Chapter 6

Chapter 6
“No.”

Baek So-cheon gave an outright refusal and spun on his heel to leave.

Beon Saeng scrambled forward in a frantic dash, throwing his body directly into the man’s way.

“I’m begging you, let me call you elder brother!”

The plea was born of pure, unthinking impulse. Prior to setting foot in this place, such a thought had never once crossed his mind.

Several factors drove the sudden urge.

For one, his senses were clouded and his passions stirred by alcohol; seeing Baek So-cheon’s martial drills had struck a deep chord within him; furthermore, the man appeared mature enough to serve as an admirable senior brother. Above all else, Baek So-cheon had previously served in the Cheol-geom-dan—the very summit of Beon Saeng’s lifelong aspirations.

Even though they had first crossed paths less than a single day ago, Baek So-cheon stood completely apart from every common martial artist Beon Saeng had ever laid eyes upon.

Did one truly need to swallow an entire ocean just to realize the saltiness of the sea? A solitary sip was all it took for Beon Saeng to discern that Baek So-cheon was no run-of-the-mill lackey in the Murim Alliance like himself.

“From here on out, I’ll take care of every single thing for you, elder brother. Not merely our outpost duties—your washing, the sweeping, your errands, everything.”

“That makes you sound like a domestic servant rather than a sworn brother.”

“This is my sworn allegiance!”

“Return to your quarters. If I said yes to every person who came to me like this, I would have gathered well over a thousand sworn brothers by now.”

“I have no problem being the thousandth!”

Right then, a thought struck Beon Saeng like lightning.

‘A thousand? He isn’t making that up.’

To Beon Saeng’s current state of mind, even an absurd number like that only made the man seem more approachable.

“Even if you refuse to agree, I will still treat you as my elder brother. That much is my own choice, isn’t it?”

Baek So-cheon offered only a quiet, steady gaze.

“What drives you to become my younger brother?”

The chill in his voice had lessened somewhat. Sensing the slight opening, Beon Saeng laid bare the truth of his heart.

“Ever since I was a boy, my sole dream was entering the Cheol-geom-dan. It’s true that I’m wasting away uselessly in this posting right now, but meeting someone like you feels like a gift bestowed by the heavens—a fresh opportunity for me. Starting today, I want to turn my entire life around.”

“…Transforming one’s existence is no simple feat.”

“I will pour every ounce of effort into it.”

“Sheer effort alone may still fall short.”

“Then I’ll double it—no, I will work three times harder than anyone else.”

“Hmm… You are going to regret these words once the spirits clear from your head.”

Perceiving the cracks in Baek So-cheon’s stern demeanor, Beon Saeng pressed his advantage without letting up.

“I won’t regret a thing. So take it as agreed! Many thanks, elder brother! Hahaha!”

Noticing that Baek So-cheon was on the verge of rejecting him once more, Beon Saeng blurted out an impossible pledge.

“Come tomorrow, I will personally deal with those scoundrels from the Taejeong Faction!”

The following day arrived. Inside the outpost quarters, Beon Saeng held his aching skull between his hands. The pain went far beyond the pounding aftermath of heavy drinking.

“Ugh, I must have lost my mind. I need to swear off that cursed liquor for good!”

Remorse consumed him entirely. Pledging fraternity to a fresh arrival after merely knowing him for twenty-four hours? And grandly proclaiming that he would turn his whole world around because of it?

“Gah, what an absolute fool!”

If that wasn’t enough, he had boldly bragged about sweeping Baek So-cheon’s quarters and scrubbing his garments. What kind of mindless display was that?

‘You fool, you should start by cleaning your own filthy room.’

A bystander would think he had laid down a tactical array across the floor with how messy it was.

Beon Saeng thumped his forehead against the surface of the desk.

‘Ah! If only this were nothing more than a bad dream.’

It was just like pausing to watch a fraudulent medicine hawker on the street corner out of sheer amusement, only to snap to his senses later with his arms full of worthless snake oil. What madness had seized him?

“Should I claim it was all in jest? Or just feign total ignorance and slip away?”

A sudden voice drifted from behind him.

“What are you muttering under your breath about?”

Jumping in surprise, he spun around to find Im Choong standing there.

“Are you keeping the recruits in line?”

Beon Saeng raised a closed fist toward the air with bravado.

“Naturally! You haven’t witnessed my true martial prowess yet, Branch Chief. In the past, I was an aspiring warrior of the Cheol-geom-dan myself.”

Right at that moment, Baek So-cheon stepped into the room with a polite greeting.

Seeing that the man was entirely unharmed, Im Choong leaned in close and whispered into Beon Saeng’s ear.

“He’s completely untouched?”

Beon Saeng dropped his voice even lower.

“He’s probably suppressing some severe internal damage.”

“Well done.”

Im Choong let out a low laugh and strode off toward his private quarters. Naturally, he did not believe a single word of it.

‘As long as the newcomer didn’t take a beating, that’s enough. It wasn’t a major issue regardless.’

Once Im Choong had departed, Baek So-cheon gestured toward the stack of official documents resting on the desk.

“Are you not going to pick these up?”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“You declared that you would take over my tasks as well. Pick them up and get started.”

“Ah, well…”

Beon Saeng stammered, caught completely flat-footed and unsure of what to say.

A subtle smirk touched Baek So-cheon’s lips.

“I warned you that regret would set in once your drunkenness wore off, didn’t I?”

Those words struck like a concealed dart, piercing straight into Beon Saeng’s lingering pride.

He jumped to his feet in an instant.

“I am a man of my word! Do not take me lightly!”

Marching forward, Beon Saeng seized Baek So-cheon’s documents, pulled them over to his own desk, and slammed them down. Yet before he could even settle into his seat, an overwhelming wave of remorse crashed over him.

‘Gah, you senseless idiot! This isn’t how you should have handled it. Couldn’t you endure it for just an instant? You should have laughed and dismissed it as a joke!’

Looking directly into Baek So-cheon’s eyes made such a retreat impossible. The man carried a strange, commanding aura—something that naturally provoked a man’s dignity and raw emotions.

“And what of your other pledge?”

“Which pledge?”

“You said you would settle the matter with the Black Society Taejeong Faction today.”

Beon Saeng went entirely rigid.

“Me?”

He tried to play dumb, yet the memory was painfully sharp in his mind. Under the haze of the alcohol the previous night, he had genuinely believed he could single-handedly crush every last one of them.

Handling administrative paperwork was one thing—challenging the criminal underworld of the Black Society was an entirely different beast.

Baek So-cheon stepped forward and reclaimed the papers from the desk.

“Pay it no mind. People say foolish things when intoxicated.”

The polite, understanding dismissal hurt far more than outright mockery would have, making Beon Saeng’s pride flare up once again.

His mouth twitched.

Guilt had long gnawed at him for turning a blind eye whenever the innocent were harassed. To hell with caution.

‘I’ll crush those Black Society scum! I will hold to my word!’

At twenty-six years of age, the embers of Beon Saeng’s determination surged, the battle cry rising straight toward his lips.

Yet an opposing voice in his mind dragged him right back.

‘Are you out of your mind? Do you know how bloodthirsty the Taejeong Faction’s leader is? Even if you managed to defeat him by some stroke of luck, what happens when his allies from outside hunt you down? Furthermore, Shin-hwa-bang backs them from the shadows. They could have an insignificant nobody like you banished from the Murim Alliance before sunrise.’

Still, another whisper demanded bravery.

‘A promise made while drunk only shows what your spirit has yearned for all along! You spineless weakling. Stand up and do the right thing just this once! Isn’t that why you took up the sword in the first place?’

‘And when you end up slaughtered like a stray dog, do you truly think he will spare a tear for you?’

‘This is not for his sake. It is for the ordinary people who are suffering. It carries genuine meaning. Even dying for it would mean something.’

If he lingered any further on these racing thoughts, he might well have triggered internal qi deviation.

Just then, the entrance to the inner chamber creaked open, and Im Choong stepped out.

“Squad Leader Beon, accompany me. There is somewhere we must go.”

As the two walked away from the outpost, Beon Saeng spoke up in a subdued tone.

“My thanks.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“I know the truth. Words spoken inside travel clearly to the outside.”

He had intentionally raised his voice earlier so Im Choong could overhear, secretly praying for an excuse to be pulled away.

‘You cunning rat. Finding an escape route even in this situation. You truly are hopeless trash.’

Im Choong spoke soothingly,

“Why allow a fresh recruit to drag you around like that?”

“Tell me about it. I shouldn’t have gone and called him elder brother.”

“You actually addressed him as elder brother?”

“…Indeed.”

“Always trying to act clever, aren’t you?”

Stopping in his tracks, Beon Saeng spoke up with hesitance.

“Can we truly do nothing against the Taejeong Faction? What if we petitioned the higher branch for reinforcements?”

“And what would come of it then?”

The true obstacle was Shin-hwa-bang looming in the background. If the Taejeong Faction stood alone, Im Choong would never have permitted them to run rampant across the district.

Beon Saeng was well aware of this reality.

‘The Branch Chief must feel bitter about it as well.’

Feeling a pang of remorse, he steered the conversation elsewhere.

“Where are we bound, in any case?”

“Took you long enough to ask. We are heading toward the Jo estate.”

Before long, Im Choong and Beon Saeng reached the gates of the Jo estate.

Their objective was an inquiry into the butchering of Yang Chu and his kin. The master of the household, Jo Jin, had shared the deepest bond of friendship with Yang Chu throughout their lives.

‘Lord Jo must surely hold some critical insight.’

Led along by a domestic servant toward the formal reception pavilion, the pair noticed two figures strolling toward them along the walkway.

To their utter astonishment, the men were Wang Gon and Heuk Su.

“Branch Chief Im, what could possibly bring your steps here?”

Catching sight of Wang Gon so unexpectedly caused Im Choong to stiffen with surprise.

“A brutal slaughter took place yesterday. We have come to confer with Lord Jo regarding the tragedy.”

“Ah, news of that reached me. A dreadful calamity. You must apprehend the villain responsible.”

“We shall exert every effort.”

“By the way, there remain unresolved matters between us. We ought to share a cup of wine before long.”

“Certainly, on another occasion.”

Wang Gon and Heuk Su strolled past them, expressions laced with amusement—Wang Gon showing a wide smile, while Heuk Su wore an outright sneer.

Once the figures had faded into the distance, Beon Saeng spat upon the ground.

“Did you catch the venom in that cur’s glare?”

“I noticed.”

Every glance from Heuk Su was thick with derision and arrogance.

“That rabid dog takes pleasure in trampling the weak through raw violence.”

Im Choong continued forward once more.

“The world holds far too many men of his kind—that is the true curse.”

“Never in my wildest thoughts did I imagine my dear companion would meet such an agonizing end.”

Jo estate master Jo Jin appeared completely drained and visibly worn down.

“You have our deepest sympathies for this loss.”

“Yang Chu and I shared thirty long years of companionship.”

“A bond as profound as direct kin, I presume.”

“Far deeper than blood itself.”

After extending their condolences and showing reverence for Yang Chu’s demise, Im Choong transitioned to the vital inquiries.

“On what day did you last see Great Hero Yang?”

“Roughly a month past.”

“Did you observe anything out of the ordinary regarding his behavior?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Were there any remarks from him that appeared unusual?”

“Merely our customary conversation prior to parting ways.”

Im Choong sensed the subtle strain. Jo Jin’s voice carried a distinct tremor. His demeanor was completely unnatural—far from composed. Yet having one’s dearest friend and his entire household slaughtered in cold blood would naturally unnerve any mortal man.

“Did Great Hero Yang have any recent feuds or enmity with someone?”

A heavy silence lingered before the answer finally came.

“None that I am aware of.”

Whether the reaction was carefully staged or entirely involuntary, a singular truth became glaringly obvious.

‘He is concealing the truth.’

As the closest confidant of Yang Chu, the man should have been desperate to aid in tracking down the killer.

What could he possibly be trying to hide? An influential leader of his stature had very little in this realm to truly dread.

Suddenly, Wang Gon’s visage surfaced in Im Choong’s thoughts.

Running across him within these grounds today felt deeply suspicious.

“We happened upon Lord Wang as we entered the grounds.”

Jo Jin flinched visibly at the sudden mention of the name.

“I… had not crossed paths with him in quite some time myself.”

“He conducts a great deal of business throughout our territory.”

“That is true.”

At the mention of Wang Gon, Jo Jin’s gaze flickered with heightened anxiety, completely unable to hold eye contact with Im Choong.

‘Could it be? Are they intertwined in this?’

Within the expanse of Jeol-gang Province, few factions possessed the terrifying influence required to muzzle the master of the Jo estate—and Shin-hwa-bang unquestionably ranked among them.

‘Was Yang Chu in conflict with Wang Gon? Or with Shin-hwa-bang itself?’

It was entirely possible that Wang Gon had arrived ahead of them specifically to silence Jo Jin. In fact, even without uttered threats, his mere physical presence inside the manor served as an overwhelming display of pressure.

Why had he chosen to show up precisely when Im Choong was scheduled to arrive? Could that truly be mere chance?

‘Did he anticipate my investigation beforehand?’

Im Choong had dispatched a formal notice to arrange this meeting ahead of time—granting Wang Gon ample opportunity to calculate the exact timing.

If that were the case, this was not simply an unspoken threat directed at Jo Jin.

It was an open warning leveled directly at Im Choong.

He offered a slow shake of his head. An entire lineage had been wiped out overnight.

‘Even so, they belong to the righteous factions… Surely they would not stoop to that.’

Departing the Jo manor, the two men made their way back toward the Murim Alliance outpost.

As they neared their destination, Im Choong turned toward Beon Saeng.

“I will personally lay out the situation regarding the Black Society to Baek So-cheon.”

“No. I shall deal with it myself.”

“Are you confident in that?”

“It is my own blunder, so I must be the one to rectify it.”

Though it would severely wound his self-esteem, that remained vastly superior to running away in cowardice only to drown in bitter regret later on.

Stepping back inside the outpost, Beon Saeng approached Baek So-cheon.

“There is a matter I must discuss with you. Will you join me for drinks when our duties end?”

“Very well.”

The remaining hours crawled by at a torturous pace; his duties failed to occupy his mind. Bitter regret over his rash pledge to obliterate the Taejeong Faction tangled with the remorse he felt toward the local shopkeepers, topped off by frustration that his opportunity to look magnificent before his newly adopted elder brother had crumbled to pieces.

‘I simply must confess the whole truth.’

Beon Saeng hardened his resolve.

Once their shift concluded, Baek So-cheon and Beon Saeng made their way together toward a drinking establishment.

Just outside the metalwork shop situated along the avenue, a violent cacophony of shattering iron tore through the air.

Taking in the familiar shopfront and the gathering crowd, Beon Saeng let out a heavy breath.

‘Ah!’

What cruel trick of destiny was this?

Brutes belonging to the Black Society Taejeong Faction had completely cordoned off the doorway of the metalwork shop. The proprietor happened to be old man Go—the very merchant who had most recently raised a plea for help.

‘Why must the heavens torment me like this?’

Bitterness toward fate flared within him. Every instinct screamed at him to spin around and flee. Had he been on his own, he would have done exactly that.

Suddenly, Baek So-cheon spoke in a calm, quiet tone.

“Shall we save the drinks for another day?”

Had the man explicitly demanded that he intervene, Beon Saeng would have undoubtedly hesitated, grasping for every ready excuse.

Yet this show of considerate restraint—almost certainly an intentional taunt—struck his pride dead center, just as it always did.

Rather than uttering a reply, Beon Saeng threw back his head and roared with fury at the Taejeong Faction thugs.

“You wretched bastards! Bring this to an end right now!”