“Lord Chimma!”

At Geom Mugeuk’s call, Chimma lifted his head and looked up.

Seeing that he was not engulfed in madness or rage, Geom Mugeuk felt relieved. If he were sober, he wouldn’t have done something like this.

“There’s no need to explain twice anyway, so let’s wait a bit.”

Chimma nodded upon understanding Geom Mugeuk’s words. Meanwhile, the Binggung martial artists surrounding him grew even more tense at Geom Mugeuk’s arrival. Some turned toward Geom Mugeuk in caution.

They seemed convinced that Chimma was the one who caused this incident.

After a short while, Ian arrived, followed by Hanseol.

The two women were startled. Among the dead was Jomyeong, who handled liquor ingredients at Baekjuseolwon—the very person who had informed them that the Original Lord had drunk with Elder Seo several times.

Their gazes shifted toward different people. Hanseol first looked at Chimma.

‘Could it be that you killed these people?’

In the current situation, anyone would assume it was Chimma’s doing.

Meanwhile, Ian looked at Geom Mugeuk.

‘What should we do? It looks like Lord Chimma has been trapped.’

If Geom Mugeuk were not here, her heart would have been pounding uncontrollably.

But seeing Geom °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Mugeuk’s calm eyes, her excited heart calmed as if by magic. Those eyes seemed to promise that no matter what danger came, it would be solved. No, even if it wasn’t solved, just being here was enough.

How long had they waited?

Martial artists wielding shields and spears appeared from all directions, beginning to seal off the area.

They were the Bukpungdae (Northern Wind Squad), the elite martial artists of Bukhaebinggung who only obeyed Binggungju’s orders. Armored and shielded, they were more skilled in martial arts than any elite unit within Binggung. Their extraordinary gaze alone showed their mastery.

The Bukpungdae sealed off all sides like an iron wall, some members forming a path with their shields on both sides. Through the disciplined ranks, Binggungju walked in. White-clad bodyguard martial artists followed behind her.

Until now, she had only been seen inside the Palace Lord’s quarters, isolated like an ice fortress. But the view of her from outside was completely different.

Binggungju silently looked at the corpses. Her expression was icy cold. She confirmed that among the dead, some did not know martial arts.

Only then did Geom Mugeuk ask Chimma,

“Lord Chimma, what happened?”

Chimma finally spoke.

“That person contacted me saying he had something to say and wanted to meet.”

The corpse Chimma looked at was Jomyeong, the same person Ian and Hanseol had met.

“I was talking with him when suddenly the blood vessels in his neck burst. Then those who rushed over upon hearing the noise also had theirs burst.”

Then someone shouted.

“How can we believe your words?”

The next person to arrive was Seonak. He had just left the Palace Lord’s quarters with an awkward expression, but his current demeanor was different.

“You expect us to believe that with your body covered in blood?”

The circumstances looked unfavorable to Chimma. Covered in blood, he appeared even more sinister.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk stepped forward.

“Then you should be able to believe him.”

All eyes turned toward him, and Geom Mugeuk calmly asked,

“If Lord Chimma really killed them, would he have blood on his body?”

He turned back to Chimma.

“Even if it burst right in front of you, if you wanted, you could have avoided all that blood. Yet the blood on his clothes and hands is like this…”

After a pause, Geom Mugeuk said,

“He must have been trying to save them.”

Chimma silently nodded. Geom Mugeuk had accurately grasped the situation without Chimma having to explain.

Geom Mugeuk said to Binggungju,

“If Lord Majon had truly intended to kill those people, he would have done so silently, without anyone knowing. He wouldn’t have been surrounded here, covered in blood. You know well what kind of people the Majon of the main sect are.”

Of course, Binggungju knew. If Chimma had meant it, the martial artists who first surrounded him would already be corpses.

Then Seonak asked excitedly,

“Then why are they still standing there like that?”

Geom Mugeuk’s gaze was still on Binggungju.

“They are waiting out of respect for the Palace Lord. Trusting she will judge wisely. Leaving this place now would have only made matters worse.”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Chimma’s mouth. Yes, that’s why he could remain calm. As long as Geom Mugeuk was here, he wouldn’t be easily framed.

“You shouldn’t trust the words of the demonic martial artists lightly. Naturally, they must be detained until the investigation is complete.”

Seonak’s firm assertion was countered by Geom Mugeuk.

“That’s unfair treatment.”

“Unfair? What do you mean?”

Geom Mugeuk addressed the martial artists around.

“You all must have heard the rumors that we are investigating the death of Baekjuseolwon’s Original Lord. During the investigation, we discovered suspicious circumstances. One of the masters here at Binggung secretly requested the creation of Hyangseol Bingju for the deceased Original Lord.”

Seonak’s expression stiffened at once. He hadn’t expected Geom Mugeuk to bring this up here.

“That master deceived us about it. But even after uncovering the truth, we did not detain him because we respect Bukhaebinggung and Binggungju.”

The martial artists around exchanged glances.

Seonak couldn’t argue further. If he spoke more, it would reveal that he was the suspicious person here.

Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned cold. Though he had never shown anger since coming to Binggung, for the first time he displayed a chilling presence.

“We respect you, yet you refuse to respect us?”

If Binggungju had not been here, he would have exerted his ki to press harder on Seonak. But out of respect for her, he restrained himself.

Hanseol was surprised by Geom Mugeuk’s sudden change. The cold demeanor was unlike the frivolous man she had seen. This coldness matched Binggung perfectly.

Finally, Binggungju stepped forward.

“I understand what the Little Pill Master means.”

After briefly looking between Chimma and Geom Mugeuk, Binggungju gave orders to her subordinates.

“Lower your swords.”

The martial artists who had surrounded them lowered their swords.

Seonak did not give up.

“Palace Lord, you should not believe their words.”

“Yes, we must thoroughly investigate the cause of death.”

Binggungju said to Chimma,

“Do not leave the palace without permission.”

She wouldn’t imprison them, but she forbade leaving freely. That was Binggungju’s compromise.

Seonak added,

“Until the investigation is complete, Binggung’s masters should monitor them.”

Binggungju accepted this. But she added one condition for Geom Mugeuk.

“Only until the investigation is finished.”

Chimma awaited Geom Mugeuk’s response. The situation had to follow his decision. Geom Mugeuk said nothing—signaling his acceptance.

Chimma readily agreed.

“Very well.”

As Chimma left, Ian followed behind.

Before leaving, Geom Mugeuk said to Binggungju,

“You asked why I provoke him so much.”

Earlier she had asked why he pushed Seonak that far, why he tried to reveal his true nature to her.

Now Geom Mugeuk answered.

“Finally, he saw it.”

Meaning there was someone behind the scenes. Provoking Seonak was to provoke that person and draw them out.

“Then, I will see you later.”

Geom Mugeuk greeted Binggungju and started to leave, then looked back at Hanseol.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming? Didn’t you agree to become one of us? Are you only part of us when things are good?”

Binggungju and Seonak looked at Hanseol.

Binggungju showed no emotion and just looked at her daughter. Seonak did the opposite.

Seonak shook his head firmly, his expression telling her not to follow. Hanseol had never disobeyed him until now.

“Come with me.”

Hanseol stepped forward, following Geom Mugeuk.

After the three left, Seonak looked at Binggungju and said,

“You must not let the Little Palace Lord associate with the Demon Sect’s Little Pill Master.”

At this moment, Binggungju couldn’t tell if Seonak’s words came from shamelessness or genuine concern for Binggung. They had spent so many years together.

Betraying that long relationship? That thought clouded her judgment.

“I will watch carefully.”

Binggungju turned and left.

As she left, the Bukpungdae and bodyguards quickly withdrew.

Seonak looked sadly at the martial artists investigating the corpses and said,

“Give them a moment alone.”

Everyone there knew well how much Seonak cared for the people of Binggung, so they quietly stepped back.

Seonak stared alone at the corpses. Instead of sadness or pity, he was lost in thought.

‘He is helping me.’

This happened when he was cornered by Hyangseol Bingju.

Then—

Drip.

Blood began to flow from the previously soaked pool, heading toward Seonak’s feet. Thinking it natural, Seonak stepped aside.

Then, as if alive, the blood changed direction toward Seonak.

Startled, Seonak dodged to the opposite side.

The blood changed course again and flowed toward him.

Backing away, Seonak asked,

“Is that you?”

The flowing blood stopped as if it understood his words.

In a trembling voice, Seonak said,

“Thank you for this. Now I will deal with them without mistakes.”

As if understanding, the blood slowly returned to the original pool. Amazingly, no bloodstains remained on the floor.

The blood was absorbed back into the pool.

Seonak slowly approached and looked down at the blood pool. The blood had returned to normal.

He thought maybe this wasn’t help, but a warning.

His reflection shimmered on the blood. The solemn face of a man who had made an irreversible decision.

“Stop suppressing your anger and just drink.”

Despite Geom Mugeuk’s words, Chimma drank tea.

“That makes it even scarier.”

The enemy had trapped Chimma. In other words, the Majon was trapped. Chimma must have been furious, but he only drank tea.

Geom Mugeuk said to Ian,

“Don’t know who they are, but they picked the wrong target.”

Ian could tell Chimma was very angry. What was surprising was his restraint. Among the Pal Majon, he seemed the most likely to lose control. Yet he was controlling himself better than any Majon.

“Maybe that’s why Chimma could become who he is.”

Ian admired sincerely, and Chimma gave an awkward smile. Being a drinker, he tried hard to control himself but was an emotional person. His coldness here was driven by one desire.

To show Geom Mugeuk his cool side. To prove throwing himself into the lake drunk was not everything.

Geom Mugeuk said to the three,

“Thanks to this, we clearly know that Seonak is definitely connected to a hidden faction.”

The Blood King had finally begun to move. When Seonak was in trouble, he acted immediately. He was nearby.

Hanseol was shocked.

“A hidden faction?”

“Someone is conspiring a great scheme with him.”

Unlike Chimma, Ian, who already knew this, Hanseol had no knowledge of it.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Geom Mugeuk answered her question.

“That seems like a question for the Palace Lord.”

“You mean Mother knows too?”

“I think so.”

Feeling somewhat excluded, Hanseol’s expression stiffened, and Geom Mugeuk said,

“It’s not just the Palace Lord’s problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means the Little Palace Lord has come to the time to talk with her mother.”

He had told Binggungju what he told Hanseol. He thought the two needed to talk.

“I was the one who reached out first in my relationship with my father. Thinking about him, it wasn’t easy at all. But if he had raised me to our age, wouldn’t it be a child’s duty to say, ‘He grew up like this’ at least once?”

Of course, Hanseol had never thought about that.

“Their relationship isn’t about closeness or distance, cold or warm. The problem is that it’s frozen.”

“!”

The word ‘frozen’ struck Hanseol’s heart. She thought it was true. Before feeling hurt, she had already thought, ‘Mother is just that kind of person.’

She had no intention of bridging the distance or turning the cold warm.

“Why are you telling me these things?”

“Because I’m meddlesome.”

She sensed an intention, but she couldn’t guess Geom Mugeuk’s thoughts. He was truly a strange person.

Ian asked Geom Mugeuk,

“Why did they frame Lord Chimma?”

“Because they were desperate. In other words, it means Elder Seo is indispensable.”

Geom Mugeuk had learned much about the enemy through this incident and was planning the next step.

“They tied our feet with this.”

Outside the residence, Binggung’s masters were guarding. It meant they would watch wherever they went.

“That’s actually good.”

“Good?”

Ian, Chimma, and Hanseol looked at Geom Mugeuk, puzzled.

“Because now anything we do won’t be blamed on us.”

“Oh! We’re being watched here! But it won’t be easy to sneak out secretly.”

“We won’t leave. There’s someone who will do that job splendidly for us.”

Geom Mugeuk looked at one person. Chimma and Ian’s gaze followed his to that person.

Before they could hear a word, Hanseol shouted,

“I refuse!”