Chapter 345: Be Warier of That Person Than the Enemy

TL: FoodieMonster007

"No, please spare me!"

The words of pleading escaped the Black Snake Society leader's lips.

The Young Alliance Chairman's youngest bodyguard had turned Heukgyeon into a bloody mess before beheading him. Heukgyeon had not even managed a single proper sword swing during the fight.

How could he even think of resisting?

Demonic qi radiated from Bi Sayin, menacingly constricting the Black Snake Society leader's body.

As a martial artist of the unorthodox sects, the Black Snake Society leader had encountered demonic qi many times, but this was stronger than any he had ever felt. The scent of blood was thick in Bi Sayin's enraged demonic qi.

"Does that mean your subordinates acted on their own?"

Cornered, the Black Snake Society leader dragged an innocent person into the situation. He yelled at Song Chung.

"What in the world is going on?"

Song Chung was the person the Black Snake Society leader yelled at.

Dragging me into this kind of situation? When he knows full well how bad my relationship with Heukgyeon was? Song Chung was dumbfounded, but it was not the time to blame the Black Snake Society leader.

"I wasn't aware of this either. Heukgyeon is an uneducated and base man. It seems he went around committing wicked deeds behind the Commander's back."

Everyone knew of Heukgyeon's evil deeds, but if Song Chung said Heukgyeon was just that kind of person, the blame would shift to him for not stopping it.

Bi Sayin sent a telepathic message to Geom Mugeuk.

[How accurate is the information written here?]

It was information from the Hidden Moon, so its reliability was unquestionable.

[It's information sent by the person I trust and cherish the most. You can consider it on the same level as information from our Cult's All-Knowing Hall.]

Having confirmed the information's reliability, Bi Sayin asked Song Chung a question.

"What's your name?"

"It's Song Chung."

Bi Sayin shuffled through the paper he held and found the information on Song Chung.

Song Chung's heart began to pound. His life or death depended on what was written there. That paper was truly the Grim Reaper's Book of Life and Death.

Fortunately, a sword did not come flying at him. The evil deeds written on the paper were apparently not severe enough to warrant death.

Meanwhile, the Black Snake Society leader, having caught his breath, prostrated himself and pledged.

"There will be no more kidnapping of children. I'll also properly crack down on the excessive evil deeds of my subordinates."

Instead of answering, Bi Sayin walked over to Heukgyeon's corpse. It seemed he was going to look at the body, but he was not.

Bi Sayin drew his sword and dipped its tip in blood. Then, he drew three bloody lines on the paper he held.

Bi Sayin handed the paper to the Black Snake Society leader.

Three names had been crossed out with blood. They were the ones within the Black Snake Society whose evil deeds were the most severe. He had not said a word, but the Black Snake Society leader understood what Bi Sayin meant.

"Heukya, come here for a moment and look at this."

He called over Heukya, who had been standing silently.

The moment Heukya walked over and looked at the paper.

SHWIIK!

The Black Snake Society leader drew his sword in a surprise attack, slashing at Heukya's chest.

However, Heukya dodged the attack as if he had sensed it in advance.

"I knew you'd do that."

"Don't resent me! It's because your evil deeds run deep."

The two men engaged in a bloody battle.

The Black Snake Society martial artists were so surprised they did not know what to do as the two strongest men in their society suddenly began a bloody battle.

"Kill Heukya!"

"Kill the Commander! He's trying to kill us all!"

"That's a lie! Attack Heukya together and kill him! That's an order."

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

Heuksam, who had subtly slipped back, launched himself away to escape. He knew that in a situation like this, fleeing was the best course of action.

However, First Wolf was already blocking his path, having received Bi Sayin's order.

Heuksam did not dare think of breaking through and retreated. After seeing Heukgyeon die without lifting a finger, no one would draw their sword against the Thirteen Evil Wolves today.

The other members of the Thirteen Evil Wolves also formed a perfect encirclement, making escape impossible.

Bi Sayin watched their fight silently with his arms crossed.

Heukya's martial arts were inferior to the Black Snake Society leader's, but the rage of betrayal made him fight like a madman. It was a fight where losing meant death, so sword qi flew wildly.

Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun watched the fight from outside the Thirteen Evil Wolves' encirclement.

SHWIIIIK.

Jin Hagun pulled on the hem of Geom Mugeuk's clothes, yanking him closer.

A stray sword qi flew from afar, grazing past the spot where Geom Mugeuk had been.

"You saved my life!"

"Saved you? I bet you could've dodged it ten times over."

"Commander Jin."

"Why are you lowering your voice?"

"I truly hope you become the successor."

"Why are you suddenly saying this?"

"It just occurred to me that it would be good. I'm telling you while I'm thinking of it."

He said it like a joke, but one could feel he was speaking his true feelings.

"How could that possibly go my way?"

His grandfather and the Chairman, Jin Paecheon, was a man who would mercilessly push aside even his own grandson from the line of succession if he made a mistake.

"Why do you want me to become the successor?"

Because I'm a pushover? He had expected such an answer might come.

"Because I think you'd do a good job."

Jin Hagun looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"Whether a friend or an enemy, they have to be someone who's good at what they do. That's the only way it's fun to play with them and worthwhile to fight them."

This time, Geom Mugeuk pulled him closer.

SHWIIIIIK.

Another flying sword qi passed through the spot where Jin Hagun had been standing.

"I saved your life! Don't you ever forget it!"

Listening to his banter, Jin Hagun wondered how his relationship with this man would end. Could they really become friends?

Meanwhile, the fight ended.

One person stood while the other lay on the ground, a corpse.

There was no upset. The winner, as expected by skill, was the Black Snake Society leader.

Heukya had fought many battles, but he had only fought battles he could win. Slaughter unrelated to martial arts skill was no help in saving his own life.

That was not the end. Since three names were crossed out on the paper, the Black Snake Society leader launched surprise attacks and killed Ilsam and Ilpal. With skills even lower than Heukya's, they could not withstand the Black Snake Society leader's ambush.

"It's all finished."

Bi Sayin responded to the Black Snake Society leader's report.

"Now, four of the five most vicious people in the Black Snake Society are dead."

"Five people? There were only three names crossed out."

Even including Heukgyeon, that was four people. The Black Snake Society leader picked up the paper again, wondering if he had missed one.

It was at that very moment.

SHWIIIIIK.

SEOGEOK.

Bi Sayin's sword sliced through the Black Snake Society leader's neck.

The paper the Black Snake Society leader held was also cut. Coincidentally, the part with the Black Snake Society leader's name was sliced off.

A red line was visible beneath it.

That line, which looked as if it had been drawn, was the line drawn on the Black Snake Society leader's neck.

PUAAAAAK!

The next moment, the Black Snake Society leader collapsed, spewing blood from that line.

Bi Sayin did not forgive him.

The evil deeds he committed to establish the Black Snake Society were bad enough, but his greatest sin was leaving the evil deeds of subordinates like Heukgyeon and Heukya unchecked.

The remaining Black Snake Society martial artists trembled in fear. They thought they would surely be annihilated.

However, Bi Sayin did not kill them.

"From now on, do nothing and stay put. Go back and wait without even breathing until our people arrive!"

The members of the Black Snake Society bowed in unison and shouted.

"Thank you for sparing our lives."

Having escaped death, they left the place.

From this moment, new tidings would spread throughout the unorthodox sects' murim. News that the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman had personally delivered a crushing blow to excessive evil deeds. Some would resist, and some would welcome it.

One thing was certain. Whether the evaluation was positive or negative, he would be judged differently than he was yesterday. Bi Sayin had taken another step into a different world.

Bi Sayin walked over to Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun.

"You probably wanted to kill them all, but this was the best I could do."

"Wanted to kill them all? You thought I was a murderer? Let's go look in a bronze mirror together. We'll see who has a face closer to a murderer's."

"It's people who look perfectly normal like you who tend to commit terrifying acts when you get to know them."

"It's frustrating, but I have to admit it."

After that round of banter, the playfulness vanished from Bi Sayin's face. Words he had been hesitating to say slipped from his lips.

"This is our unorthodox sects."

He did not say it out of pride, but out of shame. At least for today, he felt a deep sense of self-loathing.

Jin Hagun was about to say that just as there are bad people in the orthodox sects, there are good people in the unorthodox sects.

However, Geom Mugeuk spoke before he could.

"They were like trash."

Bi Sayin did not get angry. Rather, hearing it said so bluntly put his mind at ease.

Seeing that, Jin Hagun realized the words he was about to say would have been a completely unhelpful consolation.

How does Geom Mugeuk know people's hearts so well? And he's younger than me.

"Still, you don't need to be depressed. Because that's not your unorthodox sects."

"What do you mean?"

"Your unorthodox sects isn't over there, it's right here, isn't it?"

He wondered what he meant. Then Geom Mugeuk looked at the Thirteen Evil Wolves.

"Aren't these people your unorthodox sects? Those guys over there aren't your direct subordinates yet, are they? You're not even the Chairman."

Jin Hagun thought to himself, Well done.

Yes, this was exactly the kind of comfort Bi Sayin needed right now.

One had to be able to say they were like trash. One had to be able to say he was not even the Chairman.

To do that, all the things Geom Mugeuk had done for Bi Sayin up until now had to come first. Visiting tirelessly, bantering tirelessly, and being considerate tirelessly.

That was why the word 'trash' became a jewel embedded in Bi Sayin's heart.

"Commander Jin, you should say something too."

Look at him, taking care of me even in this situation.

"I'm not yet ready to use the word 'trash'."

Geom Mugeuk smiled at Jin Hagun.

"This is why you have to become the Chairman. Our lives as Chairmen will be fun only if you're an interesting person."

"This is the first time in my life I've been called interesting."

A faint smile formed on Bi Sayin's lips as he listened to their conversation. When he was with Geom Mugeuk, he would find himself smiling like this without realizing it.

Geom Mugeuk said to Bi Sayin.

"You handled things well today. I wouldn't have been able to make such a wise choice."

Bi Sayin knew. It was only possible because of Geom Mugeuk's concession. Thanks to him, he was able to maintain his authority in front of his subordinates.

And then came the decisive words.

"Your apostles, I like them."

He did not show it on the outside, but Bi Sayin was deeply moved. Those words felt better than a hundred compliments.

Geom Mugeuk asked Jin Hagun.

"What do you think?"

"I'm not the type of person who says 'I like them' to someone's face as easily as you do."

Jin Hagun looked at the corpses strewn in the distance.

"However, I do think that at least today's problem with the Black Snake Society was handled very well."

At that, Geom Mugeuk smiled and said.

"Now you see why he talks in such a roundabout way, right?"

The three of them smiled together.

Geom Mugeuk returned the box containing the Sun Moon Sword to Bi Sayin.

"Here, take this."

Then, Bi Sayin said something unexpected.

"This is your gift."

"A gift?"

"It's a commemorative gift for joining the Thirteen Evil Wolves as the youngest member."

Everyone here knew how valuable the Sun Moon Sword was. It was a treasured sword that could not be easily obtained no matter how much money one had. That was why they could also tell how grateful Bi Sayin was to Geom Mugeuk.

"Tonight, you'll regret giving it away and won't be able to sleep."

"That might be true."

"Are you still okay with it?"

Bi Sayin nodded.

"Have I ever told you this? It's not because of the gift, but your face is handsome. The Fist Demon's Master, the Demonic Army General, and you. You three Commanders are hideous and scary, but the more I look at you, the more handsome you seem."

"You're definitely complimenting me because of the gift."

Geom Mugeuk hugged the box containing the Sun Moon Sword, delighted. He was so happy that it made one think it was a gift well given.

"I can't just stay still after receiving such a precious gift. From now on, you can boast. That the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult was here as the youngest member of your Thirteen Evil Wolves. Spread the rumor as much as you like."

The Thirteen Evil Wolves had already experienced Geom Mugeuk and knew him well enough to take his banter as just that, banter.

"If a rumor like that spreads, won't you be kicked out of your position as Young Cult Leader?"

Geom Mugeuk replied to Bi Sayin's concern.

"Then I'll come find you, so you have to take me in. Let's hang out for the rest of our lives."

Shaking off the absurd thought that it would be truly nice if that happened, Bi Sayin said to his subordinates.

"You've all heard how troublesome it could get, so make sure none of you spread any rumors."

"……"

A thunderous reply was heard.

Bi Sayin said to the two men.

"I intend to return to the main headquarters."

The time had come to root out those operating in the shadows within the Evil Alliance.

Geom Mugeuk chimed in.

"I'll go too."

Since this matter was not just a problem for the Evil Alliance, Bi Sayin nodded. If they were enemies plotting against the entire murim, it would be foolish to stubbornly insist on handling it alone.

"I'll gratefully accept your help."

Now, only Jin Hagun's decision remained.

"I will return to the Murim Alliance now."

In fact, just coming this far dressed as one of the Thirteen Evil Wolves was already pushing it. Besides, he could not possibly take the Demon Slaying Brigade to the Evil Alliance's Headquarters.

Bi Sayin expressed his gratitude to Jin Hagun.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Be warier of that person than the enemy."

"Thanks for the advice."

Geom Mugeuk, who was listening, said.

"At least pretend to whisper!"

And with that, Jin Hagun left.

The martial artists of the Demon Slaying Brigade, who had been hiding far away, revealed themselves and greeted Jin Hagun.

Before leaving, Jin Hagun stood on a ridge with his subordinates. He watched the carriage running toward the distant Evil Alliance.

The sunset painted the world red, carrying Jin Hagun's desire to go with them, and began to swiftly chase the receding carriage.