Kill Each Other From Now On - 1
Un-ga, outsiders from Hubei, and Pang-ga, natives of Habuk. Un-ga mainly uses fists, while Pang-ga favors swords. Un-ga suffered severe blows after being chased from the Yangtze all the way to the Yellow River, whereas Pang-ga was forcibly relocated by the authorities but took minimal damage since it was just within the same region.
Perfect.
The more I compared Un-ga and Pang-ga, the more satisfied I became. They were the ideal clans to set against each other. Rival factions in the same area naturally clash anyway, but Un-ga and Pang-ga had far more differences than common ground. If Un-ga's situation had been even remotely normal, the two clans would've gone beyond mere posturing and straight into outright conflict.
Then all I have to do is raise them up.
That's why I'd decided to recruit Un-ga and give them a push. Elevate them just enough to rival Pang-ga, and Un-ga would handle the rest on their own.
"For the Left Vice Inspector General to grace our humble abode—truly an honor, my lord."
I returned the formal salute to Un-sa-geon, the head of Un-ga.
"Please, spare me such words. Since when did humility and frugality become 'humble'?"
The manor wasn't exactly lavish enough to call splendid, even as flattery, so I responded appropriately to Un-sa-geon's courtesy. But thinking about it now, this plain manor was actually a plus. At least after settling in Habuk, Un-ga hadn't stirred up trouble in their bid to revive the clan.
A clan that knew how to listen and adapt to reality deserved a few scraps from the table. Hadn't the Left Censor-in-Chief said not to suppress all Murim factions outright, but to sow division among them?
"True peace and prosperity spring from frugality. Un-ga knows peace better than anyone and savors prosperity like no other."
"You overpraise us, my lord."
Un-sa-geon bowed, his face a complex mix of emotions at my words. To him, after years of decline, it might sound like mockery. But my expression was one of pure sincerity, leaving him unsure if I meant it or was toying with him.
"Haha, overpraise? If every clan in the realm were half like Un-ga, I'd have no further wishes."
I piled on the praise more specifically to aid Un-sa-geon. As a bureaucrat, I viewed Un-ga favorably and wanted them as the benchmark for other Murim factions.
At my blunt words—devoid even of diplomatic flourish—Un-sa-geon straightened from his bow. Good.
His eyes met mine again, no longer clouded with bewilderment or subtle bitterness, but burning with resolve and anticipation.
That was all I needed. A hunting dog with the will to fight would tear into Pang-ga with glee.
Un-sa-geon's hospitality outshone the manor's modest scale. It seemed born of firm resolve not to give the authorities any pretext for grievance, mingled with hope that catching the officials' eye might revive the clan. They'd thrown every available resource into it—even feeding fresh vegetables not just to me and Jo Wi-cheo, but to Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i as well.
- Kki-ing!
- Kki-ong!
Unfortunately, the two spirit beasts knew the taste of meat all too well. They flipped the vegetable bowls over their heads with their antlers, then stamped their hooves, demanding meat in a little fiasco.
But no one panicked or took offense.
"As expected of spirit beasts—their tastes are discerning. If they ate whatever was given, they'd be no different from ordinary livestock."
"Even such spirit beasts turn meek before the Left Vice Inspector General. It speaks to your lofty virtue, my lord."
Everyone in Un-ga had overheard our exchange, and with their basic savvy, they now harbored hopes of the clan's resurgence. In that atmosphere, if the hope-giver's spirit beasts overturned the table? "How lively and clever the lord's spirit beasts are!" They clapped in delight.
Besides, who gets to see spirit beasts flipping tables every day? It was honestly quite the spectacle.
- Kki-ii-ing!
Kki-ing-i, meanwhile, quit the antics and irritably demanded meat.
Did they eat too much dongpo pork before crossing the Yellow River...?
Back when Un-ga still held sway in Hubei.
The clan boasted a scale befitting its prestige—members too numerous to count easily, including many elders senior even to me in seniority.
"Sa-geon, come here."
"Yes, Grand Uncle."
"Sa-geon, take this."
"Yes, Little Father."
"Sa-geon, didn't you see what was here?"
"I'll look for it, Uncle."
My childhood, scurrying at the elders' every beck and call. They were affable souls, but quick to flare like fire when provoked—I had to mind their tempers.
Back then, it felt exhausting and agonizing. I was busy training in martial arts, yet the elders summoned me constantly, interrupting my practice with conflicting advice and pointers.
Of course, being superior in cultivation, their input helped—but it was chaotic all the same. Who could focus with ten elders critiquing a single punch?
Yet those memories and trials forged who I am today.
"Even I, confined to this prefecture, have heard of the Left Vice Inspector General's renowned prestige. They say no problem withstands your hand, and you uphold justice throughout."
Winning over superiors without offending them, flattering without overstepping—that was second nature to me, Un-sa-geon.
"You're too kind. Rumors must've swelled crossing the Yellow River."
The Left Vice Inspector General shook his head modestly but didn't protest or sternly correct me. Not one to bask in flattery, but not repelled by it either.
So, no need for outright sycophancy—just embellish real events a touch in praise. As long as it was truth wrapped in truth, even he couldn't dislike it.
Dealing with the young is far easier than placating elders.
I sipped my wine, steadying my pounding heart. At first, his arrival seemed a crisis for the clan—but now it was a chance for revival. I couldn't let it slip.
At least forge a faint connection here.
If he brought opportunity rather than doom, I had to cling to that bond. The man who'd crushed the Namgung clan? With such power backing Un-ga, we could aim beyond Hubei supremacy to dominate Habuk.
Grandson of Giwang, son-in-law of Ak Wang? An unparalleled pedigree—perhaps the noblest below imperial blood.
...Shattering Pang-ga isn't a pipe dream.
I recalled the Pang-ga scum who'd sneered and dismissed us. Those thick-headed bastards. Back when we ruled Hubei, they couldn't meet our eyes—now they strutted, claiming superiority. How it burned.
But those bitter days were ending. With the Left Vice Inspector General's aid, the natural order would right itself. We'd rightfully reign over Pang-ga.
"By the way, I heard something before crossing the Yellow River."
His voice snapped me from visions of ripping Pang-ga apart.
"Unlike Un-ga's frugality here in Habuk, there's a clan indulging in luxury."
I resumed the fantasy.
"...You mean Pang-ga."
"Precisely. With fine neighbors like Un-ga to learn from, why don't they?"
We both smiled. We'd received official sanction.
Vitality sparked in Un-sa-geon's eyes.
That thrilled?
Of course it did. A fallen clan reviving in his generation, clashing for real with their rival—no one would dislike that.
This is for the best.
I sipped the wine Un-sa-geon poured, organizing my thoughts. Straight to Un-ga upon arriving in Habuk, sealing the recruitment on day one. Even I thought it impulsive, lightning-fast decision-making.
But no issues there. Recruiting meant targeting forces with real weight and renown—snagging some local pipsqueak sect was pointless.
In this Habuk, meaningful players beyond Un-ga and Pang-ga were rare. Pang-ga was already wriggling, leveraging local ties. Back them officially, and they'd rampage worse.
Worst case, they'd seize control of Habuk.
Always back the runner-up to spark a dogfight.
So, let Un-ga—with tacit official support—clash against dominant Pang-ga. It'd tense up Habuk's Murim forces plenty, exemplifying favored clans versus the rest.
Of course, I wouldn't back Un-ga exclusively. If Pang-ga collapsed entirely, Un-ga would monopolize Habuk unchallenged. One faction dominating a border zone—especially this one—was a headache.
Loosen a few restraints on them.
Give Pang-ga not full Un-ga-level support, but just ease some prior restrictions on their moves. They'd hold their own without getting steamrolled, dragging out a stalemate.
Is this the imperialist mindset?
A touch bitter. Infiltrate the enemy, provoke endless strife. Classic divide and rule.
Yet this, too, was a patriotic resolve for the realm and its people. For now, heed the greater good over my conscience.
Bureaucrats suffer so the nation rests easy.
And a troubled Murim means peace for the common folk. Don't forget that.