Chapter 300: Today, forget about everything |
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Have you ever had such an experience while living in Murim?
Right beside me was the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, behind me stood the Branch Leader of that same cult, and further behind, the elite Demonic Sword Brigade, with more demons trailing behind them.
Have you ever walked in such a procession?
Ju Yang felt like he was dreaming. He was filled with an odd sense of pride and delight.
Then, a sudden wave of fear washed over him. Any one of these people, if unleashed among ordinary martial artists, would cause absolute chaos.
Feeling afraid, Ju Yang glanced sideways at Geom Mugeuk, who was walking alongside him. Whether it was when he first came to borrow money or now that he was revealed to be the Young Cult Leader, Geom Mugeuk remained the same. He neither acted arrogant nor menacing. How could someone be like that?
He missed the days when they could talk casually. He missed the days when Geom Mugeuk was just a ‘simple’ debtor.
Lost in these pointless thoughts, they soon arrived at Jeokpae’s manor.
Ju Yang lowered his voice and spoke quietly, “Let me open the gate.”
Before he could finish his sentence—
Bam!
One of the demons from the Demonic Sword Brigade stepped forward and smashed the gate open, after which the demons swarmed inside. 1
Swordsmen rushed out from all directions, startled. The demons unleashed their demonic energy, making it clear who they were.
“If you don’t want to die, get out of here.”
The swordsmen hesitated, looking at one another.
At that moment, the demonic figure who had issued the warning swung his sword. A sharp slash passed between the swordsmen and cut down a stone tower standing in front of the garden, making it slowly topple.
The stone tower saved their lives. The swordsmen, terrified, ran at full speed towards the entrance, and the demons kicked their backsides, driving them out. They fled, clutching their heads.
The Demonic Sword Brigade moved without hesitation. As they smashed through the second gate, a rain of hidden weapons poured down from the roofs on all sides.
The leading demons easily deflected the projectiles with their swords.
“From now on, if even one more weapon is thrown, you’ll die.”
The ones on the roof froze. They had just realized their opponents were demonic cultists.
“You fools, you should check who you’re attacking first”, casually said Geom Mugeuk as he passed by, followed by his troops. The attackers fled in the opposite direction.
Ju Yang, watching this unfamiliar scene, was bewildered.
He had always known that demons were terrifying, but not to this extent. Every time he passed by this place, he had been filled with dread. Yet, Red Jackall’s stronghold was nothing more than a stroll in the park for them.
Beyond the next gate, over ten martial artists stood blocking their path.
They were the ones Jeokpae had boasted about, calling them masters of collaborative combat techniques. He used to grumble or perhaps boast about how maintaining them cost hundreds of nyang each month. Jeokpae had never been shy about spending the blood-squeezed money he’d gathered to protect his own life.
As those martial artists took their positions, forming a sword formation to face them, the Demonic Sword Brigade surged forward.
"Shall we show you what real collaborative combat looks like?"
There was no need for the Demonic Sword Brigade to form a sword formation to intimidate them. The moment they advanced, Jeokpae’s men scattered in all directions. Watching this, Ju Yang shook his head.
’Why did he waste hundreds of nyang each month on them already?’
He understood, though. The fear of having the Demonic Sword Brigade breaking in must have been paralyzing.
While it seemed like they were recklessly pushing forward, the demons maintained a certain order. Though they appeared to be merely walking, they carefully scanned their surroundings. As one moved, another would fill the gap, maintaining their formation. Their tactics and formations adapted based on the terrain and the enemy. It was the result of long, thorough training and plenty of experience.
At the final gate stood three men. Unlike the others, they appeared to be masters who must have cost Jeokpae thousands, not just hundreds, of nyang.
"We are the Three Ghosts of Jiangxi. Who dares—!"
In that moment, the eldest of the three ghosts recognized Branch Leader Ho Kyung.
"Wait, why are you here?"
Ho Kyung raised a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence, then shook his head as if to say, ‘This isn’t your time to interfere’. That gesture alone was enough of a warning.
"Thank you very much for letting us go."
The Three Ghosts, understanding they couldn’t deal with this situation even if there were a hundred of them, bowed deeply and left, grateful for being spared.
With that, they reached the innermost part of the manor without spilling a single drop of blood.
The last gate was already open, and Jeokpae was waiting for them in the courtyard.
He bowed with a calm face, trying his best to appear composed.
“I am honored to meet such esteemed guests.”
The reason Red Jackall hadn’t fled was because he misunderstood the situation.
He thought they had come to take care of an imposter who had posed as a demonic cultist and that the real demons had come to talk to him after handling that matter. Since Ju Yang was with them, it was a natural assumption.
“If you had informed me ahead of time, there wouldn’t have been such a misunderstanding. My subordinates have been terribly rude. I sincerely apologize.”
Jeokpae cautiously observed the visitors. He confirmed that Ho Kyung, the Branch Leader, had come. But there was no sign of the leader of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
He recalled how, last time, he had entrusted the matter to Jungak, thinking the Branch Leader would handle it. As expected, the Branch Leader had been used for today’s business.
’He’s pocketing all the money without doing any work!’
Jeokpae found the situation puzzling. Based on what he knew, Ho Kyung wasn’t the type to take bribes. Why had he come here?
Red Jackall glanced at Ju Yang subtly. He had sent him off to die, expecting him to perish.
‘This bastard’s got a long life. Fine, just die while doing your work.’
With his eyes, Jeokpae asked Ju Yang, ‘What’s going on right now?’ What could Ju Yang possibly say? He just turned his head away, avoiding his gaze.
At that moment, Geom Mugeuk held out a coin to Jeokpae.
“Here, take it.”
“What is this?”
“Interest.”
For a split second, Jeokpae’s heart sank. He was reminded of the two coins that had been placed on the corpses of his underlings, and a terrible feeling swept over him.
“I said take it.”
As soon as Red Jackall instinctively reached out and grabbed the coin—
Whoooosh!
Bang!
The weight of the coin was so heavy that his hand slammed into the ground.
“Arghhhh!”
He screamed, but no one came to his rescue.
“Now, there’s one more left. Take this one too.”
Jeokpae looked up at Geom Mugeuk with a face twisted in pain.
“Wh-why are you doing this?”
“Why? I borrowed money, so I’m paying back the interest.”
“I-I don’t need it. Please, forgive me!”
“You have your manor, right? You need to pay the interest to maintain it, don’t you?”
“Please, spare me! Forgive me!”
But it wasn’t something he could refuse. An invisible force opened Jeokpae’s other hand.
Whoooosh!
Bang!
His other hand was crushed as well.
Now, lying face down with both palms turned upward, he looked as if he were bowing to the heavens. Having lived a life free of pain, he was now in utter agony.
Ju Yang understood.
The reason Geom Mugeuk didn’t kill Jeokpae right away but made him receive the coins was to show him—show Ju Yang. It was a lesson, that the stories behind the interest he’d collect from now on would be this heavy.
Understanding the message, Ju Yang lowered his head.
Then, Geom Mugeuk lightly flicked a finger.
Thwack!
Jeokpae’s head split open, and he died instantly. His life, spent leading countless people to ruin for the sake of money, came to an end. Despite amassing great wealth, his death was a lonely one, leaving nothing and no one behind.
Geom Mugeuk then summoned all of the subordinates from the money exchange office.
After gathering them, he introduced Ju Yang.
“From now on, the new owner of the money exchange is Ju Yang. If anyone has any objections, leave now. You’ll be allowed to go unharmed.”
Some of those who didn’t get along with Ju Yang left. Others who had been thinking of quitting anyways took this as an opportunity and left as well. Those who wished to leave did so, and the rest remained.
Geom Mugeuk firmly warned the remaining subordinates.
“From now on, make sure to obey and be loyal to your new leader.”
“Yes, sir!”
And just like that, the owner of the money exchange office changed in a single day.
Ho Kyung couldn’t help but admire the boldness of Geom Mugeuk. Such actions were not merely the result of high martial skills. Only someone who knew exactly what they were doing and what they needed to do next could act like this.
“Well, let’s all have a drink together today”, Ho Kyung said cheerfully, celebrating the occasion. But he couldn’t entirely hide his concerns.
“The core members of our Jiangxi Branch are all here today. Shouldn’t we send at least some forces back?”
“Are you worried that the Unorthodox Alliance might try something?”
“We did send a message, so it’s unlikely... but still, this is the first time for such a situation.”
Ever since his appointment, Ho Kyung had lived in constant wariness of the Unorthodox Alliance, so it was only natural for him to be tense and on edge.
“You don’t need to worry. The Unorthodox Alliance isn’t what it used to be.”
Geom Mugeuk’s confidence came from his trust in Bih Sa-in. If Bih Sa-in heard about this, he’d probably rush to the tavern with his subordinates rather than open the armory. 2
Soon, a large banquet was set up in the training yard.
They brought out the fine alcohol that Jeokpae had hoarded, and all kinds of dishes were brought in from the famous inns and taverns in the city.
It was rare for everyone to gather and drink together like this. In fact, this was the first time the demons of the branch and the Demonic Sword Brigade had ever socialized together.
Once everyone’s cups were filled, Geom Mugeuk raised his voice and lifted his glass high.
“Let’s forget about everything today and drink to our heart’s content!”
Everyone cheered and drank heartily.
The demons of the Demonic Sword Brigade looked at Geom Mugeuk with great admiration. His earlier words of comfort, combined with his overwhelming martial prowess, had left a deep impression on them.
Geom Mugeuk mingled with them easily, telling stories from the headquarters and tales of the Demon Supremes. When he mentioned the Demonic Army, whom the Demonic Sword Brigade viewed as rivals, their eyes lit up with interest.
And that wasn’t all. Whether talking about the Central Plains or the lands beyond, his broad experiences and knack for storytelling had the demons captivated, losing track of time.
Meanwhile, Ju Yang didn’t move an inch from Geom Mugeuk’s side. Even when he had to relieve himself, he didn’t dare leave. What if someone else took his seat, and he had to sit among the demons? He would rather hold it in! He was determined to protect his spot next to Geom Mugeuk at all costs.
After spending quite some time chatting and playing with the demons, Geom Mugeuk eventually walked over to Ho Kyung, who was quietly drinking by himself. When Ju Yang tried to follow, Geom Mugeuk motioned for him to stay behind, leaving Ju Yang with a look of utter despair, as if he had been abandoned in hell. 3
“Playing with those kids can get exhausting,” Geom Mugeuk said.
Ho Kyung chuckled at that, and Geom Mugeuk smiled as well, adding, “It’s funny coming from the youngest of the bunch, isn’t it?”
“If I only listened to your words, I would’ve thought you were the eldest. When did you even have time to gather all that experience?”
“Just words I picked up here and there.”
The two of them emptied their cups. As Ho Kyung poured more for Geom Mugeuk, he asked, “But how did you remember my past?”
“The moment I saw you, I recalled that banquet. Your words left a strong impression, and your face hasn’t changed much since then.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve aged a lot.”
This time, Geom Mugeuk filled Ho Kyung’s cup.
“It must be hard, trying to handle everything so meticulously.”
“It’s just my nature. I can’t sleep if things are left undone.”
Ho Kyung likely carried the burden of being a perfectionist. He put in all his effort to do things right, yet he probably faced endless criticism from others, an inevitable struggle. Who wouldn’t wish to live peacefully, free from that pressure?
As Geom Mugeuk downed his drink, he said, “Sometimes, after doing something hard for a long time, the hardship itself can become a source of strength, don’t you think?”
It was a sentiment he had felt back when he had been gathering the ingredients for the Great Regression Technique.
In the beginning, everything had been too difficult and lonely. Back then, he used to go to sleep with the hope that tomorrow would be better.
But as time went on, he started to think, Tomorrow will be hard too. The more I try to avoid the hardship, the harder it gets. Tomorrow will be tough, and the day after will be tough too. I’m not the only one struggling—everyone else is too.
After even more years passed, he finally realized that it was the hardship itself that had helped him grow the most. What he once hated had become both his greatest adversary and his only friend. 4
“And that’s why you seem strong, Branch Leader”, Geom Mugeuk said.
Ho Kyung looked into Geom Mugeuk’s deep eyes, eyes that clearly didn’t match his age, and he could feel that Geom Mugeuk had gone through many hardships of his own. Of course, he must have faced countless trials while competing to become the Young Cult Leader.
“Stay strong, Young Cult Leader!” Ho Kyung encouraged him.
“Let’s stay strong together!” Geom Mugeuk replied.
The two continued talking late into the night, discussing the affairs of the Jiangxi Branch. Geom Mugeuk quietly listened to everything Ho Kyung had to say, offering a silent but steadfast presence.
* * *
Geom Mugeuk found Ju Yang in the backyard.
He had been avoiding the demons and was now sitting alone in front of a campfire.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, just sitting here.”
Geom Mugeuk sat down beside him.
“Everyone sure can hold their liquor.”
“You haven’t seen the Great Drunken Demon yet.”
Song Sa-hyuk, and even those demons who drank tirelessly, were like people from another world.
Yet, of all the people in that other world, this one sitting beside him would probably be the one he missed the most. Though Geom Mugeuk seemed the most distant from him in that world.
“Will I be able to see you again, Young Cult Leader?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we’ll meet often, or maybe you’ll never see me again until you die.”
“I’ll keep working hard, so if you ever come to Jiangxi, please stop by. I’ll make sure to send regular reports related to work.”
“Ju Yang.”
“Yes?”
Whether it was from the firelight or from nerves, Ju Yang’s face was flushed red.
“One day, you’ll face a crisis. And when that time comes, it’ll tempt you by whispering this: ‘Come on, you only live once, right?’ Ju Yang, you’ve already committed too many sins. If you mess up again, I won’t be able to forgive you. So, when that temptation comes, find me.”
“Are you telling me to come to the Demonic Cult’s headquarters?”
“Yes. Come and ask for me at the front gate.”
For a moment, Ju Yang imagined the scene. He saw himself standing at the main gate of the Demonic Cult, saying, “I’ve come to see the Young Cult Leader.” The demons at the gate would likely ask, “Who are you?” Or no, because he’d be a guest of the Young Cult Leader, they’d probably say, “Who might you be, sir?” And he would reply, “I’m just a loan shark from way out in Jiangxi.” Ah, no, he didn’t want to imagine what might happen next. 5
“I’ll work hard so I can live without ever needing to find you.”
At Ju Yang’s joke, Geom Mugeuk laughed along with him. A Young Cult Leader who would laugh like this—how rare.
“Here, this is my final gift to you.”
Geom Mugeuk handed him two nyang.
Ju Yang received the money with respect. These were the same two coins he had kept receiving since meeting Geom Mugeuk. Now, it seemed he was receiving them for the last time.
As he clenched the coins tightly, Ju Yang asked, “Why are you so good to someone like me, just a mere loan shark?”
“I get that question a lot,” Geom Mugeuk said, gazing into the campfire.
"I suppose I must just be that kind of person," Geom Mugeuk replied quietly.
Ju Yang suddenly stood up and bowed deeply, a gesture of great and sincere respect.
"I will never forget the grace you’ve shown me, giving me a new life. I don’t know if I’m a pine caterpillar, a maggot, or a larva, but whatever I am, I’ll make sure to spread my wings at least once."
Geom Mugeuk silently smiled and forlornly watched as sparks from the campfire danced and rose into the night.
* * *
Two days later, Geom Mugeuk said his goodbyes to Ho Kyung and the other demons of the Jiangxi Branch.
"Are you returning to the headquarters?" Ho Kyung asked.
"Staying here any longer would just get in the way of your work."
When Ho Kyung remained silent, Geom Mugeuk added with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
"You really must think that way."
"You’re not someone I can boss around, after all."
The two men shared a laugh.
"Soon, the headquarters will appoint a new leader for the Demonic Sword Brigade."
"Looks like I’ll have another difficult fight ahead of me."
The day will come when hardship turns into strength.
Geom Mugeuk conveyed those very words with his eyes.
As long as Ho Kyung remained in charge, there would be no need to worry about the Jiangxi Branch.
And with that, the inspection of the Jiangxi Branch was complete.
* * *
After parting ways with the Jiangxi Branch, Geom Mugeuk headed to the home of Pyeon-jung, the carriage driver.
"I’m looking for a skilled driver," Geom Mugeuk said.
At that very moment, Pyeon-jung had just received word from the money exchange office that he no longer needed to repay his debt. In fact, the amount he had overpaid, after calculating the proper interest, would be fully returned to him.
The news was unbelievable. He had embraced his wife, and they cried together in relief. Their children, not knowing what was going on, cried as well.
With his eyes swollen from all the tears, Pyeon-jung realized that the man standing before him was the one responsible for making this miracle happen.
Bowing his head, Pyeon-jung silently expressed his deepest gratitude.
"Where would you like to go?" he asked.
And then, the most dangerous destination ever in his career as a driver was spoken.
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult headquarters."
When Geom Mugeuk had first asked to be taken to the Jiangxi Branch of the Demonic Cult, Pyeon-jung’s heart had nearly stopped from fear.
But now, he wasn’t afraid. Instead, he smiled brightly, determined to repay the favor in the best way he knew how.
"I’ll make sure to take you there safely," he said confidently.
1 : FBI !!! OPEN UP !!!! *Smash your door before you can even sit up from your couch*
2 : Well it’s like the first Christmas in WW1, both sides ceased hostilities, decorated a tree and even met up in the no-man’s land to shake hands. 2 years later, nobody remembered it. F for everyone.
3 : At least you can go to the bathroom now.
4 : Becoming the mask has never been so true.
5 : I mean, the guards will definitely be used to random peoples seeking Mugeuk with all his roaming around ^^
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