Chapter 492

Chapter 492
Chapter 492. Shadow of the Setting Sun (5)

—

During my entire journey back to the Murim Alliance, I kept my ears open to the conversations echoing through local taverns and eateries.

“Listen, what I’m telling you is that when the **Black King** contracted a fatal illness and was on the verge of death, his dying desire was to share a resting place with the **Sword Zenith**.”

“…?”

“And that exact reason is why they refer to it as the **Sword Tomb**.”

Even if one tried to remain rational, the tales circulating were undeniably captivating. Moreover, highly believable explanations that seemed to align perfectly with the current circumstances emerged sequentially, seamlessly patching any inconsistencies in the narrative.

“Just consider it. What sort of figures were the **Sword Zenith** and the **Black King**? They were unparalleled masters who ruled over the Murim back then, right? Such legendary figures vanished completely from the face of the earth in a single night. Where else could their missing heritages and accumulated fortunes have ended up?”

The narrative was quickly gaining traction, transforming from mere rumor into what people treated as undeniable fact. Summing up the various accounts I gathered while traveling across three separate settlements, it boiled down to this:

For some inexplicable reason, those two rivals ended up in the same burial site. They chose not to pass down their techniques to their bloodlines simply because neither could find a worthy apprentice. Consequently, they locked away their profound martial arts and riches inside that sepulcher, leaving them behind as a prize meant solely for someone truly deserving.

That was the basic gist of the rumors. My personal takeaway after listening to such ridiculous, utterly fabricated rubbish was simple:

*‘Shi-bal, people are practically forced to swallow this lie.’*

Since I already knew for a fact that the **Sword Tomb** was a complete fabrication, the whole thing sounded absurd to me. Yet, the tale possessed an alluring, exciting edge that perfectly targeted the desires of any martial artist. Frankly, even if the odds were stacked against them, people would still seek it out just for a glimpse of hope. If such a place actually existed and someone managed to locate it, they would gain the power to completely reshape the power dynamics of the Murim.

The moment a layout or diagram of this burial ground starts passing around, the frenzy will explode exponentially. Reflecting on this while taking in the gossip, I couldn’t help but acknowledge that those absolute scoundrels of the Demonic Cult had executed an incredibly clever strategy.

While the gossip raged on, they deliberately kept the supply of maps scarce. Then, just as the public interest began to wane, they would distribute more maps under the radar. By ensuring that a rumor which ought to naturally fade away keeps getting fueled, they slowly convince the public that this illusion is a tangible reality.

To make matters worse, using the names of the **Sword Zenith** and the **Black King** expertly instigates a conflict between the Murim Alliance and the **Sa-huk** Alliance, the two dominant factions controlling the present-day landscape. Neither organization is likely to mobilize openly right away. If they reacted to every single piece of hearsay like this, they would quickly exhaust themselves.

*‘However, they won’t remain passive indefinitely.’*

The instant the inheritance of those two icons emerges from the depths of the **Sword Tomb**, both the **Sa-huk** Alliance and the Murim Alliance will be plunged into an unending rivalry. An inevitable confrontation between these two massive powers within the burial site is bound to occur.

I grit my teeth in sheer disgust at their malice. Their relentless determination to turn the entire Jianghu into a slaughterhouse leaves me utterly dumbfounded. As their stubborn persistence intensifies, the fury burning within my own chest grows equally fierce.

“What kind of torment do I need to inflict to force those bastards to cry out that they can’t take this miserable situation any longer?”

“…**Jin Si-ju**, what exactly are you talking about?”

**Il-gak** stared at me with wide, trembling eyes. He must have caught my muttered words.

“Don’t mind me, I was just thinking about a few idiots who have spent a lot of effort setting up a grand scheme, and I intend to thoroughly ruin it for them.”

“…What?”

Recalling the counsel I received the previous evening, I decided to extend an apology first.

“Forgive me for unleashing that murderous aura back then. Truthfully, I was in no mood to listen to anyone at that moment. However, because of your words, my tangled thoughts have finally straightened out.”

Despite my attempt to make amends, **Il-gak** still appeared quite uneasy.

“I already assured you that everything is fine. My resolve is set.”

“…Does this resolve happen to involve the ‘interference’ you spoke of a moment ago?”

“I used to think you were just a dense monk, but your perception is surprisingly sharp.”

**Il-gak**’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“I’m going to ensure their daily existence becomes a living nightmare. I want them to spend every waking moment drowning in remorse and bitter curses.”

“…**Jin Si-ju**, I believe you might have slightly misinterpreted the point of the tale I shared yesterday evening…”

“Regardless, you have my gratitude! Looking back, I can’t believe how much time I squandered acting like a complete fool over the last few days. Hahaha!”

“**Jin Si-ju**…”

**Il-gak** looked at me with a countenance full of profound self-reproach for his prior actions.

By the time we arrived back at the headquarters of the Murim Alliance, the gossip surrounding the **Sword Tomb** had reached a boiling point across the entire Hubei territory. Even though no tangible proof had surfaced and the precise coordinates of the **Sword Tomb** remained a mystery, the speculation expanded aggressively, fueled by a steady stream of fresh details injected by an unseen hand.

This created various bizarre phenomena; eager groups banded together into scouting parties to search for the hidden **Sword Tomb**, and a particular transport enterprise went so far as to offer guided travel packages exploring the regions rumored to contain the **Sword Tomb**. Reportedly, the spots available for their preliminary test run were completely snatched up within mere hours.

Functioning as an antidote to the dark, unsettling tales of the Gold Palace and the sinister brews of the Blood Cult, public anticipation regarding the **Sword Tomb** escalated exponentially day by day. Crowds wanting answers about whether the **Sword Tomb** truly existed began inundating the Murim Alliance. Naturally, the leadership kept their lips tightly sealed on the matter.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere behind closed doors was incredibly hectic.

“Could it be that they’re mobilizing for a full-scale battle?”

“Most likely, aren’t they getting ready for whatever is happening at the **Sword Tomb**?”

Exactly as **Dan-mok Gyo-ryeon** and **Gwak Su-san** remarked, while the Murim Alliance publicly dismissed the rumors of the **Sword Tomb**, their private actions suggested they took the threat seriously. When we arrived to log our return, the various Pavilion Masters and Hall Masters were swept up in a whirlwind of frantic preparations.

I fully anticipated being reprimanded or questioned concerning the incident involving the Mount Mosan Sect, but my recent exploits seemed to have slipped their minds entirely for the time being. Alternatively, they had simply put the matter on the back burner.

Once I parted ways with the members of the **Yongbong-jihoe** and **Il-gak**, who left to recuperate, I immediately made my way toward the **Man-tong-bu**.

“Oh? What brings you around?”

Since **Eun-ho** greeted me with such mock friendliness, I caught him by the collar and gave his neck a brief squeeze.

“Ow, ow! Hold on, stop!”

“Where can I find **Maeng Bu-jang-nim**?”

“He’s in the back office.”

“Got it.”

Leaving a whining **Eun-ho** rubbing his sore neck behind me, I stepped further into the room. **Cheol Sun-jik** was currently briefing **Maeng Ju-won**, who sat behind a massive writing table.

“Oh? Why are you stopping by?”

He appeared far less stressed, likely owing to the extra hands that had recently been assigned to him. The same man who used to yell ‘Your place is with the **Man-tong-bu**!’ the second he caught sight of me was now giving me an entirely indifferent glance, as if staring at a total stranger. It was honestly a bit depressing.

“I just dropped by to offer my greetings after being away for so long.”

**Maeng Ju-won** returned his attention to his work, making a shooing motion with his hand in mild irritation.

“Nobody visits the **Man-tong-bu** merely to be polite. People only show up here when they want a favor.”

“……”

**Cheol Sun-jik**, having concluded his briefing, paused on his way to the door to give me a long look.

“Did you manage to scrounge up something strange out there again?”

“Do I honestly strike you as some sort of vagrant?”

“You really are something… we’ll catch up properly later.”

Noticing that the dark circles which used to plague **Maeng Ju-won**’s face had now migrated to **Cheol Sun-jik**’s eyes, it was clear he had fully acclimated to the grueling routine of the **Man-tong-bu**. He certainly was a highly capable individual.

Once **Cheol Sun-jik** exited, **Maeng Ju-won**, who had plowed through another pile of paperwork, raised his gaze inquisitively.

“Alright, what’s on your mind?”

“You know, you’re finally starting to carry yourself with the true authority expected of the **Man-tong-bu** Department Head.”

“Hmph, well, isn’t the chief of the **Man-tong-bu** fundamentally equal in status to a Great Hall Master from the other divisions? The fact that I’m only just receiving the respect I deserved from the very start is honestly quite preposterous.”

**Maeng Ju-won** idly rubbed his clean-shaven chin while propping his legs up on the desktop. People often say that high status brings out a person’s true nature, and that proverb fit him perfectly. Of course, given how unnatural his arrogant stance looked, playing the part of a pompous official clearly didn’t come naturally to him.

“Well, let’s hear it.”

“It’s about the matter everyone’s talking about. The **Sword Tomb**.”

“Oh?”

“I was wondering if I could take part in the operation, representing the **Yoseong-dang** as its Hall Master.”

**Maeng Ju-won** squinted at me suspiciously.

“Are you entirely convinced that the **Sword Tomb** is real?”

At that moment, I realized my mistake and thought, *‘Ah, blast it.’* While I found this man to be a persistent nuisance, he possessed an astute mind—otherwise, **Jegal So-myeong** would never have given him such major responsibilities.

“Observing the combat divisions shifting their forces as I walked in, I simply deduced that there must be some truth to the rumors.”

“Really? Is that all…”

“Should the chance arise, I merely wish to dedicate my efforts entirely to assisting the Murim Alliance, or something along those lines.”

**Maeng Ju-won** gave a noncommittal nod before offering his verdict.

“That won’t be happening.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Because we have no concrete confirmation yet.”

“But isn’t the point of sending scouts to uncover that very confirmation?”

**Maeng Ju-won** pressed on, counter-questioning.

“Remind me, aren’t you currently presiding as the leader of the **Yoseong-dang**?”

“And your point is?”

“How can the chief of the **Yoseong-dang** justify abandoning his post to go gallivanting across the countryside?”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t I just finish taking part in the **Yongbong-jihoe** duties?”

“That was a separate matter entirely.”

Confronted with such flawed reasoning, I resorted to a bluff.

“Fine, then I’ll just request a formal leave of absence.”

“Request denied.”

“Come on, for what reason?!”

“How can you expect to go anywhere before you’ve properly established the **Yoseong-dang**? Until your entire unit is fully structured and staffed, medical leave, personal days, everything is completely off the table. Your priority should be building up your faction without delay.”

I stood there dumbfounded by this ridiculous predicament. It had never crossed my mind that I would be barred from traveling to the **Sword Tomb** in the first place.

I had mapped out countless strategies upon learning about the **Sword Tomb**, yet none of my contingencies accounted for a scenario where I would be entirely prevented from setting foot near the site.

*‘There has to be a hidden agenda at play here.’*

Otherwise, it made zero sense to block a capable combatant like myself from stepping up to volunteer for the expedition. Regardless of whatever hidden motives they harbored, this development was deeply frustrating for me, given that reaching the **Sword Tomb** was absolutely imperative.

“How should I handle this?”

Sneaking off to the **Sword Tomb** without permission was always an option, but with my leave explicitly denied, going AWOL would constitute outright mutiny. While a highly successful outcome might cause them to look the other way and forgive my defiance, achieving that would require me to personally decapitate a thousand cultists. Honestly, that felt a bit unrealistic…

“Wait!”

Disrupting the schemes of those Demonic Cult fiends didn’t actually require me to do the heavy lifting myself, did it?

“Of course, I can always deploy the classic stratagem of ‘borrowing someone else’s blade to commit murder’ (**Cha-do-sal-in**).”

Even though that particular tactic had fallen flat when I attempted it on **Yong So-ah**, it remained a legendary maneuver immortalized in classical military treatises, making it well worth another shot.

I set off immediately for the Wuhan outpost of the **Hao-mun**. To my relief, **Yang Gun-baek** greeted my arrival with genuine enthusiasm.

“Well look at that, when did you slip back into town?”

“Haven’t you caught wind of the fascinating talk circulating throughout Hubei lately?”

His presence here in Wuhan was undoubtedly tied to the ongoing frenzy over the **Sword Tomb**.

“Does the leadership of the **Hao-mun** believe the **Sword Tomb** actually exists?”

“While we lack absolute verification, we are inclined to think there is substance behind it.”

“What leads you to that conclusion?”

“Mainly because tracking down the origin of these rumors has proven impossible. Additionally, reports have reached us of mysterious massacres occurring sporadically all over the land.”

He was undoubtedly pointing to the bloody conflicts triggered by figures like **Do Gwang-su** and **Amhyang-cheon-ong**, who had fought over the deceptive diagrams quietly disseminated by the Demonic Cult.

“The true issue at hand isn’t merely whether the site is real. The real concern is figuring out who stands to profit from the **Sword Tomb** and what their underlying motives are, wouldn’t you agree?”

“……”

It came as no surprise; the man who had single-handedly dragged the failing **Hao-mun** back from the brink of ruin during my previous life truly operated on a different level.

“Did you pay a visit because you share those same suspicions, **Gong-ja Jin**?”

“Not at all. I am here on an entirely separate matter.”

“Oh? What sort of proposal do you have?”

I still lacked clarity on whether I could make the trip myself. Regardless, why should I exert my own energy to make life difficult for my enemies?

“What would you say to manufacturing and selling the layout to the **Sword Tomb**?”

“What did you say?”

“Isn’t a crisis like this the ultimate chance to secure a massive fortune?”

Furthermore, if I managed to turn a tidy profit in the process, wouldn’t that mean achieving far more than just a single objective at once?