Chapter 220
“…I can't remember how long it's been since we spent time together like this.”
Within the Hebei Peng Clan.
The residences where the heads of the Five Great Families stayed had been decorated even more splendidly than during the previous gathering of the Five Great Families.
Now that the Five Great Families' alliance had truly begun with the founding of the Taechon Alliance, this was no longer a place to stay only briefly before moving on.
Since the question of whether to establish a separate headquarters for the Taechon Alliance in the future had been put off for later, it was inevitable that the Peng Clan would serve as the alliance's headquarters for some time.
Accordingly, the place where the head of the Jegal Clan resided had also become his own personal space, filled with Jegal Seung's tastes, rather than somewhere to stay briefly.
Two men were facing each other and drinking tea there.
“How is the tea?”
“I like how it leaves my mouth feeling pleasantly refreshed.”
“I'm glad. It's the tea I enjoy drinking most these days. I've often thought it would be nice to drink it with you all someday.”
“I'm sorry, Brother.”
“What is there to be sorry about? It's all in the past. And I know well enough what was in your hearts when you left, so don't say such things anymore.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“It would have been nice if our second brother could have been here too. It's truly difficult for all of us brothers to gather in one place.”
It was not a complaint against his brother, but simply the modest wish of an eldest brother.
Knowing how he felt, Jegal Gil merely smiled faintly.
Jegal Seung took another sip of tea, then slowly gazed out the window.
The weather was pleasant, with a cool breeze blowing.
Jegal Gil also quietly drank his tea and enjoyed the view with him.
Their conversation continued after that.
“…Anyway, he's a peculiar man. Everyone has agreed, yet he still refuses to become Alliance Leader. He dislikes the idea so much that we've ended up with five Alliance Leaders. Good grief.”
“Haha, the Peng Clan Head does have that side to him.”
“Judging by his appearance alone, he looks like a tyrant who would want to be king more than anyone. It must be difficult to find someone with so little desire for power.”
Jegal Seung was unusually talkative today, unlike his usual self.
It was because he was sitting across from his younger brother and leisurely drinking tea like this for the first time in a very long while.
Although quite some time had passed since he came here, this was the first time he had shared such a moment with Jegal Gil.
That was because, unexpectedly, Jegal Gil had avoided him.
After leaving the Martial Alliance and returning to the Hebei Peng Clan with the White Wolf Unit, Jegal Gil had been troubled.
He had been wondering what he should do here from then on.
He had wanted to stand at Yeo Un-hwi's side, but he felt that simply becoming a member of the White Wolf Unit was not the right fit for him.
So he had told Yeo Un-hwi and asked for some time to think.
And Yeo Un-hwi had told him to take as much time as he needed and speak up if he thought of anything.
He had said that he would trust Jegal Gil and entrust him with anything, whatever it might be.
How could Yeo Un-hwi know how much strength and emotion those words had given Jegal Gil?
Thanks to that, he had been able to look inward and ponder things with a somewhat lighter heart.
But in the meantime, Jegal Gil had unconsciously avoided the members of the Jegal Clan whenever he saw them.
Even though he knew he shouldn't, he had always been filled with guilt toward his clan, and so he had acted that way without realizing it.
How long had he agonized over his anxiety about the future and his guilt toward his clan?
At last, Jegal Gil had decided what he needed to do for the Taechon Alliance—and for everyone.
And at last, he stood before his brother.
Wearing a slightly relieved smile, he had said he wanted to share a cup of tea.
As the two continued chatting about this and that, a brief silence passed between them, and Jegal Gil finally brought up the real reason he had come to see his brother today.
“Brother.”
“Hmm?”
“I intend to establish a small investigative bureau within the Taechon Alliance.”
“An investigative bureau?”
“Yes. I've actually been thinking about it for quite a long time—about what I should do from now on. I also felt that I would never return to the work I'd done to exhaustion in the Martial Alliance, so I deliberately tried even harder to find something else.”
No one had blamed Jegal Gil. On the contrary, they had praised him, but to Jegal Gil, his work in the Martial Alliance was a memory he did not want to revisit.
So he had deliberately tried even harder to forget it and avoid taking even a similar path.
But,
“In the end, that was the work I was best at—and the work I most wanted to do. It was my dream since childhood, and it's the work I've done tirelessly for so long.”
Though his wounds had not healed completely, Jegal Gil had decided to put them behind him and rise again.
He would not simply keep running away.
More than anything, his decision had been driven by his desire to help the Taechon Alliance—and Yeo Un-hwi.
“Alongside an intelligence bureau, I think an investigative bureau can sort out reliable information and facts from the flood of information in an age like this. And that will be an indispensable function for the Taechon Alliance.”
“Yes. That makes sense. It's an excellent idea.”
Jegal Seung nodded with a smile.
He would do well.
He always had, and he always would.
His younger brother had worked so tirelessly as an investigator within the Martial Alliance that was now gone.
Who could have known that the Martial Alliance would disappear so pointlessly, and in such an unsightly manner?
It was something even Jegal Seung, known as the Heavenly Brain, had never imagined.
After learning the full story of what had happened, Jegal Seung had been deeply shocked to learn that his younger brother had played a decisive role in it all.
But he had also been proud.
Proud of his younger brother, who had risked his life to stand against wrongdoing and ultimately uncover the truth.
He had worried that, once everything was over, his younger brother might lose his way, but who could have expected that his brother and Yeo Un-hwi would share such a deep bond and connection?
Jegal Seung felt relieved.
In truth, Jegal Seung had thought several times of going to see his younger brother.
No matter how much it might look as though his brother was avoiding him, there was no way he would be unable to meet him if he went looking for him in earnest.
But he had restrained himself and waited for his brother to come to him.
And at last, his younger brother had come to see him, breaking through yet another wall that had blocked his path.
His younger brother had grown another step.
Jegal Seung felt deeply gratified and proud.
Their conversation continued after that as well.
There were occasional silences, but a genuine, deep relationship could even enjoy those silences, so there was no problem.
Then,
“Clan Head.”
Gong Il, captain of the Yuryong Sword Unit—the Jegal Clan's famed martial force—came to the room.
“What is it?”
“I think you should come for a moment.”
“Hmm?”
One of Jegal Seung's eyebrows rose slightly.
***
“I heard a letter has arrived.”
“Here. Take a look.”
Jegal Seung had just entered the Clan Head's Hall of the Hebei Peng Clan.
The heads and heirs of the Five Great Families, along with Yeo Un-hwi, were already gathered there.
They had been discussing the letter that had just arrived at the Peng Clan.
Hwangbo Gyun soon handed the letter to Jegal Seung.
Jegal Seung read it and immediately wore a baffled expression.
The letter read:
‘With the martial world's mood more turbulent than ever due to the Heavenly Demon's return, we are holding the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament to unite the orthodox martial world…’
“So they want the Taechon Alliance to join them.”
Indeed. It was not merely a letter, but an invitation.
It hadn't been long since the Jeomchang Sect's Leader had barged in, caused a commotion, and left.
“I expected them to show a great deal of hostility after that fiasco, so an invitation out of nowhere is surprising.”
“And a martial arts tournament, at that.”
What on earth were they thinking?
“Let's refuse.”
Hwangbo Gyun spoke first.
Of course, since this was no ordinary event, there was still plenty of time before preparations had to be completed, but it was better to make up their minds quickly.
They had no desire to let this throw everything into confusion for no reason.
“They could never have any goodwill toward us in the first place, so there is no reason to go there and run into trouble.”
A few of those in the Clan Head's Hall nodded as though they agreed with Hwangbo Gyun.
Namgung Hwan and Dang Jinwoo, however, shook their heads instead.
“It's not something we should think about so simply.”
“That's true. They've certainly managed to make this a headache.”
“What do you mean?”
At Hwangbo Gyun's puzzled question, Jegal Seung spoke up.
“If we reject this invitation, the Righteous Alliance might accuse the Taechon Alliance of obstructing the unity of the orthodox martial world and pursuing nothing but its own interests. Using that as an excuse, they might even isolate the Taechon Alliance from the orthodox martial world.”
What worried Jegal Seung most was that they would tarnish the Taechon Alliance's name, make people point fingers at it, and ultimately isolate it.
They might even see no problem with the Taechon Alliance refusing.
“Hmm. I see.”
Hwangbo Gyun nodded at Jegal Seung's explanation.
It did make sense when he thought about it.
“Then what should we do?”
Either way, it was a headache.
Whether they went or stayed behind, they would be equally uneasy.
Silence soon fell over the Clan Head's Hall.
Then,
“There's no need to fret so much.”
Yeo Un-hwi, who had been watching the situation until then, slowly spoke.
“Nor is there anything to worry about.”
“Why not?”
“We can simply accept the invitation. Perhaps this is a good chance to see what they are plotting.”
“My friend, they're the Nine Great Sects. They're different from the people we've faced until now.”
“Of course. I know that very well.”
“Hmm?”
Jegal Seung looked puzzled.
Yeo Un-hwi's tone made it sound as though he had faced the Nine Great Sects before.
He had.
He knew their strength.
Perhaps more painfully than anyone else present.
He had already faced them countless times before his regression, until he was sick to death of them.
That was why he knew with even greater certainty.
He knew how the battle that would inevitably break out between them from this point on would end, whatever form it took.
But did they know that?
In truth, the truly isolated side was not the Taechon Alliance but them.
So, although the Taechon Alliance could easily ignore their invitation for now, Yeo Un-hwi decided to accept it.
To show them what they must never do in the world to come.
That meant baring their fangs at Yeo Un-hwi's people—that is, the Taechon Alliance, including the Hebei Peng Clan.
The World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament.
Yeo Un-hwi had a feeling it might turn out to be quite an enjoyable time.
“So I'll go while I'm at it.”
“You too?”
“Of course. I can't miss an occasion like this. I'm the White Wolf Unit's commander, after all.
“Well, when you put it that way, I suppose that's true, but…”
The heads of the Five Great Families quickly exchanged glances.
Their eyes seemed to say, ‘Can we really send that man there?’
But Peng Mugang did not try to stop Yeo Un-hwi.
It was not often that Yeo Un-hwi took the initiative so eagerly.
“Well, if that's what you want. What does everyone else think?”
“Ahem. Since Captain Yeo's wish, I agree.”
“I agree as well.”
Everyone readily nodded.
Jegal Seung did as well.
“This should be interesting.”
The corners of Yeo Un-hwi's mouth lifted slightly.
Everyone felt a chill at that smile.
They had a premonition.
A premonition that, as always, something major was about to happen.
No, it was closer to certainty.
Thus, the Taechon Alliance decided to accept the Righteous Alliance's invitation.
The World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament.
Since it was a martial arts tournament hosted by the Nine Great Sects, it was obvious that masters from the orthodox martial world, every one of them renowned, would swarm there like bees.
What on earth would happen that day?
It was still impossible to know.