Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Chapter 356: I know who he is
Inside the carriage, the three of them were lost in their own thoughts.
First, Geom Mugeuk had his eyes closed, focusing on refining the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique. Over and over again. He never wasted even the smallest scraps of time.
There were times when, during martial arts training, one would feel something—an itch, a tickling sensation that stirred the body, a moment where it felt like a flower bud was about to bloom. That moment just before stepping into the next stage. That’s exactly how the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique felt right now.
‘We’ve gotten pretty close, haven’t we? Just one more step forward.’
Whether it understood his sentiments or not, the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique, on the verge of the perfect Twelfth Star, lingered just one step away, causing nothing but frustration.
Ironically, the one who had taken a step closer was staring absentmindedly out the window of the carriage, entertaining an entirely unrelated thought.
He was picturing himself dancing in front of a crowd.
He was someone who hated people who didn’t keep promises the most. If he tried to brush it off as a joke, Geom Mugeuk would probably nag him about it from time to time, but that didn’t mean he would be forced to dance.
Even so, he wanted to show Geom Mugeuk that he could keep a promise. That no matter how much he hated something, if he said he would do it, he would.
‘Of all the things I could have said… why did I have to say I’d dance?’
Though Bih Sa-in looked like he was deep in serious thought, he was agonizing over his impulsive promise. Meanwhile, sitting next to him, Monster Evil was thinking of Flash of Light, silently making a resolution.
‘I won’t ever let my guard down again.’
Humans, from the start, were never to be trusted. He had lived well under that rule, but maybe age had softened him for a moment.
That’s why he was also worried about Bih Sa-in. Because he could feel Bih Sa-in putting his trust in Geom Mugeuk.
‘Young Alliance Leader, if you trust someone carelessly, you’ll end up regretting it deeply.’
He himself had been fooled by someone who spoke too little, while Bih Sa-in was being played by someone who talked way too much.
But he didn’t share those thoughts with Bih Sa-in. He wasn’t the kind of person to say those things to someone. This was just the way he was.
Still, he found himself quietly paying attention to the relationship between Geom Mugeuk and Bih Sa-in. He did owe Geom Mugeuk a debt of life. And he still had a connection to the Unorthodox Alliance, with martial arts he was yet to receive.
Then, with his eyes still closed, Geom Mugeuk spoke.
“So what do you plan to do now?”
Bih Sa-in turned his gaze to Geom Mugeuk. Once again, Geom Mugeuk had asked for his opinion first. In the past, he would’ve just accepted it without a thought, but now he could clearly see—it was Geom Mugeuk’s way of being considerate.
He must have a better plan in mind, yet he still asked. Knowing just how smart Geom Mugeuk was, Bih Sa-in also understood that such constant consideration must be all the more difficult for someone like him.
“He tried to kill me, so I’ll kill him too.”
All that remained now was a fight to the death.
The only issue was Hwang Seokgyeong’s skill. Flash of Light, one of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Alliance, had fought him, lost, and even came to venerate him for his ability.
But still, asking Geom Mugeuk to kill him on his behalf—that was something Bih Sa-in couldn’t do. It wasn’t a matter of pride. There was no guarantee of victory, and involving Geom Mugeuk could put him in danger. That was not something he wanted.
And more importantly, this was still a matter of the Unorthodox Alliance.
‘How should I resolve this?’
He had sought help by reaching out to Flash of Light and Monster Evil, but now only Monster Evil remained. And he alone wasn’t enough.
He thought about which other masters within the Unorthodox Alliance might be able to help.
The problem was, any one of them could have already sided with Hwang Seokgyeong. Since even Flash of Light had been recruited, there was no longer anything surprising about anyone else being drawn in.
“I want to deal with everyone who sided with him as well. I’ve been trying to figure out how to identify them.”
Not wanting to ask Geom Mugeuk just yet for a solution, Bih Sa-in turned to Monster Evil with respectful sincerity.
“Senior, I would like to ask for your insight. Is there a way to root them out?”
It would’ve been nice if he could respond with some clever plan and show that old ginger was indeed the spiciest—but no such method came to Monster Evil’s mind. 1
“Let the young folks handle the thinking. I’ll be the first in line when it’s time to beat that bastard to a pulp.”
Monster Evil clenched his fist. The Energy Dispersing Poison had long worn off, but the unpleasant feeling it left still lingered. He wouldn’t let go of the bastard who had drawn Flash of Light in. He had always repaid those who harmed him with a hundredfold vengeance.
“I’ll think it over more carefully.”
Bih Sa-in turned his head to look out the window. His heart was anxious and unsettled. If someone had tried to kill him, then it was possible they might try to assassinate the Alliance Leader too. Of course, the Alliance Leader he knew wasn’t someone who’d easily fall to any sneak attack—but the enemy wasn’t just some ordinary group either.
Then, Geom Mugeuk asked Bih Sa-in in a pressing tone.
“Why don’t you ask me how to handle it?”
Because he felt bad. He had just received a debt of life, and asking again so soon would be shameless.
“Seems like you don’t want to see the stars or the clouds anymore.”
It was a joke—saying he didn’t want to be dragged along by Geom Mugeuk anymore.
“If you don’t want to, then don’t. I had a pretty good idea in mind.”
Geom Mugeuk closed his eyes again.
Even after waiting a while, Bih Sa-in didn’t say a word. So Geom Mugeuk opened his eyes again. Bih Sa-in was still silently staring out the window.
“No, I’m telling you—I had a good idea!”
“I heard you earlier.”
“You’re not going to ask?”
“I’m not going to ask.”
“I want to act smart! Please, give me a chance!”
A faint smile appeared on Bih Sa-in’s lips as he looked out the window. This was exactly the kind of person Geom Mugeuk was. He had every right to show off, but instead, he humbled himself. Bih Sa-in realized something all over again—that true self-esteem never flaunted itself.
“I don’t want to! I hate seeing you pretend to be clever.”
“Just this once. Please hear me out.”
“Fine. Let’s hear it.”
“Up until now, Hwang Seokgyeong probably hasn’t met with any of his collaborators. He assumes you’re still watching him.”
“That sounds right.”
Then Geom Mugeuk made an unexpected suggestion.
“What if you were dead?”
“!”
Bih Sa-in wasn’t the only one shocked. Monster Evil, who had been listening too, was also taken aback.
Bih Sa-in quickly grasped Geom Mugeuk’s intention.
“You’re saying we should deceive Hwang Seokgyeong into thinking I’m dead?”
Geom Mugeuk nodded.
“If he thinks you’re dead, he’ll definitely make contact with his accomplices. They’ll need to discuss what happens next.”
It was indeed a convincing plan. It was all about exploiting that moment of carelessness when an obstacle disappears.
“But shouldn’t we inform the Alliance Leader?”
“That’s for you to decide.”
Bih Sa-in fell into brief contemplation.
To inform the Alliance Leader would mean his direct involvement from here on out.
He had hoped to resolve this all on his own to the very end.
But the enemy was simply much too powerful and deeply entrenched—perhaps it was finally time to seek the Alliance Leader’s help.
One concern, though, was that once things were coordinated, reactions might not be as natural.
On the other hand, what would happen if they proceeded without informing him?
He couldn’t predict what kind of reaction would come. Especially from the Unorthodox Alliance Leader—what if he didn’t seem saddened at all by Bih Sa-in’s death? Such thoughts were petty, yet they surfaced. Even when the fate of the Unorthodox Alliance was at stake, he found himself worrying first about his own feelings getting hurt. 2
“He might go and appoint a new Young Alliance Leader.”
It seemed unlikely, but it was something the Alliance Leader could very well do.
“Use this chance to find out who’s next in line after you.”
Half-joking, half-serious, Geom Mugeuk’s remark brought a soft smile to Bih Sa-in’s face.
After some thought, Bih Sa-in came to a decision.
“I’ll inform the Alliance Leader and proceed from there.”
But there was a specific reason behind that choice.
“If I go missing, Il-rang will be summoned to the Alliance Leader’s Hall.”
“And he’ll talk about me?”
Bih Sa-in shook his head.
“That’s precisely why I can’t not inform the Alliance Leader. Il-rang will never reveal my secrets.”
He had absolute faith in Il-rang’s loyalty. Even if the Unorthodox Alliance Leader himself asked, Il-rang would keep that secret.
“I cannot let him lie to the Alliance Leader.”
Reporting a falsehood to the Alliance Leader—regardless of the reason—was a grave offense.
Geom Mugeuk smiled.
“Your care for your subordinate is admirable.”
“Spare me the flattery and let me ask one favor. Please keep an eye on Hwang Seokgyeong. It’s my job, but as you can see, I’m a dead man now.”
Considering the level of martial arts the opponent possessed, it wasn’t something just anyone could do. That’s why he was asking Geom Mugeuk. He didn’t want to ask—but he had no choice. Right now, the one he could trust most was Geom Mugeuk.
“Alright, let’s do that.”
And what did Bih Sa-in think as he watched Geom Mugeuk agree so readily?
That one day, he might just have to invite this man to the front row and dance for him. Because he didn’t want to become someone who broke a promise to a man like this. 3
* * *
—There are rumors circulating that the Young Alliance Leader is dead.
Even at Sahon’s startling report, the Battle King showed no reaction.
—The atmosphere in the Alliance Leader’s Hall is tense. The Blood Ant Troop has been deployed, and the Commander of the Evil Unit has been summoned inside.
The Blood Ant Troop, so named, was the Unorthodox Alliance’s elite force specializing in reconnaissance and investigation.
The Evil Unit was a direct-command organization under the Alliance Leader’s Hall, consisting solely of elites who followed the Unorthodox Alliance Leader’s orders.
—Is he really dead?
The Battle King slowly nodded. They said to leave him be and he would die—and the Young Alliance Leader had really died.
—How exactly was it handled?
Flash of Light had taken care of it using Energy Dispersing Poison. It was a task that couldn’t fail, even if one tried.
—Though we are investigating the truth behind the Young Alliance Leader’s death in the strictest secrecy, the matter itself has already caused disorder in the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
Flash of Light had planned to vanish and cut off contact after this, so no matter how deep the investigation went, the truth would remain buried.
—The Young Alliance Leader should have reported to the Unorthodox Alliance Leader earlier, but he made a foolish decision.
The Battle King did not agree with Sahon’s words. Had it been him, he would’ve handled it alone too. Of course, he wouldn’t have died like that. In any fight, he had never lost.
—Also, your contact has requested an audience.
—In this situation?
The Battle King tilted his head. Given the circumstances, he didn’t expect to receive any request for a meeting for a while. Still, the man was cautious—there must be a reason he asked.
—Tell him to meet me tonight.
—Yes, understood.
The death of the Young Alliance Leader was pushing the situation into a new phase.
* * *
That night at midnight, far from the Unorthodox Alliance’s main division, the Battle King stood in an open field.
It was an open terrain where no one could hide and watch from afar.
With hands clasped behind his back, he gazed up at the moon in the night sky.
There, a man appeared. Wearing a bamboo hat pulled low over his face, he slowly walked up and stood beside the Battle King.
“It’s been a long time, my lord.”
It was the voice of a middle-aged man. He referred to the Battle King as my lord, and from the calm steadiness of his tone, it was easy to infer the composed nature of the speaker.
“There’s no one around, so you can take it off.”
“I know your martial skills are second to none, my lord—but still, it’s best to be cautious.”
It was an act that, in other situations, might be considered disrespectful—one that showed a lack of trust in the Battle King's strength—but he didn’t take offense. The man before him was important enough to warrant such caution.
“What did you want to meet about?”
“I have one important piece of information to report.”
“Speak.”
An astonishing fact flowed from the mouth of the man in the bamboo hat.
“The Young Alliance Leader is alive.”
The unexpected statement made the Battle King’s face harden.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. The Young Alliance Leader made direct contact with the Alliance Leader through Il-rang.”
Amazingly, the man had detailed knowledge of what went on inside the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
Only then did the Battle King understand why he had been called to meet at such a critical moment.
‘Which means… Flash of Light is dead?’
There was no way the Flash of Light he knew would be defeated so easily—especially since he had planned to use Energy Dispersing Poison.
“Then why did the Young Alliance Leader pretend to be dead?”
Astonishingly, the man in the bamboo hat also understood Bih Sa-in’s intent with perfect clarity.
“He intends to use this to expose whoever is behind you, my lord.”
That could only mean one thing.
“Whoever it is, a highly intelligent and powerful master is helping the Young Alliance Leader.”
Then, after the bad news, came a piece of good news.
“I know who that person is.”
At last, the man removed his bamboo hat and revealed his identity—emphasizing just how important the next words would be.
In the moonlight, their eyes met. This was the man the Battle King had worked hardest to recruit.
The Battle King was a sharp man—smarter than most. But the one standing before him now was far more intelligent.
And the answer to how he came to know the highest-level secrets of the Alliance Leader’s Hall lay in his identity.
Unorthodox Alliance Deputy Strategist, Hyeok Sagun.
Amazingly, he was the Deputy Strategist of the Unorthodox Alliance. Ever since the Chief Strategist, Hwang Seoseong, had fallen ill two years ago from old age, it had been the Deputy Strategist who had been carrying out the responsibilities of the Chief. With the illness steadily worsening, it was only a matter of time before he was officially appointed to the position. 4
“The one helping the Young Alliance Leader is…”
The Battle King had already heard many shocking things today, but none as shocking as the next words from Hyeok Sagun.
“It’s the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, Geom Mugeuk.”
Hyeok Sagun knew everything.
But there was one fact he was unaware of.
He didn’t know that someone was watching him.
From a distance so great that even the Battle King’s level of martial arts couldn’t detect it, someone was watching his face clearly and precisely.
From a place where the two men appeared as small as ants, Geom Mugeuk was using the New Eye Technique.
The moment the man removed his bamboo hat, Geom Mugeuk saw his face clearly.
Geom Mugeuk didn’t know the appearances of all the masters of the Unorthodox Alliance. But this person—he knew who he was.
At the very least, he never imagined that this person would be colluding with the Battle King. Among all those within the Unorthodox Alliance, this man was the most difficult to deal with.
‘Damn it, the Battle King is working with Hyeok Sagun?!’
It was the moment when the identities of both Geom Mugeuk and Hyeok Sagun had been revealed—to each other.
1 : Not everyone can be Gu Cheonpa ^^
2 : It’s always important to have a feeling of belonging to the organization you swore loyalty to.
3 : Maybe do something like a sword dance.
4 : I assume the illness was provoked.