Dang Mujin followed Hwang Ryangja to the cliff where the body had been discovered. Hwang Ryangja, looking a bit pale as if the gruesome scene had resurfaced in his mind, pointed to a spot on the cliff.
“Over there.”
Though the body had been removed, the large letters on the cliff remained, thanks to the recent dry weather.
[Bring the traitor’s head]
As Hwang Ryangja had mentioned, that was all the writing said. There was no indication of who had left the message, who the traitor was, or where the head should be taken.
Yet, the location of the writing alone was enough to demonstrate the perpetrator’s skill.
In the middle of a sheer cliff. A place difficult to descend from above and even harder to climb from below. To leave a message in such a place, after disposing of a body… What level of martial arts must one possess?
This only reinforced Dang Mujin’s conviction.
‘It must be the Master. I’m certain.’
Furthermore, it seemed increasingly likely that the traitor referred to was Eom Soyul of the Daehodang.
The Three-Eyed Buddha had turned his back on the cult long ago, and it wasn’t as if he had ever followed the Master. The only person the Master might consider a traitor was Eom Soyul.
Beyond these two points, however, Dang Mujin was at a loss.
Why was the Master antagonizing Eom Soyul of the Daehodang? Why demand Eom Soyul’s death, yet attack the Cheongseong faction instead of coming to the Dang family?
This wasn’t something he could solve by brooding over it alone.
‘First, I need to talk to Eom Soyul.’
With that thought, Dang Mujin used his martial arts to swiftly head towards the Dang family estate.
“Eom Soyul. We need to talk. Come to the meeting room.”
As soon as he arrived at the Dang family estate, Dang Mujin summoned Eom Soyul to the meeting room. Eom Soyul, as if expecting this, hesitantly made his way there.
Inside, Dang Mujin, the Three-Eyed Buddha, and Hyeon Gong awaited him. Dang Mujin sat in the center, with the Three-Eyed Buddha and Hyeon Gong standing on either side, as if guarding him.
Dang Mujin addressed Eom Soyul.
“Eom Soyul. You’ve heard about what happened with the Cheongseong faction, right?”
Feeling like a criminal being interrogated, Eom Soyul nodded slightly, his expression somber.
Dang Mujin continued.
“I’m convinced the Master is behind it. Eom Soyul, who do you think the Master considers the traitor?”
”…I don’t know.”
As Eom Soyul answered, Hyeon Gong, standing beside Dang Mujin, spoke in a stern voice.
“That’s a lie.”
Dang Mujin pounded the table, pressing Eom Soyul further.
“Listen, Eom Soyul. Every time you try to deceive me with lies, the situation will only get worse. Don’t waste the opportunity you’ve been given.”
“Wait a minute. Why does Hyeon Gong get to decide whether I’m telling the truth or not?”
Hyeon Gong chuckled softly.
“Do you know what my nickname is?”
”…Jeong-eon?”
“That’s right. It’s because I always speak the truth, but it’s also because I can discern the truth and lies in others’ words.”
Dang Mujin was secretly impressed. Hyeon Gong’s nickname, Jeong-eon, seemed to have an added layer of meaning.
But in the end, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Hyeon Gong had an uncanny ability to detect lies.
Eom Soyul looked even more intimidated, and Dang Mujin resumed his questioning.
“Why would the Master demand your life, knowing you’re carrying his child?”
Hyeon Gong interjected again, correcting Dang Mujin.
“No… The Master probably didn’t know. Eom Soyul only realized he was carrying the child after arriving at the Dang family estate. There’s no way the Master could have known.”
“Even so, it doesn’t make sense. The Master has no reason to hold a grudge against Eom Soyul.”
At this point, the Three-Eyed Buddha, who had been listening quietly, offered his perspective.
“Dang Mujin, your thinking is fundamentally flawed.”
“What do you mean?”
“You must have realized in the palace that the Master is insane. Why are you trying to understand a madman?”
The Master might seem coherent, but that’s all there is to it. Just because communication is possible doesn’t mean he’s sane. His actions clearly show he’s unhinged.
Even when he seemed relatively sane, he was like that. Who knows what state he’s in when he’s completely lost it?
The Three-Eyed Buddha continued.
“Why didn’t the Master come to the Dang family and instead attacked the Cheongseong faction? Because he’s mad. Why does he see Eom Soyul as a traitor? Because he’s mad. To him, someone disappearing from his side feels like betrayal.”
“Then…”
“There’s no need to try to understand a madman. Our task has been clear from the start. When the Master appears, we kill him. That’s it.”
Dang Mujin, Hyeon Gong, and Eom Soyul all fell into contemplation. In truth, accepting the situation as the Three-Eyed Buddha described was the simplest approach. Why try to find logic in the actions of a madman?
Just then, there was a commotion outside the meeting room. It seemed someone was looking for Dang Mujin. He stood up and spoke.
”…Well, it seems there’s no significant difference between the Master’s words and actions. Someone’s looking for me, so I’ll step out.”
Dang Mujin rose and left the room, with Hyeon Gong following him.
As Eom Soyul was about to leave, the Three-Eyed Buddha placed a large hand on his shoulder.
”…What is it?”
Eom Soyul, having left the cult after the Three-Eyed Buddha, didn’t have much of a relationship with him. However, knowing the Three-Eyed Buddha had once been part of the cult, Eom Soyul respected him.
The Three-Eyed Buddha spoke to Eom Soyul.
“What I’m about to tell you, don’t share it with anyone else.”
His voice was serious, and Eom Soyul tensed up, asking cautiously.
”…What is it?”
“The reason the Master is acting this way. There’s a deeper part to it. It’s just a guess, but…”
“You said it was because he’s insane.”
“The Master isn’t in his right mind, true. But… there’s a direction to his actions. Even a madman moves with some intent.”
Eom Soyul waited for him to continue. The Three-Eyed Buddha took a breath and spoke.
“In my view, the Master seems to be looking for a place to die.”
“What?”
“It looks like he’s searching for a place to end a painful, regret-filled life. But that’s not all. What’s most important to the Master is you and the cult.”
Eom Soyul was bewildered, unable to grasp the meaning.
“Why would I or the cult matter?”
“Yes. The Master naming you a traitor seems to be a way to show people that your relationship is severed. The poison he spread in Cheonggyeon was likely for the same reason.”
”…”
“The Master’s bizarre actions, his madness, seem to be an attempt to sever ties with the cult. He wants to be remembered not as the cult’s leader, but as a madman.”
Eom Soyul still couldn’t understand the reason.
“What meaning is there in severing ties with me or the cult? The cult is already destroyed…”
“The Master seems to hope you’ll survive and correct his wrongs. He wants you to return to Cheonsan and rebuild the cult.”
Eom Soul pondered deeply. If the cult leader were to die in this situation, could she survive?
”…There’s a chance I might pull it off.”
Though people treated Eom Soul with the sharpness of a drawn sword, none of those staying at the Tang family estate were truly cold-hearted. The only person who might actively wish for her death was Jang Il-nam, and even his attitude had been strangely ambiguous lately.
But even if she survived, could Eom Soul find a place in the martial world and live out her days in peace?
That seemed impossible. She had accumulated too many grudges, both big and small, in such a short time. Even if she survived, she would have to flee to the outer martial world or hide away in the distant Tian Shan mountains.
The idea that the cult leader had gone mad and caused all this was a lazy assumption. Her own theory fit the situation more precisely. Moreover, Eom Soul wanted to believe in the story of the Three-Eyed Buddha.
“Why are you telling me this, sir?” she asked.
The Three-Eyed Buddha gave a wistful smile and gently patted her head.
“Because even fugitives need a place to rest, no matter how much time passes.”