The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

“Thank you for your help.”

Zhuge Goun sincerely welcomed Jin Seomok.

And why wouldn’t he? Supplies were continuously running out.

In a situation where supplies were difficult, Jin Seomok had personally brought a large amount of war supplies, so he couldn’t help but be happy.

“Supplies will arrive two more times.”

“More than this?”

As Zhuge Goun asked in surprise, Jin Seomok smiled gently.

“These are the supplies I prepared before the war began. I have also prepared more over the past three months.”

“Ah… I see.”

The wealth of the Jin Clan far exceeded Zhuge Goun’s expectations.

In the first place, the Jin Clan had the commercial power and wealth to control the commercial world of a provincial capital, so the amount of supplies they had prepared was beyond imagination.

Of course, behind that was the sacrifice of the Jin Clan.

“With this amount of supplies, the Jin Clan must have suffered a great loss… are you sure you’re okay?”

Wiso asked worriedly.

He also had the insight to see through the flow of the commercial world to some extent, so he knew well how great a sacrifice it was to help the Martial Alliance and supply war materials in the current situation.

Jin Seomok nodded his head without hesitation.

“It’s okay. My son’s war is my war, and the Jin Clan’s war. Until that damn Heretic Path's Alliance disappears from this world… the Jin Clan will not stop its support for the Martial Alliance, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you once again.”

The leaders of the Martial Alliance, including Gu Daepil and Zhuge Goun, expressed their deep gratitude.

In the meantime, Jin Sohyun was meeting with Kang Cheon.

Among them was Gwak Myeong.

“To think that Dan Mugi was alive, and that the Wudang Sect was holding him… well, I’ve experienced all sorts of things in my long life.”

Kang Cheon, a living witness of the Righteous-Demon War, was on the verge of letting out a hollow laugh at the fact that Dan Mugi had been alive until now.

“What is that bastard doing now?”

“He is with Gu Yong in a place where he won’t be noticed.”

“It seems he’s living more quietly than I thought.”

“What Dan Mugi wants is the Blood Jade. He is living quietly, knowing that he can only get the Blood Jade if he cooperates with us.”

“Still, don’t trust him too much. You never know what a person who has learned demonic arts will do.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“More than that, the Blood Jade… the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon, no, is he called the Blood Demon now? Anyway, to think that the power of that damn bastard comes from such an abomination. It’s amazing in many ways.”

“The Blood Jade is hidden three chi (about 9cm) above the navel. According to the testimony of the survivors, it seems Ilmun knew its location and aimed for the Blood Demon’s back.”

Ilmun had aimed for Ma Seongun’s Blood Jade and had ambushed him from behind.

The tip of his sword seemed to have accurately pierced the Blood Jade.

The reason was.

“They say it was the first time they saw the Blood Demon so angry in this war. Well, of course, it ended in failure.”

“Ilmun must have wanted the Blood Jade. So he wouldn’t have put his full strength into the tip of his sword.”

“That’s probably right.”

Kang Cheon, who had been lost in thought with his arms crossed, looked at Jin Sohyun, who was sitting next to him, asleep.

“If you’re tired, go in and rest.”

“Ah, no.”

Jin Sohyun woke up from his sleep, yawning.

“Is it true that Ma Seongun broke the Blood Sucking Sword?”

“That’s right. In a fight of strength against strength… I was pushed back.”

“Hmm… if the Blood Jade has that much power, then there must be the internal energy of numerous strong people in his body. In the first place, it’s impossible to win an internal energy fight against such a monster.”

The Blood Sucking Sword originally gained its power based on the owner’s internal energy, so it could not exert its power against a force that contained a much stronger internal energy.

“So what are you going to do now?”

“Nothing changes. As the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader said… as long as I don’t kill Ma Seongun, this war will not end.”

In the end, this war will only end when the Blood Demon is killed.

Thud— thud—!

Gu Yong walked over with the sound of footsteps.

“Great Master Gu.”

“Great Master… just call me Brother Gu.”

Gu Yong waved his hand and walked over, sitting down in front of the three.

“Where is Dan Mugi?”

As Gwak Myeong asked, Gu Yong’s shoulders drooped with a disgusted face.

“He finally fell asleep. Ryang is watching him now.”

“That fellow was begging to be killed, but it seems he’s doing quite well.”

“Don’t they say that humans are animals of oblivion? It seems the suggestion that was planted a long time ago is slowly being released. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the evil deeds that Ryang has committed will be washed away with it.”

“Let’s postpone the disposal of that child to a later date… is there any good news?”

“According to the new news, it seems the Heretic Path's Alliance is planning to make the Martial Alliance’s estate their fortress. They say that hired workers are reinforcing the walls and building towers.”

Gwak Myeong gripped his sword hilt with an annoyed face.

If he had his way, he just wanted to go to the Heretic Path's Alliance right now and tear everyone to pieces.

“What about the Geumcheon Guard Leader?”

“There is no news.”

The Geumcheon Guard was the direct escort of the alliance leader and was originally scheduled to go to the battlefield with Cheon Yusin.

But Cheon Yusin had refused the escort of the Geumcheon Guard and had left them at the Martial Alliance.

There were many words about the reason, but the established theory was that it was to protect Gwak Doyeop from a possible assassination attempt.

Of course, with the great explosion, the righteous martial world was defeated, and from the moment the land of the Martial Alliance was handed over to the Heretic Path's Alliance, all of this had become a meaningless act.

“It seems they know that Young Master Jin will come to find them. Literally… we have become the challengers now.”

Jin Sohyun was lost in thought, recalling the words that Ju Cheon had left.

—Now it is your turn to challenge us. Not in a state of being wounded, bleeding, and broken… but in a state of being fully prepared, challenge me and the Heretic Path's Alliance.”

‘A challenge…’

Ju Cheon wanted Jin Sohyun to challenge him.

In a state of being fully prepared.

“Master.”

“Yes?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Say anything.”

At Jin Sohyun’s subsequent request, not only Kang Cheon’s but also Gwak Myeong’s expression became subtle.

Gu Yong was surprised, but he soon pondered Jin Sohyun’s request with an interested face.

“If you give me time, I can find it.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“But will that be enough?”

Jin Sohyun looked down at his calloused hands.

“Yes. And there is more to be done.”

***

“The Martial Alliance has stockpiled a lot of supplies. It seems there will be no problem living with just the supplies that the alliance has stored for the next two years.”

“I see. What about the Geumcheon Guard?”

“The pursuit is still ongoing, so there will be results soon.”

“Hmm.”

Seolpyeong put down the documents he was holding and sat on the opposite side.

“I thought you would be happy, but you don’t seem to be.”

Mu Yu’s face, who he had thought would be happier than anyone, was full of worry.

“Do I look like that?”

Mu Yu smiled faintly.

“It’s the sorrow of those who use their heads. I am afraid of things I don’t know. And this war is full of things I don’t know.”

Mu Yu looked down at his white, wrinkled palm.

“I believed that the Heretic Path's Alliance moved in my grasp, and it took quite a long time to realize how foolish that thought was. But… now it seems the Alliance Leader has a bigger hand.”

“A bigger hand, you say?”

“The palace.”

“…!”

Seolpyeong’s face was stained with astonishment.

“The imperial palace is behind the Alliance Leader.”

At Mu Yu’s words, which were full of conviction, not a question, Seolpyeong stuttered, unlike his usual self.

“The… imperial… palace is behind the Alliance Leader. Why did you think so?”

Mu Yu leaned back deeply in his chair.

The creaking of the chair echoed in the quiet office.

“The wind of Cheonjung will fell the dragon.”

Mu Yu turned his hand over and tapped the table with his index finger.

“The source of the explosives that caused the explosion is Cheonjung. Cheonjung is a sulfur mine managed by the imperial family. A huge amount of sulfur was leaked, and the bombs made with it caused a great explosion in Sichuan Province. Nevertheless, the imperial palace has not even dispatched investigators and has maintained its silence until now.”

“Maybe they don’t know? Isn’t the imperial palace not interested in the wars or fights of the martial world?”

“Naive fellow. Do you really think the imperial palace is not interested in the martial world?”

“…Please give me a lesson.”

As Seolpyeong bowed his head, Mu Yu began to speak to give him a lesson.

“The emperor’s power and authority are absolute. But because of that, he can’t help but be sensitive to external pressure. Then I will give you a question, so answer it. If there are people in the Central Plains who can oppose the army that the emperor possesses, who would they be?”

“The martial world… is.”

“Yes. In terms of scale or power, the martial world cannot dare to compare to the emperor’s army, but that is not important to the emperor. If there is even a one-in-ten chance of such a possibility.”

Mu Yu frowned.

“From the perspective of the emperor, who is always walking a tightrope, it would be nothing more than a thorn in his side.”

That’s what an emperor is.

He has the most powerful strength and authority in the Central Plains.

But because he has it, he always walks a tightrope.

The emperor was a being watched by everyone, but at the same time, he was the most lonely being.

“There are countless people in the imperial palace who are aiming for the emperor’s position. There is no guarantee that they will not use the martial world.”

“Phew… it’s difficult. Then, Great General Manager, do you think the Alliance Leader is receiving help from the emperor?”

“Perhaps… the emperor might be planning to exterminate the martial world, which is a thorn in his side, at this opportunity.”

Mu Yu stood up from his seat and leaned against the window.

Moonlight came in through the skylight and shone on Mu Yu.

“Then why did he choose the Heretic Path's Alliance of all things?”

“Justification.”

“Justification?”

Mu Yu opened the window.

The cold air of winter, which had not yet completely left, seeped in through the open window.

Breath came out from between his open lips.

“To get rid of the righteous martial world, even that great emperor would have needed a justification. After all, they have received the support of the common people for a long time and are deeply involved in the commercial and political worlds. Just the Zhuge Clan alone has a quite close history and relationship with the imperial family, doesn’t it?”

“Then, the reason the emperor chose our alliance is…”

“Since it’s not strange for the heretic path to disappear at any time, even if the emperor leads his army and comes to kill us all, there will be no criticism of the emperor. Rather, he will receive a warm welcome.”

“…”

Seolpyeong closed his eyes tightly.

If all of Mu Yu’s words were true, the emperor had used the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader, Ju Cheon, to uproot the martial world from the Central Plains, and had provided a large amount of sulfur.

Using this, Ju Cheon had inflicted damage close to annihilation on the righteous martial world, and had also succeeded in taking away the land of the Martial Alliance.

Now, all that was left was to get rid of the remnants of the righteous path.

After that, if the emperor’s army came and erased even the heretic martial world from the Central Plains.

The martial world would disappear into a corner of history.

“The emperor’s authority will rise even further, and there will be no more forces to check him.”

Mu Yu, who had finished speaking, looked at Seolpyeong with a bold face.

“Isn’t that so.”

“That’s right.”

Seolpyeong raised his head.

There was no longer any expression on his face.

He was holding a long dagger that he had taken out from his bosom with an expressionless face.

Mu Yu let out a heavy breath and then asked.

“Was that your real role?”

Killing intent flashed in Seolpyeong’s eyes.

“Yes. This is my role.”

Mu Yu tilted his head back and looked at the sky.

A moon like a tray was floating in the black sky.

“It’s a night that makes one miss… wine.”

(End of Chapter)