A trail of blood stretched long across the room.

The scent of blood pierced my nose.

It was a gruesome murder scene, but no one moved hastily.

'Is it really going to end up like this?'

It was something I had somewhat expected since Ak Byeongbi had thrown his fit in the grand hall.

In the end, our delegation would be used as the starting point of the war—

"Cough..."

Huh?

What the, why is he alive?

Judging by the amount of blood flowing around him, it was so severe that he should have died at least twice.

I guess giants have good bodily durability too.

"Wait."

I grabbed Ilmyeong's shoulder as he tried to approach.

"Let's leave it to Senior Tang for now."

If we all rush in at once, we won't be able to preserve the scene.

Grasping my intentions, Ilmyeong nodded.

With light footsteps, Tang Seo-hee avoided the bloodstains and examined Ak Byeongbi's wounds.

"His condition is not very good."

"What was he attacked with?"

"The wounds are rough... It seems he was attacked by a weapon... like a saw blade?"

Tang Seo-hee blocked Ak Byeongbi's wound with one hand, took out a long needle with the other, inserted it into his stomach, and then pulled it out to check.

"There is no poison."

"Was it an ambush?"

I examined the room once again.

Comparing it to my memory of when we left, I thoroughly scanned for what had changed.

Judging by the long trail of blood, it seemed Ak Byeongbi had fought back, but strangely enough, there was no broken furniture inside.

Furthermore, this intruder.

They had boldly walked right out through the door.

Even if it was the great Underworld Alliance, I thought they wouldn't commit such an act so openly.

... Or should I assume that others inside acted on their own?

There were so many points to consider that my head was about to explode.

"... Treatment is urgent for now. He won't... die immediately, but he cannot be left like this."

Tang Seo-hee applied first aid, but the bleeding didn't stop.

Anyway, not dying immediately after losing this much blood was amazing in a way.

Even a bull would likely die if it bled this much.

Regardless, if he needs immediate emergency treatment, we will have to leave him to the people inside the Underworld Alliance.

Will that be okay?

"There is no time to consider other alternatives."

If Tang Seo-hee says so, it can't be helped.

"Let's call someone for now."

At my words, Ilmyeong nodded and quickly moved.

He threw the door open and stepped out, only to walk back in backward.

No, he was forced to walk back in.

RUMBLE.

A group of men pushed Ilmyeong inside.

Among them, a giant man clad in iron armor stood out conspicuously.

I looked straight at him and asked.

"What brings you here?"

Hwang Bushik looked down at Ak Byeongbi with the same emotionless eyes as when we first met at the Four Emperors Peak.

I followed his gaze and pressed him.

"You came at just the right time. You will need to explain the situation regarding this matter."

Watching him still not giving me a glance, I warned him.

"Otherwise, you should be prepared for war with the Murim Alliance."

"..."

The moment Hwang Bushik, who had been looking down at Ak Byeongbi with emotionless eyes, turned his gaze to me and was about to open his mouth.

CRASH!

A commotion erupted outside, and a group of people rushed in like crazy.

Hwang Bushik looked back and spoke briefly.

"Stop them."

"Yes, sir."

As the iron-clad warriors who came with Hwang Bushik blocked the incoming people, vicious words poured out.

"Move aside, you bastards!"

"You guys are in cahoots with them too, aren't you!"

"If you don't move, I'll beat you to death!"

Hwang Bushik muttered lowly toward the uninvited guests.

"If you don't restrain yourselves, I will arrest you all."

While the uninvited guests, who had drawn their swords and barged in fiercely, momentarily flinched at Hwang Bushik's ice-cold aura.

"The ones you should arrest aren't us, but them."

A man stepped forward, pushing through the group.

It was a face I had been seeing up until just a moment ago.

"Those bastards... they are the ones who dared to assassinate our Sect Leader!"

Gal Jeongi of the Hwangsa Sect.

He gritted his teeth and shouted.

"To think a disciple of a great Orthodox sect would dare to attempt a sneak attack!"

"Restrain yourself! This is not the Hwangsa Sect, but the Underworld Alliance!"

As Hwang Bushik let out his inner qi and shouted thunderously, the Hwangsa Sect warriors who had been causing the commotion stopped their movements in unison.

However, it didn't seem like they were scared, but rather just calming their excitement to prepare for a proper fight.

Letting out a small sigh, Hwang Bushik looked back at me and said.

"Do you roughly understand?"

"..."

Eventually, he declared in a voice loud enough for everyone surrounding us to hear.

"I am arresting the Delegation Head, Ak Byeongbi, on charges of assassinating the Hwangsa Sect Leader."

"..."

I looked at Ak Byeongbi, who was still lying down.

Ah, so he didn't get ambushed, but rather he went out and did the ambushing?

Amazing.

* * *

"For now, you'll have to comply with the investigation."

At Hwang Bushik's words, the iron-clad warriors simultaneously tried to rush into the room.

SKRRRK!

I drew a line on the floor with the Black Dragon Sword and spoke.

"If you cross this line, I cannot guarantee your lives."

Hwang Bushik frowned heavily.

"... What are you doing?"

"Because we are a delegation, for one. Unless you are truly declaring war, you cannot forcibly detain a delegation."

"We can forcibly detain you when the charges are certain."

"..."

I didn't know the exact reason, but setting aside the Hwangsa Sect guys, even Hwang Bushik was convinced that Ak Byeongbi had carried out the assassination.

Just why, and how?

"Do you have evidence?"

Hwang Bushik answered immediately.

"I can show you the wounds on the corpse."

Are you saying it's irrefutable evidence?

Even so, I had no intention of backing down easily.

"For someone who supposedly carried out a sneak attack, our side's damage is also quite significant."

The answer came from Gal Jeongi instead of Hwang Bushik.

"Fuck! Of course, with the skills of you Orthodox bastards, even a sneak attack would have been a struggle!"

Come to think of it, considering the long trail of blood in the room and the unbroken furniture in contrast to it, the assumption that he returned after carrying out a sneak attack made more sense than him being ambushed here.

I asked Hwang Bushik.

"First off, his treatment is urgent. Will you treat him?"

"... Since we need to question him, I will assign the best physician."

"In exchange, I will attach one of our people to him."

Instead of answering, Hwang Bushik nodded.

As the iron-clad warriors took Ak Byeongbi and Tang Seo-hee out of the inner room, Gal Jeongi's eyes rolled back as he frothed at the mouth.

"Fuck! What the hell are you doing right now! Don't you know those bastards are in on it too! Why aren't you arresting them!"

"Nothing has been revealed yet. And they still hold the status of a delegation."

"You call that a reason...!"

I offered a word of comfort to the indignant Gal Jeongi.

"You dumbass, we were right there with you. Of course we're off the suspect list. Try doing some thinking with that thing sitting on your neck."

"..."

However, perhaps because he had lost the elder of his sect, Gal Jeongi's expression was poor.

"Jin Sowoon, you piece of shit! I'll fucking kill youuuu!!"

To think that after I went out of my way to offer comfort, what comes back is a death threat.

Tsk, this is why I hate associating with these vicious Underworld bastards.

* * *

"How did things end up like this?"

Ilmyeong let out a long sigh.

"Well, even if we're off the suspect list, they probably don't think we're innocent. That's why they're trying to keep us under surveillance using the excuse of guarding us..."

"Benefactor Jin... I know that much as well."

I knew that Ilmyeong's intention behind the question wasn't about that.

I might sound like a crazy person, but I couldn't bear it if I didn't at least crack a joke in this atmosphere.

This was a habit I picked up during my days in the Minor Orthodox Unit.

The more desperate the situation, the deeper the anxiety I fall into if I don't make a joke.

That was why a joke completely unsuited for the situation had unwittingly popped out of my mouth.

Because our current situation was so desperate that it wouldn't lose even when compared to my Minor Orthodox Unit days.

With even his scalp turning pale, Ilmyeong let out a groan.

"Did the Head eventually... commit the deed?"

"He certainly is a person capable of doing that and more."

"Benefactor Jin..."

"I know."

This is why greenhouse plants are no good.

I can't even say a thing.

Anyway, it wasn't like I had an exact answer in this kind of situation either.

Even if we weren't in the same space while Ak Byeongbi committed the act, that wouldn't prove our innocence.

Bluntly speaking, every single bastard here is bloodshot and drawing lots because they all want to slit our throats.

One could say we just handed them the justification.

Furthermore, Shanxi Province was a place where the Murim Alliance's influence was weak.

To escape the Underworld Alliance's influence, we would have to flee at least as far as Henan Province.

"Henan Province is a bit far..."

"Benefactor Jin... are you by any chance thinking of running away?"

Ilmyeong couldn't hide his surprised expression after eavesdropping on my muttering.

Regardless, setting aside the matter of running away, the most important issue was whether Ak Byeongbi had actually killed Gu Gye-ak...

"Senior Ilmyeong, can you be certain that the Head didn't kill him?"

"..."

Look at this, he can't answer.

I hoped and prayed that he really didn't do it, but honestly, I couldn't definitively say he hadn't.

Even Ilmyeong, who had mastered the Immovable Mind, couldn't easily say he wouldn't seek revenge in the same situation.

Let alone Ak Byeongbi, who was a man that despised Underworld figures.

It was entirely possible that he had let the desire for revenge he had been steadily nurturing in his heart explode.

Anyway, the thing to worry about right now was who would lead the delegation moving forward.

One might ask, 'Why does that matter?', but it was more important than it seemed.

If a wrong judgment were made here, not only Ak Byeongbi but all of us would die.

Since the Head had been taken away framed for murder, logically, Ilmyeong should be the one to lead.

"What will you do if it's true that the Head killed him?"

"Benefactor Jin... You know that wouldn't happen..."

I firmly shook my head.

"We have to assume the worst-case scenario as well. If we only expect optimistic situations, we'll all die here."

I could understand Ak Byeongbi's desire for revenge, but that didn't mean I wanted to throw my life away for him.

That would be the same for Tang Seo-hee and Ilmyeong.

After contemplating for a long time, Ilmyeong eventually nodded.

"... I shall follow Benefactor Jin's will."

Just like that, I became the one leading the delegation.

Procedurally, I would need to get Tang Seo-hee's permission as well, but she didn't seem to have much greed for the Delegation Head position in the first place anyway.

If she gets sulky, I can just let her play hero once on the way back.

That is, of course, if we manage to return alive.

* * *

Even throughout the night, the presence of the guards outside the door never disappeared.

When morning came, I could sense them being swapped out with new people.

Furthermore, I felt presences not just at the main gate, but also by the windows and in the garden.

'This isn't very good.'

The bigger problem was that the sounds of the banquet, which had been ringing out until dawn, suddenly cut off.

Even the drunks who were screaming at the top of their lungs.

The voices of those throwing punches over gambling could no longer be heard.

This was basically the same as saying that the news of Gu Gye-ak's death had spread within the Underworld Alliance.

And the name of the Orthodox faction's delegation, Ak Byeongbi, had probably been spread as the culprit.

Once the atmosphere is set, the voices demanding condemnation will grow louder.

At this rate, we might get beheaded and have our heads hung on poles without even a chance to resist.

'Shouldn't we run away even now?'

If I had it my way, we would have already escaped the Underworld Alliance last evening, but if we did that, regardless of whether Ak Byeongbi lived or died, it would be the start of a war between the Murim Alliance and the Underworld Alliance without fail.

'But even if I try to do something, there has to be something I can do.'

Originally, starting today, I had planned to meet the bigwigs of the Underworld Alliance one by one, including the Master of the Four Emperors Peak.

But in a situation where a member of the delegation is suspected of being an assassin, who on earth would agree to meet me?

It wasn't like we were on such friendly terms in the first place anyway.

Just then.

THUMP, THUMP.

Making a loud presence, Hwang Bushik strode inside.

"Will you go and check the corpse?"

I stood up and said to him.

"May I ask why the surveillance has increased?"

"It is to protect you."

"Protect, you say..."

I didn't know if those words were true or not, but confirming whether it was indeed Ak Byeongbi who committed the deed was the top priority.

We were escorted—or rather, 'guarded' by ten iron-clad warriors—to the place where Gu Gye-ak's corpse lay.

And then.

"..."

Upon seeing the wounds on Gu Gye-ak's corpse, Ilmyeong's expression simply wouldn't uncrease.

"Phew..."

It was the same for me as well.

There was a fist-sized hole near the corpse's heart, and the area around the wound was scorched completely black.

A definite spear wound, along with traces of flames.

Even a layman who knew nothing about martial arts would be able to tell that these were the traces of the Ak Clan's Blazing Fire Spear Technique.

"This... is undeniable."

At Ilmyeong's words, I nodded as well.

At this point in time, if you were to count the people who had seen more corpses than me, it would probably only be morticians.

In fact, I had probably seen far more martial arts-inflicted wounds like this than morticians had.

Even to my eyes, there were no traces of tampering on the corpse.

If someone had tried to recreate this kind of wound after the person was already dead, it would have taken a different shape.

It was certain that this fist-sized hole was what had taken Gu Gye-ak's life.

Hwang Bushik looked at Ilmyeong and me, who were left speechless, and explained.

"The physician treating Ak Byeongbi says that the traces of the wound match the shape of the Hwangsa Sect's sword."

Yes, I suppose so.

How many people use a weapon that tears into wounds like a saw blade?

One couldn't not know even if they tried.

I barely swallowed my sigh.

"It certainly looks like nothing else but our Head getting injured while attempting a sneak attack."

Now, forget about the agreement; it was at the level where we had to worry about whether we could even preserve our own lives.

I turned back to Hwang Bushik.

"What happens to us now?"

"You will have to stand by until the investigation is over."

"In our quarters, you mean?"

If it was in our quarters, and with this level of surveillance personnel...

Once Tang Seo-hee, who had gone to guard Ak Byeongbi, returned, the three of us would somehow be able to make it out of the Underworld Alliance.

Just as I was mentally retracing the path we took to get to the Underworld Alliance and formulating an escape plan.

The familiar voices of two people rang out.

"Hehehe, you guys caused quite a massive accident."

"Young Master, we ended up meeting again so soon, didn't we?"

No, Hyeoltu and Yeom Gwibi, why are you two appearing here?

Hwang Bushik's voice drove the final wedge.

"Those two will be staying with you."

Hah, is he saying don't even dream of escaping?

Just as Gun Yuhyeon said, drawing the Five Heavenly Kings tile really did seem to mean I was incredibly unlucky.

No wonder all the bastards I let draw the Five Heavenly Kings tile in my past life dropped dead the very next day.

Damn it.

Hwang Bushik spoke with a still blunt expression.

"... It is regrettable."

He probably offered comfort in his own way, but it wasn't comforting at all.

Was this how Gal Jeongi felt?

Even so, I had to find a way somehow.

Wasn't I the one who struggled until the very end even in my past life?

"Then may I ask for one favor?"

However, Hwang Bushik shook his head without a single moment of hesitation.

Such a resolute man.

I couldn't back down easily either.

"It isn't that difficult of an issue. Just hear me out first."

Eventually, Hwang Bushik let out a groan and allowed it.

"Go on."

"When our Head wakes up, could you let us meet him first?"

"..."

They say they even grant the wishes of the dead, so surely they can listen to a favor from someone who's about to die. Right?