Dokgorin, who had entered the forest to interrogate the black-clad people, returned to the campsite roughly an hour later.
Her expression was surprisingly calm for someone who had just tortured a person for two hours, but it seemed she hadn’t managed to uncover the name of the mastermind.
So, I took Dokgorin aside to the corner of the campsite and asked her.
“What happened?”
Dokgorin shook her head.
“Just a bunch of nobodies.”
As she said that, she shared what she had learned with me.
“The ones who attacked us just now are elite assassins from the Scalpel Guild, and it appears they were ordered by an anonymous client to kill me and obtain a special treasure I supposedly possess. Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure out the client’s identity, but I suspect there might be a mole within the academy.”
“A mole?”
“If there were no mole, how would they have known that we came to the volcano for our training and the location of our campsite? You’re not seriously thinking all of this is just a coincidence, are you?”
Dokgorin’s words certainly made sense.
If there was no mole at the academy, it would have been impossible for them to attack us with such precision.
Considering that Weijichun, who was once the leader of the Murim Association, had planted a spy in the imperial palace a long time ago, it was highly likely that there were imperial pawns hiding even within the Cheonmu Academy established by that same Murim Association.
“But we’ve never been attacked within the academy, have we? Why do you think that is?”
“Well, Cheonmu Academy is such a symbolic place, and with so many eyes on it, they probably restrained themselves. Plus, all the teachers are quite capable.”
“Hmm.”
That much was true.
Just listing the aliases of the teachers that came to mind would indicate their power level was enough to wipe out any medium or small martial arts faction.
“Then, is there someone within the academy that you suspect might be the mole?”
Dokgorin nodded.
“Jeongalgyun.”
“…That old man?”
I was taken aback by the unexpected name.
Honestly, he was completely off my radar.
“Why do you think that?”
In a calm voice, Dokgorin replied.
“The Jeongalgyun I met before my regression was a cunning old man, hard to read like a raccoon. While he was competent, the rumors surrounding his dealings were far from favorable. However, this time around, he’s changed too much for the better. If everything he’s shown us so far has just been an act to deceive us, then he’s the most suspicious person.”
“…”
I was left speechless by Dokgorin’s logical deduction.
If Jeongalgyun were indeed colluding with the imperial family, he would have been in a position to orchestrate all these events.
“When did you start to suspect him?”
Dokgorin replied.
“From the very beginning.”
“Then, what was that conversation we had in the principal’s office about?”
“There’s a saying: to deceive the enemy, first deceive your own. And at that time, I really thought Jeongalgyun might be our ally, which is why I could say that.”
Now I was genuinely feeling chills.
I had taken pride in thinking I knew Dokgorin best, but I never imagined her analytical skills ran so deep.
“Anyway, let’s keep this between us for now. It’s not confirmed yet.”
“So you have a hunch but no evidence, huh?”
“Exactly. Until I find solid proof, I’ll treat him as I always have.”
Dokgorin claimed she would be cautious, but it seemed she genuinely thought Jeongalgyun was highly likely to be the mole.
Honestly, if I thought about it, it would explain all the things that had happened so far if he were one of the masterminds.
“Alright, let’s head back. The others will be worried.”
“Sure.”
Given we had already been attacked in the middle of the night and were all frazzled, we couldn’t leave them waiting any longer, so we wrapped up our conversation and headed towards the campfire to explain the circumstances.
*
“So, they were assassins sent by the enemies who wiped out the Dokgorin clan, huh?”
“You got that right.”
Since they had unintentionally dragged us into this mess, Dokgorin felt it necessary to reveal some facts to Moyong Bi and Hyecheong regarding her situation.
“I can’t believe such a vile person actually exists… If you ever need assistance later, please don’t hesitate to ask. Though I am still weak, I’d be willing to help.”
“Thank you.”
Dokgorin said that sincerely, not just as a formality.
Considering she usually treated most people coldly, it was an unusually warm response, but somehow I felt I understood why she said it.
After all, Hyecheong remained completely unfazed while looking at Dokgorin.
Given that the original work described her beauty as so breathtaking it could evoke feelings in seasoned masters who had trained for decades, it was indeed remarkable.
‘Is this what it takes to be the direct disciple of the head of a Shaolin temple?’
I thought to myself as I admired Hyecheong before my gaze fell upon Moyong Bi standing next to her.
“…”
When our eyes met, a suffocating silence engulfed us for a moment.
“Uh, you can keep this a secret, right?”
Moyong Bi nodded vigorously instead of answering.
Having met countless martial artists until now, never had I seen someone so… no, so timid.
While one eye was hidden behind hair, making it hard to read her expression, it also seemed she had a palpable aversion to crowds.
Even now, while we were conversing, her gaze was flitting around, confirming my suspicion.
‘Cheonmu Academy really does have a diverse group of people.’
Thinking back, characters with such distinct personalities barely existed in the original work “Cheondok Witch,” leading me to reasonably suspect the author’s other works and universes had merged into this one.
To be more specific, maybe a martial arts academy scenario?
‘If that suspicion is correct, one of the main heroines must be Namgoong Ruby.’
It wasn’t impossible for her to be the protagonist, but generally, martial arts novels don’t feature female protagonists too often.
Anyway, while I pondered this and thanked Moyong Bi, I noticed the dark sky had gradually transformed into a bluish hue, and I finally relaxed.
“Looks like we survived somehow…”
It had truly been an endlessly long night.
*
The sun fully rose, and we cooked the remaining deer meat into soup, then made our way back up to Yeonhwa Peak, where the volcanic sect’s tunnel was.
While climbing the mountain path, I casually asked Dokgorin.
“By the way, what happened to the people you interrogated?”
Turning her head towards me, Dokgorin asked with a knowing look, “Do you want to know?”
“Yeah.”
Honestly, it might have been better not to know, but I didn’t want her to bear the burden alone.
She paused briefly before chuckling and said.
“I let the ones who gave us information go, just as promised. Along with an antidote.”
“…But there’s no antidote for radiation poisoning?”
“It’s a drug that liberates them from the horrible pain until death, so I think it’s fair to call it an antidote, right?”
“…”
I couldn’t help but feel relieved that Dokgorin was on my side.
‘What was I thinking, telling her about uranium in the first cycle?’
I began to resent my decision to major in chemistry at university.
I should have just opened a chicken restaurant.
*
We decided to keep the fact that we were attacked by an unidentified group during outdoor training a secret between us.
Since the situation had already ended and revealing it might unnecessarily endanger the other students, we came to that conclusion.
Thus, Day Two of training passed, leading us to the much-anticipated Day Three.
It was the last day we would be spending at the volcanic sect.
Considering the round trip from the capital to the volcano, it seemed we had devoted nearly a week to this training, but since the academic calendar was tight, it appeared we couldn’t afford to spare any more time.
The first day was an exchange with the disciples of the volcanic sect, the second was outdoor survival training in the treacherous volcanic terrain, and now the third and final day was a “Day as a Volcanic Sect Disciple.”
Unlike the previous arrangements, the “Day as a Volcanic Sect Disciple” truly meant receiving the same training, studying the same lessons, and eating the same food as the disciples for a day, which was indeed a remarkably bold move, considering most sects tend to keep their disciples’ training processes secret.
However, I was uniquely excluded from this schedule as I had received the “Self-Portrait” of the volcanic sect’s vision, so I had to pay that price.
Thanks to that, while the other students sweated alongside the volcanic sect disciples, I spent my time holed up in my room jotting down various exercise methods on paper.
And the next day,
We concluded our final schedule at the volcano and embarked on the long journey back to the capital.
