“Off… … .”
Jogeol let out a groaning sound and trudged towards Hwaeum.
“Oh my gosh, I’m dying.”
He was almost exhausted from running like crazy all the way from the distant Seongsan Mountain to here. However, compared to how hard I ran, the harmony in front of me was so quiet that it was even serene.
“Now, look. “Nothing’s going on, right?”
“… … .”
“I told you there was no need to follow along so quickly since Sasuk went anyway, but why bother coming all the way here!”
“… … .”
“No, besides, I told you that if you really need someone to take you, take Soso, but you have some kind of pent-up feeling and won’t let anyone rest…” … .”
“Walk.”
“yes?”
“Shut your mouth. please.”
“Listen. How many times have I told you this? We can just come slowly? The high-ranking nobles will take care of everything anyway, but hey. How can you come running so sweaty just to see the sights? … .”
“… … Walk. “I think about it once in a while.”
“yes?”
“I was wondering what it would be like to stick a sword into a group of people who chatter endlessly.”
“… … .”
Jo Geol felt a chill down her spine for a moment and quickly closed her mouth. Looking at him like that, Yoonjong smiled kindly.
“It’s not something a Taoist would do, so I’m just leaving it as a curiosity, but as I continue to listen to what you’re saying, I get the feeling that it’s not necessarily a bad thing to try something you can’t do as a Taoist at least once.”
Jo Geol just kept her mouth shut and rolled her eyes.
If it were in the past, I would have scoffed at him even more, but these days, I’m a bit scared of this guy. It’s a bit scary to see him flashing his eyes every once in a while.
When it finally became quiet, Yunjong sighed. Jo Girl, who was watching, asked him secretly.
“I’m asking this because I’m curious. “I’m just really curious.”
“… … What.”
“Why are you really here in such a hurry? “Is there anything you have in mind?”
Yoonjong sighed with a tired face. Jo Geol’s tenacity of not giving up must be learned.
“As you said, there is little we can do. At most, it will just be about filling a space. “Maybe you won’t be able to enter the conference room.”
“I mean. “Isn’t it, at best, a borrowed sack of barley?”
“That’s why.”
“Eh?”
Yoonjong said while staring at the harmony.
“Even if all you can do is act as a sack of barley, there might be someone who finds comfort in that sack of barley, right? Because the difference between having someone behind your back and not having someone is clear.”
“What are you talking about?”
“done… … . “Just know that.”
Yoonjong spoke less and said something familiar… … . No, I looked around at the scene of chords that had changed a bit more than I was used to. The chords in the darkness are tinged with silence.
A small smile appeared on Yoonjong’s lips.
“But fortunately, it looks like you arrived in time.”
Before he knew it, his gaze had gone beyond the chords and towards the volcano.
Someone was coming down the high, rough mountain at incredible speed.
* * *
“Rather, what do you plan to do now?”
Zhuge Ja-in’s cautious gaze turned to Mo Yong Wei-jing and Zhong Ligu.
“… … “What do you mean, Zhuge Family Lord?”
As Mo Yongwei asked back, Zhuge Zain narrowed his eyes.
“I won’t take it back. The situation is clear. “Right now, I’m confused because of the topic that has just been dropped, but once things calm down, I’ll start to sort out my position.”
“… … “What if you say it’s organized?”
“It means that there is no one who will share their flesh with the remnants of the defeated war.”
Mo Yongwijing’s face hardened slightly.
“Are you saying they might treat us poorly?”
“It is possible. No, it would be strange if something like that didn’t happen. They have no reason to protect us, do they? “In the first place, we caused a defeat that would leave a lasting impression on Ganghosa, and we came back from that terrible war unscathed.”
“Hmm.”
Mo Yongwei cleared his throat as if he was uncomfortable with those words. But Zhuge Zain steadfastly continued speaking.
“Besides, the power I have now is nothing more than a blood clot compared to Cheonwoo-maeng. “If you are too picky, you may end up as a loser who only does bad things.”
Musing over Zhuge Zain’s words, Mo Yongwijing’s face hardened.
Although I don’t think Hyeonjong is such a great person, I still know Mo Yong Wi-gyeong. There are times when those who lead a group must make unjust choices, regardless of the individual’s fairness. He is also the head of the family, so there is no way he doesn’t know.
“Then, what do you think Zhuge Family Lord should do?”
“You have to choose. “Either leave Cheonwoo-maeng and aim for Gwontojungrae (捲土重來).”
Zhuge Zain lowered his voice slightly.
“Or, we too can build a power that they will find difficult to ignore.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhuge Zain’s gaze fell on Zhong Ligu.
“What do you think, Jang Mun-in?”
“… … .”
Zhongligok looked down at the half-chilled teacup in silence. Zhuge Zain added as if urging him to answer.
“If it’s Jongnam, Moyong, and Zhuge, they will never be able to treat us carelessly. No, maybe we can take the initiative from them. Their union may seem solid, but in reality it is extremely loose. Even if it is difficult for the Tang family, it will not be difficult to form a relationship with Gaejeong, Namgung, and Haenam because they have a past relationship. If we move based on this… … .”
A small laugh leaked out of Zhongligok’s mouth after hearing this far. Zhuge Zain accepted this as a favor and became slightly angry.
“If you are a Jongnam, wouldn’t you be good enough to lead those clans? If that happens, it won’t be that difficult to be on equal footing with the leader. “If you are a Jongnam, of course you should do that.”
It was a subtle provocation as to whether he would really fall under King Hyeonjong, with whom he had an uncomfortable relationship. Zhongligok thought as he looked at the cooled tea in the teacup.
‘It’s familiar.’
Still, it was surprising.
In the past, all of these things were close to everyday life. Even within a group, enemies are implicitly defined and those who will be on one’s side are defined. Smiling in front of me and saying something different in the back, my mind was always busy looking for opportunities to gain the most benefit.
Zong Ligok did not particularly want to criticize Zhuge Zain.
This is because the person who was most enthusiastic about this work before Jongnam came to the royal palace was Jongli-gok. With these three divisions, Jong-ri-gok has created Jong-nam’s status as one of the top three players in Gupa Il-bang.
The same goes for Zhuge Zain. That’s all I know. That’s just what I’ve been doing.
Would it be easy for someone who lived their whole life and believed that it was right to suddenly change their life? There would be no awareness that it needs to be changed.
“… … A long writer?”
After Zhuge Zain’s repeated urging, Zhong Ligu finally put the tea cup down on the table. And he laughed a little.
“That makes sense. But I don’t think it’s something to discuss right now. “Don’t we need enough time to discuss something like that?”
“Yes, yes. That’s true, but… … “Isn’t time what we lack the most right now?”
“Well, that’s true too.”
Funny enough, now Zhuge Zain has taught Zong Ligo a great lesson.
The words themselves did not teach anything. Although Zhongligoo felt uncomfortable with Zhuge Zain’s intentions, he gained enlightenment from his efforts to cover up the situation and move on.
‘I am also of the same race.’
Although he thought he had changed quite a bit after going through a long journey, he also lived his whole life like them. There is no way that thoughts and attitudes are very different.
What would it have been like if the person sitting here was Jin Geum-ryong?
“Cook cluck.”
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the song I was picturing in my head.
If it were that inflexible Jingeumryong, he might have shot it right away to get it out of sight because of the foul odor.
There were times when Jingeumryong, which was like a sharp sword, was uncomfortable, but now it was difficult to erase the thought that he was too old and was only round.
“Anyway, we probably don’t have time to discuss that right now.”
“yes? What else is that… … .”
It was then.
Knock knock.
A knock on the door was heard, accompanied by a sign of someone rushing by.
“Who are you?”
The door opened and a young man bowed his head.
“Matriarch. “We have received a request to gather again immediately at the hall where we had a meeting a while ago.”
“… … “Get back together again?”
Zhuge Zain unconsciously looked towards the window. It was dark.
“The sun has already set. No matter how urgent the situation is, how can a meeting that was canceled earlier be resumed at this late hour?”
“I just received the message… … .”
“Who called you? “Are you the leader?”
“that is… … “First of all, I was informed that it was the musketeer.”
“Musketeer?”
Did Cheonwoo-maeng have such a position? Zhong Ligoo muttered as if he understood Zhuge Zain’s question.
“It’s the Volcano Sword Association.”
Zhuge Zain’s face was filled with astonishment.
“Is Cheongmyeong of the Hwasan Sword Association the leader of the Cheonwoo Meng?”
“That’s right.”
“No, what is that…” … .”
He immediately laughed as if it was ridiculous.
Is the undeserved title of Musketeer worthy of a child? Even though it is a place that gives preference to the strong, this is excessive.
“Wait, wait. “Does that mean he called us now?”
The absurdity disappeared and anger took its place.
“How great is the position of the Commander-in-Chief of the Cheonwoo Meng that he is telling the heads of the clans to come and go! That’s also a situation like this… … .”
But Zhuge Zain’s yelling stopped before it could even come out. It was because of Jongli Gok who got up from his seat.
“… … A long writer?”
“They said they would call me, so I have to go.”
“Now, Jang Mun-in, just a moment!”
Zhuge Zain was so embarrassed that he even stuttered.
Even though he holds the grandiose title of Commander-in-Chief, he is ultimately only a second-generation disciple of Hwasan. How could Jang Mun-in, the world’s youngest son, be moved by the call of such a person?
Have you even thought about how ridiculous Jongnam’s appearance would become?
“Jang Mun-in, this is not the case!”
“I think it would be good for you to know one thing.”
“… … yes?”
“The Cheonwoo Maeng I have seen is not a place that considers such cases. “If you stay here with that mindset, you probably won’t be able to do anything.”
“What does that mean?”
“You can see it when you look over there.”
Jongligok gestured towards the open door. Zhuge Jain and Mo Yongwei’s eyes widened when they saw the place.
Two people they knew well were running quickly down the main street, even holding high alert.
“… … “Um, those people.”
“He may be a great disciple and all, but he is also the leader and vice-leader of the Cheonwoo Alliance. So it won’t be that embarrassing to hear that.”
The family heads, who were looking as if they were tracing the traces of King Hyeonjong and Tanggunak, who had gone so far away in an instant, swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.
Zhongligok looked down at them with smiling eyes.
“If you’re going to go, you’d better hurry. From the guest’s perspective, wouldn’t it be a good idea to get criticized if he arrives more leisurely than the owner?”
He left those words and left the palace.
It is felt through the senses. The power of harmony that was spread out all over the place is quickly gathering in one place.
Maybe it’s because of my mood, but I feel a strange vitality just from the movement. This is a chord that seemed infinitely subdued just a moment ago.
A new smile escaped Jongligok’s lips.
“Are you there?”
“Yes, Jang Mun-in.”
“Tell Geumryong and Songbaek to attend the meeting. “If there is anyone who blocks me, I told them to let them in.”
“yes.”
Jongligok nodded and kicked the ground.
‘Now then, let’s see how interesting this story is.’
If there is anything he learned through the volcano, it is that the future of the sect does not lie in the hands of those drunk on glory. That was just one thing.
