Chapter 1617
I’m prepared to cut it off. (2)
Seated in the conference room, Jo Geol let out a groan.
“Ugh, that damn bastard…”
In the end, Chung Myung hadn’t returned to his quarters by dawn. Those who had waited in his room, expecting his return, had eventually trudged out looking like dogs who had lost their chickens and sat down in the conference room.
“He sure knows how to mess with people. Isn’t that right, Sahyeong?”
Jo Geol tried to lighten the mood, but Yoon Jong did not respond. He just sat there with his arms crossed, lost in thought, his face rigid.
Jo Geol considered making another remark but decided against it.
‘The atmosphere is no joke.’
Not only were they present, but also the leaders of Cheonumaeng. And every face was set in a grim expression.
Usually, before the meeting started, there would be small talk and smiles. But now, everyone was tight-lipped, each lost in their own deep thoughts.
So, even Jo Geol, who typically didn’t pay much attention to the mood, couldn’t easily open his mouth.
He understood. Honestly, what Chung Myung had thrown at them wasn’t a simple matter.
‘How will this turn out?’
If he had been able to meet Chung Myung even for a moment, he could have at least made a rough guess. But this time, he hadn’t heard anything in advance from him. He had no idea how things would unfold.
As he scratched his head in frustration, the door opened.
The closed door opened, and Chung Myung walked in. Instantly, all eyes focused on him.
“You…”
Jo Geol instinctively stood up and tried to speak, but Yoon Jong firmly grabbed his shoulder and pressed him back down. It was a signal to keep quiet and stay seated. Jo Geol clicked his tongue and sat back down.
Chung Myung, with a blank expression, silently took his designated seat.
‘What is he thinking?’
Jo Geol grew more confused. Honestly, just looking at Chung Myung’s face, it was impossible to guess what he was thinking.
The other leaders also glanced at Chung Myung, maintaining their silence. It was clear they were thinking the same thing as Jo Geol.
At that moment, the door opened wide again, Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak entered.
“Good morning,”
Hyun Jong greeted the leaders softly as he made his way to the head seat. He looked around at those who had gathered and nodded.
“Is everyone here?”
Zhuge Jain, who had arrived earlier, glanced at the empty seat and spoke.
“Not yet… Jongnam’s Sect Leader Jongli, hasn’t arrived.”
“…I see.”
The appointed time was slowly passing. Someone of Jongli Gok’s stature not arriving on time could be interpreted as a lack of intention to attend the meeting from the start. Hyun Jong sighed quietly and nodded.
“Then, let’s proceed with the meeting without Jongnam.”
“Yes.”
Hyun Jong took a deep breath.
“I believe everyone has given the matter serious thought overnight. What do you think of the proposal put forth by the General?”
Silence fell over the conference room again. Clearly, everyone had pondered deeply during the night, but no one wanted to be the first to speak.
After waiting for a moment, Hyun Jong gently spoke again.
“Personally, I find some aspects of the General’s proposal to be somewhat extreme, but from the perspective of Cheonumaeng, it’s worth considering. Of course, to do so, we would need the cooperation of various leaders…”
“May I speak?”
A voice suddenly interrupted. Hyun Jong’s gaze turned in that direction. There was a faint tension in his eyes. The first opinion expressed in a meeting often greatly influences the outcome, so it was natural to feel tense.
When Hyun Jong’s eyes met the speaker’s, he felt somewhat relieved. The speaker stood noticeably taller than the others: Maeng So, the Lord of the Beast Palace. He had a strong connection with Chung Myung. That was reassuring.
“Please go ahead, Lord Maeng.”
“It seemed no one wanted to speak first, so I’ll share the position of the Beast Palace. To put it simply.”
Maeng So began in his characteristic booming voice. His gaze swept over the room and landed on Chung Myung.
“The Beast Palace opposes the General’s proposal.”
“…What?”
Hyun Jong, having inadvertently questioned him, quickly closed his mouth, startled. He shouldn’t have reacted so impulsively, but Maeng So’s answer was so unexpected that he made an uncharacteristic mistake. However, Maeng So continued speaking, unfazed by Hyun Jong’s slip.
“I fully understand what the General has said. I also understand that such measures are needed in Cheonumaeng right now. But ‘needing to’ and ‘being able to’ are different things.”
As Maeng So’s eyes met Chung Myung’s in mid-air, Im Sobyeong asked the question that had to be asked.
“May we ask the reason?”
Maeng So nodded.
“It’s not a grand reason. Simply put… the issue is trust.”
“Trust?”
Maeng So’s gaze turned to the seated senior members.
“Though I am seated here, I am ultimately an outsider. I can never truly be one of the Central Plains’ people. Though unspoken, there are those among you who aren’t entirely comfortable with my presence here either.”
A few faces subtly changed. Whether the remark itself was unpleasant or because it struck a nerve was hard to discern.
Hyun Jong, looking slightly troubled, spoke up.
“Lord Maeng.”
“I do not mean to blame anyone,”
Maeng So shook his head even before hearing more.
“Same for us. Until General came to Yunnan, we built walls and shunned the people of the Central Plains. We thought it necessary.”
“Hmm.”
Several people murmured in agreement. Maeng So spoke with a determined gaze.
“We don’t think that way anymore. We believe change is needed. But… the wall still exists. It’s an undeniable barrier.”
“…”
“The Beast Palace can strive to overcome that wall. But if the Beast Palace were to scatter, the members would be labeled as southern barbarians, not as part of the Beast Palace. We can’t be sure that they would receive the same treatment as other people from the Central Plains.”
Maeng So’s gaze this time was directly fixed on Hyun Jong.
“The reason the Nanman Beast Palace came to Shaanxi was because we trusted Cheonumaeng and Hwasan. But… we cannot accept that we should show the same trust to others.”
Hyun Jong sighed faintly. Honestly, he hadn’t considered Maeng So’s position at all. Perhaps the relationship between the outer regions and the Central Plains was even more distant than that between Gupailbang and Cheonumaeng…
At that moment, someone raised their hand slightly.
“We too…”
“Please speak, Lord Seol.”
Seol Sobaek glanced at Hyun Jong and Chung Myung before speaking.
“Sorry… but the Ice Palace is in the same position as the Beast Palace. It’s just…”
Seol Sobaek continued, lowering his head slightly.
“It is true that the Ice Palace has been indebted to Hwasan and is working with Cheonumaeng. But… we haven’t received any particular favor from other people of the Central Plains, and we aren’t that close to them…”
Saying they aren’t close is an understatement. It would be more accurate to say they are distant, very distant. The Ice Palace was rejecting all people from the Central Plains who entered the Northern Sea just a few years ago.
“Receiving orders from such people is not easy for the Ice Palace. Of course, if we could move together with Hwasan or the Beast Palace, we wouldn’t oppose this matter. If you could consider that…”
Hyun Jong closed his eyes gently. Although there was room for agreement, it was essentially meaningless. If some have to accept orders from those they don’t want, while others only accept orders from those they do want, a new barrier would arise.
Creating a new wall while trying to dismantle the old one is absurd.
“I understand.”
But Hyun Jong fully understood Seol Sobaek’s feelings. At the same time, he realized his mistake anew.
His attention was entirely on the newcomers to Cheonumaeng. As the real leader of Cheonumaeng, he should not have overlooked the fact that even those he thought already shared his mind had their own circumstances and positions. He should have met them last night to have an open-hearted conversation…
A brief silence fell in the conference hall. As if to prevent the atmosphere from continuing this way, Tang Gunak broke the silence.
“Sichuan Tang Clan supports the General’s opinion.”
It was a concise conclusion, typical of his usual character. However, as scrutinizing gazes focused on him, Tang Gunak elaborated.
“And personally, I intend to relinquish my position as Vice Leader of Cheonumaeng.”
“Lord Tang?”
Hyun Jong was startled. Tang Gunak’s expression did not change in the slightest.
“That would be fair. If others are relinquishing their authority, it wouldn’t be fair for Sichuan Tang Clan to seek safety through a position in Cheonumaemg. My decision is firm, so please don’t try to dissuade me, Alliance Leader.”
His tone was resolute, leaving no room for argument. This clearly supported Chung Myung’s stance.
“What about Namgung?”
Tang Gunak, having finished his turn, asked Namgung Myeong. Namgung Myeong shook his head, looking troubled.
“I’m not the decision-maker for Namgung clan, so I have informed the Young Lord of the matter… We haven’t received a response yet.”
Naturally. It’s not the kind of matter that can be decided in just half a day.
“For now, Namgung will hold off.”
“Is it difficult for the Elder to decide?”
“As you know…”
Tang Gunak nodded, indicating there was no choice.
With the two external sects turning away, the most favorable sects to Chung Myung were Sichuan Tang clan and Namgung clan. If even Namgung clan withdrew, there would be no allied sects left that were particularly favorable to Chung Myung.
As Tang Gunak pondered, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
‘I’ve been dividing everything again out of habit.’
Even while working to dismantle the walls, Tang Gunak was subconsciously dividing things into right and left based on Chung Myung, as naturally as breathing.
He wondered anew if this was even possible. Was it meaningful? If even he, one of those who understood Chung Myung’s mind the best, couldn’t act according to Chung Myung’s intentions?
Even the comrades, who had crossed the line of life and death together to get here, are now drawing new lines just because the situation has changed a little.
‘You…’
Tang Gunak’s regretful gaze turned to Chung Myung. He was still staring straight into the air with an inscrutable expression.
Tang Gunak bit his lip unconsciously.
If this meeting ended in a stalemate, Cheonumaeng would never return to its former state. It’s no different than revealing each other’s true feelings and opening up buried wounds.
And perhaps this whole process might become the biggest obstacle in the upcoming war.
Chung Myung would surely know this. Yet, despite seeing all these developments, he wasn’t moving at all, even though the entire atmosphere in the room was turning against him.
‘What are you thinking, you…?’
Unable to overcome his anxiety, Tang Gunak tapped his thigh with his fingertips.
People tend to gravitate towards the larger crowd. When opposing voices grow louder, even those who are hesitant will make up their minds. At this point, someone had to side with Chung Myung…
At that moment, the closed door slowly creaked open, revealing a figure.
“I apologize for being a bit late.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to the newly arrived person.
It was Jongli Gok.
Tang Gunak’s hopeful eyes darkened as he watched the Sect Leader of Jongnam walk in with a determined and icy expression.
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