Rebirth of the Thunder God

'I think I know who the traitor is.'

"Alright. Junior Brother. Since it might be a long story, let's take a carriage and move."

"Was it you, Junior Sister, who brought the carriage? Well, since I get to ride it, it's a good thing."

"Now, now. Senior Brother, Senior Sister. Go to the carriage first. I'll take care of the mess and go."

"We're grateful that the youngest junior brother is taking care of the unpleasant work. Then we'll go to the carriage first."

And so, as On Yuha and Hae Wicheong headed to the carriage first, Namgung Hui looked at the members of the Hoicheon Association scattered on the floor.

Although he could have killed them with the void palm, Namgung Hui did not.

It was because he didn't want to take an innocent life.

Since when?

As his realm gradually rose, he had developed a reluctance to kill, even though he could easily take a life.

'Am I becoming a Taoist?'

He didn't know if this was a kind of enlightenment, but he felt like he was learning the weight of life.

The word 'all things return to one' was not limited to martial arts.

The principles of the world, the truth, the Tao.

It also meant a world where all of them merged into one.

In Taoism, it was said that everything goes around and comes around to the Taiji.

Anyway. They might or might not have committed a crime.

But, Namgung Hui did not want to take their lives.

Although On Yuha or Hae Wicheong might scold him for leaving a future problem, nothing would change even if they survived.

Namgung Hui, who had already woken up, looked at the members and said.

"I know you're all awake. I didn't hit you that hard. I adjusted my strength so that you would wake up by now, so everyone, get up."

"..."

Although there was silence, one by one, they slowly got up.

"You know that if I wanted to kill you, I could have killed you long ago, right?"

"..."

Perhaps because they were scared, there was still no answer.

Nevertheless, Namgung Hui steadfastly continued his words.

"Anyway. I'm going to show you mercy. I'm not a petty person like the General. So I'm saying, I don't know what kind of prohibition you have, but in the future, show mercy to people like me. I also showed great mercy to Captain Yang a while ago. Of course, I also received a favor from another person and spared him. If mercy and favor go around like this, wouldn't the martial world become a slightly better place to live?"

"..."

"Well, I didn't say it to hear your answer, so I'll be going now."

As Namgung Hui left the members of the Hoicheon Association alive and went on his way, a ripple spread across their expressions.

It felt as if a stone had been dropped into a quiet and calm stream.

***

The disciples of the Hao Faction, who had moved by carriage, rented a detached house at an inn and were spending a cozy time.

"So. What did you have to say to me?"

"First, look at this. It's information that our master has obtained a cat's eye stone."

"So?"

"Do you think a cat's eye stone is a common gem?"

"No. I also know that a cat's eye stone is a very rare item. But are you saying I stole it from our master? I've said it many times, but I received this from the third."

"Hmph! You're just trying to put the blame on the third. And the third's specialty is theft. Why do you think I suspect the First Senior Brother? It's because I've received information from somewhere."

Namgung Hui, who had been listening to the conversation quietly from the side, stealthily intervened.

"Senior Sister. So I'm asking, can you tell me the source of that information? It's not the third senior brother, is it?"

"What does it matter whether the source of the information is the third or not?"

Namgung Hui smiled a triumphant smile and continued.

"It seems my senior sister trusts the third senior brother blindly, but from what I see, the most suspicious one is the third senior brother."

This time, Hae Wicheong also looked at Namgung Hui with an interested expression.

"Why do you think so?"

"That's because he's a thief, but also because of one assumption I've made. Listen carefully for a moment. I beat up a member of the Hoicheon Association before. After subduing him, I asked him. Why did you join the Hoicheon Association? He answered. To regain the martial arts of his sect. Was it stored in the Imperial Palace's secret repository? And the third senior brother, before being a disciple of the Hao Faction, was the successor of the Empty Gate Sect."

"Oho. Is that how it is? That makes a lot of sense."

"Hmph! That's all the youngest junior brother's imagination, isn't it? If you put it that way, it means that the First Senior Brother, who needs a spirit medicine, could also be recruited."

Namgung Hui shook his head and continued.

"No. Listen to me until the end. Anyway. The assumption is not just that. First of all, it's an undeniable fact that he's a thief. Therefore, I have no choice but to suspect him. It's not just because he's a thief, but because of his outstanding concealment technique. As my senior sister saw earlier, the First Senior Brother's concealment technique is clumsy because he only learned martial arts, and he's not meticulous. Do you agree with this part?"

In the first place, if Hae Wicheong's concealment technique had been outstanding, there would have been no reason for On Yuha, who was in the carriage, to detect him.

And to Namgung Hui's eyes, it was a very clumsy movement.

At least in stealth, he should have been careful with his footsteps, but Hae Wicheong didn't even have such a posture.

Perhaps it was because he didn't have a proper master.

"Yes. I agree that the First Senior Brother's concealment technique is clumsy. But what about it?"

"Do you think he could infiltrate our master's residence with such a concealment technique?"

"Hmm... That's not right."

"And the reason I suspected the third senior brother was because he was secretly watching my senior sister a while ago. At first, I thought it was because of affection, but it wasn't. He was watching my senior sister. If you don't believe me, ask the animals you carry around."

On Yuha, as if her words were blocked, could not immediately answer Namgung Hui's words.

Because if Namgung Hui had seen it, it would be the same whether she asked the animals or not.

"It seems my senior sister has acknowledged it. What do you think, senior brother?"

"What is there for me to say? I was suspicious of the third from the beginning. From the time the cat's eye stone and the safe house went wrong. Didn't the third give me the cat's eye stone and tell me about that place?"

"Then it seems the senior brothers and sisters have all gathered, so we can have a conversation."

Basurak.

Namgung Hui, as soon as he finished speaking, shot up to the ceiling.

Hae Wicheong and On Yuha, who were surprised by Namgung Hui who had suddenly broken through the ceiling, showed a slightly surprised expression, but unfortunately, their surprise soon turned into astonishment.

Because they saw the third, Dam Gihae, who had fallen from the ceiling.

"Since I've caught the person himself, it will be easy to ask him directly. Now. Third Senior Brother. Shall we hear why you plotted such a thing?"

Perhaps because he didn't have the confidence to meet Hae Wicheong's eyes, Dam Gihae lowered his head and continued.

"...I have nothing to say."

"Why do you have nothing to say? Shouldn't you at least make an excuse?"

As Namgung Hui, as well as On Yuha and Hae Wicheong, glared at Dam Gihae, he dropped his shoulders powerlessly and said.

"Because you were right, I have nothing to say. I was caught by the person called the General, and that weakness was the secret manual of the Empty Gate Sect that you mentioned. For me, who had decided to revive the Empty Gate Sect, the secret manual of the Empty Gate Sect was more desperate than the Hao Faction."

Hae Wicheong, who was angry because he had been used, soon relaxed his expression as if he understood his junior brother and said.

"The biggest damage was done to our master, but I was also quite angry because of my junior brother. I was almost framed as a traitor by the second and almost got into trouble. If the youngest wasn't here, it would have been like that. Yes. The General must have told you to sow discord between me and the second, right? So that it would be easy to break into the Hao Faction and take control."

"...That's right. Senior Brother. I have no face. Just kill me here."

Namgung Hui clicked his tongue at the tearful melodrama and said.

"Tsk, tsk. Do you think the damage done to the First Senior Brother will disappear just because you die? You should think about paying it back while you're alive. And what's with a thief having such a thin face?"

"Even if my senior brother and senior sister forgive me. Our master will not leave me alone. I'd rather die comfortably at the hands of my senior brother than die a painful death."

"That's also true, but it's not like there are no other options."

Namgung Hui, while speaking, put his hand into his robes and took something out.

The identity of it was a wriggling bug.

Namgung Hui threw it into Dam Gihae's mouth.

"Ugh! What are you doing!"

Namgung Hui, ignoring Dam Gihae's scolding, put on a serious expression and held his ground.

"Everyone, listen carefully from now on. This is information I found out from the Hoicheon Association before. It's a very important story. To the point where even the Beggars' Sect doesn't know yet."

Perhaps because Namgung Hui had set the mood like that.

Dam Gihae, who had been struggling, as well as On Yuha and Hae Wicheong, quietly listened to Namgung Hui's words.

"The bug I just fed you is called an Insanity Gu, and it's strange, but the female can control the male. To the point where it will obey any command. Even now, if the female gives a signal to the male, it will self-destruct with a 'bang!'. This is a type of prohibition used by the Hoicheon Association."

"!? No. Such a cruel method...! Have they really abandoned the path of a human?"

"That's that. Why did the youngest junior brother do such a thing to the third?"

Namgung Hui smiled a wicked smile and said.

"To catch a demon, you have to become a demon yourself. Even if it means walking the path of Asura."

As Namgung Hui even revealed his ki, On Yuha could no longer argue.

The momentum of an absolute master was too much for even the Transcendent Hae Wicheong to handle, let alone the ordinary On Yuha.

And the one who was most scared was Dam Gihae, who had been fed the bug by Namgung Hui.

Moreover, since he had swallowed something called an Insanity Gu, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, and when an absolute master was putting pressure on him with his ki right in front of him, his legs couldn't help but tremble.

"Third Senior Brother. No. Dam Gihae. I'm going to put a few prohibitions on you. If you break them, the Insanity Gu in your head will have a seizure and you'll lose your life. Ah. And. They say the seizure of the Insanity Gu is very painful. It's a fact I found out while torturing a member of the Hoicheon Association, so it must be true."

"T-this vicious...!"

"And you, Dam Gihae, tried to sell out your senior brother and sect. We're even. No. I'm better than a dog that bites its own shit. Then shall I start with the prohibitions?"

Namgung Hui engraved the words that should not be leaked one by one in Dam Gihae's mind.

And he reminded him again that if he broke them, he would die a painful death.

"That should be enough for the prohibitions. Dam Gihae. You're my servant from now on. Got it?"

"A servant? Are you saying I'm your slave?"

"The performance of the Insanity Gu is quite good. You haven't gone crazy. Yes. What you heard is right. You're my body servant now. You said you were going to die anyway if you went to our master. It would be better for our master and senior brother if I just used you."

First of all, it was reassuring to be under the surveillance of an absolute master.

And since their own manpower and mental energy were not wasted, there was nothing more efficient than this.

And for Namgung Hui, who was using a nimble person for free, there was nothing better than this.

Even Dam Gihae, who was being used, would be safe from his master if he was under Namgung Hui's control.

And most of all, he would not be retaliated against by the Hoicheon Association for failing to complete his mission properly.

'And most of all, I've received a part of the Empty Gate Sect's progress. If I have a chance later, I should take him to the Empty Gate Sect's secret repository.'

Hadn't the night-shining pearl he had obtained there also not been disposed of yet?

If he hadn't caused a ruckus at the Black Market, he could have sold it for a good price.

It seemed better to have kept it without selling it.

Since a night-shining pearl was not something that could be sold in a short period of time, he would have surely lost it during the auction.

'If so, the Iron Blood Alliance will have to wait for the auction house to be fully established.'

At Namgung Hui's words, everyone nodded their heads as if they had made a decision that was fine.

"I agree. If the youngest takes the third, it's like blowing my nose without using my hands, so there's no reason to refuse. I'll try to persuade our master."

"I also support the youngest's opinion. I should be grateful that he even cleared my bad name."

"Dam Gihae. You have no choice, so you don't need to say anything... Senior Sister. Still, you should apologize to the First Senior Brother, right?"

Hae Wicheong, as if he was secretly hoping for an apology, glanced at On Yuha.

She, as if everyone's eyes were on her, blushed slightly and lowered her head.

"S-senior Brother. I'm sorry. I made a needless misunderstanding."

"Is that all you have to say? I was almost framed as a traitor."

"Then... I'll get you a spirit medicine."

"Not one, but two. And with a high-grade spirit medicine."

"...Alright. I'll get you two high-grade spirit medicines. But from now on, no more talking about this."

"Yes. I'll do that."

It seemed that this matter had been settled well, so Namgung Hui smiled with satisfaction.

But there was still something that had not been resolved.

"Senior Sister. Is there anything for me? I mediated, cleared up the misunderstanding, and even cleared away the dark clouds that were about to befall the Hao Faction. I've done a lot."

"What do you want?"

"First, give me all the information on the entire Qinghai Province and the latest map, and also all the information on Guizhou Province, including the Iron Blood Alliance, and send it to the Namgung family within seven days and nights."

"Seven days and nights? That's a bit tight."

"Make it happen if it's not possible. Isn't that the teaching of the Hao Faction? And my request is not over yet."

"Sigh... You're really trying to get everything you can. Alright. Go ahead and say it."

Namgung Hui smiled a wicked smile and opened his mouth.

"I'd like you to go to the Namgung family with me."

(End of Chapter)