Cha Seokdu, having received the report of Gal Munjeong's death, spoke powerlessly.

"The explosives have caught fire."

It was already decided that they would explode.

The only remaining question was whether the explosion would happen sooner, or if they could buy a little more time.

"Is this as far as we go."

The Underworld Alliance.

It was a long-held wish.

People with the same convictions banding together to build a faction, striving forward for their own benefit.

Over the past five hundred years, the Murim Alliance had put down its roots and firmly established itself, pushing out the Underworld.

Because there were many free-spirited figures in the Underworld, they were frequently lumped together with criminals and painted as evil.

Reflected in the 'justice' of the high-and-mighty Murim Alliance, the Underworld was an existence that deserved to disappear.

The Underworld figures, too, were growing sick of the 'villain' role forced upon them against their will.

And just when they thought the moment had come to put an end to that tiresome role.

'But I suppose this is as far as it goes.'

Thanks to meeting an unusual guy from the Orthodox faction, they had somehow made it this far, but it seemed even that was now over.

The bastards who had been operating in secret since before the formation of the Underworld Alliance exquisitely stabbed at their weak point, as if they had only been waiting for this moment, and the Underworld Alliance had now suffered an unrecoverable wound.

"... I will conduct an inspection to crack down internally. Since the Leader's orders have already been given, there will be no one acting rashly."

Cha Seokdu stared blankly at Dam-ak, who was trying to console him.

"..."

A clever man like him would already know that the fire, once lit, could not be put out.

Even so, he was grateful to him for offering comfort.

Even in his calculations, the conclusion that there was no hope for himself and the Underworld Alliance must have already been reached.

"... I am sorry."

"What are you talking about? It is largely my fault for failing to assist you properly."

Cha Seokdu shook his head.

"No, that is not what I mean."

At Cha Seokdu's sudden words, Dam-ak bit his lip.

Cha Seokdu dropped his head as if he had no face to show.

"In the end, I could not keep the promise to find the culprit for you."

The culprit.

Both Cha Seokdu and Dam-ak knew that the culprit being referred to now did not mean the existence operating secretly in the Underworld Alliance and driving the delegation into a corner.

"..."

Dam-ak struggled to manage his expression.

Looking at him, Cha Seokdu could only smile bitterly.

The greatest genius of the academy, who was slated to enter the Imperial Court and take up a high official post.

Originally, Dam-ak was someone who had no business operating in Jianghu, let alone the Underworld Alliance.

If not for the bloody tragedy that struck Cheongwa Academy while Dam-ak was away in the capital taking the metropolitan examination, would he ever have had a reason to enter Jianghu, let alone a place full of barbarians like the Underworld Alliance?

If not for the Murim Alliance's negligence in failing to protect the academy and Cha Seokdu's promise, Dam-ak would have been sitting beside the Emperor rather than beside Cha Seokdu.

["Find the one who killed my master and my friends. Then, whatever you desire, I will make it happen."]

Cha Seokdu had tried to dissuade Dam-ak, who spoke while shedding tears of blood.

He told him that since he had already passed the provincial and metropolitan examinations, his path to success was guaranteed, and he would be able to exact revenge himself.

However.

Dam-ak tore up his acceptance edict with his own hands.

["Until I gain power, those bastards will be living and breathing comfortably in this world, and I cannot bear to watch that happen."]

Unable to ignore the deep grudge and resolve in his eyes, Cha Seokdu made a promise on his name.

That as soon as the Underworld Alliance was established, he would use the Underworld Alliance's power to search the entire world and catch the culprit who burned down Cheongwa Academy.

He definitely did...

Yet it ended up like this.

"... Stand at the very front of those who will drive me out."

Unable to keep his promise, Cha Seokdu decided to do the last thing he could for Dam-ak.

"You have shown yourself as a member of the pro-war faction all this time, so those who know your abilities won't easily cast Strategist Dam aside. Moreover, if you are seen striking me down yourself, that will be even more so."

"..."

Dam-ak still remained silent.

Cha Seokdu didn't know why, but he felt that Dam-ak's current appearance was similar to how he looked on the day he tore up his edict.

Cha Seokdu forced a smile.

"I know what you are thinking. But it is not your fault, so do not worry. Even if I am kicked out of the Leader's seat, I am still the Peak Master of the Four Emperors Peak, Cha Seokdu."

He then made a promise.

"It's hard to call it a replacement, but I will go out and find the culprit who attacked the academy."

"..."

"So, please continue to carry on my faded dream."

Cha Seokdu lowered his head.

"I'm begging you."

Silence fell over the Alliance Leader's office.

Cha Seokdu still had his head bowed.

Watching that sight, Dam-ak bit his lip with a stiff expression.

"I cannot... lose my master again."

Only then did Cha Seokdu lift his head.

"Master... A master, you say... Am I your master?"

As Dam-ak nodded, Cha Seokdu let out a chuckle.

"How could a man who barely finished the Thousand Character Classic be your master?"

"Did you not tell me?"

Dam-ak clenched his fists tightly.

"That as long as one is alive, they must keep moving forward."

"..."

Did I ever say such a thing?

Cha Seokdu felt ashamed of his arrogant past self.

"This matter will definitely be resolved. No, I will make it so."

He was endlessly curious about how he planned to resolve it when they still didn't know the culprit's identity or the cooperating faction, but Cha Seokdu ultimately did not ask.

Because it felt like even the small amount of remaining hope would shatter if he opened his mouth now.

* * *

Once the fierce, close-quarters combat of the early war ends, a tiresome war of attrition begins.

The Murim Alliance doesn't send enough troops to overwhelm the enemy, but they also don't neglect the units to the point of forcing a retreat.

When that happens, the days of pushing the enemy back one day and being pushed back the next continue endlessly.

The period of going out to the battlefield with anger after witnessing a comrade's death passes, and as you repeatedly watch lower-class warriors with seemingly good personalities get dispatched only to die within a week...

Even the emotions you ought to feel as a human are slowly whittled away, and your mind begins to turn into a sandy wasteland.

And around the time when the daily routine of fighting, eating, and sleeping out of habit with a desertified mind continues.

These fucking bastards are deployed to the battlefield.

Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade.

Zhuge Somyeong evaluated them like this.

["It's a unit that the Demonic Brain, that cunning bastard, created as if painting a perfect replica of his own temperament."]

The Murim Alliance held absolute command over its affiliated sects, but it was not a single entity like the Demonic Cult.

It was ultimately a political coalition, which meant that the distance between its members could widen or narrow as much as they pleased depending on profit and loss.

And the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade sharply dug into this gap without missing a beat.

They didn't just stop at conducting assassination operations; they disguised themselves as the Orthodox faction, blending into the cracks to make everyone suspect one another.

They imitated the martial arts of the Orthodox sects to leave identical traces, using them to further stoke suspicion.

Already driven to the brink by war, with their reason whittled away and their minds turned to deserts.

Amidst the large and small conflicts sparked between sects due to the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade's schemes, if traces of another sect's martial arts were even discovered on a murdered comrade's body...

The Demonic Cult would no longer feel like the main enemy.

In reality, the number of people who died at the hands of the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade was few.

The number of units that vanished after falling into their traps, turning on each other, and breaking out in bloodshed was countless.

The reason these bastards were especially hateful was...

Because they didn't just target the higher-class warriors; they wedged themselves into the ranks of insignificant lower-class warriors like our Minor Orthodox Unit and made them slaughter each other.

I wouldn't just sit back and take it in this life.

On the way to the Blood Sword Sect's quarters.

I asked Gun Yuhyeon, who was walking beside me.

"What kind of relationship do the Blood Sword Sect Leader Do Bongsu and his sworn brothers have?"

As expected of Gun Yuhyeon, who was well-versed in intelligence, an answer came immediately.

"Sect Leader Do Bongsu was originally one of those called the Seopyeong Five Hounds. In his forties, he built a friendship with the previous sect leader and entered the Blood Sword Sect."

How did a guy who wasn't even a disciple of the Blood Sword Sect to begin with become the Blood Sword Sect Leader?

I could guess the answer without needing to ask.

"Did those sworn brothers overturn the sect?"

Had it been the Orthodox Murim, it would have been an act worthy of condemnation, but Gun Yuhyeon nodded as if it were nothing.

"The Seopyeong Five Hounds had been sharing their joys and sorrows, synchronizing their teamwork since their twenties. Even though the previous Blood Sword Sect Leader's martial arts level was considerable, he couldn't withstand their combined assault."

If they had stuck together and maintained their alias from their twenties to their fifties, it mostly meant their martial arts were formidable or they were exceptionally perceptive.

Or sometimes a decent mix of both.

"Anyway, I guess that means they know everything there is to know about each other."

"... Indeed."

Hostile gazes flew in and pierced us from all directions, but Gun Yuhyeon's face was full of curiosity rather than fear.

"But can you find the culprit with this kind of information?"

"Who do you think is the culprit, Sir Yuhyeon?"

"... Can we even pinpoint a culprit in this situation?"

For a moment, it seemed like the word 'delegation...' had come out and then been swallowed back... It must have been just my imagination, right?

I asked again.

"If you had to pick someone, that is."

After pondering for a moment, Gun Yuhyeon answered.

"... If it were me, I would start by investigating the sworn brothers."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because this is a truly excellent opportunity."

Gun Yuhyeon was right.

Now was a truly great time to pull off a borrowed-knife murder scheme.

Thanks to this atmosphere created by the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade, whoever died, as long as a small trace was left behind, it could all be pinned on the Orthodox faction.

I nodded my head.

"I think so too."

"But you can't point them out as the culprits based on suspicion alone, can you?"

"True. Moreover, even if we can investigate, we can't interrogate them."

Of course, unlike Gun Yuhyeon, I wasn't suspecting them based solely on suspicion.

In any case, the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade couldn't be rooted out through simple investigation and interrogation.

After all, the time these bastards infiltrated was only after they had compiled all the information about the group they were infiltrating.

What's more, despite having learned demonic arts, they didn't emit demonic qi.

Disguising themselves more realistically than the real thing using bone-shrinking arts and human skin masks, it was impossible to find them even if you tried.

'But those Minor Orthodox Unit bastards managed to pull off that difficult feat.'

Our Minor Orthodox Unit was the first among the Murim Alliance's forces to find a way to single out the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade.

Of course, the method was somewhat vulgar, but...

We spread that method to the higher-class units and other forces.

But everyone else couldn't find the Twin Shadows Fierce Demon Brigade as easily as we did.

Because those high-and-mighty nobles, who valued their honor more than their lives, would never use the exact same method we did.

Well, since they valued honor more than their lives and died because of it, they probably didn't feel too wronged either.

While I was organizing my thoughts, we arrived at the Blood Sword Sect's quarters.

Upon entering, harsh voices began flying in from all over.

"Black Flame Dragon?"

"How dare you come here!"

"Get the hell out if you don't want to die right now!"

"How long do you think your life will last just because Elder Hyeoltu is here!"

The voices I heard weren't all that different from what I had heard so far.

Did they think that I, an elite of the Orthodox Murim, would be hurt hearing such profanities?

But what a shame.

Because in my past life, I shared life and death with the Minor Orthodox Unit bastards, who were far more vulgar than you guys.

And even among those Minor Orthodox Unit bastards.

"Shut your traps and go fetch your boss. Unless you all want your mouths torn open to your ears."

I had the foulest mouth of them all.

The flared-up atmosphere instantly sank.

Expressions that seemed to say, 'What kind of bastard is this?'

As expected, giving these guys behavior that matched their level was the right answer.

"Crazy bastard..."

Hyeoltu, who was standing next to me, stared at me with his mouth agape.

Gun Yuhyeon's reaction wasn't much different either.

True, I didn't exactly seem like a normal person from the Orthodox faction.

SHING.

CLANG.

SWISH.

Guys drawing their weapons appeared from all over.

I was already busy as hell, and this was annoying the crap out of me.

I circulated the Taiyi True Scripture and unleashed my killing intent.

I wasn't here just to roughhouse with the likes of you.

"Keuk!"

"What kind of killing intent is this..."

"Heup!"

Soon, I saw guys widening their eyes and stumbling backward.

Among them were some who struggled to raise their own killing intent, as if refusing to lose.

The atmosphere rapidly shifted into a highly volatile situation.

At that moment.

"Stop!!!"

Along with a voice that echoed thunderously through the interior, four middle-aged men revealed themselves on the second floor.

These men, surveying the room with sharp glares, were...

Do Bongsu's sworn brothers.

* * *

"It has been a while since we last greeted you."

As the man who appeared to be the eldest brother bowed his head to Hyeoltu as their representative, his brothers followed suit with nods of their heads.

No matter if it was the Underworld, there was still etiquette between seniors and juniors, but they concluded their greeting with just that.

The representative man glared at me before speaking to Hyeoltu.

"Please forgive our lack of manners, Elder."

An action that clearly showed he was conscious of me.

Hyeoltu brushed his hand as if he didn't care much either.

The man shot me a blazing glare.

"May I ask... what your relationship with this fellow is, Elder?"

Hyeoltu answered without a sliver of hesitation.

"We have no relationship."

My, how hurtful.

We had traveled to the Underworld Alliance together and shared our joys and sorrows for several days, after all.

At the concise answer, the man nodded in understanding.

"Then I suppose we don't need to concern ourselves with you, Elder, when dealing with this fellow?"

Once again, Hyeoltu answered immediately.

"Do as you please. However, unless it is an agreed-upon sparring match, I will not allow you to kill him."

"... Understood."

The man slowly turned his head and stared at me.

His younger brothers, too, bared their teeth one by one, making no attempt to hide their hostility.

"I hear you were looking for me?"

"That is correct."

"For what reason?"

"Because I've found the culprit who killed the head of your sect and your eldest brother."

"..."

The man gazed at me intently.

"We also know who the culprit is."

"You aren't going to say it's the daughter of the Tang Clan, are you?"

The man let out a scoff.

"Wouldn't it be stranger to say she isn't?"

"If so, you're playing right into the real culprit's hands. Do you plan to be satisfied with getting revenge on someone who isn't even the real culprit?"

"Brother...! There's no need to listen to this bullshit...!"

"Quiet."

Having calmed his protesting younger brothers, the man asked me.

"... Who do you think the culprit is?"

I shrugged my shoulders breezily.

"Of course, it's one of you."

"..."

A quiet wave of qi slowly began targeting my vital points.

A declaration of their intent to strike at any moment.

The man growled low.

"If you came here to pick a trivial fight, you had better stop. We've just lost our Sect Leader and brother at the same time, so we have no leeway to put up with jokes."

"And if it isn't a joke?"

"Are you... prepared?"

"Of course."

"Even to lose your life?"

My life, huh...

Living through my current life, the moments where I hadn't put my life on the line could be counted on one hand.

I nodded immediately.

The man, who had been staring piercingly at me for a moment, took a step back.

"Fine. But if you spout utter nonsense, I will formally challenge you to a sparring match. You will have to bear the combined wrath of our brothers all at once."

Seemingly conscious of what Hyeoltu had said earlier, the man shamelessly declared that they would cowardly attack me together.

"Sounds good."

When I answered readily, the man wore a surprised expression.

He then asked Hyeoltu, as if to confirm.

"Elder, this is an agreed-upon situation."

Hyeoltu replied bluntly, acting like it was none of his business.

"Do as you see fit."

Alright, the stage is set.

I clapped my hands, drawing everyone's attention.

"Since things are mostly settled, may I begin?"

"Go ahead."

I swept my gaze over the Seopyeong Five Hounds.

"Now, I am going to ask questions from this point forward, and you must answer them immediately."

"..."

I bantered a bit to lighten the mood, but no one so much as cracked a smile.

What a stiff bunch of people.

"Alright, first question. Where did the five of you take your oath of brotherhood?"

"Saepacheon."

"Saepacheon in Seopyeong."

"Seopyeong Saepacheon."

"It was Saepacheon."

Their attitude seemed to ask why I was inquiring about something so obvious. I continued with the next question.

"Second question. When is the birthday of the second brother here?"

Excluding the indicated man, three of them answered simultaneously.

"The Gyeong-o day of the Gi-yu month."

"The Gyeong-o day of the Gi-yu month."

"The Gyeong-o day of the Gi-yu month. The Hour of the Rat."

Just as I thought, traveling together for about thirty years really meant they knew each other well.

"Third question. What is the final secret technique used by the third brother?"

"..."

Perhaps because it was a question about martial arts, no one answered easily.

"Please answer. What is his final secret technique?"

"We cannot answer that."

"Is that more important than the Sect Leader's death?"

While I was having a staring contest with the man, the third brother glared at me with fierce eyes and spoke.

"Brothers, just say it. I'll cleave this bastard's head in half once this is over anyway."

Hesitant at the third brother's bloodthirsty words, they eventually opened their mouths.

"... Lu Da Pulling Willows."

"Lu Da Pulling Willows."

"Lu Da Pulling Willows."

They were hesitant, but so far, no one had stumbled over the questions.

"Then, for the fourth question..."

"How much longer do we have to do this stupid farce?!"

The man who had been conversing with me until now cut me off, but I continued with my question.

Now it was time to ask the question we used to weed out the bastards in the Minor Orthodox Unit.

"Fourth question. What kind of women did the dead Sect Leader go crazy over?"

The man's eyes flared with anger at my vulgar question.

"You bastard...!"

"Answer the question. Because it's the last one."

Filled with rage, the second brother gripped the hilt of his blade tightly and spoke.

"He liked plump women, so much so that you could say they were rolling in fat."

"He liked fatties."

"Because he liked fatties, it was hard going to the brothels with him."

They spat out identical answers as if they had coordinated them beforehand.

However.

"... He l-liked fatties."

Exactly one person.

One person was late to answer.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Three of the Seopyeong Five Hounds looked at the fourth brother in disbelief.

Flustered, the fourth brother waved both his hands and spoke.

"W-What are you thinking, brothers! I-I...!"

The fourth brother showed a panicked expression, acting truly innocent.

Seeing him, a triumphant smile naturally graced my lips.

"Gotcha!"

Peek-a-boo, you son of a bitch!