NOVGO.NET Chapter 183 : Chapter 183
Chapter 183. This Brat Drives Me Crazy (1)
Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon.
He was kneeling, completely intimidated.
Anxiety was evident on his face, and the cold sweat running down his forehead was bothersome, but he didn’t dare wipe it away.
He was afraid that such a trivial action might somehow displease the person before him.
This was a very rare sight.
Even if the world was vast, there was only one person who could make this madman shrink back like this.
“Cheon-ah…”
The master of the Twin Dragon Sect and Jin Cheon’s master.
He called out to his disciple.
“Yes, Master.”
It was not an angry voice.
The emotion felt in his master’s voice was not anger, but sadness.
The sorrowful voice of a parent looking at a son who had returned after committing a wrong.
It was the only voice that troubled the Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon, who feared nothing in the world.
‘I’d rather he just got angry.’
He could endure scolding or rebukes, but this was utterly unbearable.
His master, with a somber expression, spoke.
“Why did you do it?”
At that question, Jin Cheon hesitated for a moment before speaking honestly.
He didn’t dare make excuses to his master in this mood.
“I thought it was a good opportunity.”
“A good opportunity, you say?”
“Yes. I thought it would resolve the dispute and at the same time, benefit our sect.”
“Huuuu….”
The sequence of events was as follows.
There was an escort agency called the Southern Star Escort Agency.
Originally, it was a place that did business with an Unorthodox Sect called Blood Demon Sect as its backer.
However, when the leader of Blood Demon Sect fell, the Southern Star Escort Agency found a new backer.
That was a place called Falling Earth Sect.
Blood Demon Sect was enraged by this, defined the Southern Star Escort Agency’s action as a betrayal, and enacted a bloody revenge.
Naturally, Falling Earth Sect attacked Blood Demon Sect for encroaching on its territory, and the Southern Star Escort Agency, caught in the middle, suffered immense damage and its members died.
And so….
[Radiant Dragon Great Master, please help us. At this rate, all the members of our agency will die.]
The head of the Southern Star Escort Agency personally came and asked Jin Cheon for help.
Hearing his words, Jin Cheon acted himself.
Blood Demon Sect?
Falling Earth Sect?
Such minor evils could never defeat a great evil.
The moment the Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon stepped forward, the leaders of both sects personally came to Jin Cheon, begged for forgiveness, and said they would never go near the Southern Star Escort Agency again.
Thus, the Southern Star Escort Agency became free.
And….
[You are amazing, Radiant Dragon Great Master. Would you please continue to lend your name to our agency in the future?]
[My name?]
To the indifferent Jin Cheon, the head of the Southern Star Escort Agency said.
[If you permit it, we will regularly pay protection fees to the Twin Dragon Sect.]
[Protection fees, you say?]
Jin Cheon was intrigued.
As he made a name for himself, the Twin Dragon Sect had gained a few more members, but its financial situation remained the same.
No, it was worse.
It was natural, as the number of people to feed and clothe had increased.
[How much will you give?]
And so, the Southern Star Escort Agency came to do business under the protection of the Twin Dragon Sect.
And when his master heard of this, he called Jin Cheon, and they were now sitting face to face.
“Cheon-ah, did you know that the Southern Star Escort Agency is a place that conducts illegal business?”
“…Yes.”
Of course, he knew.
In the first place, why would a decent escort agency have Unorthodox Sects as backers while doing business?
A proper escort agency would naturally do business with a prestigious orthodox sect behind it.
But the Southern Star Escort Agency was a place that did illegal things behind the scenes.
Rumors were rampant that they smuggled salt and traded illicitly with the horse-riding people of the distant north.
It was dangerous, but it was work that could earn a lot of money in a single transaction.
He was not unaware of that.
But….
“Master, I looked into it, and they were not scoundrels who engaged in inhumane acts like usury or human trafficking. They just… don’t follow the law a little.”
No matter how desperate Jin Cheon was for money, he wouldn’t join hands with the likes of human traffickers or loan sharks.
Wasn’t he still a member of the Orthodox Alliance and a Great Master?
‘I have that much discernment, Master.’
To Jin Cheon, who was grumbling inwardly, his master sighed and said.
“Cheon-ah, I have already entrusted the major and minor affairs of the sect to you. That is because I trust you.”
“Yes, Master.”
“So please, listen to what I am about to say as if it were just the worries of an old man.”
“……”
“I understand your intentions well. Sometimes, compromise is necessary for the sake of reality.”
“……”
“But the reason we are an orthodox sect is because we always pursue what is right. If we lose our righteous heart, how can we proudly call ourselves an orthodox sect?”
“……”
“Even if you act hoping for a good result, if there is hesitation in the process, then that is not the right path. You must not forget that.”
“…Yes, Master.”
“Good. I will trust you.”
As Jin Cheon left his master’s room, his junior and senior brothers swarmed him.
“Senior Brother, what did Master say?”
“Junior Uncle, what should we do? Should we recall the dispatched junior brothers?”
To their questions, Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon replied.
“He expressed his concerns, but he did not forbid it. So…”
Jin Cheon hesitated for a moment.
He was reluctant to proceed with something his master viewed negatively.
But….
‘I need money to feed and clothe these bastards.’
He couldn’t ignore the practical problems.
Jin Cheon, having made up his mind, said.
“Continue to dispatch disciples to the Southern Star Escort Agency.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
“That’s great.”
His junior and senior brothers also sighed in relief.
If things had gone wrong, they would have had to return the advance payment they received from the Southern Star Escort Agency, let alone the regular income.
For those who knew the poor situation of the sect well, their hearts must have been pounding.
Jin Cheon looked at his junior and senior brothers and thought.
‘Yes. This is right.’
Of course, his master was right.
He was always right.
He had never doubted this once.
But….
what was the result of pursuing only what was right?
The Twin Dragon Sect was still looked down upon as a poor, third-rate sect.
Why did it have to be just us?
The owner of the splendid brothel in Xiangzhu was a lay disciple of the Wudang Sect.
The money earned from selling the laughter and wine of the gisaeng there was delivered to the Taoists of the Wudang Sect, who were said to be the most noble in the world.
The owner of the huge gambling den in Henan was the sworn brother of a lay disciple of Shaolin.
The money he earned was passed on to his sworn brother, who in turn passed it on to Shaolin.
With the money earned like that, the so-called high monks of Shaolin draped themselves in expensive silk robes and received respect from the world.
Even the so-called most noble and respected masters of the Jianghu were like this when you dug into their hidden sides.
So why only us?
Couldn’t we also compromise a little and turn a blind eye?
His master would surely understand later if they used the protection fees paid by the Southern Star Escort Agency to organize the sect and establish a foundation.
‘Yes. He surely will.’
He thought so at the time.
But two years later.
Kwaaaang!
The main gate of the Southern Star Escort Agency was shattered to pieces.
A man, overflowing with killing intent with every step he took on the fragments of the destroyed main gate, gritted his teeth and entered.
At that, the terrified head of the Southern Star Escort Agency shouted.
“St… Stop him! Stop him!”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
“Die!”
At his command, the escorts charged with bloodshot eyes, but the outcome was all too obvious.
“Get… out… of the… way!”
A voice that seemed to wring out anger.
As soon as those words ended, a brilliant flash of light flickered once, and….
Kwaaang!
Everything was settled.
The escorts were sent flying in all directions, and the agency was shattered.
Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon, walking through the midst of it, was emitting a terrifying killing intent.
The head of the Southern Star Escort Agency, his legs trembling, forced his mouth open.
“Gre… Great Master. Please calm down. Calm down and… my words…”
Slice! Slice!
Two flashes of light.
They passed through the body of the Southern Star Escort Agency’s head in the shape of a cross (十).
“Uh…. Uh uh….”
“I don’t want to hear a single word that comes out of your mouth.”
“Ugh…. Uuuugh….”
“Just apologize to my junior brothers in hell.”
The body of the Southern Star Escort Agency’s head split open, spilling its intestines, and collapsed.
And on that day, the Southern Star Escort Agency disappeared, not leaving even a single foundation stone behind.
There was a reason why Jin Cheon had personally stepped forward to annihilate the Southern Star Escort Agency.
Originally, the Southern Star Escort Agency had engaged in smuggling and illicit salt trade, but the scale was small.
Because they lacked power, they had secretly earned slush funds within a manageable limit.
But that was when their backer was weak.
After the Twin Dragon Sect, or more precisely, the Radiant Dragon Great Master, became their backer, they were able to expand their business smoothly.
The scale of the smuggling, where they supplied food to the northern horse-riding people and bought and sold horses, gradually increased, and they even dabbled in gunpowder, which was strictly forbidden by the state.
And within their territory, they engaged in usury, selling the families of those who couldn’t repay their debts as slaves to the north.
It was a business conducted secretly behind the scenes, but as the scale grew, it was eventually discovered by the disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect who had been dispatched.
[Hahaha. Please calm down. It’s all a misunderstanding. And from next month, we will double, no, triple the tribute paid to the Twin Dragon Sect.]
At first, they tried to shut them up with money somehow.
But….
[What nonsense are you talking about? Are you not afraid of heavenly punishment, Agency Head!]
[No, please don’t be like that….]
[I will definitely report this to my Senior Brother. Be prepared!]
Money didn’t work.
The disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect were simply unpersuadable.
But that mouth had to be silenced.
So the head of the Southern Star Escort Agency attacked the disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect.
To seal their lips with death.
A sudden ambush.
The disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect fought with all their might, but they couldn’t overcome the numerical disadvantage.
In the first place, the martial arts level of the Twin Dragon Sect, excluding the monster that was the Radiant Dragon Great Master, was not very high.
However….
[Go! Go and tell Senior Brother about this!]
[Junior Uncle!]
[Hurry! Run!]
Even in the chaos, they desperately succeeded in helping one youngest disciple escape.
The result of that appeared just like this.
Behind Jin Cheon, who was staring blankly at the burning Southern Star Escort Agency, his master appeared.
“Cheon-ah.”
“Master.”
“……”
The master patted the back of Jin Cheon, who looked like he was about to cry.
Although he was called the greatest hero in the world and the number one swordsman of the Orthodox Alliance, to him, Jin Cheon was still just a child.
A pitiful boy who had been hurt so much by the world that he only knew how to growl and howl.
The master patted Jin Cheon comfortingly and said.
“Do not blame yourself.”
“Master… did you know, Master? Did you know it would turn out like this? If so….”
Jin Cheon, who was speaking, bit his lip hard.
If so, why didn’t you stop me, even by force?
Then the junior brothers would not have died.
Why didn’t you sternly rebuke this foolish disciple?
Why?
The resentful words swirling in his mouth could not be uttered.
In the end, wasn’t everything his own choice?
To such a Jin Cheon, his master said.
“I did not anticipate such a result either.”
“……”
“I just felt that ignoring the process for the sake of a good outcome was not righteous.”
At his master’s words, Jin Cheon gritted his teeth and asked.
“But Master, if we continue like this, won’t we remain a third-rate sect in the Jianghu for the rest of our lives? Are you okay with that, Master?”
“Of course I am not okay with it. I also want our Twin Dragon Sect to do well. That is only natural.”
“In that case….”
“Cheon-ah.”
The master called his disciple quietly, as if to appease him.
And he stroked his head and said.
“You don’t have to do everything.”
“Master….”
“No matter how outstanding you are, you don’t need to do everything. You just need to do as much as you can.”
“……”
“If what you do is right, and the process is dignified, someone will follow in your footsteps. And then someone else will follow in theirs, and if they fall, yet another person will walk that path.”
“……”
“That is how people live, leaving their footprints in the world.”
What’s important is not the result.
How upright, straight, and dignified are those footprints?
That was the value of life his master had taught him.
* * *
Patrick stared intently at Cierion’s hardened expression.
A calm gaze that neither hurried nor threatened.
But as Cierion met that gaze, he instinctively knew how foolish and disastrous it would be to speak a lie.
Therefore….
“It was an unavoidable choice.”
He spoke the truth.
“You don’t deny it.”
“Because I know it won’t work.”
“……”
“Rather, I want to ask. How did you know? There were no circumstances under which the information should have leaked to the outside.”
At Cierion’s words, Patrick also told him the truth.
“My senses are sharp.”
“What does that….”
“I can clearly feel the disgusting energy of demonic power residing within you.”
Patrick had fought a black mage in the past.
If not for that, he might have mistaken him for someone who had learned demonic arts, but demonic arts do not exist in this world.
Therefore, the conclusion was drawn.
The conclusion that the state Cierion had achieved was accomplished with the help of black mages.
“Right. So that was it. The information didn’t leak.”
Cierion nodded as if it were a relief and said.
And to Patrick, who was glaring at him, he said.
“You truly are a genius. Amazing. It’s enough to make one jealous.”
“……”
“It’s not just you. Garcia Reynardo, the grandson of the Imperial Sword Saint, Antorius Denar of the Holy Theocracy, and even Riman Ciera of the Tower of Truth over there….”
“……”
“They are all possessors of great talent.”
“So what?”
Patrick shot back sharply and continued.
“I have no talent. So I didn’t have the luxury of choosing my means like you all.”
“……”
“Is that what you want to say?”
Cierion, hit where it hurt, bit his lip.
And Patrick, his eyes wide, said.
“You pathetic bastard.”
“Say what you will.”
“What?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
Seeing Cierion speak bitterly, Patrick shot at him fiercely.
“It’s not just you. Most of your subordinates are hiding demonic power in their Aura Halls.”
“That’s right.”
“Do they even know what the power in their bodies is?”
“…They do.”
“Then do they also know how that power is made?”
“……”
Cierion, who had been answering smoothly, couldn’t bring himself to answer this question and squeezed his eyes shut.
And Patrick spoke the cruel truth that he most hated to hear.
“A few years ago, black mages were active here and there across the continent.”
“Stop it.”
“They used bandits or assassins to kill people in large numbers. Suddenly, all over the continent, simultaneously.”
“I said, stop it.”
“A similar thing happened in my hometown. When I interrogated the black mage I caught then, he was doing some dirty and disgusting things.”
“That’s enough. I get it, so stop.”
“At that time, those bastards, while killing people, their souls….”
“Stoooooop!”
Cierion roared.
Only then did Patrick close his mouth.
Cierion slowly brought both hands to his face and covered it.
And he let out a deep sigh, composing his emotions.
Yes.
He knew.
What kind of power this was.
What price had been paid to create this power, he knew it all.
And knowing that, he accepted it into his own body.
And he had his subordinates accept the power too.
He just gave the order to keep silent because the fact that they had joined hands with the black mages had to be kept secret.
He couldn’t bring himself to tell them the whole truth.
Because he couldn’t make them share the sin….
Seeing Cierion with his eyes squeezed shut, Patrick said.
“You rose up for the weak of the East?”
“……”
“You?”
An utterly intense and blatant contempt.
At that, Cierion raised his head, gritted his teeth, and said.
“I needed power.”
“Filthy and disgusting.”
“If we didn’t do at least that, there would be no hope for us!”
At Cierion’s roar, Patrick fell silent.
But his gaze still held contempt for Cierion.
Cierion swung his arm and shouted in an agitated voice.
“To choose righteous means and slowly build up power to escape this shitty reality? That’s impossible. Impossible!”
“……”
“I don’t care what means I use. I don’t care if I burn in hell after I die. As long as I can protect the people of my country who are alive now, as long as I can change this shitty reality where the strong prosper, fattened on the blood and death of the weak, I will do anything. Anything! Anything! Anything!”
“……”
“That is my duty!”
Was it because he was tired from pouring out all the emotions inside?
He let out a sigh and said in a mournful voice.
“Help me.”
“……”
“Please….”
There was no logic.
There was no great cause.
There was only pleading.
At that, Patrick slowly opened his mouth.
“I…”