Chapter 37: Chief Strategist (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 37: Chief Strategist (4)
“It seems the Blood Cult will rise again before long.”
‘!?’
The sudden mention of the Blood Cult left me momentarily speechless.
I didn't know how to react.
This isn't the time for jokes.
Seeing my grave expression, Zhuge Won-myeong spoke in a sympathetic tone.
“It must be quite a shock. But this is a foregone conclusion.”
‘Hmm...’
He went from talking about the Golden-Eyed Man to suddenly mentioning the Blood Cult. Does he think the Golden-Eyed Man is connected to them?
Hiding my inner thoughts, I spoke cautiously.
“Are you saying the Golden-Eyed Man you mentioned is related to the Blood Cult?”
“I cannot be certain, but I am about seventy percent sure that is the case.”
“...May I ask why?”
“Ungcheondo and Jangcheonje.”
Huh?
How could I not? They were top-tier masters of the Orthodox Faction who once enjoyed such fame that they were considered equals to the Namcheon Sword Guest.
The reason was simple. The two masters Zhuge Won-myeong just named were both dead, though they had passed at different times.
“And your master, as well as Bukyeong Doseong here.”
‘Could it be?’
“These four masters share two things in common.”
I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say.
“All four were peerless masters who wouldn't have been out of place as the next Eight Great Masters. They were the future of the Orthodox Martial World. And yet, every one of them was defeated by a single person.”
“...And that person is the Golden-Eyed Man?”
Zhuge Won-myeong nodded.
“Indeed. To be honest, since your master, the Namcheon Sword Guest, had been missing for so long, it remained a mere suspicion. But your testimony has confirmed it as fact.”
What Zhuge Won-myeong was saying was this:
Four of the greatest masters destined to lead the Orthodox Faction were struck down by the Golden-Eyed Man. As a result, the strength of the Orthodox Faction had been severely diminished.
But that wasn't the problem. He said this was a secret known only to the Elders of the Martial Alliance. This meant the high-ranking officials of the Martial Alliance—the leadership of the Orthodox Faction—believed this Golden-Eyed Man was linked to the Blood Cult.
It made sense, of course. From the perspective of a Blood Cult seeking to rise again, they would want to weaken the Orthodox Faction's power by any means necessary.
However, this wasn't the Blood Cult's doing.
‘...Are they taking advantage of the situation?’
I couldn't rule out that possibility. Currently, the Martial Alliance's morale was low due to the broken alliance with Peerless Fortress. They were holding the Grand Martial Assembly to overcome this, and if they could provide a clear sense of purpose, it would be enough to set the Orthodox Faction ablaze with fervor.
The Blood Cult, moving in the shadows and even killing the greatest symbols of the Orthodox Faction... From the Martial Alliance's perspective, what better narrative could there be to reunite the Orthodox Faction?
Zhuge Won-myeong stood up from his seat. He pointed toward a large wooden board covered with a cloth in the center of the office wall. When he pulled the cloth away, a massive Central Plains Map was revealed.
‘!?’
Various locations on the map were marked with red dots. Among them, I saw a familiar place.
‘Six Blood Valley?’
For a moment, I almost swallowed hard, but I managed to restrain myself. It was a map that would have thrown any untrained spy into a panic.
Zhuge Won-myeong spoke.
“Since the Great Orthodox-Evil War, this Alliance has been collecting information and working to root out the remnants of the Blood Cult. Does your heart not tremble seeing all these red dots?”
There were dozens of dots. I recognized several of them myself. As expected of the Martial Alliance that ruled half the world, their intelligence network was truly admirable.
“Since the war, the Blood Cult has split into an intelligence network of cells, slowly growing their strength like insects burrowing into wood.”
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Zhuge Won-myeong pointed to several locations with a wooden rod. One of them was indeed Six Blood Valley. Since small-to-mid-sized sects affiliated with the Martial Alliance had recently attacked it, they would naturally have identified it.
“The area above the lamp may be bright, but beneath it is pitch black. The devious followers of the Blood Cult are ready to strike at our throats at any moment.”
I felt I had to show some kind of reaction. I intentionally put on a grim expression and spoke.
“...I thought the Blood Cult was destroyed twenty years ago. I never dreamed they were hiding like this. This isn't something we can just ignore, is it? Shouldn't we announce this to the world and root them out?”
The Lesser Conversation Sword marveled at my acting, as I behaved as if I had absolutely no connection to the Blood Cult. Even the sword, which knew everything, was impressed. Meanwhile, Zhuge Won-myeong was watching my somewhat heated reaction with cold, calculating eyes.
‘...Even after I was revealed as the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest, he hasn't completely let his guard down.’
This man was dangerous. If I relaxed my vigilance for even a second, he would find a way in.
“You are right. This is a grave matter. However, because they operate in cells, announcing this prematurely would only cause them to sink deeper underground.”
“Then what should be done?”
“Do you know how many of the locations marked on this map have been dealt with?”
I didn't answer. Zhuge Won-myeong continued.
“Only about thirty percent have been cleared. The rest have slipped through the Alliance's fingers with uncanny skill. Do you know what that implies?”
“........”
I understood the point of his question immediately. It was just uncomfortable to say it out loud. But I had to answer.
“...Information is being leaked. There might be a spy within the Martial Alliance.”
To think the day would come where I, a spy, would discuss the existence of spies. This was something I had never experienced even before my regression.
As soon as I mentioned the word 'spy,' Zhuge Won-myeong’s expression changed.
“As expected of the Namcheon Sword Guest's disciple. You have keen insight.”
The trace of suspicion that had been in his eyes until a moment ago faded slightly. It wasn't complete trust, but I felt I had gained a bit of his confidence. It seemed he had been testing me in a different way than Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik had.
Zhuge Won-myeong smiled and said, “Seeing the rising waves of the Yangtze like you gives me great reassurance. It’s no wonder the Namcheon Sword Guest entrusted his sword to you.”
“No, please. Your words are too kind. I only fear I might bring dishonor to my master’s name.”
“Too much humility can be unappealing.”
“...Thank you.”
“As you said, there are indeed Blood Cult spies within the Alliance. We have identified over a dozen so far. There are likely many more.”
“That many?”
“In an organization that encompasses tens of thousands of people, it would be impossible not to have spies.”
As I thought, they had already identified some of them. Unlike the Blood Cult, which hid in cells, the Martial Alliance was open to everyone. Planting a spy wasn't difficult. The hard part was planting one at the executive level, where the core information resided.
“Is it alright not to capture all of them?”
Jang Myeong, Gwak Hyeong-jik’s disciple who had been listening quietly, spoke up. Zhuge Won-myeong shook his head.
“Even if we catch them, new ones will inevitably take their place.”
“But leaving them be...”
“It must be to leak false information.”
At my words, a spark of interest appeared in the eyes of both Zhuge Won-myeong and Gwak Hyeong-jik. The reason for keeping spies alive was simple: they could be used to leak and spread misinformation. That was the essence of a deception strategy.
“Hmm.”
Zhuge Won-myeong looked at me with narrowed eyes. I should have stayed quiet. In my effort to avoid suspicion, I might have shown off too much of what I knew.
However...
“You are a tempting talent indeed. If you weren't aiming for a Hall Master position through the Successor's Martial Discussion, I would want to bring you into my First Strategist Division.”
“You flatter me.”
Fortunately, it was a compliment. But then, while I was off-guard, he followed up with something unexpected.
“Since you are such a talent, I would like to ask a favor of you, even if it means swallowing my pride.”
‘A favor?’
The situation was becoming increasingly awkward. Zhuge Won-myeong spoke with a serious face.
“This could be a very important matter for the Orthodox Martial World. And it’s a favor I’d like to ask of both of you.”
“Of me as well?”
Jang Myeong looked at Zhuge Won-myeong with a puzzled expression. Judging by his reaction, this hadn't been discussed beforehand. What kind of favor was he about to ask?
“Don't worry. It’s related to the Successor's Martial Discussion you two are about to enter.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is a high probability that Blood Cult spies will participate in this Grand Martial Assembly.”
“.......”
Yes. One is standing right in front of you.
This was a place where I couldn't let my guard down for even a second.
“We suspect they have two main objectives.”
“And those are?”
“First, if they place high in the Successor's Martial Discussion, they can enter key positions within the Alliance. They are likely aiming for that. And second...”
I felt uneasy. I wondered what would come out of his mouth next. I hoped it wouldn't be mentioned, but with their level of intelligence...
“They will be after the Blood Demon Sword kept in the Alliance's secret vault.”
‘Ah...’
A groan escaped me internally. A difficult task was turning into a nightmare. If the Martial Alliance was already aware that people were after the Blood Demon Sword, stealing it would become even harder.
I had to use my head. Using this situation to gain information might be my only way out.
“Since we announced that the vault would be specially opened for this assembly, they will likely not want to miss this opportunity.”
I spoke cautiously.
“If they are after that sword, we must not lower our guard. Is the favor you have for us related to the Blood Demon Sword?”
Zhuge Won-myeong shook his head.
“No. You don't need to worry about that.”
“What do you mean, we don't need to worry?”
“Even if they somehow manage to win the Successor's Martial Discussion by some miracle, they won't be able to take the Blood Demon Sword from the vault. In five days, the Blood Demon Sword will be moved to Wudang Mountain.”
‘!!!’
“Taoist Master Zhongxian has agreed to take charge of the Blood Demon Sword during the Grand Martial Assembly, so you have nothing to worry about.”
Crucial information had just come out of his mouth. The Blood Demon Sword was being moved from the Martial Alliance's vault to Wudang Mountain. Since one of the Eight Great Masters, the Sect Leader of Wudang, Taiji Sword Emperor Zhongxian, would be guarding it, its safety was practically guaranteed.
Jang Myeong spoke up.
“Then what is the task you wish to entrust to us?”
“What I want you to do is identify any suspicious spies during the Successor's Martial Discussion.”
‘...Well, this is just great.’
The situation was taking a bizarre turn. A Blood Cult spy being asked to find other spies. Sama Yeong, perhaps feeling the same way I did, also had a strange expression on her face.
Zhuge Won-myeong smiled broadly.
“Ideally, I’d like you both to achieve high rankings in the Successor's Martial Discussion to ensure that no Blood Cult spies can take up key positions.”
At those words, Jang Myeong stood up, gave a fist-and-palm salute, and spoke vigorously.
“As a member of the Orthodox Faction, how could I avoid such a heavy responsibility? I will not disappoint you.”
...Dammit.
Because Jang Myeong stepped up so gallantly, I had no choice but to say the same thing. Unintentionally, I had ended up with a foot in both camps.
After So Woon-hwi left the office, Bukyeong Doseong Gwak Hyeong-jik, who had been sitting quietly and listening, finally spoke.
“Strategist Zhuge. Is that true?”
“Is what true?”
“What you said earlier when the Namcheon Sword Guest's successor was here—about entrusting the Blood Demon Sword to Wudang. That wasn't part of the plan, was it?”
At his question, Zhuge Won-myeong gave a faint smile.
“Hehehe.”
‘!?’
Gwak Hyeong-jik spoke in a voice full of disbelief.
“...You. You lied to that boy?”
“I needed to be certain.”
“Do you not trust him?”
Gwak Hyeong-jik had tested So Woon-hwi himself. The result of his test was that the boy was undoubtedly the true successor of the Namcheon Sword Guest. But it seemed Zhuge Won-myeong felt differently.
“Great Hero Gwak confirmed it himself, so how could I not trust him? I, too, believe there is a ninety percent chance that the boy is the successor of the Namcheon Sword Guest.”
“Ninety percent?”
“It’s just that the remaining ten percent bothers me.”
“Why?”
“Besides him, there are other children who returned after being missing for over a year.”
“Who are they?”
At that question, Zhuge Won-myeong stood up and examined a document on his office desk.
“The children of the Johang Song Family. They belong to the same Hunan Province Branch.”
“The Johang Song Family? Is that true?”
When Zhuge Won-myeong nodded, Gwak Hyeong-jik frowned and said, “If there’s even a shred of doubt, shouldn't we verify it?”
“I intend to.”
“How?”
“I’ve already cast the bait.”
“Bait?”
“If they move based on that false information to target the Blood Demon Sword, wouldn't that be the perfect opportunity to wipe them all out at once?”
Zhuge Won-myeong smiled thinly and looked at Jang Myeong. Jang Myeong let out a gasp and muttered.
“A deception strategy!”
“Hehehe. Do you see? This is why we don't capture all the spies.”
Hearing Zhuge Won-myeong’s words, Jang Myeong inwardly thought he was a terrifying man. He learned that being superior in martial arts wasn't everything. If there was even a ten percent chance that So Woon-hwi was a spy, he would have no choice but to fall into the trap.
After their conversation, Gwak Hyeong-jik and Jang Myeong also said their goodbyes and prepared to leave the office. However, as Gwak Hyeong-jik was heading out, he noticed something.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“What do you mean?”
Zhuge Won-myeong, who was seeing them off, turned around. A dagger was lying on the floor in a spot that was hard to see, wedged between a chair and the table.
Jang Myeong saw it and said, “That dagger... I think it belongs to Brother So?”
The dagger was none other than So Woon-hwi’s Lesser Conversation Sword.