亚洲欧美日韩在线久一

“Has the owner changed?” I asked with a trembling voice.

Baek Pyo smiled and replied, “That’s right. I recently acquired it and opened anew today. You’re my first customer.”

My whole body trembled at the realization that my connection with Baek Pyo was being renewed.

“Please, have a seat wherever you’re comfortable.”

I sat in my usual spot. Baek Pyo laughed and said, “That’s my favorite seat in our establishment. Hahaha.”

“Is there a particular reason you like this seat?”

“I just like it for no reason.”

He laughed awkwardly.

“What would you like to drink?”

I ordered my usual drink and side dish. Baek Pyo was shocked.

“The same goes for this drink and side dish. I didn’t expect my first customer to order them from that seat.”

I wanted to tell him right then that I was Cheon Hajin. He was my former head of security, after all. There were many ways I could prove my identity to him. We had shared many private conversations.

If it were him, he would leave with me.

But I didn’t. Cheon Hajin was already dead. Both in his life and in mine. I am now Byeok Ri-dan. Even if I have the chance to help him, it will be Byeok Ri-dan who helps, not Cheon Hajin.

At that moment, a new customer entered.

“A grand opening gift.”

A middle-aged man handed over a small potted orchid.

I nearly dropped the glass I was holding. I was just as surprised as when I had seen Baek Pyo.

The man who entered was none other than Gal Saryang.

I quickly turned my head, afraid my shocked expression might be noticed. My heart was pounding.

I truly never imagined I would encounter Gal Saryang here.

And to think I’d meet both Baek Pyo and Gal Saryang in the same place.

“Welcome!” Baek Pyo greeted him with a face full of emotion. He apparently hadn’t expected Gal Saryang to visit in person.

“It’s cozy and has a nice atmosphere.”

“I was lucky. The previous owner put the place up for sale to return to his hometown.”

“I see.”

“What would you like to drink?”

“You choose for me.”

Baek Pyo brought out some alcohol.

Gal Saryang glanced at me briefly but didn’t pay much attention.

Gal Saryang’s face looked gaunt, as if he had been under a lot of stress lately.

I wanted to go up to him right away and ask what had happened. Why he had suffered such a setback.

Gal Saryang, who had been drinking, went out through the back door.

“Let’s get some fresh air together.”

“Certainly.”

Baek Pyo followed him out.

I perked up my ears. I could faintly hear their conversation.

“This is where he used to come, right?”

“You knew?”

“He mentioned it a few times. Said there was a place with a really nice atmosphere. He said we should go together sometime when we had the chance… but we were always so busy.”

Gal Saryang let out a sigh.

I have regrets too. If only I had been a bit more open with Gal Saryang.

“Do you have any thoughts of staying in the Martial Righteous Alliance?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think the new Alliance Leader is worth protecting.”

“No, I should be the one apologizing.”

“You did your best, Commander-in-Chief. Once the Bright Moon Regiment and Iron Cavalry Regiment betrayed us, there was no way to stop it.”

The moment I heard Baek Pyo’s words, my heart sank.

The Bright Moon Regiment and Iron Cavalry Regiment had betrayed us?

I couldn’t believe it. If I had heard this at an inn, I would have shouted “Don’t talk nonsense!” and never believed it.

But these words came from the mouth of the person I trusted most.

The faces of the Bright Moon Regiment Leader and Iron Cavalry Regiment Leader flashed through my mind. “Betrayal” was a word that could never be associated with them.

Gal Saryang spoke dejectedly.

“Strictly speaking, it’s not betrayal. They gave their full loyalty while the Alliance Leader was alive.”

No, this is betrayal. Abandoning the will of the person I cherished because I died is clearly betrayal. If they had truly given me their full loyalty, they should have helped Gal Saryang. Moreover, they should never have allowed someone like Ma Bonggi to take the seat of Alliance Leader.

“What are your plans now, Commander-in-Chief?”

“I intend to hold out a bit longer. They’re probably hoping I’ll just disappear.”

“Will you be alright?”

“There are eyes watching, so they won’t be able to do anything to me openly. I’ll likely be demoted. To some small organization. But I plan to hold out until the end.”

“What I mean is…”

“I know. I know what you’re worried about. But don’t worry, I’m capable enough to protect myself at least.”

“That’s a relief, but still.”

I know what kind of person Gal Saryang is. He’s not someone who will be fooled twice. If he says something like that, he must have a plan to protect his life.

“Forgive my impertinence, but… why don’t you leave?”

“The Martial Righteous Alliance was his foundation.”

“I feel like such a worthless person.”

“Not at all. You gave up your position as the Maengho Clan Leader of the Martial Righteous Alliance out of longing for him. If anything, I should be the one feeling ashamed to say such things.”

“Commander-in-Chief.”

“You and I, we’re both leaving or staying because of him. In the end, we have the same heart.”

“I miss the Alliance Leader so much.”

“So do I. But it’s time to forget now. Live your own life from now on. I’ll be going now.”

“Please take care of yourself.”

“May your business prosper. I’ll drop by from time to time.”

“Please come anytime.”

Gal Saryang left directly from the backyard. So I couldn’t see him as he departed. I don’t think his steps were heavy with slumped shoulders.

Commander-in-Chief Gal, please stay strong.

Baek Pyo came back into the tavern. He forced a smile, trying to shake off the bitterness, and asked me,

“How’s the taste?”

I looked at him and smiled brightly.

“It’s good. Very good.”

I emptied my last glass and left Wind Tavern.

On my way back to the inn, many thoughts crossed my mind.

The betrayal of the Bright Moon Regiment Leader and Iron Cavalry Regiment Leader wouldn’t leave my mind. My head was boiling.

Why?

By the time I returned to the inn, I had organized my thoughts.

I decided to go home first. I won’t act rashly, swept up by emotions.

I’ll go back and build up my strength. So that I can ask questions with confidence, so that I can protect them for certain.

Saryang, Baek Pyo.

Until then, live your lives.

***

I returned home again.

“How did your trip go?”

Gwang-du was relieved at my safe return and at the same time curious.

“Did you set right what was wrong?”

I shook my head.

Instead, Gwang-du laughed.

“Why are you laughing?”

“You’ve always shown me that you can handle anything effortlessly whenever you go somewhere. I never said it, but it was quite inhuman.”

I know this is Gwang-du’s way of comforting and encouraging me.

“That’s why you should train hard. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could handle these things effortlessly?”

“Hehe, you’re entrusting me with something even you couldn’t handle? You’ve quickly returned to your original inhuman self.”

“Haha.”

“You must be tired. Get some rest. I’ll tell them to prepare your favorite dishes for dinner later.”

Watching Gwang-du’s retreating back as he scurried away, I finally felt the relief of being home.

I decided not to worry about the Martial Righteous Alliance’s affairs anymore. Not about Gal Saryang and Baek Pyo, not about Ma Bonggi, not about my death.

After all, nothing would change even if I worried about it now.

For now, let’s focus on nurturing the Byeok clan’s swordsmanship.

That was my conclusion. Instead, I felt the need to develop it more actively.

The situation in the martial arts world was not looking good. Someone who shouldn’t have become the Alliance Leader had done so. There will surely be side effects. When those repercussions reach our clan, we need to have the strength to protect ourselves.

I plan to build a breakwater to block the storm before it comes.

The storm will surely come.

***

I increased the intensity of my training.

The most important thing is my martial prowess.

Although I’ll try to keep it hidden as much as possible, I need to have the power to sweep everything away when there’s no other choice.

The most crucial thing was, of course, my inner energy. It would be best if I could obtain elixir, but that requires both money and luck.

For now, I did what I could. I reduced my sleeping hours and practiced mental cultivation techniques.

At the same time, I pushed my physical training to the extreme.

This was in preparation for situations where I’d have to fight while conserving my inner energy as much as possible. When using techniques with minimal inner energy, physical strength has the most significant impact.

And there was one more thing that became necessary at this point.

Gal Saryang’s words came back to me again.

You can’t do anything alone.

Yes, his words are right.

Unless I can use a duplication technique to split my body into hundreds of copies.

I need my own organization. An elite organization that can immediately handle my orders.

But I know better than anyone that such an organization isn’t created overnight. It needs to be nurtured over several years.

In the end, my determination led to a bombshell announcement.

“I want to have my own sword squad.”

My father and mother’s mouths fell open simultaneously. This must have been the biggest shock I’ve given them so far.

“Do you know what a sword squad means?”

“Of course I do.”

“Do you know what it means to lead a sword squad?”

“Yes, I do.”

Mother asked with a slightly worried expression.

“Don’t we already have a sword squad?”

“Yes, we have an excellent sword squad. You can think of this as a separate squad from the existing one. Consider it a reserve squad.”

I had to approach it this way to avoid conflict with the existing squad.

“Out of respect for the existing squad, I’ll name it the Small Sword Squad.”

When I revealed that I had thought that far, Father accepted my intention.

“If that’s your wish, then fine. But aside from their lodging and meals, we won’t provide any other support.”

“That’s more than enough.”

“How many do you plan to recruit?”

“I plan to start with about twenty members at first. I intend to gradually increase the number.”

Mother smiled. It was the same smile that always supported her son, the kind of smile that made me want to repay her no matter what.

“You can do it well, can’t you, son?”

I answered with a bright smile.

“Yes, Mother.”

***

Before recruiting members for the sword squad, I met with Seo Jung first to hear his thoughts.

While I might have more experience and skill in handling organizations, I shouldn’t disregard Seo Jung’s experience when it comes to operating a sword squad.

I brought Gwang-du along to listen together.

How to conduct training, how to establish a system. Who to appoint as team leaders, and what honor and pride the squad members value most.

The last thing Seo Jung told us was this:

“In the end, the most important thing in a sword squad is the people.”

It was the same thing I had told Gwang-du when I was teaching him.

-In martial arts, the most important thing is ultimately the person.

After parting with Seo Jung, when it was just the two of us, Gwang-du asked me,

“What did Squad Leader Seo mean by his last words?”

“Why didn’t you ask him directly?”

“Well… Squad Leader Seo is intimidating, isn’t he?”

“And I’m not?”

“You’re more… approachable.”

How could I be angry at this rascal who smiles so mischievously?

“In martial arts organizations, the most important thing is skill. No one can deny that. But what if everyone has great skills but terrible personalities? What if the sword squad was filled with Yang Gi-gang types?”

“I don’t even want to imagine that.”

“That’s probably what Squad Leader Seo meant. That a sword squad is ultimately a group of people. So more than anything, what they think and how they feel is most important.”

“Everyone will be loyal to you, Young Master.”

“We shouldn’t expect loyalty from the beginning. Loyalty is something that builds up over a long time through various experiences. At first, the most important thing is to make them feel a sense of belonging.”

“How are you so smart?”

“Jealous? You too…”

These are things you’ll understand as you get older. You’ll probably have much deeper and smarter thoughts than me, who was confined to the Alliance.

“But can I be part of that sword squad too?”

“No.”

“Why not? Please include me!”

“You’re not ready yet.”

Because I plan to use you for something much more valuable.

“You have to let me join when I’m skilled enough later.”

“We’ll see then.”

“By the way, Young Master, why are you creating this sword squad?”

Gwang-du asked with a curious expression.

“Because you need an organization to make money.”

The more power you have, the more money you can make. Power is money, and money is power.

“Why do you need to make money?”

“To grow the organization.”

“And after that?”

“I plan to make the Byeok clan the number one clan in the Central Plains.”

Gwang-du was shocked at the words “number one in the Central Plains.”

It was my determination. Though I was speaking to Gwang-du, I was also speaking to the entire Central Plains.

“The Byeok clan will become the strongest family in the Central Plains. I will nurture it into a powerful family that no one dares to challenge.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Gwang-du’s voice trembled as he asked.

“Yes, I’m serious. The sword squad is the beginning of that dream.”

Gwang-du’s face filled with intense emotion.

“You will definitely achieve it. I’ll do everything in my power to help you.”

Though it starts with a small squad of twenty, I will turn it into a squad that charges through and commands the Central Plains.

Under the warm spring sunlight, my first declaration of intent was cast.