Chapter 202: A Few Days Go By Fast, Don't They?

TL: FoodieMonster007

"First, calm down."

The Third Immortal soothed Geom Mugeuk. He needed Geom Mugeuk to calm his excitement before he did anything rash.

"Could you stand it if you were me?"

"Even I couldn't have stood it. Still, if you let anger get the best of you and mess this up, you won't get your revenge, will you? Your opponent is…"

He couldn't bring himself to say the name. He never thought he would have to admit the Fist Demon was their opponent.

Whether he knew the Third Immortal's thoughts or not, Geom Mugeuk clenched his fists and trembled.

"He said he thought of me as his own son. That bastard!"

The Third Immortal had to stop Geom Mugeuk from acting before the other Immortals arrived.

"A bastard like that deserves to die. I'll help you."

"Why would you?"

"What do you mean, why? Because that bastard deserves to die."

Geom Mugeuk scoffed.

"That's not it, is it? You're just scared you'll get dragged into this, right? Don't worry. I'll never say you bought the poison for me."

Geom Mugeuk phrased it as buying the poison, not borrowing money. The promise to stay silent sounded even more dangerous. Geom Mugeuk was intentionally provoking him.

The Third Immortal suppressed the urge to scream.

Me, buy you poison? Are you crazy?

"How are you going to poison the Fist Demon?"

"I'll put it in his alcohol."

"When is the Fist Demon coming back?"

"He'll be back in five days."

Five days. The Third Immortal's heart raced. He had to get the other Immortals there within that time.

"If you get involved, you'll die too. So stay out of it."

"If you kill the Fist Demon, do you think the Demonic Cult will leave your family alone? They'll be annihilated."

"I don't care. Father couldn't even make a peep while his son went through this. I'd rather a family like this be annihilated."

The Third Immortal understood Geom Mugeuk's reckless fury, but one thought remained.

I messed with the wrong crazy bastard!

He couldn't handle Geom Mugeuk himself. Based on the skills Geom Mugeuk displayed at the inn, he was a much greater master.

Geom Mugeuk rose from his seat.

"Don't come looking for me again. If you do, I'll splash that poison on you."

With that threat, Geom Mugeuk left.

A moment later, I was on a rooftop across from the inn with Go Wol, watching the Third Immortal leave.

"A moment ago, we confirmed that the bastard's subordinate sent a messenger pigeon. Given the gravity of the situation, he must have summoned all the core members of the association. According to our investigation, their leadership consists of four people, and a man named Ilseon is the leader."

Go Wol's intelligence network was already proving its power. He truly made me feel the money was well spent.

"So we only need to take care of those four?"

"Yes. Ilseon is the ringleader. He's a suspicious man who doesn't show himself easily, but he'll have no choice now that the Fist Demon is involved."

"So this is why everyone keeps a strategist. It's so convenient."

"A strategist with a leader smarter than himself has it tough."

"That's a misunderstanding. I'm only good at the divine art of flattery."

After a brief pause, Go Wol spoke.

"Thanks to you, I've smoothed things over with the Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk looked at his face. He looked much more at ease than when he had first asked about the Cult Leader.

Geom Mugeuk thought Go Wol was truly amazing. To be so good to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader who had held him captive like that. He didn't know what kind of connection they had in a past life, but he felt anew that the bond between the two was truly deep.

"The Cult Leader was worried about you. He said you've been having a hard time lately. He told me to take care of you in his place."

"I'm fine."

"What do you mean, you're fine? I heard people who need help always say they're fine first."

When Go Wol looked at him with an expression that asked where he had heard that, Geom Mugeuk revealed his honest feelings.

"Strategist Go, I'm not fine. Dealing with the Demon Supremes, fighting for succession, acting in front of these trash from Miracle Deity Loan… it's so hard and tiring, but just saying it like this makes me feel a little better. So you should say it too, Strategist Go. If it's hard, say it's hard. If you're tired, say you're tired. Because I'm listening."

Go Wol gave a meaningful smile. He had said it to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. That it was hard. He had meant that the Cult Leader should also say so if he was having a hard time, and now, Geom Mugeuk was doing that for him.

Go Wol raised his head and looked up at the sky. He felt better without saying a word.

The person who had the hardest time among us was the Fist Demon.

"…And that's how the Fist Demon became the villain. I apologize for not telling you sooner, but the situation was urgent."

The Fist Demon flared up in anger as soon as I finished explaining.

"Not just a villain… a shameless lecher, aren't I?"

"A villainy of this level was necessary to give them a motive to poison you."

"There are plenty of other reasons! Like insulting his character or killing a subordinate he cherished!"

"Still, I didn't think anything else would be as provocative."

"It's disgusting!"

The Fist Demon had never caused trouble over a woman, so his fury was natural.

The Fist Demon brought his face right up to mine.

"Is this your idea? Or that strategist of yours who can't play Go?"

"Of course, it was my strategist's idea. Don't hold back, go and…"

GRRRROWL.

A growl emanated from the Fist Demon's clenched fist, like a distant typhoon approaching.

"This is your doing, isn't it? Your strategist wouldn't dare do something like this."

"As expected, you're brilliant. Of course, it was my idea."

"Why did you turn me into a lecher?"

"Because it's one of the strongest motives for murder. They don't doubt my killing intent at all because of it."

"Still, I absolutely hate being misunderstood."

"Master, it's just something said to men who will soon be dead. You don't need to worry. The words won't leak out."

A question suddenly occurred to the Fist Demon.

"But did that bastard believe it?"

He probably expected to hear, 'How could the Fist Demon possibly do such a thing?'

"Yes. He believed it completely."

"He believed it right away? What's that bastard's name? What is it!"

I smiled at the Fist Demon, who was pointlessly venting his anger.

"It'll all be over in a few days, and those few days will be the most valuable of your life, Master."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Because the name of the Fist Demon was mentioned, their leaders will make a move. As a result, countless young men caught in their evil clutches will escape despair and death. If you count the people who would have fallen victim to them in the future, it will be hundreds, even thousands. You'll be saving all of them, Master."

"What am I, a divine physician? Am I supposed to be happy about saving people?"

"Then, for the sake of your disciple who enjoys saving people, please live as a lecher for just a few days."

The Fist Demon stared at me as if to pierce me, then turned away sharply, still exuding a dark aura.

"Even a few days is too long!"

Four days later, the Fourth Immortal was the first to arrive.

"What on earth is going on? Did a war break out?"

He was the Third Immortal's older brother, but they acted like friends.

The Third Immortal's tension finally loosened when he saw the Fourth Immortal, a master of martial arts.

The Third Immortal explained everything to the Fourth Immortal in detail.

"So that crazy bastard is going to poison the Fist Demon? What's the problem? Even if he's killed, that guy is the one doing the killing, right?"

"The problem is he bought the poison with money he borrowed from us."

"How is that a problem? Is the Demonic Cult going to investigate whose money bought the poison?"

"If it were an ordinary poison and an ordinary target, I wouldn't be worried. It would just end with them thinking, 'Ah, this guy got some poison and killed him.' The problem is that he bought imperceptible poison. How did he afford such expensive imperceptible poison? And the person who died is the Fist Demon. Then they'll naturally suspect there's someone behind it. If they dig into it, our existence will eventually be revealed. Do you think the Demonic Cult will just leave us alone?"

Only then did the Fourth Immortal understand the situation's gravity.

"When is the Fist Demon coming?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then we only have today. What about the Justice Fist Sect's son?"

"He's drinking at a tavern right now."

"Let's go. Lead the way."

The Third Immortal stopped the Fourth Immortal as he was about to leave.

"If we kill him in the tavern, his father will investigate. The Demonic Cult will get involved, and we'll be in even more danger."

"Then what should we do?"

The Third Immortal suggested a plan.

"We kidnap him and make him a missing person. We'll frame it like he left, disheartened about his fiancée. Before we kill him and use Bone Dissolving Acid, we'll make him write a short letter."

The Fourth Immortal agreed.

"That's a good idea."

Two hours later, Geom Mugeuk staggered out of the tavern where the Third and Fourth Immortals were waiting.

The Third Immortal appeared before Geom Mugeuk when he entered a deserted area. The drunken Geom Mugeuk slurred his words.

"You! Didn't I say I'd kill you if you showed up again?"

"Hey, I came because I have something to tell you."

Geom Mugeuk never noticed the Fourth Immortal approaching from behind.

"Something to tell me? Don't give me that! You came to stop me again, didn't you? You coward. I'm not scared! Tomorrow…"

The Fourth Immortal sealed Geom Mugeuk's vital and speech points.

Caught mid-sentence, Geom Mugeuk couldn't even dodge.

The Third and Fourth Immortal linked arms with him and ran.

The two men arrived in a deserted forest.

They released Geom Mugeuk's speech point only after they arrived.

"What? You wanna die?"

The drunken Geom Mugeuk seemed completely unaware of the situation's gravity.

The Third Immortal handed Geom Mugeuk the paper, brush, and pre-ground ink he had prepared.

"Write what I dictate."

"What? What's this?"

"Father, your son will be leaving for a while and will return."

Geom Mugeuk raised the brush with drunken eyes, then put it down.

"You bastard! You're trying to make me write this and then kill me, aren't you?"

Just then, a voice came from behind.

"Idiots!"

The Third and Fourth Immortals' expressions brightened.

The First and Second Immortal had walked into the area. The First Immortal had arrived earlier and watched the situation unfold, only revealing himself when he judged it completely safe.

"He's leaving because he's angry at his father. Why would he leave a letter? That's even stranger."

At the First Immortal's words, the Third Immortal voiced his admiration.

"As expected! You're our Big Bro. You think on a different level!"

The First Immortal approached Geom Mugeuk. He had a villain's face, and his eyes were as cold as a snake's.

"So all this fuss was because of this insignificant bastard."

He glared at Geom Mugeuk and spoke.

"Bury him alive."

He intended to inflict the horror and pain of being buried alive in the mountains.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk smiled faintly. His gloomy, dark facade vanished, replaced by his true expression.

The watching Third Immortal was startled. The change in expression made Geom Mugeuk look like a different person.

This crazy bastard really knows how to surprise people right up until he dies.

Then Geom Mugeuk asked the First Immortal.

"Did this whole thing come from your head? You don't look that smart."

The First Immortal's expression hardened.

The other three just watched. They knew the angrier the First Immortal got, the more of a spectacle it would be. Sometimes, things happened that they feared would appear in their dreams.

"Who's behind this? Who provided the money?"

Geom Mugeuk looked at the other Immortals.

"He didn't tell you guys either? Did you band together without even that much trust?"

In that moment, the First Immortal realized Geom Mugeuk's speech was no longer slurred.

"You? You're not drunk."

"I'm all sober now. Hearing you say you'll bury me alive really woke me up."

His words were as relaxed as his expression.

An unidentifiable unease made the First Immortal look around. He suspected an ambush but sensed nothing nearby.

The Third Immortal stepped forward.

"Don't pay him any mind. He was always a crazy bastard."

He decided to kill him quickly and get it over with. Since he was the one who lent Geom Mugeuk the hundred thousand taels, it was wise to finish things before the crazy bastard angered the First Immortal even more.

"I'll take care of him and bury him."

Geom Mugeuk watched him take a throwing knife from his robes and asked.

"You said you were investing in my youth?"

"You must have misheard. I said I was investing in my youth."

The Third Immortal sneered openly. He loved this moment most, when he cut off his opponent's breath and they looked at him with resentful betrayal. Of course, this crazy bastard wasn't giving him the expression he wanted.

"It was annoying, but it was a special experience. I'll remember it for a long time."

"After today, I'm going to completely erase you all from my memory."

"Farewell, you crazy bastard!"

Just as he tried to slit Geom Mugeuk's throat, a cold chill enveloped them. A shiver ran down the Third Immortal's spine. He wasn't the only one who felt the dominating chill. The Fourth Immortal drew his sword and scanned the area.

A person walked toward them.

The moon cast a long shadow, larger and wider than an ordinary person's. The approaching figure radiated an aura as sharp as frost. It was the Fist Demon.

The four men were shocked when they recognized him. Compared to the Fist Demon, the ruthless First Immortal looked like a baby.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk spoke incomprehensible words from behind them.

"He's very angry right now because you all believed it without any doubt."

Geom Mugeuk, whose vital points they thought were sealed, got up and dusted off his clothes. He smiled and asked the Fist Demon.

"A few days go by fast, don't they?"

The Fist Demon, his face haggard from sleepless nights, stood before them.

"To me, it was an eternity!"