Chapter 552:
A strange atmosphere began to flow.
It was inevitable.
Everyone had heard it clearly.
Baek Hoe-myeong’s voice was infused with internal energy, and a voice filled with internal energy spread endlessly without bounds. Those who heard that desperate cry—like someone coughing up blood while screaming—right beside their ears couldn’t hide their bewilderment.
‘What kind of story is this?’
‘Is he saying that the Central Plains massacred the Ten Thousand Sword Clan?’
Everyone’s gaze turned to one place.
At the spot where their eyes reached, a man stood.
Kwon Geuk, Sima Cheon-se.
Generally speaking, matters of the world shouldn’t be judged by listening to only one side. Those people might be spouting complete nonsense right now.
How Kwon Geuk reacted would determine how they would accept this situation.
The reaction most martial artists hoped for from Sima Cheon-se was one thing.
A roar.
An intense reaction to this absurd talk.
That’s how it should be.
Even if those words were true, the current Kwon Geuk had to deny that fact. Justification was that important.
Even if it meant deceiving himself, he had to boldly commit that hypocrisy right now. Only then could he empty his mind and fight.
But Kwon Geuk’s reaction was different from their expectations.
Kwon Geuk, who had been raising his head to stare blankly at the sky, gazed at Baek Hoe-myeong with a low sigh.
“There’s nothing that could make me understand it, and nothing that could compensate for it.”
Fists clenched involuntarily.
Those words from Kwon Geuk acknowledged everything.
‘Three thousand, he said?’
People’s faces turned pale.
The Ten Thousand Sword Clan that mysteriously disappeared. The Ten Thousand Sword Clan that thus remained a legend.
Was he saying the reason they disappeared like that was because the Central Plains had annihilated them?
How could they commit such an act?
Hands began to tremble.
Those present here weren’t fools. There was no one here who didn’t know how strong the Ten Thousand Sword Clan had been. If they had been so perfectly annihilated, it would have been impossible with just a few people moving.
That meant most of those who led the martial world at that time had participated. Then…
The crowd’s gaze turned toward the sect leaders.
Toward the backs of the sect leaders who stood at the very front looking forward, their backs that never turned around.
They could sense it instinctively.
We are the same.
Their ancestors had also participated in that shameful tyranny.
It was only natural.
If that weren’t the case, it wouldn’t have been hidden so thoroughly. There’s only one way to perfectly maintain a secret: either eliminate those who know the secret, or create a reason why everyone must hide that secret.
It was all too obvious which method their ancestors had chosen.
“Mmmmm…”
A heavy groan flowed from Song Hyeon’s mouth.
He felt confusion behind him.
‘Of course they would.’
This wasn’t something that could be accepted.
These were people who discussed righteousness and justice. While the biggest factor in having to risk their lives on the battlefield was that there were forces targeting their lives, their pride in protecting the peace of the Central Plains couldn’t be ignored either.
Humans are ultimately emotional creatures.
Whether one is good or evil makes no difference in battle. Doing the right thing doesn’t make one stronger or sharpen one’s sword.
But there’s definitely a difference in momentum.
That’s why all commanders throughout history have obsessed over those four characters: great justification. A battle with justification and a battle without justification are definitely different.
At this moment, justification had passed to Baek Geom Seong.
‘They must have aimed for this.’
Baek Hoe-myeong’s emotions — as if shedding tears of blood — couldn’t be genuine. It was certainly a cruel and terrible thing, but it was already something from three hundred years ago. There was no reason to react so intensely.
Yet Baek Hoe-myeong was screaming and crying out.
As if for everyone to hear clearly.
‘This is why Kwon Geuk shouldn’t have been sent out…’
Kwon Geuk was an excellent leader.
But he wasn’t an excellent commander. If Shin Gi-su-sa had been standing there instead of Kwon Geuk, he would have dismissed whatever Baek Hoe-myeong said as nonsense and given the attack order.
Sometimes turning away from the truth is also courage. But Kwon Geuk wasn’t that kind of person. He was someone who lived only for righteousness, like the incarnation of righteousness itself, and it was impossible for him to not acknowledge his own sins and turn away from them.
When facing absolute evil like the Demonic Cult, Kwon Geuk’s method had the effect of raising allied morale. But Baek Geom Seong wasn’t evil. Everyone already knew that.
Song Hyeon bit his lip at the confusion and lukewarm atmosphere he felt behind him.
‘This isn’t right, Alliance Leader. This is…’
This was the path to ruin.
But whether he knew Song Hyeon’s feelings or not, Kwon Geuk continued speaking in a subdued voice.
“But aren’t you walking the same path as well?”
“You said the same path?”
“You said you’d kill thirty thousand, three hundred thousand, three million? How is that different from the sin our ancestors committed? After killing so many innocent people like that, would your feelings be relieved? Are you saying you could rejoice and celebrate for having taken revenge?”
“…”
Baek Hoe-myeong glared at Kwon Geuk without answering.
But Kwon Geuk didn’t avoid his gaze either.
“It’s not too late yet.”
“You speak so peacefully. We’ve already started the war.”
“Just because a war has started doesn’t mean it can’t end.”
“Are you saying we can end it here?”
“That’s right.”
Baek Hoe-myeong sneered.
“You should have said those words before the Zhejiang branch collapsed. We’ve already bloodied our hands. Resentment has already built up. It’s not a weight the Alliance Leader can bear alone.”
“I can bear it.”
“…”
Kwon Geuk straightened his chest and spoke.
“The position of Alliance Leader exists to bear such things. I have no intention of turning a blind eye to what’s wrong for the sake of my personal safety. I’ll take full responsibility for the price paid by those who were sacrificed. I’ll also bear the resentment of the bereaved families. So let’s stop here. It can still be turned back.”
Interest flickered in Baek Hoe-myeong’s eyes.
‘So this is the Righteous Martial Alliance?’
No, more precisely, it should be called Kwon Geuk, not the Righteous Martial Alliance.
Outdated.
And he was spouting absurdly naive nonsense.
Baek Geom Seong had already brought down the Zhejiang branch. The dead from there alone numbered one thousand. Yet he would bury the resentment of those one thousand in his own name and join hands with Baek Geom Seong again?
‘He absolutely cannot bear it.’
No matter how absolute the support Kwon Geuk received within the Righteous Martial Alliance, this was something that couldn’t be handled even with Kwon Geuk’s name. It wouldn’t end with just stepping down from the Alliance Leader position.
Yet Kwon Geuk was saying he would take that path.
Why?
‘Unwavering eyes.’
Looking at Kwon Geuk’s eyes, one could understand the reason. There was no other calculation. He didn’t believe he could handle the current situation by reestablishing an alliance with Baek Geom Seong.
He was simply trying to take that path without a moment’s hesitation because he thought it was right.
Stupid.
Foolish beyond measure.
But…
‘What would I have done?’
If Baek Hoe-myeong hadn’t been born in Baek Geom Seong and had led another sect instead, he would have had no hesitation in joining hands with Kwon Geuk. This kind of person doesn’t betray allies. This kind of person can be trusted.
The reason the massive force called the Righteous Martial Alliance could be maintained was largely due to Kwon Geuk’s uprightness.
Baek Hoe-myeong curled up the corner of his mouth.
“Whenever people praised Kwon Geuk Sima Cheon-se, I always thought it was an excessive evaluation, but…”
Baek Hoe-myeong bowed his head slightly.
“That wasn’t the case. The Alliance Leader is a martial artist worthy of respect. I don’t know if I’m qualified to do so, but I express my respects to Baek Geom Seong.”
“Then?”
Color returned to Kwon Geuk’s face.
But that color soon flickered out like a candle.
“I’m grateful for the proposal, but we’ve already crossed a river we cannot turn back from. And we don’t want to turn back either.”
“Are you truly going to walk that path?”
“Isn’t it a path the Central Plains once walked? It’s a path the martial world chose. Looking at how well you’re all living, it doesn’t seem there’s any particular need to be afraid?”
“…”
“The conversation ends here. Now everyone knows. Why we made such a choice, why we must eternally hate the Central Plains… Now only one thing remains for you. Either die righteously, or stain yourselves with evil trying to save your own lives. Either way…”
Baek Hoe-myeong smiled broadly.
“It will be interesting.”
He turned his body.
As if no answer was even needed, Baek Hoe-myeong turned his body. Then he slowly returned to Baek Geom Seong’s camp. Even while watching his retreating figure, Kwon Geuk couldn’t say anything.
‘It cannot be turned back.’
He had done everything he could. Yet nothing had changed. From now Kwon Geuk had to become a demon.
Kwon Geuk closed his eyes.
It wasn’t that he had no compassion for them. If only the Demonic Cult wasn’t pressing in from the opposite side, he might have been able to find a slightly better direction.
But not now.
There had been enough hesitation. Now there was no more time to hesitate. All that remained was the complete destruction of the enemy. Kwon Geuk opened his eyes and turned his body with a ghostly expression.
“Whew.”
Song Hyeon, seeing that sight, let out a deep sigh.
‘At least that’s fortunate.’
It was regrettable that overall morale had dropped, but it was good news that the leader had steeled his heart. If Kwon Geuk stood at the front and swept away the enemy before morale could drop further, they could ride that momentum without time to think.
“…Alliance Leader.”
The Namgung Family Head greeted the returning Kwon Geuk.
“I showed an unseemly sight.”
“How could it be the Alliance Leader’s fault?”
“I tried to reduce the bloodshed. But it seems resentment doesn’t disappear easily after all.”
“That’s human nature.”
Kwon Geuk shook his head.
“Then now we have no choice but to fight. I will no longer show them even a bit of mercy. An enemy is just an enemy.”
“That’s right.”
Kwon Geuk glanced back slightly.
Countless people were looking at him, their eyes filled with doubt, anxiety, and confusion.
‘It was probably pointless.’
He knew it was a stupid thing to do. But it was something that had to be done. Those who cannot embrace great righteousness in their hearts get shaken by small things. Each time, they get swayed looking for comfortable and easy paths little by little. It might seem right at the time, but that wavering eventually becomes the cause of straying from the path later.
Kwon Geuk believed so.
Even if it seemed a bit foolish, carrying through with the great righteousness held in one’s heart. That was how Kwon Geuk had lived, and it was the way of the Righteous Martial Alliance.
“I am…”
Kwon Geuk slowly opened his mouth while looking at everyone.
