Chapter 503: Still, Nothing Changes

TL: FoodieMonster007

What if Geom Mugeuk's prediction was right?

It meant he would die today. He and the Murim Alliance's elite, the Demon Slaying Brigade, would all perish.

If anyone other than Geom Mugeuk had said this, would he have believed it? The fact that people had set a trap to kill him and the Demon Slaying Brigade in one fell swoop.

I would have never believed it.

However, now he believed it. In all the time he had known Geom Mugeuk, had he ever been wrong? No, he hadn't. His words had always become reality.

His prediction that the Chongqing Branch might be attacked had also been correct. If the Demonic Army hadn't come to help, the previous report would have been far more disastrous.

Because of this, Jin Hagun's expression hardened on its own.

The conclusion he reached was simple.

"I want to break through head-on right now."

He wanted to rescue the master of the Anonymous Manor and his family in time. If he hadn't known, it would be one thing, but now that he knew they were here, he had to save them. That was the very reason for the existence of the Murim Alliance's Demon Slaying Brigade.

Geom Mugeuk, guessing his thoughts, smiled and said, "I'll watch your back, so you take the lead."

At those words, more reassuring than anything in the world, Jin Hagun nodded.

Jin Hagun gathered all the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists.

"There's a very high chance that people targeting us are in that mountain manor. So stay sharp!"

If they didn't know, they might have fallen for it. But if they prepared in advance, they would never be taken down easily. Even if there was an absolute master who could overwhelm them.

Jin Hagun's gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk.

We have an absolute master too.

And so, Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun took the lead, and the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists followed behind them.

Jin Hagun found it strange and new to be walking toward a potential trap with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult in this situation. The troubled feelings he had experienced from not fully trusting Geom Mugeuk had now completely vanished. He had decided to think that even ninety percent trust was more than enough.

That must have been why. Why he could say something like this so comfortably.

"I have a favor to ask."

The favor was truly unexpected.

"If by any chance I die, please take good care of my younger sister."

Jin Hagun never thought he would end up asking Geom Mugeuk for such a favor. However, he wanted to say it while he had the chance. Whether as a friend's younger sister, as one martial artist to another, or as a man and a woman. The only person he could trust to look after his sister was Geom Mugeuk.

After a brief pause, Geom Mugeuk replied.

"I can't grant that request."

"Why not?"

"If you die here and I'm the only one who survives, it'll look like I killed you. Even if they don't think I killed you, your sister and the Chairman won't forgive me for failing to save you. So you absolutely must not die."

Jin Hagun nodded. Thinking about it, that was true. His death would be the signal flare announcing the start of the Great Orthodox-Demonic War.

The two of them arrived in front of the manor.

"Are we just going to go in through the main gate like this?"

"They probably won't expect us to just knock on the door and come in. It's catching them off guard."

Having said that, Geom Mugeuk pounded on the door.

The person who immediately opened the door was a middle-aged martial artist. He looked like a martial artist belonging to the manor, and behind him stood three or four other martial artists in the same attire.

The middle-aged martial artist was startled to see the Demon Slaying Brigade lined up behind Jin Hagun. It felt as if dozens of sharp treasured swords were aimed at him.

One of the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists stepped forward.

"We've come to see the Chairman. Is he here now?"

The middle-aged martial artist asked in a trembling voice, "Where are you from?"

"Please inform him that the Lord of the Murim Alliance's Demon Slaying Brigade has arrived."

The middle-aged martial artist was shocked at those words. His gaze turned to Jin Hagun.

"Are you really the Lord of the Demon Slaying Brigade?"

Jin Hagun asked him in return.

"Impersonating the Lord of the Demon Slaying Brigade would land me in prison for a very long time. Do I look like such a foolish person?"

Even without Jin Hagun revealing his energy, the energy of the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists lined up behind him was enough to prove his identity.

"No, sir."

When the middle-aged martial artist ordered a martial artist standing behind him to announce the arrival of the Demon Slaying Brigade's Lord, the man ran inside.

It was clear they had not expected this visit at all.

Seeing their reaction, Jin Hagun sent a telepathy.

[This doesn't seem like a trap?]

Geom Mugeuk still suspected this place.

[The better the trap, the more it would seem that way, right?]

[This man's martial arts are not ordinary. He probably holds a fairly high position in this manor. And yet he greeted us himself.]

[Isn't that strange?]

Jin Hagun understood what Geom Mugeuk's telepathy meant.

[It means they were preparing for an external invasion, right?]

[Exactly.]

A moment later, the martial artist who had run inside came rushing back.

"He says to escort you in at once."

The middle-aged martial artist said politely to Jin Hagun.

"This way, please."

Jin Hagun followed him, and the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists spread out, walking along while guarding their surroundings.

As they entered the inner courtyard, they saw martial artists everywhere.

Jin Hagun asked the middle-aged martial artist, testing the waters. "For an ordinary manor, the defenses are quite strict."

The middle-aged martial artist replied calmly.

"There have been some ominous incidents in Chongqing lately, so we've strengthened our security."

And so, Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun arrived at the main hall. There, Chairman Yoo Beom of the Reminiscent Mountain Manor greeted Jin Hagun.

"Welcome. What brings such an esteemed guest to this place?"

Geom Mugeuk stood a few steps behind Jin Hagun, among the Demon Slaying Brigade, and observed the manor Chairman's reaction. Yoo Beom was of a venerable age and had been through all sorts of trials, but his reaction was one of complete surprise at their visit.

"I came because I have something to tell you, Chairman."

"Please, speak."

Yoo Beom was very respectful. His guest was a strong candidate for the next Alliance Chairman and the head of the Murim Alliance's most elite unit, the Demon Slaying Brigade.

"Chairman, do you know about the incident that occurred at the Anonymous Manor?"

"Of course."

"A martial artist who was at the Anonymous Manor was seen at this manor."

"Here at our manor? That can't be. It must have been someone who looked similar."

Judging by his surprised reaction and expression, it truly felt like he knew nothing about it.

Whether he was feigning ignorance or truly didn't know, this was not a situation that could be resolved with words.

"May I look around the manor?"

He seemed reluctant but couldn't bring himself to refuse.

"Of course. I will guide you myself."

Yoo Beom took the lead and guided the two men. He guided them through various parts of the manor. Aside from the strict security, they couldn't find anything else out of the ordinary. There were no hidden martial artists lying in wait for an ambush, nor any signs of traps.

Geom Mugeuk sent a telepathy to Jin Hagun.

[Ask to see the infirmary.]

Jin Hagun understood Geom Mugeuk's intention.

"Does the manor have an infirmary?"

For a moment, Geom Mugeuk saw a flicker of panic cross Yoo Beom's face.

"We have a small one, yes."

"I'd like to see that as well."

And so, he guided them to the infirmary. There were several beds, but no one was in them.

"Is there a physician who belongs to the manor?"

"Yes, there is one."

"Where is he now?"

"It seems he has stepped out."

Just then, a Demon Slaying Brigade martial artist discovered something.

"Look at this."

Behind the infirmary building was a pile of plants, the leftover scraps after the necessary parts of medicinal herbs had been taken. Perhaps they hadn't had time to dispose of them, as the quantity was considerable.

Jin Hagun said to Yoo Beom, "I know that you recently purchased a large quantity of medicinal herbs from a nearby physician. Most of them were for treating external and internal injuries. Who are you treating?"

This time, too, Yoo Beom flatly denied it.

"My subordinates were injured during training."

"Where are the injured subordinates?"

"I sent them to their hometowns to rest for a while."

As Jin Hagun's expression turned cold and he revealed his sharp energy, Yoo Beom flinched. The middle-aged martial artist who had guided them earlier stepped forward to protect his leader, but the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists also released their energy in unison.

Overwhelmed by their aura, the middle-aged martial artist stepped back.

"Chairman Yoo."

"Speak."

"I am the one trying to save the master of the Anonymous Manor and his family. Why are you trying to hide them from me?"

Yoo Beom denied it to the very end.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"If I give the order, my subordinates will search this manor from top to bottom. Given the gravity of the situation, if you are hiding something, Chairman, you will have to pay the price for it."

Sensing Yoo Beom's agitation, Jin Hagun gently persuaded him.

"We are the Demon Slaying Brigade. I don't know what you're worried about, but trust us."

Finally, Yoo Beom sighed and said, "Please follow me."

Yoo Beom left his subordinates there and headed to the rear garden with only Jin Hagun and the Demon Slaying Brigade. There was a secret passage leading to a basement.

"This manor has a secret shelter that has been passed down for a long time."

They descended the stairs into an underground passage, and at the end of the passage was a large room. As he opened the door and entered, an unidentifiable medicinal scent wafted out.

Dozens of beds were placed there, and people were lying on all of them.

Yoo Beom sighed and said, "These are the martial artists who survived the Anonymous Manor. The master of the Anonymous Manor brought the survivors and came to our manor."

Jin Hagun was happy that they had survived.

"Where is the master of the Anonymous Manor?"

At that, Yoo Beom let out a regretful sigh and delivered the sad news. "The master of the Anonymous Manor died the day after hiding here. His wounds were too deep, there was nothing that could be done."

Jin Hagun sighed along with him.

"Why didn't you inform us sooner?"

"Before he died, the master of the Anonymous Manor earnestly pleaded with me. He asked me not to tell anyone until his family had treated their wounds."

"Did he also say why?"

Yoo Beom then nodded. "He said that if it became known that they were alive, their enemies would come to kill them again. And soon after, news came that the Great Justice Sect had been annihilated. That's when I realized this incident wasn't just a problem for the Anonymous Manor."

Jin Hagun could roughly guess what had happened. That's why he must have been scared. Scared that they too would get caught up in this and be annihilated. He had no intention of blaming him. After all, he was still treating these people.

"Did he say who did it?"

After hesitating for a moment, Yoo Beom answered softly.

"He said it was a young man who wields a large giant dao."

Looking at it this way, the culprit was undoubtedly Seo Daeryong.

"I apologize for not telling you from the beginning."

"No, I understand your feelings, Chairman Yoo. For now, we will take these people."

"Please do. But please keep the fact that they were hiding here a secret."

"I will."

He actually looked relieved.

Jin Hagun said to the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists, "Carefully move the Anonymous Manor martial artists to the Branch."

The Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists were all highly skilled in martial arts, so they would be able to move the patients safely without any complications. They were better suited for this task than ordinary martial artists.

It was just as the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists were about to step forward.

Geom Mugeuk, who had only been listening, suddenly interjected. "Coincidentally, the number of injured people is similar to the number of Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists."

In that instant, everyone's gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk.

"Now I get it."

"What do you get?" Yoo Beom stared at Geom Mugeuk with a surprised expression. He had thought he was a subordinate, but the two were speaking like friends.

Shocking words flowed from Geom Mugeuk.

"I said I now understand how they planned to kill you and the Demon Slaying Brigade."

At the sudden words, Jin Hagun was speechless. The Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists also stared at Geom Mugeuk with shocked expressions.

"You and the Demon Slaying Brigade would have all been dead before you left this place."

"!"

Jin Hagun stared at Geom Mugeuk without a word. Geom Mugeuk loved to play all sorts of pranks, but he had never once joked about people's lives. He wasn't that kind of person.

"What do you mean?"

Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to the patients on the beds.

"You would have been ambushed while carrying them out."

Those words meant that they were all enemies!

Everyone was shocked. Not just Jin Hagun, but none of the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists here had thought those patients were enemies.

"Of course, no one would suspect a thing. These aren't people you just met by chance on the street."

After the incidents with the Anonymous Manor and the Great Justice Sect, you searched for them, found evidence, and finally located these people. It was the moment you were finally rescuing them.

"They aren't martial artists from the Anonymous Manor. They probably all died that day. They were just reported as missing for this very moment."

A chill ran down Jin Hagun's spine. If that was true, then this was an elaborate conspiracy planned to kill him and the Demon Slaying Brigade.

Yoo Beom said with a look of disbelief, "What kind of nonsense is that?"

Geom Mugeuk ignored his reaction and said to Jin Hagun, "The medicinal scent when we first entered this place was the smell of burning the West Spirit Grass."

Geom Mugeuk walked over to where the beds were. "This side smells of the Anti-Life Grass. Each scent is harmless to people on its own, but when the two scents combine, they produce an effect like momentarily taking a Qi Dispersing Poison. It's a very brief moment, but it's enough time to subdue an opponent."

When it came to poisonous and medicinal herbs, Geom Mugeuk possessed a deep knowledge and learning second to none.

Geom Mugeuk said to Jin Hagun, "Everyone was supposedly injured like this, but the person caught by the Murim Alliance's surveillance network was perfectly fine, wasn't he? Isn't that strange? And they left traces of used medicinal herbs behind the infirmary as if for show?"

Jin Hagun nodded.

"It was to lure us here."

The Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists all drew their swords at once. At that, those lying on the beds slowly sat up. One could tell just by the look in their eyes. They too were extremely well-trained, elite martial artists.

Yoo Beom's eyes and voice, which had been consistently flustered and frightened, changed, and his energy also transformed as if he were a different person.

"Still, nothing changes."

He glanced behind him.

DRRRK.

Then, a hidden door at the back opened, and a person walked out.

He was none other than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, carrying the Heaven Destroying Dao on his back.