Investigate
"I have urgent matters to discuss with the Young Sect Leader. Please make your way to the Council Chamber."
Hearing the Right Guardian's message filled me with a vague sense of unease.
Unless it was the Sect Leader himself, protocol dictated that anyone wishing to speak with the Young Sect Leader should seek him out in person.
Hoping it wasn't anything serious, I entered the Council Chamber, only to find two middle-aged men waiting for me.
One was Baek Ryeong-hu, the Right Guardian who had summoned me. The other was Woo Gang-hu, the Palace Master of the White Tiger Palace.
The Right Guardian was one thing, but if even the White Tiger Palace Master—the man in charge of internal audits, investigations, and disciplinary actions—was involved...
Could it be because of what happened last time?
The White Tiger Palace was currently investigating the incident where ten of the sect's believers had been slaughtered in a single night.
I didn't regret my actions that night in the slightest.
But regardless of my reasons, killing fellow sect members was a grave sin strictly forbidden by our doctrines, unless one's own life was under direct threat.
No matter how much authority I held as the Young Sect Leader, and even if I had a perfectly justifiable reason, it would be difficult to escape some form of reprimand.
For starters, I would have to explain why I had snuck out in the dead of night without permission.
At that thought, my heart began to hammer against my ribs, and my deep-seated introverted anxiety threatened to rear its ugly head.
"Young Sect Leader," they greeted as I entered.
As soon as I stepped inside, the Right Guardian and the White Tiger Palace Master rose to their feet to show their respect. I forced myself to speak, masking my inner panic.
"Summoning me at the crack of dawn... How am I supposed to maintain the dignity of the Young Sect Leader if you treat me like an errand boy? Tsk!"
No matter how terrified I was on the inside, these arrogant remarks slipped out of my mouth with practiced ease now.
The White Tiger Palace Master looked visibly uncomfortable at being scolded out of nowhere by a twelve-year-old child.
The Right Guardian, however, was well-accustomed to my temperament from our frequent interactions and didn't bat an eye.
Once I took my seat, the Right Guardian spoke with deep deference.
"Forgive us, Young Sect Leader. This is a matter of grave official business that requires absolute secrecy, which is why we requested your presence here."
"A grave matter?"
Seeing the Right Guardian's dead-serious expression only fueled my growing anxiety.
"As you may have heard, Young Sect Leader, ten of our sect's believers were recently slaughtered just outside the perimeter of the headquarters."
Inside, I screamed, Here it comes! But outwardly, I adopted an even more arrogant expression to hide any trace of panic.
"And what does that have to do with me?"
"Palace Master Woo will explain the details from here. Palace Master."
"Yes, Right Guardian."
Palace Master Woo stood up and bowed to me once more.
I gave a dismissive nod, looking thoroughly bored, but my heart was practically in my throat as I waited for his next words.
"Young Sect Leader, I shall present the findings of the White Tiger Palace's investigation."
Palace Master Woo proceeded to outline the case, explaining how they identified the missing persons, where the bodies were discovered, and describing the crime scene in detail.
Since I was the one who had actually done the deed, none of this was news to me.
The real kicker came next.
"Our initial examination of the wounds on the corpses revealed a striking detail. Based on the height of the victims and the angle of the slashes... the culprit is someone significantly shorter than the average martial artist."
I hadn't expected them to perform such a detailed forensic analysis on the corpses.
While it was true that I was tall for a twelve-year-old, I was still a full head shorter than an adult man.
Of course, they couldn't accuse me based on height alone, but it was also true that the pool of suspects capable of such a feat was incredibly small.
The terrifying theory that they had summoned me because they already knew I was the culprit was starting to feel horribly plausible.
The Palace Master continued.
"This suggests the culprit is either a woman or a young boy. However, it is highly improbable for a lone woman to slaughter nine trained sect members in one place. When we filter our suspects through these criteria... one particular individual stands out. Young Sect Leader, do you happen to know who that might be?"
As he spoke, Palace Master Woo stared at me with eyes that seemed laden with silent accusation.
Ah, I'm doomed.
If I had known it would come to this, I should have just confessed from the very beginning.
"Forgive my presumption, but looking at your expression, it seems you already anticipated this, Young Sect Leader," the Right Guardian chimed in.
"...Indeed."
How on earth was I supposed to explain this to the Right Guardian, the Palace Master, and ultimately, the Sect Leader? Where would I even begin?
But then, the Right Guardian spoke.
"Palace Master Woo and I suspect that this was the work of the fifth son of the Namgung Clan... Young Master Namgung Eon."
I tilted my head in utter confusion.
Why is his name coming up all of a sudden?
"Namgung Eon?"
"Young Sect Leader? Did you not already know?"
"Ah... right, was that his name?"
"...Yes, indeed. The boy who swore his loyalty to you and joined our sect a year ago."
"Ah, yes. That fellow."
"Hmm. He is currently assigned to the Myeongsin Palace, and while he outwardly appears to conform to our doctrines, Palace Master Woo has noted several highly suspicious activities regarding him for some time now."
Well, this was a twist I hadn't anticipated.
Namgung Eon was doing something suspicious?
I looked at the White Tiger Palace Master with questioning eyes, and he confidently launched into his explanation.
"Young Master Namgung Eon has been conducting missionary work in the villages near our headquarters for the past two months. However... we received intelligence that he has been secretly visiting the Cheonsan Sect behind our backs. We have been keeping a close eye on him ever since."
"The Cheonsan Sect?"
The Cheonsan Sect was a small-to-medium-sized sect based on Mount Cheon, the very mountain where our headquarters was located.
Though completely overshadowed by the neighboring Kunlun Sect and our Sun and Moon Sect, they prided themselves on being an orthodox Taoist sect with strong secular ties.
"Why would he be meeting with the Cheonsan Sect?"
"We cannot say for certain yet, but given his orthodox roots, it is highly likely he is plotting something with them. The slaughter of our sect members might very well have been the opening move of their conspiracy."
Palace Master Woo's face practically beamed with confidence.
Perhaps this was an inevitable outcome from the moment a son of the Namgung Clan joined the Demonic Cult.
The existing sect members had always doubted Namgung Eon's true intentions and kept their distance.
If Namgung Eon's betrayal proved true, it would be a massive achievement for the White Tiger Palace.
I mean, I know better than anyone that Namgung Eon didn't kill those guys, but...
Naturally, I couldn't just brush this aside.
I was the one who had accepted Namgung Eon into the sect, and at the time, the Sect Leader had explicitly ordered me to keep an eye on him to ensure his loyalty was absolute.
If Namgung Eon really was colluding with the Cheonsan Sect to plot treason, the blame would fall squarely on my shoulders.
"We have already reported these circumstances to the Sect Leader. His Holiness has decreed..."
I didn't even need to hear the rest of the Right Guardian's words to know what was coming.
"...that the Young Sect Leader shall personally investigate the relationship between Young Master Namgung Eon and the Cheonsan Sect. If his betrayal is confirmed, you are to deal with him as you see fit."
This was incredibly exhausting.
I could already feel my social battery draining into the negatives.
But regardless of my inner exhaustion, I had to play the part of the ruthless Young Sect Leader.
"Deal with him? How uncharacteristic of Father to use such mild words. What other end is there for a traitor but death?"
Hearing my cold declaration, the Right Guardian nodded vigorously, looking thoroughly impressed by the Young Sect Leader's fierce, domineering spirit.
Not long after, I passed through the main gates of the headquarters and stepped outside the perimeter.
It hadn't been long since my secret midnight excursion, and here I was, leaving the sect grounds again—this time, officially.
But I wasn't alone this time. I had Yeongho Bin by my side.
The Right Guardian had offered to assign a few more bodyguards to accompany me, but I declined.
What was the point of having a personal guard if I didn't use him for times like this?
Besides, the objective of today's outing was to spy on Namgung Eon and see what he was plotting with the Cheonsan Sect.
Traveling with a whole entourage of guards would only draw unnecessary attention.
I shed my usual extravagant, flowing robes and changed into a simple, light blue robe devoid of any Sun and Moon Sect insignia.
Yeongho Bin was dressed just as simply.
"Yeongho Bin, how do I look? Do I pass for an ordinary country boy?"
"If one only looks at your attire, My Lord, then yes... however..."
"However?"
"Forgive me, My Lord, but your appearance is far too noble for a mere country boy. The scabbard at your waist also gives it away."
"Is that so?"
Hmm... I suppose Baek Yeon's face is exceptionally pale, and his features are far too refined and aristocratic.
As I pondered whether I should smear some mud on my face, my eyes met Yeongho Bin's.
"......"
His face, his posture, his entire vibe—he was the absolute epitome of a rustic country youth!
Looking at Yeongho Bin, I realized I was worrying over nothing.
"Yeongho Bin, with you around, I have nothing to worry about."
"!!"
"Still, just to be safe, don't call me 'My Lord' in public. Shall we pretend to be brothers for now?"
"Yes, My Lord."
So what if I didn't look like a country boy?
The guy standing right next to me looked like he had literally just stepped out of a potato patch.
With him acting as my foil, there was absolutely no need to worry about drawing unwanted attention.
"By the way..."
As I walked side-by-side with Yeongho Bin down the mountain path, I turned my thoughts to the task at hand.
The White Tiger Palace Master had shared all the intelligence they had gathered on Namgung Eon, and I had formulated a plan based on those details.
If we kept heading down this path, we would eventually reach the gates of the Cheonsan Sect near the base of Mount Cheon.
According to the reports, Namgung Eon visited the Cheonsan Sect every single time he was granted leave.
He had received permission to leave the headquarters just this morning.
Thus, today's plan was simple: stake out the gates of the Cheonsan Sect, wait for Namgung Eon to emerge, and catch him red-handed.
"Why do you think Namgung Eon is visiting the Cheonsan Sect? What are your thoughts, Yeongho Bin?"
"My Lord, while it is impossible to truly know another's heart, in my opinion..."
"......?"
"Young Master Namgung Eon is not the type of person to betray you."
Sigh...
That was exactly why I was so frustrated.
There was no doubt that Namgung Eon's oath of loyalty had been genuine when he joined the Sun and Moon Sect a year ago.
I completely agreed with Yeongho Bin's assessment that Namgung Eon wasn't a traitor.
However, I hadn't had much contact with Namgung Eon over the past few months.
If he had experienced a change of heart, it must have been triggered by something that happened during that gap.
Had he grown disillusioned with the doctrines of the Sun and Moon Sect, or perhaps with its people?
Or had he ultimately found himself unable to turn his back on the orthodox Murim, as the fifth young master of the Namgung Clan?
Well, there's no point stressing over this before we even confirm his betrayal.
Lost in thought, we soon arrived at the entrance of the Cheonsan Sect.
Guards stood watch before the sect's grand gate, above which hung a plaque bearing the name "Cheonsan Sect."
Yeongho Bin and I concealed ourselves in a spot well out of sight, waiting patiently for Namgung Eon to show himself.
As the hours ticked by, a myriad of thoughts swirled in my head.
Should I confront him the moment he comes out? What do I even say to him?
No, there's no way he betrayed us. He must have a perfectly logical reason for being here.
My final, desperate hope was that this was all just a massive misunderstanding, and that Namgung Eon wouldn't even walk through those gates.
But right as that thought crossed my mind, the gates creaked open.
"My Lord," Yeongho Bin whispered.
"I see him."
Contrary to my hopes, Namgung Eon stepped out of the gates.
And he wasn't alone.
Two well-built, middle-aged men walked alongside him. They exited the gates and began heading in our direction.
Their appearance perfectly matched the image one would conjure up when imagining members of a minor, orthodox sect like the Cheonsan Sect.
"They appear to be members of the Cheonsan Sect. My Lord, what are your orders?"
"We follow them quietly."
Yeongho Bin and I remained in the shadows, tailing them.
As Namgung Eon and the Cheonsan Sect members brushed past our hiding spot, fragments of their conversation drifted to our ears.
"If today's plan in the village succeeds... the Demonic Cult is finished. You won't have to rot in that devil's den any longer, Young Master."
"The role you play is of the utmost importance, Young Master."
Hidden behind a massive tree, I couldn't see Namgung Eon's face as he walked past.
"...I am well aware," Namgung Eon replied.
Yet, the solemn, resolute tone of his voice instantly brought back memories of the day he had confronted the Namgung Clan Leader a year ago.
It was a voice heavy with a grim, unwavering determination.