Nano Mashin

Fourth Elder Ja Kinkeng and Sixth Elder Mong Oh were leading their groups toward the mansion of the Buju Sword clan located on the east side of the castle. There weren’t a lot of spies within the palace guards as the palace guards were appointed through careful screening.

“Make it quick!”

“Yes, sir!”

There was a reason why Ja Kinkeng and Mong Oh were moving so quickly. A while ago, one of the traitors from the palace guards blew a whistle, but they weren’t sure what the signal meant. It was possible that the remaining traitors might try to escape so they had to work fast. All castle gates were sealed and the entire castle was under emergency mode, so they thought it wasn’t be easy for them to run.

“L-look!”

Then they saw black smoke coming up from the direction they were running from. They also saw flame coming up. Ja Kinkeng and Mong Oh then had to work to put out the fire at the mansion of the Buju Sword clan.

“Put out the fire!”

“Keep it contained!”

“Ugh.. we are late.”

The heat blocked them from the outside. The entire mansion was oiled so it would burn, and the flame was taking everything away. All they could do was contain the fire so it wouldn’t spread in another way. While Mong Oh and his groups worked to put out the fire, remaining groups led by Ja Kinkeng began searching through the castle to find ones related to the Buju Sword clan.

Three days passed. Lot of things happened during those times. The fire at the Buju Sword clan’s mansion was put out but there were no survivors. Most bodies were all burned up, and the bodies found where the fire did not burn it all were also dead as they killed themselves. Everything was planned so that they could remove every trace. And the Buju Sword clan wasn’t the only one. The Sword clan was also searched thoroughly and those who had a relationship to the Buju Sword clan were all found dead. The only survivor was Yi Burwi, so he was treated for his cut limbs and was now locked to go under investigation. All members from the Sword clan were arrested to undergo investigation as well and all groups owned by them were disbanded.

“A total of fourteen guards from the Palace Guards were found to be from the Buju Sword clan.”

“I see.”

Among the 300 Palace Guards, there was a total of fourteen traitors, including Pahin, the newly-appointed leader.

“From what we see, there were only five before, but nine were added this time.”

Pahin was only one of three lieutenantS, but after the Lord returned from Jukang Castle, Pahin was appointed to a leader. Left Guardian Lee Hameng questioned Pahin and Yi Burwi himself but there wasn’t much outcome. The ones talking in the Lord’s office were Chun Yeowun and Great Guardian Marakim.

After the incident, Chun Yeowun now was at the palace and was helping three guardians and other elders take care of the issue. He was the Crown Prince and also the new Chun Ma so no one objected to it.

“Lord Chun Ma. 11th Elder requests to see you.”

“Let him come in.”

Office door opened and 11th Elder Huan Yi entered. He still wore red silk clothes with butterfly embroidery, but had a different mask this time. He usually wore a handsome man’s mask, but he looked like any ordinary man right now. But he still had heavy makeup, and that gave him a feminine feel.

“Greetings, Lord Chun Ma.”

“Are you already up?”

“Huhu. How can I, a mere servant of Lord Chun Ma, rest while you are so busy at work?”

Huan Yi had to walk into the trap set up for Chun Yeowun. If Huan Yi wasn’t helped by reinforcements, he might have not survived. With two warrior groups coming to his aid, Huan Yi fought against warriors from the Buju Sword clan. The Buju Sword clan members were outnumbered, but they used blood reversion art so it caused many casualties.

“I have something to report.”

“…Is it about the chase?”

“Yes, my lord.”

After four hours of battle, Huan Yi was able to defeat them. But when he checked the bodies of the Buju Sword clan, he found out that a few of them were missing. Their leader Jukem and the other three were missing, so Huan Yi organized a chase party and sent a message to his spy network to find any trace of them from Bokgun and Kangsuh Castle.

“I received a message from the north of the Bokgun Castle.”

“Did we find them?”

“Yes. We found their trace in a small village… I’m sorry, my lord.”

“We lost them.”

“Yes. Two of my warriors asked for reinforcements and followed them but they went missing.”

“Get up.”

Huan Yi was on his knees to apologize and Yeowun brought him up. He then walked over to the Jianghu map over at the wall. The village north of Bokgun Castle was very close to Jurkang Castle.

“They went over to Jurkang Castle.”

“That’s what we thought as well.”

They searched all around Bokgun Castle, but nothing was found. The last trace of Huan Yi’s warriors were left off near the Jurkang Castle. They couldn’t search Jurkang Castle as it was the territory of the Blade God Six Martial clan, so they had to return.

“I guess it is likely that they are involved in this.”

“From what we can see… that is most likely.”

Yeowun had guessed that the Buju Sword clan was related to the Blade God Six Martial clan already. He had a reason for this suspicion. Those who were captured as prisoners were quiet, but there was one mystery that was solved by the incident.

‘I was right… with the poison and all.’

The liquor that served to the feast with the Yulin clan was poisoned. The only spy at that moment was only one. It was impossible for one man to poison all the liquor, so Yeowun thought it was weird. He heard that the Palace Guards searched the foods, so if there were this many traitors in the palace guards, then that mystery was solved. And if that was related, then it was likely that the Buju Sword clan was related to the Blade God Six Martial clan.

‘Hmph.’

After looking it up, Yeowun was able to find out that the Buju Sword clan originated from the outside, and they had only joined the cult for sixty years. Their based used to be in Jurkang Castle, but they lost to the Demonic Cult when Chun Inji led his expedition towards the north and entered the castle.

‘I don’t understand. They waited that long?’

If they were related to the Blade God Six Martial clan for that long, then it meant they had spent a long time sneaking into the castle. It had been only a month since the Blade God Six Martial clan appeared. It seemed just too long to suspect a relationship. But what got into Yeowun’s mind was what Yi Burwi said before he tried to kill himself.

[Ugh… don’t be too excited that you won here. Our clan’s power reaches not only to the Demonic Cult, but beyond… ugh!]

He said it as if their powers reached all parts of the Jianghu. It sounded like the ‘clan’ Yi Burwi mentioned wasn’t the Buju Sword clan.

‘I would know if I can make him speak…’

But that wasn’t easy. On first day, Yeowun tortured him in all kinds of ways, but Yi Burwi never spoke anything.

‘There must be a way for him to speak… oh!’

Yeowun then came up with one idea he had not thought of. It seemed like there might be a chance. Yeowun suddenly got up from his seat and Marakim and Huan Yi became curious. Marakim asked, “My Lord, what is it?”

“I have to talk to the Demon Doctor.”