Chapter 343 : Today, it's the Thirteen Wolves

Translator: FenrirTL

Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis

Murim Term Consultant: Kopke

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Chapter 343: Today, it's the Thirteen Wolves

The gazes that had been fixed on the stars gathered to one place.

Bih Sa-in and Jin Hagun looked at Geom Mugeuk. Meanwhile, Geom Mugeuk was still gazing up at the night sky with those clear, deep eyes.

The word “friend” sounded far too unfamiliar. Was this person really referring to the word we all knew?

“When did we become friends?”

Bih Sa-in asked bluntly.

Jin Hagun also waited for Geom Mugeuk’s answer, feeling the same way.

“Was I the only one who thought we were friends?”

“You really think we could become friends?”

“I think we can.”

After a short pause, Bih Sa-in asked again.

“What if you thought we were friends, but someone ends up betraying you?”

Even neighborhood friends go through messes of betrayal—can the successors of the martial world truly become friends? That kind of betrayal could mean life and death for thousands, tens of thousands.

“Then let’s think of it like this. Oh right, we were enemies, weren’t we? Let’s not take it too hard. Don’t even think of it as betrayal.”

“By then, your sword would probably be piercing through my heart. Would I even have time to think such things?”

Though he wore a frightening face and spoke frightening words, Bih Sa-in’s gaze was gentler than ever. He was imagining a life where he and Geom Mugeuk lived as friends.

Geom Mugeuk, who had become the Heavenly Demon, himself, who had become the Unorthodox Alliance Leader, and Jin Hagun, who had become the Martial Alliance Leader—meeting, laughing, chatting together. Even with white hair and wrinkled faces, still dumbfounded by Geom Mugeuk’s ridiculous antics that never changed. 1

But just as ideals and reality differ, words came from his mouth that betrayed his heart.

“If rumors spread that I’ve become friends with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, I’ll be kicked out of the position of Young Leader.”

At that, Jin Hagun joined in the conversation.

“What about me then? Becoming friends with the successor of the Demonic Cult and the Unorthodox Alliance? Forget becoming a successor, my grandfather might beat me to death.”

Geom Mugeuk looked at Jin Hagun.

“Come to think of it, Commander Jin isn’t the successor yet. Let’s help and make you one.” 2

Jin Hagun replied sternly.

“Just because you help doesn’t mean I can take the seat of the Alliance Leader. Only when I’m qualified to be one and have the capacity to bear it will I be able to rise.”

There was a sense of pride that the successor to the Orthodox faction could not be chosen so easily.

“As expected, drawing a line with us.”

Geom Mugeuk scooted right next to Bih Sa-in, pretending to be close.

But Bih Sa-in stepped aside to avoid Geom Mugeuk.

“So heartless!”

Now the three of them stood facing each other in a circle.

Jin Hagun asked Geom Mugeuk.

“What kind of martial world do you dream of?”

It was a question Bih Sa-in had also wanted to ask.

Once again, Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned toward the stars in the night sky.

“The martial world I dream of is one where your righteous vision, your unorthodox ways, and my demonic path can coexist in harmony. I don’t believe fate gave us these identities and earth-shaking martial prowess so we could pursue that dream of unification of the martial world at the cost of countless lives.”

Trust among them could only exist if there was certainty that none of them dreamed of unifying the martial world.

“I wasn’t close to my father, and I wasn’t close to my brother either. I lived without knowing the heart of a bodyguard who would lay down her life for me. That’s why I always ask myself—what’s the point of unifying the martial world when I can’t even take care of the people around me?”

Geom Mugeuk’s deep and clear eyes, which had been gazing at the stars, slowly turned back to the two of them.

“I think becoming friends with you two is more difficult than unifying the martial world.”

He said it like a joke, but it was sincere.

“For a martial artist, the easiest thing is fighting and killing. So instead of this easy life, let’s take on the harder challenge. Let’s try to become real friends.”

“!”

Bih Sa-in and Jin Hagun had never once thought of such a thing. But Geom Mugeuk was right. Becoming real friends was a hundred times harder than fighting.

“There’s too much evil in the world that needs to be eliminated. Some absolute evils can’t be killed by anyone but us. Look—there’s even evil out there trying to devour us, isn’t there? Let’s live while hunting them down. Gather for drinks, gripe about our subordinates, travel together. That’s the kind of martial world I hope for.”

Could such a thing truly be possible?

Bih Sa-in muttered without realizing.

“That’s a dreamlike notion.”

“Then let’s live our lives dreaming forever.”

Just as Bih Sa-in and Jin Hagun each sank into their thoughts—

A meteor streaked across the night sky.

Geom Mugeuk quickly clapped his hands together and made a wish.

“Please let us unify the martial world!” 3

Jin Hagun shook his head with a look of disbelief, and Bih Sa-in let out a soft smile.

The three of them remained standing like that for a long while beneath the falling stars.

*         *         *

Across the city, the Black Snake Gang Leader Choo Goeng scowled as he looked out the window.

“They’re not even hiding it anymore.”

Across the street from the building he was in, two martial artists were visibly watching in their direction.

They were elite warriors from the Demon-Slaying Brigade of the Martial Alliance. They had started pressuring his group a few months back, and now they weren’t even pretending anymore—they were openly monitoring them.

Choo Goeng was a man who defied the stereotype that big and hot-tempered meant dumb. He was sharp and clever.

In business, he was ruthless and brutal, eliminating rivals by any means necessary.

Yet even he had no choice but to keep his eye on the watchers across the street. As long as their name was Demon-Slaying Brigade, he couldn’t move against them carelessly.

“Where’s Black Thirteen?”

“Still no news.”

The one who answered the Black Snake Gang Leader’s question was his right-hand man, Song Chung.

They had lost all contact with Black Thirteen, who had gone out to deliver the kidnapped children to the Yellow Dragon Escort Bureau.

“It seems he ran into the Demon-Slaying Brigade.”

The Black Snake Gang Leader’s face twisted with displeasure. Just the name Demon-Slaying Brigade made his blood boil.

“Looks like we’ll have to ask the Unorthodox Alliance for help.”

It wasn’t a decision to be made lightly. The Unorthodox Alliance never offered assistance without a price. If they accepted help this time, they would have to support them with an enormous amount of money under the guise of a sponsorship. And they were already sinking a fortune into the Unorthodox Alliance as it was.

Just then, another subordinate arrived and handed over a letter.

“A letter from the Unorthodox Alliance.”

That such a message had arrived right while they were talking about the Unorthodox Alliance startled both the Black Snake Gang Leader and Song Chung.

Upon reading the contents, the Gang Leader crumpled the letter irritably and threw it at Song Chung.

“Insolent brat!”

Song Chung opened the crumpled letter and read it.

Astonishingly, it was a summons from the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance. It stated that if he didn’t show up, the Black Snake Gang would be wiped out from the martial world.

To calm his enraged master, Song Chung began by soothing his temper.

“Looks like the brat’s gotten arrogant after becoming the successor.”

A murderous aura radiated from Choo Goeng’s body. Normally, at this level of anger, corpses would already be piling up—but given who the opponent was, all he could do was powerlessly seethe.

“But why would the Young Leader suddenly want to meet with me?”

The letter only included the message quoted earlier, along with a time and place for the meeting—nothing about the purpose. That made the Gang Leader even angrier.

“Probably wants to put us in our place.”

“We’re not even directly under the Unorthodox Alliance. Who are they to discipline us?”

“Since when did those bastards care about such things?”

Unlike the upset Gang Leader, Song Chung saw this contact as an opportunity.

“If you invest in the Young Leader now, it’ll make it much easier to expand business in the Central Plains later on. And while you're at it, bring up the issue with the Demon-Slaying Brigade—casually.”

It was a distasteful situation, yes—but business was business. That went without saying.

“This year’s harvest is ruined. One way or another, we always end up paying. How much do you think it’ll take?”

There was one unshakable truth he believed in: the most reliable way to win someone over was money. If it didn’t work, it simply meant he hadn’t paid enough. 4

“He’s not the type short on money—offer him something else.”

“Like what?”

“Give him the Sun and Moon Sword.”

“Are you insane?”

His outburst was understandable—the Sun and Moon Sword was the most prized of all the treasures he owned.

“When else will you get a chance to meet the Young Leader? Use this moment to secure him as one of our people.”

“What if he never makes it to the Leader’s seat? Don’t we have to wait until he sits on the Dark Tyrant Throne to know for sure?” *

“That’s why it’s called a risky investment, isn’t it?”

After a moment of contemplation, the Black Snake Gang Leader made his decision.

“Fine, let’s offer up the Sun and Moon Sword.”

The Demon-Slaying Brigade issue and everything else considered—though it pained him, the Young Leader was worth the cost. He would give and then squeeze out everything he could in return.

“Instead, bring everyone from Black One to Black Ten. Call Black Night and Black Dog as well.”

Song Chung flinched in surprise.

“That’s too much.”

“It has to be too much.”

“You know what Black Dog’s personality is like. Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll cause. He might throw a full-blown tantrum even in front of the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.”

“That’s exactly why I’m bringing him.”

On this point, Choo Goeng didn’t budge.

“Even if we give generously, we can’t come off looking like suckers. They need to feel the danger we pose. That’s what makes the gift we give even more valuable.”

Knowing full well that once he made a decision, he never changed it, Song Chung accepted the order.

“Understood. I’ll follow your command. Shall we head out now?”

The Black Snake Gang Leader rose from his seat.

“Of course. If we don’t show, they’ll wipe us from the martial world, remember?”

*         *         *

Just as they neared the meeting point, Geom Mugeuk had the carriage stop.

Then he spoke to Jin Hagun.

“For the sake of today’s main character, let’s change clothes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Today’s meeting is one where the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance offers guidance to the Black Snake Gang. It wouldn’t be fitting for the Demon-Slaying Brigade to appear. Let them wait, and we’ll change into the attire of the Thirteen Wolves.”

Jin Hagun had planned for both Bih Sa-in and himself to go together and pressure them. The idea was that if both the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance and the Demon-Slaying Brigade Leader issued a warning together, it would have double the effect.

However, Geom Mugeuk was thinking from Bih Sa-in’s point of view, aiming to elevate his authority.

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Jin Hagun readily accepted the idea.

Bih Sa-in could feel that Geom Mugeuk was doing this for him—but he said nothing and pretended not to notice.

“Just prepare two sets of clothing for us.”

At that, the Thirteen Wolves handed over extra outfits to the two of them.

As they changed, Geom Mugeuk spoke.

“Today we’re not the Thirteen Wolves—we’ll be the Fifteen Wolves. Welcome the new Fourteenth and Fifteenth Wolves!”

In truth, it took great courage for Jin Hagun to wear this outfit. He personally didn’t mind, but if someone chose to make an issue of it, he could be harshly criticized.

But seeing Geom Mugeuk fussing over how his pants were too short because his legs were long, or how the color didn’t match his skin tone, and cracking all kinds of jokes while changing—he reflected on himself.

That this was nothing. That what truly mattered was who wore the outfit. Was it someone petty, who worried about things that wouldn’t matter in hindsight? Or was it someone big-hearted, willing to don others’ clothing out of consideration? 5

Once fully dressed, Geom Mugeuk didn’t forget to throw in one last playful jab.

“You taking the Fourteenth Wolf spot? Or the Fifteenth?”

*         *         *

Choo Goeng had arrived first and was waiting.

Around him stood the elite members of the Black Snake Gang, lined up in formation.

In the martial world, the Black Snake Gang was seen as a pack of stray dogs. They swarmed to any profit, tore it apart, overwhelmed with sheer numbers, and even if they were killed off, they would crawl out again—such was the organization’s reputation. 6

But that was only knowing half of the Black Snake Gang.

At the very least, the Gang Leader was no dog—he was a tiger. A clever tiger who knew that pretending to be a dog was the key to surviving a long time.

From Black One to Black Ten, they were tigers too. Beyond that ten, perhaps there were wolves, foxes, and dogs. But the ones Choo Goeng cherished were warriors worthy of recognition.

Of course, the most reliable of them all was Black Night.

In terms of martial skill alone, he was second only to the Gang Leader himself.

He was a quiet, taciturn man, but he enjoyed slaughter so much that he would throw himself into battles even when it wasn’t necessary—just to create a bloodbath.

The last to appear was Black Dog.

He, too, was second only to the Gang Leader—if Black Night was second in martial strength, Black Dog was second in foul temper.

Even within the infamous Black Snake Gang, known for murder, assault, and rape, he was a notorious villain, the one responsible for doing the kinds of things no human should ever do.

“Boss, what’s the big deal calling all of us here?”

He was one of the few who called the Gang Leader “Boss.” He had served him since his youth and was the only one who wasn’t afraid of him.

“The Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance sent word that he wants to meet me.”

“What for?”

“Probably wants to enjoy the successor’s authority.”

Black Dog’s gaze fell on the long box placed next to the Gang Leader. Upon seeing the sun and moon insignia engraved on it, his expression darkened in disbelief.

“Don’t tell me that’s the Sun and Moon Sword?”

“It is.”

“You’re giving that to the Young Leader?”

When the Gang Leader nodded, Black Dog shouted.

“You can’t! Why give that precious sword to that punk? Just shove some cash into his hand and send him off!”

He knew better than anyone how much Choo Goeng treasured that sword. Scowling, he turned to Song Chung.

“Let me guess—it was that smooth-talking bastard who said we should give it, wasn’t it?”

Black Dog hated Song Chung. He used to be the one at the Gang Leader’s side until he was pushed out by Song Chung.

Song Chung’s expression hardened.

‘This brainless bastard is already running wild.’

This was why he had said Black Dog shouldn’t be brought.

Just as the two were on the verge of clashing—

“There they come.”

In the distance, a carriage appeared, flanked by martial escorts.

The Black Snake Gang Leader spoke to his subordinates.

“At the very least, we should make this clear to the honored guest—just how filthy one’s hands would have to get to erase us from the martial world.”

1 : A small dream. The kind that is hard to obtain, but so fulfilling to live ^^

2 : Didn’t you tell Jon Haryeong to become the Leader ? Oh well, she did say she preferred to let the position go to her brother, and either one would be a good person for the job, so it’s fine.

3 : Lol XDXDXD But yeah, unification through diplomacy and friendship is stronger than one done by blood and war. Compassion is the road to a more stable future.

4 : Don’t worry, you’ll pay with your life soon enough ^^

5 : It’s always a question of who you are, and who you wish to become.

6 : Isn’t that cockroaches rather than dogs ?

7 : It’ll leave them with filthier hands but cleaner hearts.

* : Funny trivia, all the Thrones names so far are the result of our creativity, Fenrir and I !!!

In fact the exact translation for those thrones is a common ‘Throne Mat’, which is a kind of big pillow put on the ground, very Middle East custom.

While it is interesting, the leaders of major organizations of the martial world clearly deserve something more cool and awe-worthy as seats, hence our modest contribution to the story.

As a reminder, the Divine Cult has the Celestial Zenith Throne, the Heavenly Wind Cult has the Wind Spirit Throne, and the Unorthodox Alliance has the Dark Tyrant Throne.