Chapter: 820
The office of the branch manager of the Murim Alliance Sacheon Branch.
Inside, the branch manager, Mok Ri-seon, and Il Cheong-geom were in the middle of a heated conversation.
“I appreciate the information you provided. With the branch manager’s assistance, the investigation will proceed more smoothly.”
“No…! If there’s any way I can assist further, I’ll prepare even better and come to you.”
“Your sincerity is enough. It truly gives me a sense of security.”
“Hahaha…”
Il Cheong-geom, having just finished speaking, tucked the letter given by the branch manager into his bosom.
The information was sufficient. While the precise location wasn’t revealed, there was an identical site among the reported locations, so starting the search there seemed feasible.
The initial information regarding the scholars, including the leader, had been retrieved from the main temple.
Il Cheong-geom thought that the search itself wouldn’t be that challenging.
The real problem was.
‘How far has Seongryongdae progressed?’
Seongryongdae arrived about three days earlier. The core question was, how close were they to the heart of the matter? That was the perspective to concentrate on.
‘…The Holy King.’
Just the thought of him made Il Cheong-geom’s expression sour.
What should he do about that troublesome guy? He bit down on his teeth, enduring the wave of irritation that surged within him.
‘How dare you…!’
Grrr! His fist clenched tightly.
Three days prior, Il Cheong-geom recalled the humiliation he had endured.
About two days into their journey to Sacheon, he received a letter from one of his subordinates.
It was an order for the Blue Dragon Lord and the Blue Dragon Corps to return to the main temple at once.
Startled by the sudden letter, Il Cheong-geom was momentarily taken aback but quickly complied with the directive, returning to the main temple.
The seal on the letter was too genuine to doubt.
It couldn’t be helped.
‘The main temple’s seal is made from precious stones.’
That unique seal allowed him to verify whether it was truly a letter from the alliance or not.
That was why Il Cheong-geom felt certain.
This letter was indeed from the alliance and, simultaneously, was definitely sent by the scholar Muk.
He set aside his doubts. Though he had started this journey with a specific goal, the alliance’s intent took precedence.
And so he returned to the main temple.
‘…What?!’
Il Cheong-geom’s eyes widened immediately upon hearing shocking news.
“—Are you saying you’ve never sent such an order?”
No one among the main temple, including Mukyeon, had ever sent an order to Il Cheong-geom.
This was absurd. There was even a seal made from precious stones. How could that be possible?
He couldn’t make sense of it. Except for one thing.
‘No way…’
Strangely enough, Il Cheong-geom was able to pinpoint a suspect. There was no hard evidence, but his intuition was adamant.
‘It’s him.’
The culprit was none other than the Holy King.
Il Cheong-geom thought this with a sense of surety, the reason being none other than:
The look in the Holy King’s eyes when the letter was given. The malevolent smile he wore just before departing flashed back in Il Cheong-geom’s mind.
‘That jerk…!’
Was the Holy King toying with him? Concluding this, Il Cheong-geom gritted his teeth, feeling like his jaw was about to shatter.
Yet, he didn’t have full certainty. It wasn’t the right time to hesitate.
First and foremost, he took the Blue Dragon Corps and swiftly made his way to Sacheon.
If someone had forged a false order and provided fake information, it would have been wise to halt the mission and revise the plan. However, Il Cheong-geom chose not to do that.
That decision partly stemmed from his earlier intuition. Moreover,
‘Not yet.’
There was a reason behind choosing to embark on this trip to Sacheon. He was determined to return somehow.
And so, he moved at a pace much quicker than usual.
The agents quickly reached their limits, but Il Cheong-geom, aware of this, pressed on with even more speed.
Thanks to this, they were able to reduce the time difference in reaching Sacheon.
Thus, Il Cheong-geom faced the Holy King once more. The moment he laid eyes on him, he felt sure.
‘Just as I thought, it’s you.’
The King’s gaze, his breathing, and even the momentum emanating from him seemed to say it all, even without uttering a single word.
He exuded an air that labeled him the culprit. How did it feel to mock him like this?
At this point, there was no intention of hiding it, to begin with.
As anger boiled up within him.
In a corner of his mind, he started calculating rationally.
“Then why?”
If it was indeed the Holy King behind this, how had he managed to forge a seal made of precious stones, and what was his motive?
He couldn’t decipher it.
If the intent was merely to humiliate him, there was no need to go through such complexities.
It was a method with excessive backfire potential aimed at himself.
From Il Cheong-geom’s perspective, the Holy King wasn’t someone lacking in intellect. If that was true, then there had to be reasoning driving him to do it this way.
‘What on earth is it?’
What could be the hidden agenda behind such actions? Was it genuinely just to make him feel miserable?
‘If that were the case, then it would be a colossal blunder.’
Despite being touted as a genius and feeling like the world belonged to him, he had seriously overstepped this time.
No matter how meticulously he dealt with things, if he went as far as forgery, evidence would undoubtedly remain, and if they pursued it, it wouldn’t be easy to evade.
As Il Cheong-geom continued to rethink his strategy, an icy determination began to spread in his eyes.
‘Even if it isn’t just that…’
Perhaps he wouldn’t even need to escalate matters to the alliance. Wasn’t there a reason he came to Sacheon in the first place?
‘…That guy will never be able to return to Hanam.’
There might even be a slight chance of an unexpected accident occurring during the mission.
It was easy to find instances of individuals accidentally dying while carrying out investigations.
Given that situation.
‘It probably won’t be any different this time.’
Even if he were the youngest king, the outcome wouldn’t differ much.
Accidents were, by their very nature, unpredictable.
Reflecting on that, Il Cheong-geom stabilized his breath.
‘If you ever regret this…’
It was the Holy King who had thrown him into this whirlwind of chaos.
If he hadn’t involved himself with Il Cheong-geom and the alliance, none of this would have happened.
In the end, it was the Holy King who had wrought this upon him.
At that very moment, just as Il Cheong-geom was poised to act,
“Ah, over there… Blue Dragon Lord.”
At the sound of Mok Ri-seon calling him, Il Cheong-geom hurriedly adjusted his expression.
Although he had already shown signs of conflict with the Holy King, his current demeanor might appear somewhat lethal, even to his own eyes.
“What is it?”
“Oh, it’s not really a big deal. There’s something else I’d like to ask you.”
“Speak.”
“It’s about the Seongryongdaejoo…”
The Holy Dragon Lord? Upon hearing news about the Holy King, Il Cheong-geom’s eyes narrowed slightly.
At that moment.
“I heard that one of our agents saw something recently… I wondered if you might know anything.”
“What are you talking about?”
What had they seen? Inquiring further, Mok Ri-seon answered.
“There have been reports that the Holy King occasionally coughs up blood or seems to be in an unusual condition… Do you perhaps know anything about that?”
“…”
Il Cheong-geom made a strange face at Mok Ri-seon’s words.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. We’re trying to keep a tight lid on it, but… I thought you should-”
“Well done.”
“Y-yes?”
“Ensure this matter continues to be handled discreetly as you have been doing. This is something that must remain unknown at the main temple.”
“Ah! Understood.”
Mok Ri-seon’s eyes lit up with realization upon Il Cheong-geom’s directive.
“If that’s the case, I will ensure we maintain absolute discretion.”
“Thank you.” As he spoke, Il Cheong-geom gave Mok Ri-seon’s shoulder a couple of pats before preparing to depart.
The corners of Il Cheong-geom’s mouth lifted ever so slightly as he turned away.
Soon after, the search for the Blue Dragon began.
It commenced based on the information provided by Mok Ri-seon, and the search area was relatively narrow.
Not only was information readily available, but they already had some confirmed points of contact.
Specifically, the locations where Seongryongdae was reported active. Though they hadn’t received this intelligence directly, there was still relevant information to work with. The search was conducted based on this and Mok Ri-seon’s intel.
The primary objective was to investigate the activities of Gyecheonmun. The exact locations must be confirmed before proceeding any deeper.
The main temple had essentially turned into ruins.
A few people could be seen passing through, but no matter how he looked, they didn’t appear to be affiliated with Gyecheonmun.
‘That means they’ve already relocated.’
It seemed like they had moved a while ago.
Given this situation, it was possible they were no longer in Sacheon, but…
‘Considering the recent routes, they were all in Sacheon.’
Occasionally, individuals might be seen outside of Sacheon, but those cases were extremely rare.
Almost all sightings were within Sacheon.
Moreover,
‘Seongryongdae isn’t scouring outside of Sacheon.’
It was logical to search the entire interior of Sacheon first.
‘At this pace… two weeks at the latest.’
He felt optimistic about tracking down Gyecheonmun before that timeframe.
“Your Lordship.”
At the sound of the voice, he turned his head. An agent was handing him a letter.
“This is the status of the search in the eastern region.”
Taking the letter, he skimmed through it. The locations and circumstances were described in great detail.
“Nothing has been discovered in that region.”
“Yes. It seems they’re either further out or… perhaps…”
“Is it possible they utilized a formation?”
“That’s the assessment.”
A formation, huh.
That was indeed a possibility. However,
“For now, let’s conduct the search while disregarding the first three days.”
“Understood.”
There wasn’t enough evidence to change the search route at this stage.
It was only the first day. Setting the parameters too broadly would only create unnecessary complications.
For the moment, it was wise to tackle this methodically.
“And this is…”
Immediately after reviewing the search details, he presented something as if he still had further investigations to conduct.
“This is the activity path of the Seongryongdae Lord.”
At his words, Il Cheong-geom’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
His gaze sharpened far more than during the previous investigation.
Accepting the letter in hand, Il Cheong-geom quickly narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
“Is this it?”
“…I apologize.”
The agent replied hurriedly, clearly sensing Il Cheong-geom’s discomfort.
“There are numerous eyes watching us, preventing immediate action. Moreover, the skill of Seongryongdae’s members is daunting, so this was our best option for now.”
“Tsk…”
Though he was displeased, he couldn’t find fault. He understood that, as the agent indicated, this was likely the best course of action.
The martial artists of Seongryongdae exhibited exceptional prowess.
It was notably distinct from that of other factions.
Among those identified, there were four Hwagyeongs aside from the Lord.
Even if they were just starting out, maintaining four of that caliber was extraordinary.
Due to this, there had certainly been dissent within the main temple, but since Muk had personally vouched for them, those opinions were swiftly disregarded.
‘What an annoyance.’
With individuals of such caliber currently traveling to Sacheon alongside the Holy King, it became increasingly difficult to keep an eye on him covertly.
‘Under the current circumstances, two weeks might pose a challenge.’
To achieve his goals, there were formidable obstacles ahead. Il Cheong-geom lightly bit his lip.
What should he do? It was tough to tie this situation into a mission since he still knew very little.
“…You’ve worked hard. Let’s regroup for now.”
“Understood.”
Once he sent the agent away, Il Cheong-geom bit the tip of his finger.
Perhaps he bit too hard, as blood trickled into his mouth.
“Guyangcheon.”
The face of someone he desperately wished to fell with his blade flashed through his mind.
Just remembering him tightened the ire in his gut. It felt like a deep stab to his belly.
‘That idiot seems to have plenty of luck in this matter.’
The true issue wasn’t merely the prying eyes surrounding him, but the entire complexity of the situation. It was troublesome on many levels.
‘Now is the opportune moment.’
He also felt a surge of impatience.
Il Cheong-geom had to forcibly suppress the emotions brewing within him.
That guy was tough. Regardless of his youth, Il Cheong-geom had no choice but to acknowledge his profound skills.
An all-out fight wouldn’t yield easy victories for him.
Although it sounds outrageous, it was the reality. He had encountered that truth on multiple occasions.
Even if he dreaded admitting it, the fellow might soon reach that precarious peak.
The recognition of this made it feel even more crucial that now was the time to act.
‘He has internal injuries.’
While he didn’t know how severe or deep they were, he understood the boy was hurt.
He could sense a faltering of energy from him.
‘That cannot be an intentional stance.’
If he harnessed energy, he could wield it. Yet it was impossible to intentionally disturb one’s own energy.
If one missteps, their energy might become unbalanced, blood flow disrupted, risking them falling victim to harm.
That feeling of anxiety was so subtle it would be undetectable without close observation. Controlling one’s energy to such precision was nearly impossible.
‘It’s true that he’s injured.’
But the issue was.
‘Even in that state, he easily defeated the Golden Dragon Lord.’
Being injured didn’t equate to weakness.
As the Holy King mercilessly pounded on the Golden Dragon Lord, Il Cheong-geom had witnessed it firsthand.
The Holy King ultimately emerged victorious over the Golden Dragon Lord. And he did so with frightening ease.
Although he seemed to cough blood and suffer under the backlash, he ultimately appeared quite formidable.
If it wasn’t an ailment, his internal injuries could be healed. If it were, the situation wouldn’t align like this.
That was why now was the right moment.
An opportunity he needed to seize before it was too late.
Thinking this, Il Cheong-geom exhaled deeply. Whether it was Shinryongdae or Seongryongdae, nothing ever unfolded as desired.
It felt as though all the effort he had painstakingly put in was beginning to tremble. It seemed all this discomfort began with the emergence of the Holy King.
Yet still.
‘I won’t crumble.’
How had he reached this point? He absolutely could not fall due to something so trivial. If he could eliminate what was shaking him, it could be dealt with, but he wouldn’t buckle over such matters.
Il Cheong-geom gathered his energy as if endeavoring to fortify himself. And then.
Sswissh-! Swoosh—!!
Suddenly, Il Cheong-geom swung his sword as he drew it from his scabbard.
The blade infused with energy cut through the air, swiftly halting as if aiming at an unseen entity.
“Who goes there?”
The voice carried a tense sharpness. In his eyes, uncertainty mingled with confidence.
It might appear as if nothing was visible, but there was definitely something present.
“Reveal yourself, or I’ll strike!”
He issued the warning only once. Not sensing any movement, Il Cheong-geom’s blade traced an arc through the air.
The moment his elegant technique was about to slice through the night air.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
Someone appeared from what seemed like an empty space.
It was an elder with flowing black hair. The sight of him made Il Cheong-geom tighten his grip on the hilt.
‘Strong.’
The elder was indeed powerful.
Moreover, he exuded a considerable level of strength.
Given the difficulty to ascertain his actual skill level, it implied he was at a comparable level to Il Cheong-geom.
Who on earth was this individual? As Il Cheong-geom raised his vigilance and examined the elder.
“I am Dae-Hwan, the leader of Gyecheonmun.”
“…!”
Il Cheong-geom’s eyes widened at the elder’s introduction.
There’s a next episode…!
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