Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 167

Tang Gwan’s eyes wavered.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Did an earthquake happen somewhere? Your eyes are shaking so much.”

Honesty was both Tang Gwan’s strength and weakness.

Unfortunately, today that honesty was acting as a severe flaw.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been staring at Tang Gwan, crossed his legs.

It was an extremely casual posture. However, Tang Gwan couldn’t easily open his mouth.

“At first, I thought the Hongyo Society [a shadowy organization known for taking on dangerous and often morally questionable tasks] was crazy. Trying to bury the Martial Alliance’s independent unit that was created not long ago? It’s obvious that the world’s attention would be focused on it, right? Wow, I thought they were really a reckless group as the rumors said.”

“…….”

“But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand it. They had crushed several prominent sects of the Black Path [a collective term for martial arts groups with nefarious or criminal activities] in such a short time, so the Black Path guys must have felt a sense of crisis. But even if they commissioned the Hongyo Society, wouldn’t they be the first ones on the suspect list?”

“…….”

“If they were in their right minds, they wouldn’t do such a thing. So, who exactly commissioned the Hongyo Society? Was it really the Black Path? Or…….”

“…….”

“Someone who doesn’t like the Myulsa Unit [Yeon Ho-jeong’s independent unit], or more precisely, me?”

“…….”

“The first person that came to mind was the Moyong Clan Head. It’s an excessively aggressive method even for him, but if he was determined, he could do it. But…….”

A smile spread across Yeon Ho-jeong’s lips.

“Would he have done that even though he clearly knows that the most beautiful picture would come from suppressing me using the Tangma Unit [a unit under the Tang Clan]? No. The Moyong Clan Head isn’t that kind of person.”

Tang Gwan was unusually silent. He just glared at Yeon Ho-jeong as if he wanted to kill him.

Yeon Ho-jeong pointed at Tang Gwan with his toe.

“I already heard that you joined hands with the Moyong Clan Head before that incident happened. The answer came naturally.”

“……You’re an interesting fellow.”

“Hmm?”

Tang Gwan wore a twisted smile.

“Do you have any proof?”

“Proof?”

“That’s right, proof.”

Yeon Ho-jeong said with a gloomy face.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any proof. They blew up the main base before I could even find any. They bought a pretty sharp sword.”

“In the end, it’s this. The eldest son of the Yeon family, who doesn’t know his place, is trying to oppress the master of Sichuan without any proof, and asked the Moyong Clan Head to make a place for him.”

“Is that how it turns out?”

Tang Gwan’s eyes turned cold.

“You should have just died there. If you had died then, your pain would have been less.”

Whoooong.

Once again, poison qi [a type of energy used by martial artists, often associated with poison] rose from Tang Gwan’s hands.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Why? Since I don’t have any proof, are you going to start by hitting me?”

“…….”

“That’s good too. The master of the Sichuan Tang Clan using lethal force on the eldest son of the Yeon family… Well, that’s an interesting picture in its own way.”

“……What is it?”

“What?”

Tang Gwan’s eyes deepened.

“Why are you so confident?”

Yeon Ho-jeong inwardly cheered.

Got it.

Tang Gwan had an arrogant personality, but he was quick-witted and could read the big picture. The reason he was genuinely trying to crush Yeon Ho-jeong was because he was confident that he could handle it in any way.

And Yeon Ho-jeong had many enemies. The Yeon family’s popularity was outstanding, but the Tang family’s history and influence were even greater.

If things didn’t work out, he might have even considered withdrawing from the Martial Alliance. The Sichuan Tang Clan, Tang Gwan, was a person who had lived like that.

But now, his thoughts had changed.

‘This guy…….’

He didn’t know why Moyong Gun called this guy a monster. But one thing was certain.

‘He’s up to something.’

He wasn’t the type to do something like this without any preparation.

Of course, no matter what he had prepared, the Tang family’s power would be enough to handle it. But for some reason, it felt like it would be a headache.

That unease was stopping Tang Gwan, who was on the verge of exploding.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s pupils turned red again.

Whirr.

The Vermilion Bird Qi [a powerful martial art technique] flared up, creating a murderous aura.

“What are you doing?”

“…….”

“If you drew your sword, you should at least chop some firewood. Are you going to keep your hand there?”

“…….”

“How anticlimactic.”

Yeon Ho-jeong relaxed his posture.

“Let me give you some advice. Don’t open your mouth carelessly if you can’t bite. You look like a kid.”

Tang Gwan’s cheek twitched.

It was truly an outrageous insult. Who in the world could utter such an insult to the head of the Tang Clan?

Whoooong.

The poison qi pulsed greatly.

“……This is the only time.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.

Swoosh.

Tang Gwan lowered his hand. Then, the poison qi that had been burning like flames died down.

“Consider it your lucky day. I’ve never let a guy who was as arrogant as you live before. Be grateful to the heavens.”

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t provoke Tang Gwan any further.

He did want him to attack with all his might. It was an opportunity to cause a big incident and then gather his father and Jeagal Mun-ho to corner the Tang Clan.

Just like there was no proof of the Hongyo Society incident, there was no proof that he had insulted Tang Gwan. The important thing was that the master of the Sichuan Tang Clan had used lethal force on a much younger junior.

He couldn’t destroy the Tang Clan. But he could reduce Tang Gwan’s influence. If he played it well, he might even be able to kick him out of the Martial Alliance.

However, Tang Gwan chose patience over anger.

‘He’s backing down here…….’

Impressive.

Even when he was the vice-leader of the Martial Alliance in the past, he had made the right decisions at crucial moments. He couldn’t have become the vice-leader without that kind of insight.

‘There’s no point in provoking him any further.’

Moyong Gun and Tang Gwan had to be dealt with differently.

Moyong Gun was like playing a game of chess, where you had to look several moves ahead. That was the only way to get what you wanted.

On the other hand, Tang Gwan had to be pushed with momentum. That was the only way to prevent him from playing tricks.

“Get lost.”

“I can’t do that.”

Tang Gwan’s face showed annoyance.

“Do you really want to be carried out in a coffin?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Of course not. I’ll leave after I get what I’m owed.”

“……If you’re asking for alcohol, I’ll really kill you.”

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

“Not alcohol. You have something to give me.”

“Bullshit.”

“Then why did you call us?”

“……What?”

“They said at the Bonggong Council [a governing body within the Martial Alliance] that you had something to give to the Myulsa Unit. So, they told us to come.”

Tang Gwan’s face hardened.

“If you had left us alone, we could have gone to achieve another merit. But what is this after calling us for no reason? You even blocked us from attending the founding ceremony.”

“Are you saying that’s my fault?”

“You’re on the same boat as the Moyong Clan Head, aren’t you? You take the good things and blame the bad things on others?”

“…….”

“The founding ceremony issue is fine. But if you have something to give, give it. If you don’t give me something decent, I’ll formally raise an objection to this issue at the Bonggong Council.”

He was an amazing guy. He didn’t know where such a guy came from.

“You should be grateful that I let you live…….”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Okay. You’re saying you don’t have anything to give, right?”

He got up from his seat.

Tang Gwan’s eyes deepened.

Before opening the door, Yeon Ho-jeong said,

“I thought you’d have the face of a petty viper, but it seems you’re at least an Imugi [a mythical serpent that can become a dragon]. I look forward to our future confrontations.”

Clunk!

Yeon Ho-jeong opened the door.

At that moment, Tang Gwan said,

“Wait.”

“Do you have anything else to say?”

Tang Gwan inwardly scoffed. He was really having a hard time today in many ways.

“What do you want?”

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.

“What can you give me?”

“Don’t beat around the bush and tell me what you want.”

“An attitude that takes responsibility for your words. Very good. I wish the Moyong Clan Head would learn from you.”

Yeon Ho-jeong sat back down in his chair.

Tang Gwan, who was about to open his mouth, flinched for a moment. The look in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes was truly unusual.

“You get money from the rich, and you get words of gratitude from the poor. If you’re a martial artist, you’ll get a sword, and if you’re a scholar, you’ll get a good phrase.”

“Are you perhaps asking for the main family’s poison and hidden weapons?”

“Our guys can’t even use those.”

“Then what are you asking for?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled ominously.

“I want the skill to create poison and hidden weapons so easily.”

* * *

On the way back to his residence.

Several martial artists glanced at Yeon Ho-jeong.

It was inevitable. The most famous person in the Martial Alliance right now was Yeon Ho-jeong.

The leader of one of only two independent units in the Martial Alliance. A peerless genius martial artist who broke through the wall of the Martial Sect at a young age and reached the realm of the transcendent.

Perhaps there wouldn’t be any more surprising news than this in the past few years. It was rare in the vast world for one person’s reputation to surprise everyone.

However, the person at the center of the rumors was deep in thought.

‘He’s not easy to deal with.’

He thought of Tang Gwan.

Considering their past grudges, Tang Gwan was someone he wanted to kill right away. Of course, the one who ordered Tang Gwan was Moyong Gun, but it was hard to suppress his murderous intent since he was the one who killed him.

He saw him again after a long time.

‘He’s rougher and more vicious than when he was the vice-leader. But he also knows when to be patient.’

He was a difficult opponent.

During the Dark Emperor era, the person he clashed with more often was Moyong Gun rather than Tang Gwan. That was still the case now.

But for some reason, he had a feeling that he would clash with Tang Gwan as often as Moyong Gun in this life.

‘I hope it’s just a feeling.’

There was an old saying in the martial world related to the Tang family.

“If the Sichuan Tang Clan holds a grudge against you, end your life immediately.”

It was a passage that well explained the Tang family’s viciousness. They were tenacious people who never forgot a grudge, even if they forgot a favor.

And Tang Gwan was the one who reigned at the top of such a Tang family.

‘He won’t bite right away. Since he’s on the same boat as Moyong Gun anyway, he’ll attack in some way, but…….’

He had felt it before, but today’s meeting confirmed it.

Tang Gwan was a viper among vipers.

And a viper with excellent hunting skills. If he couldn’t cut off the enemy’s breath with a single blow, he would wait until a sure opportunity came.

Sending the Hongyo Society was, so to speak, a move to check the extent of their abilities.

Of course, they probably thought that the Hongyo Society alone would be enough at the time.

‘No matter how skilled the opponent is, I’m the leader of an independent unit that operates externally, and the opponent is wielding power in the center.’

It was a difference that was close to a vertical structure. It also meant that Moyong Gun and Tang Gwan were in a much more advantageous position.

‘My father and the strategist alone aren’t enough. I need more people to give strength to this side.’

Although no one had said it out loud, the current Bonggong members were essentially engaged in factional fighting.

If so, it was necessary to deploy members who could at least not be swayed by the opponent. For himself, for the collaborators, and for the world.

‘I should probably talk to my father about this…….’

It was then.

“Yo, isn’t that Commander Yeon?”

“Huh?”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes widened.

“Ga Deuk-sang?”

Ga Deuk-sang approached with a swaggering gait.

“Your face is full of worries, it seems like you need some alcohol?”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“Don’t be ridiculous. What are you doing from the middle of the day?”

It had only been a little while ago that he had shamelessly asked Tang Gwan for some Oryangyeok [a type of strong alcohol].

“By the way, why is the person who is a consultant for the intelligence department so free at this hour?”

“Does being a consultant for the intelligence department mean I can’t rest? I worked my bones for a few days, and they told me to take a good rest for a day. They’re still humane.”

Ga Deuk-sang kept chuckling as if he was happy about something.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

‘This person hasn’t changed at all.’

Moyong Gun and Tang Gwan had changed.

But Ga Deuk-sang was the same as ever. He was very pleased with that unchanging personality.

‘…….’

Yeon Ho-jeong suddenly lit up his eyes.

“You said you’re taking a day off today?”

“That’s right. Since we met like this, let’s have a small drink…….”

“Let’s go to my residence. I have something to discuss.”

“Discuss?”

Yeon Ho-jeong strode away.