Chapter 131: Seven Kills Jeok Ma-hyeok-2
Chapter 131: Seven Kills Jeok Ma-hyeok-2
It was around the evening of the day after Seonwoo Jin had crossed Heungmun in Sichuan Province—the former site of the fierce battle with the Jeonghyeopbang—and arrived at the border region of Guizhou, where he had fought against the Geon assassins.
At their original pace, they should have already crossed into Guizhou by morning, but they had ended up significantly delayed because they had spent time helping with the aftermath for the merchant company that had been nearly wiped out by the assassins the previous day.
But now, the delay no longer mattered.
That was because he had originally increased their speed to preempt an ambush, and he judged there was no need to rush after already being attacked.
Furthermore, his goal had been to buy time to postpone Dang Yeoeun's marriage anyway—he had never actually intended to go to the Seonwoo Clan and push forward with a marriage proposal in the first place.
'Going to the Sichuan Tang Family to propose a marriage in the capacity of the Seonwoo Clan's successor—no matter how I think about it, that's way too much of a stretch. And actually pushing forward a marriage proposal with Lady Dang is also...'
Seonwoo Jin suddenly recalled Dang Yeoeun's image.
She was an incredibly beautiful and kind woman, and it was also true that his heart wavered constantly every time he saw her.
But despite that, the fact that he still felt an ache in a corner of his chest whenever he thought of Na Seo-yu made him feel that thinking about a future with another woman was far too irresponsible.
Not yet... that was how it was.
Seonwoo Jin, who had been lost in such thoughts, shook his head vigorously and steeled his resolve.
'Whatever happens, I can't just let Lady Dang go through with an unwanted marriage to some snake-like bastard like that.'
So he had to do whatever he could.
Even if that meant actually becoming the Seonwoo Clan's successor and putting forward a marriage proposal.
He was thinking such thoughts while racing along the official road crossing into Guizhou.
It was at the foot of Sacheop Mountain, located on the border between Sichuan and Guizhou, that he suddenly spotted several merchant companies stopped without ascending the pass.
And also the sight of one lovely young lady, tears welling in her eyes, pleading with them.
Her desperate voice reached him.
"Please, I beg of you! Please save my orabeoni! I will repay you even if I must offer everything I have!"
But even at her heartfelt plea, the merchants merely cleared their throats and turned away.
"Hmm, hmm. Your situation is pitiable, but we ourselves are gathering people here, unable to cross the pass because we fear the Sacheopchae. How could we possibly defeat them and rescue your orabeoni? It's unfortunate, but you'd best give up..."
"Indeed. If you need work, we'll arrange for you to join our merchant company. So just think of your orabeoni as already dead and forget about him."
At that, the woman finally burst into tears.
"How cruel you are! How could I possibly give up on the orabeoni who raised me all this time?!"
As they watched the woman sobbing as she spoke, the merchants merely clicked their tongues in discomfort.
Then the woman, who had been weeping for a moment, soon wiped her tears and collected herself. She then bowed her head to them in farewell.
"This humble girl was impertinent to those of you who spoke with my well-being in mind. Please forgive me. I shall go and see if there might be others who can help."
At her words, the merchants tutted.
"Tsk, tsk. Haven't you been searching since morning without success? Do you suppose those kinds of people will just appear if you keep looking?"
But she no longer paid attention to the merchants' words. She simply approached other people with a resolute expression.
Seonwoo Jin stopped on the road and watched her for a moment.
From the snippets of conversation he had overheard, it seemed her orabeoni was likely being held captive somewhere called Sacheopchae, located on Sacheop Mountain.
Which meant this young lady was searching for someone to rescue her orabeoni.
Seonwoo Jin approached her.
Since he needed to stall for time anyway, dealing with one bandit stronghold along the way didn't seem like such a difficult task.
"Might I ask what the matter is, sojeo?"
At the sound of Seonwoo Jin's voice, she turned around with a brightening expression.
Seen up close, she was a woman of remarkably beautiful appearance. Perhaps due to makeup, she looked a bit younger than she had from afar—she seemed to be barely twenty or so at most.
But she, who had turned with a face full of hope, confirmed that Seonwoo Jin was alone and then answered with a disappointed look.
"My orabeoni has been captured by a bandit stronghold called Sacheopchae on Sacheop Mountain. I'm looking for people who can rescue him."
The words "people who can rescue him."
A polite but somewhat disappointed expression.
It seemed she thought that Seonwoo Jin alone could never save him.
He suddenly felt a strange surge of competitive spirit rising within him.
Seonwoo Jin asked again.
"It seems this Sacheopchae is quite a powerful force?"
At that, she let out a sigh and answered.
"I heard it was originally nothing more than a small bandit stronghold, but after the Jeonghyeopbang was disbanded last time, its remnants joined them and they've grown rapidly recently. That's why even the merchants can't go recklessly and gather in large numbers like that to cross all at once."
At those words, Seonwoo Jin furrowed his brow and asked.
"The remnants of the Jeonghyeopbang joined a bandit stronghold? They were supposed to be an orthodox faction, were they not?"
At that, she smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"That place was originally a puppet of the Blood Cult. If those beneath them had truly been proper members of the orthodox faction, they wouldn't have followed the orders of a Jeonghyeopbang leader who was a Blood Cultist in the first place."
Now that he heard it, it was a fully understandable story.
After all, the Jeonghyeopbang's conduct hadn't seemed like that of the orthodox faction at all.
If they were people who had followed such conduct without complaint, then even if they weren't Blood Cultists, it seemed unlikely they were genuine members of the orthodox faction either.
Seonwoo Jin nodded as if convinced.
And he asked her again.
"May I offer you some assistance?"
At that, she answered with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, daehyeop. I am truly grateful for your words, but they are not opponents you can face alone..."
But as she spoke, her eyes suddenly widened in shock.
It was because she had witnessed the brilliant, radiant violet sword qi from the blade Seonwoo Jin had just slightly drawn.
She asked with a face full of astonishment.
"C-could it be, the p-peak...?!"
At that, Seonwoo Jin immediately sheathed his sword and brought a finger to his lips.
"Shh, I'd rather not cause a commotion around here. So, is this much still insufficient for you?"
At that, she bowed her head deeply with tears glistening in her eyes.
"My eyes were dim and I failed to recognize you, daehyeop! Please forgive me! How could someone of my standing dare say it is insufficient before a martial artist of the peak? I am only grateful."
Then she suddenly asked.
"Might you be a famous figure? My knowledge is lacking... May I inquire as to your honorable name, daehyeop?"
At her question, Seonwoo Jin smiled faintly and answered.
"I am called Seonwoo Jin."
At that, she bowed her head again with a flustered face, as if she had never heard the name before.
"Ah, I-I'm sorry, daehyeop. My knowledge is far too lacking..."
Seeing her flustered, apologetic demeanor at having never heard his name, Seonwoo Jin smiled wryly and shook his head.
"It's fine. It's not such a great name, and I've had no occasion to make it known, so it's only natural you wouldn't know it. Anyway, do you know the location of Sacheopchae?"
At that, her expression brightened and she hastily answered.
"Yes! My orabeoni allowed me to escape and was captured alone, so I know the vicinity! I shall personally guide you!"
And so, Seonwoo Jin and she began ascending the pass together.
But Seonwoo Jin did not know.
He did not know that the woman following slightly behind him, Jeok Ha-yeon, was faintly curling the corners of her lips into a smile.
***
Earlier that morning, before Seonwoo Jin met Jeok Ha-yeon, Jeok Ma-hyeok had declared before his two younger siblings:
"I'll handle this job alone."
At that, his two younger siblings naturally protested.
"What are you saying, Oreabeoni?! We promised to handle all assignments together!"
"That's right, Hyungnim! You promised us—if the target deserves to die, we kill them, and if not, we don't!"
"Th-that's...."
Jeok Ma-hyeok's face twisted in dismay at their words.
It was definitely something he had said.
A promise he had made because he didn't want his younger siblings to hate themselves.
Jeok Ma-hyeok had become an assassin to feed his siblings, but whenever he had to kill someone who wasn't even a villain just because of an assignment, he would end up hating himself.
Even as he told himself he had no choice, he couldn't help but acknowledge that he was trash.
So, he didn't want his siblings to feel that way.
'I absolutely cannot let these kids live thinking they're trash like me.'
With that determination, he had made the promise to them.
If the target was someone who deserved to die, they would kill them, but if they were truly righteous, they wouldn't take the assignment.
It was a promise he could only make because he had gained recognition for his skills and become one of the Seven Kills, reaching a position within the Sacheonsalmun where he could choose the assignments he wanted.
After that, his younger sister Jeok Ha-yeon would test a target's character by trying to seduce them whenever they took an assignment.
The reasoning being that if someone succumbed to the seduction of a teenager like her and tried to violate her, they deserved to die.
But even as he tolerated Ha-yeon's actions, Jeok Ma-hyeok actually knew.
'No matter how upright a person is, few can resist a young, beautiful woman like Ha-yeon openly seducing them. Unless they're a monk, it's nearly impossible.'
The leader of the White Lotus Hall, Hyeok Mok-an, whom they had killed today, was the same.
Whether he was a saint or not, it was a clear fact that he wasn't a villain.
He had actually done countless good deeds in his life, and recently, hadn't he done a lot of good for the people of Heungmun here?
So, branding him as deserving of death just because he fell for Ha-yeon's seduction was nothing short of forced.
It was merely an excuse to carry out the assignment and avoid burdening his siblings with guilt.
But this time was different.
'I don't know what the Gate Lord is thinking, but he gave a forced mission. And one to kill a master with over seventy years of internal energy at that. If we fail, he means to kill us.'
No, maybe he intended to kill us regardless of success.
So this one absolutely had to succeed.
For his siblings and himself to live.
And even if he failed, he had to ensure at least his siblings survived.
That's why he was going to go alone....
But his siblings, who were all grown up now, wouldn't listen to him.
"Ha-gun, Ha-yeon. Just this once, please listen to your orabeoni...."
"No! You're trying to leave us behind and do something dangerous, aren't you?!"
"That's right, Hyungnim! You promised! Always together! If the target wasn't a villain, we wouldn't follow their orders, even if it meant dying together!"
Jeok Ma-hyeok was at a loss.
Because what his siblings were saying was all correct.
But even so, he couldn't comply. So, Jeok Ma-hyeok decided to get angry at them for the first time in a while.
He yelled with a fierce look.
"Quiet! When I say I'll do it, I'll do it, so why so much talk! I said I'm doing this one alone! It's decided, so don't blather on any more!"
Under Jeok Ma-hyeok's terrifyingly intimidating momentum, his siblings fell silent for a moment.
His heart ached at their utterly deflated expressions, but there was nothing he could do.
That was when.
Jeok Ha-yeon began to cry, tears streaming down.
"H-heuk...!"
Seeing that, Jeok Ma-hyeok felt like his heart was being torn apart.
Shedding tears, Jeok Ha-yeon said this to Jeok Ma-hyeok.
"H-heuk! I know why you're being so stubborn, orabeoni. You're trying to leave us behind, aren't you? Because it seems dangerous, because you might die!"
Jeok Ma-hyeok was instantly rendered speechless.
He couldn't say anything.
"Fine! Go ahead! Go alone, orabeoni! But just know this! If you go and don't return, I'll follow you in death. Even if we don't die there, we'll end up dying together anyway! H-heuk!"
At her words, Jeok Ma-hyeok froze as if turned to stone.
Then his younger brother, Jeok Ha-gun, also spoke carefully.
"Hyungnim, we're no longer greenhorns who don't know anything. We know perfectly well why you're acting like this, and as Ha-yeon said, if you don't return, I will go and take revenge on that Seonwoo Jin. So, dying together will be the same outcome regardless."
Hearing that, Jeok Ma-hyeok could no longer tell his siblings not to follow him.
Because his heart ached too much, and yet was deeply moved.
However, when he finally declared that they should all go together, he failed to notice the sobbing Jeok Ha-yeon secretly exchanging glances with Jeok Ha-gun.
***
Jeok Ha-yeon stole a glance at the profile of Seonwoo Jin, who was climbing the slope just a bit ahead of her.
And inwardly, she lamented.
'Why is he so handsome? It makes me not want to kill him! And to be a peak-level master with those looks is just totally unfair!'
Jeok Ha-yeon's dream was to marry a handsome, rich man like him and let her older brother Jeok Ma-hyeok live in comfort.
But to have to kill Seonwoo Jin, whose looks were so close to her ideal type—Jeok Ha-yeon felt like crying at this cruel reality.
'I don't know if he has a lot of money yet, but if he's a peak-level master at his age, earning money in the future will be a piece of cake, right?'
The more she thought about it, the more regretful she felt.
She abruptly asked him.
"Excuse me... may I ask what sect you belong to, Seonu Gongja?"
At that, he grinned and answered.
To Jeok Ha-yeon's eyes, it was a most refreshing smile.
"Ah, I am from the Guizhou Seonwoo Clan."
"What?! The Seonwoo Clan?!"
No matter how much she had only been active in Sichuan, there was no way Jeok Ha-yeon didn't know of the Seonwoo Clan, one of the Guizhou Eight Families.
Startled, she asked again.
"Th-then, are you the successor of the Seonwoo Clan of the Guizhou Eight Families...?"
He answered again with a troubled-looking smile.
"No. I am no successor at all, just the third son. I'm practically an abandoned child to the family."
"Oh, my."
Jeok Ha-yeon looked at him with pitying eyes.
If he was the third son of the Seonwoo Clan, her guess that he was rich had been correct.
And on top of being so perfect, he was even humble.
'He reached the peak level at his age and he's an abandoned child? No way. Ah, how can he be so humble!'
Jeok Ha-yeon let out another regretful sigh.
Having to assassinate someone like him felt like her heart was being torn apart.
But....
There was no choice.
He had to die if her orabeoni and they were to live.
Actually, Jeok Ha-yeon also knew.
She knew it was forced to brand the men she seduced and who succumbed as bad guys, that it was just an excuse to carry out the assignments.
It was just that, even so, she wanted to lighten the heart of her orabeoni, Jeok Ma-hyeok, who had raised her and Jeok Ha-gun through so much hardship.
Since, in order for them to live, they couldn't avoid killing someone anyway.
'Killing people is a bad thing, but strictly speaking, isn't it their fault? It's the fault of the ones who commissioned it, and the bastards of the Sacheonsalmun who forced us kids to do this. So we absolutely can't die. We can't! Even if we have to kill dozens or hundreds, we'll survive somehow, if only because it'd be too unfair after all the hardship we've endured!'
Recalling her original resolve and firming up her heart, Jeok Ha-yeon decided to start the operation right away.
The operation to seduce Seonwoo Jin, that is....