Chapter 266 - No Matter What Anyone Says, You Are

Once the banquet ended, only Geom Mugeuk and his guards remained. After having the bodies removed, he deliberately sent everyone else away. He wanted to share a drink with his guards.

Perched on the table, I raised a wine bottle.

"Your shift ends soon, doesn't it? Come on, everyone. Have a drink."

Jeok Yeon and the guards quietly accepted the wine. They no longer answered my orders with, "We cannot do that while on guard duty." A relationship unique to us was taking shape.

"You've all been working hard."

When I raised my cup high, they raised theirs and drained them. There was a curious pleasure in drinking in the empty banquet hall after a storm had swept through it.

'At least take a little rest at times like this.'

Some people thought being a bodyguard was impressive, but without a sense of duty, it was a truly difficult job. They were neither leads nor supporting characters—not even bit players. Their work required them to become the background.

"Do you ever drink before going to sleep?"

Jeok Yeon answered my question.

"Occasionally. On a day like today, I would have."

"A day like today?"

Instead of answering, he asked me a question.

"Doesn't punishing evil wear you out?"

"That's why we lose. We get tired. They're weeds that spring back up the moment you turn your back, while we're farmers who have to pull out every last one."

Jeok Yeon's eyes quivered slightly. Then his gaze turned toward the bloodstain where Yeo Sogwang's body had lain.

"When I first met Commander Yeo, I had no idea he was that sort of man."

"Don't let first impressions fool you. Petty men are good at disguising themselves. If someone makes you feel excessively pleased the instant you meet them, be wary first."

"In that respect, I'm fortunate."

His single eye gave him a formidable first impression. He was no match for the Fist Demon in that regard; he looked like a somewhat milder version of Jang Ho.

"You're quite handsome yourself without that eye patch, aren't you? Very manly."

"Me? That's the first I've heard of it."

Just as Jeok Yeon was beginning to feel pleased, I quickly added,

"This is exactly what you should watch out for. Someone making you feel good for no reason!"

He and the guards laughed together.

"Will you leave for the Jiangxi branch tomorrow?"

"I'd like to, but... I have to finish things here first."

Cutting someone down and getting rid of them wasn't difficult. It was always the cleanup afterward that was hard. I had to sort out the mess he'd made and find someone to replace him.

"We're in no hurry. Let's take our time."

Would things be any different there? Good people and bastards would be living side by side.

* * *

The next morning, word of the branch head's death spread through the Hunan branch. With so many people present when Yeo Sogwang died, the reasons for his death became known in detail as well. Today, the rumors were confined to the branch, but within a few days they would spread throughout Hunan.

Now every branch head and branch leader in the Central Plains would fear me. I didn't think that was a bad thing. They needed to be scared stiff and on edge for discipline to take proper hold.

That afternoon, the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion official in charge of Hunan visited again.

"We have recovered all the wealth Yeo Sogwang concealed at Yangho Temple. What should we do with the money?"

"Send it all to headquarters."

"Understood."

Father, your son is out here working hard to earn money! I ought to make that little boast to him sometime.

"Young lord, we must ask you to remain at this branch for the time being, at least until our superiors appoint an interim branch head."

Having cut down the branch head without choosing a successor, I had little choice. Even without the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion martial artist's request, I had intended to stay and help settle the aftermath. Just as they had entrusted me with choosing the Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion, they might accept my recommendation for the next branch head here.

"As soon as you return, send me information on the senior officers serving under the branch head. Everything you can find."

"Understood."

After receiving information from Yellow Springs Pavilion as well, I immediately interviewed the martial artists who might qualify as the next branch head. A single interview couldn't tell me what kind of person someone was, but his past conduct gave me grounds to judge.

I recorded my impressions and thoughts on each candidate in detail and sent them to Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. Whether they sent someone new or selected one of the men I'd interviewed, the rest was for Father and Heaven-Reaching Pavilion to decide.

Once my work was done, I practiced the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art at the training grounds. Lately, whenever I trained in it, a faint tingling sensation had made me instinctively feel that it was time to pass into the next level.

My prediction proved correct. On the third day of training, the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art reached the next level. I was now just one level short of complete mastery. Once I passed that final level, I would have two lives.

Usually, it was difficult to determine why one advanced in such a profound martial art, but this time I knew. It was because of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. Learning it had undoubtedly influenced my training in the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art.

I immediately performed the first form of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. I was curious how advancing a level in the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art had, in turn, affected it.

The first form: Human Annihilation.

East Ghost, West Ghost, South Ghost, and North Ghost appeared in unison and tore through space simultaneously. The frightening one, the handsome one, the mysterious one, and the clever-looking one—all four were unchanged.

But something had changed. They remained a little longer than before. Advancing a level in the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art had affected the Nine Calamities Demonic Art as well.

Of course, that didn't mean we were exchanging feelings. For now, the courtship was still entirely one-sided.

East, West, South, North—I'm counting on you from here on, too!

Would a moment ever come when those evil spirits responded to these feelings of mine? My art was already different, but on that day, my Nine Calamities Demonic Art would become something entirely unlike Father's.

* * *

That day, when Geom Mugeuk finished training and left the practice grounds, two men came to see him. One introduced himself first.

"My name is Chung Sik. I have an earnest request to make of you, young lord, so I have ventured to intrude upon you."

Chung Sik's voice trembled, perhaps from nerves. Geom Mugeuk recognized him.

"You were one of the musicians playing at the banquet that day."

Chung Sik was startled that Geom Mugeuk recognized him.

"You remember me?"

"Yes. I don't easily forget someone I've seen once. What brings you here, musician?"

Chung Sik turned toward the middle-aged man accompanying him.

"This fellow here is a friend of mine."

The other man introduced himself.

"I'm Hae Song. I sell vegetables in the local market."

Hae Song was even more nervous than Chung Sik.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am Geom Mugeuk."

"It is an honor to meet someone so distinguished."

"What have you come to see me about?"

Hae Song couldn't readily speak. Though he'd even rehearsed what to say, now that the moment had come, his heart trembled so much that the words wouldn't come out. Unable to watch any longer, Chung Sik spoke for him.

"Before you arrived, young lord, my friend's son was brutally beaten through no fault of his own. He was injured so badly that the physician said he might be left crippled."

Hae Song bit his lip hard. That was why he couldn't bring himself to say it. Whenever he thought of his son, rage overwhelmed him, and emotion welled up until he was on the verge of tears.

"Who did it?"

"There is an organization made up of young martial artists from Hunan. They call themselves the Martial God Society."

"Who led the assault?"

"The sons of the Heavenly Harmony School's master and the White Night Gang's leader."

The Heavenly Harmony School and the White Night Gang. Those sects had worked hand in hand with the dead Yeo Sogwang. They, too, needed to be investigated over this affair, yet they had surfaced through something entirely unexpected. Seeing how Heaven refused to let their sects slip through the net, Geom Mugeuk wondered whether their crimes might be greater than they appeared.

"We know how presumptuous it is for lowly people like us to seek you out and make such a request, young lord. But I saw you stand up for Yakran that day. I thought that you, of all people, might redress the wrong done to my friend."

Chung Sik looked at Hae Song.

"I've spent my whole life doing nothing but playing music. When I was poor, this friend bought me an instrument and made it possible for me to learn. I want to repay that kindness, even if I must risk my life."

Hae Song lowered his head. Though he was merely a vegetable seller in the market, he knew how daunting and difficult it was to approach the young lord of the Demonic Cult. His friend had risked his life to come here for him. In truth, he himself had risked his life alongside him. For anything else, he would never have come.

Hae Song began in a trembling voice.

"To be honest, I'd given up. How could a mere market vendor like me stand against the Heavenly Harmony School and the White Night Gang? But my friend told me that your arrival at this moment was Heaven granting me a chance."

Hae Song looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"I want them to pay for what they've done."

He had been trembling all this time, but in that moment, his eyes were those of a father.

* * *

Hae Song's wife was astonished. When the musician came and urged her husband to visit the young lord, she had thought it would be a wasted effort. Surely the young lord of the Demonic Cult wouldn't agree to meet a mere musician. She had worried they would go for nothing and return after receiving a harsh beating. But now the young lord had come in person, with guards posted around the house, and she was beside herself with surprise.

When they entered the room, Hae Song's son, Hae Jin, lay groaning in pain. His injuries were visibly severe. A physician had come to treat him, but he still couldn't move from his bed. In his present condition, even living as an ordinary person looked difficult, let alone becoming a martial artist.

At the sound of the door opening, Hae Jin forced himself to endure the pain and spoke.

"Mother, I'm all right. I'm much better."

He was struggling to hide his pain so that she wouldn't worry. Holding back tears, Hae Song's wife sat beside her son.

"Jin, someone very important has come to see you."

Only then did Hae Jin open his eyes. But he was in too much pain to see properly.

"Let me examine him for a moment."

Geom Mugeuk turned Hae Jin onto his side and placed a palm against his back. After he infused true qi for a short while to regulate the boy's qi and blood, Hae Jin's labored breathing quieted.

Chung Sik, Hae Song, and his wife were delighted and relieved at the sight. This was the first time he had looked so peaceful since his injury. Geom Mugeuk cleared the blockages in his qi and blood flow and properly reset his broken bones. He accomplished that difficult treatment in an instant, with minimal pain. Without the cracking sounds, they wouldn't even have known what he was doing.

"What happened?"

With his face now relaxed, Hae Jin told him what had happened.

"I went to work at a banquet. Serving wine and food at a prominent family's banquet pays better than working at an inn."

Hae Song sighed. His son worked that hard to earn the money to attend a martial arts academy. If he had been wealthy, his son wouldn't have gone to do such work. Chung Sik had told him not to blame himself, but how could a parent help it?

"My dream is to become a martial artist."

"You were born with a good physique. You can become a fine martial artist. Be grateful to your parents."

"Really?"

Now a little more clearheaded, Hae Jin looked at his parents. They smiled, doing their best to hide their heartache. Geom Mugeuk asked again,

"What happened there?"

"After carrying wine for the banquet for quite a while, I had a break, so I practiced the footwork I'd learned. I shouldn't have practiced..."

Hae Jin let out a regretful sigh before continuing.

"Young Master Seo was passing by and saw me. He asked whether I'd learned martial arts. When I told him I attended an academy, he told me to spar with Young Master Seok, who was with him. I kept refusing, but..."

Hae Jin's expression turned resentful, then fear appeared in his eyes. Remembering that moment seemed to fill him with unbearable fury. The terror of being beaten nearly to death had also left a deep wound in him. Now Geom Mugeuk understood what had happened. They had used a sparring match as a pretext for assault, making it impossible to hold them responsible. This would not have been the first or second time they'd done it.

"How is my body?"

"Fortunately, your vital channels weren't damaged. I've just cleared the channels blocked by your injuries. You don't have to give up your dream."

"Thank you so much."

Tears spilled from Hae Jin's eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Chung Sik, Hae Song, and Hae Song's wife were overjoyed as well. They had only hoped he wouldn't be crippled, yet now their son could dream of becoming a martial artist again. They were even happier than he was.

"Are these banquets held often?"

"Once every three or four days."

"Now get some good sleep."

Geom Mugeuk pressed Hae Jin's sleep point, and the boy drifted peacefully off to sleep.

"Leave the rest to me. Just focus on your son's recovery."

The three bowed deeply to Geom Mugeuk. They had never imagined the young lord would so readily go this far to help them. It felt like a dream.

Before leaving, Geom Mugeuk told Hae Song,

"I came because of the look in your eyes. You saved your son."

As he stepped outside, he heard Hae Song release the sobs he had held back for so long. His wife's and his friend's sobs joined them.

Geom Mugeuk spoke to Jeok Yeon, who was waiting for him.

"Contact Heaven-Reaching Pavilion again and tell them to send information on the Heavenly Harmony School and the White Night Gang. Find out when the next banquet is, too."

"Yes, understood."

As they walked toward the carriage together, Jeok Yeon added,

"You truly are remarkable."

"What is?"

"The way you attend to each of these matters yourself."

"I ride here in a carriage you drive, treat someone with a strand of true qi, then ride to the banquet hall in another carriage you drive and teach some bastards who can't tell shit from piss a lesson. Now, which part of that is remarkable? What's remarkable is that musician's courage in proposing a visit to the young lord for his friend. It's a father's courage in demanding that the sons of powerful sects pay for their crimes, to win justice for his son. It's a son's endurance as he pretends he isn't in pain for his mother's sake. Those are the things you should call remarkable."

But Jeok Yeon firmly shook his head.

"No. No matter what anyone says, you are more remarkable, young lord."

Jeok Yeon opened the carriage door. As Geom Mugeuk climbed inside, he said,

"Stubborn now, too. You're changing. There's something rebellious about you."

Closing the carriage door, Jeok Yeon replied,

"And whose fault would that be?"

Geom Mugeuk smiled at Jeok Yeon through the window. He felt color gradually filling these men who had once been a gray background. And so the carriage began rolling toward a task that was both remarkable and unremarkable.