Episode 325 I was suspicious that something had happened last
night, so I ate breakfast early and went for a walk.
It’s just a hunch.
I walked with the intention of taking a look around the large Murimmaeng, going to Maengjujeon, and then returning, but my walk ended at the rain stage.
Because someone was lying on the off-stage.
Is it a corpse?
I approached the off-stage and checked who was lying down.
“Lord.”
Lim So-baek, who was lying down with an arm pillow, answered.
“Are you here?”
“What are you doing?”
“I couldn’t sleep well so I was lying down. “It feels like camping.”
“I’m glad it didn’t rain.”
I went up to the off-stage, looked at Lim So-baek, who was dozing off, and sat down nearby.
The condition of my face was not good.
Judging by his rough beard and facial expression, he looked like he was lying down after staying up all night. If you fall asleep here, the members will wake you up anyway. Since this person is martial arts blind and has a strong martial arts skill, there would be no particular need for an escort, but it seemed like a mental escort was necessary.
“Are you a little distraught because the general came to visit?”
“It did.”
“What do you say?”
“He said he was not the leader of the students.”
“It is strange that a hundred disciples decide on a leader. “I thought he might be a leader in a different sense.”
“I think there was a private gathering, and he organized it himself, so he must have been the leader there.”
“Did you scold me a bit?”
“He was my boss once.”
“I am a subordinate now. “Shouldn’t you have slapped me a few times?”
Lim Sobaek smiled and answered.
“He wasn’t the right person to get hit. “It was difficult to control my emotions while talking, so I asked him to retire.”
“It’s right to retire when you get old.”
“I’m getting old, and you’re going to get old someday, too.”
“I need to retire and start a new life. There is a lot to do, such as drawing, learning to play musical instruments, planting flowers, making martial arts, and teaching students. “You’ve probably only lived in the countryside, so you need to learn a little about life outside.”
“You mean the general military?”
“yes.”
It was difficult to figure out what kind of man Gong Son-shim was just based on the story I heard. However, seeing Lim So-baek so tired, I could tell that he was someone whom the leader relied on a lot.
Only then did Lim Sobaek open his eyes.
“The leader of the previous generation learned the martial art of hiding his prayers, and the commander-in-chief also learned it. It was absurd that the leader and general of the entire military learned martial arts that only thieves learned. The exact level of martial arts could not be determined. Well, it’s been like that for a long time. “You have to fight to know.”
“Isn’t there such a trivial martial arts skill? “It doesn’t really fit with the nickname ‘Geomshin.’”
“That’s right. Was it Daedo (大盜) before Geomshin? It seems like the progress of the island has been inherited. It must have been a martial art that allowed him to go in and out of the world at will. “When I think about it, the leader of the previous generation was also very good at light attack.”
“Who is Docheok?”
“It’s an old thief. “He had 9,000 subordinates.”
“At that level, he was a leader-level strongman.”
“You suggested an alliance with the students, but I told everyone to leave the alliance first. I didn’t ask in detail, but I was worried that some of the members may have died due to being involved in affairs related to Seo Saeng. In that case, it is right for everyone to go out.”
“Yes, of course.”
Lim Sobaek looked at me and asked.
“what?”
“Once we go out, we can form an alliance. Come to your senses. Only when you see the outside world with your own eyes can you truly understand your life and the Murim League. “It would be better for such an old man to retire.”
“hmm.”
“Actually, isn’t there something more important than whether or not you are a student?”
“What.”
“Are you someone who knows shame or someone who doesn’t?”
“That is correct.”
“Sometimes people’s affiliations are determined from birth. If the father is a bandit, the children are also bandits. There are people like me who think a guesthouse is a home. “There will be people who are born into the magic family, and there will also be people who are lucky enough to be born as the heirs of the Sega family.”
“There are people like me who become Murim lords even though they are not the children of a warrior family.”
“yes. Some people, like Geomma, are kidnapped when they are young. Eventually, as you get older, there comes a time when you have to decide your own destiny. Just like the Sword Demon escaped from the Demonic Cult. I thought that choice was great the whole time. Isn’t it nice to just imagine it? That feeling when you escape from the demonic cult… I guess it was only then that you knew you were free.”
“For the General Military, that time has now come. “When were you?”
“It was when my house burned down and I had nowhere to go.”
“How did you do it?”
“I have nothing to say to the Murim Lord, but I killed all those who started the fire.”
Lim So-baek laughed.
“Reflect.”
“yes.”
“Is that your expression of reflection now?”
“Actually, I’m not doing it.”
“Put your hand on Moonju’s chest and think about it calmly.”
“yes.”
“When on earth did I become such a mean, pathetic bastard? Should I say this is the root of it? Should I say it was the beginning? “Since when did you become so vicious?”
“I’ll try to remember.”
“okay.”
“Probably since I could think. In my case, I grew up listening to the bullshit and bullshit of drunkards even before I could walk. “When I saw those kids, even at that young age, I wanted to beat them up.”
“You’re quite mature.”
“you’re right.”
“So, as soon as you grew up, you started beating up drunkards?”
“No. Everyone is wearing a sword, so how can you beat them? At first, he pretends to listen to the drunkards and nods his head, but deep down, he is thinking about beating them up with a split-minded effort. I have been different on the outside and the inside for a long time. “It wasn’t cheap.”
“haha.”
Only then did Lim So-baek stand up and move his neck around.
I asked Lim Sobaek.
“Lord, you are mentally and physically exhausted. Would you be able to strike the Sword Emperor in that condition? If you are not in a good condition, I will deal with you first today. “Go and take a nap.”
“Hey, are you the Geomje…?”
“yes.”
“Thank you for your words, but I have already made a strategy. The plan is to make it so that the Geomje cannot say anything and has no choice but to admit defeat. I’ll go back to Namgungga and take a deep breath. “I don’t even need the nickname ‘Geomje’… Will that guy really get off his ass?”
I burst out laughing and giggled while holding my forehead.
“…Oh, I made a mistake. It’s a royal dance, but because of me, its status has dropped a lot. “Please tell me what your strategy is.”
“I’ll know it when I see it. “The method is so simple that it’s nothing special.”
Onlookers were slowly coming from all directions, and only then did Lim So-baek stand up and relax.
I probably didn’t eat or sleep, but my face gradually regained vitality. Then, he stretched out, sat down at the head table where he was originally sitting, tilted his head back, and began to doze off.
‘I do it in a variety of ways.’
Maengju also had great stubbornness.
When I got off the stage and tried to sit down, I fell asleep, probably because I ate a lot for breakfast.
* * *
I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened them, a lot of spectators had already gathered. The demon next to me spoke.
“You said you were going for a walk, but why are you sleeping here?”
Before I could answer, the Sword Demon asked me.
“Why is the leader sleeping over there?”
When I looked at the table, I saw that Gongsun Yue was having a conversation with Meng Ju after waking him up. I yawned like a tiger and then started saying anything.
“I came up with a plan.”
“What operation?”
“I’ll know it when I see it. Now the leader will have fun beating the Geomje.”
The color demon said.
“The leader is naturally stronger, so why plan a strategy with you? “Try to refrain from talking nonsense in the morning.”
I looked at the demon and raised my right hand, and the demon quickly took a blocking stance.
I said, lowering my hand.
“You’ve grown a lot. I’m going to get beat up in the morning. “You have to beat up your poop once every three days.”
I screamed.
“Hey, you bastard!”
When the audience looked at this place in shock, Saekma frowned and said as if to stop.
“Ah Okay. sorry. It’s my fault. stop.”
Gongsun Yue appeared on the off-stage and slowly looked around, looking for someone. I looked around following Gongsun Yue’s gaze and realized that there were no white-clothed students around.
Gongsun Yue said.
“Today, we will continue the dance from yesterday. Before that, Lord Maeng said that he would point out the opponent. Lord Maeng?”
Lim So-baek looked at the sword of the Namgung family.
“Geomje.”
The Geomje nodded slightly and answered in a blunt tone.
“You tell me.”
Lin Xiaobaek responded in a more blunt tone.
“Come up.”
“….”
Looking at it like this, Lim Sobaek was thinking of taking out his anger on Geomje. As Geomje came up to the off-stage, Lim So-baek also stood up.
As Lim So-baek walked to the off-stage, he spoke to the members below.
“Don’t come up with a single wooden sword, just throw it from there.”
Whose orders will they reject? Even though it was a somewhat absurd command, Meng Won threw the single wooden sword straight at Meng Zhou.
Lim Sobaek snatched up the flying wooden sword and nodded to Mengwon.
Then, this time, Meng Won threw the single wooden sword at Geomje as well.
The Geomje held onto the wooden sword with an absurd expression.
“Ha… why is Lord Lim so rude?”
Lim Sobaek looked at Geomje.
“Let Namgung-se go and find the etiquette. Is it really that difficult to catch a flying wooden sword? “It’s not like I’m holding a memorial service. I’m ready, so come on.”
Lim So-baek looked at the Geomje while holding the wooden sword without any posture.
“….”
Suddenly, the Sword Demon watching next to me chuckled. I didn’t bother to ask again.
“Eldest brother, why are you smiling?”
The Geomma looked around at us and explained in sign language. He struck his palm once with the blade of his hand and made a sign language that made something snap. It seemed like he wanted to convey that the wooden sword would be broken by one sword. Because the surroundings were quiet, it was shown in sign language.
The three of us nodded.
Especially since I had already seen my eldest brother’s wooden sword broken in the corn hut, I knew better what he meant.
I looked at the off-stage.
‘Should I break it first and start?’
The Geomje slowly moved left and right while looking at Lim Sobaek, who was standing still. Lim Sobaek moved his head back and forth and looked at Geomje. It was a simple nod, but it was so absurd that even those who saw it got a little angry.
Geomje predicted an attack.
“I’ll go.”
“come.”
When Lim So-baek nodded…. As
the sword emperor’s new form disappeared, the trajectory of the single wooden sword falling on Lim So-baek’s head was seen. Lim Sobaek took a few quick steps while striking down the single wooden sword that fell from the top with a simple movement.
A thud sound rang out….
The Geomje looked at Lim So-baek, holding only the handle of the single-wood sword.
“…!”
Lim So-baek, who had widened the distance in preparation for a counterattack, glared at Geomje. The Geomje’s expression was full of emotion as to what on earth had happened.
This looked like a hand-to-hand combat sword that Lim So-baek had properly deployed.
Lim Sobaek said to Mengwon.
“…Throw the single wooden sword at the Geomje.”
“Yes, Lord Maeng.”
The Geomje again caught the intact wooden sword that flew from under the off-stage.
Lim Sobaek spoke to Geomje in a cold tone.
“continue.”
In an instant, Geomje’s prayer changed drastically and the second battle began. This time, as if trying to stage a special season, he rushed at me while showering sword winds with his wooden sword. The high level can be easily gauged just by looking at the speed of movement.
Lim So-baek took a step back and received the Geomje’s attack, then twisted his body at close range and fiercely struck the Geomje’s wooden sword from bottom to top.
puck! A sound was heard, and the Geomje’s wooden sword shattered into pieces…
Immediately, the Geomje screamed.
Perhaps because he had already read Geomje’s movements, Lim So-baek’s departure seemed to be faster. With increased speed, Chairman Lim So-baek arrived as if blocking Geomje’s exit from the entrance.
There was a sound and the Geomje was pushed back two steps.
Lim Sobaek gave orders without giving any time, like a person caught in a storm.
“Throw the wooden sword.”
“yes.”
Two swords had already been broken, and it was the third single-wood sword. This time, when the single wooden sword flew, Geomje caught the single wooden sword that flew in the air as if pulling it, and then immediately linked it with Chosik.
The sword technique had completely changed.
He must have thought that the wooden sword was broken while using strong force earlier, but the sword technique he was using now was smooth and fast, as if he was using a soft sword. At first glance, it seemed like a sword technique that could flexibly ignore the opponent’s attack and counterattack.
As Geomje intended, the dance was considerably longer this time.
Geomje gently linked the attack Chosik, and Lim So-baek occasionally stamped his feet and made a sound. It was as if they were disrupting the flow of soft swords by waging psychological warfare that they could launch a strong attack. The psychological warfare that took each other’s breath was at the foundation of the sword techniques and movements.
Then the Geomje’s attacks became faster. He mixed the quick sword and soft sword, then suddenly slowed down his movements to pull Lin Xiaobaek into a trap, and then suddenly launched a fierce counterattack and used the quick sword.
Thanks to the speed of the two people, the off-stage seemed narrow.
It was just a wooden sword non-armored battle, but it contained psychological warfare, trickery, quick swords, standard swordsmanship, deviant swordsmanship, and complex confrontations filled with tension, all in a short period of time.
At some point, I also saw a large loophole on the left side of Lim Sobaek’s body. Without even a moment’s notice, the Geomje’s single wooden sword flew in and then changed direction.
At this time, Lim Sobaek casually stretched out his left hand, grabbed the Geomje’s wooden sword, and cut the Geomje’s wooden sword in two with the single wooden sword he held in his right hand.
Pow!
At that moment, when the Geomje made a comment….
Lim So-baek quickly rotated the new type, narrowly avoiding the tension, and looked at the Geomje while turning the single-wood sword around.
“….”
When the Geomje emitted tension in the air, he looked at Lim So-baek….
Lim So-baek walked around like a tiger and spoke to Meng Won.
“Give me the wooden sword.”
When the fourth single wooden sword came flying, the Geomje snatched it with an unpleasant expression. Then he threw a single wooden sword at the leader.
Lim So-baek narrowed his eyes as he caught the wooden sword thrown by the Geomje.
“Do you have any doubts?”
The Geomje nodded and said.
“Give it to me. “I need to check.”
Lim So-baek also threw the single-wood sword he was using at Geomje.
As soon as the Geomje grabbed Lim Sobaek’s single wooden sword, he laid it down horizontally and struck the middle point with his sword.
The wooden sword broke in vain with a sound. It was as if the Geomje had proven to himself that it was just an ordinary single-wood sword.
Geomje, whose face was red, looked at Lim Sobaek.
“The leader’s skills have improved further. “I lost, so I won’t challenge again for the next five years.”
Lim Sobaek nodded.
“If I’m still the leader after five years, so be it.”
As Geomje went down the stage, he stopped and looked at Lim Sobaek.
“You should be doing it. “Who does it?”
“Life never goes as planned. “Let’s go and think about it then.”
As the Geomje descended, Lim Sobaek slowly looked around.
“The warlords….”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Did you see it well?”
“yes.”
Lim Sobaek said with a slightly relieved expression.
“If you want to challenge me in the future, defeat the Sword Emperor first. okay? Don’t bother. I’m a busy person. If you want to bother me, bother me first. The difference in skill between you and me is not that big. “Why do you keep challenging me when the leader is not the head of any military officer in the village?”
The Geomje’s sigh was heard from under the off-stage.
When someone clapped their hands first, the members quickly cheered loudly and congratulated the leader on his victory. No one was injured, the Geomje remained silent, and the other challengers started harassing the Geomje, so this was a perfect victory for Lim So-baek.
Since I couldn’t see the Baekwi scholar, I calmly replayed and analyzed Lim Sobaek’s six battle swords and martial arts from the perspective of the Jaha scholar.
‘This is truly a great martial arts skill…’
In fact, breaking the Geomje’s wooden sword itself is not an easy task. It must have been possible because it was a six-legged sword that could not withstand even a sword demon. Anyway, seeing the leader holding on like that made me feel full, as if I had eaten a whole pork bone for breakfast.
