Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 195 – Loyalty (2)

“Ahem. If you become the Society Leader’s disciple, wouldn’t you need a loyal subordinate to be your right-hand man?”

‘!?’

At the words of Seop Chun, the Third Captain Commander of the main building, Mok Gyeong-un couldn’t hide his puzzlement.

He had been wary, wondering if the glances Seop Chun had been stealing at him throughout their journey north were due to a secret order from the Society Leader or the Vice-Leader.

However, at this sudden question, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

– This mortal guy is quite an interesting fellow.

– Interesting, you say?

– I wondered why he was glancing at you for three days, but all he wanted to say was puhahahaha—

Cheong-ryeong, who had been telling him to be careful until just a moment ago, burst out laughing.

Well, in a way, it was something to laugh about.

However, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t take these words at face value.

– It could be a trap.”

– A trap?

– Yes.

– Hmm. Why do you think so?

– It could be a ploy to plant a spy on me.

– A spy…? Well, that’s a possibility.

Cheong-ryeong also suddenly agreed with this.

It was quite suspicious for someone they had just met for the first time due to this confidential mission to suddenly express their desire to join his subordinates.

Moreover, wasn’t he the Captain Commander who protected the Society Leader?

At this, Mok Gyeong-un spoke without showing any particular change in expression,

“I don’t know what you mean by that.”

“Hmm. You really don’t know what I’m saying? Even though I said it so blatantly.”

“Blatantly… What do you mean?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s feigned ignorance, Seop Chun scratched his head and spoke in a disappointed tone,

“I thought we would be on the same page, but it’s disappointing. Alright.”

“What is it?”

“No, if you say it like that, what about my position when I’ve expressed my desire to join under you?”

In the end, Seop Chun was blatantly expressing his intention.

At Seop Chun’s words, Mok Gyeong-un put down the rabbits he had hunted on the ground and said,

“You want to join under me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask? Didn’t I just say it? If you successfully complete this mission, you’ll be selected as the Society Leader’s fourth disciple.”

“And?”

“And that’s why I asked if you wouldn’t need a loyal subordinate by your side?”

“Well…”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s unenthusiastic answer, Seop Chun couldn’t hide his awkwardness.

He had agonized for three days over how to express his intention and had barely taken advantage of the moment when Mong Mu-yak was away.

However, he didn’t expect such a lukewarm, if not cold, response.

At this, Seop Chun spoke, expressing his disappointment,

“Do you perhaps not like me?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Seop Chun seemed to be a quite honest person without much greed compared to the people Mok Gyeong-un had seen so far.

He also had no particular pretense when interacting with others.

“Then why are you hesitating? I’m getting disappointed.”

“Liking someone and trusting them are separate matters.”

“Trust?”

“Yes.”

“Then you don’t find me trustworthy?”

“Do you think you can be trusted?”

“No, why? Even though I may not look like it, I’m someone who always keeps my word once I make a promise. If I consider someone as my own, I definitely take care of them and follow them.”

-Thump thump!

Seop Chun thumped his chest, showing his confidence.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un spoke without any particular change in expression,

“Words can say anything.”

“It’s not just words. If you accept me, I’m prepared to repay that trust, no, to pledge my loyalty as your right-hand man.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Then why do you want to join under me?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Seop Chun looked directly into his eyes.

In fact, Seop Chun had also expected that if he asked to be accepted as a subordinate when they had only met recently, it would naturally raise suspicion.

So instead of empty flattery, he decided to express his honest feelings.

“It’s a gamble.”

“A gamble?”

“Yes.”

“Really… What a novel answer.”

Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.

He was curious about what passionate reason or justification Seop Chun would come up with, but he never expected him to say it was a gamble.

“…I’m sorry for saying it like this, but wanting to join under you is purely a gamble for me.”

“A gamble… Well, I guess it could be.”

“Yes. To be honest, even if you become the Society Leader’s fourth disciple, that’s just the beginning for you.”

“…”

“The Eldest Young Master and the other disciples are already running to become the successor with many supporting forces secured.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, ‘and’? You’ll be in the most disadvantageous position if you become his disciple. You have no support base except for the Shadow Clan, your original sect, and as a former hostage from the righteous faction, it will be difficult for you to gather supporting forces.”

Seop Chun was expressing his opinion in an almost brutally honest manner.

Of course, if revealed as it was, Seop Chun’s opinion was accurate.

Mok Gyeong-un smiled lightly and said,

“I see.”

“Don’t take it too badly. I think a person who wants to be a loyal subordinate should be able to speak this frankly.”

“Speak frankly…”

“There’s a saying that good medicine is bitter, right?”

“Is that so? So in conclusion, you’re saying you’re taking a gamble because I’m in a disadvantageous position.”

“Ahem, that’s right.”

“Then why bother going through that inconvenience? Just join under the other disciples. Don’t take an unnecessary gamble.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s outright rejection, Seop Chun spoke in a flustered manner,

“No, no. If I were going to do that, I would have done it long ago.”

“It’s not too late. If there’s a disciple you like…”

“There isn’t.”

“Pardon?”

“I said there isn’t. A disciple I like.”

At his words, Mok Gyeong-un asked in puzzlement,

“Why isn’t there anyone you like?”

“They’re just all a bit, you know.”

“What do you mean by ‘all a bit’?”

At this question, Seop Chun sighed and caught his breath before answering,

“This is just between us, but I don’t like the Second Young Master, Jang Neung-ak, because he has the least talent among the other successors and is crafty.”

“And?”

“The Young Lady, Wi So-yeon, has decent talent and seems desperate in everything, but it’s like she’s being swayed by her subordinates, should I say?”

‘Hoo.’

For a Guardian of the main building, he had a surprisingly accurate assessment.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un asked,

“What about the Eldest Young Master?”

“…It’s ambiguous.”

“Ambiguous, you say?”

“He lacks human touch. I can understand that as someone walking the path of hegemony, but… There are too many talented people around him, so I don’t think there’s a place for me.”

“There wouldn’t be no place for you.”

“I just don’t want to be satisfied with simply joining their subordinates like a nobody.”

“…”

“Most of the disciples already have later generation disciples from prestigious martial arts families within the sect serving them.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un asked in puzzlement,

“Aren’t you also one of the Five Tigers?”

The Five Tigers was a title given only to the top later generation disciples.

With such a title and being the Third Captain Commander of the main building, anyone would have no choice but to make use of him.

Or so he thought, but,

“No. There’s a limit because I have no backing.”

“Backing?”

“Unlike them, I’m from a small to medium-sized martial arts family, so there’s a limit. Even if I join under those who already have loyal subordinates, there’s a ceiling to how high I can rise.”

“You’re quite honest.”

“Of course. Even if I join under someone, my goal is to be recognized and succeed within that group.”

As his words ended, Cheong-ryeong’s voice echoed in Mok Gyeong-un’s ear,

– He’s a guy I like.

– You like him?

– He has pure desires like honor and success. And fundamentally, he’s very honest with his own emotions. A guy like this will risk his life for a master who recognizes his worth.

– Your evaluation of him is quite positive.

– That’s how it seems to me. What about you?

– I don’t dislike him. But I’m still not sure.

– Do you have doubts?

– Yes.

The timing was not appropriate.

If it were a different moment rather than during this confidential mission, or if he weren’t the Guardian Commander who protected the Society Leader, he might have found it intriguing at this point.

It was rare to find a pawn who willingly offered their loyalty.

– So are you going to just ignore him? Or keep him at a distance?

– I think I’ll put him through a proper verification process.

– Verification? In what way?

– It’s enough to confirm that he’s not a person of the Society Leader or the Vice-Leader.

– Confirmation?

While Cheong-ryeong was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un said to Seop Chun,

“So you’re saying you want to be with me even though I still have no support base and there seem to be many vacant positions around me?”

At these words, Seop Chun scratched his head as usual and said,

“Vacant positions… Yes, I can’t deny that’s not the case, but that’s not all there is to it.”

“If that’s not all, then what is it?”

“Should I say it’s just a feeling?”

“A feeling?”

“Yes, I’m unexpectedly good at reading people, and you’re definitely not someone who will be under anyone.”

“…”

Mok Gyeong-un smiled without a word.

It was a sign of affirmation.

At his reaction, the corners of Seop Chun’s mouth twitched.

As expected, this guy had this side to him.

Those who had limits or lacked self-confidence only hid their true selves, but this fellow didn’t do that.

This was precisely the quality of a leader walking the path of hegemony, in his view.

“That’s why I wanted to gamble on you. If you’re someone who can even surprise the Society Leader, one of the Six Heavens, I think you can even defeat that monstrous Eldest Young Master.”

“You’re giving me too much credit.”

“I’m not giving you too much credit. It’s reality, isn’t it? Ah! This isn’t empty flattery. I’m saying this because I really think so.”

“Thank you for that.”

Seop Chun, who seemed to have loosened up compared to earlier, asked expectantly,

“Ahem. Then can you accept me as your right-hand man?”

“That would be difficult.”

At those words, Seop Chun spoke in a deflated voice,

“Wow… Even though I’m talking like I’ll give you my liver and gallbladder, you should at least say you’ll consider it.”

“Words can say anything.”

“No. Then should I perform honorable suicide ritual right here for you to believe me?”

“There’s no need for that. I’m just stating a fact.”

“A fact?”

“Yes.”

At those words, Seop Chun asked in puzzlement,

“What do you mean by that?”

“I already have people who are like my right and left arms.”

At this, Seop Chun frowned.

What does this mean again?

He’s saying he already has loyal subordinates like his right and left arms?

“…Could they be subordinates assigned by the Shadow Clan?”

“No.”

“Then were there fellow disciples in the Corpse Blood Valley who showed interest in you?”

“Ah. There are those too.”

“…Hey!”

“Yes.”

“No matter what, I’m a talented person who can be considered among the top five later generation disciples of the Heaven and Earth Society, so isn’t it a bit much to compare me with those youngsters who are still immature?”

Seop Chun spoke in a disappointed tone.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and answered,

“Both of them are stronger than you.”

“What…? Ah, no, who on earth are they? Who is stronger than me?”

Seop Chun asked, as if he couldn’t understand and was frustrated.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and said,

“I can’t tell you that. You’re not my person yet.”

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

“On purpose?”

“I have confidence that I can work hard and support you like crazy so that you can become the best. You should give the right-hand man position to someone like me.”

Seop Chun sincerely wanted to become Mok Gyeong-un’s most loyal subordinate among his subordinates.

That was why he was already betting on him, who had no power or anything.

“That’s far from enough.”

“Argh. This is frustrating. Then should I crawl like a dog if you tell me to, or even lick your soles?”

“That’s obviously what you should do.”

“What?”

Seop Chun stared at Mok Gyeong-un with a dumbfounded look.

Does this guy think a right-hand man is some kind of slave?

He was about to let out a hollow laugh because it was so absurd, but,

“If you want to be a right-hand man, shouldn’t you be prepared to at least do this much?”

“There were conditions too? Ha! Alright. Tell me. I’ll show you that I’m prepared to go that far.”

“You should be able to serve me in life and death, and sometimes, if necessary, you should be able to become a woman too.”

“…”

Seop Chun narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un.

Was he playing word games with him?

This was no different from telling him to give up on the right-hand man position.

“…Is this a joke?”

“Does it seem like a joke?”

“Haa.”

Seop Chun let out a deep sigh.

Then he clasped his hands together and spoke in an earnest voice,

“If you’re saying things that are so incomprehensible, it seems like you already have a designated person for the right-hand man position, so at least make me your left-hand man. I need to be given at least that much to have the motivation to serve you.”

“I didn’t consider such things, but since you ask, it seems like I have someone who is like a left-hand man too.”

“Ha…! How great must the person who becomes your left-hand man be that even that position is already designated?”

“Should I say they have waited for me for generations?”

To be precise, they had waited for Cheong-ryeong.

However, if it was loyalty that spanned generations to that extent, they could be trusted.

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Seop Chun snorted as if he couldn’t believe it.

As far as he knew, it had only been a little over a month since he had been captured as a hostage from the righteous faction, so where would there be someone who would pledge loyalty to him for generations?

“…Do you dislike me that much?”

“No. I like you.”

“If you like me, why are you making such absurd jokes and refusing to accept me as a subordinate?”

“Do I have a reason to joke?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s serious tone, Seop Chun frowned.

He couldn’t understand this guy’s true intentions at all.

He even thought that he might have done something unnecessary by saying he was taking a gamble.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“If you prove one thing, I don’t know about being a right-hand man or a left-hand man, but I think I can accept you as my person.”

“No, no. You should at least give me the right-hand man position. I want that position even out of spite.”

“I told you it’s impossible.”

“Isn’t that too much? If it’s to this extent, you should say you’ll give it to me.”

“It’s already decided.”

Seop Chun was gradually losing steam.

“Haa… This is really too much.”

At this, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly and said,

“If you want the right-hand man position that much, work hard for generations. If you’re lucky, someone from your descendants might become the right-hand man.”

At these words, Seop Chun raised his voice in an angry tone,

“Forget it. I’ll just give up. What do you mean descendants? What’s the point if I can’t become the right-hand man myself?”

“Don’t be so hung up on such things.”

“Hung up, you say? I’m betting on you, so you could at least give me that much of a position.”

“It’s not a gamble, but properly lining up.”

“What?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s arrogant expression, Seop Chun’s eyes changed.

Properly lining up, he said?

Then does this guy have the ambition to properly aim for the successor position?

He felt a strange sense of elation at the thought of seeing a bit of his unknown intentions, but then Mok Gyeong-un said,

“So do you have any intention of proving it?”

“…”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Seop Chun controlled himself inwardly.

Right. Who would take it at face value if he asked to be made a right-hand man after only knowing each other for three days?

What was important right now was to have this guy acknowledge his abilities and loyalty.

If he continued to show such an attitude, his thoughts might change.

He talked as if he had something, but how many people in the Heaven and Earth Society would side with this guy?

In the end, he would have no choice but to acknowledge him.

“Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll do anything, so tell me.”

“Ah. It seems he’s coming over there.”

“Huh?”

The sound of rustling and a familiar presence was felt not far away.

It seemed Mong Mu-yak, the son of the Vice-Leader, had found dry firewood.

But what does he mean by ‘it seems’?

While he was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un raised the corners of his mouth coldly and spoke in a meaningful voice,

“Kill Mong Mu-yak.”

‘!!!!!!!’