Chapter 297: Why Me? |
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
========================
Jeokpae, who had lost one of his limbs, did not grieve.
The dead were already dead. Considering how it felt to lose his right arm, it was obvious what he thought of himself. 1
"I must keep him restrained until I return."
Knowing Jeokpae’s personality well, Ju Yang was fully aware of the consequences. If he let Geom Mugeuk escape, he would surely die. His life was already hanging in the balance between life and death.
For now, his primary task was to collect the interest.
The next day, the enforcer he sent returned with his hand crushed.
When the enforcer returned with his hand mangled for the second day in a row, it stirred unease among the hired hands at the money exchange office. Some suddenly became ill and lay bedridden, while others mysteriously vanished, citing urgent matters.
Among the enforcers, there were whispers criticizing Geom Mugeuk for his ruthlessness, but Ju Yang thought the opposite. His opponent was actually showing mercy. If Geom Mugeuk had truly been ruthless, none of them would have survived the encounter at the money exchange office.
‘Why didn’t he just kill everyone that day?’
When he had closed the eyes of the guy who had been tortured by Jeokpae, Ju Yang had despaired, thinking, ‘Ah, we’re going to be annihilated now’. But Geom Mugeuk didn’t do that. There had to be a reason why they were left alive. 2
Regardless, today was another day to collect the interest.
“I’ll go myself today.”
At Ju Yang’s words, the enforcers, who had been nervously wondering if they would be chosen next, visibly brightened. As a manager, there was a limit to how many times he could send others to face such danger, so he decided to go himself.
It was a bit bittersweet as he noticed that no one volunteered to escort him. He understood, though. He too wouldn’t have followed if he were in their shoes.
Geom Mugeuk greeted him with a face more welcoming than his subordinates had shown.
“Why have you come? Have you already run out of underlings?”
“They are all afraid.”
“I don’t suppose you’re the type to be worried about your underlings, are you?”
“What do you know about me?”
Geom Mugeuk stared at him intently.
“You seem confident. Have you brought a great master to back you up?”
Though he had hit the mark, Ju Yang tried not to let his surprise show.
How sharp is his intuition?
He had been acting afraid. How did Geom Mugeuk see through it?
“It won’t be easy to find someone more skilled than the person you sent to kill me back then.”
Ju Yang knew that Geom Mugeuk was referring to Jeokpae’s right-hand man. He was right. That’s why he had reached out to the Demonic Cult for help.
Ju Yang deflected the question by asking another.
"Why didn’t you crush my hand?"
It was the thing that puzzled him the most. He hadn’t done anything particularly favorable for Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk pulled out two coins and placed them on the table.
"Because I might need that hand of yours." 3
Ju Yang was baffled by the unexpected response, but Geom Mugeuk offered no further explanation, retreating to his private room.
Ju Yang picked up the coins from the table.
He was about to leave when he suddenly glanced at his hand. Need this hand? Why on earth?
* * *
"It seems the Branch Leader[a] has begun digging into your past."
At those words, a groan escaped from under a massive boulder.
Amazingly, a person was carrying that enormous boulder. Even though internal energy was involved, it was still an astonishing sight—how could anyone lift such a massive stone?
Thud.
The boulder fell thunderously to the ground, and a man emerged from behind it.
He had a solid, muscular build and a sharp, fierce expression, akin to a tiger if one had to compare him to an animal.
This man was Jungak, the leader of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
That single sentence was enough to describe everything about him.
The Demonic Sword Brigade was an elite force within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, stationed at Jiangxi to guard the front lines in preparation for war.
Jungak, as the commander of such an elite unit, was not only a highly skilled martial artist but also someone with vast experience on the battlefield.
"You give me a report like that while I’m lifting this heavy thing? Are you trying to kill me?"
The subordinate who had given the report was Cha Hoe, the leader of the first squad of the Demonic Sword Brigade and Jungak’s right-hand man.
"I’m hoping to take your place as leader and retire someday, aren’t I?"
Jungak, known for his cold and stern personality, was feared even by the warriors of the Demonic Sword Brigade. However, Cha Hoe was the only one with whom he conversed casually, a sign of their deep loyalty and trust.
"So, that guy’s snooping into my background?"
"Yes, he’s discreetly deployed people."
Although the Branch Leader’s rank was technically higher than Jungak’s, elite units like the Demonic Sword Brigade carried an authority that surpassed formal titles. Typically, in such cases, there would be mutual respect.
But in Jiangxi, that wasn’t quite the case.
"That guy really likes making enemies. We’ve been the ones doing all the fighting."
Jungak stripped off his sweat-soaked clothes and washed his body in the flowing water. His body was covered in scars, each telling a story of what it took to become the leader of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
As he washed, he continued speaking.
“If everyone could live peacefully, wouldn’t that be great? No enemies, no friends, just comfortably among others.”
“You never know what someone really intends behind their upright facade.”
“No, that guy is just sick. He can’t stand it unless he’s showing off.”
Jungak finished washing and dressed in the fresh clothes prepared for him.
“So? Is there a problem?”
“I’ve taken care of the rumors for now.”
Jungak was indeed a corrupt martial artist, just as the Branch Leader suspected. He secretly accepted bribes from various sects within Jiangxi.
On the other hand, the Branch Leader, who had only arrived last year, had an inflexible nature and never tolerated bribery. As a result, even more bribes were funneled to Jungak, and he accepted every bit of it. 4
“I don’t understand why they make life so hard when there’s overflowing money to go around. Just take the cash those bugs give you and make decisions as you see fit.”
In reality, that’s exactly what he did. Even though he accepted the bribes, he didn’t always cater to the demands of the givers. If something didn’t sit right with him, he ignored it; if he thought it was reasonable, he granted it.
What allowed him to act that way? The four words: Leader of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
Of course, most of the bribes were offered in anticipation of future events.
“Aren’t we the ones fighting against their fears? Isn’t that wonderful?”
Jungak’s joke made Cha Hoe chuckle faintly.
The problem was, this wasn’t a situation they could laugh off.
“You know as well as I do, he’s not the type to give up easily. Once he starts digging, he will find out.”
Jungak’s gaze turned icy. The fact that the Branch Leader had decided to investigate him meant that he, too, was staking everything on this. Initially, their relationship had been decent. Where did things go wrong?
Jungak slowly approached the boulder and drew his sword.
With a light swing, as if cutting through a tree branch—
Schwack!
The enormous boulder split in two.
Impressed by this display, Cha Hoe saluted him with deep respect.
“For the sake of peace in the martial world...”
Jungak added as he brushed his hand over the smooth surface of the boulder’s cut.
“Even if the Branch Leader is replaced, we need to stay where we are.” 5
And just then, as if fate was in play, a visitor arrived.
Another subordinate came in to report.
“A guest has arrived.”
* * *
The person waiting in the secret chamber was Jeokpae.
This was a place Jungak used for discreet meetings.
Red Jackall was wearing a bamboo hat and a shabby robe to conceal his identity. 6
When Jungak entered the room, Jeokpae immediately stood and greeted him respectfully.
“It’s been a long time.”
"I believe I told you not to come unless I called for you?"
Jungak’s tone was cold. He had always openly looked down on Jeokpae, who ran Underworld Debt.
‘Then you should have ignored my money too.’
Red Jackall hid his true feelings and bowed deeply.
“I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t urgent.”
“What’s the issue?”
“There’s an impostor claiming to be from the Demonic Cult, but he’s an expert far beyond our reach.”
Jeokpae intentionally left out the fact that the impostor was claiming to be the Young Cult Leader. Knowing Jungak’s personality, if he mentioned it, Jungak would likely use it as an excuse to retreat, asking if Red Jackall was insane for wanting them to confront such a lunatic.
“Impersonating our Cult is a serious crime. How skilled is he?”
“Skilled enough for me to rush here in person. Please, help us!”
In normal circumstances, Jungak would have outright refused, especially with the Branch Leader already suspicious of him. But a thought flashed through Jungak’s mind.
“Fine. I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you.”
Jeokpae was caught off guard by how readily Jungak agreed.
“But there is one condition.”
“Name it.”
“Make sure the Branch Leader hears about this impostor. I can’t handle something like this on my own.”
Jeokpae understood immediately.
‘He’s planning to use the Branch Leader to get rid of the expert while staying out of it himself. Clever, as always.’ 7
It didn’t matter to Jeokpae, as long as the enemy was eliminated.
“As you command.”
In truth, Jungak was crafting a far more ruthless plan than Jeokpae anticipated.
If the Branch Leader were to die while trying to capture the impostor? The Demonic Sword Brigade would then take revenge.
Could it work? If Jungak had lived a life full of doubt, he wouldn’t have made it this far.
It will work.
That was how Jungak had always lived his life.
* * *
The next day, Ju Yang came by again.
“Our dear Mr. Ju, you’ve grown quite brave, coming alone now.”
“At the very least, since you said you need my hand, you won’t be taking it from me, right?”
Ju Yang had been so curious that he couldn’t sleep the previous night.
“Why exactly do you need my hand?”
And then, the most astonishing words of Ju Yang’s life came from Geom Mugeuk’s mouth.
“I’m considering making you the head of the new money exchange office.” 8
Ju Yang shouted without thinking.
“That’s absurd!”
In contrast, Geom Mugeuk remained calm.
“Why do you think it’s absurd?”
“Well...”
There were plenty of reasons. Yet, they were reasons Ju Yang had never truly thought about or expressed.
“Aren’t you going to kill me?”
The Geom Mugeuk he had felt was not someone who would let an evildoer go unchecked.
“That’s right. Originally, I intended to kill you, but I realized I needed one evildoer.”
Geom Mugeuk revealed his plan.
“If you’re a necessary evil anyway, I’m going to make you a proper one. From now on, the Tongjeonso branch will lend money at reasonable interest rates. For now, it’s just Tongjeonso, but one day, every place that runs Underworld Debt in the Central Plains will operate like that.” 9
Now, he finally understood why he had spared me, why he had left his hands intact. It was so he could continue flicking the abacus with these hands.
The man before me was truly dreaming an outrageous dream. The words spilled out of my mouth naturally.
“Who the hell are you?”
The answer he had heard countless times came again.
“The Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“You’re just a lunatic!”
He was the one who had pierced a man’s forehead and crushed the hands of the enforcers, yet here he was, making him yell like this, lowering his guard bit by bit. 10
“In the end, even a loan shark says the same thing. If the Demon Supremes had heard you, they would have burst into laughter. They’ll be busy mocking me for a while.”
Ju Yang shook his head. Either that man was a proper lunatic, or he was really making a fool of himself before the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
“I don’t know. You’re the one who has to make it happen.”
How could he not be confused with him speaking like this?
“No matter how strong your martial arts are… you’ll end up dead eventually.”
“Then help me.”
“What kind of Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult asks a loan shark for help?” 11
Even Ju Yang found the joke amusing as he chuckled before quickly straightening his face. Associating with a madman was driving him mad too.
“Fine, let’s go with that. But why me? You could appoint someone more suitable. Someone without a greed for money, unlike me.”
It was the question Ju Yang was most curious about.
“Since it involves handling large sums of money, that person would eventually fall into corruption because of it. On the other hand, you’ve already hit rock bottom. If you break your promise to me and do something foolish, it’ll be easy for me to kill you without any guilt.” 12
He never imagined this would be the reason.
“You’re being a bit too harsh in front of a person.”
“If you think I’m sparing you, you’re mistaken. This will not be easy for you. You’ll have to manage the organization thoroughly, and not a single penny can be siphoned off carelessly.”
This was the punishment Geom Mugeuk had imposed on him.
“Just like those who paid you back with interest, you’ll have to work yourself to the bone until the day you die. Collecting the proper interest for the rest of your life.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You’ll die on the same day as Jeokpae.”
Geom Mugeuk took out two coins and placed them one after the other on the table. His actions seemed to convey a message: one coin was for Jeokpae, the other for you.
The sight of the coins made Ju Yang’s heart race again. These days, it felt like his heart might explode from fear even before his forehead could be pierced by those coins.
Was it the fear of death, the vanity of potentially becoming the owner of the Tongjeonso branch or the suffocating thought of living a life doing something so dull forever? Being around interest made his heart pound uncontrollably.
Geom Mugeuk calmly asked, as though he could hear Ju Yang’s heartbeat.
“Are you afraid?”
“How could I not be?”
“Even if you’re drowning in the sea, as long as there’s just enough space for your nose and mouth to breathe, you can survive. No matter how vast the sea is, you only need this much.”
Geom Mugeuk made a circular shape with his hand in front of his face.
“Consider carefully whether this breathing space is for you or your leader. You’ll need to decide quickly because a great wave is about to crash down.”
Ju Yang stared at the coins placed on the table. These two small coins were about to change his fate.
How was he feeling? He wanted to live. If it meant spending his life in atonement, he would rather choose death. He didn’t have the spirit or the courage for that.
When the real Heavenly Demon Divine Cult stepped in, he would be torn apart and die. So why was his heart wavering? Why did he feel like saying, ‘I’ll follow your will, so spare me!’? Why did it feel like he should say that?
As Ju Yang took the coins and prepared to leave, he hesitantly spoke.
“That wave is already crashing down on you. So you better find your own breathing space first.” 13
1 : Clearly Mugeuk would react quite differently if he ever lost his right hand. Not that it’s any worth comparing him to Jeokpae.
2 : First to catch the tail of the demon backing you, and second to prevent retaliation on the civilians after Mugeuk leaves town. If you do something, you must do it all the way.
3 : Using him as a witness ? To backstab your superiors ? Poison them with carefully arranged information ?
4 : Good, at least we can let this one continue his job. It should reduce the stress levels of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion XDXDXD
5 : Reminds me of the current public hearing arc of Infinite Level Up in Murim. 2 very different visions of the safety of the martial world are also confronting each other here (though one is much more hypocritical and bloodthirsty than the other)
6 : Martial artists always use those to hide their identity, it’s almost like yelling that you’re gonna have a shady meeting XDXDXD
7 : Thank you for connecting Mugeuk and the Branch Leader directly without breaking his ‘cover’ XDXDXD
8 : For… 5 seconds top ^^
9 : Indeed, this kind of business can never be completely stamped out no matter how badly we want it to. Like the translation world, they follow the rule of Hail Hydra, cut one head, another shall rise. In which case, it’s better to have someone easy to control under your hand to push around your policies.
10 : Mugeuk’s speciality, slow cooking. You are the frog, he’s the boiling water.
11 : The kind who can ask everyone for help. That’s his greatest strength.
12 : Heeeeh, fair’s fair. Seems legit.
13 : He’s showing consideration towards Mugeuk, it shows how much he’s wavering ^^
[a]Branch Leader