Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 218

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 218. A Murky Invitation (3)
Snip.
The elderly man’s face remained quite contemplative as he severed a small branch with his pruning shears.
“…Hmm.”
After gazing at the bonsai for a long while, he set down the shears and murmured to himself.
“No matter how much I trim and trim again, it’s never quite enough. When I prune it to my satisfaction, it looks truly beautiful, but a few days pass and it becomes unruly again. Such is life.”
A calm voice reached him from behind.
“Perhaps that’s precisely why organization management is so difficult.”
“Heh heh.”
“Even when you’ve shaped something beautifully and perfectly, problems inevitably emerge from somewhere. At least with bonsai, you can simply trim it yourself and be done, but our work doesn’t allow for such simplicity.”
“Sometimes I wish I could wander the world with nothing but these shears in hand.”
“I suspect I desire that even more than you do, Alliance Leader.”
The elderly man, Meng Ha Sung, shook his head and took a seat across from the middle-aged man.
“So then, have you finished organizing the materials?”
“Of course.”
“Truly befitting a Grand Strategist.”
A bitter smile crossed the middle-aged man’s face.
“The title of Grand Strategist is one that cannot be bestowed upon anyone except ‘that person’ who led the war against Sacred Blood Palace in times past.”
“Was there such a rule?”
“Not officially, but it feels awkward, does it not?”
“Life is war in any case. Don’t waste your energy competing with the achievements of the dead—instead, strive to achieve victory in your own war, in this very moment.”
For a moment, the middle-aged man felt his throat tighten.
This man, who appeared on the surface to be squandering his days, possessed a gift for dispensing wisdom through his casual remarks—insights that defied description.
Even now, amid exhaustion and weariness, these words infused him with strength, confirming what he had long suspected: he was indeed a sentimental man.
The middle-aged man, Gong Sun Baek, Chief Strategist of the Martial Alliance’s Strategic Division, spoke.
“There is much to report, but I suspect you won’t wish to hear it directly again, will you?”
“I can read. Why would I need a verbal report? I’ll review it myself—just make sure the reports are submitted properly.”
“Then I should discuss only the unofficial matters outside formal business, as always.”
“That’s precisely when I find myself most intrigued.”
Meng Ha Sung appeared quite relaxed as he spoke.
He had crossed one leg and was pouring wine from a bottle—he couldn’t recall when he’d brought it—into a cup.
Despite his dignified appearance, his movements carried a peculiar lightness, yet somehow it suited him perfectly.
Gong Sun Baek continued.
“The Ho Yeon Clan has distributed Five Hundred Thousand Nyang through the Elder Council.”
The tone was far too understated to come from someone of Meng Ha Sung’s station as Chief Strategist.
Meng Ha Sung visibly frowned.
“Those bastards certainly have no shortage of silver. Where in the world do they keep extracting it from?”
“They’re essentially the de facto rulers of Liaodong, are they not? Corruption must be rife.”
“Money squeezed from the exploitation of the people, no doubt.”
“Regardless of method, the Ho Yeon Clan possesses considerable wealth. They may well rank among the top five richest magnates in the current Martial World.”
“Is that an assessment that includes even the finest trading companies of the Central Plains?”
“Of course.”
If that were true, one could indeed call it wealth rivaling the greatest fortunes under heaven.
Meng Ha Sung, having drained his cup, reached for the wine bottle again and spoke.
“Naturally, those old ghosts wouldn’t bother investigating the source of such money.”
“Those with the mental capacity to investigate such things wouldn’t be accepting bribes in the first place.”
“Now you’ve finally become like me. At first, you were so cautious, calling words like ‘bribe’ and ‘arrogance’ vulgar.”
“When a person is burdened with many responsibilities, they cease to concern themselves with trivial matters.”
“Ha, indeed.”
Gong Sun Baek’s expression grew considerably more serious.
“Alliance Leader, this situation is dangerous.”
“….”
“The power of the Elders grows with each passing day. For now, they haven’t openly revealed their ambitions… but honestly, it would be strange if something didn’t explode at any moment.”
“If it could explode at any moment, why haven’t they made their move yet?”
Meng Ha Sung drained his cup once more.
“That’s the crucial point. They are capable, yet they refrain. Why? What is their reason?”
“It is thanks to you, Alliance Leader.”
“Spare me the flattery.”
“I speak with sincerity. If you were not one of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven of this era, and not the peerless absolute being known as the Supreme Fist Under Heaven, would they have endured this long?”
It was a formidable assessment, yet Meng Ha Sung answered with a derisive laugh.
“Don’t throw around words like ‘peerless’ so carelessly.”
“I speak from the heart.”
“If the Previous Alliance Leader heard that, he’d clutch the back of his neck and collapse.”
“The Previous Alliance Leader was remarkable, but he was cursed by the Ho Yeon Clan, after all.”
Meng Ha Sung’s gaze turned cold.
“Do you believe that?”
Gong Sun Baek didn’t blink once.
“Whether I believe it or not is irrelevant. What matters is that officially, everyone thinks that way.”
“That’s precisely why one’s own conviction is important.”
“I’ve witnessed many cases where people were swayed by their convictions.”
“And it is those convictions gathering together that move the world.”
“In any case, because there exists an absolute limit in the form of you, Alliance Leader, the Elder Council has remained inactive until now. You are that important.”
“You’re mistaken.”
Meng Ha Sung refilled his cup, his expression turning quite bitter.
“If I were truly an absolute limit, the Elders would never have accepted bribes in the first place.”
Gong Sun Baek shook his head firmly.
“I do not agree.”
“Sometimes you’re remarkably cold-blooded, yet other times you’re quite stubborn yourself.”
“Had you, Alliance Leader, operated in a realm outside this brutal Dark Path Sect or the Orthodox Martial World, you would have achieved a thousand times greater accomplishments than you have now.”
“….”
“The reason our Alliance Leader, who was once as fiery as flames, now demonstrates such patience and delicate coordination is precisely because this is the Orthodox Martial World.”
“People are all the same wherever they go. Can’t do this, can’t do that… It’s ridiculous nonsense.”
“Though they may all be the same, I find the current Alliance Leader admirable.”
At least, from the perspective of myself, the Grand Strategist of the Martial Alliance, you are performing better than anyone.
Just as Gong Sun Baek had gained enlightenment from a single word spoken by Meng Ha Sung moments before, now Meng Ha Sung drew strength from Gong Sun Baek’s comfort—not as consolation, but as genuine support.
Thus the two of them were exemplary lord and retainer. A relationship built on mutual trust and understanding, one that fostered growth, was difficult to find.
“Regardless of what happens, we cannot afford to disregard the Ho Yeon Clan. Frankly, we don’t even know how many masters are gathered within the Ho Yeon Clan at this moment.”
“What’s even more serious is that the Elders may go beyond merely favoring the Ho Yeon Clan and actually compete in their loyalty to them.”
“Those wretches threw away their pride long ago. Feed them well enough, and they’ll tear apart even the values of the Orthodox Path itself.”
Gong Sun Baek’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“That is why a method is necessary.”
“I know a method is needed. The question is what that method should be.”
“I have sent someone to the Moyong Family.”
In that instant, Meng Ha Sung’s eyes widened.
“The Moyong Family? The Previous Alliance Leader’s?”
“They are now called the Ho Yeon Clan, but yes.”
“…Interesting?”
A subtle smile played across Meng Ha Sung’s face.
“You intend to draw the Ho Yeon Clan’s attention in this direction?”
“I have considered various approaches. Of course, I harbor doubts as to whether they will follow my intentions.”
“They absolutely will not. But inducing them to do so—that is the very measure of a strategist’s capability, is it not?”
“Indeed.”
“And what is most critical in that regard?”
“The Moyong Clan members themselves, naturally.”
Gong Sun Baek’s expression grew more measured.
“If I may venture a guess, the Moyong Clan likely believes that their mad and violent past was not the truth.”
“I don’t believe it either.”
“From their perspective, now that life has become tolerable, the Martial Alliance extends a hand.”
Meng Ha Sung’s face darkened.
“I said I would take responsibility for everything you undertake, but this has become rather damaging to my dignity, hasn’t it?”
“That is the situation.”
“Since it is already done, there is nothing to be done about it. But I must ask one thing. Was it truly necessary to seek the Moyong Clan’s assistance?”
“You have read through all the reports, correct?”
“I have.”
“Then you are aware that Moyong Bi, the Eldest Son of the Moyong Family, was born with terrifying talent, and that his martial prowess is evaluated as comparable to the Four Dragons and Three Phoenixes.”
“I know.”
“Furthermore, you know that he captured the Demon Person who appeared in the Jegal Clan, and that he has orchestrated the current transformations occurring within the Wudang Sect.”
“…?!”
Meng Ha Sung’s gaze intensified.
“There was no such content in the reports.”
“To be precise, there was the matter concerning the Jegal Clan.”
“No, there wasn’t. What I heard was that two nameless young masters suddenly intruded and overturned the entire situation.”
Gong Sun Baek couldn’t help but admire Meng Ha Sung’s memory.
“You remember it well.”
“Don’t test me about important matters like that.”
“My apologies. In any case, the Jegal Clan nearly collapsed far too easily for a family of such renown. It was Moyong Bi who saved them.”
“Tell me the details.”
Gong Sun Baek recounted everything that had transpired at the Jegal Clan without omission.
Meng Ha Sung let out a hollow laugh as if utterly astounded.
“Why are you only telling me this now?!”
“It was something you could have reasonably inferred. And besides….”
Gong Sun Baek’s eyes narrowed.
“Just yesterday, the Family Head of the Jegal Clan informed me in detail about what transpired within the family.”
Meng Ha Sung was taken aback.
“The Family Head spoke directly?”
“Yes. The Alliance Leader was in discussions with merchants from Sichuan, so I was unable to report it then.”
“Hmph! The Family Head spoke directly? You must understand what that means?”
The Martial Alliance and the Six Major Sects were bound by shared destiny.
Yet in reality, they watched each other with meticulous caution.
But the Jegal Clan, one of the Six Families, and moreover its Family Head directly, had laid bare the entire truth of the matter.
Beyond matters of face and pride, they had exposed something that could potentially be exploited for political gain.
What could this possibly mean?
“Was it a signal to stand with the Martial Alliance, hidden from the other Five Families?”
“That is possible.”
“Is there another meaning?”
“If there is another meaning, there is only one.”
Gong Sun Baek’s eyes grew intense.
“Public justice.”
“….”
“If the Jegal Family Head learned something from this crisis, there is a possibility they disclosed it for the sake of All Under Heaven’s safety, casting aside pride and factional divisions.”
“That’s merely a possibility. But….”
A bittersweet smile appeared on Meng Ha Sung’s face, mingling resignation with hope.
“I truly wish that were the case.”
“Alliance Leader.”
Gong Sun Baek’s posture became even more respectful.
“You already know this, but you rose to this position without a political foundation. It is certainly remarkable, yet it is undeniable that various factions helped establish you as a figurehead.”
“Of course I know.”
“However, contrary to their expectations, you genuinely live for the safety of All Under Heaven, and moreover for the value of justice itself.”
Meng Ha Sung waved his hand dismissively.
“I’m just doing my part. Even if I can’t match the Previous Alliance Leader, I shouldn’t bring shame upon myself.”
“However, politics without a foundation is never easy. To be frank, I believe it is remarkable in itself that the Elders are watching the Alliance Leader’s every move.”
“Then, what is it you wish to say?”
“All Under Heaven is changing.”
“….”
“The Demon People, who had not shown even a single strand of hair until now, have revealed themselves in various places. The crouching dragons have risen, and both the Jegal Clan and the Wudang Sect are transforming.”
Gong Sun Baek bowed his head as he spoke.
“Use the Jegal and Moyong to build a political foundation.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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