Chapter 144. Murim Alliance Leader Im Sobaek
Having returned in triumph from the campaign to wipe out Mokryeong Stockade, Im Sobaek sat for a while in the Alliance Leader’s office, put his feet up on the desk, and quietly closed his eyes.
His eyes were closed, but sleep did not come easily.
The march had been terribly long, and the fighting frequent.
He had not eaten properly, had not slept comfortably, and his nerves had been on edge the entire time they were rooting out mountain bandits and river pirates.
It was only natural that sleep would not come even with his eyes closed.
He diagnosed himself as being in a state where his body was exhausted, but his mind could not settle. Each time he pressed a hand to the upper part of his chest, a pain like being pricked by needles crept in.
It was the same even when he pressed hard on his temples…….
If his own condition was like this, he thought, the members of the Alliance must be even more tired.
‘We’ll have to rest for a while. Both me and the Alliance members…….’
If they were to rest, he had no choice but to take the reports from the Alliance members more loosely.
But the moment Im Sobaek made that resolution, he heard footsteps outside and lowered both feet from the desk.
A moment later, a subordinate from the Guard Hall reported.
“Alliance Leader, Strategist Gongsun Wol has returned.”
Im Sobaek opened his eyes and replied.
“Send him in.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gongsun Wol, who had returned from the Hengshan Branch, entered and cupped his fist.
“Alliance Leader, congratulations on your great victory.”
“Sit.”
Im Sobaek rolled his stiff shoulders once, then looked at Gongsun Wol.
Gongsun Wol said,
“I came because I have something to report. I apologize, as you must be tired.”
“It’s all right.”
Im Sobaek personally poured the tea on the desk, then held out a teacup to Gongsun Wol.
Gongsun Wol accepted the teacup with both hands and said,
“Thank you.”
Because the Alliance Leader looked tired, Gongsun Wol went straight to the point.
“At the Hengshan Branch, Hao Gate Leader Lee Zaha and Clan Head Sima Hak formally engaged in a duel.”
As Im Sobaek dropped the pitch-black tea into his own cup, he answered calmly.
“Why did they suddenly fight? Surely they didn’t quarrel over the argument they had during the meeting?”
Gongsun Wol took a sip of tea, only to be startled by how bitter it was, and carefully set the cup down.
“The Hao Gate Leader arrived at the Hengshan Branch with all the stolen goods held by the Nanyue Alliance, and the ones who transported them were mountain bandits.”
“And?”
“Clan Head Sima stepped forward, saying he would bind the bandits, and a quarrel broke out. Then the Hao Gate Leader suddenly said he would take the bandits into Hao Gate, so they were not to be bound.”
Im Sobaek poured more tea into his own cup and replied.
“Want some more?”
“I’m fine.”
“So you’re saying they fought over just that?”
“Yes.”
Im Sobaek tossed the tea into his mouth as if throwing it away, then replied.
“There’s nothing wrong with a sect leader accepting disciples. Sima Hak must have picked a fight along the lines of, ‘Why, of all people, would you take the Green Forest bandits of Nanyue as your disciples?’”
“Yes.”
“What did the Hao Gate Leader say?”
“He said that since he had beaten the most bandits to death, he bore the greatest responsibility as well. He said he was the one who urged them to surrender, and that he had promised to open a path for them to live. Even so, when Clan Head Sima continued to mock him openly, the Hao Gate Leader suddenly requested a duel.”
“Strategist Gongsun, why do you think the Hao Gate Leader suddenly requested a duel?”
Gongsun Wol thought for a moment, then answered.
“It seems he suggested it because he was certain Clan Head Sima Hak would accept. Their feelings toward each other had been bad since the meeting, after all.”
“I suppose so. What was the result of the duel?”
“That is where there is a bit of a problem. After the duel ended, people from the Sima Clan came to me to protest and argue this and that, so I was put in a rather difficult position.”
“Did the Hao Gate Leader fight despicably?”
“Shall I tell you exactly as it happened?”
“Do not make up anything that did not happen.”
Gongsun Wol spoke with a focused expression.
“Yes. First, Clan Head Sima Hak yielded the first move.”
“He is the senior, so that much is understandable. There is quite an age gap as well.”
“Yes, but then the Hao Gate Leader thanked him and did this……”
Gongsun Wol raised his right hand and shaped it as though gripping a ball.
“He wrapped a crimson qi inside his palm.”
Im Sobaek looked at Gongsun Wol in surprise.
“What?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Nothing. Continue.”
Gongsun Wol nodded, then said,
“Then he wrapped a pure white qi around his left hand as well. This is the part that became the issue. He had wrapped qi around both hands, but he had not attacked yet. Since Clan Head Sima Hak had said he would yield the first move, he had no choice but to wait.”
“I imagine so.”
“But then the Hao Gate Leader started moving his hands this way and that…… It seemed like he was deliberately teasing him.”
“Are you certain?”
Gongsun Wol twirled both hands in the air.
“Yes. He moved as though he were playing some sort of ball game, and with his mouth he went, ‘Ttararan, ttararan, kung-jjak-jjak……’”
Murim Alliance Leader Im Sobaek blinked.
“Kung-jjak-jjak?”
“Yes. Then, all of a sudden, he wrapped the qi in both hands together as though combining them into a taiji and threw it at high speed. So in the end, the ‘ttararan’ and ‘kung-jjak-jjak’ amounted to an extremely high-level psychological tactic. It had the air of, ‘It’s nothing special as an attack, but why don’t you try blocking it?’”
Im Sobaek could not interrupt him because Gongsun Wol’s manner was far too serious.
“…….”
“But then, suddenly, the sound of lightning tearing through the air rang out overhead, and with a thunderous roar, dust rose in all directions. For a very brief moment, Clan Head Sima Hak could be seen flying through the air. After that, when the dust cleared, Clan Head Sima Hak was unconscious. He did come to, but while circulating his qi to regulate his breath, he vomited blood. From what I saw, it seemed the Hao Gate Leader had provoked him from start to finish and made him cough up blood.”
Im Sobaek let out a sigh.
“His personality is rather like that. He has both a persistent side and a sloppy side at the same time. The Hao Gate Leader used that ultimate technique to massacre over a hundred bandits of the Nanyue Alliance. It is strange that Sima Hak did not die.”
“Ah…….”
“Did he use it with reduced power?”
“I am not sure about that much.”
Im Sobaek nodded.
“At first, the bandits’ momentum was quite fierce, but when a hundred of them were massacred, their morale broke completely. It was also the starting point of our great victory in this punitive campaign. But what problem did the Sima Clan warriors raise when they protested to you?”
“They said that when the first move had been yielded to him, attacking in that manner was improper.”
“Really?”
Im Sobaek nodded and then spoke to Gongsun Wol.
“It’s absurd. What has the Sama Clan accomplished by joining the war as an allied force? At best, they quarreled with the Hao Clan Leader, held one martial arts match, and retreated. Was there anything more than wasting food at the Hyeongsan Branch? After reporting to me, convey these words to the Sama Clan.”
“Please speak.”
Im Sobaek said.
“If he was so thoroughly defeated by his junior in a martial arts match, then even entering closed-door training wouldn’t be enough. Convey this clearly: how dare he argue with the Martial Alliance’s military advisor.”
Gongsun Wol fell into thought for a moment and then answered honestly.
“Alliance Leader, the Sama Clan is currently in mourning, so if I convey those words exactly, it will likely not be good for either side. How about generously overlooking it this time? Of course, I will convey that the Alliance Leader was displeased.”
“Is Samahak badly injured?”
“Yes. He even vomited dark red blood and was ultimately carried back by his disciples. According to the Hyeongsan Branch Chief, he is in a state where simply being alive is a stroke of fortune. The Hyeongsan Branch Chief’s opinion was that the Sama Clan will likely select a new clan head after about one or two years.”
Im Sobaek nodded.
“That is regrettable news. Well then, lower the intensity of my words appropriately and convey them. They say the atmosphere is like a house in mourning; it wouldn’t do for me to scold them on top of that.”
“Yes, Alliance Leader.”
“Just in case, dispatch one sharp-witted individual near the Sama Clan to keep watch for about twenty days. There could be a conflict with the Hao Clan.”
“Understood.”
“Is there anything else to report?”
“Three cartloads of luggage. In addition, the Hao Clan Leader delivered the spoils and wealth of the Namak Alliance, which the mountain bandits had brought carrying packs on their backs one by one. He said he would like them delivered to the Alliance Leader and the alliance members who worked hard……. It was so sudden that I only accepted half and returned the other half to the Hao Clan Leader as it was. I should have asked the Alliance Leader before handling it, but there was no one else who could decide.”
“Half…… you handled it appropriately. It is not as if we fought the water bandits and mountain bandits in order to obtain the Namak Alliance’s wealth.”
“Yes.”
“Instead, convert what the Hao Clan Leader delivered into circulating silver taels, calculate it properly, and distribute it so that it reaches the alliance members who participated in this punitive expedition and especially the orthodox sect forces who worked hard. Deliver it properly to Young Master Mongyeon of the Pungun Mongga as well. Although he was the only one from the Mong family who participated, his exploits at Mokryeong Chae were very significant. He had been hiding quite a lot of his strength. There are quite a few alliance members whom Young Master Mong saved, so everyone is grateful.”
“Understood.”
“Distribute everything in a way that unnecessary assets do not pile up in the Alliance.”
“I shall follow your command.”
“The Hao Clan also has more mouths to feed now, so there will be no issue even if the Hao Clan Leader handles that half entirely. Even when calculating by military merit, his contribution in Namak was the greatest. So that other forces do not raise unwarranted issues, do not speak needlessly about the additional wealth.”
“Yes.”
It had not been long since Im Sobaek resolved to rest, but he issued additional commands.
“The Military Advisor Council shall carefully examine whether there are any other forces that have been instigating the water and mountain bandits for the time being. In particular, conduct additional investigations into the headquarters of the Gwigok Sect, and investigate the demonic faction forces that joined at Mokryeong Chae as well. Quite a bit of trash got mixed in this time. The captains who participated in the punitive expedition will likely have grasped the details.”
“Understood.”
“The problem is this. I suspect that the force instigating these demonic faction powers might be the Jecheon Alliance. We will not engage in all-out war for the time being, but grasp the situation. The composition of the demonic faction forces that participated at Mokryeong Chae was far too random, you see. Anything else to add?”
“There is nothing.”
Gongsun Wol smacked his lips for a moment and looked at the teacup.
“Alliance Leader, but why is the tea so bitter?”
Im Sobaek replied with an expression that said he had forgotten.
“Ah, that is medicine I am taking.”
“Pardon?”
“I have a bit of a fire illness, so I was prescribed it to drink. You too should drink it in advance, for when your master retires soon, you will come down with a fire illness as well.”
Gongsun Wol replied with a faint smile.
“But I do not have a fire illness?”
Im Sobaek clicked his tongue and replied.
“Military Advisor Gongsun, do things that happen in the martial world look so easy? Do you think there are only one or two fellows like Samahak in the martial world? Your master did not turn white-haired for nothing. Be on your way.”
Gongsun Wol stood up and cupped his fists.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“Sit.”
“Yes.”
Im Sobaek pointed at the teacup with his finger.
“Drink it all before you go.”
Gongsun Wol’s nostrils flared slightly and then shrank. He then grasped the teacup and tossed the medicine into his mouth. Gongsun Wol, who let out a hollow cough, cupped his fists.
“Please rest comfortably.”
Im Sobaek waved his hand once, and after he was alone again……
He took a long breath in and let out a long breath again.
Im Sobaek placed his two feet on the desk again, leaned back in his chair, and tried his best not to think stray thoughts.
There are days like that from time to time.
There were days when thought after thought connected endlessly, tail biting tail, preventing sleep all night long, and today was showing slight signs of being such a day.
At times like these, one must govern the mind carefully and well.
Empty the head.
Erase thoughts.
All of a sudden, from his head which had become simple, Im Sobaek muttered whatever came to mind.
“Dda-ra-ran, dda-ra-ran, kung-jjak-jjak, kung-jjak-jjak……”
Im Sobaek shut his mouth with a wooden expression. Wondering if the subordinates of the guard unit outside had overheard the strange words he had just uttered for no reason, he glared at the office door and then let out a hollow cough.
“Ahem……”
A subordinate of the guard unit outside spoke.
“Alliance Leader, did you call?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Im Sobaek thought for a moment and then asked the subordinates outside.
“……Which high-ranking official stayed comfortably at the Alliance without participating in this punitive expedition?”
“Excluding administrative and executive officials, there is the Head of the Military Advisor Council, the Head of the Secret Pavilion, the Leader of the Second Sword Squad and other captains, and the Chief Instructor. The Head of the Elder Council is also present.”
Im Sobaek fell into thought and then replied.
“Tell them to have a drink with me tonight.”
“Understood. Shall I have them all assemble?”
Im Sobaek shook his head.
“The word ‘assemble’ sounds odd. Tell them to gather. And do not pass the message to the Elder Council senior. Now that I think of it, if he plays the drunkard, it will be tiring for me.”
“I will convey the message to everyone except him.”
A short while later, Martial Alliance Leader Im Sobaek finally fell asleep.
.
.
.
After roughly half a quarter-hour, Im Sobaek, who had been in a deep sleep, quietly opened his eyes. His eyes were bright red and bloodshot. The reason Im Sobaek’s eyes had turned red was because he was a man who absolutely never forgot old matters.
Im Sobaek, who had met in his dream the subordinates of the Sixth Battle Unit he had once commanded, expressionlessly poured the pitch-black tea back into his cup.
Murim Alliance Leader Im Sobaek stared at the pitch-black tea for a long while.