What Rage Left Behind (4)

The guest hall of the Martial Alliance Leader’s residence. The key figures who had received the report flocked there. Their complexions were extremely poor. However, the actual master of this place did not appear. It had been a long time since the Martial Alliance Leader had appeared in an official setting.

“Huh! Well, that is something! So you are saying that they could not do anything about a single Secret Shadow, and now two thousand people fled? After half of them died, at that? No, just what kind of person is that Secret Shadow fellow, that he can kill people like that?”

One elder, who had not yet tasted Neung Je-gang’s terror, chattered on. However, no one answered his words. Soon, he too became awkward and shut his mouth. Only then did Go Won-gi speak first.

“I clearly told you. I said he was someone who must not be touched recklessly. The ones who ignored my opinion and devised a petty scheme were all of you. Thanks to that, one thousand elites of the Martial Alliance died without even spreading their wings. Now he will regard the Martial Alliance as his enemy. I am afraid. I do not want to die in this manner. Therefore, as of this moment, I will withdraw from the Martial Alliance.”

Bang.

It was a bombshell declaration. If he, the Investigation Unit Chief, vacated his position, nearly all the Martial Alliance’s work would be paralyzed. After the Alliance Leader entered seclusion, it had been the Investigation Unit that oversaw the Alliance’s major and minor affairs.

“To be so irresponsible.”

“Did you just say irresponsible? When did you ever let me take responsibility? If I told you not to touch him, then you should not have touched him. After creating this situation, whom are you now talking to about responsibility?”

Go Won-gi truly became angry and shouted sharply. Then he simply left the room on the spot.

“See here, Chief Go. This is not a situation that can be resolved according to your temper, is it?”

“A situation? Now, even if the Eastern Depot frames the Martial Alliance for treason, we will have nothing to say. I am saying that we have ended up in the same state as Kunlun. If you remain in the Martial Alliance, you will die. Do you understand?”

At the words heard from behind him, Go Won-gi answered like this and went to his office to pack his things.

“On this occasion, I should retire into seclusion like the Alliance Leader too.”

Go Won-gi knew about the Martial Alliance Leader’s seclusion. After hearing that the Black Alliance Leader had retired into seclusion, he too had quietly followed him into seclusion.

Go Won-gi had had to make tremendous efforts to conceal that. It was because he feared chaos would come if it was exposed that the Alliance Leader’s seat was empty. Yet now, they had created an enemy they could not handle. One way or another, chaos had begun.

“Is there no way to reconcile?”

The elders who at least viewed the situation realistically gathered and asked. Of course, they too were those who had cast votes in favor of eliminating Neung Je-gang. However, it was uncertain whether they would go to Beijing and kneel as Neung Je-gang had said.

“Still, Chief, were you not the one who had the closest relationship with him? Is there no way to resolve this in the direction of reconciliation?”

“Secret Shadow sent me his final ultimatum. A way to resolve it? Of course there is. But I cannot speak of it.”

“What is it? Just what kind of method is it that you cannot speak of?”

If the Martial Alliance collapsed, all the vested rights they had enjoyed until now would disappear. The corruption they had committed while using the Alliance’s name would also certainly be exposed to the whole world. Their wealth and glory, which they had thought they would enjoy for a thousand or ten thousand years, would vanish.

“Can you kneel before him?”

“Wh-what?”

It was the most humiliating method for a martial artist. If destruction of the dantian was the most terrifying punishment for a martial artist, kneeling was the act that made all of his honor disappear. Even if one had to vomit blood and die, there would be no one who would try to do it.

“That is the only method. He said he would not forgive the Martial Alliance even if you knelt, but he said that if you knelt like that and received His Majesty the Emperor’s forgiveness, he would forgive you. Is that enough? Do not waste precious time for no reason. Think about running away, like me. You will be pursued by the Eastern Depot for the rest of your lives, but you cannot kneel, can you?”

“Did he say he would kill you too if you did not kneel? Is that why you are packing your bundle like this?”

“What do I have to do with kneeling? What he wanted was the people who tried to kill him. I was the one who opposed it, so why would he kill me? I am simply leaving because I dislike what you elders are doing. So do your best.”

Go Won-gi roughly packed only his own belongings, slung them over his shoulder, and went out the door.

“H-hey. Chief!”

They called out to him in regret, but Go Won-gi did not even look back.

But suddenly, Go Won-gi turned around and spoke first.

“If you are perhaps thinking of finding the Alliance Leader and bothering him, you had better give up. The Alliance Leader has already left the martial world long ago.”

The surroundings became utterly silent. In truth, the elders had been thinking of that. If Secret Shadow was that strong, then the only person who could face him was the Alliance Leader. They had been thinking that they could call the Alliance Leader to face him, and if things went well, eliminate Secret Shadow.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The Alliance Leader entered seclusion together with the Black Alliance Leader. If you search the whole world, perhaps you might find him? Hahahaha!”

Go Won-gi’s laughter grew distant. If Go Won-gi’s words were true, then now the Martial Alliance had neither an Alliance Leader nor an Investigation Unit Chief.

A long meeting continued. One side said they should kneel and receive forgiveness, while the other side said they absolutely could not do that even if they died. In the beginning, the majority was on the side that said they could not do it even if they died.

However, as time passed, the majority gradually tilted toward kneeling. There was a reason. As time passed, the number of elites declaring withdrawal from the Martial Alliance and leaving was increasing.

Testimonies from those who had witnessed Secret Shadow’s divine might continued, and those who did not want to die left the Martial Alliance. Those who at least remained now were people from the same sects or families as the elders. By rumor alone, the Martial Alliance had been placed in danger of disbanding.

While the meeting was in full swing at the Martial Alliance, Neung Je-gang and his party arrived in Beijing. After meeting Princess Jang-ok and greeting her, Neung Je-gang explained the situation that had occurred with the Martial Alliance and told her that if anyone came to Beijing and knelt before the imperial palace, she should forgive them. Neung Je-gang did not want to go out to such a place.