Chapter 111

The King of Power Appears as the King of Fame

Ha Jeong-hak felt his back grow light as he ran through the darkness. He stood alone in a space where nothing could be seen.

‘Huh?’

His only remaining family in the world was his younger brother, yet he had been running so frantically that he hadn’t even noticed when or where the brother he’d been carrying had fallen off. It was absurd and infuriating.

All the deeds he’d committed were things his brother had done to survive. If his brother was no longer in this world, it would be hard to become any more miserable.

Ha Jeong-hak, who had been a boy when he ran through the night but was now a middle-aged man, looked around and shouted.

“Brother! Where are you?!”

Why won’t my voice come out? Just as I tried to shout again, someone leaped out of the darkness, grabbed my throat, and lifted me up with one hand. At the same moment, the pitch-black darkness surrounding Ha Jeong-hak shattered into pieces, and light flooded into my eyes.

“Guh…”

Ha Jeong-hak, his eyes wide open as the light forced its way in, saw Kwon Wang glaring at him, his hand still clamped around his throat.

Or perhaps it was the Immovable King.

Since the King of Light originally bore the character for ‘bright’ (明), Ha Jung-hak’s delusion had a strangely fitting aspect to reality. The Immovable King of Light is fundamentally an entity that subdues all afflictions and demons. Therefore, Ha Jung-hak, whose neck was seized by the Immovable King of Light, was himself the embodiment of affliction and a demon who had lived a rough life in the underworld.

‘Ah…’

Could such a dream even exist in this world?

As Ha Jeong-hak regained his senses while being held captive by the King of Power, the first things he realized were that his younger brother, who had fallen from his back, was still alive, that Jipyamyeong was unharmed, and that if he died now, Ha Min would have to lead Jipyamyeong. The belated thought that came to him was that he had been utterly defeated by the overwhelming King of Power.

Is this how I die?

In that brief dream, he had clearly realized what part of his life he had missed.

Isn’t everything meaningless when you die?

But then the King of Power glared at Ha Jeong-hak and started cursing first.

“You fucking black-clad bastard…”

Ha Jeong-hak glared back at Kwon Wang.

“With skills like yours, why is your work so shoddy?”

The moment Kwon Wang released the hand that had been choking him, he slapped Ha Jeong-hak across the face.

With a thud, Ha Jeong-hak tumbled to the floor.

As Ha Jeong-hak’s men drew their weapons and charged forward, Ha Jeong-hak bellowed.

“Stop! Don’t come any closer!”

The implied threat—that they would all die if they came—was left unsaid. Fortunately, his men seemed to understand his command and halted in their tracks.

As King Kwon approached, Ha Jeong-hak also rose from his seat. Ha Jeong-hak couldn’t understand why King Kwon had spared his life only to humiliate him, but the reason flowed directly from the king’s mouth.

Danwooseong grabbed Ha Jeonghak by the hair and pulled him up as he spoke.

“Leader, I thought you’d bring the entire Jipyameng. Well done bringing only this much. Do you think I’ll just kill you and leave?”

If only Ha Jeong-hak died and the Jipyameng remained intact, another black-clad assassin could simply become the new Jipyameng leader.

Dan Woo-sung would never wrap things up like this.

Ha Jeong-hak’s pupils trembled violently.

Doesn’t that mean he’ll kill himself first and then spare none of the remaining Jiyamyeong forces? Only then did Ha Jeonghak bring up the negotiation he had previously discussed with General Ha Min.

“King Kwon, either kill us all… or take us all and use us. We will accept anything.”

The King of Gwon looked Ha Jeong-hak straight in the eye and replied.

“I am not Jin Sohwan.”

Ha Jeong-hak nodded. That statement was tantamount to saying he was not a member of the Black Path. For Jin So-an was the Black Path.

Ha Jeong-hak, who had found it difficult to even speak of the Black Path, responded with unexpected courage, as if declaring he would follow that very man.

“I will live like Jin Sohwan.”

“You? Now of all times.”

Ha Jeong-hak made no excuses. The atrocities committed by the Jipyameng should rightfully be borne by its leader. Even if Ha Jeong-hak hadn’t been the Jipyameng leader the entire time.

Kwon Wang addressed Ha Jeong-hak and his men.

“I came here intending to play the game of ‘seven releases and seven captures,’ but if the leader of the Black Path acts like this, it’s troublesome. I’ll storm the Jipyameng again in one shijin. We’ll see then.”

The phrase “seven releases and seven captures” originated from the ancient tale of Zhuge Liang releasing Meng Huo seven times before finally capturing him.

Ha Jeong-hak nodded and replied.

“Very well, we shall await you at Jipyamyeong.”

As the defeated leader of the Jiyamang clan led his followers away, people gathered around Danwooseong, who stood with his arms crossed.

Mokryong Dangju Ho Tae-jun asked.

“What do you intend to do by fleeing?”

To this, the Blue Wing Sect Leader, Do Jin-gwang, retorted.

“He’s not the type to run. A man who’s a leader doesn’t flee.”

Ho Tae-jun tilted his head.

“Is that so?”

Baekyak, who had been watching from the rooftop wearing a straw hat, suddenly leaped down and approached Danwooseong. Danwooseong remarked.

“Why is the Black Path so bland?”

Ho Tae-jun, the leader of the Black Dragon Sect, swallowed the words he was about to blurt out in utter shock.

‘No, after slapping the Jipyamang leader across the face, is that what you have to say?’

Not only Ho Tae-jun, but Do Jin-gwang and Jeon Bi-rang were also deeply shocked by this fight. The Jipyamengju was far stronger than themselves, and yet he had been defeated so utterly that there was nothing they could do about it.

Baekyak was equally stunned. When Danwooseong looked puzzled, Baekyak explained.

“It’s because my brother is strong. Strong enough to defy Jipyamyeongju’s expectations.”

This fight had exceeded even Baekyak’s expectations.

.

.

.

Exactly one hour later.

Guided by Jeon Birang, Dan Wooseong used his lightness skills to arrive at Jipyamyeong in an instant. Since it didn’t matter how Jipyamyeong appeared, it was just him and Jeon Birang visiting.

The main gate of Jipyamyeong, always tightly shut, stood wide open.

As soon as he stepped through the gate, Dan Wooseong saw weapons neatly lined up on the floor.

Jeon Birang sighed.

“Looks like they’ve surrendered.”

As Dan Wooseong and Jeon Birang walked silently along the path formed by the weapons, they saw the entire Jipyamyeong force gathered and waiting in the largest assembly area within the compound.

Kill them all, or harvest them all for use.

Ha Jeong-hak’s decision was the latter.

Dan Woo-sung was stunned. In his past life, he had beaten these black-clad men to death whenever possible. Now, they were kneeling of their own accord.

Dan Woo-sung hadn’t changed.

The only difference between his past life and present was that he had grown stronger.

He was experiencing firsthand how overwhelming military might expanded one’s options.

And yet, it still felt bitter.

How was he supposed to deal with all this trash?

He didn’t know what kind of hint Ha Jeong-hak had given them, but as Dan Woo-sung approached, they all shouted in unison.

“We greet the King of Light.”

Jeon Birang instantly got goosebumps and rubbed his arms. What kind of un-underworld-like flattery is this? However, Ha Jeonghak had his own reasoning, so he made Danwooseong’s nickname the ‘King of the Underworld’.

The title symbolizing the White Path is ‘King of Power’. Such a ‘King of Power’ should never become the hidden leader of the Black Path.

Therefore, Ha Jeong-hak never told his subordinates or younger brother that he had been defeated by the King of Power. He only said he had returned defeated after facing a master called the King of Light at the Silent Dragon Hall.

As Dan Wooseong and Jeon Birang ascended the dais…

Ha Jeong-hak and Ha Min greeted the two.

Dan Woo-sung glanced at Ha Min for a moment before immediately recognizing him as Ha Jung-hak’s younger brother. Aside from being slightly less physically imposing than Ha Jung-hak, he was otherwise indistinguishable from his older brother.

Dan Woo-sung addressed Ha Jung-hak.

“Lord, are you surrendering?”

Dan Wooseong’s words sounded as if he wished Ha Jeonghak wouldn’t surrender.

Ha Jeong-hak replied with a stoic expression, as if he could not bring himself to kneel.

“The entire Jipyameng will become swords for Your Majesty. I seek neither the treatment of a surrendered general nor that of a subordinate. Will you use Jipyameng as your sword?”

Unlike the composed Ha Jung-hak, Ha Min wore a dazed expression. Just how strong was that man to make his brother look so pathetic? Ha Min’s martial prowess was even lower than Ha Jung-hak’s, making Dan Woo-sung before him appear like an ordinary young man. In other words, from Ha Min’s perspective, Dan Woo-sung was a master of returning to simplicity.

“Brother…”

Ha Jung-hak grabbed Ha Min’s arm as if to silence him.

Dan Woosung said.

“Accept it.”

As Ha Jung-hak extended his hand to the gathered members of the Myeongwon, the entire Jipyamyeong—whose strength had been fully preserved thanks to Ha Jung-hak’s consideration—knelt. Then even the commander-in-chief, Ha Min, knelt.

Ha Jeong-hak glanced at Dan Woo-seong, then, his eyes bloodshot, lifted the front of his black robe and knelt.

Jeon Birang sighed again beside him.

Had he not escaped the Jipyamyeong last night, he would have had to kneel alongside them.

For Dan Wooseong, who had known nothing but smashing things his entire life, this was a novel experience and sight. Having lived alone, he had never before gathered so many subordinates under him.

Dan Woosung raised the Jipyamyeongju, who was older than himself.

Regardless of the Black and White Paths, Ha Jeong-hak was showing excessive courtesy, making it uncomfortable to watch. Even considering this was a desperate struggle to survive. Even if there remained the possibility of betrayal later on. Betrayal wouldn’t matter much.

Dan Woosung himself had grown too powerful.

Dan Woo-sung said.

“Jeon Birang remains a valued guest and supervisor of Jipyamyeong. Reports will be received through Jeon Birang.”

Ha Jeonghak nodded, then responded in formal speech.

“Understood.”

Dan Woo-sung asked Jeon Bi-rang.

“Jeon Birang, can you handle it?”

Jeon Birang clasped his hands in a bow to Dan Wooseong and replied.

“What can’t a man with nowhere to go do?”

Come to think of it, all of them except Dan Woo-sung were men with nowhere to go.

Dan Woosung demanded of Ha Jeonghak.

“All external and internal rules shall be revised in accordance with the Martial Alliance. If you feel they are not being properly managed, I will return myself, or I will come with Alliance Leader Yoo Jeong-hong.”

Ha Jeong-hak answered obediently once again.

“We will change them.”

Dan Woo-sung looked at Ha Jeong-hak.

“Leader Ha.”

“Yes.”

“My senior apprentice from the Emperor’s Council took his own life while fighting a demonic cultivator. He did so because the demonic cultivator had mastered a technique that absorbed his opponent’s inner energy. Whether you fight alongside me or alone, if the moment comes when you are defeated and killed by the leader of the demonic cultivators, take your own life first. This is also why I descended to the Southern Black Path.”

Ha Jeong-hak finally realized, belatedly, why this man had waged war against him.

It turned out the man’s goal wasn’t the Black Path, but the Demon Path.

Suddenly, he looked down at the Jipyamyeong forces kneeling with their lips tightly pressed together. They were all men who feared Ha Jeong-hak. Seeing even Ha Jeong-hak himself kneeling, he thought they had no choice but to follow Ha Jeong-hak’s will.

Dan Woosung found himself thinking anew that his path diverged from Jin Sohwan’s.

Though his followers had grown in number, he felt no joy.

It could only be seen as upholding human decency that they did not carry out a massacre.

.

.

.

As Danwooseong looked around Jipyamyeong as if he had something to discuss with Jeonbirang and began to walk away…

Only then did Ha-min look at his older brother.

“Brother, what the hell is this…”

He was about to ask, “Is this an embarrassment?” but the moment he saw Ha Jeong-hak’s expression, he shut his mouth. It was a strange expression, neither smiling nor crying.

Ha-min managed to ask in a tone that tried not to hurt him.

“Why are you lowering yourself like this? Were you that strong?”

Ha Jeonghak looked at his younger brother and said flatly.

“I just wanted to live a little longer.”

“Are you that afraid of dying?”

Ha Jeong-hak looked at his younger brother.

The words, “If I die, you’ll die easily at someone else’s hands too,” lingered only in his expression, accompanied by a bitter smile.

Ha Jeong-hak nodded.

“Now that I’m actually about to die, I’m scared. Sorry for showing you such a pathetic sight.”

Ha Jeong-hak let out a long sigh. As he gazed at the suddenly darkened scenery outside the house, somewhere within that darkness, a young Ha Jeong-hak, carrying his younger brother on his back, was still running fiercely toward somewhere.

That was also the reason he lived on, so pathetically.