Chapter 624: If You're Giving a Gift, Give Three

TL: FoodieMonster007

"I understand. I will gratefully accept the secret manual."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon received the secret manual with a respectful attitude.

He had desperately wanted this manual, but he would never have accepted it if the giver had been anyone other than Geom Mugeuk. Yes, he would have refused it from anyone but the Young Cult Leader.

He believed the Young Cult Leader was the kind of person who could discover this specific manual among countless books. They were bound by a deep connection.

For that reason, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon gladly took the Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique, making no attempt to conceal his joy. With his mask off, his smile was brighter today than it had ever been before.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon poured a drink for Geom Mugeuk.

"What will you do when the Cult Leader finds out later?"

"What's there to do? It'll be too late by then. The Smiling Demon will have mastered the martial arts. If my father demands it back, I'll just return it."

The Smiling Demon could not help but laugh at Geom Mugeuk's shameless plan.

Although Geom Mugeuk said that, he was certain of one thing.

His father would not ask for the manual back. He would likely just assign some other task as a form of punishment instead.

This time, Geom Mugeuk refilled the Smiling Demon's cup.

"Congratulations, the Smiling Demon."

Geom Mugeuk's congratulations were not just for the Smiling Demon, but for the martial artist within, Martial Artist Lee. Acquiring the art that would complete her was a moment that every martial artist dreamed of, even in their sleep.

The two men drained their cups once more.

That was not the only gift Geom Mugeuk had brought.

"The time has come for this to show its true value."

Geom Mugeuk produced a throwing knife from his robes.

It was the Millennial Cold Iron throwing knife, which had been forged from the melted shackles of Go Wol.

"I want to give this to the Smiling Demon."

The Smiling Demon knew exactly what kind of throwing knife this was.

"Isn't this throwing knife meaningful to you, Young Cult Leader?"

"It is."

When the shackles were disposed of, I had throwing knives made and shared them with the people who were there with me.

"And you're giving it to me?"

"Because it's a meaningful object. I couldn't possibly give something meaningless to the Smiling Demon."

His intention was clear. He was giving it precisely because of its meaning, not in spite of it.

Everyone who had received one of the knives would surely understand.

"I'm fine."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon refused vehemently, but Geom Mugeuk's mind was already set on giving it to him.

"I use a sword, and when I'm not using a sword, I use fist techniques. To be honest, the only time I'd use this throwing knife is to peel fruit. Isn't that a pitiful fate for a knife born of Millennial Cold Iron?"

Geom Mugeuk held out the throwing knife.

"Please, save this throwing knife."

Still, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not take it. The Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique he had already received was too great a gift.

Then, Geom Mugeuk gripped the blade and presented the handle of the throwing knife to him.

"It's already too late, the Smiling Demon."

A character was engraved on the handle.

笑 (Smile).

A sigh escaped the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. How could the Young Cult Leader show him such profound affection?

In the end, he could no longer refuse the offer.

"Thank you, Cult Leader."

He respectfully accepted the throwing knife from Geom Mugeuk.

And with that, the Millennial Cold Iron throwing knife had found its true master.

Geom Mugeuk looked forward to the day it would be used. The day the Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique would be unleashed from that knife in the Smiling Demon's hand. He anticipated the moment his three martial arts would harmonize, and he would be reborn as a perfect martial artist.

"By the way, did you know? The cult's rules state that if you're going to give a gift, you should give three."

"There's a rule like that?"

"I looked it up after becoming the Acting Cult Leader, and there it was. So, I had no choice but to prepare one more."

Geom Mugeuk opened a large box he had prepared under the table.

Inside the box, which was split into several compartments, were miracle herbs.

These were the very same miracle herbs he had acquired from the underground treasury he visited with the Sword King. At that time, the Sword King had told him, [Putting them in someone else's mouth is a waste of effort. Just eat them all yourself while you can.]

However, the mouth he was about to give them to was not his own, but it was not a stranger's either.

He could have given one root to each of the Demon Supremes, but Geom Mugeuk chose not to.

He felt that if he was fated to find the Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique, then giving these miracle herbs to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon must also be fate.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon stared at Geom Mugeuk without saying a word.

Geom Mugeuk did not say anything else. He spoke only a single phrase, the most powerful one to persuade the Smiling Demon.

"Become stronger."

For a moment, a wave of emotion washed over the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's face.

He had faced life-and-death situations with Geom Mugeuk many times. He knew better than anyone who their enemies were and that absurdly powerful people existed in the world. Because of this, he also knew that Geom Mugeuk was trying even harder to improve.

Yes, the Young Cult Leader was surely telling him to become stronger so they could fight alongside each other.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon also said little. He did not refuse the gift.

He slowly put the pure white mask that rested on the table back on his face. He too said only one thing.

"I will become stronger."

Geom Muyang still had not departed from Wuhan.

His second hideout was not far from his first one. It was actually even closer to the Murim Alliance Headquarters. This was a move that defied the expectation that he would have fled far away.

Geom Muyang stood by the window, gazing outside as the sky began to darken.

Gwak Yeong watched his back in silence.

It was the most stoic back in the world.

She wondered how the back of a man she had known for only a few days could hold so much meaning.

She wanted to say something to him, but she could not find the right words.

She, who was normally so bright and confident, was at a loss.

The words would not come easily because of her guilt. She never dreamed that tracking incense would be applied to her younger brother's letter. They had almost faced great danger because of her.

She considered asking, "Are you angry?"

No. Asking an angry person if they were angry was the most infuriating thing one could do.

She thought about asking, "What are you going to do now?"

What was the point in her knowing that? Yes, that was not a question for her to ask.

In the end, the words she managed to find were these.

"Use me to catch them."

Was it too obvious a thing to say? The stoic back simply remained facing the window.

Geom Muyang did not blame her.

He had already anticipated there was a reason they were keeping her alive. He considered it his own failure for not figuring out that reason sooner.

Just then, Branch Manager Ho Myeong entered the room and gave a report.

"The White Dragon Brigade has begun to search every corner of Wuhan."

This hideout was not a completely concealed safehouse of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, so it would eventually be found by their search.

"How long until this place is discovered?"

"One day at the earliest, two days at most."

It was a ridiculously short amount of time to resolve the situation.

Ho Myeong looked toward Gwak Yeong.

"If that woman returns to the Alliance, the search will be called off."

After all, their search was aimed at finding Gwak Yeong.

Hearing this, Gwak Yeong quickly backed away.

"Don't tell me to leave! I'm not leaving. You can call me selfish, but I can't help it."

Her instincts were screaming at her. If she left, she would die.

"If you tell me to hide in a warehouse, I'll do it. If you tell me to dig a hole and breathe through a reed, I'll do that too. Just don't tell me to go back."

When neither Geom Muyang nor Ho Myeong responded, she finally let out a sigh.

Holding out like this was a selfish decision, just as she had said. The one who could save her brother was not her, but that man.

"I'll go. But you have to keep your promise."

Then, Geom Muyang spoke quietly.

"If you leave, you die."

"I'm not afraid of dying."

She was willing to die if it meant she could save her brother.

"Not you. Your brother will die."

Gwak Yeong was stunned.

"Because you're only useful when you're with us."

Hearing those words, Gwak Yeong finally understood. Even now, she had value. Her presence was the reason the White Dragon Brigade was pursuing them.

They might make other demands using her brother's life as leverage. They would keep her brother alive because they did not know what role she might play in the future.

Gwak Yeong looked at Geom Muyang with a new light in her eyes.

"He's a demon, but he's so smart!"

Having blurted out the words unconsciously, she gasped and quickly covered her mouth. When a look of bewilderment crossed Geom Muyang's eyes, her face turned red and she lowered her head.

"I'm sorry. The words I was thinking in my head just slipped out."

Fortunately, a subordinate entered the room just then, delivering news from the All-Knowing Hall.

"The All-Knowing Hall has identified the location where the counterfeit weapons were made."

Based on Gwak Yeong's testimony, the All-Knowing Hall had successfully pinpointed the location.

"They say it was made in a warehouse building in a remote area about twenty li away."

Geom Muyang thought that going there would be pointless. It would already be empty.

"Who owns the warehouse?"

"It's a man named So Gong."

Gwak Yeong was startled to hear the name.

"I know him! He's a merchant who supplies materials to the Murim Alliance smithy."

He was someone she was acquainted with, a man who had done business with the smithy for a long time. She could not believe that man was in league with them.

Ho Myeong spoke to Geom Muyang.

"I will go and capture him."

"Let's go together."

Given the nature of their opponent, they had to move with caution.

As Geom Muyang was leaving, Gwak Yeong spoke up loudly. She decided not to be intimidated by her earlier mistake and to give him a spirited farewell.

"Be safe!"

Geom Muyang glanced at her before leaving the hideout without a word.

After the two men had left, she muttered quietly to herself.

"When someone talks to you, you could at least acknowledge it."

So Gong awoke from his sleep.

A masked man was looking down at him. It was Ho Myeong.

Startled, So Gong tried to scream, but no sound came out. His mute point had already been sealed.

"If you make a sound, it won't just be you who dies. Everyone in this house will die."

There could be no more terrifying threat, so So Gong nodded his head.

Only then did Ho Myeong release his mute point.

So Gong sat up and saw another masked man in the room. Geom Muyang was sitting on a chair in the corner, watching him.

"What do you want?"

He was a man who had spent his life as a merchant. The fact they had not killed him yet meant they must want something from him.

The one who questioned him was Ho Myeong. He cut straight to the point.

"The warehouse. Who did you lend it to?"

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

He denied it flatly, but his wavering eyes gave him away.

Ho Myeong immediately pressed down on his shoulder, targeting an acupoint used for torture.

Just as So Gong was about to scream from the excruciating pain that washed over him, a terrifying sentence from Ho Myeong stifled the sound.

"Anyone who wakes up at your sound and comes running will die."

So Gong gritted his teeth, letting out a silent scream against the overwhelming pain.

A moment later, Ho Myeong removed his hand from So Gong's shoulder. The merchant was now completely drenched in sweat.

"…I can't say."

His words had changed from "I don't know" to "I can't say."

This time, Ho Myeong pressed the acupoint even harder.

As a mere merchant, he had endured it once, but he could not endure it a second time.

"Commander Do!"

What came from his mouth was not a name, but a title.

"Commander Do? Which Commander Do?"

In response to Ho Myeong's question, So Gong answered with a trembling voice.

"The Commander of the White Dragon Brigade."

Both Geom Muyang and Ho Myeong were surprised.

Commander Do Yinsu of the White Dragon Brigade.

They truly had not expected his name to come up in this matter.

Geom Muyang, who had been sitting, rose from his seat and approached So Gong. Overwhelmed by his presence, So Gong quickly added more information. There was a reason he had not answered easily.

"Commander Do borrowed it, saying it was for Alliance business. He said he was carrying out a secret operation and that I must never speak of it."

Geom Muyang, who had drawn closer, stared intently into So Gong's eyes.

"It's not a lie. Please, spare me."

Geom Muyang could tell he was not lying. The White Dragon Commander was not a name someone would bring up in a lie.

Geom Muyang spoke to him with cold eyes.

"If you reveal that we were here, things will get complicated. You're a merchant, so you can make that calculation. Just think of it as a bad dream."

"……"

His sleep point was sealed, and So Gong fell unconscious.

Geom Muyang and Ho Myeong left So Gong's house as stealthily as they had entered.

Only after reaching a secluded forest far from the house did they remove their masks.

Ho Myeong spoke in a low tone.

"I didn't expect the White Dragon Commander to be involved in this."

The man could have been evil from the beginning.

Alternatively, just as they had done with Gwak Yeong, the enemy could be blackmailing the White Dragon Commander by exploiting a weakness.

In either case, he was not someone to be touched lightly. If the problem escalated, it could spark a major conflict between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Murim Alliance.

Ho Myeong was inwardly tense, wondering what decision Geom Muyang would make. The moment he ordered the White Dragon Commander to be hung upside down, this fight would enter a new phase.

As Ho Myeong expected, Geom Muyang chose a direct confrontation.

"Since the clue leads to the White Dragon Commander, we'll have to meet him."

To Geom Muyang's words, Ho Myeong replied with respect.

"Yes! I will request all information on that man from the All-Knowing Hall!"

The two men leaped off again, heading back toward their hideout.

A moment after they disappeared, a man flew in swiftly and landed silently in that very spot.

From his movement arts alone, one could guess the extent of his incredible skill.

The man who landed with his white robes fluttering was very tall. He had a large face, large eyes, and long limbs. At his waist, he wore a brilliant blue sword.

He was none other than the supreme master, the Blue Mountain Swordsman, who had come to Wuhan with the Cold Moon Warrior.

He was the blue flag that had been stuck in the All-Knowing Hall's operations room.

"Insolent fools! Today will be your last."

Just as the Blue Mountain Swordsman was about to stealthily follow the two men again, he flinched to a stop and looked to one side. Someone was here.

"Come out."

Indeed, a voice came from behind a tree a short distance away.

"The Buddha always said to show mercy."

A faint golden light began to emanate from behind the tree.