The Culprit Leaves Traces Behind. (3)

“Didn’t you kill our sect leader?”

Yu Jinsan wore an expression of incredulity. At least in the southern region, no one had been killed.

If anyone had, it would have been only the masked warriors of Sea Dragon Island.

Besides, ten days ago they were supposed to have stayed only inside the guest chamber.

“What nonsense are you spouting? If we had killed him we’d say so—we don’t lie.”

When the Yang Monster adamantly denied it, Bang Yu-cheol grew confused.

Wasn’t the Yin Yang Twin Monster notorious for being reckless and heedless? Bang Yu-cheol was certain of that.

So there should be no reason for them to deny being vicious killers. Their reaction was completely baffling.

At that moment the Yin Monster, looking incredulous, asked in a reproachful tone.

“Who says we did it? Who says we did that thing?”

“The sect leader left a blood-written statement before he died.”

That meant he had written with blood-stained hands just before dying.

Yu Seol let out a bitter laugh as if incredulous.

“What did you say? My grandpa kills cleanly. Do you think he botches things so badly he’d let someone write a note?”

Yu Jinsan, who had been listening silently, cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Ahem! That’s not entirely wrong, but why make such a fuss?”

“This man keeps suspecting us.”

Bang Yu-cheol didn’t know what to do.

Even the Yin Monster denied the crime, and his head became muddled.

Then Yu Jinsan looked at him with contempt and said.

“How can you be so certain of the culprit without seeing it yourself? And how can you be sure that the blood-writing wasn’t fabricated?”

“W-well…”

This was the martial world full of secret plots—framing someone for murder happened from time to time.

Bang Yu-cheol hesitated and could not answer.

Then Yu Jinsan snapped at him once more.

“If your name had been written in the blood-note, could you have declared yourself the murderer? No matter how idle we may seem, we don’t have the energy to deal with petty scum!”

Perhaps now Bang Yu-cheol realized something was off. He bowed his head deeply and fell into thought.

Gradually the anger and suspicion on his face began to shift.

A moment later he asked in a calmer voice.

“Truly… you’re saying it wasn’t you?”

“How many times must I tell you? But now, since you’re coddled, this brat’s gotten cheeky with his elders…”

When Yu Jinsan raised a hand, Bang Yu-cheol’s tone changed immediately.

“Th-then who did it?”

“How would we know? Probably some sneaky bastard framed us to hide his own deed.”

Since the Yin Yang Twin Monster, who were hostile to the Murim Alliance, were in the southern martial world, it was a situation ripe for someone to exploit.

“Who on earth would do such a thing…”

Being impersonated for whatever reason wasn’t pleasant. It was not something they could ignore.

Moreover, it would be a good lesson for the granddaughter who would one day lead the martial world.

Yu Jinsan forced a skewer into Bang Yu-cheol’s hand and said.

“Finish this first. After the meal we’ll stop by and have a look.”

“W-where are you talking about?”

“Your sect. I don’t care if the Murim Alliance guys live or die, but I won’t stand by while someone sells out our name.”

“B-but that’s…”

As he hesitated, Yu Seol leaned in close and asked.

“Why? Are you embarrassed to take us and introduce us to your family?”

“It’s not like that, but…”

He must have felt uneasy about bringing the Yin Yang Twin Monster into his sect.

How could he bring in the people most hated by the Murim Alliance?

But it wasn’t a choice he could make.

“Just eat the skewer first. I bought it with this man’s money—it’s a shame to leave it.”

First they had to fill their hungry stomachs before doing anything else.

Bang Yu-cheol silently began to eat the food allocated to him.

Watching him eat with a pleased smile, Yu Seol asked.

“It’s good, right? Shall I buy you another?”

“…”

Bang Yu-cheol hung his head as if uncomfortable speaking with the Yin Monster.

As a member of the Murim Alliance, how could he chat amicably with the Yin Yang Twin Monster?

But Yu Seol was not one to let it go.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“…Th-this is enough.”

Yu Seol patiently waited for him to finish his meal.

He ate so quickly it didn’t take very long.

“Now then, please lead us to your sect.”

“There’s no need. We’ll investigate who the culprit is on our side, so don’t worry about it.”

As expected, he didn’t want to take them to his sect.

But the Yin Yang Twin Monster were not ones to give up so easily.

Yu Seol, who had been eyeing Bang Yu-cheol up and down, smirked as she looked at his scabbard.

A phrase that looked like the sect’s name was boldly written alongside the Murim Alliance emblem.

“Taiyi? You’re from the Taiyi Sect?”

At that moment Bang Yu-cheol was noticeably flustered.

His face went pale and he stammered, not knowing what to do.

“Th-that is…”

Yu Seol said to her grandfather with a serious face.

“He must not want to take us. Let’s leave him and go by ourselves.”

“Alright. We’ll find out where the Taiyi Sect is with a little inquiry.”

At that moment Bang Yu-cheol jumped to his feet.

“I-I’ll guide you!”

His voice was loud, but his eyes were brimming with tears.

Because the guilt of bringing sin upon his sect must have surged over him like a tide.

He wore an expression as if he were about to drag a demon into his home.

“But why is your face like that? Do you think we’ll go and make trouble at the Taiyi Sect?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“Don’t be afraid. We’re not exactly nice people, but not to that extent.”

That one remark only made Bang Yu-cheol more uneasy.

At last a tear rolled down his cheek.

“Sniff…”

Unable to stand it, Yu Seol grabbed his clothes and pushed him forward.

“Stop! Don’t cry, just lead the way quickly. We’re busy people too.”

Tears in his eyes, Bang Yu-cheol forced his feet to move.

Taiyi Sect was a distance that took one hour by light footwork.

Perhaps because it was a provincial area, the estate of this Murim Alliance-affiliated sect wasn’t large.

It looked like it could accommodate around fifty to a hundred people.

“Is it here?”

When Yu Seol asked, Bang Yu-cheol replied in a dying voice.

“…Yes. I’ll go in and explain first, so please wait here a moment. I’m begging you.”

His plea looked so desperate that the grandfather and granddaughter couldn’t refuse.

Given permission, Bang Yu-cheol trudged toward the estate gate.

His drooped shoulders made him look like livestock being led to the slaughterhouse.

Watching his retreating figure, Yu Jinsan clicked his tongue and said.

“Tsk. I thought he was brave and fearless, but he’s a real crybaby.”

“Right? As if we’d eat him or something.”

“Well, the Murim Alliance probably doesn’t welcome us. It’s not a big deal—let’s wait a bit.”

The grandfather and granddaughter stood at the estate entrance, waiting for him to come back out.

Before long, commotion began to intensify beyond the wall.

“G-great sahyung!? What did you just say?”

“You came with who?”

“W-why would the Yin Yang Twin Monster come here?”

“Bang Yu-cheol, you bastard! Are you out of your mind?”

Yu Seol looked at her grandfather with a gloomy expression.

“They really don’t want us here, do they?”

“Don’t worry. Soon they’ll be welcoming.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sounds of swords being drawn rang out simultaneously.

Shing-! Cha-cha-cha-shing-!!

The murderous intent emanating from beyond the wall could be felt all the way here.

“…What do we do?”

“Hm. For now, let’s go in and see.”

Given the situation, they couldn’t wait forever.

Yu Jinsan subtly extended his right hand forward.

An invisible qi surged from his palm and flung the gate wide open.

Kwang-!

Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter strode in shoulder to shoulder.

As expected, everyone in the front yard had gathered and taken up combat stances.

About fifty warriors in white light armor, like Bang Yu-cheol.

Each wore a face where anger and fear intertwined.

Tension hung thick in the air.

“Don’t worry. If you stay still we won’t harm you.”

Yu Seol tried to reassure them, but the sect disciples didn’t budge.

If a fight broke out, Taiyi Sect would be destroyed in an instant.

Bang Yu-cheol shouted anxiously at his sect members.

“Everyone calm down! These people are not the ruffians who killed the sect leader!”

At that moment someone slapped Bang Yu-cheol across the face.

Given his advanced age, he seemed to be an elder of the sect.

“Hundreds of our alliance members have died by those horse-faced bastards! How could a so-called Lord Senior Disciple be so thoughtless?!”

“Not this time, Elder! They’ve come to prove it—please believe us!”

The Taiyi Sect elder frowned and opened his mouth to shout something.

But no sound came from him; he was frozen by the force of Yu Seol’s presence.

They couldn’t just keep watching forever.

Yu Jinsan stepped forward and asked quietly.

“Where? The place where the sect leader was murdered.”

Bang Yu-cheol couldn’t bring himself to say it directly and instead pointed somewhere with his eyes.

It was a pavilion toward the center of the estate whose entrance was sealed with yellow paper.

They had to go in and check first.

The Yin Yang Twin Monster’s figures slid toward it like wind.

They opened the door and went in, and no one even tried to stop them.

Bang-!

Inside there was only a table and some utensils.

It was a modest office for a sect leader.

“Looks like he died sitting over there.”

Because of the bloodstains on the chair and table.

Yu Jinsan crossed his arms and nodded.

“Hm. Grandpa thinks so too.”

“Look here.”

On the table the phrase Yin Yang Twin Monster had been scrawled in blood.

The letters looked as if someone had scribbled them quickly with a finger; you had to look closely to make them out.

In any case, the thought that someone had impersonated them left a bad taste.

“We must catch whatever despicable bastard did this.”

They were still examining the traces closely.

They heard footsteps from behind, and a group followed in.

It was Bang Yu-cheol and his disciples.

“So, what do you think?”

“There are stains everywhere and their directions aren’t uniform. It suggests he didn’t die from a single blow.”

Bang Yu-cheol pretended to be surprised and nodded.

“That’s right. The torso had a puncture wound, and the throat had a cut.”

“As I thought. The culprit tried to ambush the man sitting there but failed to strike a vital point. So he drew his weapon again and slit the throat to finish him. Then he smeared blood on his finger and scrawled our name.”

When he finished speaking, Yu Jinsan stood before the table and pulled out the Dragon Slaying Spear.

He then thrust it briefly into the air above the chair.

Swoosh-!

Where the spear’s blade had passed, a whirl of crimson qi spun, displaying its majesty.

Having completed the motion, Yu Jinsan retracted the spear and asked.

“What does this make you think of?”

“If he’d been pierced by that earlier strike, anyone would have been thrown from the chair.”

Yu Jinsan pointed the spear tip at the bloodstains on the floor.

“But your sect leader wasn’t pushed back—he took the force sitting down. That means his inner power exceeded the attacker’s. So how could the culprit have killed him in such close quarters?”

At that moment Yu Seol narrowed her eyes and said.

“He must have used a cowardly trick~”

Yu Jinsan nodded and continued the next line of reasoning.

“Then secondly: where did the culprit come in, and how did he get out?”

“Hmm~ The ceiling and walls are intact, so maybe he came and went through the door?”

“Right. But openly entering through the door and killing someone stronger is impossible. He must have done something to lure them into a lapse of guard.”

Yu Seol, rubbing her chin for a moment, asked slyly.

“So the culprit was someone he originally knew?”

The Taiyi Sect disciples who’d been eavesdropping on the grandfather and granddaughter’s conversation brightened.

Their plausible deductions were narrowing down the range of possible ruffians.

Yu Jinsan glanced over them and said.

“Yes. It seems the impudent bastard who dared sell out our name is right in here.”

From now on, he intended to prove it.