Chapter 184
“Currently, the Murim Alliance is a mess in every aspect.”
Peng Family.
Inside a certain room, Jin So-baek was relaying information about the Murim Alliance to Yeo Un-hwi.
“No, I don’t know if the word 'currently' is even correct. This has been going on for quite a long time already. Because of that, even if it looks fine on the outside, the inside is severely rotten.”
Once, if one were to pick the unwaveringly strongest organization in the Central Plains that represented the Orthodox Martial World, it was undoubtedly the Murim Alliance.
The Demonic Alliance had never been a match for such a Murim Alliance.
However, everything changed when the Black Emperor became the Demonic Alliance Leader.
And an even bigger reason was hidden behind it.
“In the first place, the current Murim Alliance Leader, Song Il-do, has an indecisive character and is not suited for a position like the Alliance Leader. But it is not just him. Recently, the Murim Alliance Leaders have always been such figures. All of that is because of a person who manipulates the Murim Alliance from behind the scenes as he pleases.”
“You mean that’s Jang Cheong.”
“Yes. That is correct. And after that person named Jang Cheong became the Chief Elder, the relationship between the Murim Alliance and the Nine Great Sects also gradually grew distant. Currently, the gap is as wide as it is with the Five Great Families.”
“I see. But it’s strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“Such a guy actually let someone from the Jegal Clan become the Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance.”
Chief Strategist: That referred to Jegal Mun, the younger brother of the current Family Head of the Jegal Clan, Heavenly Brain Jegal Sung, and the older brother of Jegal Gil.
“Ah. He is someone the current Murim Alliance Leader brought in.”
“Song Il-do did?”
It was unexpected.
“Yes. In fact, he was quite motivated at first too, though it quickly faded. Thanks to that, only Jegal Mun, who came to the Murim Alliance after being promised all sorts of support, was left hanging in the air.”
Jin So-baek added the explanation that no matter how smart he was, the Murim Alliance was already like a fortress Jang Cheong had built up over a long time, and since even the Murim Alliance Leader who brought him in did not take his side contrary to his promise, it must be a very difficult situation for him.
Yeo Un-hwi nodded.
It was definitely far too rotten.
And the cause was pointing far too clearly to one person.
Having finished his story about the Murim Alliance, Jin So-baek subtly looked at Yeo Un-hwi.
“So, you decided to go yourself? To the Murim Alliance?”
“That’s how it turned out.”
“Didn’t everyone say anything?”
“They just had faces that wondered if this was really okay.”
“Haha…”
It was understandable.
“Everyone must be worried.”
Was that worry directed at Yeo Un-hwi? No, there was absolutely no way that was the case.
More than anything else, everyone had seen the unrealistic power Yeo Un-hwi possessed, so how could they be otherwise?
It was just a little worry about what kind of terrifying thing he would do this time.
They absolutely hated the idea of obediently doing what the Murim Alliance wanted, but sending Yeo Un-hwi felt exactly like sending a live bomb.
Jin So-baek perfectly understood their feelings.
“Then, what do you plan to do when you go? Don’t tell me you plan to beat them all to death, starting with that old man named Jang Cheong!”
“You seem to see me as someone who slaughters anyone and everyone if I don’t like them?”
“If you are asking seriously… Yes. I do.”
“Haha. You are a very funny person. You make quite funny jokes, you know?”
“I’m not joking, though?”
“Hahaha! That one was pretty funny too.”
No, I’m serious!
He invaded the Demonic Cult all by himself, slit the throat of that terrifying Cult Leader, and then slaughtered all of the Ten Great Demon Stars.
How could one not think that way about a person who spoke of it as casually as if he had just gone for a brief stroll around the neighborhood?
For Jin So-baek-baek, it was an extremely reasonable suspicion.
“Well. How will it be, I wonder?”
Yeo Un-hwi seemed to think for a moment before continuing his story.
“First, I plan to go and hear what kind of nonsense they spout. I also need to see the face of that old man who orchestrated things to turn out this way.”
The face of the human named Jang Cheong, who had driven countless people into misfortune.
The true form of the 'Evil' that Jegal Gil was trying to overcome even at the cost of grinding away his own life.
“And after that?”
“Hmm. Then I’ll have to decide, right? Whether to sweep them all away like you said or do something else.”
Yeo Un-hwi gave a smirk.
Jin So-baek’s body trembled.
No, he didn’t know why he was getting goosebumps all over his body when it wasn’t even his business.
“…Then we will conclude today’s meeting here.”
Murim Alliance, Alliance Leader’s Hall.
All the meetings had just ended, and the key executives of the Murim Alliance were coming out from there one by one.
Meanwhile, the face of the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist, Jegal Mun, was darker than ever.
‘It’s a mess, everything.’
In the end, a letter was sent to the Peng Family.
A letter demanding that the Peng Family, who were causing problems by associating with the Demonic Path, come directly to the Murim Alliance and explain themselves regarding the matter.
It didn’t explicitly state exactly who should come, but it implicitly conveyed that the Family Head of the Peng Family, or at the very least the Eldest Young Master, had to come in person.
From the Peng Family’s perspective, they would definitely be grinding their teeth at this.
How would they react?
Jegal Mun’s head throbbed.
Due to the sending of that letter, a huge setback has already occurred in the plan to unite the power of the Orthodox Martial World to stand against the Heavenly Demon right now.
“This is not something a person who truly wants to overcome this current situation would do.”
When one looked at Jang Cheong, he seemed to be working for the Orthodox Martial World more than anyone else, but he knew well that the reality was not so.
There were more than a few times when he felt like driving him out in any way possible if he had his way.
But to do that, everything in the Murim Alliance was already a problem.
It was to the point where it was bleak just thinking about where to even begin fixing things.
Someone approached Jegal Mun as he held his throbbing head.
“Older Brother.”
It was his younger brother and the Murim Alliance’s top Investigator, Jegal Gil.
He was a younger brother whom he hadn’t been able to have many conversations with recently.
In truth, his younger brother, Jegal Gil, had intentionally avoided talking to him.
Jegal Mun already knew well the reason for that.
“What is it?”
“I have something to deliver to you.”
A certain letter was held in Jegal Gil’s hand.
“It is from the Main Family Headquarters. Eldest Brother sent it.”
Their eldest brother, who must still be having a headache because of his two stubborn younger brothers - the Family Head of the Jegal Clan, Heavenly Brain Jegal Sung - had sent a letter asking how they were doing after a long time.
Soon, Jegal Gil handed the letter in his hand to Jegal Mun.
It was then.
“Well, look who it is.”
The Elders who came out of the Alliance Leader’s Hall spotted Jegal Gil belatedly and pretended to know him.
In the past, when he was nothing more than a mere Investigator, they used to always ignore Jegal Gil and pretend not to see him.
But after Jegal Gil became Jang Cheong’s confidant, their attitude completely changed.
“If it isn’t Investigator Jegal Gil, whom Elder Jang Cheong cherishes so much.”
“The Strategist must be pleased, since your younger brother’s path will be smooth sailing from now on. Haha.”
The surrounding Elders threw around praise.
Jegal Mun felt extremely uncomfortable in his stomach at every single one of those praises.
“What is everyone talking about here?”
Soon, Jang Cheong slowly walked out and smiled at them.
His gaze headed toward the letter held in Jegal Mun’s hand before casually turning away.
He already knew what the contents were inside.
Just simple greetings.
Like that, Jang Cheong was having his subordinates monitor all letters coming in and out of the Murim Alliance.
There was nothing within the Murim Alliance that he did not know.
“Ah. We were just praising Investigator Jegal Gil. Hoho.”
“Elder Jang Cheong seems to have a special eye for recognizing such outstanding talents.”
The Elders all curved their eyes and tried hard to look good to Jang Cheong.
That sight looked like a desperate struggle to cling to him somehow, to the point where it even looked pathetic.
“Hoho, you flatter me. But isn’t everyone being too tactless?”
“Pardon?”
“The two brothers are in the middle of a conversation, so it won’t do for old men like us to intrude and interrupt.”
“Ah. Was that so? Hoho. Sorry about that. Ahem.”
“Now, now. Then let’s quickly step aside so the brothers can have their conversation.”
“Shall we? Haha!”
Jang Cheong soon put on a good-natured smile and disappeared while leading the Elders.
Soon, silence flowed between Jegal Mun and Jegal Gil, who were left all alone.
A subtle coldness lingered in the gazes they directed at each other.
There is a saying that to deceive others, you must first deceive yourself.
That meant that in order to perfectly accomplish a task, you must not confide your secrets even to the person closest to you.
Therefore, Jegal Gil did not tell even Jegal Mun about the work he was doing.
Because they were two brothers who had once shared the same opinions, that action of Jegal Gil’s looked like apostasy and betrayal to Jegal Mun.
He had even asked for the reason.
But the only answer that returned was that he had opened his eyes to the logic of the world and human relationships.
It was a plausible statement.
Clearly, the path his younger brother seemed to have chosen was an incredibly comfortable and good path.
However, there was one more thing. Jegal Mun also knew that it was a path his younger brother would absolutely never choose.
People do not change so easily.
Whether it be for the better or for the worse.
And Jegal Mun knew Jegal Gil better than anyone else.
But he also knew well that he wouldn’t answer obediently even if he asked again, so he didn’t ask further.
And he noticed.
This reckless younger brother had started some dangerous task he couldn’t speak of again.
“How is your health these days?”
“It is always the same. Rather, I am worried that Older Brother might ruin your health because you are too busy with work.”
“I am not that foolish, so you do not need to worry about me. I will take care of myself well enough.”
They were words ordinarily asking about each other’s well-being, but the voice was far too cold.
No, he tried to make it sound cold.
He didn’t know what kind of work he was doing, but in this den-like Murim Alliance where they couldn’t even exchange greetings with peace of mind, the only thing he could do to help was to play along so as not to become an obstacle to the work his younger brother was doing.
However,
“I do not know what kind of dangerous work you are doing, but always take care of yourself.”
When brushing past each other, just this one small word would be fine.
Quickly whispering those words, Jegal Mun passed right by Jegal Gil’s side.
At his older brother’s words, Jegal Gil’s eyes widened slightly as if surprised, but he soon clenched his fists tightly and left, pretending not to have heard anything.
The backs of the two brothers grew distant like that.
“Commander.”
“Yeah?”
“We have something to tell you.”
Just as Yeo Un-hwi entered the Training Ground, all the members of the White Wolf Unit stopped their training and approached Yeo Un-hwi.
Then, O Chae-mu opened his mouth with an incredibly serious face.
“What is it?”
“You aren’t planning to go alone this time too, are you?”
They already knew that Yeo Un-hwi had decided to head to the Murim Alliance.
But since he still hadn’t said anything, all the members of the White Wolf Unit first brought it up out of anxiety.
In truth, although they didn’t express it, not being able to be there together at the moment the Peng Family fell into a great crisis due to the Demonic Cult remained a knot in their hearts more than anything else.
The fact that they had done all the training they could, only to not be there when they actually had to fight, pained their hearts far too much.
Therefore, they wanted to be together with Yeo Un-hwi for sure this time.
“It is presumptuous, but we definitely want to go with you, Commander. We want to become the Commander’s hands and feet and fight for the Peng Family at any moment. So please permit us!”
Following that, all the members of the White Wolf Unit followed O Chae-mu and shouted in a resounding voice, “Please permit us!”
At that, Yeo Un-hwi let out a chuckle.
“Why are you saying such obvious words while setting up such a serious mood?”
“Pardon?”
“Of course you guys are coming along too.”
“Really?”
“That’s obvious. Are you trying to back out now?”
“N-No, sir.”
“Departure is in two days. Make sure to prepare well until then.”
“Yes, sir!”
With faces that had brightened at some point, all the members of the White Wolf Unit answered in a loud voice.