Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 303

303. Poppy Pond

Un-hyun briefly recounted the recent events to Mo Yong-mi.

Mo Yong-mi listened with surprise and concern.

She couldn’t hide her shock upon learning about Dokgo-rang’s funeral.

“…I see,” she said, her voice laced with genuine sadness.

Un-hyun was grateful for her sincerity.

When he mentioned his visit to the Shaolin Temple, Mo Yong-mi spoke softly.

“We were also aware of the Great Master’s passing.”

She sighed gently before continuing, “Likely, all the sects within the Taepyeong Alliance are aware. However, no one speaks of it. The Taepyeong Alliance behaves as if the Murim Alliance never existed.”

Un-hyun understood the Taepyeong Alliance’s motives.

They were deliberately avoiding any responsibility that would inevitably arise the moment they acknowledged the Murim Alliance.

“By the way…”

*Step, step.*

Mo Yong-mi hesitated for a moment before asking, “If you are a Royal Secret Inspector, does that imply you’ve decided to pursue a career as a government official?”

Un-hyun had already shared the details of his time in Beijing with her, carefully omitting the sensitive secrets he had discussed with the Crown Prince and Eunuch Park.

“I’m still uncertain about that,” Un-hyun replied quietly.

“But, as Master Wabul advised, I must forge my own path.”

It was a vague response, yet it seemed to satisfy Mo Yong-mi.

Un-hyun remained, as before, Scholar Un and the Azure Dragon Sword Lord.

He would follow his own path, regardless of external opinions.

“Oh, is there anything I should know about the Taepyeong Alliance?” Un-hyun asked, as if struck by a sudden thought.

Mo Yong-mi paused, considering the question, before shaking her head.

“We don’t possess extensive knowledge either. The Tang Clan is so secretive that even the Zhuge Family [a prominent family known for their intelligence and strategy] has limited information about them.”

‘Zhuge Family…’ Un-hyun’s thoughts drifted to Zhuge Myung, the head of the Zhuge Family, also known as the Gentleman Sword.

He wondered how Zhuge Myung, who had gifted him an extraordinary jade pendant, would treat him now.

“At least, we and the Namhae Sword Sect are in a relatively better position. The Hyeokryun Family, the Gongson Family, and the Danmok Family are reportedly struggling to maintain their current standing. Ultimately, it’s no exaggeration to say that the Taepyeong Alliance is essentially controlled by the Tang Clan.”

Mo Yong-mi’s gaze returned to its usual intelligent and discerning sharpness.

Un-hyun was pleased to see her composure.

“Oh, how are Sang-ah and Great Warrior Mo Yong-jin? Is Great Warrior Gwan-il also well?”

Mo Yong-mi smiled brightly.

“Sang-ah remains the same as always. She’ll be overjoyed to hear about you, Scholar Un. My grandfather and brother are also doing well.”

“I will definitely visit you, even if it’s not immediately. Please convey my regards to them in the meantime.”

“Yes, I will,” Mo Yong-mi replied with a radiant smile.

Just then…

*Step.*

“Secretary Un?”

Another woman’s voice echoed.

Un-hyun and Mo Yong-mi turned their heads simultaneously.

They were met with the sight of a familiar young lady, radiating a cheerful aura.

It was Hwangbo Seon-hye of the Namhae Sword Sect.

“It really is Secretary Un!”

*Thud.*

She exclaimed with surprise and rushed towards Un-hyun.

“Ah, Young Lady Hwangbo…”

Before Un-hyun could offer a greeting, she surged forward and embraced him.

*Thwack.*

“Huh!” Un-hyun exclaimed in surprise, while Mo Yong-mi couldn’t conceal her astonishment.

Hwangbo Seon-hye, however, seemed oblivious to their reactions.

She buried her face in Un-hyun’s chest.

“You’re safe. You’re really safe!”

“Y-Young Lady!” Un-hyun said urgently, but Hwangbo Seon-hye remained clinging to him.

Despite her petite frame, she possessed a mature figure, leaving Un-hyun feeling quite embarrassed.

“After you saved us from the Iron-Blooded Evil King [a powerful and ruthless villain], I couldn’t find any news about you, and I was so worried. Sniff.”

Hwangbo Seon-hye’s shoulders trembled.

This display of genuine concern calmed Un-hyun.

Wasn’t it a good thing that she cared for him so deeply?

“…Young Lady Hwangbo.”

“Yes?”

Hwangbo Seon-hye lifted her head, her cute eyes glistening with tears.

“Thank you. And please calm down a little,” Un-hyun said gently, easing Hwangbo Seon-hye away.

Hwangbo Seon-hye, startled, stumbled back.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I was so happy that I…”

She blushed slightly and wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

Then, as if just realizing it, she noticed Mo Yong-mi.

“Oh, Young Lady Mo Yong-mi is here too,” Hwangbo Seon-hye said with a smile.

“Yes, Young Lady Hwangbo.”

But Mo Yong-mi couldn’t reciprocate the cheerful greeting wholeheartedly.

She sensed a clear wariness in Hwangbo Seon-hye’s eyes as she looked at her.

And there was another person who understood the underlying tension between the two young ladies.

“What? Is this happening here too?” Jin Ye-rim muttered, looking dumbfounded.

After discovering that Un-hyun was the Azure Dragon Sword Lord, Jin Ye-rim had dismissed his appearances in Gwangju as either misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

She believed that the Azure Dragon Sword Lord, who was Dokgo Dae-hyeop’s teacher and sworn brother, and who had demonstrated such incredible swordsmanship, couldn’t possibly be like that.

In fact, Un-hyun, as she had observed him, possessed the demeanor of a quiet scholar, an absolute master of his craft.

But to witness him entangled with two young ladies!

Moreover, the way these women treated Un-hyun seemed unusually intimate.

“Wow, as expected, a man like Un Dae-in [a term of great respect] has beautiful young ladies lining up for him,” Dam So-ha, standing beside her, admired him, oblivious to Jin Ye-rim’s inner turmoil.

At first glance, it was easy to see why he had a flower in each hand.

But Jin Ye-rim sighed.

“…Can I really trust that man?”

Of course, her decision to follow Un-hyun remained unchanged.

However, she couldn’t shake off a nagging suspicion.

Wasn’t the trouble in Gwangju also caused by a woman?

“That damn womanizer…” Jin Ye-rim muttered, annoyed.

Amidst Dam So-ha’s admiration and Jin Ye-rim’s suspicious gaze, Un-hyun remained at a loss.

***

Un-hyun strolled around Hwacheonji with Mo Yong-mi and Hwangbo Seon-hye for a while.

Hwangbo Seon-hye refused to leave Un-hyun’s side, constantly referring to him as her ‘savior’.

Mo Yong-mi, who would normally have excused herself, was unwilling to leave Un-hyun’s company this time.

Ultimately, Un-hyun found himself taking another walk with the two young ladies.

“Ah, so you two met here by chance?” Hwangbo Seon-hye asked with a bright smile.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You haven’t been in contact with each other before either.”

“Of course not,” Un-hyun quickly clarified, hoping to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.

However, Mo Yong-mi’s expression remained slightly somber.

“I see.”

Hwangbo Seon-hye, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly looked up at Un-hyun.

“Since that day, many people have been searching for Secretary Un. We also tried to find out in every way, but no one knew where Secretary Un was. I was so worried…”

Hwangbo Seon-hye bit her lip, seemingly overwhelmed with emotion.

Un-hyun’s heart ached at the sight of her teary eyes.

“I’m sorry. I…”

“No. It’s okay. I’m just so glad you’re safe.”

Hwangbo Seon-hye looked at Un-hyun and smiled, tears still welling up in her eyes.

“Um, maybe…” Hwangbo Seon-hye said, blushing slightly.

“Can I call you older brother?”

“Yes?” Un-hyun was taken aback.

But Hwangbo Seon-hye didn’t wait for an answer.

*Rustle.*

Hwangbo Seon-hye lowered her head and knelt on one knee, bowing to Un-hyun, unconcerned about the dirt floor.

“Y-Young Lady!”

“Older brother is the benefactor of me and the Namhae Sword Sect,” Hwangbo Seon-hye said, raising her head and looking directly at Un-hyun.

“I will never forget that older brother saved my life.”

In truth, her words were accurate.

Thanks to Un-hyun’s intervention in stopping the Iron-Blooded Evil King Yeom Joong-bu, the Namhae Sword Sect and the Hyeokryun Family had managed to escape Hangzhou.

However, Yeom Joong-bu had been pursuing Un-hyun, and Un-hyun hadn’t originally intended to save her, so he felt undeserving of such profound gratitude.

“No, Young Lady Hwangbo. I just…”

*Rustle.*

Hwangbo Seon-hye stood up quietly.

She said with a determined look, “Thank you, older brother. Please don’t forget my sincerity.”

Her eyes were moist.

Un-hyun cleared his throat.

Hwangbo Seon-hye was pretty and cute, and she treated Un-hyun with great kindness.

However, Un-hyun felt somewhat uncomfortable around her.

Perhaps it was because he had spent his days as a scholar, maintaining a certain distance from young ladies.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

Hwangbo Seon-hye bowed politely to Un-hyun.

After offering a light greeting to Mo Yong-mi, she turned to leave.

*Step, step.*

Just as Hwangbo Seon-hye took a step, Un-hyun called out to her.

“Young Lady.”

Hwangbo Seon-hye turned around quietly.

In a polite voice, Un-hyun said, “I will cherish your intentions deeply in my heart. And I plan to attend this Taepyeong Alliance Murim Yongbong Tournament [a martial arts competition].”

Hwangbo Seon-hye’s eyes lit up.

“Until then, please keep my identity a secret.”

“Yes,” Hwangbo Seon-hye said with a smile.

“People will be very surprised.”

Her words carried a deeper meaning.

Mo Yong-mi fully agreed with that.

Un-hyun was a disciple of the Great Master.

When he appeared, people would inevitably be reminded of the shadow of the Great Master and the Murim Alliance.

“Then I’ll see you again soon.”

Hwangbo Seon-hye smiled brightly and turned away.

She walked away.

*Step, step.*

Watching her retreating figure, Mo Yong-mi sighed quietly.

“I should go too,” Mo Yong-mi said to Un-hyun in a subdued voice.

“Ah, are you?” Un-hyun looked genuinely sorry.

Mo Yong-mi smiled without realizing it at the sight of his expression.

The depressed mood dissipated for a moment, replaced by a surge of joy.

“Yes, because we’ll see each other again soon.”

Her demeanor was bright and gentle.

A smile naturally appeared on Un-hyun’s face as well.

***

Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Taepyeong Alliance Headquarters.

Dang Seol-ryeon, the General Military Officer in charge of external affairs, was reviewing the tournament’s progress in his office.

“How are the preparations proceeding?”

“Everything is on schedule,” the subordinate bowed his head politely and answered.

“The import and export of supplies needed for the tournament are also proceeding as planned, and all facilities are fully prepared.”

“When are the affiliated families arriving?”

“They have informed us that they will arrive three to five days before the start of the tournament. However, according to intelligence, some families are staying in Xi’an and Hanzhong.”

“Hmph.”

Dang Seol-ryeon let out a sneer.

Their intentions were obvious.

They still considered themselves the true owners.

“What is the attendance status of the invited guests?”

Another subordinate, dressed as a scribe, answered, “Most of the sects have expressed their intention to participate. However, a few sects have informed us that they will not be attending due to illness.”

*Rustle.*

Dang Seol-ryeon casually glanced over the documents and raised his eyes.

He could deal with the sects that didn’t participate after the tournament.

“However, all the merchants are attending without exception. Not only the top three merchants in the world and the prominent merchants in each province, but also merchants who were not invited are flocking to Chengdu.”

Dang Seol-ryeon smiled.

“Yes, that’s right.”

The merchants, with their keen sense for money, were quick to understand the situation.

Even if they weren’t invited, they had to make an appearance at this Taepyeong Alliance Murim Yongbong Tournament.

“What about the government officials?”

The subordinate’s expression darkened slightly.

“Most of the local government officials who were sent invitations have sent congratulatory greetings, but none have expressed their intention to attend. Moreover, even the Sichuan Province government officials who were originally scheduled to attend said that they would replace their attendance with congratulatory letters due to urgent official business…”

“What?” Dang Seol-ryeon’s eyes narrowed sharply.

The absence of local government officials from other provinces was expected.

They wouldn’t leave their jurisdictions and travel all the way to Sichuan.

However, it was unexpected that even the Sichuan Province government officials couldn’t attend.

“What are you talking about? Are you saying that the local government officials in Sichuan Province, of all places, said they couldn’t come?”

“Yes,” the subordinate answered in a subdued voice.

Dang Seol-ryeon bit his lip.

The Surveillance Commissioner, the Financial Commissioner, and the Regional Military Commissioner of Sichuan Province had the closest ties to the Tang Clan.

They should have been the first to support the Taepyeong Alliance, yet they were feigning ignorance.

“What’s the reason?” Dang Seol-ryeon asked with a cold look.