Chapter 277: Can You Handle It?
Chapter 277: Can You Handle It?
Jin Ha-gun pulled his hand back from the doll he’d been trying to stand upright.
Scritch, scritch.
The sound of wood being carved resumed.
Normally, his master wouldn't have cared whether a doll was standing or lying down.
Who is this doll supposed to be?
Jin Ha-gun looked down at the fallen figure again. For some reason, he couldn't take his eyes off it. Though he didn't dare stand it up again, he reached out and flipped the doll over, as it had been lying on its face.
Jin Ha-gun flinched.
The wooden doll was himself. It was only the size of a finger, but he instinctively recognized his own likeness. The clothes, the hair—it was unmistakable.
"Is this... me?"
At his low question, the sound of carving stopped.
"Yes, it is you."
Jin Ha-gun looked at his master, bewildered.
You say it’s me, yet you tell me to leave it lying there?
Jin Ha-gun knew. He knew his master was aware of everything that had transpired in Hunan.
Even so...
He would have preferred it if his master had simply exploded in anger. This felt worse than being yelled at. What had his master been thinking while carving this doll and leaving it face-down? He felt a sudden sense of disappointment and a distance he had never experienced before.
I thought you, of all people, would understand why I did it.
Perhaps his master simply didn't know the full circumstances of that day.
"The son of the Heavenly Flower Sect Leader murdered innocent people," Jin Ha-gun explained.
His master remained silent, focused on his carving. It was a silent command for him to continue.
However, Jin Ha-gun couldn't bring himself to mention the most crucial part. He would have to say he realized that giving up the Heavenly Flower Sect was his grandfather’s test—but wouldn't that imply his master had failed to realize it was a test in the first place?
"I had no choice because the Sword Line intervened."
Whether he already knew or simply considered it a hollow excuse, his master said nothing.
In the past, Jin Ha-gun would have been restless, immediately begging for forgiveness. But now, he simply watched his master.
What would Geom Mu-geuk have done?
Was it because he had been thinking of Geom Mu-geuk throughout his entire journey back? The thought occurred to him as if by magic. He pictured the man’s face—that bright, grinning expression.
— Let’s have a drink!
One thing was certain: Geom Mu-geuk would have handled a moment like this with a smile.
Right. Lose your temper, and you lose the game.
Jin Ha-gun spoke calmly. "I am sorry for disappointing you."
The sound of carving stopped instantly.
Baek Cheon-gyeong slowly raised his head and looked at Jin Ha-gun.
In the past, Jin Ha-gun’s heart would have been pounding out of his chest, but strangely, he wasn't afraid.
A flicker of interest crossed Baek Cheon-gyeong’s eyes. He sensed that his disciple was different than usual. Baek Cheon-gyeong set down the doll he was holding and stood up.
He walked slowly toward Jin Ha-gun.
Jin Ha-gun watched him steadily. Previously, his mind would have raced faster than his eyes could follow, thinking: Master must be feeling this way right now. What should I say to appease his anger?
But the current Jin Ha-gun was thinking of something else. The words of Geom Mu-geuk had lodged themselves in his heart.
— Have you been looking at things clearly until now?
Jin Ha-gun observed his master as he approached. He noted the look in his eyes, his stride, the movement of his hands, and even his facial expression.
He feels like a stranger.
Baek Cheon-gyeong, who had been staring at his disciple, shifted his gaze to the fallen doll on the display stand.
"Are you upset because your doll was knocked over?"
Jin Ha-gun replied in a level tone. "It is the first doll you ever made for me, Master."
Baek Cheon-gyeong set the doll upright. "Are you satisfied now?"
Jin Ha-gun looked down at the doll for a moment, then reached out and knocked it over again.
"No. I was defeated by Geom Mu-geuk this time. I should remain down."
As if he had been waiting for that reaction, Baek Cheon-gyeong nodded.
"Indeed. You should have secured the Heavenly Flower Sect by any means necessary and saved those people."
Jin Ha-gun stared at Baek Cheon-gyeong without a word. He really did seem like a stranger. Come to think of it, he had never looked at his master’s face this closely from such a short distance. Whenever he looked at his master, it was a mere glance; the same went for his grandfather. He realized he had lived his life only half-looking at people.
"If a war breaks out someday, hundreds of Orthodox people might die at the hands of the Heavenly Flower Sect. Can you handle that responsibility?"
In the past, Jin Ha-gun would have immediately prostrated himself and begged for forgiveness. His master’s words would have struck a chord. Or even if they hadn't, he would have simply accepted that his master was right.
But he didn't feel that way now. Instead, a different thought surfaced.
Why is he using such an extreme, hypothetical example?
Suddenly, something else Geom Mu-geuk had said came to mind.
— The person who connected you with the Heavenly Flower Sect Leader does not want you to become the Alliance Leader.
At the time, he had dismissed it as nonsense, but now it began to grow as a small seed of doubt in his heart.
"My judgment was short-sighted," Jin Ha-gun said.
At those words, Baek Cheon-gyeong’s expression softened slightly.
"Yes, as long as you understand. You must find a way to reclaim the Heavenly Flower Sect, even now."
"I will consider it."
Baek Cheon-gyeong returned to his seat. Before resuming his carving, he added one last thing.
"The Alliance Leader would have wanted that as well."
Scritch, scritch.
To the very end, his master’s words were at odds with Jin Ha-gun’s thoughts.
Would he really have wanted that?
His grandfather had been genuinely pleased that he had given up the Heavenly Flower Sect. Because Jin Ha-gun had made an effort to look at his grandfather clearly, he had been able to read that emotion correctly. If he hadn't, he would have bowed his head and agreed with his master’s words just now. Because he wouldn't have truly seen his grandfather.
Today, for the first time, Jin Ha-gun realized how important Geom Mu-geuk’s advice to "look clearly" really was.
Setting everything else aside, shouldn't we refuse to forgive someone like Seo Cheong? We are the Orthodox Path. You are the master of the man who will become the Murim Alliance Leader.
After meeting Geom Mu-geuk, he saw his master in a different light.
No, perhaps it was only today that he realized his master was a completely different person from the one he had perceived.
* * *
That night, Jin Ha-gun had a nightmare.
He was chased all night by a shadow-like entity whose face he couldn't discern. No matter how hard he ran, the pursuer knew exactly where he was and kept tracking him.
Even now, the thing was following him from a distance.
He was too exhausted to even run.
As he trudged along in a state of despair, people on the roadside watched him. He recognized some of the faces. There were those he had trained with as a child, and even maidservants. People he hadn't even been close with. Why were they appearing now? Nightmares always summoned those one had forgotten.
He walked past them, continuing his trek. Meanwhile, the pursuing shadow drew closer and closer.
He thought he was going to die. Then, someone called out to him.
— Captain Jin!
He looked up to see Geom Mu-geuk leaning against the second-floor railing of a tavern, looking down at him.
— Come up and have a drink!
He was smiling brightly, just as he had when they last parted.
As if possessed, Jin Ha-gun climbed to the second floor. He was glad to see him.
He stood beside Geom Mu-geuk at the railing. The pitch-black shadow that had been chasing him merely looked up from the tavern entrance, unable to enter. He could feel that the terrifying shadow was afraid.
Then, Geom Mu-geuk spoke. It was what he had said to him at the banquet.
— Isn't that why we exist? If not us, then who can stop guys like that?
At that moment, as he stared at Geom Mu-geuk, Jin Ha-gun woke up.
"Whew."
Drenched in sweat, Jin Ha-gun let out a long sigh.
It wasn't strange that Geom Mu-geuk had appeared in his dream. He had been thinking about him constantly since their meeting.
But the choices he had made in the dream were so foolish. He had just been chased helplessly. He should have fought back directly, led the Demon Extermination Squad into battle, or sought help from his grandfather. He should have made active efforts and choices. Instead, he had just run.
What made him even angrier was that he had given up at the end. He vividly remembered the moment he had trudged along in despair.
Shaking off the nightmare, he bolted upright in bed.
* * *
Jin Ha-ryeong was startled by Jin Ha-gun’s visit.
"You're acting out of character, Brother."
It had been a long time since Jin Ha-gun had visited her quarters.
"People change."
"Don't change too much. It's scary."
Jin Ha-gun looked around the room and took a seat. Knowing her brother wouldn't have come just to see her, Jin Ha-ryeong asked tentatively, "How did the mission go?"
"It was a failure."
"You look pretty good for someone who failed."
"It was half failure, half success."
Jin Ha-ryeong looked at him as if asking what he meant, but Jin Ha-gun didn't elaborate. He had said those words, but even he wasn't sure. He didn't know what was right or wrong anymore.
"Geom Mu-geuk... what was he like?"
"I don't know."
"Don't be like that. Tell me."
"I'm telling you, I don't know. I can't figure that man out."
Jin Ha-ryeong nodded. "Then you saw him correctly."
If someone asked her what kind of person Geom Mu-geuk was, she would have given the same answer.
Then, Jin Ha-gun said something she never expected.
"Ha-ryeong, have you ever experienced something in your life that you just couldn't understand?"
Jin Ha-ryeong looked at him, surprised. "Right now."
Jin Ha-gun gave a faint smile. "I'm asking seriously."
Had she ever experienced such a thing? Ah, she had.
"When I met Geom Mu-geuk. I couldn't understand anything back then."
"How did you get past it?"
"I didn't. I just got swept along by him until it passed."
Now, Jin Ha-gun knew exactly what she meant.
Jin Ha-ryeong could tell. A wave of change was crashing into her brother’s life. She didn't ask if it was because of Geom Mu-geuk. She knew his pride wouldn't let him admit it even if it were true.
Then, Jin Ha-gun asked about something unexpected.
"Do the Rising Stars still have their meetings?"
"They do."
"I imagine many people attend."
"Do you think they come to see me? They come to get on Grandfather’s good side."
Jin Ha-ryeong took turns inviting the Rising Stars of the Orthodox faction. It was less of a personal gathering and more of a way for the Alliance to manage the younger generation. She was the one in charge of that task.
"There is someone I want to invite."
"Who?"
The name that came out of Jin Ha-gun’s mouth was someone she never would have guessed.
"Someone we need to look at without prejudice."
Jin Ha-ryeong was stunned. He was talking about Geom Mu-geuk.
"Why him?"
Jin Ha-gun replied, "I need his help. Invite him as your guest, and arrange for me to 'accidentally' meet him."
He couldn't invite him directly. The man destined to be the Murim Alliance Leader couldn't ask the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult for help.
"Are you serious?"
Jin Ha-gun nodded. It was natural for his sister to be this shocked. Even he thought this was insane.
But he felt it instinctively. The sense of dissonance he felt from his master was constantly triggering his survival instincts. If he had continued to live in ignorance as he had before, it would be one thing, but the doubt blooming in his heart was growing by the day.
This wasn't something to be delayed, nor was it a time to worry about pride. He needed help, and he needed an outsider who could look at the situation objectively—not someone from the inside who was entangled in conflicting interests. He felt he couldn't afford to be as helpless as he was in his dream.
"But why?"
"You don't need to know."
"Let me ask again. Is the Demon Extermination Squad Leader currently in a situation where he needs the help of the Demonic Cult’s Young Cult Leader?"
Jin Ha-gun answered, "Let's just say your brother is in a situation where he needs your friend's help."
Even he thought it was absurd. But his instincts, even enlisting his dreams, were desperately telling him that he needed that man.
Jin Ha-ryeong hesitated. Even though it was the first favor her brother had asked of her since they grew up, she hesitated.
To her, Geom Mu-geuk was a pleasant memory. Part of her wanted to see him again using this as an excuse.
However, involving her brother was a different matter. This was a relationship between the successor of the Murim Alliance and the successor of the Demonic Cult.
She was uneasy. She wondered if it was okay to pull a demonic practitioner into her brother’s affairs.
"Can you handle it?"
After a brief pause, Jin Ha-gun shook his head.
"Geom Mu-geuk? No. He’s someone I can't handle, which is why I need his help."
Because he had accurately assessed the man, Jin Ha-ryeong felt relieved instead.
"Then it's fine."
* * *
I was practicing the Time Heaven Secret Technique within the Space-Time Displacement Technique.
Since my regression, I had met all sorts of people and handled all sorts of matters, but I never forgot that the most important thing was my martial arts training. Whenever I had time to myself, I always immersed myself in practice.
The Time Heaven Secret Technique was improving bit by bit. It was incredibly slow, like a turtle. But I didn't give up. I trained and trained, hoping that one day my realm would suddenly leap forward. Of course, that hadn't happened yet.
When I had to be in places where people were coming and going, I would close my eyes for a moment and practice the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art. Since I was only one step away from Great Achievement, I gave it my all.
As for the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, I repeatedly practiced only the first form whenever I had a spare moment. There were few opponents I couldn't kill with my Twelve-Star Great Achievement Flying Heaven Sword Technique, but if one were to appear, I intended to kill them with that first form. So, I practiced it over and over again. I had seen those four evil ghosts so many times now that I felt a sense of familiarity with them. The duration they remained was also increasing minutely.
After finishing my training and taking a short break, I saw the Fist Demon taking a walk outside the window.
The Fist Demon stood tall at the edge of the yard, looking at the distant mountains beyond the wall.
"Master."
I stood beside him.
"Shall I guess what you were thinking just now?"
The Fist Demon showed some interest. "What was I thinking?"
"You were thinking about a cliff, weren't you?"
"If anyone heard that, they’d think I was obsessed with destroying cliffs. Why would you think that?"
"Your back told me so."
The Fist Demon looked at me with a puzzled expression.
There are people whose backs tell you exactly who they are. My father is like that, and so is the Fist Demon.
The reason I felt a sense of loneliness when looking at his back was probably because I knew how steadfast it was. It was a back that would walk alone toward thousands or tens of thousands of enemies without a moment's hesitation if my father ordered it.
"Master, I don't think you should collapse that cliff."
"Why?"
"Who’s going to clean all that up? Besides, it looks cool having a cliff there, doesn't it?"
The Fist Demon laughed at my words. I like this man’s laugh—a sight I don't get to see often.
Just then, a warrior from the Hunan Branch arrived and delivered a missive. Surprisingly, it was from Jin Ha-ryeong.
— You told me to be sure to tell you if something strange and incomprehensible happened in my life, right? Well, that time is now.