The Shadow Of The Cult (2)

In the Eastern Depot’s Central Plains Headquarters, there were the “Three Bureaus and One Academy.”

The Operatives Bureau handled information using spies and agents; the Capture Bureau investigated cases such as murders of officials and apprehended culprits; and the Secret Institute handled covert matters that could not be revealed to the world—these three were the “Three Bureaus.” The “One Academy,” the Depot Martial Academy, was the training institute that taught essential skills and martial arts to those who joined the Depot.

Neung Je-gang could find the Operatives Bureau with his eyes closed. How many times had he pressed them to search for news of his younger brother?

“The Capture Bureau’s Captain Neung is here again.”

After a guard announced this inside, some time passed and the door slid open.

Even within the Depot, one could not enter the Operatives Bureau without permission. Handling information was that strict.

Until now, the Operatives Bureau had never opened the door for Neung Je-gang. Because asking them to find his brother was a private request, he could only make the plea outside the building even when meeting a person in charge.

But today there was the public matter of the Grand Academician’s death. No matter how lofty the Operatives were, they could not slight Neung Je-gang—after all, the culprits were their own.

“Haha! Come in. It’s been a while, Captain Neung.”

“Ah, it has.”

The one who greeted Neung Je-gang was Gye Yu, who had joined the Depot around the same time. Though a bit older, he had been like a friend to Neung Je-gang, but had not shown himself for some time.

“So, what wind blew you here to make such a difficult visit?”

Playing host, Gye Yu personally took out cups and poured tea.

Neung Je-gang’s eyes swiftly swept the room.

It was tidy. Yet he could sense people hidden in the dark— a martial artist’s intuition.

“Any news of my younger brother?”

He did not bring up the murder. It was an awkward subject for them both.

“Is that why you came? Good timing. I was about to tell you.”

For an instant, Neung Je-gang’s gaze fixed on Gye Yu’s face.

“Have you… found him?”

“I don’t know exactly where he is, but I confirmed your brother has come into the Central Plains. He passed through Xinjiang and Xizang and then came to Sichuan. As you know, slave traders operate in tightly knit cells, so we’ll need a bit more investigation on his movements after he entered Sichuan.”

“Thank you.”

Neung Je-gang clasped Gye Yu’s hand tightly.

In truth, he had begun to doubt whether the Operatives were even investigating his brother. Too much time had passed.

And now they brought such welcome news.

“Haha! Save your thanks for when we find him. I assure you, you’ll hear good news soon. And… this isn’t the only reason you came, is it?”

Both Gye Yu’s smiling face and Neung Je-gang’s face stiffened.

“I heard from the Branch Chief, but I want the exact truth.”

“The Grand Academician siphoned information from the Hwangsa faction and sold it to the Chancellor. The reason was gambling. He nearly squandered his estate and was about to lose his current house.”

“I see. Then… is the Depot aligned with Hwangsa?”

There was no other reason to dispose of a traitor to Hwangsa.

“Not at all! The Depot is only the Depot. Above us is the Grand Director…”

“Then why…?”

“We were simply curious what Hwangsa information he skimmed. People in our line of work can’t suppress curiosity.”

“So… that was the reason.”

Neung Je-gang’s expression tightened slightly.

Power struggles were filthy indeed. He hadn’t leaked the Depot’s secrets, yet died at the Depot’s hands—truly unlucky for the Grand Academician. Still, having ruined himself by gambling, he had little cause to complain.

“I understand. Sorry to take your time.”

Neung Je-gang rose from his chair. The case was out of his hands anyway. Coming here had at least yielded hopeful news about his brother—a great gain.

“As you know, you must keep silent.”

“I know. Then…”

Back at his quarters, Neung Je-gang sent Cheong Yeon and Gwak Ung away and began breath cultivation. With the rare new case removed from his hands, he had nothing to do, as usual, but cultivate or train.

People often said that among the Depot’s Three Bureaus, the Secret Institute’s operatives were the strongest—since they handled assassinations and ambushes.

But within the Depot, it was known the strongest gathered in the Capture Bureau. Being the most at leisure, they had the most time to devote to training.

Ssshhh—

Shortly after he began, a faint white current seeped from Neung Je-gang’s body—barely visible if one looked closely. It neither thickened nor increased, and, as it had appeared, it gradually sank back through his pores into his body.

That phenomenon repeated throughout his cultivation.

Then, at some moment—

Bang!

Startling someone in cultivation—or touching their body—was no different from attempted murder.

“Captain!”

As if he knew nothing of this, Gwak Ung blithely committed the offense. Kicking the door in as always, he realized Neung Je-gang was cultivating.

“S-someone’s dead!”

In the next instant, he flung himself back the way he came—swifter than his huge frame suggested.

Neung Je-gang’s eyes flashed open; the middle finger of his left hand flicked. A barely visible blue light sparked.

“Gehhh!”

Experiencing the fastest speed of his life, Gwak Ung let out a single scream and collapsed.

“H-help! Guhh—!”

Foaming at the mouth, he rolled around the Capture Bureau’s drill yard.

No one reached out to help. The agents training there turned away one by one and quietly slipped back to their quarters.

Some clicked their tongues at him with a look that said they’d seen him go through this more than once.

“What did that fool come to me about?”

Neung Je-gang asked Cheong Yeon, who had come up beside him.

“A murder. The Branch Chief wants you.”

“What? Another case we can’t touch, like the Grand Academician?”

Grumbling, Neung Je-gang belted on the soft-sword he had set aside and headed for the chief’s office.

“Are you just going to leave him like that?”

Cheong Yeon clicked his tongue at Gwak Ung.

“He’ll be fine in a quarter-hour. When he comes to, tell him this: every time he kicks a door from now on, I’ll add another quarter-hour of pain. Crashing in on someone’s cultivation—he’s practically trying to kill me.”

“Then assign him a handler. He’s unexpectedly docile if there’s a woman.”

“I know. I heard that’s why he was kicked out of the Secret Institute. If a woman coaxes him, he might betray us in a heartbeat.”

“Haha! Surely not.”

“Heh. Cheong Yeon.”

“Yes?”

“What’s the very first condition for survival?”

“Perseverance, isn’t it? That’s what we learned in survival training.”

“Not at all. That’s the second. The first is suspicion. Doubt, doubt, and doubt again. Don’t forget it. Every murder victim I’ve seen died at the hands of those they trusted.”

“Word just came—one of ours was killed moments ago.”

“Who?”

“Lord Gyeong Cheol, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.”

“The Left Vice Minister of War? The very man reputed to be the top inner-court master?”

“That’s right. Found as a corpse in the study of his home. No one saw the killing.”

“Understood. I’ll go at once. Anything else…?”

“Something odd.”

“…?”

“According to agents we planted in the other two organizations, none of them targeted the Left Vice Minister. He may have died for reasons unrelated to palace affairs—investigate thoroughly.”

“Understood.”

Leaving the chief’s office, Neung Je-gang felt oddly light. He liked the possibility that this had nothing to do with the palace power struggle.

In truth, being forced to halt an investigation by outside pressure was the most disgusting thing for an investigator. There was no joy in having one’s work compelled by others.

Still, nothing was certain yet.

“We’ll know once we investigate.”

Muttering to himself as he walked, with Cheong Yeon following—face unusually grim—and behind them Gwak Ung, dusty and pout-lipped, Neung Je-gang said:

“Let’s go to the Left Vice Minister’s residence.”

“Yes.”

A peculiar standoff awaited them there: officials from the Police Office, and the Vice Minister’s household seemingly blocking them.

“What is going on?”

Stepping forward to grasp the situation, Cheong Yeon asked the man who looked like a head constable.

“Where are you from…?”

Cautiously, the head constable asked Cheong Yeon’s identity. Not recognizing him suggested he had only recently been assigned to Beijing.

“Oh, Captain Neung! Perfect timing.”

Another head constable, recognizing Neung Je-gang, hurried over.

“What’s the matter?”

“Well, the family refuses to release the body.”

“Is that so? Why?”

“They want it examined inside the house, so the corpse isn’t mishandled.”

When incidents occurred in the homes of high scholars or senior officials, this issue sometimes arose. The bereaved wanted proper respect for the dead.

“Then do it that way.”

“B-but by regulation, a murdered body must be moved to the Police Office…”

“That’s enough. The Depot will take this case. Withdraw your men. Leave a few to guard the gate so no one goes in or out.”

“Understood.”

Neung Je-gang approached the place where the family had barred the way.

“Who are you?”

To his surprise, the one blocking him was a girl who looked rather young. Dressed in mourning white, eyes brimming with tears, the firmness of her tightly set lips revealed her stubbornness.

“We are from the Eastern Depot.”

At the words “Eastern Depot,” the girl looked startled, then her expression turned resolute.

“Unless you promise not to disgrace my father’s body, I cannot let you pass.”

“Heh. Filial devotion is fine, but do you have no desire to catch the culprit? If so, we’ll list your father’s death as natural causes. Is that what you want?”

“Th-that…!”

The girl was on the verge of tears. She looked pitiably at a loss for what to do, but at such times only greater force would break stubbornness.

“We are here by His Majesty’s command to seize the one who harmed the Vice Minister. Lady Gyeong, you have no right to obstruct that. Thus far we’ve indulged the tantrum of a lady who lost her father, but no longer. Do you understand?”

When His Majesty was invoked, no one with sense would dare stand in the way.