Chapter 496: You Might Not Believe Me, But I Was Just Passing By

TL: FoodieMonster007

Hwi turned the carriage around. The vehicle, which had been about to leave Chongqing, now headed back toward its center.

"We'll go to the safehouse first," Hwi announced.

His father didn't say a single word on the way there. Geom Mugeuk also remained silent. It wasn't a situation for jokes or lighthearted banter. He could clearly feel his father's fury.

His father wasn't one to show his emotions toward his enemies. It had been the same when dealing with the assassins. Although he despised them, he hadn't particularly revealed such feelings during the confrontation with the Death King.

However, this case was different. If it had just been news of someone impersonating the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, his father would have insisted they return to our Cult as planned.

The problem was the message left behind. Demonic World. They had uttered words that should never be spoken lightly. Moreover, his father had recently been contemplating many things regarding his own demonic path and his son's.

The carriage arrived at a special location among the many safehouses in Chongqing. It was the most secure place, reachable only by passing through secret paths and formations, the safehouse exclusively for the Cult Leader.

Upon arrival, Geom Woojin went straight to his quarters.

Geom Mugeuk helped Hwi unload the luggage from the carriage.

"Please go inside, I'll handle this," Hwi offered.

"No, it's fine. I should carry my own luggage."

Together with Hwi, Geom Mugeuk moved his luggage and the items from the report into his room. He neatly folded and put away the items, but he kept wearing the Flying Black Dragon Armor and Twin Wolves he had put on earlier.

He had disobeyed his father's command to choose for himself, instead taking several sets to give to others. Out of guilt, he planned to wear them until he returned to our Cult.

After unpacking, Geom Mugeuk went straight to his father's room. In the meantime, a new report from the All-Knowing Hall had arrived. Geom Mugeuk read the document, which his father had already reviewed.

"It seems the Murim Alliance is considering a surround the perimeter operation centered on Chongqing."

Executing such an operation was no simple task. It required mobilizing numerous martial artists and incurred enormous costs.

Furthermore, it was an act that would get on the nerves of the other two powers, as it involved moving a large number of troops and masters. For them to be considering it so hastily meant something.

"It must mean they're taking this incident very seriously," Geom Mugeuk concluded.

Geom Woojin nodded at his son's words.

"What do you think of this incident?"

In response to his father's question, Geom Mugeuk shared what he had been thinking about during the carriage ride.

"As you know, there have always been those who slander and impersonate our Cult. However, there's something about this case that bothers me."

"What is it?"

Geom Mugeuk tilted his head and answered as if to himself, "Why the Anonymous Manor, of all places?"

Was he thinking the same thing? Or had his son pointed out something he hadn't considered? A peculiar light flickered in his father's eyes.

"I don't know much about the Anonymous Manor," Geom Mugeuk continued, "but I do know that its master is a man respected by the orthodox sects martial artists of Chongqing."

The Anonymous Manor was only the size of a small to medium sect, but its master's reputation far exceeded its scale. This was because he always took the lead in righteous deeds rather than expanding his own power.

"That's why attacking the master of the Anonymous Manor in Chongqing is tantamount to attacking the entire orthodox sects."

That was why there was already talk of a surround the perimeter operation. The Murim Alliance had to catch the culprit behind this incident, and they were determined to do so.

Despite the Murim Alliance's urgent situation, his father did not rush. He was a man who had led our Cult alongside Strategist Sama for a long time. He knew better than anyone that moving rashly out of anger would mean playing right into the enemy's hands.

His father summoned Hwi and gave an order.

"Put all Branches and offices in Chongqing on high alert, and command the All-Knowing Hall to focus its entire intelligence network on this incident."

"Yes, I understand."

His father's anger was cold.

And Geom Mugeuk knew. He knew that this coldness contained molten lava. Any enemy who managed to withstand and melt this coldness would then see his true fury.

That evening, my father, Hwi, and I were eating at the largest inn in the marketplace.

Inns have always been the source of all the world's rumors. That's why you can sometimes obtain more useful information there than what you'd buy from an expensive information broker.

We found a table, ordered some simple dishes and drinks. Sure enough, the conversations all around us were about the Anonymous Manor. Most of them started with stories about the master's righteous deeds and ended with curses against the damn Demonic Cult.

Amidst the ordinary talk, I noticed one thing.

The rumors are spreading too quickly.

Of course, considering the reputation of the Anonymous Manor's master in Chongqing, it was natural for him to be the center of attention. But this was the problem.

The Murim Alliance would have kept the words left on the wall as secret as possible while investigating this case. It was an issue involving the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, so they would have handled it with caution.

For the rumors to have spread this far already meant someone was intentionally spreading them. It was very deliberate and planned.

Just then, Hwi asked cautiously. He was someone who never interjected in our conversations, but as the head of the bodyguards, this was a point he had to confirm.

"Could they be targeting you, Cult Leader?"

Before answering, I glanced at my father, who was silently sipping from his cup. He was sitting comfortably, yet I couldn't find a single opening in his posture.

If I couldn't find an opening with my level of martial arts, didn't that mean no opening existed in the first place?

Finally, I answered Hwi. "If they were that reckless, they'd be easier to deal with."

This meant the incident was a much more calculated conspiracy than that.

"I have a feeling this won't be the end of it."

And that premonition became reality much faster than I had expected.

A man burst into the inn and announced to everyone, "This time, the Great Justice Sect was attacked by those bastards from the Demonic Cult!"

The people in the inn all started murmuring at once, and the place grew noisy. The Great Justice Sect was also one of the sects that symbolized the orthodox sects in Chongqing.

At someone's cry that the Demonic Cult must be eliminated, the enraged heroes of the murim shouted in agreement.

The enemy's intention was clear. It was a scheme to provoke conflict between our Cult and the orthodox sects.

I cautiously said to my father, "Shouldn't we send word to the Murim Alliance?"

I meant that my father should personally inform the leader of the Murim Alliance that this wasn't our doing.

At that, my father drained his cup and rose from his seat.

"We need to confirm it for ourselves first."

Jin Hagun entered the Great Justice Sect with a hardened expression.

The surroundings were tightly controlled by Murim Alliance martial artists, but they couldn't stop the stench of blood wafting from within. Having already heard the rumors, martial artists from Chongqing's orthodox sects were gathering.

The rumors were spreading too quickly. It was a sign of just how on edge the Chongqing martial artists were.

Jin Hagun stopped in his tracks as he entered the building. A deep sigh escaped him unconsciously.

The scene before his eyes was a true catastrophe.

The martial artists of the Great Justice Sect lay dead, their bodies miserably torn and slashed.

Previously, at the Anonymous Manor, no bodies had been found. He had harbored a sliver of hope that they might still be alive. Seeing these corpses, that hope vanished.

Jin Hagun carefully made his way through the bodies and entered the Sect Leader's office. The master of the Great Justice Sect was dead, leaning against a wall. His chest was completely split open, a death so gruesome it was hard to look at.

And above the corpse, written in large letters of blood, were the words Demonic World. They were the same words left at the Anonymous Manor.

As Jin Hagun stared at it silently, Chongqing Branch Manager Ju Gwol entered.

"They killed everyone belonging to the Great Justice Sect, without leaving a single person. Even the cleaning women and the cooks in the kitchen were all killed."

Jin Hagun clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

Even for those who live by killing, there is a minimum line that must be observed. Even if you hold a grudge against someone, you should only kill that enemy. What happened here today had crossed that line.

He would never forgive them.

They existed to prevent such things, to punish those who committed such acts.

Standing beside him, Ju Gwol wanted to ask if this still wasn't the work of the demonic practitioners, but he forced himself to hold back.

"Master Seong is on his way," Ju Gwol reported.

Master Seong was the Murim Alliance's demonic art researcher, who had studied it his entire life. He was more well-versed in demonic art than anyone, a man who could identify which art was used by examining the bloodstains, traces of the fight, and the wounds on the bodies.

Ju Gwol planned to wait until Master Seong arrived and presented his findings. After all, even after seeing the words on the wall, this commander of the Demon Slaying Brigade still didn't believe it was the work of demonic practitioners.

He won't be able to doubt Master Seong's findings.

Did he read Ju Gwol's mind?

"A few years ago, I would have thought it was the work of demonic practitioners, just like you, Manager Ju," Jin Hagun said.

"What's different from back then?" Ju Gwol asked.

Staring at the words written in blood, Jin Hagun looked at Ju Gwol and replied, "I've changed."

Ju Gwol understood the meaning behind those words. He wouldn't have said it normally, but two of Chongqing's orthodox sects had already been attacked. Ju Gwol finally said what he had been holding back.

"I've heard about your relationship with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, Commander."

The person at the center of the most talk recently was, without a doubt, the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. He had also heard rumors of concern among the high-ranking officials of the Murim Alliance about the friendship between Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun.

"You can't trust demonic practitioners," Ju Gwol insisted.

After a brief pause, Jin Hagun replied, "I don't trust demonic practitioners either."

Two thoughts surfaced in Jin Hagun's mind at the same time.

As long as he is the Young Cult Leader, there's no way the Demonic Cult would have done something like this.

Then, another thought came to him. What if this really is the work of the Demonic Cult? What if everything was just a pretense to hide something like this?

Considering his relationship with Geom Mugeuk, the second thought was a suspicion he should never have entertained. He knew he shouldn't. He could already imagine how sorry he would feel toward Geom Mugeuk later.

However, looking at the gruesome corpse and the words 'Demonic World' written in blood, the thought came to him unbidden.

It was at that very moment.

"I'm disappointed. I trust you, you know."

Startled by the voice from behind, Jin Hagun and Ju Gwol spun around. Geom Mugeuk was standing at the entrance, having entered without them noticing.

Jin Hagun was so shocked he froze, unable to say a word. He had never dreamed he would see Geom Mugeuk here today. He was even more surprised because he had just been thinking about him.

Ju Gwol drew his sword and shouted, "Intruder!"

Dozens of his subordinates were stationed outside, yet this man had snuck in. It wasn't just the Branch martial artists. The martial artists of the Demon Slaying Brigade, led by Jin Hagun, were also there.

How did he get in here?

At Ju Gwol's shout, martial artists came rushing in. They too were shocked and bewildered to see Geom Mugeuk, who had slipped past their watch.

Just then, Jin Hagun addressed everyone. "He's someone I know, so put away your swords. All of you, stand down."

Jin Hagun dismissed all the martial artists.

Ju Gwol sheathed his sword and thought of someone. Could it be? It was just as he had expected.

"It's been a while, my friend."

The only person who could call Jin Hagun 'friend' these days was the man from the rumors.

So this is the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult!

Ju Gwol's heart trembled. This was the first time he had ever seen the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

Jin Hagun was in no mood for a leisurely chat. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

To Jin Hagun's question, Geom Mugeuk let out a light sigh and replied, "You might not believe me, but I was just passing by."

Because the incident had truly occurred while he was just passing through Chongqing.

Ju Gwol's expression soured. Crazy! Just passing by? With the Young Cult Leader's appearance here, he became even more convinced that this incident was the work of the Demonic Cult.

Jin Hagun, on the other hand, finally felt the reality of meeting Geom Mugeuk. He was the kind of person who gave such absurd answers. And those absurd words were always sincere and true.

Honestly, he was glad to see Geom Mugeuk. But he couldn't show that gladness in this situation. His heart was filled with rage for the perpetrator and sorrow for the dead.

Given the circumstances, Geom Mugeuk also dropped the nonsense and explained that he was truly just passing through.

"You can find out if you investigate. We received help from your Shanxi Branch. We were on our way back to our Cult after handling business over there."

Fortunately, they had received help from the Shanxi Branch while dealing with the Death King. Investigating their travel route and timeline would provide some explanation.

Geom Mugeuk slowly walked toward where the two men were standing.

Ju Gwol remained inwardly vigilant, raising his qi so he could attack at any moment.

I really can't feel any demonic qi from him.

He was astonished that a demonic practitioner could conceal his demonic qi so thoroughly. Not only was there no demonic qi, but he felt like someone who didn't know martial arts at all. It seemed one could truly call it the perfected state of Origin Reversal.

Geom Mugeuk stood before Jin Hagun. Their gazes met and tangled in midair.

"I'm this angry, so I can't even begin to imagine how furious you must be."

At Geom Mugeuk's words of comfort, Jin Hagun stated his resolve. "I will never forgive the one who did this."

Even if that person turns out to be you, he added silently.

"You should. I plan to do the same."

Geom Mugeuk's gaze shifted to the words on the wall. "The one who left that message knows nothing about my father's demonic path, or mine."

Because of the message, Jin Hagun had also considered that it might not be the work of the Demonic Cult. Neither the Heavenly Demon he had seen at the tripartite meeting, nor the Geom Mugeuk he knew, were the type of people to kill someone while leaving such a message.

Right, this isn't his doing. He's not that kind of person.

Just then, a subordinate's voice came from the entrance. "Master Seong has arrived."

Turning around, he saw an old man with stark white hair entering the room.