“You say... it's because we're weak?” Director Jo muttered while weakly leaning against the back of his couch. It felt like he had grown so, so much older during this brief verbal exchange with Lee Hyeon-Su.0

He didn't want to accept this, but what choice did he have? Honestly, what other reason did Jo Nam-Pyeong or anyone else need besides that?0

“...Are you saying being strong gives you the right to take everything away?”0

“Let's not pretend you're some kind of warriors of justice, Director Jo,” said Lee Hyeon-Su, his contempt clearly audible. “How did the Assembly swallow up South Korea? Because Lee Jung-Geol favored pursuing peaceful solutions? Or because your cause was so much nobler than other people's? Don't make me laugh. It's only because you were strong.0

"Stop distorting your own memories, okay? Don't tell me you've forgotten about everything you did in the early days to grow the Assembly. It's not like you were resistance fighters against the occupying Japanese forces, now were you? You simply exploited the chaos of the era and attacked other clans and factions to swallow them right up until you were the last one standing. That is all!”0

“...!”0

“What's happening now is just another repeat of your operational style. The only difference this time is that it's an internal conflict, not a battle to swallow someone else up. You managed to establish the Martial Assembly because you were strong back then. And someone is taking yours away because you're weak now. That is the natural course of the world, isn't it...0