Episode 310. Southward
“From the leader of the secret conspiracy?”
What brought Murong Hui out of his thoughts was Zhuge Yingying’s clear voice.
This is a question about Mo Yong-hui’s story that he had received a message from Jang Gil.
“Yes, Miss Zhuge Liang.”
“What will happen this time… … .”
Dang Gye-jung trailed off.
The main body of the Jeongcheon Alliance did not yet have a proper information organization. It was not that there were no people who were aware of the surrounding situation. However, rather than gathering information from outside of Sacheon, they focused on finding out about the actual lives and circumstances of the common people living in this land. After the destruction of the Black Lotus and the Apostolic Forces under its command were swept away by the Tang family, they were devoting their utmost effort to settling the righteous forces in the Sacheon martial arts world, which was almost empty. Although many who advocated the righteous path had recently established themselves, that was not the end. Sima’s group or the Black Path could be lurking in places that the Jeongcheon Alliance could not see, and even among the righteous factions, there could be those with subversive thoughts. The leader of the Jeongcheon Alliance had ordered them to keep a close watch to prevent any cases of them harassing the common people of Sacheon. Therefore, they could not help but be relatively negligent in looking outside of Sacheon.
Of course, that did not mean that Jeongcheonmaeng completely gave up on understanding the external situation.
Isn’t there a Sacheondangga right nearby? The family of the first leader, Amdokgeomryong, Dangmyeongmyeong.
The work of grasping the situation around Sacheon was already being handled by the intelligence organizations of the Tang family, including the Amcheopdan. The Jeongcheon Alliance and the Tang family were clearly separate forces, although they were similar in that they were both powerful, and their areas of activity also overlapped greatly. Normally, they would have frequently checked each other, knowingly or unknowingly, but in later generations, there was no need for that. Since the leader of the Jeongcheon Alliance, Yu Sang-myeong, was the only son of the Tang family leader, Dang Ji-hye, and the head of the Sacheon Tang family, active cooperation was taking place. From the beginning, the Tang family had actively supported the birth of the Jeongcheon Alliance, so it was natural.
Anyway.
━Until the Jeongcheon Alliance’s system is complete, please have the Amcheop Leader pass on what you have learned to the Jeongcheon Alliance headquarters just as you did to me.
According to the order of Dang Zhihui, the leader of the secret army, Jang Gil, had been reporting to the headquarters of the Zhengtian Alliance the situation he had learned about in the southeastern part of Sichuan, as well as in the neighboring areas of Guizhou, Yunnan, and Hubei. Normally, these were matters that should have been reported to the leader of the alliance, Liang Yuanming, or the military officer, Zhuge Changxin, but since both of them were absent, the information was being given priority to the leader of the Sui Alliance, Murong Hui. This was because he had the authority to command the remaining troops.
In addition, the news of the movements of the demon forces in Shaanxi and other regions that Zhuge Changxin sent to Tang Zhihui was also relayed to Murong Hui almost immediately, with almost no time difference.
That is, Murong Hui, Tang Ji-zhong, and Zhuge Ying-ying – the three of them already knew that Shaolin had been destroyed, that Zhongnan had suffered great damage, and that they were retreating from Shaanxi together with Huashan. That was why Tang Ji-zhong was vague about what was happening ‘again’. If it had been just a simple message, Murong Hui would not have bothered to call them together.
“They say that a cavalry force of a thousand men is heading north from Guizhou Guojia.”
“It is just as my uncle said.”
Despite Murong Hui’s words, Zhuge Yingying nodded without being surprised. She knew that her uncle, General Zhuge Changxin, who led the main force of the Zhengtian Alliance, had stationed troops in Zhushan, Hubei Province, and that the reason he did not send support despite the Hua family’s movements in Shaanxi was because he was worried about Guojia in Guizhou.
“The one commanding the troops is… … Taechangma Guncheonak. He must be targeting the Tang family.”
Jegal Yeongyeong guessed with shining eyes. Since she decided to gain strength, she has been accumulating knowledge about the various forces existing in the Central Plains martial arts world, separate from her training. It is a completely different appearance from before when she was only obsessed with cultivating her natural beauty. Furthermore, from Jeongcheonmaeng’s perspective, the three families of the Demonic Way and the extreme demon masters dispatched to each family are, needless to say, targets of attention. Among them, the real threat to the land of Sacheon is the Gwak family of the neighboring land of Guizhou, so Taechangma Guncheonak can be said to be the person she was most interested in.
Mo Yong-hui nodded and opened his mouth.
“It is as Zhuge Liang said. The genius of military strategy and the master of spearmanship known as the ultimate master of the highest level, Guncheon-ak, is said to be leading an army of one thousand cavalry that he seems to have personally trained. Since his departure, he has been moving north very quickly, so it seems that he will arrive at Chengdu, where Tangga is located, within a few days.”
“… … He must be trying to make that guy face the master. Only a peerless master can face a peerless master.”
Dang Gye-jung muttered softly. Those crazy guys, how dare they harm someone… …!
“That’s probably true, Brother Tang. Anyway, according to the secret agent’s message, Tang family is likely to strengthen its defenses in Seongdo. It’s not that Tang family leader made that decision simply to save himself. As you both know, the one who destroyed Shaolin was Magwangcheonju, but the one who killed the abbot was someone else.”
“Yes. I said he was the one wearing a silver mask that covered half of his face. He was an unidentified extreme demon master.”
“You probably know that something similar happened in Seomseo. A man named Geumryeong (金鈴) appeared and caused catastrophic damage to Jongnam. As the head of the Magwangcheonju, he was also an extreme demon master who had never been seen before.”
“… … So there’s no guarantee that it won’t happen again this time.”
Jegal Yeong-yeong spoke with a serious expression on his face as if he had realized something.
Hana Danggyejung still had a look in his eyes that said he needed an explanation. Brother Mo Yong, what on earth are you talking about…?
Mo Yong-hui said.
“As Lady Zhuge has noticed, the leader of the secret faction is considering the possibility that among the troops of Guizhou Guojia advancing north, in addition to Taechangma Guncheonak, there is a new extreme horse master hiding his identity.”
“In my opinion, that seems very likely. Even if they had a peerless master like Taechangma, it would be common sense that the Guizhou Guo family would not have decided to dispatch troops unless they had a reasonable chance of winning against Danggaju, who was also a peerless master.”
Judging from the strong relationship between Lady Gwak Hwa-yeong, the great lady of the Demonic Clan, and Elder Gwak Gwan-ak, it would be reasonable to assume that they were certain of victory━ As he added, Jegal Yeong-yeong touched the iron sword he had been using for training several times recently and spoke.
“Now that I think about it, it’s incredibly suspicious. It’s been quite some time since the main force of the main force was stationed at Juksan in Hubei Province, but there has been no movement during that time, and then they suddenly moved north… … .”
“Just in time, a master of extreme magic joined?”
“My guess is that it wouldn’t be like that.”
“… … I’m not ignoring Zhuge Liang’s insight, but if Guo Jia’s forces include an extreme horse master, how could I not know? The magic energy faction must be incredibly powerful.”
Tang Gye-jung intervened in the conversation between the two and raised a question. It was hard for him to accept that he could not understand the movements of the extreme demon master with his common sense. The magic world was rife with the custom of the strong being respected and the weak being destroyed. In such a world, a being who had reached the highest realm of the extreme demon realm hid his achievements…?
The one who answered was Mo Yong-hui.
“The man in the silver mask and the person called Geumryeong – The leader of the secret conspiracy group said that their very existence is proof that there are extreme demon masters who are secretly working while hiding their magic sects.”
“It’s exactly as the leader of the Dark Spy Group said. Up until now, it’s rare for a demon to hide their magical achievements, but it’s not like there aren’t any at all. Just recently, when I stopped by a place called Hyunyang Village with the leader… … .”
Jegal Yeong-yeong told of what had happened in Hyeonyang Village, a village he had stopped by on his way to attend the Sacheonjihoe with Dang Sang-myeong and Dang Mi-ryeo. For some unknown reason, about a hundred demons from the Demonic Cult Cheonwol-dae had infiltrated the village, hiding their demonic energy. The man leading them even said that he was the cousin of Magwangcheonju Yeon Jung-hyeok.
“… … Unlike the recent behavior of the Magwangcheon demons, it seems that the Demonic Cult has been hiding their Demonic Energy Sect for some purpose since long ago. If we consider that the Magwangcheon Lord was originally the head of the Xinjiang Demonic Cult, it is highly likely that his subordinate, Geumryeong, also had no objection to hiding his Demonic Energy Sect.”
“I see. I was short-sighted.”
“I think it would be better for the Dang family to stay at home. If they encounter enemies there, they can effectively kill them with poison, secret weapons, and the talisman that the main family has prepared.”
“Then why did Brother Murong call us? What was it he wanted to discuss? If the Lord has already decided, then there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do. It doesn’t seem like he’s even asked for reinforcements.”
Tang Ji-zhong raised another question. He had once been a guardian of the Tang family’s outer garden, so he knew Tang family’s defense system well. Poison, secret weapons, and the formations set up by the Zhuge family—the three-layered defenses wouldn’t be of much help unless they were skilled. If the Su-maeng-dan members who weren’t familiar with secret weapons, poison, or formations went to help, it would only be a hassle.
Mo Yong-hui said.
“Of course, I called you two to discuss other matters. The leader of the secret conspiracy said that as soon as the Guizhou Guo family went on a campaign, their movements were quickly spread to Yunnan.”
“That’s natural. There are quite a few breakwaters in Yunnan that are keeping a close eye on Guizhou’s movements.”
“Anyway, as soon as the news spread, another group started moving north from Yunnan.”
“Or are they the defeated apostles? Those who were under the command of the Black Lotus.”
“Yes, Miss Zhuge Liang.”
Mo Yong-hui nodded in agreement and opened his mouth again.
“Their plans are obvious. They plan to take advantage of the Tang family’s attack to raid the land of Sacheon, and if the Guizhou clan wins, they will take root there.”
“… … abominable things.”
Tang Gye-jung gnashed his teeth. Having lost his arm to the Black Lotus, he harbored a strong animosity toward the Apostolic Forces. This was separate from the fact that he had learned swordsmanship from Tang Yuanming thanks to losing his arm.
“If we leave it alone, the common people will suffer greatly. Perhaps Prince Murong… … The leader of the Suimengdan will be intent on subduing them.”
“… … Sometimes when I talk to Lady Jegal, I get that feeling. I wonder if I’ve been using my tongue too much for conversation.”
Anyway━ After talking for so long, Mo Yong-hui spoke again.
“It is as Zhuge Liang said. After receiving the message from the secret agent, I thought about it carefully. As the leader of the Zhengtian Alliance left behind in the rear, what can I do…? We may not be able to block the Guoju Guo family’s forces with our own military force, or provide meaningful help to the Tang family, but I thought we could at least eliminate the scumbags who are trying to exploit the common people.”
“I agree.”
Jegal Yeong-yeong expressed his agreement plainly.
“Brother Mo Yong… … No, the leader of the Su-maeng clan. I don’t think this is something we need to discuss. What did the leader always say? It was to make the lives of the common people peaceful. Let’s go out immediately.”
The Tang Dynasty also intervened.
So, it was decided that the remaining troops of the Su-maeng-dan in the Jeongcheon-maeng headquarters would move south.
