Chapter 299: You Will Not Come, and We Will Not Wait.
Chapter 299: You Will Not Come, and We Will Not Wait.
Far from showing any reverence, a burst of laughter erupted.
The source of the laughter was Jung Ak. Even as he was being singled out for taking bribes, he didn't seem flustered in the least.
"Did you seriously go around impersonating the Young Cult Leader?"
Even Ho-gyeong, who had been listening intently, let out a hollow laugh. However, Ho-gyeong vividly remembered what Ju Yang had said earlier.
— The person who took a bribe from Jeokpae and promised to kill you is that man right there, the Demon Sword Squad Leader.
If those words were true, then Ju Yang was now someone he had to protect.
Ho-gyeong turned to Jung Ak and asked, "What brings the Squad Leader here?"
"Since the opponent is a master, I thought you might need support."
Ho-gyeong didn't believe a word of it. If that had been his intention, Jung Ak would have made a show of leading the Demon Sword Squad from the very beginning.
Jung Ak had appeared the exact moment Ju Yang was about to utter his name. It was clear he had shown up to pressure the man into silence.
"As you heard, Squad Leader, this man has pointed the finger at you. Therefore, it would be best if you stepped back for now."
"Surely you don't believe the words of such a man?"
"Of course not. However, since he testified in front of everyone, I must conduct a formal investigation, if only for appearances."
"That man is a debt collector for the King Yama."
At that, Ho-gyeong turned back to Ju Yang. "Is that true?"
Ju Yang withered under the cold question. "It is... but what I told you is the truth."
Ho-gyeong did not trust those who dealt in the King Yama's debts.
Seeing Ho-gyeong’s expression harden, Ju Yang realized once again just how formidable a person Geom Mu-geuk was. Everyone scowled at him and ignored him, yet no one stepped forward to eliminate him.
At that moment, Geom Mu-geuk interjected smoothly.
"When one cannot refute the message, they invariably attack the messenger."
Jung Ak’s eyes turned predatory at those words.
Ho-gyeong tried to placate him. "If it proves to be false, I will deal with him severely for false accusation. Do not worry."
On the surface, Jung Ak remained composed.
Inside, however, he was looking for any opportunity to eliminate Ju Yang. If they returned to the branch and a full interrogation began, the fact that he had taken bribes would become public knowledge. If his other bribes were uncovered, he wouldn't just lose his position as Squad Leader; he would be thrown into the dungeon.
Jung Ak’s gaze shifted toward Geom Mu-geuk.
"And how do you plan to handle our 'Young Cult Leader' over here?"
"I will handle him personally as well."
"Isn't that treason?"
No one laughed at his joke.
In the midst of this, Ju Yang looked at Geom Mu-geuk. Even if everyone else ridiculed him, Ju Yang did not. He was a man who had already prepared himself for death.
"Young Cult Leader, what do you intend to do now?"
Fine, Ju Yang thought. Since I’ve started this, I’ll play the part of the Young Cult Leader’s man until the end.
As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, Jung Ak drew his sword.
"How dare you let the title of Young Cult Leader cross your lips!"
Just as he was about to lunge forward and cut Ju Yang down, Ho-gyeong blocked his path.
"Stop."
"Step aside. I cannot stand by while someone so impudently impersonates the Young Cult Leader."
"I cannot allow that."
The two men glared at each other. It was the moment their long-hidden conflict finally broke the surface. In truth, Jung Ak had expected Ho-gyeong to block him.
— Kill that bastard!
A message via Voice Transmission flew to his subordinate, Cha Hoe. This was the opportunity—while Ho-gyeong was occupied with him.
Cha Hoe launched a surprise strike of Sword Qi.
Sshhhhk!
A single, violent streak of Sword Qi tore through the air toward Ju Yang. It was a powerful strike meant to sweep away everyone in its path, including Geom Mu-geuk.
Boom!
Startled by the explosion, Ju Yang collapsed onto his backside.
He saw Geom Mu-geuk’s back. Standing perfectly still, Geom Mu-geuk had swung his sword and effortlessly neutralized the incoming Sword Qi.
"Attack together and kill them!"
At the command of the First Team Leader, Cha Hoe, the demonic martial artists of the Demon Sword Squad drew their blades in unison.
Simultaneously, Ho-gyeong shouted, "Block them!"
The warriors belonging to the branch also drew their swords. A heavy tension hung between the two groups as they leveled their blades at one another. If they clashed now, the branch warriors would be no match for the elite Demon Sword Squad.
It was then.
Geom Mu-geuk walked forward and released his aura.
Swaaaaaaaaah!
Geom Mu-geuk’s aura surged in every direction.
It was like a massive tidal wave crashing down upon them. There was nowhere to run, and no way to avoid it.
Every martial artist present felt as if they were sinking into water. An abyss was pulling them down, deeper and deeper. They resisted, struggling with everything they had to avoid being dragged under, but Geom Mu-geuk’s aura brooked no resistance.
Their bodies felt like they were about to burst; their breath was stolen away.
‘Aaaaaargh!’
They tried to scream, but no sound came out. And at the bottom of that abyss, they saw him.
Geom Mu-geuk, standing alone and radiant amidst the pitch-black darkness.
In that instant, the aura vanished.
The Geom Mu-geuk of the abyss was replaced by the Geom Mu-geuk of reality, standing right before them.
Gasping for air, everyone was struck with horror. They didn't even need to draw their swords to know. Geom Mu-geuk’s martial arts were overwhelming, incomparable to their own. Furthermore, they realized that the force that had constricted them was Demonic Energy.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Ho-gyeong.
"It has been a long time. At the celebration for your appointment as Branch Leader, you said this: that you would carefully examine the small things to prevent great calamities."
Ho-gyeong remembered it vividly. It was the greeting he had given at the banquet when he was first appointed. How could he ever forget that moment?
"Were you... were you at that gathering as well?"
Geom Mu-geuk nodded.
"Who are you, young hero?"
Just then, another person appeared on the scene. Ho-gyeong was stunned when he saw the newcomer.
"Branch Leader Im!"
It was Im Jeong, the Jiangxi Branch Leader of the Tongcheon Pavilion. A man who rarely showed his face unless it was a matter of grave importance had appeared here.
"What brings you to this place?"
Before arriving here, Geom Mu-geuk had met a martial artist from the Tongcheon Pavilion and used him to request this of Im Jeong.
"I am here to deliver an order: all martial artists belonging to the Jiangxi Branch are to serve the Young Cult Leader with all their hearts."
Everyone was shocked at the mention of the Young Cult Leader. Had they not been mocking a "fake" Young Cult Leader just moments ago?
"Could it be!"
Every eye turned toward Geom Mu-geuk as Im Jeong spoke in a booming voice.
"That is correct. This person is the Young Cult Leader."
A silence born of shock and awe filled the air.
Ho-gyeong was the first to regain his senses. He knelt and prostrated himself with the utmost respect.
"I greet the Young Cult Leader!"
Following his lead, the branch warriors, as well as Jung Ak and the Demon Sword Squad, all offered their respects in unison. Under no circumstances was the respect for the Cult Leader and the Young Cult Leader anything less than absolute.
"We greet the Young Cult Leader!"
The voices of the demonic martial artists rang out like thunder.
In truth, even without Im Jeong’s confirmation, the magnificent aura Geom Mu-geuk had displayed was proof enough of his identity. Now, the only person standing there dazed was Ju Yang.
Geom Mu-geuk looked at him and gave a faint smile.
"Now you believe me, even without the Demon Lords standing behind me?"
Belatedly coming to his senses, Ju Yang let out a yelp and threw himself onto the ground.
"I failed to recognize your noble presence and committed a great rudeness!"
"Rudeness? You were the only person who believed I was the Young Cult Leader."
Ju Yang was moved to the point of tears. He couldn't believe it. Did this mean he had been meeting with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, collecting interest from him, and conversing with him all this time? He had even called the man a lunatic.
"You're going to have to work hard from now on."
Only now did Ju Yang understand the source of that nonsensical confidence. Since it was an order from the Young Cult Leader, how could he possibly neglect his duties at the message center?
"I will work for the rest of my life with a heart of atonement."
He had saved his life; what more could he ask for? Moments ago, he had been floundering in a vast ocean, but now he was floating comfortably again. Warm sunlight shone down upon him.
Conversely, a great storm was raging in Jung Ak’s heart.
‘Why on earth is the Young Cult Leader here?’
He thought Ho-gyeong was the one targeting him. Had Ho-gyeong joined forces with the Young Cult Leader to take him down? But judging by Ho-gyeong’s shocked reaction, it was certain that he hadn't expected the Young Cult Leader’s appearance either.
"Now, everyone, rise!"
All the martial artists stood up. They continued to gaze at Geom Mu-geuk with eyes full of surprise and awe. This was the man who would become the future Cult Leader. If he ordered them to die, they would have to die on the spot.
Geom Mu-geuk walked toward Jung Ak.
"Squad Leader Jung, you’ve taken quite a lot of bribes."
Before Jung Ak could deny it, Im Jeong spoke first.
"It has been confirmed that gold from the message center was stored in various banks under Squad Leader Jung’s name. The investigation is ongoing, so we expect more evidence to surface soon. We have also begun investigating locations other than the message center."
If anyone else had said it, he could have claimed it was a fabrication, but these were the words of a Tongcheon Pavilion Branch Leader. Nevertheless, Jung Ak lifted his head boldly and spoke as if it were nothing.
"I did not extort that money; they offered it voluntarily."
"Would they have given you that money if you weren't the Demon Sword Squad Leader?"
"It was their choice."
He remained defiant because his subordinates were watching. The moment he showed any servility, his subordinates' respect would vanish.
"Did you share that money with your subordinates?"
A momentary silence followed. The only person he had shared money with was his right-hand man, Cha Hoe.
"I intended to share it."
He would have been better off not saying anything at all. At that pathetic excuse, the gazes of the Demon Sword Squad subordinates turned cold.
"I do not believe the authority of the Demon Sword Squad should be tarnished by such trivial matters."
Jung Ak tried to escape the moment somehow. But his opponent was Geom Mu-geuk.
"That is exactly why."
Geom Mu-geuk looked at the martial artists of the Demon Sword Squad.
"Because you are the Demon Sword Squad. Even if the main headquarters were pushed back by the Murim Alliance or the Unorthodox Path Alliance, as long as we heard that you were still alive, we would not lose hope. We have faith that you would break through the enemy lines to save us. That is the faith the Cult has in you, the Demon Sword Squad."
Pride began to bloom on the faces of the Demon Sword Squad members.
"That is why you must be different from others. You cannot simply snatch up bribes just because they are offered. You might think, 'Surely this much is fine.' It is not fine. If you are the kind of people who take bribes and think nothing of it, then we will not wait for the Demon Sword Squad. Because we will assume that instead of choosing to break through the enemy, you compromised for something easier. You will not come, and we will not wait."
Jung Ak’s expression twisted, but the Demon Sword Squad members were resonating with Geom Mu-geuk’s words.
Jung Ak shouted as if in protest, "Why are you worrying about things that haven't even happened yet?"
"Because I am the man who will become your Cult Leader. Even if no one else does, I must carry that worry."
Jung Ak could find no rebuttal. And then, another sin was added to the list.
"The reason I cannot forgive you is not because of the bribes. You hoped that Branch Leader Ho would die or be injured here today."
A stir went through the crowd at those words.
"That is not true! If that were the case, why would I have come here?"
"Because the mission to find the one who harmed the Branch Leader would have fallen to you anyway. You intended to wrap everything up here. Kill Branch Leader Ho and claim your revenge."
"Why would I do such a thing?"
The one who answered was Ho-gyeong.
"Because you found out I was investigating your background."
Now, Ho-gyeong was certain.
"That’s why you came to me and subtly encouraged me to go on this mission myself."
Jung Ak, about to scream that he was being framed, caught the eyes of his subordinates. The gazes that used to hold fear were now filled with distrust and disappointment. Their respect was evaporating.
"Losing me would be a significant blow to the Cult’s military strength."
"Considering the possibility that your sword might turn against us because of money, it might actually be a gain."
"That would never have happened!"
"One can never know. Who knows what would happen if you were offered a sum too large to refuse?"
To the resentful Jung Ak, Geom Mu-geuk spoke calmly.
"This is why. This is why you shouldn't have taken it in the first place. Whether your words are true or not, everything becomes a mess like this. You become someone who looks like they would sell me out for a few coins."
Geom Mu-geuk spoke with sincerity.
"Pay for your crimes and start over. I will give you another chance then."
Jung Ak let out a long sigh for the first time. How many years would he spend in the dungeon? Five? Ten?
"I do not wish to do that."
The choice Jung Ak made was to kill Ho-gyeong and then die himself. He needed someone to blame, and that target was not himself.
‘This is all because of you!’
He lunged toward Ho-gyeong, drawing his sword.
Flash!
Just as his fast sword was about to cleave through Ho-gyeong’s body—
His blade, which could cut through massive boulders, was blocked by something and shattered.
Clang!
The moment he identified his opponent, Jung Ak’s eyes widened in horror.
Pwaaaaak!
The opponent who had shattered his sword and was now slashing across his chest was a terrifying evil ghost.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Swords of evil ghosts flew in from the left, the right, and from behind. His body was torn apart, and Jung Ak died instantly.
The onlookers were so shocked they could hardly breathe. Knowing that the only demonic art of the Young Cult Leader that summoned ghosts was the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, they all bowed their heads in unison. This time, the respect was not just for Geom Mu-geuk, but for the Nine Calamities Demonic Art itself.
Seizing the moment, Cha Hoe, Jung Ak’s right-hand man, tried to fulfill his fallen leader’s wish, but he was cut down and killed by Ho-gyeong’s sword.
The branch warriors were surprised by Ho-gyeong’s skill. They had only seen his meticulous side, constantly buried in paperwork at his desk, but Ho-gyeong was a much greater master than they had imagined. Because he had never flaunted his strength, the impact was even greater. If they had known, they wouldn't have grumbled so much about the workload.
Unlike the branch warriors, whose morale had soared, a gloom hung over the Demon Sword Squad. Though they were corrupt, they had lost their leader and their first team leader.
Geom Mu-geuk comforted their hearts.
"Around this time, everyone at the tavern in Ma Clan Village that I frequent would be drinking. They’d be worrying about money, their children, their work, and their relationships. They have all sorts of worries, but at the very least, they don't worry about Unorthodox Path Alliance warriors walking through the door and killing them. Why? Because you are here, protecting this Jiangxi Branch."
Geom Mu-geuk spoke his honest feelings with sincerity.
"I know you are given the best treatment, but it is still not enough. With your skills, you could go out and earn ten times more. But in exchange, you would not have the honor of being the elite Demon Sword Squad of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. You might ask if honor puts food on the table, but you are people who must live on honor. Because you are the ones who use that honor to let others eat in peace."
After a brief pause, Geom Mu-geuk added one last thing.
"Even if no one else recognizes it, I will."
Pride and determination filled the eyes of the Demon Sword Squad warriors. What did it matter if it was just words of comfort? These were words from the man who would become their Cult Leader.
"I will devote my life to serving you with total loyalty!"
The comfort for them was not the end, but the beginning.
"Now, everyone, follow me."
Both the Demon Sword Squad and the branch warriors followed behind Geom Mu-geuk.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Ju Yang as well.
"You take the lead."
"Me?"
"This is the place where you will be the star of the show. You must go."
Ju Yang realized then. Geom Mu-geuk intended to take all these men to Jeokpae’s manor. It wasn't because he held Jeokpae in high regard.
It was because Geom Mu-geuk had said this to Im Jeong of the Tongcheon Pavilion:
"Send word to the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Tell them it's the Jiangxi Branch's unity meeting day, so they shouldn't mess with us today."