Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 84

85. The Return of Pa Cheon.

Pa Cheon’s group, having arrived in Gaebong, went directly to the main headquarters of the Beggars’ Union. He entrusted the Unparalleled Poison, which he had received from Je Gal-cho Hong of the Blood Demon Heaven, to Ui No, instructing him to analyze its components and develop an antidote. Shortly after, he convened a meeting with Hwan No and Gae Wang. Only Pa Cheon, Cheonma, Hwan No, and Gae Wang were present in the room. Pa Cheon briefly outlined the situation and discussed future strategies with them. To him, they were not merely subordinates but also unique individuals who represented his lost past and evoked a sense of nostalgia.

‘The 1,600 members of the Cheonma Cult’s Demon King Sword Guard have entered the Central Plains. They are currently stationed in a manor near Luo Yang, awaiting further orders from the Supreme One.’

Pa Cheon and Cheonma exchanged knowing glances.

‘Dan Jang-hwa managed to bring them safely to the Central Plains. There were no major conflicts during their journey, correct?’

Gae Wang looked at Pa Cheon and confirmed,

‘That’s right. They traveled in small groups of about ten people. They primarily chose routes through mountains or sparsely populated areas, leaving no traces behind. However, according to reports from our Luo Yang branch, they emanate a strong demonic energy that is rarely seen in the Central Plains. This is a bit concerning. I understand that the Supreme One has other plans for their deployment, especially since there isn’t a full-scale war, but it seems there might be some challenges in utilizing them effectively.’

Gae Wang’s assessment was accurate. Pa Cheon, aware of this, nodded in agreement.

‘Pung No.’

‘Yes, Supreme One.’

‘What kind of assassin or mercenary organizations exist in the Central Plains? And I’d also like to know about the courier companies.’

Hwan No and Gae Wang, Pung Cheon-ho, exchanged glances. Pung Cheon-ho turned to Pa Cheon and began to explain in detail what he knew.

‘As for assassin organizations… there is the Assassin’s Den within the Demonic Path, but they have been absorbed into the Demonic Alliance and have lost their distinct identity as assassins. There are a few other minor groups, but most of them are not very powerful. Ultimately, there are virtually no significant assassin organizations in the Murim world. Only the Yalim exists, but…’

‘Yalim?’

‘Yes. They are a unique group that does not belong to the Murim and follows their own path. If I had to categorize them, they are like a world of ronin [masterless samurai]. They do not interfere in the affairs of the Murim, and the Murim does not consider them as their own. For this reason, there is no interaction between them.’

Pa Cheon showed great curiosity at Gae Wang’s words.

‘What is their strength?’

‘Well… I don’t know the specifics. Most of them are ronin warriors, assassins, mercenaries, or those fleeing from the Murim’s public enemies, so their exact size is unknown. About ten years ago, they had a conflict with the Northern Sword Society, and at that time, 700 Northern Sword Society masters were annihilated overnight. After that, the Yalim leader sent three carts of gold as an apology, and the matter was settled, but it’s more accurate to say that the Northern Sword Society backed down. Considering that no Murim sect wants to get into a dispute with them, you can roughly gauge their strength.’

‘Oh, is that so?’

‘But why are you asking about assassin organizations?’

‘There’s a reason. Then, what is the situation with the courier companies?’

‘As for courier companies, the Murim Alliance manages 40% of them. The Northern Sword Society has been focusing on transporting goods since the old days. They have absorbed existing courier companies and now boast a vast scale. The only entity that rivals them is the Daeha Courier Company under the Dae Sang-beol [a large merchant guild]. There are also small courier companies that operate within a single province, but their scale is very limited.’

‘Is that so?’

Pa Cheon closed his eyes and fell into deep thought. After about fifteen minutes, his eyes opened, shining with clarity. It was a habit of his that appeared after he had organized his thoughts.

‘Good. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.’

With each word that came from Pa Cheon’s mouth, the expressions of the three, including Cheonma, changed rapidly.

★ The news of the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon’s return was like a welcome rain after a drought, enough to revitalize the stagnant Murim Alliance. He entered the Murim Alliance alone, appearing neither injured nor showing any signs of abnormality. He went directly to the Alliance Leader’s Hall located in the Divine Sword Pavilion, where those who had rushed upon hearing the news of his return were waiting for him in the medical hall on the 8th floor of the Divine Sword Pavilion, the Royal Physician’s Hall.

‘Welcome, I greet the Supreme One.’

The Murim Alliance Leader, the Hidden Dragon Emperor Dokgo-jeong, bowed his head to Pa Cheon. Pa Cheon helped him up and clasped his hands.

‘You have worked hard during my absence. Let’s sit down over there.’

Pa Cheon led him to a seat. The two sat facing each other.

The Hidden Dragon Emperor’s face was noticeably gaunt in the short time that had passed. It showed how much he had been suffering. The Hidden Dragon Emperor did not ask why his grandson, Dokgo-mu, had not accompanied the Supreme One. However, Pa Cheon knew. He knew that he was more concerned about his grandson’s safety than anything else, but he was restraining himself with superhuman patience.

‘Alliance Leader, you have worked hard. It was because of you that I was able to leave my position with peace of mind.’

‘I simply do what I must. I only follow the Supreme One’s orders.’

Pa Cheon looked directly into the Hidden Dragon Emperor’s eyes and continued in a clear tone.

‘Actually, I have some bad news to tell you.’

The Hidden Dragon Emperor was not particularly surprised. He simply maintained a calm expression and waited for Pa Cheon’s next words.

‘Your grandson, Dokgo-mu… has passed away.’

Pa Cheon finished speaking with difficulty and observed his expression. His face seemed to twitch for a moment, but he quickly regained his usual composure.

‘Is… is that so? He was a life that should have already been extinguished, so there’s nothing to be sad about. It’s all his fate…’

Pa Cheon explained the situation in relatively great detail. How he died and what state he was in now… Even after his explanation, the Hidden Dragon Emperor calmly looked at Pa Cheon.

‘Then, I’ll be on my way. I’ll keep it a secret from Seol-ran for the time being. Alliance Leader, please stay here. I will take care of the affairs of the Alliance for the time being.’

As Pa Cheon got up from his seat, he also stood up. He even smiled brightly at Pa Cheon as he saw him off. Seeing that, Pa Cheon’s heart grew heavy. It was too difficult and painful to face him. After Pa Cheon disappeared from the room, the Hidden Dragon Emperor turned around. He walked towards the chair he had been sitting on, but his legs trembled as he took a step, and then they gave way. He collapsed onto the floor with a thud and stared blankly ahead. A hazy mist filled his old eyes. The tears he had been holding back finally burst out.

‘You… you left like that? I sent my son away, and now my only grandson has died a violent death… What hope is left for me now?’

The illusion of his grandson, Dokgo-mu, as a child, who seemed as if he would come running into his arms with a bright smile, appeared before him. He had been particularly fond of following him around, and he had also cherished and loved his grandson dearly. The only memories he had of the past were watching his grandson grow up, but he had left his old grandfather behind.

‘Hahahaha… If only I had been an ordinary villager, this tragedy would not have happened to you.

… It’s all my fault. Blame me. I hope you don’t carry all the grudges to the next world.’

★ The faces of the Murim Alliance masters were full of vitality after a long time. It was the change brought about by the name of the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon. To them, the Great Commander now had a meaning beyond being the second-in-command of the Murim Alliance. As long as he was there, they would not give up hope in any situation.

‘You have all worked hard. Seeing your faces, I feel relieved. I already know about the Murim situation, so I’ll skip that… Sinan Jeonju!’

‘Yes, Great Commander.’

Sinan Jeonju, also known as the Murim Alliance’s military strategist, Saman Cheon-noe So Cheon-ak, rose from his seat at Pa Cheon’s call. He had a hunch about what the Great Commander’s question would be.

‘Briefly explain the current situation in Sichuan Province.’

‘Understood.’

As expected, his question was about the invasion of the Four Imperial Stars into the Central Plains.

‘The Four Imperial Stars are currently staying at the Oryeon Association’s main headquarters in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. They are not moving from there, and the forces of our Alliance that retreated from the headquarters are currently making a last stand in Chongqing. The Four Imperial Stars’ forces are known to consist of 5,000 cavalry and 500 Soul-Controlled Blood Ghouls. According to the message sent by the Oryeon Association Leader, who is also the Vice Alliance Leader, there is no way to stop the Soul-Controlled Blood Ghouls, so they are retreating to minimize unnecessary sacrifices.’

‘Hmm… What do you think is the reason why they are not advancing further from Chengdu?’

So Cheon-ak stated his thoughts without hesitation.

‘In my judgment, their current forces are only the vanguard of the Four Imperial Stars’ entire army. They are probably waiting for reinforcements from their main base. From the beginning, their intention was to establish a foothold in Sichuan Province, which was the purpose of this expedition. If they were to advance, the forces of our Alliance stationed in Chongqing have a far superior numerical advantage, so they would have to suffer irreparable damage. And because of the distance from Qinghai, they would have to be prepared for annihilation. That’s why they are not moving any further.’

‘My thoughts are the same as Jeonju’s. Then, what should we do about their future movements and our countermeasures?’

‘The time when reinforcements arrive from Qinghai is when their movements are expected. Before that, we should establish countermeasures against the Soul-Controlled Blood Ghouls and cut off their supply lines by seizing Songpan, which is behind Chengdu, and isolate them. That is the best course of action for now.’

‘So, you’re saying we should bypass them, set up camp in Songpan, and attack them from both sides?’

‘That’s right. The problem is the countermeasures against the Soul-Controlled Blood Ghouls… There is no clear solution at the moment. We could use explosives, but if we can’t predict their exact movement routes, it’s useless, and they would have also prepared countermeasures for this, so we can’t expect much from that. Also, the Alliance can’t provide any more troop support, so we are in a difficult situation right now.’

Pa Cheon’s mouth opened again.

‘They must also be aware of our situation. If the main force of the Four Imperial Stars is reinforced faster than we expect, what should we do then?’

So Cheon-ak hesitated and finally said these words.

‘At that time, it will be unavoidable, so troop support from the Alliance will be inevitable. Even if we give Sichuan to them, they will still not stop their advance, so it is an unavoidable choice.’

‘Is that so? My thoughts are a little different. Their main force won’t come in so easily. The reason is, as you said, that the goal of this expedition is to secure a foothold, which is natural, and also because they are mindful of other forces, just like us. If the main force is reinforced and advances, we will strengthen our forces to resist, so they won’t take such a risk and give other forces an advantage. If they make such a decision, we must immediately retreat the forces in Chongqing. In that case, they will give up further advances in Sichuan Province and observe the situation. What do you think? Does my idea sound plausible?’

Saman Cheon-noe So Cheon-ak nodded, showing that he agreed.

‘After listening to the Great Commander, it seems that way.’

‘You’re still not as good as the Northern Sword Society’s military strategist. How can I leave this large force to your brain alone if you can’t even think of that much?’

‘So, I’m saying, order the forces in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, to concentrate in Hanzhong. Geographically, it’s a place where we can show them our intention to quickly reinforce them in case of their provocation. And order the western forces of Shaanxi Province not to pressure the point from Qinghai to Sichuan as much as possible. We shouldn’t make them feel anxious that they will be surrounded and make them gamble.’

‘Understood.’

‘Then, let’s put the Sichuan Province issue aside for now, and we’ll establish countermeasures for the Soul-Controlled Blood Ghouls later and report them.’

‘Understood.’

The people present were somewhat surprised that the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon had so easily resolved the issues they had been struggling to find solutions for.

‘Is the Cheonmu Hall of the Odang currently in Sichuan?’

‘Yes, it is.’

It was the answer of the Vice Alliance Leader, the Shaolin Abbot Ji-woo Daesa. The Southern Alliance Leader, who shared the same position as Vice Alliance Leader, had lost his life in the invasion of the Demonic Alliance, and the other, the Oryeon Association Leader, was in Sichuan, so he was the only one guarding the Alliance.

‘Tell me about the movements of the Dae Sang-beol.’

As usual, Sinan Jeonju, who was in charge of information, rose from his seat. He stood up and approached the Great Commander, handing him a thick stack of documents. Then, he stepped back a few steps and reported.

‘If you look at this, you will find detailed records of the recent movements of the Dae Sang-beol. Their movements are unusual. They are based in Luo Yang and are in sharp conflict with us, and recently, they have been strengthening the Daeha Courier Company and are actively participating in the courier competition. They are also indiscriminately buying agricultural products from the production areas and are buying up lodging facilities, taverns, and brothels. In particular, the competition with them is intensifying in Zhejiang and Henan provinces. Furthermore, even the small and medium-sized merchants in the region, who had not dared to oppose us, are joining forces and opposing us. It seems that there is someone behind them.’

‘Hehe, Ssang-no is doing well.’

‘Yes. What do you think is the mastermind behind them?’

‘Considering various factors, the Dae Sang-beol is the most likely, but it could be a third force. For example, it could be one of the other forces among the Three Outer Worlds or the Four Tyrants. I think this is an important issue that we must deal with carefully, or we will suffer a great setback.’

‘That’s right… What do you think is the foundation of our and the Dae Sang-beol’s commercial power?’

‘Well, isn’t it capital and manpower?’

‘That’s right. And along with that, the most important thing is the transportation of goods, which is the core of the distribution of goods. The battle with them will be decided there. They know that, so they are putting their strength into the Daeha Courier Company. If we interpret this differently, it also means that if there is a disruption in the transportation of goods, we can inflict huge losses on them. Both we and they rely on courier companies for not only our own goods but also all the logistics that are distributed in the Central Plains. In the future, what will determine the losses of each other under equal conditions will be speed. Only the force that can distribute goods quickly and accurately will be able to seize commercial power. So… sometimes, we have to resort to unconventional methods. Have the personnel from the 4 Halls and 5 Units, excluding the Cheonmu Hall, be assigned to this task under the direction of Baekhojeon. I don’t need to give detailed orders, do I?’

Saman Sin-noe So Cheon-ak, knowing what the Great Commander intended, smiled faintly and answered instead.

‘Have Baekhojeon focus solely on the courier company business for the time being, and have the necessary personnel be drawn from the 4 Halls and 5 Units.’

The resounding answer of Baekhojeonju, Jin Cheon-byeokgeom Ju Ja-gi, followed.

‘Understood.’

‘After this, have each organization take care of the other matters separately, and let’s adjourn. One thing to add is that the Jeongdo Command should be excluded from all other official duties and wait for separate orders, and Sinan Jeon and Sungui Jeon should be on high alert for the movements of other foreign forces. Also, they should focus on patrolling each branch and establishing discipline. After this, I will declare an indefinite emergency, and I will decide all major and minor matters of the Alliance for the time being, on behalf of the Alliance Leader. Are there any other opinions?’

The Vice Alliance Leader, the Shaolin Abbot Ji-woo Bangjang, rose from his seat.

‘I have a request for the Great Commander.’

‘A request? What is it?’

‘I think I need to go to the headquarters for a while. Please allow me to do so.’

‘Why, is there something going on at Shaolin Temple?’

‘Please forgive me for not being able to tell you the details.’

If you think about it, the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon, Moon Yoon, was not a stranger to the Shaolin Temple. He had inherited the teachings of the Sixth Patriarch, Hye-neung, so he was their grand-uncle. The fact that he was reluctant to speak even to him seemed to indicate that it was an important matter of the sect that was difficult to disclose in a public place. Pa Cheon nodded and opened his mouth.

‘I will allow it. I will have the Deputy Commander of the Jeongdo Command, Cheong-un Hak, and about 10 commanders accompany you, so go ahead.’

‘Thank you for your consideration, Grand-Uncle.’

He deliberately did not use the official title of Great Commander and called him Grand-Uncle. Pa Cheon was curious about what was going on, but he did not ask any further.

‘Now, everyone, please be faithful to your duties. Let’s end the meeting here.’