Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: You Eat It
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Those words were no mere bluff.
The Elder Council was gunning for the leaders of the neutral White Tiger Unit and Azure Dragon Unit, aiming to drag them down.
"Even so, leaving them be feels irresponsible."
Wang Cheong felt frustrated that there was little he could do to help Scholar Cheon.
Yet he couldn't turn a blind eye to Scholar Cheon either.
The moment he learned the truth, Azure Dragon Unit Leader Jang Ho-jin might sever ties with him.
"I'll follow Deputy Inspector Cha-seok's orders..."
Wang Cheong had no intention of defying Gu Jinha's command.
"Unit Leader Wang, I think you should heed Inspector Gu Jinha's words."
Cheon Taesan interjected into their conversation after absorbing the spiritual energy.
Above all, securing Jong Sobin and Yeowon's safety took priority.
To perfectly conceal Cheon Yeoseol's identity, they needed to be safe.
Wang Cheong nodded, sensing something from Cheon Taesan's words.
"Understood. We'll do that."
Gu Jinha bit his lip.
This man, who had clearly shown defiance even when the Elder Council was invoked, now readily accepted Cheon Taesan's words. It infuriated him so much his body trembled.
"Feeling ill? Chills? Why are you shaking like that?"
On top of it, Cheon Taesan mocked him directly, making him feel like he was on the verge of possession.
But he barely held onto his sanity and spoke.
"Y-yeah. That sounds good. I've got everything arranged."
"Still, just in case, maybe leave a squad from the White Tiger Unit behind."
Wang Cheong didn't know the full story, but the Demonic Cult or Blood Cult might target the White Tiger Unit.
They were dead serious about the Ice Sacred Body. They had no interest in Lee Woong or Lee Makseong.
"It's fine. The White Tiger Unit needs to protect the Little Palace Lord with full force. I think we might need to request the Nangong Family and move with the Nangong Demon Subduing Unit."
Wang Cheong thought for a moment before replying.
"If Scholar Cheon says so, I understand the urgency. I'll contact the Nangong Demon Subduing Unit."
With the two deciding without even consulting him, the deputy inspector, his trembling intensified.
Before Gu Jinha could speak, Wang Cheong issued orders to the White Tiger Unit.
"Wrap up here quickly and move out."
Gu Jinha said,
"But first, let's clarify one thing. Scholar Cheon, what do you think? Did Lee Makseong have demonic energy?"
The White Tiger Unit warriors had detected demonic energy strong enough to notice, so denying it outright was impossible.
"He does. But it seems like poisoning from somewhere. If he'd cultivated it himself, the demonic energy would be accumulated in his dantian. But in Lee Makseong's case, it's in his blood vessels, not his dantian. That means it's external demonic energy. We need to confirm this for sure."
Gu Jinha figured that since he'd confirmed demonic energy—even if not originally—he could drag them into it somehow.
"I can vouch for that with my own name on the line."
Lee Woong looked at me with grateful eyes, moved that I was standing by them and defending them.
No matter what, defending someone when demonic energy was confirmed in their son's body was something anyone would hesitate to do.
"Let me say it again: Lee Makseong's demonic energy is akin to poisoning."
Gu Jinha leaned in close to my face, spitting out each word deliberately.
His eyes gleamed with murderous intent; it was a miracle he hadn't spat on me.
"Exposure to demonic energy from outside doesn't prove he wasn't colluding with the Demonic Cult."
Gu Jinha prattled on, his breath hot on my face.
"Anything demonic energy-related warrants investigating ties to the Demonic Cult. That's how the Inspection Unit has always operated. Right, Scholar Cheon?"
I sensed he'd finished laying the groundwork to brand Jeongryongmun as Demonic Cult affiliates.
Otherwise, with Gu Jinha's personality, he wouldn't drag it out like this.
He was the type to always be cautious and guarded, even over the smallest things.
That's why I made up my mind.
'He's already aligned with the Elder Council to some extent. If not now, no one will stop his scheme.'
No time to sit back and watch.
I thought it over with sharp focus and decided.
'Plus, he's lashing out to drag me in too. In that case, better to strike first. Sitting idle and taking it isn't my style.'
I called out to Gu Jinha as he turned away.
"You're right. The presence of demonic energy links to the Demonic Cult, no matter the circumstance."
At my change of tune, Lee Woong looked at me with despair in his eyes.
The one defending him had flipped, so he figured there was no escape.
But his eyes soon lit up as he heard the rest.
"While investigating Lee Makseong's demonic energy, I discovered something. His demonic energy originates from the Demonic Cult's Burst Demon Pill. You know what that is, right?"
Gu Jinha faltered momentarily, stuttering.
"Y-yeah, I know. The Burst Demon Pill is a Demonic Cult item. A forbidden spirit pill at that. Possessing it proves collusion even more."
His face grew smug as he spoke.
"So if someone has a Burst Demon Pill, that means they're colluding with the Demonic Cult, right?"
Gu Jinha rolled his eyes and nodded.
"Of course. It's the Demonic Cult's forbidden spirit pill."
I nodded back.
Gu Jinha had overlooked one thing.
The Burst Demon Pill's demonic energy was transferable, so I'd sensed it just from the trace in Lee Makseong.
I hadn't noticed from afar, but when he got right in my face, I detected the Burst Demon Pill's energy from his pocket.
'He's got another one. If he planned to wipe out Jeongryongmun, he'd use it on Lee Makseong and have one ready for the sect leader Lee Woong just in case.'
Now that I knew Gu Jinha had a Burst Demon Pill, no need to delay.
Exposing his scheme right now was the best way to dodge his trap.
"Then why does Inspector Gu smell like a Burst Demon Pill?"
"W-what nonsense is that?!"
At my words, Wang Cheong and the White Tiger Unit commander's gazes snapped to me.
The Burst Demon Pill was that dangerous.
"I stabbed Lee Makseong with silver needles earlier to check his energy because I suspected Burst Demon Pill demonic energy in his body. Weird, right? Lee Makseong's poisoned by it, yet the scent clings to you."
"Are you framing me?"
Seeing his trembling pupils, I was certain.
"If I'm lying, just pull it out from your pocket."
"Why should I? Why would I listen to you?"
I spoke in a chilling tone.
"Listen, Gu Jinha. One wrong move, and a whole sect gets branded Demonic Cult colluders and exterminated. You're the one pushing that claim, yet you won't even show evidence?"
As I approached Gu Jinha, he shouted,
"P-protect me!"
Five Inspection Unit warriors lined up behind him.
They were Murim Alliance warriors loyal to his orders.
"Unit Leader Wang. You need to check this."
Wang Cheong spoke up.
"If the deputy inspector refuses outright, we'll have to investigate by force."
I moved with the Gu Yu Ghost Spirit Divine Technique, striking Gu Jinha's acupoints to immobilize him.
No one had anticipated my speed, so silence fell.
Even Wang Cheong blinked in shock; he hadn't expected a scholar to close in like a martial master and strike acupoints.
The Inspection Unit warriors froze too.
"Don't move. If Inspector Gu really has a Burst Demon Pill, anyone protecting him gets branded the same."
One other inspector stammered, trembling.
"B-but what if there's nothing?"
"I'll take responsibility. I'll bear the consequences of framing Inspector Gu."
My firm words left the other inspectors and warriors unable to resist.
If a real Burst Demon Pill emerged, they could be implicated as Demonic Cultists too.
"Don't believe him! I'm the deputy chief inspector of the Inspection Unit! Why would I have a Burst Demon Pill? Seize him! He's the real Demonic Cultist!"
Ignoring his ravings, I said to Wang Cheong,
"Unit Leader Wang. Please check Inspector Gu's pocket yourself. For fairness, you should do it."
"Very well."
Wang Cheong approached Gu Jinha with resolve and rummaged through his robes.
"W-what are you doing? Don't believe him! Doesn't it seem off? A scholar without a scrap of martial arts striking my acupoints like that. Only a Demonic Cultist could!"
He wasn't entirely wrong, so Wang Cheong glanced at me.
From his position, acting on one side's word alone lacked impartiality.
I sighed and pulled a plaque from my robes, tossing it to him.
He examined it, eyes widening in surprise, then looked back at me.
"One shock after another."
Showing the Nangong Family's patriarch escort command plaque, Wang Cheong confirmed it privately before handing it back.
"Scholar Cheon has trained in martial arts. Say no more."
To serve as a protector for even a minor martial clan required exceptional skill—it was common knowledge.
For the Nangong Family, it was beyond question.
"Impossible! I've worked with him for years; I would know. What, is he some secret weapon of the Murim Alliance or a joint warfare agent?"
As he yelled in anger, Wang Cheong frowned at Gu Jinha.
Wang Cheong didn't refute him, and murmurs rose around us.
"Could it be true?"
They'd seen Wang Cheong's shock at the plaque.
Rumors of Murim Alliance secret weapons or joint agents had long circulated among its warriors.
"Possible. Hiding his identity to work in the Inspection Unit."
"You think?"
"Hey, you know Scholar Cheon has the nickname Ghostly Scholar, right?"
"Yeah, famous in the Murim Alliance."
"Think about it. Could a mere scholar investigate unit leaders, faction heads, even strip elders of their robes?"
"No way."
"Now that you mention it, yeah. Not something a regular scholar could pull off. Must be a secret weapon or joint agent."
Wang Cheong had no intention of denying their words.
A Murim Alliance secret weapon or joint agent wasn't higher status than a Nangong Family patriarch protector.
'How did a Murim Alliance guy become the Nangong Family's patriarch protector?'
Wang Cheong had that lingering doubt, but the scholar's movement technique was strikingly masterful.
The ghostly approach to Gu Jinha was a feat even he hadn't seen before.
'Could be a Nangong Family technique.'
Wang Cheong rummaged deeper and pulled out a small wooden box.
"This came out."
"Open it."
At my words, Gu Jinha cried out desperately.
"N-no, that's not it. That's my medicine."
Opening the box, Wang Cheong grimaced at the demonic energy emanating from the red pill.
I looked at the Burst Demon Pill and said,
"You said it's your medicine? Then it won't matter if I feed it to you."
As I picked up the pill and moved to shove it in Gu Jinha's mouth, he screamed,
"No! You're trying to kill me!"
"But you said it's your medicine."
"Argh! No! Don't make me eat it!"
"I'm going to feed it to you. Medicine, right?"
Gu Jinha's lips quivered before he confessed.
"T-that's a Burst Demon Pill. You can't eat it."
In the end, to avoid eating it, Gu Jinha had no choice but to spill the truth.
"You slipped the Burst Demon Pill to Lee Makseong, didn't you?"
As Gu Jinha bit his lip and clamped his mouth shut, I gripped his jaw and pressed the pill to his lips.
Since he'd already confessed, the Inspection Unit warriors and inspectors didn't stop me.
"Won't talk? Fine. Guess I'll just make you eat it."
"You bastard! Don't!!"
"Gu Jinha, you know me well. I've even fought Elder Gal. You think you can stop me?"
Anyone else might hesitate, but Gu Jinha knew I'd force it down his throat without blinking.
That must have driven him even madder.