Chapter 698: As Long as I Survive!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 698: As Long as I Survive!
The contents of the letter were simple.
Because of Tang Jin-seol, the Tang Clan and the Cheonmu Alliance were on the verge of breaking their alliance.
If he wished to prevent the dissolution of the alliance, the Cheonmu Alliance Leader himself would have to grovel and apologize.
That damn bitch!
Lee Jae-won’s face contorted with rage.
An uncontrollable fury surged within him. How could she spout such utter nonsense?
Do you think I’m a joke too, Poison King?!
Blood vessels began to bulge in Lee Jae-won’s eyes.
Vrooooooom.
Simultaneously, a thick murderous aura began to leak from his body.
His irritation toward Tang Jin-seol, his rage toward the Tang Clan, and his resentment toward the Poison King had intertwined to create a lethal intent.
"Zhuge Chan!"
Lee Jae-won called out to Zhuge Chan, who was standing quietly to the side.
"P-Please, speak."
"Summon the leadership!"
Lee Jae-won continued, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
"Wh-what?!"
Zhuge Chan asked back, looking bewildered by the sudden command.
"Immediately!"
Lee Jae-won raised his voice, his expression overbearing.
"I... I understand."
Zhuge Chan bowed his head instantly and hurried out of the room.
"That son of a bitch thinks he can mess with me?"
Once he was gone, Lee Jae-won spat out a curse, his face twisted in a deep scowl. His eyes were filled with nothing but killing intent.
*
The Meeting Room.
The leaders, often referred to as the pillars supporting the Cheonmu Alliance, were seated quietly in their respective places.
They were waiting for the Alliance Leader to appear.
After waiting for quite some time...
"Strategist."
Heo Sam-gwan, the Palbok Hall Master who had been sitting silently, called out to the Chief Strategist, Zhuge Chan.
"Please, speak."
Zhuge Chan, who was standing quietly in a corner, replied in a calm tone.
"Just how long does the Alliance Leader intend to keep us waiting?"
Heo Sam-gwan glared at him with irritation. It had been a considerable amount of time since they were suddenly summoned. Yet, there was no sign of the Alliance Leader appearing. It was only natural for his annoyance to peak.
"......I apologize."
Zhuge Chan apologized immediately. Even he, the Strategist, had no idea when Lee Jae-won would show up.
"It’s not an apology I want. I want an answer as to when the Alliance Leader will finally grace us with his presence."
Heo Sam-gwan’s scowl deepened. He was frustrated by Zhuge Chan’s vague attitude.
"You certainly have a foul temper."
At that moment, a sharp voice pierced Heo Sam-gwan’s ears.
"What!?"
Heo Sam-gwan frowned and turned his head toward the voice.
A man with a fierce impression entered his sight. It was Lee Dae-gon, the head of the Pro-Alliance faction and the Hwalbindang Master.
"If you wait, he’ll eventually come, won’t he? Why are you throwing a tantrum like a child with no patience?"
Lee Dae-gon, the Hwalbindang Master, continued with a mocking expression.
"A child? Have you lost your mind?"
Heo Sam-gwan raised his voice, his face contorting. He was incensed by Lee Dae-gon’s crossing of the line.
"If throwing a fit because things aren't going your way isn't being a child, then what is?"
"The Hwalbindang Master seems to have no spine at all."
"No spine?"
"It’s been half a Shijin since you sat down. To still defend the Alliance Leader like that—how can you claim to have any backbone?" Heo Sam-gwan sneered.
"If the Alliance Leader is late, there must be a reason. Why don't you try thinking before you speak?"
"If he’s going to be late, the proper procedure is to delay the meeting, isn't it? Is this not a basic lack of etiquette?"
"Are you belittling the Alliance Leader now, claiming he lacks manners?"
Lee Dae-gon glared at Heo Sam-gwan with a piercing gaze.
"It’s not as if he’s being polite, is he?"
"Have you said enough!?"
Lee Dae-gon snapped, his voice rising. To him, the Cheonmu Alliance Leader was someone he respected and believed in like a deity. He could not tolerate Heo Sam-gwan’s attitude of insulting him.
"Why are you so worked up? One would think the Hwalbindang Master was the one being insulted."
Despite Lee Dae-gon’s outburst, Heo Sam-gwan continued in a mocking tone.
"How can I, as a member of the Alliance, stay silent while the head of the Alliance is being insulted!"
"Get a grip, Hall Master Lee. The position of Cheonmu Alliance Leader is one that represents the Alliance, not one that rules over it. It’s because you treat him with such blind loyalty that the Leader looks down on us and forgets his manners!"
"Are you saying the reason the Leader is late is because of me?"
"You can't say you're entirely without blame, can you? One way or another, the reason the Leader treats us so poorly is because there are people like you who follow him blindly."
The argument between the two Hall Masters began to drag on. Simultaneously, the atmosphere between the Pro-Alliance and Anti-Alliance factions grew hostile. The grievances they had harbored against each other were flooding to the surface.
"Please... please, calm down!"
Chief Strategist Zhuge Chan tried to intervene. He didn't want the meeting to turn into a disaster before it even began.
"Step outside right now!"
"You think I won't!?"
However, the conflict between the two factions only intensified, showing no signs of easing.
Sigh...
Zhuge Chan let out an internal groan. He had no confidence in settling the situation.
Vrooooooom.
Then, something changed. An incredibly heavy pressure began to weigh down the entire meeting room.
"Ugh!"
"Gah...!"
Groans erupted from all sides. It seemed they couldn't withstand the pressure crushing their bodies.
Creeeeeak.
The door to the meeting room slowly opened, and a man appeared.
"The... the Alliance Leader!"
The Strategist, recognizing the man, cried out urgently.
"I can't tell if this is a meeting room or a marketplace."
The man who entered, Lee Jae-won, spoke with a cold expression. He was clearly displeased to see the so-called pillars of the Alliance brawling like thugs.
"Why don't you all take your seats?"
Lee Jae-won scanned the room with a calm gaze.
Thud.
Upon hearing those words, the leaders began to scramble into their seats. They were overwhelmed by a majestic pressure they couldn't hope to resist. Before long, every leader was seated.
"Now it finally looks like a meeting room."
Seeing this, Lee Jae-won spoke with a satisfied expression.
"I had some business to attend to, so I am a bit late. I apologize."
Once they were seated, Lee Jae-won offered an immediate apology for his tardiness.
"......Half a Shijin was a bit excessive, Alliance Leader."
Heo Sam-gwan, who had been suppressed by the pressure, spoke up slowly.
"Something urgent came up."
"If such a thing happened, could you not have notified us in advance or delayed the summons?"
"It was a very pressing matter."
Lee Jae-won replied with a nonchalant face, as if he didn't feel sorry in the slightest.
That bastard.
This attitude only fueled Heo Sam-gwan’s irritation. If a person makes a mistake, shouldn't they show some remorse? What was with this attitude? He was basically telling them to just deal with it because he was busy.
"May I ask what happened?" Heo Sam-gwan asked, looking curious.
".........I don't believe I have an obligation to report every single matter to you."
Lee Jae-won flatly rejected the question. The reason he was late was that he had been smashing furniture to vent his rage. He couldn't have maintained his sanity without cooling his anger first. There was no way he could tell them the truth.
"....I was simply wondering if it was a justifiable reason for being late."
"Do you have no trust in me? Do I look like some common thug who would be late for some trivial reason!"
Lee Jae-won brazenly raised his voice instead. He glared at Heo Sam-gwan with eyes full of fury to intimidate him.
"...........I was just... trying to understand the facts..."
Facing Lee Jae-won’s wrathful gaze, Heo Sam-gwan stammered. The momentum behind that look was terrifying, but he still wanted to say his piece.
"I don't want to hear it!"
But Lee Jae-won cut him off mid-sentence. He had no desire to listen to anything disadvantageous to him.
"I was late due to unavoidable circumstances! How can you be so rigid and critical? The duties of the Alliance Leader are far more numerous and diverse than you think! Why is your first instinct to criticize rather than try to understand?"
Lee Jae-won began to berate him with rapid-fire words.
"He’s right. You went too far, Palbok Hall Master!"
"How can you treat the Alliance Leader that way!"
As Lee Jae-won pressured Heo Sam-gwan, the Pro-Alliance leaders chimed in one after another, providing cover fire.
"............"
In contrast, the Anti-Alliance leaders, including Heo Sam-gwan, clamped their mouths shut. They realized that if they spoke up now, they would only end up being insulted alongside him.
"........If I offended you..... I apologize... but... my intention was..."
"Please, try to put yourself in someone else's shoes for once, Hall Master Heo. Stop living so selfishly!"
Lee Jae-won cut him off again to have the last word. He had no intention of giving him room to make excuses.
".........I understand."
Heo Sam-gwan eventually nodded, pretending to concede. He realized that since reasoning didn't work, there was no point in saying anything more. Normally, a debate should be based on facts, supplemented by opinions. But Lee Jae-won only focused on highlighting his own displeasure based on momentary emotions. How could that ever be a proper debate? Thus, he simply fell silent.
Good, good.
Seeing this, Lee Jae-won smiled inwardly with satisfaction. He had silenced Heo Sam-gwan, who was essentially the head of the Anti-Alliance faction. He had won the power struggle completely.
He was defeated by my perfect logic.
Lee Jae-won felt his pride swelling. He felt a surge of arrogance for having bested the stubborn Heo Sam-gwan in a battle of words.
"Now that the room is settled, I shall state the business at hand."
Lee Jae-won looked around and continued.
"The Tang Clan has declared the termination of our alliance."
"Wh-what!?"
"Whaaaat!?"
"No, Alliance Leader... how could..."
"Termination of the alliance!?"
As soon as Lee Jae-won finished speaking, the room erupted into chaos. They were thrown into a panic by the sudden news.
"Is... is that true, Alliance Leader?"
Lee Dae-gon, the Hwalbindang Master, asked with a face full of doubt. He simply couldn't believe it. Who was the Tang Clan? They were reliable allies who had shared joys and sorrows for over twenty years, a blood alliance bound by marriage. How could such a clan request to break the alliance? It was impossible to believe.
"It is the truth."
Lee Jae-won spoke with a heavy expression.
"This makes no sense! The Tang Clan has been our ally for twenty years, a blood alliance! Why would they suddenly break it!?"
"Because of that very blood alliance, everything has gone wrong."
"What!?"
"I am saying that the Third Madam is involved in this termination!"
Lee Jae-won’s eyes flashed coldly as he spoke.
"Just what on earth happened!?"
Lee Dae-gon asked, looking completely lost. The alliance was falling apart because of the Third Madam, a blood relative of the Tang Clan? What did that even mean?
"The Third Madam instigated the Head of the Un Family to pressure the Tang Clan. She feared that the Tang Clan was trying to become independent from the Cheonmu Alliance's influence. However, her plan failed, and the Tang Clan Head, believing her scheme was the will of the Cheonmu Alliance, has demanded the termination of the alliance."
Lee Jae-won began to reveal everything Tang Jin-seol had done at the Tang Clan in detail.
"No! Such a thing!?"
"Are you saying the Third Madam did such a thing!?"
"How could she do that while holding the status of the Alliance's mistress!"
"That malice is terrifying... truly terrifying..."
Upon hearing this, the leaders immediately began to protest and raise their voices. They were revolted by Tang Jin-seol’s ugly scheme. How could she think of ruining her own family out of a lust for power? It wouldn't be strange to call her a wicked woman.
Yes. Curse her more!
Seeing the criticism against her intensify, Lee Jae-won felt a sense of satisfaction. He realized he could pin all the blame on her. In truth, it wasn't as if Lee Jae-won was blameless in this situation. She had come up with the plan, but he was the one who had approved it. He was the one who sent the letter to the Head of the Un Family, and he was the one who sent her to the Tang Clan.
However, he had no intention of admitting his mistakes. If the truth came out, it was obvious that public opinion would turn against him. Therefore, Lee Jae-won boldly discarded Tang Jin-seol. He made her his scapegoat and sacrifice so that he could survive.
Only he needed to survive.
I'm the only one who needs to survive!
Lee Jae-won’s eyes glinted with a cold, sharp light.