CLS-Chapter 191

Chapter 191

Baek Hoe-myeong nodded as he received the report.

“There won’t be any problems?”

“This is something we’ve been preparing for over ten years. We’ve revised and re-revised it countless times.”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s face became resolute.

“The world is bound to change. If it’s a plan made ten years ago, the situation would have changed that much. If we can’t accurately modify it to match the changing world, then those ten years would turn to nothing without any trouble at all.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, and keep it in mind again.”

Even after hearing those words, Baek Hoe-myeong’s expression didn’t soften.

“Hmm…”

It was that important of a matter.

This was the first time they would reap the fruits of what they had been pursuing in the shadows. How this matter unfolded would be tantamount to determining their future responses.

“Are those guys coming?”

“Yes. They say they’ve almost arrived.”

“Mm…”

Baek Hoe-myeong slowly nodded his head.

“Father’s words are correct. What’s most important is the family, and how we harvest the work we’ve put in all this time. Yet I’ve failed to properly care for my younger brothers under the excuse of doing it for the family. Even though embracing the children should be the family head’s most prioritized duty.”

The subordinate couldn’t respond to Baek Hoe-myeong’s words and simply bowed his head.

But his ears didn’t miss Baek Hoe-myeong’s statement.

As family head.

The implications of those words were significant. It meant that Baek Hoe-myeong no longer considered his brother’s competitors for the family head position.

‘It’s natural if you think about it.’

The current standing within the Baek family between Baek Hoe-myeong and his two other brothers differed greatly. Unless Baek Hoe-myeong made some major mistake, the future family head position was practically guaranteed. No matter how much the current family head prioritized achievements and ability over seniority, if Baek Hoe-myeong continued to steadily accumulate accomplishments like this, his position couldn’t be ignored.

“Then this time…”

At that moment, a loud voice came from outside the door.

“Young Master.”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s face stiffened slightly.

Was there someone seeking him out during a meeting?

“What is it?”

“The Grand Elder has arrived.”

“Uncle has?”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s eyes widened.

“Escort him in!”

Baek Hoe-myeong jumped up from his seat and hurried toward the entrance. The door opened, and an elderly man with neatly combed white hair shuffled inside.

“It’s been a while.”

“I greet you, Uncle.”

“Heh heh heh, indeed it has, Young Master.”

The old man patted Baek Hoe-myeong’s back with a kind face.

“Uncle, if you speak so formally, it becomes too burdensome for me.”

“That won’t do. The Young Master is one who will become the family’s head, and this body is just a useless fellow eating the family’s cold rice. How could I not speak formally? Young Master, please don’t say anything more about this matter.”

“But…”

“Heh heh heh, don’t do that… I’ve come a long way and my throat is dry. Won’t you give me a cup of tea?”

“Oh, please come inside.”

Baek Hoe-myeong was startled and guided the old man inside. He indicated the seat of honor, but the old man chuckled and deliberately avoided sitting there. Baek Hoe-myeong sat in the seat of honor with a regretful expression and offered the old man a cup, pouring tea.

“Uncle.”

“I know what the Young Master wants to say, but this is natural. Isn’t it that a family’s proper order stands when those belonging to the family properly maintain their positions? Since I consider this to be my place, I hope the Young Master will understand this old man’s heart.”

“I understand.”

Baek Hoe-myeong slowly nodded his head.

If the old man came out so stubbornly, he couldn’t force it any further.

“Are the preparations going well?”

“I’m doing my best.”

“Although the Young Master currently holds the position of Young Master, you should think that you’re practically leading the family. You know well that the family head cannot pay attention to every single matter like this, don’t you?”

“I keep it in mind.”

The old man smiled broadly.

“Originally, what the family head is currently doing should be this old man’s work, but I can’t shake the thought that this fool is causing trouble for the family head due to his dullness.”

“What kind of absurd words are those! There’s no one who doesn’t know how much Uncle does for the family. I too am always grateful to Uncle. Who would dare disparage Uncle’s efforts in taking on all the dirty work for the family?”

“That’s all I can do.”

The old man smiled quietly and continued speaking.

“In any case, there must be no mistakes in this matter. The first button is important in all things.”

“Yes. I’ll handle it without fail.”

The old man looked at Baek Hoe-myeong with a pleased expression and brought the tea to his lips, sipping it.

“How are the children?”

Baek Hoe-myeong immediately understood who the old man was referring to when he said children. He must be talking about his brothers.

“They’re coming here now. They’re the ones who should be central to this matter.”

“You’re not stepping forward directly, Young Master?”

“Isn’t my age a bit of a problem for me to step forward? Besides, those guys should be able to handle their share sufficiently.”

“Hmm?”

The old man looked at Baek Hoe-myeong with a surprised expression.

“You’ve learned tolerance.”

“This incompetent one has failed to guide his inadequate brothers down the right path. The family head gave me a lesson.”

“That’s good. Very good indeed.”

The old man kept nodding his head and continued speaking.

“If there was one thing lacking in the Young Master, I thought it was tolerance, but now that you’ve finally acquired the demeanor of a true family head, this old man couldn’t be more satisfied.”

“I’m working on it.”

After the old man smiled with a satisfied expression and slowly savored his tea.

Baek Hoe-myeong waited until the old man finished drinking his tea before quietly opening his mouth.

“How did the matter you went to handle turn out?”

“Hu hu.”

The old man put down his teacup and wiped his lips.

“Handling a toothless tiger is nothing at all. If they were their past selves, they wouldn’t have been ones we could move around as we pleased, but a beast that’s lost its head has nothing to fear. Everything will flow according to the family head’s will.”

“Oh!”

Baek Hoe-myeong looked at the old man with gleaming eyes.

Even though he was an old man, they weren’t easy opponents, so hearing that things were resolved well naturally brought joy.

“Everything is going smoothly. Haha.”

At Baek Hoe-myeong’s words, the old man’s face stiffened slightly.

“However, Young Master.”

Feeling that the old man’s voice was somewhat stiffer than before, Baek Hoe-myeong straightened his posture.

“I heard that this matter didn’t go well. What happened?”

“I apologize.”

There was no need to ask what matter he was referring to. Among the things he had done in recent years, the only thing that could be called a failure was the matter related to the Sword Emperor’s Secret Cave.

“While things were proceeding smoothly, a guy named Wei Yan-ho interfered…”

“Wei Yan-ho?”

Baek Hoe-myeong asked back, feeling that the old man’s reaction was somewhat strange.

“Do you know him?”

“Heh heh heh, Wei Yan-ho…”

The old man stroked his beard.

“I thought he wasn’t an ordinary child, but I didn’t know he would greatly interfere with our work. If I had known, I would have dealt with him that day.”

“You met him.”

The old man nodded his head.

“Yes. I briefly encountered him on the way to meet them.”

“What kind of person was he?”

“Well, how should I put it…”

The old man said while scratching his cheek.

“I don’t know what kind of person he is, but considering his age and that realm, I thought he could be a good opponent for the young ones.”

“Then you saw correctly. Those guys already took a hit each. I also took a proper hit myself, so I’m not in a position to laugh at those guys.”

“All of them?”

“Shamefully… yes.”

“Heh heh, what a thing.”

The old man looked quietly at Baek Hoe-myeong and opened his mouth.

“What do you think?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Do you think that child named Wei Yan-ho could become a problem?”

Baek Hoe-myeong shook his head.

“Our judgment is already like the flow of a mighty river. A few reefs sprouting from the riverbed cannot change the river’s flow.”

“Do you truly think so?”

“However…”

Baek Hoe-myeong answered with a serious face.

“I also know well that there have been countless cases where the flow of history changed over matters treated as nothing. Once or twice might be coincidence, but if it’s three times, it definitely can’t be seen as coincidence.”

“Wise words.”

“So I’m thinking it would be good to eliminate him if possible, but there’s no suitable method.”

“Hmm…”

The old man quietly stroked his beard and opened his mouth.

“Then how about involving him in this matter?”

“In this matter?”

“Doesn’t he have sufficient qualifications as well?”

“Mm…”

Baek Hoe-myeong also quietly nodded his head.

“That seems like a good method. Those guys would also want to pay him back.”

“Hu hu hu hu.”

The old man nodded as if pleased and said:

“If this matter goes well, the world will have to remember our name again. More certainly than in the past.”

“Of course, Uncle.”

The old man and Baek Hoe-myeong quietly looked at each other and smiled.

***

“You can’t win?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Wei Yan-ho looked at Baek Mu-han, who was staring at him with a sullen face, and stuck out his lips.

He knew.

That Baek Mu-han wasn’t the real Baek Mu-han. It was something like a fantasy created by the Dream Training Technique that Baek Mu-han had planted and his memories. Baek Mu-han’s questions were his questions, and Baek Mu-han’s answers were also his answers.

But…

‘Even though I know, when I see that expression, it strangely irritates me.’

Wei Yan-ho spoke sulkily.

“The difference in Internal Energy was too severe. I would have needed to exert ten times more force just to barely keep up. Just maintaining a draw under those circumstances was remarkable, yet Master only thinks of scolding and berating this good disciple.”

“That’s because you’re stupid, as you well know.”

“Grrrr.”

Wei Yan-ho contorted his face and shouted angrily.

“Do you think people as smart as me are common? I’m someone who lived hearing I was a prodigy.”

“A prodigy of laziness, I suppose. I was certainly surprised by that too.”

“…”

Baek Mu-han snorted and quietly raised his sword.

“A difference in Internal Energy? Then if I used only one-tenth of my Internal Energy, are you saying you could defeat me?”

“…That’s not it.”

Wei Yan-ho honestly admitted.

Even if his master didn’t use Internal Energy at all, he felt like he could beat him down like a dog.

“Watch.”

The master’s sword began to move slowly.