RDM (Novel) Chapter 390


C 390


Bang!

Yong Ha-sang stood up and slammed his fist on the table.

"What are you saying? The seven sage scholar was killed?"

"I just got the report, so I don't know the details."

"My goodness!"

Yong Ha-sang sighed at Nam Gung-Wol's answer. The death of the Seven Sage Scholar was so shocking.

The Seven Sage Scholar was a respected martial artist, regardless of his political stance.

It was impossible to even guess what effect his death would have on Kangho.

"We shouldn't be doing this here, let's go to the pier. I heard his disciples are there."

"Let's go!"

The two hurried off to the pier.

Many people had already gathered on the pier.

Most of them were those who had rushed there after hearing the news of the Seven Sage Scholar.

"Excuse us."

"Please make way."

Nam Gung-Wol and Yong Ha-sang pushed their way through the crowd. With great difficulty, they finally reached the front and saw the sight.

It was the sight of the seven sage scholar's disciples shedding tears and surrounding his body.

"Master!"

"Heuk!"

Nam Gung-Wol and Yong Ha-sang stopped in their tracks. There was an unexpected figure beside the  seven sage scholar.

"Jang... Ho-yeon?"

The person standing next to the disciples of the seven sage scholar was none other than Jang Ho-yeon of Rain Mountain Manor.

Nam Gung-Wol and Yong Ha-sang couldn't hide their astonished expressions at Jang Ho-yeon's unexpected appearance.

Nam Gung-Wol asked unknowingly.

"Why are you with them?"

"I invited him."

"What?"

"I said I invited the seven sage scholar."

"You invited the seven sage scholar?"

Nam Gung-Wol blinked his eyes.

He couldn't understand Jang Ho-yeon's words for a moment. Jang Ho-yeon laughed at him and said.

"Yes! I invited him."

"Why did you do that?"

"Why? I asked him to mediate between Silver Lotus Hall and us."

"Mediate? You?"

Nam Gung-Wol mumbled with an incredulous expression.

Jang Ho-yeon had a sad face.

"Yes! No matter how much I thought about it, a conflict with Silver Lotus Hall would only weaken Kangho. So I asked the seven sage scholar for help. If you mediate, the Silver Lotus Hall will listen, I said. The Seven Sage Scholar gladly accepted my request. He was even willing to sacrifice his life to mediate with Silver Lotus Hall. But... this is how he died. He was murdered by assassins in the middle of Poyang Lake.

Jang Ho-yeon's eyes were bloodshot as he spoke passionately.

Thick tears fell from his bloodshot eyes.

He looked truly saddened by the death of the Seven Sage Scholar. It was enough to move the hearts of many.

Jang Ho-yeon raised his voice even more as he looked around at the crowd gathered on the pier.

"Who would have sent the assassins to kill the Seven Sage Scholar? That person must not want reconciliation between the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall. Who wouldn't want reconciliation? Someone greedy. Who is greedy? Who is greedy for power around Poyang Lake? Who..."

Jang Ho-yeon's eyes were fixed on Nam Gung-Wol and and Yong Ha-sang.

Although he didn't mention their names directly, it was clear that they were the ones he was referring to.

People's attention was naturally focused on Nam Gung-Wol and Yong Ha-sang.

Damn it!

Nam Gung-Wol couldn't hide his embarrassed expression.

The atmosphere on the pier had shifted completely in Jang Ho-yeon's favour.

Martial artists were often emotional.

They were often swayed by emotion rather than rational judgement.

Those present were no exception.

They were naturally drawn to Jang Ho-yeon's passionate voice, their emotions escalating. They all stared at the same spot where Jang Ho-yeon was staring.

Nam Gung-wool and Yong Ha-sang were there.

No one was unaware that these two were the leaders of the Silver Lotus Hall.

Naturally, the thought remained in their minds that Silver Lotus Hall had refused to negotiate with Golden Heavenly Hall and possibly murdered the Seven Sage Scholar.

Cunning...

Nam Gung-Wol trembled at Jang Ho-yeon's cunning.

People only believe and see what they want to believe and see.

"Could it be the assassins?"

At that moment, a question sprouted in Nam Gung-Wol's head.

"Don't bluff!"

Yong Ha-sang shouted angrily and lunged at Jang Ho-yeon.

"Ah, no!"

Nam Gung-Wol shouted late, but it was useless.

Crash!

Yong Ha-sang's attack covered Jang Ho-yeon.

"Huh! Are you afraid that the truth will be revealed, so you're trying to kill and silence me?"

Jang Ho-yeon scoffed and took a defensive stance.

Crash!

Yong Ha-sang's attack was blocked by Jang Ho-yeon's sword.

At that moment, Nam Gung-Wol closed his eyes tightly.

Everyone watched as Yong Ha-sang attacked Jang Ho-yeon.

The words "murder and silence" that Jang Ho-yeon had mentioned would be etched in people's minds.

Although Yong Ha-sang only attacked out of anger, it was clear that people would think he attacked Jang Ho-yeon to commit murder and silence him.

"Yong Ha-sang attacked Jang Ho-yeon."

"Did the Silver Lotus Hall really hire assassins to kill the Seven Sage Scholar?"

"But there's no need to attack."

The murmuring voices of the people pierced their ears like sharp needles.

Yong Ha-sang's anger grew even more due to their voices.

"Don't be ridiculous. Why should we kill the Seven Sage Scholar?"

"The existence of the Seven Sage Scholar must have been a nuisance..."

Jang Ho-yeon replied as he blocked Yong Ha-sang's attack.

"We didn't even know that the Seven Sage Scholar were coming here. How could we have hired the assassins?"

"Honest people wouldn't admit to hiring assassins."

"Stop bluffing."

"Who is bluffing? Who attacked first? You're trying to silence me because you're cornered."

"Damn it!"

Enraged by Jang Ho-yeon's provocation, Yong Ha-sang attacked even more fiercely.

Crash!

The dock was shattered by his fierce attack. However, it did not inflict any significant damage on Jang Ho-yeon.

Their martial arts skills were on par.

If Jang Ho-yeon focused solely on defense, it would have been impossible for Yong Ha-sang to subdue him in a short time.

Jang Ho-yeon dodged Yong Ha-sang's attack and spoke up.

"Ah, you're close to the Reaper, aren't you? Did you ask him to kill the seven sage scholar?"

Nam Gung-Wol clenched his eyes shut for a moment.

'That's it. He's not only targeting us but also Pyo Wol.'

Now he could see the big picture drawn by Jang Ho-yeon.

It didn't occur to him that Jang Ho-yeon would say such things on the spur of the moment. It must have been planned long ago.

The person who would benefit the most from the seven sage scholar's assassination was Jang Ho-yeon and Golden Heavenly Hall.

Regardless of the truth, people would think that Silver Lotus Hall had bribed Pyo Wol to kill the seven sage scholar.

It was easy to misrepresent the truth, but it was dozens of times harder to explain it away. The tide had already turned in their favour.

'Damn it!'

***
Pyo Wol looked at the workshop.

The walls of the workshop were in disrepair. The flames of the furnace where the craftsmen had been sweating and melting iron bars had long since disappeared.

It may have been a safe house, but the craftsmen who worked here were real.

The fact that the craftsmen abandoned the furnace and fled meant that something unusual had happened here.

Pyo Wol placed his hand near the furnace.

The fire was out, but there was still some heat left. It meant that they hadn't left long ago.

"Leaving the safe house in a hurry means that something has happened. Did they fail their mission?"

"What mission are you talking about?"

A calm voice suddenly sounded out of nowhere.

Without being surprised, Pyo Wol looked back, and saw a beautiful woman he had seen once before.

"Namgung Seol."

"Tell me, what do you mean they failed their mission?"

Namgung Seol asked again in a calm voice.

There was no emotion in her voice.

There was no favour, no hostility. But it had the power to make the listener feel uncomfortable.

Pyo Wol asked,

"Why did you come here?"

"The person I love most in this world asked me for help."

"Your lover?"

"Think what you want. What matters is that I have been asked for help, and I need to find the people who were here. By chance, Grandmaster Pyo Wol is here. Do you have any connection to the people who were here?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I would appreciate it if you could answer honestly, Grandmaster Pyo. Otherwise, things will get serious."

"Is that a threat?"

"Do you know what happened at the wharf?"

"……."

"The leader of the Silver Lotus Hall, Yong Ha-sang, and the young master of the Rain Mountain Manor and a member of the Golden Heavenly Hall, Jang Ho-yeon, had a fierce fight."

"Why?"

"The Seven sage scholar was assassinated by an assassin."

"An assassin?"

"Yes! Right in the middle of the lake."

Upon hearing Namgung Seol's answer, Pyo Wol easily deduced who the culprit was.

'It must be Hong Ye-seol.'

In the vicinity, excluding himself, the only assassin with such skill was Hong Ye-seol.

"The Seven sage scholar was a man of great virtue in Kangho. He accumulated numerous merits during his lifetime. His death will…."

"Bring great chaos to Kangho."

"That's right. The Seven sage scholar was invited to Poyang Lake by  Jang Ho-yeon. The reason was to mediate between the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall."

"Jang Ho-yeon must have gained the upper hand."

For a moment, Namgung Seol felt a chill run up her arm.

It was because Pyo Wol had seen through the core of the problem with just a few words.
Once again,her wariness was triggered.

Namgung Seol tried hard to hide her inner thoughts and calmly spoke.

"That's right. When Jang Ho-yeon took the justification, Silver Lotus Hall was put in a disadvantageous situation. The same goes for the challenging situation faced by Grandmaster Pyo."

"Me?"

"Because the Seven sage scholar was killed by an assassin."

"Am I being pointed out as a monster?"

"That's right."

"I have no reason to kill the Seven sage scholar."

"You know very well that it doesn't really matter. Someone stirred up the situation and people fell for the atmosphere. That's what's important."

"Crafty."

"Now, Grandmaster Pyo could be a target of vigilance, or perhaps even a target of extermination, if the truth is not revealed."

Namgung Seol calmly spoke without blinking an eye.

"You are saying I could become a public enemy of Kangho?"

"As you've already experienced in Sichuan, being singled out as a public enemy of Kangho isn't that difficult. Most people just have to want to kill you."

"I don't care if I become a public enemy of Kangho."

"I know. You're not the type to flinch at that level of threat. But as you've already experienced, being a public enemy of Kangho can be quite uncomfortable. You can't even dream of acting publicly, and you have to live forever in the shadows. You won't be able to openly reveal your face and act like this."

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"Both Silver Lotus Hall and Grandmaster Pyo are in trouble. There is only one way to overcome this crisis: finding the assassin who killed the Seven sage scholar and revealing the truth."

Namgung Seol looked straight at Pyo Wol.

She spoke with a confident look in her eyes.

She was sure that Pyo Wol knew the assassin who had killed the Seven sage scholar. 

Otherwise, there was no reason for Pyo Wol to come here.

"Who is it? Who assassinated the Seven sage scholar?"

"I don't know."

"Please don't do this. I really want to help Grandmaster Pyo."

"I don't need that help."

"I thought you were a reasonable person, but I'm disappointed. Grandmaster Pyo!"

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"You'll regret your answer today. Even if you don't tell me, the assassin will eventually be caught. Once in our hands, there will be no more room for recovery. Are you okay with that?"

Namgung Seol's voice was calm and eerie.

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