Chapter 700: You've Come to Save Me

TL: FoodieMonster007

One would expect the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's methods to be incomparably cruel and evil, but today was the opposite.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had asked Geom Mugeuk a question.

"Do you want them captured alive?"

The statement was surprising. Finding the assassins was already considered difficult enough. To capture them alive instead of eliminating them was to raise the difficulty of an impossible task to its absolute limit. That was the thought that came to mind.

Geom Mugeuk smiled as he replied.

"How did you know what I wanted?"

"I just had a feeling you would."

They had not yet confirmed the relationship between Cha Yiran and Ak Gunhak. To prevent any potential regrets, dealing with the matter without killing her subordinates was the best choice.

He had been about to make the request himself, but the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had read his mind and spoken first. It was just as one would expect from the Smiling Demon.

"Please do."

"I will obey your command."

As anticipated, there was no hesitation.

It was Lee Ahn who voiced the concerns others felt for the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"Putting your subordinates in danger! That's too much!"

She said it to lighten the mood, knowing Geom Mugeuk would take it as a joke.

"If you're so upset, why don't you become the Young Cult Leader?"

Though he said that, the emotion in Geom Mugeuk's eyes as he looked at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was not shamelessness but trust. It was the trust that he could accomplish this much. It was the firm belief that this command would not endanger him or his subordinates.

He did not forget to add a joke for the Faceless Warriors.

"Don't kill them even if they get on your nerves. And don't hit their faces, they're women."

A smile bloomed in the eyes of the Faceless Warriors.

Bi Sayin, who was watching, was inwardly impressed.

The order had been given regardless. In that case, words like that would raise the morale of the Faceless Warriors more than a simple 'be careful' ever could. The statement also protected their pride.

Lee Ahn spoke to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"If you ever need my help, I'll help too."

She could not bring it up again since the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had already refused. She meant, however, that she could tell him about the assassins she had recognized in the waiting room.

No matter how she considered it, finding them any other way did not seem easy. On top of that, the additional order to capture them alive had been given.

Are you really okay, Smiling Demon?

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon sensed the worry in her heart.

"Do you know why I refused your offer?"

She truly could not have imagined the reason was something like this.

"I already know who the assassins are."

"!"

"I've found sixteen of them so far."

He was saying he had found the confirmed assassins. Sixteen of them, no less.

A surprised Lee Ahn looked at Geom Mugeuk.

Did you know, Young Cult Leader?

At her gaze, Geom Mugeuk shook his head. This was a fact that Geom Mugeuk had not known either.

"May I ask how you found them?"

At Lee Ahn's question, the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman stepped forward to explain.

"The Demon Supreme first investigated the other two judges besides myself."

Since arriving at the Mythical Sect, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had not been simply spending his time in the guest quarters. He started by investigating the judges, as they were the people who would sit next to the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman.

"As expected, both of them were individuals with close ties to the Mythical Sect Leader. They were people who owed him a great debt and were in a position where they could not refuse his requests."

One thing remained unknown.

"I still don't know why I was called to be a judge."

She looked back and forth between the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and Geom Mugeuk.

"I can only vaguely guess that it's either because of the Smiling Demon or the Young Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk then said calmly.

"It could also be because of the Pavilion Master."

He did not explain the reason in detail, but the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman understood what Geom Mugeuk meant. It suggested she might have been called because she was a descendant of the Saintess Palace.

The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman continued her explanation. While she did not know why she was called, the reason for the other two was clear.

"I watched them give their scores carefully since the preliminaries. There were times when they gave higher scores to another woman despite there being a clearly more beautiful one. Of course, everyone has different eyes, but coincidentally, their choices were the same every time."

She had been observing not only the judging on stage but also the unorthodox judging at the judges' table.

"I've found the women they intentionally selected, but the problem is the women who were missed."

There must have been assassins who advanced to the main round on their pure beauty alone, like Cha Yiran.

A question then naturally arose.

"Then why did they have so many participate in the competition? If they were going to pick them anyway, wouldn't seven have been enough?"

In fact, even the final stage was not necessary.

"No, even one would have been enough."

Only the world number one beauty would attend the celebratory banquet with the Evil Alliance Chairman.

"I was curious about that too. But seeing this, I understood."

The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman held out a folded piece of paper.

"It's the seating chart for the day of the final stage."

A special section for the women who had advanced to the main round had been prepared behind the stage. The final stage would proceed with them watching from there.

"They're planning to start something on that stage that day. Their plans changed when the Young Cult Leader intervened."

Lee Ahn's gaze deepened.

The prophecy the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman had seen also took place on a stage. They were definitely planning some conspiracy there. That conspiracy was also related to her, since she was the one who would be on the final stage.

What if Cha Yiran and the assassins attacked her at the same time? Stopping Cha Yiran alone would be difficult enough, but what if the assassins helped? Eventually, Geom Mugeuk would have to jump onto the stage to save her.

An assassination that could never be prepared for outside could happen on that stage. It would be the moment when Cha Yiran and the elite assassins of the Beautiful Bridges were all present.

It was the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon who broke the heavy silence.

"They'll have to change their plans again."

He would definitely carry out the mission Geom Mugeuk had given him.

"Because on that day, there will be only one assassin on the stage."

Jo Chonggwan walked with hurried steps. As the one responsible for this competition, he had been busy day and night. With the finals in two days and the celebratory banquet for the Evil Alliance Chairman after that, events remained where a single mistake would lead to disaster.

When he entered his office, Jo Chonggwan flinched. For a moment, he thought he had entered the wrong room.

Someone was sitting at his office desk, looking through documents.

"Who are you?"

At the startled Jo Chonggwan's question, the man in the chair looked up. He gestured for him to come inside. Jo Chonggwan recognized the man at a glance.

This man?

It was the martial artist serving as the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman's bodyguard. The unorthodox mask with a single flower drawn on it was unique, and his handsome appearance was hard to forget, even with the mask on. In any case, he was someone who should not be here.

The moment Jo Chonggwan spun around to flee, he bumped into someone. Someone had appeared at the door at some point.

The person grabbed his hand to keep him from falling, so he naturally thought it was a Mythical Sect martial artist. But it was not. When he looked up, he saw a mask with a single flower drawn on it here as well. Indifferent eyes stared down at him from above the mask.

The gaze was made all the more terrifying by its coldness, which was so contrary to the action of catching his hand.

When Jo Chonggwan turned around again, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was looking at him.

The moment their eyes met, Jo Chonggwan could feel it.

Different.

It was different from the bodyguard's gaze he had seen earlier and different from the countless gazes he had seen until now. He had met all sorts of martial artists during his long tenure as the general manager of the Mythical Sect, including numerous unorthodox sect martial artists. But this was the first time he had felt such a chill piercing his heart. It was completely different from the familiar fear of the violent and rough.

"I have something to say, so come here."

The command was calm but irresistible. Jo Chonggwan staggered toward the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. The polite way he spoke made him an even more terrifying opponent.

"What is it that you want from me?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon then pushed forward the documents he was looking at.

"Contact them and tell them all to gather."

When Jo Chonggwan looked at the documents, he saw they were the personal information of the women who had advanced to the main round of the world number one beauty selection contest.

"Why these people?"

"You don't need to know."

He could call them. He knew where they were staying so that he could contact the participants at any time. They were all staying in inns or rented manors near the Mythical Sect.

He could not just do as he was told without reason.

"I don't know the reason, but the Chief will investigate this matter later."

He said it indirectly, meaning that he would have to deal with the entire Mythical Sect then. He said it thinking that no matter how scary this man was, he would surely fear the Mythical Sect Leader.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon just stared at him. A single line of a smile formed in his eyes. It was not the bright smile he gave Geom Mugeuk.

It was the death-bringing smile of the Smiling Demon.

The moment he saw that smile, a terrifying fear that made it hard to breathe constricted Jo Chonggwan. It felt as if he could hear the wail of a soul being torn apart in a dark, deep place.

"You knew, didn't you?"

The question came without any context, but Jo Chonggwan's heart plummeted.

It's finally happened.

It was strange from the beginning that the Mythical Sect Leader would suddenly hold such a competition. He was not the type of person to even think of raising the Mythical Sect's fame by holding such a contest. This was clearly not an idea that came from the Mythical Sect Leader's head. He knew that better than anyone.

It was also strange that he had summoned the Boa Sword and the Cold Iron Blade after starting the competition. He would not have summoned them if he was not afraid of something. On top of that, he had randomly invited the Evil Alliance Chairman to the celebratory banquet.

He had noticed something was afoot, but Jo Chonggwan had just been doing as he was told, as he always had.

"I… I don't know anything about it."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon looked down at the documents on the desk and said, "Then prove it."

This was not a situation for further deliberation. He had already felt death in the man's smile.

"What should I tell them when I call?"

"Tell them there's a seating assignment for the final stage."

Jo Chonggwan said with a fearful face, "But I need the Chief's permission for something like this."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon then said calmly, "Today, your Chief won't have the time for that."

"!"

Jo Chonggwan knew what that meant. His heart pounded as if it would burst.

"You prepared this competition, shouldn't you see it through to the end?"

It meant that he could live if he just did as he was told.

"Yes, I understand."

As Jo Chonggwan gathered the documents, his gaze fell on a separate pile of personal information set aside on the desk. It looked like a dozen or so sheets, and they were also women who had advanced to the main round.

"Why are these women being left out?"

An inscrutable remark flowed from the lips of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, who was looking out the window.

"Those people have already been summoned."

Mr. Noh, an old bachelor who sold all sorts of miscellaneous goods from a cart in the marketplace, had been in a good mood lately. It was because countless people filled the streets day after day for the competition. And what beautiful women they were.

He used to hate waking up in the morning, but these days his eyes would pop open, eager to go out and do business. The woman browsing his goods right now was also incredibly beautiful.

How wonderful would it be to marry a woman like this?

He felt like he could carry her on his back for the rest of his life if she asked.

"If you don't like that one, please take a look at this."

Mr. Noh found another accessory displayed on his cart and handed it to her.

"……"

Mr. Noh looked around with a surprised face. The woman who had been looking at his goods just a moment ago had vanished without a trace.

That woman was now in a carriage that had just passed by the cart. No, to be precise, she had been loaded into it. She could not move a single finger because her vital and vocal points had been sealed.

She stared at the man sitting across from her, her eyes wide with disbelief at the situation. The man wore a pure white mask and was looking out the carriage window.

The Faceless Warriors!

The woman knew who her opponent was. She was no ordinary woman either.

The Seventeenth Bridge. She was the seventeenth bridge of the Beautiful Bridges.

She had been careless. She truly never dreamed that a passing carriage would abduct her. But carelessness aside, her opponent's skill was too proficient.

The moment the carriage passed behind her, the door opened, and in an instant, her vital and vocal points were sealed. At the same time, she was pulled into the carriage. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Where on earth are they taking me?

The Faceless Warrior should have at least glanced at her, but he just kept watching the scenery outside. He really felt like a country bumpkin seeing the city for the first time.

How long had they been traveling? The carriage stopped in front of a building.

Someone knocked on the back wall from the driver's seat side. Taking that as a signal, the Faceless Warrior in the cabin got out of the carriage. She felt the man from the driver's seat get out as well. He had covered the window's curtain when he got out, so she could not see what was happening outside.

The Seventeenth Bridge waited with an anxious and tense heart.

A moment later, the sound of clashing weapons came from outside. In that instant, she knew. The Faceless Warrior was fighting her comrades.

Please! Please!

Soon, the sounds of fighting stopped, and the surroundings became quiet.

A tense moment passed.

The carriage door swung open with a clatter.

Joy spread across the Seventeenth Bridge's face as she identified the person. The woman standing before the carriage was none other than the Fifth Bridge. She was a Senior whom she admired and whose skills were renowned. She had completed twenty-four assassinations without a single mistake.

Of course! You defeated those bastards and came to save me!

It was at that very moment.

The woman was shoved inside as if pushed. The Fifth Bridge, her vocal and vital points already sealed, was seated right next to the Seventeenth Bridge.

"……"

"……"

The Faceless Warrior who had pushed the Fifth Bridge in sat down and knocked on the wall toward the driver's seat. At the signal, the carriage started moving.

The Faceless Warrior never gave them a single glance, only watching the scenery outside as the carriage began to race toward the next bridge.