054 - The Jin Family's Four Siblings
Martial arts, huh.
Was that what they were thinking?
Well, it made sense. The top experts of the Demonic Cult had lost their inner energy, and even their limbs' meridians were severed. Surviving without going mad was impressive enough.
Jin Muhon stared into the campfire, mulling over their feelings.
"I know it's a difficult request. Though we are your servants, asking you to teach us martial arts is unreasonable—"
"I've never thought of you as servants."
"...Pardon?"
"You're not my servants."
"Ah... yes."
Yeon Jeokhwa bowed her head for a moment, gathering her words.
Jin Muhon waited patiently for her to speak.
"My lord. Gwak Baek and Gu Jaryeong feel the same. We'd rather die than live like this... It's too pathetic, being unable to do anything while bandits rampage right in front of us."
Each word dripped with raw resentment, chewed out deliberately.
The campfire flickered wildly, and the silent forest offered not even the chirp of crickets.
Perhaps because they were mentioned, the bandits paused their tasks and listened intently to Jin Muhon and Yeon Jeokhwa's conversation.
"My lord. You recovered your martial arts from a similar plight. If passing them on is too much, just show us the path. Please, grant us hopeless fools at least a glimmer of hope."
With that, Yeon Jeokhwa prostrated herself on the ground.
Gwak Baek and Gu Jaryeong painfully flipped their bodies to throw themselves flat in obeisance.
"......"
Jin Muhon said nothing.
As the silence stretched, the watching bandits swallowed hard, tension mounting.
The heavy air pressed on their nostrils; even Go Seokchu, who had been snoring since dusk, slyly cracked his eyes open.
"Uh... what's with the mood? Why's everyone like that?"
Go Seokchu blinked and glanced around.
Jin Muhon kept his eyes closed, deep in thought.
Martial arts.
To some, more precious than life itself. But to Jin Muhon, they were just techniques for killing—nothing more, nothing less.
What was so grand about sharing them?
He had planned to teach them something useful once Han Somwol healed the trio anyway.
Will it be okay?
But their desperation was so profound; would half-baked arts satisfy them?
No matter Han Somwol's miraculous healing, she couldn't rebuild shattered dantians. The only arts that might satisfy them in that state were those using the upper dantian—like Cloud Peak Demon Sea...
With so many variables, even Jin Muhon hesitated to decide.
Can they endure it?
Cloud Peak Demon Sea bore the insights of Ma-seon.
Namely, the Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture from Dan Ri-ye's sect.
Strangely, Jin Muhon was largely unaffected, but Dan Ri-ye had called it an art that drove one mad with rising mastery.
Fine. You and I are both hell-bound anyway.
Jin Muhon slowly opened his eyes.
Yeon Jeokhwa, Gwak Baek, and Gu Jaryeong's gazes sparkled.
The bandits—and even Go Seokchu, swept up in the tension—swallowed and fixed on Jin Muhon's lips.
"It's a harsh path."
"We're prepared!"
"You might go mad."
"We'll endure!"
The three spoke in perfect unison, as if rehearsed.
Jin Muhon met each one's eyes in turn.
None averted their gaze.
"If you fall to demonic possession, I'll kill you."
"We'll gladly offer our lives!"
"Of course!"
"Our lives have always been yours, my lord!"
Yeon Jeokhwa's voice trembled.
Gwak Baek clenched his teeth; Gu Jaryeong, uncharacteristically, didn't stutter.
Jin Muhon nodded.
"Good. But the arts I know are my family's secrets. Outsiders can't learn them."
The trio's faces darkened instantly.
Sighs of "Ahh..." rose from the bandits.
Yeon Jeokhwa drooped her head.
Jin Muhon continued immediately.
"So from today, you must change your surnames to Jin. Will you still learn?"
"......!"
Yeon Jeokhwa snapped her head up.
Her eyes blazed like flames.
"I was sold to a slave trader as a child! Yeon isn't even my real surname!"
She shouted.
"My lord! I've been cast out by my clan for ages! You know that, right?"
"I... don't... know... my... parents."
Gwak Baek, abandoned by his family.
Gu Jaryeong, kidnapped young and trained as an assassin.
They were more than ready to discard their surnames.
No—surnames meant nothing to them.
"Aigoo, poor things."
"No wonder they seemed off. What stories."
"So tragic. Tsk tsk tsk."
The watching bandits murmured.
At the unfamiliar sympathy, the three unit leaders twitched their brows but pretended not to hear, focusing on Jin Muhon.
The corner of Jin Muhon's mouth curved faintly.
"Good. From now on, you're my family—my brothers. We were born on different days, but we'll walk through hell together."
His voice was calm,
but the words shook their souls.
"Yes, big brother!"
"Sniff! Big bro!"
"B-big... bro."
Eldest: Jin Muhon. Second: Jin Baek. Third: Jin Jeokhwa. Fourth: Jin Jaryeong.
Unexpectedly, Jin Muhon had gained brothers.
"Good for them. Real good."
"Aigoo, my eyes are misty."
"Eh? You crying?"
Even the bandits' rugged faces softened with relief.
Jin Muhon looked up at the sky.
It'll be fine, right? Father. Mother.
Above the pitch-black night sky,
two stars twinkled faintly.
"Wait, I just dozed off—what the hell happened?"
Only Go Seokchu gawked blankly, whipping his head around.
Ten days had passed since parting with the chance-encountered bandits.
Life is coincidences piling into inevitability.
Thus, Jin Muhon's group arrived at Yichang County, where the Yangtze bent in a curve.
The place he had first sought upon returning home, to eliminate Ghost Soul Sect threatening Jin Hayeon's safety.
And the hidden base of the Yangtze River Waterway Stronghold.
"It's been a while."
Jin Muhon gazed at Yichang's scenery, speaking evenly.
The clear Yangtze flowed proudly; willows by the bank stretched slender arms. Across the river, the village bustled with ornate halls and buildings, people in varied robes chattering through daily life.
By rights, mere months since crushing Ghost Soul Sect here—yet it felt ancient, like years ago.
"Eh? Family head. You've been to Yichang?"
Go Seokchu eyed Jin Muhon in surprise.
"Yes. Time to part ways with you too. You did well."
"Aigoo! Well? Nah! I'll always come running when you call, no matter what!"
His long commission finally ending,
Go Seokchu's rotten face bloomed with a bright smile.
"Uh... obviously, but... when might you pay the fee...?"
Jin Muhon chuckled softly, scanning the river.
"We need a boat."
"Pardon? Your contact runs boats?"
"Something like that."
In Yichang, someone close to the world's Sword Demon.
Go Seokchu racked his brain but drew a blank.
An acquaintance after leaving the Cult?
"More importantly, looked into the bandit matter?"
Go Seokchu snapped back, facing Jin Muhon.
The full assembly of the Eighteen Bandit Strongholds.
Not common, but nothing to fret over.
Bandits loved gathering for drinks anyway.
Go Seokchu found Jin Muhon's interest odder.
Something up? After Tang Clan, now bandits?!
His eyes widened round.
Jin Muhon frowned slightly.
"Don't overthink."
"Pardon? I wasn't thinking anything?"
"It's obvious."
"Ah, total misunderstanding!"
Jin Muhon raised a finger subtly.
Go Seokchu gulped.
"Wh-why the finger all sudden...?"
"Did you check?"
"Ah! The assembly! Well, uh..."
Go Seokchu scratched his head, averting his eyes.
Jin Muhon urged with a glance.
"Something seems off, but even headquarters doesn't know the exact reason."
"Hmm."
Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes.
The martial world was churning with events in too short a time.
Centered on the giants who ruled it.
Demon ghosts... what are you plotting?
Demon or man, they could fry among themselves for all he cared.
But Jin Muhon worried the chaos might splash onto Jin Hayeon.
He halted his thoughts, eyeing Go Seokchu.
"Not hiding anything from me?"
"Heavens no! I'm a branch chief! Branch chief! And everyone knows who I'm with..."
Suddenly, Go Seokchu's voice trailed off.
His eyes darted nervously.
Yeon Jeokhwa, who had been listening nearby, spoke up.
"Big bro. This rat sold you out, looks like."
"N-no! Sell out? Me? I'm loyalty without the corpse!"
"Loyalty my ass. You just said Haomen knows your identity."
Go Seokchu jumped, raising his voice.
"No, Unit Leader Yeon! What could I do? Our lord pesters me nonstop for news on you! I'm dying here!"
Yeon Jeokhwa smacked his head—smack!
"You little—"
"Ow! Why hit me!"
"I'm not Yeon anymore, I'm Jin, punk. And it's been ages since 'unit leader'—still calling me that? Anyway."
Yeon Jeokhwa's eyes gleamed as she leaned close.
Go Seokchu shrank back fearfully.
"Wh-why?"
"Haomen's lord is that interested in big bro? Why?"
"Obvious, right? Anyone who knows your identity wonders what you're up to."
Yeon Jeokhwa narrowed her eyes.
"That's really all?"
"All there is! What else?"
"They say she's beautiful? How old again?"
"Ei... eighteen..."
Realizing at last, Go Seokchu blinked and stammered.
Haomen lord and Sword Demon?
...No way.
"Hohoho! Prime age for curiosity about men."
Yeon Jeokhwa covered her mouth, laughing merrily.
Jin Muhon asked Go Seokchu, surprised.
"Lord's eighteen?"
"Yes. Didn't I mention? She's the lord's daughter."
"Hm. Maybe I heard."
"She's new to leading, so a bit bumpy. Forgive her generosity, family head."
Go Seokchu bowed deeply.
Jin Muhon replied indifferently.
"Fine. Keep tabs on the bandits."
"Of course! News comes, I'll report right away!"
"Good."
Jin Muhon nodded and stepped forward.
Yeon Jeokhwa followed at once.
"Big bro. Where to now?"
"Hungry. Eat first, then move."
"Yes! I'll find a good inn... Huh? Who's coming?"
Clatter clatter clatter—
As Yeon Jeokhwa said, far off, men in black rushed, kicking up dust clouds.
The two atop the wagon straightened warily.
"Bro. Unorthodox sect guys?"
Jin Baek scowled at the approaching men.
Jin Muhon eyed the lead pair, lips quirking.
"They've gotten a bit useful."