Chapter 634: A Great Evil Seems to Have Awakened
Chapter 634: A Great Evil Seems to Have Awakened
There are moments in human relationships that mark a definitive turning point.
Usually, one only realizes it in hindsight, thinking, Ah, that was the moment. But today, Jin Ha-gun could feel it with absolute certainty.
A bridge built of solid timber, not shifting sand, was beginning to form between him and his grandfather.
"I shall place the Young Cult Leader fifth on my list of trust, not second."
Since his grandfather had shown him the path he must walk, it was only right that he offered a response in kind.
"First, I will trust in the belief that we are right. Second, I will trust you, Grandfather. Third, I will trust my subordinates in the Demon Extermination Squad, and fourth, I will trust the warriors of the Murim Alliance who silently carry out their duties even at this very hour. Only after all that will I place my trust in the Young Cult Leader."
Jin Pae-cheon wore a satisfied smile. His grandson, who had once seemed like nothing more than a spoiled child, had grown remarkably dependable before he even realized it.
"Let us head back."
"Yes, Grandfather."
The two descended from the pavilion and walked toward the entrance of the bamboo forest.
Jin Ha-gun asked cautiously, knowing the answer to this question would change the fates of many.
"What do you intend to do now?"
Instead of answering, Jin Pae-cheon asked for his grandson’s thoughts.
"What do you think?"
He wanted to see how his grandson would handle such a situation, given the opportunity. He felt the time had finally come.
"As you saw earlier, the First Young Master has no intention of backing down. Ultimately, the mastermind will attempt to drive a wedge between the Alliance and the Divine Cult once again. Before that happens..."
He hesitated for a moment, worried his next words might be uncomfortable for his grandfather.
"I believe we must meet with the Heaven’s End Recluse."
They needed to discover whether he truly was the mastermind or if he was being framed by someone else’s conspiracy.
"And once you meet him?"
"If the Heaven’s End Recluse is indeed the mastermind, he will already know he is under suspicion."
After all, the mastermind had used a Mind Control Technique to make the name slip from the White Dragon Unit Leader's lips.
"If we do not visit him to confirm the truth in this situation, he will assume we doubt him."
If the Recluse believed the Alliance Leader trusted him, he would expect the Leader to come and tell him what had happened.
"Whether the Recluse is innocent or not, the fact remains that we must be the ones to seek him out first. We must move first."
Jin Pae-cheon nodded silently, lost in thought as he walked. Before long, they reached the entrance.
As Jin Pae-cheon climbed into the waiting carriage, he issued an unexpected command.
"You go and meet him."
It was a declaration that he was entrusting the handling of this matter entirely to his grandson.
Jin Ha-gun had a premonition. This might be the final test to determine his worthiness as a successor.
"Yes, I will do so."
Things were different now that he understood his grandfather’s true feelings. He could handle the matter objectively, without being hindered by the weight of their personal relationship.
The carriage carrying Jin Pae-cheon departed.
As the carriage vanished along with the Alliance Leader’s guards, the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad gathered around the solitary Jin Ha-gun. Having moved alongside him, they understood better than anyone that the current situation was far from ordinary.
"We are heading to Musojang."
*
Jin Ha-gun stood at the entrance of Musojang and looked up at the plaque.
Musojang.
It was a name bestowed by the warriors of Wuhan to honor the Heaven’s End Recluse, who had lived a life of Musoyu—non-possession—his entire life.
Jin Ha-gun suddenly recalled that the Muso in Musobulwi—unrestrained authority—used the same characters.
Whether the life the man desired was one of non-possession or one of unrestrained power would be revealed soon enough.
When a Demon Extermination warrior knocked, Chief Manager Ju appeared from within. Recognizing Jin Ha-gun, he bowed politely.
"Welcome, Squad Leader."
Chief Manager Ju was a man who had served the Heaven’s End Recluse for a long time. Despite his exceptional martial arts skills, he took charge of the household affairs of Musojang. He had dedicated his life to the Recluse out of pure respect.
Jin Ha-gun looked past him and asked, "Has something happened?"
Beyond Chief Manager Ju, the courtyard was filled with dozens of warriors. Even a cursory glance revealed a heavy, unsettling atmosphere.
Chief Manager Ju asked with a strange look in his eyes, "Did you not come because you heard the news?"
He seemed to assume Jin Ha-gun already knew.
Jin Ha-gun didn't bother to deny it. Whatever it was, he would find out once he stepped inside.
"Please, come in."
Chief Manager Ju led Jin Ha-gun inside. The Demon Extermination warriors followed close behind.
The people in the courtyard were all warriors from various sects within Wuhan. Recognizing Jin Ha-gun, they offered respectful fist salutes. He was the most likely candidate for the next Murim Alliance Leader, and the Demon Extermination Squad he led was the elite of the elite.
The Demon Extermination warriors lined up among them, creating a path. Jin Ha-gun and Chief Manager Ju walked through the corridor formed by the warriors.
As he walked, Jin Ha-gun observed the warriors in the courtyard. Their tense, hardened expressions made it clear that something significant had occurred.
Chief Manager Ju led him to the main hall. Inside were about a dozen people, yet it was so quiet that not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
As Jin Ha-gun entered, the people inside turned their heads. They were all faces he recognized—the leaders of various sects in Wuhan. These were men who commanded anywhere from dozens to hundreds of disciples.
They silently offered fist salutes, showing their respect. Jin Ha-gun returned the gesture in silence. There was a reason for this wordless greeting.
In the center of the room lay a bed, where a physician was treating someone. An old man lay there, receiving treatment.
His skin was tanned and weathered, a testament to the many years he had spent wandering the world. His worn, humble martial robes looked as though they had been with him for decades.
However, no one who knew him would ever judge him by his appearance. Rather, this rugged, coarse exterior only made him shine brighter.
The Heaven’s End Recluse, Hwa Yul-cheong.
He was a man who had spent his life wandering the Central Plains doing good deeds. If he saw someone in need, he emptied his pockets; if he saw someone wronged, he ensured their grievance was redressed.
A man for whom the title "Great Hero" was insufficient—that very Hwa Yul-cheong was now lying on the bed.
Jin Ha-gun had never imagined he would see such a sight when he came here. Furthermore, he never expected the reason to be what it was.
Chief Manager Ju delivered the shocking news.
"The master was attacked by a mysterious assailant today."
Jin Ha-gun’s expression hardened. The Heaven’s End Recluse was ambushed now, of all times?
Jin Ha-gun’s gaze shifted to the man's arm. The physician was treating it. It wasn't a sword wound. The jagged, torn flesh was quite deep—too deep to be a mere self-inflicted ruse.
Having finished the treatment with great care, the physician spoke cautiously to those gathered.
"The torn and shredded wounds will heal with time, but the problem is the poison."
The Heaven’s End Recluse had been poisoned?
"If the antidote doesn't work, there will be complications."
At the physician's words, a chilling aura spread through the room. It was the collective rage of those present.
Jin Ha-gun and the sect leaders moved to a spot slightly away from the bed. Since Hwa Yul-cheong was asleep, Jin Ha-gun intended to speak outside, but they showed no intention of leaving. They were determined to guard the room until he woke.
"What exactly happened?"
At Jin Ha-gun’s low question, a young warrior standing a short distance away spoke up.
"The elder was attacked while saving me."
He was Hyeok-in, the leader of the Jeongso Sect, a small faction in Wuhan. He had recently become the sect leader after the previous one died in an accident.
"I heard he had returned to Wuhan after a long time, so I sought his help. I wanted to ask for his guidance on how to lead my sect. While I was seeing him off after listening to his precious words, a demonic practitioner attacked."
Jin Ha-gun’s heart sank at the mention of a "demonic practitioner." It was a word that should not have been uttered in this place, at least not now.
"Did you say a demonic practitioner?"
Hyeok-in nodded, and as if to explain why, Chief Manager Ju brought something from beneath the bed to show him.
"The master was struck by this."
Jin Ha-gun’s face turned grim as he identified the object. Incredibly, it was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s hidden weapon, Charge.
The very thing that had lured Geom Mu-yang to Wuhan had now appeared before Jin Ha-gun as well.
"What happened to the assassin?"
"He died by the elder's hand."
A middle-aged warrior standing nearby stepped forward. He was Go Hyeong, the leader of the One Sword Sect. He was a man who had lost an arm fighting demonic practitioners in the past and harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Demonic Cult.
"As you know, that hidden weapon is a demonic tool designated as a Forbidden Hidden Weapon by the Murim Alliance. If not for such a foul and cowardly weapon, how could the elder have been harmed?"
A heavy silence fell over the room. The other leaders neither agreed nor disagreed. If this truly was the work of the Demonic Cult, it was not a matter that could be settled with a mere apology.
Then, another man stepped forward. He was Hwang Geun, the leader of the Byeoksong Sect. He was someone who followed Hwa Yul-cheong as a mentor, respecting him from the depths of his heart.
He walked back to the bed and looked down at Hwa Yul-cheong, speaking softly.
"No matter whose doing this is, I intend to spend the rest of my life finding the culprit."
The other leaders nodded and stood before the bed. While every righteous warrior respected the Heaven’s End Recluse, those gathered here were men who would gladly lay down their lives for him.
If they moved, the martial world of Wuhan would move; and if Wuhan moved, the entire Murim would follow.
Jin Ha-gun stared at Hwa Yul-cheong in silence.
Is this a staged act? Or was he truly attacked?
He couldn't tell in the current situation. But one thing was certain. Though the man lay unconscious without uttering a single word, he was setting these many masters of the Orthodox Path ablaze.
The Demonic Cult tried to kill the Heaven’s End Recluse!
The weight of this incident was immense. Right now, it was only these people, but once this news spread, the Murim would be thrown into an uproar.
Hwang Geun turned to Jin Ha-gun.
"Captain Jin, I hope the Alliance does not sit idly by regarding this matter."
The others turned as well. Every gaze was focused on Jin Ha-gun.
"The Murim Alliance must step forward, cast a Heavenly Net, and ensure the culprit does not escape."
"A formal protest must be lodged with the Demonic Cult."
Demands followed one after another, but Jin Ha-gun remained silent.
Is this what you wanted? Do you truly intend to use these people as a shield to escape this situation? 'Do not touch me. If you touch me, everyone moves.' Is this how you deliver that warning?
The men lined up before Hwa Yul-cheong. This was not a wall built simply because a righteous warrior had been ambushed. It was a wall of trust and respect that he had built over decades. It was a wall constructed through years of effort. Therefore, it could not be easily torn down.
It was then that a low voice drifted from behind them.
"...That is enough."
The room fell silent. The voice had come from the bed. As everyone turned in surprise, Hwa Yul-cheong was waking up and pushing himself up.
"Elder!"
"Master! You're awake!"
"What a relief!"
Everyone crowded around him in joy.
"Why is there such a commotion over something so trivial?"
As his presence awakened from its slumber, it overwhelmed everyone in the room. His presence was neither sharp nor aggressive; it was an incredibly gentle aura. Yet, it was a softness that felt as though no amount of strength could ever break it.
Hwang Geun checked his condition first.
"Trivial? Elder, you were poisoned!"
But Hwa Yul-cheong replied as if it were of no consequence.
"I have suppressed it with my internal energy, so I am fine."
This time, the One Sword Sect Leader could not contain himself and shouted.
"It is the work of those Demonic Cult bastards!"
"Nonsense! How can you conclude it was the work of a demonic practitioner just because they held a cult weapon?"
His reaction was entirely different from what Jin Ha-gun had expected.
"I am fine, so do not blow this out of proportion and return to your homes. If a conflict breaks out with the Demonic Cult over an uncertain matter, many innocent lives will be lost. So, do not act rashly and watch your tongues."
After sternly rebuking them, he searched for someone among the crowd. The person he sought was the young Hyeok-in, whom he had saved.
"Are you alright?"
When the elder smiled at him, Hyeok-in was deeply moved and performed a full kowtow.
"I will never forget the grace you showed in saving me for as long as I live."
"Why bother remembering this old man? Just take good care of your own people. You remember everything I told you, right?"
"Elder!"
Hyeok-in bowed his head, tears streaming down his face.
Finally, Hwa Yul-cheong’s gaze turned toward Jin Ha-gun. When they were alone, he would call him Ha-gun, but now he addressed him as the Demon Extermination Squad Leader.
"Captain Jin."
"Elder."
Their gazes met in mid-air. Hwa Yul-cheong looked at Jin Ha-gun with the same gentle and benevolent eyes as always. He was the man who had always smiled brightly at him, from the time he was a small child until now.
Is this truly the man behind the conspiracy?
Because of that, he was confused; and because of that, he was even more suspicious.
Hwa Yul-cheong asked in a calm tone.
"What is happening in Wuhan?"
That is what I want to ask you. What are you trying to do in this city?
Everyone waited for Jin Ha-gun’s answer. They expected the Demon Extermination Squad Leader to know facts they did not. Whether it was the work of the Demonic Cult or not, the ambush on the Heaven’s End Recluse was a monumental event.
"Nothing has been confirmed yet. However, in this peaceful Murim..."
Jin Ha-gun stared at Hwa Yul-cheong and added calmly.
"It seems a great evil has awakened."