“You? You noticed?”
Lee Gu-myung showed interest in Seol-Hwi. The puzzlement of the Black Moon Troops continued as another person popped up.
“If you are curious about who noticed a rat was hiding here, then it is me,”
Said Seol-Hwi as he calmly looked at the opponent.
“Rat… hehehehe. Is that so? Then.”
Srng
Lee Gu-myung deliberately, leisurely, and proudly took out his sword from its sheath. The blade shined through with golden light, and the sheath had an amazing design on it. It was clearly a treasured sword. The momentum that man had scared people.
“Pull that out and you will lose.”
However, Seol-Hwi’s attitude was completely different. He warned the opponent as they drew their sword.
“…”
Lee Gu-Myung looked at Seol-Hwi, wondering if he had heard wrong and then smiled as he rushed in.
Kang!
Soon, Seol-Hwi’s sword stopped his movement, with a sword thrust into the enemy’s throat.
“I said you would lose.”
“…!”
Thud
Seol-Hwi kicked his body away.
The entire wall of the place was broken, and more than five pieces were blown away.
“Ah…”
“What was that…”
Not understanding the sudden situation, the Black Moon Troops were all dumbfounded. The enemy was stunned momentarily. Because they had just stepped into the path to hell without knowing.
“Jeok Myung.”
“…”
“Jeok Myung!”
“Uh? Yes! …Uh?”
Flinch!
Jeok Myung did not answer and was taken aback. Unknowingly, he showed respect to Seol-Hwi.
“You take the subordinates of yours and get out of here right now. If you go all the way down here, there will be a few guys patrolling the area around. Do not fight any of them under any circumstance and focus on not being caught. Your skills aren’t enough to handle them.”
“…”
“What? Go.”
It was only then that he realized that he was being ordered.
Seol-Hwi—
The guy who disappeared for a year and then appeared, he was completely different from the guy he knew.
“Why…”
The way Jeok Myung was seeing the situation became clear.
“I have never been nice to you…”
His life was saved. It is like that now, and if he thought about it, last time too it was the same. Seol-Hwi was the one who could knock him down with a single blow.
Then why?
Why was he casually forgetting things like the past grudges?
“Fucking retard.”
Smirk
Seeing Jeok Myung like that, Seol-Hwi laughed.
“Does it look like I am helping you? Well, you and I are just things to be thrown away by those above us.”
“…”
“In lives like ours, we need to grab someone by their pants and hang onto them. If you see a chance to live, you need to do something. Old days? Didn’t you crush me to live?”
“That is right, but…”
“Shall I be honest? I don’t care whether you live or die. However, if you don’t lead them now, your troops will die for sure. You don’t even know where the enemy is or where they are hiding or where they are escaping.”
“…”
Jeok Myung’s mouth immediately shut.
Seol-Hwi’s words were true. At the Black Moon Troops, he heard that there were a few members who were useful.
No matter how arrogant Jeok Myung was, the Supreme Pavilion Lord treated all of them as things which could be replaced at any time.
If it was not for selecting them separately, it would be obvious that they would be abandoned at any time. Therefore, the harassment which Jeok Myung did in the past meant nothing.
What could he do if he clung to someone who crushed him to live?
…
Jeok Myung’s eyes shuddered as he understood the words. He lowered his head as if his emotions were complicated.
And then came a groan from the other side.
“I get it. And…”
He turned to Seol-Hwi and said,
“…I will pay back the debt.”
Those were the words which were boiling within because of pride. He then began to quickly run away with his men through the window.
Seol-Hwi looked at their backs and walked out the broken wall.
“Kuak.”
Seol-Hwi came out and looked down at Lee Gu-Myung, who was groaning on the ground.
The feeling felt new. This was a person he could not handle in the past. He was the one who killed not just Seol-Hwi but his subordinates.
However, to Seol-Hwi now, it felt like he was child’s play. He could twist his arm at any time.
“What, this… there cannot be such a thing…”
Lee Gu-Myung looked at himself with a shocked face. He probably did not think there could be anyone stronger than him here.
“You, are you still hanging out with the one called Sang Cheon-jang?”
“What?”
“The Supreme Pavilion Lord’s escort warrior. Are you hanging out with him?”
“…!”
When asked lightly, he went wide eyed.
“Who are you…?”
He had a face full of shock, how did they know it?
“I know everything. Not just your past, but also what you will do in the future.”
Seol-Hwi picked up a sword. It was a clumsy sword of the Black Moon Troops, but it did not matter. Seeing this, Lee Gu-myung stood up and took a stance. But it was to no avail.
Srng!
Seol-Hwi cut through the sword of Lee Gu-myung, which was being raised. He smiled faintly.
“You cannot die so easily.”
Tuk
In an instant, his body went cold.
After just one move, Lee Gu-Myung was unable to move or speak.
“Because you are a disciple of Goo Jong-myung.”
Tuk
Lee Gu-Myung slowly began to collapse with his body going stiff. Seol-Hwi glanced down.
A little while ago, they were sent down.
“Then, the Black Moon Troops can go down… shall we have a messy game for a while?”
Seol-Hwi put the body inside the hut and came out. He was thinking of clearing the path he touched.
Even when he first started the mission, he just wanted to take the head of Goo Jong-myung.
But now he had changed his mind.
The situation where people were traded and consumed like goods bothered him.
Because he was treated in that way in the past. How many steps did they take?
The dark vision stopped. And Seol-Hwi realized at once that this was a trick of the “System.”
[Part 7: Mocking of the Justice Faction Leaders.]
Once again, the flow of a huge story came.
It was a night of darkness. Three old men were sitting on a stone wall in the mountain with the moon rising. All of them were dressed in ragged clothes, but they were all representatives of the central plains.
Shaolin. Wudang. Mount Hua.
It was a gathering of those who had the most influence.
“I’ve seen many views which were pleasing, but the beauty of Xingjiang is heavenly.”
The old monk was Hae Cho.
He was an elder representing Shaolin who came a long way under the command of their abbot.
“Mountains and plains, pine trees and meadows, river valleys and lakes. It is said to be a place of heaven which embraces everything. Furthermore, logistics exchanges are carried out in the northwest region outside the usual tax collection area, so it isn’t unreasonable that desired groups are formed in that region.”
A man who seemed to be an elderly person answered,
The old man with gray hair and white beard was Wudang’s master, Jin Mu, who ranked fourth in power.
“Whenever the development of the central plains continues, this will be the cornerstone. It is a shame that people do not know of it. Kangho’s development starts with exchanges.”
The person who received those words was Goo Jong-myung.
“The interaction was good. Is that why?”
“…What are you speaking about so suddenly?”
“Do you not know what I am saying?”
When the elder of Shaolin asked, Goo Jong-myung waved his hand.
“Haha. I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Let us not waste our time. These people have already known everything regarding the circumstances, so would they come all the way here to cover things?”
In response, Master Jin Mu intervened.
“The recent actions of Mount Hua are provoking. In particular, the exchange of the Demonic Sect has already been proven.”
They were somewhat threatening words to say, but Goo Jong-myung was calm.
“Haha. Is elder drunk? Or elder feeling drowsy? Well, I don’t know that you had so much interest in Mount Hua.”
As if he expected it, he replied calmly.
“As I said before, there are many reasons why the sect contacted the Demonic Sect. First, it is the only way to check their power and second, for capturing and punishing those demons, it becomes a nice feeling to alleviate the spread of fear in Kangho. Third, it is because we can find counter measures when analyzing their demonic arts.”
“Even that is all speculation, and it would be difficult to know their hidden power. Taking down those demons is something only the Mount Hua Sect has done in the far, and we need to see for ourselves whether or not the demonic arts are actually right.”
At that, Wudang’s Master, Jin Mu, refuted,
“Actually, the first master also tried to lead Shaolin in a good direction but against their intentions it was a negative result. What the human heart cannot understand. It is possible that Mount Hua loses its chastity and makes a mistake of merging with them.”
Shaolin said so, and Goo Jong-myung nodded his head.
“I know. Isn’t that why we agreed to gather here?”
Like someone who knew all that was happening.
“Beyond the lesson of punishing the Demonic Sect, it was us who informed you that they would be gathering here. I think this is enough to show our sincerity. And now it is about how sincere the others are. If Shaolin and Wudang cooperate, wouldn’t it be possible to get good results?”
“Ahem.”
“Hmm.”
Shaolin and Wudang’s elders gulped.
Perform and get results. Actually, it was also the biggest reason they came here.
Pretending to be high.
Goo Jong-Myung’s eyes were cold.
Shaolin, Wudang were sects who pretended to be sages and saints, and the peak of virtuousness, but in reality, they did not move unless it was beneficial for them.
Wasn’t it all to establish their own sect as the highest one by stepping onto Mount Hua?
Well, for now, I will watch your actions.
Goo Jong-myung did not criticize their attitude. Well, now was the time to hide his claws.
He had to get himself ready for when the glorious time would come, and get appropriate benefits and rewards.
It was then—
Tatak.
Someone ran towards the stone wall, and it was a familiar face to Goo Jong-myung.
In this plan, he was the person in charge of handling the missions.
“We have a problem, Elder.”
“Tell me.”
Goo Jong-myung coldly responded to him, who ran to him with urgent expression.
“Suddenly there was a hole in our defense circle and many targets escaped from it.”
“Speak.”
Goo Jong-myung went stiff at that. The faces of Shaolin and Wudang who were waiting for the death of the demons went stiff too.
Pat!
In an instant, the vision brightened, and Seol-Hwi’s face went tense.
It was a situation where the pursuit began now.
He could not decide on what to do.
“This time…”
Looking at the sky, the position of the moon was different from what he remembered.
That meant much more time had passed.
It was a situation where the members of the troops were heading down.
I need to go.
The moment Seol-Hwi tried to move. Time halted.
And text appeared,
<What will you choose?> ▶Go to rescue the troops. - You will miss the faction elders but be able to save the lives of the Black Moon Troops. ▷Remove the heads of the Justice Faction. - You will fight against the elders of the Justice faction and have to sacrifice the lives of Black Moon Troops.
Was this a joke the fate was throwing to them?
Or was he going to try his luck?
Two options.
These two optional choices were accepted by Seol-Hwi.
Did he want to sacrifice lives for his own personal gain? The System seemed to be asking which he valued. It was like it was asking if he was going to save his past self.
