Chapter 542: No One Leaves Alive Today
Chapter 542: No One Leaves Alive Today
The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon stood alone in the rear garden of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion. Geom Mu-geuk approached and took a spot beside him.
“The clouds are heavy tonight.”
Just as the Smiling Demon said, the moon was currently smothered behind a thick shroud of gray.
“My night vision is sharp,” Mu-geuk replied. “It won’t be a problem.”
At those words, the Smiling Demon turned his gaze from the dark sky toward Mu-geuk, who met his stare with a bright, confident expression.
“There’s something you need to know.”
It was information that the Smiling Demon, of all people, deserved to hear.
“It seems the mastermind’s ultimate target wasn’t the Young Alliance Leader. It was the Heavenly Flower Pavilion itself.”
Surprisingly, the Smiling Demon didn’t look shocked. Perhaps, other than the Pavilion Master herself, he was the one who understood the true value of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion best.
“If the Pavilion Master were to take the fall for the attempted assassination of the Unorthodox Path Alliance’s Young Alliance Leader, dozens of Heavenly Flower Pavilions across the Central Plains would be forced to close. The mastermind intended to use their massive capital to either acquire the existing pavilions or open new brothels to seize total control of those regions.”
The Smiling Demon had mentioned it before—the amount of money the Heavenly Flower Pavilion generated was staggering. Since they had expanded to far more locations than in the past, the current value of the pavilion was likely beyond measure.
The Smiling Demon didn’t explode in rage, but Mu-geuk could feel the heat radiating off him. He was furious. These were people who had killed his woman and were now trying to scavenge the legacy she had left behind.
“It seems they planned this to secure funds after their financial lifeline in Shaanxi was cut.”
“And yet,” the Smiling Demon rasped, “they had the misfortune of running into the Young Cult Leader.”
“It’s thanks to the Dan sisters seeking help from the Cult’s branch office.”
If she had made a different choice, the outcome would have been entirely different. Thinking back, his connection with the Dan sisters ran deep. Not only had it allowed him to save Yeo-jeong, but it had also led to a profound bond with Seo Dae-ryong.
“Perhaps it was a connection brought to us by Pavilion Master Seo.”
Mu-geuk shifted the credit to Seo Dae-ryong.
“There is something Pavilion Master Seo keeps hanging in his room like a family heirloom. Do you know what it is?”
The Smiling Demon gave him a look that clearly said he didn't.
“It’s the mask you once gave him as a gift, Lord Smiling Demon.”
The Smiling Demon stared at Mu-geuk in silence. Mu-geuk smiled and continued.
“I believe our fates are intertwined in that way.”
Just then, the sound of hurried movement echoed from beyond the wall.
“It seems the Vice Leader of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group has arrived.”
Mu-geuk began to unwrap the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread from the hilt of the Black Demonic Sword.
“One thing I don’t understand is why they sent the Vice Leader even though they knew the Cult had intervened. We must be careful.”
He handed half of the Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread to the Smiling Demon. This time, the Smiling Demon accepted it without hesitation. The two men stripped off their outer robes right there, winding the nearly indestructible thread around their hearts, stomachs, and other vital areas.
“Be careful, Lord Smiling Demon.”
“You as well, Young Cult Leader.”
The two men locked eyes.
“Let’s show them exactly who they decided to provoke.”
From within the eyeholes of his mask, the Smiling Demon’s eyes curved into a cold, lethal smile.
*
Pyeong-wi, the Vice Leader of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group, entered the Heavenly Flower Pavilion.
A dozen subordinates followed in his wake. He could have brought more, but in a place crawling with tigers and wolves, the number of dogs didn't matter much.
“Welcome, Vice Leader Pyeong.”
Yeo-jeong came out to the main gate to greet him personally. Jin Ha-ryeong stood close behind her, keeping her promise to protect the woman until the very end.
“The guest has already arrived.”
“A precious guest, indeed. I trust the preparations went without a hitch?”
“Do not worry.”
Yeo-jeong led them inside.
The 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path stood before the main building of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion. The 1st Wolf scanned Pyeong-wi and his subordinates with a gaze like a whetted blade.
The merchant group’s warriors, feeling the suffocating pressure from the 13 Wolves, took up defensive positions around the building’s entrance and perimeter. The 1st Wolf let them be. He could have barred them from entering, but he judged it was better to keep them where he could see them.
Furthermore, warriors from the Demon Extermination Squad were moving about inside, disguised as workers, maintaining an ironclad defense.
A space for the VIP had been prepared on the first floor. The banquet was set in a wide central area surrounded by circular balconies. Ornate folding screens, high-end furniture, and a feast of delicacies prepared by the pavilion’s finest cooks were laid out so grandly the tables seemed ready to groan under the weight.
Bi Sa-in sat at the head of the table.
“I greet the Young Alliance Leader.”
“It has been a while.”
Pyeong-wi bowed politely with a fist salute. Bi Sa-in acknowledged the greeting with a slight, stiff nod.
“I intended to come and escort you, but I heard you declined.”
“I simply didn't want to be a bother.”
“Allow me to pour you a drink.”
“Take a drink from me first.”
Bi Sa-in poured a drink for Pyeong-wi, then filled his own cup. He didn't let Pyeong-wi touch the bottle at all. After all, the only thing the man was truly skilled at was using poison.
“Thank you for inviting me like this.”
“I have wanted to host you for a long time.”
The two men toasted and emptied their cups.
“The Heavenly Flower Pavilion is famous for its beautiful courtesans,” Pyeong-wi said, glancing around. “Since I’ve rented the entire place today, why don't we bring them all in and enjoy ourselves?”
The reason Pyeong-wi had asked for this wide space was specifically so he could surround the area with every courtesan in the building. As Pyeong-wi started to call for the Pavilion Master, Bi Sa-in stopped him.
“Wait. Before that, I have something to say to the Vice Leader.”
“Please, speak.”
“I heard a strange rumor on my way here.”
Bi Sa-in stared intently into Pyeong-wi’s eyes. His naturally intimidating face made the stare feel like a predatory glare, and Pyeong-wi felt a genuine prickle of dread.
“The information was that there is a plan to ambush me here at the Heavenly Flower Pavilion.”
“Who would dare plot such a thing?” Pyeong-wi’s shocked expression was remarkably convincing.
“I heard it was you.”
Pyeong-wi’s face hardened into a mask of defiance. “Who on earth told you that?”
At that moment, a voice drifted from behind him.
“I did.”
Geom Mu-geuk strode over and took a seat. Skipping the pleasantries, he went straight to the point.
“We are holding a grand banquet here today. It will be a festival attended by my friends and everyone here. However, it is not a banquet for you.”
Pyeong-wi’s expression darkened, but he didn't look afraid. He had already expected a confrontation like this.
“Today’s banquet will be for our merchant group.”
At his confident words, Bi Sa-in asked, “Let me ask you one thing. When you withdrew from Guizhou in the past, why did you spread rumors that your group was the one who paid the money?”
Pyeong-wi’s face twitched. “Did you say rumors?”
His voice remained polite, but his tone was clearly confrontational.
“That money was paid by our Hundred Precepts Merchant Group.” He raised his voice as if genuinely insulted. “Did we not pay it?”
His eyes held the conviction of someone who truly believed his own lies.
“Because of that incident, our group’s fortunes declined, and our Leader even fell ill from the stress. To think the Young Alliance Leader would lie so shamelessly...”
It was clear he was prepared to die for this narrative.
Bi Sa-in didn't get angry or offer an excuse; he simply stared. To Pyeong-wi, it might have looked like an admission of guilt, but to Mu-geuk, it was just the behavior of a blunt friend who didn't bother with explanations.
“My friend here might seem cold-hearted and unscrupulous because he’s from the Unorthodox Faction,” Mu-geuk said, “but he isn't the type of petty person to claim he gave something when he didn't.”
Of course, Pyeong-wi didn't believe a word of it.
Mu-geuk looked at Bi Sa-in and said, “I think I know where they burrowed in.”
Bi Sa-in understood Mu-geuk’s meaning immediately. It meant there was someone within the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group who had pocketed the money—someone in a position high enough to deceive even this Vice Leader. Someone who could manipulate him like a puppet.
“Who is the person capable of deceiving even you?”
At Mu-geuk’s question, Pyeong-wi almost barked back, but he froze. The image of the one person currently capable of such a thing flashed through his mind.
—I am counting on you, Vice Leader.
The back of the Merchant Group Leader’s wife, who had been tending to her bedridden husband. He remembered her expression, which had looked like someone possessed ever since the Leader fell ill. And the uncharacteristic venom in her voice as she pleaded for revenge.
‘That’s impossible!’
Pyeong-wi quickly glared coldly at the two men. “You unscrupulous bastards! You play dirty until the very end!”
In contrast to the agitated Vice Leader, Mu-geuk remained calm.
“Fine. Just as you said, what did you trust in to come to a place crawling with such villains?”
“Certainly not your consciences.”
“What did the person who sent you say? Did they say they would come to save you once you got the Young Alliance Leader drunk?”
“They won't be saving me,” Pyeong-wi spoke with a meaningful glint in his eyes. “Because they said no one would leave this place alive today.”
It was at that exact moment that Mu-geuk and Bi Sa-in’s gazes met.
Sssssssssssss!
The mournful sound of wind echoed from the distance. In the darkness, a single black carriage was cutting through the air, flying toward them. As if gliding over an invisible silk road, the carriage flew smoothly without making a sound.
Shhh.
Flowers and trees withered where the carriage passed. Insects and birds fell dead from the sky. It was as if all life in the vicinity was being snuffed out, turning the world into a landscape of black and white. From the lanterns held by the four men in black flying alongside the carriage, a ghostly blue light, like will-o'-the-wisps, flickered out.
The Faceless Guests who had been hiding around the Heavenly Flower Pavilion revealed themselves from all directions. On the roof of the pavilion, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon watched the scene with his arms crossed. He gave no order to block or attack.
The Faceless Guests watched the carriage pass with cold eyes. A suffocating, foul energy was leaking from within the vehicle.
The Faceless Guests turned their gaze back to where the carriage had come from. It wasn't just the carriage that had arrived today. Something was filling the darkness at the end of the road. Just as the eerie energy seemed to grow, they all opened their eyes at once.
What appeared in the darkness were countless eyeballs. Every single eye had a white border around the iris. It was a truly bizarre, haunting sight.
The Smiling Demon knew. He knew what kind of martial art produced such a gaze.
The Dark Heaven Night God Art.
A martial art that could only be unleashed at night, allowing the user to display strength far beyond their normal capabilities. In exchange, those who mastered this art could never look upon the sun again.
They had let the carriage pass, but they would not let these others through.
The Faceless Guests all jumped down and lined up to block their approach. Some crouched on tree branches, while others stood atop the walls, looking down. The smiling eyes behind their masks showed no fear. It didn't matter who the opponents were or where they came from. Whether their eyes had white borders or yellow borders, it was the enemy who should be afraid.
After all, the place they came from was Villain Valley.
The carriage descended into the front courtyard of the Heavenly Flower Pavilion. The light from the lanterns held by the four men in black bewitched the hearts of those who looked upon them.
“Gah!”
A warrior from the merchant group who was near the carriage approached it as if possessed, only to vomit blood and collapse. The one with the weakest internal energy had been affected first.
The others backed away from the carriage. Instead, the one standing before them was Jin Ha-gun, who had been carrying wine bottles. Ha-gun stared at the carriage with sunken eyes. The warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad moved in to surround it. The auras of the four men standing at the corners of the carriage were extraordinary.
Whooooosh!
A violent gust of wind blew, throwing open all the doors on the first floor of the pavilion at once. The moment he saw the carriage, Mu-geuk knew who the opponent was.
The Sixth of the Twelve Zodiac Kings.
The Dark King, Heuk Sa-rin.
Known as the weakest of the Twelve Zodiac Kings during the day and the strongest at night. Though she was a woman, she was the true ruler of the night, said to be someone no one dared to challenge once darkness fell and she could utilize the power of shadows. Her martial arts were like a treasure buried deep in the dark, known to no one.
Finally, a woman’s voice drifted out from the carriage.
“The people who will rule the future Murim have all gathered here, I see.”
It was an incredibly enchanting voice that seemed to shake one's very soul. At the sound of her voice, one of the merchant group warriors who had retreated began walking toward the carriage again. Jin Ha-gun struck the man’s acupoints as he passed, then tossed him backward.
He then sent a voice transmission to his subordinates.
—Her voice is laced with energy that controls the mind. Everyone, circulate your internal energy with a righteous heart to resist it.
Mu-geuk responded to her words. “Aren't you the ones trying to rule the future Murim? It seems you’re putting in more effort than we are.”
A woman’s laughter echoed from inside the carriage. It was a clear, gentle laugh that made the listener feel pleasant. However, her laughter shook the mind even more powerfully than her words.
“As expected, the Young Cult Leader recognizes me at a glance.”
“Who are you?” Mu-geuk asked, feigning ignorance.
“Just a sinful soul who cannot live in the light.”
“Then you’ve met the right person. Am I not the man who served as the Huangquan Pavilion Master? I’m quite good at handling sinners. Would you like a consultation? I might be able to reform you in a month.”
“The Young Cult Leader is indeed as delightful as the rumors say.”
“I’d be living a much more delightful life if it weren't for people like you.”
The woman laughed softly. “I am well aware that the Young Cult Leader is deeply involved in our affairs. Thanks to you, many of our plans have had to change.”
Since his regression, so much had changed. They had become stronger, and the enemy had become weaker. He couldn't be sure how this change had affected Hwa Mu-gi. Why was he remaining silent? Would he appear at the same time as in the original timeline, or would he emerge earlier? Or perhaps even later? It was truly unpredictable.
“Your plans will keep changing. As you can see, we’re younger and more energetic than you lot, aren't we? If we keep blocking you over and over, you’ll probably all die of old age first.”
Bi Sa-in beside him, and Jin Ha-gun in the courtyard further away—the three men looked at each other.
The woman spoke again, her voice still soft and seductive. “What a pity. To think I won't be able to see this wonderful friendship anymore.”
And this confidence wasn't just about herself.
“There is someone here who desperately wishes to see our Young Cult Leader.”
Mu-geuk flinched for a moment. It was a truly unexpected statement.
The carriage door began to open slowly. The interior of the carriage, shielded by a beaded curtain, was dark. Even with his New Eye Technique, which could pierce through any curtain, he couldn't see inside. This meant a special dark sorcery was being used within.
In a silence so profound it felt as if no one was even breathing, everyone’s eyes were fixed on that spot.
Clang.
With the sound of metal, a man’s hand emerged and parted the curtain. The skin on the back of the blackened, dead-looking hand was emitting poisonous energy, and blue-tinted iron chains were wound tightly around it as if to suppress that power.
Through the parted curtain, the man’s face appeared.
The face was even more horrific. It was blackened, burnt, and twisted; only two intense eyes shone coldly.
“It’s been a long time.”