Chapter 40: The Culprit
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 40: The Culprit
“Honestly, this environment is just too perfect.”
Lick.
A middle-aged man dressed in black martial robes licked his lips.
A unit of assassins from Blood Tears had gathered at the Ice Palace.
“Disguising ourselves as the Demonic Cult to kill Ice Palace people and get paid for it... what could be more fitting for us, don't you think?”
“You’re right, sir!”
“Don’t forget. Today, we are demons.”
A wicked grin spread across the man's face. At his word, the assassins drew their swords and began slaughtering the people of the Ice Palace.
“The Heavenly Demon descends! All demons shall submit!”
“The Heavenly Demon descends! All demons shall submit!”
The assassins chanted the slogan as if to brainwash themselves into believing they truly were members of the Demonic Cult.
“Slay the cultists!”
Warriors from the Snow Tiger Unit and the Ice Wolf Unit began to pour out.
Despite the counterattack, the assassins disguised as cultists did not falter in the slightest.
Slash—!
“Gah!”
Why?
Because they were skillfully utilizing their assassination arts to pick off the Ice Palace experts.
‘They said it wouldn't matter if we fled at the right time anyway.’
This was a fight heavily skewed in their favor.
“Die, you Ice Palace scum!”
Swish! Swish!
The assassins’ blades were swift and cruel.
“Hahaha! You’re weak!”
Kwon Un-so, a high-level assassin of Blood Tears, burst into a fit of mad laughter, convinced they could wipe out every warrior in the Ice Palace. But at that moment—
Flutter—
A butterfly came fluttering toward them.
‘A butterfly?’
The moment the butterfly landed on Dan Mok-so’s shoulder...
Fwoosh!
A massive pillar of flame erupted.
“Aaaaaagh!”
“Captain!”
“Demonic Cultists? Don’t make me laugh.”
“White Night!”
—Roar!
Baek Mu-yong’s snow wolf, White Night, began to tear through the men in black at an incredible speed.
Slice— Slice—
“Aaargh! My arm!”
“My leg!!”
Tae Un-seo began carving through limbs with his kitchen knife.
“How cruel.”
Thud— Thud— Thud—
Weizhi Young’s flying daggers buried themselves in the necks of the men in black.
Sh-sh-sh-shk!
Every time Eun-bin’s fast sword flashed, the lives of the men in black were extinguished one by one.
“It—it’s reinforcements!”
“Waaaaah!”
“But... who are they?”
“It’s the Little Snow Unit, the unit directly under the Young Palace Lord.”
“The Little Snow Unit? Isn’t their captain from the Demonic Cult?”
“Then is he killing his own people?”
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted once again.
“I’d appreciate it if you didn't compare these fakes to actual demons.”
“Fakes?”
“Do you really think these things, who don't even radiate a hint of Demonic Qi, are members of the Demonic Cult?”
Crackle—
A terrifying amount of Demonic Qi began to surge from Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s entire body.
Twitch— Twitch—
“This is the Demonic Qi that the demons of the Cult actually possess.”
Gulp—
The warriors of the Ice Palace swallowed hard, feeling the numbing Demonic Qi radiating from Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“And the enemies?”
“Most have been dealt with,” Eun-bin replied.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom nodded.
As expected, those who attacked the Ice Palace were not demons. He had to prove it.
“Bring Young Master Moyong.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom knew a warrior from the Orthodox Faction who could provide that proof.
*
At the same time Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stepped out of the Palace Lord’s Hall and finished off the men in black...
Bang!
“Yerin!”
“Young Palace Lord!”
“Back off. The moment a single person interferes, I will freeze this entire space solid.”
Cr-cr-crack!
Seol Yerin was not bluffing. The area surrounding Hyeok Ryeon-mu was completely covered in ice.
“...I like you more and more.”
To Hyeok Ryeon-mu, Seol Yerin was a woman who never ceased to amaze him. Despite being a woman, she possessed enough martial prowess to isolate him like this.
And above all...
‘The glimpses of her face behind that veil...’
She was a beauty capable of toppling empires.
“You’re as foolish as ever.”
“What?”
“If you don't know the price the Third Young Master is paying because of you, then shut your mouth.”
Hyeok Ryeon-mu furrowed his brows.
“Why... why do you support Hyeok Ryeon-yeom to such an extent?”
“A scoundrel like you will never understand the Third Young Master’s heart.”
Seol Yerin’s words were sharp enough to cut to the quick.
Watching her, there was one person secretly stomping his feet in anxiety.
‘Dammit! I should have dealt with Hyeok Ryeon-mu right then and there!’
He never imagined the Young Palace Lord would protect the Demonic Cult’s envoy like this.
Seol Un-gang, who had stood up while clutching his throbbing cheek, clenched and unclenched his fists. He wanted to step forward, but he couldn't.
There were eyes—far too many eyes.
The gazes of many were currently fixed on Seol Un-gang.
‘The moment I step in now...’
He would be backed into a corner with no way out.
‘I shouldn't have just taken that hit...’
He should have suppressed Hyeok Ryeon-mu instead of letting himself be struck. If he had done that, he wouldn't have let Hyeok Ryeon-yeom leave the Palace Lord’s Hall, and he wouldn't be this anxious.
The eyes of Seol Un-gang, Chairman of the Ice Council, began to dart around restlessly.
“Young Palace Lord, how much longer do you intend to wait like this?”
Jang Un-seong, Family Head of the Guardian Jang Family, asked on behalf of the other heads.
It was understandable; nearly half a shijin [one hour] had passed since Seol Yerin had pinned Hyeok Ryeon-mu down. Given that there was no further word from outside, it was highly likely that the Little Snow Unit was successfully handling the intruders.
If the Little Snow Unit truly returned without betraying the Young Palace Lord...
‘The hypothesis that someone impersonated the Demonic Cult to attack the Ice Palace will be proven correct.’
Family Head Jang Un-seong believed that such a possibility must not be allowed to manifest.
Even now, the expression of the Palace Lord, Seol Baek-ho, was growing increasingly grim. If a traitor had truly emerged from within using Hyeok Ryeon-mu as an excuse...
The moment Hyeok Ryeon-yeom brought back the attackers and proved they weren't demons...
‘The time for a Great Purge will arrive.’
Before Seol Yerin began suffering from the Extreme Yin Body, the Ice Palace Lord, Seol Baek-ho, had ruled as the King of the Ice Palace, just as his title suggested.
Compared to those days, many likely thought of the current Seol Baek-ho as a toothless tiger.
However, Family Head Jang Un-seong knew better. Even an aging tiger was still a tiger. He knew just how much blood would be spilled once the crouching tiger bared its fangs.
As the head of the family that guarded the Ice Palace, Jang Un-seong wanted to minimize the damage. To do that...
“Until the Captain of the Little Snow Unit returns.”
He needed to separate the Young Palace Lord—who was clearly devoted to that captain—from Hyeok Ryeon-mu.
At Seol Yerin’s declaration, Jang Un-seong turned his gaze toward Seol Baek-ho.
“Palace Lord, half a shijin has already passed. We cannot wait indefinitely. For now, we should hold the Demonic Cult’s envoy accountable for striking Chairman Seol Un-gang...”
“Family Head Jang.”
Flinch—
At Seol Baek-ho’s single remark, Jang Un-seong snapped to attention. Seol Baek-ho was currently so sharp that it sent goosebumps across Jang's entire body.
‘That look he used to have in his prime.’
It seemed Seol Baek-ho intended to use this opportunity to completely uproot those who were eating away at the North Sea.
“I believe my thinking was narrow.”
As Jang Un-seong quickly tucked his tail and returned to his spot, the expressions of Baek Il-sang, Head of the Ice Wolf Baek Family, and Gwak Un-cheol, Head of the Snow Tiger Gwak Family, hardened.
They couldn't shake the feeling that the Palace Lord’s power was about to become far too absolute.
“How boring. I thought the Young Palace Lord would play with me on behalf of the Ice Palace, but to think you were just stalling for time for that brat Yeom.”
Step. Step.
Demonic Qi began to drift from Hyeok Ryeon-mu’s body.
“You haven't forgotten that you visited the Ice Palace as an envoy, have you?”
“I know. But I can't stand it when I'm curious. Why do you trust Hyeok Ryeon-yeom so much?”
At Hyeok Ryeon-mu’s question, Seol Yerin began to think deeply.
Why did she trust Hyeok Ryeon-yeom?
Come to think of it, it was quite remarkable.
He had suddenly appeared during their first meeting and saved her from despair. He had wiped out bandits to earn her father’s recognition. He had even found the legacy of the Martial God that had remained hidden for three hundred years.
Chuckle.
A smile naturally formed on her lips whenever she thought of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“...Ha?”
Just as Hyeok Ryeon-mu’s expression twisted at the sight of Seol Yerin’s smile...
“Did I keep you waiting long?”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had returned.
*
Moyong Geum wondered how things had turned out this way.
He had clearly visited the Ice Palace to take Cold Iron back to Liaoning Province to sell.
‘To think the Young Palace Lord of the Ice Palace and the youngest son of the Demonic Cult Leader are set to be married.’
He had stumbled upon an incredible piece of information. Once this news reached the martial world, it would surely stir up a massive storm.
And such precious information...
‘Is bound to be worth money.’
Moyong Geum smelled profit coming from Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and Seol Yerin.
Of course, the Moyong Family was one of the Five Great Clans that followed the Orthodox path. But what about the Moyong Merchant Group?
On the surface, they appeared to be a merchant group affiliated with the Orthodox Faction, but in reality, they would dive into anything if it meant making money.
Becoming the greatest merchant group in the Central Plains was the dream of Moyong Geum, the son of the Moyong Merchant Group Leader. And becoming the greatest merchant group meant becoming the wealthiest person in the Central Plains.
There was one ironclad rule Moyong Geum lived by:
‘Money comes from people.’
When Hyeok Ryeon-yeom called for him and asked him to determine whether the attackers were members of the Demonic Cult or not...
And especially when he was told to speak while staking the ‘Moyong’ name...
The first thought that crossed Moyong Geum’s mind was:
‘I can put them in my debt.’
“We meet again, Palace Lord. And to the various vassals of the Ice Palace, I am Moyong Geum of the Moyong Merchant Group.”
“Why is a merchant suddenly...”
“Who brought him here?”
The people gathered in the Palace Lord’s Hall began to murmur as Moyong Geum stepped forward.
“Haha, I’m sure you’re all confused. The reason I have stepped before you all is...”
It was entirely because of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, but...
“Because of these men.”
The Little Snow Unit brought the gagged prisoners before Moyong Geum.
Thud!
“Do you see them? These are the ones who attacked the Ice Palace this time.”
“Demonic Cultists!”
“Now, now, hasty judgments are forbidden. It is too early to conclude that this man is a cultist.”
Moyong Geum said this and then looked back at Hyeok Ryeon-mu.
“I heard that an envoy from the Demonic Cult was visiting. And since the attack took place right at that time, it was only natural to assume it was an attack by the Demonic Cult. Is that correct?”
“It is,” Seol Baek-ho answered.
“Thinking logically, do you really believe an attack would occur that even the visiting envoy was unaware of?”
Slowly.
Seol Baek-ho’s gaze shifted toward the heads of the Five Great Families.
“Ahem.”
“Judging by your reactions, it seems the Family Heads hadn't considered that part either. But shouldn't we reconsider whether someone might have instigated this?”
“Instigated?”
“Typically...”
Tap, tap.
Moyong Geum continued, tapping the head of a man in black who had been gagged to prevent him from committing suicide.
“Look. The person who instigated this to make non-demons appear as members of the Demonic Cult must be seen as the one who led this attack. And...”
Rip—!
Moyong Geum pulled down the collar of the man in black.
There, the character for ‘Blood’ (血) was engraved on his neck.
“These are assassins from Blood Tears, one of the two greatest assassin groups in the Central Plains.”
In short, someone had commissioned an assassin organization to attack the Ice Palace and tried to frame it as the work of the Demonic Cult.
Hearing Moyong Geum’s clear summary, the people began to recall the moment the guards had shouted about the attack.
“Certainly... the first person to incite everyone was...”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the elders.
At that sight, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stepped forward.
“Chairman Seol Un-gang. As I thought, you were the culprit.”
He had found the traitor who was throwing the Ice Palace into chaos.