Who called whom?
The leader of the White Dragon Corps hoped he had heard wrong.
“What nonsense is that!”
After barking the words, the White Dragon Corps leader looked at Jin Hagun, who had walked up beside him.
“Is what he said true?”
He asked with a sinking sense of disbelief, but Jin Hagun’s answer struck him like a bolt from the blue.
“It is.”
The White Dragon Corps leader’s heart dropped. The Demon-Extermination Unit should have come in Han Wolgaek’s place.
‘Han Wolgaek has to come, even if he’s late.’
What if he arrived and attacked them before any words could be exchanged? Everyone knew how much Han Wolgaek hated the Demonic Cult.
If a fight broke out like that, the Demon-Extermination Unit would end up helping Han Wolgaek. For no reason whatsoever would they side with the Demonic Cult.
‘Please, come!’
It was a plea he would never have made had he known what state Han Wolgaek was in right now.
The White Dragon Corps leader was not the only one shocked. Gwak Yeong and the warriors of the Earth Corps were just as stunned.
The Eldest Young Master had called the leader of the Demon-Extermination Unit?
Only Homyeong, who had been ordered by Geom Muyang to send word to Jin Hagun through Tongcheon Pavilion, had known this in advance.
Gwak Yeong’s gaze turned toward the leader of the Demon-Extermination Unit. As someone belonging to the Martial Alliance, she knew better than anyone what kind of man that leader was.
The grandson of the Martial Alliance Leader, and the most likely successor to the position.
The Demon-Extermination Unit he commanded was the finest elite force in the Martial Alliance. That was why the best-quality weapons from the Iron Workshop were always issued to the Demon-Extermination Unit first.
‘You called someone like that? He’s not the kind of person who comes just because he’s told to. Just who on earth are you?’
Gwak Yeong stared at Geom Muyang in astonishment. The one who answered her question was Jin Hagun. He asked the White Dragon Corps leader,
“Leader Do, do you know who that man is?”
“I do not.”
Jin Hagun then said calmly,
“He is the Eldest Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
The White Dragon Corps leader was startled. No, he pretended to be startled.
In truth, he had known the other party was Geom Muyang. If the other party had been an ordinary demonic practitioner, he would have dealt with him personally instead of waiting for Han Wolgaek.
The one most shocked by those words was Gwak Yeong.
‘That man is the Eldest Young Master of the Demonic Cult?’
That meant he was the elder brother of the next Heavenly Demon. The fact that the Demonic Cult’s succession struggle had ended peacefully had once been the talk of the martial world.
She truly had not imagined it. That the man she had been staying with all this time was the Eldest Young Master of the Demonic Cult. She had shouted at such a person and even pestered him to save her.
She had done that to someone who had nearly become the Heavenly Demon.
‘No, seriously! If you had such an incredible status, you could have told me beforehand. Didn’t you want to brag, “I’m someone like this”?’
If it had really been just the two of them, she would have said exactly that.
Geom Muyang was the first to greet Jin Hagun.
“It has been a long time.”
“Have you been well?”
Jin Hagun showed Geom Muyang proper courtesy. This greeting was not to the Eldest Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. It was a greeting to Geom Mugeuk’s elder brother.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Of course I had to come.”
Jin Hagun suddenly recalled what Geom Mugeuk had said to him during the three-party meeting.
—My brother is naturally taciturn. He resembles you quite a lot.
Do I really resemble that man so much? He could not tell yet, since he had never had a private conversation with him.
When he received Geom Muyang’s letter, he had found it unexpected. Truly, Geom Muyang had seemed like someone who would never contact him, no matter what happened.
The letter had contained the following.
There was an organization forging and selling hidden weapons of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and while pursuing that organization, they had come all the way here.
But no matter the reason, it was unacceptable for them to have entered Wuhan.
Even if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was in the middle of an operation, Wuhan alone was a forbidden operational zone.
If Geom Mugeuk’s existence had not served as a buffer, the atmosphere right now would have been far more vicious.
The White Dragon Corps leader did not miss this moment.
“Leader Jin, what is your relationship with the Eldest Young Master of the Demonic Cult? You seem acquainted.”
There was clear intent behind this question.
‘He called the leader of the Demon-Extermination Unit? I’ll make sure that becomes a bad move instead.’
The White Dragon Corps leader brought out Jin Hagun’s greatest weakness.
“If it becomes known that Leader Jin is acquainted with the Eldest Young Master of the Demonic Cult, the orthodox martial artists will be greatly shaken. Does the Alliance Leader know of this?”
Since Jin Hagun had not yet formally become the successor, if he fell out of the Alliance Leader’s favor or caused a scandal, he could lose that chance.
He was aiming for that point, preventing the Demon-Extermination Unit leader from showing any friendliness toward Geom Muyang.
As if that intent had worked, Jin Hagun asked Geom Muyang in a tone that sounded like a rebuttal.
“What does that matter have to do with the White Dragon Corps leader here?”
“I believe the White Dragon Corps leader has been recruited by that organization.”
At Geom Muyang’s answer, the gazes of the Demon-Extermination Unit warriors all turned toward the White Dragon Corps leader at once.
The White Dragon Corps leader raised his voice boldly.
“No matter how much you may be the Eldest Young Master of the Demonic Cult, watch your tongue. To frame me with such accusations is to disregard the orthodox martial world and look down on this Alliance!”
His voice rang out thunderously.
The White Dragon Corps leader turned to Jin Hagun, urging him to agree. He had deliberately mentioned the Martial Alliance. If this became a matter tied to the Alliance’s honor?
‘As long as the position of successor to the Martial Alliance is at stake, the leader of the Demon-Extermination Unit has no choice but to take my side.’
That was what he believed.
But instead of agreeing with him, Jin Hagun asked a question.
“Leader Do, do you know what kind of organization that is?”
“No, I do not.”
Jin Hagun stared intently at him and asked,
“Then why did you not ask what kind of organization it was? That should have been the first thing you were curious about.”
For an instant, the White Dragon Corps leader flinched. In his agitation, he had missed that point.
Soon, he spoke as if it were nothing.
“It’s obvious they must be an organization created by those Demonic Cult bastards.”
Jin Hagun nodded once, then asked again,
“Who were you waiting for?”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard you when I arrived earlier. You called for someone to come out, did you not?”
For a moment, the White Dragon Corps leader was at a loss for words. Earlier, thinking Han Wolgaek was there, he had shouted for him to come out. It seemed Jin Hagun had heard it. Who should he say it was?
“I was pretending someone was there so these people would not act recklessly.”
Though he answered on the fly, when Jin Hagun stared at him without a word, he instead raised his voice.
“Are you suspecting me as well, Leader Jin? Me, who has devoted my entire life to the Alliance!”
Did he not know that the louder he shouted, the weaker and more suspicious he appeared?
Jin Hagun’s gaze turned back to Geom Muyang.
In truth, he did not know Geom Muyang well. And yet the reason he felt an inexplicable trust in him was because of Geom Mugeuk.
Because he was the elder brother whom Geom Mugeuk had wanted so desperately to save.
“Do you have proof?”
“The place where the forged hidden weapons were made was rented by that White Dragon Corps leader.”
At Geom Muyang’s answer, the White Dragon Corps leader once again appealed his innocence.
“What an absurd false charge! To put it bluntly, if I were part of that organization, would I have rented it myself?”
Just then, someone spoke coldly.
“Hypocrite.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Gwak Yeong, who had said it. Earlier, when she had been alone with him, she had been able to tell that he was on the same side as those bastards.
“And I actually believed in you.”
Jin Hagun naturally knew Gwak Yeong. She was a rare woman in the Iron Workshop, and its youngest master craftsman, so there was no way he would not know her. He also knew that the White Dragon Corps had searched Wuhan this time because of her.
“Master Craftsman Gwak, how did you become involved?”
At Jin Hagun’s question, she could not bring herself to speak. Whatever the reason, she had damaged the honor of the Alliance.
After taking a deep breath, she spoke honestly.
“I made the forged weapons.”
Jin Hagun found it unexpected. He had known her to be someone who would never do such a thing. As expected, there had been a reason.
“My younger brother was kidnapped by them.”
Jin Hagun nodded. He had a younger brother himself, so how could he not understand her? The only thing he could not understand was this.
“Why did you not inform us?”
The one who answered in her stead was Geom Muyang.
“I believe the head of those bastards is among the highest ranks of the Martial Alliance.”
Jin Hagun’s expression hardened. It was already difficult to believe that the White Dragon Corps leader was involved, but someone even higher up was connected?
At that moment, Gwak Yeong hesitated. Should she cling to Jin Hagun’s trouser leg and beg? Please save my younger brother. For her brother, that would be the best thing.
But the promise she had made with Geom Muyang held her back. It was a promise made by the Eldest Young Master of the Demonic Cult, so she could not ask someone else to save him too.
Just then, Geom Muyang abruptly said to Gwak Yeong,
“I will keep only the second promise.”
The second promise?
Gwak Yeong understood that it referred to her request that, since he was saving her brother anyway, he must save her as well.
Then what about the first promise? That’s the more important one.
That promise passed to someone else.
“Leader Jin. Please save this woman’s younger brother.”
“!”
Jin Hagun was surprised, and Gwak Yeong was even more surprised.
“I am someone more accustomed to killing people than saving them. Rescuing people is something you are far better at, is it not, Leader Jin?”
At that moment, Jin Hagun wondered whether the reason Geom Muyang had called him might not have been to handle the White Dragon Corps leader or deal with the leader supposedly among the higher-ups.
Because if it were him, he would likely have tried to resolve it somehow on his own.
And yet he had still called Jin Hagun?
Perhaps it was because he wanted to keep his promise to that woman.
For people like them, whose activities were restricted, saving someone was far less likely than having him and the Demon-Extermination Unit do it.
‘Were you this kind of person?’
Their gazes intertwined in the air. Even he would have made the same choice. A life that had to be saved was more important than pride. Perhaps that was why Geom Mugeuk had said they were alike.
At last, Jin Hagun said calmly,
“Understood. We will make certain to save your younger brother.”
Since this was a matter concerning Gwak Yeong, who belonged to the Martial Alliance’s Iron Workshop, they had justification to step forward.
Gwak Yeong was overjoyed.
“Thank you so much, Leader.”
It might have been rude to Geom Muyang for her to be this happy, but she could not hide her joy.
The finest martial artists she knew were the warriors of the Demon-Extermination Unit.
She also knew better than anyone how righteous a martial artist Jin Hagun was. There could be nothing better for her younger brother.
After expressing her gratitude to Jin Hagun, Gwak Yeong turned back to Geom Muyang.
He was still looking at her with an impassive face.
She could feel it.
This taciturn man had chosen the surest method to save her younger brother.
Even if it meant setting aside his pride. This man, who seemed likely to possess stronger pride than anyone else.
‘If my brother returns safely, I will make weapons for you for the rest of my life.’
That was the resolve she made at that moment.
And for Geom Muyang’s sake, she gave one more statement.
“The White Dragon Corps leader was recruited by them.”
“How do you know that?”
At Jin Hagun’s question, she looked coldly at the White Dragon Corps leader and said,
“Because today, here, I saw that man’s other face.”
Since the words could not serve as evidence, the White Dragon Corps leader snorted.
“Leader Jin, that woman has already gone over to the demonic practitioners. She may have been subjected to mind-control arts, or she may have been threatened. Surely you do not mean to say you distrust my words and believe the words of those demonic practitioners?”
Jin Hagun had yet to make any decision.
“We will know once we investigate.”
“Let us go, then. I will tell you anything.”
The White Dragon Corps leader was inwardly relieved. If only he could leave this place and return to the Alliance, that man would save him.
Jin Hagun was about to tell Geom Muyang to leave it to them and return as he was. He intended to smooth over Geom Muyang’s unauthorized entry into Wuhan at his own level somehow.
At that moment, Geom Muyang said something he had not expected.
“Leave that investigation to us.”
A silence fell in an instant. Everyone understood what those words meant. It meant they would interrogate the White Dragon Corps leader themselves.
“Impossible.”
Jin Hagun refused firmly. He could concede other matters, but that was impossible.
“Once they learn that he has been captured, they will cut off every tail.”
As he said that, he looked at Gwak Yeong.
Jin Hagun understood what he meant. He meant that woman’s younger brother would be killed first.
“We must follow the tails before that happens.”
It meant this fight was a battle against time.
They could not torture the White Dragon Corps leader when his guilt had yet to be proven.
And if, as Geom Muyang said, the head of these people was truly among the leadership, then once he cut off the tail, that bastard would never be found.
“Give us exactly one hour.”
Jin Hagun looked at the White Dragon Corps leader standing beside him.
“You’re not really going to hand me over, are you?”
When Jin Hagun gave no answer, the White Dragon Corps leader struck at his weakness again.
“The moment you hand me over to them, Leader Jin, your position as successor will be finished. The leader of the Demon-Extermination Unit handed over the White Dragon Corps leader to demonic practitioners—do you think you can bear the consequences? Absolutely not! I swear on my life! I am innocent!”
Swish.
Tap.
Jin Hagun sealed his acupoints.
Then he said firmly to Geom Muyang,
“I will give you exactly fifteen minutes.”
Geom Muyang and the warriors of the Earth Corps took him and went inside the building.
There were countless reasons it should not be allowed, but only one reason it should.
Jin Hagun followed his instinct. The instinct that told him this choice was right.
The warriors of the Demon-Extermination Unit knew full well how dangerous this choice was.
What if the White Dragon Corps leader had committed no crime?
The aftermath would be enormous.
But the warriors of the Demon-Extermination Unit, whose bond with Jin Hagun had deepened during their escape from the formation last time, did not doubt this decision.
And fifteen minutes later.
Geom Muyang walked out of the building, shook the blood from his hands, and said,
“He confessed.”