Sharing the Same Boat (2)
The situation changed rapidly.
The Alliance Lord’s Hall suddenly announced that Gal Sa-Ryang would be made Chief Strategist.
When living in the Jianghu, one was bound to experience many unexpected things, but this matter could truly be called a major incident that no one had expected.
Not only the inside of the Hall of Justice, but the entire Grand Martial Alliance was turned upside down.
Gal Sa-Ryang called me separately.
“Congratulations, Strategist.”
“Thank you. It was truly unexpected.”
“I think it is a position you should rightfully have risen to. Rather, you have regained it far too late.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“I mean it sincerely.”
Gal Sa-Ryang’s gaze toward me was deep. Though it was only a single sentence, if sincerity was contained within it, I believed these things would gather and form a deep bond.
“I have a request for you.”
“What is it?”
“Become my strategist-in-charge.”
“Yes?”
It was a proposal as surprising as him becoming Chief Strategist.
“Have you forgotten that I am a newly appointed strategist?”
“A newly appointed strategist who saved me several times.”
“This is too unconventional an appointment.”
“My becoming Chief Strategist itself is unconventional.”
“The other strategists will oppose it.”
“No. They will not oppose it. Because they will watch my mood, no one will be able to step forward. There is only one chance at the beginning to place you in the position of strategist-in-charge.”
Gal Sa-Ryang saw through exactly what the situation would be after he returned as Chief Strategist.
When Sima Tian became Chief Strategist, everyone followed him. A few quit, but most remained in the Hall of Justice. All of those who remained were people who owed Gal Sa-Ryang a debt. It was not because they had not left the Hall of Justice.
Everyone had their own lives, so they could not be judged by whether they stayed or left.
The problem was that when Gal Sa-Ryang was being tormented by Sima Tian, not a single one of them stepped forward. In their hearts, they felt sorry, but no one came forward to help Gal Sa-Ryang.
That was why, now that Gal Sa-Ryang had returned, they would feel a chill in their hearts. They would also fear that lightning of revenge might fall upon them.
In this situation, no one would step forward and express dissatisfaction with Gal Sa-Ryang’s appointments.
“Because the word ‘in charge’ is attached to it, it may sound like a great position, but it is not. It is the role of assisting me from closest at hand. Will you grant my request?”
He was not asking whether I could do it. He was asking me to accept his request. His words contained the will for us to do this together. I was in a position where I had to cling to him even if he abandoned me, so this was an extremely grateful proposal.
“Yes, I will do it. I will devote everything I have to helping you, Strategist.”
“Good. Leave the aftermath to me.”
“Thank you very much for trusting me.”
Strategist-in-charge. To think that in my life I would take on the role of strategist-in-charge of the Hall of Justice.
After returning as a ghost, unpredictable things were happening with each passing day. That was why I would have to stay sharp and pay special attention to everything.
As I turned to leave, Gal Sa-Ryang said,
“Thank you.”
Smiling even more brightly than the smile on his lips, I said,
“Those are the words I should be saying.”
Number Seven was just as surprised.
The ordinary strategist and newly appointed strategist she had been investigating had suddenly become the Chief Strategist and strategist-in-charge. Now it had become difficult to investigate them carelessly.
Gal Sa-Ryang called her and said,
“Since the situation has become like this, I think it would be best to postpone the investigation.”
“I will report to my superiors first.”
“Would the Alliance Lord’s Hall not already know?”
When she had first introduced herself, she had said that the Alliance Lord had sent her.
“Yes, that is true. Even so, there is such a thing as procedure.”
It was an unnoticeable mistake. Gal Sa-Ryang realized that the person who had sent her was not Ma Bong-Gi. If Ma Bong-Gi had sent her, she would not have said she had to report to her superiors in the situation just now.
“Then I will take my leave.”
“Let us meet again next time.”
Number Seven had no intention of obediently withdrawing. The fact that the situation was changing so suddenly instead made her more suspicious.
“Elder Go’s death must definitely be connected to Gal Sa-Ryang.”
Rather, it became a chance for a new conviction.
While Number Seven briefly stopped paying attention to us, I secretly met Jin through a contact office.
Jin told me about the various things that had happened while I was away.
First, he reported the news of the Three-Eyed Pavilion that he and Su were organizing.
“Our pavilion is continuing to increase its branches.”
It was the same with any organization, but elite quality was the most important. It meant that being filled with skilled martial artists was more useful than mere numbers.
However, at least when it came to an intelligence organization, size mattered. Basically, the information network had to be spread out like a spiderweb so that information could flow to every corner of the Central Plains and swift contact would be possible.
“The current number of branches is one hundred and twenty.”
When I last confirmed, there had been seventy-two, but now there were more than one hundred and twenty.
“We do not plan to increase the number of branches further. From now on, we intend to strengthen the internal substance.”
Jin and Su were handling matters far more competently than I had expected.
“Were you not short on money?”
Starting with the fifty thousand nyang I had given them at first, the final amount I had given them was two hundred thousand nyang. It was certainly an enormous sum, but I wondered whether it might still have been insufficient to gather people and establish one hundred and twenty branches.
“Deputy Guild Leader Yang’s help was great.”
“Ah, I see.”
Jeong Yeo had helped both materially and otherwise without informing me.
“Tell Guild Leader Jeong that I am grateful. And for the time being, you should stay near me and help me.”
“Yes, understood.”
I heard other news as well. They said there was still no news from Baek Pyo. He was probably still devoting himself to raising the Black Panther Squad. I looked forward to seeing what they would be like when they came out into the Jianghu. They would surely become my strongest right arm.
Gong Su-Chan, who was as reliable as Baek Pyo, was said to be growing the Taeseong Merchant Guild well.
Jin even told me the news that Song Hwa-Rin had released her first sword qi. He said Gwangdu’s Martial Arts skills were also improving further, and the Small Sword Squad was also diligently building real-combat training.
Everyone was growing well. If the current situation were compared to a person’s life, it could be called a growth period where one grows rapidly day by day. When one can grow, one must grow as much as possible.
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Gal Sa-Ryang took control of the Hall of Justice in an instant.
How had he endured living while suppressing such powerful political skill? It was enough to surprise everyone.
He returned the Hall of Justice to how it had been when he had led it before.
He did not question the past. He said he understood everyone and would judge only what came next.
Just when everyone was half relieved and half worried, decisive news arrived.
The news was that Sima Tian, who had been investigated by the Law Enforcement Hall, had been locked in the underground prison. During that time, Ma Bong-Gi was said to have not gone to see him even once.
That was the end. Everyone could tell. Sima Tian was now finished.
Everyone acknowledged Gal Sa-Ryang as the new Chief Strategist. His ability had already been sufficiently shown over the years.
Gal Sa-Ryang cut out everyone in the Hall of Justice who had entered through Sima Tian’s line.
The existing strategists of the Hall of Justice were pleased. They were happy that those people had been cut out, but more than that, the Hall of Justice was now truly beginning to return to its former appearance. After Sima Tian became Chief Strategist, the authority of the Hall of Justice had fallen greatly.
I worked diligently on the tasks Gal Sa-Ryang assigned me.
Of course, there was no way there would be no disapproving gazes toward me, who had gone from newly appointed strategist to strategist-in-charge. They could not complain openly, but how could there not be a flood of talk behind the scenes over this appointment?
Gal Sa-Ryang entrusted one task to me as strategist-in-charge. It was a task I had to complete by leading ordinary strategists and cooperating with them.
Gal Sa-Ryang knew the exact solution to this matter.
Show your ability directly to your subordinates.
I met Gal Sa-Ryang’s expectations splendidly.
In choosing and gathering materials, I displayed proper judgment, and I had no hesitation in action or execution. My eyes were good, and my hands were fast.
Would that material be needed?
While everyone else was still thinking, I was already demanding that they bring that material along with other necessary materials.
In meetings, I impressed them with insight smarter and more correct than anyone else’s, and I reached conclusions with accurate judgment.
By the time the task ended, people even said that there had been as little wasted time as when they worked with Gal Sa-Ryang.
With this task, complaints about me disappeared cleanly. Instead, rumors spread that I possessed genius-level talent.
Genius-level? In truth, it was not to that extent.
I thought that wherever people lived, it was all the same. Only if I became a genius could these seniors feel at ease. Their wounded pride was healed.
Even though this place was filled only with smart people and might seem a little different, in the end, I felt once again that this was also a place where people gathered.
As the evaluation of me changed, there was also a new evaluation of Gal Sa-Ryang.
People even said that, as expected, his eye for recognizing talent was the best.
The final gain I obtained was Gal Sa-Ryang’s trust.
“As expected, you do not disappoint me!”
Once Gal Sa-Ryang took control of the Hall of Justice, Ma Bong-Gi summoned him.
“I heard that the Hall of Justice has united firmly around Strategist Gal. As expected of the finest Chief Strategist.”
Gal Sa-Ryang showed a confident smile. No matter what sort of appearance he showed, Ma Bong-Gi would try to eliminate him at the final moment. He thought there was no need to hide himself. What he had to show now was not humility, but confidence.
Gal Sa-Ryang’s judgment was correct.
“There is something I must tell you.”
“What is it?”
“There is a force that raised me up as Alliance Lord.”
Ma Bong-Gi had brought up those behind him.
He had used the expression “force.” Already, from the very first words, strong hostility toward them was buried within it.
“They are pressuring me.”
As if hearing this for the first time, Gal Sa-Ryang made a startled expression. Soon, he regained the composure befitting a Chief Strategist.
“Please tell me everything you know.”
“There is nothing to call what I know. I heard the news that they had raised me up as Alliance Lord, and some time later, I heard the news that I had become Alliance Lord.”
“You mean there was no contact beforehand?”
“That is right.”
Gal Sa-Ryang thought this was unexpected. He could not know precisely whether Ma Bong-Gi was telling the truth, but he did not seem to be deceiving him.
“At first, I did not know why the Bright Moon Corps Leader supported me. I even thought he sincerely considered me someone suited to be Alliance Lord. But now I know clearly. There is someone behind the Bright Moon Corps Leader, and those bastards are plotting something while keeping me seated as a scarecrow Alliance Lord.”
Gal Sa-Ryang simply listened to his words. He did not step in midway to reveal his own thoughts.
For now, it was important to learn as much information as possible. So he observed each of Ma Bong-Gi’s expressions and even his subtle speaking habits closely. What he revealed, and what he hid.
“After hiding their identity until now, they have finally expressed their intention to meet.”
Ma Bong-Gi added with an angry face,
“That arrogant bastard told me to come to him.”
After pondering for a moment, Gal Sa-Ryang calmly said,
“Tell them you will go.”
They had to make this meeting happen no matter what. They could not miss the opportunity to see the enemy behind the scenes. Especially not while he was in the position of Chief Strategist.
“You are really telling me to go where that bastard told me to come?”
“Yes, you must go.”
“What if they have set a trap?”
“I apologize for saying this, but if they were aiming for your life, Alliance Lord, I do not think even this Alliance Lord’s Hall is a safe place.”
Ma Bong-Gi could not deny those words. Several organizations, including Zuo Tie-Long, had been recruited by them. The Alliance Lord’s Hall could not be called absolutely safe.
“The place is not important. In any case, the place they ask to meet will not be their headquarters. What matters is confirming who the other party is.”
Ma Bong-Gi nodded, but he still hesitated to make a decision.
Gal Sa-Ryang continued persuading him.
“As you know well, the most difficult enemy to face in the Jianghu is not a strong enemy, but an unseen enemy. If we miss this opportunity, we cannot guarantee when we will meet him again.”
At last, Ma Bong-Gi nodded.
“Very well. I will meet him.”
Gal Sa-Ryang deliberately spoke with a solemn look in his eyes.
“I will personally escort you.”
That night, Gal Sa-Ryang called me.
“There is something I must tell you.”
He was more serious and grave than he had ever been since meeting me.
“Before I say it, there is one thing I want to ask.”
“Please ask.”
“You said this, did you not? That the greater the danger, the greater the things to be gained.”
“Yes, I did.”
“What if that danger is great enough that you must risk your life?”
I held back my answer for a moment.
“Before answering, may I also ask one thing?”
“Ask.”
“You do not have to tell me the reason why I must risk my life. But is the matter in which my life will be at stake a righteous one?”
If I followed him without any justification, Gal Sa-Ryang would instead not trust me.
“It is for the Jianghu, and for the people of the Jianghu. This is something that must be done even if we have to risk our lives.”
As soon as he finished speaking, I answered without hesitation.
“I will gladly risk my life as well. And in that danger, I will definitely protect you, Strategist.”
“You!”
The emotion flowing between him and me right now was trust. He expected trust from me, and at the same time, he gave me a sense of trust that told me to believe in him.
“There is a place we must escort the Alliance Lord to. You and I, along with only the minimum number of people, will move. I will tell you the details on the way.”
“What is the departure time and destination?”
“We depart at dawn the day after tomorrow. The destination is the Namhyeon Escort Agency in Zhejiang Province.”
“Understood. I will prepare immediately.”
I walked out without showing anything, but that was a place I knew.
Namhyeon Escort Agency.
It was the escort agency that had previously sent Lim Yeon-Jeong’s research materials, and the place that had become a mid-sized escort agency in a short time with the support of Sung Wang-Bo, leader of the Continental Merchant Guild. It was the very place operated by those behind the enemy. As expected, the news sent by the force behind this matter was certain.
The fact that Ma Bong-Gi was going personally meant that a leader or someone of leader-level rank would also come from the other side.
Would the true leader of those bastards really appear?
Who in the world was he?
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