[Chapter 12]
I practiced and practiced the Soaring Sword Art that I had perfected.
It was a martial art I had honed for so long, but executing the Soaring Sword Art with a rejuvenated body gave a completely different feeling. This must be why they say you can never see the end of martial arts no matter how much you train in your lifetime.
While practicing the Soaring Sword Art, I also practiced the Energy Emission Training that my father had taught me. Additionally, I worked hard to balance the internal and external energy that had increased with the Demon Essence Elixir.
As a result of repeated training,
On the ninety-seventh day after entering this place, I was able to perfectly handle my increased power. I also became more adept at emitting energy, capable of releasing a greater number of qi. Although not quite like a spider's web, I could now emit more than ten qi simultaneously.
"It's done. Up to this point."
For the remaining three days, I quietly calmed my mind and organized the tasks I needed to do going forward.
On the hundredth day since entering this place, I pushed the stone slab aside.
Then, the door leading outside opened.
"Ah, this fresh air! Farewell, bikwokdan!"
Stretching widely, I walked out from there.
A martial artist from Heavenly Demon Hall was waiting at the exit of Socheondong.
"Oh! Young Master!"
He looked at me in surprise.
"Why are you so startled?"
"I was instructed to escort you straight to Heavenly Demon Hall as soon as you came out, so I was waiting here. But I didn't expect you to come out so early. I was told to wait at least a hundred days starting today."
"How long have you been waiting?"
"I started today."
My father had expected that I would come out sometime between the hundredth and two-hundredth day. That was my father's assessment of my talent.
This showed he thought quite highly of me.
Moreover, it also meant he didn't think I would die.
Thinking that my father's decision to place me in Socheondong might not have been a punishment but rather a reward, I followed the martial artist.
* * *
When I arrived at Heavenly Demon Hall, my father was alone.
I slowly walked along the red carpet towards the throne where my father sat.
People called this carpet the "Path of Blood." How much blood must be shed to reach that place? How much blood did my father have to witness to be able to sit there? How much more blood will need to be shed to keep that place?
"It took you exactly a hundred days."
My lips twitched at my father's words. I broke through the gate in just one day. That's your son now. Should I really find a bamboo grove in the back mountain?
"I struggled, but I couldn't break your record, Father."
"Did you cut the phantom properly?"
"I cut it cleanly without losing my temper. You left such clear clues, of course, I had to cut it well. I didn't rest in the final illusionary formation either."
At that moment, I saw it. A smile formed on my father's lips. It wasn't the usual sneer I had seen before. It was a genuine smile of joy. Unfortunately, the smile disappeared as soon as it appeared. For my father, a smile was like a mirage.
"You're not entirely an idiot."
"Of course not, whose son do you think I am?"
The father I knew before my regression was a man who enjoyed the succession battle that risked his children's lives.
But now I understood. He was a person who endured even the death of his children for the future of the Cult, not someone who enjoyed the battle.
"But why did you call for me?"
Before telling me his business, my father summoned another person to the place.
He was Sima Myung, the Grand Military Advisor who held the highest authority under one person in the Cult.
"It's been a while, Grand Military Advisor Sima."
"To pass through Socheondong in just a hundred days. Remarkable, young master."
He was the Grand Military Advisor and the head of Tongcheongak, responsible for all intelligence of the central plains, and a person who had my father's complete trust.
"It was a punishment I received for a hundred days."
"Punishment? Or a reward?"
Sima Myung gave a meaningful smile.
"Perhaps it was a punishment that failed to be a punishment?"
"Hahaha."
Sima Myung laughed, and I laughed with him.
After the greeting, Sima Myung got to the point.
"The reason I wanted to see you today was to discuss an internal matter of the Cult."
He called me instead of my brother to handle an internal matter? Right after I came out of Socheondong? This was definitely different from the past. Normally, my brother would handle internal matters. Even if he was outside, he would be sent a letter to handle it.
My gaze turned past Sima Myung to my father, who was seated in the Taesai's chair. Ultimately, this decision was influenced by my father's will.
"Go ahead and speak."
"A while ago, a letter of accusation arrived. It reported corruption within the Magun."
The Magun was one of our Cult's military organizations, notorious for the rough temperaments of its members.
'Ah!'
The reason I sighed inwardly was that the leader of the Magun was none other than the younger brother of the Heavenly Blood Blade Demon. Once again, the Heavenly Blood Blade Demon was involved.
"Last year, a letter of accusation also arrived, and we had the Hwangcheon Pavilion investigate it."
The Hwangcheon Pavilion was an institution that investigated treason, corruption, and misconduct. Because of its nature, everyone hated it, but it was a powerful organization that took precedence over all others.
"However, the investigation at that time failed. No one testified, and the special investigator dispatched was murdered. The Magun member who killed him committed s*****e."
It was such a significant incident that even I remembered it. It looked like the Magun had obstructed the investigation, but no evidence was found. Eventually, the case was shelved and forgotten.
And now, another letter of accusation had arrived.
"We would like you, this young lord, to become the special investigator and handle this matter."
There was no need to ask, "Why me?"
Even before starting, this task reeked of danger, which meant it was a test from my father.
In an elite organization like the Magun, being involved in a corruption case meant execution. Someone guilty of corruption would do anything to hide their crime, and they wouldn't spare the investigator, even if he were the son of the Heavenly Demon.
Moreover, given that the Heavenly Blood Blade Demon had warned me, would I dare touch an organization led by his brother?
"You're pushing me into a death trap."
Sima Myung nodded in agreement.
"Yes. This mission will require you to risk your life."
I looked at my father. With his stern face, he suddenly said something unexpected.
"Didn't you say you'd seize control and tighten their leashes?"
It was something I had said to my father during a hunting trip.
"That was when I became the Heavenly Demon."
"So now you're too scared to do it?"
"No, if you put it that way, I can't refuse…."
Father preserved the honor of the Heavenly Blood Blade Demon by placing me in Socheondong, and now he plans to keep the Heavenly Blood Blade Demon in check through this test. What could be his true intentions?
Suddenly, I recalled the words my father said on the night we went hunting.
―Father, can you kill me for your sake?
―If this becomes a matter of concern, then you shouldn't casually speak of treachery.
My gaze met my father's in the empty air.
His stern eyes were the same as when we went hunting and when he put me in Socheondong.
Upon reflection, this isn't my father's decision.
I faced my father with a different demeanor, and this was the result of his choice. In the end, it was a path I chose as well.
"Looking at those splendid stars, I spoke those words. I must take responsibility. I'll handle it."
My father smiled enigmatically at my cheerful acceptance.
'I don't know what Father's plan is, but I'll dance a fine blade dance for him.'
On the other hand, Sima Myung seemed surprised by my acceptance.
"Are you sure? As I mentioned, it's very dangerous."
"But we can't just let those who are robbing our Cult's storehouse be. However, I have one condition."
"What is it?"
"Not only investigative authority but also summary execution authority."
Summary execution authority.
It meant the privilege of not being held accountable for killing a target inevitably during the investigation.
Since this was unprecedented, Sima Myung looked at my father. He nodded slightly in approval.
"Fine. But exercise summary execution authority only when there is clear evidence."
"Of course."
"Thank you for allowing me to handle this difficult task."
"If I die, please inscribe on my tombstone that Mugeuk was brave."
Sima Myung chuckled.
"I will send a Huangcheon Hall investigator to assist you tomorrow."
"If possible, please send a beautiful lady."
"Hahaha. I've heard that this young master has been showing a new side recently, and indeed, you have changed a lot."
"I'll take that as a compliment. Well then, I'll take my leave. It might be my last chance, so I should have a drink."
After a courteous bow, I was about to leave when I glanced back at my father.
"Father, would you like to have a drink with your son who might be facing his last moments…?"
Father didn't even listen to my story to the end; he abruptly stood up and walked out.
I looked at Sima Myung and grinned.
"On the surface, he's prickly, but he actually takes good care of me."
"He doesn't appear that way at all."
Leaving that remark with a smile, Sima Myung also left.
I called out loudly to him.
"You're becoming more and more like my father, Military Adviser."
Sima Myung didn't look back either.
In front of those two, I tried to make jokes and play around. To them, I was a vibrant young man. I always reminded myself: don't drag the darkness of the past into this life. I was reborn.
I stretched greatly in front of Heavenly Demon Hall.
I would pass this test well and take another step closer to the position of successor.
* * *
The next morning, Ian informed me that the Huangcheon Hall investigator had arrived.
"Young master, I'll come along and help."
She knew very well how dangerous it was to investigate Magun.
Instead of giving permission, I asked.
"Is she pretty?"
"What?"
"Is the investigator waiting outside pretty?"
"What?"
"Don't disturb our cozy time for nothing! No jealousy allowed!"
At that moment, Ian gave me a look as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"The investigator is a man."
"What?"
Moments later, the person Ian guided in had a noticeably short stature and an aura of melancholy. And indeed, he was a man.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Seo Daeryong, a special investigator from Huangcheon Hall."
His name was Daeryong (Great Dragon), but his physique was quite the opposite. Even his voice was small.
"Why are you here? I asked the chief military adviser to send the most beautiful woman in Huangcheon Hall."
Seo Daeryong looked momentarily perplexed, then shrugged and replied.
"Maybe I look like the most beautiful woman to him."
At Seo Daeryong's joke, Ian chuckled.
"You're laughing? In this tragic situation?"
Ian quickly composed herself.
"No, I'm not."
"Ah, I was looking forward to spending some cozy time with a beauty."
I let out a pretend sigh.
"Fine, let's get to work. Tell me what you know about Magun. If you stammer, I'll show you what a tragic fate looks like for substituting a beauty."
In response to my joking remark, Seo Daeryong explained as if he had been waiting for it.
"The Magun is composed of a total of six units under the command of the Magunju. It is an organization that only carries out direct orders from the leader. Each unit consists of thirty people, making a total of one hundred and eighty-one people, including the Magunju. There is no deputy leader, as the role is replaced by the First Unit Leader, who is a close confidant of the Magunju."
"You've memorized well."
"Here are the documents about the Magun."
He handed me a thick file. The file contained detailed profiles and histories of the members of the Magun.
I randomly pulled out a sheet from the file.
"Tell me about Jongpyo."
I thought there was no way he could have memorized this, but he answered as if he had been waiting for it.
"He's a member of the First Unit of the Magun and has been for seven years now. His martial art is the Palm Technique known as 'Guhonjjang,' and he has a very ruthless personality. He loves drinking and gambling and has caused several incidents, but they were covered up by the Magun."
I was surprised and asked,
"What? How do you know this? Is he a friend or an enemy?"
"Neither."
I pulled out another sheet from the file and asked. Again, he knew exactly about the person.
"Don't tell me you've memorized all one hundred and eighty people?"
"Yes. To be precise, it's one hundred and eighty-one."
"You're a genius?"
"I've been investigating for a long time."
"No, no. If you've memorized all this, you're a genius, a real genius."
"I'd appreciate it if you acknowledged it as effort."
"Oh, you're humble too. Now I see you differently."
He had a small stature and seemed somewhat gloomy, but now his gloomy aura felt like the sharpness of a genius.
"There must be more reasons why you were sent here besides being a beauty, right?"
"Oh, just being humble would be boring, so show off a bit too. You entered Hwangcheongak as the top student, right?"
"How did you know?"
"That's it! Ian, did you hear that? When asked if he was the top student, he responds with 'How did you know?' That's the kind of answer I want. Cool, very cool. But unfortunately, you probably don't have a girlfriend."
"Why do you think that?"
"Don't you have a mirror at home?"
"It's unfortunate, but I don't."
"What? The mirror? Or the girlfriend?"
"Neither. I don't have the courage to resist an impolite superior."
"Hahaha."
I laughed heartily. Somehow, I liked this guy.
Alright, let's see how well he does his job.
"So, what kind of person is the Magunju?"