The Alliance Leader’s room was dark.It seemed quite some time had passed since he had sought sleep; the oil had gone cold and congealed.Yet the eyes set within the darkness were clear. The Alliance Leader, who had been staring at the ceiling, rose.He gathered his drooping gray hair and tied it neatly, then draped the folded long robe over his shoulders.Step.The nearer he came to the door, the fainter his footsteps grew. It was because they were covered by the noise outside.“What in the world is this! To impersonate the direct line of an Alliance member! And within the Headquarters of the Martial Alliance itself, no less!”“Administrator! Say something. What on earth is the situation!”The bellow of an elder of another sect boomed like thunder. The faces of those who kept silent were not good either. The same was true of the young martial artists watching the mood.The Blood Cult had infiltrated the Martial Alliance. They had even impersonated an Alliance member, so everyone was terrified. What guarantee was there that the person beside me was not a Blood Cultist? Conversely, the one beside me might suspect me as well.They were pressing the Administrator in order to shake off their anxiety. To transfer this unpleasantness onto Headquarters.The blame grew more and more heated. They seemed more curious about how the Administrator would take responsibility than about the whereabouts of the missing Lady Tang.The Tang, standing at the center of the commotion, said nothing. It was because they had already made their decision.Watching that situation, the Alliance Leader swallowed a bitter taste.‘Was I wrong to show ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ favor to the Ten-Thousand Poisons and Cures Master for nothing.’He could not ignore her because she reminded him of himself long ago, yet in the end he came to regret it.This was a situation he was experiencing for the first time as well. Thus he could not know what result it would bring.At that moment, the one who sensed the Alliance Leader’s presence turned his gaze. It was Heukcheon Amgui.The gaze of an old man in the aspect of a youth stabbed painfully.While the Alliance Leader hesitated, Heukcheon Amgui brought his hands together. The Tang’s Green Frog, who knew no manners, dipped his head slightly with an expressionless face.“Alliance Leader.”Heukcheon Amgui removed the hands he had raised in clasped-fist salute and came straight to the point.“May we take this wretch with us?”Only then did those who sensed the Alliance Leader’s presence fall silent.The Alliance Leader took in with his eyes the Administrator’s small back and the many faces. After some thought, he opened his mouth.“I understand the Tang Clan’s feelings. However, the matter seems too serious for the Tang to shoulder.”The Alliance Leader called the only person who stood with his back to him.“Administrator.”“Yes. Give the order.”Zhuge Inhwi received the command in a calm voice. The face that had not budged loosened, as if in submission. The gaze of the Zhuge Clan Head upon such an Administrator was dark.The Alliance Leader swallowed a sigh.This is the downside of peace. Far too much useless emotion seeps into a single task.The Alliance Leader could not take all that into account, one by one.For this was not an age of peace.They were merely being toyed with by a peace someone had carefully combed into place; the old war had not ended for even a single moment.The Alliance Leader had, in the end, returned to the Blood Demon’s battlefield.He swallowed a hollow laugh. Whether he liked it or not, he could not help that this anger and fear pounding his heart were more familiar.Strength entered the voice of the gentle and indolent old man.“Prepare an Alliance Council. The matter is urgent; omit all preparations and make the place ready within two ke.”“Yes.”Zhuge Inhwi gave a clasped-fist salute to the Alliance Leader.No sooner had the Administrator vanished from view than the Alliance Leader turned his gaze. The Blood Cultist, clutching the torn mask, was crouched. After looking coldly at the Blood Cultist, he ordered the Headquarters martial artists:“Lock this wretch in the dungeon.”At the instant Heukcheon Amgui, who had asked that the Blood Cult bastard be handed over, knit his brow, the Alliance Leader spoke again.“Heukcheon Amgui, you will also attend the Alliance Council. If, after it ends, you still wish to take him, I will hand him over.”Even before hearing the answer, the Alliance Leader turned his gaze to others.“Chiefs and Clan Heads. Bring more people who can make decisions as representatives. I cannot give you time to return to your sects to exchange opinions, so I would prefer many decision-makers.”A martial artist belonging to the Four Divinations came running from afar. He paid respects before the Alliance Leader and asked at once:“Alliance Leader, may we use the awards platform prepared at the training ground as the council chamber? It seems it will take time to carry the chairs back into the pavilion.”The Alliance Leader nodded.“Good. Since the place is already prepared, it is rather convenient. Open the training ground and ready the council at once.”At the Alliance Leader’s leave, the martial artist hurried away.The Alliance Leader slid his gaze to the side. Soon his eyes met those of the Tang Clan Head. It was because the Tang Clan Head had continued to gaze at the Alliance Leader.“Clan Head Tang, please attend as well. I will give you a conclusion without delay.”The Tang Clan Head had wielded force at will within Headquarters. Moreover, he had harmed the Administrator, a core figure of Headquarters. He should have been called to account at once and the maintenance of the Tang Clan’s alliance membership discussed, but the Alliance Leader covered all and urged attendance at the council.Even though he had clearly shown favor, the anger in the Tang Clan Head’s eyes did not fade. He even seemed to hesitate. The Alliance Leader now fully understood from whom the shameless temperament of the Ten-Thousand Poisons and Cures Master had come.“Clan Head. Attend for now.”Heukcheon Amgui advised the Tang Clan Head.When the Tang Clan Head reluctantly nodded, the Alliance Leader turned to go at once. If they were going to come to the council anyway, there was no need to persuade further.The Alliance Leader stepped forward, suppressing his anxiety. Yet the anxiety did not vanish—if anything, it grew only larger.Unable to gauge what would happen next, the Alliance Leader walked ahead with a dark heart.***Representatives selected from each sect numbered three or four each, and so the training hall was filled. Even though the Alliance Meeting had been hastily assembled, the number of attendees was large. Because of the shocking news, everyone had come running quickly. All regarded the current situation as serious. However, the Alliance Leader showed no sign of confusion. In fact, he calmly summarized the situation in his voice.“The Duel Tournament is the Martial Alliance’s greatest event. Yet during this time, a Blood Cultist has infiltrated Headquarters.”The place had been quiet from the start. The longer the Alliance Leader’s words went on, the deeper the silence became.“The Blood Cultist perfectly imitated a direct descendant of the Tang Clan. Judging from the level of sorcery, it is difficult to know how many more Blood Cultists have infiltrated Headquarters. It is possible that one is even present here.”The Alliance Leader’s gaze swept across those seated in the hall. Because a few people’s breathing faltered, a faint noise spread through the chamber. The Alliance Leader subdued that small noise and informed them in a low voice.“From this moment, to root out the Blood Cultists, all doors of Headquarters will be sealed.”It was a shocking statement. The Tang Clan Head’s gaze turned toward the Alliance Leader. Even as he felt the poisonous gaze fixed on him, the Alliance Leader continued speaking with an unshaken expression.“As an exception, the group searching for Lady Tang will be sent out to conduct the search. The Tang Clan may go to find Lady Tang as soon as this meeting ends.”Just as the Tang Clan Head’s expression began to ease, “Alliance Leader, I have an objection.”The Zhuge Clan Head interrupted, cutting in.“The Blood Cultist was wearing Lady Tang’s human-skin mask. Human-skin masks are originally made from human skin itself. On what grounds do you believe that Lady Tang could still be alive after having her face flayed?”“Hrmm.”Someone cleared their throat. The murderous aura thickly filling the hall made it difficult to breathe. Yet the Zhuge Clan Head, his expression unchanged, continued speaking calmly.“Moreover, that Blood Cultist impersonated a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, so sending the Tang Clan outside of Headquarters seems dangerous. If any Blood Cult infiltrators remain, since they came targeting Lady Tang, isn’t it highly likely that they are already hidden within the Tang Clan?”The Alliance Leader cut off the Zhuge Clan Head’s words.“First of all, that human-skin mask is not Lady Tang Sohwa’s skin. In fact, it is not skin at all.”“How can you be certain of that?”Before the Zhuge Clan Head could press further, another voice answered.“The Alliance Leader’s words are correct.”The Zhuge Clan Head slowly turned his gaze to the side. Looking at the third son standing behind the Alliance Leader, the Zhuge Clan Head asked softly, “Inhwi, is there something that only you and the Alliance Leader know?”The Zhuge Clan Head asked gently, almost affectionately calling the Administrator by name, but instead of answering, the Administrator lifted what he was holding in his hand.“As you were present at the scene, you already know, but this is the mask of the Blood Cultist that I tore off myself.”Zhuge Inhwi brought over the lantern that hung from the pillar. Holding the mask in his hand, he brought it close to the flame. Then the “skin” began to melt.Drip, drip.If it were flesh, it should have shriveled and burned in the fire, but instead, the skin melted like water and dripped onto the floor.The Administrator’s calm voice broke through the silence.“As you can see, it is not flesh. It is something that imitates human skin.”He continued in an even tone.“Last winter, someone anonymously sent a peculiar book to the Lower Sky Pavilion. Among its contents was a method of making human skin by mixing stone powder and tree sap. It was a perfect mask that would not be damaged by water and, when cut with a blade, would tear along with the flesh and even bleed, but it had one flaw.”The Administrator stared at the remaining piece of “skin” before lifting his gaze.“It was weak to heat, and when exposed to fire, it melted like water. It warned to take care.”Zhuge Inhwi retrieved the piece of mask that had melted under the lantern’s flame. For a brief moment, his eyes turned toward the Zhuge Clan’s side. The Zhuge Clan’s Little Clan Head standing beside the Zhuge Clan Head caught his eye. The gaze meeting his elder brother’s lingered only for a moment—so short it could barely be called an instant—before it turned away. Fixing his blue-gray eyes forward, the Administrator continued.“Searching for Blood Cult bastards wearing this false skin will not be difficult. As you see, even with fire alone they can be easily distinguished. Moreover, since this is not Lady Tang Sohwa’s skin, we cannot conclude that she is dead. And Zhuge Clan Head.”Zhuge Inhwi added in a composed voice.“This is an Alliance Meeting, so please mind your form of address.”

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