“Are you in the middle of making another heart?”
At Bisain’s voice from behind him, a smile formed on Geom Mugeuk’s lips. It seemed he had seen him talking with Cha Iran.
“Unfortunately, the new heart you saw is not one that beats inside my body.”
Geom Mugeuk turned around.
Originally, there had not been so much as a crack on Bisain’s terrifying face for even the faintest smile to slip into, but now there was room enough for a fairly large joy at seeing him.
He had come here on high alert, since this was a place where a plan to assassinate his master was in motion, but he could not hide the gladness he felt upon meeting Geom Mugeuk.
“When did you arrive?”
“Just now.”
“Of course it would be you.”
He wondered what he was about to say this time.
“The finals of the greatest beauty contest under heaven are about to begin, you see. How badly must the horses have been worked by your obsession with seeing beauties?”
It was not only horses that were dragged out for the sake of teasing Bisain. Even Han Seol, who had returned to the Northern Sea Ice Palace, was dragged into it.
“What do you think Miss Han would think if she knew you arrived exactly in time for the finals?”
Bisain was dumbfounded.
Who was it that had even sent him a letter telling him to come early if he was going to come anyway?
Seeing Geom Mugeuk begin teasing him the moment they met, he finally felt as though he had truly met him.
It was at that moment. Someone came walking up from behind and said,
“I told you I’d rip it if you opened your mouth, didn’t I?”
In that instant, Bisain saw it. The mischief that flashed across Geom Mugeuk’s face. Sure enough.
“I truly wasn’t going to, but this man forced me to do it.”
There was really no stopping Geom Mugeuk.
But putting that aside, not his eyes or his nose, but his mouth? He was going to rip Geom Mugeuk’s mouth? That mouth even Alliance Leaders could not handle!
Just who was this poor sacrifice, speaking such outrageous words without knowing who he was facing?
An Hupyeong’s voice came from behind him.
“Hey, is what he said true?”
If speaking to a friend out of gladness counted as forcing him to talk.
Bisain nodded obediently, like a man who had emptied his mind. He was playing along with Geom Mugeuk.
At the sight, An Hupyeong frowned.
He had asked a question, and this man only nodded without answering? Fine, all fellows who kept company with that detestable bodyguard were like this. He disliked him from the very beginning.
“Hey, turn around.”
Bisain slowly turned around.
When he saw the other man’s face, a curse burst from An Hupyeong’s mouth.
“Good grief, damn!”
It was not that he had meant to curse; he was simply so startled that the words popped out.
It was truly the first time in his life he had seen someone with such a frightening look.
Bisain’s face was covered in scars.
Slashed and twisted, so that merely looking at it sent a chill through one’s chest.
Unfortunately, the beauties entering the waiting room happened to see that scene. In the life of the arrogant An Hupyeong, showing himself intimidated in front of women was unthinkable.
“What’s wrong with your face? Did you fight every battle in the world all by yourself?”
Unfortunately, he failed to recognize who the other party was.
Good, he doesn’t recognize him! Geom Mugeuk said as though wronged.
“How could I not speak when such a frightening person struck up a conversation with me?”
The corner of Bisain’s mouth rose slightly.
He had grown used to Geom Mugeuk making jokes with his face.
He now also knew that this was Geom Mugeuk’s consideration. When others mocked his face, Geom Mugeuk mocked it with them, as if to say this:
Don’t mind it, my friend. Just enjoy it too!
“If you were me, Young Gang Leader, could you refuse to answer when that terrifying face spoke to you?”
Yes, if Geom Mugeuk did not play such jokes on him, he would probably feel disappointed instead.
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, An Hupyeong nodded. Hating the bodyguard was one thing, but he admitted that much was true. Even he would have answered.
“You, do you know that fellow?”
At An Hupyeong’s question, Bisain looked at Geom Mugeuk. Since he had referred to Geom Mugeuk as “that fellow,” this was a situation where he ought to pretend not to know.
Bisain shook his head as if he did not know him.
An Hupyeong still disliked the fact that he would not answer in words, but it was not easy to get angry while looking at that face.
“If you don’t know each other, why did you speak to him?”
Then Geom Mugeuk stepped forward in Bisain’s place.
“He came up to me and asked whether many beautiful women had arrived. He said he had ridden here with all his might because of this contest.”
An Hupyeong could not hold back and sneered.
“With that face, he lusts after women?”
At An Hupyeong’s words, the corners of Bisain’s eyes twitched. Feeling an inexplicable chill, An Hupyeong raised his shield.
“I am the Young Gang Leader of the Shinhwa Gang. The host of this contest.”
Then he asked Geom Mugeuk again.
“You were laughing while you talked.”
At An Hupyeong’s interrogation, Geom Mugeuk asked back as though wronged.
“Then should I laugh when looking at that face? How could I frown?”
An Hupyeong laughed aloud. Yes, that was true too. Yes, it would not be easy to frown while looking at that face.
“Hey, merciless face.”
As if calling him by a name he should never use were not enough, he even offered to hire him.
“I don’t know whose employ you’re in, but have you any thought of working under me?”
A fierce-looking martial artist speaking with Geom Mugeuk in front of the participants’ waiting room. Naturally, he assumed he was a bodyguard who had accompanied one of the contestants.
“I’ll pay you double.”
There was a reason he wanted to hire him.
If he went around with a frightening bastard like this at his side, it felt as though there would be nothing in the world to fear.
And one more thing.
An Hupyeong turned his head and looked back at Sachu behind him.
“My bodyguard has been rather unsatisfactory lately, you see.”
It was the same even now. If he had spoken, the man should show some kind of reaction, but once again, he was absentmindedly preoccupied with something else.
Sachu, for his part, found Bisain’s face oddly familiar and had been continuously trying to recall it. There was no way he would fail to remember a face like that.
The most frightening face he had ever seen belonged to the heir of the Sado Alliance. He had seen him from far away, and that intense face had never left his memory.
But the notion that the heir of the Sado Alliance would be conversing with this bodyguard in front of the waiting room had never entered his mind in the first place, so he never imagined the other man might be Bisain. Even though he had only just heard that the Young Alliance Leader had arrived today.
Ah, and that made it even less likely that he was the Young Alliance Leader. He would surely be exchanging greetings with the Gang Leader right now; there was no way he would be talking to that bodyguard here first.
“What are you doing right now!”
At An Hupyeong’s rebuke, Sachu snapped back to his senses.
“My apologies.”
“How many times has this been now! You’ve had many problems lately!”
When An Hupyeong glared at him with an angry face, Sachu bowed his head deeply.
‘Why does this keep happening to me lately?’
Just then, a martial artist came running over.
“The Gang Leader is urgently looking for you.”
Before leaving, An Hupyeong said to Bisain,
“If it is difficult for you to say it, I’ll personally tell the person you serve.”
An Hupyeong turned and walked away, and Sachu followed behind him.
“You stay behind and rip that fellow’s mouth!”
An Hupyeong took all his other subordinates and strode off.
Sachu knew he had not meant for him to really rip it.
The other party was a demon, and on top of that, he was the bodyguard of Yi An, whom An Hupyeong liked. If he really ripped it, there would be an uproar.
If he took the order literally, it was obvious he would be the one saddled with all the responsibility.
Sachu looked at Geom Mugeuk and warned him coldly.
“Watch that mouth of yours from now on! It really will get ripped!”
Geom Mugeuk feigned surprise and covered his mouth with his hand, while Bisain regretted that no one really could rip that mouth just once.
Watching Sachu walk away into the distance, Geom Mugeuk said,
“To think he would try to rip my mouth! The mouth of a man who makes his living by talking!”
Bisain laughed. He had only just arrived, and already he had lost count of how many times he had laughed. This was why being with Geom Mugeuk was enjoyable.
Just then, Illang walked over, greeted Geom Mugeuk, and reported to Bisain.
“The Alliance Leader is looking for you.”
He had come straight to meet Geom Mugeuk upon arriving, but now it was time to go greet the leader of the Shinhwa Gang.
“I’ll see you later.”
“I suppose I’ll have to pay my respects to the Alliance Leader later.”
It meant that, for now, he would stay as close to Yi An as possible. It also meant that the situation was not easy.
“I’ll speak well of you.”
“Thank you.”
After walking a few steps, Bisain looked back and said,
“Thank you for telling me about this matter.”
“We agreed to do that, didn’t we?”
If anything happened, they would be sure to tell each other.
Geom Mugeuk and Bisain looked at each other and nodded.
Meanwhile, Sachu, who had been walking away without strength, looked back.
‘No matter how much I think about it, he looks familiar.’
At that moment, Sachu noticed someone new.
There was one more person with the two of them. And that new person was someone Sachu knew as well.
‘Illang?’
Sachu recognized Illang. There had once been a time when his dream was to become one of the Thirteen Wolves of the Sado Alliance. He had eventually given up because he lacked the ability.
Because he had admired them so much, there had been a time when he guarded the main gate of the Sado Alliance just to catch a glimpse of their faces. He might fail to recognize others, but how could he not recognize Illang? But why was Illang here?
“Aaah!”
Sachu screamed aloud.
Then An Hupyeong, who was walking far ahead, looked back at him.
At the sight of him standing alone in the distance and screaming.
“That one really has gone mad lately. Completely mad.”
An Hupyeong shook his head and resumed walking.
Bisain and Illang walked toward where Sachu stood.
Sachu saw it.
Martial artists who had been hiding themselves somewhere began joining behind Bisain one by one and following him.
One, two, three……
The number that increased like that was thirteen in all. They were the very people he had wanted to become even in his dreams.
Bisain and the Thirteen Wolves of the Sado Alliance passed by Sachu, who stood completely frozen.
Bisain passed him without so much as giving him a glance.
He had wondered when he saw Illang, but now it was certain.
‘He really is the Young Alliance Leader of the Sado Alliance!’
Sachu stood in place, his body trembling. His master, who had always caused accidents, had finally caused a major one. It was strange that they had survived that situation at all.
Ah, there was a reason they had survived.
Bisain had not said a single word, but there had been someone who had said everything in his place.
His gaze turned toward Geom Mugeuk in the distance. He was still standing in front of the waiting room.
‘What are you?’
Who are you, that you conversed with the Young Alliance Leader of the Sado Alliance? Did you really meet him without knowing? Or did you meet him while knowing something?
‘Just what the hell are you?’
At that moment, his eyes met Geom Mugeuk’s.
Geom Mugeuk grinned at him, then used both hands to make a gesture of ripping his mouth wide open.
In that instant, Sachu could feel it. It was a warning telling him to simply keep quiet.
A warning that if he said anything useless, his mouth would be ripped apart.
Sachu whipped around and began walking.
Just then, he saw a group of people going out to the contest grounds in the distance. It was the Mistress of Cheonhwa Pavilion, followed by Geugak Soma and the Faceless Guests.
Sachu abruptly changed direction again and walked away.
‘Why is everyone doing this to me?’
* * *
A dozen or so carriages entered the inner courtyard of the Shinhwa Gang.
They were carriages reserved for the leader of the Sado Alliance, crafted so they could not be cut by ordinary blades and would not burn in fire.
Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack!
The carriages stopped in a line, and their doors opened simultaneously as the Alliance Leader’s Hall guards stepped down. As befitting the finest guards of the Sado Alliance, their gazes were deep and sharp.
Once they descended and lined up before the carriage, the one carriage door that had not opened finally did.
The person who stepped down from the carriage was Baek Jagang, leader of the Sado Alliance.
Because he wore not splendid robes but ordinary martial attire, he stood out all the more. His presence was something no one else could imitate.
Before him, An Cheonggwang, leader of the Shinhwa Gang, came running and bowed at the waist.
“I greet the Alliance Leader.”
He truly had not known Baek Jagang would arrive today. Cha Iran had not told him that Baek Jagang would arrive early, so that he would naturally show surprise and confusion.
Since An Cheonggwang had no way of knowing the circumstances, he remained bowed and tense.
‘Why has he come early? Did he perhaps notice something?’
The busy leader of the Sado Alliance had no reason to come several days early.
“I did not know you would come this early.”
At that, Baek Jagang slowly approached him.
An Cheonggwang’s heart pounded wildly. If the leader of the Sado Alliance had come knowing something, he was a dead man. Never in his life had he been this nervous.
Baek Jagang lifted him up from his bow.
Then he quietly gazed at An Cheonggwang before suddenly asking,
“Do you intend to kill me with this contest?”
“!”
So shocked by the direct question, An Cheonggwang’s eyes widened.
“No. What do you mean by that?”
His voice trembled. An Cheonggwang protested again as though wronged.
“Absolutely not!”
In that instant, goosebumps rose along Baek Jagang’s ears.
He realized An Cheonggwang was lying, but instead Baek Jagang laughed loudly and said,
“I mean there are so many peerless beauties that my heart feels as if it might burst.”
An Cheonggwang, whose heart had dropped, finally realized Baek Jagang had been joking.
“My heart nearly burst first.”
An Cheonggwang smiled in relief. He was still afraid, unsure whether it had been a joke or whether Baek Jagang had asked because he knew something, but he could not discern his true intent from Baek Jagang’s expression.
“As it happens, the finals are being held today, so please enjoy them at your leisure. Now, please come inside first.”
They walked together toward the main hall, conversing as they went.
“Rather than me, that boy Sain will be the one who enjoys it.”
“Has the Young Alliance Leader come with you as well?”
When Baek Jagang nodded, An Cheonggwang looked around.
“Where is the Young Alliance Leader?”
“He said he would just take a quick look and went to watch the contest first. The boy did not even offer his greetings.”
In truth, if one examined it closely, it was not rude. Not only Bisain, but also Geom Mugeuk, whom he had gone to meet, held a far higher position than the Gang Leader.
“Is he not still at the height of youth? My son is the same.”
An Cheonggwang ordered the subordinate following him to go find his son.
“Go at once, inform him that the Alliance Leader has arrived, and bring the Young Gang Leader here.”
Then he said to Baek Jagang,
“My son has always admired the Young Alliance Leader. Whenever he opened his mouth, he would say he would become like the Young Alliance Leader.”
At that, Baek Jagang also said to a guard,
“Go find Sain. We should let the youngsters greet each other.”
An Cheonggwang smiled pleasantly and said,
“My son will truly be delighted.”