Chapter 524

Unhwi looked down at his cup for a moment.

The liquor was rippling. Faintly.

It was not because Unhwi’s hand was trembling.

When a martial artist of the Mixed Origin Sovereign Realm rose from his seat, the building itself reacted to the movement.

Unhwi spoke.

“The reason you cannot step forward is because of justification.”

“That is right.”

“The false accusation that you colluded with the Demonic Path, and the false accusation that you were behind the Hwanmyeong Sect. Those two things are strangling the Sichuan Alliance.”

“Correct.”

“If you fight, the accusations harden into seeming truth. If you remain still, your subordinate sects collapse.”

“That is also correct.”

Unhwi looked at Kang Cheonwoo.

As for the Hwanmyeong Sect, everyone involved is already dead. They can attach whatever story they want to it and turn it into justification.

But that aside.

“Senior. What is the basis for the accusation that you colluded with the Demonic Path?”

Kang Cheonwoo’s brow furrowed.

“One of our minor subordinate sects really did conduct business with a Demonic Path faction. It is called the Seven Stars Sect. It is small and has no influence. But Gun Mugeol inflated that into something done by the entire Sichuan Alliance.”

“The Seven Stars Sect truly did conduct business with a Demonic Path faction?”

“There were a few small transactions involving supplies. Medicinal ingredients and minerals, nothing more. Even though they belonged to the Demonic Path, they were closer to black-market merchants than anything else. And it was something the leader of the Seven Stars Sect arranged personally. Naturally, there was no order from the Sichuan Alliance.”

“Where is the leader of the Seven Stars Sect now?”

“Dead.”

Unhwi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“When?”

“A month ago. They said it was illness, but something about it did not sit right.”

“Did not sit right......”

“It was sudden. The bastard had been perfectly healthy, then died overnight.”

Unhwi nodded.

“They silenced him.”

Kang Cheonwoo nodded.

“Gun Mugeol, most likely.”

“Not personally. But it was probably one of Gun Mugeol’s people.”

Unhwi swept back his hair.

“If the leader of the Seven Stars Sect remained alive, Gun Mugeol would be the one at a disadvantage. If the man spoke and testified that there had been no order from the Sichuan Alliance and that it was merely a private transaction, the accusation would collapse.”

“......”

“That is why they killed him. They eliminated the witness.”

Kang Cheonwoo clenched his teeth.

“But, Senior.”

Unhwi continued.

“The witness is gone, but the evidence remains.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes flashed.

“Evidence?”

“There should be records of the transactions between the Seven Stars Sect and the Demonic Path faction. Since they were trading supplies, there would have been ledgers. Those ledgers should record the scale and nature of the transactions.”

“There are. We obtained the ledgers when we investigated the Seven Stars Sect.”

“What do they contain?”

“Medicinal ingredients and minerals. Small transactions. The sums involved were not large either.”

“Did you make them public?”

Kang Cheonwoo stopped.

“No.”

“Was there a reason?”

Kang Cheonwoo sighed.

“I judged that it would be useless even if I did. Gun Mugeol could simply claim that the Sichuan Alliance fabricated the evidence. The martial world has already tilted toward seeing the Murim Alliance as the righteous side. Even if we shoved the [N O V E L I G H T] ledgers in their faces, no one would believe us.”

“Correct.”

Unhwi nodded.

“The Sichuan Alliance cannot be the one to present them.”

“......Then?”

“A third party can.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes widened.

Unhwi continued.

“What happens if a disinterested third party, neither the Sichuan Alliance nor the Murim Alliance, reveals the Seven Stars Sect’s transaction records to the world?”

“......”

“If the Sichuan Alliance reveals them, it becomes an excuse. But if a third party reveals them, it becomes truth.”

Kang Cheonwoo stared at Unhwi.

“And who is that third party?”

Unhwi answered without hesitation.

“Heaven’s Will Alliance.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes widened further.

“Heaven’s Will Alliance......?”

“Yes. The Beggars’ Sect is the problem, but you need not concern yourself with that part.”

Kang Cheonwoo frowned at the sudden mention of the Beggars’ Sect.

“Why the Beggars’ Sect now?”

“The Beggars’ Sect is the eyes and ears of the martial world. They are an organization that deals in information. But at this point, it would not be wrong to say that the Beggars’ Sect and Gun Mugeol are in the same boat.”

“......”

“Their leader, Zhengshan, is certainly the sort of man who would do that. Even I am left speechless by the sheer weight of his cunning.”

Kang Cheonwoo let out a sigh and folded his arms.

His massive arms crossed over his chest.

He looked at Unhwi.

For a long while.

“Simply clearing away the accusations cannot possibly be the entirety of your clever plan. Now then. Tell me the heart of it.”

Unhwi smiled faintly.

“Indeed. This alone is not enough.”

“......”

“Revealing the ledgers is defense. It clears away the accusation. Defense alone will not overturn the board.”

“......”

“That is why we need an attack.”

Fire lit Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes.

Attack.

The blood of the Sichuan Overlord responded to that word.

“Go on.”

“We return Gun Mugeol’s own method to him.”

“Return it?”

“The leader of the Seven Stars Sect is dead. You said they called it illness, but that his death was suspicious.”

“That is right.”

“If we investigate his death, we will find a trail leading back to Gun Mugeol’s side.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes narrowed. ℯℯ𝑙.

“You are saying we should find evidence that the Murim Alliance killed the witness.”

“Yes.”

“Can we find it?”

“We can.”

Unhwi spoke.

“Valley Leader Yang of Viper Valley is unmatched under heaven when it comes to poisons. Yang can determine whether the leader of the Seven Stars Sect truly died of illness—or was poisoned.”

“You intend to draw Viper Valley into this as well?”

“I have already contacted them.”

Kang Cheonwoo was left speechless.

Good grief.

“You did not come here after arranging all of this in advance, did you?”

Unhwi smiled.

He did not deny it.

Kang Cheonwoo laughed in disbelief.

“Ha...... Truly, you are a frightening bastard.”

“I am not frightening. I merely prepared.”

“Prepared.”

Kang Cheonwoo repeated the word.

“Yes. Prepared. Right. That is the kind of bastard you are.”

Kang Cheonwoo sat down again.

The chair creaked. It was barely enduring the weight of his massive frame.

“Let me put this in order.”

Kang Cheonwoo counted on his fingers.

“First. We reveal the Seven Stars Sect’s transaction ledgers through Heaven’s Will Alliance. We tell the world that the transactions were small in scale and had nothing to do with the Sichuan Alliance.”

“Yes.”

“Second. We use Viper Valley to investigate the cause of death of the Seven Stars Sect’s leader. If he was poisoned, we find evidence that it was the work of the Murim Alliance.”

“Yes.”

“Third. Once those two things come together, Gun Mugeol’s accusation is reversed. Instead of the Sichuan Alliance colluding with the Demonic Path, the picture becomes one in which the Murim Alliance framed the Sichuan Alliance and even murdered the witness.”

“Precisely.”

Kang Cheonwoo looked at Unhwi.

“Then what happens to Gun Mugeol?”

“He loses his justification.”

Unhwi spoke.

“Once he loses his justification, he cannot maintain the pressure. The Four Great Families and the smaller sects will withdraw. The subordinate sects that left will return as well.”

“Will Gun Mugeol simply sit still?”

“He will have no choice.”

Unhwi continued.

“What is Gun Mugeol’s strength? Justification. Creating justification is his weapon.”

“......”

“Once that justification is reversed, Gun Mugeol is left barehanded. He loses his weapon.”

“......”

“There are two things a barehanded Gun Mugeol can do. Create a new justification, or force his way through with military power.”

“If he chooses the latter?”

“He cannot.”

Unhwi stated it flatly.

“If the Alliance Leader of the Murim Alliance attacks the Sichuan Alliance without justification, the entire martial world will turn its back on him. That is precisely what Gun Mugeol fears most.”

“......”

“Gun Mugeol survives on the respect of the martial world. If he loses that respect, he loses everything.”

Kang Cheonwoo stared at Unhwi.

For a long time.

“......And if he chooses to create a new justification?”

“It takes time. Rebuilding justification after it has already been overturned is far harder than creating it in the first place.”

“And what do we do during that time?”

“There is something you must do.”

Unhwi spoke.

“You must step forward.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes flashed.

“Step forward?”

“The moment the justification is overturned, the Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Alliance must personally step forward and make a declaration.”

“What declaration?”

“That the Sichuan Alliance has never colluded with the Demonic Path, and that you will protect the martial artists of Sichuan to the very end against the Murim Alliance’s false accusations.”

Unhwi continued.

“What do you think will happen if, immediately after it is revealed that the Murim Alliance used lies to pressure you, the Sichuan Overlord personally steps forward and declares that he will protect Sichuan?”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes widened.

“......The sects that left will return.”

“They will do more than return. Their unity will become even stronger. The very fact that the Sichuan Alliance overcame the Murim Alliance’s false accusations will raise its standing.”

“......”

“The crisis becomes an opportunity.”

Kang Cheonwoo looked steadily at Unhwi.

Truly.

“You are a frightening bastard.”

“That is the second time you have said that.”

“I can say it a third and fourth time.”

Kang Cheonwoo laughed heartily.

Then the laughter vanished.

His expression became serious.

“Let me ask you one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why are you doing all of this?”

Unhwi looked at Kang Cheonwoo.

“I told you. It is a debt.”

“A debt is a debt, but......”

Kang Cheonwoo peered deeply at Unhwi.

“This goes beyond repaying a debt. You are overturning Gun Mugeol’s board, saving the Sichuan Alliance, and even changing the balance of the martial world.”

“......”

“Is that not far too much for a debt?”

Unhwi was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke.

“Senior.”

“Mm.”

“I want the martial world to remain quiet.”

“......”

“At least for the time being, I do not want anything major to happen.”

Kang Cheonwoo looked at Unhwi.

“Stopping Gun Mugeol from shaking the board. Preventing the Sichuan Alliance from collapsing. Preventing the martial world from falling into war. That is what I want.”

“Why?”

“Because there is something I must do.”

Unhwi answered.

“The martial world must remain quiet so that I can focus on it.”

Kang Cheonwoo asked no more.

He did not know what Unhwi needed to do.

But he already knew very well that this young man was not someone who spoke empty words.

Kang Cheonwoo placed a hand on Unhwi’s shoulder.

His enormous hand covered Unhwi’s shoulder.

It was heavy.

But warm.

“Whatever picture you are drawing, I am on your side.”

“Thank you.”

“Forget the thanks.”

Kang Cheonwoo grinned.

“Let us have another drink. It has been a long time since I felt this relieved.”

Kang Cheonwoo picked up the liquor bottle.

Glug, glug.

He filled both cups to the brim.

The two men raised their cups.

This time, they struck them together.

Clink.

The clear sound rang through Overlord Hall.

They drank in one go.

Kang Cheonwoo set down his cup and spoke.

“Ah, and one more thing.”

“Yes.”

“That Valley Leader of Viper Valley. If they are going to investigate the cause of death of the Seven Stars Sect’s leader, they will need the corpse.”

“I have already located the grave of the Seven Stars Sect’s leader.”

Kang Cheonwoo stared at Unhwi.

“......You really did arrange everything.”

Unhwi gave a faint grin.

“I prepared.”

“You bastard.”

Kang Cheonwoo laughed heartily.

Laughter echoed through Overlord Hall.

It had been a long time.

A long time since laughter had echoed through Overlord Hall.

Outside, the martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance heard it.

They looked at one another.

The Alliance Leader is laughing.

For the first time in a long while.

That alone made it feel as though something was changing.

***

They left Overlord Hall.

Unhwi in front, Ju Soa behind him, and Kang Cheonwoo beside them.

The three walked together.

The road from Overlord Hall to the mountain gate was long.

A broad avenue cutting through the heart of the Sichuan Alliance. Buildings lined both sides, and martial artists came and went.

Normally, they would simply have passed through.

But someone was standing in the middle of the avenue.

Not one person.

Dozens.

Martial artists stood in formation.

They wore the uniforms of the Sichuan Alliance. They carried no weapons, but their ranks were orderly.

They had clearly not gathered there naturally.

Someone had ordered them to assemble.

At their center stood a man.