The Future Carried in the Sword (7)
“What did you say?”
Jegal Mun-ho’s face grew grave.
“Explain in detail.”
The Beggars’ Sect’s Threefold Envoy sent directly by Ga Deuk-sang relayed every detail: the current state of the Righteous Army, the situation in Guangdong, and even the approach of one faction from Botam.
“Botam… one of Botam’s factions went to see the Grand Commander…”
He had already received reports that the representative and successor of the Lotus Gate—one of Botam’s three factions—had headed toward the Black Dragon Department in Hunan.
He had informed Gong Gong Dae-sa first, and because of the sensitivity of the matter, he had not yet disclosed it at the Phoenix Council. He intended to reveal it soon, but the times were too turbulent, so he was waiting for the right moment.
Of course, that moment would come only after receiving a reply to the letter Gong Gong Dae-sa had sent to Botam. ‘Yet another faction has gone to the Grand Commander?’ Jegal Mun-ho’s index finger drummed repeatedly on the table. ‘Why on earth?’
The reputation of Yeon Hojeong, Commander of the Righteous Army and Left Commander of the Martial Alliance’s unified forces, was considerable. Considering his age, achieving such renown at so young a time was no easy feat. Some quarters even suspected the Martial Alliance was excessively promoting a young expert, inflating his reputation with foam.
It was, of course, a misunderstanding. Given Yeon Hojeong’s abilities, the fame of the Wall Mountain Tiger General that had spread across the Central Plains was, if anything, greatly understated.
Whatever the case, Yeon Hojeong’s reputation among the rising stars was unmatched. However… ‘They wouldn’t have gone to ask the Grand Commander for a personal favor. If anything, they went to request something from the Alliance through him.’
No matter how outstanding Yeon Hojeong’s reputation, he was still one of the rising stars. In other words, he could not surpass the prestige of the Martial Alliance as an organization. That was only natural. Even a powerhouse among the Holy Thirteen could not outshine a collective’s renown as an individual.
Yet another faction of Botam—the Thousand Eyes Gate—had sent its representative and successor to Yeon Hojeong? ‘It’s one of two things. Either they intend to win the Grand Commander over, or…’
Someone had interfered from the middle.
The possibilities were endless. If one thought more radically, one could even imagine that Yeon Hojeong and Botam had maintained some secret connection since the past, unknown to the Martial Alliance.
Naturally, Jegal Mun-ho discarded all such absurd speculations. Beyond his trust in Yeon Hojeong, it was not something a man as intelligent as him would do. ‘Botam has three factions. The Lotus Gate went to the Black Dragon Department, and the Thousand Eyes Gate went to the Grand Commander. Then what about the remaining one?’
Jegal Mun-ho’s eyes deepened.
The information was far too sparse. Botam belonged to the Buddhist sects, and even though he had received word that internal conflict continued within the temple, he had not investigated properly.
It was only natural. Botam was neither a Buddhist sect affiliated with the Alliance nor a member of the Council. Conducting an independent investigation when they had not committed any atrocity that everyone would acknowledge crossed a line. ‘Whatever the case, the conflict that erupted in Botam seems larger than expected. The very fact that a representative of one of its factions visited the Black Dragon Department before approaching the Grand Commander…’
After pondering various thoughts, Jegal Mun-ho eventually nodded.
“I understand for now. You’ve worked hard.”
“Thank you. And this is…”
The Beggars’ Sect disciple took out a small letter from his robe.
Despite wearing tattered clothes, the letter itself was pristine.
Jegal Mun-ho’s eyes gleamed.
“After the Junior Beggar delivered his message, he instructed me to pass this letter along as well.”
“I see.”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“Thank you.”
Once the disciple left, Jegal Mun-ho immediately unfolded the letter.
His eyes sparkled.
Therefore, both the Grand Commander and I suspect that the Black Dragon Department has actively intervened in this matter. There is no clear physical evidence, but considering that a letter arrived directly for the Lord of the Black Dragon Department, it can be considered almost certain under the circumstances.
However, given the unique nature of Botam as a sect and the lack of a clear causal link with the Black Dragon Department, any forced investigation risks political pressure. If you organize this matter and issue orders, we will conduct an independent operation through the Beggars’ Sect.
So that’s what happened.
Jegal Mun-ho’s mind began spinning rapidly once more. ‘Botam… Botam’s symbol is the Sword Queen. With the martial prowess of the Lord of the Black Dragon Department, even the Sword Queen of the world would have nothing to fear, let alone when comparing collective strength. If the Lord of the Black Dragon Department truly instigated discord within Botam, then the reason would be…’
In that instant, Jegal Mun-ho let out an exclamation.
“Indeed. For the current Black Dragon Department, the existence of the Sword Queen would hardly be welcome.”
To ascend to the position of Sword Queen, Botam’s final candidate required proof of virtue and vice beyond mere martial skill.
That was why candidates for Sword Queen emerged into the Central Plains with each generation, quietly accumulating virtue and suppressing evil before returning to Botam.
Of course, few people knew this fact. The same held true even for the high-ranking officials of the Martial Alliance.
A female swordmaster who deliberately concealed her existence would carry out righteous deeds for months or even years under the resolve to punish evil. Since the candidates had already reached completion in martial arts, hiding themselves would not have been difficult.
Jegal Mun-ho himself would not have known had Gong Gong Dae-sa not told him. ‘The Black Dragon Department is a newly formed coalition. Although the presence of a giant like Yang Cheon is immense, it is still difficult to maintain a stable foundation when viewed as a single organization. That can only be entrusted to time.’
What people mistakenly believed was that if one possessed sufficient military and financial power, establishing an organization would be easy.
It was possible, of course. The problem was sustainability.
Whether it would shine for a single generation and vanish or endure for hundreds of years depended on the authority, character, and direction of the sect in question.
What evaluations had it received over the long years? What kind of power did it wield, and toward what goals?
Timing and fortune must align, and relations with the people’s hearts and other sects were also important.
In that regard, the Black Dragon Department had not yet shown much to the world. In other words, it still carried the negative perception people held of the unorthodox factions in full.
In such a situation, if a Sword Queen candidate emerged into the world claiming to punish evil? ‘She would inevitably face challenges. The Sword Queen candidate, too, would not be able to overlook the Black Dragon Department—an alliance of unorthodox factions—in order to prove her own strength and ideology. Whoever loses, the very fact of being challenged would undermine Yang Cheon’s dignity.’
Yang Cheon, the invincible fighter who had lived through struggles with the world.
No matter how great the Sword Queen candidate’s martial arts might be, surpassing Yang Cheon would not be easy.
Naturally, Yang Cheon had not reduced Botam to such a state out of fear of the Sword Queen. What he feared was not defeat, but the influence and presence of the Black Dragon Department. ‘As expected of Yang Cheon. If he has seen this far ahead, he truly is no ordinary man.’
Although there was still no definitive evidence, Jegal Mun-ho was already convinced that Yang Cheon stood behind Botam’s conflict.
For a strategist, conviction without evidence was an extremely dangerous choice. Nevertheless, the reason he held such certainty in this matter was because he trusted the abilities of Yeon Hojeong and Ga Deuk-sang. ‘Let us proceed under that assumption for now. Then one question remains.’
Yang Cheon could lend his support to one of the three factions. If he did so, the likelihood of a Sword Queen emerging from that faction would increase, and furthermore, the Black Dragon Department and Botam could become allies.
In other words, the discord within Botam must not be discovered by anyone. Yet Yang Cheon had sent a letter to Yeon Hojeong, telling him to take good care of one of Botam’s factions.
For what reason? ‘His goal is not to seize Botam.’
Nor was it to completely destroy Botam. If he had intended to erase Botam, he would have marched in personally and beheaded everyone involved. Yang Cheon possessed that much power.
Then what? ‘He intends to use Botam to accomplish something.’
A strategist must be able to foresee one move ahead by reading circumstances, personal character, position, and the flow of the times, even in situations where nothing could be confirmed with certainty.
In that sense, unlike Yeon Hojeong who predicted one step ahead through experience and intuition, Jegal Mun-ho was unmistakably a strategist among strategists.
Jegal Mun-ho quickly wrote a letter. ‘Now is not the time to act rashly, Vice Lord Yang.’
The atmosphere among the Martial Alliance’s leadership had turned ice-cold due to Deung Cheon-gyo’s explosive remarks.
The existence of the Three Sects had already been exposed to everyone. If by any chance Yang Cheon intended to use Botam to deal with the Three Sects, it was something that must be stopped at all costs, even before considering the paths of light and darkness.
“Are you out there?”
“Yes, Military Counselor.”
The door opened and a warrior from the Military Counselor’s office entered.
Jegal Mun-ho handed over two letters.
“Deliver this to the Junior Beggar, and let this one leak to the information network of the Black Dragon Department in Hunan.”
“……Yes?”
“There is no time! Hurry!”
“Ah, yes!”
The warrior took the letters and left the room.
Jegal Mun-ho also rose from his seat.
The situation was growing quite urgent. This was no time to sit leisurely in his office reviewing documents.
Jegal Mun-ho, now properly attired, left the office.
The place he headed toward was Moyong Gun’s residence.
* * *
Shocked by Beom-oh’s thunderous roar and the aftereffects of his Buddhist technique, Hwa-un shed tears of blood before fainting.
Even after three days, the unconscious Hwa-un did not wake. It was not that she had suffered internal injuries or overexerted her body, but rather because Beom-oh’s Prajna Great Ability had shaken the Buddhist technique she had cultivated, sweeping away the chaos lodged in her middle dantian.
The middle dantian, disturbed by external force, surged upward to the upper dantian and struck her mind and soul. She would not rise for some time.
“By the way, it’s truly remarkable once again.”
At Yeon Hojeong’s words, Beom-oh, who had been drinking tea, blinked.
“What is?”
“A powerhouse of that caliber still hasn’t regained her senses after three days. It seems Monk Beom-oh’s lion’s roar was quite powerful.”
Beom-oh gave a bitter smile.
“The Prajna Great Ability is one of the supreme divine arts of Buddhism. Anyone who has cultivated the anti-demonic Buddhist energy cannot help but become powerless before the power of prajna.”
“Oh?”
“However, it was only possible because she herself clearly recognized her own wrongdoing. If she had felt not even a shred of guilt, the power of prajna would have been useless.”
The lion’s roar was not a simple martial art.
It was the sound of enlightenment that shook delusions with a single shout. Of course, only when the caster’s inner energy and enlightenment were extraordinary would its effect manifest properly.
“In any case, when she wakes up later, will she be somewhat different from before?”
“That is also unknown. If one could attain enlightenment through a single shout, who in this world would not be an enlightened one? Such a thing is impossible unless one is the Buddha himself.”
“True.”
“I merely informed her that her path was wrong and created a crack in her delusions. In the end, everything depends on her.”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“Now you truly seem like a proper monk.”
Beom-oh laughed awkwardly.
“I’ve shown you far too many shameful sides, Grand Commander.”
“It was full of humanity and rather nice, actually.”
“Hahaha.”
It was while the two were engaged in peaceful conversation.
“Grand Commander!”
Ga Deuk-sang’s voice rang out from beyond the window.
“What’s the matter?”
“A message has arrived from the Military Counselor! However…”
“Hmm?”
Ga Deuk-sang, who had already reached the window, wore a face filled with worry.
“It seems the existence of the Three Sects has been revealed at the Phoenix Council.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes turned cold.