Chapter 424: A Battle of Wits and Hearts (9)

The name of the Martial Alliance’s regular combat unit that had arrived at the Jin Family Manor was the Bamboo Chivalry Squad — named with the intent of “acting with chivalry as straight as bamboo.”

In addition to that, a single reserve combat team of Young Heroes had tagged along as part of their travels through the martial world, but the main force was, and would always be, the warriors of the Bamboo Chivalry Squad.

In other words, the Fire Dragon Squad was, and would always remain, just the tagalongs.

That was why, on the very first day of their arrival, after paying their respects to the Lord of the Jin Family Manor and halfheartedly tossing their luggage into place, they were able to commit the atrocity of rushing en masse to a tavern.

For Young Heroes, such behavior might seem immature—

but in truth, it’s because they really are immature.

After all, what chance would young disciples who had spent all their days training within their sect’s walls ever have to mature?

They’re basically just oversized children.

And all the elders of the Orthodox sects had once gone through that same kind of childhood themselves.

So isn’t it only natural that, once out in the martial world, everything seems novel and fun?

Escaping the boredom of the sect, having a few rounds of drinks—it’s bound to happen.

Besides, Young Heroes are the sort that you have to let loose once in a while.

Just like a dog that becomes docile after running itself ragged, Young Heroes cause fewer incidents if you let them play to their hearts’ content.

Otherwise, they’ll charge in at the first sign of something that makes them angry without checking the situation, draw their swords immediately just because someone’s a demonic sect member, or knock down corrupt officials left and right because they seem easy prey.

So even if their behavior is aggravating, people let them be—if not now, then when will they get to enjoy themselves?

Then came urgent news rushing into the Jin Family Manor: a proper, all-out clash was about to break out on the top floor of the Ocean Pavilion with the Killing Moon Sect.

The Lord of the Jin Family Manor and the Bamboo Chivalry Squad’s commander, Bi Hua-bul Wolnyang, took the lead, and everyone else charged out toward the Ocean Pavilion after them.

And then—utter disbelief.

They came, they fought, and they won.

The Young Heroes of the Fire Dragon Squad, who had struck down the wicked, evil heretics of the Killing Moon Sect, were puffed up with pride to the point their shoulders might as well have ascended to the heavens.

On top of that, thanks to the overwhelming gratitude of the guests in the special suites, a grand victory banquet had erupted into a “pour the drinks, drink them down” frenzy.

By the time the Lord of the Jin Family Manor, the manor’s warriors, the Bamboo Chivalry Squad’s commander, and his men arrived—breathing heavily from the dash—the atmosphere was already in full swing.

Naturally, they got scolded.

“Do you have any sense in your heads? How could you start a fight so recklessly? What if someone had gotten hurt—how were you planning to take responsibility? You think you only represent yourselves!? Even if the worst was just one person injured, you should count yourselves lucky. But what if someone had lost a limb, been crippled, or—what if someone had died? Would you still be sitting here drinking so leisurely!?”

At Wolnyang’s outburst, all the Young Heroes dropped to their knees and hung their heads.

“What, did you come here on vacation? Is this a trip for fun? Fine—then consider this your lucky day. You can {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} spend the rest of your stay here stuck on night duty.”

But the Young Heroes looked sullen.

Surely a victory banquet was worth holding when the fight had ended with only one injury?

Especially since that injury had been sustained when one of their own, while chasing a Killing Moon Sect thug, had stepped on a roast duck, slipped, and cut his own cheek with his sword.

He swore that wasn’t what happened, but with so many witnesses, his protest was ignored.

Just as Wolnyang’s eyebrow twitched—on the verge of spitting fire after reading their defiance—

“Venerable, it’s all my fault. The warriors of the Fire Dragon Squad were only trying to help me. Those men harassed my sworn sister and then tried to use that as a pretext to harm her, so I acted first.”

Qing’s brows curved into a pitiful 八-shape.

It was the kind of sorrow that could melt a man’s heart.

But Wolnyang’s epithet was “Bi Hua-bul” — using the bul (佛) of “Buddha.”

Anyone with even a little knowledge, seeing the Buddhist name that paired with his Dharma name using “Wol,” would know he was a foremost disciple of Shaolin.

As a deeply devout disciple of Shaolin, save for the still-immature youngest disciple of the Alliance Leader, he was not the kind of man to be swayed by a woman’s beauty.

So Qing’s looks wouldn’t work on Wolnyang.

Wolnyang spoke with a firm expression.

“Is that so. Then I suppose it can’t be helped...”

But Qing was no stranger to Shaolin.

The Heavenly Flower Sword was the inheritor of the Tathagata Divine Palm and the benefactor who had returned that martial art to Shaolin.

What’s more, they had met on the road back to Shaolin after the Martial World Tournament, and from the way Qing treated elders, Wolnyang had already been completely taken in, thinking: This girl is no mere Young Hero, but a future pillar of the Orthodox world.

“Ahem. It’s not as though it’s rare for those of the Demonic sects to be led astray by lust. So—how is your sworn sister? There’s no need to dwell on it.”

“I’m fine, Monk. He tried to take me away, so I broke him. Heehee...”

Gyeon Pohee answered with a careless laugh.

Old man? No.

Acquaintance of Qing? Yes.

By logical deduction, Pohee also chose to show respect.

“My sworn sister merely acted to protect her honor, but those men had the gall to act as though they were the wronged ones.”

“That’s just how the Demonic sect types are.”

“The warriors of the Fire Dragon Squad only drew their swords to save me. If you must scold someone, please direct it toward me.”

Wolnyang’s anger quietly subsided.

Seeing this sworn sister, whose beauty was as lascivious and bewitching as a demoness descended into the mortal world, he could believe that even the most depraved of Demonic scum would be unable to restrain themselves.

Hm. If family is harassed, there’s no helping it.

The Orthodox sects are one family—if a member is in danger, it’s only natural to help.

From that perspective, perhaps these immature Young Heroes of the Fire Dragon Squad should be praised rather than scolded.

“Very well. If the Heavenly Flower Sword says so. The whole world is one family; to roll up your sleeves and help without hesitation in Orthodox affairs is commendable. I’ll consider the night duty matter withdrawn.”

At that, the Young Heroes’ eyes lit up.

As expected of the Heavenly Flower Sword! The Heavenly Flower Sword is the best!

If only she were our squad leader.

Jin Jakang, who had been standing a step back, let out a deep sigh.

He had already heard the Heavenly Flower Sword’s “I couldn’t help myself” excuse before.

Last time, she “couldn’t help herself” and beat a bunch of Demonic sect bastards to death with a hammer; this time, she “couldn’t help herself” and cracked open the Killing Moon Sect leader’s skull.

With a pork trotter. A pristine white Baegun Pork Trotter.

She’d seemed so calm and polite—turns out, once her eyes flipped, she saw nothing.

“Let’s set the fight aside for now. What are you all doing right now? If the enemy regrouped and attacked again, you’d have met them in this drunken mess?”

“Uh.”

The Young Heroes’ stiffening necks drooped like willow branches again.

They had to admit he was right.

They’d been so elated by the victory that they’d just kept drinking—yet there was no guarantee the enemy wouldn’t return.

You could call them stupid, but really, it was inexperience.

Wolnyang’s gaze grew fierce again.

They were a support unit—what a disgrace in front of the Lord of the Jin Family Manor!

“Listen here, you brats! In such cases, the first thing you should do is report the incident and discuss the next steps! Do you think it’s over just because you’ve won once!? If they all came rushing back, could you win!? You stupid bastards, I’ll have to chain you to night watch so you can’t cause trouble—I can’t take my eyes off you!”

The Young Heroes’ shoulders slumped.

Qing hesitated for a moment, then decided that sometimes, the happiness of the many requires the sacrifice of one disliked man.

“I... I’m sorry to say this, but even as a reserve combat team, we still have the formal structure of a unit, so obeying orders from above is a natural virtue, isn’t it? From the perspective of the team members, they couldn’t just act on their own...”

“Huh? Wait a minute—where’s Jo Hakche?”

Who could lie in this situation?

The team members told the truth.

It wasn’t out of petty spite at Jo Hakche disappearing with two women all to himself—oh no—it was pure honesty born of respect for an elder of the Orthodox sects.

“That bastard...”

The squad leader had abandoned the aftermath to go roll around with two women.

“Hah. The Alliance Leader personally asked me to straighten him out... Chang Bin, you take over as squad leader during the deployment. I’ll be keeping that Jo brat right next to me to straighten his spine.”

Naturally, all resentment flowed toward the squad leader.

And the Young Heroes silently gave thanks ten thousandfold, carving the three characters for “Heavenly Flower Sword” deep into their hearts.

As expected of the Heavenly Flower Sword! We always knew we could trust her!

From today on, I’ll call the Heavenly Flower Sword “elder sister.” An insult to her is an insult to me.

Lady Seo Mun is the very embodiment of light; the so-called “Six Beauties of the Martial World” do not exist—there is only the Sun and the Five Lights, and the Seo Mun light, no, the Light-Light-Light Lady herself.

Some might look at this and say that Qing had caused the whole mess and then walked away with all the goodwill, but—

Qing didn’t see it that way.

It was the fault of the man who hit on her Hee-Sister and got killed—not the fault of her Hee-Sister for being beautiful, or for coincidentally going to the privy at the time.

Qing felt entirely justified.

The Young Heroes were happy.

Jo Hakche would be miserable—but that was simply the way of the world.

“You’ve had your fun—now all of you, get in. I’m going to stay awake and see when that Jo brat comes crawling back.”

Wolnyang ground his teeth.

Qing thought to herself—

How fortunate that the squad leader’s surname is Jo.

Not the slightest bit sorry.

****

So-called “Ocean Pavilion Chivalry” only took a single day to become a rumor.

Because the story everyone wanted to talk about came from living, credible witnesses.

Anyone rich enough to book a special suite was the sort who could boast of running a business.

Testimony from such people was already truth by default.

Calling them liars could lead to catastrophic economic isolation.

Thus—the shocking news.

The Killing Moon Sect leader was dead!

Beaten to death—with a pork trotter!

His head smashed open by a proud local specialty of Guangdong—Baegun Pork Trotters!

Who dealt the blow?

The Divine Lady—no, the Earthwork Immortal Lady—no, the Heavenly Flower Sword!

Everyone pretended not to know that the Heavenly Flower Sword’s true identity was the Earthwork Immortal Lady.

Qing would have found it absurd—if anything, the Earthwork Immortal Lady’s identity was the Heavenly Flower Sword, not the other way around—but the people of Gwangju were more familiar with the Divine Lady who mingled and chatted among them than with the Heavenly Flower Sword.

Just as Jo Hakche’s misfortune had brought joy to the entire Fire Dragon Squad, the misfortune of Gwangju’s three great evil sects brought joy to the whole city.

Of course, the sole survivors among them—the Killing Moon Sect—could hardly be expected to take it lightly.

“We must inform the Demonic Alliance and officially declare a Demonic public grievance! I will carry this tragic news with tears in my eyes!”

“It’s not a happy event—well, whatever it is, it’s not that! Are you going to send such an idiot!? I’ll go instead!”

“No, Sect Leader! Please entrust it to me! I will vividly convey this heinous outrage and return!”

Everyone was clamoring to go inform the Demonic Alliance.

Wang U’s expression soured.

This was just a roundabout way of saying they wanted to run away while claiming to go make a report—because who knew when the Orthodox sect bastards might attack again?

If they came back with the Demonic Alliance’s reinforcements and the sect was already gone, they could just find a new place to work; if it was still standing, they could boast of having brought the reinforcements.

So suddenly, everyone was overflowing with “loyalty” and “righteous indignation” to be sent.

“Chosu, you go.”

“Yes, Brother.”

“Brother! Why him!?”

“We need someone of some weight so the Demonic Alliance will take note!”

“You really don’t get it?”

At that, the younger men closed their mouths.

Snitch Chosu—nicknamed for his mastery at tattling.

Even when he was the one at fault, he’d weep and wail about his “unjust suffering,” ignore the actual events, and rewrite history entirely.

“First, while we hold the funeral for the Sect Leader, the Orthodox won’t attack. In the meantime, gather all our people. Bring in everyone left at the Gwangju Zen Hall and the Golden Pavilion—they’ve got nowhere else to go, so they’ll be glad to come.”

Wang U’s eyes gleamed.

Crisis is opportunity.

If he could muddle through this incident, the entire Killing Moon Sect would fall into his hands.

First, buy time under the pretext of the late leader’s funeral; next, lie low and even offer some groveling apologies.

The Demonic Alliance would never abandon them—not after investing enough to send their chief strategist and crates of elixirs.

But before that—internal consolidation.

Wang U dropped a crate in front of the remaining Killing Moon Sect executives.

“Here. Elixirs from the Demonic Alliance. They were originally allotted to the juniors, but in these difficult times, it’s better for us to take them and raise our levels immediately.”

Elixirs! From the Demonic Alliance!

The same ones that even endless coaxing and threats couldn’t get Strategist Bang to hand over!

The eyes of the Killing Moon Sect executives gleamed with greed, forgetting for the moment the urgent blaze licking at their feet.