Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1260

“Urgent news! The Murim Alliance forces have arrived in Hebei and are engaged in battle with the Divine Flame Church alongside the Murim forces led by the Peng family!”

“Is that so?”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes flashed.

“The Murim Alliance has moved quickly. Considering they even transported support supplies, their speed is impressive.”

Due to numerous battles, the Murim Alliance’s troop deployment capabilities had significantly improved. The core of troop deployment was speed, and whether they liked it or not, the war was making the Murim Alliance more active.

“Has there been any separate contact from the Black Emperor Castle?”

“There have been no separate reports yet, but it’s said that the Black Emperor Castle Lord entered about ten days ago, so they will surely make a move.”

“…Lord Yeon.”

Ga Deuk-Sang thought of Yeon Ho-Jeong.

In this time of chaos in the Central Plains, Yeon Ho-Jeong was more active than ever. So much so that she was trying to hold back the forces of the Blood Demon Church alone.

No master in the world would act so recklessly. This was a matter of courage, not just martial skill.

‘Lord Yeon. You are no longer alone. If you die, the Black Emperor Castle could become a disorganized mess. You must not act rashly.’

She probably knew that best herself. Yet, he was still anxious because he knew that Yeon Ho-Jeong acted on her heart rather than her head when it mattered most.

‘From now on, it’s all-out war. You must never go out alone.’

Ga Deuk-Sang cleared his throat as if to shake off his thoughts and flipped through a few documents.

“Here it is.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure.”

A strange unease was evident on Ga Deuk-Sang’s face as he frowned.

“There’s nothing strange, yet I keep feeling uneasy.”

The documents Ga Deuk-Sang held contained information spanning beyond the northern Murim [martial arts world], across the distant grasslands and plains.

Cheol Gon-Gae tilted his head.

“Isn’t that a document detailing the trade routes of northern merchants and the transport routes of escort agencies?”

“That’s right.”

Cheol Gon-Gae, who was about to ask something more, decided against it.

After the incident in Sichuan, Ga Deuk-Sang had become even more cautious than before. He rarely showed himself outside and moved his people with a meticulousness that was incomparable to before.

He was now showing the true face of the Beggars’ Union leader. He was the king of information organizations, capable of seeing a thousand miles while sitting still.

“I hesitate to say this, but isn’t now the time to focus on the East Sea?”

To Cheol Gon-Gae’s cautious question, Ga Deuk-Sang answered quite simply.

“What’s going to happen will happen anyway. The Murim Alliance, the Imperial Palace, and even the Black Emperor Castle are already watching the East Sea. The problems in Jiangsu and Zhejiang won’t be solved just because we pay more attention.”

It sounded cold, but it was the truth.

Their branch offices there were already actively moving, so there was nothing that Ga Deuk-Sang, as the leader, could do to improve the situation by getting directly involved.

Ga Deuk-Sang, who had been quietly looking at the documents, tilted his head.

“Isn’t something a little strange?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“These merchants.”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes deepened.

“For a merchant, war is a dangerous yet greatest opportunity to turn their life around. The more intense the war and the more active the infighting between organizations, the more proactive and cunning the merchants’ movements become.”

“Of course, that’s true.”

“The way a merchant makes a profit in a war is by acquiring supplies and selling them. That’s the basics. And there are no set targets for who they sell to. Just because they are merchants of the Central Plains doesn’t mean they only want the Central Plains to win.”

“That’s quite a statement, but it’s also true.”

“But look at this.”

Ga Deuk-Sang shook a document.

“Currently, more than 30% of the well-known merchant guilds in the north are going back and forth to the grasslands.”

“Aren’t they trading with various tribes in the grasslands? It was written that way in several cases.”

“The problem is what kind of goods they are transporting.”

“Yes?”

Ga Deuk-Sang took out a letter from his pocket. It was a letter from the Beggars’ Union informants operating in the north of Shaanxi and Gansu, before Cheol Gon-Gae came in.

“They were transporting various daily necessities, horses, and northern-style dried rations. And in large quantities.”

Cheol Gon-Gae tilted his head.

“Why is that…?”

“In this situation, would merchants pay attention to the tribes of the grasslands? I don’t think I would.”

“Well… I think so too, but there are quite a few merchants who trade with the tribes of the grasslands. They have been trading with them for a long time, so even if the Central Plains is in this state, they might do it for the sake of trust, wouldn’t they?”

“Then look at this too.”

Another document came out. It was the quality of the head of an information organization to remember the contents of several documents without missing a single detail, and to accurately deduce the relationship between different pieces of information.

And Ga Deuk-Sang was showing his ability as the leader of the Beggars’ Union without any shortcomings.

“Just in case, I investigated the goods of the merchant guilds that had traded with the grassland tribes over the past few years.”

“When did you do that?”

“It’s been a while. I had them investigate just in case. The tribes of the grasslands are also an outside force.”

“You are amazing.”

“Anyway, there were quite a variety of things. There were daily necessities, and they were especially crazy about silk clothes. It makes sense, since they are people who wash their clothes with sand.”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes sparkled.

“Among them, the most traded item was iron weapons.”

“Iron weapons…”

“They were selling northern curved swords made of high-quality iron, as well as arrowheads and hidden weapons.”

“That’s natural. In the grasslands, tribes are like Murim sects in the Central Plains. Of course, there is a big difference in martial arts level, but due to the nomadic nature, the fighting between tribes never stops.”

“But they haven’t sold weapons for a year.”

“Yes?”

“Does this mean that peace has come to the grasslands? Or that the merchants don’t have the means to sell weapons?”

Cheol Gon-Gae’s face hardened.

A strange sense of unease suddenly hit him.

“Have the tribes been unified?”

“Not selling for a year means that a unified tribal chief was born at least two years ago.”

“Huh.”

“That’s where it gets strange. You know, I’ve dug up a lot of information about the outside world.”

“I know.”

“But I didn’t know that the tribes of the grasslands had been unified. They are people who fight until they die unless they are unified.”

“…!!”

“In the meantime, they are buying up all sorts of daily necessities, horses, and dried rations. This is also strange. The warhorses of the grasslands are superior in quality, except for the warhorses that are treated as half-spiritual beings in the Central Plains. There is no need for horses from the Central Plains.”

“…!!”

“Two years, or three years at the longest, the tribes of the grasslands have been unified… It’s not certain, but it’s okay to assume this as fact.”

Ga Deuk-Sang stroked his chin.

“Then why are they buying up horses, dried rations, and daily necessities now? And in such large quantities.”

Cheol Gon-Gae, who had been thinking quietly, shook his head.

“I do feel uneasy, but honestly, I don’t think we need to worry about it that much.”

Ga Deuk-Sang also agreed with Cheol Gon-Gae’s words in his head. In the midst of an all-out war, it didn’t matter whether the tribes of the grasslands were unified or not.

If lightning had struck right in front of them, it was right to worry about where the next lightning would strike. Yet, he couldn’t shake the movements of the grasslands from his mind. It was as if he was missing something big.

‘Damn it, if only Lord Yeon were here at a time like this.’

In terms of information gathering ability, the skilled members of the Beggars’ Union might be more capable, but in terms of the ability to see the situation during wartime, there was no one in the world who could match Yeon Ho-Jeong.

After a moment of thought, Ga Deuk-Sang gave an order to Cheol Gon-Gae.

“How long would it take to contact the Black Emperor Castle?”

“There are two remaining Ojeongsin hawks [special messenger hawks]. If we send them, they will arrive in two days.”

“Good. Write down everything I just said in detail and send it to the Black Emperor Castle Lord.”

“Understood.”

“And among the merchant guilds that have been to the grasslands… Ah, yes. Here it is. Contact the head of the North Wind Merchant Guild and tell him I want to see him. Right now.”

After sending Cheol Gon-Gae away, Ga Deuk-Sang sighed and looked north.

“…There’s something there. Something incredibly dangerous.”

* * *

“I greet the Lord.”

It had been a long time since they had seen each other, but there was no awkwardness.

Hwang Seok-Tae, the leader of the Dragon Fang Iron Cavalry, was exuding a different aura than before. Back then, he was a fierce general who did not hesitate to take the lead, but now he boasted the majesty of a great general who commanded all the troops.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“I’ve been well, thanks to you, Lord.”

“You seem to have trained hard. I’m amazed just looking at you.”

The condensed energy had been condensed again and again, and now it was emitting a truly steel-like aura.

His martial prowess was already at the level of the Five Great Generals, surpassing Gang Ryang and Jin Yang, and approaching Muk Bi. He must have been busy just training his troops, but the martial power he was exuding, as if he had gained some enlightenment, was truly enormous.

“It’s nothing compared to your divine might, Lord.”

“Of course, you have to be below me. I’m the Lord, after all.”

Hwang Seok-Tae smiled.

It wasn’t just Yeon Ho-Jeong who felt the joy. Although their positions and martial arts had changed, Hwang Seok-Tae treated Yeon Ho-Jeong as he always had.

“I heard you fought many battles in the Central Plains. I wanted to take the Iron Cavalry there right away.”

“Little Commander So stopped you, right?”

“That’s right. I almost swung my spear.”

“Still, he’s the best strategist in the Black Emperor Castle, so don’t be too hard on him.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face became serious.

“I’m sorry for calling you out separately when you were training. But it seems like things are going to get busy soon.”

“Does that mean…?”

“We need to go to the Imperial Palace, or more precisely, to Jiangsu Province.”

Hwang Seok-Tae’s eyes blazed.

“Are they the enemy?”

“Yes, they are the enemy.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes were as hot as Hwang Seok-Tae’s.

“Do you remember the Jongnam War?”

“Of course.”

“Back then, a guy named Myeong Geuk led the Blood Wolf Corps and attacked Jongnam.”

“I still remember it vividly as if it were yesterday.”

“They are the ones.”

“…!!”

“They are going to invade Jiangsu Province.”

Whoosh!

A dangerous aura flowed from Hwang Seok-Tae’s body.

But that was all. There was no wavering in his expression or eyes. He was full of fighting spirit, but it wasn’t aimless.

“Please give the order to deploy at any time.”

“I’m going with you too. I’m thinking of leaving tomorrow if the forces are ready, so let the members rest well for a day.”

A smile appeared on Hwang Seok-Tae’s face.

“It’s been a while, going together.”

“Don’t be too happy. This time, it might be the entire force, not just a part.”

“No matter who the enemy is, no matter how many there are, we are not afraid.”

“You haven’t changed.”

It was then.

“Lord!”

“Come in.”

The door of the main hall opened, and So Jeong-Gwang rushed in.

“Urgent news from the Beggars’ Union.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong was not flustered in the slightest.

“Give it to me.”

The letter So Jeong-Gwang handed over had quite a lot of content.

“…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been silently checking the contents, said to So Jeong-Gwang.

“Contact Moyong Gun of the Jiangxi Business Alliance. Tell him to come to the Black Emperor Castle right now.”

“May I ask what this is about?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong clenched the letter tightly.

“If there’s smoke coming from a chimney that hasn’t been lit, it’s one of two things. Either someone lit a fire without anyone knowing, or… it’s the work of a ghost.”