Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 292

“It seems we’ve been meeting quite frequently lately.”

Jeagal Mun-ho smiled at Moyong Gun’s words.

“Isn’t there a saying? Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

“Hahaha.”

“If only the Clan Leader would abandon that immense ambition, perhaps we could even become friends.”

Moyong Gun chuckled dryly.

“Is having ambition a sin?”

“Ambition isn’t a sin, but you must also understand the desires of those who seek to crush that ambition.”

“Of course. Didn’t I tell you before? I understand you all. It’s just that you’re blocking my path, so I have to eliminate you. There are no personal feelings involved.”

“‘No personal feelings’… so there are some, after all.”

“I’m only human.”

Jeagal Mun-ho burst into laughter.

“Indeed. Being human means having desires, and being human means keeping each other in check.”

Moyong Gun smirked.

“So, what brings you to me today?”

Jeagal Mun-ho took out a document from his inner pocket and held it out.

Moyong Gun tilted his head.

“What is this?”

“The Honam region has been quite turbulent lately.”

“Hmm?”

Moyong Gun examined the document.

After a moment, the corners of his mouth curved upwards.

“The Gwi-ju Merchant Guild is expanding its influence… and quite aggressively at that.”

“That’s correct.”

“But why are you showing this to me?”

“I’ve done some investigation into the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild.”

“Oh, have you?”

“Yes, and I was able to identify the sects that are secretly trading with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild.”

Moyong Gun shrugged.

“Of course, my clan is also trading with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“But is that such a big deal? Any sect with the means would trade with a merchant guild. The Jeagal Clan does as well, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

Jeagal Mun-ho smiled.

“That’s why I’d like to ask a favor of you, Clan Leader.”

“A favor?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what kind of favor it is, but I hope you understand that I can’t easily grant the strategist’s requests. I don’t know why, but this act of investigating behind my back and then presenting me with a document is not very pleasant.”

“Please understand. The Gwi-ju Merchant Guild’s movements have become so sudden and large that we had to pay attention to it.”

“Alright. So, what’s the favor?”

“Please help us establish a connection with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild.”

Moyong Gun was taken aback.

“Establish a connection with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild?”

“That’s correct.”

Jeagal Mun-ho maintained a very calm expression.

Moyong Gun, observing his face with narrowed eyes, asked abruptly,

“Is this for the Murim Alliance? Or for the Jeagal Clan?”

“The latter, of course.”

“…”

“If the Alliance were to accept the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild, we would have held a Bong-gong Council [a formal meeting of the Murim Alliance] to pressure you. We wouldn’t have come to you personally to ask for a connection.”

That was true.

‘What is he up to?’

Moyong Gun knew that Jeagal Mun-ho wouldn’t make such a request for money or power.

Moyong Gun, who had been staring at Jeagal Mun-ho silently, frowned slightly.

“Do you really have to go this far?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. If Strategist Jeagal starts trading with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild, you’ll try to examine my clan’s transaction records, and if you find anything suspicious, you’ll attack immediately.”

“Is the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild such an untrustworthy group? It’s natural for them to keep their customer’s transactions confidential.”

“If you’re determined, you can break through anything.”

“Even if that’s possible, the problem is getting to that point. Furthermore, if we were truly planning to raid the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild, we wouldn’t have asked you to help us establish a connection.”

That wasn’t wrong. However, Moyong Gun already saw through what Jeagal Mun-ho was aiming for.

“Are you aiming for mutual destruction?”

Jeagal Mun-ho’s eyes deepened.

‘Indeed.’

Moyong Gun was capable of displaying the abilities of the Thirteen Seats of the Heavenly Realm [a reference to a high level of martial arts prowess] in the realm of scheming. The ability to see through one of his schemes at once, and not just considering the possibility, but being certain of it.

It was a vision honed to the extreme. It was truly a shame that such a person was burning with personal ambition and aiming for the position of Murim Alliance Leader.

“At least, I thought I should have that much insurance.”

Moyong Gun sneered.

“Not worth discussing. Please leave now.”

Jeagal Mun-ho, who had been watching him silently, readily rose from his seat.

“Please consider it. It’s quite a radical tactic, but it’s not a proposal that would be entirely harmful to you.”

“That’s right. It would be beneficial if I gave up the Alliance Leader position.”

Jeagal Mun-ho burst into laughter.

“It’s a shame. If you had been filled with righteousness and cooperation, we could have been very good friends.”

“Leave.”

“Understood. However, please know this one thing. I, and the Murim Alliance, value Clan Leader Moyong more than you think.”

“…”

“Mutual benefit and harmony will inevitably break down absolute power. I hope you will understand the politics of harmony.”

With those words, Jeagal Mun-ho left.

Moyong Gun, left alone, tapped the table with his index finger.

“Mutual destruction…”

Moyong Gun frowned.

“Suddenly coming to ask for a connection with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild? If Jeagal truly starts trading with the Gwi-ju Merchant Guild, he will start targeting my clan in earnest. And I will counterattack Jeagal. And if that fact becomes known to the Alliance…”

That’s why it’s mutual destruction.

If it becomes known to the Murim Alliance that the two families are checking each other and engaging in a mud fight, the political influence of both families will completely collapse. Jeagal Mun-ho was trying to stop him even by doing that.

“However.”

Moyong Gun’s eyes gleamed dangerously.

“That sly human wouldn’t think I wouldn’t notice that.”

In other words, there was something else he was aiming for besides mutual destruction.

Moyong Gun, who had been lost in thought, opened his mouth.

“Are you outside?”

“Yes, Clan Leader.”

“Send word to the Head of the Mount Hua Sect. Let’s have lunch together.”

“Understood.”

Moyong Gun, who lightly struck the table with his fist, smiled.

“I don’t know what he’s aiming for, but it means that they’re starting to move.”

* * *

Tang Gwan tilted his head, wondering if he had misheard.

“What did you just say?”

“I said, please run as a candidate in the Murim Alliance Leader election.”

“…”

“Is that not possible?”

Tang Gwan, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-jeong, openly frowned.

“Are you planning to make me a puppet?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“The expression ‘puppet’ doesn’t sound good. Rather, please understand it as a request to become an iron shield for a better future.”

“Your words are good. In the end, what you want is to use me to check Moyong Gun and keep his eyes on me, isn’t it?”

As expected, not just anyone could become the head of one of the Six Great Clans [powerful martial arts families].

He was a toxic, cold, and proud person, and sometimes hot-tempered.

That was Tang Gwan. But just because he had such a personality didn’t mean that Tang Gwan was stupid.

Rather, his sharp insight far surpassed that of most sect leaders. Even if he was a person filled with stubbornness and arrogance, his abilities were second to none.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“That’s correct.”

He admitted it honestly.

Tang Gwan gave a cold smile.

“I have to ask. Did you really think I would accept your proposal?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I thought you might accept it, or you might refuse it.”

“Why? Did you think that just because I had a conflict with Moyong Gun, I would readily throw myself into this?”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s face became serious.

“I didn’t think that the proud head of the Tang Clan would readily throw himself into this just because of a conflict with someone else.”

“Then?”

“However, I thought that a powerful figure in Sichuan who wanted to properly exert influence in the political arena of Murim [the martial arts world] might accept it.”

Tang Gwan’s eyes narrowed.

“A powerful figure in Sichuan… that’s a strange expression.”

“You were calculating in the middle.”

“…”

“Isn’t that right? You were comparing the Jeagal side and the Moyong side, wondering which side you should join to increase the influence of the Tang Clan, weren’t you?”

Tang Gwan frowned.

“You know too much.”

“In the end, you made a choice. And the result is what we see now.”

“So? Are you saying I should forget my failed choice and join hands with you?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“You know, there are many people who make mistakes in politics. But once someone steps down from the stage, they can’t return to the political arena. That’s why you were trying to return to Sichuan, wasn’t it?”

“…”

Yeon Ho-jeong spread his hands.

“Not many people get two chances. And those chances don’t come at any time.”

“…”

“Let’s rise together. On the real stage that the Murim Alliance has set up.”

“You want me to become a bat?”

“You have to become someone more ugly, more dirty, and more vicious than a bat.”

“What?”

“I’m already walking that path. That’s why I can exert this much influence at such a young age.”

If Tang Gwan knew Yeon Ho-jeong’s past, he would have been truly shocked.

Yeon Ho-jeong had died at Tang Gwan’s hands.

To be precise, he had died in his previous life from Tang Gwan’s hidden weapon, under Moyong Gun’s orders, but in any case, the person directly responsible for his death was Tang Gwan.

In other words, Tang Gwan was Yeon Ho-jeong’s mortal enemy. Even if it didn’t happen in reality since he had returned to the past, it was an event that Yeon Ho-jeong could never dismiss as non-existent.

Yet, Yeon Ho-jeong was smiling in front of Tang Gwan. Furthermore, he was asking him to join hands.

Tang Gwan could not even imagine how much mental strength this change, this endurance, required.

“You said before, didn’t you? That poison can become medicine if used well, and medicine can become poison if used poorly.”

“…”

“Please become medicine for us. And please become poison for our enemies.”

“If I do that, you’ll arrange a meeting with the Western Divine Maiden?”

“Actually, that was something you could have done without going through us if you wanted to. But the fact that you proposed a deal means that you were subtly hinting at joining hands, isn’t it?”

Tang Gwan, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-jeong, turned his body.

“Follow me.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Thank you…”

“You didn’t bring your axe.”

“Excuse me?”

“That disgusting axe you always carry around.”

“Yes. I left it at the training grounds.”

“Is that so?”

Tang Gwan shook his head.

“Don’t make excuses that you lost because you didn’t have your axe.”

“…?”

“I will see your worth through martial arts. Follow me.”