The Time of Patience (1)
Flash!
Deung Cheon-gyo's eyes gleamed with cold light.
Whether aware of it or not, the Vice Hall Leader of the Punishment Hall riffled through a few documents before speaking.
“Well, for the time being...”
The Vice Hall Leader smacked his lips.
“A formal investigation will proceed. We’ll need to arrange a face-to-face with the victim and hear his account of the situation.”
“......”
Deung Cheon-gyo said nothing. He simply stared fixedly at the Vice Hall Leader’s face.
The Vice Hall Leader cleared his throat. Being silently glared at by the leader of the Kongtong Sect was anything but pleasant.
Yet there was no helping it. The laws of the Martial Alliance clearly stated that once inside the Punishment Hall, everyone—regardless of rank—received equal treatment.
Of course, those same laws were often interpreted with flexibility depending on who stood before them. This was precisely such a case.
No matter how much they preached impartiality, the man was the leader of one of the Nine Great Sects. Considering his contributions and the history of the Jianghu, even the strictest Alliance laws could not treat him like a common criminal.
Besides, they had yet to hear the victim’s side. Though the man was the perpetrator, a proper interrogation remained difficult.
“In other words, you may think of this as temporary detention, Sect Leader. Naturally, if the victim’s statement suggests the matter is severe, the detention will continue afterward.”
Deung Cheon-gyo finally spoke.
“There is no risk of flight, yet you begin with detention?”
His voice had sunk low and heavy.
The Vice Hall Leader cleared his throat again.
“There are witnesses. Normally, after receiving a report, we listen to the details and then decide—depending on the complexity—whether to detain immediately or proceed with house arrest.”
“Sloppy work.”
“It may appear that way.”
Even as he answered, the Vice Hall Leader tilted his head slightly. Something about Deung Cheon-gyo’s voice felt strangely familiar. Familiar, yet oddly unpleasant to the ear.
The Vice Hall Leader continued.
“At the time of your arrest, Sect Leader, you did not deny striking Military Advisor Yi Jeong-gun first. There are witnesses, a victim, and even the perpetrator himself has not refuted the facts. Therefore, it is only natural that you remain here.”
Why had he admitted to it? Pride? The only witness was Moyong Gun. No matter how strong his voice carried, the matter could have been denied outright.
The Vice Hall Leader should have pondered that question more deeply.
“Thanks to you persuading Yong-hwa Jinin, our work has become much easier. For that, I offer my sincere gratitude. We will conduct the upcoming investigation with the utmost care.”
“It was necessary.”
“Pardon?”
“If Yong-hwa Jinin had gone on a rampage, it would have been troublesome. That is why I persuaded him.”
The Vice Hall Leader smiled.
“Thank you. As expected, Sect Leader, your devotion to the Alliance is truly exceptional. We cannot erase the crime itself, but we will take every possible factor into consideration.”
The man clearly understood the hierarchy and influence of both the Punishment Hall and the Martial Alliance. That was what the Vice Hall Leader believed.
At the same time, he felt another twinge of unease. Why do my ears feel so itchy? Deung Cheon-gyo’s voice was growing lower and lower. Was it simply because he was in a foul mood?
“Still, I have one piece of good news for you, Sect Leader. Regarding the Kongtong Sect’s Four Divine Tiger Swordsmen, it seems we may be able to arrange some leniency. I will do my best to reach a favorable agreement with Military Advisor Yeon Hojeong.”
“Is that so? I’m grateful.”
“Not at all.”
“Not at all.”
“......?”
“......”
“Pardon?”
“Pardon?”
Confusion rose on the Vice Hall Leader’s face.
“Do you perhaps have something else you wish to say to me?”
“Do you perhaps have something else you wish to say to me?”
Deung Cheon-gyo repeated the Vice Hall Leader’s words exactly.
The Vice Hall Leader, who had been watching him silently, cleared his throat and spoke.
“I understand you are upset. However, this is an official setting. Please refrain from such jokes.”
“I understand you are upset. However, this is an official setting. Please refrain from such jokes.”
The Vice Hall Leader’s expression hardened.
No matter that the man was the leader of the Kongtong Sect, he was here as a perpetrator. Such behavior inside an interrogation room was unacceptable.
“That is enough, Sect Leader.”
Only then did Deung Cheon-gyo close his mouth.
The Vice Hall Leader let out a sigh.
“I know your feelings have been greatly disturbed. As I said, in minor matters I will do what I can to—”
“What is your name?”
“Pardon?”
“Your name. I wish to know the name of the man investigating me.”
Depending on how one interpreted it, the words could sound like a threat. Such was the influence of the Kongtong Sect Leader.
The Vice Hall Leader stared at Deung Cheon-gyo for a moment before answering.
“I am called Seok Bang-heon.”
“Seok Bang-heon… A fine name.”
Deung Cheon-gyo’s voice sank even lower. It sounded as if it were rising from the depths of a cave.
The Vice Hall Leader—Seok Bang-heon—felt an inexplicable sense of dread.
Could a human voice truly drop so low?
Well, it was possible. His own voice was similarly low. Yet Deung Cheon-gyo’s voice had always been rather high for a man, and given his age, it carried a certain hoarseness...
“...?!”
Shock suddenly flooded Seok Bang-heon’s face. That’s my voice.
At that moment, Deung Cheon-gyo smiled.
It was a cold smile unlike anything Seok Bang-heon had ever seen from him.
“Thank you.”
A demonic disguise art of the Gwang-hyeol Sect. At its peak, it can replicate not only appearance but even bone structure itself.
Hiss!
Seok Bang-heon’s body froze rigid.
Thud!
Seok Bang-heon’s head slammed onto the table. His breath had already been cut short. Blood slowly seeped from his nose and mouth, staining the tabletop.
Deung Cheon-gyo rose from his seat as if he had been waiting for this very moment.
“Hup.”
Clang!
The handcuffs snapped apart instantly.
After searching Seok Bang-heon’s body for the key and removing the iron cuffs from his own wrists, Deung Cheon-gyo leaned the corpse against the chair and laid it down.
Seok Bang-heon’s face, still frozen in the same expression of shock as blood poured from his nose and mouth, showed he had died without even realizing it.
Deung Cheon-gyo raised his right hand.
Ssssss!
With an ominous sound, reddish true energy rose from his palm and took form.
It was a mask. A mask of crimson true energy that shimmered like heat haze.
It was astonishing. Once imprisoned in the Punishment Hall, one first had their internal energy sealed through pressure point strikes, then had iron cuffs placed on them. Those cuffs were no ordinary items; over time they slowed the movement of true energy circulating through the meridians.
In other words, breaking the cuffs with physical strength or raising such mysterious true energy should have been impossible.
Slither.
Deung Cheon-gyo placed the mask of true energy over Seok Bang-heon’s face.
Vrrrrrm.
The crimson mask hovering an inch above the face began to replicate Seok Bang-heon’s features.
“A shame there is so little time.”
The Gwang-hyeol-gwi-myeon. At its highest level, it could even cover a person’s skeletal structure. Deung Cheon-gyo’s Gwang-hyeol-gwi-myeon-gong had reached such a realm.
However, fully replicating bone structure required more than half a day. Even then, to apply it to one’s own body, alter the skeleton using Bone-Contracting Art, and complete the transformation would take over three days.
There was neither time to perfectly copy Seok Bang-heon’s body nor time to transform. Well, it would be a waste to expend one use of the ghost-face art on a mere underling like this.
Vrrrrrm.
The Gwang-hyeol-gwi-myeon gradually took on a blue hue.
Deung Cheon-gyo pressed the now-blue mask onto his own face.
Crack!
Then an astonishing transformation began.
Crack! Crunch! Pop!
The shape of his facial bones and muscles shifted.
His pale beard fell away, and even the color of his hair changed. It was a sight difficult to believe even while watching.
“Ugh...”
A pained groan escaped the lips of the man who was no longer Deung Cheon-gyo, but Seok Bang-heon.
His patience was second to none, yet the process of bones twisting and muscle structure rearranging was almost unbearable.
In truth, among those who learned the Gwang-hyeol-gwi-myeon-gong, less than thirty percent survived. And of that thirty percent, more than half died from shock to their heart veins during transformation.
Even he, who had trained the ghost-face art to the highest level under the name of Gwang-hyeol, felt the threat of death each time. Such was the danger of this martial art.
That was precisely why the power of the Gwang-hyeol-gwi-myeon-gong shone so brightly.
A short while later.
“Huff! Huff!”
The man who had been breathing heavily quickly regulated his respiration. It’s done.
Perfect.
His height and frame were slightly larger than Seok Bang-heon’s, but such a minor difference could be covered simply by changing the face.
After changing into Seok Bang-heon’s clothes, he left the interrogation room.
“Vice Hall Leader.”
“Mm.”
The Hall members who passed by bowed at the waist in greeting.
The new Seok Bang-heon nodded with a curt expression and walked down the corridor.
From behind came the whispers of the Hall members.
“The Vice Hall Leader’s expression looks terrible.”
“He was in charge of interrogating the Kongtong Sect Leader. It’s understandable.”
“Sigh, the atmosphere’s going to get even more oppressive.”
Much information was hidden in their conversation. From it, he could roughly grasp what kind of person Seok Bang-heon was.
A short while later, as he descended to the first floor, one of the members tapped his shoulder.
“Ack!”
The member’s eyes widened.
“Can’t you watch where you’re going?!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
With those words, he stepped down onto the first floor.
It was then.
BOOOOM!
From far away came a tremendous explosion, and massive flames shot into the sky.
“Huk! W-what is that?!”
“It’s an explosion!”
“Where? Where is the explosion coming from...?!”
“Over there!”
At that moment, he shouted.
“All members, do not panic! Hold your positions!”
The members who had rushed out bowed their heads.
“By your command!”
He shouted toward the gate captain.
“Prepare for any possible contingency! Gate captain, if I step forward, lock the gates immediately! There may be traitors helping the criminals escape!”
Though puzzled, the gate captain bowed.
“We obey the Vice Hall Leader’s orders!”
He quickly exited through the gates. At the same time, the main doors of the Punishment Hall slammed shut.
He did not head toward the fire. He could already tell how the situation was unfolding using only Pung-byeok-ja’s ghost-face true energy. Hold on, Pung-byeok-ja. Just endure a little longer.
He swiftly circled to the rear of the Punishment Hall building and located the sword scar on the western outer wall.
Finding it was not difficult. He had carved it himself.
Swish, swish, swish!
Using fierce hand techniques, he dug into the earth. The speed was truly astonishing. With every movement of his hand, the ground was violently torn open.
After digging for some time, a large iron box appeared—roughly three feet long, one foot wide, and nearly two feet tall.
Clang!
When he opened the box, it was packed full of pitch-black spheres.
The spheres gave off an unmistakably dangerous aura. They were small-scale Thunder Heavens—miniature bombs secretly manufactured by the imperial palace.
He slipped one into his robes, then lifted the entire box and swung it with great force.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
The Thunder Heavens flew in every direction across the Punishment Hall grounds, rolling to a stop in various locations.
“Hm? What are these?”
“Spheres? No… they’re too big and heavy to be spheres...”
He smiled. They aren’t spheres at all.
Swoosh!
Leaping over the hill, he pulled the safety pin from the Thunder Heaven hidden in his robes.
With an expressionless face, he hurled the bomb toward the Punishment Hall.
A moment later.
KWAAAAAANG! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
With a deafening roar, the buildings of the Punishment Hall began to collapse.
WHOOOOSH!
Scarlet flames surged high into the sky.
At the same time, he realized it—Pung-byeok-ja, caught in the suggestion of the Gwang-hyeol-gwi-myeon, had carried out his suicide. Perfect.
He turned his body.
Swish!
Using movement techniques as swift as the wind, he was already beyond the inner walls of the Martial Alliance.