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It’s still early for the night to fall.

Finally, lights were beginning to illuminate the area around the residence, while the sky was painted with the colors of dusk, waiting for the moon.

As a cool breeze began to flow, heralding the arrival of autumn, a small storage room stood at one corner of the residence.

Inside, several figures had gathered.

Each one unique, their personalities clashing like bright colors on a canvas.

Different in gender, martial arts, and even their clothing, yet they shared one commonality—their allegiance to a single leader.

Beings that moved solely at the command of that one individual.

The moment orders were given, they had no choice but to obey, regardless of what the command entailed.

This gathering was another part of those orders, and among those who received the command, a woman known for her short black hair, called Bong-Soon, was gazing at a man in the corner.

“Ugh… ugggh…”

A muffled sound could be heard.

A groan emitted from the darkened corner, echoing quietly against the wall.

If he were to stand up straight, he would likely touch the ceiling; his massive frame was impressive.

A man endowed with astounding muscles, quite possibly the strongest among those gathered.

Even Bong-Soon, who had confidence in her fighting abilities, believed she would lose in a fight against him.

“Ugh… urrrgh…”

The man was on the floor, his head buried and trembling uncontrollably.

Word had it he had been like this for two days straight.

Based on the copious amount of sweat, he appeared to be in a state of sealed energy.

For two days, he remained in that position.

It was a painful sight just to imagine, yet none of the people present could bring themselves to feel pity for him.

In fact, even contemplating pity was forbidden.

A young man sat above that brawny figure.

As long as he was present, it was absolutely out of the question.

Gulp.

As she observed, Bong-Soon swallowed hard.

‘…Scary.’

She was afraid.

Typically, Bong-Soon wasn’t one to be easily scared, yet she now found the situation far more terrifying than anything else.

The master she served.

The benefactor who had rescued her, and the man who was destined to one day plant his seed in her.

The so-called Cult Leader was the cause of her fear.

‘Cult Leader… Why is he angry?’

Bong-Soon found herself swallowing repeatedly, trying to hide her trembling hands.

She wasn’t alone in her fear.

Everyone gathered there was mindful of his demeanor.

Though he often wore a displeased frown or an irritable expression, this time it was different.

His face was devoid of emotion.

The young man sat atop Tang Deok, who was receiving punishment, with a countenance that showed no feeling.

A face that appeared indifferent, yet was anything but.

The survival instincts of everyone in the room were running rampant.

‘The Cult Leader… is angry.’

That was anger.

The energy subtly leaking from beneath his composed exterior filled the room, creating an aura of darkness that seemed to swallow light.

It was suffocating.

What in the world had occurred to rouse such fury? A painful sensation tightened around their throats.

In that hazy moment, Bong-Soon remembered.

‘T-thrilling…’

It wasn’t a bad sensation to feel.

It was a situation where enduring it might become dangerous, yet it was precisely that which pushed Bong-Soon further.

‘Huff! Huff!’

Right when she feared she might become addicted to the strange sensation,

“…Ugh…”

The young man glanced toward the struggling Tang Deok.

“Are you having a tough time?”

“Ah… no… it’s fine…”

“Good, you shouldn’t be struggling.”

A grin appeared on the young man’s face, and immediately, everyone present shuddered slightly.

“A guy who can’t even listen properly shouldn’t be in pain, right?”

“…I’m s-sorry.”

“No need for apologies. Since you didn’t hear what you didn’t need to.”

Bang!

“Cough…”

As if an unexpected weight had been added, Tang Deok let out a guttural sound.

“Surely, Gwiakchang has no need to listen to what I say, correct?”

“Ugggh!”

“You claim you got lost in the excitement of the fight and forgot to end it, is that even a valid excuse? You think I sent you out to brawl? You brat. Do you think I devised a plan solely for your little skirmishes?”

“…I’m s-sorry…”

Now Tang Deok began to tremble from his arms as well.

Seeing that giant forearm shake was a sight to behold.

While continuing to apply pressure with energy, the young man spoke again.

“Hey.”

“U-uh… y-yes…”

The young man, Gu Yangcheong, addressed Cheol Jiseon who was nearby. Meanwhile, Tang Deok continued to suffer.

“What if, hypothetically, I’m just asking out of curiosity…”

“…What is it?”

“What do you think would happen if we just decided to get rid of Huangbo Clan right now?”

“…Huh…?”

Did he just hear that correctly? Cheol Jiseon’s expression twisted in confusion at Gu Yangcheong’s statement.

“Me… what do you mean by that?”

“Just what I said. What would happen if we decided to throw away Huangbo Clan?”

“…”

Exclude Huangbo Clan under the current circumstances?

If we even considered doing so…

Cheol Jiseon quickly concluded his thoughts.

The truth was, the moment he heard it, he already knew the answer.

“…That would be difficult, wouldn’t it?”

It would indeed be very, very difficult.

Given the groundwork laid out until now, how could they even begin to alter and fill in the gaps?

But,

“Do you have some sort of plan?”

Cheol Jiseon chose to trust Gu Yangcheong more than anything.

That guy wouldn’t speak unless he had a reasonable rationale behind it, so it must be the same this time.

Though he firmly believed that, Gu Yangcheong simply replied,

“No.”

“Uh…?”

Cheol Jiseon was taken aback by the unexpected response.

“I just have some things that have made me a bit ticked off, so I was thinking of tossing everything out.”

“What do you mean…”

Is he out of his mind? Cheol Jiseon felt the urge to blurt something but forced himself to restrain his words.

“No, that’s enough. Forget it, I was only half-joking.”

“…”

A remark that was only half a joke sounds more frightening than just the truth.

Does he really not realize how intimidating that notion is?

“Was your anger really due to Huangbo Clan?”

“Hmm?”

Hearing Cheol Jiseon’s question, Gu Yangcheong made an unusual expression.

“What do you mean? I’m not angry.”

“…”

“…?”

“Ugh…”

Clearly, that seemed plausible.

It was a common thought shared by everyone in the room.

It appeared that he was completely unaware.

Just how dense he was to the intensity and severity of the emotions he was emanating.

Should I tell him?

Debating for a moment, Cheol Jiseon shook his head inwardly.

‘If I say the wrong thing, I might end up being hurt.’

Having previously experienced this firsthand, he knew that pressing further would only lead to his own downfall.

For now, he just needed to pretend he didn’t notice.

With that in mind, Cheol Jiseon swallowed hard.

Just then,

“Oh, wait, is that alright?”

Cheol Jiseon turned at Gu Yangcheong’s question.

“What do you mean?”

“The branch from the Jiegal Clan has been captured this time. I mean.”

“Ah….”

Only after the following explanation did Cheol Jiseon finally understand what he meant.

The descendants of the Jiegal Clan, who had gone against the Martial Alliance. Gu Yangcheong had utilized that ambush.

While Gu Yangcheong was inquiring whether that was truly acceptable, Cheol Jiseon responded coldly.

“What does it matter?”

“They aren’t real, anyway. It doesn’t matter what happens to them.”

“Hmm.”

A reply that was both icy and detached.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yangcheong nodded slightly.

The strategy he planned to employ, leaving Pildu Ma as bait.

Before executing it, he wanted to confirm with Cheol Jiseon first.

He knew that the topic of Jiegal Clan would likely arise, and in that course, he planned to use the Jiegal descendants.

Furthermore, he also mentioned that the public perception of Jiegal Clan might worsen as a result. He sought to know if it was acceptable to carry out that strategy.

To which Cheol Jiseon had only asked one thing.

“Will the promise to restore Jiegal Clan’s honor still stand?”

In response to that, Gu Yangcheong had nodded.

Even if it took three years or more, he assured Cheol Jiseon that he would restore the Jiegal Clan to its former glory.

“Keep your promise.”

“I will.”

While responding, Gu Yangcheong observed Cheol Jiseon.

‘They aren’t real.’

Referring to the Pildu Ma bastards as not real was something that struck a nerve.

‘In my past life, Pildu Ma was the guard troop of Chun Yu Rang…’

That fact had transformed into a question now.

Pildu Ma had once been a clan of the Jiegal clan, just like Chun Yu Rang.

Would this connection be merely a coincidence?

‘Cheol Jiseon’s indifference towards the death of Pildu Ma suggests…’

Cheol Jiseon was a sensitive person, to some extent attached to others.

He would feel guilty even over the vague death of a stranger.

If this person didn’t care about the death of Pildu Ma,

‘That would imply he had some disdain for that individual.’

Why would a descendant of Jiegal Clan harbor animosity towards another descendant?

‘Shin Yi and Jiegal Hyeok were the same.’

The perspective on Pildu Ma was undoubtedly similar to that regarding Shin Yi, indicating there must be some reason behind it.

‘I need to find out.’

It was about time to begin investigating.

Since there were some things to clarify about that fellow anyway, he’d need to act once this matter was settled.

After reaching that conclusion, Gu Yangcheong took out a letter from his person and handed it to Cheol Jiseon.

“What’s this?”

“A letter received from the Alliance today.”

Mentioning it came from the Martial Alliance caused Cheol Jiseon to immediately take the letter and unfold it.

And at that moment,

“What the…!?”

Upon reading the contents, Cheol Jiseon’s eyes widened in shock.

Gu Yangcheong chuckled at his reaction before continuing to elaborate.

“They’re asking me to take on the Great Lord Position.”

“Great Lord…? They gave you this to ask you to take the Great Lord Position?”

“Seems so.”

“Is the Martial Alliance out of its mind?”

“It seems that way.”

“Why would those from the righteous faction ask you to become the Great Lord of the Alliance? Are they genuinely thinking of ruining the faction…?”

“From what I can tell, it feels like… wait, what the hell?”

The more he listened, the weirder it sounded. As Cheol Jiseon appeared to have made an oversight, he swiftly covered his mouth.

“I… might have misspoken.”

“Doesn’t sound like it. It felt pretty sincere.”

“No, it’s not true.”

Cheol Jiseon’s complexion turned pale. Just as he was about to say more to Gu Yangcheong, the latter, scoffing in annoyance, clicked his tongue.

At this moment, even entertaining such discussions felt bothersome.

“Forget it. Just tell me how this looks.”

“About the conditions? Or…?”

“The conditions must be utterly insane; that goes without saying. Let’s forget about that for now. Just whether it’s feasible or not. That’s what I want to know.”

“…”

Upon hearing the question, Cheol Jiseon squinted slightly.

“Are you considering accepting the Great Lord Position?”

“Maybe. Let’s see how things go.”

“…It’s a dangerous undertaking.”

He answered honestly.

“Your planned schedule will be disrupted, and even though you’re strong, it doesn’t differ from jumping into a tiger’s den.”

“That’s true.”

The Demonic Sect had begun to gain notoriety.

The Alliance was trying to stifle news about it as much as possible, but that wasn’t easily achievable.

That was only natural.

‘After all, it was the Demon King’s death.’

While it could be pinned on Jiegal Clan, blaming was one heat source below the fierce heat surrounding Sanchez’s appearance.

One of the Six Seats had been killed in an ambush.

The Peng Family regarded it as a signal involving the likes of Gwiakchang, who was affiliated with the Martial Alliance.

He had seriously wounded Bi Seongdo, and the Demon King was dead, not to mention several Martial Artists from the Alliance had lost their lives.

Now, among the complications was the fact that Tang Deok hadn’t dispatched the Demon King.

That could be verified through the Golden Binding Technique.

If that was the case, it meant that,

‘Someone had killed the Demon King, and they framed it on Tang Deok.’

That was the most reasonable conclusion.

Gu Yangcheong was already confident of the main perpetrator behind this incident.

‘Peng Woojin.’

That scoundrel had committed the crime.

He had killed his own father and pinned the blame on the Demonic Sect…

Regardless of the reasons, the Demonic Sect was not expected to step forward to deny the accusations.

‘That said, there won’t be anyone willing to believe them.’

Having already made a name for themselves by plundering Hanam, even saying it wasn’t us who killed the Demon King wouldn’t make anyone trust them.

‘All in all, not a bad development, though.’

This gained notoriety wasn’t entirely a negative thing.

In fact, the individual who truly killed the Demon King, Tang Deok, had risen to recognition as a formidable new force.

So Tang Deok’s growing notoriety benefited Gu Yangcheong.

For that reason, he didn’t need to resort to any tricky maneuvers.

Thanks to that, discussions regarding the Demonic Sect were increasing by the day. Consequently, many people hoped that the Alliance would issue an official extermination order against them.

An extermination order meant nothing more than a to-kill-at-all-costs decree.

Whatever the situation, the moment a report came through about the appearance of the Demonic Sect, both the responsible branch and the Alliance’s strongmen would prepare for the hunt.

Having experienced this even once in a past life, he clearly understood how troublesome that could be.

‘Not a single chance to ease myself.’

Eventually, his own sensations ignited to the point of burning—that made the endeavor far easier.

But initially, he had to be cautious even about heading to the lavatory.

This was especially true in case he got stabbed while hiding in the waste bin.

Given the current circumstances, he fully comprehended how nonsensical it was for him to directly take on the Great Lord Position.

“Still, this is one of those rare opportunities.”

“What do you mean?”

“That all the targets I need to deal with will likely be gathered there. Instead of picking them off one by one from a distance, isn’t it easier to go and end it all in one sweep?”

Not to mention Muk Yeon.

He still had several things to gain from the Alliance.

Additionally,

‘I never really got to use Bong-Soon properly.’

Wasn’t this the perfect situation to use the dagger he’d prepared?

“That’s nonsense.”

Cheol Jiseon’s contrary reaction was filled with reluctance.

“If you truly go through with this… you’ll have to modify your plans, as well as your future schedule.”

“Yeah.”

“That means you’re considering letting go of everything?”

“I guess so.”

“What?”

Surely, it baffled Cheol Jiseon.

What kind of answer was that?

“I just don’t know.”

“Why not…?”

“Yeah, just don’t have a clue.”

“Yet how can you…?”

“I have no idea, but it feels like I should.”

“Hey, that makes no rational sense!”

It felt like quite the illogical reasoning.

Countless other reasons existed advocating for avoiding engagement in this undertaking, yet Gu Yangcheong’s response nearly made Cheol Jiseon want to explode.

“Whenever I feel I have to do something, then I always do it as I wish.”

Gu Yangcheong offered that response with absolute conviction, his tone indicating he would not reconsider.

“Well, as I mentioned earlier, the plans….”

“Right. They’ll deviate a little, yeah.”

Not merely a little deviation—Cheol Jiseon was about to express that when Gu Yangcheong interjected,

“So now go find out.”

“Excuse me…?”

Cheol Jiseon’s surprise caused him to pause.

What did he just say?

“I’ll reach out to the others to keep them informed. From now on, you better find out what I’m asking.”

“What… what are you talking about?”

He hoped it was anything other than what he feared.

As he reiterated the question,

“Find out if there is a plan that would allow me to pull this off without issues.”

“…”

“A favor?”

The request felt disrespectfully commanding.

At that moment, it finally hit Cheol Jiseon.

Gu Yangcheong had initially set up this meeting to convey that very order.

Additionally, from the beginning, he had devised this plan with the intent of giving Cheol Jiseon that instruction all along.

 

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