Backroom Deal (3)
At my words, Jigyeonghwa Gongja blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean? The ones who left first... Oh!"
He quickly grasped the implication and asked me directly.
"Do you know where they are?"
I didn't know their exact location right now. My guards were tailing them.
But if it was them, they would have stuck close without fail.
Instead of answering, I suggested he head back.
"Their eyes might still be watching, so return home first. I'll come find you, and we can draw up the contract then."
After sending him off, I immediately asked Jin Yu Warrior to track down Geum-ryeong.
"But, my lord."
Myungjong Warrior asked me.
"Is it really okay to just let him go like that?"
"It's fine. All their veils over eyes and ears have been stripped away, so he won't be swayed by them anymore. And didn't I promise to settle the debt for him?"
I smiled.
"Now, I'm their lifeline."
Soon, I arrived where Jin Yu Warrior was waiting.
"You've come."
"Yes. Where is he?"
Jin Yu Warrior pointed ahead at my question.
"He went into that cave."
I tilted my head at the spot he indicated.
"A cave?"
"Look over there..."
It wasn't obvious at first glance, but there it was. The entrance was so cleverly concealed.
"What shall we do?"
There was no reason to hesitate here.
"Let's go in."
Just in case, Myungjong Warrior and I-pil Warrior stayed outside.
We slipped inside as silently as possible, making no sound.
There were no bats or animals inside at all.
That meant something fearsome lurked within, enough to scare off all wildlife.
How long had we walked into the cave?
I raised my hand.
My guards halted at my signal.
I sent a sound transmission to everyone.
- I sense energy ahead. Kill your presence even more.
We advanced cautiously, and the light ahead grew brighter.
I pressed myself against the wall and peered out.
A bonfire blazed in the center of the cavern, surrounded by several figures.
And their conversation drifted to us.
"The Ji Clan failed. What now?"
"What else? We'll give them one more chance."
"Didn't you just say you wouldn't?"
"I did. That was to make them desperate. Finding new allies now would be a hassle—they'd demand too much anyway."
"True enough."
"They're probably frantic by now, grasping at straws. They'll snatch up our offer, no matter how risky the terms."
"But they've already been eliminated from the friendly matches. What can they even do?"
"Don't worry. There are plenty of ways to use them. Worst case, we poison another competitor's tea and sub in their guy."
From that exchange, it was clear they wouldn't stop until their goal was met.
In other words, if I'd been lulled into complacency by armoring Jin-ho hyung and moved on, we wouldn't have stopped the next incident.
Just thinking about it sent cold sweat down my spine.
I knew I couldn't prevent every mishap in the world. But I wanted to block at least the ones unfolding right before my eyes.
Because the people caught in their schemes were the precious ones around me.
I probed their energies.
Five in total, three at peak Super First-rate. But we could handle them.
That foul energy radiating from them carried the stench of bloodlust.
Which meant they were remnants of the Blood Cult.
After encountering them so many times, I was starting to doubt the cult had truly been wiped out.
But first things first: subdue them.
Only then could we uncover their identities and aims.
I signaled the plan to my guards, and they moved in perfect unison.
Whoosh!
Psssh.
We doused the fire first.
"Wh-who's there?"
"Light—light the fire!"
Darkness hit, sowing panic and dulling their response.
They fell into chaos, just as expected.
We charged our assigned targets.
Clang!
Clang-clang!
Slash!
Swish!
They scrambled for weapons, but it didn't last.
The gap in our strengths was too wide.
Clang!
"Urk!"
We subdued them in seconds.
I pulled out a night pearl, illuminating the cave instantly.
"We know you blackmailed the Ji Clan into spilling blood on the arena."
"Pfft! Blood? What blood? There's already plenty spilled up there, isn't there?"
Yeo Eung-am Warrior's fist smashed into the denier's face.
Thwack!
A warning to cut the bullshit.
I said coldly.
"You know the blood I mean isn't that. And we heard your whole conversation. Still planning to deny it?"
"..."
"So, why try to kill someone on the arena?"
"..."
Still silent.
I'd expected as much.
These types never spilled easily.
I nodded, and Yeo Eung-am Warrior thrust his sword into the man's thigh, twisting.
Stab!
"Gaaahhh!"
Gasping through the pain, he spat.
"Huff... huff... think that'll make me talk?"
"Guess not..."
I chuckled dryly and scanned the cave.
Traces showed they'd been here a while.
From long experience with the unorthodox paths, they never trusted each other fully.
Bound by self-interest, betrayal was routine.
He'd have stashed an escape route. Where, though?
I glanced around and smirked.
There.
I approached and reached into a crevice between rocks above.
Out came a sealed letter in my hand.
The five black道 warriors' eyes wavered at the sight.
I unfolded it.
A fatal accident must occur on the arena during the matches. This will spark debate on preserving the friendly sparring event.
I folded it back and asked.
"Planning to end the friendly matches, I see."
"Heh heh heh."
One of them spoke up.
"You think a few deaths on the arena will kill off friendly matches? Think about it."
Hm, curt words.
Didn't matter.
I pondered.
Induce debate on keeping the friendly sparring?
For what purpose?
In my past life, Jigyeonghwa Gongja killed Jo-un Warrior, turning the Ji Clan and Jongnam Sect into bitter enemies.
The Jongnam side was furious, but precedent held no punishment for match accidents, so he walked free.
Still, it soured relations between sects and clans.
That clicked—the purpose here.
"Ah..."
Got it. The goal of this scheme.
To sow discord among the empire's sects and clans.
Such incidents would ignite fierce arguments, bruise egos, breed grudges.
Eventually turning allies into foes.
A major problem, really.
Cracks in alliances meant no united front in crises.
Even if they banded together, infighting would hobble them.
Looking back, all these events pointed to one aim.
Weaken sects and clans, poison their bonds—leaving the martial world vulnerable to some big threat.
Meaning the Blood Cult was plotting something ominous?
I scowled at them.
"Hah. Trying to keep the martial world's factions from uniting. And for what?"
"Can't say."
"I know you're Blood Cult members."
"...!"
"Where's your headquarters?"
They composed themselves and replied coolly.
"We don't know."
Yeo Eung-am Warrior stabbed another's thigh.
"Gaaahhh! Don't know! Haha! How would I? Ugh! Never even been there."
Never been?
A nearby black道 warrior chimed in.
"We didn't seek the Blood Cult—they found us. When true Blood Heaven reigns, we'll learn the base and claim our reward."
"Then who sent this letter?"
"Don't know that either."
"Sigh. Figures."
I shook my head with a sigh.
They knew zilch of value.
No surprise—the masterminds wouldn't brief grunts.
Enough intel here; time to wrap up?
I scanned the cave again and sent a private sound transmission to Geum-ryeong.
His sleeve had been dampening bit by bit—something pricey or piles of cash nearby.
- Geum-ryeong.
- Kui!
- Lots of money here, right?
- Kui!
- Know where?
- Ku, kui!
Geum-ryeong peeked his tail from the sleeve, pointing one way.
I moved slowly that direction, to the wall.
He tucked it back in.
Here, then...
Tap tap.
I kicked the wall. Unlike solid rock, it echoed hollow.
The five, who'd mocked us with smug conviction, paled.
Geum-ryeong never misses.
I drew a dagger from my sleeve and chipped at the rock.
Thud! Thud!
Sword aura made short work of it.
Soon.
Clink.
Rrrumble.
Whoa!
Money poured from the hole in the rock.
How much was this?
Probably what the Ji Clan lost to scams and gambling.
They'd looted and smashed the dens after.
Four or five million nyang in silver?
Spot on.
I'd promised Jigyeonghwa Gongja to cover the debt but never said whose money.
Because I figured it was still in Luoyang.
These plotters wouldn't entrust it to a money changer.
Too risky—exposure in transit, questions on origins.
So I'd bet they still had it.
Awesome! Perfect!
Now I could play hero with their cash and win Ji Clan favor.
I sound-transmitted to Seo-u Warrior. He struck the captives' crowns.
Five dead in an instant.
No mercy? Simple: couldn't risk them exposing us, and no need to spare them.
That heavy bloodlust meant they'd killed plenty.
"Geum-ryeong! Grab every last coin!"
"Kui!"
......
A moment later.
We exited and linked up with the two waiting outside.
"Anyone approach nearby?"
"None."
"Good. Let's go."
Before leaving, we burned the bodies and collapsed the cave.
Erasing all traces.
......
A moment later.
We sped back to Yeonpung Guest Inn.
"We're back."
"Good, you're here?"
Mother, Father, and the external steward looked pleased—Hyang-ok noona must've convinced Jin-ho hyung.
No surprise; who could hold out after her sharp tongue?
"Where's Hyang-ok noona?"
"Just left."
"Jin-ho hyung?"
"In his room."
"I'll check on him."
"Go ahead."
I headed to Jin-ho hyung's room.
"Jin-ho hyung, you okay?"
I opened the door but instinctively stepped back.
Jin-ho hyung lay sprawled on the bed, lifting his head in a total daze.
Seeing me snapped him out of it, tears of grievance welling up.
What the hell happened...?
"You had to..."
"Yeah?"
"Did you have to? There were other ways to convince me, why... why... Hyang-ok... ugh!"
Tears streamed as he continued.
"Hearing that from her... urk!"
I approached and patted his shoulder comfortingly.
"Crying over that, hyung?"
"You wouldn't get it—you've never been chewed out by her."
"So why'd you do something scold-worthy?"
"..."
"If you'd forfeited early, none of this would've happened, right?"
"..."