The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 188

Chapter 188
“What are you saying right now……?”

The Branch Chief looked at me with an expression like he had accidentally stepped in something foul while wearing his finest clothes.

Well, his reaction was expected.

For those devoted to the Murim Alliance, preserving the peace and security of the Murim was an absolute duty, one they would defend even at the cost of their own skin.

I used to feel exactly the same way in my previous existence.

But hadn’t I already done enough of that thankless labor in my past life?

The Branch Chief, who had been maintaining a forced smile until this moment, now displayed a flicker of genuine disdain and aversion.

Since my true perspective was out in the open, I held his gaze with an unbothered expression.

“Naturally, I also desire to safeguard the peace and security of the Murim more than anyone.”

“Then why do your words contradict your actions?”

“My intentions are noble, certainly. But transmitting a Carrier Pigeon Letter to Great Hero Bang is not a trivial task, is it?”

“Our branch’s own fighters could surely manage such a thing.”

Why is this man so remarkably dense?

Unless he had secured the position of Branch Chief through a stroke of luck at the gambling tables, he should grasp exactly what I was getting at.

“Great Hero Bang does not hold much affection for the Murim Alliance’s personnel, you see. We must relay the Carrier Pigeon Letter using a very particular technique. And such things cannot be arranged for mere pennies.”

“What does that imply……?”

“Ah! Explaining it is likely futile. It is a specialized practice exclusive to the Green Forest Bandits.”

Once I mentioned that, the Branch Chief seemed to slowly comprehend, his eyes darting back and forth in thought.

“……You are disappointing. Given the rumors describing you as a budding talent overflowing with chivalric spirit, I assumed you were more dedicated than anyone to upholding justice.”

Perhaps finding the prospect of paying out of pocket too painful, he began to attack my character directly.

When a situation turns unfavorable, questioning someone’s integrity is the easiest way to regain the upper hand.

It seemed he definitely hadn’t reached his station through a gambling fluke.

However, he was laboring under a significant misunderstanding.

Having come from the Sojeong Squad, I was someone who possessed no “reputation” worth damaging in the first place.

“I am also more dedicated to the cause of justice than anyone. Otherwise, why would I have traveled to this remote region of Sichuan to rescue the Academy Students of the Diancang Sect, despite their history of hostility toward me?”

“……”

Furthermore, given the tangible successes I had already demonstrated, it would be difficult for the Branch Chief to openly discredit me.

His complexion quickly darkened, looking like a gambler who had suddenly realized his chair was part of a rigged operation.

Now, the momentum had swung back to my corner.

“Of course, I want to provide my assistance with a heart as pure as spring grass. But delivering a Carrier Pigeon Letter is no small feat, so what am I to do?”

“Hah……. You truly require a special method?”

“Precisely. A very, very distinct method, which entails a significant amount of effort.”

“……”

When I offered a look of helpless resignation, the Branch Chief demanded, his voice thick with killing intent,

“What is it that you want?”

Excellent. He had bitten the hook.

I replied with calm composure.

“Kindly provide one thousand gold coins and arrange for a carriage for my comrades.”

“Eek?!”

The Branch Chief let out a strangled cry.

“One thousand gold coins…… That is an absurd demand. Regardless, why would you require a carriage?”

“I must request a favor from Great Hero Bang; if my body and spirit are weary and troubled, would that anxiety not bleed into the words of the Carrier Pigeon Letter?”

“……”

The Branch Chief was now staring at me plainly as if I were a common swindler.

How disheartening.

Don’t we both serve the peace of the Murim?

“……Are you absolutely certain you can sway Bang Du-chil?”

“Please, verify my connection with Great Hero Bang with the Hall Master.”

The Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall, who had been observing the exchange with his jaw dropped, finally emerged from his daze and spoke with gravity.

“……He mentioned he originally had no intention of coming to Sichuan. He only arrived here at the behest of Jin So-un……”

“……”

Even with the testimony from the Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall, the Branch Chief could not shake the suspicion from his face.

In moments like these, there is no value in begging for trust.

At times like these……

Creeeak-

I stood up abruptly without hesitation.

“Why are you rising so suddenly?”

“Is this whole affair not uncomfortable for you as well, Branch Chief? I, too, feel the immense weight of asking Great Hero Bang for such a favor. If the matter isn’t truly critical, it would be far better if you sought a different approach.”

I only needed to lead him into granting his trust on his own terms.

“W-wait!”

The Branch Chief gripped my sleeve like a man desperate to salvage a final piece of treasure.

“Will you grant me some time? The capital within the branch……”

“Ehet! How could you suggest such a thing? Are you implying I should siphon funds from the Murim Alliance to pay off the Green Forest Bandits? Certainly not.”

“Th-then……?”

I smiled brilliantly at the Branch Chief.

“Naturally, the Branch Chief, who is so deeply committed to the peace and security of the Murim, should provide the funds from your own private coffers.”

“……”

“……Then I shall take my leave……”

“Eheeet! You there! Why are you in such a hurry? Stay a moment! I will inspect my promissory notes immediately and return.”

As the Branch Chief bolted toward the inner quarters as if his life depended on it, a heavy silence settled over the room.

One thousand gold coins……. What should I do with this? Perhaps I could expand the forge belonging to Jang Do-won?

Would that allow for the Red Radiance Sword to be completed sooner?

As I savored the aroma of the Junshan Yinzhen, Gu Jeong-ryong asked me,

“……What is it that you are doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you realize how much effort I…… no, we put into concealing that weakness of yours? Yet you are goading the Branch Chief like this!”

To Gu Jeong-ryong’s eyes, it must have looked as if I were sticking my neck directly into a guillotine.

“Hall Master, how many attempts at promotion to Great Hall Master have you failed now?”

“What?”

At the unexpected inquiry, Gu Jeong-ryong flinched.

“At your stage of life, should you not have ascended to Great Hall Master already? Are you lingering here out of a deep affection for the Victory Tiger Hall?”

“……”

Gu Jeong-ryong frowned, appearing as though he had been struck in a sensitive spot.

“If not, why does the Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall, the primary martial authority of the Azure Dragon Pavilion, continue to stumble during every promotion review?”

“Does that have any relevance to our current discussion?”

It was entirely relevant.

Everything eventually distilled down to the complex dynamics between people.

The reason the Branch Chief of the Diancang Sect was currently addressing me as “Young Hero” and treating me with such deference was solely because the matter he required my help with was of vital importance to him.

Had the Sichuan Blood Calamity not occurred, the moment he learned of my ties to the Green Forest, he would have erupted in fury and had me thrown into the dungeons.

The same applied even now, at the moment he needed my intervention.

Even if I assisted him now by leveraging Bang Du-chil, would he truly feel any gratitude toward me?

Once the Sichuan Blood Calamity concluded, he would happily cast me aside or destroy me if it served his own advancement.

A high office within the Murim Alliance was like a tree nourished by the blood and toil of many others.

Therefore, I could not offer my aid without strings.

Even in helping, I had to ensure the other party was fully implicated in the process.

The outrageous sum of one thousand gold coins for a single Carrier Pigeon Letter would prevent him from ever claiming ignorance or innocence in the future.

In the eyes of the Execution Pavilion, would I appear suspicious for contacting Bang Du-chil?

Or would the Branch Chief, who paid one thousand gold coins for such a request, appear more compromised?

“……Hah, is that not taking it too far? Regardless, one thousand gold coins is a significant sum……”

“Of course it is not a small amount.”

“It is not a sum a Branch Chief could cover with his standard salary.”

I tilted my head.

“Salary?”

“Where else would a disciple of the Diancang Sect acquire such capital?”

Wow, this man is genuinely naive.

Did he really not know that a capable Branch Chief could construct a mansion with fifty rooms within his first year of service?

There was no point in explaining such realities a hundred times over.

“Well…… simply watch and see.”

By the time I had finished the last of the Junshan Yinzhen, the Branch Chief returned in a flurry.

His hands were clutching a stack of fresh, crisp promissory notes.

“Fortunately, I had these promissory notes exchanged in advance. I cannot express how lucky that is. With this, there will be no obstacle to you sending the Carrier Pigeon Letter, correct?”

I glanced at Gu Jeong-ryong, offered a shrug, and addressed the Branch Chief.

“I know it may sound peculiar, but you can consider the Green Forest strongholds as having already gone to ground and vanished.”

After all, Bang Du-chil had beaten the Stronghold Masters to a pulp. If I sent even one Carrier Pigeon Letter, they would cease their toll collection immediately.

“Huh! I-is that so? Then there is no need for further worry.”

“Now you can sleep soundly, and the troubles of Sichuan will resolve themselves.”

“What a relief! It is truly a blessing that someone like you is here!”

Even after parting with a massive sum of one thousand gold coins, the Branch Chief was ecstatic, as if he had won a grand prize.

The look in Gu Jeong-ryong’s eyes indicated he was entirely baffled by the man’s behavior.

He truly was a simple-minded person.

I called out to the Branch Chief again as he beamed like a child.

“Ah, wait. May I ask one personal favor in addition?”

The Branch Chief’s laughter ceased instantly as he fixed me with a wary look.

“You aren’t going to tell me the payment is insufficient now, are you?”

“Certainly not.”

I gestured toward Gu Jeong-ryong, who was sitting there silently like an abandoned sack of grain, and continued.

“I received immense assistance from the Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall during this ordeal in Sichuan. Yet, I have heard in passing that such a distinguished Hall Master has been failing his promotion reviews time and again, is that not true?”

Since the situation was already primed, I might as well show the Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall a taste of the “real world.” I had relied on him quite a bit this time.

“As someone who intends to eventually join the Murim Alliance and preserve its peace and security, this strikes me as deeply unfair. Is there nothing you can do to assist him, Branch Chief?”

“Hm……”

The Branch Chief stroked his chin, then slapped his palm with a fist.

“That is true! Such a state of affairs is unacceptable! Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall. How would you react if I issued a letter of recommendation in my own name?”

“Pardon? Ah, w-well, I would be honored……”

“Ehei, Branch Chief! Why are you being so modest, especially considering you are destined to become a Regional Chief?”

“Hm?”

“Are you not planning to ascend to the position of Regional Chief?”

The Branch Chief gulped audibly.

“H-how could I……”

“Once I return this time, I will be meeting with figures like the Department Head of Mantongbu, will I not?”

“……You may even cross paths with the Grand Strategist.”

“Exactly. Before such a person, would I not speak of how your contributions in the Sichuan incident prevented a catastrophe before it even unfolded?”

“Huh?”

“I shall never forget the man who truly understands the meaning of chivalry and justice.”

The Branch Chief’s eyes grew glazed, as if he had been struck by a powerful spell.

Even if he were caught in the Blood Cult’s most potent illusory formation, his mind would likely remain clearer than it was now.

“Please reach out to other Branch Chiefs you are close with and compile a complete set of recommendation letters.”

Gu Jeong-ryong’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The Branch Chief nodded fervently, agreeing that the plan sounded entirely reasonable.

“Yes! That will certainly bolster his evaluation score. I will immediately dispatch Carrier Pigeon Letters and secure those recommendations.”

The Branch Chief was now brimming with hope—not just for his own survival, but for his promotion to Regional Chief.

“I, too, shall send a Carrier Pigeon Letter as quickly as possible to ensure the Green Forest strongholds in Sichuan do not dare make a move.”

“Everything is unfolding smoothly, thanks to you.”

“You are too kind. It is entirely thanks to your own earnest desire for the peace and security of the Murim, Branch Chief.”

“You there! Your words flow with such ease, hahahahaha!”

“How could I hope to compare to your own eloquence, Branch Chief! Hahahahaha!”

Everyone present seemed elated, yet Gu Jeong-ryong appeared as if he were struggling to process the entire ordeal.

That man is going to have a difficult time with his career advancement as well.

The departure of the Academy Students followed quickly.

However, they were confronted with several logistical challenges.

The first was determining how to transport the wounded from each sect back to the Academy.

Although the event had been hosted by the Elder Council, the Elders had departed for the Murim Alliance on their own. Consequently, the students were left behind in a state of disarray, like dogs who had lost their master. Jin So-un was the one who resolved this.

“The patients in the infirmary? They shall be transported by carriage. Those in critical condition will be stabilized before we depart.”

“Funding? Why would we require funding? The Branch Chief has already agreed to cover the expenses.”

“Ah, truly! The Branch Chief and I have coordinated every detail, so you have nothing to fear.”

Even within the Righteous Path, internal competition was fierce, yet Jin So-un ensured that disciples from every sect received equitable care.

The second issue was the severe lack of supplies for the trek.

When they arrived in Sichuan, the Elder Council had been generous with their coffers, allowing for comfortable travel and lodging.

However, upon their return to Wuhan, the funding had evaporated, and there were no guides to be found.

Jin So-un was again the one to alleviate the concerns of the students, who were facing a stranded journey.

“Every Academy Student will return on horseback. The Mukyeop Escort Agency has agreed to serve as our guides, so you may rest easy.”

“We do not have the luxury of staying in inns, of course. Are you concerned about your meals? You will be provided with three a day. Everything will be distributed fairly, so have no fear.”

“The Branch Chief has committed to funding the horses and the Escort Agency, so do not worry. No, I assure you, the Branch Chief and I have that kind of bond. Truly, there is no need to worry! Hahahahaha!”

Because of this, the burden of the return journey was significantly lightened.

The Victory Tiger Hall had also been under immense pressure after the Elder Council abandoned their responsibilities for the students.

However, thanks to Jin So-un, that weight was lifted as well, and morale improved so much that some even began to joke and shared spirits they had been hiding.

“……Why would the Chengdu Branch Chief suddenly show such benevolence?”

Gam Cheon-ak queried Gu Jeong-ryong, struggling to make sense of a mystery he couldn’t solve on his own.

“……”

“Hall Master!”

“Uh, hm?”

Gu Jeong-ryong snapped out of his trance and peered around.

He was doing it again.

In the past few days, since leaving Chengdu, Gu Jeong-ryong had been acting quite strangely.

He would often sit motionless on his horse, staring into space, or laugh to himself for no reason while eating.

His behavior was so erratic that Gam Cheon-ak had even asked Jin So-un if the Hall Master had been afflicted by some form of witchcraft, but Jin So-un had only laughed it off, insisting it was nothing to worry about.

‘What on earth transpired?’

He had been acting this way ever since his private meeting with the Branch Chief, so something must have happened during that time……

“I asked if you had any insight into the Chengdu Branch Chief’s sudden generosity.”

“Ah…… That is nothing of consequence. The Chengdu Branch Chief is merely indebted to Jin So-un.”

“Indebted……?”

The role of a Murim Alliance Branch Chief was often likened to that of a powerful magistrate.

The illicit wealth generated by that position alone was staggering; how could he owe a debt to a simple Academy student?

“He mediated a request to the seventy-two strongholds of the Sichuan Green Forest to abstain from interfering during the Murim Alliance’s operation.”

“……”

“According to Jin So-un, depending on how this Blood Cult incident is concluded, the Branch Chief’s neck could be forfeit, or he could be spared.”

As Gu Jeong-ryong spoke, miming a throat-slitting motion, Gam Cheon-ak’s expression stiffened.

“……Jin So-un agreed to that?”

“Hm? He agreed.”

“……We are ruined.”

“……Hm? We are what?”

Gam Cheon-ak lowered his voice significantly.

“Do we not need to present ourselves to the Execution Pavilion the moment we return?”

“……What are you implying?”

“Hall Master, collect yourself. The other party is the Murim Alliance’s Chengdu Branch Chief. Do you truly believe a man like that will simply ignore the connection between Jin So-un and the Green Forest?”

Gam Cheon-ak glanced around before whispering further.

“……I cannot be certain, but once the Sichuan incident is formally concluded, Jin So-un will likely be dragged to the Execution Pavilion.”

Gu Jeong-ryong’s brow furrowed deeply.

However, perhaps because Gam Cheon-ak was oblivious to the shift in atmosphere, he remained deadly serious.

“I assumed Jin So-un would be far more discreet…… How could he act with such recklessness……”

“……”

“Hall Master, if we wish to avoid being dragged down with him, we must report to the Execution Pavilion first.”

Whether he sensed the gravity of the moment or was simply exhausted, Gu Jeong-ryong smacked his lips as if he had tasted something bitter and stared straight ahead.

“Hall Master!”

As Gam Cheon-ak pressed him, Gu Jeong-ryong finally reached his limit and bellowed,

“You absolute son of a bitch!”

“……Pardon?”

“You bastard, you would rush to the Execution Pavilion over that ridiculous ‘rumor’ of him being the ‘Stronghold Master of the Black Dragon Stronghold’? And you believe yourself fit to remain the Deputy Hall Master of Victory Tiger Hall?”

“……”

What in the world was he talking about?

Had he not been listening?

That Jin So-un, the Stronghold Master of the Black Dragon Stronghold, had also seized command of the Flower Garland Stronghold?

Yet he was dismissing it all as a “rumor”?

Moreover, Bang Du-chil’s voice had been deafening that day.

Surely, people across Sichuan must have overheard it.

But why was the Hall Master shielding Jin So-un so vigorously?

As Gam Cheon-ak puzzled over this, he heard someone above him clicking their tongue in disdain.

“Wow…… So if your own safety is at stake, you’ll toss your comrades who stood by you in life and death under the bus, will you? One day, you’ll probably stab me in the back, too, eh?”

Damn it, what is he talking about?

While Gam Cheon-ak was still failing to grasp the situation, Gu Jeong-ryong whipped his head toward the rest of the Victory Tiger Hall members and shouted.

“Everyone, this bastard says he wants to report Jin So-un to the Execution Pavilion.”

The moment his voice echoed, the men who had shared the “Dispelling Evil and Spirit Suppression” experience with Jin So-un descended upon Gam Cheon-ak like a swarm of hornets.

“Deputy Hall Master, you traitorous dog! I knew you were the type!”

“That man’s face is the face of a snake. We refuse to form a Sword Formation with him ever again.”

“My mother was right—she told me never to trust a man like him.”

“Let us impeach the Deputy Hall Master and nominate Jin So-un in his place!”

“Nominate him! Nominate him!”

Gam Cheon-ak, blindsided by the sudden clamor for his impeachment, stood there with no understanding of what had just happened.