Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 182 : A Pig Trapped in a Cage (2)

Cheong-ryeon couldn't possibly not know her face.

Seo Mun-ryeon shook her head, looked Cheong-ryeon up and down, and said, "They say you informed the Martial Alliance about the inn's affairs. What did you get in exchange for the information?"

"It's groundless."

"The story came from the Hao Faction."

"I am loyal to the Hwahwaru. I have no connection with the Hao Faction, and I have never met with the Martial Alliance."

"You met Pavilion Master Jo, didn't you?"

"Yes."

The moment she answered, Seo Mun-ryeon's expression changed, and Cheong-ryeon hurriedly shook her head.

"No! I've never met him. Really."

"Pavilion Master Jo has also become very soft-hearted."

Seo Mun-ryeon took out a blood thread from her sleeve and held it with both hands. Seeing the taut blood thread, Cheong-ryeon's eyes widened.

"If... if you kill me, the Hwahwaru Master will not stand by."

"Really? I really dislike the Hwahwaru Master... I don't even like to say her name. I was going to kill you gently, but you're a bitch who brings disaster upon herself."

"Hmph! I'm sorry. I was wrong."

Cheong-ryeon suddenly recalled a story from the past that the relationship between Dam-ji, the Hwahwaru Master, and Seo Mun-ryeon was not good, and they often fought.

"Please spare me."

Cheong-ryeon said, shedding tears. But Seo Mun-ryeon, as if she had already made up her mind, heartlessly closed the door and went out.

"Aaargh!"

As she went out, Cheong-ryeon screamed in terror.

Seo Mun-ryeon, who had closed the door and come out, said to Mae Gang-hwa, who was standing at the entrance, "Don't kill her gently, kill her slowly."

"Killing her is not a problem, but will the Hwahwaru Master stand by? The Hwahwaru Master wants you, Master, to give her a reason. If you kill her, the Hwahwaru Master will use that as a pretext to pressure you, Master."

"Hmph! Are you saying I can't even kill a mere pavilion master belonging to the Hwahwaru because of the pressure of such a bitch?"

"That's not it. If we keep her alive, we can use her later."

"Use her?"

"If the Hwahwaru Master colluded with the Martial Alliance, the Hwahwaru Master will also like it. On top of that, the person who commissioned the killing of Cheong-ryeon is Jin Sa-wol. It would be good to have one of his weaknesses."

Hearing Mae Gang-hwa's story, Seo Mun-ryeon contemplated for a moment.

The Hwahwaru Master was actually nothing. But if it was Jin Sa-wol's weakness, it was worth using.

"Elder Mae."

To Seo Mun-ryeon, who was calling her an elder for the first time, Mae Gang-hwa showed a smile.

"I know why the former master kept Elder Mae by his side. I'll do as you say. Tell the Hwahwaru Master that I'll keep that bitch, so don't look for her for the time being. That I won't kill her."

"I understand."

At Mae Gang-hwa's answer, Seo Mun-ryeon showed a smile and then walked forward. Mae Gang-hwa, as if relieved, swept her chest.

***

Among the many martial artists of the martial world, as numerous as the grains of sand on a beach, ten were chosen, and they were the top ten masters.

The people of the world could not possibly not know them, who had a reputation higher than the stars in the sky and wider than the sea, and martial arts to match.

Among them, Tang Hyu was known as a cold and ruthless person. The number of martial artists who had died at his hands was over a hundred, and he never let an opponent he had decided to kill live.

Now that he was old, his activities in the martial world had decreased, and although they said his prime had passed, his past reputation did not disappear.

Tang Hyu, who was sitting in front of Namgung Min, stroking his well-groomed half-white beard, was an old man with a gentle gaze and a smile.

The wrinkles around his eyes told of the traces of time, and his neatly tied hair was decorated with a hairpin and a crown.

He, with a dignified impression, drank his tea and moved his mouth.

"I heard that three of the alliance's officials who were investigating the inn have died. Seeing the assassins strutting around so freely, it seems the current martial world is comfortable for them."

He was saying that this had happened because you had not managed the martial world properly.

That's how Namgung Min heard it.

"If you came to lecture me, I'll stop listening. I've heard the same story from the Elder Council until my ears were about to fall off."

"I'm sorry. I didn't have such an intention, but if it sounded that way, I apologize. I was just angry at the story that they don't know the culprit."

"Since the Inspection Pavilion is moving, they will find out who the culprit is soon."

"That's a relief."

Tang Hyu answered and then asked as if he had remembered something.

"I heard that the owner of the Gangnam Grand Inn is a young man, was it Jin Sa-wol? I heard he's on his way to the alliance."

"It seems he wants to discuss various things about this incident. He must be angry because the alliance couldn't protect the inn."

"We can't lose a strong supporter of the Martial Alliance."

Tang Hyu smiled.

Namgung Min silently drank his tea and wished for this old fox to disappear quickly.

The most difficult people to deal with in the world were the seniors. And those seniors with high martial arts and a close relationship from having met often.

They tried to talk to him about everything from trivial matters to personal stories. They were the biggest hindrances that wasted the Alliance Leader's time.

The fundamental problem was that he could not chase these people out of the alliance.

Since they were the elders who had supported him, they were his allies and necessary people. That's why the elders were like a backhouse that was annoying but had to be kept by his side.

"It's been over half a year since you came to the alliance, but aren't you going to the Tang family?"

"Do you want to chase me out of the alliance? I'm disappointed. I even turned my back on my friend, the Jo Alliance Leader, and stood on your side."

"That's not it. I'm saying this because the Tang family has asked me to send you, senior."

Swish!

With his words, he handed over a letter placed next to him. It was a letter from the Tang family, and it contained the content that the Tang family head wanted Tang Hyu to be sent.

Tang Hyu, who had read the letter, nodded with a sigh.

"I'll have to go down soon."

Tang Hyu muttered and then asked again.

"This is just something that came up while talking with the Zhuge Wonju, but do you really think the one who killed the Jo Alliance Leader was Yeon Jeok-sim?"

"What are you talking about?"

"That innkeeper is suspicious. Isn't he a person who suddenly appeared and became the owner of the inn? The fact that the Demonic Cult bastards appeared at the right time is also suspicious."

"If you start suspecting, there's no end."

Hearing Namgung Min's answer, Tang Hyu nodded and stood up from his seat. It seemed Namgung Min trusted Jin Sa-wol.

"I'll get up."

"I'm sorry I can't see you far."

At Namgung Min's answer, Tang Hyu showed a smile and then left the room. As he passed the long corridor and entered the garden, his figure disappeared.

Namgung Min waited until the tea in the teacup had cooled down and then opened his mouth.

"Monitor Senior Tang and Zhuge Qing. As far away as possible, where they go and who they meet."

At his low voice, a shadow disappeared without a sound. As the sound of the wind was heard, Namgung Min spoke again.

"Thoroughly investigate who Jin Sa-wol met and fought with in the Demonic Cult."

This time too, the sound of the wind was heard. After that, a little more time passed, and Namgung Min let out a short breath.

Even if he became the Alliance Leader, his worries did not disappear.

***

"It seems the Alliance Leader doesn't know much about that guy named Jin Sa-wol."

"If he knew how dangerous a guy he is, he wouldn't have left the inn like that."

At Tang Hyu's words, Zhuge Qing unfolded his fan and fanned himself.

"The fact that he killed the deceased Pavilion Master Buk Myeong and Pavilion Master Seok alone shows that he is a great master. What's surprising is that although those three died, no one saw the culprit's face."

"They said they don't know in the Demonic Cult either, right?"

"The Demonic Cult can't afford to worry about the alliance right now."

"Well, since they're fighting among themselves..."

At Zhuge Qing's answer, Tang Hyu stroked his beard and smiled. As Zhuge Qing said, the Demonic Cult had no room to worry about the Martial Alliance.

They were still fighting among themselves for the position of the Demonic Cult Leader.

"Your suspicion is that the culprit is that guy called the innkeeper, right?"

"There's nothing else."

"Because he's a killing ghost?"

"I thought he had died in the Demonic Cult, but he was alive."

Zhuge Qing, while speaking, thought of Son Ae-hwa. Since he had kept the escape a secret, Tang Hyu also did not know.

His relationship with the Hao Faction was also not good.

If Jin Sa-wol was the one who had broken Son Ae-hwa out, he was the culprit.

The reason was simple. The person who thought he had a grudge against him or a debt to repay was Jin Sa-wol.

"According to the information from the Hao Faction recently, the general manager and the gisaeng house master are also assassins, but there is no way to prove it."

"We can just catch that Hao Faction member."

"He's disappeared. The gisaeng of the Hwahwaru named Cheong-ryeon has also disappeared."

"Is it the work of the Hao Faction Master?"

"The Hao Faction Master has only been here for a short time, so it seems she doesn't know well."

"Tsk!"

Tang Hyu clicked his tongue and cast a dumbfounded gaze.

"Since the innkeeper is coming, I'm thinking of pressuring him when he enters the alliance."

"You mean to frame him as the culprit and make him confess?"

"Yes. That bastard was a killing ghost of the Demonic Cult. He can't erase his past."

"What if he's not the culprit? It will only tarnish your reputation. Just leave him alone."

"I'll do it moderately. Don't worry."

"That's a relief."

"If not, we'll have to look for another guy. But there are almost no masters of the peak who are also assassins. Among them, there are no people who leave the words 'God of Death'."

"It won't be the Ten Sword Demonic Ghosts or the Phantom Ghost... The Yin Blood Ghost is a sex fiend who only kills women..."

The Ten Sword Demonic Ghosts were assassins created by the Martial Alliance's Shadowless Division. If they had moved, there was no way Zhuge Qing wouldn't know.

The Phantom Ghost is an assassin of the Hao Faction and only follows the orders of the Hao Faction Master. There was no possibility that the Hao Faction would send an assassin against the Martial Alliance.

"Why are you so sure that Jin Sa-wol is the culprit? It's not like you."

"That's..."

Zhuge Qing, recalling his affairs with Jin Sa-wol, fanned himself urgently. Since he did not open his mouth, Tang Hyu was frustrated but did not ask further.

In the end, Zhuge Qing thought that Jin Sa-wol was the culprit because of the shit he had stirred up. He could not say that to Tang Hyu.

"I thought everything would be fine if I took over the inn, but the loss is too great."

Tang Hyu sighed. He also felt sorry that Buk Myeong-woo and Seok Jeong-bi had died because of him. Of course, he had no sad feelings.

"It would have been the end if I had just taken the Thousand Gold Valut, but I couldn't get it."

"We should have gone to the inn when the Jo Alliance Leader died. It was too late."

"Isn't it just a matter of killing that innkeeper?"

At Tang Hyu's smile, Zhuge Qing frowned.

Seeing that, Tang Hyu waved his hand as if to say not to worry.

"Everything is difficult if you think it's difficult. The second-in-command of the Martial Alliance, which rules the world, is so worried about one inn. Is this something to be so concerned about?"

"Compared to the world, it's a small matter."

"Weren't you going to kill him anyway?"

Tang Hyu's eyes, asking while drinking tea, were smiling as if he had read Zhuge Qing's mind.

Zhuge Qing showed a stiff expression, then showed a smile and drank his tea. There was no need to answer.

He had no intention of sending him back alive if he entered the alliance. There were many ways to kill him. There was no reason to send a rat that had entered the Martial Alliance back gently.

If asked for the reason, it was just because he disliked him.

His suspicion said he was the culprit, and his thoughts had never been wrong.

He had to prove it.

"You have too much pride. You need to reduce that a bit."

"It's not pride, but conviction."

Hearing Zhuge Qing's answer, Tang Hyu thought that he also needed to prepare a bit.

The two spent time chatting about trivial matters.

***

A few days later.

A young man slowly entered the wide-open main hall of the Martial Alliance. It was Jin Sa-wol, wearing a white silk robe with a cloud pattern and a white long robe.

(End of Chapter)