The Great Heavenly Sword Emperor - Chapter 32

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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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#032. Shadow Treading (1)

Han Jung-myeong discussed the communication network between Jandeunghoe and Bojeonsa with Gwang-an, then departed with promises to reconvene.
Cheon Mu-gyeol returned to his quarters, settled into Gapuzha, and closed his eyes.
‘That old man posed quite a thorny question.’
At Cheon Shin-geom’s voice, Cheon Mu-gyeol slowly reopened his eyes.
“Yes, you’re right.”
‘You must be troubled. That’s only natural.’
“I’m not troubled.”
‘Then what?’
“It simply felt like words that don’t suit me.”
‘Words that don’t suit you. Why would you think that?’
“Because I’ve never given it a thought before.”
‘Fair enough. You’ve spent your whole life thinking only of revenge, seeing nothing but what lay ahead. It makes sense you’d never considered it.’
“And yet my chest feels heavy. Like the way a living person feels stifled and numb when death crosses their mind.”
‘Then you don’t have to think about it.’
Cheon Mu-gyeol fell silent at Cheon Shin-geom’s words.
‘There’s no rule saying the Cheon-geom Great Master must be a certain way.’
“I already know that.”
‘And becoming the Cheon-geom Great Master isn’t something you can achieve simply by wanting it.’
“I know that too.”
‘Then you’re already there. Why rush to a conclusion now?’
“Perhaps it’s because I’ve felt their expectations upon me.”
Someone holds expectations for him.
It differs from what Buk-gung Dan-ya carries.
Buk-gung Dan-ya walks alongside Cheon Mu-gyeol, seeking to fulfill his own desires through that companionship; Jandeunghoe was the opposite.
They were people who sought to realize their aspirations through Cheon Mu-gyeol.
To receive another’s expectations and carry their yearnings upon one’s shoulders was a heavy burden, and Cheon Mu-gyeol had never felt such weight before.
‘Walk your own path. That’s all you need do.’
Cheon Mu-gyeol fell silent again, and Cheon Shin-geom continued.
‘Walk your path in silence, and when you reach its end, the world will tell you. Whatever conclusion you draw, if they call you the Cheon-geom Great Master when you arrive there, then that is what you are.’
To want it, to reject it.
To become it, to refuse it—these were not choices one could make.
The Cheon-geom Great Master of old was the same.
He never called himself the Cheon-geom Great Master; the people, the world, called him that.
And so too would it be for Cheon Mu-gyeol.
“Sigh…”
After the exchange with Cheon Shin-geom, Cheon Mu-gyeol exhaled a long breath.
Right. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing.
He’d never tried to become anything, and he’d never done anything for that purpose.
He’d simply done what had to be done for his goal.
Nothing would change.
With that thought, his heart grew lighter.
“Thank you.”
‘Don’t mention it. Now focus on how to handle Heukoidang going forward.’
At Cheon Shin-geom’s words, Cheon Mu-gyeol let out a slight laugh.

* * *

Days later, Jandeunghoe sent several letters to Bojeonsa.
Upon receiving them, Gwang-an hastily summoned Cheon Mu-gyeol and Buk-gung Dan-ya to the main hall.
“These are letters from Jandeunghoe. They contain detailed information about Heukoidang.”
Gwang-an distributed the letters to Cheon Mu-gyeol and Buk-gung Dan-ya as he spoke.
“So the ones I fought before were from Hyeol-poong-dan. It’s astonishing that a supposedly righteous organization like Dongbang-sega has an external branch named Hyeol-poong-dan.”
Buk-gung Dan-ya spoke with evident exasperation.
Then, frowning as if something struck him as odd, he turned his gaze toward Gwang-an.
“Yunha-bang? There’s no content listed here—just a name.”
“It seems even Jandeunghoe couldn’t uncover anything beyond that. Ammokaak must have hidden it deliberately through information distortion.”
“Then there’s a strong possibility this place plays the most crucial role.”
Gwang-an nodded at Buk-gung Dan-ya’s words.
“If I may venture a guess, Yunha-bang is likely where funds and logistics are handled.”
“What makes you think so?”
Cheon Mu-gyeol, who had been quietly reading through the documents, asked.
“Though Heukoidang is called an external organization of Dongbang-sega, openly providing funds would compromise secrecy.”
“There’d be too great a risk of exposure…….”
“Exactly. So Heukoidang must have a place to independently procure, launder, and distribute funds. That place is almost certainly Yunha-bang.”
Cheon Mu-gyeol nodded at Gwang-an’s reasoning.
“Then we might find evidence at this Yunha-bang connecting Dongbang-sega and Heukoidang.”
“Almost certainly. The funds wouldn’t have been used only by Heukoidang—some must have flowed into Dongbang-sega itself. That’s why they hid it so carefully. In short, what we need to uncover is where Yunha-bang is and what it’s concealing.”
“It won’t be easy. Not if Ammokaak is deliberately keeping it hidden.”
Buk-gung Dan-ya spoke, recalling his previous encounter with them.
“That’s why I mean to work out a strategy with Jandeunghoe.”
“A strategy?”
“We’re going to attempt the same information distortion they pride themselves on. Since the plan still exists only in my head, I can’t discuss it in detail yet—there are also points that need discussion with Jandeunghoe. Once we’ve settled on something concrete, I’ll brief you.”
Cheon Mu-gyeol nodded at Gwang-an’s words.
“If we find evidence that Heukoidang is connected to Dongbang-sega…….”
Gwang-an turned his gaze toward Buk-gung Dan-ya.
“It will prove that Dongbang-sega used Jeok-eum Poison against the Buk-gung heir and contributed to the fall of the Buk-gung-sega.”
At Gwang-an’s words, Buk-gung Dan-ya pressed his lips firmly shut.
Once they had been the same Guardian Family, and from childhood memories, the relationship between Buk-gung-sega and Dongbang-sega had been cordial.
Yet to think they would commit such filth from the shadows—it struck him with a sharp sense of betrayal.
Then it was Gwang-an’s turn to regard Cheon Mu-gyeol.
“Whether Dongbang-sega had a hand in the downfall of the Cheon-geomjang remains uncertain, but this would give you ample justification to march on Dongbang-sega.”
Cheon Mu-gyeol nodded at Gwang-an’s words.
In truth, even now he had justifications aplenty to move against Dongbang-sega.
As he’d thought from the beginning, the mere fact that Dongbang-sega, a Guardian Family, had stood aside while the Cheon-geomjang fell gave him sufficient cause.
“If we find evidence that Heukoidang and Dongbang-sega are connected this time…….”
Cheon Mu-gyeol paused and looked at Gwang-an.
“Then I will truly march on Dongbang-sega.”
At those words, Buk-gung Dan-ya swallowed dryly.
Going to Dongbang-sega.
It was something he himself desperately wanted and needed to do.
“Understood. I’ll prepare for that as well.”
At Gwang-an’s reply, Cheon Mu-gyeol nodded.
“I know your heart may be impatient, but please wait a few days longer. I’ll coordinate swiftly with Jandeunghoe and brief you on the plan.”
Gwang-an spoke with solemn resolve.

* * *

Several more days had passed.
And at last, Gwang-an summoned Cheon Mu-gyeol and Buk-gung Dan-ya.
The two men who arrived at the temple hall turned their attention to him to hear his plan.
“My discussion with Jandeunghoe went well. They’ve agreed to follow the plan I’ve put together.”
“I understand. Let me hear the plan first.”
Buk-gung Dan-ya pressed him to continue.
“Yes. As I mentioned before, we’ll conduct information distortion through Ammokaak. To do that, you two need to initiate it.”
“Us?”
“Yes. The plan depends entirely on your actions coming first.”
“Tell us.”
At Cheon Mu-gyeol’s words, Gwang-an nodded and continued.
“You two need to smash one of Maegolae’s bases.”
“What’s there?”
“Nothing. We don’t know. Just destroy the base.”
“And after that?”
“We’ll leak false information that you found evidence related to Heukoidang’s financial flows at that location. And Jandeunghoe will actually conduct surveillance on the candidate sites they’ve narrowed down in the meantime.”
“Out in the open?”
“Yes. Ammokaak must know. We need to rattle them, make them desperate enough to slip up.”
Cheon Mu-gyeol opened his mouth in response to Gwang-an’s words.
“Use Jandeunghoe to watch Ammokaak. Find wherever their suspicious movements are clustering.”
“Exactly! That’s precisely it.”
Gwang-an spoke with evident pleasure, seeing how accurately Cheon Mu-gyeol had grasped his plan.
“Will that truly shake Ammokaak?”
At Buk-gung Dan-ya’s question, Gwang-an nodded.
“The crucial part is making them believe it. That’s why we need to thoroughly destroy one of Maegolae’s outposts.”
“But what if that outpost contains no useful intelligence whatsoever?”
“It doesn’t matter. Once they hear that Maegolae was attacked and evidence was discovered, they’ll have no choice but to believe it. And if they see actual surveillance on top of that, all the better.”
Despite Gwang-an’s certainty, Buk-gung Dan-ya remained skeptical.
Cheon Mu-gyeol, meanwhile, showed no reaction at all.
“Which Maegolae outpost are we to strike?”
“Not far from here. Less than a day’s journey away, there’s a desolate place with something like a public cemetery. That’s one of their bases.”
“Maegolae maintains a base in such a place?”
“Yes. According to the intelligence, Maegolae’s role involves corpse disposal and covering up traces. Isn’t such a location perfect for those who conduct such work to hide their identity?”
Listening to Gwang-an’s explanation, it did seem plausible.
“However, Cheon and I have already clashed with them once. From that defeat, we understood the gap in our strength—surely they wouldn’t leave their base undefended? They’ll avoid reckless confrontation.”
At Buk-gung Dan-ya’s objection, Gwang-an shook his head.
“Based on all our intelligence, they’re still holding their ground.”
“That’s strange. They must know they’ll die if they fight.”
Gwang-an continued with a hardened expression in response to Buk-gung Dan-ya’s remark.
“They won’t run.”
“Why not?”
“First, Dongbang-sega won’t allow it. Since we’ve already made contact with them, running would mean death regardless.”
At Gwang-an’s words, Buk-gung Dan-ya’s brow furrowed.
“That’s the picture Dongbang-sega wants. Because the dead tell no tales. A textbook example of tail-cutting.”
After hearing Gwang-an’s words, Buk-gung Dan-ya frowned and released a long, heavy sigh.
“Understood. When should we execute this plan?”
“The sooner the better, naturally. Preparations for the next phase are already complete.”
At Gwang-an’s words, Cheon Mu-gyeol nodded and rose from his seat.
“Then we depart today.”
“Please do. I’ve already spread word of your coming visit. Destroy them thoroughly.”
Cheon Mu-gyeol, nodding at Gwang-an’s words, left the temple hall, and Buk-gung Dan-ya hurried after him.

* * *

Cheon Mu-gyeol and Buk-gung Dan-ya arrived near Maegolae’s outpost in less than a day.
The hour of their arrival was when the sun had begun to set and darkness was deepening.
It was precisely the right time for an assault.
Though “assault” hardly described it, given that word had already been leaked.
Buk-gung Dan-ya walked alongside Cheon Mu-gyeol, who advanced without hesitation.
The two approached the Public Cemetery boldly. Yet from within the cemetery came no sign of movement.
And when they had entered the Public Cemetery and taken a few steps further.
Figures rose one by one from behind the dozens of graves spread before them.
“Quite a few.”
Buk-gung Dan-ya’s words were spare.
There was no sign of tension—rather, his eagerness to engage showed plainly.
“According to the materials Jandeunghoe provided, their combat style is poorly matched against you.”
“I’m aware.”
Unlike Hyeol-poong-dan, who favored direct confrontation, Maegolae fought by circling in shadow, tenaciously hunting for openings.
“May I take the lead?”
“My opponent is someone else.”
Even as he spoke, a group was approaching rapidly from behind.
The Hyeol-poong-dan contingent they’d faced before.
“Can’t we swap?”
Buk-gung Dan-ya asked lightly, but Cheon Mu-gyeol was already drawing Cheon Shin-geom’s Sheath, walking toward the Hyeol-poong-dan forces.
Watching Cheon Mu-gyeol answer through action alone, Buk-gung Dan-ya released a deep sigh.
“Hah… Somehow it feels like I’m the one doing all the work.”
With that quiet complaint, Buk-gung Dan-ya drew his own blade.
“Weakness is a sin.”
With that, Buk-gung Dan-ya walked toward the Maegolae, who lay hidden behind the grave.

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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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