novelraw Chapter 53 : Chapter 53
Chapter 53 : Chapter 53
Chapter 53. Full Moon Unchanging (1)
Hunan Province, Yueyang.
Upon arriving in the city, the place the Flying Dragon Squad headed to was the nearby Geumgang Society, an affiliated force of the Evil Faction Alliance.
The Geumgang Society was a group that had accumulated wealth through the commercial rights and waterway logistics around Dongting Lake, and its essence was closer to a merchant guild than a martial sect.
However, where logistics flow, force is always needed.
Soon, the Geumgang Society had gradually dipped its toes into the Murim through frequent exchanges with Evil Faction forces in Hunan over the past few decades, and in recent years, it had proudly established itself as a member of the Hunan Evil Faction Murim.
“The F-Flying Dragon Squad? From the Evil Faction Alliance…?”
Ma Jun, the leader of the Geumgang Society who first greeted the party, had a flustered expression.
However, like a true merchant, he quickly recovered his composure. He greeted the party with a seemingly welcoming face.
But he couldn't seem to hide the signs of fatigue under his eyes.
The reason was obvious.
After the attack by the Righteous Faction forces and the mediation of the Beggar’s Gang became apparent, meetings with the representatives of the Hunan Evil Faction had been ongoing day after day.
The fact that the meetings were repeated without conclusion meant that a suitable solution was not in sight.
That evening, the Flying Dragon Squad party immediately joined the meeting.
“…Before we begin today’s meeting, I would like to make an introduction. This is the Flying Dragon Squad Leader, Young Warrior Lee Byeok, and his members, who have come from the Evil Faction Alliance.”
“I am Lee Byeok.”
Ma Jun stepped forward to introduce the party.
Nod. Lee Byeok bowed his head to the assembly.
“…The Evil Faction Alliance?”
“The F-Flying Dragon Squad? What in the world…?”
Murmur, murmur. A commotion began to rise.
When the Righteous Faction’s attack first began, it was impossible that the Hunan forces hadn’t asked the Evil Faction Alliance for help.
However, the only response they received was a half-hearted one, to the effect that they should resolve personal grudges on their own.
The meaning was clear.
The Paewang Family, on whom they had relied, had suddenly closed its doors, and the Evil Faction Alliance had fallen into the hands of the Black Heaven Gang and the Hainan Sword Sect.
And the Black Heaven Gang had decided to completely abandon the Hunan Murim, which had been a strong support base for the Paewang Family.
What’s more, when the Beggar’s Gang's mediation began, the Evil Faction Alliance hastily dispatched a representative only then.
However, that dispatched representative had not even shown his face at the Geumgang Society once.
Kwaang—!!
A table was struck violently.
It was Jeon Sa-uk, the Evil Blood Sword, leader of the Red Evil Sect.
“The awaited Sect Leader Chae of the Invincible Sect doesn’t show up, and some ridiculous brats appear instead. What is the meaning of this? The Flying Dragon Squad? I’ve never even heard of such a military unit!”
He said in a growling voice.
Since the Hunan Murim had been excluded even from the invitation to select the Flying Dragon Squad in the first place, it seemed they didn’t know the detailed circumstances.
“…The leader of the Invincible Sect has fallen.”
Lee Byeok said.
“W-What? You bastard, what are you—”
“It’s true. We have just come up from Huaihua… It is said that the leader of the Invincible Sect was gravely injured in a battle with the Righteous Sword Sect Master and is in a critical condition.”
At that moment, Gongson Su stepped forward and answered.
The gazes of the assembly swept over her, but there was no sign of falsehood in her composed expression.
“Heo, is that true!”
“Even Sect Leader Chae…!”
Sighs erupted from here and there.
There were only three known peak experts officially existing in the Evil Faction forces of Hunan.
In an already disadvantageous situation, the absence of one of them, Chae Mu-geun, the Tiger’s Gall Iron Fist of the Invincible Sect, was bound to be a painful loss.
“Sect Leader Chae has fallen… I see. That is unfortunate. But what brings you young warriors all the way here?”
At that moment, a sharp woman’s voice cut through the sighs and pierced towards Lee Byeok’s group.
It was U Jin-hui, the Soul-Stealing White Claw, leader of the Rakshasa Sect, who, along with Jeon Sa-uk of the Red Evil Sect who had spoken earlier, was a peak expert.
“You didn’t even pretend to listen to our earnest requests for help before, and now you send a few brats. What do you want us to do?”
“……”
“If this is truly the will of the Evil Faction Alliance, then I am not broad-minded enough to endure such mockery.”
“That’s right! She’s right!”
“How much more must the Evil Faction Alliance humiliate us before they are satisfied!”
Kwaang, kwang!
Voices filled with rage began to pour out from all directions. As the atmosphere boiled over, Ma Jun of the Geumgang Society tried to hastily extinguish the fire. It was then.
Creak.
“Whoa, whoa, everyone calm down.”
The door to the meeting room opened, and a man with a massive build entered.
“…Oh, Great Warrior Yeom!”
“Ooh, you’ve come!”
Up, up.
The atmosphere immediately reversed.
Several of the representatives stood up from their seats. A slight glimmer of cheer began to spread among them.
However, the gaze of the man called Great Warrior Yeom was directed at none other than Lee Byeok.
“A pleasure to meet you for the first time, young warrior. This one is called Yeom U-gil, and I am in charge of the Rogues’ Guild’s Yueyang branch.”
“…Greetings.”
“Well, I was about to wash my feet and go to sleep after work, but an order came down from the higher-ups in a hurry, so I rushed all the way here, you see.”
Yeom U-gil joked.
As he acknowledged Lee Byeok, an ambiguous silence fell over the hall again.
Yeom U-gil leisurely looked around the inside of the meeting room. Heave-ho. He sat down in an empty seat with a difficult motion.
“Now, everyone. The Flying Dragon Squad Leader here is… well, it’s hard to explain in detail, but he is a very, very high-ranking person in our Rogues’ Guild.”
“……”
“Furthermore, although the Flying Dragon Squad is part of the Evil Faction Alliance, they are hated to death by the Black Heaven Gang you all dislike, so you can trust them. As proof, am I not here?”
Yeom U-gil showed a smile as he wiped his sweat with a cloth. The atmosphere of the assembly, which had not been able to hide its anger until a moment ago, became ambiguous.
“…I see. In other words, you’re saying you’ll lend us the power of the Rogues’ Guild, so we should cling to that young warrior’s coattails and thank him, is that it?”
U Jin-hui said at that moment.
Her voice was somewhat softer, but still sharp. Haa. But soon, she let out a sigh.
“Well, it’s not impossible. If you can save us from the high and mighty Diancang and Namgung Clan, what wouldn’t we do?”
“……”
“But, I’m sorry, I don’t find it very trustworthy. If neither the Paewang Family nor the Black Heaven Gang will protect us, I wonder if there’s any reason to remain in the Evil Faction Alliance.”
Thud. U Jin-hui stood up from her seat.
“I’m not feeling well. My apologies to my fellow followers, but I’ll be taking my leave first today.”
***
“Ssssp!”
Pa Jin-seong took a deep breath.
“Puha! Yes, this is it! This air! This smell! I feel alive! Keke, kehehehe!”
“……”
Lee Byeok looked around.
The city night was bustling with people, making the darkness seem meaningless, and all around was brilliantly lit with lights.
The street that stretched along the outskirts of Dongting Lake was filled with inns and taverns.
It was as if the street itself was steeped in the smell of alcohol.
“…So where exactly are we going? Didn’t you say you’re also new to this neighborhood?”
“Ahem, hey! No complaints! Just trust this Big brother tonight and follow me unconditionally! Huh? Kehehe!”
Pa Jin-seong skillfully navigated through the crowded street.
Lee Byeok followed behind him.
The meeting of the representatives gathered at the Geumgang Society ended without reaching any particular conclusion.
Afterward, Lee Byeok followed Pa Jin-seong into the night streets of Yueyang.
Of course, Gongson Su and Eon Mi-hee were vehemently opposed.
In this situation, where it was obvious that there would be as many Righteous Faction people as there were Evil Faction ones, going out into the night streets was not just dangerous but foolish.
However, when Lee Byeok unexpectedly defended Pa Jin-seong, the two of them could do nothing more.
They were only able to obtain permission (?) after repeatedly promising not to cause any trouble.
Of course, there was a reason Lee Byeok had followed Pa Jin-seong.
The previous night, while still contemplating Cho Yeon-seo’s martial art that remained unsolved, Lee Byeok had suddenly felt something at Pa Jin-seong’s words about ‘bending’.
He had abruptly asked Pa Jin-seong the difference between breaking and bending.
Pa Jin-seong had seemed flustered by the sudden question but soon came to his senses.
Grinning, he said that it was difficult to express in words here, and that he would let him experience it directly when they arrived in Yueyang.
Sniff, sniff.
Pa Jin-seong walked around busily here and there, occasionally stopping to close his eyes and concentrate on the smell.
It seemed he was trying to figure something out by smell among the countless inns.
If it was a talent, it was an amazing one. However.
‘…He’s a bit like a dog.’
“Kekeke, good! This is the place!”
Flash.
Pa Jin-seong opened his eyes.
And without hesitation, he entered one of the numerous inns lined up on either side.
Bustle, bustle.
The inside of the inn was crowded with people. Naturally, there were no empty seats.
Pa Jin-seong didn’t mind.
He promptly ordered several types of alcohol and simple food, then wrapped them up in a cloth and headed outside.
Stomp, stomp.
He once again took the lead and walked.
And the place where Pa Jin-seong’s feet stopped was the tallest and most splendid-looking among the inns located near Dongting Lake.
“If we were going to go to another inn anyway, what are you going to do with this alcohol and food?”
“Huh? Who said we’re going in? You really don’t know the ways of the world, do you? If you just walk into a flashy place like this, you’ll be stripped down to your underwear in an instant. Kehehe!”
“……”
Taat!
At that moment, Pa Jin-seong kicked off the ground.
His swift figure began to climb the building, stepping on various protrusions.
In the blink of an eye, Pa Jin-seong was on the roof of the building.
He looked down below.
He gestured with his chin to Lee Byeok, as if asking what he was doing not following.
“……”
Lee Byeok raised his internal energy.
Using the Azure River Flowing Leaf Art, he pushed his body up, stepping on various places just as Pa Jin-seong had.
Tat.
He soon landed next to Pa Jin-seong.
“How is it? The view is killer, right?”
Grin. Pa Jin-seong smiled.
Lee Byeok looked around at the scenery.
Below, he could see Dongting Lake.
On the night lake, spread out wide like a sea, there were people who had launched boats despite the still chilly weather.
The boundary between the lake and the sky was ambiguous.
The moon was in the sky and also on the lake. Beyond it, the lights of the noisy streets surrounded them like stars.
“Kekeke! No matter what town you go to, there’s nothing as special as drinking on a rooftop! Plus, there’s no seating charge, it’s free!”
“…Is this really okay?”
“What? What’s the problem? Is there some national law that says you can’t drink on a roof? Huh?”
“……”
“Forget it, just wait a minute.”
Pffft. Pa Jin-seong, letting out a laugh, sat down and lined up the bottles and cups of alcohol he had brought.
Pour.
He poured alcohol into the cup.
But it was not just one kind.
Pa Jin-seong’s hand poured several kinds of alcohol into the cup at once, then began to shake and mix them with a skilled motion.
Ssk. He held out the cup to Lee Byeok.
“Keke, have a drink.”
“…I wish you’d start talking straight. What does any of this have to do with my question?”
“Hey! I told you I can’t express it in words! That moon on Dongting Lake! The poet Li Bai, while having a drink, ran out of snacks and jumped right into the lake to slice that moon up and eat it! Are you that great? Are you smarter than an immortal? Huh?”
“……”
He couldn’t understand the context of his words.
Lee Byeok began to regret it a little.
But he had already come this far. Lee Byeok accepted the cup. Gulp. He drank it down in one go.
“Kekeke, how is it?”
“…It’s delicious.”
Lee Byeok was a little surprised.
He had had opportunities to drink alcohol from time to time, but he had never honestly felt that it was delicious.
When you mix alcohol with alcohol, the aroma should be ruined, but instead, a smoothness that seemed to envelop the body lingered.
“Kekeke, right? Can’t you see the immortal realm right before your eyes? Isn’t the Sword Immortal Lü Dongbin descending into my body and teaching me martial arts for free?”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“Ah, right. Then that means you haven’t bent enough yet. Don’t worry. There’s plenty of alcohol, and the night is long.”
Kekeke. Pa Jin-seong let out a laugh.