Bound for the Murim Alliance

The man I'd pointed out was the same one who'd just tried to pin the poisoning on Instructor Jang.

A viper of a bastard, ready to twist someone else's unrequited love into a crime of passion just to cover up his own murder.

"…What kind of nonsense is that?!"

The stunned man finally found his voice and roared. As suspicious gazes locked onto him, he shook his head and leapt up as if he'd been grievously wronged.

"Are you all really going to believe some nobody no one's ever heard of?!"

His bluster was decent enough, but I could see it clear as day—the chaotic turmoil in his eyes, the confusion of not knowing how the hell I'd figured him out.

"Instructor Wang, that young hero here says he saw you hiding a suspicious bottle, doesn't he?"

And now Instructor Jang, who'd suffered the humiliation earlier, launched his counterattack for all to see.

"Open your uniform and show us what's inside. That should clear up any misunderstanding, no?"

Judging by the grudge he was nursing, he wasn't about to back down easily. The man seemed to sense it too; he chewed his lip and glared between the two of us. Then, suddenly, he smiled with a greasy, knowing expression—like he still had a card up his sleeve.

"Heh heh, so the bottle you saw was this one?"

When an actual bottle of sloshing liquid popped out of his clothes, the people around us gasped. But his next impulsive move shocked them even more.

Gulp, gulp!

As if to dispel every last shred of suspicion, Instructor Wang drained the entire contents of the bottle. He set the empty vessel down on the table with a sharp clack and beamed triumphantly, as if daring us to do something about it.

"Unfortunately, this isn't poison—it's medicine for internal injuries. I was only about to take it out just in case! Trying to frame an innocent man over something like this… just what kind of bastard are you?!"

Now it was my turn; Instructor Wang roared at me like the tables had completely turned.

"What's going on here, young hero?"

The people around fixed me with steady looks, demanding an explanation. This was getting a little awkward. He'd smiled so greasily earlier—so he really did have a backup plan. Through the Heavenly Killing Eye I was certain this guy was the killer, but I couldn't think of a way to convince everyone.

That was when my reliable backup appeared at my side.

"You… your face looks a little strange."

If you heard it wrong, it almost sounded like she was calling him ugly.

"What did you say…?"

"Your expression is off. And the line of your jaw is floating a bit—that's what happens when the glue dries out in dry weather."

It was surprisingly expert knowledge. As her words brought human-skin masks and face-changing techniques to mind, people started staring at Instructor Wang all over again.

"Now that you mention it, it is a little odd. Instructor Wang, try pulling your cheek out flat."

While everyone was still half-convinced, Instructor Jang provided reliable supporting fire once more. Instructor Wang began glaring at him as if he wanted him dead.

"What are you waiting for? Just pull it. It's not hard. You're not even hiding your identity like these young people claim, so why are you dawdling?"

"……"

When the man's reaction turned strange, Instructor Jang pressed harder, sensing he had him. The inn patrons' expressions shifted moment by moment as the man fell silent, faces saying No way…?

"…Fuck this!"

The man suddenly shoved the people around him and charged for the inn door. Thanks to the red trajectory I could already read, I stuck my foot right into his path.

Crash! Bang!

Even as his balance collapsed, the vicious murderer flung poison needles from his sleeves. But he'd picked the wrong target to spray. I just chewed through the searing burn of the poison and unleashed the Baekgyeol Singwon at him.

Papapat!

Even from a bad stance he caught my fist techniques, spun his waist, and recovered his center.

"Catch him!"

"That bastard is the one who poisoned Instructor Gang!"

Because I'd bought time, the people from Ilpung Martial Hall were able to cut off every escape route. No way out of a fight now. Facing the blazing eyes of the instructors and the hall master, the man clicked his tongue.

Crunch! Crash crash!

And so another fierce brawl erupted on the first floor of the inn. As martial techniques flew from every direction, furniture shattered with gusto.

"Nooooo! My inn's getting wrecked again!"

The battle was so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fierce someone let out a blood-curdling scream.

The murderer fought to the bitter end, knowing that the moment he was caught he'd be on the execution platform. But once it dragged into a war of attrition, I—with the body of the Heavenly Killing Star—ended up the victor.

"Huff, huff."

Everyone was a complete mess, sprawled across the floor. In the end, the last man standing is the winner. I grabbed the collar of the murderer whose face had been beaten black and blue and was out cold, and hauled him up.

He'd been standing at the very edge of the First-class Realm. He just hadn't broken through to Peak, but his martial arts were vicious enough that even with this many people we'd struggled. In the end I finished him off by riding the wave of numbers.

Kill!

Yeah, no. Not killing him. Why pile on more karmic debt for someone else's sake? It wasn't like someone precious was in danger. Besides, this guy had racked up massive killing karma. With a body count this size, there was a high chance he had bounties from the Murim Alliance, the Unorthodox Alliance, the government, or the Vagabond Association.

Riiiiip.

Ilhong peeled the already-battered human-skin mask clean off.

"Ah, of course! He's the Poison-Storing Demon who's wanted by the Murim Alliance. I can tell from the facial features."

Whether she'd really memorized every wanted poster they distributed, Ilhong recognized him the moment she saw the real face under the disguise. Truly a walking encyclopedia of the Murim.

"Look at this poison too. There's separate powder. The liquid and powder only become truly toxic when combined. I heard he used methods like this to poison multiple people while avoiding suspicion."

So that was the secret behind how he'd been so smug a moment ago.

"How much is the bounty?"

"Probably about five gold coins?"

Considering his First-class realm, that wasn't too little. Seemed quite a few families and sects had chipped in for the capture reward. Unlike that Soul-something guy. I'd thought the kids' appetites would break my back this time, but was Heaven paying me back for what it had given?

I looked up and gave a little wink. Thanks for the payback.

"Boss, how did you know this guy was the culprit?"

Having pointed him out as the killer out of nowhere and having it turn out he was a famous villain, Ilhong asked me with open curiosity. I just followed the Heavenly Killing Star's instincts, but since explaining was awkward I changed the subject.

"What about you? How'd you spot the human-skin mask?"

I hadn't noticed even while talking right in front of him.

"Me? Because you said he was the culprit, I looked carefully and realized. I didn't know originally."

Poison-Storing Demon, was it? This guy was unlucky when you thought about it. He'd been hiding his identity just fine all this time, but of all people he had to get caught by the Heavenly Killing Star and the daughter of the former Haomu Gate master.

Anyway, as we were exchanging warm compliments on each other's skills, the people from Ilpung Martial Hall, having recovered themselves, came over.

"Thank you, Young Hero Dan Mujin."

"Our martial hall owes you a great debt."

Even though they were wrecked, they clasped their fists in salute one after another. Everyone's gazes lingered for a moment on the villain's face with the mask peeled off—eyes swirling with rage and emptiness.

"Did he hide in our martial hall to escape the Murim Alliance's pursuit?"

"I thought he was a solid man with excellent martial arts…"

Apparently he'd been so capable he'd snagged an instructor position within a few years of joining. The various instructors reacted with chills. Probably he'd slipped in to hide from the bounty, then realized the business was more profitable than expected and decided to swallow it himself. And so when the hall master's only daughter—who would inherit the family business—hit it off with another man, he murdered her like this. As a bonus he'd tried to frame Instructor Jang and eliminate a rival ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at the same time.

"You think so too, right, Boss?"

I nodded at Ilhong's plausible speculation. Listening to it, it was similar to how the Mangeum Money House guys had tried to swallow the Eunseong Merchant Group through a political marriage. Anyway, this Central Plains Murim was just as much of a circus as the world I'd lived in.

"Anyway, Instructors, Hall Master. I found this guy, beat him the most, and finished him off, so I'll take him into custody. No objections, right?"

At my question the hall master and instructors exchanged looks.

"Of course. I'd like to avenge Instructor Gang myself, but given the grace we received today, I'll yield."

"You're taking him to the Murim Alliance?"

"Then make sure he's executed in front of everyone."

Fortunately the Ilpung Martial Hall people yielded, saying as long as he died it didn't matter how.

"Thank you for the consideration. He'll probably get a public execution just as you wish."

Since I'd hand him over to the Murim Alliance for the money, after all. His head would roll in front of all the families with grudges against him.

"Oh, and if you ever need to learn martial arts, stop by our Ilpung Martial Hall. Young hero, you already look like you have nothing left to learn… But those kids—if you ever think of training them, I'll cut the fee by eighty percent."

"Yes, I'll remember that. Then we'll be off."

Even without that, the hall master asked us to visit sometime. Quite a discount. And they'd clean up the wrecked inn themselves, they said. Generous people. To think the Poison-Storing Demon had been trying to manipulate and toy with them from behind.

As I turned to leave the inn I asked,

"You kids full?"

Coming out to play with the crew for the first time in a while, only for this ordeal.

"We didn't just eat—we got a great fight to watch too."

The little ones were playfully reenacting our fight from a moment ago like they'd just watched an action movie.

"Aigoo."

Truly a tumultuous meal.

"Elder Hwang."

A little past noon. I dragged the tightly bound villain over to find Hwang Geolgae. There he was, sprawled out snoring after starting a drinking party in broad daylight. Here I was, working my ass off since dawn, and every time I saw him I thought what a blessed life he had. And he still wanted to be called a mysterious Daoist.

"Old man, get up."

I tapped his shoulder as I spoke.

"Mmm, already back… Huh? What's this guy?"

Hwang Geolgae pointed at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my bounty—still pressure-point sealed—and asked.

"Things just turned out that way."

I had to briefly explain how I'd gone to eat and ended up beating and binding a villain.

"So you're saying you'll go to the Murim Alliance in Shanxi?"

"Yes."

I didn't particularly want to go that far either. I'd hoped there might be a convenient system where you could just find a branch at some midpoint, hand over the wanted man, and collect the money.

As if.

According to Ilhong, no chance. Who would hand over big money on faith? You had to drag him in and show the real thing before they'd pay, she said. I was the fool for expecting some institutional convenience after being spoiled by the efficient bureaucracy of my original world. In this antiquated world, people just had to suffer that much.

"Hmm. That far, eh."

Hwang Geolgae stroked his chin and fell into thought at my words. It was a long-distance journey that would take months even with borrowed horses and a cart, so he might be thinking I could just slip away midway—it wouldn't be easy.

"Alright, go ahead."

Unexpectedly, Hwang Geolgae gave permission easily. Last time with the escort mission he'd forced me along saying he couldn't leave a dangerous guy like me alone. What, was he really starting to trust me now?

"The Beggar Sect's eyes and ears are everywhere under heaven, so don't even think of any funny business."

Of course. I knew he wouldn't just let me go free.

"And you little bastard."

"What."

I answered while knocking the Poison-Storing Demon, who showed signs of waking, out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cold again with my staff.

"Don't call me old man…"

So he heard. An old man who kept his ears open even while snoring with his nose.

"From now on you can just call me Master."

"……"

Even as I heard it I momentarily wondered if this guy had eaten something wrong. What the hell—he usually beat me like he wanted to kill me, and now it was poison then medicine? Which beat was I supposed to dance to?

"Yes, Master…"

Saying it made my mouth feel a little itchy. And it seemed Hwang Geolgae felt the same.

"Heh heh."

He lay back down and waved his hand as if telling me to get going.

"Oh, and when you get there, if you meet Moyong Cheonghye, give her my regards. Tell her I'll even play a game of baduk with the Clan Head as well."

"…Yes."

It was a name that made me flinch every time I heard it. Like my body and emotions were creaking.

"And you, boy. Back then on the mountain, the way you looked at that child was rather unusual."

I felt my chest shrink in an instant at Hwang Geolgae's words. Had he completely seen through my origins and identity?

"She's a beautiful woman, but don't get bewitched by that beauty. There's a reason she was once called the Cold Flower Jade Maiden. Don't even try."

I felt the strength drain out of me in sheer absurdity.

"Don't worry. That will never happen."

My stabbed gut still twinged from time to time. I said it with absolute certainty.