2
8.
at the time.
Ta. My mind was filled with those three letters.
So that crazy ideological interrogator finally causes trouble. “Well, I guess it can’t be helped”?
Whateeee? What can you do??
Not only me, but also Il-myeong looked at the Evil Disease Monument with astonished eyes.
Judging by the way his lips are twitching, it seems he is sending a telepathic message, but Ak Byeong-bi only reacts with twitching, showing no change in his expression.
An unpleasant metallic sound comes flying in from the side.
“Hehehe… I knew it. Isn’t it obvious what a petty bastard Baekdo would be?”
“Was it the leader of the Yellow Sand Sect?” he said, sneering after having been mockingly laughing for a while.
“Perhaps they came here under the pretext of being an envoy to gauge our scale.”
At the man’s words, Ak Byeong-bi’s gaze somehow sharpened.
“Do you think our Murim Alliance would use such a petty method?”
At Akbyeongbi’s words, the man actually brightened up and said.
“Isn’t it the Murim Alliance’s specialty to frame innocent people and punish them!”
At the man’s words, Akbyeongbi rarely burst into anger.
Crunch.
“……
How dare you wag that filthy mouth of yours so carelessly.
No, sir, I’m telling you, we’re in the middle of enemy territory!
Now, it is no longer a matter of whether an alliance or an agreement is formed.
It is a situation akin to standing at a crossroads, deciding whether to declare war by document or by the heads of the delegation.
In fact, considering that there is no clearer declaration of intent than beheading an envoy by declaring war, our lives were hanging by a thread.
at that time.
“Stop it! Why are you saying such things with a guest here? This is why people say the Black Sect members are ill-mannered.”
The man standing on the opposite side of Hwangsamun shouted.
Kang Maeng-ji, the leader of the Black Serpent Gang.
He is a big shot of the Black Sect with whom I have a connection from the Maryeong Plateau.
He looked at Cha Seok-du and expressed his thoughts.
“Master, our Black Alliance is a force that has only just begun to emerge. I do not believe there is any need to start with war from the very beginning. If we attempt to wage war before the intoxication of the sect inauguration ceremony has even worn off, what will the people of the world think of us?”
As those standing around Gangmaengji nodded one by one, the leader of the Hwangsamun sneered.
Did you form an organization just to play power games?
He provoked Gang Maeng-ji by stroking his weapon as if to show off.
“But what can I do? It seems like you will never become the leader in your lifetime.”
You would do well to keep your mouth shut.
“Hehehe, you’re showing your true colors so quickly.”
True to their nature as members of the Black Dao faction, the leader of the Black Alliance lightened the mood at the debate arena, as they looked ready to extend their hand at any moment.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Stop! Do not make a fool of yourself any further.”
“…….”
Ahem.
The atmosphere in the hall became cold, as if a sudden downpour had fallen.
As I looked at the leader of the Black Alliance, Cha Seok-du, he was also looking at me.
He gave me a slight nod and opened his mouth.
“I do not believe this matter can be decided immediately, so we will discuss it again after the inauguration ceremony concludes.”
Moved simply by the fact that it wasn’t the first ending, I bowed deeply and left the arena with my companions. #Bang.
Finally, having entered the inner room, I slammed the door shut and approached Akbyeongbi.
As soon as he returned to his room, he was about to pick up a glass of wine again.
“What are you doing right now?”
I am about to drink.
Do you think I’m curious about that?!
I spoke while refining my emotions as much as possible.
Do you want to bury your bones here?
He looked back and forth between the glass and my face, then, as if he had made up his mind, gulped down the drink in one go.
“Ugh… what is the problem?”
“What’s wrong?”
If we go to war with the Black Alliance, so much blood will be shed that it cannot even be compared to the blood shed in the war against the Blood Cult in original history.
And the Murim Alliance will face the Demonic Cult in a more precarious state than in the original history… …
I have absolutely no intention of letting that happen.
Does it not matter even if countless blood flows across the world?
“Among the corpses piled up like a mountain, there must surely be people of the Akga family.”
After catching my breath for a moment, I looked straight at the Evil Spirit Monument.
Do you want to see that scene with your own eyes?
bang.
Ak Byeong-bi roughly slammed his wine glass down.
In the atmosphere that felt like walking on thin ice, Il-myeong, who had been watching from the side, blocked my way.
“Master Jin… I think it would be best to stop.”
I shook off the hand of a certain person.
“Senior Il-myeong, do you also want a war with the Black Alliance to break out? Is shedding so much blood what Shaolin calls ‘justice’?”
“Jin Siju…….”
“The Commander’s actions and decisions may cause the innocent to shed blood. Are you truly going to just stand by and watch?”
Ak Byeong-bi, who had been glaring at me with a murderous look, now brought the liquor bottle to his lips.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Didn’t you hear from the Ministry of Communications what the commander needs to do?”
So you’re telling me to do the impossible.
In that instant, heat rose to the top of my head.
“What do you mean it’s impossible! The Black Alliance must already be considering something like an agreement!”
Ak Byeong-bi, who had been fiddling with his glass, once again gulped down the drink in one go.
If you’re that frustrated, you do it yourself.
What did you say?
“I said you do it!”
Even though he thought of me as a spy for the Black Sect and brought in the Inspection Bureau for his own benefit, I thought he was at least a responsible person.
Because the Akbyeongbi I saw in my previous life was not this despicable.
I looked down at the bowed Akbyeongbi with cold eyes.
“To think that a mere human like this is the one who upholds ‘justice’ properly…… The inspection is over, I suppose.”
Even at my taunting filled with contempt, Akbyeongbi did not lift his head.
“Mr. Jin… please take a moment to get some fresh air.”
The one who pulls me along while fidgeting nervously.
I said as I was led out by his hand.
“Fine. I will handle it from now on. Director, just stay put and drown in alcohol.”
Ak Byeong-bi did not move an inch until I was led out of the inner chamber by Il-myeong and Dang Seo-hui. While I was composing myself, Il-myeong hesitated and approached me.
“Jin Si-ju… please understand the Commander just a little.”
I tilted my head.
Il-myeong wasn’t this thoughtless of a person…
This is clearly the director’s fault.
Our delegation didn’t come just to offer congratulations.
It is our mission to help the warriors of the Murim Alliance, who are shedding blood in Sichuan, fight safely.
therefore.
This isn’t the time for useless pride, damn it.
Did I do something wrong?
When I get upset, my voice naturally becomes cold.
But right now, I didn’t want to care about the so-called mood.
Il-myeong slowly shakes his head.
That is not the case.
Then what on earth are you expecting me to understand?
Il-myeong looks at Dang Seo-hui with hesitation.
She seems to know something as well, and adds in a small voice.
I also think Jin So-un went a bit too far.
Perhaps sensing that my expression was hardening, Dang Seo-hee and Il-myeong exchanged complicated glances.
Eventually, Il-myeong clenched his fist tightly as if he had made a decision.
“Master Jin… The story you just heard must be known only to you, Master Jin.”
What do you mean?
After hesitating several times, Il-myeong finally opened his mouth.
“Gu Gye-ak, the leader of the Hwangsamun. He is the mastermind behind the ‘Cheongju Incident’.”
The Cheongju Incident refers to the raid by hundreds of Black Daoists on the Evil Clan’s guild.
As a result of this incident, thirty members of the Ak family and two hundred Black Daoists died.
I looked at the two people and tilted my head to one side.
What does that matter?
Does the Commander’s actions justify the fact that Akga’s enemy was here?
Even now, countless fights and battles, both big and small, take place in the martial arts world.
The number of people dying because of that is too many to even count.
Cheongju Incident?
It must have left a scar on Akbyeongbi’s heart.
But so what?
There are countless people in the martial arts world who have felt pain like Akbyeongbi, or rather, even greater suffering.
Just look at me… ‘Damn it…’ So, I cannot stand by and watch a great undertaking ruined by personal grudges.
At my firm stance, Il-myeong let out a long sigh.
Eventually, he cautiously moves his lips.
At that time, the commander’s lover died.
“And that lover was pregnant.”
In that moment, I felt my head, which had been burning hot like a furnace, suddenly cool down.
Enough to bring vivid images to mind the faces of my father, the priests, and the members of the Sojeong unit who were dying painfully before my eyes in my past life.
As if the story wasn’t over yet, the so-called lips move again.
“The one who assassinated the Captain’s lover was none other than…… Gu Gye-ak.”
Perhaps because my head had gone cold, my mouth felt frozen as well.
“Back then, the Commander searched every corner of the world to find that man, Gu Gye-ak. Fifteen years passed like that… and Gu Gye-ak, who had vanished without a trace, reappeared before the Commander as the leader of the Hwangsa Sect.”
“Damn it…….”
Dang Seo-hee frowned at the swear word that came out without me realizing it.
Swearing is a bad thing.
Did I do it because I wanted to curse? I did it because I had no choice.
What on earth was this guy, Zhuge Xiaoming, thinking?
If you knew he had such a backstory, shouldn’t you have refrained from sending him as part of the delegation?
Could it be that Zhuge Xiaoming didn’t know?
“You are aware of this, Commander-in-Chief. That is why… I do not know the reason why you sent me as the head of the delegation. There must have been a deep meaning behind it.”
No matter how deep the intention, shouldn’t you refrain from doing something like this?
Who in the world could speak of peace and stability with an enemy who killed their wife and children in front of them?
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
It’s not an easy thing to say, is it?
“ha…….”
For some reason, I could understand Ak Byeong-bi’s overreaction during the Ak Ju-pyeong incident.
Because humans are beings who cannot easily forget intense emotional shocks deeply embedded in their minds.
As I racked my brain trying to organize my thoughts, I heard a voice.
“Probably… the Director meant it.”
“What do you mean?”
Are you saying that you will entrust the future affairs to Master Jin?
To be precise, it was, “If you’re frustrated, you do it yourself.”
He probably felt frustrated with his own limitations, even by himself.
Now that I had actually heard the inside story, I had absolutely no idea how to resolve this matter.
Nevertheless, the head of the delegation, the Marshal, is advocating for war right before my eyes.
If I ignore that and make an agreement, I can see Ak Byeong-bi’s heart being torn to shreds; on the other hand, if I do not speak up, countless corpses flicker before my eyes.
Amidst the complex thoughts, a so-called voice cuts in.
The head of the delegation would also want to conclude an agreement.
How can you think that?
“Otherwise, there is no way someone who doesn’t even touch alcohol would be drinking like that.”
Was it none other than Akbyeongbi who was enduring the greatest pain of all?
That said, I do not want to rationalize the director’s actions.
I deliberately tried to speak coldly, but Il-myeong looked at me and smiled gently.
“He wouldn’t want that either. For now, it seems better to focus on carrying out the mission.”
In any case, even without considering the commander’s circumstances, it seems quite difficult to even reach a peace treaty, let alone an alliance.
Because while Gu Gye-ak, the leader of the Hwangsamun, was speaking, those who seemed to agree with his opinion already appeared to exceed the majority.
Even if we mobilize all the connections of Cha Seok-du, Kang Maeng-ji of the Black Snake Gang, and Maryeong Gowon, an agreement will not be easy.
Moreover, the biggest problem is that we are standing in the middle of enemy territory, unable to do anything.
If only we knew at least the internal situation of the Black Alliance, we could devise a plan of appeasement; but right now, we are in the very heart of the Black Alliance, where we cannot even bring in manpower from the Hao Sect.
Il-myeong slightly bows his head.
I’m sorry for passing the difficult work on to you.
I shook my head.
“That’s enough. You can’t take spilled water back into the container.”
And so, unable to even venture out anywhere, we tried to come up with various strategies around the pavilion, but no clear plan emerged.
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps was heard.
If it is not too much trouble, may I come in for a moment?
The owner of the footsteps was none other than Gun Yu-hyeon of Cheongwanmun, who had previously baffled Il-myeong.
How did you get here?
Since you haven’t shown up at the gambling house even once, I came to check on you to see if anything was wrong.
I shook my head and spoke politely.
I don’t think now is the time to talk about that. Please leave.
“Haha, I didn’t come here to gamble either.”
Gun Yu-hyeon continued speaking with a friendly smile.
“I heard on my way here. Did something trouble you get into?”
“I heard that there might be a problem with the agreement. Is that not the case?”
I didn’t show it, but I was on edge.
How did you know that?
Well, it may be classified, but those with their ears wide open are bound to hear it all.
So what?
Gun Yu-hyeon takes another step closer to me.
I was wondering if I could be of help.
I made eye contact with Il-myeong.
Eventually, they nodded slightly at each other.
We must utilize everything we can. His suggestion is also likely worth listening to.
“Why do you say you will help?”
Gun Yu-hyeon scratched the back of his head.
“Just because we belong to the Dark Path sects doesn’t mean we are all people obsessed with blood and battle. There are those who had no choice but to choose the path of the Dark Path due to their own circumstances. Moreover, our Cheongwanmun has a great deal to lose if we were to go to war with the Murim Alliance right now.”
War causes harm to everyone.
However, among them, it causes great harm to the powerless.
Gun Yu-hyeon must have used his sharp mind to calculate that if a war were to break out between the Black Alliance and the Murim Alliance right now, they would be the ones suffering the greatest damage.
This time, Il-myeong stepped forward and asked.
“How can the County Magistrate help?”
“I don’t know if you are aware, but in the current Saheukryeon, the influence of the alliance’s major sects is stronger than the personal opinion of the Alliance Leader.”
It was something you could tell just by looking at the atmosphere in Daejeon.
Cha Seok-du took the position of Alliance Leader based on the pretext of forming an alliance, but his position and power did not appear to be secure.
As we were deep in thought, Gun Yu-hyeon whispered secretly, as if revealing a secret.
Instead, there is someone who can move the cause.
Are you saying that someone with real power?
He nodded.
“Yes. Although the current Alliance Leader created the justification for the formation of the Black Dao Alliance, it was ultimately someone else who laid the foundation.”
“Who is that?”
“You saw the man next to Yeonju, didn’t you?”
“Damak…….”
As I uttered the man’s name, Gun Yu-hyeon nodded.
It is that very person.
“Do you mean that he can move the cause?”
“Yes. Most of the working-level officials running the Saheukryeon follow Damak. If his views align with the Alliance Leader’s, we will certainly be able to conclude an agreement even if the other Sect Leaders oppose it.”
It appeared that Bokryu Damak was being recognized for his outstanding abilities in his current life, just as he was in his previous life.
“But do you think Damak will meet us? I saw earlier that he seemed quite wary of the Murim Alliance.”
Gun Yu-hyeon gives a meaningful smile at my question.
It’s not official, but I have a place to meet separately.
“which?”
“We have decided to hold a banquet among those who can be called the divine stars of the Dark Path martial arts world.”
A private banquet, and one of the Black Daoists at that.
I didn’t know I might suffer a humiliation so great that it couldn’t even be compared to the humiliation I suffered at Cheolgeommun.
And the commander-in-chief, Damak, is scheduled to appear at that spot.
However, everything had already gone awry with the conventional approach.
Would you like to attend?
In that case, there is no choice but to approach it differently.
“Alright. I’ll leave it to you.”
No matter the cost.
