Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 544

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Yang Cheon, who was drinking alone, offered his empty glass to Gang Ryang.

“Have a drink.”

“Pardon?”

“Why? Don’t you like alcohol much?”

Gang Ryang’s face showed bewilderment.

“Shouldn’t we be sending troops to the place you mentioned, sir? Why suddenly alcohol?”

“Troops are troops, and alcohol is alcohol. It’s good liquor, so have a drink.”

Gang Ryang, who had been quietly observing Yang Cheon, soon accepted the glass with a respectful posture.

Filling his glass, Yang Cheon said,

“It’s a bit sudden, but there’s something I want to say to you.”

“……?”

“I’m sorry.”

Gang Ryang tilted his head.

Looking at his puzzled expression, Yang Cheon spoke in a calm voice.

“Heuk-cheol, no, the master of the Guicheol Sword Sect was a magnificent hero. I knew well his upright character. I’ve even met him in person.”

“……”

“I had no choice but to annihilate your sect for my own desires. I apologize.”

“What is this?”

Gang Ryang’s eyes turned cold.

“Now that it’s come to this, how could I possibly feel good receiving an apology that doesn’t even contain sincerity?”

His voice was sharp. But no matter who the opponent was, Gang Ryang had the right to be so. In fact, it wouldn’t have been strange if he had cursed outright.

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“I am sincere. But I won’t care how you take my words.”

“……”

“It’s quite interesting when you think about it. I am me, and you are you. You are different from those sword practitioners of Botaam. You have a clear line and a goal. You are truly a remarkable person.”

“I’m sure you don’t mean it this way, but hearing such words doesn’t diminish my desire to kill you.”

“Of course, it shouldn’t. How could you forgive an invader who trampled on your family and home with just a few words? That’s a mindset that no one should have as a person, even before dreams and ambitions.”

Yang Cheon sighed.

“Isn’t it strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“You are a rare talent. I’m not talking about martial talent. Your fortitude, boldness, and the intense goal that isn’t outwardly visible are not something one would expect to see at your age.”

“……”

“Although we are enemies, I highly value your abilities.”

“Should I thank you for that?”

“But why didn’t I do that for my disciples?”

“……?!”

Yang Cheon leaned back in his chair.

“Even now, I still don’t regret my methods. I don’t regret the methods, but I do feel sorry for my disciples.”

“……”

“I don’t like ‘what ifs,’ but… if I had paid attention to each of them, I don’t think this mess would have happened. I just had that thought.”

Gang Ryang was bewildered.

The fact that this iron-willed ruler had such a side to him, and the reality that he was going out of his way to say these things to him.

Yang Cheon chuckled.

“The first one is a talented fellow. If we’re only talking about martial talent, I’d say he could be considered the best in the current martial world. But for such a guy to get involved in pointless political maneuvering, not to mention learning a bizarre technique like the Four Absorption Art…”

“……”

“As a disciple of the Fighting King, as a successor of the Mukryong Unit, was it so hard to focus on one path…?”

It’s a difficult thing. It would be difficult for anyone.

But if he was a disciple of the Fighting King Yang Cheon, if he had one of the strongest in the world as his master, if he had wanted to reach even the feet of such a master, he shouldn’t have looked around.

At least, that’s how it should have been when it came to martial arts.

“I am the head of the Mukryong Unit. The funny thing is, even I haven’t fully grasped all the secret places in this Mukryong Unit.”

“That’s understandable.”

Of course, he would know most of the passages and secret places. But there’s no need to know everything. His eyes and ears would be active everywhere.

“It seems the first one knew about passages I didn’t know about.”

“That must be the case.”

“That’s the problem. If, by any chance, he knows many passages I don’t know about, if, by any chance, he has joined hands with a third party I don’t know about.”

“……?!”

“Then, it’s safe to say that the Mukryong Unit is facing a rather dangerous situation right now.”

A look of surprise flickered across Gang Ryang’s face. He had been so focused on catching Yeop Seong that he had missed something important.

Yang Cheon chuckled.

“It’s just a ‘what if.’ Even if he really joined hands with a third party, the entire headquarters is under my control. In that situation, a third party infiltrating this place just because they know the passages? A place swarming with all sorts of experts?”

“If their infiltration skills are exceptional…”

“Even Deputy Yeon, who proved his exceptional infiltration skills, didn’t dare to think about sneaking in?”

“……Hmm.”

“The Mukryong Unit and the Martial Alliance are different. The Martial Alliance is entangled in countless interests. On the other hand, the Mukryong Unit is united around me, an absolute authority. Moreover, geographically speaking, escaping from the Mukryong Unit is several times more difficult than escaping from the Martial Alliance.”

“Then…?”

“Then, what do they want? If there’s a defensive measure, where does it exist?”

Gang Ryang’s eyes wavered.

“Could it be your…?!!”

Yang Cheon laughed heartily.

“I see why Deputy Yeon brought you along. You’re quite sharp.”

“T-This!”

Gang Ryang jumped up from his seat.

Yang Cheon waved his hand.

“There’s no need to rush. I’ve already sent people.”

“Yes?”

“Why do you think Deputy Yeon sent you to me? It must have been to ask me for reinforcements.”

“……!”

“You are an excellent swordsman, but Deputy Yeon must have thought it would be difficult for you to exert your full strength in this kind of battle. So he sent you, and asked me for reinforcements.”

“When exactly…?”

“When did I send them? The moment you finished your report. My personal guard, the Mukryong Squad, went directly.”

“……!!”

Yang Cheon emptied his glass.

He no longer smiled.

“Now, let’s leave that to them and go catch that troublemaker, the first one, shall we? Before the second one gets into danger.”

* * *

The man’s appearance was rather ordinary.

He was probably just over fifty? He didn’t seem very old, but he was slowly transitioning from middle age to old age.

“Impressive.”

The middle-aged man didn’t even glance at Yeon Ho-jeong, who had arrived. He was just poking a long iron cylinder with a rod-like metal object.

“The shrapnel poison bomb is an improved version of the Tang Clan’s Rain of Pear Blossom Needles. The diffusion range is similar, but the speed is faster. To dodge such a thing so lightly, it seems my life is also coming to an end today.”

“……”

“What’s your name?”

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t answer. He just stared at the man silently.

Only then did the man raise his head.

In that instant, Yeon Ho-jeong saw the man’s green eyes and was certain.

‘He’s a poison man.’

One of the levels that those who have trained in poison arts want to reach is that of a poison man. [A master of poison arts whose body has become highly resistant to poison, often to the point of being poisonous themselves.]

But the man was a poison man and yet not a poison man. To be precise, he was only half a poison man.

“An axe… Are you Yeon Ho-jeong?”

“Did Yeop Seong tell you?”

The man readily nodded.

“He did.”

“You admit it easily.”

“I may lack skill, but I pride myself on my ability to see people. Judging by your eyes and aura, Yeop Seong is finished.”

“Finished… So he’s still inside the Mukryong Unit?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“I didn’t. The Mukryong Unit is like a maze.”

“Haha, I’ve been talking too much for no reason. But well, it doesn’t matter.”

It doesn’t matter.

He was a man who didn’t cling to his life.

‘No, he’s already dead.’

His heart was dead. He was a person who had long lost the will to live.

“I am Hyo Geuk. I am skilled in using poison.”

“Hyo Geuk…”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes scanned Hyo Geuk’s face and physique.

Darkly tanned skin, deeply etched wrinkles, stiff hair, and even clothing that was somewhat different from that of the Central Plains.

“Are you from the Southern Man’s Five Poison Palace?”

“Southern Man… That’s not a very pleasant thing to hear.”

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“I’m sorry. I’ll take that back.”

Hyo Geuk laughed heartily.

“You’re an interesting fellow. You’re definitely different. I heard you subdued the Ironclad Unit in just a few days, and indeed, that’s not something that can be done just by being strong in martial arts.”

“Did Yeop Seong tell you that too?”

“Didn’t Yeop Seong approach you?”

“He did.”

“Why do you think he approached you?”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“He said some ridiculous things about wanting my support, so I figured he had an ulterior motive. He was planning to use me to get his hands on the Ironclad Unit.”

What Yeop Seong had said to Bu Seon about hearing rumors related to Yeon Ho-jeong was about the Ironclad Unit.

What Yeop Seong wanted was not Yeon Ho-jeong, but the Ironclad Unit.

Of course, it would have been good if Yeon Ho-jeong had supported him in the process.

“You knew less than I thought. It seems I’m telling you everything.”

“I didn’t have much information. But I did make some deductions.”

“I see.”

Clank!

Hyo Geuk, who had been poking the iron cylinder, threw the rod away.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s gaze turned cold.

“I’d like to hear more, but it seems you don’t intend to say any more?”

“Haha, it’s good that you’re quick-witted.”

“Since you’ve already given up on your life, why not tell me a bit more?”

“What is it that you want to know so much?”

“You’re the one who gave Yeop Seong the Four Absorption Art, and you’re the one who scattered that shrapnel poison bomb or whatever it’s called in this forest.”

“The Four Absorption Art… Yes, I gave it to him.”

“But you wouldn’t have known the Four Absorption Art from the beginning.”

Swoosh!

A reddish killing intent emanated from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.

“Is it the Evil Sound? Or the Mad Blood?”

Hyo Geuk’s face hardened.

“That’s truly an incredible killing intent. Even in our forest, there were no demonic beasts that emitted such killing intent.”

“I’ll ask again. Is it the Evil Sound, or the Mad Blood?”

“You know the Three Teachings well.”

“I’ll ask one last time.”

Screech.

Yeon Ho-jeong pointed his axe at Hyo Geuk.

In that instant, cold sweat began to break out on Hyo Geuk’s body.

Giving up on life was one thing, and the body’s reaction was another. As the tremendous killing intent focused on him, his body was reacting on its own.

“Is it the Evil Sound? Or the Mad Blood?”

“…I can’t tell you that. It’s a contract.”

“So it is one of the Three Teachings. Then it’s likely the Evil Sound.”

Hyo Geuk realized his mistake. His reason had been temporarily blown away by the storm of killing intent. That’s why he had unknowingly given away information.

“You didn’t just approach Yeop Seong, did you?”

Hyo Geuk smiled. A smile he was forcing, with his body trembling.

“You can investigate that yourself.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been staring at Hyo Geuk silently, then grinned.

“You improved the Tang Clan’s Rain of Pear Blossom Needles… Right, I heard from the Tang Clan Head. There were monsters in the far south that wouldn’t die even if their limbs were cut off.”

“……!!”

“I heard that he just melted their insides and killed them all.”

“…Shut up.”

Hyo Geuk’s eyes turned red.

“We are not monsters. We are a new… !”

“Why are you trying to die when you haven’t even gotten your revenge yet?”

“……?!”

“No, you’ve already gotten your revenge. You couldn’t kill the Tang Clan Head, but you succeeded in revenge in another way. That’s why you don’t cling to your life.”

Whoosh!

In that instant, a crimson flame of the Sun God began to blaze behind Yeon Ho-jeong’s back.

“You, did you mess with the Tang Clan too?”

“You fiend!”

Boom!

The shrapnel poison bomb exploded.