Chapter 1613
So we have no choice but to tear them down. (3)
“Sahyeong.”
“Shh.”
Feeling somewhat out of place in the meeting, Jo Geol whispered to Yoon Jong in the corner where they had been quietly listening like dead mice.
“I know we should be quiet, but… what does he mean by revoking command authority?”
“Well…”
Yoon Jong hesitated, glancing around before speaking. Honestly, he was still trying to wrap his head around it too…
“Right now, even though we are following the Alliance’s orders, we’re actually still taking orders from our respective sects, aren’t we?”
“…So what does that mean?”
Yoon Jong’s face twisted slightly.
“If the Sect Leader and the Alliance Leader give different orders, whose command do we follow?”
“Obviously the Alliance Leader, right?”
“Uh…?”
That is correct, but… well, it is correct, but.
“I used a poor example. Let’s say the Vice Leader and the Alliance Leader give different orders at the same time. Who do you think the Tang clan members will follow?”
“That would be…”
Of course, it should be Hyun Jong.
But practically, it would be Tang Gunak. It had to be. To the members of Hwasan, Hyun Jong was both the Alliance Leader and their retired Sect Leader, but to the Tang clan, he was essentially an outsider.
“He wants to change that.”
“Oh, that… but…”
Jo Geol’s head tilted as he struggled to process what Yoon Jong was saying.
“How can you change that? Is it even possible?”
“That’s why he’s talking about revoking command authority…!”
Yoon Jong’s voice started to rise out of frustration from the lack of understanding, but it was abruptly cut off by a sharp glare from Hyun Jong. Yoon Jong and Jo Geol quickly bowed their heads, silenced by the sudden attention they had drawn.
“Ahem.”
Tang Gunak cleared his throat lightly and looked at Chung Myung.
Baek Cheon had also dropped a bomb in the previous meeting. However, compared to what Chung Myung had just proposed, it was insignificant.
Command authority… Does he even understand the implications of what he’s suggesting?
“General. I understand your intention, but…”
“You think it’s not practical?”
Tang Gunak nodded.
“Yes, this is…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence. As the conference room fell silent once more, Jo Geol couldn’t hold back and spoke again.
“Sahyeong.”
“Please, just stop…”
“No, but why is this such a big deal? Is it really that significant?”
“Ha…”
Yoon Jong sighed deeply, as if the ground might swallow him, and whispered back.
“Then can you fight under someone else’s command other than our Sect Leader’s?”
“Of course, we’re part of Cheonumaeng, aren’t we?”
“What if the order comes from the Sect Leader of Jongnam?”
“…What?”
Jo Geol’s eyes wavered for a moment.
“Not just Jongnam’s Sect leader, but if Jin Geumryong gives the order? Could you risk your life and charge at the enemy under his command?”
Jo Geol shut his mouth tightly. He had been ready to say, ‘Of course,’ but hearing it put that way made it hard to answer hastily.
“Revoking command authority means just that. The entire system you’ve known will disappear. And you’ll have to adapt to a new one.”
“Could it really be that extreme? Surely, he has thought this through.”
“That’s something we can say because we’re from Hwasan. For other sects, it could be even more extreme.”
Take Im Sobyeomg, for example. Until now, he has held a position of a military advisor, and his opinions have been indirectly executed through Hyun Jong. But if command authority is unified, those who followed the righteous path might have to risk their lives following orders from someone who was once called a bandit. Can everyone truly accept that?
The silence lasted for quite some time, as everyone seemed to be pondering similar thoughts. Finally, Chung Myung spoke again.
“It’s unrealistic, it’s just theoretical, it’s better to start with what’s possible… After all we’ve been through, you’re still saying that?”
Chung Myung stared directly at Tang Gunak, whose face hardened slightly.
“The reason Gupailbang failed is simple. Despite their centuries-old system, they couldn’t surpass their limitations. The sweet notion of alliance couldn’t erase the distinction of ‘me and the others’ among them.”
“Of course, but still…”
“If we fight under such a shaky system, even if we win, it will leave massive damage and severe conflicts. Surely, you don’t intend for us to turn on each other and fight amongst ourselves after defeating that bastard?”
Everyone’s faces hardened, except for Chung Myung, who continued speaking calmly.
“So there’s only one solution. Stop dividing into sects and combine our strength.”
Chung Myung didn’t wait for Tang Gunak’s response but instead turned his gaze towards his Sahyeongs.
“Those who clung to the old system were utterly defeated. But those who broke the barriers managed to cut off the Black Dragon King’s head and return. Is there any sect here that achieved greater feats than they did?”
There was none. Astonishingly, none.
In the heavy atmosphere, Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“Let’s face reality. Since we became enemies with this damned Sapaeryeon, we haven’t scored a single victory against them. Not once have we won or gained an advantage. Defeat after defeat. Every time we engage, we lose and are left to pound the ground in regret.”
Several people bit their lips.
“And yet, you think we can win if we just pull ourselves together and fight properly? Without changing anything?”
Chung Myung let out a faint sneer. That laughter made everyone flinch.
“People are supposed to learn from history, aren’t they? But somehow, to my eyes, we look like a slowly sinking ship.”
“General, your words are too harsh.”
“If you claim my words are too harsh, then from now on, you must change something. Everything we believed to be right, everything we considered correct. And…”
Chung Myung bit his lips tightly and pointed at himself.
“Even the things I believed to be right.”
This was a profoundly meaningful statement.
❀ ❀ ❀
Jo Geol, who left the meeting room almost last, scratched his unruly hair and sighed.
“…Will it be okay? The looks on the sect leaders’ faces were no joke.”
“Why wouldn’t they be? This is such a sensitive issue.”
“Then, shouldn’t we just not do it? Why go to such lengths…”
“They must have thought it had to be done regardless.”
“Chung Myung’s idea?”
“Yes.”
Jo Geol looked at Yoon Jong with a slightly peculiar expression and pouted.
“Even you seem strange sometimes, Sahyeong.”
“What do you mean?”
“Recently, you’ve been acting like you’d oppose everything Chung Myung does, but now, why do you seem to be subtly agreeing with him?”
This guy, really. Yoon Jong let out a heavy sigh.
“If only the world was as simple as you, it would be a peaceful place.”
“…Is that a compliment?”
“Yes, probably.”
Yoon Jong shook his head as if he couldn’t be helped and spoke quietly.
“Though I may disagree with him, I do agree on one thing. Even if we manage to defeat Sapaeryeon in the current way, a serious rift will form between us.”
“…Why?”
“Because in the end, someone will die hesitating.”
At these words, Jo Geol nodded as if he roughly understood.
In this battle, they had combined all their different strengths to defeat the Black Dragon King.
But what if, at that critical moment, some people quietly withdrew to preserve their strength? And if someone from Hwasan died because of them?
Jo Geol would never forgive them for the rest of his life. He might even show more intense hostility than when dealing with the Evil Sects.
“Even if we win the war, if it leaves an indelible grudge, everything becomes meaningless.”
“Is that what this is about?”
“…It might be that he believes there’s no other way to win.”
Jo Geol nodded as if he now vaguely understood.
“Somehow, um… it feels very strange but also inevitable.”
“What do you mean?”
“This kind of thing used to be so natural for Chung Myung. He always changed something, didn’t he? Ever since he came to Hwasan, he’s changed everything from martial arts to training methods and even the system itself.”
“…”
“After that, he changed the way we interacted with other sects and blurred the lines between enemies and allies.”
Yoon Jong slowly nodded as he recalled the past.
“But at some point, I started to feel like he… respected others. In the past, he would have beaten everyone until they listened to him, but now, it seems like he tries to listen to others whenever possible.”
“…Yes.”
Yoon Jong felt the same. And he thought it was just because Chung Myung was maturing as he grew older.
But Jo Geol’s thoughts seemed a bit different.
“Maybe he just couldn’t hold back any longer?”
“…Couldn’t hold back?”
“Yes. He wanted to do this from the beginning. Think about it. That guy is the type who, once he thinks something is right, doesn’t care about others’ circumstances and just overturns everything, shouting at everyone to follow him.”
Countless hardships they had gone through came to mind. Somehow, his whole body felt sore.
“…You’re right.”
“Then it’ll be the same this time.”
Yoon Jong let out a short sigh.
“This time, it’s not so simple, Geol-ah. We could entrust everything to him before because we had nothing to lose. But the other leaders can’t think as easily as we do.”
However, Jo Geol replied with a smile.
“That’s not the important part. Whether we have something to lose or not is the way people like you think, Sahyeong. The important thing is that we have to do what he says to win. Isn’t that it? And…”
Jo Geol spoke firmly.
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
Yoon Jong fell silent.
“If it’s right, we should do it. Naturally.”
“You’re right, but…”
Jo Geol abruptly cut off whatever Yoon Jong was about to say.
“Ah, honestly, I don’t know.”
There was a hint of irritation on his face.
“At some point, you, the retired Sect Leader, Chung Myung, and even Sasuk all became so complicated. I don’t know why you all have so much to think about. It wasn’t like this before.”
A hollow laugh escaped from Yoon Jong’s lips.
“That’s because we weren’t…”
“Don’t give me that nonsense. You think we didn’t have anything to think about before? There was plenty to think about back then too. In fact, when Chung Myung first came, there was even more to consider. Just think about how much we had to ponder to revive our fallen sect.”
Yoon Jong paused for a moment. On the second thought, that made sense too.
“There’s only one difference. Back then, he didn’t care about our feelings or positions. What is happening now is just the current situation. Back in the day, when the Sect Leader suggested taking some time to discuss things, he would have thrown a fit. He would have been foaming at the mouth, causing a scene, yelling that we don’t have time for leisurely discussions.”
The image of Chung Myung lying on the ground, throwing a tantrum, easily came to mind. It was a familiar sight.
“Indeed.”
“Even now, he’s holding back.”
“But isn’t that the right thing to do?”
“Do you really think it’s the right thing?”
Jo Geol quietly looked at Yoon Jong and spoke.
“Well, I used to think you were a bit old-fashioned but fun, Sahyeong. But these days, you seem different.”
“In what way?”
“You remind me of the other sect leaders I used to see. Always weighing options, considering things, and in the end, only choosing the safest path.”
“…”
“How boring.”
Jo Geol abruptly turned his body.
“Geol-ah.”
“I’m going to see Chung Myung. He’s finally stirred up something interesting, so this time I’m going to make sure he doesn’t back out halfway and really overturn things.”
Jo Geol glanced back slightly as he spoke.
“You’ll just try to stop us anyway, so stay here, Sahyeong. See you.”
Yoon Jong could only stare blankly at Jo Geol’s retreating figure as he walked away.
“…Changed? Me?”
His eyes trembled slightly. Hearing such words from Jo Geol, of all people, made it impossible to brush them off easily.
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