Chapter 472

Chapter 472
Chapter 472. Uncovering the Proof (2)

—

Tranquility had become a foreign concept to the Murim Alliance in recent times. As soon as one crisis concluded, a fresh disaster materialized, and before that could even reach a resolution, a completely new issue would surface in rapid succession. Certain individuals argued vehemently that the residual malice of the departed souls within the Murim Alliance was coalescing to bring about their downfall, advocating for a massive purification ceremony. Yet, this bizarre proposal was discarded directly into the wastebin by an operative of the Man-tong Bureau long before it could ever arrive at the Leader’s Court, to say nothing of reaching Jegal So-myeong.

Nevertheless, the primary reason the Murim Alliance was thrown into such an immense uproar over this specific occurrence was that its repercussions were far more vast and sweeping than anything prior.

“Are the members of the Jeom-chang Sect actually departing?”

“…But they haven’t released an official declaration yet, have they?”

The martial artists of Jeom-chang had begun the process of retreating back to their primary mountain sanctuary. Those holding official positions within the coalition or individuals who still needed to complete their mandatory terms of service—per the terms of the treaty—showed no signs of movement. However, the Jeom-chang disciples who had been stationed there under the guise of an ‘autonomous deployment’ were packing their belongings one after another. Watching this unfold sent a tremor of profound disbelief through the onlookers.

“What is driving them to walk away? They stood their ground firmly even throughout the entire Dam-ak catastrophe.”

“Word is circulating that Jeom-chang intends to sever ties with the coalition entirely.”

“What did you say?!”

Jeom-chang undeniably stood as a foundational cornerstone of the Murim Alliance. Yet, when one considered that the Nine Great Sects and the One Gang owed their current era of wealth and influence to their status as the core pillars of the Murim Alliance, Jeom-chang’s change of heart was practically equivalent to voluntarily throwing away their own status and privileges.

“And from what I hear, Jeom-chang isn’t the sole faction considering a withdrawal from the coalition.”

“…??”

“Murmurs of discontent are spreading from various quarters. They are questioning the current leadership structure under the Alliance Leader and the Chief Tactician.”

Alternatively, it was highly possible they were secretly assembling a completely different coalition separate from the Murim Alliance. The sight of the Jeom-chang martial artists deliberately putting on a show of packing up their crates and abandoning the Murim Alliance without a hint of hesitation filled the hearts of many affiliated warriors with profound anxiety.

“Sigh… Those scoundrels have officially made their move.”

“…I am deeply ashamed to face you, Chief Tactician.”

“Seriously, Leader, you are usually a man of such immense patience, so why did you react so impulsively this time…”

Hyeok Mu-gang, who was currently receiving a stern talking-to from Jegal So-myeong, voiced his own deep sense of injustice.

“Had I not taken action at that moment, wouldn’t you have been forced to step forward yourself, Chief Tactician?”

If that scenario had played out, Jeom-chang would have undoubtedly launched a fierce campaign to vilify Jegal So-myeong, forcing everyone to weigh the value of Jeom-chang against Jegal So-myeong on equal terms. A grand coalition cannot simply sacrifice an individual for the sake of an entire establishment. Had Hyeok Mu-gang openly shielded Jegal So-myeong at that critical juncture, he would have faced allegations of manipulating the Murim Alliance for personal agendas. Ultimately, the entire situation would have been manipulated precisely according to Jeom-chang’s desires.

“I had absolutely no intention of intervening in the first place!”

Jegal So-myeong barked back forcefully, though deep down, he was well aware of the reality. At that precise second, Hyeok Mu-gang’s intervention was the absolute best countermeasure the Murim Alliance could have deployed. Despite this truth, the reason the predicament had degenerated so severely was because the affairs of the martial world, and by extension, the grand theater of the *Kangho*, do not operate on natural harmony or cosmic order; rather, they are tossed about by the winds of raw power and calculated statecraft. This was a crisis born entirely from human greed.

“Do you believe the other members of the coalition will follow suit as the whispers suggest?”

The core strategic analysis truly began now.

“The remaining factions have not shown any overt reactions as of yet.”

“Which means they are currently biding their time.”

Jeom-chang was actively pulling back, and there was absolutely no chance that the other members of the Nine Great Sects and the One Gang remained oblivious to this fact.

“They are waiting to see which way the wind blows regarding public sentiment.”

Should a significant number of people be swayed by Jeom-chang’s public display and follow their example, the other Nine Great Sects and the One Gang would also systematically sever their ties with the Murim Alliance. The moment public opinion aligned with them and gave them a valid pretext, they would simply forge an entirely new alliance to replace the Murim Alliance, restructuring the hierarchy of the *Kangho* to suit their personal ambitions.

And what if their gamble fell through? It mattered little to them. Jeom-chang had been careful not to recall anyone holding crucial administrative titles within the Murim Alliance or those bound by mandatory deployments. If their plot collapsed, they could easily put on a brazen front and slide right back into their previous roles. Within this intricate political game, the sole loss Jeom-chang would incur was the life of a single disciple who had crossed the line. On the flip side, the Murim Alliance was facing a crisis where its very core existence was under threat, forcing it to desperately defend its own mandate.

“The moment we display even a fraction of vulnerability, they will strike.”

“….”

A cold wave of anxiety washed over the back of Hyeok Mu-gang’s neck. He had navigated through an endless number of treacherous vipers’ nests during his tenure as the Alliance Leader, but a coordinated conspiracy of this magnitude was entirely unprecedented. To make matters worse, hidden within the shadows, the Heavenly Demon Cultists were perpetually monitoring for any opening to overrun the *Kangho*, simply waiting for the perfect moment. At this trajectory, it wasn’t just the Murim Alliance at risk—the *Kangho* itself might face total eradication.

“Whew…”

Hyeok Mu-gang was forced to acknowledge once more that regardless of the profound martial height he had attained, he remained a powerless mortal when pitted against the bottomless depths of human greed. This was precisely the reason his reliance on Jegal So-myeong was so absolute. Every single time the path ahead seemed entirely blanketed in fog, Jegal So-myeong had invariably pointed the way forward.

“What course of action should we pursue now?”

Contrary to his expectations, however,

“We do nothing.”

“…???”

The response left his mind completely blank. The Murim Alliance was on the verge of fracturing into pieces, while the Heavenly Demon Cult was tirelessly spinning webs of treason. Even taking a misstep while balancing on the edge of a sheer precipice would not feel as dangerous as their current predicament. And yet, he was told to stand idle.

“If we attempt to counter them right now, we will do nothing but fall straight into the trap they have laid out for us.”

Jegal So-myeong released a heavy, weary breath.

“The sole option available to us at present is to execute our existing duties with absolute precision.”

The gravity of this situation was entirely different from any obstacle they had previously navigated. If they permitted even the slightest misstep to be exposed, the masterminds behind this scheme would instantly seize upon it as the perfect excuse to dismantle the Murim Alliance piece by piece.

‘The insistence on placing Jin So-un into the Yong-bong Association was undoubtedly orchestrated with this exact goal in mind.’

The appointment of Jin So-un was a calculated chess move executed under the heavy pressure of the Orthodox Society. On the surface, they argued that because Jin So-un had successfully exposed the corruption within the Inspection Bureau, he was the uniquely qualified candidate for the position. In reality, however, this was merely a convenient pretext to advance their own hidden agenda.

“The performance and conduct of the Yong-bong Association will be the absolute pivot upon which everything turns.”

The very instant a blunder occurs, they will shift the entirety of the blame onto Jin So-un’s shoulders, and that initial fracture will serve as the leverage required to completely bring down the Murim Alliance. Jin So-un had essentially been transformed into the critical foundation stone at the base of a fragile monument, or a microscopic leak in a massive dam.

“Should they fail to successfully suppress the taboo arts and the malevolent sorcery of the Blood Cult, our adversaries will have been handed the ultimate justification.”

“….”

“Even so, I doubt things will fall apart so easily. Given the immense peril of the assignment, provided they refrain from fabricating more innocent casualties like the previous Black Officials—”

Jegal So-myeong remained deeply confident. Although he hadn’t spoken of these anxieties directly to Jin So-un, he knew the young man would have deduced the reality on his own. That individual, who had possessed the insight to recognize the grand deception played against the Mo-san Sect and had gone so far as to halt the Black Officials in their tracks, would undoubtedly comprehend the full scope of this chess match.

“The Murim Alliance will not dance to the tune of their flute.”

As he always had, his faith rested entirely on Jin So-un.

“What?”

Gwak Su-san stammered, looking as though his internal gears had completely jammed.

“Uh, wait, I… surely I didn’t hear you correctly?”

I patiently reiterated my point, keeping my voice measured and distinct.

“I am proposing that we launch an assault on the Tang-hyeon Sect by our own hands.”

Gwak Su-san’s jaw dropped so wide he looked like someone who had accidentally inhaled an insect mid-gasp.

“W-W-What in the world… are you implying?”

Our authorized investigation had already reached its formal conclusion. The moment the sun rose, the leadership of the Tang-hyeon Sect would throw us off their property and immediately dispatch official missives to both the regional offices and the central headquarters of the Murim Alliance to fiercely protest our disrespect. Following that, they would leverage their network of allied sects to ensure our squad was entirely blacklisted from executing any future missions.

“E-Even if that’s the case, staging a raid on the Tang-hyeon Sect… That is the kind of ruthless tactic only the Black Path would conceive… As expected of the Black Flam— *hiccup*!”

Gwak Su-san must have truly lost his mind from the stress. Otherwise, there was no explanation for why he would blurt out such reckless nonsense that could easily get him killed.

“Take a moment to analyze the situation objectively. The Tang-hyeon Sect opened their doors and displayed every inch of their estate to us without a shred of reluctance, to a degree that felt entirely manufactured. Yet, we both know there are glaring anomalies beneath the surface, correct?”

“….”

“What conclusion does that lead us to? It indicates that absolutely nothing incriminating is concealed within the areas they so eagerly paraded before our eyes.”

The primary advantage of the method utilized by the Black Officials during their operations is the ability to monitor a target over an extended duration. It allows an operative to unearth specific flaws by embedding themselves into the cracks the moment the target lets their guard down.

“However, as long as they remain fully aware that our eyes are upon them, they will never willingly expose their illicit deeds. Because of that, we are forced to pivot to an entirely different strategy.”

“…And how exactly does that connect to staging a raid on the Tang-hyeon Sect?”

A person doesn’t exclusively lower their defenses when they believe their secrets are entirely safe from scrutiny.

“How do you think the leadership of the Tang-hyeon Sect will react if they are abruptly pushed into a corner with their survival on the line?”

The very moment an individual’s own life and the existences of those they hold dearest are placed in immediate jeopardy, human nature dictates that they will swiftly bring out their most guarded secrets.

“….”
“…!”

The surrounding martial artists looked absolutely frozen with terror. I stepped forward to flesh out the concept with greater clarity.

“If they believe they are facing imminent destruction, won’t they be forced to deploy the absolute final trump cards they have been keeping hidden from the world?”

“….”

I casually rapped my fingers against the wooden surface of the table, a slight grin touching the edges of my lips.

“What do you all think?”

Despite my explanation, the expressions of sheer panic on their faces failed to dissipate. Why were they reacting like this? Had my explanation been unclear?

“Be that as it may, such a plan is… utterly wild. Putting aside our severe disadvantage in numbers… what would actually separate us from the treacherous Black Officials who executed targeted executions while fully conscious of the corruption?”

It was only at that exact instant that I discerned precisely where our communication had broken down.

‘Did these people honestly believe I was advocating for a literal, bloody massacre?’

I wasn’t a bloodthirsty lunatic; there was absolutely no scenario where I would command the slaughter of an entire faction before their guilt had been undeniably proven.

“What kind of monster do you take me for?”

As I calmly laid out the actual mechanics of the strategy, the tension in the room began to dissolve, and heads began to nod in understanding one by one.

“If such a ruse… can actually be pulled off, it genuinely sounds like a viable option.”

“The logistics will be incredibly tight given our limited personnel, but considering we are dealing with the elite talents of the ‘Yong-bong Association’ and not just ordinary warriors, I believe it is a gamble worth taking together.”

“Well, that much is undeniably true.”

Gwak Su-san somehow managed to puff out his chest with a sudden surge of pride.

“Hold on, just wait a minute! Are we seriously committing to this course of action?”

Seo Cheon-pung continued to shake his head, clearly struggling to reconcile the ethics of the plan.

“Leader, if we execute this entire elaborate charade and it turns out they are completely innocent, then at that point, we will truly be…”

“Then what changes?”

When I threw the question back at him, the entire room fell into a dead silence.

“Regardless of what we do, our official window for inspection has already slammed shut. The only variable left is whether we walk away after exhausting every option, or simply quit without even trying.”

“….”

With that, all remaining protests vanished. The final, desperate operation to uncover the truth was officially set into motion.

Just as the movements were about to commence, I pulled Gwak Su-san aside as he was preparing to depart for his assigned quadrant.

“Is there an issue, Leader?”

“I’ve already requested that you stop referring to me as the Leader. Putting that aside… assuming we successfully verify that the Tang-hyeon Sect is actively engaging in forbidden martial arts, what is the protocol for the cleanup?”

Faced with my inquiry, Gwak Su-san paused to gather his thoughts before offering a low response.

“This information is strictly classified… but considering there is obviously a deeper purpose behind why the Leader is embedded with our unit, I will share it. The forces of the Blue Dragon Pavilion are currently positioned nearby on high alert.”

It mapped out exactly as I had surmised. From the very beginning, expecting the Yong-bong Association by itself to neutralize an entire martial clan practicing taboo techniques or the dark sorceries of the Blood Cult was an absurdity. Furthermore, there was always the risk of key targets slipping through the perimeter during the chaos.

“In truth, I was just about to draft an official update to send out.”

“I understand.”

“Is there a particular element of the plan causing you concern?”

“If the Blue Dragon Pavilion is the unit on standby, it means the specialized execution squad must have been integrated into their ranks as well.”

“That is correct.”

Given that piece of the puzzle, it was practically a certainty that Yong So-a would be present among the vanguard. Even if that weren’t the case, the mere deployment of the Blue Dragon Pavilion as a backup force signaled that the high command viewed this situation with extreme gravity.

“Regarding that update. Would it be possible for you to redirect it toward the regional branch instead?”

“To the regional branch… you say?”

“Yes.”

“What is the strategic reasoning behind that?”

The stern countenance of Mak Hyo-wol, lit by the pale moonlight from our previous encounter, flickered across my consciousness.

“Because the evidence against them is not yet absolute. We must ensure we do not replicate the catastrophic blunders committed by the Black Officials, wouldn’t you agree?”

“….”

Gwak Su-san fixed his gaze upon me intensely for several heartbeats before finally giving a firm nod of assent.

“I understand your perspective. I will ensure the communication is routed exactly as you requested.”

“Excellent.”

“My confidence rests in you, Jin Leader.”

He offered a brief, respectful bow and turned to depart, but stopped himself after a couple of paces to look back at me once more.

“Even if you commanded me to march straight into the depths of a blazing inferno, I would likely follow you without hesitation.”

Hearing the depth of his conviction, I decided to voice the question that had been nagging at me.

“But a moment ago, did you genuinely believe I was ordering you to launch a lethal assault on the Tang-hyeon Sect? You didn’t actually think that, right?”

“….”

Gwak Su-san suddenly put on an expression as though he had gone completely deaf and quickly vanished into the darkness.

“To place such trust in me…”

For some reason, the weight of those words settled into the depths of my chest like a heavy piece of iron.

A nightmare that possesses too much clarity can easily blur the line between illusion and reality. Mak Hyo-wol snapped awake from his slumber, his mind reeling from the horrific images that had plagued his consciousness.

“Gasps, pants, pants.”

After scanning his surroundings and verifying that the butchery he had just witnessed was merely a product of his subconscious, he let out a ragged breath, attempting to soothe his violently hammering heart when…

*Crackle, roar.*

The view illuminated beyond his quarters burned itself vividly into his vision.

‘What in the name of heaven is happening…’

The hour was caught in that strange limbo—neither the dead of night nor the arrival of dawn. Blazing walls of crimson fire raged outside, threatening to consume the parchment windowpanes and bathing the entire interior of his room in a blood-red glow.

“Aaargh!”

“Kuaaargh!”

Silhouettes cast against the roaring flames collapsed lifelessly, cut down by the cold steel of dark, predatory shapes moving through the smoke.

“Flee for your lives!”

“Get out of there!”

He instantly identified the owners of those frantic, desperate screams. In that horrifying moment, Mak Hyo-wol was forced to accept that the vivid nightmare he had just escaped was not an illusion at all.

*Thud.*

The instant he gripped his trusted weapon and prepared to charge out of his chambers, a battered figure burst through the violently shattered entrance.

“S-Sect Leader…”

“Ja-yang!!!”

The intruder was none other than his General Manager, Sang Ja-yang. His flesh was visibly decaying and sloughing away from his frame, the unmistakable hallmark of a highly corrosive poison.

“You must… flee immediately… the forces of the Murim Alliance are…”

“You cold-blooded butchers!!!”

Had the coalition finally crossed the line? It was glaringly obvious that the investigators had failed to uncover a single piece of evidence. To think that they had absorbed absolutely no lessons from the disaster that befell the Mo-san Sect and had ultimately chosen to perpetrate the exact same atrocity…

An uncontainable fury surged straight to his brain. His past hesitation—where he had actually debated whether to halt the grand design he had been meticulously constructing—now seemed utterly pathetic.

[I can comprehend the depth of the Sect Leader’s fury. I am even well aware of the anxiety gnawing at you.]

What could a green brat who had barely crossed into his twenties possibly understand about the world to have moved his heart with such rhetoric? Ultimately, the *Kangho* remained a theater of pure, unadulterated cruelty.

“The disciples… what has become of my disciples!”

“They have been completely… boxed in.”

“…Already?!”

Even though he had taken precautions following the Mo-san Sect tragedy and had explicitly triggered the defensive *Gimun* Formation, the reality that his defenses couldn’t buy enough time for his students to escape made his consciousness reel as if he were on the verge of fainting.

“I beg of you, at the very least… the Sect Leader must…”

With that final, rattling plea, Ja-yang’s body went limp as his life force vanished entirely. Mak Hyo-wol, who lacked even the courage to place a hand on the bubbling, ruined remains of his comrade, let loose a raw, animalistic howl of despair.

‘In the end, is this the wretched fate that awaited us…!!’

Visualizing the rest of his disciples, along with Ja-yang, expiring in the exact same agonizing and undignified manner, he felt as though his very soul were being hacked to pieces by a white-hot blade.

“Even if it is only a single soul… I must ensure at least one survives!”

Mak Hyo-wol turned and sprinted back into the deepest recesses of the Sect Leader’s Pavilion. He forcefully shoved the grand bed aside to expose the wooden floorboards and, without a second thought, wrenched open a hidden latch embedded within the wood.

*Rumble.*

A segment of the floor ground open, revealing a dark stone stairwell that plummeted into the earth. Moving with the speed of a gale, Mak Hyo-wol cleared half a dozen steps with every bound, plunging into the subterranean depths until he reached the massive cavern spanning the bottom.

“P-Please have mercy!”

“I beg of you, spare my life! I swear I will never utter a single word regarding what I witnessed in this place…”

Completely blocking out the desperate cries of the captives secured within the *Geum-ok*, Mak Hyo-wol pressed deeper into the subterranean complex. Upon his sudden arrival, the researchers and practitioners of the forbidden arts gasped in panic and bowed their heads in terror.

“At such an hour… w-what brings you here, Master?”

“What is the current status of the project? How close is it to completion?”

“The… are you referring to that specific specimen? It is far from ready to demonstrate stable functionality…”

“I am demanding to know its current state of readiness. Is it capable of movement?”

After a tense pause, the head researcher offered a hesitant reply.

“It should possess the capacity to execute rudimentary directives…”

“Then that will suffice. Unseal and deploy every last one of the Blood Men.”

“What did you say?”

Staring at the researcher who could only gape at him in sheer bewilderment, Mak Hyo-wol unleashed the full, deafening might of a Lion’s Roar.

“The Tang-hyeon Sect is currently staring into the abyss of total eradication!!!”

“E-Eradication? Sect Leader, no such alarm has reached our station.”

“What do you mean you haven’t heard! The structures above are being reduced to ash and my disciples are being slaughtered—”

Just as the practitioners were beginning to look at one another with deep concern, viewing Mak Hyo-wol as a man driven completely insane by delusion…

“Sect Leader.”

A calm, resonant voice cut through the damp air from directly behind Mak Hyo-wol.

“Those scholars are telling you the absolute truth.”

“….”

A primordial chill cascaded straight down Mak Hyo-wol’s spine. When he forced his trembling body to turn around, his eyes stretching wide with shock…

“Sect Leader.”

The radiant prodigy of the righteous path—the one whose existence filled him with such bitter jealousy that it made even the impoverished Tae-ul Sect Leader seem grand by comparison—was standing calmly within the subterranean chamber.

“Jin… So-un…?”

“Rest assured, the surface remains entirely peaceful and unharmed.”

“How… how did you manage to infiltrate this place…”

The edges of the young prodigy’s lips twitched upward into a faint, melancholy expression.

“I wonder… what exactly brought me to this place!”

Though a polite smile remained fixed on his visage, Jin So-un’s eyes were filled with an undeniable, heavy sorrow.