Chapter 268

Chapter 268
Chapter 268. A Face So Damned Missed (3)

—

“Eun-ho-ya.”
At my voice, Eun-ho-Lee, whose inner fury was boiling over, bounced up from his spot looking as though he wanted to dash out and draw his blade right that instant.
“Shall I fetch the blades?”
“Blades? What are you talking about…… Didn’t we just finish processing those specific records?”
Clenching his hands into tight fists, Eun-ho-Lee tilted his head, utterly perplexed.
“Are you referring to the paperwork designated for the Academy and the Education Pavilion?”
“Indeed. Also, grab the materials we retrieved from the Bureau of Universal Information (Man-tong-bu).”
“But those…… they are merely reference copies.”
A wide, knowing grin spread across my face as I looked at Eun-ho-Lee.
“Fetch every last page.”
“……”
Cheol Sun-jik, so you have the audacity to charge at me using such a flimsy, transparent scheme?
“Carry them all here and scatter them throughout the room.”
But what a pity for you. It’s not as if this is my first time dealing with a treacherous rodent of your caliber.
“Heh……”
“What kind of scheme are you cooking up this time…… Oh!”
Eun-ho-Lee, whose features had been completely blank with incomprehension just a moment ago, suddenly looked struck by a bolt of understanding.
“You want us to look incredibly swamped?”
“Exactly.”
In no time, a devious smirk mirrored itself onto the young man’s expression as well.
“That actually sounds highly amusing, haha. Got it.”
With an amused grin reminiscent of a kid stumbling upon an exciting new plaything, Eun-ho-Lee ushered the personnel of the Representative Team out of the workspace. With that, the basic groundwork had been laid.
“Up we go.”
Standing up from my chair with a serene demeanor, I heard Jang U-jae call out to me.
“Representative, what exactly is going on……”
Shifting his gaze back and forth between me and the doorway Eun-ho-Lee had just passed through, his expression was completely naive, showing he was entirely oblivious to the unfolding plot. I gave his shoulder a gentle pat.
“Don’t worry, a little play is about to start. Just observe.”
“……”
Let us find out just how capable Cheol Sun-jik is during his youth.

Gathering every piece of paper he could find, from the files that were already dealt with to the ones awaiting distribution, Eun-ho-Lee cluttered the entire room and commanded the staff to create as much chaotic noise as possible. And before long.
Escorted by Jang U-jae, the contingent identifying itself as the Academy ‘Council’ (Ui-won-hoe) made its entrance.
“……”
Cheol Sun-jik and his followers stood rigidly amidst the loud, hectic workspace. Eun-ho-Lee purposefully jostled past them, scowling deeply, before shouting aggressively at the gathered Representative Team staff.
“Who authorized you to perform your duties so sloppily!”
“W-We apologize!”
“Redo everything! Furthermore……”
Immediately after, Eun-ho-Lee’s fierce gaze turned toward Cheol Sun-jik’s party.
“For what reason are Academy students unaffiliated with the Representative Team loitering inside the Representative’s headquarters?”
Playing along flawlessly with Eun-ho-Lee’s masterclass performance, Jang U-jae put on a flustered look and hurriedly started stammering out an explanation. Well, look at that, these guys possess quite a talent for this. Perhaps I ought to arrange a theatrical performance for them at the next Academy festival.
I intervened, maintaining a perfectly cool demeanor.
“Eun-ho-ya, these individuals are here to see me. Show them in.”
“Dae-sa-hyeong…… no, Representative! Be that as it may, must you accommodate visitors when we are buried under so much urgent business?”
Letting out a soft groan, I shook my head in mock weariness.
“What choice do I have? They claim to speak on behalf of all the Academy students.”
Eun-ho-Lee twisted his features into a deep grimace, reacting as if he had just been told the most ridiculous absurdity.
“What utter nonsense is that? The Academy Representative Team is already fulfilling that exact duty.”
Shuggling casually, I fixed my gaze straight onto Nam Hwa-seong’s face.
“I haven’t a clue. That is precisely why I permitted them entry—to listen to whatever ridiculous explanation they have.”
“……”
Eun-ho-Lee cast a disparaging look over each individual belonging to the Council, causing them to nervously clear their throats or shift their gazes away from him. Sweeping my eyes over the chaotic activity of the Representative Team one more time, I refocused on Cheol Sun-jik.
“Take a seat here.”
As I swept a small clearing on a desk overflowing with folders to gesture for him to sit, Cheol Sun-jik scowled.
“This involves highly critical matters, so shouldn’t we relocate to a more private setting?”
“Your options are to schedule an official meeting for a later date, or discuss it right here. As you can observe, our hands are completely full.”
dishonesty.
“……”
No matter how intensely you glare, what power do you have here? Meeting his piercing gaze head-on, I noticed Cheol Sun-jik’s lips trembled slightly.
“……Very well. It will not take much time regardless.”
Cheol Sun-jik took his place as their leader, while his entourage flanked him tightly, forming a protective barrier. The arrangement was quite a spectacle.
“A fascinating gathering of individuals. You clearly exerted considerable effort to mask the fact that you are acting on behalf of the 12 Peaks…… Oh, pardon my clumsy phrasing. Ha.”
“……”
Following my remark, a crimson flush instantly spread across the faces of his companions. Though a few were aligned with the 12 Peaks, the majority held ties to the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Families. Collecting himself with remarkable speed, Cheol Sun-jik reassumed his signature detached, analytical demeanor.
“Had I arrived on behalf of the 12 Peaks, I would have openly declared that I was acting as an official delegate for the 12 Peaks.”
“That was actually something I wanted to press you on. A Council? What is that supposed to signify?”
“The Council (Ui-won-hoe) serves as a collective entity where conclusions are reached via mutual deliberation.”
Listen to that elegant phrasing. As always, he excels at utilizing that brilliant intellect of his for completely pointless endeavors. Leaning back against my chair, I pressed further.
“Hmm. And what matters would you be deciding?”
“Every single aspect concerning the conduct and outcomes of the Academy students. Because this body will represent the unified voice of the entire student populace, any basis for dissatisfaction will be entirely eliminated.”
Superficially, it sounded flawless. However, when the words came out of Cheol Sun-jik’s mouth, taking them at face value was a grave mistake.
“So, any verdict passed by this Council effectively dictates the stance of the entire Academy student body?”
“Precisely.”
“Then tell me, upon whose shoulders does the accountability fall?”
“It is shared equally by all members. Up to this point, the Moolim Alliance has strictly adhered to a vertical hierarchy. Yet, look at where that has led us. The Jianghu has become rigid, established factions have entrenched themselves, and we are now witnessing the birth of a social hierarchy dividing pure-blooded lineages from mixed bloodlines.”
He raised his voice slightly as he scanned the room, making sure his words reached the ears of everyone present.
“The elite factions who hand down the directives shift the blame onto their subordinates, leaving the low-ranking members, who merely followed along without fault, to bear the consequences without ever understanding why.”
With each word uttered in Cheol Sun-jik’s articulate, measured tone, the fabricated chaos within the workspace gradually quieted down. Realizing he now had the room’s undivided attention, Cheol Sun-jik lowered his pitch slightly.
“Do you honestly think the existing system, which concentrates ultimate authority within a small elite circle, is justifiable?”
There was no denying his innate talent for public oratory. And yet,
“What exactly motivates you to implement such a non-hierarchical, sophisticated framework within the Academy?”
His true self was glaringly obvious to me. Concealed beneath the guise of a selfless leader striving for the public interest (gong-ri) was a self-serving fraud desperate to secure his own private interest (sa-ik). Unfazed by my biting sarcasm, Cheol Sun-jik replied without letting his composure slip for a second.
“I assumed someone of Representative Jin’s perception would grasp the intent without requiring an explicit explanation.”
I stated firmly.
“I haven’t the slightest idea.”
“……”
The edge of Cheol Sun-jik’s lips gave a sharp twitch. Quickly recovering his poise, however, he reordered his features.
“Ultimately, the Council will function as a repository for the views of the entire populace. The students will take proactive measures based on resolutions they themselves helped craft, and because they must shoulder the accountability, they will naturally exercise great care in making choices and evaluating situations.”
His tone carried an unspoken challenge, mocking my apparent lack of comprehension. To display such brazen audacity; a dry laugh escaped my lips.
“In that case, the true objective behind establishing this Council is as plain as day (myeong-yak-gwan-hwa).”
Cheol Sun-jik’s goal was to impose this egalitarian system known as a Council onto our organization, thereby undermining the authority of the Representative Team.
“Is it not high time we dismantled the flawed traditions that have persisted for centuries? I am entirely certain that Representative Jin is someone who prides himself on shattering antiquated conventions.”
Cheol Sun-jik fixed his gaze on me, his eyes projecting an aura of absolute sincerity.
“What I am suggesting is that Representative Jin is the ideal individual to pioneer the destruction of the tyrannical customs that have long governed both the Academy and the Moolim Alliance.”
A man who typically addressed me formally as ‘Representative Jin’ was now adding the respectful honorific ‘Representative-nim.’ Ha, this wretched vermin. He truly knows how to sway a crowd. There was no denying his identity; Cheol Sun-jik was masterfully manipulating the room. The mood shifted entirely within a heartbeat.
He had subtly fostered an environment where a truly righteous leader would feel compelled to endorse his vision. Just as he intended, the delegates from the Nine Sects and One Gang, the Five Great Families, and the 108 Peaks who accompanied him watched me with eyes full of hope. Even the members of our own Representative Team, who had been merely pretending to work, now looked deeply intrigued, apparently swayed by his rhetoric. Above all, the sheer potency of Cheol Sun-jik’s eloquence was mirrored perfectly in the deeply conflicted grimace on Eun-ho-Lee’s face.
“The consensus of the collective…… ridiculous traditions……”
After all, he possessed the sharpest analytical mind and logical reasoning among everyone in the Representative Team. Yet, realizing that this proposal would compromise the integrity and standing of the Representative Team, he found himself unable to wholeheartedly embrace it.
I locked eyes with Cheol Sun-jik. Comparing his current self to how he appeared in my previous life, nothing had truly changed save for the absence of a few wrinkles on his youthful face. Human beings harbor an intense aversion to experiencing loss. For this reason, they endlessly speculate, calculate risks, and deploy every ounce of their capabilities to mitigate any threat or vulnerability. This very vulnerability was what made Cheol Sun-jik’s current speech so incredibly effective.
“Naturally, implementing a Council structure does not render the Representative’s role obsolete. Ultimately, the authority to deliver the conclusive verdict remains entirely with the Representative.”
His eyes flicked across the gathered staff of the Representative Team.
“Moreover, no one currently serving on the Representative Team will be forced to vacate their post. Every individual can simply carry on executing their assigned duties just as they do now.”
Cheol Sun-jik framed his proposal as a perfect, mutually beneficial resolution. His silver tongue focused entirely on the potential gains, cleverly obscuring what would be sacrificed. By preying on human psychological frailties, his delivery tricked his listeners into believing they had uncovered a path toward optimal mutual prosperity.
He instilled a conviction that the impossible was now within reach. He led those seeking prestige to believe it was theirs for the taking, and those desiring wealth to believe riches were just around the corner.
“The choice made by the Representative today will reshape the foundational structure of the Academy for the coming century. Consequently, future generations of scholars will be granted the opportunity to strive for a grander destiny within an equitable, improved setting.”
Fixing me with an unyielding tone, Cheol Sun-jik added,
“I eagerly await the Representative’s judgment.”
He calculatedly shifted the burden of choice onto me. His strategic thinking mirrored the exact methods of his older self from my past life. It was a tactical maneuver designed to grant the adversary an illusion of free will, thereby stroking their ego and sense of control. The target remains a mere puppet dancing to Cheol Sun-jik’s intricate, pre-arranged choreography, yet the piece remains under the delusion that it acts independently to checkmate the enemy monarch. That is the true nature of Cheol Sun-jik.
A master manipulator who bends others to his whim solely to advance his personal agendas. An individual who ensnares the minds of those around him for maximum self-gain, gloating in his ultimate triumph. A man who managed to endure until the very end in a ruthless world where survival is the sole measure of strength.
The Schemer (Mo-sa) Cheol Sun-jik.
I shifted my attention back to the crowd. The disciples of the Nine Sects and One Gang who flanked him, the representatives from the Five Great Families, and the members of the 108 Peaks. Even our own Representative Team. Every soul in the room hung on my next words.
‘It really is astounding.’
Even with the full awareness that he was a deceptive fraud, I could sense the seductive logic underpinning his argument. Yet, unfortunately for him, while I might lack brilliance, my recollection is entirely flawless. The vivid memories of my fallen allies, who perished after falling victim to his deceptive silver tongue and psychological traps in my previous existence, flashed right before my eyes. Confronted with the agonizing reality of those deaths, my response was painfully simple.
“I decline.”
“……”
The memories of those unjust, tragic demises remain burned into my mind.
“I see absolutely no reason to comply with your request.”
This signifies that I refuse to blindly walk into another trap in this lifetime. Blindsided by my abrupt rejection, Cheol Sun-jik’s forehead creased with deep irritation.
“How deeply regrettable. I genuinely believed you were an Academy Representative far more progressive and enlightened than any of your predecessors.”
Right on cue, the hopeful expressions of his followers soured into open animosity. A few appeared on the verge of leaping from their spots to unleash their outrage.
How can you be so dense? Isn’t Cheol Sun-jik’s proposal clearly for the greater good? Their collective gaze vilified me, painting me as a selfish tyrant acting entirely without moral ground. But when a person is already braced for public scorn, petty insults lose all power. I scanned the room deliberately and let out a single, sharp clap.
“Excellent! I have listened to quite enough of this nonsensical drivel from individuals blinded by sheer avarice.”
“Representative Jin……!”
Fixing my eyes on Cheol Sun-jik, a mocking smile touched my lips.
自由な心
“To begin with, why should I tolerate you spinning your intricate webs just because you covet the authority of the Representative?”
Exposed for what he truly was, Cheol Sun-jik’s composed facade faltered and twitched.
“……Have you completely misconstrued my words? This has absolutely nothing to do with usurping a position……!”
“In what way does this differ from the structural dynamic between the Elders’ Council and the Alliance Leader’s Palace within the contemporary Moolim Alliance?”
When the Man-tong-bu brings forward a matter, the Elders’ Council deliberates upon it, and the Alliance Leader’s Palace hands down the final decree. Although ultimate executive power formally resides within the Alliance Leader’s Palace, the Alliance Leader is barred from acting unilaterally. Ultimately, the Elders’ Council must ratify a resolution before the Alliance Leader’s Palace can officially declare it.
“Naturally, you can dress it up with terms like ‘Council’ or ‘Consultative Body’ or apply whatever elegant phrasing pleases you.”
Seeing Cheol Sun-jik’s raw ambition laid bare so plainly, I couldn’t repress a sharp sneer.
“However, would you have even breathed a syllable of this proposal had the 12 Peaks secured the Representative seat for themselves?”
“……”
Cheol Sun-jik is a fascinating creature. In his calculations, permanent allies and permanent enemies do not exist. Should their goals align, even the Demonic Cult can be embraced as a partner; conversely, if incentives diverge, a faction within his own 12 Peaks becomes an adversary. Because his mind operated on a hyper-rational, ruthlessly practical wavelength, he had the audacity to align his own sect with the Moolim Alliance of the North Sea. Consequently, Cheol Sun-jik’s sect emerged practically unscathed from the Great War between the Orthodox and Demonic.
While I remain ignorant of the events following my demise in that previous lifetime, it is certain that Cheol Sun-jik’s sect went on to form a dominant pillar within the Moolim Alliance of the North Sea. Staring directly into Cheol Sun-jik’s eyes, I raised my voice.
“Tell me, what do you call the act of imposing conditions on others that you yourself would never accept?”
“……What might that be?”
“A scam (sagi).”
Cheol Sun-jik’s face crumpled like a piece of paper.
“Only deceitful conmen who take their targets for complete fools resort to such behavior.”
“……Are you directing your insults at every single person assembled in this room right now?”
His immediate reflex to redirect my strike and rally the crowd around him was an execution so flawless it could easily rival the Yu-un-mun’s I-hwa-jeop-mok technique.
“Insults require the presence of honor to damage in the first place.”
I cast a critical eye over the individuals arrayed behind Cheol Sun-jik.
“Ha-san-dong, a pupil of Hwasan. You gained entry to this Academy utilizing the influence of Hwasan, yet you were issued a stern reprimand from your core sect for squandering your days alongside courtesans within the pleasure quarters, correct?”
A representative from the Nine Sects and One Gang visibly recoiled.
“Baek Jin-seong, a practitioner of the Jegal Clan. You managed to escape incarceration in the Gold Prison during the prior Gimum-jin affair, but you have already lost the backing of the Jegal Clan. Your prospects for advancement within the Jegal Clan moving forward are utterly bleak.”
Baek Jin-seong’s complexion instantly drained of color.
“You have done an exceptional job assembling a group of outcasts who possess zero standing within the Orthodox Society, the White Path Society, or any reputable faction. The few here representing the 12 Peaks are nothing more than your personal lackeys, Cheol Sun-jik.”
Every statement uttered by Cheol Sun-jik was inextricably linked to a relentless quest for personal gain. His rhetoric always centered on private profit. Ironically, the moments requiring the absolute highest level of vigilance were precisely when he appeared to be championing the well-being of his adversary.
“Even if this Council comes into existence, it will ultimately dance exclusively to your tune, Cheol Sun-jik. You advertise it as the voice of the masses, but in reality, you will be the one pulling all the strings.”
“……”
“Additionally, if you intend to arrogantly claim the mantle of representing the Academy student body, shouldn’t you have bothered to consult at least a fraction of those students first?”
I directed my question toward the self-appointed ‘Representative Councilors’ flanking Cheol Sun-jik.
“Can a single person among you produce even one formal recommendation letter from the Academy students? Or perhaps you were chosen through a democratic vote?”
Yet, absolute silence met my query. A wave of frigid fury surged deep within my chest.
“For what reason should the students of this Academy quietly submit to the mandates of completely unqualified delegates?”
In my previous existence, enlightenment regarding Cheol Sun-jik’s machinations only arrived after another brother-in-arms had already paid with their life.
“Accountability? You dare speak of accountability? Exactly how do you plan to answer for your choices? Will you face expulsion, or perhaps find yourselves locked away in the Gold Prison like during that disastrous excursion to Sichuan?”
Therefore, in this current life, I will never allow myself to be played for a fool again.
“Ah, but of course that wouldn’t happen. Since it would be labeled as the collective choice of the Academy students, you wouldn’t face a single repercussion, would you? What an incredibly convenient form of accountability. Meanwhile, the one left holding the massive burden of ultimate consequence would be none other than myself, the Academy Representative.”
I directed a heavy, mocking sneer right at their faces.
“You desire all the privileges while evading any of the consequences…… The entrenched elite who perpetuate the ‘flawed traditions’ you decried actually appear respectable by comparison. At the very least, the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families maintained their status through the shedding of blood.”
The faces of the silent entourage grew increasingly grim and downcast.
“Is this the true objective of your so-called ‘Council’? To seize authority while completely dodging liability?”
Once in my previous life, I had successfully dealt him a severe setback by acting in direct opposition to Cheol Sun-jik’s designs. Adhering to the counsel of Jegal Cheon-gi, I simply opposed every single word that left Cheol Sun-jik’s mouth. Though that forced us to directly confront the Flame Demon Ghost Eye Unit, Cheol Sun-jik’s own detachment was nearly wiped out to the point where barely ten percent survived that fateful day.
“Why don’t you try establishing this Council structure within your own home sect first, Cheol Sun-jik? Strip the Sect Leader of absolute power, reducing them to a mere rubber stamp, and let the low-ranking disciples form a Council. Let every member of the sect shoulder the blame for every command together.”
“……I would greatly appreciate it if you left my home sect out of this discussion. Mind your decorum, Representative Jin.”
In the blink of an eye, the respectful ‘Representative-nim’ had vanished, replaced once more by ‘Representative Jin.’
“Do you mean to say you find my suggestion offensive?”
“……”
“Yet you had the audacity to shove your own insulting proposal down my throat using these miserable sycophants?”
Cheol Sun-jik’s face drained of all color, turning completely pale. It was identical to how he looked in my previous life whenever I flatly rejected his ideas.
It was a face so damned missed.