Chapter 704: My Mouth Was Itching to Speak
Chapter 704: My Mouth Was Itching to Speak
The 17th Gyo could finally tell them apart.
At first glance, the ten Faceless Guests seemed identical, but a closer look revealed their individual traits. Their heights and builds varied, but more importantly, there were distinct marks etched into the edges of their masks. One bore a tiny fox, others featured clouds or flames, and some even displayed a venomous snake or a spider.
She surmised that if these were their individual symbols, there might be higher-ranking masks where the drawings covered the entire surface—like a full fox mask or a flame mask that looked as if the porcelain itself were ablaze.
The mask of the Faceless Guest who had saved her bore a small crescent moon.
As the 17th Gyo stared at him, her eyes met those of the 5th Gyo. The older woman had been captured alongside her and was a senior she deeply respected. The 5th Gyo looked at her and gave a slight, subtle shake of her head.
The 17th Gyo understood the meaning behind that gesture instantly. It was a warning: Do not harbor personal feelings.
She had been staring at him so intently—both during the carriage ride and now—that her inner thoughts were practically on display. The 17th Gyo gave a small, chastened nod.
Right, what am I thinking in a situation where I could die at any moment? Because it was the 5th Gyo, the warning was gentle, but if anyone else discovered her interest, she could be severely punished for consorting with the enemy.
Just as she resolved to look away—as if fate were playing a trick—the Crescent-Moon Faceless Guest, who had been staring out the window, tapped the wall twice.
He was signaling that someone was approaching.
Sure enough, a moment later, the door creaked open and a man stepped inside.
"Is Chief Manager Jo here?"
It was An Hu-pyeong, the Young Guild Master of the Shinhwa Guild. He had come to check on the women who had advanced to the main tournament finals.
An Hu-pyeong flinched in surprise as he entered. The women were seated in rows, and the thrill of being the center of attention for dozens of beauties was momentarily exhilarating. However, the atmosphere was dampened by the men standing around them. Masked figures were stationed throughout the guest hall—some leaned against the walls, some crouched in corners, and others stood beside the women with their arms crossed.
Every single one of them was staring at him. It was a chilling, silent scrutiny.
By all rights, he should have realized something was wrong. Instead, he chuckled.
"Chief Manager Jo is preparing something interesting, I see."
He mistakenly assumed the masked men were part of a performance for the final stage.
"Villains and beauties! That’s a fantastic concept. Who is it? Who’s playing the boss?"
An absurd silence filled the room.
The 3rd Gyo turned her head to look at the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, and the other assassins followed her gaze. She hoped his presence might create a variable in this suffocating situation.
An Hu-pyeong fearlessly walked right up to the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon and marveled at him.
"I don't know who made it, but this mask is incredibly well-crafted."
The eyes within the mask crinkled into a wide, fixed smile. If An Hu-pyeong were the type of person to recognize the predatory nature of that smile, Sa Chu would never have left his side in the first place.
Seeing that smile, An Hu-pyeong even threw out a warning.
"These are precious guests, so don't even think about trying anything funny during the show."
Then, as if he had forgotten his manners, he turned back to the women and announced his identity with a flourish.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself. I am An Hu-pyeong, the Young Guild Master of the Shinhwa Guild. If you experience any discomfort, please feel free to find me at any time."
The women only stared at him in pitying silence. Even if their mute acupoints hadn't been sealed, what could they possibly say to someone so utterly oblivious?
The continued silence made An Hu-pyeong feel slightly slighted, but he quickly rationalized the atmosphere.
Right, it wouldn't be easy for them to speak casually to someone of my status.
After giving the women one last sweeping glance, An Hu-pyeong bid them farewell.
"Well then, keep up the good practice."
An Hu-pyeong stepped outside. No matter how much he looked, none of them were as captivating as Lee An or Cha Yi-ran.
Now that I think about it, should I go find her?
He began walking toward Lee An’s quarters. That was when a sight caught his eye in the distance.
An unfamiliar martial artist was walking in the lead, followed by warriors of the Shinhwa Guild. The guild members were following him with their heads bowed low, looking as if they had committed a capital crime.
"I've never seen that man before," An Hu-pyeong muttered.
In truth, it wasn't his first time. The man was one of the 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path he had seen when he met Bi Sa-in. But because he had only paid attention to Bi Sa-in and the women that day, he hadn't bothered to remember the faces of the subordinates.
Suddenly, a martial artist burst out from a building on the opposite side using a lightness skill. Seeing An Hu-pyeong, he shouted urgently.
"Go to Father! Quickly—!"
In that instant, one of the 13 Wolves lunged from the shadows even faster, subduing the man in a flash. Following him, more Shinhwa Guild warriors walked out of the building in a somber line with their heads bowed, trailed by another member of the 13 Wolves.
Startled, An Hu-pyeong finally felt a prickle of fear and ran toward the Guild Master’s Hall. The Wolf who had subdued the shouting man only spared him a brief, cold glance and did not pursue.
By the time An Hu-pyeong reached the Guild Master’s Hall, Bi Sa-in was standing at the entrance. Behind him stood the Alliance Leader's personal guards.
"Young Alliance Leader! Please help me!" An Hu-pyeong rushed toward Bi Sa-in. "Suspicious people have infiltrated our guild!"
Before An Hu-pyeong could even reach Bi Sa-in, his mute and demonic acupoints were seized by those very "suspicious people," and he was dragged away like a sack of grain.
Then, the door opened and Baek Ja-gang stepped out from the Guild Master’s Hall. He walked with his hands behind his back as if he were merely out for a stroll, but a thick, metallic scent of blood wafted from his robes.
Bi Sa-in could see the scene inside through the open door.
The Shinhwa Guild Master sat dead in his grand tutor's chair, and the severed head of the Iron Cold Blade rested on the table where they had been drinking. Behind that table lay the cooling corpse of the Yeomsa Sword.
With those corpses at his back, Baek Ja-gang asked, "Where is the female assassin who plotted this?"
Bi Sa-in realized the Alliance Leader had heard something vital regarding her.
"The Young Cult Leader should be meeting her now."
*
When Geom Mu-geuk went to find Cha Yi-ran, she was browsing for new clothes. It was the very same shop where he had bought clothes with Lee An previously.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked.
"Have you forgotten already? I was right there when you were drunk and crawling on the ground."
She was currently wearing a plain black martial uniform instead of the flamboyant silks she had worn earlier. Perhaps it was because it was his first time seeing her in such attire, but she looked even more refreshing and sharp this way.
"Fine. Since you're here, help me choose."
Cha Yi-ran showed him two extravagant outfits she had picked out.
"Which one do you think suits me better?"
"The martial uniform you're wearing now is quite nice, though?"
"This is my work uniform," she countered. "Hurry up and pick."
When Geom Mu-geuk pointed to the outfit on the left, she immediately chose the one on the right.
"Because you'll want this lady to win," she teased.
Geom Mu-geuk watched as she paid the shopkeeper. You won't be wearing those clothes to the tournament, he thought silently.
After paying, she said, "Wait a moment. I'll go change." As she headed toward the back, she pulled something out and placed it on the table. "Hold onto this for a second."
Geom Mu-geuk stared at the small box she had left behind.
Hum.
The Secret Casket reacted instantly. Surprisingly, she had left the box containing the bead right in front of him. What exactly was she thinking? Did she really want him to take it? Last night had been the same, and so was now—she was using the bead as blatant temptation.
With a slight wave of his hand, Geom Mu-geuk used telekinesis to flick open the lid. Inside lay a red bead—the Red Jade.
Vrrrrm!
The Secret Casket reacted even more violently. Looking at the bead, he felt a powerful urge to absorb its energy immediately. The dormant powers within his body began to stir in anticipation.
However, Mu-geuk waved his hand again, and the lid snapped shut.
There was one thing she didn't know: he knew exactly how much blood and toil it took to obtain these beads. They were not things that could be acquired so easily.
Patience, Secret Casket. Let’s be patient.
As Mu-geuk composed his mind, the stirring energies settled, and the Secret Casket calmed down.
A moment later, she emerged. Dressed in the new outfit, she looked like a completely different person—elegant and striking. Instead of asking about her appearance, she asked about the box.
"Did you open it?"
"I did."
"How was it?"
"I wanted it."
"‘I wanted it’... what a sweet thing to say." Cha Yi-ran picked up the box and sat in a chair in the corner, crossing her legs. Her exposed thigh was incredibly sensual, but her eyes remained sharp. "Why didn't you take it?"
"I already have it. That's an empty box."
Cha Yi-ran tucked it away without checking the contents. "Do you trust my conscience that much?"
"No, it's because I know it's a box that explodes if you open it the wrong way."
Their gazes locked. Their eyes were so deep that it was impossible to read each other's hearts.
"I didn't expect you to come looking for me so early," she said. They had parted ways after drinking all night until she was wasted. She hadn't expected to see him until tomorrow.
"It seems my mind became at ease once you revealed your identity."
Of course, that wasn't the real reason. The operation had begun. At this very hour, both the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon and the Unorthodox Path Alliance were carrying out their respective purges. His job was to find out if Ak Gun-hak also harbored feelings for her.
Mu-geuk checked on her condition first. "Did you have something for your hangover?"
"I did."
"Good. You have to take care of your stomach while you're young."
At that, Cha Yi-ran asked with a mysterious smile, "Will you or I even live long enough to grow old?"
"I will. Until I'm a gray-haired old man."
"You're greedy."
"That's right. Greedy for martial arts, greedy for people, greedy for money, greedy for health, and greedy for longevity. I'm known as the incarnation of avarice."
Cha Yi-ran laughed. "Rumor has it you're mostly greedy for talk."
Mu-geuk moved his jaw from side to side to loosen up his mouth.
"My mouth was itching so much it was a struggle."
Cha Yi-ran felt that if she kept talking to Geom Mu-geuk, she might eventually understand why Ak Gun-hak hadn't killed him. Aside from her mission, there was only one line connecting her and Mu-geuk: Ak Gun-hak. The moment that line snapped, they would have nothing left to discuss. It would only be a matter of who killed whom.
"Why couldn't he leave?" Mu-geuk asked the question he had withheld last night.
"What other reason could there be? Because the organization wouldn't let him go."
"Is there any need to be loyal to such an organization?"
Cha Yi-ran raised her eyebrows slightly. "Loyalty? I am loyal to no one. I work for a price."
Her words were likely sincere. Even in his life before the regression, she had died as an assassin. The fact that her true life was only revealed after her death was likely due to this mindset. The organization had never truly cared for her.
"It sounds like you're saying I could hire you if I paid the price."
"If you have the capability."
"I'll hire you right now. State your terms."
He said it knowing she wouldn't accept. As expected, she refused immediately.
"If I were the type of person to abandon my assigned task and quit halfway through, I wouldn't be worth hiring in the first place."
Therefore, she would surely try to carry out her mission. She would try to kill the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader, and perhaps even Mu-geuk himself.
"Do you know where he was planning to go?"
Instead of answering, Cha Yi-ran asked back, "You would be the one who knows that."
He could tell from her expression that she really didn't know. In fact, she was the one who was curious.
"He didn't know you liked him," Mu-geuk noted.
If they were truly in a relationship, they would have discussed his departure. He might not have even thought about leaving in the first place—unless they planned to leave together.
"That's right. He doesn't know." Cha Yi-ran didn't try to hide it. She didn't try to use her feelings as a shield.
"Why didn't you tell him?"
She never imagined she would be sharing such things with Geom Mu-geuk. "We were both busy. And the organization wouldn't have liked it."
But because he was an enemy she might have to kill, it was actually easier to speak freely.
"Why would the organization hate it?"
"Because then there would have been two people trying to leave."
Mu-geuk liked her honesty. Her true charm didn't come from her appearance, but from this blunt clarity.
Cha Yi-ran asked curiously, "Why do you care about him so much? He's someone who already left you."
Mu-geuk gave a reason she hadn't expected. "He was a cool man."
"I'll admit that."
"I like cool people. When I see someone like that, I want to be like them, to learn from them." Mu-geuk perched on the display stand in front of her. "In that regard, you were cool too."
At her questioning look, Mu-geuk answered honestly. "I don't have the courage to get that drunk in front of an enemy."
It was a joke, but she didn't laugh. "Why can't you be honest?"
"What do you mean?"
"The reason you're paying attention to him isn't because he's 'cool,' but to keep such a powerful master by your side, isn't it? Since he's an enemy, the value of turning him would be doubled or tripled. Am I wrong?"
After staring at Cha Yi-ran for a moment, Mu-geuk suddenly asked, "Could you keep him by your side?"
Cha Yi-ran couldn't say yes. Part of why she liked Ak Gun-hak was because of his wind-like, untethered nature.
"He was taking off his shoes from the first time I saw him. How could I keep a man who walks around barefoot by my side?"
If that was true—if he wasn't trying to possess him—then what was the reason?
"Then why?" she pressed.
After a brief pause, Mu-geuk spoke. "Because I want to let him leave."
As if to prove his words were sincere, he added a surprising proposal.
"Let's help him leave together."