Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Sometimes people ask a question. Why doesn’t the Imperial Palace try to control the martial artists? The story of why Gwanmubulgachim (Officials and Martial Artists Do Not Interfere) came to be.

It’s truly a reasonable doubt. No matter how large the scale of the Orthodox Murim and Demonic Path Murim, if the Imperial Palace, which operates massive artillery, tried to control them, it wouldn’t be impossible.

Moreover, from the perspective of the Emperor who claims all power in the world belongs to him, the actions of the Murim Alliance and Sado Alliance exceed proper bounds. That’s why in the early days when Murim was forming, monarchs actually tried to control martial artists.

──That is, until a single Daeyogoe obliterated half the Imperial Palace by itself.

“In detail.”

Suppressing the killing intent flowing coldly down my spine, I placed my hand on the end of my sword hilt and looked at Gayeom. Then Gayeom swallowed and quickly answered.

“A Baekgwiyahaeng has occurred. The scale is difficult to estimate, but it’s presumed to be around two hundred fifty. The destination is Dongting Lake. The source is estimated to be Baegsang!”

“……Baekgwiyahaeng, Baekgwiyahaeng.”

I clenched and unclenched my fist while grinding my teeth. A Baekgwiyahaeng wasn’t something to take lightly.

“That means there’s a Daeyogoe.”

There’s something called a Yogyeong. When a certain Yokai establishes itself and transforms into a Daeyogoe, it’s like terrain that forms around it.

This Yogyeong is bizarre and grotesque, but if you don’t enter it, it’s not a big problem. Since a Yogyeong is like a Daeyogoe’s territory, the Daeyogoe doesn’t attack and devour humans who don’t enter its domain. However.

The Yogyeong of a newly born Daeyogoe is different. Because they can’t control their subordinate Yokai as they wish, they drive out the riffraff Yokai. And the place where these driven-out Yokai gather and head toward is mostly where there are many people.

In other words, this is Baekgwiyahaeng.

“It definitely occurred in Baegsang? What’s the size of the Yogyeong?”

If the newly occurred Daeyogoe is an out-of-spec Yokai, there could be a Daeyogoe even among the driven-out Yokai. Because even among Daeyogoe, the gap between them is enormous.

To that question posed with that assumption, Gayeom answered urgently.

“We couldn’t find the exact location of the Yogyeong. However, they say no Daeyogoe were discovered in the Baekgwiyahaeng. And……”

“And?”

“……A month ago, Cheongha Dojang and Young Hero Namgung Woo, who went out to search for the Yogyeong, went missing. In the message left just before their disappearance, they said to inform the Uicheonmunju if they don’t come out even after a month passes.”

“…….”

Cheongha and Namgung Woo went missing. Moreover, in a Yogyeong. What does that mean?

That’s already decided.

It must mean the environment inside the Yogyeong is horrific enough that even the two of them together couldn’t escape for an entire month.

“It’s quite a troublesome situation. A troublesome situation, but…….”

A solution is possible.

Seeing me slowly rise from my seat, Iryang, who rose from his seat together with me, asked casually.

“What do you intend to do?”

“I’ll go to Baegsang.”

“Without joining them at Akyang?”

“There’s no reason to join them.”

A Baekgwiyahaeng of two hundred fifty Yokai.

It’s powerful, but it’s not at a level they can’t stop just because I’m not there. Moreover, isn’t Dongting Lake one of the regions with the most great sects nearby?

Even with just Baekgeommun alone, they can stop about two hundred fifty mediocre Yokai. Much more so if several great sects gather.

“They’ll be able to suppress them without significant damage.”

“……I understand the Muryeongwando are headed that way.”

“Those guys have no obligation to respond to the summons either. In the first place, the Gwando of the two great academies are top priority protection targets, so if the Murim Alliance Akyang Branch Leader has his head screwed on straight, there’s no way he’d make them participate.”

From what I’ve experienced over the past month, those guys are upright but not stupid. They won’t needlessly step forward to satisfy their desire for glory in a battlefield where they’re not needed. Right now, there’s only one thing more important than that.

“I must kill the Daeyogoe before it finishes consolidating its Yokai power. Otherwise…….”

I paused for a moment and closed my eyes. A past memory that remained like a brand.

You have an interesting fate, child. Truly…… delectable.

Beyond blood-red memories.

Remembering that voice babbling through the mouth of a familiar comrade.

“This vicinity will become hell.”

I grasped the Uicheongeom.

***

Back to Nakhwaru.

“So the Alliance is using us as a sacrificial piece.”

At Seomun Cheok’s cold voice, all the Muryeongwando who couldn’t find words to respond fell silent. And for good reason—even if they hadn’t said it out loud, everyone knew Seomun Cheok’s words were the truth.

“Why, of all things……”

Seonwoo Gang, who exhaled a lament, ground his teeth together and poured his liquor cup into his mouth. The liquor harshly passed down his throat and warmed his stomach.

He had thought it was an opportunity.

Even if they hadn’t achieved victory even once in three years, he thought their current selves were different. Baek Riyun had instilled such confidence in them. He said they could do it, that they shouldn’t assume defeat.

So what happened? Were those words lies?

‘That can’t be.‘

Even Seonwoo Gang, who stepped back to change the true meaning of his martial studies, feels something within himself changing day by day. What about the other classmates then?

The tip of Seomun Cheok’s spear becomes sharper day by day. Dan Riyeon’s footwork has entered the realm of the mystical, surpassing a level that’s easily predictable, and Oh Ryeong’s whip wraps around enemies as if alive. Amazing changes to the point where he thinks they could hold their own even against those Mujeongwando.

Right.

They’ve come this far in just one month. With just Baek Riyun’s guidance and their own efforts.

So they had to win this time.

……They had to.

But all of that became bubbles. In an instant.

“Are we supposed to lose? On purpose at that?”

“Oh Ryeong.”

At the sight of Oh Ryeong, whose face had turned red enough to show how intoxicated she was, Seomun Cheok reached out his hand to restrain her. But Oh Ryeong continued speaking while staggering, paying no heed.

“How can this be? How can the Alliance do this to us? They said they wouldn’t discriminate between Mujeong Hall and Muryeon Hall, so why!”

“……Oh Ryeong.”

“Are you all convinced? I’m not. I’d rather go confront the Murim Alliance upper echelon……!”

“Oh Ryeong!”

At Seomun Cheok’s rough voice, Oh Ryeong flinched and turned her gaze toward him. Seomun Cheok’s appearance, now looking at Oh Ryeong with cold eyes.

“……Think of your sect.”

What would happen if the Muryeongwando tried to disobey the orders of their superiors here?

There would be no immediate visible disadvantages. The Murim Alliance can’t completely ignore outside eyes either. However, the Muryeongwando’s sects are all small and medium sects without exception.

Unless you’re Seomun Cheok who has no sect, or Seonwoo Gang who’s disguised as a single-transmission lineage, they’re sects under the Murim Alliance. If the Murim Alliance tries to pressure them, their sects will have no choice but to waver.

“Calm down.”

“…….”

“……In this case, even if we lose in the Daehangjaen, nothing will happen. Others will think the Muryeongwando had no choice but to lose. Therefore, our honor won’t be diminished. Rather, we might receive compensation from the Murim Alliance, so depending on the situation, it might not be bad……”

“……Do you really think that?”

Her heart beats with anger.

At Seomun Cheok’s words, Oh Ryeong clenched her fist tightly and trembled. A pulse flowing through her fingertips.

“We acknowledge defeat without even fighting, and moreover, we’re supposed to consider that ‘not bad’?”

They can lose. Because no matter how much they try, wanting to definitely win doesn’t make sense. However, what about acknowledging defeat without even fighting?

That can’t be done. Her own pride is a separate matter. Wouldn’t Baek Riyun have known about this news?

There’s no way he wouldn’t.

Baek Riyun brought them this far knowing all of this. Didn’t he even come out at dawn to oversee their training?

“Is that what you think?”

Giving up now is no different from deceiving Baek Riyun. Thinking so, Oh Ryeong threw a question at Seomun Cheok.

“……Yes.”

Seomun Cheok lightly accepted those words.

“I lived as a wandering warrior for ten years. Things like this are common in the world. Don’t act like a child, Oh Ryeong. Keep in mind that what you carry on your shoulders is not light.”

“…….”

“You have much to lose, Oh Ryeong. If you’ll lose more by winning than you’ll gain, you must lose.”

At the sight of Seomun Cheok looking at her with endlessly cold eyes, Oh Ryeong glared at Seomun Cheok with eyes full of indignation and rose from her seat. Then Oh Ryeong turned her back.

“Right. You’re correct.”

“…….”

“But I can’t agree with it.”

Oh Ryeong, who slowly moved her steps outside Nakhwaru, stepped on the stairs going down to the lower floor and let out a low voice.

“……I’m going to get some air.”

At the sight of Oh Ryeong descending after finishing her words, Seomun Cheok maintained silence for a moment before looking around. As expected, the atmosphere had frozen coldly, hadn’t it?

“It seems I’ve ruined the mood.”

If he stays like this, the atmosphere will remain frozen as is.

“I’ll step out for a bit. Call me when it’s over.”

After checking the stiff expressions of his classmates for a moment, Seomun Cheok grabbed a liquor bottle, rose from his seat, and climbed up onto Nakhwaru’s roof. And watching that sight, Gawol spoke casually.

“He’s quite heartless. There were plenty of ways to say it indirectly.”

“……On the contrary, Benefactor Gawol.”

“Yes?”

“Amitabha. It’s because he’s not heartless that he says such things.”

Unjin, who lightly denied Gawol’s words, showed a bitter smile and quietly closed his eyes and clasped his hands together.

“Didn’t Benefactor Seomun say it? Those who have much to lose shouldn’t win.”

“Yes. He did.”

“Conversely, that means those who have nothing to lose can win. For example, those without sects or those who can ignore the Murim Alliance’s pressure.”

Out of the sixteen Muryeongwando, those with sects or families total ten. Doesn’t that mean the remaining six can win?

“As a result, if it’s Muryeon Hall’s defeat, the Murim Alliance side won’t be able to impose visible sanctions. Moreover, if those without sects, people like Benefactor Seonwoo Gang or Benefactor Seomun Cheok, win on their own, they can’t hold us accountable for that wrongdoing. Much more so if such people overwhelmingly defeat Mujeong Hall.”

If that happens, then rather than losing something they were supposed to lose anyway, they lost something they could have won due to the Murim Alliance’s orders. If that happens, they can at least preserve face, can’t they?

Preserve face. Take all the blame himself. Because Seomun Cheok has nothing to lose. So don’t get involved.

That’s essentially what Seomun Cheok said. Oh Ryeong also got angry knowing that.

“……I’m surprised. I didn’t know such meaning was hidden.”

“It’s not strange. We’ve spent four years together through thick and thin. Haha. Though it seems there are still parts we don’t know……”

Unjin, who was looking toward where Oh Ryeong left, let out a deep sigh. Isn’t it a structure where they must force sacrifice on one side no matter which side?

A bitter situation. In this situation, protecting both would be close to impossible.

“We too must make a choice.”

At Unjin’s low voice, the Gwando who placed their hands on their weapons all closed their mouths without exception. And.

“…….”

Watching that sight, Gawol was about to pour the contents into her mouth, tilting her liquor cup with a frustrated heart.

Kwang!

“Fortunate. Everyone is gathered here.”

A giant man who jumped in through the window with the sound of wooden planks being crushed looked at the Muryeongwando and spoke quietly.

“I am Gwangyeon, Branch Leader of the Murim Alliance Akyang Branch. You brats.”

“……Do you mean the Akyang Branch Leader?”

“Yes. Since there’s no time, I’ll deliver this quickly.”

Gwangyeon, who lightly deflected Seonwoo Gang’s question, swept the surroundings fiercely. And a thick voice flowing out.

“At this very moment, a Baekgwiyahaeng is heading toward this place.”

“……What did you just say?”

“It’s as you heard. A Baekgwiyahaeng is heading toward this place. This place will soon become a battlefield. Therefore.”

Gwangyeon, who answered Seonwoo Gang’s question firmly, continued speaking while giving his attention to the door.

“Retreat from the battlefield as quickly as possible and return to Yeonsuji. This is an order.”