Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 94

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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 94

 

He recalled that young man he had met in Seol-ap. He knew better than anyone.

 

Just how special an existence Seol Woon-hwi was.

 

No, that’s not right.

 

He had set the wrong standard for this specialness.

 

He wasn’t special. He was extraordinary. More than that.

 

“…Even seeing it directly, I didn’t expect it to be to this extent…”

 

Cheon Su-gang examined the game record once more in detail.

 

Wang Mu-ha of the Golden Sword Association… To play such baduk against a master of Heaven-Human Unity.

 

He could say with certainty. This game record would cause a stir throughout the murim.

 

To begin with, there are hardly any among those called martial artists who don’t know baduk.

 

Some enjoy it, and some even kill people with baduk.

 

It’s not for nothing that baduk tournaments are held second most frequently after martial arts competitions.

 

“Branch Leader, should we spread this news to other Beggar Sect branches as well?”

 

“Of course. This isn’t just a simple game record. It’s like a signal announcing the beginning of a new era.”

 

Cheon Su-gang’s eyes deepened.

 

Right now, the man called Seol Woon-hwi was beginning to move the murim.

 

Cheon Su-gang quickly realized what kind of ripple effect this single game record would cause.

 

And at this moment, he recalled the promise he had made with Seol Woon-hwi at the Seol-ap branch office.

 

Formal, future assistance.

 

This was something he absolutely could not ignore.

 

“There may be those who doubt this game record, so emphasize that I stake my name on guaranteeing its authenticity.”

 

“…Yes. I understand.”

 

No matter how much the Golden Sword Association vouched for its truth, others might still doubt it.

 

If Cheon Su-gang, who was conveying this game record, vouched for it once more, and if someone among those receiving this game record vouched for it again.

 

There would be no one left to doubt it.

 

That single game record was distributed throughout the entire murim in an instant.

 

* * *

 

Time passed.

 

In the main palace of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace, Seol Jung-cheon quietly read through the game record.

 

The movements of the white and black stones seemed alive.

 

These were not simple stones.

 

It was a battlefield where one person’s life and will, and conflicting enlightenments bound each other.

 

A smile appeared on Seol Jung-cheon’s lips.

 

“Indeed… a genius is a genius.”

 

He recalled the baduk game he had played with Woon-hwi.

 

Woon-hwi’s baduk skills had no room for growth.

 

It would be stranger if he grew any further.

 

He was already complete.

 

The world he looked upon was vast and ever vaster.

 

His way of placing stones was unique, but those moves were undoubtedly close to perfection.

 

Seol Jung-cheon was surprised that Woon-hwi could make such moves, but what was even more surprising was something else.

 

The fact that this game record was Woon-hwi’s next move.

 

He chuckled softly.

 

“No matter who it is in the Martial Alliance, they won’t be able to easily counter this move. To move the murim with baduk… He truly is my son.”

 

Seol Jung-cheon understood at a glance.

 

There must be a reason why Woon-hwi went to the trouble of creating and distributing a game record.

 

And if there was such a reason, there was only one.

 

Woon-hwi had once said this.

 

-The Martial Alliance will bow their heads and come in on their own, the Four Heaven Alliance will beg to be spared, and the Original Blood Sect will extend their hand before long.

 

Haha…

 

Hahahahahahahaha.

 

Seol Jung-cheon burst into laughter.

 

This is driving me crazy.

 

To think he would be this reliable.

 

Really…

 

It was amazing.

 

Then he suddenly became curious.

 

Would those idiots in the Martial Alliance be able to grasp the true meaning of this move?

 

* * *

 

At the Martial Alliance Main Headquarters, Wang Mu-ha looked at two men with a composed posture.

 

One of the two men was smiling as if he found it interesting, while the other wore an expression of disbelief as if he found it hard to believe.

 

They were Gun Mu-gyeol and Zhuge Yeong-hyeon respectively.

 

Zhuge Yeong-hyeon asked.

 

“…Is it true that you were defeated?”

 

To Zhuge Yeong-hyeon’s voice full of disbelief, Wang Mu-ha answered firmly.

 

“That’s correct.”

 

Wang Mu-ha, called the eccentric of Sangcheol Pavilion.

 

His baduk skills were beyond excellent, possessing top-level ability with not many rivals.

 

That such a person had lost to a young man not even twenty years old was hard to accept.

 

Wang Mu-ha quietly continued speaking.

 

“It was a betting game. I put forward three conditions. Withdrawal from Yang-ryeong, prohibition from advancing to the Central Plains outskirts, and an apology from the Snow Palace Lord. He accepted them all.”

 

“…He’s merely the youngest among the Polar Descendants and nothing but an illegitimate son. Even if he accepted those terms, would they have been properly carried out?”

 

“Whether they were carried out or not, such things weren’t important.”

 

At Wang Mu-ha’s words, Zhuge Yeong-hyeon closed his mouth.

 

“Vice Alliance Leader, a man of your caliber should know. What was most important in that situation was justification.”

 

It wasn’t wrong.

 

In the situation Zhuge Yeong-hyeon had created, justification was very important.

 

Wang Mu-ha slowly continued speaking.

 

“The Polar Descendants made a promise. If he had failed to keep that promise, the Snow Palace’s prestige would have fallen to the ground, and the Snow Palace would have been criticized throughout the Central Plains. Wasn’t that rather what you wanted?”

 

“…”

 

“In restraining the Snow Palace, I could understand sacrificing Su Gwang-ho, a member of Sangcheol Pavilion. He was one who had committed an ‘unforgivable sin.’ What was permitted to him was either to die honorably for a cause or to die miserably by execution – one of the two, and I have no complaints about that part.”

 

Wang Mu-ha’s deep eyes gazed at the two men.

 

“No matter how peaceful the times, threats lurk everywhere in this current world. In such a world, my judgment was that many leaders aren’t needed, so I agreed to your strategy. And you gave me full authority, and having received that full authority, I made my judgment there as the defeated party and as one who received grace. Do you have complaints?”

 

Zhuge Yeong-hyeon, with his pale expression, couldn’t answer.

 

Right now in the murim, all sorts of rumors were circulating.

 

-There is a genius in the Snow Palace.

 

-Just by playing Go, one can raise their realm.

 

-Even Wang Mu-ha of Heaven-Human Unity was defeated by him with a nine and a half stone handicap.

 

-Sim Mun-ryong of the Body Establishment Boundary, famous for Huashan First Peak, ascended to the Divine Transformation Realm through a game with him and declared that anyone who antagonizes him would become mortal enemies with Sim Mun-ryong.

 

Gun Mu-gyeol watched this situation with a small smile throughout. Since he hadn’t orchestrated this game, he could observe the situation even more coldly.

 

“I heard you gained enlightenment. Is that correct?”

 

“Yes. That’s correct.”

 

Wang Mu-ha’s tone had become heavier, different from when he dealt with Zhuge Yeong-hyeon, and his words flowed without hesitation.

 

Well now.

 

“A master of Heaven-Human Unity gained enlightenment toward Limitless Divine Manifestation through a game with a warrior of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown…? Even seeing it, I can hardly believe it.”

 

“Do you think I’m lying to you, Alliance Leader?”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol shook his head. Even from his perspective, it was clear that Wang Mu-ha had gained enlightenment.

 

There are things that only those standing at the edge of Great Void Formless can know. Wang Mu-ha’s aura had changed, and his gaze had deepened.

 

“What was Seol Woon-hwi like when you saw him?”

 

“He was a genius of the ages.”

 

It was an answer without a moment’s hesitation.

 

Gun Mu-gyeol smiled faintly.

 

He agreed with those words.

 

Moreover, from his perspective, this game was Seol Woon-hwi’s perfect victory.

 

What is the essence of Murim?

 

It’s certainly a world where strength is most important. That cannot be denied. But that’s not the essence. The essence of Murim is a complex network of relationships entangled with connections and grudges. Even the Martial Alliance cannot be free from that.

 

In such circumstances, the game with Wang Mu-ha had meaning beyond simple victory or defeat. Moreover, that game record had spread throughout all of Murim. Even at this very moment, countless renowned figures were flocking to Yang-ryeong.

 

The most surprising thing was that people were actually gaining enlightenment. During the two weeks Wang Mu-ha took to come to the main alliance, among the dozens of renowned figures who visited Yang-ryeong, three achieved breakthroughs in their realms. All of them were even affiliated with the Martial Alliance.

 

“Transforming a battle of strength into a field of enlightenment… Remarkable…”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol’s gaze deepened.

 

This was like when an opponent tries to aggressively expand territory in Go, suddenly creating a completely new situation on the opposite side.

 

Now in Murim, they were actually criticizing the Martial Alliance instead.

 

-How could they try to kill such a talent?

 

-How many beings exist in this world who can elevate one’s realm just by playing Go? No, have there ever been any?

 

-How could they try to cast out a genius among geniuses who defeated even Wang Mu-ha of the Golden Sword Association and made the scoundrel Sim Mun-ryong mature?

 

-He’s like a treasure to warriors, so what exactly was this conflict started to achieve?

 

It was tremendous.

 

No wonder Zhuge Yeong-hyeon beside him had such a pale face.

 

His schemes were numerous.

 

Beyond binding and pressuring Seol Jung-cheon, he had tried to damage the Snow Palace’s value.

 

All those moves had been overturned.

 

No, beyond being overturned, he couldn’t even attempt them anymore.

 

The moment when the opponent’s existing strategy becomes completely meaningless, the moment when one can’t figure out what move to make next.

 

The moment when the word ‘defeat’ descends before one’s eyes at an unexpected time.

 

Sometimes in games, such stones appear.

 

“Not simply winning, but a move that changes the essence of the game…”

 

A gleam flashed in Gun Mu-gyeol’s eyes.

 

“…A divine move indeed.”

 

I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen one.

 

Whether by luck or not, anyone who can make such a move will leave their name in Murim one way or another.

 

From Gun Mu-gyeol’s perspective, this was a thoroughly calculated move.

 

A bitter laugh escaped him.

 

“This is why they say Go is frightening.”

 

Wang Mu-ha picked up on those words.

 

“You’re absolutely right, Alliance Leader. Though I’ve played countless games until now, this was the first time I was so completely dominated.”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol slowly rose from his seat.

 

“Go is truly mysterious. All the heroes and great figures under heaven love Go. Why is that?”

 

“That’s…”

 

Wang Mu-ha tried to continue, but Gun Mu-gyeol raised his hand to stop him.

 

“Tell me what Seol Woon-hwi said to you. About why Go is good.”

 

“…He said Go is a fight that can be fought person to person. Regardless of what realm the opponent is in, whether they’re a warrior or not, a scholar or a king, it’s good because it’s a way to fight equally on equal footing.”

 

“Indeed…”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol’s gaze deepened.

 

“So that’s why you gained enlightenment. You realized not simply the Way of Go, but the principles of all under heaven.”

 

Zhuge Yeong-hyeon still shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it.

 

“But Alliance Leader… this must surely be a trap. It’s impossible to raise one’s realm through Go. They must be bribed individuals. No, even if that’s true, we can just bribe them ourselves…”

 

“Vice Alliance Leader.”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol’s gaze instantly turned cold. Zhuge Yeong-hyeon flinched.

 

“You’re crossing the line.”

 

“…That is…”

 

“A warrior’s enlightenment is sacred. Those who tarnish it should receive appropriate punishment, yet aren’t you the Vice Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance? How can someone in such a position try to tarnish the sacredness of being a warrior?”

 

“…I misspoke… I apologize.”

 

“Since I cannot be unaware that your emotions are stirred, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it this time.”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol looked up at the sky.

 

“What a truly promising genius for the future.”

 

Gun Mu-gyeol’s appearance as he spoke and smiled gently was that of a gentleman itself, but his inner thoughts were different.

 

Because the future was truly promising.

 

‘I’ll have to kill him as soon as possible.’

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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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