C114 - I Know Who You Are (1~)
In response to Cale's decision to join the Murim Alliance, the Sword Saint and Namgung Family Head, Namgung Mahyuk, silently nodded.
"I understand Young Master Kim's desire."
Cale paused under the Family Head's gaze.
'What kind of look is that?'
His gaze was intense, even fiery.
At that moment, Namgung Mahyuk spoke calmly.
"I suppose that means you can't rest until everything is resolved."
Cale wisely nodded.
"That's right."
He wanted to finish quickly and return to his territory in the Forest of Darkness, to Raon's house, to rest deeply.
'By the way, I should contact the Crown Prince at some point.'
Cale didn't bother to get in touch with Alberu.
By now, Alberu should be venting his pent-up frustration by launching surprise attacks on various kingdoms with the mines he obtained as a reward in Shaulen.
Given his not-so-friendly character, he wasn't someone who easily let things slide.
"...I will respect that sentiment."
Namgung Mahyuk met Cale's eyes.
"And I will follow your will."
What will?
As Cale wondered, the Sword Saint spoke.
"We have decided to focus all our efforts on exterminating the Blood Cult."
After the Family Head finished speaking, the Sword Saint stepped forward.
"I will lead the way. The Second Elder has agreed to lead the Namgung Family forces alongside me."
"...The Second Elder?"
"The grandfather of Taiwei and also my brother."
At that moment, Cale could hear Eunuch Wi's Sound Transmission.
-Within the Namgung Family, the strongest is the Sword Saint, and the second strongest is the Second Elder.
The two will lead the central power of the Namgung Family to exterminate the Blood Cult.
A smile formed at the corner of Cale's lips.
"Thank you."
He was truly grateful that they were willing to confront the Blood Cult, the powerful Blue Blood Family, on his behalf.
'Although I thought they would participate to some extent, I didn't expect them to put in this much effort.'
Somehow, things were turning out well.
"...Really, Young Master Kim-"
Namgung Mahyuk couldn't continue speaking as he saw Cale's grateful expression.
'How can one person be so humble and just?'
At that moment...
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door.
Currently, Cale was with Wi, Choi Han, and Raon, facing Namgung Mahyuk and the Sword Saint in the Family Head's Audience Hall.
"What's going on?"
The Family Head asked, and the guards answered from outside the door.
"Well..."
But someone spoke before they could say anything more.
"Family Head! It's me, Namgung Yuhak!"
The Trash of the Namgung Family had appeared.
"Yuhak!"
And then, a scolding voice was heard.
Thud. Thud.
After some commotion, the door was slammed open.
"Father! Grandfather!"
Namgung Yuhak pushed his face forward without hesitation.
"I want to go too!"
And he waved his fists.
"You brat!"
Someone grabbed Namgung Yuhak's hair and squeezed it tightly.
Cale had spoken with him before.
Namgung Yuseon.
As the Young Leader of the current Namgung Family, he would lead the next generation.
"I'm very sorry."
Namgung Yuseon lowered Namgung Yuhak's head and then repeatedly bowed his head to Cale and his father.
"This brat doesn't have the skills to understand such big matters..."
"That's not true!"
Namgung Yuhak moved to avoid Namgung Yuseon's hand.
At that moment, Namgung Yuseon's hand once again grabbed Namgung Yuhak's hair with ghostly speed.
"Oh."
Wi marveled.
In that brief movement, Namgung Yuseon's martial skills level was revealed.
'He truly has the talent to be called the future Sword Saint of the Justice Faction.'
Normally, his father would be proud and boast about it...
"You bastard!"
Instead, he rose from his seat and angrily approached Namgung Yuhak.
Whack!
And he smacked him on the head from behind.
'Oh my.'
Cale was surprised for a moment.
-Human, this guy called Namgung Yuhak is going to suffer a lot!
Namgung Yuhak was hit hard enough for Raon to feel sorry for him.
"Kugh!"
But Namgung Yuhak was quite stubborn Trash.
He quickly forgot the pain and raised his head with determination.
'Huh?'
Cale and Namgung Yuhak's eyes met.
Cale could see Namgung Yuhak looking at him with very bright eyes.
"Young Master!"
And then, he immediately knelt down.
"Take me with you too!"
Bum!
He banged the ground with his head as he shouted.
'Why is he doing that?'
Cale felt perplexed.
"I, Namgung Yuhak, swear to dedicate myself to justice and cooperation with all my being!"
"You!"
Namgung Mahyuk scolded his second son, his face full of energy.
"Where do you get off spouting such words? With your skills, you'll only get in the way!"
"Yes, my father is right, and since I've decided to go, you will stay with the family."
Upon Namgung Yuseon's words, Cale looked at the Sword Saint.
"Will the Young Family Leader be going with us?"
The Young Family Leader was one of the most valuable individuals in the family.
If he were gravely injured or died in a fight with the Blood Cult, it would be a disaster.
"Of course, he will go. To avenge our Family and to serve justice. It is absolutely necessary for the future of the Family to do this together."
From the calm tone of the Sword Saint, Cale could tell that the Namgung Family was serious about this.
"Grandfather!"
Namgung Yuhak enthusiastically spoke to the Sword Saint.
"I want to go too!"
Cale could see the corners of the Sword Saint's mouth lifting slightly.
-Young Master Kim.
The Sword Saint used a sound transmission to speak to Cale.
-I will take care of him so that he doesn't get in the way. Do you mind if he accompanies us?
If the Sword Saint could handle that, Cale had no reason to object.
The usually mute Cale spoke up.
"If it's okay with the Namgung Family, I don't mind if he goes with us."
"Oh!"
Namgung Yuhak's expression brightened.
"Hah."
The Family Head let out a deep sigh, then turned to his two sons.
"For now, you two get out of here."
"...Yes."
"Yes!"
Yuseon responded with frustration, Yuhak with excitement, and they left the room.
The door slammed shut behind them, and the Family Head gave them a worried look, but when his eyes met Cale's, he immediately spoke with an apologetic expression.
"I'm not doing this because I'm worried my son will get hurt, but he has a bit of a reckless side, and I don't want him to get carried away and..."
"Don't worry about it, Family Head."
The Former Family Head, the Sword Saint, drew a strange smile on his face.
"Wouldn't it be nice if I could fix that crazy temper of his once and for all?"
"...Oh."
The Family Head seemed interested.
"Even if he looks like an idiot, don't you think he'll wake up after rolling on the ground again and again? Won't he learn his lesson after being pressed down several times?"
Cale involuntarily swallowed at the word 'idiot'.
"I suppose so, if he grew up as an idiot, he needs to fall down several times to be able to stand up."
Cale swallowed again at the Family Head's comment.
'...an idiot.'
While thinking about the uncertain future awaiting Namgung Yuhak, the despicable member of the Nangong Family, his heart inexplicably chilled.
When Cale's eyes met with the Sword Saint's, the Sword Saint was slightly surprised and let out a shallow laugh.
"Our Young Master Kim seems concerned about the second son. Don't worry. He's learned some martial arts, and as long as he's a true Namgung, he'll be fine, even if he gets beaten."
While Cale tried to ignore the Sword Saint's harsh words, he didn't notice the mention of "our Young Master Kim."
"......"
However, at the mention of those words, Chief Eunuch Wi looked at the Sword Saint with a strange expression in his eyes, but the Sword Saint deliberately ignored Wi's gaze.
"Ahem."
Cale decided to change the subject for the time being.
"Then, I'll go to the Murim Alliance first with Elder Ho. I'll contact you when we have an approximate plan, so you can come at that time."
"Understood. I'll finish all preparations, so contact me, and I'll leave immediately."
While responding, the Sword Saint took a moment to ponder and then spoke.
"...What should we do about the Living Jiangshi in the Murim Alliance?"
"We know they are people from the Jegal Family, so we'll have to find and purify them."
"Hah."
The Sword Saint let out a sigh and nodded his head seriously.
"Yes, if that's what Young Master Kim wishes, that would be the right thing to do."
Killing them would be much easier.
But the Sword Saint couldn't say those words out loud.
Cale shrugged indifferently.
"Then I'll leave quietly. There's no need for you to see me off like last time."
"Although I think it will be noticed somehow that you're leaving."
"It can't be helped."
Cale responded without thinking too much and prepared to depart for the Murim Alliance.
And so, early in the morning, as he headed towards the Murim Alliance...
"Young Master..."
The Lord of Anhui Province came running early in the morning and grabbed Cale's hands.
"I feel like my heart will tear apart from bidding you farewell."
Why is he acting like this?
Cale looked at the Lord of the Province while thinking that, but the Lord of the Province spoke pleadingly.
"Please make sure to visit Anhui Castle next time. Then I will be able to treat you properly."
There's no need to do that.
Cale didn't even bother to speak, so he simply smiled as he withdrew his hand from his grip.
Just then, two Elders stepped forward.
'Hmm!'
Unlike the Sword Saint, the Second Elder had an imposing build.
He was a person who fit the word general.
"Very well, then. See you."
"...Yes."
Cale responded quietly and quickly got on the carriage.
The Second Elder was Namgung Taewi's grandfather, the person who was purified by Cale.
Currently, he was the fiercest man in the Namgung Family, willing to destroy anything in order to seek vengeance.
"Alright, I'm going."
After a short bow from Cale, the carriage he was riding in started moving.
This time, it was an ordinary carriage.
"Young Master, next time it will be me accompanying you." The Lord of the Province's words disappeared.
To Cale's carriage, another followed, and then another, until a total of two carriages sped away from the Namgung Family in silence.
The carriages stopped in a nearby uninhabited forest.
"...Young Master Kim, why are we stopping here?" Elder Ho asked Cale, puzzled.
Since he and the warriors and leaders of the next generation belonging to the Murim Alliance belonged to the Nine Great Sects, they were not close to the Namgung Family.
As a result, they had remained silent in the Namgung Family.
However, after seeing what the Lord of Anhui Province was doing to Cale, they found it even harder than before.
Cale responded indifferently to their questions.
"I'm going to the Murim Alliance."
"That's correct, but..."
This isn't the direction to the Murim Alliance, it's just a forest, isn't it?
Elder Ho wanted to say something but somehow couldn't speak hastily to Young Master Kim.
It was at that moment...
Cale looked at the mirror screen.
<I'll give you the coordinates.>
He opened his mouth.
"Raon."
"What's up, Human?"
When Raon, who was transparent, revealed himself, the members of the Murim Alliance and the leaders of the next generation were left speechless.
"Oh, they didn't know."
Cale grandly introduced Raon to them.
"Elder Ho should know. He's a Dragon."
Their mouths opened. No matter what they said, Cale showed Raon the coordinates.
"Young Master Kim."
Fist King, Mok Hyun, asked with a slightly anxious tone.
"Ar-Are you going to do the Teleportation thing or whatever it's called?"
"Yes, I think it should be fine for this many people. Don't you?"
Raon extended his robust belly and shrugged.
"It's possible! If we use the magic stones, draw the magic circle, and I use my magic, we can teleport all these people at once. Human, can we go there?"
"Um..."
Murim Alliance.
Hubei, Wuhan.
That's where the Murim Alliance was.
And near Wuhan was Dongting Lake.
Uuuu...
Soon, a dark energy rose, forming a teleportation portal.
"......"
The Next Generation Leaders and followers of the Murim Alliance, who were dumbfounded, looked at Elder Ho. Cale spoke indifferently.
"Well, let's go quickly. We don't have time."
Jung Hye, a Martial Artist who would lead the next generation of the Shaolin Sect, muttered distractedly.
"J-Jiangshi, divine techniques, and now this..."
Cale completely ignored his nonsense.
And soon, he took his usual travel companions, including the members of the Imperial Palace who moved without orders after having gone through this experience before, to Wuhan.
-----------------
A massive castle situated in the center of Wuhan.
It was the Murim Alliance.
"Elder Ho?"
"Yes, open the gate quickly."
Nervous, Elder Ho spoke to the gatekeeper, and the gatekeeper looked over Elder Ho's shoulder, perplexed.
"Who are these people?"
Cale blurted out.
"If you say Young Master Kim, they'll know."
At that moment...
Choi Han, who was standing beside Cale, quietly informed him.
"Hae-il-nim, she's here."
Cale's gaze followed Choi Han's.
A person who, despite the presence of a well-constructed gate, ignored the gate and crossed the castle walls, waving her sleeves.
"Commander...!"
Following Elder Ho's call, that person was the Commander General of the Murim Alliance, Jegal Miryeo.
Cale smiled satisfied.
"It seems they have a fast information system if they come out to meet us. I think they'll do a good job."
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