Chapter 74. New Arrangements (1)

I stopped by the Clan Head’s chamber.

A place that had no connection with me in my previous life had now become a place I frequented.

As such, my demeanor as I entered the Clan Head’s chamber was calm.

“I plan to go on a trip to Jianghu.”

At that excuse, which had now become familiar, my father Dancheon Gang smiled faintly.

“For how long?”

“I… don’t know.”

This time, it was a realm that even I could not easily predict.

Since it was a plan that involved giant sects and their divine objects, there was a high probability that it would not flow as easily as I thought.

In fact, although I had made arrangements, I could not be sure that I would definitely obtain them.

The reason was that humans were beings who simmered with unpredictability more than nature, so it was in the realm of impossibility to perfectly predict and arrange them.

Nevertheless, since I could not give up on obtaining the Five Great Elixirs of Murim, time would not be an important issue.

“Hmm.”

Perhaps because my atmosphere was quite different from when I had jokingly said a year last time, seriousness settled on my father Dancheon Gang’s face.

“Is it something you must do?”

“Yes.”

At my firm answer, an image formed in my father Dancheon Gang’s eyes.

I guessed that my father was thinking of the irresistible death that had clawed through the clan, the Heavenly Demon.

Just as the Heavenly Demon had felt destiny from me, and I had felt fate from the Heavenly Demon.

Perhaps my father Dancheon Gang had also felt the inevitability that existed between the Heavenly Demon and me.

The reason was that my father Dancheon Gang was also a person who was expanding his spirit and stepping into the realm of intention.

It meant that the reason he did not get angry was not because of my atmosphere, but perhaps because of the fate that had brushed past the Dancheon Clan.

“It is necessary. Absolutely.”

At my repeated answer, as if making a promise to myself, a worried look appeared on my father Dancheon Gang’s face.

“……Do as you wish.”

But he did not stop me.

It felt as if he was acknowledging me as a full-fledged adult and respecting the destiny given to me.

Nevertheless, the worry that lingered on my father Dancheon Gang was not erased.

“It will be fine. Now that my brother has entered the State of Harmony.”

I said so, wanting to alleviate his worries a little.

The words ‘even if something were to happen to me’ were omitted, but both my father and I understood the meaning.

Since Dancheon Hak, the legitimate heir of the clan, had entered the State of Harmony at an age far from thirty, it was right to say that the Dancheon Clan had been placed on a firm foundation regardless of my existence.

The promise I made when I refused the Young Clan Head competition long ago had been fulfilled, so a great deal of worry had been lifted.

“…….”

With silence, my father Dancheon Gang looked at me intently.

What was contained in his gaze was indeed a complex emotion.

The emotions that I could read at least were pity, anger, and self-blame.

“Son.”

“Yes.”

“I was not worried about the future of the clan.”

Before I could answer anything, my father continued.

“I was worried about you.”

Although his voice was benevolent, this was clearly a scolding.

“…….”

This time, I had to admit that my thoughts were short.

It meant that I was wrong, and my father Dancheon Gang’s words were right.

After the regression, no, perhaps even to the lacking Dancheon Myeong before the regression.

It seemed that Dancheon Gang had not let go of his heart as a father.

It was just that I hadn’t known.

Back then.

And even now.

The time had come to be certain of my thoughts.

It seemed that the Clan Head, Dancheon Gang, was indeed a good father.

Rather, it would be right for me to wonder if I had been a good son to him.

“…….”

After substituting an apology with a moment of silence…….

“I will keep that in mind.”

I bowed my head and left the Clan Head’s chamber.

“Do not forget that the Dancheon Sword Clan is behind you.”

The low voice of the Clan Head saw me off on my difficult journey.

***

When I came out of the Clan Head’s chamber, my elder brother Dancheon Hak was standing askew, blocking the path.

Since Dancheon Hak would have been busy refining what he had gained, it was a sight I had not seen in a long time.

“What is it?”

“Are you leaving again?”

“That’s right.”

Since he already knew my news, it would be right to see this as Dancheon Hak having planted a spy around me.

“As you know, I too have entered the State of Harmony this time.”

“Congratulations.”

Dancheon Hak stared at me intently and then.

“Next time, my sword will truly reach you. Do not waste your time.”

He left those words and disappeared without even listening to my answer.

“…….”

He was a consistent person even after entering the State of Harmony.

Come to think of it, my elder brother Dancheon Hak always talked about the next time.

For some reason, those words sounded like a greeting wishing for my safe return, so my thoughts were probably not entirely a misunderstanding.

The place where my elder brother Dancheon Hak had disappeared was filled by Senior Brother Chun-baek.

“Are your preparations finished now?”

“Yes.”

“Should we go to Kaifeng?”

Since I had said I was going to the Beggar’s Gang, Senior Brother Chun-baek asked back.

Because the Beggar’s Gang headquarters was in Kaifeng.

“There is a place I need to stop by before that.”

“Where?”

“I need to stop by the Murim Alliance for a moment.”

“Let’s do that.”

“Let’s go.”

Senior Brother Chun-baek did not express any doubt, so we began to move.

It was this comfortable when I was with Senior Brother Chun-baek.

***

We arrived at the Murim Alliance.

“Please come this way.”

“Thank you.”

Thanks to the Chief Strategist Singija having arranged things in advance, we were able to skip all the tedious and complicated procedures and enter the Alliance Leader’s chamber.

“Hmph, the fellow who has been absent for so long only comes now when he feels like it.”

That was the first greeting from the Emperor Breaker, Yeom Gi-ha, who was buried in a pile of documents.

A pile of documents and the Emperor Breaker, it was a terribly mismatched combination.

As expected, the Emperor Breaker, who had shone even when he was defeated by the Heavenly Demon, had withered like an old scallion root.

“Just do your work.”

Singija accepted the Emperor Breaker’s grumbling.

Since his sharp remark coincided with my inner thoughts to some extent, I felt refreshed.

“Ugh.”

In any case, at the Chief Strategist’s rebuke, the Alliance Leader became tight-lipped.

It was probably because the bad impression he had made by running away from home last time had not yet been removed.

Although I had been saved thanks to his running away from home, I thought it might be okay for things to stay this way for a while.

The reason was that since I knew the Emperor Breaker’s temperament well, a tight-lipped Emperor Breaker was a little more comfortable than a liberated Emperor Breaker.

“Gija, we have a guest……”

When the Emperor Breaker started with a subtle look, Singija, who let out a deep sigh, gave an answer.

“I’ll let you go today if you just finish that.”

“Excellent!”

The second-in-command of the Murim Alliance, the Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha, who had received the permission of the strongest under the heavens, Singija, joyfully buried his nose in the pile of documents.

Leaving such a Yeom Gi-ha behind, a private meeting between Singija and me took place.

“……There was a Heavenly Demon?”

Singija asked heavily.

“That’s right.”

Although I had issued a strict gag order in the clan regarding the recent events and had also requested cooperation from Ma Sok of the Rogues’ Guild, it was impossible for Singija not to know about this.

In the first place, the Emperor Breaker was a person on whom the Dancheon Clan could not impose a gag order, and even if the Emperor Breaker had kept silent, Singija was a person who would have found out on his own.

The reason was that one of his identities was the head of the Murim Alliance’s Special Operations Unit, so it was impossible for him not to know.

“The Dancheon Sword Clan has accomplished a great feat.”

“I only did what had to be done.”

A place where compliments and humility coexisted.

“Gija, I also played a part……”

The Emperor Breaker slyly tried to interject, but…….

“Shut up and just do your work.”

“Ugh.”

He was chased away.

A laugh escaped me at their informal appearance.

It was possible because there had been no great sacrifices in the Dancheon Clan.

“A Heavenly Demon……”

I could guess the inner thoughts of Singija, who was muttering heavily.

The appearance of the Heavenly Demon.

In fact, this was a truly momentous event.

It was not simply that the Heavenly Demon had shown himself in the Central Plains Murim, but because it was an incident where he attacked the Dancheon Sword Clan, a prestigious clan belonging to the Murim Alliance.

The reason was that the unknown threat of the Heavenly Demon and the Demonic Cult had manifested as a reality, but the bigger problem would ultimately be in politics.

As a prime example, let’s assume that the Emperor Breaker, Yeom Gi-ha, attacked a sect belonging to the Evil Faction Alliance.

What would happen?

Probably, nine times out of ten, a war would break out.

Negotiations might come first, but I think there is a high probability that a war between the righteous and the evil would occur.

Since it was an incident where the head of the Murim Alliance, not just any martial artist, had moved, it was natural that the leadership of the Evil Faction Alliance could not just stand by.

If they were to stand by while a force under their jurisdiction was attacked, wouldn’t it be inevitable that the leadership of the alliance would be shaken?

Since the Heavenly Demon was the head of the Demonic Cult, the case of the Dancheon Clan could be said to be a similar situation.

It meant that since it was an incident involving the Heavenly Demon, not just any Demonic Cult member, it was right for the Murim Alliance to move.

That was the justice of the Jianghu Murim, and the politics of an alliance.

It could be said to be the reason why the Murim Alliance existed, and why the Dancheon Clan was affiliated with the Murim Alliance.

Nevertheless, in the case of the Demonic Cult, the situation was a little different.

In the first place, it was impossible to judge those who revered the demonic by the values of the Central Plains, and the method to attack the main base of the Demonic Cult hidden in the Tianshan Mountains on the outskirts of Xinjiang was also distant.

Simply put, negotiations were impossible, and war was also difficult.

A war with the Demonic Cult had always been a subject of avoidance in the Jianghu Murim.

It was because there was no gain for the Central Plains.

The biggest reason was that there was nothing to be gained by making enemies with those who were close to fanatics, but the barren and impoverished situation of Xinjiang, unlike the prosperous Central Plains, also played a large part.

In the first place, in order to carry out a big event like a war, shouldn’t there be a reward that far surpasses the hardship?

There was none of that in a war with the Demonic Cult. To put it differently, it meant that the Central Plains had no motivation to start a war with the Demonic Cult first.

Therefore, although the Demonic Cult had invaded the Central Plains several times, the forces of the Central Plains had never invaded the Demonic Cult.

Despite this obvious fact, the leadership of the Murim Alliance, more precisely Singija, had no choice but to be concerned.

As I said before, it was because that was the politics of Jianghu.

Even if the Dancheon Clan, the party concerned, remained silent, others might raise objections to the Murim Alliance’s actions.

Therefore, the conclusion was…….

“I would like this matter to be buried.”

What Singija said would be the best option.

To keep the appearance of the Heavenly Demon a secret and make the incident a non-event.

It could be said that it coincided with the interests of me, who did not want the Great War of Righteousness and Evil in the first place, and the Dancheon Clan, which did not want to stand in the center of the conflagration of war.

“Are you thinking of using the Murim Alliance’s Special Operations Unit?”

At my question, Singija quietly nodded his head.

“I suppose I’ll have to.”

Manipulating information was an act that was difficult to see as good at first glance.

Singija had revealed to me a point that could become his own disgrace.

Since Singija had already said he would give me authority equivalent to a Special Operations Unit Commander, it could also mean that he trusted me that much.

“Hmm.”

As I said before, Singija’s interests and mine coincided.

For everyone’s sake, it was right for the fact that the Heavenly Demon had attacked the Dancheon Clan to become a non-event.

But…….

I knew that it was not polite to just drink water when a delicious-looking table was spread out before me.

Since I had spoken after Singija had first asked about the Dancheon Clan’s affair, the initiative had fallen to me, Dancheon Myeong, the second son of the Dancheon Clan.

That meant…….

“I have a condition for burying this.”

It meant that in exchange for burying this incident, the Dancheon Sword Clan could gain a lot from the Murim Alliance.

To be precise, I could.

“That would be right. Tell me.”

At my words, Singija showed an expression as if what was to come had come.

He probably hadn’t been thinking of just sweeping such a major issue under the rug and wiping his mouth either.

It was a bit of a sorry affair for Singija and the Emperor Breaker, who had shown me favor, but I intended to use them actively.

However…….

Since this too was for the future of the Jianghu Murim, I had no apologetic feelings.

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