Chapter 235

Mang Ryo asked.

“But among them, aren’t there some who won’t be satisfied with crumbs and will try to grab the whole cake?”

“Very accurate. That’s why you need to manage them a bit. When it seems like tension has relaxed, sometimes you reduce positions enough to make them fight among themselves for positions, while on the other hand, you need to leave positions open enough for those below to think they can climb up with hope. Then they’ll be too busy protecting their own positions to have time to aim for the cake. So creating positions that don’t exist and eliminating positions that do exist is what an Alliance Leader should do.”

The Alliance Leader’s job is to create positions?

What a truly new perspective!

Though he wasn’t particularly interested, Mang Ryo was genuinely impressed.

“Your deep insight has greatly cleared my mind today, Alliance Leader. But it seems like a position that doesn’t suit me. It’s too difficult. Hehe.”

“Ah, did I scare you too much? Since we’ve come this far, let me finish what I was saying.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol asked in a subtle voice.

“So do you know what the most important job an Alliance Leader must have?”

“It’s difficult for me to dare speak. I will humbly listen.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol raised his index finger and said.

“It’s precisely employing people. Filling appropriate positions with appropriate people. An Alliance Leader must have an eye for people. You must be able to see even a person’s hidden abilities to properly employ people.”

Mang Ryo also agreed.

Placing people suited to positions. That was one of the most important tasks in any organization.

“So I need to examine you a bit. Since I’ve called you all the way here, if I think you’re useful, I’ll create a position even if one doesn’t exist and put you in it.”

It was a strange proposal.

Mang Ryo had been working with Baek Li-jung until now. But what would it mean for Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol to say he’d create a position if he liked him?

“How about it? Are you interested? If you feel uncomfortable about it, you can refuse. There will be no disadvantages at all.”

Accepting this proposal would mean leaving Baek Li-jung’s embrace. He would have to become Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s person.

Then what Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol wanted was…

‘Checking Baek Li-jung? Does he want to use me to check Baek Li-jung?’

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol had said earlier. When tension relaxes, make them fight for positions.

But then would Baek Li-jung just leave alone Mang Ryo, who had already backstabbed him several times?

“Huh…”

Mang Ryo made a troubled sound.

Anyway, since Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol had revealed his hand, Mang Ryo had to respond.

“Very…”

Mang Ryo answered slowly.

“It seems like a very difficult matter? Even ten necks wouldn’t be enough.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s smile deepened.

“That’s why I chose you! I fell for that tenacity and instinctive survival ability that allows you to survive well in any situation!”

Between Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol and Baek Li-jung.

To openly walk a tightrope between a dragon with sharp claws and a tiger with sharp teeth?

‘Hehe.’

With the slightest mistake, Mang Ryo would no longer be of this world.

“You seem to think too highly of me. I’m not worthy of such a thing.”

“That’s for me to judge. I want to ask about your intentions first. How about it? Do you have any thoughts of trying?”

After thinking briefly, Mang Ryo asked.

“What will you give me?”

“Let’s see first. How far you can go. Only then can we make a deal.”

“If I do… with my meager talents.”

He would probably want to conduct a simple test to see his abilities. Since Mang Ryo wasn’t interested in the test anyway, he was just thinking of listening to what he had to say.

But Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s actions were completely different from Mang Ryo’s thoughts.

“Then I’ll take a look.”

“Pardon?”

When Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s eyes were covered by his eyebrows, he raised his chin to look at Mang Ryo.

“Let’s see.”

But since he still couldn’t see well due to his drooping eyelids, he simply used his finger to lift up his right eyelid.

Even then, it seemed like a somewhat strange sight…

Instead of stopping appropriately, he continued pushing up the eyelid.

His eyebrows were raised to the fullest extent, pushing up several layers of forehead wrinkles.

And the large eye that was revealed.

It was an eye so large it was hard to think of as human.

It was even larger than a tiger’s.

It was the size of a newborn’s fist.

But compared to that large eyeball, the pupil was the same size as a normal person’s, so the whites occupied most of the eye’s sphere.

It was truly bizarre beyond description.

Moreover, the whites weren’t white or showing red blood vessels, but remained clear with a golden yellow energy swirling around them.

Golden Pearl Eyes!

Meaning large pearls made of gold, it was a term that flowed from old stories of the Taoist sect.

When the demons raised their heads in great alarm at the Heavenly Honored One’s lion’s roar, two eyes like golden pearls were shining…

Just how deep and towering must one’s internal energy be for vital energy to manifest externally to this degree?

“What? Are you surprised?”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol teased Mang Ryo as if it was amusing.

“These eyes aren’t ordinary eyes. They’re eyes that see through people.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol brought his eye close to Mang Ryo’s face while keeping his right eyelid pushed up. The eyeball, almost completely exposed and looking like it might roll out, moved up and down and left and right while examining Mang Ryo with its yellowish light.

Mang Ryo frowned.

Though there were many strange people and events in the martial world, what kind of bizarre behavior was this!

He could almost hear the sound of the eyeball rolling around. This didn’t look like a human eye but like an eyeball with a pupil embedded in it.

“Now, tell me once more. What do you think of my proposal?”

Tremendous pressure.

Mang Ryo hadn’t known that a giant eyeball rolling right in front of his nose could be this overwhelming. Sweat began forming on his crown. He could circulate internal energy to absorb the sweat, make his head cold, or block his pores to prevent more sweat from flowing.

However, no matter what he did, it seemed he couldn’t avoid Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s energy perception from this close. Mang Ryo had no choice but to let the sweat form.

He wanted to see Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s expression, but all Mang Ryo could see was his eyeball.

“These eyes go beyond such primary questions as whether this fellow is lying or telling the truth… they see through what schemes he has.”

“Then… you must know my heart is sincere.”

Roll.

The eerie eyeball moved again.

“No. No. It’s not that easy. To see through the core, you must find that person’s most vulnerable part. Just as a golden bell has weak points in its joints, there are parts where one cannot hide their inner thoughts.”

“Is that so?”

“Hmm. You have some strange parts unlike other people. Why is that? Why can’t I see the weak points where your lies would be revealed to my eyes?”

Roll, roll.

The eyeball moved ceaselessly. As if it wouldn’t miss even the slightest movement of Mang Ryo’s wrinkles or fine hairs.

For the first time in his life, no, for the first time since losing his eyeball to Jin Ja-gang, Mang Ryo thought it was fortunate that only one eye was exposed. If both eyes had been intact, he wouldn’t have been able to hide his emotions at all.

But then.

Click!

Suddenly Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s eyeball stopped moving.

“Found it!”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol used his other hand that wasn’t holding up his eyeball to grab and lift the eyepatch covering Mang Ryo’s left eye.

Mang Ryo’s left eye, which had turned completely white as if covered by a membrane, was fully exposed.

“So you were hiding here?”

Mang Ryo felt goosebumps rise on his spine.

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol was giggling while staring intently at Mang Ryo’s empty eye as if digging through it with his own eye.

“It looks like a wound about ten years old?”

“That’s correct…”

“Generally, people tend to neglect and abandon parts of themselves that are no longer needed. Then those parts wouldn’t function and would just dangle there attached, right? Actually, that’s not the case.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s eyeball no longer rolled but stared directly at Mang Ryo’s eye.

“Those parts also consume blood and are attached to my body. Even if nerves are severed and they’ve lost sensation and function, instinct remains. So what happens is…”

Suddenly Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol struck both of Mang Ryo’s eye areas consecutively with his left hand. The right side, then the left.

Drip.

Tear ducts burst and tears came from both of Mang Ryo’s eyes. However, even though he struck the right side first, tears came later from the intact right side.

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol laughed.

“You must have felt it. That tears fell later from the intact eye. Your right eye knew I had touched the tear duct and unconsciously tried not to shed tears. Because you needed to see what actions I would take next with your one good eye. But your blind left eye had no need to perform the ‘act of seeing,’ so naturally, beyond your attention and without your consciousness reaching it, it shed tears as is.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol continued speaking while watching Mang Ryo wipe his tears with his sleeve.

“In other words, because you’ve neglected it for ten years, your left eye will tell me only the truth regardless of your will.”

Mang Ryo regulated his breathing.

To think such a person existed in the world.

Even when meeting King of Hell Tang Qing, even when meeting the divine nun of Mount Emei.

Do those who dominate an era have their own worlds?

Drip.

Sweat flowed down his temples to his cheeks.

“Don’t be nervous. No need to relax. Whatever you’re thinking anyway, you’ll only show me the truth.”

“I’m already telling you only the truth.”

“Well, we’ll see about that. Now, shall we start again? What’s your reason for seeking me out?”

Roll, roll, roll!

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s eyeball moved crazily left and right as it began examining Mang Ryo’s clouded left eye.

Mang Ryo gritted his teeth tightly and tried not to show emotional disturbance, but it was useless.

Despite being over ninety years old, Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol showed teeth as white and healthy as a child’s as he laughed.

“Oh my… you’re scared? Am I frightening? Giggle giggle.”

“Isn’t it strange to tell someone not to be scared when facing Golden Pearl Eyes?”

“You know about Golden Pearl Eyes! Then this makes things easier. Now, give me an answer.”

“If you give me the opportunity… I will do my utmost as a loyal servant.”

“I asked what you could offer earlier, didn’t I? How about something like Listening Order Master?”

Damn Taoist!

Mang Ryo ground his teeth inwardly. Was he going to openly brandish Golden Pearl Eyes and make a deal?

The Listening Order Master served as a bridge connecting the Martial Alliance’s main headquarters with regional branches.

The Listening Order Master reported evaluations of branches and their heads to headquarters, and headquarters reflected this in the finances and personnel administration allocated to branches.

Therefore, while unknown at headquarters, the authority of the Listening Order Master was absolute to regional branch heads.

A position with no real power over external missions but tremendous internal power. It was the best position to check Baek Li-jung and could bring in substantial bribes through back channels.

‘Cunning words. But I’m not interested, you old raccoon.’

Mang Ryo answered while trying not to show any expression.

“It’s a good position. As long as I don’t get my head cut off being attacked while traveling to and from headquarters, I could do it for a long, long time.”

“Naturally, I’d have to fix up your martial arts to match.”

But Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol added one more thing.

“In addition to that, I’ll throw in the Heroic Heaven Squad too.”

“Hehe. But isn’t that a place only for rising stars in their teens and twenties…”

But the moment he spoke, Mang Ryo realized.

The Heroic Heaven Squad was a position filled purely with young martial artists.

Then the position in the Heroic Heaven Squad wasn’t for Mang Ryo?