It was still some time before night fell.
Only now were lanterns slowly being lit around the quarters. The sky was painting the sunset, awaiting the moon.
A cool breeze blew, signaling the approach of autumn.
A small storeroom situated to one side of the quarters.
Inside, several figures had gathered.
Each possessed distinct personalities, with not a single thing overlapping among them.
Their gender, martial arts, and even the clothes they wore were entirely different, yet these individuals shared one pain point.
It was the fact that they all served the same person as their superior.
Beings who moved solely by that one person's command.
The moment the command fell, they had no choice but to move, no matter what the command was.
This gathering was also part of that command, and one of those who received such an order—
A woman with short, black hair, commonly known as Bong-soon, was staring at a man in the corner.
"Keu... keueu..."
Groans could be heard.
Moans echoing from the recesses along the wall.
A massive build that looked like it would reach the ceiling of this room if he stood up straight.
With tremendous muscles and, in terms of grip strength, he might just be the strongest among those gathered here.
He was a strong foe that even Bong-soon herself was certain she would lose against in a fight.
"Keuheu... heueueu..."
Yet, such a man was bowing with his head pressed against the floor, trembling violently.
She heard he had been like that for two whole days.
Seeing him sweating profusely, it seemed his energy had been sealed.
In that state, he had his head pressed to the floor for two days straight.
It was a painful sight just to imagine, but not a single person gathered here could look at the man with pity.
No, even if they pitied him, they were not allowed to even look at him.
The young man sitting above that man.
As long as he was there, it would absolutely be impossible.
Gulp.
Bong-soon, who was watching, swallowed a dry breath.
'...Sc-Scary.'
It was terrifying.
Bong-soon was usually not one to easily frighten, but the current situation was more terrifying than anything else.
The master Bong-soon served.
Her savior who rescued her, and the man who would one day have to give her his seed.
The master known as the Cult Leader was the cause of it.
'Cult Leader.... Wh-why is he angry?'
Bong-soon had to hide her trembling hands and continuously swallow her saliva.
She wasn't the only one.
Everyone gathered here was watching his mood.
Normally, if he was angry, he would frown or show a face full of annoyance, but this time was different.
Rather, he was expressionless.
The young man sat atop the man receiving punishment, Dang Deok, with a face that felt nothing.
A face where no emotion could be felt at all.
It seemed as if he didn't care, but the reality was completely different.
Everyone gathered in the room. Their survival instincts were running wild.
'Cult Leader.... The Cult Leader is angry.'
That was fury.
The energy slowly seeping out from beneath his expressionlessness filled the surroundings, creating a darkness as if it had swallowed the light.
It was suffocating.
What on earth happened to make him so angry? A painful sensation as if my throat is being tightly constricted.
In that overwhelming sensation, Bong-soon recalled something.
'Thr-thrilling...'
...It was a sensation that wasn't bad.
Experiencing it a little more might be dangerous. Yet, that very situation was stimulating Bong-soon even more.
'Hup! Hup!'
Just as she thought she might finally become addicted to the strange sensation.
"...Keuheu..."
The young man sent a glance toward the struggling Dang Deok.
"Is it hard?"
"N-No.... It is not..."
"Right, it shouldn't be hard."
Grin.
A smile rose on the young man's face. Immediately after, everyone in all directions briefly shuddered.
"A bastard who doesn't even listen to words properly shouldn't be having a hard time on top of that, right? Right?"
"...I'm... sorry."
"Sorry my foot. There's no need for that. Since it was something you didn't need to listen to, you must not have heard it."
*Kugung.*
"Keuhek..."
As if sudden weight was added, Dang Deok let out a gasp.
"The great Gwiakchang doesn't need to listen to my words, right? Isn't that so?"
"Keueueu...!"
"I told you to finish up moderately and prepare to join up, but you forgot because the fight was fun? Is that an excuse? You piece of trash. Do you think I made the plan for you to just brawl around?"
"...I'm... sor...ry..."
Dang Deok, whose arms had now also started trembling.
Seeing those massive forearms trembling violently was almost fascinating.
While he was pressing him down with his energy for a while longer.
"Hey."
"Uh... eu... eung..."
The young man.
Gu Yang-cheon spoke to Cheol Ji-seon who was next to him. Even then, Dang Deok was dying.
"Just say if. I'm really just asking."
"...About what?"
"If we dispose of the Hwangbo Family in the current situation, it would be a bit troublesome, right?"
"...Hmm?"
What did he just hear? At Gu Yang-cheon's words, Cheol Ji-seon had to scrunch his face as if he misheard.
"What... does that mean?"
"Exactly what I said. What would happen if I think of abandoning the Hwangbo Family."
"..."
Excluding the Hwangbo Family in the current situation?
Furthermore, if he were to think of abandoning them...
Cheol Ji-seon ended his deliberation shortly.
Actually, he already knew the answer the moment he heard it.
"...It would be troublesome, right?"
And a very, very troublesome one at that.
If he was thinking of excluding the Hwangbo Family after laying the board this far... he would have no idea where to even start changing and filling in the gaps.
However.
"Do you have some kind of plan?"
Cheol Ji-seon trusted Gu Yang-cheon more than that.
That guy wouldn't spit out words without a rational reason, so it must be the same this time.
He certainly believed so, but.
"No."
"Huh...?"
At the words heard, Cheol Ji-seon contained his bewilderment.
"I just had something that pissed me off. So I thought about flipping everything over."
"What kind of..."
Crazy talk, right? Cheol Ji-seon was about to spit out the words but had to tenaciously hold them back.
"No. It's fine. It's a half-joke."
"..."
Meaning the other half is serious.
Does he truly not know that those words are even scarier?
"By any chance, is the reason you're angry also because of the Hwangbo Family?"
"Hmm?"
At Cheol Ji-seon's question, Gu Yang-cheon put on a peculiar expression.
"What are you talking about. I'm not angry."
"..."
"...?"
"Keu..."
As if that were true.
It was the shared thought of everyone in the room.
It seemed he himself didn't know.
Just how deep and vicious the emotions Gu Yang-cheon was emitting were.
Should I tell him?
He pondered for a moment, but Cheol Ji-seon shook his head inwardly.
'If I say the wrong thing, I'll get hit.'
He knew all too well from past experience that needlessly clinging to it would only result in his own loss.
Let's just pretend not to know and move on for now.
Thinking so, Cheol Ji-seon swallowed a dry breath once.
At that time.
"Oh right, are you okay with that?"
At Gu Yang-cheon's question, Cheol Ji-seon tilted his head.
"About what?"
"The Jegal Family's clan members getting caught this time. I mean."
"Aah..."
At the following explanation, Cheol Ji-seon finally realized what he was talking about.
The descendants of the Jegal Family who were said to have opposed the Alliance. He knew that Gu Yang-cheon had utilized that raid.
Regarding that, Gu Yang-cheon was asking Cheol Ji-seon if it was truly okay.
"What does it matter?"
Cheol Ji-seon answered with eyes that had grown somewhat cold.
"They are not the real ones. It doesn't matter. Whatever happens to them."
"Umm."
A cold and dry answer.
Hearing this, Gu Yang-cheon nodded slightly.
The strategy to use Pilduma as a discard tile.
Before using that, Gu Yang-cheon had asked Cheol Ji-seon beforehand.
Depending on the situation, the Jegal Family would be mentioned, and in that process, he planned to use the Jegal Family's descendants.
Also, he asked if it was okay to use this tactic, since the public's perception of the Jegal Family could worsen even further afterward.
To this, Cheol Ji-seon asked exactly one thing.
Whether the promise to help the Jegal Family reclaim its honor remained unchanged.
At these words, Gu Yang-cheon nodded.
Three years at most. He said he would elevate the Jegal Family to its former prestige within that time.
"Make sure you keep your promise."
"I will."
While answering, Gu Yang-cheon observed Cheol Ji-seon.
'They are not the real ones, huh.'
The Pilduma bastards are not the real ones.
That statement bothered him considerably.
'In my past life, Pilduma also served as Cheon Yurang-a's guard unit.'
That fact had turned into a question now that he came to this era.
Pilduma was actually a branch family of the Jegal Family.
And Cheon Yurang-a was the same, so he wondered if this connection was truly a coincidence.
'In such a situation, the fact that Cheol Ji-seon didn't care whether the Pilduma side lived or died...'
Cheol Ji-seon was a soft-hearted guy who possessed a certain degree of compassion.
He was weak enough to feel a faint sense of guilt even at the death of a complete stranger.
Considering that such a guy didn't mind the death of Pilduma.
'I should assume they were on the side of figures he dislikes.'
Just why would a descendant of the Jegal Family dislike another descendant?
'It was the same for Shin-ui and Jegal Hyeok.'
It wasn't just Pilduma, but also the way they looked at Shin-ui was the same, so he judged there must be some reason.
'I need to find out.'
I should slowly look into it.
I had some things to look into regarding that guy anyway. It seemed I should make a move as soon as this work was finished.
After making that judgment.
Gu Yang-cheon took out a letter from his chest and handed it to Cheol Ji-seon.
"What's this?"
"What I received from the Alliance today."
Saying it was received from the Murim Alliance, Cheol Ji-seon immediately took and unfolded it.
At that moment.
"What...!?"
Cheol Ji-seon's eyes grew as wide as lanterns after checking the contents.
At that reaction, Gu Yang-cheon smirked and continued his explanation.
"They gave it to me, telling me to take the role of Branch Lord."
"Branch Lord...? They gave you this, telling you to be a Branch Lord?"
"Apparently so."
"Has the Murim Alliance gone mad?"
"It seems that way, right?"
"Those righteous faction bastards.... Why are they telling you to take the Alliance's Branch Lord position...? Are they really planning to ruin the Alliance...?"
"Even I see it that way... what, this bastard?"
As I listened, something felt off so I asked back. Then, Cheol Ji-seon smoothly covered his mouth as if he had made a slip of the tongue.
"...My words slipped out a bit."
"Doesn't seem like it? I could really feel your sincerity."
"N-No."
Cheol Ji-seon's complexion turned pale. Just as I was about to say something more to the guy, Gu Yang-cheon clicked his tongue briefly in annoyance.
Even doing this was annoying right now.
"Whatever. Just tell me how it looks."
"Regarding the conditions? Or."
"The conditions are clearly at an insane level just by looking at it, so forget that. Whether it's doable or not. Tell me that."
"..."
Cheol Ji-seon, who heard the question, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Are you thinking of accepting the Branch Lord position?"
"Well. We'll see?"
"...It's a dangerous task."
He answered honestly.
"There will be disruptions to the schedule you've set. No matter how strong you are... that place is still a tiger's den."
"That's true."
The Demonic Cult had begun to spread its name in earnest.
The Alliance was trying somehow to shut their mouths, but even that didn't seem to be going easily.
Naturally.
'It was none other than the death of the Dao King.'
As for the raid, they could just nail it as the Jegal Family's doing and be done with it.
On top of that, not only did a bastard called Cheonma appear, but Dao King, one of the Six Seats, even died due to the raid.
The Pang Family reported that this was the doing of the Demonic Cult's figure who was held by the Alliance, Gwiakchang.
They officially announced that Biseongdo sustained fatal wounds by his hand, Dao King died, and numerous martial artists of the Alliance lost their lives.
There was a problem here.
It was the fact that Dang Deok did not kill Dao King.
It was a fact confirmed using a restriction.
That meant.
'Someone killed Dao King. And framed Dang Deok for it.'
Seeing it that way was correct.
Gu Yang-cheon was already convinced of the main culprit of this incident.
'Pang Ujin.'
Biseongdo Pang Ujin.
This was the deed committed by this bastard.
The guy killed his own father and framed the Demonic Cult for it...
Regardless of how he did it, the Demonic Cult did not go out of their way to refute this.
'Even if we did, no one would believe it.'
They had already raided Hanam and made a mess of it, creating a notorious reputation.
In this situation, even if they said, "We didn't actually kill Dao King," there would be no one to believe it.
'Come to think of it, it's not bad.'
The infamy that arose this way wasn't entirely a bad thing.
In reality, Dang Deok, who killed Dao King, was positioned as a rising strong master. And Dang Deok's infamy rising was a beneficial part for me.
Therefore, I didn't bother to use any tricks.
Thanks to that, talks about the Demonic Cult were increasing day by day. Accordingly, there were quite a few people hoping the Alliance would officially issue an Execution Order.
The Execution Order literally meant to kill them by any means necessary.
No matter what they were doing, if a report came out that the Demonic Cult had appeared, not only the local branch but also the strong masters of the Alliance would immediately step up to prepare for the hunt.
I had been caught once in my past life so I knew well, but this was a more annoying task than expected.
'Couldn't even take a proper shit.'
Later on, it became convenient since I just burned them to death the moment they were caught by my energy sense.
But in the beginning, I even had to go to the outhouse carefully.
Since someone might be hiding in the cesspit and thrust a spear up.
Given the situation, I knew just how absurd it was for me to personally go as a Branch Lord.
"But still. There's no better opportunity than this."
"What?"
"The guys I need to deal with will all be gathered there. Instead of picking them off one by one from a distance, wouldn't it be easier to go and finish them all at once?"
Not to mention Muk-yeon.
I still had more than one or two things to obtain from the Alliance.
On top of that.
'I haven't been able to properly use Bong-soon.'
Wasn't this the perfect situation to use the dagger I had painstakingly prepared?
"That's nonsense."
Even at these words, Cheol Ji-seon was full of negative reactions.
"If you truly intend to do so... not only the plan, but the future schedule will all have to be changed."
"Yeah."
"Is it something you have to do even while enduring that?"
"I don't know."
"What?"
At Gu Yang-cheon's answer, Cheol Ji-seon made a dumbfounded expression.
It was because he wondered what kind of answer that was.
"You don't know...?"
"Yeah. I don't know."
"But why...?"
"I don't know. It just feels like I have to."
"There's absolutely no rationality to it...!"
He'll do it because he feels like he has to.
There were dozens of reasons why it would be better not to do it, yet at Gu Yang-cheon's answer, Cheol Ji-seon felt like his stomach was going to burst.
However.
"If I feel like I have to do it, I do it. It's always been like that."
Gu Yang-cheon gave a definitive answer. It was an attitude that he would absolutely not change his mind.
"Then as I said earlier, the plan..."
"Right. The plan will go a bit off track, right?"
It's not just 'a bit'. Cheol Ji-seon tried to say so, but.
"So go find out from now on."
"Huh...?"
At Gu Yang-cheon's nonchalant words, Cheol Ji-seon had to halt.
What did he just say...?
"I'll send word to the other guys too. From now on, you find out too."
"Wh-What are you talking about?"
He hoped it wasn't.
Believing so, he asked back.
"A plan where I can do this and still be fine. Go find that."
"..."
"Please?"
A brazen command disguised as a request.
Only then did Cheol Ji-seon realize.
That Gu Yang-cheon had decided on the answer from the start and asked.
Also.
That he had prepared this place from the very beginning to give him such an order.
******************
A day later, at the Murim Alliance.
I was sitting in a completely different space than yesterday.
It didn't seem like a bad room back then either, but this time it was even more so.
It was a VIP room that felt much more classy and clearly had thorough preparations made.
'Was there such a space inside the Alliance?'
It was the first time in my life I had entered such a room.
In fact, I didn't even know it existed. But then again, when would someone of my status have ever come to a room like this? In the first place, a good room in the Alliance was a space that had nothing to do with me.
'It's novel.'
For someone like me to now enter such a room so confidently.
It was refreshing in many ways.
While I was glancing around the surroundings like that.
"It is an unexpected matter."
A voice was heard.
I immediately looked at the owner of the voice.
Across the desk, an old man could be seen.
An old man I didn't want to look at a second time if possible.
The epitome of a strategist who led the Alliance to its prime, called the Brain of the Sword Sovereign.
The old man who was called a rare tactician and the nightmare of the battlefield until the emergence of Jegal Hyeok.
The nightmare of the battlefield.
Looking at Muk-yeon, I asked.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, I truly didn't expect you to come within a day."
Hearing his words, I also raised the corners of my mouth.
"If I've made up my mind, isn't it better to finish it quickly?"
"That is a reasonable statement. Then, can I take it that Holy King has decided on an answer?"
"Yes. That's why I came."
"I see."
After that, silence passed briefly.
Muk-yeon stared at me quietly, as if he would wait for my answer.
I also faced that gaze for a moment before opening my mouth again.
"Regarding the 'request' you gave me."
"Yes."
"I will accept it."
"...!"
At the swiftly given answer, Muk-yeon's eyes widened.
Did he not expect me to accept?
I was quite curious about his reaction, but I didn't pry into it. There was something more important right now.
"However."
I brought out the main point following that.
"There are a few conditions."
It begins now.
From now on, I.
Had to start a fierce bargaining war with the Alliance's brain.