Chapter 115

Chapter 115

Can a person who has died once return to life?

Since ancient times, humans have made many efforts to answer this question.

From Jiangshi techniques, soul-summoning techniques, and heaven-defying techniques to resuscitation techniques and soul-returning techniques, attempts to revive the dead have continued and have been repeatedly thwarted.

Dead people cannot be revived.

Humans have learned this through thousands, tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of years of history. That it’s impossible to revive the dead, that dead people cannot return to life. I also agreed with that.

However.

If they’re not yet dead, if they’ve disappeared from society but not from the world.

“I request a pardon  review for Seonwoo Gang to the Murim Alliance!”

Even so.

Can’t they be saved?

Silence.

At my statement, everyone in the venue stopped speaking as if bewildered. People tilted their heads as if they couldn’t understand my words.

“Was there such a thing as a pardon review?”

“No, pardons exist, but… could individuals also request pardon reviews?”

At the murmuring people’s appearance, I smiled faintly. It’s not strange that they don’t know.

Because pardons usually aren’t achieved through merit.

“A pardon review.”

At my words, Jegal Hwi nodded with an expressionless face and slowly looked directly at me.

“Uicheonmun Sect Leader Baek Riyun. Do you know the conditions for a pardon review?”

“I know.”

“What are they?”

“It’s simple.”

I chuckled and shrugged. Because it really was a simple story.

“First. The opinions of three people who received a third-grade  or higher judgment in the Murim Alliance internal review must converge. Without this, the review cannot begin.”

“Correct.”

“Second. The merit of the pardon subject must be great enough to outweigh the fault.”

“……That too.”

“And third.”

When granting a pardon, the future benefits the Murim Alliance will gain must be greater than if the pardon is not granted.

That’s why pardon reviews rarely happen. Because the conditions for requesting a review aren’t easy to meet in the first place.

“You seem to know well.”

When my words ended, Jegal Hwi nodded and covered his mouth with his fan so others couldn’t see, smiled faintly, then changed his face back to expressionless.

“Let’s start by confirming the easiest thing to verify. The opinions of three people who received third-grade or higher judgment in the Murim Alliance internal review must converge. Are you prepared?”

“Of course.”

“Are they here? By the way, Uicheonmun Sect Leader, you’re no longer qualified. Since you withdrew from the Murim Alliance.”

“I know. It doesn’t matter.”

At Jegal Hwi’s words, when I slightly turned my gaze to the side, Changcheon Corps Commander Moyong Hyeyeon, who had been quietly standing blocking the crowd, slightly bowed and came forward.

“The first person is Changcheon Corps Commander Moyong Hyeyeon.”

“Mm.”

At Moyong Hyeyeon’s appearance, the murmuring crowd nodded as if they understood. After all, Changcheon Corps had even submitted a petition requesting leniency for Seonwoo Gang, so it wouldn’t seem strange to people’s eyes.

“The first is confirmed. Then who’s the second?”

“That’s obvious. It’s you.”

“Mm?”

At my behavior of pointing out Murim Alliance Deputy Military Advisor Jegal Hwi, people who didn’t understand fell silent for a moment. And Jegal Hwi quietly asked back.

“……Me?”

“What are you asking? When it’s already decided.”

I’m tired from fighting, so should I have to spell it out myself?

When I smiled with that meaning, Jegal Hwi confirmed my expression, then burst into a hollow laugh and pressed his brow. The words that followed.

“Fine. I’ll fill the numbers.”

“I also agree to opening Seonwoo Gang’s pardon review.”

At Jegal Hwi’s appearance casually agreeing, the crowd, who never thought he would agree, murmured. And after doing so for a while.

“Deputy Military Advisor Jegal Hwi. I object!”

“Single-Heart Spear Chu Mok. Please speak.”

At the Myeolak Corps Commander’s appearance, Single-Heart Spear Chu Mok, whose expression had been crumpled, came forward again and raised his voice.

“Deputy Military Advisor Jegal Hwi. You came to this place as the Murim Alliance’s representative. Isn’t that right?”

“That is not different from the facts.”

“For the Murim Alliance’s representative to mix personal feelings  into the matter and take one side’s hand, isn’t this an unfair treatment!”

“……That’s also true.”

At Chu Mok’s words, the crowd began to nod one by one and agree as if his words made sense. And Jegal Hwi, watching that appearance, stroked his smooth chin.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding. Single-Heart Spear. This is not unfair treatment. Rather, it’s fair treatment.”

“……What?”

“Let me ask the fellow daoists here bluntly. Are there any who would accept without a moment’s hesitation the result of Seonwoo Gang being executed simply because he’s a spy, even though he hasn’t yet committed any traitorous acts?”

“Here.”

At Jegal Hwi’s question, Chu Mok, the Myeolak Corps Commander, and a few others simultaneously raised their hands. However, except for them, there were those who didn’t easily raise their hands.

“It’s like this.”

“……What.”

Chu Mok looked around with a stunned expression at the unexpected scene. Well, it’s actually natural.

Because this was obviously going to happen.

“Requesting leniency for Seonwoo Gang. Do you know how many such petitions the Military Affairs Department received?”

“Exactly three hundred and eighty-two cases. The number of participants was one thousand two hundred and seventy people.”

The story of Muryeon Hall spanning a whole month. And the media war that unfolded after Seonwoo Gang was caught.

All of those things made the Alliance’s people perceive Seonwoo Gang as an ‘unjust victim.’ Regardless of the facts, that’s how the perception changed.

Alliance regulations must be upheld.

Of course, many people say that. Even if they pity Seonwoo Gang’s situation, there are naturally many who view it as unavoidable since that’s how the rules are.

However, the punishment has already been executed, and now it’s a question of whether to pardon the punishment or not. It’s not that there’s a ‘rule’ that Seonwoo Gang must absolutely be killed.

Then the people’s will remains silent. Even if they can’t step forward and say to pardon Seonwoo Gang.

Conversely, they also don’t vehemently insist not to pardon him.

“What are you trying to say?”

“It means there are many who still haven’t accepted the result of this execution. Isn’t the punishment too great compared to the crime? Didn’t he receive too severe a punishment?”

Jegal Hwi calmly answered Chu Mok’s sharp reaction and continued.

“If a platform hadn’t been set, perhaps not, but if a platform is set where we can determine whether it’s fair treatment or not, there’s no particular reason to block it. It will become a measure to gauge whether the Alliance regulations are wrong.”

“They said even bad laws are laws!”

“I don’t agree with that statement, but I don’t think bad laws shouldn’t be followed. However, if there’s an opportunity, it’s the military advisor’s duty to break that law.”

“Deputy Military Advisor Jegal Hwi of the Second Military Affairs Department will add his opinion to the pardon review request.”

Jegal Hwi, who finished his declaration, now passed his gaze to me as if it was my turn and took a breath. Eyes mixed with deep annoyance as if to hurry up and finish this bothersome matter.

“Two have been resolved, so one remains. Is there one left?”

“If it’s that, I’ll do it!”

“That won’t do.”

At the appearance of Muryeon Hall Master Yeon Gun stepping forward, Jegal Hwi flatly refused and shook his head.

“If it were before Muryeon Hall Master stepped down from the frontlines, you would have been fully qualified, but not now.”

“……Why is that!”

“Because all third-grade or higher personnel are people who can influence the Murim Alliance’s external policy decisions. Hall Master, you can be involved in educational policy, but you can’t be involved in external policy, can you?”

“At minimum, one must be a deputy director  of a core department or a director of a corps. And this matter applies the same to Senior Gwang Yeon over there. You just stepped down from the branch director position recently.”

“Such…….”

At Jegal Hwi’s words, Yeon Gun drooped his shoulders and looked at me with an expression as if the world had collapsed. It seems he thinks my plan went awry.

“It’s fine. The third person I’ll designate isn’t Hall Master Yeon Gun.”

“Hm?”

I knew from the start that Yeon Gun didn’t meet the qualification requirements.

“Then, please designate the third person. Just to let you know, if they’re not at this place, it can be processed as invalid.”

“Of course.”

At Jegal Hwi’s appearance looking at me as if I wouldn’t make such a basic mistake, I smiled faintly and quietly raised my finger.

And, after a moment.

“The one who will agree to opening the review is here.”

The moment my finger pointed at someone.

“……Every time I think about it.”

Someone who had been sitting quietly.

No.

The Sado Alliance Leader burst into a hollow laugh.

“Uicheonmun Sect Leader. You are not in your right mind.”

I thought it would be boring.

‘Aren’t you curious how much Uicheonmun Sect Leader will pay for Seonwoo Gang’s ransom?’

Although he had said that to Daesageom, the Sado Alliance Leader actually didn’t have such high expectations of Baek Riyun from the point he didn’t come looking for him before coming to the execution ground. He thought Baek Riyun had already lost his way out from the point he didn’t make a deal with him.

‘At best, the remaining path would be incurring a debt to the Murim Alliance Leader and making a deal.’

Incurring debt means having one’s leash grabbed.

There’s no interest in the Murim Alliance’s dog. No matter how capable a dog is, unless it’s a wolf, it can’t bite its master’s neck.

Therefore, the Sado Alliance Leader thought and expected this execution would turn out very boringly.

At least, until now.

The murmuring audience.

At Baek Riyun’s sudden designation, bewildered people gathered their gazes toward the Sado Alliance Leader designated by Baek Riyun. And the Sado Alliance Leader, feeling those gazes, drew an arc at the corner of his mouth.

“So you’re asking me to lend my name for Seonwoo Gang’s pardon review. Is that the story?”

“You see it accurately. Manwang .”

“Setting aside whether I’ll do it or not, is it even possible? Isn’t it only possible for Murim Alliance personnel?”

“Of course.”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s valid point, Baek Riyun smiled faintly and turned his gaze to look at Jegal Hwi.

“Didn’t Deputy Military Advisor Jegal just say? That third-grade or higher personnel are people who can influence the Murim Alliance’s external policy decisions.”

“Could there be anyone who can influence the Murim Alliance’s policies more than Manwang at this place?”

“It’s not wrong. Except for the point that I’m not Murim Alliance personnel.”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s appearance bursting into a chuckle as if it were sophistry, Baek Riyun nodded.

“There would certainly be a problem as is. If it were someone else, maybe not, but it could be awkward for the Murim Alliance for the head of a hostile force to present opinions in a review.”

“Accurate. So what will you do?”

“It’s a simple story.”

“Simple.”

“Yes.”

Baek Riyun nodded and looked directly at the Sado Alliance Leader with shining eyes. And the statement that followed.

“Sado Alliance Leader just needs to give the Murim Alliance a small diplomatic courtesy.”

“How about it? My proposal?”

“Hm.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who heard Baek Riyun’s story, thought for a moment and tilted his head.

“So to summarize, it’s like this.”

“I must make a diplomatic concession to the Murim Alliance. And for the sake of saving the life of a spy who betrayed our alliance?”

“Accurate.”

“Why would I?”

It’s a story with nothing but losses for the Sado Alliance Leader. There’s no reason to do so, is there?

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s natural question, Baek Riyun sheathed Uicheongeom that he had drawn and tapped the sword’s hilt with his finger. And the words that followed.

“Why, you say? That’s a strange thing to say. Manwang.”

“……What do you mean?”

“I’m giving you an opportunity right now. An opportunity to clear a debt.”

“A debt with whom?”

“Naturally.”

At Baek Riyun’s appearance smiling faintly and pointing to himself, the Sado Alliance Leader burst into a hollow laugh. Simultaneously, the question that followed.

“So, I should lend my name to gain favor with Uicheonmun Sect Leader?”

“Accurate.”

“Interesting.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who wore a playful smile, nodded.

“I’ll acknowledge Uicheonmun Sect Leader’s ability. But what Uicheonmun Sect Leader can do are all things I can do with my own power. Is there a need for me to cling to you?”

“Just because you can do something with one hand doesn’t mean two hands aren’t necessary. I don’t think there’s a need to newly explain that importance.”

At Baek Riyun’s answer casually parrying, the Sado Alliance Leader burst into hearty laughter. Because it was an interesting answer.

“Hahaha. Can you have the value of one hand to me?”

Whether as Changcheon Corps Commander and Cheonra  Baek Riyun, or as Uicheonmun Sect Leader Baek Riyun.

Though his ability is outstanding, he still has little influence to change the overall situation. Right now, didn’t Baek Riyun even fail to surpass the Myeolak Corps Commander?

“Even if you could buy the favor of Geomhu  or Geomje , I’d hesitate, yet lending my name in exchange for clearing a debt with Uicheonmun Sect Leader, that’s quite an interesting story.”

Does your favor have that much value?

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s voice that seemed to ask that, Baek Riyun wore a faint smile.

“My proposal will be more appetizing than those two’s favor.”

“Didn’t I say?”

That I’m no longer a Murim Alliance member.

“Isn’t a fox with substance better than a tiger without?”

“Don’t think I have no other path.”

At Baek Riyun’s appearance speaking quietly, the Sado Alliance Leader kept silent for a moment, then closed his eyes. And the answer that followed.

“As expected, Uicheonmun Sect Leader is interesting. A fox, a fox with substance.”

“I’ll accept that deal.”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s voice speaking with a deep smile, Baek Riyun nodded. Immediately after, Jegal Hwi’s heavy voice rang out.

“Changcheon Corps Commander Moyong Hyeyeon. Do you agree to opening the review?”

“I agree.”

“Good. I, Second Military Department Deputy Military Advisor Jegal Hwi, will also agree to opening the review.”

Jegal Hwi, who briefly cut off his words, turned his gaze to look directly at the Sado Alliance Leader. And.

“Sado Alliance Leader, Manwang Mumyeong , do you agree to opening the review?”

“I agree.”

“Good. Then from now on…….”

The moment the Sado Alliance Leader’s approval fell.

“We will begin Seonwoo Gang’s pardon review!”

The review began.