Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 480

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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 480
A few days later.
Shin Heum greeted his unexpected visitor with a look of mild surprise.
“Guard Commander, what brings you here?”
“I hope my unannounced visit hasn’t startled you.”
“Not at all. Please, have a seat.”
Shin Heum gestured respectfully toward the seat of honor, but Dokgo Myeong sat across from him without a word.
Silence settled between them.
When the steam rising from the teacup had thinned to wisps, Shin Heum spoke first.
“Have you come to rebuke me?”
“Rebuke?”
I mean, have you come to call me shameless?”
Dokgo Myeong let out a soft chuckle before speaking.
“Or perhaps you’re in the mood to hear such words?”
“…!”
Dokgo Myeong leaned back against his chair and spoke in a measured tone.
“I have no reason to meddle in the affairs between mother and child.”
Shin Heum’s eyes deepened.
Mother and child. A parent and offspring….
Unable to deny it, yet unable to fully accept it either, Shin Heum found himself at a loss for words.
“And to be honest, what right do I have to judge your conduct? I have no reason to side with that difficult woman, nor do I fail to understand your feelings.”
Shin Heum let out a bitter laugh.
“You understand me, Guard Commander?”
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“You must have had many thoughts. Still in your prime, yet forced to retire with the Alliance Leader’s death. Simply because you’re not of the Dokgo clan. Merely because of your origins.”
Dokgo Hyeon’s life had been much the same, so I understood well enough.
This family spoke of valuing ability above all, yet in the end, being a family, they still counted bloodline.
“But does that mean you resented the Alliance Leader? Perhaps not, but you must have felt wronged. You received his kindness, yet your own efforts were no small matter… You must have been quite bitter.”
“At my age, what does resentment matter? Ha.”
“Perhaps age was precisely the problem. All those years must have felt hollow, and countless thoughts must have crossed your mind.”
“….”
Shin Heum’s words caught in his throat.
Dokgo Myeong continued in a measured but slightly exaggerated tone.
“What am I to him? His son? No. Then merely a trusted aide? Surely not that either….”
“….”
“And on those nights when sleep wouldn’t come, or when you were nursing a drink, such thoughts must have surfaced. I believed the Elder Faction ran because of me, and that was my pride, but… was I merely one cog among many?”
“Guard Commander.”
“Was I nothing but one of his hunting dogs? Merely to have my future cut short with a single word of thanks….”
“Guard Commander. That’s enough.”
Shin Heum’s face was as rigid as his voice.
His stern expression was distinctly different from anger—it was the face of someone whose vital point had been struck so accurately that refutation was impossible.
Shin Heum regarded Dokgo Myeong intently.
‘How could it be….’
Those born grasping power possessed aspects that could never be truly understood by others.
They claim to understand, but they never truly do. How could one who plays the game of go ever comprehend the heart of the stones?
Even if one seized power through countless efforts, a servant remained merely a servant. The power they grasped was ultimately nothing more than what those who granted it had temporarily shared.
I could no longer endure this reality.
“Then what exactly are you trying to say? What is your reason for seeking me out?”
“What reason could there be? I’ve simply come to discuss what lies ahead.”
“Is there truly something for the Deputy Sect Leader and me to discuss?”
Shin Heum added coldly.
“If you’ve come to sway me, then please leave now. I have no intention whatsoever of changing my mind.”
Why had he betrayed Dokgo Hwi-hwa?
Was it not because he had decided to give everything to Dokgo Myeong, saying that he could not be the successor, just as he was not a true son?
At that moment, Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“I have no such ambitions either. If that were the case, why wouldn’t I simply become the Sect Leader myself?”
Had the words “Sect Leader” truly come so easily?
But thinking about it… the young man standing before me was none other than Dokgo Myeong.
A legendary prodigy who had risen from a despised fool to achieve everything through his own efforts.
“Then what exactly are you speaking of?”
“We need to cleanly tear apart the Elder Faction without leaving a mess, don’t we?”
“Pardon?”
“Coordinate our efforts appropriately so that there aren’t too many crumbs left behind.”
Shin Heum looked at Dokgo Myeong with slightly bewildered eyes.
Dokgo Myeong smiled faintly and asked.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Forgive me. It was simply unexpected.”
“What was?”
“I never thought you would say such things. I expected you to side with the Alliance Leader, but I never imagined you would come directly with such a proposal.”
Dokgo Myeong shrugged.
“Business is business.”
Shin Heum laughed bitterly.
Yes, despite seeming fundamentally different from other power-holders, Dokgo Myeong was ultimately bound by blood. One cannot deceive bloodline, no matter what else one might deceive.
“Very well. How much do you want?”
“Take only those you’ve already turned. Leave those you’re currently in contact with.”
Shin Heum narrowed his brow.
“How shameless. Those are people with sufficient potential to come over to my side, yet you ask me to abandon them?”
“In exchange, I’ll ensure there are no problems when severing the connections between the Baek Gak members within the faction.”
“….”
“According to our people, the Baek Gak members are tangled together in quite complex ways. If both sides cooperate, we can divide them cleanly, can’t we?”
The structure between each faction resembled tangled vines or tree roots intertwined beyond separation. Even if one wished to cut away only the desired stem, the entanglement made it impossible to sever cleanly.
So instead of lowering expectations more than anticipated, the proposal was for both sides to cooperate, divide the spoils without strain, and move forward together.
“Do you not find it shameless to sit idle and then suddenly receive such windfall fortune?”
“Did I ask for it? The Elder Council Leader finds his son disagreeable and is giving it to me.”
Shin Heum felt a sudden surge of emotion. Even he was bewildered by what rose in his throat.
Yet he did not let it show outwardly.
“I understand. The practical matters will be handled with the Guard Captain, then.”
“Indeed. Fortunate that the agreement concluded so swiftly.”
“Shall we conclude here?”
“Lingering further would only make things uncomfortable for you, would it not?”
Dokgo Myeong rose from his seat without hesitation.
Reaching the door, he turned his body around.
“If you don’t mind, might I say one more thing?”
“….”
Tension flickered across Shin Heum’s face. There was no reason for it, yet he feared what might emerge from Dokgo Myeong’s lips.
“Please, speak.”
“Is the Outer Hall Master truly different?”
“…!”
Shin Heum’s eyes widened.
But soon he twisted his face in rebuttal and spoke.
“Are you saying my judgment was ultimately wrong?”
“I say again—betrayal itself is not inherently evil. Children naturally leave their parents’ side, do they not? But you, you did not go because you wished to.”
Child, child, child again and again….
Shin Heum did not wish to hear that word.
With a twisted expression, he shot back.
“What does the Yongheol Sect Leader know to speak thus? If you were in my position, do you think there would have been another way?”
“If I were you, I would have fought the Alliance Leader first.”
“…!”
“Is it not better than becoming the neighbor’s hunting dog?”
Shin Heum let out a scoff.
“Do you think the Alliance Leader would have tolerated that?”
“After betraying him, now you suddenly obey his words so well?”
In that moment, Shin Heum’s words caught in his throat.
“Since it has come to this, I hope you do well. Sin Gakju, looking at you now, I fear your end will not be a good one.”
With those words, Dokgo Myeong left the room.
Left alone, Shin Heum’s lips moved silently several times before he released a sigh.
* * *
Dokgo Hwi-hwa secluded herself from that day forward. Her condition had not notably worsened, yet she frequently lost consciousness and awakened again.
Eventually, the Elder Faction began to fracture. Naturally, the clan had to endure a period of upheaval.
The Shinblood Sect maintained silence after completely dominating Qinghai City. Those sent to observe their movements did not return.
The influence of the Martial Alliance in the Central Plains grew ever stronger, and paradoxically, it was the Paedobyeon who benefited most from this rise.
The birth of the First Evil Force had begun. They started expanding their influence beyond the capital, spreading their reach to every corner of the land.
Dokgo Myeong devoted himself to perfecting his sword techniques within the family. Each day, his mastery of the Nine Sword Forms grew more profound.
Then one day, as time flowed onward, Jang Sam brought a letter to Dokgo Myeong from the Martial Alliance.
“Young Master! A message from the Martial Alliance!”
“Let me see it.”
As Dokgo Myeong quickly scanned through the letter, Jang Sam asked him a question.
“Who sent it?”
“It’s from our Acting Sect Leader.”
Soon after, Dokgo Myeong lifted his eyes from the letter and spoke.
“Brother Jang, contact Hao-mun for me. I need to gather the disciples again.”
* * *
Jo Ryang-ui had one daily task he never failed to complete, no matter what.
It was writing in his diary.
The reason he first began keeping a diary was somewhat childish.
As a scholar, he wanted to reflect on each day and consider what he might improve, but he also harbored a grander ambition—if he were to become a renowned minister in the future, he would compile these diaries into a book.
‘That dream of becoming a great minister has long since faded.’
Jo Ryang-ui chuckled softly to himself as he skimmed through yesterday’s entry.
The fifteenth day of the second month in the Year of the Dragon. The weather was cool. The Commander suddenly arrived last night with orders, and I worked through the entire evening.
…Contacted Baek Ryeon and Cheolbang to prepare equipment again…. Called the Cheonma Sect disciples scattered across various locations….
Following the Commander’s orders, the Cheonma Sect is gathering once more.
What had started as a personal diary had gradually transformed—at some point, it became filled primarily with observations about Dokgo Myeong and matters concerning the Cheonma Sect. Today’s entry was no different.
…Thus, we began preparations for the gathering. Even the Financial Director, who had been preparing a major transaction externally, has returned.
Before any great undertaking, such gatherings are always arranged. No matter how urgent or grave the matter, that single day is set aside for everyone to set their work aside and enjoy food, drink, and merriment together.
If anyone harbored intentions against the Cheonma Sect, this day would present an easy opportunity.
The Cheonma Sect disciples—more precisely, all those under Dokgo Myeong’s command—gathered like this once a year without fail.
On that day, the heavens could crumble and no one would care—all would be devoted to celebration. As a strategist, it made no sense whatsoever, yet Dokgo Myeong insisted on it regardless, as if to say ‘let fate decide.’
This gathering meant that soon we would have to endure a long period of darkness and hardship.
Surely, the next such gathering would only come after everything had been decided. And everyone understood this truth.
It was around that moment.
“If we run out of meat, I might become the meat! Just buy every cut of meat available, even if it costs extra!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Think of them as a horde of hungry demons descending upon us! They are monsters possessed by ravenous spirits!”
Loud commotion erupted from the direction of the Financial Director’s office.
A powerful figure from the upper echelon was working himself into such a frenzy over mere gathering preparations. I couldn’t fathom where this Guard faction had gone wrong.
‘I should go help him soon. At this rate, he’ll lose what little hair he has left.’
Jo Ryang-ui began moving his brush even faster across the page.
Yet he felt no fear. Everyone appeared confident they could overcome whatever difficulties lay ahead.
It wasn’t blind faith in the Commander. Rather, everyone under his command had ceased to doubt their own capabilities.
Somewhere along the way, we had transformed from a mere organization into something bound together tightly—taking the form of a true sect or faction.
Jo-ryang added one final line to his writing, then rose from his seat, leaving the paper spread out for the ink to dry.
Perhaps this was the very boundary the Commander had spoken of so ceaselessly.
Clang!
As Jo-ryang exited the office, he turned to the Guard following him.
“How many of the disciples have gathered?”
“They should all arrive within the hour, sir.”
Thump-thump.
Jo-ryang felt his heart suddenly racing.
‘Is it joy, perhaps?’
Or perhaps anticipation.
A year—short in some ways, long in others—during which the Cheonma Sect had been scattered across the land.
How much had the disciples changed in that time?
How much stronger had they become, how much had they grown….
BOOM!
“…?”
What was that?
They weren’t using charcoal for cooking, so why was there an explosion during the banquet preparations?
Crash! Rumble-rumble!
What in the world were they doing to make such a noise?
As Jo-ryang rushed toward the source of the commotion, voices of people reached his ears.
“We heard everything! And you call yourself a captain! While some of us were breaking our backs in training, you were out sightseeing!?”
“The captain sent us away to train while he went gallivanting around with Namgung Bujang!”
“Grrrrr! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”
“What? You brats are actually charging at your captain after a whole year? Come on then! Come at me!”
“If you’re telling us to come, we won’t hold back! Prepare yourself! I’m going to break that smug face of yours!”
Crash! Boom-boom-bang!
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
Not far away.
After several explosions, an empty hall collapsed before his eyes. Work was piling up in real time.
“…Ugh.”
Jo-ryang clutched his neck and staggered.
‘Anticipation be damned.’
His racing heart was clearly just from the stress.

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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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