Chapter 113
Translator: penny
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Shadow Gate's Dilemma
"What kind of nonsense is that? Somwol's going to take the Shadow Gate Sect Leader seat anyway."
Mok Jimyeong's nonchalant reply left Shadow Gate Sect Leader Beom Seonchun genuinely baffled.
'Somwol's going to become the Shadow Gate Sect Leader?'
Of course, as a candidate, Somwol more than qualified for the position.
But Mok Jimyeong's tone suggested otherwise.
'Isn't he saying that if someone else takes the leader seat, the Shadow Gate Sect will become strangers with us?'
He knew the man before him had close ties with Brothel Hall.
He also knew he was particularly close to Somwol.
But wasn't this going a bit too far?
This was the Shadow Gate Sect, after all. The Shadow Gate Sect.
Its history was as long as that of the martial world itself, and in terms of disciples, it boasted the largest numbers among single sects, excluding the Beggars' Sect.
And that wasn't all.
It was one of the pillars of the Four Black Alliance and prided itself on handling information that rivaled even the Beggars' Sect.
Yet this was the treatment they got?
'Of course, Mok Jimyeong is an exceptional figure worthy of such regard….'
At just over thirty, he'd ascended to the Profound Realm and defeated Four Black Alliance Elder Chu Munrak in a fair fight.
Moreover, his Blissful Creation Art held limitless potential, making him a shoo-in for World's Greatest Martial Artist with just a bit more time.
Yet, beyond all that, what captivated Beom Seonchun most was something else.
'His mental fortitude and guts.'
The reports from the Shadow Gate Sect were unbelievable tales of greatness, but Beom Seonchun hadn't fully trusted them.
So he'd probed him directly today in countless ways to verify….
'Not a single falter.'
Mok Jimyeong's consistency never wavered.
If anything, it revealed a shrewdness that left him flustered.
'He's no rejuvenated old master, that's for sure….'
Whether the rejuvenation realm truly existed was beside the point; Mok Jimyeong's past was crystal clear.
The Mok Family Clan in Shandong Province.
The third young master there.
Even his notorious habit of frequenting brothels back in the clan was infamous.
Yet the evaluation of him then and the man Beom Seonchun saw now were worlds apart….
'How much is this guy hiding?'
Beom Seonchun could only marvel at his mental depth.
Mentioning Somwol for the leader seat was telling, too.
It seemed casual, but it pierced through his relationship with Somwol, his confidence in his martial arts, his current ties with the Shadow Gate Sect—all of it.
But in truth, to Mok Jimyeong, it was just stating the obvious.
How had he connected with the Shadow Gate Sect in the first place?
-We of Brothel Hall—not the Shadow Gate Sect—wish to be Young Master's 'first' support force.
Brothel Hall first, not the Shadow Gate Sect.
That was the deal with the Brothel Hall Leader, and what Somwol wanted.
Mok Jimyeong hadn't sought out the Shadow Gate Sect specifically.
They'd accepted Brothel Hall, and the Shadow Gate Sect came as a bonus.
In fact, he didn't even hold fond feelings toward the Shadow Gate Sect.
'If not for Somwol.'
In his past life, how annoyingly they'd hounded him.
The Beggars' Sect at least had the merit of their leader Baek Cheolsan being a decent guy; the Shadow Gate Sect were just pests.
'They didn't even offer courtesans of their own accord.'
In Mok Jimyeong's eyes, they ranked below even the Red Serpent Sect.
As Beom Seonchun sank into thought, silence fell over the table.
Mok Jimyeong didn't press the conversation, simply taking food from the side to fill his belly.
A quiet meal in a restaurant with only two guests.
By the time Mok Jimyeong had eaten his fill, Beom Seonchun spoke first.
"Very well. I understand what you mean. However, that doesn't mean I'll make Somwol the leader. It will be through a fair competition…."
"Who asked you to go easy on Somwol? I'm just saying she's going to become the Shadow Gate Sect Leader anyway."
Mok Jimyeong's words were similar to before, but they landed entirely differently.
'Does he mean he'll force Somwol into the leader seat…!'
No need to question if he had the ability.
To Beom Seonchun, Mok Jimyeong was undeniably World's Greatest Martial Artist material.
'Even if he falls short, the Shadow Gate Sect couldn't withstand him.'
The Shadow Gate Sect's greatest strength was its pyramid structure.
No matter how great a master rose from below, they couldn't reach the top brass.
But Mok Jimyeong was different.
He already knew the top brass: the Brothel Hall Leader and Somwol, and he'd met him and his son personally.
'This guy's dangerous.'
If it only threatened his own life, maybe—but Mok Jimyeong posed a threat to the Shadow Gate Sect as a whole.
A man who could end its long history.
Yet, conversely, he could propel the Shadow Gate Sect to new heights.
The benefits of allying with him danced before his eyes.
A future where the Shadow Gate Sect no longer hid in the shadows.
'Hoo…. No helping it.'
One path led to ruin, the other to glory.
As leader of a sect, Beom Seonchun had no choice but to choose wisely.
Otherwise, he'd have to eliminate him here to cut off future troubles….
'Not even sure if that's possible.'
Mok Jimyeong had already proven his prowess by slaying Four Black Alliance Elder Chu Munrak.
And Beom Seonchun knew he'd emerged unscathed.
That wasn't all.
'He beat the Moyong family head, too.'
No one witnessed the fight directly, but Shadow Gate Sect disciples from Brothel Hall were present.
When it ended, Moyong Hwan's clothes were torn in places, while Mok Jimyeong was pristine.
Those two facts were irrefutable, so Beom Seonchun had no confidence in killing him here.
If he failed, the backlash would be beyond what he could handle alone.
Thus, the outcome was decided.
"It seems, as you say, that Somwol will become the Shadow Gate Sect Leader."
Mok Jimyeong flashed a satisfied smile at Beom Seonchun's words.
'…He can make that face, too?'
It was a far cry from the bored, indifferent expression he'd worn until now.
Yet Beom Seonchun instinctively felt this was his true nature.
'So everything before was an act?'
In truth, both were just Mok Jimyeong's natural whims, but to Beom Seonchun watching from the side, it hit differently.
'What an incredible guy.'
His martial prowess was one thing; his mental acuity was another.
Both were at a near-perfect level.
Yet he was barely over thirty.
His future potential was incalculable.
'All the better. The greater he becomes, the more he'll benefit our Shadow Gate Sect.'
The course was set.
Any leader worth their salt agonized over decisions—but once made, they committed fully.
And Beom Seonchun, the 32nd Shadow Gate Sect Leader, had decided to side with Mok Jimyeong.
But one final point needed clarification.
"Just one question for you."
Mok Jimyeong merely stared blankly instead of answering.
Beom Seonchun took it as another display of mental fortitude and continued.
"Can you lead the Shadow Gate Sect into the light?"
"Can you lead the Shadow Gate Sect into the light?"
The Shadow Gate Sect Leader posed the question with a serious expression.
'Lead them into the light?'
I'd come for the Death Squad, and now this massive request out of nowhere.
I'd expected an annoying favor, but this was beyond imagination.
'Of course, if I tried, it wouldn't be impossible….'
In the martial world, raw power was king.
And I, Mok Jimyeong, was destined to become the World's Greatest Martial Artist—the most important figure in the martial world.
He wasn't even demanding it immediately; a mere promise would be easy….
"Do I have to?"
Instead of pledging with words, I chose to dissuade him.
My half-hearted remark made the Shadow Gate Sect Leader's facial muscles twitch again.
But I ignored it and pressed on.
"Is going public the Shadow Gate Sect's will? Or just yours?"
"What do you mean? Naturally, every Shadow Gate Sect disciple would want…."
I cut off his indignant outburst mid-sentence.
"Come on, what are you talking about? What kind of sect is the Shadow Gate Sect? The martial world's biggest information network."
The Shadow Gate Sect Leader looked awkward at my sudden praise.
"…That's true."
"So what does going public mean? Abandoning your identity? Beggars' Sect mendicants can flaunt their knots openly and still just be beggars. But Shadow Gate Sect folks advertising themselves as such? Your operatives would all quit on the spot."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Jeez, you're dense. Do Shadow Gate Sect courtesans only work in Brothel Hall? Do the errand boys only serve their own restaurants?"
Of course, there were those like Somwol, Ayoung, and Okhwa who worked in Brothel Hall-run brothels, but they were all recognized by Brothel Hall.
The real rank-and-file—the foundation of the pyramid structure—were entirely different.
They only knew they were Shadow Gate Sect, passing along chance intel upward.
What they gained was pride in being special and meager activity funds.
These were people who learned no Shadow Gate Sect martial arts, held only the title of disciple, and lived ordinary lives.
"…."
"One of my guys is a Shadow Gate Sect disciple. If you owned the shop, would you hire him? Then you'd end up running a shop full of Shadow Gate Sect folks… Think customers would flock there?"
He seemed genuinely flustered, clearly never having considered this.
"You've been in the leader seat too long and lost touch with how your disciples live. Unless you plan to cut off all their livelihoods, don't spout nonsense."
It absolutely wasn't because I found it bothersome.
