Chapter 617: He is the Strongest Martial Artist Under Heaven.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 617: He is the Strongest Martial Artist Under Heaven.
"He must be detained immediately!"
"He is right! This goes against all moral principles!"
"How can you say such a thing after he committed such a barbaric act against the chivalrous heroes who came here personally for the Great War of Righteousness and Demons!"
Led by Lee Dae-gon, several members of the leadership began to raise their voices and shout.
"Weren't they the ones who provoked him first? I believe his actions were quite justified."
"Indeed. While I may not fond of his conduct, I believe there are mitigating circumstances that must be considered."
At that, another group of leaders, headed by Heo Sam-gwan, began to defend him.
"No, what kind of madman spreads poison just because someone was being loud and boisterous in front of his house!"
Lee Dae-gon shouted, his face turning grim.
"They weren't just being loud! They mocked him, insulted him, and provoked him! And they did it for three days and nights!"
"Is that not proof that the people's rage has reached its peak?"
"The problem is that they tried to vent that rage in such a primitive manner!"
"Are you saying we should just stand by and watch such injustice!?"
"That is not what I am saying! How can you distort my words so much?"
"That is certainly how it sounds to my ears, Hall Master Heo."
"I should set a date for you to visit the Medical Pavilion. Since you seem unable to understand plain speech, I suspect there is something wrong with your ears."
"My ears are perfectly fine! It is your tongue that is twisted! How can you defend him after such a horrific incident has occurred!"
Lee Dae-gon shouted, his expression filled with fury.
"I simply wish to maintain my objectivity," Heo Sam-gwan replied in a calm tone.
"Is it not a fact that those heroes provoked the Sword God with their protest? They occupied the area in front of his quarters for three days and nights. In such a situation, how could he not be angry?"
"Even so, his handling of the matter was far too severe! To use poison and leave them in such a state! Even the cruelest members of the Evil and Heretical Sects wouldn't act so excessively!"
Lee Dae-gon raised his voice in rebuttal.
It wasn't that he entirely disagreed with Heo Sam-gwan’s point. Those people had been rude and reckless. There was certainly enough reason to discipline them.
However, the retaliation was too extreme. How could a man claiming to be an Orthodox martial artist release poison to inflict pain bordering on torture just because things didn't go his way?
"Then what was the Sword God supposed to do? It’s obvious they wouldn't have listened to reason!"
Heo Sam-gwan glared at Lee Dae-gon with sharp eyes as he continued. Though he hadn't been there personally, he could easily imagine how the situation had unfolded. He had heard plenty about the protest that had lasted three days and nights in front of the Sword God’s quarters.
"Even so, his methods were wrong. If dialogue failed, he should have ignored them or asked the warriors of the Cheonmu Alliance for help!"
"As if the Cheonmu Alliance would have been of any help."
Heo Sam-gwan continued, his expression full of disdain.
"Was it not the Cheonmu Alliance that stood by and watched while they camped out and caused a disturbance for three days? What kind of help do you expect him to ask from an Alliance like that!"
"If the Sword God had requested assistance, we would have gone to suppress them."
"You should have gone before he had to ask. How can you live so passively?"
Heo Sam-gwan continued, his face showing his clear displeasure.
"The Cheonmu Alliance did nothing despite the incident occurring within its own walls. You left it alone for three days. The Alliance has no right to lecture the Sword God."
Heo Sam-gwan stared down Lee Dae-gon with unwavering eyes.
"The Head of Palbok Hall is right! It was the Alliance that neglected him!"
"We cannot punish him!"
Several other leaders chimed in, agreeing with his sentiment.
"I disagree! While we cannot say the Cheonmu Alliance is blameless for neglecting them, that does not absolve the Sword God of the crime of poisoning those heroes with deadly toxins! He must be punished!"
Hearing their arguments, Lee Dae-gon glared back at Heo Sam-gwan, refusing to back down.
"He is right! He must be punished according to proper legal procedures!"
"If we let this slide, the discipline of the Alliance will never be restored."
As soon as he finished speaking, several other leaders began to voice their support.
"Are you saying you’re actually going to try and capture him? He is the World's Greatest Martial Artist!"
Heo Sam-gwan and his faction wanted this incident to be swept under the rug. They didn't feel Jang Sun-woo had done anything significantly wrong, and they didn't want to stir up trouble for no reason. Why risk offending the World's Greatest Martial Artist over something so trivial?
Moreover, the Alliance was indeed at fault for neglecting the protesters. In this situation, staying quiet was the far better choice.
"Everyone must be equal before the law! No matter if he is the World's Greatest Martial Artist, we cannot allow him to stand above the law!"
Lee Dae-gon and his faction wanted the incident to escalate. They intended to blow the situation out of proportion so that Jang Sun-woo would be forced to stand trial by the Alliance. They planned to use that as leverage to put a leash on him.
Even if he was the World's Greatest Martial Artist, as long as he stayed within the Alliance, he could not act in violation of Alliance Law. This was a basic duty of a guest.
By escalating the case and forcing him into a trial, they could put him in a difficult position. And if they played their cards right, that difficulty could be turned into a magnificent leash.
A leash to control the monster known as Jang Sun-woo.
That was why they were pushing so hard—to worsen the situation by any means necessary.
"We aren't saying he should stand above the law!"
"If not that, then what exactly is your intention!?"
The debate between the two groups grew increasingly heated. Arguments for and against Jang Sun-woo’s punishment intensified.
After some time had passed...
"Enough."
Lee Jae-won, who had been listening in silence until then, finally spoke.
Snap.
The room, which had been filled with pointing fingers and shouting, fell silent in an instant. Along with Lee Jae-won’s words, an immense presence radiated outward, enveloping the entire meeting hall.
"Everyone seems a bit too overheated. Why don't we all calm down?"
Lee Jae-won suggested in a calm tone, telling them to cool their heads.
"..."
"..."
At his suggestion, both sides shut their mouths at once. It was a silent gesture of agreement.
"That’s better."
Seeing them quiet down, Lee Jae-won continued with a satisfied expression. He seemed to prefer the quiet atmosphere of the hall.
"I have heard both of your arguments. I cannot say either side is entirely right, but neither are they entirely wrong."
Lee Jae-won looked around at the assembly.
"First, I share the same opinion as the Hwalbindang Master."
He continued in a steady voice.
"It is only right that those who commit crimes are punished according to the law, and the law must be applied fairly to everyone."
"But, Alliance Leader!"
Hearing this, Heo Sam-gwan called out to him in protest.
"I am not finished yet, Head of Palbok Hall."
When Heo Sam-gwan interrupted, Lee Jae-won glared at him with sharp eyes.
"...My apologies."
Meeting that gaze, Heo Sam-gwan immediately apologized for cutting him off.
"It is fine. I shall continue."
Lee Jae-won waved it off and went on.
"While I agree that he should be punished, I also fully recognize that this case is unique. Those harmed by Jang Sun-woo were the aggressors who camped in front of his quarters and disturbed the peace for three days and nights. In a way, Jang Sun-woo was simply venting his frustration against those who invaded his space. Therefore, I believe there are grounds for leniency."
Lee Jae-won spoke calmly.
"Furthermore, I believe the Alliance, which left their behavior unchecked, cannot escape responsibility. In a sense, it was the Alliance that allowed the situation to escalate. Therefore, I would like to make a proposal."
"What is it?" Heo Sam-gwan asked, looking puzzled.
"We shall punish him, but it will be a punishment that is sufficiently reasonable."
"A reasonable punishment?"
"Indeed. I am told that those who were attacked by him are all suffering from post-traumatic stress. Mental wounds are often more bitter and painful than visible ones. Normally, he should be detained and charged with assault. However, acknowledging his actions as a form of self-defense and admitting the Alliance's responsibility for the neglect, I intend to commute his sentence."
Lee Jae-won looked at Heo Sam-gwan and spoke slowly.
"What do you intend to do?"
"I shall have him expelled from the Alliance."
Lee Jae-won’s cold eyes glittered as he spoke.
"What!?"
"Excuse me!?"
Exclamations of shock erupted from all sides. His statement was utterly unexpected.
"Alliance Leader! That makes no sense!"
"You cannot do that!"
The leaders of the two factions, who had been debating Jang Sun-woo’s punishment, protested in unison. They could not agree to letting Jang Sun-woo leave the Cheonmu Alliance like this.
"We cannot provoke him! Have you not seen his temperament? He is quiet if left alone, but if someone touches him, he explodes!"
Heo Sam-gwan began to object vehemently. Jang Sun-woo was a sleeping lion. As long as he was left alone, there was no problem, but if he was accidentally disturbed, he was the most dangerous man alive. They should be walking on eggshells around him; why take such a reckless gamble?
"I oppose expelling him! He should be given a harsher sentence!"
Lee Dae-gon also voiced his fierce opposition. What he wanted was a leash created through the escalation of the incident. He intended to use that leash to force Jang Sun-woo to participate in the Great War of Righteousness and Demons. But if he was simply expelled, his plan would go up in smoke. He wouldn't be able to control him, nor could he force him to join the war. How could he not oppose it?
"I find it quite appropriate, though?"
Faced with their backlash, Lee Jae-won maintained a nonchalant expression.
"This is a punishment that has taken all mitigating factors into account."
"He will never follow the Alliance's decision!" Heo Sam-gwan protested.
He was the World's Greatest Martial Artist. There was no way he would meekly do as the Alliance ordered.
"Tsk, tsk. It seems the Head of Palbok Hall has forgotten."
Lee Jae-won clicked his tongue in mock pity.
"He came to the Cheonmu Alliance as a guest. How can a guest refuse to follow the decision of the host?"
"...But... given his personality..." Heo Sam-gwan continued, still looking uneasy.
"He is not a member of the Alliance. Therefore, he will not sacrifice himself or fight for the Alliance. But an order to vacate? He will have no choice but to follow it. He is strictly a guest, and he is surely aware of that fact."
Lee Jae-won spoke with an air of absolute certainty.
"Alliance Leader! We cannot let him leave like this!"
This time, Lee Dae-gon raised his voice in protest.
"Is there a reason we must keep him here?" Lee Jae-won asked, acting as if he didn't know.
"We haven't persuaded him yet, Alliance Leader!"
Lee Dae-gon shouted, his expression full of frustration. His participation in the war was still uncertain. Expelling him now was no different from giving up on persuading him. He couldn't allow that. Absolutely not. The lives of hundreds, thousands, depended on the hands of the World's Greatest Martial Artist. How could they just let him go?
They had to make him join. They had to make him participate, no matter what it took.
"Hwalbindang Master."
Lee Jae-won called out to him, his face devoid of emotion.
"Nothing is as futile as clinging to an impossibility."
He continued with a bitter expression.
"Alliance Leader! How can you say that? Even if the chances are slim, shouldn't we be devising ways to persuade him!?"
"When there is no hope, one must also know how to let go."
Lee Jae-won shook his head.
"He is an extremely selfish man. He is a petty individual who cares only for his own safety rather than the peace and well-being of the Murim. How can you expect chivalry or compassion from such a person?"
"If we cannot rely on chivalry or compassion, then we should just forcibly detain him!"
Hearing his words, Lee Dae-gon raised his voice in rebuttal.
"And how?" Lee Jae-won asked.
"How do you intend to force him, and how do you intend to detain him? I am truly curious."
He looked as if he genuinely wanted to know.
Jang Sun-woo was the World's Greatest Martial Artist. He was the strongest warrior in the world. How could they possibly force or detain such a man? It was an absurd notion.
"He is the strongest martial artist under heaven."
Lee Jae-won looked at Lee Dae-gon with a lofty gaze.
"He is not someone we can control with our power."