Chapter 163
“You don’t want this! You don’t want that! Then what on Earth do you want!”
“Oh, come on. How can someone as educated as you be so dense? What do you think I want?”
Chack.
“…!”
As I curled my fingers into a circle, Jegal Tak’s eyes widened at the sight. Then, as if realizing something, he nodded.
“Right… come to think of it, you really liked money, didn’t you? Is money what you want? Understood! Name your price! I will write a promissory note immediately…”
“Of course I like money. But not this time.”
I like money. But I don’t necessarily need money right now.
The money the Murim Alliance had already showered me with was still piled up, and the Green Forest had many businesses that could generate a stable income.
[Still, if I run short on money, I can just ask the Haomun Leader to lend me some.]
Considering our history together, wouldn’t he at least give me an interest-free loan?
Anyway, what I needed right now wasn’t money.
“If not money, then what on Earth do you need?”
“Guangdong Province, Guangxi Province, Guizhou Province. And… dominion over Yunnan Province.”
“…!”
“If you promise to give me dominion over those four provinces in addition to Hunan Province, I will actively cooperate in driving the Demonic Cult out of Shaanxi Province this time.”
Right now, the only place where the Green Forest exerts effective influence is Hunan Province. And compared to other provinces rich in resources, Hunan Province is incredibly poor.
Hunan Province alone was woefully insufficient to grow the Green Forest.
In the future, after the war with the Demonic Cult ends, the Green Forest would become a mere morsel for the Murim Alliance and disappear in an instant.
But before that happens…
[If I expand my Territory and build up more power while Under Heaven is in such chaos, I’ll be able to sleep soundly at night in the future.]
To create my own kingdom, expanding my Territory was absolutely essential.
Thus, when I demanded dominion over Guangdong Province, Guangxi Province, Guizhou Province, and Yunnan Province, Jegal Tak began to jump up and down in a fit of rage.
“Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan! Does that sound like it makes any sense right now?”
“Why doesn’t it make sense? I’m risking my life to fight too, so I should be able to get at least that much.”
“For you to take those four provinces in addition to Hunan Province means you intend to divide Under Heaven equally with the Murim Alliance!”
“That’s right?”
Slam!
As soon as he heard my words, Jegal Tak slammed his Fist on the table.
“Once this war ends… where is the guarantee that you won’t become a second Demonic Cult?”
“…”
“Bluntly speaking, I’m asking if there’s any guarantee that the Righteous-Unorthodox War won’t break out after the Righteous-Demonic War ends!”
Jegal Tak’s concerns were valid. If the initiative over a total of five provinces, including Hunan Province, was handed over, the Murim Alliance wouldn’t be able to Control us recklessly in the future.
However…
“Well, then we can just start the Righteous-Unorthodox War right now.”
“…What?”
“Are you people in any position to say such things right now? Without our help, you’re the ones who will be annihilated in the Righteous-Demonic War before a Righteous-Unorthodox War even happens.”
“…”
…Jegal Tak was in no position to be saying such things to us right now.
A man who should be begging on his knees and clinging to my pant legs had no right to complain.
Sss - .
As I exuded Killing Intent and spoke with conviction, Jegal Tak Relaxed his scowling expression.
It seemed he was finally grasping reality.
“…Look here, General Stronghold Master.”
“Shouldn’t you focus on surviving first? If you’re on the verge of drowning, you have to grab whatever is in front of you, whether it’s a straw or the tail of a venomous snake. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
Soon, he closed his eyes tightly. The sound of his brain working in overdrive filled the room.
Shortly after, his eyes opened and…
“…Yunnan Province will be difficult. That is where the Diancang Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance, is located.”
…In his eyes, I could see the will to somehow minimize his losses and reach an agreement.
“Hey now… the Diancang Sect is actually a bunch of folks who don’t have much interest in the secular World anyway. We’ll reach a suitable compromise with them. Then the rest is fine, right?”
“…No, it is not fine. The Murim Alliance acknowledges the Green Forest’s dominion over four additional provinces, but is Shaanxi Province all we get in return? The math doesn’t add up. We will acknowledge your dominion over the four provinces, but the Green Forest will have to do more for us in return.”
“What exactly do you want us to do?”
When I tilted my head and asked, Jegal Tak unfolded his fingers and replied.
“One Cult Leader or one Deputy Cult Leader.”
“…”
“If that is not possible, then three Elders will be needed. I want the Green Forest to handle one of these three options.”
…I was caught a bit off Guard by this.
And for good reason… the conditions Jegal Tak laid out were quite formidable.
A Cult Leader or a Deputy Cult Leader.
Or if not them, three Elders.
None of them were easy targets.
Especially the Cult Leader or Deputy Cult Leader.
Elders might be one thing, but those two rarely even showed their faces in the first place.
If I accepted this condition, I might end up having to follow the Murim Alliance all the way to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
“I already killed the Demonic Cult Elders Siwang and Salwang with my own hands, so I just need to take care of one more, right?”
“Of course, it is three excluding those two.”
“That’s too much.”
I continued speaking to try and negotiate a better deal.
“It seems this Old Geezer doesn’t know because he’s never worked in the field…”
“You’re the one making it sound easy, but does giving you dominion over four provinces seem like a light matter?”
However, Jegal Tak glared fiercely, as if he couldn’t back down any further either.
“Instead, if you give me a definitive answer right here, I will actively cooperate so that you can obtain those provinces without any trouble.”
“…”
Hearing his words, I fell into deep thought.
Still…
“Even so, three Elders are too many.”
“…”
“Make it two Elders, and I’ll accept without any complaints.”
I made a final counteroffer to Jegal Tak, and after hesitating for a moment…
“Understood.”
…He eventually nodded.
And so, the Green Forest ended up cooperating with the Murim Alliance until we crushed a Cult Leader or the Deputy Cult Leader, or, failing that, two Elders.
* * *
“Then, Leader, I will go and deliver this news to the others.”
“Yeah.”
Dongryong-i left to relay the news that the Green Forest would continue fighting alongside the Murim Alliance, and I had to move locations with Jegal Tak.
From what I heard, we were to discuss future operations at another Command Center set up at the Mount Hua Sect.
Anyway, I moved to the Mount Hua Sect along with the other Sect Leaders and Family Heads who had been at the Zhongnan Sect.
Among them were those who welcomed me, like the Zhongnan Sect Leader and the Shanxi Yu Family Head…
“Thank you for coming.”
“General Stronghold Master. It is reassuring to be fighting alongside you.”
…And there were those who did not.
“Hmm…”
“How could…”
Especially among them…
“…”
…There was someone looking at me with highly displeased eyes, so I couldn’t help but tilt my head.
[No, did I make a Sworn Enemy out of him or something?]
So I examined his attire…
[Ah.]
The wide-sleeved clothing, the trademark of the Sichuan Tang Family, caught my eye.
Come to think of it, I had killed some guy from the Sichuan Tang Family in the past - was it the Grand Elder or the Elder Council Head?
[Was that the Tang Family Head’s brother?]
Anyway, the Tang Family Head, who seemed to be around the level of a Paternal Uncle to the Haomun Leader, subtly glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.
[Does the Tang Family Head actually know that I was the one who killed him?]
Perhaps he did.
If so, this journey was bound to become quite exhausting.
If you incurred the grudge of the Tang Family, you had to keep your nerves on edge even when eating or sleeping.
But that was truly just a Drop in the Bucket compared to the uncomfortable situation I was about to face next.
After leaving Xi’an, passing through Huayin County where plum blossoms grew in abundance everywhere, and climbing the rugged Mount Hua Sect, what greeted me was…
“…It is a pleasure to meet you, General Stronghold Master.”
“…Ah, yes.”
…The Murim Alliance Leader, Namgung Hwa-Cheon.
Besides him, the Sect Leaders of other Sects and the Family Heads of other Families were lined up all over this narrow Mount Hua Sect.
Those warm and good-natured impressions made me want to throw up just looking at them.
And at the end of them…
“…!”
Stood Ha Jinseong, the Protagonist of this World.
A calm composure lingered in his eyes as he looked at me.
As soon as I saw that, I knew.
[That guy…]
He was definitely already convinced that I knew the future.
[Yeah, the day will come when the two of us will have to talk…]
“…I heard the stories about you through the messenger sent by the General Strategist. It is true that you have done a great deed, but to make such a bold demand…”
“Ugh, so noisy.”
“…demand, huh?”
I kept trying to think to myself, but because he was chattering away next to me, I inadvertently blurted that out, causing the Murim Alliance Leader to be momentarily dumbfounded.
“Ah, sorry.”
“…”
He let out a dry cough at my apology for a moment, then asked me secretively.
“Actually, I heard another report from the Yu Family Head. He said you encountered someone who appeared to be an Old Elder of the Namgung Family.”
Was he talking about the Sword King? He was definitely from the Namgung Family, alright.
When I nodded at this, his voice trembled as if he were a bit shocked.
“Th-That makes no sense. The only Supreme Grand Elder who has been missing for nearly a hundred years is Esteemed Elder Namgung Su-Hyeon, but if he were alive, his age would be over one hundred and twenty this year…”
“Crazy Bastards naturally live a long time. That Old Fart was a complete lunatic for the Sword.”
“…”
The Sword King was a Demonic Cult Elder and, at the same time, an elder of the Namgung Family. When I cursed him out like that, the Murim Alliance Leader made a confused expression, seemingly unsure whether he should be happy or upset.
Then, he whispered to me in an even more secretive voice.
“How much of a difference is there between his realm and mine, by any chance?”
“…”
As soon as I heard those words, I realized why the Murim Alliance was losing the war.
It was like… a novice asking a Grandmaster how his skill compared to a legendary expert. Should I say it felt like that kind of absurdity…
Even though I hadn’t properly seen how strong the Murim Alliance Leader was, it was obvious he couldn’t hold a candle to the Sword King.
The Namgung Family’s Sword Art was already difficult to comprehend, but the Sword King’s Sword Comprehension was on an insane level.
“Of course, he was strong enough to make my hands and feet tremble. However…”
Still, since we were now on the same team, I couldn’t hurt him with brutal facts, so I offered a bit of lip service.
“I don’t think the Alliance Leader would necessarily lose.”
“…Is that so.”
At my words, the Murim Alliance Leader silently nodded. The small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth was incredibly annoying, but I barely managed to hold it in.
“Let us go inside. I plan to gather everyone and formulate a strategy to crush the Demonic Cult.”
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go.”
The fact that today’s conversation would snowball into something massive was still a matter for the distant future.