"That pitiful desire for revenge of yours."

Seol Unhwi's voice sank low.

"That meaningless, vermin-like cry you cast at the world has defiled the death of a man named Song Hak."

The surroundings fell silent.

"Did you want to flaunt that pitiful martial art of yours? Did you want to experiment on an old man who had never learned martial arts in his life? Did you want to watch him writhe in pain?"

Seol Unhwi's sunken voice resounded through the entire interrogation chamber, and every time it did, Yeom Chuseop's body twitched and trembled.

"I have seen countless vermin in the martial world, but there have been very few like you. It almost draws admiration."

Everyone was looking at Seol Unhwi.

"Song Hak sought to die while protecting the Yang Empire. That was his path, and his loyalty."

Seol Unhwi looked down at Yeom Chuseop.

"But the Return-of-Life Society cut off that path and turned his death into a tool of war."

"...The Return-of-Life Society?"

Someone muttered.

"What is the Return-of-Life Society?"

"I've never heard of it...."

Seol Unhwi ignored them and focused only on Yeom Chuseop.

"Did you want to die comfortably?"

"..."

"Was Song Hak's death preparatory work to trigger a war between the Yang Empire and the Enemy State?"

Yeom Chuseop's face went pale.

Seol Unhwi let out a faint laugh.

"Song Hak's public esteem was indeed great, but his death alone would not start a war. And even if the name Jeok Myeongcheol keeps coming out of your mouth, that still would not push things as far as war."

Seol Unhwi paused briefly before continuing.

"But it would be enough to plant distrust of the Enemy State in the people of the Yang Empire."

Yeom Chuseop clenched his teeth.

Seol Unhwi turned and looked toward the interrogation room door.

"From what I saw outside, the rumors were spreading quickly."

"..."

"It seems you have an information organization of your own. For their movements to be that swift, quite a few of your people must already have entered Heaven-and-Earth Province."

After watching Yeom Chuseop's expression, Seol Unhwi nodded.

"Judging by your reaction, it seems I was right."

"W-Wait a moment."

One official approached Seol Unhwi.

"What exactly is this Return-of-Life Society?"

"They are people who promote division between nations."

Seol Unhwi spoke coldly.

"Elder Song Hak's assassination is part of that as well."

"What do you mean by that...."

"In the Enemy State, the Third Prince Jeok Myeongcheol is known as a man whose methods are excessive. He is human, so he does make mistakes, but he is not the kind of man who would instruct someone who once served as his guard to assassinate a figure on the level of a Provincial Governor in this fashion."

"..."

"But the people of the world do not know that. From their point of view, all they know is that a man from the Enemy State killed a Provincial Governor of the Yang Empire."

Seol Unhwi looked around at the people nearby.

"The rumor has already spread, and the people are anxious. Distrust toward the Enemy State is building."

People's faces hardened.

"But this is only the beginning."

"...The beginning?"

Seol Unhwi continued.

"The Return-of-Life Society never stops after one move. They will trigger incidents in succession and maximize the conflict between the two nations."

At those words, the interrogation chamber stirred.

"Then...."

"There will be another assassination."

Seol Unhwi looked at Yeom Chuseop.

"This time, it will be in the Enemy State."

Yeom Chuseop's eyes flew wide.

This... insane bastard... this monster of a bastard... what the hell is he...?

Unfortunately, his inner thoughts did not reach the people around him.

"They will stage it in a way similar to this one, making it look as though a man from the Yang Empire killed an important figure in the Enemy State. That is how they will steer the two nations toward war."

"T-This is insane... But is that... realistically possible?"

"Why do you think it is impossible?"

"..."

"If distrust continues to pile up, then in order to resolve it, the two sides will send delegations or take some other kind of action, and the Return-of-Life Society will manipulate that situation as well, creating conditions favorable to themselves."

"..."

"If it were me, I would use the Return-of-Life Society's own forces to create a false justification saying the delegations caused trouble, then massacre the delegations to the last person. Resentment would grow, misunderstandings would deepen, and a hidden organization like the Return-of-Life Society possesses that level of ability."

And then.

"I assume there is no fool present here who is certain that every official in the Enemy State opposes /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ war."

There were all kinds of people in the world.

War was certainly a vast hell where people died in droves, but even within such chaos there were those who made enormous sums of money or seized power.

Could it really be that there were none who had been preparing for that in advance?

Could it really be that there were no military officials who wished to test themselves while honing force of arms? A nation could never truly become one.

It could only be made to appear as one.

The word leadership had not come into being for nothing.

Seol Unhwi walked back over to Yeom Chuseop.

Then he spoke in a low voice.

"I'm asking just in case."

"...W-What... what is it...."

"Who is next?"

Yeom Chuseop bit his lip.

Blood ran from it.

"I don't know...."

It was a voice that seemed to crawl into the ground.

"I did not expect much anyway."

Seol Unhwi turned and looked at Mak Sohong.

"Squad Leader Mak."

"...Yes."

"Hand this man over to the court. And inform the Enemy State of the truth as well... and if possible, conduct an active investigation into sects and families that were exterminated recently."

"...The Enemy State as well?"

"Yes."

Seol Unhwi said coldly,

"This man sullied Jeok Myeongcheol's honor. If he hears of this matter now, he too will actively move to explain himself and take action. More importantly, it is evident that the Return-of-Life Society will soon stir up trouble in the Enemy State, so they too need to know the situation."

"But...."

Mak Sohong let his words trail off, but Seol Unhwi already knew what he wanted to say.

From the beginning, that was the common question shared by everyone present here other than Seol Unhwi.

Was the Enemy State truly innocent?

"The Enemy State is innocent."

Strength entered Seol Unhwi's voice.

"The Return-of-Life Society has merely begun its work to drive a wedge between the two nations. If the truth is not made known, the distrust that has already begun will only deepen, so moving first is the best course."

Mak Sohong nodded.

"...Understood."

Seol Unhwi looked around.

"If there is anyone here who truly grieves Elder Song's death, then spread information about the Return-of-Life Society to the court and to the world."

"...You mean information?"

"They are people who move for the sake of division between nations."

Seol Unhwi quietly clasped his hands behind his back.

"They are people who swing their blades at the whole world despite lacking any clear target for revenge. They gather survivors of fallen sects, descendants of families exterminated in civil strife, and bereaved families of those who died under false accusations, then seek to start wars in the name of revenge."

Silence fell.

"I am a martial artist, and I belong to the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace, so I am not a person who belongs to any nation."

"..."

"But as is always the case wherever people live, if friction arises, then it should be resolved. War? It may happen. But all such things must have proper justification."

"..."

"In my view, the Return-of-Life Society has no such just cause. It is only a desperate struggle of people bound tightly together by malice. I also do not want Elder Song's death to become the starting point of that struggle."

"...Mm...."

"I made a promise to Elder Song. I accepted his request that I help once if the Yang Empire ever fell into crisis, and that is why I am standing here now."

Everyone's eyes brightened.

There was no way these people would not know Seol Unhwi's reputation for placing great importance on debts and favors.

"What all of you need to do is clear. Spread the existence of the Return-of-Life Society, then find them and eliminate them."

It was then.

One court official gave a cupped-fist salute.

"Understood. I will report it to the court."

"Thank you."

And then.

A middle-aged man who looked to be in his mid-forties spoke.

"I too will use all the strength of Heaven-and-Earth Province, if I must, to root them out and eliminate them."

After looking at him for a moment, Seol Unhwi gave a faintly strange smile.

"You are the new Provincial Governor of Heaven-and-Earth Province."

"That is what has come to pass. My name is Woo Bangcheol."

"My name is Seol Unhwi."

"...But tell me, was what you said true? That Elder Song did not die peacefully?"

"Yes. He was struck by the Soul-Extinguishing Needle Technique and died without being able to let out even a single scream to the very end."

Woo Bangcheol's fist clenched tightly.

"I have already told Squad Leader Mak here exactly where the wounds were, as well as the name of the martial art, so if you bring more capable physicians and martial artists to investigate, that should be enough."

And then.

"Now that the group's name has been revealed, if you capture a martial artist of the Return-of-Life Society and torture them together with this man, they will tell you everything. These are people who have already lost everything once before. They will speak only if you keep them in constant pain without letting them die."

"...I thank you for this favor."

"I only kept a promise."

Woo Bangcheol then asked Seol Unhwi,

"You do realize it, don't you."

"What do you mean?"

"If an organization called the Return-of-Life Society truly exists, then in the end their blade will be turned toward you as well."

"I know."

"Can you bear it?"

Seol Unhwi smiled faintly.

"How could a man born as a man fear a little blood shed in the course of keeping a promise?"

At those words, everyone present was filled with admiration.

Was he not truly an extraordinary man?

"I will be going now."

Seol Unhwi signaled with his eyes to Namgung Wonyang and began to walk.

And it was precisely after taking three steps.

"W-Wait... a moment."

Seol Unhwi turned his head.

It was Mak Sohong.

"...Young Master."

"What is it?"

"I will not let Elder Song Hak's death be in vain."

Having said that, Mak Sohong bowed deeply and continued.

"And thank you."

"There is no need to show thanks."

Seol Unhwi turned his back.

"I am only keeping a promise."

And so the two of them left the interrogation chamber.

***

The place Seol Unhwi and Namgung Wonyang headed after leaving the city was the headquarters of the Beggars' Sect located in Heaven-and-Earth Province.

As soon as the man and woman entered, one person came out to greet them.

A middle-aged man dressed too neatly to suit a beggar.

It was Cheon Sugang, one of the Six-Knot Beggars, famous by the epithet Iron Hand Ghost.

He smiled faintly.

"It has been a long time, Young Master Seol."

"It has indeed been a long time, Senior Cheon."

Seol Unhwi gave a cupped-fist salute.

Cheon Sugang returned it.

"I heard the rumor. You left the Heavenly Alliance?"

"Yes."

"What a pity. A man like you leaving the Heavenly Alliance."

"Does not everything have its proper time?"

"...That is true. You have not changed."

After saying that, Cheon Sugang beckoned with his hand.

"It does not seem you came just to exchange greetings, so come in."

Naturally, the man and woman were guided into an office within the headquarters.

Cheon Sugang sat down and continued.

"To say it only now, but given your temperament, I figured it would turn out like this."

"..."

"Even so, I am still someone who once had friction with you. I know roughly what kind of man you are."