Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 485

“What, what did you say?!”

It was Seung-Hyeon Jin-In who showed a surprisingly emotional reaction.

Jeagal Mun-Ho looked at Seung-Hyeon Jin-In and said,

“I thought you would be taken aback.”

“Military Advisor, is that really true?”

“Yes, it is. He himself wanted it, and I also think it’s not a bad idea.”

“No, after all the hardships the Commander has endured, what more are you trying to make him do? And the Mukryong Unit, of all places? What reason do you have to send the Commander there?”

“It’s not to fight or to gauge reactions.”

“Then?”

“Rather, I’m thinking of sending him to act as a bridge between our alliance and the Mukryong Unit.”

“…A bridge?”

“Yes. Temporarily, I think it would be good to send Commander Yeon Ho-Jeong to be by the Mukryong Unit Leader’s side.”

Bang!

Deung Cheon-Gyo slammed the table.

“I don’t know if my ears are playing tricks on me… Say that again.”

“I’m thinking of dispatching Commander Yeon to the Mukryong Unit.”

“Dispatch?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You said dispatch? To the Mukryong Unit, that black-hearted alliance? Not infiltration, but dispatch?”

“That’s correct.”

“Not to take the heads of the Mukryong Unit’s leadership, nor to disrupt them, but to send him to create a bridge between our alliance and them?”

“You understand perfectly.”

Deung Cheon-Gyo shouted.

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho tilted his head.

“I thought you would be surprised, but I didn’t expect this kind of reaction. Is there a problem with my choice of words?”

“Problem? This man is completely out of line now! Does the Military Advisor really not know what kind of organization the Mukryong Unit is?!”

“I know. It’s an alliance formed by the strongest black-hearted expert, Tu Wang Yang Cheon, who unified the scattered black factions.”

“That’s not all there is to it!”

“That’s right. It’s a dangerous organization. Not to mention Yang Cheon, there are many experts who have gathered due to his status and absolute martial prowess.”

“That’s why, in the past, the Military Advisor himself said we should keep the Mukryong Unit in check!”

“That’s right. We even had Commander Yeon and some other experts infiltrate as spies.”

“The Mukryong Unit is an organization that can never coexist with us! To send a dispatch to such an organization, not even as a spy? Is that even a reasonable thing to say?!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho didn’t try to provoke Deung Cheon-Gyo.

He looked around and asked,

“Do the others also have similar thoughts as Elder Deung?”

There was no answer, but most of the Bonggong members showed signs of discomfort.

It was natural. This wasn’t a matter of wisdom or insight.

The white and black paths were incompatible.

No matter how different their actions had been in the past, the history between the Murim Alliance [a righteous martial arts alliance], a white path alliance, and the Mukryong Unit, a black path alliance, was too brutal for them to hold hands and dream of a bright future.

They were opponents who could stab you in the back at any moment. That’s what they thought. Not only them, but all the people of the white path would think so.

Conversely, the black path was no different. They were busy cursing the white path Murim people as treacherous and unprincipled snobs.

They lived in such different worlds. No matter how brilliant their minds were, their antipathy towards each other was so severe that they didn’t even want to use their minds.

Bok Ho cautiously opened his mouth.

“The Military Advisor must have a reason.”

“We shouldn’t convene a meeting without a plan. I know that all the Bonggong members are busy.”

“However, the words the Military Advisor spoke are stuck in my heart. Dispatch, and a bridge… It sounds as if our alliance and the Mukryong Unit are no longer enemies, but allies.”

Yong Hwa Jin-In interjected with a sharp voice.

“That’s absolutely unacceptable. An alliance with those black path bastards? The Military Advisor should know. The commander of the Righteous Army is a very capable person. To dispatch such a person to the Mukryong Unit? What organization in the world would dispatch a corps-level figure to enemy territory?”

Although the number of soldiers under his command was just over five hundred, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s actual position was comparable to that of a corps commander.

In other words, he was a commander of an army with special forces. The Righteous Army of the Yugun Unit was worthy of such an evaluation.

At Yong Hwa Jin-In’s words, the Bonggong members all chimed in.

“That’s not wrong.”

“We should be careful about our relationship with the Mukryong Unit.”

“That’s nonsense! They will definitely stab us in the back!”

“I know the Military Advisor’s abilities well… but I’m worried that this might be a somewhat unreasonable decision.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho listened to their words silently.

He looked at Gong Gong Dae-Sa and asked,

“Abbot Dae-Sa, do you have anything to say?”

Gong Gong Dae-Sa looked at Jeagal Mun-Ho with profound eyes.

A gaze that was difficult to read. But his endlessly clear eyes were definitely different from the other Bonggong members.

“I just want to know the Military Advisor’s thoughts.”

“I understand. Then, I will tell you.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho looked at Yong Hwa Jin-In and asked,

“You said we shouldn’t join hands with the Mukryong Unit, is that right?”

“Did I say anything wrong?”

“That’s right.”

“What, what did you say?!”

“We must join hands with the Mukryong Unit. No, we have no choice but to join hands.”

“Military Advisor, you!”

“I’m rather wondering why the Bonggong members are so shocked. Haven’t I mentioned this before? That we might have to form a temporary friendly treaty with the Mukryong Unit, depending on the circumstances?”

He had definitely said that.

However, more than half of the Bonggong members had not voiced it, but they believed that such a thing would never happen and should never happen.

An alliance between the white and black paths?

For hundreds of years, no, since before that, they had been at war with each other. Of course, they had joined hands a few times in the face of the upheavals of the times, but most of those alliances were broken by the black path’s schemes.

Naturally, they couldn’t trust the black path. Moreover, all the Bonggong members here were people who had fought against the villains of the black path while traveling the Jianghu [the martial world] in their youth.

It was inevitable that they would feel repulsed.

“I understand. I know that the Bonggong members are troubled. You may not believe it, but I feel the same way. But…”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s face was as stiff as if he were wearing a mask.

“If we were to stand by and watch the world burn because of face, future threats, anger, and disgust, I believe that would be against the spirit of cooperation. The reason is that we may die honorably, but the powerless common people should not.”

It was a way of speaking that left them speechless. Even the hot-tempered Deung Cheon-Gyo and Yong Hwa Jin-In, who had been raising their voices, were at a loss for words.

“You must see the situation correctly. We have to fight against groups that are unprecedented in the history of the Murim. If even one of those groups were to rise up, the Murim Alliance could be annihilated. And there are three such groups.”

“…”

“A temporary alliance with the Mukryong Unit is inevitable. Without their strength… no, even with their life-risking will, the fight will not be easy.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho lowered his head.

“Please. Think of the lives of the powerless who will be burned and disappear right now. It may be uncomfortable and infuriating, but I hope you will deeply understand that we must join forces.”

There was a moment of silence.

Namgoong In, the head of the Namgoong family, who had been quiet until now, asked,

“I understand what the Military Advisor is saying. However, there is something we must clarify.”

“Please, speak.”

“Yang Cheon is a dangerous man. I know that he is a man who is worthy of being called a ‘hero’ among the black path, but in the end, he is still a beast that will bite off flesh if he sees an opening.”

“I think so too.”

“I agree with a temporary friendly treaty. At least, I do. But if we can’t closely observe Tu Wang Yang Cheon’s reaction, I think the friendly treaty is dangerous.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho smiled.

“You have spoken correctly.”

“In other words, in my opinion…”

“That’s why we need to dispatch Commander Yeon.”

Namgoong In frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s because Tu Wang Yang Cheon, the Mukryong Unit Leader, has a favorable view of Commander Yeon Ho-Jeong.”

“…?!”

What was this about?

Looking at the faces of the Bonggong members, filled with bewilderment, Jeagal Mun-Ho finally felt that the time had come.

The time had come to reveal one of the many secrets that only he, Yeon Ho-Jeong, and Yeon-Wi knew.

“In fact, the Mukryong Unit Leader is coveting Commander Yeon Ho-Jeong.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho told them about the events that had occurred between Yeon Ho-Jeong and Yang Cheon.

Of course, he never provoked the emotions of the Bonggong members. It was a story that had been hidden, but it was also a very trivial matter. There was no point in making it sound like a great secret, as it would only cause discord among the Bonggong members.

“In other words.”

Bok Ho said with a dazed expression,

“From the time he infiltrated as a spy, Leader Yang has favored Commander Yeon, and even when they met again, he couldn’t let go of his desire to have him as a subordinate, even engaging in a martial arts match?”

“You have seen it correctly. As the Bonggong members know, Leader Yang’s insight is second to none. Perhaps it’s only natural. It may be natural for the leaders of the Jianghu to covet a talent like Commander Yeon.”

Deung Cheon-Gyo said sarcastically,

“How could he not, being the best of the younger generation?”

“That’s right.”

“Doesn’t the Military Advisor think about this? That he is even more dangerous because he is such a talented person.”

“What do you mean?”

“A beauty knows she is beautiful. A genius knows he is outstanding.”

Deung Cheon-Gyo continued in a sharp tone.

“What if Commander Yeon really goes over to Leader Yang? What will you do then?”

The air in the conference room froze for a moment.

Deung Cheon-Gyo was indeed saying something very sensitive. Yeon-Wi, who had been listening to the conversation without any change in expression, even had a noticeably hardened face.

Seung-Hyeon Jin-In said,

“Elder Deung, your words were harsh. Commander Yeon Ho-Jeong’s nature is as pure and clean as his martial arts.”

“You can know the depth of ten fathoms of water, but you can’t know the heart of a man.”

“Elder Deung.”

It was then.

Jeagal Mun-Ho said with a smile,

“Then, why don’t we test him this time?”

“What do you mean?”

“I will send Commander Yeon to each of the Bonggong members here, one by one.”

“What, what did you say?!”

All the Bonggong members were surprised.

“Are you worried about Commander Yeon’s martial arts? Then test him. Are you suspicious of Commander Yeon’s ideology? Then talk to him.”