Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 140 - A Rabble (4)

Chapter 140 – A Rabble (4)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“That makes no sense. Leaving the Alliance?”

Murong Jun frowned.

“In a situation where we haven’t even selected the warriors to form the mobile unit, how can they leave the Alliance? Could it be, you’re thinking of sending the captain of the mobile unit alone?”

“No.”

“Then?”

Zhuge Wenhu spoke calmly.

“Captain Yeon Ho-jeong has already selected all his warriors.”

“…?!”

“Although the number is small, the Captain has a deep expert opinion in military strategy and his personal martial arts are also amazing, so he judged it would be better to send them to the Jianghu as soon as possible. Of course, this was also directly requested by the Captain himself.”

At that time, Namgung In spoke.

“No matter how much that is so, this is too severe of a measure.”

“What do you mean by a severe measure?”

“The independent mobile unit, the only two independent units in the Murim Alliance, have been established. No matter how free a unit it is said to be, sending them without even holding an inauguration ceremony for the captain or a line-up ceremony is definitely something that cannot be said to not be a mistake.”

He spoke contents full of rebuke in a dignified voice.

Zhuge Wenhu smiled.

“Clan Head Namgung, do you think this Alliance is the imperial military?”

“It is not the military, but there are procedures in matters. If they have already left the Alliance, we must call them back, and if they have not yet left, we must hold them until official permission is issued.”

“I understand your words, but such things are merely hollow formalities and vanity.”

The corners of Namgung In’s eyes twitched slightly.

“Hollow formalities and vanity?”

“The reason Captain Yeon said he would leave the Alliance even one day sooner is to weaken the power of the Unorthodox Path groups that will run rampant in various regions and to stabilize the people’s livelihood. Clan Head Namgung, could it be you think etiquette is more important than the Unorthodox Path groups gaining power?”

Namgung In’s eyes became cold.

It was an unexpectedly radical response. The tone was refined, but there were plenty of aggressive intentions in its contents.

‘Is this how you’re going to come out?’

Murong Jun opened his mouth.

“Clan Head Zhuge’s words…”

“Please correct yourself. I am the military strategist of the Murim Alliance.”

In an instant, the atmosphere inside the Martial Star Hall froze coldly.

“Furthermore, the people gathered here are the leading figures leading the Orthodox Path of this era. Unless it is a private setting, please be careful with your titles as this is a public setting.”

Murong Jun wore a faint smile.

“I apologize. I am not yet accustomed to the official title, so this person made a mistake.”

“I understand.”

“I will say it again. There is a contradiction in Military Strategist Zhuge’s words.”

“I will respectfully listen.”

“Rumors about the establishment of the Murim Alliance are spreading like ripples. However, just because such rumors spread, the Unorthodox Path will not gain power without preparation. Isn’t Military Strategist Zhuge reacting too sensitively?”

“Is that so?”

“That is so. Furthermore, even if Unorthodox Path groups are springing up like bamboo shoots after the rain right at this moment, it is difficult to individually verify where they are. Saying that Captain Yeon’s single unit will suppress the Unorthodox Path groups in various regions is illogical.”

Zhuge Wenhu wore a smile.

For a moment, Murong Jun thought, ‘Ah.’

‘Was he waiting for these words to come out?’

Zhuge Wenhu shouted toward the entrance of the Martial Star Hall.

“Successor of the Beggars’ Gang, Ga Deuk-sang, please enter the great hall.”

Rumble.

The doors opened and Ga Deuk-sang entered. In his hands, he held a large, rolled-up paper.

“Ga Deuk-sang, the Successor of the Beggars’ Gang, greets the Honored Guest elders of the Murim Alliance.”

Zhuge Wenhu spoke.

“Will you give us the map?”

“Here it is.”

A detailed Full Map of the Central Plains was unfolded on the giant table.

Here and there on the map, the names of Unorthodox Path group factions were written in red letters.

Surprisingly, that number was well over one hundred. From renowned Unorthodox Path factions to small-scale factions, they were written in detail.

“As the Honored Guests also know, the world is vast. The red marks are only prioritizing places that are large in scale or pose a fatal threat to the safety of the people’s livelihood, and factions with the possibility of growing greatly in the future.”

“Hoo.”

“Even estimating conservatively, it is to this extent. If we were to grasp them individually, we probably couldn’t even count them. However…”

Zhuge Wenhu looked at Ga Deuk-sang.

Ga Deuk-sang received the words with a smile.

“If the mobile unit tours the entire Central Plains and annihilates all the places marked here, the Unorthodox Path Murim will walk the worst dark age in history.”

In the first place, the Unorthodox Path is an existence that cannot be uprooted. In a certain sense, they were melted into the lives of the common people far more deeply than the Orthodox Path Murim.

Those who make a name for themselves as experts are also the Unorthodox Path, the pimps of brothels are also the Unorthodox Path, and those who suck the lifeblood of the common people with usury are also the Unorthodox Path.

Since such vicious people are collectively called the Unorthodox Path, unless everyone in the world dies, the Unorthodox Path cannot be eliminated.

If so, ultimately, there is only one way to suppress the Unorthodox Path.

It is to mercilessly smash them, focusing on the highly renowned factions or experts of the Unorthodox Path. If they raise their heads again, go find them and smash them again, and if they are hiding, drag them out and annihilate them.

“The Honored Guests gathered here are giants of the Murim whose experience in the Jianghu yields to no one. You probably know that eradicating the Unorthodox Path groups on the map is by no means an easy task.”

Of course it is not an easy task.

Before the strength or weakness of martial arts, this was a task that required military strategy, and before military strategy, the unity of the unit was an important task.

Murong Jun spoke.

“I have wanted to ask this for a while, but just where did you select the warriors belonging to Yeon Ho-jeong’s mobile unit?”

At that, several of the Nine Great Sects’ sect leaders constantly let out fake coughs.

Murong Jun’s eyes widened.

“Did you perhaps draft them from the Nine Great Sects?”

The Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect, Master Pung-byeok, opened his mouth.

“I do not know about other sects, but in the case of Qingcheng, we left it to the disciples’ autonomy.”

“Autonomy, what do you mean by that?”

“The youngsters are precious disciples of our main mountain. However, right now they are lost and wandering. I believe that going out into the Jianghu as an independent mobile unit could be a different kind of stimulation for such disciples.”

“Hoo.”

Murong Jun looked around.

“Are the other sect leaders of similar reasons?”

Everyone was silent. They had nothing particular to say, and they felt the story would only get longer if they spoke.

Master Pung-byeok opened his mouth again.

“However, I know the number is extremely small.”

Zhuge Wenhu nodded.

“That is right. It is less than fifty.”

Murong Jun frowned.

“Although you say it is less than fifty, each and every one of them are young experts who have inherited the ultimate techniques of the Nine Great Sects. At the same time, they are people who have never united together even once until now. To take such people and go out into the Jianghu without even receiving proper training, that makes no sense.”

Zhuge Wenhu tilted his head.

“Those words are hard to just let pass, though.”

“What?”

“Was it not you, Honored Guest Murong, who advocated creating the independent mobile unit, and who said we should give the captain of the mobile unit the authority over the life and death of his subordinate troops?”

“…!!”

“How they train, or what kind of unit operation they do, that is all the share of the mobile unit captain. Because of that, the responsibility the mobile unit captain must shoulder is also deep. Is that not so?”

Murong Jun’s eyes deepened.

‘I took a hit.’

He never imagined that Yeon Ho-jeong would leave the Alliance this quickly.

He was waiting for the two independent mobile units to hold an establishment ceremony in front of everyone.

Naturally, the mobile unit Yeon Ho-jeong took charge of would be incredibly crude compared to the mobile unit Murong Yu would take charge of. And that would also have a huge impact on the morale of the unit.

‘I tried to press him down from the start before departing, but he just departed first altogether? Hah!’

He was truly a guy whose fast-spinning brain alone automatically drew admiration. He waited for a match, only to find the opponent overturned the board and went to another gambling den.

Zhuge Wenhu continued speaking.

“Furthermore, I will tell you. Even if there is someone among the Nine Sects’ disciples belonging to the mobile unit who did not receive permission from the elders of their main mountain, taking them back is impossible without the captain’s permission.”

The eyes of the Mount Hua Sect Leader, Immortal Yong-hwa, instantly became sharp.

“Nonsense. A disciple of our main mountain belongs to an unproven unit without permission, so how can we sit back and watch? That is absolutely not acceptable.”

“If so, we will have to remove this phrase from the Alliance Meeting Law.”

Zhuge Wenhu spoke in a cold voice.

“The laws of the Alliance are exceedingly strict, and no member of the Murim Alliance is free from the statutes. Even if it is the Alliance Leader, after the protection period based on the Alliance Leader’s special law ends, they can be punished by the statutes.”

“…!!”

“If you are thinking of not even giving that much authority to each unit captain, I too will lay down my position as military strategist.”

Immortal Yong-hwa was flustered.

“W-Why are you saying such words?”

“The power of the Orthodox Path has gathered again in the Murim Alliance, which had been empty for a long time. Our Honored Guests gathered here are people representing each sect.”

Zhuge Wenhu looked around at the Honored Guests.

His two eyes, which were full of wisdom, emitted a stricter light than ever before.

“When you agreed to the establishment of the Murim Alliance, I believe all the Honored Guests here were prepared to follow the strictness of the Alliance’s laws.”

It was Zhuge Wenhu overwhelming the entire assembly with his three-inch tongue.

Murong Jun inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘I took a complete hit.’

He didn’t know if Zhuge Wenhu had some sort of relationship with Yeon Ho-jeong.

However, due to Yeon Ho-jeong’s peculiar actions, Zhuge Wenhu obtained a justification to take control of the Honored Guests. And Zhuge Wenhu did not miss that wonderful opportunity.

Now, no one would be able to ignore Zhuge Wenhu’s words. Even Murong Jun, who inferred the situation unfolding.

“Uh, excuse me for interrupting.”

Ga Deuk-sang scratched his head. White dandruff fell profusely.

“Since all the Honored Guests have gathered anyway, may I release a piece of freshly arrived information?”

Zhuge Wenhu nodded.

“Successor, please speak comfortably.”

“Thank you.”

Ga Deuk-sang breathed in deeply.

“Speaking since the Unorthodox Path was brought up, figures of the Unorthodox Path whom even the Alliance side cannot ignore have appeared in the world.”

“Who are they?”

“They are the disciples of the Combat King.”

“…!!”

“And some of them… are in a place closer than you think.”

* * *

A space filled with darkness.

In that place, two pairs of fiercely burning Ghost Eyes appeared.

“Did you say the Murim Alliance?”

“That is right.”

“…You mean the Orthodox Path bastards established the Murim Alliance?”

“Yes.”

“Could it be, did they notice our movements?”

“We are keeping all possibilities open, but it is considered highly likely that they do not know.”

“If they do not know about us, why was the Murim Alliance established at this time?”

“We have not yet found out the detailed reason. However, the general consensus is that the annihilation of the Nine States Myeong Clan became the starting point for the Orthodox Path Murim Alliance.”

“I see.”

“No peculiar points have been discovered in their movements yet. There is a need to be careful, but it does not seem necessary to delay our work because of the Orthodox Murim Alliance.”

“We had no intention of delaying it. However, we must be sufficiently careful. Unless it is Evil Lust, we must become a fog. We will maintain the current system at least until we show an occupation rate of more than seven tenths.”

“Understood.”

“Incredibly fortunately, ‘He’ has opened his eyes, so it seems it will be faster by more than ten years than our original Great Plan.”

“Has he finally opened his eyes?”

“That is so.”

“…”

“It is a good thing, but do not get too excited. Let us go step by step as we have done so far.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

“…It will be a long fight. A very tedious and long fight.”