Absolute Return Episode 349
Episode 349: I never gave permission.
Visain entered the long hallway.
On both sides of the road leading into the main fort, there were wolves made of steel standing there, looking ready to pounce at any moment.
When I walk down this hallway, I feel a peculiar, stuffy, suffocating vibe.
Is that why?
I often find myself wondering if there is some truth to the legend that when an intruder enters, these steel wolves move and bite the opponent’s neck until their own body is torn to pieces.
As I passed through the hallway and opened the large door, a man was standing with his back to me at the end of the hallway. He was of average build. Neither thin nor fat, his back looked like something I could see anywhere.
But Visain knows. It’s the back of a person you can’t find anywhere in this martial arts world.
The leader of the Apostles, Baek Ja-gang.
The best master of the Apostles and the absolute ruler of the Sapa martial arts world.
Bisain was Baek Ja-gang’s disciple. Baek Ja-gang did not have any blood relatives. It was because having blood relatives made one weak-hearted. In other words, it also meant that he would not be weak-hearted towards himself.
Visain walked down the stairs nervously.
As always, when I stand in front of the leader, I feel intimidated and nervous.
“It looks like it’s going to rain.”
Baek Ja-gang’s voice echoed throughout the Mengju Hall. He had a deep and resonant voice.
“It’s the first rain this winter.”
Normally, Bisin would have given a stiff greeting and said he had a good trip. But today, he responded to the leader’s words.
I hate to admit it, but it was the influence of the Sword Dance Theater. I took his advice to see people properly, and decided to look at the leader differently than I do now.
Another reaction brought another reaction.
“Come up.”
Visain climbed the stairs and walked to where the Apostolic Lord was standing. This was the first time he had been called to this place where he could overlook the main body.
Only after standing next to him did I greet him politely.
“I’m back, my lord.”
Baekjagang slowly turned his head and looked at Bisain.
His eyes were as small as buttonholes. They were really small, like dots. Bisain thought once in a while. Those eyes might grow wide someday. He must have hidden them. His eyes were that small.
So it wasn’t easy to read his emotions by looking into his eyes, but conversely, the leader was someone who could see through the other person’s inner thoughts with those small eyes.
“You cleaned out the Black Death Squad?”
But the voice was better than anyone else’s. Every time I heard it, I always thought I wanted to have a voice like that.
“Yes, we eliminated the Black Death Lord and some of the leaders.”
“Why?”
What should I say? If I were to answer honestly, I would say this. It was because the Black Death kidnapped the child and committed evil deeds.
But that’s not the right answer. I don’t think the Visine know what kind of person the Apostle Lord is, but at least they know that that’s not the right answer.
Visain said what he thought was the correct answer.
“He was being cheeky.”
Baek Ja-gang laughed loudly as the small eyes that were visible disappeared. Although his eyes were small, his mouth was unusually large. That’s why when he laughs heartily, I think he really laughs loudly.
Even if the leader knew why he dealt with them, the answer should be this. This is the kind of person the master is.
“Now that it has come to this, I plan to gradually absorb the Black Death Squad while looking into its external reputation.”
Baek Ja-gang had a satisfied expression. He was a man who would do anything to make the Apostolic Alliance stronger. And the root of the reason was the Demonic Cult.
“That guy, Geumwoojin, will definitely start a war for the unification of the martial arts world. We must prepare for that day.”
He was convinced that the Heavenly Horse would start a war.
“If you start a war, they will hit us first.”
“Why us and not the Murim Alliance?”
“The Murim Alliance will not interfere in that fight.”
This was the reaction that Baek Ja-gang had expected from the Murim Alliance.
“They will never interfere because they want us and the Demonic Cult to fight and fall apart. Even if they were willing to help, would they join hands with us?”
Many of the elders of the political faction would oppose the decision to help Sapa, and it would not be an easy matter to push through even if the leader of the martial arts world wanted it.
“They will never help us, even though they know that their teeth will become numb when their lips are gone. Even if all their teeth are pulled out later, they will still grumble about negotiations while gnashing their gums.”
What is ugly is ugly. Baek Ja-gang’s judgment was cool.
“If a war breaks out between the Demonic Cult and the Martial Arts Alliance, you must definitely help the Martial Arts Alliance. The Demonic Cult will definitely try to monopolize the martial arts world. The same thing will happen if you become the leader.”
To that extent, Baekjagang considered Cheonmasingyo and Geomwoojin to be dangerous.
The strength of the leader, Bisain thought, was in not showing unnecessary pride. The leader never exaggerated the strength of the Sadomasagod Alliance. Rather, he conducted everything under the premise that it was one level lower than the Demonic Cult and the Martial Arts Alliance. Bisain believed that the strength of the Sadomasagod Alliance at the time came from the leader’s thorough understanding of reality.
“I will keep that in mind.”
When I become the leader, you don’t have to worry. There won’t be a war in our generation. The problem is this era.
Regardless of his perception of reality, I knew that Baek Ja-gang also dreamed of unifying the martial arts world. He never said anything like that, but I could tell by the feeling.
That with those small eyes, he wanted to look down on not just the Sadomin but the entire martial arts world. That he was enduring and enduring for that one decisive blow.
“I have a question for you.”
The method chosen by Visain to deal with this matter was a head-on approach.
“Is there a secret organization growing in Bonmyeong that I don’t know about?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“We have discovered that the Black Death Squad has been providing the children kidnapped by the Blind through the Inspector General. If it is not an organization approved by the Blind, then we believe that someone is raising a private organization.”
If it was a big deal, it was a big deal, but Baek Ja-gang didn’t show any particular reaction. He just stared at Bi-sa-in without saying a word.
“If that’s the case, this cannot just be overlooked.”
Visain did not avoid the intense deception flowing from the leader’s small eyes. There is no need to be afraid. He is the leader and I am his successor. I accepted his gaze, which I would not have dared to look at before, as calmly as possible.
“Things have changed these days.”
Visain didn’t hide his change. He didn’t have the confidence to hide his feelings from only two people in the world. The sword dance and the leader in front of him.
“I met the leader of the Demonic Cult and the Demon Destruction Leader during my recent trip. They were also growing by leaps and bounds. I also have to work hard so as not to lose.”
Was he satisfied with his confident attitude? A big smile appeared on the leader’s large mouth.
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Baekjagang’s gaze turned out the window again. He looked at the gathering dark clouds and finally answered the first question.
“I have never authorized such an organization.”
* * *
Swaaaaaaah!
Geommu-geuk and Pyo-gi-gwang were hiding in the bushes and looking at the pouring rain. They were taking a short break from running frantically to avoid the water spouts.
“You’re more skilled than I thought.”
“Didn’t I tell you? I’ll protect you.”
I thought confidence was the key, but it turns out it wasn’t just confidence.
“I am the one who protects the Lord. I am not easily defeated by assassins.”
At the mention of killing, the words that Geommugeuk had said earlier came to Pyogi-kwang’s mind.
―What kind of blind man sends his subordinates to kill people on a contract? Where on earth is there any room for loyalty in this mess?
Geommugeuk did not miss this moment because he felt the mind of Pyogi Gwang wavering.
“Did you warn him that you would kill him if he didn’t keep the secret?”
The sign-maker slowly shook his head. That was the most disappointing part for him. He was treated like dog poop rolling around on the street.
“It may be presumptuous of me to ask this, but I can guess why he chose you.”
“Why?”
“A normal person would be furious and angry, but you are accepting this murderous act as a given. He knew. How would someone in deep despair react in this situation?”
What if that’s why you chose yourself?
The writer’s face turned red. It was such a humiliating blow to his pride.
At that moment, Geommugeuk made a hissing sound and stabbed his sword into the thick grass behind Pyogi Gwang.
With a single scream, the corpse fell forward.
“A whole organization of assassins came. It must be because they realized that the leader of the group has made contact with the leader of the small group. No matter how many people the leader of the group has sent as escorts, they are determined to eliminate the leader of the group.”
In other words, it means that he was that impatient. The reason he didn’t step forward himself was probably to avoid exposing himself. No matter how much he tried to find this assassination organization, there would be no trace of him.
“Even though an entire organization has been mobilized, you still can’t kill me, who is protecting you alone.”
“That’s what it is. Let’s go. You have to move.”
The two ran along the mountain path again.
Another wave of assassins came rushing towards the two. Unbeknownst to Pyogi-kwang, they were not running away. Geommu-geuk was intentionally seeking out the assassins and eliminating them.
Trained only to kill their opponents, they knew no fear.
But no amount of courage could overcome the vast gap in skill between heaven and earth. No surprise attack worked.
The swordsman’s techniques for dealing with assassins were so ordinary that, to the eyes of the swordsman, it seemed as if the assassins’ level was not that high.
Why can’t I dodge when it seems like such a light swing? Is it possible that Salsu allowed such a simple kick to turn his jaw?
But the fearsome momentum with which they attacked him always brought about this cry.
‘This time I’m really going to die!’
The words I had probably said in my mind countless times burst out again.
Phew!
The protruding sword was right in front of Pyogi-kwang’s eyes. Blood was dripping from the tip of the sword.
It wasn’t the sword of the black assassin. It was the sword of the black martial arts that pierced the back of his head.
It seemed like he had killed him by hastily throwing his sword, but it was a move that demonstrated his superior swordsmanship.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s okay.”
“It seems like all the assassins have been dealt with now.”
The lightbulb was shocked. When he was told to run, he ran, when he was told to crouch, he crouched, when he was told to pull, he was dragged, when he was told to push, he fell. Before he knew it, the fight was over.
It’s over? So I survived?
Pyo Gwang looked at Geommugeuk with a face that didn’t feel real.
Swaaaaaaah!
Geommugeuk was washing the blood off his face and body in the falling rain.
Suddenly, the sight felt unfamiliar. It wasn’t the sight of the youngest warrior who had been happily cheering and listening to what he had to say.
The way he calmly washed away the blood made him feel like a real warrior who had experienced all kinds of hardships while fighting his way through Dosan Forest. Was that why? For some reason, he looked lonely.
“Let’s go.”
“where?”
Where should I go now?
But Geommugeuk knew exactly where to go.
“Go to him. You should go and ask him why he’s handling things this way. If he wants to finish it, he should come and finish it himself. Why did he send someone like Sal-su? You should ask him why he’s treating me like a fool.”
The sword dance was saying what the writer wanted to say.
“I believe this was done without the permission of the Meng.”
Although he flinched for a moment, Pyogi-kwang shook his head.
“That can’t be true.”
Now that the time had come, Geommu-geuk said the decisive words he had been saving.
“If the Apostolic Lord had given permission, he would never have sent out assassins. I’ve heard it before. The people the Apostolic Lord hates the most are assassins.”
“!”
The flashback reminded me of a moment in the past.
I once had a conversation with my subordinates about this when I was the leader of the Black Dragon Alliance. The leader really hated assassins, so at the time, in the Apostolic Alliance, there was no case of a person from the assassination group becoming successful. It was even something he said.
The signboard light felt goosebumps all over his body. It was something I had forgotten. I got hurt, stepped down from the stage, and lived like a wreck. It was something I had forgotten in the process.
‘If that person was following the will of the leader, wouldn’t he have mobilized the assassination squad?’
The strong question naturally brought back memories of past conversations with that person.
-Is this operation something that even the leader knows about?
-Of course. That’s why it must be kept a secret.
At that time, I thought that the leader knew, of course. That’s why I thought this person would step forward. That’s why I thought that the minor leader shouldn’t get involved. It was a secret operation that wasn’t even told to the minor leader.
Why didn’t you ever doubt it?
I knew the answer to the question that came to my mind.
Because all I wanted to do was get out of that situation. I just wanted to get out and brag to those who had ignored me, ‘I’m doing something great, you idiots!’
“If this was done without the Lord’s knowledge, then it is treason.”
The sniper’s heart sank. If that was true, it meant that the bastard had dragged him into rebellion. The sniper was so confused.
“Let’s find out together what the truth is.”
Until yesterday, he was a man who thought that only he knew the truth. He was someone who could not understand anything. But now, he was asking this question.
“Can we do it?”
“You were prepared to die anyway, weren’t you?”
Yes, that’s right. I don’t know how many times today I’ve closed my eyes and thought, “I’m going to die now.” I’ll close them one more time.
The sign writer nodded while looking at the sword play.
Now the situation has changed.
“From now on, we are no longer fish. Let’s become fishermen and cast our nets with me. Then, let’s hear what the fish that has been acting like fishermen until now has to say.”
