Chapter 537: Where Death Awaits

TL: FoodieMonster007

When Geom Mugeuk returned from his outing, he entered the inner garden of the Thousand Flower Palace to find the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon standing on the roof with his arms crossed.

"I don't see the Faceless Warriors?"

"I sent them all to a safehouse nearby."

He now understood their intentions, so there was no longer a need to guard this place.

Geom Mugeuk leaped lightly and landed on the roof.

"Where have you been?"

"I've been sending out urgent messenger pigeons to various places."

"I suppose the Evil Alliance Young Alliance Chairman was among them."

"I'm going to meet the Young Alliance Chairman in person."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon knew how Geom Mugeuk handled things. He never attempted to accomplish something all by himself. He would always inform, discuss, and prepare for what needed to be known beforehand.

What was important to him was the safety of everyone. In this case, Bi Sayin's safety would be the most crucial task. Because he had no desire to be a lone hero, he often ended up becoming one.

"They failed to kill the young lady, but they're still pushing forward with this. They must have some other objective," the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon said as he looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"They might have changed their target to the Young Cult Leader."

"Perhaps."

If that was the case, things would truly be turned upside down.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon knew. He was aware of what the relationship between the Cult Leader and Geom Mugeuk had been like recently. It was unimaginable what would occur the moment something happened to the Young Cult Leader.

"What should I do?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon knew that in difficult situations, trusting Geom Mugeuk's judgment was the wisest choice.

"They always plot from the shadows, sow discord, and try to assassinate. What choice do we have? We can only get stronger. We have to make all their schemes become opportunities for our growth and experience."

Geom Mugeuk added with an intense gaze, "I know you've gotten stronger lately. Get even stronger."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes also shone with intensity.

"Yes, I understand."

"In that spirit, please teach me a thing or two when I return."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon could guess Geom Mugeuk's intention. Even though his own martial arts realm had recently risen, he still could not match Geom Mugeuk's martial arts.

In the end, that duel would be one that made him stronger.

"Very well."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon gratefully accepted the sentiment. With the recent changes in his martial arts realm, training with Geom Mugeuk would be a great help to his own martial arts. Geom Mugeuk knew this as well, which was why he made the offer.

Just then, the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman could be seen in the distance, walking with her courtesans. She was preparing for that day in her own way.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon said softly, "Thank you for taking care of her."

He could feel that Yeo Jong had been deeply moved, especially by the words 'sister-in-law'.

"Of course I have to take care of her. She's my first sister-in-law."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's gaze held a silent question. When could he see his own first sister-in-law?

Geom Mugeuk's eyes held the reply. He wondered if he would ever see one in this lifetime.

And so, the two men stood on the windy roof, looking down at the Thousand Flower Palace.

A man proceeded down a lavishly adorned hallway.

Rooms lined both sides of the passage. Unusually, each had a small window that offered a view of the women trapped within. Their ages ranged from middle-aged to as young as a little girl, and every one of them was cowering in fear.

The women averted their gazes in terror whenever the strange man glanced into their rooms.

The man resumed his walk. At the corridor's end, an old man wearing fine, costly silks was positioned against the wall.

He held a young girl as a human shield, pressing a throwing knife to her throat. The cornered old man's desperation made him appear exceedingly dangerous.

"Stop! Any closer and this child dies!"

In response to the old man's threat, the approaching man halted his advance.

"Drop the sword!"

The old man's blade seemed ready to slice into the child's neck at any second.

"Hurry!"

The man calmly set his sword on the ground and spoke. "Calm down. If the child gets hurt, you die too."

Even with the situation being so critical, the man remained composed.

The old man questioned him with urgency. "If this kid dies, you're finished. You'll be passed over for promotion for the rest of your life."

"That would be a problem. I still have places to climb."

The man's face was obscured, as he stood just outside the lantern's glow.

"Which unit are you from? The Green Dragon Brigade? The White Dragon Brigade?"

"And if I were?"

"If you let me go, I'll make sure you succeed." The old man was attempting to bargain with him in any way he could.

"You kidnapped women and sold them to men, didn't you? Even little kids. How can I let a criminal like that go?"

This was a crime of the highest order, one that carried a mandatory death sentence. For that reason, the old man knew he could not let himself be captured.

"Among the people who bought the young girls are men with money and power."

"Yes, and thankfully, you left them all in your ledger."

"Then you should understand. Do you really think a mere martial artist like you can handle them? Before a day passes, you'll be assassinated, and that ledger, the evidence, will disappear."

His threats were followed by persuasion. "Let me go, and I can guarantee your success. What position do you want? Division Leader? Commander? Just say the word."

The man in the shadows then spoke.

"Chairman."

A muscle in the old man's face twitched. This was not a time for anger, however, but for persuasion.

"Yes, someday you could even become the Chairman. So let me go…"

The old man abruptly fell silent.

The man had stepped forward, revealing the characters embroidered on his chest. Myeolma.

This was Jin Hagun, the head of the Demon Slaying Brigade.

"Two steps to the left, you're stepping on a stone on the floor, so one handspan up!"

The old man's face twisted into a confused expression, wondering what that meant.

KWAAK! PUK!

A sword blade erupted from the wall behind him, precisely piercing the old man's neck.

The blade belonged to a subordinate from the Demon Slaying Brigade who had moved into position behind the wall. Jin Hagun had been buying time for his subordinate to get there.

"Don't look back, come here."

The child walked to Jin Hagun. He knelt to meet the child's gaze and spoke in a gentle voice to the still-frightened girl.

"This uncle is a high-ranking person in the Murim Alliance. The only one who can cause this uncle any trouble is the Chairman."

He said this to comfort the child, who had heard the old man's earlier threats.

"There are bad people in the world, but most uncles are good. And this time, this uncle is going to lock all those bad guys in prison."

At last, an expression of relief appeared on the child's face.

To Jin Hagun, the relief he saw in that moment was the true purpose of the Murim Alliance.

He believed the Murim Alliance should be the name people cry out for, second only to their mothers, when they are scared and in trouble.

Jin Hagun offered his hand to the child. "Shall we leave with uncle?"

The child nodded, taking Jin Hagun's outstretched hand. Her own hand was still trembling despite his reassuring words. Jin Hagun gave it a firm, comforting squeeze.

"Let's go home now."

Members of the Demon Slaying Brigade then entered the building, escorting all the captive women outside.

Jin Hagun gave the ledger he had acquired to a subordinate and issued an order. "These bastards here, capture every last one of them!"

"Yes, sir!"

Jin Hagun then addressed the women to reassure them. "I am Jin Hagun, head of the Demon Slaying Brigade. Not only the ones who captured you, but everyone involved will be punished. Don't worry about their retaliation. They won't be getting out of prison before you die of old age."

The women began to cry, realizing they were finally safe. The martial artists of the Demon Slaying Brigade comforted them while helping them into carriages.

At that moment, a subordinate from the Demon Slaying Brigade came forward and gave a messenger pigeon to Jin Hagun. "It's an urgent messenger pigeon."

The eyes of the other Demon Slaying Brigade members turned to Jin Hagun.

"What is it?"

Jin Hagun placed the message inside his robes and answered.

"A friend is in danger."

Three men were seated at a round table inside a warehouse on the outskirts. The two men glaring fiercely at one another were the respective leaders of the Black Spider Sect and the Eastern Tiger Sect.

Their conflict over interests had escalated, resulting in dozens of people being killed or injured. Since both sects were part of the Evil Alliance, the alliance had finally intervened to mediate. The person seated between them was Bi Sayin.

"Since this fight arose from a conflict of interest, I will only look at the numbers to resolve this dispute."

They had heard rumors that the Young Alliance Chairman had been very active within the unorthodox sects recently, but they hadn't expected him to come in person to resolve this matter.

"From now on, the two of you will divide it like this."

The two leaders were not satisfied with the ratio Bi Sayin had mediated, but they didn't dare to object.

"I know that no matter how I divide it, I can't satisfy both of you. After all, you were fighting to take it all."

In the past, he would have simply suppressed them with killing intent. Obey or die. He had once believed that was the power that maintained the unorthodox sects.

However, he was now Bi Sayin, a friend of Geom Mugeuk. Yes, if he was Geom Mugeuk's friend, he should at least do this much, right?

"Let me fill the void of that severed greed."

The two leaders stared at Bi Sayin.

"I will remember you. I'll remember you even when I become the Chairman later. That seems like a greater gain than the money you think you're losing right now, doesn't it? Or am I mistaken?"

The final, cold question was laced with an incomparably cold killing intent.

The two men shot to their feet, performed a clasped hands greeting, and answered.

"No, sir!"

"How could that be?"

And for the finish, he naturally used kind words.

"I will be sure to remember you both."

After the two men withdrew, Bi Sayin leaned back in his chair and spoke.

"Stop spying and come out."

At that, Geom Mugeuk revealed himself from atop a stack of boxes.

"I never knew you had such an intellectual side."

Geom Mugeuk leaped down from the boxes. Bi Sayin, already aware of his arrival, had sent a telepathic message to First Wolf to have everyone leave.

"'Fight each other and the winner takes all!' That's what I thought you'd say."

"Isn't that your way of doing things?"

Geom Mugeuk replied with a smile.

"Let's just say it was the way of my father's generation."

Geom Mugeuk had rushed here like the wind using the Swift Step. The speed of the Swift Step had not yet reached its limit. It was getting faster and faster. Like this, the Central Plains were becoming smaller for Geom Mugeuk.

The two men went outside the warehouse. They talked while walking together along a path. The Thirteen Evil Wolves followed them from a distance.

"What is it this time?"

Geom Mugeuk stopped walking and said to him.

"The Evil Alliance Young Alliance Chairman, murdered by the villainess of the age! That's the rumor about you that will soon be circulating in the streets."

Bi Sayin stared at Geom Mugeuk in silence. Though it was spoken like a joke, he could tell it was the truth. After all, Geom Mugeuk was not a man who joked about matters of life and death.

Geom Mugeuk told Bi Sayin everything that had happened, without leaving anything out.

"It seems the Thousand Flower Palace is trying to kill you."

Bi Sayin's fearsome face twitched. No matter how audacious a person was, he couldn't help but be enraged by a plot to kill him.

"Actually, we were also keeping an eye on the Hundred Prosperities Trading Company."

"For what reason?"

"It hasn't been made public yet, but there were reports that the conflict between the Director and the Vice Director had intensified."

"And yet you accepted the Vice Director's invitation?"

"I thought, since he's fighting with the Director, he must want something from me. He must have invited me hoping for mediation."

At that, Geom Mugeuk guessed the deeper intentions of the Hundred Prosperities Trading Company.

"Perhaps they deliberately showed signs of division to invite you without arousing your suspicion."

Bi Sayin wore a 'surely not' expression. If that were true, it meant they were truly determined.

"But how do they plan to kill me? Are they trying to poison me?"

The Thirteen Evil Wolves who protected him were on high alert against poisoning. Since they checked all drinks and food, poisoning was next to impossible.

"They might have created a poison that can fool the Thirteen Evil Wolves. Or something we can't even imagine might pop up."

At those words, Bi Sayin's gaze deepened. It meant there was something that wasn't poison, yet could kill him and the Thirteen Evil Wolves.

Bi Sayin's gaze on Geom Mugeuk was fervent. Geom Mugeuk had once again rushed over like this to warn him of danger.

"Thank you."

"Next time you come to save me, run twice as fast."

"I will."

"Oh, and I also called for Commander Jin. I told Miss Jin to come along as well."

Bi Sayin asked with a surprised expression.

"Why did you call them?"

The enemy's identity had not yet been revealed. On the contrary, even Jin Hagun and Jin Haryong could be exposed to danger.

Then, Geom Mugeuk said, as if whispering.

"We can't be the only ones in danger, can we?"

"……"

After looking dumbfounded for a moment, Bi Sayin raised his voice.

"Stop joking around!"

Yes, this was what meeting Geom Mugeuk was all about.

Geom Mugeuk gave another reason.

"'Look who steps up when you mess with us!' I called them to show that we are not people you can dare to touch so carelessly."

He felt that while that might be one reason, there must be another, real reason.

"Tell me the real reason!"

Finally, Geom Mugeuk revealed the real reason.

"If a friend is in danger, isn't it natural to let them know?"

It was an unexpected answer. It was so obvious that he hadn't even considered it.

"If they're a friend, shouldn't you keep them from coming to a dangerous place?"

"!"

Bi Sayin had lived his life thinking that was what a friend was. Geom Mugeuk's thoughts were different.

"So what if you die somewhere without me? What am I supposed to tell others? 'My friend died without wanting my help. Hahaha. It seems he didn't call me because it was dangerous.' I can't stand that."

"I'm the type of person who dwells on the past. The type who can't sleep at night because of something that happened during the day. I'd think about it forever. If it's going to be like that, I'd rather we die together!"

Bi Sayin was certain of at least one thing. He, too, would be angry for a long, long time if Geom Mugeuk were to die without even asking for his help.

"From now on, I'm going to tell everyone everything. If Commander Jin is in danger, I'll tell everyone. If I'm in danger, I'll tell everyone. I'll tell them to come save me. I'll even threaten to spread rumors that they're cowards if they don't come."

"At least when it comes to this, it's not an issue to brag about, saying 'I saved him all by myself!' or 'I didn't want to put my friend in danger.' I'm telling you in advance, I refuse to accept such excuses."

Bi Sayin could tell. This was Geom Mugeuk's true heart. This was the kind of friendship Geom Mugeuk desired.

"Oh, and I've also invited a new face, so look forward to it."

"Who on earth did you invite now?"

Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not one to give an easy answer. He leaped lightly and flew far away, saying.

"So don't wear that drab martial arts uniform, come in some stylish clothes that women will like. In a color that goes well with white robes! See you then!"

Before he could ask anything more, Geom Mugeuk became a dot in the sky and disappeared. His sudden arrival and departure left the surroundings quiet. It truly felt as if he had dreamt of a passing storm.

First Wolf approached him.

Bi Sayin summarized Geom Mugeuk's words and relayed them to him.

"He says the villainess of the age is trying to kill me, so I should come wearing stylish clothes that women like."

"What?"

Bi Sayin's gaze shifted from the bewildered First Wolf to the sky where Geom Mugeuk had disappeared. The thought that his friends would also be there, where death awaited, brought a broad smile to his rugged face.

"In a color that goes well with white."