Relatives Exist, But Absolutes Do Not (5)
The emerald-green liquid filling the cup was incredibly viscous.
"I've named it Green Shade Wine. You know it well, don't you? The liquor Father loved to brew."
"……."
"It's baffling why he never named such fine brew himself."
"……."
"Care for a drink?"
"Yes."
Myeong Cheon filled Myeong U-san's cup.
"Listen, U-san."
Myeong U-san flinched. It had been ages since Myeong Cheon called him by name.
Myeong Cheon was always one to draw strict lines between public and private matters. Though his efforts hadn't always yielded results, he generally avoided using names in formal settings.
But now, he broke that custom.
"Yes, brother."
"In my view, you made no mistakes. It was all mine."
"……."
"You even tried to prevent my blunders. Had I listened, we wouldn't have wasted good troops pointlessly."
"……No, that's not true."
Myeong Cheon drained his cup. Myeong U-san couldn't bring himself to sip his.
"It's all my fault. Whether family members get hurt, struck by lightning on the road, or drown by accident—it's the family head's responsibility."
"……."
"But the chief steward's role is to share that heavy burden."
"Yes, yes."
"I didn't appoint you—a collateral branch member—to chief steward for any other reason. Talent? To be frank, we had plenty in the direct line who matched you."
"……."
"I liked your sense of responsibility. And your philosophy. Even if it meant the entire leadership dying, the family head's dignity must never be tarnished. I felt the sincerity in your words. That's why I gave you the position."
Myeong Cheon lifted the bottle.
"I was the one who hung the title of chief steward on a mere collateral branch man named Myeong U-san."
"……My apologies."
"For what?"
"……."
"What fault of yours is there? I appointed you. If there's blame, it's mine."
Myeong U-san's face paled. Myeong Cheon's expression grew icy.
"But this is a problem."
"……."
"Suddenly, doubts are rising about the connection between the Blue Wolf Ghosts and the main house. Even though, aside from the Moyong family, no one knew the Blue Wolf Ghosts belonged to us."
"……."
"Yeon family's eldest son? Sure, a once-in-a-generation genius. Impressive that he took out the Blue Wolf Ghosts alone. Fine, that's possible……."
Bam!
Clang!
The table shattered, sending the bottle and cups crashing to the floor. They exploded into shards.
"Why couldn't you stop these rumors?"
"……."
"Isn't your brother asking? Why didn't you stop them?"
"……I'm sorry."
Myeong Cheon's face flushed red. He swung a nearby porcelain vase.
Clang!
Myeong U-san's head was instantly soaked in blood. He hadn't blocked with internal energy. His vision spun for a moment, but he gritted his teeth and stayed upright.
"Rumors have their own momentum. Did you let your guard down completely, with no precautions? As chief steward, did you never once consider the possibility of Yeon Hojeong taking down the Blue Wolf Ghosts?!"
It roared like a tiger's bellow. Myeong U-san felt his mind reel.
Ugh.
Terrifying internal energy. Myeong Cheon had begun practicing their ancestor's martial art just days ago, since those who learned it showed no side effects. In that short time, the quantity and quality of his energy had surged dramatically. He emanated a perfect aura, as if filling a missing piece.
Drip.
Blood trickled from Myeong U-san's nose. The shockwave from the voice had torn his nasal membranes.
"What the hell have you been doing? Not empty apologies—what have you done?"
"I……."
Myeong U-san bit his lip.
"I've been searching for the Dark Killer Squad."
Myeong Cheon's eyes blazed like fire.
"Why? For your daughter?!"
"……I won't lie. Partly for my daughter, but if they've captured the Dark Killer Squad, it's a major issue."
"Ha! Why? Think they'll spill all our secrets?"
"N-no! The Dark Killer Squad would die before leaking secrets!"
"Then!"
"If Yeon Hojeong shows up with them, it'll be crystal clear we tried to kill him. That's why I searched."
Myeong Cheon's gaze deepened. It seemed Myeong U-san hadn't been idle.
"So, their whereabouts?"
"Still…… haven't found them."
"Useless."
"B-but! I figured out who intervened! And secured evidence!"
Myeong Cheon's eyes gleamed.
"Evidence?"
"Y-yes! The Beggar Clan intervened! It's certain!"
"I know the Beggar Clan was involved. But what can we do even with evidence?"
"We can pressure them."
"Who? The Beggar Clan?"
Myeong U-san licked his cracked, dry lips.
"Yes. The Beggar Clan flaunts righteousness as their banner. It's their top priority. What they've done is no different from kidnapping and unlawful detention."
Myeong Cheon frowned.
"You think petty rumors like that will shake them?"
"Not shake them—shake public opinion."
"Public opinion?"
"Yes. Holding the Dark Killer Squad proves they colluded with the Yeon family in all this."
"Hmm."
"Results matter regardless of methods? No. The White Path martial world doesn't work that way. Handling the Beggar Clan's reputation hit will betray many's trust."
Myeong U-san's eyes shone.
"Contact the Dragon Head Union leader. Tell him to stop at a reasonable point unless he wants to die with us. He knows which side—us or Yeon—is easier to handle."
It was sound advice. Sound, but insufficient. Even if it worked, problems remained.
"It still admits we had the Blue Wolf Ghosts. In time, the Beggar Clan will dig into us."
"Don't we have reliable allies?"
"Moyong?"
"Yes. The Moyong family's influence rivals ours among the Seven Great Families. Unless they want to turn the White Path into a bloodbath, even the Dragon Head won't dare meddle."
Myeong Cheon snorted.
"Sure, it'd be great if it goes as you say. But it's all talk. To make it happen, we need a surer weapon."
Something to sway opinion, not force. Something shocking enough to erase all Yeon Hojeong-related events from people's minds.
Then, Myeong U-san's eyes lit up.
"Frame someone else."
"Frame? Who?"
"Instead of making them forget Yeon Hojeong incidents, make him the villain outright."
This was intriguing. Myeong Cheon smiled inwardly. Pressure truly reveals a man's worth. Myeong U-san was no different.
"Done right, we can crush Yeon Hojeong, the Yeon family, and even the Beggar Clan."
"How?"
"Contact the Jiangsu Golden Sword Hall. Have them dig up unsolved murders and major crimes from the last five years. Pin them on Yeon Hojeong."
A tempting idea. Myeong Cheon probed gently.
"No evidence?"
"Doesn't matter. Everyone knows our warriors are hot-blooded. Claim we captured him first, then planned a public trial with the Great Assembly Rights. It'll bury everything."
A pleased smile finally crossed Myeong Cheon's face.
"That's good. Very good."
Even if truth emerged later, the Myeong family's power could handle it. They might even gain support from Jiangsu commoners. A small sacrifice for greater gains.
In the end, it was about justification. Cling to a strong one, and crush the rest with raw power. That's how the Myeong family grew—and countless sects before them. At least in the White Path.
"No one has to die unnecessarily. If only we'd done this sooner."
"My apologies."
"It's fine. That ploy you just thought up erases all your past mistakes."
"Thank you."
"We'll have to own the Blue Wolf Ghosts issue?"
"No choice. Claim we held them to reform the wicked."
"Good. Do that. No time—hurry."
"Understood."
"Oh, and chief steward."
"Yes?"
Killing intent flickered in Myeong Cheon's eyes.
"We've made a plausible justification. This time, bring me the real Yeon Hojeong."
"……Yes. Who shall we send?"
"He beat seventy Blue Wolf Ghosts. We can't treat him as a later-generation anymore."
Myeong Cheon lifted his chin.
"Send my half-brothers from Myeongchi Mountain."
Myeong U-san's eyes widened.
"Aren't they our vanguard to wipe out the Yeon family?"
"Isn't Yeon Hojeong part of the Yeon family?"
"……."
"Send them."
"Understood."
As Myeong U-san left the family head's quarters, his face brightened. Relief at survival mixed with confidence in capturing Yeon Hojeong.
Those three—at least the ones he knew—were the strongest from the collaterals. They could take even a Seven Great Family head easily. And they'd been the first to learn the ancestors' arts. Victory was assured.
* * *
Hummm.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes gleamed.
Done.
Ten days ago, the internal and external injuries from the brutal fight with the Blue Wolf Ghosts had vanished completely. The result of fully activating Bi-ra Jin-gyeol—the Yeon family's most stable of the Five Divine Arts—along with White Tiger Qi and Black Tortoise Qi.
Without the Four Gods Martial Arts, recovery would have taken over twenty days.
He grabbed his axe and stepped out.
Hm?
Yeon Hojeong glanced at his hand gripping the shaft.
Feels good.
Not just muscles—nerves, joints, everything felt better than before. The Four Gods Martial Arts were made for the battlefield. The more you fought, the more momentum built for growth. No wonder they called the Four Gods Qi "enemy-killing intent."
In that brief clash, he'd fought countless life-or-death battles amid sprays of blood and flesh. Those had amplified his White Tiger and Black Tortoise Qi, developing his body further.
To grow strong, you have no choice but to fight like hell. Now I get why my master despised the Four Gods Martial Arts.
As he emerged into the manor courtyard—
"Young Master Yeon!"
Gadeuksang came running from afar.
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"Right on time now that I'm healed. What……."
He trailed off. Urgency etched Gadeuksang's face.
"Big trouble!"
"What happened?"
"The Myeong family branded you a criminal for unsolved cases in Jiangsu!"
"What?"
Gadeuksang detailed the rumors the Myeong family spread.
"Zhengzhou and Kaifeng are in chaos! The rumors spread like wildfire—ours are buried already!"
"Justification."
"W-what?"
Yeon Hojeong's gaze turned cold.
"They're making justification. Can't erase this incident, so they're painting me the villain to excuse sending troops."
"Damn it all! Who doesn't know that? The problem's the speed! In three or four days, it'll cover all Henan……!"
"They're digging their own grave."
"……Huh?"
Yeon Hojeong grinned.
"Their forced justification becomes ours too."
"W-what do you mean?"
Yeon Hojeong turned. Sin Mo approached from afar.
"Captain Sin. How's the Chaeng-eungdae's stamina?"
"Pardon? Ah! Excellent, of course."
"Good. Have them combat-ready in two days."
Yeon Hojeong slung his axe over his shoulder with a thunk.
"Let's go see the Myeong family head's face."