Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 43

Gang-Yoon’s face flushed red.

“Are you saying you’re going to remove me from the Unit Leader position?”

“You should consider yourself lucky.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong raised his fist.

Whoooosh.

Intense energy surged from his fist.

Gang-Yoon, about to speak again, was momentarily startled.

‘How can this be?!’

The energy emanating from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist was truly immense. So immense, in fact, that it far surpassed his own, the Flying Eagle Unit Leader’s, internal energy.

“I’d like to break your limbs and throw you out, but a fist is only for those who are worth it.”

“……!”

“You’re not even worth a punch.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned to Yoo Ji-Ha.

Yoo Ji-Ha was startled.

“Are my words not clear enough?”

“I-I’m sorry!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s gaze was incredibly fierce. Yoo Ji-Ha’s feet moved on their own.

Gang-Yoon’s lips twitched.

“You’re making a big deal out of this.”

“Don’t overestimate yourself. It’s not something that’s going to blow up because of someone like you. I’m more baffled by the higher-ups who were so careless as to put you in that position.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled coldly.

“You’re so eager to handle things according to the rules you love so much. Just shut up and wait.”

“……Even if you are the eldest son, you cannot remove me from the Unit Leader position.”

“That’s why I called the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head instead of killing you right away, isn’t it? And didn’t I tell you to wait? I think I’ve said all I need to say, so there’s no need to keep babbling.”

Gang-Yoon bit his lip.

“I was only doing what was best for the Yeon family!”

“And I’m trying to dismiss you for the sake of the main family.”

“Small organizations come together to form a large organization! An organization will fall apart if it’s not governed by laws and rules! Some sacrifices are necessary to achieve a complete organizational structure!”

“You’re trash.”

“W-What did you say?”

“Why aren’t you bearing the sacrifices, when you should be a role model for the unit members?”

“……!!”

“You’re flexible with yourself but harsh on others, a typical petty person. It’s because someone like you is in charge that the Flying Eagle Unit’s performance is so sluggish.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his head.

“Isn’t that right?”

There was no one where he was looking.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong continued to speak without hesitation.

“Since I’ve already called the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head, my father will also hear about this. Please show yourself.”

It was then.

Swoosh.

Gang-Yoon and the Flying Eagle Third Squad were startled.

From the shaded area next to the grand training ground’s weapon storage, a man appeared.

He was tall and had a sturdy build. However, his face was covered by a mask, except for his eyes, making it difficult to discern his features. Judging by his eyes, he looked to be around forty years old.

The man spoke.

“You knew?”

“I didn’t. But I felt a slight fluctuation of energy a moment ago.”

“Impressive.”

“It’s nothing.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said with a smile.

“Are you Wang-Jeon?”

“I am.”

Gang-Yoon’s eyes widened.

Wang-Jeon was the chief bodyguard of the family head, Yeon-Wi. The one who was in charge of guarding the Yeon family head was called the Royal Guard. [The Royal Guard is an elite position, tasked with the personal protection of the family head.]

Wang-Jeon was the current Royal Guard. His skills were considered the best in the family, second only to the family head, Yeon-Wi.

“Do you have something to say?”

Wang-Jeon shook his head.

He only shook his head at the eldest son’s words. It seemed to go against etiquette, but the Royal Guard was allowed to do so. The Royal Guard was a special individual who only listened to the family head’s orders.

“Go and tell my father that it seems like I’ll be causing some trouble today.”

Wang-Jeon, who had been silently watching Yeon Ho-Jeong, spoke.

“I have a question.”

“Please ask.”

“If the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head does not find the Flying Eagle Unit Leader guilty, what will you do?”

He didn’t know why he was asking such a question, but Yeon Ho-Jeong answered honestly.

“I’ll have no choice but to kidnap Gang and make sure he can never function as a human again.”

Wang-Jeon’s eyes flashed with a strange light.

Gang-Yoon also looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I’d like to overturn everything, including the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head, but I’m not the family head. But it’s not right for me to be disappointed in the family because of such fools, is it?”

“……”

“Does that answer your question?”

Wang-Jeon nodded.

Yeon Ho-Jeong pointed at the Flying Eagle Third Squad.

“Please also ask my father to find a clinic nearby. The condition of these kids is terrible.”

“You knew?”

“I only found out today. I was also too indifferent, so I bear a great responsibility.”

Wang-Jeon’s gaze became strange.

Wang-Jeon, who had been quietly watching Yeon Ho-Jeong, left after saying one thing.

“The Flying Eagle Unit Leader will receive severe punishment.”

Gang-Yoon’s face turned pale.

These were the words of the Royal Guard, one of the best martial artists in the Yeon family. The sense of crisis he had vaguely felt was now hitting him hard.

“Why… why?!”

“You still don’t understand?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said, looking at the members of the Flying Eagle Third Squad.

“Your standardized training has severely damaged the bones and muscles of your squad members.”

“W-What?!”

“You didn’t even know that, yet you were talking about organization and units?”

Gang-Yoon looked at the Flying Eagle Third Squad in a fluster.

They bit their lips and avoided Gang-Yoon’s gaze.

“That’s what it means to be incompetent. I don’t know how you trained the unit, but the members’ blood vessels are not normal. They were put into training without even receiving proper treatment after being injured.”

“……!”

“How can you be a Unit Leader when you don’t even know the physical condition of each member?”

Gang-Yoon’s face turned pale.

Even in the ancient Three Kingdoms era, injured soldiers were not allowed to participate in training to maintain the unit’s strength. But he had been too insensitive to the individual tendencies and health of his unit members.

And yet, he had punished them with torture-like penalties for training during their rest time, under the pretext of insubordination.

He was unfit to be a Unit Leader.

Shortly after, the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head arrived at the grand training ground.

“Eldest Son?!”

“Please wait a little longer. There are still many people who need to come.”

“W-What do you mean?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong glared at Gang-Yoon.

Gang-Yoon’s face was pale, almost blue.

“You like collective responsibility, don’t you?”

That day, almost all the units and organizations that made up the Yeon family gathered at the training ground.

That day, Yeon Ho-Jeong revealed Gang-Yoon’s incompetence in front of everyone.

Gang-Yoon was also human. He must have known that his unit management was not normal. He had just chosen the easy path for himself.

When that fact was revealed in front of everyone, even the most thick-skinned person couldn’t bear it. Gang-Yoon eventually knelt down, receiving the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head’s cold gaze.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong did not only blame Gang-Yoon.

He summoned those who had taught Gang-Yoon and those who had learned with him. Then, he thoroughly investigated each of their organizations to see if anything similar to what happened in the Flying Eagle Unit had occurred.

The results were shocking.

There were three organizations that were even worse than the Flying Eagle Unit. In one of those organizations, a member had even been killed and buried for a minor offense.

It was like a bolt out of the blue. The entire unit had kept their mouths shut to hide the truth, so it could have been covered up as a disappearance.

Neither the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head nor Yeon-Wi, who heard about the situation late, had any idea that such a thing had happened within the family.

For more than five days after that, the atmosphere in the Yeon family was as tense as a bomb about to explode.

Those who had participated in the wrongdoings, those who had committed corruption, and those who had secretly helped them were all exposed. They were thoroughly punished according to the Yeon family’s laws.

The same was true for Gang-Yoon.

Gang-Yoon’s crime was not actually a serious one. However, his unit management was poor, and he had not taken proper care of his unit members. In other words, his incompetence and lack of communication were the main issues.

However, his remarks were a bigger problem.

No one knew whether Wang-Jeon had reported it or the members of the Flying Eagle Third Squad had. However, the Law Enforcement Pavilion saw Gang-Yoon’s behavior towards the eldest son as a much bigger problem than his incompetence.

It was only natural. Gang-Yoon’s words were practically insubordination.

The Yeon family’s laws were strict. As much authority as was given to the head of an organization, they had to bear a great responsibility.

Since someone as high as the Flying Eagle Unit Leader had committed insubordination against the family’s eldest son, it was not something that could be overlooked. The Law Enforcement Pavilion revoked Gang-Yoon’s internal energy and sentenced him to ten years in prison.

It was an excessive punishment. It also meant that the Law Enforcement Pavilion was taking this situation very seriously.

Thus, the Yeon family’s cold hammer of justice was swung against those who had committed crimes.

* * *

“Do you really think it’s excessive?”

“Yes.”

“I heard that you said you would punish the former Flying Eagle Unit Leader yourself if the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head did not find him guilty, is that right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then why do you say that the current punishment is excessive?”

“If the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head had not found Gang-Yoon guilty, it would have meant that the main family itself was corrupt. It wouldn’t have been just Gang-Yoon, but the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head and everyone else who should have been punished.”

“……”

“However, the Law Enforcement Pavilion Head found Gang-Yoon guilty. The charges were incompetence and insubordination.”

“That’s right.”

“Incompetence is one thing, but insubordination is a serious crime. In a war situation, it’s a serious crime that could warrant immediate execution.”

“That’s right. That’s why I revoked his internal energy and sentenced him to ten years in prison. The reason is that those in high positions must bear that much responsibility.”

“That’s correct, but it’s still excessive.”

“Tell me why.”

“Although it’s not exactly collective responsibility, it was the Yeon family that put Gang-Yoon in that position.”

“……”

“In the end, he was one of our family members. I don’t know if my father still thinks of him as family.”

“So, you want us to reduce the sentence a little?”

“Gang-Yoon received a more severe punishment than what is stated in the family law. I’m not saying we should reduce it, but if we’re going to follow the law, we should do it transparently and clearly.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled bitterly.

“In the end, wasn’t it Gang-Yoon who caused the trouble by interpreting the main family’s laws as he pleased?”

“……”

“If you’re not going to be flexible with the law, you shouldn’t be too harsh either. It will surely cause confusion among many people.”

“Do you really think so?”

“That’s what I think. I think the main family should be like that, even if other organizations aren’t.”

Yeon-Wi turned to Yeon Ji-Pyeong.

“What do you think?”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong, who had not expected to be asked, was startled.

However, he spoke as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Even if it’s not just about Unit Leader Gang… I think it’s a matter of someone’s life.”

“Hmm.”

“If someone has broken the rules, I think it’s right to give them the appropriate punishment.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong hesitated slightly before continuing.

“I believe the reason why the main family is called the Byeoksan family is because of its fair and honest handling of matters.”

Yeon-Wi nodded.

“That’s right. In fact, I also think that this ruling for Gang-Yoon is excessive.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong looked at Yeon-Wi with a puzzled expression. If he thought it was excessive, he could have adjusted the sentence himself, so he wondered why he had called them.

Yeon-Wi asked Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Are you okay with it?”

“Yes? With what?”

“Insubordination is a crime that can be greatly increased or decreased depending on the circumstances. You are the superior who was the target of the insubordination, so you could have killed Gang-Yoon if you wanted to.”

“That’s right.”

“But you’re telling me to reduce the sentence. I’m asking if you’re okay with that.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“I’m okay with it. Well, I did provoke him quite a bit. It’s a wonder I didn’t draw my sword.”

“If you had drawn your sword, it would have been immediate execution.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

The corners of Yeon-Wi’s mouth slightly turned up.

But it was only for a moment, and his face quickly became stern again.

“Alright. I will do as you say in this matter.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong was secretly surprised. On the other hand, Yeon Ho-Jeong listened to Yeon-Wi’s words with a calm face.

“Ho-Jeong.”

“Yes, Father.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and stood up.

“Please don’t make me work hard on things like this. It’s exhausting.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong shook Yeon Ho-Jeong’s arm in a fluster.

Yeon-Wi took a sip of his tea and said.

“I’ll pay more attention in the future.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s mouth dropped open.

“Then, I’ll go first.”

“What will you do tomorrow?”

“I’ll do what I’ve been doing.”

“Are you going to start that harsh training again?”

“I’m going to try changing the training method now.”

Yeon-Wi nodded.

“Come by before Hu-Gae arrives. I’ll check your martial arts. Ji-Pyeong, you too.”

The Yeon brothers left the family head’s room.

Yeon-Wi looked out the window. The brothers were laughing and heading towards their quarters, as if something was very funny.

A hint of regret lingered in Yeon-Wi’s eyes.

The object of that regret was, of course, Yeon Ho-Jeong.