Episode 420
Between peace and chaos (6)
That time.
Kaaaaaaaa!
Sang-gak’s hand, which was swinging towards Jong-myeong’s neck, stopped in midair.
Grumbling.
The sharp blade touched Jongmyeong’s uvula and caused a scratch. A trickle of blood flowed from the torn skin.
If it had been a little later, the tip of the knife would have completely severed the carotid artery starting from the uvula. It was a dangerous moment.
“…!!”
Jongmyeong was so surprised that he did not understand what had happened.
Sang-gak’s face turned red.
“profit!”
Grrrr!
His chained arms were shaking terribly.
However, that level of power cannot overcome Yeonhojeong’s might. In addition, although the Gyoryongshack, which was infused with internal power, was made of steel, it stuck to Sangak’s arm stickily like a blood-soaked cloth.
For a moment, Jongmyeong’s face was filled with astonishment.
“Here you go!”
At that time, Sang-gak swung his free hand. The sharp fingertips seemed as if they could break Jongmyeong’s sternum at any moment.
Yeon Ho-jeong pulled the Gyoryongsae powerfully.
Sigh! Boom! Quang!
The capital of Sanggak only tore off the collar of the servant name. Sang-gak, who was tied and swung by the Gyoryong Chain, was thrown against the wall and lost consciousness.
Pusssss.
Thick smoke rose.
Jongmyeong was not the only one surprised by the unexpected situation. The guard captain, who came in late, hurriedly drew his sword.
Chaaaaaa!
“this guy! “How dare you say yes…!”
“Stop!”
Jongmyeong’s harsh shouting made the guard captain take a step back.
Jongmyeong looked at Yeonhojeong.
Yeon Ho-jeong was looking down at Sang-gak with cold eyes. Just seeing how cold and indifferent those eyes were made my bones chill.
“What is your name?”
Yeon Ho-jeong said without even looking at the bell name.
“It’s called Yeonhojeong.”
“Yeonhojeong?”
“exactly.”
Yeonhojeong… It was a name I had heard many times somewhere. But now was not the time to delve into painful memories.
Jongmyeong opened his mouth again.
“Would you mind explaining to me the full story of what is going on?”
A strange look appeared in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.
‘It’s pretty good.’
If I had made a mistake, I could have lost my head. However, Jongmyeong was calmly asking himself a question.
‘I don’t usually have a strong heart.’
Indeed, he was a manly man who started with his bare hands and rose to the highest position in charge of the administration of Guangdong Province. This level of distribution was not something that even a martial artist would easily show off.
Yeon Ho-jeong said.
“Guangdong Province’s largest assassin group is on the verge of collapse. And they…”
He briefly conveyed the series of events. Of course, all the important information was included, so Jongmyeong was able to properly understand what was going on.
“In other words, the leader of that group of assassins has been attaching himself to high-ranking officials in Guangdong Province for several years?”
“It seems like that.”
Jongmyeong’s eyes deepened.
It was seven years ago that Sang-gak became his adjutant.
Sang-gak also had no special connections, but his abilities were outstanding. In addition, I thought he was the perfect person to have as my lieutenant because he was clear about making and breaking things, but also had a strong human side.
But could it be that Sang-gak was an assassin?
“I can’t believe it. “He is the person who handled fifty thousand matters by my side for seven years.”
“Not a whole seven years, but only seven years.”
“what?”
“There are countless people who dedicate their lives to avenge their enemies. Even more so when it’s only been seven years.”
“…!”
“This is killing the highest authority in charge of the administration of Guangdong Province. “They probably put a lot of effort into it for a long time and dug up information about you thoroughly.”
Jongmyeong felt goosebumps rising all over his body.
“So you decided to assassinate key officials in order to turn Guangdong into chaos…!”
This is truly a dangerous idea.
They tried to kill not one, but dozens of high-ranking officials of the empire.
This was clear treason and a challenge to the empire. No matter how weakened the empire’s national power was, I could never have imagined that a group like this would be rampaging right under my nose.
“This shameless…!”
“At least you know that my life was saved because of you.”
“what?!”
“If you die, Guangdong Province, which is currently self-reliant but ruled under the empire, will have been in extreme chaos and chaos.”
“….”
“Everyone’s life is the same. Just know that I came here for your abilities and position, not your personality. Ultimately, what comes first is the lives of the common people.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
Jongmyeong clenched his fists without realizing it as his eyes were so dark.
“You will have to be busy from now on. There would have been at least dozens of assassinations that we could not have prevented. “With so many officials dying at once, Guangdong Province’s administration will be completely paralyzed for the time being.”
“This can’t be right….”
“Please correct the chaotic atmosphere in Guangdong as soon as possible. If you can’t do that, you haven’t lived even if you live.”
Chiri riri ring!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who had tied the Gyoryongsae back to his upper body, grabbed Sang-gak’s demon blood and carried him around.
Jongmyeong asked.
“Where are we taking him?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“That guy is a criminal who tried to murder an imperial official. “Leave it behind.”
“You can’t do anything about this guy with your abilities.”
“That is not your concern! “He is…!”
“Do you think I’m kidding?”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Jong-myeong.
At that moment, Jongmyeong felt his spine go numb. A terrifying sense of intimidation was emanating from the eyes of the person looking at him.
It feels like my heart will stop with just one look. This was a first for even him, who had been living in the thick of political strife for decades.
“If you want to assert your legitimate rights, first equip yourself with the appropriate abilities and strength. “I, too, am a person who lives in this land, so I want the country to be strong, but the country shows no signs of getting better when there are people like you who run amok and run amok.”
“What!”
The guard captain shouted.
“This guy is so reckless!”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, which had a bloody glow, gradually became transparent.
Jongmyeong fell into the illusion that the other person was seeing through his inner thoughts. So I almost closed my eyes without realizing it.
“I did some research on you guys, but there was no need to do it. It’s clearly visible. “The image of an empire and all is a self-respecting idiot who has no courage to reach out to those who can help him, while trying to squeeze out the dignity he doesn’t have.”
“This guy.”
“Even if you hadn’t forcibly rejected the martial arts people, the situation wouldn’t have come to this point.”
“…!”
“If you don’t have the courage to face it with a smile, you should have thought about taking advantage of it. In the end, you are just an idiot who has neither the brains to use the martial arts people nor the ability to approach them with a smile.”
Jongmyeong shouted.
“this guy! “There is a limit to our patience!”
“What if I don’t hold back? Are you going to kill me right here? “Me, who single-handedly defeated the entire bodyguard and made it all the way here without a single scratch?”
“profit!”
“Get your mind straight. An official is someone who serves the emperor and at the same time protects the emperor’s subjects and helps them live in abundance. It is a duty, not a right. You have neglected one of your duties and made the situation in Guangdong dangerous. “I mean, I’m a sinner.”
“….”
“If you want to satisfy your pride, which is worth less than a few coins, then raise a dog instead. “And when you raise a dog, think about improving public safety and public sentiment in this area.”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned around.
“I will come back any time. “If anything, if Guangdong gets to this point then I will cut off your head.”
It was a terrifying statement.
There is no threat like this. He regarded the life of the left commander of the Seungseonpojeongsa under the empire as lightly as a few iron coins in his pocket.
However, Jongmyeong could not respond to Yeonhojeong’s words.
Even though he was extremely embarrassed, angry, and confused at the same time, he could tell. Yeon Ho-jeong’s words are not empty words.
‘scary!’
He was a young man who didn’t even look like he had any teeth.
However, the young man’s eyes were scarier than those of a dignified politician who had been through chaos for decades, and his pupils, shining with divine energy, were deep enough to look into a person’s inner thoughts to the root.
A fearsome martial art, not only a distribution that is equal to that martial art, but also the insight to see through a person’s inner thoughts just by looking at them.
‘As expected, the martial arts people are dangerous.’
Those things are not people. The legendary Guan Yuunjang broke through the enemy lines and swept away the heads of his enemies like fallen leaves in a cold wind, but that is literally just a legend.
That young man was someone who had the ability to unfold that legendary anecdote in real life at any time. Jongmyeong also had eyes like that.
Jong-myeong, who was silently looking at the door through which Yeon-ho-jeong left, suddenly felt that the front of his jacket had become damp and lowered his head.
‘…’
The blood from my neck had already reached my collarbone and was soaking my collar. I thought only the skin was slightly torn, but there was quite a bit of bleeding.
Jongmyeong covered his wound with a handkerchief on the table and spoke to the guard captain.
“Find out the fate of Guangdong’s high-ranking officials right now. In particular, please investigate the provincial commander’s office carefully.”
* * *
“F*ck it.”
Yeon Ho-jeong sighed.
“You’re babbling and saying things that don’t really mean anything. “I still have a long way to go.”
Seeing Jongmyeong showing off his pride even at that point made me instantly angry.
Of course, the species name made sense. No, if you respect the empire, as he said, you should leave the amortization to him.
But Yeon Ho-jeong knew. After entrusting Sanggak with one task, Jongmyeong will want more. It is obvious that he will also try to investigate, and the time to investigate what is currently happening in Guangdong will be delayed.
Jongmyeong refers to a person who rejects the martial arts people. Even before finding out through research on openness, you could guess that much just by looking at their actual eyes.
So I was angry. It wasn’t that I hated the martial arts people, but I was angry at my inability to get rid of the martial arts people even though I hated them, and my poor pride that prevented me from approaching them in a friendly way despite my incompetence.
If Jongmyeong had at least some connection to the martial arts people, he wouldn’t have been so helpless.
‘Well, he would have been assassinated anyway.’
The man who had been his lieutenant for seven years was actually an assassin who could take his life at any time if ordered.
It would be difficult for even you, not your species, to avoid that scary blade. Trust is always a double-edged sword.
Yeon Ho-jeong quenched his appetite.
“This is not the time for me either. “Most people have already been harmed, but if we can save even one more person, we should move now.”
It was then.
flinch!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was about to kick off the ground, stopped when he felt a secret force behind his back.
‘…!!’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes wavered.
I never thought I would feel such a secret yet dense energy in a place like this.
The concentration of that energy was truly amazing.
How amazing it was, it was the energy of someone who went one step further than his current self and walked in a new world.
‘No extreme!’
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his back.
There was a beggar-looking old man with his hair down like a lion.
“What an amazing young man. “Am I one step too late?”
“…who?”
“Well, from the looks of it, you saved Jwapojeongsa. “Tsk, I came here just in case, but I ended up walking in vain.”
The old man grinned.
Scorched water was running down his face and his clothes were torn here and there, turning into rags, but his exposed teeth were pure white.
“Anyway, you’re really amazing. “At that age, the martial artist…hehehe, the official wasn’t that good.”
