Perhaps because it was a detached building for entertaining special guests, the inner chamber prepared separately was definitely luxurious. Outside the round window, icicles hung from the willow branches.
Ak Mujin gazed at the large porcelain vase next to it, then met Chun-wol’s eyes across the table and slightly raised the corner of his lips. She was calmer compared to Seo-mok, but she also seemed quite overwhelmed after confirming that Ak Mujin was alive, as her eyes were red.
Ak Mujin, Jin Geum-ryeon, Chun-wol, and Seo-mok sat facing each other across a square table. Ak Mujin had initially considered leaving Jin Geum-ryeon outside, but since he could eavesdrop if he wanted to, he chose to bring him inside. Thanks to this, Cheong-aeng was left outside to keep an eye on the situation.
Now that Ak Mujin had actually met Chun-wol, he couldn’t just ask for help, so he couldn’t hide the ridiculous story of being trapped in the Spirit Mausoleum any longer. As the story began, he was so embarrassed that he wanted to hide in a rat hole.
Eventually, Chun-wol, having grasped the situation, clenched her fist tightly as if very indignant, then turned her head sharply towards Seo-mok.
“How could such a thing happen…? If there was such a plan, you should have told me in advance!”
“It wasn’t the situation for that. Sniff… The wedding was approaching, and you were in Hubei… I was just thinking of getting Young master out as quickly as possible. At first, it was a perfect plan…”
Seo-mok sniffled and said in a very subdued voice.
“But… I didn’t expect the Cult Leader to make such a decision…”
Ak Mujin now massaged the space between his eyebrows with his index and middle fingers, tightly closing his eyes. Jin Geum-ryeon, seemingly lost in thought, crossed his arms and showed no expression or said a word.
“The Cult Leader certainly cherishes Young master. …That’s probably why he made such a disposition.”
Even as she said those words, Chun-wol frowned deeply, not even using honorifics towards the Cult Leader, as if she was displeased. Then, as if something came to mind, she relaxed her expression and looked at Ak Mujin. After a moment of silence with her gaze fixed on him, Chun-wol said in a worried voice.
“Then, how on earth did you endure it in there? It’s been three years since Young master entered the Spirit Mausoleum. There wouldn’t have been anything to eat inside…”
“That’s enough about that. It’s not a pleasant story. It’s all in the past.”
Ak Mujin didn’t want the Spirit Mausoleum story to drag on, so he cut her off and held out his palm. Chun-wol seemed to have more to say, but she swallowed it down and nodded.
“…Since there’s still no news from the Demonic Cult, it seems they haven’t even dreamed that something happened to the Spirit Mausoleum. That’s fortunate. What are Young master’s plans now?”
Listening to her question, Ak Mujin suddenly had an epiphany.
Until just before meeting Chun-wol, he had planned to leave the martial world and live a simple life. But, facing her, he felt it was cowardly to leave Chun-wol behind and leave alone, and he felt pathetic for always relying on her help.
Ak Mujin decided to put that thought aside for now and first try to figure out what had happened in the meantime.
“…First, could you tell me what has happened in the past three years, and what the current situation is?”
At Ak Mujin’s question, Seo-mok wiped her red eyes with a handkerchief and looked at him. Chun-wol also nodded as if she understood.
She opened her mouth to answer immediately, but remembering that Jin Geum-ryeon was in the room, she looked at him. Jin Geum-ryeon, noticing what she was worried about, immediately took over the conversation.
“…Since this is a place prepared for Young master Ak, I promise to pretend I didn’t hear anything said here in the Sandow Union.”
Only then did Chun-wol nod to him and begin to speak.
“Then, I’ll start with the situation of the Demonic Cult.”
After saying those words, Chun-wol took a sip of tea and began to speak in earnest.
“The Demonic Cult is currently being led almost entirely by the current Vice-Leader Joo Mu-jeong. However, he has not yet gained the complete trust of the Cult Leader, so he has the ambition to achieve something and prove himself. Therefore, more information squads than ever before have been dispatched throughout the Central Plains.”
As expected, the situation wasn’t good. No matter how hard he tried to prepare a safe house, he should leave the Central Plains if he wanted to live the life of a fugitive. Ak Mujin nodded.
“Originally, Joo Mu-jeong wanted to take back the Myriad Flying Snow Records and present it to the Cult Leader. However, since three years ago, the Demonic Cult has had a more urgent matter.”
As Chun-wol said this, she began to glance at Jin Geum-ryeon. Ak Mujin, noticing this, turned to look at Jin Geum-ryeon.
“That… Young master, who has just returned to the world, may not know yet, but the Sandow Union, having grown in power, is slaughtering Demonic Cultists indiscriminately.”
‘?’
The Sandow Union was the group led by none other than Jin Geum-ryeon?
Even in a heretical sect, they wouldn’t recklessly commit slaughter without the leader’s orders. So, Jin Geum-ryeon had given such an order? Ak Mujin found it hard to believe that assumption, so he looked at Jin Geum-ryeon with a puzzled expression.
Jin Geum-ryeon, on the other hand, had a nonchalant face.
“But… I was surprised that the Evil Cult Lord was Young Master Jin…”
“I’m thinking of stopping soon.”
Jin Geum-ryeon said in an equally nonchalant voice.
Was it true? Ak Mujin was even more dumbfounded. The only connections he had with the Demonic Cult at this point were his parents and Ak Mujin, so was he really doing such a thing just out of revenge?
The Jin Geum-ryeon that Ak Mujin knew was the type of person who, if he were to take revenge, would only find those involved in his parents’ deaths and repay the grudge. Not indiscriminately killing all Demonic Cultists. The shock was great because he wasn’t someone who would repay a grudge so excessively.
Seo-mok made a ‘tsk’ sound and scratched her head.
“…Still, a grudge once formed doesn’t disappear.”
With those words, they each fell into thought, and the inner chamber was enveloped in silence for a moment.
“…Is it because you’re avenging your parents?”
Yes, it must be because of his parents. Ak Mujin thought so and broke the silence, asking Jin Geum-ryeon.
“Hmm… I don’t think I was thinking about my parents.”
After a moment of contemplation, Jin Geum-ryeon replied lightly again, as if it were nothing. Ak Mujin’s face was even more shocked.
“Why on earth?”
“Because they insulted you and took your life.”
Jin Geum-ryeon replied without hesitation.
Ak Mujin eventually ran a hand over his face. So, the proportion of Ak Mujin in Jin Geum-ryeon’s heart had become greater than that of his parents? Even the plan to avenge his parents by killing Ak Mujin had changed to avenging Ak Mujin? What was Ak Mujin to him? Had it become like this with just one trivial event of being saved as a child?
“Is that why you became the Evil Cult Lord…? To avenge me?”
“That’s not it. I didn’t intend to become the Evil Cult Lord, but it turned out this way as I was doing it. I’m also trying to avenge my parents at the same time.”
At the mention of his parents, Ak Mujin glanced at Seo-mok. She was quietly listening to Jin Geum-ryeon’s words, but she didn’t seem to know yet that Jin Geum-ryeon’s father was none other than Namgung Cheon, whom he had killed. Well, Ak Mujin had never told her, so it would be difficult to recall that incident unless she deliberately thought about it.
Many events and people had become entangled in various ways. In Ak Mujin’s confused mind, a poster he had seen in a village sometime ago came to mind. It was a portrait of the person who had half-destroyed the Martial Alliance. Jin Geum-ryeon’s portrait. Ak Mujin began to feel uneasy about why he had done such a thing to the Martial Alliance.
This was more serious than he thought. If he didn’t stop here, Jin Geum-ryeon’s actions seemed like they would cause even greater disaster in the future.
Chun-wol, who had been listening quietly, sighed lightly.
“So, Joo Mu-jeong will try to strike the Sandow Union as soon as information is gathered and preparations are made. The target is, of course, the head of the Evil Cult Lord. There is no greater merit than that, as he is the root of all this. He will probably not hesitate to wage war.”
Chun-wol looked at Jin Geum-ryeon with a worried face and continued.
“I’m saying this not only for Young master but also for Young Master Jin.”
Jin Geum-ryeon smiled slightly.
“However, even if I take any action now, those who are aiming for me will not withdraw their plans.”
“…That’s certainly true. Still, if we consider ways, there may be some that are not completely impossible.”
“I’ve been wanting to cut off the head of that Joo Mu-jeong anyway, so it’s welcome news for me.”
“Do you really have no intention of resolving this peacefully?”
As the conversation went back and forth, Ak Mujin, who had organized his thoughts, crossed his arms and wore a serious expression. He eventually cut off their words and spat out a word.
“…The Martial Alliance.”
Seo-mok, Chun-wol, and Jin Geum-ryeon’s gazes turned to Ak Mujin.
“What happened to the Martial Alliance? What about Namgung Eui?”