CLS-Chapter 251

Chapter 251

Baek Hoe-myeong opened his mouth with a hardened expression.

“What’s the situation?”

“It’s proceeding smoothly.”

“Hmm…”

Despite the favorable report, Baek Hoe-myeong’s expression remained grim. This matter was too important to be satisfied with such a report. The moment they made even a slight misstep, everything would go awry.

If that happened, he would face his father’s wrath with his entire body. That would be a punishment worse than death.

“Review it again and again.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll emphasize this no matter how many times: there are always variables in worldly affairs. Especially in matters like this, it’s the small variables that cause big problems. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes!”

“Don’t think of it as nagging. Even emphasizing it once a day wouldn’t be enough. I too am agonizing and agonizing again over matters beyond what you must handle.”

“I don’t think it’s excessive at all. Considering what we’ve prepared for this great undertaking, it’s only natural to lose sleep blocking variables.”

“I appreciate your understanding.”

Baek Hoe-myeong let out a quiet sigh.

‘Things are going strangely.’

The problem was Wei Yan-ho again.

Though there were many in the world who could be called late-stage masters, there were truly only two who could genuinely be called late-stage. One was Baek Geom-yeong, and the other was Wei San-ho.

His plan to roughly have these two meet in the finals, then have Baek Geom-yeong win to draw the world’s attention this way, was going awry from the start.

“How on earth can Wei Yan-ho’s strength be explained?”

When his younger brother had been defeated in the past, he could laugh about it. No matter how much of a prodigy his brother was for his age, outstanding skills relative to one’s age inevitably breed complacency and arrogance, and if one wielded a sword with such a mindset, defeat would naturally follow.

Defeats in youth become the foundation for the future, don’t they? Just as broken bones heal stronger, he thought it would be good medicine to remove the rashness of youth.

But…

‘This isn’t on that level.’

Just from hearing about it, there was no problem understanding how dangerous Wei Yan-ho was. Hadn’t his younger brothers been thoroughly beaten by Wei Yan-ho in the past, and hadn’t he too experienced his grand plan being disrupted by Wei Yan-ho’s interference?

He had thought all of this happened because Wei Yan-ho was incompatible with them, but now it wasn’t something he could simply think of that way.

“Wei Yan-ho, Wei Yan-ho!”

In Baek Hoe-myeong’s view, Wei Yan-ho was simply strong.

In the martial world, being strong doesn’t simply mean having great physical power. In the martial world, being strong in itself becomes a variable.

Take the last incident, for example.

If Wei Yan-ho hadn’t been this strong, could he have escaped safely while being pursued by so many martial artists?

Or how could he have captured those Twin Demons?

These were variables that wouldn’t have occurred if Wei Yan-ho hadn’t been strong.

Baek Hoe-myeong should have focused on that aspect from the beginning.

“Is the Young Clan Leader present?”

At the voice coming from outside, Baek Hoe-myeong rose from his seat.

“Yes, Uncle.”

“May I come in?”

“Of course. Please come inside.”

The door opened and an elderly man entered.

The old man’s face still bore a benevolent smile.

“I hope this old man isn’t disturbing you while you’re working.”

“Not at all, Uncle!”

Baek Hoe-myeong bowed his head.

“Actually, my mind has been troubled. Since I can’t make decisions with my strength alone, won’t you help this foolish nephew, Uncle?”

“Hmm…”

The old man sat down and opened his mouth.

“Young Clan Leader, you are now in a position where you must decide the major and minor affairs of the family. No matter how much older I may be, it’s a clear fact that the Young Clan Leader’s opinion should be central in deciding family matters.”

“However, since my experience is shallow, asking for Uncle’s help shouldn’t be improper. One who doesn’t listen to opinions isn’t qualified to lead a family.”

The elderly man, the Grand Elder, smiled pleasantly.

“A good attitude. Watching our Young Clan Leader, I feel the family’s future is bright.”

“You praise me too much.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

Baek Hoe-myeong slightly lowered his head.

“Wei Yan-ho is quite troublesome.”

“Hmm, did you say Wei Yan-ho?”

“Yes.”

The Grand Elder furrowed his brow.

“Didn’t I already see that child with my own eyes?”

“That’s correct.”

“It’s true that he had martial prowess that could be called remarkable for his age, but it didn’t seem like it would interfere with the grand plan?”

“I thought so too, but the situation isn’t ordinary. According to the stories coming in and those who’ve directly witnessed that child’s martial prowess, they question whether our youngest can handle that child.”

“Huh?”

The Grand Elder made a contemplative sound.

“Hmm, either that child has grown more in the meantime, or I failed to properly grasp that child’s true nature.”

Baek Hoe-myeong waved his hand.

“Uncle, how could that be? What kind of child is he  to completely escape Uncle’s eyes?”

The Grand Elder shook his head with a heavy expression.

“One must acknowledge what should be acknowledged. I can naturally make mistakes too. And it might not be a mistake but a lack of ability. The thought ‘I would naturally do that much’ is the most dangerous.”

Baek Hoe-myeong looked at the Grand Elder with eyes full of respect.

For someone of his age and ability to think he could make mistakes was not easy at all.

For a martial artist of the Grand Elder’s caliber, even making mistakes wasn’t easy. But the Grand Elder, despite having the ability to look down upon the world, never abandoned doubt about himself. That was truly admirable.

‘With such careful caution, failure is impossible.’

What they had learned from their predecessors was that complacency always brings disaster. No matter how much they had prepared everything for this moment over long years, they never forgot that a moment’s complacency could blow it all away.

“Then what would be the best course of action?”

“Hmm, the best method would be to eliminate the variable, but…”

The Grand Elder sighed with apparent regret.

“If people are already paying so much attention to the situation, having someone step forward to eliminate Wei Yan-ho might instead arouse suspicion. Moreover, isn’t time already pressing?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then it can’t be helped. We have no choice but to leave Wei Yan-ho as he is and focus on the second plan.”

Baek Hoe-myeong let out a contemplative sound.

He too had thought that was the only option, but the aftertaste wasn’t pleasant. According to plan, through this undertaking, they needed to definitively draw the martial world’s attention.

But thanks to the variable called Wei Yan-ho, that wasn’t going smoothly.

“Originally, what Geom-myeong had to do wasn’t a big deal. What would be so important about that? What’s important isn’t Geom-myeong’s name resounding, but the family’s name resounding.”

“That’s correct.”

At the Grand Elder’s words, Baek Hoe-myeong’s mind cleared and he shook off his confusion.

Having Baek Geom-yeong draw the crowd’s attention was also no small matter, but what was more important was making people once again recognize the existence of the family that had been lying low.

“In that sense, I have something to ask, Uncle.”

“Don’t hesitate, ask anything you want.”

“Will they definitely move as intended?”

“Hmm…”

As the Grand Elder made a contemplative sound, Baek Hoe-myeong quickly continued.

“Of course, I’m not doubting Uncle. I believe it will be certain since Uncle handled it.”

“It’s not that. I’m not offended, but I too am anxious.”

“You’re anxious?”

The Grand Elder slowly nodded.

“No matter how many teeth they’ve lost, tigers are still tigers. As long as their claws remain intact, they’re not things we can handle carelessly. I threw them suitable bait, so they’ll follow our intentions, but they’re not ones we can go to the end with.”

“When you say suitable bait?”

“I cannot tell you that. To be precise, I don’t know well either. I merely conveyed the Clan Leader’s words. Only the Clan Leader would know how he was able to control them. And the Clan Leader said there’s no need to doubt them.”

Baek Hoe-myeong quietly nodded.

He didn’t know what kind of deal had transpired, but since the Clan Leader—that is, his father—had stepped forward, there was no room for doubt. The Clan Leader’s wisdom covered the heavens and earth, and his martial prowess pierced the sky.

“However, if there’s one thing I can guess…”

Baek Hoe-myeong looked at the Grand Elder with slightly puzzled eyes.

‘A guess?’

His uncle was someone who valued certainty. Normally, he would never use ambiguous words like ‘guess.’

That meant either this guess was about something very important or something quite absurd.

“What do you think is the reason the Cult currently cannot display its might?”

“Isn’t it because they lost most of their power?”

The Grand Elder slowly shook his head.

“The Cult’s power wasn’t damaged that much. Though the Central Plains achieved victory in the great war, it wasn’t a great victory. If the Central Plains replenished their strength, they too would have replenished theirs. By now, we should consider that both sides have nearly recovered their strength.”

“Then why is it?”

“Because they lack a center.”

“…Center?”

The Grand Elder quietly nodded.

“The reason the previous generation’s Demonic Cult could charge into the Central Plains with unprecedented might was because there existed an outstanding demon called the Demon Emperor. He wove the divided Demonic Cult into one, creating a single force capable of targeting the Central Plains.”

“Hmm, that’s certainly true.”

“But when light is bright, shadows are also deep. When the Demon Emperor died, the Cult was torn apart. At the same time, they lost the driving force to continue the war with the Central Plains.”

“According to what’s known…”

“It’s human psychology to want to package victory more elegantly.”

“That’s true.”

“In any case, the Demon Emperor’s shadow was that significant. The demons didn’t simply submit to the Demon Emperor through suppression, but truly served him from the heart. Currently, the Demonic Cult cannot shed the Demon Emperor’s shadow.”

Thinking the story was gradually building up, Baek Hoe-myeong immediately cut to the main point.

“Then what is this guess?”

The Grand Elder continued with a serious expression.

“To explain with history… when powerful royal authority appears, the existence of legitimate succession is needed to continue that royal authority.”

“When you say legitimate succession?”

“There’s a rumor secretly circulating in the martial world.”

The Grand Elder glanced around slightly, then spoke very quietly and low. As if speaking this loudly would cause great trouble.

“There’s a rumor that the Demon Emperor’s bloodline is still alive.”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s eyes widened greatly.