Chapter 034
The leather drum made a ripping sound as the man who got kicked in the leg tumbled across the ground. Rolling over the stone floor, he let out a groan as he collapsed. It wasn't a kick infused with inner energy, nor was it particularly forceful. But the pain that felt like his leg might break came from the woman striking his pressure point perfectly.
Looking at the man clutching his leg and groaning, the woman spoke in a cold voice. "What are you moaning about as if you've done something right?"
Receiving her icy gaze like a frozen blade cutting through leather, the man forcibly swallowed his groans. As he barely managed to get up, the woman's voice flowed into his ears.
"You must be feeling comfortable lately? Not even gathering information properly."
"Le-Leader, that's not-"
"Your family must be feeling quite comfortable these days?" Gal Yerung decisively cut off the words of the man, the Luoyang Branch Leader. She was in a very bad mood right now.
In such a situation, he dared to make excuses? Naturally, Gal Yerung's expression turned vicious.
"You know well that excuses are sinful, don't you?"
"Th-that is..."
"I hear the Luoyang Branch eats and lives better than any other branch in the organization? Have you been embezzling the tribute meant for headquarters?"
She mercilessly kicked the Luoyang Branch Leader's ankle, knocking him down. Hitting the stone floor, the Luoyang Branch Leader forcibly endured the pain and answered. His instinct was warning him. If he made even one mistake here, his life would be in danger!
"N-no! That's not true... urgh."
"Then how do you explain neglecting your duties?"
"T-time and budget..."
"Nonsense!" Gal Yerung's eyes were piercingly cold as she cut him off.
The Hao Sect's Luoyang Branch was established to monitor the movements of the Dragon Gate Li Clan. Not only did they monitor the Dragon Gate Li Clan in Luoyang, but they also worked with the Dengfeng branch to quickly grasp the movements of orthodox forces in Henan province, including Shaolin Temple and the Dragon Gate Li Clan. It was one of the Henan branches that Yanoe considered most important. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that an information war between the Beggars' Sect and the Hao Sect was taking place around Luoyang. It just wasn't visible on the surface.
"Get up."
"Yes!"
As the Luoyang Branch Leader stood up with military discipline, Gal Yerung mercilessly kicked his shin.
"Urgh!"
"Does it hurt?"
"N-no, it doesn't!"
"Then you need more beating."
Smack!
The Luoyang Branch Leader, who had been forcibly standing on his legs, collapsed. Gal Yerung glared at him with an expression that showed her anger was far from subsiding.
"The person responsible for such an important branch as Luoyang neglecting to collect information on the most important person."
Grinding her teeth, Gal Yerung's voice made the Luoyang Branch Leader swallow tears of blood as he lay face down on the ground.
Who would have thought that Baek Sugyeong would become such an influential figure in the martial world when he was living in Luoyang? Back then, Baek Sugyeong was merely an inspector at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, not a talent who had shown any particular distinction. The Dragon Gate Li Clan had employed him as a teacher only because of Young Master Yi Jonhwi. Since he was just a private tutor, they hadn't thought Baek Sugyeong would be someone so highly regarded by Yi Jonhyo.
Damn it...
But since the one questioning him was Left Commander Gal Yerung, he couldn't offer any meaningful rebuttal. He could only swallow his grievance.
If it weren't for that crazy bastard suddenly becoming famous and bringing down this thunderbolt...
If it weren't for Baek Sugyeong, the tiger-like Gal Yerung wouldn't have come all the way to the Luoyang Branch to turn things upside down. Among the three commanders, she was said to compete for the top spot in the Hao Sect when it came to having a nasty temper. Rumor had it that she was the daughter of the sect leader, so he couldn't dare defy her.
The Luoyang Branch Leader, lying face down on the floor, heard Gal Yerung's voice.
"How long are you going to lie there? Get up!"
"Y-yes, Commander."
The expressions of the Luoyang Branch disciples watching their leader barely stand up were not good either. Of all people, why did it have to be the Left Commander? Who would have thought that someone with one of the highest ranks in the Hao Sect would suddenly visit the Luoyang Branch?
Leaving the Luoyang Branch Leader standing there, beaten to a pulp over the past half hour, Gal Yerung returned to her seat at the head of the table. Crossing her legs and resting her chin on her hand, her red hair swayed slowly even though there was no wind.
"One quarter-hour."
"Pardon...?"
"All records on Baek Sugyeong. Bring everything. I'll give you one quarter-hour."
At her command to bring all records of Baek Sugyeong's past activities within 15 minutes, the Luoyang Branch Leader's face turned deathly pale. But there was no disobeying.
"Y-yes, Commander!!"
...
During that short quarter-hour, all Hao Sect disciples in the Luoyang Branch ran as if their feet were on fire. Even Branch Leader Jeonggak, with his body battered from Gal Yerung's beating, ran like mad, so the disciples had no way to avoid doing the same.
Within that quarter-hour, the Hao Sect disciples of the Luoyang Branch, who had managed to find most of the information about Baek Sugyeong, were completely exhausted, like paper half-soaked in water. Even so, the amount of information they gathered was so little it could be called dust.
Gal Yerung narrowed her eyes as she looked at the papers handed to her by Branch Leader Jeonggak.
"Is this everything?"
"I-I'm sorry. These are all the records we have."
"Anything else to report?"
"There's a report about the Sun Moon Cult."
"I'll hear about that later. You may go."
"Yes, Commander."
As she watched Jeonggak limping away, Gal Yerung called for the Silkworm Assassin.
"Silkworm Assassin."
"Yes, Left Commander."
"Go to Master Baek. I'm concerned about those two foxes constantly being by his side."
Even while waiting for Jeonggak to bring the documents, her expression had been displeased, and it seemed this was what she had in mind. It was truly an unexpected order.
The Silkworm Assassin expressed his objection.
"But, Left Commander..."
"Don't make me repeat myself, Silkworm Assassin."
Her eyes gleamed like those of a predator as she looked up from the documents. Though he hadn't served her for long, the Silkworm Assassin knew what that expression meant. It meant not to disobey.
As her current bodyguard, the Silkworm Assassin could only bow his head silently.
"...As you command."
Turning her attention back to the documents, Gal Yerung said:
"Nothing must happen to Master Baek. Eliminate all variables. Understood?"
"Yes, Commander!"
"Go!"
The Silkworm Assassin's presence vanished from her side in an instant.
Looking through the documents Jeonggak had brought, Gal Yerung habitually twisted her red hair. Her reddish-brown hair was evidence that she had mastered the Hao Sect's secret technique, the Red Snake Blood Tassel Art. Twisting her hair was a habit that appeared when she was deep in thought.
"I don't understand..."
Among the records about the Dragon Gate Li Clan from the Luoyang Branch, Baek Sugyeong's name was mentioned occasionally, but there were no detailed records about how he came to receive such treatment from Yi Jonhyo. Well, since he wasn't an important figure at that time, it was already remarkable that even these few records remained.
"So he was the teacher of that idiot young master. While being an inspector at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, he also served as the tutor for the Dragon Gate Li Clan's young master... how was that possible?"
That was the question. Of course, it's true that inspectors don't usually have much to do, but their job isn't limited to just appraising treasures and determining authenticity. Usually, the managers handle verifying the authenticity of traded goods, so inspectors don't have much to do, but their duties aren't limited to just appraising treasures. She had heard that they sometimes also serve as internal supervisors within the escort agency.
Gal Yerung rubbed her chin.
"It says the Dragon Gate Escort Agency was paid to employ Master Baek as a tutor... Well, Master Baek wasn't the only inspector at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency."
After reaching a conclusion she could accept, and after skimming through all the documents, Gal Yerung took a short break.
"The information is definitely lacking. Enormously so. It's only been half a year. It's not strange that there's no information on someone who rose so rapidly in such a short time, but..."
Baek Sugyeong had appeared suddenly, as if fallen from the sky. It was hard to believe that someone with enough influence to impact the martial world to this extent had merely been an inspector at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency.
Since pressing Jeonggak further wouldn't yield any more information, she would have to observe Baek Sugyeong herself to gather more.
Scratching her chin slightly, Gal Yerung looked toward the door.
"Branch Leader!"
"Yes, Left Commander!"
As if he had been waiting, Jeonggak flew into the room at her call and prostrated himself.
Looking at Jeonggak bowing his head, Gal Yerung crossed her legs and said:
"You said you had something to report about the Sun Moon Cult?"
...
The Sun Moon Cult, commonly called the Demonic Cult in the martial world. They call themselves the Sun Moon Cult, or more reverently, the Sun Moon Divine Cult. They are the largest single force in the martial world, claiming the Xinjiang region beyond the Tianshan Mountains as their territory while eyeing the Central Plains. Rather than calling them a sect, it might be more appropriate to call them a religious order.
When one passes through the city gates of Urumqi, the central city of Xinjiang where the Sun Moon Cult has established itself, a massive palace that catches the eye can be seen directly ahead.
It is the palace where the absolute ruler of the Sun Moon Cult, the Cult Leader, resides—the Sun Moon Divine Palace.
In the innermost part of that palace, a man sat on a dragon throne, holding a book in his hand.
"Heavenly Demon, Heavenly Demon..."
It was a resonance that touched his heart. How remarkable that a single word could stir the heart of the Sun Moon Cult Leader, the absolute ruler of the Sun Moon Divine Palace.
"Interesting."
What kind of person was this Sugyeong? He had the talent to introduce the Heavenly Pole True Cult, comparable to the Sun Moon Cult which was closer to a religious organization than a martial arts sect, and to ignite the heart of the Sun Moon Cult Leader.
"The strong survive, the weak perish..."
The thick shell of boredom that had enveloped the Sun Moon Cult Leader's body seemed to crack as he laughed with interest.
A low laugh echoed.
"Master Sugyeong, thanks to you, my boredom will be broken. Hehe, hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
No one in the martial world would have thought that an event that would cause a huge ripple in the Sun Moon Cult would start from a single book.
Deep in the Xinjiang region beyond the Tianshan Mountains, something was stirring in the Sun Moon Divine Palace in Urumqi.
"The strong survive! The strong shall possess everything! Even those of my bloodline cannot escape this iron law!"
The Iron Law of the Strong.
It was the moment a new law that would shake the traditions of the Sun Moon Cult was born.
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📚 Author's Note:
Big thanks to llaube for the 2 shiny Power Stones!
🐧