9. Rusty Ebay Tortuga (3)
9. Ronin Market Rusty Ebay Tortuga (3) – Revenge of the Four Heavenly Kings
“Is it a ferry?”
The era of pilots, fighting directly from ship to ship, back over twenty centuries ago.
Only then did Mokjin understand why the military learned martial arts. If it was a man-to-man fight, not a warship, then the need for martial arts was obvious.
“That’s right. You saw the radio last time you fought those green forest guys, right? It was a stage folded up and placed on top of that spaceship. It was also modified for military use. At first, they would ram each other and then infiltrate the enemy ship to fight, but now they’ve developed a method of openly fighting on top of the radio, calling it gentlemanly combat.”
“······Ugh.”
Mok-jin made a dispirited expression at the story that could be called the height of irony, that he had a fire bomb with the destructive power to destroy the world, but in the end, he had to fight with human power.
“So in this day and age, you end up fighting with swords and spears? Even though you have that much firepower?”
“No. It’s not like that. In a battle between battleships, they put up radios and fight each other with guns or swords, but if the opponent is not a battleship, they just engage in a firefight. Do you know where a high-powered reactor core is common enough to handle the firepower of a battleship? Unless it’s a battleship or a combat military base, they usually just end up pushing it away with beam weapons or bombing like in the old days.”
In short, it was said that soldiers who had learned martial arts only fought when battleships clashed with each other or when attacking military bases.
Ugh. Mokjin groaned, clutching his head. The war had become so advanced that he had to fight in a primitive way. The warfare of this era was so bizarre that even he, who prided himself on his understanding, could not understand it at all.
“Is that enough explanation? Can I continue the story now?”
“Yeah······. Let’s finish what we were talking about. You even said that you wanted to become an independent force in the Odaesega.”
Ahem. Seolyeong took a sip of iced tea and cleared her throat for a moment before starting to talk again.
“At first, the story came from the Zhuge family. However, the other families who heard the story were also intrigued and showed signs of agreement. It was a time when the connections between the families were unusually good. At that time, they even tried to establish an autonomous territory.”
Tsk. Mok Jin clicked his tongue lightly. It is only natural that you want to use your accumulated strength. It is quite common in the martial arts world, but this is going too far. An autonomous territory? From Mok Jin’s perspective, who lived in the 10th century, establishing an autonomous territory was tantamount to treason.
“The Five Great Worlds Alliance gathered military technology and prepared to build battleships. In addition, they tried to collect taxes by subjugating other sects in their respective spheres of influence. They said they were moving cautiously, but it had only been two hundred years since the Second Guanwu War, so how could the human government just sit back and watch? Of course they were concerned.”
The Second Guanwu War broke out between the Murim and the human government after the invention of the internal energy drive. Now that the balance of power has completely shifted due to the development of space warfare technology, they are somehow tolerating each other’s existence and living together, but the human government has not fundamentally abandoned its wary perception of the Murim.
In such a situation, the independent power of the Five Great Powers was like an act that blatantly scratched the sore spot of the human government at the time.
“······Then, are all the Five Great Clans destroyed?”
No. Seolyeong shook her head at Mokjin’s question with a stern face.
“The only one that was destroyed was the Sacheondangmun.”
“Why?”
“It’s an example. Oh Dae-se sold out Sacheondangga to those bastards.”
Seolyeong frowned. At first glance, it seemed like a light action, but Mokjin could feel the deep desire for revenge deep in her eyes.
If all of the Five Great Clans were to be destroyed, the vast sphere of influence they had would instantly turn into a crucible of chaos. The great martial arts sects, apart from the Jeongsama, also played a role in stabilizing the security and order of their respective spheres of influence.
Exterminating them all would be a very risky thing for the human government. That is why they decided to sacrifice one of the Five Great Clans as a scapegoat to send a warning to the other Five Great Clans and to the entire martial arts world.
“Since the Sacheondang family is a family of Sega, they tend to play a bit separately from the other Five Great Sega families. In addition, since they are martial artists who handle poison and secret weapons, they inevitably exist on the ambiguous borderline between military technology and martial arts.”
“That······is true.”
The same was true during Mokjin’s time. Officials from the government office, who usually did not interfere with the affairs of the martial arts world, only inspected two places, Byeokryeokmun and Sacheondangmun, from time to time.
As time passed and the technology to make weapons became more sophisticated and complex, this tendency would have increased rather than decreased.
The Sacheondangmun, which straddles the line between martial arts and military weapons, is not surprising if it has been a thorn in the side of the human government from the beginning.
“Those damn bastards of Zhuge Se started this, and they incited other families to sell out the Sichuan Tang family to the human government. The rest of the damned bastards gladly joined in on the scheme.”
It was an incredibly easy task to isolate the Sacheondang family, who were almost like outsiders from the beginning. The other families had already pointed out the Sacheondang family without the Zhuge Liang family having to resort to any tactics to sow discord.
The Five Great Clans, excluding the Sichuan Tang Family, immediately voluntarily submitted to the human government, and offered the Sichuan Tang Family, who had usually been on the human government’s guard, as a sacrifice. It was an offer that the human government had no reason to refuse.
On the day when the general assembly of all direct descendants of the Sichuan Tangmun was held for the first time in ten years, the human government launched an indiscriminate orbital bombardment on the Sichuan constellation’s true nature.
At that time, the number of battleships that bombed the main city of the Sacheon Star System was around a hundred. The main city of Sacheon Dangga, which was almost like a fortress, became a death star that not even the underground shelter could survive the merciless bombing that shook the planet’s core.
After that, the Sacheondang family’s sphere of influence was divided among the other three families, and the remaining Sacheondang family’s collateral branches changed their surnames, denied any connection with the Sacheondang family, and went their own way.
That was the absurd end of the great Sacheondang family that had maintained its prosperity for over twenty centuries.
“······My parents were against me joining the Five Great Sages’ plan until the very end. At the time, they were the only ones who didn’t have foolish and vain dreams and kept their cool. If they hadn’t foreseen this and prepared an escape ship in advance, I would have been reduced to ashes during that orbital bombardment.”
Serin said, staring at the table. Her hands were clenched without her knowing. Mokjin waited silently until she calmed down.
He didn’t know how to offer such clumsy consolation, and he had no intention of doing so. He just knew from his long experience in Kang-ho that it was the most appropriate course of action. And Se-ryeong was grateful enough for that alone.
After a moment of silence, when Serin had calmed down somewhat, Mokjin opened his mouth.
“Where is the tip of your vengeful sword pointing? Is it the coffin?”
No. Seolyeong shook her head.
“I’m afraid of them, but I don’t really have any ill feelings towards them. The reason the Sacheondangga was destroyed was because they foolishly invaded the territory of the human government. It’s their own fault.”
There was no way to get revenge on that side in the first place. Se-ryeong muttered while leaning against the bed. Mok-jin looked a little tired of her remarks that even shamelessly criticized his own family.
The Sacheondangga crossed the line and paid the price. It may feel cruel, but it was ultimately a just execution. The Sering clearly distinguished it. Although it was partly due to the great power of the human government.
“But I can’t forgive the heads of the Five Great Clans, especially the snake-like head of the Zhuge Clan. I don’t know about other places, but those bastards must pay the price for daring to strike the back of the head of the Sacheondang family.”
Serin’s eyes shone ominously. The target of her revenge was ultimately the leaders of the Zhuge Family and the rest of the Five Great Families who had betrayed the Sacheondang Family and sold them to the human government.
Perhaps it was a plan by the Zhuge Family to tear apart and divide the Sichuan Tang Family from the beginning. Although each family’s influence was reduced due to the regulation of the human government, the scope itself actually increased thanks to absorbing the Sichuan Tang Family’s sphere of influence.
The shameless authors who led Sacheondangga to the cliff of the bottomless pit, but then betrayed Sacheondangga and pushed them to the cliff, leaving them the only survivors, and still shamelessly walked around with their heads held high. Seolyeong could not forgive them.
“hmm.”
Mokjin nodded. Revenge against one’s family and clan was justified. From his perspective as someone who had lived in ancient times, he would naturally be willing to tolerate it even if she had a desire for revenge against the human government officials who had ordered the orbital bombardment.
Although we cannot help but think about realistic limitations, it is right to first consider whether revenge is inherently possible or not and whether it should be done or not.
Mok-jin quietly watched her burning with revenge, then suddenly asked.
“Are you confident that you can do it?”
A cold question without any emotion. In some ways, it was an extremely cruel question.
He is a martial artist who can barely get to the threshold of the highest level, using cheap internal energy drives and second-rate martial arts, without even being able to follow the basic martial arts of the Sacheondang family, let alone the Seongmyeongjeol period. That is the reality of Dang Se-ryeong, the last direct descendant of the Sacheondang family.
No matter how much she struggles, will she be able to deal with the Sega who have amassed such a huge force? She can’t even deal with Kim Seong-beom, the Black Panther of the Green Forest whom she fought not long ago?
To be blunt, it’s nothing compared to a locust rushing to a cart. Of course, even she wouldn’t have that much sense of reality. Seryeong answered with a frown.
“······I know that it’s nearly impossible for me to completely take them down by myself. But there’s one thing that’s in my favor.”
This is the world of Murim. Seolyeong opened her mouth with eyes filled with confidence.
“The martial arts world affirms revenge, or more precisely, retribution. And in the end, it is a place where power determines everything.”
“Are you trying to get revenge?”
“yes.”
The value of revenge has been passed down from ancient times to the present. The revenge of those who proudly demand life or death while raising the flag of revenge should be respected. Therefore, it was an unwritten rule that those who were designated for revenge must accept the life or death decision.
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The most reasonable and possible revenge she could choose as an individual with little power. Mokjin nodded.
“I respect your choice. But you still haven’t answered my question. Can you really take revenge in your current state?”
“Of course not.”
Seolyeong waved her hand and answered immediately. Even Mokjin, who had asked such a decisive question, was momentarily speechless. She looked at Mokjin’s dumbfounded expression and immediately continued speaking.
“I told you last time. I’m looking for the highest level of internal energy drive. Since I’ve already prepared the martial arts, if I just have the internal energy drive, it’ll be enough to build up my strength.”
“Huh, your confidence is insane. Even if you obtain those items, how much stronger do you think you’ll become? Do you think the heads of each family are that easy to take?”
“Unlike the era you lived in, these days, martial arts skills can be greatly improved to that extent. Of course, the technical aspects require training, but I think that with roughly three years, you will be able to try anything except Namgung’s Changryong Sword Mastery. This is especially true for that snake-like old man of Jegal.”
Even if others were second, at least the head of the Taishang family head of Zhuge Liang should be taken. At the very least, she would not be ashamed in front of her deceased parents. That was the Maginot Line she had set.
At Seolyeong’s words, Mokjin closed his eyes for a moment and collected his thoughts. No matter how much he thought about it, her words sounded like nothing but nonsense to him.
Martial arts are fundamentally honest. Unlike internal energy that can be filled with elixirs, martial arts itself requires a great deal of effort and training. In his opinion, no matter how talented Seolyeong was, even if she changed her internal energy drive and gained a new martial arts technique, she wouldn’t become that strong.
“I think you are being too impatient. It has been said since ancient times that a gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years. How about learning Qigong from me like I said last time? Even if it doesn’t work out, I will make you surpass them in twenty years.”
From Mokjin’s perspective, it was a proposal that he had made after taking on a lot of risks. In order to build up martial arts skills similar to those of the heads of the Five Great Families within twenty years, he had to focus solely on Seolyeong’s growth without any time to do anything else.
From Mok-jin’s perspective, who had a goal of restoring the world’s qigong, it was a story of dedicating twenty years of his life to her. If it weren’t for the favor he owed Dang Cheon-woo, it wouldn’t have been worth thinking about.
But despite Mok-jin’s consideration, Se-ryeong once again rejected his offer.
“The Supreme Master of the Zhuge Family is not in good health enough to wait leisurely like that. He is still relatively healthy, but there is not much time left. There is not much time left. I don’t know about others, but I can never let that bastard die on my deathbed.”
Tsk. Mokjin clicked his tongue. It’s a story I don’t like at all, but what can I say since I don’t have time?
“Okay, do whatever you want. Then what do you want me to do for you?”
“Well, if you’re going to help me, it would be great if you could help me when I go get my internal energy drive. Money is the most important thing, but it’s not something you can get with money alone.”
Even Mok-jin, who had said that he would help her, was momentarily speechless as Se-ryeong made her request to Mok-jin in a truly confident manner. Mok-jin nodded with a hollow laugh.
“Very well. For the time being, I will assist you in your quest for revenge. But do not forget. The only reason I am helping you is because I owe a debt to a friend from the past. Do you understand?”
“You’re not that stupid that you can’t keep that level of integrity. Who do you think is stupid?”
Seolyeong smiled and got up from her seat. It was her usual confident smile.
She added as if she had blinked, as she stood up and turned to face Mokjin, who was about to turn around.
“Oh, that’s right. We’ll be leaving in ten days when all the equipment we ordered arrives, so be ready to leave by then.”
“Where are you going?”
Mokjin asked. Seolyeong hesitated for a moment and then opened her mouth.
“Tortuga. Tortuga is the Ronin Market.”
information)
After the chaotic battles between battleships, where the early ramming attacks were revived, the human government and the alien governments in conflict with them reached a war treaty through talks. In battleship-to-battleship engagements, it was decided through group combat on a radio-free basis, and the losing side’s battleships were to retreat from the battle based on the results, which was a gentlemanly treaty that surprisingly was well-kept.
However, since it was not possible to defend against battleship attacks unless the power output was at the level of a battleship-class reactor, engagements were still fought in the form of a firepower battle, even when it was not battleship-to-battleship.
Thus, modern space warfare has taken on a bizarre form of combat reminiscent of the Middle Ages, in which battleships are launched to counter a battleship, then each side withdraws its fleet and only the battleships come out to engage in a one-on-one duel.
The rules for group battles in battleship battles are determined by the captains of each battleship. In some cases, firearms are allowed, but the alien governments currently in conflict with humanity have a culture that prefers close combat, so there are more cases of group battles focusing on close combat after coordinating opinions such as “Let’s fight with swords!” and “Good!” In this case, with the help of military martial arts, formations, and enhanced suits, you can fight on equal footing with aliens who have much superior physical abilities.
Of course, when attacking a spaceship or planet that is not a battleship, the original battleship’s firepower is fully displayed. When attacking a military base, a separate assault force is used for similar reasons.
Mok-jin, who heard the story of the autonomous territory, thought, ‘What crazy people are these?’
The reason the human government drew its sword was because the construction of the Five Great World Alliance’s battleships was crucial.
The Second Guanwu War broke out due to the rapid growth of the martial arts world after the invention of the internal energy drive. Naturally, the firepower of the human government was overwhelming, but at the time, they were unable to properly deal with the martial arts people with the internal energy drive, and unexpectedly suffered considerable damage. In particular, there were frequent assassinations of leaders, so even now that the ceasefire agreement has been signed and relations have improved, the human government still thoroughly prepares for ambush attacks by the martial arts people.
The orbital bombardment that struck the Sacheonseongye main city was so merciless that it ranked among the largest orbital bombardments of all time. This is because the bombing at the time was also a demonstration that served as a warning to the martial arts world of the time.
Serin doesn’t really have any vengeance against the human government. It was because the Sacheondang family did something stupid and ended up being destroyed, leaving the human government’s power behind. It was their own fault.
The target of Seryeong’s revenge is the Five Great Families who betrayed the Sacheondang family and survived among themselves, especially the head of the Zhuge family at the time, Zhuge Ming, who planned the situation at the time and is the current head of the Taishang family.
From Mok Jin’s perspective as a professional martial artist who lives for revenge and dies for it, the only justified revenge would be to wipe out the Five Great Clans and kill the official who ordered the orbital bombardment from the human government. Mok Jin thinks Seryeong’s revenge is too vague, but he approves of it considering her situation.
Seolyeong already has a martial art she has chosen. However, she cannot use it due to the output of her internal energy drive.
Devoting twenty years to repaying a debt of gratitude is quite natural by the standards of the Mokjin era.
Seolyeong completely forgot that she had ordered delivery food. The delivery man is running hard to get the food again.
Sunja, who was possessed by the spirit of money, spent all her spare money on buying clothes.
