Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: After the Rebellion
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Radiant... light?
At first, I couldn't fathom what he was going on about, but soon enough, I realized the Zhuge chief steward was talking about the sword aura.
"Did you see it?"
"Yes, I saw it clear as day. That blue light piercing through the blood jade. Thanks to that light, even the last shred of obsession lingering in me was utterly purged."
The chief steward lifted his head again, his face a tangled mix of regret and awe.
"Only then did I understand. That was what we—what all martial artists—should have been pursuing. And how foolish we'd been to obsess over and put our blind faith in the blood jade."
"......"
The chief steward looked like he'd been converted by some cult, and I was left speechless.
No, it was just a half-baked aura forced out by burning through his qi like crazy, and he was this moved by it? But...
Oblivious to my thoughts, the chief steward pressed on.
"It made my resolve clear. Over the years, we've senselessly sacrificed innocent blood kin. Before I fall to hell, I figured I should at least do what I can in the end."
"...So that means taking on all the blame for the family head's crimes too?"
He nodded at my question, then quickly added more.
"Of course, that's not the only reason."
"Then what?"
"Were you planning to pin the blame for this Blood Explosion Technique fiasco on the elder council leader?"
"......"
His sharp question shut my mouth.
I'd told the clan's heavyweights everything earlier, but strictly speaking, that wasn't quite true.
I'd laid it all out—except for the precise culprit.
In plain terms, I hadn't named who was really behind it all.
I'd brushed it off as still under investigation.
And just as he'd said, we'd been set to finger the already-dead elder council leader as the mastermind.
"If we revealed the family head was the culprit, someone might object to First Young Master inheriting the position. They'd say a criminal's son shouldn't take the family head's seat."
"...Yeah. That's why we were going to shift the blame to the elder council leader... Hold on."
He'd clearly pieced it together, so as I grudgingly answered, it suddenly hit me what the chief steward's true intent was, and I whipped my head around.
Only then did I grasp the real meaning behind him taking on all the family head's crimes.
"No way... You're saying we should pin the blame on you too? Make yourself the mastermind behind it all?"
"I'm just the chief steward, but I've always been treated well within the clan. The elders regarded me as an equal."
"......"
"So even if I say I was duped by the black and orchestrated all this, it wouldn't seem all that off."
I took a moment to find my words, staring at his transcendent smile, then finally spoke.
"...So you're saying the branch chief should execute you publicly in front of everyone to legitimize his claim to the headship."
"You catch on quick. Impressive as always."
His calm, composed demeanor left me dumbfounded.
I half-suspected he didn't even grasp what he was saying.
"Do you even know what that means?"
"Of course. How could I not?"
If we went along with it, the chief steward would meet a truly miserable end.
As the villain who plunged the clan into crisis, he'd be pointed at by every blood kin, and even his corpse wouldn't get a proper burial after death.
"...You're willing to endure all that?"
"It's a fitting end for a hideous sinner, isn't it?"
"I agree on that front. But what about the branch chief?"
"......"
For the first time, the chief steward's mouth fell silent.
His expression clouded over in an instant.
"You could tell from that reaction just now. The branch chief is hesitating even to kill you. Do you think he'd accept you meeting such an end?"
"...Whether he can or can't is beside the point. He'll have to make it happen. He's about to become the head of this vast clan, after all."
"But..."
I tried to counter, but he cut me off with a raised hand and continued.
"If he wavers due to personal feelings, he'll never navigate the thorny path ahead. If the family head lacks resolve, the clan will crumble like a castle built on sand and splinter apart. Is that the kind of alliance you want, Benefactor?"
Of course not.
The reason we'd helped the Zhuge Clan was to gain the power of a massive force—the Five Great Clans, represented by them—that could stand with Tyrant Heaven Fortress against the enemy.
If the clan splintered and collapsed as he said, it would lose all value as an ally.
That would also mean all our efforts over the past few days had gone to waste.
"So please, convince First Young Master for the good of the clan's future. This must be done."
"......"
I had no response to the chief steward's earnest plea and left the prison.
The moment I passed through the gate, I turned to Zhuge Geun-yeong, who stood rooted nearby.
I'd already sensed his presence, so I wasn't startled. With a small sigh, I asked,
"So what're you gonna do about it?"
The cell holding the chief steward wasn't far from the prison gate.
He'd probably heard our entire conversation.
"...I..."
Agony filled his face.
From that look, it was clear he wouldn't decide easily.
I shrugged and opened my mouth.
"Take some time to think it over. You've got plenty to handle anyway."
It had only been two days since the rebellion ended.
There was more to deal with first than funerals for the dead or punishments—like handling all the aftermath—so I had no intention of pressing Zhuge Geun-yeong for an answer right then.
As I turned to leave the prison first, he called out from behind.
"Young Hero Goon."
"Hm? Got something else to say?"
I turned, and Zhuge Geun-yeong tossed out a cautious question with a complicated expression.
"Why... aren't you trying to convince me?"
"...Hm."
Why not convince him...
I scratched my chin and replied.
"Because I think this is something the branch chief has to figure out and decide for himself."
"......"
"Well, I also trust you'll make the right choice in the end?"
"...!"
I flashed a slight smile at his wide-eyed surprise, then left the prison ahead of him.
And it was seven days and nights later that Zhuge Geun-yeong finally reached a conclusion after much deliberation.
*
As mentioned before, over those seven days and nights, Zhuge Geun-yeong busied himself with funerals for the dead and various other matters.
Of course, my group and I weren't involved.
No matter how deeply we'd intervened in the rebellion, we were still outsiders.
Does that mean we just lounged around doing nothing? Not quite.
We had our own issues to sort out.
Like helping the bandits we'd framed for killing the Dark Heaven Squad, turning them into fugitives hunted by Tyrant Heaven Fortress.
"Huh? What brings you here?"
The moment I arrived at the bandits' quarters in the outer courtyard, Im Chun-il spotted me and went wide-eyed.
He seemed pretty shocked by my sudden visit.
But I was equally stunned by the scene before me.
-Hah!
-Uwaaah!
"What the...?"
Given the number of them, the bandits' guest hall was a large pavilion with a spacious courtyard.
And right now, that wide courtyard was swarming with people.
To be precise, they were fervently clashing with axes and swords.
No need to ask who had the axes—the bandits, obviously. The swords...
"Those guys... from the clan's enforcement squad, right?"
"Yeah. Thanks to them, it's been noisy all day every day."
Spotting their oddly uniform martial robes, I asked just in case, and got that reply.
No, what were they even doing here?
"They must've been humiliated after getting one-sidedly trounced by our guys last time. They showed up out of nowhere, picking a fight and claiming they wouldn't have lost at full strength."
Im Chun-il noticed my baffled look and explained right away.
So, the enforcement squad was pissed about losing to some bandit riffraff and came for revenge?
"Ha, full strength my ass. Think that'd fly with King Yama after getting their asses kicked?"
I fully agreed, but I had no plans to join in badmouthing the squad's mental state.
Remembering why I'd come, I carefully broached the subject.
"Hang on, can we talk somewhere private, just the two of us?"
"...What's up? Why so serious?"
Sensing something off from my humorless face, Im Chun-il's expression turned grave too.
He seemed to realize something and grabbed both my shoulders with a gasp.
"W-Wait... Did something happen to Chun-sam? D-Did his yang energy get sucked dry by his wife...?"
"No, what the hell kind of nonsense is that?!"
I clapped a hand over Im Chun-il's mouth and snapped.
When I pulled away a moment later, he gave an awkward grin, like 'R-Right?'.
To explain what the heck he was talking about, I'd have to rewind three days.
During the rebellion, Im Chun-sam had single-handedly faced off against dozens from the enforcement squad.
He'd fought valiantly with astonishing skill but took heavy wounds from throwing himself in to block them without holding back.
I'd gone to check on him once things settled, but the physician ordered absolute bed rest, so I had to turn back.
A few days later.
Finally given permission for a visit, I ran into Im Chun-il, who was heading to see his brother for the same reason.
-Heading to see your brother?
-Yeah. You too?
Somehow, we ended up going to Im Chun-sam's quarters together, only to find we had a prior guest.
-You idiot! Why didn't you just let it go? Why block everything till you ended up like this?!
-S-Sorry...
Just from the voices, the situation was obvious.
I chuckled and glanced at Im Chun-il.
-Looks like today ain't the day.
-...Well, at least he sounds alive from the racket.
Im Chun-il feigned nonchalance, though disappointment was plastered all over his face.
That's when the sounds from inside took a turn.
-Anyway, you're okay now, right?
-Uh, yeah. The physician said my recovery was f-f-fast and p-praised me.
-Good, glad to hear it. Now strip.
-Okay, strip... Huh?
A loud crash followed, along with Im Chun-sam's panicked shout.
-W-Why are you doing this? D-Don't...!
-Don't what...?! We should've done this ages ago. Wasting five whole years pretending to wait like some saint...!
A low mutter, brimming with frustration and anger.
Soon, Im Chun-sam's scream rang out.
-U-Uwaaaah?!
-Hold still!
The rip of tearing fabric, and the scream grew louder.
Somehow the roles felt reversed between man and woman, but I said nothing, just patted Im Chun-il's shoulder and turned.
-Let's go. Definitely not our day.
-Ahem...! Wife's got some fire.
-Quit yapping and move it.
I dragged Im Chun-il by the scruff out of there, and later heard Im Chun-sam hadn't left his quarters since.
For a moment, I wondered if he'd been... confined to the room ever since, but I didn't dwell on it.
I just quietly hoped he'd return safe and sound.