Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 251

“Man, this is great!” Moyong Woo said, though a hint of displeasure lingered on his face.

“You must be exhausted, yet you’re drinking so much. Is that alright?”

“What does it matter? I have at least two more days to rest. Besides, it’s not just about resting the body. I need to shake off the mental fatigue too.”

“That’s just like you, Yeon.”

Moyong Woo’s displeased expression melted into a smile.

“Anyway, it’s good to have you back. Honestly, the mission was so dangerous, I was worried whether you’d return in one piece.”

Moyong Woo’s voice had a way of making people feel good.

It wasn’t that his voice was particularly charming. It was that his voice always carried sincerity, and his tone was always respectful towards others.

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“It’s not just me, but you’re something else too, aren’t you, brother?”

“Hmm?”

“I heard you broke through the Wall of the Martial Ancestor. Your energy is truly remarkable.”

Moyong Woo’s face flushed red.

“Ahem! I told you not to spread it around, but how did the news get out so quickly?”

“What’s wrong with it getting out? Good news should be shared far and wide.”

“Do you really think so?”

“To some extent, yes.”

Moyong Woo shook his head.

“Isn’t it the way of the martial world to hide good news and hide bad news even more?”

“Oh? That’s not like you to say, brother.”

“Well… I guess you could say I’ve become more aware of reality than before.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.

“Did something happen?”

“While you were away on your mission, I took a closer look at the internal affairs of the Martial Alliance.”

“Oh? So, what did you think of the Martial Alliance, from your perspective?”

“Please understand if I use some harsh language.”

“Of course.”

“It’s a mess.”

He said it was harsh, but he didn’t expect such a blunt statement.

Moyong Woo’s face hardened. His expression was filled with genuine disappointment, worry, and anger.

“Honestly, I didn’t know until I paid attention. Maybe I was deliberately turning a blind eye. But after you left, I felt I had to stand on my own, so I explored my surroundings quite aggressively.”

“And it turned out to be a mess?”

“It did.”

“In what sense?”

“Not everyone, but at least more than half are wearing a mask of harmony while secretly sharpening their knives.”

Even without specifically naming anyone, Yeon Ho-jeong knew who those more than half were referring to.

It was the leadership of the Alliance. More specifically, the elders.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled bitterly.

“More than half… Well, you saw it right.”

“The problem isn’t just the elders. The disciples of the sects or martial families they lead also seemed far from cooperative.”

“There are many who are just looking around for a chance to take a bite. They’ve put such people in charge, so what would their disciples learn?”

“Do you know what’s most disappointing?”

“Hmm?”

Moyong Woo sighed.

“None of them are as ruthless as you, brother.”

“…”

“I don’t know. Maybe I still haven’t grasped your true nature. But even that alone is enough…”

“To be scary.”

Yeon Ho-jeong raised his glass.

“He’s a scary man. He definitely has flaws, but as you said, brother, he’s ruthless and smart enough to erase most of his weaknesses.”

“That’s right.”

Yeon Ho-jeong refilled Moyong Woo’s glass.

Muk Bi, sitting next to Yeon Ho-jeong, quietly sipped her wine, listening to their conversation. It wasn’t her place to interrupt, but she was also learning a lot from this conversation.

“So, there was a reason for your bad expression? Hide good news and hide bad news even more… Why? Did the way people look at you bother you?”

Moyong Woo’s face crumpled like a piece of paper.

“There were many who openly challenged me.”

“You’ve got a steel plate in your heart. How dare they openly challenge a genius expert who broke through the Wall of the Martial Ancestor?”

“Yeon.”

“I’m not joking. It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

Moyong Woo, with a frustrated look, emptied his glass and sighed.

“The truly scary ones are those who don’t show it on the surface. But even ordinary people can’t hide their eyes.”

“That’s true.”

“Maybe it’s just my feeling, but there were hardly any people who were genuinely happy for me, except for the soldiers of my own unit.”

Yeon Ho-jeong clicked his tongue.

“Genuinely happy for you? Who could be? We’re gathered under the name of an alliance, but at the same time, we’re all in competition with each other. Unless it’s a genius from their own sect or family, there are few who would sincerely congratulate you.”

“Was that the case with you too, Yeon?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you break through the Wall of the Martial Ancestor a long time ago? People are trying to keep it quiet, but you’re already famous as the best young master in the world.”

“I’ve never paid attention to such things, so I don’t know.”

“You didn’t pay attention?”

“Putting aside whether I paid attention or not, I didn’t even have the time.”

Moyong Woo nodded.

Indeed, Yeon Ho-jeong was someone who worked harder than anyone else in places others couldn’t see. Whether it was political maneuvering or martial arts training.

‘He’s truly amazing.’

Hearing this answer, he was genuinely impressed by Yeon Ho-jeong.

‘It’s not that he’s deliberately not paying attention. He’s genuinely not interested in the opinions of others. He knows that there are things much more important to him than such trivial matters.’

Even if one knows this, it’s extremely difficult to focus on it every moment.

‘Perhaps such strong focus has further accelerated Yeon’s achievements.’

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled as if he found it amusing.

“This is why they say ‘armchair theory.’ You can understand it in your head, but you won’t know until you actually see, hear, and experience it. It seems you’ve realized that the world isn’t as beautiful as you thought, brother.”

“I knew it. I’ve also experienced it.”

“Hmm. Well, you did suffer such humiliation in your family and went through all sorts of things in the Zhejiang branch.”

“That’s right. So, I was greatly disappointed in myself.”

“Disappointed?”

Moyong Woo smiled.

“I was disappointed and frustrated by a problem that wasn’t even worth being disappointed about, so naturally, I couldn’t help but be disappointed in myself.”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“A series of disappointments, huh?”

“You can say that again.”

“Have a drink.”

“Sure.”

The two clinked their glasses.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had emptied his glass, opened his mouth.

“How was the Tangma Army training?”

“They’re all following well.”

“I see. It’s not just about martial arts, but you’re really showing the qualities of a leader now.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. Does a leader develop by being good alone? The changes in subordinates also change the leader. The subtle pressure you exude is quite impressive.”

Moyong Woo smacked his lips.

“Stop with the embarrassing compliments. And that’s more true of Muk Bi than me.”

Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Muk Bi.

Surprised by the sudden mention of her name, Muk Bi was startled.

“M-Me?”

Moyong Woo smiled.

“When I saw you briefly about a month ago, I was really surprised. You were not the same person I had seen in the past.”

“Ah…”

“To fill Yeon’s absence alone, I was truly impressed. I heard the soldiers of the Myeolsa Army are all unique, so it must have been hard.”

Muk Bi shook her head.

“It wasn’t hard. Everyone followed well…”

“Haha.”

It seemed they felt a sense of camaraderie. After all, both Muk Bi and Moyong Woo were kind and gentle people, so they could understand each other’s changes more deeply than anyone else.

“But…”

Moyong Woo carefully opened his mouth.

“About you, brother…”

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“I was going to talk about it anyway.”

“Please tell me.”

“I’ll tell you in advance, but I hope you won’t be too shocked. I’ll tell you everything that happened, honestly and without exaggeration.”

“…”

“I’ll tell you about my story, and also about Moyong Gun’s story.”

Considering that Yeon Ho-jeong, who usually spoke directly, was even giving a warning, it seemed that something truly unimaginable had happened.

Moyong Woo took a deep breath.

“Alright, tell me.”

Yeon Ho-jeong told him in detail about what had happened.

Starting from when the special task force infiltrated, to Moyong Gun entering Honam, the conversation between the commander and the leader of the special task force, how he gained Yang Cheon’s trust, and even the process of extracting information.

Moyong Woo and Muk Bi exclaimed in amazement throughout the story.

In a short period of time, they could clearly understand how Yeon Ho-jeong had approached Yang Cheon and what his intentions were for this mission.

Yeon Ho-jeong was a more eloquent speaker than they thought. Listening to his story, it was as if the situation was being drawn in their minds.

And then, Yeon Ho-jeong began to talk about Moyong Gun.

After a while.

“…”

Moyong Woo’s face was distorted beyond description.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been silently watching his face, wordlessly refilled his empty glass.

Moyong Woo groaned.

“…Did my brother really do such a thing?”

“Yes.”

“Is it true?”

“It’s true.”

He had said he would speak honestly and without exaggeration.

Yeon Ho-jeong was a man who always kept his word. Moyong Woo knew that well.

Yet, he asked again because he didn’t want to believe it.

Eventually, Moyong Woo sighed.

“I don’t know what he’s thinking. Even if I try to understand my brother, I can’t understand him at all!”

His voice was filled with all sorts of emotions.

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

“Don’t try to understand him.”

“But!”

“If you’re a human, you shouldn’t understand such actions.”

“…!”

“The moment you understand him, you become the same kind of person. So, don’t try to understand him, and just stick to the morals and ethics you know.”

Moyong Woo gritted his teeth.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s voice deepened.

“I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again just in case. The reason I chose you as the next leader of the Martial Alliance is not to stab a knife into Moyong Gun’s heart. It’s because I think you’re the most trustworthy person.”

“…”

“And the reason I trust you is because of your righteous way of life, where you don’t stray from the path even though you’re smart enough to do so.”

Moyong Woo looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with bloodshot eyes.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“It’s not wrong to take the easy path, but there’s no need to be clever when there’s a righteous path. Wealth gained through trickery will eventually be stolen.”

“…”

“Never become like Moyong Gun. Not that you would.”

Moyong Woo, who had been quietly looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, roughly emptied his glass.

“Give me another drink.”

“As much as you want.”

Moyong Woo drank four glasses of wine in a row.

Even then, his frustration didn’t seem to subside. Moyong Woo’s face, as he took a deep breath, was filled with anguish.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been watching Moyong Woo, grinned.

“You’re not in a good mood, are you?”

“I’m completely in the dumps.”

“I said you could use harsh language, but I didn’t say you could use dirty language, did I?”

“I’m not in the mood for wordplay.”

“Even if you’re not in the mood for wordplay, you still have the energy to fight, right?”

“What?”

Yeon Ho-jeong got up from his seat.

“Isn’t this a great place with a good atmosphere? Let’s work up a sweat and shake off this crappy mood. The wine tastes even better after sweating.”

“…”

“I heard you broke through the Wall of the Martial Ancestor? Let’s see what the Moyong family’s swordsmanship is like.”