“Sleep for a while. Just like that.”
It had been nothing more than a light tap, a gentle touch from the Grand Young Master’s hand that had vanished from sight for a split second.
Boooom!
A deafening roar tore through the air, leaving ears ringing in its wake. Through that thunderous sound, the body of the Sword Corps Captain cut across the void like a sheet of paper.
“……!”
“……!”
For a moment, the hands of both the Sword Corps and the Great General’s Escort froze.
“Huuup.”
As the Grand Young Master withdrew his extended hand and finally drew a long breath, the Captain’s body streaked across the hall, slamming into the high wall of the Grand Conference Hall before crashing crumpled onto the paving stones below.
Thud!
A wall beyond walls. A heaven above heavens.
It was the moment one of the masters boasted by the Moyong Clan was perfectly suppressed in a single breath.
“……”
“……”
Amidst the stunned silence of the assembly, the only sound was the clamorous rolling of the helmet that had been stripped from the Captain’s head.
Clatter, clatter.
Undoubtedly, had the Captain not been a master who had crossed the wall, that single strike would have claimed his life instantly.
Yang Clan Secret Art.
Thunderous Heaven-Piercing Cannon — Revised.
“Do you intend to continue this futile resistance?”
What utterly broke the faintly remaining will of the Sword Corps’ remnants was the Grand Young Master’s next move.
“Ha—!”
With a low shout, the Grand Young Master lowered his stance and stomped his slightly raised right foot onto the ground.
Rumble!
With a resounding roar, the paving stones on the floor flipped over in every direction, creating a truly intense stomping sound.
“……!”
“……!”
At that sight, not only the remnants of the Sword Corps but even Moyong Woonjeong could not hide their shock. The martial art Grand Young Master Yeon Sohyeon had just unfolded was unmistakably…
Moyong Clan.
Suppression Technique, Hidden Ultimate Principle: Climbing Dragon Gate’s Pillar.
It was the very unique martial art of the Moyong Clan that the Sword Corps Captain had just used in his clash with the Grand Young Master.
Having completely crushed the Sword Corps’ will to fight, the Grand Young Master looked down at the assembly arrogantly and spoke a single phrase.
“Surrender.”
That was enough.
Clang! Clang!
Metallic sounds rang out continuously from all directions as the remnants of the Sword Corps threw their weapons to the floor.
“Just what is the Grand Young Master…?”
Moyong Woonjeong thought she had been sufficiently surprised by Yeon Sohyeon’s level of martial arts during their reunion yesterday. Every move he had shown so far had been phenomenal.
But to suppress a master in a single breath was not enough; he had even improvised the unique martial art of the Moyong Clan on the spot?
“……”
While Moyong Woonjeong struggled to find words, Yeon Sohyeon’s voice reached her ears.
“Woonjeong.”
“……!”
Snapping back to reality at his voice, Moyong Woonjeong shouted to her subordinates.
“The Great General’s Escort will enter the Grand Conference Hall!”
***
Grand Conference Hall, Inner Courtyard.
“I-I definitely heard that the fighting started here, in this Grand Conference Hall!”
“Understood.”
Moyong Woonjeong nodded at the words of the servant, who was trembling with a face covered in soot.
“Continue your efforts to suppress the fire.”
“Of course! Acting Patriarch!”
As the servant left, Moyong Woonjeong sent a sound transmission to the entire Great General’s Escort.
[The Grand Young Master is currently performing breath regulation (Ungi-josik). Be wary of ambushes.]
Already, the hands of the Great General’s Escort, gripping guns longer than their upper bodies and aiming at the massive main gate, were slick with sweat.
“……”
“……”
Between the soldiers spread out to left and right to allow for crossfire, one escort member clung to the main gate.
“……”
He carefully mobilized his senses to check the interior, then reported with hand signals and sound transmission instead of words.
[It is a secure building, so proper verification is difficult, but there seems to be no major movement inside for now.]
[Has the fight that started inside already ended?]
Moyong Woonjeong, aiming her long gun at the gate as well, issued a command.
[Open the main gate carefully.]
Creeeak—!
Under heavy guard, the Great General’s Escort pushed the massive double doors open.
Thump!
“……!”
Something popped out as soon as the door opened. Just before reflexive fire could pour out—
“Cease fire!”
Moyong Woonjeong’s sharp voice froze the fingers on their triggers.
“…It is a corpse.”
It was a body that had been leaning against the door. The state of the corpse, which appeared to have been struck multiple times by fists or blunt weapons, was gruesome.
“…The attire suggests a high status, but immediate identification seems difficult.”
“It does not matter.”
At the stench wafting out from inside, Moyong Woonjeong twitched her brow and answered.
“Open the gate completely.”
Creeeak—.
As the massive gate swung fully open, the bodies that had been piled against it poured out like a landslide.
“Kuek…”
“Kuh…”
Faint groans mixed with the sound of impact.
“There are some survivors.”
It seemed not all of them were dead.
“Ignore them for now.”
As the Great General’s Escort raised their sights past them to the interior, the sunlight pouring in through the open gate revealed the countless figures strewn across the floor of the Grand Conference Hall.
“……”
If there was a commonality, it was that whether dead or alive, many looked as if they had been struck multiple times by blunt weapons, just like the corpse found first.
And in the center of the Grand Conference Hall…
“…There is someone.”
Amidst the tangled mess of the injured, a single person stood tall like a stone statue, bathed in the sunlight descending from the ceiling, covered in blood. His hair was disheveled like a madman’s, and his white beard was matted with blood, making its original color unrecognizable.
“…Hehe. You are late.”
“……!”
When the man, who had seemed dead while standing, laughed low and opened his mouth, the Great General’s Escort couldn’t help but be startled.
“Except for the cowardly bastards who ran away, I have already subdued all the traitorous scum remaining here.”
Moyong Woonjeong, recognizing the face of the blood-soaked old man, shouted in surprise.
“…General Eulji Hwang?! Is that you?!”
“It has been a long time, Acting Patriarch.”
Former General Eulji Hwang.
He was one of the consciences of the Moyong Clan who had criticized the current state of the family in the Grand Conference Hall until the very end.
“Did you subdue all of them with your bare hands?!”
“That is correct.”
As Eulji Hwang lifted his two fists, the people who had been clinging to him to stop him somehow collapsed.
“The bastards tried to set fire even to the Grand Conference Hall, so I gave them a lesson with these two fists.”
From the entrance to the interior, those who looked as if they had been struck by blunt weapons had all been beaten by the iron mace-like fists of this old veteran.
“Compared to the retreating battle at Confluence Riverside during the Northern War, this is not even a fight. Hehe.”
The old man, who had lost one eye, coughed and spat blood.
“…Ah, it stings a bit.”
“General Eulji Hwang…!”
As the people clinging to him fell away, his revealed body was a wreck. Several daggers and hidden weapons that the pro-Dread King and pro-Martial Righteous Alliance faction members had smuggled into the hall were embedded in his torso.
“Cough!”
As Eulji Hwang spilled blood once more and crumpled, Moyong Woonjeong caught him.
“Oh my…”
Gasping for breath, Eulji Hwang forced a smile.
“It seems one cannot cheat age. I wanted to show a cool side to the returning Acting Patriarch, but…”
Perhaps his consciousness was fading, for he began to ramble.
“Hehe. I really wanted to see the Acting Patriarch get married…”
“Even if the bastards hadn’t tried to set fire… Still, well. Being able to do something for the family at the end, it is a relief—”
“Save your breath!”
With the help of her subordinates, Moyong Woonjeong pressed hard on his wounds to stop the bleeding and shouted.
“Medic! Call a medic!”
Even as she shouted, Moyong Woonjeong knew there was no hope.
‘Did he use the Battle Stance, Death is Life…?’
Eulji Hwang had already retired due to old age. From his body, where his Primordial Essence True Energy had hit rock bottom, the remaining vitality was scattering.
“Find a physician immediately—!”
“—Step aside, Woonjeong.”
At the familiar voice, she reflexively looked up and shouted in surprise.
“Grand Young Master?!”
Standing there was Grand Young Master Yeon Sohyeon, who was supposed to be performing breath regulation.
“What about your breath regulation…?”
He took a needle case from his bosom and answered.
“If it is circulating energy, I am doing it even now.”
“Pardon…?”
Leaving behind Moyong Woonjeong’s face, which clearly didn’t understand what he meant, the Grand Young Master examined the unconscious Eulji Hwang.
“There is no hope…”
As she shook her head, Yeon Sohyeon’s voice reached her ears.
“With this much, he can definitely be saved.”
“……!”
That was right.
She had momentarily forgotten, but Grand Young Master Yeon Sohyeon of the Luoyang Sword Clan was a possessor of medical skills outstanding enough to be compared by some to the Medicine King (Yak-wang).
“Then, I will concentrate for a moment.”
The hand of Yeon Sohyeon, drawing a golden needle, flashed.
And a short while later, a small cheer erupted from the Grand Conference Hall.
***
The black smoke filling the sky of the Moyong Clan began to visibly diminish.
Through the clearing smoke, the Great General’s flag of Moyong Woonjeong could be seen fluttering atop the Grand Conference Hall.
“Centered on the completely secured Central Plaza, fire suppression is being carried out successfully.”
Behind Moyong Woonjeong, who was looking down from the spire of the high Grand Conference Hall, the Captain of the Great General’s Escort reported.
“The joining of the Moyong Clan’s household members is also proceeding smoothly. Since the Great General’s flag was raised on the Grand Conference Hall, many who were lost in confusion and shock are joining the fire suppression efforts.”
“Good.”
It was not merely servants and maids who were joining. Among them were true power holders who had been holding their breath amidst the madness circulating in the family, as well as martial artists of the Moyong Clan. Those who had not expressed any intention outwardly had begun to move with Moyong Woonjeong’s return.
“The extreme chaos has peaked and is on a downward trend. Of course, still…”
He pointed to various places in the massive family estate spread out below and continued.
“Many rebels are fortifying themselves or utilizing existing defensive positions to resist strongly. Therefore…”
He spared his words and looked to the side.
“A-Ahem.”
At that, the elders who had been waiting stepped forward. They were the elders who had fled the conference hall and then joined Moyong Woonjeong’s side.
“Acting Patriarch.”
They spoke cautiously.
“The Acting Patriarch’s surprise attack was effective, but the advantage of surprise has ended.”
“Since our military force is still heavily outnumbered, there is a high possibility of a long-term battle.”
Moyong Woonjeong turned around.
“What opinion do you wish to propose?”
Flinching back a step at her intensity, the elders forced smiles.
“Therefore, perhaps from here on, approaching it politically might be…”
“It would not be so bad to cajole them with good negotiation terms.”
They were concerned about the movements of external forces taking advantage of the Moyong Clan’s great chaos.
“We must end this consumptive civil war somehow and absorb the forces—”
“Absorb forces? Minimize damage?”
Moyong Woonjeong cut them off.
“I need no such thing.”
“……?!”
The elders could clearly see the smile hanging on her lips beneath her helm.
“It does not matter how small this family becomes. It does not matter how much our power shrinks or what crisis comes.”
How chilling that smile was. It was enough to make them feel a chill in the midday summer sun atop the spire.
“Until the cleaning is complete.”
She spoke as if declaring.
“I will not end this civil war.”