Chapter 391
"Thousand Heavenly Alliance?"
"That's right."
Guwangqushen began grumbling.
"That bastard kept calling Do-geuk a water ghost, but if you really think about it, the real water ghost was him. Wherever we went, if it seemed like it would be even slightly inconvenient, didn't he try to leave us behind?"
"Wasn't it that Divine Beggar couldn't be separated from Radiant Martial Sovereign due to orders?"
"Of course that's how it should be! But still!"
Guwangqushen spoke as if he felt wronged.
"Following Wei Yan-ho around didn't mean I had to do the same missions he took on!"
"…That is true."
"I thought I could just roughly follow behind him, but every place that bastard went was like that, so how could my insides not turn upside down? The Imperial Palace! The Demonic Cult! What? Thousand Clothes Alliance?"
Even though it had been several decades since then, Guwangqushen seemed like his resentment from that day hadn't been resolved at all.
"Besides, there was never a case where he went somewhere and came back quietly! Who could have imagined that such tremendous events would unfold in the Imperial Palace where I followed that bastard."
"Please calm down."
"Grrrr."
Guwangqushen shook his head back and forth.
"Looking back, that bastard ruined my life. If it weren't for him, I would have just lived quietly, eating well and living well."
"That's not really related to me."
"…You're incredibly cold-hearted."
"That's how Historians are."
The Historian who had cleanly cut off the useless talk spoke in a somewhat stiff voice.
"But it's surprising. That Radiant Martial Sovereign accepted that proposal."
"You didn't think he would go?"
"No. Radiant Martial Sovereign is so… um…"
"Lazy?"
"Yes, that's right."
Guwangqushen clicked his tongue.
"If it were the usual him, he would have made a fuss about not going somehow. But as you know, this situation isn't usual."
"That's right."
No matter how much of Wei Yan-ho he was, it wasn't a situation where he could be lazy. How could he be lazy when his brother had been dragged off to the Demonic Cult?
"He also knew at that time that he couldn't move himself. Actually, those who know Wei Yan-ho think he's very impulsive and moves without plans, but the him I've observed is excessively clever."
"He certainly has that aspect. And a stupid person couldn't play such a role. To learn martial arts above a certain level, you absolutely need intelligence."
"That's right. But since he's that kind of person, people get mistaken."
Guwangqushen had a somewhat bitter expression.
"He must have known at that time that he couldn't accomplish anything by moving himself. But he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. To make the situation even a little better, he had to move."
"…That's right."
"But…"
Guwangqushen covered his face with his hands.
"If you're going to die, die alone… Why drag me into it?"
"…"
The atmosphere suddenly became gloomy.
* * *
Was I opposed to the Thousand Clothes Alliance?
Of course I was opposed.
Naturally opposed.
But it wasn't simply because I disliked the Thousand Clothes Alliance. That place was supposedly where people lived too. No matter how bad the relationship with the Righteous Martial Alliance was, it wasn't to the degree where they'd slash at each other with swords.
I'm also a person with my body in the martial world, and sometimes I need to know how to walk into enemy territory with a smile. I understand that.
Huh?
Then what was the problem?
Friend, could you enter a cauldron of boiling oil?
Yes, I could enter there too.
But friend… could you enter a cauldron of boiling oil while carrying fire?
You couldn't, right?
That's what I'm saying!
Not all parts of Thousand Clothes Alliance are the same. If you go with other people, it's Thousand Clothes Alliance, but if you go with Wei Yan-ho, that place becomes not Thousand Clothes Alliance but hell.
Huh?
Then where would be okay to go with that bastard?
…Huh?
* * *
Bang!
Jang-il watched the flying door and swallowed his tears.
'Does that bastard have some grudge against doors?'
Unless he died crushed by a door in his previous life, why does he keep kicking perfectly good doors and coming in? What does he plan to use his hands for?
Well, that's possible.
The door here wasn't something he bought with his own money. Though that bastard's incomprehensibly enormous liver that commits property damage in the Righteous Martial Alliance was strange.
The problem was Wei Yan-ho's face after he kicked the door in.
"…What did you eat wrong?"
How could a person's face be so bizarre?
Looking at a face where strange anger, irritation, annoyance, and spite were all melted together at the same time, he naturally felt his flesh trembling. There was no way a bastard who came with such a face would have brought good news.
"Get ready."
"Huh?"
"I said get ready."
"…I'd appreciate it if you could explain so I can understand what you're talking about."
To Jang-il's words mixed with a sigh, Wei Yan-ho calmly gave an answer.
"Since it's come to this, we're going to Thousand Clothes Alliance!"
"Don't shout heroically, you crazy bastard!"
Jang-il unconsciously threw a pillow. But Wei Yan-ho, as if he was very familiar with these throwing attacks lately, simply swatted the pillow away.
"Thousand Clothes Alliance, what kind of nonsense is that?"
"Go."
"Who?"
"Military Advisor Grandfather."
"…Ugh."
Suddenly it felt like his breath was cut off.
'No, why is that old man doing such things again!'
Wei Yan-ho alone was hard enough to handle, so why is he providing supporting fire from behind?
"He told you to take me along?"
"No."
Wei Yan-ho calmly shook his head.
"He just told me to go."
"Then why me?"
"He said to take along a few smart guys."
"…"
Jang-il's eyes began searching here and there. He had to escape this situation quickly. If time dragged on like this, he would inevitably have to follow along to Thousand Clothes Alliance.
"What about the monk?"
"He's going."
"…What about Water Ghost?"
"I don't know where he heard the news, but he was already preparing?"
"These crazy bastards."
Jang-il unconsciously wiped the corners of his eyes.
It felt like there were no allies anywhere in the world.
Even joining forces to resist wouldn't be enough, but what? Prepare? Voluntarily?
'I'd rather bite a sword and fall over.'
There were various ways to die in the world. How many ways were there to die with less suffering among them? Among those various methods, where was the need to choose the terrible and stupid method of going to Thousand Clothes Alliance with Wei Yan-ho?
"…I won't be much help."
"I know."
Wei Yan-ho nodded as if it were obvious.
"But well, there's no choice. There's no one who would be particularly helpful, and it feels uncomfortable to leave just you behind."
"Why uncomfortable! Why!"
"Still, how long have we been together? We're comrades."
"Comrades my ass! Who's your comrade! You crazy bastard!"
"Don't be embarrassed."
"What's embarrassing! I'm not going!"
"Really?"
"Of course!"
Wei Yan-ho chuckled.
"You'll end up going."
"I said I won't go even if I dieeeeeeee!"
Jang-il's scream filled with his soul resounded throughout the Righteous Martial Alliance.
"What, 'even if I die'?"
"…"
Tears formed in the corners of Jang-il's eyes.
In the world, there are people you can deal with and people you cannot deal with.
What was truly unfortunate from his position was that the person in front of him now was one of the most difficult people to deal with in the world. It would be the same for anyone, not just him.
Even if Wang Geoji had come, it would be difficult to make any argument in this situation.
That's because the person openly frowning in front of him now was none other than Divine Military Strategist.
"Not going?"
"…It's not like that, Military Advisor."
"What do you mean it's not like that?"
"Well, that is…"
Cold sweat began trickling down Jang-il's forehead.
'Why are you doing this to me!'
He couldn't help but feel wronged.
Was his not wanting to follow Wei Yan-ho to Thousand Clothes Alliance really a problem that required even the Military Advisor to step forward? The Righteous Martial Alliance wouldn't crumble just because he didn't go.
Jang-il looked at Wei Yan-ho, who was grinning beside him, and distorted his face.
'The most cowardly and dirty bastard in the world.'
How could a guy called the greatest rising star under heaven—no, it's embarrassing to call him that now—run off to tattle just because someone wouldn't listen to one thing he said?
And what about the Military Advisor who got upset and summoned him just because he was tattled on?
'It's doomed. We're doomed.'
If the Righteous Martial Alliance were running properly, this would never happen.
"So why won't you go?"
"Well, that is, Military Advisor."
"Why?"
"…No. I think that I…"
"Why?"
"I don't think I'd be particularly helpful even if I went…"
"Why?"
"…"
Ah, this person isn't someone you can communicate with either.
Why is it so hard to find people you can communicate with in this world?
Divine Military Strategist glared at Jang-il and said:
"I clearly told Wei Yan-ho to pick people to go with him to Thousand Clothes Alliance. In other words, Wei Yan-ho's words are the same as my orders. But you're refusing my orders?"
"Could it really be exaggerated to that extent?"
"I think I need to take this up with Beggar's Sect."
"Hiik!"
When Beggar's Sect was mentioned, Jang-il was horrified.
If Wang Geoji found out about this, he would try to beat him to death. Just thinking about being beaten like a dog on a hot summer day by Wang Geoji's special striking rod made all the blood drain from his face.
"Hey, we can resolve this nicely, why would we need to go that far?"
"You shut up! You damn bastard!"
"Even when I help, it's chaos!"
Help?
Who's helping whom!
Jang-il wanted to bite that smooth face if he could. If Divine Military Strategist weren't in front of him, he would have charged at him regardless of whether he'd get beaten up or not.
"Yan-ho."
"Yes?"
"You go outside for a moment."
"Yes."
When Wei Yan-ho obediently went outside, Divine Military Strategist looked at Jang-il with a stern face and said:
"I fully understand the burden you feel."
"…"
"But the conclusion is the same. You must follow along."
"Why, why is that?"
"Then who will control those guys?"
"Control?"
Jang-il's eyes widened.
Control?
What kind of devil's nonsense is this?
It would be more realistic for a day-old puppy to herd tigers than for anyone to control whom. It would be fortunate not to get beaten to death.
"Isn't Wei Jeong-han there?"
"Jeong-han?"
"Yes. Wei Jeong-han."
Divine Military Strategist's face contorted.
"If I had to pick the biggest mistake of my life, it would be living thinking that bastard was a normal human being. Like father, like son—no, like son, like father, I didn't know."
"…"
"I'll send him as an advisor, but we also need someone to monitor him so he doesn't cause trouble."
"How can I do that! Me! Isn't there anyone else? Someone who can control Wei Jeong-han?"
"Does it seem like there would be?"
"…"
Jang-il was struck speechless.
Control Wei Jeong-han?
Who?
'There's really no answer.'
It wouldn't work with most sects' elder-level people, and you'd need someone at sect leader level. But even those at sect leader level didn't seem like they could control Wei Jeong-han. It was like that before, but now with Wei Yan-ho also running wild, who would dare control the Radiant Eastern Swordsman?
"Military Advisor."
"Yes?"
"I think there's exactly one perfect person."
"Who?"
"…Are you very busy these days?"
"Stop scheming and go prepare."
Jang-il finally burst into tears.