Ep463 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

The punishment he had declared while enduring the anguish of heartbreak soon became a reality. The execution was carried out in front of all the members of the alliance. This was meant to set an example. "No matter how minor the personal crime, it will be punished with severity within the alliance!" "Also, while under the banner of the alliance, forget your affiliations with the orthodox and unorthodox factions." "You are merely members of the alliance, and those beside you are your comrades!" This was directed at those committing personal crimes and those who still belittled each other based on faction lines. "Carry out the sentence!" As soon as Sahyeokryeonju's words ended, the head of the Black Wing Corps leader, who had murdered the White Wing Corps leader, fell. The emotions of those who witnessed it were varied. The members of the White Wing felt vindicated, while those of the Black Wing wept tearfully. And the other members of the alliance etched fear into their hearts. Fear is a mighty tool to preemptively deter actions. Would this mean they would no longer antagonize each other and live as members of the alliance? That seemed unlikely. "Nothing has changed." Even just by looking at the stance of those gathered in the execution ground, it was evident. On the left gathered the orthodox, and on the right, the unorthodox gazed at the fallen head. None stood together, as if asserting they were like water and oil. If the physical gap is this wide, what might the psychological distance be? In truth, there was no great expectation for them to harmonize as one. Merely, the hope was that they would not become hindrances to one another. Whether this hope would be realized was something that remained to be seen. * * * The head of the Black Wing Corps leader hung beyond the gate of the alliance for seven days and nights before it was retrieved. Once retrieved, it was ceremoniously burned to ashes and scattered to the winds. On the surface. Having meted out appropriate punishment for the grave crime, Sahyeokryeonju made a request to the martial alliance leader. "Please, let even just his head rest in the soil of his homeland." The martial alliance leader accepted the request. "…Let's do that." What blame could there be for a corpse that had already lost life to its sins? Yet, for the sake of setting an example, they claimed even the body was burned and disposed of, while separately retrieving it to bury in a sunlit corner of his home grounds in the unorthodox territory. Afterward, things quieted down for some time. With both factions that lost their leaders overnight busy appointing new ones and struggling to harness the proliferation of demon factions, they were gearing up to dispatch them to the straining Cheonghaeseong. "Another murder has occurred." "……." Another murder had taken place within the alliance. And this time, the roles of assailant and victim were reversed. The events unfolded similarly to the first incident. Two individuals with a degree of rapport clashed in argument, emotions flared, and swords were drawn. The difference this time was that, unlike the one-sided victimization of the past, both sides wielded swords at each other, sustaining injuries. "In the end, the unorthodox person lost their life, and the orthodox lost an arm." One life was lost, and the other lost an arm, the most crucial aspect for a martial artist. Barely ten days after the first incident, a second murder occurred. This time, the martial alliance leader made a decisive move. The orthodox individual, lying in the medical wing recuperating, was executed. It was unavoidable. For the martial union and Sahyeokryeon to remain within even the formal framework of the alliance. Knowing that showing even a slight gap would uncontrollably escalate antagonism against each other. An incident that happened by chance. And the impartial fairness of the leaders of both sides in punishing it seemed to settle matters without further complications. "A murder... another murder!" Until another murder occurred just five days later. This time, the victims were not singular. A brawl erupted in a tavern, resulting in four from the orthodox and as many as five from the unorthodox losing their lives. The alliance was thrown into chaos. "Now it's even a brawling match...!" "What should be done?" "It's truly perplexing, perplexing indeed." The situation was becoming increasingly complex. Internally, the orthodox and unorthodox factions blamed each other, and determining what punitive measures to take against those involved in the tavern brawl was a conundrum. "Is it not sufficient to punish severely, as done before?" "It's not as simple." "What makes it different?" "They sustained injuries, but neither side lost all its members, both sides suffered wounds." That was the crux of the problem. Those involved in the brawl included fifteen from the orthodox faction and thirteen from the unorthodox. With nearly thirty individuals involved and nine dead. The deceased weren’t struck by a single person; rather, they sustained greater injuries in the melee and succumbed. “What do you think will happen if we execute all of them?” “Hmm...” There were those who were indeed less active in the brawl, despite the excessive nature of the fight. Executing even those individuals would be a punishment exceeding the weight of their offense. Yet singling out the most aggressive participants for punishment was equally problematic. What kind of punishment is appropriate for them? As the deliberation deepened, the martial alliance leader turned to Baek Woo-jin, who sat at the far end. “Hey, Captain Baek.” “Yes, Alliance Leader.” “What punishment should we inflict upon them?” “Well…” Baek Woo-jin trailed off in an ambiguous response. What preoccupied his mind was not determining an appropriate punishment level for them. Sitting there, his mind wrestled with the chain of events leading to the crimes thus far. “Something feels off.” The first incident, the second as well. Both were impulsive acts, and the perpetrators all acknowledged their wrongdoings and accepted their sentences. Although uneasy, Baek Woo-jin also considered them mistakes born from the deep-seated divide between the two factions. But with a third incident, something seemed amiss. “Similar crimes are recurring.” Petty disputes escalating into a murder fueled by bursting emotions. This series of events was eroding the alliance. Those who barely endured their dissatisfaction under the alliance were being pushed to division once more. Dang Seonyeong and Jang Sam. Although both experts asserted no interference with their bodies, who knows. What if there was an interference so subtle that even they couldn’t detect it? If so, who could possibly be inciting these plots? The answer was obvious. “The one who desires the separation of the orthodox and unorthodox factions the most.” The one who benefits as the orthodox and unorthodox factions deepen their animosity by tearing at each other. “Heavenly Demon.” Was the underhanded scheme by her Demon Sect fostering these events? Having reached this conclusion, Baek Woo-jin spoke up. “It would be appropriate to confine them to the Punitive Quarters for punishment.” “The Punitive Quarters…” “Hmm, doesn’t seem like a bad approach.” “By setting them aside for a while, discussions might naturally dwindle.” After swiftly discussing their punishment like roasting beans over lightning fire, he continued. “I suspect that there’s a real perpetrator behind the recent incidents.” His words cast a heavy pall over the conference room. No one was particularly startled or reacted excessively. They had all harbored some level of suspicion. After all, the notion that carefully selected individuals couldn’t control their emotions and resorted to murder was too strange not to question. However, their inability to assert their doubts stemmed from lack of evidence. “Do you have any grounds for this thought?” “As for evidence, I plan to start looking for it now.” The incidents have shaken the alliance. The orthodox and unorthodox factions show signs of division once more, and continuous meetings to quell the tension have stalled work progress. “I will find the evidence. But I have a request for my seniors present here.” “What is it?” “Please assume that the perpetrator behind all these incidents is an agent of the Demon Sect.” A lingering question here. Why has the Demon Sect, which had been quiet, suddenly begun to stir trouble? The first reason is to foster a division between the orthodox and unorthodox factions. There’s only one answer to that. “They are ready now. Ready to fully uncoil themselves.” What it entails is unknown. The Heavenly Demon of this era. Unlike her predecessors, she wasn’t someone steeped in the sect’s doctrine, and her aims were unclear. Invasion of Zhongyuan? Such a notion holds no meaning for her. If she craved power, she wouldn't have bothered venturing all the way here. However, one thing is certain. Whatever her aim is, she and he, the alliance and the Demon Sect, are destined to clash. “Therefore.” Now is the time to tighten the reins again. To sharpen the dulled vigilance due to their quiet behavior and raise the tension. To ensure that no incident, whenever it occurs, surprises them and that they’re ready to respond immediately. “Prepare for war.” His request, almost like an order, weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone in the meeting room. Author’s Note: I’ll visit you with the next chapter. Thank you for always reading.