Absolute Warrior V1C7: The First Young Lord
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The moment he heard the report, Gu Yangseo knew things had gone wrong. "Crimson Tiger has been arrested?"
Eom Baekyang summarized the situation and offered his opinion. "It's possible that Crimson Tiger's arrest has nothing to do with our true identities, but there are too many strange things about this case. Unless the Inquisition guys are stupid, there's no way they would believe that a mere warehouse manager wiped out the Savage Beast Gang. Someone must be pressuring them."
Gu Yangseo nodded in agreement. The timing of the Inquisition's raid on the Radiant Hall, coinciding with his absence, was proof enough. Had he been present, he would have done whatever it took to send Son Baegin and his Inquisition minions packing.
The Inquisition, rigid as they were, could not possibly have acted with such precise timing on their own. Someone else was definitely pulling the strings.
"Did Crimson Tiger resist arrest?"
"No, and he was arrested only as Lim Ho."
"So, we can leave him be for the time being?"
"Well, it's Crimson Tiger. He can take care of himself."
Gu Yangseo nodded. As Eom Baekyang said, he wasn't worried about Crimson Tiger. That man was not someone the Inquisition officers could control. To put it bluntly, he was skilled enough to escape on his own if things got complicated.
"At least their objective isn't to eliminate Crimson Tiger. Furthermore, knowing Crimson Tiger, even if he did annihilate the Savage Beast Gang, which is unlikely, he wouldn't have left any evidence. Ultimately, the Inquisition only has circumstantial evidence. They can't really do anything to indict him," Eom Baekyang added.
"Then the mastermind's goal must be to buy time."
"Yes, that much is certain."
"Yagong, that bastard!" Gu Yangseo slammed his hand on the table in frustration. Luckily, he was in the Director's office located next to the operations room, which was surprisingly soundproof even though the scenery outside was clearly visible through the window.
Eom Baekyang fell silent. The Mystery Pavilion Master's name hung in the air, a chilling reminder that he was no longer just a bystander, but a player caught in the intricate web of a power struggle.
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"Hoo… He must have caught wind of our plan somehow," Gu Yangseo muttered, his voice regaining its composure.
The delays from the Mystery Pavilion should have been a clear warning sign, but still, he'd clung to a glimmer of hope. After all, this was a major operation against the Evil Coalition, aimed at eliminating the Ironblood Commander. It wasn't unreasonable that approval would take time.
Now though, he was certain. Yagong had definitely picked up on something.
How much does he know?
He couldn't know about the First Young Lord's illegitimate child yet. If he did, he wouldn't have wasted time on Crimson Tiger; he would have gone straight for the child while feigning ignorance.
Gu Yangseo's mind raced. He knew Yagong's abilities better than anyone else. If the man was determined to dig, the secret would be unearthed, no matter how deep the First Young Lord had buried it.
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They had to eliminate the child before that happened.
After that, it wouldn't matter even if Yagong found out. No one would believe him, and he wouldn't be able to act rashly for fear of the backlash from such a dirty accusation.
Gu Yangseo's furrowed brow stirred up a wave of unease in Eom Baekyang. He understood the messy nature of power struggles very well, even if such matters were beyond his realm of expertise.
He was a scholar, not a predator like the Director or the Pavilion Master. Those two would fight relentlessly, even to their own detriment, just to defend their authority.
His current position as Deputy Director suited him just fine. He was perfectly content with staying there, or possibly snagging the Director's seat for a handful of years if luck was with him, and then he'd retire peacefully.
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Whether the First Young Lord or the Third Young Lady succeeded the throne, or whether the Association Chairman used Rejuvenation to rule for another century - none of that mattered to him as long as his paycheck arrived on time.
At forty-five, he was past the age of lofty ambitions. It was time to focus on a comfortable retirement, not get tangled up in someone else's web of schemes.
Unfortunately, life rarely went according to plan. Having joined forces with Gu Yangseo, and lacking the wit or courage to betray him, he had no choice but to give his all.
"How about meeting with the Captain of the Inquisition?" he suggested.
Gu Yangseo shook his head. "It's too late. The Captain won't meet me now that the Pavilion Master has presumably bought him over."
The connection between the Captain of the Inquisition and the Mystery Pavilion Master was no secret to him. For the captain, arresting a lowly warehouse manager and detaining him for a few days was nothing more than a routine job.
"How much time do we have?"
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"Not much. Crimson Tiger has to get there in time for the Nine Ironblood Brigade's recruitment test."
"Is there any chance he can complete this mission without infiltrating the Brigade?"
Eom Baekyang shook his head. "Not likely. The worst-case scenario would be a full-scale massacre, but that would create political problems. Besides, there's no guarantee that the First Young Lord's child wouldn't escape."
"True."
"So, what's the plan now?"
"…I need to meet with the First Young Lord again," Gu Yangseo concluded after thinking for a while.
Construction was in full swing. Dozens of workers carried stones and sand, the air filled with the rhythmic ringing of hammers.
Among them, one man stood out. With a towel wrapped around his head and shabby clothes, he didn't quite fit in with the surrounding muscular workers. He appeared to be in his thirties, but his age was hard to pinpoint—old at first glance, yet young at second.
Despite his ordinary physique, he carried heavy loads with ease. Even now, he was moving a large log with a middle-aged partner, a task that required more skill than it seemed and was usually assigned only to experienced workers.
After moving the log, the two men sat on it and wiped away their sweat.
Song, the middle-aged man, complained loudly, "It's not like we're building our own houses. Let's take a break."
The team leader in the distance glanced at them for a moment and then looked away, tacitly approving their break.
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"By the way, I haven't seen you around lately. Where have you been?" Song asked.
"I had some troubles at home."
"Hoho, I see. So, is everything alright now?"
The man shook his head. "It's not something that can be easily resolved."
"Well, it's right to prioritize your family. After all, 'all's well as long as the family's happy', right? That's how it's always been. Work only goes well when the family is at peace."
The man smiled faintly.
Actually, Song didn't know much about the man. Usually, they didn't rehire workers if they quit after a few days, but even though this man only came to work occasionally, he was allowed to keep his job.
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The man either knew the team leader or had paid a hefty bribe, and personally, he leaned towards the latter. If he knew the team leader, they would occasionally have a conversation, but the team leader never went near this man. Whether he was working or resting, the team leader didn't interfere at all.
"Do you have children?" the man suddenly asked.
Song burst into laughter, "Why do you ask?"
The man smiled instead of answering. He always had that smile when he found it difficult to answer. It was a smile that put people at ease.
"I had one, but my wife took the child with her when she left home ten years ago."
"Do you miss them?"
Song shook his head and let out a long sigh. "I've gotten over it. At first, during holidays or birthdays, I really missed them like crazy, but after two, three years, I found I could bear it. That's how life is, I guess. Time heals all wounds."
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Then the man, looking down at the ground, asked a little feebly, "Is that really true?"
"Of course. No one can fight against time."
Just then, the team leader approached them. "You have a visitor," he told the man.
"I'll be back," the man told Song.
"Okay."
The man followed the team leader to the back of the construction site.
Gu Yangseo, dressed as a worker, was standing there, holding a shovel instead of a sword.
"Sir," Gu Yangseo greeted respectfully.
"Welcome to the site, Director Gu," the man replied casually.
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In reality, the man was Baek Museong, the First Young Lord of the New Righteous Association.
Gu Yangseo always thought that the description "extraordinary in the ordinary" fit the First Young Lord perfectly. Depending on the observer, he could appear gentle and soft, or barely approachable, but all would agree that he possessed a hidden depth to him.
"I didn't expect you to visit me here," Baek Museong said, smiling. "I sometimes come here when my mind is troubled. All kinds of distracting thoughts disappear when I work up a sweat. Apologies for any inconvenience caused, Director Gu."
"It's no inconvenience at all, in fact, it feels good to be out of uniform for a change."
"Anyway, what brings you here, Director?"
"I need your help, Young Lord."
Baek Museong led Gu Yangseo over to the side, where they sat on a pile of logs. Gu Yangseo looked around carefully, afraid of being overheard, but Baek Museong reassured, "Don't worry. No one will hear us here."
Relieved, Gu Yangseo explained the situation.
"So you're saying that you need to send this martial artist called Crimson Tiger on the mission, but the Mystery Pavilion Master won't give his approval?" Baek Museong clarified.
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"That's right."
Technically, this was Gu Yangseo's problem to solve, but he was short on time. He needed immediate approval to infiltrate the Nine Ironblood Brigades.
"It seems that the Mysterious Pavilion has somehow gotten wind of our collaboration."
"They must have guessed something after learning that I met with you, Young Lord."
Baek Museong frowned. "That secret hasn't leaked out, has it?"
"Absolutely not," Gu Yangseo assured.
"Phew!"
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"Still, they'll be digging into this matter even as we speak," Gu Yangseo warned.
"Probably." Baek Museong shrugged unconcernedly.
Gu Yangseo admired his confidence. To lead a massive organization like the Association, one needed that level of boldness. Those who let themselves be influenced by petty concerns were not qualified to be the successor.
"Since they found out that I'm working with you, the Radiant Hall Director, why don't we just make it public?" Baek Museong suggested.
"What do you mean?"
"Let's make it so that I'm the one who gave the order."
"What do you mean?" Gu Yangseo asked, puzzled. The First Young Lord wasn't allowed to command the Twelve Phantoms. There were only three people with the authority to command them: the Radiant Hall Director, the Mystery Pavilion Master, and the Association Master, whose orders took absolute precedence over the other two.
"There is one way I can give an order to the Twelve Phantoms."
"What is it?"
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"Do you know? Our organization has many useless laws and regulations."
Gu Yangseo nodded. Just the Radiant Hall alone was subject to hundreds of rules regarding its operations. How many more would there be for the entire Association?
"Have you heard of the Minor Heavenly Order?"
"What is that?"
"It's a special authority given only to us disciples of the Chairman. We can give one, and only one order to any organization within the Association, and that organization must carry it out. However, it can only be used once every three years. It's a kind of privilege for us."
"There was such a thing? Why didn't I know about it?"
"Well, that's because no one has used it so far, and not many people even know that such a rule exists."
"Who made this rule?"
"I did, seven years ago."
Gu Yangseo's jaw dropped in shock, but when he saw Baek Museong's calm expression, he knew it wasn't a joke. He seriously made such a law seven years ago?
"How did you get this rule passed?" he asked.
"Shall I tell you a secret of our Association?"
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"What is it?"
"It's easy to create any rule as long as you attach one condition to it."
"What condition?"
"That the order can be canceled or withdrawn at any time by order of the Association Chairman, hahaha."
By adding that clause, the First Young Lord had easily received authorization to establish the Minor Heavenly Order. Of course, he couldn't do it by himself, but all he had to do was bribe or blackmail the lawmakers.
"Want to know another secret? There are countless such wacky clauses in our Association's rules, but surprisingly, the Chairman has never, ever interfered in the Association's affairs. That's just the kind of person he is. Haha."
"So you're going to use that order?"
"That's right. I'll use the Minor Heavenly Order to send Crimson Tiger on the mission, and by the time the Mystery Pavilion Master finds out about it, it would be too late to rescind it, right?"
Gu Yangseo nodded. The First Young Lord was right. While the Mystery Pavilion Master might initially arrest him for the unauthorized mission, the Minor Heavenly Order would ultimately exempt him from blame. Essentially, his role was to buy time, and the First Young Lord's involvement would justify any delayed explanation.
Meanwhile, Crimson Tiger would complete the mission.
"That's a great idea!" he exclaimed.
Baek Museong smiled. "I'll take care of the paperwork and secretly deliver the written order, so go back and proceed with the plan."
"Understood."
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Gu Yangseo left with a much brighter expression.
When he was gone, Baek Museong leaned against the wall. "I want to rest for a while. Don't let anyone in."
"Yes… Wait. No, I cannot obey that order," a disembodied voice replied.
Jin Chung, Baek Museong's most trusted subordinate, materialized out of nowhere. He was a man in his late twenties, with a solid presence, well-honed martial skills, and unwavering loyalty.
"Will you really give the order?" Jin Chung asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Didn't you hear the conversation?"
Jin Chung raised his hand, and dozens of first-rate masters, each with sharp, alert eyes, descended around them like rain.
"Secure the perimeter, then withdraw."
"Yes, sir."
The men scattered at Jin Chung's command, and soon, the workers' voices nearby faded into silence.
Jin Chung spread out his qi, scanning their surroundings to confirm that no one was hidden nearby. When he was certain that they would not be overheard, he said, "If Crimson Tiger is the one who carries out the order… that child will die. That man never fails a mission."
"Yes, I've heard he is quite skilled," Baek Museong replied coolly, as if discussing a stranger.
"Your son will die! Your own flesh and blood!"
"If he dies, then that is his fate."
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"It is not fate, Young Lord. You will be his murderer," Jin Chung rebuked. Although it was rude of him to speak to his master like that, he was willing to die for telling the truth.
"Is that so?" Baek Museong turned around.
Jin Chung met his gaze. I can see the pain in his eyes, so why?
"Are you truly going to assassinate your own son?" he hissed.
Baek Museong looked at the sky, his expression filled with a deep-seated resentment. "I am ready to live as my son's murderer."
Jin Chung fell to his knees. "Please reconsider, Young Lord."
Baek Museong's mouth twitched. "What else am I supposed to do? Leave him alone? Hide him away? Or should I reveal him openly? Should I declare to the world, 'This child is mine! He is my blood! Protect him!'?"
"I don't know!" Jin Chung shouted. "But please, I beg you, reconsider your decision!"
"No."
"Young Lord!"
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Baek Museong roared angrily, "My relationship with her was so fleeting and so long ago that I can barely remember her name, yet now she tells me that she gave birth to my child? Only now? Damn it! If she wanted to contact me, why didn't she do it earlier? Do you know what I had to do to get to where I am now?! I killed the children who looked up to me and called me Senior Brother! So? Why is it okay to kill them, but not my own child? Tell me!"
"Because he is your son!" Jin Chung insisted, his voice thick with emotion.
"SILENCE!" Baek Museong roared, punching the air.
BOOM!
With a tremendous roar, the pile of logs nearby was sent flying.
"Jin Chung! Do you want to die too?"
"I'd rather you kill me than watch you ruin yourself."
"Jin Chung!"
"Kill me. I will accompany your son on his journey to the afterlife so that he won't be alone."
"You…!" Baek Museong roared. An immense wave of energy erupted from his body, and a whirlwind whipped around them.
Tears streamed down Jin Chung's face as he braced himself against the wind which threatened to rip him apart. "Kill me! I will tell him what kind of person you are, Young Lord! Please, let me do it!"
Baek Museong's clenched fists trembled violently. "Why are you doing this? You've never even seen the child's face, have you?"
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"I'm not doing this for him!"
"Then who are you doing it for?"
"It's for you, Young Lord!" Jin Chung cried, his eyes bloodshot.
The wind swirling around them subsided, and Baek Museong loosened his clenched fists.
"Young Lord!" Jin Chung slammed his head against the ground.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Blood splattered from Jin Chung's forehead, but he didn't care. He knew Baek Museong better than anyone else. The man would surely regret this decision later. It would torment him for the rest of his life, until the day he died.
This was different from killing his fellow disciples in a succession battle. That was a war, and it was either kill or be killed.
This was the murder of his own child.
The First Young Lord was a great man, but he wasn't ruthless enough to bear the guilt of killing his own flesh and blood. Therefore, if he could prevent it by dying, Jin Chung was willing to give up his life.
There must be another way. If the First Young Lord is destined to become the Association Chairman, then there's got to be another way. There must be a solution that doesn't involve killing his own child!
"Stand up." Baek Museong whispered, his tone deep and subdued.
Jin Chung rose to his feet.
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"I know what you're worried about," Baek Museong said gently.
"Young Lord."
Suddenly, Baek Museong pulled Jin Chung into a tight embrace.
"Young Lord!"
Baek Museong's body quivered. "I will never regret today's decision."
His feelings resonated with Jin Chung.
The two slowly separated, their complex gazes meeting in the air.
"Can you really do that?" Jin Chung knew it was a pointless question, but he asked it anyway. He wanted to hear it, even if it was just this once.
"Yes, I can."
Jin Chung saw a firm resolve in Baek Museong's eyes. To dissuade him further now would be an act of insubordination.
He let out a long sigh. Yes, perhaps the First Young Lord was more resilient than he thought. It was impossible for him to know everything about him. Jin Chung consoled himself with this thought. He had given all the advice he could.
"I understand. I will never speak of this again. I have been disloyal. Please punish me for it."
"Jin Chung, look over there."
The Association's buildings were visible in the distance.
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Baek Museong's eyes burned with a fiery intensity. "This is a path I walk even if it means killing my own child. Now, I have a reason to seize this place for myself. No matter what."
SPLISH! SPASH!
Water flowed from the watering can's long spout as Yagong watered the plants in his office. Two days had passed since Baek Museong and Gu Yangseo held their secret meeting at the construction site.
TAK, TAK…
The sound of footsteps approaching rang from outside.
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"It's me, sir."
"Come in."
Ganghae, the subordinate of Yagong who had orchestrated Crimson Tiger's arrest, entered the office.
"Good work."
"You're too kind."
"How did the Radiant Hall react?"
"They're quiet for now, but I'm sure Director Gu will try to get Crimson Tiger out somehow."
"He will, indeed."
Yagong smiled. Gu Yangseo would definitely try to free Crimson Tiger, but it wouldn't be easy with the Captain of the Inquisition on his side.
"You didn't leave any traces, did you?"
"Don't worry, Hyeoru took care of that."
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Yagong's hand paused. Hyeoru was the most dangerous of the blades he kept hidden. He was more of a murderous fiend than a subordinate, and so brutal and uncontrollable that Yagong refrained from using him as much as possible. Still, Yagong couldn't abandon him, simply because he was that strong.
Ganghae continued, "Hyeoru is the only person among us who can escape from Crimson Tiger. The strongest Phantom is not someone to be handled lightly."
Yagong nodded and resumed watering his plants. "Well, since the results were good, I'll overlook your decision for now."
"By the way, have you received any news from Milyeong yet?"
Yagong shook his head. There was still no news from Milyeong, who had been sent to investigate the connection between the First Young Lord and this order.
Still, he wasn't worried. He trusted Milyeong more than anyone else. If anyone could do it, it was him. If he couldn't, then there was no point in sending someone else.
"We'll hear from him soon," he remarked.
Just then, another one of his subordinates entered the office.
"Sir, we've received contact from the spy we planted near the First Young Lord," he reported.
"What is it?"
"The First Young Lord is trying to use the Minor Heavenly Order."
"He's what?!"
CLATTER!
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The porcelain watering can slipped from Yagong's hand and shattered on the floor.
Ganghae blinked in surprise. "The Minor Heavenly Order? What in the world is the Minor Heavenly Order?"
Even Ganghae didn't know about it, but Yagong knew exactly what the Minor Heavenly Order was. It was a rule established within the Association seven years ago that gave the Chairman's disciples the authority to issue a single, absolute order to any department within the Association, an order that had to be obeyed unconditionally. However, this authority came with one crucial condition: it could be revoked by the Chairman at any time.
He walked to his desk and slumped in his chair.
"He's using the Minor Heavenly Order for this?"
The Minor Heavenly Order was a formal rule that meant nothing if unused, but once invoked, it held immense power.
The First Young Lord is using one of his trump cards. Is this mission that important to him? Why?
Yagong leaned back in his chair. His intuition as a strategist was beginning to stir. He had anticipated that the First Young Lord and Gu Yangseo wouldn't take this lying down and had expected them to use various methods to get Crimson Tiger out, but the Minor Heavenly Order? Why would the First Young Lord go to such lengths to kill the Ironblood Commander?
In any case, if this mission succeeded, Gu Yangseo's position would be completely solidified.
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What would Gu Yangseo ask from the First Young Lord as a reward? There can only be one thing. He wants my position.
If the mission succeed, then Yagong's alliance with the Third Young Lady wasn't strong enough to stop the First Young Lord from promoting Gu Yangseo.
This was a fight with his own neck on the line, and the situation was unfolding very unfavorably.
Yagong's eyes flashed. "He's cornering me."
Suddenly, he stopped nervously tapping his hand on the desk. Rummaging through the documents piled on his desk, he found the one Gu Yangseo had submitted earlier.
"He said he was planning on having Crimson Tiger infiltrate the Nine Ironblood Brigades, right? That he needed to get him into their upcoming entrance exam. That's why he asked for an expedited approval."
"That's right, sir."
"But does Crimson Tiger really need to join the Nine Ironblood Brigades to kill the Ironblood Commander?"
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"It would be easier if he joined, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary."
"Right? And yet, Gu Yangseo was so desperate to get him enlisted?"
Something smelled fishy. For some reason, Yagong felt that if he could just prevent Crimson Tiger from infiltrating the Nine Ironblood Brigades, he could ruin this whole conspiracy.
And to do that… he had to make a drastic move.
Yagong's eyes gleamed. "Alright, if you want to fight dirty… I'll gladly play along."
"What are you going to do, sir?"
"First, we will secure Gu Yangseo."
Ganghae thought he had misheard. "Sir? Do you mean…?"
"Send Chilrang to kidnap him, but under no circumstances must he be killed!"
The reason they couldn't kill Gu Yangseo was because of the special relationship between the Mystery Pavilion Master and the Radiant Hall Director.
The Radiant Hall was created to prevent the concentration of power, so if one of them went missing or died, a special investigation would be launched by order of the Association Chairman, so this wasn't something that could be stopped using his connections to the Inquisition Captain.
The problem was, if no perpetrator was found, then the remaining person would also lose his job because the organization would rather replace both directors than leave any doubts.
That was why neither he nor Gu Yangseo would ever engage in a conflict that could result in either of their deaths.
"Will the Radiant Hall just sit back and do nothing? Won't they go into emergency mode and report it to the Association Chairman?"
Yagong shook his head. "No, they won't. They'll know that I orchestrated it."
Ganghae swallowed dryly. This conflict had escalated beyond a simple war of nerves; it had become a battle with the necks of the Mystery Pavilion Master and the Radiant Hall Director on the line.
"Confine Gu Yangseo for exactly five days. We must prevent the Minor Heavenly Order from being issued at all costs. Five days. We just need to stall them for five days!"
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