Chapter 145 - The Ones Wearing Black Masks (4)

"I offer my greetings to my benefactor."

The traces of time spread faintly across her entire face, with discolored white hair interspersed throughout her black hair.

A woman who exuded a unique and mysterious beauty just from her presence, despite her youth having been stolen by time, was performing a deep bow.

I quickly tried to help her up.

"It is said that excessive courtesy is a lack of manners. Whether by Jianghu hierarchy or by age, I am the junior, so such extravagant hospitality is burdensome."

Even at my words, the woman only wore a faint smile on her lips.

"If I do not consider the one who saved a child for its mother as a benefactor, who in the world could be a benefactor?"

She was Haeryeong, the first disciple of Yeo Mimi, the Sect Leader of Haomun.

Rising calmly from her seat, Haeryeong pointed to the table with an elegant gesture. At her actions, Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa somehow looked rather stiff.

"May I prepare some tea for you?"

"..."

"..."

At Haeryeong's words, the two ladies nodded at the same time, and Haeryeong let out a small laugh as if she found their reaction cute.

TRICKLE.

The way she prepared the tea and poured it. Beauty was ingrained in every single action. This must be what the world calls elegance.

In front of her, Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa were extremely tense, like students sitting before a strict teacher.

The savory aroma of the tea rose, and as I, who was thirsty, quickly drank it all in one gulp, Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran looked at me with surprised eyes.

"...!"

What's with those gazes?

"What's wrong?"

"... It's nothing."

"..."

I tilted my head, wondering if I had done something wrong, but the two women gave no answer. Instead, Haeryeong covered her mouth and giggled, finding even that sight amusing.

"You are still the same, Young Master."

"Isn't the time we haven't seen each other too short for a person to change?"

"During that short time, your prestige in Jianghu has changed by a difference as vast as heaven and earth."

"How could that be something I achieved solely on my own? It was possible because a magnificent sect like Haomun assisted me."

"I am only grateful that you say so."

As Haeryeong and I shared a conversation only we knew the context of, Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa looked at me with faces unable to hold back their curiosity.

"Um... by any chance, who is this person...?"

Seeing the usually boisterous Seong Moran suddenly turn into such a gentle lady, was she sensing some kind of dignified aura from Haeryeong that I couldn't perceive?

I didn't know how to introduce Haeryeong, the first disciple of Haomun.

I hadn't expected to meet Haeryeong here in the first place, and even if I did, given her nature of wanting to keep secrets, I naturally would have made Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa wait outside.

However, making my worries pointless, Haeryeong rose from her seat and bowed deeply.

"I am Haeryeong, Pavilion Master of Haomun's Manbin Pavilion."

"..."

"..."

At Haeryeong's words, Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa exchanged glances, their mouths gradually falling open as if they couldn't believe it.

"If you are the Pavilion Master of the Manbin Pavilion... then you are the Sect Leader of Haomun's first disciple..."

"Yes. She took in someone lacking like me."

"Hah..."

"... I heard that Haomun never reveals the identities of their key figures to the outside world."

Haeryeong looked alternately between me and the women before speaking.

"Because you are friends of our Young Master Jin."

"...' Our'?"

"... Did she just say 'our'?"

At Haeryeong's words, the two of them wore expressions that looked as if their heads had become complicated.

While the two repeatedly pondered over it, Haeryeong looked at me and spoke.

"You came regarding Elder Jang's matter, right?"

"Did you know?"

"We were keeping an eye on it on our end. Hearing that you had come to Yueyang, I thought you would drop by."

If they had predicted that much, there was no way Haomun would have just sat still.

I swallowed once before carefully asking.

"... Then is it really the Demonic Cult?"

The most important question.

The two ladies, who had briefly fallen into a state of panic, also snapped their heads up at the mention of the 'Demonic Cult'.

Haeryeong stood up from her seat and approached the bookshelf.

"The reason I came to Yueyang was actually because of that rumor as well. The vicious rumor that the Demonic Cult is kidnapping people."

Haeryeong unrolled a large scroll in the center of the table. A map densely illustrating the entirety of Yueyang.

Dotted all over that map were red marks and black marks.

"The red marks indicate individuals whose deaths have not yet been confirmed, and the black marks indicate those whose deaths have been confirmed."

"All of this?"

The number and distribution of the widely spread marks showed that a situation with so many disappearances and murders had occurred that a specific area couldn't even be pinpointed.

"There's no commonality between the deceased and the missing either. This person named Heo Hu was an eighty-year-old grain merchant, and this missing young lady named Jeonghwa was an entertainer who played at a brothel."

"... It's impossible to tell what the culprits want."

"Yes."

While listening to the story, I asked about the first doubt I had harbored.

"Where is the source of the rumor that the ones behind this are the Demonic Cult...?"

If the Demonic Cult had truly been active, there was no way their identities would have been exposed.

If their identities had been exposed, the Murim Alliance would have already been turned completely upside down.

"We don't know that either. Ever since the incidents began, every single person in the market streets started mentioning the 'Demonic Cult'."

Their goal is the Demonic Path's Reign, not bringing chaos to the world. Furthermore, these meaningless deaths and kidnappings would only raise vigilance against the Demonic Cult.

As my thoughts reached that point, heat gradually began to rise in my head.

"It would be correct to say... someone impersonated the Demonic Cult... for their own benefit."

Haeryeong silently nodded.

How many miserable deaths had I witnessed in my past life while fighting against the Demonic Cult?

Countless sacrifices and frustrations had occurred because of the Demonic Cult.

Just calling it moving for profit was crossing the line by a mile.

"... Those damn bastards..."

In any case, even if I scoured the records of the world in my mental archive, this was an incident where no connection to the Demonic Cult could be found.

In other words, it meant something that didn't exist in my past life had happened in this life.

"By any chance, when was the starting point of this incident?"

Haeryeong flipped through the book she had brought with her before speaking.

"It was half a year ago from now. The first incident began on a specific day in the first lunar month."

"Half a year ago... Half a year ago... Was there some major event in Yueyang at that time?"

"Not in Yueyang, but there was quite a major event in the nearby Hubei Province."

"In Hubei Province? What happened?"

Haeryeong giggled and looked at me.

"You, Young Master Jin, led the Underworld sects and marched into the Murim Alliance."

"Ah!"

Being buried in the case, I had completely forgotten what had happened to me.

"What are you talking about? That's a misunderstanding. Their intentions were so noble that I merely participated as a sign of respect, transcending the White and Black Paths."

"We will make sure to spread the rumor like that as well."

Haeryeong covered her mouth and giggled, as if she found something so amusing.

It bothered me for no reason.

"... Anyway, did this happen in Yueyang right after that?"

"Not exactly. The Underworld factions based in Yueyang—the Mukhyeol Gang, the Heukbu Palace, the Yuwol Sect, and the Changseong Sect—went through an intense conflict, and bloodshed also occurred."

"Weren't those two sects originally the dominant figures in Yueyang?"

"It seems the Mukhyeol Gang and the Heukbu Palace, holding a grudge over the matter at the Demonic Spirit Plateau, tried to create a justification to divide Yueyang after the Underworld Murim's event. However, they ultimately failed, resulting in the establishment of the Mount Cangshan Sect's Seongsa Tea House."

"Then one could think that an Underworld faction committed these acts out of a grudge over that matter."

Haeryeong nodded.

"However, we ultimately couldn't find any points of suspicion on the Mukhyeol Gang and the Heukbu Palace."

"..."

The case quickly fell into a labyrinth.

If Haeryeong had solved it in the first place, she would have brought the information to me.

I asked for Haeryeong's understanding and skimmed through the book containing the list of the missing and deceased, beginning to store them one by one in my mind.

Thinking that they might serve as even a small clue in solving the case later.

However, while entering the names into my head one by one, my actions suddenly stopped at one spot.

"Isn't Eunbong Guest House operated by the Shandong Ak Clan?"

"Yes. It's a guest house that ranks in the top three in terms of scale even in Yueyang. Because the owner there died, Eunbong Guest House was even temporarily closed for a while."

"..."

"Is something wrong?"

Instead of answering, I committed the entire booklet to my mind until the end.

Re-examining the booklet, I compared it with the information in my mental archive.

Something... it felt like a tiny thread I could almost grasp kept slipping out of my hand.

And the moment that faint sensation was caught.

TAP.

"There are no dead or missing people among those connected to the Mount Cangshan Sect."

"...!"

"..."

An inexplicable silence lingered.

It wasn't solely because this place was deep underground.

"Is there also information related to these victims? For example, what happened to their businesses or families after this person died..."

"... Yes."

Haeryeong swallowed hard and brought over a booklet as thick as a wooden box from one side.

It wasn't originally made as a book, but rather a loose collection of information bound together, yet it was sufficient for the purpose of checking facts.

"After the old man named Heo Hu died, the grain trading rights he held were transferred to the escort agency operated by the Changseong Sect."

"... The father of the entertainer named Jeonghwa is the Pavilion Master of Cheongjuk Pavilion. Cheongjuk Pavilion was recently undergoing an acquisition deal with the Mount Cangshan Sect."

"... So the ones who profited after these incidents have consistently been the Mount Cangshan Sect and sects connected to them..."

As the pieces of information were compared one by one, the weight in the room gradually grew denser, crushing the surrounding air.

And by the time all the information was confirmed, no one could easily open their mouths.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

With the information confirmed so far, it couldn't be definitively said that this was the Mount Cangshan Sect's doing.

It could just be that the incidents happened entirely by coincidence, and those who profited afterward happened to be connected to the Mount Cangshan Sect...

"... Like hell it is."

At my curse, the three people who had been sinking into thought raised their eyebrows.

"The so-called pillars of the Murim Alliance are trying to line their own pockets by impersonating the Demonic Cult?"

"..."

At my words, Haeryeong spoke with eyes full of worry.

"Young Master, with this kind of evidence... we cannot jump to conclusions."

Of course, they might not be involved. However, in a matter deeply connected to the Yuwol Sect and the Changseong Sect, there was no way the Mount Cangshan Sect could be completely free of suspicion.

In the first place, it was practically something that couldn't be done without the Mount Cangshan Sect's permission.

Haeryeong's underlying meaning, though she beat around the bush, was that condemning the Mount Cangshan Sect was impossible.

Even if we called the Inspection Pavilion to investigate, it would be over if the Mount Cangshan Sect feigned ignorance.

Furthermore, the arrows of suspicion would return to me instead, giving them the justification that I had insulted them.

Perhaps the disciples of the Mount Cangshan Sect might even rush to the Murim Academy just to take my head.

"I know."

"..."

"Even so, we can't just let this slide. Isn't that right?"

Unlike Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran, who wore anxious expressions, Haeryeong let out a small sigh.

"How should I assist you?"

"Will you help?"

"Aren't you planning to carry it out even if I don't help?"

* * *

We returned to Jang Dowon's house.

We told the kids of the Taiyi Sect the facts we had learned, and the four of them were naturally even more outraged than we were.

However, just because we were angry didn't mean we could blow everything up.

"If we mess with Mount Cangshan, not only us, but the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect will be put in a difficult position."

I also agreed with Saryeon's words.

Resolving the matter was definitely necessary, but if we rashly provoked them, we would be caught in the backlash and shattered to pieces instead.

"The Namgung Clan won't just stand by and watch this situation unfold."

Namgung Seonhwa said that, but if we gave Mount Cangshan a justification, we couldn't risk bringing immense chaos once again to the Namgung Clan, which had only just found stability.

"In the end, it means we have to find the missing people while avoiding Mount Cangshan's line of sight."

I nodded at Eunho's words.

"Haomun is gathering people to search in earnest, but it will take time. And if they find out we are looking, they might try to erase the evidence."

Eunho was lost in thought for a moment before lifting his head and scratching his cheek.

"Well... this is a bit off-topic, but while Geumpyo and I always eat snacks right away when we get them, Dongryong has a habit of always saving them to eat later."

"... What?"

I tilted my head at the random story, but Eunho continued speaking.

"Because we know Dongryong eats them later, we always look for the places where he hides his snacks, but his hiding skills kept getting better."

"... And so?"

"So one day, we asked Dongryong if he had eaten the hidden snacks yet. We told him they were really, really sweet, and that ants would swarm them if he just left them there."

Dongryong's glare grew sharp, as if he remembered that time.

"Dongryong watched us warily before quickly heading to where he hid the snacks, and the two of us were able to share the snacks Dongryong had hidden."

"You jerks..."

As soon as Eunho finished his story, Dongryong started to recklessly tackle him, and Eunho feigned being an adult as he held Dongryong back.

"... Hmm."

Not us searching, but making them go check on it themselves...

Not a bad idea.

Leaving behind Eunho and Dongryong who were still bickering, I looked at Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran and asked.

"Shall we give it a try?"

"... Try what?"

* * *

Yueyang's night streets are more splendid than during the day.

A place where people who flocked from all over the world to see the night of Dongting Lake, and those bustling about to secure their own profits among them, were so numerous you would trip over them.

That was the night streets of Yueyang.

The gazes of people who wouldn't care even if a high-ranking official or a prestigious figure of Jianghu appeared, began to focus on two women.

"Hah... Are they human? Or celestial maidens?"

"I thought Soul-Stealing Xi Shi and Jade-Faced Soso were the pinnacle of beauty, but today my horizons have broadened."

"Just who are they and where are they from?"

"Don't even think about approaching them; the Flower Young Master's group tried to talk to them earlier and got sent flying three zhang away before crashing."

"Even their martial arts are that great?"

The two women, who had drawn everyone's attention, headed toward Hwawol Pavilion, famous for being the most expensive among the splendid restaurants of Yueyang.

A crowd of men whose eyes had been captivated by them began to flock behind them, and the waiter of Hwawol Pavilion, who had been soliciting customers, quickly opened the doors of Hwawol Pavilion, thinking it was a stroke of luck.

As the two women entered, the inside of Hwawol Pavilion instantly became quiet.

"..."

Then, as if forgetting the lively chatter from just a moment ago, they began to whisper while looking at the two women.

The waiters rushed over competitively, vying to seat the two women at their own tables.

"I will definitely serve you well tonight."

"Please leave it to me."

"Do you happen to have an ideal type in mind? I will search through all of Yueyang to find them for you."

At the waiters' competition, the women exchanged glances and giggled before speaking.

"We didn't come to enjoy drinking and dancing."

"Ah, then...?"

"I came to meet my second cousin. I was told she plays the geomungo here."

"Ah... is that so? May I ask for her name?"

"It's Jeonghwa."

At Namgung Seonhwa's words, the waiters looked at each other and tilted their heads.

"Was there an entertainer named Jeonghwa?"

"Never heard of her."

"There is no such entertainer at Hwawol Pavilion."

The waiters answered simultaneously.

"That's strange. I heard she played the geomungo here."

While the first and second waiters pondered what to do, the third waiter stepped forward and asked.

"May I ask why you are looking for that entertainer?"

"It's nothing major. My grandfather instructed me to make sure she attends the Namgung Clan's event this time."

"What?"

The waiter jumped in great shock, and Namgung Seonhwa tilted her head.

"What's the matter?"

"Ah, nothing. By any chance, are you, My Lady..."

"I am Namgung Seonhwa."

"..."

"Although Jeonghwa is a distant relative, she was a younger sister that my family and grandfather particularly adored."

"... I-I see."

"If she isn't here, it can't be helped."

Ultimately failing to find Jeonghwa—or rather, never intending to find her there in the first place—Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran left Hwawol Pavilion.

As the gazes of the people on the street gathered on them once more, they put on veils to cover their faces and turned into an alley.

After walking in the darkness for quite some time, a sound transmission reached Namgung Seonhwa.

-Thank you for your hard work.

The one who sent the sound transmission was none other than Jin Sowoon, who was observing the scene from the roof of Hwawol Pavilion.

Namgung Seonhwa nodded slightly so as not to be seen.

-Is there any change?

-Right now, one of the waiters is hastily pushing through the kitchen staff and heading outside.

-It must be the person who spoke with me.

-Indeed.

The culprit was moving to check on their snack.