Reincarnation of the Demon - Chapter 156



Only Noblemtl

156. Liver (3)

A magnificent pavilion on the Cheonsan Mountains. A little far from the peak, a heron flew in.

The red-eyed falcon with a strange pattern carved into its head went straight to a man: Sima Qian, the general of the king’s armies.

Those who have been abandoned and defeated gather strength. Sima Se was no different.

The Sima family, which had been promising due to its excellent strategy, was driven out of the martial arts world by the Zhuge family a long time ago, and even in Beijing, where they fled, they were driven to the outskirts by the thousand-year-old masters of secret fighting.

Sima Qian, the head of the Sima family, was later promised the position of prime minister and served the king.

“What does it say?”

A low, bone-chilling voice was heard from behind. Sima Qian turned around and saw the monarch and king he served.

Sima Qian knelt down and presented a letter to Zhou Haobaek, the emperor’s eldest son. After receiving it, Zhou Haobaek remained silent for a long time.

Joo Ho-baek finally laughed.

“The barbarians of the martial arts world are truly nothing but ghosts. A young man so intoxicated with power that he is already thinking of ruling the martial arts world through betrayal.”

Zhu Ho-bok’s face indeed resembled that of his father. The appearance of the emperor known as the Taiping King was well known throughout the Central Plains, and Zhu Ho-bok also had a dignified and majestic appearance that was worthy of a monarch.

However, the dignity he had been given at birth faded away with the passage of time and his mental illness. Although it did not completely disappear, Joo Ho-baek’s eyes were always filled with anger and blood, and his wrinkles were deeply engraved.

“It is true that Yeom Cheon-seong’s arrogance has gone too far. Of course, if this scheme is true.”

Sima Qian slowly stood up and spoke. Zhu Haobaek’s eyes were still fixed on Sima Qian.

“Could it be false?”

“Yeomcheonseong Yongun’s personality is as famous in the martial arts world as his skills. He is arrogant and merciless in killing his enemies, but at the same time, he is a madman who does not harm the people. Isn’t it true that his madness is due to his desire for politics?”

Sima Qian gave instructions to one of his subordinates, who then presented him with a rolled-up report.

Sima Qian nodded after reading the contents.

“It is true that Yongwoon had contact with Hyugae during the time he was called the Ghost Prince. Considering the recent fierce battle between Poonggae and Geomma, the probability of his injury is also real.”

“The movement of the Sapha.”

“According to what I’ve heard, Kwon-Jun is nowhere to be seen in Gwangju. The same goes for the people on the list that Gwang-Hyeol-Geom-Ju and Baek-Gun saw.”

“…Good. Sounds good. Isn’t that a stroke of luck?”

The king smiled faintly.

“Geniuses born from the heavens cannot help but be arrogant. Since they do not know defeat, they tend to run wild without knowing their place and end up getting hurt badly.”

Sima Qian closed his mouth. He could not help but know that those resentful words were actually directed at someone other than Yan Tiancheng.

From the time Sima Qian first met the king, all of the king’s attention and obsession was on his younger brother.

“I was worried because the number of ears I had planted in the Jeongpa Alliance had decreased significantly recently, but this kind of chance came to the biggest ear.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. All of our spies were also required to learn the Minor Magical Arts, so right before they died, the magic energy would have burst out and they would all have died as demons of the Mayeonggak.”

The Soo-Soo-Ma-Gong was a secret technique that the imperial family had possessed for a long time. It was one of the last magic techniques created by a sorcerer, who instantly transformed all of his innate energy into magic energy in a last-ditch effort.

These were the weapons that Zhu Ho-baek had barely managed to obtain from the celestials, along with the secret teachings and blood teachings of the royal family since they could not walk.

“On the contrary, if we have been silent until now about the fact that we have planted spies, that is even more dangerous.”

Sima Qian intentionally planted it in the spies of the Zhengpa Alliance, so that it would look like Ma-in was going crazy when he finally died.

The corners of the king’s mouth stiffened for a moment before his smile grew deeper.

“There was no word from the swordsman. Wasn’t it a great feat to injure Punggae? Since he swore loyalty to me, it was only right that I report that much.”

“The wind chime may have hidden its injury. Even if the Cheon Yu-bang rank is low, the sword horse may have hidden its strength. Or.”

Sima Qian said indifferently.

“It is possible that the swordsman will not properly report this to his lord.”

The king’s expression did not change. However, anger once again seeped into his eyes. Sima Qian carefully observed the change and chose his words carefully.

“You must not forget. The scum of the rivers and lakes were just discarded weapons and cards. Those who have lived like kings for a thousand years while rebelling against the imperial family are unlikely to suddenly follow their lord’s orders to the end. Especially the Demonic Cult that is now under your lord.”

“…I know.”

“Then I will take my leave now. The White Army seemed to be taking care of itself recently, but now it is suddenly giving me such good information. I think it will require more rewards.”

“That’s for you to decide. Also, tell Geumgwino about the Baekgun’s achievements.”

“All right.”

“Dogs that only know how to fight have to bite each other so they don’t bite their masters… Wait a minute.”

The king thought deeply and said.

“Isn’t it possible to deal with the Yeomcheonseong in advance? So that the Baekgun can delve further into the Jeongpa.”

“It’s impossible. In today’s political world, no, in the martial world, Yeom Cheon-seong’s status is higher than anyone else’s. On the contrary, Baek-gun… In fact, you could say that he’s not good, so he could only arouse suspicion.”

“I see. Do as you wish. What about the Crown Prince’s movements?”

He spoke the word “crown” with difficulty, as if there was a thorn stuck in his throat. Nevertheless, the king always called his younger brother “crown.” It seemed to be his way of thinking, sleeping on firewood and tasting gall.

Sima Qian said nothing about it. The stubbornness of his dying lord, who compared himself to his much more capable younger brother every day, was now his life.

“It seems to be heading down rather than up.”

“If it’s below, is it Namman? No, Apostolic?”

“It seems so.”

“So you ended up choosing the classics. I guess he couldn’t think of any other choice.”

Blood dripped from the King’s fingers as he smiled crookedly. This was also familiar. Whenever he thought of the Crown Prince, blood flowed from his hands.

“Did ‘that guy’ still say there’s no way?”

“Yes. Not only is the prince in the realm, but there is also an undefeated sword waiting around him every day.”

“He should also continue to come up with countermeasures. In fact, I’m more interested in that than these disgusting mines. You know that.”

“Of course.”

Sima Qian bowed and stepped back.

Sima Qian, who had escaped from the king’s villa, continued to formulate plans with a blank expression. He looked up at the sky absentmindedly, and indeed, the sky seemed close enough to touch.

Cheonsan. It was almost the only good thing about this stinking cave, located far from the central plains.

He was a loyal subject of King Zhouhou. However, it was not because he was full of loyalty to him, but simply because he was the most effective lifeline for Sima Qian to rise to fame.

It was a thin and rotten rope. But that was also why he was able to stick to it. Prince, Joo Ho-shim was so outstanding.

King, if there is one thing that Zhou Hobo is better than Zhou Hosin, it is that he has already felt the wall of talent and has no confidence in himself. That is why he relies on his subordinates. Sima Qian did not think it was a bad thing.

“Now I can finally take revenge on the filthy people of Gangho.”

Sima Qian muttered and changed his thoughts. Baekjun, and Yeomcheonseong, and Punggae.

“There is a problem with the acupoint of Punggae…”

There was not an iota of doubt in his mind about Yongwoon.

**

“Baekgun Donggwakwoo. He is the one who betrayed. To be exact, the entire Gunwoonghoe betrayed the Jeongpa, no, the martial arts world.”

After the commotion in the main room, Pung-gae went to Yong-un’s villa without anyone knowing and said this calmly.

The moment he entered Yongwoon’s room, he had to make a strange expression because Yongwoon and Danghye came out of the same room, but he just coughed in vain and got back to the main topic.

Yongwoon was surprised, but not surprised. He knew Baekgun during his time as Ma-ui-il, and even after becoming Yongwoon, he had heard and seen his actions.

It wasn’t surprising that he betrayed me, but it was surprising that he had such determination.

“That’s not true. In fact, the power of the great warrior and his character were the valuable backbone of the War Heroes’ Association itself. Rather, the fact that he maintained the War Heroes’ Association for ten years in the Tenth Division is remarkable in itself. Perhaps in five years or so, the War Heroes’ Association would have collapsed.”

As his position in the political arena becomes narrow, he seeks a new nest.

“Twenty of the Cheonyeong’s men were unable to be deployed to the battlefield because of the search for the spy. The same goes for the sixty percent of the Gaebeop, and all the sorcerers in the Jeongpa Alliance were unable to sleep for seven days and nights. We had to give up two of Cheonghae’s offices to find the leak of information. But we succeeded.”

The wind chime said with a sly smile.

“Shouldn’t you be compensated for your efforts so far?”

All the traitors have been identified. Even if not ten percent, at least nine percent, Punggae was proud of it, so the traitors of the Hwangryongmun, Sadoyeon, and the Demonic Cult have all been eliminated.

The rest were those who were ‘certainly’ treated as the king’s. And the head of them and the core of the counterattack was the White Army.

The fact that it was a sect was not just a gathering of dreamers who only cried out for justice and harmony. In any case, it was also a gathering place for the serpents who had survived in the bloody world of the law of the jungle for a thousand years.

Open. Their secret struggle as a sect of beggars, an ear of the political faction, and an information group was something that should not be underestimated.

“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do next. I think you’ll be good at acting, since you’ve been hiding things in various ways up until now.”

“What does that mean-”

“The first thing you do is, of course, use me.”

**

After the Yongbongjihoe, the status of the Open Society, which had been greatly affected by the Hwangryongmun and had had large and small amounts of information leaked by the Demonic Cult, had fallen significantly, and their movements were belittled.

Only a few people knew that Gaebong had focused on the movement under the surface to find the liver. Also, Gaebong was originally a sect of beggars, so it was ignored as usual.

As the beggars themselves fanned the flames of the rumors that had already been rampant, the speed at which the political parties’ views on openness began to worsen was astonishingly fast.

What caused the explosion there was the confrontation between Punggae and Yakshabul. Gaebong and Shaolin. Gaebong, which pursues practicality, and Shaolin, which does not compromise on righteousness, were enemies from the beginning, so their explosion in the conference room was, in a way, natural.

“What did you just say!”

Poonggae got up in anger and glared at Yakshabul. Yakshabul Heo Jin. The Shaolin abbot responded calmly without even blinking an eye at Poonggae’s spirit.

“I’m being honest. Gaebong isn’t doing its job properly these days.”

“You seem to have forgotten that I fought against the Demon Sword! Our Gaebo protected the Fragment from the Demon Sword and the Blood Demons!”

“Isn’t that what all the groups are doing? It’s already a well-known fact that information that is extremely important to the Demonic Cult is being leaked. I am afraid that a chaotic and daunting opening will lead to the advancement of Cheonsan.”

Yakshabul Heo Jin. Everyone in the conference room guessed the sudden agenda and its intentions. Gaebong and Shaolin were not on good terms to begin with.

As is the case at the end of every war, they are trying to suppress openness in advance in order to gain an advantage in rewarding merit.

It is a fact that no one in the martial arts world knows that Yachabul is obsessed with Shaolin’s merits and honor. Although some people looked at Yachabul with disappointment, there were also many who looked with understanding and sympathy.

“this person…!”

As Pung-gae moved his body with a completely red face, the stench became even worse. The peculiar rotten smell that many people suspected was Pung-gae’s ideology vibrated in the conference room,

He turned around roughly and glared at Yongwoon.

“Young and old, they all mock me! What did our opening fail to do-”

For a moment, Poong-gae’s eyes widened and his words stopped. For a moment, Poong-gae’s breathing became unstable along with the stiffness, but he quickly recovered.

However, all of the Jeongpa Alliance members in the conference room were experts at the level of Cheonyeong or higher. It was impossible not to know that.

“…Anyway! You want the ball? Alright! Let’s show the power of openness so that Shaolin’s Ddaengjung won’t be able to say anything!”

Yongwoon snickered, and Baekgun looked at all of it.

The smile he was showing inside became deeper.