TL: FoodieMonster007
As soon as Baek Suryong returned to his room and took his seat, he imdiately opened his mouth and said, "First off, the Heavenly Justice Commander isn't our guy."
They had wasted far more ti at the Heavenly Justice Corps than expected. By the ti they finally reached the Elimination Corps' training grounds, it was already lunchti, and the place was completely empty.
Thus, the two of them had no choice but to return to their lodgings.
Namgung Su quickly set up a soundproof barrier around the room, preventing their conversation from leaking outside, then sat down across from Baek Suryong. "What makes you so certain about that?" he asked.
"If the Heavenly Justice Commander was the traitor we're searching for, he wouldn't have reacted the way he did when Jang Gon went berserk earlier," Baek Suryong answered, recalling the genuine panic and alarm on the Heavenly Justice Commander's face as he rushed forward to stop Jang Gon.
Namgung Su narrowed his eyes slightly. "You're saying that if he was the culprit, he wouldn't have bothered saving you?"
"Exactly."
"What if even that was part of his plan? He might have known you’d refuse help due to your pride, so he only pretended to intervene," Namgung Su replied skeptically, folding his arms.
Baek Suryong smiled faintly and shook his head. "If that’s the case, it actually proves he's even less likely to be the traitor."
"Why?"
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"Because that exact mont was the perfect chance to kill ."
Namgung Su's face hardened at the implication. "You can't an…"
Baek Suryong slowly nodded, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. "Since Jang Gon is his subordinate, the Heavenly Justice Commander could have intervened earlier without suspicion, as that alone would've provided him ample justification to get involved. Think about it this way…" He leaned back comfortably, propping his long legs on the table. "…If the Heavenly Justice Commander really wanted dead, how do you think he'd have done it?"
Namgung Su's expression turned grim. "…He could have pretended to break up the fight, deliberately causing you and Jang Gon to collide while secretly delivering a fatal blow. Or perhaps, at close range, he might've subtly used telekinesis to redirect Jang Gon's sword. A martial artist of his caliber could easily manage sothing like that."
Just a small, well-tid nudge mid-duel could have transford what should've been a minor injury into a lethal wound. If that happened, Jang Gon alone would've taken all the bla.
Baek Suryong grinned and nodded approvingly. "A perfect answer! As expected of a model student."
"Still, to go that far…"
Before Baek Suryong pointed it out, Namgung Su had never even considered such a scenario, and it wasn't because he lacked intelligence or imagination. Rather, it was simply the limitation of soone raised within the peaceful environnt of the orthodox sects.
For Baek Suryong, who had experienced the ruthless law of survival within the Blood Cult in his previous life, thinking along these lines was only natural.
"The traitor we’re dealing with has allied with the Blood Cult. If anything, they will only be more ruthless, not less."
Namgung Su nodded thoughtfully, finally convinced. Suddenly, though, his gaze turned strangely cold. "…Then, are you telling that you just calmly stood there, deliberately testing if the Heavenly Justice Commander might indirectly try killing you by using soone else's sword?"
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"My acting was pretty good, right?" Baek Suryong smirked proudly.
Contrary to his expectations, however, Namgung Su was anything but amused.
"Baek Suryong. Why are you always like this!?" Namgung Su scolded.
"…What's your problem now?"
Namgung Su abruptly rose from his seat, glaring fiercely down at Baek Suryong with blazing golden eyes. "If you planned sothing so dangerous, you should have at least warned about it beforehand! What if the Heavenly Justice Commander truly intended to kill you? Were you planning to just stand there and die?"
"Who said anything about dying…?"
"You talk like you have an extra life."
CRACKLE!
Seeing lightning-like sparks flash dangerously from Namgung Su's eyes, Baek Suryong flinched slightly. Still, he wasn't without an excuse.
"No, listen. It's not like I planned that from the very start, alright? It just occurred to halfway through," he protested.
"You should've signaled or sent so kind of hint at that very mont. If you'd glanced at even once, I would've imdiately beco more alert," Namgung Su shot back sharply. Had Baek Suryong been seriously injured or killed, he would never have forgiven himself.
"…Fine, my bad," Baek Suryong finally conceded, genuinely apologetic.
Namgung Su sighed quietly and nodded. "Next ti, please be more considerate of the people standing right next to you."
With that settled, they resud their previously interrupted deduction.
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"In any case, the Heavenly Justice Commander is now off our suspect list. That leaves either the Elimination Corps Commander or the Vice Commander."
"What about the possibility of both of them conspiring together? I've heard the Elimination Corps Commander and Vice Commander have a very close, longstanding relationship."
Baek Suryong shook his head. "I think there's only one traitor. That puts the odds evenly between the Commander and Vice Commander, who both happen to belong to the sa Elimination Corps…"
Although it was possible that there was more than one rat, the fewer the people involved, the greater the individual reward, and the lower the risk of exposure. He doubted the spy would work together with anyone else.
Namgung Su asked, "Didn't you say the two of them have known each other for almost twenty years?"
"That's right."
Ryu Seol and Moyong Jun supposedly first t when joining the Murim Alliance together.
"If they've known each other for so long, they likely have very few secrets between them."
"Yeah, Moyong Jun even knows about Ryu Seol's demonic art. What's your point?"
Namgung Su folded his arms, gazing thoughtfully toward the ceiling with his golden eyes narrowed sharply. "If one of them suddenly changed, wouldn't the other imdiately notice sothing was off?"
"…You're suggesting they might've sensed the betrayal already?"
"Maybe not outright betrayal." Namgung Su slowly lowered his gaze from the ceiling, eting Baek Suryong's eyes directly. "But they'd surely feel sothing wasn't right. For instance, noticing their friend acting uncharacteristically."
When Baek Suryong had smashed the main gates of the Murim Alliance and caused an uproar, or when he had provoked the Heavenly Justice Commander and willingly swallowed Qi Dispersing Poison, Namgung Su had imdiately realized that this was out of character for Baek Suryong.
Wouldn't two decades of friendship sharpen that type of intuition even further?
"Interesting… you have a point," Baek Suryong replied thoughtfully.
With twenty years of friendship, Ryu Seol or Moyong Jun would likely have sensed at least subtle changes in each other's behavior. Even if the suspicion hadn't risen to the level of treason, they would have had so lingering doubts.
"What if we provide confirmation of that suspicion?"
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"Then we'll certainly see a reaction. They'll either move to protect their friend, confront them directly about the truth, or perhaps…"
Both Baek Suryong and Namgung Su smiled darkly at the sa ti.
"They might even attempt to fra each other."
"Let's find out then, which of the two friendships is a sham."
"What's this letter?" The Elimination Corps Commander Ryu Seol tilted her head, staring curiously at the letter brought to her by a servant.
A cool breeze drifted through the partially open window. She had just finished bathing after returning ho from work, and it was already quite late at night.
"It's not an official docunt. A personal letter sent to at this hour… Could it be a love letter?"
In the past, receiving love letters wasn't uncommon for her. After becoming the Elimination Corps Commander, however, they'd abruptly stopped. Or perhaps they'd stopped around the ti the number of fools whose heads she'd cracked exceeded a hundred?
"Whoever sent it has guts," Ryu Seol murmured, ripping open the envelope and reading the letter inside.
Her eyes widened sharply at the first sentence.
"Baek Suryong? Why is he… Could it really be a love letter?"
Initially amused, she read further. Gradually, however, her expression darkened and hardened terrifyingly. By the ti she finished, her face had twisted into sothing akin to a demon.
RIIIP!
"That crazy bastard!" Ryu Seol snarled, tearing the letter into shreds as murderous intent surged from her eyes.
A servant rushed into the room, startled by the commotion. "Commander? What's the matter?"
"…It's nothing," Ryu Seol replied through gritted teeth, forcing herself to calm down. Although she'd shouted, the letter's contents couldn't be carelessly spoken aloud.
She quickly donned her outer garnt and rose to her feet.
"I'm going out for a bit," she said curtly.
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"At this hour…?"
"Don't wait for to return, I'll probably be late."
WHOOSH!
Without another word, Ryu Seol instantly shot past the servant and vaulted over the wall using her movent arts.
"Moyong Jun? A traitor?" she muttered to herself, racing swiftly through Wuhan's nightti streets.
Moyong Jun seems to have betrayed the Murim Alliance and joined hands with the Blood Cult.
Though the letter contained additional details, those words echoed endlessly through her mind.
I'd like to discuss this quietly. Co alone tonight to the address below.
She never stopped to consider that the letter might be a trap.
This is definitely from Baek Suryong. He's the only one who knows about my demonic art besides Jun and the Chairman.
She ground her teeth in chagrin. Even if it was a trap, she would simply crush everyone involved.
That bastard. How dare he accuse Moyong Jun of treason?
If Baek Suryong was standing in front of her now, she would've torn him to shreds.
At the sa ti, however, suspicions about her friend of twenty years crept into her mind. Recently improved martial arts. Frequent unexplained disappearances. Strange, unfamiliar expressions.
Could he really…?
"Hah! Ridiculous," she muttered sharply, shaking her head vigorously. She felt ashad for even doubting her friend.
Why would Moyong Jun betray the Murim Alliance? What would his motive be?
The Vice Commander position already granted wealth and prestige. If he desired, she would've willingly given up her own Commander position, though the stubborn old Chairman would've never allowed it…
To find solid evidence, Commander, I need your help.
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"Nonsense…" Ryu Seol hissed fiercely, speeding up even more. "He probably got cocky after helping the Namgung Clan defeat the Blood Cult. I'll teach him the price of spouting nonsense."
A dangerous gleam flashed sharply in Ryu Seol’s single eye. Her figure blurred, becoming like a fierce gust of wind.
Monts later, she arrived at a dilapidated, abandoned house on the outskirts of the city and smashed through the wall without hesitation.
CRASH!
Ignoring the debris flying around him, Baek Suryong calmly rose from his seat. "You're here."
"Take this first!" Ryu Seol shouted furiously, drawing a sheathed dao from her waist and swinging it directly at Baek Suryong's shoulder.
CLANG!
Namgung Su swiftly intercepted the strike, having already drawn his sword beforehand. Standing firmly in front of Baek Suryong, he warned, "If you wish to harm this man, you'll have to cut down first."
"So, you’re in this together?" Ryu Seol spat angrily.
"Senior, please calm down first…"
"Shut up! Who gave you permission to call Senior?" Ryu Seol roared, he voice infused with powerful inner qi.
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RUMBLE!
The walls shuddered and cracked, and the roof trembled violently under the explosive force of her shout.
Her hair rose fiercely into the air, and murderous intent erupted wildly from her single eye. A brutal wave of pure energy swept through the ruined house, scattering dust and debris everywhere.
Baek Suryong's eyes widened slightly. She can produce this level of power without even resorting to her demonic art?
He had anticipated that she would be strong, but Ryu Seol far exceeded even his expectations.
With both Black Dao blades dangling loosely by her sides, she slowly approached the two n with a terrifying glare. "If you guys didn't belong to the Murim Alliance, I would kill you both right here, right now… though I'll still leave you half-dead."
At that very mont, both Namgung Su and Baek Suryong beca absolutely certain of one thing—Ryu Seol was no traitor.
Now, the problem was how they would convince her to stop.
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