42 — Chapter 42

“Do you know why the Dispersing Lotus Union holds the weakest position around this Namsa Lake?”

Mo Cheol-jung asked.

“Our Dispersing Lotus Union settled around Namsa Lake long before your Blue River Clan, Gold Radiance Sect, or the Smoke and Cloud Union existed. When you weren’t here, the whole lake was under our influence. And now?”

Mo Cheol-jung looked at Ha Ho-baek.

“Say it yourself—who holds the shipping rights for the merchants around Namsa Lake?”

“To the Smoke and Cloud Union…”

“Most of the shipping rights that run through Namsa Lake’s waters have passed to the Smoke and Cloud Union. The Dispersing Lotus Union lost its revenue because of that.”

Mo Cheol-jung turned to Noh Ja-gwang.

“You tell me—who drives out the bandits on Namsa Lake and maintains order?”

“That would be our Gold Radiance Sect…”

“The Gold Radiance Sect used force to push our warriors aside and monopolized Namsa Lake’s blades. Our martial artists have nowhere to stand.”

Finally Mo Cheol-jung faced Yu Un-seok.

“You say it too. Which alliance do the common folk of Namsa Lake rely on most?”

Yu Un-seok hesitated a moment, then answered, “Blue River Clan.”

“Right. Whenever there was a bad harvest, Blue River Clan’s leader emptied the alliance granaries and aided the people in his clan’s name. The commoners, ignorant of who funded it, praised only Blue River Clan. Each time the Dispersing Lotus Union was eclipsed and couldn’t even be spoken of among the people.”

Mo Cheol-jung’s lower lip trembled.

“Money went to the Smoke and Cloud Union, the blades to the Gold Radiance Sect, and even the people’s hearts were swallowed by Blue River Clan. In the end, the Dispersing Lotus Union steadily lost its footing around Namsa Lake. We were the original owners of this lake! If this isn’t a case of a rolling stone dislodging a settled one, then what is it!”

Mo Cheol-jung shouted at the top of his lungs.

“The Dispersing Lotus Union didn’t betray anyone! We only tried to reclaim what was originally ours! Your Smoke and Cloud Union! The Gold Radiance Sect! Blue River Clan took what belonged to us, and we’re simply taking it back!”

Then he slumped back into his seat.

“I have no intention of talking to small fry like you. Bring the hall masters. I’ll speak with the leaders, and I’ll accept their judgment.”

Having said that, he closed his eyes and sealed his lips. It was clear he had no intention of continuing the discussion.

…

Ha Ho-baek, Noh Ja-gwang, and Yu Un-seok fell silent and stared at the Dispersing Lotus Union leader.

Even if they were called leaders, they were temporary at best.

There weren’t enough people remaining to properly interrogate a leader who had been known since childhood.

So a strange situation unfolded: the betrayer threw a tantrum while the victims couldn’t question him.

And then.

“This is ridiculous.”

Yeon Mujin, watching, threw out a single remark.

The young leaders, Mo Yeom-bi, and even the silent Mo Cheol-jung all turned to look at him.

“I won’t stand for that pathetic nonsense.”

“Captain!”

“Lower your voice…!” The External Protection Troops nearby were aghast.

But it was already too late. Mo Yeom-bi snapped and spoke to Yeon Mujin.

“What did you say?”

“I said you were spouting long-winded, trivial nonsense.”

“No, I didn’t say it that long.”

“I said a worthless wretch with no money, no power, and no reputation got blinded by jealousy and did something stupid.”

“No…”

Yeon Mujin brushed past the External Protection Troops and stepped forward.

Mo Cheol-jung’s sharp gaze followed him.

“You claim you were the long-time bosses of Namsa Lake? That’s wrong. An incompetent man like you couldn’t have ruled this vast lake. The truth is simple: Namsa Lake is too big for one to monopolize yet too small for four to comfortably divide. And you are…”

Yeon Mujin raised a finger and pointed at Mo Cheol-jung.

“You’re only making excuses, hiding behind a past that never existed.”

“A man who doesn’t even know is wagging his tongue carelessly.”

“Yes. Since you don’t know, I’ll let my tongue run. You won’t be able to refute while you’re tied up anyway. You claim other alliances stole your rights—money, blades, reputation? That’s an excuse. You lacked the strength to hold them in the first place. While the Dispersing Lotus Union stayed holed up in a backwater corner protecting its position, the Smoke and Cloud Union unified the shipping trade. That was their achievement, not yours.”

Yeon Mujin said.

“That’s your fault.”

He added, “You say the Gold Radiance Sect released warriors into the power vacuum to stabilize security and care for the people? It was the Dispersing Lotus Union’s fault for not doing that all those years. It’s not the Gold Radiance Sect’s fault. In short…”

He pointed at him. “That is your fault too.”

Mo Cheol-jung’s face contorted.

Yeon Mujin paid it no mind and continued.

“The master of Blue River Clan would release relief rice during bad harvests and feed the people—others in the alliance contributed, yes, but who made the largest expenditure? Dispersing Lotus Union? The Smoke and Cloud Union? No. It was Blue River Clan. People aren’t fools. They praise Blue River Clan because the master genuinely helped others, even at his own expense. What spoon could the Dispersing Lotus Union put into that?”

He pointed again. “So that’s your fault too.”

“What on earth do you know!”

Mo Yeom-bi flew into a rage and lunged at Yeon Mujin.

Yeon Mujin struck a pressure point and hit the back of Mo Yeom-bi’s neck.

“Look at you—no strength, no money, no virtue, yet your pride’s so big. Don’t you resemble your old man? The reason your Dispersing Lotus Union collapsed isn’t because someone stole your things. You failed to find a way to survive and thus fell. In short, it’s your fault.”

…

Mo Cheol-jung opened his mouth as if to retort, but no words came.

He could have voiced the Dispersing Lotus Union’s grievances and insisted on his innocence, but he knew the truth: the Dispersing Lotus Union had been outcompeted and phased out.

He started this because he couldn’t accept that. That’s why he betrayed the alliances.

Hearing a truth you already know from someone else’s mouth is cruel, and he didn’t want to hear it.

So Mo Cheol-jung mocked Yeon Mujin.

“I don’t care what you accuse me of. You can’t understand unless you’ve been in my shoes. Can you know the feeling of watching your family slowly perish and having no choice but to endure?”

Yeon Mujin smiled bitterly to himself.

He had seen that sight more than anyone: families engulfed by fire, war breaking out, everything stolen, collapsing, ruined. The Bukgung Family—he had watched that future countless times. No matter how hard he tried to prevent ruin, it always ended the same.

No one would understand—few would even know—but Yeon Mujin had suffered through the history of collapse more than anyone.

To him, Mo Cheol-jung’s outburst looked like a child’s tantrum: someone who never truly gave their all, yet acting as if they had.

Right. Since no one knows, you can say things like that.

“So what do you expect me to do?”

“…What?”

“Every evil deed has a motive. Some act from grievance, some for money, some for love—people do mad things for many reasons. Do you know which of those is the most repulsive?”

Yeon Mujin said, pointing at Mo Cheol-jung, “It’s those who try to justify the disgusting things they’ve done.”

Mo Cheol-jung’s face reddened.

“Confess honestly that you betrayed and stirred things up out of ugly jealousy. That would be the manlier thing to do. Instead you failed and cling to others’ hems, shouting, ‘It’s all your fault! I’m blameless!’ No one will pity you for that, nor does it deserve pity. If you couldn’t choose an honorable path, at least keep some pride when you lose.”

Mo Cheol-jung pressed his lips together. His eyes glared at Yeon Mujin as if to kill. He clenched his fist, raised it, then lowered it again. He regained his composure and spoke.

“Say whatever you like. You’re an outsider who knows nothing. At least until the leaders arrive, you won’t utter another word.”

Then he closed his eyes.

Yeon Mujin tilted his head in puzzlement.

“It’s been strange from the start.”

“…”

“Why are you so intent on calling the leaders?”

Yeon Mujin circled Mo Cheol-jung and muttered.

“They’re the leaders you captured and locked up. Their resentment will be greater than that of the people here. Why keep bringing them up? If the leaders wake, your punishment will be far worse.”

Suddenly Yeon Mujin stopped in his tracks.

“Or is your goal to confront the leaders?”

Mo Cheol-jung’s shoulder twitched—a small tremor Yeon Mujin didn’t miss.

“I think…”

He touched Mo Cheol-jung’s shoulder. “Aren’t you stalling for time?”

Mo Cheol-jung glared sharply. “Are you hoping that by dragging things out someone will come to help you?”

The young hall masters recalled a rumor from Yeon Mujin’s words: ‘Behind the Night Water Clan stands the Bukgung Family.’ Because of that rumor, many sects who had been allies of the Southern Four Alliance turned their backs. Don’t touch the Night Water Clan—that would draw the Bukgung Family’s wrath.

Driving out rootless bandits wasn’t a huge matter, but the name of the Bukgung Family was different. No one wanted to interfere.

Yeon Mujin knew exactly who stood behind them.

Leaning close to Mo Cheol-jung’s ear, he whispered so no one else would hear, “Do you think Solitary Cloud Manor will protect you?”

Mo Cheol-jung’s startled expression was plain.

“Shall we test it then?”

“What on earth does that mean…”

At that moment, the main gate of the Smoke and Cloud Union suddenly erupted in noise.

A gatekeeper rushed to Ha Ho-baek in alarm. He tried to keep his voice down, but the area was so quiet that everyone heard him clearly.

“T-the Bukgung, the Bukgung Family have arrived…!”

“What!”

People were startled. Before the gatekeeper finished, more people were already coming in along the Smoke and Cloud Union’s stone path.

The first to enter wore a crimson long robe.

Seeing his face, Mo Cheol-jung leapt to his feet.

“You’ve come…!”

Yeon Mujin clicked his tongue at the relief in his voice.

That man was Geum Jo-gaek, one of his memberss.

And then a group followed behind Geum Jo-gaek.

With each step she took, sounds of admiration and surprise burst out. The External Protection Troops gasped.

The young woman pushed through the crowd to the center, bowed lightly, and greeted the young leaders of Namsa Lake.

“I’m late. I am Bukgung Yoon, Lord of the Bukgung Family’s Flying Swallow Manor.”

Bukgung Yoon had arrived at Namsa Lake.