Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 105

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 105

Yang Cheol flinched at Woon-hwi’s words.

“Life is like stones on a go board—every moment is a series of choices. Sometimes crucial decisions that change fate are placed before us, and sometimes seemingly trivial choices. But you cannot cover the sky with your palm.”

“….”

“I hope your anguish doesn’t project onto me, but even that doesn’t seem easy.”

“…Hyeon Seol-rin-nim….”

“When you live long, there are times when you see things that weren’t visible before.”

“….”

“Sometimes they appear blurry, sometimes clearly. From what I can see, you haven’t betrayed Snow Palace. Rather, you’re filled only with the desire to revive Snow Palace.”

He immediately knelt down.

“That’s correct. I swear I have never betrayed Snow Palace. It has been so until now, and it will be so in the future.”

Woon-hwi, who had been quietly watching Yang Cheol, spoke softly.

“In Yang-ryeong, there is one of the people I trust most in this world. And he is also your senior.”

“….”

“I would like to bring you to Yang-ryeong, but it doesn’t seem to be the right time.”

Woon-hwi reached out and gently stroked Yang Cheol’s shoulder as he continued.

“You must become my eyes and ears.”

“…Me…?”

“Yes, you.”

* * *

While many people view the world like baduk, that doesn’t mean the world itself is actually baduk.

When factions fight against each other, the most important thing is information.

Power is only needed at the final moment—if you have overwhelming information superiority, you can render even that power useless.

To place your opponent on the go board, you must know what your opponent knows.

When I traced back memories from my previous life and compiled the information I had learned at the moment Snow Palace collapsed.

Vice Palace Lord Yang Seol-jin was certain enough that there was no need to mention him, but the problem was what came next.

At least at the point when I erased the palace from the world, the ‘Baekseol Wiryeong Dan’ did not exist.

Commander Juche, Vice Commander Yeon Su-on, Instructor Gok Jin-bung.

Among these three, there must be a traitor.

It could be all three, or two, or one.

The probability of there being none is zero.

From the moment the Polar Descendants died, this was inevitable.

“I haven’t heard an answer—will you become my eyes and ears?”

At my words, Yang Cheol made a resolute expression and performed the Embracing Fist.

“Yes. Please give me any command.”

I like his expression, and I like his actions.

His realm is also Harmony Realm—this level can be considered talent.

I opened the ledger again, tore out about three pages, and handed them to Yang Cheol.

“Take this ledger.”

“…Do you mean to take it to the Commander?”

I shook my head.

“Deliver it to Sim Mun-ryong of the White Command Guard.”

Yang Cheol’s eyes widened.

“…What?”

That bewildered reaction is correct. Delivering information from Baekseol Wiryeong Dan to the White Command Guard is absurd.

“…Hyeon Seol-rin-nim… That’s….”

“Not long ago, Juche and I had an uncomfortable conversation at the Main Palace.”

This is true.

At that time, Juche had proposed that Namgung Won Yang join Baekseol Wiryeong Dan, and Won Yang had refused.

I had intruded in the middle of that conversation, and Juche will surely connect the friction from that moment to the current situation.

This is the basics of psychological warfare.

Using the information you know.

“Don’t harbor any more doubts beyond that. Also, refrain from suspicious behavior. Especially, absolutely forbid mentioning the fact that I tore pages from the ledger.”

“…I understand.”

“And tell Sim Mun-ryong this: Use this ledger to root out other spies within Snow Palace, and with that achievement, seize the vacant position among the Twelve Cold Spirits.”

“I will do so.”

“Sim Mun-ryong’s manner of speaking may be frivolous, but that’s just how he is, so just accept it. Also report the contents of that ledger to Juche.”

“…The order should naturally be to report to the Commander first.”

“Yes, since you can read the situation that well, I think you’ll do well in the future.”

Yang Cheol, having received praise, smiled slightly.

“Remember this above all: Though you have become my eyes and ears, your loyalty must be directed toward Snow Palace.”

“…That means….”

Seeing him become cautious instantly, he was certainly quick-witted.

My words also meant that if even I, who was saying this, brought harm to Snow Palace, he should cut me off.

“…Hyeon Seol-rin-nim is… truly a frightening person.”

Before I could answer those words.

“Oh my, why are you saying such harsh things? Our master is such a gentle person.”

I didn’t bother to answer, but Yang Cheol was different.

He answered with his eyes.

That crazy bastard.

Something like that, it seemed.

“Yang Cheol.”

“Yes, Hyeon Seol-rin-nim.”

“Go now.”

“…Do you not need… an escort?”

“It’s fine. I’ll stay here for about two days, then depart for Yang-ryeong. And leave the carriage as it is.”

“…What about me….”

“Run there.”

Yang Cheol blinked.

“…Me?”

“Aren’t you a martial artist of Harmony Realm? Above all, you’re uninjured.”

“….”

“As you can see, Cheon Pung and I here are injured, so it’s right for us to take the carriage, and since you can run faster than a horse, isn’t it right for you to run there?”

The logic was sound.

Yang Cheol let out a hollow laugh and performed the Embracing Fist.

“I’ll be going, Hyeon Seol-rin-nim.”

When I nodded, Yang Cheol dispersed like smoke.

In the place where he disappeared, Cheon Pung asked.

“Master, do you really trust him?”

To Cheon Pung’s words, who seemed much more comfortable perhaps because he couldn’t see, I spoke quietly.

“There are things you can know by looking into a person’s eyes. From what I can see, Yang Cheol is not someone who would betray Snow Palace.”

After pausing briefly, I looked at Cheon Pung and continued.

“Like you.”

Cheon Pung spoke with a moved expression.

“I’m not loyal to Snow Palace, Master.”

“Then?”

“I’m loyal to you, Master. Hahaha.”

I chuckled softly.

“Cheon Pung.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Your achievements are excellent, but they’re still a bit lacking.”

“…I apologize.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Everything has its time. Right now, the strongest opponents we’ll face are probably at most Harmony Realm or Body Establishment Boundary level, but in 2 years, and 3 years from now, there’s no guarantee it’ll stay that way.”

This was the truth.

“Work a little harder. Of course, don’t feel pressured.”

“Though I do feel some pressure, I will live up to your trust, Master.”

Cheon Pung spoke confidently, then paused for a moment and asked as if he was curious about something.

“May I ask you one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“What is your dream, Master?”

“Dream?”

“Yes. A dream, or perhaps a wish, something like that.”

I didn’t really have a dream, but I did have something like a wish.

“As is often the case with organizations, even if they appear stable on the outside, the inside is usually a mess. Snow Palace cannot be an exception.”

I turned my head to look at the endlessly spread white snow.

“Protecting Snow Palace, that’s my wish.”

“Then I will also protect Snow Palace.”

Cheon Pung smiled slightly.

“Your wish is my wish, and your dream is my dream.”

Cheon Pung’s eyes seemed filled with reverence as he said this.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s burdensome.”

“Haha… I apologize.”

Still.

“It’s not bad to hear.”

* * *

Yang Cheol faithfully carried out Woon-hwi’s orders.

First, he reported to Juche.

Juche made a strange expression as he received the ledger.

“So… this is the list of spies who went over to the Origin Blood Sect?”

“Yes.”

“…Twenty of them… That’s quite a lot.”

Juche had an extremely complicated expression.

“Yang Cheol.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“It seems there are spies in the Baekseol Wiryeong-dan.”

Yang Cheol’s expression hardened.

Anyone could see this was the look of a member loyal to the Baekseol Wiryeong-dan.

“…This is difficult. Really difficult.”

Juche continued speaking quietly with a complicated expression.

“Though I can’t be certain when this was written… it’s clear they put considerable effort into this over a long time. The fortunate thing is that these twenty sects are not ones that pose a direct threat to Snow Palace.”

That was true.

Snow Mountain was vast.

No matter how barren the region, there were coastal cities with easy access to the Central Plains, and cities adjacent to nations. It wasn’t some backwater, and the number of sects established in Snow Mountain easily exceeded several hundred.

Unlike the Martial Alliance, not all of them were loyal to Snow Palace, but at least these twenty sects listed here had sold Snow Palace’s information and received compensation for it.

They were definitely ‘spies.’

However, among those twenty sects, the strongest person was at Body Establishment Boundary level.

Just one person.

This level was manageable.

That’s when it happened.

Juche asked.

“Is this list complete?”

“Yes. At least from what I saw, that list was everything.”

“It wasn’t damaged or anything in between?”

“It’s the ledger exactly as Hyeon Seol-rin received it from the assassin.”

“So it’s the original.”

“Yes.”

Juche, who had been lost in thought while stroking his chin, let out a quiet chuckle.

“But he told you to take this to the Baekryeong-wi?”

“To be precise, he told me to take it to a man named Sim Mun-ryong in the Baekryeong-wi.”

Sim Mun-ryong.

There was no way he wouldn’t know that name.

Wasn’t it the name that had recently helped boost Woon-hwi’s reputation, which had spread throughout the Central Plains through baduk?

“If it’s that scoundrel who became a Divine Transformation Realm warrior through a great match, anyone can see he’ll become Hyeon Seol-rin’s close associate… I can understand it.”

Juche smiled slightly.

“It seems Hyeon Seol-rin has kept ‘that incident from back then’ in his heart.”

Yang Cheol didn’t bother to answer.

It would be more than inappropriate for a mere member to pry into such matters.

That was the discipline of the Baekseol Wiryeong-dan.

“Taking care of his close associates… and showing his uncomfortable feelings toward me… Well, I have nothing to say about this.”

Juche handed the ledger back to Yang Cheol and said.

“Take this to the Baekryeong-wi. And go to Yang-ryeong and tell Hyeon Seol-rin this.”

“I’m listening.”

“Tell him I’ll arrange an opportunity to apologize for the mistake from back then soon.”

Yang Cheol performed the Embracing Fist.

“I obey your command.”

Yang Cheol, who had memorized Juche’s actions, his words, his gestures, everything in his mind, immediately headed to the Baekryeong-wi headquarters.

Then he found a man who was devoted to training there.

Long braided hair.

A body about 6 feet 3 inches tall.

Age in his early to mid-forties.

Huashan First Peak Sim Mun-ryong frowned.

“What’s this?”

“Hyeon Seol-rin told me to deliver this to you.”

“This? That bastard did?”

The warning about his manner of speech was already deeply engraved in his heart.

There was a reason this man was called a scoundrel.

This was his original nature.

“And he also told me to convey this message.”

“What is it?”

“‘Use this ledger to root out other spies within Snow Palace and claim the vacant position of the Twelve Cold Spirits with that achievement.’ He said you would understand if I told you that.”

Sim Mun-ryong chuckled.

“But aren’t you affiliated with that Baekseol Wiryeong-dan or whatever?”

“I only belong there in name; I am a person of Snow Palace.”

“Is that so. I heard you move like assassins, disguise yourselves, and collect information, but your body doesn’t look like an assassin’s body? Why are you so burly?”

“Do I need to explain that as well?”

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