Chapter 105
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Iron Fortress Annihilated
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Crash!
A sweeping hand sent the teapot on the table crashing to the floor, shattering into pieces.
The young man glared fiercely, his eyes blazing with murderous intent as he heaved ragged breaths.
"What happened?"
"Iron Fortress Gang has been wiped out."
"What nonsense is that? How could Iron Fortress Gang be annihilated?"
It was an uncharacteristic roar from him, but the old man kneeling before him wore only a self-reproachful expression.
"From what we've pieced together so far, the Nine Dragon King appeared."
"Goo Ja-jin?"
"Yes."
"Why would that bastard attack Iron Fortress Gang, a fellow unorthodox faction?"
"We don't know the full details, but since he showed up carrying Na Ha-chu's head, it seems he was likely with the Hidden Dragon Corps during their raid on the Latent Dragon Squad."
"What? That's absurd! Goo Ja-jin working with the Justice Alliance's Hidden Dragon Corps?"
It was utterly incomprehensible to the young man. In a world where the lines between orthodox and unorthodox were sharply drawn, it was only natural.
The old man's words continued.
"We don't know why they were together, but the Justice Alliance has begun investigating Iron Fortress Gang. Grand Strategist Jeokga Su-bum is personally leading it."
"Hmm..."
The young man's eyes twitched faintly. The annihilation of Iron Fortress Gang was beyond his expectations.
"Palace Lord."
"...Speak."
"Mobilizing Iron Fortress Gang was my failure. It was meant to crush the Justice Alliance's Hidden Dragon Corps in its infancy, but I failed to predict the Nine Dragon King's movements."
"..."
"It's not my place to say as the one at fault, but we should cut ties for now."
"..."
"If the Justice Alliance's investigation piles on top of the Nine Dragon King, even what we've already secured could be at risk."
"You're saying we should abandon Honam?"
"Yes."
"...It comes to this again."
"I'm sorry. It's unavoidable until we claim the Heavenly Throne and unite as one."
The young man pondered deeply at the old man's words.
How could he not understand?
East Heaven Golden Palace, West Heaven Wood Palace, South Heaven Flower Palace, North Heaven Mysterious Palace.
The four palace lords groomed for the Heavenly Throne, and their guardians.
Each operating as separate powers, none yet strong enough to face the Justice Alliance alone.
Thus, they had to remain silent. Until they united under the Heavenly Throne.
"You must decide. East Heaven is reeling from internal strife and the Hapbi incident, while West Heaven has lost Haenam after years of effort."
"Lost Haenam?"
"Yes. From discreet inquiries, our infiltrators on Haenam Island have gone silent, and the deranged Vice Island Lord Gok Ja-heon has fled."
"...The Hidden Dragon Corps' doing."
"Most likely. This puts North Heaven Mysterious Palace closest to dominance right now."
"Damn, I can't argue with that."
The young man ground his teeth to swallow his anger and nodded at the old man's words.
The young man's name was Cheon Seung-chan, leader of South Heaven Flower Palace, and the old man was his guardian who had effectively managed it.
Like the other palaces, South Heaven Flower Palace had been secretly amassing influence in preparation for ascending the Heavenly Throne.
Government, merchants, martial world—nowhere their reach hadn't extended.
But a problem arose.
Iron Fortress Gang, cultivated for over a decade, annihilated. Their influence in Honam Province was about to vanish entirely.
As the old man said, with the Justice Alliance digging into Iron Fortress Gang's background and the Nine Dragon King involved, their connected forces could be endangered before even challenging the Heavenly Throne.
So, they had to sever ties.
Hide beneath the surface for a while and weather the storm.
But he couldn't decide easily.
Wasn't Honam the heart of South Heaven Flower Palace's power, the center of southern martial world?
Moreover, if East Heaven, having quelled its internal strife, seized the now-vacant Honam... the vast interests that had bolstered South Heaven Flower Palace would fall into their hands.
He couldn't allow that. How could he let them snatch away the Honam he'd nurtured?
Cheon Seung-chan's eyes turned icy as frost, his resolve firm.
"We must protect Honam."
"But that would..."
"There's a way."
"Yes?"
"It's early, but move the west."
"P-Palace Lord!"
The old man's eyes widened sharply at the calmly delivered words, his composure shattering in shock.
"The west? You don't mean..."
His master was about to unleash a blade he could no longer control.
Calling in a blood-maddened tiger just because a fox was on his trail—what foolish scheme was this?
"Palace Lord, reconsider. Mobilizing them could collapse the western martial world. It might damage West Heaven Wood Palace's foundations, and affect our forces scattered across the Central Plains."
"Then all the better. Chaos is best covered by greater chaos. Whispers drown in shouts, small waves in great ones. It will draw all eyes away from Honam."
"...P-Palace Lord."
"Isn't it good? If we can eliminate a rival in the process, it's killing two birds with one stone. Right?"
The old man's face stiffened at his master's pure white smile.
Again. Trying to act unilaterally once more.
The fishing rod he'd crafted to hook the world was now slipping from his grasp.
"Palace Lord. West Heaven Wood Palace are brothers who've stood with us for so long, and they must become one pillar of the Heavenly Throne later. To protect Honam by sacrificing them?"
"Haha, how can you say such things?"
"Yes?"
"Didn't you teach me that to claim the Heavenly Throne, we must be ruthless—slit a brother's belly, sever a father's neck if need be?"
"..."
The old man fell silent under Cheon Seung-chan's gaze laced with faint killing intent.
To think he'd use West Heaven as a sacrifice to protect what's in his grasp...
But what could he do? He'd raised him himself.
Anxiety gnawed that the one who'd slipped from his hands had become a monster, but the path was too far to turn back.
The contest for the Heavenly Throne was imminent, and he'd long staked his fate on this fishing rod called Cheon Seung-chan. Nothing could be undone now.
After long deliberation, the old man spoke heavily.
"I'll... move the west."
* * *
"Huh?"
In a mountain ridge far from Yeongju, the bustling hub in southern Honam Province.
Yu Hyun's mouth gaped at Goo Ja-jin's confession as the five-foot hunchbacked old man scratched his head with a grin.
They'd raced north after leaving Haenam Island to meet him, as the Nine Dragon King had boasted he'd track down Na Ha-chu's backer.
But Iron Fortress Gang...
The largest unorthodox group in southern Honam Province had turned into a bloodbath.
What? They fought desperately, and there was no helping it?
Crazy...
Even unorthodox folk without loyalty wouldn't greet kindly the man who brought their gang leader's head.
According to the Divine Beggar, even the Beggars' Sect couldn't approach. Feared getting caught in the rampaging Nine Dragon King's path and dying.
And finally, the authorities...
Naturally, even officials who shunned martial affairs couldn't ignore the devastation at Iron Fortress Gang's compound.
In the end, the Nine Dragon King fled Iron Fortress Gang with the mid-level warrior...
"So you smashed Iron Fortress Gang and learned nothing?"
"It's fine. They were scum anyway. Interrogated a few, and they'd cherry-picked the vilest deeds from the back alleys. Worse than our kids, even."
"..."
His brazenness only fueled Yu Hyun's rage. Blazing hot!
Sure, it was true—who'd complain about scum getting killed?
Iron Fortress Gang was unorthodox through and through, parading openly despite their stronghold.
Most members likely had rap sheets, entangled in all sorts of crimes.
They'd tormented locals endlessly, walking the line between legal and illegal, exploiting people, bribing officials to escape when things got too hot.
For sword-for-hire scum, violent ends were routine. A few deaths? No issue.
The problem was learning nothing.
Na Ha-chu, prime interrogation target, was dead—tail hard to grasp already...
"Sigh, why not leave it to the Beggars' Sect then?"
"What nonsense!"
"..."
"How could I entrust my disciple's enemies to others? Impossible."
"..."
Thanks a ton, truly.
Unnecessary meddling, pretending to care...
Sigh, couldn't curse an old man...
"Heh heh, don't worry. Think I'd lack foresight?"
"...?"
"I've already tasked the Haomen, whose intel rivals the Beggars' Sect. Asked them to investigate Iron Fortress Gang."
Good move. Not entirely clueless.
Haomen's intel matched Beggars', superior in some areas.
"Hmm, seems you're connected to Haomen too. Asking them..."
"Connected? Asking? What talk?"
"Yes?"
"Haomen are secretive; even fellow unorthodox struggle to contact them."
"..."
"But who am I? The Nine Dragon King. 'Asking'? No way."
"..."
"Grabbed some back-alley thugs, scared 'em. Said if they don't investigate Iron Fortress Gang and send reports down the Yangtze within a month, I'll scour every alley in the Central Plains, drag 'em out, and beat 'em senseless."
"Huh?"
"Back-alley rats are all Haomen informants."
"..."
Goo Ja-jin winked and grinned at Yu Hyun.
Swinging air with drawn blade. Sure, they'll investigate diligently.
Yu Hyun pounded his chest in frustration. He wanted to spit on that smug, grinning face.
Haomen weren't under Yangtze River Fleet; who'd properly investigate threats without pay? Lucky if they tossed some half-baked reports.
Now, only Beggars' Sect left. Divine Beggar said Grand Strategist sent cooperation letter—digging would yield something.
Officials cooperative with orthodox too...
"By the way, what happened to you? Heard you were coming with Haenam Island's Vice Island Lord."
"...Failed."
"Failed?"
"Yes. After twists and turns, he escaped."
"Huh? Did the Island Lord die?"
"Bedridden."
"What? Last saw him twenty years ago, spry as could be."
"..."
Twenty years ago, everyone's spry?
"Some trouble on Haenam Island."
"Trouble?"
"Yes."
Yu Hyun sighed deeply and recounted Haenam Island events carefully.
Faint hope the lifelong martial world veteran Nine Dragon King might know something.
"Hmm... So that's it. Who'd think someone aimed to swallow Haenam Island whole? And they're in cahoots with Iron Fortress Gang?"
"That's my take. They called themselves chosen by West Heaven Wood Palace. Ever heard of it?"
"East Heaven, West Heaven, South Heaven, North Heaven. And Heavenly Throne..."
"..."
Goo Ja-jin stroked his unkempt beard, face grave in thought.
"Hmm..."
"..."
"Man..."
"..."
After long pondering, Goo Ja-jin nodded.
"You want to know?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"Hmm."
"..."
"Should task Haomen more. This is..."
"..."
Yu Hyun's face went blank at the words after all that hemming.
Ha, haha, hahaha.
Foolish to expect from a battle-hardened old fool good only at fighting.
...Never asking again.