“Dead Arm Ghost is no longer Do-mun Hyang-joo?”
“W-what’s going to happen then?”
A single order was sending a person spiraling into the abyss.
“Just managed to succeed, huh?”
I quietly brushed my chest as I watched the bewildered enemy camp.
“Are you suggesting we support Im Ha-yeon as the leader?”
It was a plan I had put forth before the Hyang-joo.
The Hyang-joo didn’t want anyone else’s family to die or to see bloodshed between factions; they didn’t want to support someone as the leader either.
Raising someone who was equal until a moment ago above themselves was a matter of power. There’s no way they would support someone they couldn’t trust.
“If no leader is supported, in the end, all that’s left is mutual destruction. There’s no one more suitable than Im Ha-yeon to elect as the leader, right?”
A person who could earn the respect of the Hao-mun Do as the Shadowless Thief.
Someone raised in the Gi-mun, who was trustworthy as the Gi-mun Hyang-joo, and could gain the trust of the Si-mun and be recommended with confidence from the Si-mun Hyang-joo.
Someone recognized by the Ma-mun Hyang-joo as not a power-hungry individual who would harm others.
Shadowless Thief Im Ha-yeon was indeed perfect for the position of leader.
“Though she could only be elected at the very last moment.”
If it weren’t for the situation that lead to mutual destruction, she would have never been elected.
“Can’t you kneel like others already?!”
“What do we do?”
“Dragging this out, huh?”
The tide had already settled. One by one they kneeled, but since not everyone could change their stance at once, the enemy camp was in disarray.
“You?”
“Are you hurt?”
Are you really okay? I subtly approached Im Ha-yeon and asked again about her well-being.
“I’m fine! Ah! I’ll return what I gave you earlier!”
Was she talking about the memorization tool I told her to use in emergencies? But where is she going to pull it from? How embarrassing.
“Keep it with you.”
Im Ha-yeon had to continue showing an authoritative figure as the leader.
I waved my hand and moved forward.
“What are you trying to do?”
“Just going to stir things up a bit.”
“Eh?”
The enemy is on the brink of splitting. At times like this, it’s my specialty to subtly provoke them until they’re completely torn apart.
Now was my chance to step up, having trained in a variety of political games.
“Hey, you idiots!!! What are you doing?! If I fall, you’re all finished too!!!”
Dead Arm Ghost. Is scolding them with an urgent expression going to help?
Are you really thinking you can kill all the Hyang-joo and make the election of a leader a non-issue?
“Is there anyone who would want to die together with the captain just because there’s a hole in the ship? Right?”
I stood at the forefront of our side, speaking loudly for all to hear.
“Kang Yoon-ho?”
Dead Arm Ghost, what are you showing your teeth for? The power difference has already flipped. If you act recklessly, it’ll be game over.
I spoke to the hesitant Do-mun people, whose faces were filled with hesitation.
“What are you guys doing? You should just surrender, why are you hesitating? Can’t you grasp the situation right now?”
“Do-mun Hyang-joo. We belong to Do-mun.”
A person who seemed like a Do-mun official answered, fear evident on his face.
Do they think they can escape punishment by kneeling now? Looking around, I saw a few others with similar expressions.
The weakest part is the fear of punishment? Then, there’s a way.
“What?! Were you hesitating over something like that?”
I scoffed and responded immediately.
“W-what do you mean…?”
Almost switching from informal to polite speech. So, you’re considering what I said, huh? Then let’s really dig deep.
“Listen! It’s all about social interactions. Even if you don’t like it, if someone above says do it, then you have to do it. Everyone, look around. Honestly, was there anyone who wanted to come here today? Anyone? No one?”
The basic for political manipulation for stirring trouble is empathy. Pretend to empathize from the enemy’s point of view. It’s about pretending to be the ally of the enemy.
I glanced around, wearing a face that understood everything.
“……”
I could see a few of them nodding. If they’ve become the allies of the enemy, now it’s time to create another enemy.
“It shows on your faces. So much work to do but you’re complaining about it? It’s him who’ll be the leader, not us! When you come back, isn’t there a mountain of work waiting for you? You came here whining!”
Of course, the other enemy was Dead Arm Ghost, who had to take the blame for this incident.
“Pfft!”
Responses were good. Laughter erupted from somewhere in the enemy camp.
“Since the higher-ups asked for a bit of support, what are you going to do? Of course you follow them. Isn’t ignoring them the crazy thing to do? Right?”
Make Dead Arm Ghost’s mistakes more significant, and wash away the mistakes of the other enemy. Suddenly, it’s like he has no fault and everything becomes the fault of just one person.
“That’s…”
“Alright! Now, the leader has been elected. You could have been reluctantly following the orders of some crazy superior! But now! A higher superior has appeared! What should the unhappy people do now?”
Now, I’ll present a solution. Let’s end this nasty game and move on to the next round quickly. It’s not your fault. No need to cling here. It’s a gentle whisper.
As one by one they were trying to kneel, the enemies that were driven by politics couldn’t just remain quiet either. One of the Do-mun executives pointed at me, his face red.
“You! Do you think this is a market street?!”
“Our place is the market street! You idiot!”
“……”
“Now! The leader! Has said that those who kneel will not be punished just for supporting Do-mun Hyang-joo! They’re waiting! Still refuse to kneel?”
Shall I suggest the last way to survive? I pointed at Im Ha-yeon, who was gazing at the enemy camp with a stern expression.
“Is that true?!”
The Do-mun martial artists looked at the leader with expressions as if a lifeline had fallen from the sky. Im Ha-yeon then shot me a glance—one that could only be known to someone who has been by my side all day.
—What are you talking about?
—I trusted you, didn’t I? Let’s quickly get them to kneel, and later we can deal with their crimes.
—I get it. Do as you wish.
Im Ha-yeon looked sternly at the Do-mun martial artists.
Whether her silence was a negative or affirmative response didn’t matter. What was important was for the enemies to find what they wanted from her.
“Greetings, leader!”
“I bow to the leader!”
Having already shaken them once, those swaying in uncertainty began to put down their weapons.
“You idiots!!! Do you really believe I’ll let you live?!”
“Dead Arm Ghost. It’s over now.”
A head of the Do-mun knelt before the leader.
“What?”
“We supported the Do-mun Hyang-joo who could be the leader, not a crazed lunatic.”
Yeah, that’s right. Since he has been dismissed as the leader, Dead Arm Ghost is no longer the Do-mun Hyang-joo.
Until now, it could be brushed off as just a power struggle between the Hao-mun Do. But now that the leader has been born, it’s different.
Since they can’t become the leader, even if they side with Dead Arm Ghost, they’ll gain nothing.
“That’s right! They only joined because there was an extra morsel! If they’re going to lose everything they had, what loyalty is there?!”
Whether it was the decisive hit from the executive’s statement, others from the Do-mun also began to kneel towards us like dominos.
“Bleh heh heh. You pathetic bastards…”
“Those still standing are only the ones supporting Do-mun Hyang-joo, or rather—crazy Dead Arm Ghost?”
It seems we needed a few more defectors. I glanced at Im Ha-yeon. Let’s get another hit in.
Seemingly understanding my gaze, Im Ha-yeon addressed the Do-mun martial artists still standing.
“As the leader, anyone who draws their sword against Do-mun Hyang-joo from now on will no longer be regarded as Hao-mun Do.”
The eyes of the Do-mun martial artists widened instantly at the ultimatum from the leader.
“W-what?!”
“You do know that anyone brandishing a sword now is abandoning everything received as part of Hao-mun Do, right? To protect someone who has already been finished. Amazing! Absolutely impressive! We have some loyal subjects here!”
Everyone standing here was someone who had climbed up from the bottom as part of Hao-mun Do. They knew the value of what they had just barely acquired.
They knew what would become of their lives without Hao-mun Do.
I exaggeratedly clapped my hands. You all going to keep riding a sinking ship?
“W-we heed the leader’s command!”
“Sorry for the late congratulations!”
Eventually, those left by Dead Arm Ghost’s side looked like they had no place to return to.
“Kang Yoon-ho!!! You bastard!!!”
Dead Arm Ghost, unable to hold back any longer, tried to charge at me, but it didn’t matter.
“Ooh! Scary! So scary! But you have someone deeply resentful toward you right now!”
“Right. We have things to settle between us.”
Before me stood the father who lost his beloved wife to the madness.
“Old fool!!!”
Seeing the former Shadowless Thief, Dead Arm Ghost’s footsteps stopped.
“Take him down.”
With the leader’s command, we moved first.
“Ugh!”
“Hyang-joo!!!”
“The arm of Do-mun Hyang-joo!!!”
As Dead Arm Ghost retreated with an arm severed by Brother Wang, the battle momentarily reached a standoff.
Of course, a cornered rat may bite a cat. Let alone those filled with the fiery essence of poison; nobody could easily approach.
“Stop being so stubborn and let’s surrender comfortably.”
By this point, the number of ones holding swords for Dead Arm Ghost was few, and now half of them lay dead.
Isn’t it time to give up? I spoke to the bleeding Do-mun Hyang-joo.
“You!”
Maybe because it was a familiar voice, the bloodshot eyes filled with rage stared at me.
“How does it feel, Dead Arm Ghost? To have something you’ve labored for ten years taken away in an instant?”
Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused because of you?
This bastard has driven countless people into death and pain. Losing just one arm doesn’t calm the anger I feel towards him.
“Kang… Yoon-ho!”
Yes, it’s me. I opened my mouth with a full smile.
“Right, our Dead Arm Ghost! The biggest contributor to the birth of the leader! Without you, how would there have been a leader? Everyone, give it up for the biggest contributor!”
Clap clap clap. This time, everyone clapped for Dead Arm Ghost without hesitation, as the tide had already settled.
Is this the taste of power that makes everyone laugh at the boss’s jokes? As the tide solidified, everyone responded with no hesitation; it feels good.
“Heh heh heh.”
Dude, you might tear your face like that. You look like you’re laughing so hard you might cry from anger.
“Why are you mad? If a guy who’s been hopping between stakes like that realizes he’s an idiot, he should have gotten up and walked away. And yet, here you are, coming back half-naked and broken!”
Having wanted the position of the leader, he’s now lost it all and returned in his underwear—a true naidore.
“Yeah. In the end, I was the fool…”
“The great Dead Arm Ghost just realized that now? Wait, hold on! Now that you’ve lost an arm, should I call you One-Arm Ghost? Or should I change the ‘Da’ to ‘Han’? What do you prefer?”
“Heh heh heh, you bastard barbarian.”
“What? Say that again. I always enjoy listening to the loser’s ramblings.”
I cupped my hand to my ear and moved a bit closer so Dead Arm Ghost could see me better.
Rumors were flying from behind that this Do-mun Hyang-joo had a temper, and wouldn’t he die from rage, but I didn’t care.
Many suffered because of this creature’s greed.
“Yeah. Everything went wrong because of that barbarian bastard…”
“When did you realize that? All of this… Huh?!”
Crack! The sound of Dead Arm Ghost’s teeth breaking echoed. His eyes flushed with rage turned blood-red.
“Hey, have you eaten something?!”
“Take the Soul Returning Pills!”
Crack! The sound of the Do-mun people’s teeth breaking echoed simultaneously. This seems to be a troubling situation.
Why are these guys suddenly turning red?
“Hey! You can’t just eat random medicine. The basic rule is to get meds from a pharmacist and checkups from a doctor!”
Do these fools not even know the basics of medical division? First, step back…
“Block!”
Dead Arm Ghost moved a beat ahead. The bodies of the Do-mun soldiers leapt into action.
Though there were many martial artists between me and Dead Arm Ghost, he charged at me without regard for his own body.
“You! You are the one! I’ll definitely take you down!”
Before I could react, he slammed into me. What’s with this strength?
In an instant, we were pushed towards the window.
“Ah.”
The large window shattered in an instant.
Wait a minute.
We’re on the seventh floor, aren’t we?
Below us lay the dark expanse of the river.
“You crazy bastard!!!”
We lost our balance and fell straight into the river below.
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