Chapter 74: The Massacre (1)
I waited for Chief Han at a café near the Black Market—the sa one where I used to et her.
"You arrived quickly."
Chief Han rushed in and dropped into her seat.
The scent of the perfu she wore drifted over. Lilac.
Imdiately after—fwish—
She spread photographs across the table.
Photos of a burned-out abandoned factory and corpses.
Then she gulped down her iced Aricano in one go.
"Go ahead."
"I've taken control of the Red Dragon Gate."
"……What?!"
She choked and coughed as if sothing had gone down the wrong way.
Clearly not the answer she'd expected.
"Cough—. W-what did you just say?"
"Exactly what I said. The Red Dragon Gate is mine now."
"How on earth did you……"
"I don't think we need the details. Let's talk about the fire first."
"It's a murder case."
"It's not sothing you're going to write up as a murder case."
She went quiet.
Over 60 people had died at once. Most of them climbers.
It would naturally be a considerable burden on the National Murim Bureau and the governnt as well.
I laid out the situation.
"There was an internal conflict at the Red Dragon Gate. The elders had a major falling-out among themselves, and a fire broke out in the process. That's what this is."
Chief Han let out a short sigh and asked,
"Why the Red Dragon Gate, of all places?"
"The Red Dragon Gate is necessary. They were gangsters before the Murim Tower existed, and since the ascent began, they've beco superhuman. There needs to be a fence to keep those people contained."
"Not as a shield?"
"I have no intention of protecting them."
"Then?"
"I intend to take them up. Above the Tower."
Chief Han fidgeted with her coffee cup and murmured,
"Driving those beasts who do nothing but cause trouble into the Tower, and contributing to national interest through Tower conquest……. It sounds perfect on paper, but can it really work out that way?"
"I'll make it work. That's why the fire happened, too."
"……!"
It was a rather ruthless thing to say when you thought about it, but in that instant, sothing flickered in Chief Han's eyes.
As if suppressing words that were about to burst out, she put an ice cube from her coffee into her mouth and crunched it—crunch.
Her mind looked complicated. She spoke.
"As it happens, I've been stressed about the Red Dragon Gate a lot lately."
"What's going on?"
"There's a troubleso group called the Muinhoe. They're a faction the Red Dragon Gate was trying to absorb, but recently, Gate Master Seong Chu-hyeon and a few of his n have gone missing."
"Do you concern yourself with things like that?"
"Normally it would be fine. But what kind of people is the Red Dragon Gate? If any factions launch a coup, those guys would be first in line to lead it. If capable fighters from a group like the Wanderer Assembly vanish, they're definitely plotting sothing bad sowhere—I can't help but be concerned."
I quietly held my tongue.
She continued.
"On top of that, the Red Dragon Gate recently filed a lawsuit because of what happened when I stord their place and because I wouldn't give them the Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine."
"In this day and age, a lawsuit is hardly a problem. The outco is obvious anyway."
"They know that too. But they keep putting out articles about it, and public sentint is getting stirred up."
I smiled and said,
"I'll take care of that problem for you."
"……Really?"
"And I know where Seong Chu-hyeon of the Muinhoe is, too."
Chief Han looked at with a dumbfounded expression.
"How do you know that?"
"He's right here."
Tap—tap—
I pointed to one of the corpses in the fire scene photos she'd scattered across the table.
Drip—.
Water from lted ice trickled from Chief Han's mouth.
"The reaction is a little disappointing. I thought you'd be happier now that all your worries were resolved."
"It's just……too absurd."
"The lawsuit the Red Dragon Gate filed will be withdrawn as of today. As for Seong Chu-hyeon, you'll know once you run DNA tests on the bodies."
"This really……"
"Relax your expression. You look like you're carrying all the world's worries on your shoulders."
At that, she exhaled—puff—and ran a hand through her hair.
"I'd like to do that too. I wish I could just climb the Tower without a care."
"Do you have more to worry about?"
"Many things."
"Tell ."
She seed to think briefly, then opened her mouth.
"Well, if you've taken the Red Dragon Gate, it's sothing you'll find out eventually anyway……. Honestly, the Goryeo Sword Sect is in a concerning state right now."
"How so?"
"The Goryeo Sword Sect is different from the Red Dragon Gate. It's divided into factions. 3 major factions, and they're engaged in internal conflict."
"Hmm."
I stroked my chin once.
"In particular, the conflict between the Baekgyeong brothers, who have rapidly risen to power recently, and Elder Bong is escalating. There was even a bloody incident not long ago."
"Is that right."
"Everyone is uneasy. The problem is that the Baekgyeong brothers and Elder Bong are nearly equal in strength. Goryeo Sword Sect Master Kim Guk-bong is sitting back watching it like a fire across the river."
"He must be planning to swallow them all once the 2 sides exhaust themselves fighting."
"Yes. Our National Murim Bureau is on high alert. We're trying to prevent the fighting as much as possible."
This ti I asked,
"That's different treatnt from the Red Dragon Gate. You'd be happy to see the Red Dragon Gate knock each other out, yet you're trying to stop the Goryeo Sword Sect's fighting."
"I'm sorry. That's just the situation."
Evil path and orthodox.
The treatnt from the National Murim Bureau was clearly different.
"It's quite strange. I keep spilling everything that's on my mind in front of you."
She smiled faintly.
I said to her,
"I'm afraid I need to add 1 more concern to Chief Han's already heavy load."
"……Go ahead."
I placed a Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine on the table.
"I broke my promise."
"What?"
"I gave the Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine to the Red Dragon Gate."
"Ah……"
She bit her lip lightly.
Honestly, I had no choice but to hear her out on this one.
After all, I had promised to supply the Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine exclusively to the National Murim Bureau.
I watched her reaction carefully.
"Is that all?"
"Hm?"
Her actual response was surprisingly indifferent.
"After going through such major things, this doesn't even register as a concern."
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you for telling first. To give you an answer directly—it was your decision, so we have no objection."
If anything, I was the one who should be grateful.
I made my promise to her again.
"I'm glad. This was a one-ti thing, and going forward, I'll make sure to receive the Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine through the National Murim Bureau as originally agreed."
"Thank you."
I rose from my seat.
She stood as well, apparently finished with her business.
"Since you let it go so graciously, let give you a gift in return."
"What is it?"
"The worry about the Goryeo Sword Sect."
I said with a smile,
"I think I can take care of it."
* * *
A few days later.
Chief Han was summoned by her father, Minister Han.
Minister Han scolded her.
"The abandoned factory murder case from a while back—is this really the final conclusion?"
"Yes."
Minister Han rubbed his temples and said to her,
"An internal conflict broke out at the Red Dragon Gate. The elders had a major falling-out among themselves, a fire started, and they all died. The one who orchestrated it was Red Dragon Gate elders Hwang Mu-yeol, An Kang-han, and Sin Jung-dan."
"……"
"And all of the recent disappearances, including Seong Chu-hyeon—all of that was under Hwang Mu-yeol's orders, and Seong Chu-hyeon died in that fight as well."
"Yes."
"And I'm supposed to believe this?"
"There's no reason not to."
"What?"
Minister Han's eyes widened in a flash of rising anger.
Chief Han opened her mouth.
"An incident occurred. Soone needed to be held accountable. Those who were to be held accountable have co forward. And in the end, they're all dead."
"Chief Han!"
"There's no cleaner way to resolve this."
"……"
"Is that a problem?"
"It's just……too—everything was resolved all at once!"
"That makes it even better."
Minister Han glared at her once.
"Right. I can tell there's more to it. Then let ask again. What's the reason for covering it up?"
"You'll find out soon."
"Hey!"
Bang!
He finally slamd his desk.
"What are you trying to pull here? It's the Red Dragon Gate. Those scum are scheming sothing right now!"
"The Red Dragon Gate will change going forward. For the better."
"What are you saying?"
Chief Han then lifted her wrist to check the ti, then held out a folder of docunts she'd been carrying.
It was a press release.
"It's not ti to be published yet, but please take a look first."
Minister Han read through the press release, and his eyes went wide.
"The Red Dragon Gate……is establishing a social contribution foundation? On a scale of 40 billion won?"
"Yes. It's a foundation to support those who have died or been injured during Tower ascent, and their families. Of course, Red Dragon Gate mbers would have priority in the support queue."
"This is absurd!"
Minister Han flipped through the press release, groaning.
The foundation's scale and plans were impeccable—too solid to doubt.
"Crazy……. Next we'll be seeing an orphanage founded by the Red Dragon Gate."
"It's on the next page. The orphanage plan."
"What?"
Minister Han leaned back in his chair.
His expression said he was at a loss for words.
"Then what about the Goryeo Sword Sect situation?"
"It'll be resolved soon."
"Soon, when?"
"Right about now."
"……?"
The minister gave her a strange look.
He shook his head back and forth and took out his phone.
"You……You seem to be getting stranger lately. Sothing going on with you these days?"
"Nothing but good things."
"Ha. I'll handle the Goryeo Sword Sect myself. I'll call Kim Guk-bong and set up a eting, so co with ."
Minister Han sighed and made the call.
"Hello. Master Kim. It's Han Seung-pyo. I was wondering if you had ti today?"
—Ah! Yes. Minister. Good to hear from you. Today is a little difficult.
"What's so urgent. Let's et for a bit. How about dinner together?"
—I have a whole-sect dinner tonight.
"Co now! What kind of dinner is more important than eting with ?"
—Well……we have a retirent ceremony at our sect.
Minister Han realized sothing was off and asked again,
"Who is stepping down that it's so important?"
—Elder Bong.
"Wh-what?"
—I'll explain the details next ti. Please understand.
The voice of Sect Master Kim Guk-bong on the other end of the line sohow sounded weary.
After hanging up, Minister Han sat blankly for a mont, then asked her,
"……Explain."
"Elder Bong was secretly collaborating with the Bell Tower Sect."
"What?!"
"He was diverting the Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine we had provided and sending it to the Bell Tower Sect."
"Good lord!"
Minister Han was greatly shocked.
"You must be aware of the relationship between the Bell Tower Sect and the Baekgyeong brothers. The brothers told Sect Master Kim Guk-bong that if he didn't remove Elder Bong imdiately, they would take their forces and leave the sect."
"Good heavens!"
"Our National Murim Bureau also said that since the Goryeo Sword Sect had broken its promise, we would no longer provide the Chivalrous Hero's Secret dicine and would not cooperate with them going forward."
At her words, Minister Han listened quietly, then said,
"Sect Master Kim had no choice but to remove him."
"Yes. Elder Bong lost all his power and agreed to leave with only a severance paynt."
Minister Han took a mont to gather his thoughts.
"Then the Goryeo Sword Sect's power will be restructured around Sect Master Kim and the Baekgyeong brothers. No—since Elder Bong was removed, the brothers' power will grow even stronger. The prevailing theory is that the Naless Hero stands behind the brothers."
"That it will."
"Ha……good grief. Why didn't you report such an important matter to ?"
"I intended to report it together with sothing bigger."
Minister Han looked at her.
She steadied her breath once and spoke with force.
"The Naless Hero has taken the Red Dragon Gate."
* * *
【Entering 27th floor of the Murim Tower (Republic of Korea).】
【This is your first entry.】
【Mission (27th floor): Defeat 3 Black Bears in the 'Black Bear Demon Cave'.】
—Ti Limit: 3 days
—On Success: 100,000 Happiness Points awarded
【A bonus mission is given for first entry.】
【Bonus Mission: Clear the Black Bear Demon Cave in record ti.】
—Ti Limit: 10 minutes
—On Success:
① Mission (27th floor) counted as complete (GOLD)
② Happiness Points tripled (×3)
③ The Black Bears will not awaken.
④ Soul Spirit Flower will be awarded.
—On Failure: All Black Bears on this floor will awaken, and all bonus mission rewards will be permanently lost.
Breaking through the heavy, sunken silence, I moved my feet deeper into the cave.
The entrance had originally been narrow enough to squeeze through sideways, but once inside, a scene beyond imagination unfolded.
It was magnificent.
The ceiling was high, and the walls were roughhewn.
Water droplets dripped—drip, drip—between the stones.
Beneath my feet, old soil and crumbled fragnts of bone.
And……the sll of a beast.
The pungent, feral stench that drifted from sowhere pressed down on my nostrils like the blood-soaked scent of an old hunting ground.
With each breath, the tallic odor mixed with animal musk rose to the back of my throat.
There was no light.
I brightened my eyes with internal energy.
My eyes, like a cat's, pierced through the darkness.
The deeper I went inside, the wider the space beca.
It felt as if I had entered the belly of so enormous living creature.
Drip—drip—
The sound of water flowing through cracks in the rock reached my ears.
Very faint, clear, coming from far away.
Following that sound, the inner wall slowly split apart as if opening, and within it, a small space revealed itself.
In the depths of a cave where even moonlight could not reach, there was, unexpectedly, a still pond.
Silver ripples swayed quietly.
On the water sat a mossy stone, and water droplets falling onto it ford small, round ripples.
But no one in their right mind would drink from it.
……Because it was the color of blood.
Not a single fish lived in the pond, contaminated by the blood of the Black Bear Demon Beast.
Only fragnts of bone floated about in disarray.
"It's been a while."
Both entering the Tower.
And coming into this cave.
In my past life, after I had eliminated the White Night Black Wolf and the Wolfish Heaven Marquis, I had spent several years hiding and moving from place to place throughout the Murim world.
Fighting the White Night Black Wolf, I had co to know my own weakness, and that was why I had decided that becoming a Poison Demon had to co first.
'Drinking Poison to Beco a Poison Demon.'
As I had told Myo Dan-u, the Master of Demon Wind Manor, to beco a Poison Demon required consuming poison.
And not just any poison—all 8 of the Sacheondang Family's Eight Great Extre Poisons.
I devised a plan using all the knowledge and mories at my disposal to gather every ingredient for the Eight Great Extre Poisons throughout the Murim world.
Having consud Red Spirit Grass in my battle with the White Night Black Wolf, my realm had stabilized sowhat.
And so, for a year, I had road the remote depths of Sichuan Province, Yunnan Province, and Guizhou Province, gathering the ingredients for the Eight Great Extre Poisons.
The first target was Divine Immortal Waste.
True to the saying that even an immortal would be rendered crippled, it is a supre-grade neurotoxin that blocks energy channels and paralyzes the nervous system.
The main ingredients are Soul Spirit Flower, Blood Azure Vine, Gold Sulfur Crystal, and Dark Spirit Sand.
At the ti, I had managed to obtain the Soul Spirit Flower and Blood Azure Vine with great difficulty, but the problem was the Gold Sulfur Crystal and Dark Spirit Sand.
The Gold Sulfur Crystal, found only in the deepest parts of mountains, destroys internal heat and causes the body to lose its ability to regulate temperature—but it also had an effect of reducing pain.
Dark Spirit Sand is a dark-hued sand that erges from underground caves dense with spirit energy. It had hallucinogenic properties.
Spirit creatures were obsessed with it because it invigorated their energy, but to humans, it was nothing more than a poison so difficult to even refine properly.
"And both the Gold Sulfur Crystal and Dark Spirit Sand are here in the Black Bear Demon Cave."
Seeing that the Soul Spirit Flower was among the rewards, I could guess what the Tower wanted from .
27th floor, Soul Spirit Flower. 28th floor, Blood Azure Vine. 29th floor, Gold Sulfur Crystal.
And for the Dark Spirit Sand……
"In the end, it's telling to et that creature again and harvest it directly."
The Black Bear Demon Beast.
That monstrous, overwhelming creature.
"This is……sowhat nerve-wracking."
The corners of my mouth stretched wide.
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