Episode 294:
Geumhwa-gun, discouraged by the banishment of guests, leaves the Sacheon branch with weak steps.
After sprinkling salt and seeing him off on his way, I called Damun and discussed the next steps.
“The ultimate goal is to get Hwayang Trading to sign a supply contract with the Murim Alliance.”
“So, what the branch manager said means that he will make sure that the Hwayang Company will take over the role currently played by the Geumryong Company.”
“That’s right.”
The reason I wanted to resell the business and rights I acquired back to Hwayang Sangdan was not simply for my personal benefit.
The one that had previously signed a supply contract with the Murim League was Geumryong Trading Company, which dominated the Honam commercial area.
But what if the Geumryong Sangdan collapses and the Hwayang Sangdan takes its place?
What move will Meng make?
‘They will most likely form a friendly relationship with Hwayang Trading Company and try to sign a new supply contract.’
The influence of a large top sometimes makes even the elders of the clan move.
Didn’t Namhakgeom just get me into trouble under the instigation of the Geumryong Sangdanju?
If Hwayang Trading Company signed a supply contract with the Murim Alliance, I, who have a friendly relationship with the trading company owner, would also be able to benefit.
It was clear that it would be of great help in future steps.
Damwoon asked with a laugh.
“Did you calculate that far and advise the owner of Hwayang Sangdan to prepare for a great famine?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Sometimes the branch manager feels scary in a different way.”
“In another way, when you say scary, does that mean you always thought of me as a scary person?”
“Is there a subordinate in the world who does not feel fear of a superior who treats his subordinates harshly?”
“That’s surprising. “I thought they paid some attention to welfare.”
“Do you by any chance know the meaning of the word conscience?”
“Conscience? Are you eating it?”
“I guess I asked something pointless.”
Damun sighs and shakes his head.
I chuckled and supported my head with my clasped hands.
* * *
Winter of the age of twenty-four.
After rallying the martial arts people of Sichuan and stopping the demonic cultists moving south, I was called by the leader and visited the main camp of the group.
The leader’s personal office.
Artist Joo, who was sitting across from me, looked at me with a happy expression and said.
“You did a great job this time too.”
“I didn’t do this alone. “Thanks to the help of many people, including senior Maehwashingeom and Danggaju, we were able to stop the advance of the Demonic Cult.”
“It’s good to be humble, but it doesn’t feel sincere because you always say the same thing. “How about increasing the breadth of your vocabulary?”
“I was so proud that I took the initiative to form an allied force and block the advance of the Demonic Cult.”
“...I didn’t mean to put an iron plate on your face and show off.”
“Sometimes I feel afraid of myself.”
“Enough of that. “Why is there so little middle ground among people?”
“I may be a bit extreme.”
I shrugged my shoulders and joked.
Hwabaek Joo, who burst out laughing, corrected his posture and changed the topic.
“So, what do you want to say?”
“The branch has stabilized, so I plan to move my workplace to Maeng’s headquarters soon.”
“...!”
Hwabaek Joo’s eyes widened.
He seemed surprised that I, who had been stuck in the Sacheon branch despite having had several opportunities to be promoted, said I would join the main branch of the Maeng.
“Are you serious?”
It wasn’t going to feel that good.
It’s just that I didn’t use harsh expressions, but now I was making remarks criticizing the Murim Alliance in front of the leader.
“The existing forces cannot do this. “To solve the problem, we have to use somewhat unconventional methods.”
“So we need to resurrect Cheonangambu?”
“That’s right.”
I placed my clasped hands on the table and drew a faint smile on my lips.
* * *
The distant past.
The time when the Murim League was just launched.
At that time, the Murim League was literally an arena for the battle of interests between the old clan and the five generations.
In the first place, the Murim Alliance itself was an organization established for the interests of the Old Daemun faction and the Five Great Families, but in the early days, the extent of it was severe.
The original purpose of its establishment was to create an organization that would become the central axis of the Baekdo martial arts in preparation for the rebellion of the demonic religion and the new martial arts, but most of the affiliated monks acted only for the benefit of themselves and the monks.
The leader invited from outside was nothing more than a scarecrow, and the organization, which had no internal unity, was caught up in incidents and accidents every day.
Because of the circumstances, at that time, the power of the ruling faction and the elder faction was not balanced as it is now.
‘No, the title of elder did not exist in the first place. Although there were similar positions.’
In the early days, there were no elders in the Murim Alliance, and representatives dispatched from each segment and sect took over that role.
Each person had a strong voice, and the powerless leader was swayed by their opinions.
It goes without saying, but there was no way such a nefarious organization could run properly.
The Murim League, which was founded with a huge investment of budget and manpower, was on the verge of collapse.
Then one day.
There is no answer as it is. The representative of the Zhuge family gathered representatives of other forces and made a proposal.
How about splitting the power of the alliance into thirds?
Everyone reluctantly agreed to the proposal.
Who would welcome the birth of an organization that threatened their status? Unless special measures were taken, the Murim Alliance itself was on the verge of collapse.
There was no choice.
Because a fight over interests may require the organization to survive.
There was a need to establish a minimum framework.
That’s how Cheonan Gambu was born.
In the early days, Cheonan Gambu was composed only of those who had a strong sense of justice and no selfish desires among the warriors belonging to the Meng.
They were granted independent inspection authority to uncover corruption within the organization and punish criminals.
Of course, no matter how great the authority the Cheonan Inspectorate was granted, it was insufficient in many ways to keep in check the representatives of each force that dominated the government at the time.
However, as the Scarecrow leader joined hands with them, the situation gradually changed.
At first, it was difficult to keep vested rights in check even if the Maengju faction and Cheonangambu joined forces, but by the time the Senate was created and the Maeng organization system was stabilized, a balance was achieved in its own way.
Decades pass by.
The power of the three major powers became equal, and each faction played its own role and kept each other in check.
Although the Murim League did not become an ideal organization worthy of its founding purpose, there was no longer a need to worry about its survival.
The Murim Alliance, which had entered a period of stability, once again faced the winds of change.
The location of Cheonan Gambu gradually became ambiguous.
‘Cheonan Gambu was originally an organization created to prevent the collapse of the Murim Alliance. ‘Is it possible that the other two factions would have left behind an organization whose need naturally decreased as the alliance stabilized?’
The elders regarded Cheonangambu, who frequently bitten them, as a thorn in their eyes, and the Maengju faction regarded them as a thorn in their side.
Due to persistent checks by the Maengju faction and the Elder faction, Cheonan Gambu eventually took the step of disbanding.
The Inspection Department and the Assembly Office were newly established to take over the role of the Cheonan Inspection Department.
“I can’t give you an easy answer. “It’s also a problem I can’t decide on my own.”
“I thought you would say that. If so, please gather the executives and hold a meeting. “We will formally raise the agenda and ask for permission.”
“The Maengju faction and the senior faction. Neither side will be happy about the revival of Cheonan Gambu. “You will face fierce opposition.”
“As I said a little while ago, in the end, someone has to do it. “In order to fully focus on the fight against the Demon Cult, internal maintenance is essential.”
“.......”
Artist Joo frowned as if in agony.
It seemed like he felt that my will was strong.