Chapter 217 |
Like other elders, the current Zhuge Rin was hard to get used to for them as well.
Though he does seem more human now in some ways…
“So, Alliance Leader. What help did you want to request from me?”
A chilling light rose in Zhuge Rin’s pupils. His pronunciation sounded like steel striking ice.
…He’s still not human.
Founding King had no choice but to reach that conclusion.
“We’ve caught a trail of the Blood Immortal Sect. I want to draw them in and eliminate them all at once… but we can’t be sure of their full strength…”
Founding King trailed off as he spoke.
Zhuge Rin raised his icy eyes to look at him. Though not many in this world could meet his gaze directly and answer…
Divine Doctor White Dragon was one of those qualified.
“If the one who introduced himself as Golden Thread Ten Thousand Army[1] – that is, General Jin Cheon – claimed to be equal to Fist Emperor, wouldn’t that mean there are at least ten warriors at the level of the Two Emperors?”
If there really were that many…
Perhaps if there was something even above that…
The Alliance Leader swallowed. He was someone who had stained his hands with countless blood and mud.
Though his methods might be dirty, his goals had always been clear.
Like his spear.
But this time, his spear couldn’t pierce anything.
He couldn’t even figure out where to strike.
“According to our strategists’ calculations, if they move directly, it would be a difficult fight even if the Martial Righteous Alliance and Unorthodox Alliance joined forces. This is assuming all the current circumstances are true, of course.”
“……”
Zhuge Rin didn’t answer.
Eventually, Zhuge Rin snapped his fan shut.
“If those circumstantial evidences are true, why do you think they haven’t made their move?”
This was a test. Founding King felt it after a long time.
The Zhuge Clan chooses people.
Just as Kongming chose Liu Bei, they divide those qualified to receive their intellect from those who aren’t.
Such damned arrogant bastards.
Even if catastrophe comes because of it, that arrogance never changes.
“I believe they’re being cautious of the Empire. Not only are the imperial family’s abilities powerful, but the number of martial artists loyal to the Empire is actually greater than the Martial Righteous Alliance and Unorthodox Alliance combined.”
…Though humiliating, he had to lay down the cards he was thinking of.
Zhuge Rin answered readily.
“Though they have fewer absolute masters, their mid-tier martial artists are as numerous as grains of sand. Also, from thunder traps to numerous firearms are deployed, so even ‘they’ would find it difficult to go against the Empire’s will.”
Had he passed the first test? As if responding to the first stone laid, Zhuge Rin revealed one of his moves.
“So what help does the Alliance need?”
“If our worst-case scenario is correct, the Imperial Palace should know this too. No matter how much they say government and martial arts don’t interfere with each other, look at the number of dead civilians.”
Founding King’s move was all-out war.
After turning the whole board into a mud pit, it was a move to save people.
Zhuge Rin thought.
This smells like Commander-in-Chief Dokgo Seon.
If the government steps in, things might become a bit easier.
The government offices have responsibility to manage civilians, and through the tax system, they would naturally know which regions had many missing civilians.
However, once the government gets involved.
Would they really leave as they came?
Or would they take the opportunity to put reins on the martial world too?
Dokgo Seon must have planned this strategy because he was confident they could escape…
Zhuge Rin’s eyes remained coldly submerged, making it difficult to read his thoughts.
“So you want to get one more player involved in the game. Not a bad move… but I would play a different move.”
Dokgo Seon, standing behind the Alliance Leader, watched Zhuge Rin with tensed hands.
The most nerve-wracking opponent while serving as the Alliance’s military commander was Divine Doctor White Dragon, Zhuge Rin.
Before modifying the plan, Zhuge Rin looked down at the pavilion below with languid eyes.
There were his precious disciple and the scraps claiming to be his brothers.
He smiled slightly at his disciple before turning his gaze back with his original expression.
“There’s no need to use a cow-butchering knife to kill a chicken.”
***
Jin Cheonhee struggled desperately to stop them.
“Just listen first. You’ll both advance upward. And Sama Hyeon will advance too. You’ll meet eventually anyway!”
Sama Hyeon quickly said:
“Brother, you mean ‘tournament’~?”
“…Tournament? What does that mean, brother?”
Where on earth did he pick up that foreign word?
Sama Hyeon seemed to remember every word and term Jin Cheonhee used.
Yeo Ha-ryoon placed a hand on his mask and spoke.
“Brother. Seems you’ve spent too much time with that specimen.”
Jin Cheonhee quickly racked his brain.
Martial world folks were the type to draw swords first when angered.
Even matters that could be resolved through dialogue were often decided by testing who was stronger first.
Thanks to that, wasn’t this Dragon Phoenix Gathering ER branch burning right now!
“Ha-ryoon. Sama Hyeon is a connection I made while treating his sibling. A brother I met in an unorthodox sect. He’s been helping me a lot. And Sama Hyeon! Ha-ryoon is my first sworn brother who saved my life. If Ha-ryoon gets hurt, I’ll have no way to repay that debt!”
Of course, Jin Cheonhee himself had saved Yeo Ha-ryoon three times, but the guardian of peace, love, and the emergency room, Professor Jin, omitted that detail.
For now, Yeo Ha-ryoon’s hand on his scabbard showed he was about to draw his sword, and though Sama Hyeon was smiling…
The way his knuckles cracked suggested he was about to tear off some facial skin.
Wow… do they really need to be this hostile?
Were peaceful, friendly, brotherly martial arts novel relationships only found in fairy tales?
Or did selecting them result in gathering only stubborn bastards, leading to this?
He couldn’t know. Jin Cheonhee really couldn’t understand, but.
First, he needed to convey to both that they were precious people, necessary existences, and that the ‘World’s Greatest Sworn Brothers Selection Tournament’ should be held in the training grounds instead.
I didn’t want to do this… but, sigh, no choice. I must break the seal…!
At this rate, one of them might really die here!
Professor Jin finally pulled out the magic words of the martial world and waved them dazzlingly.
“Are you afraid to fight fair and square? How cowardly. Both of you.”
“……”
Three seconds of silence descended.
Then quiet killing intent began flowing from both sides simultaneously.
For this moment, both were speechless.
It made sense.
Fair and square, afraid, cowardly.
He had chanted three instant-death spells of the martial world rivaling Harry Potter’s Avada Kedavra, so their martial artist selves had to experience an earthquake.
In this bizarre martial arts world where sword food and Confucianism mixed, these spells were absolutely binding.
If they fought like dogs here, they’d become chicken-hearted bastards.
To avoid being chicken-hearted bastards, they had to follow procedure and fight on the martial arts stage.
However, there’s a rule that applies across fantasy, martial arts, and other mythologies.
In this world, there’s causality something-or-other where powerful spells all return to the caster.
“I understand, brother. You seem to be in a difficult position. Since I’m a good brother, I’ll endure. If you insist that much, let’s have a fair fight in the training grounds~”
To Sama Hyeon’s words, Yeo Ha-ryoon replied. His low voice scraped past with killing intent, becoming bestial.
“…Two.”
Just say you’ll kill each other next time you meet. Just say it!
Jin Cheonhee wept tears of blood in his heart.
Cheon Woo. At least thankfully Cheon Woo isn’t involved in this.
Suddenly feeling someone watching from the distant Wudang sect direction, he enhanced his vision and saw Cheon Woo there.
Right. A sharp-eyed child wouldn’t have missed this.
Sharp-eyed, thoughtful, and kind fellow.
There’s no way he wouldn’t have watched Jin Cheonhee’s match, and no way he wouldn’t have seen him coming down from the arena.
He just realized that if he joined here, it would burden his brother.
So he was waiting, holding back even from greeting.
I’m sorry.
At Jin Cheonhee’s eye signal, Cheon Woo just nodded slightly.
Meaning he was fine, don’t worry about it.
That made him feel even more sorry.
***
Yeo Ha-ryoon and Sama Hyeon decided to climb the martial world ‘tournament’ to see it through to the end.
Here, the end meant no need for treatment requiring brother to operate the emergency room and perform surgical procedures while pulling all-nighters! It meant instant death.
If one got eliminated in the middle, they would be considered weak and unqualified to be a brother.
And fortunately, these guys didn’t know something.
I won’t get eliminated either, you bastards.
Indeed. While these guys were going on about killing each other, Jin Cheonhee was frantically circulating the Profound Origin Heaven and Earth Divine Technique.
Looking at how the divisions were arranged, they would have to meet Jin Cheonhee before they could meet each other.
Though Jin Cheonhee’s Avada Kedavra would return as great misfortune due to that causality something-or-other, that was Jin Cheonhee’s problem.
He needed to shoot these brother bastards once each with the love and peace anesthetic gun (Flicking Heaven-Penetrating Finger) to put them to sleep.
Sigh, the question is how strong they’ve become.
Thankfully they haven’t been given the spiritual medicine yet…
Jin Cheonhee toasted to his own judgment.
Seems these bastards haven’t memorized the tournament brackets.
Of course. How many people could memorize everything after seeing it once?
Besides, strong ones don’t need to care about brackets.
They just need to crack every skull they see as they advance upward.
And who would have known there would be a crazy person here running simulations by searching the brackets in their brain?
Professor Jin had accomplished this.
Instead of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Jin Cheonhee offered prayers of gratitude to Master Kongming, his master, and the spiritual medicines.
A miraculous ceasefire.
For now, Yeo Ha-ryoon returned to his group as he was here as the Demonic Cult’s envoy, and Sama Hyeon returned for the Golden Blood Chamber’s underground operations.
Of course, though they said this, they might be training in their lodgings for instant kills.