Read Novel Full Chapter 1155: Well, If It’s Absolutely Necessary. (5)
Chapter 1155: Well, If It’s Absolutely Necessary. (5)
In that atmosphere, even Chung Myung looked at Im So-Byeong with a bit of hope.
The reason he convened this meeting was not because he didn’t know what to do next. He had already finished thinking about what should be done first.
Nevertheless, there were two reasons why he hosted the meeting.
One was that he could no longer insist on thinking and leading alone.
As he just told Baek Cheon, each person here is someone who must judge and lead others when war breaks out.
If they get used to waiting for someone else to make decisions, there will inevitably be situations where they fail to judge properly when they must decide for themselves.
Therefore, at least they must become those who find the best course themselves. For that, even Chung Myung needs to reduce his own opinions a little.
Even if the meeting’s outcome contradicts what Chung Myung thinks is best, he believed it would ultimately be the best.
The other reason was….
‘I can’t do it alone.’
Chung Myung is not omnipotent.
No matter how many terrible wars he endured in the past or how many deadly situations others cannot even imagine he crossed, Chung Myung’s experience and perception have limits.
Until now, his way of thinking worked, but to face the huge enemies like Jang Ilso and the Demonic Cult, his strength alone is insufficient.
So he wants to gather opinions. Those here are worthy of Chung Myung’s attention.
At that moment, Im So-Byeong spoke.
“What is important to win?”
“…Yes?”
When Namgung Do-Wei asked blankly, Im So-Byeong tapped his own head with his folded fan.
“Maybe the question was a bit difficult. If two people fight, who wins?”
“Well… the one who trained a bit harder.”
“No, no. It’s the one who understands the opponent better.”
“I think rather the one who clearly knows their limits has a higher chance to win.”
Reasonable answers poured out.
Then, someone who gets hives from obvious words blurted out incredulously.
“Isn’t it just that the stronger one wins?”
A moment of silence fell. As everyone’s gaze focused on him, Jo Gul’s face flushed red.
“Ah, no, I mean…”
“That’s right!”
“…Huh?”
Whoosh!
Im So-Byeong opened his fan.
“No matter how you dress it up or talk around it, the conclusion is one: the stronger side wins. Isn’t that the only truth in the murim world?”
“See! I was right!”
“Who said anything about that?”
“Why are you getting so worked up alone?”
“Oh my, well done.”
“You guys!”
Everyone coldly averted their gaze from Jo Gul. There are always people you don’t want to praise even if they do well.
“Then how should we win in war, young lord of Namgung?”
Receiving that heavy gaze, Namgung Do-Wei leaned his upper body slightly back.
“Well…”
He never imagined such a ridiculous answer would come from his mouth, but the atmosphere forced him to give one answer.
“We just need to become stronger.”
“Oh dear. Now your brain’s working a bit.”
“…”
He gave the most foolish answer in his life and was praised for it. This plunged Namgung Do-Wei into an inexplicable self-loathing. Of course, he didn’t realize it was strange that he was secretly happy to be praised by Im So-Byeong, who is from the Evil Sect. ℟ἁꞐȏ𝔟Èȿ
“Now, what are the ways to become stronger?”
“Well…”
Im So-Byeong apparently didn’t expect an answer here and neatly summarized.
“There are exactly two: improve quality or increase quantity.”
Baek Cheon snapped at that.
“No, then what about the small and medium sects earlier…”
“Just to clarify, increasing quantity means supplementing those who can be combatants. Surely no one here thinks that gathering all riffraff will make us stronger, right?”
“Of course not.”
“…”
Baek Cheon, who suddenly dodged the question, was met with sharp gazes. He bowed his head deeply and ground his teeth inwardly.
“But that…”
Tang Pae quietly spoke up.
“Those aren’t the only two methods. Strategy, tactics, and…”
“Ah, stratagem?”
Im So-Byeong snickered.
“Ah, that could be. If the family lord uses his head well, he might fight an enemy twice as strong.”
“It wouldn’t be easy but surely…”
“Then three times?”
“…”
“Five times? Ten times?”
Tang Pae was suddenly speechless. If using your head could let you beat someone ten times stronger, why would people fear climbing mountains at night? They’d just catch tigers with bare hands and progress up.
“Do you understand? Strategy and tactics are meaningless against a power gap. If you can win without thinking, why would you waste your mind trying to find ways? The body is weak, so the head struggles to cover it.”
“Ah, no… but Han Gaozu defeated Xiang Yu.”
“If it was one-on-one, he’d have been beaten to death! That guy gathered all available forces to gang up!”
“…”
Hearing that, it was indeed a valid point.
“Who is stronger now, the Four Sects Alliance or us?”
“Well…”
This is an answer anyone can give without thinking.
“The Four Sects Alliance.”
“Yes. They are stronger.”
With the current Heavenly Friends Alliance’s strength, it’s not easy to face the Four Sects Alliance alone. Of course, the situation depends on how well they coordinate, but based on revealed strength, the Four Sects Alliance clearly has the upper hand.
“Anyone with sense wouldn’t waste time devising plans to overcome stronger forces with weaker ones. Instead, they look for ways to increase their strength.”
Everyone began to be captivated by Im So-Byeong’s words.
“But what about the quality of troops!”
Im So-Byeong sharply turned his head and looked at Chung Myung.
“There’s someone here who handles that. That guy has a bad temper and is useless elsewhere, but this ability is top-notch… Hey, hey! Put that down. If you hit me with the inkstone, I’ll really die.”
Chung Myung reluctantly put down the inkstone he had lifted. Im So-Byeong wiped cold sweat with his sleeve and continued.
“So the only thing left is to increase quantity.”
“But…”
Hearing that, Tang Pae made a vague expression.
“If the small and medium sects don’t help, we have no choice but to bring in the major sects, but there’s nowhere to join us now, right?”
“There’s no surplus force either. Everyone has already merged and split.”
“Hmm.”
Everyone spoke with puzzled faces, and Im So-Byeong smiled meaningfully.
“Then everyone agrees that major sects are needed, right?”
“…If only it were possible.”
“Of course, if it were possible, yes, but realistically it’s difficult, isn’t it?”
Im So-Byeong’s point struck their sore spot precisely.
The reason the Heavenly Friends Alliance is trying to improve mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation now is twofold: one, to reduce casualties, and the other…
‘Because otherwise, we really can’t win.’
Baek Cheon looked at Im So-Byeong seriously. The most painful thing Im So-Byeong said so far was, “People feel relieved once they do something.”
That perfectly fit Baek Cheon. Though he recognized the gap between the Heavenly Friends Alliance and the Four Sect Alliance, he focused all his mind on daily training, trying to do what he could rather than solving the fundamental problem.
‘Is this a difference in perspective?’
Perhaps this is the difference between Im So-Byeong, who thinks and tries to solve things himself, and Baek Cheon, who still waits for someone to provide solutions.
Baek Cheon deeply engraved this moment in his heart.
Im So-Byeong snapped his fan shut and said.
“Good. Beon Chung!”
“Yes, Green Forest King!”
“Spread the map!”
“Yes!”
Beon Chung spread the large map he held. Because of his large size, he could spread a map that usually required two people alone.
‘He prepared that in advance?’
Tang Gunak looked at Im So-Byeong in disbelief. It seemed the Green Forest King had anticipated this kind of conversation here from the start.
“Currently, there are four sects in the Central Plains without clear affiliation.”
“Four places?”
“Yes. Two of them you know: the remaining two of the Five Palace, The South Sea Sun Palace and the Potala Palace.”
“Ah…”
Those who heard this blinked. When Potala Palace was mentioned, Chung Myung’s eyes momentarily sparkled.
“And another is the Blood Palace, included when referring to the Outer Five Palaces.”
“B-but the Blood Palace is…”
“Yes, yes. I know. But for now, let’s set aside possibilities and discuss only unaffiliated forces.”
“Hmm. In that case…”
The Blood Palace is a mysterious sect whose headquarters are unknown, and its disciples are notoriously eccentric, so it doesn’t align with the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s way.
“Though it’s said the Outer and Central Plains don’t mix, that doesn’t apply to the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Fortunately, leaders of the two Palaces are here, so persuading them will be somewhat easier.”
“…Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Indeed…”
Everyone looked at each other in disbelief.
Of course, just because Beast Palace and Ice Palace are part of the Heavenly Friends Alliance doesn’t guarantee their support. The Five Palaces Beyond the Great Wall have no clear representative sect, and their cohesion is looser than expected.
But it’s also true that these two sects could fill the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s lacking strength.
“Among these, the most powerful is Potala Palace…”
“No.”
Chung Myung sharply waved his hand.
“A war will break out on the way from the Western Province here.”
“Correct.”
Im So-Byeong clicked his tongue regretfully.
“Moreover, Potala Palace rarely leaves its territory and is known not to intervene in other sects’ disputes unless it’s a major issue. So it’s unlikely they will join.”
The Five Swords recalled monk Lama they met before and nodded.
No, they probably couldn’t even ask that person to fight with them. That brief meeting showed he was different from ordinary warriors.
“Then the remaining place is here.”
Snap!
When Im So-Byeong lightly pointed to a spot on the map, everyone’s eyes widened.
“…You mean going all the way there?”
“Ah, no, do people even live there? Is the Central Plains that vast?”
“Ugh.”
Meng So scratched his head looking at the place Im So-Byeong pointed to.
“That’s South Sea Sun Palace.”
“Yes, it is a major sect currently unaffiliated with any place.”
“But… sigh. That’s not easy. Isn’t South Sea Sun Palace located in Lam Ap (Vietnam)?”
“That’s right.”
“Their language and script are different from ours. They won’t meet easily.”
“We have to accept that.”
“And… importantly, South Sea Sun Palace is not a sect wielding imperial power in the Five Palace, as you know.”
“Uh?”
“They’re the real royalty. The people of the South Sea Sun Palace are royal family members.”
“…Huh?”
Im So-Byeong blinked, apparently unaware.
“Really?”
“Why would I lie about this? So they won’t even consider coming to fight in a foreign land. How would they perceive the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s invitation?”
“Well…”
“Wouldn’t it sound like asking royal family members to become mercenaries in another country’s war?”
“Uh…”
“If they send an envoy, count me out. I don’t want to be torn apart far from home.”
Im So-Byeong was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Meng So.
Then Chung Myung spoke.
“You started grandly. So what? In the end, we can’t bring anyone in?”
“And then you dismiss everything arrogantly.”
“What? A meaningless act?”
As the atmosphere grew tense, Im So-Byeong hesitated and stepped back. Especially Namgung Do-Wei and Baek Cheon’s gazes were serious.
“Wait, wait! There’s still more!”
“What nonsense now!”
“Stop useless resistance and accept it quietly!”
“No, there is! I said Five Palace! This one is certain! Right here!”
Thud!
When Im So-Byeong pointed to another spot on the map, everyone’s gaze focused on his fingertip.
“…What?”
“Are you sane…?”
“Is this guy really crazy?”
Everyone simultaneously expressed disbelief.