Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1650. Find it quickly. Quickly (4)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"H- Have you heard it?"
"Huh? What's all the fuss about?"
"The Eul Hall, I say, the Eul Hall!"
“What’s with Eul Hall?”
The listener tilted his head.
The five newly created halls in Heavenly Comrade Alliance hadn't yet been formally named, so they were temporarily referred to as Gap, Eul, Byeong, Jeong, Mu (甲, 乙, 丙, 丁, 戊/Ten Heavenly Stems).
"The Eul Hall's Hall Leader imprisoned members in the thunder prison!"
"Th- Thunder prison? W- Wait a minute. Since when does the alliance have a thunder prison?"
“They probably borrowed the one at Mount Hua, right?”
"Ah, I see... No, that's not what's important right now. What on earth happened that people are imprisoned? Even with a war right around the corner?”
"They say he imprisoned them on the charge of insubordination against the vice hall leader! That's why the whole alliance is in an uproar, I tell you!"
“I- Insubordination?”
Against the vice hall leader? Someone who heard it clearly asked back blankly.
"If it’s vice hall leader, you mean those youngsters?"
“Hey!”
Then the one who had conveyed the news was startled and covered his mouth. The face scanning the surroundings quickly belonged to that of a frightened man.
"Watch your words! Things have changed!”
“...”
"If we're not careful, we could end up in the thunder prison too! Now we have to watch our mouths everywhere. I hear as many as twenty people were imprisoned this time. It’s no ordinary matter.”
The person hearing this opened his eyes as wide as lanterns. As soon as the hand covering his mouth fell away, he asked back in disbelief.
"I- Is it really true?"
Twenty. It wasn’t common for that many people to be imprisoned all at once on the same day. Any sect would be thrown into an uproar.
"That... if it's Eul Hall's Hall Leader..."
"Right. It's Tang Family patriarch."
People who had been lingering around approached cautiously. It seemed they were equally curious about the situation.
“Twenty? Does that mean it's not just one sect?”
"That's right. Not only Jaegal and Murong, but even Beggar Union, Namgung, and even Southern Edge Sect are mixed in."
“E- Even Southern Edge Sect? Is, is that allowed?"
The face of the person who heard this turned pale.
"Well, allowed or not, it's already happened? And they’ve declared that insubordination against the vice hall leaders will be taken as a challenge against the Alliance itself. The General confirmed it too!”
The more they heard, the more serious everyone's faces became.
Of course, the General would side with the vice hall leaders, but the hall leader stepping forward to side with the vice hall leaders was no ordinary matter.
Wasn't the reason everyone could maintain their subtly dismissive attitude towards the vice hall leaders until now precisely because they were confident that the hall's power ultimately lay with the hall leader?
“Are we supposed to take this as the hall leaders shielding the vice hall leaders?”
“Most likely. Otherwise…”
“No, but why?”
The man made an absurd expression as if he couldn't understand at all.
Heavenly Comrade Alliance was a coalition tangled with countless sects.
And the appointment of vice hall leaders this time crossed the line. Anyone can see that it's a case of Mount Hua Sect arranging for the vice hall leader positions to be filled by a select few they like.
Would there have been only one or two members who harbored subtle complaints about this?
Therefore, though they hadn't openly and deliberately planned it, there was clearly a tacit consensus and cooperation to suppress the vice hall leaders' spirit.
But the hall leader, whom they considered their representatives, not only failed to protect the members but actually came forward to shield the vice hall leaders?
From the perspective of the hall members who were subtly showing their dissatisfaction, things were going more than just a little wrong.
"That... Tang Family has a good relationship with Mount Hua, so isn't that the reason? Other hall leaders might think differently. Like our hall leader..."
"Don't talk nonsense. Then they would have already stated their position. Among those imprisoned right now, there must be the hall leader’s disciples too!”
Hearing it, it wasn't wrong either. Even the small hope that remained crumbled.
“So what happens now?”
"What happens? From now on, all those who resist the vice hall leaders will end up imprisoned in the thunder prison. I hear they have no intention of releasing them until the war ends.”
“What? Tha- That long?”
“Ah, I’m telling you! That’s why the alliance is like walking on thin ice right now, thin ice!”
Sighs leaked out from here and there.
That means they now have no choice but to obey the young, green vice hall leaders. If told to sit, they must sit; if told to crawl, they must crawl.
"Damn it... Why did those bastards have to cause trouble!"
“I knew this would happen!”
"Whatever they did, they should have done it in moderation!"
If they had just quietly let things pass until the war started, things wouldn't have gone this wrong.
In a situation right before battle, there's a high probability they wouldn't reduce forces just for punishment, so it might have been difficult to punish every minor act of insubordination.
But they caused trouble while there was still time, so the vice hall leaders' authority only became more solid.
How many people would accept this favorably?
“Then do we just have to avoid insubordination?”
"It's still a rumor, but... that's..."
"Don't be frustrating and just say it quickly! What else?"
"The General said he would formally specify that the vice hall leaders' authority includes immediate execution rights over members..."
"What...? I- Immediate execution rights? Does that mean if we make a mistake, they can cut off our heads right on the spot?”
"...They say it's not even at that level. I heard it's to the extent that if a vice hall leader is displeased, they can just cut your head off, regardless of right or wrong."
"Does that even make sense? Even Evil Sects wouldn't do such things!"
"It doesn't make sense. Of course it doesn't. But... It's 'that' General, isn't it?"
These words instantly gave it plausibility.
That Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung was insane and worse than Evil Sect was now common knowledge in Kangho. Was there anything normal among the things that bastard has done?
“Then what about us?”
"We're completely screwed, I guess..."
It was already bad enough that they had to serve greenhorn kids from other sects they had never even met, and now those kids held the power of life and death?
The phrase ‘mad enough to jump’ was created for times like this.
Just then, one of those listening to the conversation opened his mouth.
"No matter what, with the hall leaders and sect leaders present, can it really go that far? Surely they will stop it at a reasonable level."
Someone else chimed in in agreement.
"That's right. They aren't just puppets! No matter how unreasonable the General is, he can't possibly defeat all of them!"
That argument certainly had weight.
Amidst various complicated worries, everyone's gaze naturally turned towards one place: the meeting room where the alliance's key figures were gathered.
Inside the grand meeting room, Murong Wigyeong cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
“So, well… I am ashamed that… such… an incident has occurred, but still, wouldn't you say this punishment is a bit excessive….”
“Excessive?”
"In the thunder prison for so long..."
"Ah, that. That was certainly a somewhat problematic solution."
"Right...?"
"I should have just severed their limbs and tendons on the spot, turned them into cripples, and thrown them to the beggars. I was short-sighted. Even now, right away..."
"N- No! That's not it! The 'excessive' I meant wasn't, wasn't that meaning, but..."
Murong Wigyeong stammered as he frantically changed his words. And for good reason, he could see... genuine sincerity on Chung Myung's face.
"B- But still, isn't it giving too much authority to the vice clan hall leaders, such concerns..."
"Too much?"
A look of sorrow bloomed on Murong Wigyeong's face. How could a person not let someone to speak...
"In the first place!"
Kwang!
Chung Myung slammed the table in front of him as if to shatter it.
"If the Clan Leaders had done their jobs properly, this wouldn't have happened! We appointed you to support the vice leaders, so what were you all doing that things ended up like this! You don’t do the work you’re supposed to!”
“Chung Myung-ah… It’s not that the hall leaders assist the vice leaders… The vice leaders assist the hall leaders …”
"Ah, that's just in name! In reality, weren't they appointed to clean up after the vice hall leaders! If you gave old folks in the back room work, shouldn't they at least do that properly!"
Even if that was the internal reality, one shouldn't voice it all out loud. In the world, that's called 'manners' and 'common sense'.
Although Hyun Jong had very much he wanted to say, he could not bear to say it out loud. Because, unfortunately, he was a person who possessed common sense and manners.
Chung Myung, who lacked common sense, was busy firing off accusations.
"Say something! What were you doing that the situation got this bad? Huh?"
"It's not that..."
"You busy?"
"N- No... Not busy..."
"Then not busy? Must be nice, living the easy life, huh?"
…Murong Wigyeong, speechless, stared blankly at Chung Myung. Then, suddenly, he felt a surge of indignation.
'No, wait. Why am I only apologizing like this?'
As someone who joined Heavenly Comrade Alliance, respecting the General was natural. But not being able to refute even one word and being crushed, wasn't that a different case?
He was never one to deserve such treatment in the first place. Even the courts of old couldn't treat him this way!
It was at that moment when he was about to lose his temper and start a fight.
“General, now...!”
“I’m sorry, General.”
The former sect leader of Beggar Union, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar, bowed deeply to Chung Myung.
“The General gave an order, and due to my incompetence, I failed to carry it out properly. Please forgive my negligence.”
"Is this a situation you can just dismiss with the word 'negligence'?"
"...I have nothing to say even with ten mouths. Our role was to empower the vice hall leaders to fulfill their duties... I apologize once again."
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar himself was bowing his head in apology.
Murong Wigyeong froze solid like ice. No, not just Murong Wigyeong, the others couldn't hide their flustered expressions either.
What was Wind Shadow Divine Beggar?
Although his presence was said to be ambiguous, he was the sect leader who ruled the Beggar Union for decades and was now someone who had stepped back from the front lines after passing the position to the next generation. In terms of his symbolic status and seniority, he was someone Murong Wigyeong couldn't even compare to.
Yet did it make sense for such a person to bow his head to that greenhorn?
"...I should also apologize."
At that moment, Maeng So reinforced Wind Shadow Divine Beggar's position with a troubled face.
"There was considerable backlash from the Beast Palace, so trying to smooth it over..."
“That is that and this is this!”
"That's what I'm saying, tsk."
Maeng So smacked his lips and showed an embarrassed look. His face even flushed. Seeing that large frame at a loss made even Murong Wigyeong flustered.
With those two opening the floodgates, the atmosphere turned strange. Especially since Wind Shadow Divine Beggar, who didn't seem to have deep interactions with Chung Myung, openly taking a low stance had a significant impact.
It became difficult to point out that Chung Myung had been excessive. Naturally Tang Gun-ak, who had directly caused this incident, and even Murong Wigyeong and Jong Nigok.
"I didn't say this to receive obvious apologies. I'm asking you to be clear about it."
Chung Myung opened his mouth again with a slightly more composed voice.
"It's fortunate it surfaced now. If something like this explodes on the battlefield, it’ll be irreversible. I couldn't step in and do anything then."
“...That’s right.”
“So know exactly what your job is. Is this the time to play at power struggles? We created halls to solve the chaos between sects, and now you’re fighting within the halls. Ha, the more I think about it, the more infuriating and tiresome these people are! Really, I'll beat them all to death..."
"Ch- Chung Myung-ah. Calm down a bit."
"He's getting angry at his own words..."
Chung Myung sighed deeply and barely cooled his heat. Then he shouted sharply.
“Vice Hall Leaders, you snap out of it too!”
The vice hall leaders who were seated in attendance flinched and shrank their necks.
"These things happen because you all look like easy targets! When nobodies act up, you should have stabbed their bellies with a sword right there! Where..."
"...At this point, isn't Evil Sects actually nicer, Sahyung?"
"I'm starting to wonder about that too."
"Shut up!"
Chung Myung burst out in irritation, then hardened his expression.
"Those who command lose everything when they lose control."
“...”
"It may seem trivial at first glance, but don't forget that those trivial cracks can ultimately drive everyone to death. We're at war now."
Everyone felt the weight in that voice. That weight made everyone nod their heads.
And then.
Creak.
The door opened roughly, and one person stepped into the meeting room.
“Maengju-nim, General-nim. I report.”
It was Nokrim King Im Sobyeong. He spoke with a paler and more rigid face than usual.
“The Sa-pae-ryeon has finally moved.”
That voice was colder and heavier than even his complexion.
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