As silence fell, a thought crossed Bi Sa-in’s mind.
‘If you were that man, I would surely be dead.’
No matter how strong and fearsome Hwang Seok-gyeong was, he could not be as fearsome as you.
Just imagining Geom Mugeuk standing as an enemy was terrifying.
“If I’m fated to die anyway, would wearing two or three layers of protective armor save me?”
“If you were fated to die, you wouldn’t have met me. So wear as many layers as you can.”
Their gazes met in mid-air.
Bi Sa-in could feel it.
Geom Mugeuk was genuinely worried that he might die.
“Wouldn’t it be better if I died? The Unorthodox Alliance would fall into chaos.”
At these words, which he didn't mean, Geom Mugeuk reminded him of reality.
“I don’t want to say this to you, but even if you die, the Unorthodox Alliance will not fall into chaos. It would be the same if I died, or if our friends from the Martial Alliance died.”
He was right.
If the Cult Master or the Alliance Leader were to die, perhaps, but the death of a successor wouldn't be enough to throw the Unorthodox Alliance into chaos.
“Rather, they would rally together with a will for revenge and retribution, becoming an even stronger Unorthodox Alliance than usual. How about it? Will you sacrifice yourself for the Unorthodox Alliance?”
“I decline.”
Bi Sa-in briefly imagined the time after his death.
The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path would be grief-stricken, and among them, the First Wolf would be the saddest.
What about the Alliance Leader? How sad would he be? The fact that he couldn't clearly picture the reaction made him realize he still didn't know the Alliance Leader well.
The third person he thought of was Geom Mugeuk.
‘Would this person be sad if I died?’
Just as he was thinking what a pointless thought this was, Geom Mugeuk spoke up abruptly.
“If you die, I will avenge you. I will chase them to the ends of the Central Plains, and I will kill every single person involved in this matter, leaving no one behind.”
He truly had a knack for reading people’s minds.
“Thank you for the sentiment.”
A faint smile touched Bi Sa-in’s grotesque face.
For some reason, he felt that Geom Mugeuk would really dig to the very end for the sake of revenge.
“You look coolest when you smile just like that. When you find a woman you like later, you should smile like that for her once in a while.”
“More nonsense!”
Such jokes were being exchanged in a situation where he might die.
It was truly something that could only happen with Geom Mugeuk.
‘I could die?’
It would be a lie to say he had never considered it.
But after becoming the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance, he had let his guard down without realizing it.
Would anyone dare try to kill me?
It was time to change his thinking.
How dare you, as a martial artist, be so careless?
Moreover, it was a situation he would have never known about if Geom Mugeuk hadn't told him directly.
“I understand. I will prepare for his ambush.”
“Be sure to wear the protective armor.”
“I will wear two layers.”
Seeing that Bi Sa-in had taken it to heart, Geom Mugeuk felt relieved.
Of course, his prediction could be wrong, but there was no harm in being cautious in all things.
“Is there a masked uniform among the official attire of the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path?”
“There is.”
Most Escort Martial Artists belonging to large organizations had masked uniforms.
This was because they were people who had to secretly watch over their targets while concealing their identities.
“From now on, have them wear that, and give me a set. Also, take one person out from the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path. I will take his place.”
“Are you really going to go this far?”
“I am. Why? You don't like it?”
“It’s fine by me, but I feel sorry.”
“I’ll make sure to collect on this with interest later.”
What Bi Sa-in wanted to ask was this.
“You are the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect. If it becomes known that you acted as my subordinate, it won’t be good for you.”
The situation was different from what had happened with Jin Ha-gun and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Wolves.
Now, he was trying to protect him in earnest.
“Right now, the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect is not going under the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance. Geom Mugeuk is going to Bi Sa-in.”
“!”
Bi Sa-in knew instinctively.
He would not forget these words from Geom Mugeuk for a very long time.
“I haven't done anything for you to deserve you going this far.”
“If you put a scale between people, they're business partners, not friends, right? In human relationships, it's natural for one person to like the other more. That's me, me.”
Geom Mugeuk, who said this, was truly someone to be grateful for and fond of.
From birth until he became the successor of the Unorthodox Alliance, he had never once thought he would make a friend.
He thought it was impossible.
Geom Mugeuk added with a smile.
“Actually, it’s for my own sake. If someone other than you were to become the Unorthodox Alliance Leader, I might die of frustration. My happiness will increase if someone like you is the Alliance Leader. So don't worry about it. Just think of it as me doing what I want.”
This was why he was even better.
Geom Mugeuk seemed to take all the credit, but he was someone who didn't actually like taking credit.
‘I’ve lost.’
Bi Sa-in admitted it.
Even if he came under him, he had lost.
Admitting it put his mind at ease.
The two of them stood there on the windy cliff for a long time without a word.
*
The next day, two things had changed.
The attire of the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path who escorted him had changed, and the fact that one of the masked men was Geom Mugeuk.
“Isn’t the mask a bit uncomfortable? I think it would be better if the inner fabric was a bit softer.”
At those words, the Seventh Wolf nodded as if he agreed, then turned his gaze away under the First Wolf’s chiding look.
The First Wolf was not pleased that Geom Mugeuk had entered the inner courtyard of the Unorthodox Alliance.
It was something he would have never allowed if it weren't for Bi Sa-in's protection.
Geom Mugeuk and Bi Sa-in exchanged telepathic messages whenever they had a chance.
—I don’t think you’re needed inside the Alliance headquarters, are you?
—On the contrary, I think this place is the most dangerous.
Aren't assassinations always carried out in places considered the safest?
Bi Sa-in looked out the window.
Thinking that those who wanted to kill him were here, the familiar scenery of the Unorthodox Alliance felt strangely alien today.
The First Wolf spoke to Bi Sa-in.
“Let’s go, we have a meeting with the Division Lords.”
As he left his residence, he sent a telepathic message to Geom Mugeuk.
—Are you really going to follow me to the meeting?
—I have to.
—Aren’t you really doing this to steal our main sect's secrets?
—You only just realized that?
Geom Mugeuk truly intended to follow him all day.
He wouldn't have done this if the opponent wasn't the Martial King.
The Martial King he knew truly loved to fight, and just as much as he loved it, he hated to lose.
The conspiracy he had been carrying out within the Unorthodox Alliance would also be a kind of fight for him.
He would try to never lose this fight, and to avoid losing in the current situation, he had to eliminate Bi Sa-in.
Because he was the most direct threat.
Eliminating Bi Sa-in before the fire spread to the Unorthodox Alliance Leader would be the surest choice for victory.
The First Wolf sent a telepathic message to Bi Sa-in.
—I understand that the Young Alliance Leader trusts the Young Cult Master, but you should not be showing him the inner workings of our main sect like this.
It will become a problem later when the Alliance Leader finds out.
—I know well what you are worried about, First Wolf.
But just this once, please trust my judgment.
The First Wolf looked at Bi Sa-in.
He felt that his eyes were not those of someone being swayed by Geom Mugeuk, so the First Wolf nodded his head.
He decided he would just have to be more vigilant.
There was nothing more foolish than completely trusting a demonic practitioner.
Thus, Bi Sa-in attended the meeting.
When stationing the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path outside the meeting hall, the First Wolf placed Geom Mugeuk as far away as possible.
It was to prevent him from hearing the conversation inside.
Geom Mugeuk obediently followed the First Wolf's instructions.
After finishing the meeting, Bi Sa-in saw Geom Mugeuk standing at the end of the hallway.
He could tell what had happened without any explanation.
—Please understand.
The First Wolf is a very rigid person.
—I understand.
Bi Sa-in moved as he usually did.
He had one meal a day at the same tavern.
Today was no different.
While eating, he sent a telepathic message to the First Wolf.
—What is the situation with Hwang Seok-gyeong?
He had already sent eyes to monitor that side.
—It’s no different than usual.
In fact, he is training with more intensity than usual.
If he didn't trust Geom Mugeuk, he would have thought he was being framed, as he was acting as he always did.
Bi Sa-in glanced at Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk, who was standing near the tavern entrance, was clearly looking outside.
—There you go with that suspicious look again.
I told you to trust me.
—How can I not be suspicious when I have a subordinate with eyes in the back of his head?
Geom Mugeuk turned to look this way.
The two eyes above the mask were smiling.
—Isn’t it tiring?
—I’m dead tired.
I just had a quick bite while standing earlier.
I should treat my guards better from now on.
—Come over here and eat with me.
—No. I will continue to suffer and lord it over you for a long, long time.
I will talk about this every time we meet.
After finishing their meal, they returned.
Nothing happened that day.
The next day, nothing happened either.
Hwang Seok-gyeong also went about his days as usual.
Three days passed like this.
Today, Bi Sa-in was eating at the same tavern as always.
—The Young Cult Master might have misjudged.
Bi Sa-in did not react to the First Wolf’s telepathic message.
Today as well, Geom Mugeuk stood near the entrance, looking at the scenery outside.
Beyond Geom Mugeuk’s shoulders, passersby came and went, merchants hawked their wares, and children could be seen running around.
‘Right, he is also a person, he can’t be perfect.’
After finishing their meal, Bi Sa-in and the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path left the tavern.
On their way back to the headquarters, a girl carrying a flower basket approached them.
She was a girl he had not seen before.
“Buy flowers, I’ll give you a good price on flowers.”
The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path grew wary of her.
One of the Thirteen Wolves went and examined the girl.
On the surface, there were no signs of her having learned martial arts.
The basket she was holding only contained flowers and nothing else.
She was, by all accounts, an ordinary flower-selling girl.
As Bi Sa-in passed in front of her, the girl held out a single flower.
He was about to pass by, but Bi Sa-in turned towards the girl.
“How much for one?”
“For a noble person like you, I’ll just give it to you.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“You’re the Young Alliance Leader, aren't you? My father told me to be polite if I saw you, Young Alliance Leader.”
“Where is your father?”
“He’s sick. He’s lying in bed at home.”
“Give me all the flowers you are selling.”
“Really?”
The girl’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I'll buy them specially to commemorate our meeting today.”
Just as he was about to take out money to give her.
“I’ll give you this flower too.”
The moment the girl took out the flower pinned in her hair and was about to put it in the flower basket.
Thak.
The First Wolf quickly subdued the girl by striking her paralyzing point and snatched the flower she was holding.
“It is the Twin Yin-Yang Poison Herb. When the Yin poison herb that was in this child's hair combines with the Yang poison herb in the basket, it momentarily emits a scent laden with deadly poison.”
Everyone looked at the girl.
The girl's face had already turned black, and she was slumping to the ground.
After examining her, already dead, the First Wolf reported with a grim expression.
“It seems she was set up to be poisoned by a deadly poison the moment she removed the flower from her hair.”
Whether it was by her own will or not, it was a vicious assassination mission where she had literally thrown her life away.
Just as everyone’s attention was focused on the girl.
“Watch your back!”
The one who shouted was Geom Mugeuk.
While everyone's attention was on the girl, a passerby standing behind Bi Sa-in took advantage of that momentary gap to launch an attack.
Kwaaaaaang!
With a loud explosion, dozens of steel needle-like hidden weapons were fired at once from a cylindrical hidden weapon in his hand.
Shishishishishishishik!
Geom Mugeuk, who had crossed the space with Flickering Step, swung his sword and deflected the hidden weapons.
That was not the only attack.
Across the street, a man who had been looking at merchandise turned around and launched a hidden weapon.
This time, too, a hidden weapon was launched with a loud explosion.
The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path threw their bodies and swung their swords.
At that moment, another man appeared on the opposite roof and was about to launch a hidden weapon!
Slice!
The arm of the man holding the weapon canister was severed and fell.
Geom Mugeuk, who had flown up in an instant, had cut off his arm with his sword.
Geom Mugeuk had deflected all the incoming hidden weapons, killed the opponent, and then immediately rushed to the rooftop.
His movements were so fast that those watching mistook it for someone else blocking the attack.
The ambusher with the severed arm tried to pull out another hidden weapon with his other hand, but he could not accomplish with one arm what he had failed to do with two.
Puk!
The Black Demon Sword pierced his neck.
By the time Geom Mugeuk landed on the ground, all the assassins had been subdued.
The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path were surrounding Bi Sa-in, and in the middle of them, the First Wolf was shouting.
“Young Alliance Leader!”
A hidden weapon was embedded in his chest.
All the hidden weapons had been concentrated on Bi Sa-in, and because they flew so quickly from a close distance, not all of them could be deflected.
“I am fine.”
When Bi Sa-in’s robes were opened, he was wearing protective armor underneath.
He was indeed wearing not one, but two layers.
The hidden weapon had failed to pierce the two layers of protective armor and was stuck.
Three of the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path who had blocked the hidden weapons were injured.
But they had all avoided fatal wounds.
They, too, were all wearing protective armor.
Geom Mugeuk and Bi Sa-in’s gazes met.
—Well done.
—Because of your nagging, I borrowed protective armor from the Unorthodox Alliance’s treasury and made the Thirteen Wolves wear them too.
In retrospect, it was a very good decision.
—What about me? You gave it to everyone but me? You should have given me one too!
—I figured you would block them yourself just fine.
We were also short on protective armor.
—And yet you wore two layers yourself?
—You told me to wear two layers!
The two of them bantered like that.
It was Geom Mugeuk, who had to joke even after cheating death.
Soon, Geom Mugeuk dropped his playful demeanor and spoke calmly.
“The flower-selling girl was a decoy to draw attention. They intended to attack when our attention was diverted to her.”
“How did you know that?”
Because the opponent was the Martial King.
If they were men under his command, they wouldn't have been so clumsy.
“I had a bad feeling.”
Bi Sa-in realized that Geom Mugeuk had been right.
The opponent was truly trying to kill him.
‘This madman! He really is trying to kill me? And right in front of the main headquarters?’
If it hadn't been for Geom Mugeuk just now, he might have been hit.
Even if he had survived, the casualties among the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path would have been severe.
The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path, knowing this, bowed their heads to Geom Mugeuk to express their gratitude.
Even the First Wolf, who had disapproved of Geom Mugeuk, was among them.
Bi Sa-in corrected his earlier thought.
That man is also human, so he can't be perfect? Not a chance.
‘This person is perfect. He’s not human.’
The First Wolf collected the hidden weapons used by the enemies.
“The hidden weapons they used are the Blood Heaven Rainstorm needlers, which are designated as forbidden weapons throughout the entire Martial World.”
Not only were they impossible to obtain through normal channels, but three Blood Heaven Rainstorm needlers, which required a huge sum of money to acquire, had been mobilized.
They were not just trying to kill him, but to kill him using forbidden weapons? The opponent was someone with no pride or honor as a martial artist.
Someone who only sought to achieve the goal of killing.
Bi Sa-in looked at Geom Mugeuk with an angry face.
Geom Mugeuk silently wore an expression that said he would follow Bi Sa-in’s decision.
He didn't thank him for saving his life.
He intended to settle the score for his gratitude all at once after this whole affair was over.
“Using forbidden weapons, they lack the basics of a martial artist.”
Bi Sa-in started walking towards the headquarters.
Since they had sent their greetings, it was time for him to go and greet them back.
“Let's go and check if our Unorthodox Alliance Hall teaches the basics properly.”