Chapter 299: You Won’t Come, and We Won’t Wait |
Instead of reverence, laughter erupted.
The one laughing the most was Jungak. Even though he had been accused of taking bribes, he showed no signs of panic.
“Are you seriously saying you've been pretending to be the Young Cult Leader?”
Even Ho Kyung, who had been listening intently, let out a faint chuckle. But Ho Kyung clearly remembered what Ju Yang had said earlier.
—The one who took bribes from Jeokpae and promised to kill you is none other than him, the Leader of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
If what was said was true, then Ju Yang had now become someone Ho Kyung needed to protect.
Ho Kyung asked Jungak.
“What brings the Leader here?”
“I thought some assistance might be needed since the opponent is a skilled fighter.”
He had appeared at the exact moment Ju Yang was about to speak Jungak’s name. It was clear he had come to prevent Ju Yang from revealing his identity.
“As you’ve just heard, the accused has pointed you out, Leader. It would be best if you step back for now.”
“Surely, you don’t believe this man’s words?”
“Of course not. But since he made a statement in front of everyone, we should at least formally investigate the matter.”
“This man is a member of Underworld Debt.”
Ho Kyung turned to Ju Yang and asked, “Is that true?”
At the cold question, Ju Yang cowered.
“Yes, but what I told you is the truth.”
Ho Kyung did not trust those who were of Underworld Debt.
As he saw Ho Kyung's expression harden, Ju Yang realized once again how formidable Geom Mugeuk truly was. Everyone frowned and disregarded him, but no one dared to act against him.
At that moment, Geom Mugeuk subtly interjected.
“When you can’t refute the message, you tend to attack the messenger.”
Jungak’s eyes glinted with hostility at those words.
Ho Kyung quickly tried to calm Jungak.
“If it turns out to be false, he will be punished severely for false accusations. Don’t worry.”
On the surface, Jungak appeared calm.
However, he was keenly watching for any opportunities to get rid of Ju Yang. If this escalated to a full interrogation back in the main hall, it would become publicly known that Jungak had accepted bribes. If all the bribes were exposed, he wouldn’t just lose his position as Brigade Leader, but he would likely be imprisoned.
Jungak’s gaze shifted toward Geom Mugeuk.
“What do you plan to do with our Young Cult Leader?”
“I will personally handle him as well.”
“That would be treason, wouldn’t it?”
No one laughed at his joke.
In the midst of it all, Ju Yang kept his eyes on Geom Mugeuk. Though everyone else sneered, Ju Yang did not. He had already resigned himself to death.
“Young Cult Leader, what do you plan to do now?”
Fine, since he had started as the Young Cult Leader, he might as well see it through to the end.
As if waiting for this moment, Jungak drew his sword.
“How dare you utter the Young Cult Leader’s name!”
He was ready to charge and cut down Ju Yang right then and there.
But before he could move, Ho Kyung stepped in front of him.
“Stop.”
“Step aside. I cannot stand by and let someone brazenly impersonate the Young Cult Leader.”
“I cannot do that.”
The two men glared at each other. The hidden tension between them now surfaced, revealing a deep conflict. In truth, Jungak had expected Ho Kyung to intervene.
—Kill him now!
Jungak sent a secret message to his subordinate, Cha Hoe. This was the opportunity; while Ho Kyung was occupied blocking him, the time had come.
Cha Hoe unleashed a sudden sword energy attack.
*Sshiiiiik!*
A sharp wave of sword energy flew toward Ju Yang. It was powerful enough to engulf not only Ju Yang but also Geom Mugeuk, who stood before him.
*Bang!*
Startled by the deafening explosion, Ju Yang stumbled back and fell on his rear.
At that moment, Ju Yang saw Geom Mugeuk's back. Without even moving from his spot, Geom Mugeuk had effortlessly dispersed the incoming sword energy with a single swing of his sword.
“Kill them all together!”
With Cha Hoe’s command, the members of the Demonic Sword Brigade drew their swords simultaneously.
At the same time, Ho Kyung shouted, “Stop them!”
The martial artists from the Jiangxi Branch quickly drew their swords as well. A fierce tension filled the air as the two groups pointed their blades at each other. Ho Kyung knew that in a direct confrontation, his men would not be able to handle the elite warriors of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
Then, at that very moment.
Geom Mugeuk stepped forward, releasing his qi.
*Shwaaahhhhh!*
Geom Mugeuk's aura spread out in all directions.
It was like a massive wave crashing toward them.
There was nowhere to run, and no one could avoid it.
All the martial artists were dragged into it, as though they were sinking into water. The abyss pulled them down endlessly.
They resisted, desperately trying to avoid being swallowed. But Geom Mugeuk’s Intent allowed no resistance.
Their bodies felt as though they would burst, and their breath was cut off.
‘Aaaaargh!’
They screamed, but no sound came out.
And at the bottom of that abyss, they saw it.
Standing alone, shining in the pitch-black darkness, was Geom Mugeuk. 1
Then, in that moment, Geom Mugeuk's qi vanished.
The Geom Mugeuk they had seen in the depths of the abyss was now standing right in front of them, in reality.
Everyone gasped for breath with astonishment. There was no need to draw their swords to know the truth. Geom Mugeuk's martial prowess was overwhelmingly superior, beyond anything they could compare to. They also realized that the force suffocating them was indeed demonic energy. 2
Geom Mugeuk casually spoke to Ho Kyung.
“It’s been a while. At the celebration for the appointment of the Branch Leader, you made a remark, didn’t you? That you would carefully observe the little things to prevent great disasters.”
Ho Kyung vividly remembered. It was a celebratory speech he had given at the headquarters following his first assignment as a Branch Leader. How could he forget?
“You were there at that time?”
Geom Mugeuk nodded.
“Who are you, sir?”
At that moment, someone else appeared.
Ho Kyung was shocked when he saw the person who arrived.
“Leader Lim!”
It was Lim Jeong, the leader of Jiangxi’s Heavenly Communication Pavilion.
A man who rarely showed himself unless it was for something of great importance had appeared here.
“What brings you here?”
Before arriving here, Geom Mugeuk had encountered martial artists from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion and had requested Lim Jeong's assistance.
“I’m here to convey the order that all martial artists under Jiangxi’s Pavilion are to serve the Young Cult Leader with utmost sincerity.”
At the mention of the Young Cult Leader, everyone was stunned. Weren’t they just mocking the fake Young Cult Leader earlier?
“No way!”
All eyes turned toward Geom Mugeuk, and Lim Jeong shouted loudly.
“That’s right. This is indeed the Young Cult Leader.”
A stunned silence filled the air, broken by shock and disbelief.
The first person to regain his composure was Ho Kyung, who immediately knelt down, bowing respectfully.
“I greet the Young Cult Leader!”
Following his lead, all the demonic martial artists of the Jiangxi Branch, as well as those from Jungak and the Demonic Sword Brigade side, also bowed in unison. No matter the situation, respect for the Cult Leader and the Young Cult Leader was absolute.
“We greet the Young Cult Leader!”
The voices of the demonic martial artists echoed thunderously.
In truth, even if Lim Jeong hadn't confirmed it, the grand aura that had been displayed was enough to reveal that this was indeed the Young Cult Leader.
The only person still standing in a daze was Ju Yang.
Geom Mugeuk looked at him and smiled faintly.
“Even without the Demon Supremes standing behind me, you should believe it by now, right?”
Ju Yang, finally snapping out of his shock, screamed and immediately fell prostrate.
“I have been ignorant and shown disrespect to such a distinguished person.”
“Disrespect? You were the only one who believed I was the Young Cult Leader.”
Ju Yang was overwhelmed with emotion, barely holding back tears. He couldn't believe it. Did this mean he had been meeting with, lending money to, and conversing with the Young Cult Leader of the Divine Cult all along? He had even called him crazy multiple times!
“You're going to have a hard time from now on.”
Only now could he understand the true source of that unbelievable confidence.
How could anyone neglect the affairs of the money exchange office when it was an order from the Young Cult Leader of the Divine Cult?
“I will work with a heart of repentance for the rest of my life.”
He had been spared, what more could he ask for? Just moments ago, he had been floundering in the ocean, but now, he was floating peacefully again. The warm sunlight bathed him.
In contrast, a disastrous storm was growing unchecked in Jungak's mind.
‘Why is the Young Cult Leader here?’
It was Ho Kyung who had been targeting him. Could it be that Ho Kyung had teamed up with the Young Cult Leader to bring him down? However, judging by Ho Kyung's shocked reaction, he too hadn't anticipated the Young Cult Leader's appearance.
“Now, everyone rise!”
All the demonic martial artists present stood up. They still looked at Geom Mugeuk with awe and reverence in their eyes. He was the future Cult Leader. If he ordered, “Die!” they would have to die immediately.
Geom Mugeuk approached Jungak.
“You’ve taken quite a bit in bribes, haven't you, Demonic Sword Brigade Leader?”
Before Jungak could make any excuses, Lim Jeong spoke up first.
“It has been confirmed that gold from the money exchange office has been deposited in various banks under the Demonic Sword Brigade Leader’s name. The investigation is ongoing, and we expect more evidence to emerge soon. Furthermore, investigations have also been launched into other locations outside the money exchange office.”
If anyone else had said this, Jungak could have claimed it was fabricated, but it was the Branch Leader of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion who spoke.
Still, Jungak held his head high, acting as if it were no big deal.
“They gave it voluntarily. I didn’t forcibly extort it from them.”
“Would they have given it if you weren’t the Demonic Sword Brigade Leader?”
“It was their choice.”
He stood proudly, as his subordinates were watching. If he showed any sign of weakness, he would lose their respect.
“Did you share the money with your subordinates?”
An awkward silence followed. The only person he had shared money with was his close subordinate, Cha Hoe.
“I was going to share it with them.”
It would have been better if he hadn’t said anything. His poor excuse only deepened the cold stares from his subordinates.
“I don't think the authority of the Demonic Sword Brigade should be tarnished over something so trivial.”
Jungak desperately tried to wriggle out of the situation. But his opponent was none other than the silver tongued Geom Mugeuk.
“That’s exactly why.”
Geom Mugeuk looked at the demonic martial artists of the Demonic Sword Brigade.
“Because you’re part of the Demonic Sword Brigade. Even when the Murim Alliance or the Unorthodox Alliance pushed our Cult to the brink, we never lost hope as long as we heard that you were alive. We believe in you. We believe that you’ll break through the enemies and come to save us. That’s the trust our Cult has in you as members of the Demonic Sword Brigade.”
Pride blossomed on the faces of the Demonic Sword Brigade's martial artists.
“That’s why you must be different from others. You can't just accept bribes when they’re offered. Is this much okay? No, it’s not. If you’re the kind of people who accepts bribes without a second thought, then we wouldn’t be waiting for you. We’d assume you’d choose the easier path and compromise, rather than breaking fearlessly through the enemies. You wouldn’t come, and we wouldn’t be waiting for you.”
Jungak's face twisted in frustration, but the Demonic Sword Brigade martial artists were in agreement with Geom Mugeuk's words.
Jungak shouted in protest.
“Why are you worrying about future events that haven’t even happened?”
“Because I’m going to be your Cult Leader. Maybe no one else has to, but I must worry about it.” 3
Jungak couldn’t find anything to refute.
And then, a greater sin was brought to light.
“What I can’t forgive you for isn’t the bribery. You were hoping that Branch Leader Ho would die or be injured here today.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd at those words.
“That’s not true! If that were the case, why would I have come here?”
“Because, in the end, the task of finding the culprit who harmed the Branch Leader would have fallen to you. You would have wrapped everything up here. You could kill Branch Leader Ho and take your revenge as well.”
“Why would I do such a thing?”
The one who answered was Ho Kyung.
“Because you found out that I was investigating you.”
Now, Ho Kyung was certain.
“You even went so far as to lead me into taking this mission directly.”
Jungak, who was about to shout in protest, caught the eyes of his subordinates. The fear that had once filled their gaze was now replaced with distrust and disappointment. Their respect for him had crumbled to ashes.
“If you lose me, the Cult's strength will suffer greatly.”
“But if we think about the possibility that your sword might one day be pointed at us over money, it could be a gain rather than a loss.”
“That would never happen.”
“You can’t be sure. Who knows what might happen if you’re offered a sum too large to refuse?”
Geom Mugeuk spoke calmly to the resentful Jungak.
“That’s why. That’s why you should never have accepted it in the first place. Whether or not you’re telling the truth, everything falls apart like this. You become the kind of person who seems like they would sell us out for a few coins.”
With genuine sincerity, Geom Mugeuk continued.
“Pay for your sins, and start again. When the time comes, I’ll give you another chance.”
For the first time, Jungak let out a long sigh.
How many years would he spend in the prison cells? Five years? Ten years?
“I don’t want that.”
Jungak's choice was to kill Ho Kyung and die himself. He needed someone to blame, and that target was certainly not going to be him.
‘This is all your fault!’
He lunged at Ho Kyung, drawing his sword.
Flash!
Just as his swift blade was about to slice through Ho Kyung's body—
His sword, which had been sharp enough to cut through boulders, suddenly stopped as if blocked by something, and then shattered.
Clang!
In the next moment, Jungak’s eyes widened as he realized what had happened.
Screeech!
The one who had broken his sword and then slashed across his chest was a terrifying fiend.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Blades flew in from his left, right, and behind him, all from fiends. His body was sliced apart, and Jungak died instantly.
Those watching were too shocked to even breathe properly.
They knew that the only demonic technique that could summon such fiends was the Nine Calamities Demon Art. Realizing this, they all bowed their heads in reverence—not toward Geom Mugeuk this time, but in respect for the art itself.
Meanwhile Cha Hoe, Jungak's close subordinate, tried to fulfill his dead leader’s final intent by attacking, but he was swiftly cut down by Ho Kyung’s sword.
The Jiangxi Branch martial artists were astonished by Ho Kyung’s skill. Until now, they had only known him as a meticulous person, always behind his desk, shuffling endlessly through mountains of documents. But Ho Kyung was far more skilled than they had imagined. The fact that he had never flaunted his abilities only made their admiration stronger. Had they known this earlier, they would have grumbled less about all the extra work they had been given. 4
While the spirits of the Jiangxi Branch martial artists were high, the mood among the Demonic Sword Brigade was one of gloom. They might have been corrupt, but they had just brutally lost their leader and vice-leader, people they followed for decades.
Geom Mugeuk sought to comfort them.
“At this very moment, in the tavern I often visit in Maga Village, people are probably drinking. They have worries—about money, their children, work, and other people. So many concerns fill their minds. But at least, they don't have to worry about martial artists from the Unorthodox Alliance bursting through the tavern doors and killing them. Why? Because you’re here, protecting this Jiangxi Branch.”
Geom Mugeuk spoke with sincerity, offering his heartfelt words to lift their spirits.
“I know we’re treating you with the best care possible, but it’s still not enough. With your skills, you could easily go out and earn ten times more. But you wouldn’t gain the honor of being part of the Demonic Sword Brigade, the elite of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. You might say, ‘Honor doesn’t feed you’, but you live by honor. It’s because of that honor that you allow others to live comfortably.”
After a brief pause, Geom Mugeuk added his final words.
“Even if no one else recognizes it, I will.”
Pride and determination filled the eyes of the Demonic Sword Brigade's martial artists. What did it matter if it was mere words of comfort? It came from none other than the man who would become their Cult Leader, the living incarnation of their faith.
“With our lives, we pledge our loyalty!”
This wasn’t the end of their comfort—it was only the beginning.
“Now, follow me, all of you.”
Both the Demonic Sword Brigade and Jiangxi Branch martial artists followed behind Geom Mugeuk.
He also addressed Ju Yang.
“Lead the way.”
“Me?”
“You’re about to be the main character of the day, so of course, you should go.”
Ju Yang understood. They were heading to the estate of the Jeokpae not out of respect for them, but for another purpose.
Geom Mugeuk had already said this to Lim Jeong of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion:
“Send a message to the Unorthodox Alliance. Tell them that today is our Jiangxi Branch’s day of unity, and they should at least leave us alone for the day.”
1 : Interesting, he can use only a part of his Intent to intimidate quickly rather than go through his sky and arrive at the mountain of corpses. Done like this, it looks a lot like his Father’s Intent.
2 : The sky beyond the sky.
3 : That and, you know, the war who’s coming fast.
4 : Well if your boss gives you a lot of work, but spends all his time doing more than all of you combined, that’s already worthy of respect. He might drive you hard, but he drives himself far harder.