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But those in the Evil Sects scorn such intangible pretenses. The only thing that motivates them is profit.

Of course, Jang Ilso is in a situation where he dominates the Evil Tyrant Alliance under his pressure, but there is definitely a limitation. If food runs low, even against the emperor, people will rebel, won’t they?

“……Ryeonju-nim mean they are cutting off our lifeline.”

After understanding the situation, Ho Gamyeong bit his lips slightly.

When he first thought of handing over the island, now called Plum Blossom Island, to Mount Hua, he didn’t anticipate such a scenario. At best, he thought it would be used as an element to widen the relationship between the Ten Great Sect and the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

That crazy Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword has expanded the situation endlessly and brought it to this point.

“But Ryeonju-nim. Isn’t this odd?”

“Odd?”

“Yes, Plum Blossom Island is meaningful only when the Yangtze River is sealed off. If the water fortresses unblock the Yangtze, wouldn’t Plum Blossom Island become pointless? This isn’t a strategy.”

“If you consider it with common sense, it is.”

Jang Ilso smirked.

“If that pig Black Dragon King has any intention of lifting the blockade of the Yangtze River.”

“…Yes?”

Ho Gamyeong tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“Isn’t the water fortresses experiencing financial difficulties due to the presence of Plum Blossom Island? That is why they requested several times to allow them to attack Plum Blossom Island.”

“That’s the story of when Plum Blossom Island belonged to someone else.”

Jang Ilso distorted his face.

“That sword-swinging bastard and lung diseased bastard handled some insignificant island and centralized the logistics of the entire Yangtze River to one place. Just by moderately transporting some goods, they earned a huge amount of money, to the point where the money pirates earned through looting could be considered mere pennies.”

“That’s… That’s right.”

Although it was half of the stage laid by Evil Tyrant Alliance, it was clearly their ability to take it so perfectly that it grew beyond their expectations.

“If you were Black Dragon King, what would you do?”

Jang Ilso’s lips curled up to the fullest.

“Would you try to go back to the old days by getting rid of that Plum Blossom Island? Or will you maintain the current situation and try to devour the Plum Blossoms Island?”

The eyes of Ho Gamyeong shook.

“N- No, of course, it is more profitable to occupy Plum Blossoms Island. But wasn’t Plum Blossoms Island favored because it was operated by Mount Hua? If water fortresses occupy it, who would trust them with their goods? It’s like entrusting a fish to a cat.”

“Who actually ran Plum Blossoms Island?”

Ho Gamyeong closed his mouth.

It was something he didn’t want to say, but is there any reason not to answer Jang Ilso’s question?

“No…krim.”

“Nokrim has been trusted with goods, yet they’re just a band of bandits.”

Jang Ilso snorted.

“Ordinary people might not know, but to merchants, there’s little difference between water bandits (pirates) and mountain bandits. Besides, what are merchants? As long as safety is assured, they’d trade with ghosts, not just water fortresses. If only water fortresses banned looting within Plum Blossoms Island, soon everyone would start using Maehwa Island again.”

“…….”

“Or they can just appoint a representative. People might doubt, but what other choice do they have?”

“Would Black Dragon King even think that far?”

“Of course, that pig is lazy and greedy. But he’s not stupid.”

“…….”

“Especially when it comes to profit, he calculates faster than anyone else.”

Jang Ilso clicked his tongue.

“It would be manageable up to that point, but the problem is that the one eyeing Plum Blossoms Island isn’t just Black Dragon King.”

“…….”

He could immediately understand what Jang Ilso was trying to say.

“A huge profit is at stake. Hao Sect and Black Ghost Fortress cannot help but move.”

“Indeed….”

Ho Gamyeong nodded profoundly.

The more he thought about it, the more painful it seemed.

Jang Ilso has been struggling to take complete control of the Evil Tyrant Alliance for the past three years. However, Jang Ilso’s actual possession was the rest of the alliance except the water fortresses, Hao Sect, and Black Ghost Fortress.

Although Evil Tyrant Alliance’s power, which is based on Myriad Man Manor, became stronger than in the past, it was not easy to quickly break and absorb the power of the Five Great Evil Sect, who had built a solid system for decades.

So, this was essentially a ticking time bomb within the Evil Tyrant Alliance.

“What if the pigs, who have been waiting for a small trigger, start to move?”

“…It could light the fuse.”

“Tsk. This is why I have been moving carefully so far.”

Jang Ilso shook his head as if he didn’t like it.

If Heavenly Comrade Alliance had withdrawn slowly from Plum Blossom Island, they might have had time to prepare. However, Mount Hua was too abrupt to pull their feet out of the Yangtze River.

Where balance is broken, a competition takes place to create a new balance. They precisely targeted the fact that the immense profit would cause problems within the Evil Tyrant Alliance.

“…However.”

Then Ho Gamyeong, with a stern face, asked.

“It could be an opportunity, Ryeonju-nim.”

“Opportunity?”

“Yes. An opportunity.”

He nodded heavily, speaking in a clear voice.

“Sooner or later, we had to deal with them. It’s true it was a burden to lead those with other motives into war. It’s quite a timely opportunity, if you think about it.”

“Tsk, tsk. Gamyeong-ah, Gamyeong-ah.”

However, Jang Ilso immediately shook his head.

“You strangely narrow your view whenever Mount Hua is mentioned. It was the same before.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Why don’t you understand? Don’t you know what it means to occupy Plum Blossom Island?”

Jang Ilso reached out his finger and pointed at Plum Blossom Island.

“Goods move from the land, through the island, and across the river.”

When Jang Ilso’s fingertips slowly moved from Plum Blossom Island to the other side of the river, Ho Gamyeong realized what he meant.

“…Ah!”

“The possession of Plum Blossom Island means that even the docks across the river must be occupied. And this is….”

“…Gangbuk.”

The face of Ho Gamyeong stiffened.

“What’s on this land?”

“…A massive city. There’s a city that’s grown to a ridiculous size in just three years.”

“Right. Do you think those pig-headed idiots would resist the temptation to seize Plum Blossom Island and covet that city?”

Impossible.

If it were just the island, maybe, but those who control the island and the docks would never ignore the city connected to them. It’s like saying a powerful martial artist, obsessed with strength, would choose to learn only third-rate martial arts despite having access to the world’s greatest techniques.

“To get a hold of Plum Blossom Island means to advance to Gangbuk. Like it or not, trouble will brew. A problem beyond my control!”

“…….”

“But… they’ve created this situation, where we can’t withdraw or look away, and now Heavenly Comrade Alliance has retreated, as if telling Ten Great Sects and us to fight it out ourselves.”

Cold sweat began to form on the forehead of Ho Gamyeong.

‘How could such a simple move lead to all this?’’

At first, he thought it was just a stupid move to let go of such a huge gain. But it was not Chung Myung who was stupid, it was Ho Gamyeong.

The important thing is not what you give up, but how much you gain in return for giving up.

By giving up the enormous profits of Plum Blossom Island, Mount Hua created an internal conflict within the Evil Tyrant Alliance, and even laid the groundwork for conflict between the Evil Tyrant Alliance and Ten Great Sects.

What’s even worse is that even after knowing all this, they still can’t retreat.

The worst situation was now ahead of them, where they had no choice but to walk into a place where they would die, even though they knew it was a trap.

‘What the hell is this…’

He understood this vicious move logically, yet felt bewildered as if he couldn’t comprehend anything. That’s right.….

How could such a simple move lead to all this?

A chill ran down his spine.

“Fascinating. Truly fascinating. Hahahahahat! For the first time in three years, I’m feeling this excited! Truly fascinating! Hahahahahahahat!”

Jang Ilso leaned back and laughed loudly. Then, he covered his face as if he couldn’t control his laughter anymore.

But at that moment, Ho Gamyeong saw it. Between those long, white fingers, he saw Jang Ilso’s eyes. Those chilling eyes.

“Gamyeong-ah.”

“Yes, Ryeonju-nim.”

“I regret not having destroyed Heavenly Comrade Alliance. Should I have gone overboard and killed him at that time?”

Jang Ilso licked his crimson lips.

“It’s falling apart. The plan I carefully constructed is falling apart in an instant. It’s irritating, really irritating.”

What most displeased Jang Ilso was that he was being dragged into a situation that he had not drawn up.

This is not Jang Ilso’s taste. He was someone who pulled others into his own scheme, not an actor dancing on a stage set by someone else.

“…Do you really think that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword anticipated all of this? That he has been planning since three years ago?”

“Impossible.”

Jang Ilso spoke dismissively.

“As long as he’s human, it’s not possible. It’s probably just a coincidence.”

Ho Gamyeong nodded. His thoughts were the same as Jang Ilso’s.

“But….”

However, what followed was slightly different from what Ho Gamyeong expected.

“Even if he couldn’t have used Plum Blossom Island as a tool, the results would have been no different.”

“Yes? What do you mean by that?”

Jang Ilso chuckled.

“Those who love to gossip think of striking at one’s weak point as the result of genius. They believe it’s an amazing idea created by a wide perspective that allows you to see things that no one could have thought of and a quick turn of the mind.”

“…Isn’t that the truth?”

“No. No. Not at all.”

Jang Ilso waved his hand dismissively. The ornaments on his wrist clinked against each other.

“If one were truly that brilliant, they wouldn’t create situations that require risky and intricate cunning plans in the first place.”

“…….”

“Strategies are not the means of the strong. It’s a means of the weak. It’s what those who can’t win by conventional means resort to, pondering and wringing out every last drop of cunning.”

A precious smile bloomed around Jang Ilso’s mouth.

“How sticky. Such dense hostility. A move filled with the stench of his desire to throw shit on my face no matter what. A guy like this would have found a way to drag me into hell nonetheless, even if the circumstances were different.”

“…….”

“Kukuk. The audacity of that brat.”

Jang Ilso’s hand holding his face tightened.

“So…”

Ho Gamyeong squeezed his words out with a pale face.

The words he, as an advisor, never wanted to utter.

“…What do you plan to do?”

When Jang Ilso heard that, he slumped back into his chair, leaning against the backrest.

In some ways, he looks drowsy, and in other ways, he looks bored. With a face that looks like a child who has had his favorite toy taken away, or someone saddled with an unwelcome task.

“I’ll have to play along.”

He nodded slowly.

“When you fall into the swamp, if you try to get out half-heartedly, don’t you get dragged deeper and deeper instead? For now, playing along is a strategy.”

Jang Ilso’s expression instantly regains its composure.

“If this has reached even our ears, Black Dragon King must have already been moving, and since Hao Sect cannot receive information slower than us, we have to assume that he is also moving. That leaves just the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, I suppose.”

As if having sorted everything out in his mind, Jang Ilso waved his hand.

“What a headache. Everyone, get out.”

“Yes.”

As the servants carefully withdrew, Ho Gamyeong rose from his seat. He knew that at this moment, even he was unnecessary for Jang Ilso.

After he withdrew so as not to interfere with his thoughts, and finally alone, Jang Ilso lightly tapped the table.

“Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword….”

A terrifying aura of murderous intent radiated from Jang Ilso’s entire body.

“A bit too much for a greeting after three years… This time, I took a hit. To the point where I’m wondering what I should give back to you in return…”

Jang Ilso, who was tapping the table with a thud, soon grabbed the edge tightly.

“But….”

And slowly, very slowly, his face relaxed.

And a peculiar expression emerged. It was as if he was mocking, worrying, or simply toying.

“You don’t know. You don’t know yet. How extreme a man’s malice can go. Hahahaha. Hahahahat! Ahahahahahahahat!

The shadows in the chamber swayed with Jang Ilso’s laughter, as if being sucked into a deeper, endless darkness.