“First, calm your anger,” the Third Immortal soothed Geom Mugeuk.
Even if he was going to kill him, he had to calm down first.
“Could you stand it if you were me?”
“Even I wouldn't have been able to. But if you get worked up and ruin things, you won't even get your revenge, will you? Your opponent is….”
He couldn't bring himself to say it.
To think the day would come when he would utter the words that his opponent was the Fist Demon.
As if he knew what was on his mind, Geom Mugeuk clenched his fists tightly.
“He said he thought of me like a son. That bastard!”
The Third Immortal had to stop Geom Mugeuk from doing anything rash before the other Immortals arrived.
“A bastard like that must be killed. I will help you.”
“Why would you?”
“What do you mean, why? Because that man deserves to die.”
Geom Mugeuk scoffed.
“That's not it, is it? You're scared you'll get involved, aren't you? Don't worry. I'll never say that you bought the poison for me.”
Instead of saying he borrowed money, he phrased it as 'you bought the poison'.
The promise to never tell sounded even more dangerous.
Geom Mugeuk was intentionally getting on his nerves.
The Third Immortal suppressed the urge to scream, 'I bought you poison? Are you crazy?'
“How are you going to poison the Fist Demon?”
“I'll put the poison in his wine.”
“When is the Fist Demon coming again?”
“He will come back here in five days.”
Five days! The Third Immortal's heart raced.
He had to get the Immortals to arrive somehow within that time.
“If you get involved for no reason, you'll die too. So stay out of it.”
“If you kill the Fist Demon, do you think the Demon Sect will just leave your family alone? They'll be annihilated.”
“I don't care if they are or not. My father couldn't say a single word even when his son went through something like this. A family like this is better off annihilated.”
While understanding Geom Mugeuk's reckless fury, the Third Immortal had a thought.
'I messed with the wrong madman!'
But there was nothing he could do about it himself.
Judging by the skill he displayed at the tavern before, his opponent was a far greater master than he was.
Geom Mugeuk stood up.
“Don't come looking for me again. If you do, I'll splash that poison all over you.”
Leaving those threatening words behind, Geom Mugeuk departed.
*
A short while later, I was watching the Third Immortal leave with Go Wol from the rooftop of a building across from the tavern.
“A moment ago, I confirmed that his subordinate sent a dispatch. Given the gravity of the situation, he must have summoned all the key members of the Mutual Aid Society. According to my investigation, their leadership consists of four people, and a man called the First Immortal is their leader.”
Go Wol's information network was already showing its strength.
Go Wol was certainly making him feel that the money was well spent.
“Does that mean we just need to take care of those four?”
“Yes. Among them, the First Immortal is the ringleader. He's a suspicious man who doesn't show himself easily. But with the Fist Demon involved in this matter, he'll have no choice but to appear.”
“So this is why everyone keeps a grand strategist. It's so convenient and nice.”
“A grand strategist with a leader smarter than himself has it very hard.”
“That's a misunderstanding. The only thing I'm good at is the art of flattery.”
After a moment of silence, Go Wol spoke.
“Thanks to you, I've smoothed things over with the Cult Master.”
Geom Mugeuk looked at his face.
He looked much more at ease than when he had first asked about the Cult Master.
Geom Mugeuk thought Go Wol was truly amazing.
To be so good to the Wind Heaven Sect Leader who had held him captive for so long.
He didn't know what kind of fate they had in a past life, but he felt anew how deep their bond was.
“The Cult Master was worried about you. Said you've been having a hard time lately. He told me to take care of you instead of him.”
“I am fine.”
“What do you mean, fine? I heard that people who need help always start by saying they're fine.”
When Go Wol looked at him with an expression that seemed to ask where he'd heard that, Geom Mugeuk revealed his honest feelings.
“Grand Strategist Go, I'm not fine. Dealing with the Demon Sovereigns, fighting for the succession, acting in front of these bastards from the Debt of the Immortals... I'm so tired and exhausted. But just saying it like this seems to make it a little better. So you should say it too, Grand Strategist Go. If you're tired, say you're tired. If you're exhausted, say you're exhausted. I'm listening.”
Go Wol gave a meaningful smile.
He had told the Wind Heaven Sect Leader that he was tired.
Meaning, he should also say it if he was tired.
Now, Geom Mugeuk was doing the same for him.
Go Wol raised his head and looked up at the sky.
Even without speaking, he felt better.
*
Among us, the one who had the hardest time was the Fist Demon.
“... And that is how the Fist Demon became the villain. I apologize for not being able to tell you in advance, as the situation was urgent.”
When I finished explaining the situation, the Fist Demon flared up in anger.
“Not just a villain... a shameless, lecherous fiend, aren't I?”
“You have to commit a villainy of this level to create a motive for killing you with poison.”
“There are plenty of other reasons, aren't there? That I insulted his character, or killed a subordinate he cherished!”
“Still, I didn't think anything else would be as provocative as this.”
“It's sordid!”
Since the Fist Demon had never once caused trouble with women, it was only natural for him to be outraged.
The Fist Demon brought his face right up to Geom Mugeuk's.
“Is this your idea? Or the idea of your grand strategist who can't play Go?”
“Of course, it was my grand strategist's idea. Please don't hold back and go….”
Grrrrr.
A growling sound came from the Fist Demon's clenched fist.
It was the sound of a typhoon approaching from a distance.
“It was your doing, wasn't it? How could your grand strategist dare to do such a thing?”
“As expected, you're brilliant. Of course it was my idea.”
“Why did you turn me into a lecherous fiend?”
“Because it's one of the strongest reasons for wanting to kill someone. Perhaps that's why they don't doubt my killing intent at all.”
“Still, I hate being misunderstood.”
“Master. It was said to men who are about to die anyway, so you don't need to worry about it. The words won't leak out anywhere else either.”
At that moment, a question suddenly occurred to the Fist Demon.
“But did that guy believe it?”
The words he was hoping for were probably, 'How could the Fist Demon do such a thing?'
“Yes. He believed it all too well.”
“He believed it right away? What's his name? What is his name!”
To the Fist Demon, who was pointlessly venting his anger at them, Geom Mugeuk said with a smile.
“It'll all be over in a few days anyway. Those few days will be the most valuable days of your life, Master.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Because the name 'Fist Demon' was mentioned, their leaders will make a move. As a result, countless young men who fell into their clutches will be freed from despair and death. If you include the people who would have fallen prey to them in the future, it will be hundreds, even thousands. You will be saving all of them, Master.”
“Am I some kind of Divine Doctor? To be happy about saving people?”
“Then, for the sake of your disciple who enjoys saving people, please live as a lecherous fiend for just a few days.”
The Fist Demon stared at Geom Mugeuk as if to bore a hole through him, then spun around, still exuding an aura of darkness.
“Even a few days is too long!”
*
Four days later, the first to arrive was the Fourth Immortal.
“What in the world is going on? Did a war break out?”
Although the Third Immortal was the older brother, the two acted like friends.
Seeing the Fourth Immortal, a master of martial arts, the Third Immortal felt the tension that had been gripping him finally loosen.
The Third Immortal explained what had happened in detail to the Fourth Immortal.
“So that madman is going to poison the Fist Demon? What's the problem with that? Even if he's killed, that guy is the one doing the killing, isn't he?”
“The problem is that he bought the poison with money he borrowed from us.”
“How is that a problem? Are you saying the Demon Sect will investigate whose money was used to buy the poison?”
“If it were a common poison and a common target, I wouldn't worry. It would end with them thinking, 'Ah, this guy got some poison and killed him.' The problem is that he bought Formless Fatal Poisons. How did he afford such expensive poisons? And the one who died is the Fist Demon. They'll naturally suspect there's someone behind it. If they dig deeper, our existence will eventually be revealed. Do you think the Demon Sect will just leave us be?”
Only then did the Fourth Immortal understand the gravity of the situation.
“When is the Fist Demon coming?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Then we only have today. What about the Righteous Fist Sect's son?”
“He's drinking at a tavern right now.”
“Let's go. Lead the way.”
As the Fourth Immortal was about to go immediately, the Third Immortal stopped him.
“If we just kill him at the tavern, his father will investigate his son's death. The Demon Sect will eventually get involved. Then we'll be in even more danger.”
“Then what should we do?”
The Third Immortal suggested a method.
“We kidnap him and make him a missing person. We'll stage it as if he left somewhere in despair over his fiancée's affair. Before we kill him and melt him with Bone Melting Powder, we'll make him leave a short letter.”
The Fourth Immortal agreed with that opinion.
“That's a good idea.”
*
Two hours after the Third and Fourth Immortals began waiting in front of the tavern, Geom Mugeuk stumbled out.
When he entered a deserted area, the Third Immortal appeared before him.
The drunken Geom Mugeuk slurred his words.
“You! Didn't I say I'd kill you if you appeared before me again?”
“Hey, I came because I have something to tell you.”
Geom Mugeuk didn't even notice the Fourth Immortal approaching from behind him.
“What is there to say! You came to stop me again, didn't you? You coward. I'm not scared! Tomorrow….”
The Fourth Immortal sealed Geom Mugeuk's paralyzing point and mute point.
Geom Mugeuk, who was in the middle of speaking, couldn't even dodge and was caught just like that.
The Third and Fourth Immortals grabbed his arms from both sides and ran.
The two arrived in a deserted forest.
Only after arriving there did they release Geom Mugeuk's mute point.
“What? Do you want to die?”
The drunken Geom Mugeuk seemed completely unaware of the gravity of the situation.
The Third Immortal handed Geom Mugeuk the paper, brush, and pre-ground ink he had prepared.
“From now on, write down what I say.”
“What? What's this?”
“Father, your son will be leaving for a while and will return.”
Geom Mugeuk, with drunken eyes, was about to write but soon put the brush down.
“You bastard! You're trying to make me write this and then kill me, aren't you?”
It was at that very moment.
Someone's voice was heard from behind.
“Fools!”
The expressions of the Third and Fourth Immortals brightened.
The First Immortal and the Second Immortal had walked into the area.
The First Immortal had arrived long ago but was watching how things unfolded.
He had revealed himself now because he judged the situation to be completely safe.
“If he's leaving because he's angry at his father, why would he leave a letter? That's even stranger.”
At the First Immortal's words, the Third Immortal let out a sigh of admiration.
“As expected! You are our big brother. Your way of thinking is different from ours!”
The First Immortal approached Geom Mugeuk.
He had the face of a villain whose nature was plain to see, and his eyes were as cold as a snake's.
“So all this fuss was because of this insignificant brat.”
Staring down at Geom Mugeuk, he stood up and said.
“Bury him alive.”
He intended to inflict the terror and pain of being buried alive.
At that moment, Geom Mugeuk smiled faintly.
The gloomy and dark demeanor he had been acting out vanished, replaced by Geom Mugeuk's original expression.
Seeing the change in expression that made him look like a different person, the watching Third Immortal flinched in surprise.
'Truly, this madman keeps surprising people until the very end.'
Just then, Geom Mugeuk asked the First Immortal.
“Did this whole thing come from your head? You don't look that smart.”
The First Immortal's expression hardened.
The other three just watched the situation unfold.
They knew very well that the angrier the First Immortal got, the more of a spectacle there would be.
Of course, sometimes things happened that they feared would appear in their dreams.
“Who's behind this? Who provided the money?”
Geom Mugeuk looked at the other Immortals.
“Did he not tell you guys either? Did you band together without even that much trust?”
In that instant, the First Immortal noticed.
Geom Mugeuk's slurred speech had disappeared.
“You? You're not drunk.”
“I'm all sober now. Hearing that I'd be buried alive really woke me up.”
Just like his expression, the words he spoke were calm and composed.
Feeling an unidentifiable sense of unease, the First Immortal looked around.
He suspected an ambush, but he couldn't sense anything in the surroundings.
The Third Immortal stepped forward.
“Don't mind him. He was a madman from the start.”
He thought he should just kill him quickly and get it over with.
Since it was his decision to lend Geom Mugeuk a hundred thousand nyang in the first place, it would be a wise choice to finish him off before that madman angered the First Immortal even more.
“I will take care of him and bury him.”
Watching him take a dagger from his robes, Geom Mugeuk asked.
“You said you were investing in my youth?”
“You must have misheard. I said I was investing in my own youth.”
The Third Immortal sneered openly.
He loved this moment the most.
This moment of cutting off his opponent's breath.
This moment when they look at him with resentment after realizing they've been betrayed.
Of course, this madman wasn't giving him the expression he wanted right now.
“It was annoying, but it was a special experience. I'll remember it for a long, long time.”
“After today, I'm going to erase all memory of you guys.”
“Farewell, you madman!”
It was the exact moment he was about to slit Geom Mugeuk's throat with the dagger.
A cold chill swept through the air, sending a shiver down the Third Immortal's spine.
He wasn't the only one who felt the cold that dominated the area.
The Fourth Immortal drew his sword and surveyed the surroundings.
A person was walking toward them.
The long shadow cast by the moon was larger and wider than that of an ordinary person.
The person approaching, showing his current mood with a frosty aura, was none other than the Fist Demon.
The four men were startled upon identifying the newcomer.
Compared to the man who had appeared, the ruthless-looking First Immortal had the face of a baby.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk's inscrutable words came from behind them.
“He's very angry right now because you all believed it without any doubt.”
Geom Mugeuk, whom they thought had his paralyzing point sealed, was getting up and dusting off his clothes.
He smiled and asked the Fist Demon.
“A few days pass in a flash, don't they?”
With a haggard face from sleepless nights, the Fist Demon stood before them.
“To me, it was an eternity!”