Chapter 230: What Was the First Decision That Came to Mind?
Chapter 230: What Was the First Decision That Came to Mind?
A sudden gust of wind swept past, signaling the arrival of a new destiny.
Countless thoughts flashed through Bi Sa-in’s mind. His first instinct was suspicion. What if this was all a ploy by the Demonic Cult to devour them?
But he quickly dismissed the thought. He might have doubted anyone else, but the Geom Mu-geuk he knew wasn't the type of man to stoop to such petty tricks.
“You don’t need to intervene directly,” Geom Mu-geuk said. “I only need you to do one thing.”
“And what is that?”
“Once I eliminate Ya Yul-han, I want you to take the credit for it.”
Bi Sa-in was stunned. He hadn't expected the favor to be something like that. “Why make such a request?”
“Naturally, because I have no desire to see a war break out between the Cult and your Alliance.”
A war between the Demonic Cult and the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
Bi Sa-in had imagined a war with the Murim Alliance, but he had never considered a total conflict with the Demonic Cult. In terms of raw power, the Unorthodox Path Alliance would be annihilated. Of course, the Demonic Cult would also suffer massive losses, and the Murim Alliance would never miss such an opportunity to strike them both.
Kill Ya Yul-han by borrowing the Demonic Cult's blade?
Rather than the satisfaction of a proxy kill, Bi Sa-in felt a lingering bitterness. The thought of leaving his arch-rival to someone else instead of executing the man with his own hands wounded his pride. If Ya Yul-han was to die, shouldn't he be the one to do it?
Hiding his true feelings, Bi Sa-in expressed hesitation for a different reason. “The Alliance Leader won’t believe that I was the one who killed him.”
“If it’s you, you can make him believe it. At the very least, you’ll be able to smooth things over.”
It wasn't just empty talk. Geom Mu-geuk truly believed in Bi Sa-in’s ability and potential.
After a brief silence, Bi Sa-in asked, “Can you actually eliminate Ya Yul-han?”
“That is for me to handle.”
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze turned toward the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Countless torches burned brightly in the distance, guarding the stronghold against the night.
“For people like you and me, taking over a place like that is no easy feat. Those who already occupy those seats hate change and do not trust us. Power cannot be won without effort. What is gained easily is lost just as easily.”
After a moment of deliberation, Bi Sa-in spoke firmly. “I refuse. If he is to be eliminated, I will be the one to do it.”
Bi Sa-in turned and began to walk away. Geom Mu-geuk called out to his retreating back.
“If you change your mind, come here at midnight. I’ll be here every day.”
Bi Sa-in vanished into the darkness without another word.
*
“How is the reaction at the Alliance Leader’s palace?”
At Ya Yul-han’s question, Cha Hwan replied, “It is quiet.”
Ya Yul-han did not keep a strategist. He judged and decided everything himself. When someone once asked why he didn't employ an advisor, he had simply replied: I’ve done well enough without one, so I don’t see the necessity.
It was an arrogant statement, but as those words spread, his following within the Alliance only grew.
“With the deaths of Ji-saeng and Aecha, there has been a significant disruption in our income,” Cha Hwan continued. “Someone else can take over the Immortal’s Debt business that Ji-saeng ran, but the problem is the Wild Rage that Aecha and the True Poison Recluse were producing. Production has stopped because the True Poison Recluse is dead. Why did you not obtain the formula for Wild Rage from him beforehand?”
Cha Hwan couldn't understand it. He understood being lenient with Aecha, but Ya Yul-han surely could have forced the secret out of the recluse. The True Poison Recluse had been terrified of him.
“If I had done that, what would you have thought of me?” Ya Yul-han asked.
“I would have thought you were thorough and meticulous.”
Ya Yul-han stared at Cha Hwan with a cold gaze. Cha Hwan instinctively felt that his answer was wrong.
“A leader who plunders what his subordinates possess can never become the greatest leader.”
Cha Hwan looked deeply moved. He let his expression show exactly how much he respected Ya Yul-han, but the Unit Leader merely viewed it as a habitual display of emotion.
Easily moved, easily respectful. It was an attitude Ya Yul-han didn't particularly like. However, he kept Cha Hwan by his side because there was at least no deception in this habitual admiration. There was a clear difference in the "temperature" of how the two men viewed each other.
“We must not lose the greater for the lesser! We have a long road ahead of us!”
“Yes, sir!”
Just then, a subordinate reported from outside. “Young Master Bi has arrived.”
A faint smile played on Ya Yul-han’s lips. He had a feeling the man would come. “Bring him in!”
He then signaled Cha Hwan to leave. “I shall take my leave, sir.”
Shortly after Cha Hwan left, Bi Sa-in entered.
“Welcome, Young Master Bi.”
“Unit Leader, have you been well?”
Their gazes locked, the air thick with tension. They were rivals acknowledged by everyone in the Alliance. Most assumed that one of them would eventually die at the hands of the other; they just didn't know when.
“I hope I am not taking up too much of a busy man’s time,” Bi Sa-in said.
“Our Young Master Bi is surely busier than I am. Come, have a seat.”
The two sat across from each other. A maidservant brought tea, but Bi Sa-in didn't even touch his cup.
“I heard about the Daeya Guild.”
“Their resistance was too fierce,” Ya Yul-han replied smoothly. “I had no choice.”
“Was it not that you pushed them too hard?”
A sharp rebuke was hidden within the soft question.
“The Extreme Blade Corps is a bit rough, but they aren't people who enjoy killing for the sake of it.”
Ya Yul-han used the Extreme Blade Corps as his shield. Since any further criticism would be an insult to the corps itself, he effectively silenced Bi Sa-in.
Bi Sa-in stared silently at Ya Yul-han. In terms of raw appearance, Bi Sa-in looked far more menacing, but Ya Yul-han’s emotionless eyes overwhelmed that ferocity.
Bi Sa-in had to admit it to himself: he had been afraid of Ya Yul-han until now. He could never tell what thoughts were swirling inside that head. Because he couldn't read him, he feared him.
“It is truly difficult to know a person’s heart,” Bi Sa-in remarked. “To think the Daeya Guild Master, who dedicated his life to this Alliance, would join hands with the Murim Alliance. Honestly, it scares me. When I become the Alliance Leader, what’s to say another traitor like that won't appear?”
“Young Master Bi, you have an excellent character, so I’m sure you will lead the Alliance well.”
“It’s not as if the current Alliance Leader was betrayed because he lacked character.”
Ya Yul-han read a certain provocation and newfound confidence in Bi Sa-in. This departure from his usual demeanor deepened Ya Yul-han’s misunderstanding.
It seems the Alliance Leader gave him some sort of hint.
He assumed the Leader must have told Bi Sa-in that the invisible war had begun. Ya Yul-han did not realize that this change in attitude was due to Geom Mu-geuk, not the Alliance Leader.
Can a greenhorn like you truly lead the Unorthodox Path? Ya Yul-han thought.
By the time I am your age, I will be a much greater man than you, Bi Sa-in’s eyes countered.
A greenhorn is just a greenhorn, even when grown. You will never sit in the Leader’s chair.
These were the true feelings reflected in their eyes. Yet, soft words that contradicted their hearts flowed from their lips.
“I have made a slip of the tongue that might cause a misunderstanding,” Bi Sa-in said.
“Not at all. The matter is sensitive, so I was being prickly. My apologies.”
After a polite apology, Bi Sa-in stood up. “I should leave before I make any more mistakes.”
Before departing, Bi Sa-in left one final remark. “I am counting on you, Unit Leader.”
Ya Yul-han gave a reassuring nod.
Bi Sa-in left the room. He had felt the need to meet Ya Yul-han one last time before making his decision. He had hoped seeing the man would make the choice easier, but it was still difficult.
To become the Alliance Leader, he absolutely had to kill him. But was now the time? And was borrowing the Demonic Cult’s blade the right way?
When he had dealt with Seok Gwan-chu’s grandson and become the successor, he was confident he could handle anything. Now, he realized he had still never made a truly life-altering decision.
Stepping outside, Bi Sa-in looked up at the sky. The gloomy weather had persisted for days.
*
The next day, while he was eating at an inn, another voice transmission arrived.
— Eating at the same place every day makes you a perfect target for assassination.
It was Geom Mu-geuk.
— If you were going to come looking for me because you couldn't even wait a day, why did you say you’d wait at the cliff?
— Waiting is waiting. Right now, I’ve come to persuade you. Our destinies depend on this.
Bi Sa-in’s chopsticks paused for a moment. He took a sip of wine. Watching him, the 1st Wolf of the 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path asked worriedly, “Is something troubling you, Young Master?”
“1st Wolf.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Do you think I will become the Alliance Leader?”
“What are you saying? Of course, the next Leader will be you.”
“I mean... do you think I will still be in that seat ten years after becoming the Leader?”
For a split second, the 1st Wolf hesitated. Bi Sa-in knew why. The reason for that hesitation was Ya Yul-han.
The 1st Wolf replied, “We will keep you safe for the rest of our lives.”
Bi Sa-in smiled and resumed eating.
Another voice transmission from Geom Mu-geuk arrived.
— Those people will all die too.
— You don’t need to drag others into this to persuade me.
— I’m saying this isn't just your problem. It’s the same for me. The people I’ve liked, the people close to me—my failure will become their failure. Even if I don’t want it to be.
Bi Sa-in didn't respond. Geom Mu-geuk didn't push him further. Instead, he asked for one more meeting.
— I have something to say. Let’s meet at the cliff later.
*
“Why did you want to see me?”
Bi Sa-in appeared at the cliff at midnight. Geom Mu-geuk, who had arrived first, was looking up at the star-studded night sky.
“The weather has been cloudy for days, so I couldn't see the stars. They’re so clear today.”
Bi Sa-in followed Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze. Indeed, the stars seemed to be pouring down from the heavens. After a long silence, Geom Mu-geuk spoke.
“There is something I tell people. My Demonic Path does not break tables.”
Bi Sa-in turned his head to look at him. Geom Mu-geuk continued, still looking at the sky.
“I cannot stand to see the powerful trample over the weak. When I see that, I cannot endure it—whether it’s someone from my Cult, the Orthodox Faction, or the Unorthodox Path. I don’t know if you’re aware, but Ya Yul-han’s subordinates were mocking and ruining young people with that 'Immortal’s Debt.' They led innocent people to their deaths by creating a drug called 'Wild Rage.' My Demonic Path is to refuse to stand by and watch that bullshit.”
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze slowly shifted from the sky to Bi Sa-in. When their eyes met, he asked, “What is your Unorthodox Path?”
Bi Sa-in couldn't say a word. He had the vague determination and ambition to rule the Alliance well, but he didn't yet have a governing philosophy he could put into words. Perhaps it was natural; Bi Sa-in was still young.
“If you find the answer to that, perhaps this decision will become easier.”
This time, Geom Mu-geuk was the first to leave. Bi Sa-in remained standing there for a long time, deep into the night.
*
The next day, Bi Sa-in was the first to arrive at the cliff. As soon as he saw Geom Mu-geuk, he spoke coldly.
“Do you even realize what you’re trying to do?”
His voice was low, but it carried the anger he hadn't been able to express the day before.
“Do you have any idea what it means to kill him? If it were that easy, do you think I would have endured this long, knowing full well he would eventually try to kill me?”
“I know it’s difficult.”
“No, you don’t. Let me tell you why you don't. I once heard something from the Alliance Leader. He said Ya Yul-han commands Absolute Masters, so I shouldn't take him lightly. I’ll give you the name of one of them.”
“Who is it?”
“The Five Thunders Divine Sword, Baek Haeng.”
Geom Mu-geuk was genuinely surprised. “That man is still alive?”
He was a master from the previous generation of the Unorthodox Path who had once dominated the martial world.
“So leave while I’m letting you go nicely,” Bi Sa-in warned. “Go back while those two legs of yours are still intact.”
Then, Geom Mu-geuk said something unexpected. “The Cult has identified someone as well.”
“Who?”
“The Blood Wheel Calamity, Da Mal.”
This time, it was Bi Sa-in’s turn to be shocked. Da Mal was a villain among villains who had once caused a bloodbath by slaughtering hundreds of Orthodox martial artists in a single night. His martial prowess might not have equaled the Five Thunders Divine Sword, but his sheer wickedness was beyond description.
“Those two might not be the only ones. Are you still going through with this?”
At Bi Sa-in’s question, Geom Mu-geuk nodded. “I am.”
Bi Sa-in shook his head at the unhesitating answer. “You really are a strange kind of crazy.”
“Even if I fail, you have nothing to lose. So why are you hesitating? Are you worried about me? Is that why you told me about the Five Thunders Divine Sword?”
Bi Sa-in was slightly flustered. “What are you talking about? Why would I worry about you?”
“Why are you getting angry? I was just asking.”
“Because you’re saying something ridiculous.”
Geom Mu-geuk continued his persuasion in a soft tone. “I know this isn't an easy decision.”
“And yet you keep pushing me.”
“You’ve experienced it yourself, haven't you? With big decisions like this, the first one that pops into your head is usually the right one. If you ignore that primal instinct, you end up making a blunder after overthinking. What was the first decision that came to mind?”
After a brief pause, Bi Sa-in answered. “It was to do it.”
“Then let’s do it.”
Bi Sa-in realized it then. There would be no end to agonizing over this. Whether a month passed or a year, he would still be conflicted. He just had to take the plunge.
And so, Bi Sa-in took the plunge.
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
He decided to think simply. If it weren't for Geom Mu-geuk, he wouldn't even be where he was today. The man had come to collect a life debt, so he would pay that massive debt this way.
“Let’s do it!”
Geom Mu-geuk was the kind of person who, at the very least, wouldn't lead him down a path of evil.
Geom Mu-geuk was delighted. He was grateful to Bi Sa-in for accepting his proposal. “Thank you. You’ve made a wise choice. I wouldn't have even thought of proceeding with this if it weren't for you.”
“I only hope that when I look back on this moment later, I won't blame myself for making such a pathetic decision.”
Their gazes locked in the air. Geom Mu-geuk spoke to him, his eyes filled with gratitude.
“Let’s not look back for now. Later, after we have become the Heavenly Demon and the Alliance Leader... let’s look back then.”