Book 13: Chapter 15: Quagmire

Just a moment ago.

The Grand Hall of the Elders' Hall had been boiling with that tight tension and quiet fighting spirit.

"No, just what?! Seventy percent approval, thirty percent invalid?!"

"Does it make sense to fall exactly like a lie?!"

However.

The Grand Hall of the Elders' Hall was now in a state of commotion that would put even the Luoyang marketplace to shame.

"N-no. I merely announced the voting result."

As a fierce protest from the elders who surged forward poured in, Elder Hwangmok, who was conducting the meeting, spoke excusingly while sweating profusely.

"So, calm down a bit...!"

"What do you mean, calm down?!"

The elders of the Third Young Master's side, who had pushed all the way to just under the platform in a fit of rage, snapped.

"The votes required for a revote are thirty percent, and didn't it come out to exactly thirty percent just like a lie right now?!"

It was natural that the anger of the Third Young Master's side, who had no choice but to suffer great losses if the Eldest Young Master gained power here, was great.

"Are you telling us to believe that?!"

Out of a total of one hundred and ten votes, thirty-three votes turned out to be invalid.

An exquisite, no.

A number that matched exactly to a bizarre extent.

Elder Hwangmok was also equally perplexed in this situation.

"Don't do this to me, can't you just check with the vote counters and observers?!"

He raised his voice.

"Since they are people randomly selected from each faction or clique, they will prove that there was no fraud in the voting process!"

At those words, the elders scattered in a swarm toward the elders who had taken the roles of vote counters and observers.

"From beginning to end, there was no anomaly at all."

"We were watching clearly."

Since they were people randomly selected on the day from each faction or clique.

The possibility of them playing tricks was practically close to none.

"...Then, just what."

"How did this happen...?"

The faces of the dumbfounded elders were full of questions, but there was no one who could answer.

"I understand that you are confused. But everyone, do not waste any more time and return to your respective cliques or factions."

The one who stepped forward while opening his mouth like that was the Lord of the Elders' Hall, who had been watching the situation from behind.

"Since the time left until the revote is half a shijin, why don't you all make the most of that time?"

* * *

Watching the scene of the Grand Hall plunged into great chaos, the new elder wore a bewildered expression.

"A revote."

Although a few elders even overturned the ballot box and checked again and again.

The result did not seem to change.

"I heard that there is such a system, but I knew it was a rare occurrence in reality..."

"I haven't seen it much either."

When the elderly elder answered with a frown, the elder who had been sitting on the left said in disbelief.

"No, just why does the revote system exist anyway?"

At that, the elderly elder sighed and answered him.

"From the beginning, the purpose of the Elders' Hall was not for forces to compete in strength, but to allow those of different positions to exchange opinions and agree on a better conclusion."

The elder who had asked the question frowned at that answer.

"It's not like interests change because of that. Doing useless things..."

"Because it is a system created hundreds of years ago."

The elderly elder gave a bitter smile.

"Now that the Elders' Hall has completely become a political playground, that intention is practically nominal."

The elderly elder, who was talking up to that point, refreshed the atmosphere.

"However, the side we must focus on right now is not such a purpose, but the invalid votes."

At those words, another elder nodded his head and spoke.

"In the Elders' Hall, the result is decided by vote, but that result is decided before the vote."

Having brought out the old maxim of the Elders' Hall again, he said.

"Nevertheless, the fact that the voting result came out differently from the result predicted by all cliques means..."

The old elder narrowed his eyes and looked at the assembly with a sharp gaze.

"It means there is a clique or faction that is lying."

* * *

"These lying bastards...!"

Crash.

One of the Yeon bloodline elders overturned the table in the waiting room.

"I will definitely find them, drag them here, and skin them alive!"

But to the extent that there was not even a single person stopping him, the atmosphere of the waiting room was brutal.

"The problem is not just that."

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court, who slipped in to visit the waiting room of the Yeon bloodline elders away from others' eyes, spoke.

"Are you saying there is an even bigger problem than this right now?!"

"Just what is it?!"

To the words of the Yeon bloodline elder who asked pressingly, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court scowled deeply instead of answering.

"..."

At that sight, the heads of the Yeon bloodline elders who were rushing in excitedly cooled down instantly.

Originally, they were a temporary alliance.

Moreover, if this matter went wrong.

This Lord of the Law Enforcement Court right in front of their eyes was precisely the person who would throw them into the dungeon.

"...Does everyone not know?"

The Yeon bloodline elder, who sat lost in deep thought, spoke, cutting through that atmosphere.

"In the result just now, there is not even a single opposing vote, is there?"

"...!"

"...!"

Deep embarrassment sat on the faces of those who had been excited over the result different from the agreement.

"That not a single one among the elders on the Eldest Young Master's side cast an opposing vote."

When they realized the situation, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court spoke again.

"The thirty percent invalid votes that came out exactly just now is a result that combined even the votes of the elders on the Eldest Young Master's side."

"That means...!"

The voice of the Yeon bloodline elder, who realized the bigger problem the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court had spoken of, trembled.

"...Is this result entirely the work of the Eldest Young Master?"

* * *

Another faction's waiting room.

"You said he was smiling...?"

"Indeed."

To the elder's question, Elder Peng, the head of their faction, nodded his head.

"Clearly. At the moment it was announced that the approval was seventy percent."

Burying his body deep in the chair, Elder Peng's eyes deepened further.

"The Eldest Young Master was definitely smiling."

"...I think I saw it too."

A young elder opened his mouth in a cautious attitude.

"Afterward, the hall became confused as the talk of a revote came out. Although my memory is not precise..."

"Then, summarizing the stories up to now."

The long-bearded elder clicked his tongue while stroking his long beard.

"Is the Elders' Hall of the great Luoyang Sword Family now playing in the hands of the Eldest Young Master?"

His expression gradually distorted.

"And that, too, in a state where the Elders' Hall was directly provoked?"

As he continued speaking, his voice grew louder.

"In this kind of situation. Is there someone cooperating with the Eldest Young Master to play with the Elders' Hall as he pleases, even by telling lies?!"

The atmosphere grew further heavy.

"..."

"..."

As everyone closed their mouths.

A sharp-looking elder who had been smoking tobacco in a corner spoke.

"...Those who break agreements and change voting results have always paid the price they must pay, transcending factions and cliques."

As gazes gathered on him one by one, he continued.

"If our deduction up to now is true—" the one who took over his words was Elder Peng, the head of their faction.

"Those elders, the profit enough to risk that danger."

"Must have been promised by the Eldest Young Master."

Groans burst out here and there.

"...How could."

"Haha."

One of the elders shook his head as if he could not believe it.

"...Has that Eldest Young Master gained enough power to provide benefits that would make the elders turn their backs on the Elders' Hall?"

"It hasn't even been a year since the Eldest Young Master ended his seclusion. Yet he has already secured such influence?"

"It is an unbelievable thing. Unbelievable."

Since defeating the Second Young Master once.

That the Eldest Young Master's power was growing day by day was something they all knew well, but.

"..."

"..."

To feel that fact so deeply in their bones, right in their own home base.

Was something they had never even imagined.

"Since we experienced and confirmed it directly. Denying reality would be a foolish thing. Therefore..."

At that moment, when Elder Peng, who finished organizing his thoughts, was speaking.

"Pardon me in the middle of your words."

There was a visitor in their waiting room.

One of the elders who confirmed the visitor's face asked him.

"...For an elder of the Yeon bloodline, what business brings you all the way here?"

"I will not beat around the bush."

At that, the Yeon bloodline elder bared his teeth and asked.

"Is the agreement your faction made with us still standing?"

At those words, the long-bearded elder rolled his eyes.

"...Are you doubting our faction right now?"

"No. It is not like that."

The Yeon bloodline elder denied it by waving his hand slightly, yet looked around with narrowed eyes.

"Only, when our agreement to oust the current Bank Director is broken."

Although a smile hung on his face, his eyes were not smiling at all.

"I said it because I am worried about what kind of adverse effect it will have on your faction."

Tension hung in the room.

"...Is it a threat?"

The Yeon bloodline elder shook his head.

"No. It is kindly reminding you of the fact once again."

He continued.

"Among us, although there are many who are entangled with the Sword Family Bank, it is not all. And—" Elder Peng, who had only been listening until then, cut off his words.

"—And there is no need to speak of the Yeon bloodline's power in this Sword Family."

Elder Peng stood up slowly and said.

"My origin, the Hebei Peng Family, and our Hebei faction, do not hold any grudge against the Yeon bloodline."

Befitting the leader of a faction, Elder Peng.

"And we hope to maintain a good relationship with the Yeon bloodline in the future as well."

Smoothly accepted the anger of the Yeon bloodline, while clearly expressing the faction's will.

"..."

The Yeon bloodline elder's eyes narrowed.

Luoyang, where the Luoyang Sword Family was located, and Hebei Province, where the roots of this Hebei faction lay, were geographically too close.

'...For them to turn against our Yeon bloodline, there are too many risk factors.'

Having organized his thoughts like that, the Yeon bloodline elder nodded in agreement.

"...Fine."

Did he think it was a waste of time to go further?

The Yeon bloodline elder left swiftly, leaving only those words.

"...It's brutal."

When the young elder spoke while wiping the cold sweat that flowed on his forehead, the long-bearded elder licked his lips.

"For us it is a matter of pride, but for them it is a matter of survival."

And.

As soon as those words ended, there was someone knocking on the door of the waiting room again.

"Excuse me. I have come from the Third Young Master's clique."

This time, it was the Third Young Master's side.

Hearing that, the long-bearded elder shrugged his shoulders.

"Everyone is running so hard on their own, to the point that we have nothing to do."

* * *

About half a shijin later.

"Next person."

The last called elder waited, then approached the ballot box and cast his vote.

"Thank you."

This time, to make sure no other words came out at all.

They planned to open the ballot box and count the votes where everyone was watching.

"What about the Hebei faction? Who confirmed it?"

"I confirmed it, so do not worry."

"What about the monitoring of the Eldest Young Master's side?"

"There was no particular movement. No one visited their waiting room either."

Watching that sight, the elders of each faction and clique were doing the final verification work.

"Then, from now on, we will begin counting the votes."

When the vote counting began, open anxiety hung in the eyes of the elders.

"...We did everything we could do."

Whether it was the Third Young Master's side or the Yeon bloodline's side.

The elders hostile to the Eldest Young Master stood up without exception and watched the process with sharp eyes.

"Since we went around and kept them in line properly like that."

"The result will be different from earlier."

Amidst those voices.

The Lord of the Inspection Department, who sat with his arms crossed, asked the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court in the next seat.

"What do you expect the result to be this time?"

"In the end, we did not find those who broke the agreement and voted invalid. However, since everyone made such a fuss."

Resting his chin on his clasped hands, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court answered in a low voice.

"Even in the worst case, it would be seventy percent approval and thirty percent invalid. It will be the same result as before."

At that answer, the Lord of the Inspection Department clicked his tongue.

"Then, the worst case would be another revote."

As soon as his words ended, the voice of Elder Hwangmok announcing the voting result echoed.

"A-Approval sixty percent, invalid forty percent...!"

The elders stood up from their seats without exception.

"W-what?!"

"Has the invalid count increased even further?!"

"How?!"

In that clamor, Elder Hwangmok raised his voice toward the assembly with a bewildered face.

"Therefore, this time is also a revote!"

A situation where the invalid votes had actually increased further.

As soon as the result was announced, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court jumped up and looked for the figure of the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon opposite him.

"...Eldest Young Master!"

However.

All he could see was the already empty VIP seat of the Eldest Young Master, and.

The backs of the elders on the Eldest Young Master's side who were leaving behind him.

"..."

For some reason, he felt as if he could hear the Eldest Young Master's laughter in his ears.