Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 293

293. A Private Meeting in the Alliance Lord’s Chambers

Royal Inspector Jo Gwan said to Unhyun:

“Therefore, once an inspection begins, it’s practically over. Even the highest-ranking officials can’t attempt to conceal facts that come out of an inspection, or they risk being dismissed themselves.”

Of course, Unhyun knew many historical cases where that didn’t happen.

But Jo Gwan’s words were correct.

That’s how it should be, and how it should work.

“If there are signs that an inspection is about to begin and you think you might be involved, there’s only one solution: contact a high-ranking official with planning authority and have yourself excluded from the inspection list.”

Unhyun smiled wryly.

“But I’m not that important of a person.”

This time, Jo Gwan wore a wry smile.

“Is that really so?”

Royal Inspector Jo Gwan looked directly at Unhyun.

“If I may be so bold, your martial prowess is enough to shake the world. Although I’m not deeply involved in the Murim [martial arts world], I’ve never heard of anyone defeating one of the Hwanwoo Ohcheonjon [Five Great Swordsmen of Hwanwoo] so easily.”

Jo Gwan’s eyes were utterly serious.

“Furthermore, you are someone that Eunuch Park, the Byungpil Taegam [high-ranking eunuch] of the Dongchang [Eastern Depot, a secret police organization], has ordered to be treated with the utmost respect, even according to the standards of the Imperial Family.”

Smiling wryly again, Jo Gwan continued.

“Even so, are you saying you’re not the kind of person that Yeom Jung-bu would act against?”

“Hmm.”

Jo Gwan’s words gave Unhyun something to think about.

“I suppose that’s how it might appear to Yeom Jung-bu, since he thinks I’m the one who cut off King Mun’s limbs in the court.”

In Unhyun’s view, Yeom Jung-bu was mistaken.

He believed that Unhyun had deep ties with the court, even the Imperial Family.

No matter how powerful the Hwanwoo Ohcheonjon were, they couldn’t fight against the entire world.

Even if Murim people looked down on the government, they had no choice but to avoid the million-strong Imperial Army.

It was said that well water and river water didn’t mix, but that was just the wishful thinking of Murim people.

The national power had never given up its exclusive authority for even a moment, nor could it ever.

The moment it did, the foundation of the country would be shaken, and the world would call it a time of chaos.

“What does he want from me?”

Unhyun said quietly.

“I think I know.”

Jo Gwan bowed his head.

“I’m glad if I’ve been of help.”

“Thank you.”

Unhyun said to Jo Gwan.

“Now I can finally meet Yeom Jung-bu.”

The light in Unhyun’s eyes shone as he spoke.

***

“This way, please.”

A neat-looking scholar politely guided Unhyun and his party.

Step, step.

Walking through the ornate corridors, Unhyun couldn’t help but be amazed by the sight of the Heroic Alliance.

The Heroic Alliance, built on the very site of the former Murim Alliance, was even larger and more splendid than before.

The arrangement of the buildings was also similar, giving the impression that the old Murim Alliance had simply been renovated.

“Isn’t it truly magnificent?”

As if noticing Unhyun’s reaction, the scholar walking ahead quietly said.

“There’s no place in the world quite like this, except for the Imperial Palace.”

At those words, Royal Inspector Jo Gwan’s eyebrows twitched.

No matter how large and splendid it was, how could one compare a den of thieves to the Imperial Palace?

“Indeed.”

Unhyun replied in a calm voice.

Hang Jang-ik, Dam So-ha, and Jin Ye-rim also remained silent.

They were busy trying to grasp the internal layout and structure of the Heroic Alliance.

How long had they been walking like that?

Unhyun and his party arrived in front of a particularly large and ornate building.

It was the former site of the Murim Alliance’s Grand Assembly Hall.

Thud.

The scholar stopped and said to Unhyun.

“The Alliance Lord has requested to meet with you alone.”

“That’s unacceptable.”

Jo Gwan immediately objected.

“We have a duty to protect the Grand Master.”

“That won’t do.”

The scholar shook his head.

“Please understand that it’s already an exceptional courtesy that you’ve been allowed to come this far.”

How could the Heroic Alliance welcome government officials?

The scholar’s words were only natural, but Jo Gwan couldn’t back down either.

“But…”

“I understand. Let’s do that.”

Unhyun’s voice cut off Jo Gwan’s words.

“However, please allow them to wait here.”

The scholar hesitated for a moment.

But soon, he let out a soft sigh.

“…Understood.”

“Thank you.”

Unhyun smiled at Jo Gwan.

Jo Gwan’s expression was still stern, but he had no choice but to follow Unhyun’s wishes.

But no matter how much Unhyun had defeated Yeom Jung-bu, this was enemy territory.

As Jo Gwan, he had to prepare for any eventuality.

“Be careful, Grand Master.”

Jo Gwan said, as if trying to get a promise.

“Yes.”

Answering in a soft voice, Unhyun turned his body.

The scholar pointed to the entrance of the Alliance Lord’s chambers and bowed his head.

It seemed that he, too, was not allowed to enter the Alliance Lord’s chambers.

Swish.

The large doors of the building opened silently.

Toward the Heroic Alliance Lord’s chambers, Unhyun slowly moved his feet.

The interior of the building was very impressive.

Long silk curtains hung on all sides, and a bright light, the source of which was unknown, filled the area.

It was more like the work of a genius artist than a dignified building.

Step, step.

Unhyun walked forward.

The curtains hanging to his left and right swayed gently as he moved.

Swish.

A large, ornately decorated door opened silently.

There was no sign of anyone, but as Unhyun passed, the door closed behind him.

Thud.

“Have you come?”

Yeom Jung-bu was there.

Dressed in an extravagantly ornate red silk robe and leaning back on a large chair with golden patterns engraved on it, Yeom Jung-bu looked down at Unhyun with an arrogant expression.

“Yes.”

Unhyun said in a calm voice.

“I’ve come to retrieve my sworn brother’s body.”

Yeom Jung-bu looked at Unhyun with a displeased expression.

Then, he suddenly asked.

“Was it Dokseon?”

Unhyun could understand what that question meant.

He was probably asking if Dokseon had healed him.

“No.”

Yeom Jung-bu’s thick eyebrows twitched.

It would be hard to believe even if it was Dokseon, but if it wasn’t, how on earth had he recovered his inner strength?

But Yeom Jung-bu didn’t ask any further.

‘Anyway.’

The goal was to confirm that Dokseon wasn’t involved.

If so, then it had nothing to do with the Tang Family, and ultimately, it meant that it had nothing to do with the Taepyung Alliance.

Swish.

“I am the Alliance Lord of the Heroic Alliance.”

Yeom Jung-bu said with a deliberately arrogant attitude.

“But not the owner.”

Those words were unexpected.

Looking at Unhyun’s puzzled eyes, Yeom Jung-bu continued.

“I don’t fear the Imperial Family or anything like that. I’ve killed countless government officials in my life, and I didn’t care, and I will continue to do so in the future.”

Yeom Jung-bu’s thick eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“But I don’t want to oppose the government on my own. I hate being used by others.”

“Then you wouldn’t want to take the blame for someone else’s sins either.”

Unhyun said quietly.

“The Heroic Alliance has become the master of the Jang Gang [Yangtze River], but at the same time, it’s being blamed as the cause of everything.”

“That’s exactly right.”

Yeom Jung-bu didn’t hide his displeasure.

The Jang Gang had become the Heroic Alliance’s.

But all the things that Il Dae-sang had caused were being blamed on the Heroic Alliance, or more precisely, on Yeom Jung-bu.

Not only that.

No matter what happened in the future, Yeom Jung-bu would end up taking the blame.

Meanwhile, the Taepyung Alliance and the Tang Family were only taking the sweet fruit.

“You.”

Looking directly at Unhyun, Yeom Jung-bu asked.

“…Are you the owner of the document?”

“What is the owner of the document?”

Unhyun asked instead.

“If you don’t ask correctly, you can’t get the right answer. What does the owner of the document mean, and what significance does it have?”

“Hmm.”

Yeom Jung-bu groaned.

Unhyun’s words were correct, but Yeom Jung-bu wasn’t the one who could answer that question.

“I understand that you don’t know. But just because you don’t know doesn’t mean you can say it’s not true.”

To Yeom Jung-bu, Unhyun was perhaps the only alternative.

He was the owner of the document that Il Dae-sang was paying attention to, and he was the one who had single-handedly destroyed King Mun’s forces in the court.

In fact, he was the biggest threat, but at the same time, Unhyun was also the possibility of breaking Yeom Jung-bu’s shackles.

That’s why Yeom Jung-bu had tried to get Unhyun into his hands.

Even though he had fallen before his sword.

“Il Dae-sang will still suspect you of being the owner of the document.”

Yeom Jung-bu said quietly.

“That’s the only reason he hasn’t moved.”

The meaning of those words was great.

Even destroying the Namgung Clan and the Gongson Clan, burning down the Murim Alliance, and changing the owner of the Jang Gang were nothing to Il Dae-sang.

But he was still hiding.

“I already know what Il Dae-sang is trying to do.”

Unhyun said calmly.

Yeom Jung-bu’s eyes flashed for a moment.

Could it be that Unhyun even knew that?

“However.”

Looking directly at Yeom Jung-bu, Unhyun said.

“That will never happen.”

Silence fell.

The two men stared at each other as if they were having a staring contest.

“Hmph.”

The first to back down was Yeom Jung-bu.

“That’s not enough.”

Leaning back in his large chair, he said leisurely.

“Even if that happens, what will I get? As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care what happens to him.”

“When the time comes.”

Unhyun said in a cold voice.

“You will only be held responsible for your own sins.”

Twitch.

Yeom Jung-bu’s eyebrows twitched.

He glared at Unhyun as if he wanted to kill him.

Who had ever dared to say such rude and arrogant things to the Iron-Blooded Death King, Yeom Jung-bu?

But Unhyun’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest.

“Humph.”

Yeom Jung-bu snorted.

“Everyone is bound to be responsible for their own sins, whether that sin is ignorance or helplessness.”

Yeom Jung-bu didn’t believe that he had vaguely taken the blame for a crime he didn’t commit.

Everything was one’s own sin and responsibility.

Whether it was simple ignorance or just a lack of power.

“But.”

Gritting his teeth, Yeom Jung-bu said.

“Let’s be satisfied with that for now.”

That was enough.

It was clear that Unhyun had promised to treat Il Dae-sang and Yeom Jung-bu as separate entities.

Swish.

Yeom Jung-bu waved his hand.

“If you leave this room, you’ll be able to get what you want.”

It was also an order to leave.

But Unhyun didn’t move.

Yeom Jung-bu frowned, and Unhyun said quietly.

“…What was his end like?”

Unhyun’s voice was trembling.

What did Dokgo-rang look like as he died?

Did he leave any words behind?

Was his end not painful?

The thought alone made his heart clench.

“There was no end to speak of. He had already stopped breathing when I arrived. But his appearance…”

As if suddenly feeling bad, Yeom Jung-bu said curtly.

“See for yourself.”

As if there was nothing more to say, Yeom Jung-bu turned his head.

But Unhyun still had something to ask.

“What about Shinseung?”

At those words, Yeom Jung-bu also flinched.

“What happened to him?”

“Humph.”

Yeom Jung-bu chuckled.

Unhyun could clearly tell that the laugh was not friendly at all.

“Ask Shaolin about that guy’s business. Don’t argue with me.”

Yeom Jung-bu said, as if he was quite pleased.

Looking down at Unhyun with a gleam in his eyes, Yeom Jung-bu said.

“Leave.”

Yeom Jung-bu turned his head.

As soon as those words were finished, a large curtain fell, obscuring Yeom Jung-bu’s figure.

Rustle.

Unhyun turned his body.

Thus, Unhyun and Yeom Jung-bu’s meeting came to an end.