Chapter 531: Even if the Entire Murim Blocks the Way
Chapter 531: Even if the Entire Murim Blocks the Way
The group split into three at the entrance of the branch office.
The carriage carrying the Heavenly Demon and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon headed for the Main Cult; Seo Dae-ryong and the three sisters headed for a safe house; and Geom Mu-geuk and Cho-hui set off for the Heavenly Flower Pavilion.
A short while after his father’s carriage departed, Jang Ho and the Demon Army finished their preparations. They would follow the carriage back to the Cult’s headquarters.
Before leaving, Geom Mu-geuk exchanged farewells with Jang Ho. The commander and his Demon Army had played a significant role in this operation. After all, it was Jang Ho who had saved Seo Dae-ryong’s life.
“Commander Jang.”
“Yes, Young Cult Leader.”
Their gazes met. Even without words, they both knew how much they valued one another.
Geom Mu-geuk always felt a sense of comfort from the unwavering loyalty Jang Ho provided. With this man around, I can entrust him with anything.
And Jang Ho surely understood Mu-geuk’s heart through that look alone.
Mu-geuk’s gaze shifted to the warriors of the Demon Army standing behind their commander. Today, he offered them his genuine gratitude.
“You are the wall. The iron wall that protects me, my father, and the members of our Cult. It is because that wall did not crumble that we were able to finish this journey safely. I thank you all.”
Mu-geuk clasped his hands in a formal fist salute. It was the first time he had expressed his gratitude so formally.
The warriors of the Demon Army, their eyes bright and dignified, returned the salute in unison.
“We live to serve!”
Jang Ho gave his final farewell.
“Then, I shall see you back at the Cult!”
Jang Ho looked after Seo Dae-ryong until the very end. Since the Dan sisters were watching, he was even more polite as he bid Seo Dae-ryong goodbye.
“Come have a drink with me once you return to the Main Cult. It’s on me.”
“I’ll send word as soon as I’m back. Definitely!”
Seo Dae-ryong emphasized the word "definitely," his expression suggesting he had much more to say. He felt so grateful that if anyone was buying drinks, it should be him. He planned to drink the night away with Jang Ho.
With that, the Demon Army departed, followed by Seo Dae-ryong, and finally, Geom Mu-geuk.
The only ones left were Gang Dal and his subordinates. It felt as though a storm had just passed. Everything that had happened felt like a dream, but now that everyone was gone, the silence felt even more surreal.
One of the subordinates spoke while watching the carriages disappear into the distance.
“The Branch Leader showed us exactly how to get to the Main Headquarters, but the requirements are a bit steep.”
You needed women being pursued, the Huangquan Pavilion Master, the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, the Demon Army, a Demon Monarch, and finally, a Demon Lord and the Cult Leader himself. Oh, and a prepared Branch Leader to boot.
“We can’t go. So don’t forget us—you have to come back and visit!”
Gang Dal shouted as he headed back inside.
“Everyone worked hard, so tonight, the feast is on the house!”
The subordinates cheered and followed him in.
*
“I’ll take the reins.”
Having lived as a ronin for a long time, Dan-ah was naturally skilled at handling a carriage.
“No, it’s quite alright.”
When Seo Dae-ryong flatly refused, Dan-ah ended up sitting beside him on the driver's seat. She couldn't bring herself to sit comfortably inside while making a high-ranking official of the Demonic Cult drive her.
“Your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Please, rest inside.”
“I’m fine. I’ll stay here and keep you company.”
Seo Dae-ryong was happy she was sitting next to him, but the problem was that he was incredibly nervous. He couldn't even look at her; he just stared straight ahead and drove.
What should I say? Should I ask about her life as a ronin? Or about her sisters? Will she find it annoying if I talk to her?
All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind. His brilliant intellect was currently useless; if anything, it only generated more distractions.
Dan-ah spoke first.
“You’re very good at driving a carriage.”
“Yes.”
Seo Dae-ryong laughed bashfully, his eyes still fixed forward.
He had driven the Cult Leader’s carriage, after all. Putting the skills he’d learned from Hwi to use, he handled the carriage with expertise. If Geom Mu-geuk had seen him, he would have teased him for being more careful now than when he was driving his own father.
But what was the point of being good at driving if he couldn't say a single word to her?
There were observers watching the two of them.
Had they been outside, it would have been a crisis, but these observers were inside. Dan-bi and Dan-yeon were peeking at them through the small window between the driver's seat and the cabin.
The two whispered to each other, venting their frustration.
“He’s just staring straight ahead and driving.”
“He has no idea how a woman’s heart works. If she’s sitting next to him, he should at least strike up a conversation.”
“Please, just look to the side!”
Again, Dan-ah was the one to speak first.
“You seem very close with the Young Cult Leader.”
If it were any other topic, he might have struggled, but he had plenty to say about Geom Mu-geuk.
“He is the one who pulled me out of gloom and pessimism. I would gladly give my life to serve him.”
Dan-ah used her hand to cover the small opening behind the driver's seat. The sound of her sisters grumbling had begun to leak out.
Even without hearing them, she could guess what they were saying. How could he tell a woman he’s just starting to get to know that he’d give his life for someone else? What’s so good about a man like that? They were likely exchanging comments like those.
“Do you... have someone like that as well, Miss Dan?”
At Seo Dae-ryong’s question, Dan-ah replied.
“Not yet. I suppose I’ll have to find one from now on.”
As she spoke, she looked at Seo Dae-ryong. He was still staring straight ahead.
Seo Dae-ryong might have been oblivious, but the sisters could see their older sister’s heart. She clearly had feelings for him. They also felt that, despite his lack of social cues, a man as pure as him wouldn't be bad.
However, there was one problem.
“He’s a demonic practitioner. Is that really okay?”
And not just any practitioner, but a high-ranking member of the leadership.
As always, the youngest, Dan-yeon, didn't overthink it.
“If it makes her happy, I’m fine with it.”
Dan-bi was the most cautious of the three, but even she nodded. In any other situation, she would have insisted they never get involved with the Demonic Cult. She believed that associating with demonic practitioners always ended poorly.
But if it was for her sister’s happiness...
Their sister had sacrificed her entire life for them after they lost their parents at a young age. She had never even properly dated a man because of them. Even when a man she liked appeared, she had always avoided him.
“For her sake, I could let her go.”
Could they really endure a life without her? Dan-bi wasn't sure. It would likely be agonizing. Even so, if her sister could be happy, she would willingly choose that hardship.
Then, the youngest, Dan-yeon, spoke up.
“Why let her go?”
At Dan-bi’s questioning look, Dan-yeon said, “We can just join the Demonic Cult too.”
Dan-bi stared blankly for a moment before breaking into a smile. It was something she had never considered. Yes, my sister is right. We can just become demonic practitioners too.
They returned to the window to watch the pair.
Please, look to the side!
After driving for a long while, Seo Dae-ryong suddenly spoke.
“I am more shy than I look, and I lack the knack for dealing with people.”
As if to prove it, his gaze remained fixed on the road.
“I’ve improved a lot thanks to the Young Cult Leader’s influence, but this is the extent of it. Even that poem I recited that day... I had only just memorized it the night before.”
He simply told her the honest truth. Dan-ah didn't respond immediately.
Should I not have said that?
Just as regret began to wash over him, Dan-ah spoke calmly.
“I have plenty of social grace to go around.”
Startled, Seo Dae-ryong finally turned to look at her.
“I’ve lived as a ronin for so long that I know how to be quite clever and resourceful. You might be disappointed in me if you saw that side of me, Pavilion Master.”
“No! Not at all! I... I like everything about you!”
Seeing his excitement, Dan-ah smiled.
“The poetry... please memorize more and recite them for me.”
Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes wavered as he gazed at her.
Right then—!
Jolt!
Because he was only looking at her, the carriage hit a large stone he hadn't avoided, shaking violently.
The two sisters shouted from the back.
“Watch the road!”
*
The carriage carrying Geom Mu-geuk and Cho-hui sped down the official road.
The carriage Mu-geuk had chosen was a light model—it couldn't carry much luggage, and only two people could sit on the driver's seat, but it was exceptionally fast.
Half a day into the journey, Cho-hui reached a conclusion.
This Young Cult Leader is special.
Having dealt with many men as customers, she prided herself on her ability to read people better than anyone. Yet, he defied her expectations in more ways than one.
First of all, he was an incredible driver. He wasn't just good; he was masterful. As if his only goal was speed, Mu-geuk focused entirely on the reins.
Rumble, rumble.
Leaving the main road, the carriage entered a narrow path. It was a road so tight that a single carriage barely fit. Even on a path where a slight mistake would send them into a ditch, Mu-geuk handled the horses with ease.
She had assumed the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult would only travel in luxury carriages driven by subordinates. Cho-hui looked down at the side of the carriage. It was staying on the path by a hair's breadth.
The second special thing—and even more surprising than his driving—was his sense of direction.
Mu-geuk knew the roads perfectly. He would weave in and out of paths, always finding a shortcut to save time.
Does he travel this road every day?
The thought crossed her mind, but there was no way the Young Cult Leader would be driving a carriage here daily.
Is he really the Young Cult Leader?
This doubt led to the third special point.
“Are we really traveling with just the two of us?”
During their frantic pace, she hadn't seen any escort warriors following them. He had taken so many backroads that she felt no one could follow them even if they wanted to.
“Yes, just us.”
The answer was expected, but Cho-hui still looked at him with wide eyes. She knew he wasn't an ordinary man, but to truly travel with just the two of them?
“I usually prefer traveling alone.”
“Still, I thought you’d bring at least a few guards. You are a person of high status.”
“It’s my father’s philosophy. Don't coddle those who are precious. Raise them to understand what it means to lack.”
Sure, some parents might raise their children that way. But you’re the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, aren't you?
The fourth special point was Mu-geuk’s attitude toward her.
If he knew she was a gisaeng, it would be normal for a hint of disdain to slip into his tone or gaze. Yet, from the beginning until now, the Young Cult Leader had never lost his courtesy.
The more she felt his uniqueness, the more her suspicions grew. Even though she had seen the Heavenly Demon and a Demon Lord at the branch office...
Are you really the Young Cult Leader? The Young Cult Leader acting as a lone escort? And the Cult Leader allows it?
One suspicion birthed another.
Is he playing a trick to extract the information I have? Yes, it doesn't hurt to be careful. Especially considering the importance of the information I carry.
Cho-hui hid her negative thoughts and spoke with a bright expression.
“I suppose escorts aren't necessary. Who could possibly attack us while we're racing through such complex paths?”
“They could.”
“Pardon?”
“We aren't alone right now.”
Cho-hui looked confused. Then, shocking words flowed from Mu-geuk’s mouth.
“Someone is tailing us. They’ve been following us ever since we left the branch office.”
Cho-hui was stunned.
“They are highly skilled in tracking.”
The pursuer was talented enough that an ordinary expert wouldn't have even realized they were being followed.
“Does that mean they know you’re taking me somewhere, Young Cult Leader?”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
The person had been monitoring the outskirts of the branch office before beginning the pursuit. The branch office, where his father, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and the Demon Army had been stationed, wasn't a place someone could just infiltrate to scout the situation.
The watcher had waited outside, and when Cho-hui emerged, they began tailing her carriage.
Cho-hui realized the danger wasn't over. If that was the case, the enemy might send people even stronger than the Seven-Road Pursuit Squad. Knowing she was exposed to even greater danger, her nerves grew taut.
“Aren't you curious? About what I know?”
Given the situation, it would be natural for him to demand she reveal everything she knew immediately.
“I am curious.”
“Then why don't you ask?”
“If you were in a position to reveal it, you would have said so already.”
Mu-geuk looked at her. His clear, deep eyes felt as though they were peering into her very soul.
“I know you aren't an ordinary gisaeng, Miss Cho.”
Cho-hui flinched.
“What ordinary gisaeng would hire ronin to protect herself? What gisaeng would try to keep a secret in a situation crawling with demonic practitioners? You clearly hold a special significance to the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master. Either that, or you are someone acting under her direct orders.”
Cho-hui said nothing. Mu-geuk asked her in a calm tone.
“Do you remember me saying I have a connection with the Pavilion Master?”
Cho-hui nodded.
“Then I suppose it’s time for you to ask me. Just how close I am to her.”
She repeated his words back to him.
“How close are you to the Pavilion Master?”
Then, words she never expected came from Mu-geuk’s mouth.
“Even if the entire Murim blocks this path, I will deliver you to her. That is how close we are.”
“...!”
He himself might get hurt or nearly die fighting alongside the Smiling Demon. But the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master must not. Because she was the Smiling Demon’s woman.
Only then did Cho-hui understand. The reason Geom Mu-geuk was taking her was because of the Pavilion Master. She let out a sigh of relief. Her greatest doubt had finally vanished.
“Then that is a relief. Because the message I have to deliver is information the Pavilion Master absolutely needs.”
Cho-hui added with a serious look in her eyes.
“So, even if the entire Murim blocks the way, please make sure you get me there.”