Chapter 193 : Woobin, Gains Strength
Chapter 193: Woobin, Gains Strength
Lee Jaseung ordered Rain and Ho Yeonseo to go and meet Mountain.
Mountain was hiding in a secluded hideout deep in the mountains where no one ever came. He was the one who had given the order to strike the Black Way Alliance’s main headquarters. After hearing the news, he had cut off all contact with the outside and gone into hiding, afraid that Lee Jaseung might come to kill him.
“What on earth happened?”
At Mountain’s question, Rain kept his head lowered and could not say a word. Instead, Ho Yeonseo answered weakly.
“This mission… ended in failure.”
Mountain was startled by those words.
“Failure?”
He had worried because the report was late, yet he had never imagined he would actually hear the word “failure.” The thunderbolt that followed struck even harder.
“Everyone who went with us died. The only survivors are the two of us.”
At Ho Yeonseo’s report, Mountain staggered and sat heavily to one side. It had been an operation into which he had poured everything he had. He meant to sweep away the Black Way Alliance’s headquarters and take his revenge, and on top of that rob their secret vault to make up for the strength he had lost before.
Yet now he had lost the rest of his forces as well? It was news that truly felt like the sky was collapsing.
Even then Rain still could not open his mouth. He truly felt sorry toward Mountain.
Whatever had happened, Mountain had trusted him. Rain had been the one who led the men to the headquarters of the Black Way Alliance. The operation had failed, and now he was deceiving Mountain under Lee Jaseung’s orders, so he could not bring himself to look Mountain straight in the eye.
The conversation between Mountain and Ho Yeonseo continued.
“What exactly happened?”
“Lee Jaseung broke into the place.”
“Lee Jaseung? Was he not at the Murim Alliance?”
“Correct. If he had not known in advance, there was no way he could have come from that distance.”
“So you are saying?”
“It means someone informed Lee Jaseung of our plan.”
At last Rain, who had been silent, opened his mouth.
“It looks like we got played by Yeo Su-in.”
“Why would the bastard do such a thing?”
“I think he meant to wipe us all out through Lee Jaseung’s hand. If we all die, then it’s a win for him. If Lee Jaseung dies, then it’s also a win.”
Mountain thought of Yeo Su-in. He was not someone who would lightly break his word. At least Mountain’s instincts told him so.
After a brief silence, Mountain looked back and forth between Rain and Ho Yeonseo and spoke.
“Yet you two lived.”
Rain saw the hint of suspicion that flashed in Mountain’s eyes. It was so blatant and obvious that his guilt toward Mountain felt almost meaningless.
“Please kill me.”
Rain lowered his head. He knew Mountain’s personality very well. In this kind of situation, the wisest thing to do was not to offer excuses, but to bow his head as low as possible.
Ho Yeonseo also silently lowered her head.
In truth, the two of them had risked their lives to come and find Mountain. In his fury, he might very well have killed them both.
Luckily, the anger that had been rising on Mountain’s face slowly faded.
“I will trust you two— No, I must trust you two.”
Mountain looked at Rain. To be honest, he could not entirely cast aside his doubts about Rain. However, since things had already come to this, he had decided that whether Rain had betrayed him or not, he would use him to the very end.
Rain had been watching Mountain for a very long time. He could feel that Mountain suspected him. It was only natural. That was simply the kind of man Mountain was.
“What should we do now?”
As Mountain let out a sigh, Rain spoke.
“First, you should find Cheon Myeongin.”
That was the order Lee Jaseung had given the two of them. Stay near Mountain and Cheon Myeongin, watch them, and keep them under control.
Lee Jaseung had no intention of killing Mountain and Cheon Myeongin right away. Getting rid of them would not be a difficult task.
However, when it came to dealing with the Demonic Cult, those two clearly still had value as tools.
Mountain nodded. Now that he had lost everything, what he needed most was helping hands around him.
Even if he dies… he would not die alone.
* * *
“Yeo Su-in has proposed a conference.”
At Dan Woobin’s report, Baek Seolyeong thought that what had to come had finally come.
“When?”
“It’ll be in three days.”
“That is too soon.”
The problem was that Lee Jaseung was not here. Considering who the other side was, they could not send a fake in his place.
“I will make some excuse and delay it for a few days.”
“Do that.”
Just as he was about to turn and leave, Dan Woobin asked in a hesitant tone, as if clinging to a faint hope.
“The Lord has not sent any message to you separately, has he?”
Baek Seolyeong smiled as she answered.
“If he had, he would have contacted you first. You know what kind of person he is, yes?”
“Yes, that is true.”
His anxiety had made him blurt out the question without realizing it.
“Strategist Dan, don't worry too much. Everything will turn out well.”
“I showed you an unseemly side of myself.”
“No, I actually find that side of you, the human side, rather nice.”
“With all due respect, a human touch is not something a strategist needs. It is more likely to become a hindrance.”
Baek Seolyeong smiled again as she replied.
“I actually think that is why he chose you, because of that human warmth.”
“Pardon?”
“A strategist who handles truly great affairs needs to be humane.”
After leaving the room, Dan Woobin walked along, turning Baek Seolyeong’s words over in his mind. He could not understand what she meant by saying that a strategist who handles great affairs must be humane.
Just then, he saw Mujin crossing the training ground. Dan Woobin called out to him.
“Hold on. There is something I want to ask.”
“What? I am busy.”
Mujin really was busy. He was training and positioning the Divine Sword Regiment, and he was wearing himself out trying to fill Lee Jaseung’s absence.
“What do you think it means when someone says a strategist who handles great affairs needs to be humane?”
Mujin glanced back toward the building behind Dan Woobin. Judging by the direction he had come from, it was obviously something he had heard from Baek Seolyeong.
If that was the case, there was no way Mujin would miss such a fine opportunity.
“That is simple.”
“What is it?”
“It is a roundabout way of saying you are stupid, you know?”
“Come on, there’s no way that’s what it means, right?”
“Yes way. Wait, surely this wasn’t about you, right?”
“Of course… not.”
“When someone is ugly you say they have charm, when someone has a nasty temper you say they have personality, and when a strategist is not very bright you say he is full of human warmth.”
“I told you this isn’t about me!”
“Hehe. Then good.”
Mujin went back the way he had been going. With a devilish smile on his face, he walked away while Dan Woobin shouted after him.
“Don’t be ridiculous! That is not what she meant!”
Mujin turned back and said seriously.
“You are right, thinking it over, that probably isn’t what she meant.”
At that, Dan Woobin clutched his head and yelled.
“Ahh! That makes it sound even more like she did mean me!”
The mischief faded from Mujin’s face.
“Bin.”
“What?”
“Try to relax a little.”
Dan Woobin lifted his head, still holding it in both hands. At some point Mujin’s face had become serious too.
“I look like I have not had much room to breathe lately, huh?”
Mujin nodded.
“When someone with a sharp mind loses their calm even a little, they end up missing far more than others would.”
“Like me right now.”
“I don't know what it is you are missing, but yes, in any case, someone like you.”
Dan Woobin gave a faint laugh.
“Thanks.”
Mujin waved his hand as he walked away.
“If you are grateful, buy me a drink.”
At that moment, Dan Woobin realized something. Whenever he wavered, the one who always stayed by his side was Mujin. And every time, he ended up hearing those words, “If you are grateful, buy me a drink.”
* * *
Yeo Su-in was practicing his martial arts in an open clearing.
The sword in his hand cut through the air.
The wind raised by the sword turned into whirling gusts around him.
He was moving so fast that the sword itself could not be seen.
The martial art Yeo Su-in was displaying was clearly the Northern Sea Divine Art, specifically the Northern Sea Demonic Sword, which Yao Hong had passed down to him.
However, if Yao Hong had seen this training scene, he would have immediately exploded in a furious outburst.
He would have shouted to know what kind of impudent, blasphemous nonsense this was.
Yeo Su-in had altered and distorted the Northern Sea Demonic Sword.
It had originally been already a domineering sword style, and it had become even rougher. No, rough was not the right word, savage was more fitting.
It had become faster, and its power had increased.
Crack, crack, crack!
Everything around him was ground to dust by the winds created by his sword. Rocks, trees, all of it. Literally nothing remained.
When Yeo Su-in finished his sword art, everything within a radius of ten jang had disappeared.
It was an incredible sword technique, such that it was hard to believe a human being had unleashed it.
“Phew.”
Yeo Su-in wore a satisfied expression as he drew back his sword.
His Northern Sea Divine Art, which was the foundation of the Northern Sea Demonic Sword, had reached the eighth rank, but the altered Northern Sea Demonic Sword was displaying power beyond even that. Amazingly, he was defying the basic principles of martial arts.
At that moment, the First King of the New Ten Demon Kings descended into the clearing.
“The bastards have postponed the conference.”
In response to the First King’s report, Yeo Su-in said something else entirely.
“Have you ever seen the Nine Divine Demonic Arts?”
“I have not.”
“Nor have I.”
The First King could guess what Yeo Su-in wanted to hear right now.
“With the Young Lord’s skill, you will be more than capable of facing the Nine Divine Demonic Arts.”
When they were alone, the First King addressed him as the Young Lord.
Since Yeo Su-in had not formally taken the position of Young Lord yet, it was something he really should not have said, but Yeo Su-in enjoyed hearing the title.
“Yes, that is probably so.”
Yeo Su-in was clearly confident in his martial arts. He had always possessed a natural genius for martial skill, and during this closed door training he had achieved a great enlightenment.
It was an achievement even the Heavenly Demon had failed to notice. Yao Hong had only seen the Northern Sea Divine Art at the level of eighth rank.
‘At this rate, I will surpass the Cult Leader’s skill within five years.’
He had discovered a method to learn demonic arts at accelerated speed. Normally, learning martial arts through such methods always brings side effects.
However, the method he had discovered this time had no side effects at all.
“As long as the Heavenly Demon Soul does not revive.”
“Even if it does, you should kill that Heavenly Demon Soul as well.”
The First King’s words were clearly close to flattery.
Yet they were sweet words all the same.
Yeo Su-in gave a strange smile.
“So what were you saying earlier?”
“Ah, they postponed the conference for ten days.”
“Just as expected.”
“It seems it will take quite some time for Lee Jaseung to return. You might as well take this chance to claim Baek Seolyeong.”
This time the flattery went too far.
Yeo Su-in’s eyes turned cold, and a fierce Demonic Qi burst from him.
“Do I look like the kind of man who would steal a woman in the absence of her man?”
The First King immediately prostrated himself on the ground. The demonic pressure that slammed into him felt as if it would tear his entire body apart.
“I spoke out of turn. Please kill me.”
Only then did Yeo Su-in withdraw his killing intent.
He smiled as he spoke.
“Fair though, it is true that this is a kind of opportunity.”
The First King had no idea how he was supposed to respond to this sudden change of attitude, so he simply stayed silent.
Yeo Su-in spoke again, his eyes gleaming oddly.
“Find out when she goes outside.”