Mo Yong-woo’s figure, with the Demon-Sweeping Greatsword loosened from his waist and planted in the ground together with its scabbard, both hands resting atop the hilt, gave off the bearing of a great general of a nation.
Heavy armor wrapped firmly around his entire body.
But it was no ordinary heavy armor. The heavy armor used by the Demon-Sweeping Corps had been modified for use against martial artists, unlike common armor. Its joints moved smoothly, placing no restriction on movement, and each section could be detached separately.
However, they were not in formal uniform. Every member of the Demon-Sweeping Corps, Mo Yong-woo included, was dressed for departure on campaign.
And the same was true of the Evil-Smiting Corps.
Mo Yong-woo looked up at the sky.
“The wind is good.”
At some point, the cold winter had passed, and now spring was in full bloom. It was exactly the right season to take the first step toward a new beginning.
Mo Yong-woo stood silently gazing at the sky, then closed his eyes.
Brother.
He recalled his conversation with Mo Yonggun.
‘I’m sorry. I pulled something like this without even telling you.’
‘What are you saying? From the moment I came to you, Brother, I resolved to accept whatever happened with humility. This much is nothing.’
‘Even so, I’m sorry. I’ve made you serve under someone younger than you. No matter how far ahead I was looking when I made the decision, it does not sit well with me.’
‘It’s all right. As you know, Commander Yeon’s ability is real. To put it bluntly, he is not someone I could contain within my own vessel.’
‘Do not say that. Of course, it is certainly true that Yeon Hojeong’s ability is outstanding. But I do not think you are inferior to Yeon Hojeong.’
‘You flatter me.’
‘However, just as you possess things Yeon Hojeong does not, Yeon Hojeong possesses many things you do not. Though I have crossed blows with him for a long time, he is certainly a man with much worth learning. Stay beside him and steal as much as you can.’
‘I will do so.’
‘And I have a separate request to make of you.’
‘Please speak.’
‘As you know, Yeon Hojeong is Clan Lord Yeon’s eldest son. And Clan Lord Yeon has been building ties with the strategist, Clan Lord Tang, and others. From what I hear, Venerable Gonggong and Daoist Seunghyeon of Wudang also seem to view Commander Yeon rather favorably.’
‘He is a talent worthy of that.’
‘Among the other Six Families, there are two clans that maintain neutrality without entering sharp opposition. Namgung and Peng. Of them, Namgung maintains good relations with me, but one of the Peng Clan’s children is under Yeon Hojeong’s command. Clan Lord Peng will likely pay more mind to that side than ours as well.’
‘.......’
‘I am not trying to speak of advantage or disadvantage in factional strength. I mean that much more information can flow to that side.’
‘Are you telling me to steal information?’
‘There is no need to steal it actively. Yeon Hojeong is a sharp-eyed man. If you overreach, you may put yourself in danger, so simply tell me as well whatever happens to reach your ears.’
‘.......’
‘Why? Does it weigh on you?’
‘It would be a lie to say it does not. Before I am a martial artist, I am a member of the Martial Alliance, and before I am a member of the Alliance, I am Commander of the Demon-Sweeping Corps. And now I have become a member of the combined Demon-Sweeping and Evil-Smiting force.’
‘Before you are a member of that combined force, you are also a member of the Mo Yong Clan.’
‘.......’
‘If it truly weighs on you, I will not press you any further.’
‘No. That is merely how I feel. Telling you the information I hear is not difficult.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Not at all. I merely hope this helps you become Martial Alliance Leader.’
‘Of course. I have not forgotten my dream, my goal. It is only that something has arisen which must be dealt with before that.’
‘You mean the Three Creeds.’
‘Yes. The mere fact that base mongrels from beyond the frontier are aiming for the Central Plains makes me angry enough for smoke to come out of my ears. But whatever their origins may be, they possess the power to set the Central Plains boiling in the fires of war. No matter how important our dream may be, it cannot be more important than that.’
‘You are right. Therefore, I also have something to say.’
‘What is it?’
‘Ink Dragon Manor.’
‘......!’
‘I do not like that you joined hands with the Lord of Ink Dragon Manor. But if you have already joined hands, it would be best to make use of him to the fullest.’
‘Mm.’
‘However, I heard that one organization of the Three Creeds provided great assistance in establishing Ink Dragon Manor.’
‘Yes, that part will have to be settled as well.’
‘I have never seen him myself, but if the rumors in the world are true, Yangcheon, Lord of Ink Dragon Manor, is one of the most dangerous people in the rivers and lakes for the sole reason that he is one of the Thirteen Seats of the Supreme Heavens. The Three Creeds gave such a man power and authority, and furthermore had him establish Ink Dragon Manor.’
‘Each side will think it used the other. Yangcheon will certainly think so.’
‘Yangcheon is free to think that. What matters is that the Three Creeds are an organization with that much ability, and that much danger.’
‘True.’
‘In order to bring Ink Dragon Manor entirely under your command, conflict with the Three Creeds in other areas is unavoidable. If that happens, the fact that you joined hands with Yangcheon may end up being revealed to all under heaven.’
‘.......’
‘Before fighting the Three Creeds, I believe they must be dealt with first.’
‘I have been keeping it in mind. But it will not be easy.’
‘Of course it will not. But just because something is not easy, we cannot keep pushing it back forever.’
‘Mm.’
‘So I make this proposal. I would like the target destination of this combined force’s campaign to be fixed on the Dark Path.’
‘The Dark Path? You mean we should strike Ink Dragon Manor’s side?’
‘Yes.’
‘No! That is far too dangerous!’
‘I am not suggesting an invasion. Merely that we give Yangcheon a sense of alarm and provide him with justification to be drawn in as an ally.’
‘Justification?’
‘My thought is this. When we strike the Dark Path.......’
Just then, a powerful qi wave spread from afar.
Mo Yong-woo’s eyes flashed open.
“Everyone, form ranks.”
CLACK!
The soldiers standing in formation straightened their posture once more.
The sight of five hundred warriors in dark heavy armor, and before them, fifty warriors wearing light armor that emphasized mobility, was truly a spectacle among spectacles.
“.......”
Yeon Hojeong watched them and sighed inwardly.
Stiff as boards.
Two field forces with completely different characters had suddenly been merged into one.
Orders from above were absolute. Since the order had been given, they naturally had to carry it out.
But the two field forces were far too different in nature.
For two units with such distinct characters to merge into one, a process was necessary. Making that process short and smooth would be the ability of the superior officer, but even so, this order had been too sudden.
The first one to suggest this was Mo Yonggun. Leaving aside whatever intentions he has, he knows it too. That they are stronger united as one than scattered apart.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes deepened.
It isn’t as if he has no scheme at all. He probably gave Brother some task. Planting eyes in the enemy’s heart using his life as bait... truly Mo Yonggun’s way of doing things.
Because he knew that, Yeon Hojeong could not treat Mo Yong-woo carelessly. Of course, he had never intended to, and their relationship was not one where he would.
But aside from that, to fight the Three Creeds, a moment will eventually come when the field forces have to combine their strength as well. He must mean for us to start coordinating now in preparation for that time.
Before he realized it, a bitter smile crossed Yeon Hojeong’s face.
Mo Yonggun must have been in a hurry too.
A little later, Yeon Hojeong stepped onto the dais. Mookbi, who had come with him, stood behind Mo Yong-woo and looked up at Yeon Hojeong.
With Mad Dragon slung over his shoulder, Yeon Hojeong looked down at the unified field force and opened his mouth.
“The leadership has decided on a name for us.”
Confusion appeared on the faces of the soldiers looking up at Yeon Hojeong with complicated feelings. What was that supposed to mean as a first sentence?
Yeon Hojeong grinned and said, “They said they’ll call us the Righteous Justice Corps now that the Demon-Sweeping Corps and Evil-Smiting Corps have merged. Funny, isn’t it? Doesn’t it sound so classical it almost makes you laugh? Ha ha!”
Perhaps, in his own mind, Yeon Hojeong had thrown it out as a joke to ease the soldiers’ tension.
Unfortunately, however, his not-quite-joke failed miserably. It had been the same with Yeon Jipyeong, but he was a man who had lived for decades and returned to the past, and on top of that, he was someone whose emotions had been worn down by every kind of war. There was no way such a half-baked joke would work.
“.......”
The soldiers looked up at Yeon Hojeong with bewildered eyes.
And when Yeon Hojeong saw those gazes, he became bewildered as well.
He glanced at Mo Yong-woo and Mookbi. The two sighed and shook their heads.
Yeon Hojeong smiled awkwardly.
“Fine. I tried to use my head in a way that doesn’t suit me and only wrecked the mood even worse. I’ll just do this like myself.”
“.......”
“From now on, we move as one. Newly united, we will be called the Righteous Justice Corps, and I am the supreme commander.”
Yeon Hojeong spoke while quietly sweeping his eyes across the Demon-Sweeping Corps.
Every member of the Demon-Sweeping Corps kept an expressionless face, but even from afar, he could see the eyes of a few twisting with displeasure.
“Some of you will be flustered because this came so suddenly. Some of you will have your pride hurt. I dare say there are probably some among you whose suspicion sickness is acting up and who are cursing me behind my back.”
It was an exceedingly direct remark. At the very least, it was not something a commander should say at a founding ceremony.
Yeon Hojeong spoke frankly.
“Whether you curse me, lose motivation, or whatever else, I won’t care about that much. I don’t want to interfere, and even if I did, it would be meaningless.”
“.......”
“There is only one thing I ask of you. When an order falls, respond immediately as you were trained to do. That is all.”
In that instant, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes changed.
“I do not have the confidence to bring you honor. But I do have the confidence not to let you die like dogs. That is the one thing I can promise.”
“.......”
“Dismissed. You worked hard standing in formation for no reason.”
After stepping down from the dais, Yeon Hojeong said to Mo Yong-woo, “Commander Mo Yong, dismiss the soldiers and come see me for a moment.”
Mo Yong-woo gave a disciplined fist salute.
“I receive the supreme commander’s order.”
He turned and shouted.
“Everyone, dismissed. There will be no training today.”
The Demon-Sweeping Corps relaxed their posture. Murmurs began spreading among them, who had kept their mouths shut until then.
At that moment, Yeon Hojeong roared.
“Evil-Smiting Corps!!”
A fearsome dignity rode in his ringing voice.
The pressure contained in that shout was so tremendous that the murmuring vanished at once.
Every member of the Demon-Sweeping Corps and Evil-Smiting Corps looked at Yeon Hojeong nervously.
Yeon Hojeong’s face twisted fiercely.
“Did you not hear Commander Mo Yong’s order? I’m certain you heard him say dismissed.”
“......!”
“Respond immediately to a superior’s command. In my absence, Commander Mo Yong is the highest-ranking officer who can command the Righteous Justice Corps in my place, and he is the superior officer of every one of you.”
“.......”
“I will let it pass because this is the first time. Show that pathetic sight again, and I will punish all of you severely.”
The atmosphere in the training ground turned savage under that sharp warning.
Yeon Hojeong looked at Mo Yong-woo and nodded.
Mo Yong-woo shouted.
“Everyone, dismissed!”
Only then did both the Demon-Sweeping Corps and Evil-Smiting Corps relax their posture and disperse.
Yeon Hojeong snorted.
“Bastards have gotten soft.”
Mo Yong-woo approached him and clicked his tongue.
“My head is already pounding in broad daylight. Shall we have a drink?”
“What the hell? That gave me chills. Just talk like you normally do.”
“Good. Then you’re buying, Brother Yeon.”
“Straight to casual speech, huh? You’ve gotten soft.”
“.......”
“Let’s go.”
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