Chapter 389
"I apologize."
As Wei Jeong-han deeply bowed his head, Shin Gi-su waved his hand dismissively.
"This isn't something you need to apologize for. The wrong you committed is something else entirely. There's nothing to apologize for regarding this matter."
"Still…"
Shin Gi-su cut off Wei Jeong-han's words.
"I'll listen to apologies a hundred, even a thousand times about your eldest son's affairs, but there's no apology to hear regarding your youngest son. After all, it's not like that kid doesn't know what he's doing."
"…"
"He knows that if he doesn't step forward like that, no one else will move. Tsk."
The expression on Shin Gi-su's face as he spoke was rather strange.
He looked extremely annoyed, yet at the same time seemed secretly pleased.
"Good grief, that boy."
Shin Gi-su chuckled softly.
"What's so amusing?"
Perhaps because Gwon Geuk had seen his face for so long, he seemed to have caught on that the current Shin Gi-su was quite enjoying himself.
"It seems I've lived quite a long life indeed. To think I'd meet someone who tries to toy with me right on top of my head."
"Even though it's so obvious what he's doing?"
"What's amazing is that despite doing something so transparent, he still managed to get what he wanted in the end."
"That's true, but…"
"How was the Alliance Leader?"
"Hm?"
"This is just my opinion, but…"
Shin Gi-su glanced once at Wei Jeong-han rather than Gwon Geuk before speaking.
"If you had been truly confident of winning, you wouldn't have changed your mind regardless of what was said, would you?"
"Ahem."
Gwon Geuk coughed loudly. His face had reddened slightly, as if hit right on target.
"What are you talking about? I only agreed because you said you had a method…"
"Weren't you the very one who said we shouldn't listen to each and every one of his opinions, Alliance Leader?"
"You're cornering me after leaving yourself an escape route!"
"Heh heh."
Shin Gi-su smiled meaningfully.
"I'm right, aren't I?"
"Right about what."
Gwon Geuk showed slight irritation. Seeing his reaction, Shin Gi-su made a meaningful expression.
"It seems quite different from last time."
"Nonsense, man."
"Ho ho ho ho."
As Shin Gi-su laughed while pouring tea, Gwon Geuk smacked his lips and opened his mouth.
"Good grief, would it kill you to save a man's face a little?"
"Sometimes accurate assessment of strength is necessary."
"Mmph."
Gwon Geuk shook his head. As Gwon Geuk, who had been avoiding Shin Gi-su's gaze, met eyes with Wei Jeong-han, Gwon Geuk's face contorted.
"Must be nice having such a capable son."
"Pardon?"
"I said it must be nice."
"…"
Wei Jeong-han quietly turned his head away. He didn't know why the sparks were flying his way, but now was the time to keep quiet and lay low.
"Now, it's not like the kid did anything, yet you're blaming Jeong-han…"
"You can do it but I can't?"
"When did I ever do such a thing?"
"Look at this guy!"
Wei Jeong-han's expression became subtle.
Did these two always fight so childishly?
Gwon Geuk, who had been about to scold Shin Gi-su, seemed to hesitate for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.
"I suppose I could win. Still, I have my own style that I've developed over the years, so surely I wouldn't lose to a kid who hasn't even lived half of my half-life."
"Then you should have just won."
"Ah, man. Even if I win, it feels like I'd lose—that's the problem."
"What?"
Shin Gi-su asked back as if wondering what that meant.
"If I can't win easily, then winning isn't really winning. No matter how I look at it, we'd have to engage in a lengthy battle, and if rumors spread that the Alliance Leader of the Righteous Martial Alliance fought while breaking out in sweat against a kid who just reached adulthood, what would become of my reputation?"
"You'd become a laughingstock."
"Exactly the problem."
Gwon Geuk smacked his lips.
"At first I thought I just needed to win, but after observing that kid carefully, I realized I couldn't win easily. Then I'd be the only one embarrassed."
Shin Gi-su nodded.
If he showed himself struggling to properly subdue even Wei Yan-ho, it would inevitably make gaining cooperation from other sects difficult in the future.
After all, their weapons were authority and power. Both would be denied simultaneously.
"Once I realized that, cold sweat started pouring down. I wondered if I had brought it up for nothing."
Gwon Geuk felt somewhat deflated.
Conclusively, things ended well. But if Shin Gi-su hadn't intervened appropriately, he would be experiencing the worst right about now.
"Did he eat a dragon or something…"
Wei Yan-ho had been unbelievably strong before as well. But in the short time they hadn't seen him, Wei Yan-ho had become even stronger.
'They said he fought on equal terms with a Blood Demon.'
He had dismissed it as just talk from kids who couldn't properly gauge the balance of a fight, but given the power of Wei Yan-ho that he felt today, it didn't seem like an entirely far-fetched story.
'Could I have actually lost?'
No, it wouldn't have gone that far.
Not yet…
"Alliance Leader?"
"Uh, hm?"
Gwon Geuk quickly raised his head.
Shin Gi-su was looking at him with slightly worried eyes.
"No need to give medicine after causing the illness. I'm not at an age to be swayed by every little thing anymore."
"Yes. That's fortunate."
"However, how should I put it… I thought that Yangtze River's later waves would come rolling in gradually, but I didn't expect to be pushed from behind so suddenly."
Shin Gi-su smiled bitterly.
He felt the same way.
'Perhaps the time to step down has come.'
Shin Gi-su had thought that even if another war with the Demonic Cult broke out, they would ultimately be at the center. Those who should fulfill their current roles during the past war were utterly incompetent, so ultimately Shin Gi-su and Gwon Geuk would have to become the new center.
Therefore, he thought they would still lead the world, but seeing Wei Yan-ho made him think that might just be their own delusion.
Where is there anyone who knows when to step down and actually does so?
Timing isn't determined by age. Ultimately, the time to step down is created when the abilities of the next generation surpass the previous one.
'Though it's still subtle.'
Shin Gi-su had set the time when Wei San-ho would mature as that moment. Though there was a generation gap between Wei San-ho and them, they didn't meet Shin Gi-su's standards. So he thought he could step down with peace of mind when Wei San-ho could fulfill his role.
But Wei Yan-ho suddenly popped up and pulled that timing way forward. Of course, the other kids except Wei Yan-ho hadn't grown enough to be trustworthy yet, so there would be some leeway in timing.
'And Wei Yan-ho still has many problems too.'
As he ages and experiences the world, he'll become somewhat more rounded. And if they entrusted something to that kid now, everything could collapse because of his damned laziness.
"But…"
Wei Jeong-han roused Shin Gi-su from his contemplation.
"What should we do in the meantime…"
"Ah, right. I actually had something to say about that."
"Yes?"
"I didn't summon you because of San-ho's matter. It's because of something else."
"Something else?"
"Something happened at Heavenly Medical Association."
"Heavenly Medical Association?"
Wei Jeong-han tilted his head.
Why suddenly Heavenly Medical Association out of nowhere?
"You mean Heavenly Medical Association?"
"That's right."
"At a time when the Demonic Cult is rampant and the world is in turmoil, suddenly Heavenly Medical Association…"
"That might be exactly why."
Shin Gi-su explained with a stern face.
"Originally, even when there are problems, they don't surface well during peaceful times. When chaotic times arrive, the parts that have been festering tend to burst out all at once."
"What kind of problem occurred?"
"The Dark King requested help."
"Ah, you said Dark King?"
Wei Jeong-han's eyes widened.
Dark King?
That Dark King is requesting help from the Righteous Martial Alliance?
"Isn't the Dark King someone who holds the highest position within Heavenly Medical Association? You're saying such a person requested help?"
"That's right."
"What on earth happened…"
"We're also investigating the detailed situation. But it's a fact that the Dark King urgently requested help."
Wei Jeong-han's face contorted.
'What the hell is going on?'
The Dark King is a person from the Heavenly Medical Association. And Heavenly Medical Association, speaking coldly, was an enemy of the Righteous Martial Alliance. They're both righteous sects so they can't openly antagonize each other, but underground they fight like enemies—isn't that the relationship between the Righteous Martial Alliance and Heavenly Medical Association?
But the Dark King, who could be called a power player of Heavenly Medical Association, is asking the Righteous Martial Alliance for help?
Whatever the circumstances, it was clearly no ordinary matter.
"But what does that have to do with us?"
"…Dark King wants Wei Yan-ho."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. Dark King wants Wei Yan-ho dispatched. He asked us to support Wei Yan-ho as soon as possible."
Wei Jeong-han's face hardened.
"That's strange."
"Right, it's strange. It's definitely a strange matter. But… we can't just sit on our hands either. Though we haven't grasped it clearly, they say Dark King's position within the Heavenly Medical Association is rapidly declining."
"Why?"
"…Thanks to your excellent son."
"Ah…"
Wei Jeong-han nodded blankly.
Well, having been beaten in front of all those people, it would be strange if his reputation wasn't damaged. Of course, Wei Yan-ho somewhat restored his standing afterward by facing Gwang Mu-ryang alone, but…
'It's not like they're criticizing him for doing something wrong.'
That's politics.
It's not about attacking the opponent's mistakes, but about targeting their weaknesses.
The fact that the Dark King lost to Wei Yan-ho would inevitably be good prey for his political enemies. Moreover, isn't Wei Yan-ho perceived as being affiliated with the Righteous Martial Alliance?
An elder of the Association lost to a young kid from the Righteous Martial Alliance and returned—it would be strange if his position didn't decline.
"And that's not the end of it. They say there was bloodshed within the Heavenly Medical Association."
"You said bloodshed?"
Wei Jeong-han's face became serious.
Then it might not be simple power struggles.
'How exactly are things flowing?'
Shin Gi-su spoke with a stern face.
"At a time when the Demonic Cult is rampant, Heavenly Medical Association's help is essential. If proper coordination with them isn't established, blocking the Demonic Cult will be impossible."
"That would be the case."
It was so in the past too.
"So the Dark King reaching out first is an excellent thing from our perspective. We can support the Dark King to expand our influence within Heavenly Medical Association. If things work out well, there couldn't be a better situation. However, there's just one problem, and it seems you'll have to resolve it."
"Yes, please tell me."
"How are you going to send Wei Yan-ho to Heavenly Medical Association?"
"…"
Wei Jeong-han's face went pale.
Send him to Heavenly Medical Association? That Yan-ho kid?
"If the Military Advisor orders it, wouldn't he go…"
"Are you saying that after what we just experienced?"
"…"
"There's only one way. Still, you're his father, so he'll listen to your words. Use any means necessary to send Yan-ho to Heavenly Medical Association. This is an order!"
Wei Jeong-han stared blankly up at the ceiling.
After staring at the ceiling for a long while, Wei Jeong-han lowered his head and filled his eyes with firm resolve.
"Oh!"
Just as Shin Gi-su was about to feel relieved seeing those eyes, Wei Jeong-han spoke in a resonant voice.
"How do I withdraw from the Righteous Martial Alliance?"
"Damn it! You're just like your son!"
In the end, Shin Gi-su threw his inkstone once again.