Chapter 725: Would You Like to Work with Me?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 725: Would You Like to Work with Me?
His mother had been frail from the moment she was born.
Though she was elegant, virtuous, and breathtakingly beautiful, for some reason, health was the one thing she was never granted.
She lived her life tethered to medicine, spending far more days lying in bed than standing on her feet. She was a woman defined by her fragility.
Yet, he had never once felt resentful of her weakness.
Even if they couldn't go on outings on sunny spring days;
Even if they couldn't go flower-viewing when the blossoms bloomed;
Even if they couldn't touch the snow on days when heavy drifts fell;
He was never once dissatisfied.
There wasn't much they could do together, but her mere existence was a comfort and a source of strength.
Then, one day, his mother passed away.
She drew her last breath, unable to endure the pains of childbirth.
The physician had urged her to give up on the child from the beginning. He had insisted time and again that her frail body could never withstand the strain, pleading with her to let the baby go.
But his mother refused to listen.
She was stubborn. She insisted that she could not harm the precious life kicking inside her womb.
And that stubbornness ultimately became the cause of her death.
Just as the physician had warned, she could not survive the labor. She exhausted every ounce of her vitality to bring his younger sister into the world.
[Please... take good care... of Kyung-ah.]
Those were his mother’s words as she gripped his hand tightly before she died.
Take care of Kyung-ah.
In her final moment, her last words were not for the husband she had loved all her life, nor for the son who was the fruit of that love. They were for the daughter who had taken her life.
It was as if she feared the girl would be treated as an unwanted burden.
At first, he hated the sister who had taken not only his mother’s life but even her final concerns. The thought that his mother would still be alive if not for her grew like a weed in his heart.
He would secretly pinch her, bully her, and make her cry. He began to vent the grief of losing his mother onto his sister.
But before long, he stopped his childish bullying entirely. No matter how much he mistreated her, the sight of his sister beaming and welcoming her older brother made it impossible to harbor ill will.
What sin had this child, who had only just entered the world, committed?
Once he realized this, he began to faithfully fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He would do anything for Kyung-ah.
If there was something she wanted, he would find it for her. If someone made her cry, he would exact thorough revenge. All of it was to honor the final request of the mother who had entrusted her daughter to him.
As his sister grew older, she began to resemble their mother. He looked for traces of his mother in her, wishing and praying for nothing but her happiness.
Then, years passed, and his sister became a woman in her own right.
[Brother... I... I’ve fallen in love!]
She had suddenly whispered the secret to him.
The man was someone hailed as a great hero of the Murim at the time.
Upon hearing her words, he opposed the match fiercely. Not only did he dislike the man’s impression—his eyes were like those of a snake—but he also loathed the idea of his sister becoming a fifth wife.
What was she lacking that she would enter the household of a philanderer as his fifth wife? It was preposterous.
But she was adamant, and eventually, she forced the marriage through a major scandal: a premarital pregnancy.
Though his heart ached at her impulsive choice, he prayed for her happiness. Even if he didn't like the philandering, snake-eyed husband, he chose to respect her decision.
Then, one day, a letter arrived from his brother-in-law. It was a request for help in forming a Murim organization.
Initially, he intended to refuse. As the head of a Great Clan, he wasn't so idle that he could afford to be tied down to another organization.
But he soon changed his mind. He realized that if he accepted the proposal, he would be able to see his precious sister whenever he wished.
Ultimately, he joined the organization as its Chief Strategist.
And it wasn't long before he came to regret that decision deeply. He discovered the true nature of the "Great Hero," a truth he wished he had never known.
The man was inadequate. Or more accurately, he was an overgrown child.
He put on an air of maturity, but his inner self was childish, shallow, and incredibly foolish. Because he was unlearned and emotionally stunted, he was volatile. For the sake of his whims, he would commit the most hideous acts without a shred of guilt.
Acts so foul and disgusting they were barely fit for speech.
And so, he regretted it.
It would have been better to know nothing. It would have been better to remain in the dark.
He was worried. Worried that this hideous, immature man would hurt his precious sister.
He was worried. Worried that the man’s barbarity would be exposed to the world, bringing down condemnation upon them all.
He was afraid. He was terrified that his sister, who deserved to live in happiness, would be made miserable because of him. He feared he would fail to keep his mother’s final promise.
So, he hid it all.
He hid the man’s barbarity. His immaturity. His foolishness. His hideousness.
He made sure no one would ever notice.
Before meetings, he prepared scripts under the guise of "reference materials." If the man seemed ready to fly off the handle, he would step in first to agree or pose a questioning look to induce a second thought—all without letting the man realize he was being managed.
When the man crossed the line, he offered blunt, unfiltered advice to put the brakes on his depravity, all to prevent even the slightest scratch on his reputation.
Of course, the side effects were immense. He endured constant verbal abuse and, in extreme cases, threats to his life, but he didn't care.
If it was to make him a perfect Alliance Leader, if it was to protect his precious sister, he believed he could endure anything.
But today, he faced the worst situation he had ever encountered.
Lee Jae-won, who had supposedly gone to reconcile, suddenly declared that they should eliminate Joo So-yang.
The faction supporting Joo So-yang was vast, making up more than a third of the Alliance. And he wanted to cast her out?
How could this be anything but a disaster?
He had hurriedly asked for the reason. Why must she be excluded?
Lee Jae-won had replied that it was clear she intended to overthrow the Alliance. He claimed she had attacked him and declared her hostility toward the Cheonmu Alliance.
His first reaction upon hearing those words was doubt. He couldn't understand why Joo So-yang would make such a choice.
She was a completely different person from Lee Jae-won. While she wasn't without a cold side, she was an incredibly calculating and wise woman. A woman like Joo So-yang would never make such a foolish choice.
Even if her supporters were many, they were not a majority. In such a situation, to openly declare hostility? No one but a smooth-brained fool would make such a move. Especially not the brilliant Joo So-yang.
That was why he suspected that the inadequate man before him was lying. Lee Jae-won was a man who always spoke only what was advantageous to himself. He couldn't take his words at face value.
Yet, he couldn't ignore them either. He needed to resolve the situation, regardless of whether the words were true or false.
Therefore, he had to confirm it for himself. The entire truth of the incident.
"Whew."
Standing before the door, Zhuge Chan took a slow, deep breath. He felt an uncharacteristic tension.
But soon, he slowly raised his hand.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He knocked on the door of the one who knew the truth of everything.
"Who is it?"
A clear, beautiful voice, like the chiming of jade beads, echoed from within. It was a voice so pure it naturally lifted the listener's mood.
"It is Zhuge Chan."
He spoke in a calm tone.
"Come in."
Permission was granted from inside.
Creeeeeak.
Zhuge Chan pushed the door open. Immediately, the interior of the room came into view. It was a clean, orderly space, devoid of any luxury—a reflection of its owner's character.
"Welcome, Chief Strategist."
A woman sitting at a table greeted him. She was a noblewoman of peerless virtue and beauty.
"It has been a long time, Great Matriarch."
Zhuge Chan bowed with profound politeness to the woman who knew the truth of the matter.
"It has," Joo So-yang replied calmly. "What brings you to see me?"
She went straight to the point, asking why he had sought her out.
"I will not beat around the bush. I will ask directly," Zhuge Chan said, his voice steady.
"Very well."
"I heard that you have reached the Profound Realm. Is this true?"
"It is," Joo So-yang answered without a moment's hesitation. She seemed to have no intention of hiding it.
"So... it is true."
Zhuge Chan nodded, looking somewhat surprised. Though he lacked the martial prowess to discern her level himself, he could easily deduce that she wasn't lying.
"Then, I have another question."
"Go ahead."
"Are you dreaming of a coup to take control of the Alliance?"
"Is that what he told you?"
Joo So-yang replied with a soft smile. Hearing her response, Zhuge Chan said nothing, merely staring into her eyes with a hollow gaze.
"It was a lie."
He reached his conclusion. Everything Lee Jae-won had told him was a blatant lie.
He could tell by her reaction. There wasn't a shred of greed for power in her mind. It was all Lee Jae-won’s delusion and deceit. Every word of it.
Zhuge Chan’s expression became grave beyond measure. He fell into deep thought, searching for a way to settle the situation.
As he was lost in contemplation, Joo So-yang spoke.
"Tell me," she said, watching the brooding strategist. "Tell me exactly what he said to you."
She gazed at him with cold eyes. She was curious to know what kind of nonsense he had spewed about her.
"It is... exactly what you expect," Zhuge Chan said bitterly. A woman as wise as she would have already guessed the gist of the conversation.
"Tell me in detail. Everything, from start to finish."
She could guess the general direction of his words, but she wanted to hear the specifics. She wanted to know exactly how he had vented his baseness.
"It is not something pleasant to hear."
"I'm not listening to feel good."
Joo So-yang’s cold eyes glittered. It was a declaration of her firm intent to hear the truth.
"..."
Zhuge Chan looked troubled. He was at a loss as to how to handle this. If he told her the truth, the relationship between her and Lee Jae-won would be irreparably damaged. For someone in his position, tasked with managing the fallout, it was a nightmare scenario.
Yet, if he remained silent, he doubted she would let it go. She would likely find a way to force the words from him.
Zhuge Chan agonized for a long time.
"Whew."
Finally, he let out a long sigh.
"Before I speak, I have one question."
"Ask."
"Do you have no intention of reconciling with the Alliance Leader?"
"None at all. The mere thought is revolting."
Joo So-yang answered with a refreshing smile. It was a resolute, final answer.
It’s already... beyond repair.
Seeing her like that, Zhuge Chan knew. The situation had grown too large for him to handle.
"I will... keep it brief."
In a calm tone, Zhuge Chan summarized what Lee Jae-won had told him.
"How pathetic," Joo So-yang said, a smile full of mockery playing on her lips.
She knew he was petty. She knew he was a small-minded man. But she hadn't imagined he would stoop this low. To spout such ridiculous lies just to cast her out.
"Don't you agree?" she asked, looking at Zhuge Chan.
"..."
Zhuge Chan gave a silent affirmation. He fully understood why she found Lee Jae-won pathetic. Because he was afraid to suppress her by force, he tried to use the power of the Alliance to socially ruin her. How cowardly for a martial artist. It was indeed pathetic.
"Thank you, Strategist. Thanks to you, everything is clear now."
Joo So-yang’s smile deepened. She realized with certainty that Lee Jae-won intended to destroy her. He no longer had any intention of treating her as his wife.
"What... do you plan to do?"
"I must bite back before I am bitten."
"The Alliance... might be destroyed."
Zhuge Chan’s face was grim. If she truly decided to oppose Lee Jae-won, the Cheonmu Alliance would inevitably crumble. She was a woman of that much influence.
"Please... I beg of you... please reconsider. I will do whatever it takes to persuade the Alliance Leader..."
Zhuge Chan bowed his head deeply and began to plead.
"You are truly pitiful, Chief Strategist."
Joo So-yang looked at him with pity. This man, who had done nothing wrong, was begging on Lee Jae-won’s behalf. He was kneeling, forgetting his status as the head of a Great Clan. How could she not feel for him?
"What is it that makes you so desperate?"
"..."
Zhuge Chan said nothing. He remained in silence.
"Your plea is heartbreaking, but Lee Jae-won and I have already crossed the point of no return. There is no going back, no matter what you do."
Joo So-yang continued in a calm voice.
"However, if your goal is only to save the Cheonmu Alliance, there is a way."
"Only... the Cheonmu Alliance?"
"Yes. If you help me, the Cheonmu Alliance can survive."
Joo So-yang’s smile turned soft.
"What do you say? Would you like to work with me?"
The smile on her lips grew wider.