Chapter 536: Grudges Suit People Like Us
Chapter 536: Grudges Suit People Like Us
The temptation was powerful, but it failed to take root.
Seo Dan-myeong replied in a low, gravelly voice. "You cannot wipe them out."
Geom Mu-geuk felt a flicker of curiosity. Just who was the client for this man to speak with such certainty? Regardless, he had pushed the man as far as he could; it was time to pull him back with a gentler touch.
"True, power cannot solve every problem." Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze softened as he began his persuasion. "Principles and justifications are all well and good, but shouldn't survival be your priority? Net Weaver. I quite like that name. I hope you continue to weave magnificent nets in the future. And when you have the time, perhaps you could assist us with our work as well."
When the only alternative was a cold grave, Seo Dan-myeong’s heart couldn't help but waver.
Jae In, who had been listening intently, stepped forward to support the negotiation. "What guarantee do we have that you'll let us live?"
It was the question Seo Dan-myeong wanted to ask most of all.
"You have the word of the Young Cult Leader."
Seo Dan-myeong stared hard at Geom Mu-geuk. He knew better than anyone that trusting a demonic practitioner was the height of folly. However, if he rejected the offer after the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult had gone this far, he would simply die here and now.
Jae In looked at Seo Dan-myeong with pleading eyes. Shouldn't we try to stay alive first?
When Seo Dan-myeong remained silent, Geom Mu-geuk’s expression went cold.
"Then just die."
Leaving that chilling remark behind, Geom Mu-geuk moved to open the carriage door.
Finally, a name escaped Seo Dan-myeong’s lips.
"The Hundred Precepts Merchant Group."
The moment he heard the name, Jae In tilted his head in confusion. He had expected something far more grand. A mere merchant group? If so, why had his master claimed the Demonic Cult couldn't wipe them out?
"Who are they for you to make such a claim?"
Geom Mu-geuk answered in Seo Dan-myeong's stead. "Because the Unorthodox Path Alliance is behind them."
The Hundred Precepts Merchant Group was a name Geom Mu-geuk knew well. He had first encountered them when he initially left the Cult alongside the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon. They were the ones who had expanded into Guizhou with the full backing of the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
Come to think of it, the place where he first met Bi Sa-in was also through the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group. Afterward, they had withdrawn from Guizhou after providing Bi Sa-in with the information he sought and turning a profit in the Smiling Demon's territory.
Now, that same merchant group had resurfaced.
"Correct. Knowing full well that the Unorthodox Path Alliance stands behind them, I could not refuse their request," Seo Dan-myeong said.
Jae In’s expression was one of pure shock. "Does that mean the Unorthodox Path Alliance orchestrated this entire affair?"
Seo Dan-myeong didn't answer, but his silence was a clear affirmation.
It was now obvious why Seo Dan-myeong had pushed himself so hard to complete this task, and why he had hesitated until the very end to reveal the client. It also explained why he had mobilized Goe Ak, one of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Path, for the final stage. He must have considered them to be on the same side.
"Who came from the merchant group? Did the Unit Leader, Seo Jeong-tae, come himself?"
At Geom Mu-geuk’s question, Seo Dan-myeong shook his head. "The Vice Leader came. He is an acquaintance of mine."
Seo Dan-myeong watched Geom Mu-geuk with a tense, wary gaze. "This is all I know. Will you keep your promise to let me live?"
Geom Mu-geuk nodded. "Of course."
The moment the tension began to drain from Seo Dan-myeong’s face, a voice drifted in from outside.
"Is it finished?"
Seo Dan-myeong’s eyes widened. Jae In cringed, recognizing the voice instantly.
"It is finished," Geom Mu-geuk replied.
The moment the words left his lips, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
Thwack!
A Blood Calamity Finger tore through the carriage wall, punching a hole straight through Seo Dan-myeong’s face.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
A succession of finger winds followed, striking his body with relentless precision.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Blood Calamity Fingers continued to strike the already lifeless corpse—a testament to the Smiling Demon's unbridled fury. When the onslaught finally ceased, the carriage was riddled with holes. Through the gaps, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon could be seen standing with his back turned.
Thinking he was next, Jae In clutched his head and looked up, his face a mask of fear and indignation. "You promised to let him live!"
"I did," Geom Mu-geuk said calmly.
The moment the Ghost Killing Squad had been sent to the Heavenly Flower Pavilion, Seo Dan-myeong's fate had been sealed. There was no world in which the Smiling Demon would let the man who tried to kill the Pavilion Master live.
Jae In stared at Geom Mu-geuk in terror. "Are you going to kill me too?"
Outside, the Smiling Demon remained still, staring up at the sky.
"Do you want to die?" Geom Mu-geuk asked.
Jae In’s voice trembled. "No. I want to live."
"Then live."
Geom Mu-geuk opened the carriage door and stepped outside. Jae In was stunned.
"Why... why are you letting me live?" His life could be snuffed out with a mere flick of a finger.
Geom Mu-geuk looked back at him. "Didn't I say I'd let you live if you helped me?"
If the Smiling Demon had insisted on killing the boy to satisfy his rage, there would have been no choice. But the Smiling Demon had ended his retribution with Seo Dan-myeong’s death.
"And didn't you say you were still learning?" Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze shifted toward Seo Dan-myeong’s corpse. "If you live like that man, you will end up like him one day. Learn to weave your net from the world itself. Only then can you truly call it your own."
Jae In felt it then—the Young Cult Leader was giving him a single, precious chance.
Just then, the Smiling Demon turned around. The moment their eyes met, Jae In bowed his head as low as it would go, his heart pounding as if it might explode.
How much time passed? When Jae In finally looked up, the two men had vanished.
Relief washed over him in a great wave. He let out a long, shuddering sigh, realizing he had survived. For a moment, he felt as though he had been released from an opponent's net—but then a chilling thought occurred to him.
Perhaps the very chance the Young Cult Leader had given him was part of an even larger net.
*
By the time Geom Mu-geuk and the Smiling Demon returned, the Heavenly Flower Pavilion was operating as if nothing had happened. The Faceless Guests remained out of sight, resting in the rear garden guest hall, while a few monitored the perimeter.
"The Hundred Precepts Merchant Group commissioned this?" Yeo-jeong asked, her expression one of genuine surprise.
As the operator of Bi-hwa, she was well-versed in the world's secrets. Naturally, she knew of the merchant group and their past history with the Smiling Demon.
"Something is strange," she noted.
On the way back, Geom Mu-geuk and the Smiling Demon had discussed the situation. Geom Mu-geuk had told the Smiling Demon that Yeo-jeong was a brilliant woman who would surely see through the deception.
"At first glance, it looks like revenge for the losses they suffered when they were forced out of Guizhou, but the logic doesn't hold." The point she focused on was simple: "If it were an ordinary martial family, it might be possible. No one knows better than I how much martial artists stake their lives on hollow pride. But the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group are merchants. Their losses were financial. Would they really seek revenge while risking even greater losses?"
At that, Geom Mu-geuk looked at the Smiling Demon and grinned. "Indeed! My sister-in-law is as brilliant as they come."
Yeo-jeong’s face flushed slightly at the term 'sister-in-law.' It was a title she had never heard, even after becoming involved with the Smiling Demon. Their relationship was a secret, after all. Truthfully, it made her heart swell.
The Smiling Demon was also slightly flustered, but he knew exactly what the Young Cult Leader intended. Geom Mu-geuk was constantly showing her consideration. How could he not know whose heart this was ultimately for?
Breaking the brief silence, Yeo-jeong continued. "It's not that I'm brilliant; it's just what I know of them. Their leader, Seo Jeong-tae, values profit above all else. He joined hands with the Unorthodox Path Alliance solely to maximize his gains. I cannot understand why such people would spend this much money just to settle an old grudge."
Yeo-jeong smiled as she looked at the two men. "You two have already discussed this, haven't you?"
The Smiling Demon smiled back. "Do not forget who we are with." He meant that they wouldn't miss such a detail while accompanying the Young Cult Leader.
In truth, when the Smiling Demon first heard the name of the merchant group, his guilt and anger had clouded his judgment. However, through his conversation with Geom Mu-geuk, he had calmed down and realized the matter was far more complex.
Geom Mu-geuk agreed, citing a practical reason. "You are right. If the Murim is thrown into chaos, merchants are the first to suffer. And yet, they were supposedly plotting something here that would throw the entire realm into an uproar."
"There seems to be another hidden agenda behind this," Yeo-jeong admitted. "To be honest, I was quite worried about who could harbor such a deep grudge against me."
The Smiling Demon spoke with a heavy, protective tone. "How could that be? Grudges suit people like us."
He hoped that the ultimate target of this conspiracy was himself. He hoped that the Heavenly Flower Pavilion and Yeo-jeong were merely a brief stop—a literal passing journey—within a much larger plot.
"First, we must find the Vice Leader of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group. I will send word to Tongcheon Pavilion to track his—"
He was interrupted by one of Yeo-jeong’s subordinates announcing a guest from outside.
"A guest has arrived and wishes to see the Pavilion Master."
A guest at a time like this? Yeo-jeong glanced at the two men before asking, "Who is it?"
"He says he is the Vice Leader of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group."
The three of them were momentarily stunned. Yeo-jeong looked to the men for guidance. Geom Mu-geuk left the decision to the Smiling Demon; after all, this was about protecting his woman.
The Smiling Demon gave Yeo-jeong a single, firm nod. He was not one to avoid a man who walked into his trap on his own two feet.
"Show him to the main hall."
*
Pyeong-wi, the Vice Leader of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group, entered the main hall. The Pavilion Master sat before him, her seat placed about twenty paces away. He suspected that martial artists were hidden in the shadows between them.
"You are very cautious," he remarked bluntly.
Yeo-jeong welcomed him with a professional smile. "Dealing with drunken guests as a lone woman has made me quite fearful. I hope you understand."
They exchanged gazes, testing one another's resolve. Yeo-jeong knew the basics about Pyeong-wi. He was the most trusted confidant of the Merchant Group Leader, Seo Jeong-tae, and possessed formidable martial skill. He was also a man whose pride was as great as his power. Indeed, he radiated a sharp aura that was not easily trifled with.
"What brings such a distinguished person here?"
Though she now knew that Pyeong-wi was the one who had hired the Net Weaver to kill Cho-hui, Yeo-jeong did not let a flicker of emotion show.
"I have come to make a proposal to the Heavenly Flower Pavilion."
"Please, speak."
"A precious guest will be arriving early next month. We wish to rent the entire Heavenly Flower Pavilion to entertain him."
It was common for sects to entertain guests at pavilions, but renting out a massive establishment like this in its entirety was almost unheard of.
"Renting the entire pavilion would be... quite costly," Yeo-jeong noted.
Pyeong-wi’s eyes sharpened, and the corners of his mouth curled. "I have spoken out of turn."
Yeo-jeong bowed her head politely in apology. Only then did Pyeong-wi’s gaze soften. "Do not worry about the money."
"What kind of guest are you planning to entertain?"
"I cannot tell you."
It was a firm, final answer.
She could sense it instinctively. This was the very event that would throw the Murim into chaos.
Yeo-jeong spoke to him politely but firmly. "I am sorry, but as a matter of principle, I cannot rent out the entire pavilion for a guest whose identity I do not know. If you truly wish to maintain secrecy, I can arrange for a private suite."
Pyeong-wi’s expression twitched. He could have released killing intent to intimidate her, but he offered something even more persuasive. "I will pay ten times the daily revenue of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion."
Does he even know how much we earn to offer ten times that amount? Yeo-jeong wondered. Regardless, the bribe didn't work.
"There are things more important than money."
Pyeong-wi’s gaze darkened. Yeo-jeong could read the disdain in his eyes: A mere pavilion owner dares to talk about things more important than money?
"If the secret leaks out, your life could be in danger. Do you still wish to hear it?"
Despite the threat, Yeo-jeong nodded silently. "Principles are principles, after all."
Sensing she would not back down, Pyeong-wi finally relented. "Fine. Then I shall tell you. In exchange, you must keep this an absolute secret."
"Do not worry. Did you not come here trusting the reputation of this establishment?"
After a long, silent stare, a shocking name left his lips.
"We will be hosting the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance."
Yeo-jeong was shocked, and she didn't hide it. To Pyeong-wi, it looked as though she was stunned by the prestige of the guest. But Yeo-jeong’s shock was rooted in a darker realization.
They intend to kill the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance that day!
The Murim would be thrown into an uproar, and she—and her pavilion—would be the ones to take the blame for the assassination.
"Are you satisfied now?"
"No," she replied. "I regret it. I should have refused to the end without asking for the name."
Pyeong-wi gave a thin, cold smile. The burden was natural. Furthermore, the moment she heard the name, refusal became impossible. "Contact us if you need anything."
"I will."
Pyeong-wi stood up and left the hall. Once he had completely departed, Geom Mu-geuk and the Smiling Demon stepped out from the secret door in the rear.
"I wondered why that scary face kept coming to mind lately," Geom Mu-geuk spoke casually, but his gaze had turned ice-cold. "I was planning on having everyone gather once anyway."
Geom Mu-geuk looked at Yeo-jeong and smiled. "Now then... are you ready to turn the Murim upside down?"