◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 451: The Definition of Justice (6)
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The Martial Alliance delegation left behind the carriages and servants they had arranged, moving quickly with only its key members.
Ever since they had attended the Taeul Sect’s celebration and heard Jin Sowoon’s story, the Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist’s first excursion had gone completely awry.
The delegation hurried back to the Martial Alliance without rest.
Everyone was skilled in martial arts, so no one showed signs of fatigue, but the atmosphere was grim.
They bypassed every inn they had reserved to take the shortest route, spending night after night sleeping outdoors.
Jegal Somyeong, who had been watching Hyeok Mugang’s stiff expression, spoke.
“Please don’t worry too much.”
“…”
“I’ve contacted the Nanjing and Suzhou branches, so they shouldn’t be delayed much longer.”
Jegal Somyeong’s reassurance did nothing to ease Hyeok Mugang’s expression.
“Then perhaps I should go even now…”
“Don’t say that.”
Jegal Somyeong firmly cut off the suggestion.
“You’d burn down an entire house just to catch a flea. If you move now, the local powers in every region will use this opportunity to act as they please.”
Why had the Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist moved together despite knowing they would draw attention?
It was to cut away the rotten flesh while restraining political maneuvering as much as possible.
If the Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist acted here, there was no telling what pretext others might seize upon.
Nor was there any telling how great a bloodbath it would cause.
That was the nature of politics.
“…”
Though Hyeok Mugang had spent decades in the political world, Hyeok Mugang still looked unable to grow accustomed to it.
Who could easily remain composed in a situation like this?
Even Jegal Somyeong, who as Chief Strategist considered themself above those in power, could hardly adapt to this situation.
“It cannot be allowed for Mount Mao Sect to disappear when a clash with the Demonic Cult awaits us.”
“I know that as well.”
Even so, Jegal Somyeong had to make a clear and swift decision at this very moment.
“If I were forced to choose between the Jegal Clan and Mount Mao Sect, I would choose Mount Mao Sect without hesitation.”
“!”
Hyeok Mugang flinched at Jegal Somyeong’s chilling words.
At the same time, Hyeok Mugang keenly felt something that had been sensed from time to time.
Holding power did not mean standing in a position where one could do anything.
It meant bearing the crushing responsibility of deciding who must be sacrificed.
“But if you go to Mount Mao Sect now, Alliance Leader, it will bring about even greater sacrifices.”
In one sense, it was difficult to understand.
If the sect was that important, shouldn’t saving it take priority?
“…Why?”
“Because there is a spy within the purge unit.”
“What?”
While Hyeok Mugang’s mouth fell open, Jegal Somyeong’s gaze grew even darker.
“I realized it the moment I received the report. Someone inserted Mount Mao Sect into the death list, which was supposed to remain classified.”
“Who would dare…!”
This operation had required greater caution than anything else.
By order of the Alliance Leader, they had forbidden hunting practitioners of unorthodox methods under false personal accusations. At the same time, they were finding and purging those within the White Path who had learned and researched forbidden arts.
If word of this operation got out, every organization would protect its allies and sacrifice its enemies according to its own interests, turning the situation into a vicious struggle.
It had happened time and again throughout their long history, which was why Jegal Somyeong had exercised the utmost caution.
They had planned the operation around certain departments of the Inspectorate and carried it out using only selected Black Officers.
They had even formed a separate purge unit and assigned support to it.
Despite taking every precaution and setting up countless safeguards, someone who should never have become a purge target had become one.
There was no explanation except that a spy existed within their ranks.
“The question is which group they belong to.”
“Which group?”
Hyeok Mugang tilted their head.
Why did affiliation matter in a crisis this grave?
“If they did this simply for their own faction’s benefit, then it isn’t a concern.”
“Isn’t a concern? This itself is…”
Jegal Somyeong firmly shook their head.
If they had used schemes for the sake of their own faction, this situation would instead provide an excellent justification for bringing them down.
But…
“That is, compared to the greater problem.”
“A greater problem?”
Jegal Somyeong drew in a deep breath.
“If the ones behind this…”
Jegal Somyeong’s voice sank into the still air.
“What if they belong not to the Orthodox Society, the White Path Society, or the Twelve Peak Alliance?”
“W-What do you mean…!”
“Training spies requires an immense amount of time and money. That is why we aren’t yet concerned about spies from the Black Alliance, the Black Path Alliance.”
Hyeok Mugang’s face stiffened further with every word Jegal Somyeong spoke.
Hyeok Mugang had spent all that time worrying about outside threats, never seriously considering the problems within.
“On the other hand, we have planted spies within the Black Alliance. Cheonmok Pavilion and the Inspectorate are working together to place spies as deeply within the Black Alliance as possible. But… that will still take much more time.”
Hyeok Mugang was left speechless.
There was nothing more they could say.
“The Inspectorate’s department masters, its Black Officers, and the members of the purge unit have all passed background checks within the organization several times. Their backgrounds were flawless.”
Jegal Somyeong paused, and their eyes turned cold.
“But… a hole has appeared.”
For the first time, Jegal Somyeong’s gaze wavered.
“And if the one who forced their way through that gap belongs neither to an internal faction nor the Black Alliance…”
“…!”
The dreadful possibility Hyeok Mugang did not even want to imagine made every hair on their body stand on end.
This was not simply a problem with the Black Officers or the Inspectorate.
It meant the enemy’s hand had already reached the deepest part of the Martial Alliance.
“W-What are you saying…?”
“I’m saying if that is the case. If it is…”
Despair colored Jegal Somyeong’s voice.
“The Martial Alliance is facing its greatest crisis since its founding.”
Hyeok Mugang’s mind went blank.
#
The killing intent sharp enough to pierce the skin slowly faded.
The overwhelming presence that had descended upon them and the fighting spirit that had made their hairs stand on end gradually thinned.
Others had instinctively shielded the children and junior disciples.
The children who had covered their ears and squeezed their eyes shut slowly emerged from their terror, becoming aware of the pressure bearing down on their entire bodies.
“S-Senior Sister, I can’t breathe.”
“Oh! Oh… S-Sorry.”
Deep handprints had been pressed into the junior disciple’s body.
How could the hands of someone who had spent her whole life holding books and brushes be so powerful?
It was all the result of her desperate wish to protect her junior disciples.
The junior disciple, whose ribs had nearly been crushed in her embrace, felt tears well up not from pain, but because of the heart with which she had tried to protect them.
“A-Are we alive…?”
The screams had begun to die down some time ago.
The flames devouring the halls still raged fiercely, but the screams of people dying in agony had lessened.
“I-I don’t know.”
“…”
“Stay here for a moment. I’ll go outside and take a look…”
“No. Senior Sister. I should go instead…”
“Taking care of the younger disciples comes first.”
“…”
At the firm words of her usually gentle senior sister, the young disciple hardened their expression.
“…If you don’t return within an Ilgak, I’ll come looking for you.”
At the sight of a child without even a trace of a beard trying to act like a grown man, the senior sister briefly forgot the severity of the situation and smiled faintly.
“All right. I’ll be back soon, so wait just a little longer.”
Creeeak-
The sound of hinges, which she had never noticed before, rang sharply in her ears.
She carefully shut the door, then slowly raised her head.
The sight before her was utterly horrific.
The martial uncles who had always teased her, the senior martial uncles who had always taught her with kindness.
Even the martial artists and servants who protected Mount Mao Sect.
All of them had become gruesome corpses scattered across the courtyard.
‘Ah…’
She barely swallowed the scream that nearly burst out in shock.
She forced open her tightly shut eyes and stepped forward.
Among the countless Mount Mao Sect members lay the occasional corpse that appeared to belong to an intruder.
The moment she saw that, Ok Hwajeong began to weep soundlessly.
‘Ah… How could this…’
Mount Mao Sect’s weaker members had sacrificed themselves to stop the intruders.
Simply because young disciples were here.
Those who had never properly learned martial arts had held back the Black Officers and died beneath their blades.
Even so, the difference in strength had been overwhelming. Compared with the few Black Officer corpses, countless Mount Mao Sect members had lost their lives.
Ok Hwajeong continued forward with tears streaming down her face.
She had to learn what was happening before she and the children could decide what to do.
Even reaching Azure Cloud Pavilion, a place that had always felt close, seemed to take an eternity.
“Ugh…”
As she swallowed her sobs and carefully moved forward without making a sound, a pebble caught beneath her foot bounced several steps ahead.
Tap-
Her entire body went rigid from fright.
Then, taking advantage of the brief opening, a figure in black martial attire appeared before her like a ghost.
“Ah!”
As she screamed and began to fall backward, a shield-bearing figure came to her side like a ghost.
‘Am I going to die?’
The moment she squeezed her eyes shut at that thought, she fell softly into a waiting embrace.
Thump.
‘What?’
Instead of what she had expected, she felt a soft embrace.
When she barely opened her eyes and looked ahead, someone was supporting her back as she fell.
“Are you all right?”
Ok Hwajeong blurted out without thinking.
“W-Who are you?”
“I am Geumpyo of Taeul Sect.”
“Taeul Sect…?”
The man who introduced himself as Geumpyo looked around, then answered.
“For now, we have dealt with everyone who entered the compound.”
“Dealt with them…?”
“It means you can rest easy for now.”
Ok Hwajeong stared blankly at his face.
#
Fortunately, the Soul-Destroying Formation had worked properly.
Most of the Black Officers who had entered had died.
Of course, more Mount Mao Sect members had died fighting them.
There was no joy at plugging the breach, nor at winning the battle.
They could do nothing in the face of that desperate reality and their grief for the dead.
“…Th-Thank you.”
Gu Songbaek, who had stood in a daze for a long time as he looked at the devastation, finally managed to speak.
Unable to find an answer, I said nothing.
Gu Songbaek turned his gaze back to the devastation and stared at it blankly.
Blood still flowed from one of his eyes, but he could not even think to tend to the wound.
“Yong Soa… It was definitely Yong Soa… Has the Martial Alliance… abandoned us in the end?”
Seeing Yong Soa at the end must have shocked him deeply.
Then again, anyone would be shocked to see Yong Soa in this situation.
He was practically a being that reflected an intangible will.
“Sect Leader.”
“…”
But he must not misunderstand.
“Yong Soa is not the will of the Martial Alliance.”
“What?”
He was not the Martial Alliance’s representative.
“Yong Soa is simply Yong Soa.”
Gu Songbaek stared at me blankly for a long time.
Then, as if he had finally realized something, he suddenly came to his senses.
“Young Hero, are you all right? Your wounds…”
As he said, blood was flowing all over my body as well.
But I was recovering quickly, so it was not a serious problem.
“Shouldn’t we deal with the aftermath first? The disciples are confused.”
“R-Right.”
Gu Songbaek staggered as he looked once more at the horrific scene.
He was probably forcing himself, with all his strength, not to lose his mind.
But he was the Sect Leader, so he straightened himself again.
“Disciples, find the survivors and treat the wounded.”
At Gu Songbaek’s words, those who had collapsed began rising one by one.
#
Night had deepened.
They had gathered the survivors, but fewer than a hundred remained.
Even excluding those away on assignment, the number was devastatingly low.
The fact that most of them were young disciples made it hurt all the more.
“What… what should we do?”
It could not even be called a council meeting.
Gu Songbaek gathered the survivors to one side and asked for their opinions.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Yet no one could bring themselves to speak.
They could only bow their heads beneath the unexpected despair.
Gu Songbaek seemed to understand how they felt, for he did not press them for an answer.
I, too, was lost in deep thought.
‘Yong Soa.’
I recalled the bastard’s face from our clash moments earlier. That terrifying divine power, that absurd ability.
The things I had hoped would not happen had become real, and my chest felt tight.
Just what was that bastard?
As I sank into those thoughts, someone called out to me.
“Young Hero Jin… What do you think?”
It was Gu Songbaek.
“!”
“!”
Surprise appeared on the faces of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Brothers, as well as Saryeon.
The very survival of the sect was at stake.
It made no sense to ask an outsider for an opinion.
I set aside my thoughts about Yong Soa and spoke.
“Can the mystic formation be changed into a Killing Formation?”
Mount Mao Sect’s mystic formations were considered the finest under heaven.
If they had changed it into a Killing Formation from the start, this might never have happened.
“Unfortunately, that is impossible. The formation has already been broken. If we try to change it by force, even the buildings inside may explode.”
“I see.”
If the Martial Alliance, or even personnel from one of its branches, arrived to settle the situation, Mount Mao Sect could avoid destruction.
The problem was that they would not wait until then.
‘There are an enormous number of doubts surrounding this incident, but that is something to resolve after it is over.’
What was more, the fact that that damned Yong Soa was part of the purge unit meant that other Dragon-Phoenix Association members had come here as well.
They would surely try to destroy Mount Mao Sect before the branch personnel arrived.
They were trapped with no way forward or back.
“Sect Leader!”
At that moment, a Mount Mao Sect member ran over holding an arrow.
“This was at the main hall…”
A message was tied to the arrow.
Gu Songbaek hurriedly untied it. As he calmly read the message, his eyes widened.
He held it in silence for a long time.
His expression showed that he did not know what to make of it.
Only after a while did he hand the message to me with lifeless eyes.
“This… is addressed to you, not us.”
The message was from Namgung San, who had suddenly appeared during my battle with Yong Soa and stepped between us.
‘A message at a time like this?’
Holding onto the slightest hope, I opened it.
-Jin Sowoon.
I am sorry things have turned out this way. I, too, am bewildered by the current situation.
There is something I must tell you about this series of events.
I wish to meet you as soon as possible.
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