Chapter 12

Chapter 12
The Mun-seong outpost of the Murim Alliance descended into sheer chaos.

Following the apprehension of Wang Gon and Heuk Su, the personnel were forced to clear out a storage shed to serve as an impromptu cellblock. Under standard conditions, this modest branch was never equipped to detain such a massive influx of offenders at once.

The moment Wang Gon’s wounds were bandaged and stabilized, Im Choong assumed direct responsibility for the inquiry.

Limping into the small chamber, Wang Gon had thick medical dressings wrapped tightly across his face, his gaze darting about in naked panic.

Yet the instant he realized Baek So-cheon was nowhere to be found, that lingering dread instantly curdled into pure loathing.

He fixed Im Choong with a look so venomous it felt like he wanted to rip the man apart with his teeth.

At one time, being subjected to such blatant hostility would have left Im Choong suffocating with indignation. That was no longer the case.

The die had already been cast.

The true conflict between himself and Wang Gon was merely entering its first round.

“Own up to everything right now and receive your due punishment.”

Predictably, such an admonition had zero effect.

“I never attempted to slip you a bribe, I laid no hands on your personnel, and I made no violent threats. Least of all did I try to take your life.”

“Persisting with these blatant lies will only slap a charge of contempt on top of your record.”

“Is that right, Branch Head Im? Aren’t you the one who claimed my crimes already guarantee thirty winters behind bars? Tacking on a few extra months won’t change my fate, will it?”

“A full and frank confession could earn you leniency from the magistrates.”

A mocking scoff burst past Wang Gon’s lips.

“In just a matter of days, you will be escorted to the Jeol-gang Branch.”

“Go ahead and drag me there. A true benefactor who can prove my innocence is already waiting for me.”

Far from trembling at the prospect of the regional headquarters, he treated the upcoming transfer as his absolute salvation.

Im Choong let out a muted groan beneath his breath.

This path was bound to be treacherous.

Taking into account the web of ties at play, delivering the prisoner to regional command carried severe dangers—would the authorities there even adjudicate the matter honestly?

Right at that juncture, the voice of Beon Saeng echoed from beyond the partition.

“Branch Head!”

Im Choong walked out of the holding room, where Beon Saeng stood waiting with urgent developments.

“What has happened?”

“An envoy dispatched from the Jeol-gang Branch has just arrived at the gates.”

A wave of shock washed over Im Choong upon hearing the update.

“Already? How on earth could they have caught wind of this so fast?”

There simply hadn’t been sufficient time for word of Wang Gon and Heuk Su’s capture to travel all the way up the chain.

“No, sir, it isn’t regarding our recent bust. They are here on business concerning the slaughter of the Yang Chu household.”

“Ah. I see.”

A tragedy of such catastrophic proportions naturally demanded an official investigator from above.

“Who was dispatched?”

“The Venomous Snake.”

“Confound it! Why did it have to be him of all people?”

The Venomous Snake was the dreaded moniker of Cheon Yang-ho, the foremost squad leader within the Jeol-gang Branch. While he gained that title because of his cold, serpentine disposition, the far greater headache was the deep-seated friction between him and Im Choong. Truly, misfortunes never arrived alone.

“Where has he gone?”

At that exact second, the figure of a mature man materialized at the far end of the corridor.

“Right before your eyes.”

The cold, piercing stare belonged to none other than Cheon Yang-ho, the viper of the provincial command.

Foregoing even the basic courtesy of a long-overdue greeting, he immediately launched into an aggressive interrogation.

“What sort of madness took place here with Wang Branch Head?”

He had only just caught wind of the arrest after stepping through the compound doors.

“We have placed him in custody on offenses involving attempted bribery, violent battery, intimidation, and intent to commit murder.”

“What did you say?”

Cheon Yang-ho’s features twisted into open disbelief, his expression screaming that the man before him had lost his mind.

“Give me the exact sequence of events.”

Im Choong laid out the facts as they had unfolded. Cheon Yang-ho started picking apart the narrative without missing a beat.

“So you claim he came unattended simply to hand back the Baek-nyeon Ha-su-o? If that were the case, how did your subordinates manage to trail him?”

“They witnessed me departing in a fiery temper after being confronted with the Baek-nyeon Ha-su-o, so they shadowed my movements.”

“And by what means did your subordinates discern that the package held Baek-nyeon Ha-su-o? Did you pull open the container right before their eyes?”

“I did not.”

“Then by what sorcery were they aware of the contents?”

“That…”

It was an unexpected detail that Im Choong had entirely neglected to consider.

Baek So-cheon. That young man must have deduced it through some uncanny instinct.

If pressed to the wall on this matter, it could easily invite severe doubt. Asserting that one recognized an item sealed within a coffer without ever lifting the lid was bound to sound utterly fabricated to outside ears.

“Do you possess concrete confirmation that he attempted to offer a bribe?”

“Both my spouse and I can testify to the act.”

“Are there any disinterested third parties who saw it?”

“None.”

“So you—the very subject of the alleged offense—decided to capture him on your own authority over a gift? An incident of that nature demanded an immediate report up the chain to branch command first!”

Cheon Yang-ho pressed his advantage with relentless vigor.

“His side initiated the physical violence. One of my own subordinates sustained severe injuries during the clash.”

“And you consider that a badge of honor?”

“Excuse me?”

The pair stood locked in a sharp, furious staring contest, the air between them thick with hostility.

“I demand to see Wang Branch Head immediately. Point me to his cell.”

“Were you not assigned here exclusively to handle the matter of the Yang Swordmaster?”

“That is so, however—”

“Then you should focus entirely on your appointed duties. An entire martial lineage was wiped out in blood. What matter could possibly supersede such an atrocity?”

“I determine the priorities of my mission.”

“Every inch of this compound falls squarely under my authority.”

The two men remained locked at an impasse. Under typical circumstances, a touring squad leader possessed no right to openly challenge the authority of a regional head in this manner.

Yet Cheon Yang-ho carried immense weight within the Jeol-gang power structure, ultimately placing him on higher political ground than Im Choong.

“I will ask only once more. Do not force me to repeat myself.”

His dark cadence left no question that his patience had completely run dry.

In the end, Im Choong found himself forced to concede ground. The situation was fraught enough without provoking the full wrath of this coiled serpent.

Im Choong pulled open the door leading to the detention space.

Upon taking in Wang Gon’s battered, swollen visage, Cheon Yang-ho’s brow furrowed tightly.

When Im Choong began stepping across the threshold to follow, Cheon Yang-ho lifted an arm to cut him off.

“I intend to speak with him in private.”

The door crashed shut behind him with a dull thud.

A glimmer of hope ignited across Wang Gon’s features, and he opened his mouth to talk, but Cheon Yang-ho sharply hushed him before a word could slip out.

Keeping his tone down to a muted rasp, Cheon Yang-ho questioned,

“Did this disaster unfold while Heuk Su was absent?”

He made no effort to challenge the validity of the charges—they were almost certainly true to the letter.

“Not at all. Heuk Su was battered into the dirt as well.”

Cheon Yang-ho’s eyes widened with genuine shock.

“Branch Head Im lacks the martial prowess to pull off such a feat.”

“A fresh face was standing among their ranks.”

“Who was he?”

“How should I know? Judging by his presence, I assumed he hailed from your own branch. Regardless, you must drag me out of here this instant. I cannot endure another second inside this miserable pigsty.”

“Understood. I will do everything within my power.”

Wang Gon’s fingers shot out, clamping down on his sleeve with a desperate, iron grip.

“Your power? You had better make it a certainty. The heavy purses I have funneled into your hands were meant precisely for a crisis like this.”

When Cheon Yang-ho stepped back into the corridor, he found Im Choong stationed patiently at the far end.

“He rejects every single allegation with utter fury.”

“That hardly comes as a shock.”

“He maintains that your unlawful apprehension forced his hand in self-preservation. He even vows to bring formal grievances before Alliance HQ, accusing your station of illegal entry, unprovoked assault, and weaponized falsehoods.”

“The sheer nerve of that criminal.”

“It would be far wiser to release him into the open before this boils over beyond repair…”

Cheon Yang-ho watched Im Choong’s facial cues with calculating intent. His objective remained straightforward: secure Wang Gon’s release. Whatever unfolded down the line was entirely Wang Gon’s cross to bear.

“Tell me, Squad Leader Cheon, does your faith lie with us? Or does it lie with that swindler?”

“With you, of course, Branch Head Im. Yet you surely comprehend the vast sway Shin-hwa Bang exercises across the entirety of Jeol-gang Province. If they decide to exert leverage upon Alliance leadership, the fallout will turn catastrophic.”

Indeed. It was precisely that overwhelming influence that had forced him to swallow his pride and tolerate their vile insolence for all this time.

Cheon Yang-ho pressed harder, throwing all his rhetorical weight behind Wang Gon’s case.

“Even supposing an offering was extended, does that warrant battering a man senseless? Does it justify piling on accusations of terror and murderous intent? Is this truly the conduct expected of the Murim Alliance? The entire jianghu will mock our name if this gets out.”

Im Choong bristled with simmering anger at Cheon Yang-ho’s unrelenting bias, yet he knew deep down that events would unfold exactly along those lines.

“What benefit do we gain by antagonizing Shin-hwa Bang? Harmony serves everyone best—there is no need to make things complicated. Grant Wang Branch Head his freedom by tomorrow morning. I will personally smooth over the friction with the higher-ups. Let us handle this with maturity. Surely we need not nurse deep grudges over something so thoroughly inconsequential, correct?”

A handful of brief remarks, yet every turn of phrase grated against the nerves: ‘harmony serves everyone,’ ‘with maturity,’ ‘thoroughly inconsequential.’

Im Choong remained tight-lipped, offering no reply.

“Give the matter some serious thought.”

As Cheon Yang-ho pivoted to take his leave, he came to an abrupt halt, as though a sudden thought had crossed his mind.

“Subduing Wang Branch Head must have been quite the grueling ordeal.”

“I suggest you refrain from underestimating this outpost.”

“Naturally.”

A subtle sneer tugged at the corners of Cheon Yang-ho’s mouth.

Clinging to your stubborn pride to the very end, are you? I truly wonder whose hands stepped in to resolve the mess.

The moment Cheon Yang-ho’s silhouette disappeared down the walkway, Beon Saeng hurried forward from the shadows, his face lined with profound anxiety.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“Curse it all.”

Im Choong found himself utterly devoid of options.

“Let us go consult with Big Bro.”

“Big Bro? Ah, you mean Baek So-cheon.”

“Precisely, he might see a way through this.”

Beon Saeng turned on his heel and strode forward with determined steps.

Foolish boy, do you genuinely believe your so-called elder brother possesses a miraculous remedy for every catastrophe?

Yet despite his cynical inner monologue, Im Choong’s own feet picked up the pace, trailing closely behind the younger man.

…

“Do you have any suggestions for us?”

The two had arrived before Baek So-cheon together, but Beon Saeng acted as the sole spokesman while Im Choong lingered awkwardly in the background.

“Why bring this dilemma to me?”

“Who else could we possibly ask? Only the three of us stood on that field. If this quagmire drags on any longer, we will be forced to release that scoundrel after spilling all that sweat to drag him here.”

“I would hardly call that a strenuous effort.”

Well, that was certainly undeniable—a mere two strikes had brought about two swift collapses.

“Simply escort him to regional headquarters; let the authorities there sort through the wreckage.”

“Squad Leader Cheon Yang-ho descended upon us this very afternoon, and he is already waving the man’s banner. Shipping him to the branch will change absolutely nothing.”

“Surely the headquarters consists of more than just a single squad leader?”

“He wields immense authority throughout the ranks. How could he not? He enjoys the complete backing of the Branch Leader himself. If Wang Gon walks out a free man, his very first move will be to seek bloody vengeance.”

At that, Baek So-cheon offered a remark that neither of them anticipated.

“Wouldn’t that actually work out in your favor?”

“What?”

“Simply wait for his retaliatory strike, and then slaughter him where he stands. Taking his life under those conditions would be entirely sanctioned by the law.”

His ruthless pragmatism was laid bare from the very start, leaving both Im Choong and Beon Saeng struck completely dumb.

“What if he contracts professional assassins to carry out the blood debt?”

“Well, that is indeed a possibility.”

“A possibility? This is not merely someone else’s misfortune!”

“Speaking candidly, it certainly isn’t mine.”

“The affairs of the branch are my personal concern!”

“That is the classic blunder of a natural pushover. The responsibilities of the station belong to the station; your personal burdens belong strictly to you.”

“All of this erupted precisely because of your actions!”

“Mine? How do you figure?”

Im Choong had kept his silence throughout the exchange, listening intently. He should have dispatched Beon Saeng on his own. Hovering here as the head of an outpost, hanging on every word like an eager hound—it felt utterly humiliating.

A wave of bitter self-disgust welled up inside him, prompting him to step forward and intervene.

“I failed to offer you proper gratitude for your aid back at the compound. Had you not intervened, our lives would have been thoroughly ruined. Pay no further heed to the aftermath—I will shoulder the burden myself.”

Beon Saeng broke in with an agitated edge to his voice.

“Just how do you plan to manage that?”

Im Choong gave voice to the deep conviction he had been harboring in his chest.

“The tragedy that befell Yang Chu’s household… it was undoubtedly Wang Gon’s handiwork.”

“What did you say?”

“I am entirely convinced of it.”

At an earlier time, Beon Saeng would have harbored intense skepticism toward such an allegation. Not any longer.

“You are right. He brazenly attempted to end Big Bro’s life right before our very eyes. A degenerate of that caliber is capable of committing any atrocity under the heavens.”

Baek So-cheon cut into their exchange.

“That is hardly the rationale.”

“Then what is?”

“Cast your mind back. While attempting to cow us into submission, he explicitly threatened to pin our deaths on the very fiend who butchered Yang Chu’s family.”

“Indeed, he did say that.”

“Can an individual conjure up a cover story like that entirely on impulse? Was he extraordinarily clever? Did the thought strike him like lightning? Absolute nonsense. It proves beyond doubt that he is intimately tied to the incident.”

“Ah!”

Baek So-cheon had seized upon a critical thread that had flown entirely over their heads.

“Supposing that holds true… why would a massive organization like Shin-hwa Bang stoop to slaughtering a solitary family?”

The core motivation remained shrouded in darkness.

Even so, Im Choong’s internal certainty hardened into pure resolve.

“Very well, let us set out to unearth the proof.”

“Hold on a moment.”

Placing a restraining hand on Im Choong, Beon Saeng whirled back toward Baek So-cheon with deep urgency.

“Where on earth should we begin our search?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea. Cease pestering me for answers.”

“You possess the sharpest mind among us. I am practically tearing my hair out in distress—if only I had a lead to follow.”

As Beon Saeng turned to walk out behind Im Choong,

Just before the wooden panel clicked shut in the doorframe, Baek So-cheon tossed a casual observation in their direction.

“Under normal circumstances, who would monitor the maneuvers of Shin-hwa Bang with the greatest vigilance?”

Im Choong and Beon Saeng froze in their tracks, spinning around simultaneously.

“Who would that be?”

“The party keeping a ceaseless watch over their every footprint.”

A specific organization flashed through Im Choong’s thoughts like a bolt of thunder. The very syndicate that had been toppled from the paramount seat down to the second rank by the aggressive expansion of Shin-hwa Bang.

“The adversary of my adversary…?”

Baek So-cheon offered a calm nod, signaling that the deduction hit the mark.

“They have kept their eyes fixed upon them throughout. They might very well hold the pieces you seek.”

It seemed so blindingly clear once spoken aloud, yet they had been entirely oblivious to it until this moment.

“You speak the absolute truth. We are profoundly indebted to your insight. Squad Leader Beon, we make our move now.”

Scampering along behind his superior, Beon Saeng stole an awestruck glance over his shoulder.

“Did I not assure you? The resolution always flows from that very tongue.”

“Whether it proves to be a true resolution or deadly venom, the eventual outcome will determine.”

“It is a true resolution! The words of Big Bro carry the weight of absolute law!”

Beon Saeng bolted through the exit without waiting for a reply.

Left behind in the quiet of the chamber, Baek So-cheon let out a soft, dry whisper to the empty room.

“…If I truly possessed such a gift for solutions, would I find myself stranded in a backwater like this?”