Chapter 339: An Irrefutable Witness, an Impossible Silence
Chapter 339: An Irrefutable Witness, an Impossible Silence
Geom Mu-geuk waited in the Clear Water Forest alongside the porters of the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency. Dressed in a standard escort uniform, he looked like nothing more than a green rookie.
—It is time, yet they have not arrived.
Geom Mu-geuk responded to the voice transmission from Hwang Won, who was acting as the temporary Agency Leader.
—Give the order to return immediately.
—Should we not wait a little longer?
—No. Give the order now.
Hwang Won followed Mu-geuk’s lead without question.
“We’re heading back,” he barked.
At his command, the porters began turning the wagons around. But just as they prepared to leave the forest, a man blocked their path. His face was obscured beneath the low brim of a bamboo hat. It was Black Thirteen of the Black Snake Unit.
“Where is Escort Leader Gong?” he demanded. He had been watching from the shadows, only revealing himself once he saw them preparing to abandon the rendezvous.
Hwang Won gave the answer Mu-geuk had prepared for him. “Escort Leader Gong is dead.”
“Dead? How?”
“He was killed by those Demonic Cult bastards.”
Hwang Won stuck to the truth, knowing the man might have already heard the rumors. “I don’t know the full details myself. Only that he got tangled up with the Cult and was beaten to death.”
Black Thirteen didn’t seem particularly surprised. The Gong Chan he knew wasn't the type to live a long life; he was arrogant beyond his station and had a gaze that rubbed everyone the wrong way.
“The Agency Leader sent me as the replacement in charge,” Hwang Won added, his tone stiff and businesslike—another piece of coaching from Mu-geuk. “Just hand over the cargo. You can verify my identity with the Agency Leader later.”
Black Thirteen scanned the porters. Except for the rookie-looking youth, they were all faces he recognized from previous dealings. When he didn't immediately respond, Mu-geuk sent another transmission.
—Be more aggressive.
Hwang Won’s expression hardened. “To be honest, I have no stomach for these secretive missions. I’m only here because the Agency Leader ordered it. If you won't hand over the goods, I’ll happily go back and tell him the deal is off.”
Hwang Won turned back to the porters. “We’re leaving.”
They had nothing to lose. This was the core of the plan.
Black Thirteen glared at Hwang Won’s retreating back for a moment before his suspicion finally flickered out. “Wait. Follow me.”
He led them into a secluded thicket where a wagon and a dozen warriors from the Black Snake Unit waited. They didn't bother hiding their faces; the black snake tattoos etched onto their foreheads looked truly menacing.
The moment he saw the crates, Geom Mu-geuk released his qi to sweep the interior. He had to be sure it wasn't a trap.
He felt it—breaths. Faint, incredibly delicate breaths. It was the children.
As Mu-geuk gave a subtle nod, Hwang Won gave the order. “Move them. Quickly.”
The porters began transferring the crates to their own wagons.
“Where are we taking them?” Hwang Won asked Black Thirteen.
“Weren’t you told the destination?”
Hwang Won scoffed, using the line Mu-geuk had taught him. “Do you think that secretive bastard Gong told me a damn thing before he croaked?”
When Hwang Won had initially asked if it was okay to be so abrasive, Mu-geuk had explained it was a trick to make them "look at the finger instead of the moon." Sure enough, the Black Snake warriors focused entirely on Hwang Won’s attitude rather than his identity.
“You! Watch your mouth,” one of the swordsmen snarled, stepping forward.
Black Thirteen restrained his subordinate and turned to Hwang Won. “Deliver the cargo to the Flowing Sword Sect by midnight the day after tomorrow. If you are even a quarter-hour late, you will die by my hand.”
The moment the destination was revealed, the air changed.
Swoosh!
A flying dagger buried itself in the neck of the swordsman who had just issued the threat. As he collapsed, warriors ambushed them from every direction.
“An ambush! Defend yourselves!”
However, the skill of the attackers completely overwhelmed the Black Snake Unit. Unable to mount a proper defense, the traffickers fell one after another. Mu-geuk signaled the porters to bunch together in a circle to stay clear of the crossfire.
Black Thirteen tried to bolt toward the rear of the forest, but a dull thud sent him rolling across the dirt. His bamboo hat flew off, revealing a snake tattoo on his forehead that was far more intricate than his subordinates'.
A man stepped out from the trees. To the porters' shock, the person who had suppressed Black Thirteen was none other than Jin Ha-gun, the Leader of the Demon Extermination Squad.
He walked over leisurely and struck Black Thirteen’s mute and demonic acupoints while the man clutched his stomach in agony. By then, the rest of the Black Snake Unit had been slaughtered or subdued. The situation was resolved in an instant.
The Demon Extermination Squad warriors surrounded the porters, leveling their swords at them. One warrior pried open a crate, pulling away the camouflage silk to reveal a sleeping child.
“There’s a child here, Captain.”
“Are they safe?”
“Yes. They’ve been put under using the Turtle Breathing Technique.”
Jin Ha-gun opened another crate himself, his expression softening slightly. Another sleeping child. Then, a subordinate approached him with a report.
“These men are porters from the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency.”
Jin Ha-gun’s face twisted in fury. “Porters of the Orthodox Faction were dealing with the Black Snake Unit?”
The Demon Extermination Squad had been tracking the children; they hadn't known the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency was the one meeting the traffickers.
“Drop your weapons and get on your knees! All of you!”
Hwang Won’s heart sank. Caught red-handed with the Black Snake Unit while transporting kidnapped children—and in front of the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult? Would the Demon Extermination Squad ever believe their story?
The truth would come out eventually, but if a fight broke out now, they’d all be killed like dogs before they could say a word.
“Kill anyone who doesn’t kneel!” Jin Ha-gun roared.
Hwang Won commanded his porters to obey. As they hit the dirt, Jin Ha-gun, still cradling a child, noticed his subordinates staring at someone. He turned around.
While everyone else was on their knees, a single young porter remained standing. The youth gave Jin Ha-gun a smirk and a casual wave.
“Have you been well?”
Jin Ha-gun’s eyes widened. “You!”
This was the man who appeared in his dreams—the infuriating man who always seemed to be one step ahead of him. And here he was, smiling in a dusty porter’s uniform.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to get some children to use as materials for a Great Regression Art,” Mu-geuk quipped.
Hwang Won, still kneeling, turned pale. What if he actually believes that? Wait, was that the truth? Did he trick me? There’s no way the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult would come to save children!
Because he wasn't used to Mu-geuk’s sense of humor, he actually considered the possibility for a terrifying second. Fortunately, Jin Ha-gun was well-acquainted with Mu-geuk’s nonsense.
“Are you joking the moment we meet again?”
“It’s a long story. To put it simply, I came to save the children.”
“If I’d known you were involved, we wouldn't have needed to come,” Jin Ha-gun grumbled. Though spoken as a jab, it was a high compliment. “Everyone, stand up.”
At Jin Ha-gun’s word, the trembling porters rose. They were relieved, but stunned. They knew their "rookie" was extraordinary, but they hadn't realized he had this kind of relationship with the Leader of the Demon Extermination Squad.
“We received information that the Black Snake Unit was kidnapping and selling children,” Jin Ha-gun explained. “We’ve finally found the evidence.”
“You’ve found the sellers, but what about the buyers?” Mu-geuk asked.
“Of course, they won't be spared either.”
Jin Ha-gun wanted to storm the Flowing Sword Sect immediately. However, the Flowing Sword Sect belonged to the Unorthodox Faction. He couldn't just charge in without ironclad proof. If he made a mistake and it escalated into a conflict with the Unorthodox Path Alliance, the consequences would be irreversible.
“We will investigate the Flowing Sword Sect secretly. If we find proof that they purchased these children, the main force will show no mercy.”
Geom Mu-geuk smiled at his grim determination. “Spoken like a true Leader of the Demon Extermination Squad.”
He wasn't being sarcastic. He could feel a different, more mature aura from Jin Ha-gun than before.
“However, there is a flaw in your plan. If the children don't arrive on time, they’ll realize something went wrong and destroy the evidence. They might even pin it on some expendable subordinate.”
Jin Ha-gun frowned. “Then what do you suggest?”
“Let’s continue the escort mission.”
The Demon Extermination Squad and the porters all stared at Mu-geuk in shock.
“The children are under the Turtle Breathing Technique anyway; they won't wake up for hours. Let’s deliver them and catch the Flowing Sword Sect Leader himself in the act.”
“And if something happens to the children?”
“If something happens when both you and I are there,” Mu-geuk said confidently, “wouldn't that be an act of God?”
Jin Ha-gun hesitated. If anyone else had suggested this, he would have refused. He had no intention of gambling with lives. But this was Geom Mu-geuk. He knew exactly what the man was capable of.
His hesitation didn't last long. If they didn't uproot this evil now, the kidnappings would only continue.
Jin Ha-gun nodded, and Mu-geuk shouted to the porters, “Let’s finish the job!”
*
Hwang Won looked back from the lead wagon.
He saw Geom Mu-geuk and Jin Ha-gun sitting side-by-side on the cargo. It wasn't just two porters, or even just two masters. It was the son of the Heavenly Demon and the grandson of the Murim Alliance Leader sitting together. It was a sight he would never see again in his lifetime.
“Is the Alliance Leader doing well?” Jin Ha-gun asked.
“He is as robust as ever.”
After a brief pause, Jin Ha-gun added, “He mentions you occasionally.”
“Oh? What does he say?”
“That if he has to kill one person among the Demonic Cultists, it must be the Young Cult Leader.”
Geom Mu-geuk laughed. “It must be the opposite. That if he has to save one person among the Demonic Cultists, it must be the Young Cult Leader.”
“Think whatever makes you happy.”
Through their conversation, Hwang Won and the porters realized that what Mu-geuk had told them before was true. He was clearly an intimate acquaintance of the Murim Alliance Leader.
“And Miss Jin?” Mu-geuk asked.
“Still as reckless as ever.”
Despite his words, Jin Ha-ryeong had also changed. She was no longer a spoiled brat, but was growing into a central figure among the Rising Stars of the Orthodox Faction.
“But why are you out here alone?” Jin Ha-gun asked, looking at Mu-geuk. Since the man wasn't the type to lie, he really must be solo. “It seems the Cult doesn't even look for you, seeing as you're an outcast.”
“I suppose so. So, you should at least treat me warmly.”
Jin Ha-gun looked away, exasperated. But soon, he spoke in a calm tone. “Since that day, I’ve been trying to see people for who they truly are.”
Geom Mu-geuk smiled without a word. Jin Ha-gun felt it then—the essence of the man named Geom Mu-geuk. When he was silent, looking up at the sky with those clear, deep eyes, one could see his true nature. One shouldn't be fooled by his chatter.
The wagons rolled on until they finally arrived at the gates of the Flowing Sword Sect.
*
Late at night, the wagons entered through the back gate. Man Hong, a high-ranking member of the Flowing Sword Sect, received the cargo.
“Move them carefully. Don't stack them; place them separately.”
The porters moved the crates into the warehouse. Once the task was done, Man Hong handed Hwang Won a heavy pouch filled with silver. After the porters "left," Man Hong opened a crate to inspect the children.
At that moment, another man entered the warehouse. It was Tae Jo, the Leader of the Flowing Sword Sect—an Absolute Master of the Unorthodox Path who had founded his own school.
“Did you really have to use those Orthodox bastards?” Tae Jo asked.
“It couldn't be helped, Sect Leader. The Demon Extermination Squad is investigating everyone who so much as shared a drink with the Black Snake Unit.”
“Unlucky bastards! How many children this time?”
“Fifteen.”
“When will they wake?”
“In about six hours.”
“Call me when they do.”
Just as Tae Jo turned to leave, a commotion broke out outside. The sound of clashing steel rang out, and then—
Crash!
The warehouse doors were smashed open. A group of warriors burst in, led by Jin Ha-gun. He walked straight up to Tae Jo and introduced himself calmly.
“I am Jin Ha-gun, Leader of the Demon Extermination Squad.”
“It is an honor to meet the famous Captain Jin,” Tae Jo replied, maintaining his composure despite the situation. “However, no matter how famous you are, I’m not sure it’s right to intrude upon another sect so recklessly.”
“I apologize. The matter was urgent.”
“And what matter is that?”
“Recently, the Black Snake Unit has been kidnapping and selling children. We have been tracking their atrocities, and we confirmed that crates containing those children entered the Flowing Sword Sect.” Jin Ha-gun’s gaze shifted to the crates. “Those look like the ones. May I check them?”
“And if I say no?”
“If that were an option, I wouldn't have come in here in the first place.”
At Jin Ha-gun’s nod, two warriors opened the crates, confirming the sleeping children inside.
“I know nothing of this,” Tae Jo said flatly, even with the evidence in plain sight. “I only came here to speak with my subordinate. What is the meaning of this, Man Hong?”
“I... I don't know either, Sect Leader! I will find out who is responsible!”
Just as Mu-geuk had predicted, Tae Jo was pinning the blame on a subordinate to slip away.
Then, a voice drifted from the shadows. “Isn't that a lie?”
Startled, Tae Jo turned to see someone standing up from behind the crates. It was Geom Mu-geuk.
“It’s no use denying it,” Mu-geuk said, dusting off his uniform. “I heard everything.”
Tae Jo didn't flinch. He looked at Jin Ha-gun with a sneer. “I don't know what that young warrior thinks he heard, but who would believe the words of a subordinate you planted?”
“He is not my subordinate,” Jin Ha-gun replied.
“Do you expect me to believe that?”
“I wish he were my subordinate, but he is someone whom no one in this world can claim as a subordinate.”
Confused, Tae Jo looked back and forth between the two. “Whether he’s your subordinate or not, it’s the same. Judging by his clothes, he’s just a porter—nothing more than a petty thief who snuck into my warehouse. I cannot accept such a person as a witness.”
Both Jin Ha-gun and Mu-geuk remained perfectly at ease. The winner of this battle had been decided before it even began.
“Unfortunately,” Jin Ha-gun said calmly, “he is a witness you cannot refute, you cannot argue against, and you cannot possibly kill to silence. In fact, everyone in the world except you will believe his words.”
Jin Ha-gun turned to Mu-geuk. The youth’s mouth was practically twitching, his expression clearly asking, Is it my turn yet?
Jin Ha-gun sighed. “You’ve met a witness you should never have met.”