Chapter 233

Chapter 233
Following thorough deliberation, Cha Seok-du granted approval.

However, since he had no means of providing assistance, he set a condition: I had to handle the investigation entirely on my own merits.

Dam Ak offered fierce resistance.

“If the Black Flame Dragon, a figure aligned with the Murim Alliance, begins meddling in the already volatile internal affairs of the Black Thought Alliance, the fallout will be anything but trivial.”

Actually, he wasn’t entirely wrong, but his delivery was unnecessarily sharp.

Meddling, he called it.

I had stepped forward to serve as bait, considering the precarious position of both factions.

Eventually, Dam Ak even pointed a finger at me.

I really wanted to just break that finger off……

“Furthermore, the Black Flame Dragon is a premier expert of the Orthodox Path. He might attempt to manipulate the situation to serve only the interests of the Murim Alliance.”

Wow…….

This marked the first time in my existence that a member of the Black Path had labeled me an elite of the Orthodox Path, and of all moments, it had to happen during such an awkward standoff.

Honestly, do these people suffer internal energy backflow if they witness me being at ease?

A resolve, sharper than any I had seen from him before, remained in his piercing eyes.

“As I stated previously. I do not place my faith in the Murim Alliance.”

Just what had he endured in this life to cultivate such deep-seated mistrust of the Murim Alliance?

Regardless, Cha Seok-du appeared to hold considerable faith in Dam Ak at this moment.

If I failed to sway him, I would be rendered powerless.

And the most efficient method to win over a brilliant individual is……

“If we remain passive like this, events will unfold precisely as the schemers planned.”

To subtly prick at his ego.

“They are likely mocking us while watching us clash to the death. Is that acceptable to you?”

“……”

People who pride themselves on their intellect despise being manipulated above all else.

“They will surely look down on us, believing everything is proceeding per their design and questioning if the contents of our heads are merely ornamental.”

“……”

I stepped closer to Dam Ak.

“It is only natural that I, as an elite of the Orthodox Path, would prioritize the interests of the Murim Alliance. However, the agreement with the Black Thought Alliance is a component of those interests. Naturally, you might find that insufficient……”

The contemplative expression on Dam Ak’s face grew more profound.

I provided the finishing touch.

“For the time being, the Murim Alliance and the Black Thought Alliance share identical interests.”

As long as the situation remained within manageable bounds, there is a specific type of person who would never commit the “foolish act” of falling for an opponent’s trap, even at the cost of personal loss.

Dam Ak was precisely that type.

Now, he should be ready to bite the hook……

Finally, after deep contemplation, Dam Ak inclined his head.

“Very well.”

Success.

“But you will raise no objections if we assign an observer to keep an eye on you, will you?”

“You have already assigned one, so what are you questioning?”

When I cast a glance toward Blood Battle, Dam Ak seemed prepared to retort, but ultimately shut his mouth tight.

Cha Seok-du, who had been observing from the side, erupted in hearty laughter.

“Grand Strategist, there is no need for concern. That individual is neither a paragon of the Orthodox Path nor the type to prioritize the Murim Alliance’s interests above all else.”

He then fixed me with an intense stare.

What is this, all of a sudden?

That expression is incredibly unsettling……

“Would the denizens of Jianghu dub him the Black Flame Dragon without reason? Ha, ha, ha.”

You are the one who bestowed that nickname upon me!

Once Jin So-un and Blood Battle exited the hidden chamber, Cha Seok-du could not conceal his bittersweet smile.

“What a tragedy. What a tragedy.”

Dam Ak turned toward Cha Seok-du upon hearing those words, which seemed like a whispered musing.

“What is?”

Cha Seok-du waved his hand as if to dismiss it.

“Nothing.”

“……”

“Hmm……”

Cha Seok-du suppressed the words, “I harbored hope they might become companions,” and gazed at Dam Ak with conflicted emotions.

‘I am unsure whether to deem this a blessing or a curse.’

Ultimately, it was due to Dam Ak’s animosity toward the Murim Alliance that Cha Seok-du had successfully recruited him into the Black Thought Alliance as its Grand Strategist.

Yet, because Dam Ak was not inherently a follower of the Black Path, he struggled to integrate seamlessly into the organization.

Owing to his exceptional intellect, he navigated the role of Grand Strategist with ease despite his youth.

Conversely, because his brilliance was so profound, he remained akin to an island isolated in a vast ocean.

This was why Cha Seok-du had dared to hope.

He wondered if meeting Jin So-un, who shared a similar isolation, might lead them to find common ground and forge a bond.

It was truly regrettable that Dam Ak, who was around the age of his own son, led such a solitary existence without a single confidant.

“What kind of individual does he appear to be in your eyes?”

So, he opted for a subtle test.

Dam Ak, interpreting the question through his own complex lens, offered a brief assessment.

“A dangerous man.”

A response he hadn’t anticipated.

For some reason, curiosity piqued in Cha Seok-du.

“For what reason?”

“Is there any other term for a man who risks his own life without hesitation to achieve his goals?”

“But isn’t that precisely why Jianghu holds the Black Flame Dragon in such high regard?”

Dam Ak shook his head and replied firmly.

“That is the very reason I label him dangerous. When a man like that becomes a foe, one can never anticipate his next move.”

He released a soft sigh, as though something unsettled him.

Has this young man always possessed such a perspective?

Cha Seok-du found it rather novel.

“He is someone who, from a state of near captivity, manufactured an opportunity to encounter you, Alliance Leader, via Lord Blood Battle. Given that Lord Blood Battle is a difficult man to manage…… his maneuvering cannot be considered simplistic either.”

“That is valid.”

How startled he had been personally when Elder Blood Battle raised the possibility of speaking with Jin So-un?

Cha Seok-du had grown fond of Jin So-un precisely because of that unpredictable nature, yet to Dam Ak, it appeared to be perceived as a threat.

‘Well, a peer is often a rival as well, after all.’

It was true that Dam Ak was still young to grasp that Jianghu is a place where enemies can evolve into allies.

“Still, since we currently share a common foe, does that not provide some comfort?”

Dam Ak observed Cha Seok-du with steady eyes.

“I am well aware of how highly you value the Black Flame Dragon, Alliance Leader.”

“Hu, hu. If he heard that, he would be appalled.”

Dam Ak, cognizant of the rapport between Cha Seok-du and Jin So-un, offered a faint smile before proceeding.

“However, this situation will not be solved easily. We are also……”

He looked down at his own palms.

“We are currently struggling with it, are we not?”

Cha Seok-du nodded instinctively.

Because of a stalemate that defied resolution, he had even summoned Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort.

Despite that, the invisible foes had now commenced operations in the open.

It was truly a chaotic situation where one could not perceive the path ahead.

And yet……

“I harbor expectations for him.”

“……”

Dam Ak offered no response.

Cha Seok-du looked at him and grinned.

“He has consistently demonstrated a capacity to surpass our expectations.”

Was it because he couldn’t accept Cha Seok-du’s praise?

Or was it envy regarding Cha Seok-du’s validation of Jin So-un?

Dam Ak’s gaze hardened.

Cha Seok-du gave his shoulder a gentle pat.

“So, offer him your support. That friend will likely require your assistance as well.”

“I will assist…… provided it causes no detriment to the Black Thought Alliance.”

Dam Ak replied with visible reluctance.

Though he didn’t voice his discontent, it was plain to see.

That youthful stubbornness must be the hallmark of his age.

However……

“That fellow…… doesn’t display that kind of attitude, which makes him somewhat dull.”

Puzzled by these cryptic words, Dam Ak tilted his head.

Cha Seok-du waved his hand and dismissed it.

“I was just speaking to myself. Pay it no mind.”

Inside the quarters of the Envoy Delegation.

The martial artists who had been patrolling the pavilion under the guise of security had vanished.

Regardless, Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort remained in their positions.

We intentionally ignored them and conversed amongst ourselves.

“Benefactor Jin…… do you genuinely suspect there is an alternate culprit?”

“Indeed.”

Upon my prompt affirmation, Il-myeong and Dang Seo-hui knitted their brows.

I explained with composure.

“Firstly, due to the shared characteristics of the two crime scenes.”

“Was there a shared characteristic?”

“Yes. Even though the blood of Gu Gye-ak and Ak Byeong-bi was scattered throughout their chambers, not a single piece of furniture was destroyed.”

Specifically, at the scene where Ak Byeong-bi was attacked, the blood trail was extensive.

“If one of them had ambushed the other, and the other had retaliated, causing both to sustain fatal injuries, shouldn’t the surrounding area have been ravaged by the struggle?”

Both Gu Gye-ak and Ak Byeong-bi were individuals who had reached the stature of experts.

Even if ambushed, they would have mounted a defense, and the wreckage of that battle would have been evident.

Yet, the furnishings in both rooms remained undisturbed.

“The second point is the corpse of Gu Gye-ak.”

Gu Gye-ak had expired with an expression of such vivid astonishment that one would hardly believe he was deceased.

“What relevance does that hold?”

“If the Delegation Leader had ambushed him, there is no scenario where he would have died with such an utterly shocked expression.”

“……Wouldn’t anyone exhibit such a reaction if they were ambushed?”

“Naturally, that is not the sole reason.”

I directed Il-myeong, who had been tilting his head, to turn away and face the wall so he could not see the entrance. Then, I stepped outside the doorway with Dang Seo-hui.

Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort, who had shown little interest in our exchange, began observing us.

After exiting, Dang Seo-hui and I re-entered the room one after the other, and I posed a question to Il-myeong.

“Who entered first just now?”

“Benefactor Jin, what is this about?”

“Please answer. Who entered first?”

Il-myeong, still facing the wall, shrugged as if he were confused.

“Obviously, Benefactor Dang entered first.”

“How could you be certain without observing?”

“Well, based on the cadence of the footsteps, their presence……”

I nodded emphatically and remarked.

“Now the truth is clear, isn’t it?”

“……Pardon?”

Not only Il-myeong and Dang Seo-hui, but even Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort were staring at me, perplexed.

“The Delegation Leader claimed that on the day he was assaulted, he was consuming alcohol because he assumed we had arrived.”

“……Yes.”

“No matter how much of a drunkard the Delegation Leader has become, could he truly confuse someone else for us?”

“……!”

The eyes of all four individuals, including Blood Battle, dilated simultaneously.

“Furthermore, the Delegation Leader addressed us as ‘you bastards.’ The assailants deliberately operated as a group of three, not as a lone wolf.”

“……”

Their jaws hung open, silent as they waited for more.

“They likely approached Gu Gye-ak using the same tactic.”

“……But isn’t that purely speculative? The wounds on their bodies were clearly inflicted by the Ak Clan’s techniques and the Yellow Sand Sect’s blade.”

Leaving the Yellow Sand Sect’s blade aside.

After all, serrated sabers were common tools within the Black Path.

However, the signature of the Ak Clan’s Raging Fire Spear Art was unmistakable.

“That is correct.”

I nodded in concession.

After all, the marks left by the Raging Fire Spear Art were not something one could easily replicate through mere imitation.

Anyone examining Gu Gye-ak’s body would have instinctively thought of the Ak Clan.

However, in my past life, I had witnessed the precise evidence left behind by the “genuine” Raging Fire Spear Art of the Ak Clan.

I turned to Flame Ghost Consort.

“Senior Yeom. I understand you utilize Water Arts that incorporate fire qi……”

But then.

“Miss Yeom!”

A high-pitched voice pierced my eardrums.

“……”

As I stared at her in stunned silence, Flame Ghost Consort puffed out her cheeks and shook her head.

Then she shouted once more.

“Miss Yeom!”

What is this?

Can she not discern that the mood is grave?

Regardless of her standing as a titan of the Black Path, this is a bit too……

“I refuse to answer!”

Ultimately, I sighed and relented.

“Miss Yeom……”

When I reluctantly used the title, Flame Ghost Consort’s face flushed unexpectedly, and she blinked rapidly.

“Yes!”

What is the reason for that abrupt shift?

……Regardless, it was inconsequential, so I moved on without delay.

“……When utilizing Water Arts to conduct heat, what is the most efficient technique?”

“Well, it would involve incinerating the internal organs and trapping the heat, essentially acting like a slow-acting poison.”

Flame Ghost Consort flattened her hand like a blade and demonstrated a thrusting maneuver.

“A flame ignited within consumes flesh and blood, eventually destroying the nerves. Ultimately, the victim perishes in agonizing suffering.”

Witnessing Flame Ghost Consort smiling while casually describing such a grotesque process, our group collectively fell silent.

I gave a brief nod to Flame Ghost Consort and resumed.

“The heat of what is known as the Raging Fire Spear is concentrated at the tip of the shaft. During the early stages of mastery, the entire blade glows red, but as one’s realm advances, the heat becomes increasingly focused at the very point.”

It was simple logic.

Novices might display rough and broad Sword Qi, but as their proficiency grows, the thickness of that Qi decreases while its density escalates.

Naturally, this is even more pronounced with Sword Force.

“Given the Delegation Leader’s level of attainment, the energy should have converged primarily at the very tip.”

I pressed a finger against my own neck, deep enough to make the skin indent.

“In that scenario, the thermal damage wouldn’t manifest around the entry wound. Instead, it would appear as though the internal tissue had been cooked.”

During the Great Righteous-Demonic War, the warriors of the Ak Clan rarely inflicted deep, penetrating wounds.

Since they utilized scorching heat to incinerate the organs from within, there was no necessity for a deep puncture.

Il-myeong scratched his head and groaned.

“Then…… why was such a wound present?”

“Because that is the signature of the Shandong Ak Clan’s Raging Fire Spear Art.”

Whenever the Ak Clan performed a public demonstration, they would showcase their ability to pierce solid stone slabs.

The stone wouldn’t crumble; only a clean hole would appear, surrounded by soot. That was the iconic mark of the Raging Fire Spear Art.

The intent behind delivering a penetrating wound to Gu Gye-ak’s torso was to ensure that bystanders would clearly recognize the hallmark of the Ak Clan’s spear art as it was understood by the public.

‘In other words, that assassin was trying to graciously inform everyone, with crystal clarity, that the culprit was Ak Byeong-bi.’

Gu Gye-ak’s strategic positioning within the pro-war faction.

The convenient circumstances that made his demise plausible.

The distinct wound left on his body.

Every detail was funneling the narrative in a single direction.

“The culprit is deliberately pointing a finger at Ak Byeong-bi.”

I raised a finger and traced a path through the air.

“And all of us, along with the rest of the Black Thought Alliance, are shifting our focus according to his design.”

I am oblivious to the specific conspiracy or shadow play at work.

When a major organization is formed, it is inevitable that countless covert battles occur in the shadows.

However.

I cannot tolerate the reality that we have been utilized as pawns in their hidden game.

“If we follow that path of inquiry, the culprit will be waiting at the finish line.”

So, I have no intention of quietly allowing that individual to achieve his objective.

At the very least, I will only find satisfaction once I have thoroughly disrupted the banquet he has so carefully prepared.