Chapter 741: This Is the Evidence.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 741: This Is the Evidence.
"I’m so sorry. I’m terribly late, aren’t I?"
Joo So-yang spoke with an expression brimming with apology. Her face looked so fragile and pitiful that it made one’s heart ache just looking at her.
"Not at all! My lady, we only just arrived ourselves!"
"That’s right! We haven't been here long at all!"
The Elders began to fuss over her, coddling and soothing her as if she were a precious child. They couldn't bear to see Joo So-yang, who was like a youngest daughter to them, looking so sad.
Those crazy old farts... You’ve been waiting for two hours.
Watching this scene, Lee Se-jin, the Bright Cloud Sword, wore a look of utter disbelief. He was appalled by the spinelessness of the Elders, who didn't show even a hint of anger despite waiting for a full shijin. No matter how much she felt like a daughter to them, how could they dote on her to this extent?
"No... I’m a whole two hours late. I feel so, so sorry to the Elders..."
Joo So-yang continued, looking at the Elders with a dejected face. Her pitiful demeanor began to weaken the Elders' hearts even further.
Most of the members of the Council of Elders had watched Joo So-yang grow from a newborn baby into a woman. It was no exaggeration to say they had been by her side through every milestone of her life: the day she was born, the day she first gripped a sword, the day she married, and the day she gave birth to Lee Ye-seol.
To them, Joo So-yang was someone truly special. She was the daughter of the Alliance Leader they respected, and at the same time, she was like their own youngest child. Seeing her look so distressed, they couldn't help but soften.
"Being late by a mere two hours! That is preposterous! It is only natural for a lady to require time to prepare before heading out! It is by no means a flaw!" Gye Sang-deuk shouted at the top of his lungs.
"He is right! If it is to wait for you, my lady, it wouldn't matter if it took all day!"
"Please, do not give it another thought! No one here would ever dream of blaming you!"
Starting with Gye Sang-deuk, the Elders began to compete with one another to comfort Joo So-yang. The ones who had been kept waiting were now the ones consoling the person who was late.
Tsk, crazy old farts.
Watching this, Lee Se-jin clicked his tongue inwardly. He also respected the former Alliance Leader and cared for Joo So-yang like a daughter, but he didn't possess the same unconditional tolerance as the others. He had known since she was a child that Joo So-yang was incredibly sly.
You haven't changed a bit, So-yang.
From a young age, Joo So-yang knew exactly how much she was loved. The respect people had for her father’s character had translated into affection for her, and she had been exploiting that affection since she was a girl.
If she wanted something, she would act cute until the Elders gave in. If she made a mistake, she would offer a tearful apology to trigger their sympathy, often resulting in the adults apologizing to her instead. She was a natural-born fox.
And it seemed that temperament hadn't changed at all, even though she was now a married woman with a child of her own.
You little fox.
Lee Se-jin shook his head. He felt a sense of pathetic disappointment toward the Elders, who were still being played by that clever girl just as they had been in the past.
"By the way, why were you late?" Lee Se-jin eventually asked in a calm tone.
Even if the others let it slide, he had no intention of doing so. Being two hours late was a blatant lack of courtesy toward those waiting.
"...I had urgent business to attend to," Joo So-yang replied with a somber expression.
"And what exactly was this urgent business?" Lee Se-jin pressed her.
If it was some trivial reason, he intended to give her a proper lecture about showing respect to her seniors.
"I was having a private meeting with a collaborator," Joo So-yang said, her expression now composed.
Since Sun-woo was the primary collaborator for this plan, she wasn't lying.
"A collaborator!?" Lee Se-jin asked back, looking bewildered.
"Yes. We were discussing the Great Plan."
"Hoh..."
Lee Se-jin’s expression turned grave. He had never imagined there would be an outside collaborator.
"See! What did I tell you? Didn't I say there must be a reason?"
"My thoughts exactly! How could you scold the lady like that?"
"You insolent brat! So young, yet so arrogant!"
The Elders flared up and began to criticize Lee Se-jin. His attitude of rebuking Joo So-yang, who was like a daughter to them, was highly offensive.
Damn old farts.
Lee Se-jin scowled. Their behavior, pouncing on him like a pack of jackals the moment they saw an opening, was deeply irritating.
As the criticism against Lee Se-jin intensified, Yoon Je-gyeom, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, finally spoke up.
"Can you tell us who this collaborator is?" he asked, seeking the person's identity.
"I’m sorry, Uncle," Joo So-yang replied, her face full of regret.
"Is it someone you cannot name?"
"......Yes."
Sun-woo’s identity had to remain a secret until the day the Great Plan began. If this information leaked, everything could go up in smoke before they even started. It wasn't that she didn't trust the Elders, but one could never be too careful.
".......That is disappointing."
Yoon Je-gyeom wore a look of feigned regret. "We have all stepped forward for you without hesitation, yet it seems you lack trust in us." He looked at her with eyes full of hurt.
"No, it’s not like that," Joo So-yang said, shaking her head. "Every Elder here is like a father to me. How could I not trust you?"
"But you cannot tell us the identity of this collaborator?"
"I am truly sorry about that. But I have no choice. That person requested that I keep their identity strictly confidential." Joo So-yang spoke with a look of genuine distress.
"Can you really not even give us a hint?" Yoon Je-gyeom asked again, as if determined to find out.
"I cannot betray one trust to keep another." Joo So-yang quietly refused, shaking her head. "I’m sure my father would feel the same way."
".........If that is how you feel, I will not press you further," Yoon Je-gyeom said, his voice tinged with lingering regret.
He had intended to find out exactly who her collaborator was, but it seemed impossible. She was being too firm.
I hope... they aren't a major variable...
Yoon Je-gyeom looked worried. His goal was revenge against Lee Jae-won. To achieve that revenge, he needed a perfect plan—a plan that could truly kill him. But the sudden appearance of a collaborator could disrupt that perfection. An unknown variable had been introduced. He was worried that his long-held ambition might be ruined by this unforeseen factor.
"Then, can you tell us about the specific plan?"
Yoon Je-gyeom changed his approach. Instead of identifying the collaborator, he decided to learn the details of her plan. He intended to adjust his own plans to align with hers.
"Of course."
Joo So-yang nodded with a faint smile. She had intended to discuss the plan today anyway. The cooperation of the Elders was vital for its success.
"The moment Lee Jae-won steps onto the platform to address the public, I intend to bring about his total ruin," Joo So-yang said, her cold eyes flashing. "And in that moment, I need the Elders to keep the leadership in check. Ensure they cannot take any rash actions."
"..........I have a question." Yoon Je-gyeom spoke with a heavy expression.
"Please, go ahead."
"How do you intend to ruin Lee Jae-won?"
"I have decisive evidence that can destroy him."
"Evidence... you say?"
"Yes." Joo So-yang nodded.
"What kind of evidence could possibly bring about the total ruin of the Cheonmu Alliance Leader?" Yoon Je-gyeom asked, staring at her with intense curiosity.
He wondered what kind of evidence she could possibly have to be so certain. Lee Jae-won was a Great Hero. He was the supreme sovereign of the Cheonmu Alliance. How could such a man be utterly ruined? Unless he was revealed to be a serial rapist and murderer, it seemed impossible.
Wait... could it be!?
A thought suddenly flashed through Yoon Je-gyeom’s mind. With a look of suspicion, he immediately turned his head toward Joo So-yang and stared at her fine lips.
"The serial rape and murder cases that have occurred within the Cheonmu Alliance over the past twenty years."
Joo So-yang’s expression turned ice-cold.
"I have decisive evidence that Lee Jae-won is the culprit behind those incidents."
She looked around at the gathered crowd.
"With that evidence, I can utterly destroy Lee Jae-won."
Her eyes sparkled with absolute conviction. Upon hearing her words, the Elders all wore expressions of pure shock. What on earth was she talking about?
*
"W-what... what does that mean... my lady?"
Gye Sang-deuk asked, his face full of bewilderment. Even for a devoted follower like him, this was a shocking revelation that was hard to believe.
"It’s exactly as I said. Lee Jae-won is the culprit behind every rape and murder case that has happened until now."
Joo So-yang spoke with a tone of absolute certainty. The expressions of the Elders turned grave. They were struggling with how to process her words.
They didn't like Lee Jae-won. To them, he was the thief who had snatched away Joo So-yang, who was like their own daughter, and he was a scoundrel beyond compare for having laid a hand on her fair cheek. But even so, they couldn't easily agree that he was a serial killer.
He was a man they disliked personally, but they hadn't thought him wicked enough to commit serial rape and murder. How could a man hailed as a Great Hero of the Murim wear a human mask while committing such foul atrocities? It seemed absurd.
"So-yang...... is your evidence solid?"
Finally, Yoon Je-gyeom, who was sitting at the head of the table, spoke up.
"Yes, it is certain."
Joo So-yang nodded immediately without a hint of hesitation. The evidence was solid. She had not only the testimony of the person who had been falsely accused but also the incident reports containing all the details of the cases. How could she not be confident?
"Then that is enough," Yoon Je-gyeom said, accepting her words.
"Hero Yoon!"
Lee Se-jin, who was sitting next to him, immediately protested. "How can you accept it so easily? we need to hear more specific evidence!"
He raised his voice in frustration. Their opponent was Lee Jae-won—a man who had reigned as the World's Greatest Martial Artist for twenty years, who was praised as a Great Hero of the Murim, and who had served consecutive terms as the head of the Cheonmu Alliance, the most powerful organization in existence. To brand such a man a serial killer, they needed evidence that was even more undeniable—something visible and immediately recognizable. How could they just take her word for it? It was madness.
"I trust So-yang," Yoon Je-gyeom said calmly.
"I trust her as well! But the facts must be verified..."
"Do you take So-yang for a foolish woman who would make such a claim without evidence?"
"N-no, that’s not it!" Lee Se-jin shouted, startled by the question.
Joo So-yang was not a foolish woman. On the contrary, she was a formidable woman who was more than just smart—she was clever. Such a woman would never make an unreasonable claim without proof. In that regard, Yoon Je-gyeom was right.
"Then is that not the end of it? I trust So-yang. And I believe her words."
"I also trust the lady," Gye Sang-deuk added, raising his voice. "Of course, the fact that Lee Jae-won is a serial killer is shocking, but I do not believe the lady would ever lie."
"I believe her too. I never liked the look of that bastard anyway."
"I believe her as well, my lady."
"Me too......."
"And me........"
One by one, the Elders began to express their trust in her. The light of trust, built up since her father's generation, began to shine as brilliantly as the sun. Even though she hadn't presented any physical proof yet, they believed her words implicitly.
I really am loved.
Seeing this, Joo So-yang realized it once again. She was truly loved by these many "fathers." A deep smile spread across her lips. She slowly reached into her robes.
Thump.
She placed a thick book onto the conference table.
"This is the evidence."
Joo So-yang’s eyes began to sparkle. This was the proof—the undeniable evidence detailing how Lee Jae-won had kidnapped, raped, and murdered countless women over the past twenty years.