Double Conspiracy (1)

There was one government office in Seon-yeong. The neglected Cheonghae Province did not have the Regional Military Commission installed in other places, nor was a Provincial Administration Commission established there. It was a borderland in the literal sense. It belonged to the empire, but in practice, the empire’s influence was not strong there.

So the thing they had barely furnished was the Cheonghae Province Governor-General’s Office, which barely handled Seon-yeong’s public order. The Governor-General’s Office had a considerably wide area under its charge, but because the population was insufficient, it was a military camp installed merely for appearances.

Deung Myeong established his residence there. It was the most usable building in Seon-yeong, at least. He sat in the grand preceptor’s chair, put a snack into his mouth, chewed it, then turned his head to look at the person reporting.

“One man, you say?”

“That is correct.”

“Did he seem to be the one those Jieun Territory children reported?”

“That is not certain. However, seeing as he entered Seon-yeong without hesitation, is it not clear that he is someone with something behind him?”

“I…… like certainty.”

“I apologize.”

“Kheum! Send the Jieun Territory immediately and have them confirm whether it is that man.”

“Understood.”

“And is there still no news of Byeon Bong?”

“There has still been no contact at all.”

“He is not someone who would be defeated easily…… In any case, even in order to find out news of Byeon Bong, every suspicious person must be captured.”

“Understood.”

After the person making the report left, Deung Myeong remained alone in the large hall. He put another roasted bean into his mouth and chewed it. He had not liked snacks like this very much, but after he happened to touch the snack the Governor-General had been eating, its savory taste had stolen his palate.

“Call the Sect Leader and the Soul-Hunting First Tiger.”

He suddenly muttered.

“Yes.”

An answer came from somewhere unseen. Around him, one or two Soul Hunters were always hiding and guarding him. Since Deung Myeong was not so weak that he needed protection, they had ended up reduced to errand runners, just as they were now.

“Did you call for me?”

Jeong Hoe-ja arrived first. He had been nearby, so he had come quickly.

Even though Jeong Hoe-ja greeted him, Deung Myeong put yet another roasted bean into his mouth. Then, after a short while, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger also entered the hall.

Bow.

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger slightly lowered his head in greeting and waited until Deung Myeong brought up the matter.

“Soul-Hunting First Tiger!”

Deung Myeong looked at the Soul-Hunting First Tiger, who had only nodded his head, with dissatisfied eyes and called him bluntly.

“Yes.”

“You must have heard the news that a suspicious person has been discovered in Seon-yeong.”

“I heard.”

“Take your subordinates and make sure to thoroughly block that person so he cannot escape toward the Martial Alliance or the imperial army.”

“You mean us?”

“Yes.”

“Then the place we are currently guarding……?”

“I will handle that myself, so you may withdraw.”

Deung Myeong spoke bluntly. Having to answer every single thing he asked irritated him.

“If so…… understood. We will do that.”

“Go.”

At Deung Myeong’s words, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger bowed his head again and went outside.

“You heard that, did you not? Send your subordinates to the food warehouse and Hagok Plain and have them guard them. Since it is a matter of protecting food, you will need many people.”

“Understood.”

Jeong Hoe-ja did not even ask why he was changing the deployment like this and turned to go outside.

“Ah, Sect Leader!”

“Yes.”

Jeong Hoe-ja turned back around. Deung Myeong picked up another roasted bean and opened his mouth toward Jeong Hoe-ja.

“I heard you were preparing troops to send to Kunlun?”

“That is correct.”

“That…… stop it.”

“Pardon?”

“You know it is already too late, do you not?”

“But……?”

“Enough. If you pull out troops, the only result will be that this place becomes weaker by that much. Kunlun can be rebuilt later, so make sure to guard this place thoroughly. Soon, when Father activates the Cheon-geum Domain, the Black Alliance will have no choice but to withdraw from Kunlun as well.”

“……Understood.”

Jeong Hoe-ja seemed about to protest, but simply withdrew powerlessly. If Kunlun collapsed, the responsibility would fall directly on him as the Sect Leader. Even if Kunlun was restored later, his name would remain in Kunlun’s history as a sinner.

Deung Myeong stared blankly at Jeong Hoe-ja’s powerless back as he left, then suddenly muttered.

“How foolish. In any case, now it is the same whether something like Kunlun exists or not…….”

He grumbled, as if dissatisfied about something, then seemed bothered by something and glanced into the air before shouting.

“Withdraw. You do not need to come until I call you again.”

The Soul Hunters who had been hiding while concealed disappeared without making even a hint of presence. Only then did Deung Myeong’s expression soften slightly.

“Those fellows seem more like they are watching me than protecting me.”

Having someone observe all of one’s private life was something quite bothersome. Especially in the case of someone like Deung Myeong, who had many things to hide.

After the Soul Hunters had completely hidden themselves, Deung Myeong came outside. He looked at the sky and let out a deep sigh.

“So I have to spend this winter here like this? Damn it! It is unbearably boring. Martial arts training has become nothing but tiresome now too…… Hm, I should have brought Sohee with me.”

Deung Myeong had possessed Sohee’s body, though only once. And after that, he had been unable to forget her.

Sohee was a woman with enough charm for that. If his grandfather, Deung Gak, had not firmly declared that his bride would be a princess of the Ming Empire, he might have tried to keep Sohee by his side forever.

“Hut! A princess? They said that princess is now with those Imperial Guards, did they not?”

While thinking of Sohee, Deung Myeong suddenly recalled that there was a princess nearby. In any case, if things went well, he and the princess of Ming would be married. If he became emperor, then a princess of the empire would be suitable as empress after all.

“Should I go take a look? Or should I tell them to bring her here?”

Deung Myeong was now having dangerous thoughts. He hurriedly walked somewhere. He could not tell the Soul Hunters about such a secret matter. Strictly speaking, the Soul Hunters could be considered outsiders.

Deung Gak had said that the Necromancer Cult was a place they would have to abandon someday. If he had the Soul Hunters do something like kidnapping the princess, it might later act as a weakness.

“Even if not the Soul Hunters, there are plenty of subordinates who can do that much.”

Those who had originally specialized in such dirty work were the Jieun Territory. Those who belonged to Kunlun, yet were not Taoists.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that, thanks to them, Kunlun had succeeded in all of its covert operations until now. Hyeonok Territory and Hwangdong Territory, which had disappeared at Neung Je-gang’s hands, could in fact be called derivative imitators of the Jieun Territory.

Deung Myeong went to the place where the masters of the Jieun Territory were recuperating. They had returned not long ago looking completely like beggars. At that time, Deung Myeong had thought they would no longer be of much use and had not paid them any attention.

“Have you come?”

Whether he received their greetings or not, Deung Myeong sat down on a nearby bed.

“There are two things I will have you do. One is to run as quickly as possible and bring Sohee here. The other is to bring the princess of the Ming Empire.”

After saying this, Deung Myeong waited for the responses of the Jieun Territory masters. There was no way there would be no response. The things he had said were not tasks that could be attempted rashly by anyone in their right mind.

“If it is Sohee, is she not in Kunlun?”

Someone asked. He had no choice but to ask. Kunlun was too far away, and perhaps by now it might have been occupied by the Black Alliance.

“That is right. So among you, the person most confident in lightness art must run there without resting.”

If they arrived later than the Black Alliance, they could not bring Sohee back safely. Since they were being ordered to do it, they had no choice but to do it, but since it might be a road to their deaths, no one could easily step forward.

Moreover, the problem did not end there.

“You are telling us to bring the princess?”

“Yes. That woman is not with martial artists, but with the Eastern Depot, so would that not be relatively easier?”

At Deung Myeong’s words, the Jieun Territory masters looked at one another. Then they shook their heads.

Martial artists tended to look down on the Eastern Depot, but the Eastern Depot was by no means a place to be taken lightly. The place that captured and imprisoned great villains even the martial world could not carelessly touch was none other than the Eastern Depot. Was that not why the Forbidden Demon Prison had been created? Were there only one or two people whose lives had been ruined because they looked down on it simply as part of the government?

“Are only we going?”

They asked again. It could not be helped. Underlings had to do as they were ordered when ordered.

However, without support, it was an impossible mission. The number of Jieun Territory members had been greatly reduced, and their Territory Lord, Byeon Bong, was also absent.

“I will go as well.”

Deung Myeong answered simply.

“Pardon?”

“I said I am going too. I will draw their attention, so you must bring the princess. Do not forget that you must escort her here absolutely safely.”

“U-understood. Then when……?”

“Tonight.”

Deung Myeong had no intention of waiting.

“Understood.”

After hearing their answer, Deung Myeong smiled faintly and rose from his seat.

Now that he had given the order, he thought that perhaps this was another way to resolve the current standoff. If the princess fell into his hands, the Imperial Guards of Ming would first withdraw. And the Martial Alliance and the Black Alliance would also have to withdraw from Cheonghae for the time being.

Even in order to later have the new country recognized by the emperor of Ming, having the princess in his grasp was not a bad thing.

“Did I not decide to stop being human anyway? Hahahaha!”

Even he thought it was despicable. But there was no need to deliberately take a difficult path when an easy method was available.

However, as with all things, worldly affairs did not move according to plan.