Chapter 219: To Avoid Ending Up Like This
Chapter 219: To Avoid Ending Up Like This
Watching the fake Ji-saeng force himself to swallow the poison, Daeho felt a secret sense of relief.
One more person had been reduced to the same wretched state as him.
He’s treating a subordinate of Ya Yul-han, the second-in-command of the Unorthodox Path Alliance, like this?
It was a sight he could hardly believe, even as he watched it unfold. Naturally, curiosity followed. Just who were these people?
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to the fake Ji-saeng.
“If you don’t take the antidote every day, your internal organs will melt, and you’ll die. You’ll likely experience the greatest pain a human can endure. So, if you want to scream, go ahead and try.”
Geom Mu-geuk released the man’s Mute Acupoint. However, the fake Ji-saeng’s mouth remained clamped shut like a clam. He was so shocked and bewildered that his mind had gone completely blank. He was consumed by the same thought as Daeho.
Just who are these people to do this to me?
In the next moment, a thought flashed through his mind.
Wait! Could this be a loyalty test?
Thinking about it, it seemed possible. They would torture him and demand he leak the Alliance’s secrets just to test his devotion. But then, his gaze shifted to his four subordinates, lying coldly dead on the floor.
Would they go as far as sacrificing them just for a test?
That was impossible. Then why?
Just then, Geom Mu-geuk approached and held out a box he hadn't expected.
“Open it.”
When the fake Ji-saeng opened the box, he found three top-quality Night-shining Pearls inside. These were the same pearls Geom Mu-geuk had received after saving the Golden Manor Lord, his daughter, and his grandson.
The fake Ji-saeng couldn't understand the situation at all.
“Take these to the real Ji-saeng,” Geom Mu-geuk said. “I know your coachman is the real one.”
The fake Ji-saeng was too stunned to speak.
“You were trying to kill us and steal these, weren't you?”
That was true, but he never imagined he would receive them like this.
“Either deliver these as we tell you, or reveal everything that happened here while handing them over. The choice is yours.”
“Why are you doing this?” the fake Ji-saeng stammered. Why was he being given a choice?
“Know this before you choose. There is no antidote for the poison you swallowed anywhere else. Only that man over there has it.”
The Poison King was merely sitting in his original spot, lazily fanning himself. He didn't pay the slightest bit of attention to what was happening.
“Oh, and one more thing. Think about how your master will react if you reveal the truth. Will he really risk everything to come find us and negotiate to save you? He’ll realize he’d not only have to return these three Night-shining Pearls but give up other things as well.”
The fake Ji-saeng’s expression remained frozen. He knew better than anyone what choice the real Ji-saeng would make.
“Die for your loyalty, or live by giving him the pearls. I’m not telling you to kill him. Just give him the pearls.”
“Are you... not trying to harm the master?”
“Wouldn't that be better for you? The higher-ups would likely put you in his place.”
The fake Ji-saeng’s eyes widened. It would be a lie to say he had never thought of such a situation before. Perhaps because the opportunity came in the worst possible circumstances, the words sounded even more tempting.
“Do your thinking on the way back.”
Geom Mu-geuk didn't give him any more time.
They’re letting me live? They’re giving the pearls to the master? Why?
In his panicked state, his mind wouldn't function properly. The fake Ji-saeng was practically chased out of the building. He walked toward the carriage in the yard, where the real Ji-saeng was sitting on the driver's seat as usual, blankly staring up at the night sky.
The fake Ji-saeng climbed into the carriage.
“Let’s go!”
The carriage started moving. The real Ji-saeng didn't care that the direct subordinates who usually followed them were nowhere to be seen. He assumed they had stayed behind to dispose of the corpses of the Iron Sword Four Tigers.
The real Ji-saeng sent a Voice Transmission.
— How did it go?
— It has been settled.
The fake Ji-saeng handed the box through the small window connected to the driver's seat.
He knew his master. The real Ji-saeng was not the kind of person who would ever suffer a financial loss to save a subordinate. Even if he worked under him for a hundred years, that was an unchangeable truth.
The Ji-saeng on the driver's seat opened the box containing the Night-shining Pearls and broke into a bright smile. It looked as if his eyes were being sucked into the pearls.
Even at this moment, the fake Ji-saeng was agonizing.
What is their intention?
To just give away the Night-shining Pearls like this? Why?
But the moment he uttered the words that it had been settled, the matter became irreversible. Even if he revealed the truth later, he would be killed simply for having harbored the thought of betrayal for even a moment.
And so, carrying the conflicting hearts of the two Ji-saengs, the carriage returned to their residence.
*
There were moments when Ji-saeng reverted from a coachman back to his true self. It was like that when he met Ya Yul-han, and it was like that right now.
In a secret location prepared beneath the stable—a space of about ten pyeong—lay everything he owned. There was a small chair in the center of the room, and dozens of top-quality Night-shining Pearls were displayed on shelves all around.
This was the fortune he had gathered over a lifetime.
Ji-saeng added the three new pearls to his collection. His hands were trembling. One might think he’d be indifferent after amassing so much wealth, but he loved this moment far too much. With every pearl added, he felt the thrill of being alive. Nothing else gave him this much joy. Especially when he turned off the lamps and watched the pearls glow in the dark, he would sometimes let out a madman’s shriek.
For this joy, he had lived a ruthless life. Because he had to offer money to Ya Yul-han, he had to become even more vicious and cruel. Remorse? He didn't think he had ever felt it once. Whenever someone spoke of a guilty conscience, his first thought was always: Who told you to live like such a pathetic loser? If you feel wronged, you should have lived like this too.
As he was sinking into ecstatic joy, Ji-saeng sensed a presence behind him.
Startled, he turned around with lightning speed to find someone standing at the door. It was the fake Ji-saeng.
Only now did the subordinate understand why they had given the Night-shining Pearls to the real Ji-saeng. They had aimed for the moment he brought those pearls here—to find out where this secret vault was. How on earth did they know he was collecting Night-shining Pearls?
The real Ji-saeng was equally shocked. No one could have guessed this secret space existed beneath the old, shabby stable. Who in the world would imagine treasures were hidden in such a place? Furthermore, to enter, one had to operate secret mechanisms hidden throughout the stable in the correct sequence.
Ji-saeng had checked his surroundings multiple times before entering. There had definitely been no one. With that fake’s skills, he shouldn't have been able to approach so closely—unless someone had the night vision of a beast.
Damn it! Curse it all!
He was swept by a wave of self-reproach, realizing he had grown complacent because nothing had happened for so many years. Regardless, one thing was certain: Betrayal.
Swish!
A dagger flew from Ji-saeng’s hand in a surprise attack. He was a master of the Flying Dagger Technique. Because he didn't need to carry a sword or a blade, it had been easy for him to maintain his cover as a coachman.
The dagger, aimed at the fake Ji-saeng’s throat, stopped in mid-air. Someone had reached out from behind the subordinate and caught the flying blade. It was Geom Mu-geuk.
Rage surged within the fake Ji-saeng. He had been loyal to this man for over a decade, yet Ji-saeng had thrown a dagger without even a single question. He should have at least asked why he betrayed him before trying to kill him.
Geom Mu-geuk revealed himself from behind the fake Ji-saeng, followed by Seo Dae-ryong and Daeho.
“You bastards!”
Seeing Daeho, Ji-saeng mistakenly thought the intruders were the Iron Sword Four Tigers. In this situation, it was the only logical conclusion—that this fake and the Iron Sword Four Tigers had conspired to steal his fortune.
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
More daggers flew from his hands. However, his daggers, which boasted a hundred-percent accuracy, were all caught by Geom Mu-geuk’s bare hands.
Ji-saeng was horrified. These were not attacks that the likes of the Iron Sword Four Tigers could block.
Geom Mu-geuk didn't give him a chance to throw another. Closing the distance with the Underworld King Step, he suppressed Ji-saeng’s Demonic Acupoints. In a flash, his body froze. Ji-saeng was overcome with terror as he looked at Geom Mu-geuk standing before him.
“You’re not the Iron Sword Four Tigers!”
“Of course not. How could the likes of them handle you?”
Geom Mu-geuk walked past him to inspect the shelves. “You’ve certainly collected a lot.”
“Who are you? I said, who are you?!”
When Geom Mu-geuk didn't answer, the sparks of Ji-saeng's anger flew toward his subordinate. “You pathetic piece of trash! You moron!”
The fake Ji-saeng shouted back, “I was loyal to you like a dog for fifteen years! And yet you throw a dagger without even asking why? You should have asked first! Asked if I was being threatened or dragged here, you... you son of a bitch!”
The relationship that had lasted over a decade shattered in an instant. Ji-saeng's dignity and composure as a master had also vanished.
“Because you shouldn't be here!” Ji-saeng roared.
“Why not? This is filthy wealth gathered by stealing, deceiving, and killing. Why can't I be in a place like this?!”
“Did I do those things? You were the one who committed them!”
“Listen to yourself!”
The two men shouted, the veins in their necks bulging.
“You pathetic fool,” Ji-saeng sneered. “Do you think they’ll let you live?”
“I’m going to take your place.”
“Do you think the Alliance is that naive? They won't let you live. With me dead, why would they bother leaving you behind to continue the work? They’ll just clean everything up and start fresh. Just like we’re starting a new Immortal’s Debt.”
The fake Ji-saeng couldn't find a rebuttal. Ji-saeng had dragged out the fear he had tried so hard to ignore.
“In the end, I’m being devoured,” Ji-saeng lamented. “I was so careful to avoid ending up like this.”
At Ji-saeng’s lament, Geom Mu-geuk finally stepped in. “If you were truly anxious, you should have reduced your greed instead of increasing your caution.”
Geom Mu-geuk fired a series of Finger Winds. Now, even the fake Ji-saeng and Daeho had their Demonic and Mute Acupoints suppressed. It was a signal for everyone to shut up and listen.
“This is what’s going to happen here today. You hired the Iron Sword Four Tigers for the Immortal’s Debt. But these guys betrayed you. They were after your fortune from the start.”
Geom Mu-geuk looked back and forth between Ji-saeng and Daeho.
“Of course, there’s a difference in martial arts between you. But that problem can be solved with this.”
Geom Mu-geuk opened a small bottle right under Ji-saeng’s nose.
Sssss.
The smoke from the bottle was forced into Ji-saeng’s nostrils.
“You were hit with Paralysis Powder. You know it, right? It’s something you Unorthodox types use often. It’s also a poison that remains in the body during an autopsy. Poisoned, you stumble and collapse.”
Geom Mu-geuk moved the paralyzed man like a puppet.
“At this moment, Daeho stabs you in the back.”
Seo Dae-ryong similarly moved Daeho’s body. After placing a sword in Daeho’s hand, he forced the motion. Daeho’s sword pierced Ji-saeng’s back. Ji-saeng’s expression twisted in agony, but since his Mute Acupoint was suppressed, he couldn't even let out a scream.
“You were poisoned and stabbed, but you’re not one to just take it. You counterattack by throwing a dagger.”
This time, Geom Mu-geuk took a dagger from Ji-saeng’s robes and threw it. The dagger plunged accurately into Daeho’s heart. He died instantly and collapsed.
“You succeeded in killing Daeho, but the wound in your back was fatal. In the end, you collapse here and meet your death—while watching someone steal the fortune you spent your whole life amassing.”
As if on cue, Seo Dae-ryong began packing all the Night-shining Pearls into a sack he had brought.
“This must be something you hate more than dying, right?”
Ji-saeng’s eyes were bloodshot. He tried desperately to shake his head, pleading with them not to do it.
“Everyone was robbed by you like this,” Geom Mu-geuk said coldly. This wouldn't settle the grudges of the countless young people who had suffered because of the Immortal’s Debt, but they intended to inflict the maximum possible agony.
“Ya Yul-han will send people to investigate your death. Eventually, it will be revealed that the culprits were the Iron Sword Four Tigers. There will be testimony from subordinates that you intended to hire them, and I’ll leave Daeho’s body here as proof.”
Ji-saeng looked like he had much to say, but Geom Mu-geuk did not release his Mute Acupoint.
“We’re taking everything you gathered your whole life. We’ll put it to good use in your stead! Thanks!”
Ji-saeng’s entire body trembled. As he lay dying, he was filled only with rage and a sense of injustice. Geom Mu-geuk wanted him to die exactly like that.
Now, Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze turned toward the fake Ji-saeng. The man was staring at Geom Mu-geuk with eyes that promised he would never leak today’s events. His face was full of hope that he might live—and the expectation that he might even become the real Ji-saeng.
But Geom Mu-geuk shattered that expectation.
“However, there’s one problem with this plan. The Unorthodox Path Alliance won't believe that Ji-saeng was taken down by the likes of the Iron Sword Four Tigers. So, we need a plausible mastermind. Someone who knows his identity, could poison him with Paralysis Powder, and could find out about the secret vault. What do you think? Mr. Right-Hand Man of fifteen years?”
Panic and rage bloomed on the fake Ji-saeng’s face. But the words that followed were even more despairing.
“Yes, that’s right. You will be the one who ran off with these Night-shining Pearls. And they will never find you.”
Geom Mu-geuk’s fist struck his chest. His insides were shattered in a single blow, killing him instantly. Geom Mu-geuk had never intended to let him live after all the atrocities he had committed. He would be buried where he could never be found.
The dying Ji-saeng looked at the fake Ji-saeng’s corpse and laughed, as if to say it served him right. His appearance, laughing while coughing up blood, was grotesque. But he was certainly not destined to die laughing.
Just then, Seo Dae-ryong, who had been waiting to one side after collecting all the pearls, let out a mock sigh.
“Is the end of a right-hand man always like this?”
“My right-hand man is smart, so I don't think he’d be caught like this.”
“If you keep saying such pleasant things, I won't be able to quit being this dangerously placed right-hand man, will I?”
“Everyone gets caught like this because they fall for those words.”
After joking, Seo Dae-ryong approached the dying Ji-saeng. “But why did you keep looking over there? Even while you were busy dying?”
Ji-saeng was momentarily flustered. He coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“Now that’s really suspicious.”
If he had just glanced, they might not have thought much of it. But Ji-saeng had stared at the wall with such a lingering, regretful gaze. It just so happened that Seo Dae-ryong had caught it.
Geom Mu-geuk and Seo Dae-ryong nodded to each other and began inspecting the wall. The moment Geom Mu-geuk’s fingertips caught on a hidden groove, a crisp metallic click echoed through the vault.
In an instant, Ji-saeng felt a despair as if the heavens were collapsing. It was a greater despair than when he had lost the Night-shining Pearls earlier. Though no words came out, his mouth was desperately forming the words:
Not that. Anything but that.
Rumble.
The floor in front of the wall opened, and something began to rise.