Chapter 161 : A Sad and Cruel Race

“My little brother is late.”

Beomgang crossed his arms and stared at the entrance of the Jahong Inn.

A full day had already passed since Jin Sohyun had entered the Cheonhwagak.

“Hey, you… your name was Beomgang, right?”

Jeokmyeon, whose pressure points had been released after some time, called out to Beomgang.

“What?”

“It’s not too late now. If you don’t want to live like a field mouse, being chased for the rest of your life, untie these bonds.”

As Jeokmyeon held out his two arms, which were tied with a thick rope, Beomgang’s expression crumpled.

“Are you threatening this body now?”

“Jin Sohyun won’t be back. The Hao Sect is not that easy to deal with.”

“What’s the Hao Sect?”

‘What? This guy doesn’t know about the Hao Sect? So Jin Sohyun didn’t tell him.’

A small glint appeared in Jeokmyeon’s eyes.

‘It seems their relationship is not that deep. This is an opportunity.’

Jeokmyeon, who thought that their relationship was not deep because Beomgang didn't know about the Hao Sect, lowered his voice and whispered quietly.

“Young Master Beom. I am the branch manager of a huge information organization called the Hao Sect. My position is comparable to that of an elder of the Beggars' Sect.”

“So?”

“If you help me, I will let you enjoy a wealth and glory you have never experienced before. I mean, I will give you enormous wealth and beautiful women.”

“Hmm…”

Beomgang stroked his chin.

He was now almost thirty years old.

He had a secret that he couldn't tell anyone for fear of being made fun of.

That was that he had never even held a woman’s hand, let alone had a conversation with one, since he was born.

“Beautiful women?”

As Beomgang’s ears perked up, Jeokmyeon continued excitedly.

“Yes! The numerous beautiful women of the Cheonhwagak have a beauty and charm that no man can resist. If you want, I can give you even ten of them!”

“Ahem!”

It was when Beomgang was contemplating that Jin Sohyun appeared behind him like a ghost.

“What are you doing?”

“Ugh! L-little brother! Without a sound… wh-when did you get here?”

Beomgang stuttered.

But Jin Sohyun lightly ignored such a Beomgang and pulled a chair in front of Jeokmyeon and sat down.

And so, the two faced each other.

Jeokmyeon felt that Jin Sohyun’s atmosphere was distinctly different from before.

Even the air had changed.

A feeling of walking on thin ice.

‘This is killing intent…!’

Jeokmyeon’s breath was taken away.

Soon, a cold voice flowed from Jin Sohyun’s mouth.

“Bieunggaek is dead.”

“…!”

At the news that Bieunggaek was dead, even Jeokmyeon could not hide his agitation.

He was the number one divine thief whom Ok Myeon had brought in as a member of the Hao Sect.

He remembered Ok Myeon’s happy face as he said that he had obtained the recipe for the Formless Earth Killing Poison through Bieunggaek.

‘Did he abandon Bieunggaek after the plan at the Four Daoist Assembly failed? But why?’

He felt a sense of doubt, but now was not the time to worry about such things.

Because a cold and sharp killing intent had come right up to his throat.

“Jeokmyeon.”

“Y-yes… yes!”

“Bieunggaek was my master.”

“…”

Jeokmyeon’s face, which was mulling over Jin Sohyun’s words, rolling his eyes for a moment, turned from blue to white.

A feeling of all the blood draining from him.

It felt as if all the blood in his body was freezing.

‘The number one divine thief was Jin Sohyun’s master! And… the one who killed him was…’

The Hao Sect.

Jeokmyeon closed his eyes tightly.

The will to live that had barely remained was now broken.

Because there was no reason for Jin Sohyun to spare him, a member and branch manager of the Hao Sect that had killed his master.

“Jeokmyeon.”

“Yes…!”

Jeokmyeon opened his closed eyes.

The two eyes of Jin Sohyun reflected in his vision were exuding a killing intent.

And he realized.

That Jin Sohyun was now suppressing his soaring killing intent with superhuman patience.

“The reason I’m not killing you right now is… that you were not involved in my master’s death, and I need your information power.”

The quick-witted Jeokmyeon realized that he was now walking a tightrope, blindfolded, over a trap with numerous blades sticking out.

From now on was important.

If he made a slight misstep, he would die.

Jeokmyeon carefully chose his words and opened his mouth.

“Are you… asking me to betray the Hao Sect?”

“I’m just believing the only true words you’ve ever uttered.”

Jeokmyeon, who was racking his brain, could recall the only words he had uttered with sincerity.

He did not work for the Heretic Path's Alliance or the Hao Sect.

He only wanted his own well-being and a brilliant golden future.

Jeokmyeon, who had finished his thoughts, said.

“Just say the word. This Jeokmyeon… will work for you, Great Master.”

“Jeokmyeon.”

Now, Jin Sohyun’s call was like the call of the grim reaper.

The hair on his whole body stood on end, and his mouth went dry.

“Don’t even think of betraying me. Don’t think that the Hao Sect and the Heretic Path's Alliance will protect you.”

A ferocious killing intent was revealed from Jin Sohyun’s entire body.

As the uncontrolled killing intent was clearly revealed, Jeokmyeon had to chatter his teeth and tremble all over.

“From now on, I will collect the blood debt for my master. Not only the Hao Sect’s master, but also the Heretic Path's Alliance. All the bastards involved in my master’s death… I will kill them all.”

Jin Sohyun’s heartless eyes came before Jeokmyeon.

“I hope you won’t be the first.”

“O-of course…!”

Jeokmyeon couldn't even dream of betrayal.

The opponent was a monster who had destroyed the Nameless Pavilion alone.

And a disciple of the Ten-Armed Blood Ghost, Kang Cheon.

The Heavenly Sound White Flower, Oh Yoran.

And the number one divine thief, Bieunggaek.

Unless he left the Central Plains forever and went to another country, he could neither hide nor run away from Jin Sohyun.

“Then stand up. We have to clean up here first.”

“Here, you mean…?”

Jin Sohyun’s two eyes crossed the window of the Jahong Inn.

“Honggang.”

***

Jeokmyeon had returned.

And on crutches.

The people who saw him did not ask the reason for his injured foot.

The Red-Faced Lord was a person of that position.

A ruthless and heartless being, to the extent that one’s head could be cut off if one said the wrong thing.

“Cheonhwagak Master?”

The Cheonru, which had been closed due to Jeokmyeon’s return, was opened.

Of course, the corpses inside had been cleared away long ago.

“That’s… right.”

Baekhwa, who was facing Jeokmyeon, realized from the gaze looking down at her that he was not Jin Sohyun but the real Jeokmyeon.

“Why are you in charge of the Cheonhwagak?”

“That’s…”

It was when Baekhwa was hesitating, not knowing what to explain, that a man wearing a black mask suddenly appeared from behind her.

“I put her there. Do you have a problem?”

“No.”

Baekhwa was greatly shocked at the sight of Jeokmyeon bowing his head and smiling slyly.

Who was he?

Wasn't he the real master of Honggang and the branch manager of the Hao Sect?

Such a Jeokmyeon was smiling slyly and trying to please the newly appeared man.

“Umi.”

Following that, the man in the black mask called Baekhwa.

And with Baekhwa’s real name.

The startled Baekhwa stuttered.

“Y-Young Master Beom?”

As he took off the mask, Jin Sohyun’s handsome face was revealed.

“Have you been well?”

Jin Sohyun walked toward Baekhwa, who was kneeling in an awkward posture, still unable to grasp the situation.

Jeokmyeon gave his seat to Jin Sohyun as if he had been waiting.

“Please sit here.”

“It’s fine. You sit.”

“Yes!”

Jeokmyeon obediently sat down and seemed to be waiting for Jin Sohyun’s order.

In the meantime, as Gwan O approached, revealing a menacing fighting spirit, Jin Sohyun faced him with a cold gaze.

“Don’t bare your teeth recklessly. I have no reason to spare even you.”

“…”

This time, it was not Jeokmyeon’s voice.

Nevertheless, Gwan O could not move at all.

It was a kind of survival instinct.

The primal fear that a small herbivore feels when facing a predator froze Gwan O.

“From now on, do not go against this person’s orders and follow them unconditionally. Do you understand, Gwan O!”

“…”

Gwan O bowed his head deeply and stepped back.

And the next moment, familiar faces appeared in the Cheonru.

“Little brother! I’m here!”

Beomgang had appeared with the Bongrugak Master, Gakgwi, Yuha, and Seolmae.

Gakgwi, who had discovered Jin Sohyun, pointed his finger and raised his voice.

“Th-this swindler! He boasted that he would bring me ten thousand nyang!”

Gakgwi, who had discovered Jeokmyeon, shouted triumphantly.

“Lord! That swindler told me…”

“Bongrugak Master!”

Gakgwi, who was complaining as if this were the time, flinched at Jeokmyeon’s roar.

“Who do you dare to wave that bewitching finger at! Gwan O! Break that bastard’s limbs right now!”

As Gwan O, who had received the order, strode over, Gakgwi prostrated himself on the floor and begged for his life.

“Lord! I did not recognize the great person! Please forgive me just once!”

It was an apology with the speed of lightning.

At this, Gwan O looked at Jeokmyeon, holding the hexagonal club.

“What should I do?”

As Jin Sohyun raised his hand, Jeokmyeon moved Gwan O back.

“Gakgwi.”

At Jin Sohyun’s call, Gakgwi responded, hitting his head on the ground.

“Yes! Gakgwi is here!”

“Yuha… no, it was the Bongrugak that ruined Yuyeon’s family, the Yu family, right?”

Yuha was surprised twice.

One was that Jin Sohyun knew her real name, and the other was that the reason her family was ruined was the doing of the Bongrugak.

Yuha’s eyes shook wildly.

“What… what do you mean?”

At Yuha’s question, Gakgwi hesitated and rolled his eyes.

At that, Jin Sohyun’s voice pierced his ear again.

“Don’t hesitate. I have a lot of things to take care of, and if it’s delayed because of you, I don’t think I’ll be in a good mood.”

“That’s right! But that was all…!”

The words that it was the Hao Sect’s doing rose to his throat, but he couldn't bring himself to say them.

Because Jeokmyeon, who was facing him, was glaring at him as if to kill him at once.

As Gakgwi hesitated again, Jin Sohyun said it for him.

“The Bongrugak will pay ten times the money Yuha has earned so far as compensation, and pay the compensation for the damage her family has suffered. And Jeokmyeon.”

“Yes! Please give your order!”

“Compile a list of the women who had no choice but to become courtesans due to the Hao Sect, targeting all the brothels and taverns in Honggang. Also, there will be no more prostitutes in Honggang. Stop all the operations of the blue houses, excluding the red houses with entertainers.”

“Y-yes…!? B-but… if we stop the operations of the blue houses now, the damage will be immense!”

“Jeokmyeon. I’m not asking.”

The quick-witted Jeokmyeon immediately nodded his head.

“I will follow your order.”

“And give the courtesans a choice. Leave the courtesans who will work as entertainers, and for the courtesans who want a new start, pay them compensation including severance pay. So they can settle down.”

Even with a simple calculation, it was a task that required an enormous amount of budget, so Jeokmyeon’s mouth went dry.

Nevertheless, he could not disobey.

Because the price of disobedience was death.

“I… will do so.”

“For the courtesans who remain as entertainers, support them generously so they can learn skills.”

Jeokmyeon, who had now given up on everything and decided to follow Jin Sohyun, nodded his head without rest and repeated that he would follow the order.

Jin Sohyun, who had roughly organized the brothels of Honggang, called Beomgang separately.

“Beomgang.”

“You called.”

“I have to go home for a while. So I’ll leave the work here to you, Beomgang… no… older brother.”

Beomgang, who had heard the word ‘older brother’ from Jin Sohyun for the first time, beat his chest with a bright face.

“Trust me and leave it to me, little brother!”

“If Jeokmyeon tries to do anything suspicious, don’t confront him and come find me right away. If you say Shanxi Jin Clan, they’ll tell you where to go.”

“I will do so. And…”

Beomgang lightly placed his hand on Jin Sohyun’s shoulder.

His touch was rough but warm.

“I’m sorry. I know well the feeling of losing a master. When you’re sad, you can lean on this older brother’s shoulder.”

It was a rough comfort, like his rough touch.

But that’s how clearly Beomgang’s sincerity was conveyed.

“Thank you. Then, I’ll leave Honggang to you for a while.”

“Have a safe trip.”

Jin Sohyun, who had entrusted Honggang to Beomgang, stood on the roof of the Cheonru.

A moon resembling a silver tray had risen in the black night sky.

—The number one divine wind shadowless movement is invincible! And since you’ve learned this invincible movement technique! There is nothing in this world that can harm you!

Bieunggaek’s hearty laughter and playful smile came to mind.

“You said it was invincible… how can you lie to your one and only disciple, Master.”

The clear moonlight becomes blurry.

Jin Sohyun wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

Now was not the time to be shedding tears.

“My master wouldn’t want revenge, but I’m not like that.”

I am not.

I am not a disciple who listens well enough to be able to brush off my master’s death with a single tear.

Nor am I generous enough to forgive my enemy.

So.

It was time to start a race with no set end.

A race that would not stop until one side broke.

A sad and cruel race.

(End of Chapter)