Moorim Pochang - Chapter 29

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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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Chapter 29. Upheaval.

Once the guests had gone, Yang Jeong took the empty bowls down to the riverside.
Ah….
‘They were absolutely stunning.’
Baek Ha-yeong and Yeon Ja-seol were beauties rarely seen in this world.
‘The Murim Alliance seems to have plenty of exceptional people.’
Neither Kang Cho nor Yang Jeong had ever even glimpsed the Murim Alliance itself.
The trading houses that dealt with the Murim Alliance were mostly large-scale operations even by Gangho standards.
“I’d like to see it sometime.”
He lifted his head while rinsing the dishes with a faint smirk.
A figure was walking through the darkness.
‘Who comes out at this hour?’
Normally, unless it was urgent business, no guests sought out the Murim Alliance in the depths of night.
If it were urgent, he would move quickly—but the man in the darkness appeared unhurried.
Yang Jeong felt puzzled, but soon returned his attention to the dishes.
“Hm?”
Then he glanced up again, studying the figure in the darkness.
The man’s face bore an unusually dark cast.
But when he looked again, the leisurely figure was gone from the darkness.
‘Did I see something that wasn’t there?’
No matter how much he rubbed his eyes and searched, the unhurried man had vanished.
“Strange. Never mind…. Let me just finish these dishes.”

*

“Did you fall for the innkeeper at first sight?”
Baek Won-yeong asked as they made their way back to the Murim Alliance.
“I didn’t fall for anyone, what are you saying?”
Baek Ha-yeong’s voice grew sharp, her eyes widening indignantly.
From her reaction, it seemed clear enough that she had indeed been taken with Yang Jeong.
“You’ll be visiting that inn again tomorrow?”
“I’m not taken with him, brother. And I have no intention of going back to that inn.”
Pouting, she rushed ahead toward the Murim Alliance.
He smiled, watching her retreating figure.
‘Next time I’ll have to swear a bond of brotherhood with Kang. That way she’ll have an excuse to visit often.’
If he formed a bond of brotherhood with Kang Cho, Yang Jeong would become his sworn younger brother.
As he walked with a lighter step, he glanced at Ja-seol beside him.
He had been meaning to tease his younger sister.
Ja-seol seemed lost in deep thought as she walked.
But then a chill ran down his spine.
Startled, he turned his horse around, reins gripped tight in his hand.
“Is something wrong, brother?”
As Baek Won-yeong turned his horse, Ja-seol stopped walking.
A dark figure was approaching through the gloom.
Though he couldn’t yet make out the face, the spear-like weapon in the man’s right hand marked him unmistakably as a martial artist.
Baek Won-yeong’s heart suddenly pounded, and his hand on the reins trembled.
Ja-seol, startled, reached for her sword.
Yet the figure in the darkness advanced with unhurried ease.
As the distance closed, his face began to become visible.
A gasp escaped them.
The moment Baek Won-yeong and Ja-seol made out his features, their eyes flew wide.
The man’s face was covered entirely in dark tattoos.
Because of them, his age was impossible to discern.
Moving with leisurely steps, the man halted and gazed upon the stone walls of the Murim Alliance.
“It has been a long time indeed.”
His voice flowed from some deep, dark place within him—heavy and somber.
Baek Won-yeong bowed respectfully.
“Whom are you looking for?”
The man turned his head to regard him.
“I’ve come seeking Mun-do. Is he inside?”
Mun-do?
Mun-do was his father’s given name.
Yet he’d never heard that his father had friends like this.
“Are you Father’s old friend?”
The man’s eyes flickered with interest as he studied Baek Won-yeong’s face.
“Now that I see you, you bear a striking resemblance to Mun-do. Are you his son?”
“Yes. My name is Baek Won-yeong.”
Baek Won-yeong offered a respectful bow.
“I was once Mun-do’s friend. I came to pass along a message, but I suppose you’ll do just as well.”
“If you’re Father’s friend, please come inside.”
Baek Won-yeong was about to welcome the man into the Murim Alliance.
But Ja-seol seized his sleeve.
Her eyes burned with fierce intensity.
“Senior. That man is absolutely not our master’s friend.”
“How can you possibly know that?”
As he posed the question to Ja-seol, laughter spilled from the man’s lips.
Kekekeke…
“It seems you’ve encountered someone like me before.”

*

How could she forget a face like that?
Kang Cho had once faced enemies with that same visage.
And he had cut them all down.
Baek Won-yeong too sensed that something was terribly wrong.
“Who are you? Reveal your identity.”
Yet his voice remained impeccably courteous.
“Mun-do has raised his son well. You’ll see me again in a few days, so there’s no need to hurry now.”
“When do you intend to visit again?”
Kekekeke…
“Cherish your good memories for the next few days. That way you won’t have to regret.”
“What do you mean?”
The man turned without another word, his silhouette shifting.
Baek Won-yeong tried to grab hold of him as he vanished into the darkness.
“Wait, please.”
Whoosh…
But the man’s form suddenly scattered into the darkness.
Baek Won-yeong peered into the shadows with startled eyes.
Yet his figure was nowhere to be found.
“Sister, do you know who that man was?”
He seized Ja-seol’s arm urgently, searching her face.
“I can’t be certain, but I’m sure of one thing—he’s an enemy.”
Baek Won-yeong wanted to press Ja-seol relentlessly about how she knew of this man.
But now was not the time.
“If what you say is true, I must report this to Father at once. Let’s go inside.”

*
“Brother, I think I saw a ghost while I was washing the dishes.”
“Nonsense at this hour?”
What kind of ghost story was this in the middle of the night?
As Kang Cho expressed his irritation, Yang Jeong opened his mouth sheepishly.
“I’m serious, brother. There was a dark-faced man walking down the road, and he vanished in an instant. Gone like that.”
“You saw an illusion.”
“You’re probably right, brother. But that’s why I’m thinking—I should drink some liquor to restore my depleted vitality.”
“Well then. That explains why you’d come spouting nonsense at this hour.”
The moment Kang Cho raised his fist, Yang Jeong bolted outside.
Kang Cho, about to follow, turned his gaze toward the stone bridge instead.
Someone was crossing it, gripping a long spear in one hand.
And his face was covered entirely with black characters tattooed into the skin.
“See? I wasn’t lying, was I?”
Yang Jeong caught sight of him and cried out in surprise.
Whoosh—
As Kang Cho extended his hand, a sword resting in the corner came flying toward him.
“What brings you here?”
Kang Cho stepped outside to meet him.
“I’ve heard your cooking is quite skillful. Have I come too late?”
Kang Cho answered without even turning his head.
“Samryong, stoke the fire in the hearth.”
The man had entered brazenly without scaling the wall, which meant he was a guest.
Yang Jeong went to the kitchen and rekindled the dying flames.
The man settled at the table as though he owned the place.
“We have only chicken left. Would chicken noodle soup suit you?”
“Chicken, is it? I’d have preferred pheasant, but chicken will do nicely.”
“I’ll have it ready for you shortly.”
With those words, Kang Cho stepped into the kitchen.
Tap…! Tap—!
He began pulling noodles.
The man sat wordlessly at the table, waiting for the food to appear.
Tap…tap—!
Only the sound of noodle-pulling cut through the heavy silence.
The man, who had been maintaining his quiet composure, opened his mouth to speak.
“I hear you ignored Yeo-hwa’s warning?”
Kang Cho received the remark as he set the noodles into the pot.
“Without the master’s permission, he crossed the wall. The price must be paid.”
Cackle…cackle—
“Well said. Yeo-hwa was hasty.”
Kang Cho placed the noodles and chicken in a bowl, poured the broth over it, and set it before the table.
The man picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
“Excellent taste. In all my years, I’ve never had chicken noodle soup this delicious.”
“Thank you.”
He finished his meal slowly, savoring each bite, then looked up at Kang Cho.
“I too intend to cross a wall without the master’s permission. Will you stand in my way?”
“I would not concern myself with walls elsewhere.”
The man nodded at Kang Cho’s reply and set a silver coin on the table.
“I am called Cheol-goe.”
“I am Kang Cho.”
“A fine meal.”
The man turned his body and leaped over the broken wall.
Once he vanished, Yang Jeong, who had been watching for an opening, approached.
“What did that man mean by what he said just now?”
Kang Cho turned his gaze toward the unseen Murim Alliance.
“Perhaps he meant to cross the Murim Alliance’s wall.”
“Then…isn’t this a serious matter? We must rush to the Alliance at once and inform them.”
Yang Jeong clenched both fists, his expression urgent.
Yet Kang Cho did not take it so gravely.
Though the man called Cheol-goe radiated tremendous strength, the Murim Alliance did not seem the sort to crumble easily.
Even should he lead subordinates with him, Kang Cho wanted to trust in the composure of that alliance leader.
Above all, he suspected the Alliance would not trust a complete stranger with such news.
“If you’re in such a rush, go tell them yourself.”
“Would that truly be acceptable?”
This version of Yang Jeong was far unlike his usual self.
“Hey, you fool. Show half this dedication when you fix the stable.”
“But that’s a trivial matter, and this is serious.”
“Fine—just don’t drag me into it.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything myself.”
Yang Jeong crossed the stone bridge without hesitation.
Tsk…
Kang Cho watched him go, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
That man—
would the Murim Alliance truly believe his words?

*

“A man bearing a long spear claims to be my friend?”
“Yes, Father. He was quite certain of it. But his face was covered in black tattoos, so I couldn’t guess his age.”
Baek Mun-do sank into deep thought.
In all of Gangho, there were scarcely a handful of men he would call his friends.
Yet among them, no one wielded a long spear.
No—once, a dozen or so had.
But they had all perished in the war against the Blood Cult.
“Perhaps some malicious fellow is playing tricks on us.”
Shin Pung-gae, who had been speaking with Baek Mun-do, offered his thought.
“No, my lord. When I faced him, my body trembled and my skin crawled.”
Baek Won-yeong relayed his impression plainly.
Until now, he had never felt his body shake or his flesh prickle when meeting anyone.
It was surely an instinctive dread.
Baek Mun-do, who had been lost in thought, finally spoke.
“Among my friends, Jo Bi-ja was the supreme master of the spear. But he vanished while pursuing the Blood Cult’s forces. We found the bodies of my companions who marched with him, yet his remains were never found.”
Shin Pung-gae knew Jo Bi-ja well.
He had mobilized even the wanderers of the Gae Bang in the search for him.
“A name I’ve not heard in a long time. The Vagabond King Jo Bi-ja—renowned as the Spear Star, called a master of spear technique. Were you and the lord not quite close? Those who followed him were formidable masters as well.”
“Indeed, my lord. His pride reached toward the heavens, and his character was just as bold.”
Jo Bi-ja was a descendant of the Sangsan Jo Family, renowned for their spear mastery.
Though not of the direct line, his natural martial bones earned the family’s affection. At seventeen, he left the clan and wandered Gangho.
After reaching his twenties, he became the leader of the vagrants and formed a bond with Baek Mun-do.
Despite his bold nature, he did not drink much—and his reason was quite compelling.
“I have no wish to become a drunken madman.”
Baek Mun-do still remembered his voice clearly.
And he had loved pheasant.
“When a pheasant hides, it buries its head first. The rest of its body is perfectly visible, yet it does no good. So I’ve eaten many since childhood. Of all winged creatures, I think pheasant tastes the finest.”
Recalling those days, Baek Mun-do’s voice grew stern.
“He said he would come within days, so we must strengthen our defenses. And those suspicious figures you mentioned some time ago—they may well be his associates. We must be especially vigilant.”

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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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