36.Martial Arts Appearance

36.Martial Arts Appearance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“…Could they have moved it already?”

 

A mysterious woman with hair as beautiful as ebony fluttered about, moving swiftly.

She surveyed the area with a worried expression, like an investigator, and her speed was remarkable.

 

 

“It was definitely here just a month ago….”

 

 

She bit her lip with her white front teeth.

 

 

The Blood Cult had been secretly trying to encroach upon the Murim.

However, neither the Murim Alliance nor the Black Heaven Alliance were stupid, so they had noticed the signs.

 

 

To investigate this, each Alliance had dispatched individual investigation teams to conduct fact-finding and suppression operations against the Blood Cult.

And she was one of the many investigation leaders dispatched by the Murim Alliance.

 

 

 

 

A ‘Dan’ is a minimal martial force, usually consisting of about 10 to 12 people.

Obviously, it’s impossible for a single ‘Dan’ to suppress a group that’s disrupting the Murim. Therefore, when they discover a large group, they don’t use force at the ‘Dan’ level, but request support from the ‘Dae’.

 

So, when she came with the ‘Dae’ (10 ‘Dan’, about 100-120 people), which is a higher concept than ‘Dan’, everyone and everything had already disappeared.

 

 

 

“It doesn’t seem like they just moved somewhere else.”

 

A handsome man with hair that swayed like a woman’s approached her, Namgung Yui.

He was the epitome of a young nobleman, perfect in every way, and even had a fan, the symbol of a nobleman.

 

 

He was also a ‘Dan’ leader like Namgung Yui, and was also conducting fact-finding and suppression operations against the Blood Cult.

 

 

 

 

He fanned himself, even though it wasn’t hot, and surveyed the surroundings.

 

 

“Considering the bloodstains here and there, it would be more accurate to say they were all murdered rather than moved.”

“Indeed. Who could have done such a thing?”

 

The man smiled slyly at Yui’s question.

 

 

“Wouldn’t it be the Black Heaven Alliance? The Blood Cult’s group would be a thorn in their side as well.”

“Hmm.”

 

 

The man concluded that it was the Black Heaven Alliance’s doing and began writing a report.

But Namgung Yui felt something was off.

 

 

If you look closely, the bloodstains are all splattered in the same direction.

If many martial artists had invaded and suppressed them, blood would have been scattered in all directions during the fight.

But it’s splattered in one direction? Doesn’t it seem like everyone was dealt with in an instant?

 

 

“From this side to that side… Did they emit a large amount of Qi or something… and slaughter all the Blood Cult bastards… No, that’s too far-fetched, isn’t it?”

 

No matter how earth-shattering martial arts may be, it’s still human power in the end. It’s impossible for one person to slaughter over a hundred people, especially in an instant.

Moreover, when you go inside the base, bloodstains were found inside the buildings as well, and these were also splattered in one direction.

But there’s not a single scratch on the buildings themselves, which is enough to make even ghosts lament.

 

 

“What the hell is it?”

 

 

Suddenly, a strong sense of unease enveloped her entire body.

 

 

“Just a moment.”

 

 

She ended up calling all nine ‘Dan’ leaders together.

They had been tidying up the surroundings and writing reports, but they gathered in an instant.

 

 

It’s not like Namgung Yui is in a position to command them. Rather, she was the ninth ‘Dan’ leader, almost the youngest among the ten ‘Dan’ leaders, so her apparent rank was quite low.

 

 

But she is the only woman among the ten ‘Dan’ leaders. And she’s a beauty.

That alone would make her a powerful figure in a field of men, but she was also a daughter of the great Namgung Clan.

 

 

“What is it?”

 

 

The young nobleman was the first to rush over.

He spread his symbolic fan, covered his mouth, and smiled.

 

 

“First ‘Dan’ leader-nim, something seems strange.”

 

He was the first to rush over, so he was the first to attract Yui’s attention.

That alone made him grin from ear to ear.

 

 

“What is so strange?”

“The bloodstains are all splattered in one direction. If a proper fight had taken place, there’s no way the marks would be left like this.”

 

The other ‘Dan’ leaders, including the young nobleman, nodded almost automatically.

 

 

“That’s certainly true.”

“Yeah. It was a bit strange.”

 

The other ‘Dan’ leaders agreed for now.

But in the end, they denied it.

 

 

“But even if it’s strange, if we think about it realistically, it’s most reasonable to assume that the Black Heaven Alliance suppressed them.”

“That’s right. It would be difficult for a single sect to suppress this many Blood Cult members. In the end, it’s either the two Alliances or the Demonic Cult, but the Demonic Cult wouldn’t have come this far.”

“If they had, there would already be chaos.”

“So, it can only be the Black Heaven Alliance.”

 

 

In the first place, they don’t admire Namgung Yui’s skills. They’re just looking at her family and beauty.

That’s why they can deny it without thinking.

 

 

Namgung Yui also felt this.

She had been feeling it steadily since she joined the Alliance, not just today.

 

 

“We highly value Miss Namgung’s meticulousness, but let’s consider this incident as just a coincidence. Sometimes, even if it doesn’t make sense, that’s the answer.”

 

 

In the end, the other ‘Dan’ leaders continued writing their reports as they had been.

Some ‘Dan’ leaders stayed behind to flirt with her, but that’s not what she wanted.

 

 

 

 

+++

 

 

 

 

 

 

“For justice!”

“”For justice!””

 

 

A tavern in a nearby village.

The other ‘Dan’ leaders, except for Namgung Yui, agreed to end the search and suppression of the Blood Cult group found in this area and raised their glasses to celebrate.

The pretext was to celebrate Namgung Yui for resolving the case well. After all, she was the one who found them.

 

 

“With this, our Miss Namgung has finally achieved something!”

“Congratulations, Miss Namgung.”

“…Thank you.”

 

 

In a large room, each person offered her words of blessing.

But she, who was receiving the blessings, didn’t seem to be in a very good mood.

 

 

First of all, their subtly dismissive attitude was annoying, but more than anything, their sticky gazes were quite unpleasant.

 

 

She was such a beautiful woman with a great figure that she usually received lecherous gazes from all directions, but the other ‘Dan’ leaders, who believed themselves to be virtuous gentlemen, were a little less. They were restraining themselves to some extent.

But once they had some alcohol, their male instincts awakened, and they were openly sending her lustful glances.

 

What if she got drunk here? There’s no telling what they might do.

 

 

‘Disgusting.’

 

She thought her colleagues were decent men, but they’re just beasts after all.

Disgust grew within her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“What are you doing here?”

“…First ‘Dan’ leader-nim.”

 

 

When she barely managed to slip out to get some air, that damn young nobleman followed her out.

He must think he’s a true nobleman, because he wasn’t letting go of his fan even at this moment.

At the same time, his eyes were darting around, scanning her body.

 

 

‘…He’s the same.’

 

 

Usually, he’s the man who seems the furthest from desire.

He treats his servants and subordinates well, and he’s polite to women.

 

 

But the true nature that appeared through alcohol was just the same beast.

 

“Is it because of what happened earlier?”

“…Yes. No matter how I think about it, the bloodstains bother me.”

“It’s certainly a strange thing. But as the Fifth ‘Dan’ leader said earlier, sometimes the answer is something that doesn’t make sense at all. And this is one of those cases. One strange thing was caught, but the overall situation is that ‘the Blood Cult group was suppressed by the Black Heaven Alliance’ is the answer.”

“….”

 

 

The First ‘Dan’ leader was saying the same thing as before. And he was still scanning her face and body.

She rapidly became unpleasant.

 

 

“Well, everyone makes mistakes. Discovering the Blood Cult group this time, and on such a large scale, is definitely a great achievement. I, and the other ‘Dan’ leaders, will definitely give you a good evaluation, so don’t worry.”

 

He went on and on with useless words after that.

The most ridiculous thing was that he was reciting a poem that she didn’t even want to hear, thinking he was setting the mood, and she really wanted to punch him in the face.

 

 

But even if she’s a daughter of the Namgung Clan, doing such a thing would create obstacles in the future.

Moreover, her martial arts level is far lower than his, who is the First ‘Dan’ leader.

Even though she’s a daughter of the ‘Namgung Clan’, her level is only second-rate.

 

 

And it’s not like she’s young? That’s not true either. She’s 18 years old. A full-fledged adult.

Even ordinary people, and especially the great disciples of famous sects, reach the first-rate level around the age of 18. And she’s a daughter of the Namgung Clan. Even though she’s been receiving all sorts of elixirs and the clan’s rising martial arts since she was young, the fact that she’s still second-rate means that her talent is lacking.

 

 

Of course, it’s only lacking by ‘great sect’ standards. In the overall Jianghu, being a second-rate martial artist at the age of 18 is still quite talented. Even though she’s been pouring in elixirs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day.

 

 

Unlike the other ‘Dan’ leaders who were going to report to the Alliance, Namgung Yui declared that she would continue the additional investigation, sticking to her insistence from yesterday.

The ‘Dan’ leaders’ faces twisted slightly.

 

 

They even held a congratulatory party and concluded the case before going to report to the Alliance, but what would it look like if one of the ‘Dan’ leaders stayed behind to conduct an additional investigation?

 

“…Miss Namgung, is this really necessary?”

“It’s not resolved in my mind yet. My sisters and I will investigate a little more and then go, so you can go first.”

“….”

 

The ‘Dan’ leaders groaned with a sullen expression.

Not only the ‘Dan’ leaders, but also the members of the ‘Dan’, and even the members of the ‘Dan’ led by Namgung Yui, had faces that said, ‘Why is she being so difficult?’

 

 

But each ‘Dan’ is an independent entity. Unless the leader’s order is given, they couldn’t stop her actions.

 

 

“Then I will stay with you. The remaining ‘Dan’ leaders should return to the Alliance and report.”

“First ‘Dan’ leader-nim!”

“Then we will stay too.”

 

 

The ‘Dan’ leaders sighed, but declared that they would stay, competing with each other.

But Namgung Yui refused.

She rejected their proposal with the noble reason that she couldn’t waste the Murim’s valuable resources on a case that had already been resolved due to a novice’s small judgment.

 

 

“Since there are bloodstains everywhere and no sign of people, we alone are already enough for just the investigation. Overdoing the deployment of forces is just a waste, so seniors, please return to the Alliance.”

 

 

When she said that, even clasping her hands in front, the ‘Dan’ leaders eventually retreated.

Of course, they weren’t in a good mood.