Night of Golden Attire (2)
While I desperately shook Dang Seohee to wake her, Ak Byeongbi recounted the events at the Four Black Alliances in detail, but with striking detachment.
As the story progressed, doubt flickered in Jegal Somyeong's eyes.
"Is that true?"
"Of course."
Ak Byeongbi answered calmly and moved on, but the next part of the tale left Jegal Somyeong speechless once more.
"......That really happened?"
"Yes. It did."
"......"
Ak Byeongbi's face remained impassive as he replied. There wasn't a hint of deception in his expression, yet Jegal Somyeong looked utterly incredulous.
"Il Myeong, is what the division head is saying true?"
Finally bypassing the reporter himself to ask Il Myeong directly.
Il Myeong nodded as well.
"Yes."
"......What the hell happened out there?"
Jegal Somyeong furrowed his brow deeply.
"Did you fall victim to some sorcery at the Four Black Alliances? Or......"
He even shot me a suspicious glare.
"Did that Jin Sowoon bastard cast some spell on you?"
Ehey, sorcery? Isn't that a bit much?
Why's the blame suddenly flying my way......
Just then, a sleepy mumble came from behind me.
"Mmm... mmm... This is all karma, you know."
Hey, you? Aren't you actually awake?
As I shot her a baffled look, Ak Byeongbi emphasized once more.
"I assure you again—there is not a single exaggeration or omission in the report I've given."
Despite Ak Byeongbi's solemn bow, Jegal Somyeong's expression remained stubbornly skeptical.
I mean, come on—he's the third division head of the Inspection Hall. Shouldn't that carry some weight in the Murim Alliance?
"So, unknown entities infiltrated the Four Black Alliances, inciting war between them and the Murim Alliance...... The delegation was even branded murderers, but Jin Sowoon, a disciple of the Daoist sects, invoked Buddhist compassion...... and used the Contemplation Method to uncover the culprits?"
Hmm...... Hearing it summed up like that, it does sound kinda off.
Like something a drunk would blurt out......
"You're certain...... this isn't a false report?"
Ak Byeongbi responded to the parched, expectant Jegal Somyeong in his usual flat tone.
"Of course, the 'Contemplation Method' Jin Sowoon spoke of was likely just a 'device' to intimidate the black path folks of the Four Black Alliances."
"So......"
"But that doesn't diminish the feats he achieved during this delegation to the Four Black Alliances."
"Huh?"
I was as surprised by Ak Byeongbi's words as Jegal Somyeong's startled expression.
"The delegation was in dire straits. I, the leader, was crippled by a surprise attack, and there was no one in the Four Black Alliances we could turn to for aid."
His voice held no inflection.
"It was the absolute worst-case scenario we could imagine. Neither they nor the delegation doubted we'd be sacrificed in this mess, and all I could do was relay the shameful order to flee."
His deep voice echoed through the hall without a trace of hesitation, conveying utter trustworthiness, as if calmly reciting plain facts.
"Everyone had given up on everything. Except one person."
Ak Byeongbi slowly raised his head.
"Everyone but Jin Sowoon."
Unlike his stoic face, his eyes gleamed sharply.
"Even in that hopeless situation where nothing could be done, Jin Sowoon never surrendered a thing. He braved dangers, sacrificed himself, and never once slacked in his efforts."
He continued endlessly, as if determined to spill every last bit he knew.
"Cold reason, a burning heart, bonds with comrades, unshakeable conviction. Integrity that scorns petty gains."
At last, his gaze turned to me.
"Because he possesses all this, he overcame those trials with indomitable will."
Listening to him, I almost wanted to befriend the guy he was describing.
"Focusing on mere surface 'words' is like complaining about a handful of mud in a clear lake. Jin Sowoon was the delegation's top member and the greatest contributor to averting a potential war between the Four Black Alliances and the Murim Alliance."
Of course, the moment I realized he meant me, my cheeks burned so hot I couldn't lift my head.
"Hmph......"
Hyeok Mu-gang, who had been listening silently, finally spoke.
"I heard there was a minor issue between the Ak family and Jin Sowoon recently."
"......Regrettably, the fault lies heavily with the Ak family."
"No, I'm not asking about blame...... I'm wondering if something else happened between you two."
Fair enough. Anyone would wonder what the hell he'd been fed to sing my praises like this.
If it were a third party, I'd suspect the same.
But Ak Byeongbi shook his head firmly.
"Nothing."
Puzzlement crossed the Alliance Leader's face.
"Yet you rate him so highly?"
"From the moment I was assigned to the Inspection Hall, I was taught to report facts with utmost accuracy."
"......"
Hyeok Mu-gang tilted his head.
No need to guess—he was clearly questioning if "accuracy" was the right word here.
I had no clue what was going through Ak Byeongbi's mind either.
"......Ahem, Jin Sowoon."
This time, Jegal Somyeong called me.
But for some reason, his gaze seemed fixed on Dang Seohee slung over my back.
"Yes."
"Is what the third division head...... no, the delegation leader just said true?"
I pondered for a moment before answering carefully.
"Yes."
"......"
"It seems like an impeccably 'accurate' report, just as he said."
"......"
Why? What? I'm not wrong, am I?
I'm just babysitting Dang Seohee because she wanted it, not me.
And playing nanny doesn't erase what I did or lower its value, right?
Obviously.
I adjusted Dang Seohee's position by lifting my arm, then bowed to Ak Byeongbi.
"As expected of the third division head, renowned for his fairness."
"......"
Jegal Somyeong stared at me in disbelief.
Just then.
"Mmm... mmm... Shameless, you know."
Dang Seohee's sleep-talk again.
You've been awake this whole time, haven't you?
"Zzz......"
A brief silence fell, then Hyeok Mu-gang spoke.
"W-well, regardless, the delegation handled things splendidly."
"Indeed."
"So we should praise them, not interrogate."
"......"
Jegal Somyeong, who had been eyeing me intently, finally let out a small sigh.
"True...... Well done, in any case. A bit disappointing, but splendidly done."
The Alliance Leader patted Jegal Somyeong's shoulder lightly.
"Come now, Chief Strategist. Be honest—it exceeded expectations by leaps and bounds."
"Ahem, this is the bare minimum for a Murim Alliance delegation."
"Heh heh. That pleased, are you?"
As Hyeok Mu-gang teased, Jegal Somyeong turned serious.
"Didn't you lament not forging the alliance, Alliance Leader?"
Hyeok Mu-gang startled and quickly glanced our way.
"Ahem, th-that was just personal regret. Why bring it up here......"
He must have been truly disappointed.
And knowing the practical limits, he'd probably caught an earful from Jegal Somyeong over it.
Anyway, with Jegal Somyeong winning the verbal spar, he turned back to us and asked about the crates before him.
"But what are these, that you brought them all the way here?"
Ak Byeongbi glanced at me before reporting.
"Gifts from the Four Black Alliances Lord, via Damak's letter, as we departed."
"Huh? From the Four Black Alliances Lord?"
Il Myeong and I rose and moved to the crates.
Jegal Somyeong and Hyeok Mu-gang's gazes naturally followed.
Clunk.
Clunk.
The crates opened, revealing their contents one by one.
Treasures lost or stolen from the righteous Murim world long ago.
Items of irreplaceable historical value, beyond mere monetary worth—even the great Hyeok Mu-gang gaped in shock.
"Wh-what is all this?"
Of course, Jegal Somyeong was the most stunned.
This time, I answered.
"Though we can't join forces yet, he hopes we can gradually close the distance."
He stared at me in utter disbelief.
# After the delegation left, a heavy silence lingered in the hall.
The quiet stretched on for a long while before Hyeok Mu-gang spoke first.
"Is this even possible?"
He had sat in the Murim Alliance Leader's seat for the past twenty years, experiencing much.
From it, he had gained a core realization: things never unfold as one ideally wishes.
Thus, he learned human limits—and in knowing them, set aside his greed.
This delegation was no different.
Though dispatched at Jegal Somyeong's insistence, he hadn't expected any real achievements.
Jegal Somyeong himself had voiced no great hopes.
"I feel like I'm dreaming."
Yet the delegation, sent on an absurd mission, returned with beyond-expected results.
"Same here."
Complexity filled Jegal Somyeong's eyes as he gazed at the crates' contents.
"Should I take this as them doing what was naturally expected, or as a miracle achieving the impossible...... It's utterly bewildering."
"Ha ha. Truly astonishing."
The Chief Strategist let out a hollow chuckle, staring at the door through which Jin Sowoon and the delegation had exited.
"And that guy—he's just some academy student. How could a total greenhorn pull off something like this......"
Hyeok Mu-gang nodded endlessly in agreement.
He ventured cautiously.
"You saw it too, right, Chief Strategist?"
"......Yes."
"Dang Seohee was being carried on his back."
"......Even sleep-talking."
"Il Myeong barely making his presence felt was shocking enough......"
So-beol Il Myeong was a once-in-a-generation talent poised to lead the jianghu.
For such a child to fade into the background without a word was astonishing.
"And Seohee too."
Both men imagined even the Poison King gasping in that stoic face of his upon hearing this.
"Does that mean he's that exceptional?"
Hyeok Mu-gang slowly shook his head at Jegal Somyeong's question.
"I don't know."
The previous generation at the Murim Academy—four years ago's entrants—were plenty stunning themselves.
From Sword Saint of Blossoms Hwa Jeong-san to Heavy Spear Immortal Ak Buk-san and World-Splitting Sword Namgung San.
Even a once-a-century genius lineup was shocking enough.
Yet watching those kids overshadowed by So-beol, White Water Divine Maiden, and Dragon Child had been eye-opening.
......But now, even their light seemed dimmed.
By Jin Sowoon alone.
Jegal Somyeong looked down at the crates in disbelief.
"For the Four Black Alliances Lord to send such burdensome treasures...... Jin Sowoon must have pulled some bizarre stunt."
"Hmph, probably."
"That's what makes it more astonishing. What late-generation talent could serve as a bridge between the Murim Alliance and the Four Black Alliances?"
Superior martial arts and sharp wits weren't enough.
Even reading the world, understanding people, and stacking lifetimes of experience might barely suffice—yet he was accomplishing it effortlessly.
"Frankly, it scares me a bit."
"Pardon?"
Jegal Somyeong tilted his head at Hyeok Mu-gang's sudden remark.
The Alliance Leader's face, re-examining the crates, clouded with worry and pity.
"......Sometimes, stars that shine too brightly burn out fast."
"......"
"Maybe we should make him hide his light on purpose."
How base and petty human emotions are.
Yet it was always that petty jealousy that toppled great heroes and rewrote history.
Jegal Somyeong nodded, then sighed.
"Sigh...... I'm afraid of something else."
"Hm? What?"
Fear and dread mingled on the Chief Strategist's face.
"That guy's...... receipt terrifies me."
"Pardon?"
What the hell?
Jegal Somyeong's face flushed with agitation.
"Didn't you see, Alliance Leader? That Jin Sowoon smirked meaningfully as he left......! He's definitely gonna demand something huge for this......"
"......Tch. Well, we can't just let it slide."
Jegal Somyeong shuddered like he'd seen a ghost.
"I have no confidence. Handle it yourself, Alliance Leader."
"Chief Strategist, how can you be so irresponsible......"
"I'll do what I can. But his merits exceed anything I can reward."
The delegation's gifts held immense value for the Murim Alliance.
The original owners were the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families steering the Alliance.
Couldn't just return them outright.
The Alliance could extract hefty compensation from them using these treasures.
A massive weapon for us.
What price to pay the one who brought them?
Even Jegal Somyeong's brilliant mind struggled to calculate.
"Haa......"
Hyeok Mu-gang was the same.
"Hmm......"
After long deliberation, he stammered.
"Shall we open the Silver Jade Vault?"
"......"
Normally, Jegal Somyeong would bellow "Are you insane?!"—but today, he just clamped his mouth shut and stared.
Hyeok Mu-gang, gauging his reaction, asked again.
"......Really open the Silver Jade Vault?"
"......"
But Jegal Somyeong said nothing, washing his hands of responsibility to the end.