The Genius Martial Artist Who Remembers Everything [Novel] Chapter 206

Chapter 206. Stealing the Seat (5)

“Hmm…” “Uh…” “Ahem…”

An awkward silence hung heavy in the room. The person single-handedly responsible for this uncomfortable atmosphere simply sat there, quietly thumbing his prayer beads.

“I told you not to smash his head in… did you rip out his heart instead?”

At Nam Hwaseong’s blunt assessment, everyone unconsciously nodded in agreement.

They then turned their gazes to Jin Soun, the man who had orchestrated this unbelievable situation. Their eyes practically screamed for an explanation.

However, Jin Soun merely glanced at Ilgak’s gleaming bald head and shrugged. “Well, that’s just how it turned out. Let’s all get along from now on.”

“…”

He was trying to brush it off with a woefully inadequate explanation. Shouldn’t he at least offer a basic reason as to why Ilgak had suddenly joined their executive committee?

Eunho stared at Ilgak with absolute certainty—a gaze brimming with sympathy, as if to say: I know exactly what you’re going through.

“Venerable Monk… did my Eldest Martial Brother perhaps use some wicked scheme to grasp a weakness and blackmail you?” Eunho asked politely, not wanting to accumulate bad karma by wronging a monk and ending up in hell.

But the answer came from Jin Soun instead. “What am I, a blackmailer…? I mean, I guess I do blackmail people when necessary, but…”

Everyone was nodding along with looks that clearly said ‘Yeah, we know,’ until Jin Soun shot them a sharp glare, prompting a chorus of fake coughs.

“Anyway, he joined ‘voluntarily’ to clear his karma. So you can all relax.”

Why should they relax after hearing that he wasn’t blackmailed?

Swallowing their fundamental doubts, the committee members looked at Ilgak, their eyes silently asking, Is that true?

But Ilgak just rapidly clicked his prayer beads, as if trying to chase away his worldly agonies.

“Oh, right! And there’s no need to suspect him of being a spy.”

Obviously! No matter how foolish the Righteous Faction might be, why would they ever send a figure like Ilgak as a spy?

Ilgak’s finger twitched slightly on his beads, but he quickly resumed his rhythmic thumbing as if nothing had happened.

“Goddammit! I joined voluntarily too, so why do you constantly suspect me of being a spy?!”

At Nam Hwaseong’s indignant question, Jin Soun gave him a look of utter disbelief. “Because you aren’t anywhere near that big of a shot.”

“Wh-what?”

“If you’re upset about it, become a big shot.”

“Bullshit!”

As Nam Hwaseong stormed out of the room with a scowl, Eunho muttered, “He’s going to get tormented again,” and slumped his shoulders.

Just as Jin Soun’s committee was shocked, Ilgak’s decision to join them sparked massive controversy throughout the Academy.

“Venerable Monk Ilgak joined the committee…! This is absolute nonsense!” “Didn’t you mishear something about unifying the representatives?” “Are you crazy?! Why on earth would Venerable Monk Ilgak unify with Jin Soun!”

To begin with, Ilgak’s significance went far beyond his title as the Chairman of the Righteous Faction; he was a figure who practically represented the current generation of Academy students. Because so many students respected and recognized him regardless of their own factional affiliations, his move felt incredibly radical.

“Then should we take this as Venerable Monk Ilgak acknowledging Jin Soun?” “Beyond just acknowledging him, wasn’t Jin Soun already the legitimate Academy Representative?” “Does this mean the Righteous Faction has officially recognized Representative Jin Soun?”

Ilgak’s sudden move also triggered chaos within the Righteous Faction itself. Fierce arguments erupted between those who supported his decision and those who condemned it.

“What exactly is going on? Now everyone thinks the Righteous Faction is supporting Jin Soun!” “Since Venerable Monk Ilgak joined his committee, it can’t be helped.” “What do you mean, ‘it can’t be helped’?! If this keeps up, the Righteous Faction’s momentum might be completely crushed.” “…Then why don’t you go over there, grab the Venerable Monk by the hair, and drag him back.” “How am I supposed to grab what isn’t even th—!”

Harsh words, worse than what demonic cultists might spew, were exchanged.

Due to the Righteous Faction’s massive failure in Sichuan, there was already significant backlash against the established old guard within the faction. As a result, the older leadership was too busy trying to lay low and save their own skins to unite and act as one.

Did this mean the White Faction benefited from all this? Not at all.

The White Faction had been planning to cleanly exploit the Righteous Faction’s weakness and shake things up, but Ilgak’s unexpected move left them completely stunned and scrambling for a response.

“Should we interpret this as the Righteous Faction declaring they will never ally with the White Faction, no matter what happens?” “The Righteous and White Factions may walk their own paths, but we are also partners. What reason would the Righteous Faction have to suddenly turn against us!” “Then there’s absolutely no way to explain why Ilgak made this move.” “Jin Soun must have grabbed him by the hair and dragged him over!” “There’s no hair to grab— Ahem.”

They spent a chaotic time trying to interpret the political implications behind Ilgak’s actions.

Meanwhile, completely unaware that people were arguing over his non-existent hair, Ilgak sat awkwardly in the Representative’s office.

“Almsgiver Jin… what exactly am I supposed to do here?”

“Do? What could a monk possibly know about secular affairs? Just sit quietly, and whenever I say something, nod your head like a sleepy chicken.”

“…”

Jin Soun was busy delegating tasks one by one to the members Jang Woojae had recruited. Some were being sent to the All-Knowing Pavilion, and they looked quite displeased about it.

It wasn’t just them; the original committee members were busy handling their assigned duties. Ilgak was the only one who hadn’t been given a task, left sitting there like a stone statue.

Even though he was well-accustomed to facing a wall in meditation, doing absolutely nothing while everyone around him worked was sheer torture. Eventually, Ilgak couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.

“Since I’ve decided to join the committee, I should at least learn how to do the work properly. Almsgiver Jin, please assign me a task.”

As if he had been waiting for this exact moment, Jin Soun pulled out a document. “Well, if you insist, I suppose I have to give you some work.”

“What is this?”

“A list of sects affiliated with the White Faction that we need to prioritize pulling over to our side.”

Ilgak took the document and quickly assessed the situation. “…Are you telling me to act as a spy?” He stared at Jin Soun in sheer disbelief.

“What do you mean, ‘spy’? Just go have a chat with them, win their favor, and convince them to leave the White Faction.”

“…That is exactly what people usually call a ‘spy’s’ job.”

“Oho…!” Jin Soun’s eyes narrowed in exaggerated surprise. “To think you are so well-versed in secular affairs… I can entrust you with even more tasks in the future. You are very reliable! Hahaha.”

What is this? I feel like I just got completely played…

Watching Jin Soun roar with laughter, Ilgak seriously wondered if he had somehow misjudged the situation and mistakenly labeled him an ‘Enlightened One.’

But regret, no matter how fast it comes, is always too late.

Shocking news always reaches your ears eventually, whether it’s the truth or not. News like Ilgak joining Jin Soun’s executive committee, for instance.

Jin Soun…

At first, I dismissed it as complete nonsense, but after watching Jin Soun meticulously pick all the meat out of Ilgak’s side dishes and eat it right in front of him in the Academy dining hall, I had no choice but to believe it.

That naturally led to an obvious question. How did Jin Soun manage to get Ilgak to join his committee?

The easiest explanation that sprang to mind was that he had found some sort of weakness. But that made no sense. The White Faction wouldn’t be blind to something Jin Soun knew. While the White Faction and Righteous Faction cooperated often within the Academy, they inevitably became competitors once they entered the Murim Alliance.

Because of that, keeping their flaws hidden from each other was practically an instinct ingrained in their bones. Moreover, this wasn’t just some random guy; it was Ilgak. He wasn’t the kind of person who would bend to blackmail.

Ultimately, when questions go unanswered, they often twist into assumptions—usually ones that favor the accuser.

“The reason Ilgak is acting this way is simply because he detests the idea of the White Faction taking the Representative seat.”

At Jegal Jeonggi’s assertion, the temporary White Faction executives naturally raised doubts.

“Even so, what could Ilgak possibly gain by joining Jin Soun’s committee?”

Jegal Jeonggi was too smart to be stumped by such an obvious question. “Due to the Sichuan incident, the Righteous Faction is on the verge of being branded as incapable of handling the Representative position. In that case, wouldn’t their last desperate struggle be to create the illusion that Jin Soun kept the seat because of his own sheer brilliance, rather than because they were incompetent?”

People slowly began to nod in agreement with Jegal Jeonggi’s reasoning.

“More importantly, it just goes to show how terrifying our White Faction’s momentum is, if Ilgak felt compelled to step in personally.”

A glimmer of excitement began to appear on the faces of the temporary White Faction executives.

Jegal Jeonggi offered a satisfied smile. “Ultimately, the White Faction taking the Representative seat back from Jin Soun is essentially a guaranteed fact at this point.”

Armed with the interpretation that Ilgak had impulsively joined Jin Soun’s committee out of fear of the White Faction’s growing power, the temporary executive committee found renewed motivation and confidence in the event they were organizing.

But despite his outward facade of relaxed confidence, Jegal Jeonggi was actually deeply confused on the inside.

He’s a man who is truly impossible to predict.

Jegal Jeonggi simply couldn’t fathom the reasoning behind Jin Soun’s actions. It wasn’t just limited to this situation with Ilgak.

From the moment he first heard that Jin Soun had dragged Jegal Cheongi out of his golden cage after the latter had caused a massive scandal in the family, he couldn’t understand Jin Soun’s intentions. What could he possibly hope to achieve by taking in a kid obsessed with trivial machines and contraptions?

Furthermore, learning that Jin Soun had received an Entrance Token from his grandfather, Jegal Somyeong, provoked feelings that went beyond mere confusion—it felt like betrayal.

To think his grandfather had given an Entrance Token—something he refused to give even to his own flesh-and-blood grandsons—to a disciple of some unknown third-rate sect. He had believed that the grandfather he respected so deeply would never do such a thing. But when he found out that the very person who received it had casually handed it off to Moyong Jaehwa so she could pass her exams, he was utterly dumbfounded.

He was a man whose actions were entirely impossible to predict. He was like an unpredictable thunder bomb, liable to bounce off in any direction. To Jegal Jeonggi, Jin Soun was exactly that kind of existence.

And that utterly unpredictable man had come looking for him at an unexpected time.

“I heard you recruited Venerable Monk Ilgak to your committee?”

Instead of answering his question, Jin Soun merely stared blankly at the teacup filled with Seven-Color Flower tea. “…Hmm? Ah, yes. That’s how it turned out.”

As expected, he’s a man whose inner thoughts are entirely unreadable.

“You must be pleased.”

“Pleased? Hardly. Now I can’t even host team dinners at taverns, and I have to specifically ask them to leave out the meat when ordering food. It’s incredibly annoying.”

And… no matter how I look at it, the man doesn’t seem entirely sane.

“How exactly did you persuade Venerable Monk Ilgak?” “Persuade?” “He isn’t the type to be moved by money, so did you find some sort of weakness?” “Oho, I guess your side always relies on digging up dirt to persuade people.” “There’s no other way he would have moved.”

Jin Soun merely shrugged, as if it were no big deal. “I didn’t do anything special. I just asked him to join me. If there was a motive, wouldn’t it simply be because of my excellent ‘character’?”

“You crazy…” “Hmm? Did you say something just now?”

Jegal Jeonggi forcibly changed the subject, trying not to get swept up in his nonsense. “Anyway, what brings you here today?”

“…Hmm, I wonder? Why do you think I’m here today?”

Still keeping his eyes glued to the gently rippling Seven-Color Flower tea, Jin Soun offered a Zen-like riddle and said nothing more.

That sight solidified Jegal Jeonggi’s convictions.

There’s no telling what might happen if power were concentrated in the hands of someone this completely unpredictable.

The Academy would only improve if they had a fair and impartial Representative who wouldn’t abuse their power. Because of that, Jegal Jeonggi absolutely could not afford to waste the opportunity his family had created for him.

The Seven-Star Seven-Catch Formation.

It was the ultimate mechanical formation of the Jegal Family, installed by every renowned sect in the world. The presence or absence of the Seven-Star Seven-Catch Formation was often the defining factor that determined whether a faction was considered a massive power or not.

And soon, a brand-new formation—a masterpiece born from twenty years of collaboration between the greatest geniuses of the Jegal Family’s Council of Elders and the Technology Pavilion—was going to be unveiled.

The Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams All-Encompassing Formation.

If the existing Seven-Star Seven-Catch Formation possessed roughly five thousand possible paths, the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams All-Encompassing Formation boasted a staggering twelve thousand. It was a true absolute formation of death; once you stepped inside, you could never leave until the day you died.

Some might argue that the myth of the Jegal Family had been shattered due to the failure of the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Formation. However, hadn’t the recent Academy event proven its sheer power? The Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Formation was a death trap that humans couldn’t control. If a defensive formation ended up devouring its own allies along with its enemies, it had entirely defeated its own purpose.

That was exactly why the world continued to rely on the stable Seven-Star Seven-Catch Formation.

Furthermore, with the underworld forming an alliance, the Green Woods Alliance showing suspicious movements, and the Blood Cult’s recent reappearance, tension in the martial world was already running high.

The martial world wouldn’t be able to hide its intense curiosity regarding the debut of a mechanical formation more powerful than the Seven-Star Seven-Catch Formation. Naturally, the Academy students—who were essentially acting as representatives for their respective sects—would feel absolutely compelled to attend the academic event where it was being demonstrated.

And once public opinion shifted, the Head Instructors would undoubtedly join in condemning Jin Soun. No matter how much Jin Soun struggled now, the White Faction’s victory was basically set in stone.

Will I finally get to see a look of despair on that despicable face?

Jegal Jeonggi smiled a vile smile as he watched Jin Soun, who still couldn’t take his eyes off his cup of Seven-Color Flower tea.

As the event date rapidly approached, the White Faction boldly revealed the true nature of the event they were hosting. It was none other than the debut of the Jegal Family’s newest mechanical formation.

The emergence of a brand-new, never-before-seen formation sent shockwaves not only through the Academy but also to the nearby Murim Alliance, and even out into the broader martial world. People were frantic to uncover the secrets of the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams All-Encompassing Formation, pulling every string they had to dig up information on it.

At this point, the number of letters the students received from their home sects or close relatives skyrocketed. The pressure to obtain information on the Jegal Family’s new formation faster than anyone else was immense.

However, there was a slight problem.

“The White Faction’s event conflicts with Representative Jin’s schedule.” “I heard Representative Jin Soun officially invited the Mount Heng Faction and has prepared lectures on exorcism and spirit cleansing.” “I was actually planning on attending those lectures after hearing what the Righteous Faction had to say.”

Both events were incredibly valuable, but unless they could split themselves in two, it was impossible to attend events happening at the same time in different locations. Moreover, one event directly concerned their very personal survival in future combat, while the other involved the future standing and survival of their home sects.

This tense tug-of-war left the Academy students mired in deep agony.

While the entire Academy was in an uproar…

“Huff, huff! Goddammit. Wh-why am I the only one digging?” “What are you talking about? I’m digging right here next to you.”

Having run all over the horse track digging holes, Nam Hwaseong looked at Jin Soun, who had dug up an even larger area, and voiced his confusion.

“Is it really okay for us to be doing this?” “Of course not, you punk! If you want to eat dinner tonight, dig faster!”

At Jin Soun’s immediate retort, Nam Hwaseong pressed him again, deeply frustrated. “No, I mean, the White Faction announced they’re hosting an experience event for their new mechanical formation. Shouldn’t you at least be setting up that Boundless Indestructible whatever-it-was formation we used last time?”

“Do you have any idea how much money it takes to set up the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Formation even once?” “Even so, do you really think people are going to flock to our event just to see a measly Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Formation?”

Jin Soun shook his head as if looking at someone pathetic. “Traditionally, people have always been weak to ‘free bonuses’.” “Bonuses?” “Yeah, a bonus. The Mount Heng Faction’s event is the main course. Experiencing the formation we’re building right now is just a free bonus.” “…”

Would people really consider a basic Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Formation a good ‘bonus’?

Even Nam Hwaseong, who normally hated using his brain, racked it now, thinking it over carefully. He really didn’t think so. Even he felt that experiencing the Jegal Family’s new formation would be better than studying exorcism and spirit cleansing, which he could just learn later when he went to the Murim Alliance anyway.

And public opinion seemed to be flowing in the exact same direction Nam Hwaseong was thinking.

What the hell is he planning?

A scolding flew toward Nam Hwaseong, who was standing blankly in the middle of the horse track. “What are you doing? Hurry up and dig.”

Nam Hwaseong decided not to question Jin Soun’s plans or the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Formation any longer. Because there was a much more immediate and practical question right in front of him.

“So, my question is this. Why am I the only one digging? There are plenty of other people on the committee.” “They’re all busy working.” “I-I’m working too!” “What kind of work can a spy possibly do… Just hurry up and dig.” “…”

A sinking feeling that this digging was going to end up being a massive waste of time gnawed at him, but Nam Hwaseong unconsciously kept following Jin Soun’s orders.

“Heave-ho.”

Watching Jin Soun dig furiously, Nam Hwaseong decided it was better to just follow him blindly rather than agonizing over it shallowly, just like he had in Sichuan.

At the very least, trusting him had never resulted in a loss.

“Spy! Dig faster!”

Of course, the way he was being treated was incredibly unfair.

“D-dammit! I told you I’m not a spy!” “Seeing as you aren’t working hard, you must be a spy.” “…”

Even so, Nam Hwaseong couldn’t quite bring himself to throw the shovel away.