Chapter 68: That Wasn't Right.
As they emerged from the passage, a colossal assembly hall revealed itself.
Its scale was enough to leave even Jin Muhon, the former Demonic Cult Vice Leader, momentarily slack-jawed.
The ceiling loomed dizzyingly high, shrouded in darkness, while the interior sprawled wide enough to swallow an entire estate whole.
"……."
Jin Muhon clamped his mouth shut and scanned the hall. Gwak Ung grinned and waved familiarly.
"Everyone's stunned the first time here. You're taking it better than most of the Four Emperors, though. Heh heh heh."
Jin Muhon lowered his gaze from the lofty ceiling, scrutinizing the hall's interior.
Thanks to the densely embedded luminous pearls and the torches encircling the stone walls, the underground chamber was lit brightly enough to see the far wall clearly.
"The former leader once said there used to be a lake here."
"A lake?"
"Yes. A few paths leading here were man-made, but this place has existed like this for ages."
As Gwak Ung said, the hall's walls bore numerous passages similar to the one Jin Muhon had traversed—roughly two dozen by a quick count.
Before five of them stood scattered groups, all glaring daggers at Jin Muhon.
He examined each face in turn.
Assassins with eyes brimming with murderous intent; a bald monk flashing a sinister smile; pirates with soot-blackened faces wild with madness; and even Ak Manho with his band of river bandits, smirking at Jin Muhon.
The men from Gu-sa-gok, Gwiwon Temple, Donghae Blood Fleet, and the Long River Bandits clustered in groups of twenty to fifty.
And finally.
A young woman who looked about Jin Hayeon's age stood smiling brightly, flanked by four bizarre escorts.
'Must be the Haomen Lord.'
Her eyes met Jin Muhon's from afar, and she even waved leisurely.
At that moment, a familiar voice shattered the hall's silence.
"Huh? Jin family head... right?"
It was Long River Bandit Chief Ak Manho.
Jin Muhon was currently in disguise.
Ak Manho had guessed from his aura alone, but seeing a face that didn't match his memory, he seemed thrown off.
Jin Muhon twitched an eyebrow and stared at Ak Manho.
"Hmm... that fierce glare is definitely the Jin family head..."
Ak Manho shrugged and averted his eyes.
"Did you dare claim the title Blood Mist Sword Emperor?"
"……."
A sharp voice rang out from the passage opposite Ak Manho.
Jin Muhon slowly turned to face the speaker.
An elderly man sat comfortably in a chair, surrounded by assassins in night garb.
Unlike the others, he wore flowing white robes, his expression arrogant as he addressed Jin Muhon.
"I'm Gu-sa-gok Lord Mae Yeom-cheong. The rivers and lakes call me the Killing King. Surely you've heard of me, as a man of the martial world?"
"……."
Jin Muhon didn't reply, instead turning back to Ak Manho.
Ak Manho rolled his eyes, stealing glances at the Gu-sa-gok Lord.
"Haha... Jin family head. Got yourself a human-skin mask, eh? Suits you well."
"You brat."
Jin Muhon's voice rumbled low at last.
Ak Manho flinched and shrank back.
"Got nothing to say to me?"
"Well... sorry about that. Should've told you beforehand... This wasn't my idea, though... Ah! We're in the middle of a chat here—maybe finish that first? Old Man Mae's got a nasty temper."
BOOM—!
The Gu-sa-gok Lord stomped hard. The hall floor trembled faintly.
Worth the title Killing King; he clearly had confidence in his internal energy.
But Jin Muhon didn't spare him a glance.
"Not you, then. Who?"
"Uh... well, you see... Haha. Old Man Mae, why the death stare?"
"Ak Chief!!"
Caught between glares from both Jin Muhon and the Gu-sa-gok Lord, Ak Manho wiped cold sweat from his brow and looked to another passage.
"Jin family head! The Haomen Lord had a big hand in things going this far! No, it was all her! Right! We just followed her orders!"
"……."
Jin Muhon's head turned slowly toward the direction Ak Manho pointed.
A young woman in martial robes like a man's stood there, with four figures behind her.
They resembled her personal guards, but their appearances were utterly peculiar: a frail old woman and man who looked too weak to catch a chicken; a middle-aged housewife in an apron; and a woodcutter clutching an axe.
Meeting Jin Muhon's eyes again, the Haomen Lord bowed demurely.
"You expect me to believe a schemer like you tagged along just because the Haomen Lord said so?"
Ak Manho scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly at Jin Muhon's jab.
"Hahaha. Yeah... looks weird, huh? Truth is, the Haomen Lord had ties to the former leader. We're not total strangers... hahaha."
Ak Manho's awkward laughter echoed through the vast hall.
BANG—!
The Gu-sa-gok Lord stomped again.
Ak Manho's laugh cut off.
"How dare you—a nobody from who-knows-where—mock me!"
Jin Muhon's head turned slowly.
The Gu-sa-gok Lord rose, pointing at him.
"You the leader's successor? Blood Mist Sword Emperor? Ha! Absurd! The leader took no disciples, as I know well! Fool us, will you? Ready to lose your head?"
Jin Muhon, who'd listened quietly, smirked and spoke.
"If you know so much, why crawl in here?"
"...What?"
Caught off-guard, the Gu-sa-gok Lord blinked, speechless.
"No disciple, you say. Knew that and came anyway? Hoping for a handout?"
"Y-You mad bastard!"
The Gu-sa-gok Lord's face flushed crimson.
Jin Muhon smirked on.
"An assassin only chasing his own bowl. Don't even ask what happened to your men?"
"You old fogey!!"
Shing—!
The Gu-sa-gok Lord shuddered, drawing his sword. His twenty-odd assassins followed suit.
Then,
"Hold on a moment."
A clear woman's voice cut through his rage.
Everyone, including the Gu-sa-gok Lord, turned toward her.
"What now, Haomen Lord!"
The Gu-sa-gok Lord glared, face still red.
The Haomen Lord's face bore a pleasant smile.
"Lord, drawing steel before him? You'll regret it."
"Hmph! Think I don't know you spread those rumors!"
Her smile deepened.
"Hee hee! Guilty. Had to, to draw him here. And if I told the truth, the rest wouldn't come."
"What...?"
Not just the Gu-sa-gok Lord—the Donghae Blood Fleet and Gwiwon Temple folk stared blankly too.
What truth would keep them away?
Only the Long River Bandits nodded knowingly.
The Gu-sa-gok Lord scowled, voice low.
"Haomen. You're not even under the Four Emperors League. We let you join for your ties to the former leader."
"Yes. Thank you."
"You said: attend if you want free of the Demonic Cult's shadow."
"Right. You remember perfectly."
She beamed and nodded. The Gu-sa-gok Lord pointed at Jin Muhon triumphantly.
"And your answer? That rootless mutt!"
"Wow! Bold words to him. Even the Murim Alliance Lord wouldn't dare."
"What? What's so special about that—"
"Isn't it, Sword Demon?"
"……?"
Before he finished, she addressed Jin Muhon.
The Gu-sa-gok Lord froze, eyes bulging.
The hall's occupants reacted similarly.
"Huh? Who'd she call?"
"Sword Demon...?"
"Sword Demon? The Demonic Cult one? Here?"
"Exactly."
The hall buzzed.
Jin Muhon silently stared at the Haomen Lord.
The Gu-sa-gok Lord gaped in disbelief.
"He's... the Sword Demon? You expect us to believe that?"
"Why not? More believable than him being the leader's disciple, no?"
"Lord! Keep this up?!"
His bellow thundered through the vast space.
Gwak Ung whispered behind Jin Muhon.
"Really... the Sword Demon?"
"……."
Jin Muhon stepped forward without answering.
His facial muscles twitched, his appearance shifting.
"Gasp!"
"Such disguise arts exist?!"
"Jin family head! Not a mask?"
Jin Muhon reverted to his true face.
Even the Haomen Lord gaped at him.
Jin Muhon gazed down at her steadily.
"You're the Haomen Lord?"
"...Yes."
She frowned faintly at his blunt tone but nodded.
"The Haomen Lord starts without confirming faces?"
"Hee hee! I knew the Sword Demon traveled with Dao Destroyer Muheo. That enough?"
"Is it? But do you know?"
"Know what?"
She tilted her head.
Jin Muhon's eyes flashed.
Sensing something, the old woman and man behind her leaped forward with a whoosh, shielding her.
"Huh? Grandpa, Granny. What's wrong?"
She blinked her big eyes at their backs.
"L-Lord. Quiet."
"Huh?"
The old woman clamped her mouth.
The wrinkled old man stepped up stiffly, bowing to Jin Muhon.
"Sword Demon. Forgive us. The Lord's young and green—have mercy."
"Grandpa! What're you saying? Move!"
"Lord. Don't underestimate him. One mistake, and everyone here dies."
"……."
Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes at the old man.
No particular memory of the face.
"You know me?"
"Once... in Sichuan."
"Huh. You survived."
"……."
The old man's body trembled at Jin Muhon's flat tone.
Hiss—
Soon, red Blood Mist began unfurling from Jin Muhon.
"What's that?"
"Blood Mist! Real Blood Mist!"
Jin Muhon stared past the elders at the hidden Haomen Lord and growled low.
"Lord. Toying with me? I could've overlooked. But you shouldn't have revealed my identity."
"Why...?"
His presence, with the surging Blood Mist, overwhelmed the hall.
The Gu-sa-gok Lord had clamped his mouth shut; the Blood Fleet and temple folk eyed escape routes.
Ak Manho, who'd been watching Jin Muhon warily, felt his heart sink.
'We're screwed! Sword Demon's lost it!'
Thud—!
Terrified, Ak Manho dropped to his knees, prostrating flat.
"Family head! Mercy! We did nothing wrong!"
"Spare us, family head!"
"Spare us!"
Following Ak Manho's lead, his bandits begged on the floor.
Not knowing what was happening but sensing the mood, Gwak Ung and the Iron Blood ronin knelt too.
Meanwhile, the Blood Mist steadily dyed the hall red.
Jin Muhon melted into it.
[Lord.]
"……!"
A low, thick voice echoed from all directions through the Blood Mist.
Realizing things had gone south, the Haomen Lord's face paled.
The two elders, housewife, and woodcutter drew weapons, encircling her.
Hiss—
The thickening Blood Mist began obscuring vision.
From beyond came the grating scrape-scrape of flesh and bone being rent.
No screams. No one dared move.
Cold sweat beaded on the once-confident Haomen Lord's brow.
The old man whispered.
"Sword Demon... is on the move."
A trembling whisper escaped her lips.
"Wh-what went wrong?"
Scrape-scrape—clash! Scrape—
In that brief span, the eerie sounds accelerated.
The old man strained his eyes through the mist, but it only grew denser.
"The Sword Demon leaves no witnesses. That's why his face stays unknown despite his fame."
"The river chief and Go Seokchu know him!"
"They do. No matter how you pressed, Go branch chief never revealed his features. Nor I."
"……."
Her dark pupils quivered.
"You shouldn't have revealed the Sword Demon's identity, Lord."
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"……!"
"……!"
At last, heavy footsteps approached from within the Blood Mist.