Chapter 001: Reincarnated into the Martial World

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Reincarnated.

Into a hellish martial world where it's a daily routine to stab your guts with a knife if things go wrong.

When I read web novels, others are usually reborn into noble families or martial clans, but I had none of that.

Instead, I lived in a dilapidated temple until I was nine, and then my entire family died from a sudden epidemic.

And I met an old man.

"Will you follow me?"

"What will happen if I go?"

"That depends on you. You could become a hero of the martial world or a mere rogue warrior."

"Will I get enough to eat?"

"Three meals a day, so don't worry."

"Then I'll follow you."

That's how I became a rogue warrior of the Nine Dragon City, a colossal enterprise in the martial world.

***

"Ugh! I'm tired."

This Nine Dragon City, I should just quit.

Just like in Hell Joseon, the mornings in the hellish martial world are incredibly busy.

Today is the day of the squad leader meeting, so I can't be late. I quickly finished my preparations and headed to the rogue headquarters.

"Seventeenth Squad Leader!"

When I arrived, the Third Squad Leader greeted me warmly.

A happy social life starts with a sincere greeting.

I quickly approached him and bowed.

"Sir Third Squad Leader, it's a great honor to have you come to greet me."

"Hehehe, this guy's flattery just keeps getting better."

"Flattery? Not at all. Isn't it all out of deep respect?"

"Hehehe."

The Third Squad Leader nodded in satisfaction and patted my shoulder.

In another two months, I'll be close enough to be a guarantor for a loan.

"The Chief is about to arrive. Let's go in."

"How can I possibly lead the way? I'll follow behind you, Sir Third Squad Leader."

"Hehe, you're something else."

As I followed him over the threshold, I was on high alert.

As the youngest squad leader in the rogue division, I had to greet over twenty people.

"Oh! Sir First Squad Leader, it's been a while."

"Sir Seventh Squad Leader! I bow deeply!"

"Ah! I can't even look at Sir Fifteenth Squad Leader's beauty!"

After bowing for what felt like an hour at the door, I confirmed that all the senior squad leaders had entered the hall and went in last.

While sipping tea and chatting, a middle-aged man entered.

He was large, with a scar across his face, a bandit-like beard, and piercing eyes.

This man, who looked like a ferocious demon, was none other than the current head of the rogue division, Bokgung Baek.

"Chief!"

The squad leaders stood up and saluted, and he nodded.

"Everyone doing well?"

"Yes!"

"Let's get started then."

The meeting went by without much content.

Of course.

The role of the rogue division in the martial world was insignificantly small.

That's why, even after graduating from the prestigious Dangcheon Pavilion, I chose to work in the rogue division.

Sure enough.

"Snore, puff, crunch."

Bokgung Baek couldn't hold back a yawn and fell asleep.

This wasn't a new occurrence, so the deputy head and the other squad leaders ignored him and continued the meeting.

And.

"This month's South Gate guard duty will be handled by the Seventeenth, Third, and First Squads."

'Nice!'

It seemed my efforts to curry favor had paid off, and we were assigned to the dream duty.

I clenched my fist, stood up, and saluted.

"Seventeenth Squad Leader Jin Wujeon, I will carry out the order with no mistakes!"

"..."

A loud voice is always welcome, no matter where you are.

***

The South Gate guard duty turned out to be a sweet spot.

As the squad leader, I sat at a table set up in a corner.

The squad members were busy checking the luggage and tokens of the passersby.

You might wonder how this could be a sweet spot, but the true value of gate guard duty lies elsewhere.

"Hehe, it's not much, but let's have a drink after we're done."

It's the back money from the merchants.

You might think, "What back money for just letting them pass through the gate?" but that's because you don't know how much power a gate guard has.

Their profits can vary greatly depending on how thorough our inspections are.

For example.

"Squad Leader, there are dried venomous snakes in that cart, right?"

"Oh! Venomous snakes? They've had the venom removed and dried. They're medicinal herbs. Medicinal herbs."

There were items that were ambiguous to bring in.

"Sir! Can't you let us through faster? I've brought ice, and it's starting to melt."

There were items that needed to pass quickly, ignoring the order.

"Iron ore from Yunnan Province. It's a high-quality product for the royal ironworks."

"Hmm, I haven't heard of it, so please wait a moment."

"Please don't make me wait..."

There were merchants who wanted procedural convenience.

Thanks to this, the revenue collected over a fortnight was two silver taels, equivalent to one million won in Hell Korea.

I felt proud.

I could feel the value of the favors I had done for the senior squad leaders.

Of course, I couldn't keep all the money for myself.

If I was stingy, I might end up in the underground prison for a few years.

So, I kept one silver tael and distributed the other to the squad members as fairly as possible.

'Solid.'

As usual, as soon as I got home, I opened a small wooden box from under the bed.

The coins and silver taels I had saved greeted me.

'Let's see...'

One, two, three...

After counting for a while, I couldn't help but sigh.

"Ugh! The road is long, yet why is it so slow?"

The savings were far from enough to retire and live a life of leisure, which made my heart heavy.

But, that feeling didn't last long.

"No. Take it slow. You're still young. You can achieve a life of leisure at forty."

I quickly adjusted my mindset.

Yes, what's the rush?

After 21 years in the martial world and three years since graduating from Dangcheon Pavilion and starting to earn a proper salary, it's a miracle to have saved this much.

Still, I was far behind my Dangcheon Pavilion classmates.

"Since when did I start comparing myself to golden spoons?"

A sparrow can't keep up with a hawk without tearing its crotch.

'Or is a hawk a phoenix?'

Regardless, I shouldn't envy others and should live according to my own circumstances.

If I work hard, a beautiful tomorrow and a bright future will surely await me.

***

"Ugh! I'm tired."

They say a week in Hell Joseon is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Friday, Friday.

A week in the hellish martial world isn't much different.

"When will the five-day workweek be introduced?"

Sighing at the martial world's work system, which boasts a seven-day workweek, I got up from my seat.

"They give us a mouse's tail worth of money but work us to the bone."

Cursing the Nine Dragon City as I walked for a while, I arrived at the small hall assigned to the Seventeenth Squad.

Kuung! Kuung!

There, in the far corner, was Yang Gang, throwing a metal ball in a pitcher's stance.

Standing at 190 cm and weighing over 120 kg, he was a muscle-bound monster, surprisingly a ranged attacker rather than a tank.

The metal ball he was throwing was a hidden weapon.

A "Piercing Meteor" or something like that...

Shu-shu-shu.

And there was Yu Xiaoping, a handsome young man, thrusting a short writing brush into the air.

A scholar with a good education, he handled all the paperwork for the Seventeenth Squad.

His martial arts skills were... just enough to avoid being beaten up by a third-rate bandit on the street.

Instead, he handled all the paperwork for the Seventeenth Squad, making him the most reliable among the squad members.

"Chaa! Chaa!"

In the middle of the courtyard, there was Ha Jin-hyeong, a shrimp-like guy, running around while shouting strange battle cries.

He claimed to be a master of lightness techniques and was in charge of messenger duties.

However, he was a liar, and I only believed half of what he said.

Finally.

"...You...have...arrived...sir...squad...leader."

The owner of this turtle-like slow speech was Lee Dang-pal.

The youngest member of the Seventeenth Squad, he had studied at a martial academy in Tangjia Village and had extensive knowledge of poisons.

However, his actions were so slow that watching him made me want to burst into laughter.

"Good. Did you sleep well?"

"...Yes."

"Is your training going well? If you're stuck, let me know. I'll help you anytime."

"...Yes."

"..."

Let's stop talking.

As I crossed the threshold, the squad members greeted me. Their voices were quite spirited, unlike usual.

No wonder.

I had given them a performance bonus of one silver tael, which would surely increase their respect for me.

"Ahem, everyone doing well?"

"What's with the act after seeing me yesterday?"

It seems not.

I ignored the ignorant Yang Gang and asked Yu Xiaoping.

"Any news about the visit of a high-ranking official today?"

"Chief of the Azure Dragon Division is on a mission to the Hanzhong branch."

"So, we won't be going to the North Gate?"

"Probably not."

It might seem trivial, but this is important information.

Just as a military unit cleans up when a division commander visits, we need to prepare in advance when a high-ranking official from the inner city is passing through.

"Good. Let's go then."

I immediately led the squad members to the South Gate.

The work started again.

"Next!"

Yang Gang, the largest in the Seventeenth Squad, repeatedly called out "next" while holding a long spear.

Ha Jin-hyeong and Lee Dang-pal checked the luggage and tokens.

Yu Xiaoping handled the guestbook and various paperwork.

What was I doing?

What else? As a manager, I focused on managing the squad members.

Drurung...

While meditating with my eyes closed, I heard Ha Jin-hyeong's voice.

"Squad Leader, haven't you eaten yet?"

"Huh? Oh, right. I need to eat to work."

"I knew you would, so I bought rice balls from Nanjia Guesthouse."

"Thanks."

While chewing on the rice ball, I saw a familiar face.

A white martial uniform with a white dragon embroidery, a warrior from the White Dragon Division.

"Long time no see?"

"Swallow. Yeah, long time no see?"

"I heard you graduated from Dangcheon Pavilion and are living a rogue life. You seem to fit in well. Maybe because you're a nobody?"

"You were the one who got picked on by that nobody for eight years at Dangcheon Pavilion."

The guy's eyes shot lasers at me.

Judging by the veins popping out of his temples, he was quite angry.

"Let's go to that open field if you want to fight."

"Ahem."

"You can't even fight, yet you start trouble."

Shudder.

I could feel his body trembling from where I was.

Of course.

I had honed my chat skills in AOS games, where all sorts of politics are rampant.

In the martial world, where Confucian and Buddhist ideologies prevail, few could out-talk me.

"...We'll see."

"Can't do anything, can you?"

"Ugh."

The guy entered the city with a scowl.

Yu Xiaoping, who was standing nearby, asked out of curiosity.

"Who is that? A warrior from the White Dragon Division?"

"The youngest son of the White Dragon Chief."

Sounded like a web novel title.

"Is that okay? What if he holds a grudge and seeks revenge later?"

"A high-ranking official like the White Dragon Chief won't be swayed by his immature youngest son."

"That's true, but who knows what will happen over time. He might rise to a high position in the inner city."

That's a problem for when I'm still in Nine Dragon City.

By the time that guy rises to power, I'll be long gone from Nine Dragon City.

"Let's think about it when it happens."

Thus, a busy day in Nine Dragon City came to an end.