Chapter 346: Let’s Kill Them First
Chapter 346: Let’s Kill Them First
The carriage sped toward the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
Bi Sa-in stared silently out the window, pondering the mastermind behind the recent upheavals.
An enemy plotting against the entire Murim... how bold.
Looking back at the history of the Murim, individuals capable of causing such massive chaos tended to appear only once every few generations. Normally, their conspiracy would have continued to unfold in the shadows, but it had been dragged into the light because of one man. It was their misfortune to weave their schemes in the same era as him.
Bi Sa-in’s gaze shifted to Geom Mu-geuk, who sat across from him.
Mu-geuk had his eyes closed. Even in the middle of a conversation, he would slip into meditation the moment there was a lull, reciting oral formulas under his breath. Bi Sa-in had initially thought the man was a mass of pure talent, but this journey had revealed the truth: he was, in fact, the embodiment of pure effort.
Bi Sa-in then looked at the seat next to Mu-geuk. The box containing the Sun and Moon Sword, which he had given as a gift, stood upright beside him. Despite being told to put it in the luggage compartment, Mu-geuk had stubbornly insisted on keeping it by his side like a child with a prized toy.
Just then, the carriage jolted violently.
Bi Sa-in was nearly thrown from his seat, and the sword box beside Mu-geuk went airborne. It looked as though the box would slam onto the floor, but it hovered in mid-air for a heartbeat before gently descending back to its original spot.
Mu-geuk had used telekinesis to protect the box. Bi Sa-in had assumed he was either circulating his qi or sleeping, but even in that state, he remained mindful of the sword.
“I appreciate you treasuring my gift, but wouldn’t it be more comfortable to ditch the box and just wear the sword?”
Mu-geuk answered without opening his eyes.
“I’m going to give it to someone as a gift. Wouldn’t it be better to present it in its proper case?”
Since it was the official case for the Sun and Moon Sword, the celestial symbols were exquisitely engraved on its surface.
“Who are you giving it to that requires such meticulous care?”
“I’m giving it to my heart.”
When Bi Sa-in gave him a look that asked what kind of joke this was, Mu-geuk opened his eyes.
“There is someone as important to me as my own heart. Do you think I’d give such a precious sword to just anyone?”
While the image of him sincerely caring for someone suited him, Mu-geuk also gave off a very different impression.
“You seem like the type who would hand over a treasure sword to a random stranger on the street if the mood struck you,” Bi Sa-in remarked.
“Then you have me all wrong. I hate losing out. If I were to give a sword to a stranger, it would only be because I’m aiming for something ten times more precious in their possession.”
“Then what are you aiming for with this ‘heart’ of yours?”
“My heart is an exception. Even if I don’t aim for anything, they are the type of person who would give me everything they have.”
At those words, Bi Sa-in wondered who he would ever give such a gift to. No one came to mind. If he absolutely had to, perhaps he would give it to the 1st Wolf of the 13 Wolves. It occurred to him then that he didn’t yet have a friend to whom he would readily give such a precious treasure.
I hope the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult doesn’t end up being my only friend.
Bi Sa-in looked at Mu-geuk again. The man wasn’t wearing his usual playful smirk; instead, he was watching the passing scenery with calm, deep eyes. Just as Bi Sa-in was about to turn away, Mu-geuk spoke up.
“My Demonic Path and your Unorthodox Path both have a long way to go. If they are built incorrectly, we set them right. If a better idea comes along, we tear them down and rebuild. So, let’s not be in too much of a hurry.”
“Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
“The thought just occurred to me. I’ve found that if I tell myself I’ll say it later, I end up forgetting and never saying it at all. So these days, I try to say everything as soon as it comes to mind.”
“Is that why you talk so much?”
“Isn’t a talkative Young Cult Leader better than a taciturn one whose thoughts you can’t read?”
“The problem is that even though you’re a chatterbox, I still can’t tell what you’re thinking.”
Mu-geuk watched the window again with an inscrutable smile. Bi Sa-in wouldn’t know. He wouldn’t know how lonely Mu-geuk’s life had been before his regression, or how precious this talkative life felt to him now.
“What did the Ungang Sect Leader confess?” Mu-geuk asked, guessing that Tae Jo had spilled something.
“He said the person who arranged the job for the Flowing Sword Sect to fetch the children was Pyo Gi-gwang, the former leader of the Black Dragon Unit.”
Pyo Gi-gwang.
He was someone not in Mu-geuk’s memory. He was likely a disposable pawn who had been used and discarded.
“He stepped down from his position as the Black Dragon Unit Leader ten years ago due to a severe injury. Since then, he’s been living like a total wreck.”
“So someone recruited him.”
“It seems so. Considering he secured various interests for the Flowing Sword Sect, the person behind Unit Leader Pyo must be someone with significant power.”
Mu-geuk had expected as much.
“It might even be someone you know well,” Mu-geuk added.
Bi Sa-in nodded in agreement. If it was a power player within the Unorthodox Path Alliance, there was no way he wouldn’t know them. The question was who.
“Did he say why they needed the children?”
Bi Sa-in hesitated. What if this matter was unrelated to the mysterious organization that had infiltrated the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance? What if it was truly a secret organization within the Unorthodox Path Alliance? He would be revealing his own alliance’s secrets to the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
“Did he say they were forming a secret organization or something?”
Bi Sa-in flinched. The man was so sharp it was impossible to hide anything from him.
“Yes,” Bi Sa-in answered honestly. Mu-geuk had read his concerns perfectly.
“Are you worried that this secret organization might be unrelated to the one I mentioned?”
“I am.”
“Even if that’s the case, if a secret organization is being formed without your knowledge, isn’t that a problem in itself? You’ll gain as much as you leak to me. So, look on the bright side.”
Normally, Mu-geuk would have been well within his rights to get angry, asking if Bi Sa-in intended to hide information after he had followed him all the way to the Unorthodox Path Alliance to help. Instead, Mu-geuk was looking at the situation with consideration for Bi Sa-in’s position.
“If it really bothers you, handle that part discreetly. Just let me know if you need help.”
He was still making Bi Sa-in the protagonist of the situation.
Right. If I intended to calculate gains and play petty tricks with a man like Mu-geuk, I shouldn’t have brought him along in the first place.
“No, I will share all information. Please help me.”
Mu-geuk smiled. It was the same smile he had shown when they handled the matter with Tae Jo publicly. You’re doing well, it seemed to say.
Whether he knew Bi Sa-in’s thoughts or not, Mu-geuk began to narrow down the suspects.
“If a secret organization is indeed being built within the Alliance, who would be in a position to know about it?”
“Most information is supposed to reach me. However, if this was done without my knowledge, it would have to be something led by the Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist.”
The two most difficult people to deal with in the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Mu-geuk immediately ruled out one of them. The Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader—since he was the one killed by Hwa Mu-gi before the regression, he couldn’t be on the same side as the conspirators.
“What kind of person is the Chief Strategist?”
“He is someone with fierce loyalty to the Alliance Leader. If you’re suspecting him, I’d tell you it’s a waste of time. His loyalty isn’t just to the Alliance Leader, but to the Unorthodox Path Alliance itself.”
One can never truly know a person’s heart, but for now, if they ruled out the Chief Strategist as Bi Sa-in suggested...
“Who else could there be?”
“Couldn’t someone have been operating without those two knowing?” Mu-geuk asked.
If it was something done without the knowledge of the Alliance Leader or the Chief Strategist, it was nothing short of treason. If so, there was a high probability it was the work of the people Mu-geuk was looking for.
“If they have enough power to grant favors to the Flowing Sword Sect, it could be someone at the level of a Pavilion Master or a Unit Leader. It could even be an Elder.”
“Let’s keep all possibilities open.”
“First, I’ll investigate Unit Leader Pyo discreetly.”
Mu-geuk shook his head.
“There’s no time for that. By the time we arrive at the Unorthodox Path Alliance, the mastermind will also know that the Yellow Dragon Escort Agency Leader is dead and the Flowing Sword Sect Leader has been taken into custody. They’ll realize they can no longer obtain children and will fear their identity might be exposed.”
It was true. A discreet investigation would only give the enemy time to prepare.
“Let’s go for a frontal breakthrough. The martial arts of those active in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Murim Alliance, and the Pungcheon Cult were nearly at the level of Demon Lords. Their infiltration methods were also extraordinary. If we don’t push them with a lightning-fast strike, they’ll cut their tail and vanish.”
Bi Sa-in agreed, but one problem remained.
“Capturing and interrogating Unit Leader Pyo isn’t difficult. However, there’s something that bothers me. When the Flowing Sword Sect Leader confessed, he said Unit Leader Pyo told him that the fate of the Alliance depended on this secret organization. If he truly believes he is carrying out a mission for the sake of the Alliance, he won’t talk easily. He might even take his own life.”
Bi Sa-in added one more concern. “The mastermind might kill Unit Leader Pyo themselves to cut the tail.”
Mu-geuk had a solution for that—a method no one could have imagined.
“Then let’s kill him first.”
“What?”
Bi Sa-in’s eyes widened, but the incomprehensible words continued.
“Let’s cut that tail ourselves and claim it.”
*
“Just how much longer are you going to live like this?”
At the shout, the noisy banquet hall fell silent. Everyone’s gaze turned toward two men.
“I once respected you, but why have you fallen apart like this?”
Pyo Gi-gwang had been in the middle of boasting about his past exploits as a Unit Leader to a group of gathered martial artists. Perhaps he had gotten too rowdy from the alcohol, but someone had finally stepped forward to scold him.
“Aren’t you ashamed in front of your juniors?”
The speaker was a martial artist who had served under him in the Black Dragon Unit. As he said, he was someone who had once followed Pyo’s orders faithfully.
Ashamed? Of what? What’s so shameful about having a few drinks and telling old stories?
Pyo wanted to roar at them. Do you have any idea how much I sacrificed for the Alliance! Can’t you lot even listen to a few stories?
But he couldn’t bring himself to say it. The eyes around him were filled with pity and contempt. This wasn’t the first time he had acted like this.
Pyo Gi-gwang stumbled as he walked out of the hall. He wasn’t actually that drunk, but he staggered on purpose. He felt that if he didn’t, he would feel even more pathetic. In the past, he really had been a wreck. But lately, he had been merely acting the part, just to show everyone that he was still a useless man.
However, experiencing something like today made his heart sink. He hadn’t intended to endure such rebukes from a former subordinate. If he were a real wreck, he would have smashed a bottle and screamed. Instead, he was turning away with a bitter heart.
If my martial arts were still what they used to be, would you all still act like this?
As long as that thought remained, his bitterness could only deepen. It was then, as he entered a secluded path, that a masked man suddenly blocked his way.
Before he could even ask who it was, the masked man drew his sword and lunged.
Pyo tried to draw his own blade to block, but the opponent’s movement was too fast. So this is how I die! Just as despair was about to consume him—
Clang!
Someone stepped in front of Pyo Gi-gwang and parried the attack. The masked man, having failed the assassination, vanished from the spot in an instant.
The man who had blocked the attack turned toward Pyo Gi-gwang. When he realized the identity of his savior, Pyo was stunned.
“Young Alliance Leader?”
Several martial artists of the 13 Wolves flew off in pursuit of the fleeing masked man.
“Are you alright?”
“I lived, thanks to you.”
“I’m glad I wasn’t too late.”
Pyo Gi-gwang was inwardly shocked and bewildered. “What brings the Young Alliance Leader here?”
“I didn’t save you by chance while passing by. I was on my way to see you, Unit Leader Pyo.”
“Me?”
This was truly unexpected. Just then, the 13 Wolves who had pursued the masked man returned.
“We lost him. His lightness skill was extraordinary.”
However, Pyo Gi-gwang did not realize that the number of returning martial artists had increased by one. The masked man who had attacked him earlier was Mu-geuk. He had pretended to flee, changed into the uniform of the 13 Wolves, and then returned with them.
Of course, Pyo Gi-gwang had no way of knowing this. He was simply wondering why Bi Sa-in had come to find him.
“Who was the person trying to kill you?”
Pyo Gi-gwang shook his head. “I don’t know.”
One thing was certain: they had definitely intended to kill him. The sword that had lunged at him was filled with genuine killing intent and had been aimed precisely at his heart. If not for Bi Sa-in, he would be dead.
“Why did you come to see me?”
“While investigating the kidnapping of children by the Black Sand Guild and their transfer to the Flowing Sword Sect, your name came up. I’ve already heard that you asked the Flowing Sword Sect Leader to secure the children. You said it was to form a secret organization—is that true?”
Pyo Gi-gwang was flustered. He never expected Bi Sa-in to suddenly show up and ask about this. Indeed, Bi Sa-in was going for a frontal breakthrough without wasting any time, just as Mu-geuk had suggested.
“It seems the assassin earlier was sent to silence you because I found out about this matter.”
Bi Sa-in deliberately emphasized the words ‘silence you.’ Mu-geuk’s plan was to make it look like the people who gave Pyo the mission were trying to kill him, thereby coaxing a confession out of him.
“What kind of secret organization are you building? What is going on without my knowledge?”
Pyo Gi-gwang said nothing. He didn’t suspect for a moment that this ambush was orchestrated by the Young Alliance Leader. There was no reason for him to do such a thing. And crucially, Pyo Gi-gwang had always expected a moment like this.
If the secret operation is leaked, they will try to eliminate me. That day has finally come.
A sacrifice for the Great Task. Because of that thought, he felt that what was meant to happen had simply arrived.
“I know you are someone who has dedicated yourself to this Alliance. You are not someone who deserves this kind of treatment. So, please, let me protect you.”
Pyo Gi-gwang, having resolved to sacrifice himself for the Unorthodox Path Alliance, merely lowered his head and gave no answer.
“I see. I shall withdraw for now. Instead, I will assign one of my subordinates to be your guard.”
“Do not waste a subordinate’s life for nothing.”
“If you’re worried about that, then tell him everything.”
Bi Sa-in looked back at his subordinate and said, “Protect Unit Leader Pyo well.”
“I shall obey your command.”
The person who stepped forward upon receiving the order was Mu-geuk. It was the moment the operation began—to grab a tail that didn’t even know which body it was attached to, and use it to find the mastermind.
“I will protect you.”