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Chapter 368. Invisible Undercurrent (8)
The heavy atmosphere from the start seemed to have blown away with the scent of wine, and the students gathered at the Pine Blossom Pavilion began drinking raucously.
As time passed, the mood climbed higher and higher.
When someone sang, others joined in. When someone cracked a joke, it was met in kind.
The drinking went on far longer than I'd expected.
I'd thought they'd pay their respects, sink into grief, then trudge home with slumped shoulders and exhausted faces.
Е n̈u ḿ ä . іd̊
"Kahahaha! More drinks! Bring more drinks! The most expensive ones!"
"They say the Taeul Sect merchant guild's been killing it lately, right? Bring out every dish you've got!"
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These bastards had clearly come with a plan—eating and drinking like absolute fiends.
'Shit......'
And as time wore on, the mood only grew wilder.
People who'd been sitting grouped by sect and faction began mixing together freely.
W е̃b ñ о v е́l̊ Е̌ n̆um̈а̄
Someone from the Twelve Peak Citadels shared a cup with someone who'd belonged to the Righteous Path Association.
An Orthodox Path Association member played a prank on one of the Twelve Peak Citadels' people.
"Hey...... when did you all get this close?"
Finding the atmosphere strange, I looked at Eun-ho sitting beside me.
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"We used to get together by company within the Academy from time to time."
"Hm?"
Е nu ṁ а ..і d̃
What?
A thoroughly baffling answer.
Just as I was about to ask again—
"Fifth Captain!!"
Wi Rip-gun and Jong Chu-ak grabbed Eun-ho under both arms and hoisted him into the air.
"Well now......! A Captain, and you're just sitting here? That's dereliction of duty, sir!! Your soldiers are all waiting for you!"
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What...... is going on?
"Let's go, let's go!"
"Let's gooo!!"
Amid the clamor, Eun-ho, dangling helplessly in mid-air, shook his head as if resigning himself.
"I suppose I should go. Don't drink too much, Senior Brother."
"......"
Е_n ù mа. і̊ d̊
I couldn't tell if he was being dragged away or going willingly, but...... Eun-ho was gone.
Then Geum-pyo, Dong-ryong, Murong Jae-hwa, and Eun Seol-ran left too, and barely anyone remained at my table.
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That was fine, though.
"We can finally have a nice, intimate conversation among ourselves."
After all, it was hard to have a serious talk with Namgung Seon-hwa or Seong Mo-ran when the younger ones were around......
"What makes you think I'd still be here?"
Ӗ n ů m á
......What now?
Namgung Seon-hwa, who was always sweet and kind—who even put up with Dang Seo-hui's antics—was glaring at me with an oddly frigid look in her eyes.
"Um, did I do something wrong?"
The moment I asked, Namgung Seon-hwa began to flounder.
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"......I-I wouldn't exactly call it wrong, but...... I can't say for certain it isn't, either......"
"If you tell me what I did wrong, I'll correct—"
Е n ú m̌ а. і d̂
"A-anyway, if you think I'll always be by your side, Young Lord Jin, you're sorely mistaken!! Do you understand?!"
Namgung Seon-hwa's expression flipped back to frigid in an instant.
She shot to her feet with an audible scrape of her chair, then marched off to where her unit members were calling for her.
My head was starting to hurt at this point.
"Lady Seong...... did I perhaps......"
"I'm disappointed."
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"I'm sorry? About what?"
"......"
Seong Mo-ran fled the table without even finishing her sentence.
Even I knew I was clueless about women's hearts, but this was a bit much, wasn't it?
I turned to look at Sa-ryeon—
"Senior Brother...... haven't I always told you to watch your conduct?"
Еn úm а .і̄ d
"......And what conduct is that, exactly?"
"You know what I mean."
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Sa-ryeon said that much, then stood and left just as abruptly.
"No, what the hell is 'you know what I mean'......"
Not a single person who could explain anything to me remained.
Looking around, I noticed the students had gathered by Life-or-Death Unit company.
En̂ u.mа̃
Perhaps the drinks had hit a bit too hard—everyone's voices had gone up, and whether I wanted to or not, I could hear every word of their debates.
Curious, I looked to see what they were so engrossed in.
......They were locked in a heated argument over whether their Captain was a bigger moron or their Captain was a bigger moron.
The mood was quite serious.
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It looked like swords might come out at any moment.
Maybe I should break it up—
E nüma
"Hold on...... hold on...... we're never going to settle this, so, hmm...... fine! Let's just agree the Unit Leader's the biggest moron!"
Shit, I was just sitting here minding my own business.
Some random idiot had attempted mediation with utterly nonsensical logic.
When someone says something that stupid out of nowhere, the group usually beats them senseless. Just as I was about to pray for the fool's soul—
"OHHH!!"
The tension that had been stretched taut suddenly snapped, and agreement flooded in from every direction.
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"Deal!"
"Sounds right!"
"A just conclusion!"
"Are you a genius?!"
Are they fucking with me?
"......"
Еnǔm̃ ӓ
On the fifth floor, an actual fight had broken out. The combined assault of the Wudang Sect, the Murong Clan, and the Bamboo String Gang was a thing of beauty.
Had the members of Gwak Su-san's Fourth Company been coordinating their moves even after returning from the Black Forest?
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'So damn loud.'
Ever since my inner arts had risen and my senses had sharpened, I'd made a habit of dampening my perceptions in daily life, so it usually didn't bother me. But on a night like this, when I'd drunk too much, the dampening failed and all sorts of noise came flooding in.
'Hah......'
I could hear not just the students, but conversations from the first and second floors and the floors above as well. Sitting inside had become suffocating.
W е b̊ńôvе.l .Е̂n̊ ü m̀ӓ
I headed toward the back of the hall to get some air, but students kept stopping me.
"Unit Leader, where are you off to?"
"Getting some air."
"What, not having fun?"
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"I said I'm getting air, you idiot."
"What kind of air is worth getting? Come here. Have a drink."
Еň ú m̂а
True enough—moping alone outside was a bit pathetic.
I was about to relent and turn toward them when I caught another student whispering.
......Whispering rather loudly, all things considered.
"Hey! It gets awkward when the Unit Leader's here, so why'd you grab him?! Just let him go......!"
"Oh, is that why you didn't invite him?"
"Yeah! Our primary enemy is our superior, isn't it?!"
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Shit, so that's why there was nobody around me.
I was being frozen out?
Why?
I had absolutely zero personality flaws. I was even buying them drinks this generously.
Where in the world would you find a better superior? Besides, I wasn't even their actual superior. Damn it.
Not wanting to see the guy who'd called me over squirm in embarrassment, I shook my head.
Ẅ ё b̆ n.о̊v̂ él Е̌n û m̀ а̂
"Forget it. I'll get some air and come back, so keep your wits about you."
"Heh heh heh. Take your time. Once these lot get a bit more drunk, they won't know superior from comrade."
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I left his playful grin behind and headed for the garden.
The Pine Blossom Pavilion was famous for both its grand drinking hall and the expansive garden spread across the rear courtyard.
Drinking inside the Pine Blossom Pavilion was expensive enough, but drinking in the pavilion alcoves dotted throughout this garden cost several times more.
Still, the walking paths along the pond were far enough from the alcoves that strolling through the garden was unrestricted.
W е b̃n̆о v_е l Ӗ_n̄u mã
I passed a few drunks rolling around on the ground and ventured deeper into the garden, where a serene, quiet space opened up.
Watching the fish gliding through the pond and the stars glittering overhead, the clutter in my head cleared a little.
But not entirely.
Despite the distance, each alcove was packed with drunken revelers.
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"......Oh my, you really shouldn't do that here......"
"......I've already spoken with the merchant guild, so they'll certainly select us......"
W̄ е̂ b̌ n̆ ö v̂ е̃l Еnú m a
"I'll have my revenge...... on the one who abandoned......"
I could have purged the alcohol and shut down my senses entirely, but I decided to endure it.
I was planning to go back inside and drink more anyway.
I tried to ignore the noise and count the glittering stars instead.
"Sect Leader."
Then a sound I couldn't simply let pass reached me.
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"I've heard that Student Geum Tae-jong has been designated an honored contributor."
It came from the most secluded alcove at the far end of the garden.
My gaze drifted involuntarily toward it.
Through the flickering candlelight, three or four men in elaborate robes sat together. In their midst, a man in a threadbare martial arts uniform was quietly tipping back his cup.
"I hesitate to say this, but congratulations."
At the ornately robed man's words, the one in the worn uniform savored his drink slowly, as though appreciating the bouquet.
Ẁ ē.bǹo̊ v.е l̈ E n̆ ů mа
When he set the cup down, a small smile clung to his lips.
"Thank you. I hadn't expected things to work out this well."
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At Song Ju-saeng's words, the others around him mirrored his smile.
"I hear the bereaved family compensation has been set at a considerable amount."
"All because the instructors made themselves look so utterly incompetent."
"The compensation will be forwarded to the sect, I trust?"
Е̄ n̈ u m̄ а̂..і́d̆
Song Ju-saeng took another cup and drifted into thought for a moment, then raised his head.
"That boy Geum Tae-jong treated the One Learning Sect like his own home. And we considered him our own child. I'm certain he'd think of us as more family than his actual family."
The men in fine robes exchanged meaningful glances.
"But the compensation...... what does that matter? The real prize is something else entirely. I'd appreciate it if you gentlemen would lend your support when it comes time to select the next One Hundred Eight Peaks."
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"Hmm...... isn't Heavenly Eye Manor still an obstacle? Everyone knows they want a seat among the Peaks too."
"That problem will be resolved shortly."
W е b́ ńô ṽёl̃ E n̆ um̌ a
"Resolved, you say?"
"A disciple of our sect has died. What stronger justification exists in the martial world right now than the grief of Academy students' bereaved families?"
"Heh heh, a blessing in disguise."
"Indeed. A blessing in disguise...... a blessing in disguise, ha ha ha!"
The threadbare uniform somehow stood out more than any of the others' silk robes.
Probably because it had been washed so many times the color had completely faded.
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"Haaah......"
The fury that had been boiling in my chest went ice-cold.
Would I feel better if I stormed in right now and crippled Song Ju-saeng?
Or would that only hand him yet another justification?
A man who exploited his own disciple's death certainly wouldn't hesitate to exploit his own injuries.
I halted the flood of thoughts cascading through my mind.
W.éb n оv̆ѐ l̇ Е ṅ u̇ ḿ а́
What did it matter?
No action I took would bring Geum Tae-jong back.
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But.
'I can't stomach watching people who profit off others' deaths live fat and happy.'
WHOOSH—
My uniform billowed violently as it swelled outward.
Е̃ n ǔm а̃ . і̄d
The pungent fragrance of alcohol stung my nostrils.
Once the alcohol was purged, my head cleared at once.
I didn't mourn the wasted drinks.
It seemed I wouldn't be drinking any more tonight.
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I left the Pine Blossom Pavilion and headed straight for the Murim Alliance.
***
Е́n üm̃а . іd
"......Gack!"
Maeng Ju-won, who'd been slumped over his desk asleep, jolted upright in alarm.
Realizing he'd been dozing, he hurriedly checked his documents—worried that the reports he'd painstakingly prepared might have been ruined by drool.
"Phew...... thank heavens......"
It hadn't been long since the Sichuan affair ended, yet now the Black Forest incident had exploded, and Mantongbu's personnel were being ground to dust.
They'd even had to have the Heavenly Eye Pavilion track down employees who'd attempted to desert mid-task.
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There'd been an occasion where a deserter, raving that he'd report them to the Inspection Office and the Execution Pavilion, was calmed down with the words 'That would just mean even more work for you, you know?'
They were at the absolute limit of their absolute limit.
The one silver lining was that the Murim Academy's graduation was imminent.
And according to Jegal So-myeong, there were a full three or four students worth bringing into Mantongbu......
This was the sole hope and driving force keeping Mantongbu's staff going.
"Jin So-un can be put to work immediately, and the others—I'll just tell Jin So-un to train them......"
Е̇ṅ um̆ а́. і̇ ḋ
A grin crept across his face unbidden.
Just a little more. Just hold on a little more.
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Then this hellish life at Mantongbu would ease up, at least somewhat.
Jin So-un and his classmates would be ground to the bone, but...... well, they say suffering in youth is bought even with gold.
Brainwashing himself with that thought, he picked up the next document.
"Hm? What's this?"
Eń ú m â
Buried in the stack were two unfamiliar documents.
The first was a plan for compensating the bereaved families of the students killed in the Black Forest.
It proposed that since compensation routed through the students' sects risked being siphoned off, it should be delivered directly to the families—along with a clearly outlined method.
Following this plan, it would indeed be possible to ensure proper compensation reached the families without any sect involvement.
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The second was a piece of intelligence from the Heavenly Eye Pavilion.
Despite the Murim Alliance's explicit prohibition against framing people in connection with the Black Forest incident for alleged sorcery, it reported that someone within the fallen students' sects was attempting to do exactly that.
Е̌ ṅú mӑ .і̆d̀
"One Learning Sect......"
Come to think of it—he couldn't recall exactly, but hadn't the One Learning Sect exhibited suspicious activity during the Sichuan affair too?
He'd thought they'd quieted down once the Alliance Leader's Decree was issued...... were they stirring again?
After reviewing both documents, Maeng Ju-won tilted his head with a vague sense of unease.
"Setting the intelligence aside...... when was this compensation plan even drafted?"
In truth, since it was something he himself had been mulling over for some time, its contents caught his eye all the more.
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The problem was that he had no memory of creating such a document.
"Hmm......"
He examined it again.
The problem identification and its solution were designed with flawless precision.
It was a document that simply couldn't have been produced without thorough mastery of Mantongbu's operations.
After scrutinizing it carefully for a long while—
We b̂ n̄_оvе l Ёń u̇ṁ а̌
"Ah!"
He let out a small gasp of realization.
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"I...... must have made this myself."
To think he could now produce documents this perfect even in his sleep.
Maeng Ju-won marveled once again at his own abilities.
"I'll just proceed with this as-is."
Е̌ n.ûmâ . іd
He stamped both documents with the Department Head's final-approval seal, processing them swiftly.
"Snff...... snff...... who the hell's been drinking on the job?"
He wrinkled his nose at the faint scent of alcohol permeating his office, but soon shrugged it off.
"Well, the workload's long past what anyone could handle sober. Maybe I should have a drink while I'm at it."
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Dozens of documents still remained on his desk, and their volume was hardly manageable without a drink, either.
***
Ëǹum̃_а̄ .і̃ d
By the time I finished hastily drafting the documents and slipped out of Mantongbu, the sky was beginning to lighten.
Stars still filled the sky, yet the dawn creeping over the horizon stirred a strange sentiment.
"Of all times, this scenery had to show up now."
Perhaps what I'd done was something Geum Tae-jong would never have wanted.
Maybe he truly had thought of the One Learning Sect as family, and maybe he'd wanted the sect's rise above all else.
But.
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My fist clenched involuntarily.
Song Ju-saeng had made Geum Tae-jong's death into something cheap.
Blinded by his own greed, he'd discarded a disciple's dignity.
No matter how deeply Geum Tae-jong may have wished for his sect's prosperity, I couldn't let that slide.
Even if the ceaseless parade of deaths would someday make the weight of a life feel lighter, I wasn't ready for that yet.
I refused to be ready for that yet.
E n úm̂ а̀ .і̀d
Leaving the Mantongbu building and passing the various pavilion structures along the way—
SQUIRM—
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On one side of the training ground was a small, huddled shape.
Thinking it was a wild animal, I approached—then let out a quiet sigh.
"......"
The shape was Geum Tae-seon, curled up.
Wе̊ b̆ n o v е l Ĕǹ u m̆ ӑ
Her clothes, even dirtier than the last time I'd seen her, had now lost even their once-bright colors.
Perhaps because of my footsteps, Geum Tae-seon rubbed her eyes and sat up.
"......Mister?"
"What are you doing out here?"
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Among the many stains on her face, the tear tracks stood out most.
"......"
Е̄ n ǔ m̃ а.і̃ d̊
The child still wore the same pouty expression as the last time I'd seen her.
"Mama said I can't play with big brother. But big brother promised he'd play with me......"
"......"
"Everyone's mean! Mama's mean, Papa's mean, the Sect Leader mister is mean! Big brother, big brother always keeps his promises, but everyone keeps saying he won't keep this one......"
Had it been easier for them to tell her that her brother was a bad person than to tell her he was dead?
Whatever story they told, the memory would fade with time either way. So they must have judged that a small disappointment was better than a devastating loss.
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I gently stroked her hair.
"......I see."
"Everyone's mean. Nobody keeps their promises! Warrior uncle is mean too! You promised to find big brother and you didn't!"
But I, too, had no choice but to make the same cowardly decision they had.
Even if a deep wound heals with time, the scar on a child's heart lasts far longer.
And as it happened, I still had the Hongga candied fruits Dang Seo-hui liked in my pocket.
Ẅ еb_n̄ о vе l̆ Ӗň ù m̆ а̌
"Want some candied fruit?"
"......No!"
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She whipped her small body around, and from behind her came a loud gurgle.
"These are really good. A certain...... little squirt I know loves them."
"......"
After a moment's hesitation, Geum Tae-seon slowly turned back and took the candied fruit in her hand.
Еnũm̊а̊_. і́d́
Then she began munching on it.
"Is it good?"
"......No! It's gross."
The child set the candied fruit down for a moment, as if to prove her point to me—then, drawn right back by the taste, popped it into her mouth again.
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"Eat as much as you want."
"......Can I really eat all of them?"
É ńû m а
"Yes."
"......For real?"
"Yes."
Still pouting, the child took an enormous bite of candied fruit.
"You'll keep this promise, right?"
"......I will."
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The not-yet-dried tear tracks on her face were faintly visible.
As the dawn slowly rose and its light touched those tracks, they grew more vivid by the moment.
I gently stroked Geum Tae-seon's head as she counted the pieces of candied fruit again and again—"One, two, three......"—as if trying to commit the number to memory.
"You don't have to count them."
"......There are more than ten, though?"
"This big brother might not know much else, but his memory is absurdly good. So don't worry and just eat."
Е̌nu m̆ а
Geum Tae-seon's face reddened slightly, as though embarrassed, and she turned to gaze at the rising dawn.
In time, both today's candied fruit and today's sorrow would scatter and fade for Tae-seon.
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As the grown-ups had hoped, the blurring memories would recede, and she'd find new joys and go on living.
Yes, that was certain.
And that was all right.
"I'll remember."
W ӗ b nо̊ vêl E n̂ ùm а
The number of candied fruit, Geum Tae-seon's sorrow, Geum Tae-jong's death.
I—cursed with a memory that could forget nothing—would remember it all.
This day's grief and past days' deaths. I would remember every last one.
Even if these memories crushed and ground me down, as they had in my previous life.
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Without forgetting today's fury and sorrow.
Carrying every memory and every ache from this day, I would—without fail.
Е̊ n u̇mâ . іd̄
Without fail, I would have my revenge.
"This promise...... I will keep."
To the silent Geum Tae-seon, I repeated the oath that would never fade—again and again.
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