Risk Factor (6)
I said to Mo-yong Tae-geol, the young lord of the Moyong Clan.
"Then, please declare that I've regained consciousness now."
"Right this moment?"
"Yes. I can't enjoy that entertaining spectacle if I'm in a coma, can I? And we need my testimony to nail down the crime for sure."
He nodded at my words.
"True enough. I'll summon the physician, then."
A short while later, the physician arrived and took my pulse.
If my condition was good, he'd realize I was faking it.
So from earlier, I'd been deliberately tensing my pulse to make it seem like I was still in poor shape.
"Hm, you're definitely recovering compared to before. But you still need rest—don't push yourself or move around too much."
"Understood."
Once the physician left, Mo-yong Tae-geol's attendant rushed in with the news.
"Young lord, the public interrogation is set to begin in one hour."
"Public interrogation—does that mean at the Yeonchu Platform?"
"Yes, exactly."
Yeonchu Platform? Where was that?
Sensing my curiosity, Mo-yong Tae-geol explained.
"When a major incident occurs at the main household, public interrogations are held there—at the Yeonchu Platform."
Like its name, "Burning Scale," it symbolized strict and impartial judgment?
Still, what kind of madness had driven that warrior to do something so outrageous?
If he could get through this unscathed, that would be lucky—but one slip, and it could all come crashing down on him.
There had to be a reason.
"Palgap."
"Yes, you called, young master?"
"Look into the warrior who took me to the Imil Garden. The interrogation starts in one hour, so move fast."
"Got it."
Palgap swiftly left my quarters.
Mo-yong Seong-geol couldn't fathom how things had spiraled this far.
He'd only wanted to make Eun Seo-ho pay for the humiliation.
It could have ended quietly, or at best, pinned the blame on Mo-yong Tae-geol.
But now, it had ballooned beyond his control.
'A public interrogation at the Yeonchu Platform!'
Just as the name implied, the entire Moyong Clan would witness it.
Which meant if his honor was tarnished there, he could never show his face again.
"Young master, will you be all right?"
At his attendant's worried question, Mo-yong Seong-geol snapped.
"No need to freak out! Didn't I tell you? There's no evidence! And that warrior won't spill the truth."
"That's true, but…"
Just then, the voice of the Moyong Clan's martial squad leader came from outside.
"It's time to head to the Yeonchu Platform. Come out."
With that, he opened the door and stepped out, escorted—and guarded—by the squad leader as they made their way to the platform.
True to its name, flames blazed on all sides of the Yeonchu Platform. Even in the dark evening, it was bright as day.
And the layout was oddly psychological, heightening the pressure.
Upon arrival, Mo-yong Seong-geol took his assigned seat.
Soon, the clan's elders arrived one by one, and the family head took his place.
"It's Seonhyeopmirang!"
"The great hero Seonhyeopmirang is here!"
Turning at the cries, he saw Eun Seo-ho entering the platform, supported by an attendant.
His face was pale from the ordeal, and that sickly, refined youthfulness had the women glued to him.
Irritated for some reason, Mo-yong Seong-geol whipped his head away.
"We will now begin the public interrogation."
The interrogator was Mo-yong Muk, deputy head of the Enforcement Hall, which handled punishments—and oversaw the Yeonchu Platform.
"This concerns identifying the culprit behind the incident where the murim hero, great hero Seonhyeopmirang Eun Seo-ho, lost consciousness and collapsed in the Imil Garden."
He continued.
"Great hero Seonhyeopmirang, who only just regained consciousness, wished to let the matter drop. But this strikes at the Moyong Clan's honor—we cannot overlook it, hence this public interrogation."
The elders nodded in agreement.
"Now, an overview of the incident."
Mo-yong Muk glanced at the documents in his hand as he explained.
"Yesterday, young lord Mo-yong Tae-geol discovered great hero Seonhyeopmirang Eun Seo-ho unconscious in the Imil Garden. Upon investigation, it turned out a warrior named Yeonjung had lured the great hero into a formation. The hero barely escaped but ultimately collapsed."
Pausing for breath, he went on.
"We will first interrogate the prime suspect, warrior Yeonjung."
He ordered the Enforcement Hall warriors.
"Bring in warrior Yeonjung."
"Yes!"
They soon dragged in the warrior and seated him.
His hands, legs, and waist were securely bound to the chair.
"Your name is Yeonjung, correct?"
"Yes."
"You took great hero Eun Seo-ho to the Imil Garden yesterday, correct?"
"Correct."
"Did you then trap him in the formation, leading to his coma?"
At the question, Yeonjung's and Mo-yong Seong-geol's eyes met for a moment.
Mo-yong Seong-geol nodded sharply, and Yeonjung swallowed hard before answering.
"Yes… yes, that was me."
The confession stirred the crowd. Mo-yong Seong-geol smirked.
'But the real bombshell's still coming.'
Mo-yong Muk pressed on.
"Witness statements say you told him young lord Mo-yong Tae-geol had summoned great hero Eun Seo-ho. Did you borrow the young lord's name to lure him?"
"No. The one who ordered it was indeed young lord Mo-yong Tae-geol. That's why I said that."
The statement shocked the crowd, all eyes turning to young lord Mo-yong Tae-geol.
But he remained utterly composed.
Mo-yong Seong-geol sneered inwardly at him.
'Why act so calm? Get ready to step down.'
Mo-yong Muk asked young lord Mo-yong Tae-geol.
"Is this statement true?"
"It's not. And I have proof that it's false."
Mo-yong Seong-geol flinched.
'Proof?'
Mo-yong Muk inquired.
"What proof?"
"The night before, Father instructed me to meet great hero Eun Seo-ho and gauge his intentions on a certain matter. I went to his quarters myself—so I knew someone had impersonated me to lure him to the Imil Garden."
He continued.
"I was already planning to meet him—why would I order that warrior to bring him there?"
Then the family head spoke.
"He's right. I gave that order."
With that, Yeonjung's statement was exposed as a lie.
Mo-yong Seong-geol bit his lip at the unexpected turn, while the crowd buzzed.
Mo-yong Tae-geol went on.
"When I heard great hero Eun Seo-ho had gone to the Imil Garden, I rushed there and found him."
Mo-yong Muk turned to Yeonjung.
"The criminal's statement appears false. What's your explanation?"
"No, it's true. The young lord definitely ordered it. He told me to do it, then pretended to discover him later."
"If he gave the order, where were we at the time?"
Yeonjung answered Mo-yong Tae-geol's question.
"Obviously, in a secluded spot…"
"What secluded spot?"
"…"
"Let me be clear. This morning, when you claim I gave the order, I was in Yeon-geol's quarters. And no man outside the family—except those assigned—can enter there."
The more Yeonjung spoke, the more his lies unraveled.
As the situation tangled further, Mo-yong Seong-geol cursed him inwardly.
'Idiot! If you couldn't stick to the story, just kill yourself cleanly! Damn it!'
Then Mo-yong Tae-geol stood.
"One thing suddenly puzzles me: why is this warrior trying to frame me?"
He glanced back at Eun Seo-ho.
"Great hero Eun Seo-ho once told me: when someone does something incomprehensible, look at what they stand to gain."
He continued.
"So I investigated this warrior—and learned why he's forced to lie like this."
"What is it?"
"Before bringing in the key witness, could you unbind him? I'll take responsibility."
Mo-yong Muk nodded, and the warriors freed Yeonjung.
Yeonjung bit his lip. He knew who the witness was.
Mo-yong Tae-geol ordered his guards.
"Bring her in."
"Yes."
Soon, they escorted in a woman.
But seeing was different from expecting. Yeonjung cried out in shock.
"Honey!"
"What's the meaning of this! Oh dear!"
He shouted furiously at Mo-yong Tae-geol.
"Isn't this too cowardly? Using family to threaten— and you're the young lord of the righteous Moyong Clan?!"
Slap!
"Ugh!"
His words cut off. His wife had smacked his back with her palm.
"Who are you talking to like that? He's our son's benefactor!"
"Uh… benefactor?"
"He cured our son's illness!"
Mo-yong Tae-geol nodded at the baffled Yeonjung.
"Yes. Your son is healthy now."
"Ah… then…"
Finally grasping it, he dropped to his knees, kowtowing desperately.
"I-I'm sorry! Truly sorry! To do this to our son's benefactor…"
"Then, will you tell the truth now?"
At the gentle prompt, Yeonjung spoke.
"Yes. The truth is, young master Mo-yong Seong-geol ordered all of this."
I forced down my rising smirk, clenching my fist inside my sleeve.
In the end, we'd drawn out the confession.
Palgap, following my orders, had quickly uncovered Yeonjung's situation.
"He has a son who ate something bad on the mountain—dying any day now. The medicine's an elixir, but he was stressing over the money."
"So he desperately needed cash."
"Yes."
"Then go with the young lord here and handle it."
"Understood."
I'd given Palgap a token to withdraw funds from our branch.
And that was the result.
Mo-yong Seong-geol shot to his feet, yelling.
"I-I know nothing about this! Where's that lie coming from?!"
Of course, he denied it flat-out.
"Didn't you order the path to the Imil Garden changed and for me to lure great hero Eun Seo-ho into the formation?"
He continued.
"I have proof!"
"Proof? Show it!"
He told deputy head Mo-yong Muk.
"Among the confiscated items earlier, there's a blue pouch. Bring it."
The man ordered warriors, who soon fetched the blue pouch.
"Inside is a paper detailing the Imil Garden paths to alter."
He went on.
"The handwriting left there will make everything crystal clear."
Mo-yong Muk unfolded the paper with a grim expression.
His eyes wavered as he read.
"Hoo…"
Sighing, he passed it to the elders, who shook their heads after reviewing it.
They looked at Mo-yong Seong-geol.
Their eyes held deep disappointment.
I grinned.
Of course.
I'd expected evidence that Yeonjung acted on Mo-yong Seong-geol's orders.
He'd just gotten unlucky targeting me—I'd realized how meticulous he was from the lure.
He'd even worn real guard uniforms to avoid suspicion.
The family head spoke.
"Seong-geol. Why did you do this?"
As Mo-yong Seong-geol clamped his mouth shut, the family head clicked his tongue.
"Holding a grudge from last night? That was your own doing."
"What did I do?"
"You incited your brother Jun-geol, didn't you?"
"…!"
"Win the contest and become a hero? But even then, the great hero wouldn't have acted."
"…"
The family head knew too.
Back then, I'd humiliated Mo-yong Seong-geol to tarnish his honor—but also because he'd mocked my friend, Bokyun the squad leader, as a lowly merchant begging with his wife like a beggar.
I hadn't mentioned it to spare Bokyun's feelings.
I could stomach insults to myself.
But not to my friends.
Ah, no.
I can't stomach my own either.