Find It Quickly, Quickly (4)
"Have you heard?"
"Huh? Heard what?"
"The Second Division. The Second Division."
"…What about it?"
The listener tilted his head in confusion.
The five newly formed divisions of Cheonumaeng had yet to receive official names, so for convenience they were simply called First through Fifth—Gap, Eul, Byeong, Jeong, Mu.
"They say the Second Division leader imprisoned his own members."
"…Imprisoned? Wait. Is there even a prison in the Alliance?"
"They probably borrowed Hwasan's facilities."
"That's not the point! Why would anyone imprison people now, with war so close?"
"For insubordination against the vice-leader. The whole Alliance is in chaos."
"Insubordination?"
The listener blinked.
"…Against the vice-leader? You mean those kids?"
"Hey!"
The messenger hastily clamped a hand over his mouth, eyes darting in fear.
"Watch your words. Things have changed."
"…!"
"We could end up imprisoned ourselves. Twenty people are already locked up. This isn't a joke."
The listener's eyes widened.
"Twenty? Is that really true?"
Twenty people at once. Any sect would be thrown into turmoil.
"And it's not just one sect either," the messenger continued.
"Zhuge. Moyong. Beggars Sect. Namgung. Even Jongnam."
"…Jongnam too?"
The listener went pale.
"Well, allowed or not, it already happened. Insubordination to a vice-leader is now considered a challenge to the entire Alliance. Even the General stepped in."
Murmurs spread.
The General siding with vice-leaders was expected—but division leaders backing them as well?
Until now, everyone had quietly assumed that real authority still rested with the division leaders.
"…So the division leaders are protecting the vice-leaders?"
"That's what it looks like."
"But why?"
No one had a good answer.
Cheonumaeng was a delicate coalition. And the appointment of vice-leaders had crossed an invisible line. Anyone could see that Hwasan had filled those positions with people close to them.
Resentment had been simmering beneath the surface.
An unspoken agreement had formed—to weaken the vice-leaders by ignoring them.
Yet now, the division leaders themselves were crushing that resistance.
"Well… Hwasan's close with the Tang clan. Maybe that's why," someone muttered.
"Other division leaders probably feel the same way we do—"
"That's nonsense," another snapped.
"If that were true, they'd have spoken up. Even Tang clan disciples are among the imprisoned."
That shut everyone up.
"So… what happens now?"
"What happens? Anyone who resists a vice-leader gets jailed. They're saying no one gets released until the war ends."
"…That long?"
"That long. Everyone's walking on eggshells now."
Sighs spread.
This meant obedience—absolute obedience—to young vice-leaders, regardless of experience.
Sit when told. Crawl if ordered.
"…Damn it."
"I knew this would happen."
"They should've handled this quietly."
If they'd waited until the war began, discipline issues might have been overlooked.
Now, instead, the vice-leaders' authority was only being reinforced.
"So… just don't disobey?"
"…Maybe."
"Don't hedge. Say it."
"The General is considering granting vice-leaders summary execution rights."
"…What?"
"Execution. On the spot."
"…That's insane."
"They say it's even worse. Not just disobedience—if a vice-leader is displeased, they can kill without debate."
"That's madness! Even Evil Sects—"
"It's not possible. But… it's that General."
Silence followed.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Hwasan's Chung Myung was infamous—even among Evil Sects.
"So what about us?"
"We're screwed."
Serving inexperienced youths was bad enough.
Putting your life in their hands?
Driven to madness didn't begin to cover it.
"…Still, the division leaders won't allow this, right?" someone asked weakly.
"The sect leaders won't let things go that far."
"Yes. Exactly."
"No matter how reckless the General is, he can't oppose everyone."
That much was true.
And so, as if by instinct, everyone's gaze turned toward one place—
The Alliance's grand conference hall.
Inside, Moyong Wigyeong cleared his throat nervously.
"Well… I must apologize, but isn't this… excessive?"
"Excessive?"
"Yes. Imprisoning them for that long—"
"Oh. That?"
Chung Myung tilted his head.
"Yes."
"It is excessive."
Moyong Wigyeong relaxed slightly.
"It would've been better to sever their limbs and veins on the spot and throw them out as an example. I was short-sighted."
"…No, no! That's not what I meant!"
Chung Myung looked genuinely regretful.
"I even thought of it later."
Moyong Wigyeong froze.
"I meant… granting vice-leaders such power—"
"Excessive?"
Sorrow crept into Moyong Wigyeong's face.
"From the beginning!"
Crash!
Chung Myung slammed the table hard enough to crack it.
"If division leaders had done their jobs, this wouldn't have happened! You were appointed to support the vice-leaders, yet you did nothing!"
"General… vice-leaders are meant to assist—"
"That's formality nonsense!"
Chung Myung snapped.
"In practice, they handle affairs! If old men are given roles, they should do them properly!"
Hyun Jong winced.
Even if true, some things weren't meant to be said aloud.
Unfortunately, Chung Myung had no concept of etiquette.
"So tell me," Chung Myung pressed.
"What exactly have you done?"
"I—I wasn't idle—"
"Busy?"
"No—"
"So not busy? Must be nice."
Moyong Wigyeong clenched his jaw.
Why am I apologizing?
Even the Shaolin Abbot never treated me like this—
"General."
A calm voice cut in.
"I apologize."
Pung Yeong Shin Gae, former Sect Leader of the Beggars Sect, bowed deeply.
"The General issued orders. My failure caused them to be poorly enforced."
"…You call this negligence?"
"I have no excuse."
The hall froze.
Pung Yeong Shin Gae—symbol of authority for decades—bowing?
"…Then I must also apologize."
Maeng So stepped forward awkwardly.
"We were dealing with backlash from the Beast Palace—"
"That's separate!"
"Yes… it is."
Maeng So flushed.
Once these two lowered their heads, resistance evaporated.
Chung Myung exhaled.
"I don't need apologies. I need resolution."
"…Understood."
"It's fortunate this surfaced now. On the battlefield, it would've been irreparable."
Everyone nodded grimly.
"This is no time for power games," Chung Myung continued.
"We made divisions to resolve disputes—not create them!"
He clenched his fists.
"I almost beat everyone unconscious."
"Chung Myung-ah, calm down."
"He's getting angry at his own speech…"
Chung Myung inhaled deeply.
"Vice-leaders. Stand firm."
They flinched.
"This happened because you looked easy. Next time, crush trouble immediately."
"…At this point, the Evil Sects look better."
"…I've thought that too."
"Quiet!"
Chung Myung's eyes hardened.
"A leader who loses control loses everything."
"This is war. Small cracks destroy armies."
Silence fell.
Then—
Bang!
The doors burst open.
"Alliance Leader. General. Report."
Im Sobyeong, the Nokrim King, stood rigid, face pale.
"Sapaeryeon has moved."
The room went cold.
The war had begun.