Chapter 219: To Avoid Ending Up Like This

TL: FoodieMonster007

Big Tiger watched Jisaeng forcibly swallow the poison and felt a sense of relief. Another person now shared his predicament.

Treating a subordinate of Yayul Han, the second-in-command of the Evil Alliance, like this?

It was a sight Big Tiger found hard to believe, even as he witnessed it himself. His curiosity about these people grew stronger.

Geom Mugeuk spoke to Jisaeng.

"If you don't take the antidote daily, your organs will melt and you'll die. You'll feel the greatest pain a human can endure. Scream if you want to."

Geom Mugeuk released Jisaeng's mute point. Jisaeng's mouth, clamped shut like a clamshell, remained closed.

Jisaeng was so shocked and bewildered that his mind went blank. He had the same thought as Big Tiger.

Just who are these people to treat me this way?

A new idea suddenly flashed through his mind.

Ah! Could this be a test of my loyalty?

The more Jisaeng considered it, the more plausible it seemed. They would torture him, demand the Alliance's secrets, and test his loyalty.

His gaze then fell upon his four subordinates, lying cold in death.

They'd test me by sacrificing them?

That couldn't be possible. What was the reason then?

Geom Mugeuk approached and held out an unexpected box.

"Open it."

When Jisaeng opened the box, he found three luminous pearls of the highest quality inside. These were the same pearls Geom Mugeuk had received for saving the Golden Manor Master, his daughter, and his grandson.

Jisaeng could not comprehend the situation.

Geom Mugeuk then said, "Take this to the real Jisaeng. I know your coachman is the real one."

The fake Jisaeng was too stunned to speak.

"You were planning to kill us and take these, weren't you? Am I wrong?"

That was true, but he never imagined he would receive them like this.

"You can either do as we say and just give this to him, or you can give it to him and reveal everything that just happened. The choice is yours."

"Why are you doing this?"

Why were they giving him a choice?

"Choose knowing this. You won't find an antidote for that poison anywhere else. Only that person over there has it."

The Poison King sat in his original spot, gently fanning himself. He paid no mind to the matter.

"Ah, and one more thing. Think about how your master will react if you reveal the truth. Do you really think he'll risk negotiating with us to save you? He'll assume he'd have to return these three luminous pearls and offer up even more."

The fake Jisaeng's expression remained rigid as he listened. He knew better than anyone what choice the real Jisaeng would make.

"Die for your loyalty, or live by giving him the luminous pearls. I'm not telling you to kill him. Just give him the pearls."

"Aren't you trying to harm the Elder?"

"Wouldn't that be a good thing for you? The higher-ups would probably put you in his position to replace Jisaeng."

"!"

It would be a lie to say he had never considered such a scenario. The words sounded tempting, an opportunity born from the worst possible situation.

"You can think it over on your way back."

Geom Mugeuk gave him no time to deliberate.

They're letting me live? And I'm supposed to give the luminous pearls to the Elder? Why?

His mind was not working properly in his flustered state.

The fake Jisaeng walked out of the building as if kicked out and headed for the carriage in the courtyard. The real Jisaeng sat in the driver's seat, staring blankly at the night sky.

The fake Jisaeng climbed into the carriage.

"Let's go!"

The carriage set off. The real Jisaeng ignored the absence of his direct subordinates, assuming they had stayed behind to deal with the corpses of the Four Iron Sword Tigers.

A telepathic message came from the real Jisaeng.

[How did it go?]

[It's been handled.]

The fake Jisaeng passed the box through the small window connecting to the driver's seat.

The fake Jisaeng knew the real Jisaeng was not a man who would suffer a financial loss to save him. That truth would not change even after a hundred years of service.

Jisaeng, in the driver's seat, opened the box of luminous pearls and broke into a wide grin. His eyes looked as if they were being sucked into the pearls.

Even now, the fake Jisaeng was still pondering.

What on earth are their intentions?

Why just give away the luminous pearls like this?

However, the moment he uttered the words, "It's been handled," the matter became irreversible. If he revealed the truth now, he would be killed for entertaining the thought of betrayal, even for a moment.

The carriage, carrying the two Jisaengs and their conflicting emotions, returned to their lodging.

There were moments when Jisaeng stopped being a coachman and became his true self. Meeting Yayul Han was one such time, and now was another.

A secret place was set up in the basement beneath the stables. In a space of a little over thirty-three square meters, he kept everything he owned. A small chair sat in the middle of the room, and display cabinets on all four walls held dozens of the finest luminous pearls. This was the fortune he had amassed over a lifetime.

Jisaeng added the three new luminous pearls to his collection. His hands trembled. One would think he would be numb to it after amassing so much wealth, but he savored this moment. With each new pearl, he felt the thrill of being alive. Nothing else brought him this much joy. He would sometimes turn off the lamps and scream like a madman as he watched the pearls glow in the darkness.

He lived a merciless life for this joy. He had to become even more vicious and cruel because he had to offer money to Yayul Han. A guilty conscience? He didn't think he'd ever felt one. Whenever someone mentioned guilt, his first thought was, Who told you to live like such a fool? If you think it's unfair, then try living like this yourself.

Just as he was sinking into that ecstatic joy again today, Jisaeng sensed a presence behind him.

He spun around like lightning, startled, to see someone standing at the door. It was the fake Jisaeng.

The fake Jisaeng finally understood. He understood why they had given the luminous pearls to the real Jisaeng. They had waited for this moment, for him to bring the pearls here, all to find this secret vault.

But how did they know he was collecting luminous pearls?

The real Jisaeng was just as shocked. No one would ever suspect this secret space beneath the old, shabby stable. Who would imagine treasure was hidden in such a place? Furthermore, the door only opened if one activated a series of hidden mechanisms throughout the stables in the correct sequence.

Jisaeng had checked his surroundings repeatedly before entering. He was certain no one was there. The fake Jisaeng shouldn't have been skilled enough to approach so closely without being noticed. Unless someone had an animal's night vision, they could not have seen what he was doing.

Damn it! Damn it all!

A wave of self-blame washed over him. He had grown complacent, letting his guard down after so many years without incident.

Regardless, one thing was certain.

Betrayal!

If he had been plotting for a long time to steal his fortune, perhaps it was possible to infiltrate this secret place.

Instead of asking how he got in, or why he was there…

"……"

A throwing knife flew from Jisaeng's hand in a surprise attack. He was a master of knife throwing arts. Posing as a coachman was easier for him since he did not need to carry a sword or dao.

The throwing knife, aimed at the fake Jisaeng's neck, stopped in mid-air.

Someone had reached out from behind him and caught the flying knife. It was Geom Mugeuk.

Rage surged within the fake Jisaeng. He had served him loyally for over a decade, only to be killed without a single question. Jisaeng should have at least asked why he betrayed him before trying to kill him.

Geom Mugeuk emerged from behind the fake Jisaeng, followed by Seo Daeryong and Big Tiger.

"You goddamn bastards!"

Upon seeing Big Tiger, Jisaeng mistook the intruders for the Four Iron Sword Tigers. It was a natural assumption. He believed the fake Jisaeng had conspired with the Four Iron Sword Tigers to steal his fortune.

SHWIKSHWIKSHWIKSHWIKSHWIKSHWIK!

Once again, throwing knives flew from his hand.

However, Geom Mugeuk caught every one of his unerringly accurate throwing knives.

Jisaeng was aghast. This was not an attack the Four Iron Sword Tigers could have possibly blocked.

Geom Mugeuk gave him no chance to throw another knife. He closed the distance with the Hell Step and sealed Jisaeng's blood points. In a flash, Jisaeng's body went rigid. Terror seized him as he found Geom Mugeuk standing right in front of him.

"You're not the Four Iron Sword Tigers!"

"Of course we're not. How could the likes of the Four Iron Sword Tigers possibly handle you?"

Geom Mugeuk walked past him to admire the display cabinets.

"You've collected quite a lot."

"Who are you? Who are you!"

When Geom Mugeuk did not answer, the real Jisaeng's fury turned on his double.

"You damn fool! You idiot!"

The fake Jisaeng yelled back.

"I served you like a dog for fifteen years! And you throw a knife without even asking for a reason? You should have asked first! You should have asked if I was being threatened, you… you son of a bitch!"

Their once-good relationship shattered in an instant. The real Jisaeng's dignity and composure as an Elder vanished.

"Because you're not supposed to be here!"

"And why not? This is a filthy fortune you amassed by stealing, deceiving, and killing. Why can't I be in a place like this!"

"Did I do those things? You're the one who committed all those acts."

"How can you say that!"

The veins on both men's necks bulged as they shouted.

"You pathetic fool. Do you really think they'll let you live?"

"I'm going to take your place."

"Do you think the Alliance is that naive? They won't let you live, but even if you did survive them, the Alliance wouldn't let you live. With me dead, why would they leave a loose end like you? They'll just wipe the slate clean and start over. Just like we did when we created the Miracle Deity Loan."

The fake Jisaeng could not offer a rebuttal. The real Jisaeng had just dragged out the fear he had tried so hard to ignore, a fear buried deep in his heart.

"So I get devoured in the end. I was so careful to avoid this fate."

At Jisaeng's lament, Geom Mugeuk stepped forward.

"If you were truly that worried, you should have curbed your greed instead of just being more cautious."

Geom Mugeuk fired off a series of finger qi bullets, sealing the blood and mute points of the fake Jisaeng and Big Tiger. It was a clear signal for everyone to shut up and listen.

"Here's what's going to happen here today. You hired the Four Iron Sword Tigers for the Miracle Deity Loan, but they betrayed you. They were after your fortune from the very beginning."

Geom Mugeuk glanced between Jisaeng and Big Tiger.

"Of course, there's a significant difference in your martial arts skills, but we can solve that problem with this."

Geom Mugeuk opened a small vial right under Jisaeng's nose.

SSSSSS.

Smoke wafted from the vial and was forced into Jisaeng's nostrils.

"You've been hit with paralysis powder. You know what that is, right? It's a favorite tool of you unorthodox sects. It's a poison that lingers in the body, easy to find in an autopsy. Poisoned, you stagger and collapse."

Geom Mugeuk moved the immobilized Jisaeng like a puppet.

"Then, Big Tiger stabs you in the back with his sword."

Seo Daeryong did the same, manipulating Big Tiger's body. He placed a sword in Big Tiger's hand and moved his arm. Big Tiger's sword pierced Jisaeng's back.

Jisaeng's face contorted in pain, but with his mute point sealed, he could not even scream.

"Poisoned and stabbed, but you're not one to go down without a fight. You counterattack with a throwing knife."

This time, Geom Mugeuk pulled a throwing knife from Jisaeng's robes and threw it. The knife struck Big Tiger squarely in the heart. He collapsed, dead on the spot.

"You succeed in killing Big Tiger, but the wound in your back is fatal. You collapse here and die, forced to watch as someone steals the fortune you spent a lifetime amassing."

As if on cue, Seo Daeryong began stuffing all the luminous pearls into a sack he had brought.

"This must be worse than death for you, wouldn't you say?"

Jisaeng's eyes were bloodshot. He struggled to shake his head, pleading for them to stop.

"This is how everyone you stole from felt."

This would not resolve the grudges of the countless youths who had suffered because of the Miracle Deity Loan, but Geom Mugeuk intended to inflict the greatest possible agony.

"Yayul Han will send people to investigate your death. The culprits will be identified as the Four Iron Sword Tigers. Your subordinates will testify that you were trying to hire them, and we'll be leaving Big Tiger's corpse here."

Jisaeng looked as if he had much to say, but Geom Mugeuk did not release his mute point.

"We're taking everything you've collected your entire life. We'll put it to good use for you! Thanks!"

Jisaeng's whole body trembled. He died filled with nothing but rage and indignation. That was exactly how Geom Mugeuk wanted him to die.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze then shifted to the fake Jisaeng. The man stared back at Geom Mugeuk, his eyes pleading that he would never reveal what happened today. His face was filled with the hope of survival and the anticipation of becoming the real Jisaeng.

However, Geom Mugeuk shattered that hope.

"But there's one problem with this plan. The Evil Alliance won't believe that Jisaeng was taken down by the likes of the Four Iron Sword Tigers. So, we need a plausible mastermind. Someone who knew his identity, could poison him with paralysis powder, and could find his secret vault. What do you think, his right-hand man of fifteen years?"

Bewilderment and rage bloomed on the fake Jisaeng's face. However, the next words plunged him into even deeper despair.

"That's right. You're going to be the one who ran off with these luminous pearls, and they will never find you."

Geom Mugeuk's fist slammed into his chest. The single blow shattered his insides, killing him instantly. Geom Mugeuk never intended to spare the man, who had committed all manner of evil deeds. He would be buried where no one could ever find him.

The dying Jisaeng looked at the fake's corpse and laughed, a 'serves you right' look on his face. The sight of him laughing while bleeding from the mouth was grotesque. However, he was not fated to die with a smile on his face.

Just then, Seo Daeryong, who had finished collecting the luminous pearls, let out a deliberate sigh.

"Is this always the fate of a right-hand man?" he asked.

"I think my right-hand man is too smart to end up like this."

"If you keep saying such nice things, how can I ever quit this perilous job as your right-hand man?"

"That's how they all get tricked and end up like this."

After that bit of banter, Seo Daeryong approached the dying Jisaeng.

"By the way, why did you keep looking over there? Even while you're so busy dying?"

For a moment, Jisaeng looked flustered. He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Now that's really suspicious."

If he had just glanced at it, Seo Daeryong would not have thought anything of it, but Jisaeng had stared at the wall with such deep regret, and that had caught Seo Daeryong's eye.

Geom Mugeuk and Seo Daeryong exchanged a nod and began to inspect the wall.

As Geom Mugeuk slowly ran his hands over the wall, his fingertips caught on something, and a crisp metallic click echoed.

In that instant, Jisaeng despaired as if his world were collapsing. It was a despair even greater than when they had taken his luminous pearls.

His mute point was sealed, preventing him from speaking, but his lips formed the words.

Anything but that.

JIIIIIING.

The floor in front of the wall opened up, and something began to rise from below.