The Emperor's Return (3)
Moyong Gun's face hardened.
At this precise moment, the last name he expected to hear from Paeryul, an elder of Point Cang, had just slipped from the man's lips.
'You... don't tell me?'
He was genuinely flustered.
Mong Ui had been a Point Cang expert whom Moyong Gun had sent to Yeon Hojeong alongside the assassins. Of course, he was little more than an expelled disciple from Point Cang.
He had killed the sect leader and stolen Point Cang's supreme secret art, the Sail Sword Technique, before fleeing—a monumental traitor.
The real issue was that before joining Moyong Gun, Mong Ui had worked in the shadows for the Myeong family.
The Myeong family had been declared public enemies of the martial world, with all associates punished. Even now, the alliance's prison cells crawled with Myeong warriors.
In other words, Moyong Gun had secretly spirited away someone who deserved punishment and made him his subordinate.
Moyong Gun wasn't the only one who'd done such things. But it was something that could never see the light of day. If it leaked publicly, not just him but everyone involved could face severe repercussions.
'Is this how you're going to play it?'
The reason he hadn't worried about Mong Ui at all? Because he'd wrapped it up through his deal with Yeon Hojeong.
Both he and Yeon Hojeong would do anything to screw each other over, but once a matter was settled, they never dragged it up again. That was their unspoken rule.
Break it, and things devolved into a true mudslinging brawl.
"Mong Ui..."
"That's right. Mong Ui."
Moyong Gun met Paeryul's gaze. It burned like it could erupt at any moment, yet he held that brilliant flame with icy rationality.
'Unexpected.'
He'd investigated Paeryul beforehand, though not in exhaustive detail. It was only natural, given the man's role in this mission.
'A typical battle maniac. Hot-blooded, hates using his head—a classic hero type.'
Like Zhang Fei Yide from the Romance. That's what the reports had said.
'Well, who does Yeon Hojeong take under his wing? Not just anyone.'
Moyong Gun nodded.
"I know."
Paeryul's eyebrow twitched.
Moyong Gun continued with a nonchalant expression. "So, what of it?"
"You know Mong Ui was a disciple expelled from our main sect?"
"That too, I know."
"That bastard didn't just steal our sect's greatest secret manual—he killed the sect leader and ran."
"And what are you getting at?"
Utterly shameless.
Paeryul barely suppressed his surging killing intent.
"The Nine Great Sects and Six Great Families walk the righteous path as renowned houses. If you knew that much, you should've at least informed our main sect."
Moyong Gun laughed coldly. "Apologies, but I didn't know he'd been expelled at the time. I only learned the details later."
"What?"
"Even if I had known, what was I supposed to do when he came to me first?"
Paeryul's neck flushed red.
"You really going to play it like that?"
"Just stating facts."
"You ordered Mong Ui to...!"
"And one more thing."
Crackle!
The air heated in an instant under Moyong Gun's thunderous glare.
"I have no reason to be interrogated by you. Besides, this is an official gathering. My patience runs deep, but don't think I'll keep tolerating some task force underling crawling all over me."
Stop wasting time with nonsense and get to the point.
Paeryul glared at Moyong Gun before spitting out, "Alliance Leader Yeon's intelligence director appointment is in two days. You've got ten to fifteen days to steal their intel. Heat up Muk Ryong Bu—that's the message."
"Is that all?"
"......"
"Understood. You're dismissed."
As Paeryul rose, he spoke again. "That's the official message. And relay this too."
"Go on."
"Word for word: 'You crossed the line first, so consider this a declaration of war. I've seen your guts turning crisis into opportunity—now watch closely what I'll do next.'"
"......"
"That's the end of the message."
Paeryul stormed out. Any longer, and he'd have drawn his sword for real.
Left alone, Moyong Gun stared out the window.
"Crossed the line?"
The corner of his mouth twitched.
"You're too soft, aren't you? Can't call this crossing the line."
Massacring the Guiju Merchant Group's trade caravan and erasing his secrets from the world.
Fools prattling about morals and ethics, blind to how the world really worked, might throw a fit and demand justice. But Yeon Hojeong wasn't one of them.
He'd expected anger, but not this talk of lines being crossed over something so trivial.
"Don't wear a mask that doesn't suit you, Hojeong. You can be a hundred times more ruthless than this."
That was why Moyong Gun held Yeon Hojeong in such high regard. The man had the flexibility to set aside morals when needed.
That's what made him extraordinary—and dangerous. Few in the vast Central Plains could choose the ruthless path at critical moments.
"However..."
Moyong Gun smiled bitterly.
"Your instincts are sharp as ever. You pieced together my motives from the sequence of events alone."
Turning crisis into opportunity? That meant he'd guessed why Moyong Gun had come to Hunan himself.
'You don't know my plans. But you know why I did it, so you'll counter somehow.'
For a moment, Moyong Gun's face twisted with fierce killing intent.
"......Keep provoking me like this, and I might just bury you here."
He probably wouldn't push further. Neither would Moyong Gun.
But with that declaration of war and a vow to rampage spectacularly, Yeon Hojeong was surely sharpening his blades.
'He won't touch Guiju Merchant Group.'
He knew the entire trade caravan was dead. Still, Moyong Gun was certain: Yeon Hojeong wouldn't dredge that up to shake things.
The truth was the task force was unaware—the commander had smoothed it over. But the whole force was entangled regardless.
For the alliance or the Yeon family, Yeon Hojeong couldn't expose it.
'Then?'
Moyong Gun's eyes gleamed.
"Muyeon."
"Yes, family head."
"Tell Alliance Leader Yeon that Muk Ryong Bu's intel division might raid the main house. Have them prepare in advance."
"Understood."
* * *
The strong liquor burned his throat like fire.
'Moyong Gun.'
Yeon Hojeong's face, glaring coldly at his cup, was fiercer than ever.
Gadeuksang and Dang Sang-a glanced nervously at him. They'd never seen such a chilling expression.
He refilled and drained it again, his neck flushing red. He wasn't suppressing the alcohol with inner energy.
'I get you're pissed, but this time you went too far.'
Not content with erasing his own weakness, Moyong Gun might even gain the upper hand in their Guiju deal.
Overthinking? Hardly. Moyong Gun was exactly the type.
'I won't stop you building power. But don't toy with me like this.'
Unrelated to him? Sure. He could just curse and move on.
He'd been used, but suffered no real loss. He could bury it, and no one would know.
But Yeon Hojeong's rage stemmed from certainty: this was just the beginning.
Guiju Merchant Group? A light opener. Soon it'd drag in the alliance, even unrelated civilians.
No—already had. The shadow operatives had families, likely hostages of the Moyong family.
Not a world-shaking war, just personal gain killing people and innocents.
Yeon Hojeong couldn't forgive that.
'Even beasts hunt without trampling flowers. You've uprooted an unrelated flowerbed.'
Good thing, really. Focusing on Myeol Sa Army had loosened his guard on Moyong Gun. This reminded him how dangerous the man could be.
'Not as man Yeon Hojeong—as the Black Path's emperor, the Black Dark Emperor. I'll show you that fight.'
No more going soft. He vowed it again and again.
Then Gadeuksang refilled his cup.
"Kuhum! Man, no snacks?"
"......"
"Ease up that scowl. Can't breathe with all this menace. Keeps making me wanna piss."
Yeon Hojeong sighed softly.
"Sorry."
"Nah, no need. Not like you gotta apologize."
Gadeuksang smacked his lips.
"That bastard went too far this time."
Yeon Hojeong chuckled despite himself. Probably only Gadeuksang in the world would call Moyong Gun that.
"Can't just grab and kill him now, though. Deserves it, but we're on mission. Can't smash his skull yet."
Don't forget your duty.
Yeon Hojeong agreed.
"Sorry. Made you worry needlessly."
"Told you it's fine. Hell, when I first heard, I nearly flipped. You vented my share—thanks."
Bitterness crossed Yeon Hojeong's face.
"My fault. Knew he'd scheme, but thought our shared fate meant he wouldn't cross lines."
"You wanted to believe he wouldn't."
"Yeah, that's right."
Gadeuksang sighed.
"Sucks, but what can we do? Hate to say it, but even forewarned, we couldn't have stopped it."
True. Beyond their control from the start.
"All we can do is break that mad dog's legs so he can't pull this shit again."
"Right."
"Chin up. Mission ain't over. Last one—stay sharp."
"Huigae's right."
Then—
"Woooah! Finally here!"
A familiar voice.
Fsssh.
A burst of potent alcohol scent wafted from Yeon Hojeong as his Azure Dragon Qi evaporated the poison.
The group left the room for the courtyard.
There stood a man and woman who'd just entered through the main gate.
One was Jegal A-yeon; the other, a sturdy youth masked by a wind scarf.
Slipping it down.
He revealed his face—haggard, confusion etched deep.
"Gang Ryang."
"......I see my benefactor."
Yeon Hojeong nodded toward the guest hall.
"Inside."