Chapter 227 : Young-gi, Joins
Chapter 227: Young-gi, Joins
Mujin's face was altered.
The skill of Master Go, who made Human Skin Masks, didn't lie only in mask production. He was also very skilled in the art of disguise, and by simply touching up a few things with some chemicals, he made Mujin look like a completely different person.
“This face'll stay like this for a few days.”
Mujin looked into the bronze mirror Master Go held out. The figure in the mirror felt like a stranger.
“Can I touch it?”
“Of course. You can act just as you usually do without any problems.”
Mujin touched his own face. There wasn't any sense of incongruity in the altered parts.
“It's truly amazing.”
At Mujin's admiration, Master Go wore a proud expression.
Lee Jaseung, who was watching from the side, commended Master Go.
“It's quite excellent.”
“You flatter me. I'll take my leave now.”
After Master Go left, only Lee Jaseung and Mujin remained in the room.
“It's truly a work of art, huh?”
“It's a good example of what it means to devote one's life to a single field.”
Since Master Go possessed the greatest skill among those who handled masks.
“Now, since you've even fixed this handsome subordinate's face, please tell me what orders you're going to give.”
Just as Lee Jaseung was about to speak, the voice of Ma Young-gi was heard from outside the door.
“May I come in for a moment?”
“Come in.”
Ma Young-gi entered.
“If you'll allow it, I'd like to hear what the mission is as well.”
Lee Jaseung said to him.
“It doesn't matter if you hear it too.”
“Thank you.”
Even though he hadn't heard why he came, Mujin was moved.
“As expected, there's no one like our Captain Ma!”
Mujin saw it correctly.
Ma Young-gi intended to help with this mission. He'd felt sorry for sending only Mujin on the previous mission to infiltrate the Central Plain battlefield.
“If there's anything I can help with, I'll help.”
Mujin's expression brightened significantly.
“You're more than welcome.”
If it was Ma Young-gi, he'd be the best possible supporter. Even though he seemed stiff, he possessed a sense that could turn that into a strength.
Once Ma Young-gi joined, Mujin spoke with a slightly more relaxed mind.
“What's the mission?”
“Approach Yeo Su-in.”
“Yeo Su-in, you say? That Yeo Su-in who's guarded by those killers who sliced up the famous Four Great Sons in an instant? That cruel Yeo Su-in who rose to the position of successor after killing all his brothers? That Yeo Su-in who's injured and full of poison, and'll be suspicious of everything that approaches him?”
At Mujin's banter, Ma Young-gi gave a scoff.
In fact, Mujin had expected this much. If it'd been a simple surveillance mission, the task'd've been given to Mook Young, not him.
He'd guessed that sending him meant exposing him to the target.
Mujin turned to Ma Young-gi and smiled brightly.
“As long as Captain Ma helps, it won't be that difficult. Good, and once I meet the bastard?”
“The reason Yeo Su-in hasn't left the brothel's because the detoxification isn't finished yet.”
“That must be so.”
“In this situation, if the Great Demon attacks with full force, Yeo Su-in will die.”
Mujin and Ma Young-gi nodded. The reason the Four Great Sons were defeated was because they didn't know Yeo Su-in had such powerful supporters. They'd been absurdly caught in an ambush.
But when an attack was made with proper intent, could the injured Yeo Su-in and the assassin-like White Dragon and Phoenix handle the Great Demon and his subordinates? It wasn't an easy task.
“You'll stand on Yeo Su-in's side and adjust this imbalance of power.”
“Please speak in simpler terms.”
“Save Yeo Su-in. In the process, you may kill everyone except the Great Demon. No, it'd be good if you killed them all.”
In an instant, Mujin and Ma Young-gi blinked their eyes. They looked at each other with expressions as if they'd misheard something.
Mujin looked at Lee Jaseung and asked.
“How?”
“You'll have to write that in your report later. That you did it this way and that way.”
The absurdity on Mujin's face grew even greater.
“When both sides are lined up to fight, I guess I should go in between them and shout like this. Pointing at the Great Demon and Yeo Su-in, I'll say, except for you and you, the two of you, everyone else has to die by my hand. And then I can just lightly kill all the rest. Right? Captain Ma.”
Mujin turned to Ma Young-gi to seek agreement for his words.
But Ma Young-gi wasn't beside him. He'd already stepped back about two paces.
Mujin narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Why're you over there?”
“I was standing here from the beginning.”
Mujin was about to say something to him, as he'd somehow become shameless, but Lee Jaseung spoke a step ahead.
“For now, you don't have to worry about that. A full scale war won't break out between the two sides.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because the sacrifices on the Great Demon's side are already too great. If a full scale war breaks out again, he'll lose almost everyone he brought down from the mountain. Even if he kills Yeo Su-in, the fault'll cover up the merit.”
“So he'll definitely launch a surprise attack.”
“That's right.”
Only now could they understand what Lee Jaseung wanted.
It meant maximizing the sacrifices of them all while ensuring Yeo Su-in didn't die.
“Why don't you do it yourself?”
With Lee Jaseung's level of martial arts, he could've mixed in among them and eliminated the warriors on the Great Demon's side.
“Then Yeo Su-in'd realize that I'm pulling the strings from behind.”
In other words, it meant making things happen as naturally as possible.
Even though he knew the content, Mujin asked seriously.
“What's the core of this mission?”
Mujin could tell from Lee Jaseung's smile that his question was appropriate. Lee Jaseung was thinking of more than just saving Yeo Su-in.
Indeed, he answered without hesitation, just as Lee Jaseung had prepared.
“It's Yeo Su-in's anger.”
Mujin asked again.
“Yeo Su-in’s, and not the Great Demon?”
Lee Jaseung nodded. It was the moment the reason why this mission was difficult was revealed.
“The Great Demon's already sufficiently angry. If he loses more subordinates, he'll become even angrier. But the problem's Yeo Su-in. He's a smart man. If the fight against Yao Hong's unfavorable, he'll try to avoid the fight by any means necessary. No matter how much his location's tracked using the Ten Thousand Mile Tracking Scent, he'll find another way. If Yeo Su-in doesn't wage a full scale war against Yao Hong, all the processes up to now'll be in vain.”
Mujin could guess Lee Jaseung's intent.
“So I should make Yeo Su-in want to fight the real Cult Leader.”
Lee Jaseung smiled and nodded.
“To do that, you'll have to draw out the anger from deep within his heart.”
Mujin, who stared at Lee Jaseung blankly for a moment, let out a light sigh and spoke.
“So to summarize finally, you're ordering me to intervene in the fight between those terrifying masters of the Demonic Cult, make them both suffer losses, and then wake up the anger deep in the heart of that smart and cruel bastard who even took the position of successor. All while he's guarded by two crazy killers who finished off the Four Great Sons like a snack, and in a situation where we don't know who else might come to help. Ah, it can be summarized even more simply. Go kill them all and make the bastard angry!”
“That's right. Exactly.”
“Hahaha. What a truly easy and simple order. Hahahahaha.”
Mujin continued to laugh like a madman.
“Then, I'm counting on you. I've somewhere to go.”
Lee Jaseung tried to get up from his seat.
“Where're you going?”
“To get some night air, I decided to go boating with her.”
“Hahaha. That's a very hateful yet chilling joke huh?”
Just then, the voice of Mook Young was heard.
“I've rented a boat. It's time to depart.”
A silence flowed for a moment. Mujin's expression contorted.
“Wait you're serious.”
“Because nothing'll change just by sitting around and worrying.”
“A river of death's flowing between you and me, my Lord.”
“If you drift down this way, I'll fish you out.”
“That's something even a passing pedestrian could do.”
Then Ma Young-gi spoke.
“Let's go. We'll be late.”
Before they knew it, Ma Young-gi was standing by the door. He'd already opened the door wide.
“Where're you going?”
“I have to go boating of course. My mission in the Murim Alliance's to protect the Alliance Leader. The Guard Hall master of the Murim Alliance. You know that, don't you? If the Leader goes, I go.”
“What about your words earlier about helping me?”
“I said I'd help if there was something to help with.”
“And this isn't something to help with?”
“Anyone can see it's not. And actually... I have a special condition.”
“That claustrophobia? What's that got to do with this mission?”
“No. Not a phobia, an avoidance. I get dizzy when I face a woman and have a conversation. It's a kind of woman-avoidance. But a brothel? I'd probably collapse right from the entrance.”
“You boasted before as if you knew a lot about women.”
Then, Ma Young-gi seemed flustered for a moment.
“I did? There must've been a misunderstanding.”
As Lee Jaseung and Ma Young-gi were about to leave, Mujin asked.
“Just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Why on earth're you doing this to me!”
Then Lee Jaseung said with a smirk.
“Isn't it a stage full of your allies?”
In the end, Mujin laughed too.
Allies referred to the courtesans. Because he was someone who knew women better than anyone.
It was something Lee Jaseung couldn't do personally. No matter how much he disguised himself, Yeo Su-in'd recognize him. If he realized Lee Jaseung had intervened, he'd be even less willing to fight Yao Hong.
Among the others, Mujin was the only one who could do this. Although he always seemed to go around saying nonsensical things, he possessed the ability to look deep into a person's inner self. No, it wasn't an ability but a nature.
Of course, this task was also a truly dangerous one.
As always, the more difficult it was, the more it'd grow him.
But this growth didn't seem to be limited to him.
Ma Young-gi's joke had ended.
Ma Young-gi, who'd opened the door, bowed lightly to Lee Jaseung. It meant he'd stay and go with Mujin.
After Lee Jaseung showed a smile, he stepped out. It wasn't a matter of being more at ease because there were two of them. Mujin'd judge for himself anyway.
Whether it was better to take Ma Young-gi along, or if he thought otherwise, he'd leave him behind. His trust in Mujin was that great.
After Ma Young-gi remained, Mujin asked.
“You're really going to help?”
“Yes.”
“What about those phobias you have?”
“I'll try to endure as much as possible.”
“If it could be endured, it wouldn't have been called a phobia in the first place.”
“Don't I often make my opponents angry? I'll wake up the bastard's anger.”
“Hahaha.”
Mujin laughed loudly. But contrary to his words, Ma Young-gi hadn't made him angry even once.
Mujin was inwardly moved. To say he'd join this task even after hearing the whole mission meant this.
That he'd risk his life together.
Mujin smiled at Ma Young-gi and spoke.
“Then shall we do this?”