Chapter 173: It Doesn't Matter Who I Am
Chapter 173: It Doesn't Matter Who I Am
Jin Ha-ryeong couldn't wrap her head around what was happening.
It was the first time in her life she had experienced such transcendent speed. The world blurred into an indistinguishable smear of colors, rushing past so quickly she couldn't even keep her eyes open. Every breath was a struggle against the sheer pressure of the wind.
How on earth can he run like this without crashing into anything?
It was astonishing, even wondrous. At the same time, a strange sense of exhilaration bubbled up within her.
This man was such a master?
To possess the level of internal cultivation required to manifest this kind of lightness skill meant he stood at an unimaginable realm.
He’s no ordinary attendant.
She wasn't sure if this was an appropriate time for joy, but she couldn't help it. It felt as though the insurmountable wall that had stood between them—the gap in their social status—had suddenly vanished.
When Geom Mu-geuk, who had been sprinting at that insane velocity, finally came to a halt, she managed to speak.
"……Put me down for a second."
After sliding off his back, Jin Ha-ryeong staggered before sinking to the ground. It took several deep, ragged breaths before her racing heart finally began to settle.
"What are you? Did you learn lightness skills before you could even walk?"
Geom Mu-geuk was staring into the distance with a faint smile. Her gaze naturally followed his, and in that moment, Jin Ha-ryeong gasped.
She had thought he stopped to let her rest, but that wasn't it at all.
In the distance, she saw a familiar figure running. It was her grandfather, who had dashed off long before them.
He caught up to Grandfather!
She realized the only reason Mu-geuk had stopped was to avoid overtaking him.
Is he actually faster than Grandfather?
She almost screamed in shock. She had always believed her grandfather was the greatest master under heaven. Though some claimed the Heavenly Demon was stronger, she had always maintained that her grandfather would prevail.
Yet, this man had caught up to him. Her grandfather was running with the assailant tucked under his arm, and Mu-geuk was running with her on his back. To match that pace under similar conditions?
It was a shame to ask such a cliché question, but it was the only thing her mind could formulate.
"Who are you, really?"
Geom Mu-geuk replied simply.
"Geom Yeon. A man who will vanish like smoke once the job is done."
"Fine, if you're going to vanish like smoke, at least tell me the truth before you go. Who are you? Now that you've revealed your skills, didn't you intend to reveal your identity too?"
Geom Mu-geuk finally released his aura. It was on a completely different level from the presence he had maintained until now. In that instant, a vivid image flashed through her mind.
She saw a vast, clear sky. The endlessly unfolding heavens were so wide and blue they felt infinite.
Enchanted by that beauty, she reached out her hand.
Splash!
She soon realized it was merely the sky reflected in the surface of a lake.
As she dipped her hand into the water, her body slowly began to sink. She had thought the water was shallow, but it was bottomless. Looking down, she couldn't see the floor. What lay in those dark depths? The moment fear gripped her, the mental image shattered, and she returned to reality.
Then, a single sentence reached her ears.
"Geom Mu-geuk. Second son of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Leader."
Jin Ha-ryeong stood dazed, her mind blank.
What? Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? The Leader? His son?
At first, she thought she had misheard. But which part could she have possibly mistaken? The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? The Leader? The son?
"I... I misheard you. Which sect did you say?"
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"I must have misheard again. Where?"
"The place your people call the Demonic Cult. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
Like someone waking from a nightmare, Jin Ha-ryeong’s eyes grew wider and wider. Just as Mu-geuk was wondering if it was physically possible for her eyes to get any larger, she drew her sword and leaped back.
Her blade trembled as she pointed it at him.
"I can tolerate any other joke, but you do not jest about the Demonic Cult!"
The Rising Stars of the Murim Alliance were raised on stories of the Cult. To them, the Demonic Cult was a source of primal fear—a horde of evil and the very reason they dedicated their lives to martial arts.
To have him claim to be the son of the Heavenly Demon... how could she not be horrified?
The sword in her hand shook violently. It was the first time in her life she had felt such a paralyzing mix of shock and terror. In contrast, Geom Mu-geuk stood at the tip of her blade with absolute composure. His aura was as clear and quiet as that sky, yet as deep as that ocean.
Then, a sudden thought occurred to her.
"Does Grandfather know who you are?"
"He knows."
She couldn't understand. If this man was the Second Young Master of the Demonic Cult, there was no way her grandfather would have left her alone with him.
"At the very least, he trusts that I am not someone who would harm you. So, put that sword down."
She slowly lowered her weapon. The terror that had gripped her a moment ago began to ebb, calmed by the knowledge that her grandfather was aware of the truth.
Geom Mu-geuk began to explain.
"A mysterious power called the Heavenly Mandate Society has appeared in the Murim. While tracking them, I discovered evidence that they intended to recruit you during this Young Dragon Tournament. Afterward, I revealed my identity to the Alliance Leader, and we have been pursuing the mastermind together. If it weren't for his granddaughter being involved, the Alliance Leader likely wouldn't have stepped out personally—especially not alongside the Second Young Master of the Demonic Cult."
She processed the situation immediately.
"The Alliance Leader wished for me to keep my identity hidden until the very end. But I decided against it."
"Why?"
"Because that would be disrespectful to you. And because I believe nothing will change just because you know who I am. Whether I'm an attendant or the Second Young Master of the Heavenly Demon... it doesn't change anything."
"How can you say nothing changes? The only thing those two have in common is that they're both men! Everything else is worlds apart!"
"Is that so?"
Geom Mu-geuk chuckled. After staring at him with an incredulous expression, Jin Ha-ryeong eventually found herself laughing along.
The barrier of 'attendant' status had vanished, only to be replaced by a new one: 'Successor of the Demonic Cult.' The previous line could have been crossed with effort, but this new one was so high and perilous that a single misstep could trigger a Great Demonic-Orthodox War.
"If you're upset, let it go."
"I can't. How can I let it go after you gave me such a fright? I'm going to hold onto this forever."
Contrary to her words, she wasn't actually that angry. Rather, she felt a strange sense of excitement at the fact that her companion was the Second Young Master of the Demonic Cult.
"Then, what did you mean back at Dongho Lake when you told me to become the Alliance Leader?"
"Exactly what I said. Get stronger, gain experience, and become the Leader. I thought you'd be good at it."
"And the friend of that Murim Alliance Leader would be the Heavenly Demon?"
"That would be nice, but things are quite grim on my side. I don't know if I'll even survive long enough to see you again."
Since it didn't sound like a joke, Jin Ha-ryeong found herself genuinely hoping he would stay alive. With that sentiment, she reached out her hand.
"Now that I know who you really are... let's have a proper introduction."
Geom Mu-geuk took her hand.
Jin Ha-ryeong gripped it tightly, then shook it playfully to mask her awkwardness.
"To think the day would come when I'd shake hands with the Second Young Master of the Demonic Cult."
"The feeling is mutual. Now, let's go. We need to move."
Geom Mu-geuk turned his back, offering her a ride once more.
She climbed onto his back, but her feelings were entirely different this time.
"I'll have to brag about this later. I'm going to tell everyone how I was carried on the Heavenly Demon's back in my youth—waaaaaaaaay!"
*
Cheol-gon was locked in a secret room.
Since the Alliance Leader himself had suppressed his acupoints, no one else could release them.
Sitting alone in the dark, he struggled to grasp the situation. This wasn't a coincidence. The Alliance Leader wouldn't have just happened to appear there.
He wasn't just escorting his granddaughter, either. If he were, the Heavenly Dragon Guardian Squad would have handled it.
It meant they knew about the ambush in advance. And the only person who could have leaked it was Jo Sin.
Just then, the door creaked open.
"You?"
Recognizing the person, Cheol-gon was startled. The man who entered was Geom Mu-geuk. He could tell just by the look in his eyes—this was not the cowardly attendant whose arm he had tried to sever.
"Ah!"
Cheol-gon let out a groan of realization. He assumed Geom Mu-geuk was a high-ranking subordinate of the Alliance Leader. Had the Leader moved personally to uproot the Heavenly Mandate Society? If so, the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place.
Geom Mu-geuk sat down across from him.
"I know you belong to the Heavenly Mandate Society."
Cheol-gon said nothing.
"Tell me who the Leader of the Heavenly Mandate Society is, and I'll spare your life."
Still, Cheol-gon remained silent. In his stoic figure, draped in a faint killing intent, Geom Mu-geuk felt the essence of the Heavenly Mandate Society. A group that remained silent even in the face of death—that was exactly the kind of organization they were.
"Right. Even if you wanted to speak, you probably don't know who the Leader is anyway."
In any case, Cheol-gon's usefulness had ended the moment Jo Sin saw him being captured by the Alliance Leader.
Then, for the first time, Cheol-gon spoke.
"Unseal my acupoints and let's settle this like men."
Cheol-gon's eyes blazed with murderous intent.
Slash! Thud!
In an instant, Geom Mu-geuk’s sword flew out and pierced his heart. Even if he had released the acupoints, the match would have been decided in a heartbeat, but Geom Mu-geuk didn't even grant him the chance.
He didn't have time to waste; Murim Alliance Leader Jin Pae-cheon was waiting outside.
As he stepped out of the room, Geom Mu-geuk spoke.
"You must not give these people any opportunities."
Jin Pae-cheon stared at Geom Mu-geuk in silence. He had no interest in Cheol-gon's death. What unsettled him was the cold, relentless efficiency of this young successor of the Demonic Cult.
"Now, you should arrest Jo Sin."
"He might have gone into hiding out of fear."
Geom Mu-geuk smiled thinly.
"He will come looking for me on his own."
*
It was exactly as Geom Mu-geuk predicted.
As Mu-geuk approached the inn, Jo Sin—wearing a bamboo hat pulled low—approached him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him into a dark alley.
"What happened?"
"That's what I should be asking you," Mu-geuk replied. "That man tried to cut off my arm. What on earth happened?"
"I was supposed to appear before he cut your arm! But the Alliance Leader showed up first. Why was he there?"
"How should I know?"
"You don't know?"
"Of course not. How would a mere attendant like me know what the Murim Alliance Leader is up to? Didn't the secret leak while you were handling things, Young Master Jo?"
It was a hard argument to refute. Jo Sin bit his lip. It was foolish to expect an attendant to know the movements of the Alliance Leader.
"So? What happened?"
"The man who tried to kill me was taken away by the Alliance Leader, and Miss Jin and I returned."
Jo Sin stared intently at Geom Mu-geuk before speaking coldly.
"You bastard... this is all because of you!"
Sshhh!
He lunged with the dagger he had intended to give Jin Ha-ryeong, aiming straight for Geom Mu-geuk’s throat.
However, his wrist was caught in a vice-like grip before he could even blink.
"You're right. It is because of me."
Tap, tap!
In an instant, Geom Mu-geuk struck his demonic and mute acupoints.
Jo Sin's eyes widened in pure shock.
A short while later, Jo Sin was dragged into the same secret room where Cheol-gon had died. Though the body had been removed, the metallic scent of blood still hung heavy in the air.
Jo Sin sat there, his face pale with terror.
He was utterly confused. The fact that the attendant was a greater master than himself was a shock he couldn't process.
Then the door opened, and Geom Mu-geuk walked in.
Jo Sin asked, his voice trembling.
"Who... who are you?"
"It doesn't matter who I am. Does it change anything if I'm the attendant you tried to cripple out of petty pride, or the man who knows about the Heavenly Mandate Society you joined hands with? What matters is the situation you're in right now."
Jo Sin felt it instinctively. This man was not from the Heavenly Mandate Society.
He's one of the Alliance Leader's secret agents!
That was the only conclusion Jo Sin could reach.
"The man who ambushed Jin Ha-ryeong has confessed everything."
At those words, Jo Sin's heart sank. That terrifying Cheol-gon had confessed so easily? And not even a few hours after being captured?
"What... what did he say?"
"That he tried to kidnap Jin Ha-ryeong on your orders."
Jo Sin shouted furiously.
"This was your plan! You set me up!"
"When did I ever?"
"What?"
Jo Sin's expression twisted in agony.
"Do you know that harming the Alliance Leader or his family is considered the gravest of crimes? If the guilt is proven, it's execution without exception."
At the mention of execution, Jo Sin was overcome with primal terror. He realized he had been led into a lethal trap.
"What do you want from me?"
Geom Mu-geuk, who had been staring at him with cold eyes, stood up.
"You look tired. Get some sleep."
Phut.
A streak of finger wind struck his sleeping acupoint.
Jo Sin slumped over, falling into a forced, deep sleep.
Outside the secret room, Jin Pae-cheon was waiting.
"The next step?"
"We must bait his father, Jo Yi-baek. Alliance Leader, please meet him and tell him that Jo Sin was recruited by an organization called the Heavenly Mandate Society and has been arrested for the attempted murder of Miss Jin."
Geom Mu-geuk was truly relentless.
"Then Jo Yi-baek will move. We will find out then whether he is the Leader of the Heavenly Mandate Society or merely a recruit. If he was recruited and didn't know his son was involved, he might feel betrayed and hand over the Leader to you. Of course, you'll have to give him a bit of breathing room to make that choice."
"And if he is the Leader of the Heavenly Mandate Society?"
"Then I believe he would even abandon his own child to save himself."
Listening to Geom Mu-geuk, the Murim Alliance Leader felt a chill.
If this man ever becomes the Heavenly Demon, the Orthodox Murim will face a dark age.
He felt that if the boy possessed this much drive and insight at such a young age, he would be absolutely unmanageable when he reached his prime. At this moment, Geom Mu-geuk felt like a more dangerous enemy than the Heavenly Mandate Society.
Unaware of those inner thoughts, Geom Mu-geuk made one final request.
"I have one favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"If we uncover the identity of the Heavenly Mandate Society's Leader, please leave the finishing blow to me. It's not just because of my trial; judging by his meticulousness, if we leave him alive, he's the type to plot even from within a dungeon. He will surely become a source of future trouble."
If handled by the Alliance, the Leader might be imprisoned for trial. Mu-geuk was advising against such mercy.
Since it wasn't an easy thing to promise in his position, Jin Pae-cheon remained silent.
With a look that said he understood the weight of the silence, Geom Mu-geuk added softly.
"I will sweep them all away and vanish quietly."