Shifting Currents (5)
Muk Bi left the room, leaving only three people behind.
Yeon Hojeong turned to Moyong Woo.
“If anything else comes up that needs to be passed down, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, keep the Tangma Army and Myeolsa Army in line.”
Moyong Woo looked puzzled.
“The Myeolsa Army as well?”
“Why? You’re the second-in-command of the Uijeong Army. Isn’t that only natural?”
“Well… I suppose it is.”
Being called the second-in-command felt awkward, and he felt a twinge of guilt toward Muk Bi.
Yeon Hojeong spoke evenly.
“Regardless of how the Tangma Army sees me, the two units still haven’t truly become one. Of course, that won’t be solved just because we try, but we should at least lay the groundwork.”
“Mm. You’re right.”
“Their temperaments are completely different, but there will be times when they have to operate together depending on the situation. One mission is over, so it’s time they started learning each other’s rhythms.”
Moyong Woo nodded.
“I’ve been thinking the same thing. I was planning to push it forward when the Myeolsa Army’s strategist was present.”
“Sometimes it’s good to clash without knowing anything. We seem to have some free time right now, so why not let them butt heads properly?”
“Understood. I’ll do that.”
Moyong Woo rose from his seat.
“If nothing comes up today, let’s have a drink later. What do you say?”
“Only if nothing comes up.”
Moyong Woo chuckled.
“As your elder brother, I have to say this— you need to learn how to rest. No one can deny you’re a genius the likes of which we rarely see, but if you look around, there are plenty of talented people.”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“That’s why I’m handing over authority regarding the Tangma and Myeolsa Armies to you.”
“You really are something.”
With that, Moyong Woo left the room.
Yeon Hojeong looked at Sama Hyeon.
Sama Hyeon met his gaze and asked bluntly,
“What is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“You deliberately sent everyone else away. What is it you want to say to me?”
“I didn’t deliberately send them away.”
“Either way, it means you have something to say to me.”
“Plenty. It’s just that the situation didn’t allow it until now.”
“I also have questions, so this works out well.”
“Oh? Then ask first.”
Sama Hyeon’s eyes darkened.
“Why did you summon me here?”
Yeon Hojeong gave a small laugh.
“I thought you’d ask something more impressive.”
“For me, there is no question more important than this.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll answer simply. Join us.”
“I refuse.”
The calm offer was met with a blade-sharp rejection.
Yeon Hojeong asked,
“Why?”
“Are you joking? I’m an assassin.”
“I know that, you idiot.”
“Hong Gwan— no, Yayul Jeok. That bastard killed my parents and raised me as an assassin while erasing my memories. The years I’ve lived that way are longer than the years I lived normally.”
“I know that too.”
“If you know, then that’s fine. I became an assassin. The skills and knowledge I’ve seen and learned in my life won’t just disappear.”
It meant that even if he wanted to cast it off, he couldn’t.
Yeon Hojeong understood what Sama Hyeon was saying. His enemy had raised him as an assassin. He had killed that enemy, but all that remained for him now were the skills and life of an assassin.
Words like “cast it off” or “live a different life” had no effect on him. His body and soul had already been specialized as an assassin’s.
At least, that was what Sama Hyeon believed.
Yeon Hojeong did not.
“So, do you intend to keep living as an assassin? To become the new Shadow God and carry on the legendary reputation of the Shadow God from the past?”
“……”
“It seems you haven’t decided yet.”
“No, I haven’t.”
At the very least, Sama Hyeon was honest. That was why Yeon Hojeong held him in high regard.
Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
“You don’t have to join us if you don’t want to. It’s a shame on my end since I’m the one making the offer, but if that’s your choice, I can’t force you.”
“……”
“Like I said, I wanted to recruit you. That’s why I called you here. It’s just that I’ve been too busy to keep you around until now.”
“Calling someone here and then treating them this way is quite rude.”
“But what did you do during that time?”
“……?”
“You had more than ten days. You still haven’t decided what you’re going to do next?”
Sama Hyeon’s eyes deepened.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced something like this, but this isn’t a matter light enough to decide in just ten days.”
“Just ten days? Don’t make me laugh. Department Head Muk got over the deaths of her sworn siblings in three days. She may not have decided on the purpose of her life yet, but it didn’t even take her a day to take that first step.”
“……!”
“It’s good to think deeply, but there’s no need to overthink it. If you’ve thought about it and still can’t find an answer, then you have no choice but to start walking. Isn’t that what life is?”
“……”
“If you were born, so you live, and if there’s no reason to die, so you live— that’s your freedom too. But if you’re going to live that way, at least don’t work as an assassin.”
“Why is that?”
“The moment you kill someone for money, a reason for you to die is born.”
“……!!”
“I’ll kill you without hesitation. If you want to die, then do that work.”
Sama Hyeon’s eyes grew slightly bloodshot.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Did it sound like a joke?”
“Ridiculous. Under the pretext of a greater cause, leaving not even a single blade of grass in enemy territory— the righteous sects are no different.”
“Well said. At least we have the justification of a greater cause. What gives you the confidence to kill people for money? Without even a deep, thoughtful justification, what kind of person are you to kill others just to keep your pathetic life going?”
Sama Hyeon’s cheeks trembled.
Yeon Hojeong’s words denied the very existence of assassins.
“If you want to eat and live, don’t kill people— farm instead. Do business, or work under a merchant, or do manual labor. Even ordinary work is enough to live on without any problems.”
“……”
“What? Are you upset you can’t use the assassination skills you learned? Or do those jobs seem too easy?”
“Don’t speak so lightly.”
“I’m speaking lightly because I don’t think you’d understand if I twisted it into something complicated, you fool.”
“……”
“I’ll give you a few more words of advice. You were forced into the life of an assassin by your enemy? Break free from it. If you live by using the skills of the assassin who killed your parents and siblings on complete strangers, you’ll never escape Yayul Jeok’s shadow even if you die and come back to life.”
“……!”
“On the other hand, if you think of it as just one of the countless things you’ll learn in the future, then even if you can’t benefit the world, don’t think about taking the lives of people who have nothing to do with you.”
A stern air settled in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes.
“Power is responsibility. And that power comes, in small ways, from civil and military affairs, and in large ways, from organizations and society. That’s why no one who belongs to society can be free from the responsibility that power brings.”
“……”
“If you want to use assassination techniques, use them for the world. If you want to seal them away, leave the martial world and live an ordinary life. This is the last gift I can give to a wishy-washy fool who couldn’t decide on anything even after more than ten days.”
Yeon Hojeong stood up and continued.
“The Alliance gave me quite a bit of public funds. There’s no problem feeding one more person. Whether you join us, live ordinarily, or return to being an assassin, think it over comfortably here.”
“……”
“We don’t know when we’ll leave, though. Make your decision before then.”
Sama Hyeon spoke as if tossing the words out.
“You really do speak in a simple way.”
“I live in a world where if you don’t simplify things, your life is in danger at every moment. That’s the same for you and me. However……”
“……”
“Hey.”
“……?”
“Now that I think about it, isn’t this my room? Why do I have to stand up?”
“……”
“If you have nothing else to say, get out, you bastard.”
Sama Hyeon stared up at Yeon Hojeong for a moment before suddenly standing and storming out of the room with heavy footsteps.
Yeon Hojeong clicked his tongue.
“Did I piss him off?”
He felt he might have gone a bit too far.
Sama Hyeon was an honest fellow. His achievements were remarkable for his age, and even though he had been raised as an assassin, he knew how to empathize with others.
That was why Yeon Hojeong had spoken so harshly. He believed the young man wouldn’t go astray from this level of provocation, and if he couldn’t decide, it was meant to push him to at least start moving.
Still, as the conversation went on, he had grown frustrated and lashed out more than necessary.
“There really are a lot of difficult people.”
Yeon Hojeong buried his head in the chair.
“I guess that includes me too……”
One shichen later.
While Yeon Hojeong had his eyes closed, pondering the power of the Yeon Family Divine Elixir from various angles, he sensed Ga Deuk-sang’s presence.
‘He’s definitely improved as the Junior Beggar Leader.’
Even while handling that much information, his skills had grown compared to a few days ago. The increased density of his internal energy and his noticeably lighter footsteps proved it.
Yeon Hojeong opened his eyes and straightened his posture.
A moment later.
“Daesu. I’ll come in.”
“Come in.”
The door opened and Ga Deuk-sang entered.
“How did it go?”
Ga Deuk-sang’s face was quite serious and dark. Yeon Hojeong’s expression also grew grave.
“Things are getting very complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
“They said they want to meet you, Daesu.”
“……”
“I tried to brush it off, but they were insistent. Of course, as the Martial Alliance’s information advisor, I could have refused their request. However……”
“You didn’t do it on purpose.”
“That’s right.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes gleamed.
“Earlier, the Junior Beggar Leader said this. The fact that Yang Cheon, Lord of the Black Dragon Department, sent a letter to me instead of the Martial Alliance headquarters first was a choice made because he knew my influence was considerable.”
“That’s correct.”
“But now another faction of Botam wants to see me as well. What do you think that means?”
“It means they know it too. Your influence, Daesu.”
“Didn’t you say Botam wasn’t strong in the information department?”
“I did.”
Ga Deuk-sang frowned.
“It seems the influence of the Black Dragon Department Lord has reached them.”
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
“So they sent a letter asking me to welcome the person they’re sending?”
This proved that Yang Cheon was deeply involved in the Botam incident.
And Yang Cheon had likely anticipated that Yeon Hojeong’s side would see through to that point as well.
‘His handling of matters is quick and smooth. Much more so than before.’
He might have gained some kind of enlightenment while expelling the poison of the Shadow Emperor Divine Palm.
The important thing was that Yang Cheon was determined to crush Botam.
‘This is hard to touch.’
He couldn’t tell him not to do it, or ask what he was doing.
The current Yang Cheon was not the Yang Cheon of the past. Although Botam was classified as an orthodox sect, it had such an independent character that it was difficult to intervene easily.
‘The fact that he’s trying to drag me into this means he’s truly confident he can pull it off.’
Ga Deuk-sang asked,
“Will you meet them?”
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t refuse? Then I’ll meet them.”
“I’m sorry about this.”
“No. Rather, I’m grateful. It seems the Junior Beggar Leader has finally started to understand my way of handling things.”
“……”
“Just in case, leave the axe behind.”
“I won’t cause any trouble.”
“Like leaving a drunkard in charge of a wine jar.”
“If that’s how you feel, why tell me to meet them?”
“Damn it, you’re right about that.”
Ga Deuk-sang grumbled.
“I’ll set it for tomorrow at noon.”
“Junior Beggar Leader.”
“Yes?”
After a moment of thought, Yeon Hojeong spoke as if tossing the words out.
“Keep a close eye on how the Black Dragon Department’s information unit moves.”
“Huh? Why the Black Dragon Department all of a sudden?”
“Didn’t you say Botam has three factions? If one is the Black Dragon Department and one is our side, then what about the remaining one?”
“……!”
“I can’t predict how they’ll move. That’s why I’m asking you to watch them.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes turned cold.
“I don’t think they’ll do anything crazy…… but it seems Lord Yang has become quite the politician as well.”
A politician never forgets what was done to them.