—THWACK!
—SHRAAAK!
The black arrow that punched through the Right Military Strategist’s chest buried itself in a pillar of the hall, scattering red blood.
—WHISH!
Kwak Yeon leaped over the collapsing Right Military Strategist Baek Ri-gi and sprang onto the window frame.
At that instant, a black arrow tore through the pale light of dawn and rushed straight up to Kwak Yeon’s nose.
—PAANG!
The arrow was so terrifyingly fast that the air-tearing noise reached him late.
—CLANG!
Kwak Yeon knocked the black arrow away with the Blue-Steel Sword. His gaze caught Geoncheon Corps Commander Jwa Ye-geuk on the roof of the opposite pavilion, drawing his bowstring.
—HISS!
The moment Kwak Yeon leaped into the air, another black arrow came flying.
—PAANG!
But that black arrow was not aimed at Kwak Yeon.
Realizing that Jwa Ye-geuk had fired at Grand Strategist Sagong Ui, Kwak Yeon had no choice but to change direction in haste and strike the black arrow down.
A powerful black arrow packed full of inner power and true qi was not something the Grand Strategist, who possessed no martial arts, could evade.
—KLAANG!
Kwak Yeon used the recoil from knocking away the black arrow to twist his body.
—WHIRR! TAP! TAP! TAP!
Using the Cloud-Stepping method of Flowing Cloud Step, Kwak Yeon repeatedly stepped through empty air and climbed onto the roof of that pavilion. By then, Geoncheon Corps Commander Jwa Ye-geuk had vanished somewhere.
Kwak Yeon raised his qi sense with the Solitary Moon Illuminates Without Hindrance Technique and searched in every direction.
SAAAAANG!
Honwonmusang qi stirred, and his outer-body qi field spread outward.
But because Martial Alliance warriors were moving in all directions, it was difficult to identify Jwa Ye-geuk.
Even so, he kept swiftly observing the Strategists’ Office and the Inner Fortress beyond it for some time.
In the end, however, he could not find any movement that seemed to belong to Jwa Ye-geuk.
He already had an escape route prepared.
As the Geoncheon Corps Commander, Jwa Ye-geuk would know the terrain of the Strategists’ Office and Inner Fortress inside out. Since he had fled with clear intent under those circumstances, chasing him down at once would be more difficult than a blind man searching for a door latch in an unfamiliar house.
With no other choice, Kwak Yeon launched himself back toward the Grand Strategist’s hall.
—WHIRR!
When Kwak Yeon crossed the window and entered the hall, Grand Strategist Sagong Ui was holding Right Military Strategist Baek Ri-gi in his arms.
“He has passed.”
Grand Strategist Sagong Ui’s devastated voice was filled with grief.
“Did he leave any words behind?”
Grand Strategist Sagong Ui silently shook his head.
Kwak Yeon looked at Baek Ri-gi’s wide-open eyes, now robbed of light with the flame of life extinguished, and felt a human sorrow.
There must have been something more precious to the Right Military Strategist than his own life. Some objective that had forced him to ally himself with the hidden mastermind despite the torment of his conscience.
Kwak Yeon knew, of course, that he could never receive an answer.
Even so, he could not help asking.
“Right Military Strategist, what in the world were you trying to hide?”
*****
The long night passed, and the morning sun rose over the Martial Alliance headquarters.
The Alliance Leader’s Office shone brightly beneath the sun, but the atmosphere inside Righteous Heaven Hall was endlessly shadowed.
Before Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak, the Martial Alliance Leader seated in the grand chair, stood Grand Strategist Sagong Ui. A little farther away, Hu Gae, Kwak Yeon, and Jin Cheongha stood quietly in the heavy silence.
At last, Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak opened his mouth.
“They say one may know the depths of ten-gil water, but not the depths of a one-gil human heart. So the Right Military Strategist was colluding with the hidden mastermind?”
Grand Strategist Sagong Ui lowered his head and said, “Alliance Leader, I am ashamed.”
“This is not a matter for the Grand Strategist to be ashamed of. Was I not the one who selected the Right Military Strategist?”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak smiled bitterly, then continued.
“The Right Military Strategist was truly coldhearted. If a great man has committed a wrong, he ought to take responsibility for it. To run away like that instead.”
“Alliance Leader, I will find Geoncheon Corps Commander Jwa Ye-geuk and the infiltrator by any means necessary.”
Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Gun-ak nodded.
“Find them, whatever methods it takes. In particular, I want Jwa Ye-geuk found without fail. Given that he was lying in wait like that and shot the Right Military Strategist dead with a bow, he was clearly conspiring with the hidden mastermind. Even if that were not the case, we need him in order to learn what purpose the Right Military Strategist had.”
“Understood. Also, we will announce that the Right Military Strategist’s death was a sudden passing caused by chronic illness. With the campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions imminent, if we announce the truth as it is, every person in this alliance will be greatly shaken.”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak nodded.
“Hold a grand funeral for him as well. The Right Military Strategist may have acted irresponsibly, but in any case, he washed away his sin with his death.”
“Alliance Leader, I will conduct an internal investigation to see whether there are collaborators beyond Geoncheon Corps Commander Jwa Ye-geuk.”
“Do so. But investigate with the possibility in mind that those below may simply have acted under orders, so that no innocent people are wronged.”
“......?”
“A secret of that kind is not something one can recklessly share with others, is it? And the Right Military Strategist was not the sort to burden others.”
At those words from Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Gun-ak, everyone inside Righteous Heaven Hall could sense that the Martial Alliance Leader had trusted Right Military Strategist Baek Ri-gi deeply.
“As for the vacant post of Geoncheon Corps Commander, the Grand Strategist may appoint someone he trusts. Ah, while we are at it, it would be best for the Grand Strategist to directly command the remaining five corps of the Outer Court as well.”
“Alliance Leader, what would you think of having Chief Secretary Kwak take charge of the Outer Court?”
“Chief Secretary Kwak......?”
“Through several Strategists’ Office meetings, I have confirmed that Chief Secretary Kwak possesses outstanding insight. This matter with the Right Military Strategist was also settled without confusion because Chief Secretary Kwak stepped forward. With such discernment and ability, I believe he would lack nothing in commanding the Outer Court.”
At Grand Strategist Sagong Ui’s words, Kwak Yeon hurriedly said, “I am grateful for the Grand Strategist’s recommendation, but this Kwak is already strained by the post of Chief Secretary alone. And above all, I intend to be away from the Martial Alliance for the time being, so I earnestly ask that you withdraw that proposal.”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak looked at Kwak Yeon with somewhat startled eyes.
“Chief Secretary Kwak, what do you mean, you intend to be away from the Martial Alliance?”
Kwak Yeon gave the Martial Alliance Leader a silent bow, then said, “In truth, I came up to the Alliance Leader’s Office together with my companions because I wished to make one request of you regarding that very matter.”
“So it is something the three of you must do together, then. Hm. Hu Gae has been traveling with you all along, so that much is one thing.......”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak looked at Jin Cheongha and continued.
“But a matter that must be done together with the Young Castle Lord of Ghost Night Castle. That makes me quite curious.”
Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Gun-ak had already received a report that Jin Cheongha’s identity was the Young Castle Lord of Ghost Night Castle, and he had been wondering why she had come to the Martial Alliance.
He was certain that Kwak Yeon meant to go somewhere because of a matter related to her, so he asked.
“We intend to go to the Great Demon Prison.”
At Kwak Yeon’s answer, Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak’s eyes widened slightly.
“The Great Demon Prison! Why would you go there......?”
Kwak Yeon calmly revealed the fact that the Eight Demonic Venerables were imprisoned in the Great Demon Prison, then said, “It is my belief that the Right Military Strategist allied himself with the hidden mastermind and caused the breach. Therefore, if we meet the Eight Demonic Venerables, who rejected the hidden mastermind’s Servitors’ proposal at the time, we may learn much about the hidden mastermind.”
Martial Supreme Venerable looked once more at Jin Cheongha, who had kept her head lowered beside Kwak Yeon, and said, “You are not going merely to find out about the hidden mastermind.”
Kwak Yeon answered without hesitation.
“That is correct. I also wish to rescue the Eight Demonic Venerables.”
Grand Strategist Sagong Ui flinched in surprise and said, “Chief Secretary Kwak, the Eight Demonic Venerables are great demons of the previous generation who caused the Eight Desolations Upheaval.”
“Grand Strategist, of course I know that.”
“And yet you would save them? The current Demonic Eight Divisions alone are already an enormous threat.”
“That is precisely why I want to rescue the Eight Demonic Venerables all the more.”
“......?”
Kwak Yeon gave another silent bow toward Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak, seated in the grand chair, and said, “Alliance Leader, may I dare to ask you one question?”
“Ask.”
“Alliance Leader, why did you imprison the demonic practitioners of the Demonic Eight Divisions in the Great Demon Prison instead of executing them?”
“Because I wished to punish the demonic path, not punish people. The demonic path exists in every person’s heart, differing only in degree.”
“Then may it also be said that you were wary that if the Demonic Eight Divisions vanished completely, another demonic path would arise under heaven and flourish according to that truth that even the demonic path begins with the heart?”
At Kwak Yeon’s question, which struck straight to the core, Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak readily nodded.
“That is also true.”
In fact, the Martial Alliance had established the Great Demon Prison according to the advice of the Martial Sage and the Sword Sovereign: “By preserving the old demonic powers, the rise of new demonic powers must be restrained.”
“Alliance Leader, if so, is there any reason to keep the Eight Demonic Venerables bound now? At present, the Eight Demonic Venerables no longer hold influence over the Demonic Eight Divisions.”
“What is your plan?”
“To have the Eight Demonic Venerables make the Demonic Eight Divisions themselves purge the traitors. If that happens, will the orthodox martial world not suppress the Demonic Eight Divisions without innocent victims?”
“.......”
“Alliance Leader, you taught me that people are called human because no person can live alone. Though the demonic path may not be a good neighbor, I believe it can be a neighbor we stand beside when facing a great evil.”
Having spoken without hesitation, Kwak Yeon brought both hands together in a cupped-hands salute.
“Alliance Leader, please grant us time.”
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak shifted his gaze from the bowed Kwak Yeon to Grand Strategist Sagong Ui.
“Grand Strategist, your judgment was not wrong. I did not know Chief Secretary Kwak was this eloquent, or that his insight was so exceptional.”
Grand Strategist Sagong Ui smiled faintly and answered, “I too am surprised anew.”
“Then what does the Grand Strategist think of Chief Secretary Kwak’s plan?”
At Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Gun-ak’s question, Grand Strategist Sagong Ui lightly fanned himself with his crane-feather fan and thought for a moment before speaking.
“Alliance Leader, the Right Military Strategist’s death has disrupted the campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions. Moreover, the Right Military Strategist must also have leaked the Martial Alliance’s information, along with the punitive force’s strength and operational plans. Under such circumstances, it would be highly dangerous to set out on the campaign against the Demonic Eight Divisions immediately. Therefore, we need a certain amount of time to reorganize the punitive force and draw up new operations.”
“So the Grand Strategist is saying he approves.”
“I believe this is a method that reduces innocent sacrifices, so it is not something to reject. However, I am concerned that the various martial sects, unaware of the matter with the Right Military Strategist and the presence of the Young Castle Lord of Ghost Night Castle, will press us and object.”
After hearing Grand Strategist Sagong Ui’s opinion, Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak closed his eyes and sank into thought. A quiet silence flowed through Righteous Heaven Hall.
How much time passed?
Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak opened his eyes and spoke to Kwak Yeon.
“The Eight Demonic Venerables bear deep resentment toward Wudang. Are you confident you can withstand their anger?”
“For this humble one, it is a matter of trying.”
Jin Cheongha quickly said, “Alliance Leader, this young woman will also stake her life to persuade the Eight Demonic Venerables.”
As the granddaughter of the Demonic Venerable of Ghost Night Castle, Young Castle Lord Jin Cheongha would certainly be of help.
Hu Gae also stepped in to support them.
“Alliance Leader, the Beggar Clan will lend a hand as well. The Eight Demonic Venerables, currently isolated and without aid, will desperately need this clan’s information and cooperation.”
Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Gun-ak looked at Hu Gae with concern and asked, “Hu Gae, I doubt Beggar Clan Leader Yongdu will be very pleased by that. Will it be all right?”
“......He said this matter at the Martial Alliance was entirely under my authority.”
When Hu Gae smoothed things over with an evasive answer, Martial Supreme Venerable Cheol Gun-ak pondered for a moment, then said, “Chief Secretary Kwak, I will give you one month.”
Kwak Yeon immediately gave a silent bow.
“Thank you for granting permission.”
“Chief Secretary Kwak, I will attach the Martial Alliance’s First Corps to you, so take them along.”
“Alliance Leader, I thank you for your consideration, but I will decline traveling with a warrior corps. We must keep the fact that we are going to the Great Demon Prison secret. If the hidden mastermind learns of it, they will try to block our path by any means. If that happens, even the First Corps would not be enough—nor would several corps.”
Martial Supreme Venerable nodded readily.
“That is also true.”
“Alliance Leader, now I wish to know the location of the Great Demon Prison.”
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