Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 593

‘This is the place.’

The Dang Clan’s prison had a total of three sections.

Moyong Gun, who had arrived at one of them, was surprised to see that the security was not as strict as he had expected.

‘There are many experts, but…’

The number of experts stationed from the entrance of the prison to the entire first floor exceeded fifty.

Having fifty experts stationed in just one prison, and only on one floor, was quite impressive. However, considering that this was the Ghost Prison (鬼獄) [a prison for the most serious criminals], where only the most serious criminals were held, it was a somewhat awkward number and level of force.

Moyong Gun’s eyes gleamed.

‘Just as the Dang Clan Leader said.’

He recalled his conversation with Tang Gwan.

‘It’s heavily guarded, but if you’re only thinking about breaking through the security, it’s not impossible. However, the real challenge begins after that. The Ghost Prison, which extends down to the fifth basement level, has increasingly more deadly poison traps and mechanisms waiting for you as you descend.’

‘Would it be impossible even for me?’

‘With your lightning energy (雷氣) [a type of internal energy], you might be able to manage somehow. However, the reason it’s called the Ghost Prison is that if you make a wrong move, the entire prison could collapse.’

‘……’

‘If you recklessly destroy things while trying to dismantle the formation, everyone we need to save will die. And you too.’

These were the words of Tang Gwan, a man of the world. Given the situation, there would be no exaggeration.

‘Still, I have to try.’

Moyong Gun took out a small pouch from his pocket. It was an item he had received from Yeon Ho-Jeong.

‘Rather than killing all those guys, it’s better to use this… Huh?’

Suddenly, Moyong Gun turned his head.

‘This energy…?’

A lightning-like true energy captured a familiar aura.

Surprise spread across Moyong Gun’s face.

“Dang Clan Leader?!”

* * *

Tang Gwan thought that things had changed a lot.

Whoosh!

The sky felt strangely dark.

Within the clan, nothing particularly significant had happened. The battle near the west wall outer compound had ended, as no more shockwaves were felt.

Yet, Tang Gwan could see it. The image of the clan burning.

The sturdy outer walls had crumbled, and countless buildings had collapsed.

Flames soared from the outer compound and various parts of the inner compound, and the well-trodden ground, having absorbed the blood of the clan members, appeared much darker than usual.

A scene of destruction.

That was how Tang Gwan saw the clan. The precarious atmosphere, as if it would collapse at any moment, made his nerves tense.

Rustle.

The hem of Tang Gwan’s clothes fluttered.

‘Black Wind, and Green Robe, I see.’

The movements of the experts heading towards the west wall were captured by his senses.

It was the Black Wind Squad and the Green Robe Squad. The most elite units of the Dang Clan’s inner compound, either one of which could wipe out most small to medium-sized sects in less than half an hour.

They were probably sent to capture Pae Yul. He didn’t need to see or hear to know that much.

‘As expected.’

If this decision truly came from Dang Ho’s mind, then Dang Ho had made a mistake.

Whether it was the Black Wind Squad or the Green Robe Squad, either one could capture a supreme master. It was entirely possible if they engaged in a life-or-death battle. They even had the Dang Clan’s secret poisons and hidden weapons.

The problem was whether a supreme master who had set foot on the sacred land of the Dang Clan would be foolish enough to engage in a frontal battle with such a force.

Dang Ho was currently evaluating the intruder solely based on their combat power. He was completely failing to read the intruder’s actions and movements.

‘You are not the right person for that position.’

It was then.

“Hah!”

The faces of the people coming and going in the outer compound turned pale.

“C, Clan Leader?!”

Tang Gwan ignored them. He was not in the mental state to acknowledge greetings.

He wished they would just pass by.

But reality was different.

“Clan Leader?! That man is a traitor!”

“Ah!”

“Quickly inform the inner compound! And everyone, stop him!”

Thwack! Thwack!

The warriors blocked Tang Gwan’s path.

Although they blocked his path, the distance was quite far. It was more than ten yards at a glance.

For experts in poison and hidden weapons, maintaining distance was essential. If you entered their range, thinking that poison and hidden weapons were invisible, you could die before even taking a breath.

Tang Gwan’s eyes scanned the warriors.

The warriors flinched. Some of them looked at Tang Gwan with pity.

However, their resolve was cold and sharp. They knew very well how to respond when an enemy invaded.

The warrior at the front shouted in a slightly trembling voice.

“The traitor of the clan, Tang Gwan, kneel in that spot!”

If only they had shouted with more vigor.

If they had, he would have sent a small praise to the descendants of the great Dang bloodline.

Tang Gwan asked.

“What did you say?”

“……?!”

“What did the traitor, Dang Ho, say that makes you call me a traitor?”

“S, Shut up!”

Swish.

The warrior drew a dagger from his waist. The blade of the dagger shone with a blue light, coated with Flying Serpent Poison (飛蛇毒) [a potent poison].

“Kneel and accept your arrest!”

“Surely, you don’t think I would follow those words, do you?”

“……!!”

“You have good courage. Well, what fault do you have? You are just deceived by the traitor’s plausible words, believing falsehoods to be the truth.”

Tang Gwan smiled.

It was a smile, but not a laugh. There was not even a sliver of joy in it.

“Put down your weapons.”

“……”

“I will not hold you accountable. At least, as long as you haven’t harmed civilians or violated the clan’s rules, I will never touch you.”

“Hurry, hurry and kneel!”

“That is what a Clan Leader is.”

Tang Gwan’s eyes darkened.

“A Clan Leader is one who takes responsibility for the clan. For one who takes responsibility for the clan, there is no distinction between direct and collateral lines.”

“……?!”

“It is human nature to be moved by one’s own bloodline. But for a Clan Leader, all members of the clan are his bloodline.”

“……”

“I am your father. A father has a duty to correct his children’s mistakes.”

The warriors’ faces were filled with shock.

Tang Gwan shook his head.

“Please, don’t make me raise my hand. Although you serve a different father than me, I understand you. That is also a mistake, but the root cause of that mistake lies with the culprit who made you make that wrong decision.”

“……”

“Disarm yourselves.”

His voice, calm as could be, was stained with tears of blood.

The warrior at the front bit his lip.

“Don’t confuse us with your wicked words! We know that you betrayed the main family and tried to hand over Sichuan to foreign powers!”

“Did Dang Ho say that?”

“Do not dare speak the Clan Leader’s name so carelessly!”

Tang Gwan sighed quietly.

Trying to hand over Sichuan to foreign powers? He was the one who looked down on everyone, even the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance], with his nose in the air.

‘It’s my fault.’

He didn’t know how Dang Ho had incited the clan members. No matter how persuasive that incitement was, those who made the wrong choice could not be said to be without fault.

At the same time, it was also his fault that they had become like this.

How little trust had he given as a Clan Leader for this to happen?

How could he call himself a Clan Leader when he had failed to give his subordinates even a shred of belief that he would never do such a thing, even if it were the truth?

He had worked tirelessly to make the Dang Clan great, to achieve greater feats than the previous Clan Leaders, but in the end, he had failed to comfort those he should have comforted.

Tang Gwan had no choice but to admit it. That he was wrong, that his reign was flawed, and that his abilities were lacking.

“I will give you a chance.”

There was no more gentleness in Tang Gwan’s voice.

“If you want to know the truth, follow me. But if you try to stop me there, you may be imprisoned in the prison after everything is over.”

“……?!”

“You also know that if I had wanted to, your bodies would have already turned into a puddle of blood.”

The warriors’ faces turned pale.

Tang Gwan’s words were right.

Tang Gwan was the master of the Dang Clan and the strongest among the current Dang Clan members.

If he had wanted to, they would have died without even putting up a proper resistance.

Yet, he was continuing the conversation like this. Whatever else, it was true that he was concerned about them.

The warrior at the front shouted.

“Shut up! Don’t try to deceive us with such words!”

It was then.

Chiriring.

The warriors lined up behind him all dropped their weapons.

The warrior at the front was flustered.

“W, What are you doing?! Pick up your weapons again!”

Tang Gwan shook his head.

“It seems you still haven’t seen it.”

“……?!”

“Look behind me.”

The warrior looked behind Tang Gwan.

His eyes widened as if they would tear apart.

“If I were going to sell the clan to foreign powers and hand over Sichuan, there would have been no need for conversation in the first place.”

“……”

“I know that this situation cannot be resolved by force. Everything will be revealed by the truth, but I have no intention of being the only one who knows that truth.”

It was astonishing.

Was it because his presence was too overwhelming? They had only looked at Tang Gwan and had not seen those who followed behind him.

Behind Tang Gwan, there were over a hundred people following him.

The composition was also diverse. There were men and women, old and young.

There were warriors, servants, workers, and blacksmiths.

The people who had been persuaded by Tang Gwan while coming to the center of the outer compound were following him.

Tang Gwan had said the same thing to them. That he would show them the truth.

In front of that truth, he told them to judge for themselves. Not to follow the truth he showed, but to follow the truth the world showed.

Many people did not agree with his words. But many people followed him.

This was the current Tang Gwan.

He did not advance by defeating those who blocked his path. At least for this moment, he believed that everyone should know the essence of this situation.

An act that the previous Tang Gwan could not have imagined.

In that way, Tang Gwan was gradually breaking away from the teachings of his predecessors and creating his own view of a ruler.

“Follow me. Come and see the truth. Do not judge rashly, and consider what is true. Do not be deceived by the words of a demagogue who only knows how to wag his tongue without substance.”

Tang Gwan’s eyes gleamed.

“I am the master of the Dang Clan. I have not yet handed over this position to anyone. I will show you that fact clearly.”

It was overwhelming.

Even without unleashing his inner energy, without suppressing them with his imposing gaze.

The current Tang Gwan was showing a more ruler-like appearance than ever before.

An atmosphere that could not be explained in words. The steps of one who had awakened to his position through an indescribable realization possessed the power to draw people’s hearts.

And so, people gathered one by one.

The number of people following Tang Gwan exceeded one hundred, then two hundred.

By the time they reached the entrance of the inner compound, crossing the outer compound, there were over three hundred people following him with tense faces.

Tang Gwan shouted.

“Open the gates of the inner compound!”