Chapter 8. A Nail In The Pocket Can Only Stick Out (1/2)

Chapter 8. A Nail In The Pocket Can Only Stick Out

The Five Great Clans.

They are the 5 strongest, most influential clans under the heavens.

The five clans started off with the clan known to be the strongest clan under the heavens, the Nangong Clan. It was followed by the kings of the Sichuan region, the Sichuan Dang Clan. Then, the rulers of the Hebei, the Hebei Peng Clan. That was followed by the clan at the Liaoning, which was at the corner of the martial world. They were known as the Murong Clan.

And…….

There was the clan that was regarded as the weakest of the five; Famous for their strategic minds instead of their martial skills, was the Zhuge clan, located in Honam.

“I’m sure most of you already know, but starting today, we’ll stop working externally for a while due to having to repair the main house’s formation.”

The scholarly, middle-aged man.

He was the current head of the Zhuge clan, and was known as the “Scholarly sword”, Zhuge Sang Lin. Zhuge Sang Lin was leading the meeting with all the active Zhuge clan members in the room.

The table laid in front of him.

About 10 people were sitting on each side of the table. On the table, there was a giant golden box, which was about big enough to fit a grown man inside.

Zhuge Sang Lin pushed the box into the center and opened his mouth.

“All foreign matters will be dealt by Zhuge Gi (諸葛器), and all internal matters that needs to be hidden from privy eyes will be dealt with by Zhuge Mu Hui (諸葛武輝).”

All the members nodded in agreement. It seemed they expected this to some extent.

Zhuge Sang Lin looked at two young men seated across from each other on the far side of the table, and spoke up.

“As you know, this event will determine the fate of our clan for the next 10 years. Because of that, everyone here will monitor your every move. Don’t make a single mistake in your work.”

“Yes.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

After Zhuge Gi and Zhuge Mu Hui answered, Zhuge Sang Lin looked at everyone room, and spoke.

“I trust the children’s ability, but since we don’t know what might happen, could a elder help them out?”

“This one will take care of Gi with the foreign matters, head.”

Zhuge Yong Mok (諸葛龍目). (TL: Zhuge Dragon Eyes. Neat.)

Originially, he wasn’t from the Zhuge family. But a long time a go, he married into the family and became one of the Zhuge family. In the martial world, he was known as the “Dual Wielding Flying Sword” (雙手飛劍). Looking at him with reassured eyes, Zhuge Sang Lin nodded.

“I’m confident that elder Yong Mok will be able to take care of Gi easily. Now then, is there anyone willing to help out Mu Hui?”

“I will help him, head.”

Zhuge Yu Sung (諸葛流星).

He was known as the strongest in the Zhuge family, and was the uncle of the current head of the Zhuge clan. Hearing his words, Zhuge Sang Lin made a troubled face.

“Would uncle be alright with taking care of this sort of task?”

“This is the biggest event in the Zhuge clan right now. Who would I be to back out from this?”

“But…….”

Zhuge Sang Lin made a complicated face.

It was the same for all the other Five Clans. They clung to people of the same blood more so than others. Because of that, the rankings within the clan was rather murky at the moment. There were even times when the elders were able to overrule the head’s decision for the family.

For example, Zhuge Yu Sung, who was known as an extremely strong expert, even stronger than Zhuge Sang Lin, recieved a lot of support from the stronger experts in the family. That was what confused Zhuge Sang Lin. Unlike other clans, the Zhuge clan forbid anyone weak from becoming the clan head. That meant if the firstborn didn’t have enough power, the 2nd child was always welcome to become the head.

‘He hasn’t even made a move once till now…….’

Zhuge Yu Sung’s move signaled an immense movement within the clan. That was because the man never took sides with anyone till now. Until today, the man stayed neutral.

“This one has high regards for the second child. That’s why I just want to help him out.”

“…….!”

Zhuge Sang Lin couldn’t hide his surprised face at Zhuge Yu Sung’s words. Zhuge Yu Sung was known to be very sharp-witted in the clan. Then doesn’t saying those kind of words clearly mean that he was supporting the second child to become the clan head?

‘Is there some that something about the second child that I failed to see?’

Zhuge Sang Lin scanned through his memories, and found nothing. The second was a quiet child that simply liked to read. Except for the fact that the child was able to keep a cool head, there wasn’t any other redeeming qualities. Because of that, the firstborn, who was active, headstrong, and was skilled in martial arts, seemed more likely to become the head of the family.

But thanks to what happened here, that didn’t seem too likely anymore.

Zhuge Yu Sung’s statement had this much on an impact upon the family.

Because of the sudden statement from the elder, there was now a higher chance of a family feud happening in the family about the next head.

‘This is troublesome.’

When he was thinking about asking the man about what exactly he was thinking, he noticed that everyone else in the room were also confused. They were glancing at Zhuge Yu Sung constantly.

“Is there anything else we must talk about?”

As if he realized that he was being watched by others, Zhuge Yu Sung asked the head this with a scolding tone. The head, brought back to his senses, panicked a little and spoke up.

“The next matter we’ll talk about is…….”

The conference continued, but no one was really listening anymore.

Their mind was thinking about something else at this point.

* * *

“Please tell me uncle’s motives for doing this.”

“My motives? Whatever do you mean?”

“Do you seriously not know what I’m talking about?”

“Are you asking me this because you actually don’t know? I didn’t really see the head as a stupid individual.”

Zhuge Sang Lin’s face wrinkled in displeasure.

He was able to feel Zhuge Yu Sung’s resolution in his voice.

“That child isn’t fit to become the next head.”

“Is that what the head thinks?”

“The others are probably thinking the same, too.”

“Don’t worry about that. Their minds probably changed today. I’m sure of it.”

“Uncle!”

He didn’t want to cause a pointless feud.

How much blood has been spilt over brothers fighting to become the head till now? This kind of an event happened far too many times in the history of the Zhuge clan. Did Zhuge Sang Lin’s thoughts appear unto his face? The elder spoke these words to him in a calm voice.

“I know what the head is worried about. But this is for the sake of the whole clan.”

“Will the clan only prosper if brothers have to fight each other for the throne?”

His words were starting to get thorny.

Zhuge Sang Lin furiously glared at his uncle.

The most respected adult in the clan, the man who was nearing the harmonious stage. Zhuge Sang Lin couldn’t understand why a man like this caused such an event.

“I too, have endured for a long time. I wanted to avoid this if possible. But it’s not possible. If I delayed it any longer, there would’ve been even more bloodshed within the clan. If I do it here and now, we will be able to have a relatively good ending.”

“Why did you make such a decision?”

“How much do you know about that child?”

“I know that the boy has a smart head on his shoulders. But…….”

“Is that all?”

Was there something more to it?

Zhuge Sang Lin wrinkled his head and fell into deep thought.

It seemed that Zhuge Yu Sung knew something else about the child that he didn’t know.

What was it?

Was it something big enough to settle the position of the head?

“The head does not know Zhuge Mu Hui. That’s probably why you do not like my decision. But you’ll also come to realize soon that I was right.”

“…….”

Zhuge Sang Lin couldn’t say anything.

Even though he didn’t reach the Harmonious stage, Zhuge Yu Sung was extremely good at making decisions, at least when it came to anything that he knew about. If he saw something in that boy, Mu Hui probably had an unimaginable talent within him.