Geom Mugeuk and Geukak Soma emerged from the Space-Time Transposition Art.
It was the moment they returned from illusion to reality, and for both of them, it had been two days they would never forget.
When Geom Mugeuk opened the door, Yeojeong was standing there.
“Has someone come?”
Yeojeong answered, her face slightly flushed.
“The Demon-Extermination Unit Leader and Miss Jin Haryeong.”
Of course, Yeojeong knew. She knew that the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader was the grandson of the Martial Alliance Leader and the strongest candidate to succeed him.
But she had never imagined that Jin Hagun would come to Cheonhwaru. Now the young alliance leader of the Sado Alliance would come as well. Once that happened, the heirs of all three powers—demonic, orthodox, and unorthodox—would be gathered in one place.
Yeojeong felt that this matter was the greatest crisis of her life, but at the same time, it was also a chance to experience something she would never experience again.
“A friend has fallen into danger, so I called him.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Yeojeong expressed her regret.
“I envy you. In my life, I never gained a friend like that.”
At her words, Geom Mugeuk spoke as if hurt.
“You have no friends? Then what am I?”
As if his words were too much for her to bear, Yeojeong quickly lowered her head.
“I will bring the two of them here.”
As Yeojeong turned away, she thought about it and realized the Young Cult Leader had every reason to feel hurt. When she had fallen into danger, had he not brought Chohui and rushed here without rest? It was no different from the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader rushing over.
‘Now that I think about it, I did have a friend.’
She had the heaven-like Geukak Soma, and another heaven-like friend who came running in times of crisis. It was a life with nothing more to wish for.
Once Yeojeong withdrew, Geom Mugeuk immediately sat down and began circulating his qi. Since he had no internal energy at all, he intended to seize even this brief opening to complete at least one Heavenly Cycle.
While Geom Mugeuk circulated his qi, Geukak Soma stood beside him as his protector. He recalled the snowy landscape he had seen within the Space-Time Transposition Art.
With his eyes closed, circulating qi, Geom Mugeuk spoke. He had reached a realm where he could speak freely even while circulating his energy.
“Soma-nim, your martial realm can rise even higher than it is now.”
Geukak Soma had already achieved great completion in the Blood Ang Finger and the Demon Extreme Berserk Palm. With the recent changes in his life and the increase in his internal energy, his martial arts had risen further, and through the two days of training, that realm had become solid.
And now Geom Mugeuk was saying he could go even higher from this state. Since he had now reached the eleventh star, it meant he could reach the great completion of the twelfth star.
“Once the Blood Ang Finger and the Demon Extreme Berserk Palm are further perfected, they will be reborn as completely different martial arts.”
If it had been someone else saying it, he might not know, but if it was Geom Mugeuk, he could believe it. After all, he had experienced life and death together with him more than anyone else. He had experienced Geukak Soma’s martial arts countless times, closer than anyone.
“Become stronger, Soma-nim.”
Geukak Soma had always felt it. There was a clear reason and target behind Geom Mugeuk’s endless pursuit of strength.
“Are the enemies we must face that strong?”
Geom Mugeuk paused briefly before answering.
“They are strong.”
Geukak Soma quietly nodded. If so, no further words were needed.
“I will become stronger.”
If only to protect the Young Cult Leader.
And he was not the only one growing stronger. Recently, not only he but the other Demon Venerables as well were each growing stronger in their own ways.
That was why he had a premonition. The Eight Demon Venerables of this generation would become the strongest Eight Demon Venerables in history.
Just then, Jin Hagun and Jin Haryeong arrived with Yeojeong.
Upon entering the room, they were first surprised to see Geom Mugeuk circulating his qi, and surprised again to see Geukak Soma standing beside him. They had not expected to see Geukak Soma here.
“I greet the Demon Venerable.”
“Unit Leader Jin, welcome.”
Compared to Jin Hagun, who greeted him awkwardly, Jin Haryeong greeted him with a bright expression.
“It has been a long time!”
“Miss Jin, it is good to see you.”
Through this greeting, Jin Hagun could see just how much he and his younger sister had changed.
The fact that he had greeted first was one thing, but Jin Haryeong greeting someone in such a bright voice was truly unthinkable.
Jin Hagun’s gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk, who was circulating his qi. Yes, this expression was fitting.
Everything was divided into before meeting Geom Mugeuk and after meeting Geom Mugeuk.
Because after coming to know Geom Mugeuk, everything had changed. His life, of course, and even his younger sister, who was now asking Geukak Soma with gestures whether Geom Mugeuk had been injured.
Jin Haryeong was happy to see Geom Mugeuk after so long. Seeing him circulating his qi at the moment of their reunion, she thought it was just like him. A joke naturally slipped out.
“You called the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader here and you’re circulating qi? How bold of you!”
Jin Hagun shot her a look that said not to behave carelessly toward the Young Cult Leader in front of a Demon Venerable.
At that moment, Geom Mugeuk, having completed one Heavenly Cycle of true qi, opened his eyes.
“I wanted to show just how much I trust our Demon-Extermination Unit Leader.”
Geom Mugeuk sprang to his feet. Geukak Soma, standing beside him, was inwardly surprised.
‘The speed at which he completes a Heavenly Cycle is astonishingly fast.’
Of course, a single Heavenly Cycle could not fully replenish Geom Mugeuk’s immense internal energy, but at this speed, it seemed he would truly recover his internal energy perfectly in no time.
Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun exchanged greetings first.
“You arrived early.”
“As it happened, I was not far away.”
Geom Mugeuk looked at Jin Haryeong. Instead of greeting him, she summarized the situation.
“Who would believe it? That the moment the future successor of the Martial Alliance received word from the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult that the young alliance leader of the Sado Alliance was in danger, he came running here in one breath.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled at her. She seemed more at ease than before. It meant she had grown further.
“As it happened, I wasn’t far away either. I don’t usually come to Guizhou.”
It must be fate telling me to see you. She almost said those words, but stopped herself.
After they exchanged greetings like that, Geom Mugeuk introduced Yeojeong to them.
“This is the owner of Cheonhwaru, and someone I like and respect.”
Jin Hagun and Jin Haryeong exchanged courteous greetings with her. The fact that Geom Mugeuk had emphasized that he liked and respected her meant she was someone that important.
Yeojeong quietly looked at the two of them. Geom Mugeuk was curious. What fate was she reading from them?
“Seeing the two of you, I can tell that the future of the orthodox martial world is brighter than ever.”
“You praise us too highly.”
Once those greetings were exchanged, Geukak Soma made to leave. With him there, the two would surely feel uncomfortable.
“Then speak among yourselves.”
As Geukak Soma was about to leave the residence with Yeojeong, Geom Mugeuk made a request of her.
“Tower Mistress, I’m sorry, but please show your skills one more time. These are friends who must have been suffering away from home, unable to eat properly.”
Before she could answer, Jin Hagun declined.
“It is all right. There is no need to do that because of us.”
At that, Yeojeong smiled and said,
“How many chances would I have in my life to serve a meal to the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader? Please do not reject this great honor granted to me.”
Once she put it that way, Jin Hagun could not refuse.
Yeojeong could guess Geom Mugeuk’s intention. He wanted to deepen her connection with Jin Hagun even a little.
Cheonhwaru was spreading throughout the Central Plains, regardless of orthodox or unorthodox factions. A connection with the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader would be of unconditional benefit to her. Even more so if it was a connection he was bestowing upon her like this.
As Yeojeong left, she looked at Geom Mugeuk and greeted him with her eyes.
‘Thank you, Young Cult Leader.’
Thus Geukak Soma and Yeojeong left, and only the three of them remained.
“Tell me in detail what happened.”
“Our dancer friend has many enemies.”
Geom Mugeuk told them everything that had happened regarding Cheonhwaru.
After hearing the story, the expressions of the two stiffened. On the way here, they had even discussed the possibility that Geom Mugeuk had exaggerated the message because he wanted to see them. But after hearing everything, the situation was serious.
“This is not something a mere merchant group would plan. There must be someone behind them.”
Jin Hagun’s gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk.
“It means they could be targeting you.”
At that, Geom Mugeuk dragged the two of them in as well.
“Or it could be you. What if it is someone who anticipated that I would call you?”
“Am I falling into danger because I met the wrong friend?”
“You’re escaping the danger of being defeated one by one because you met the right friend.”
Now Jin Hagun knew that those words were not empty self-importance. The enemies had targeted everyone, regardless of orthodox, unorthodox, or demonic.
“At present, our cult is investigating the Baekgye Merchant Group in depth. Results will come soon. Then we may be able to find out what they ultimately want.”
Jin Hagun was grateful that Geom Mugeuk had called him. If Bi Sain and Geom Mugeuk had resolved this matter by themselves, and he had only heard about it later, he felt he would somehow have been disappointed.
“Thank you for calling me.”
“Once you hear what I’m about to say, you won’t be grateful.”
What prank was he trying to pull now? Not only Jin Hagun but even Jin Haryeong was curious what Geom Mugeuk was about to say.
And as always, the question was something they had never expected.
“Have you ever carried drinks in a brothel?”
* * *
“It suits you.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Jin Hagun looked at himself reflected in the bronze mirror. He was currently dressed in the clothing worn by the people who worked at Cheonhwaru.
He truly had never dreamed that he would do something like this in his life.
“If you start learning the work now, you’ll be skilled by the beginning of next month.”
Not only him, but the warriors of the Demon-Extermination Unit had also decided to disguise themselves as workers at Cheonhwaru.
The reason Jin Hagun was standing before the bronze mirror in this outfit was because of Geom Mugeuk’s request.
“I want you to protect the courtesans who work here.”
Geom Mugeuk persuaded him seriously.
“We don’t know what will happen that day. It may end anticlimactically, or something beyond our expectations may occur. I don’t know if you know this, but I am someone who always considers the worst.”
What Geom Mugeuk was worried about was the safety of the courtesans.
“If things become serious, no one will be able to pay attention to them. But I cannot entrust this matter to the Faceless Guests either.”
Geom Mugeuk stared at Jin Hagun and said,
“You and the Demon-Extermination Unit must protect them that day.”
He had called the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader and the Demon-Extermination Unit all the way here to ask them to protect courtesans, so Jin Hagun could have felt displeased. He could have felt as though he had been pushed aside from the important work.
But Jin Hagun nodded readily and answered.
“I will protect them.”
At that answer, Jin Haryeong was inwardly surprised. She sensed no resentment, no feeling of, “I don’t like it, but since it is Geom Mugeuk’s request, I will do it.”
He truly seemed to accept the request willingly.
Even Geom Mugeuk looked surprised at his answer, which was too willing.
“You’re not saying you dislike it? If anything, I’d say, ‘I will save Sain, so you carry the drinks.’ That’s what I would have done.”
At that, Jin Hagun stared intently at Geom Mugeuk and asked,
“Isn’t this the more important task, which is why you are entrusting it to me?”
Geom Mugeuk’s clear, deep eyes curved into a pleased smile.
“Thank you for understanding my heart.”
At that, Jin Haryeong cut in and shouted,
“Don’t be fooled! He just doesn’t want to deal with drunken nuisances, so he’s leaving it to you, Orabeoni!”
Geom Mugeuk played along with her joke, pretending to gasp in shock.
Of course, she knew too. She knew that Geom Mugeuk was sincerely worried about their safety.
What surprised her was her brother’s attitude, and there was a reason Jin Hagun had readily accepted Geom Mugeuk’s request.
“In the operation just before coming here, I saved children and women.”
The look of relief that had risen on the child’s face then kept coming back to him.
“At that moment, I had this thought. Punishing evil is important, but saving their lives is even more important than that.”
If someone heard it, they might say it was far too late a realization.
In truth, Jin Hagun had saved countless people until now and carried out countless acts of chivalry.
“At some point, righteousness became a matter of course.”
Saving people as a matter of course, killing as a matter of course. He was the Demon-Extermination Unit Leader, so wasn’t it only natural? He was someone who would become the Alliance Leader in the future, so he could not rest.
“Surprisingly, even righteousness accumulates fatigue.”
He had felt that, but Jin Hagun had denied it and simply run forward.
In the midst of running without rest like that, he had seen the relief blooming on that child’s face right before his eyes. He had felt the child’s hand gripping his tightly.
It was the moment when chivalry became tangible and embedded itself in Jin Hagun’s heart.
No, perhaps he was consciously engraving that moment into his heart. In order to endure this deep fatigue.
“When the chance to kill a hundred evildoers and the chance to save a child arise at the same time, I will go save the child. But what then? What about the innocent lives those hundred evildoers will kill in the future?”
He wanted to ask Geom Mugeuk. What would you do? Is my thinking right?
That unchanging gaze of Geom Mugeuk looking at him. Yes, it was because he had known Geom Mugeuk would look at him with eyes like that that he could confide such worries.
And because he knew Geom Mugeuk was someone who would give not a complicated answer, but one this clear.
“Do not worry and go save the child. I will go kill the evildoers. I will take on the villain’s role.”
Jin Hagun smiled faintly. Even if he said that, how could Jin Hagun not know that he, too, was the kind of person who would go save the child?
“You will become a truly splendid Alliance Leader. An Alliance Leader who takes the hands of those who must be protected. That path will truly be difficult and exhausting. A path of regretting again and again because of the hundred people you spared. When it becomes so hard you cannot endure it, come find me. I will play with you to your heart’s content. So when that time comes, you must not treat me coldly! You can’t say, ‘That fellow was all right when he was young, but now that I look at him, he’s just a demonic bastard with a silver tongue and too many words!’”
After staring at Geom Mugeuk for a moment, Jin Hagun abruptly said,
“I will. I’ll call you a demonic bastard with a silver tongue!”
“That is too much, Alliance Leader-nim!”
Jin Hagun believed it. Even then, Geom Mugeuk’s words would still shine as they did now. Even if they did not shine, they would touch his heart.
That was why, even after becoming a white-haired Alliance Leader, he would go find him with worries too difficult to ask others about.
—Ah, I am not sure. What do you think?
Jin Hagun’s gaze returned to himself in the bronze mirror as he spoke.
“Someone may be injured or die that day. But among those people, there will be no courtesan of this place.”
At that firm resolve, the gaze of Geom Mugeuk, standing behind Jin Hagun, deepened.
“That day, none of us will be injured or die. My silver-tongued demonic path is far too selfish compared to your righteous path, so I absolutely cannot stand to see such a thing.”