The flawlessly clear liquor poured smoothly, filling the glass.
Jang Il-so, the leader, gazed at the shimmering liquid, a strange smile on his face.
“…Support cannot be sent?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm.”
Jang Il-so’s smile deepened, but his advisor, Ho Ga-myung, felt the displeasure hidden within it.
“The reason being…”
“Enough.”
Jang Il-so waved his hand, not wanting to hear any more.
“No doubt they spouted some nonsense. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, I agree.”
“Hmph.”
He snorted and slowly tasted the liquor. The drink was strong and smelled good. Its taste filled his mouth and warmed his body. Enjoying the feeling, Jang Il-so looked towards the Jang River.
“So, how is it going?”
“It seems that Hao Moon Lord is eager to fight us.”
“…Hmm.”
Jang Il-so nodded slowly.
“Man-geum Grand Master will stay quiet, I think.”
“He doesn’t seem to want to help, but he isn’t against us either. He is watching to see what happens.”
“Wait and see, is it…”
Jang Il-so chuckled softly.
I wonder. Is he really waiting and seeing?
He isn’t helping us, but he is watching. So, you could say he is waiting and seeing.
But if you knew what he was really thinking, the story would be different.
Man-geum Grand Master is probably planning how to use this to his advantage.
“Busy planning, no doubt.”
The Jang River was dark and black. Jang Il-so, thinking hard, looked at the river and asked:
“What about the Waterway Garrison?”
“Most of them have been dealt with. It was easy because they didn’t fight back much.”
The Black Dragon King would have been very angry if he heard that, but Ho Ga-myung was just telling the truth.
“Some are unhappy, but no one wants to take the Black Dragon King’s place and fight back.”
“Probably.”
Jang Il-so scoffed, still looking at the Jang River.
“Someone like the Black Dragon King would never have allowed anyone else to be in charge.”
In the Demonic Sect, the strong take everything. Where you come from doesn’t matter. The strong take everything. That is how the Demonic Sect works.
But this was hard even for those who had everything. They were always afraid that someone would take it away.
So, the leaders of the Demonic Sect never allowed anyone to become strong enough to threaten them. They wanted to be in complete control.
“Such stupid behavior.”
Jang Il-so’s gaze slowly dropped.
The Namgoong Clan lost a lot on this Jang River. Namgoong Hwang, a good Clan Lord, the elders, and their soldiers were all killed.
But the Namgoong Clan will not fall. Namgoong Do-wi is trying to rebuild the group.
On the other hand, the Waterway Garrison still has most of its soldiers, but because the Black Dragon King is dead, they are lost and disorganized. So, they gave up to Jang Il-so without a fight.
“A joke, really.”
This is the biggest difference between the good groups (Orthodox Sects) and the Demonic Sect.
Sometimes, strong monsters appeared in the Demonic Sect. The Demonic Sect, led by these monsters, attacked the good groups and caused a lot of bloodshed.
But that was it.
The stronger the leader, the bigger the hole they left behind. When the leader was gone, the Demonic Sect would start fighting each other again.
That is why the Shaolin, which has been around for a thousand years, still exists, but it is hard to find a Demonic Sect that has been around for a hundred years.
“But it’s not a bad joke for me.”
Jang Il-so chuckled softly.
The Waterway Garrison, without its leader, the Black Dragon King, is now under his control. All that is left are the Hao Moon and the Black Demon Fortress.
The Mara Blood Palace is still there, but he doesn’t care about them. It would cost too much to control them.
“We need to take control of the Hao Moon quickly, if not the Black Demon Fortress. We need the Hao Moon’s spies to fight the good groups beyond the Jang River.”
Jang Il-so nodded slowly. He had been thinking about this for a long time.
It is not just about the area north of the Jang River. The Hao Moon’s spies are needed to control the Demonic Alliance.
Ho Ga-myung looked at Jang Il-so and sighed softly.
“I didn’t think the Thousand-Faced Strategist would fight back so hard. I thought he knew what was going on.”
“He does it because he knows,”
“…Pardon?”
Jang Il-so smiled sadly.
“He knows me too well.”
“…”
“He knows that if he gives in, he will never be able to be in charge again, so he is fighting back while he still can.”
“I understand… but he needs to join us and fight against those fake good groups.”
“He knows, but it doesn’t matter to him.”
Jang Il-so smiled sadly.
“Some die fighting to protect their country, while others steal from the dead to get rich. The Demonic Sect’s victory means nothing to the Thousand-Faced Strategist.”
Ho Ga-myung gritted his teeth.
He knew this was true. That is how the Demonic Sect works. They do anything to make money.
But there is a time for everything. Now is not the time to be fighting each other…
“What will you do?”
“Hmm.”
His white hands were clasped together on his lap. The rings on his fingers rubbed against each other, making a soft sound.
“Let’s leave him alone for a while, Ga-myung.”
Jang Il-so spoke in a slightly stuffy voice.
“I want to make him understand his place…”
Jang Il-so’s eyes flashed with anger. He stared at the Jang River, but then relaxed and shook his head.
“That won’t work. Those monks need me too much, don’t they?”
He chuckled, and the sound echoed across the Jang River.
Ho Ga-myung watched him for a moment and then spoke quietly.
“Alliance Lord, can I ask you something?”
“Hmm?”
He lowered his head and asked:
“I know what you are thinking, Alliance Lord. Their being here will cause them to fight each other.”
Jang Il-so is getting a lot of benefits just by being here.
“But Alliance Lord, we can’t take advantage of their fighting if the Demonic Alliance is not strong. I don’t understand why you are leaving them alone.”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Jang Il-so clicked his tongue and picked up the wine bottle to fill his glass.
“Ga-myung, Ga-myung.”
“Yes, Alliance Lord.”
“You don’t understand those monks.”
“…Pardon?”
Jang Il-so smiled strangely.
“That man is being pulled in different directions, but he is not weak. If he was, he would have been defeated by that Mount Hua Sword Saint. He is worthy of being the Shaolin Abbot.”
“…”
“If we leave now and start to rebuild our forces, he will also leave and start to prepare for us. We need to keep him busy.”
“But can’t Beop-jeong use the situation to gather the Nine Great Sects even without leaving this place?”
“He could.”
“Then shouldn’t we stop him?”
Jang Il-so smiled strangely as he looked at Ho Ga-myung.
“Do you really think we can stop them from uniting?”
“…Pardon?”
“Ga-myung, you don’t understand how much those who have something to lose will fight. They are not uniting because they think we are weak. If we become a threat, they will forget their old fights and unite. They always have.”
Ho Ga-myung had to nod.
That was true. The Nine Great Sects fought each other for power when the world was peaceful, but when there was a disaster, they would unite and fight the enemy as if nothing had happened.
What if they did the same against the Demonic Alliance?
“We have nothing to gain by pushing them into a corner. We need something else.”
“…May I ask what that is?”
Jang Il-so twisted his mouth.
“Fear.”
“…Pardon?”
“Fear. Yes, fear. But not…”,
Jang Il-so smiled slyly, but his eyes were dark.
“Not fear of us. Something smaller and less important than that.”
Ho Ga-myung did not understand Jang Il-so’s words, but he did not ask again. Even though his voice was calm, he felt a sense of fear.
“Do you know what a person does when they are afraid?”
“…”
“They look for a way to survive.”
Jang Il-so’s face looked scary.
“They forget about what is right and just, and they look for a way to survive. That is what people do, isn’t it?”
“…Alliance Lord.”
“Let’s see how much those Buddhists can overcome their own nature.”
Jang Il-so slowly licked his lips.
‘It’s almost done. Almost done.’
He could see it.
Not the obvious problems between the groups. He could see the small problems that were created by the wedge in Beop-jeong’s heart.
The problems, made bigger little by little, would finally have an effect. The time was right.
‘Just a little more…’
It was then.
“A-Alliance Lord!”
Someone ran to him and bowed down.
“T-There’s been a problem.”
“Hmph?”
Jang Il-so looked at him without interest.
“What is it? Surely the Hao Moon hasn’t attacked.”
“W-Well, that is…”
The man lifted his pale face and started to tell him the information.
“…What did you just say?”
Ho Ga-myung’s reaction was different from his usual self. He burst out after hearing the report.
“Is that definitely the truth?”
“Y-Yes, it is!”
Ho Ga-myung was speechless, his face turning to despair.
“W-Why… at a time like this…”
He quickly checked Jang Il-so’s expression.
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
The rings on Jang Il-so’s hands made an unpleasant sound. But Jang Il-so was smiling.
“That’s why…”
He slowly stood up.
“That’s why life is so interesting. Because unexpected things can happen.”
He looked crazy. Jang Il-so’s white teeth were showing. It was a smile full of anger and pleasure.