Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 82

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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 82
“Lord Clan Leader. As I mentioned before….”
“Do you know how to play Go?”
At the abrupt question that cut off my words, I faltered.
“I’ve learned it, but I’m not skilled at it.”
“When you have time, try to learn it properly. You’ll gain much from it.”
“Why are you suddenly bringing up Go?”
“Do you know what determines victory and defeat in Go?”
“Isn’t it determined by the number of territories created?”
“Yes, and the struggle for the world is no different from a Go board.”
When I wore a puzzled expression, Dokgo Cheon opened his mouth with a forceful tone.
“We protected our territory this time, but we suffered losses. If we end it here, this grand game will ultimately end in defeat.”
“Losses? Rather, didn’t we land a significant blow on them?”
A Blood General had died, and there was even a large-scale purge. For the Bloodfiend Sect, it was a considerable hemorrhage.
“Of course, as you say, we won this battle.”
Dokgo Cheon’s eyes gleamed.
“But that’s where it ends. We inflicted damage on them, yet we gained nothing. Haven’t we actually suffered losses?”
“So how is that a loss?”
“To strike away an opponent’s stones that have entered your territory, you must inevitably reduce your own territory.”
My eyes trembled slightly.
“So you’re saying we suffered losses from the moment we let them enter.”
“Correct. You understand quickly.”
“If we gain nothing by continuing a winning battle, then we lose in war.”
Dokgo Cheon nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Moreover, unlike Go, their only objective is to destroy our territory. According to your words, the true enemy from the start is….”
“The Cult of the Divine Blood.”
“Yes.”
I asked carefully.
“What connection does that have with allowing some of the traitors to breathe?”
“Rather than ending this one battle here, we’re going to drag it out and pull them before our eyes.”
“Surely you don’t mean to use them as bait? Like you did with me?”
“….”
Dokgo Cheon suddenly fell silent.
His expression was enigmatic.
He gazed at me with eyes that seemed simultaneously surprised, admiring, and regretful.
“You said Myeong-i is coming of age this year, didn’t you?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. That’s correct.”
Dokgo Cheon murmured with a very brief breath.
“…It would have been better if you were a bit older.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing.”
Dokgo Cheon shook his head dismissively.
Soon his expression grew serious once more.
“You’re right. I intend to use them as bait.”
Whoosh!
Dokgo Cheon produced a single sheet of paper.
My eyes brightened.
“These are the people listed on that roster you showed me before.”
The Sword Master of Saryeon Hall, Geo Ryeong-geom, Na Eon-sang, the Sword Master of Heukchel Hall, Cheon Ryeok-do, Im Ryung….
These were individuals confirmed to be connected to the Jeongheol Sect’s main branch, or originally from that faction.
Dokgo Cheon spoke.
“I plan to cultivate them as executives of the Main Sect.”
“…!”
“I’ll create circumstances where the Jeongheol Sect bastards have no choice but to deploy the agents we’ve cultivated. Even if they’re suspicious, they’ll be forced to use them.”
I swallowed dryly.
A bold move. A dangerous one.
Had anyone else proposed this, I would have scoffed. But the opponent was the Jeongheol Sect, after all.
Yet the one speaking was none other than Dokgo Cheon, the Sword Saint of Iron Blood.
“Is this how the Main Sect handles its agents?”
“It’s one of many methods.”
“….”
I wore a momentarily stunned expression.
‘This is truly….’
I thought I understood Dokgo Cheon to some degree, yet he continually revealed more.
‘No, he’s deliberately showing me.’
In the past, he wouldn’t have shared such detailed explanations.
Even if he had, he would have imposed conditions.
Since that recent conversation, I had noticed that the way Dokgo Cheon treated me had changed.
Then, Dokgo Cheon suddenly spoke in a gentler tone.
“Myeong.”
“Yes.”
“You certainly know more about the Jeongheol Sect than this old man. Of course, there’s much you haven’t revealed either.”
“That is….”
“Heh heh, you brat. Do I look like someone who would pry into whether his grandfather knows less than his grandson? I’m not interrogating you.”
That’s true—he wasn’t that sort of person.
Whether tracking someone or releasing them, what he needed was someone who could discover things directly.
“No matter how much you know, I’m telling you that you cannot devise a better strategy than this old man.”
The corners of my eyes twitched.
“Are you dampening the spirits of someone who’s been up all night working?”
“What do you think the reason might be?”
Dokgo Myeong answered with a slight grumble.
“Because the times have changed.”
“The times? Yes, that’s true as well. But to be precise, it’s because you still only see the small skirmishes on the board, not the board itself.”
“…!”
“I told you before. You must become the one wielding the sword, not the one being wielded.”
Dokgo Myeong’s expression hardened.
‘Perspective.’
It was the very thing I had felt most lacking in recently.
“Look at the entire board. If you wish to become a great figure, you must see the forest, not the trees.”
“How should I cultivate such perspective, sir?”
Dokgo Cheon’s eye corners curved like a crescent moon.
“You’ve already cultivated it. You simply haven’t tried to see it.”
Dokgo Myeong let out a hollow laugh.
‘It feels like I’m looking at my master.’
Despite being counted among the top three martial artists in the realm, Dokgo Cheon had never discussed martial arts with me.
Instead, he imparted teachings far greater than that.
Teachings that truly became my flesh and blood.
Dokgo Myeong grinned widely.
“Should I start calling you Master from now on?”
“Don’t test my patience.”
“….”
Dokgo Myeong smacked his lips.
Why did he have to mention patience again?
“Let us return to the original matter.”
Dokgo Cheon furrowed his brow.
“The number of Jeongheol Sect members was greater than expected. And likely far more than what we’ve identified.”
At Dokgo Cheon’s words, Dokgo Myeong straightened his posture.
“There may be members of underground organizations who don’t even know they belong to the Jeongheol Sect.”
“Such drifters aren’t worth worrying about. The problem is those like the ones you faced. I continue to harbor doubts.”
Dokgo Cheon smiled.
It was a smile brimming with killing intent.
“Whether it truly ended with the Sword Immortal and the Tortoise Shell Sect Leader.”
“….”
“Whether those two are truly all who receive direct orders from the Jeongheol Sect’s headquarters.”
Now it seemed Dokgo Cheon had also come to recognize the troublesome nature of the Jeongheol Sect.
“Do you truly not know of any identifying marks among the sect members? Tattoos or secret language, for instance?”
Martial artists of the same organization often share coded language, speech patterns, and gestures. That was what secret language meant.
“No, there won’t be any. Those aren’t the type to leave such traces.”
“Is there a way to identify them through martial arts characteristics?”
“It might be possible if a master with highly refined inner energy examined each person’s dantian individually.”
“Hmm.”
“If they’re openly concealing their true energy, it will be difficult to identify them.”
Unlike the martial arts of the Cult of the Divine Blood, the martial arts of Jeongheol’s sect revealed no distinctive characteristics until the internal energy was actively circulated according to their unique cultivation method.
‘They’re no different from cuckoos.’
Madmen whose true identities remain unknown until they’ve hatched from their shells.
The fear that those who lived alongside them and shared fellowship might be few and far between.
Dokgo Myeong, who had been carefully gauging Dokgo Cheon’s reaction, opened his mouth cautiously.
“Are you alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems you’ve been much more conscious of them than you were at first.”
Dokgo Cheon smiled, pulling only the corners of his mouth upward.
The smile revealing his pale teeth looked utterly sinister.
“These are the men who dared to draw their blades to my throat. Shouldn’t I take appropriate measures against them?”
Anger seeped through his tone.
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes brightened.
“Ahem, well then.”
“Hmm?”
“There is actually one method that exploits their characteristics. Would you like to try it?”
“What is it?”
“It’s faith, sir.”
What is the characteristic of those who receive direct orders from Jeongheol’s sect?
It is that they believe in Jeongheol’s sect’s doctrine.
Fanatically, at that.
“Faith?”
“If we utilize that, there is exactly one method to root them out. However, since this isn’t a normal approach….”
“Go ahead and tell me.”
“Ah, this is… I’m really worried you’ll misunderstand when you hear it….”
Soon after, Dokgo Myeong opened his mouth, his clear eyes sparkling brilliantly.
Conversely, Dokgo Cheon’s expression twisted upon hearing this method.
* * *
The atmosphere within the Dokgo Household was unsettled.
Investigations continued not only to root out the lackeys of Jeongheol’s sect but also to expose all manner of spies.
Among them, those from the Black Dragon Sect and Cheonyi Hall naturally received the most suspicion and scrutiny, followed by the martial artists of the Law Enforcement Bureau.
After such meticulous investigation, Wang Bang, a martial artist of the Inspection Bureau under the Law Enforcement Bureau, had his innocence proven.
“All officials of the Department of Penal Code, step forward.”
Now he was instead tasked with rooting out the spies.
The first target was the Department of Penal Code, which belonged to the same family as the Law Enforcement Bureau and was responsible for the enforcement and revision of family law—its practitioners.
“Martial Artist Wang. You know we’ve already been investigated for several days? Our innocence has been proven, so why investigate again?”
“It is an order.”
“What I mean is, because of the heavy workload from dealing with those exposed this time….”
“I repeat—it’s an order from above.”
“Above? If you mean the upper echelon of the Law Enforcement Bureau….”
“The Inner Sect.”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju’s expression hardened.
If it were any other organization, the Law Enforcement Bureau—a blade wielded for justice—would not move at the command of a mere administrator.
However, within the Dokgo Clan, Wi Baek held only the title of administrator in name. In truth, his orders were to be regarded as commands from the clan head himself.
Wang Bang opened his mouth with a calm tone.
“Will you cooperate with us from now on?”
“…Very well.”
“Don’t worry. It’s a brief investigation. I ask that you enter the chamber one by one.”
After that, the inspectors’ warriors escorted them one by one into the chamber.
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju watched the process with an uncomfortable expression.
As most of them entered and exited the chamber, nothing unusual occurred.
‘As expected. With all those investigations, there shouldn’t be any more traitors….’
Then it happened.
Crash!
Someone burst through the chamber door.
“You disrespectful bastards!”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju’s eyes widened in shock.
‘Why on earth is he——!’
He had been quite fond of this subordinate. The man was loyal and diligent….
“You filthy, wretched creatures destined for the deepest hell! With your blood, I——!”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju couldn’t believe his eyes.
This was not the man he knew. The subordinate who had never once lost his temper now contorted his face like a malevolent spirit, spewing venom—it was utterly shocking.
“Seize him! He’s a traitor!”
“Don’t kill him! Capture him alive!”
Thud! Whoosh!
The restraint was swift.
The inspectors’ warriors immediately knocked the traitor unconscious and dragged him away.
“…Another one caught.”
Wang Bang emerged from the chamber with a subtly uncomfortable expression and muttered to himself.
He shook his head back and forth, then shifted his gaze.
“I’ll continue the investigation. Who’s next?”
“…Me.”
“Chief, please come in.”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju swallowed dryly and stepped forward.
‘What method of interrogation could possibly expose traitors so easily?’
This traitor had not been discovered even after days of meticulous investigation.
Moreover, the time spent entering and exiting the chamber was mere moments.
‘Is he scanning their dantians? Placing restrictions? Surely not sorcery….’
Neither action was something a martial artist could condone.
Creak!
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju entered the interrogation room with a bewildered expression.
“Cheong-ju. This is an interrogation, so I ask your understanding for the informal tone.”
“…I understand. Please proceed.”
“From now on, repeat every word I say without missing a single syllable.”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju nodded, maintaining his composure.
“Shedding blood alone cannot lead to rebirth as Jeongheol.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just repeat what I say.”
“Shedding blood alone cannot lead to… what? Rebirth as Jeongheol? Is that correct?”
Wang Bang nodded.
“…Is that all?”
Could this be some kind of sorcery or suggestion? Was he actually placing a curse? What in the world….
Inspector Wang Bang answered.
“There is one more, so repeat it correctly as well.”
“As expected. I am innocent. Do whatever you wish.”
“….”
“….”
“Sigh.”
In the silence, Wang Bang suddenly exhaled a long breath.
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju’s eyes flickered slightly.
‘What could it be that even the inspector hesitates over?’
A sigh from an inspector so composed that not a drop of blood would spill even if pricked with a needle—how ominous.
Just how vicious could this interrogation method be!
Wang Bang’s lips slowly opened.
“Do not misunderstand. From now on, Cheong-ju, repeat my words.”
“I am ready.”
Wang Bang began speaking as if exhaling a long sigh.
“…The Jeongheol Sect Leader is a bastard.”
“What did you just say?”
“Repeat after me: The Jeongheol Sect Leader is a bastard.”
“The Jeongheol Sect Leader is a bastard…?”
“That’s it. We’re done.”
Clatter!
Wang Bang rose from his seat with an expression that screamed he wanted to leave immediately.
“Done? That’s it?”
Sorcery? Suggestion or curses…?
“Yes. That is all. Thank you for your cooperation.”
“Wait!”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju’s brow furrowed deeply.
“What are you suggesting now! Even if I’m the Director of the Department of Penal Code under the Law Enforcement Bureau, you’re letting this slide so carelessly!”
“….”
“If anything, those in higher positions must be investigated all the more thoroughly! Wang Bang! How could an Inspector just…!”
Hyeong-ryul Cheong-ju took pride in being the one who upheld the laws of the Dokgo Clan.
That was precisely why he rose from his seat in anger, his chair scraping back.
Wang Bang squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his palm against his forehead.
“This is truly the end of it.”
“…What?”
“This… is the end, I’m telling you.”
Wang Bang finally released a heavy sigh, his gaze turning toward the distant horizon.
* * *
“Nearly ten additional individuals have been identified.”
“…Is that true?”
“Yes, there are quite a few who refuse to speak.”
At Wi Baek’s report, Dokgo Cheon’s expression became inscrutable.
Wi Baek spoke in a low murmur.
“Fanaticism is truly incomprehensible in many ways. I opposed it, but it proved effective.”
Wi Baek expressed genuine admiration.
Dokgo Cheon chuckled softly and muttered to himself.
“Come to think of it, I employed similar tactics when dealing with the heretical sect’s followers.”
“Is that so?”
“Not with such crude language, of course. Or perhaps… that’s precisely why it was more effective….”
Dokgo Cheon shook his head back and forth.
One could never quite tell what that man truly had in mind.
“Have orders been conveyed to the Law Enforcement Bureau?”
“Yes, by now Young Master Myeong-i should have arrived there.”
“I hear no one speaks easily, so I’m curious what that fellow will manage to uncover.”
Unlike before, Dokgo Cheon no longer made negative predictions about Dokgo Myeong.

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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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