Chapter 269
Chapter 269
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 269
Chapter Title: Betrayal Confirmed
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Kim Ye-ryeong wore a look of utter shock.
On the contrary, her true feelings had turned ice-cold.
Perhaps deep down, she had hoped Choi Mu-gyeol wouldn't make this choice.
That way, at least the pain for one person would be a little less.
"The Immortal Herb?"
Regardless, Ye-ryeong continued her act.
For a master of stealth and disguise like her, this level of performance wasn't even acting.
"But that disappeared along with the death of the previous Poison Sect Leader, didn't it?"
"Actually..."
Please, just don't say it.
Unaware of Ye-ryeong's inner thoughts, Choi Mu-gyeol spoke.
"My master is still alive."
"Your master?"
"Yes. My master would know where the Immortal Herb is. I'll convince him properly and bring it back."
The Immortal Herb was an item irreplaceable to those who handled poisons and medicines. At the very least, to the Poison King, it was a treasure comparable to a divine-grade item.
His master, Je Un-hak, was alive. And he would retrieve the Immortal Herb.
It was clear betrayal, but Choi Mu-gyeol repeated to himself once more.
This is all for Master and the revival of the Poison Sect.
"That's quite reassuring."
Ye-ryeong's face twitched slightly.
She figured there was no need to keep up the act so diligently now that things had come this far, but Choi Mu-gyeol mistook it for a joyful expression.
Ye-ryeong took a sip of the bland tea she had been served and asked.
"By the way, I saw a young man I didn't recognize climbing the mountain earlier."
"Ah, that young man..."
"Yes. Who was he?"
In Choi Mu-gyeol's mind flashed the image of Soo-hyuk, eyes sparkling as he promised to kill the Poison King.
Perhaps it was because of that young man that he had come here.
"...He's the one who made me firm up my resolve."
"Why?"
Because he said the Murim Alliance wouldn't help the Poison Sect.
But Choi Mu-gyeol's mouth uttered a different reason.
"Because he tried to coax my master into fighting the Sacheon Tang Clan."
"Fight the Tang Clan?"
"He tried to persuade me. He said the Tang Clan are a scourge on the murim world, so let's join forces and fight them."
He omitted anything about killing the Poison King.
It wasn't to protect Soo-hyuk. He was worried that casually mentioning the Poison King's name might bring wrath upon himself.
It wasn't a complete explanation, but it was enough.
Just the thought of daring to fight the Sacheon Tang Clan would ensure that guy wouldn't go unscathed.
"What an arrogant fool."
Ye-ryeong's eyes widened round.
"But wasn't he worth believing in? No, shouldn't you have been thrilled? The Tang Clan are the enemies of your benefactor, your master."
"Pardon?"
Choi Mu-gyeol looked baffled. He racked his brain inwardly, wondering if he'd said something wrong.
But no matter how he thought about it, nothing came to mind.
Finally, after pondering, Choi Mu-gyeol asked with an awkward smile.
"Um... did I make some mistake...?"
"The man you met earlier will help avenge your master. We have the ability to do so, and we share the same goal."
We?
Ye-ryeong's tone had changed. The flow of the conversation, the atmosphere—everything was different from moments ago.
Above all, her voice had changed.
Screeech—.
As she peeled off the human-skin mask from her face, Ye-ryeong's eyes gleamed.
"If you truly saw that man as your master, as your benefactor, you never should have done something like this."
"Y-You..."
"Shh."
A finger pressed to her lips, and the sound of wind whistled in his ear.
Ye-ryeong, who had been right in front of him, vanished. At the same moment, Choi Mu-gyeol felt cold metal pressing against his throat.
"Don't make a sound. I might not be able to hold back."
"...!"
Even without her warning, Choi Mu-gyeol couldn't speak.
Something invisible seemed to grip his throat. He couldn't even breathe easily, let alone speak.
Ye-ryeong, now behind Choi Mu-gyeol, wore a chilling expression unlike before.
"Still, thanks to this, I have no qualms left. Maybe it's for the best?"
She spoke toward one corner of the room.
"You saw it, right? What kind of person your disciple is."
To the old man watching this scene right now.
The one who loved his disciple more than anyone.
"You saw it, right? What kind of person your disciple is."
"......"
Je Un-hak remained silent throughout the broadcast. He should have been shocked, but even that didn't happen.
Judging that there was no need to show more, Soo-hyuk turned off the broadcast and pocketed the kit.
"This is my colleague. Kim Ye-ryeong."
"...I saw."
Je Un-hak studied Soo-hyuk's face.
"So it really is true."
Having confirmed Ye-ryeong's presence, he seemed more convinced that Soo-hyuk was truly Lee Soo-hyuk.
Surprisingly, he didn't appear greatly shocked by his disciple's betrayal.
"Are you alright?"
"Mu-gyeol, you mean?"
On the contrary, he gave a bitter smile.
"The kid spent his whole life holed up in these mountains because of me. I can't force him to abandon his self-interest for my sake alone."
Even in this situation, Je Un-hak blamed himself for Choi Mu-gyeol's choice.
"Don't worry too much. It's my fault for raising him poorly. Who else can I blame? At least he realized it now."
He said that, but his heart probably felt differently. Though not his real son, he had raised the disciple like family for fifteen years.
He simply wasn't showing it.
Because right now, he had something more important.
"It seems you knew about my foolish disciple before I did."
"Yes. With help from the Dark Map."
"Those guys know everything."
The information sorted by Guillot included the relationship between the Sacheon Tang Clan and the Poison Sect. And within that, the connection between the current Poison Sect Leader, Choi Mu-gyeol, and the Tang Clan.
"Truthfully, I hoped for a different choice. Stealing the sect's medicine and selling out your master are entirely different matters."
"You were testing him?"
"It was more confirmation than a test. After all, he's the current leader of the Poison Sect."
Flutter—.
Soo-hyuk pulled a sheet of paper from his bosom.
It was information on the Poison Sect, obtained by commissioning the Dark Map and received from Guillot.
"We even knew about the Immortal Herb. And of course, your relationship with the Poison King."
"You listened to an old man's ramblings even after knowing everything. Must've been boring."
Soo-hyuk shook his head.
"There's a world of difference between reading it in writing and hearing it directly."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Thanks to that, I'm even more certain. I'll kill the Poison King."
The Poison King, Tang Pae-gun.
His existence was harmful not just to the murim world, but to the entire tower.
His vicious nature that crossed any line to achieve his desires went without saying, and he had sold Tang Clan poisons throughout the tower to amass wealth.
It was different from Kim Il-su's personal vendetta.
Leaving the Poison King alive would mean more victims like Je Un-hak would keep appearing someday.
No.
Perhaps they were still appearing even now.
"For that, I need the Poison Sect Leader. Not you, elder, but the current Poison Sect Leader who can show his face to the Sacheon Tang Clan."
"You plan to use that kid Mu-gyeol."
"If things were normal, I would have politely asked. To help for his master's sake. But now, I might have to handle him a bit roughly."
Choi Mu-gyeol's role was crucial in this matter. That's why Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong needed to know exactly what to expect from the unpredictable Choi Mu-gyeol.
"I understand. So, what can I help with?"
"There's nothing for you to help with, elder. But there is a favor I'd like to ask."
"A favor?"
"Yes."
"Is it because of your friend, by any chance?"
Soo-hyuk nodded at Je Un-hak's words.
"Seems like he was poisoned by the Poison King. After this is over, could you take a look at him?"
Soo-hyuk and Je Un-hak shared the common goal of the Poison King's death.
But unlike Je Un-hak, Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong's ultimate goal was to wake Hyo-min. That took precedence far over killing Poison King Tang Pae-gun.
That's why Soo-hyuk needed Je Un-hak as insurance.
If they couldn't obtain the antidote from the Poison King to treat Hyo-min, they'd have to rely on him.
"That's no trouble at all. No, it's only right."
"Thank you."
Soo-hyuk's face brightened.
Obtaining the antidote was the surest way, but Je Un-hak was an expert in antidotes rivaling the Poison King.
With his help promised, Soo-hyuk already felt more secure.
"Well then, shall we go?"
Soo-hyuk beamed at his response and gestured to lead the way, but Choi Mu-gyeol looked puzzled.
"Go where?"
"Might as well head out right away since it came up."
Soo-hyuk's eyes sparkled.
"To kill the Poison King. At the Tang Clan."
Tang Yu-seong lay sprawled on the inn bed, his face full of dissatisfaction.
"Why not just crush them outright?"
As if to say he was ready, he gripped a hidden weapon in his hand. A crumbling sect like the Poison Sect—he was confident he could wipe it out alone.
"Then we can't extract their secrets."
The man sitting on the floor polishing his hidden weapons was Tang Yun-do.
He was the one who had visited the Poison Sect and taken the lead in pressuring Choi Mu-gyeol.
"I don't understand why the patriarch sent us for some failed sect's secrets."
"The Poison Sect was once a renowned house of extreme poisons rivaling our Sacheon Tang Clan. It's worth the attention."
"I can't accept that."
"Your acceptance isn't what matters. What matters is the patriarch's will."
At the mention of the patriarch, Poison King Tang Pae-gun, Tang Yu-seong shut his mouth.
Being of the same Tang Clan didn't lessen their fear of Tang Pae-gun. If anything, facing him up close made the Tang Clan's dread even greater.
Yet lately, the Poison King's actions had grown strange.
"Why on earth is the patriarch doing this?"
He acted as if tasked with gathering every poison in the world.
Even fellow Tang Clan members found it hard to breathe amid the myriad poisons amassed in the Sacheon Tang Clan.
"Is he planning war with the Murim Alliance?"
Tang Yun-do couldn't deny Tang Yu-seong's words outright.
Considering the materials gathering in the Sacheon Tang Clan and the poisons being produced, it truly looked like they were preparing for war with the Murim Alliance.
In fact, Tang Pae-gun coveted the Murim Alliance Leader position. He had the skills for it.
But.
'Would the patriarch move this conspicuously to attack the Murim Alliance? Him?'
No matter how he thought about it, it didn't add up.
That meant there was another reason. Something that made even Poison King Tang Pae-gun tense.
"Could it be... because of the Shadow Queen?"
At Tang Yu-seong's words, Tang Yun-do whipped his head around from polishing his hidden weapon.
"You believe that nonsense?"
The rumor of the blue-eyed legend's return had already spread far and wide.
Reactions to the rumor were predictably split.
Those who believed and those who didn't.
Among them, Tang Yun-do leaned toward disbelief.
"That woman died for sure that day. The Poison King's hidden weapon pierced her heart."
"True, but..."
"I myself drove a hidden weapon into her solar plexus. Still don't believe me?"
With that, there was nothing more to say. How could he disbelieve someone who participated directly in killing the Shadow Queen?
"No, then it's certain."
Tang Yu-seong smacked his lips and gazed out the window.
Kunlun Mountain loomed in the distance.
"By the way, will that guy really show up?"
"What? Getting tired already?"
"It's boring and a waste of time."
"Just one day. Can't even wait that long?"
"Even wasting a day on vermin like that is too much..."
Knock knock—.
It was then.
Someone knocked on the door where the two were together.
"Who is it?"
Tang Yun-do's eyes flashed. In an instant, three hidden weapons slipped from his sleeve into his hand.
Was there someone outside? He hadn't sensed any presence.
The moment of wariness was brief.
"I-It's Choi Mu-gyeol."
The weak voice from that morning came from beyond the door.