Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1045

“I can’t understand it.”

Jeong I-ha shook his head.

“I thought a moment like this would come someday, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon.”

His voice was filled with obvious surprise.

In the past, after the death of Gwangdo’s leader, Seok Pae, and his son, he was the one who rose to the position of leader.

After Yeon Ho-Jeong became the vice leader of the Mukryong Unit, there was a major purge. Among them, all but one of the heads of the remaining nine forces, including the Green Forest Chief, were replaced.

Jeong I-ha was known for his generous personality within Gwangdo, and his martial arts were also sufficient to become the master of a sect. He was the successor that Yang Cheon and Yeon Ho-Jeong had pushed after much deliberation.

“Sooner or later, generations will inevitably change.”

Dan Ri-ho, the hunchbacked young man who had newly become the head of the Black Copper Merchant Group, said in a calm voice.

“I, on the contrary, am pleased. The Vice Leader’s martial prowess and reputation have reached the pinnacle of the world. Moreover, he has traveled across the continent to protect this land, so considering the current situation, the Vice Leader’s transfer of his position is sudden but timely.”

Han Jong-rim also nodded.

“In fact, since that incident, those who openly commit evil in our black martial world have decreased dramatically. Regional disputes are inevitable, but thanks to the Vice Leader and the Young Leader’s unconventional policies, we have entered a period of stability. In this situation, the transfer of the Vice Leader is not a bad thing.”

Jeong I-ha sighed.

“It’s not that I see it as bad or strange. Rather, it’s something we welcome.”

The leaders of the ten organizations present here, except for one, were all those who had become leaders thanks to Yeon Ho-Jeong, eliminating the ills of each organization and achieving success.

In other words, they were people who had experienced a reversal of fortune thanks to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

In the black world, it is considered foolish to risk one’s life to repay a favor. The survival of the individual is the top priority, and for that, even one’s own family could be sold out. At least, that was how the black world used to be.

However, the world had changed, and Yeon Ho-Jeong had also pushed forward people with common sense as leaders of each organization.

Thanks to this, everyone gathered here felt a deep sense of indebtedness to Yeon Ho-Jeong. They should repay the favor, but they were troubled because Yeon Ho-Jeong did not give them a chance to repay him, except to tell them to work diligently for the Mukryong Unit.

“To be honest, I was burdened. Not only did I become the leader of Gwangdo, but I also became an elder of the Mukryong Unit at a young age, with many shortcomings. I couldn’t refuse the position of elder because of the eyes watching, but even now, it’s still a burden.”

The majority agreed.

Although their personalities were different, they were young, had a correct perspective, and had their own ambitions.

Because they were such people, they had not been able to rise properly in the black world, where betrayal was rampant even within a single moment, let alone a day.

Furthermore, they were chosen by Yeon Ho-Jeong because they had survived to the end despite having such a character, but conversely, it could also be said that their desire to risk their lives to change the world was not that great.

Talents who could solve the ills of each organization and lead them stably.

But talents who were overwhelmed beyond that.

That was who they were now.

Jeong I-ha continued.

“I don’t know what the Young Leader’s ultimate goal is. I can guess, but a person’s heart is something that cannot be seen through. However, it is clear that he is trying to accelerate the turbulent times.”

“Even if he does, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Of course. What I’m worried about is… that the organizations that have worked so hard to achieve stability will shed blood too quickly.”

Those who have stepped into the martial world are bound to lose their lives in a sword fight someday.

Everyone present knew that. If they didn’t have that much resolve in the first place, they wouldn’t have remained in the organization.

However, they couldn’t help but worry about the lives of the members of the organization they governed.

Han Jong-rim glanced at the middle-aged man.

His face was more relaxed and flexible than before. He was Byuk Woon-ho, the leader of the Wol-in Sect, who was the only one who survived the purge.

“What are your thoughts, Leader of the Wol-in Sect?”

All eyes turned to Byuk Woon-ho.

Byuk Woon-ho, who had moistened his throat with a sip of tea, spoke in a voice as indifferent as his expression.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Yes?”

“I came here because you said there was an issue that you couldn’t resolve but needed to discuss.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“But after listening for a while, I think it’s not something that needs to be discussed.”

He was the oldest and most experienced person in this place. In fact, he was also a step above them in terms of seniority.

Even to such people, Byuk Woon-ho never spoke down to them. In the black world, that alone was a great virtue.

Jeong I-ha asked with a clouded face.

“Why is that?”

“Didn’t you say it yourselves? That Young Leader Yeon is your benefactor.”

“Of course, he is.”

“If your benefactor has become the new leader of the Black Alliance, you should be happy. But to worry before being happy, I can’t understand it.”

“The Leader’s words are correct. However, as the head of an organization, we cannot help but worry about our subordinates…”

Byuk Woon-ho nodded.

“Of course, you should.”

“That’s right. So…”

“If they are the organizations you have raised by risking your lives, and if they are the ones who have resolved to help the Mukryong Unit discuss the world, then it’s understandable.”

“Yes?”

“As you said, if it weren’t for the Young Leader, you would have lived a life more terrible than death.”

“……!”

“Now, what is so worrying, and what is so precious?”

Silence fell over the room.

Then, Hong Guk, the new chief of the Janggang Waterway, spoke.

“It’s not that it’s precious.”

His words, which were usually few, always carried great power.

“I don’t know about other organizations, but our waterway is ready for war or whatever.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“I’m worried about the next generation.”

Hong Guk’s eyes deepened.

“Like the Vice Leader’s Twelve Zodiac Generals, the Young Leader said he would operate the Mukryong Unit with five masters.”

It wasn’t exactly a secret.

The new Vice Leader, Yeon Ho-Jeong, said that he would thoroughly control the organization with five masters under his command.

Of course, those five masters were symbols of martial power, and they would be at the center of the war, but he said firmly that they would not be involved in the administrative affairs of the unit.

But that wasn’t a very important issue.

The new leader of the black world had brought in masters who had never run any organization and made them his confidants. Each of those confidants was given a role, and their position was no less than that of the Vice Leader.

There was a limit to how unconventional things could be. This was a promotion that went beyond unconventional and was incomprehensible.

“To be clear, there is a limit to my abilities.”

“A limit?”

“Consolidating the various waterways of the Janggang and prohibiting evil deeds. That is all I can do. Anything more is beyond my capabilities.”

It was a frank confession.

“I have no attachment to this position. I have no intention of remaining the leader of the waterway forever. Perhaps other leaders gathered here have similar thoughts.”

Several leaders nodded.

Hong Guk continued with a worried face.

“If the moment comes when we have to step down, we can step down at any time. But if the Young Leader carries out such unconventional personnel management, it will become difficult for the leaders of each organization to control their subordinates.”

That was quite possible.

The five famous black sects gathered here, along with the Green Forest, the Waterway, and the three merchant groups, were the meritorious subjects who had made great contributions to the initial creation of the Mukryong Unit.

Some sects had participated semi-forcibly due to Yang Cheon’s absolute martial power and terrifying authority, but no one could deny that they had all played a major role in the Mukryong Unit’s progress to this point.

The reason why Yang Cheon did not deal with the ten elders before making Yeon Ho-Jeong the Young Leader was also there. He had thought of blowing their heads off when the time was right, but if he rashly killed the leaders of the organizations that had built the foundation of the Mukryong Unit, the system could collapse, so he had kept them alive for the time being.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had taken care of it in one fell swoop.

If it weren’t for the Three Teachings, even Yeon Ho-Jeong would have had a hard time. Of course, they were so bad that they would have been destroyed anyway, but they would have been crushed after taking time to gradually take control.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong, or rather, the Central Plains, had no time. A storm was approaching right in front of them, and there was no way they could do anything with such people.

There was a reason why Yeon Ho-Jeong had dealt with things so decisively. And it could be said that the reason why he had chosen talents who could solve the immediate chaos, even as a stopgap measure, was the same.

“The Young Leader’s reputation and martial power are different from the Vice Leader’s. Even if it’s not right now, dissatisfaction with the Young Leader will arise in the future, and it will spread like wildfire throughout all ten organizations.”

“Will that really happen?”

Still calm, Byuk Woon-ho’s voice contained something meaningful.

“What do you mean?”

“It seems that you are looking at the future you are facing with an overly mild perspective.”

“Yes?”

Im Geo-suk, the new chief of the Green Forest, said.

“As you know, I’m a bandit, so I don’t know difficult words. Please teach me.”

“It would be better for the person involved to give the teaching, not me, wouldn’t it?”

Thud.

As soon as Byuk Woon-ho’s words ended, the door of the conference room opened, and five men and women entered.

The elders were startled.

‘Those are?!’

The five men and women were the masters that Yeon Ho-Jeong had said he would have under his command.

Byuk Woon-ho stood up from his seat and slightly bowed his head.

Then, all five men and women bowed their heads in return. Among them, Sama Hyeon had a somewhat crooked posture, but he still showed sufficient courtesy.

The woman standing in the center, Muk Bi, said.

“I apologize for coming without notice.”

Muk Bi bowed her head once more.

Although she bowed her head, it did not look servile or lax at all.

Rather, her actions made the other elders hesitate and stand up. They had no idea how to react.

Byuk Woon-ho said.

“If you want to curse, curse this person. I am the one who brought these people here without asking for everyone’s permission.”

Muk Bi shook her head.

“No. We made an unreasonable request.”

“Whether that request is unreasonable or not may depend on how this meeting ends, wouldn’t it?”

“That may be so.”

Byuk Woon-ho took a step back and pointed to the conference table. It was a signal to start on their own.

Muk Bi straightened her posture and said.

“I’ll get straight to the point. The elders here should stay here and keep their positions when the Mukryong Unit relocates in five days, instead of moving with us.”

Like an arrow shot from an unseen place, Muk Bi’s words contained an unpredictable sharpness.

“If you don’t like that, you can step down from your positions as elders and return to your respective organizations.”