Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: Spiderweb
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Sima Jeong found the current situation unbearably stifling, but he couldn't say anything to Sima Taegon. There was no benefit to revealing his inner suspicions about him.
Instead, Sima Jeong spoke a bit vaguely, shouting not just at Sima Taegon but at everyone else.
"Get a grip! Are you all really going to believe that sly bastard's nonsense?"
"...Big Brother. If you had something like that to say, you should've said it before the youngest died."
The one who cut off Sima Jeong's words was Sima Taegon.
He made it seem like he was stepping forward because of the dead Sima Song, but in truth, he was acting that way because his own son's life had been guaranteed.
Of course, Sima Jeong had warned Sima Song even before his death. It was just that Sima Song had started gambling on his own whim, talking about parents and children.
Sima Jeong thought about kicking his youngest brother Sima Song's corpse as hard as he could. He'd spoiled him because of their age difference, and this was the result.
While Sima Jeong struggled to suppress his boiling rage, the Sima Clan warriors excluding him each sank into their own thoughts. Before long, they all reached a similar conclusion.
With Sima Song dead, there were ten warriors present and thirteen young hostages. Two of them had received firm promises of treatment for their blocked meridians. That left eleven young ones.
'If we think of it as treating two per gamble, then if just six out of the ten win their bets, it'll be fine.'
Winning with just six meant that up to four could sit it out and still escape this situation.
The Sima Clan warriors began eyeing each other warily. It would be foolish to step forward first when there was a chance to pass without taking risks.
Then, amid this, a first-rate warrior of the Sima Clan, Sima Hwiwol, suddenly raised his hand.
"Miracle Dragon. Even if I win the bet, will you guarantee treatment for two young ones?"
"Of course. Everyone who steps up for a bet from here on gets the same terms."
"In that case, I'll take the bet this time."
Sima Hwiwol volunteering to go first seemed incredibly brave, so even the Sima Clan warriors who had inwardly looked down on him nodded in approval.
But as Dang Mujin approached Sima Hwiwol and reached to place a hand on his forehead, Sima Hwiwol quickly swatted it away.
"Wait. The bet I want is something else. Give me the dice."
The expressions of the Sima Clan warriors changed drastically. Sima Jeong shouted at Sima Hwiwol.
"You bastard, is your life that precious? You're going to gamble your blood kin's lives on dice?"
"That's not it!"
Sima Hwiwol denied it, but Sima Jeong berated him again.
"You've got some nerve! After seeing Sima Song's death, that's what comes out of your mouth?"
"Think about it! Sima Song barely managed seven steps after crossing the peak threshold before he dropped dead. How could I, a perennial first-rate, endure seven steps? I'm just choosing uncertain victory over certain defeat!"
The Sima Clan warriors who heard Sima Hwiwol couldn't refute him.
It grated on them oddly, but they couldn't deny the rationality of his judgment.
It was the best choice from Sima Hwiwol's personal standpoint, and from the clan's as well.
A dire situation. Yet Sima Hwiwol felt a subtle thrill.
He was glad to save his own life, and thrilled at the chance to stick it to the peak experts who'd dismissed him.
Seeing Sima Song, who had smugly boasted about crossing the peak threshold despite being younger, sprawled dead brought a strange sense of satisfaction.
Of course, the other first-rate warriors felt much the same, excluding Sima Hwiwol.
All of them were thinking, for the first time, that it was fortunate they hadn't crossed the peak threshold.
As faint smiles played on the lips of the first-rate warriors, the peak experts felt a surge of anger from deep in their chests. For a moment, they hated the first-rates even more than Dang Mujin.
Dang Mujin ignored the rift between the first-rates and peak experts and handed the dice to Hong Geolgae.
Hong Geolgae took the dice as if it were the most natural thing. Dice were his specialty, after all.
Feeling a strange camaraderie as a fellow first-rate, Hong Geolgae said to Sima Hwiwol,
"We each roll once. Highest number wins."
"Wait. Mind if I handle the dice?"
With cautious demeanor, Sima Hwiwol took the dice from Hong Geolgae, inspecting and feeling them from all sides.
The faces weren't uneven like a cheater's dice, and the weight was balanced. Sima Hwiwol nodded.
"No issues. I roll first?"
"Go ahead."
Sima Hwiwol closed his eyes, focused all his nerves, then tossed the dice upward.
'Please!'
But against his desperate wish, the top face showed only two pips.
Sima Hwiwol's face fell as if the sky had collapsed.
Hong Geolgae picked up the dice.
"My turn now."
At that moment, Dang Mujin mouthed something silently where no one could see.
Following that, the dice Hong Geolgae rolled showed just one pip.
The Sima Clan folk let out cheers, clenching their fists at the dramatic reversal.
"Ooooh!"
"Hwiwol! Knew you could do it!"
Dang Mujin clicked his tongue in feigned regret.
"Guess I have to treat two more. Who do you want treated?"
Before Sima Hwiwol could name them, Sima Jeong interrupted.
"Hold on. Sima Hwiwol! We don't need to decide who—"
But Sima Hwiwol boldly cut off the clan head.
"Treat my son Sima Yanggon. And Sima Seop!"
Sima Hwiwol naming Sima Seop was because Sima Seop's father, Sima Juhon, had the next strongest influence after Sima Jeong and was highly skilled.
It was a blatant, petty ploy to shield against any opposition or criticism with Sima Juhon's presence.
Sima Jeong wanted to cut Sima Hwiwol down right then, but he saw Sima Juhon subtly approaching him.
Following his second brother Sima Taegon, now his third brother Sima Juhon had gone over to "that side."
Gripping his sword hilt, Sima Jeong's arm trembled with rage.
Dang Mujin's scheme was utterly filthy and insidious.
He'd merely laid out the board once, and now the Sima Clan warriors were naturally competing, checking each other, flailing, and falling into the trap.
Someone watching the same scene felt the exact opposite of Sima Jeong. Hyeon-gong.
Hyeon-gong marveled at the ever-shifting atmosphere among the Sima Clan warriors.
'Exquisite and natural divide-and-conquer. As expected, much to learn from Dang Mujin.'
This was the pinnacle of sowing discord.
Dang Mujin had used his three-inch tongue to pit Sima Jeong against the rest of the Sima Clan warriors, split those whose children's lives were guaranteed from those not, and even carved emotional rifts between first-rates and peak experts.
What was more astonishing was that he hadn't even clearly revealed his intent to sow discord.
Buoyed by Sima Hwiwol's success, the remaining four first-rate warriors naturally rolled the dice.
Some won, some lost.
Dang Mujin cheered visibly whenever Hong Geolgae won at dice, and showed clear disappointment on losses.
Seeing this, the Sima Clan warriors inwardly gained conviction.
'That guy's at least trying to keep his word.'
Finally, all first-rates had rolled, and it was the peak experts' turn. This time, Sima Juhon stepped forward.
Now, Dang Mujin moved to place a finger on Sima Juhon's forehead.
But Sima Juhon declared confidently,
"Give me the dice."
"What!"
Sima Jeong bellowed, and Sima Juhon replied to him.
"Big Brother. Saving the kids' lives isn't the end. The Sima Clan needs someone to shield them from the storms until they can pull their weight. Don't treat the lives here as worthless."
The words were flowery, but his true intent was transparent once again.
With his son Sima Seop's life guaranteed, he had no desire to risk his own for the other Sima Clan youths.
Sima Jeong stared at Sima Juhon clutching the dice, feeling the world's most complicated emotions.
Cold reason screamed to support Sima Juhon, but his feelings desperately wished for his defeat.
'If you win, the other peak-crossers will eagerly grab the dice too. I can't stomach watching them rush into the Dang family's trap. Please lose. Please...'
At some point, Sima Jeong had lost his usual cool composure, surrendering to emotion.
He no longer knew how the people here had divided, what they thought of each other, what would benefit them, or what would yield the best outcome. He didn't even want to think.
Sima Jeong was clever and cold, but in the end, he was human with blood in his veins.
And shortly after.
"Ooooh!"
Contrary to Sima Jeong's desperate wish, Sima Juhon won at dice.
With the psychological barrier shattered, the peak experts also gripped the dice instead of taking poison and walking seven steps.
Beside them lay Sima Song, collapsed pathetically in death.
But everyone in the Sima Clan averted their eyes from it. They pitied Sima Song, but didn't want to lie down next to him.
After a string of bets, the outcomes were decided for everyone except Sima Jeong.
The only one yet to bet was Sima Jeong. And the sole youth without confirmed treatment was Sima Gwancheon.
The reason Sima Gwancheon was left last was simple: his parents weren't present.
As all eyes fixed on Sima Jeong, he let out a deep sigh and extended his hand. Asking for the dice.
In that instant, the atmosphere turned strange. Everyone looked at Sima Jeong with subtle expressions.
No one spoke. But Sima Jeong understood the meaning in their gazes.
'You bitched at us not to roll dice, so why are you asking for them?'
Flames sparked in Sima Jeong's eyes.
'You bastards!'
But the clan head staking his life for one youth would look odd to anyone. Sima Jeong thought so, at least.
At the same time, he wanted to crawl into a rat hole. Had he ever felt this pathetic in his life?
Sima Jeong's hand trembled as he rolled the dice. Swallowing his humiliation paid off—the dice showed six pips. He instinctively clenched his fist.
'Right. I'm different from you. I chose dice because I have confidence!'
Hong Geolgae rolled up his sleeves and gripped the dice. Tension thickened the air.
Surprisingly, Hong Geolgae's roll also showed six.
Dang Mujin nodded.
"What a coincidence. Roll again."
Breathing raggedly, Sima Jeong rolled once more. Five pips. Less than before, but still excellent. Hard to beat.
But when Hong Geolgae's dice hit the ground next, silence fell like death. Six pips again.
People pondered. Accept Sima Gwancheon's death? Or find another way now? But no alternatives came to mind.
Then, Dang Mujin spoke to Sima Jeong.
"I'll give you one special extra chance. Take the poison and walk seven steps?"
Sima Jeong hesitated without answering.
Thoughts clashed: he should accept as the esteemed clan head, but that poison seemed unsurvivable.
In that moment, the mood turned subtly icy.
Sima Jeong realized his position as clan head was finished.
A clan head applying double standards to himself and others. A clan head without the courage to risk for kin. No one follows such a leader.
Finally, Sima Jeong couldn't endure it and drew his sword. Lightning-fast, he swung at Dang Mujin right in front of him.
"You bastard!"
But Sima Jeong's horizontal slash was blocked. Not by Dang Mujin, who stood swordless, just watching.
Not Hyeon-gong, not Namgung Myeong. Certainly not Hong Geolgae. The one who blocked Sima Jeong's sword was his third brother, Sima Juhon.
Sima Jeong bellowed.
"Why block me!"
Sima Juhon didn't answer.
Sima Jeong looked around. No one raised a sword at Sima Juhon in his defense. He cried out as if vomiting blood.
"Why, you bastards!"
He knew why. Parents' feelings for their children outweighed loyalty to a leader who didn't commit, who was cowardly.
Tears welled in Sima Jeong's eyes. First time since age ten. Not from sadness, but injustice and rage.
"Are you really Sima Clan warriors?!"
Sima Jeong swung repeatedly, but people took turns blocking: Sima Taegon, Sima Juhon, Sima Yeop—
Ultimately, Sima Jeong gave up resisting. Everything he'd built his life crumbled before him. He wasn't prepared for this.
Dang Mujin drew his sword and approached slowly. Sima Jeong stared straight at it but didn't block. Without resistance, Dang Mujin thrust into his heart.
"You bastards. Sima Clan? All bullshit. Perish. Perish..."
Sima Jeong spat blood, shouting not at Dang Mujin, but at the Sima Clan members.
That was his last words. Collapsed, he gasped briefly, then stopped breathing.
Third brother Sima Juhon approached Sima Jeong's corpse and picked up his sword.
No one told him to take it. Everyone present acknowledged Sima Juhon as the next Sima Clan head. Though the seat didn't feel solid.
The truths of this place would be conveniently forgotten, and Sima Jeong's death given a suitable excuse.
The Sima Clan warriors and Dang Mujin's group turned back toward Luoyang. In the outskirts of Luoyang remained only the bodies of Sima Yugong, Sima Song, and Sima Jeong.
*
The Sima Clan folk worried Dang Mujin might flee, but unexpectedly, he never tried to escape even once.
After marching diligently, Dang Mujin's group and the Sima Clan warriors returned to the Sima Clan the next day at early evening.
With no prior messenger, no one came out to greet them.
The Sima Clan warriors entered with complex hearts.
'?'
But the situation inside the Sima Clan was more than a little off.
Instead of Sima Clan members, there were bald-headed monks in kasaya robes everywhere.
Unlike the bustling monks, the Sima Clan members were all clutching their dantians, sprawled on the ground.
The Sima Clan warriors thought,
'Why are Shaolin Temple monks in Luoyang?'
Songshan and Luoyang weren't too far, but still a full day or two's journey.
Why were they here? Why were the members sprawled and bound?
In the bizarre chaos, a white-bearded old monk and a burly middle-aged monk watched the returning Sima Clan warriors.
Both Shaolin Temple and Sima Clan belonged to the Murim Alliance, so the warriors knew them well.
Shaolin Abbot Divine Monk. And Nahansangju Manryeokseung.
Manryeokseung approached Sima Juhon, the next clan head, and said,
"Come on. Let's go."
The situation was surreal, and Manryeokseung's words lacked context.
Thus, Sima Juhon replied a bit blankly.
"Go where?"
"Where else for a murim criminal but the Repentance Cave?"
The next moment, Sima Juhon felt Manryeokseung's fist slam into his gut.