Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 432

‘Ah! Grand Master?’

After spending a few days reorganizing and talking with Moyong Gun, Muk Bi seemed to have adopted the title ‘Grand Master’ instead of ‘Young Master’ when referring to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

‘You’ve returned.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face looked somewhat tired.

It didn’t seem like he had been in a battle, but his eyes showed the weariness of someone who had fought a hundred battles. It meant his mental fatigue was immense.

‘Did everything go well with your trip?’

‘Not bad.’

‘That’s a relief. You’ve worked hard.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Please rest for now.’

‘No, there’s something I need to do before resting.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong headed straight for the Tang Mercenary Unit’s quarters.

The huge estate, obtained through the efforts of the Beggars’ Union, was large enough to accommodate both the Myulsa Unit and the Tang Mercenary Unit. Of course, if the Tang Mercenary Unit hadn’t suffered losses, it would have been quite cramped.

‘Grand Master?’

Moyong Gun, who had been directing training, lowered his sword and approached. His face showed surprise.

‘Is your business finished?’

‘Yes.’

Moyong Gun turned and shouted.

‘Everyone, assemble!’

Thump, thump.

The Tang Mercenary Unit soldiers, who had been scattered, gathered and lined up in unison.

Unlike the rather free-spirited Myulsa Unit, the Tang Mercenary Unit was extremely disciplined. The atmosphere certainly suited Moyong Gun.

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke calmly.

‘You may rest now.’

Moyong Gun opened his mouth.

‘Immediately.’

Even at Moyong Gun’s words, the soldiers did not relax their posture. Only the rigid eyes of soldiers changed to the tired eyes of people.

Moyong Gun said with a smile.

‘Did everything go well?’

‘So-so. It seems I’ll have to stay here for a while.’

‘I see.’

Moyong Gun didn’t press further.

Yeon Ho-Jeong asked.

‘Where is it?’

It was a sudden question, but Moyong Gun understood him immediately.

‘I will guide you.’

‘Okay.’

In truth, there wasn’t much to guide. About fifty paces from the Tang Mercenary Unit’s training ground, there was a large altar with countless memorial tablets densely packed.

Yeon Ho-Jeong went to the altar and quietly looked around at the tablets.

The over two hundred tablets were about half the size of normal ones. They had to be reduced in size to fit on the altar.

After looking at the tablets for a while, Yeon Ho-Jeong knelt and lit incense.

Moyong Gun, who was nearby, and the Tang Mercenary Unit, who were lined up at a distance, all had their eyes fixed on Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Swoosh.

After lighting the incense, Yeon Ho-Jeong slumped down on the spot and looked up at the tablets.

Moyong Gun opened his mouth.

‘Grand Master.’

‘Go do your work.’

‘Pardon?’

‘Weren’t you in the middle of training? Finish it. Don’t mind me.’

‘…Understood.’

Moyong Gun returned to the training ground and lined up the Tang Mercenary Unit.

‘Start again from the middle formation!’

‘Yes!’

Thus, Moyong Gun and the Tang Mercenary Unit focused on their training.

Meanwhile, Yeon Ho-Jeong carefully looked at each name written on the tablets.

‘There are so many.’

So many subordinates had died.

He knew the Tang Mercenary Unit had a large number of members, but he was struck by the reality of it. Too many subordinates had died.

It was the first deployment since the integration into the Righteous Army. Given the nature of the mission, he expected casualties. No, that would be the case for any mission.

However, there was one thing Yeon Ho-Jeong felt sorry for.

‘Your deaths are not in vain. But if I hadn’t let him get away, you wouldn’t have died either.’

That place where he first met Sama Hyeon.

Among the two people who ambushed that place, Yayul Jeok and So Bang, the one he had to catch was Yayul Jeok.

Of course, So Bang was more deeply involved with the Demonic Sound Cult. That was evident from the existence of the Blood Sound Evil Art and the Blood Sound Palm.

However, for the peace of Guangdong, Yayul Jeok was more important than So Bang. So, catching Yayul Jeok was the priority, and So Bang was next.

Yeon Ho-Jeong missed that. Sama Hyeon’s sudden action? It was his fault for not seeing that far ahead. In the end, letting Yayul Jeok escape was his mistake.

That mistake cost the lives of two hundred subordinates.

‘Truly, it’s not easy.’

Even during his time as the Dark Emperor, he had lost countless subordinates.

Some say that the shock of losing close friends, subordinates, or superiors is immense, but that one gradually gets used to it over time.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was different.

Even during his time as the Dark Emperor, and even now.

The experience of losing subordinates was something he could never get used to. He could only make his expression more calm and hide his heart that felt like it was being torn apart more easily. The intensity of the pain only deepened with time.

‘How many more subordinates will I lose in the future?’

As the leader of a unit, such experiences were his fate.

‘How many subordinates’ names must I hold in this small head?’

Every time subordinates died, Yeon Ho-Jeong memorized all their names.

It wasn’t for any particular grand reason. The dead are silent. They can’t help, nor can they hurt. He couldn’t know what they wanted.

However, the only thing Yeon Ho-Jeong could do for them was to never forget their names until he died.

From his time as the Dark Emperor who ruled the Dark Emperor’s Castle until now.

His head was engraved with the names of over tens of thousands of subordinates. He memorized which organization and department they belonged to in the Dark Emperor’s Castle and what they did.

He wanted to remember.

To prevent the dead from dying a second death, Yeon Ho-Jeong, as a leader who governed others, tried never to forget their names. He knew that true death was the moment when one was forgotten by everyone.

‘I know you wrote wills before you went into battle. I dare to guess that my name wasn’t written in those wills. If so, then all I can do is remember you.’

After looking at the tablets for a long time, Yeon Ho-Jeong quietly moved his lips.

The brainpower of someone who had completed the Divine Art of Death was on a different level from that of ordinary people. Before the issue of application or creativity, the capacity of his brain was optimized for storing things.

That was why Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t store useless knowledge or information.

The reason he didn’t know about the Four Directional Martial Arts or the secret elixirs of each sect was because he didn’t try to store them in his head in the first place.

Instead, his head was filled with countless names.

And those many names gave him an unforgettable sense of responsibility every moment.

Yeon Ho-Jeong closed his eyes.

With his eyes closed, he repeated the names of the subordinates he had stored in his head countless times. So that there wouldn’t be even a moment of hesitation, so that when asked who that subordinate was, the name would come out immediately without any hesitation.

That was how Yeon Ho-Jeong memorized the names of his subordinates.

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t leave the spot even when night fell. He didn’t leave even when dawn broke the next day.

Three days passed like that.

The Tang Mercenary Unit soldiers, who initially looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong with confused eyes, began to feel worry and admiration as time passed.

Was it for show? Someone of Byuk San Ho Jang’s stature didn’t need to do that. He was a person who wouldn’t do anything that didn’t come from his heart, even if a knife was held to his throat.

Still, if he were a human, it would be right to at least pretend to be sad in front of the remaining subordinates. The soldiers thought so, and they actually understood Yeon Ho-Jeong’s actions that way.

They were wrong.

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t drink a single drop of water for three days. He didn’t sleep, and with his eyes closed, he constantly repeated the names of the dead soldiers.

It was definitely not an act for show. It was not easy to mourn like that, even for a blood relative, or even for a blood relative.

On the third day.

As the Tang Mercenary Unit’s training was about to finish, Yeon Ho-Jeong rose from his seat.

Even the best martial artist would stagger if they suddenly stood up after sitting in the same position for three days. Moreover, Yeon Ho-Jeong still hadn’t drunk a single drop of water.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s posture was not shaken at all.

He was much more gaunt and noticeably thinner than three days ago, but his eyes were deeper and calmer.

Moyong Gun, who was watching Yeon Ho-Jeong, tapped the floor with his sword hilt.

Thump. Thump.

The entire Tang Mercenary Unit lined up in formation.

It was the same place and the same posture as three days ago. However, the way they looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong was completely different from three days ago.

Yeon Ho-Jeong walked towards his quarters without looking back at them.

Then, Moyong Gun spoke.

‘Grand Master.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong stopped walking and turned to Moyong Gun without a word.

Moyong Gun smiled and asked.

‘Is there anything else you would like to order?’

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Moyong Gun for a moment, then glanced at the soldiers and said.

‘Don’t die.’

As soon as those words were finished, the entire Tang Mercenary Unit bowed their heads.

‘Understood!’

Their resounding voices shook the entire estate.

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled and resumed walking.

The Tang Mercenary Unit remained bowed for a long time after Yeon Ho-Jeong disappeared. Not a single one of them tried to straighten their backs.

It was respect.

There were no eloquent words, nor did he control them with terrifying authority. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s actions were able to draw genuine admiration and loyalty from them.

Sometimes, actions can convey intentions without misunderstanding better than words.

It wasn’t an intentional act, but in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s actions, the Tang Mercenary Unit could see another leader they would serve for a long time.

‘Immediately.’

Only after Moyong Gun’s words did the Tang Mercenary Unit straighten their backs.

‘Training is over for today. Everyone, go back and rest.’

‘Yes.’

The Tang Mercenary Unit quietly dispersed.

On the way to his quarters.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been repeating the names of his dead subordinates, suddenly looked up at the sky.

Whoosh.

Unlike the usual weather in Guangdong, today was quite dry. The wind was cool, making it pleasant to walk.

And in that sky, a long cloud was wriggling like a dragon.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s pupils dilated.

‘A Yellow Dragon.’

He recalled his conversation with Tam Gyeong.

‘I’ll visit you soon. You’re not going to leave until you see Guangdong properly straightened out, are you? Let’s meet again in a few days.’

‘Let me ask you one thing.’

‘Ask me anything.’

‘Why are the Buddhist monks so obsessed with immortality? Regardless of whether such a method exists or not, isn’t it an undesirable action for someone who has devoted themselves to Buddhism?’

‘Haha, it may seem that way. No, if you think about it deeply, you are not wrong.’

‘You know it, yet you do it?’

‘It would be a sin. But there must be something in the secret of immortality that is connected to the secret of reincarnation. We are just trying to approach it academically.’

‘Do you think it will really end with an academic approach?’

‘It must.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been looking up at the sky with deep eyes, frowned and muttered.

‘Life is only lived once, so it can be intense, you foolish monks. Immortality, reincarnation, none of that matters. It’s enough if someone remembers my name.’