Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 421

“Ah, Chief Muk.”

“Commander.”

Muk Bi lowered her head.

“How is your body?”

Moyong Gun gave a wry smile.

“I’m fine. Anyway, thank you for the other day. If you hadn’t arrived in time, it would have been really difficult.”

Regardless of the mission’s success, Muk Bi and Sama Hyeon had broken through the fortress walls, eliminated numerous assassins, and saved the Tangma soldiers who were on the verge of death.

That alone was a great help. If it weren’t for the two of them, the Tangma army’s casualties might have been much greater.

Muk Bi shook her head.

“No, it’s nothing. I was just following the Great Leader’s orders. Besides, we’re all family, so helping each other is natural.”

Muk Bi spoke carefully, worried that he might feel offended or think badly of Yeon Ho-jeong. She didn’t want Yeon Ho-jeong to be seen in a bad light.

Moyong Gun smiled.

“I know. How could I not know that? But thanks to Chief Muk, lives that could have been lost were saved, so as the leader of the Tangma army, I must express my gratitude.”

“Ah…”

She had worried that Moyong Gun might be upset, but as expected, her worries were unfounded.

Moyong Gun did not resent Yeon Ho-jeong. Rather, he understood him and was greatly grateful that he had sent Muk Bi as reinforcements.

Muk Bi felt a strange pang of bitterness.

‘He trusts him.’

She had heard from Yeon Ho-jeong that he intended to make Moyong Gun the next leader of the Martial Alliance.

Moyong Gun probably knew that as well. Regardless of how much pressure he felt, if such talks were circulating, their trust in each other must be immense.

‘Just as Young Master Yeon and I are connected by trust, Commander Moyong is also connected to Young Master Yeon by trust.’

At the same time, just as she had formed friendships with the Myulsa Army, Moyong Gun must have also formed deep bonds with the Tangma Army.

That’s why it was surprising. She felt that if she were in his shoes, she wouldn’t have been able to regain her composure so easily after the shocking deaths of her subordinates.

‘Is this the difference in caliber?’

It could be, or it might not be.

The important thing was that Moyong Gun was a much more remarkable person than she had thought. The fact that he was able to hold off nine hundred assassins, who were masters of savagery, with five hundred Tangma soldiers was thanks to Moyong Gun, who had grasped the terrain of the savage lands in that short time and deployed his troops strategically.

He was a person who was underestimated in many ways. Muk Bi felt that way. She didn’t know why Yeon Ho-jeong wanted to make Moyong Gun the leader of the Martial Alliance, but she could tell that he hadn’t just picked anyone.

“By the way, there’s something I want to ask.”

“Please speak comfortably. I’m just a chief.”

“That can’t be. You may only be a chief in title, but you’re no different from the leader of the Myulsa Army.”

“Still, a title is a title.”

Moyong Gun, who had been quietly looking at Muk Bi, nodded.

“Then, let’s speak comfortably from now on.”

“Please do.”

“I’ll get straight to the point. Where is the Great Leader?”

“He went out for a while on some business.”

“Hmm.”

Muk Bi, who was about to say that he shouldn’t misunderstand, that he wasn’t disregarding the Tangma Army, closed her mouth, suddenly thinking. Moyong Gun also trusted Yeon Ho-jeong, so there was no need to add those words.

Muk Bi’s thoughts were correct.

“I heard that finishing off the Yinshin isn’t the end. There’s another mission?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Did you know about it?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then, please explain it to me. I vaguely heard that the Yu Army had to solve the public order problem in Guangdong Province, but I didn’t know that it was a separate mission, not just an extension of eliminating the Yinshin.”

The commander himself didn’t know, but the chief did.

It was a situation that could easily make one feel bad, but Moyong Gun didn’t show any such signs. In fact, he wasn’t upset at all.

He thought there must be a reason.

Muk Bi spoke calmly.

“Guangdong Province is a region that has built its own unique culture, unlike other regions in the Central Plains.”

“I know that.”

“That’s why it’s difficult for the central government to properly control it. So, they sent many capable officials.”

“Continue.”

“But if the Yinshin are eliminated, the underworld of Guangdong Province will be shaken up. It’s only natural. Since the kingpin is gone, countless wolves will rush in to take his place.”

Moyong Gun’s eyes gleamed.

“That will cause great harm to the safety of the people.”

As expected, Moyong Gun was quick on the uptake.

“That’s right. In other words, to stabilize Guangdong Province, it’s essential to clean up the underworld.”

“That will be difficult.”

“The Great Leader also said so. He said that it would be easier if the powerful black martial sects were fighting each other, but if the small fry were fighting, it would be much harder to infiltrate.”

“That’s inevitable. The weak wolves are embedded everywhere in the lives of the people. Since they have nothing to show off, they have no choice but to do so to protect themselves.”

“In other words, it’s extremely difficult to pick them out and eliminate them one by one. It’s difficult to solve with just the power of the Yu Army and the intelligence organization, and we don’t know how long it will take.”

“Then…”

Moyong Gun muttered to himself.

“As expected, the white martial sects of Guangdong… If we go a step further, cooperating with the government would be the most ideal…”

At that moment, surprise flickered in Muk Bi’s eyes.

‘He’s amazing.’

Just by listening, he immediately comes up with the best solution.

Regardless of whether it was realistically possible, for Guangdong Province to operate safely on its own, it was best for the white martial sects and the government to join forces to control the underworld.

“Then the Great Leader must be very busy. The white martial sects can be coordinated somehow with the reputation of the Martial Alliance, but the government…”

“Yes. He seemed to be very worried about that part.”

“I see.”

Moyong Gun nodded.

“I understand. Then, when did he say he would return?”

“I think he’ll be back after the sun goes down.”

“I see. Then I’ll come back then.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Ah, and I heard that one of the Myulsa Army soldiers was seriously injured. I heard he’s a disciple of the Sword Saint?”

“Okcheong. Fortunately, he’s regained consciousness. It’s still difficult for him to move, though.”

Moyong Gun nodded.

“Make sure he’s well taken care of so that he doesn’t have any aftereffects. He’s a disciple of the Sword Saint, so he’ll probably take care of himself, but you never know.”

“…I understand.”

Even though so many of his subordinates had died, he was this worried about the condition of one Myulsa Army soldier.

This wasn’t because he was generous. To Moyong Gun, the Myulsa Army and the Tangma Army were no different. It was just that the people managing them were different.

“Then, I’ll be going now. You also take good care of yourself. You never know when orders might come down.”

Muk Bi’s eyes gleamed.

“I understand.”

Moyong Gun left.

Watching Moyong Gun disappear, Muk Bi muttered to herself.

“…Am I too clumsy, or are those people’s capacities too great?”

* * *

Beom Oh’s eyes widened.

“Great Leader Yeon!!”

Beom Oh’s booming voice was no different from a lion’s roar.

But Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t even blink. He didn’t even turn his gaze to Beom Oh.

He just glared at the old man with endlessly cold eyes, and there was even a hint of madness in his gaze.

The old man spoke.

“Did you say Beom Oh?”

“Yes? Ah, yes!”

“Stop it.”

“B-But, Grandmaster!”

At that moment, a strange light flashed in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.

Grandmaster. It was a term usually used for the master’s master, but it was also used for the great elders of the older generation.

In other words, that old man was at least a former high monk of Shaolin, and could even be a high monk from the generation before that.

Logically speaking, the probability of him being from the previous generation was high. It was rare to see someone from the generation before that in any sect. Most of them had either died of old age or had gone into seclusion to cultivate themselves in places where no one could find them.

But somehow, the strange aura emanating from the old man’s body was unusual. Looking at his unique atmosphere, which made it difficult to guess his age, and the fact that he had mastered the inner energy of Buddhism but still had a hint of secularity, it seemed that he had put down the Buddhist scriptures for a long time.

However, one thing was clear: the old man in front of him was someone of an age that no one could treat lightly.

The old man straightened his posture.

“You’re right. Not only did I suddenly appear out of nowhere, but I also played a terrible prank without realizing it. I will definitely apologize for that.”

“…”

“Let me introduce myself first. I am a person named Tamgyeong.”

Tamgyeong.

The name was an extremely strange combination of Chinese characters. If you translated the meaning directly, it meant a person who seeks scriptures, but it was not a character that could be used as a person’s name.

“Why? Is my name strange?”

“…”

“Hahaha, in fact, I don’t know my secular name. I just named myself after what I do now. My Dharma name when I was in Buddhism was Gakryo.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s pupils subtly dilated.

‘Gakryo? The Gak generation!’

The generation of the current abbot of Shaolin is Gong.

Above that is the Mu generation of the legendary Master Mu Heo of Shaolin, and above the Mu generation is the Gak generation, which is the generation before that.

In other words, the old man, Tamgyeong, was a figure from the generation before the previous one in Shaolin. In a way, he had met the greatest elder of the martial world, who was even harder to meet than the powerhouses of Seongcheon.

But Yeon Ho-jeong’s surprise ended there.

“I know your name. Now, explain why you threatened me with the government.”

Beom Oh’s body trembled faintly.

Not just because it was Shaolin, but in any sect, it was normal to treat an elder from the generation before the previous one with respect. Regardless of the strength of their martial arts, they were living witnesses of history.

Yet Yeon Ho-jeong was not respecting the Grandmaster at all. Beom Oh found it hard to contain his rising anger.

On the other hand, Tamgyeong burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha! You’re a truly straightforward junior. Yes, the world has changed so much. I was holed up in a cave, cut off from the secular world, without even realizing how much time had passed, and now the world has brought forth such amazing people again.”

“…”

“Good. I’ll tell you. But before that, I’d like you to answer one question.”

“Ask.”

“I’ll be clear. This question might be a secret that you want to hide. Of course, it’s just my guess, but if what I think is correct, you’re a truly extraordinary person.”

Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.

“I don’t like wasting time. If you have something to ask, ask it quickly.”

“Hahaha! I understand, I understand.”

At that moment, Tamgyeong’s eyes changed.

The change was so impressive that even Yeon Ho-jeong, the great man of the world, felt a chill down his spine.

An atmosphere that could not be created by martial arts or inner energy.

The eyes of a strange and madman who had devoted his life to finding only one purpose.

“Who is your master?”

“…?!”

“Is it a difficult question? Then I’ll ask the question again.”

Tamgyeong’s eyes shone like the sun.

“Did you master the Four Divine Beasts?”