ISS-Chapter 28

Chapter 28

A moment of silence.

The one who broke that silence was none other than Baek Risung’s voice.

“What… did you say…?”

Baek Risung muttered helplessly at the scene that was utterly beyond comprehension and looked at Baek Riyun. Then Baek Riyun looked back at Baek Risung with a faint smile.

Of course, he had thought there was some scheme at play. He hadn’t thought he would be caught so easily. However…

Who would have thought it would be something like this?

“W-wait. That’s unreasonable!”

As Isu, who had hurriedly regained his senses, raised an objection, Baek Riyun tilted his head and looked at Isu, answering with a voice full of doubt.

“Which part do you think is unreasonable?”

“T-there is no one from the Namgung Family here. And yet you claim plagiarism—who on earth could make that judgment…”

“There is.”

“…What?”

“As it happens, an acquaintance of mine from the Namgung Family is here to recommend the sect establishment. Isn’t that right? Namgung U.”

“Yes. Well, that’s right, isn’t it?”

As soon as Baek Riyun finished speaking, a man walked out from among the audience with swaggering movements, shrugging his shoulders. And the moment he recognized that figure, Isu let out a hollow laugh.

“The little devil of the Namgung Family… Why is someone who should be in the Changcheondae here?”

“Well, I had a mission nearby, and on the way, I heard there was the opening ceremony of the former squad leader, so I stopped by.”

Namgung U, who answered with a chuckle like a street thug, looked around leisurely, then nodded with a solemn expression.

“Anyway, even setting aside personal feelings, there’s no doubt that part is similar. The basic technique of our Namgung Family, the Muaegong, certainly contains the principles of heaven, earth, and man, starting from the earth, forming humanity, and aiming for the heavens in the end.”

“…Isn’t that unreasonable!”

“Huh? But isn’t that what the Baek Ri Family is claiming? That it’s plagiarism because heaven, earth, and man overlap. Wasn’t that it? Are you saying the Murim Alliance examination team is being unreasonable?????”

“Th-this…!”

Isu grabbed the back of his neck as his blood pressure rose while watching Namgung U, who genuinely seemed puzzled as he tilted his head. Then Namgung U clicked his tongue.

“Oh dear, you should be careful at your age. Jokes can become poison if taken too far. Anyway, well, that’s my perspective. Plagiarism? Seems right?”

At Namgung U’s appearance shrugging his shoulders, Isu nearly fell backward but barely managed to right himself and continued speaking while looking at Baek Riyun.

“…What about other parts, other parts!”

“Which part are you referring to?”

“Let’s set that part aside for now, there must be other parts too! Surely you’re not saying the basic technique consists of only that one move!”

“Of course there are more. It’s not difficult to show you, but…”

“Then, show me quickly!”

At Isu’s appearance, half-angry now, Baek Riyun shook his head briefly and demonstrated the next move.

Swooooosh!

“This is the second form of the Cheong-gong, called Eumwon Ilgi. This also plagiarized the Baek Ri Family’s martial arts. Specifically, the part about yin and yang in the Baek Ri Family’s basic technique…”

“Th-that! That’s definitely plagiarism…!”

“At the same time, it also plagiarized the Wudang Sect’s martial arts.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that so? When you think of Taiji, you think of Wudang; when you think of Wudang, you think of Taiji. Dividing it into Cheong-gong and Jeokgong is also centered on the principles of Taiji.”

At Baek Riyun’s appearance now even dragging Wudang into it, Isu let out a helpless hollow laugh and asked back.

“…Who confirmed that?”

“That would be…”

Baek Riyun paused briefly, then turned his gaze toward the audience again. Then, as if waiting for this moment, a woman emerged from where Namgung U had been.

“I confirmed it.”

“…The Little Waning Moon of Wudang, Dojang Cheongha. I heard the talk was widespread that you became the squad leader of this year’s Changcheondae, but why…”

“It’s true that there are some overlapping parts with Wudang’s principles. I don’t know whether the elder masters of the main mountain would suspect this to be plagiarism, but according to this standard… it is plagiarism.”

“Hah.”

Isu let out a hollow laugh and shook his head in dismay, then suddenly came to his senses and glared at Baek Riyun.

‘The arrival of the Little Waning Moon and the little devil of Namgung was unexpected, but both said they stopped by while carrying out missions…‘

As a member of the Murim Alliance’s Military Affairs Department, Isu wasn’t in charge of the military forces, but naturally, he knew well about them. For instance, things like the mission system of the military forces.

‘The minimum mission assignment standard for Changcheondae is two-person teams, and the next is five-person teams. However, looking at the current situation, there are no other Changcheondae members…!‘

If hundreds of people had gathered here, it might be different, but roughly just over a hundred people were gathered. From what he could see, there were no Changcheondae members among them.

Even if he blocked two attacks this way, the basic technique wouldn’t end with just two forms. The Jeokgong, not the Cheong-gong, would remain, and there would be several more forms of Cheong-gong left as well.

Thinking that, just as Isu raised his head, Baek Riyun casually opened his mouth.

“Excluding these, it has been confirmed that our sect’s martial arts plagiarized the martial arts of numerous sects. Twenty-three have been confirmed.”

“…Don’t talk nonsense. Who did you get confirmation from?”

“Naturally from the parties involved, wouldn’t it be?”

“Haha, the bluffing is over. There are no others here…”

“I,”

Baek Riyun let out a slight laugh and continued speaking while looking at Isu, who was biting his lips in anxiety. And soon after.

“I never said the parties involved were here.”

Slowly, the moment Wangpal came from behind carrying a bundle and carefully handed it to Baek Riyun.

A deep smile formed on Baek Riyun’s lips.

Swooooosh!

At the same time, countless letters embroidered the air.

“…”

The fluttering letters scattered among the crowd. Letters falling while decorating all directions chaotically like butterflies.

In that rain of paper, Baek Risung caught one and unfolded it, letting out a bitter laugh. Because.

In the letter.

[Reply.

Regarding the basic technique section you sent, we confirm that there are overlapping parts with our sect’s principles.

Current Changcheondae Squad Leader, Murong Hyeyeon respectfully]

Because evidence that they couldn’t win was written there.

“Y-you scattered the basic technique in letters…? A-are you in your right mind?”

“It’s our sect’s martial arts. I don’t think it’s a situation where we need to hear complaints from others.”

Baek Riyun leisurely deflected Isu’s words, let out a relaxed sigh, straightened his back, and looked directly at Baek Risung.

“I’ve said everything I wanted to say.”

“…”

“Now it’s time for Changwolgeom to answer.”

At Baek Riyun’s appearance cutting off his words solemnly, Baek Risung let out a helpless laugh. Wasn’t that right?

They had tried to entangle things as plagiarism in a way that could be interpreted as either an earring if hung on the ear or a nose ring if hung on the nose. However, if Baek Risung now said that the Uicheonmun’s basic technique plagiarized the Baek Ri Family’s basic technique, at that moment, it would mean the Baek Ri Family’s basic technique was entangled in a plagiarism relationship with the basic techniques of twenty-three sects.

Then would the other Five Great Families or the Nine Sects and One Gang just sit by and watch that?

‘That’s impossible.‘

The Five Great Families and the Nine Sects and One Gang were all undoubtedly solid allies of the orthodox path. However, weren’t they also in positions of competing for interests with each other?

It was an opportunity to diminish the power of the Baek Ri Family, which was currently leading the Five Great Families. If an idiot who would miss this opportunity was sitting as the head, they wouldn’t have been able to maintain the reputation of the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Families.

A dilemma. He couldn’t move forward without giving up something. Baek Risung thought about the situation he was currently in and let out a faint smile. And.

The words Baek Risung, who had organized his thoughts, directed at Baek Riyun were.

“Is this all?”

Clearly, he was accepting the loss.

“It’s plagiarism.”

“…”

“Not twenty, even if you brought thirty or forty, even if you brought all the martial arts in the world, I dare say this: Your martial arts plagiarized the Baek Ri Family’s martial arts. Even if everyone knows that’s not true, I alone will insist on that.”

“…Uncle.”

“You!”

Baek Risung pounded his chest, filled with suffocating resentment, and gritted his teeth.

“You are of Baek Ri blood. Un-a.”

“Uncle.”

“No matter what anyone says, you are of Baek Ri blood. You are my proud nephew and also the pillar who will lead Baek Ri’s future. If not you, who would become the family head? Would I entrust it to the impatient San-i? Or to Seon-i, who hasn’t even set her mind to it?”

“Are you… still holding onto regrets?”

“The one holding regrets is you!”

Baek Risung shouted like thunder, clenched his fist, and his voice trembled.

“…Do you resent the family?”

“…”

“If it’s because we didn’t take revenge, because you think we’re idiots who can’t even protect our own family members… I can understand. You can condemn me as a coward. But Un-a. The Baek Ri Family…”

Unable to continue his words, Baek Risung swallowed hard and closed his eyes. And at that moment, a voice was heard.

“Yes. It is my bloodline.”

“…!”

At Baek Riyun’s response, Baek Risung hurriedly opened his eyes and looked at Baek Riyun again. Baek Riyun, who now wore a gentle smile.

“I have no intention of denying it. I know it’s not a connection that can be severed just by saying so.”

“…You don’t resent us?”

“To say I don’t resent… would be a lie, but I think it’s a grudge that can be released over a drink someday. In the first place, Mother would have wanted that as well. However.”

Baek Riyun smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“That and this are separate matters. Uncle. I will not return to the family.”

“Why…”

“Because I didn’t establish the sect for revenge.”

If one person’s strength wasn’t enough, then with the strength of many.

It wasn’t that he had never had such thoughts. How many times had he been unable to sleep while training the Changcheondae members, chewing over his hatred?

However, after passing the age of twenty and reaching thirty, Baek Riyun came to understand.

“I don’t think Mother would have wished for me to hurt my family for the sake of my revenge.”

“…”

“I’ll visit someday. However, I won’t be visiting to become the family head. I’ll just be going to show the proper grown-up appearance of a son who left home. So.”

Baek Riyun, who cut off his words, looked at Baek Risung standing in dismay and declared.

“At this place, I will speak as the sect master of Uicheonmun. Uncle. Our sect’s basic technique, our sect’s martial arts—have not plagiarized any sect’s techniques.”

Slowly.

At Baek Riyun’s words, spoken as if declaring, Baek Risung’s hands trembled.

“…How long do you think you can last?”

“What do you mean?”

“This plagiarism examination isn’t the problem. If the main family tries to pressure you, a small or medium sect like this—”

“Won’t crumble.”

Baek Riyun let out a slight laugh and shook his head.

“Just as it was this time.”

“…”

“Is that answer enough?”

“…Hah.”

At Baek Riyun’s confident expression, Baek Risung unknowingly let out a hollow laugh, closed his eyes, and looked up at the sky. An afterimage flashing before his eyes for a moment.

—Uncle!

Baek Risung, who had been picturing the brightly smiling Baek Riyun of the past, clutched his suffocating chest and lowered his head. And.

“As the Oedangju of the Baek Ri Family and the younger brother of the current family head, I, Baek Risung, will declare in the name of Changwol.”

The moment Baek Risung turned around toward the main gate and spat out a word in a low voice.

“…Uicheonmun has not plagiarized the Baek Ri Family’s martial arts.”

A cheer erupted.

***

A corner of Uicheonmun, where the opening ceremony was starting again.

“I thought about helping if it looked really difficult, but there’s no need to help. The old man saw people well. Don’t you think so?”

At the words of the black-clothed person wearing a jukrib, the woman carrying a large load frowned and answered.

“…Be quiet. Mister.”

“Oh my. This girl—your uncle came all this way from Hwangryongjang because you were making an appearance in the Jianghu for once.”

The black-clothed person stood up making a groaning sound, patted the woman’s head, and rose from his seat. Then the woman asked.

“Going already?”

“I can’t leave the establishment empty for too long. And…”

“Hm?”

“If I’ve seen something good, I should give a gift.”

The black-clothed person cracked his wrists and suddenly recalled a conversation with a friend from a few days ago and let out a slight laugh.

“Did I say he resembled him? That makes sense.”

The sect master doesn’t even notice me. Yet this oppressive feeling weighing down my entire body.

It’s not coming from the sect master. If it had to be felt, it would be from this entire manor. And what that signifies is only one thing.

“To say the entire manor is like a divine weapon… It’s absurd.”

An extraordinary manor and an extraordinary person. Since nothing is ordinary, it wouldn’t be bad to bestow a favor, would it?

“Gama.”

The woman, Ga Wol, who watched the black-clothed person walk away leisurely and then disappear as if collapsing, let out a deep sigh, shook her head, and raised it.

“That person…”

At the end of her gaze.

“Is my first trading partner.”

Baek Riyun was smiling and tilting a liquor cup.