The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 151

Chapter 151
Namgung Seon-hwa shut her eyes tightly, reopened them, and blinked repeatedly in disbelief.

“Is that individual truly…… the Sect Leader of the Yuwol Sect?”

A mature man sat before them, his limbs tightly secured behind his torso, his voice completely silenced by a thick gag.

As she turned her head toward me, silently pleading for verification, I redirected her inquisitive stare over to Hae-ryeong.

“While Young Master Jin was launching his assault on the residence, our forces moved directly against the Yuwol Sect.”

“Is that so…….”

Seong Mo-ran’s jaw dropped in sheer astonishment.

“I was absolutely certain that the Diancang Sect had struck the Yuwol Sect before anyone else……”

In reality, the Yuwol Sect had functioned as the vital Yueyang repository for Diancang.

The factions of the Black Path were well aware of this dynamic, which was precisely why they had attempted to strike with absolute urgency.

It represented an extraordinary prospect to plunder the massive fortunes that Diancang had hoarded within Yueyang over the years.

Yet, Diancang was hardly the type to remain passive while their riches were plundered.

Before the syndicates of the Black Path could lay a finger on it, reclaiming their own property—even if it required brutal, underhanded methods—was entirely predictable.

For this reason, Diancang had moved with unmatched speed to sever ties with the Yuwol Sect and initiate a ruthless raid against them.

And yet.

“They arrived a moment too late.”

There was no earthly reason for me to overlook such a golden vulnerability in the first place.

Furthermore, even though Diancang had effectively been stripped of wealth that belonged to them, they would never dare utter a public complaint about it.

The very instant they voiced their grievance, the clandestine alliance tying the Yuwol Sect to Diancang would be exposed to the entire world.

This was precisely why I hadn’t taken the slightest offense when Seong Mo-ran previously questioned if I felt any lingering resentment.

‘Right about now, their minds must be completely unraveling over the massive fortune that slipped through their fingers.’

As a smirk of sheer satisfaction crept across my face, Seong Mo-ran threw a sharp glare in my direction.

“So you intentionally ignited that entire chaotic spectacle just to divert everyone’s gaze?”

“Well…… there were a multitude of factors at play.”

“I came incredibly close to losing my life!”

“And yet, here you are, savoring a lavish feast on a vessel, are you not?”

“Do not think for a second you can simply act innocent and shrug this off!”

I harbored no such intentions regardless.

Shifting my focus, I looked over toward Hae-ryeong.

Responding to my glance, Hae-ryeong retrieved several bank notes from within her sleeve, sliding one across to Namgung Seon-hwa and another to Seong Mo-ran.

“What exactly is this?”

“It represents the payment due to each of you.”

“Excuse me?”

The two women quickly unfurled the papers, and their countenances instantly turned completely rigid.

“T-two thousand gold taels?”

“This massive sum belongs to us?”

Even Namgung Seon-hwa was utterly unable to mask her profound shock, as the monetary figure stamped upon the paper was clearly astronomical even by her high standards.

Meeting the demanding stares of the two ladies as they waited for a rationalization, I gave a firm nod.

“Just as you pointed out, Lady Seong put her very survival on the line, and Lady Namgung went so far as to risk her family’s reputation. It is only fitting that such high stakes receive proper remuneration.”

“Incredible…… your methods are truly magnificent. I have never in my life held a sum of money this grand.”

“If the day comes that I depart from the Namgung Clan, would you allow me to pledge my allegiance to the Taeul Sect?”

The sheer intensity in her gaze was something else. She wasn’t joking in the slightest, was she?

As the two women remained completely transfixed by the bank notes, staring at the unimaginable sums they now possessed for the first time, Eun-ho and Sa-ryeon sat off to the side with their expressions deeply twisted in a pout.

“What seems to be the issue with you two?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I am asking why your faces are sticking out so far they could touch the wall.”

“The natural alignment of my jaw happens to bear a striking resemblance to a carp.”

A light laugh escaped me as I observed Eun-ho talking back so defensively.

“Given that terrible demeanor of yours, I can only assume you have absolutely no requirement for these items.”

“Pardon?”

I held up four medical orbs alongside a pouch overflowing with currency from the depths of my attire.

A peculiar, highly aromatic fragrance of rare vegetation instantly began to drift across the expanse of the room.

“What might those be, Senior Brother?”

“A bit of spending money and several Severing Moon Pills. In all likelihood, Diancang provided them directly to the Yuwol Sect. My initial plan was to pass them along to you, but seeing as your attitude is so lacking……”

“Senior Brother! Never in my life have I harbored a single doubt regarding your choices!”

“The same goes for me!”

“……M-me as well.”

Only after witnessing even the stubborn Eun-ho desperately trying to curry favor did I finally relent, passing the small container and the coin pouch over to their hands.

Without a single moment of hesitation, the group of four bolted straight out of the storage area to find a quiet place to ingest and assimilate the spiritual remedies.

I monitored their departing figures for a brief moment before shifting my attention back to the captive Yuwol Sect Leader.

The commander, who had been forced to witness this entire display, had his eyes stretched so wide with fury they looked ready to burst from their sockets.

Stepping closer to his bound form, I reached down and tore the cloth from his mouth.

“Do you genuinely believe you have been treated unfairly?”

“Kh…… Do you honestly think you will escape the consequences of this treachery? You remain oblivious, but every shred of that treasure is the rightful property of Diancang. Diancang will hunt down a dog like you until you are utterly destroyed.”

Turning my head slightly toward Hae-ryeong, I inquired,

“Have you refrained from enlightening him on the current reality?”

“I have not.”

I faced the Yuwol Sect Leader once more and spoke plainly,

“You appear to be deeply confused. At this very moment, our operations are the only thing keeping you and your kindred alive.”

“What kind of absolute garbage are you spouting……”

“As we speak, Diancang is frantically scouring every corner of Yueyang with the sole purpose of executing you to ensure your silence.”

“What did you say?”

“I am telling you that the individuals responsible for butchering the vast majority of the Yuwol Sect’s combatants were none other than the forces of Diancang.”

“…….”

The Yuwol Sect Leader glared at me, his face a mask of complete and total disbelief.

Yet, no matter how hard it was to swallow, the truth remained unaltered.

Hae-ryeong and I subsequently relocated to a more private quarters.

“The Gate Master explicitly requested that I pass along her warmest expressions of respect to you, Young Master.”

“Is the Gate Master maintaining good health and spirits?”

“Indeed. She conveys that the current era is the perfect window for Hao Gate to truly expand its influence, and she is operating with far greater intensity than ever before.”

“That is highly encouraging to hear.”

“The credit for all of these favorable developments belongs entirely to you, Young Master.”

Feeling a sudden wave of self-consciousness, I took a sip of my brew, while Hae-ryeong, offering a delicate grin, produced ten distinct bank notes from the folds of her garment.

“These represent the direct returns gathered from converting all the physical bullion, gems, riches, and financial papers that were hidden away within the Yuwol Sect.”

dishonest.

“…….”

Ten separate financial drafts, with every individual note commanding a value of ten thousand taels.

“Did the grand total truly reach such a monumental figure?”

The sheer magnitude of the wealth was so drastically beyond my calculations that my capacity for thought momentarily ground to a halt.

“Yueyang stands as the paramount commercial hub within Hunan Province, and it ranks among the most celebrated destinations for travelers throughout the entire Jiangnan region. When you take into account that Diancang had been systematically accumulating capital to launch a massive headquarters inside Yueyang, this sum should actually be viewed as rather modest.”

“Modest, you say?”

“We found ourselves entirely unable to liquidate the permanent properties owned by the Yuwol Sect, such as their commercial taverns and lodging houses. Had we attempted to alter ownership of those assets, it would have left an obvious trail for our adversaries to follow.”

“That is a perfectly sound judgment.”

They would undoubtedly piece the puzzle together after a significant duration had slipped by, but it posed no immediate danger to us, and even if Diancang eventually deduced the truth, there was absolutely nothing they could do to rectify it, meaning it required no serious anxiety on our part.

Reaching out, I slid two of the ten massive bank notes back across the surface to Hae-ryeong.

“……?”

Hae-ryeong gazed at me, her countenance instantly filling with silent inquiries.

“Consider it your proper broker’s fee. It has come to my attention that Hao Gate has altogether stopped demanding payment for the tasks they execute on my behalf.”

“Ah…… that arrangement exists solely because you hold the distinguished title of a ‘Guest Retainer’……”

“I have never once been informed that a mere Guest Retainer is entitled to such an absurd degree of special leniency.”

“…….”

It was highly probable that through the personal benevolence of figures like Hae-ryeong and Yang Gun-baek, all standard service fees had been quietly waived for my benefit.

However, alliances and dealings that relied entirely on such fragile personal sentiments were destined to fracture or breed resentment sooner or later.

“Accept the compensation that you have rightfully earned, and deliver the highest quality of outcomes in return. That is the precise arrangement I desire.”

Hae-ryeong intently studied my expressions for a long interval before letting slip a slow, weary breath.

“……You truly are a Young Master whose resolve I cannot hope to sway. Are you genuinely at peace with parting with this much?”

“Had the network of Hao Gate not lent its immense cooperation to this endeavor, the entire process would have dragged on indefinitely. And whenever individuals expend their labor, they are fundamentally entitled to proper rewards.”

“In that case, I shall take possession of it with deep appreciation.”

Hae-ryeong meticulously creased the two financial drafts and slipped them securely into her inner robes.

“Since I have been graced with such an extraordinary token from you, Young Master, the item I prepared to offer you will surely seem quite dull by comparison.”

“Oh?”

Prompted by a sharp wave of Hae-ryeong’s hand, reinforcing the mysterious statement she had just uttered, a female servant stepped into the room bearing a polished wooden platter.

Resting upon its surface was a completely desiccated flora root distinguished by nine distinct offshoots, alongside a small text that appeared so incredibly fragile it might crumble into dust at the gentlest brush of a finger.

For an item introduced as a grand offering, its physical state was remarkably unappealing to the eye…….

“What exactly am I looking at here?”

“These particular items were retrieved directly from the most concealed vault of the Yuwol Sect Leader.”

“A deeply buried vault?”

Given that a staggering abundance of material wealth had already been pilfered and stashed away in the main depository, what manner of objects could possibly warrant placement in a secondary, hyper-secret cache?

“Are you familiar with the legend of the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb?”

“…… shreds.”

The very instant the name crossed her lips, my vision involuntarily snapped down toward the dried botanical root before I could even consciously register the movement.

“C-could this truly be the actual Nine-Spirit Divine Herb?”

A legendary, borderline mythical panacea rumored to hold the collective essence of every spiritual current flowing beneath the heavens within its nine unique stalks.

Its inherent energetic concentration was so violently potent that even an accomplished practitioner who possessed highly advanced internal cultivation could easily suffer complete internal destruction if they attempted to ingest its power without the proper preparation.

“In all likelihood, he recognized that his own body could never hope to withstand or assimilate its power, and thus kept it with the intention of presenting it to a higher authority.”

“…….”

While my mind raced with frantic calculations regarding just how drastically my internal martial reserves would skyrocket the moment I successfully absorbed that miraculous panacea, Hae-ryeong pressed forward with her revelation.

“The accompanying item is the record of the Blood Jade Hand.”

“…….”

My focus, which had been entirely captivated by the miraculous Nine-Spirit Divine Herb, instantly snapped right back to Hae-ryeong’s face.

“If you are referring to the Blood Jade Hand…… is it truly the exact same Blood Jade Hand from the histories?”

Rather than offering a verbal confirmation, Hae-ryeong simply gave a slow, deliberate nod.

The notorious Blood Jade Hand stood as one of the definitive Ten Forbidden Arts officially outlawed and condemned by the collective judgment of the Murim Alliance.

“It is highly probable that he deliberately fabricated the rumors regarding the presence of the Demonic Cult precisely because he had this forbidden technique stashed away in his possession.”

I found myself nodding continuously as her explanation unfolded.

Regardless of the reckless maneuvers he pulled or the immense skepticism he generated, he likely operated under the assumption that if he ultimately dropped the text of the Blood Jade Hand into his rival’s lap, he could instantly redirect every shred of blame and suspicion onto them in a single, decisive stroke.

“Had you not intervened, Young Master Jin, the entire trajectory of events would have undoubtedly conformed perfectly to the master plan of Diancang and the Yuwol Sect until the very end.”

“……That is an incredibly fortunate outcome.”

Even as the words left my mouth, a distinct, unpleasant bitterness seemed to anchor itself at the back of my throat.

When all was said and done, the underlying cravings of the very individuals who proudly bellowed slogans like “Purging Demons and Destroying Evil” at the vanguard of the Murim Alliance had completely wandered away from the true “Righteous Path”; for a man who had once readily surrendered his existence for the concept of absolute “fairness,” witnessing such corruption was a deeply disheartening reality.

“Though it may appear quite unpretentious, please accept this as my personal offering.”

I fixed my gaze on Hae-ryeong as she gently glided the presentation tray closer to my position, and I questioned her,

“If these items were locked away in a deeply buried vault, you were under absolutely no obligation to disclose their existence to me.”

Even taking my status as an esteemed Guest Retainer into account, there was no logical requirement for Hao Gate to lay bare every single asset they uncovered.

“Naturally, alongside these artifacts, we also unearthed the detailed financial records of the High Officials and Nobles whom the Yuwol Sect had been systematically corrupting over the years. We determined that those specific documents would yield far greater utility if retained under our direct control, so we have secured them in a separate location.”

“No, that is not the point I am attempting to make……”

“Young Master.”

Hae-ryeong cut in, her voice carrying an unyielding weight.

“We do not operate merely as basic information brokers who engage in the routine acquisition and distribution of secrets; we function fundamentally as an analytical enterprise that deciphers the deeper trends of data. And based on our comprehensive intelligence assessments, the present moment represents the absolute lowest valuation your personal worth will ever see, Young Master.”

“…….”

“We place an incredibly higher degree of importance on your future prospects than you could possibly estimate, Young Master.”

Hae-ryeong’s gaze burned with a powerful, unshakeable certainty.

Confronted by such an abrupt and intense declaration, I found myself entirely stripped of words, capable of doing nothing more than swallowing hard against the sudden tension in my throat.

“Therefore, if receiving this places too heavy a psychological burden upon your shoulders, you are entirely welcome to view it merely as a token of our developing companionship.”

Upon hearing Hae-ryeong frame it in such a manner, an involuntary smirk carved its way onto my lips before I had the ability to suppress it.

“Did you happen to extract that particular phrasing from Yang Gun-baek?”

“I reprimanded him quite severely on that front. I demanded to know if he truly believed he had secured a lifelong companion for such a pitifully low investment.”

“In that case, I shall receive it with genuine appreciation.”

With deliberate care, I tucked both the precious Nine-Spirit Divine Herb and the forbidden manuscript of the Blood Jade Hand into the secure folds of my inner garments.

Hae-ryeong continued to observe me with the distinct, warm expression of a parent watching a wholesome meal being happily consumed by their own offspring.

For some inexplicable reason, a wave of awkwardness washed over me, prompting me to swiftly introduce an entirely different subject to break the silence.

“In your estimation, who is poised to assume absolute control over Yueyang in the wake of this vacuum?”

The governing seat of Yueyang currently sat entirely vacant.

The core motivation behind the ferocious, bloody skirmishes currently erupting between the factions of the Black Path murim and the Orthodox Path murim was, when stripped down to its core, a desperate race to see who would ultimately devour the territory of Yueyang.

“My current projection points toward the syndicates of the Black Path murim—most notably the Mukhyul Gang and the formidable Black Axe Palace—as the entities most likely to rise and dominate Yueyang.”

“Hmm…….”

It appeared her deductions aligned perfectly with my own assessments after all.

The mainstream Orthodox Path sects, with the prominent Diancang leading the charge, had thoroughly decimated their own public credibility as a direct consequence of this entire sordid affair.

It was equally undeniable that Diancang’s leverage over the minor factions that had traditionally rallied behind its banner would suffer a severe, prolonged decline.

Ultimately, as they completely failed to form a cohesive front due to their paralyzing hesitation and mutual suspicion of one another’s motives, they would find themselves entirely incapable of commanding the same grand dominion they once enjoyed.

And it was painfully obvious that if Diancang or any alternative entity representing the Orthodox Path attempted to violently reassert their dominion over Yueyang down the line, they would be forced to settle that ambition with a staggering, catastrophic toll in human lives.

“Is there truly no viable entry point for Hao Gate to anchor itself within that arena?”

“What did you say?”

In a incredibly rare display of vulnerability, Hae-ryeong’s eyes widened to the size of small saucers, and she blinked rapidly in sheer shock.

Her expression was the absolute picture of a person who simply could not process the words that had just entered her ears.

“The syndicates of the Black Path will undoubtedly scramble to tear away a piece of the prize, while Diancang will simultaneously exhaust every resource to avoid losing their historical foothold. In the midst of that inevitable collision, could Hao Gate not strategically insert itself as a buffer between the two warring sides?”

“……As you are well aware, Young Master, the nature of our organization places us in a dynamic where we are fundamentally barred from operating out in the open light.”

“Then what prevents you from simply extending your influence through covert, unnoticeable channels?”

“…….”

The confusion on her face deepened, signaling that the concept was entirely foreign to her traditional worldview.

Seeing as we had successfully forged such an exceptionally sturdy alliance, perhaps it was the opportune moment for me to present her with a massive revelation of my own?

“How would you view the prospect of claiming the mantle of the Yueyang Branch Chief?”

“I beg your pardon??”

“The individual currently presiding as the Yueyang Branch Chief is highly likely to be reassigned to a completely different sector in the immediate future. And going by established protocol, the vacancy of a Branch Chief is predominantly populated by a candidate put forward by the departing officer.”

“That is…… undeniably accurate. However, I have received absolutely no intelligence suggesting that the reigning Yueyang Branch Chief is on the verge of a transfer. Do you possess specific knowledge regarding where an authority of that particular rank is being dispatched?”

“He is scheduled to be stationed within the Taeul Sect to serve in the capacity of a specialized liaison officer.”

“What?!”

Hae-ryeong, who had managed to maintain an absolutely flawless, unbothered posture of elegance through every twist and turn until this very second, let her lips part in total bewilderment, her eyes locked onto me as if unable to break away.

‘Wait a moment, is that piece of news truly shocking enough to warrant this level of complete astonishment?’

Beholding Hae-ryeong’s utterly flabbergasted response actually left my pride feeling a tiny bit bruised.