Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 190

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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 190
Jipbeop-bu Leader, Dokgo Yeon-sin.
He was a man about whom little was known, not only in the Gangho but even within the clan itself.
Thus, I knew little about Dokgo Yeon-sin either.
However, I remembered one anecdote about him from my past life.
It was around the time when, after Dokgo Cheon’s death, Outer Hall Master Dokgo Un-hak finally ascended to the position of clan leader, and not long after.
Due to some incident, Dokgo Un-hak’s rule did not last long, and the Dokgo clan fell into great turmoil.
When the elders and sect leaders from various halls attempted to elevate Dokgo Yeon-sin to clan leader, he flatly refused and said:
-If I ascend to the position of clan leader, more than half of the clan members will be imprisoned in the dungeons. Can you bear that responsibility?
It was truly an impressive stance.
Even then, I thought he was a stern man, and now he was attempting to hold me accountable.
‘I had a feeling it would unfold like this.’
It was predictable.
The stipulated period in the clan law had passed, yet I had produced no results, so my position as Martial Commander must have entered a state of suspension.
On top of that, I recklessly initiated the incident at Deung-yong-ji. Regardless of success or failure, the problem was that I had acted on my own in a matter that would greatly impact the clan.
“So?”
In response to my question, Dokgo Gun spoke.
“What’s the point?”
“Since the Jipbeop-bu Leader has issued instructions, regardless of what outcome I face, my actions will be restricted for a time. That’s what comes next.”
“What’s the point in speaking of what comes after? You already know it all.”
I nodded.
“Bind my limbs temporarily, then divide and consume the factions—is that it?”
“Your choice of words is crude.”
“You’re not denying it?”
“Why would I deny it when our intentions are already transparent to each other?”
Dokgo Gun’s expression remained unchanged.
Something was odd. Something felt distinctly odd.
It wasn’t something that required even sensing the flow of qi—it was a sense of discord arising from knowledge and experience gained in my past life.
‘I should cast out my fishing line once.’
I parted my lips.
“It seems you still don’t know me well.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems you’re being careless again.”
I relaxed the tension in my shoulders and leaned back against the support.
“In any attack, the important thing is not to reveal one’s true intentions. Do you really think I would sit idle after having already seen through yours?”
“True intentions. The way you speak, it’s as if we were trying to drag you into the mud?”
“Isn’t that the case?”
“Of course not.”
Dokgo Gun continued calmly.
“What you did should be called scheming. You haven’t already forgotten the actions you took to absorb the neutral faction, have you?”
“….”
“And this situation is entirely of your own making. You revealed your weakness by venturing outside while facing enemies like the Outer Hall and the Elder Council. It was a clear mistake to hope your rivals wouldn’t exploit that vulnerability.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded silently, his mouth shut.
He had no words to refute. His carelessness was undeniable.
‘But….’
Something felt off, as if there was more to this.
‘This is strange.’
As a former commander of the Law Enforcement Bureau, I had witnessed every dirty scheme the higher-ups could devise.
Attempts to steal credit were almost quaint compared to the schemes where they’d shift their own failures onto others or deploy abandonment tactics outright.
In the murky depths where those who ruled the world operated.
I had learned from Baek Mu-heun how to read hidden circumstances, and I had mastered the ways of surviving in the political arena.
That’s why I could see it clearly.
‘The Outer Hall and Elder Council would have raised this as an issue, and the Jipbeop-bu Leader, who processes things by the book, would have simply weighed the facts and rendered judgment immediately.’
Lock me away in the prison tower for now, and in the meantime, carve up my faction.
The appearance is convincing. The real goal is to diminish my standing or put a leash on me—someone whose weight could influence the succession of the Dokgo clan.
But.
‘Is this really all there is?’
My mind spun rapidly.
‘My reputation outside the clan has become quite considerable. Even with voices supporting me within the main family, punishing me and tearing my faction to shreds would….’
Martial arts are no different from politics. To grasp only the truth within deception and illusion, one must seize both one’s own weaknesses and what the opponent is truly after.
Flash!
My eyes widened suddenly.
‘Can they even tear apart my faction if I’m gone?’
Right now, I had Dokgo Jo-hak and Son Tae-im.
The Outer Hall and Elder Council are pressuring me?
I’ll endure. They’ll surely crumble and scatter soon enough.
The problem is.
‘Don’t let it become self-destruction. Those were the Clan Leader’s words.’
Gulp!
I took a sip of tea and looked at Dokgo Gun.
“Elder Brother, I have a question.”
“Speak.”
“Why did you come in person?”
In the empty space between us, our gazes locked.
I suddenly thought that Dokgo Gun’s eyes resembled knots in wood.
Ancient holes whose contents remained unknowable, their origins lost to time.
“Was my coming so inconvenient?”
“Don’t twist your words evasively. Answer the question.”
“Dokgo Myeong.”
Dokgo Gun smiled faintly.
“Your attitude seems to be crossing a line.”
Crack! Screech!
As Dokgo Gun suddenly released his aura, a fine crack spider-webbed across the table, and the teacup trembled violently.
While Dokgo Myeong’s expression hardened, Dokgo Ak and Dokgo Yeon simply looked around with startled eyes.
Tap!
Dokgo Gun picked up the trembling teacup and took a sip of tea. In that instant, all his aura vanished as if washed away.
“Since you’re curious enough to press the matter, I’ll answer. Father’s instructions were clear—you mustn’t delay again.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“I’ll ask once more, as I did before. Did you orchestrate this entire affair, brother?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Intuition.”
“Intuition, you say…”
Dokgo Gun’s expression became subtle.
“Does it truly matter whether I did or didn’t?”
“Ha.”
Dokgo Myeong let out a hollow laugh and slowly straightened in his seat.
“Brother. Stop playing games.”
Dokgo Ak and Dokgo Yeon looked at each other in surprise, their eyes fixed on Dokgo Myeong.
Though Dokgo Myeong had never been careful with his words, he was not one to drop all pretense and reveal such naked hostility in a setting like this.
“I already knew the truth when I asked. Did you think I’d fall for such an obvious trick? It seems both you and the Outer Hall still underestimate me.”
“Don’t be so emotional. I’ve said it before—I believe we can build a good relationship.”
Bang!
Dokgo Myeong slammed the table hard, his eyes blazing.
“Still saying that? Isn’t it simply that you can’t leave me as an unknown variable?”
“What are you talking about?”
Dokgo Myeong’s gaze grew even more intense.
“The reason you keep testing me is to gauge what I represent as a variable. When you reach for the apex of Dokgo, you won’t tolerate even the slightest discord.”
“….”
“I’m warning you clearly—know your limits. More than one person has had their footing collapse from trying to measure me.”
With that, Dokgo Myeong rose abruptly and left the room.
Dokgo Ak stood and followed, but not before casting a threatening glance at the siblings Dokgo Gun and Dokgo Yeon.
Thump! Thump!
Dokgo Myeong walked deliberately, his footsteps loud and heavy, his aura fully exposed—turbulent with injury and inflamed emotion.
By the time he had put some distance between himself and the main hall.
“Hah.”
Dokgo Myeong exhaled deeply and turned back with a faint smile.
‘Now I understand.’
With a deep breath, he released the tension in his body and suppressed all the hostility, killing intent, and anger he had deliberately displayed.
‘I was merely a stepping stone. That wasn’t the real target.’
Dokgo Myeong gazed back at the main hall with cold eyes.
‘So this whole situation was the work of the Elder Council from the start.’
More precisely, the Elder Council had orchestrated it to unfold this way.
And the one who engineered all of this was….
‘Dokgo Gun. Was it you?’
The moment I realized this was the most dangerous moment of all.
So I deliberately inflamed my emotions. To prevent him from noticing that I had seen through his scheme.
Of course, Dokgo Gun knew I wasn’t incompetent, so I deliberately displayed appropriate emotions and corresponding insight to match. However, I mixed in a subtle discord within it.
Because I still needed time. Dokgo Gun, and the entire political landscape including him, must not become overly vigilant of me.
So I revealed my inexperience. I induced their carelessness.
That way I could buy myself time.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes flashed with keen sharpness.
* * *
“No, brother. Let me go say a word to that bastard. Even if he’s rude, it’s never been this bad….”
“Leave it be.”
“Huh?”
When Dokgo Yeon glanced back, Dokgo Gun was wearing a very bright smile.
“Why should I leave it? And why are you smiling after getting cursed at? Brother, are you insane?”
“…Your manner of speech is no better than Myeong-i’s, if anything worse.”
Dokgo Gun swallowed his tea with an unbothered expression.
Then he suddenly asked one thing.
“What do you think of Myeong-i?”
“He went too far today. His injuries must still be severe—he was much sharper than usual. He’s always been someone who treats courtesy like….”
Dokgo Yeon’s words rambled on. She was cursing Dokgo Myeong, yet it felt like she was protecting him so Dokgo Gun wouldn’t get angry.
Soon Dokgo Gun gently cut off her words.
“Don’t worry. I truly don’t mind. There’s no need to curse on my behalf like that.”
“…Hmm, what are you talking about? But why are you asking?”
“Just….”
Dokgo Gun smiled once more.
“He seems like a child far more frightening than appearances suggest.”
* * *
“I don’t like that bastard.”
It was what Dokgo Ak spat out as he hurried after Dokgo Myeong.
“Even when he smiles, it feels like he’s wearing a mask, and it just gives me the chills, you know? That face full of schemes and…. Ugh! Ptooey!”
Dokgo Ak walked carelessly and spat, then furrowed his brow sharply.
“Actually, thinking about it, we’re the same generation, but just because he’s the eldest grandson, that’s all? Really… Ah, I held back because he’s my brother.”
True to his former reckless nature, Dokgo Ak spouted curses that crossed the line.
He suddenly turned around and swung his hands through the air several times as if to strike someone.
“Thinking about it, why is this family such a mess? They can’t help, they just trip us up, and I really don’t like it? Don’t you agree? Huh?”
Dokgo Ak glanced at Dokgo Myeong and flinched.
Dokgo Myeong was looking at him with a peculiar expression.
“What, what… why are you looking at me like that…?”
“Kid, are you actually worried about the Sect Leader right now?”
“What are you talking about! Have I lost my mind? I’m just concerned it might bring trouble to our father!”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly and continued walking.
Dokgo Ak hurried after him, speaking urgently.
“So… we’re really okay, right?”
“Okay with what?”
“What if Uncle actually sided with the Outer Hall or the Elder Council? Aren’t you risking being cast out from the family?”
“Can you even imagine which side that man would take?”
“Well…”
Dokgo Yeon-sin aligning himself with someone?
It did seem strange. It was more likely that Dokgo Myeong would go through life without causing trouble.
“Still, you never know what might happen.”
“With the Jipbeop-bu Leader, there’s nothing uncertain about it. He’s a man who won’t even marry for fear of personal interests clouding his judgment—what more is there to say?”
“Well, that’s…”
“What can I do? I was wrong, after all. And.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed as he smiled wickedly.
“I’m not someone so easily dealt with.”

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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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