SYM 108

Eun-hyeon doubted what he had just heard.

His mind was blank.

…A leader? Eldest Senior Brother is a leader?

He glanced at Cheong-un, wondering if he had heard correctly.

“Your Highness, are you perhaps mistaken? I don’t mean to be rude, but Eldest Senior Brother, no, Head Jeong-hyeon is the leader of the Hongbaek Sect?”

As he spoke, it sounded even more absurd, and he let out a hollow laugh.

Eldest Senior Brother, of all people…?

If he hadn’t seen Eldest Senior Brother this time, he might have thought something had happened to him while they were apart. But when he reunited with Eldest Senior Brother this time, he was exactly as he remembered.

He wasn’t arrogant about becoming the head, and he was even more Taoist-like.

But that Jeong-hyeon is the leader of the Hongbaek Sect…?

“I will forgive your impudence. But denying it won’t change the result.”

Someone of the Third Prince’s stature wouldn’t have said such a thing without clear evidence.

Besides, Cheong-un’s silence bothered him. If it were a lie or untrue, Cheong-un would have reacted first.

“I’d like to wait until Young master of the Namgung family comes to his senses, but the situation calls for haste. If you don’t mind, I’d like to move on to the next topic.”

The Third Prince, who had been elegantly sipping his tea, said nonchalantly.

Eun-hyeon snapped out of it at those words.

“Ah, I apologize. It was such an unbelievable story that I was rude. But are you sure that Head Jeong-hyeon is the leader? Could it be someone with a similar face, or someone maliciously transformed into Head Jeong-hyeon’s face?”

The Third Prince looked at Eun-hyeon and chuckled.

“Young master of the Namgung family seems to underestimate me too much. Just because I haven’t learned Martial Arts doesn’t mean everyone around me is the same. Especially the Eastern Depot that my imperial father has assigned to me are not to be underestimated. Isn’t that why your friend released his transformation in front of me?”

“Ah….”

Was that why Cheong-un released his transformation?

Eun-hyeon looked at Cheong-un, who nodded.

“Then why would Head Jeong-hyeon…? Why on earth is Head Jeong-hyeon doing this?”

“Who knows?”

The Third Prince put down his teacup with a clink.

“Do I need to know such things?”

Eun-hyeon flinched at the Third Prince’s words.

The Third Prince already had an arrogant air about him, but when he sneered, it felt like ice was dripping.

“Who cares what a madman is thinking? He may have his reasons for doing this, but do I need to know them?”

“Ah, well….”

“Whatever reason he gives, it’s all just sophistry. So there’s no need to bother trying to figure out the reason. We just need to eliminate those bastards.”

Eun-hyeon couldn’t say anything to the Third Prince’s words. Although the Third Prince’s words were cold, Eun-hyeon knew in his heart that they were right.

Too many people had died and been injured because of the Hongbaek Sect. They murdered people to turn them into Undead. They kidnapped children to perform human sacrifices.

No matter what reason Eldest Senior Brother gave, it was unforgivable.

But still, he couldn’t understand why he was curious about Eldest Senior Brother’s excuses, his reasons.

How could the upright and kind Eldest Senior Brother become the leader of the evil Hongbaek Sect? And what did he, who had already become the head of Kunlun, hope to gain by doing such a thing?

Eun-hyeon couldn’t understand it no matter how much he thought about it.

No, even if he heard Eldest Senior Brother’s excuses directly, he didn’t think he would understand.

“…Your Highness is right. I was too caught up in my emotions and was short-sighted.”

“Yes, I understand. Being swept away by emotions and losing reason is a mistake that foolish people always make. But from now on, I hope you will focus on how to resolve this matter. Eunuch Jang!”

At the Third Prince’s words, the door opened and a Eunuch entered.

When Eun-hyeon saw the Eunuch, he was reminded of the huge Eunuch he had met in the prison.

“Bring the prepared map and spread it on the table.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Here it is.”

Eunuch Jang was a middle-aged man with a slender body and a peculiar gait. He moved silently, without making a sound.

Eunuch Jang brought a scroll and spread it on the table. It was a map of Beijing and its outskirts.

“Originally, I had no intention of sharing this matter with others. As long as I don’t know how far the Hongbaek Sect bastards have spread their hands, I didn’t intend to receive any other help. But after talking to Cheong-un, his story seemed quite reliable.”

Cheong-un nodded without saying anything.

It seemed that Cheong-un had already finished talking about this with the Third Prince.

“Is this where the Hongbaek Sect is located?”

At Cheong-un’s words, Eun-hyeon also looked at the map.

One place was marked in red on the map.

“Yes. That’s where the Hongbaek Sect is gathered now. If they are going to perform the human sacrifice you mentioned, they will definitely do it there.”

Eun-hyeon blinked as he looked at the map.

“Your Highness, but this place is… Isn’t it the outer palace?”

“Yes, Yonghe Palace became the outer palace after Emperor Yongzheng was born. And it is also a major temple in Beijing.”

“How could they in such a place….”

As he spoke, Eun-hyeon bit his lip. The mention of a temple reminded him of Godeok Temple, where he had suffered thanks to Madam Hwang.

He later heard that the Hongbaek Sect was able to run rampant in Godeok Temple because everyone from the chief monk of Godeok Temple was a member of the Hongbaek Sect.

If they were gathered like that in Yonghe Palace, it was clear that the monks of Yonghe Palace had also been absorbed into the Hongbaek Sect.

“I don’t know the exact details yet, but I think the monks of Yonghe Palace have been absorbed into the Hongbaek Sect.”

“…They are bold in many ways. Yonghe Palace is a temple, but it is also a palace, how dare they in such a place….”

Yonghe Palace was not on the list of suspected areas that the Beggar Clan had given them. In other words, the Hongbaek Sect was running rampant in a place they had never expected.

“It is a stroke of luck to have met the Third Prince.”

“I think so too. Cheong-un, you said you have an antidote, right?”

At the Third Prince’s words, Cheong-un nodded.

“Yes. I can bring it if you help me bring it into the city.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of it. If we can just rescue the hostages, I’ll take care of the rest. I have enough soldiers in my own residence.”

“Ah, that’s a relief.”

Eun-hyeon breathed a sigh of relief.

Bringing the medicine in and giving it to the people held as sacrifices. These were the two things they were most worried about, but they were easily resolved by meeting the Third Prince.

“I couldn’t know for sure, but the leader of the Hongbaek Sect, that guy uses strange powers. Can you really handle this on your own?”

Eun-hyeon glanced at Cheong-un. He said ‘you’, but it was clear that he was talking to Cheong-un, not himself.

“I will take care of that.”

“Hmm, I haven’t seen your skills, so I can’t say anything. Eunuch Jang said that you have more hidden skills than you show, but I don’t know if that’s enough to compete with the leader. If you fail, what happens then?”

At the Third Prince’s words, Cheong-un smiled languidly.

The Third Prince shuddered slightly at the sight.

It wasn’t that Cheong-un had revealed his energy or anything, but just by briefly showing his confidence, the Third Prince, who didn’t know Martial Arts, felt a chilling aura.

Realizing belatedly that he had been intimidated by Cheong-un’s energy, the Third Prince’s face flushed with displeasure.

Eunuch Jang subtly approached the Third Prince. It seemed to be in preparation for an emergency.

But when the Third Prince raised his hand to stop Eunuch Jang, he lowered his head again and stepped back.

“Cheong-un. You’re quite arrogant.”

“If I can’t handle the leader of the Hongbaek Sect, there will be no one in this Central Plains who can face him. So just jump into the fire then. Surely they won’t turn even charred corpses into Undead, will they?”

Cheong-un grinned.

It could be seen as mocking the Third Prince, but the Third Prince didn’t particularly take offense.