“Are you not going back?”
Despite the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s words, Gowol merely alternated his gaze between the Go board and the booklet in his hand.
“All the work is finished now, isn’t it? Let’s go back!”
They had finally completed the task of establishing an intelligence organization in the Central Plains.
The name Geommugeuk had given the organization was Eunwol. Gowol had not appended Hall or Order to it. He had decided to use the name exactly as Geommugeuk had given it.
“Let’s go!”
“I’m not going.”
“Why?”
“I’ll return when I can win at Go against the Chief Strategist.”
Of course, the Pungcheon Cult Leader understood the underlying intention in Gowol’s words. It meant he would not return until he had managed Eunwol into a better organization than the Tongcheongak led by the Chief Strategist. No matter how well an organization was built, the difference between one managed directly by its leader and one that wasn’t was bound to manifest. Especially right after its creation, a time when the leader’s diligence was most needed.
“Do you think the Second Young Master will even appreciate this?”
“He’s not the Second Young Master. He’s the Young Cult Leader.”
“Same man, whatever you call him. Now that he’s achieved his goal, you’ll become leftover rice, you and the demonic venerables. He’ll shove you in some corner, and when you meet, he’ll say something like, ‘Who are you again?’ He won’t even call you ‘that strategist’ anymore. He’ll probably say, ‘Don’t get in my way, move aside. The Young Cult Leader is coming through.’ That’s just life, whether you like it or not. Who wants to look after others forever?”
Gowol spoke while still looking at the Go board and the Go book in his hand.
“Aren’t you tired of saying such things by now?”
“I’ll say the same thing over and over until I die. And you listen over and over. That’s what close friends do.”
“Then aren’t we too close?”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader said nothing more and walked to the window.
“That won’t work! Pretending to be sulky.”
The Pungcheon Cult Leader, who had been walking toward the window, naturally turned around as if he had not meant to go there, and this time walked toward the bed. Just as he was pretending to have a fever and touching his forehead, Gowol beat him to it.
“Stop pretending to be ill!”
At that, the Pungcheon Cult Leader eventually returned to his original spot.
“Let’s just curse the Second Young Master. That’s the only thing that actually relieves my frustration. Where did we leave off?”
“‘Move aside, the Young Cult Leader is coming through.’”
Despite saying he was tired of it, Gowol had listened properly to everything.
“Now that he’s become the Young Cult Leader and Eunwol is complete, you’ll be pushed to the back. Before long, he’ll casually ask about merging Eunwol with Tongcheongak. What will you do then?”
“If he says to merge, I’ll merge.”
“No wonder the Second Young Master looks at you like such a tasty morsel. He’ll tear off all your flesh and lick every bone clean.”
Then, a familiar voice was heard from behind.
“You truly slander me every time we meet.”
Surprised, they turned to see Geommugeuk standing there with a smile.
“You truly have a remarkable talent for showing up only when I’m speaking ill of you.”
“Isn’t most of your day spent speaking ill of me?”
“Sometimes I speak ill of you all day, even in my sleep.”
He spoke thus, but the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s face was full of delight.
To the Pungcheon Cult Leader, Geommugeuk respectfully cupped his hands in greeting.
“You’ve worked hard, Cult Leader.”
“Why so sudden? Is this the divine art of giving rice cakes to someone you hate?”
“I heard that Eunwol has been completed. If the Cult Leader had not helped from the side, things could not have proceeded so smoothly.”
“So you two have been in contact again behind my back. Excluding me!”
This time, Gowol formally greeted Geommugeuk.
“I am only now formally greeting you. Please accept my congratulations on becoming the Young Cult Leader.”
“You played a large part in it.”
“Even if a broom had been placed in my position, it would not have hindered the overall trend.”
Then the Pungcheon Cult Leader butted in.
“Stop acting so humble. He’ll really think it’s true. Say that you worked yourself half to death. No matter what you say, humans only think about how hard their own lives are.”
Gowol said with a smile.
“Our Cult Leader worked very hard. Please acknowledge and praise him.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
At that, the Pungcheon Cult Leader raised his voice.
“Stop pretending to be nice and speak your true feelings!”
Geommugeuk and Gowol looked at each other and smiled.
Then Geommugeuk’s gaze turned toward the Go board behind them.
“Are you finally becoming a perfect strategist who even plays Go well?”
Geommugeuk walked over to the Go board.
Gowol also stood before the Go board with him.
“Shall we play a match?”
“I have only just learned, so I am still far from good.”
However, contrary to his words, the board position far surpassed the level of a beginner.
“This fight is fierce.”
At Geommugeuk’s words, Gowol uttered something meaningful.
“Does it not resemble this matter?”
The moment he heard that question, Geommugeuk knew. Gowol had already fully grasped what had happened at the Honam Branch. He wondered if Gowol had been playing Go alone while pondering that problem.
“This move was thrown to save stones that would become dead. It is too deep to be called a probe, yet too reckless to be a move to rescue dead stones.”
Gowol’s gaze shifted from the Go board to Geommugeuk.
“It is a move played by the Martial Alliance to save the Cheonhwamun.”
Indeed, Gowol already knew the developing situation. Furthermore, he had grasped things that even Geommugeuk did not know.
“Jin Hagun, the grandson of the Martial Alliance Leader and the commander of the Demon Extermination Legion, exercised his unique authority to move the Martial Alliance. The Cult Leader accepted their request. Of course, I understand it is customary that if we accept their request now, the Martial Alliance will later accept a request from our cult.”
Geommugeuk nodded. Since this was also a test for his son, his father would be watching this move with interest.
“But do they know what Seocheong did?”
“I believe they have grasped it to some extent.”
Except for the principal culprit, Seocheong, and Seokpung, who had exposed the crime, all the other Mushinhoe members had been released. Through them, news of what had happened at the banquet hall would have spread to some extent.
“And yet they push ahead?”
“Because the gains are great enough to endure the criticism.”
Geommugeuk shook his head. The Martial Alliance Leader he had seen had been a domineering yet fair and just man.
“Perhaps their grandson is also being tested.”
Gowol immediately understood what he meant and nodded.
“How should we respond now?”
Geommugeuk had rushed all the way here to hear that answer.
The rush had been worthwhile. Gowol had already established a plan.
“That Cheonhwamun has been able to tightrope between our cult, the Martial Alliance, and the Demonic Alliance until now is partly due to their own strength, but also because of the thirty-odd small and medium sects that follow them. And most of those sects are not forces that follow the righteous path, but ones that follow our cult and the Demonic Alliance.”
“They must be dissatisfied that Cheonhwamun has joined hands with the righteous faction.”
“Exactly. We shall absorb all their sects in this opportunity. If that happens, the Martial Alliance will end up making a fuss without gaining any substance.”
“An excellent plan!”
Geommugeuk was greatly pleased.
But Gowol was also aware of the problem in his plan.
“The problem is the reaction of the Martial Alliance and Cheonhwamun if we do so. They will certainly not stand still, so we must prepare for that.”
It was a valid point. They could not simply watch such a situation unfold.
After pondering briefly, Geommugeuk picked up a white stone.
“If we try to save dead stones by force, we must be punished. However….”
Clack!
Geommugeuk placed the stone on a spot away from where the fight was unfolding.
“If we rush to capture them openly, they will struggle desperately to survive, so I intend to make a move from the opposite side of where I am trying to capture.”
“Strike the east to attack the west.”
At Gowol’s words, Geommugeuk smiled meaningfully.
“And in truth, that person is to our east.”
* * *
Geommugeuk dashed toward the east.
His swift movement technique, having achieved the Great Perfection of the Ten Stars, shrank the Central Plains before him.
In that place he reached faster than a bird, Geommugeuk met him. The welcome person he had sought was dining at an inn as always today.
“—I told you to eat a balanced diet, yet you are still picky.”
At the flying sound transmission, Bisain smirked.
Illang, who was standing nearby, spoke to him.
“Why are you smiling?”
“I simply thought of a tactless person.”
After Yawolhan died, Bisain had completely seized real power. He had become the solid successor to the Demonic Alliance in name and truth, and many followed him. It would not be an overstatement to say all those results were thanks to Geommugeuk.
“—Let us meet at the cliff tonight.”
“—Enough with the meetings already.”
* * *
That night, when Bisain arrived at the cliff, Geommugeuk was sitting astride the edge of the cliff.
“I don’t know why, but every time I see your back, I want to push you off.”
“Then push me off firmly today. Once you realize it’s useless, you won’t feel that way next time.”
Bisain came and stood beside Geommugeuk.
“Why have you come again?”
“Why else? I came because I need your help.”
“What kind of demonic cultist asks for help from the Demonic Alliance he will one day face?”
He spoke thus, but Bisain’s heart was pounding. Just when his repeating daily life felt tedious, Geommugeuk would abruptly appear before him.
Remaining seated, Geommugeuk looked up at Bisain’s face and spoke.
“Oh, from this angle, your face looks quite handsome. From here, your scar looks cool, too. If you have a woman you admire, make sure to seat her here and stand there.”
“Stop talking nonsense and tell me why you came.”
“Let’s do one thing together.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Recently, the Martial Alliance has been acting greedy. But if it’s greed, we are not the sort to be left out, are we?”
Bisain’s expression turned slightly serious.
“Are you speaking of the Cheonhwamun matter?”
As expected, Bisain already knew of the matters regarding the Cheonhwamun. He had heard that the Cheonhwamun’s successor had been captured by Geommugeuk. He had naturally expected them to ask for help, but unexpectedly, they had joined hands with the Martial Alliance. Because of that, the Demonic Alliance and Bisain had been on high alert.
“As expected, you knew everything.”
“With you making such a fuss, how could I not know? Even the children playing in the streets probably know.”
“As you know, I love being the center of attention.”
“So? Why did you come?”
Separate from his goodwill toward Geommugeuk, this matter was extremely significant. A great neutral force was taking one side.
“We cannot simply stand by and watch, can we?”
“Someone like you could resolve this alone, could you not?”
He knew better than anyone how outstanding Geommugeuk was. That was why Bisain was suspicious of him.
“I could have resolved it alone, of course. If it were not for my father.”
“What do you mean?”
“An official order was issued. To release the Cheonhwamun successor. In other words, it means not to clash head-on with them.”
“And so? You intend to use me in your stead?”
“Something like that.”
Bisain spoke firmly.
“I refuse.”
To him as he tried to turn away, Geommugeuk said.
“Let us divide it into three.”
In that moment, Bisain stopped. How could he simply leave after hearing those words?
“What do you mean?”
“Most of the small and medium sects following the Cheonhwamun are ones that follow our cult and the Demonic Alliance. They will have much dissatisfaction with the Cheonhwamun’s unilateral decision this time. Let us absorb them all.”
Bisain was startled. He had been so focused on the Cheonhwamun that he had not thought that far.
“Why do you give me an opportunity as well, instead of absorbing them all yourself?”
Geommugeuk answered honestly.
“It is for three reasons. First, as I said earlier, it is difficult for me to act unilaterally and clash with them. But if you intervene, the situation changes.”
“The second reason?”
“What would I do by forcibly dragging those who wish to go under you? They would only betray me later. If we were in a desperate situation, I would not be choosy, but I do not wish to recklessly expand my forces merely for show. That is the old way.”
Bisain’s scar twitched. He pondered whether Geommugeuk had some hidden motive, but he could not tell. Had it been someone else, he might have grasped the intention more easily; but because it was Geommugeuk, it was truly difficult.
“What is the final reason?”
“Because I’m curious. As you know, the Cheonhwa Sect has mainly dealt with our cult and with you people. Yet when a crisis struck, they joined hands with the Murim Alliance. Under normal circumstances, shouldn’t they have joined hands with you? With their lives and fate on the line, they acted against all common sense? What hidden circumstances could there be? Who was the one who led that decision? Aren’t you curious?”
Bi Sa-in answered honestly as well.
“I am curious. No, I’m even more curious.”
“In truth, I think that reason alone is enough for you to step forward.”
After pondering for a moment, Bi Sa-in suddenly said,
“What if I get greedy in the process? What if I try to absorb the Cheonhwa Sect as well?”
Since the Cheonhwa Sect had maintained as much exchange with the Sado Alliance as with the Demon Cult, it was not impossible for them to join hands with the Sado Alliance.
“Then be greedy.”
“What?”
“If you can, join hands with the Cheonhwa Sect.”
“Do you hate those orthodox bastards that much?”
“That is not why. It’s because I intend to absorb the Cheonhwa Sect too. Since that is what I want as well, I can’t refuse to acknowledge what you want. Let’s compete. To see who will have the Cheonhwa Sect.”
Bi Sa-in looked down at Geom Mugeuk in silence. From the moment they had first met until now, he had made him feel as though there was a wall before him. But it was not a wall that pressed down on him. It was a wall he wanted to climb over. A wall that spurred him on, telling him not to remain as he was.
Bi Sa-in suddenly said,
“I’ve started wanting to shove you over again.”
At that, Geom Mugeuk held out his hand, asking to be helped up.
With an expression of disbelief, Bi Sa-in shook his head.
“I really think you need to seek counsel from the Divine Physician.”
“Our cult’s Demon Physician is so smitten with me that it’s impossible. If you won’t give me a hand, I’ll have to get up on my own. Oof. My back.”
Geom Mugeuk made a show of groaning as he rose from his seat.
Bi Sa-in made his final decision.
“I’ll see you in Hunan.”
It meant he would accept the proposal.
Geom Mugeuk said to him,
“Bring masters who can create a menacing atmosphere. We don’t know what might pop out from their side. And I need a pretext to move as well.”
At that, Bi Sa-in said provocatively,
“Can you handle it?”
“Why would I handle it? I’ll call people too. Demon Venerables even more frightening than you lot.”
“You truly never lose, not even once.”
Bi Sa-in turned and vanished into the darkness.
“You grow more impressive by the day!”
At the words that came from behind him, Bi Sa-in ended up letting out a wry laugh despite himself.
When he turned back to say something, Geom Mugeuk was already gone from that spot. He was flying far away, among the stars in the night sky.
Looking up at Geom Mugeuk and those densely scattered stars, Bi Sa-in said quietly,
“I will handle you. I will make sure I become that kind of person.”