The Time of Patience (5)
After the meeting ended, the hall leaders and elders filed out of the conference hall.
Jegal Mun-ho, who had remained seated the entire time, watched as Gong Gong Dae-sa rose last.
Gong Gong Dae-sa gave a silent nod and left the hall. It was clearly a sign that they would speak in detail later.
“Huu.”
Jegal Mun-ho let out a long sigh, straightened the table, and exited the conference hall.
It was then.
“It seems the discussion went well.”
Jegal Mun-ho turned his head. There stood Yeon Hojeong with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall, and Moyong Gun, who had been too busy managing the Punishment Hall to attend the meeting.
Jegal Mun-ho’s eyes deepened.
“The two of you?”
Yeon Hojeong gave a bitter smile.
“Three of us. The Moyong Family Head and I began it, and Great Monk Gong Gong wrapped it up.”
Jegal Mun-ho, who had been quietly observing the pair, asked bluntly, “How?”
Moyong Gun answered calmly.
“Yong-hwa Jinin was once a man who shared the same ideals as me. Few know as much as I do about the internal power struggles inside Mount Hua.”
“So that’s why? To help with this Yong-hwa Jinin business, you propped up Yong-seon Jinin—who stood in direct opposition to him—by lending him strength?”
That was correct.
With Yong-hwa Jinin dead, the backlash from Mount Hua Sect would be extreme. Regardless of the man’s character, he had been their sect leader.
Yet many within Mount Hua believed Yong-hwa Jinin was unfit to lead. More precisely, there were those who disliked and even hated him.
Yong-seon Jinin was one of them. He believed Yong-hwa Jinin’s worldly nature had caused Mount Hua’s honor to fall into the dirt.
And in truth, it had. Though Mount Hua remained a prestigious sect of the Central Plains, it was losing its former lofty reputation day by day.
For that reason, another faction within Mount Hua had been secretly plotting to impeach Yong-hwa Jinin. Yong-seon Jinin led that faction.
And Yong-seon Jinin had accepted Yeon Hojeong and Moyong Gun’s proposal with surprising enthusiasm.
“Yong-seon Jinin is a realistic man. In that sense he resembles Yong-hwa Jinin. But while Yong-hwa Jinin was obsessed with nothing but accumulating treasures, Yong-seon Jinin is different. He dreams of restoring Mount Hua’s past glory through practical means.”
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
“Moreover, he has the ambition to achieve great merit in this war. He also desires to become sect leader and reform Mount Hua.”
Jegal Mun-ho’s eyes sharpened.
“So you intend to make Yong-seon Jinin the new sect leader?”
“That is beyond our power.”
Moyong Gun shrugged.
“Deciding the head of one’s own faction is not something outsiders can meddle in. However, if the Great Monk and I publicly vouch for Yong-seon Jinin’s character and ability, his chances of becoming sect leader will be greater than anyone else’s.”
Jegal Mun-ho stared at them in silence for a moment, then sighed.
“You could have at least given me some notice.”
“If we had? Would your military advisor nature have allowed us to proceed?”
“Given the Moyong Family Head’s personality, you would have forced it through even if I objected. And…”
Jegal Mun-ho glanced at Yeon Hojeong.
“Especially with the Yeon Captain’s approval.”
Yeon Hojeong clicked his tongue.
“I apologize for moving without consulting you. However…”
“I know. This is not the time for us to fight among ourselves. We must combine our strength and somehow overcome this chaotic situation. I understand your heart.”
“Thank you.”
“That said, this kind of method cannot be allowed. I myself chose an excessively radical approach to catch the spies, but to think of replacing another sect’s leader? This truly crosses the line.”
Moyong Gun laughed coldly.
“Didn’t the military advisor say it? We are at war.”
“……”
“In war, anything can happen. Moreover, this is me lending a hand to the military advisor’s dream of uniting the Martial Alliance. Yet you speak of crossing the line? Isn’t that viewing the situation far too optimistically?”
“Moyong Family Head.”
“Shouldn’t you be thanking us?”
“……”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You were the one who declared that, until a suitable talent for the empty Alliance Leader position could be found, you would make the Martial Alliance function properly. Then this is something to be grateful for. Why scold us over what bothers you?”
Moyong Gun frowned.
“Did you truly believe apologizing to Mount Hua would earn forgiveness? Did you think someone would step forward to save you?”
“……”
“Or is your pride wounded because this happened in a place you knew nothing about?”
Jegal Mun-ho’s face hardened.
“Your words are too harsh.”
“Look at the situation properly!”
Power surged into Moyong Gun’s voice.
“To those with ambition, giving up is a necessity. If the world were so easy that one could achieve their desires while minding every moral principle, war would never have broken out. Do you understand?”
“……”
“If you have a dream or goal you wish to seize, pay no attention to the eyes around you. Even if your pride is hurt, walk forward without hesitation. It would not be enough to spit in the faces of the fools who point fingers while preaching morality and ethics, yet here you are, lost in pretty illusions, spouting nonsense about whether we have crossed the line or not?”
“……”
“If you want to play at being a hero, step down from that position. If you truly wish to achieve your goal, cast off that straitjacket called conscience as quickly as possible. It sounds sweet but holds not the slightest substance.”
Having said his piece, Moyong Gun turned and left. He was thoroughly enraged by Jegal Mun-ho’s lukewarm attitude.
Jegal Mun-ho turned to Yeon Hojeong.
“Do you think the same?”
Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
“I am not insane enough to fully agree with the Moyong Family Head’s ruthless words. That man has lived his life that way, which is why he can speak such things without hesitation.”
“……”
“However, there are certainly parts of the Moyong Family Head’s words worth considering.”
Jegal Mun-ho sighed once more.
“I will speak honestly. It’s possible I was vaguely thinking that things would somehow work out, just as the Moyong Family Head said.”
“The military advisor is human too. Anyone can grow weary.”
“Yes, there is truth in what the Moyong Family Head said. Perhaps he wanted to awaken my spirit, which had been taking the situation far too lightly.”
Yeon Hojeong gave a small chuckle.
“That is an overinterpretation. That man is not so considerate.”
Jegal Mun-ho shook his head.
“Whatever the case, I have realized it anew. That I am tired, and that I was not viewing the situation with the same urgency as you or the Moyong Family Head.”
Yeon Hojeong did not deny it. Not because it was untrue, but because no words seemed likely to comfort Jegal Mun-ho.
“Still, this kind of action must end here. No matter how serious the situation becomes, we must not arbitrarily replace the leaders of other sects.”
Yeon Hojeong lowered his head.
“I will be careful.”
He did not say he would never do it again. It meant he would refrain under normal circumstances, but when the situation grew urgent, he would not restrict his methods.
Jegal Mun-ho understood this. Yet he did not rebuke Yeon Hojeong.
The personalities of the world were as numerous as the people who existed. Yeon Hojeong and he were bound to have different values.
“Shall we head to my quarters for a moment?”
“Let’s do that.”
Surprisingly, Gong Gong Dae-sa and Yeon Wi were waiting in front of the military advisor’s residence.
Jegal Mun-ho asked in astonishment.
“What brings the two of you here…?”
Gong Gong Dae-sa smiled.
“I wished to discuss various matters concerning the future of the Martial Alliance. Is there anyone who knows the main alliance better than the military advisor? That is why I came.”
Yeon Wi shrugged.
“I feel the same.”
Jegal Mun-ho understood. Gong Gong Dae-sa had come to comfort him. ‘This is awkward.’ It seemed he had worried everyone for nothing. He felt somewhat embarrassed.
After quietly observing Gong Gong Dae-sa, Jegal Mun-ho spoke bluntly.
“That was harsh, even for you, Great Monk.”
He was referring to the matter with Yong-seon Jinin.
Gong Gong Dae-sa nodded.
“I know.”
“The Moyong Family Head and Captain Yeon may act that way, but you should not have, Great Monk.”
“I have no face to show the military advisor.”
There were no lengthy excuses. Gong Gong Dae-sa apologized plainly.
For some reason, Jegal Mun-ho felt like laughing.
“How does it feel to be scolded by a junior?”
“It feels good. The reason is that I am glad to see that, despite handling such harsh duties as military advisor, the spirit of righteousness still breathes within your chest.”
“You flatter me.”
“However, this monk does not believe this matter crossed the line. It was radical, yes, but still.”
“If that is what you believe, then I have nothing more to say.”
Jegal Mun-ho opened the door to his office.
“Please come inside.”
A short while later, the four men sat around the table.
Gong Gong Dae-sa spoke first.
“The atmosphere in the conference hall was so heavy that I could not ask about certain points.”
“Please speak.”
“The spy was Pung-byeok-ja and the contact was from the Clothing Unit, correct? Then who was the manager?”
Yeon Hojeong answered.
“The Moyong Family Head said it was the vice hall leader of the Punishment Hall.”
“The vice hall leader of the Punishment Hall…”
Jegal Mun-ho opened his mouth.
“I also have something to report regarding that.”
“Hm?”
“Many died in the explosion at the Punishment Hall. There were numerous bodies that could not be recovered intact. However…”
“…”
“Inside the prison, a body presumed to be Seok Bang-heon, vice hall leader of the Punishment Hall, was discovered.”
Gong Gong Dae-sa’s eyes widened. Yeon Wi also looked shocked.
“Then just what…?”
“If that truly is Vice Hall Leader Seok Bang-heon, it means the manager has mastered a bizarre martial art capable of changing a person’s face on the spot.”
Had it been a Human Skin Mask, Dang Gwan would have noticed immediately. In other words, the manager had not worn a mask made to look exactly like Seok Bang-heon; he had actually transformed his own face.
“It must be a technique similar to the Bone-Contracting Art, yet incomparably more sophisticated. To change into an identical face in such a short time is truly remarkable.”
“Indeed.”
“Furthermore, the body of Deung Cheon-gyo, sect leader of the Kongtong Sect, was not found. In other words, it appears Sect Leader Deung has been acting as the manager all along.”
Gong Gong Dae-sa’s eyes trembled.
The sect leaders of the Nine Sects—two of them—had been enemy spies.
“This is unthinkable…”
“I do not know how to convey this to the Kongtong Sect. The Qingcheng Sect is one thing, but the Taoists of Kongtong are famous for their strong pride and fiery tempers. They may accuse the Martial Alliance of lying and withdraw.”
Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
“Simply tell them that Sect Leader Deung Cheon-gyo was replaced.”
“Hm?”
“If the manager can transform by perfectly copying another’s face, there is no reason he could not have copied Sect Leader Deung’s as well. We need only inform them that he, too, was a victim of the same technique.”
“…”
“Huh.”
Yeon Wi sighed.
“You suggest we lie?”
“Yes.”
He answered so confidently that there was nothing left to say.
Yeon Hojeong also sighed.
“Actually, that is not what is important right now. The truly critical issue is that we may need to endure a time of patience for the foreseeable future.”
“A time of patience?”
Yeon Hojeong looked at Jegal Mun-ho.
Jegal Mun-ho nodded.
“For the time being, we may have to operate the Martial Alliance in a half-sealed state.”
“……!!”