Chapter 184 - Rewriting the Sichuan Blood Tragedy (4)

[The Orthodox Council was defeated in Sichuan.]

When this news was first delivered, the other elders of the Council of Elders could not hold back their sneers.

The news that a fierce competitor had fallen and broken their nose was bound to induce more satisfaction than any food.

The members of the White Path Council and the Twelve Peaks and Castles, who had felt uncomfortable with the Orthodox Council's petty actions, felt as if an aching tooth had been completely pulled out.

Upon hearing the news from Sichuan, the Murim Alliance immediately prepared to form a unit to dispatch.

In contrast, the Council of Elders, hoping the Orthodox Council would suffer this difficult situation a little longer, began delaying discussions about preparing the unit day after day, and because of this, the Martial Pavilions of the Murim Alliance fell into confusion over whether they should prepare or not.

However, it did not take long for the triumphant faces of the Council of Elders to turn sullen.

- Numerous casualties among the Qingcheng Sect and lay sects.

- Numerous casualties among the Emei Sect and lay sects.

- Numerous casualties among the Mount Hua Sect and lay sects.

- Numerous casualties among the Kongtong Sect and lay sects.

- Elder Eun Huigwang of the Qingcheng Sect missing.

- Elder Jeongmyeong of the Emei Sect missing.

- Elder So Chunghyeon of the Mount Hua Sect confirmed dead.

- Elder Jeong Sa-ik of the Kongtong Sect confirmed dead.

- Elder Hyeseong of the Shaolin Sect suffering side effects from sorcery.

- Elder Myeonghyeon of the Mount Cangshan Sect suffering side effects from sorcery.

The endless stream of negative news stunned not only the Council of Elders but the entire Murim Alliance.

Some nearly fainted at the part at the end of the document stating that the exact number of casualties was not recorded because it was difficult to distinguish them.

Thus, there were no longer any figures putting the brakes on the matter of dispatching the Alliance's warriors to Sichuan.

However, if it ended like this, it wouldn't be the Murim Alliance.

This time, brakes were applied regarding the scale of the dispatch.

"Strategist Zhuge. Do you think this makes any sense? Did the Orthodox-Underworld Great War break out or something? The Azure Dragon Pavilion, the Red Dragon Pavilion, the Black Martial Pavilion, and even the Golden Phoenix Pavilion? Are you planning to fight the entirety of Sichuan?"

"It seems the Council of Elders isn't viewing the current situation seriously. The elders of Mount Hua, Kongtong, Qingcheng, and Emei have either gone missing or died. Furthermore, Elder Hyeseong of the Shaolin Sect and Daoist Myeonghyeon of the Mount Cangshan Sect are also suffering from the aftereffects of sorcery."

"Even so, you're going too far. Too far!"

"Are those who know 'too far' raising questions and putting the brakes on the dispatch of warriors?"

"Look here! Chief Strategist!"

These people, who had galloped through Jianghu together in their youth, forgot their dignity and continued to argue, pointing fingers at each other just like in their spirited younger days.

Frankly speaking, if not for their positions and the watching eyes of others, the verbal battle was so fierce that they would have wanted to settle it with martial arts, and Zhuge Somyeong, who knew the truth, was on the verge of exploding in frustration.

'I can't exactly tell them the Blood Cult has appeared, either!'

The story Jin Sowoon delivered was, after all, nothing more than a deduction.

Because he himself thought Jin Sowoon's story had credibility, he tried to dispatch the minimum, the absolute bare minimum, of manpower, but even that provoked the tempers of the Council of Elders and the other sects all the same.

Furthermore, on another front, the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect, whose elders had gone missing in Sichuan—which was practically their own front yard—were acting up, declaring they would wait no longer and would raise their martial artists to catch the culprits.

It was literally chaos itself.

Someone was picking a fight over why so much manpower was being sent,

while the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect were making a fuss about dispatching martial artists on their own right away.

Even a marketplace would look more orderly than this.

"That damn brat. If he threw a problem at me, he should have offered a solution too!"

At Zhuge Somyeong's words, Maeng Ju-won, whose lump on his forehead had still not gone down, grumbled.

"Isn't persuading the Council of Elders originally your jurisdiction, Chief Strategist?"

"... Why the hell is this punk eavesdropping on my soliloquy and making a fuss!"

Of course, he knew this wasn't Jin Sowoon's fault, but from Zhuge Somyeong's perspective, it was incredibly frustrating.

If he were to believe the story that the Blood Cult had appeared, even that many personnel seemed too few.

If he were to view it simply as an incident where elders had died, there was the lingering anxiety that if it truly was the Blood Cult, this was not something that could be resolved with a small number of personnel.

As he was spending time in such agony.

Another missive arrived.

- Appearance of Iron Jiangshi.

- Enemy identity confirmed to be the Blood Cult.

Did they say your brain freezes when you hear something too absurd?

The missive sent by Jin Sowoon turned the entire Murim Alliance into stone.

Zhuge Somyeong, who had been predicting it was the Blood Cult, trembled as if he had been struck by lightning.

"J-Jiangshi? Jiaaaaangshi? Iron Jiangshiiiiii?"

"Chief Strategist, please calm down."

"Hey, you punk! Does it look like I can calm down?! He said Jiangshi! Jiangshi! And not just any, but an Iron Jiaaaaangshi!"

The events occurring in Sichuan were being treated as highly classified, but somehow, the news began to spread throughout the entire Murim Alliance, and the Murim Alliance became more uproarious than ever before.

The Murim Alliance, which hadn't stopped trembling like an anxious test-taker shaking their leg, eventually decided to dispatch its most elite personnel to Sichuan.

Regarding this, there was no restriction on the scale or affiliation of the dispatch, and the Council of Elders also processed the dispatch proposal with unconditional approval.

Murim Alliance Leader's Pavilion.

Zhuge Somyeong, who had brought the dispatch approval forms from the Council of Elders and the Mantong Bureau, was conversing with the Murim Alliance Leader right before receiving his seal of approval.

"An Iron Jiangshi... What do you think?"

At Hyuk Mugang's question, Zhuge Somyeong answered without hiding his worry.

"I only hope... that it isn't true."

"It seems you too believe it is real, Chief Strategist."

"There is a slightly questionable point. Even looking through past records, there is no record stating that the Blood Cult was capable of manufacturing Iron Jiangshis."

"Does that mean, in the end, they are connected to the Demonic Cult?"

Hyuk Mugang asked in a light tone, but Zhuge Somyeong tightly shut his mouth.

Because no matter how much he was the Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance, there was a truth he did not want to face.

He was someone who believed that while preparing thoroughly was necessary, the most important thing was for the event not to happen in the first place.

"Even so, if it is something that has ultimately happened, we must face it."

"..."

At Hyuk Mugang's words, Zhuge Somyeong also sent a silent affirmation.

"The number of dispatched warriors is massive."

"It is just in case, but if an Iron Jiangshi has appeared alongside the Blood Cult, even this number is insufficient."

"Won't the Underworld Alliance be uncomfortable with this?"

A large-scale mobilization of personnel like this was bound to get on their competitors' nerves.

For the Underworld Murim, which was already just now establishing itself and trying to form an alliance, it was a situation where the Murim Alliance's actions could not help but be uncomfortable.

Furthermore, if this incident served as a starting point and they ended up having to face the Underworld Alliance as well during their battle with the Blood Cult, the Murim Alliance could be driven into a corner, surrounded on all sides.

Zhuge Somyeong suppressed a rising sigh and answered.

"It seems we will have to deliver the detailed situation to quell their complaints. Even if we have to suffer a bit of a loss, we cannot just leave the Blood Cult alone, can we?"

Hyuk Mugang could not smooth out his worry-filled expression.

"I'm already worried about what the Peak Master of the Four Emperors Peak will demand."

Zhuge Somyeong also nodded as if he agreed.

"However, what's important right now is the Blood Cult and the Iron Jiangshi. If they emerge into Jianghu, the damage will be on a completely different level from our scuffles with the Underworld."

"Understood. I will think about what we should give up. By the way, what happened to the academy students?"

At that question, the Chief Strategist's expression became complicated again.

"... It is said that major casualties were prevented thanks to Seungho Hall, which had gone to Sichuan."

"That's a huge relief. I hear this was also thanks to that boy Jin Sowoon?"

As Hyuk Mugang showed a somewhat excited expression, Zhuge Somyeong let out a long sigh.

"That is correct. However, because there may be procedural issues, I do not know whether we should issue a punishment or bestow a reward."

Everything was fine.

He went and saved the academy students, revealed the existence of the Blood Cult, and even informed them of the Iron Jiangshi's existence, so it was only right that he received a reward.

However, he ignored the academic schedule and roped in a Manager of the Mantong Bureau to deploy Seungho Hall.

Outwardly, one could say there were no procedural issues, but if one wanted to nitpick, they were certainly issues that could be caught.

He was already getting a headache from the scattered problems, but thinking about Jin Sowoon's matter being added on top of them made his head feel like it would explode.

"We must bestow a reward."

Hyuk Mugang's calm voice.

Zhuge Somyeong furrowed his brow.

"Is that so easy to..."

"When compared to the larger problem, aren't procedural issues just trivial matters? He saved countless people and bought us time to respond to the crisis."

TAP—

The Murim Alliance Leader set down the teacup in his hand with a sound.

"If we were to punish such a person, from now on, no one would easily take action, prioritizing their own safety instead."

"..."

Because Zhuge Somyeong himself knew this fact all too well, he could not add anything.

What conforming beings humans were within a system.

If they lost the will to doubt and reflect, eventually being swallowed by the system, from then on they would become beings who just overlooked things even when they saw something wrong.

Bringing Maeng Ju-won, who had been a lower-class scholar, to the Mantong Bureau, and trying to bring in Jin Sowoon from the Taiyi Sect.

All of it was to keep this in check.

"If anyone puts the brakes on bestowing a reward for this matter, the Alliance Leader's Pavilion will take responsibility."

At Hyuk Mugang's resolute voice, Zhuge Somyeong eventually nodded as well.

"... Understood. The Mantong Bureau will also do the same. Instead, let us handle the rewards and punishments after the Blood Cult matter is finished."

"That is a matter of course."

Having roughly finished all the necessary talks, Zhuge Somyeong held out the deployment order.

"Then, here..."

Hyuk Mugang, who was reading through the document, picked up the golden seal to stamp it but suddenly stopped.

"If I stamp this, there's no turning back, right?"

"..."

Even with Zhuge Somyeong's lack of an answer, Hyuk Mugang nodded and pressed the seal down heavily.

THUMP.

The Murim Alliance, a massive giant that had been completely immobilized like a rotten old tree, began to move.

* * *

"Hall Leader."

At Jin Sowoon's call, Gu Jeongryong turned around.

"Did you take care of all your companions?"

"Yes, thanks to your consideration."

Gu Jeongryong's brow furrowed slightly.

'What consideration did I give?'

In reality, all he had done in this matter was evacuate the wounded.

The one who took the lead in resolving the events that occurred in Sichuan was Jin Sowoon.

He dared to predict that if Jin Sowoon had not come to Sichuan, the Murim Academy's Orthodox Council would have met their end in Sichuan.

Having such thoughts made Gu Jeongryong feel curious about Jin Sowoon all over again.

"Just what on earth are you?"

"Pardon?"

"I mean, what is your true identity?"

"My true identity? I'm a disciple of the Taiyi Sect, an academy representative..."

"Forget it. I asked a useless question."

At the sight of Gu Jeongryong shaking his head, Jin Sowoon scratched the back of his head with an expression that showed he didn't know what he did wrong.

"Anyway, why did you call me?"

"Ah, it's because I had something I was curious about."

"Hm? From me?"

"Yes. A few Seungho Hall members keep asking me when I'm going to buy them Pasa Jeryeong. What are they talking about?"

"..."

Gu Jeongryong's face flushed bright red.

"Ahem... That is..."

"Does Pasa Jeryeong perhaps mean Destroying Evil and Subduing Spirits, as I know it?"

Gu Jeongryong's fake coughing grew louder.

"A-ahem! COUGH! Ahem!"

"Did you perhaps suffer an internal injury?"

"Urgh... No. I just had a bit of a personal matter. Um, well... could you just appropriately buy them any kind of food and tell them it's Pasa Jeryeong?"

"..."

Jin Sowoon tilted his head, making an expression that showed he couldn't understand at all.

Gu Jeongryong ultimately had no choice but to reach into his clothes and pull out a few silver coins.

"I will provide the money. They are friends who went through a lot, so just appropriately humor them for me."

At that, didn't Jin Sowoon smile broadly as if nothing had happened and eagerly snatch the silver coins?

His innocent expression had already disappeared without a trace.

"Of course. If it's for those who worked hard, I should do as much as needed."

"..."

Gu Jeongryong felt a lingering sense of unease for some reason.

He quickly changed the subject.

"I'm thinking of gradually increasing the procession's speed, what do you think?"

"We have many injured people, will that be okay?"

"Looking at it, the events transpiring in Sichuan are not ordinary. The Blood Cult... There's no way they will absolutely give up."

"Ah, that's fine."

Gu Jeongryong tilted his head.

"It's fine?"

"Yes. I cut off the Young Cult Master's head. If only to report about that, the Blood Cult won't make a move for a while."

"..."

At the perfectly composed explanation, Gu Jeongryong lost his words for a moment before barely managing to speak.

"You cut off his head...? You did?"

"Yes. I figured they'd chase us, so I nipped the problem in the bud."

"..."

Gu Jeongryong's gaze naturally fell to the bundle in his hand.

About the size of a watermelon, a somewhat circular shape.

Even the way Eun Seollan would use ice arts on it morning and evening...

"Don't tell me that's..."

Jin Sowoon answered in a cheerful voice.

"Yes! It's exactly what you're thinking."

"..."

'Why are you carrying that around?'

The question surged to the tip of his throat, but Gu Jeongryong firmly suppressed it.

Starting from predicting the events in Sichuan in the first place, there was more than just one or two things he was curious about regarding Jin Sowoon.

However, he felt that if he listened to all those stories, his head would become too complicated.

Gu Jeongryong decided to quickly cut off his interest.

"Hmm, I see. You are quite amazing."

"You flatter me."

At the same time, he quickly changed the subject.

"Still, it would be best to increase our speed. It seems that not only the Blood Cult but also the Green Woods strongholds are involved in this matter."

"... Ah. That?"

"As you must know from seeing the corpses..."

"That was my doing."

"... What?"

Wondering what nonsense this was now, Gu Jeongryong's head began to spin.

Unlike him, Jin Sowoon's expression was still perfectly composed.

"Well, since I absolutely had no way to break through the Blood Cult's personnel, I dragged the Green Woods bandits over and set them to fight each other."

"..."

Gu Jeongryong tried once again to force himself to ignore the complicated story, but this time, he absolutely could not hold back.

"Are you crazy? You dragged the Green Woods into a situation where even the Blood Cult was overwhelming?"

"Ah, that's something I'll handle all..."

Just then, Gam Cheon-ak approached the two with a rarely seen stiff expression.

"Hall Leader."

"What!"

An answer that had pointlessly turned irritable.

Gam Cheon-ak, who normally would have lost his temper right back, spoke in a still-stiff voice.

"The Green Woods have appeared up ahead."

"What?"

"It seems there are about a thousand of them."

"..."

There was a reason Gam Cheon-ak had tolerated Gu Jeongryong's prickly tone.