After giving some instructions to the members of Jeokgwi Daebyeol, I informed Kang Chumo-ru that Princess Yuya Hyeok Gi-rin was in this place.
“I greet Your Highness!”
“It’s been a while, Kang Chumo-ru.”
“To serve Your Highness like this is a glory of three lifetimes!”
“Did you hear from Ho Cheon-an?”
“Yes, I heard that the instructor is quietly accompanying the princess!”
Hyeok Gi-rin nodded sincerely.
“I know Kang Chumo-ru has his duties. However, since resolving the situation in Okgyo is more urgent, please assist me and the outcast Ho Cheon-an for a while.”
“Just give the order! All members of Jeokgwi Daebyeol, led by Kang Chumo-ru, will obey!”
Watching Kang Chumo-ru and Hyeok Gi-rin face each other, I felt the doubts that had built up inside me slowly dissolving.
I thought it was strange from the moment I met Hyeok Gi-rin in Okgyo. She was busy living two lives. How odd it was to meet her in Yunnan, not in Sacheon or Nangyang.
I had always doubted why Hyeok Gi-rin was in Yunnan, and it seemed she had come directly to lead Jeokgwi Daebyeol to pressure the outcasts in Yunnan.
I recalled the conversation I had with Hyeok Gi-rin on my way back to Gonmyeong. She said she would embrace both lives as a princess and a martial artist.
If Hyeok Gi-rin truly decided to break the wall between the two lives, it wouldn’t be impossible to use the power of authority to attack the outcast sects.
“Our identity is a secret to our subordinates.”
“However… then the treatment of the princess…”
“That’s something I’ve accepted, so you needn’t worry. Hehe, first, let’s relieve some of the tension on Kang Chumo-ru’s shoulders.”
“I’ll make some tea.”
“I-I’ll do it!”
Kang Chumo-ru nervously brewed the tea with trembling hands. I decided to break the ice to ease his tension and gauge Hyeok Gi-rin’s true feelings.
“By the way, I was surprised. I knew Kang Chumo-ru would one day become a commander, but I didn’t expect to find you as the division leader already.”
“Hehe.”
Hyeok Gi-rin chuckled lightly, while Kang Chumo-ru shot me an emotional gaze.
“This is all thanks to the instructor!”
Well, everything was my fault again.
“It seems the imperial family was impressed by the results of the Twelfth Squad. Shortly after being reinstated into the Imperial Army, I received a proposal. They wanted to see if I could train about a thousand soldiers in the instructor’s way.”
But this one seemed to actually be my credit.
“Even ordinary soldiers can endure training with the right willpower, so the intensity was adjusted, and necessary skills for the Imperial Army were included, which extended the training process to about six months. It seems the Huang Nation was curious about the strength of Jeokgwi Daebyeol, so I received this unusual task.”
“Is that so?”
“Hehe, this is my first time actually seeing members of Jeokgwi Daebyeol. Within a short period, they seem truly strong and spirited.”
“Thank you, my lord!”
Kang Chumo-ru was beaming at Hyeok Gi-rin’s praise. If it weren’t for Hyeok Gi-rin, he would be rolling on the ground, howling with joy.
Anyway, after being praised and enjoying tea, Kang Chumo-ru finally regained his composure and brought up official business.
“My lord, we launched a raid here to capture the Great Dark Sect and the Seohwa Sect, which are at the root of the Okgyo incident. By any chance, are you related to this situation, instructor?”
“Hehe, related? Ho Cheon-an is truly the mastermind behind this incident.”
“Excuse me?”
Kang Chumo-ru looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“This was conceived in Ho Cheon-an’s mind, so all the plans must be in his head. For example, there’s the plan of reluctantly putting the Dark Dragon Sect’s junior lord’s cap on Yunnan’s Best Beauty, I-seol.”
“….”
“I really dislike this plan, but well, even my lady acknowledges Ho Cheon-an’s tactics. I’ll delegate full authority, so let’s see how well you play your cards. I’ll be watching how far you go in helping I-seol.”
“Ahem…”
Though I was reprimanded by Hyeok Gi-rin, I gained the authority to move Jeokgwi Daebyeol with her cooperation.
“Then…”
I opened my mouth to lay out the strategy in my mind.
*
The investigation began.
“So you failed the entrance exam for the Dark Dragon Sect?”
“Y-yes. After that, I tried to make a fresh start in Okgyo.”
“Then, aren’t the Great Dark Sect and the Seohwa Sect comrades? Why did you split up and fight in Okgyo?”
“That, that was because of my older brother’s suggestion.”
“Older brother? Who are you talking about?”
“Yongji Maeng. Older brother Yongji Maeng convinced us, saying if we followed him, we could enter the Dark Dragon Sect. So we caused a ruckus in the underworld…”
The newcomers spoke about the setup that Yongji Maeng had briefed them on before being dispatched for the operation.
“So, you acted under Yongji Maeng’s command, and when Dokgo I-seol saw that you were causing havoc in the underworld, she recruited you into her underlings? Does that mean I-seol had nothing to do with the criminal activity at the time?”
“Y-yes.”
As the interrogation flowed between the newcomers and Jeokgwi Daebyeol members, Kang Chumo-ru was also having a private conversation with I-seol.
“I want to see Yongji Maeng.”
“That’s impossible. Yongji Maeng is currently a prime suspect.”
Kang Chumo-ru raised an eyebrow upon hearing I-seol’s response.
“Instructor….”
Seeing I-seol’s beauty up close made Kang Chumo-ru understand how the members of Jeokgwi Daebyeol felt about their excessive reaction towards Ho Cheon-an yesterday.
How jealous!
Just one glance with a girl like this would be a lifetime tale, but such a beauty was hopelessly entangled with Ho Cheon-an…! Kang Chumo-ru felt an inexplicable burst of emotions welling up inside and trembled his fist.
“I’m really jealous! That mysterious beauty was incredibly stunning too…!”
The sight of I-seol biting her lip was enough to send shivers down his spine! Kang Chumo-ru felt a chill on his side and opened his mouth.
“Honestly, I believe this investigation itself is pointless.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Dongdaemun Faction, Namdaemun Faction, Power Law Society, Each Law Society, Baeksapa, Heuksapa…”
Hearing names he had only heard once at the Family Head’s Quarters mentioned in succession made I-seol want to tightly shut her eyes.
“Dokgo Yoran, Dokgo I-du, Dokgo Dae-mak… All of them sent warriors to Okgyo. But… how odd is it that only you, Dokgo I-seol, didn’t send any warriors?”
“I’m not interested in the sect’s affairs. You saw with your own eyes that I occupy a corner of Gilu, living alone, yet you doubt me.”
“Hmph. Is that so?”
With Kang Chumo-ru’s icy reaction, I-seol glared back with cold eyes. The silent standoff between the two ended when Kang Chumo-ru opened his mouth.
“I have to admit, what needs to be acknowledged must be acknowledged. I understand why you have such confidence. Your actions in Okgyo, your timing of withdrawal, and the consistent testimonies from your followers… I admit there’s a level beyond those ruffians captured in Okgyo.”
“….”
“Above all, you made a remarkable move. You secretly left compensation at the stores that were damaged and destroyed?”
I-seol clenched her fist.
“Yongji Maeng… did you foresee this much?”
It was news to her, but as soon as she heard Kang Chumo-ru’s words, she realized that this was a maneuver Yongji Maeng had planned in anticipation of the current situation.
“Though it’s true they are currently my subordinates, I have no knowledge of what they did in Okgyo.”
“….Tsk.”
As I-seol sensed Kang Chumo-ru’s displeasure, she inwardly smiled. The agitation of Kang Chumo-ru meant that things weren’t flowing according to his plan.
“If they really compensated the stores, it would be hard to hold them accountable for the crimes committed in Okgyo. Although it is a strange form of ignorance, since they have already compensated.”
“If so…”
“Hmph, there’s nothing to be pleased about. That doesn’t erase the criminal facts.”
The possibility of Yongji Maeng and the newcomers being released increased!
Just as I-seol reveled in this thought…
“Congratulations. Excluding that Yongji Maeng, there’s a high likelihood that the others will only face fines, so take care of your subordinates.”
“….What do you mean? Why only Yongji Maeng!”
“Hmph, are you probing?”
“Probing?!”
“You had already sacrificed Yongji Maeng from the beginning, so pretending to be indignant is pointless.”
I-seol stared blankly at Kang Chumo-ru. From the beginning… a pawn?
“What are you saying! Didn’t you just mention that they wouldn’t be held accountable for the destruction in Okgyo!”
“Accidental crimes and planned crimes don’t have the same level of culpability. The others can simply say Yongji Maeng instructed them without realizing the whole plan, making it hard to prove intent. But Yongji Maeng acknowledged that he planned and orchestrated everything, so his intent can be proven.”
“….Then!”
“No need to make that face. Nothing will change. I’m uncomfortable with your blatant acting, so please leave.”
With that, I-seol was pushed out of the room by Kang Chumo-ru’s dismissal spell.
“Yongji Maeng…”
I-seol plopped down, repeatedly murmuring Yongji Maeng’s name.
In truth, she knew well.
Given the gravity of the situation, Yongji Maeng and his subordinates wouldn’t be safe.
But Yongji Maeng said he would be fine and told her to trust him. As she heard that, her steps had faltered. Could it really be that Yongji Maeng could solve everything? That thought crept into her mind.
“I was… foolish.”
With her head down, I-seol reflected on her hands. This foolish girl. Losing herself in the complacent thought of wanting to earn Yongji Maeng’s trust while he showed his impressive side without doing anything.
After sitting there for a while, I-seol lifted her head.
“I need to move… even now.”
It was unacceptable to let the Imperial Army take Yongji Maeng away just like this.
I-seol rose to her feet.
