Chapter 707: Will This Be Enough to Help?

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Welcome, Chairman."

After offering a polite greeting, Cha Yiran glanced around at the ruined surroundings.

"I'd like to offer you a seat, but as you can see, there are none."

She remained calm even in a situation that threatened her life. Having long since torn down the signposts at the crossroads of life and death, she felt no fear. She would simply walk the path she desired, and the day her steps ceased would be her last.

"Are you not afraid of death?"

To Baek Jagang's question, which was delivered like that of a grim reaper, Cha Yiran replied politely.

"I am afraid."

At that moment, the hairs on the back of Baek Jagang's neck stood on end. He possessed a sense that could detect lies, and it was now reacting to her. The fact that he reacted to her words of fear meant she was lying.

She doesn't fear death?

Normally, he would have assumed this woman was either hiding a trump card or felt no fear because someone was coming to save her. However, Baek Jagang had seen it. He had seen the transcendence that flashed in her eyes for a fleeting moment.

He had encountered others with such eyes before. They were the kind of eyes he had seen in those for whom the boundary between life and death had crumbled. They were people who could do anything because they had already abandoned everything.

It was unexpected. How could someone with such a beautiful and glamorous appearance have no lingering attachment to life? What kind of life had she lived?

A thought suddenly occurred to Baek Jagang. Could it be that Geom Mugeuk was trying to resolve this without killing this woman because he, too, had seen what Baek Jagang just saw?

"I know the Young Cult Leader holds you in special regard. However, that is a matter between the Young Cult Leader and you. It has nothing to do with me."

After making it clear that he had no intention of showing mercy because of her relationship with Geom Mugeuk, Baek Jagang asked bluntly.

"Why are you trying to kill me?"

His earlier warning that he would not ask twice meant that if she failed to answer his first question, he would kill her.

"As you may already know, I am an assassin. So I accepted a contract."

Although she belonged to a clandestine organization, their relationship was not strictly hierarchical where she simply took orders. The organization paid her a fee to take on a job, and she tried to keep as much distance from them as possible. She knew, however, that the organization was displeased with her for this.

"So you accepted the contract even though you knew I was the target."

It was a sensitive point that could provoke the greatest anger, but Cha Yiran faced it head-on.

"How could I refuse? For an assassin, it's a once-in-a-lifetime contract."

Her honesty prompted a relentless stream of questions.

"What did you mean by what you said to the Mythical Sect Leader?"

In truth, the reason Baek Jagang had sought her out today was to ask this very question. The Mythical Sect Leader had left behind those words as he was dying.

"I heard you said that if I don't die, the murim will be destroyed?"

When she had said that, she never imagined a situation like this would unfold. That was a time when she had not expected Geom Mugeuk to intervene. In fact, the person who had told her this was Hwa Domyeong.

That sly man was probably watching this situation from a safe distance. Would he really just watch if Baek Jagang tried to kill her? Or would he step in to save her?

"Isn't that a question I should be asking you?"

Baek Jagang's gaze sharpened, but she calmly said what she had to say.

"Do you intend to destroy the murim?"

A brief silence fell between them. Baek Jagang had never expected to be asked this question by this woman.

Was that why? Baek Jagang took her bait.

"What if I do?"

She had not thrown that question to provoke Baek Jagang. It was quite the opposite.

"If you were that kind of person, you wouldn't have come to me and asked such a thing," Cha Yiran calmly continued. "They probably said that to persuade me. There's no better justification for killing someone, after all."

Finally, Baek Jagang asked the decisive question.

"Are you still planning to kill me?"

This answer did not come quickly. After a moment, she replied.

"Yes. I've already accepted the contract."

The hairs on his neck did not stand up, so he knew she was speaking her heart. Her courage was commendable, but that was no reason for forgiveness.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you."

Cha Yiran sighed and said, "I don't think there is one."

The grim reaper, who had only been asking questions, finally delivered his verdict.

"Then die!"

His hand grasped the hilt of his sword.

Watching him, Cha Yiran was reminded of the moment Geom Mugeuk had been about to draw his sword. The tension was even greater now. Geom Mugeuk had not drawn his weapon, but this Baek Jagang certainly would. And he would certainly kill her.

Cha Yiran raised her inner arts. Could she really defeat the Evil Alliance Chairman in a direct confrontation? It was highly unlikely.

Hwa Domyeong, are you just going to watch? If I die, this job will be a failure too.

But Hwa Domyeong did not appear.

Right, you were just a spectator.

She sensed that her final moment had come. In truth, she was not afraid of death. Rather, it was a moment she had been waiting for for some time. The Evil Alliance Chairman was her final contract. There could be no better person to grant her an end. Her only regret was that her subordinates would all die with her.

"My subordinates…"

Before she could even ask him to spare them, Baek Jagang cut her off.

"I am not one to leave future troubles behind. So why would I leave assassins as a future problem?"

A colossal energy flowed from Baek Jagang's body, spreading in all directions. She had never felt such a powerful pressure. It was as if a great, chained beast had been unleashed and was roaring at the sky.

Facing that pressure, Cha Yiran pushed her inner arts to their limit. She did not fear death, but she was not one to give up her life easily either. She took out a throwing knife. The sharply gleaming blade resembled her gaze.

The First Bridge and the other assassins, who had been watching from a distance, all launched themselves forward. They landed around the two and drew their hidden weapons. Faced with Baek Jagang's powerful pressure, they all foresaw their deaths, but not a single woman fled in fear.

SHIIING.

It was the very moment Baek Jagang's sword was being drawn.

SWOOSH.

Someone flew in as fast as light and landed between the two. It was none other than Geom Mugeuk, who had rushed over using the Swift Step.

Cha Yiran was startled by his appearance. She had not expected Geom Mugeuk to appear at this moment. Not only her, but the assassins around her were also surprised.

Baek Jagang's sword was not yet fully drawn.

"Thankfully, you haven't drawn your sword completely!"

At Geom Mugeuk's relief, Baek Jagang asked, "Did you rush here, so out of breath, because you were afraid I would kill this woman?"

Geom Mugeuk let out a sigh of relief and answered curtly.

"……"

It was a single-word answer, but a flicker of emotion crossed Cha Yiran's face. Hwa Domyeong, who called himself a friend, had not stepped forward, yet Geom Mugeuk, her enemy, had intervened for her sake.

Geom Mugeuk looked at Baek Jagang. In Baek Jagang's small eyes, Geom Mugeuk read a certain intention.

[Don't tell me. Did you know I was watching?]

At Geom Mugeuk's telepathy, the corner of Baek Jagang's mouth lifted slightly. His meaningful expression seemed to say, As expected, you understand my intentions.

Geom Mugeuk now knew for sure. Baek Jagang had noticed him watching from afar and had deliberately drawn his sword. He probably had no intention of killing her from the start. He had originally planned to just ask what he was curious about and leave. The reason he was about to draw his sword was to make her owe him her life.

He even let all her subordinates step forward so that he could save all of their lives as well. Right, he was not so rash as to recklessly interfere and kill her when he had entrusted her to Geom Mugeuk. If he were to kill her, he would do it in Geom Mugeuk's presence.

[Thank you so much, Chairman.]

Then, Baek Jagang also replied with telepathy. Geom Mugeuk's guess was indeed correct.

[Will this be enough to help?]

[Yes, enough to change the entire game.]

[Then it is settled.]

Now, no longer using telepathy, he made a request to Baek Jagang loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Please forgive her just this once, for my sake."

"The woman who says she will kill me?"

"Please bear with it just once, for my sake."

Baek Jagang seemed to ponder for a moment. Then he slowly released his hand from the sword's hilt.

"Let's consider the debt I owed you from last time repaid with this."

In fact, saying it this way was a more certain way to place her in his debt.

"Yes, thank you for your magnanimity."

Geom Mugeuk bowed his head in greeting and sent Baek Jagang a telepathic message.

[You are truly magnificent!]

[More so than your father?]

…

[Save your praise for that day.]

After once again reminding him who his rival in his heart was, Baek Jagang strode away from the place. He did not spare a single glance for Cha Yiran and her assassins, as if to say, she's all yours now.

Geom Mugeuk silently watched his retreating back. Today, his black martial arts uniform looked particularly splendid. Cha Yiran here was an assassin trying to kill him. For him, who hated to leave future troubles, to concede this much was a huge gesture.

I will be sure to repay this favor.

Once Baek Jagang was completely gone, the taut tension among the assassins dissipated. Just a moment ago, they thought they would die at the hands of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, and now they had nearly died at the hands of the Evil Alliance Chairman.

At a command from Cha Yiran's eyes, the First Bridge led the assassins to retreat to a distance. Before leaving, they glanced at Geom Mugeuk. It was not what Geom Mugeuk had intended, but thanks to the Evil Alliance Chairman, he had become the benefactor who saved their lives.

Cha Yiran looked at Geom Mugeuk with an uncomprehending gaze.

"Why did you save me? If I died, everything would have been settled cleanly. You wouldn't even have had to bloody your own hands."

Only then did Geom Mugeuk look at Cha Yiran. She stood there, covered in dust.

"In the end, you'll have to wear the clothes I picked out for you."

She had chosen different clothes at the shop, not the ones Geom Mugeuk had picked. Now that her clothes were ruined, he was joking that she would have to buy and wear the ones he had chosen.

Cha Yiran's eyes trembled slightly. How could he do this, knowing she was trying to kill him?

"Ugh, all this dust."

Geom Mugeuk waved his hand at the dust that had risen from the clash of pressures and killing intent.

"Let's take a walk."

The ruined place was not suitable for conversation, so the two slowly made their way toward the rear garden. There was a small flower garden in the back.

"You must have been very tense. Please, have a seat."

Geom Mugeuk sat down first on a wide rock placed in front of the flower garden. Cha Yiran also sat down next to him. The two looked at the flowers for a moment. As if mocking the urgency of a moment ago, the flowers swayed in the wind, indifferent to the affairs of the world.

"By the way, there's someone I need to ask you about."

"Who might that be?"

"A man with a painted face appeared before the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman."

For a moment, Cha Yiran's expression hardened slightly. She had not known about that.

"He left a message, saying that if the Evil Alliance Chairman isn't killed, the murim will be destroyed."

Hwa Domyeong had done that, yet he had not said anything of the sort when he met her. He clearly had some ulterior motive. She had not told Baek Jagang, but she told Geom Mugeuk about him, even though he always belittled himself as a mere spectator.

"He's an important person in the organization."

And so, she added one more thing.

"It's best not to touch that person."

Geom Mugeuk glanced at her and said, "Then do you think it's okay to touch me?"

Faced with Geom Mugeuk's deep, abyss-like gaze, Cha Yiran could not say a word.

But soon, Geom Mugeuk laughed as if it were a joke.

"A joke, it's a joke. I'll take your advice to heart. I should avoid scary guys in advance. I'm not the type to poke a bush where a snake is hiding with a stick. I also dislike people who go around stirring up trouble for no reason."

Cha Yiran asked again, "You still haven't answered. Why did you save me?"

"Didn't I tell you? That I like magnificent people."

Cha Yiran scoffed. She had already guessed the reason.

"Because if I'm alive, there's a greater chance I'll help that person leave him."

Sensing an opportunity, Cha Yiran conveyed her honest feelings.

"It doesn't feel good. It feels like I'm just a tool or a sacrificial lamb for that person."

Then, an unexpected response came from Geom Mugeuk.

"Aren't you living as a tool and a sacrificial lamb right now?"

Struck to the core, Cha Yiran's expression hardened slightly. Geom Mugeuk paid no mind to her reaction and continued with what he wanted to say.

"If you have to be one anyway, isn't it better to be a tool and a sacrificial lamb for someone you like?"

"What do you know about me?"

"I know enough. You have your habits when you drink. And you don't even know what clothes suit you."

Cha Yiran ended up laughing. There was probably no one else in the world like this Young Cult Leader, who could make a person laugh while saying something as unpleasant as calling her a tool and a sacrificial lamb.

"And you care for your subordinates immensely."

"Why do you think I care for my subordinates?"

There was a clear reason he thought so.

"Because I heard your subordinates don't commit suicide even if they fail a mission and are captured."

She truly thought the Young Cult Leader was brilliant. This opponent really missed nothing. And he went even further.

"That principle of not committing suicide, does it apply to you as well if you fail?"

He poked at an unexpected point like this.

"What if it does?"

"Let's make a promise."

The promise Geom Mugeuk was about to propose was something she had never imagined.

"If I stop your assassination attempt, you will accept a contract from me."

"!"

He was telling her to leave them and join hands with him. It was different from the suggestion of helping her leave him. It was an offer to give her a chance even after she failed her assassination. In this way, Geom Mugeuk took another step closer to her.

"Are you saying you'll spare the person who was just trying to kill you?"

"That's right."

"Are you a fool? Or do you think I'm foolish enough to believe that?"

But she could feel it. Geom Mugeuk was saying it with all his heart. It truly seemed like that Geom Mugeuk would smile brightly at her, the failed assassin, and say something like, Now, let's join hands as promised! With no hard feelings whatsoever.

"What if I succeed in the assassination?"

Geom Mugeuk lifted his head and looked up at the sky. The clouds, seeming to scatter and connect, slowly moved as the wind guided them.

As if this too was his true heart, Geom Mugeuk answered calmly.

"I'll go to hell first and wait for you."