Naturally, I had expected the Blood Heaven Blade Demon or the Blade Ghosts to come first.
But the first backlash against my arrest of Yang Ho came from within.
Over thirty investigators of Hwangcheon Pavilion had gathered in the main hall, calling for me.
The one leading this affair was the most senior special investigator, Qu Ming.
“I ought to have visited your office in person, but there were too many of us, so I have committed this rudeness.”
“It looks less like you have something to say and more like you’ve come to pick a fight.”
“That is not the case at all. Please do not misunderstand.”
They had not come with a united heart. I could tell roughly just by looking at their eyes—who had come out of dissatisfaction, and who had moved along only reluctantly.
Qu Ming stepped forward to represent them all.
“I heard that you reinvestigated a case our pavilion had already concluded with a not-guilty verdict.”
“I did.”
“That is an act that undermines the morale and authority of this pavilion’s investigators.”
I asked the investigators standing behind Qu Ming.
“Do all of you think so as well?”
“Yes, we do.”
They answered in booming voices.
“My thoughts differ somewhat. Rather, I believe this Yang Ho incident is what undermined our pavilion’s authority. And quite severely at that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Must I really explain a matter of such common sense? How disappointing.”
At that, Qu Ming hardened his expression and retorted.
“The unreasonable act has already been committed by you, Pavilion Master.”
“When I arrested Yang Ho this time, did you hear that the bastard confessed to everything in front of everyone?”
“I heard.”
“So what? Why have you all swarmed here?”
“What we wish to say concerns the reinvestigation of an already concluded case.”
“A matter of principle?”
“Precisely. It is also unprecedented.”
“Investigator Qu. An innocent child was nearly beaten to death, and the guilty bastard was caught and made to confess. Is it not only right to reinvestigate? In this situation, how do you think you look, brandishing your principles?”
“Even if you call me stubborn, it cannot be helped. Principles are that important to an organization.”
Whether he was being obstinate or trying to pressure me, not once did he attempt to step back.
“Very well, then let us see what each of you thinks. Those who believe the reinvestigation is right, over here!”
Since they had come to act as a group, I doubted anyone would move now, but…
one person walked over to this side.
It was Seo Daeryong, my absolute supporter. Since everyone knew he was close to me, the commotion it caused was negligible.
“My loyal subject and the investigator who can match a hundred men, Investigator Seo.”
“If you put it that way, it makes it sound as though I moved out of personal friendship.”
“Was it not?”
“It was not. Setting aside my loyalty to you, Pavilion Master, I believe this case must be reinvestigated.”
“Your reason?”
“The investigation was inadequate.”
Several investigators, including Qu Ming, openly hardened their expressions, but Seo Daeryong calmly stated his opinion.
“We also cannot rule out the possibility of external pressure.”
“Good. Who agrees with this opinion?”
Once again, I raised my hand high and looked at the investigators.
In a situation where I wondered if there could be anyone, one person stepped forward.
“I think so as well.”
He was the martial artist who had been injured by a high-ranking official during the Demon Lord investigation. I had not only avenged him but also asked a Demonic Physician to treat him with the best care.
“I am Yi Hu. I was unable to greet you properly then. I was truly grateful.”
“How is your injury?”
“I am fine.”
“That is a relief.”
No other investigators moved besides Yi Hu. They all seemed to be watching Qu Ming’s mood. Indeed, while they had known me for only a few days, they had worked alongside Qu Ming for anywhere from a few years to over a decade.
Then one more person moved.
“I am Liang Jun. I entered alongside Yi Hu. I sincerely thank you for avenging him.”
Emboldened by Liang Jun stepping forward, several others worked up the courage to move to my side. They had not moved because of personal ties. They were people who themselves believed this investigation had been mishandled.
But the number still standing on Qu Ming’s side remained overwhelming.
I called out one among them. He was the very man at the center of today’s matter.
“Investigator Cong Hua!”
“Yes.”
Cong Hua was precisely the investigator in charge of this case. The very one who had declared the son of the White Blade Ghost not guilty.
“What do you think?”
“…I conducted the investigation properly.”
I approached Cong Hua and stared hard into his face as I asked.
“Did you take a bribe from a Blade Ghost?”
Cong Hua’s expression stiffened instantly. The one who grew angry on his behalf was Qu Ming.
“What manner of reckless accusation is that?”
I revealed a cold look and asked Qu Ming,
“Then did you take one?”
“I did not.”
“Then why do you step forward? Going so far as to call your superior’s words reckless?”
“Because he is my subordinate.”
“He is my subordinate as well. Is he not?”
In that instant, Qu Ming realized he had misspoken and bowed his head.
“You are correct. I apologize.”
“Do not step forward without permission.”
“Yes.”
After silencing him, I spoke to Cong Hua again.
“Did you take money from the White Blade Ghost?”
“No.”
“Do you swear?”
“I swear on my life.”
He did not avert his gaze, as though he were innocent.
“If you cannot believe me, investigate me.”
“I already have. You truly did not take any money.”
Everyone was startled by my words. To say I had already investigated meant I had completed an internal investigation.
Though I had told him not to step forward, Qu Ming could not restrain himself.
“Our investigators cannot conduct internal investigations unless it is a special investigation.”
“I conducted it as a special investigation. I even received a direct order from the Sect Leader and carried it out as an external investigation.”
I coldly asked the shaken Qu Ming,
“When the Sect Leader appointed me as the Pavilion Master here, did you think he would not even back me to this extent?”
“I did not.”
I looked around at everyone and spoke calmly.
“I was curious. If you did not take money, why did you cover up the case like this?”
“I did not cover up the case. According to my investigation…”
I cut off Cong Hua’s words.
“Because he threatened to kill your younger sister?”
In that instant, Cong Hua froze. His expression seemed to ask, “How did you know that?”
“My investigation of you showed that you are a remarkably incorruptible person. I did not believe it. I ordered them to dig deeper. There is no one in this world who hates money. Yet, surprisingly, you truly were an upright man. Then why would such an upright person roughly hush up and gloss over a case? You had one great weakness. Your younger sister, your only family.”
Cong Hua’s pupils trembled.
The surprised Qu Ming asked him,
“Were you truly threatened by him?”
Cong Hua could not answer.
“You fool, speak! Were you threatened or not!”
Qu Ming pressed him, but Cong Hua kept his head lowered and said nothing. I also knew why Qu Ming had taken the lead in this matter. Cong Hua was the junior whom Qu Ming cherished most. He had stepped forward to ensure Cong Hua would not suffer harm from this incident.
I spoke to Cong Hua.
“If you are worried about your younger sister, don’t be. I have already sent enforcers to guard her at the An estate. Until this case is fully resolved, your sister will be safe.”
At those words, relief finally showed on Cong Hua’s face. Soon, as if acknowledging everything, he knelt before me.
“I have committed a capital crime.”
Qu Ming, witnessing the sight, let out a sigh.
“Ah…”
Having worked together for so long, he must have known better than anyone how dearly Cong Hua cherished his younger sister. But it seemed he had not known about this.
I spoke to Cong Hua, who had his head deeply bowed.
“You know that even under threat, you should not have done this?”
“Yes, I will accept my punishment willingly.”
The expressions of the watching investigators varied, but all were angry. This was not someone else’s problem. It was something that could befall them at any time.
“Rise.”
“Yes.”
Cong Hua rose from his place.
“If this had happened after I became Pavilion Master, I would not have forgiven you. But since this occurred before my arrival, I will forgive you as a special exception.”
“Do you truly forgive me?”
“It is not I who forgive you, but your past life of integrity that forgives you. Now, that past life of integrity has vanished because of this incident. Build it up again from the beginning.”
Cong Hua was deeply moved, for he had not expected to be forgiven.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
But what truly moved him were the next words.
“Now that I am Pavilion Master, your families are as my own. Any bastard who touches your families, I will destroy them all. Why? Do you not believe me? I even beheaded a Demon Lord. Do you think I would fear some Blade Ghost?”
I could feel the gazes turning toward me growing hotter.
“From now on, this pavilion will not permit any external pressure. From this moment, taking even a single penny will be treated as a serious crime. Be prepared to be imprisoned in the same dungeon as the criminals you have incarcerated. If you cannot abide by this, leave the pavilion.”
Diverse reactions emerged. Joy and excitement, antipathy, disbelief… all flickering across their faces.
“In return, I will not leave untouched those who touch you, as happened this time. If you are threatened, tell me, and I will surely protect your families. Even if they have already been kidnapped, I will rescue them without fail. You may believe in me. If you do not find me trustworthy, trust the Sect Leader. Even if I must beg the Father to save them, I will rescue them without fail. Therefore, if external pressure comes, you must absolutely report it to me.”
I was speaking from the heart. Only when I and my family are safe can Hwangcheon Pavilion function properly.
“I am someone who believes that whoever commits an evil act must be punished. Even if someone from the Heavenly Demon Cult commits a wrong, I will not overlook it. If the Sect Leader commits a crime, I will arrest even the Sect Leader!”
In that instant, everyone held their breath. Words of arresting the Heavenly Demon were words for which one could be killed by the Heavenly Demon on the spot without it being the least bit strange.
“What I fear is not the Sect Leader, nor the Palmajon. What I fear is us becoming crippled. Failing to protect those we must protect, and being unable to stop those who deserve punishment from smirking and slipping away. When I caught that bastard yesterday, the people at the inn were so overjoyed they were all clapping. I am a man who loves the spotlight, so I will continue to receive applause in the future.”
As my sincerity was conveyed, the investigators’ expressions changed. Especially Cong Hua, who had been threatened—his eyes reddened, not knowing what to do.
Then an investigator who had been standing behind Qu Ming walked toward me and spoke. She was Jo Hyang, the woman Seo Daeryong liked.
“I, too, want to receive applause together with you, Pavilion Master.”
That was the beginning. One by one, the investigators walked to my side. Some were sincere, while others moved reluctantly, swept up by the mood. It did not matter. What was important now was that all of them were moving in the same direction.
The only ones left were Qu Ming.
“Do you dislike the new principles I have established?”
“I do not.”
“Then why do you stand there?”
“…”
“Is it because your pride is wounded?”
“No. I am uncertain whether your words are sincere, Pavilion Master.”
Not at all. His pride was wounded at this very moment. He had come with good intentions for his junior, but the justification and momentum he had arrived with had both vanished, and he had suffered humiliation by stepping forward. That was why those few steps were so difficult for him.
I had to soothe that wounded pride. That was a leader’s role. This was a time when unity was needed more than division, and though he was stubborn, he was not a bad man. In fact, when I investigated Cong Hua, I had investigated him thoroughly as well.
“Everything I said before is true. To make my sincerity into reality, your experience and help are absolutely necessary.”
I extended my hand to Qu Ming first.
“Help me.”
“Thank you, Pavilion Master.”
Qu Ming took my hand. His hand was trembling. This matter held value beyond simply comforting Qu Ming. It was because of the investigators watching this scene.
I immediately gave an order to Seo Daeryong.
“Investigator Seo.”
“Yes.”
“Go immediately with the enforcers and arrest Yang Ho’s father, the White Blade Ghost Liang Tai. The charge is special intimidation.”
Then Qu Ming spoke cautiously.
“He will not submit to arrest willingly.”
I said in a loud voice for all to hear.
“Tell him to go right ahead and resist, because if he does, I will wipe out all the Blade Ghosts.”
They must have been wondering what I was relying on to act this way, but one thing was certain.
The Hwangcheon Pavilion investigators standing before me had never once, since the pavilion’s founding, heard anyone say they would wipe out all the Blade Ghosts. They were excited. Their hearts must already have begun to race. I could feel that heat.
I could be certain because of this passion. Today was the day Hwangcheon Pavilion’s morale was at its highest since its founding.