The Revealed Truth (3)
Not long after, physicians from the Dang Clan rushed over and immediately began treating Young Master Dang Yeon-chil.
They took one look at him and paled in horror.
"He's barely clinging to life."
"To torture someone this viciously!"
"This level of cruelty reeks of the Black Path."
Even so, they didn't forget their duty, meticulously applying medicines and wrapping his wounds in bandages.
"Ugh……."
Young Master Dang Yeon-chil groaned in pain, and Lady Dang Su-bin fidgeted anxiously at the sight.
"My lady, don't worry too much. The Dang Clan's medical arts are unparalleled, aren't they? Your brother will recover soon enough."
"But if I'd suspected that man more, I could have saved my second brother sooner."
"No one else noticed a thing."
"But……."
"So don't blame yourself. What matters now is setting things right."
"You're right."
She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.
"We can't forgive anyone who dares to humiliate the Sacheon Dang Clan like this."
By then, the basic treatment for Young Master Dang Yeon-chil was complete. With so many physicians working at once, it hadn't taken long.
They loaded him onto a stretcher. He still couldn't walk, so they would carry him all the way to the infirmary like this.
We descended the stairs to the underground, passed through the laboratory, traversed the long corridor, and exited via the passage beside the stairs where we'd first entered.
Yi Pil warrior, who had been waiting there, saw Young Master Dang Yeon-chil on the stretcher and froze in shock.
He soon realized what had happened and bit his lip.
No matter how much he'd stormed out of the Sacheon Dang Clan, he couldn't have zero lingering feelings for it.
I clapped him on the back.
Then I followed the others.
A sudden thought struck me.
Would the impeccably thorough Murim Alliance have planted only Blood Poison Ghost in the Sacheon Dang Clan?
Could one man alone have created that laboratory and all those facilities I'd just seen?
No.
There had to be accomplices.
Someone planted here for surveillance and support.
Like the Dang Clan member from the Patrol Squad who'd handed over the first and second young masters to the disciplinary hall that morning.
They were probably Dang Clan insiders.
That was how they'd risen to sub-clan leader without detection.
But now that the fake Dang Yeon-chil had been caught and might confess his helpers' identities, they wouldn't escape unscathed.
So their best options were two: kill the fake Dang Yeon-chil, or kill the real one.
From what I'd heard earlier, the real Dang Yeon-chil only knew the culprit's name—he didn't seem to know his accomplices.
But thieves always get cold feet.
From the accomplices' perspective, it was natural to assume the real Dang Yeon-chil knew everything.
The Sacheon Dang Clan was on high alert right now, though, so they couldn't act rashly.
But there was one person who could strike here without suspicion.
The manager of this Bomang Forest.
Honestly, without his tacit approval, could anyone have built a lab and prison out here?
So when would he get his chance to take out the real Dang Yeon-chil?
Before they left Bomang Forest.
Wait.
That's right now.
At that moment, a sharp prick stabbed my heart—like a needle of killing intent.
The others hadn't noticed yet, but I definitely felt it.
If the real Dang Yeon-chil died here, all our efforts would be for nothing.
Lady Dang Su-bin and Jo Woong would grieve.
I drew my Silver Mist Sword and launched myself forward.
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, but I couldn't stand by and watch someone die right in front of me.
A hidden weapon appeared before my eyes, dripping with black liquid.
Poison.
I swung my Silver Mist Sword in a wide arc.
Clang—!
The weapon clashed against my blade.
I twisted and slammed it to the ground.
Thud—!
It lost momentum and embedded itself in the dirt.
"Young master?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I shot forward toward the direction the weapon had come from.
Soon, I spotted the assassin's back as he fled.
I took a deep breath and swung my sword.
Sixth Form: Snow Thicket
A mire of snow. Perfect for binding an enemy's feet, layering frigid qi across the ground to dull their movements.
"Wh-what is this……!"
Thump.
He toppled forward.
I rushed up and pressed my sword to his throat.
He tried to slit his own neck on my blade—suicide.
Not on my watch.
Crack—!
I struck the back of his neck, knocking him out cold.
"My lord!"
"Young master!"
Lady Dang Su-bin and the escorts caught up behind me, gasping at the unconscious man.
"Why is the Bomang Forest manager……?"
"He was an accomplice."
"What?"
"Think about it. Could they have built that place without his permission?"
Lady Dang Su-bin's eyes widened.
"I never even considered it."
"That's understandable. In a crisis like this, everyone's mind freezes up."
I'd been the same, which was why it had taken me so long to realize.
This was a truth that hadn't surfaced in my previous life.
* * *
Clan Lord Dang Gyu-jeong couldn't collect his thoughts for a moment.
The report from the Flame Squad warrior had been that shocking.
"What? There's a secret space in Bomang Forest, and Yeon-chil was imprisoned there?"
"Yes, Clan Lord."
"Then the one I saw this morning was……?"
"A fake, we presume. We need to apprehend him immediately."
"Who discovered this?"
"Lady Dang Su-bin and Silver Hero Eun Seo-ho."
Dang Gyu-jeong issued orders without hesitation.
"Capture the fake in the Patrol Squad right now!"
"Yes, sir!"
Another warrior arrived then, reporting on the man's identity.
"Blood Poison Ghost…… Tell the Flame Squad Leader to step up. Make sure we take him alive for a confession."
"Yes, sir!"
Dang Dae-jeong could capture him with minimal casualties.
From the earlier failed kidnapping of Dang Jo-woong, he'd vaguely suspected the culprits.
And if his hunch was right, this incident was their doing too.
"The Murim Alliance……."
Dang Gyu-jeong ground his teeth.
The Murim Alliance was supposed to be where the righteous sects of the White Path gathered to deliberate, strategize, and unite for the greater good.
But at some point, it had changed.
Outwardly, it still seemed exemplary.
It started a few years after the new Alliance Leader was elected.
The Alliance Leader preached unification of the martial world.
But his methods were suspicious.
To resort to schemes against those who wouldn't go along!
A few years back, there'd been trouble at the Jegal Clan—nearly wiped out by the Alliance's schemes. When the Jegal Supreme Patriarch warned them to be cautious, he'd dismissed it as unlikely.
But "unlikely" had struck, and now it was the Sacheon Dang Clan's turn.
He suddenly missed his father.
The man who had vanished after saying, "This clan is yours now—lead it as you see fit."
How reassuring it would be to have Father here now.
Sigh, Father. This clan lord position still weighs heavy on me.
A guard's voice came from outside.
"They've moved Third Young Master to the infirmary."
His head throbbed, but he couldn't stay holed up forever.
He left his office and headed to the infirmary.
A short while later,
Upon arriving, he frowned in puzzlement.
The security was extraordinarily tight.
"Father!"
Dang Su-bin ran to him upon seeing him.
"Su-bin."
"Father, Brother Yeon-chil……."
As her eyes welled up again, Dang Gyu-jeong stroked her head.
Silent comfort.
"Why is the security so intense?"
"Today, while rescuing Brother Yeon-chil, the Bomang Forest manager tried to kill him."
"What?"
"Fortunately, the Silver Hero intervened just in time."
"The Silver Hero……you mean young hero Eun Seo-ho?"
"Yes."
Dang Su-bin continued.
"Actually, he found the secret space too. He spotted it first."
She explained everything in detail, and Dang Gyu-jeong let out a heavy sigh.
"Hah……."
How many times had Eun Seo-ho saved them now?
"Silver Hero" wasn't enough—he deserved "Great Silver Hero."
He entered the infirmary.
A thick herbal scent filled the air, one designed to soothe the mind and body.
Having just heard the situation from Dang Su-bin, he bit his lip at the smell.
He passed those bowing to him and followed her guidance inside.
Suddenly, he stopped short.
A figure wrapped head to toe in bandages lay on the bed.
"Ye…… Yeon-chil."
"Father?"
The figure stirred at his trembling voice.
"Yeon-chil…… is that you?"
"Yes, Father. It's me, Yeon-chil."
"……Really?"
"Ah, come on, you're too much. You can't even recognize your own son right in front of you? Should I buy you some glasses?"
The casual, sly tone—familiar yet distinct from the fake's—filled him with sorrow.
"I'm sorry. This father of yours couldn't even recognize his own son."
"Huh? Father, are you crying? This is an honor. Never thought I'd see you shed tears."
"I'm truly sorry."
Biting his lip, he left the room where Dang Yeon-chil lay.
Someone came running up then.
The deputy of Flame Squad Leader Dang Dae-jeong.
"Clan Lord! We captured the fake Dang Yeon-chil……no, Blood Poison Ghost Baek Du-gap alive."
Dang Gyu-jeong's voice turned icy.
"Convene the disciplinary hall immediately. Everyone attends."
"Yes, sir!"
* * *
I'm in the training grounds.
The clan lord had called a disciplinary hearing.
And he'd specified everyone must attend, so no one could stay away.
In the center knelt a man.
A face I'd never seen.
But the human-skin mask and clothes beside him marked him as Blood Poison Ghost Baek Du-gap, the fake Dang Yeon-chil.
Next to him knelt the prison guard and the Bomang Forest manager I'd caught.
The interrogation began.
I understood now why everyone had to be here.
The clan lord knew it too.
Not all accomplices could be exposed.
This was a warning to them.
Even if you slip away this time by luck, our mercy ends here.
Get caught again, and you'll face the full wrath of the Sacheon Dang Clan.
The two-hour interrogation concluded, revealing most of the truth.
It matched my suspicions, but the shock was that this plot had been brewing for three years.
"Imprison the sinners in the brain prison."
"Yes, sir!"
The warriors dragged Baek Du-gap, his crew, and their sympathizers away.
One question lingered, though.
They hadn't asked the most crucial one.
Who had ordered this?
Which meant……the clan lord already knew.
He addressed the assembly.
"For this incident, I deeply regret my negligence as clan lord and apologize to you all."
His voice, amplified by a Lion's Roar technique, echoed across the entire Sacheon Dang Clan.
"……."
"Thus, I declare to you all: No more lapses. No one will target the Sacheon Dang Clan again! Stay vigilant, and let our clan's glory reach the heavens!"
"We shall obey and engrave it in our hearts!"
I returned to the annex.
The unprecedented scandal had the whole clan in an uproar.
I leaned back in my chair with a sigh.
Could I finally relax?
After I'd blocked the Bomang Forest manager's attack, alertness had spiked.
Protection for Young Master Dang Yeon-chil was now at maximum, so no more worries there.
All that brain-racking had given me a headache.
"Palgap, let's go for a walk."
"Yes, sir."
Palgap followed, and I strolled slowly through the garden.
This was the guest garden, so it wasn't as heavily guarded as one might think.
Then I spotted someone ahead.
Yi Pil warrior.
He'd said he was stepping out briefly—here he was.
And in front of him stood a middle-aged woman. I'd seen her recently.
Lady Dang Su-bin's words came back.
"She's my youngest uncle's first aunt. Uncle's away on dispatch to the Murim Alliance, but his wife stays here."
So, Yi Pil's stepmother, essentially.
Her voice carried over.
"What more do you think you'll get out of this?"
"That's not it."
"Not it? That shameless mother of yours and her son—utterly without shame!"
"Don't insult my mother."
"You must've thought the near-kidnapping of Jo-woong was your chance to worm back into the main house. Think I wouldn't notice?"
I let out a sigh at that.
Like mother, like son seemed aimed at him.