Chapter 105 : The End of a Wicked Move. -02

Chapter 105: The End of a Wicked Move. -02

“Y-Your Holiness, that’s impossible!”

The Dark Moon Sect Leader, who had been watching, let out a shriek as if he could not believe it.

That place was his secret vault known to no one.

Yet when Ban Hojin found it as though he had known in advance, the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s eyes widened to the point of nearly popping out.

He simply could not believe what he was seeing.

“You know, in this world, sometimes things that make no sense just happen. So just accept it. After all, that’s the only thing you can do, isn’t it?”

“H-How. How did you find that place…….”

“And if you’re already this shocked, what will you do? There’s still one more place left.”

Gulp!

The moment Ban Hojin finished speaking, the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s complexion changed drastically.

Instinctively, he realized what it meant that there was one more place left.

But that place made even less sense.

Yet seeing how the secret vault had been found as if by a ghost, a sliver of doubt crept into his mind.

“Let’s take a look around here first.”

“Huh? There was a place like this?”

Just as Ban Hojin had half entered the underground space, Seo Jo-woon appeared.

He had been searching here and there for him and had finally found him.

“It’s the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s secret vault.”

“Ooooooh!”

Just hearing those four words was enough to make Seo Jo-woon’s eyes sparkle.

Especially when he saw the Dark Moon Sect Leader drenched in cold sweat, it amused him even more.

Seeing him suffer felt as though a ten-year-old blockage in his chest had finally been cleared.

An evil man should suffer and be in pain like an evil man.

Only then, Seo Jo-woon thought, could the souls of those who had suffered at his hands receive even a small measure of comfort.

Especially when he thought of the pitiful children who had died in vain.

Thud!

The image of a child, limbs severed and hanging from chains like a lump of meat, flashed through his mind, and before he knew it, Seo Jo-woon kicked the Dark Moon Sect Leader.

Unfortunately, the spot he struck was right in the center.

That place—a man’s vital point and the most carefully protected of all.

“Gaaahhh!”

Though he had lost his limbs, that place had at least remained intact.

But when Seo Jo-woon suddenly struck it with perfect accuracy, the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s eyes rolled back.

The pain was so intense it felt as though one of his two testicles had burst, and he screamed.

“Tsk. It didn’t burst. I didn’t put any inner energy into it. And besides, it’s not like you’ll ever use it again, so what does it matter if one pops?”

“You cruel bastard.”

“Compared to what the children went through, this is nothing.”

“I’ll admit that.”

The Dark Moon Sect Leader’s body trembled as if he might stop breathing at any moment, but Ban Hojin paid him no mind.

He knew well that this much would not kill him.

If a testicle had truly burst, that might have been another matter—but Seo Jo-woon’s bodily control was surpassed only by Ban Hojin and Seonwu Bang.

“Wow…….”

“A secret vault indeed.”

“This is all yours, hyungnim?”

Following Ban Hojin down the stairs into the underground chamber, Seo Jo-woon’s eyes grew wide.

At a glance, it was clear that an enormous amount of wealth had been piled up.

Silver was precious enough, yet there were no silver ingots to be seen.

Instead, gold ingots were stacked high.

“It’s not mine. It’s ours. We’ll divide it according to the number of people.”

“You’re the one who found it.”

“We all worked hard together. So we divide it.”

Ban Hojin spoke firmly.

The wealth piled here was not just considerable—it was staggering.

But if Ban Hojin put his mind to it, he could gather even more than this.

“When you establish a family or a sect later, you’ll need a lot of money.”

“I’m not doing that right away. And this much? I can gather it again in no time.”

“As expected of you, hyungnim!”

Seo Jo-woon’s eyes shone brightly at Ban Hojin’s confident answer.

He loved that kind of confidence.

“And the more money, the better. The problem is when you don’t have any.”

“The other hyungs will be happy too. In a way, it’s like free money.”

“Rather than free money, it’s the proper reward for our labor.”

Tap, tap.

Ban Hojin circled the not-so-small chamber, knocking on the walls.

Though he had known the location of the secret vault, he knew nothing about its interior.

So he carefully tapped the walls and even kicked the floor again.

“Do you think there might be another hidden space?”

“He doesn’t look that smart, but you never know.”

“Should I melt it open? I can melt a stone wall with my Extreme Yang Energy. If we hit it, it might collapse, but if we melt it, we can check easily. It won’t even make much noise.”

Seo Jo-woon wore an expression that said he was ready for orders at any moment.

But Ban Hojin shook his head.

Even with his keen sensory perception, he detected no other space.

“Seems like there’s nothing. And there’s still one more place we need to go.”

“Another secret vault?”

“How should I put it. A personal space? A secret location? It probably stores things related to contracts or commissions.”

“So everything outside was just a façade.”

Seo Jo-woon’s eyes gleamed.

In some ways, that place seemed just as important as the Dark Moon Sect Leader himself.

“Not a façade—just things that are relatively less important. Things that wouldn’t matter if they were lost or destroyed.”

“Y-You devil!”

The Dark Moon Sect Leader shouted at Ban Hojin, his face flushed red.

All of his earlier composure had vanished.

But Ban Hojin read the thoughts hidden beneath that desperate shouting.

“It’s no use yelling like that. We’re going there right now.”

“We’ll put what you’ve gathered to good use. For the benefit of the world. Even at the very end, you’re doing something helpful for the world. Isn’t that right?”

“Y-You……! You……!”

The Dark Moon Sect Leader’s neck veins bulged as he glared at Seo Jo-woon, who was grinning.

He seemed to have so much he wanted to say that the words stuck in his throat instead, which only made Seo Jo-woon’s sneer deepen.

“This time, it’s here.”

“Gasp!”

Ban Hojin’s steps came to a halt not far from the secret vault.

It could not be called extremely close, but it was still in the middle of the same desolate clearing.

However, the moment Ban Hojin stopped, the Dark Moon Sect Leader drew in a sharp breath.

“Looks like you’ve pinpointed it exactly?”

“The Dark Moon Sect Leader’s reaction isn’t important. What matters is whether or not the beginning of all this lies here.”

Grrrrng!

Just as he had with the secret vault, Ban Hojin found a square iron plate in a single motion.

At that, the Dark Moon Sect Leader trembled as if struck by chills.

Though it was not the first time, he still stared at Ban Hojin in utter shock.

“Shall I call people over?”

“Let’s find what we need first. The wealth can be handled by the warriors of the Geum Family Estate, but this place is a bit sensitive. There are probably martial arts manuals from prestigious families or great sects here.”

“That makes sense. They wouldn’t have only killed people. Quite a few martial artists carry martial arts manuals with them.”

“Stealing on the side as well. There’s only a thin line between stealth arts and infiltration techniques. The difference is whether you kill or steal.”

Now that even the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s reaction no longer amused him, Ban Hojin stepped down the stairs with an indifferent expression.

But perhaps because books and confidential documents had been gathered here, a stale, musty odor filled the air.

“Ugh, what is that smell.”

“It means it was only opened when necessary.”

“Still, it looks like they paid attention to ventilation?”

Following him inside, Seo Jo-woon pinched his nose and looked around.

Unlike the secret vault, which had been completely sealed, this place had small holes drilled throughout.

It seemed they had taken care to prevent mold from forming on the paper.

“It’s their lifeline, so of course they’d pay attention. But there’s quite a lot. They must have gathered only the important commissions.”

“But wouldn’t there be no written contracts? I heard they usually make verbal agreements to avoid leaving traces. And the commission fees are traded in goods to avoid revealing their source.”

“You know quite a bit?”

“I did my homework. Not knowing isn’t a sin, but not making an effort is. And since it involved you, hyungnim, I went around asking here and there. Hehe!”

When Ban Hojin looked at him with mild surprise, Seo Jo-woon laughed sheepishly.

He had done his best to investigate, but an assassin sect was, by nature, a hidden force, so there were limits to what he could uncover.

“There’s no harm in knowing more. Sometimes it helps in everyday life in unexpected ways.”

“They sealed these well. With oil, too. This would definitely block out moisture.”

Seo Jo-woon marveled at how meticulously the confidential documents had been preserved.

At the same time, his curiosity flared, and he rummaged through everything in sight.

“Let’s see.”

Meanwhile, Ban Hojin examined documents that were likely connected to himself.

Those involving the Geum Family Estate or the Shangguan Family.

“Wouldn’t it be among the most recent ones?”

“That’s what I think too. Found it.”

“Really?!”

At the word “found,” Seo Jo-woon hurried over.

He stared intently at the sealed manuscript in Ban Hojin’s hand.

Soon, Ban Hojin slowly broke the seal and checked the contents.

“As expected, they conducted a separate investigation.”

“They tailed the person who came to make the request? Well, a big job means greater risk.”

“They even kept the promissory note. If we trace this back, it could become evidence.”

There was no personal signature or seal, but the advance payment was by no means small.

Moreover, since the promissory note had been issued by the Geum Family Trading Company, it seemed possible to trace it back if they took it with them.

Especially since the date and place of issuance were clearly recorded on the note, Ban Hojin smiled meaningfully.

“Do you think there’s anything about the Shangguan Family as well? We might find some weakness.”

Watching over his shoulder as the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s own handwriting appeared, Seo Jo-woon’s eyes gleamed.

For a fleeting moment, he thought they might obtain an unexpected trump card here.

“We have plenty of time, so let’s look. The sorting should be roughly done by now—bring the others as well.”

“I’ll bring them!”

As if volunteering for such small tasks, Seo Jo-woon went outside.

As he did, he glanced at the Dark Moon Sect Leader, who wore a vacant expression.

Shiver!

But when the Dark Moon Sect Leader saw Seo Jo-woon, he seemed to recall what had happened earlier and instinctively pressed his thighs together.

It was a reflexive attempt to protect his vital point.

“Maybe I should kick it once more before I go.”

“Ugh!”

At Seo Jo-woon’s muttering, the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s face turned pale.

It did not sound like a joke; he truly seemed to be considering it.

And once was difficult—but twice, three times became easy.

“Well, you’re finished anyway. So watch carefully. After annihilation comes ruin.”

Though Seo Jo-woon departed, the Dark Moon Sect Leader’s expression showed no sign of easing.

He simply stared up at the darkening sky with the hollow look of someone who had lost everything.

Even the one remaining hope he had clung to had not come to pass, and so he tightly shut his eyes.

Even after quite some time had passed, the Geum Family Estate remained bustling.

Though there was one gate in each of the four directions, east, west, south, and north, the place was still crowded with people, and Ban Hojin gave a small nod.

“This place hasn’t changed.”

“There are so many people even though it’s winter.”

“It’s my first time at the Geum Family Estate.”

“Me too.”

Unlike Seonwu Bang and Seo Jo-woon, who were visiting for the second time, Jeong I-ryong and Murong Cheok’s eyes shone brightly.

They had heard much about the Geum Family Estate while traveling with Ban Hojin, but this was their first time seeing it in person.

Both of them looked around with fascinated expressions.

“It’s nothing special. Just bigger, that’s all. There are more people than at the Sichuan Tang Family. The traffic going in and out is probably about the combined scale of the Sichuan Tang Family and Tangga Town.”

Though it was only his second visit, Seo Jo-woon puffed himself up as he spoke.

He did not even remember his first visit properly.

“Welcome!”

“You could have sent someone.”

“Hahaha. How could I send a subordinate when Great Hero Ban has come? Of course I had to come personally. More importantly, I’m truly relieved that you were not injured.”