Gold-necked Hwan and Myung Jaehee returned to the Hwanggeum Family.
They wanted to talk more, but as the commander, he had many things to prepare.
For him, this was a matter of his family’s fate.
Jung Ri-yun had no choice but to let them go.
Yet the aftereffects of the shock lingered.
“Wasn’t he really a top expert who reversed his age?”
Seongyubeop had left, so now only Jung Ri-yun and Chun Jiak remained in the room.
And still, at the center, was the ink-stained map.
“I could sense a very pure internal energy. Only a little, but still. It was Daoist in nature, but with a quality I’ve never seen before. That said, I couldn’t just rudely ask a junior about the source of his martial arts.”
“…Are there really types of internal energy even the Alliance Leader hasn’t seen before?”
Chun Jiak’s gaze was one of disbelief.
As a man who’d risen from the wilds to the level of Geomjon, how many people must he have encountered?
Just by sensing internal energy, he could always tell which school and art it came from.
Yet Jung Ri-yun admitted he did not know.
Was Gold-necked Hwan some sort of specter? He’d tossed off tales no one would believe unless they saw them for themselves.
No matter how highly placed Jung Ri-yun was, even as the Seventh Elder and a grand senior, it was not right to press someone about the roots of their martial arts.
“Could it be he’s just a child with a deep love for strategy and tactics? If so, that explains a bit.”
Chun Jiak spoke.
Jung Ri-yun pondered for a moment.
Indeed, that was the most realistic suggestion.
But he felt, instinctively, that it wasn’t so.
“That doesn’t seem right. If he’d just studied for fun, he might have become a side character or chronicler, but he wouldn’t have reached the level of mastering the fundamentals and being able to transform them so freely.”
“That’s true.”
“It’s something to keep in mind. If someone that age already holds something like that in reserve, then he must have more to offer. I should reward the Biyun Gakju for this.”
Jung Ri-yun smiled in satisfaction.
Chun Jiak, though still incredulous, had to admit that Gold-necked Hwan was a true talent.
“He hasn’t even said he’ll join the Murim Alliance yet.”
“That’s why I told him so at the end.”
When Gold-necked Hwan asked Jung Ri-yun what he wanted from him, Chun Jiak naturally assumed it would be money.
The Murim Alliance was never flush with funds.
If the Hwanggeum Family gave them money, that would be best.
But Jung Ri-yun replied differently.
—I want to buy your time. After the war is over, let’s meet again.
Gold-necked Hwan readily agreed.
It was a suggestion with no harm to him.
At the time, Chun Jiak had been dumbfounded.
Even now, there were so many swordsmen and warriors eager for a glimpse of Geomjon.
And yet, here was a child who’d gotten a promise to meet Geomjon again, just because he asked.
If others heard, they’d probably burst out laughing in disbelief.
Oblivious to Chun Jiak’s thoughts, Jung Ri-yun added an order.
“Elder Mok and Elder Kang are resting now, right?”
“…They just finished a two-month mission in Jilin and reported back yesterday.”
“So, they’re resting at the moment, aren’t they?”
Jung Ri-yun’s words left Chun Jiak speechless.
Those two Elders weren’t the sort to laze about.
Had they joined one of the Nine Factions, they’d be treated as mere guests.
And beyond that, sending the two Elders to deal with the Hwanggeum Family seemed like an excessive measure.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then have the two of them go to the Hwanggeum Family.”
Chun Jiak hesitated before responding to the order.
“Of course, that boy is talented, but… Is he worth going to such lengths for? I don’t think he’ll be of immediate help to the Alliance.”
“Whether he’s of help right now isn’t what matters.”
Jung Ri-yun answered crisply and looked at Chun Jiak.
Chun Jiak immediately realized his mistake.
Jung Ri-yun, as he gave the order, was thinking with ruthless clarity.
“The Murim Alliance can’t just sit back on its laurels anymore.”
***
Jusampa’s Jangmunin, Dong Yonggeuk, believed he had seized an opportunity.
The eldest son of Hyeongsan, Yong Sohwu, had come to propose an alliance.
In truth, Jusampa’s goal wasn’t to swallow the Hwanggeum Family whole, but to take a piece for themselves—a small piece at that.
Having rolled through the underworld for so long, Dong Yonggeuk instinctively understood that taking too much could lead to disaster.
But by coincidence, their influence had grown, Cheonjuseong had pulled out, and now Jusampa and Hyeongsan divided the region’s power.
Dong Yonggeuk had never imagined such things when he first established Jusampa.
Now, Jusampa had become a massive underworld sect, one of the most renowned among the dark paths.
It felt like all his past hardships were being rewarded, and though he was pleased, he could not show it with Yong Sohwu sitting right in front of him.
Dong Yonggeuk did his best to keep his feelings hidden and spoke with dignity.
“So Hyeongsan is sending Elder Hong Baekgyu himself?”
“If we’re to properly take the Hwanggeum Family, that’s what it will require.”
“Haha, if Unbonggeom himself comes, the Hwanggeum Family will surely fall into our hands.”
Unbonggeom, a supreme expert of Hyeongsan and one of the famed Hyeongsan Samjeol.
Some say the Hyeongsan Samjeol had already surpassed the once-glorious Namak Geomgun, Ong Jin-su.
“To think there was such a clear path all along; we really were fools.”
“That’s right. My father—no, Jangmunin—has been planning an alliance with Jusampa for a long time.”
“Haha. I thought we were seeing different dreams in the same bed, but it turns out we were fishing from the same stream all along.”
Yong Sohwu nearly gagged watching Dong Yonggeuk deliberately use literary phrases.
Mixing with these thuggish underworld types was absurd, but he had no choice for now.
“It’s the best method for the current situation.”
Hyeongsan would pretend to join the battle, and, using Jusampa as their vanguard, would take down the Hwanggeum Family.
Unbonggeom Hong Baekgyu, of course, was a lie.
He was currently one of those keeping the peace within Hyeongsan.
The reason for saying all this was to urge Jusampa to commit comparable martial force.
No matter how notorious Dong Yonggeuk was, he’d survived the rivers and lakes as a top expert.
This was the best card Yong Sohwu could play.
It was the ploy of using another’s hand to kill.
Yong Sohwu regarded Dong Yonggeuk with a tinge of contempt.
His martial arts were strong, yes, but how foolish must one be to believe this tale without sending anyone directly to Hyeongsan?
Of course, Dong Yonggeuk already knew Yong Sohwu was the eldest son of Hyeongsan, but he was too careless.
“Here’s our proposal. What do you think, Jangmunin?”
With a subtle look, Yong Sohwu waited for Dong Yonggeuk’s answer.
Dong Yonggeuk replied without hesitation.
“If Unbonggeom is coming, we can’t do less on our end—I’ll personally take the field.”
Yong Sohwu seemed to agree, but kept his feelings hidden.
Later, they would see the ragtag group of martial artists from Hyeongsan, infiltrators among the Hwanggeum Family, and himself.
They might ask where Unbonggeom was and why their numbers were so small, but that could be answered in the moment.
What mattered was the fall of the Hwanggeum Family.
Things had gotten far too big.
Yong Sohwu was now prepared to risk his life on this.
***
The conference room in Geumjeongwon.
Gwak Jindo, Yeo Sangwoo, and I had gathered.
Each of us had our assigned tasks, and this was the time to share our findings.
Yeo Sangwoo reported first.
“Jusampa is currently near Antangsan. They’ve got around three hundred men, mostly their elite. Even the Murim Alliance can’t ignore that kind of force. And we don’t know how many more Hyeongsan might send on top of that.”
I nodded.
Objectively, the situation was not favorable.
So Jusampa had already made it as far as Antangsan (38). It was a bit quicker than I expected, but still acceptable.
I’d thought the negotiations between Jusampa and Hyeongsan would drag on longer.
“They moved faster than I thought.”
“Indeed.”
“But isn’t Dong Yonggeuk supposed to be a top expert? Is it possible for someone like that to keep moving in secret?”
“Biyeon-gak’s Sinbeop is unrivaled in the martial world. No matter what the Hwanggeum Family offers, they can’t buy it.”
“…Ah, I see.”
I glanced at Gwak Jindo for no particular reason.
He seemed confident in that Sinbeop, and if he found out I knew, who knows how he’d react.
I quickly shifted the topic.
“How about Hyeongsan?”
“Probably all the people they have inside the Hwanggeum Family. Maybe thirty in total, including their Elders. When attacked from outside, they’ll coordinate—either as a feint or a pincer attack.”
“Let them try.”
That’s what I said.
Yeo Sangwoo caught my meaning and smiled faintly.
The Hyeongsan people inside were being allowed to live.
They were playing right into the palm of our hand.
Hyeongsan still believed, in their arrogance, that their identities hadn’t been exposed.
The Hwanggeum Family’s eyes and ears had seen through them long ago.
“To think that proud Hyeongsan is now working with Jusampa. I guess Namak Geomgun’s desire to be one of the Nine Factions has finally faded.”
Yeo Sangwoo spoke.
I wasn’t too knowledgeable about Murim’s power dynamics, so I asked.
“So Hyeongsan has a strong desire to join the Nine Factions?”
“Borderline obsessed, honestly. It was so blatant that there were even rumors Namak Geomgun became the testicles of Shaolin Temple’s Bangjang Jinkwon.”
“That’s why they want to take down the Hwanggeum Family. Trying to solve everything with brute force.”
Gwak Jindo clicked his tongue.
I pondered for a moment and came to a conclusion.
“This isn’t really a proper alliance between Hyeongsan and Jusampa, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
Hyeongsan was probably moving like this:
When they entered the Hwanggeum Family, their plan was to take over.
Even if their reputation took a hit, they’d just compensate with money.
I don’t know the exact order, but with so many minor factions and powerhouses like Cheonjuseong and Jusampa getting involved, things got messy.
Now, with Cheonjuseong’s old territory vacant and Ong Mungyu dead as justification, Jusampa and Hyeongsan could easily join forces.
Had they tried to take it solo, maybe they could’ve pulled it off—but if Ong Jin-su had really become Shaolin Temple’s Bangjang Jinkwon’s testicles, they’d have never dared.
But the result is still a union between Jusampa and Hyeongsan.
Who stands to gain the most?
“To put it precisely, it’s an alliance with Yong Sohwu.”
That’s the answer.
This was just Yong Sohwu’s solo move to cover his own mistakes.
If you think about it, it was unnatural for negotiations between Jusampa and Hyeongsan to wrap up so quickly.
They must’ve each had their own plans, and they’d surely have fought to get a bigger piece.
Here, Yong Sohwu must’ve made some outlandish demands of Jusampa, and Jusampa probably accepted without question.
That’s how their forces have already reached Antangsan.
Looking at it that way, it’s not such bad news.
It means Hyeongsan’s main force isn’t really in play.
I explained my reasoning, and Gwak Jindo and Yeo Sangwoo’s eyes gleamed with understanding.
“This makes things much easier. It would’ve been tough to uproot Hyeongsan on our own, after all.”
Gwak Jindo spoke, showing satisfaction.
He was right.
There were other famed masters in Hyeongsan besides Namak Geomgun, given its long history.
However, Gwak Jindo and I had a different idea.
“With some breathing room now, we can strike Hyeongsan.”
At those words, not only Gwak Jindo but Yeo Sangwoo, too, looked utterly shocked.
“What are you saying? We’ll help you, but fundamentally the Murim Alliance and Hyeongsan are both orthodox factions. Our organization exists to prevent conflict between orthodox schools—how can we fight them?”
“It’s all right. True victory is won without bloodshed, after all.”
That’s what I said.
“And besides, it would be a shame to waste all the preparations we’ve made so far.”
We’d prepared so much, considering both Jusampa and Hyeongsan.
If we only defeated Jusampa, it’d feel anticlimactic.
As Yeo Sangwoo and Gwak Jindo fell silent, someone suddenly flung open the door and entered.
No sign of their presence, no knock.
I turned to look.
As expected, it was Myung Jaehee.
Behind Myung Jaehee were five shadows.
As the figures each began to be illuminated by the room’s light, I realized—they were Hyeongsan’s Samdae Jeja.
Even though not much time had passed, their eyes had changed completely.
Another piece was now in place.
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