Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 379

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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 379
Cheon Su-gang, who had been grinning broadly, tossed out his words casually.
“How have matters been settled with our Sect Leader?”
There had been friction between himself and Hye Jung-san, the Sect Leader of the Beggar Sect, during his time in the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance—nothing unusual about that.
But this was Cheon Su-gang.
A man of sufficient caliber to oversee the Main Branch would hardly bring up only that.
“The Grand Elder of the Original Blood Sect completely devastated the Beggar Sect.”
“There must have been sufficient reason for that.”
“Heh heh….”
“Senior Cheon, I wish to ask you one thing.”
“Go ahead.”
“I believe there exists a certain connection between you and me.”
“Indeed.”
“Then is that connection between Cheon Su-gang, a man belonging to the Beggar Sect, and Seol Woon-hwi, a man belonging to the Eternal Snow Palace? Or is it between a man who bears the name Cheon Su-gang and a man who bears the name Seol Woon-hwi?”
Cheon Su-gang’s eyes gleamed.
An organization does not precede the individual. The individual precedes the organization.
Though some thought otherwise, Cheon Su-gang recognized in this moment that his values and Seol Woon-hwi’s were aligned.
“Surely the latter, wouldn’t you say?”
“I agree entirely.”
Seol Woon-hwi sought to protect the Snow Palace through his own free will, just as Cheon Su-gang entered the Beggar Sect and protected it through his own free will.
“Still, since you seem curious, I’ll tell you—on the surface, matters with Sect Leader Hye have been settled.”
“On the surface?”
“Yes. How I move forward will ultimately depend on Sect Leader Hye’s choices.”
“If Sect Leader Hye strikes at you from behind?”
“Then I too must strike at Sect Leader Hye from behind.”
“If the opposite?”
“I will adapt accordingly.”
“…You’ve already reached a conclusion in your mind about how to act. A concrete one at that.”
“Something like that.”
Cheon Su-gang released a deep sigh.
“I hope you won’t come to blows with the Beggar Sect… but who knows, when that time comes… phew….”
Seol Woon-hwi, regarding the visibly troubled Cheon Su-gang with a serene expression, smiled gently.
“Senior Cheon.”
“Hmm?”
“If you dwell only on distant futures, you risk neglecting the present.”
“….”
“So wouldn’t it be better if we both focused only on what lies before us now?”
Cheon Su-gang, scratching his head vigorously, released another sigh.
“Very well, let’s do that. But it doesn’t seem like you came merely to exchange pleasantries—what brings you here?”
“I need your help.”
“Help?”
“The Hwan-myeong Group has infiltrated Geonkon Castle.”
Cheon Su-gang’s expression turned puzzled.
“…The Hwan-myeong Group?”
“Yes.”
“…What is that?”
There was nothing surprising about it.
Had everyone known the name of the organization called the Hwan-myeong Group, war would never have erupted in the future, and they wouldn’t have been so shocked when I uttered their motto.
I explained to Cheon Su-gang everything I knew about the Hwan-myeong Group.
After hearing the entire explanation, Cheon Su-gang’s jaw dropped.
“Such…an organization worse than the dregs of humanity…exists?”
“It does.”
“…I know you’re not one to speak nonsense when it comes to information, but this is difficult to believe.”
“Difficult as it may be to believe, they have already revealed themselves.”
Cheon Su-gang furrowed his brow in thought for a moment.
“…Could it be that the assassination of the former Provincial Governor…?”
“Correct. For them, there was no reason to act so drastically, but circumstances have changed.”
Things had truly changed greatly.
In my previous life, the Hwan-myeong Group never established a foothold in Yang-ryeong.
But this time, it was different.
The reason, as mentioned before, was due to No Cheon-myeong, a master of Heaven-Human Unity, and Seol Woon-hwi of the Eternal Snow Palace.
Because of these two men, no force dared to even glance at Yang-ryeong. But the moment I left for the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance, a vacuum formed, and the Hwan-myeong Group seized that opportunity.
By their calculations, I would not return from the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.
By any measure, that was correct.
With the position of Cheon Ui Jung-jeong, I wielded absolute power, and the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance became one of the three great forces of the Central Plains.
There were two things the Hwan-myeong Group overlooked.
First, I, who had already established myself under the name Cheon Ui Jung-jeong, returned to Yang-ryeong in merely half a year.
Second, it was due to the existence of Han Seok-hyeon, whom I had planted in Yang-ryeong.
From the moment I first saw him, I felt it. An unpolished gem.
That gem had detected the existence of the Hwan-myeong Group.
Their plan was to infiltrate and naturally blend in, but with the situation overturned from the start and my return to Yang-ryeong becoming a foregone conclusion.
Consequently, the exposure of the Hwan-myeong Group’s name became inevitable.
In that case, they had no choice.
Being those bound together by malice, they would have judged that something had to be done, and since Song Hak of Geonkon Castle, which was close to Yang-ryeong, was on his last legs, they made their move.
Cheon Su-gang stroked his chin.
“…So, what kind of help do you need?”
“I intend to capture all members of the Hwan-myeong Group in Geonkon Castle.”
“…I apologize, but if they are that secretive, capturing them would not be easy, and identifying them would be difficult. Is there any help I could provide?”
There was.
That was precisely why I had come here.
“Among the martial artists who have entered Geonkon Castle recently, how many are disciples of annihilated sects or members of destroyed families?”
Cheon Su-gang’s eyes widened.
“…You wouldn’t be thinking…?”
“Senior Cheon, you would know everything about this Geonkon Castle. You’ve surely positioned Beggar Sect members in appropriate locations and collected information on all martial artists passing through here.”
“….”
“Am I wrong?”
“You’re right, but… you’re going to narrow it down like that?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… Well… there would be quite a lot of them….”
I gazed silently at Cheon Su-gang.
Tsk.
Cheon Su-gang clicked his tongue lightly and asked me.
“How much time?”
“A maximum of two weeks.”
“Hmm… Wait a moment.”
With those words, Cheon Su-gang opened the door and called in several Beggar Sect members, instructing them.
“Within two weeks, compile a list of all those who entered Geonkon Castle and are from annihilated sects or destroyed families.”
The Beggar Sect members’ eyes widened.
“That… you want all of them?”
“All of them.”
“…Understood!”
“It’s urgent, so hurry.”
“Yes!”
The Beggar Sect members rushed out, and after about half an hour, roughly ten of them returned.
They carried thick lists in their hands.
Cheon Su-gang frowned.
“…How many?”
“A total of 273 people.”
“…There are that many?”
“Geonkon Castle is the largest fortress city in the Yang Empire, and… when we compiled everyone as you instructed… this is what we got.”
Another Beggar Sect member added.
“And… there are more annihilated sects and families than we expected.”
Cheon Su-gang sighed and gestured, whereupon the Beggar Sect members began spreading the lists across the office floor.
Cheon Su-gang looked at me.
“It would take considerable time to review all of them. Are you sure about this?”
“I don’t intend to review all of them.”
“Hmm?”
“I intend to narrow it down.”
“…How?”
I spoke quietly.
“Senior Cheon Su-gang.”
“Speak.”
“Please exclude those who have been absorbed into other sects or factions from this list.”
“…Absorbed into other sects?”
“Yes. If someone has found a new affiliation, there would be no reason for them to join the Hwan-myeong Group.”
Cheon Su-gang nodded in agreement.
“A fair point.”
At Cheon Su-gang’s gesture, the Beggar Sect members sprang into action.
They were clearly accustomed to working under Cheon Su-gang, so they were quick to pick up on nuances and swift in their movements.
They were even reasonably intelligent.
They began cross-referencing the lists with one another.
“This one joined the Woon Sword School….”
“This one became an outer disciple of the Gang-jin School….”
“This one works as a laborer for the Won-ryeong Sword School….”
Names were struck from the list one by one.
After another half-gak had passed, a Beggar Sect member spoke.
“…One hundred thirty-two remain.”
I spoke again.
“Please exclude those who still have family or connections.”
“…Family?”
“Yes. Those with something to protect cannot undertake missions that demand their lives.”
Cheon Su-gang nodded.
“If the Hwan-myeong Group’s purpose is war, as you say… then you want only those who have lost everything.”
“Precisely.”
Cheon Su-gang exclaimed in admiration and urged his disciples onward.
“Did you hear? Find those with no connections.”
The Beggar Sect members resumed their examination of the lists.
“This one has a wife and children.”
“This one has a surviving cousin.”
“This one still has a master….”
Names were crossed out in succession.
“Fifty-eight remain.”
Nearly half had been eliminated.
After a moment of thought, I spoke once more.
“In the past one to two years, have there been incidents where officials died in other regions?”
Cheon Su-gang tilted his head in confusion.
“As you well know, the Imperial Court is far more cutthroat than the Murim. Officials dying is… frankly, quite common.”
“That is not what I meant to ask.”
“Hmm?”
“I am asking about incidents where someone connected to one nation killed an official of another nation.”
Cheon Su-gang, who had been retracing his memories, slowly opened his mouth.
“If I recall correctly, two years ago an official was assassinated in Nam-yang Province, and a year ago a merchant from an enemy nation was killed in Seo-ju City. And….”
Cheon Su-gang continued.
“Two months ago, near the Wol Kingdom border, a martial artist from the Yang Empire even killed a Wol Kingdom general.”
Seol Woon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
“Check the entry records from that time as well.”
“…What are you looking for?”
“Traces.”
Cheon Su-gang’s eyes widened.
“…Surely you don’t mean…?”
“Is it difficult?”
Cheon Su-gang shook his head and looked at the Beggar Sect members.
The exhausted men, as if sensing what was about to come from Cheon Su-gang’s mouth, all let out identical sighs.
Sure enough, Cheon Su-gang issued his command.
“Bring records from Nam-yang Province, Seo-ju City, and the Wol Kingdom border—check if anyone’s movements match those times.”
“…Yes.”
The Beggar Sect members who had gone outside returned after another half-gak had passed. Their hands carried yet more lists—they had clearly ransacked the warehouse.
This was the Main Branch.
Information from all Beggar Sect branches across the nation flowed into the Main Branch here, and the Main Branches shared intelligence with one another.
Gazing at the dust-laden lists, Cheon Su-gang gestured with his eyes.
“You understand. What must be done.”
“…Yes.”
Though they would obey the order, no one truly believed they would find any overlap.
The distances were far too great, and the same person present at the same locations during different incidents?
Especially people from sects and families they had annihilated?
It made no sense.
Yet, one Beggar Sect member’s finger suddenly froze.
“…This name.”
“A name?”
“Ha Mu-baek from the Sohwa Sword School… he was present during the Nam-yang Province incident as well.”
“…He really was there?”

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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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