Chapter 398
Chapter 398
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 398
Chapter Title: Misunderstandings and Suspicions
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Returning to the Demonic Hall, Bu Eun-seol was handling various tasks that had piled up.
After meeting the Divine Calculator, Bu Eun-seol had found a new purpose. And to accomplish it, he would have to leave the Demonic Hall for a long time.
Moreover, So-yo, the assassin from the Hundred Streaks Assassins' Guild, and the child she brought with her had entered the Hall around the same time.
Before leaving for Shaolin, he had sent a letter to Yu Un-ryong, giving him various instructions to ensure So-yo and the child could safely enter the Demonic Hall.
Upon receiving the letter, Yu Un-ryong immediately dispatched Won Se-mun and his unit into the martial world.
They escorted So-yo and the child into the Hall, arriving at almost the same time as Bu Eun-seol.
The child So-yo brought with her resembled her so closely they could have been sisters, and she had an adorable face.
The problem was that Yu Un-ryong had entrusted So-yo's escort to none other than a member of the Four Shadows Hall.
No, to Won Se-mun, the greatest troublemaker in the entire Demonic Path.
—So, what exactly is your relationship with our Lord?
It seemed Won Se-mun had pried into all sorts of things while bringing So-yo to the Demonic Hall.
And So-yo had answered 'briefly,' which ultimately caused a huge problem.
—Our Lord has brought Lady So-yo's daughter here with the intention of taking responsibility for her for 'life'!
According to Won Se-mun, Bu Eun-seol had been tormented by guilt for abandoning the child and had finally brought So-yo and his daughter into the Demonic Hall.
—Since when does a dog sprout ivory fangs?
Naturally, the leaders of the Four Shadows Hall didn't believe Won Se-mun.
But So-yo's way of speaking, her actions, and even her aura... weren't they all the spitting image of Bu Eun-seol?
She was too thin, but she had a cute face and possessed the unique, mysterious charm of a foreigner.
Furthermore, the daughter she brought was the spitting image of her mother... making Won Se-mun's words seem strangely persuasive.
However, the person at the center of it all... Bu Eun-seol, was completely unaware of the situation.
Whisper, whisper.
As Bu Eun-seol moved about the Demonic Hall for his duties, he received strange glances he had never encountered before.
It wasn't the usual gaze of admiration and awe, but a peculiar stare that made the back of his neck itch.
Though he found it odd, Bu Eun-seol dismissed it as nothing.
During his time as a vagrant, he had endured contempt, and as a Corpse Collector, he had been constantly looked down upon.
Now, as the successor, he received admiration and respect, but that too was only a fleeting moment.
He had lived his entire life without ever caring about the gazes of others. He walked confidently, showing no reaction no matter how anyone looked at him.
This time, however, that attitude was a mistake on Bu Eun-seol's part.
If the majority of people were looking at him strangely, he should have asked why.
Rumble.
On his way to his office to handle the work that had piled up since his return to the Hall.
Suddenly, the leaders of the Four Shadows Hall, excluding Yu Un-ryong, crowded around him.
“What is it?”
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Myo Cheon-u, pushed forward by the other leaders, cleared his throat and asked.
“Lady So-yo has entered the Hall with the child.”
“I know.”
Hearing the calm reply, Myo Cheon-u seemed to make up his mind and asked bluntly.
“Did you really say you'd take responsibility for life?”
He was referring to taking responsibility for the child So-yo had brought.
The two of them were fated to be pursued by the Hundred Streaks Assassins' Guild for the rest of their lives, and Bu Eun-seol had to bring So-yo in as the vice-commander of the Soul-Annihilating Brigade.
But unfortunately...
Bu Eun-seol was not the type to explain such things in detail, and besides, he had a mountain of work to do.
So, with an indifferent expression, he nodded.
“That's right.”
A moment of silence followed.
Myo Cheon-u and the other leaders narrowed their eyes and nodded.
Then, like insects scattering in all directions, they rumbled away again.
“It's late, but it's a manly decision.”
Myo Cheon-u, who had been frozen, came to his senses and gave a thumbs-up.
“I'm rooting for you.”
And he too departed quietly.
The strange occurrences continued.
“My Lord.”
As Bu Eun-seol sat in his office reviewing letters, Dan So-ok, who hadn't visited him in a long time, came by.
She abruptly placed an envelope on his desk.
“It's a letter from Sister So-ha.”
“So-ha?”
Bu Eun-seol only realized it was from Yeon So-ha, the Young Mistress of the Divine Maiden Palace, after he opened the letter.
—My husband is a hero of the world... so I will not resent you even if you take three wives and four concubines. However, should such matters arise in the future, please be sure to consult with me, your official wife (正室).
As Bu Eun-seol read the letter, his expression was that of someone who had just found a giant fly in their soup.
“What in the world is this about?”
“You've gone too far. How could you... to such a sick child...”
Dan So-ok started to say something but then shook her head.
“It's a relief that my father is currently away from the Hall... In any case, make sure a matter like this never leaks outside the Demonic Hall. Well then.”
Before Bu Eun-seol could say anything, Dan So-ok swept out of the room.
Standing there dumbfounded, Bu Eun-seol frowned. What on earth was all this about?
Knock, knock.
Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Yu Un-ryong's voice.
“It's Yu Un-ryong.”
“Come in.”
When the door opened, he saw Yu Un-ryong, dressed in gray Confucian robes, and a small figure holding his hand tightly.
She looked to be about seven years old.
She was a very pretty girl with gentle, doe-like eyes.
But she seemed to be suffering from a serious illness; her face was pale, and her skin had a dark, unhealthy hue.
It looked as though her life would be in danger if she wasn't treated soon.
Bu Eun-seol knew at a glance that this was the child So-yo had brought.
“The preparations for her treatment are complete.”
Yu Un-ryong said with an exceptionally gentle expression.
“Lady So-yo, Myo Cheon-u, and the commander of the Soul-Annihilating Brigade will be here soon.”
Those two are both transcendent masters whose internal energy exceeds two hundred years of cultivation.
Adding Bu Eun-seol, So-yo, and Yu Un-ryong, they had gathered five masters, each with over three cycles of energy.
“The treatment is supposed to happen in the prepared quarters. Why did you bring her here?”
“The child hasn't been eating well, so her stamina is very low. What if she can't withstand the true qi we'll be infusing into her?”
“That won't happen.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“I will direct the qi infusion. I will regulate it so there is absolutely no strain on her body, so there's no need to worry.”
“But there's always a 'what if,' right? Something could go wrong.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Yu Un-ryong gave an exceptionally gentle smile and led the child forward.
“Hold the child, just once.”
“Why?”
“Why? That's too harsh.”
Yu Un-ryong said in a trembling voice, as if shocked.
“As her father, you can't even do that much for her?”
“Father?”
“Yes.”
“Ah.”
Bu Eun-seol finally understood everything.
There was no need to ask for the whole story. There was only one madman in the Four Shadows Hall who would spout such nonsense.
“Where is Won Se... no, that twin-sword bastard.”
***
For the first time in the history of the Four Shadows Hall, Won Se-mun was nearly thrown into the Thunder Prison for running his mouth.
This was because an enraged Dan So-ok, her eyes flipped with fury, had tried to throw him in there using her authority as the Secret Command Lord.
If the leaders of the Four Shadows Hall hadn't swarmed in at that moment to stomp on and beat him.
And if Dan So-ok's anger hadn't been assuaged by that.
He would have been locked in the Thunder Prison for a very long time.
“Let's begin.”
Around the time a thoroughly stomped Won Se-mun was lying in the Medicine King Hall.
The five who had gathered for the child So-yo brought began to infuse their internal energy according to the secret method the Divine Calculator had told them.
Jo Nam-cheon and Wi Cheon-gyeong, though their presence wasn't necessary, stood guard seriously after hearing about the internal energy infusion.
“It's done.”
After two hours, they stopped the infusion, wiped their sweat, and smiled.
The child's dark skin turned fair, and vitality flowed through her entire body.
The Extreme Yin Severed Meridians that had threatened her life for so long were finally cured as if washed away.
Afterward, at Bu Eun-seol's suggestion, So-yo became the vice-commander of the Soul-Annihilating Brigade.
Her personality was calm and insightful. Not only that, but she had also mastered a transcendent movement technique that allowed her to secretly follow Bu Eun-seol.
Even if one searched the entire martial world, it would be impossible to find anyone more suitable for the position of the Soul-Annihilating Brigade's vice-commander.
However, the Soul-Annihilating Brigade was a secret unit unofficially established by Bu Eun-seol.
Therefore, she was not officially registered in the Demonic Hall, but was instead listed as a martial arts instructor for the Demon Subjugation Pavilion, much like So Ok-rim.
And the child So-yo brought became a servant girl who helped with chores in the Demon Subjugation Pavilion.
But that was merely her position on paper. Bu Eun-seol summoned renowned scholars from the Demonic Hall to teach her academics, arts, and martial arts.
So that she could leave the Demonic Hall whenever she wished, so she could choose her own life.
Having finished all the piled-up work, Bu Eun-seol once again convened a meeting of the leaders.
However, Mu-heun, the commander of the Soul-Annihilating Brigade, and Vice-Commander So-yo did not attend.
As members of a secret unit, they did not show themselves publicly unless it was for a special matter.
So-yo, in particular, needed a great deal of training. The Soul-Annihilating Brigade that Bu Eun-seol founded was different from an ordinary intelligence organization.
Furthermore, since So-yo had lived outside the Central Plains all her life, she needed to learn about the state of the Central Plains' martial world and various other pieces of knowledge.
And as vice-commander, she had to master military strategy, formations, and various martial skills to command the Soul-Annihilating Brigade.
It would take a very long time.
But once So-yo completed all her training, she would be a great asset to Bu Eun-seol.
Rustle.
Feeling guilty for what he'd done to Bu Eun-seol, Won Se-mun, contrary to his usual behavior, was the first to enter the meeting room and take his seat.
Once the leaders gathered, Bu Eun-seol calmly explained what he had experienced.
“Contrary to what is known, the Divine Calculator was not simply a sage of the martial world.”
He explained that, contrary to what was known, the Divine Calculator was deeply involved in the affairs of the martial world.
And that he was a powerful figure capable of manipulating Shaolin, the leader of the Nine Great Sects and One Union, as he pleased.
He even shared his deduction that there was a high probability the Divine Calculator was also the leader of the Martial Alliance and the Righteous Path's greatest master, the Righteous Heavenly Emperor, Shin Do-mu-bi, a dual identity.
“Well, it's true that the leaders of the Righteous and Demonic paths have historically had secret identities.”
After hearing the whole story, Yu Un-ryong spoke with a serious expression.
“But that itself could be a ploy.”
“A ploy?”
As Myo Cheon-u, sitting beside him, blinked, Yu Un-ryong's eyes hardened as he spoke.
“The Divine Calculator is known, quite literally, as the smartest and most knowledgeable person in the martial world.”
“Well, that's true.”
“It's highly unlikely that such a man would deliberately expose clues that would allow someone to deduce he is the Martial Alliance Leader.”
At that, everyone in the room nodded.
The Divine Calculator was brilliant enough to predict Bu Eun-seol's every move within Shaolin.
For someone like him to carelessly provide clues that could reveal his identity?
If so, it was more likely an intentional act.
“Of course, the probability that he is one of the highest-ranking leaders of the Righteous Path is high.”
Yu Un-ryong continued.
“Setting aside the fact that he immediately sent the Gratitude Pavilion to the Namgung family to investigate the artificial inner core incident, freely using Shaolin's secret agency... that's impossible unless he holds an incredibly high position and is on very close terms with the Shaolin Abbot.”
“Hmm.”
Myo Cheon-u crossed his arms and shook his head.
“Hearing it like this is terrifying. To think that spies are planted in all the factions of both the Righteous and Demonic paths, and the leaders of the martial world have always treated it as a matter of course.”
The other leaders nodded in agreement at his words.
Even when spies collaborating with outside forces were exposed, even when incidents like the artificial inner cores occurred.
The reason the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and the Martial Alliance Leader, the heads of the Righteous and Demonic paths, didn't react strongly was because they already knew about such things.
Just then, Wi Cheon-gyeong, who had been listening silently, spoke with a serious expression.
“Then, my Lord, do you not suspect us?”
Wi Cheon-gyeong said, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room.
“Could there not be a spy among us, won over by the Martial Alliance or those strange bastards?”
It might have seemed like an odd thing to say.
But considering everything Bu Eun-seol had experienced, it was a plausible deduction.
A brief silence fell.
Then, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low but firm voice.
“I do not suspect you.”
In that moment, the eyes of Wi Cheon-gyeong and the other leaders began to waver like ripples on water.
Bu Eun-seol was a cold and rational person, almost to the point of being ruthless.
Yet here he was, giving them his unconditional, infinite support.
How could they not be moved?
“You've all lived as drifters, haven't you?”
But with Bu Eun-seol's next words, that feeling of being moved vanished completely.
“No faction would be crazy enough to use you as spies.”
The leaders of the Four Shadows Hall were Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong, the Ten Demonic Champions who had been ostracized by their own sects.
And the members who were called the Rootless Brigade because they had no background.
They were all consistently shunned by their affiliated groups and had no interest in the politics of the martial world.
No matter how great a faction's wealth and power... no one would be foolish enough to select rootless troublemakers to act as spies.
“Ah.”
Only then did the leaders understand, letting out sighs with gloomy expressions.
It wasn't that Bu Eun-seol trusted them unconditionally and infinitely... but that he had a perfectly logical reason to trust them.
“By the way, sir. Shouldn't we give her a name?”
Jo Nam-cheon suddenly said something unrelated.
“I'm talking about the little girl Vice-Commander So brought.”
A smile appeared on the leaders' faces as they thought of the little girl So-yo had brought.
In the Demon Subjugation Pavilion, where the air was always bleak, the mere presence of an innocent child living as a servant.
Brightened the gloomy atmosphere of the Four Shadows Hall warriors.
It wasn't because of her looks, but because of a disposition that seemed to contain all the innocence and charm in the world.
“Neither Vice-Commander So nor anyone else has given her a name, so we just call her 'So-and-so' or 'Whosit'.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eun-seol crossed his arms.
It was certainly strange for a child registered in the Demonic Hall to be called 'Someone'.
Just then, Myo Cheon-u said to Yu Un-ryong.
“You're the Scholarly Arts Leader, aren't you? Why don't you give her a good name?”
“Me?”
Yu Un-ryong hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
“How could I dare to name her? Naturally, the head of our Four Shadows Hall should be the one to do it.”
“I might be able to name a martial art, but I'm not confident with names.”
At Bu Eun-seol's words, silence once again fell over the meeting room.
Then Won Se-mun spoke up.
“Since Lady So-yo thinks of her as a younger sister, how about we give her the surname So?”
“That's a good idea. What about the first name?”
As Yu Un-ryong nodded, Won Se-mun stammered.
He hadn't thought as far as the first name.
“Um. Well, since she's been unwell... how about Ok-rim, in the hope that she grows up as strong as Guan Yu?”
Thwack!
“Hey, are you kidding me?”
Jo Nam-cheon said, smacking the back of Won Se-mun's head.
“How can you just use Instructor So's name?”
“W-well, you try then!”
“Hmm. Her surname is So, and for her name... her eyes are pretty, so let's call her Ban (盼).”
“So-ban? What the hell?”
Thwack!
“Then, in the hopes that she'll diligently practice her martial arts, So... No-gong (努功).”
Thwack!
“In the hopes that she'll see the world broadly, So... Bang-gwan (旁觀).”
As Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon took turns spouting nonsense and smacking each other's heads, the expressions of the other leaders grew even darker.
—So that's why the Lord trusts us.
Even if the Three Realms were an idiot who knew nothing of the world, they would never use those fools as spies.
“We'll decide that later.”
As the nonsense continued, Bu Eun-seol stood up and said curtly.
“That's all for this meeting.”
After ending the leaders' meeting, Bu Eun-seol returned to his office.
But something was strange.
He stared into space for a moment, then began to search the office meticulously, like a thief looking for a hidden stash.
He would close his eyes, then crouch down to carefully inspect the floor.
“Well made.”
Muttering to himself, Bu Eun-seol went to the bookshelf and flipped a few of the books.
Grrrnd.
A section of the wall then turned, revealing a secret chamber.
The ceiling and walls were made of thick iron, so that once the door was closed, not even the greatest master could eavesdrop on a conversation.
“So? Do you like it?”
And inside the secret chamber, Yu Un-ryong was looking at Bu Eun-seol with a smile.
“I was really surprised this time.”
Yu Un-ryong looked around the secret chamber and shrugged.
“Asking me to build a secret room in your office before you returned.”
Previously, when Bu Eun-seol had informed Yu Un-ryong about So-yo, he had also given another secret order.
It was an order to build a secret, sturdy chamber within his office.
And Yu Un-ryong had carried out that order thoroughly, creating a secret passage and chamber connected to Bu Eun-seol's office and the meeting room.
This was possible because, in Bu Eun-seol's absence, Yu Un-ryong not only acted on his behalf in all matters, but also had the authority to freely enter and exit his office.
“It's good.”
As Bu Eun-seol nodded and entered the chamber, the wall closed automatically with a grinding sound.
“But in the end... it means there's someone suspicious. Right?”
Yu Un-ryong then asked cautiously, his expression dark.
“Among our leaders of the Four Shadows Hall.”
A moment of silence passed.
Bu Eun-seol, staring into space, let out a deep sigh and said.
“For now, it's just a possibility. It's not certain.”
In the past, when Bu Eun-seol visited the Flower Rain Sword Sect, Wiji Hye-sang had said this:
—How is your search for the descendant of the Eight Desolations' Three Stars going?
At that time, only the leaders Bu Eun-seol trusted knew that information.
Back then, he had thought it was information Wiji Hye-sang had learned by chance, a ploy to destroy the unity among his leaders with those words.
But through his recent journey into the martial world, Bu Eun-seol realized it was no mere wordplay.
Only Bu Eun-seol and his leaders knew he was setting out alone to find the Divine Calculator.
But as if they had been waiting, hadn't the Martial Alliance and King Jo Cheon acted immediately in response?
—I trust you.
This is what Bu Eun-seol had told his leaders.
But that was a lie.
He had concluded that there was a very high probability of a spy among his leaders.