“Wh-what?”

Ga Deoksang swallowed hard.

“So what you’re saying is...”

Yeon Hojeong said calmly, “The informant from Ink Dragon Manor was a fake. And I was the one who assassinated that fake.”

“You insane bastard!”

BANG!

Ga Deoksang slammed the table hard and shot to his feet.

“Are you out of your mind?! You deceived the entire Martial Alliance and dragged it into a swamp of chaos!”

The person disguised as Ink Dragon Manor’s informant was, of course, Hidden Shadow One.

But even if Hidden Shadow One were locked in the Brain Prison, Yeon Hojeong did not think Mo Yonggun would be able to do anything to him. On the contrary, if everyone came rushing in to dig into the truth and wrung Hidden Shadow One dry, Yeon Hojeong would be the one in trouble.

In other words, Yeon Hojeong could be struck from behind before he gathered enough circumstantial evidence that Mo Yonggun had joined hands with Yangcheon, Lord of Ink Dragon Manor. It would be ideal if Mo Yonggun tried to kill Hidden Shadow One or approach him, but if he tried to uncover the truth about Hidden Shadow One under the pretext of official business, Yeon Hojeong would be the one in danger.

That was why Yeon Hojeong had killed Hidden Shadow One on the way to the Brain Prison.

Once Mo Yonggun and Yangcheon’s connection was exposed later, he had laid a massive trap that would let Mo Yonggun take the blame for this crime too.

“He didn’t respond as aggressively as I expected. Mo Yonggun’s ability is undeniably outstanding. But he is human too. When he takes the offensive, he sometimes reveals openings he never expects.”

“And?”

“With the Martial Alliance Leader election ahead, he’s fighting a defensive battle, so I couldn’t step on his tail no matter how hard I tried. That’s why I provoked him, then created an illusory board.”

Ga Deoksang was dumbfounded.

“Are you insane?! This isn’t just a matter of political struggle! This is plotting and scheming!”

Yeon Hojeong gave a bitter smile.

“I know.”

“What the hell were you thinking—!”

Ga Deoksang, who had been about to snap at him, soon let out a long sigh.

Still, what could he say now? The matter had already happened. And yet there were far too many things at stake for him to tell Yeon Hojeong to go to the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Service Council meeting and confess.

One wrong step, and the entire Martial Alliance system could truly be shaken to its core. Furthermore, Mo Yonggun might seize that opportunity, burn down the Yeon Clan and the Je Gal Clan along with it, and ultimately become the Martial Alliance’s supreme authority.

That was no excessive worry. What Mo Yonggun had done so far had been far too dangerous and greedy. Only someone like Yeon Hojeong could play Mo Yonggun for a fool. If Yeon Hojeong disappeared, then so would Mo Yonggun’s counterweight.

“Damn it!”

Ga Deoksang’s face twisted sharply.

“To think I’m in a position where I can see this filthy dogshit and still can’t say anything!”

Yeon Hojeong sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“You should have just not told me! Then I wouldn’t have had to be disappointed in you!”

“My people had to know anyway. Otherwise, how could we work together on this?”

Ga Deoksang finally exploded.

“Hey, you mad bastard! You pull this nonsense and still want us to work together?! You want us to keep doing insane things like this? You want me to take part in this filth?!”

Yeon Hojeong understood Ga Deoksang’s anger.

The reason Ga Deoksang had looked favorably on Yeon Hojeong until now, and further, the reason he had been able to build a friendship with him, was that Yeon Hojeong did not cross the line.

At times, he had been rather extreme. At times, he had done things that were far too frightening. He had walked dangerously close to a line that should not be crossed, but at the very least, he had not strode straight over it.

There had even been reasons for the perilous political struggles Yeon Hojeong had waged until now. And in Yeon Hojeong’s responses, Ga Deoksang had seen a greater cause for the world.

But not this time.

“This is dragging in someone who was staying still and forcibly burying him. In other words, it’s scheming. Filthy scheming!”

“...”

“Yes, Mo Yonggun is a dangerous man! He’s a peerless villain wearing the mask of an elder of the Orthodox Path! But if you do this, how are you any different from Mo Yonggun?”

Whenever Mo Yonggun caused trouble and went on the attack, Yeon Hojeong had been deployed.

And Yeon Hojeong had read all of Mo Yonggun’s intentions and neutralized his schemes.

But this time, it was no different from dragging Mo Yonggun, who had done nothing, onto the board and beating him down without warning. He had even laid a board so murderous that the entire Martial Alliance had gone on alert.

No matter how charitably one tried to view it, this had clearly crossed the line.

Of course, Yeon Hojeong personally had a clear line: he would protect his own people. But Ga Deoksang had his own clear line as well: he had to act according to the greater cause.

That was why Yeon Hojeong had done this even while knowing he would be condemned. It was also why Ga Deoksang could not understand Yeon Hojeong.

No matter how deep their friendship, their basic natures were far too different.

“I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then know you’re wrong!”

“I have nothing to say.”

Yeon Hojeong had caused the incident, yet offered no excuses beyond saying he was sorry.

Ga Deoksang glared at him with blazing eyes.

After a long time, Ga Deoksang spoke in a sunken voice.

“Young Master Yeon.”

“Speak.”

“There’s something I’ve been curious about for a long time. Let me ask that one thing.”

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

Ga Deoksang continued as if sighing.

“Mo Yonggun is... yes, to put it simply, he’s a bad man. If he becomes Martial Alliance Leader, countless innocent people will die so he can solidify his own power.”

“...”

“But if we look at it that way, there are many others who also should not become Martial Alliance Leader. You know that too, don’t you?”

“...”

“I’ll speak more honestly. I don’t want Mo Yonggun to become Martial Alliance Leader. And in this election, Mo Yonggun will try to gain public support through every kind of trick and scheme. But...”

“...”

“But an election is still an election. If Mo Yonggun clearly commits wrongdoing, then you should step in and set it right. Trying to bury him before he’s done anything is putting the cart before the horse.”

When a person committed a crime, a constable stepped forward and arrested the criminal.

But no constable would suddenly arrest and beat someone who had committed no crime merely because that person had a criminal history.

Ga Deoksang was speaking of that proper order. And that proper order was clearly in line with the greater cause.

“I’ll ask you. Why are you so desperate to stop Mo Yonggun from becoming Martial Alliance Leader?”

“...”

“As I said, I don’t want him to become Martial Alliance Leader either. But that is only my personal wish. At the same time, I don’t want anyone without ability or character to become the Alliance Leader.”

“...”

“But when I look at your actions, it feels as though you don’t care who becomes Alliance Leader as long as it isn’t Mo Yonggun.”

Yeon Hojeong gave a bitter smile.

“As long as it isn’t Mo Yonggun, anyone will do... Yes. For now, that’s correct.”

The person he would ultimately push as Martial Alliance Leader would, without question, be Mo Yong-woo.

But not now. No matter how exceptional Yeon Hojeong’s ability was, the world was not so easy. In this world, filled with old martial-world veterans, putting a promising young man at the head of the Orthodox Path martial world was as difficult as facing the Three Creeds at the same time.

That was why Yeon Hojeong had little interest in this election.

More precisely, as long as it was not Mo Yonggun, he did not care who became Martial Alliance Leader.

To be even more honest... he was even hoping someone incompetent would become Martial Alliance Leader.

Mo Yonggun is too smart.

If Mo Yonggun became Alliance Leader, then as Ga Deoksang said, he would spend years at the least, and more than a decade at the longest, on every sort of scheme to secure absolute power.

That could not happen. To Mo Yonggun, preserving his own power came before any external enemy.

If he could only abandon that greed and ambition, then Mo Yonggun would actually not be a bad choice as Martial Alliance Leader.

But Yeon Hojeong was certain. Mo Yonggun would never be someone who could abandon his own greed.

Yeon Hojeong said calmly, “Whatever the reason, I’m sorry for troubling you with this matter. What else could I possibly say?”

“...”

“However, this matter has put a brake on Mo Yonggun’s advance. For me, that is enough.”

Ga Deoksang stared at Yeon Hojeong with a drained expression, then closed his eyes.

“Once.”

“...”

“Just this once, I’ll understand what you did. No, I won’t understand it. I’ll simply let it pass.”

“Thank you.”

“But if you ever do something this insane again... then no matter who you are, Young Master Yeon, I won’t be able to treat you like a human being.”

Ga Deoksang was speaking sincerely.

And as always, sincerity possessed more force than a thousand lies.

Yeon Hojeong lowered his head.

“I was frustrated, and this time I pushed things far too hard. I’ll make sure this does not happen again.”

Ga Deoksang bit his lip as he looked at Yeon Hojeong’s bowed head.

Damn it. He’s not some pretty girl, so what is there to find so damn endearing about a reckless bastard like this?

He had spoken sincerely, but Ga Deoksang also knew.

Even if Yeon Hojeong did something like this again, by his nature, it would be difficult for him to hate the man.

He might be able to forcibly sever their relationship, but he knew he would still try to understand the person called Yeon Hojeong.

So he had no choice but to answer like this.

“Fine. Please, let’s do that. I have a weak heart. Stop making my guts twist up.”

Ga Deoksang grumbled.

“A madman did something mad, but since he’s a madman, maybe doing something mad was normal for him. Fine. How do you think things will unfold from now on?”

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“I don’t know. I only know that Mo Yonggun will become far more cautious, and even if he has some scheme in mind, he won’t be able to carry it out easily.”

“Is that so?”

“It is. I pushed myself too far this time, and Mo Yonggun must have understood that someone could tighten a noose around his neck at any moment.”

Yeon Hojeong smacked his lips.

“I suspect the number of people who bleed because of Mo Yonggun’s schemes may decrease by about ten percent. Though I can’t be certain even of that.”

“...Yes, after you pulled that kind of damn lunatic stunt, there had better be at least that much of a result.”

“Of course, even so, the opponent is Mo Yonggun. He will make a mess somehow to win this election.”

Ga Deoksang asked seriously, “You mean this will only slow his advance, and that Mo Yonggun won’t completely abandon the schemes he has designed for himself?”

“I’m certain of that.”

“If he tries to leap forward again, when do you think that moment will be?”

“I don’t know that either. However, I can read the omen.”

“The omen?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes deepened.

“Let’s wait a few days. Something that can change the state of the board will definitely happen.”

Three days later.

“Commander Yeon. Ah! The intelligence advisor is here too.”

“Strategist.”

Je Gal Munho spoke with a grave expression.

“I’ll get straight to the point. It’s about what you asked of me before. The matter of monitoring southern Hubei.”

Yeon Hojeong and Ga Deoksang’s eyes gleamed.

“Did you catch someone connected to Mo Yonggun?”

“I did.”

“Who?”

“Mo Yong Yeonhwa.”

“...!”

“Clan Lord Mo Yong’s daughter, Mo Yong Yeonhwa, is on her way to the Martial Alliance.”