Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Summoned by the Division Leaders
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Choe Rim nodded in agreement as well.
"It's certainly a well-laid plan. The people's will is the will of heaven, is it not? With rumors spreading far and wide that the Hwangbo Clan is colluding with the cultists to exploit the common folk, their cause now has solid justification."
"The other rising clans aren't in a much better position than the Hwangbo. We should lump them all together as one gang and drive the wedge in deep."
"They can't reveal now that the Hwangbo Clan was actually upholding the imperial decree."
"If they did, the orthodox sects would step in. Accusing the court of colluding with the White Lotus Cult."
The rising clans across the land had no choice but to exploit the local populace to gather military provisions. After all, their patrons were the imperial house itself.
But the Five Harmony Alliance cleverly exploited that weakness. By championing righteousness.
As long as they raised the banner that subjugating the rising clans was solely for the sake of the people, the court could no longer openly protect them.
It might be different for a war in the north. But in a civil war between imperial houses vying for the throne, the people's will was heaven's mandate.
Even the emperor would find it no easy task to suppress a rebellion backed by an enraged populace. Do so rashly, and it would only bolster King Yeon's power.
"By the way, have we looked into those Death Gate assassins who took the Hwangbo Patriarch's commission?"
Choe Rim nodded.
"I'll compile the list and submit it soon."
"It's tough playing grandpa in my old age. The kid sure keeps me busy."
Despite his words, the Yuk Family Head wore a withered but pleased smile.
Upon his return, Yuk Jin-yang first submitted his mission report. From the White Lotus Cult matters to the clash with the Imperial Guard, and even the fierce battle in Gokbu County—he documented it all.
But there was still more work left.
While he'd been away in Shandong, letters had piled up like a mountain. All reports from the Fujian branch.
The missives detailed their profits from smuggling operations and recent developments. Written in hasty, abbreviated script with drastically shortened phrasing.
—Emperor's envoy arrived. Smuggling tolerated. No firm commitment on opening official trade.
—Demand for tribute. One hundred taels of silver per month. Merchants in the trading houses are deeply dissatisfied, but no open outbursts yet.
—Demand to requisition ships by the seventh month, pass through the passes, and head to Shandong. Appears to be for transporting military grain.
Yuk Jin-yang recalled the granaries he'd burned in Shandong. In their haste, the court seemed intent on gathering supplies from south of the Yangtze for resupply.
'Not that it'll be easy.'
No matter how many warships or merchant vessels they requisitioned from the private sector, they couldn't match the reserves of the granaries. Beyond the merit of rescuing Yeonsung-gong, the fierce battles they'd fought in Shandong were far from meaningless.
After reporting to the Steward's Office, he received indefinite leave. A grace period born of his unassigned affiliation.
Thanks to that, he could sleep for days on end. As the tension released, the backlash from his accumulated overexertion hit him full force.
It got so bad that the attending servant kept checking on him, fearing he'd fallen ill.
Only after about three days did he regain his strength.
Yuk Jin-yang had the servant bring breakfast. He was sating his hunger with simple porridge and dumplings.
"Awake now?"
It was a familiar voice and presence.
"Uncle? Come in."
The door opened. Yuk Ryul stepped in, waving with a grin. Unlike Yuk Jin-yang, he looked impeccably tidy.
"You seem to have your wits about you now. I stopped by yesterday, but you looked so out of it I turned right back around."
"And you, Uncle? Are you all right?"
"So-so. Far better off than you or Jeong-baek, so don't worry."
Yuk Jin-yang half-rose, leaning against the bed's headboard. Then he asked,
"So, another mission?"
"Mission? Take a look in that mirror over there. You think I can take you out looking like that?"
Yuk Jin-yang glanced at the hand mirror on the table to check his appearance. It was a mess.
His robes were disheveled, hair tousled. Sunken eyes and hollow cheeks bore witness to his exhaustion. He barely looked conscious.
Yuk Jin-yang awkwardly fiddled with his hair and countered,
"Then what brings you here?"
"Headquarters summoned me over something related to your mission report. So I came to fetch you."
"Summoned by headquarters?"
Yuk Jin-yang frowned. No matter how he spun it, the word felt ominous.
"The Four Family Heads?"
Yuk Ryul shrugged nonchalantly.
"No, it's a gathering called by the Division Leaders."
"The Division Leaders..."
Yuk Jin-yang recalled what Yi Jeong-baek had told him. The Alliance had thirteen martial divisions in total.
Originally under heavy influence from the Four Great Families, most now enjoyed independent status.
"They're the Alliance's main fighting force. The Family Heads rarely step in directly unless it's serious."
Yuk Ryul added,
"Your exploits were so impressive, you drew attention. And the incidents we went through were huge, weren't they? They want to confirm some things about it."
"That's all? I half-expected them to question my merits."
"Well, there might be a few skeptical glances. But no need to worry too much. Your grandfather's attending too. You think he'd let his grandson get grilled?"
Yuk Ryul turned to leave, tossing over his shoulder,
"So hurry up, wash, and get out here. We need to head over by afternoon."
The sunlight felt warm after so long. Breathing the crisp outdoor air made him realize just how cooped up he'd been. As he took a deep breath, Yuk Ryul eyed him oddly.
"Something wrong?"
"Nah, you just act like someone fresh out of a dungeon."
"......"
"Kidding. Don't get all serious. You make that face, and it reminds me of your grandpa."
Yuk Ryul grumbled as he led the way.
Amid the Alliance's densely packed halls stood one particularly towering pavilion. In scale, it rivaled a massive wooden pagoda. From the top floor, one could take in the vast scenery of Kaifeng Prefecture at a glance.
The pavilion was called Brocade Peak Pavilion. It served as headquarters' hall, housing offices, meeting chambers, and even quarters.
The two headed to the top floor. They passed a long corridor to the room at the end. Not the usual paper screens, but a stately, thick wooden door barred the way.
Yuk Jin-yang opened it and entered.
Inside sat a massive round table large enough for dozens. Preceding guests had already taken their seats. Surprisingly, familiar faces were among them—the Four Family Heads.
Surrounding them sat thirteen warriors. Likely the leaders of the Alliance's Thirteen Divisions.
Though not quite on par with the Family Heads, they were peak masters in their own right. Even with titans like the Family Heads nearby, their auras faintly registered, attesting to their prowess.
"Sit."
His grandfather at the head table smiled warmly, nodding toward an empty seat. Yuk Jin-yang obeyed without fuss. Yuk Ryul sat beside him.
The Yuk Family Head's gaze turned to Yuk Ryul.
"Ryul, I don't recall summoning you."
"I carried out the same mission."
"You're getting thicker-skinned by the day. You were cute as a kid, but now you're just sly."
Clicking his tongue, the Yuk Family Head added,
"It's good to see you care for your nephew, but this gathering isn't to interrogate Jin-yang."
"......Is that so?"
Yuk Ryul raised an eyebrow but nodded without further protest. The Yuk Family Head let out a hearty laugh, surveying the room.
"Seems my family's boy was anxious because of you all. Forgive the concern from an uncle looking out for his kin."
A light ripple of laughter spread among the thirteen leaders. They offered excuses that weren't quite excuses.
"We must not have explained ourselves well."
"No need to worry so much."
"Let's clear up the misunderstanding first."
"Gold Shadow Camp Leader. Aren't we misunderstood because of you?"
The last-named woman scowled. She must be the Gold Shadow Camp Leader.
The Gold Shadow Camp was the Alliance's intelligence organization. It also served as their enforcers. Comparable to the Alliance's own Imperial Guard.
Their infamy, masked as crows when on missions, rivaled the real Guard's—and some said exceeded it. There were even those who pointed fingers, calling them more vicious than the Black Forest Seven Evils of the unorthodox paths.
If they weren't part of the Five Harmony Alliance, extermination orders would have been issued long ago, or so the rumors went.
Yuk Jin-yang had heard the tales of the Gold Shadow Camp. They boasted information networks as vast as Haomen or the Beggars' Clan, squeezing the life out of targets with ruthless hands, leaving no trace.
Suddenly, he was glad his grandfather and uncle were here.
The Gold Shadow Camp Leader spoke in a stern voice.
"As the Family Head says. We didn't summon you to interrogate. We wanted to gauge your level with our own eyes."
"Gauge my level?"
"Your feats are hard to believe. No one your age has ever racked up such merits since the Alliance was founded. We needed to confirm you possess commensurate skill."
He felt her gaze scan him from head to toe. A chilling sensation. She was undoubtedly employing an eye technique.
Yuk Jin-yang retracted his presence. It was still too much to confront their eye arts head-on.
The Gold Shadow Camp Leader said impassively,
"You've got the skill to prove your missions weren't fabrications. Stack up a few more merits, and you'd be Divisional Plaque material right away."
"......"
"Why the stare?"
"I thought 'confirmation' meant something more elaborate."
The Gold Shadow Camp Leader shook her head curtly, as if it were absurd.
"Open your central dantian first, then say that. I'd gladly cross swords to test you. But your current level is sufficiently verified this way."
A refined-looking man slyly interjected,
"Gold Shadow Leader, you're too stiff. Where's the harm in being honest?"
"Then you say it. I'm done."
"Very well."
The man brushed off her sharp retort and introduced himself.
"I'm the Spirit Command Division Leader, So Heon."
Even addressing a subordinate, he used polite speech. A glimpse into his character.
The Spirit Command Division researched sorcery and formations. That might explain the scholarly air.
"Re-cheon, to be frank, all thirteen divisions covet you. You're unassigned, right?"
"Yes."
"Good, excellent."
So Heon rested his chin on interlaced fingers.
"It says you shattered sound arts and even pierced the formation's structure. How?"
"......I sensed it intuitively."
Yuk Jin-yang gave a vague answer. If anything, it drew even more attention.