3
9
1.
There were no more scholars left in the Murim Alliance, which had been reduced to half its former self.
Most of them gave up their monthly wages and attempted to flee at night at a slow pace.
The void left by those who at least knew how to think was now vacated by those with nothing but rocks in their heads, who swaggered among themselves.
When a fool sits in a high position, the people in the lowest positions are bound to suffer.
Faced with the continuing resentment and harmful consequences, the powerful figures, who had no intention of taking responsibility, eventually smoothed over the situation by giving up the positions they had seized as a joke.
With its biggest pillar shattered, the Murim Alliance ended up looking no different from a dilapidated ruin on the verge of collapse, swaying precariously on flimsy supports and held up only by its roof.
Already at a disadvantage in military power, the lack of even a strategist to counter the tactics and strategies of the Demon Lord drove them even faster toward destruction.
And then, Damak appeared.
As all the scholars fled, he walked alone into this chaos.
He, who had worked for the imperial court in Beijing, abandoned his wealth, glory, and absolute power to come to the Murim Alliance.
He single-handedly rebuilt the Murim Alliance and formulated strategies while doing ten times the work of others.
Furthermore, they developed strategies and tactics to deal with the demons and blocked the demonic forces pouring in like a broken dam.
Since he came, the death list of lower-ranking warriors has become much thinner.
The time spent fighting became longer than the time spent cleaning up the bodies, and the time spent tossing out corny jokes became longer than the time spent sharing grief.
It was a time when even such daily life was inevitably precious.
And then, one day, as a simple yet satisfying daily life continued.
I, who had left the Sojeongdae to see Sophie, met Damak, who was staggering as he walked along the night road after leaving the base.
My body stiffened at the thought that I had met the commander-in-chief formulating the operation.
Moreover, this person was the hero who saved us.
However, he, whom I had never met before, abruptly asked me, “[Is the Jianghu originally a place like this?]”
Since I did not know his situation, I could not tell what the intention behind the question was.
However, I could clearly tell that his condition was precarious, like a flickering candle that seemed ready to go out at any moment.
He asked in a voice of mental exhaustion, “[Is this a place where people throw away their lives for such useless reasons, and fight for such useless reasons? Is the Jianghu… … such a place?]”
He, who had thrown himself into the Jianghu to bear the grief of losing his master and comrades to the Demonic Cult’s slaughter, asked me with empty eyes, as if he had lost even the motive he originally harbored: “[Everyone… … what on earth are you doing this for?]”
I couldn’t answer his question.
Because I didn’t know it either in the first place.
Moreover, unlike him, I am someone who was dragged here out of obligation.
I just hoped that this hero wouldn’t collapse like this.
If this bleeding hero crumbles.
Because my colleague, I, will die.
I hoped he would hold on a little longer, endure the pain a little more.
There was only one thing I could say. [Kang Ho-ran… … .]#“……
“Junior!”
“…….”
“Junior Jin!”
As I look at Dang Seo-hui pulling at the hem of my dress, she frowns with her jade-like brows.
“What are you doing? You need to come to your senses.”
Why suddenly.
Did he recall the foolish words he had spat out to Damak in his past life?
Why did seeing him now, burning with revenge, remind me of his past life, when he was as precarious as walking on fire?
I quickly shook my head.
I’ve come to my senses.
Dang Seo-hui looked at me with half-closed eyes and soon reached out her hand outside Jinsik.
After the state where only the wrist area disappeared with a slithering sound continued for a while.
Dang Seo-hui put the three empty mother-of-pearl bottles back into her bosom.
It is okay to go out.
The people outside Jinsik are stiff as if time has stopped.
According to Dang Seo-hee, she faints for a moment and wakes up, but thanks to the Forgetfulness Herb, she even forgets that she fainted.
If I eat the Forgetfulness Herb, I wonder if I could forget some memories too?
I turned around and looked at Bonganjeon while having foolish thoughts.
A clear sword path and traces of tension remaining on the destroyed pavilion.
The reason it was announced that no evidence was found, despite such clear traces running rampant, was all too obvious. ‘The culprit and the investigator were one and the same.’ Failing to uncover the mastermind behind the military headquarters must have been a stroke of genius for them.
“Unless the Commander-in-Chief steps forward personally, the investigations by the allies will likely never uncover the raider of Damak, even if a hundred years pass. ‘Will it really be resolved even if the Commander-in-Chief steps in personally?’ Just as they did to me, such deceptive behavior will not be tolerated.”
A man from Damak has died, and he feels the weight of that death heavier than his friendship with the Murim Alliance. ‘Fools…’ Swearing while recalling the unchangeable past does nothing to solve anything.
All that is needed right now is to somehow find a solution.
I took Cheongi to his lodging first.
“older brother…….”
A face that looks like it has something to say but is holding it back.
Instead, he suddenly snuggled deep into my arms.
“Whatever choice you make…… I will follow you, Brother.”
Why is such a smart guy also so considerate?
I didn’t bother to swallow the laughter that was escaping.
Go inside.
After Zhuge Tianqi entered, I was about to return to the lodgings with Tang Xuxi.
Soft
Dang Seo-hui stared at me intently, then came into my arms.
What’s wrong with this straw again?
What are you doing?
“You will have to choose wisely. This is no ordinary matter.”
A voice filled with sincere concern.
I also let out a chuckle.
I know.
I didn’t have any sweets in my pocket, so I stroked his head instead.
At that, Dang Seo-hui let out a growling sound, as if in a good mood. Since Dam-ak’s survival was uncertain, the Murim Alliance continued its investigation while remaining on high alert.
As a result, dozens of innocent people went in and out of the execution chamber every day.
Among them were those who had been summoned to the execution chamber several times.
Those who stood guard in the area of the main hall and the outer hall.
However, none of them suffered hardships or complained of fatigue.
My steps were always light, both when entering and leaving, as if I had just come back from a tea house.
Around the time those days were passing by.
An urgent message was delivered to the Murim Alliance.
“The Taiyuan branch in Shanxi Province is currently under threat by dark martial artists!”
Five hundred members of the Black Alliance gathered in the Taewon branch area.
Fully armed and surrounding the Taewon branch as if preparing for an assault, they waited for orders without showing the slightest movement.
They didn’t declare war or pick a fight, nor did they cause a disturbance like staging a protest.
The mere fact that they were gathered together made the people in the Taewon branch feel intimidated.
and.
The Chongqing Xilin Branch is also completely paralyzed by the Black Daoists!
The Nanchang branch in Jiangxi Province has completely lost its supplies!
Three hundred Black Daoists are currently gathered in the Nanning branch of Guangxi Province staging a protest!
While they were still flustered and saying “Huh?”, the Murim Alliance was astonished by the Black Daoist’s demeanor as he strode over the courtyard and crawled into the main room before they knew it.
Even so, I never expected the Black Alliance to take such blatant action when not a single thing had been properly revealed.
The tense silence of the Murim Alliance was shattered in an instant, and everyone was bewildered by the confusion that war might break out.
“War… are you waging war?”
“It hasn’t even been that long since I returned from Sacheon……!”
Where are we going first? Do we have to go too?
Of course, it wasn’t just those in confusion.
In any group, there is bound to be a fool who sees chaos as an opportunity.
As soon as the Black Daoist moved, they stood up in indignation as if they had been waiting for it.
“Why do we Murim Alliance have to just stand by and take this! Let’s get up right now and head to Mantongbu!”
“That’s it! It is clear that those scoundrels who dared to raid the entire army are causing this commotion to cover up their wicked scheme after failing the assassination. We must absolutely not let this slide!”
“Let’s take this opportunity to wipe out those vermin from the martial arts world!”
While those who feared war and those who awaited it were each preparing to protect their own safety.
I reached the end of my dilemma.
If war breaks out, the strength of the Saheukryeon will fluctuate depending on whether Damak is present or not.
Now is the chance to rescue Dam-ak, but if we rescue him, he will fight the Murim Alliance with all his might.
In a way, the choice is crystal clear
do.
But… [Is the Jianghu originally like this?]
The question he threw at me in my past life hasn’t left my mind for the past two days.
If I had known this would happen, I should have gotten some Forgetfulness Herb from Dang Seo-hee.
“What kind of place is the Jianghu…….”
The answer I gave at that time was extremely selfish.
Not for him, nor for everyone, but solely for me.
Perhaps the time had finally come for me to take responsibility for that answer.
That is the situation.
He visited the inn where the Taeeulmun people were gathered and told them about what had happened.
Damak told them never to reveal his condition to the Murim Alliance, but he didn’t say to keep it a secret from the people of Taeeulmun.
Above all, the people of Taeeulmun needed to be aware of the situation, if only to carry out the operation for Damak.
The faces of Munju, Father, and Wang Geum-san, having heard the whole story so far, were stiff and rigid.
A long silence filled the civil war with discomfort.
The first person to speak was Wang Geum-san.
“A standard answer would naturally be that we must inform the Murim Alliance, but right now… I honestly don’t know.”
Wang Geum-san continues speaking while shaking his head.
“Actually, the fact that the Black Alliance delegation wants to return to the Black Alliance headquarters poses no problem externally.”
Father added.
“We could help if it were before war breaks out, but if a clash occurs somewhere… it would immediately become an act of treason.”
Father looked at me as he continued speaking.
“If the culprit is Jeong Do-hoe and this was a genuinely intentional act, then Taeeulmun would be acting as an enemy to Jeong Do-hoe.”
As if asking if they could take responsibility for involving Taeeulmun.
at that time.
“Isn’t Taeeulmun already hostile toward Jeongdohoe?”
“Master Jang!”
Wang Geum-san tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but no one responded.
Breaking the long silence, the sect leader with an unfamiliar appearance asked me a question.
“What do you think is the right thing to do?”
Even the depth and weight of his voice had changed, and although I still hadn’t gotten used to it, I didn’t show it.
“I am…….”
I am not saying that you should speak while worrying about the people of Taeeulmun.
“Sowoon, say what you truly believe to be right.”
The Sect Leader asks back as if he can see right through me.
I took a moment to catch my breath and looked straight into his eyes.
I thought I should help him, even if I had to do it alone.
“Why?”
Why, why.
I finally told Damak the answer I couldn’t give him in my previous life.
“Because that is the ‘standard’ and ‘consultation.’”
The unfamiliar sect leader nodded a couple of times.
And he moves his lips. With a face devoid of a single trace of hesitation.
“Then isn’t that enough?”
I never imagined such an answer would come, so I stared at the unfamiliar clan leader with a dumbfounded expression.
There, before I knew it, was Munju looking at me with a familiar smile on his lips.
Do what you believe is right. That is the teaching of Taeeulmun, and realizing it without hesitation is the mark of a Taeeulmun disciple.
Something wells up inside my chest.
He tried his best not to reveal his emotional fluctuations.
However, the slightly trembling shoulders cannot be hidden at all.
“Hmph! I told you this is why I can’t sever the Taeeulmun.”
At Wang Geum-san’s grumbling, the clan leader asked him in a low voice.
“Lord Wang, this matter could bring harm to the Wang family.”
Unlike Munju’s low voice, Wang Jangju answered unhesitatingly, like an eagle gliding through the sky, unbound by anything.
“If they exist in the martial arts world, I exist in the realm. If this merchant guild were to be swayed by such shallow schemes, I would not have dedicated my entire life to it in the first place.”
With that, all decisions were finalized.
Now it was time to make a big move. Since the decision had been made, there was no need to delay.
Because moving as quickly as possible and resolving this as quickly as possible is the only way to prevent this situation from escalating further.
On the way back to the accommodation after organizing the operation with the adults.
As I was passing through an entertainment district, a sharp gaze flew from among a crowd and stopped me in my tracks.
The man I met at Geumyangru was, once again today, wearing a high-quality robe mixed with blue and white, with his hair neatly combed up.
The middle-aged man, who was flawless in every way, stared intently at my face.
“……
Haven’t you learned that the younger person is supposed to greet first?
Oh, is that so?
I bowed slightly.
I hope you have been doing well.
The people standing around Cheongsujin frown as if looking at him like a madman.
But honestly, from my perspective, this guy is even crazier, so I can’t treat him normally.
For some reason, it seems I run into the Master more often in the entertainment district than at the training grounds.
For the enlightenment of the universe ultimately lies among the people of the secular world.
Ah, so this is what it feels like to be a learned jerk.
But you see, no matter what, it doesn’t measure up to the shit-smelling rhetoric of those Sojeongdae guys.
“Even so, seeking enlightenment while caressing a woman’s bare skin… isn’t that trash… no, isn’t it heresy?”
Cheongsujinin’s face hardened for the first time.
The people around them are startled and glare.
“You, you bastard! How dare you!! What kind of safety do you think this place is right now!”
Damn it, at least try to hide the twitching of your mouth while you speak.
Anyway, I’m telling you, they’re pitch-black guys.
Cheongsujinin quickly changed the subject.
“Where are you going in such a hurry at this hour of the night?”
“I haven’t reached the level where I would pursue enlightenment accompanied by alcohol and women, so I plan to go back to my lodgings and at least go for a run.”
Cheongsujinin, who maintains his composure even at my barbed words.
Instead, he quietly rustled his robe and took a step closer to me.
“Will you join me? As I said before, a viscount has a way of making a person look shabby.”
Then he pointed to those who were looking at me with disapproval.
“If you can win over even just one of them, your life will be completely different from before.”
“okay.”
It really feels like ages have changed. In my previous life, I didn’t even have the chance to suck up like this.
On the one hand, I also feel a sense of shame.
I worked so hard, yet the only opportunity that came my way was just sucking up.
To think this is success.
I’ll refuse.
“I do want to change my life, but… I don’t have a strong stomach to the point of licking someone else’s ass.”
The face of Cheongsujinin, like glass that had cracked slightly before anyone realized it.
I walked past his face, looked around, and added.
“Moreover, these people… they don’t look like they can even clean up after themselves. The stench of urine is reaching all the way here, yet Master, you really… have a strong stomach.”
“I’ve heard enough of this guy!”
“How dare you think you know who I am!!”
Eventually, even those who rolled up their sleeves stepped forward.
But what to do about this? It would actually be better if they attacked first.
Fuck, I’m kind of out of my mind right now.
I took a big step closer to them as if I were glad to see them.
Pow!
Soon after, as the martial arts uniform swells up and killing intent scatters around, those approaching hesitate and step back.
If you’re going to back down just this much.
An unbearable sneer escapes.
“See? If those bastards can’t even take responsibility for what they just said, do you think they’ll wipe their asses properly? You should be careful too, Master. If you keep sucking up like that, you’ll get poisoned by the shit.”
Thinking I had teased them enough, I walked past them toward my accommodation.
And then, a telepathic message flew in from Qing Shui Zhenren.
I know you have entered Jinsik.
Standing tall.
My steps stop, and my body turns on its own.
Despite having been insulted, Cheongsujinin, surrounded by people, stared at me as if nothing had happened.
Do not make a foolish choice. Even if your own life is fine, what sin have the people of your sect committed?
Having said that, he hid himself among the crowd.
This bastard.’ They’re so confident, they don’t even seem to have any intention of hiding that they did it.
At this point, it goes beyond mere delusions of grandeur and should be viewed as a state of absolute supremacy.
Still, it’s a relief.
How was Yong So-ah, who was truly the supreme ruler of heaven and earth in her past life, treated(?)
I checked beforehand to see if it would work.
Ah, you ask how I treated it?
The method is simple and clear.
I found that getting your head smashed in a few times actually acts as psychotherapy.
Cheongsujinin is the person who will lead the future of the shaman.
If I smash that person’s head and create a chance for the shaman to change… wouldn’t Master Jang Sambong appear in my dream, tell me I did well, and teach me at least one secret technique?
I headed to my accommodation with high expectations.
