The False King (6)
“Greetings, Vice Leader.”
“You’re here.”
Yang Cheon asked as Heuk Yang bowed deeply.
“I heard the report. You wiped out Guicheol Sword Sect?”
“Yes. However……”
“They say you let the heir and a few small fry slip away.”
Heuk Yang lowered his head.
“I have no face to show you.”
The corner of Yang Cheon’s mouth curved upward.
Indeed, they were right about him being a solid one.
He had received a full report on why Heuk Yang let the Guicheol Sword Sect heir escape. It was inevitable from the start. On the day Heuk Yang and his men raided the sect, the heir had already entered deep mountain training. Even the traitor within the sect hadn’t known that.
In such cases, the blame lay with punishing the traitor, not Heuk Yang. In other words, there was ample excuse, yet Heuk Yang simply bowed his head with an apology. A fine character.
If Heuk Yang hadn’t been loyal to the church, Yang Cheon would have truly valued him greatly. Perhaps even placed him alongside Baek Seo as his right-hand man.
“We’ve formed pursuit teams and are chasing the heir now.”
“I heard the Guicheol Sword Sect heir has considerable martial skill.”
It wasn’t easy for a master like Yang Cheon to know the exact level of a young upstart’s arts. His words revealed just how much information and knowledge he had amassed while uniting the black path.
“The pursuit teams report he could form his own household without exaggeration.”
“Oh?”
Normally, when one failed to capture a target, they downplayed the target’s abilities to reassure superiors. But Heuk Yang was no ordinary man. Reporting facts coldly and objectively was no easy feat.
Yang Cheon’s mouth curved once more.
“Can you catch him?”
Heuk Yang answered immediately.
“We will.”
The swift reply carried conviction, backed by his objective report. Yang Cheon nodded.
“Guicheol Sword Sect was hailed as the black path’s foremost sword sect. It would have been ideal to end it in one go, but I know the situation wasn’t that simple.”
“My apologies.”
“What was the heir’s name again?”
“Gang Ryang.”
“Right, Gang Ryang. Word is, his temperament is as bold as his martial prowess. He could become an unexpected variable, so make sure to catch him.”
“Understood, Vice Leader.”
Normally, the conversation would end here with a dismissal. But Yang Cheon said nothing, forcing Heuk Yang to remain bowed.
He couldn’t leave without permission.
A brief silence followed.
“Heuk Yang.”
“Yes, Vice Leader.”
“Do you remember? Shortly after I founded Muk Ryong Bu, when you came to me with a fortune in treasures from beyond the border.”
Heuk Yang’s eyes gleamed.
“I remember.”
“It was truly astonishing. I’d heard you’d help, but I never imagined such funds and talent.”
“……”
“Do you know? Among the vast wealth and intel you brought, there was advice on Muk Ryong Bu’s organization.”
“……I didn’t know that.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
A chill glinted in Yang Cheon’s eyes—an icy, venomous gaze Heuk Yang couldn’t see with his head bowed.
“Keep up the good work.”
“Of course.”
“You may go.”
“Yes.”
Heuk Yang bowed once more and exited Muk Ryong Hall. A cold smile played on Yang Cheon’s lips.
“To claim the world, even the venomous must use poison when appearances demand it.”
Yang Cheon favored those who crossed lines, but that meant he himself hesitated to do so. It wasn’t his forte, and his conscience pricked him—hence his desire for such talents.
But now, he realized it.
In this world, nothing worthwhile comes without dirtying one’s hands.
Saneumgyo, Heuk Yang, treasures. The malice hidden behind those “gifts.”
“Jeong.”
Yang Cheon smiled.
“If you’re a poisoned dagger from some group, you can’t imagine how I’d respond.”
“Heh.”
Moyong Gun clicked his tongue in amazement.
“Such a reckless method worked?”
“Indeed.”
Having heard Yeon Hojeong’s account, Moyong Gun couldn’t hide his inner admiration.
He really just charged in so simply.
The new black path alliance led by Tu Wang Yang Cheon. Infiltrating it? Effective methods didn’t come easily.
But Moyong Gun was different. He favored paradigm shifts: burrow into the enemy’s heart and hide one’s Muryeong Alliance ties.
Simple, yet effective.
The issue was difficulty. Without knowing the enemy base’s location, defenses, or guards, sending spies risked killing the grass to scare the snake.
But with time, safe infiltration was possible. Moyong Gun believed that firmly.
Then Yeon Hojeong stepped up.
And this was the result.
“You drew their interest, imprinted your presence, then punched straight to the top……”
Simple. Infuriatingly so.
Yet it worked perfectly.
“You always surprise me.”
“Anyone could do it with the will. Just a matter of mindset.”
“True enough. But one more thing.”
Moyong Gun’s eyes gleamed.
“You couldn’t attempt it without deep black path knowledge.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sparkled.
“Since when? When did you turn to the black path?”
“What do you mean?”
“Denying it? From the reports to the alliance and what I just heard, you seem to know the black path inside out.”
“People are all the same everywhere. Gadeuksang knows it better than I do.”
“Knowing and feeling are different.”
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
“Don’t waste energy on needless suspicion. I just see through people’s essence—no special black path expertise.”
Moyong Gun’s lip curved.
“Is that so.”
This time, even Moyong Gun couldn’t read Yeon Hojeong’s depths. As he said, Gadeuksang knew the black path better, and given Yeon Hojeong’s abilities, this infiltration wasn’t odd.
The problem was.
I understand logically, but I can’t just let it slide.
Something was there. He’d proceeded with conviction from some unspoken source—likely unknown even to his team.
“One more question.”
“I’m not here for interrogation.”
“Fine, black path aside.”
Moyong Gun’s eyes turned menacing.
“You know about Yang Cheon too, don’t you?”
“Who in murim doesn’t?”
“You know what I mean.”
Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
“Pointless suspicion again. I know my worth. A fledgling black alliance lacks talent—my caliber rolling in naturally piques interest amid caution.”
Moyong Gun chuckled.
“I never said I suspected.”
“Hiding the obvious?”
“Hahaha.”
Moyong Gun finally laughed, nodding deeply.
“Good. We’ve covered the past enough. Now, the future.”
“What info does the top want?”
“You know that. You wouldn’t have gone that far without knowing.”
“Yang Cheon’s ambitions, allies, Muk Ryong Bu’s true forces—everything.”
“Exactly.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes gleamed.
“That all?”
Moyong Gun shrugged.
“Any extra intel is welcome.”
“Hmm.”
“As you say, the alliance wants everything on Yang Cheon. Me too. If something needs deeper probe, tell me then.”
“Understood.”
“So, what’s your plan?”
“What else? Become his confidant.”
Moyong Gun’s eyes shone.
“I expected that path.”
“Figured.”
“Dangerous, no?”
Seriousness crossed Moyong Gun’s face.
“Reason aside, you’re Muryeong Alliance’s Myeol Sa Army Leader. Spycraft isn’t your trade.”
“I know.”
“Yang Cheon’s no fool—he won’t make a novice his confidant outright. He’ll watch, test with tasks.”
“Likely.”
“To truly become his man? At least a year or two.”
Moyong Gun’s eyes gleamed.
“Impossible. I feud with you politically, but no.”
Send an internal rival to die by enemy hands? Decent tactic, but not against Yang Cheon’s caliber—especially uniting the black path.
White path’s foe was black, and black yearned to surpass white. Sending a white figure to die by black hands? Pride issue.
Further.
This one’s unpredictable in crises.
Unlikely, but if Yeon Hojeong decided to seize the black path?
Headache beyond measure.
Overthinking? No. Moyong Gun saw no limits in Yeon Hojeong. Innate or youthful, if he committed, he’d rampage unbound.
Can’t let such a one die in enemy ranks. If death, then within white murim.
That was Moyong Gun’s view.
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
“I’ve no intent to rot under him for years. Naturally. Swallowing black path? No—just info for years? Absurd.”
Moyong Gun flinched at “swallowing black path.”
“Then what?”
“Not confidant—partners.”
“Partners?”
“Yes.”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“No laying all cards for his wants, but to extract fast, some sacrifice needed.”
“Agreed.”
“So, probe with our intel.”
Moyong Gun’s face hardened.
“Leak alliance secrets?”
Yeon Hojeong shrugged.
“If command authorizes, maybe—but no real intent.”
“Then?”
“Fabricated info.”
“Fabricated?”
Moyong Gun stared, then spoke heavily.
“Let’s hear it.”
Yeon Hojeong outlined his plan. When he finished, Moyong Gun had to nod.
“It’ll work?”
“I’ll make it. Success hinges on you, Commander, before my efforts.”
“……”
“Can you?”
Moyong Gun smiled coldly.
“Intriguing. Let’s try.”