"So... you accepted it?"

As Dam-ak's expression stiffened slightly, Gun Yuhyeon's expression hardened in tandem.

"Just in case, I told him I would seek Strategist Dam's opinion. Did I perhaps make a mistake?"

"... No, it is not that... I was just surprised because I was worried about you, Sir Yuhyeon. Please do not take it to heart."

Dam-ak shook his head, but Gun Yuhyeon still studied his reactions.

"It seems I have meddled needlessly. I agreed because I naturally thought it would be of help to you, Strategist Dam..."

"No. It is true that it helps me. However, I said that out of concern that you and your sect might face disadvantages after this is over."

Although the hierarchy within the Underworld Murim had reversed now, the Cheongwan Sect and Gun Yuhyeon were originally no different from benefactors to Dam-ak.

If not for Gun Yuhyeon, Dam-ak, like his other comrades, would never have survived the bloodbath at the Cheongwa Academy.

Not only that, but he had also helped Dam-ak back onto his feet when he was drowning in despair and cursing the world, and was even searching for the families of his missing academy comrades.

He was worried that the benefactor who had bestowed such boundless grace upon him might fall into a difficult situation due to Jin Sowoon's selfishness.

Gun Yuhyeon, having relaxed his expression at some point, smiled as usual.

"You do not need to worry about that. Even though the Cheongwan Sect's influence is weak, we are not so feeble a sect that we must act servile wherever we go."

"..."

If it were as Gun Yuhyeon said, there would seem to be nothing to worry about, but wasn't the actual situation quite different?

Even if the Murim Alliance's delegation, a thorn in everyone's side, were to reveal the true culprit, there was no telling what kind of retaliation Gun Yuhyeon might suffer after being labeled a whistleblower.

If something were to happen to him...

Just as Dam-ak was about to fall into deep thought.

"Ah, come to think of it..."

Gun Yuhyeon took out a piece of paper from his sleeve.

"I have found the family of Shin Ilseong, one of your academy comrades."

"A-Are you serious?"

How long had he waited for this!

Dam-ak completely forgot his previous worries as if they had been washed away, and unfolded the paper to read.

However.

"..."

With every character he read, Dam-ak's face gradually contorted.

Gun Yuhyeon's calm voice caused a ripple in the quietly settled air.

"I am sorry."

"..."

SQUEEZE.

Unconsciously, Dam-ak squeezed the paper so hard that his hand turned white.

The news he had hoped for so desperately.

... Was news he absolutely never wanted to hear.

"It seems they lost their livelihood and went up the mountain to avoid starvation. There, they ended up falling victim to bandits..."

"Stop, stop... You do not need to say any more."

As if barely suppressing his emotions, Dam-ak gently closed his eyes.

Gun Yuhyeon's face, watching him, was also filled with concern.

"Whether continuing this work is truly helpful to you, Strategist Dam... I no longer know."

At the sigh tinged with skepticism, Dam-ak forced himself to recover his composure and spoke as if nothing was wrong.

"... Please, I ask that you continue searching for my sake. That is what will truly help me."

Gun Yuhyeon slowly nodded.

"I understand."

After taking one look at Dam-ak, who still could not let go of the paper, Gun Yuhyeon quietly stood up from his seat.

Leaving Dam-ak's quarters, he stared blankly at the sky and began to count the constellations.

The more his fingers elegantly stirred the air, the more his concerned face gradually relaxed, eventually blooming into a satisfied smile.

"Seeing that the constellations are favorable, this will end well. What a relief."

He lowered his hand that had been counting the stars and began walking once more.

Gun Yuhyeon disappeared into the darkness.

And around the time dawn broke, replacing the stars that had faded away without a trace.

Gal Munjeong, the Leader of the Four Dragons Sect, was found as a corpse.

* * *

In the dim dawn before the sun had even risen, Ilmyeong was preparing to go to the market.

"I will primarily fetch emergency rations."

Ever since poisoned food and water had been brought into the pavilion, Yeom Gwibi had aggressively interrogated the servants to find who had slipped the poison, but the culprit ultimately remained undiscovered.

Cha Seokdu, upon learning that poison was found in the food provided to the delegation, was extremely furious and ordered food to be brought directly from the dining hall of the Leader's Pavilion.

However, when poison turned up in some of the food this time as well, it was ultimately revealed that the servants were not the issue.

"It is not a very strong poison, so it does not matter if we eat it after detoxifying it."

Tang Seo-hee spoke nonchalantly while eating the poisoned food, but the poison resistance of someone who had mastered the Sichuan Tang Clan's poison arts could not possibly be the same as that of an ordinary person.

Because there was even a patient among the group, Ilmyeong ultimately had no choice but to use the cover of night to fetch food from the outside.

"Is there perhaps anything else you need?"

"These are needed for the Delegation Head's treatment."

Tang Seo-hee handed over a piece of paper with a list of medicinal herbs written on it.

Although he had survived with tenacious vitality, treating Ak Byeongbi, whose condition was still poor, was also a problem.

If poison was slipped into the food without them even knowing when, the medicinal herbs would no longer be safe either.

An uncomfortable situation was unfolding in many ways.

I handed a bundle and a black token to Ilmyeong, who had just finished getting ready and was about to leave.

"If you walk around the market with this tied to your waist, someone will appear and ask who you are, Senior Ilmyeong."

"Are you saying they will ask that even if I stay still?"

I smiled as I pressed the black token into his hand.

"Because revealing this black token is a sign that you have visited 'somewhere'."

Ilmyeong tilted his head as if he didn't quite understand.

I whispered quietly into his ear.

"I'm talking about Haomun."

"..."

Ilmyeong's eyes momentarily went wide.

"Could it be, Benefactor Jin... are you a 'guest' of Haomun?!"

I nonchalantly nodded.

"Yes."

"..."

Ilmyeong looked back and forth between me and the black token with disbelief.

"No... How can you talk about being a guest of Haomun like you're talking about becoming a regular at the local noodle shop...!"

‘That's not what's important right now, you baldy.’

Calming down Ilmyeong, whose scalp had turned bright red from excitement, I added.

"If you mention my name and tell them what you need, they will get it for you as quickly as possible. And please deliver this bundle to them."

"What is this?"

"It is the only key to solving this incident."

"A key..."

Ilmyeong stared at the bundle before hiding it deep within his robes.

‘Looks like he's calmed down a bit now.’

I bowed my head slightly toward him.

"Then please have a safe trip."

A moment later, the instant Ilmyeong opened the door to head out.

THUD.

An iron-clad warrior, standing in the doorway to block it, stepped inside.

Even though he was unexpectedly pushed back, Ilmyeong politely asked.

"Who are you?"

The identity of the man was none other than Hwang Bushik.

"..."

Pushing Ilmyeong—who had tried to step out again—back once more, Hwang Bushik finally entered the room and stared intently at Ilmyeong, who stood by the door.

His gaze flashed fiercely, as if it would pierce through Ilmyeong's scalp at any moment.

I took a step toward him.

"What brings you here at this hour of the dawn?"

At my question, Hwang Bushik slowly turned his gaze toward me.

After giving me a glance with incredibly impassive eyes, Hwang Bushik shifted his gaze back to Hyeoltu.

"... Elder, was Ilmyeong here the entire time last night?"

‘What is this? What's the underlying meaning behind that question?’

‘Could it be...’

Feeling an ominous premonition, I looked at Hyeoltu.

Tilting his head at the sudden question, Hyeoltu answered.

"Yeah."

However, Hwang Bushik did not back down easily.

"... Are you sure?"

"Huh?"

The clear suspicion and distrust hovering on Hwang Bushik's face.

Hyeoltu's voice instantly sank into a cold tone.

"Am I obligated to answer that question?"

"..."

Hwang Bushik turned his head and looked at Yeom Gwibi.

He didn't say it, but anyone could tell that he harbored the same suspicion toward her.

"You bastard...!"

As Hyeoltu's face gradually turned bright red, Yeom Gwibi let out a small sigh.

"... That's right. Ilmyeong didn't take a single step out of here last night."

Then, stepping toward Hwang Bushik, she smiled faintly.

"But little brother... aren't you going to tell us why you are committing such an insolence?"

Seeing Yeom Gwibi's smile that tried to hide her anger, Hwang Bushik eventually sighed and bowed his head.

"... I apologize."

Shaking his head back and forth as if trying to pull himself together, he slowly looked up.

"Last night, Gal Munjeong, the Leader of the Four Dragons Sect, died."

"..."

"Huh?"

Then, he glared at Ilmyeong and spoke.

"Clear traces of the Vajra Single Finger and the Vajra Fist were found on the corpse."

"Ha!"

"What are you..."

Everyone in the inner room knew.

That Ilmyeong had not killed him.

But at the same time, everyone had the same thought.

That people would think, ‘Ilmyeong killed him.’

I asked Hwang Bushik.

"Are you sure they are traces of the Vajra Single Finger and Vajra Fist?"

"... What do you mean?"

"I'm asking if those traces are certain. I'm saying, couldn't they be imitations that just look similar, like what happened with the Ak Clan's spear technique?"

Hwang Bushik gritted his teeth, revealing his killing intent.

"It is certain. Because I have suffered from the Vajra Single Finger in the past."

‘Hmm, is that so?’

I obediently nodded.

"Then it must be certain."

"... What are you going to do now? You have even missed the chance to escape."

‘We're the ones who missed the chance to escape, so why is he getting angry?’

‘What a funny guy.’

I shrugged and spoke.

"More importantly, I have a different favor to ask."

"Do not ask me to open an escape route, I have no desire to become a public enemy of the Underworld Alliance..."

"No! Not that. Please go to the market for us."

"... The market?"

Hwang Bushik put on an absurd expression as if he couldn't comprehend it.

I elaborated for the dumbfounded man.

"Since Senior Ilmyeong has been pinned as an assassin, wouldn't it be a disaster if he gets caught wandering around as he pleases?"

"..."

‘So, you should go to the market and do some grocery shopping instead.’

* * *

The atmosphere in the Underworld Alliance, which had been condensing its anger like the calm before a storm, had now transformed into something like a Thunderbolt Bomb right before detonation.

Even those who had substituted their inner anguish with drinking, and those who had been waiting for orders from the higher-ups, picked up their weapons and headed toward one of the pavilions.

It had been exactly a day since Do Bongsu died.

In a situation where the exact cause of death had not even been determined, let alone an investigation started, the discovery of Gal Munjeong's corpse caused the Underworld figures' patience to finally run dry.

Furthermore, the rumor that the precise and clear fist imprint left on Gal Munjeong's corpse pointed to Ilmyeong of the delegation as the culprit had quietly spread.

It was, in a way, only natural for them to be furious at the behavior of the higher-ups, who were standing idly by instead of arresting the delegation.

Having entirely forgotten even the grand cause of uniting to oppose the Murim Alliance, they channeled the boiling anger in their hearts solely into the stones and roof tiles they gripped in their hands.

CRASH!

CRASH!

BAM!

Among them, there were also those who hurled spears and axes that the Underworld Alliance had prepared as supplies.

A clue showing just how much the Underworld figures' anger had risen to the tops of their heads.

"Murim Alliance, turn yourselves in and pay for your crimes!"

"How much longer are you going to keep pulling these cowardly stunts!"

"What is there to wait for? Let's barge in right now and slit their throats!"

Quietly watching the higher-ups standing with their hands behind their backs despite the continuous casualties, and watching Jin Sowoon running his mouth about catching the culprit when the delegation was clearly responsible, was an action they could no longer tolerate.

"To begin with, isn't Cha Seokdu the problem for requesting the Murim Alliance to send a delegation to the Underworld Alliance's founding ceremony!"

"Cha Seokdu and some of the executives have already formed a close relationship with the Black Flame Dragon. They are undoubtedly trying to use the Black Flame Dragon to eliminate their political opponents!"

"Let's hang the heads of both the delegation and Cha Seokdu!"

The people's anger began to flow one-sidedly, and there was no one to oppose it.

In order to refute this one-sided situation, other evidence was needed, but all the existing evidence only further grew their conviction that the delegation was the culprit.

Gun Yuhyeon, who visited the pavilion we were staying in as promised, looked at the surrounding situation and carefully asked me.

"A-Are you... okay?"

"Thanks to those two absolute experts putting in the effort over there, we are at peace."

Despite seeing stones, spear blades, arrows, and hand axes scattered around Hyeoltu and Yeom Gwibi, Gun Yuhyeon's expression did not ease.

‘Hmm, since the interior has become a mess, do those guys outside realize that the Underworld Alliance's money will have to be spent to repair everything?’

At my overly nonchalant demeanor, Gun Yuhyeon was the one who fidgeted anxiously.

"We cannot just stay like this. I will speak to Strategist Dam and ask him to at least dispatch the warriors of the Four Emperors Peak."

"Ah, it's fine. To begin with, I just finished stopping those two from going out and snapping the ankles of the bastards gathered out there."

"... Excuse me?"

Rolling my shoulders, I gave Gun Yuhyeon a bright smile.

"I mean that I'm about to resolve this now, so you don't need to bother a busy person."

"Resolve... it?"

"Yes."

If I had only seen the deaths of Gu Gye-ak and Do Bongsu, I too might have had more difficulty finding the culprit.

But the new information I had gained while wandering around to investigate.

And finally, having seen the clear fist imprint on Gal Munjeong's corpse, others might not know, but I could be certain of who the culprit was.

"Who is the culprit?"

Gun Yuhyeon, who had always been so relaxed, asked carefully.

"Ah, that's the part where I need your help, Sir Yuhyeon. Will you come with me?"

Gun Yuhyeon was thoroughly versed in the information of not only us, who belonged to the Murim Alliance, but also most of the people residing in the Underworld Alliance.

Moreover, his calculations were so fast that his mental agility was also incredible.

It was most convenient to move together.

At my suggestion, Gun Yuhyeon put on a hesitant expression.

"... Do I have to go with you as well?"

"Yes."

Although he had said he would help, stepping out together in such a dangerous situation must have been something even Gun Yuhyeon would hesitate to do.

‘He has less guts than I thought.’

I patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"You don't need to worry. Because we have the best escort."

At my words, Hyeoltu, who was moving his body while frowning deeply on one side, suddenly shouted.

"Who are you calling an escort!"

Gun Yuhyeon sneaked a glance at Hyeoltu and whispered carefully to me.

"Can you really catch the culprit?"

I could state it with certainty.

I could catch them.

I already had a good guess as to their identity.

‘To think those bastards would be here.’

‘I thought those guys would only make their move after the full-scale war broke out.’

‘Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade.’

Among the Demonic Cult's special forces, they were a unit specializing in espionage that was so utterly despicable and cunning it made one grind their teeth.

‘To think these fucking bastards were pulling off a borrowed-knife murder scheme right here in the Underworld Alliance.’

‘Rather, this turned out well.’

"I will not catch them."

"Pardon? What do you..."

It wasn't just the grudge from this incident.

It was time to add all the grudges from my past life and pay them back in full.

"I'm going to tear those bastards apart."