Chapter 73
"Ugh... Urgh."
The man who had been trying to take Jegal Gil's life was instead subdued by Yeo Un-hwi, rendered completely immobile.
Even if he tried to struggle, it was already too late.
Yeo Un-hwi flicked his finger, sending a Finger Wind to release Jegal Gil's acupoints.
However, Jegal Gil just stared at Yeo Un-hwi with a blank expression.
He thought he might be seeing things.
If not, it made no sense for someone who should be in Hebei to suddenly appear before him like this.
But,
"Why are you staring so intently? It's not like we haven't seen each other in a long time."
As Yeo Un-hwi spoke with a smirk, Jegal Gil finally realized that he wasn't seeing things.
"H-how are you here?"
Jegal Gil stammered.
Ever since meeting Yeo Un-hwi, it had been a series of unbelievable situations.
"Well, I wonder how?"
"What do you mean..."
"For now, let's set that aside. What should we do with this guy?"
Yeo Un-hwi nodded towards the assassin.
He was now nothing more than an enemy who had tried to take Jegal Gil's life.
As Jegal Gil's gaze turned towards him, the man flinched.
Perhaps sensing his impending fate, his eyes were now filled with terror.
Yeo Un-hwi spoke.
"Just say the word. I'll take care of him right away."
"No. Leave him to me."
Surprised by the unexpected answer, Yeo Un-hwi turned to look at Jegal Gil.
Jegal Gil's eyes were now shining with an incredibly cold light.
His face showed no more hesitation.
For a moment, Yeo Un-hwi and Jegal Gil exchanged glances without saying a word.
A brief silence fell. Then Jegal Gil spoke again.
"What you told me before. I'm going to try to be like that from now on."
He had thoroughly realized it.
The fact that if things continued like this, the outcome was obvious.
So Jegal Gil decided to change.
This wouldn't do. No, even a moment's hesitation was a luxury.
To defeat them, there was only one path from the beginning.
Perhaps he had known this for a long time already.
But he had just been deliberately ignoring it until the end, not wanting to sully himself.
In the end, that too was his own selfishness and stubbornness.
So he would no longer hesitate.
"Hmm. Are you prepared enough? If it's a half-hearted resolution, it's worse than not making one at all. It might even shorten your life instead."
"I know."
Jegal Gil nodded.
Yeo Un-hwi looked deep into Jegal Gil's eyes.
He had completely different eyes from when they first met.
Those were the eyes of someone who had decided on their path.
"I see. So you've made up your mind. Alright then. I'll leave this guy to you."
Whether to kill him or spare him was now Jegal Gil's decision.
Then Yeo Un-hwi smiled slightly and said,
"I'll gladly support the path you're about to walk. If it gets too hard and lonely, come visit Hebei."
"Is that alright? I might visit often."
"If you bring good alcohol, I'll welcome you gladly. Ah, but I'll need to get my wife's permission first, so send word ahead."
As Yeo Un-hwi winked, Jegal Gil chuckled.
They were now conversing like old friends who understood each other.
It was fortunate. To have met such a person.
Jegal Gil sincerely thought so.
Although it had been a very short time, during that time Yeo Un-hwi had an enormous impact on Jegal Gil.
His words, actions, and even the level of his martial arts were all shocking.
Moreover, above all, he had saved Jegal Gil twice from the brink of death.
How could he not be grateful?
"Well then, I wish you the best of luck."
As Yeo Un-hwi bid farewell, Jegal Gil nodded.
Then Yeo Un-hwi disappeared in an instant.
Like the wind.
Heh.
A hollow laugh escaped Jegal Gil's lips.
"Really... what an incredible person."
No matter how he thought about it, it was an impossible feat.
While it might not be difficult to move freely within the Murim Alliance as long as one avoided the restricted areas, entering and moving around from outside to inside without anyone noticing was extremely challenging.
The Murim Alliance was the pinnacle organization representing the Orthodox Martial World.
Naturally, they don't keep their security lax enough to easily allow infiltration by outside forces.
Every day, every moment, the warriors of the Murim Alliance vigilantly guard the alliance.
Most of them have reached considerable levels of skill.
Even if one could evade the eyes of one or two guards, it was nonsensical to think one could move while avoiding the eyes of all those on duty.
Yet Yeo Un-hwi was entering and exiting the Murim Alliance as easily as if it were his own home.
Moreover, the distance from Hebei to here alone...
At this point, it seemed like he might not be human, but an immortal.
No, could he really be an immortal?
That would explain everything...
Jegal Gil shook his head.
What nonsense.
Where in the world is there an immortal who gets married, has children, and lives with in-laws?
But what did it matter? If he was an immortal who helped and saved him like this, he would gladly welcome it.
"Phew. Now then, I should get to my own business."
The smile faded from Jegal Gil's face, gradually turning cold.
Then he slowly approached the man who had been subdued by Yeo Un-hwi and couldn't move.
The one he once considered a close colleague, but it had all been a lie, and who until just moments ago had tried to kill him.
Tap. Thud.
Jegal Gil released the man's mute acupoint, allowing him to speak.
The man immediately began making excuses in a desperate voice.
"H-hey. There seems to be some misunderstanding. It was a joke, just a joke."
"Now that the tables have turned and you're in trouble, you're spouting whatever nonsense comes to mind. If you're going to make excuses, at least come up with something more plausible."
The look in Jegal Gil's eyes as he gazed at the man was no longer the same as before.
To Jegal Gil, it felt as if both he and his brother, Jegal Mun, had already been killed once by this man and come back to life.
So the man before him, rolling his eyes pitifully, looked like nothing more than a mortal enemy to Jegal Gil.
Faced with Jegal Gil's ice-cold gaze, the man begged and pleaded.
"A-alright. Alright. I admit it. But I was just following orders from above. You know too, right? People like us have no choice but to do as we're told, even if we don't want to. I really didn't want to do this!"
"Ah, I see. So that's why you looked so excited about killing me. And that's why you felt such joy when talking about my brother's impending death. Right?"
"T-that..."
For a moment, the man was at a loss for words.
'Damn it!'
It was a mistake.
It would have been better if he hadn't said anything at all.
But back then, he couldn't have imagined things would turn out like this.
Who could have known?
In a situation where everything would have ended with just one drop of poison on his lips, he couldn't have imagined that an incredibly skilled expert would suddenly appear, subdue him, and save Jegal Gil.
But it was too late for regrets now.
Swish.
"W-wait!"
The man spoke urgently as Jegal Gil slowly approached him.
"I'll do anything you tell me to! I'll even go back and report that keeping you alive would be useful. Tell me anything else you want! I'll do whatever it takes! Huh? So please, spare my life. I can't die like this, okay?"
He begged Jegal Gil with all his might.
It was truly ridiculous.
The man who had been toying with his life and mocking him just moments ago was now behaving so disgustingly when his own life was in danger.
To the point of nausea.
Despite Jegal Gil's face growing colder as he looked at him, the man continued trying to persuade Jegal Gil, regardless.
"You know too! Even if you kill me, they'll just send others! Killing me now isn't a good choice. It'll only put you in greater danger!"
"Well, that would certainly be the case if things stayed as they are."
At Jegal Gil's response, the man's face brightened.
His words had gotten through.
As he thought a way to survive had opened up, he quickly began to harbor other thoughts.
'Damn it! How dare he humiliate me like this!'
If he could just get through this crisis somehow, he would definitely kill Jegal Gil with his own hands.
And in the most horrific way he knew.
But then, an unexpected answer came from Jegal Gil's lips.
"You're lying."
"Huh?"
"You. You don't seem to realize what expression you naturally make when you've decided to kill someone."
"E-expression? What do you mean?"
"Heh."
Jegal Gil laughed. But somehow, it felt different from the person he had known until now.
For some reason, the man felt chills run down his spine at that sight.
"Y-you."
"Didn't you say it yourself? That killing me would be useless. That they would just send others. That I would end up in an even bigger crisis."
Jegal Gil, who had been covering his mouth while laughing, suddenly stopped laughing and coldly looked at the man.
As if he were a different person.
"But that won't happen."
"What?"
"I've decided to walk a different path from now on, you see."
"What do you..."
Shink.
Huh?
His neck felt hot.
The man's eyes widened as he saw that Jegal Gil had drawn his sword at some point.
"N-no way... Ugh!"
Soon, blood gushed from his mouth and throat.
He looked at Jegal Gil with disbelief.
"You, you..."
"I once truly considered you a friend, which is why I'm sending you off so cleanly. Be grateful."
"You son of a... I, I... here..."
"Farewell, to hell with you."
"...Gurgle."
And so, the man foamed at the mouth before going limp.
Jegal Gil stared at the corpse of the man who was once his friend for a moment.
Then he felt his teeth grinding at this goddamn miserable reality.
Until this morning, Jegal Gil had no idea.
That his friend would try to kill him. And that he would end up slitting his throat.
Why did the one he thought was a friend try to kill him, and why did he have to take his life with his own hands?
Because of me? Or because of you? Or because of someone else?
For a moment, Jegal Gil recalled the face of an old man.
The mastermind behind all of this.
Jang Cheong, the Chief Elder of the Murim Alliance.
All of this had happened because of him.
Honestly, he wanted to rush to him right now and shout.
How could someone who is the Chief Elder of the Murim Alliance commit such evil deeds! Don't you have any conscience! You should be ashamed!
But he knew. That it wouldn't make a bit of difference.
An honest person's methods don't work on him.
So tonight, Jegal Gil made a decision.
That he would no longer live as he had before.
It was now his turn to make a move.
In ways they could never imagine.
Jegal Gil's eyes shone with a fierce light.