Chapter 30 The Head Meeting

Chapter 30: The Head Meeting

After a back-and-forth negotiation, an MOU was signed with the condition that the meal cost be lowered from two coins to one coin.

Thanks to this, Iljo’s workload decreased significantly, and peaceful days continued without end.

‘This is good.’

He spread a mat on Iljojak’s empty lot, lay down, and gazed at the sky.

The truly astonishing thing was that even while lazing around like this, his salary was paid punctually every month.

And it was nine nyang—three times more than before!

‘Is this why executives play golf?’

He suspected this was the reason people with social standing gathered to play rounds during work hours.

“Ugh…”

I was sleeping soundly like that when a voice reached me.

“Already lying down after getting promoted?”

It was Garip, the deputy manager.

I bolted upright.

“I pulled an all-nighter yesterday, so I just wanted to catch a quick nap…”

I hadn’t actually pulled an all-nighter, but the lie just slipped out passively. It was a skill honed to survive in Hell Joseon and Hell Moolim.

“I understand. Don’t worry about it.”

Garip glanced down at me with a slight smile.

“So, how’s the work going?”

“Your Excellency! I haven’t forgotten the favor of my promotion and am always doing my very best!”

I’d only been lying down for a moment, but after the promotion, I hadn’t spared any effort.

Hadn’t I managed to cut the food budget by a whole nyang per month while finalizing the negotiations with Yongmasan?

As expected, Garip seemed to have guessed the situation, nodding with a somewhat reluctant expression.

“…I-I see.”

“What brings our Heavenly Lord here?”

“Ah, nothing else—I came to inform you that a Party Leader meeting is being held.”

“Ah, it’s already come to that.”

“Well, it is an event that comes around once every season.”

I recalled the Party Leader meeting I attended long ago with North Palace Baek.

Back then, I was unfairly treated as a servant, but not anymore.

After all, one of the duties of the First Assistant is to assist the Party Leader.

“Understood. I’ll make preparations.”

“Well then, good work.”

After Garip left, I steeled my resolve.

‘As my first official event as Head of the Sun Division, I can’t afford any mistakes.’

What was needed at a time like this was, of course, an expert.

“Sopyeong!”

I summoned the best document expert I knew: Yoo Sopyeong.

***

Three days later.

The morning of the Head Clan Leader meeting dawned.

“Let’s see…”

All the materials were checked.

My clothes were neat.

My face…

‘This is excellent.’

Everything was perfectly prepared. I even ate the special meal Myohyang had prepared before leaving.

“Damn it.”

Bukgungbaek was nowhere to be found.

He wasn’t in his office, and even when I went to his house, he was completely absent.

This could easily lead to an unprecedented situation where the head of the clan doesn’t attend the clan head meeting.

With my heart racing, I searched every corner of the outer city.

‘He doesn’t even have a cellphone…’

I felt like I wanted to install a couple app or something.

While running around like crazy, I happened upon a familiar face—Lee Seonbang’s room.

“Hey, have you seen the Outer Sect Leader?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Where the hell is that guy?!”

As I vented my frustration, Lee Seonbang quietly spoke up.

“Um… If it’s not too much trouble, might I offer some assistance?”

“Out of the blue?”

“The Master did say to help the Chief Clerk if we saw him, and if I mobilize my people, we should find him quickly.”

“Oh? Then I suppose I’ll take you up on that.”

“Please wait here a moment. I’ll find him and report back immediately.”

Lee Seonbangdo said something to a colleague nearby.

He returned in less than five minutes.

“He’s staying at the Yangcheon Guesthouse near the West Gate. He drank all night and is sleeping there.”

“…?”

Seeing the Lord look at him questioningly at the unexpectedly quick response, the man scratched his head awkwardly and said.

“Hehe, you see, we at the Lee Seonbang are quite friendly with the shop assistants. We also maintain good relations with the courtesans.”

“Thank you. I won’t forget this favor.”

“Hehe, please come visit anytime.”

Rushing to the Yangcheon Guesthouse, he found Baek Gung-baek collapsed asleep on a table.

Under normal circumstances, he would have taken his time waking him gently, but with the clan leader meeting imminent, he immediately shook him awake.

“Clan Leader…!”

Then, Baek Gung-baek’s hand shot out like lightning.

Crack!

The hand, tearing through the air, was pulled straight towards his throat.

‘Can’t dodge it!’

My entire focus snapped to the unexpected strike.

If I didn’t block it properly, my neck could snap with this single blow.

“Hmph!”

Its power was unstoppable with a single clash.

I unleashed the defensive techniques of the Parkryong Thirteen Piercing Strikes, alternating my hands.

Crack!

I slowed the first strike.

Thud.

I reduced the power of the second strike.

Thwack.

I barely managed to grab the third strike.

“Damn it.”

A curse slipped out unconsciously, as I’d nearly been sent to the other world in one shot.

“Not bad.”

Bukgungbaek said, narrowing his eyes.

Probably just messing with me on purpose.

‘This bastard?!’

I wanted to plant a soccer kick right in his face, but that was only possible in my imagination.

Fuming, I bowed my head.

“The meeting time is approaching.”

“Already?”

“Yes, please take this and hurry.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a hangover cure developed by the physician staying at our house. It works surprisingly well.”

“It smells foul? And looks dark and murky.”

“It may look that way, but the effect is guaranteed.”

“Thanks.”

Bukgungbaek swallowed the unnamed pill in one gulp and immediately rose from his seat.

“But is it really okay to go like that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Even so, it’s an audience with the Lord of the Province. I thought it would be better to go properly dressed.”

“What does that matter? I am who I am.”

What an ignorant brat.

Ignoring my words, Bukgung Baek began shuffling off.

Bukgung Baek truly has a knack for making people’s lives difficult in every way.

***

“Greetings, Lord.”

And so began the clan leaders’ meeting.

Whether due to the impending war with Namcheongung, the meeting hall quickly grew heated.

“What the hell was the Military Department doing until those Namcheongung bastards surrounded Jichang Mountain?!”

Several clan leaders denounced the Military Department for failing to anticipate Namcheongung’s movements.

“What the hell was the Intelligence Bureau doing that it didn’t know until things got this bad?! Could it be that the reinforcements from the Red Dragon Clan are lacking in ability?”

Some even shifted blame onto the Red Dragon Sect, the only faction in Nine Dragons Fortress operating an intelligence organization.

“Hmph! And so, did the Golden Dragon Sect respond to the main city’s request for financial support?”

The retort came immediately.

‘Not a single word from the faction leaders themselves.’

One peculiar thing was that all these accusations weren’t coming from the faction leaders themselves, but from the aides who had accompanied them.

After all, they couldn’t get into a scuffle over every little thing for the sake of the faction leaders’ dignity.

Thanks to that, the meeting hall quickly became noisy.

I felt awkward just sitting there, so I tried to sneak in a comment, but I knew that as someone from a minor subsidiary, no one would listen to me anyway, so I just kept my mouth shut and watched.

Still, listening quietly, I found myself getting interested.

‘This is fun.’

I finally understood why even seemingly unwatched National Assembly hearings might get some ratings.

After a long while of shouting, the once-noisy meeting hall gradually fell quiet.

Everyone had exhausted the lines they’d prepared to attack their opponents.

And then.

“Has everyone had their say?”

Sung-joo spoke up.

Though he projected no particular force, a chilling coldness swept through the chamber.

“Barking at an enemy who’s already running away? Even a dog can do that.”

A scathing critique.

He was right.

They had repelled Namcheongung’s attack, but they hadn’t stopped them from fleeing.

Pouring out criticism like this wouldn’t change anything. If they did nothing, Namcheongung would undoubtedly target Jomchangsan again.

That was the only way they could achieve their long-held ambition: conquering Yunnan Province.

At that point, the clan leaders exchanged cold stares.

As if they’d anticipated what would be said next.

Sure enough.

“It would be wise to prepare. What are your thoughts?”

The city lord voiced his opinion on a counterattack, and the sect leaders answered in unison.

“Your words are most correct.”

With that, the city lord departed.

Coordinating each sect to form an expeditionary force was the Military Department’s responsibility.

***

On the way back to the outer hall.

The familiar scenery of the main castle came into view.

‘Damn, it’s huge no matter how many times I see it.’

True to its nature as a conglomerate formed by eight sects, the grounds of the Nine Dragons Castle were vast.

Centered around the castle lord’s hall, which had the feel of a holding company, each faction occupied one of the eight directions, covering a staggering 100,000 pyeong.

You could say it was slightly larger than the Forbidden City where the emperor resided. The outer walls encircling that main fortress were several times larger in area.

Anyway, as I passed through various parts of the main fortress on my way back to the Outer Hall, North Palace Baek asked.

“Isn’t it ridiculous?”

“Huh?”

“I’m talking about the faction leaders who just shut their mouths tight and nod their heads whenever the Castle Lord says a word.”

This lunatic!

Cursing the Eight Sect Masters inside the inner city? Is he out of his mind?!

“Um, Sect Master? Given the location, perhaps you should be a bit more careful…”

“When have you ever seen me care about such things?”

What the hell is he bragging about?

Amidst this, a group approached from the distance.

Bright red martial robes. It was the warriors of the Red Dragon Sect.

“Long time no see, Lord North Palace.”

“Indeed.”

The Red Dragon Sect leader, Red Sand-Heavy, approached with a familiar face, and North Palace Bai responded indifferently.

His attitude was markedly different from when dealing with the similarly aged Grandmaster Taiqing.

“Is there something you need?”

“It’s not that I have business with Lord North Palace.”

Zhi Shizhong continued, glancing my way.

“Could you spare a moment?”

“……”

The head of a sect is fundamentally the leader of a major martial arts faction.

An ordinary martial artist would likely say “Thank you” and follow along, but I thought differently.

‘This feels like it’ll drag me into some troublesome business…’

I didn’t want even the slightest impact on my current comfortable life.

So, I glanced at Baek with a look asking for help.

But.

“What? You’re not coming?”

Baek, whose intuition was utterly destroyed, didn’t stop me—he shoved me forward.

“Ah, no.”

The warriors of the Red Dragon Sect ignored my opinion and surrounded me.

“Let’s go.”

The scenery of the Red Dragon Sect, where I was dragged off to, was spectacular.

Dozens of pavilions, some two stories tall, others four, filled the space, and the empty areas were embroidered with red flowers.

Thinking of the Moksryongdang, with only a few single-story pavilions placed on a vast open field, I understood why Lenin started the communist revolution.

“We’ve never met before.”

As the attendants brought tea, Jiksajung smiled in a seemingly friendly manner.

I mustn’t be fooled by that smile.

Though not certain, this old man is one of the top-tier killers in Guryongseong.

After all, Jikryongdang’s predecessor, Jikwangmun, originated from the murder house run by the now-defunct Haomun.

Recalling that background, I greeted him with the utmost courtesy.

“Earlier, in the confusion, I failed to properly greet you. I am Jin Mujeon, the leader of the Oedang Ijyo faction.”

“No need for formalities. Just be at ease.”

“How could I dare…”

“The late Xianjian and I were sworn brothers.”

“…!”

An unbelievable story.

How could a high-level Taoist and a murderous ghost become friends?

But upon hearing the next part, I had no choice but to believe him.

“Over a decade ago, he boasted about finding a treasure in Anhui. The next year, he was deeply disappointed when that treasure failed to become a Taoist.”

Because he recounted the story about me with perfect accuracy.

“I see.”

Jie Shizhong burst into hearty laughter again.

“So, what’s your relationship with Longma Mountain—no, the Hao Family Sect Leader?”

“Huh?”

He mentioned a name I hadn’t expected.