Side Story 48. Baek Sang-ye Vs. Cheongho (1)

Zhejiang Province.
Suzhou, a city not too far from Hangzhou.

The city, developed nearly as much as Hangzhou, was beautiful.
Pavilions rose high, and the faces of the people were full of vitality.
But when the light is bright, the shadows are deep as well.
Even in that bustling city, there were beggars.

There were likely few people as lazy as beggars.
Most of the time, they moved busily in two situations.
When fleeing from people trying to beat them up.
Or when fighting over food.
And there was one case not included among those, when they were carrying out duties as members of the Beggars Union.

The boy beggar was also a Beggars Union disciple.
One could tell by looking at the knots tied at his waist.
The number of knots was two.
Since he had risen above the lowest rank, it was rather remarkable considering his age.
Judging by the way he ran, his martial arts didn’t seem particularly impressive.
Then perhaps the mission he was carrying out was important.
The place the boy reached while running with something held to his chest was none other than a thatched cottage on a hillside.

A beggar should have no house.
The reason beggars usually lived under bridges in makeshift tents was to uphold that principle.
But the thatched cottage was quite enough for a person to live in.
What sort of Beggars Union member was living inside?

Instead of opening the door and entering, the boy beggar whistled.

“Whiririk, piiik.”

It sounded exactly like a bird chirping.
Then the door opened on its own.
The boy entered with movements as light as a cat’s.

Thud.

The door closed on its own.
Inside, a man was sitting.
His beard had grown rough along his jaw, and his body was somewhat thin, as befitted a beggar.
The knots at his waist numbered seven.
It was the same number of knots as an elder’s rank.

“You came in a hurry.”

The man opened his mouth as he looked at the boy beggar.
He was holding a brush and writing something, as though he were a scholar.
Though he was a beggar, the presence he gave off was far from ordinary.
As a Beggars Union disciple, he should naturally have learned orthodox martial arts, yet a vicious formless energy that seemed more fitting for a Demon Cult martial artist flowed from him.

The boy beggar knelt with a somewhat frightened look.

“Yes, Elder Ji-cheon. A message has arrived from Xinjiang.”
“Is that so?”

The beggar man smiled brightly.
Elder Ji-cheon.
A member of the Beggars’ Union who had earned elder status despite his youth.
A man who had once been the future Beggars Union leader, and a martial artist who had reached the Transcendent level.
And a man who had returned to the Beggars Union even after becoming a Demon Cult martial artist and rebuilt the collapsing sect.
All those descriptions pointed to only one person.
Noh Shik. He was here in Suzhou, not far from Hangzhou.

“Let’s have a look.”

A message said to have come from Xinjiang meant none other than news from the ‘Demon Cult.’
The Demon Cult should have been an irreconcilable enemy of the Central Plains Murim.
Had Noh Shik, consumed by demonic energy, finally begun colluding with the Demon Cult and plotting betrayal?
Naturally, that was not the case.

“So that Yeon-bi bastard has become the Chief Guardian now. Did he get some kind of fortuitous encounter?”

His friend, Yo Yeon-bi.
Noh Shik had once fought the Evil Cult in the Central Plains together with Yo Yeon-bi, the immature son of the True Demon Palace Lord.
At the time, there had been an absurd organization called the Demon Cult’s Xi’an Branch.

After the Evil Cult collapsed, Yo Yeon-bi and the Demon Cult martial artists returned to Xinjiang.
The Heavenly Demon returned.
That legend of the past had revived in order to oppose the Evil Cult.

The Central Plains trembled in fear.
Since that dreaded Heavenly Demon had appeared again, they feared the Demon Cult would rise once more.
But instead, the Heavenly Demon took all the Demon Cult martial artists and returned to Xinjiang.
Then, after taking the position of Cult Leader himself, he quietly governed the Demon Cult martial artists.
In the midst of that, Yo Yeon-bi had risen to the position of Chief Guardian.

“That’s a large bundle for a message. Did you open it?”
“No, how could I possibly do that?”

What the boy handed over was a heavy bundle.
Noh Shik nodded, then opened the bundle.
Inside were several scrolls that likely held letters, and an unidentified monkey figurine.

“What is this now?”

The monkey was holding something that looked like a gong in both hands.
When Noh Shik fiddled with it,
the monkey figurine suddenly began moving as if having a fit.

Chang, chang, chang, chang, chang!
“Uwaak!”

The one who screamed and fell backward was none other than the boy beggar.
The monkey figurine struck the gong for a moment, then abruptly stopped.
Noh Shik checked the spring mechanism on the back of the figurine and burst out laughing.

“That bastard, playing such a ridiculous prank.”

It was clearly one of Yo Yeon-bi’s pranks.
He examined the monkey figurine a few times, then gave it to the boy beggar.

“It seems to be a toy made in the far West. You can have it.”
“Ah, uh, thank you!”

The boy seemed a little frightened, but he smiled brightly.
When would a beggar boy ever get to have such a wondrous toy?
Noh Shik smiled faintly as he read the western news Yo Yeon-bi had sent.

“Ohh.”

It also included news of Yi-gang.
Yi-gang was also in contact with the Demon Cult. And Yo Yeon-bi, after hearing news of Yi-gang, had passed it on to Noh Shik as well.

“He resolved all the trouble in Tianzhu.”

It said that Yi-gang had helped Prince Akbar and subjugated the forces of the prince’s uncle, Kamran Mizar.
Kamran Mizar was a madman who had gathered Guihon Jade and used it to turn his elephant corps into a yokai corps.
By helping Akbar, Yi-gang must have recovered quite a lot of Guihon Jade.

“There are remnants of Kamran Mizar. Traces of the Evil Cult remained in Tianzhu as well, so they were eliminated… Yama Pellets, what a frightening weapon.”

Noh Shik was someone who knew just how wide the world was.
How fearsome elephant troops were, and how dangerous the cannons of the far West could be.
They said Tianzhu also had a weapon called Yama Pellets that explosively fired flames.

“I hope he returns to the Central Plains soon.”

Yi-gang was apparently leaving again for the distant desert land of Egypt.
With the times so unsettled, it would be tremendously reassuring if Heavenly Lord Baek Yi-gang returned.

Many young Transcendent masters had emerged in these chaotic times, but Absolute masters were still rare.
If Yi-gang, who had broken through the wall of Absolute master, were here, the Crimson Fighting Fiends would not be frightening.

Noh Shik’s expression stiffened as he continued reading the letter.

“This is…”

He compared Yo Yeon-bi’s letter with the materials he had originally been reading.
On the table lay records of the movements of the Ming army and various confidential documents.
And Noh Shik noticed the contradictions in those materials.

“They sealed off the Forbidden City, yet a eunuch of the Eastern Depot came here to Hangzhou… and even the Provincial Governor and the Military Governor.”

Suspicious movements were occurring in Beijing.
The imperial army had sealed off the Forbidden City as if guarding it, yet important figures such as an Eastern Depot eunuch had come out of it and traveled to Hangzhou.
No matter how impressive Seok Family Manor was, was it really just to attend a cooking competition?

Moreover, according to the information he had received from Yo Yeon-bi, even the soldiers guarding the border near Xinjiang were returning to the Central Plains.
Noh Shik felt an ominous chill, as if every hair on his body were standing on end.

“I’ll have to send this news to the main headquarters…”

It was the smell of blood.
A dreadful amount of blood would flow.
Noh Shik, who had been through all manner of hardships, felt that clearly.

And then.
The result of the second main round.

Cheongho, Baek Sang-ye.
Passed!

A major incident had occurred during the test, with a Crimson Fighting Fiend running wild.
But despite that, the situation passed far too blandly.
As Namgung Shin had said, the competition was not stopped.
Nor was there any large-scale search for the Crimson Fighting Fiends.

The remaining seven simply gathered ingredients again, cooked, and Baek Sang-ye and Cheongho passed.
It wasn’t even certain whether Baek Sang-ye and Cheongho had passed because their dishes were truly the best.

The expressions of Cheongho and Baek Sang-ye, who had passed, were not bright.
Cheongho had always been difficult to read, and Baek Sang-ye looked deeply troubled.

“Senior Sister, don’t worry too much.”
“…Huh?”
“I said don’t worry.”

Even Tsering, who was always bickering with her, was worried.

“We knew obtaining the Guihon Jade would be difficult. Though I didn’t expect it to be this suspicious.”
“That’s true.”
“In my opinion, Seok Family Manor seems to be deliberately calling in the Crimson Fighting Fiends.”
“Deliberately calling them in?”
“Murim Alliance martial artists were mixed into Seok Family Manor, weren’t they? Maybe they’re trying to gather the Crimson Fighting Fiends in one place and wipe them out all at once?”

Baek Sang-ye stared at Tsering’s face.
It was quite solemn.

“That might also be why they’re pushing people who know martial arts so hard. And from the start, taking us to such an out-of-the-way place with martial artists accompanying us…”

As Tsering spoke, she seemed to grow increasingly convinced of her own opinion.

“Even I think that was pretty sharp.”

By the end, she had grown quite triumphant.
Only after Tsering finished speaking did Baek Sang-ye open her mouth.

“Y-yes, very clever.”
“Hehe.”

And Baek Sang-ye let out a large internal sigh.
Was that not something she should naturally have deduced long ago?
But since Tsering looked so proud, she did not bother telling her that she already knew.

“Yes. Rather, now that the situation has become clear, there is no need to worry.”

Jin Li-yeon cut in with a calm tone.

“I’m here, after all. And you children are plenty strong.”

There was not the slightest trace of bluff in Jin Li-yeon’s voice.
Her words, telling them to trust her as a Transcendent master, made their hearts feel a little steadier.
Baek Sang-ye recalled Namgung Shin’s words.

‘Right, Brother-in-law and Sister are here too.’

So-ryu and Namgung Shin were Transcendent masters as well.
There were many powerful people in the world, but Transcendent masters were extremely rare.
There was no need to be frightened just because the Crimson Fighting Fiends were strong.

“That’s right, we’re strong too.”

Just as Tsering said, they too were people who could do their own part.
Had they not come out into Murim because they had longed for this kind of adventure from the beginning?

‘Royal Father would support me too.’

Making assumptions about the Emperor’s true feelings, Baek Sang-ye steadied herself.

That was when it happened.
A commotion arose outside.

“What is it? I’ll go take a look.”

Tsering opened the door and stepped out.
The four of them were currently staying in the outer compound of Seok Family Manor.
From the third main round onward, the sixteen contestants who advanced were each allowed to stay in the outer compound of Seok Family Manor with one assistant.

Tsering returned quickly.
Her face was slightly flushed.

“Hurry and come out.”

As for why she was so excited,

“The tournament bracket is out!”

It meant the bracket for the upcoming matches had been posted.
All four opened the door and stepped out at once.
In the small clearing in front of the lodging, a notice board had been set up.
And on that notice board, the tournament bracket really was posted.
The others were already gathered in front of it, murmuring noisily.

Baek Sang-ye and Cheongho quickly pushed through the crowd and stood before the bracket.
They quickly searched for their names, tracing with their fingers.
And who they would be competing against.

Silence lingered.

“……”
“…I thought surely not.”

Their luck was bad.
No, in terms of probability, it was something that could certainly happen.
Still, to think it really would turn out like this.

“The two of you from the first match…”

The first match of the round of sixteen.
Cheongho and Baek Sang-ye would be facing each other in that opening match.

Cheongho muttered,

“Bad luck.”
“…It really is, for both of us.”
“No, I mean you.”
“What?”

Cheongho said without even smiling.

“You’re meeting me from the start and getting eliminated. That’s bad luck.”
“…Ha!”

Baek Sang-ye burst out laughing without realizing it.

“I’ll return those words to you exactly as they are.”

At that, Cheongho also smiled faintly.