The Bait
By the time Yi Jinpyeong and his brothers returned to the inn street, they could immediately tell that the atmosphere was anything but normal. It was every bit as chaotic as the interior of Agyangnu, where the Nine Great Factions had tangled together. The faces of the Dongjeong Lake factions were flushed red with rising anger, and the warriors from the Nine Great Factions and Dongbeonhoe who had been controlling them were in the same state. They had even drawn their swords and blades, hurling curses at one another in a tense standoff. But the moment they spotted the Yi Gajang three brothers strolling back casually without any escort, they flinched and froze.
"You're safe!"
Ha Gon, the young leader of Mugunjang mixed in among the crowd, greeted them warmly.
"No trouble, I hope? I thought for sure you'd been captured by those bastards."
"As if that could happen. We're innocent, after all."
Yi Jingang replied to him while glancing around. Both sides were now listening intently to their conversation now that the Yi Gajang brothers had appeared, but the sharp standoff with weapons drawn remained unchanged.
"That said, what happened here? Don't tell me everyone was just worried about us brothers...?"
"Huh? As if."
"Ah, yes."
"It finally blew up. They spent the whole morning barking orders high-handedly without any explanation, just controlling everything—who wouldn't get pissed? Some factions already got wrecked in fights with those guys and ended up collapsing or captured. Damn bastards!"
Yi Jingang responded to him in a puzzled tone.
"But the situation's already resolved. There's no reason to keep controlling this place anymore."
"What? Hey! You heard that, right? The situation's over! Let us out of this goddamn place right now!"
Emboldened by Yi Jingang's words, Ha Gon raised his voice, and soon various warriors began shouting cheers and jeers once more.
Feeling like he'd somehow made things worse, Yi Jingang hurriedly stepped forward and addressed the warriors forming the control line.
"Looks like the message hasn't gotten through yet. Why don't you send someone to Agyangnu to check? By the time we were there, the full truth had already come to light, so there's no more reason to restrict passage here."
The warriors looked quite flustered at Yi Jingang's words. Yet even amid the chaos, they insisted they hadn't received any orders and stubbornly held the line.
Growing louder by the minute, the Dongjeong Lake factions' complaints rose, and Yi Jingang, flustered, darted here and there trying to calm everyone down.
Yi Jinpyeong silently watched the scene unfold.
Maybe that's why they stirred up trouble in Dongjeong Lake from the start.
Everything was fine as long as the event proceeded peacefully. But the moment a single variable arose, the Nine Great Factions' handling—steeped in authority and pride—ignited massive resentment among the rough-and-tumble Dongjeong Lake forces.
Before they knew it, Yi Jingang had become the impromptu mediator between the two sides, running around trying to stop the fights. Finally, the order to withdraw reached the Nine Great Factions warriors controlling the street. It was only natural now that the true culprit had been revealed, but for the various Dongjeong Lake forces who'd been confined to the narrow inn street since the body was found, it felt far too late.
Jeers poured down on them as they lifted the restrictions without any explanation. Some factions, their pride thoroughly wounded, began preparing to return to their own territories regardless of whether the martial conference resumed.
Ha Gon spat roughly on the ground.
"Always rubs me the wrong way. Next time those bastards pick a fight with someone, I'm jumping in too. Sure, us Dongjeong Lake forces are scattered like grains of sand, scrapping among ourselves—but does it make sense to keep taking this crap from them? Plenty of others think like me. You brothers in too?"
"...We've already suffered plenty at their hands."
"By the way, did you see or hear anything in there? What's the full story? Suicide? Murder? Who died, and who killed them?"
Ha Gon asked the Yi Gajang brothers.
Yi Jingang and Yi Jinun gave awkward smiles. As if they hadn't seen or heard anything. They'd been at the very center of it all on their way out.
But what they'd witnessed inside was too shocking to casually share with others.
"We'll explain in detail next time we get the chance."
"Really? Would be better if you told me now... When's next time? Should I visit Yi Gajang?"
Yi Jingang and Yi Jinun barely shook off the persistent Ha Gon and followed their youngest brother back into the cramped inn room. Only there could they finally escape prying eyes and ears to hear Yi Jinpyeong's full account.
But an unexpected guest awaited them in their narrow inn room.
A woman shrouded mysteriously in black gauze—Un Sa-nang.
"Lady Un!"
Yi Jinun cried out joyfully.
"How did such a noble guest end up in this humble place..."
"It really is cramped. I had no idea you'd be staying in such a tiny room. I should have paid more attention..."
Un Sa-nang's voice was thick with apology. If she'd pulled strings, they could have secured something far better than this—maybe not inside Dongbeonhoe itself, but at least a decent inn. She could have even arranged it without them spending a coin, given their finances.
But Yi Jinpyeong knew better than to blame her. She'd been imprisoned by the Shadow until just yesterday. Still, her body was tightly wrapped in black robes, hiding the bruises and wounds covering her. Her face, masked by human-skin and black gauze, showed no trace of the brutal beatings that had nearly killed her.
"Where on earth have you been? We searched everywhere in Dongbeonhoe but couldn't find you."
Yi Jinun, reuniting after so long, made no effort to hide his delight. He probably couldn't even imagine the ordeal she'd endured.
Un Sa-nang laughed lightly as if nothing had happened.
"I had a lot of missions outside—kept me quite busy. I should have told you in advance. Sorry."
"What do you have to apologize to me for? You're such a busy person, Lady Un...!"
"I heard you shone in the martial tournament?"
Yi Jinun's face lit up brightly.
"You heard? Man... You should've seen it yourself!"
"I know your skills well, Young Master Jinun. I expected nothing less than a big showing."
"R-really?"
"How were the Nine Great Factions' later-generation disciples? I heard you were especially popular with the female ones. They must have been pretty as blooming flowers, right?"
"Huh? N-no... Who'd spread such nonsense?!"
Yi Jinun's face turned beet red as he flailed about in his seat. Yi Jinpyeong watched the pair with a deadpan expression before flicking a glance at Yi Jingang.
Yi Jingang nodded silently and dragged Yi Jinun outside.
"Jinun. Let's talk for a bit."
"Wait, big brother. Hold on. Why—? Lady Un! I'll be right back, don't go anywhere?"
Now alone in the room, Un Sa-nang spoke to Yi Jinpyeong in a low voice.
"You pulled off quite the feat in the meantime."
"Feat? We couldn't even prevent a Beggar Clan disciple's death, and the spark of conflict still lingers. Things are still going their way for now."
"You killed the Shadow too, and Bang Cheonpyo was a pretty big fish among those cooperating with him—yet you're still not satisfied."
"When the chance comes, we uproot them all at once. Who knows what tricks they'll pull next. Preparations ready?"
"Everything else is set. Just need to cast the bait."
Yi Jinpyeong thought,
She's quick, as expected.
It had only been yesterday she'd barely escaped with her life. Even with elixirs aiding her recovery, moving about so nimbly and carrying out missions took extraordinary willpower.
But he kept his composure and continued evenly.
"Good thing you're not late. Bang Cheonpyo's death must have them rattled. Best to move tonight."
"Tonight? Impossible. Too many targets—casting and reeling in the bait will take time."
"What if we narrow it to twenty suspects?"
"...How?"
"All the key figures were gathered at Agyangnu today. I picked out the ones that rubbed me wrong—came to about that number. I'll describe their looks. With your intel network, matching names shouldn't be hard."
While being "interrogated" by the Nine Great Factions warriors at Agyangnu, while examining the body and uncovering the truth, and while stopping Bang Cheonpyo the Beggar Clan elder's escape—Yi Jinpyeong's eyes never rested. They'd been scanning ceaselessly, filtering those whose actions didn't fit the context, those stoking conflict excessively or raising their voices too loud.
They were all prime candidates for Shadow minions controlled by the Demonic Cult.
Yi Jinpyeong planned to net them all at once—before they realized their covers might be blown.
Un Sa-nang let out a small sigh.
"Your abilities grow more uncanny the more I see. At first, I followed only because you saved me. Now, I'm just glad you're not my enemy."
"How was I as your enemy? Oh right. Started by smashing both your ankles."
Un Sa-nang and Yi Jinpyeong laughed together.
"Then tonight it is."
"Yes."
That evening, a single small fallen leaf lay before certain individuals' doors. As if carried there by chance on the wind. Up close, it was just an ordinary leaf with what looked like insect damage.
Most paid it no mind.
But some couldn't dismiss it so easily. A mark only they would recognize was etched into the leaf.
They glanced cautiously around, pocketed the leaf in secret, spent time decoding the holes—which pointed to another clue's location.
After the leaf came the ma-ji paper. Dotted with ink splatters like random accidents, matching the leaf's holes.
But it indicated a clear time and meeting spot.
Chuksi-jeong—that night at two in the morning. Far across Dongjeong Lake from the Dongbeonhoe base, deep in the woods. One by one, people began gathering at an isolated, abandoned temple.