Moonlit Duel (1)
Sturdy horses were being loaded with leather pouches.
Inside those pouches were the promissory notes meant for me. Their financial prowess was truly astounding.
Whether they had prepared in advance or not, I couldn’t say. But less than half an hour after our handshake, pouches containing thirty-five million nyang appeared before me. Even more surprising was that these were untraceable small-denomination notes.
Standing beside Seong Wangbo, I watched as the money was loaded onto the horses.
He had revealed the location of the cave where the old man I needed to kill was hiding. Astonishingly, the cave was also here in Hubei, where the main headquarters of the Martial Alliance was located.
“Be careful. He’s incredibly strong.”
“I’m well aware.”
“Do you think you can defeat him?”
When I saw the old man on the day of the great meeting, I judged him to be my equal. Winning or losing would be as thin as a sheet of paper.
“I just hope your decision to choose me was the right one.”
“I trust you.”
“But there’s something I’m curious about.”
“Ask away.”
“Why did you join forces with them? You seemed wealthy enough already.”
“Indeed, I was very wealthy.”
The trading company he led had a long history. As its heir, Seong Wangbo wouldn’t have needed to join forces with them to live a life free of financial worries.
“Did your parents start this alliance with them?”
“No, it was me who joined forces with them.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Why indeed?”
He clasped his hands behind his back, reminiscing about the past, then looked at me.
“Think of it like this: imagine you’re a martial artist who stumbles upon an ancient manual with no title. You’re already a master, so you don’t need to learn new skills. Would you open it?”
“No, I would have opened it.”
It wasn’t a matter of being a master or a novice. It was about human curiosity. It’s natural to want to know what something is.
“I was the same. I opened the manual and found techniques more powerful than my own.”
In other words, he couldn’t resist their temptation and offers, and now he was making even more money.
Yes, some temptations are fleeting, while others, once you step in, you can never escape.
The devil’s temptations are always sweet. Of course, the price for that sweetness is often harsh.
“Do you regret it?”
“I don’t.”
His answer was without hesitation. Perhaps that was the first reason he had to die by my hand. A life that doesn’t regret what should be regretted.
Meanwhile, the money was fully loaded onto the horses.
“As you can see, I’m giving you the promised money. But we need some assurance too.”
“What kind of assurance?”
“What if you take the money and fail to do the job? So, I prepared this.”
He pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to me.
I took it.
“Open it.”
In the next moment.
Whoosh.
The box burst into flames in my hand.
I didn’t open it; I incinerated it with Sammae Jinhwa, the True Fire of Samadhi.
Seong Wangbo was startled, looking back and forth between me and the burning box. Flames danced on my hand, but I didn’t even blink.
“Try a stunt like this again, and you’ll die on the spot.”
“Understood.”
The fact that I could summon Sammae Jinhwa and remain unfazed by the flames was a testament to my formidable power.
Moreover, I burned it without checking its contents. It was likely harmful to me, but I could have confirmed it before destroying it.
Earlier, I said I would open the manual, but this was my way of showing that I could choose not to, if I set my mind to it.
Of course, Seong Wangbo, overwhelmed by my presence, probably didn’t grasp the deeper meaning.
I blew on the flames, and the remnants scattered into the air. My hand was unscathed, thanks to my protective energy.
“If you want to assign blame, look in the mirror. You’ll see the one responsible for making the wrong choice.”
I mounted my horse and looked at him.
“One prank is enough. Don’t even think about tailing me.”
“Understood.”
I spurred my horse and left. Seong Wangbo didn’t dare to follow.
“You brought back thirty-five million nyang?”
Gong Suchan’s jaw dropped. Next to him, Gwangdu’s mouth hung even wider.
“Here, take it.”
Gong Suchan, who had been standing in a daze, burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
It was probably the most joyous and hearty laugh I’d heard from him since we met.
Gong Suchan turned to Galsaryang, who stood beside me.
“Did you hear that? He brought back thirty-five million nyang in half a day and just tells us to take it like he’s tossing us a piece of clothing.”
“Haha, I heard.”
“And no matter how much you trust someone, can you really hand over thirty-five million nyang so easily?”
“Seems like they want to keep you by their side forever.”
“Looks that way.”
Gong Suchan shook his head.
I spoke to Gwangdu.
“I don’t want to let you go either. Stay and protect Chief Gong.”
“Yes.”
Gwangdu staggered away, still in shock.
“Thirty-five million, thirty-five million, thirty-five million…”
Gong Suchan supported him.
“Warrior Gwang, would you like to ride?”
“I’m so nervous I feel like I might throw up.”
“Hold onto me. I’ll keep you safe.”
“Thank you, Chief Gong.”
Watching the roles reverse, Galsaryang and I shared a laugh.
Once they left, we strolled through the garden.
“With that money, our forces will multiply instantly. You’ve done well.”
“Once the job is done, we’ll receive another thirty-five million nyang.”
“What? So that amount was just the advance?”
“Yes.”
“My goodness.”
Galsaryang was astonished. Even though he was used to handling large sums while running the Martial Alliance, seventy million nyang was still unbelievable.
“Who are these people?”
“They seem to have amassed unimaginable wealth from the shadows.”
If they had gathered money legitimately, there would be no reason for anger. But how many people must they have deceived and killed to dominate the underworld?
“I’ll eliminate every last one of them.”
“You must.”
“Discuss with Chief Jong how to use the money. Buy elixirs to enhance the internal energy of Baek Danju, Gwangdu, and other key subordinates.”
“Understood. I’ll focus on investing in the Black Panther Squad and the Taeseong Sword Squad to expand and refine them.”
“Please do.”
We’ve fought enough wars to know. While many units are necessary, the most crucial is a core elite force.
After circling the garden and returning to our starting point, I spoke one last time.
“In my judgment, Seong Wangbo is merely a pawn. I’ll complete this task and approach the one they call the Dark Lord.”
The old man stood alone on the cliff, gazing at the early evening moon.
“Grandfather.”
As the old man turned, Cheon Soseon approached.
“Soseon, why are you out here?”
The old man quickly moved to her side.
“I’m fine. I just felt restless lying down all the time.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. Moving around a bit seems to be better for me.”
The two stood side by side on the cliff.
“The moon is bright tonight.”
“Indeed.”
For a moment, they were lost in the unique atmosphere that could only be experienced from this cliff.
“Soseon.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Do you resent me?”
Her answer came without hesitation.
“Yes.”
The old man chuckled softly. Cheon Soseon followed suit with a small laugh.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Why did you laugh?”
“I laughed because you asked such an important question only now. Why did you laugh, Grandfather?”
“I laughed because you answered honestly.”
Cheon Soseon spoke.
“I resented you a lot, Grandfather. But now… I don’t resent you as much as I did back then.”
The old man had spent many years pursuing a single goal.
He had subjected himself to numerous trials and even involved his son in them. It was a test only blood relatives could endure.
Though his son had been used in various trials during his youth, he was fine.
The problem arose with his grandson, Cheon Soseon. Born with a condition that caused him to transform into a girl, the transformations occurred unpredictably.
Doesn’t that sound intriguing?
If it had happened in adulthood, it might have been interesting and even amusing in some ways.
But experiencing it from a young age, Cheon Soseon had to endure severe identity confusion and a difficult childhood.
Fortunately, he had learned to control the transformations now. He had also overcome much of the trauma from his early years.
“Why? Why has your resentment towards me lessened?”
“Because I’ve come to understand you a little, Grandfather.”
The old man’s eyes trembled slightly, unable to hide his emotion. He was deeply grateful for Cheon Soseon’s honesty. Yes, words unspoken remain unheard.
At that moment, a man without eyebrows approached to report.
“Chief Seong has arrived.”
“At this hour?”
It was unusual.
Cheon Soseon entered the cave with the man.
Shortly after, Seong Wangbo appeared.
“You’re here?”
“Yes, have you been well, sir?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been well.”
Seong Wangbo walked over to the old man’s side. After a few pleasantries, he revealed the reason for his visit.
“We’ve decided to provide five million nyang in support this time.”
“Is that so? You managed to secure it.”
“The failure of the ghosts was their mistake.”
“Their mistake?”
Instead of explaining, Seong Wangbo made an unexpected remark.
“I’m contemplating my dreams.”
In other words, he was hinting at betrayal.
Just as a smile was about to form on the old man’s lips, Seong Wangbo cautiously spoke.
“I have a question to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“What are your plans for the future?”
The old man frowned slightly.
“Have you already forgotten?”
He had said it before when asked the same question: the right answer comes from the right question. The question was wrong.
That’s why Seong Wangbo had promised twice to bring the right question. There was no way Seong Wangbo had forgotten that.
Seong Wangbo gazed at the old man’s face and spoke.
“Some questions simply don’t have a right answer.”
The old man’s brow twitched for a moment. It was a loaded statement. If the question about what to do next had no right answer, then what?
Meanwhile, Seong Wangbo’s demeanor remained unchanged.
“Well, I’ll be on my way then.”
The old man watched him descend the mountain, his gaze lingering.
I was preparing for battle alone.
Now that I knew the location of the old man’s cave, I had no intention of wasting time.
I checked the arm guards made of eternal cold iron and put on my boxing gloves. I packed the daggers made of the same iron, as well as throwing knives, and medicines for both internal and external injuries.
Though it had been damaged by the mysterious woman’s wind attack last time, I also wore the heart-protecting armor of the Black Wolf Leader.
[Oh, I’ve seen that before.]
[It’s what your Black Wolf Leader used to wear.]
[Is that so? Where did you get it?]
[I found it in Heukshi.]
[How much did you pay? Fifty thousand nyang? A hundred thousand?]
[Ten thousand.]
[Don’t lie!]
[Ten thousand. Have I ever lied about such things?]
Realizing it was true, Cheonma was momentarily speechless, shocked. The Black Wolf Leader was someone Cheonma had trusted greatly, which made the revelation all the more jarring.
[We are forgotten people.]
[Don’t read too much into it. The unique wolf insignia was removed. The sellers didn’t know it was the Black Wolf Leader’s armor.]
[Is that so?]
[At least for now, the world still remembers you.]
[Spare me the insincere flattery!]
[Though it’s mostly bad memories.]
[Hmph!]
I sensed Cheonma’s mood had lifted. I realized I’d been too hard on him lately. Yes, it’s not all about the stick; sometimes you need a carrot.
[Shall we go fight, then?]
[Yes, let’s go!]
With an excited Cheonma, I opened the door and stepped out.
Tonight, the moon was especially bright and large. The leader of the hidden forces would not see tomorrow’s moon.