Chapter 173: The Shaolin Bloodbath
Perhaps my sound transmission had shocked him.
Master Baekheo's eyes trembled for the briefest instant.
That confirms it.
Something had definitely happened to the Abbot.
“Master Baekheo?”
Jin Gwangung narrowed his eyes at the dazed monk.
“Is something wrong? Your expression just now didn't look good.”
Master Baekheo quickly composed himself.
“N-No. It is nothing.”
But contrary to his words, the disturbance had not completely left his face.
After taking a moment to steady himself, he continued.
“You have traveled a long way. For now, I will have a place prepared for you to rest.”
Then he looked at me again.
“We can speak in greater detail tomorrow.”
His gaze sharpened slightly.
“However, Commander, there are a few more words I would like to exchange with you in private.”
Jin Gwangung looked at me.
“I'll be back soon.”
At my answer, he seemed to think for a moment before nodding.
“Fine. We'll wait.”
Soon, the door opened and a monk entered.
He had come to guide the others to their quarters.
One by one, my companions left the room with him.
A moment later, the door closed again.
Only Master Baekheo and I remained.
A strange silence lingered.
Then at last, Baekheo spoke.
“What you just said to me through sound transmission.”
His voice was much sharper than before.
“What exactly did you mean by it?”
I looked at him and answered calmly.
“Exactly what I said.”
His eyes narrowed.
“I asked whether some incident that cannot be spoken of openly has befallen Abbot Gonghyeon.”
The atmosphere inside the room instantly grew heavy.
Baekheo's gaze turned cold.
At the same time, a powerful pressure surged from his entire body.
“Kunlun’s Young Hero.”
His low voice filled the room.
“That sounds very much as though you are accusing Shaolin of concealing some calamity involving the Abbot.”
His expression hardened.
“Whatever basis you have for making such a statement, you had better explain it clearly here and now.”
He was openly suspicious of me.
But I didn't back down.
“I didn't ask without reason.”
“Then explain.”
I took a slow breath.
“I came to Shaolin as Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit under orders from the Righteous Alliance.”
Baekheo remained silent.
“As far as I know, when an official envoy of the Righteous Alliance visits, Abbot Gonghyeon customarily receives them personally.”
"..."
“Yet today he did not appear at all.”
I continued,
“And you offered no explanation for his absence.”
I watched his expression carefully.
“If anything, it seemed as though you wanted to avoid the subject of Abbot Gonghyeon entirely.”
Master Baekheo said nothing.
I continued laying out my reasoning.
“The security inside Shaolin is also far too strict.”
“This level of vigilance seems excessive if the only problem is one young warrior monk going berserk.”
My voice lowered.
“So I suspected there might be something larger happening here.”
Baekheo still sounded unconvinced.
“And from only that, you suspected something had happened to the Abbot?”
“That isn't all.”
I answered carefully.
“Strange incidents have recently been occurring throughout the martial world.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Strange incidents?”
“Yes.”
“The wider martial world has not been informed yet, but promising young martial artists from major righteous factions, including the Namgung Family and Kongtong, have suddenly fallen into madness and attacked the people around them.”
I paused.
“In some cases, elders and senior figures of their sects were severely injured as well.”
Master Baekheo's expression grew grave.
“...Is that true?”
“It is.”
I nodded.
“The Righteous Alliance considers the matter extremely serious and is currently investigating.”
Then I added with emphasis,
“And the Alliance believes Demonic Cult forces are behind all of these incidents.”
“The Demonic Cult?”
Baekheo's expression changed instantly.
“Is that truly what they believe?”
“Yes.”
For a moment, his face became deeply troubled.
I continued.
“That is why I asked.”
I held his gaze.
“I wondered whether something similar to the incidents elsewhere had happened to Abbot Gonghyeon.”
"..."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Master Baekheo said nothing.
After a while...
the pressure radiating from him slowly faded.
“...If similar incidents have occurred in other sects...”
He exhaled.
“then it seems you did not raise the subject without basis.”
I lowered my head slightly.
“Then has something truly happened to Abbot Gonghyeon?”
Master Baekheo's pupils shifted.
I didn't miss it.
“As Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit, I would like to confirm his condition myself.”
His eyes sharpened again.
“Confirm?”
“I want to see him directly.”
Master Baekheo frowned.
“You are asking Shaolin to reveal the Abbot's condition to an outsider?”
“Yes.”
“That is extremely discourteous.”
His tone turned severe.
“You are trying to step far too deeply into Shaolin's affairs.”
“I know.”
I looked directly into his eyes.
“But I may be able to help.”
He frowned.
“You?”
“I'm not speaking only of my personal abilities.”
I continued,
“I also mean the authority and resources I can access as Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit.”
Master Baekheo's eyes narrowed.
“What are you implying?”
I answered evenly.
“If what Abbot Gonghyeon needs is not ordinary treatment...”
Then—
“if this is something unexpected, such as poisoning...”
“then there are few places with more resources to investigate it than the Righteous Alliance.”
"..."
“The Alliance possesses records gathered from the medical halls of many sects.”
“There are also no shortage of documented cases involving poisons, demonic arts, and illusion techniques.”
I continued,
“If whatever was used on Abbot Gonghyeon resembles one of those cases, we may be able to find a clue.”
Master Baekheo remained silent.
But I could see the conflict in his eyes.
For once, this Righteous Alliance title is actually useful.
The Righteous Alliance possessed the largest information network and pool of resources in the righteous martial world.
No matter how rotten its core might be...
the weight carried by its name had not disappeared.
After a long silence...
Master Baekheo finally spoke.
“Whether you may see Abbot Gonghyeon is not something I can decide alone.”
He sighed.
“I must consult the other elders.”
“We need more time.”
I asked,
“How long?”
“I will give you an answer by tomorrow at the latest.”
Master Baekheo let out a deep breath.
Then looked at me again.
“And I trust that what was discussed in this room today will remain properly contained.”
His tone was gentle.
But the pressure beneath it was unmistakable.
I offered a martial salute.
“Understood.”
“I will only tell those who came with me what is necessary.”
Then I added,
“I will not officially report anything to the Righteous Alliance.”
Only then did Master Baekheo nod.
“Good.”
“I will send word tomorrow.”
And with that, our private conversation ended.
When I stepped outside, a monk waiting by the door bowed politely.
“I will guide you to your quarters.”
I followed him.
Shaolin at night was silent.
It felt as though the entire temple was holding its breath.
The missing secular disciples.
The traces of the Demonic Cult.
And the Abbot of Shaolin, who refused to appear.
As I put those scattered pieces together...
I became certain.
There's no mistake.
The calamity that had drenched the martial world in blood before my regression...
was beginning again.
The Shaolin Bloodbath.
The Shaolin Bloodbath.
It was one of the most shocking incidents to occur in the martial world before my regression.
It had shaken the entire martial world so badly that even I, imprisoned deep inside a Shadow Corps underground facility, had heard fragments about it from the members guarding us.
This was what I'd heard.
Before my regression, the official cause of the Shaolin Bloodbath was said to be the resurgence of the Demonic Cult.
Demonic Cult forces hidden inside Shaolin had made their move.
Warrior monks corrupted by demonic qi attacked their fellow disciples.
Secular disciples disappeared.
Young warrior monks fell into madness.
And eventually...
countless monks lost their lives.
