The Great Heavenly Sword Emperor - Chapter 8

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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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#008. Traces of the East (2)

“I wondered where you’d disappeared to after all that commotion. I never expected you’d come calling at this hour of the night.”
Gwang An spoke as he settled into the seat across from Cheon Muwgyeol.
“I met with Sal Su.”
“Yes, I know. There was quite an uproar at the inn where you’re staying. I thought you’d pay no mind to such things, so we took it upon ourselves to clean up the mess.”
Despite Gwang An’s mixture of boasting and reproach, Cheon Muwgyeol merely nodded, his expression unchanged.
“Set that aside for now. What was your impression?”
“The man I met today was also searching for Gwigok. His resentment ran deep.”
“Could it have been Mukryeon?”
Gwang An asked in surprise, and Cheon Muwgyeol nodded while studying his face.
“Hmm… So it was indeed Mukryeon who reacted to the Gwi Wang Jeon. But tell me—did Ryeon Ju appear in person?”
“I can’t say if it was Ryeon Ju, but he was quite a formidable man. Deep grievances, considerable skill, and rage beyond measure.”
“Then it seems Jang Pa Pung was right. But then again, when it comes to matters concerning Gwigok, he’d rise from the grave itself. That’s how profound his hatred for Gwigok runs.”
“It appears you already knew of the connection between Mukryeon and Gwigok.”
“I did know. It’s no secret—it’s already widely known. That’s why the Gangho grew quite tense at the time. No one could predict what consequences might follow from a clash between those two powers.”
“Did their conflict create any serious problems?”
“Not particularly. Gwigok disappeared immediately afterward.”
Gwang An had known all along.
He spoke of it casually, as if it were common knowledge the whole world shared.
The whole world knew, but Cheon Muwgyeol had not.
Why had he not mentioned it?
“But why did you seek me out at such a late hour?”
At Gwang An’s question, Cheon Muwgyeol fixed him with an unwavering gaze.
“You must have come because you were curious about something. I’m simply asking what that something is. For instance…”
“For instance.”
“Who commissioned Gwigok most frequently, that sort of thing.”
At Gwang An’s words, Cheon Muwgyeol held his tongue.
He seemed to be watching to see just how much Gwang An would reveal.
“I’m curious what that look in your eyes means.”
“It feels as though I’m being played with.”
At Cheon Muwgyeol’s response, Gwang An burst into laughter.
“Hah! Played with? How could someone like me, who lives by trafficking in information alone, possibly manipulate a man of your standing?”
“I’ve given it thought. You told me of the Gwi Wang Jeon and the existence of Gwigok, but you made no mention whatsoever of anything related to Mukryeon.”
“That’s true. Your curiosity was directed solely at the Gwi Wang Jeon and Gwigok, not at Mukryeon. Moreover, I concluded that Gwigok’s disappearance was not due to war with Mukryeon, so I saw no reason to mention it.”
Gwang An spoke as if it were a trivial matter, but for Cheon Muwgyeol it was anything but.
Rather, such an attitude only deepened the doubts he had harbored before arriving at Bohyeonsa.
“To be frank, I anticipated that you might make contact with Sal Su. And my hypothesis was this: those who attacked you at the Cheon Geom Jang upon seeing the Gwi Wang Jeon you displayed—I believed they might make a move. I didn’t entirely rule out the possibility that Mukryeon would act, but that seemed less likely.”
At Gwang An’s words, Cheon Muwgyeol regarded him with a piercing gaze.
But Gwang An met his stare without so much as a blink.
“So, if those men from the Cheon Geom Jang were to target you again, we at Bohyeonsa had prepared ourselves to track their traces.”
Even with Gwang An’s explanation, Cheon Muwgyeol did not abandon his suspicion.
And in his mind, he continued to contemplate endlessly.
How far could he trust Bohyeonsa? How far could he trust Gwang An?
As if Gwang An had anticipated such a conversation, his demeanor was subtly different from usual—composed and measured.
It was far too early yet to form a final judgment of Gwang An.
“In any case, you now understand the relationship between Gwigok and Mukryeon, and the sequence of events leading up to their disappearance. So you haven’t come away empty-handed.”
“Can you truly call that progress?”
“Why wouldn’t you? Until now, you knew nothing at all. But now you know new facts, and those facts are crucial to how you plan your next moves.”
Cheon Muwgyeol made no response to Gwang An’s words.
He seemed to disagree with Gwang An’s assessment.
Seeing this, Gwang An sighed softly and continued.
“Most events in this world arise from relationships. The war between Mukryeon and Gwigok is no exception. But what appears on the surface is not the whole truth. There exists another relationship, hidden and bound so tightly that it is difficult to unearth.”
At Gwang An’s meaningful words, Cheon Muwgyeol opened his mouth.
“Is that what you were referring to earlier?”
Gwang An nodded in response to his question.
“That’s correct. It’s what I learned discreetly after the second day of your arrival at Bohyeonsa. To be honest, it’s a burden to carry, and it’s not something I’d ordinarily recommend discussing.”
“I don’t mind. Whatever it is.”
“You may feel that way, but for an organization like Bohyeonsa, this information could prove dangerous.”
Gwang An lowered his voice as he spoke.
He was clearly emphasizing that what he had to say was grave, perilous, and of great consequence.
“It’s alright. Please, go ahead.”
At Cheon Muwgyeol’s encouragement, Gwang An exhaled softly and gave a reluctant nod before finally opening his mouth.
“It wasn’t easy to uncover, but the organization that commissioned Gwigok most frequently was none other than Dongbang Sega.”
Gwang An paused, watching Cheon Muwgyeol’s reaction carefully.
Dongbang Sega.
A name inseparable from Cheon Muwgyeol himself.
One of the two Guardian Families that had served Cheon Geom Dae Je.
Which meant Dongbang Sega and Gwigok shared a close relationship.
“Dongbang Sega.”
Cheon Muwgyeol rose from his seat, repeating the name as though tasting it, then began pacing through the hall lost in thought.
His footsteps echoed softly as he moved back and forth.
“Yes, that’s right. Dongbang Sega—currently at the apex of the Gangho.”
Just as Gwang An said, Dongbang Sega, once a Guardian Family, still wielded tremendous power and influence from its position at the pinnacle of the martial realm.
And that was precisely what made the revelation so dangerous and burdensome.
If matters went awry, it could easily be interpreted as Dongbang Sega having used Gwigok to bring down Cheon Geom Jang.
“Dongbang Sega consistently commissioned work from Gwigok until the organization vanished. Gwigok faithfully carried out every contract. Whether this was merely a transactional relationship or concealed something deeper, I cannot say.”
Gwang An continued, choosing his words with care.
“Nor can I determine whether their connection severed because Gwigok disappeared, or whether Gwigok went into hiding on Dongbang Sega’s orders.”
“Then I have a question for you.”
Cheon Muwgyeol turned to face Gwang An directly.
The principles and strategy he had established before arriving at Bohyeonsa were now being put into motion.
“Of course. Please, ask.”
“What do you think their relationship actually was?”
At the question, Gwang An let out a small laugh.
“Didn’t I just say? That it’s impossible to know—”
“No. I’m asking for your personal analysis and interpretation based on the facts you’ve presented.”
He posed questions that cut straight to the heart of the matter.
When Gwang An tried to evade with clever rhetoric, Cheon Muwgyeol pressed him, shutting down the escape route.
And he executed that principle flawlessly.
“Heh, heh. You do ask difficult questions, don’t you?”
“Difficult? Why would it be? There’s only you and me here, and this conversation stays between us. I’m hardly going to run around spreading gossip.”
The tone Cheon Muwgyeol now employed resembled Gwang An’s own.
Through his exchanges with Gwang An, Cheon Muwgyeol was absorbing his manner of speech.
He had come to understand, in this short time, that such subtlety was necessary.
Gwang An was smiling, but his inner thoughts ran differently.
He was well aware that a different kind of tension—a battle of wits—had begun, unlike their first meetings.
“Before I answer, allow me one question in return.”
At Gwang An’s words, Cheon Muwgyeol inclined his head.
“What intention lies behind the question you just asked me?”
“How could there be any intention?”
“True. Even if there were, you wouldn’t readily admit it.”
Cheon Muwgyeol said nothing in response.
He could not be certain how much of what Gwang An had revealed was truth.
But following the strategy he had set beforehand, Cheon Muwgyeol was determined to speak sparingly and extract as much as possible from Gwang An.
“I ask out of curiosity, not from hidden motives. Motives only form after I’ve heard the answer, don’t they?”
Cheon Muwgyeol’s response was textbook perfect.
And it was more than enough to corner Gwang An.
The world abounds with clever deceptions, but it is the fundamentals that ultimately overcome them.
Cheon Muwgyeol was cornering Gwang An with textbook precision.
His expression unchanged from usual, yet his eyes burned with an intensity sharper than ever before as he fixed his gaze on Gwang An.
Speak.
Prove to me that you and Bohyeonsa are worthy of walking this path with me.
That was what Cheon Muwgyeol’s eyes were saying.
After a moment of deliberation, Gwang An let out a sigh of resignation.
“Well then… very good. I’ll trust your word and tell you. My personal conviction is that Gwigok was the shadow side of Dongbang Sega.”
Gwang An’s expression grew serious as he lowered his voice and continued.
“Gwigok was an assassin organization that appeared late on the scene. Heuk Sal and Mukryeon have histories built over long years in the Assassin World, solid foundations, reputation, and renown. Gwigok, however, was different. It appeared suddenly, seemingly from nowhere.”
Cheon Muwgyeol nodded at Gwang An’s words.
“And yet Gwigok achieved tremendous growth in a short period—enough to threaten Mukryeon itself. That would be impossible through Gwigok’s strength alone. Someone had to be backing them, lending them power. You cannot simply lend strength to anyone; there must be a reason.”
“Dongbang Sega backed Gwigok, and in exchange, Gwigok handled Dongbang Sega’s work for them.”
“Yes. That is my personal belief.”
“Then, what do you think happened to Gwigok? Why did they vanish?”
Cheon Muwgyeol pressed forward with his questions, drawing more from Gwang An.
“Do you know who becomes the most troublesome existence to someone with dirty secrets?”
At Gwang An’s question, Cheon Muwgyeol regarded him in silence.
“It is the one who knows their secrets. Who knew the most about Dongbang Sega’s secrets?”
“Dongbang Sega eliminated Gwigok?”
“For a family of Dongbang Sega’s standing, such a thing would be simple work. Otherwise, how could Gwigok—an organization that grew so rapidly and swelled its ranks in the Assassin World—vanish so completely, as if evaporating into thin air? It would be nothing short of a mystery.”
Gwang An finished speaking and leaned back slightly, his voice dropping even lower.
“But this is merely speculation, merely one hypothesis among many. I have no certainty. And I must emphasize—do not interpret this as meaning that Dongbang Sega used Gwigok to attack Cheon Geom Jang or any such thing. I have never suggested anything of that sort.”
“I understand.”
Cheon Muwgyeol answered briefly.
There seemed to be no falsehood in Gwang An’s words.
Though it was unlikely he had revealed everything, he did not appear to be intentionally withholding anything either.
His judgment of Gwang An would require more time, but he sensed that moving forward, he would no longer be led by Gwang An—he could take the initiative himself.
Lost in thought, Cheon Muwgyeol picked up an incense stick.
“I have one more curiosity.”
“Ask away.”
At Gwang An’s reply, Cheon Muwgyeol shook his head.
“No. I wish to ask that question of someone else.”
Ping!
With that, Cheon Muwgyeol hurled the incense stick he held directly at the door.
The stick flew sharply through the paper screen, piercing it in an instant.
Crack!
The door shattered, and a figure burst through.
“Damn it!”
It was Jang Pa Pung.

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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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