Chapter 186
Chapter 186
Even at a glance, the forces looked more than twice the number of the martial artists he had brought. Seeing that, Hye-gak clenched his fist tightly.
Unable to hide his anger, Hye-gak asked in a trembling voice.
“Sword Exalted, did you hide troops separately?”
“My, it seems the Abbot’s eyes cannot see the clothes they are wearing. These people are not soldiers of the Unorthodox Alliance. They are merely wandering warriors hired with the Unorthodox Alliance’s private funds.”
“You say they are wandering warriors?”
At Youngho’s mocking remark, Hye-gak could not conceal his anger.
“Can those people truly be called wandering warriors? Disguise is something anyone can do.”
“If you can take responsibility for that statement, you may keep running your mouth….”
Youngho stared coldly at Hye-gak as he spoke.
“But if that’s not the case, you will have to pay the price. And who exactly hid troops? Are the people behind you not hidden forces?”
For a moment, Hye-gak’s body flinched. But he quickly regained his composure and continued speaking in a calm tone.
“My words always come with responsibility. Sword Exalted, you are still young, so you may not understand yet, but that is what it means to lead a group.”
“Then did Shaolin file an official protest to the Unorthodox Alliance? Or was it the Murim Alliance? I hope you answer carefully.”
Youngho was pressing Hye-gak. It could be seen as a battle of nerves or even a threat, but the conclusion was one.
A clear answer.
Youngho was trying to hear the stance of the Orthodox Sect. Having grasped the entire situation, Hye-gak sneered inwardly.
‘Those people aren’t soldiers of the Unorthodox Alliance?’
They moved with secrecy that deceived the eyes of the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families, and they possessed a martial presence far beyond that of mere wandering warriors.
Those people must be members of the Asura Squad that Youngho personally trained. Otherwise, each one of them could not possibly have reached the level of a fully matured First Rate Martial Artist.
Certain of this, Hye-gak prepared to declare that every word he spoke represented the position of the Murim Alliance.
Even if others saw this situation, everyone would say the same thing. Those people were certainly not mere wandering warriors.
However, what Hye-gak overlooked was that Youngho valued relationships and knew how to use his connections.
“Of course, every word I speak represents the Murim Alli—”
“You’ve gone senile beyond repair. You’ve gone mad.”
At that moment, an extremely rude voice interrupted—so blunt it bordered on sacrilege.
“‘Taesan Bukdu,’ my foot. From now on, Shaolin shouldn’t use such an honorable title. Just hearing you talk is embarrassing.”
A woman stepped forward.
She stood over six cheok tall, her body excessively muscular and thoroughly trained.
Numerous scars marked her forehead, and the massive greatsword strapped to her back stood out prominently.
“Well now. I came out after hearing my little brother’s request for the first time in ages, but what are we supposed to do if the person involved doesn’t even recognize me?”
Thud!
The woman drove her greatsword into the ground and shouted in a booming voice.
“The Wandering King, Jeong Guyu, has arrived!”
At those words, Muyeon spoke in a tearful voice.
“Big brother!”
“I told you to call me big sister! I came because you called for me—why aren’t you welcoming me?!”
As Jeong Guyu barked loudly, Muyeon exclaimed with a moved expression.
“Haah—! I knew I could trust you!”
The king who ruled over all wandering warriors and the first wandering warrior in the history of the Jianghu to establish an independent force of her own.
Jeong Guyu laughed heartily.
“Ku-hahaha! So you want us to deal with these guys? Well, we’ve already been paid the advance, so we’re ready to attack anytime….”
She glanced at Hye-gak and continued.
“But it doesn’t look like we’ll even need to fight. If it’s like this, we won’t earn our pay.”
Watching Jeong Guyu seriously consider becoming enemies with the Orthodox Sect, Youngho let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re even crazier than I expected.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“For now, there’s no need to fight. If possible, we’ll resolve this through conversation. I’ll pay properly, so don’t worry.”
“If we’re not going to fight anyway, the advance is enough for us. Do whatever you want.”
“Thanks. That saves me some money.”
Youngho looked at Hye-gak and gave a playful smile. Seeing Hye-gak’s stiff expression, Youngho asked again in an amused tone.
“So? You were saying you represent the Murim Alliance?”
At that single sentence, Hye-gak’s mind began spinning rapidly. Reaching an answer at a speed comparable to Zhuge Lianhua, he clenched his teeth.
Youngho had not lied. Those people truly were merely wandering warriors.
They just happened to belong to Fungnang, the group led by the Wandering King, who was forging a legend.
Aside from that, they really were wandering warriors.
Wandering warriors who moved for money—and sometimes refused to move even for money.
Think. Think again.
Hye-gak desperately searched for a brilliant strategy to escape this crisis.
Soon he found an answer, and with a faintly sinister smile he said,
“Wandering King, how about making a deal with us?”
“Hm?”
Jeong Guyu looked intrigued by Hye-gak’s sudden change in attitude.
“I’d like you to clarify exactly who ‘us’ refers to. Our price varies greatly depending on who we’re dealing with.”
“Of course, Shaolin.”
Since things could go wrong, he avoided repeating his earlier mistake. He knew well that if he called it the Murim Alliance again, there would be no turning back.
There were countless ways to get past this situation without even bringing up the word ‘deal,’ but Hye-gak had been blinded by the reward he could gain by overcoming this hardship, regardless of the risks.
Youngho’s death.
The sweet fruits that would follow.
And the admiring gazes of the world.
In some ways, it was also for the greater righteousness. Without Youngho, the Unorthodox Alliance had a high chance of losing the war against the Murim Alliance.
To eradicate the Demonic Cult and the entire Unorthodox Faction.
For one who walked the path of the Righteous Path, what greater honor could there be?
It was simply a matter of trust.
Even if the divide between Orthodox Sect and Unorthodox Faction prevented complete faith, there could at least be trust between people…
Watching Hye-gak—who possessed less loyalty than a wandering warrior—Jeong Guyu clicked her tongue inwardly.
‘A beast that doesn’t even know gratitude.’
Not only was he trying to kill the person who contributed the most to the fall of the Demonic Cult, he was also staining the path of the Righteous Path.
Though Jeong Guyu cursed him inwardly, she laughed heartily on the outside.
“Hahaha! Making a deal with the Abbot of Shaolin? Looks like I’ve become quite successful.”
“I’m also pleased to have formed a new connection. So, what will you do, benefactor?”
“You should present the money first if you want us to move. Is it because you’re a monk? You seem unfamiliar with how the world works.”
“Haha…”
Hye-gak forced a pleasant smile. As he considered Shaolin’s finances, Jeong Guyu spoke.
“For reference, you’ll need to hand over about five Gold Ingots first. That way the numbers balance out.”
“…What?”
What had she just said?
Gold ingots?
One Gold Ingot was worth fifty Nyang of Gold.
And she wanted five of them?
For nothing more than wandering warriors?
As that thought reached him, Hye-gak’s lips twitched uncontrollably at the ominous realization flashing through his mind.
His twitching lips soon spread to his cheeks when his gaze fell upon Nam A-pyeong.
Nam A-pyeong was simply smiling.
Like a bear lazily resting after a hearty meal.
“Nam A-pyeong, you bastard!!”
Hye-gak’s Lion’s Roar erupted with hatred beyond mere anger.
“They call you the King of Wealth, and yet your arrogance reaches the heavens!”
“Pfft!”
Jeong Guyu burst into laughter without realizing it. Even someone as oblivious as her could clearly see that Hye-gak despised wandering warriors.
And yet, standing before her, he had stretched his patience to the limit just to avoid insulting wandering warriors directly.
Seeing such a pathetic sight was simply too amusing.
After laughing for quite some time and wiping tears from her eyes, Jeong Guyu said,
“I never intended to make a deal with you anyway. I don’t smell money, and you don’t inspire trust. How could I treat you as a business partner?”
Hye-gak’s face twisted severely.
“So you deceived me from the start?”
“Dropped the polite tone already? That looks better on you. Your true nature finally came out.”
“Shut that mouth!!”
“Unlike you, I don’t betray loyalty. So I’ll help my little brother.”
Woooooooom!!
‘Hm?’
Youngho felt a sense of déjà vu from the energy surging from Jeong Guyu’s body.
It was something quite different from ordinary Killing Intent or the aura created by Internal Energy. Youngho focused on it.
Soon realizing its identity, Youngho smirked.
‘What an interesting talent.’
The energy flowing from Jeong Guyu’s body was not human.
It was the murderous aura of a beast—something felt from ferocious animals.
Much more raw and natural than human killing intent, it began to stiffen the bodies of everyone nearby.
Even the wandering warriors themselves struggled to withstand her martial presence, visibly trying to loosen their stiffened muscles.
‘Then it’s about time I step in.’
Grateful to Jeong Guyu for setting the stage, Youngho stepped forward and spoke.
“Is there really a need to exert more force here?”
“…Sword Exalted.”
As Hye-gak ground his teeth, Youngho smiled brightly.
“How about retreating now? While I’m still willing to take a loss just to preserve your honor.”
“You truly—!”
“Hey.”
Shiver—!
Everyone except Youngho felt it.
If they moved even one step, their heads would roll.
If they provoked him further, they would truly die.
His body still looked so fragile it might collapse at any moment, yet Youngho’s martial presence was no weaker than before he had been injured.
Youngho’s eyes no longer regarded them as fellow humans.
His gaze looked as if he were staring at corpses.
It was clear he had no intention of continuing the conversation.
Because they understood this, a member of the Zhuge Clan, who at least had some sense, spoke to Hye-gak.
“Abbot, you must withdraw immediately.”
“I know.”
“Not just saying it—”
“I said I know!”
Hye-gak’s anger turned not toward Youngho but toward the one advising him.
Just as that man’s expression stiffened—
“Let us return.”
At that moment, it was neither Shaolin nor the Zhuge Clan, but Mount Hua Sect—Myeongjeong—who spoke.
“There seems to be no meaning in further conversation, so Mount Hua Sect will withdraw.”
“Sect Leader?”
“What is the matter, Abbot?”
“This is not what we discussed!”
“Do you have a better solution?”
“….”
Hye-gak’s cold fury turned toward Myeongjeong.
Yet Myeongjeong’s expression did not change.
Looking at the pitiful state Hye-gak had fallen into, he sighed.
“How unfortunate. Had I known the Abbot was this foolish, there would have been no need to respect you.”
“What are you saying?!”
“Mount Hua Sect is not on Shaolin’s side.”
Hye-gak’s face began to freeze.
Shock.
Anger.
Despair.
Then absolute hopelessness devoured his mind in an instant.
Hye-gak might have been foolish, but he was not stupid.
Even though his heart wavered before temptation, he was not a dull-witted man.
That was why he understood.
Not only himself as the Abbot of Shaolin, but Shaolin itself had fallen into danger.
The moment that realization struck him—
Hye-gak fell into Qi Deviation, and dark red blood burst from his eyes, nose, and mouth.
Watching the gruesome sight, Youngho smiled coldly.
“This isn’t over yet….”
Those were the last words Hye-gak heard before losing consciousness.