Chapter 231: What’s Worse Than a Life Lived Wrongly
Chapter 231: What’s Worse Than a Life Lived Wrongly
“Do you have a plan to kill Ya Yul-han?”
At Bi Sa-in’s question, Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Seeing Bi Sa-in’s look of disbelief, Geom Mu-geuk added, “I couldn't very well draw up a full-scale plan until I had your permission, could I?”
“And you’re saying a plan that didn't exist will just... appear now that you have it?”
“It will.”
“You really are a piece of work.”
Despite his words, Bi Sa-in didn't seem to be in a bad mood. If anything, he looked relieved now that the decision had been made.
“Just promise me this one thing.”
Bi Sa-in set a condition. Since he had already given his consent, it sounded more like a request than a demand.
“You may kill the Five Thunders Divine Sword or the Blood Wheel Calamity, but you must not touch the Extreme Blade Corps. They are not Ya Yul-han’s personal puppets. They are the absolute elite of our Alliance.”
In the context of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, it was like asking to kill only a Demon Monarch while sparing the Demon Army. Losing Ya Yul-han would already be a massive blow; Bi Sa-in was trying to minimize the damage to the organization.
“Understood,” Geom Mu-geuk accepted readily.
Bi Sa-in let out a long sigh.
“I don’t know what I’m doing. If this goes wrong, being killed by Ya Yul-han is the least of my worries—I could be stripped of my position as successor immediately.”
“If you get kicked out, come to me. I’ll take you in.”
“I’d rather die than go there.”
Bi Sa-in’s hideous face contorted. Geom Mu-geuk could tell—the man was laughing. It was an emotion one would never notice without watching him with the utmost attention.
“Contact me if you need my help. I’ll be having lunch at that inn for the time being.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Bi Sa-in departed first.
Geom Mu-geuk remained for a long while, looking up at the night sky and the nocturnal landscape of the Unorthodox Path Alliance before finally leaving.
*
Upon returning to the safe house, I immediately gathered Go Wol, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, and the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
“Bi Sa-in, the successor of the Unorthodox Path Alliance, has promised to handle the aftermath. Now, all we have to do is kill Ya Yul-han.”
Everyone was stunned by my announcement.
“How on earth did you change his mind?”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader asked the question, but even the Smiling Demon and Go Wol were staring at me with shocked expressions. They had expected the persuasion to take time, yet I had succeeded far sooner than anticipated.
“Perhaps there’s a certain understanding between young successors?”
“You really are…”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader simply shook his head, at a loss for words.
“While Bi Sa-in’s cooperation is good news, there is also bad news. I’ve identified another of Ya Yul-han’s subordinates.”
We already knew the Blood Wheel Calamity was working for him.
“The new addition is the Five Thunders Divine Sword.”
The mention of that name sent a ripple of shock through the room. Even the Pungcheon Cult Leader, who hailed from the Outer Regions, remembered him.
“Is that not the man who once brought a bloodbath to the Central Plains? He was even branded a Public Enemy of the Murim.”
“That’s right. It’s him.”
“I thought he was dead, but it turns out he was hiding in Ya Yul-han’s shadow.”
The Blood Wheel Calamity was a difficult opponent, but the Five Thunders Divine Sword was a master at an even higher level.
Suddenly, as if a thought had just occurred to him, the Pungcheon Cult Leader asked, “Then can’t we just leave them be and kill Ya Yul-han when he’s alone? They’re only human; they can’t be attached to his side every second of the day.”
All eyes turned to me. All three of them felt the same way, but there was a reason why that wasn't an option.
“As I mentioned, once Ya Yul-han is dead, the credit for the kill will go to Bi Sa-in.”
Go Wol was the first to grasp my intention.
“You’re worried they might seek revenge against Bi Sa-in.”
I nodded.
“We don’t know the nature of their relationship. They might be the type to seek vengeance, or they might just walk away. However, if even one of them decides to retaliate, Bi Sa-in will surely die.”
“I see exactly why Bi Sa-in agreed to help you, Young Master.”
Go Wol meant that Bi Sa-in must have recognized that I was looking out for him.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader spoke up again.
“I shall help with this task as well.”
I hadn't expected him to volunteer for this.
“Are you certain?”
“I’d be too ashamed not to help.”
He meant he felt embarrassed for suggesting we only kill Ya Yul-han, failing to consider that Bi Sa-in might be targeted for revenge. But I knew that was just an excuse; he truly wanted to help me.
“Isn't the opposition a bit too much for just the two of you? What? Do you not trust my skills?”
“If I didn't trust your skills, Cult Leader, who could I trust? It’s just that I need you to handle a more important task.”
“What task?”
“Continue to protect Strategist Go, just as you have been.”
My gaze shifted to Go Wol.
“If our side is exposed by any chance, Strategist Go could be in danger. I’ll need you to protect him then. Because you’ve been here, I haven't had to worry about his safety once.”
“Will you be alright?”
“I have the Smiling Demon with me.”
I looked toward the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, who had been listening quietly until now. In this high-pressure situation, the Smiling Demon spoke with a grin.
“Just leave it to me.”
“Yes. I’m counting on you, Smiling Demon.”
In that moment, my true thoughts were these:
Smiling Demon, just trust me. No matter what happens, I won’t let you die.
This was my response to the favor he had shown me.
*
Chief Strategist Sama Myeong was in the operation room.
In this place, known to be even more secure than the Heavenly Demon Hall, a top-secret operation regarding Geom Mu-geuk was underway.
Sama Myeong had been on edge ever since Geom Mu-geuk left the Cult. If an incident occurred, he had to be ready to support Mu-geuk immediately and manipulate the situation to prevent their relationship with the Unorthodox Path Alliance from escalating into full-scale war. Furthermore, he had to ensure these movements remained hidden from the Alliance.
So far, Geom Mu-geuk was performing his mission far better than Sama Myeong had imagined.
When Mu-geuk eliminated Ji-saeng, Aecha, and even Yeo Bul-gae without revealing the Cult’s identity, the Chief Strategist of Tongcheon Pavilion had remarked:
“If I were Ya Yul-han’s strategist… I would have been utterly helpless against him.”
Sama Myeong couldn't disagree. He felt that even he couldn't guarantee a better outcome.
“Go Wol’s abilities are extraordinary. He has built an information network in the Central Plains that complements our Tongcheon Pavilion perfectly without overlapping.”
“He’s thinking ahead to the time after the Second Young Master becomes the Heavenly Demon.”
“He is truly drawing a grand picture.”
Just as Geom Mu-geuk was pushing for a new Demonic Path, Sama Myeong felt that once Go Wol took his place, Tongcheon Pavilion would also become something entirely new.
And today, a new report arrived.
The Chief Strategist entered Sama Myeong’s office with a grave expression.
“The Second Young Master’s side has requested information on a specific individual.”
“Who is it?”
The Chief Strategist took a deep breath before reporting, a gesture to show just how shocked he was.
“The Five Thunders Divine Sword.”
Sama Myeong bolted upright.
“It appears Ya Yul-han even has the Five Thunders Divine Sword in his service.”
They already knew the Blood Wheel Calamity was one of Ya Yul-han’s subordinates. But the Five Thunders Divine Sword too?
“Ya Yul-han, the Blood Wheel Calamity, and the Five Thunders Divine Sword. Can the two of them really face all of them?”
“I believe it will be difficult.”
“What is the success probability for this operation?”
“When we were unaware of the Five Thunders Divine Sword’s existence, we estimated it at forty percent.”
This was the probability analyzed by Tongcheon Pavilion. Though they didn't know Geom Mu-geuk’s exact martial level, it was a result based on his achievements thus far.
“However, assuming the Five Thunders Divine Sword aids Ya Yul-han, I expect it to drop to the twenty percent range. I will report the detailed analysis as soon as it’s finished.”
“Twenty percent, you say.”
Tongcheon Pavilion’s success rate analyses were almost always accurate. A figure of twenty percent was practically a failure.
“If another master besides the Five Thunders Divine Sword appears, it might not even reach ten percent.”
It was no exaggeration. Sama Myeong realized once again that this was no ordinary task.
“Send them every scrap of information we have regarding the Five Thunders Divine Sword.”
“Understood.”
As the Chief Strategist turned to leave, Sama Myeong asked, “What do you think?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking what you think the success probability is.”
“I…”
He was the strategist who knew the most about Geom Mu-geuk among all the subordinates. After hesitating for a long moment, he offered a figure no one expected.
“I see it as fifty-fifty.”
Sama Myeong was startled.
“Twenty percent and fifty percent—that’s quite a gap.”
“It is my emotional analysis.”
“Are you saying our Pavilion’s analytical skills are rubbish?”
“No, it is strictly my gut feeling.”
Sama Myeong pressed the flustered Chief Strategist relentlessly.
“Why fifty percent?”
The Chief Strategist replied, “Aren't there people in this world who simply defy analysis? I believe the Second Young Master is such a person.”
Before another barrage of questions could follow, the Chief Strategist quickly bowed and withdrew.
Sama Myeong gathered the reports and stood up to brief the Heavenly Demon. Yes, he’s right. The Geom Mu-geuk he had seen so far was a man who couldn't be explained by numbers.
The same went for Heavenly Demon Geom Wu-jin, who had permitted this mission. Perhaps this quality of defying analysis was the trait the two of them shared most. With that thought, Sama Myeong headed toward the Heavenly Demon Hall.
*
Go Wol racked his brains to formulate a strategy.
This time, I didn't tell him to enjoy the situation. For this mission, we needed a proper plan, and we had to follow it to the letter.
While Go Wol worked on the strategy, the rest of us spent time in our own ways.
The Smiling Demon put up white wallpaper in his room and entered a state of meditation while staring at it, while I immersed myself in martial arts training in the backyard.
In this upcoming fight, I would have to exert every ounce of my skill. It would be a difficult battle, but I would kill Ya Yul-han no matter what. There was something I had to whisper in his ear as he died. I had to ensure that a man who had been held captive by revenge for so long, never living his own life, could finally find peace and live for himself in whatever remained of his existence.
As I was training in the backyard, someone spoke from behind me.
“With you working so hard, how can I possibly slack off?”
I turned to see the Pungcheon Cult Leader walking toward me.
“Go Wol nagged me so much I was practically kicked out. He asked what I was doing while the Young Master was out here sweating.”
“Since you’re already out here, why don't we train together? You’ve lost some weight lately, and your features are looking quite sharp, Cult Leader.”
“Is that so?”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader looked intrigued. Taking advantage of the moment, I added another compliment.
“I bet women used to chase you around when you were young. Am I right?”
“Well, the line of women following me was quite long back then.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader tilted his chin up boastfully. Looking at the thick flesh beneath his jaw, he still had a long way to go.
“You should reclaim that popularity.”
“It’s not that easy at my age.”
“If you train and make your body ten years younger, you’ve gone back ten years. If you make it twenty years younger, you’ve gone back twenty.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader stared at me intently.
“You have a way of making a man’s heart flutter with such trivial words.”
“How can reclaiming one’s youth be trivial? Please, show me! Who knows what the future holds? You might transform into a version of yourself twenty years younger. When we first met, did you ever imagine we’d be having a conversation like this here?”
“I suppose not. You’ve completely overturned my once-monotonous life.”
“Do you regret it, then?”
After a moment of contemplation, the Pungcheon Cult Leader shook his head.
“If I were just a bit younger, I might have. But I know now. What’s worse than a life lived wrongly is a life lived in regret.”
Since we usually spent our time joking around, it had been a while since we’d had such a serious conversation.
“When I was the Cult Leader, I thought that position was everything.”
Whirrrrrrr.
A sandy wind began to blow. The Pungcheon Cult Leader opened his Space-Time Displacement Technique, transporting me into a landscape of the Outer Regions. In the distance, the magnificent sight of the Pungcheon Cult appeared.
“To be honest, standing at the top of that place, I thought to myself several times a day: I am the King of the Outer Regions. Countless people must envy me. Back then, even the sand in my mouth tasted as sweet as candy.”
His gaze turned toward me.
“Now that I’ve realized it was all futile, I no longer have any regrets.”
“That’s impressive.”
“Impressive? It’s not as if the 'me' of now is any better than the 'me' of then.”
“You are better.”
“Better? In what way?”
“Because now you have people who look you straight in the eye.”
Our gazes locked in the empty air.
He shook his head and said, “To trade all that for this look in your eyes! I’ll go down as the biggest fool in the history of the Murim.”
“You’ll go down as the man who made the greatest choice in the history of the Murim.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader laughed. I intended to keep telling him that his decision was valuable. What makes a person suffer isn't the sacrifice they made for a decision; it’s the fact that no one acknowledges it. At the very least, I wouldn't let him feel that sense of loss in our relationship.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader began to walk slowly.
I followed him through the wasteland where the sandy wind blew.
“You asked me about this once, didn't you?”
There was another reason why the Pungcheon Cult Leader had gone out of his way to open the Space-Time Displacement Technique today. He brought up something he had seemingly forgotten.
“Whether I could make time flow differently inside the Space-Time Displacement Technique compared to reality.”