Chapter 699: The Living Must Go On
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 699: The Living Must Go On
"We must send a letter to the Tang Clan immediately!"
"He's right. We must officially declare that this was not the intent of the Cheonmu Alliance!"
"We cannot allow the alliance to be severed!"
"We must draw a line between us and Madam Tang, Alliance Leader!"
The leadership immediately revolted, their voices rising in a heated clamor. They argued that the Alliance should take a step back from the situation and pin everything on Tang Jin-seol. It was the only way to convince the Tang Clan to withdraw their notice of termination.
With the Great War of Righteousness and Demons looming, the cooperation of the Tang Clan was essential. They had to maintain a collaborative relationship at all costs—at least until the war was over.
Heh... Yes... Good, very good.
Listening to the leadership, Lee Jae-won let out a satisfied laugh internally. He felt the tide of public opinion shifting exactly where he wanted it.
"Madam Tang is the mistress of the Cheonmu Alliance. Furthermore, she went to the Tang Clan as an official envoy representing us. Are you suggesting we simply abandon her?"
Heo Sam-gwan, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up. His voice was thick with suspicion.
"It's not about abandoning her. We are simply stating the facts!"
"Exactly! When did we ever order the Head of the Eon Clan to be sent? This was clearly her acting on her own authority, was it not?"
The leaders barked back at Heo Sam-gwan. Tang Jin-seol was the one who had blundered. Why should the Cheonmu Alliance take the fall for it? It was preposterous.
"I beg to differ."
Heo Sam-gwan continued in a calm, steady tone.
"What do you mean, you differ?"
"I mean that Madam Tang would not have done such a thing on her own."
"Wh-what?!"
"Doesn't it strike you as odd?"
Heo Sam-gwan’s eyes glinted with suspicion as he continued.
"What is so odd about it?"
Lee Dae-gon asked back, looking puzzled. He wondered what kind of fault the man was trying to find this time.
"Madam Tang holds the exalted position of the Alliance's mistress, but she does not possess the power to manipulate the arrogant Head of the Eon Clan. He is not a man who bows to money or authority. So, why would he follow her orders?"
"Perhaps she had some leverage over him?"
Lee Dae-gon spoke as if it were trivial. If Eon Jung-gi, a man who didn't yield to wealth or power, followed her, he figured it had to be blackmail.
"It seems the Hwalbindang Master has never met Eon Jung-gi in person."
Heo Sam-gwan’s voice remained level.
"He is a quintessential Martial Maniac. He is a beast of a man who worships the law of survival of the fittest. Do you really think a man like that would listen to Madam Tang just because she held some leverage over him?"
The Eon Jung-gi that Heo Sam-gwan knew was a man who lived by the creed of the strong devouring the weak. For such a man to submit to the orders of Tang Jin-seol, who was weaker than him? It was impossible.
"You never know with people, do you?"
Lee Dae-gon frowned. He didn't like Heo Sam-gwan’s tendency to overcomplicate simple matters.
"No, I am certain. The Eon Jung-gi I know is a man who would sacrifice his life for his convictions."
Heo Sam-gwan stared at Lee Dae-gon with absolute certainty in his eyes.
"........."
Lee Dae-gon fell silent, his mouth clamped shut. Facing that unwavering gaze, he couldn't think of a single rebuttal. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
".........Are you suggesting, then, that the Head of the Eon Clan acted under the instructions of someone other than Madam Tang?"
"I am."
"Then who could have possibly given him those instructions?"
"Wouldn't it be someone stronger than him?"
"Someone... stronger than the Head of the Eon Clan?"
At Heo Sam-gwan’s words, Lee Dae-gon slowly turned his gaze to the side. There, a single figure came into his view.
A man stronger than the Head of the Eon Clan.
Lee Jae-won.
Lee Dae-gon’s face began to turn pale.
"Are you suspecting me now?"
Lee Jae-won met Lee Dae-gon’s gaze and spoke with a composed expression.
"N-no! Not at all... That's unthinkable!"
Lee Dae-gon frantically shook his head. He was the leader of the pro-Alliance Leader faction. For him to suspect the Alliance Leader was absurd.
"I have my suspicions."
A sharp voice rang through the room. It was Heo Sam-gwan, the Master of Palbok Hall and leader of the anti-Alliance Leader faction. He was staring at Lee Jae-won with eyes full of doubt.
"Suspicions, you say..."
Lee Jae-won trailed off, looking amused. Seeing the man snap back so aggressively after being cowed earlier made him want to laugh. Does this bastard have no fear at all?
"Are you suspecting me because of Eon Jung-gi’s convictions?"
Lee Jae-won spoke with a hint of a sneer.
"That is not all."
Heo Sam-gwan looked Lee Jae-won straight in the eye.
"Madam Tang clearly headed to the Tang Clan under your orders. And there, she attempted to pressure them. Isn't the timing a bit too perfect?"
"......The Palbok Hall Master seems to be a very suspicious man."
"I believe it is a justified doubt."
"Well, if you are that suspicious, I shall defend myself personally."
Lee Jae-won maintained a calm expression.
"I had absolutely nothing to do with this matter. This incident was entirely the result of Madam Tang acting on her own authority."
Lee Jae-won stared back at Heo Sam-gwan with a look of absolute conviction.
"........Is there... not a single shred of falsehood in those words?"
Despite Lee Jae-won’s denial, Heo Sam-gwan remained skeptical. He suspected Lee Jae-won was simply cutting his losses.
"It is the absolute truth. If I am lying, may I be struck dead by lightning."
Lee Jae-won spoke with total confidence.
"............"
Heo Sam-gwan shut his mouth. Lee Jae-won’s attitude was so firm that he couldn't press him any further.
"Are your suspicions cleared now?"
When Heo Sam-gwan fell silent, Lee Jae-won asked him back with a relaxed smile.
".............I shall take it as such..... I apologize for my doubt."
Heo Sam-gwan was still suspicious, but he decided to let it go for now. Pushing any further would make it look like he was just trying to undermine the Alliance Leader.
"I thank you for your trust."
Lee Jae-won replied with a gentle smile.
Fucking bastard, he’s persistent as hell.
Of course, internally, he was cursing Heo Sam-gwan for his relentless digging. The man had incredible insight and tenacity—enough to potentially uncover the whole truth. It had actually made Lee Jae-won break a sweat, fearing he might be caught.
But somehow, he had moved past it. It was all thanks to his superb acting skills.
I should probably win the Best Actor Award for this.
Lee Jae-won praised himself inwardly with that nonsense.
"Now, let us return to the main point."
Lee Jae-won’s expression turned serious.
"I agree with what you all have said. If there is a misunderstanding, it must be corrected. Using the Head of the Eon Clan to pressure the Tang Clan was Madam Tang’s solo act; it was never the intent of the Cheonmu Alliance. We must clear up this misunderstanding and have the alliance termination rescinded."
Lee Jae-won declared this as he looked around the room with a dignified expression. The leaders nodded in agreement, listening intently. They felt his words were correct.
"I will send a letter to the Tang Clan! And I intend to impose a severe punishment on Madam Tang for causing this crisis."
"A punishment, you say!?"
Lee Dae-gon asked, looking startled.
"Did we not almost lose our alliance with the Tang Clan? And right before a monumental event like the Great War of Righteousness and Demons. If we do not punish Madam Tang, the mastermind behind this, the world will laugh at us."
"Then... what will the punishment be?"
Lee Dae-gon asked curiously.
"I intend to strip her of everything she enjoys within the Cheonmu Alliance."
Lee Jae-won’s expression turned cold.
"She is no longer the mistress of the Cheonmu Alliance. She will return to being an ordinary woman. Furthermore, her daughter, Lee Hyun-kyung, will lose her status as a candidate for succession. Both mother and daughter will be confined within the Tang Clan and will never be allowed to set foot in the Cheonmu Alliance again."
Lee Jae-won shouted his declaration.
"Alliance Leader! That is too harsh!"
One of the leaders who supported Tang Jin-seol spoke up in protest. To strip Lee Hyun-kyung of her succession rights—how could he be so cruel?
"The sins of the mother are the sins of the child. How can she escape the weight of such a grave crime?"
Lee Jae-won spoke calmly. He wasn't unaware that the punishment was excessively harsh. He was applying guilt by association not just to Tang Jin-seol, but to her daughter, Lee Hyun-kyung, as well.
However, Lee Jae-won had no intention of backing down. He planned to use this opportunity to cut ties with Tang Jin-seol completely. If he didn't, he would be the one driven into a corner.
"But... Alliance Leader!"
"There will be no reversal!"
Lee Jae-won raised his voice.
"Because of that one woman, the entire Alliance was nearly shaken to its core! How can we not punish her!"
"I am not saying she shouldn't be punished. It's just that the severity..."
"It is a crime for which her head could be taken! She should be grateful it ends with mere confinement!"
Lee Jae-won roared.
"..........."
Cowed by his overwhelming presence, the leadership fell silent. Seeing Lee Jae-won’s firm stance, they realized there was no room for negotiation.
"This matter is finalized by the Alliance Leader's Order! Let no one raise an objection! Let no one utter a word of dissent!"
Lee Jae-won infused his voice with internal energy and bellowed.
Vrooooooom—
The meeting room vibrated incessantly from the force of his voice.
"..........."
The leaders remained silent. Lee Jae-won had gone so far as to invoke the Alliance Leader's Order—an authority that could only be used three times during a term—just to punish Tang Jin-seol. How could they possibly argue against that?
"The punishment is decided! Prepare the official announcement immediately!"
""We obey your command!""
The leaders responded instantly. Lee Jae-won watched them with a stoic gaze.
*
In the meeting room, after all the leaders had left, two men remained.
The Alliance Leader, Lee Jae-won, and the Chief Strategist, Zhuge Chan. The two men sat in silence, simply staring at each other. After a long while, Zhuge Chan spoke.
"Alliance Leader... how... how could you do such a thing?"
Zhuge Chan asked, looking profoundly shocked.
"What do you mean?"
Lee Jae-won asked back with a nonchalant expression.
"You pinned all the blame on Madam Tang!"
Zhuge Chan shouted, his voice rising. He knew. He knew that Lee Jae-won was the one who had approved Tang Jin-seol’s plan. He knew that Lee Jae-won was the one who had personally sent the letter to the Head of the Eon Clan.
That was why he was so incensed. He was revolted by Lee Jae-won’s behavior, framing Tang Jin-seol for everything. How could a human being be so heartless? Especially toward his own wife.
"What exactly is the problem with that?"
At Zhuge Chan’s anger, Lee Jae-won asked back as if he truly didn't understand.
".............."
Zhuge Chan’s jaw dropped. He was speechless at the completely unexpected response. What kind of bullshit was this?
"Do you not feel any pity for Madam Tang, Alliance Leader?"
"I do. I feel very sorry for her. Has she not taken on the burden of a sin that should have been shared?"
Lee Jae-won spoke with a look of mock sorrow.
"Then why!!!!!"
"But we can't all die together, can we?"
Lee Jae-won’s tone was incredibly casual. If someone has to die, it’s better if it’s just one person. Why should many people bleed? It made no sense.
"The living must go on."
Lee Jae-won added with a gentle smile.
Shiver.
Seeing that smile, Zhuge Chan felt a chill run down his spine. An indescribable sense of revulsion washed over his entire body.
"There are only four people who know that I instigated the Head of the Eon Clan. Me, Tang Jin-seol, you, and the man himself, Eon Jung-gi. But Eon Jung-gi is currently in closed-door meditation. There’s no telling when he’ll come out. In the end, the only ones who know the truth of this incident are you, me, and Tang Jin-seol."
Lee Jae-won’s expression turned solemn.
"Ultimately, if we just discard Tang Jin-seol, everything is resolved. Everyone can be happy. So, how could I not discard her?"
Lee Jae-won spoke with a glint of madness in his eyes. Facing that madness, Zhuge Chan’s entire body trembled. He was terrified by Lee Jae-won’s complete lack of guilt.