Putting Things in Order, and the Challenge (3)
There is a saying: incisive words that kill.
It means a single simple phrase can shake a person to their core.
Yeon Hojeong’s words were far too long-winded to be called incisive. Yet in the way they pierced straight through his opponent’s defenses, they more than deserved the name.
Namgoong In had spent his entire life cloaked in a perfectly polished smile, never hesitating to render cold, ruthless judgments. Now that steel mask he had cultivated for so long was beginning to crack—bit by bit.
“If I truly harbored such intentions, then yes, it could be taken as a threat… You certainly have a peculiar way of speaking.”
“I hear that quite often.”
“I can see your intuition is sharp enough to earn the elders’ recognition. Still, no matter how extraordinary that intuition may be, a conversation requires proof, does it not?”
“It seems the patriarch is misunderstanding something.”
“Misunderstanding?”
At some point the honorific had shifted from Bonggong to patriarch.
The current Namgoong In could not register that subtle change. His composure had already shattered.
Yeon Hojeong gave a cold laugh.
“If I had come bearing evidence, there would have been no need for warnings or requests. I would have seized the offender on the spot, crushed him by whatever means necessary, and ensured he could never set foot in the Martial Alliance again for the rest of his life.”
“……!”
“Actions would have sufficed. Isn’t it rather pathetic to sit here quibbling and nitpicking with words?”
Namgoong In’s cheeks trembled violently.
Yeon Hojeong erased his smile.
“I am aware my language is rough and disrespectful. Honesty and rudeness are not the same thing. I keep that in mind, yet the moment I open my mouth, controlling it becomes surprisingly difficult.”
“……”
“The point is, I am asking you to reconsider your stance even now.”
“Listening to your tone, any such thought that might arise vanishes the instant it appears.”
“So you admit it?”
“I have no desire to play word games.”
“If you dislike word games, then I will dispense with all formalities.”
Whoosh.
A ferocious aura erupted from Yeon Hojeong’s body.
The presence that had been merely deep and mysterious transformed into an overwhelming, world-burning force.
In that single instant, the aura completely changed. Facing it, Namgoong In recoiled in utter shock. This is impossible!
He had known Yeon Hojeong’s martial prowess was sufficient to be called an elder. But he had never imagined it would reach this level. Just from the aura alone, the young man had already surpassed the sect leaders of the Nine Great Schools and the patriarchs of the Six Great Families.
“Do you know how I transported the late sect leader and Mount Hua’s Yong-hwa Jinin to the punishment hall?”
“……”
“Once I mark someone as a target, I do not let go—even if the sky collapses and the earth splits open. I am the vicious bastard who will keep biting down even if my flesh is torn away and my bones are ground to powder.”
“……”
“That is why I dealt with the late sect leader and Yong-hwa Jinin the way I did. In the future Martial Alliance, I have no need for people who, instead of contributing strength, only look after their own interests or become obstacles. So I removed them.”
Namgoong In felt goosebumps rise across his skin.
His mind insisted the words were absurd, yet his heart understood the sincerity behind them all too clearly.
“Even my outrageously radical plan received the strategist’s approval. The Moyong family head? There is no need to elaborate. Without his help, do you truly believe I could have thrown such heavyweights into the punishment hall?”
“……”
“In short, if another such person appears in the future, at least two members of the current Martial Alliance leadership will draw their blades. Do you understand what I am saying?”
A chilly smile crept across Namgoong In’s face.
“Well spoken. In the end, are you not saying you will turn the Martial Alliance into a dictatorship no different from the dark factions?”
“If you cannot distinguish between the cohesion of an army facing war and a one-man dictatorship wielding absolute power, then you are unfit to hold the position of Bonggong.”
“Wordplay.”
“Do you truly not understand reality?”
“Reality being…”
“No matter how you decorate it or deceive with clever words, there is only one reality.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes darkened.
“If things continue as they are, we will be defeated in the war against the Three Sects.”
“……!”
“The Central Plains will become a sea of fire. The imperial palace and the murim will collapse, and only those who suit the Three Sects’ tastes will survive. The powerless will be forced to recite doctrines for gods they do not believe in, while those with purpose and conviction will bleed out on cold, unknown ground without ever being allowed to raise their voices.”
Namgoong In swallowed hard without realizing it.
In Yeon Hojeong’s expression and gaze, he glimpsed the raw desperation of someone who had lived through the horrors of war.
“If that happens, do you believe the Namgoong family will remain untouched?”
The words left Namgoong In’s mouth before he could stop them.
“The Namgoong family does not fall.”
“Because of such baseless pride, countless sects have been uprooted entirely. And surely you are not…”
“……”
“Thinking that even if we lose the war against the Three Sects, it will not matter as long as only Namgoong survives?”
Of course he had not thought that. Namgoong In, too, despised the Three Sects.
It was not only the Three Sects. He could not tolerate any force that coveted the Central Plains murim. For those belonging to the murim—especially those already in positions of power—the depth of that hatred was particularly profound.
“Let us suppose we lose the war and only the Namgoong family survives. From that moment on, there is only one path the family can take to remain alive.”
The corner of Yeon Hojeong’s mouth curled upward.
It was unmistakable mockery.
“Crawling between the legs of the Three Sects.”
“Nonsense!”
“Otherwise the Namgoong family will be destroyed. Every last dog raised within the Namgoong clan will be slaughtered.”
“You dare insult the Namgoong family? Should such a situation arise, we will fight gloriously to the very end!”
“Why wait until the very end?”
“……!!”
“Instead of choosing such a desperate, hopeless battle, let us fight together from now on.”
Namgoong In’s face twisted in distress.
Yeon Hojeong continued.
“I will speak plainly. The reason I intend to go to the Black Dragon Department is that I know this is not the time for the black and white factions to fight each other. It is the time for both sides to unite as one and face the Three Sects together. The head of the Moyong family knows this, and so does the leader of the Black Dragon Department. Even the supreme leader of the dark faction alliance—that group our righteous path so despises and ridicules—understands this.”
“……”
“Do you truly wish to become a lesser man than the leader of the dark factions? Do you crave that fleeting power so badly, knowing it is destined for ruin?”
With trembling eyes, Namgoong In spat out his reply.
“Insult me any further and I will not stand idly by. There are limits to how poorly one can view another. Do you truly think I am a fool incapable of distinguishing front from back?”
“That is exactly what I am saying.”
Yeon Hojeong smiled and rose from his seat.
“If the outcome is that I am cursed and you become angry, then I consider that fortunate.”
“What?!”
“If you do not wish to become such a person—if, as the Namgoong family head, you wish to uphold the greater cause—then do not forget the words you just spoke.”
“……!”
“What does it matter who receives the curses? What if I become nothing more than a rude, idiotic fool? If the result is that the patriarch truly exerts himself for a single greater cause, then curse me however you wish.”
Yeon Hojeong flipped the empty glass upside down and set it on the table.
“I enjoyed the drink. The aroma was excellent. However, it is far too luxurious. Occasionally, you should also taste the bitter charm of cheap baekju.”
“What kind of nonsense is that now…?!”
“Because life itself is contained within baekju. It is a harsh, tasteless drink, but if you search carefully, there are pleasures to be found.”
“……”
“Doesn’t fragrant liquor make you drink too much? That wonderful aroma, once you are suffering from a hangover the next day, becomes more repulsive than the stench of shit.”
His words truly twisted this way and that. Yet before he realized it, Namgoong In found himself completely led by Yeon Hojeong.
Not only did the young man change topics at will, he dominated the entire conversation from start to finish.
Sometimes, the ability to do so was a more terrifying talent than martial prowess itself—eloquence.
“I will say this clearly. If you seek only to enjoy power and authority, the Martial Alliance is not the place for you. I have no intention of judging that desire, but you must not interfere with the responsible, hot-blooded individuals who are struggling with all their might to protect their foundation.”
Yeon Hojeong turned away.
“I sincerely hope you make a wise decision.”
With those final words, Yeon Hojeong left the room.
Namgoong In stared at the table, his eyes swirling with a storm of emotions. For a moment, he could not control himself.
Bang!
The fist that slammed into the table had already turned bone-white.
After leaving Namgoong In’s residence, Yeon Hojeong walked along the dark night path.
A short while later, a figure approached him.
It was Pae Yul.
“Back already?”
Yeon Hojeong let out a small chuckle.
“Where exactly do you keep popping up from like some damn ghost?”
“Bullshit. You knew I was there the whole time.”
“Well, yes.”
“Annoying bastard.”
Pae Yul grumbled, then shrugged his shoulders.
“Couldn’t sleep, so I came looking for a good spar. Heard you’d gone to the Namgoong family, so I waited.”
“I see.”
“But why the hell did you suddenly go to the Namgoong family? Did they cause some kind of accident too?”
Yeon Hojeong burst into laughter before he could stop himself.
“Am I someone who only walks around looking for people causing trouble?”
“From your perspective it’s trouble. From their perspective, it’s a bolt from the blue. That’s how it usually went, wasn’t it?”
“A bolt from the blue… Not entirely wrong.”
From Namgoong In’s position, it must have felt exactly like that. The man had never revealed his ambitions, yet a young rising star had suddenly appeared and shouted at him to abandon his greed without a shred of evidence.
“I simply hope he lets go of his greed. The Martial Alliance will soon enter a state of semi-seclusion. If someone of Bonggong rank causes an incident, it will become a major headache.”
Pae Yul’s eyes gleamed.
“Semi-seclusion?”
“Yes. That is what will happen.”
Pae Yul offered no further comment on the matter.
“Then the Martial Alliance will drastically reduce its external activities?”
“Most likely. Of course, since it is only semi-seclusion, they will not completely prohibit external activities.”
“Hmm.”
Pae Yul stroked his chin.
Yeon Hojeong, who had been quietly watching him, spoke.
“No.”
“No what?”
“I will only be taking Kang Liang with me.”
“What the hell did I even say? You really are a funny bastard.”
“If that’s how it is, then good.”
“Still, our missions might coincidentally overlap.”
Yeon Hojeong pressed a hand to his forehead.
“Find your fun somewhere other than me. There are so many battlefields in this world—why do you insist on this?”
“There are plenty of battlefields, sure. But there’s no other bastard who creates a fight as entertaining as you do.”
“We’re preparing for war and still don’t have enough time to gather strength, yet you insist on living so dramatically?”
“If I get stronger, doesn’t that raise our overall combat power by exactly that much? What could be better than having stronger allies shine on the battlefield?”
“I’m going crazy.”
“Your way of talking hasn’t changed at all from before.”
“And that absurd fighting spirit of yours hasn’t changed either, senior.”
Pae Yul gave a small laugh.
“Well, let’s think about that later. So how was it? The Namgoong family?”
“Hard to say.”
Yeon Hojeong turned his head to look back toward the Namgoong residence.
“Namgoong In is a man who has always been more interested in politics than martial arts. It’s not surprising that he’s finally baring his teeth… I simply hope there are no more incidents within the Martial Alliance.”