Chapter v19c21

## Interrogation

– Namgung-Sang Summoned to the Interrogation Room

“Hey, Hyun-Woon! Did you hear? Eldest Senior Brother was arrested! Eldest Senior Brother!”

Jin-Ryeong’s face was flushed, as if she had just witnessed the impossible.

“Ah, Miss Jin. Of course, I heard. The entire academy has been in a celebratory mood since last night. You’re a bit late to the party.”

There were even rumors of some Vermilion Bird group members having a celebratory drink. Hyun-Woon looked at her with a curious expression.

“But shouldn’t you be more concerned about your own lover, who’s probably wishing he was dead right now?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Jin-Ryeong asked, confused.

“Because your beloved Gungsang was also arrested.”

Hyun-Woon immediately covered his ears.

* * *

*Screech!*

The heavy door creaked open, the jarring sound echoing through the room, and a figure stepped inside.

The young man sitting on the lone chair in the center of the room frowned slightly at the sunlight streaming through the doorway.

“It’s been a while, Unit Leader Namgung.”

The young man in white greeted him without bowing.

“It’s been a while, ‘Junior’ Baek!”

Baek Moo-Young’s hand, reaching for the chair, paused momentarily. But he quickly regained his composure and sat down.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to meet in a place like this.”

Namgung-Sang replied, looking around the room.

“It’s certainly not a pleasant place for a meeting. It’s quite gloomy.”

The room was dark and oppressive, the only window a tiny hole high up on the wall, out of reach. The lighting was poor, a single candle flickering weakly in the darkness, adding to the gloominess.

And it wasn’t just the room. He had been greeted by menacing guards when he entered. The heavy iron door was now closed. It wasn’t a friendly place.

“It’s not too late. I’ll accept your apology if you apologize now.”

Namgung-Sang said magnanimously.

“I’m afraid I can’t apologize. It’s official business. Please understand.”

His offer was rejected.

“I don’t understand, but I won’t condemn you.”

He was trying to be understanding, but Baek Moo-Young wasn’t pleased. The initial exchange of barbs ended there.

Namgung-Sang asked,

“So, why did you summon me here? I don’t recall being involved in anything that would warrant a visit to such a grand place.”

“You never know. Your memory might not be what it used to be. Maybe you’ll remember if you think hard enough.”

This was the interrogation room, and Baek Moo-Young intended to use it for its intended purpose.

“You’re aware of the recent incident that’s been causing a stir in Nanchang, right?”

“The serial murders of the aspiring entrants? But I didn’t kill anyone. I haven’t even seen them. How can I kill someone I haven’t even seen? I don’t possess such supernatural abilities.”

Baek Moo-Young shook his head, his expression disapproving.

“False testimony can be used against you later. So think carefully.”

“False testimony? Can you prove that?”

A sharp glint flashed in his usually friendly eyes. Only two people could dull that glint, and Baek Moo-Young wasn’t one of them.

But he was the scholar of the Nine Stars Society. He couldn’t back down from a mere glare.

Their eyes met, their gazes clashing like sparks.

“You can kill with your eyes, but you can’t change the truth. I wouldn’t say something I can’t prove.”

Baek Moo-Young replied, his voice steady.

*Clap! Clap!*

“Bring them in.”

The heavy iron door creaked open again, following Baek Moo-Young’s signal. Four young men, their heads bowed, their shoulders slumped, shuffled into the room. They were clearly disciples from prestigious sects, judging by their attire, but their demeanor was lacking.

“Well? Do you recognize them?”

Namgung-Sang’s eyes widened. He had definitely seen them before. Very recently.

And then he noticed something strange.

‘One, two, three, four…’

He counted again, but he was still one finger short. He hadn’t suddenly grown an extra finger.

“This is strange.”

“Do you remember something?”

Baek Moo-Young asked, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

“One is missing.”

“Hmm, is that so? Who’s missing?”

Baek Moo-Young feigned ignorance, even though he knew the missing person was lying dead in the No Resentment Unit’s morgue.

“The one who spat.”

“The one who spat?”

That was an unexpected answer.

“Who’s that?”

He was confused. And annoyed. He was starting to resent his current situation.

“There was another guy with them, the one who violated public decency. Don’t tell me…”

Namgung-Sang looked at Baek Moo-Young, his eyes wide, his index finger pointing upwards. Baek Moo-Young nodded twice.

“You probably won’t be seeing him for a while.”

“Why not?”

“He’s dead.”

Namgung-Sang’s eyes widened.

“How?”

“That’s what I want to ask you.”

Baek Moo-Young replied, his voice laced with annoyance.

‘Did Eldest Senior Brother…?!’

He remembered the incident from last night.

* * *

“Spare that one!”

* * *

He had assumed Bi Ryu-Yeon was just being dramatic, but he hadn’t expected him to actually kill the guy.

He looked at the four young men, trying to gauge the situation. But they were all staring at the ground, their faces hidden.

Baek Moo-Young was puzzled.

‘Hmm, why are they acting like that? Are they afraid of Namgung-Sang?’

They were all trembling like frightened rabbits, their bodies huddled together. None of them dared to meet his gaze.

‘What did he do to them?’

His guess was correct. These four had been “tenderly” treated by Namgung-Sang just yesterday, and the evidence was still visible.

Namgung-Sang clicked his tongue.

“Are you guilty of something? Why are you all so scared? Do you think I’m going to jump you and peel your faces off just because you showed up?”

It was a veiled threat, implying that he would peel their faces off if they didn’t show up. He was being influenced by his surroundings. The four young men flinched as if they had been struck by lightning. They raised their heads, and Namgung-Sang finally got a good look at their faces.

“What happened to your faces? Did you get into a fight yesterday?”

He asked, his expression concerned, as he looked at their bruised and battered faces.

‘You did it!’

They wanted to shout, but remembering yesterday’s lesson, they said in unison,

“N-no, sir. Nothing happened.”

“See? Nothing happened.”

Namgung-Sang shrugged, and Baek Moo-Young couldn’t hold back anymore.

“You’ve changed! You weren’t this shameless before! Nothing happened? Just look at them! They’re trembling! Stop lying and tell us the truth!”

His forehead was creased with anger, his veins bulging.

“The world is constantly changing! People change too. Calm down. I’ll tell you everything.”

* * *

“Caw! Ptooey!”

One of the challengers, who had clearly ganged up on him, spat on the ground, his attitude arrogant and disrespectful. He even added a dramatic “Caw!” for good measure.

Namgung-Sang’s face darkened as he witnessed this suicidal act.

‘Oh, God!’

He sighed, appealing to the heavens. The blood drained from his face. This idiot!

‘W-what have you done…?!’

He felt a headache coming on.

But it was too late. You couldn’t gather spilled water or swallow spit back. But there was one person who could make the impossible possible.

“Gungsang-ah~!”

The voice, rising on “Gung,” falling on “Sang,” and lingering on “Ah,” was clearly annoyed. Namgung-Sang knew it instantly.

“Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!”

He replied immediately.

“Spare that one!”

He didn’t need to point. Namgung-Sang knew exactly who he was talking about.

“Yes! Understood, Eldest Senior Brother!”

It meant he had to deal with the rest himself, but he didn’t complain. An actor couldn’t act without a stage, and a being couldn’t exist outside the constraints of time and space. The beauty of truth was that it applied universally. Truth didn’t discriminate. So choosing the right time and place to rebel was a universal truth that transcended even time and space.

And right now, the time and place were very unfavorable. If he made a wrong move, he would be caught in the crossfire.

‘That damn fool went and poked the hornet’s nest…’

He gritted his teeth.

‘Does he think this is a street brawl…?’

Whoever that idiot was, he had made a huge mistake. A fire, once ignited in a powder keg, wouldn’t be extinguished until it had consumed everything. He needed a drastic solution.

This wasn’t a petty squabble between street thugs. If that was what he thought, he was delusional. This was a high-stakes battle against a true expert.

The fool’s intention was obvious. He was trying to intimidate him with his dirty appearance and his foul mouth. But as he had said before, this wasn’t a street brawl. Acting recklessly without understanding your opponent was suicide.

Tricks didn’t work on true experts. He should have known that. He was already exposed the moment he appeared. No, he was already assessed before he even appeared, just by his footsteps and his aura. He could have gotten away with it if he had just stayed quiet. But he had acted impulsively, like a mudskipper, failing to grasp the situation, his opponent, or the location. He had violated a critical taboo, unable to control his itchy tongue.

‘Let’s fight!’

…He said?

You had to be careful when splitting words in half. The edges were sharp, and they could hurt you. His inability to distinguish between when to speak and when to remain silent showed his lack of judgment. But his opponent wasn’t a kind soul who would tolerate such foolishness.

Bi Ryu-Yeon hated arrogance and despised vulgarity. They were useless against true strength.

The fool would have to pay for his misjudgment. The world always demanded accountability for your actions.

‘Karma.’

He would learn the hard way that those four words weren’t just a Buddhist slogan.

* * *

“So you killed him?”

Baek Moo-Young asked, his face inches away from Namgung-Sang’s, his voice sharp.

“I didn’t kill him! Stop trying to lead me!”

Namgung-Sang replied, his voice annoyed.

“Tsk, you’re caught. But you really did that?”

Baek Moo-Young still couldn’t believe it.

“I told you, I did. You can believe me.”

Namgung-Sang replied, his expression suggesting he understood his disbelief.

“You’re crazy…”

“I agree!”

It was the first time they had agreed on something.

“The quality of the aspiring entrants has declined.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I’m surprised they even think they can pass the exam.”

“There are more people who don’t know themselves than those who do, even if they’re right in front of you.”

“They think they know everything because they’re so close. They need to stop deluding themselves.”

“So what happened?”

“I knew instantly that Bi Gongzi was going to punish him. So I decided to clear the area. And then Bi Gongzi…”

“Wait a minute!”

Baek Moo-Young interrupted him.

“What is it?”

“I’ve been wondering, why do you call him Bi Gongzi? He’s your junior, isn’t he?”

“Cough! J-junior…”

Namgung-Sang coughed, the word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. It was technically true, but it didn’t feel real. It was too surreal.

“Gongzi… That’s a bit too formal, don’t you think?”

Calling him “Bi Ryu-Yeon” or “Junior Ryu-Yeon” was unthinkable.

“I respect people regardless of their age or seniority. Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re better, right?”

He knew it was just an excuse.

He wasn’t choosing not to call him by his name. He couldn’t.

Why not?

It was just him and Baek Moo-Young here. Even with his sharp ears and eyes, Eldest Senior Brother couldn’t possibly be watching them. So why couldn’t he call him whatever he wanted? But he couldn’t bring himself to call him “Bi Ryu-Yeon,” “Junior Ryu-Yeon,” or even “that bastard.” He wanted to shout “The king has donkey ears!” at the top of his lungs, even if it was in a secluded bamboo forest. But years of relentless nagging and painful lessons had conditioned him to censor himself.

“Bi Gongzi” was the best compromise he could manage.

‘Do I need therapy…?’

It was a problem that he was still intimidated by Eldest Senior Brother, even when he wasn’t around. But he remembered what had happened to No-Hak, who had bravely uttered unspeakable – but incredibly satisfying at the time – words to Eldest Senior Brother. He had been traumatized. And the letter incident had been a terrible mistake. He felt like he was living on borrowed time. Compared to that, being interrogated was nothing. It was better to be safe than sorry.

‘I’m not even in his sight or earshot, but I’m still bound by him. I’m my own jailer. Who can save me?’

Did the saying “He who ties the knot must untie it” apply to this situation? He had to admit he was under Eldest Senior Brother’s thumb. The more he thought about it, the more miserable he felt.

“Sigh, a title is just a label for convenience. It doesn’t affect the content. Let’s continue with what happened yesterday.”

“Please.”

Namgung-Sang returned to the past. He had been discussing the fate of those four young men.

* * *

“Why don’t we go somewhere else to talk?”

He didn’t want to expose these youngsters to the carnage that was about to unfold. It wouldn’t be a pretty sight. But they were oblivious to his kindness, and they said,

“It’s fine here, Senior!”

*Crack!*

A vein pulsed on his forehead. His voice hardened.

“Just follow me!”

The five young men flinched at his glare.

‘This is for your own good!’

How dare they reject his kindness! They probably didn’t even realize he was trying to help them.

But he didn’t want to traumatize them. It wouldn’t be right to expose them to such brutality, especially since their identities were still developing. And he didn’t want to damage the academy’s reputation any further.

‘That fool is destined for a lesson.’

The problem was that the lesson was going to be extremely brutal. His Eldest Senior Brother didn’t believe in reasoning with delinquents. He was skeptical about the idea that a calm conversation could reform them. And he was right. The chances of that happening were slim. It was easy to pollute clean water, but it took thousands of times longer to purify it. That was the difficulty of education. Ingrained values were hard to change. You had to break them. Otherwise, people wouldn’t learn. And the longer you waited, the harder it became. They would eventually harden into granite.

Reasoning and dialogue took too long. Most people gave up. But some people never gave up. Bi Ryu-Yeon was one of those people. He didn’t know the meaning of the word “give up,” and he didn’t care about methods. The question of whether the ends justified the means was always dismissed.

* * *

“If you want to hurt others, you have to be prepared to be hurt yourself! I don’t care about the rights of the accused! There are so many victims who haven’t received justice. Why should I waste my time on the rights of the accused?”

* * *

Namgung-Sang knew he sometimes agreed with that sentiment. The rights of the accused were irrelevant in the martial arts world, where revenge was a virtue. He decided to take them somewhere else and deal with them swiftly.

He didn’t want to see it himself. But he wasn’t going to stop it either.

‘They’ll learn their lesson soon enough.’

A frog in a well could fight all it wanted, but it would be crushed by a horse’s hoof.

He tried to distance himself from the scene. He didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire. He finally stopped walking when the aspiring entrants behind him started to complain. Couldn’t they read the room? Birds of a feather flocked together. It seemed like they lacked patience and judgment as well.

He looked at the four young men who had been entrusted to him. Cheongseong, Haenam, Kunlun, and Hwasan…

He could have laughed and said it was like a buffet, but he couldn’t.

‘Well, I am from one of the Eight Great Families…’

The pairings had clearly been leaked. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have ganged up on him like this. Every exam, especially one with high stakes, was plagued by corruption. It had always been like that. And it would probably remain the same a thousand years from now. Because humans were always tempted by corruption when there was a lot to gain. The greater the potential reward, the greater the desire for corruption. And if you weren’t trained to resist that temptation, the result was always the same.

‘Sigh! Let’s get this over with and go back!’

He thought to himself, sighing.

“Did you greet him earlier?”

He asked, referring to the remaining friend – or rather, the idiot.

“No, sir.”

They hadn’t had the time or the reason.

“Then I’m sorry.”

He said, his voice bitter.

“Why, Senior?”

He wanted to say he had never had such disrespectful juniors, but he didn’t want to seem petty. So he just said,

“Because it will be your last.”

It would be their last, in many ways.

“I don’t understand…”

‘They don’t get it…’

Well, it wasn’t surprising. He decided to be a bit more explicit.

“You can take care of the body. He might have been a jerk, but he was still your friend.”

He said quietly, his gaze distant.

* * *

“So that’s what happened.”

“That’s what happened. And?”

“That’s all.”

“So you’re saying you didn’t kill them?”

“We didn’t.”

“Then why are they dead?”

“I don’t know. Why do you think?”

“…”