Episode 456
“Are you tilting your head like you don’t know what’s going on? “I understand that you are the person who arranged the exchange between Hwang Bo-sega and the Shaman faction.”
What Taeyeon said was true.
In the past, they had continued to interact with the Hwangbo family as a result of their joint struggle to punish the Sima family.
To be precise, Hwang Bose’s side used the medium Hwang Bojin to contact me periodically.
“Were you pursuing something like that without my knowledge?”
Ho Jeong-kwon looked at me as if he was embarrassed.
I answered with a shrug.
“I didn’t really hide it.”
You have to ask in the first ce to tell me or not.
A shaman faction that is busy rebuilding a sect that was devastated by demonic cultists.
Hwang Bo-se needed to make as many allies as possible in case the battle line in Hebei copses.
He only built a bridge because he judged that the interests of the two martial powers would coincide.
It is good for the independent faction because they can receive support fromrge corporations with enormous wealth, and it is good for the Hwangbo family because they can preupy investment destinations with guaranteed profits.
It’s good for me because I can coordinate the process and strengthen the rtionship with both sides.
It was an exchange that benefited everyone.
“First of all, I want to say thank you. “If it weren’t for you, the Shaman faction would have been having a much harder time than it is now.”
Apletely different attitude from before.
I wondered if it was the Taeyeon sword I knew.
What kind of conversation did I have with King Kwon that made him change like this?
“The Lord of the House of Lords said he personally visited the shaman sect.”
“I see. “I went to the monastery to see if the restoration was going well, and I was so surprised to see him unexpectedly…” “
Did Taesanggaju tell me something in defense of me?”
“Not really. “He just told me in detail about the situation at the time when the Sima family was overthrown.”
“…….”
“I’m sorry. “I think I’ve misunderstood you all along.”
Taeyeon Geom apologized and bowed her head.
I stared at the back of his head, not knowing how to react.
“When I think about it, maybe I just needed someone to vent my anger to. “They pushed you around in a reckless manner without even thinking about finding out the details.”
“no. “It is also clear that my decision caused Senior Smoker to be a burden.”
“The Lord of the House of Lords said so. “In order to minimize damage, we had to eliminate our troops’ hesitation, and for that, you voluntarily took on all responsibility.”
Unable to find the words to reply, I scratched my cheek with my index finger.
No matter how you look at it, isn’t this meant to take my side?
“I think it’s a decision that not just anyone can make. The higher their status and reputation, the more reluctant they are to have their self-evaluation wed. “You are a role model for the martial arts people of the right faction.”
I cleared my throat and slowly turned my head.
As I looked at Taeyeon saying something seriously embarrassing, my hands and feet began to tremble and it was difficult to bear it.
The sight of Ho Jeong-kwon watching my reaction with the tip of his lips twitching felt a bit disgusting.
“Although I am active as an elder of the Order, I am also a shaman. “From now on, I want to repay my debt to you, the recluse’s benefactor.”
“I understand what you mean, sir. But how specifically are you going to help me?”
“That friend of Ho Jeong-kwon said so. “You don’t have any talent for acting, so don’te to the forefront and just quietly help yourself from behind.”
I looked back at Gojeong-kwon with a slightly surprised expression.
No matter how close you are, it was a remark that could have hurt the other person’s feelings if you were not careful.
It was not something that could be said carelessly to a person representing a certain sect.
‘There’s no need to do this.’
The reason for this kind of lecture was probably because he was keeping in mind the anxiety I would feel.
In other words, it was an expression of his will to keep a close eye on Taeyeon to prevent him from being stabbed in the back.
Hao Jeong-kwon’s eyes narrowed.
He raised his ss and brought out Taeyeon’s sword.
“What are they doing?”
sses clinked together.
The sshing drops of alcohol wet the sleeves of my clothes.
“Now, let’s put down the old sediment. “Let’s talk constructively from now on.”
A much lighter atmosphere.
So the two elders and I had a long conversation.
Until the liquor jar next to the table runs out.
* * *
“Boss.”
“What brings you here again?”
“I have a favor to ask you.”
“……?”
“Please assign me to the execution unit again.”
Why is this person like this all of a sudden?
How long has it been since you moved to the administrative department?
I red at the young man standing in front of the desk with cold eyes.
“Are you kidding me?”
“no.”
“Personnel transfers are not something that happens quickly at the whim of an individual.”
“I know this is a shameless request.”
The young man, Hwang Bo-jin, knelt in ce.
Holding one’s weight with a face full of spleen felt distinctly different from before.
Has there been any change of heart during this time?
“It’s not possible.”
But I shook my head resolutely.
A question is a question, and I could not ept such an unreasonable request.
“I will never show disappointment again. Please give me onest chance.”
“No matter what you say, you can’t say anything.”
“…….”
“Equity is the second issue. epting that request will lower the morale of the entire department. “What would other members think when they see Sohyeop shamelessly returning to his original form?”
Hwang Bo-jin becamepletely dumb.
A heavy silence fell inside the office.
Even in a tense atmosphere that seemed as if it would break at any moment, Hwang Bo-jin did not straighten his bent knees.
I pressed my itchy forehead with my index finger and let out an irritated voice.
“great. First, let’s hear the reason. What kind of wind is blowing again?”
“…….”
“I believe that you didn’t want to run away because you couldn’t stand the stares from the other administrative team members.”
“That is definitely not the case. “The administrative assistants treated me kindly, even though I wascking and unreliable.”
“if?”
“……I heard the news. The front line in Hebei copsed and Shandong became the stage for the next battlefield. There is also a story that the head of the Taesang family was seriously injured by the head of the Demon Cult.”
Now I felt like I knew why Hwang Bo-jin hade to visit me.
No matter how much of a coward he was, he couldn’t just watch as his blood-rted family and his hometown where he was born and raised were threatened.
Humans are veryplex creatures.
It was impossible to understand everything about an object by only looking at its external appearance.
Hwang Bo-kyung was like that, Nam Hak-geom was like that, and Hwang Bo-jin in front of me was like that.
Who would have guessed that he would now show his will to participate in the war?
‘I don’t like what I’m doing, though.’
Still, it was nice to see that I had grown a step further as a human being.
At least, I felt like I could show some courtesy to Hwang Bo-sega, who asked me to ‘help Hwang Bo-jine to his senses.’
After thinking for a moment while rubbing my chin, I sighed and said.
“As I said a little while ago, it is impossible to restore the small cooperatives to their original form.”
“…….”
“But if you still want to participate in the war, I can suggest another way.”
“What do you mean by another way?”
“As you may know, there is a unit operated unofficially by the Cheonan Inspectorate.”
Hwang Bo-jin’s face hardened.
It seemed like he understood what I was trying to say without having to listen to anything else.
unofficial unit.
A dark department under the Cheonan Inspector General, created mainly by former members of the inspection department and members of thew enforcement party.
Due to the nature of the group, it was a unit that frequently performed dangerous missions and was bound to cause casualties when deployed to the battlefield.
“If you wish, we will make arrangements to move with them.”
In fact, it was an option presented to break Hwang Bo-jin’s stubbornness.
I thought it was unlikely that he, who was so timid, would risk death to head to Shandong.
However, Hwang Bo-jin’s answer waspletely beyond my expectations.
“Please do so.”
“…!”
“But, as an official member, can I leave my seat on my own?”
“You don’t have to worry about that part. Externally, the cooperative will send out missions to other regions.”
“All right.”
As I watched him simply ept the offer, I felt a strange feeling that was difficult to put into words.
It was to the point where I doubted whether it was the Hwang Bo-jin I knew.
‘Can people change this much?’
After asking a few additional questions.
While I was quietly staring at his back as he left the office, I leaned back and muttered.
They say that if a person suddenly changes, he or she dies.
You’re not going to cause an ident like that, right?
* * *
When I visited the administrative office with a document in hand, I froze at the sight that unfolded before my eyes.
As I was blinking with a nk expression, Seo Ho-seon, who was sitting across from Yu So-hwa and chatting, got up and bowed to me.
“See you, Manager.”
“…Since when did you two be like that?”
It wasn’t just a misunderstanding that he seemed to be having a friendly conversation.
A ring of exactly the same shape worn on the ring finger of the left hand caught the eye.
I knew that there was a connection between the two that I didn’t know about, but I never thought they would have developed into a romantic rtionship without even seeing each other.
“It just so happened to be like that.”
Seo Ho-seon touched his ring and smiled shyly.
Yu Xiaohua’s face turned slightly red.
The woman I saw named Yoo So-hwa was someone who had no interest in things like dating or marriage.
This was evident just by looking at the fact that she, who had been courted by many men, was an old maid who was over 40 years old.
I can’t believe she started dating someone of the opposite sex.
This probably means that Seo Ho-seon actively approached Yu So-hwa.
After Sa Woo-yeon’s death, Seo Ho-seon’s personality changed greatly.
I no longer hesitate to take a step towards change.
He gained the courage to approach his parents, who had been watching him from afar his entire life, and has now even be a partner with a woman.
It was a positive change.
I said with a soft smile on my face.
“Congrattions.”
“thank you. But haven’t you seen the Cheonwoo seal?”
“Cheonwoo Dojo? Why are you looking for him?”
“It seems like he’s been strangely avoiding metely.”
“……?”
“I think I offended him thest time I saw him, but I can’t guess where he was angry.”
“Did you ever brag about being in a romantic rtionship with Warrior Yu?”
“yes? It seems like I just mentioned it in passing, but…”
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Somehow it seemed like that.
He could not have been a truly consistent person.
‘The future of the Volcanic Sect is very bright.’