Chapter 656: Because You Wouldn't Have Invited Me to a Tragedy
Chapter 656: Because You Wouldn't Have Invited Me to a Tragedy
Had he ever seen such an expression on that man’s face?
Jin Pae-cheon watched him intently. This was a man who was his friend, yet a complete stranger.
He felt a chilling aura radiating from his old companion. In all his years as the Murim Alliance Leader, he had never encountered such a potent, sinister energy. This aura alone was proof enough that everything Geom Mu-geuk had said was the truth.
The words Hwa Yul-cheong had uttered moments ago drifted back to him like a bitter draft.
“You’ve been friends for decades, yet you trust the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult?”
How could he say that? After deceiving him for decades?
Jin Pae-cheon struggled to suppress the emotions boiling within his chest.
“Indeed, we were friends for decades.” Jin Pae-cheon stared at Hwa Yul-cheong, his voice heavy. “But in all those years, was there ever a single day when we were truly friends?”
Instead of offering an apology, Hwa Yul-cheong turned the blame back on him.
“If we were truly friends, you wouldn't have lurked in the mist to spy on me.”
Jin Pae-cheon found it difficult to reconcile this reality. Ever since he had decided to believe Geom Mu-geuk, he knew a moment like this might come. Back then, he had imagined the Heaven’s End Recluse’s reaction would be one of remorse:
I’m sorry. I had no choice. But my friendship with you was real.
But that had been incredibly naive. In reality, the man was acting like a stranger they had met only yesterday. How could a person discard their mask so completely in a single instant?
Because of this, the strongest emotion surging through him wasn't hatred or anger, but a profound, hollow sense of betrayal.
Their gazes locked in midair. These were men who had never once had a verbal spat in their lives, yet now they were projecting entirely different, clashing auras.
Jin Pae-cheon stepped into Hwa Yul-cheong’s battlefield—a landscape of scattered ash, piles of corpses, and blood soaking the earth, with screams echoing from all directions.
Is this your true self?
The burning gaze of Hwa Yul-cheong, standing alone in the center of that carnage, was utterly alien.
Jin Pae-cheon shifted his gaze from Hwa Yul-cheong to Geom Mu-geuk. Truly, if it hadn't been for the Young Cult Leader, he would never have discovered this man's true nature.
“Young Cult Leader.”
“Yes, Alliance Leader.”
Jin Pae-cheon didn't offer a long-winded explanation. His eyes carried the full weight of his emotions, so he spoke only a single sentence.
“I owe you a debt.”
If not for Geom Mu-geuk, he would have surely been struck down by the Heaven’s End Recluse eventually. The man would have waited for the perfect moment. Jin Pae-cheon would never have dreamed, even in his sleep, that his closest friend would stab him in the back.
Geom Mu-geuk had saved not only his life but the Murim Alliance and the entire Orthodox Murim. It was a massive debt, yet Geom Mu-geuk immediately tore up the promissory note he could have used to pressure the Alliance Leader indefinitely.
“A debt? Not at all. It is only because you trusted me, Alliance Leader. You were the one who uncovered the truth.”
At those words, the last vent of doubt in Jin Pae-cheon’s heart was finally sealed.
Geom Mu-geuk turned his attention back to Hwa Yul-cheong.
“You’ve finally shown your true colors. How many years has it been? No, how many decades?”
Even now, Hwa Yul-cheong maintained his composure. His opponents were the Murim Alliance Leader and Geom Mu-geuk. He was well aware of the Alliance Leader’s martial prowess, as well as the terrifying strength Geom Mu-geuk possessed. Remaining calm against these two meant he surely had a hidden card to play.
Geom Mu-geuk ensured Jin Pae-cheon did not lower his guard.
“This man knew you were here from the beginning, Alliance Leader. No, he likely came here suspecting that fact before he even arrived.”
Jin Pae-cheon understood the implication. It was a warning to be wary of a trap. However, there was no need to worry. His heart had already turned to ice at Hwa Yul-cheong’s cold reaction.
Now, Jin Pae-cheon had only one question.
“For what purpose did you approach me?”
Was he after the position of Alliance Leader? Did he harbor a personal grudge? Or was there some other, unimaginable intention? He was dying to know the reason.
However, as if he had no intention of answering, Hwa Yul-cheong silently looked up at the sky. The blue expanse was visible through the swaying bamboo leaves.
Then, a single name escaped Geom Mu-geuk’s lips.
“The Dark Palace.”
In that instant, a tremor shook Hwa Yul-cheong’s face. He could not hide his shock. It was a reaction that confirmed Geom Mu-geuk had hit the mark exactly.
Jin Pae-cheon was also aware of the Dark Palace. As far as he knew, there was only one such entity in the history of the Murim.
“The Dark Palace… are you referring to the guardian family of the Heavenly Will Palace?”
Geom Mu-geuk nodded. “Yes, that’s right. The very same Dark Palace from three hundred years ago.”
Jin Pae-cheon was well-acquainted with the war between the Murim Alliance and the Heavenly Will Palace three centuries prior. The person who had annihilated the Heavenly Will Palace—a mysterious sect that dreamed of conquering the Murim—was the Murim Alliance Leader of that era, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword. How could he not know the greatest achievement of the most illustrious leader in the Alliance’s history?
Jin Pae-cheon’s eyes flashed intensely. The fact that the Heavenly Will Palace, supposedly destroyed three hundred years ago, had survived until now to dream of revenge was more than surprising—it was shocking.
At the same time, it finally made sense. He had wondered how someone could hide their identity so perfectly for decades. This was a grudge passed down through generations for the sake of avenging their destruction. It also explained why Hwa Yul-cheong’s aura contained such dark, ancient energy.
Hwa Yul-cheong’s eyes burned with intensity. When Geom Mu-geuk had previously called him an incarnation of revenge, he had been skeptical. He thought the boy was merely making an educated guess because he was clever. But Geom Mu-geuk knew his exact identity.
Hwa Yul-cheong stared at Geom Mu-geuk, his eyes demanding an answer: How on earth did you know?
Geom Mu-geuk couldn't exactly say he had traveled back three hundred years through the Secret Casket to witness the battle himself.
“The Cult can find out anything it wishes to know,” he said, using the Demonic Cult as a shield for his answer. “We have been fighting your kind for a very long time. Men this powerful don't just fall from the sky. I expected you would have a grudge against the Majeongsa Temple.”
Since Geom Mu-geuk had been at the center of the struggle against hidden forces until now, it wasn't strange that he had uncovered this fact.
Jin Pae-cheon confirmed once more with Hwa Yul-cheong. “Are you truly a descendant of the Dark Palace?”
Jin Pae-cheon wanted to hear the story. He wanted to hear Hwa Yul-cheong explain who he was and why he had taken on this burden. But Hwa Yul-cheong merely looked at him with indifferent eyes, as if the past years of friendship held no meaning or value.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke up. “What meaning is there in settling a three-hundred-year-old grudge now? For what have you sacrificed your life? For ancestors you don't even know?”
Hwa Yul-cheong looked as if he wanted to retort, but he offered no justification. Instead, he wore a strange smile and asked Geom Mu-geuk, “You think you’ve won, don’t you?”
His eyes clearly showed he still held an advantage.
“Did you really think I wouldn't know that man was coming?”
Hearing this, Jin Pae-cheon felt a bitter pang. He was being referred to as "that man." It seemed he was the only one who had ever considered them friends.
Jin Pae-cheon slowly stepped forward, releasing an even more powerful aura.
“Fine. If you came here knowing I would be present, then you must have come to settle things with me.”
Jin Pae-cheon no longer had any desire to talk. This man was not a friend, but an incredibly patient assassin who had infiltrated his life for revenge. He resolved to kill him with his own hands.
“This is our business. Let us settle it ourselves.”
Hwa Yul-cheong’s aura was formidable, and since his martial arts were an unknown variable, it was a fight where one could never afford to be careless.
Right then, words that were truly beyond imagination spilled from Hwa Yul-cheong’s mouth.
“If you draw that sword, Jin Ha-gun dies.”
In an instant, Jin Pae-cheon’s gaze turned icy. This was the reason Hwa Yul-cheong had remained composed even in front of two absolute masters.
“You think you two set the stage for today? Far from it! I am the one who created this situation.”
He meant he had anticipated everything. This stage belonged to Hwa Yul-cheong.
“Captain Jin is being protected by the warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad,” Geom Mu-geuk countered. “You cannot kill him easily even if you wanted to.”
At those words, Hwa Yul-cheong laughed. “Doesn't it occur to you that he's in danger because of that Demon Extermination Squad?”
Geom Mu-geuk understood the meaning immediately. “You intend to use the Soul-Seizing Technique.”
He meant he would use the technique on the Demon Extermination Squad warriors to force them to kill Jin Ha-gun. And that wasn't Hwa Yul-cheong’s only plan for today. His true move was this:
“If you want to save your grandson…” Hwa Yul-cheong’s gaze shifted from Jin Pae-cheon to Geom Mu-geuk. “Kill the Young Cult Leader.”
“!”
Jin Pae-cheon had not expected such a demand. Though he was a man who wouldn't blink at most things, even he was flustered in this moment. On the other hand, Geom Mu-geuk remained composed, his expression unchanging.
Seeing that composure, Hwa Yul-cheong asked coldly, “Why? Do you think we can’t kill Jin Ha-gun?”
Geom Mu-geuk answered honestly. “No. I believe people like you could certainly kill him.”
Hwa Yul-cheong looked at Geom Mu-geuk with an expression that said he was truly an extraordinary fellow. If someone was trying to kill him by holding Jin Ha-gun’s life hostage, shouldn't he be trying to convince Jin Pae-cheon that the boy would be safe?
“I see it now,” Geom Mu-geuk said, realizing the truth. Previously, a master of the Soul-Seizing Technique had shown off his skills in advance. Geom Mu-geuk had told the Poison King that there must have been an intention behind it. “I finally understand why you showed me the Soul-Seizing Technique beforehand. It was to let me know how great your skills were—to make it known that the technique would work even on the Demon Extermination Squad.”
“In your position, shouldn't you be hiding that fact?” Hwa Yul-cheong asked. He had expected Geom Mu-geuk to hide it, intending to use that secrecy to cause conflict with Jin Pae-cheon.
“Ha-gun is my friend. I couldn't do that.”
Hwa Yul-cheong gave a strange smile and then spoke to Jin Pae-cheon. “He truly is someone worth cherishing. But no matter how much you like him, you can't let your grandson die, can you?”
Jin Pae-cheon glanced at Geom Mu-geuk and then asked Hwa Yul-cheong, “What will you do after I kill the Young Cult Leader?”
“It will be as if nothing ever happened. I will leave, and you can continue to protect the Murim Alliance with your grandsons.”
“And what do you gain from that?”
“The death of this Young Cult Leader, who has caused us immense damage.”
Geom Mu-geuk chuckled and interjected. “Is that really the only reason? Would a man like you live under a false identity for decades just for that?”
Ignoring him, Hwa Yul-cheong pressured Jin Pae-cheon. “Don't overthink it. This will be a secret between us. As long as I don't speak, no one will know you killed the Young Cult Leader because of your grandson. Even if the Demonic Cult claims so, you can simply dismiss it as a conspiracy.”
To that, Hwa Yul-cheong added a powerful incentive. “Think about when such a brilliant Young Cult Leader becomes the Demonic Cult Leader. If you don't kill him today, the Orthodox faction will fall to him anyway. So, kill him now.”
While he was persuading Jin Pae-cheon, Geom Mu-geuk just listened. Finally, Jin Pae-cheon reached a conclusion. Even though his grandson’s life and the future of the Orthodox faction were at stake, his deliberation was not long.
“I will not kill the Young Cult Leader.”
At the firm decision, Hwa Yul-cheong poked at the Alliance Leader’s sore spot. “Does that mean you truly cherish the Young Cult Leader more than your own grandson? What would the people of the Murim think of you if they heard that?”
“Cherish him more than Ha-gun? How could that be possible?”
“Then why are you choosing to let your grandson die?”
Did Jin Pae-cheon make this decision because he was prepared for his grandson’s death? Jin Pae-cheon’s gaze turned toward Geom Mu-geuk.
“I came here today as an audience member.”
The moment he heard those words, Geom Mu-geuk smiled brightly. The Alliance Leader had not forgotten the words he had said to him. To that, the Alliance Leader added his trust.
“I believe this stage will not end in tragedy. Because I know you wouldn't have invited me to a tragedy.”
Hwa Yul-cheong looked at Jin Pae-cheon with a shocked face. It was a variable he hadn't accounted for. He hadn't realized Jin Pae-cheon trusted Geom Mu-geuk to this extent. The Jin Pae-cheon he knew was not this kind of person.
Just as Jin Pae-cheon hadn't known him, he hadn't known Jin Pae-cheon either. Naturally, Hwa Yul-cheong’s gaze shifted to Geom Mu-geuk. How can this be?
Geom Mu-geuk calmly explained to Jin Pae-cheon. “So Jeong-rak said before he died that he concluded our father would never tolerate it if I were killed.”
Geom Mu-geuk was seeing right through Hwa Yul-cheong’s plan.
“They have already calculated that if you kill me, Alliance Leader, the Great Demonic-Orthodox War will break out.”
Jin Pae-cheon nodded. Yes, if it weren't for such a purpose, a man who had hidden his identity for decades wouldn't simply withdraw.
How could Geom Mu-geuk not have made any preparations for this stage today?
“Just as you expected, I expected it as well.” Geom Mu-geuk said to Jin Pae-cheon, “Ha-gun will be safe.”
Until he heard those words, Jin Pae-cheon had been incredibly tense. No matter how much he trusted Geom Mu-geuk, his grandson’s life was still on the line. But Geom Mu-geuk had said it himself. Ha-gun would be safe.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to Hwa Yul-cheong. “Did you think I would just stand by and let you kill my friend?”
Hwa Yul-cheong snorted. “I suppose you think the Demon Buddha or the Poison King will stop us.”
He had even anticipated who might have gone to help from this side.
“Yes, those two are certainly Demon Lords who are strong against the Soul-Seizing Technique. But that only applies to the technique being used on them.” Hwa Yul-cheong wore a meaningful smile. “Can they really prevent Jin Ha-gun’s death? Can they stop an attack from a subordinate right next to him? Or perhaps Jin Ha-gun might even take his own life?”
He seemed to have absolute faith in the master of the Soul-Seizing Technique. At Hwa Yul-cheong’s confidence, Jin Pae-cheon grew tense again. Naturally, his gaze turned toward Geom Mu-geuk.
As he had always done, even in this moment, Geom Mu-geuk did not disappoint him.
“To help my friend…” The meaningful smile that had been on Hwa Yul-cheong’s face now appeared on Geom Mu-geuk’s. “Do you really think they were the ones who went?”