Chapter 43: Loopholes in Discipline (3)
Kang Yoon's eyes flashed.
'A third-rate thug, you say?' This was clearly directed at him.
"Are you speaking to me?"
"Did you sell your manners somewhere?"
"Excuse me?"
"I am the Great Lord of Byeoksan Yeonga. Surely a commander of your rank hasn't forgotten? Or have you lost your memory already? Are you senile?"
Kang Yoon, who had been quietly observing Yeon Hojeong, bowed his head with dignity.
"My lack of composure led to discourtesy. Commander Kang Yoon of the Biung Unit pays his respects to the Great Lord."
"Is that all?"
"Excuse me?"
"Do you think being flustered excuses killing someone?"
Kang Yoon's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"Your words go too far."
"Are you talking back to me now?"
"How could this be considered talking back? It's nothing of the sort."
"If it's not backtalk, then what's with that look in your eyes? Defiance?"
"Great Lord."
"What?"
"I'm neither talking back nor defying you. Let's end this here."
"End this here?"
"Yes."
"You issue commands rather than requests now? This won't do, Commander Kang."
Kang Yoon's expression grew increasingly distorted.
"Even for the Great Lord, isn't this too severe?"
"Now you're arguing semantics. Do your superiors know you behave this way?"
"Great Lord!"
His voice involuntarily rose in volume.
Yeon Hojeong rubbed his ear.
"No proper greeting, constant backtalk, quibbling over trivialities, and now daring to command me?"
"......!"
"At this point, you'd have no grounds to protest if expelled from the main family."
Kang Yoon's eyelids trembled faintly.
"Why are you doing this? I've never intended disrespect toward the Great Lord."
"Perhaps you should examine your own conduct first."
"Of course, my failure in proper greeting was my fault. However, I believe Your Lordship's words were also excessive."
"The 'third-rate thug' comment, you mean?"
"Yes."
"Then Commander Kang, do you consider your current actions different from those of street thugs?"
Kang Yoon's eyes bloodshot.
"Street thugs? This accusation is intolerable!"
"Oh? So my words were too harsh?"
"Yes."
"Then what about them?"
"Excuse me?"
Yeon Hojeong jerked his chin toward Yoo Ji-ha.
Yoo Ji-ha's body was drenched in sweat, uniform stained with dirt. He appeared to have undergone rigorous punishment.
He wasn't alone. The entire third squad of Biung stood in similar states of disarray.
"What crime did they commit to deserve training without food or rest? Even wielding ironwood training swords?"
"These men disobeyed their commander's orders. As their leader, it's my duty to discipline them for such insubordination and breach of protocol..."
"If they violated orders and discipline, why not execute them cleanly instead of this messy punishment?"
The terrifying statement froze the air.
Every member of Biung's third squad turned deathly pale. None had imagined the conversation would turn to executions.
Kang Yoon was equally stunned by the sudden escalation.
"Execution? That's excessive!"
"More humane than your methods. If you want them dead, why not a clean beheading instead of torture?"
"How dare you call this torture? This is legitimate discipline!"
"Discipline?"
Yeon Hojeong's eyes glinted cold steel.
The intensity of his gaze chilled even Kang Yoon, renowned for his fortitude.
"You're Yoo Ji-ha, correct?"
The Great Lord remembering his name shocked Yoo Ji-ha into raising his head.
"Y-yes!"
"Step forward."
Yoo Ji-ha obeyed, revealing numerous fresh scrapes on his face and hands - marks of particularly harsh punishment.
"Why is your commander reprimanding you all?"
"Sir?"
"......"
"W-well, it's because..."
Yoo Ji-ha glanced nervously at Kang Yoon.
Kang Yoon intervened: "With respect, Great Lord, I am their commander. The authority over rewards and punishments rests solely with me. Even you overstep your bounds here."
"So I should stay silent?"
"Great Lord!"
Yeon Hojeong's voice dropped to subzero temperatures.
"Interrupt me once more, and I'll have you summoned before the Law Blade Pavilion."
Kang Yoon's eyes wavered.
The Law Blade Pavilion oversaw internal justice and severe punishments - every martial artist's worst nightmare. Merely being investigated there often meant career ruin.
Kang Yoon's breathing grew ragged, but he dared not speak further.
Yeon Hojeong turned back to Yoo Ji-ha.
"The same applies to you. Fail to answer promptly, and you'll join your commander there."
Yoo Ji-ha snapped to attention.
"W-we violated curfew for personal training last night! One shichen of unauthorized practice! Forgive us!"
Yeon Hojeong's brow furrowed.
"Punished for... training extra?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
"A martial organization punishing members for honing their skills during rest hours?"
"That's..."
"Did their secret training hinder unit exercises?"
Yoo Ji-ha remained silent, as only commanders could make that judgment.
But Yeon Hojeong read the truth in his expression - the squad had performed adequately despite the extra effort.
Turning to Kang Yoon: "Explain this 'crime'."
"I maintain strict schedules - set meal times, set rest periods. Such control is essential for a hundred soldiers to move as one."
"Control?"
"Yes. This system has operated flawlessly for years. No violations occurred... until yesterday."
Kang Yoon's expression soured, clearly uncomfortable explaining basic discipline before his men.
Yeon Hojeong regarded Yoo Ji-ha.
"You hear your commander's reasoning?"
"......"
"Your commander's no fool. His logic has merit... in theory."
"But..."
"But?"
Yoo Ji-ha bit his lip.
Even through his frustration, the injustice burned - how could martial practice be considered criminal?
"I joined Biung last year."
"And?"
"I earned my place through hard work. But this past year... personal training's been forbidden. Only unit exercises allowed."
"So?"
"Unit discipline matters, yes. But I wanted to excel. Yet after a year, neither I nor my comrades have improved one iota."
Yeon Hojeong's gaze deepened.
"Yet Biung's overall strength increased through perfect synchronization."
"Exactly."
"Your age?"
"Eighteen."
"Old enough to understand responsibility. You chose Biung - its discipline comes with that choice."
"......"
"I understand your frustration. But organizations require structure. You bear responsibility for the order you joined."
"So I tried to quit."
"What?"
Yoo Ji-ha's voice trembled with suppressed injustice.
"I formally requested discharge through proper channels. It was denied."
"Proper discharge request denied? Why?"
"They said 'Once Biung, forever Biung.' That only death releases us from service."
Yeon Hojeong's eyes frosted over.
Now he understood - the desperate late-night training, the disciplinary overreach.
Kang Yoon hastily interjected: "Nonsense! That's just rhetoric to foster unity!"
"Yet it became reality."
Yeon Hojeong's voice grew colder with each word.
"If it's mere rhetoric, why couldn't he leave after proper procedure?"
"Procedures require flexibility! We had combat evaluations approaching - losing members then would've been disastrous!"
"Necessary measures?"
"Exactly."
"This 'flexibility' served Biung's interests alone."
"Of course! Biung's strength is Yeonga's strength!"
Yeon Hojeong finally unleashed his stored contempt:
"Incompetent fool!"
"W-what did you say?"
"You claim Biung's growth strengthens Yeonga. Then answer - whose growth truly matters?"
"......!"
"Can't answer? I'm not asking about evaluation scores, but the fundamentals of real strength."
"That is..."
"Yours alone?"
"......"
"A unit grows strong through its members' growth. Yet you imprison talent under 'unity' pretense."
Kang Yoon's face twisted.
"'Imprison' is unfair! Circumstances demanded..."
"Then why's he still here months later?"
Kang Yoon faltered. Truthfully, he'd forgotten about the request, assuming endless drills would force compliance.
"Is this your discipline? Lawful discharge denied through technicalities?"
"......"
"Answer."
"It was all for the clan's..."
"Ah, so your personal judgment overrides our laws?"
Yeon Hojeong smiled bitterly.
"Now I see. You preach law, yet bend it where convenient. True discipline only for others."
"Untrue!"
"Then explain, you worthless cur."
Kang Yoon's face darkened dangerously.
"No more insults, Great Lord! This is Biung's internal matter. Cease interference!"
Kang Yoon had always despised Yeon Hojeong. Since learning the clan heir wasted time in brothels, he'd never respected the man - not even after recent reforms.
Yeon Hojeong's smile faded to a ghost.
"Cease interference?"
"Correct."
To Yoo Ji-ha: "Fetch the Law Blade Pavilion Master."
The training ground's atmosphere plunged into arctic silence.
Yeon Hojeong locked eyes with Kang Yoon:
"You manipulated Biung for personal ends under clan pretense. Now I'll remove you for the clan's sake."
"......!"
"Prepare to be stripped of command."
