The Critic Murder Case (2)
Where was the Nangong Clan located?
A prestigious martial family that had produced the current leader of the Murim Alliance.
Moreover, it was a clan with considerable history, holding immense prestige in the present martial world.
The son of such a Nangong Clan leader was a prime suspect.
Jin Yeong Daehyeop pulled a piece of paper from his bosom and showed it to me.
"This poem was written on the wall."
The poem clearly rebuked the deceased poet Na Jeong-su for criticizing others' works.
It even stated that the price for such actions would be death, torn to shreds.
"And the victim was found leaning against that wall, wrists severed and body ripped apart."
"……."
The method was so brutal that I couldn't help but furrow my brow.
"Some of those who discovered it fainted on the spot."
"I can imagine."
"And…… the bigger issue is that he was murdered in Beijing's Wutong Street."
Wutong Street—meaning a road connecting to five others—was infamous in Beijing for its complexity.
One wrong turn and you'd be lost, earning it the nickname Wutong Maze.
"Pardon? In Wutong Street?"
My surprise stemmed from the fact that it was inside the inner city walls.
Beijing had both inner and outer walls.
The inner city, home to the imperial palace, maintained ironclad security.
Such a gruesome incident there couldn't be hushed up.
"His Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation. We must catch the culprit, no matter what."
The victim, though harshly critical, hadn't committed any major crime and wasn't a martial artist.
But he'd come to Beijing for the imperial Poetry Contest, only to be slain inside the inner city.
The Emperor couldn't overlook it.
"But why is the Nangong Clan's young master the prime suspect?"
"The biggest reason is the traces left on the victim matching Nangong Clan techniques. He was also one of the targets of the criticism, and there are witnesses who heard him say he'd kill the victim someday."
Jin Yeong Daehyeop continued.
"Plus, his whereabouts last night are unclear. He won't give a straight answer."
That was certainly enough to pinpoint him as the killer.
"Yet he insists he didn't do it."
Jin Yeong Daehyeop sighed and scratched his head.
"It's a real headache. He's the prime suspect, but if we punish him and the real killer turns up later, how will the Nangong Clan react?"
"Ah…… yeah, that sounds like a nightmare."
In my view, the Emperor was using this incident to curb the Nangong Clan and the Murim Alliance leader's influence.
But if it backfired, the Emperor could suffer massive losses.
Could Jin Yeong Daehyeop emerge unscathed from that?
A pointless question.
"So…… could you help me out?"
"Isn't there someone more suited for this than me?"
"You mean Lord Bang Hyeo-myeong of the Ministry of Justice?"
"Yes."
His specialty, dubbed the "Meat-Eater," was precisely tracking down culprits.
"Of course, I went to him first. But……."
"……?"
"He said he's busy with other matters and asked me to request your help."
"Pardon?"
"He said you could definitely solve it."
"……."
Sigh, Lord Bang…… why'd you do that?
I'm swamped, and I don't want to get involved with Nangong Clan matters.
Yeah, that's the honest truth.
In my previous life, the Nangong merchant fleet leader who killed me was from the Nangong Clan, as was the Murim Alliance leader.
So I had zero desire to stick my neck out for anything involving them.
"Please, I beg you."
But I couldn't ignore Jin Yeong Daehyeop pleading so earnestly.
Beyond ethics, shattering years of built trust would be a huge loss.
"I'll humbly request it."
"Sigh, alright."
I nodded.
"I'll lend a hand, however little it may be."
"Thank you so much."
"First, may I ask why the Nangong Clan's young master came to Beijing?"
The Nangong Clan was in Anhui Province. They had no reason to come here.
"He said…… to participate in the Poetry Contest."
A Nangong Clan member entering the Poetry Contest?
It wasn't common for martial artists, but not unheard of.
The Jegal Supreme Patriarch loved poetry, after all.
He'd gladly accepted the invitation as a judge this time too.
"Then let's start by viewing the scene, examine the body, and finally meet the Nangong heir."
This was to prevent my judgment from being swayed by talking to him first.
Objectivity was key in cases like this.
I continued.
"But as you know, the Poetry Contest is in a few days, so I can't devote all my time."
Jin Yeong Daehyeop replied.
"No worries there. His Highness the Crown Prince has already spoken to the Sebin Merchant Group's Ingyeong envoy about the situation."
"……."
Thorough as always.
A moment later.
After preparing to go out, I followed Jin Yeong Daehyeop and soon arrived at Wutong Street.
Yellow tape cordoned it off, guarded by Gold Guard soldiers.
The lingering metallic blood scent indicated massive blood loss.
And Gold Guard instead of regular constables showed how seriously the Emperor was taking this.
"Ugh. Pretty gruesome, huh."
Palgap was right.
Blood splattered the poem on the wall, and the ground before it still bore vivid, uncleared stains.
The Yeo Eung-am Warrior behind me said.
"Given the extent, it looks like they deliberately avoided lethal wounds to prolong the suffering."
"I agree."
They'd severed the wrists first, letting the victim writhe in agony and bleed out.
It screamed deep grudge.
I looked up at the writing on the wall.
Examining the dried ink, I spotted something.
"This…… it's a splinter of wood."
"Wood splinter?"
"Yes. They crushed a twig and used it as a brush to write the poem."
"Why use a twig specifically?"
"To hide the handwriting."
Hard to control strokes with something stiff and brittle, obscuring the script.
"See how the characters are choppy and broken?"
"Ah, so that's it."
But this wall poem was crucial evidence.
Poems often hid personal marks.
That's why, two years ago, audiences found it odd when Chui Il-gong stole Song Lok's poem.
Yet the true author wouldn't miss their own mark.
Even if the writer didn't kill directly, they were the culprit.
And they'd surely enter this Poetry Contest.
I thoroughly searched the surroundings with my guards, then told Jin Yeong Daehyeop.
"Now, let's see the body."
"This way."
He led me to Beijing's magistrate's office, to a side building where the fishy blood scent hit.
Mixed with a strange herbal aroma.
"Strong incense smell."
"It slows decomposition. Mixed with sanjue root to mask the stench."
Turning at the voice, I saw a man.
Jin Yeong Daehyeop introduced me.
"This is Eun Seo-ho, vice leader of the Eunhae Merchant Group. He's here to assist."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Cheon Suk, coroner of this office."
Coroners handled corpses, autopsies, and cause of death.
"Show us Na Jeong-su's body."
"Yes."
He nodded and eyed me.
"It's gruesome. You sure you're okay?"
Probably my delicate appearance.
"I'm fine."
"This way."
He led us to a room.
A body lay on a long table.
Whoa…….
They'd done exactly as the wall poem described.
"May I touch it?"
Cheon the coroner flinched. He hadn't expected that.
"Ah, yes."
Not unusual for martial artists, unlike civilians.
I'm a merchant, but also a martial artist.
"Hm…… definitely Nangong Clan techniques."
I knew their arts well.
Why? I'd died by one.
Nangong arts were yang-style, like thunder.
Lightning's speed, destructive power, and flashiness combined.
A mix of heavy and quick swordplay.
Victims often bled profusely.
Hard to treat simultaneously.
Rather brutal for orthodox arts.
I turned from the wounds to the face.
The contorted expression showed his agony at death.
Cheon said.
"He was chased for about an hour before dying. Running accelerates the heart, worsening blood loss."
"Deliberately?"
"Yes."
He continued.
"See here? Hands severed first, then the body. Unknown reason, but to maximize pain."
"Why?"
"Instinctively, we clutch wounds with our hands."
"Ah……."
"No grudge, and they'd do this."
I agreed.
But did the Nangong heir hold that much grudge?
Time to meet him.
A moment later.
I headed to the interrogation room at the office.
"Argh! I didn't kill him!"
"Investigation will prove it."
"Investigate then! Please! Do it first, then ask!"
Jin Yeong Daehyeop explained at the voice.
"Seems like an interrogation. Wait a moment."
He went in, then beckoned me out.
"Come in."
"Yes. Sorry, but may I go in alone?"
"Of course."
He agreed readily, and I entered solo.
To lower defenses.
That's what faces are for.
The room matched my image: hard chair, desk.
Suspect bound in the front chair.
He brightened seeing me.
"Hey! I know you. Seonhyeopmirang Daehyeop, right?"
"So I'm called. But I don't know you. Your name?"
I knew, but formal intros build rapport.
"Namgung Yang."
"Namgung Yang Gongja, then?"
"Yes."
"First, may I check your inner energy?"
"My energy?"
He hesitated, looking troubled.
Without trust, no one shares power.
Risk of sudden attack or exposure.
"Why hesitate?"
"Well……."
"It might clear your name. Embarrassing to say, but they call me Seonhyeopmirang…… I stake my name on not doing wrong."
He sighed and nodded.
"Go ahead."
I approached, gripped his wrist, and probed.
Eh…….
Is this right?
I released and asked.
"Your age?"
"Nineteen."
Nineteen and peak realm?
Even in Nangong Clan full of peaks, rare at that age.
Is gongja's realm truly peak?
He startled at my sound transmission, replying the same.
Yes.
Impressive.
Seeing your surprise, that Gold Guard daehyeop yesterday couldn't gauge it properly.
True, Jin Yeong Daehyeop had just reached peak.
Accurate measurement needs higher realm.
His transmission continued.
Um…… could you keep my peak realm secret?
Why?
I don't want the clan knowing.
Fine. Tell me your whereabouts last night, and it's our secret.
That's…….
He just bowed his head.
What was he doing that he can't say?
Then Jin Yeong Daehyeop entered.
"Ah, interrogation going well? No noise, so I checked."
"Sorry. Psychological warfare in progress."
"Whoops! My bad."
"No issue. But daehyeop, a favor."
"What?"
"List of those criticized by the deceased."
I returned to the Beijing branch.
Meeting him convinced me: Namgung Yang Gongja wasn't the killer.
Peak realm wounds wouldn't be that shallow.
Someone lower was.
I didn't know why hide his realm, but to clear him without revealing it, I needed his alibi.
To find the real culprit.
Time to call intel team.