Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 350

Yeon-wi arrived at Jeagal Mun-ho’s office.

‘Military Advisor.’

Jeagal Mun-ho grinned. Just by looking at Yeon-wi’s expression, he could guess the outcome.

‘Did you catch him?’

‘Yes. I heard the Tang Clan Head won.’

‘That’s a relief.’

He had confidently said not to worry when he left, but how could he not worry? The opponent was an unknown master, a subordinate of an organization whose true nature and strength were unknown.

But Tang Gwan was indeed Tang Gwan. The king of poison and darkness who reigned as the overlord of Sichuan was truly remarkable.

‘But, he did catch him…’

Yeon-wi clicked his tongue.

‘I heard he couldn’t capture him alive.’

‘Is that so?’

‘I didn’t expect him to be captured alive from the start, but it seems he just killed him outright.’

Jeagal Mun-ho chuckled.

‘You know the Tang Clan Head’s personality, don’t you? If Military Commander Yeon had wanted him captured alive, he would have clearly stated that.’

‘That’s true.’

‘In a situation where we know so little about the opponent’s strength and martial arts, trying to capture him alive recklessly could lead to a counterattack, and we could end up losing a comrade. This is better.’

‘I think so too.’

‘Now, the problem is…’

‘Lord Moyong.’

‘That’s right.’

Yeon-wi’s eyes gleamed.

‘Lord Moyong’s skills are impressive. He must have persuaded them somehow.’

‘I trust Lord Moyong’s abilities, but the problem is that we don’t know the situation of the Provincial Commander, Yeo Sang-do. If, by any chance, Lord Yeo is in league with them…’

‘Don’t worry. I’ve thought about that part.’

Jeagal Mun-ho’s eyes widened.

‘Is that so? I’ve also thought about it separately.’

Yeon-wi smiled.

‘Although it’s not widely known, Provincial Commander Yeo Sang-do of Henan is known for his integrity and loyalty. Moreover, he is also brilliant, so he wouldn’t have joined hands with the Divine Flower Sect. If anything, he might be biding his time for a counterattack.’

‘Do you know Lord Yeo Sang-do?’

‘I’ve met him a couple of times before. Although we haven’t had a private conversation, it was enough time to grasp his character.’

‘People always change.’

‘Sometimes, there are values that never change.’

Seeing Yeon-wi so confident, he seemed to be no ordinary person.

Jeagal Mun-ho nodded lightly.

‘For now, I’ll have the Tang Clan Head and Hu Gae stand by until we hear from Lord Moyong. If it turns out that we need to lure them in, then…’

‘We must deploy them.’

‘That’s right.’

Who were they going to deploy?

Jeagal Mun-ho smiled and got up from his seat.

‘Then, I’ll go see Grand Master Gong Gong.’

‘Go ahead.’

Three days later.

‘We’ve received word from Lord Moyong.’

Yeon-wi’s eyes flashed like lightning as he read the letter Jeagal Mun-ho handed him.

‘As expected.’

He had brilliantly succeeded in a deal that could have been difficult.

‘Now, once we lure them in and catch them…’

‘We’ll immediately strike into Kaifeng City.’

‘Good.’

Yeon-wi tapped his sword hilt.

‘I’ll go to Kaifeng City first. I’ll leave the rest to you.’

‘Understood. Ah! By the way, have you received any separate contact from Military Commander Yeon? I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to read the letters Military Commander Yeon sent.’

Yeon-wi smiled.

‘You mean Ho-jeong?’

* * *

A mountain not far from Xuchang in Henan Province.

‘Wandering around here makes me think of the old days.’

Yeon Ho-jeong, warming his hands over the campfire, suddenly spoke.

Muk Bi tilted her head.

‘The old days?’

‘I’m talking about the Myeong family.’

‘Ah, the one that was said to be the best family under the heavens?’

‘Yeah. The Myeong family was near here. Now it’s almost a ruin.’

‘I heard it was designated as the territory of the Martial Alliance?’

‘They’re probably still under construction. There hasn’t been any official word on what it will be used for, but the terrain and walls are almost perfect for defense. It’s too good to just leave it as it is.’

‘I see.’

Muk Bi smiled.

‘How does it feel to return to the territory of the organization that defeated you?’

‘I don’t feel much. It just reminds me of that time.’

The light flickering in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes seemed particularly deep.

‘I really smashed them to pieces back then. Thinking about it, I was reckless. I ran because I was sure it was possible, but looking back, I was too reckless.’

‘I heard you joined hands with Lord Moyong to bring them down.’

‘I did.’

What was he thinking about?

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

‘Well, it’s always been like that. I always made grand plans, but they rarely went as planned. In the end, I was always busy struggling to make sure the choices I made led in the right direction.’

‘Isn’t that how everyone lives?’

People say that Yeon Ho-jeong’s insight and wisdom have reached the pinnacle of the world.

Yeon Ho-jeong denied that fact.

Of course, he was quick-witted and had an excellent ability to exploit weaknesses. He didn’t deny his strengths just to be humble.

However, he wasn’t someone who could be called a divine calculator. He simply didn’t look back once he decided, ‘I’m going to do this.’

It was a part of him that could be called reckless, or perhaps, a driving force.

‘You can’t see everything in the world just because you’re smart. In that sense, Young Master Yeon is amazing. It seems like he knows when to use his head and when to rely on his intuition.’

‘Intuition, huh?’

‘Was it like that back then too?’

‘During the Myeong family incident?’

‘No. During the Black Emperor Fortress incident.’

Black Emperor Fortress.

For Yeon Ho-jeong, it was the past, and in the future that had been changed, it was the strongest alliance of the Black Path that would never be born.

It had nothing in common with the current Mukryong Unit, from its origins to its purpose. In a way, it was also the most brilliant moment for Yeon Ho-jeong.

‘I don’t know.’

Yeon Ho-jeong took a sip of water and clicked his tongue.

‘I was running around like crazy back then too. It wasn’t an organization that was intended or created from the start. At first, it was just a small gang.’

‘Black Emperor Fortress… The name is grand. It’s named after Young Master Yeon’s alias, right?’

‘Yeah.’

Dark Emperor.

Darkness means severe darkness. At the same time, it also meant the Dark Hell.

The Dark Hell was a hell ruled by the Great King of the Five Paths, a deep abyss where not a single ray of light entered.

It was the last of the ten great hells of Buddhism, and depending on the final judgment, one would either reincarnate or fall into the darkness.

The Dark Hell was the hell where those who did not bear children fell.

It might seem absurd at first glance, but it was more accurate to say that not having children was also a result of past karma, and the darkness was the place that judged that karma.

In other words, the Dark Hell was a place that punished evil people who were deprived of the biological instinct of procreation.

That’s why it was the last hell. It was also the reason why it existed at the crossroads of the final judgment that determined the cycle of life.

And Yeon Ho-jeong, with an alias modeled after that terrifying hell, roamed the world.

He was a man who had lived as the last hell that his enemies had to pass through.

‘That’s how everyone is. If you live in this martial world.’

The crackling sound of the campfire became an instrument that embellished Yeon Ho-jeong’s monotonous voice.

‘When swords clash, one of them dies. In a life-or-death duel, the winner becomes the final gate for the loser. Everyone who has died by my hand has failed to surpass me. I was just the last peak they couldn’t overcome.’

‘……’

‘It’s not an alias I gave myself, but that’s how I’ve lived. After the alias of the Dark Emperor was created, I never lost a battle, even if there were wars. It was possible because I had experienced countless defeats before that.’

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

At first glance, it seemed bitter, but from another perspective, it seemed full of anticipation.

‘It’s different now. I don’t want to be called by such a terrifying alias anymore. No matter how I think about it, the alias of the Azure Mountain Tiger General looks much better than the gloomy alias of the Dark Emperor, right?’

Muk Bi chuckled.

‘That’s true.’

‘Thinking about it now, the alias of the Dark Emperor is funny. The final gate? That’s bullshit. In the end, I’m just a person. I ended up getting backstabbed and dying at the end, so what darkness are we talking about?’

‘You said you were killed by an ambush by the Tang Clan Head, or rather, the Tang Gwan at that time?’

‘I did. If I had just been left alone, I would have died on my own. Well, if I had died like that, I would have died well as the Dark Emperor.’

Listening to Yeon Ho-jeong’s words, Muk Bi thought. That you never know how a person’s life will go.

She believed Yeon Ho-jeong’s confession. She completely believed the unbelievable words that he had lived for decades and returned to the past.

So she thought. Even such an outstanding and experienced powerhouse could be helpless in the face of the great flow of fate.

Life is a race in the dark where you can’t see an inch ahead. If so, it would be more comfortable to live like Yeon Ho-jeong, burning up what you can do without worrying about what others think.

Muk Bi’s eyes deepened as she looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.

‘What about me?’

There was something she had always thought was amazing about Yeon Ho-jeong.

He always had a goal. When he achieved a goal, he immediately set another goal and ran.

Some might say it was an overly harsh life. But in Muk Bi’s eyes, regardless of the harshness, Yeon Ho-jeong was a man who truly knew how to live his life like a human being.

At least Yeon Ho-jeong would worry about the people left behind before he died, but he wouldn’t leave any regrets in his life.

That’s how life should be lived.

‘I’m satisfied with the way I am now. But will I be like this in the future? Will there ever come a time when I’ll leave for my own life?’

And in that situation, what kind of expressions would Yeon Ho-jeong and Yeon-wi make?

Muk Bi, lost in thought, let out a silly laugh.

‘Young Master Yeon has grown up.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘The Young Master Yeon I knew was someone who would pay back what he received. Twice, no, ten times over.’

‘I’m not that different now.’

‘But now you’re quite friendly with the Tang Clan Head, who ended Young Master Yeon’s life.’

Yeon Ho-jeong scratched his head.

‘Well, that’s true. But, well, I can’t argue about it now, can I? From that guy’s perspective, it’s something that hasn’t even happened yet.’

‘That’s true, but…’

‘Besides, even though I was backstabbed, I didn’t see the Tang Clan Head in a bad light back then. At least when we went to war, he was a reliable ally.’

‘Is he now too?’

‘Of course. He’s much more reliable than he was back then.’

It was then.

‘Are you talking about me?’

Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi were not surprised. They had sensed Tang Gwan’s presence.

‘Have you arrived?’

Tang Gwan, who had revealed himself, snorted.

‘When did I ever fight a war with you?’

Yeon Ho-jeong laughed cheerfully.

‘I was just saying. Don’t take it too seriously.’

‘You gloomy bastard.’

‘Anyway, you’ve brought good news of victory, as expected.’

‘He was a half-baked guy who didn’t even know the virtues of a life-or-death duel. It was nothing.’

‘For something that was nothing, you burned quite a bit of your sleeve.’

‘Shut up.’

Tang Gwan sat down in front of the campfire.

He asked with a glint in his eyes.

‘So, have you heard from that Moyong bastard?’

‘Yes. He said he succeeded. He’s planning to lure the Divine Flower Sect guys.’

‘Is that so?’

Tang Gwan smiled menacingly.

‘I wonder if some decent guys will come this time.’

‘You could die.’

‘The weak die. But I’m not weak.’

His confidence was as great as ever.

‘Did you handle your business well?’

‘Of course.’

Yeon Ho-jeong looked north.

‘Now, all that’s left is to have some fun.’