Chapter 420: I’m the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, So I Ought to Be Scary.
Chapter 420: I’m the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, So I Ought to Be Scary.
As the drinking session drew to a close, Geom Mu-geuk acted as though he and Yang-seok were brothers bound by fate.
“Young Master Yang, you must come to the Central Plains with me.”
“I would be honored. Please, you must help me broaden my narrow horizons.”
If they had shared just a few more jars, they looked ready to swear a blood oath then and there.
Throughout the gathering, Han Seol played her part to perfection. She empathized with Yang-seok and occasionally took his side. While her actions were intended to help her understand him, they ultimately became an opportunity for her to learn about herself.
So, this is the kind of person I am.
She realized she was capable of weaving falsehoods without a tremor in her voice, all while observing Geom Mu-geuk to discern his hidden intentions. She had always thought of herself as a cold, detached person, but she was discovering entirely new facets of her character.
Until now, she had only looked inward in isolation. Naturally, her conclusions had been solitary ones.
I am this kind of person.
However, the conclusion she reached today was distinctly different from the one she had held before.
She began to think that perhaps knowing oneself wasn't a conclusion reached by staring into a mirror alone. Perhaps the moment one truly discovers themselves is when they see how they exist among others.
Lost in these thoughts, Han Seol’s eyes met Geom Mu-geuk’s.
“The Young Palace Master should head back now.”
“What about you, Young Cult Leader?”
“I intend to drink through the night with Young Master Yang.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Yang-seok felt overwhelmed by Geom Mu-geuk’s aura.
He really is extraordinary.
Even now, he was only accompanied by the Young Palace Master of the Ice Palace. What on earth gave him the confidence to drink here alone without a single subordinate? What if the drinks were poisoned? What if he was ambushed while intoxicated? His words implied he was absolutely confident he could handle it all.
Yes, this is how it should be. He needs to be at least this much for me to feel the thrill of cutting him down with my blade.
Yang-seok spoke politely.
“We’ve had a lot to drink today. How about we continue another time?”
Even as he tried to restrain the other, Yang-seok was quite drunk himself. He believed he was sober, but to Han Seol’s eyes, he was completely intoxicated. He was simply too excited by the fact that he was with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult to realize how far gone he was.
“Another time? But we’re just getting started.”
As Geom Mu-geuk expressed his disappointment, Yang-seok wanted to scream at him: Are you some kind of Drunken Demon?
“I will arrange another gathering soon.”
“Ah, what a shame. Very well, let us meet again soon.”
Geom Mu-geuk, who had turned to leave after saying his goodbyes, paused and looked back.
“Oh, and if you find the Extreme Cold Body, be sure to contact me.”
“Of course.”
*
Geom Mu-geuk left the North Blood Sect with Han Seol.
The man who had been laughing and chatting lightheartedly during the drinks had already returned to his usual calm, composed self, as if the previous display had never happened.
“Did you really intend to drink all night?”
At Han Seol’s question, Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
“How could that be? Drinking is only enjoyable when shared with good people. It was so stifling I thought I’d die.”
She had suspected as much. She only asked because his acting had been so flawless.
“I had no intention of letting you go back alone.”
“Really?”
“In this situation, where we don't know how the enemy will move, how could I leave you by yourself? From now on, you must never move alone. I even told Lee An back at the Ice Palace to stay glued to the Drunken Demon.”
Geom Mu-geuk did not let his guard down for a second. Because their opponent was the Blood King, he had to be even more vigilant.
“To think you’d worry about the daughter of the North Sea Ice Palace Master while in the North Sea.”
“That same Palace Master made his daughter wear a protective vest, didn't he?”
She had no rebuttal for that.
Regardless, walking beside Geom Mu-geuk made her feel strangely secure.
Today, she had seen firsthand how Geom Mu-geuk handled Yang-seok. Deceiving him wasn't the important part. What mattered was that he made Yang-seok believe he was the one using Geom Mu-geuk.
Han Seol stopped in her tracks. Geom Mu-geuk stopped with her.
Their gazes met under the moonlight.
“The more I see of you, the scarier you are.”
She wasn't joking.
She never thought she would say such a thing to someone. Even if she had felt such fear in the past, her personality was such that she would have hidden it.
She didn't know why, but she found herself being honest with Geom Mu-geuk.
Geom Mu-geuk smiled and replied.
“Shouldn't I be scary? I am the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, after all.”
Seeing a faint smile touch Han Seol’s lips, Geom Mu-geuk continued.
“I have to be scary. Think about the enemies we are facing. They gathered people, experimented on them, and killed them just to find the physique they wanted. They use Self-Destruction Arts without hesitation and even kill their own kin. If I weren't scary, how could I face such people?”
Even while laughing, chatting, and drinking, this man had been thinking such things. Realizing this, Han Seol felt that Geom Mu-geuk was indeed scarier than the enemy. It felt as though facing those enemies would be preferable to facing him.
“Do you think he’ll contact us if he finds the Extreme Cold Body?”
Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
“He will never contact us. He’ll think the Extreme Cold Body is the only card he has left to protect himself. He might even hope it will make him stronger.”
“Then why did you keep mentioning it?”
“Because it’s an important card for us as well.”
Geom Mu-geuk was already predicting Yang-seok’s movements.
“His desire to survive will lead us straight to the Extreme Cold Body.”
*
Early the next morning, Yang-seok headed to the Sect Leader’s Hall.
He was suffering from a hangover, but his nerves were on edge at the thought of meeting his father.
I must intercept the Extreme Cold Body.
He didn't know why his father wanted the Extreme Cold Body so desperately, but he had to secure it at all costs. He couldn't hand it over to Geom Mu-geuk either. The Extreme Cold Body would be his hidden trump card.
Yang-seok entered the hall.
His father was seated in the Grand Tutor’s chair at the far end.
His heart pounded with a tension he had never felt before. He had never entered this place with such a heavy heart.
“Did you sleep well, Father?”
Yang-seok walked up to the base of the chair and bowed politely.
Seeing his father, all sorts of thoughts swirled in his mind, and his tongue itched to speak.
Did you really choose Ha Gyeol as your successor?
He wanted to ask. He wanted to know why his father would discard his own son to make that man his heir.
Normally, he should have asked. He should have been scolded for having such misunderstandings.
But the relationship between him and his father was not one where such conversations were possible.
When a relationship shatters because of an incident, perhaps it isn't the incident itself that is to blame. It depends on what kind of relationship existed before the incident occurred. At least, that was the case here.
“The Young Cult Leader and the Young Palace Master visited yesterday, so I was out drinking until late.”
The North Blood Sect Leader was already aware of this.
To be honest, he hadn't welcomed Geom Mu-geuk’s visit. In just one more day, the Extreme Cold Body would arrive at the North Blood Sect. After tomorrow, not only his fate but the fate of the North Sea would change.
“How was he?”
“He was an extraordinary individual, just as the rumors say.”
“And the reason for his visit?”
Yang-seok did not tell the truth.
“He spoke of Elder Seo. He seemed suspicious that we might be involved.”
The North Blood Sect Leader actually welcomed Seo Nak’s death inwardly. The two people the Blood People had partnered with were himself and Seo Nak. Now that Seo Nak was dead, his own importance had increased.
As is often the case with the Outer Lands, the North Sea Murim was an incredibly conservative place.
Establishing oneself without the help of existing powers was several times harder than in the Central Plains. Furthermore, neither the Demonic Cult nor the Murim Alliance would sit idly by while a new power grew. Therefore, Seo Nak’s death was an opportunity for the North Blood Sect Leader.
Yang-seok cautiously asked his father.
“By the way, have you found the Extreme Cold Body?”
“Not yet.”
In that moment, Yang-seok was deeply disappointed for two reasons.
First, his father had lied. He already knew his father had found the Extreme Cold Body and was currently escorting it here.
Second, the lie had come without a moment’s hesitation. That was more disappointing than the lie itself.
Do not resent me later.
Yang-seok concluded that his father had abandoned him. The tower of distrust that Geom Mu-geuk had built late into the night was now complete.
Thanks to that, Yang-seok actually felt a sense of relief. There was no need for complicated thoughts anymore; all that remained was to fight and survive.
“Try not to get involved with the Young Cult Leader. Nothing good comes from associating with him.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Yang-seok bowed politely and turned to leave.
Today, his father should have been honest. He should have said the Extreme Cold Body was coming and that they needed to be prepared. He should have explained what it was for and apologized for telling him so late.
You shouldn't have done this to me, Father.
With that, Yang-seok steadily built up the justification for his impending betrayal.
*
The next day, a carriage raced toward the North Blood Sect.
Two warriors on horseback followed the carriage, which was driven by a coachman with cold, sharp eyes. They had ridden without rest, swapping horses along the way. Now, their destination, the North Blood Sect, was less than a hundred li away.
The carriage slowed down. A fallen tree was blocking the path.
The carriage came to a halt, and the three warriors, including the coachman, scanned their surroundings warily.
The warrior on the driver's seat, who was in charge of the escort, warned the other two.
“Prepare for an ambush.”
Swish! Swish!
In that moment, despite their preparation, an unavoidable attack flew toward them. A man who had been hiding behind a rock on the opposite side sprang up and launched a surprise assault.
The two warriors on horseback couldn't dodge the rapid-fire hidden weapons in time and fell from their mounts.
The one who had launched the ambush was none other than Yang-seok. In his hand was the Seven-Step Certain Kill, a Forbidden Hidden Weapon banned in the Murim. It was a weapon known to guarantee the death of an opponent if fired within seven steps.
In an instant, the warrior from the driver's seat lunged at Yang-seok, swinging his sword.
Having been delayed in firing another hidden weapon, Yang-seok met him with his own blade.
A fierce battle broke out. The warrior from the driver's seat was a master, but he was not enough to handle the successor of the North Blood Sect.
Before twenty moves had passed, the warrior realized he could not defeat Yang-seok. He did not hesitate in his final decision.
The warrior’s face flushed a deep red. As he attempted to trigger a Self-Destruction Art right in front of him, Yang-seok panicked.
Should he dodge, or should he block? In that split second of hesitation—!
Thwack!
The warrior’s face was crushed as he collapsed. Someone had fired a blast of Gang Qi, killing him before he could complete the Self-Destruction Art.
A startled Yang-seok looked back to see Ha Gyeol standing there.
“You!”
Yang-seok was shocked. He hadn't expected Ha Gyeol to appear here.
“I finally did my job as a guard properly.”
However, Ha Gyeol hadn't killed the subordinate to save Yang-seok. It was because he couldn't let Yang-seok die yet. To keep using the North Blood Sect Leader, he had to keep the son—his weakness—alive.
“How did you get here?”
“Am I not your guard, Young Master Yang? Wherever you go, I must follow.”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
The smile vanished from Ha Gyeol’s face.
“Young Master Yang, how did you know the carriage was coming this way?”
“I should be the one asking that.”
Yang-seok could tell.
The dead men are his subordinates.
Otherwise, there was no reason for Ha Gyeol to be here. Using people who could trigger Self-Destruction Arts as subordinates? Just who are you?
On the other hand, Ha Gyeol’s question was how Yang-seok had found this location.
The escort mission had been ordered urgently upon the news that the Extreme Cold Body had been found, but the three dead men were still people Ha Gyeol trusted.
He had used them to escort the Extreme Cold Body with the utmost secrecy, yet Yang-seok had known they would pass through here at this exact time.
Ha Gyeol suspected there might be a traitor within.
However, Yang-seok had discovered the carriage’s route through an unexpected method.
“As you know, my brother and I were in charge of searching for the Extreme Cold Body for a long time. Our main focus back then was creating the shortest transport routes from various parts of the Central Plains to the North Sea.”
They had to gather people, bring them to the North Sea, and experiment on them. Experiment, discard, and experiment again. The actual experiments only took a few days, but the transport took far too long.
“You used your own people this time, but you used the transport routes we built. You rode along our paths and swapped horses at the stables we prepared in each region.”
Only then did Ha Gyeol understand. Yang-seok had tracked the route by checking the records of the horse exchanges. They had used the route because they needed to arrive as quickly as possible, but he hadn't expected Yang-seok to catch on.
“You’re smarter than I thought.”
“If I were smart, I would have gotten rid of you long ago.”
Ha Gyeol laughed mockingly. That’s something even your father couldn't do.
“Young Master Yang, you will face severe punishment from the Sect Leader for this.”
Yang-seok pointed his sword at him.
“The one who committed this deed will be you.”
He thought this was actually for the best. He intended to frame it as if Ha Gyeol and the escort warriors had fought and destroyed each other. Of course, he only thought this because he didn't know the true extent of Ha Gyeol’s hidden martial arts.
“Before that, let’s see what kind of person possesses the Extreme Cold Body.”
As Yang-seok tried to walk toward the carriage, Ha Gyeol gave a low warning.
“If you open that door, you will die by my hand.”
A cold energy began to emanate from Ha Gyeol’s body.
Yang-seok also gathered his aura and turned toward him. As Ha Gyeol began to reveal his true nature, his aura was formidable.
He hadn't even revealed a fraction of his power, yet Yang-seok felt suppressed. Then again, his father wouldn't have chosen a mediocre man.
Startled by Ha Gyeol's skill, Yang-seok realized once again that his father had truly abandoned him.
I need to make sure this guy dies at the hands of the Young Cult Leader.
Should he drop his sword now? Seeing as Ha Gyeol had saved him earlier, it didn't seem like he would kill him immediately.
It was then, as the two stood in a standoff.
A thick mist began to swirl around them. They thought it was just an early morning fog.
Ha Gyeol caught a scent in the mist.
“The smell of alcohol?”
Yang-seok also smelled the alcohol permeating the mist. Realizing it wasn't fog but Liquor Qi, Ha Gyeol shouted.
“It’s the Drunken Demon!”
Ha Gyeol’s gaze snapped toward the carriage. The carriage was already enveloped in the mist.
“Protect the carriage!”
At Ha Gyeol’s cry, Yang-seok drew his sword and lunged toward the carriage.
Right then.
Whoosh.
The mist that had wrapped around the carriage scattered and vanished with a gust of wind.
Yang-seok, sword at the ready, cautiously opened the carriage door. When he saw what was inside, his heart sank. A person was sitting there, leaning back in the seat—someone he truly hadn't expected.
Geom Mu-geuk stared straight at Yang-seok and spoke.
“Didn't I tell you to contact me if you found it?”