Chapter 1530
Now it’s my turn. (5)
Disband the Tang clan.
These words came from none other than the daughter of the Tang clan.
The heads of other sects, Five Swords, and even Chung Myung were all left with their jaws dropped in disbelief.
“S-Siju… have you lost your mind?”
Even Hye Yeon said this, so what more was there to say?
Tang Gunak’s eyes were a mix of bewilderment, anger, and sadness. When he turned to look at Hyun Jong and Un Am, they quickly shook their heads.
“Y-You’re misunderstanding!”
“Soso! What on earth are you talking about?”
Hyun Jong and Un Am jumped up as if trying to avoid a wildfire.
No matter how much Tang Soso was a disciple of Hwasan, would they have made her say such a thing? If they had, they wouldn’t have a word to say even if a needle were stuck in their head while they slept.
Sigh…
Tang Gunak let out a sigh, unable to find words. Even though she was a daughter he had sent away, she was still the precious child he had raised with utmost care. And now, from her mouth came the words that their clan should be disbanded.
Just as his usually stern eyes began to well up, Tang Soso added,
“I exaggerated a bit, but what I mean is that we need to change the Tang clan’s structure.”
“Change the structure?”
At this, Tang Gunak seemed intrigued and looked at Tang Soso again. Her eyes were clear and resolute. This was neither a joke nor a casual remark.
“Are you talking about the Tang clan’s weakened power?”
“No.”
Tang Soso shook her head firmly.
“Even if Sichuan Tang clan was at full strength… No, even if it was more prosperous, it’s still something that needs to be done.”
“Be more specific.”
“The Tang clan is not very useful in battle.”
Tang Gunak’s eyes twitched.
This was an unforgivable statement, even from his daughter. To undervalue the Tang clan’s prowess, known for their exceptional performance on the battlefield, was unacceptable.
However, just as he was about to scold her, Tang Gunak kept his mouth shut at Soso’s next words.
“To be precise, with the current system, the Tang clan cannot fully utilize its strength.”
Hyun Jong, with a worried expression, began to speak.
“Soso, that’s…”
“Alliance Leader, please wait a moment.”
Tang Gunak stopped Hyun Jong and said,
“My daughter wouldn’t say such things without reason. I want to hear her out.”
“Hmmm.”
Hyun Jong sighed softly and stepped back.
Tang Gunak looked at Tang Soso with renewed eyes. Upon reflection, no one else could understand both the inner workings and the external perception of the Tang clan as well as she could. Given her unique freedom from the clan’s secluded nature, he thought she might indeed have something valuable to say.
“Continue.”
“Yes.”
Tang Soso nodded and continued speaking.
“Of course, the Tang clan has the ability to sweep across the battlefield. But the biggest problem with the Tang clan is that two or three people take on a job that one can do.”
“…”
“If two people scatter poison that one person could scatter, its potency doesn’t double. Similarly, if two people throw hidden weapons instead of one, they don’t fly twice as far.”
“Hmm.”
Tang Gunak narrowed his eyes.
“That’s not entirely correct. Even if the power isn’t increased, the range can be expanded, and even if the distance isn’t extended, the space can be more densely covered.”
“Yes, that’s true as well. But is that really efficient?”
“What do you mean?”
“Even if everything you said is true, the problem remains. To cover a wider area, more poison is needed, and to densely cover the space with hidden weapons, more weapons must be thrown.”
Tang Soso’s face was filled with conviction and determination.
“That only leads to a faster depletion of poison and hidden weapons. In a short battle, it might be fine, but if the combat continues, the poison and hidden weapons will eventually run out. What will the Tang clan do then? Besides watching from the sidelines, there’s nothing else they can do.”
“That’s…”
“I agree with Soso.”
Tang Gunak’s gaze turned to Tang Pae.
He was nodding with a resolute expression.
“While escaping from Gangnam, I definitely felt it too. If the battle is resolved quickly, the Tang clan can demonstrate power superior to any other sect in the world. This is especially true in battles involving many fighters. But if the battle drags on even a little, we run out of things we can do.”
Tang Gunak’s eyes turned cold.
Tang Pae was the Tang clan’s Young Lord, and now he was criticizing the Sichuan Tang Clan.
“Watch your words, Young Lord. The Tang clan is not that weak. Do you think our ancestors were unaware of such issues?”
“Yes. They might have found a way to cope. If we hadn’t lost all our furnaces and our poison vault.”
Tang Gunak was momentarily speechless. His son’s words struck a sore spot.
“There isn’t enough time to restore both. No matter how hard we try, if the war continues, there will undoubtedly come a point where the production of poison and hidden weapons can’t keep up with their consumption. What will the Tang clan do then?”
Fundamental limitations and situational constraints.
The siblings were pinpointing the Tang clan’s vulnerabilities. For Tang Gunak, this was truly uncomfortable and awkward.
Nevertheless, the reasons Tang Gunak could keep his temper in check were two.
One, he was not a person who lost his temper easily. Two, these siblings had experienced the most desperate battles firsthand within the Tang clan.
And if there was one more reason to add.
“You two seem to have already discussed this among yourselves.”
“Yes.”
“That is correct.”
Tang Gunak, with his lips set in a firm line, spoke briefly.
“Continue.”
“If the Tang clan wishes to maintain its reputation, there is a simple way. We prepare enough poison and hidden weapons, use them all in a single battle, and then retreat. With our poison and weapons depleted, other sects won’t see a reason to hold us accountable, so we’ll have a justifiable reason to withdraw.”
Tang Gunak’s eyebrows twitched.
The implication was to safeguard their reputation while minimizing sacrifice, a strategy that might appeal to the Tang clan but would be awkward for other sects to hear. It wasn’t something to be said in such a setting.
However, Tang Gunak didn’t even consider this problem. It wasn’t a path the Sichuan Tang clan could take anyway.
“If not that, then what?”
“We must find another way.”
Tang Pae spoke firmly.
“A way where the Tang clan can share its fate with everyone, without relying on showing off power or depending on tools.”
Tang Gunak’s face grew heavier.
“Do you think this problem can’t be solved by fighting alongside Hwasan?”
He still remembered clearly how strong the Sichuan Tang clan was at the Yangtze River. How formidable they were fighting in sync with Hwasan.
But Tang Pae shook his head decisively and asked.
“Is the Tang clan a sect that exists to support Hwasan?”
“…”
“As you said, following Hwasan would reduce our weaknesses and increase our power. But that would mean that the large Sichuan Tang clan would operate solely as a support for Hwasan.”
“Hm.”
“And how much of a burden would that place on Cheonumaeng?”
Tang Gunak stared intently at Tang Pae. He felt a sense of renewed admiration.
Tang Pae had always placed the importance of elevating Sichuan Tang Clans status above all else. There were times when this sentiment was so strong that he even attempted to ambush Chung Myung, unable to bear the thought of Tang Gunak’s defeat.
Yet here he was, saying that Sichuan Tang Clan should not burden others. Even though there were clearly ways to gain glory while minimizing their own losses.
It was a change that was both heartening and disheartening. Tang Gunak exhaled deeply and spoke.
“I’ve heard enough. Now, the important thing is the plan you’ve prepared. What do you suggest we do?”
Tang Pae, instead of answering, turned his gaze to Tang Soso.
This was now Tang Soso’s domain.
“You seem to believe that the Tang clan demonstrates its power best when it’s united. And while that isn’t wrong, I think the true strength of the Tang clan lies in its versatility.”
“Versatility?”
“Yes. The Tang clan can do everything. We are sensitive to changes in our surroundings, making us excellent scouts, and with hidden weapons, one person can support dozens. And most importantly… we can save the injured. The presence of a Tang clan’s member can significantly increase the survival rate on the battlefield.”
Five Swords strongly agreed with Tang Soso’s statement. They had painfully realized the importance of having physicians during their journey from Hainan. To exaggerate only a bit, if it hadn’t been for Tang Pae and Tang Soso, more than half of their group would have been buried in the lands of Gangnam during their escape. Considering they wouldn’t have been able to preserve their strength, it might have been impossible for most of them to return alive.
“So what does this mean?”
“We need to divide the Tang clan’s members. Instead of moving as a single unit, we should form groups of four to five. These groups would support those who are going to the battlefield.”
Tang Gunak’s eyebrows twitched.
“For what purpose?”
“To provide mobile medical support that can keep up with the agility of elite warriors.”
Tang Gunak’s eyes darkened deeply.
“That means…”
He fell silent again, pondering the implications. After a long period of contemplation, Tang Gunak looked up.
“Dividing the Tang clan means I won’t be able to directly command all of them.”
“Yes.”
“That also means that the members of the Tang clan will have to take orders from others, not just from within the Tang clan.”
“Yes, Lord.”
Tang Gunak’s voice grew sharper.
“The ones giving those orders would be the heads of other sects, their elders, and even their first generation disciples. This means the members of the Tang clan would have to follow the orders of a mere commander rather than their own Young Lord. Do you understand what this implies?”
“Yes.”
This time, it was Tang Pae who answered. Tang Gunak’s eyes overflowed with anger.
This suggestion could be seen as even more extreme than proposing to dismantle the Tang clan itself. The Tang clan, which had always fiercely excluded anyone not bearing the Tang name, would now have to endure the humiliation of taking orders from other sects. Unless the orders came from Cheonumaeng itself, this was unthinkable.
“Do you understand…”
The anger turned into a cold, murderous intent.
He was directing this murderous intent towards his own children, indicating that he was speaking not as a father, but solely as the head of the Tang clan.
“Explain why we should endure all this. If you cannot answer properly, you will pay for insulting our family.”
Tang Gunak’s question came with a determined resolve.
However, the answer was dishearteningly simple, as if it had been prepared in advance.
“Because we are certain.”
“Certain of what?”
Tang Soso met Tang Gunak’s murderous gaze calmly and spoke. Her unwavering voice was carried directly to Tang Gunak.
“That this course of action will change the tide of the battlefield. Perhaps even forever.”
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