Chapter 159: Really Rude Guy (2)
Chapter 158 – Really Rude Guy (2)
The silence that followed a round of passionate discussion cast a gloomy atmosphere.
Indeed, the leaders of the Biyue Sect could not wipe the gloomy expressions from their faces.
Perhaps having regained his senses, the elder who had argued the most aggressively let out a long sigh and said.
“Sect Leader. We must give up.”
“…….”
“It is better to cleanly admit it and step back than to make a promise we cannot keep.”
At the elder’s words, a Hall Master abruptly stepped forward.
“Elder, this is not a decision to be made so easily.”
“It is not a decision I made easily!”
“But if we give up on this transport mission, it will be like handing over all our rights to the Three Peaks Sect without even putting up a proper fight.”
“Then what is your idea? Do you want to force the transport mission like this, present the cargo to the Black Mountain Stronghold, sever ties with the Jangheung Escort Agency, and shut down our sect?”
“Elder!”
“If not, then tell us a solution!”
“…….”
The Hall Master closed his mouth.
The elder’s words were correct.
There was no solution as things stood.
He too knew it well. However…
‘Even if we back down like this, will there be a future for our sect?’
Only sighs laden with worry came out.
The Biyue Sect had lost a large part of its force due to the two failed transport missions. If they forced the transport mission leading those cadets under these circumstances, there was no telling what might happen.
If something happened to the cadets…
‘The Alliance might hold our sect accountable instead.’
Wait, did the Martial Alliance think that far ahead?
No, that was going too far.
The Hall Master soon shook his head.
However, it was difficult to erase the suspicion that kept rearing its head in a corner of his mind.
If the Martial Alliance had calculated that far and sent the cadets on purpose… what on earth did our sect join the Alliance for?
Would it not be better to withdraw from the Alliance as the other leaders suggested?
‘Oh dear… what on earth am I thinking…’
They say when a person is cornered, they think all sorts of things.
Just then, the words of Yeon Chu-ryang, who had been silent until now, brought the Hall Master back to his senses.
“I believe the elder’s view is correct. If we act stubborn for no reason and those cadets get hurt too, it will be even more troublesome.”
“Why should we be troubled? There is no reason for us to take care of those immature kids!”
A Pavilion Lord shouted abruptly.
However, perhaps because their senses had returned, many of the leaders merely shook their heads with bitter expressions.
At that, the Chief Administrator sitting nearby asked quietly.
“Sect Leader, if we cancel the transport mission like this, we must pay a penalty. As you know, the penalty will not be small. It is difficult to turn everything into nothing without paying a penalty to the Jangheung Escort Agency, which even turned a blind eye to our previous two failures.”
He was right.
If they did that, the Biyue Sect’s reputation would drop to the worst. It was practically the same as closing down the sect.
However, unexpected words came out of Yeon Chu-ryang’s mouth.
“I am not talking about simply canceling the contract. I mean to transfer it.”
“Transfer it? The only force in Guilin capable of escorting the Jangheung Escort Agency is the Three Peaks Sect, so to whom would we transfer… Could it be…?”
As the Chief Administrator’s eyebrows twitched, Yeon Chu-ryang nodded.
“The Three Peaks Sect should have enough capability to protect the cargo. From that Black Mountain Stronghold.”
“Sect Leader! Please reconsider!”
“Please reconsider!”
Not only the Chief Administrator but other leaders also raised their voices.
However, the elder who had voiced his opinion earlier merely stroked his beard without saying a word. Instead, after a pause, he threw a more realistic question.
“It is not a bad method. Though it will wound our pride, we can ease our sect’s financial burden, and the relationship with the Jangheung Escort Agency will remain amicable. However, it is uncertain whether the Three Peaks Sect will accept the transfer smoothly.”
“Elder! Are you really telling us to transfer it?”
As the Hall Master who had been in opposition all this time questioned sharply, the elder replied with a cold expression.
“I believe we would be fortunate if we could resolve it even in that manner.”
“But still…”
“Does it hurt your pride? To say it is too much for us, so please take over?”
“Of course it does!”
“To keep a sect alive, one must be able to throw away even greater pride! That, too, is courage!”
“…….”
As the Hall Master merely bit his lips, Yeon Chu-ryang spoke with a complicated expression.
“The elder is correct. However, I too do not know if the Three Peaks Sect will take over this request without complaints.”
“It would be better if the Three Peaks Sect approached us first to hand over the request, just like last time.”
“Indeed.”
Yeon Chu-ryang wore a bitter smile.
In fact, when they received the second request from the Jangheung Escort Agency, the Three Peaks Sect had come to the Biyue Sect and forced them to hand over the request.
Claiming that it was obvious they wouldn’t be able to block the Black Mountain Stronghold anyway, so it was safer for them to handle it.
However, they had been stubborn back then.
Since they had intended to prepare thoroughly and block the Black Mountain Stronghold.
Yet the result was a great failure.
They did not want to repeat the past mistake this time.
But to think that they were now in a position where they had to visit the Three Peaks Sect and beg them to take over the request instead.
“Sigh…”
While hollow sighs kept escaping, the Chief Administrator cautiously spoke.
“If that is your wish, Sect Leader, I will check the atmosphere on the Three Peaks Sect’s side.”
“Please do so. While our situation is important, we cannot drive those cadets to their deaths, can we?”
At Yeon Chu-ryang’s weak voice, everyone hung their heads.
The Chief Administrator bowed his head and replied.
“Yes. I will clear a path so that the Three Peaks Sect approaches us first, just like last time.”
“Thank you for your effort. Let us move to the next agenda item then.”
The meeting continued in a depressed atmosphere.
* * *
“Phew. I’m full. It’s been a while since I ate my fill.”
Namgung Cheon tapped his stomach, which had swollen like a mountain, as he walked out of the Biyue Sect’s main gate. Perhaps because he was full, the air at dusk felt refreshing.
“Strangely, whenever I travel a long distance, I can’t shake off my old habits. I overate, overate.”
Namgung Cheon pleasantly stroked his stomach and looked into the distance, just as two sturdy men were seen walking toward him.
“Who is it? It looks like they are coming this way.”
At Namgung Cheon’s casually uttered words, one of the gatekeepers glanced back, and his expression stiffened.
“San… Sanfeng…!”
Soon, he hurriedly ran inside and brought out another gatekeeper to stand at attention.
Namgung Cheon tilted his head and looked at the two in the distance.
‘Sanfeng? Are they guys from the Three Peaks Sect?’
As Namgung Cheon guessed, the ones walking in the distance were the Young Sect Leader and the bodyguard of the Three Peaks Sect.
Since the Biyue Sect’s sending of a request for cooperation to the Martial Alliance was confidential, they had no idea that guests were currently visiting the Biyue Sect.
Doubtless, they only knew that the Jangheung Escort Agency had entrusted a transport request to the Biyue Sect not long ago.
That was the very reason they were visiting the Biyue Sect now.
The flat-faced man with a pea-sized mole next to his nose was the Young Sect Leader of the Three Peaks Sect, Do Chang-gu, and the tall, thin man beside him was his bodyguard, Sin Wol.
Sin Wol bent his waist slightly and spoke.
“Do you really need to go in person, Young Sect Leader?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why…”
“It is for the sake of sincerity.”
Do Chang-gu chuckled and continued.
“Because it will only feel sincere if I go in person and say that our sect will carry out the request instead. In the first place, foolish people wander around searching for invisible sincerity.”
“I cannot understand. The Biyue Sect is a collapsing sect anyway, so why does the Jangheung Escort Agency deal with them to the very end? And why does the Biyue Sect stubbornly insist on taking the request when they don’t even have the ability?”
“Pathetic people always cling to invisible things like ‘loyalty’ and ‘pride’. However, as far as I know, the Biyue Sect Leader is not completely brainless. Today of all days, he won’t be able to refuse the hand our sect offers. He will probably transfer the request in a heartbeat.”
“At that rate, why not demand a price instead? Like telling them to pay a price since we will handle the request.”
Do Chang-gu shook his head.
“Even a cornered rat will bite a cat. There is no need to drive them too harshly from the start. We can just tear them down slowly, step by step.”
“My thinking was short-sighted.”
At Sin Wol’s reply, Do Chang-gu chuckled indifferently.
However, a man was seen standing at the main gate of the Biyue Sect, staring intently this way.
“ ?”
Could he be barely twenty?
The man standing with his weight on one leg, arms crossed, and head tilted was Namgung Cheon.
As they drew closer, his posture somehow became increasingly arrogant.
By the time Do Chang-gu and Sin Wol reached the main gate, Namgung Cheon’s chin was raised so high it almost pointed to the sky.
‘He might snap his neck at that rate.’
Ignoring Namgung Cheon, Do Chang-gu spoke to the gatekeeper.
“I came to meet the Biyue Sect Leader.”
“What is your business?”
The gatekeeper replied with a stiff expression. A certain hostility could be felt from his expression.
However, Do Chang-gu did not show it and smiled broadly.
“I came to make a good proposal. Go inside and tell your Sect Leader. The Three Peaks Sect will take over the cargo instead.”
Flinching, the gatekeepers looked at each other.
Do Chang-gu laughed internally.
‘They are probably waiting for us with bated breath right now. Having realized their own capabilities from the last failure.’
However, a reaction popped up from an unexpected place.
“Hey, what makes you so confident when you just came to get work?”
“What…?”
Do Chang-gu’s eyebrows twitched, and he turned around.
Namgung Cheon, still standing with his weight on one leg, spoke in a crooked posture.
“Isn’t that right? You came to beg for work, yet your attitude is too arrogant.”
“Begging…? Who are you?”
“Who are you to ask?”
As Namgung Cheon questioned back, Sin Wol abruptly stepped forward and shouted.
“Insolent! Show respect to the Young Sect Leader!”
“Ah, so you are the Three Peaks Sect’s Young Sect Leader?”
As Sin Wol was about to step forward in anger again, Do Chang-gu raised his hand to stop him.
“Yes, I am the Young Sect Leader of the Three Peaks Sect. And who are you?”
“I am the reinforcement from the Martial Alliance.”
“Martial Alliance…?”
“Yes. So stop talking nonsense and go back.”
“What…?”
“I said, we don’t have the slightest intention of sharing the work, so get lost.”
Even the gatekeepers had bewildered expressions at what suddenly occurred.
By this point, Sin Wol could no longer endure it and roared.
“You bastard! How insolent!”
“Geez, that screeching of yours since earlier seems even more insolent.”
“W-what? You crazy bastard!”
“Look at that, now you are even swearing. Let’s make it clear. Which side acted insolently in the first place? I return exactly what I receive.”
What kind of crazy bastard…?
At last, Sin Wol drew the sword at his waist. He intended to give a little scare to a man who wouldn’t listen to reason.
*Shhring!*
“You must learn the etiquette of the Jianghu.”
Sin Wol’s eyes sank coldly.
However, Namgung Cheon’s reaction was unexpected this time as well.
“Look at that, you drew your sword first too. Everyone saw it, right? Such insolence…”
“Shut up!”
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, Sin Wol rushed forward like the wind.
At the same time, Namgung Cheon’s footwork moved like a ghost.
*Thud-thud-thud!*
*Whack!*
With a dull sound, Sin Wol, hit by Namgung Cheon’s fist, flew backward.
*Crash!*
As Sin Wol, crumpled like a sheet of paper, sprawled messily under the wall, the gatekeepers opened their mouths wide.
Namgung Cheon brushed his hands and said.
“What a truly insolent fellow.”