I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 98

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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 entering the Murim Alliance — Episode 98
As So Seol-lu left the bustling district, her face was lit up with an endless smile. She didn’t even realize her own expression.
She was too caught up in the moment.
After all, it felt like things were going well with the son of the Sapha Master.
But then, Sa U-rin unlinked their arms.
“Now, you should head back.”
So Seol-lu was taken aback.
“……Just like this?”
“What else? Just go.”
“But…….”
She’d expected they would kiss properly before she left. Something sweet and intimate, at least.
Whatever that something was supposed to be.
“Can’t we walk a bit more?”
“No. Go now.”
“……Unbelievable.”
So Seol-lu finally snapped out of her daze.
“After kissing me like that…….”
“You know as well as I do that was just for the act. We couldn’t help it.”
Truthfully, even Sa U-rin hadn’t expected himself to kiss her for so long.
And he’d learned something.
Instinct was a terrifying thing.
“……Unbelievable.”
This was absurd.
He’d kissed her until her lips were almost bruised, and now this.
“Oh, and. About your younger brother — in a few days, I’ll come to Daeheukmun with my mother to settle the matter.”
He thought that was the cleanest way to resolve things without leaving any loose ends.
“……Really?”
She hadn’t expected him to release her brother so easily.
‘……Did the kiss actually work?’
“Yes. It’s not difficult.”
“That much, at least, I’m grateful for.”
“Well then, go safely.”
“……Yeah, okay. Go safely.”
Sa U-rin faded from So Seol-lu’s sight.
“Tch. I didn’t think I’d miss him this much.”
So So Seol-lu stood for a long while, watching his retreating figure. Half hoping, just in case, that he might turn around.
But Sa U-rin doused her hope with cold water.
“Cold-hearted bastard. Cruel man. And after kissing me like that, too.”
It was just as So Seol-lu was turning to leave.
“Wait.”
‘……What?’
Wasn’t that Sa U-rin’s voice?
Sa U-rin had clearly vanished from her sight……. But then how could she hear his voice in her ears?
“……An auditory hallucination?”
If so, that meant…….
‘I…… might be…… falling for that bastard…….’
“Not a hallucination. It’s me, Sa U-rin.”
So Seol-lu’s feet, which had begun to turn away, spun back around.
“……How is this possible?”
He’d definitely vanished from her sight.
Yet Sa U-rin was standing before her again.
“There’s nothing strange about it. I came back because I forgot something.”
“……So you were…… back there…….”
He’d reappeared this quickly?
‘……Wow. Fast as a ghost.’
“Yeah, back there. But that’s not the point.”
“……Then what is?”
So Seol-lu was having trouble with that now. Rather, it wasn’t so much a problem as it was something she couldn’t wrap her head around.
‘……Just how strong is this bastard…….’
She couldn’t gauge it.
How on earth was he so strong that he’d crossed such a vast distance in a heartbeat to stand before her?
‘Ah…….’
Right.
Sa U-rin was the son of the Sapha lord.
Yes, and because of that…….
Sa U-rin opened his mouth carefully.
“The truth is…… I don’t know the way back to the Jang Family Manor.”
“……What? What did you say? You don’t know the way back?”
‘What an idiot.’
“Yeah. I’ve never actually left the Jang Family Manor grounds before.”
When I came to the gathering, I arrived by carriage. So I never learned the way out.
Being poor with directions didn’t help matters either.
“Still, even so…….”
An adult man coming back because he couldn’t find his way home—it was almost absurd.
“So, do you happen to know the way to the Jang Family Manor?”
“……I do.”
There wasn’t a soul living in Gwi-ju Fortress who didn’t know where the Jang Family Manor was hidden.
“Would you mind showing me the way……?”
“……Sure. It’s not difficult.”
“……Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
‘I’m the grateful one.’
Strangely, she felt not the least bit bothered—only excitement. Her mood was light. So she guided Sa U-rin to the Jang Family Manor……or rather, she didn’t.
It was a walk. With Sa U-rin.
* * *
Jang Yu-jin, the young head of the Jang Family, and his younger brother Jang Yu-seok had no choice but to hurry back to the manor early because the gathering broke up so abruptly thanks to Sa U-rin.
The moment they arrived, they rushed to the Head of Dang Family and recounted everything that had happened at the gathering without leaving out a single detail.
Whereupon the Head of Dang Family called for his younger sister Jang Ryeo. And so the fiery Jang Ryeo came to the head’s chambers.
“……Why are only you two here? Where’s U-rin?”
She had her two nephews present, but since Sa U-rin, who’d gone out with them, was missing, it was natural to ask.
“Oh, we thought U-rin would already be here when we arrived.”
“What do you mean by that?”
So Jang Yu-jin and Jang Yu-seok repeated to the Head of Dang Family what they’d already told him.
Then.
“U-rin did that, you’re saying?”
“That’s the truth, sir.”
Jang Ryeo’s head tilted slightly.
She knew her son Sa U-rin had no interest in women. It seemed he wouldn’t even meet a woman until he’d accomplished his ambitions.
But according to what these two nephews were saying, wasn’t that clearly not the case?
“No, there must be some other reason.”
So the Head of Dang Family voiced his thoughts.
“Didn’t you hear what they said? He even linked arms with her. So what’s there left to see?”
Whereupon Jang Ryeo shot the Head of Dang Family a glare.
“Linked arms? That’s hardly ‘seeing’ anything! He merely linked arms once! Do you want to die?”
“Ahem. Well, the children are here, so perhaps we should keep our……”
“Then speak properly! Understand?!”
“……Understood. I understand, so please calm down.”
“Do I look calm to you right now!”
“Right, I’m sorry. Is that enough?”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“……Then what is it?”
“That boy has a terrible sense of direction! We left him alone out there, so he’s probably wandering lost right now.”
Then she turned a sharp gaze toward her two nephews.
“We’re terribly sorry. We didn’t realize such a thing…….”
“Now, now. Ryeo. Don’t scare the children. Lower that gaze of yours.”
“I was just looking! Scare them, how! Right now, release the warriors!”
“Release them to do what?”
“To find U-rin!”
“But……U-rin isn’t a child…….”
“That boy’s clever at most things, but not finding his way! That’s why you should release them immediately!”
Just then, a warrior’s voice came from outside.
“Master of the Manor.”
“I’m occupied at the moment. Later―.”
“We’ve just received word that Sa U-rin has entered the Manor.”
Jang Gajoo’s darkened expression brightened at once.
“I see.”
Then he turned back to his sister, Jang Ryeo.
“You hear that? He’s here. What needless worry you cause yourself.”
And so the witch, Jang Ryeo, called out to the warrior outside.
“Tell him to come here at once.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Moments later.
Sa U-rin arrived at the Master’s quarters. At the sight of him, Jang Gajoo, his two sons, and the witch Jang Ryeo all stiffened slightly.
Sa U-rin had not come alone.
Once inside, Sa U-rin spoke to So Seol-lu beside him.
“Make your respects.”
So Seol-lu bowed with the utmost courtesy.
“I am So Seol-lu, Vice-Leader of Daeheukmun.”
At this, the witch Jang Ryeo spoke.
“You came together?”
Sa U-rin’s head tilted in confusion.
He’d expected her to ask who this person was―
But asking “You came together?” meant she already knew who his companion was, didn’t it?
‘Ah.’
His cousins must have already arrived.
So Sa U-rin spoke up.
“You’ve heard the story already?”
“Yes. But this mother still doesn’t believe those two fools.”
“A wise choice.”
At that, the witch Jang Ryeo cast a sidelong glance at Jang Gajoo and her two nephews.
“See? I was right. These idiots. Tch. But U-rin.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“The rumors have already begun to spread—what are you going to do about it?”
It was inevitable that within days, word would scatter across all of Gwi-ju Fortress.
“That’s precisely why I’ve done this. To make it appear that way.”
“To make it appear that way?”
“Mother, perhaps we should sit first?”
“Yes, let us do that.”
And so Sa U-rin and So Seol-lu took their seats.
Then Sa U-rin gave his mother Jang Ryeo a subtle signal—difficult to speak plainly with his two cousins present.
“I don’t know what this is about, but it’s fine. We’re all in the same boat anyway.”
“Understood. Then I shall explain. The reason I made it appear this way with Miss So is that she has learned Honwon-gong.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you bring her here? Why not kill her?”
In that instant, So Seol-lu’s spine went cold. But she could not utter a word.
To misspeak before the supreme authority of Sapha would mean true death.
Just then, Jang Gajoo cut in.
“Kill her? What manner of talk is that? She’s the Vice-Leader of Daeheukmun. I don’t know what Honwon-gong is, but if you kill the Vice-Leader of Daeheukmun outright, what do you think Daeheukmun will do?”
“What can they do?”
“What if they stake their lives and wage war?”
“War? Against me?”
“Hardly a match for you, perhaps. But still, it would cast ill rumors throughout Gwi-ju Fortress.”
“As if I care for such trifles?”
“…No, I suppose not. That’s precisely why I speak. I know nothing of this matter, but let us be cautious a while longer.”
“Caution can leave you dead in a heartbeat. This is the world we stand in. Do you not know?”
How could he not know?
“I do know. And yet―.”
“Then knowing is enough.”
“But what exactly is Honwon-gong?”
Then the witch Jang Ryeo spoke.
“Just listen.”
“But I should know what this is about before—”
“Listen first. I’ll explain the details later.”
“…All right.”
“Go on.”
So Sa U-rin continued.
“From what I learned, So Seol-lu also harbors a desire for vengeance against them. That’s why we decided to work together. I thought that naturally, this way we’d come to understand their movements and intentions bit by bit. Besides, there’s nothing we can do against them right now anyway.”
“I understand the reasoning. But tell me—how can you trust what that woman says?”
“She didn’t seem to be lying. And we’ll find out the truth soon enough as things unfold.”
“…All right.”
Jang Ryeo trusted her son.
Even if that trust proved to be misplaced.
“And Mother, I’ll need you to come with me and So Seol-lu tomorrow to Daeheukmun.”
“Why?”
“So Seol-lu’s younger sibling is being held hostage there. I’ve promised to retrieve them from Daeheukmun.”
“You could simply use my name—there’d be no need to go yourself.”
“But I’m still a young heir of this sect, however modest my standing. If I acted without you, it would only shame your honor.”
“That’s my son.”
The witch Jang Ryeo turned to look at Jang Gajoo.
“See? This is how our U-rin is.”
No matter how much a master of Sapha might tower above others, a parent’s pride in their child knew no class distinction.
Jang Gajoo then cast his eyes toward his two sons.
“You see? What are you two doing, hm?”
The desire to see one’s own children surpass the children of others was no different in Jang Gajoo than in any other parent.
“…”
But…
Why did the arrow of comparison suddenly turn toward them…
It was unbearably unjust.
All because of this one suddenly arrived paragon.

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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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