“Step away from the master!”
The shout came from Ilho, who had stepped forward.
He knew he wasn’t a match for me, but as a member of this organization, he couldn’t just stand by and watch Cheon Soseon suffer.
Beside him stood Chilho, silently observing the situation. She never imagined I would kill Iseon and subdue Cheon Soseon. Im Yeonjeong was equally shocked.
“You’ve got loyal subordinates. Most would have fled by now.”
Cheon Soseon responded with a cynical smile to my comment.
“And what good would that do? They’re no help at all, just a nuisance.”
“Should I get rid of them?”
I tossed the suggestion out like a joke, but Cheon Soseon didn’t respond. Even if I couldn’t read his mind, I was certain of one thing: he wouldn’t mourn their deaths.
I could sense it. Cheon Soseon’s emotions were far more desolate than those of Chilho, who was raised in a secret organization devoid of feelings.
He must have grown up enjoying all the luxuries, while Chilho endured the worst in a hellish place.
Perhaps those who raised Cheon Soseon wanted him to become this cold-blooded.
After all, without such a heart of stone, how could one handle such a conspiracy? Treating subordinates as mere expendables, willing to kill children to achieve their goals? Those who raised Cheon Soseon must be of the same ilk.
“Your courage is commendable.”
I strode towards Ilho.
He didn’t even think to draw his sword, just stood there waiting for me. Like a rock falling to crush an egg, he didn’t run. I saw the despair of the final moment in his eyes.
But I had no intention of killing him.
With a swift motion, I subdued his pressure points.
I did the same to Chilho and Im Yeonjeong, who stood nearby. They didn’t reveal their identities until the very end.
There’s no need to boast about one’s identity after subduing an opponent.
The satisfaction and thrill of letting them know we’re on the same side would be fleeting and insignificant.
Unexpected twists can happen anywhere. In a situation where the outcome is uncertain, it’s wise to keep things hidden until the last possible moment.
After subduing them, I returned to Cheon Soseon. The conversation, interrupted by Ilho’s appearance, resumed.
“I know Galsaryang is under your command.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Someone of your caliber wouldn’t be just a henchman for Galsaryang.”
“Let’s say that’s true.”
Though the situation was still difficult, I held the upper hand.
“Now, let’s talk about the soul residing in that child.”
I watched Cheon Soseon closely after speaking.
Did he know who that soul was?
“I don’t know.”
He seemed to know, but it was a secret he couldn’t reveal, like a clam with its shell tightly shut.
Just then, the temple door opened, and someone stepped out.
To my surprise, it was a child wrapped in bandages. Behind the open door, I could see Jeongso asleep against the wall, likely sedated by Im Yeonjeong earlier.
It seemed the child had overpowered him and come out.
Both Cheon Soseon and I were taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
The child was Janggeun, one of the two. His eyes were not those of a child. Awake now, he was someone else entirely.
He looked at me and asked, “Who are you?”
Hearing the child’s voice, Im Yeonjeong, standing at the temple’s entrance, was visibly startled. At least the voice was unchanged.
I quickly sent her a mental message, just in time to stop her from crying out “Geuna.”
-If you want to save your son, stay still. Trust me.
There was no time or room to persuade her further. My opponents were the soul within the child and Cheon Soseon.
Im Yeonjeong remained silent. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the turmoil in her mind. Fortunately, she chose to trust me amidst it all.
Despite her betrayal by the organization and the urge to collapse, she held on as best she could.
Her gaze was now solely on the child.
Knowing another soul resided in her child meant he would die within days.
It was a situation where any reaction would be understandable, but she was strong. Her strength was matched by her trust in me.
I spoke to the child.
“That’s a question I should be asking you.”
My gaze, directed at the presence within the child, intensified.
“Who are you?”
An old man was entering somewhere.
It was another cave, different from where the child had been.
The place was filthy and damp, the kind of place where venomous creatures might crawl up and bite your hand. It was a place you wouldn’t want to linger.
The old man walked slowly to the end of the cave. He placed his palm on the middle of the dead-end wall.
A low hum resonated.
As he infused it with his inner energy, the hidden door in the wall opened. It was a mechanism that responded only to his energy.
Typically, such doors have a panel for placing one’s hand. But the old man simply placed his hand on the uneven wall and infused it with energy.
This alone hinted at the skill of the person who created the mechanism.
The old man entered. Even Cheon Soseon had never been here.
The interior was bizarre.
It felt like being inside a living creature’s belly. The ceiling had water pouch-like structures hanging down, writhing as if alive when someone passed by.
The floor was uneven, like round stones embedded in it, but upon closer inspection, it was made of human skulls.
The walls were etched with numerous lines forming strange geometric shapes, painted in various colors. The vivid primary colors, unlike anything seen in daily life, made the place even more eerie and mysterious.
Even the most experienced martial artist would be shocked and amazed upon entering this place.
There was someone there.
“Welcome.”
The young man who greeted him had a peculiar appearance. His face was as white as if painted, with no eyebrows. His features were small and delicate, making him look like he was wearing a white mask. He seemed both out of place and oddly fitting in this strange space.
“The test?”
“It went smoothly.”
Perhaps due to the uniqueness of the space, their voices echoed, making them unrecognizable.
“That’s good.”
“It’s past time for you to enter. Please, this way.”
The young man guided the old man to the side.
There was something round and white there. It looked like a chair or a bed, resembling a large egg cut in half.
The old man reclined into it.
Splash.
Inside was a mysterious liquid. The old man wore a contented expression, as if he were back in his mother’s womb.
“Ah.”
“You seem very tired.”
“I’ve been worried about the grand plan.”
“It’s dangerous to stay outside for too long.”
“I’ll be careful.”
The young man brought a small, oddly-shaped bottle. As he opened it, a strange scent wafted out.
The old man drank its contents in gulps.
“Ah, that’s good.”
After finishing the contents, he handed the bottle back to the young man, who asked,
“The grand plan should have started by now.”
“Yes, it should have.”
“I heard there was an unexpected development.”
The old man nodded calmly.
“How could there not be any obstacles in such matters?”
“Is there a greater obstacle than us?”
“Oh, you.”
“With Cheon Gongja and Iseon involved, the grand plan should proceed smoothly.”
“Indeed.”
The young man, who had been smiling, now wore a more cautious expression.
“We’ve received a message from them.”
The old man’s expression briefly soured. He closed his eyes, expressing his inner frustration.
“Exhausting.”
“Rest.”
As soon as he closed his eyes, the old man began to snore.
The young man adjusted a device nearby. A lid began to close over where the old man lay.
The place where the old man lay became an egg, and the young man returned to his position.
The child did not reveal himself.
I could sense that the presence within him was no ordinary being. The aura emanating from his eyes was grand and formidable… and strangely familiar.
Could it be? Is it someone I know?
The child asked me,
“How did you know of my existence?”
“In the martial world, there are no secrets.”
I acted as if I had come not for the child, but for the presence before me.
I glanced at Cheon Soseon and said,
“You asked why I wanted to take the child? To kill that thing.”
Cheon Soseon’s face showed a flicker of emotion. His life was precious, but so was that presence.
I realized that the soul was something the organization had been preparing for a long time.
And at that moment, I understood.
To save the child, I had to pretend to want to kill him.
I walked decisively towards the child.
Im Yeonjeong’s alarm was palpable. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to her now.
I sent her another mental message.
-Trust me.
Chilho likely sent her a similar message.
I approached the child until I was right in front of him. The presence within him knew it might die, yet remained calm.
Had I ever met anyone like this before?
The child quietly observed me, then tapped his head with a finger.
“What about the other child inside? Are you planning to kill him too?”
In that moment, I flinched, though it was more of a pretense than genuine surprise.
I quickly regained my composure and spoke coldly, “I suppose sacrifices must be made for the greater good.”
Of course, I didn’t mean a word of it.
The child responded nonchalantly, “The greater good? What does that even mean? Killing me? Am I supposed to be some grand figure compared to this kid? How flattering. Ha ha ha.”
The child’s laughter abruptly stopped.
“Honestly, you orthodox types have it all wrong. You twist everything to fit your agenda. Instead of dressing it up with such nonsense, you might as well just kill everyone and be done with it.”
Orthodox types? In other words, he was referring to the souls of the unorthodox or demonic sects.
The child looked at me again and said, “You’re not even worth that.”
“You’re inviting your own death.”
“Then go ahead, try to kill me.”
The child remained unfazed.
I raised my hand, ready to crush his skull in one swift motion.
Im Yeon-jeong shouted, “No!”
Her intervention wasn’t surprising. She was in charge of the grand ritual, after all.
The child looked up at my halted hand and smirked. “Your heart is weak.”
I lowered my hand and replied, “It’s not weak for your sake.”
“Ha ha ha.”
The child laughed heartily, then suddenly collapsed. I quickly caught him. He had already lost consciousness.
His face and expression were hidden beneath bandages, but he seemed utterly at peace.
I handed the child over to Im Yeon-jeong, who carried him inside.
I approached Cheon So-seon.
“Is there a way to save the child?”
“By proceeding with the grand ritual.”
“You must think I’m a fool. Once the ritual is complete, that child will die.”
“That’s the usual case. But this situation is unique, isn’t it?”
“Is there a way to save him even after the ritual?”
“Yes. If you spare me, I’ll save the child.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“And why should I trust you? My life is in your hands, and I have no desire to die over this.”
“Fine. Save the child. But transfer the soul to that one.”
I pointed to Il-ho.
Cheon So-seon shook his head. “It’s not that simple. The soul transfer ritual requires specific conditions.”
I knew that, of course. That’s why I had created the So-cheongdae, as Baek-pyo had informed me.
But if we transferred the soul to another child in the temple, that child would die within a year.
“Either transfer it to him, or you die. Choose.”
I held the upper hand. What happened to the soul after leaving the child was none of my concern.
But Cheon So-seon was no pushover. He understood the complexity of our intertwined interests.
“Then the way to save the child will disappear as well.”
Once again, it was time to make a choice.