Chapter 460: A Time to Question Oneself

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Woojin was training his martial arts alone in the backyard.

Hwi stood outside the wall, listening to the sounds of the Cult Leader's training.

Having always been by the Cult Leader's side, only he knew. He knew the Cult Leader had been training more diligently than ever lately, and that the reason for it was Geom Mugeuk.

He heard the sounds of the Cult Leader's breathing, walking, and leaping. He heard the swing of his sword and the release and retraction of his energy.

These were sounds Hwi had heard for a very long time. Whenever the Cult Leader trained, Hwi had never once watched him directly. The Cult Leader had said it was fine to watch, but Hwi, as a matter of principle, only listened to the sounds without ever seeing the training itself.

Hwi could tell just by the sounds. Perhaps because he only heard the sounds, he could understand even better.

He knew the Cult Leader's level had changed. Hwi had thought his master had reached a point where there was no higher place to climb. Could there be yet another level?

The sounds of the Cult Leader had clearly changed.

Just as a round of training ended, someone came to the manor.

When Hwi went out to see, it was Hwang In, who had visited before.

"What brings you here?"

Hwang In addressed Hwi, his face pale with fear.

"May I speak directly to the Sect Leader?"

Hwi led him to the backyard.

"The Director of the Yellow Road Trading Company has come to see you."

Geom Woojin's voice came from over the wall.

"Let him in."

On his way here, Hwang In recalled what Geom Mugeuk had said.

Don't make eye contact. Be polite.

"Greetings, Sect Leader."

After bowing politely, he spoke with his head lowered.

"Your son has been captured. By the person who came down to investigate this matter. He said he would cook for you, but she wouldn't listen, so he said he would do it himself. No, that's not it."

Hwi cut into his rambling.

"Where is the location?"

"If you go about ten li west of the marketplace, there is an old manor."

Originally, this was the message Geum Arin had told him to deliver. But then Geom Mugeuk had interjected.

"Won't that be confusing if you just explain it like that? You need to specify the starting point in the marketplace for the ten li, whether there are any forks in the road, and if there are any other manors in a similar location."

"I thought you said your father wouldn't come?"

At Geum Arin's words, Geom Mugeuk had feigned distress.

"Because he is the most heartless man in the world."

Hwang In could tell. Geom Mugeuk was secretly hoping his father would come.

But your premonition was right.

Just as Geom Mugeuk had said, Geom Woojin seemed not only unworried but completely uninterested.

"He said to tell you to come there. And to come alone."

Hwi spoke, indicating that was enough.

"I understand. You may leave now."

Hwang In, who had turned to leave, stopped in his tracks. He felt he had to somehow bring Geom Woojin with him for Geom Mugeuk to survive.

If Geom Mugeuk lived, he would live too.

"Your son's inner qi has been suppressed."

But that didn't work either.

"Your son told me several times to explain the manor's location clearly so you wouldn't get confused. He was truly desperate and pleading!"

His exaggerated earnestness didn't work either.

Faced with the same blunt reaction, Hwang In bowed his head and turned away.

"Then I'll be on my way."

Hwi knew the Cult Leader better than anyone. It was not in his nature to personally intervene in a matter the Young Cult Leader could handle on his own.

However, Geom Woojin once again showed Hwi that the change in him was not just in the sound of his martial arts.

Just then, Geom Woojin called out to Hwang In, who was walking away in the distance.

"Did he finish his shopping?"

At the unexpected question, Hwang In was initially confused, but he quickly replied.

"Yes! Even with his inner qi suppressed, he shopped until his hands were full. He bought vegetables, meat, and even fruit for dessert."

Was he picturing the scene? A faint smile touched Geom Woojin's lips.

"Lead the way!"

In truth, the person more surprised than Hwang In was Hwi.

Silently following Geom Woojin, Hwi had a premonition that his duties as a bodyguard would become more difficult from now on.

If the Cult Leader was changing, he would have to change as well to protect him.

Nevertheless, this change seemed to be a welcome one for Hwi. For on the lips of the man following behind, there was a rare smile, one as seldom seen as the Cult Leader's.

The meeting place was an old manor in a deserted area.

As soon as she returned, Geum Arin set up ambushes throughout the manor.

They were the ones she had brought down with her this time. They were not numerous, but they were masters skilled in surprise attacks.

They lay in ambush on all sides, in the trees, on the roofs, and behind the buildings. Being highly experienced, they found their positions on their own.

Even if he managed to block their surprise attack, he wouldn't be able to block her own attack in the opening it created. Her opponent would not leave this place alive.

Whether he knew of this serious situation or not, Geom Mugeuk came out from the kitchen carrying tableware.

Is he really going to cook in this situation?

Just as he had defied expectations by going shopping, Geom Mugeuk prepared to cook right there, in the midst of the ambush.

He started a fire in the courtyard, brought out bowls and utensils, and washed them in clean water.

Then, with skillful hands, he began to prepare the ingredients. Geum Arin watched him.

Let's see how far you'll take this.

Geom Mugeuk spoke as he peeled an onion.

"Every time I cook, I feel like I'm practicing martial arts. Starting a fire, washing the dishes, researching what ingredients to use, trying this seasoning and that ingredient. Then, when the optimal recipe emerges, I repeat it. What do you think? Isn't it similar to our martial arts?"

"If you stretch the comparison like that, what isn't?"

At Geum Arin's cold response, Geom Mugeuk laughed and conceded.

"You're right. Playing an instrument, painting, even going out to work every day, they're all similar."

As he spoke, Geom Mugeuk closed his eyes as if the onion was stinging them. Seeing tears well up, Geum Arin felt certain of at least one thing.

A martial artist crying while peeling an onion? I've really never met anyone like him.

Most martial artists are like that onion, people whose insides you can't fathom.

They hide their exterior or hide their interior.

They pretend to be strong when they're weak, or pretend to be weak when they're strong.

But this man was a new type. He didn't seem weak, nor did he seem strong.

That's why she couldn't make a decision. That's why she was just watching this absurd sight that went beyond her common sense.

"Honestly, I'm a better cook than my father. You should know you're lucky to be getting a more delicious meal because of it."

It was at that very moment.

Without realizing it, Geum Arin's gaze turned toward the back.

She wasn't the only one. The gazes of those in ambush also naturally turned toward the main gate she was looking at.

How long had he been there? Outside the wide-open main gate, a man stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

It was Geom Woojin.

A sudden silence fell.

Geum Arin's heart began to pound so fiercely she could hear it in her ears.

The man hadn't revealed any energy, nor had he glared coldly at her, yet her entire body stiffened as if frozen.

Why is this happening? He hasn't done anything.

She could tell that the gazes of those in hiding were also all focused on that spot. The presence of the man standing leisurely with his hands behind his back was drawing everyone's attention, setting their nerves on edge.

The one who broke the silence, where not even a breath could be heard, was Geom Mugeuk.

"Father! You came to save your son! I knew it! I knew you weren't the kind of heartless father who would abandon his child!"

He must have come to save them.

The corners of Geom Woojin's mouth twisted into a sneer. This sneer seemed to say to his son, You? After being toyed with… Geom Woojin slowly walked inside. Hwang In followed cautiously behind him.

As Geom Woojin stepped into the courtyard, someone appeared between him and Geum Arin.

The masked man with white hair was none other than Lim Hyuk, the bodyguard who had protected Geum Arin since she was a child.

"Go quickly, Young Lady."

Lim Hyuk had lived as a martial artist for a long time and had experienced many other martial artists. This was the first time he had encountered an opponent who exuded such a primal sense of danger. The fact that the man revealed no energy whatsoever was even more astonishing.

SHWIIIIK!

Hidden weapons flew toward Geom Woojin. Normally, this would have been the moment to shout, 'Attack together with more force!'

CHANG!

The one who leaped to strike down the hidden weapons was, surprisingly, Lim Hyuk. He leaped again to deflect the second and third waves of hidden weapons as well.

"Cease the attack! Stop!"

He had halted the surprise attack. He realized this was an opponent against whom their ambush would not work. It was an instinctive judgment that they must not provoke this man.

If we provoke him, we'll be annihilated!

He proved that his white hair was a symbol of his age and experience with his excellent judgment.

"Everyone, retreat!"

At Lim Hyuk's command, all those in ambush withdrew.

Geum Arin leaped. She was not fleeing on his command.

She moved behind Geom Mugeuk and placed her sword at his throat. It was a clear intention to kill Geom Mugeuk if they touched Lim Hyuk.

Geom Mugeuk remarked to her.

"So there was a reason you've survived until now."

He meant that Lim Hyuk had protected her well.

At that moment, as taut tension filled the air.

"Sheathe your sword."

Geom Woojin's low-spoken words held an absolute authority that could not be defied.

Lim Hyuk's judgment was sound to the very end.

He sheathed his sword without hesitation. Sometimes, one could protect someone by putting a sword back in its scabbard.

Then he looked at Geum Arin. His gaze told her. Do as you're told, now.

Geum Arin withdrew her sword. However, she did not move away from Geom Mugeuk.

As if nothing had happened, Geom Mugeuk spoke to his father.

"I'll cook for you today."

"Did you buy enough?"

"Yes, I bought plenty, just in case."

The words 'just in case' implied that he had anticipated his father might come. It was also a hope that his father would come.

It was at that very moment.

Geom Woojin rolled up his sleeves and approached Geom Mugeuk.

And he quietly began to prepare the vegetables. He was going to help his son cook.

Geom Mugeuk stared at his father with a surprised expression, then quietly focused on his cooking.

He was so surprised and moved that he couldn't even think of making a joke.

Cooking together with his father.

This was the first time he had done this since his regression. There were many things he wanted to do with his father, but he never imagined a moment would come when they would cook together.

He was even more moved because this was not a moment he had created, but one his father had.

Father, thank you.

Geum Arin watched the scene with a frozen expression.

The fact that Lim Hyuk had stepped forward like that meant he had sensed a strength in their opponent that she herself had failed to perceive.

Just who are these people?

She had never heard of a father and son like this in the jianghu.

"You must not act rashly."

It was a voice transmission from Lim Hyuk. This was the first time she had seen Lim Hyuk so frightened and tense. She herself hadn't felt this much danger.

A short while later, Geom Mugeuk and Geom Woojin finished cooking.

Finally, Geom Mugeuk called for Hwi.

"Uncle."

At that, Hwi dropped his concealment and appeared between Lim Hyuk and Geom Woojin.

"Huk!"

Lim Hyuk let out a sharp gasp. Geum Arin had never seen Lim Hyuk so startled by someone's appearance.

He wasn't surprised because he recognized Hwi, but because of the level of his concealment technique.

Lim Hyuk hadn't realized that the man had been concealed just a few steps away from him.

Others might vaguely think it was amazing, but he alone knew. He knew just how incredible a concealment technique that single move of revealing himself was.

It was a move that would cause greater astonishment the more of a master one was. That was how perfect Hwi's concealment technique was.

The surprise didn't end there. There was the air of a master emanating from Hwi's appearance. The man was clearly a bodyguard. A bodyguard knows a bodyguard.

I've never seen such a strong bodyguard in my entire life.

Just who was he protecting?

A skill befitting the presence of the man who had appeared earlier.

His gaze naturally turned to Geom Woojin.

Of this, he was certain. He didn't know who that man was, but he was surely someone whose name everyone would recognize.

Just then, Hwi looked at Lim Hyuk. There is something that passes between bodyguards who have long dedicated themselves with loyalty and devotion. They can tell what kind of bodyguard the other is, what kind of life they have lived.

That must have been why Hwi sent such a voice transmission.

"Do you wish to protect your master? Then stop. Your thoughts, your actions. And shut your mouth."

Lim Hyuk understood it as advice to leave everything to them. It was not advice given to just anyone.

And so, everyone sat around the table. Hwi, Lim Hyuk, and even Hwang In sat down.

"Well then, let's eat."

Geom Woojin ate the food.

"How does it taste?"

Geom Mugeuk asked nervously. He had been the main chef today, and his father had only assisted. The Young Cult Leader cooking while the Heavenly Demon assisted, it was truly an unforgettable day in the history of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and in the personal histories of the two men.

"It's not bad."

Coming from his father, an evaluation like this was equivalent to praise like, 'This is a delicacy!'

This time, he asked Geum Arin.

"Young Lady, why aren't you eating? Go on, eat. A dish made by my father and me is a dish you'll be hard-pressed to taste again in your lifetime."

Geum Arin still hadn't picked up her chopsticks.

She was confused. The situation had ended before she could even do anything. It was now beyond her control. She was certainly a person who knew restraint in times like these, but this situation…

"What in the world is this?" she let out a sigh without realizing it.

Lim Hyuk's gaze told her. You have to endure it. Of course, she trusted Lim Hyuk's judgment.

However, while she could endure her sword being drawn, she could not endure this question.

"Who are you?"

It was a question she had asked and thought about several times, but had yet to find an answer for.

At that, Geom Mugeuk looked at her with clear, deep eyes.

"I happened to see someone being forced into an unreasonable contract, so I helped him. When things went wrong for the one doing the forcing, he tried to kill us. So I killed him. Were the ones who died so important that you'd come all this way for revenge?"

Because he spoke in a calm and composed tone, and because he had mostly spoken nonsense until now, Geom Mugeuk's words carried a heavy weight to her.

"Why do you ask who we are? Isn't this a time to ask yourself who you are? Are you a person who deserves to die like those men? Or are you a person with a reason to live?"

"!"

Geum Arin couldn't answer.

Anger surged within her. But she couldn't express that emotion. Because another emotion, intertwined with the anger and holding it back, was fear.

Now, Geom Mugeuk was asking.

Are you a human with a reason to live?

Amidst the heavy silence, only the sound of chewing could be heard.

Pouring water, moving chopsticks.

Geom Mugeuk and Geom Woojin ate as naturally as usual. Hwi and Hwang In ate cautiously, while Geum Arin and Lim Hyuk barely ate at all.

Just then, there was a sound coming from the distance.

The sound grew louder and louder.

DUDUDUDUDU.

It was the sound of a carriage approaching.

The manor was in a remote location, so there was no one who should be coming.

And so, the carriage, which had galloped as if by fate, arrived outside the gate.