subordinates, he ultimately had to depend on Sa U-rin’s ability, on his strength.
But then again.
Hadn’t all of this begun the moment he met Sa U-rin?
Not that he blamed his youngest, Sa U-rin. These days, the thought of navigating the Gangho without Sa U-rin left him feeling adrift in darkness—and that was the real problem.
Sa U-rin had become something like a mother to Jang Hye-in and the others… no, something like a god.
If Sa U-rin did not exist, it seemed as though Jang Hye-in and the others would have neither existence nor reason to exist.
Yet that wasn’t why Jang Hye-in’s mood had soured.
It was the speed at which everything was accelerating—far faster than he’d ever anticipated—that troubled him.
Sa U-rin wasn’t even of age yet.
To burden such a young Sa U-rin—
Still so young—
With such weighty, grave responsibilities, it felt as though they were all foisting them upon him.
Jang Hye-in and the rest of them.
That’s why he felt sorry.
Grateful, yet ashamed all at once.
* * *
Jang Hye-in and his companions left the Ha-o-mun branch in Yeoyeong District and headed straight for the Hyeol-u-bang.
Their destination was the Hyeol-u-bang anyway. They had only stopped by Ha-o-mun briefly for information.
Yet they’d come away empty-handed, with nothing to show for it. Still, it wasn’t as though they had no options at all.
The Gaebang had beggars, didn’t they?
Then why hadn’t they sought out the Gaebang from the start?
The truth was, since this was Evil Sect territory, even the beggars here held far fewer secrets about the sect than Ha-o-mun would.
Knowing full well that the Gaebang belonged to the Orthodox Faction, would they really just stand by and let beggars swarm through their territory?
So the beggars eking out their cursed lives in Evil Sect regions lived existences so wretched that even beggar’s life seemed a cruel joke.
Too busy scrounging for alms to gather information, the beggars of Evil Sect territory had little to offer.
That was why shopkeepers on Market Street or innkeepers proved to be better sources of useful information than the Gaebang’s beggars.
So Jang Hye-in and his companions made their way to Market Street near the Hyeol-u-bang.
They dispersed among the vendors, gathered various scraps of information, and then reconvened to compare notes.
Jang Hye-in spoke first.
“Find anything?”
“The number of disciples is roughly under three hundred, it seems.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Honestly, more wouldn’t have mattered much. Even if Jang Hye-in and his companions seemed mad, or were going mad, they still weren’t mad enough to pick a fight with the entire Hyeol-u-bang.
“What about their skilled practitioners?”
“No one knew anything about that.”
Of course.
That’s the kind of information only someone like Ha-o-mun would have.
“Any other intelligence?”
Everyone avoided Jang Hye-in’s gaze.
“Nothing?”
“…No.”
“Dammit.”
“Yeah, we shouldn’t have killed the branch chief…”
“Hey! You think we should’ve just sat there? Huh?! That woman was trying to kill us!”
“I know, I know. But could you please keep your voice down?”
“Then why touch her in the first place!”
“I’m sorry.”
Then Sa U-rin spoke up.
“I found one piece of information.”
“…Really? You did?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re joking, right?”
It was hard to believe. This wasn’t someone known for doing much besides training.
“No, I’m serious. Apparently the Hyeol-u-bang is recruiting martial artists right now.”
“Why?”
“Nobody knows. But someone said it happens occasionally.”
“You don’t think…?”
“Human trafficking?”
“It happens from time to time.”
“Then let’s get going.”
“We can take our time.”
“…Why?”
“I sent Chu-yeop ahead. He said to gather any useful information if we arrived first.”
“Good thinking.”
And so Jang Hye-in and his companions made their way toward Hyeol-u-bang with light hearts.
* * *
When Jang Hye-in and his party arrived near Hyeol-u-bang, the neighborhood’s eccentric Chu-yeop and his men appeared at once.
Chu-yeop and his subordinates greeted Sa U-rin with the same courtesy they would show to First Daughter of the Evil Sect Chang-ryeo, whom they served.
“Welcome, sir.”
So Sa U-rin returned the courtesy with equal formality.
“Yes. Do you have any useful information for us?”
“Less useful information than something rather suspicious, I’d say.”
Jang Hye-in and his companions perked up at this. Though Sa U-rin had been the one to speak.
“What is it?”
“It does appear they’re recruiting martial artists, certainly. But it seems the candidates they’re seeking are already predetermined. That’s why I bring it up—young master.”
“Yes?”
“I’d suggest you simply pass by Hyeol-u-bang and ignore it altogether.”
“Why?”
“The martial artist they’re waiting for appears to be you, young master, and your companions here.”
“…Really? You’re certain of this?”
“Not entirely certain.”
Chu-yeop gestured to one of his subordinates and continued.
“This fellow’s instincts are remarkably accurate. According to him, that does seem to be the case.”
And so Sa U-rin’s gaze turned toward the female warrior—or should one say female assassin?—that Chu-yeop had indicated.
In any case.
Sa U-rin asked her directly.
“What made you think that?”
“I heard it from a martial artist who went in and came back out. There was no formal examination—they just looked at his face and told him to leave, saying he wasn’t the one.”
“So that’s the basis for your suspicion?”
“Yes. There’s no reason to select a martial artist based solely on appearance. Besides, the reason you’ve come here is perfectly clear.”
Not to die, surely. Not by some invisible hand.
And so Sa U-rin turned to Jang Hye-in and asked.
“What do you make of it?”
“It seems reasonably sound to me.”
“But we’ll have to face them eventually anyway, won’t we?”
“That’s true as well.”
Chu-yeop, who had been listening, scratched his head and spoke.
“Even so, it’s dangerous… The fact that they’re waiting means they’re fully prepared…”
And so Sa U-rin turned to the female warrior beside Chu-yeop once more.
“If we were to fight against all of Hyeol-u-bang, what would you say our chances are?”
They had thought they would never have to face the whole of Hyeol-u-bang—but that had been purely their own misconception.
A sigh escaped unbidden.
“With us and Chu-yeop included, we’d have a full ten parts advantage.”
Relief sighed out from Jang Hye-in and his companions.
“And casualties?”
“There may be wounded, but I don’t believe anyone will die.”
“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”
“The crucial point is that this applies only to the forces we can see. Looking back through the annals of Gangho history, in the case of you and your companions, all ten parts have invariably fallen. So visible strength cannot be the whole measure.”
Another sigh escaped from Jang Hye-in and his companions.
“Not all ten parts died, though.”
“…Pardon? As I understand it…”
“My father didn’t die. So we don’t have to either.”
An exasperated sigh emanated from Jang Hye-in and his companions.
“Ah…”
The female warrior, who had been about to voice an objection, closed her mouth firmly.
‘…They’re alike.’
Just like her own master.
How could they share even this stubborn streak?
What else could I do? The Lord’s son has decided to go.
Sa U-rin speaks to Jang Hye-in once more.
“With respect, I think we should just go in, don’t you?”
“Right. We’re guaranteed to win, aren’t we? So we go. Nothing to fear.”
We’re not even going to die.
The rest of the unit nodded in agreement.
‘……The Lord was right…….’
How did they all end up gathered like this?
They said we’d die for certain…….
Truly optimistic people. Yet she felt no envy. No desire to become like them.
The Female Warrior had no wish to be driven mad by optimism.
And so Jang Hye-in, Sa U-rin, and the others turned their steps toward a place where they might survive ten out of ten times……or rather, could only die ten out of ten times.
The Female Warrior, who remained behind, spoke to Chu-yeop.
“Master?”
Chu-yeop scratched his head and looked up at the sky.
“Feels like it’s about to pour down rain.”
“……Master?”
“It’s a bad omen. Looks like lightning will strike too.”
“……I suppose so?”
Just as the neighborhood fool said, thick black clouds were gathering heavily overhead.
But Chu-yeop and his subordinates had to move as well.

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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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