Chapter 599: Those Gathering at the Cheonmu Alliance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 599: Those Gathering at the Cheonmu Alliance
The Cheonmu Alliance possessed a vast, open square used primarily for speeches.
It was an immense space, boasting a size capable of accommodating thousands of alliance members at once.
One by one, the members began to gather in the square.
They moved with disciplined precision, lining up quickly and in perfect order.
Soon, the once-empty square was filled to the brim.
Usually, when so many people gathered, even the sound of breathing became a roar, yet the square remained deathly silent.
Countless warriors stood with solemn expressions, their bearing noble and aloof.
The air was thick with a sense of grim determination.
After an indeterminate wait—
Step. Step.
A one-armed man, dressed in magnificent martial robes embroidered with ascending dragons, began to slowly climb the podium.
His expression, like those of the warriors before him, was profoundly solemn and infinitely serious.
Step. Step.
Thud.
Having reached the top of the podium, the man came to a halt.
He began to slowly scan the crowd.
The sight of his warriors, their faces etched with tragic resolve, filled his vision.
"Twenty years ago, the king of demons, known as the Heavenly Demon, invaded the Central Plains. He brought with him hundreds, thousands of hellish fiends."
Lee Jae-won began to speak, his voice heavy with gravity.
"In response, the Murim Alliance—the predecessor of our Cheonmu Alliance and the coalition of the Orthodox Faction—did everything in its power to stop them. However, our strength was insufficient. The Murim Alliance fell, and demons ran rampant across the Central Plains. They slaughtered not only martial artists but civilians as well, laying the foundation for a Demonic Hegemony."
Lee Jae-won continued in a calm, steady tone.
"Slaughter, mutilation, rape... scenes that belonged only in hell unfolded daily. The Central Plains Murim began to transform into a foul den of demons. And the warriors of that time gradually grew accustomed to their atrocities, beginning to accept them. They thought the demons were an irresistible force."
"..."
The expressions of the alliance members grew even more solemn as they listened.
"Most predicted the total downfall of the Orthodox Faction. They fell into despair, for not a shred of hope could be found. But I, your Alliance Leader, having witnessed those horrific sights, could not simply stand by and watch."
Lee Jae-won stared at the members with burning eyes.
"At that time, I was a mere novice in the Murim, but my heart was filled with passion and a sense of justice. One might even say I was reckless. Perhaps that is why I dared to dream the grand dream of saving the Central Plains from the encroaching Demonic Hegemony. To achieve that dream of reclaiming the Murim, I recruited the chivalrous souls remaining throughout the land—true men of honor who carried the Chivalric Code in their hearts."
Lee Jae-won’s voice began to rise in intensity.
"At first, there was only my old friend, the late Yang Tae-san. But as time passed, they began to gather by my side one by one... My most cherished wife, Joo So-yang, who was called the Best Among Women; the Sword Sovereign Yoon Je-gyeom, whose swordsmanship was said to rival that of the Sword Emperor Yang Tae-san; the Poison King, who single-handedly annihilated the Ironclad Cavalry, the Demonic Cult's strongest force; the Strange Monk, the Abbot of Shaolin who was said to have mastered the Indestructible Body; the master of the Heavenly King Divine Fist, whose every punch summoned lightning; and the Sword Artisan, the greatest swordsman of Mount Hua, whose every strike made plum blossoms bloom. Countless righteous warriors joined me, and in the end, we were able to crush the ambitions of the Demonic Hegemony. We drove that foul Heavenly Demon and his devils back to the Hundred Thousand Mountains and brought peace and tranquility back to the Murim!"
Lee Jae-won raised his voice, his words filled with excitement.
Caught up in his fervor, the alliance members felt a powerful surge of emotion rising from deep within their chests.
Their hearts burned at the retelling of the Cheonmu Alliance’s glorious history.
"We made a promise! Never again! Never again would we allow the Demonic Cult to invade! We promised never to forget our loved ones! We promised to revere and practice Chivalry deep within our hearts! And though the Great War of Righteousness and Demons ended, we, who gathered with a single purpose, did not disband! Instead, we founded this great organization, the Cheonmu Alliance! We did so to revere Chivalry, to act upon it, and to protect the peace and safety of the Murim!"
Lee Jae-won’s voice began to thunder across the square.
"But now, the peace and safety of the Murim are under threat! The Tang Clan—the family of the Poison King, our comrade who slaughtered countless demons during the Great War—has been half-destroyed! Every allied power in Shandong has been attacked and massacred in a single stroke! All by the hands of the loathsome Demonic Cult! I have absolutely no intention of sitting idly by! Our comrades! Our allies! Our brothers! They have been brutally murdered! How can I, your Alliance Leader, remain still!"
Lee Jae-won’s eyes flashed with a fire that burned like a sun.
"This is war."
His voice was now cold and resolute.
"We shall exterminate every last one of those Demonic Cult bastards!"
He let out a roar that sounded like a declaration.
"WAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd.
"Kill the Demonic Cult!"
"Exterminate the demon bastards!!!!"
"Bring peace to the Murim!!!!"
Cries of long-suppressed rage burst out from every corner. Their fury boiled over at the fact that their allies had been killed.
Lee Jae-won watched the members with a calm face.
He carefully hid his inner satisfaction.
Waaaaaaaagh!
The cheering continued without end.
It lasted until the moment Lee Jae-won finally stepped down from the podium.
*
[The Demonic Cult is the culprit behind the Shandong Blood Massacre!]
This shocking rumor spread through the Central Plains like wildfire.
Those who first heard the news were stunned.
It had only been about a year since the Tang Clan was nearly destroyed by the Demonic Cult.
And now, another attack?
Furthermore, the targets were the sects in Shandong that were allied with the Cheonmu Alliance.
To anyone’s eyes, this was an overt declaration of war.
A grave provocation that would blow the gates of war wide open.
The common people trembled in fear. Anxiety that war might break out once again gripped their hearts.
And then, another piece of news followed.
[The Cheonmu Alliance Leader has declared war.]
Upon hearing those words, the people knew.
Their anxieties had been proven right.
The Cheonmu Alliance Leader had drawn his sword against the Demonic Cult that had provoked them.
Soon, countless people began to move.
Young heroes with Chivalry in their hearts.
Old masters who had retired but took up their swords once more for the sake of justice.
Ambitious men dreaming of making a name for themselves.
Merchants excited at the prospect of selling military supplies.
All of them began to head toward the Cheonmu Alliance.
Each moved to act upon the convictions they held in their hearts.
*
Conference Room
Lee Jae-won sat in the seat of honor with an incredibly serious expression.
Even though he was just sitting there, the dignity of an absolute ruler naturally radiated from him.
"Report," Lee Jae-won said in a calm tone.
"The supply process is underway. We have prepared enough rice, wheat, and jerky to feed three thousand men for a full month. As for weapons, we have secured a generous supply of high-quality arms crafted by the Sichuan Tang Clan, enough for each man to carry two. We have also prepared bows and arrows in anticipation of sieges."
Lee Dae-gon stood up and delivered his report.
"A month is too short. We need enough provisions to last at least three or four months," Lee Jae-won said, looking at Lee Dae-gon.
The Demonic Cult was located in terrain so rugged it was practically a natural fortress.
One could not approach this with the mindset of simply destroying a single clan or sect.
The treacherous mountain terrain would sap one's will, and the freezing weather and blizzards would slow their pace.
Furthermore, the Demonic Cult, which had experience facing an army of thirty thousand in the past, was skilled in hit-and-run guerrilla tactics.
Therefore, meticulous preparation for a long-term campaign was essential.
With only a month's worth of food, they would likely run out before even getting near the Demonic Cult's headquarters. They needed at least three or four months of supplies.
"Procuring supplies so suddenly is difficult. It will likely take more time," Lee Dae-gon replied with a troubled expression.
The timeline was simply too tight.
"How much time do you think you need?"
"Since harvest season is still a bit away, it's not easy to find food even if we pay a premium. I believe we'll need at least two months."
"Hmm."
Hearing this, Lee Jae-won looked lost in thought.
In his heart, he wanted to march in and annihilate the Demonic Cult immediately, but the lack of supplies held him back.
If they didn't have ample provisions, they might be defeated before the battle even truly began.
"Two months seems too long. Can't you shorten the time?"
"Even two months is a very tight schedule. Shortening it further is impossible," Lee Dae-gon said, shaking his head.
In truth, two months was already pushing it. Any further reduction was out of the question.
"......Hmm.."
Lee Jae-won’s expression turned grim. Things weren't going according to plan, and it was giving him a headache.
What should I do?
Lee Jae-won was torn.
If he waited two months, by the time they were ready to set out again, it would likely take four months in total.
But if they left now, they would starve to death before they could even conquer the Demonic Cult.
He agonized over the best course of action.
As Lee Jae-won sat there with a grave expression, lost in thought—
Raise.
A noblewoman with an alluring aura, Tang Jin-seol, raised her hand.
"Alliance Leader, I have a suggestion."
She spoke in a melodious, honeyed voice.
"Speak," Lee Jae-won replied, snapping out of his thoughts and nodding.
"I'm suggesting this because the supply period seems like it will be quite long. Why not have the Cheonmu Alliance members stay at the Tang Clan estate?" Tang Jin-seol said, her clever eyes sparkling.
"What?"
"They can be stationed at the Tang Clan while the supplies are being gathered. That way, they can head for the Hundred Thousand Mountains the moment the supplies are ready. Wouldn't that be more efficient?" she added with a captivating smile.
"......Hmm.. Certainly....."
Lee Jae-won nodded slowly, acknowledging her point.
She was right.
Shandong was completely isolated from the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Waiting here for supplies and then carrying them all the way there would be a massive waste of time and movement.
But if they stationed themselves at the Tang Clan while waiting, the situation changed.
Aside from Kunlun, the Tang Clan was located closer to the Hundred Thousand Mountains than any other sect.
"Doing so would reduce unnecessary waste of manpower and save time."
"But wouldn't the Tang Clan find it inconvenient? The force gathered at the Alliance alone reaches three thousand. And if you include the righteous warriors who are flocking to us, that number will far exceed three thousand. Wouldn't the Tang Clan be uncomfortable hosting such a large number of people?"
Lee Jae-won asked, looking curious.
No matter how he thought about it, the Tang Clan would likely find it burdensome.
It was a matter of staying at someone else's home for several months.
And with thousands of warriors, at that.
How could anyone welcome that with open arms?
"You don't need to worry about that, Alliance Leader," Tang Jin-seol said, gently shaking her head.
"The Tang Clan is a prestigious family of the Murim and a model for others. Why would they refuse to participate in a cause that upholds the justice of the Murim? Besides, who is the current Clan Head? Is it not the hero of the Great War of Righteousness and Demons, the Poison King Tang Jin-cheol, who once annihilated the Ironclad Cavalry? The Tang Clan Head will surely grant permission for the stationing quite readily."
Tang Jin-seol looked at Lee Jae-won with eyes full of conviction.
...Hmm.. Certainly... Tang Jin-cheol wouldn't refuse our proposal. He's a guy with both ambition and a decent amount of chivalry.
Lee Jae-won nodded in agreement. He felt her words weren't wrong.
"That is a brilliant idea!"
Lee Jae-won let out an exclamation of admiration. He intended to play her up in front of everyone.
"Indeed, the Tang Clan Head would not refuse the Alliance's request! His commitment to revering and practicing Chivalry is likely no different from our own."
Lee Jae-won spoke with a wistful expression, as if reminiscing about an old comrade.
"Very well! For now, all of the Alliance's forces will be stationed at the Tang Clan! And as soon as the supplies are ready, we will march straight for the Demonic Cult!"
Lee Jae-won looked around at the leadership as he spoke.
""Understood!""
The leadership replied in unison. They, too, thought it was a brilliant plan.
I'll get to see that bastard Jin-cheol after a long time.
A thick smile spread across Lee Jae-won’s lips. He felt a surge of excitement at the thought of seeing his old comrade again.