Chapter 352: Even After Cheating Death, You Must Banter

TL: FoodieMonster007

A thought surfaced in Bi Sayin's mind during the silence.

If you were that person, I would surely be dead.

No matter how strong and fearsome Hwang Seokgyeong was, he could not compare to you. The mere thought of Geom Mugeuk as an enemy was terrifying.

"If I'm destined to die anyway, do you think wearing two or three layers of protective armor will save me?"

"If you were destined to die, you wouldn't have met me. So wear as many layers as you can."

Their gazes locked. Bi Sayin could feel it. Geom Mugeuk was genuinely worried that he might die.

"Wouldn't it be better if I died? The Evil Alliance would fall into chaos."

Geom Mugeuk brought him back to reality, responding to the insincere words.

"I don't want to say this to you, but even if you die, the Evil Alliance won't fall into chaos. It'd be the same if I died, or if our friends in the Murim Alliance died."

That was true. The death of a successor would not throw the Evil Alliance into chaos unless the Cult Leader or the Chairman died.

"Rather, they'll unite with a will for revenge and become a stronger Evil Alliance. How about it? Will you make a sacrifice for the Evil Alliance?"

"I'll pass."

Bi Sayin briefly imagined what would happen after he died. The Thirteen Evil Wolves would be grief-stricken, and First Wolf would be the saddest. What about the Chairman? How sad would he be? He couldn't clearly picture the reaction, which made him think he still didn't know the Chairman very well.

The third person he thought of was Geom Mugeuk.

Would this person be sad if I died?

Just as he chided himself for such a useless thought, Geom Mugeuk spoke unexpectedly.

"If you die, I'll avenge you. I'll chase them to the ends of the Central Plains and kill every single person involved."

He was so good at reading people's minds.

"Thanks for saying so."

A faint smile touched Bi Sayin's hideous face. For some reason, he felt that Geom Mugeuk would truly dig to the very end for revenge.

"You look cool when you smile like that. When you find a woman you like later, you should smile for her sometimes."

"More nonsense!"

They exchanged jokes in a situation where he might die. It was something that could only happen with Geom Mugeuk.

I could die?

It would be a lie to say he had never had such a thought. However, he had let his guard down without realizing it after becoming the Evil Alliance Young Alliance Chairman.

'Would anyone dare to kill me?'

Now it was time to change his way of thinking.

'How dare you live as a martial artist and be so careless?'

Moreover, he never would have known about the situation if Geom Mugeuk hadn't told him directly.

"Alright. I'll prepare for his ambush."

"Make sure you wear protective armor."

"I'll wear two layers."

Geom Mugeuk was relieved, knowing that Bi Sayin had taken him seriously. Of course, his prediction could be wrong, but there was no harm in being careful.

"Among the official uniforms of the Thirteen Evil Wolves, is there one with a mask?"

"There is."

Most bodyguards belonging to large organizations had masked uniforms. They were people who had to secretly protect their targets while hiding their identities.

"From now on, have them wear that. Give me a set, and take one person out of the Thirteen Evil Wolves. I'll take his place."

"Are you really going to go this far?"

"I am. Why? You don't like it?"

"It's fine with me, but I feel sorry."

"I'll make sure to collect it all back later, with interest."

What Bi Sayin wanted to ask was this.

"You're the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. If it becomes known that you acted as my subordinate, it won't be good for you."

This was different from what he had done with Jin Hagun and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Apostles. Now, he was trying to protect him in earnest.

"Right now, it's not the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult going under the Evil Alliance Young Alliance Chairman. It's Geom Mugeuk going to Bi Sayin."

"!"

Bi Sayin had a premonition. He would not forget Geom Mugeuk's words for a very long time.

"I haven't done anything for you to deserve you going this far."

"If you put a scale between people, they're business partners, not friends. In a relationship, it's natural for one person to like the other more. That's me."

He was truly grateful for and fond of the Geom Mugeuk who would say such things. From the day he was born until he became the successor of the Evil Alliance, he had never once thought he would make a friend. He had thought it was impossible.

Geom Mugeuge added with a smile.

"Actually, it's for my own sake. If someone other than you were the Evil Alliance Chairman, I might die of frustration. If a person like you is the Chairman, my happiness level will go up. So don't worry about it. Just assume I'm doing it because I want to."

This was why he liked him even more. Although Geom Mugeuk seemed to be taking all the credit, he was actually someone who didn't like to show off.

I've lost.

Bi Sayin admitted it. He had lost, even though Geom Mugeuk had come under him. Admitting it put his mind at ease.

The two of them stood there silently for a long while on the windy cliff.

The next day, two things had changed. The uniforms of the Thirteen Evil Wolves had changed, and one of the masked men among them was Geom Mugeuk.

"Isn't the mask a little uncomfortable? I think it would be better to change the inner fabric to something softer."

The Seventh Wolf nodded in agreement at those words, then averted his gaze under First Wolf's reproachful stare.

First Wolf was not pleased that Geom Mugeuk had entered the inner court of the Evil Alliance. He would never have allowed it if not for Bi Sayin's bodyguard duty.

Geom Mugeuk and Bi Sayin exchanged telepathy whenever they had a chance.

[Won't you be unnecessary inside the Alliance?]

[I think this place is actually the most dangerous. Aren't assassinations always carried out in the place considered safest?]

Bi Sayin looked out the window. The thought that those trying to kill him were here made the familiar scenery of the Evil Alliance feel alien today.

First Wolf spoke to Bi Sayin.

"Let's go. There is a meeting with the Commanders."

As he left his residence, he sent a telepathic message to Geom Mugeuk.

[Are you really going to follow me all the way to the meeting place?]

[I have to.]

[Are you doing this to steal the secrets of our Alliance?]

[You're only just realizing that?]

Geom Mugeuk really intended to follow him all day. He wouldn't have done this if his opponent wasn't the Brawling King. The Brawling King he knew truly loved to fight, and just as much as he loved it, he hated to lose.

The conspiracy he had been carrying out within the Evil Alliance was also a kind of fight to him. He would try to never lose this fight. To not lose in the current situation, he had to eliminate Bi Sayin, the person who most directly threatened him.

Eliminating Bi Sayin before the fire spread to the Evil Alliance Chairman would be the surest choice for victory.

First Wolf sent a telepathic message to Bi Sayin.

[I understand that you trust the Young Cult Leader, Young Alliance Chairman, but you shouldn't show him the inner workings of our Alliance like this. It will become a problem later if the Chairman finds out.]

[I know very well what you're worried about, First Wolf. However, just this once, please trust my judgment.]

First Wolf looked at Bi Sayin. Feeling that his eyes were not those of someone being swayed by Geom Mugeuk, First Wolf nodded. He decided he would just have to be more vigilant himself. After all, completely trusting a demonic practitioner was foolish.

And so, Bi Sayin attended the meeting.

When positioning the Thirteen Evil Wolves outside the meeting hall, First Wolf placed Geom Mugeuk as far away as possible to prevent him from hearing the conversation inside. Geom Mugeuk obediently followed First Wolf's words.

Coming out after the meeting, Bi Sayin saw Geom Mugeuk standing at the end of the hallway. He could tell what had happened without an explanation.

[Please understand. First Wolf is a very rigid person by nature.]

[I understand.]

Bi Sayin moved about as usual. He ate one meal a day at his usual inn, and today was no different.

While eating, he sent a telepathic message to First Wolf.

[What's the situation with Hwang Seokgyeong?]

He had already sent spies to watch him.

[He's no different than usual. In fact, he's training with more intensity than usual.]

If one didn't trust Geom Mugeuk, one might think he was framing Hwang Seokgyeong, who was acting so normally.

Bi Sayin glanced at Geom Mugeuk. Geom Mugeuk stood near the inn's entrance, clearly looking outside.

[You're sending me that suspicious look again. I told you to trust me.]

[How can I not be suspicious when I have a subordinate with eyes in the back of his head?]

Geom Mugeuk turned to look at him. The two eyes above his mask were smiling.

[Isn't it tough?]

[It's killing me. I just had a quick meal while standing earlier. I'll have to treat my bodyguards better from now on.]

[Come over here and eat with me.]

[No. I'm going to keep suffering and hold it over your head for a long, long time. I'll bring this up every time we meet.]

After finishing his meal, he returned. Nothing happened that day. Nothing happened the next day either. Hwang Seokgyeong also went about his day as usual.

Three days passed like that.

Today, Bi Sayin was eating at his usual inn again.

[The Young Cult Leader might have misjudged.]

Bi Sayin did not react to First Wolf's telepathic message. Today, Geom Mugeuk was again standing near the entrance, looking at the scenery outside. Over Geom Mugeuk's shoulder, he could see passersby, merchants hawking their wares, and children running around.

Right, he's only human. He can't be perfect.

Having finished their meal, Bi Sayin and the Thirteen Evil Wolves left the inn.

On their way back to the Alliance, a girl carrying a flower basket approached them. He had not seen her before.

"Buy some flowers. Selling them cheap."

The Thirteen Evil Wolves grew wary of her. One of them went to inspect the girl. On the surface, she showed no signs of having learned martial arts. Her basket held only flowers. She was, in every way, an ordinary flower girl.

As Bi Sayin passed in front of her, the girl held out a single flower. He was about to pass by, but Bi Sayin turned toward the girl.

"How much for one?"

"For a noble person like you, I'll give it for free."

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're the Young Alliance Chairman, aren't you? Father told me to be polite if I saw the Young Alliance Chairman."

"Where is your father?"

"He's sick. He's lying down at home."

"Give me all the flowers you're selling."

"Really?"

The girl's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'll buy them specially to commemorate our meeting today."

Just as he took out money to hand to her, the girl said, "I'll give you this flower too."

The moment the girl took the flower from her hair and tried to put it in the basket.

TAK.

First Wolf quickly subdued the girl by striking her blood points and snatched the flower she was holding.

"It's the Yin Yang Absolute Poison Grass. When the yin poison grass in this child's hair combines with the yang poison grass in the basket, it instantly releases a fragrance containing a deadly poison."

Everyone stared at the girl. Her face had already turned black as she slowly collapsed.

After examining the dead girl, First Wolf reported with a grim expression. "It seems she was set up to be poisoned by a lethal toxin the moment she removed the flower from her hair."

It was a vicious assassination that sacrificed a life, whether she willed it or not.

Just as everyone's attention focused on the girl, Geom Mugeuk shouted.

"Watch your back!"

While everyone's eyes were on the girl, a passerby behind Bi Sayin seized the momentary gap to attack.

KWAAAAANG!

A loud explosion erupted as dozens of steel needles shot from the cylindrical hidden weapon in his hand.

SHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISH!

Geom Mugeuk crossed the space with the Vanishing Step, swinging his sword to deflect the hidden weapons.

That wasn't the only attack. Across the street, a man who had been looking at a street vendor turned and fired another hidden weapon, which also launched with a loud explosion. The Thirteen Evil Wolves threw their bodies forward, swinging their swords.

Just as another man appeared on the opposite roof and was about to fire a hidden weapon!

SEOKEOK!

His arm, holding the hidden weapon tube, was severed and fell. Geom Mugeuk's sword had flown up in an instant and cut off his arm. Geom Mugeuk had deflected the first volley, killed that opponent, and then immediately rushed to the rooftop. His movements were so fast that onlookers mistakenly thought someone else had blocked the attack.

The ambusher with the severed arm tried to take out another hidden weapon with his other hand, but he couldn't do with one arm what he had failed to do with two.

PUUK!

The Black Demon Sword pierced his neck.

By the time Geom Mugeuk landed on the ground, all the assassins had been subdued. The Thirteen Evil Wolves surrounded Bi Sayin, and in their midst, First Wolf was shouting.

"Young Alliance Chairman!"

A hidden weapon was embedded in his chest. All the hidden weapons had been focused on Bi Sayin, and because they flew in so quickly from a close distance, not all of them could be deflected.

"I'm fine."

When Bi Sayin's lapels were opened, he was wearing protective armor underneath. He wore not one, but two layers. The hidden weapon was stuck, unable to penetrate the armor.

Three of the Thirteen Evil Wolves who had blocked the hidden weapons were injured. However, all of them had avoided fatal wounds. They too had all been wearing protective armor.

Geom Mugeuk's and Bi Sayin's eyes met.

[Well done.]

[Because of your nagging, I borrowed protective armor from the Evil Alliance's treasury and had the Thirteen Wolves wear it too.]

In the end, it was a very good decision.

[What about me? You gave it to everyone but me? You should have given me one too!]

[I figured you'd block them just fine on your own. We were short on protective armor, too.]

[And yet you wore two layers?]

[You told me to wear two layers!]

The two bantered like that. That was Geom Mugeuk, who had to banter even after cheating death.

Soon, Geom Mugeuk dropped his playful tone and said calmly, "The flower girl was a decoy to draw attention. They intended to attack when our gazes were diverted to her."

"How did you know that?"

Because the opponent was the Brawling King. Those acting under his orders wouldn't be so clumsy.

"I had a bad feeling."

Bi Sayin realized that Geom Mugeuk had been right. The enemy was truly trying to kill him.

That crazy bastard! He's really trying to kill me? Right in front of the main Alliance headquarters?

If it hadn't been for Geom Mugeuk just now, he might have been killed. Even if he had survived, the damage to the Thirteen Evil Wolves would have been great.

The Thirteen Evil Wolves knew this as well and bowed their heads to Geom Mugeuk to express their gratitude. Even First Wolf, who had been displeased with Geom Mugeuk, joined them.

Bi Sayin corrected his earlier thought. That man wasn't perfect because he was human? Not a chance.

This person is perfect. He's not human.

First Wolf collected the hidden weapons used by the assailants.

"The hidden weapons they used are the Blood Heaven Needle Rain, which has been designated as a forbidden hidden weapon throughout the entire murim."

Not only was it impossible to obtain through normal channels, but three units of the Blood Heaven Needle Rain, which required an enormous sum of money, had been mobilized. They were trying to kill him with a forbidden weapon. The opponent had no pride or honor as a martial artist, only the goal of slaughter.

Bi Sayin looked at Geom Mugeuk with an angry face.

Geom Mugeuk wore an expression that said he would silently follow Bi Sayin's decision. He didn't thank him for saving his life. He planned to settle the debt of gratitude all at once after this whole affair was over.

"Using a forbidden hidden weapon… they lack the fundamentals of a martial artist."

Bi Sayin started walking toward the Alliance. Since he had received a greeting from them, it was time to go and return the favor.

"Let's go check if they teach the fundamentals properly at our Evil Alliance Pass."