[Chapter 18]
I woke Yang Gu, who had fallen asleep in the chair.
Half-asleep, Yang Gu looked around and belatedly realized he had been captured.
"Are the places where you were hit okay?"
"What? Oh, yes."
When I spoke gently, Yang Gu seemed flustered.
"To be honest, I like smart people like you. I get frustrated with those who are simply ignorant and stubborn, pushing their obstinacy as if it were some sort of conviction. You're not like that, are you?"
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I think you know that better than I do. Frankly, I don't want to torture you. As you know, our side's torture can be pretty harsh, right? Turning a healthy person into a wreck and tossing them aside?"
"It's no use threatening me. I don't know anything."
"I know. I don't think you know much. You probably just followed orders. Just honestly tell me that."
"I don't know. I wasn't given any orders."
"Then I guess I'll have to talk to another version of you."
"Another version of me?"
"The you that cares more about yourself than you do."
At my signal, an old man entered the room.
"He's spent his whole life doing torture. What's your confession rate again?"
He was a short old man, but the aura he exuded was terrifying.
"Ninety percent."
"That makes you quite the interrogation master."
"Not exactly. Half of that ninety percent died after confessing."
"And the remaining half?"
"They're living as beggars, half-wrecked."
The sheer intensity of the old man's lethal aura was so overwhelming that Yang Gu couldn't help but scream.
"Please, spare me!"
I patted Yang Gu's shoulder lightly and said,
"You can leave now. I'll bring out another you who's less brave and wants to avoid unnecessary pain to talk. That version of you might have less loyalty or conviction, but they'll definitely care more about you. So, step aside."
Meanwhile, the old man lit a fire in the brazier and began heating various sizes of iron skewers. His methodical, businesslike demeanor without even a hum added to the fear.
Terrified, Yang Gu pleaded.
"If I talk, I'll die."
"You'll die even if you don't talk. Think about it. What will Magunju do when he hears you've been captured by me? He'll do whatever it takes to get rid of you. You know what kind of person he is better than I do, right?"
In Yang Gu's trembling eyes, his turmoil and fear were clearly visible.
"You know, right? No matter where you hide, he will eventually find and kill you. There's only one way for you to survive."
"What is it?"
I brought my face close to Yang Gu's, whispering like a devil as I stared into his fear-stricken eyes.
"Strike first before he does. Of course, you'll have to leave the sect. But with your level of martial arts, you should be able to live well anywhere."
At this moment, I was truly a devil, tempting him while simultaneously lying. I had no intention of letting him go. If he committed a crime, he had to be punished.
"No time to think. By now, word has probably spread that you've fallen into our hands."
In truth, Magunju had not yet realized his disappearance. Yang Gu, having just woken up, had no sense of time, but it had only been one shichen since he was captured.
"Or you could test your willpower."
I turned away immediately, not giving him time to think.
Then I heard Yang Gu's voice from behind.
"…What should I do?"
"When the Huangcheongak investigators come in, tell them everything that happened."
"And then?"
"We'll capture Magunju. You will leave the sect with a new identity."
Yang Gu didn't take long to decide.
"Fine. I'll do it."
I left the room immediately and let the Huangcheongak investigators who were waiting outside enter. I instructed the old man who came to torture him to continue heating the iron skewers.
A little while later, Seo Daeryong came and reported what Yang Gu had confessed.
As Jangho had suspected, it was indeed Magunju who ordered the killing of the Huangcheongak investigator and Jangho's colleague. The person who carried out the order was Godang, who was already dead. There were countless other atrocities as well.
"He's killed quite a lot, one way or another."
Seo Daeryong was concerned.
"Magunju won't be captured easily. He knows he'll be executed if caught."
"We're not going to capture him."
"What?"
"We'll kill him."
Seo Daeryong was so shocked he let out a gasp, his mouth agape.
"If Magunju is captured, the Heavenly Blood Blade Demon will definitely make a move. He won't just stand by and watch his brother be executed. That would make the situation very complicated."
Ideally, we would expose his crimes in front of everyone and deal with him through a formal trial, but that was just a fantasy. Fabricated evidence showing he had no involvement would emerge, scapegoats to take the blame for his crimes, slander against me, and all sorts of conspiracy theories would spread.
"However, if Magunju were to die during the arrest process, the situation would change. All that would remain would be the evidence proving his crimes."
"Heavenly Blood Blade Demon will seek revenge."
"Not everyone lives a life of revenge just because their family was killed. Especially Heavenly Blood Blade Demon, he wouldn't waste his life on revenge."
"How can you be so sure?"
Because I know what kind of life he's lived.
"I can't be certain. However, even if he seeks revenge, he won't act immediately. If I get hurt or die, it will be obvious that it was his doing. In fact, to avoid misunderstandings, he would have to protect me."
"And later?"
"By then, I'll be stronger, so there's no need to worry."
I left Seo Daeryong standing there with a dumbfounded expression, unsure if what I said made sense or not. As I walked down the hallway, Seo Daeryong belatedly opened the door and ran out.
"Where are you going? Surely… no, right?"
"And if it is? Want to come with me?"
Seo Daeryong flinched.
"I'm going to buy some liquor. Don't worry and wait."
* * *
That 'surely' was right. I did go to buy liquor.
Magunju greeted me with a light-hearted expression.
"Is the investigation over?"
"Yes, thanks to you, it concluded smoothly."
"I'm sad at the thought of parting with you, Yi Gongja."
I responded to his insincere remark with my own insincere answer.
"When I become the successor, I will definitely repay the favor you have shown me this time."
"That's my line. I will never forget the favor you showed by letting this slide."
Yes, he would never forget this incident. The greedy man had suffered a huge loss. He lost his subordinate Godang and handed over evidence with his own hands. Any other investigator in my place would have died many times over by now.
"In that sense, let's have a drink, shall we?"
I poured the liquor I had bought into the glasses prepared on the corner table.
"Cheers."
After clinking glasses with him, we drank. It was a celebratory drink for him, but a farewell drink for me.
"Why did you do it?"
"What?"
"I mean, you probably have more money than you could spend in a lifetime. Why did you have so much greed that you hired Magun as a contractor?"
For a moment, Magunju's expression hardened.
"You should have asked the deceased Godang."
"What would a puppet know?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm curious about your motives, our lord."
"Motives? Did you just say motives?"
"Indeed. What could be in that dark heart of yours? Only a desire for more, I suppose."
"You insolent…!"
Just as the agitated Magunju raised his voice, I seized the opportunity and drew my sword.
Shiiing!
Thunk!
A single flash of the sword pierced through Magunju's chest. With my sword striking from such a close distance, synchronizing with his breath, and moving with incredible speed, Magunju couldn't avoid it.
Soaring Sword Art, Fifth Form: Azure Sky.
It was a swift sword move from among the eight forms of the Soaring Sword Art.
Even with his heart pierced, he didn't die immediately.
Magunju, with the sword embedded in his chest, slowly sank to the ground. His expression was blank as if he couldn't grasp what had just happened. Then he looked at me with lifeless eyes. If I pulled out the sword lodged in his heart, he would die.
In a calm tone, I spoke softly.
"Magunju Gu Cheonyang, I arrest you for the private misuse of Magun and for your involvement in over twenty murders and instigations of murder."
Only then did Magunju's gaze shift to the sword embedded in his chest.
"…This isn't an arrest…"
"It would be a public execution anyway. For the sake of those left behind, please go this way. I apologize for the ambush."
I pulled out the sword, and Magunju died instantly.
I could have made it appear as if he died after a fierce battle, but I didn't. It was better to make it seem like a stroke of luck had allowed me to kill him in one move.
I summoned all the Magun and the Hwangcheon Hall investigators to the scene, except for the Magun's first unit, who were under house arrest.
"Magunju, who committed heinous crimes, resisted arrest and died in the process."
My loud declaration echoed throughout the hall.
Everyone looked back and forth between me and Magunju's corpse with shocked expressions. They never imagined Magunju would meet his end at my hands.
Among the astonished faces was Jangho of the third unit. A fleeting look of joy crossed his eyes as he stared at Magunju's corpse. It was the moment he avenged his friend's death.
Seo Daeryong was no different. His efforts to memorize all the details of the Magun for the sake of avenging his senior finally came to fruition.
I immediately gave Seo Daeryong an order.
"Arrest all members of the Magun first unit and confine them. Conduct a formal investigation into this incident."
"Yes!"
Next, I commanded Jangho.
"Third unit leader Jangho, under your command, all Magun except the first unit will assist the Hwangcheon Hall investigators in arresting the first unit. This order carries the same weight as a directive from the sect leader due to the immediate execution authority I received. Execute it immediately."
"Yes, understood."
Jangho led the Magun and followed Seo Daeryong out.
The problem wasn't when Magunju was alive, ordering to catch this guy and kill that guy. He had already grown cold. Loyalty maintained through fear collapses like a sandcastle with the leader's death.
Jangho, who was about to leave, turned to look at me.
We shared the emotions of the moment with a faint smile.
"Thank you."
"Thanks to you."
After the arrest of the entire Magun group, Seo Daeryong returned to the place where we had been staying.
"After arresting all the members of the Magun group, we suppressed their internal energy and imprisoned them. In the process, six martial artists were injured, but no one died."
"Well done."
Even though everything was over, Seo Daeryong still seemed worried.
"You really killed Magunju."
"If I let him live, many people would be slaughtered. Even Jangho, who sent the anonymous letter, would eventually be killed. Many of the third-generation martial artists trying to protect him would be sacrificed too. You wouldn't be an exception either."
"Oh, you thought that far."
Seo Daeryong couldn't hide his rising emotions.
"You are truly a righteous person, sir."
"Righteousness? No way! I was just angry that he was messing with what I was supposed to inherit. I am that selfish. So, don't misunderstand."
Seo Daeryong, who was silently gazing at me, bowed his head politely.
"You've worked hard."
"You too."
Seo Daeryong, who was about to leave, suddenly spoke.
"Still, I hope… you will become the successor, Young Master."
I thought that perhaps those words were the highest praise a person like Seo Daeryong could offer.
As soon as he finished speaking, Seo Daeryong immediately went outside.
As I was about to follow him, something caught my eye, and I sat on the bed for a moment. The bedding, where the crow carcass had been, had been replaced with a clean new one. It seemed that even amidst all the busyness, Seo Daeryong had changed it.
When I looked out the window, I saw Seo Daeryong walking across the training field, having exited the building.
I leaned out the window and shouted.
"Can't you say things like that properly while looking into my eyes?"
Seo Daeryong quickened his pace toward the entrance.
Beyond his retreating figure, I saw the place I needed to go. Had I gotten a few steps closer because of this incident? Cheonmajeon looked even more grandiose than usual.