Chapter 343
It's been over three months since I returned to the Wudang Sect and devoted myself to training.
Although it was only three months, perhaps because I ate well, slept well, and trained hard?
I seem to have grown quite a bit taller, and my voice seems to have gotten a little deeper.
Now, it seems I wouldn't be out of place to be called a young man instead of a child wherever I go.
Of course, I'm still far from matching the manly appearance of my past life.
While staying at the Wudang Sect, I fully organized the new enlightenment I had gained and made it my own.
Especially this time, my mind was more at ease than anything else.
It was probably because the burden had been greatly reduced.
Until now, I had thought that I had to take responsibility for everything, and I had tried to do so.
Even while trying to make my senior brothers and other martial artists throughout the martial world grow, in fact, I had only thought that they were just my supporting roles, and that in the end, I had to do it.
But, I realized that was not the case.
I just have to focus on what I'm good at, and we can do the rest together.
As much as I realized that, I was able to focus on what I was good at, that is, martial arts and fighting.
Then one day. I heard that the Sect Leader was looking for me, so I headed to the Sangcheong Palace.
I instinctively felt that I would have to leave Wudang again.
"Unhwi. You're here."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
I, after paying my respects to the Sect Leader, also greeted the person sitting across from the Sect Leader.
"It's been a long time, Great Manager."
"It's been a long time, Taoist Unhwi."
He was Wang Hyeon-seong, the head of the Eungnam Merchant Guild and the Great Manager.
Wang Hyeon-seong's face, whom I met after a really long time, was quite different from when I had last seen him.
Originally, his face had a kind and wise look, but today, his impression was a little sharper and he looked haggard.
Since it seemed something had definitely happened, I, without saying anything else, just waited quietly.
Because the Sect Leader would surely say something.
"Hwi-ya. You must have noticed that I called you because I have something to ask of you?"
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"What I want to ask of you is for you to help the Eungnam Merchant Guild a little."
"Is something wrong with the Eungnam Merchant Guild?"
I asked in a worried voice.
Although I had thought it would be so, it's uncomfortable to actually hear it.
The Eungnam Merchant Guild, with a little exaggeration, is a merchant guild that would have really gone bankrupt long ago if it weren't for me.
So what should I say. Should I say I feel an inner intimacy?
"Great Manager. Will you tell him yourself?"
"Thank you, Sect Leader."
Wang Hyeon-seong, after bowing his head slightly to the Sect Leader, continued, "In fact, the merchant guild has been suffering great losses recently. It's because of the mountain bandits."
"Mountain bandits?"
"Yes. Not only in the Hubei and Sichuan provinces, but also on the road up to Gansu and Shaanxi provinces above them. Even on the road down to Anhui province, there are too many mountain bandits."
In fact, there must have been mountain bandits before.
But the fact that a big problem has suddenly arisen now means that there has been some change.
"To be more precise, those mountain bandits are not ones that suddenly appeared. They are ones who had been established in that area and on that road before, and until now, we had been living in good coordination with them."
His words are right.
In fact, when you think of the relationship between mountain bandits and merchants, you might think of a relationship where they plunder and take things from each other, but in fact, it can be said to be a symbiotic relationship to some extent.
Although the mountain bandits who occupy the existing official roads and attack people are garbage-like bastards, most mountain bandits establish themselves in the mountains and make their own mountain paths.
When they make a road, they make a road that can cross the mountain as much as possible, and merchants and travelers use the road they made and pay a toll.
Merchants can also reach their destination much faster by using the road they made, and on the contrary, it is worth paying a toll because it is safe from mountain beasts and other robbers.
"But... a problem started to arise about two months ago."
"What problem?"
"The bastards refused the toll and started to take our goods or kill the people of the merchant guild."
"Suddenly?"
"Yes. They started to do such a thing without any warning."
"Is such a thing happening simultaneously throughout the Central Plains?"
"That's right."
I tilted my head.
Because two questions came to mind at once.
The first is that there is no reason for the mountain bandits to do such a thing unless they have suddenly gone crazy.
In the end, they are also people who are doing banditry to make a living.
Taking things and killing people like that won't last long.
Because if the angry martial artists or government troops flock there, they will surely be annihilated.
'And there was one person who operated the Green Forest in such a tyrannical way.'
That person's name is the Green Forest King, Ma Cheon-deuk.
My second question is this.
It was about five years from now that Ma Cheon-deuk unified the Green Forest and began to operate the Green Forest in that way.
It's not in my memory that he's already doing that.
'Could it be... because of me?'
I naturally thought that the things that were different from what I remembered were because of me.
Because the only thing that has changed between my past life and my current life is me.
Something I have changed affects my current life, and that influence creates another event.
Since I have experienced this kind of thing once or twice, I can't help but think so naturally.
And there is one more thing I can guess.
Because I remembered where Ma Cheon-deuk's real affiliation was, besides the Green Forest.
"And to be honest... if it had been just that, I would have tried to solve it on my own without asking for help from the Wudang Sect. By increasing the number of escorts even if I had to pay more, or by hiring a more expensive and stronger escort agency. But... I got one piece of information about them from the survivors of our merchant guild."
He, with a meaningful expression, continued, "They said that if they knew anything about the Green Snake, they would let them live, and if not, they would kill them."
"Hmm... I see."
I thought to myself, 'As expected'.
Ma Cheon-deuk's affiliation is the Evil Faction Alliance. Come to think of it now, it seems highly likely that he is a disciple of the Evil Faction Alliance Leader.
The reason he suddenly started to run wild like this might be because Maeng Gwang-gae and I had captured the Green Snake.
"How did that merchant survive?"
"For now, the merchant, who quickly realized that 'Green Snake' was someone's nickname, said that he had heard that nickname before. Then the mountain bandits, instead of killing him, captured him alive and were about to drag him to their mountain fortress, and in the meantime, he escaped when the surveillance was briefly loosened."
"It must have been a difficult process. He's amazing."
"Yes. But that merchant is now cooped up in his room and doesn't go out. Because he probably thinks he will die if he is caught by them."
"I would have done the same. It must have been a tremendous fear."
I said that and then glanced at the Sect Leader.
Because even if the Sect Leader didn't say it first, I wanted to take on this task.
The Sect Leader knows everything about what happened at the gambling house with old man Maeng Gwang-gae, and that Maeng Gwang-gae had taken the Green Snake to the Martial Alliance.
It seemed that he had called me, who was related to her, after hearing the name 'Green Snake'.
"Sect Leader. I will look into it. And I will solve it."
"Good. Are you planning to do it alone?"
"No. I would like to receive the help of my senior brothers this time as well."
"Then..."
The Sect Leader, after hesitating for a moment, said again, "This time, instead of your room's senior brothers, how about the Five Swords of Wudang go out?"
"The Five Swords of Wudang?"
"After being chosen as the Five Swords of Wudang, you have never gone out together and solved something, have you? Go out to the martial world this time and show the power of the Five Swords of Wudang."
I immediately nodded my head.
Although it's true that my room's senior brothers are more comfortable, in fact, the Five Swords of Wudang's martial arts are a little more outstanding.
Especially this time, it's a task where I might have to face not only Ma Cheon-deuk but also the Evil Faction Alliance.
The stronger the force, the better.
"I understand. I will let the other kids know. I will call you again, so until then, get ready to leave."
"I understand, Sect Leader."
I, after bowing my head to the Sect Leader, said to Wang Hyeon-seong, "Great Manager. Don't worry too much. I have a guess."
"Just hearing you say that makes me feel relieved. Thank you so much."
"I will hear your thanks after I have solved everything. You have to go down the mountain anyway, right? You can go down with me then."
"Yes. I will do that."
"Then I'll see you later."
I, on that road, left the Sangcheong Palace and returned to our room.
When I explained to my senior brothers the reason I had just been to the Sect Leader, they all made disappointed expressions.
"Really? So we can't go together this time. Only Senior Brother Un Cheol is going with you."
"That's how it turned out. Or should I ask the Sect Leader if you can all move together?"
"No. There's no need for that. We'll just train calmly in the meantime."
"That's right. Senior Brother Un-jeong has to go to Wuhan too."
"Ahem... it's not just that, but well. It would be nice to go once if I have time."
I, looking at Senior Brother Un-jeong who was avoiding my gaze for no reason, chuckled.
It seemed Senior Brother Un-jeong was still doing well, exchanging letters with Miss Mi-hyang.
It's just amazing that he's so good at dating even while he's busy with training and wandering the Central Plains with me.
"Although it's a little disappointing for Senior Brother Un-sik and Senior Brother Un-mi, let's train harder and go out together next time. Okay?"
"Yes. Although it's a little frustrating, what can we do? As the Sect Leader said, it's ridiculous that there has been no official activity yet, even though it's been almost a year since the Five Swords of Wudang were chosen."
Fortunately, my senior brothers were not greatly disappointed, and on the contrary, it seemed they were taking it as a reason to train harder.
Now, my senior brothers have become so strong in both their mental and martial aspects that they can do things on their own without me interfering much.
Is this what it feels like to see grown-up children? I'm very proud and admirable.
At that time, the door opened and someone came in.
It was Un Gwang, Un-ji-hak, and Un-hwang.
It seemed they had come to find me after hearing from the Sect Leader that we would be going on a mission together.
"Hwi-ya. I heard from the Sect Leader. He said we're going out together?"
"Yes. The news is faster than I thought. I just got back too."
"We'll finally get to go out together. To be honest, although we're called the Five Swords of Wudang, I was disappointed that we've never done anything together."
Un Gwang and Un-ji-hak each said a word to me first.
When I glanced at Un-hwang, even Un-hwang, who usually doesn't talk much, opened his mouth.
"I wanted to see your appearance in the Central Plains once. I'm looking forward to it."
I, with a broad smile, looked at my senior brothers and said, "You all don't have any tension at all. You know we're not going to play, but to fight an enemy, right?"
Although I asked that, my senior brothers just nodded their heads with a broad smile.
At the ridiculous reaction, I just chuckled.
Somehow, a thought flashed through my mind that there would be nothing I couldn't do with these people.
(End of Chapter)