Chapter 30: The Reason the Sword Cries

TL: FoodieMonster007

Seo Daeryong returned empty-handed with the enforcement martial artists.

He explained, "Yang Tae refused arrest. He claimed the blade ghosts can defend themselves within Southern Blade Sect territory. I tried to take him by force, but his subordinates interfered, so I had to retreat."

As one of the Hundred Blade Ghosts, Yang Tae had one hundred direct subordinates. Arresting him would not be easy if he refused.

The investigators, whose morale was at its peak, grew agitated.

"He's disrespecting us."

"We must take all the enforcement martial artists and arrest him by force."

Gong Myeong calmed the younger investigators and urged caution.

"You must handle this carefully. If a clash occurs with the blade ghosts, many of the enforcement martial artists will be injured."

"But we can't just let this go, can we?"

While the investigators debated, I held out a document to them.

"Here, send this to him."

"What?!"

I showed them a summons. The charge I had written on it shocked everyone.

Treason.

"Can you really apply a charge of treason for refusing arrest?"

Even the veteran Gong Myeong did not know this.

"I can," I said. "We were appointed directly by the Cult Leader, while the Blood Heaven Blade Demon appointed the Hundred Blade Ghosts. Our orders and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's orders can't conflict. In the end, he's disobeying the Cult Leader's command. We don't need to go ourselves. If we send the summons by messenger, he'll come running."

He will come. If he makes one wrong move and the sparks of treason fall upon all the blade ghosts, he will die at their hands.

"Yes, I understand."

Seo Daeryong took the summons and immediately rushed out.

Indeed, less than an hour after the summons was delivered, Yang Tae appeared at the Sanzu River Hall.

The word 'treason' was a magic phrase that made even the most ill-tempered opponent compliant.

But while it could bring him here, it could not make him confess.

After two hours of interrogation, the man still refused to admit he had threatened to kill Jonghwa's younger sister.

I expected this, so I entered the interrogation room myself.

Yang Tae sat in a chair, his inner arts suppressed. He flinched when I entered. The imposing aura of the Hundred Blade Ghosts could not compare to my current presence, especially after I had cut down the Demonic Army General.

"Second Young Lord."

"You should call me the Sanzu Hall Director, not Second Young Lord."

"My apologies. Director. The summons mentioned treason. What on earth is this about?"

"I thought this was the only way I'd get to see our Martial Artist Yang." I smiled and spoke gently.

Yang Tae responded in kind. "I apologize for resisting arrest. As you know, when you're part of an organization, there are many situations where you have to be mindful of others, aren't there? I have my reputation to maintain in front of my subordinates."

"I understand."

"This was never something that should have blown up like this. It all started because of some kids' squabble."

"There is some truth to that."

I went along with his words, wondering how he would play this. Yang Tae must have thought he found an opening, because he began trying to win me over.

"I knew you were a reasonable person. It seems we can resolve this amicably."

"How so?"

"Isn't this the first time you've been entrusted with such a heavy responsibility, Director? As you run the Sanzu River Hall in the future, you'll need a lot of outside help. It will also cost a lot of money."

He was speaking indirectly, but it was clearly a bribe.

"And that's not all. When the time comes for you to officially become the successor, you will absolutely need our help. After all, most people are lining up with the First Young Lord right now…."

"If you're offering help, I'd be glad to take it. Please, help me a lot."

Yang Tae's expression brightened instantly.

"As expected of a magnanimous man. I will serve you well from now on, and I'll arrange a good meeting for us soon."

He glanced at me and stealthily rose from his seat.

"Where are you going?"

"Isn't our conversation over?"

"Didn't you mean you'd help me after you get out of prison?"

At the word 'prison', Yang Tae's expression hardened.

"Why must you make such a disappointing joke?"

I looked up at him, revealing a cold qi.

"Does this sound like a joke to you? We're talking about the crime of threatening to kill the family of a Sanzu River Hall investigator."

"I've already made it clear that I never made such a threat."

"Your testimony doesn't matter. The testimony of the investigator who was threatened has already been accepted."

"What are you talking about?"

"Our Cult has a rule. The testimony of a Sanzu River Hall martial artist takes precedence over any conflicting testimony. It's a clause created to protect the authority of the Sanzu River Hall's investigators, who enforce the rules. You probably didn't know. I only just learned of this law myself. It's all because of people like you. There are more than a few who think they can get away with anything just by insisting they're right."

A flustered Yang Tae was speechless. He likely never imagined this situation when he first arrived.

Then, I struck him with another blow.

"Confess, and I'll reduce your sentence to ten years. Deny it, and it's twenty. There will be no further negotiations."

"W-what? Ten years?" Yang Tae was so shocked he stuttered.

"Choose."

"Are you crazy?"

Yang Tae's suppressed nature emerged, and his words turned harsh.

"If I have to be, I will be. It seems it would be difficult to deal with people like you with a sane mind. Now, I'll give you half a quarter-hour to think it over."

Yang Tae's composure finally shattered. He spoke with blazing eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous. Forget ten years, I have no intention of spending even a single day in prison."

Seeing no more value in conversation, I rose from my seat.

"The trial will be held within a few days."

"By whose authority?"

"By mine. You live by your own authority, don't you?"

His urgent words stopped me as I turned to leave.

"Wait! Second Young Lord! Director! Why are you doing this?"

"Are you asking because you don't know? Your son assaulted his friend and nearly killed him. It wasn't just a one-time fight, he bullied him every day for years, and yet, the parent threatened to kill Detective Seo's family to bury the incident, and you ask me why I'm doing this?"

"Are we the same as some warehouse guard? Shouldn't you at least treat us as superiors? People have always turned a blind eye to things like this until now, haven't they?"

His words were sad and terrifying. They also fueled my drive to move forward.

"Not anymore."

"If you touch me, the Demon Supreme won't just stand by."

"He will. He stood by when I cut down the Demonic Army General, so what makes you so special?"

Yang Tae finally exploded. He had wrongly concluded that he was in this mess for trying to be nice.

"……"

Yang Tae slammed his fist on the desk and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Listen here, Sanzu Hall Director! I am a man with many friends who would risk their lives for me!"

"I guarantee you, no one will step up for you. Who would genuinely like someone like you enough to risk their life?"

I threw one last remark at the trembling man.

"Why? Why don't you try threatening to kill my family too?"

Yang Tae grew agitated but did not dare say a word.

As I watched the man grit his teeth and swallow his rage, a thought occurred to me.

Perhaps our downfall wasn't because of Hwa Mugi.

Discipline had crumbled so much that a mere member of the Hundred Blade Ghosts could threaten a Sanzu River Hall investigator and even subtly threaten me.

"Just confess."

I spoke calmly and left the room. As the door closed, I only heard the sound of him striking the poor desk.

That same day, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon came to see me.

He sat in my residence's front yard, drinking wine. His great sword was plunged into the ground before him.

"Welcome, Second Young Lord. Or should I call you the Sanzu Hall Director now?"

"Call me whatever is comfortable for you."

"I'm more comfortable with Second Young Lord, so I'll call you Second Young Lord."

"As you wish."

"Come, have a drink."

I obediently sat across from him. He invited me for a drink but did not pour me any.

"I'm sure I warned you. It's not good for you to see me often."

"You are always the one who comes to see me, Elder."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon stared at me for a moment, then abruptly brought up the past.

"There was a moment recently when I saw you in a new light. When you won the duel and made your wish to the Cult Leader, I shouted inwardly. Yes, that's it. A smart man would make a wish like that."

"Even I thought it was a pretty good wish."

"Yes, it all started that day."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon emptied his cup and refilled it. He still did not offer me a cup and drank by himself again.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon leaned against the Heaven Destroying Dao, which was stuck in the ground behind him like a wall. The giant dao's overwhelming size was awe-inspiring compared to his gaunt frame.

"That's a truly magnificent sword."

"Aren't you afraid of this sword?"

"Why should I be afraid of it?"

"Because you make my sword cry."

I met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's piercing gaze.

"Why would the sword be crying because of me?"

"Then why is it crying?"

"It cries out of lament."

"About what?"

"Your disciple used Qi Dispersing Poison on me during the duel tournament, and another disciple came to me and insulted my subordinate. Your younger brother used the Demonic Army for his own selfish gains, and your subordinate threatened to kill a Sanzu River Hall investigator. The sword cries because it laments seeing that those around its master do not live up to his character."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's mouth curled into a smile.

"You have a silver tongue."

"I merely stated the facts, and now I'm an eloquent speaker."

"You're wrong."

"Please, enlighten me."

"First, you said those around me don't live up to my character. That's not true. They are a perfect match for my character. I'm only a man of that caliber."

As expected of this formidable old man. People with great pride or a thirst for honor are usually easier to deal with.

"And strictly speaking, it's not their fault. It's yours."

"Mine?"

"When a dragon ascends to the heavens, it always brings a storm with it."

"Who is the dragon?"

"Who else but you? Aren't my people being swept away by that storm?"

"What ascension? It's just a loach stirring up muddy water with a finger qi bullet."

"A loach becomes a snake, and a snake becomes a dragon."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon emptied his cup again, still drinking alone.

"Damn it! Everything is fine, but why do my people have to be the ones swept away?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon sighed, set down his cup, and stated his purpose directly.

"Release the member of the Hundred Blade Ghosts you have locked up. Because of you, the morale of our Southern Blade Sect is at rock bottom these days."

"If the investigation finds him innocent, he will be released."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon began to unleash his demonic qi. I had felt its intensity before and understood why my father said I could not yet handle the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. The martial arts of a Demon Supreme were truly on another level.

"Let me give you a piece of advice."

"Don't."

"What?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's expression twisted for a moment, but I continued calmly.

"If you came to ask a favor, then just ask the favor. Don't ask a favor and give advice at the same time. Young people these days find that sort of person disagreeable."

He could have easily erupted in anger, but he was formidable. Instead, he withdrew his demonic qi.

"You're right. It's rare to find someone who speaks so bluntly these days."

"You should be wary. Stagnant water is bound to rot."

"Who would want to become stagnant? When you've been immersed for a while, you grow attached and sometimes miss the chance to let things flow away."

"Even so, we don't immerse ourselves in rotten water, do we? Take this opportunity to let the rotten water flow away. He is not a man worth protecting."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon drained his cup in one go and then offered it to me.

"Will you accept a drink from me?"

It was the first drink he had offered. I obediently accepted the cup.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke as he poured the drink. "Fine, I'll let the rotten water flow away."

"A wise decision indeed."

Just as I was about to drink, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon made a meaningful remark.

"In return, from now on, you, Second Young Lord, will become my water."