Man-gyeol's Benevolence (6)
Eun Seo-ho looked at him and spoke.
"You look like you don't believe it."
Eun Seo-ho handed him a letter.
"Take a look."
After reading the letter, he looked up in shock.
It stated that Man-gyeol's Benevolence had discovered the disease was artificial.
"Submit the report as is. They'll say they've worked hard enough and tell you to stop sending reports—that'll be proof they want to wipe this place out."
"……."
"What's wrong? Don't you have faith? You seemed so confident just moments ago……."
Eun Seo-ho's words sounded almost mocking.
He replied.
"I'll show you just how righteous they are."
I watched the Hyeongmun Sect disciple put the report I'd written into the bamboo tube.
My heart felt heavy.
Whether it was the Murim Alliance that manipulated this fool into doing it, or the fool himself who did it for his own gain, neither sat well with me.
That aside, what made this guy so confident about the Murim Alliance's righteousness?
Well…….
To those who don't yet know its true nature, the Murim Alliance must seem just.
After parting with him, Man-gyeol's Benevolence and I returned to the Hyeongmun Sect's lodgings.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Man-gyeol's Benevolence asked the moment we entered.
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't it asking for trouble to let them know I uncovered that the disease afflicting this place was man-made?"
I'd just learned through the bamboo tube letter that the Murim Alliance was behind this incident.
So his concern wasn't unfounded.
"Probably. But I have a good idea."
"……?"
I called out to Geum-ryeong in my sleeve.
"Geum-ryeong."
"Chirp!"
"You've got a job. Deliver this letter to Palgap, and this one to Father."
"Chirp."
"Do it well, and I'll give you a silver tael."
"Cheep!"
The promise of silver worked wonders, as always.
Geum-ryeong tied the letter for Father to its tail and the one for Palgap to its leg, then vanished out the window in a flash.
Damn, it's fast.
But if I feed it too much silver, it won't get even rounder, will it?
That might be cute in its own way…….
A few days later.
A bamboo tube had been placed in the tree hollow.
It was a reply.
The disciple said to me with a triumphant face.
"I'll prove you wrong!"
He boldly pulled out the letter from the tube and unfurled it.
I simply watched with a smile.
The disciple's eyes wavered.
"What's wrong?"
"Th-this can't…… be?"
"Looks like things didn't go as planned."
Thud.
He dropped the letter, and I picked it up to read.
[Good work. No need to send more reports. Wait within the sect.]
Exactly as I'd predicted.
"N-no, this isn't…… this can't be……."
He denied reality, then looked up at me.
"Even so, this doesn't prove the Murim Alliance isn't righteous!"
"Maybe not. But you'll realize it soon enough."
I grinned and said,
"Head inside. The night wind is cold."
After parting with him, I headed to the sect leader.
Man-gyeol's Benevolence's medicine had been incredibly effective. The sect leader, protectors, and disciples were all up and about.
Currently, no one in the Hyeongmun Sect was ill.
"You've come, Seonhyeopmirang Daehyeop."
I waved my hand at the sect leader's words.
"Just call me young master."
"We can't do that."
"Sect Leader……."
"So, coming from meeting that pitiful disciple?"
He was asking about the one who'd spread the disease and reported on the situation.
As a disciple of this sect, handling him was the sect leader's duty.
That's why I'd informed the sect leader about him.
"Just as I expected. But…… he denied reality to the end."
"I see."
He stroked his beard with a regretful expression.
"How will you punish him?"
The sect leader pondered briefly before answering.
"First, we should protect the child."
"You're not just going to leave him be?"
"Like it or not, whether he's committed a crime or not, he's still a disciple of our Hyeongmun Sect. We must protect him."
I could see why the Murim Alliance had chosen the Hyeongmun Sect out of so many.
It was probably because of attitudes like this.
I recalled what Nangong Gang, the head of the Baekcheon Merchant Group, had told me before I died in my previous life.
"And their needless righteousness is annoying. You lot are raising the bar for 'goodness,' which is a problem. That's why they stand out."
The Murim Alliance clearly guarded against any elevation in the standard of goodness.
Why on earth does the Murim Alliance want to lower the bar for goodness?
A group of about fifty heading toward Hyeongmun Mountain.
Cheongsong, their division leader, felt deeply perplexed right now.
He had received orders from the Murim Alliance Leader.
Burn down the Hyeongmun Sect on Hyeongmun Mountain to prevent the epidemic from spreading further.
"There's an epidemic in the Hyeongmun Sect on Hyeongmun Mountain, and it's fatal to those who practice martial arts."
"……."
"They say everyone's already dead from the disease. But if left alone, it could spread, so clean it up."
"Understood."
But the separate orders he'd received differed slightly.
"If there are any survivors, they must die there."
"……."
"One mistake, and the Murim world crumbles."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Killing healthy survivors—fellow righteous Murim warriors—bothered him.
But it was a plague fatal to martial artists.
Sacrifice the few for the many.
With resolve, he'd set out…….
"Heard about the Hyeongmun Sect?"
"Yeah! They got that plague that hits martial artists, but they're fine now?"
"All cured."
"For real?"
"Man-gyeol's Benevolence made a cure, and they all recovered after taking it."
Everywhere they stopped, rumors swirled that the Hyeongmun Sect's epidemic was gone.
The problem hit when they reached Uichang.
The plague was gone, and Murim folk swarmed the place.
The path to Hyeongmun Mountain was packed with people.
"Why are there so many people?"
One of them answered Cheongsong's question.
"It seems Division Leader hasn't heard the rumors."
"Rumors? You mean about the Hyeongmun Sect warriors recovering from the plague?"
"Yes. So now, Man-gyeol's Benevolence is personally distributing the medicine to other Murim folk."
"……."
Cheongsong's mission was to be carried out in secret.
Now, secrecy was impossible.
He reported to his superiors, and soon a letter arrived.
Return orders.
They stopped at an inn to rest before tomorrow's return.
While eating dinner on the first floor, they chatted.
"At least it's a relief."
"The disease cleared up before we arrived."
Cheongsong nodded at his subordinates' words. Truth be told, it had weighed on him.
No matter the greater good, swinging a sword at plague-stricken fellow righteous warriors?
On the way here, he'd been mired in self-doubt: Is this why I learned martial arts?
After the meal, his men retired to their rooms one by one.
Then a group entered the inn.
Commoners usually avoided inns full of sword-bearing folk.
But with most now in rooms, they entered the dining hall.
They ate dumplings and such, conversing.
"So Man-gyeol's Benevolence figured it out right away? That someone deliberately spread the plague in the Hyeongmun Sect?"
"Yeah."
"Good thing there's a cure."
"Made it quick too. By mid-month, everyone was fully recovered and back to training."
Listening, Cheongsong sensed something off.
He'd received the Alliance Leader's orders after mid-month.
So when he got them, the Hyeongmun Sect was already plague-free.
Then why did the Alliance Leader……?
I secretly observed Cheongsong Division Leader's demeanor.
His eyes were filled with confusion.
Exactly as intended—plan successful.
In my past life, after the Gusii Murim Alliance headquarters arson, a few days later, something rocked the Murim world.
News of Cheongsong Division Leader's suicide.
He'd left a will atoning for past sins by offering his life to the resentful spirits of the nine heavens, causing a stir.
From what I'd gathered, Cheongsong had been immensely proud of being a Murim Alliance member.
Yet he'd taken his own life.
I hadn't known why then, but piecing it together now, it clicked.
He was the one who'd burned the Hyeongmun Sect.
Back then, he hadn't known the truth.
Later, learning it tormented him with guilt until he ended it.
He was a renowned master, a pillar of the Murim Alliance.
I decided to crack that pillar.
That's why I mobilized Palgap and two guard warriors for this plan.
And it seemed to have worked.
On the way back to the Hyeongmun Sect from the inn, I thanked Palgap and the guards.
"You all worked hard on this."
"Not at all."
"You've had it tougher, young master."
"Chirp……."
"Geum-ryeong worked hard too."
"Cheep!"
I chuckled. The letters I'd sent via Geum-ryeong had requested spreading rumors.
The rumors snowballed fast.
Word of free medicine drew warriors from across the land.
Even the Murim Alliance couldn't touch a sect swarming with them, so they ordered Cheongsong's group to withdraw.
Man-gyeol's Benevolence must be exhausted making all that medicine.
And the Hyeongmun Sect disciples must be worn out handling the crowds.
Still better than burning alive.
Time to head back to the Hyeongmun Sect. I was curious about the look on the face of the mouse who'd trusted the cat.
It was deep night.
Hyeongmun Sect disciple Ji-un headed to the spot where he'd left reports.
Amid the chaos of greeting and guiding the influx of warriors, someone had slipped a note into his sleeve.
It promised the agreed reward if he came alone to the report spot at the end of the Hai hour (9-11 p.m.), telling no one.
Ji-un inwardly cheered at the note.
Finally, escape from this backwater to the wide world.
He wanted to shove it in Eun Seo-ho's face, the one who'd mocked him.
See? The Murim Alliance is righteous after all!
They don't forget promised rewards!
But to avoid ruining it at the last moment, he told no one and headed into the woods.
Ji-un soon reached the tree by the rock.
Just in case, he reached into the hollow. Something was there.
He pulled his hand out.
"……!"
He jolted in surprise. A pouch of silver was in his hand.
"Wh-what is this?"
A voice came from behind.
"Like the amount? It's your fare to the afterlife."
"……!"
Ji-un whipped around.
A figure in black robes stood with drawn sword.
"Wh-who are you?"
"Here to give you your promised reward."
But something was wrong.
Fare to the afterlife? And that killing intent?
"The Murim Alliance promised me a division leader position."
"You think your skills qualify for division leader? Pathetic."
Mockery dripped from his tone.
"Can't even join as a regular member, let alone an instructor, and you dream big."
"Wh-what do you……."
"You don't even know Hyeongmun Sect arts shine in groups, not solo. What a waste of training."
He raised his sword.
"Your promised reward was always one thing: death."
Ji-un suppressed his fear and drew his sword.
"Count yourself lucky. Botched job means you die by my blade, not burned alive."
The man's form vanished in an instant. By the time Ji-un realized, the sword was piercing toward his heart.
Clang-!