Chapter 365: Just Thinking About It Makes Me Angry
Chapter 365: Just Thinking About It Makes Me Angry
Baek Ja-gang could hardly believe it.
Does the current Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult truly think this way?
Did he sincerely consider Bi Sa-in a friend? Did he truly wish to avoid conflict and simply share a drink?
This was Geom Mu-geuk, the man rumored to be the greatest among all the Heavenly Demon’s successors. This was the Young Cult Leader who had already charmed the Young Alliance Leader and even the 1st Wolf.
Hyeok Sa-gun was the first to notice the disbelief in Baek Ja-gang’s eyes.
This is it!
He misinterpreted that look of doubt in his own favor. How could the Alliance Leader possibly trust the words of the Demon Doctor or the Poison King?
Refuse him! Hurry and say no!
Hyeok Sa-gun was internally on edge. If it were just one of them, it might be manageable, but if the Poison King and the Demon Doctor collaborated to examine the patient, the use of poison would undoubtedly be exposed.
I’ll be left with no other choice. For your own sake, please refuse.
Meanwhile, Geom Mu-geuk also noted the disbelief in Baek Ja-gang’s eyes. Of course, Geom Mu-geuk was unaware of Baek Ja-gang’s innate ability to detect falsehoods. Thus, he doubled down on his efforts to persuade the man.
— It was a lie intended to drive those bastards into a corner. Please trust me just this once. Pretend to accept the arrival of the Demon Doctor and the Poison King.
Even without this confession sent via Voice Transmission, Baek Ja-gang now believed Geom Mu-geuk. He knew exactly who was telling the truth.
Finally, Baek Ja-gang spoke. Since Hyeok Sa-gun was watching, he did not grant his consent easily.
“What will you do if those two arrive and determine that he hasn't been poisoned?”
Geom Mu-geuk could tell that Baek Ja-gang intended to play along. The doctors weren't actually coming; what mattered now was setting a condition that even Hyeok Sa-gun would find acceptable.
“I will reduce the Demonic Cult’s forces in the Jiangxi region by half.”
Jiangxi was a strategic stronghold where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult directly faced off against the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
“Can you put that in an official document?”
“I can.”
Baek Ja-gang felt the familiar prickle of goosebumps by his ear. His senses were working perfectly—the boy was lying through his teeth.
As if to prove it, Geom Mu-geuk’s Voice Transmission followed immediately.
— I can’t actually do that. If I did that without my father’s permission, I’d be kicked out the very next day! Unless, of course, you’re willing to adopt me.
Baek Ja-gang struggled to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching. The boy was truly something else—cracking a joke like that at such a critical moment.
“Very well. We shall verify the truth once the two of them arrive.”
Hyeok Sa-gun voiced his dissatisfaction at the unexpected decision.
“Surely, you aren't actually believing the Young Cult Leader’s words, Alliance Leader?”
Baek Ja-gang narrowed his eyes and stared at Hyeok Sa-gun. In that instant, the strategist realized he had acted rashly. If his words were true, he had no reason to be so agitated.
If Geom Mu-geuk had proposed such a condition, Hyeok Sa-gun, as a strategist, should have welcomed it. Reducing the Demonic Cult’s influence in Jiangxi by half would bring immense benefit to the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
“I shall follow the Alliance Leader’s will,” Hyeok Sa-gun conceded, bowing his head.
Baek Ja-gang turned back to Geom Mu-geuk. “When will they arrive?”
“It will take about ten days.”
Geom Mu-geuk deliberately set the timeframe as long as possible. He hoped Bi Sa-in would recover enough to join this fight. This wasn't just his battle; it was Bi Sa-in’s, and it was the battle of Baek Ja-gang and the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
“Fine. You shall remain at the Alliance headquarters until then.”
Geom Mu-geuk shot a suspicious look at Hyeok Sa-gun.
“In the meantime, the Deputy Strategist might kill the Chief Strategist to destroy the evidence.”
Geom Mu-geuk hit the nail right on the head. Hyeok Sa-gun was indeed contemplating how to eliminate the Chief Strategist without drawing suspicion.
“What nonsense is this? The Chief Strategist is like a mentor to me.”
“Exactly. Why would you do that to someone who is like a mentor?”
Hyeok Sa-gun glared at Geom Mu-geuk with cold eyes. He was used to handling even the most brilliant strategists with ease, but this Geom Mu-geuk, who was far younger than him, was strangely prickly and difficult to deal with.
Was it because he was intimidated by his status as the Young Cult Leader?
No. This man had a way of making one feel stifled. He was the kind of person who, even if you met him as a waiter at an inn, would make it difficult to even place an order.
Baek Ja-gang brought an end to the tense standoff.
“Stay near the Alliance until the Poison King and the Demon Doctor arrive.”
“Thank you, Alliance Leader.”
Hyeok Sa-gun felt the tide shifting. A new phase had begun.
“We shall end it here for today. Strategist Hyeok, stay behind for a moment.”
Sending Geom Mu-geuk out while keeping Hyeok Sa-gun behind? It looked like a gesture of trust, but it was the opposite. Now was the time to soothe the enemy and lower his guard.
“Because that brat acted on bravado, we stand to gain a great profit,” Baek Ja-gang said.
He referred to Geom Mu-geuk as "that brat" instead of "the Young Cult Leader." It was a signal that he trusted Hyeok Sa-gun over the outsider.
If that were true, you shouldn't have accepted the Poison King and the Demon Doctor, Hyeok Sa-gun thought bitterly. He masked his frustration as concern.
“Forgive me for saying this, but you should not have accepted them. The Poison King, in particular, is the most dangerous man in the Murim. There is no telling what he might do once he enters this headquarters. Above all, I am worried for your safety, Alliance Leader.”
He tried to change Baek Ja-gang's mind by framing it as loyalty. However, it was a futile effort; he had no way of knowing what was truly in the leader's heart.
“When they arrive, keep them under strict surveillance,” Baek Ja-gang ordered.
If they were actually coming, Baek Ja-gang would have stopped them himself. Letting the Poison King into the Unorthodox Path Alliance? That was absolutely out of the question. From that day forward, he wouldn't even be able to drink a cup of water in peace.
Hyeok Sa-gun would surely realize that as well. Thus, Baek Ja-gang made the first move.
“But why is the Young Cult Leader being so stubborn?”
A sharp, probing gaze pierced through Hyeok Sa-gun. It really wasn't your doing, was it?
Baek Ja-gang was naturally a suspicious man. If he trusted Hyeok Sa-gun blindly, it would feel unnatural. It was a suspicion meant to ward off suspicion.
“It seems he is trying to buy time,” Hyeok Sa-gun replied.
“For what?”
“I shall look into it.”
No matter how clever Hyeok Sa-gun was, he was no match for the battle-hardened Baek Ja-gang. The Alliance Leader kept him off-balance to prevent him from thinking clearly. This time, he released a cold killing intent, displaying his "anger" toward Geom Mu-geuk.
“Calling for the Demon Doctor and the Poison King to verify the truth is a truly arrogant ploy. Is it not a slight against the integrity of this Alliance?”
“You are absolutely right. Furthermore, even if he promises the Jiangxi matter in writing, he may not keep his word.”
Hyeok Sa-gun pointed out new potential issues in a desperate attempt to change the leader's mind, but it wasn't working.
“The Young Cult Leader is a man full of pride. For the sake of his ego, he will keep his promise one way or another. Geom Wu-jin is going to have quite the headache over this.”
Hyeok Sa-gun suppressed the urge to sigh. If the Poison King and the Demon Doctor arrived and revealed that the Chief Strategist’s illness was due to poisoning, he was finished. He was the one who had received the poison from Hwang Seok-gyeong and administered it.
Throughout his successful career, there had been many obstacles. People had tried to block his path or trip him up. Each time, he had overcome them with Hwang Seok-gyeong’s help.
But this time was different. The scale of this interference was catastrophic. It was greater than all his past misfortunes combined.
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
As he bowed politely and turned to leave, Baek Ja-gang spoke from behind him.
“Look into it thoroughly. We cannot allow ourselves to be toyed with by that young brat.”
“Do not worry, Alliance Leader.”
Hyeok Sa-gun bowed with a reassured expression and turned away.
Because of that young brat, you are about to die, Alliance Leader.
*
That night, Hyeok Sa-gun appeared at the same spot where he had previously met the Combat King. In the distance, across the field, he saw Hwang Seok-gyeong.
Today, as always, the man had arrived first. Hwang Seok-gyeong was never late. Upon seeing him, the stifling feeling Hyeok Sa-gun had felt while facing Geom Mu-geuk finally began to dissipate.
Only now did he realize that the stifling feeling had been an instinctive signal that he needed help. Only someone of Hwang Seok-gyeong’s caliber could handle a "waiter" like that.
Hyeok Sa-gun cut straight to the point. “The Young Cult Leader has summoned the Demon Doctor and the Poison King.”
The Combat King’s expression hardened. He immediately understood the implications. “Because of the Chief Strategist.”
“Correct. That Young Cult Leader is no ordinary fellow.”
The Combat King asked for Hyeok Sa-gun’s opinion first. Even when he had already made a decision, he always consulted his strategist. “What do you think we should do?”
Hyeok Sa-gun had already made up his mind on the way here. “Is there a way to stop the Poison King and the Demon Doctor from coming?”
The Combat King pondered for a moment before shaking his head. One could not simply kill a Demon Lord and the Demon Doctor. Even if the situation demanded it, it would not be easy if the opponent was the Poison King. If you failed to kill him in a single strike, your entire side would be wiped out. That was the terror of the Poison King.
“Then there is only one way. Although the timing has been moved up significantly from what we planned, have we not prepared extensively for this moment?”
This decision would change his and Hwang Seok-gyeong’s destinies. It would change the fates of their subordinates, the Unorthodox Path Alliance, and eventually, the entire Murim.
Hyeok Sa-gun asked with a solemn gaze, “Are you ready?”
Compared to the solemn strategist, the Combat King looked at ease. He had lived his life as a constant battle. Because he lived every moment with the mindset that losing meant death, he was always ready.
Under the bright moonlight, the Combat King replied as if he had been waiting for this.
“I am always ready.”
*
At the same time, another meeting was taking place elsewhere.
Geom Mu-geuk stood in the same field where he had previously met the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Baek Ja-gang entered the clearing.
“I figured you would come here. Allow me to apologize first.”
“I don't mind that you lied to me,” Baek Ja-gang replied.
“No, it’s not because of that. Because of my lie, you are now in danger, Alliance Leader. They will think that if the Demon Doctor and the Poison King investigate together, the poisoning will surely be revealed. In the end, they will try to wrap this up before those two arrive.”
“How do they intend to wrap it up?”
“They won't just run away.” Words that should not have been uttered came from Geom Mu-geuk’s mouth. “They will try to kill you, Alliance Leader.”
Even at the mention of his own assassination, Baek Ja-gang showed no reaction.
“And they will pin the blame on me. They will never miss such an opportunity,” Geom Mu-geuk continued in a calm tone. “Normally, this would have happened in a few years, or perhaps a decade. But because your disciple and I became friends, the timing has changed.”
Normally, he should have said "because I appeared," but Geom Mu-geuk said "because I became friends with Bi Sa-in." He tried to flaunt their friendship whenever he had the chance.
It was enough that his father dreamed of unifying the Murim. Stopping his father was already a difficult enough task.
“You stay out of this fight,” Baek Ja-gang commanded.
Of course, since it was an internal affair of the Unorthodox Path Alliance, it was only right to follow the leader's will. However, knowing the opponent was the Combat King, Geom Mu-geuk could not do that. He believed that in a fair one-on-one fight, the Alliance Leader could defeat the Combat King. The problem was that the Combat King would use any means necessary to win. He was a man obsessed with victory, not fair play.
“Are you worried about me?”
“If you get hurt, I won't be able to face your disciple.”
“That won't happen. I’ve learned Lightness Skills quite well, so I’m confident in my ability to run away.”
Baek Ja-gang figured there must be a reason why Geom Mu-geuk wanted to involve himself. “Why do you want to join this battle?”
Geom Mu-geuk answered honestly. “Because of the Young Alliance Leader. He probably wants to be in this fight even more than I do. Since his injuries haven't fully healed, I will stay by his side.”
Baek Ja-gang felt no prickle of goosebumps. The boy was telling the truth.
He suddenly tried to imagine it—a Murim where the Demonic Cult Leader and the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader were friends. But not a single scene came to mind. To him, such a Murim did not exist.
Then, he recalled what Geom Mu-geuk had said previously.
— Whether it be my Demonic Path or the Young Alliance Leader’s Unorthodox Path, I believe our era will surely have a new ideal.
“I’ll say it again: that friendship will not come to pass.”
At that, Geom Mu-geuk said something startling. “I am a person who even believes in the friendship between you and my father.”
“What? Between me and your father?”
It was moments like this that were truly bewildering. The gaze that spoke of a friendship between the Heavenly Demon and the Alliance Leader was not that of a naive boy dreaming of simple things. This clever, sly fox of a youth was speaking with utter sincerity.
“You’ve never had a proper conversation with my father, have you? From what I can see, the two of you would get along quite well.”
“While eyeing each other’s throats to see how best to kill one another?”
The more Baek Ja-gang met Geom Mu-geuk, the more his fondness for the boy deepened. He felt a strange sense of kinship and was curious about what the lad would say next. And above all, being with him was entertaining. Even now, was he not talking about a friendship between the Heavenly Demon and the Alliance Leader—something no martial artist in the world would ever have imagined?
If this boy is his son...
Perhaps? he thought for a moment, but then immediately shook his head. Just thinking about the way Geom Wu-jin used to look down on him made him angry. Friends? Nonsense!
“Please let me fight alongside the Young Alliance Leader!”
“Fine, do as you wish.”
Under normal circumstances, this was a permission Baek Ja-gang would never have given. He was not the type to involve outsiders in the affairs of the Unorthodox Path Alliance. But just this once, he decided to acknowledge their friendship.
“Enjoy that friendship while you can, before it inevitably shatters.”
“Thank you.”
Baek Ja-gang’s path to becoming the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance had not been smooth. He was a man who had never started a family to prevent his heart from softening. He believed that was the right way back then, but now that he was older, he occasionally thought about a different life. Seeing Geom Wu-jin’s son made him feel that way even more.
Sa-in, you’re going to have a hard time ahead of you. You can't lose to Geom Wu-jin’s son, can you?
Geom Mu-geuk and Baek Ja-gang looked up at the same moon that the Combat King and Hyeok Sa-gun had been watching.
“Once this is over, may I ask a favor of you?”
“What favor?”
“I’ll tell you when it’s over.”
In Baek Ja-gang’s life, who had ever dared to say they would state their conditions later? The audacity was fresh, and he was able to nod with curiosity instead of annoyance.
“They will pour in every bit of strength they’ve gathered so far,” Geom Mu-geuk warned.
“If they want to face me...” Baek Ja-gang spoke, his small eyes reflecting the brilliant moonlight. “They had better have gathered a great deal.”