Chapter 1611
So we have no choice but to tear them down. (1)
Chung Myung looked at Zhuge Jain as if asking, ‘What’s with this guy?’
“Why are you getting all worked up? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”
Zhuge Jain lowered his voice, pressing Chung Myung.
“Now I’m curious. Is that really your understanding of reality as the General?”
“Huh?”
“I’m asking if you truly think it’s not a big deal even if there is a traitor within the Just Sects.”
Zhuge Jain looked not only at Chung Myung but also at everyone sitting around him.
“This is hard to believe. Or perhaps… do you think there was never a traitor to begin with? Do you not trust what I said?”
“Lord Zhuge.”
Moyong Wigyeong tried to intervene, but Zhuge Jain did not back down at all.
“Which is it?”
It was unclear if he wanted to clarify this point or if he intended to catch any slip of the tongue from his opponent.
However, Chung Myung’s reaction was nonchalant to the extreme.
“I don’t care about either.”
“…What?”
“I said, I don’t care.”
Zhuge Jain stared at Chung Myung with a bewildered expression, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“You don’t care? This is something worth talking about…”
“Then let me ask you something.”
Chung Myung quickly turned his head and scanned everyone sitting there before asking,
“Is anyone here a traitor?”
Naturally, there was a moment of silence. The sect leaders couldn’t hide their astonishment at such an absurd question.
“Anyone?”
“Hmm. Chung Myung… No, General. Ask something more reasonable…”
Hyun Jong tried to smooth over the situation, but Chung Myung just smiled brightly.
“Come on, it’s better to be sure. So, any traitors?”
Normally, someone would have cursed him out, but everyone knew this wasn’t the time or place for that.
Finally, Tang Gunak was the first to sigh and respond.
“The Tang clan is not.”
“Neither are we.”
“How could there be? Betrayal, really?”
The leaders of the sects shook their heads with weary faces. Watching each of their reactions, Chung Myung then looked at Jongli Gok.
“Perhaps?”
Jongli Gok’s eyebrows twitched with anger.
“That’s going too far. The day Jongnam sides with Sapaeryeon is the day the Central Plains fall.”
Having received the words of denials from everyone, Chung Myung turned to Zhuge Jain.
“You heard them? They say there’s no traitor within.”
“…What, what naive words! How can you believe that? Of course, there could be…”
“Careful with your words. Everyone I just asked is a member of Cheonumaeng. Are you saying there’s a traitor within Cheonumaeng? Quite a statement for the head of one of the Five Great Families.”
Zhuge Jain’s face instantly went pale. Unsurprisingly, the expressions of those looking at him turned uncomfortable. Even if there was indeed a traitor here, given his position, he couldn’t afford to say such a thing carelessly. Realizing this anew, Zhuge Jain found himself at a loss for words.
At that moment, Chung Myung widened his eyes.
“Oh. Now that I think about it, Jongnam is also here, right? So, are you suspecting Jongnam…?”
“W-what are you saying! That’s absolutely not what I meant!”
“Right?”
Chung Myung grinned.
“Then, there are only two sects left, right? I’m not accusing anyone, but did Zhuge family or Moyong family betray us?”
“What nonsense is this! We would never…”
“Right? Then there’s no traitor here. Isn’t that all that matters?”
Chung Myung looked at Zhuge Jain as if asking, ‘What’s the problem?’ Zhuge Jain was at a loss for words. He didn’t even know where to begin.
“Listen, General.”
His voice had noticeably lost its strength compared to earlier.
“Just because there isn’t a traitor within doesn’t mean the problem is solved. Within the Just Sects…”
“Wow, you really don’t understand, do you? How did someone like you become the head of Zhuge family?”
Chung Myung muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear, his face twisting before he shouted.
“Hey, old man! What’s important right now? Is it that there’s a traitor, or is it finding out who the traitor is?”
Zhuge Jain had no time to point out how rude Chung Myung’s words were.
“Well…”
“What’s the difference if the traitor is from Wudang, Kunlun, or some unknown group? The strong ones attacking us remain the same, doesn’t it?”
Zhuge Jain’s mouth hung open.
“Do you think if we find out who the traitor is, they’ll change their mind and come back to our side? If there’s a traitor, we just need to acknowledge it, plan accordingly, and fight.”
Just as Zhuge Jain, his patience exhausted, was about to retort loudly, someone interjected.
“He’s right.”
“…R-right?”
Zhuge Jain turned around, bewildered. It was none other than Tang Gunak who had spoken.
“We’ve been overcomplicating a trivial matter. If there’s no traitor among us, then whoever it is has effectively become part of Sapaeryeon’s new force, and we just fight accordingly.”
“Exactly.”
Im Sobyeong nodded in agreement.
“The reasons and motives behind the betrayal are secondary. What matters is that Sapaeryeon has become stronger with new allies. We should focus on that simple fact.”
“Hmm, indeed.”
“Now that you mention it, that does make sense.”
The atmosphere began to settle quickly. Zhuge Jain watched the process, his feelings indescribable.
‘Are they all insane?’
A traitor exists. A faction within the Just Sects aligning with the Evil Sects to attack the Just Sect is an unprecedented event in the history of Gangho. And yet, they were dismissing such a monumental event in this manner?
Fine, let’s concede that point. Some radicals might indeed propose such logic. However, isn’t it the role of the senior members to correct that logic and mediate properly?
But instead of correcting it, they were agreeing with it – how could this be happening?
“What in the world is going on…”
“Sit.”
Chung Myung gestured toward the seat. But at this point, Zhuge Jain wasn’t about to comply so easily.
“I’m not finished yet…”
“I said sit down.”
In that moment, a chilling voice brushed past Zhuge Jain’s ear, sending shivers down his spine and causing him to shut his mouth without realizing it.
Chung Myung’s gaze, burrowing into Zhuge Jain, was as sharp as a blade.
“It seems you’re mistaken, but we don’t have to listen to everything you say. You’re not a part of Cheonumaeng. We’ve let you speak until now out of respect for your past status and authority.”
Zhuge Jain swallowed dryly. Chung Myung continued coldly.
“Behave like a guest. Don’t act like you’re the owner. No one here is going to get caught up in your petty schemes and surrender control. This is Cheonumaeng.”
Zhuge Jain instinctively glanced around.
Suddenly, hostile gazes were directed at him. Even Jongli Gok and Moyong Wigyeong avoided making eye contact with him.
‘Why all of a sudden…’
Until the last meeting, it hadn’t been like this. Why had things suddenly taken such a turn?
“Sit down.”
At Chung Myung’s repeated command, Zhuge Jain finally gave up and sat down weakly. Just as Chung Myung was about to speak again, Baek Cheon leisurely raised his hand.
“What is it?”
Chung Myung asked irritably.
“Are you saying guests shouldn’t speak?”
“Hmm.”
Chung Myung nodded as if acknowledging a good point.
“The host should be magnanimous, and the guest should be respectful. If you have something to say, say it properly with respect – the kind of respect Gupailbang hold in such high regard.”
“….”
“Understood?”
Baek Cheon smirked, looking satisfied.
Then, Im Sobyeong spoke up.
“Now that the situation seems somewhat resolved, let’s continue the meeting. I have a question for the General. What do you plan to do next?”
“What do you think?”
Chung Myung replied nonchalantly.
“We need to reorganize.”
“…Reorganize?”
Someone echoed in surprise. Chung Myung glanced at the now subdued Zhuge Jain and said,
“Well, it’s not entirely nonsense.”
Zhuge Jain’s clenched fist trembled slightly. Chung Myung asked.
“Do you know the best way to deal with an attack that could come at any time and place?”
“To find out when and where that attack will come!”
Someone answered confidently, standing up abruptly.
“I understand what you mean, Hwasan Shinryong! The answer to all these problems lies with us, the Beggars Sect. Entrusting us with such an important task… we won’t fail…”
Whack!
A shoe flew directly into Hong Daekwang’s face, knocking him over just as he was shouting vigorously.
“You useless beggar! You can’t even find out where Zhuge or Moyong family are, let alone deal with unknown enemies, and scum like you dare raise your voice!”
Pung Yeong Shin Gae, who had indifferently supported Hong Daekwang while he was falling, said calmly.
“We can tolerate ‘useless’ and ‘beggar,’ but he is still the Sect Leader of the Beggars Sect. Please leave out ‘scum.’”
“Useless beggar!”
“That’s right. That works just fine.”
Hyun Jong just covered his face with his hands silently. The situation felt painfully familiar, which made it all the more disheartening. With the fate of Gangho in turmoil, why were things always like this?
Hong Daekwang protested vehemently.
“That wasn’t our fault! You were the one who told me to mobilize all the beggars to track Sapaeryeon’s movements!”
“No excuses! When will you do your job well if you only follow orders?!”
“If I were that capable, why would I be a beggar?”
“…Ah, now that you mention it.”
“Don’t agree with him!”
Chung Myung nodded as if it were true, but this only served to wound Hong Daekwang even further.
“Alright, that’s enough of that. So? What’s the best way to deal with an unexpected attack?”
Im Sobyeong, accustomed to the situation, asked. Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders.
“Let’s consider a similar scenario.”
“…Hmm?”
“Imagine unknown enemies appear before Zhuge and Moyong. The situation arose because they weren’t confident in their ability to deal with them.”
“That’s true.”
Zhuge Jain and Moyong Wigyeong flinched slightly, but as they listened, it seemed Chung Myung wasn’t criticizing them directly.
“Now, let’s change the scenario slightly. What if Jongnam had also been there?”
“That’s a hypothetical situation without much to ponder. Regardless of who the attackers are, they couldn’t block Jongnam’s path. I wouldn’t have allowed that.”
Jin Geumryong answered in place of Jongli Gok. Chung Myung smiled.
“I agree. It would have been different if Jongnam had been there.”
Jin Geumryong’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. He couldn’t believe Chung Myung would agree so readily.
“But it’s not just because Jongnam would have been there. It’s because once there are three sects, they can no longer create variables on their own.”
Tang Gunak’s expression hardened slightly.
“…General, are you saying…?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Chung Myung nodded.
“Cheonumaeng is an alliance, with many heads.”
“…”
“We’ve been using various methods to overcome that until now. But in the end, they were just temporary solutions. We can’t continue like this.”
“Why?”
“It’s simple. It has already been proven. That damned Jang Ilso knows how to understand and exploit human greed and desire better than anyone else under heaven.”
Even Chung Myung couldn’t fully predict Beop Jong’s actions. But Jang Ilso perfectly anticipated Beop Jong’s moves. It wasn’t because Jang Ilso was far superior to Chung Myung. It was because he could read the desires that anyone who prioritizes themselves and their sect would have, and he skillfully shook those desires.
“We can’t continue like this.”
It may seem perfect now, but eventually, Jang Ilso will find it. The small gap between them. He will surely tear it open and cause bloodshed.
Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“So we have no choice but to tear them down. The boundaries we have.”
The stern and ruthless words fell upon everyone.
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