Chapter 233 : Now, Is Only the Beginning
Chapter 233: Now, Is Only the Beginning
“How has your family built such great wealth when they've been a martial family for generations?”
Mujin, completely drunk, was now treating Yeo Su-in like a younger brother.
Yeo Su-in didn't mind the unpermitted familiarity at all. A plan to use Mujin had formed in his mind, and he was focusing only on that.
He intended to get rid of Mujin after using him. In Yeo Su-in’s eyes, Mujin was already a dead man.
“My father was very interested in the world of commerce.”
“Let's toast to your father.”
Mujin held up his liquor cup again.
They'd already finished several bottles. Mujin went without saying, but Yeo Su-in was also quite intoxicated.
The reason he didn't use his inner Qi to expel the alcohol was simple.
It was because of what Mujin had said earlier, as if setting it in stone.
“Among the people of the Jianghu, there are those who expel the liquor they drink with inner Qi. Those bastards just have heavy junk between their legs, but they're pathetic things who can't be called men. Surely you aren't one of those, are you?”
Having heard that, Yeo Su-in couldn't expel the drunkenness even if just for the sake of his pride.
“By the way, you said the leader of the Virtuous Heroes is your sworn brother?”
“How'd you know?”
“You said so earlier.”
“Ah? Did I say that? If my little brother says I did, then I must've. Hahaha. That's right, my sworn brother is none other than the leader of the Virtuous Heroes.”
Mujin, who'd been slurring his speech the whole time, suddenly snapped to his senses and spoke clearly.
“My sworn brother who leads the Virtuous Heroes is a truly wonderful person. He's perfect in both literary and martial arts, and he has a bold personality. He's even handsome to boot. He's the most perfect person I've seen among the people of the Jianghu.”
Truly, if Dan Woobin had heard it, he would've teased Mujin for giving the most embarrassing self-praise in the Jianghu.
“I'd like to offer him a drink as well. Would that be possible?”
When Yeo Su-in asked suggestively, Mujin narrowed his eyes.
“Haha, you want to get a line to my sworn brother?”
“Of course not. Didn't you say the four seas are comrades? Since he's a famous person, I just want to meet him once. You may even invite all the various heroes of the Virtuous Heroes.”
“If I invite them all, there'll be quite a lot of them.”
“Money comes and goes, doesn't it? But an opportunity to personally host the heroes of the Jianghu doesn't come often. They say to strike while the iron is hot, so how about inviting them this evening?”
Yeo Su-in’s hidden intention was to call the Virtuous Heroes and make them clash with the Great Demon. It didn't matter who won.
If the Great Demon ended up killing the warriors of the Virtuous Heroes, especially their leader, the fire that fell on his own feet would spread to the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance.
He would flee far across the river in the meantime.
Mujin suddenly opened the wooden box he'd kept carefully by his side. He looked down at the golden toad and spoke as if it were a pity.
“You're sitting there all alone, so you look quite lonely.”
It meant he wanted another one.
Hiding his desire to kill him right then, Yeo Su-in laughed pleasantly.
“As a rule, all things must achieve a harmony of Yin and Yang. For my lonely older brother, I'll go get another one.”
Mujin smiled brightly and spoke.
“Since you're so bold, I can't just sit still either. I'll send word to my sworn brother to come right away. You're both fair and magnanimous, so you'll get along great. But are you sure I can invite the whole Virtuous Heroes?”
“Of course. I'll rent out the entirety of Baekseon Pavilion for the day.”
“Hahaha, truly amazing!”
Yeo Su-in gave a triumphant smile.
It was only difficult because it was hard to gather them in one place, but once they were gathered, making them clash was a piece of cake. After killing a few of the Virtuous Heroes, he just had to frame the Great Demon’s party for it.
Then Mujin spoke abruptly.
“I want to be like our Alliance Leader.”
Yeo Su-in was flustered by the sudden mention of Lee Jaseung.
“If you mean the Alliance Leader... are you talking about the Great Expert Seop Mu-pyeong?”
Yeo Su-in almost said Lee Jaseung.
‘Damn it. It’s because of the alcohol.’
His concentration had dropped due to the intoxication.
But since it was still bearable, he didn't secretly expel the drunkenness. Mujin also seemed drunk, as he was no longer offering more liquor.
“Yes, I mean our Alliance Leader.”
“What makes you want to be like him?”
“Why? It’s simple. He's not a cowardly person. He's someone who stands up boldly against the old world without yielding to the pressure of the elders.”
Yeo Su-in’s expression hardened slightly. Mujin might have meant it as praise for Lee Jaseung, but it was ultimately a reproach toward him as well.
Honestly, he was someone who feared fighting Yao Hong.
“I wonder if that's truly your sincere heart?”
“Whether it's sincere or not isn't important.”
“Then what's important?”
“It’s a matter of whether you act that way or not. What does wagging your tongue matter? Mostly cowards hide behind words. Do I not have a mouth so I can't speak? I can chatter about heroism and justice all day long. But that doesn't make me a Great Hero, does it?”
Again, those words became a blade that scraped Yeo Su-in’s heart.
He felt vaguely offended. That was natural. Mujin, who knew everything about Yeo Su-in, was intentionally scraping at him.
“I wanted to live like that too. Kgh, it’s bitter.”
Mujin drank liquor several times in a row. It looked like a complaint that comes out whenever one drinks about a dream that couldn't be achieved.
“It seems my older brother is a bit drunk.”
Ignoring Yeo Su-in’s words, Mujin asked.
“What kind of person are you?”
“With what intent are you asking that?”
“I mean how much courage you have.”
“I don't have such courage.”
Yeo Su-in’s voice trembled slightly. It was because the words were independent of his will. He wanted to shout out that he could be that way too.
Mujin burst into a frivolous laugh.
“Hehehehe. Yes, yes. You looked that way from the start. What does that kind of courage matter? The guy who survives a long time is the best. Isn't that right?”
“It is.”
Having given a reluctant answer, Yeo Su-in emptied his cup.
Although his eyes were unfocused from the liquor, Mujin didn't miss that sight. He didn't miss his agitation.
Every single word since they met until now had been part of Mujin’s calculations. Of course, those words weren't planned in advance. They were words based on instinct at every moment.
Mujin felt it.
He felt that he and Yeo Su-in were standing on an invisible martial arts stage.
‘Yes, I see it. The stage and the opponent.’
Since receiving the orders, Mujin had agonized over how to draw out the anger of a person like Yeo Su-in.
And Mujin found one thing.
He didn't need two or three things. Just one weapon to break him down.
The name of that weapon Mujin found was none other than ‘comparison’.
Comparing him to someone else.
And it was a comparison with Lee Jaseung of all people.
He thought it was the best way to break the composure of someone so prideful. He would compare them to death. Until the point right before he went mad.
The time he himself was most angry was also when he was compared to someone else.
“Honestly, we have to admit what we have to admit. We're just rotten bastards who like money, but the Alliance Leader is different.”
Yeo Su-in’s expression hardened further.
‘You bastard! It’s not we!’
Mujin continued speaking.
“The Jianghu should be ruled by someone like our Alliance Leader... Hahaha. Though for making money, the era of the previous leader was better. Wasn't it?”
“It was.”
Giving a short answer, Yeo Su-in emptied his cup again.
Listening to praise for Lee Jaseung made Yeo Su-in feel stifled. The reason he was in this mess was all because of Lee Jaseung. And yet, he had to sit here and listen to praise for Lee Jaseung from this goddamn guy’s mouth!
Normally, he would've let it slide. But since he was quite intoxicated, it was hard to suppress his anger.
On top of that, the decisive move Mujin prepared was added.
The thing that would deal a powerful strike to his bubbling anger was none other than,
“It’s only natural that the Alliance Leader claimed a beauty like Lady Baek.”
Clink.
The liquor cup Yeo Su-in was holding broke. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but his hands were trembling.
“Are you okay? You should be careful.”
Yeo Su-in just stared at the broken liquor cup silently.
Powerful killing intent radiated from his bloodshot eyes. He felt as if something deep in his heart had snapped with a crack. Something that he had firmly blocked so the contents wouldn't burst out.
Because of Lee Jaseung, his lifelong ambition was broken.
He didn't even get the woman he desperately wanted.
And now, while even being poisoned, he was listening to the drunken ramblings of this dog-like bastard.
Mujin could feel it.
He could feel Yeo Su-in’s anger.
If even a handful of wind blew, if even a small stone was thrown, he would explode.
But Mujin stopped.
He had to stop right here for that anger to exert greater power. Because he couldn't let himself be the target of that explosive rage.
That smoldering volcano would explode later.
Right at Yao Hong.
“Now, take this new cup.”
Yeo Su-in accepted the cup without a word.
Filling that cup, Mujin spoke.
“You shouldn't drink any more.”
It was truly a cat worrying about a mouse.
Mujin emptied his cup and spoke with a slurred tongue.
“Well, in the end, our Alliance Leader Seop will die too. This Jianghu never lets a wonderful person like that live…….”
Thump.
As if he couldn't hold out any longer, Mujin slumped his head onto the table and lay facedown.
Yeo Su-in, with a frozen expression, stared at Mujin with a terrifying gaze.
Yeo Su-in rose from his seat and approached Mujin.
After looking down at Mujin for a moment, Yeo Su-in raised his hand high. His hand, suspended in the air, trembled. He wanted to strike down right then and smash Mujin’s head.
Whether he knew of such murderous intent or not, Mujin even snored.
Snore, snore.
When Mujin started snoring, Yeo Su-in’s energy suddenly drained away.
‘Pathetic.’
Yeo Su-in reproached himself. Even if he killed Mujin now, there was nothing to gain. Instead, only regret for not controlling his own heart would remain.
Yeo Su-in walked to the window.
The dawn was brightening the surroundings. Yeo Su-in watched that sight for a long time with indifferent eyes.
Mujin opened his eyes slightly.
He saw Yeo Su-in’s back. From that back, Mujin felt it.
He felt that he was the winner of the duel.
Mujin closed his eyes again. Now he really let go of his mind and fell into a deep sleep.
The night of crisis passed like this.
* * *
Mujin slept the whole time and only woke up in the evening. Truly, he slept as soundly as if he were at his home.
This was the enemy's den. The bedroom of an enemy with a venomous heart who had plenty of reasons to kill him several times over.
He slept there without a care in the world.
“You truly have amazing guts.”
Ma Young-gi, who came to wake Mujin, wore an absurd expression.
“Do you really think that’s the reason?”
At Mujin’s counter-question, Ma Young-gi asked back.
“Then why?”
“It could've been because I was truly terrified.”
“Is that why?”
Mujin smiled brightly and answered.
“I'm not really sure myself.”
Looking at Mujin, Ma Young-gi laughed along.
In fact, Ma Young-gi had come here several times. It was because he was worried Yeo Su-in might do something to the sleeping Mujin.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
The two returned to their original room.
Mujin walked to the window, looked outside, and asked.
“What about the Virtuous Heroes?”
“They're coming this way. They'll stop at an appropriate place to stall for time and then head back.”
Since Yeo Su-in’s party would only proceed if they knew the Virtuous Heroes were coming. It was a kind of smoke screen operation.
“Three more joined as Yeo Su-in’s subordinates. They're people with skills that look extraordinary at a glance.”
They were none other than the Demon Youth, the Demon Buddha, and the Ghost Blade.
“What about Yeo Su-in?”
“He’s taken refuge in a nearby private house for a while.”
Since he hadn't completely recovered from the poison yet, he took refuge just in case anything happened.
“Those guys will help the Virtuous Heroes if a fight breaks out between them and the Great Demon.”
“No. Those guys will help the Great Demon’s side and try to eliminate all the Virtuous Heroes. That's the only way the problem will grow.”
Mujin was accurately seeing through Yeo Su-in’s mental state. He wasn't just trying to stop the Great Demon, he was trying to start a war between the Orthodox Faction and the Demonic Cult.
‘I'm sorry, but that doesn't belong to you, as it’s our operation.’
It was already dark outside.
Gazing out the window, Mujin glanced back at Ma Young-gi. At the chin gesture to come and see, Ma Young-gi stood beside him at the window.
Far off, men with bamboo hats pulled low were entering the main gate.
They were the demonic humans, including the Great Demon.
Ma Young-gi quickly brought the box from under the bed.
Mujin took an eye patch and an iron ball from the box. He put the eye patch over one eye immediately and kept the iron ball in his bosom.
Ma Young-gi also covered one eye with an eye patch and put an iron ball in his bosom.
“What about the boys?”
“They arrived a short while ago and are standing by.”
Ma Young-gi flicked his fingers while looking at the ceiling.
Then the ceiling opened and the men who had been hiding there jumped down nimbly.
There were eight in total, warriors of the Divine Sword Regiment who were chosen for their abundant practical experience as well as their skill.
They also wore the eye patches from the box and kept iron balls in their bosoms.
“Is everyone ready?”
“Yes.”
Although they had only half as many eyes as usual, they were shining much more than when they had two.
Mujin’s gaze turned out the window again. Far off, the Great Demon was entering the building with the elders. He also saw other demonic humans surrounding Baekseon Pavilion in layers.
It was now the moment the operation was rushing toward its climax past the crisis.
The light in Mujin’s one eye shone intensely.
“Now, shall we wrap this up?”