Chapter 282: What Kind of Person Are You?
Chapter 282: What Kind of Person Are You?
When was the last time he had felt this pulse-pounding excitement?
His heart hammered wildly against his ribs, a rhythmic drumbeat of anticipation.
Hwa Mu-gi.
The moment has finally come for me to see a fragment of you.
Where are you now? What are you doing? Just how strong have you become?
As he thought of the man, rage boiled through his veins like molten lava. Sensing that violent surge of emotion, the environment itself reacted.
Sssssss.
Tree branches snaked out from every direction, coiling toward Geom Mu-geuk as if to crush the life out of him. There were hundreds, thousands of them—a wooden onslaught that could neither be dodged nor entirely cut down.
At that exact moment—
Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!
Four figures manifested around Geom Mu-geuk, facing the cardinal directions. They were the four ghosts of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art’s first form: the Annihilation Form.
As the ghosts stood guard like spectral shields, the branches dared not strike. They recoiled, intimidated by the sinister, overwhelming aura the ghosts exuded.
Geom Mu-geuk hadn't truly expected the four ghosts to emerge within the Wood King’s aura to protect him—those terrifying yet elegant, mysterious yet shrewd entities. If the ghosts were already this formidable, what would the Heavenly Demon Soul be like?
At the same time, Baek Cheon-gyeong was sinking into a mental abyss.
To possess such an aura at such a young age?
No matter how deep he delved into the boy's spirit, there was no end. Just as Geom Mu-geuk had walked endlessly into the forest, Baek Cheon-gyeong swam down into a bottomless chasm.
He was consumed by curiosity about what lay at the end of that darkness.
His instincts screamed at him to stop. It was dangerous to go any deeper. However, Baek Cheon-gyeong could not suppress his urge to know. He had a premonition that something immense—something primordial—resided deep within that void.
His breath grew tight. The intensifying pressure felt as if it would burst his lungs, yet Baek Cheon-gyeong continued his descent.
Just as he was about to give up, feeling he could no longer endure the crushing weight—
Flash.
The world flickered like a dying candle.
Baek Cheon-gyeong found himself standing in the center of a battlefield. Blood flowed like a river, and corpses were strewn across the horizon. There were bodies of humans, ghosts, and demons alike. Not a single living soul remained.
No, there was one.
A man stood with his back turned, gazing up at the sky.
Is that Geom Mu-geuk?
But the man’s back was one that could only belong to someone who had weathered every hardship the world had to offer. He didn't believe that even the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, as talented as he was, could possess a back that carried the weight of such vast, eternal ages.
Then who is he?
The moment he tilted his head in confusion, the vision shattered. The space vanished, and Baek Cheon-gyeong was thrust back into the deep abyss.
Whoosh!
He was pulled toward the surface at a terrifying speed. The moment the abyss spat him out, Geom Mu-geuk’s aura vanished.
Simultaneously, Baek Cheon-gyeong’s aura dissipated.
Geom Mu-geuk in the forest and Baek Cheon-gyeong in the workshop both returned to reality.
The two men stared at each other in a heavy silence.
Geom Mu-geuk’s heart was still racing.
A follower of Hwa Mu-gi.
What are you doing here?
There were a thousand questions he wanted to scream. But he held his tongue. Whether he killed the man, let him live, or investigated his background, he had to be cautious as long as there was a connection to Hwa Mu-gi.
Replacing his boiling rage with a relaxed, practiced smile, Geom Mu-geuk spoke first.
"I am Geom Mu-geuk of the Divine Cult."
"I am Baek Cheon-gyeong."
He stated only his name, offering no further explanation or title.
"I heard about you from your disciple on the way here."
Baek Cheon-gyeong’s gaze shifted toward Jin Ha-gun. In that moment, Jin Ha-gun’s entire body went rigid. He worried about what Geom Mu-geuk might reveal.
"What did he say?"
"He said you are the person he trusts most."
Baek Cheon-gyeong’s gaze moved from Jin Ha-gun back to Geom Mu-geuk.
"You came all this way to see Ha-ryeong?"
"I traveled a long way to find the woman I adore."
To Baek Cheon-gyeong, those words sounded like a blatant lie. He narrowed his eyes, peering into Geom Mu-geuk’s. Looking into those deep, dark eyes, the image of the man’s back he had seen in the vision overlapped with the youth before him.
This young, vibrant appearance and the man in the vision felt like two entirely different existences.
Who was that man?
Baek Cheon-gyeong walked toward the guest table.
"Sit. Since a guest is here, I should serve tea."
"I will brew it, Master."
"I'll do it. Just stay in your seat."
"Yes, Master."
Jin Ha-gun sat down with Geom Mu-geuk. He refused to make eye contact. He focused entirely on his breathing, his nerves taut as he sensed the razor-thin tension between his master and the Young Cult Leader.
Baek Cheon-gyeong brought the tea.
"Thank you."
Geom Mu-geuk took a sip. Seeing him drink without even checking for poison, Baek Cheon-gyeong asked, "What if I had poisoned it?"
"Did you?"
Geom Mu-geuk took another sip, unbothered.
Jin Ha-gun could feel it—a subtle, psychological war unfolding within the trivial conversation.
As he drank his tea, Geom Mu-geuk scanned the workshop.
"You seem to enjoy woodworking."
Baek Cheon-gyeong’s carvings were displayed throughout the room. A profound energy, which one would never have sensed without mastering the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, permeated the pieces.
One would only know how that wooden tiger might transform and attack by actually engaging it in combat.
Then, Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze turned toward a display stand covered with a black cloth.
"What is under there? May I open it?"
When Baek Cheon-gyeong said nothing, Geom Mu-geuk stood up and walked toward it. Since he hadn't been explicitly stopped, he took it as permission.
Geom Mu-geuk pulled back the cloth.
The dolls were still engaged in their miniature battle, but Jin Ha-gun noticed a change immediately.
The dolls' positions have shifted!
The hero doll that his master had referred to as Geom Mu-geuk was now on the opposite side. It stood right next to the Jin Ha-gun doll, which had been lying fallen.
In the spot where the hero doll had originally stood, a new doll now remained. Judging by its features, it was undoubtedly Baek Cheon-gyeong himself.
Ultimately, Baek Cheon-gyeong was speaking through the dolls. He was signaling that he believed Geom Mu-geuk and Jin Ha-gun were now on the same side.
Once the cloth was lifted, Baek Cheon-gyeong revealed his inner thoughts.
"Young Cult Leader, did you come here to kill me?"
Baek Cheon-gyeong did not believe for a second that Geom Mu-geuk had come because of Jin Ha-ryeong. It was a question one could only ask if they believed they were being targeted.
Even at the blunt question, Geom Mu-geuk did not falter.
"If that’s what you thought, why did you agree to meet me?"
"If the Demonic Cult intends to kill me, where in this Jianghu could I possibly hide?"
When Baek Cheon-gyeong’s gaze turned toward him, Jin Ha-gun looked aggrieved.
"You still don't trust me."
Geom Mu-geuk spoke as he examined the dolls on the stand.
"It’s likely because your master has never truly loved a woman. Don't worry. I only came to the Murim Alliance to see Miss Jin. If I had intended to kill you, would I have gone through such an unnecessary and complicated process? Do not forget whose Young Cult Leader I am."
That was precisely why this meeting had been arranged—to discern exactly what Geom Mu-geuk’s intentions were.
"By the way, these dolls are truly well-made."
Geom Mu-geuk leaned down to look at them closely.
"It feels as if they might spring to life at any moment."
Geom Mu-geuk knew. These small wooden dolls were more terrifying than any other craft in the room. He wasn't just making dolls; he was carving subordinates. And surely these weren't the only things he had carved in his lifetime.
Then, Geom Mu-geuk pointed to one doll and asked, "Who is this?"
The doll Geom Mu-geuk pointed to—having seen the display for the first time—was not the hero doll, nor the Jin Ha-gun doll, nor the Baek Cheon-gyeong doll. It was one of the countless dolls standing around the periphery.
"This is the only one you haven't carved a face onto."
It was the faceless doll Geom Mu-geuk had seen within Baek Cheon-gyeong’s aura. It was undoubtedly a doll that held immense significance.
"Who did you make this for? Is it you?"
A flash of surprise crossed Baek Cheon-gyeong’s face. He seemed shocked that out of all the dolls, Geom Mu-geuk had focused on that specific one.
"It could be anyone."
At Baek Cheon-gyeong’s vague answer, Geom Mu-geuk leaned in further.
"It seems this one is the only one not caught up in the fight."
Despite having no expression, the doll exuded a strange sense of composure.
From behind him, Baek Cheon-gyeong asked, "If there are those who fight, there must be those who watch. Are you a person who fights, or a person who watches?"
After observing the dolls for a moment, Geom Mu-geuk picked one up. It was the Jin Ha-gun doll that had been lying fallen next to the hero doll.
Geom Mu-geuk looked back and forth between the doll and Jin Ha-gun. Anyone could see it had been made in the boy's likeness.
Geom Mu-geuk stood the Jin Ha-gun doll upright, side-by-side with the hero doll.
He was showing him directly—that he was neither a fighter nor a watcher, but the person who helps others stand.
Jin Ha-gun stared at his upright doll. It was a small gesture, but his heart felt strangely heavy.
No, it wasn't a small thing to begin with. His master, who had taught him for ten years, had made a doll of him and left it lying defeated.
"I've seen enough."
Geom Mu-geuk covered the display with the cloth again and turned toward Baek Cheon-gyeong.
"The reason I came today is because the Demon Extermination Squad Leader here insisted I had to meet you to see Miss Jin. So, say what you have to say. I need to go see her."
Jin Ha-gun sent a voice transmission to Baek Cheon-gyeong.
— Master, please speak firmly so he knows to be afraid.
Despite the transmission, Baek Cheon-gyeong said nothing. Instead, he turned his gaze away and looked out the window.
"If you have nothing to say, I shall take my leave."
Geom Mu-geuk walked out without hesitation.
Jin Ha-gun wanted to stay and demand why he hadn't said anything, but Baek Cheon-gyeong was still staring out the window. It was a clear sign for him to leave and stop being a nuisance, so Jin Ha-gun quietly exited as well.
Once outside, Jin Ha-gun walked alongside Geom Mu-geuk. When they were a good distance from the workshop, Jin Ha-gun finally asked, "Is he someone to be killed, or someone to be kept alive?"
Jin Ha-gun was desperate to know how Geom Mu-geuk viewed his master.
"I thought you didn't trust my words?"
"I'll just use them as a reference."
Of course, he is someone who has to be killed.
But instead of answering, Geom Mu-geuk showed Jin Ha-gun what he was holding in his hand.
"When did you take that?"
Jin Ha-gun was startled. What Geom Mu-geuk had brought out was one of the dolls from the display. It was the faceless doll.
"Why did you take it?"
Geom Mu-geuk looked at the doll intently.
"Aren't you curious? Who he had in mind when he made this."
"If you were curious, you should have left it there."
"I think I'll carve the face myself."
"What?"
He had no idea what the man was talking about. To Jin Ha-gun, Geom Mu-geuk was truly an enigma.
"One thing is certain: your master is no ordinary man. I felt for sure that he is someone who, at the very least, should not be the master of the Murim Alliance Leader’s grandson."
"Did you perhaps exchange voice transmissions with him?"
Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
"Then what exactly about him made you think that?"
"To be honest, I can't tell from just one meeting if he is an evil man who must be killed."
Of course, he will die by my hand. It is only a matter of when and how.
"However, his attitude toward you was problematic."
Geom Mu-geuk pointed out the part Jin Ha-gun would find easiest to accept.
"The look in his eyes and his attitude toward you were not those of a master and disciple. He was cold and indifferent. Even if you had made a great mistake, he should have covered for your flaws in front of others, but your master focused only on me. No, he was likely focusing on himself. That man does not consider you his disciple."
Jin Ha-gun thought he would feel better once he heard some kind of conclusion. But his heart remained heavy.
This time, Geom Mu-geuk asked, "What did you think of your master? You must have had many thoughts yourself."
Jin Ha-gun revealed his honest feelings.
"I don't know. I'm still suspicious of my master, and I'm suspicious of you."
This was the source of his feeling lost. He felt his master had changed and his survival instincts had flared, but he had called for Geom Mu-geuk without any proof that his master was a bad person. He worried he was being used, or that he was making a wrong judgment. Those thoughts kept him trapped in a fog.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke calmly, as if he understood.
"That is why a clear enemy is better than an ambiguous friend."
Jin Ha-gun realized he was struggling because he didn't know who was a friend and who was an enemy. Why did the person awakening him to this have to be the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult?
Geom Mu-geuk stopped at a fork in the road.
"Go on ahead. I have somewhere to stop by."
"Where are you going?"
Instead of answering, Geom Mu-geuk said something unexpected.
"When I said I have a good sense of direction and never get lost... that was a lie."
This was what he wanted to tell Jin Ha-gun.
"I stumble and wander; I get lost often. Perhaps that's why I don't much like people who shout loudly that this is definitely the right path."
"Why are you suddenly saying that?"
"It just occurred to me."
Having finished, Geom Mu-geuk took flight with his lightness skill.
Watching him vanish into a dot in an instant, Jin Ha-gun looked up at the sky. He remembered what Geom Mu-geuk had said before. To find the way, ask people, look at the sky, and if that doesn't work...
This is madness, he thought as he took off his shoe.
Then he tossed it upward. The direction the fallen shoe pointed was exactly where Geom Mu-geuk had just disappeared.
Of all the directions.
Even coincidence was telling him that following Geom Mu-geuk was right? Not a chance. The first round was just practice.
Jin Ha-gun threw his shoe again. He threw it even higher than before. But the coincidence repeated itself. He threw it again, and again.
Only when it finally pointed in the direction he intended to go did he put his shoe back on.
"As if you ever stumbled or wandered. Don't try to comfort me. I'll find my own way."
Jin Ha-gun walked vigorously toward his quarters.
Even though he tried not to think about it, the image of his doll being stood back up kept flickering in his mind.