Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 488

“Father!”

“Yes, I heard.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho, leisurely sipping tea and reviewing documents, looked as composed as ever.

Jeagal Ayeon’s eyes wavered.

“Is this really okay? Are you sure it’s alright?”

“It’s alright.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho nodded, then gave a bitter smile.

“No, it’s not alright, actually. It can’t be alright. Imprisoning a Bonggong [a high-ranking member of the Martial Alliance] of the Martial Alliance is no small matter. It could be a case of inviting a flood later to put out a small fire now.”

“Exactly!”

“The problem is, that small fire could engulf the entire Martial Alliance.”

Jeagal Ayeon bit her lip.

She knew too. How important it was to catch the spy this time. If they failed, the information the spy leaked could lead to terrible consequences.

But… even considering that, it was far too dangerous.

“Wouldn’t it be better to explain the situation and find another solution? The Gongdong Sect is strong. Not just in martial prowess, but in influence as well. Especially in Gansu Province, the Gongdong Sect is…”

“A sect that wields influence even in Yumen Pass [a strategic pass on the Silk Road]. Which means, they also have a significant impact on the northern commercial sphere.”

“Exactly! If this fact becomes known to the outside world… !”

“We have to prevent it from becoming known. The Gongdong Sect will also try to keep it quiet. They wouldn’t just sit back and watch their reputation plummet.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho raised his head to look at Jeagal Ayeon.

“Ayeon-ah.”

“…Yes.”

“The position your father holds is one that receives more scorn than praise. Even if I use my wits to greatly help the Martial Alliance, the credit goes to the next Alliance Leader or the Bonggongs, not me.”

“…”

“But what if I fail? Then they’ll blame the Martial Alliance’s downfall on the incompetent Chief Strategist. That’s what the Chief Strategist’s position is like. Even if you do well, it’s just par for the course, but if you fail, you’ll be criticized more than anyone else.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho smiled.

“Yet, the reason I didn’t refuse the Bonggongs’ recommendation was because I, too, wanted to be of some help to the world. Regardless of my abilities, if the influence of our family and my humble wisdom could contribute to the peace of the world, I thought that would be a good thing, and that’s why I accepted this position.”

“I know.”

“I put everything else aside when I accepted this position. That’s why I’ve already started your brother on the path to becoming the family head. I am the Chief Strategist of the Martial Alliance before I am the head of the Jeagal family.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes flashed. The smile that had filled his face instantly transformed into the sternness of a resolute man.

“As Chief Strategist, I am prepared to bear all the disgrace. Even if it seems rash at times, or petty at others, I am prepared to endure everything for the sake of the world’s peace.”

“…”

“Of course, I won’t cross the line.”

Not crossing the line.

That meant he was prepared to do anything as long as he didn’t cross the line. In some ways, it sounded even more chilling than saying he would cross the line.

“If we fail to catch the spy, the Martial Alliance’s information will be delivered to the enemy. The Martial Alliance is a coalition of the righteous sects, but at the same time, it handles information from all over the Central Plains [the heartland of China]. In other words, they are easily obtaining all the information in the world with just one spy planted in the Alliance.”

“…”

“When I think about what they might do in this Central Plains, I wish I could throw not just the Gongdong Sect, but even the Shaolin Temple and Great Master Gong Gong into prison to find that spy.”

Jeagal Ayeon sighed.

“Are you really okay with that?”

“I’m not okay. But I have to do it.”

“Come to think of it, you and Ho-Jeong must have considered other methods as well. Yet, the fact that you chose this method means there must be a good reason for it.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho smiled.

He was proud of his daughter. Smart people tend to lack understanding, but his daughter was not like that.

That’s why he felt so sorry. It was in the past, but because of his incompetence in not refusing the arranged marriage proposed by the Namgoong family when the family was struggling, his daughter had almost suffered greatly.

She was a daughter he was always sorry for and grateful to.

That’s why he didn’t want her to walk the same path as him. It was the same for his son.

However, he thought he could tell his daughter.

What he and Yeon Ho-Jeong were seeing, what they wanted.

“It’s not just about the spy.”

“Yes?”

“If it were just about catching the spy, we could have taken more time. There was no need to set up such a reckless plan to catch them within a few days, or set up a trap.”

At least if it was just about catching the spy.

Jeagal Ayeon’s face showed confusion.

“That part was also puzzling to me. Of course, it’s better to catch the spy as soon as possible, but since we’ve already declared that we know of their existence, the spy wouldn’t be able to do anything reckless for the time being.”

“You saw that far, too.”

“Yes.”

“Then, what do you think is the reason we are rushing things so much, besides catching the spy?”

“…”

Jeagal Ayeon’s face turned serious.

In fact, she had also speculated up to this point. It wasn’t certain, but there was something more than just catching the spy. There was another reason she didn’t know, why they had to catch the spy as soon as possible.

But hearing it like this, it seemed there was another important matter besides catching the spy.

“I… I don’t know, Father.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho shook his head.

“No, with your wisdom, you can understand this problem well enough. It’s just that since I and Yeon Dae-Su are handling this, you haven’t bothered to think about it.”

“Yes?”

“Because you see your father as someone who doesn’t do anything rash unless he has to.”

Jeagal Ayeon had no idea what her father was talking about.

Jeagal Mun-Ho looked out the window.

Beyond dozens of buildings, a large, spacious three-story pavilion could be seen. A huge wall surrounded the pavilion, which felt both old-fashioned and somehow ominous.

It was the Martial Alliance’s Punishment Hall.

“The current Martial Alliance is precarious. On the outside, it looks splendid and powerful, but the inside is empty. If we’re not careful, even a single spark from a bonfire could cause it to burn down.”

“…?!”

“Its power is growing every moment, but the internal structure is weak. The reason for this is the Bonggongs.”

Jeagal Ayeon swallowed involuntarily.

She intuitively realized. That her father was sharing a chilling secret that he had not told anyone, only Yeon Ho-Jeong knew.

“We are not the Black Path [a term for evil or corrupt martial artists]. Nor are we the Imperial Palace, or the Blood Cult or Demonic Cult that have already disappeared. We are people who can listen, respect each other, and even admit our own mistakes.”

It might not seem like much, but those who know will understand. The more obvious something is, the harder it is to do.

A school teacher teaches children not to lie. But there is no one in the world who has never lied.

Conversely, it can be interpreted as meaning that keeping the ‘basics’ is that difficult.

“It was a misjudgment. It’s good to respect each other, but at the same time, the Martial Alliance is a huge martial organization. Where there is power, there are incidents. And how those incidents are resolved determines the future of countless people.”

“…”

“While the Bonggongs were being indecisive, saying they respect each other, the enemies were constantly growing stronger. We are the same, but if this situation continues, the Martial Alliance will become a foolish monster that doesn’t know where to wield its own power.”

“But… isn’t it because we are based on respect that we are different from the Black Path?”

“That’s right. It’s right to hope and dream for an ideal. Even if we don’t achieve the ideal, we are no different from beasts if we don’t pursue it. However…”

Jeagal Mun-Ho turned his gaze to Jeagal Ayeon.

Jeagal Ayeon suddenly saw in her father’s eyes a deep fatigue and a strong will to solve the problems of reality.

“We must look at ideals and reality differently. I have realized that.”

How could someone like Jeagal Mun-Ho not know that? What he meant now was that he had finally felt what he had only known in his head.

“We must still dream of ideals. We must take one step at a time towards those ideals. But we must not ignore reality. A future-oriented mindset that ignores reality causes serious problems. Just like the current Martial Alliance.”

“…Then, what kind of Martial Alliance do you think it should be?”

“We need a governing system where a leader with strong authority rules.”

“… !”

“Of course, that leader must be highly capable. And they must have no moral flaws. Not just no flaws, but they must have a much clearer moral ideal than others.”

“…”

“Furthermore, they need a strong decisiveness that is not swayed by the morals of reality. In other words, the leader must be someone who can wisely see the line between morality and reality, and yet not exclude morality. And the Bonggongs must follow such a leader.”

Jeagal Ayeon’s eyes wavered.

“Such a leader…”

“Doesn’t exist, not now.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho said definitively.

“Currently, there is no suitable person. But just because there is no such person, we cannot just stand by and watch the Martial Alliance fall. As a strategist, I have a duty to create a solid environment until such a leader takes office.”

“A solid environment?”

“It’s to remove the Bonggongs who cause discord.”

Jeagal Ayeon was startled.

“Re, remove them?!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho smiled.

“My choice of words was a bit harsh. ‘Remove’ doesn’t mean actually killing or imprisoning the Bonggongs. It means giving them a political death sentence, so they can’t participate in the Martial Alliance’s politics.”

“…!!”

“No matter who becomes the leader, we must ensure that the Martial Alliance does not lose its purpose. To do that, even if it means losing some power right now, we must dig out all the people who are eating away at the Martial Alliance.”

“Th, then sending the Gongdong Sect’s leader to the Punishment Hall now is also part of that plan?!”

“Yes, it’s part of that plan. It was a plan that would have been difficult to attempt if it weren’t for Yeon Dae-Su.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes blazed.

“The Martial Alliance must change. We must catch the spy, remove the Bonggongs who cause discord, and create an organization of ‘true’ people who unite for peace and order. At least, the current Martial Alliance needs such measures.”

Once, Moyong Gun had said this to Jeagal Mun-Ho.

That he didn’t dislike him. Rather, he thought he was a person who was absolutely necessary for the Martial Alliance.

Moyong Gun cited Jeagal Mun-Ho’s tendency as the reason.

Jeagal Mun-Ho would do his best to ensure that the Martial Alliance functioned according to its purpose, even if someone else became the leader. It was the same even now, when there was no leader.

That was how Jeagal Mun-Ho was changing. The bleak reality, the frustrating situation, was making him act as the unknown strategist that Moyong Gun had seen.

“I will take all the blame. I will not share this responsibility with Great Master Gong Gong or Yeon Dae-Su. That is what a strategist is.”