Chapter 238

Chapter 238
Chapter 238. Catching the Hidden Culprit (3)

Following the confirmation of Gal Mun-jeong’s passing, Cha Seok-du spoke in a hollow voice.

“The fuse has been lit.”

The detonation was inevitable. The only remaining uncertainty was whether the blast could be delayed or if it would be triggered sooner.

“Is this the end of the road for us?”

The Black Thought Alliance.

It had been a long-cherished ambition. It was an organization formed by people who shared similar philosophies, coming together to build strength and advance their collective interests.

For five centuries, the Murim Alliance had dug its roots deep and cemented its authority, relentlessly suppressing the Black Path. Because the Black Path attracted free-spirited souls, they were frequently mislabeled as common criminals and branded as villains. From the perspective of the grand “justice” upheld by the mighty Murim Alliance, those of the Black Path were deemed unworthy of existence.

Members of the Black Path had grown weary of playing the part of the “villain”—a role they never requested but were forced to inhabit. And just when they felt the time had come to finally end that exhausting performance, it seemed that the story was closing prematurely.

Even with the support of a mysterious ally from the Orthodox Path, which had brought them this far, it now felt like the end. The hidden factions that had been manipulating events since before the inception of the Black Thought Alliance had struck at their weakest point with surgical precision. It was as if they had been waiting for this exact moment, leaving the Black Thought Alliance with a fatal, irreversible wound.

“I will carry out an inspection and stabilize the inner ranks. Since your command has been issued, Alliance Leader, no one will dare to act rashly.”

Cha Seok-du looked blankly at Dam Ak, who was attempting to console him.

A brilliant mind like his undoubtedly understood that a fire already raging could not be extinguished. Yet, Cha Seok-du felt a sense of gratitude for the gesture, even knowing that Dam Ak’s own cold calculations had already concluded that there was no salvation for the Alliance Leader or his organization.

“I am sorry.”

“Why say such things? The responsibility lies primarily with me for failing to support you properly.”

Cha Seok-du shook his head.

“That is not what I mean.”

At his sudden remark, Dam Ak bit his lip. Cha Seok-du hung his head, unable to meet his gaze.

“In the end, I failed to fulfill my promise to track down the culprit for you.”

The perpetrator. Both men understood that the target of that promise was not the anonymous foe currently dismantling the Black Thought Alliance from within.

Dam Ak struggled to maintain his composure. Cha Seok-du offered him a bitter, thin smile.

Dam Ak was the greatest genius of the academy, a man destined for high office in the Imperial Court. He had no business being involved in the Black Thought Alliance, let alone the chaotic world of the Jianghu. If the blood-soaked tragedy at Cheongwa Academy hadn’t occurred while Dam Ak was in the capital taking the imperial exams, he would never have entered this violent world. Had it not been for the incompetence of the Murim Alliance, which failed to defend the academy, and Cha Seok-du’s ill-fated vow, Dam Ak would be standing by the Emperor’s side rather than in the office of a doomed alliance leader.

[Find the one who slaughtered my mentor and friends. Then, I will do whatever you ask.]

Dam Ak had said this while weeping tears of blood, and Cha Seok-du had tried to dissuade him. He had already secured a prestigious future; he could have pursued vengeance on his own.

But Dam Ak had torn his appointment edict to shreds with his own hands.

[As long as I lack power, those monsters will continue to breathe and live comfortably in this world. I cannot endure that.]

Moved by the profound resentment and resolve in Dam Ak’s eyes, Cha Seok-du had made a personal promise. He swore that once the Black Thought Alliance was established, he would exhaust every resource under heaven to find the ones who razed Cheongwa Academy.

He had meant it. And yet, it had all come to this.

“You should take the lead in driving me out.”

Having failed to keep his word, Cha Seok-du decided to perform one final act for Dam Ak.

“You have displayed your talent as a member of the pro-war faction clearly enough. Those who recognize your abilities will not cast you aside, Strategist Dam. Especially if you are seen personally removing me.”

Dam Ak remained silent. For a moment, Cha Seok-du thought he saw the same expression on Dam Ak’s face from the day he destroyed his imperial edict.

Cha Seok-du forced a smile.

“I know what you are considering. But do not blame yourself. Even if I am stripped of my title as Alliance Leader, I remain Cha Seok-du, Peak Lord of Four Emperors Peak.”

He made a final vow.

“It may not be enough to make up for my failure, but I will go out and hunt down the criminals who attacked the academy.”

“So, please keep our crumbled dream alive.”

Cha Seok-du bowed his head.

“I ask this of you.”

Silence descended upon the room. Cha Seok-du remained bowed. Watching him, Dam Ak bit his lip until it paled.

“I cannot… lose another teacher.”

Only then did Cha Seok-du lift his gaze.

“Teacher? You call me teacher? Am I truly your master?”

When Dam Ak gave a slight nod, Cha Seok-du let out a soft, dry laugh.

“How could I be your teacher when I barely finished the Thousand Character Classic?”

“Did you not teach me?”

Dam Ak clenched his fists.

“You told me that as long as one has breath, one must keep pushing forward.”

Had he truly said that? Cha Seok-du felt a pang of shame for his former arrogance.

“This will be resolved. No, I will ensure it is solved.”

Cha Seok-du was deeply curious how Dam Ak intended to fix the situation when they didn’t even know who the enemy was or who they were allied with. But he didn’t ask. He feared that if he spoke, the last fragile hope would shatter.

Once the initial, explosive stage of the war subsided, the grueling period of the Wheel Battle began. The Murim Alliance did not commit enough force to achieve a decisive victory, yet they refused to let their troops retreat entirely.

Days bled into weeks. One day they would push the enemy back, only to be forced to retreat the next. After the time passed when soldiers fought with the raw rage of seeing comrades die, and after they repeatedly watched newly arrived recruits perish within a week, even basic human emotions began to erode. Their minds withered into dry, shifting sand.

And as the routine of mechanical fighting, eating, and sleeping in this desolate mental state continued, *those bastards* were deployed.

The Twin-Shadow Vicious Demon Brigade.

Jegal So-myeong had characterized them perfectly: [They are a unit crafted as if that cunning Demon Brain poured his own twisted essence directly into them.]

The Murim Alliance possessed supreme authority over its sects, but it was not a monolith like the Demonic Cult. It was, at its heart, a political coalition where alliances shifted constantly based on profit. The Twin-Shadow Vicious Demon Brigade exploited these fissures with lethal efficiency.

They didn’t just conduct assassinations. They disguised themselves as members of the Orthodox Path, infiltrating these cracks and fostering intense distrust. They mimicked the techniques of various sects, leaving behind identical signs of struggle to fan the flames of paranoia.

With their reason already eroded by the endless war, soldiers’ minds became deserts. In the heat of conflicts sparked by the Brigade’s interference, if a fallen comrade was found with the tell-tale marks of another sect’s martial art, the Demonic Cult ceased to be the primary target.

In reality, the Twin-Shadow Vicious Demon Brigade killed relatively few people with their own blades. Instead, countless units vanished after falling into their traps, turning their weapons against each other. What made them truly despicable was that they didn’t just target high-ranking masters; they infiltrated the ranks of insignificant, low-level squads like our Sojeong Squad, forcing us to draw steel against one another.

In this life, I would not allow myself to suffer helplessly.

On the way to the Blood Sword Sect’s base, I spoke to Gun Yu-hyeon.

“What was the nature of the relationship between Sect Leader Do Bong-su and his sworn brothers?”

As expected of someone well-versed in information, Gun Yu-hyeon answered immediately.

“Do Bong-su was originally known as one of the Five Dogs of Xiping. In his forties, he formed a bond with the previous Sect Leader and joined the Blood Sword Sect.”

How did a man who wasn’t even a disciple rise to become the leader? I already knew the answer.

“Did those sworn brothers take over the sect together?”

In the Orthodox Path, this would be a scandal, but Gun Yu-hyeon nodded as if it were routine.

“The Five Dogs of Xiping have shared hardships since their twenties. While the previous Blood Sword Sect Leader was formidable, he couldn’t handle their combined assault.”

If they had roamed the world together from their twenties into their fifties, their martial arts were either exceptional or their instincts were sharpened to a razor’s edge. Likely both.

“In any case, they must know everything there is to know about each other.”

“That is true.”

Hostile glares followed us from every direction, but Gun Yu-hyeon seemed more curious than afraid.

“But can this information really help find the culprit?”

“Who do you suspect, Young Master Yu-hyeon?”

“Is it even possible to identify the culprit right now?”

For a second, I thought I heard him start to say “Envoy…” but he swallowed it. Must have been my imagination. I pushed again.

“If you had to pick someone.”

After a moment of thought, Gun Yu-hyeon replied.

“If it were me, I would investigate the sworn brothers first.”

“Why?”

“Because this is the perfect opportunity.”

He was right. It was the ideal time for a “borrowed-knife” scheme. Given the chaos cultivated by the Twin-Shadow Vicious Demon Brigade, anyone’s death could be blamed on the Orthodox Path if the right evidence was planted.

I nodded.

“I agree.”

“But suspicion isn’t proof.”

“True. And we cannot simply interrogate them.”

Of course, unlike Gun Yu-hyeon, my suspicion wasn’t based on guessing. And I knew the Twin-Shadow Vicious Demon Brigade couldn’t be caught by conventional investigation. They only infiltrated after gathering complete intel on their targets. Moreover, despite practicing Demonic Arts, they emitted no Demonic Qi. With their use of Bone-Shrinking Art and realistic skin masks, they were near-impossible to track.

*But the bastards of the Sojeong Squad managed that impossible task.*

Our unit was the first to find a way to distinguish the Vicious Demon Brigade. The method was admittedly crude, but it worked. We had shared it with higher-ranking units, but they never used it. After all, those high-born gentlemen valued honor more than life—and since they ended up dying for that pride, I suppose they didn’t have much room to complain.

As I organized these thoughts, we arrived at the Blood Sword Sect’s residence. As we entered, harsh shouts erupted.

“Black Flame Dragon?”

“How dare you step foot here!”

“Leave now if you want to keep your life!”

“Do you think you’re safe just because Elder Blood Battle is with you?”

The rhetoric was nothing new. Did they think an elite of the Orthodox Path would be intimidated by a few curses? What they didn’t realize was that in my past life, I had shared life-and-death struggles with men far more vicious than them.

And among those men?

“Shut your mouths and call your boss. Unless you want your mouths torn wide open.”

I had the filthiest mouth of them all.

The tension in the air spiked. They looked at me as if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing. As expected, when dealing with these types, you had to speak their language.

“Madman…”

Blood Battle stared at me, dumbfounded. Gun Yu-hyeon’s reaction wasn’t much better.

*Srrrng. Clang. Thud.*

Weapons were drawn all around. This was becoming a massive nuisance. I channeled the Taeul True Scripture and released a wave of killing intent. I wasn’t here to wrestle with nobodies.

“Keuk!”

“What is this killing intent?”

A moment later, they were recoiling, eyes wide. Some tried to puff up their own killing intent, but the atmosphere was now on the verge of snapping.

Suddenly, a thunderous voice echoed through the hall.

“Stop!!!”

Four middle-aged men appeared on the second floor. They scanned the room—these were the sworn brothers of Do Bong-su.

“It has been a long time.”

The eldest bowed to Blood Battle on behalf of the group, and the others nodded stiffly. Even in the Black Path, there were rules of etiquette, and they stuck to them. The leader then glared at me and spoke to Blood Battle.

“Forgive our lack of courtesy, Elder.”

Blood Battle dismissed it with a wave of his hand. The leader then turned his burning gaze toward me.

“May I ask what connection this fellow has to you, Elder?”

Blood Battle answered without pause.

“None at all.”

That actually stung a little. We *had* shared hardships on the road to the Black Thought Alliance.

The man nodded, satisfied.

“Then I don’t need to hold back if I deal with him?”

Blood Battle replied instantly.

“Do as you wish. However, unless it is a formal Martial Duel, I will not allow you to kill him.”

“Understood.”

The man turned his head to me. His brothers bared their teeth, openly hostile.

“You said you were looking for me?”

“That is right.”

“Why?”

“Because I found the one who killed your Sect Leader and your eldest brother.”

The man stared at me steadily.

“We already know who the culprit is.”

“Surely you aren’t going to claim it was the Tang Clan’s daughter?”

The man laughed hollowly.

“Would it not be stranger to suggest otherwise?”

“Then you are being played. Do you intend to satisfy yourselves with revenge against an innocent party?”

“Brother! There’s no need to listen to this nonsense!”

“Quiet.”

After silencing his brothers, the man asked,

“Who do you think the culprit is?”

I shrugged.

“They are right here among you.”

A silent, invisible wave of Qi began to pressure my vital points. It was a threat.

The man growled.

“If you came for a pointless brawl, leave. We have just lost our leader and our brother; we have no patience for jokes.”

“What if I’m not joking?”

“Are you prepared?”

“Of course.”

“Even to stake your life?”

My life… In this life, I could count the moments I *wasn’t* staking my life on one hand. I nodded.

After studying me for a moment, the man stepped back.

“Good. If you speak nonsense, I will demand a Martial Duel. You will have to face the wrath of all of us at once.”

The man unashamedly declared they would attack together, likely aware of Blood Battle’s earlier condition.

“Very well.”

When I answered so readily, he looked surprised. He turned to Blood Battle to confirm.

“Elder, this is a mutually agreed situation.”

Blood Battle replied bluntly.

“Do as you please.”

The stage was set. I clapped my hands, drawing every eye.

“If that’s settled, may I begin?”

“Begin.”

I looked over the Five Dogs of Xiping.

“I will ask questions. Answer immediately.”

I tried a light joke to break the ice, but they didn’t budge. Such stiff men.

“First question: Where did the five of you become sworn brothers?”

“At Saepacheon.”

“Xiping’s Saepacheon.”

“Saepacheon of Xiping.”

“It was Saepacheon.”

Their tone suggested I was asking something incredibly obvious. I continued.

“Second question: What is the birthday of the second brother?”

Three of them answered in unison, ignoring the man I was pointing to.

“The Day of Gyeongo in the Month of Giyu.”

“The Day of Gyeongo in the Month of Giyu.”

“The Day of Gyeongo in the Month of Giyu. The Hour of the Rat.”

After thirty years together, they certainly knew each other’s details.

“Third question: What is the final secret technique of the third brother?”

They hesitated. Martial arts were sensitive.

“Answer me.”

“That cannot be answered.”

“Is it more important than the Sect Leader’s death?”

I held the leader’s gaze until the third brother glared at me and spat, “Brothers, just tell him. When this is over, I’m splitting his skull.”

They eventually answered.

“Lu Da Uproots the Willow.”

“Lu Da Uproots the Willow.”

“Lu Da Uproots the Willow.”

They were consistent.

“Fourth question…”

“How long must we endure this foolishness?!” The leader cut in, but I pressed on. It was time for the question the Sojeong Squad had used to expose the impostors.

“What kind of woman did your dead Sect Leader prefer?”

At my vulgar query, the leader’s eyes blazed.

“You bastard!”

“Answer me. It’s the last question.”

The second brother, red with rage, gripped his saber handle.

“He liked women so voluptuous they were layered in fat.”

“He liked fat women.”

“He liked fat women, which made going to brothels difficult.”

They answered in perfect harmony. However…

“F-fat women. He liked fat women.”

There was one voice that hesitated, trailing off.

The other three members of the Five Dogs of Xiping stared at the fourth brother, dumbfounded. He waved his hands frantically.

“W-what are you thinking, brothers! I, I!”

He looked genuinely flustered, the picture of innocence. I felt a triumphant smile curl my lips.

“Got you!”

Peekaboo, you bastard!