Chapter 183: Everyone Gathers
A few days later.
Moyong Cheonhwi and the major figures of the Righteous Alliance gathered inside the Alliance Council Hall.
The purpose of the meeting was to formally discuss who would hold responsibility and authority over the investigation into the fires that had broken out within the Alliance.
My Kunlun companions and I were there as well.
Seated at the head of the hall, Moyong Cheonhwi looked around before speaking.
“Fortunately, no lives were lost. However, the damage suffered by the Alliance is considerable.”
His gaze swept across the room.
“We must thoroughly uncover the cause of these fires.”
The moment he finished speaking, his eyes turned toward me.
“The Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit will personally take charge of investigating the fire at the Demon Expulsion Pavilion.”
I had expected that.
No.
He was simply making it official in front of everyone.
He wanted to use the investigation as an excuse to keep me inside the Righteous Alliance.
I rose and offered a martial salute.
“I accept your order, Alliance Leader. I will do everything in my power to uncover the cause of the fire.”
“I hope you produce good results.”
I remained standing.
“However, I have one request.”
Moyong Cheonhwi tilted his head slightly.
“A request?”
Then he gestured for me to continue.
“Speak.”
“If I determine that a person or location may be connected to the Demon Expulsion Pavilion fire...”
I looked directly at him.
“I ask that you allow me to personally investigate them, regardless of their position or status.”
Heo Seongbaek immediately cut in.
“Are you asking for authority to search anywhere you please inside the Alliance?”
“I said I intend to investigate places related to the fire.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“And who determines whether they are related?”
“Wouldn't that decision naturally belong to the person entrusted with the investigation?”
Heo Seongbaek opened his mouth to argue again.
But Moyong Cheonhwi raised a hand.
“Enough.”
“Alliance Leader.”
Heo Seongbaek turned toward him urgently.
Moyong Cheonhwi's gaze settled on him.
“Elder Heo.”
"..."
“I have made my decision.”
It was only a short sentence.
But the meaning was obvious.
Do not say anything more.
Heo Seongbaek pressed his lips together and stepped back.
Only then did Moyong Cheonhwi look at me again.
“Within the scope of matters related to the fire, I will grant your request.”
It would have been difficult for him to refuse in front of everyone.
After all, if he ordered me to investigate while denying me even the authority to question people or inspect relevant locations...
he would practically be admitting that he had no intention of discovering the truth.
I offered another salute.
“Thank you.”
Then—
“In that case, I will begin inspecting the scene immediately.”
Murmurs spread through the Alliance Council Hall.
Even Moyong Cheonhwi seemed not to have expected me to move so quickly.
“You have already decided where to begin?”
“Yes.”
He nodded slowly.
“Hmm. I assume you intend to inspect the Demon Expulsion Pavilion first.”
I shook my head firmly.
“No.”
His brow lifted.
“Not the Demon Expulsion Pavilion?”
“According to the Alliance martial artists I questioned, there was another place where the flames rose before the Demon Expulsion Pavilion.”
Moyong Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
“Another place?”
“Where?”
I deliberately paused before answering.
“Azure Pine Garden.”
The room instantly grew louder.
Azure Pine Garden was the rear garden of the Alliance Leader's Palace.
Investigating it meant entering the grounds closest to Moyong Cheonhwi's residence.
Heo Seongbaek shot to his feet.
“Commander! Do you even understand what kind of place Azure Pine Garden is?”
I looked at him calmly.
“Of course.”
“It is the rear garden of the Alliance Leader's Palace.”
His expression hardened.
“And knowing that, you still intend to investigate it?”
“What is wrong with investigating a place that caught fire?”
“That place belongs to the Alliance Leader's—”
“Enough.”
Moyong Cheonhwi cut him off.
Then he looked at me.
“Why do you intend to inspect Azure Pine Garden first?”
“Because I believe an investigation should begin where the fire first started.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Is that the only reason?”
“For now.”
Moyong Cheonhwi stared at me for a long time.
His gaze was sharp enough to feel as though he were trying to cut through my thoughts.
Eventually, he spoke.
“Very well.”
“You may inspect Azure Pine Garden.”
I bowed.
“Thank you.”
Then he added,
“However, there are conditions.”
Of course.
As if someone like you would simply open the road for me.
“Azure Pine Garden is part of the Alliance Leader's Palace.”
He raised one finger.
“You cannot be permitted to enter whenever you wish.”
Then he continued,
“You may inspect it once, today only.”
“Your investigation will also be limited to the section of the rear garden damaged by the fire.”
Another condition followed.
“You will finish within one sijin.”
His gaze remained fixed on me.
“And I, along with the elders of the Alliance, will observe the entire process.”
So that was it.
He was limiting the time.
Limiting the area.
And attaching watchers.
“What do you think?”
Moyong Cheonhwi asked.
“Can you accept those conditions?”
Cunning bastard.
He was pretending to grant permission while tying my hands and feet.
You thought this through.
But I didn't hesitate.
I offered a martial salute.
“Understood.”
“I accept your conditions.”
Moyong Cheonhwi's gaze lingered on me.
He probably wanted to see for himself what I had prepared.
Just watch.
Things won't unfold the way you expect.
After the meeting ended, I took Jin Gwangung, Hyeongwon, Myeongjeon, and Yu Seola with me toward Azure Pine Garden.
Once we had moved far enough from the Alliance Council Hall, Jin Gwangung spoke.
“They told you to investigate the Demon Expulsion Pavilion, and the first thing you do is start digging around the Alliance Leader's residence.”
He gave me a sideways glance.
“What are you planning?”
After confirming no one was nearby, I answered.
“There is no longer any doubt that Moyong Cheonhwi is behind what has been happening.”
The underground prison beneath the Jesaeng Pavilion.
The incident at the Demon Expulsion Pavilion disguised as an act of the Demonic Cult.
The catastrophe that had nearly unfolded at Shaolin.
None of those were things that could have been prepared overnight.
“If he has been orchestrating something this large...”
I continued,
“there should be secret orders, letters, or lists of the people assigned to carry out his plans.”
Jin Gwangung frowned.
“You think Moyong Cheonhwi personally keeps those things?”
“He's suspicious by nature.”
I shook my head.
“He wouldn't entrust anything capable of pointing a blade at his own throat to a subordinate.”
My gaze shifted toward the distant roof of the Alliance Leader's Palace.
“He would keep it himself.”
Then—
“Or hide it somewhere very close to him.”
Jin Gwangung's eyes narrowed.
“And you think that place is the Alliance Leader's Palace?”
“At the moment, it's the most likely possibility.”
He stared at me.
“You intended to get inside the Alliance Leader's Palace from the beginning.”
“If I find something suspicious while investigating the Azure Pine Garden fire, I can demand permission to inspect the Palace itself.”
Jin Gwangung thought for a moment...
then let out a short laugh.
“Don't tell me you expected things to go this far when you set the fire.”
I snorted.
“What am I, some kind of immortal who can see the future?”
Then I shrugged.
“But if things happen to line up in our favor, there's no reason not to use them.”
At that moment, Yu Seola, who had been walking beside us, spoke.
“It's strange.”
I looked at her.
“What is?”
She studied my face.
“Senior Brother... you seem to know Moyong Cheonhwi extremely well.”
Her eyes narrowed faintly.
“What choices he'll make.”
“How he'll respond.”
Then—
“Almost like you've been watching him for a very long time.”
I answered casually.
“Suspicious hypocrites tend to behave the same way wherever you go.”
But inwardly—
Of course I know him.
I had spent an entire lifetime under that filthy bastard's hand.
Not long afterward, the main gate leading into Azure Pine Garden came into view.
The gate and the surrounding walls were blackened in several places.
Two lines of armed Righteous Alliance warriors stood in front.
There were far more guards than usual.
As we approached, one of them stepped forward and offered a martial salute.
“Commander.”
I nodded.
“I've come to investigate the fire at Azure Pine Garden.”
“We have received the order.”
The warrior stepped aside.
“You may enter.”
