Luoyang Sword Clan, Supreme Operations Council.
The twilight poured through the aperture in the ceiling, illuminating Namgung Hyeok-cheon, the greatest sponsor of the Third Young Master.
“Just what is the Supreme Operations Council thinking?!”
Coming after a passing shower, the sunset was exquisitely brilliant, yet to Namgung Hyeok-cheon right now, it was merely a blinding nuisance that limited his vision.
“To release the shackles of the Hengshan Northern Branch and allow them to move freely!”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon protested fiercely toward the Supreme Councilors, who never revealed their identities.
“How can the Supreme Operations Council of the Main Clan make such a biased decision favoring the Grand Young Master?!”
“We merely held the Hengshan Northern Branch properly accountable for the incident at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly stadium construction site.”
The modulated voice of a Supreme Councilor echoed through the hollow chamber.
“Elder Namgung must know just how severe the punishments of expulsion and withdrawal are.”
“We must look at the results! The results…!” Namgung Hyeok-cheon retorted immediately. “As a result, the Hengshan Northern Branch headed North following the Grand Young Master without any restrictions! If this is not biased, then what is?!”
His logic was solid, and his eloquence had power. In the Council of Elders, it would have been more than enough to sway the room. However, his opponents now were the Supreme Councilors of the Luoyang Sword Clan.
“In the first place, was it not you, the Third Young Master’s faction, who pinned the responsibility for the disturbance at the construction site on the Hengshan Northern Branch?”
When the female official of Supreme Operations Council opened fire, the others provided covering fire with practiced ease.
“Indeed. The elders of the Third Young Master’s side pointed to the Hengshan Northern Branch, who were part of the same family at the time, as the root of the problem.”
“Since the Hengshan Northern Branch took a heavy blow from the mysterious being known as the Venerable One of Dark Heavens, you likely decided to use them as a discarded card.”
“Our Supreme Operations Council respected the results of the internal investigation by the Third Young Master’s side. As a result, we held the Hengshan Northern Branch accountable.”
“Elder Namgung.”
The female official of Supreme Operations Council spoke again.
“Do you wish for this Committee to reopen the investigation into that incident?”
“…Of course not.”
Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon ground his teeth.
“Then, since the one who deserved responsibility took it, there is no problem.”
“Then what objection exactly does Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon wish to raise?”
If he spoke one word, they spoke ten. Since there were nine Supreme Councilors, even if each spoke only once, it was nine words against one. Every time he attended the Supreme Operations Council, he felt an urge to smash the head of whoever had designed this system.
“Then, what about the Maid Corps of the Wongakjeong?”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon turned the direction of his attack.
“They headed North without receiving any permission! They didn’t even try to hide it; they went fully armed and even prepared military supplies!”
Immediately, one of the Supreme Councilors refuted him.
“The Maid Corps was never registered as an ‘Armed Group’ of the Main Clan from the start, so it has nothing to do with permission.”
For a moment, Namgung Hyeok-cheon was struck speechless.
“The—The Maid Corps is not an armed group…?”
“Correct.”
“Does that make sense?!”
He shouted, his anger soaring to the heavens.
“A group equipped with armored carriages and repeating crossbows, comprised entirely of martial artists—how can they not be an armed group?!”
“Just as the Maid Corps is not registered as an armed group, they do not receive the support given to other armed groups.”
One of the Supreme Councilors answered with a voice that didn’t waver in the slightest.
“Procedurally, there is no problem.”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon yelled.
“This is desk administration!”
“It is an unavoidable issue.”
The female official of Supreme Operations Council interjected.
“According to the Clan Laws of the Main Clan, armed groups are registered through a declaration system. As long as they did not declare themselves, they are not an armed group of the Main Clan.”
“That is absurd…!”
“Is it?”
The tone of the female official of Supreme Operations Council became quite sharp.
“I understand that the Third Young Master’s side operated Tamrang, formerly of the Martial Righteous Alliance, as an irregular organization without registering them with the Main Clan.”
“……!”
Tamrang.
It was an organization that had been dismantled months ago during the battle surrounding the Valley of Sins, destroyed by the vast labyrinth of Luoyang’s underground waterways and the exploits of the Life-Stealing Ghost Sword. During the days of the Martial Righteous Alliance, they were an armed group that resolved various problems in the shadows through illegal means.
“I understand the Third Young Master’s side is still operating similar groups without declaration even now.”
Other Supreme Councilors drove the wedge in.
“Does the Third Young Master’s side intend to voluntarily declare all such irregular groups?”
“Or do you wish for the Supreme Operations Council to conduct a total investigation into the operation of armed groups?”
“…Kuh!”
Namgung Hyeok-cheon swallowed the bile rising in his throat.
It felt like ramming his bare body against an iron wall.
Inferiority in numbers.
Inferiority in authority.
Inferiority in information.
Anyone standing in this spot was bound to be inferior in every aspect. The past event where Grand Young Master Yeon Sohyeon had shaken the Supreme Operations Council was merely an extreme exception.
This was the true face of the Supreme Operations Council.
“…I admit that this Elder failed to present precise evidence. However.”
He could not retreat empty-handed like this.
“It is a fact that recently, the Supreme Operations Council has been making biased decisions that ultimately favor the Grand Young Master.”
Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon held the documents in his hand high.
“This is a signature statement from the majority of the Main Clan Elders who raise the same issue as this Elder.”
It meant this protest was not his personal, unilateral claim.
“According to Clan Laws, the Supreme Operations Council must provide a convincing explanation regarding such issues raised by the Council of Elders—”
“That is enough.”
A heavy voice.
It was the voice of the Chairman of the Supreme Operations Council, who had kept his silence until then. Swallowing dryly, Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon asked him.
“Will the Chairman answer personally?”
“There is nothing to answer.”
“What do you mean…?”
At the Chairman’s curt attitude, Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s expression contorted.
“The Supreme Operations Council has never made biased decisions favoring the Grand Young Master.”
“Chairman!”
Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon shook the bundle of signatures in his hand roughly.
“It makes no sense for the Supreme Operations Council to judge that by itself—!”
The Chairman cut him off. “If we were biased, we would have been biased toward the Third Young Master’s side, not the Grand Young Master’s.”
“What are you saying—”
“The New Martial Righteous Alliance. And Dread King.”
“…….”
“The Third Young Master’s side is forming alliances with external forces without any hesitation these days. And military alliances at that.”
“Th-That is not an alliance for military purposes, but strictly—”
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
“…….”
At any other time, such abusive language would never have been tolerated. However, the blatant rage felt in the Chairman’s voice now had the power to shut Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon’s mouth.
“You should be grateful that this Supreme Operations Council is merely watching in silence, pretending not to see the war acts you intend to commit in the North.”
“…….”
“Enough. I will allow no further rebuttal.”
The Chairman tapped his gavel.
“I declare the session closed.”
It was an eviction order for Namgung Hyeok-cheon.
***
At that time.
The North, Shenyang. Near the entrance of the South Gate.
The scenery of Shenyang, covered in thick clouds as the sun was setting, had an unpleasantly heavy atmosphere.
“…There aren’t even soldiers guarding the gate?”
A middle-aged man, Gam Woo-hyeon, the Head Disciple of Huashan leading the Vanguard, frowned as he looked around.
“Since the Moyong Clan, which can be called the core of this region, is in the middle of a civil war, it’s not a strange situation.”
Vice-Captain Mae Ok stopped her horse beside him and likewise surveyed the surroundings.
“But to think it would be this much of a mess…”
Even while they stopped their horses for a moment to converse, countless citizens were hurriedly leaving the city.
“Mom…!”
Amidst the loud crying of a child who had lost hold of its mother’s hand—
“Hurry…!”
“If we walk all night, we can reach the next city…!”
A procession of refugees, carrying only their most important belongings wrapped in bundles, stretched out endlessly. Black smoke rising from various places in the city made the ominous atmosphere of Shenyang even more chaotic.
“…Like this.”
Mae Ok picked up the words of Captain Gam Woo-hyeon, who was clicking his tongue.
“Like this, the plan to secure information on the ground will also be difficult.”
Even if they grabbed a few refugees to ask, it would only add confusion with all sorts of miscellaneous rumors.
“Captain! The disciple who went for reconnaissance has returned…!”
The Huashan Vanguard had deliberately selected disciples of Northern origin to run reconnaissance.
“We failed to contact the local private intelligence groups. Most office doors were firmly shut and empty, and those remaining had fortified their buildings and refused contact.”
However.
There were few gains.
“They say gunshots, explosions, and the sounds of clashing metal have not ceased since noon and can be heard all over the city.”
Furthermore.
It was said that corpses of unknown affiliation were being left abandoned throughout the city. The situation in Shenyang was even more chaotic than they had predicted.
“What about news from inside the Moyong Clan?” This time, Vice-Captain Mae Ok asked, “Was there no talk of which side is winning?”
The disciple shook his head, “Rather, the problem is that there are too many conflicting stories.”
“…I suppose that would be the case.”
After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Captain Gam Woo-hyeon spoke, “…Then, is there no way to head to the Moyong Clan’s Main Clan without passing through Shenyang?”
“…Regrettably, there is not.” The disciple of local origin shook his head. “As you know, the Moyong Clan is a clan on a different level from ordinary martial families.”
Another disciple of local origin added an explanation, “The Main Clan of the Moyong Clan is practically a massive fortress built in preparation for war. If you want to find a similar example, the Main Clan of the Luoyang Sword Clan would be the only one.”
“…Damn it. Is there no way?”
Captain Gam Woo-hyeon’s gaze turned inward toward the main avenue leading from the gate into the city. In his eyes right now, that wide avenue looked like the maw of a monster gaping open.
“Senior Brother, no. Captain.”
Vice-Captain Mae Ok spoke in a serious tone.
“I formally request once more that we reconsider entry.”
“Damn it…”
Even while spitting out a curse, Gam Woo-hyeon did not cut her off immediately this time.
“……”
“……”
The disciples, who had rushed here with high spirits, also could not relax their tension in the ominous atmosphere of Shenyang.
“…Then what is the alternative?”
“We must secure an encampment near the gate first, and our Vanguard must grasp the situation directly.”
Gam Woo-hyeon ground his teeth. “What about the Vanguard of Wudang?”
Vice-Captain Mae Ok shook her head, saying, “If necessary, we should join hands with them.” She continued, “Considering the current situation, it’s not the time to be proud. We could lose our lives arguing over trivial matters.”
“……”
Although trembling with indignation, Captain Gam Woo-hyeon seemed to be persuaded, so Vice-Captain Mae Ok added, “We must figure out the movements of the rebel forces and move only after definitely contacting them.”
Since their scale was large, their bases would exist in conspicuous places. Her logic was that it wouldn’t be difficult.
Gam Woo-hyeon sighed deeply and nodded slowly. Despite his pride, he knew he was not a fool. “It can’t be helped.” They had to avoid entering a city blindly where they didn’t know what enemy was waiting or how. “After securing the South Gate and making it a base—”
No one.
No one saw the shadow lying low atop the gate twitch slightly at that moment.
However.
Bang—!
The single gunshot that seemed to tear their eardrums—that, they could not fail to hear.
Squelch!
Along with a sound like a watermelon breaking.
The sight of the disciple of local origin collapsing, pouring blood from a face that had been blown open, felt exceptionally slow.
“Sniper from the rear!”
Captain Gam Woo-hyeon, his face splattered with the disciple’s blood, shouted like a scream.
“Everyone, get off the main road!”
“Take cover! Take cover!”
That was.
The first welcome greeting for the Huashan Vanguard visiting Shenyang.