Volcano

The listeners’ eyebrows twitched at Daehobeom’s story. Kill the cult leader? It was a shocking request, especially coming from Daehobeom.

Thoughts raced through their minds, only to vanish just as quickly.

Had Daehobeom been abandoned by the cult leader?

That seemed unlikely. The cult leader’s martial prowess was legendary, but even he had limits. Replacing someone like Daehobeom would be nearly impossible, even for him.

So, had there been a falling out between the cult leader and Daehobeom?

That didn’t seem right either. There was no history of power struggles or disputes over interests between them.

People often say that more fights happen in a haunted house than during a storm. But even in a haunted house, there are limits. If you remove the core, what is there to fight over?

At that moment, Jang Il-nam spoke up.

“One piece of nonsense is enough, don’t you think?”

All eyes turned to Jang Il-nam. He scanned the crowd before fixing a fierce gaze on Eom Soul.

“Last fall, you were practically glued to the cult leader’s side. It’s barely been any time since then, and now you’re saying you’ve betrayed him? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.”

It was Eom Soul’s turn to respond, but Hyeon Gong interjected with a serious tone.

“Jang Elder, that’s a hasty conclusion. Betrayal can happen in the blink of an eye, regardless of how much time has passed.”

Some of the top martial artists, as well as the Taoists from the Hwasan sect listening from a distance, looked at Hyeon Gong with pity. His words sounded like those of a man scarred by countless internal conflicts.

However, to Tang Mujin, Namgung Myung, and Hong Gyeolgae, Hyeon Gong’s words seemed to come from the perspective of a perpetrator, not a victim.

Jang Il-nam addressed Hyeon Gong.

“Even if Daehobeom did betray the cult leader, it changes nothing. We can’t discern the truth here. It’s more rational to think Daehobeom is following the cult leader’s orders to set a trap. We should just execute him now.”

But this time, Yoo Jin-gwang interrupted.

“Setting a trap doesn’t make sense. I’ve been to the mountains, and what kind of trap could the cult leader set alone?”

“There might be hidden forces from the demonic cult. Didn’t someone mention encountering monks from the Solitary Peak Temple while visiting the demonic cult?”

The conversation continued, but no one seemed to find a clear answer. Jang Il-nam’s argument had some logic, but everyone knew he harbored a deep grudge against Daehobeom, making his judgment suspect.

“Understood.” ”…” “Just to be clear, don’t even think about subduing and treating the cult leader. Even if we fight with all our might, we don’t know how many will die. Trying to subdue him will only increase the casualties, and you might be among them.”

Hwayeon Shinnyeo’s words were harsher than usual, but they were grounded in reality, leaving Tang Mujin with nothing to say.

”…I understand.”

In the end, Tang Mujin abandoned the idea of treating the cult leader. Insisting on it would be the naive act of a child unaware of the world’s harsh realities.

Eom Soul, knowing he was in no position to make demands, quietly observed the others.

Hwayeon Shinnyeo addressed Eom Soul.

“Do you have anything more to say?” ”…No.” “Since you’ve come this far, you must have known you wouldn’t leave alive. Don’t resist and accept it.”

Eom Soul nodded. In an instant, Hwayeon Shinnyeo struck a pressure point, and Eom Soul fell into a deep sleep.

Hwayeon Shinnyeo requested the head of the Hwasan sect, Seon Woo-ja.

“Keep him in confinement for now. I’ll visit regularly to ensure he stays unconscious.” “Understood.”

With Eom Soul gone, Tang Mujin and the other top martial artists gathered again.

”…Let’s resume our discussion.” “Indeed.”

The atmosphere was different now that Eom Soul was gone. There were unspoken agreements among them, like focusing on extracting as much information from Daehobeom as possible. They hadn’t shared all their thoughts in front of him.

Now, with Daehobeom out of the picture, they could speak freely.

Jang Il-nam, who had been so eager to execute Daehobeom earlier, now wore a conflicted expression.

Tang Mujin took the lead.

“Does anyone here believe Daehobeom came to set a trap for the Hwasan sect?”

No one raised their hand.

Hyeon Gong spoke.

“If he intended to set a trap, he would have tried to steer our actions in a specific direction. But all he did was ask us to kill the cult leader. That would have happened with or without his request. He never specified when, how, or where to kill the cult leader.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, even Jang Il-nam, who had accused Daehobeom of setting a trap. He was one of the first to reach the same conclusion as Hyeon Gong.

Tang Mujin continued.

“The most crucial information from Daehobeom is that the cult leader has gone mad. Who believes this to be true?”

Two people raised their hands. Hong Gyeolgae hesitated but eventually raised his hand, and there were no objections.

“Good. The immediate decision is what to do with Daehobeom. Who thinks we should kill him now?”

Killing Daehobeom would be as easy as snapping a child’s wrist. A simple cut to his throat while he slept would end his life.

But instead of voicing their opinions, everyone looked at Jang Il-nam. It was customary to leave such decisions to the one with the deepest grudge.

However, Jang Il-nam shook his head.

”…It’s not right to kill him now.” “Why do you think so?” “As you’ve probably noticed, the relationship between the cult leader and Daehobeom isn’t just that of a superior and subordinate. It seems more like a romantic relationship.”

Everyone, except for the likes of Manryeokseung and Hong Gyeolgae, who were indifferent to such matters, agreed with Jang Il-nam’s assessment.

Though Daehobeom’s actions seemed mixed with other emotions, love is never straightforward. Among a hundred couples, no two loves are the same. To the observers, Daehobeom’s actions were driven by love, even if he himself wasn’t fully aware of it.

Jang Il-nam added.

“Love is the most vivid emotion and can be the most effective way to exploit someone’s weaknesses. If we use Daehobeom as a hostage, we might minimize casualties when dealing with the cult leader.”

While not a method typically employed by righteous martial artists, it was a logical and reasonable suggestion.

But knowing the depth of Jang Il-nam’s grudge against Daehobeom, Tang Mujin asked again.

“Elder, are you sure it’s alright not to kill him now?” ”…Yes.”