Chapter 384
Gulp! Gulp!
Shin Gi-su-sa downed the glass of ice water in front of him in one go.
"One more cup!"
As soon as Shin Gi-su-sa's words fell, Wei Jeong-han hurriedly lifted the pitcher from the table and filled his cup. Only after drinking three cups in a row of ice-cold water with cold air rising from it did the burning sensation in his stomach begin to settle somewhat.
"Euuuugh."
Shin Gi-su-sa roughly set down his cup and let out a pained groan.
'Damn bastards.'
Shin Gi-su-sa's eyes turned toward the two men sitting in front of him.
The hateful bastard who didn't know what to do with himself and the damn bastard whose entire body screamed 'so what?' were scraping at his insides.
Looking back, the peaceful martial world had started turning into a complete mess from the moment these bastards came barging into the Alliance. No matter how much it wasn't something they had schemed but rather coincidence upon coincidence, how could someone in his position think about it so rationally?
He felt like chopping off those two bastards' heads to ward off the bad luck.
But…
'I need to calm down.'
As the human Shin Gi-su-sa, it was certainly a thought he could have, but he couldn't be just an individual. He must never lose the awareness that he was always a strategist of the Righteous Martial Alliance.
"So…"
Shin Gi-su-sa cleared his throat loudly.
It was to somehow organize this chaotic mind.
"So what exactly do you want me to do?"
Unlike Wei Jeong-han who looked apologetic, Wei Yan-ho answered calmly.
"We want you to solve it."
"Solve?"
"Yes."
"…What?"
What exactly did they want him to solve in this situation? No, was this even a problem that could be solved in the first place?
"Ah, why are you beating around the bush like that? You know what I'm talking about."
"I think I'd feel better if I chopped your head clean off."
"Ah, that would just make the situation worse."
Wei Yan-ho waved his hand and said.
"It's simple. Please arrange a way to rescue my older brother."
"Huh?"
"A way to rescue my older brother."
"Ah, I see."
Right, that's what he was asking. That…
"What, you crazy bastard?"
Shin Gi-su-sa hurled the water cup he was holding with all his might. But Wei Yan-ho calmly caught the cup Shin Gi-su-sa threw, drank the remaining water, and gave a thumbs up.
"Thanks."
"Ugh…"
Wei Jeong-han rushed to Shin Gi-su-sa who was clutching the back of his neck and collapsing.
"Military Advisor! Military Advisor! Are you alright?"
"Euuugh."
Shin Gi-su-sa's eyes became bloodshot. He felt like he really wanted to grind these damn bastards to pieces and drink them. It was just unfortunate that he couldn't do that.
Shin Gi-su-sa, who barely managed to calm down and sit back in his seat, kept sighing deeply.
'Even when I was surrounded alone by a hundred demons of the Demonic Cult, I didn't feel like this.'
Back then, he could laugh heartily saying what would it matter if he alone died. But this wasn't that kind of problem. It was such a serious matter that he didn't know where to even begin addressing it.
"…Hey, you crazy bastard! What are you trying to…"
"I'm sorry."
Seeing Wei Jeong-han bow his head deeply, Shin Gi-su-sa felt a strange sorrow well up in his chest.
'This foolish man.'
What was he thinking doing such a thing?
What was he thinking?
Raising the child of the Mad Blood Demon, of all people.
And hiding it secretly from everyone else. If this fact became known, the Guangdong Wei Family would not escape complete annihilation.
"How many people know about this fact now?"
"…Not many. Just my family and the companions who went with us."
"Companions…"
Shin Gi-su-sa, who recalled the faces of those who came with Wei Jeong-han, sighed deeply again.
"The others aside, the fact that Small Beggar knows about this is quite burdensome…"
"Should we kill him?"
"You shut that mouth of yours! That mouth!"
At Shin Gi-su-sa's reaction of shouting with veins bulging in his neck, Wei Yan-ho shrunk his body with a sullen expression.
"I was just being realistic."
"Uuugh…"
Being weak was a sin.
If he had possessed invincible martial prowess, he would have turned Wei Yan-ho into a bloody pulp right now without asking or questioning anything. It was just unfortunate that he couldn't do that.
"This is a matter that must not be known to the outside."
"…Yes."
Wei Jeong-han quietly nodded his head.
That's why he had been hiding it until now, knowing that fact. His raising of Wei San-ho was his personal matter. But no one would understand that.
That's how strong the resistance martial artists had toward the Demonic Cult was. And…
'Because it's that Mad Blood Demon.'
Even knowing that the Mad Blood Demon was another name for Jeokan-u, the name Mad Blood Demon still brought feelings of rejection. That's how great the pain the Mad Blood Demon had inflicted on the martial world was.
It wasn't just the symbolic meaning of leading the Demonic Cult to invade the martial world.
How many people had died at the hands of the Mad Blood Demon who appeared wreathed in black and red energy currents? Even now in the martial world, there are countless people who tremble just hearing the name Mad Blood Demon.
There are those who lost parents, siblings, and children to the Mad Blood Demon and still live cursing that name. What would happen if it was revealed to such people that the Great Demon Emperor's son was alive? There would easily be thousands who would come running with fire in their eyes to tear him apart, whoever he might be.
No sect could withstand their fury. Even Shaolin would not be able to handle all the enraged masses. But the Guangdong Wei Family?
'This wouldn't end with just annihilation.'
Wei Jeong-han's face darkened.
This was why he had wanted to keep it hidden until the very end.
"I'd like to spend all day cursing, but that wouldn't solve the problem. We need to find a rational solution…"
Shin Gi-su-sa smacked his lips.
"You said you wanted to rescue Wei San-ho?"
"Yes."
The answer came not from Wei Jeong-han but from Wei Yan-ho's mouth.
"Do you think that's possible?"
"No."
"…Then?"
Wei Yan-ho spoke as if frustrated.
"Ah, old man. Why are you being like this? Since we can't find a solution among ourselves, that's why we came all the way here to ask you, isn't it?"
Crack.
The grinding sound echoed intensely in the quiet room.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
"Uuugh…"
Shin Gi-su-sa glared at Wei Jeong-han with bloodshot eyes.
"…Why me?"
"Do you not know why I'm asking?"
"I'm sorry."
Wei Jeong-han bowed his head deeply. At least in terms of family education, he was someone who couldn't hold his head up to anyone.
"So you're telling me to arrange a way to extract Wei San-ho from the Demonic Cult?"
"Yes."
"From the Demonic Cult?"
"Yes!"
"That Wei San-ho?"
"Yes!"
Shin Gi-su-sa stared blankly at the ceiling.
'I should retire.'
What glory was he trying to enjoy by staying like this until now? If he had retired long ago, he wouldn't have met that bastard and could have spent his later years in peace.
At this point, rather than anger, he felt sad.
"Hey, you bastard! Extracting someone from the Demonic Cult isn't ordinary work, but you're telling me to extract not just anyone but the Mad Blood Demon's bloodline? Fine, let's say we extracted him! How will you handle the aftermath? Those damn Demonic Cult bastards with their nasty personalities will surely hold back. They'll come rushing in immediately, so how will you handle things from then on?"
"We'll think about what comes after later."
"What?"
"Actually, you and other people worry and agonize saying 'what about the aftermath,' but has the aftermath ever flowed according to your thoughts?"
"…"
It usually gets twisted a bit.
"Considering all these various situations is meaningless."
"Why?"
"Because the other side will think the same way."
"…What kind of sophistry is that?"
"My master said that rather than wasting time thinking about this and that halfheartedly, it's often much better to just empty your head and charge forward. He said that making precise and perfect plans is important, but what's more important is not missing the right timing."
Shin Gi-su-sa smiled gently.
One thing had become certain.
No matter how strong Wei Yan-ho became, he must never be given an important position. This bastard would ruin the martial world.
"It's impossible."
Wei Yan-ho's eyes sank slightly.
"Then there's nothing more to discuss."
As Wei Yan-ho stood up from his seat, Shin Gi-su-sa spoke in a heavy tone.
"Sit down."
"I have nothing more to say."
"I have something to say."
"I have no reason to listen."
"You bastard!"
A strong energy burst from Shin Gi-su-sa's body.
"How can this be something only your family, and only you, can think about? The fate of the martial world hangs in the balance."
"That's right."
"Then how can you be so frivolous?"
"Why should I worry about the fate of the martial world?"
"…"
Shin Gi-su-sa was struck speechless.
"I don't care at all about something like the fate of the martial world. Just because I learned martial arts doesn't mean I've ever thought I should naturally fight for it. I learned martial arts to make this one body of mine comfortable. Though that was forced on me anyway."
Wei Yan-ho continued his barrage, blocking Shin Gi-su-sa's mouth as he tried to refute something.
"What's the problem with me rescuing my older brother?"
"…Of course it's a problem. That alone could provoke the Demonic Cult."
"So what?"
"You bastard! Just provoking the Demonic Cult could cause countless blood to flow. You who haven't experienced war don't know. You don't know how much one war can change the fate of so many people!"
"It's something we'll have to experience once anyway."
"That may be true, but."
"If they won't attack us just because we stay still and endure, then I'd do that. But staying still and enduring now is just pushing the time back a little."
"Of course that's true. But why won't you try to understand that that time could be incredibly precious to someone?"
"Our help is precious to my older brother too."
Shin Gi-su-sa closed his mouth.
Wei Yan-ho quietly looked at Shin Gi-su-sa and then opened his mouth.
"Honestly, I don't understand something called chivalry very well. I don't know why I should make efforts for others. But isn't it the Righteous Martial Alliance that has been emphasizing that?"
"…"
"I don't know what chivalry is very well, but if chivalry is something you don't have to keep when the situation is difficult… that chivalry is quite shallow. Something you only have to keep when there's no harm to yourself."
"You bastard!"
Shin Gi-su-sa shot up from his seat.
His snow-white beard trembled violently. What he just said was an insult not just to Shin Gi-su-sa but to the entire Righteous Martial Alliance.
But despite receiving Shin Gi-su-sa's fury head-on, Wei Yan-ho's eyes were cold as could be.
"I don't care about something like chivalry."
Wei Yan-ho stood up from his seat.
"But I know about duty. The duty I know is that when your brother has been captured, discussing what will happen to the martial world while pulling your feet back is not something a human should do."
Wei Yan-ho turned his body and went outside. Shin Gi-su-sa's pupils were shaking as he watched Wei Yan-ho leave.
"…I'm sorry, Military Advisor."
"Whew."
Shin Gi-su-sa slumped into his seat.
"He's reckless and immature."
"He's still at an age full of hot blood…"
"But he's upright."
Shin Gi-su-sa's face was filled with regret.
"Duty, duty…"
That single word was weighing down on Shin Gi-su-sa so heavily.