Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 88
The warriors of Eunryong-gak brought a letter from Namgung Hak.
Upon examining it, the strokes of a single character were indeed subtly different, just as Namgung Hak had said.
It was a difference that would be nearly impossible to notice unless one had written it themselves.
Even a forger of exceptional skill would struggle to detect such a mark.
Yet it was possible, as Namgung Geom had suggested, that Namgung Hak had deliberately omitted the mark to create an escape route for himself.
That alone made it difficult to say with certainty that the letter was forged.
And then there was the fact that Jeonseomyo had gone to Namgung Hak’s quarters.
It was a circumstance that would naturally give rise to suspicion that Namgung Hak was a Gyo spy.
But as Namgung Geom had noted, the pieces fit together far too neatly.
It felt as though someone had deliberately set a trap to make Namgung Hak appear to be a Gyo spy.
Namgung Bing fell into deep thought.
Namgung Byuk believed unconditionally in Namgung Hak, his trusted aide.
Namgung Geom too had pointed out the inconsistencies.
He harbored the same doubts as Namgung Geom.
It didn’t sit right to call Namgung Hak a Gyo spy.
Yet neither could he be certain that Namgung Hak was not one.
After wrestling with the matter, Namgung Bing reached a decision.
“Namgung Hak, though you may feel wronged, you must remain in Eunryong-gak until it can be clearly proven that you are not a Gyo spy.”
Namgung Bing sought Namgung Hak’s understanding.
Without concrete evidence of his innocence, there was no way to release him.
“Understood.”
Namgung Hak accepted Namgung Bing’s decision without resistance.
“Then the Head of Cheonrae Hall shall be released without charge, and you, Namgung Hak, shall remain in custody at Eunryong-gak.”
“Bear with this a while longer. I swear I will catch the villainous spy who orchestrated this.”
Namgung Byuk spoke to Namgung Hak.
“I shall wait, trusting only in your word, and I am deeply grateful to be cleared of this unjust suspicion.”
“Namgung Hak, I entrust your care to you.”
Namgung Byuk turned to Namgung Bing with his request.
“Have no fear. Until it is confirmed that he is a Gyo spy, the Head of Cheonrae Hall shall receive all proper courtesy due to his station.”
Namgung Byuk gazed at Namgung Hak a moment longer, then withdrew.
“Then I shall take my leave as well. Please guard the Cat carefully, just in case.”
Namgung Bing nodded upon seeing the Cat bound in Ice Chains.
“Of course. The Crown Prince has suffered much trouble.”
“Not at all.”
Namgung Geom exchanged farewells with Namgung Bing and departed.
Namgung Byuk, who had left first, was waiting outside rather than departing.
“I find myself owing you a word of thanks for clearing this false accusation against me.”
Namgung Byuk spoke with an awkward expression.
“That is not so. This false accusation was not merely your affair, but mine as well.”
“Still, it could not have been easy for you to trust me completely from beginning to end.”
Namgung Byuk was struck to learn that Namgung Geom had not doubted him once throughout the entire matter.
Had he been in the same position, he doubted he could have done the same.
“Truthfully, had I not known of the Gyo’s existence, I might have harbored suspicions. But even so, I would have trusted you, Second Uncle.”
“Have I ever given you particular reason to trust me?”
Namgung Byuk asked, perplexed.
Namgung Geom smiled softly and replied.
“Though my uncles and I contend for the position of Sub-Clan Leader, I believe our hearts are one in serving the Clan. Thus, I trust that you would not do anything to harm the Clan.”
Namgung Byuk was inwardly shaken by Namgung Geom’s answer.
He had been consumed with the prospect of becoming Sub-Clan Leader.
So consumed that he thought only of how to surpass his brothers and nephew.
Yet Namgung Geom placed the Clan’s welfare above his own position as Sub-Clan Leader.
Namgung Byuk could not help but acknowledge that in matters of character, Namgung Geom had a greater claim to the Sub-Clan Leader’s seat than he did.
“Your words fill me with shame, nephew.”
Namgung Byuk spoke with a bitter smile.
“What do you mean, Uncle?”
Namgung Geom looked at him with confusion.
“This uncle was consumed by ambition to become Sub-Clan Leader, with little thought for the Clan’s true welfare. Hearing you speak, I see now how lacking I truly am.”
Namgung Byuk meant every word.
Namgung Geom could feel the sincerity in them.
“Uncle Byuk has done so much for the clan all this time—why would you say such a thing?”
Namgung Byuk let out a soft chuckle at Namgung Geom’s words, then replied.
“Do you truly believe that?”
“Of course. I’d stake my life on it—no one in this clan would ever think your devotion to the Namgung Clan comes second to anything.”
Namgung Byuk could feel the sincerity in Namgung Geom’s words.
“Well, at least your words warm my heart.”
Namgung Byuk cleared his throat awkwardly, as if embarrassed.
Namgung Geom smiled, feeling a newfound closeness between them.
But it passed quickly. He composed himself and continued.
“One thing is certain—though you and I may compete, we must never shed each other’s blood.”
Namgung Byuk nodded in agreement.
“Rest assured. I have no desire for strife between kinsmen either.”
“The Righteous Sect spies will keep trying to turn us against each other. Without trust between us, we’ll fall into their schemes.”
Namgung Geom pressed the point once more.
“I understand what you mean. I’ll do my best to hold firm in our faith and not be swayed by their machinations.”
Trust, he knew, wasn’t something effort alone could forge.
Yet the mere intention to try was a positive step.
After exchanging a few more words, Namgung Geom parted with Namgung Byuk and returned to his chambers.
It had already been proven that the accusation Namgung Byuk had ordered his assassination was false.
But the matter was far from resolved.
He still hadn’t identified the true Righteous Sect spy.
Though Namgung Hak had been detained at the Eunryong-gak, every instinct told him the likelihood of Hak being the spy was slim.
Which meant the real spy was someone else entirely—someone he had no way of guessing.
The problem was that if he left the spy unchecked, there was no telling when they’d strike again.
He’d escaped this time, but there was no guarantee he’d be so fortunate next.
He had to find them before they wove their next conspiracy.
Yet no matter how hard he thought, no viable approach came to mind.
Worse, this incident would likely make them go to ground for a while.
Which only made the search harder.
“I’ll sleep on it. Tomorrow I’ll think more clearly.”
After a night spent deploying the Bing Baek Cheon Mang and chasing the cat, exhaustion finally caught up with him.
Physical weariness could be burned away through the Ungi Haengkong cultivation, but mental fatigue yielded to nothing but sleep.
Namgung Geom lay down at once.
Within moments, he slipped into deep slumber.
* * *
The Clanhall of the Namgung Clan.
Present were the Sub-Clan Leader Namgung Pae, the three Hall Masters, the Eunryong-gak Master, and Namgung Geom.
“Let the Eunryong-gak Master report on the matter of the assassination order against the Cheonrae Hall Master.”
At Namgung Pae’s command, the Eunryong-gak Master stepped forward.
He then revealed that the charge against Namgung Byuk for ordering the assassination was without merit.
“Heuk Il Sal, who initially testified that the Cheonrae Hall Master ordered the Crown Prince’s assassination, has now confessed that his testimony was false.”
“Did Heuk Il Sal give any particular reason for suddenly recanting his false testimony?”
Namgung Un, the Cheonpung Hall Master, asked.
“Heuk Il Sal acted on orders from the Black Killing Gate Master to give false testimony. Once the Black Killing Gate Master died, Sal had no reason to maintain the lie.”
“It seems hard to believe he would confess based on that alone.”
Namgung Un’s expression showed clear doubt.
Namgung Bing glanced sideways at Namgung Geom before answering.
“We offered Heuk Il Sal a condition—if he revealed the truth, he would be accepted into the main clan.”
“You mean to take an Evil Sect member into the main clan? An assassin, no less?”
Namgung Seong spoke as if the notion were unacceptable.
“To accept someone who slandered our third brother into the main clan—it’s preposterous.”
Namgung Un made his opposition equally clear.
When Namgung Bing looked toward Namgung Geom, Namgung Geom gave a slight nod and stepped forward.
“It’s not just Heuk Il Sal. Heuk I Sal and Heuk Sam Sal have also agreed to defect to the main clan.”
“The Three Killers, all of them? If the martial world learns we’ve taken them in, they’ll denounce the clan. Sub-Clan Leader, this cannot be permitted under any circumstances.”
Namgung Seong immediately objected, turning his gaze to Namgung Pae.
“Rather than blindly reject and war with those of the Evil Sect, accepting them and guiding them toward righteousness is what a true Righteous Sect should do.”
At Namgung Pae’s words, Namgung Seong’s brow furrowed.
“But the Evil Sect cannot be trusted. No matter how generously we welcome them, their wicked nature will eventually emerge.”
“That is why we intend to reform them through the Geumje Law.”
Namgung Geom answered in her stead.
“The Geumje Law?”
“I’ve mastered an Ice Technique that incorporates the Geumje Law. If I use it, even the Black Killing Gate’s three assassins won’t be able to act recklessly.”
“But why go to such lengths to subdue the three assassins in the first place?”
Namgung Un asked, as if unable to comprehend.
“Because of the Gyo Spy.”
“The Gyo Spy?”
“The Gyo Spy hopes to see the Righteous Sect and Evil Sect destroy each other—a mutual destruction. If we kill the three assassins, we play directly into their hands.”
“Are you saying we should join forces with the Evil Sect?”
Namgung Seong asked, his expression darkening.
“I spoke of the Five Moons Working Together. To stand against the Gyo Spy, we must consider joining hands with the Evil Sect.”
“But the Gyo Spy’s existence hasn’t even been clearly revealed, has it? Isn’t it just one sentence spoken by the leader of the Green Forest Alliance?”
Namgung Seong believed Namgung Geom was exaggerating the threat of the Gyo Spy.
In truth, nothing concrete had been revealed about the Gyo Spy.
The claim that they were Gyo Spies was merely Namgung Geom’s assertion.
There was no solid evidence that they were truly Gyo Spies.
The only real testimony was from Hyeol Rang Chaeju, who had spoken the name “Gyo” and performed the Chil Gong Bun Hyeol technique.
Even that, Namgung Geom had heard alone.
“If you consider only my word, then yes. But when you examine the chain of events, there’s no explanation other than the involvement of a Gyo Spy.”
“The Four Evil Association could easily fabricate such a scheme without the Gyo Spy being involved.”
As Namgung Seong said, Hyeol Rang Chaeju or Heuk Su Chaeju could have been agents of the Four Evil Association.
The same went for the Sub-Clan Leader from Cheongyang.
But if the Four Evil Association were the hidden hand, the Black Killing Gate’s actions made no sense.
The Black Killing Gate had sought to kill Namgung Geom, and had they succeeded, the Namgung Clan and the Five Great Clans would have descended upon the Four Evil Association in retaliation.
Would the Four Evil Association secretly orchestrate an attack on themselves?
In essence, they would be covertly giving the Righteous Sect justification to strike—a contradiction that fell apart under scrutiny.
Namgung Geom explained this logic, and Namgung Seong offered no rebuttal.
“But as it stands now, we have no concrete evidence to expose the Gyo Spy’s true nature. It will be difficult to convince the Five Great Clans with what we have.”
At Namgung Un’s words, Namgung Geom nodded.
“If we can capture a Gyo Spy agent, the Gyo Spy’s true identity will be revealed as well.”
“Then do you have a way to capture one of these agents?”
“There is one possibility.”
It was difficult to find the Gyo Spy’s agents unless they made a move.
Then the solution was to lure them into action.
“And what is that?”
“I will serve as the bait.”
Namgung Bing-ryong
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Baek Wol Geom
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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