Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Welcoming the Dawn
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Of course, those words didn’t apply to me.
I had already been mulling over what to do with the Je-gal Clan ever since the incident in the cave.
Well, even so, Je-gal Geun-yeong showing such resolve had tipped the scales a bit more toward overthrowing them rather than cutting ties.
I gazed steadily at Je-gal Geun-yeong and asked,
“Do you understand that you’re saying you’ll start a rebellion right now?”
“…I understand fully. And I know someone has to do it.”
Tormented, yet with resolute eyes.
I’d thought he was indecisive, but he had this side to him too.
Nodding inwardly in admiration, I heard someone suddenly shoot to their feet.
“Sorry, but we’re out. You guys handle the rest yourselves.”
I didn’t even need to turn to know it was Im Chun-il.
Shaking his head as if he’d had enough, he patted the shoulder of his youngest brother sitting beside him.
“Hey, you get up too. Let’s ditch this crazy dump and go together.”
“…….”
But even at his brother’s urging, Im Chun-sam showed no sign of standing.
Im Chun-il frowned at his brother, then suddenly widened his eyes as realization dawned.
“You, don’t tell me…? You’re going to stick with these guys? Are you insane?”
“I-I’m Seo-ryeong’s h-husband, after all. Wh-where would I go l-leaving my w-wife behind?”
His voice was still timid, but his expression and will were crystal clear.
Im Chun-il clutched the back of his neck at his brother’s firm reply.
Soon, a roar erupted from between his bushy mustache.
“You brainless idiot! You’re going to die with her when she doesn’t even treat you like a husband?”
“Wh-who said anything about d-dying? Wh-who knows if it’ll be l-long or short. A-and don’t c-call my wife a bitch or whatever…!”
“You frustrating fool…! And what do you mean ‘see how it goes’? They’re saying just the three of them will overthrow the Je-gal Clan! Does that even make sense?”
“The other side doesn’t have that many people either.”
“Huh?”
His puzzled frown turned toward me at my response.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“This whole affair was being carried out in secret by the clan head and the elders—the upper echelon of the clan. Everyone else, excluding the head and the elder council, doesn’t know the details.”
You could tell just from the fact that Je-gal Geun-yeong, the head’s eldest son and direct line of the direct line, had been completely in the dark.
They’d probably kept it to a minimum number of people to avoid massive backlash from the other blood relatives.
“And given the gravity of the matter, we should avoid informing the clan members.”
As I’d mentioned several times before, anything tied to demonic arts was a heinous crime that could wipe out the entire family.
If it got out to the authorities, imperial troops would swarm in and slaughter everyone bearing the Je-gal name.
So we couldn’t let the clan members in on the details.
It would massively increase the risk of it leaking out.
There’s a reason for the saying that even walls have ears.
Im Chun-il, who had been listening intently to my explanation, tilted his head.
“Wait a minute. Then to the people who don’t know, it’ll just look like a straight-up rebellion?”
“Exactly. So besides the fact that they experimented demonic arts on blood relatives, we need another justification.”
One with legitimacy, enough to justify taking down the head and elders and admitting the need for a rebellion.
And conveniently, there was a perfect one.
I opened the ledger containing the records of the elder council leader I’d brought.
“Here it says they fed pig or cow blood—livestock blood—to those practicing the Explosive Blood Technique. And the amounts increased over time. And…”
“…Livestock usually fetches a high price. They must have poured an enormous amount of money into it.”
Je-gal Geun-yeong picked up where I left off.
Nodding, he continued.
“No doubt they drained a huge chunk of the clan’s wealth. And since it was for demonic arts experiments, they couldn’t exactly disclose the source.”
“So you’re saying we use embezzlement as the pretext, Young Master Goon?”
“Yes. We could say it went to gambling, or squandered on luxuries. As you said, the source can never be revealed.”
Je-gal Geun-yeong now looked at me with admiration.
“You thought of all this in that short time? It makes me ashamed to bear the Je-gal name.”
“You flatter me.”
While Je-gal Geun-yeong and I exchanged light laughs, Im Chun-il remained skeptical.
“Even with a pretext, if we’re outnumbered in strength, it’s meaningless. We’re not up against the whole Je-gal Clan, sure, but it’s the elders and the clan head. They’ll definitely outmatch us in combat power. What about that?”
Hmm, I’d been thinking it earlier, but this bandit had a surprisingly sharp side.
He was right—combat strength was a real concern.
Of course, I was confident I could take down all the elders and the clan head single-handedly.
But there were a few nagging issues.
First, the Je-gal Clan’s guests.
From Hyeok Ri-gwang, who was suspected of direct involvement in the demonic experiments, to the numerous warriors including the three I’d thoroughly beaten at the banquet.
If those who formed the clan’s main fighting force sided with the head, things would get complicated.
So I’d need to check them out first and take measures.
Conveniently, I had reason to interrogate Hyeok Ri-gwang anyway.
Next, the Je-gal Clan’s armed forces like the Ho Heaven Squad.
Just as those Shadow Death Squad guys who followed the elder council leader had blindly obeyed orders, these guys might do the same for the clan head.
Especially since their captain, Je-gal Cheon-sang, was apparently adored by them.
…Wait a second? Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen Je-gal Cheon-sang since arriving at the Je-gal Clan?
Wasn’t he supposed to be here first?
As I pondered Je-gal Cheon-sang’s whereabouts, the elder council leader’s words flashed through my mind.
—The Blood Jade will soon be complete, and the clan head will administer it to the prepared one. With the Blood Jade’s power, the ultimate warrior with immense strength will be born.
“…The prepared one.”
Just what did “prepared” mean, exactly?
I racked my brain, piecing things together.
Loyalty to the clan head went without saying.
And if I had to pick something else, perhaps exceptional talent?
He’d want to give it to someone who could properly wield the Blood Jade’s power.
Someone regarded as, say, “the hope of the Je-gal Clan.”
“…….”
I felt a strong conviction that the “prepared one” the elder council leader mentioned was Je-gal Cheon-sang.
His absence might mean he was off somewhere preparing to absorb the Blood Jade.
“Young Master Goon? What’s wrong?”
Shaking off my thoughts at Je-gal Geun-yeong’s voice, I shook my head and turned to Im Chun-il.
I gave the best answer I could for now.
“We’ll solve those one by one.”
“…Hah. So in the end, it’s all talk and no actual preparations.”
Of course.
Had he forgotten? It’d only been two hours since we learned about this insane demonic experiment.
Suppressing the urge to snap back at the still-grumbling Im Chun-il, I smiled brightly instead.
“It’ll be fine. Great Hero Im will help us, after all.”
“Huh? Me? Why?”
His face twisted in horror, as if I’d suggested something nightmarish.
I glanced sidelong at Im Chun-sam sitting beside him and said,
“Your brother already seems set on joining us. You’re not going to just ignore him walking into the jaws of death, are you? What kind of big brother would that make you?”
“Y-You…!”
Whether he liked it or not, you’re in this now.
Stunned by my pointed words, Im Chun-il jabbed a finger at me before whirling to glare at his brother.
But his brother’s face, set with determination, showed no hint of backing down.
“…Fuck.”
With a low curse and a grimace, Im Chun-il plopped back down.
“Then, shall we properly discuss what to do next?”
Shrugging at him, my words kicked off the real planning session, which continued until the black sky gradually lightened to blue.
*
“…Ended up pulling an all-nighter somehow.”
On the way back to the clan from the inn.
I gazed at the slowly brightening dawn sky and muttered bitterly.
I’d just been looking for a place to crash for the night, and now here I was, entangled in stopping a horrific conspiracy within the clan.
The absurdly dramatic shift had me chuckling dryly anew when Master, walking beside me, suddenly asked,
“But what’s your real reason for helping the Je-gal Clan?”
“…You’re asking that now? Weren’t you just sitting quiet back at the inn?”
“Doesn’t feel right asking outright in front of others.”
Fair enough. Master was different from Im Chun-il.
I glanced at Im Chun-il’s back as he dragged his brother along, ahead of us.
If asked why we were trailing so far behind despite heading to the same place, I’d blame that bandit entirely.
He didn’t want to walk with us, so he told us to follow from behind or whatever.
Like a kid.
Shaking my head at the childishness that didn’t match his looks, I answered Master’s question.
“There are a few reasons, but the most important one for us is that demonic arts—specifically the Explosive Blood Technique—are involved.”
The reason we’d been visiting the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans for alliances.
It was the suspicion that Tyrant Heaven Fortress would use the Explosive Blood Technique manual to frame us as demonic cult collaborators.
“But the Je-gal Clan wasn’t just suspected—they were actually conducting horrific experiments with the Explosive Blood Technique.”
If this got out, the Je-gal Clan—one of the Five Great Clans—would be exterminated.
The problem was the damage wouldn’t stop there.
“Our claims would lose all credibility too. ‘See? There really were demonic cult collaborators,’ they’d say.”
The martial world would lose its justification to oppose Tyrant Heaven Fortress, which could then grip and shake the jianghu even harder.
“…Hmm.”
Master eyed me with a strange look after hearing this.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just struck me as amazing again. Hard to believe you’re some country landlord’s son with insights like that.”
Flinching inwardly, I teased Master with a joke to deflect.
“That’s just prejudice. You’re just getting old and set in your ways, Master.”
“You little punk…!”
Dodging his swung fist with a grin, I laughed as he scowled.
Sorry, Master.
If you had a hospital roommate who loved historical dramas like I did, you’d have figured this out in no time.
After enduring Master’s sharp glares all the way back to the Je-gal Clan main residence, something important I’d forgotten hit me.
“Ah…!”
I’d completely forgotten to ask Je-gal Geun-yeong about the forbidden texts.
What now? Go back and ask…? Nah. No point turning back.
“What is it?”
Master approached, hands behind his back, no longer in a punching mood. I blurted out,
“Master, do you know anything about the ancient martial world?”
“…Ancient martial world? What’s old or new about the martial world?”
From his reaction, Master knew nothing.
I’d asked just in case, but as expected.
Well, I’d only just heard about the ancient martial world myself.
A time when warriors flew through the skies and unleashed sword qi.
Just how did that ancient martial world fall into ruin?
*
Back at the Je-gal Clan main residence and in my assigned guest quarters, I realized I had no time to wonder about the fall of the ancient martial world.
“Welcome back, Young Master Goon Ja-seong. Did you enjoy your night with the Greatest Beauty of Hebei?”
Hwa-ryeon was inside the room, glaring at me with an icy expression.