Chapitre 669: Chapter 1557: Can We Back Out? (Part 2)
Bang!
The door slammed open with force. Tang Gunak stepped into the conference room. Just seeing his icy expression was enough to gauge the seriousness of the current situation.
"What's the situation?"
Before taking a seat, Tang Gunak asked Im Sobyeong.
"Black Dragon King, along with the forces of Su Lo Chae, has landed in the north."
"Where?"
"...Anhui. It's relatively close to Hefei."
Tang Gunak chewed on his lower lip.
Anhui was a crucial area for this operation. It was not only the location where enemies had frequently attacked, but it was also the home of the Namgung Family. Therefore, many members of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance were dispatched there.
But now, the Su Lo Chae had landed there?
'A coincidence?'
No, it couldn't be.
"Please sit down for now."
At Hyun Jong's suggestion, Tang Gunak quickly took a seat. With a stern expression, he spoke to Hyun Jong.
"We need to gather the kids."
"..."
"We may not know exactly what they're after, but it's certain that they led us into this situation to weaken the strength of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. We need to bring the kids back to the Heavenly Comrade Alliance before an irreversible event occurs."
Hyun Jong let out a faint sigh.
"First, Gaju-nim..."
"Maengju-nim."
Tang Gunak's voice dropped coldly.
"Maybe things were wrong from the beginning. We thought they released the scoundrels to weaken the Heavenly Comrade Alliance's headquarters, but perhaps what they aimed for were the kids dispatched to Gangbuk."
Thinking in reverse, it was a common tactic in warfare to target the weaker side before the stronger one.
And now, the weaker side was not the Heavenly Comrade Alliance headquarters, where most of the forces were preserved, but those scattered all over the vast land of Gangbuk.
"So, we need to bring the kids back immediately and reorganize."
"Can we back out?"
At that moment, Im Sobyeong's cold voice pierced Tang Gunak's ears. Tang Gunak's eyebrows subtly furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm asking if there is a way to back out."
"What are you talking about? Why did we establish a communication network through Beggar's Union and the Beast Palace? Wasn't it for moments like this?"
Hyun Jong nodded in agreement.
"Summon everyone immediately."
As the two reached a consensus, Im Sobyeong let out a deep exhale.
He never expected he would utter such words with his own mouth.
"...Then what about Gangbuk?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just releasing those Evil Sect scoundrels has already set it on fire. And now, the Su Lo Chae has invaded."
Tang Gunak's eye twitched slightly.
"The Evil Tyrant Alliance's goal is clear unless they are idiots. But now, are we going to ignore all of that and cower in Hwaeum?"
Tang Gunak stared silently at Im Sobyeong as if his words had rendered him speechless. Im Sobyeong pressed his temple with the tip of his fan.
"Justice, salvation, and whatever... Honestly, I still don't understand the righteousness others discuss, but at least I know how the current appearance of backing out will look to others."
"Now is not the time to care about such things. Don't you know that?"
Im Sobyeong gave a cold glare.
"Besides, how do you think those who went to Gangbuk will feel?"
At this statement, Tang Gunak had no choice but to remain silent.
"Knowing something in your head and witnessing it with your own eyes are clearly different. Those who went to Gangbuk have probably vividly witnessed the enemies crossing the river to slaughter the innocent. And now, are they going to back out? Just because their safeties are at risk?"
Im Sobyeong's voice was dispassionate, making it even more chilling to hear.
"It may be a laughable thing to say out of my mouth, but the reason we are the Heavenly Comrade Alliance is because we unequivocally do not retreat in situations like this. If we tell them to die, they will die laughing, but if we tell them to abandon the commoners in order to survive, they will not listen."
Tang Gunak closed his eyes tightly.
Of course, he did not intend to suggest abandoning everyone for the survival of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. However, from the perspective of the kids currently in the field, it would undoubtedly sound that way.
Suddenly, the faces of the two individuals flashed in his mind.
Tang Soso and Tang Pae. His children.
As the head of the family, and as their father, he knew better than anyone. Even if just those two received the order to retreat, they would resist with all their might.
One. [idk]
"I'll take responsibility for the aftermath. By the order of the vice lord, I will command everyone to retreat. I will not accept any complaints."
However, Im Sobyeong stubbornly shook his head again.
"That's not possible."
Tang Gunak's eyes became intense. Im Sobyeong calmly continued.
"So far, no matter what anyone says, the most problematic sect within the Heavenly Comrade Alliance has always been Mount Hua. They've always been at the forefront causing trouble. But this time, the situation might be different."
Tang Gunak, who had considered pressing Im Sobyeong with authority if things didn't go well, momentarily paused at Im Sobyeong's words. The two familiar letters came to mind because of what Im Sobyeong said.
"...Namgung?"
"Yes."
Im Sobyeong nodded with a serious expression.
If the Heavenly Comrade Alliance withdrew like this, Anhui would turn into ashes. But would the Namgung Sect really follow that order?
"Mount Hua's resistance may be able to be suppressed with the authority of Maengju-nim and the sect leader. However, the Namgung Family's resistance cannot be broken in any way. Rather, it might lead to their departure. Unless the Chief directly meets with Sogaju and persuades him... No, maybe that won't be enough either."
"..."
"And if such a situation arises..."
Im Sobyeong didn't explicitly say the rest. However, Tang Gunak could infer the meaning.
One defection after another. No, even if it didn't go that far, the strong bond that firmly tied the Heavenly Comrade Alliance together would definitely be broken.
At the beginning of a war, there would be nothing more dreadful than this.
Thunk.
Tang Gunak gritted their teeth.
Jang Ilso had only made his second move so far.
Moreover, depending on the situation, it was nothing more than putting those who were useless on the Yangtze River into the north.
Nevertheless, the situation had become so complicated.
The most important thing in this move was not the existence of Su Lo Chae. It was to induce a situation where they would receive the most painful blow possible.
Jang Ilso easily achieved this from Zhang Jia Jie.
"What should we do then?"
"We need to make a choice. Either risk Namgung's departure and internal dissatisfaction to bring them back. Or..."
Im Sobyeong added more strength to his words, as if his true intention lay behind.
"Resist against Su Lo Chae."
"Are you speaking sense?"
"It's not as bad as you think. The current strength of those in Gangbuk is not to be ignored. If it's not on the water but on the land, we have more than enough power to compete with Su Lo Chae."
"What's possible and what can be done are different things."
"Be rational, Tang Gaju-nim."
Im Sobyeong coldly retorted.
"These children are no longer mere beings to protect and preserve. They must be prepared for sacrifice at any time. The power of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance comes with accepting the possibility of casualties and even sacrifices when necessary."
Tang Gunak fell silent. Hyun Jong, who had been silently listening, spoke up.
"Nokrim King."
"Yes, Maengju-nim."
"Did you convey the situation?"
"I urgently contacted the Chief."
"To Chung Myung?"
"Yes."
"...The others?"
"The Chief would have been the first, but by now, others might have received the message."
Hyun Jong's face darkened slightly. But that was it.
Im Sobyeong found this unexpected. He considered that in such moments, the person most likely to be flustered would be Hyun Jong, yet surprisingly, he appeared more composed than Tang Gunak.
Perhaps he had been thinking about this situation for a long time.
"Could you perhaps contact Chung Myung again?"
"It is possible, but since I have already sent a golden dove, it will take some more time. What message would you like me to convey?"
"I'm worried, that's all."
A deep concern settled on Hyun Jong's face. Im Sobyeong let out a sigh.
"I understand your concern, Maengju-nim. However, now is not the time to make hasty judgments. Gangbuk is vast, and there is still plenty of time to deal with it. First, let's watch their movements a little more and..."
"If there was time, it would be good. However, I'm afraid that might not be the case."
At that moment, Im Sobyeong's eyes narrowed. It was difficult to understand Hyun Jong's vague words. Although he knew it was a critical situation, now was not the time for a different conversation...
"It may not be the time to worry about Namgung's departure."
"...Huh?"
"Everyone has heard the news."
"That's correct."
"So, how will the kids react?"
"For now, they will wait for instructions from our side. Since they are evacuating the civilians along the Yangtze River, there is no need to go out to intercept them, is there?"
"That's right. That would be common sense. Unless the people in Anhwi right now weren't the Namgung Family."
"The Namgung Family..."
Im Sobyeong closed his mouth for a moment. Simultaneously, his hair stood on end. Now he understood Hyun Jong's concerns.
He examined the situation based on strategy. Because of that, he hadn't considered one thing.
"Se, seriously?"
"That's right."
"Namgung... Hwang..."
At the sound of the name that flowed out like a groan, Hyun Jong nodded heavily.
"The Su Lo Chae are the ones that not only subjugated the Namgung Family at Plum Blossom Sword but also brought about the death of the family head Namgung Hwang. From the perspective of Sogaju Namgung Dowi, who is currently leading the Namgung Family, they are an irreconcilable enemy that cannot be tolerated."
"..."
"Until now, he had endured it well, but the deep-seated resentment in his heart must be considerable, don't you think?"
Im Sobyeong tightened his grip on the fan.
Currently, the Namgung Family was in Anhui. An irreconcilable (不共戴天) enemy had entered Anhui.
Now, how would Namgung Dowi respond?
"Can he back out?"
Hyun Jong repeated the words Im Sobyeong had said a while ago.
"If the Nokrim was in the position of Sogaju..."
He would back out.
Im Sobyeong would answer without any hesitation. He could withdraw at any time. He might even bow down to the Black Dragon King for the sake of profit.
But what about Namgung Dowi? Could he back out? Perhaps now was the only moment he could settle the score with that enemy with his own hands.
In the complex situation unfolding on the giant stage of Kangho, it was not so common for those two to meet. Would he be able to withdraw knowing that? Could he, Namgung Dowi?
Im Sobyeong remained silent. Hyun Jong spoke with a dark expression.
"I hope it doesn't happen, but..."
"Oh, no..."
"Perhaps it's already too late."
Thunk.
The fan Im Sobyeong was holding finally broke.
* * *
Thunk.
A white scroll crumpled in rough hands.
He slowly lowered his fist, staring at his hand in silence.
It was a mess, riddled with callouses and wrinkles.
In the past, his hands were not lacking in the skill of a sword, but now, they were so rough that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were close to the hands of a demon.
He knew.
What made his hands like this was not just the desire for improvement and a sense of responsibility. In reality, it was the deep-seated vengeance he had hidden away.
Even after countless sleepless nights, he couldn't forget.
His father, who sacrificed himself to send him away first. And the rain of blows that poured on his father. Even knowing it, knowing all of it, his pitiful self escaped. That misery.
"The Black Dragon King...Jaeksekwang."
The man, Namgung Dowi, slowly rose from his seat.
Looking up at the vast blue sky, he smiled faintly.
"The heavens (蒼天) are blue."
The color of Namgung.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Bagel_Seeds
Bagel_Seeds oh shit...
honestly a better match-up tho...
namgung dowi got more powerful and dragon king got less...hehe might get interesting
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone