Book 13: Chapter 9: Investigative Authority

“…Why is the Central Inspection Department here?”

The eyes of the Bank Director of the Sword Family Bank, who was asking that, sharpened in an instant.

“Come to think of it.”

The old man, as if showing off his memory that had not decayed despite his age.

“I heard that Dokgo Ya-yeon, the Chief of the Central Inspection Department, has an excellent confidant.”

He recalled the information he had heard or seen in passing.

“I think his name was definitely Hwa-bok.”

“My, my. Is there such a rumor?”

The man who introduced himself as Hwa-bok scratched the back of his head with a friendly smile.

“This Hwa-bok is not that great of a person.”

He curled his eyes favorably to create a soft smile, but the Bank Director saw right through that smile.

Even though the corners of Hwa-bok's eyes were curled.

Those eyes were neither smiling nor soft.

‘An interrogator's eyes.’

A gaze as if trying to dissect the opponent in front of him and peer into their depths.

Through long experience.

The Bank Director knew exactly the nature of a person with such eyes.

“People with eyes like yours are a class skilled at scraping the very bottom of their opponent while skillfully lowering themselves.”

Even though he was currently riding on the coattails of the Eldest Young Master due to his present circumstances.

“How about putting aside such minor tricks for a moment in this place?”

“…….”

The old man was without a doubt the head of the Sword Family Bank, which boasted the largest scale in Zhongyuan as a bank of a single family.

‘As expected. He is indeed the figure I heard about.’

Having finished his judgment, Hwa-bok stopped probing the Bank Director.

“I apologize, Bank Director.”

He wiped away his pretentious expression in an instant, as if taking off a mask, and.

“We must faithfully follow the Eldest Young Master's orders, but nevertheless…”

Bowing politely to apologize, he continued.

“We committed this rudeness because we needed to judge for ourselves just what kind of person we are trying to rescue.”

Before cooperating.

It was an intention to know the value of the Bank Director.

“You, just now…”

But.

In the Bank Director's head, such intentions of the Central Inspection Department no longer even remained.

The point he paid attention to was…

“Did you say you faithfully follow the Eldest Young Master's orders? That means…”

The Bank Director organized his thoughts and asked again.

“The Central Inspection Department of the Luoyang Sword Family. That Dokgo Ya-yeon, offered her sword to the Eldest Young Master?”

The pieces that had been playing separately in his mind were put together one by one.

The attitude of the Eldest Young Master, who had simply laughed it off when told that the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court was meeting the Lord of the Inspection Department secretly.

And.

The personnel of the Central Inspection Department waiting in the reception room where the Department Head of the Sixth Department had guided them, as if they had been waiting.

“Does it mean the Central Inspection Department has already escaped the influence of the Lord of the Inspection Department?”

Hwa-bok smiled genuinely this time.

“You are precise.”

“If so, the current actions of the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court…?”

Sitting in the seat of honor, Yeon So-hyeon, who was reviewing the investigation data handed over by the Department Head of the Sixth Department, spoke to seal the matter.

“A wild goose chase.”

* * *

Within the Luoyang Sword Family.

A certain garden.

A grove of trees cultivated and trimmed by the hands of experts.

Although the beautiful grove of trees blocked the increasingly hot sunlight and allowed a cool, refreshing breeze to pass through.

“What do you mean by that…?”

For those holding a secret meeting inside that garden, that grove of trees was.

Merely a means to block the surrounding view.

“The Central Inspection Department has escaped control…?”

The one repeating the words he heard, unable to hide his shock, was the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court.

“Yes.”

The one nodding calmly, with his face wrapped and hidden in black cloth.

Was the Lord of the Inspection Department.

“The Central Inspection Department…, precisely Dokgo Ya-yeon, has completely left my hands.”

Though his tone was calm.

“I can no longer control the Central Inspection Department's investigation into the Sword Family Bank.”

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court could clearly feel the anger boiling like lava within the Lord of the Inspection Department.

But.

That only made him rise in greater anger.

“No, what is the reason for sharing such critical information only now?!”

His voice grew as rough as the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court's sky-soaring rage.

“If you had informed me of that information in advance, would we not have devised some countermeasure before making a futile trip?!”

*Rumble.* the tiles of the pavilion in the grove where they sat vibrated, and dust fell.

“What on earth is your hidden motive for concealing the information?!”

“A hidden motive…?”

Through the black cloth wrapping his face, the eyes of the Lord of the Inspection Department flashed a strange light.

“You are too excited.”

At that tangible, murderous gaze, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court shut his mouth.

Their relationship.

That is, the relationship between the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court and the Lord of the Inspection Department was not hierarchical.

Just as the dust falling due to the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court's Qi wave was scattered by the Lord of the Inspection Department's Qi barrier.

Each of them was the head of the most powerful investigative organization of the Luoyang Sword Family.

“I, too, just like you, only found out about it today.”

“You, too, only found out today…?”

Even more than the Lord of the Inspection Department displaying martial arts ability that rivaled his own.

That single sentence was effective on the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court.

“That means…?!”

It could be said to show just how naturally 'political' a figure the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court was.

“Yes.”

As if he had never raised a Qi barrier in the first place, the Lord of the Inspection Department continued in a calm tone.

“As soon as I heard what the Eldest Young Master did at the Law Enforcement Court, I summoned Dokgo Ya-yeon, the Chief of the Central Inspection Department.”

“…….”

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court kept his mouth shut and listened to the Lord of the Inspection Department's words continue.

“She did not show any particular hostility, merely repeating the principled statement that 'the Central Inspection Department is guaranteed an independent status in investigations'—but.”

“As a result, she must have refused all of your orders and requests.”

“Indeed.”

On the level of .

It was the exact same situation as the Department Head of the Sixth Department.

“…Then, the Chief of the Central Inspection Department too?”

Although it was a truncated sentence with its head and tail cut off.

“Indeed.”

The Lord of the Inspection Department understood his words precisely and nodded.

“She must have stood on the side of the Eldest Young Master.”

“…….”

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court had started this secret talk.

To find a breakthrough in the problem, but.

Far from a breakthrough, he felt as if he was only sinking deeper into a mire.

‘No.’

He shook his head inwardly.

‘…I am not sinking, I was already deeply mired long ago, and it seems I am only realizing it now.’

Feeling as suffocated as if his chest were tightening, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court touched his forehead and spoke.

“…Was there no sign beforehand?”

“A sign?”

“If it is a position like the Central Inspection Department, it would have been bound to show even if they tried to hide it?”

“No.”

The Lord of the Inspection Department shook his head.

“Rather, because it was the Central Inspection Department. Because it was Dokgo Ya-yeon, it was impossible to know.”

From the beginning.

It was Dokgo Ya-yeon, who was famous for her own convictions.

“There were originally many clashes with me, and though I felt we clashed noticeably more this year…”

Although invisible to the eyes of the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court.

It was obvious how distorted the expression of the Lord of the Inspection Department, wrapped in cloth, was.

“For that Dokgo Ya-yeon to fold her convictions and offer loyalty to an individual.”

Since his own face must be distorted in the same way.

“It was something unimaginable.”

The eyes of the Lord of the Inspection Department turned toward the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court.

“Lord of the Law Enforcement Court, what about you?”

His eyes swept sharply across the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court as if examining his inside.

“Did you not notice any sign from the Department Head of the Sixth Department?”

At the question returned in reverse.

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court groaned lengthily.

“…Mmm.”

Ordinarily.

It was impossible for them to 'honestly' lay bare what was in their hearts to each other.

But.

Currently, for them.

There existed the 'common problem' of the Eldest Young Master.

“…Come to think of it.”

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court frowned, retracing his memory.

“I recall the time when the issue of the Third Young Master's side's 'Dragon and Phoenix Gathering arena construction site' flared up before.”

As the head of the largest scale investigative organization.

And as one of the figures positioned at the peak of the world's number one family.

“At that time, the actions of the Department Head of the Sixth Department were definitely a bit strange.”

Even without data or records.

He accurately remembered the event that occurred at a specific point in time.

“At that time, I indeed gave a secret order to the Department Head of the Sixth Department to request cooperation from the Eldest Young Master's side.”

The Lord of the Inspection Department likewise revived his memory and nodded slowly.

“At that time, was it the cooperation in arresting the group of martial artists who participated in the uprising, the group called 'Spring of Luoyang'…?”

At those words, which were close to talking to himself.

‘The Inspection Department knew about that secret order…?’

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court momentarily felt a slight chill at the Inspection Department's information gathering ability, but ignored it for now and nodded.

“…That is correct.”

Recalling the result of that time, he continued.

“Since no evidence could be found, cooperation in arresting them could not exist either.”

“Certainly…”

The Lord of the Inspection Department also nodded.

“That was the result of the initial investigation announced by the Department Head of the Sixth Department.”

“That was the first and last time. For the Department Head of the Sixth Department to present investigation results that directly opposed my intent like that.”

As he spoke, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court gradually gained conviction in his thoughts.

“The Eldest Young Master contacting the Department Head of the Sixth Department.”

He said as if sighing.

“Must have been at that time.”

The Lord of the Inspection Department narrowed his eyes and asked.

“…At that time, did you not feel it was strange?”

“I did not.”

The Lord of the Law Enforcement Court immediately shook his head to deny.

“There was no evidence at all. And in fact, no one was caught. One can 'create' non-existent evidence, but the scale of the case was too large to create non-existent people.”

One or two people, perhaps.

It was possible to find someone to play the 'role' of confessing to the crime in stead.

But fabricating an anti-social martial arts group in its entirety was close to impossible.

“And decisively—” the Lord of the Inspection Department took over those words.

“Even if he smuggled them out, there was no direct benefit to the Eldest Young Master.”

It was so.

Even if he smuggled out an anti-social martial arts group.

What 'benefit' would such an action possibly bring to the Eldest Young Master?

Even at that time, the Eldest Young Master.

Was in a state of having no direct connection with that riot.

For their cognitive structure.

It was a piece that simply did not connect in the first place.

“Thus, at the time, I had no choice but to accept it in my own way and move on, but…”

“Thinking back now, a completely different picture emerges.”

Starting from the Medicine Fairy, who was the Eldest Young Master's biological mother.

And the House of Benevolence and Love, which he had not stopped running even during his confinement.

Fending off the attacks of the pirates.

Down to the achievement of completely regenerating the Valley of Sin, which was called the Five Evils.

“…Everything connects consistently.”

Reaching the present.

Consequently.

If one considers that one of Yeon So-hyeon's major foundations lies in the overwhelming support of the common people.

“…Undoubtedly. Concluding the cause of the riot at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering arena construction site as being due to the unilateral responsibility of the Third Young Master's side, rather than the incitement of an anti-social martial arts group—”

“Must have been important to the Eldest Young Master.”

“Only then could the Eldest Young Master himself receive the support of the common people without any noise.”

They.

Felt a sense of clarity as the pieces fit together, but.

On the other hand.

“However, for that to make sense…”

Far from just clarity, they felt a chill down their spines.

“Just since when did the Eldest Young Master—”

“And how far ahead was he looking?”