A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 252

252. The Hundred Person Record

The very next day, former Lord Namgungcheon returned to the family estate.

An impossible event had occurred: an ‘attempted assassination of the Lord.’ Everyone braced for his thunderous rage, but unexpectedly, Namgungcheon only briefly hardened his expression.

‘It is the Lord’s business to handle,’ was all he said.

In a way, it was a natural statement for a former Lord to make, but the people of the family were even more afraid of Namgungcheon because of it.

No one could guess what or how something might explode, given Namgungcheon’s personality.

Leaving the family’s worries behind, Namgungcheon went to Namchang City with Sonbin and his group.

Swish.

Namgungcheon pushed aside the beaded screen and entered the lavishly decorated pavilion.

“This place has a good atmosphere these days.”

“Is that so? Well, it’s clean enough.”

Nogun looked around the interior, moving alongside the elegant-looking Madam Dang.

Seorin, Sasooyeon, Dang Wora, and Namgunghyang followed behind, with Shinui and Sonbin entering the pavilion last.

“Welcome, elders.”

A middle-aged woman with a generous figure and ornate clothing bowed respectfully. However, Namgungcheon frowned instead.

“Stop calling me ‘elder’… Is there a place available?”

“It’s always ready.”

The middle-aged woman smiled and led the group to the third floor.

“Wow.”

Seorin exclaimed at the open view.

The entire third floor of the pavilion was a single room.

With no other tall buildings around, it offered a view in all directions, and the decorations, which were not extravagant but exuded elegance, indicated that this was no ordinary place. Especially in terms of how much it likely cost.

Thud.

Namgungcheon sat down on a plush seat as if he were familiar with the place. Nogun also casually took a seat, and the old Madam Dang Woon-young sat next to him.

Watching Madam Dang sit with a graceful and elegant demeanor, Namgungcheon scratched his head.

“I never thought I’d be sitting with someone from the Dang family…”

“A lot of time has passed.”

Madam Dang replied with a gentle smile. If she had previously seemed elegant but somewhat distant, she now had a warmer atmosphere than before.

“If people don’t change, it’s the same even after a hundred years. It’s not time that changes people, but people who change time.”

Namgungcheon’s meaningful gaze was directed at Sonbin. Sonbin, who was awkwardly taking a seat, gave an awkward smile.

Muttering to himself, Namgungcheon stood up. Then, he clasped his hands and bowed to Nogun and Dang Woon-young.

“Though it’s late, I congratulate you both on your marriage.”

“Why is this guy suddenly being so polite?”

Nogun frowned, but Dang Woon-young rose from her seat and returned Namgungcheon’s bow.

“Thank you. I never imagined I would receive a bow from Great Warrior Namgungcheon in my life.”

“Well, I didn’t know either. I should offer a gift, but I didn’t prepare anything suddenly…”

“A gift? What gift? That kind of thing…”

Nogun waved his hand, but Namgungcheon suddenly turned to Nogun and said,

“Should I send you something to boost your stamina at night?”

“…Ahem. Well, you can try.”

As Namgungcheon and Madam Dang sat down again, the servers brought tea and simple dishes.

The dishes, which looked appetizing just by looking at them, captivated the group’s attention. Seorin and Dang Wora were already sparkling their eyes.

“Actually, it would be better to have this conversation at Yewon, but it’s quite far from here.”

Namgungcheon said, holding a teacup. After starting the conversation, Namgungcheon paused as if savoring the tea’s aroma.

Nogun immediately frowned.

“Stop dragging it out and just say it already.”

“Senior, these things require mental preparation.”

“Mental preparation, my foot. You just want to see others squirm.”

Namgungcheon laughed. In fact, Nogun was right.

Clink.

Namgungcheon put down the teacup and raised his head. There was no hint of a smile in his eyes.

“Have you ever heard of the Hundred Person Record?”

Nogun frowned. It was Sonbin who asked in return.

“The Hundred Person Record?”

The answer came from Nogun.

“Some fool must have circulated another nonsensical document.”

As Sonbin turned to look, Nogun continued.

“It’s obvious just from the name. It’s probably something like recording the hundred strongest people in the world in order, right?”

Namgungcheon shrugged. It meant that Nogun’s words were correct. This kind of thing seemed familiar to the two of them, but it was Sonbin’s first time hearing about it.

“There’s something like that?”

At the same time, interest surged. If it was as he said, it was a record of the martial arts rankings, and the fact that such a thing existed ignited his curiosity.

“Then who is the strongest person? No, more than that, how do they select them, and who oversees such a thing…”

“It’s up to the writer.”

Nogun answered curtly.

“That’s why it’s a nonsensical document. It’s just scribbles that the writer dashes off arbitrarily without any basis. To those who know, it’s nothing more than a ridiculous joke.”

“Ah…”

Sonbin was disappointed. He had mistakenly thought that there was some fair evaluation method in the martial world. But he still had lingering feelings.

“Still, is there anyone with the authority to make such evaluations…”

“Authority? Who?”

Nogun blurted out.

“You just asked, didn’t you? How did they select them, who decided such things? Martial artists are the same. They’ll constantly argue about why they were left out or why that guy is above them. Not only will one or two people die, but if things go wrong, they might even be destroyed.”

Sonbin nodded. Ranking people was a very sensitive matter.

Especially for martial artists with strong pride, they would never accept it unless they actually had a duel to determine the outcome.

“So it’s best to ignore such nonsensical documents altogether.”

“But,”

The person who contradicted Nogun’s words was Namgungcheon.

“Still, that’s not how people’s minds work. Didn’t Bin just ask who is the strongest?”

Namgungcheon took out a small booklet from his pocket. And he placed it on the table with a thud.

The title ‘Hundred Person Record’ immediately caught the eye.

‘Excellent calligraphy.’

That was Sonbin’s first impression. The strokes were clear and bold, indicating the skill of a master.

“What, you really brought it? Why such a useless thing…”

“Take a look.”

Namgungcheon reached out and turned the page of the book titled ‘Hundred Person Record.’ There was writing that seemed like a preface, along with the number one hundred and a name with a brief evaluation.

Flick, flick.

The pages turned quickly. As the numbers gradually decreased and approached twenty, a strange sight appeared.

“The names are erased.”

Sonbin said. From the fifteenth name onwards, they were all blacked out.

“They’re not erased. They didn’t write anything from the start and just blacked them out.”

Nogun said, glaring at the book. Sonbin could also confirm that there were no letters under the blacked-out areas.

“Is it a transcript?”

If it was erased in the original, the person transcribing it might have omitted it. Namgungcheon answered, turning the pages.

“It’s the closest thing to the original I could find. Or maybe this is the original.”

Thud.

Namgungcheon stopped his hand. The number nine and a blacked-out name were visible. But the evaluation written below remained intact.

“His sword is sharper than anything else, so no one dares to stand against him. However, if it weren’t for the power of his family, he would not have been able to reach his current position with his own abilities alone.”

Namgungcheon, who had been reading calmly, chuckled.

“This is me.”

“Yeah, it’s you.”

Nogun nodded, but Sonbin tilted his head. It didn’t seem possible to identify Namgungcheon with just this sentence.

Noticing Sonbin’s question, Nogun continued.

“Even in the Outer Squad, there’s one thing they acknowledge about each other’s martial arts. For example, no one can match this guy’s sharpness of swordsmanship, and no one can surpass the Heavy Sword in heavy swordsmanship. Ah, except for the Heavenly Four Constellations.”

In short, it was an expression that only people in the Outer Squad would know. Sonbin nodded.

“Being ninth isn’t a big deal, but it’s annoying that I’m below that bastard Gongsong Geuk. But the real problem is this.”

Contrary to his words, Namgungcheon continued to read the evaluation without showing much anger.

“But if he obtains the Hyuncheon Convergence, he will be able to aim for the top spot.”

Thump.

Namgungcheon’s calm voice fell into Sonbin’s heart like a heavy weight.

“Did you just say Hyuncheon Convergence?”

Sasooyeon asked with a stiff expression. Namgungcheon nodded.

“It’s not just me. The word ‘Hyuncheon Convergence’ comes up every time I forget about it. Moreover, the strongest person recorded in this Hundred Person Record is…”

Namgungcheon flipped through the book quickly.

“It’s the Heavenly Four Constellations.”

The words ‘Heavenly Four Constellations’ were clearly written below the number one.

“These four cannot be compared in terms of superiority, so they are evaluated together. Some say.”

Namgungcheon stopped reading. The sentence was partially erased, but Sonbin knew the content clearly.

“The Fierce Tiger is cruel, the Yellow Crane is elusive, and the Jade Dragon plays in the clouds. But what reigns above all of them is only the Martial Emperor of Hyuncheon.”

Sonbin read the sentence in a low voice.

‘Fierce Tiger,’ ‘Yellow Crane,’ and ‘Jade Dragon’ were erased. But only ‘Martial Emperor of Hyuncheon’ was clearly written.

Silence fell. After a while, the person who spoke was Nogun.

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Me too.”

Namgungcheon’s expression was also serious.

“The moment I heard the story, I felt like something was wrong, so I tried to track down the source, but in the end, this one book was the end. There’s nothing after that. It feels like it fell from the sky.”

“Is that why you were late, trying to find out who was behind this?”

At Nogun’s words, Namgungcheon nodded.

“Yes. I thought Senior would have come anyway, so I wasn’t too worried about the family, but I didn’t know things would turn out like this. I’ll stay still until the situation is resolved.”

Namgungcheon grinned. But anyone could tell that he was slightly grinding his teeth.

“Then I’m going to roll them around in a grand way [cause a lot of trouble].”

If there had been someone from the Namgung family there, they probably would have felt a chill down their spine. You could tell just by looking at Namgunghyang’s usually calm expression slightly stiffening.

“Ugh, you couldn’t find out even though you investigated yourself.”

Nogun frowned, crossing his arms.

“Can I ask a few questions?”

Namgunghyang, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. Namgungcheon nodded.

“If Grandfather obtains the Hyuncheon Convergence, can he really aim for the top spot?”

“There’s no way.”

It was Nogun who stated definitively. Namgungcheon smiled bitterly, but Nogun continued.

“The people in the Outer Squad have all reached their own ultimate levels. Gaining one or two other martial arts won’t drastically increase their skills. You might as well have Bin duel with you or…”

Nogun, who was speaking, tilted his head.

“No, would things be different if you saw something like the Splitting Moon Eclipse?”

“Splitting Moon Eclipse? Now that you mention it, Bin unfolded it, but what is it?”

Namgungcheon immediately showed interest. Nogun waved his hand.

“There’s something like that. Anyway, don’t be interested because no one but Bin can do it.”

But those words only added to Namgungcheon’s frustration.

“Only Bin can do it? No, why did you do such a precious thing when I wasn’t there?”

“Did I do it?”

“Ugh.”

Leaving behind Namgungcheon, who couldn’t hide his disappointment, Nogun said to Namgunghyang.

“Anyway, the Hyuncheon Convergence itself is meaningless. If there’s any meaning, it’s Bin himself.”

“I see.”

Namgunghyang smiled and turned to Sonbin. Sonbin only gave an awkward smile, feeling like he was being openly praised.

“How widespread is this story?”

Namgunghyang asked again. Namgungcheon subtly stroked his beard.

“It’s only a small part yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Moreover, if they put this much effort into it…”

“It’s probably happening simultaneously.”

Namgunghyang nodded.

This booklet was not accidentally leaked, but someone intentionally spread it with a clear purpose. If so, rumors would naturally be spreading in various places.

“One more thing. Is all the information about the Outer Squad here accurate?”

This time, Nogun flipped through the booklet and answered her question.

“It’s roughly done. They only took care of the orthodox factions meticulously, and some people are completely missing…”

Thud.

Nogun said, putting down the book.

“The most important ones, you guys, are missing.”

Nogun’s gaze was directed at Sonbin, Sasooyeon, Dang Wora, and Seorin.

“There’s no way people in the Outer Squad wouldn’t have heard of Young Master Son, and there’s no way something made a long time ago would only be spreading now, so it means it’s intentional exclusion. The mention of the Hyuncheon Convergence is also intentional.”

“That’s right.”

Nogun nodded at Namgunghyang’s words. Namgunghyang was lost in thought for a moment.

“What do you think? Do you have any idea who’s behind this?”

Namgungcheon asked. Namgunghyang, who had been silent, let out a soft sigh.

“Maybe… the government?”

“The government?”

“The government?”

Namgungcheon and Nogun said at the same time. Madam Dang also couldn’t hide her surprised expression. She asked Namgunghyang.

“Can you tell me why you came to that conclusion?”

“It’s simple.”

Namgunghyang said, lightly placing her finger on the book.

“The person behind this is involved with the Outer Squad, or someone who knows the Outer Squad accurately. They must know that revealing this book is the same as turning the Outer Squad into enemies.”

The book called the Hundred Person Record is not welcomed by anyone in the Outer Squad. So Namgunghyang’s words that it turns the Outer Squad into enemies are correct.

“Nevertheless, they carried out this task. That means they are confident in facing the Outer Squad. If it’s not the Heavenly Four Constellations, there is currently only one force in the world capable of doing this.”

“Isn’t that too hasty of a conclusion?”

The person who raised the objection was Madam Dang.

“There are still many forces in the martial world that have not revealed themselves. Although they are not showing their faces now, the Blood Cult and the Demonic Cult cannot be ignored either. Moreover, the government can never tame the martial world, just as the martial world cannot take the place of the imperial palace.”

It was a natural point for her to make. And it was also a natural perception that martial artists had.

“Madam Dang is right, but…”

Namgungcheon said with a bitter expression.

“The problem is that this child’s predictions have never been wrong.”

Madam Dang turned to Nogun with a surprised expression. But Nogun also had a similar expression to Namgungcheon. It meant that he was taking Namgunghyang’s conclusion seriously.

Madam Dang looked at Namgunghyang with a renewed sense of surprise. Namgunghyang blushed slightly as if she was embarrassed. The fact that this frail young lady possessed the insight that Namgungcheon and Nogun acknowledged was surprising.

“There’s one more thing I’m worried about.”

“Worried? About what?”

Namgungcheon asked. Namgunghyang continued quietly.

“If this book succeeds in attracting people’s attention, and so everyone is curious about whether the contents of this book are true.”

Namgunghyang, who was speaking, turned her gaze to Sasooyeon.

“What will happen if it is revealed that Miss Sasooyeon, the Sword Saintess of Destruction, is the daughter of this Martial Emperor?”

Sasooyeon’s complexion hardened. If she was the daughter of the Martial Emperor, it wouldn’t be strange for her to have the Hyuncheon Convergence.

In an instant, the entire martial world would be looking for Sasooyeon.

Not only those blinded by greed, but also countless people who would want to take the Hyuncheon Convergence under all sorts of pretexts.

However, Nogun immediately raised an objection.

“Hmph, who would dare to touch Yeon anyway? The Outer Squad already knows that this book is nonsense, and even if other guys come in droves, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“You’re right. However, there may be people in the Outer Squad who move differently depending on the situation.”

Namgunghyang’s eyes turned to Sonbin.

“But more than anything, the biggest problem is that Young Master Son cannot be free from this either. So this book is, in a way…”

With a small sigh filled with regret, Namgunghyang said to Sonbin.

“It could be said to be a warning to Young Master Son.”

Silence fell. But no one could open their mouths.