novelraw Chapter 121 : The Beginning of the War (1)
Chapter 121 : The Beginning of the War (1)
In the Martial Alliance, Gumen Long, the Alliance Leader and the supreme ruler of the martial world, reigned. Among the many people who assisted him, the ones who stood out were Sima Hui, the representative of the Sima Clan, and Zhuge Xian, the representative of the Zhuge Clan.
However, neither Sima Hui nor Zhuge Xian could be called the number two person in the Martial Alliance. As their name 'military advisor' suggested, they existed only to assist, advise, and consult the Alliance Leader. They were not in a position to directly wield power.
"Unlike the other military advisors, the inspector has boldly jumped into the political arena, has the skill to handle prominent figures, and is monopolizing the Alliance Leader's trust. He can be called the de facto number two. Is that all? As a result of this meeting, haven't all of the Nine Sects One Alliance and the Five Great Noble Families come to know that he is the number two?"
It is very important that others acknowledge it. The more widely a reputation is spread, the more beneficial it is, and the more it spreads, the more dignity it gains.
Because the more people know, the higher one's status becomes, martial artists, whenever they introduce themselves, insert their place of origin or nickname and try to let people know more information somehow.
"If such a rumor spreads, even those who have maintained a lukewarm neutral position until now will approach the inspector to form a good relationship with him. Among them, there will be many who seek his help, like our Huashan."
"And?"
"The people who approach him in that way will become the inspector's connections. That's what connections are, aren't they? At a glance, they may seem thin and shabby, but at a crucial moment, they are an intangible asset that has a value more precious than a thousand gold."
"So. What is the conclusion?"
"If you want to get close to him, now is the time. Since we have received the favor of him siding with Huashan instead of Zhongnan, we must provide full support. If we act late, it is worse than not acting at all. We must line up faster than anyone else."
The Lamp of Enlightenment smiled.
"In the end, it means that Namgung Yeohwa was right."
"It can be seen that way. As expected of the Golden Ear, she finds a hint of profit like a ghost."
"I have heard Hyeonam's valuable opinion well. Since most of it coincides with my thoughts, it is fortunate that there is no need to argue."
Hyeonam let out a long sigh inwardly. It seemed he had fortunately made the right judgment.
But it was too early to jump to conclusions. Yeondeung added.
"But there is a slightly insufficient part."
"W-what part is that?"
"It is the reason why this fellow, the inspector, has taken action like this now."
Hyeonam slowly thought about it once more.
Hearing the story, there was a sense of urgency. Rather than announcing that he had become the number two person in the Martial Alliance and immediately standing in the middle of a political dispute, it would be better to accumulate a little more power and then step forward at a time when no one could deny that he was the number two. Why was that?
Yeondeung, seeing that Hyeonam could not find an answer and was just rolling his eyes, waved his hand and sent the bird flying.
"I don't know the reason for that yet either. But right now, that fellow is drawing a line."
"What line do you mean?"
"It's a line that divides his allies and his enemies. He's giving them a chance to become his side, or to become his enemy. To me, I see in that the will to divide the martial world into two."
"What? Why on earth would the inspector of the Martial Alliance do such a thing?"
"Look at him as an individual, not as an inspector."
There was a great slaughter in Sichuan, and the only survivor from the 'Heavenly Net Earthly Web' of the Tang Clan was a young child who had not even reached the age of majority.
Hyeonam, recalling the rumor related to Jang So-gil, his mouth fell open.
"I can understand his desire for revenge against the Sichuan Tang Clan. But to divide the martial world into his side and his enemy just to strike one Tang Clan? Isn't that a completely crazy person?"
"I also think it's a conjecture. But something, there's a smell."
The scoundrel inspector of the Martial Alliance. But he did not do things without a reason.
In any case, the Ghost King had a need to divide the martial world into two, and the only reason that could be cited for that was his desire for revenge against the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Hyeonam muttered as if he were possessed.
"Is there some secret about the Sichuan Tang Clan that we don't know?"
"Well. I'm curious what kind of secret the Tang Clan, which is only at the bottom of the Five Great Noble Families, could have."
The Lamp of Enlightenment, narrowing his eyes, looked at Luoyang in the distance.
"First, we'll have to clean up the filth in front of our eyes."
The inspector of the Martial Alliance had kept his promise.
Now it was Huashan's turn to keep its promise.
"Hyeonam, from now on, prepare for war with the Four Black Alliance."
* * *
The Martial Alliance had post stations in various parts of the Central Plains. In the post stations of the Martial Alliance, there were facilities where the martial artists, scholars, and officials belonging to the Martial Alliance could change horses, eat, or stay, and there were also shops where travelers could replenish necessary items.
Among such facilities, the most important was the contact office. Each contact office of the post station raised dozens to hundreds of carrier pigeons. The Martial Alliance used this contact office to quickly transmit the will of the Martial Alliance to every corner of the vast Central Plains.
But the function of the post station had been almost paralyzed for a long time. It was because there was no money to maintain it due to the financial situation of the Martial Alliance.
In such a situation, it was Jang So-gil who had introduced a shop that everyone could use to the post station. Thanks to the shop, the post station could cover the amount needed for maintenance, and some of the branches with good sales had even turned into a surplus. As if to release the resentment they had had to keep silent about until now, they sent out countless carrier pigeons and carrier hawks every day.
Then one day. Today was an ordinary morning as usual.
That is, until an express letter with the seal of the Martial Alliance inspector arrived.
The Ghost King's Seal.
The air in the contact office changed.
The scholar of the contact office who had opened the letter immediately took a brush and copied the contents of the letter.
So that everyone could see it at a glance, in a grand handwriting, large.
Carefully, for fear of making even a single stroke wrong.
It was a proclamation that began with 'announcing the evil deeds of the Four Black Alliance to the world'.
* * *
Jang So-gil, who had been a merchant in the past, had a distorted perception that the orthodox sect, the unorthodox sect, and the Black Way were all the same. Because they were people who made money not by diligently plowing the land or making and selling something, but by hitting and intimidating people.
But now that he had become the inspector of the Martial Alliance, he could clearly tell the difference between them.
"The Black Way makes money by doing bad things, and the orthodox sect makes money by beating the Black Way."
At Jang So-gil's unrestrained abusive language, the corner of Yang Gwan's mouth trembled.
He had just finished his closed-door training, so his lips were a little chapped due to lack of moisture. Jang So-gil, seeing that, frowned, but Yang Gwan, nonchalantly rubbing the corner of his mouth, retorted.
"That's a huge prejudice."
"It's not a prejudice, what can I do if it's actually like that?"
"Keu-eung, then what does the unorthodox sect make money with?"
"The unorthodox sect doesn't just do bad things all the time, but there are many who make money by hitting the weaker side depending on the situation. So sometimes, the unorthodox sect is the more damned bastards."
They pretended to value heroism and righteousness like the orthodox sect and argued that they were different from the Black Way, and then when necessary, they said they were not the orthodox sect and clung to things that were profitable.
The sight of them sticking to the liver and then sticking to the gallbladder was truly a spectacle. Jang So-gil, grinning, scanned the letters that had flown in from various places.
"Is that why? They're quick on the uptake."
Jang So-gil had sent a proclamation to the entire Central Plains through the contact office. It was a proclamation full of sentences that incited people to join in beating the Four Black Alliance, by selecting and listing the sensational ones among the many evil deeds of the Four Black Alliance, and saying that the inspector of the Martial Alliance was very angry because of this.
The effect of the proclamation was good. Inspired by the proclamation, resolutions from small and medium-sized sects and factions to participate in the subjugation of the Four Black Alliance were flooding in from all over.
Even by a rough estimate, their number was more than double that of the Four Black Alliance, so the fight was as good as won before it even started.
There is no match for numbers. But it did not fall short in quality either.
The Black Killing Hegemon King, Ha Hu-yeong, the leader of the Four Black Alliance, would be dealt with by the sect leader of the Huashan Sect and the Sword Saint of Huashan, the Lamp of Enlightenment, and the vice-leader, the 'Traceless Kill' Zhang Yi, would be dealt with by Man Bakja of the Beggars' Sect.
Besides that, there were more than ten places where the sect leader himself said he would come from various sects. The extermination of the Four Black Alliance was on a countdown.
Despite such a favorable situation, Yang Gwan was sighing and frowning. It was because among the sects that had expressed their intention to participate, there were several famous unorthodox sects whose names were known just by hearing them.
Jang So-gil said nonchalantly.
"I expected it to be like this. But to think that even the guys who were doing business with the Four Black Alliance until yesterday would switch sides so quickly, they have some thick skin."
Although it was said that in the past, the unorthodox sect also had a union like the Martial Alliance of the orthodox sect or the Four Black Alliance of the Black Way, now such a central point did not exist. Therefore, there was no such thing as a general will of the unorthodox sect.
"So it's not as if there's some mastermind who is plotting a conspiracy or trying to pull some strings. They're just thinking of taking a share in breaking the Four Black Alliance, and if the groups of the Black Way near their headquarters disappear, they'll just take over that sphere of influence."
"Young Master So, I think we shouldn't receive the cooperation of such people."
Yang Gwan, his expression hardening, said in a serious tone.
"If it's like that, isn't it just that the unorthodox sect that has taken the vacant spot of the Four Black Alliance will increase their power? Won't the heroism and righteousness of this matter be damaged?"
"If a big fight like this breaks out, a lot of blood will be shed. Why should we refuse when the unorthodox sect is willing to shed blood together with the orthodox sect? It's my way to seek practical benefits rather than heroism and righteousness."
"But, still..."
"It can't be helped. Even if the Four Black Alliance is destroyed, their business establishments will remain. It would be troublesome if a new bloody wind were to blow, aiming for that business. It would be better for the unorthodox sect to take that place, as fewer people would die and there would be less chaos. A person who has received a bribe knows how to eat it well, and a dirty person is good at dirty work. It's better for those who know how to do business to continue managing it."
Demand creates supply. Even in bad things, there is a demand and a profit, so someone tries to supply it.
Even if the Four Black Alliance is destroyed now, the Black Way will not completely disappear. The groups of the Black Way will continue to appear and commit crimes in other places, and in the end, it is unavoidable that a second and third Four Black Alliance will be created someday.
"That is something we cannot do anything about right now."
"I see. But no matter how the reality is, it is a heartbreaking matter. Is there no way to root out the villains? Is there no way to make it even a little better..."
"Yes, you naive fellow. Keep worrying and worrying about such an unanswerable matter."
Then who knows, maybe an answer I hadn't thought of will come out.
Jang So-gil, inwardly adding the latter part of the sentence, let out a small, dry cough.
"Rather than that, how are the results of your training? I deliberately delayed the expedition until your closed-door training was over. The gathered martial artists are all fidgeting their shoulders, wanting to fight."
"I will show you the results in the fight."
"Good. Then let's start right away."
As they walked while talking, they had arrived at their destination before they knew it. Jang So-gil raised his foot and kicked the main gate of the manor with a 'ppung' sound.
As the gate flew open, the group of the Four Black Alliance, who had already been waiting inside, leaped forward and rushed like tigers.
(End of Chapter)