Chapter: 572
After he finished speaking, a quiet silence enveloped the room.
Drip.
It was so quiet that the only sound was the dripping of water.
Was it because the words were shocking?
Well, in three months, he made a bombshell announcement to attack Hanam, where the Murim Alliance and Shaolin are located.
Normally, that would be enough to shock anyone.
But I wasn’t thinking like that.
These guys weren’t the type to be shocked by such things.
As evidence, I gazed into the empty space.
In that tranquil atmosphere…
Wooooow—!
The energy gathering at the point where it touched the ceiling was quietly swaying.
It took on a wild and violent form, almost as if it were showing emotions.
I lowered my gaze from the void and surveyed the surroundings.
The ten pairs of eyes looking at me were relaying countless words, contrasting with their tightly closed lips.
Some were sneering.
Some had eyes shining with anticipation.
Everyone had different reasons for their expressions.
Yet, they all shared the same goal in mind.
There was no fear among them.
How could there be?
“I initially saved them from becoming the type who have that kind of thing.”
They were those who would stop at nothing, using any means necessary to achieve their goals. They expressed their greed without hesitation, free of emotional restraint.
Among them, I had gathered only the exceptional ones and put them on leashes.
“I doubt they’ll see it as a leash, though.”
In the end, it didn’t matter.
What was truly important was…
“Whether I can use them or not.”
That was all there was to it.
As I pondered that, a voice suddenly broke through the silence.
“Three months later.”
It was a childish voice mixed with a slightly awkward tone.
I immediately turned to look at the owner of the voice.
He was one of the few ordinary-eyed individuals present.
Furthermore…
“That’s right, three months.”
He was also a capable person who could fill the gaps in my mind.
The young man—no, the boy—who heard the words frowned slightly.
“Brother, last time you said there was half a year left.”
“Things got a bit complicated.”
“…”
I spoke calmly, causing the boy to immediately clutch his forehead.
He looked incredibly frustrated. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but smile.
Even if he looked like that, if he just spoke up, he’d find an answer.
It was the same in my past life.
“Though that time wasn’t exactly good…”
The boy, now feeling somewhat suffocated, was the grandson of the god.
He was now Jegal Hyuk, who could finally speak.
I looked at Jegal Hyuk’s neck.
A long, vertical scar traced down his neck.
That was why Jegal Hyuk could speak now, and also why he worked under me.
I glanced at it for a moment before addressing Jegal Hyuk.
“By the way, I brought along another person, so put them to use.”
I expressed this while revealing my determination.
Seongyul had a look on his face that showed he didn’t quite grasp the situation.
There was no way he could understand.
How on earth could he comprehend why I suddenly declared I would attack Hanam?
Jegal Hyuk tilted his head as he observed Seongyul.
To be precise, he tilted his head while locked onto Seongyul’s gaze.
“This person… seems to have not received the ‘blessing’ yet.”
Upon hearing that, I frowned deeply.
“You know I told you not to use that word.”
What kind of freezing blessing are we talking about?
Jegal Hyuk occasionally used that expression when discussing the people I’d corrupted.
I really despised that.
“What kind of blessing?”
This wasn’t something noble like a blessing.
This was…
“It’s severe punishment.”
It should have been framed as a punishment rather than a blessing.
A harsh punishment where one would be tied to their sins, struggling to no avail, eventually burning away.
That’s what I saw as the essence of this.
As I growled in irritation, Jegal Hyuk looked at me, lowered his gaze slightly, and spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
Only after hearing those words did my expression soften.
It wouldn’t be wise to prolong this matter any further.
I needed to move on.
“…All right. Please adjust the schedule we set to three months from now.”
“This might be tough since it’s already been cut down a lot.”
As Jegal Hyuk pointed out, it would take considerable effort to move tasks scheduled for six months ahead to just three months.
Jegal Hyuk from my past life.
If it were Cheon Yu-rang, the brain of the Demonic Cult, it wouldn’t be a problem.
But for the young Jegal Hyuk now, it might be a stretch.
“If you succeed in this, I’ll grant you whatever you wish.”
“…!”
It was simple enough—making the impossible possible would suffice.
I’d give him what he desired.
Upon my promise, Jegal Hyuk’s eyes widened in surprise.
“…Brother… is that true?”
“Yeah, if you pull this off, just like you wanted.”
What Jegal Hyuk wished for?
That’s simple.
“A guesthouse in Sansu. I’ll get it opened for you.”
A little guesthouse where he could peacefully spend time with his grandfather.
That was the gist of his dream—a simple yet harmonious life.
He had always enjoyed cooking since childhood, and it truly was his dream to become a chef.
“A dream that sounds grand but is actually quite small.”
For someone talented enough to dominate the central plains with just his mind, wanting to simply run an inn felt strange, indeed.
“…But maybe it’s better in a way.”
Certainly, it was a hundred times better than being a strategist for a dominant faction.
“I… really… can I?”
Once I mentioned I’d open an inn in Shanxi, Jegal Hyuk’s eyes sparkled with joy.
How could I not take advantage of his enthusiasm for something as simple as opening a guesthouse?
“Yeah, I’ll provide that. If that’s what you want, I’ll make it a nice big one.”
I was sitting on quite a pile of gold after raiding the Guangdong region recently.
“The items were sent to Baekhwasangdan.”
I planned to sell them off, and with the extra gold overflowing, I’d be in a comfortable position.
“The financial matters have been more or less sorted.”
I had sold off the night liquor that Dangjemun had supplied, and this time, I got my hands on a lump of Mannyeonhancheol to sell. With that, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be short on funds.
“So what’s left now?”
Power replenishment and weapon supply?
I nodded, taking stock.
I had already selected personnel for power replenishment in advance, so all that was needed was a quick mobilization.
As for weapon supply…
“I don’t know many craftsmen, so that might be a challenge. In that case…”
It seemed best to recruit individuals skilled in weapon creation.
Buying them outright with gold would typically be the quickest method, but…
“That would still fall short.”
Weapons purchasable with money just wouldn’t cut it.
I needed something much stronger.
Fortunately, I had someone in mind for this, so it shouldn’t pose a problem.
“So, the next pressing matter is…”
Time?
“Tsk.”
No matter how hard I pushed, time was running short.
“I have to figure out how to make this work through sheer effort.”
If there was a deficit, I had to figure out a way to resolve it.
It was crunch time; I had to brainstorm methods rapidly.
“So, please condense the plan.”
“I’ll try… I will give it a shot.”
Hearing Jegal Hyuk’s answer, I consoled myself over my disappointment.
“It must be tough.”
His reluctance to assure success was a clear indicator that it would be quite a challenge.
But…
“But what can I do?”
I had to exhaust all my options.
Now wasn’t the time to be finicky.
“I have no further updates for now… Ah, right.”
Just as I was about to wrap things up, I realized I had something to ask Jegal Hyuk.
“Could you tell me where your grandfather is?”
“Huh? Grandpa?”
Upon inquiring about the god, Jegal Hyuk’s eyes widened slightly.
Then he asked me.
“Did you get hurt, hyung?”
The sole reason I sought out the god was linked to that, so I quickly grasped his concern.
I put on an embarrassed expression at his question.
“Just a little. It’s not serious, but it could become an issue if left unchecked.”
“When you say you’re hurt, is it usually just a little?”
“When have I ever said I was hurt like that?”
“Remember last time when you locked yourself away to test a new power… and then your organs exploded shortly after…?”
“Enough of that… just tell me.”
As I began to recount that painful tale, I hurriedly changed the subject.
It was an embarrassing moment from my past.
“I was ignorant back then.”
I had no idea how rough and violent the force I attempted to test would turn out to be.
In response, Jegal Hyuk made a displeased face and remarked,
“Grandpa… is currently in Hanam.”
“Hanam?”
So suddenly, it was Hanam.
“You said that Mo Yong-se was on your side before I left.”
I heard he was temporarily in Yoryung at the request of Baekcheon Sword Master.
And now he was in Hanam?
“Well, this works out nicely.”
After all, I had to make my way to Hanam anyway.
I figured it would be better to arrive a bit earlier and meet the god.
The question was why the god was in Hanam.
Jegal Hyuk promptly answered that question.
“He said someone was coming and that he would wait there.”
“Your grandfather is waiting…?”
My brow furrowed slightly at Jegal Hyuk’s words.
A person who could curse and act like a fool even when summoned by the current leader was none other than the god.
Who on earth would compel the old man to go ahead and wait for them?
“…It’s a good thing if he’s in Hanam.”
It was fortuitous to be sure.
We needed to meet anyway, so I ought to consider this a stroke of luck.
Having thought that, I waved my hand.
“Anyway, I believe that concludes our discussion, so let’s disperse.”
Since I had already mentioned the main points and received the necessary feedback, it was best to break up.
I wondered if they called us just to share something so trivial.
“I still had to assess everyone’s condition as well.”
Indeed, I needed to check each of their physical states.
I wanted to see if their magical energy was well-maintained or if anyone was up to some shenanigans.
Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any issues at this moment.
As soon as I spoke up, the buzz of chatter swiftly faded away.
When I closed my eyes and opened them again, only three people remained in the space.
Myself, Seongyul, and Jegal Hyuk.
Confirming that, I turned to Jegal Hyuk and inquired,
“Why?”
Since Jegal Hyuk was an ordinary person, it was natural for him to be slow in leaving.
However, there was a reason I asked.
His gaze seemed to suggest that he had something on his mind.
“I still have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why did you move it up by three months? What’s your plan?”
The original timeline was set for six months.
The reasoning for pushing it forward by three months intrigued Jegal Hyuk.
“Hmm.”
After hearing his question, I contemplated for a moment.
How to express my thoughts?
One reason was that things had gone awry, and time was indeed tight.
“But that’s not all.”
There was another reason behind that decision.
Since Jegal Hyuk likely picked up on that too, he must have felt inclined to ask.
My deliberation didn’t last long.
I didn’t have trouble deciding how to respond; it was merely a matter of picking one out of several potential answers.
“Well, it’s not like it’s a grand reason… Just.”
I looked at Jegal Hyuk and continued.
“While I’m playing the villain, I also want to try my hand at being the hero.”
“…?”
The indifferent response I gave resulted in a question mark forming on Jegal Hyuk’s face.
As spring neared its end, it was time to bid farewell to the flowers.
A figure was scaling the steep mountain path constructed in Hanam.
Thud…! Thud…!
On the beautifully adorned mountain trail,
The appearance of the one climbing starkly contrasted with his surroundings.
This young man, having the figure of a youth, carried a massive iron ball larger than himself as he climbed the steep incline.
With every step he took, sweat dripped down, his breath becoming increasingly labored.
Yet, the young man continued to walk steadily, eyes fixed on the summit of the slope.
Despite appearing exhausted, he never faltered.
After what felt like a long trek, the young man eventually reached the peak.
He came to a halt before a gigantic ancient tree nestled at the end of the mountain path.
Only after arriving there was the young man able to gently place the iron ball on the ground.
Thud.
However,
The young man couldn’t rest.
There was no time to catch his breath; he had to maintain his posture and bow respectfully.
“Greetings, sir.”
He joined his hands in reverence and lowered his head.
It was directed towards the elderly man standing beside the ancient tree.
Cluck…
The elder, Shaolin Master Cheonan, smiled warmly at the young man.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“No.”
Cheonan took his time to observe the young man standing before him.
Just by looking, one could feel the vigor emanating from him.
It hadn’t been long since he’d surpassed his youth.
The young lad had already ascended high beyond the ordinary and stood at the pinnacle.
A masterpiece born from Shaolin.
The youngest prodigy.
The greatest dragon of all time.
That was the title bestowed upon him by the times.
And,
“He is the hope to lead the Central Plains.”
Cheonan looked at the young man with that sentiment.
A spark and promise to face the unknown calamities that lie ahead. Cheonan firmly believed the boy would embody that potential.
Cheonan smiled and said to the young man,
“I’ve heard that a grand festival will be taking place in Hanam soon.”
At Cheonan’s words, the young man’s shoulders trembled slightly.
A significant festival held in Hanam— that referred to the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Festival organized by the Alliance.
“I believe in you. Can I expect great things?”
Cheonan asked, gazing at the young man.
“Yes, Master.”
Without hesitation, the young man replied.
“So that the name of Shaolin remains untarnished…”
The golden eyes of the young man flickered with determination.
“I will give it my all.”
Watching that, Cheonan smiled softly.
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