Chapter 396
"...You broke down the Tang Family's gate?"
"Yeah."
"Just like that, out of nowhere?"
"To make some excuses for myself, it's not like I wanted to break it down... I was knocking and it ended up breaking."
While there's usually the question of 'does one knock hard enough to break down a gate,' well, it's Wei Yan-ho, so...
"But this is strange."
"What is?"
"According to Divine Beggar's words, didn't the Dark King invite the Radiant Martial Sovereign?"
"That's right."
"Then isn't it strange? There's no reason the Dark King wouldn't have given word?"
"Of course the Dark King gave word."
"Then why?"
"It's a simple matter. The Dark King wouldn't directly tell the guards such things, would he."
"That's true."
"So that message simply wasn't delivered."
The Historian tilted his head.
The Dark King was the head of the Tang Family. It was incomprehensible that an order directly given by Dark King Tang Cheon-gun wouldn't be passed down. How could anyone intercept the family head's command midway?
"How could such a thing happen?"
"Well now."
Divine Beggar chuckled.
"I wouldn't know exactly what happened. It could have been a mistake, or it could have been intentional. What's certain is that the Dark King's authority wasn't what it used to be because of Wei Yan-ho."
"Hmm."
It was easy to understand what Divine Beggar was saying.
The authority that Dark King Tang Cheon-gun held came from being both the family head and a strong martial artist. But that strong man had gone out on a journey and been defeated by a young greenhorn. And that too while everyone was watching.
So how could his reputation not be damaged?
The martial artist representing the Sichuan Tang Family had returned in disgrace. This was tantamount to the Sichuan Tang Family's disgrace.
No matter how much the Dark King wielded absolute power within the Sichuan Tang Family, it couldn't be the same as before.
"Well, from that gentleman's perspective, it wasn't all bad though."
"It wasn't all bad? If his orders were ignored and things got tangled up, wouldn't that be the worst situation?"
"It should have been the worst, originally. But the one who caused the incident was Wei Yan-ho."
"...That's true."
"Thanks to that, the Tang Family folks also learned. Just how hopeless this guy really is."
Divine Beggar made a mischievous smile.
"People are really funny, you know. They have to experience obvious facts with their bodies to truly understand. They only come to their senses after a few teeth get knocked out."
"..."
Thanks to that smile, it seemed like he could guess what had happened without even hearing it.
* * *
I thought about it later, but that gentleman isn't an ordinary gentleman either.
What do I mean?
Think about it carefully.
That gentleman's position within the family had been drastically diminished because of Wei Yan-ho. There are two ways to resolve that situation. One is to demonstrate that he's strong enough to still wield the same power despite his defeat, and the other is to prove that the defeat was unavoidable.
Isn't that right?
If the sect leader of Mount Hua lost to the sect leader of Wudang, it would be an indelible disgrace, but if some martial arts instructor teaching kids in the marketplace lost to the sect leader of Wudang, it wouldn't be a flaw.
So you just need to prove it in reverse.
How strong Wei Yan-ho is, and how hopeless that guy is.
The simplest way to prove that is to bring Wei Yan-ho and unleash him in the Tang Family. Like unleashing a mad dog.
Even the gentlemen who were snickering about being bitten by a mere dog would wet themselves and run away screaming 'save me' when they saw a mad dog as big as a calf, foaming at the mouth with rolling eyes.
Yes, that's it.
From my perspective, everything else is just excuses.
Of course there was an incident. There certainly was a serious incident that warranted the Orthodox Martial Alliance's help. But from what I can see, that was the real purpose.
So what happened?
Hmm...
If the Dark King made one mistake...
He failed to consider that he himself was also inside that Tang Family.
That gentleman probably didn't know either. Just how much Wei Yan-ho was capable of.
Kkeul kkeul kkeul kkeul.
* * *
"Don't we need countermeasures?"
"Everyone knows we need countermeasures. But those countermeasures don't just appear immediately."
"Of all times, why did this have to happen now."
"The Demonic Cult is also stirring. And that White Sword Castle doesn't seem normal either. Moreover, the Orthodox Martial Alliance feels different from before. In the midst of all this, why now of all times..."
The Dark King was feeling bored.
His hand under the table kept jingling coins.
'Idiotic fools.'
If he had his way, he wanted to lodge one of these coins into each of their skulls.
In the past, if not coins, he would have at least roared at them...
"Hmm."
An uncomfortable sigh was all he could manage.
This situation had begun right after he returned to the Tang Gate.
Words without feet travel a thousand li. No matter how quickly he had returned to the Tang Gate, he couldn't return faster than rumors.
The name of a young hero who had been active in the gloomy situation of the Demonic Cult's invasion had spread throughout the world. While others were busy praising the name of this newly emerged saint, only the Tang Family couldn't do so.
Their family head had been ground up as material to illuminate that young hero's heroic tale.
That a mere youth barely past his coming of age had defeated the Dark King and fought an equal match with the Demonic Cult's Gwang Mu-ryang was something anyone could cheer about.
Except for the Dark King and the Tang Family.
From the moment he entered the Tang Gate, he could feel the unusual atmosphere. Subtle dissatisfaction began to settle in the eyes of those who had previously revered him like a god.
And that subtlety soon turned blatant.
'Stupid fools.'
He knew what their dissatisfaction was about.
They didn't want to keep the Dark King, who had been defeated by that young man, in the family head position. Whenever people looked at the Tang Family, they would think of the Dark King, and naturally recall Wei Yan-ho.
That was what they wanted to prevent.
Of course, the Dark King couldn't accept that.
If there were a suitable person, he too would have abdicated. He was starting to feel tired of it all anyway.
But troubled times were coming. He couldn't see a suitable talent capable of leading the family through those troubled times.
How could he entrust the family's fate to those who hadn't properly experienced that dark era?
When he didn't accept the subtle pressure, blatant disregard began.
The former Dark King wouldn't have tolerated it.
Even if it meant the family splitting, he might have ruthlessly expelled those who were dissatisfied with him. But the current Dark King chose to endure.
There were plenty of others besides him who could show these people reality.
"Kook."
When the Dark King let out a slight laugh, all gazes turned to him at once.
The Dark King covered his face with one hand and waved the other.
"No, no. Continue."
Dissatisfied gazes gathered.
The Dark King acknowledged his mistake. But he couldn't help laughing whenever he thought of Wei Yan-ho entering the Tang Family.
They too would soon learn.
What kind of person the man who had defeated him was.
He couldn't contain his laughter thinking about how those who encountered the natural disaster called Wei Yan-ho would react.
"...This is a serious situation, Family Head."
"I know."
"The Zhuge Family is also expressing great concern."
"So?"
The Dark King lowered his hand and straightened his shoulders.
"Are you telling me to watch the Zhuge Family's mood?"
"Of course that's not what I mean. We are the Tang Family. How could the Tang Family watch the Zhuge Family's mood?"
"Good that you know."
"But this isn't just our affair alone. The Heavenly Medical Alliance is also expressing concern."
"Tsk."
The Dark King clicked his tongue.
"Whatever the Heavenly Medical Alliance says, whatever the Zhuge Family says, the Tang Family is the Tang Family. We handle our own affairs."
"Yes, that's right. However, there are force majeure situations that we cannot resolve with our strength alone, aren't there?"
The Dark King slightly narrowed his brow.
He couldn't fail to notice the subtle sarcasm hidden in those words "force majeure."
'Now they're even starting to twist their words.'
Little by little, very little by little, they were pushing in.
This was their scheme to undermine his authority and seize control.
"That's why we requested help from the Orthodox Martial Alliance."
"Don't you think that's the biggest problem?"
"Do you think it's a problem?"
Second Elder Tang Yong-min openly frowned.
"Family Head, we are the Heavenly Medical Alliance. And we are the Tang Family. What are we lacking that we need to request help from the Orthodox Martial Alliance?"
"Didn't you say it yourself? That there are force majeure situations we cannot handle with our strength alone. Why are you reversing your words?"
"I'm not reversing anything. I'm speaking of the natural order. If we need brains, we can borrow the Zhuge Family's power, and if we need strength, we can request it from the Heavenly Medical Alliance. So why reach out to the Orthodox Martial Alliance without going through such processes!"
"You must have it easy."
"What do you mean?"
The Dark King gathered his momentum.
"What about the time wasted going through all those processes? What about the increasing casualties!"
"..."
"Do you think reaching out to the Orthodox Martial Alliance looks easy to me? I too am someone who suffered humiliation from them. Yet I didn't hesitate to bow my head to them for the family's sake. But now you're saying we should delay for the sake of face?"
"It's not about face, but about relationships. Even if this matter is resolved well, how do you plan to handle the criticism within the alliance for reaching out to the Orthodox Martial Alliance?"
"If we must receive criticism, then we receive it. I'm not afraid of being cursed at. What I fear is even one more innocent child getting hurt!"
"Why can't someone who doesn't value face so much put down only his own face?"
"What?"
The Dark King shot up from his seat.
He knew that statement was an ugly way of asking why he wouldn't let go of the family head position. Speaking so directly meant they were no longer going to engage in the moderate confrontation they'd maintained until now.
"Please make a decision. The Tang Family needs a new wave right now."
"You..."
Just as the Dark King was about to shout, something happened that stopped his action.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
A tremendous explosion sound came from far away.
"Wha, what?"
"An intruder?"
"Demonic Cult? Has the Demonic Cult invaded?"
The meeting room, which had been full of tension, was instantly colored with chaos. And in the middle of that chaos, the Dark King swept away all his previous anger as if washing it clean. With a refreshed face, the Dark King opened his mouth.
"You said a new wave?"
"..."
The Second Elder, who instinctively felt that the Dark King had done something, glared at the Dark King with horrified eyes.
"It seems that a new wave is flowing in right now. However, it would be good to be careful. That wave is quite rough and willful. It would be best to hold on tight so you don't get swept away by the muddy current."
The Dark King burst into a refreshing laugh.