Chapter 746: Could the Alliance Leader Be Mistaken?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 746: Could the Alliance Leader Be Mistaken?
Lee Jae-won slowly rose from his seat.
He began to walk toward a corner of the room where his garments were hung.
Grip.
Reaching the corner, Lee Jae-won slowly lifted the clothing. He lowered his gaze, and a martial arts uniform so brilliant it was almost blinding filled his vision.
Crafted from the finest silk, it possessed a lustrous, snow-white sheen. The golden embroidery was clearly the work of an artisan, stitched with painstaking care. The cut was perfectly balanced—neither too wide nor too narrow.
Even at a glance, one could tell this was no ordinary garment. It was a magnificent set of robes.
Lee Jae-won stared at the uniform in silence.
Yes, this is the kind of attire needed to maintain the dignity of the Alliance Leader.
A deep smirk spread across his lips. He was quite pleased with the overall design. He felt that with this, he wouldn't be overshadowed no matter who stood beside him.
Rustle.
Lee Jae-won began to change. He shed his modest everyday clothes and donned the resplendent martial arts uniform.
After some time had passed, Lee Jae-won, now fully dressed, turned to face the bronze mirror on the side wall. He intended to check for himself if he had dressed properly and if the look suited him.
"Good."
The smile on his face deepened. He was quite satisfied with how the clothes fit. They complemented his well-aged appearance remarkably well.
I don't lack a single thing... whether it's my face or my physique...
He was admiring his reflection with glee when his gaze fell upon his empty sleeve.
Twitch.
Lee Jae-won’s expression crumpled instantly. His elated mood plummeted in a heartbeat.
...Fuck... This is goddamn annoying.
He spat out a curse internally. Irritation surged as he stared at the sight that marred his otherwise perfect appearance like a flaw in a precious gem.
Everything was perfect, yet that dangling, empty sleeve ruined the entire silhouette. Suddenly, he felt like a pathetic cripple.
Jang Sun-woo... you piece of shit!
Lee Jae-won began to radiate murderous aura. Rage toward Jang Sun-woo, the man who had turned him into a cripple, boiled over.
I won't let you get away with this. You motherfucker... Just wait until the Great War of Righteousness and Demons is over... You’re the next target!
Lee Jae-won resolved that as soon as the war ended, he would kill Jang Sun-woo using every resource the Cheonmu Alliance possessed.
He was venting his fury toward Jang Sun-woo when—
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone suddenly knocked on the office door.
Flinch.
Hearing the sound, Lee Jae-won’s expression shifted instantly. The face full of rage vanished, replaced by an air of profound gravity.
"Who is it?"
He spoke, intentionally lowering his voice to a deep tone.
"It is I, Alliance Leader."
A familiar voice responded.
"Enter."
Lee Jae-won kept his eyes on the door as he spoke.
Creaaaak.
The door slowly opened, and a man with the scholarly air of a strategist appeared. It was Zhuge Chan, the Chief Strategist.
"The time has come, Alliance Leader."
Zhuge Chan entered the room, offered a respectful bow, and continued.
"Already?"
Lee Jae-won asked, feigning surprise. He hadn't expected it to be time to head to the speech venue so soon.
"Given the distance, we must depart now to arrive on schedule."
The distance from the office to the speech platform was considerable. If they didn't start moving now, they might be late.
"Are all the preparations complete?"
Lee Jae-won had tasked Zhuge Chan with several preparations to ensure smooth communication.
"Everything you commanded has been perfectly executed. You need only bring yourself, Alliance Leader."
Zhuge Chan replied with a calm expression.
"You’ve worked hard."
Lee Jae-won gave a satisfied smile.
"Then let us be off. I cannot be late to a gathering where I am to meet everyone."
Step, step.
Lee Jae-won immediately began to walk. Now that preparations were complete, he had no intention of dallying. He brushed past Zhuge Chan and stepped outside.
Zhuge Chan turned slightly. He watched Lee Jae-won’s retreating back with a completely hollow, dry expression.
Step, step, step.
Lee Jae-won walked briskly. As the Alliance Leader, he couldn't afford the disgrace of being late.
Fuck, I want to just run there.
In his heart, he wanted to use a movement technique to reach the platform in a single bound. But doing so would ruin all the effort he’d put into his appearance. The wind would surely mess everything up.
Thus, Lee Jae-won maintained a fast walking pace—just slow enough to keep his robes pristine. It was all for the sake of maintaining his dignity.
After walking for a while, a large gate came into view.
I’m here.
A thick smile spread across his face. He had arrived at the massive iron gate that led to the podium.
Stop.
Lee Jae-won halted in front of the iron gate.
"Whew..."
He took a long, deep breath, attempting to settle his nerves. He exhaled several times until the tension eased.
Once he felt sufficiently composed, Lee Jae-won reached out and slowly pushed the iron gate.
Creaaaak.
The sound of heavy hinges grinding echoed as the door slowly swung open. And in that instant—
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
A thunderous roar of cheers washed over Lee Jae-won’s entire body. The sound waves from the massive crowd hit him like a giant vibration.
Ah... Ahhhhh...
Bathed in that vibration, Lee Jae-won turned his gaze to survey his surroundings. He saw thousands of people, every single one of them looking only at him.
Ahhhh... Ahhh.
A dazed expression crossed his face. The cheers of the masses welcoming him, the undivided attention of the people focused solely on him—these two elements provided him with a sense of extreme euphoria.
I love it... I love it so much.
He loved it. He loved the people cheering at his appearance. He loved their eyes fixed on him. He loved their every action that showed interest in him.
This is what it means to be alive.
He felt truly alive in this moment, standing at the center of everyone's attention.
Step, step, step.
Basking in the crowd's focused gaze, Lee Jae-won walked majestically onto the podium. Before long, he stood fully atop the platform, and the entire view of the speech venue filled his sight.
So many of them came.
Lee Jae-won looked satisfied. Seeing the thousands who had gathered to see him filled him with a sense of pride.
"Respected comrades of Jinan!"
He paused, then continued.
"And members of the Cheonmu Alliance gathered here today! It is a pleasure to meet you! I am Lee Jae-won, the Alliance Leader of the Cheonmu Alliance!"
Lee Jae-won infused his voice with internal energy and let it ring out. His voice boomed throughout the venue.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
As his voice spread, the venue erupted in passionate cheers once more. This was the appearance of Lee Jae-won, the great hero who saved the Murim and the guardian of Jinan. How could they not cheer?
"First, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for gracing this occasion with your presence!"
Lee Jae-won raised his voice while bowing his head slightly.
"Despite the suddenness of this speech, I am simply moved that so many of you have personally made the journey here!"
Lee Jae-won continued to offer his thanks. His demeanor was incredibly polite and humble—so much so that one would never imagine him to be the powerful leader of the Cheonmu Alliance.
"Wow, the Alliance Leader really is... so humble."
Mr. Gu, the blacksmith, remarked as he listened to the speech.
"You can say that again. To have that much authority and yet remain so modest without flaunting it," Mr. Jang added, nodding in agreement.
"Hasn't he always been a man of exceptional character? Just keep cheering," Lady Kang said with a thick smile.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Another massive cheer shook the venue.
"I am truly a blessed man to stand before such wonderful comrades of Jinan and members of the Cheonmu Alliance!"
Lee Jae-won continued, looking deeply moved by the cheers.
"However, it is with great regret that I must say... on this wonderful occasion where even a thousand good words would not be enough, I cannot speak only of pleasant things!"
Lee Jae-won’s expression turned somber.
"This is because I intend to speak of something very unpleasant and heavy, yet something you absolutely must know!"
Vrooooom.
Lee Jae-won’s voice resonated through the venue. Hearing this, the people tilted their heads in confusion. They couldn't guess what this "unpleasant and heavy" matter could be.
"Exactly one week ago, the body of a woman was found in a brothel, in a state too horrific to describe! Her genitals were brutally crushed, both breasts were severed, and her limbs were twisted in unnatural directions! Her face had been ground against the floor until it was unrecognizable, and her neck was twisted completely backward!"
Lee Jae-won shouted, his eyes flashing with rage.
"She met a cruel death, treated as something less than human!"
He raised his voice, looking down at the crowd.
"I felt a profound sorrow over this incident and immediately tasked the Law Enforcement Hall, our highest investigative body, with identifying the culprit! And before long, I learned a truly shocking fact!"
Lee Jae-won continued, his face flushed with agitation.
"The culprit of this incident is the same person responsible for the serial rape and murder cases that have been occurring!"
He stared straight ahead.
"I am speaking of Jang Sam—my only disciple, and the degenerate who has been declared a Public Enemy of the Murim!"
Lee Jae-won spoke with a heavy expression, looking as though he were burdened by immense guilt.
".................."
As his words spread, the venue fell into a sudden, chilling silence. The fact that the demonic Jang Sam had reappeared was utterly terrifying.
"I feel a great sense of responsibility for this situation! Because I failed to teach my disciple properly, he has become a great blight upon the Murim!"
Lee Jae-won continued his somber act, appearing consumed by guilt over the victims his disciple had claimed.
"It's not the Alliance Leader's fault..."
"Exactly... Isn't it all because of that damn degenerate bastard? Why should the Alliance Leader be the one to apologize?"
"How tragic. For such a stain to be cast upon an Alliance Leader who is more upright and innocent than anyone else."
"How can you reform someone who was born evil? The Alliance Leader is blameless!"
The sight tugged at the people's heartstrings. They felt pity for Lee Jae-won, who was suffering because of his wicked disciple.
"Therefore, today! To fulfill that responsibility! I shall make a heavenly decree with all of you here as my witnesses!"
Lee Jae-won’s voice rose in a grand declaration.
"I, the Alliance Leader, hereby issue a Pursuit Order for the degenerate Jang Sam, who has murdered countless women in such horrific ways! This Pursuit Order shall not cease until Jang Sam is captured and meets a gruesome end! Every ounce of the Cheonmu Alliance's strength will be mobilized for this hunt!"
Lee Jae-won began to scream, his eyes bloodshot.
"I, too, shall personally participate in this pursuit! And all allied forces across the land shall hunt Jang Sam!"
His voice reached a fever pitch.
"And I swear! Until I capture and kill Jang Sam, who has thrown the Murim into chaos, I shall neither eat nor sleep! If I fail to capture him, I will resign from my position as Alliance Leader and take my own life by my own hand!"
Lee Jae-won played his strongest card, using extreme language to express his firm resolve.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
The provocative declaration worked perfectly on the masses. The greatest martial artist in the Murim had staked his life. How could they not praise his sense of responsibility? How could they not cheer?
Hehehehe.
Lee Jae-won smirked inwardly as he basked in the cheers. Everything was going exactly as he had planned.
They really are just pigs and dogs. No, are they Chinese pigs and dogs?
Lee Jae-won thought to himself. Life was too easy. He could manipulate them however he pleased.
It was then.
"How strange."
Suddenly, a voice as clear and resonant as a bell pierced through the ears of everyone present.
"That is different from what I know."
The following words echoed softly through the venue. It was a stark contrast to Lee Jae-won’s booming, thunderous voice.
What the fuck!
Lee Jae-won quickly turned his head to find the source of the voice.
And then, he saw her.
Standing proudly at the far end opposite the podium was a woman of dazzling beauty.
Grind.
Lee Jae-won ground his teeth at the sight. The one person he never wanted to face had appeared.
The only daughter of the former Murim Alliance Leader and the Palace Master of the mystical Heavenly Moon Palace.
The woman hailed as the Best Among Women and the great hero who had saved the Murim from the Demonic Cult in the past.
It was the Heavenly Sword Empress, Joo So-yang.
"Could the Alliance Leader be mistaken?"
Joo So-yang spoke with a gentle smile. She looked incredibly noble and beautiful.