Chapter 91: Jaseung, Prepares

Lee Jaseung parted ways with Baek Seolyoung and went straight to meet Dan Woobin.

“Ban Yeo is trying to have a private meeting with the Alliance Leader.”

The warriors of the Three-Eyed Pavilion had been keeping a close watch on the movements of the Alliance Leader and Ban Yeo. In order to meet the Alliance Leader, one had to send word to the Alliance Leader’s Hall in advance and arrange an appointment. They had intercepted that message.

“I think he intends to report the Hainan Sect matter to the Alliance Leader. You should meet him first, before he does.”

“But didn’t you say Ban Yeo has already made the appointment?”

“In preparation for this kind of situation, I have already brought over one of the warriors in charge of the Alliance Leader’s Hall schedule. If it were some other matter, maybe not, but changing a meeting time is something he can do.”

Dan Woobin had foreseen this exact scenario.

The key to this matter was timing. The perfect moment was to move just before Ban Yeo acted, but not too soon and only a single step ahead.

They could not move before Ban Yeo made his move. There were surely Ban Yeo’s spies around the Alliance Leader. If Lee Jaseung met first and made arrangements, it would be reported back to Ban Yeo. They could not give him time to prepare a countermeasure.

Dan Woobin’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.

“Go right now and make the first move.”

* * *

“Master Ban is trying to frame me.”

At Lee Jaseung’s words, a flicker of curiosity passed through the eyes of Murim Alliance Alliance Leader Jang Wonso, which until now had been set in a grim expression.

“Frame you? What do you mean?”

In truth, when Lee Jaseung had come to see him just moments ago, Jang Wonso had been displeased. He had already refused him a meeting once.

How long had it been since Lee Jaseung promised not to reveal anything about Ban Yeo’s involvement, and now here he was requesting another meeting? It had looked like an attempt to pressure him using some kind of leverage.

But this time, he had insisted it was an extremely important matter, so Jang Wonso had agreed to the meeting. And now, Lee Jaseung had brought up something entirely unexpected.

“Do you remember the Hainan Sect?”

At those words, Jang Wonso flinched. Shock, almost akin to horror, flashed across his face before he could hide it.

Even a man like Jang Wonso, who had navigated the turbulent martial world his whole life, could not mask that brief moment of panic. From that reaction, Lee Jaseung read the truth.

‘This man is connected to the Hainan Sect incident!’

Whether Jang Wonso had been directly involved in their destruction or indirectly connected, he had undeniably been part of that history.

“You mean the Hainan Sect that was annihilated long ago?”

There was a strange dissonance between the earlier shock and the current calm tone.

Feigning ignorance of what he had noticed, Lee Jaseung spoke calmly.

“Yes, you remember. You are indeed thinking of that very Hainan Sect. Master Ban plans to falsely claim that I am a descendant of theirs.”

After a moment of silence, Jang Wonso asked suspiciously,

“How did you learn this?”

“I will be honest with you.”

As if he had already resolved to be honest, Lee Jaseung took a deep breath and continued.

“The day Yang Jo, one of Master Ban’s subordinates, confessed his crimes and took his own life, I left the Alliance and went directly to another organization to seek help.”

Jang Wonso’s face stiffened with displeasure. He made no attempt to hide it.

Lee Jaseung spoke quickly.

“I was deeply involved in Master Ban’s affairs because of Yang Seokwon’s case, and I learned of his corruption. I was worried he wouldn’t just leave me be. I trust you, Alliance Leader, but I could not trust Master Ban.”

In a slightly softer tone, Jang Wonso asked,

“I see. But what organization did you go to?”

“The Golden Ants.”

The Golden Ants was an organization Jang Wonso also knew well. If it had been any other group, he might have doubted it, but the Golden Ants were known to be capable of extracting important information from even someone like Ban Yeo.

Of course, he did not naively believe the claim outright.

Jang Wonso secretly sent a sound transmission to one of his closest aides, instructing him to investigate whether this was true.

Lee Jaseung bowed his head as if embarrassed to admit this fact, but inside, he was calm. In fact, he wanted the Alliance Leader to check. The Golden Ants would confirm his story exactly as planned.

Lee Jaseung pleaded earnestly.

“Master Ban will try to get rid of me. You are the only one who can protect me. Please, I beg you.”

Up to now, the Ban Yeo Jang Wonso knew would never do such a thing.

But now, he was no longer certain. He had never imagined Ban Yeo would bring the Hainan Sect into this.

Of course, Jang Wonso still suspected the man in front of him.

‘This could just be one of his ploys.’

He did not overlook any possibility.

But if what Lee Jaseung said was true, then Ban Yeo had crossed a line that could never be crossed.

The corners of Jang Wonso’s eyes trembled. He suppressed his rising anger, reminding himself nothing was yet confirmed, and said calmly,

“Understood. I will look into it.”

“I’ll leave it in your hands.”

Leaving the Alliance Leader’s Hall, Lee Jaseung wore a satisfied smile.

He would keep pushing Jang Wonso and Ban Yeo without giving them a moment’s rest.

He knew well that some people would lay down their lives for even a single day’s bond, while others would destroy decades of trust in a single day.

And one more thing on top of that!

The more suspicious the people are, the faster the relationships they build will crumble.

That was the reason for the smile on Lee Jaseung’s lips as he stepped out of the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

* * *

When Ban Yeo arrived at the Alliance Leader’s Hall half an hour later, Jang Wonso was in the rear garden feeding the fish in the pond.

A school of carp gathered around him.

As Ban Yeo approached, Jang Wonso spoke without turning.

“You’re here?”

His voice was as calm as ever.

“Have you been well?”

“Lately, I find myself waking earlier. Perhaps I am getting old.”

“You are still strong.”

“No, I have aged a lot.”

Straightening his back, Jang Wonso turned.

“So, what brings you here?”

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

Jang Wonso sat lightly on a rock beside the pond. Normally, he would have invited Ban Yeo to sit next to him as well, but today he said nothing.

Ban Yeo noticed the subtle difference. If the Alliance Leader had seen that list of names in the ledger, it was only natural he would feel some revulsion.

‘But you still cannot cast me aside.’

Before coming, Ban Yeo had devised a plan to mend their relationship. The key to that plan was honesty.

“I was too greedy. I have nothing to say in my defense.”

Jang Wonso nodded slowly.

“That can happen.”

“No. I was drunk on wealth and power and did something I should never have done. I apologize.”

Ban Yeo bowed again. At least before the Alliance Leader, his back and knees bent easily.

He only needed to make one thing clear, that he had drawn martial artists of the Alliance to himself out of greed, not rebellion. If he could manage that, the Alliance Leader’s anger could be eased.

When it came to greed, the Alliance Leader himself would not be outdone. He might not like it, but in the end he would understand.

“I will set everything right as quickly as possible.”

It was regrettable, but he would have to get rid of everyone he had brought in. For the time being, the Alliance would have to be filled with the Alliance Leader’s people.

Jang Wonso nodded. It seemed he was accepting the words.

Ban Yeo seized the good atmosphere.

“And recently, I discovered something important concerning Seop Mu-pyeong.”

“Seop Mu-pyeong? What is it?”

Pretending to not know anything, Jang Wonso asked.

Ban Yeo paused deliberately. From here on was the crucial part.

“Do not be surprised. He is a descendant of the Hainan Sect.”

Even at the mention of the Hainan Sect, Jang Wonso showed no surprise. Nor did he try to gloss over it.

From here, his political maneuvering began.

“You already knew?”

“Seop Mu-pyeong has been here.”

Ban Yeo sensed something was off in his reaction.

“Do you mean he revealed his identity?”

At that moment, Jang Wonso thought Ban Yeo’s acting was impressive. He truly looked as though he believed Seop Mu-pyeong to be a real descendant of the Hainan Sect.

But his aide had already returned from the Golden Ants with the truth, that Ban Yeo had planned to frame Seop Mu-pyeong as such, and Seop Mu-pyeong had already informed him of it.

Between the two men, the liar was clearly Ban Yeo.

“He said you were going to frame him.”

“He actually said that?”

Ban Yeo was startled. It seemed Seop Mu-pyeong had realized he knew the truth about him and had made the first move.

‘How did he figure it out?’

But that was not the important thing now. If Seop Mu-pyeong had come out like this, then he too would have to play a strong hand.

“He came for revenge.”

“Revenge?”

Jang Wonso’s gaze sharpened. He wanted to see just how far this man intended to go.

Ban Yeo cursed in his mind.

‘This should not have been brought up this way.’

Even if it was the same story, it should have been told in a softer setting.

Ban Yeo spoke with deliberate emphasis.

“Revenge for the annihilation of the Hainan Sect.”

“Then why bring it to the Murim Alliance?”

Still feigning ignorance, Jang Wonso forced him to take the next step.

“The Murim Alliance was deeply involved in their destruction.”

In that instant, Jang Wonso’s gaze turned razor-sharp.

Ordinarily, the words should have been “He believes the Alliance was involved.” But Ban Yeo had stated it as fact.

And then he went further.

“You should get rid of him before he starts spreading the fact around.”

It sounded like he was suggesting killing to cover up the truth. In fact, that was exactly what he wanted it to sound like.

Jang Wonso felt as though he had been caught off guard. He had not expected Ban Yeo to speak of it so bluntly right in front of his face. Bringing up the Hainan Sect at all had been the real problem to begin with.

Even after a lifetime of shrewd political maneuvering, Jang Wonso could not suppress the surge of anger he felt now. Overturning the whole board like this was something only pathetic Third-rate warriors did.

Ban Yeo was able to feel the Alliance Leader’s anger like a physical weight.

‘Damn it! Everything is messed up now!’

But he had already come too far and there was no turning back.

Jang Wonso replied with a cold gaze.  

“I will grant you leave. Set aside Alliance affairs for a while and go back to your hometown.”

It may have sounded like a temporary leave, but it was essentially an order to step down. Of course, Ban Yeo understood the meaning, but he showed no surprise.

He replied calmly,

“I refuse.”

It was outright defiance. His gamble had now become a fight for life or death.

Ban Yeo looked him straight in the eye.

“Give me one day. Then everything will be back to normal. Rest well.”

With that curt declaration, he bowed politely and turned to leave.

“Ban Yeo.”

The low call from behind carried a deadly weight.

Without turning, Ban Yeo replied,

“You and I both have lived with too much blood on our hands.”

He let out a sigh.

Then, as he began walking again, he spoke.

“Killing me will not wash that blood away.”

Leaving those words behind, he walked on.

The killing intent he felt at his back grew heavier, but he paid it no mind.

‘You must want to kill me. But you cannot. To kill me would be to risk all your corruption being exposed. Do you really have the courage for that?’

And with that, Ban Yeo left the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

Outside the Alliance, Heukso was waiting.

“Call the first, second, and third units. All of them”

Their names were simply one, two, and three. They had no other designations.

Heukso looked shocked.

“All of them?”

Since their formation, all three teams had never been summoned at once.

Before he could ask again, the next order came.

“Kill both Seop Mu-pyeong and Baek Seolyoung.”

This time, he did not ask why Baek Seolyoung had to die too. He felt like he already knew.

After killing them both, they would frame the Undying Ghouls.

“Understood.”

Heukso vanished without a sound.

* * *

Lee Jaseung and Baek Seolyoung were walking along a dark forest path.

“Where are we going right now?”

“I told you. For a drink.”

“But drinking in a forest like this? Are you trying to imitate Grandmother?”

When she mentioned the time Yim Sayeon had served liquor in a mountain cave, Lee Jaseung smirked.

“Well, it’s something like that.”

The deeper they went, the more her curiosity grew.

How long had they walked?

Past a dense pine grove, a small pavilion appeared near a cliff. Colorful lanterns hung beautifully around it.

“A pavilion in a place like this? Who lit all those lamps?”

She did not think this was their destination.

But Lee Jaseung walked straight toward it, and Baek Seolyoung spoke because of it.

“We better turn back. We don’t know who might be there.”

However, Lee Jaseung strode on without slowing down.

Following him up into the pavilion, she gasped in surprise.

“Ah! it’s beautiful.”

The place was spotless with a table set for them. Lifting the lids off the dishes revealed all sorts of side dishes to go with liquor. In the middle of the forest, they were even still steaming.

But more than anything, what took her breath away were the colorful lanterns illuminating the surroundings.

“Whoever did this put a lot of heart into it.”

Even until then, she had no idea it was Lee Jaseung himself who prepared all of this. The thought that he had prepared this table and hung these lanterns never crossed her mind.

“Do you like it?”

“Of course. What woman wouldn’t- ”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Slowly turning to him with trembling eyes, she asked,

“Don’t tell me this is for me?”

The reason she hadn’t thought it was their destination was because such colorful lanterns and Lee Jaseung did not go together in her mind.

Blushing slightly, Lee Jaseung replied.

“You told me to get you something special and splendid, didn’t you?”

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