After much deliberation, Cha Seokdu gave his permission.

However, it was on the condition that we investigate on our own, as there was no way for him to help.

Dam-ak fiercely objected.

"If the Black Flame Dragon, who belongs to the Murim Alliance, goes around stirring up the already chaotic interior of the Underworld Alliance, the backlash will be severe."

‘Well, he isn't exactly wrong, but that's still too harsh. Stirring things up, he says.’

‘I even volunteered to act as bait out of consideration for both sides.’

Eventually, Dam-ak even pointed his finger at me.

‘I should just snap that right off...’

"Furthermore, the Black Flame Dragon is the elite of the elites of the Orthodox faction. He might try to resolve things in a way that only benefits the Murim Alliance."

‘Wow... This is the first time in my life I've been called an elite of the Orthodox faction by an Underworld figure, and it just had to be in such an awkward situation.’

‘Do these guys suffer from qi deviation if they see me having a peaceful time?’

His sharp eyes gleamed with unparalleled determination.

"Like I said before. I do not trust the Murim Alliance."

‘Just what did he go through in this life to have so little trust in the Murim Alliance?’

Anyway, as it stood, Cha Seokdu had quite a lot of trust in Dam-ak.

If I couldn't persuade this guy, I wouldn't be able to do anything.

And the easiest way to persuade smart bastards was...

"If we stay still like this, everything will flow according to the intentions of those who plotted this."

Namely, gently picking at their pride.

"Those bastards must be laughing at us as they watch us fight to the death. Are you fine with that?"

"..."

People who consider themselves smart hate being deceived more than anything else.

"They must be mocking us, saying everything is going according to their plan and wondering if the things hanging on our necks are merely decorations."

"..."

I leaned further toward Dam-ak.

"It is only natural that I, an elite of the Orthodox faction, prioritize the Murim Alliance's interests. However, those interests include our agreement with the Underworld Alliance. Of course, you might not like it, but..."

A deep look of contemplation appeared on Dam-ak's face as well.

I drove my final point home.

"At the very least, for now, the Murim Alliance and the Underworld Alliance share the same interests."

If it was within a manageable level.

The type of people who would never commit the 'stupid act' of being swayed by the enemy's schemes, even if it meant bearing a loss.

Were exactly people like Dam-ak.

‘Now, it's about time he took the bait...’

Soon, after some deliberation, Dam-ak nodded.

"Fine."

‘Success.’

"Instead, you won't have any complaints if I attach a watcher, right?"

"What are you saying when you already attached them?"

When I looked at Hyeoltu, Dam-ak tried to say something but soon shut his mouth tight.

Cha Seokdu, who had been watching from the side, chuckled heartily.

"Chief Strategist, there is no need to worry. That kid was never an elite of the Orthodox faction to begin with, nor is he someone who puts the Murim Alliance's interests first."

Then he stared at me with profound eyes.

‘What is this, all of a sudden?’

‘That gaze is incredibly unpleasant...’

"Why else would the people of Jianghu call him the Black Flame Dragon? Hahaha."

‘You were the one who gave me that martial title!’

* * *

After Jin Sowoon and Hyeoltu left the dark room, Cha Seokdu couldn't hide his bitter smile.

"It's a shame, a real shame."

Dam-ak looked at Cha Seokdu at those words murmured while looking at him.

"What do you mean?"

Cha Seokdu shook his head as if it were nothing.

"It's nothing."

"..."

"Hmm..."

Swallowing the words, 'I thought you two could get along...' Cha Seokdu looked at Dam-ak with complex feelings.

‘Should I call this a good thing or a bad thing?’

In conclusion, because Dam-ak harbored animosity toward the Murim Alliance, they were luckily able to bring him in as the Underworld Alliance's Chief Strategist.

However, since his roots were not as an Underworld figure, he couldn't easily assimilate into the Underworld Alliance.

Thanks to his brilliant mind, he had no difficulty operating as the Chief Strategist despite his young age.

Conversely, because he was far too exceptional, he was no different from a lone island floating on a vast ocean.

Because of that, Cha Seokdu had held a bit of hope.

Hoping that if he met Jin Sowoon, who was in a similar situation, they might understand each other and become friends.

It was a bit disheartening to see Dam-ak, who was around his son's age, living so lonely without a single friend.

"What kind of guy does he seem like to you?"

So, he casually tested the waters instead.

Interpreting Cha Seokdu's words in multiple ways, Dam-ak gave a brief assessment.

"He is a dangerous man."

An unexpected answer came out.

Cha Seokdu felt an inexplicable sense of curiosity.

"Why is that?"

"Is there any other word to describe a man who stakes his own life without a care for the sake of his goal?"

"But that is also the very reason Jianghu praises the Black Flame Dragon."

Dam-ak shook his head and said firmly.

"That is why I say he's dangerous. It's impossible to predict what he might do when he's an enemy."

Then, as if somewhat uneasy, he let out a small sigh.

Did this child have such a side to him?

Cha Seokdu felt it was quite a novel sensation.

"He is someone who managed to create an opportunity to meet the Leader through Hyeoltu in a situation that was no different from confinement. When you consider that Hyeoltu is no pushover... his schemes can never be seen as shallow either."

"That's true."

He himself had been incredibly surprised internally when Hyeoltu brought up having a talk with Jin Sowoon.

Cha Seokdu originally felt a sense of favor toward Jin Sowoon's unpredictable nature, but it seemed it came off as a threat to Dam-ak.

‘Well, a friend of a similar age is also a competitor.’

It was also true that Dam-ak was still too young to realize that Jianghu was a place where enemies could become friends.

"Still, doesn't it make you feel more relieved since we have a common enemy right now?"

Dam-ak looked at Cha Seokdu with calm eyes.

"I know very well how much the Leader cherishes the Black Flame Dragon."

"Hehe, you're saying something that would make him freak out if he heard it."

Dam-ak, who knew the relationship between Cha Seokdu and Jin Sowoon well, smiled briefly before continuing.

"However, this matter will not be easy to resolve. Even we..."

He looked down at his own hands.

"...are struggling like this, are we not?"

Cha Seokdu nodded without realizing it.

Due to a problem that couldn't possibly be solved, they had even brought in Hyeoltu and Yeom Gwibi.

Despite that, the unseen enemies had now begun to act openly.

It was truly a pandemonium where one couldn't see an inch ahead.

Even so...

"I am holding out hope for him."

"..."

Dam-ak couldn't offer any reply.

Looking at such a Dam-ak, Cha Seokdu grinned.

"Because he has always shown us things that exceeded our expectations."

Was it because he couldn't accept Cha Seokdu's words? Or was it jealousy over Cha Seokdu acknowledging Jin Sowoon?

Dam-ak's gaze turned even fiercer than usual.

Cha Seokdu patted his shoulder.

"So, help him out. That friend will probably need your help too."

"I will help... as long as it brings no harm to the Underworld Alliance."

Dam-ak replied reluctantly.

Even without expressing his dissatisfaction, it was clearly visible.

Such immaturity was truly the symbol and privilege of youth.

However...

"It's no fun... because I can't see that sort of thing in him."

Dam-ak tilted his head at the incomprehensible words.

Cha Seokdu waved his hand and said.

"I was just talking to myself. No need to mind it."

* * *

Inside the delegation's inner room.

The warriors who had been hovering around the pavilion under the pretext of guarding it had disappeared.

However, Hyeoltu and Yeom Gwibi were still taking up space.

We deliberately ignored the two and held our conversation.

"Benefactor Jin... do you truly believe there is another culprit?"

"Yes."

At my immediate answer, Ilmyeong and Tang Seo-hee furrowed their brows.

I calmly elaborated.

"First, it's because of the commonalities between the two crime scenes."

"You're saying there are commonalities?"

"Yes. Even though the blood of both Gu Gye-ak and Ak Byeongbi was splattered all over their inner rooms, no furniture was broken."

In particular, at the scene where Ak Byeongbi was attacked, a long trail of blood was smeared across the floor.

"If one of them had launched a surprise attack and the other had counterattacked, resulting in critical injuries to both, shouldn't the aftermath have surely spread to the surroundings?"

Both Gu Gye-ak and Ak Byeongbi were people who had reached the ranks of experts.

Even if they were ambushed unawares, they would have counterattacked, and the aftermath of those counterattacks would have spread in all four directions.

And yet, the furniture in the rooms was perfectly intact.

"Second is Gu Gye-ak's corpse."

Gu Gye-ak had died with such a vivid expression of surprise on his face that it was hard to believe he was a dead man.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If he had been ambushed by the Head, he wouldn't have died with an expression like he couldn't have predicted it."

"... It seems anyone would show such a reaction if they were subjected to a surprise attack."

"Of course, it's not just because of that."

I turned the head-tilting Ilmyeong around and made him sit with his back to the door so he couldn't see it, then stepped outside the door along with Tang Seo-hee.

Hyeoltu and Yeom Gwibi, who had little interest in what we were saying, also started looking at us.

After going outside, Tang Seo-hee and I entered the room one after another, and I asked Ilmyeong.

"Who came in first just now?"

"Benefactor Jin, what are you talking about?"

"Just answer. Who came in first?"

Ilmyeong, still sitting while facing the wall, shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't understand.

"Naturally, Benefactor Tang came in first."

"How did you know without even looking?"

"Well, from the sound of footsteps, or the presence..."

I gave a firm nod and said.

"Do you understand now?"

"... Pardon?"

Not only Ilmyeong and Tang Seo-hee, but even Hyeoltu and Yeom Gwibi were looking at me with tilted heads.

"The Head said that on the day he was attacked, he was drinking because he thought it was us who came in, right?"

"... Yes."

"No matter how much of a drunkard the Head has become, could he really confuse someone else with us?"

"...!"

The eyes of the four people, including Hyeoltu, widened simultaneously.

"Furthermore, the Head referred to them as 'you bastards.' The assassins intentionally moved as a trio, not alone."

"..."

The group gaped their mouths open and shut like carp waiting for food.

"They probably approached Gu Gye-ak in the exact same manner."

"... But isn't that just a wild guess? The wounds on both men were clearly the traces left by the Ak Clan's martial arts and the Hwangsa Sect's sword."

I could let the Hwangsa Sect's sword slide.

A saw-toothed saber was originally a commonly used weapon in the Underworld Murim.

However, the traces of the Ak Clan's Blazing Fire Spear Technique were unique.

"That is true."

I obediently nodded my head.

Because the traces of the Blazing Fire Spear Technique weren't something you could easily mimic just by trying to copy them.

Anyone who saw Gu Gye-ak's corpse would have looked at that wound and immediately thought of the Ak Clan.

However, in my past life, I had seen what kind of traces were left behind when a person was killed by the 'true' Blazing Fire Spear Technique of the Ak Clan.

I asked Yeom Gwibi.

"Senior Yeom. I heard you use a hand technique that utilizes fire qi..."

However.

"Lady Yeom!"

A sharp voice pierced my ears.

"..."

When I looked at her, dumbfounded, Yeom Gwibi puffed up both her cheeks and shook her head vigorously.

Then she shouted again.

"Lady Yeom!"

‘What is this?’

‘Can't she see the serious atmosphere right now? No matter how much of a bigshot she is in the Underworld Murim, this is a bit much...’

"I won't answer you!"

I finally let out a sigh and opened my mouth.

"Lady Yeom..."

When I reluctantly called her that, Yeom Gwibi needlessly blushed and blinked her eyes.

"Yes!"

‘What's with that sudden change in attitude?’

... Anyway, it wasn't important, so I quickly moved on.

"... When delivering heat using a hand technique, what is the most effective method?"

"Well, that would be burning the internal organs and leaving the heat inside to eat away at them like poison."

Yeom Gwibi then raised the edge of her hand and made a motion as if stabbing something.

"The fire ignited inside burns the flesh and blood, ultimately burning even the nerves. Eventually, the target thrashes in agony until they end up taking their own life."

Our group clamped our mouths shut for a moment at the sight of Yeom Gwibi casually spitting out such horrific words with a smile.

I gave a single nod toward Yeom Gwibi and continued.

"The heat of the Blazing Fire Spear, as commonly described, gathers at the spear tip. When one first enters the technique, the entire spear blade heats up bright red, but as their realm rises, the heat gathers more specifically at the extreme point."

It was a simple concept.

Those who have just entered the realm of Sword Qi proudly display rough and large Sword Qi, but as their realm rises, the thickness of the Sword Qi thins out while its density increases.

Not to mention Sword Force.

"Considering the Head's achievements, his energy should have gathered strictly at the extreme point, or at least near the extreme point."

I pressed my hand against the area around my neck so that the flesh indented slightly.

"If that were the case, the heat left in the wound would not be around the wound. It would appear in the form of cooking the inside of the wound."

During the Orthodox-Demonic Great War, the warriors of the Ak Clan did not pierce deeply to inflict wounds.

Since they incinerated the organs with scorching heat to begin with and left the heat inside to bring about death, there was no need to inflict piercing wounds at all.

Ilmyeong furrowed his brow and let out a groan.

"Then... why was such a wound left behind?"

"Because that is the Shandong Ak Clan's Blazing Fire Spear Technique."

When the Ak Clan publicly demonstrates the Blazing Fire Spear Technique, they show off a demonstration of piercing through a solid stone slab.

The stone doesn't shatter; it simply forms a perfectly round hole in the center, and the soot left around that hole is tantamount to the very symbol of the Blazing Fire Spear Technique.

The intent behind inflicting a piercing wound through Gu Gye-ak's torso was to manipulate things so that people would clearly recognize the publicly known shape of the Ak Clan's spear technique.

‘In other words, this assassin bastard tried to kindly let everyone know that the culprit was Ak Byeongbi better than anyone else.’

Gu Gye-ak's exquisite position as part of the pro-war faction.

The circumstances making Gu Gye-ak deserve death.

The vivid wound left on Gu Gye-ak's body.

Everything was guiding this entire narrative in one direction.

"The culprit's finger is intentionally pointing at Ak Byeongbi."

I raised my finger and drew a line in the air.

"And all of the Underworld Alliance, including us, are turning our gaze according to his intentions."

I didn't know what kind of conspiracy or dark scheme was at play.

Because it was only natural for tens of thousands of hidden wars to take place when building a single faction.

However.

I could not forgive them for using us in that dark scheme.