CLS-Chapter 379

Chapter 379:

“It shows no signs of stopping.”

Wei Jeong-han gazed at the rain pouring outside the window with somewhat forlorn eyes.

It was always like this.

Whenever a monumental event that would turn his life upside down occurred, rain would always fall like this. It was the same that day, and it was the same a few days ago. That’s why Wei Jeong-han could no longer simply love the rain as he had in the past.

Because whenever it rained, bitter memories would fragment and pierce his heart.

Jjoreureuereuk.

The liquor filling his cup had not changed from the past.

The rain pouring as if holes had been punched in the sky had not changed one bit from the past either.

What had changed was himself.

And the circumstances surrounding him.

Wei Jeong-han looked down at the liquor that had filled his cup to the brim.

Sometimes Red-Eyed Cow would gaze down at his wine cup like this. Wei Jeong-han had thought that action was to see his own reflection in the cup.

Only recently had he been able to realize that wasn’t the case.

What Red-Eyed Cow had been looking at wasn’t his own reflection in the wine cup, but the world reflected within the wine cup.

A place different from here.

A strangely twisted world, different from reality.

When reality becomes too difficult and heavy, even the world reflected in the wine cup can look beautiful. Only now could Wei Jeong-han truly understand how enormous a burden and pain Red-Eyed Cow of the past had suffered.

Wei Jeong-han quietly lifted his cup and poured the full drink into his mouth in one gulp.

As the strong hwaju burned his throat, he felt his mind clear slightly.

“Drinking without side dishes will ruin your stomach.”

Wei Jeong-han quietly turned his head.

Wei Yan-ho, with a somewhat pale complexion, was standing at the doorway.

“You’re awake.”

“Just a moment ago.”

“Come in.”

“Yes.”

Wei Yan-ho sat across from Wei Jeong-han with a composed face. Wei Jeong-han likewise said nothing to him.

He simply placed a wine cup that had been sitting in one corner of the table in front of Wei Yan-ho.

“I think this is the first time I’m giving you liquor.”

“It seems so.”

“Have a drink.”

“Yes.”

When Wei Jeong-han lifted the bottle, Wei Yan-ho extended his cup to receive the liquor.

Slowly, never hurriedly, clear liquor rose in Wei Yan-ho’s cup. When Wei Jeong-han had poured the liquor almost to overflowing and set down the bottle, Wei Yan-ho brought the wine cup to his lips.

Wei Yan-ho, who emptied the strong liquor in one gulp, frowned and set down his cup.

“I don’t know why people drink this. It’s nothing but bitter.”

“That’s right. It’s nothing but bitter.”

Wei Jeong-han smiled wanly.

Liquor is nothing but bitter.

Always.

A loose silence flowed between them.

Both had things to say, but neither knew exactly how to bring up these words.

“What happened?”

It was Wei Yan-ho who broke the silence.

Even though it was a question that had to be faced eventually, the moment Wei Jeong-han heard those words, he couldn’t help but feel his heart sink with a thud.

He had thought this moment would come someday, but it had arrived much faster than he had anticipated.

Wei Jeong-han didn’t answer and quietly reached out to grab the bottle. Only after filling his own cup with liquor and drinking it could Wei Jeong-han calm his mind.

“I don’t know where to start explaining.”

“I don’t know where to start listening either.”

Wei Yan-ho let out a sigh.

He knew this wasn’t simply a matter to get angry about just because there was a different truth.

Perhaps the person who suffered most from this truth was Wei Jeong-han. It’s a truth that should be hidden if it can be hidden, concealed if it can be concealed. But like all truths, once it’s even slightly revealed, it can no longer be stopped.

Wei Yan-ho clenched his fists tightly.

If he couldn’t go back, he had no choice but to move forward.

“Hyung…”

Wei Yan-ho, who had taken a deep breath, opened his mouth.

Even knowing that once he said these words there would be no turning back, Wei Yan-ho ultimately had no choice but to speak.

“Is he really my blood brother?”

***

Divine Strategist was reading a message with a stern face.

“Hmm…”

The message slowly burned up in Divine Strategist’s quietly folded hands. Having completely erased the message’s existence from the world, Divine Strategist looked out the window with gloomy eyes.

‘Wei San-ho…’

Mad Demon, that is, Mad Blood Demon, is a High Priest of the Demonic Cult.

But for that High Priest of the Demonic Cult to risk coming all the way to Henan, which could be called the heart of the Central Plains, what he accomplished was…

‘He took Wei San-ho away.’

It was completely incomprehensible.

If it was something he couldn’t understand, there was only one conclusion. There was something he didn’t know. It meant there was a reason the Demonic Cult had to take Wei San-ho away even while taking such risks.

But what could that reason possibly be?

‘More information is needed.’

Divine Strategist reviewed the contents of the message he had memorized once more. He couldn’t find anything strange in the message that contained only accurate facts. That fact made Divine Strategist concerned.

‘In a situation where his own child has been captured, can he remain this calm?’

Of course, a man of Wei Jeong-han’s caliber might write a report that excluded emotions and conveyed only facts as much as possible even in such a situation. However…

‘There’s no sense of urgency.’

How can he be so calm in a situation where his child has been captured by a High Priest of the Demonic Cult? Moreover, the report contained no requests about methods to rescue his child.

It felt like a strange coexistence of resignation that it was now impossible to extract Wei San-ho from the Demonic Cult’s hands, and yet a peculiar relief that they probably wouldn’t harm Wei San-ho.

Divine Strategist’s eyes narrowed.

‘Wei Jeong-han…’

If it was the Wei Jeong-han he knew, it wouldn’t be particularly strange.

Though he had become very gentle after the war ended and gained his current impression, Wei Jeong-han during the past war was a person as sharp as a blade. If that past personality had emerged, it wouldn’t be strange.

The Wei Jeong-han of the past was someone who wouldn’t harbor even a speck of regret if even his child’s death was for the greater cause.

But what was this subtle sense of discord?

Divine Strategist quietly opened his mouth.

“Is anyone there?”

Then a voice came from the ceiling.

“Yes, Strategist.”

“Go and bring all materials related to Wei Jeong-han.”

“Yes!”

When the presence disappeared, Divine Strategist quietly let out a sigh.

It wasn’t that he suspected Wei Jeong-han. He wasn’t someone who would harm the Righteous Martial Alliance. He was literally a righteous hero. But people tend to have a few secrets they can’t tell others. In such chaotic times, isn’t it precisely those secrets that become the biggest variables?

As a senior in the martial world and from the position of caring for Wei Jeong-han, he wanted to close his eyes and overlook it, but he was the strategist of the Righteous Martial Alliance. There was no room for personal feelings to interfere with this position.

Even if investigating Wei Jeong-han was unbearably bitter, it was a burden Divine Strategist had to bear.

“Chaotic times again.”

Bitterness seeped into the Divine Strategist’s voice.

In those days, it was like that.

Times when one couldn’t even dream of the romance of entrusting one’s back to a comrade fighting alongside. They had to suspect each other, and unable to trust anyone, they couldn’t even sleep peacefully.

Because chaotic times are like that.

At the thought that those terribly awful times were approaching again, Divine Strategist let out a deep sigh.

How many more lives would fade away like mist?

If this old life could prevent the chaotic times, he would die with a smile…

“Are you inside?”

Divine Strategist startled and rose from his seat.

He must have been too deep in thought. To think he didn’t even notice the Alliance Leader approaching.

“Yes. Please come in.”

The door opened and Gwon Geuk entered.

Divine Strategist bowed respectfully.

“If you had sent word, I would have come to you, but to go to such trouble…”

“Even the kitchen’s dishwasher knows that the strategist is the busiest person in the alliance, so how could I steal the precious strategist’s time?”

Gwon Geuk’s voice contained sincerity.

“I’ll prepare tea.”

“No, that’s fine. Rather, please sit.”

When Gwon Geuk took a seat, Divine Strategist quickly positioned himself across from Gwon Geuk.

“It seems things are taking an unusual turn, is that correct?”

“Yes. Strange events are occurring.”

“Strange events?”

Gwon Geuk raised his eyebrows slightly.

When Divine Strategist finished explaining everything with a stern face, Gwon Geuk’s expression also darkened.

“They took San-ho…”

Divine Strategist waited for Gwon Geuk’s words without saying anything.

“Strategist.”

“Yes.”

“What do you think is the reason they took San-ho?”

“…To be honest, I cannot fathom those bastards’ intentions either. However…”

“However?”

Divine Strategist nodded.

“If there’s someone who holds the key to unraveling the secret, it would be Wei Jeong-han.”

Gwon Geuk closed his eyes silently.

He too was someone who had overcome harsh chaotic times. There was no way he wouldn’t understand what Divine Strategist was saying.

“The Wei Jeong-han I know isn’t someone who would scheme conspiracies.”

“I agree. However, the world doesn’t twist only through conspiracies. You know well that the most difficult situations to resolve are when upright good intentions twist things.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Divine Strategist answered in a gloomy voice.

“For now, we must escort Wei Jeong-han here.”

“Escort? Did you just say escort?”

“If the word escort bothers you, let’s call it a summons. Currently, the urgent priority is to confirm exactly what is happening to Wei San-ho.”

“Urgent priority…”

Gwon Geuk raised his hand to rub his face.

No one would know better than him how terrifying the High Priests of the Demonic Cult are. Gwon Geuk was the one most entangled with them in the martial world.

Such a High Priest had pushed into the Central Plains and captured Wei San-ho.

What could this possibly mean?

‘Does it mean Wei San-ho is that important a figure? Why?’

No matter how much Wei San-ho had held the position of the greatest prodigy under heaven, from the Demonic Cult’s perspective, he was just a simple unbeliever and youngster. Yet a High Priest had moved to capture Wei San-ho?

“Strategist.”

“Yes.”

“Use any means necessary. Bring Jeong-han to the alliance in the fastest time possible.”

“I will obey your command.”

Gwon Geuk looked out the window with gloomy eyes.

‘A feeling that’s even more hateful because it’s familiar.’

In the past, it had been quite common. Situations where one had to suspect allies even while knowing they weren’t guilty. The fact that such situations were occurring again was making Gwon Geuk’s heart feel desolate.

“How are the Demonic Cult’s movements?”

“Not even a stir.”

“Hmm…”

They caused such a big incident and then aren’t moving? Then what exactly are they plotting…

“For now, they should be…”

Kung!

At that moment, the door burst open violently.

“Th-this is terrible!”

“Good grief…”

Divine Strategist shouted with an angry face.

“Don’t you know I’m currently meeting with the Alliance Leader! I don’t know what the matter is, but…”

“War!”

Divine Strategist closed his mouth.

“It’s war, Strategist! Trouble has erupted!”

The faces of Gwon Geuk and Divine Strategist hardened like stone simultaneously.

The word they had feared so much had finally been spoken.