Record of the Dragon Chapter 57

Moyong Gi had a calm face. On the other hand, Hwang Gwon just blinked his eyes.

"So what you're saying is..."

Hwang Gwon trailed off.

"Yes. I'm not doing it."

Moyong Gi replied firmly.

He had already made up his mind. He had decided to cleanly cut off his relationship with Jinsan. Of course, he felt a little regretful at the thought of the principal.

However, as he began to approach his pre-regression skills, he wanted to avoid troubleso things.

He had a lot of things to do. There was no reason to waste ti getting involved with Jinsan. That was more of a loss.

"Have you seriously thought about the Alliance Leader's words?"

It was Hwang Gwon, who had no intention of forcing him in the first place. However, when he heard the refusal, he felt regretful. It was because the current Moyong Gi, who had drawn in the children of the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families, could be helpful to Jinsan. So he was being clingy.

"That's right."

"It's not just anything, it's about becoming the Alliance Leader's disciple. Are you sure you've thought about it seriously?"

"I said so. I'm not doing it."

"No, so why..."

Hwang Gwon, who was about to persuade him again, his brow furrowed for a mont and then he shut his mouth.

After all, hadn't he decided to respect Moyong Gi's wishes?

It was because although there were many things to gain by becoming Jinsan's disciple, there were also many things to lose.

Instead, he decided to give him a clear warning.

"If you don't want to, then you don't want to. But just know one thing for sure and choose."

"What is it?"

"The Alliance Leader... is not that broad-minded a person."

From the mont he knew that Moyong Gi had refused, Jinsan would change.

Since he had to be mindful of the Beggars' Sect, Ei, Kunlun, and the others, he wouldn't be able to plot things openly, but at least he would withdraw all the helping hands he had secretly extended so far.

Although Hwang Gwon himself could block him a little, that also had a clear limit. It was because Jinsan's sphere of activity was very different from the sphere that Hwang Gwon himself could touch.

However, Moyong Gi took it casually.

"What's the big deal?"

Hwang Gwon shook his head.

"It would be better to be careful. You're still young, so you don't know, but when you beco the Alliance Leader of the Orthodox Justice Alliance, there are more things you can do than you think."

Moyong Gi also knew that well. However, that also had a ti. If it had been half a month ago, it would be one thing, but now he was not worried at all. It was just annoying. However, he did not say anything else.

"I understand. Then can I go now?"

At his carefree appearance, Hwang Gwon had a bitter taste in his mouth. So he added one last word.

"Don't forget what I said before."

"What you said before?"

"Yes. The thing I said about telling

anyti if you want to go ho."

"Ah, that? I don't think there's a reason to do that."

"Anyway, don't forget. Co find

if you need to."

"I understand. Then I'll be on my way."

A sigh ca out at the sight of him quickly leaving as if it was an opportunity. He felt that he had no awareness of how dangerous a situation he was exposed to.

"Then now..."

Hwang Gwon, who was contemplating whether to go to the Alliance Leader's hall, sat down on the chair again.

It wasn't that he was lying, he was just delaying it for a few days.

Although he wouldn't be able to hide it for long, it wouldn't matter to spend a few days.

Hwang Gwon sighed.

"He should have just gone ho."

***

"Strategist, it is the head of the Flying Swallow Pavilion."

"Co in."

As soon as Zhuge Guk's permission was given, the head of the Flying Swallow Pavilion, Zhang Wusheng, strode into the office. Zhuge Guk, who was wrestling with a pile of docunts, only raised his gaze to greet Zhang Wusheng.

"Welco. This is quite a ss."

"Not at all. There's no one in the Orthodox Justice Alliance who doesn't know that the Strategist is busy, is there? I'm just grateful that you've made ti like this."

"I'm grateful that you think so. The work just keeps piling up, no matter how much I do..."

"I know. Thanks to you, people like

can live comfortably, so I'm always grateful."

"This person is flattering . Stop with the empty words. Isn't it you who is busier than ?"

The one who was as busy as Zhuge Guk was Zhang Wusheng, who was in charge of the Flying Swallow Pavilion.

Since the Flying Swallow Pavilion was a place where all the information in the world gathered, there was so much work to be done that the word 'busy' was not enough.

The position of the head of the Flying Swallow Pavilion was a position that could not be less busy than the Strategist, but rather more.

"Yes. What is it? What is it that you have co to see

in person?"

He thought that the head of the Flying Swallow Pavilion, who was so busy that he couldn't even see his nose, would not have co to see him for no reason. So Zhuge Guk asked for his business first. As Zhuge Guk had expected, Zhang Wusheng held out the docunts he had prepared.

"What is this?"

Zhuge Guk, while asking the question, quickly scanned the docunts with his eyes.

And then, without even giving Zhang Wusheng a chance to reply, he put the docunts down on the desk with a thud.

"The Thousand Stream Sect?"

"That's right. I thought it was an unusual matter, so I ca to see the Strategist in person."

It was clear that sothing was strange. Although the Thousand Stream Sect itself did not attract attention, the problem was that this was the third ti. In a month, three minor sects had been destroyed by fire. It was a matter that needed to be investigated.

Zhuge Guk nodded.

"Are there no clues?"

Zhang Wusheng shook his head. Zhuge Guk licked his lips with a disappointed face. However, that was also for a mont, and he quickly used his head.

'Ordinary martial artists won't be of any help. Even if I select from the White Dragon Brigade, the number is insufficient. The Alliance Leader's hall or the Elder's Council... it's highly likely to be rejected.'

Although the words that Moyong Gi had said in the past ca to mind, he soon shook his head. It was because even if it was a minor sect, it was a quite dangerous matter to the extent that it was annihilated.

"I'll have to request a joint eting for now. I'll take care of this matter."

At Zhuge Guk's words, Zhang Wusheng bowed his head.

"Thank you."

***

The joint eting of the Orthodox Justice Alliance was a place where the Alliance Leader, the Strategist, and the elders from the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families gathered to handle important matters.

However, in a situation where the Orthodox Justice Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Fortress had made an agreent and were avoiding disputes, there were almost no important matters that would warrant holding a joint eting.

So, the most recent joint eting had been five years ago, and it had beco a re formality.

So Jinsan looked at Zhuge Guk with eyes full of curiosity.

"Strategist, what is it? A joint eting all of a sudden..."

It wasn't just Jinsan.

The elders from each sect also looked at Zhuge Guk with eyes full of curiosity.

Zhuge Guk, without avoiding the gazes focused on him, opened his mouth with a calm voice.

"Have you seen the materials I distributed?"

Everyone nodded. However, except for Mokyoung of Shaolin, most had reluctant faces. It was because they were not keen on holding a joint eting for the matter of a minor sect they had never even heard of.

Lee Cheonggang, who was the representative of them, raised his voice first without fail.

"I've seen it well. But it's not just because of that, is it?"

"That's right. No matter how much they are affiliated with the Orthodox Justice Alliance, it is not appropriate to take care of the matters of such minor sects. Such matters should be handled at the branch level..."

Peng Domyung also actively supported Lee Cheonggang.

Even the relatively moderate Jeongheo of Ei was silent. The overall atmosphere was not favorable to Zhuge Guk.

However, Zhuge Guk was not flustered. He had expected this much. So he was able to bring out the words he had prepared with a still calm face.

"As you have all seen the materials I gave you in advance, it is a matter of the past month. It all happened in Hunan Province. And..."

It was not an additional explanation of the materials that Zhuge Guk himself had given.

He was explaining it step by step from the beginning, assuming that they had not seen it at all.

And that assumption was correct.

It was because by the ti Zhuge Guk's explanation was over, most of their gazes had changed.

Namgung Jinsaeng's eyes narrowed as he looked at Zhuge Guk.

"So to summarize the Strategist's words, in the past month, three sects affiliated with the Orthodox Justice Alliance located in Hunan Province have been annihilated by so unknown guys, is that right?"

"That's right."

Zhuge Guk nodded.

Only then did the elders, with serious faces, let out groans or sighs. Although it was all written in the materials that Zhuge Guk had given them in advance, they had read it roughly because it was a matter of a minor sect. Only after Zhuge Guk's detailed explanation did they feel the seriousness of the situation.

However, Jinsan still thought it was not enough.

"I understand what the Strategist ans. However, I think it was a bit excessive to hold a joint eting for a matter of this extent. Wasn't this a matter that the Strategist could have handled and just reported?"

This was also not wrong. Although it seed like a quite serious problem, he thought it was an agenda that was not suitable for a joint eting.

As if Jinsan's words were not wrong, a murmuring sound was heard from here and there.

Zhuge Guk raised his voice again.

"Of course, you may think so. However, to solve this matter, there is a problem that must be addressed. That is why I have hosted this joint eting."

"A problem that must be addressed? What is it?"

At Jinsan's question, Zhuge Guk took a beat and moistened his lips with water. And then, he opened his mouth with that sa calm voice.

"We are short of personnel."

"Huh? What are you talking about again? We are short of personnel?"

"As the Alliance Leader and the elders also know, the situation of the Heavenly Demon Fortress is unusual these days. Even if it is a matter that is not related to us, the sparks can fly to unexpected places. As we have deployed personnel to that side, we are short of personnel in the Orthodox Justice Alliance."

Only now did Zhuge Guk's intention begin to beco clear.

In the end, it was a request to fill the personnel, but it was not an important agenda to be brought up at a joint eting.

However, it was certainly a tricky problem.

So he had brought it up at a joint eting and made it official.

This way, a conclusion had to be made in so way, and the responsibility was for everyone to bear.

Lee Cheonggang glared at Zhuge Guk.

'You foxy bastard.'

However, there was no way to take back the words that had been said once. He had to co up with a solution. But that solution was too difficult.

As everyone was just looking with troubled faces, the clueless Mokyoung stepped forward first.

"So how many personnel are we short of?"

Lee Cheonggang's face contorted. Several other elders also had the sa reaction as Lee Cheonggang. It was because it was sothing that should not have been said.

On the other hand, from Zhuge Guk's perspective, he was no different from a savior. Zhuge Guk bowed his head slightly to Mokyoung and then opened his mouth again.

"The Flying Swallow Pavilion has identified the Heaven and Earth Sect, the Mu Family Fort, and the Iron Palm Sect as their next targets. The Heaven and Earth Sect and the Mu Family Fort can be handled by the personnel of the White Dragon Brigade, but we have no capacity for the Iron Palm Sect. If we split the personnel of the White Dragon Brigade any more than this, they may be in danger..."

Mokyoung nodded.

"I understand. I will head to the Iron Palm Sect."

As Mokyoung stepped forward, Jeongheo, who was watching his mood, sighed and raised his hand. It was because since a disciple of Shaolin had stepped forward, a disciple of Ei, who was also a Buddhist, could not back down.

"I will assist the great master."

"Assist ? That's not necessary. Let's go together. Hoho."

As Mokyoung let out a hearty laugh, Yang Sosam of the Beggars' Sect raised his hand.

"I will also go with you. Just don't treat

badly because I'm a beggar."

However, Zhuge Guk rather his face lit up.

"Treat you badly? That's not necessary. Who would treat Elder Yang badly?"

If you looked at his plump figure, he seed to be far from martial arts.

However, if you were to pick the most necessary person for this investigation team, it would be difficult to find a better person than Yang Sosam.

It was because he was well-versed in the circumstances of each region thanks to having wandered the Central Plains for decades while living as a beggar. Therefore, Mokyoung and Jeongheo also welcod Yang Sosam's joining.

"You've thought well. Let's go together."

"Thank you. You've made a difficult decision."

If it was another place, it would be one thing, but the Beggars' Sect did not have to hesitate to leave the Orthodox Justice Alliance. It was because the main headquarters of the Beggars' Sect was within a stone's throw of the Orthodox Justice Alliance. It was because there was no fear that their position would be weakened even if they were away for a few years, let alone a few months. He had volunteered, thinking he would do a good deed this ti.

"Not at all. It's not a difficult matter, and I was getting bored from being cooped up in the Orthodox Justice Alliance, so I'm rather grateful."

However, with Yang Sosam as the last, there were no more volunteers. Everyone was just watching their mood and was busy avoiding Mokyoung's eyes. Even Jinsan, who was the Alliance Leader, was like that, so Mokyoung's brow furrowed.

"Are there no more volunteers? Is this the end?"

(End of Chapter)