745 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

Sima ChungBong entered the room with an awkward, stiff demeanor, moving hesitantly. “Oh, Sima, you're here. How was your trip? Nothing happened on the way, right?” “Well, since Hanam is practically the front yard of our Grand Murim Alliance and I, as the youngest deputy military officer, control it, there's no chance for any untoward incidents to occur. So, nothing happened at the academy while I was away, correct?” “Yeah. Nothing much, though there is a spy from the Blood Cult at the academy.” “Haha, well, it's not uncommon for spies to infiltrate any group, is it? The Blood Cult, you say?” Sima ChungBong chuckled, thinking it was akin to seeing an odd beggar on the street, but suddenly felt a strong sense of unease. “Hold on, did you just say the Blood Cult? You mean those vile individuals have infiltrated the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy?” “Yeah. That's the dilemma. It can't be handled quietly, nor can it be openly announced. I’m stuck without a real solution, so I need to consult someone smart.” While the idea of a confrontation with the Blood Cult is thrilling, the academy couldn't afford the disgrace of having three inspectors go missing. Disclosing it wouldn't do any good either, since announcing ‘Oh, by the way, there was a spy from the Blood Cult’ after the entrance exam would be disgraceful. What if it turned out that way? Some people might believe it, while others would accuse the academy of framing problematic individuals as members of the Blood Cult. When considering whom to consult, both San and Zhuge Leehyun were focused on other academic pursuits, so they were out. Mo Yong-Jun would go berserk at anything Blood Cult-related. Gong Sun-Yoye was at a stage where she deserves praise just for breathing, let alone consulting. Thus, someone smart, who also belongs to the Military Department of the Murim Alliance, like Sima ChungBong, was needed for advice. It's not like they would escape if left alone. They’re venomous addicts who could be immobilized at any moment with an ultrasonic attack, so there was no hurry, right? “No, how is it, is there any evidence?” “They confessed easily when pretending to be Lesser Demon Witch.” “Ah.” Sima ChungBong quickly grasped the situation. The Lesser Demon Witch is a major figure in the Blood Cult, revered as a superior no matter how fragmented the Blood Cult may be. “Hmm. Well-” “Ah, let's talk about that later. Wait a moment. The kids are coming.” With her acute hearing, Qing detected a series of footsteps approaching the room. Actually, even without keen senses, it was about time, and soon familiar faces appeared beyond the naturally opening door, no longer needing a knock. A playful Ja-yeo came running over and dangled from Qing's neck, hanging like a koala. Since Qing couldn't give her a hug due to injuries, Ja-yeo decided to hug her instead, although it resembled more a neck strangle than a hug. Of course, Qing's muscles were as robust as iron, even in the neck, so Ja-yeo's efforts only caused mild discomfort. “Who is it?” “It’s Sima here to stay with us.” “Oh.” Ja-yeo's eyes sparkled. She couldn’t take her eyes off the towering beacon of wisdom, as lately, Ja-yeo had been dissatisfied with her low pillow impairing her sleep quality. “So, is Sima a mom too, staying tonight?” “Hmm. Maybe not quite a mom? Sima, what do you think, want to be Ja-yeo's mom too?” “Uh? Suddenly? More importantly, why are you asking if Sima is also… what exactly do you mean?” “The more moms, the better, right? Alongside Mo Yong-Jun, Seo Lily, and Jang Myung too. It’s not everyone who can become the mother of my daughter, you know? Right, Ja-yeo?” “Yeah.” Ja-yeo nodded with her chin resting on Qing's shoulder. “Well, what sort of... no, nothing.” Sima ChungBong was about to question what kind of nonsense that was, but he suddenly had a realization and quickly brushed it off. Wasn't this the child rescued from the sinister grasp of the Blood Cult's dreadful formation? Since the Heavenly Sword Flower is young and unmarried, she couldn't provide a normal family structure. Perhaps it was wise to make the absence of parents seem trivial, like having multiple mothers. Moreover, this arrangement wouldn’t harm the women involved, and they’d be admired for their benevolence. Indeed, Heavenly Sword Flower's judgment was wise, befitting the close friend of Sima ChungBong. For all his peculiarities and his superior attitude, Sima ChungBong’s heart was remarkably virtuous. “Hoho, are you wishing to become Sima’s daughter? That would be the dream of all children in the Zhongyuan, wouldn't it? Well, you may consider it an honor.” “Oh.” With a succinct remark, Ja-yeo dashed over and clung to her newly appointed mother. It was less of an embrace and more of her being squished, creating less of a touching scene. Still, it was kind of Sima to agree readily. The child was lovable, indeed. Then, having covered the updates. “Alright, let’s begin.” With a clap, Qing drew everyone's attention and promptly pulled down her garments. Her clothes fell away like ice sliding across a frozen surface. “Wh-Wh-What is... Why, why are you taking off your clothes, Heavenly Sword Flower?” “Hmm? Treatment. Gotta remove the shards.” Already skilled at shard removal, the crew unfazedly tapped the tongs together. Proficiently but expressionlessly, they probed her body, extracting the protruding shards with a sprightly, ouch, ouch, ouch. The scene resembled the lively ambiance of a funeral, as if birds were pecking at a corpse, something strange and unsettling. Is this truly treatment? The sound of fragments dropping into a metal tray resonated with a clang. Upon closer inspection, Qing's skin bore scars that had not yet healed, marked by countless traces, both long and short. Sima ChungBong swallowed hard. He was suddenly reminded of the terrifying ordeal of having used her body to withstand the True Heavenly Thunder, and how severe the consequences truly were. Although Qing walked, laughed, and chatted as if nothing was wrong, hearing about the embedded shards was one thing—the reality of it was another. “How could you be so reckless? Don't you realize that your body isn't solely yours, Heavenly Flower(天華)? As the future leader of the righteous martial world, with such a significant burden on your shoulders, how could you be so careless? What an absurd act…” “Ouch, suddenly getting scolded, ow.” A large shard was conspicuously extracted, and Jang Myung nodded in agreement. “She deserves a bit of scolding. No, a good dose of it.” “Indeed,” Moyong Joo Hee chimed in, and even Seo Lily turned away expressionlessly, her forehead furrowed ever so slightly. “Don't you realize? People in the past used to ask their masters to teach them art, stating that even if one hones their skills to face a hundred men alone, learning military tactics could enable one to confront ten thousand (萬人之敵). Isn't the principle that a general doesn't need to lead from the front, but can achieve much more by commanding from above without the personal risk?” It was an outpouring of heartfelt scolding. Hmm, this atmosphere is a bit uncomfortable... But what could she do about it? It was a disaster brought upon herself, an outcome of her own actions. Ultimately, it was a fate she had to accept. Thus, today’s treatment, which felt unusually long, finally concluded. Sima ChungBong revealed the Murim Alliance's response to the recent incident. Everyone present was involved in the turmoil, so it was crucial they understood what needed to be communicated. “Initially, we decided to publicly announce that the incident was due to a fight between the Lesser Demon Witch and an organization that held a grudge against them. Meaning, the attack wasn’t aimed at the inspectors of the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy but rather at the Lesser Demon Witch. Do you all understand?” Looking around at the assembly, Sima ChungBong quickly covered her mouth. “Oh dear, I made such a mistake. How could I, Sima, expect Heavenly Sword Flower, who matches wits with the greatest talents under the heavens, to comprehend this? It's not like the common Sword Flower and Ice Flower would, is it? Truly, being a pioneer means sometimes having to wait for the ignorant…” Moyong Joo Hee and Seo Lily, both suddenly deemed commoners, clenched their fists as Sima ChungBong continued her explanation. Indeed, the situation was quite unsavory. Even if the royal family was openly scheming, what could the Murim Alliance do? Could they express discontent or protest? Unless it was Qing's homeland, anything like that within the Zhongyuan would outright be considered treason. Because the emperor is considered the parent and owner of all life, and if the emperor commands death, one must obey. This is the law of the land and the principle of governance. In Zhongyuan, power has always ruled, so legitimacy was developed as a counterbalance. Even an emperor who lost legitimacy faced severe consequences, with heroes and adventurers rising to establish new dynasties by providing justification for replacing the old. The constitution that prevents powerful individuals from wielding their strength arbitrarily is what is referred to as righteous morality, or the cause. Thus, causing without legitimate justification could quickly lead brigands to rise against the ruler. This is exactly why the recent events and the silent schemes conducted within the royal palace are shrouded in legitimacy. Hence, the Murim Alliance's official announcement was also a means to deny any sort of legitimacy. “The instructors from the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy engaged the Lesser Demon Witch, ultimately defeating them. However, before that, many brave souls fell combating the evil of the Blood Cult. The Murim Alliance vows never to forget their sacrifices and will unite to prevent such incidents from occurring again in the future.” To an outsider, it would sound plausible. But if one assumed the Murim Alliance knew the assassin's objective and identity, the announcement would be interpreted like this: Unfortunately, the assassins sent by the emperor perished. It wasn’t our doing but that of the Lesser Demon Witch, so it's not our fault. Nevertheless, we will never forget this incident and, should it happen again, the entire martial world will rise against it, so let us avoid pushing this matter further unless you want an all-out war. By blocking royal interference entirely while expressing the alliance’s stance, it conveyed a veiled threat: 'Could you handle it if we all rose up?' Incidentally, the Military Department admitted how they never expected to feel grateful towards a Blood Cult witch. Why the Lesser Demon Witch happened to be there is unknown, but thanks to it, the Murim Alliance’s burden decreased significantly. Using the Blood Cult as a common enemy is the ideal justification without backlash. Sima ChungBong, aware of the Lesser Demon Witch's true identity, could only respond with a meaningful smile, receiving wary glances from the military. However, being accustomed to such reactions as routine envy from common folk didn’t faze her. “Hmm, do you think it’ll be alright…?” Qing's voice trailed off. And indeed, it does seem like they’re needlessly dragging someone through the mud. Having experienced military bombardment firsthand, Qing understood that, after reaching the Harmonization Realm, escaping such situations using lightness techniques wasn't a challenge. She wasn't afraid of taking care of herself, but her concerns lay elsewhere. What about those below the Transcendent Realm, the martial artists who couldn't even be considered adept? The newborns who could barely crawl, let alone walk—what would they do? Thinking about if such an attack fell upon our Divine Maiden Sect, well... "We can’t continue to just endure it forever, can we? Unless we firmly communicate our stance, suffering from these schemes even once could lead to a great disaster." That was true, but— In Sichuan, the emperor built legitimacy by killing his own brother, and now he sought to do the same by sacrificing the firstborn of his trusted minister. It was an utterly irrational course of action, and who knew how he'd react if truly provoked. Yet, continuing to overlook such scheming wasn't an option either. Qing pondered for a moment before shaking her head to dismiss the thoughts. Well, since the decision was made by the Murim Alliance's military department, comprised of the smartest minds in the alliance, they must have thought it through thoroughly.