A few days after Pang Gipyeong left, Gangchan went to see Nanseol. As he entered Cheonhyangru, an employee approached and guided him.
He went into the fifth-floor room he had visited when he first came to Cheonhyangru and looked out the window.
‘It reminds me of when I first came here.’
While he was lost in old memories, Gangchan felt someone’s presence behind him.
“Welcome.”
“It has become difficult to even see your face lately.”
“Did you miss me?”
Nanseol laughed brightly and threw out a joke.
“Haha. There you go again.”
Gangchan sat down with a serious expression.
“Should I call you Sect Leader Mo now?”
“What does that matter? But what brings such a busy person here?”
“If you’re teasing me, I’ll pass. I’ve been so idle lately that I’m starting to feel self-conscious.”
“Hohoho. Isn’t it fine to take this opportunity to rest a bit?”
“That’s why I’m thinking of going into the mountains.”
A maid brought tea, placed it before the two of them, and left the room.
“Actually, I heard that the atmosphere in the Kangho is unusual lately. Do you happen to know anything?”
“Who told you that?”
“It’s what Elder Pang said before he left.”
“Hmm… To be honest, I’ve been so busy reorganizing Haomun that I haven’t been able to pay attention to external affairs. Now that things are somewhat settled, I’ll be able to look into it soon. However, there is some information collected while the Sect Leader was in the Plains. Since the incidents involving the integration of the Wicked Sects in the large cities of the Gwan, it has been confirmed that the victorious Wicked Path groups are absorbing the smaller ones around their respective provinces one by one.”
“The Wicked Sects are absorbing the surrounding groups? Is that so strange?”
“It depends on how you look at it. The problem is that while each Wicked Path faction is growing large enough to almost unify an entire province, none of those organizations are crossing the provincial borders. In fact, this is not like the Wicked Sects at all.”
“If the Wicked Path forces are growing that large, is the Righteous Path just watching?”
“It seems it’s not that easy for them. For the Righteous Path to move, they need a justification, but the Wicked Sects have been refraining from any noticeable illegal activities since they integrated. In fact, they manage the thugs in the back alleys so well that not only the citizens but even the authorities are expressing their gratitude to them.”
“It’s good that the people are better off, but something feels unsettling.”
“Right? When something is originally good news but doesn’t feel entirely good, a problem is bound to arise.”
“And such problems are often quite foul. That’s why I’m still monitoring them closely.”
“Ah, by the way, has anything happened lately? People say the price of grain has risen a lot.”
“Yes, that’s true. It started rising a year or two ago, and it has definitely gone up significantly lately.”
“Is there a reason?”
“I looked into it, but I can’t figure it out. At first, I thought it was because production decreased, but that wasn’t it. So I investigated if someone was intentionally buying it all up, but there were no particular signs of that either. Should I say it seems like grain consumption has simply increased overall throughout the Middle Plains? Just in case, I have already secured stockpiles for the Heavenly Mandate Hall and Haomun. I will investigate this matter further as well.”
When Nanseol finished speaking, Gangchan pulled out a letter and handed it to her.
“Then I’ll leave you to your hard work. Could you deliver this letter to the Dongbang Clan?”
Nanseol took the letter and stared intently at Gangchan. As if avoiding her gaze, Gangchan hurriedly left Cheonhyangru.
Watching his departing back as he hurried away, a meaningful smile played on Nanseol’s lips.
***
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall of the Demonic Sect in Tianshan.
“It has been a long time.”
Sect Leader Hyeok Se-gi looked down at the man kneeling before him.
“Bang Geuk greets the Sect Leader.”
“Right. So, what problem has occurred?”
“The Haomun Sect Leader of Wuhan has been murdered.”
“What? Doak is dead?”
“That is correct, Sect Leader.”
“Who did it?”
“We are currently doing our best to investigate.”
The man pressed his head deep into the floor.
“Wasn’t there a Shadow attached to Doak?”
Hyeok Se-gi looked at Yeohun, who was standing beside the man.
Receiving that gaze, Yeohun knelt.
“The Shadow Five Tigers were monitoring him.”
“Then you mean the Shadow was also taken out?”
“That is correct.”
“Did the Heavenly Union strike first?”
“Judging by the circumstances at the scene, it does not seem to be them.”
“It wasn’t the Heavenly Union? Then who on earth was it?”
A burning flame flickered in the eyes of Sect Leader Hyeok Se-gi before vanishing.
Doak was a public figure, so that could be understood, but the fact that even the Shadow was taken out was unusual.
Furthermore, if it was the Shadow Five Tigers, they were the highest-ranking individuals among the Shadows. They were in a position where they should not be easily discovered, let alone killed.
Ma Brain Jin Byeok, who had been listening to the conversation, spoke up.
“If it wasn’t the Heavenly Union, who do you think it was?”
“We are narrowing down the range of suspects based on the situation at the scene.”
“Ma Brain, do you think this situation makes sense?”
“How could it? I can hardly believe it myself.”
Ma Brain looked at the man.
“Bang Geuk, explain the situation at the time in detail.”
Bang Geuk, who was kneeling, raised his head.
He explained everything from the moment he first sensed the movement of Mage Energy to what he saw upon arriving at Doak’s safe house without omitting a single detail.
When Bang Geuk’s explanation ended, Ma Brain organized his thoughts while deducing the situation.
“If what you saw is true, the ones who were taken out first were the Shadow Five Tigers.”
“I judged it to be so as well.”
“Sect Leader, it seems the culprit knew a way to distinguish the Shadows.”
“Is such a thing possible?”
“It is difficult to believe that the Shadow Five Tigers would have done anything to reveal their identity. Yet, the opponent removed the Shadows first, and as a result, delayed Bang Geuk’s arrival as much as possible. Is this a mere coincidence, or a meticulous plan? I believe it is by no means a coincidence. In other words, this could not have happened unless the opponent could recognize the Shadows.”
Ma Brain turned to Bang Geuk and asked again.
“Are you certain you examined the wounds of the bodyguards properly?”
“I checked several times just in case. Four of them definitely had wounds from a saber. However, the remaining six had wounds that were long and very thin, and they were signs of being pierced. Based on this, I judged that they were either stabbed by a saber or hit by similar hidden weapons.”
“Would it be possible for one person to slash four people and stab six others in a single breath?”
“That is….”
“Furthermore, considering Doak’s eyes were stained red, it is certain that he unleashed the Jeok-ryong-tal-hon-sip-i-bi. Yet he was taken down by a single attack in that state. A person capable of all this alone… as far as I know, I have never heard a rumor of such a person in the Kangho. In the end, it means they were not alone.”
“The bastard wasn’t alone?”
“The culprits must be at least two or more. Someone who can recognize the existence of the Shadows, someone who uses a saber, and someone who uses hidden weapons.”
After finishing his words, Ma Brain looked at Yeohun.
“Then what is the current state of Haomun?”
“Currently, Mo Seol, the daughter of the previous Sect Leader Mo Ak, has taken over Haomun and completely seized control of the organization.”
“This quickly?”
“It is said that as soon as Doak died, the widow of the former Sect Leader, Mangwon-cheon-pae, appeared.”
“Hahaha, is that so? In the end, Mo Seol is the one who gained the most from this incident. Where is she?”
“I believe she is in Hangju.”
“Sect Leader! Summing up the situation, it is certain that Mo Seol caused this or was at least involved in it.”
“Since it’s Ma Brain’s judgment, it must be accurate. So, what do you plan to do with Haomun now?”
At the Demonic Emperor’s question, Ma Brain fell into deep thought for a moment.
“Losing Haomun is painful, but there are many things more important than that right now. All the tasks the Sect Leader has assigned are heading toward completion one by one. If those bastards have eyes and ears, they must have noticed by now that the atmosphere of the Kangho is unusual. Moreover, this incident took place in the front yard of the Heavenly Union. It would be foolish to move at such a time. We only need to wait a short while. It is better to handle them together when we begin the Great Plan.”
Hyeok Se-gi nodded as if satisfied after hearing Ma Brain’s words.
“That’s a good judgment.”
At the Sect Leader’s reaction, Ma Brain was actually flustered.
Haomun was a very important organization for the Demonic Sect, not just for the Great Plan but in itself.
‘Does he have a countermeasure I don’t know about?’
As if reading Ma Brain’s mind, Hyeok Se-gi spoke again.
“Now is the time to stay as quiet as possible. From now on, let Gwang-hyeol-ma-gun and Yeohun handle the affairs of Haomun. You two must take responsibility for what happened today. Also, make sure to find those who carried this out.”
“By your command!”
***
Upon returning to the Heavenly Mandate Hall, Gangchan walked slowly through the grounds. The place that had seemed so vast at first now looked a bit small, as it was filled with people.
His steps, taken without much thought, reached the front of the ManSudae. ManSudae leader Heo Junggwang spotted Gangchan and approached.
“Welcome, Sect Leader.”
“Don’t mind me and continue what you were doing.”
“I was just about to take a break.”
“Is the work manageable?”
“I’ve been doing this my whole life, so what could be difficult about it? I’d just be happy if I could live comfortably without being scolded.”
“Hahaha. The Cheongeomdae leader mentioned that the Somilgung you made last time was very useful.”
“I am satisfied if I was even a little help to the sect.”
“I see. Please make many strange things to save our lives at least once each.”
“Would there be any doubt? Everyone is excited to be making them.”
Gangchan left the ManSudae and headed for the newly built stables in the back. As he approached the stables, Mong recognized him first and let out a low snort.
Gangchan walked up to Mong and stroked the horse’s mane.
“Mong, it’s suffocating, isn’t it? Shall we go for a ride?”
Neigh—!
Mong let out a long neigh as if delighted.
***
Inside a small building in the Northern Outskirts where the winter was even more harsh.
A man just over 30 years old was lying on a bed with his shoulder wrapped in cloth.
The sound of someone approaching the building reached the ears of the lying man.
*Crunch, crunch.*
Soon, the door opened.
The person who entered was a man a bit under 6 feet tall with a warm, friendly-looking face.
“Byeok, how is the wound?”
Hae Byeok, who had been lying down, pushed himself up.
“It’s nothing, Eldest Senior Brother.”
“You rascal, your face doesn’t look like it’s nothing. Let me see.”
“It’s really nothing…”
The man carefully unwound the cloth wrapping Hae Byeok’s wound, meticulously reapplied the medicine, changed it for a new cloth, and then tapped his shoulder.
“Argh, it really hurts like death!”
Hae Byeok shrunk back with a pained expression.
The man teased Hae Byeok with a smirk.
“Didn’t you say it was nothing?”
“It’s nothing, but it hurts. Eldest. Senior. Brother.”
“Energy is permeated in the wound. It is truly terrifying archery.”
“I was really surprised as well. We were over 100 zhang apart.”
“Where did such a person appear from? One really can’t see even an inch ahead in the Kangho.”
“By the way, the Blood Wolf Band has collapsed. What should we do? I’m truly sorry.”
“What would happen just because one Blood Wolf Band is gone? Don’t worry about anything else and just treat your wound well.”
“Yes, I will return to duty quickly.”
Hae Byeok was over 30, but he always acted like a child in front of his Eldest Senior Brother, Jaryeong.
Jaryeong looked at Hae Byeok once with warm eyes, then stood up and left the room. The sky was gradually darkening even though it was midday, as if it was going to snow again today.