episode_0176

Children are innocent.

Children are innocent beings who can sometimes be more cruel than adults.

Even if adults see something like an anthill while walking down the street, they don’t necessarily pour water on it, but that’s why children pour water on it without a care in the world.

And as a child, whenever I witnessed a scene like that, I would secretly wonder.

I wonder what kind of situation it is inside there right now.

Surprisingly, the answer was now unfolding before my eyes.

“Huh… What should I do with this… .”

Those who sigh in sorrow.

“So the culprit was caught?”

Those who try to calmly understand the situation first.

“Is that important now? It’s obvious who instigated it anyway!”

And even those who have been consumed by anger.

In the Daejanggunjeo, which resembled the inside of an anthill that was beginning to fill with water, only the two of them were maintaining their normal appearance.

Jojo.

and… element.

Is that why?

Amidst chaos everywhere, only the two of them looked particularly different.

Of the two who seemed to have a temperament that seemed to be fundamentally different from those widely spread around them, the one who spoke first was none other than the blonde beauty, Won Won.

“ㅡJust a moment.”

A voice that was neither high nor low.

A voice truly worthy of the word Okeum rang across the conference room set aside in one corner of Daejanggunjeo.

“Could you please listen to what this source says?”

Surprisingly, one effect was certain.

As soon as that voice echoed through the walls of the hall, the numerous voices that were confusing the surroundings slowly began to quiet down.

It seemed as if the group had been hypnotized.

And what made it possible… It must be that beauty who is working hard today as always.

Because beauty can sometimes be used like a weapon.

Like right now.

At that moment, sunlight came through the window and illuminated the elements like a spotlight.

Was it none other than that?

Considering where he was sitting, it was a position that could never be the head of the table, but for a moment, it felt as if the place where Won Won was sitting was the head of the table.

Even I, who knew that there was a monster with a dark inside hiding behind that beautiful appearance, felt that way for a moment, but what must it have been like in the eyes of others who fell into panic after hearing the news that Ha-jin was poisoned?

Just as there is no smoke in the chimney at times, there must be a reason for the silence that has fallen between people now.

“Hmph, it’s unnecessary to set the mood… .”

Of course, like the power of my hypnosis app, it didn’t seem to be a free pass for all ages and genders.

Maybe she didn’t like the sight of her older sister monopolizing people’s attention even though she was from the same family and had the same blonde hair?

A little boy with his hair neatly tied up in a princess style muttered bluntly with his arms crossed.

The voice was so quiet that it seemed like only me and JoJo who were nearby could hear it.

By the way, it’s a blonde loli recipe.

Does he like honey water too?

As I was thinking about this while looking down at the small golden head that made me want to pet it, like a bad-tempered kid, he noticed my gaze right away.

The little boy, who was sitting with his arms folded, tilted his head back and made eye contact with me, glared at me and said.

“What are you looking at, the eunuch’s granddaughter?”

I thought the red-haired kid from somewhere would be the best in terms of speaking, but he’s no slouch either.

What if the equipment kid is pure evil?

This blond kid just seemed to have a bad temper.

By the way, I caught it while looking at it, so how do I fix it?

Fortunately, Cao Cao’s gaze was still fixed on Yuan Shao, but if the commotion grew any further, it would definitely attract attention.

So, after thinking about it for a while, I took out a bag filled with snacks that I had saved to eat later.

And then he handed it straight to Wonsul, and was he embarrassed by the sudden barrage of bribes?

Wonsul, who was looking at me and the thing in my hand back and forth with bewildered eyes, snatched the pouch that was lying on my palm.

Then he opened it without hesitation.

“Tteok…?”

“It is a steamed rice cake with sesame seeds and honey inside.”

“Seeds and honey, you… What do you know beyond being a subordinate to the eunuch’s granddaughter?”

Did you like the contents?

Wonsul suddenly stuffed a rice cake with a nutty and sweet smell into his mouth and started munching on the food in his mouth, twitching his slightly swollen cheeks.

After successfully silencing him, he returned to Jojo’s side… .

Pinch!

“Ugh…?!”

“I told you not to do anything that would attract attention.”

He was punished by Cao Cao for abandoning his duties for a while.

Thanks to this, as I was gently rubbing my side, which had started to throbbing, the story of Won Soo finally began.

“I completely understand that everyone is confused by what suddenly happened, and that they want to arrest the culprit who dared to kill the general and clearly reveal who instigated it. I also feel the same way as the people here.”

“Then, your original words were-”

“However, I would like to discuss the order of work.”

If I were to summarize what followed those words, it was this.

It would be good to catch the criminal who killed Ha-jin, and it would be good to interrogate the criminal to find out who instigated it.

Instead, I hope everyone will think about it at least once.

I wonder if the old monster named Zhang Yang sitting in the imperial palace will stay still while we waste our time in such a place.

“Well… There’s no way that old monster would miss an opportunity like this.”

“Perhaps the reason we killed the general was to seize power again while we were embarrassed by the general’s sudden absence and did not know what to do.”

“This is why I shouldn’t have left him alive… !”

“You repay the grace of saving your life in this way, such a beast… !”

“The murder case that took place in the imperial palace a while ago was overlooked because there were no proper clues, but you don’t stop there and continue your evil actions like this… !”

The identity of the instigator, let alone who murdered Ha-jin, has not yet been revealed, and looking at the atmosphere, it seems as if the culprit has already been confirmed as Jang Yang.

And without missing the opportunity, Won So added one more word.

“Anyway… Shouldn’t we take revenge?”

plural.

At the words that flowed from Yuan Shao’s mouth, the eyes of those who belonged to the hardliners within the Cheongryu faction flashed like those of a rabid Chihuahua.

If it were possible, it would be as if he would lead the soldiers and go beyond the gates of the imperial palace.

I’ve already done it once last winter, so it’s not that difficult.

The atmosphere was taking over the conference room as if if you touched it in that way, it would burst into laughter rather than a bang… Won Soo began to mutter a plan, asking if it would be a good idea to try something like this.

As if I had just remembered it.

“If you are here right now, you probably know that they were trying to appease a group of bandits called Heuksanjeok, who were located near Luoyang, under them.”

“I know… Why did that story suddenly… ?”

“Let’s try it out.”

“Using it?”

Maybe I got a little choked up after talking so much?

By taking a sip of the tea that was placed in front of him, Won Won recited in a gentle voice, bringing the people’s concentration back to life.

“The old man, who could not forget his former glory, attempted to regain his lost power by killing the general and bringing in the Black Bandits to forcibly occupy the land of Luoyang and the imperial palace.”

“… !”

“I think this is a good enough justification, but what do you all think?”

Suddenly, Yuan Shao’s speech became slightly shorter than before, but no one paid attention to that fact.

Of course it has to be that way.

If they put forward such a justification, even if they cross the threshold of the imperial palace once again, everyone will praise their spirit and no one will criticize them.

And what will be waiting for them at the end will be the power that once belonged to Ha Jin.

It may change depending on how the situation unfolds in the future, but if he does well, he could become Ha Jin’s successor.

How many people in the world would not roll their eyes when faced with the opportunity to be reborn as a being who is literally a jack-of-all-trades?

Is that why it was like that?

Akarang, who had been declaring Jang Yang’s name and declaring revenge for Ha Jin, began to have a very different atmosphere in the conference room.

Should I say that it is an atmosphere where it feels like everyone is watching and keeping each other in check?

A strange atmosphere that could not be described in words was taking over the conference hall… and only four people were free from that atmosphere.

Before I knew it, Wonsul had fallen in love with the honey rice cake I gave him.

Jojo has been unable to take his eyes off Won Soo since a while ago, and I am standing by her side.

Lastly, the element that created the current atmosphere.

Yes, there were no more than four people.

“I will be in charge of creating justification regarding the Black Bandits… Everyone, let’s go home now and get ready.”

Among these countless people, only those four maintained that they were of the opposite sex.

“At the very moment when a huge pillar of fire rises beyond the walls of Luoyang, this is the moment to clean up Luoyang.”

*****

No more, no less, exactly one day later.

A pillar of fire rose beyond the high walls of Luoyang.

A huge pillar of fire that looks like it could burn down everything in the world.