Chapter 467: Demotion.
Chapter 467: Demotion.
The Hall Plain.
Coran, a small city in the southern region of the Northern Continent.
Home to the Southern Free Alliance.
By definition, an alliance is an organization formed when two or more entities join together.
The reasons for forming an alliance are incredibly diverse. Weaker nations might band together to stand against a powerful one, or different parties might join forces after calculating their respective gains and losses.
From this perspective, the reasons for forming alliances in the world of the Hall Plain were quite similar. The Southern Free Alliance, based in the small southern city of Coran, was a prime example.
There was a saying in the Hall Plain:
Users gather to form a clan, and a clan gathers to form a city.
Coran was no different. However, there was one small distinction. It wasn’t a case of “a clan gathers,” but rather “clans gather.”
Coran was an allied city jointly managed by a total of eight clans: the Su Clan, Artemis Clan, Southern Conquest Clan, Serengeti Clan, Baekhwa Clan, Merchants’ Guild Clan, Garisani Clan, and Moss Clan.
When the alliance was first formed, it was merely a collection of mid-sized clans, none of which could be considered powerful on its own. But after taking control of Coran, they gradually expanded their influence. Today, each of these clans had grown into a major power, and together they formed an alliance that could not be ignored.
It was widely believed that the Southern Free Alliance had grown so powerful due to a well-defined division of roles among its constituent clans and a system of appropriate checks and balances against one another.
This division of roles was, in essence, a division of labor.
The Su, Artemis, Southern Conquest, and Serengeti clans were purely combat-oriented. The Baekhwa and Merchants’ Guild clans were purely commercial, while the Garisani and Moss clans specialized solely in information gathering.
In short, they had created a structure of mutual coexistence by balancing the perfect trifecta of military power, capital, and information, laying the groundwork for their ascent into an alliance of major clans.
Up to this point, the story of the Southern Free Alliance might seem like a fine example of several mid-sized clans joining forces and growing into major powers through good-faith competition.
But reality was not so beautiful. Rumors circulating throughout the Northern Continent suggested that while the alliance appeared stable on the surface, it was plagued by intense internal strife that could hardly be called friendly competition.
A case in point was the disappearance of Kim Yongman two years ago, a man who had once led the alliance from the forefront and built its foundation. The official announcement stated he had gone missing during an expedition, but whispers persisted that he had been secretly eliminated by those within the alliance who desired a new wave of leadership.
The alliance vehemently denied these rumors, but the fact that Kim Yongman and all his close associates had vanished at the same time made it difficult to dismiss them as mere gossip.
Of course, only they knew the truth.
*
An air of solemnity filled a certain building in the small southern city of Coran—or rather, the alliance's meeting hall.
The room was quite dark, but not completely pitch-black. A circle of beautiful ornaments ran along the edge of the table, and in the intermittent gaps, palm-sized crystals were embedded, emitting a soft, gentle glow.
In total, sixteen people were present in the meeting room. Eight of them were seated around the circular table, spaced apart, while the other eight stood motionless beside their chairs.
After a long period of silence, someone finally spoke.
“Well... it looks like everyone's here. How about we get started?”
A man glanced slowly around the room, his voice rising slightly at the end of his sentence.
At his words, the man smoking a cigarette, the woman with her eyes quietly closed—everyone seated at the table turned their attention to the speaker.
The man appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had a generally warm expression, a dark, stubbly beard, and a slight paunch, giving him the impression of an ordinary, everyday man.
But for those who knew his true identity, he was anything but a simple, good-natured fellow.
The man's name was Seo Jihwan.
He was the Clan Lord of the Merchants’ Guild Clan, one of the alliance's clans, and a powerful User who held the flow of capital in Coran in the palm of his hand. He had been a leader in the alliance since the days of Kim Yongman and was one of the few founding contributors who still held his position.
A grin spread across Seo Jihwan's face as he nodded and picked up a document lying in front of him.
“Let's see... Barbara, or rather, the Central Administration, has contacted us. They said that within this month, the temporary clans currently managing Halo, Dorothy, and Bess will step down, and they plan to select clans to represent the cities directly. And... damn, this is long.”
A frown creased Seo Jihwan's forehead as he scanned the document. He tossed it onto the table, smacked his lips, and looked around.
“We already talked about this during the first meeting, and everyone knows the situation. So how about we skip the trivial stuff and go straight to the vote, huh?”
“Hmm. If you say so, let's do that.”
The man who responded to Seo Jihwan was Park Taejin.
Park Taejin. He was the Clan Lord of the Su Clan, the linchpin of the alliance, and the User who had inherited Kim Yongman's position. He held the Secret Class 'Sun Gladiator' and also had a minor connection to the Mercenary Clan.
This connection stemmed from a time when he had competed with them to recruit a woman named Lim Hanna, known as the 'Flower of Monica.' He had confessed to her at the Love House, only to be rejected. Though only a few knew the story, it was common knowledge among those in the meeting room.
Despite such amusing anecdotes, Park Taejin's standing within the alliance was formidable, ranking among the top one or two. He had been overshadowed by Kim Yongman and his faction, but after their disappearance, he had risen with terrifying speed to take control of the Su Clan.
His diligent management and magnanimous yet dignified personality had earned him the support of countless Users.
Park Taejin handed his cigarette to the man standing beside him, then looked across the table and spoke calmly.
“Alright. Shin Hyuk, what do you think? Are you fine with starting now?”
Park Taejin had called out the name Shin Hyuk. In response, the man who had been nonchalantly tapping the table—Shin Hyuk—tilted his head up to meet Park Taejin's gaze. A soft smile played on his lips.
Shin Hyuk was also the lord of one of the alliance's clans, the Southern Conquest Clan. He was a potential rival to Park Taejin and likewise held a solid position within the alliance.
His personality was insidious and lecherous, not exactly admirable, but his resourcefulness and ability to get things done were exceptional, earning him a degree of recognition from his peers.
Shin Hyuk spoke.
“Hm? Oh, I don't mind. In fact, shouldn't I be asking you that? Park Taejin, are you sure you're okay with doing this now?”
“...What do you mean?” Park Taejin asked, raising an eyebrow. Shin Hyuk continued to play a piano tune on the table with his fingers. As the tempo quickened, Park Taejin's expression slowly hardened.
Tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap, tap!
When his fingers stopped, Shin Hyuk spoke in a low voice.
“I'm just curious. Seeing you so confident... Heh heh. Did you feed them something good to secure a few votes? Hmm?”
“What did you say? Hyuk-hyung! Don't you think you're going too far?!”
The moment Shin Hyuk finished speaking, a gruff voice erupted from beside Park Taejin. However, Park Taejin immediately raised a hand to calm him, and the man merely seethed, breathing heavily through his nose.
The man's name was Baek Du-san, a User known for his close friendship with Park Taejin. He was also the renowned combat User who served as the Clan Lord of Serengeti.
“Du-san, calm down... Shin Hyuk, what was that just now?”
“Come on, let's stop beating around the bush and just speak plainly. We all know what the situation is, don't we?”
“...Are you trying to bring up the Mercenary incident?”
“That's right. The Mercenary Clan. The West will handle Dorothy on their own, and those greedy bastards from the East will gobble up Bess. But since they took Barbara, they'll have enough of a conscience to leave Halo alone. Blue Wolf isn't interested, and Istantel Low doesn't have the capacity. So who does that leave? Us, the Southern Free Alliance, or the Mercenary Clan, right?”
Park Taejin stared intently at the shamelessly speaking Shin Hyuk. Then, he calmly cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
“So, you're saying that since you've dealt with your competitor, the Mercenary Clan, it's only right that you take Halo?”
“Exactly. Very smart. And as I thought, everyone knew. That's right. I orchestrated the Mercenary incident. But you all knew about it too, didn't you? The fact that you said nothing means you turned a blind eye, doesn't it? Hmm? Am I wrong?”
“I see it a little differently. I don't think you can say you've dealt with the Mercenary Clan over something so minor. You think this one incident is enough to take them out? Shouldn't we wait a little longer?”
“Until when? Indefinitely? It’s been two months and nearly two weeks since the Mercenary Clan entered the mountain range. But there’s been no word of their survival, let alone their return. Isn’t this enough? Don’t you all agree?”
Shin Hyuk looked around as if seeking agreement. Some nodded in empathy, while others avoided his gaze. When his eyes met Seo Jihwan's, the older man let out a deep sigh.
“Hah. To be honest, what Hyuk is saying isn't entirely wrong. I also thought the Mercenary Clan had a high chance of taking Halo. We may have provided a bit more support for reconstruction, but when you look at the records from the war and the stabilization of the Northern Continent, we fall significantly behind. From that perspective, this incident has certainly helped us. If they go missing for good, it would be a blessing... In any case, a clan that lives and dies by its commissions has failed a commission, so it's only natural their reputation will fall. It's put a pretty big dent in the Mercenary Clan's recent success and given credence to some of the articles that have been slandering them... I mean, sure, the Mercenary Clan only failed one commission, but there were more than a few people who were jealous of their success. That's why this has become such a big issue.”
“Excuse me... I'm sorry to interrupt, but...”
It was then. While the conversation had been confined to those seated, someone from among those standing spoke up for the first time.
The speaker was a young man with neat, handsome features, standing with perfect posture. With his faintly smiling eyes and the gentle curve of his lips, he had an appearance that would make a good first impression on anyone.
The long-winded discussion had just ended anyway. Seo Jihwan lifted his chin as if to say, "Go on," and the young man bowed politely before speaking cautiously.
“As far as I know, the Mercenary Clan has little interest in Halo. I heard they were collaborating with the Tower of Magic Clan to revitalize the magic city of Magia...”
“Pfft!”
“Hah...”
“Tsk.”
But the young man couldn't finish his sentence. As he spoke, sounds of scoffing, sighing, and tongue-clicking erupted simultaneously.
The young man tilted his head, looking momentarily bewildered, but when even Park Taejin gave him a warning glance, he bowed his head and stepped back.
“Hey, Park Taejin. Is that the young man you've been taking around lately? How nice. He knows how to see the world in a positive light. Doesn't even know what's going on. Hehehe.”
“Ahem... It's possible he doesn't know. Anyway, Hwanhee. Be quiet.”
Park Taejin quietly admonished him and bit his lip. In contrast, Shin Hyuk's face was a picture of leisure.
Shin Hyuk took out a cigarette and lit it. Two thin streams of smoke slowly drifted from his prominent nose.
“Then, just as the old man said, let's cut the crap and start the revote. Seems like everyone gets it.”
“......”
“Why has everyone suddenly gone mute? Cat got your tongue? Or were you really thinking like that upright young man? No, no. If not that, don't tell me you were thinking of some big-breasted bitch in the Mercenary Clan... Ah, just kidding, just kidding. Don't look at me like that. We're all family here, we can joke around. Hahaha... Mister? Aren't you going to proceed? Should I?”
“Hmm... Hold on. But you know, Taejin's point isn't entirely without merit. Being this optimistic, honestly, it doesn't make sense considering the Mercenary Clan's track record. And I actually came here today thinking we'd reach some sort of agreement, but at this rate, how is this any different from the last vote? Two votes for the Su Clan, two for the Southern Conquest Clan, and four abstentions. We'll just get the same result as last time. We're not completely out of time, so let's take a little more time to think...”
At Shin Hyuk's urging, Seo Jihwan fell into thought for a moment. He began to speak in a soft, measured tone, but before he could finish, Shin Hyuk's brow furrowed.
“Ah, this damned thinking, thinking! Let's cut it out! We already postponed the first vote over and over, are you planning to postpone the second one too?”
“Alright, alright! I get it, you punk! Let's just do it, then! Taejin said he wanted to earlier anyway...!”
It was at that moment.
BANG!
Just as Seo Jihwan waved his hand and nodded, the meeting room door burst open, and a man abruptly appeared.
Everyone turned toward the door, but the man showed no reaction. He simply hurried over to Shin Hyuk and whispered something in his ear.
The moment he heard the man's whisper, the color drained from Shin Hyuk's face. His previously relaxed expression turned vacant, as if he had lost his mind in an instant.
A moment later, Shin Hyuk slowly rose to his feet as if pulled by an invisible string. He swallowed once and tried to speak in a calm manner, but his lips were still trembling.
“...Ho-hold on. Ahem! Something urgent has come up. I-I think I have to go. The, the vote can be postponed until next time.”
With that, Shin Hyuk dashed out of the meeting room like the wind. Everyone inside watched him go with puzzled expressions.
Well, not everyone.
Only one person, the young man standing next to Park Taejin, glanced at the door before quietly turning his gaze away. His eyes were fixed on the crystal orbs embedded in the table's ornaments.
The crystals emitted a soft glow, illuminating the dark room. But among them, two particular crystals were shining slightly, yet distinctly, brighter than the others.
As if sweating, the young man surreptitiously rubbed his hands together while staring at the crystals. Their polished surfaces perfectly reflected the scenery of the meeting room.
*
Meanwhile, at the same time.
Monica, a small southern city. The Mercenary Clan House.
A woman descended the stairs with careful steps into the lobby, which was filled with a similarly quiet energy. With her blue hair and blue eyes, the woman was Jung Hayeon.
Countless Users were sitting here and there in the lobby, looking up at Jung Hayeon as she slowly made her way down. An unreadable sense of gravity hung on their faces.
Jung Hayeon stopped halfway down the stairs and raised her right hand high. In her slender hand was a communication crystal that shimmered with an icy light.
Suddenly, Jung Hayeon's lips parted.
“I have something to tell all clan members.”
“......”
“I just received a message from the Sword Empress. She has confirmed the survival of all Mercenary Clan members who left for the Sleeping Dragon Mountains. Furthermore, they have not only conquered the mountain range and rescued Ahn Hyun and Baek Hangyul, but have also successfully rescued all the remaining survivors.”
“WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAH!”
Conquering the Sleeping Dragon Mountains.
Rescuing Ahn Hyun and Baek Hangyul.
Rescuing the remaining survivors, including the client.
The moment they heard this news, a jubilant roar erupted in the Mercenary lobby. As if that wasn't enough, the gathered clan members all jumped to their feet and began to applaud. Soon, the lobby was filled with the sound of cheers and clapping.
“I knew it!”
“That's our Clan Lord!”
“He did it! He did it! The Clan Lord did it!”
“Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun! Kim Soohyun!”
Watching the clan members rejoice with a fervor bordering on fanaticism, Jung Hayeon let out a wry smile.
But it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. With Kim Soohyun gone for so long, the Mercenary Clan had been forced to tread carefully, and an unfortunate incident had cast a gloomy mood over the alliance for some time.
That incident had ultimately prompted Kim Soohyun's return and his departure for the Sleeping Dragon Mountains, but more than a few clan members had viewed the endeavor with skepticism. The mountain range's notorious reputation was too great to simply trust and wait.
In a way, the expedition to the Sleeping Dragon Mountains was intertwined with Kim Soohyun's official return and the current situation the Mercenary Clan faced.
In other words, its success or failure would determine whether the mood would be reversed or sink even further. And for that, the Sleeping Dragon Mountains was a brutally difficult challenge to overcome.
But Kim Soohyun had pulled it off magnificently. Not only had he resolved the client's problem, but he had also rescued other Users while conquering the range, delivering results that exceeded all expectations.
This was why the clan members were cheering so wildly now.
His successful resolution of the problem tied to his return not only deepened their trust in him but also served as a heartfelt welcome for the User who would once again become the pillar of the clan. And truthfully, they hadn't had much to celebrate for a while.
If she could, she would have let them celebrate a little longer, but Jung Hayeon slowly raised her hand to quiet the clan members. There was one more thing to say.
The cheering didn't die down immediately. But a few who saw Jung Hayeon's signal began to quiet the commotion, and as a result, the cheers slowly and gradually faded.
Once it was completely quiet, Jung Hayeon scanned her surroundings and spoke in a clear voice.
“There is one more thing I need to tell you. The Clan Lord is currently in Monica...”
But before she could finish her sentence.
CRASH!
The sound of a door being violently thrown open echoed down the hallway, reverberating throughout the entire lobby.
Following that, the orderly sound of more than a dozen footsteps began to ring through the corridor.