Episode 1605. I can’t even laugh. (10)
“One hundred?”
Tang Gunak muttered as if he couldn’t believe it.
“More than 100 masters…”
I did not hastily utter words of rebuttal or doubt. The atmosphere here has barely been sealed.
“A little more detail.”
Cheongmyeong said as if urging. Then Mo Yong Wei-gyeong swallowed dry saliva and opened his mouth.
“There is nothing more to say. That’s all. They suddenly blocked our path, took some time, and finally retreated without making any movement. “It seems like all goals have been achieved.”
Lim So-byeong’s eyes became a little cold.
“so? “You were just watching them run away even though their intentions were clearly visible?”
“Then what was I supposed to do?”
The person who responded to that sharp question was Zhuge Ja-in, not Mo Yong Wei-jing.
“It is not a strategy to rush in blindly when you do not know the enemy’s identity or capabilities. Especially when our mission was not to defeat them but to save the main force!”
Lim So-byeong fanned the fan a couple of times, somewhat nervously, and then reluctantly nodded.
Although I don’t like it, there is some truth to what Zhuge Ja-in said. Even if the Zhuge family and the Mo Yong family had fought there with all their might, the result would not have changed.
That is, if the enemy’s military power was as they said.
“It’s a powerful force that can take time against the two families of Zhuge and Moyong…”
At the sound of someone muttering, the faces of the two matriarchs slowly turned red. It was a humiliating statement, but at the same time, it is true, so there is no way to refute it.
A short silence fell in the conference room. Baekcheon, who had been silent and assessing the situation, opened his mouth.
“Did you say you were wearing a mask?”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on him.
“That’s right.”
“That’s a little strange.”
“What do you mean?”
Zhuge Zain asked somewhat sharply. No matter how much the opponent is Hwasan’s long-time representative, he has barely reached the point where he is alone. There was no way it would be pleasant to be questioned by someone like that.
“Wouldn’t wearing a mask mean hiding my identity?”
“Of course.”
“But is it really necessary? They are Sapa anyway. “Aren’t they people we wouldn’t recognize even if they showed their faces clearly?”
Zhuge Zain was shocked at those words.
“⋯⋯Depending on the sect, some people wear masks as a default.”
“Yes, what the matriarch said is correct. But isn’t it so strange that nearly 100 masters all wore masks?”
Zhuge Zain closed his mouth.
He missed it because he wasn’t in the mood at the time, but it was definitely strange when he thought about it.
Usually, people with skills are not afraid to reveal their true identity. However, even though the people he encountered had such skills, they all tried to hide their identities.
“Military.”
Baekcheon looks back at Lim So-byeong. It seems like Lim So-byeong knows Sapa’s physiology best, so it’s only right to ask him about it.
As Lim So-byeong was receiving those gazes, he poked the side of his neck with the tip of his fan as if he was thinking about it.
“Hmm, people like assassins who eliminate internal enemies usually hide their identities to prevent retaliation if their identities are revealed. “If it has become a habit, it doesn’t really make sense…”
But he trailed off and quickly shook his head.
“No, but I don’t think this is right. If that amount of power could only be used for internal crackdowns, Sapaeryun would have eaten the whole world by the end of it. And there would have been no need for the SPA to struggle for power in that way in the first place.”
Baekcheon opened his mouth with a stern expression.
“Then there is only one conclusion. “They were people whose identity we needed to hide.”
In an instant, a chill spread throughout the conference room.
What you felt may be different, but what those words meant was clear.
“Do you know what that means?”
Zhuge Zain asked with a somewhat embarrassed face. A look of discomfort was evident.
Baekcheon just continued speaking calmly.
“Before that, let me ask you one more question. “Were there any characteristics in the martial arts they used?”
“⋯⋯Not really.”
The question was asked so calmly that Zhuge Zain ended up answering without realizing it.
“What about the weapons you use?”
“That too. Kendo, spear and even a fist. There was a mixture of all kinds of things. “I tried to find out, but it was impossible to capture the features with a weapon.”
Lim So-byeong asked as if he had caught something.
“You mean there were all kinds of weapons?”
“exactly.”
“A group that moves together with such orders?”
For a moment, Zhuge Zain was speechless. He understood what So-byeong Lim was pointing out.
Blocking the path of the Zhuge family and the Mo Yong family was an important operation that could decide the outcome of that huge battlefield.
If that were the case, the SPA would naturally have carefully selected those who would take on that task.
Even if several armed forces were combined, they would have at least tried to match similar colors to avoid differences of opinion. But…
“There were so many different weapons mixed together that it felt unnatural. “As if… they were deliberately disguised as unfamiliar weapons.”
Zhuge Zain begins to mumble as if he understands something.
“It was difficult to capture the characteristic features of the martial arts sword I used. “I just knew it was an expert because it had a lot of power and a sophisticated herbivory, but it didn’t have any distinct color…”
Zhuge Zain’s face gradually hardened.
The slightly trembling eyes turned to Baekcheon. Then, naturally, everyone focused their attention on Baekcheon.
In a moment of silence, the majority just waited for Baekcheon to speak next. Even in the meantime, Mo Yongwijing found this phenomenon absurd.
‘Hwasan’s greatest disciple, who must have only been thirty years old…’
People with this status are paying attention. Where in the world can you see a scene like this?
Baekcheon’s next words finally came out.
“⋯⋯Then in the end, there is only one conclusion.”
“No, wait a minute!”
Zhuge Zain was startled and shouted.
“Do you know what you are trying to say now, Assistant Manager Jangmun?”
“I don’t want to think about it, but if that’s the only conclusion, it’s something I have to think about.”
“no!”
Zhuge Zain’s hands trembled slightly.
This young deputy manager of Hwasan, Jang Moon, is so extreme that he is acting like a person with no following. Does he not know how big an impact the words he will say now will have?
In the end, he shouted, half in anger and half in fear.
“Please refrain from speaking, Deputy Jangmun!”
Bai Qian looked at Zhuge Zain with calm eyes. And he spoke in a somewhat heavy voice.
“If Sapaeryeon had had more power from the beginning, the war would not have been waged this way.”
Zhuge Zain bit his lip in silence. It was because I couldn’t deny it.
“So there are only two possibilities. “One is if the situation described by Lord Zhuge and Lord Moyong is false.”
“Be careful what you say…”
“But that can’t happen. “Isn’t that right?”
Zhuge Zain suppressed his anger and nodded.
“Then there is only one case left….”
No one could open their mouths. There are those who guess what he is saying and those who don’t.
Even Baekcheon, who had started the conversation, could not bear to continue speaking.
In the end, it had to be the most outspoken person who broke the silence and opened his mouth.
“Then…”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Cheongmyeong, who opened his mouth.
“⋯⋯In the end, that’s what Sasuk wants to say.”
Cheongmyeong and Baekcheon’s eyes met.
“There is no way that non-existent power suddenly appears. “The circumstances were not so good that Jang Il-so could hide that much power, so that power did not come from within the Sapaeryeon.”
Baekcheon slightly nodded.
“However, if they are new members from outside, there is no need to hide their identity from us. So the bottom line is, they are people we know.”
In silence, Cheongmyeong quietly opened his mouth.
“blast furnace.”
Although the contents contained within were breathtakingly heavy.
“The traitor…”
Cheongmyeong glanced at the people sitting here. Everyone’s shoulders shrank unconsciously in front of those cold eyes.
“there is.”
“⋯⋯.”
“that’s right?”
Baekcheon nodded slowly in response to Cheongmyeong’s earnest question.
betrayer.
Those three unexpected letters shocked everyone so much that they couldn’t handle it.
At that moment, Jongnigok, Jangmun Jangmun, scolded me coldly.
“gibberish!”
It was a growling voice.
“The speculations are so excessive that they are almost ridiculous. betrayal? Does that mean that this sect we know betrayed us and became Jang Il-so’s dog?”
“Rather than becoming a dog, I raised my hand…”
“I guess it’s the same thing.”
Zong Ligoo irritably cut off Bai Qian’s words.
“Let’s see, let’s see, it seems endless. “If you just put the front and back together, everything will make sense.”
“Jang Moon-in. But this…”
“stop.”
Zhongligoo cut off Baekcheon’s remarks as if there was nothing more to say.
“This is not the place for a child to make clumsy arguments. It would be better for those who lack experience to stay away. “The leader must also control such absurd remarks.”
Cheongmyeong’s eyes narrowed. Just as he was about to say something sharply, another person interrupted and received Zhongligok’s words.
“Of course, what Jang Mun-in says is absolutely right, but I don’t think it’s something that can just be ignored. According to my experience, Hwasan Assistant Manager Jang Mun’s insight is more valuable than I thought.”
For a moment, Zhongligok narrowed his eyes as if he couldn’t believe his own ears.
No one would dare say this to him. Nevertheless, the reason why Zongligok was not angry…
“Do you think the author’s words make sense?”
“yes.”
Because it was Jin Geum-ryong who said those words.
Jin Geumryong calmly nodded and added.
“No matter how absurd the guess, if it is difficult to explain the current situation other than that reason, it should be considered. Because it is most likely true. Although it is absurd, Hwasan Deputy Jang Moon’s remarks clearly have logic.”
Zhongligok’s face hardened. I understand. But I couldn’t understand it.
“Betrayal…”
“⋯⋯.”
“who?”
Zhongligok’s voice grew louder little by little. What was in that voice was doubt, anger, and denial.
“Who on earth… who betrayed? “Who on earth would do something like that!”
Of course, no one dared answer this question.
❀ ❀ ❀
Jeopuk. Jerk. Jerk.
Under the bright midday sun, a man walked toward the large pavilion. He was completely covering his face with a black mask.
The man standing at the entrance of the grand palace glared at the guards blocking the door. The guards watched the masked man with nervous faces.
“I want to meet the military…”
As the murky voice came out, the guards coldly shook their heads.
“It’s impossible now. “Go back.”
But the masked man did not back down. Instead, he placed one hand on the iron sword at his waist and stared at the guards with cold eyes.
At that time, there was imminent tension.
“Let them in.”
A calm voice came from inside. Only then did the guards take a step back.
The door to the palace opened with a squeak.
“Please come in.”
The masked man stared at the open door for a moment and then entered. The smell of ink from the temporary office was overwhelming.
“What’s going on?”
Ho Jiamyeong asked without even looking up, just as he was filling out the documents.
“⋯⋯I would like to meet Ryeonju.”
“Ryeonju is not seeing anyone right now.”
“Phase name.”
Pop.
Hu Ga-myeong’s brush, which had been moving like water the entire time, finally stopped.
“Do you think there are four of us?”
Hu Jiaming slowly raised his head. The masked man’s eyes met in the air.
“Keep your promise. “Before the knife gets stuck in his throat.”
Hu Jiaming, who looked at the masked person for a moment, seemed to have lost interest and lowered his gaze again and began playing with his brush.
“I’ll leave it to you. “Go back.”
The masked man stared at the top of Hu Jia-myeong’s head for a long time, then turned around and left the office.
Hu Jiaming, who caught a glimpse of the back, smiled. The expression on his lips was an obvious sneer.
“Do it…”
The ridicule soon turned into real laughter.
“Dogs are loyal.”
Ho Ga-myeong put down his brush and slowly got up from his desk.
