Chapter 226 : Again, You’re the Only One
Chapter 226: Again, You’re the Only One
As expected, the Four Great Sons failed to find Yeo Su-in.
“We scoured the village but found no trace of Yeo Su-in.”
Orchid considered this a natural result since he'd predicted from the start that Yeo Su-in wouldn't be here.
Bamboo, who'd predicted he might be hiding here, couldn't say a word.
The search originally should've ended two days ago, but they'd conducted a search again due to his insistence on looking one more time.
However, let alone Yeo Su-in, there wasn't even a hint that he'd entered this village.
If he wasn't found after searching for several days, not just one, then he wasn't there.
Of course, they'd also investigated the brothels.
Orchid was the one who'd searched the Baekseon Pavilion, but unfortunately, he'd focused on places where a fugitive might hide rather than the special suites. The barns, warehouses, and stables. Even the quarters where the workers stayed.
He'd judged that there was no need to search the rooms of rich young masters who spent money recklessly.
“Let's move to the next village.”
At Plum's words, Bamboo wore an expression of deep shame.
“I'm sorry for the delay because of me.”
“It's fine.”
Just as the Four Great Sons prepared to leave the village at that moment, a small child appeared before them.
“A man told me to deliver this.”
What was held in the child's hand was a folded piece of paper.
Plum looked down at the child and asked coldly.
“Who was it?”
The child looked back with a frightened expression, but there was no way the person who'd sent the errand still remained.
Plum snatched the paper from the child's hand as if stealing it.
Upon checking the contents, his eyes widened in shock.
“What on earth does it say?”
At Orchid's question, Plum looked up with a look of disbelief.
“It says Yeo Su-in is in a special suite at the Baekseon Pavilion.”
Everyone was startled.
Bamboo watched the back of the child running far away. Since Plum let the child go, it seemed to be a message from someone known.
“Who on earth sent this?”
Bamboo's guess was accurate.
“It's Mountain.”
“Mountain!”
If it was Mountain, it made sense. Previously, Mountain lost all his subordinates in an operation with Yeo Su-in.
Their relationship must've soured then. Regardless, figuring out Mountain's intentions was a matter for later. First, they couldn't miss this opportunity.
“If it's information sent by Mountain, it must be certain. He wouldn't have the guts to dare lie to us. I'll report to the Demon Army immediately.”
As Chrysanthemum tried to go straight to where the messenger was sent, Bamboo stopped him.
“Wait a minute!”
“What’s the matter?”
“Are you going to wait until the Great Demon arrives?”
In an instant, the eyes of the other three sparkled. They'd realized the intent behind Bamboo's words.
The person who killed Yeo Su-in was in a position to become a hero.
“As you know, the bastard's currently poisoned, and luckily, we came to this village.”
“The Great Demon'll be furious, won't he?”
“What the Great Demon needs is only the bastard's head.”
It was a valid point. If it became an issue, they'd just say the bastard's movements were unusual and they'd no choice but to strike.
Still, Plum remained cautious.
“What if we fail?”
On the other hand, Bamboo was confident.
“Is there any way we'd fail?”
He'd hesitated until then, but Bamboo's next words were decisive.
“If we fail anyway, this matter'll have nothing to do with us.”
In other words, failure meant all four of them'd die. It was an extreme example, but it wasn't entirely wrong.
No matter how much they thought about it, there was no way this task'd fail.
Plum looked at the remaining Orchid and Chrysanthemum.
The two nodded with expressions of agreement. They didn't want to miss the chance to put their names in the history of the Demonic Cult.
Plum solidified his resolve.
“We eliminate the traitor with our own hands.”
A few minutes later, Plum and Bamboo appeared at the end of the brothel’s corridor.
Chrysanthemum was visible at the end of the opposite corridor. Between them was the very special suite where Yeo Su-in was said to be staying.
They'd already put those who might interfere to sleep by pressing their pressure points.
Plum and Bamboo intended to charge in.
If Yeo Su-in happened to escape, Bamboo, who was waiting, would handle him.
Orchid was waiting below the window on the other side. This was in case he broke the window and fled. Orchid was the one who'd searched the Baekseon Pavilion earlier. He'd volunteered to guard the exterior to take responsibility for failing to find Yeo Su-in then.
Plum and Bamboo stopped in front of the door to the room where Yeo Su-in stayed, without revealing their presence.
The two signaled each other with their eyes.
Crack.
They broke through the door without mercy and entered.
They'd intended to cut him down immediately if Yeo Su-in was there, but the room was empty.
“Damn it! He's not here!”
At Plum's words, Bamboo looked out the window. Orchid was looking up from the street below.
Bamboo shook his head, conveying that the room was empty.
“It seems the bastard noticed and escaped.”
Just as he prepared to turn back to Plum.
Stab!
The sound of flesh being torn was heard from behind.
Bamboo turned as fast as lightning and his eyes went wide.
Blood was spraying from Plum's neck. What was stuck in his neck was a strangely shaped skewer.
Blood sprayed from the end of the skewer, which had a hole like a tube.
A question rose in his mind.
How on earth was Plum taken down so easily?
However, it wasn't the time to be possessed by questions.
Whoosh!
Bamboo, who'd drawn his sword, threw himself toward the man standing behind Plum.
The next moment!
Bamboo was startled.
No one was standing behind Plum. He'd clearly seen someone behind him. No, he'd felt it. He hadn't seen the bastard's true form accurately.
“How on earth?”
Bamboo jumped out of the broken door. It was to call Chrysanthemum, who was at the end of the corridor.
The next moment, Bamboo shouted.
“No!”
Chrysanthemum was sitting leaned against the end of the corridor, clutching his neck. Drenched in blood, he'd already breathed his last.
Given the situation, it was clear he'd killed Chrysanthemum first before killing Plum.
The same words burst from Bamboo's mouth again.
“Just how?”
Who could possibly avoid their attention and perform such an assassination?
“Brother!”
He ran back into the room while calling for Orchid. It was to jump out the window and join Orchid.
The next moment.
Splat!
It was truly the worst sound.
Because it was the sound of his own flesh being torn.
Bamboo's head slowly turned to the side. Something'd penetrated his neck. Through what pierced his neck, blood sprayed like a waterfall.
It was a proper surprise attack that'd utilized his urgent mind.
Come to think of it, it was the same for Plum, who died earlier. A surprise attack at the moment tension was released due to the disappointment that Yeo Su-in wasn't there.
Chrysanthemum must've been the same, too. He'd likely been assassinated at the moment Bamboo and Plum broke the door. At that moment when all focus was directed there.
Truly an artistic ambush that'd utilized the opponent’s psychology.
There, a man with a most heartless gaze held out his hand.
What was held in that hand was familiar.
It was the very skewer that'd pierced Plum's neck just before.
Bamboo pulled his body away while staggering.
Blood poured endlessly from the two holes in his neck.
Bamboo clutched his neck and approached the window with backward steps. They were dying, but he wanted to save at least Orchid, who was outside.
The man didn't stop him from poking his head out the window.
Only after poking his head out could he know the reason.
Already Orchid was lying on the ground, a cold corpse. His head, separated from his body, had fallen to the ground.
A woman stood before him.
She flicked the blood off her sword and looked up with a smirk.
The next moment, Bamboo's breath, which had no more reason to hold on, ceased. It was the moment the famous Four Great Sons of the Demonic Cult disappeared from the Jianghu.
The woman leaped lightly and flew up to the window.
The man opened the wardrobe on one wall.
Inside, Yeo Su-in sat in a cross legged position.
When he opened his eyes, the man spoke.
“They have been dealt with.”
Yeo Su-in looked at the man and spoke.
“Well done, White Dragon.”
The man was White Dragon, the subordinate Yeo Su-in cherished.
Subsequently, the woman walked before him. Her name was Phoenix.
White Dragon and Phoenix were subordinates Yeo Su-in cherished as much as the Seven Demons of Asura. Their personalities were different from the Seven Demons of Asura.
These two weren't Demonic Humans.
They weren't those saved within the Demonic Cult, but subordinates obtained from the outside.
The two'd arrived four hours ago.
Upon seeing Yeo Su-in join them, Lee Jaseung had informed the Four Great Sons of this location. He'd judged that if the two prepared in advance, they'd sufficiently handle the Four Great Sons.
Lee Jaseung had felt a Great Killing Star nature from the presence of White Dragon and Phoenix. A presence possessed only by those who'd truly known how to kill people.
Masters of assassination.
Such people often prey on those with higher martial arts than themselves.
Lee Jaseung's prediction that two'd prey on four was accurate. It'd hit most excellently.
The two possessed skills far more outstanding than Lee Jaseung'd predicted. It wasn't ‘strong’ but ‘outstanding’. More outstanding at killing people.
If they'd faced each other on a sparring stage, such a result would never've occurred.
“How much more time do you need for detoxification?”
“Four days.”
The poison of the Five Poison Hand was so vicious that it'd taken a lot of time to detoxify.
White Dragon asked again.
“Where'd be a good place to move the residence?”
Yeo Su-in made an unexpected decision.
“I'll just move rooms and continue to stay here.”
To the startled White Dragon and Phoenix, Yeo Su-in repeated again.
“We leave the corpses as they are, and we just move rooms.”
The death of these people'd be known, and Demonic Humans'd flock here like a pack of dogs.
But no one would imagine that he'd remain here as he was.
Truly, it meant building a house right under the lamp.
This was the ultimate in the strategy of truth and falsehood.
To do that, they'd have to recruit and threaten a few people related to the brothel.
Phoenix spoke with a fresh smile that didn't suit the smell of blood vibrating around her at all.
“Please leave that task to me.”
* * *
A two story building with Baekseon Pavilion visible far away.
Three people were in a room half hidden by a screen.
They were Lee Jaseung, Dan Woobin, and Mujin. Thanks to the fake Lee Jaseung who'd started to be active again recently, Lee Jaseung could move freely.
Lee Jaseung predicted Yeo Su-in’s actions accurately.
“The bastard won't move his hideout.”
The two were startled by those words.
“Would he dare show such guts?”
At Dan Woobin's question, Lee Jaseung nodded.
“He's a bastard more than capable of it.”
Mujin spoke with a smirk.
“I would’ve made the same choice.”
Then Dan Woobin spoke with a scoff.
“I suppose you would've. Though the intention'd be completely different, of course.”
“In this dirty world, what does intention or process matter? The result's what matters.”
“Why'd the world suddenly become dirty?”
“Hmph!”
Looking at Mujin who gave a snort, Dan Woobin spoke with a meaningful smile.
“I know why. The world must feel dirty because you've to just watch a feast before your eyes.”
Then Mujin frowned deeply.
“Hah. Comparing a woman to food! How foul!”
Dan Woobin was flustered by the unexpected counterattack.
“It's not that……”
Before he could settle the previous attack, a more powerful attack flew in.
“How disappointed Young Lady Songhwa'd be if she knew this fact?”
“Why bring her into this so unfairly!”
“My man must be pure. Ah, that’s a great misunderstanding my lady!”
“You bastard! Are you crazy? You've gone mad!”
Dan Woobin grabbed Mujin's collar and shook him. Even while being shaken here and there, the attack continued.
“Yes, a woman’s heart's what sways in the wind.”
“It's not! It doesn't sway!”
“Even after she learns what kind of person you are?”
“Fine, let's die together today, let's die!”
“Eventually, Young Lady Songhwa'll leave a letter written with tears throughout the night and depart quietly in the early dawn.”
In the end, Dan Woobin declared a total defeat while covering his ears.
“Stop it! I was wrong!”
Thus, Dan Woobin was no match for Mujin when he'd decided to tease him.
As such a round of banter ended, the voice of Mook Young was heard from the void.
“Yeo Su-in didn't leave and just changed rooms.”
Dan Woobin became serious as if he'd never played around.
“Indeed, your prediction was accurate, my Lord.”
Lee Jaseung stood by the window and looked at Baekseon Pavilion, visible far beyond the screen. He'd a plan set in case he made the choice not to leave.
“From now on's what's truly important.”
While saying so, Lee Jaseung looked at Mujin.
Mujin took a step back at Lee Jaseung's meaningful gaze.
“Why'd you look at me with those eyes?”
“What kind of eyes are they?”
“It's the same look as when you had me infiltrate the Central Plains Treasury in the past. That cold gaze when you push a subordinate into a place of death. Of course, such an inhumane thing won't happen again. Right? You're not trying to send me over there, are you? Speaking of which, those bastards sliced up the Four Great Sons of the Demonic Cult in an instant. Haha, I sweat just thinking about it. So uh…… why are you looking at me with those eyes?”
“Did I say something like this back then too? The only person to pull this off is……”
“Argh! Don't do it!”
Lee Jaseung spoke quietly to Mujin, who covered his ears just like Dan Woobin a moment ago.
“Mujin, you’re the only one.”