Chapter 717: Hold That Hand Tight
Chapter 717: Hold That Hand Tight
Could she truly handle a man like him?
Cha Yi-ran stared at Geom Mu-geuk in silence.
He was a man who claimed that living a simple life of fishing with his father was more difficult than unifying the Murim.
He was a man who went out of his way to create an opportunity like this for a subordinate—and not even his own, but a mere assassin.
He was a man who had run off to buy liquor, hoping that two people would elope in the middle of the night.
He was a man who reached out to the very person who had tried to kill him. And the identity of such a man was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
In all her years as a martial artist, she had never seen anyone like him. How could she possibly "handle" him?
"It’s not an assassin squad you need, is it?"
She realized that if this Young Cult Leader truly wanted the kind of life he described, he wouldn't be fond of assassins.
Geom Mu-geuk readily admitted to her suspicion.
"You’re right. I don’t need an assassin squad. I need you."
"Why me? You must have countless experts at your beck and call to carry out your orders."
"To be honest, at first, I was interested because I liked Ak Gun-hak. Then, I was impressed by your courage in boldly abandoning the contract. And now, you’ve saved my life."
In truth, those reasons alone were enough, but there was more.
"You’re beautiful enough to rival the greatest beauties under heaven, and your martial arts skills are excellent. But above all, there is one reason why I like you."
Cha Yi-ran was curious. It felt like he had already said everything there was to say. In fact, he had said so much it was almost embarrassing.
The decisive reason Geom Mu-geuk gave was something she had never even considered.
"Because you’re a leader who tells her people that if they have the strength to bite down on a poison capsule, they should use that strength to grit their teeth and try to survive until the very end."
"!"
"I want someone like that to be one of my people."
Cha Yi-ran finally understood why Ak Gun-hak hadn't killed this man.
No, she even began to think that, just as Ak Gun-hak had said, it might have been this man who chose not to kill him.
Of course, she couldn't just jump at the offer.
"Would I really be necessary for that 'ordinary life' you're pursuing?"
"Didn't I tell you earlier? That life feels more difficult to me than unifying the Murim."
Eliminating the forces lurking in the shadows wouldn't be the end of it. There was the promise to his father.
If he couldn't persuade his father, a war would break out. Geom Mu-geuk still believed that preventing that was a harder task than wiping out the masterminds behind the scenes.
"I’m not trying to negate your life as an assassin. Come with me, and if you ever feel like this isn't the right path for you, I’ll truly let you go then."
It was a proposal born of necessity, yet offered with her well-being in mind. Since their fates had crossed, he hoped she could try living a life that wasn't that of an assassin.
In his life before the regression, she had lived her entire life as a nameless assassin. He believed that if someone could endure such a life in silence, they could excel at any other life as well.
"If you’re worried about your subordinates, give them a choice."
He meant that those who had no desire to join the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult should be allowed to leave freely.
"Please give me time to think."
"Take your time. We have to return to the headquarters together for now anyway."
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze shifted back toward the pavilion on the lake.
The 17th Gyo and the Crescent-Moon Faceless Guest were still there. He had expected them to leave quickly out of awkwardness, but they remained, deep in conversation.
Geom Mu-geuk used his New Eye Technique and saw the 17th Gyo laughing. What on earth could that blunt Faceless Guest be saying to make an assassin laugh?
"Ah! I’m dying of curiosity. I need to hear what they’re saying! Is there really no assassin technique for eavesdropping from a distance?"
*
That night, Cha Yi-ran couldn't sleep, her mind filled with a whirlwind of thoughts.
Eventually, she stepped out of her quarters to get some fresh air. She wasn't the only one awake late into the night.
In the courtyard of the inner court, Lee An was looking up at the night sky. As Cha Yi-ran walked toward her, Lee An greeted her first.
"You’re not asleep yet?"
Lee An’s gaze toward Cha Yi-ran was exceptionally soft. There was a reason for it.
"I didn't realize it earlier—that you risked your life for the Young Cult Leader, Miss Cha."
Lee An bowed politely to Cha Yi-ran.
"Thank you so much for saving him."
From her polite greeting, Cha Yi-ran could tell that Lee An truly cared for the Young Cult Leader.
Young Cult Leader, you really are greedy. You have someone like this by your side, yet you still want to take me in as a subordinate.
"I did it for my own sake as well, so you don't need to worry about it."
Despite her words, Lee An’s eyes were full of gratitude, so Cha Yi-ran looked up at the sky to change the subject.
"What were you looking at so intently?"
"'No matter how busy you are, look up at the sky at least once a day!' That’s what the Young Cult Leader always says. I forget so often that I end up looking at the stars late like this."
After staring at the stars for a moment, Cha Yi-ran asked abruptly.
"What kind of person is the Young Cult Leader?"
Perhaps because it was such a sudden question, Lee An couldn't answer easily.
"Was I too blunt? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
That wasn't why Lee An hesitated.
"No, it’s not that I don't want to answer. It’s just... he’s a person who’s hard to describe in just a few words."
Cha Yi-ran understood. Indeed, Geom Mu-geuk wasn't someone who could be easily explained, even by someone who had known him for a long time.
"The Young Cult Leader made me an offer. He said he wants me as his subordinate."
Lee An nodded, looking as if she had expected it.
"Did the Young Cult Leader tell you, Miss Lee?"
"No."
"Yet you don't seem surprised."
"I think I would have done the same if I were him."
Cha Yi-ran looked at Lee An for a moment before speaking.
"You’ve learned something bad from him—saying exactly what the other person wants to hear."
"Is that a bad thing?"
Lee An looked directly at her and said, "It’s an effort, isn't it? It means you at least thought about what the other person wanted to hear beforehand. It would be bad if those words caused harm, but I don't think becoming the Young Cult Leader’s subordinate is a bad thing."
Cha Yi-ran felt a slightly different vibe from Lee An than before. When Lee An spoke about the Young Cult Leader, her eyes sparkled.
"Are you perhaps afraid of your life changing?"
Cha Yi-ran didn't answer Lee An’s question. Yes, if she was hesitating, that was likely the biggest reason.
To go from living as an assassin to becoming the blade of the Demonic Cult's Young Cult Leader? She couldn't bring herself to agree readily, no matter how special Geom Mu-geuk seemed.
"I lived my whole life as the Young Cult Leader’s guard. It was work I loved, and I never even considered any other kind of life."
Lee An was talking more than usual today, as if she had made up her mind. At first, it was because she wanted to help if the Young Cult Leader wanted Cha Yi-ran. But as they talked, her true feelings began to slip out.
"But the Young Cult Leader changed that life for me. Now, I’m not his guard, but the Ghost Shadow Squad Leader. Do you know what I felt during that process?"
"What did you feel?"
Lee An’s gaze deepened as she looked back at the stars.
"I realized that living a life doing what you love is actually quite exhausting, rather than just being enjoyable."
This was exactly what she had felt after stepping down from her guard duties to become the Ghost Shadow Squad Leader.
"Because it’s something I love, I want to do it well. And because I want to do it well, I have to work incredibly hard. I have to endure things I hate. I thought doing what I love would be nothing but fun, but it’s actually very difficult. It’s difficult because I love it."
Lee An turned her gaze from the stars to Cha Yi-ran.
"Do you know what I think when I open my eyes in the morning lately? 'Ah! I don't have to protect anyone today. I just have to take care of myself.' You have no idea how much relief that thought brings. It’s a feeling I never would have known while I was still a guard. I only learned this time that some emotions can only be felt once you stop doing something."
Her words contradicted the image of her working so hard to protect the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master. But both that effort and these words were sincere.
Hearing Lee An’s honest confession, Cha Yi-ran thought to herself: What would a life without contracts be like? Would I feel that same sense of relief?
"Try to feel what that’s like, just once. Even if you end up living as an assassin again, it will surely be of help to you, Miss Cha."
Cha Yi-ran could feel that Lee An sincerely wanted her to become Geom Mu-geuk’s subordinate.
"Why are you telling me this? It’s not like it benefits you if I become his subordinate."
"If you’re worried that the Young Cult Leader’s affection might be divided..."
Lee An smiled and added, "You still don't know the size of our Young Cult Leader’s heart. His heart is large enough to hold the entire world and still have room to spare."
"Is it that his heart is large, or is yours?"
"I’m just pretending mine is."
Lee An bowed in farewell and began to walk away. After walking a short distance, she turned back and said, "Oh, and don't worry about not being able to leave. The Young Cult Leader is someone who tries his best to send the people around him away."
He had told Lee An to leave for the sake of her own happiness at first. And Cha Yi-ran already knew that. He was the man who had gone to great lengths to let Ak Gun-hak go.
Lee An’s words today were ultimately meant to lead to this:
"So, while he’s holding it out to you, hold that hand tight."
*
The next morning, the Sinhwa Guild was bustling with preparations for departure. Geom Mu-geuk’s party was getting ready to return to the Cult.
Several carriages were prepared. Aside from the ones for the leaders, the rest were used to transport the wounded. The uninjured Faceless Guests and Gain Cult assassins escorted the carriages on horseback. All of them wore bamboo hats and veils.
Before Geom Mu-geuk left, Bi Sa-in came to see him. He wanted to say goodbye and express his gratitude.
Thanks to this, the Gain Cult assassins were treated to the rare sight of the successor of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the successor of the Unorthodox Path Alliance standing side by side, talking.
Bi Sa-in expressed his thanks.
"Thank you again for this time."
If Geom Mu-geuk hadn't warned him in advance, there was no telling what might have happened to the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader.
"This time, I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to the Alliance Leader entrusting me with this task, I’ve gained a lot."
Bi Sa-in truly liked this honesty of Geom Mu-geuk’s. In the Murim, people always tried to take credit or make others feel indebted to them. But Geom Mu-geuk was different. There was no distortion in his debts of gratitude or grudges.
"I believe the conspiracy targeting the Alliance Leader is still ongoing. So, keep a sharp eye out."
Bi Sa-in nodded at Geom Mu-geuk’s words. He intended to escort Baek Ja-gang along with the 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path until the full truth of this incident was revealed.
"If Tongcheon Pavilion gets any information related to the Alliance Leader, I’ll send it immediately."
"Thanks. We’ll respond in kind."
The two men exchanged a look of mutual trust. Seeing the mischievous glint appearing in Geom Mu-geuk’s eyes, Bi Sa-in spoke first.
"Don't say it. Just go!"
Of course, Geom Mu-geuk wasn't one to just leave.
"You have to be this quick-witted to carry on a secret romance."
After getting one last jab in at Bi Sa-in, Geom Mu-geuk climbed into the carriage. He poked his head out of the window and shouted to everyone.
"Alright, let’s go home!"
*
The ceiling was high.
Great stone pillars supported the vaulted dome. The walls and ceiling were painted with constellations. It was as if the night sky had been transplanted there, with countless stars depicted—specifically those with special significance to martial arts.
There were two things here that Geom Mu-geuk would have recognized instantly.
First, a large secret casket sat in a corner of the space. The very one Ak Gun-hak had taken back was being kept here.
The second was a pattern painted on one of the walls. It was the same pattern Geom Mu-geuk had seen in the basement of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall.
Six circles surrounding a central secret casket. Faint light was emanating from four of those circles.
Black, blue, white, and yellow.
Amazingly, those colors matched the colors of the beads Geom Mu-geuk had absorbed.
A middle-aged woman sat before it. Exuding a calm yet divine aura, she was Ga Ye, the descendant of the Divine Maiden Palace and the current Divine Maiden Palace Master. A large bowl sat before her, filled to the brim with blood.
In the darkness in front of Ga Ye sat an old man. His back was straight, and his hands were calmly folded in front of his dantian. Even in the shadows, his eyes shone; his black pupils were a darkness that suppressed the dark itself.
Just then, the secret casket depicted in the mural behind Ga Ye seemed to glow.
Whoosh.
A fifth circle began to glow red. Ga Ye spoke in a calm voice.
"The energy of the Red Path has appeared in the world."
Incredibly, this mural was signaling that the energy within the beads was being released. The old man in the darkness spoke in a low voice.
"Now the Young Cult Leader will absorb the energy of the Red Path as well."
His voice had a deep resonance, like the tolling of an ancient bell.
"The Flying Blood Snake must have entered the Young Cult Leader’s body along with the Red Path energy."
The old man nodded at Ga Ye’s words. For this task, they had used the Flying Blood Snake, which could only be used once in a generation. If this succeeded, all past failures and sacrifices would be redeemed.
How much time passed?
Ssssss.
The bowl of blood in front of Ga Ye began to turn black. Looking down at it, Ga Ye’s eyes widened in shock.
"The Flying Blood Snake is dead."
At her report, the old man’s eyes flashed intensely. Unable to withstand the aura radiating from him, Ga Ye bowed her head and closed her eyes.
"If the Flying Blood Snake is dead, it means this attempt has also failed."
Ga Ye could only stare at the blackened liquid with trembling eyes. She still couldn't believe it.
Then, a low, contemplative murmur escaped the old man in the darkness.
"In the end... must I wake him?"
At those words, Ga Ye prostrated herself before the old man.
"You mustn't! Without the Six Paths Primordial Energy, you cannot control him. If you let him out now..."
Ga Ye added firmly, for this was the one thing she was certain of:
"This Murim will become a sea of blood."