The United Army Marches (2)
Five days later.
Moyong Gun visited the Military Affairs Department.
“You’ve arrived?”
“Are you busy?”
“It’s fine. Please speak freely.”
Moyong Gun’s eyes sharpened.
“Are you truly alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“At the last meeting, you suggested postponing the election until next year and proposed the formation of a joint army.”
“I did.”
“Did the heads of the Yeon and Dang families tell you to make the first move?”
Jegal Mun-ho smiled.
“That couldn’t possibly be the case. I took the initiative on my own.”
Moyong Gun looked puzzled.
Originally, he had been the one who was supposed to bring up the proposal at the Bonggong Council. Yet Jegal Mun-ho had brought it up first and even strongly recommended it.
Both Moyong Gun and the Dang family members, who had originally wanted this outcome, had cast their votes in favor. However, Moyong Gun himself could only feel bewildered.
“Just what are you thinking?”
“Are you asking why I proposed it first?”
“Yes. A smart man like you had no reason to shoulder such a burden and take a loss like that.”
This proposal carried significant political baggage in many ways.
For Jegal Mun-ho, who viewed Moyong Gun with caution, there was no need to bear that weight alone.
Jegal Mun-ho shook his head.
“It’s not a matter of bearing responsibility or not. I found the proposal interesting, and more importantly, I believe this path is the right one.”
“Why?”
“I consider the Moyong family head a dangerous man. However, before that, you are clearly a member of the Bonggong Council. If you had been the one to raise this issue, regardless of the proposal’s merits, there was a high chance it would have sparked unnecessary conflict.”
“……”
“This much is something a military strategist like myself can afford to shoulder. I have no hidden motives, so you need not worry.”
Moyong Gun thought that was absolutely impossible.
Of course, Jegal Mun-ho was the kind of man who would sacrifice his own life for the public good and the Martial Alliance. But this matter was far too disadvantageous for him. There must be something else going on.
As if reading Moyong Gun’s thoughts, Jegal Mun-ho spoke in a calm voice.
“To a good man’s eyes, the cup offered by another appears as goodwill. To an evil man’s eyes, the same cup appears as a poisoned chalice.”
“……”
“I know you must be surprised, but I truly have no other intentions. Please rest easy.”
“Can I believe that?”
“Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Furthermore, I believe now is not the time to be concerned with such things, is it?”
Jegal Mun-ho waved a single document.
“This is the agenda I will present at tomorrow’s Bonggong Council. It states that the Tangma Myeolsa Army must be unified and dispatched to the Central Plains as quickly as possible.”
“……”
“As an elder of the Martial Alliance and as the leader of the Honam Moyong family that harbors a fierce hatred for foreign invaders, I hope you will provide great support to those who will soon march to war.”
Moyong Gun stared at Jegal Mun-ho for a long moment before nodding.
“Tomorrow at the Bonggong Council, I will speak my mind.”
“Please do.”
“Since I’m already here, let me ask one more thing. I know you’ve been secretly investigating the council members. Have any results come out yet?”
Jegal Mun-ho shook his head.
“No conclusive results have emerged yet. However…”
“However?”
“The probability that Seunghyeon Jinin of Wudang has joined hands with the Three Sects is extremely low. Of course, we cannot be completely certain yet.”
Moyong Gun nodded. He had thought the same.
“However, in the unlikely event that a spy from the enemy exists among the council members, I have narrowed down the few individuals with the highest probability.”
“Who are they?”
Jegal Mun-ho simply stared at Moyong Gun in silence.
Moyong Gun spoke with a frustrated expression.
“Not trusting me is your prerogative as the strategist, but at the very least, I also despise those bastards…”
“It is not that I do not trust the family head on that matter. I am simply being cautious.”
“Cautious?”
Once again, Jegal Mun-ho closed his mouth and simply stared intently at Moyong Gun.
Moyong Gun, feeling inexplicably frustrated and about to speak, suddenly had a thought and widened his eyes.
“……”
“Don’t tell me it’s one of our own council members?”
“That is correct. To be precise, one of the most likely candidates belongs to that side.”
“Who is it?”
“I cannot tell you.”
Jegal Mun-ho was resolute.
“I have not spoken of this to anyone yet. It is a matter that requires the utmost caution. If there truly is a spy among the council members and that spy realizes an investigation has begun, we will never be able to catch them.”
“……”
“Since it is you, the Moyong family head, I have at least told you that one of the candidates is from that side. In that regard, you are not someone who would make mistakes, are you?”
Moyong Gun’s eyes deepened.
Jegal Mun-ho spoke as if sighing.
“Crucially, this is nothing more than a possibility. If there is a spy among the council members, the odds are high that it is one of them. It is not that we are unconditionally suspecting them.”
“……”
“I will handle internal affairs myself, so leave that part to me and focus on what you must do from your position. That is the path that benefits everyone.”
“I will take your advice to heart.”
“I will say it once more. Do not act rashly. Attempting to dig up more information or setting traps is absolutely forbidden.”
Jegal Mun-ho’s eyes sharpened.
“If the family head does such a thing, I will throw you into the dungeon even if I have to fabricate charges against you.”
He was not speaking lightly. Jegal Mun-ho truly meant it.
The weight and sincerity behind those words were not something even the great Moyong Gun could take lightly.
Moyong Gun nodded.
“Promise me this. The moment you are certain of the spy’s identity, you must inform me immediately.”
“Of course. Not only will I inform you, but I will inform everyone who knows about this matter. Do not worry.”
“Understood.”
Moyong Gun left the office.
Jegal Mun-ho, who had maintained a stiff expression, let out a soft sigh and leaned back in his chair.
“At this rate, I’ll be completely white-haired in less than five years.”
Strategists often paid more attention to external affairs than internal ones.
However, Jegal Mun-ho worked diligently without distinguishing between the two. His work was fast and accurate, making him one of the greatest contributors to the Martial Alliance’s smooth growth thus far.
Now, he had to deal with not only foreign enemies but also the possible existence of spies, and even the relationships between the council members. It was truly a workload that would require ten bodies to handle.
Jegal Mun-ho fell into thought. With this, my influence has grown stronger, and I have drawn everyone’s attention at the same time.
The reason he had preempted Moyong Gun’s proposal and brought it up at the meeting was to increase his own political influence.
If Moyong Gun had proposed it, it would have turned into a fight. But when the strategist proposed it, it became a serious discussion. And since many would support the proposal, the Alliance Leader election would be postponed by a year, and the two armies would be merged into one.
Successfully accomplishing such a major task would inevitably strengthen Jegal Mun-ho’s influence. Naturally, the eyes of the council members would focus on him.
That was exactly what Jegal Mun-ho was aiming for. If there truly is a spy among the council members, they will watch me the most closely.
He did not mind that. No, in fact, it had to be that way.
Because while the enemies focused on him, his allies—and the unparalleled monsters among them—would move in secret to crush the foe.
That was why Jegal Mun-ho had stolen Moyong Gun’s idea and taken the initiative.
“……”
“Still…”
Jegal Mun-ho’s eyes deepened.
“Could they really be the spies?”
Jegal Mun-ho was not a man with time to spare. If, after a reasonable investigation, he concluded that the idea made no sense, he would have dropped it long ago.
Yet astonishingly, as he investigated the council members, one or two suspicious individuals began to emerge. Are all of them spies? Or is only one of them? If they are spies, why have they remained silent until now? Of course, we have been moving secretly without the council’s knowledge, but even considering that, they have been far too quiet.
After pondering for a long time, Jegal Mun-ho shook his head. No. I shouldn’t entertain useless thoughts either. The investigation comes first. Speculating about what might have happened or why they didn’t act can wait until later.
What was important was that the Three Sects were dangerous enough that the possibility of them turning a Bonggong Council member into a spy had to be seriously considered.
“Truly…”
Jegal Mun-ho could not hold back a sigh.
“Just where is this gangho headed?”
* * *
“Ugh…”
Muk Bi clicked her tongue as she watched Yeon Hojeong groan and rub his shoulder.
“You’ve really become the neighborhood punching bag.”
“Shut up. You should have seen that martial art yourself. It’s a miracle I didn’t cross over to the afterlife.”
“Then you shouldn’t have fought them.”
“Hey, look at these amazing weapons. After receiving such a huge gift, I have to repay it properly, don’t I?”
“That’s hilarious. You got all excited and volunteered to test them yourself, then ended up crawling on the ground covered in blood.”
It was a remark that left him speechless. And it was also the truth.
Yeon Hojeong smacked his lips.
“Anyway, it’s fortunate that it ended at this level.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“It hurts. Let’s take it easy.”
“Whether we take it easy or not is up to me.”
“Why are you so prickly today?”
“Me? If I were really prickly, I wouldn’t be talking. I’d just pick up my bow.”
“Good heavens…”
“So stop dawdling and put on your armor already! The army is waiting!”
At Muk Bi’s sharp shout, Yeon Hojeong grumbled.
“You really act like you own the place. Fine, just wait a moment.”
A short while later.
Yeon Hojeong appeared wearing the light armor of the Myeolsa Army Commander.
Unlike usual, the coiled Flood Dragon Chain was fastened to his right belt, and the Black and White Twin Dragon Axes gifted by Dang Gwan were slung diagonally across his back.
With the Mad Dragon Axe resting heavily on his shoulder, Yeon Hojeong truly looked like a commander for the first time in a long while.
Muk Bi slapped his shoulder and urged him on.
“Hurry up, hurry.”
“Ah, go easy on me. I’m not fully healed yet. By the way, no horses?”
“What have you done to deserve riding a horse? Run!”
“Damn it.”
Boom!
The two of them shot forward using exquisite footwork.
Yeon Hojeong asked.
“What about my brother?”
“He’ll be waiting. You know what Moyong Army Commander’s personality is like. He’s probably drilled strict discipline into his troops to suppress any complaints.”
“True. That man is good at that sort of thing.”
“By the way, Young Master Yeon.”
“We’re on official duty.”
“Are we really marching out?”
“You really don’t listen, do you?”
“Just answer me. Are we marching out the moment the armies merge? Rumors are spreading everywhere in the Alliance.”
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
“Not immediately, but soon. The founding ceremony is just that—a ceremony. We still need the minimum time to coordinate with each other.”
“So we are going eventually.”
“Why? Are you excited?”
“Who knows?”
Muk Bi smacked her lips.
“Well, going out into the gangho is definitely more fun than staying in the Martial Alliance.”
“When we go out, battles will inevitably break out. There will be blood and death. You shouldn’t look forward to such things already.”
“I’m not looking forward to it. I simply believe that if someone has to do it, it’s better that I do it.”
Chatting casually, the two soon arrived at a massive training ground.
There, a colossal unit of five hundred and fifty soldiers stood in perfect formation.
Yeon Hojeong took a deep breath.
Muk Bi smiled and asked.
“Nervous?”
“I suppose. I don’t know why I’m feeling nervous about this.”
“You’re being unnecessarily honest.”
“Heh heh heh.”
Laughing in a bizarre manner like an old man, Yeon Hojeong lightly patted his own cheeks.
“Right. Shall we go?”