Chapter 876: Even If One Becomes the Cult Leader and the Alliance Leader

The Heavenly Communication Pavilion operations room was busy as always today.

As usual, countless pieces of information flew in, and the strategists analyzed and classified them.

And today, there was a visit from someone unexpected.

“We greet the Cult Leader!”

At Geom Woojin’s visit, the strategists stopped their work and bowed in unison.

Sima Myung, the Chief Strategist who had been in the office, hurried out. The strategists had already been replaced by those on night duty, but Sima Myung had not yet left his office.

“What brings you here at this hour, Cult Leader?”

“I came to have a cup of tea with you.”

“Please, come in.”

Sima Myung guided Geom Woojin into his office.

“Please, have a seat, Cult Leader. I will prepare the tea.”

While Sima Myung personally brewed the tea, Geom Woojin sat down and looked around the office. The room was filled with books and documents.

“Have you been diligently practicing the mental cultivation technique?”

“Yes, I practice it every morning and evening.”

This mental cultivation technique that Geom Woojin had personally taught him was, without a doubt, a supreme technique that any martial artist would desperately desire.

The more he practiced it, the more he felt his body growing healthier. His body felt lighter and more refreshed.

“You must sleep well. If you collapse, the entire Cult will collapse with you. So take special care of your health.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

For him, staying up late had been a lifelong habit, but these days, it was actually the Cult Leader who stayed up late. He had always been someone who fell asleep exactly on time.

Sima Myung personally brewed and served a tea he had been saving especially for when Geom Woojin or Geom Mugeuk visited.

“Please, drink.”

“The taste is good.”

How could Sima Myung not understand why the Cult Leader was unable to sleep? He knew the heart that had brought him here at such a late hour, a heart torn between concern for his son and the ambition he had harbored all his life.

As Sima Myung drank his tea, he suddenly recalled the past. His younger days when he had dreamed of becoming the Chief Strategist.

“Do you remember what you first said to me?”

Geom Woojin nodded.

“At that time, you said this to me. ‘If I lose this fight, you will die with me. Even so, will you become my strategist?’”

Back then, when the succession struggle had been at its peak, the atmosphere had been far more brutal than Geom Mugeuk’s current succession battle.

Geom Woojin remembered that day as well.

“And then you said, ‘I will make this young master into the Cult Leader.’”

Geom Woojin’s gaze as he looked at Sima Myung was gentle.

“You kept that promise.”

A trace of regret flickered in Sima Myung’s eyes.

“Sometimes I think about it. Whether there might have been a better way back then.”

Having witnessed Geom Mugeuk’s succession struggle, such thoughts came even more strongly. Surely, he could have offered better advice.

Geom Woojin set down his teacup and said,

“That was the best we could do.”

Those words alone were enough for Sima Myung to feel grateful. Back then, they had believed they could change the world. And with that belief alone, they had come this far.

Looking at the strategic terrain map visible outside the window, Geom Woojin asked,

“What are those blue lines?”

Blue lines had been drawn all over the map.

“They are the Young Cult Leader’s movements.”

Geom Woojin asked in surprise,

“You are tracking all of his movements?”

Sima Myung smiled and shook his head.

“The Young Cult Leader sends word to the Heavenly Communication Pavilion whenever he is able to contact us.”

Geom Woojin stepped out of the office and stood before the map. Sima Myung followed and stood respectfully a couple of steps behind him.

“He has traveled quite a lot.”

Geom Woojin could tell. If his son was sending word even when he did not need to, then he must be showing it to him.

Father, this is the life I want.

His son had told him as much. He had even told his father to travel across the Central Plains and enjoy himself. Through this journey, he was sending that message.

Father, let us live like this.

“Is there any movement from the Martial Alliance or the Unorthodox Alliance?”

“No, there is none.”

Geom Woojin turned to Sima Myung and asked. The Demonic Strategist and the three successors were traveling around the Central Plains together, yet it was quiet.

“Has the martial world ever been this unprepared?”

There was a smile on Geom Woojin’s lips as he asked, making it clear it was said half in jest.

“I can say with certainty that there has never been such a time.”

Geom Woojin’s gaze returned to the blue lines.

Sima Myung spoke to the strategists under him.

“All of you, go outside and get some fresh air.”

The strategists in the operations room all stepped out.

Once they had all left, only Geom Woojin and Sima Myung remained. Sima Myung operated a hidden mechanism on the wall.

Rrrrrrr.

The wall with the terrain map split open to the sides, revealing a new map behind it. The other walls did the same. New walls appeared, each filled with different information.

The map that had been filled with blue light was now covered in waves of red.

Red flags planted across the terrain.

Originally, the Demon Supreme banners had their own distinct colors.

Those various colors had now been unified into a single one.

Red flags.

And on those flags were single black characters.

Fist, Blade, Sword, Poison, Evil, Buddha, Liquor, Soul…….

They represented that individuals and organizations alike were moving toward a single goal, disregarding their unique identities. Not only the Demon Supreme banners, but all organizational flags were the same.

The flags were war banners, and this map was a wartime strategic map.

It was as if Sima Myung was asking this:

Cult Leader, which will you choose? Will you live freely like those blue lines? Or will you live waving these red flags?

“The Young Cult Leader is desperately trying to prevent war, but the more he moves, the greater our chances of winning the war become.”

It was a truly contradictory outcome.

“The martial prowess of the Demon Supremes has continued to rise, and as corruption within the Cult has been eradicated, our overall strength has steadily increased. Moreover, both you and the Young Cult Leader have reached the Twelfth Star Greatness of the Nine Calamities Demon Art. I can say with certainty that our current power is the strongest in the Cult’s history.”

It meant that, barring unforeseen variables, the unification of the martial world was a predetermined outcome. The moment a decision was made, history unlike any before would be written.

Geom Woojin stood with his hands behind his back, silently staring at the wartime map.

Sima Myung understood.

As the Young Cult Leader’s full-scale activities increased their chances of victory, the Cult Leader’s desire for war had diminished. And in equal measure, his feelings for his son had grown stronger.

What were the chances now that the Cult Leader would start a war?

Sima Myung could calculate even the most complex scenarios, but reading Geom Woojin’s heart was not easy.

When Sima Myung operated the mechanism again, the walls returned to their original state. Before them, the red flags disappeared, replaced once more by the blue lines. As Geom Woojin looked at that blue journey, he asked,

“What is that brat doing now?”

---

Splash!

Geom Mugeuk threw himself into the river.

He had been washing the mud off in the flowing water by the riverbank, but then he simply jumped in entirely.

Splash splash.

As Geom Mugeuk swam refreshingly through the river, Lee Ahn rushed forward.

“I’m going too!”

As Lee Ahn jumped in, Jin Haryeong followed.

“I’m coming too!”

At the sight, Jin Hagun shouted,

“You can’t!”

He shouted because he was worried her wet clothes would cling to her body. With the bright moon overhead, others would be able to see.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk stopped swimming, raised his head above the water, and said,

“Lee Ahn can, but not her?”

Lee Ahn also lifted her head from the water, playing along with Geom Mugeuk’s teasing.

“That’s too much, Young Leader.”

Jin Hagun was slightly flustered. His words had come out instinctively when his younger sister suddenly jumped into the river.

“That’s not it……”

Geom Mugeuk looked at Bih Sa-in and said,

“Look at that dependable Sa-in over there. He doesn’t say things like that to a young lady.”

Just then, Bih Sa-in spoke to Han Seol.

“You must not.”

He, too, played along with Geom Mugeuk’s teasing.

Han Seol spoke with a faint smile.

“I’m the type who does things more when someone tries to stop me.”

Han Seol leapt straight into the water.

Splash!

Having come from the Northern Sea, Han Seol swam better than expected.

“I thought you wouldn’t be able to swim since you came from a cold place.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s preconception, Han Seol smiled and said,

“Did you forget who I am? The colder the water, the more it’s my world.”

Han Seol beckoned Bih Sa-in to come in. How could he ignore a gesture from her? Bih Sa-in also jumped into the water.

Splash!

The only one left outside was Jin Hagun. Having stopped his younger sister from going in, it felt awkward for him to go in himself, so he simply washed his clothes by the riverbank.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk struck the water’s surface with his palm.

Bang!

He flicked the splashing droplets with his fingers.

Piiing!

A droplet flew toward Jin Hagun like a hidden weapon.

Jin Hagun slightly turned his body and avoided it.

“Stop it!”

Piiing! Piiing!

This time, Geom Mugeuk flicked two droplets.

“You villain who only cares about your sister!”

Piiing! Ping! Ping!

After dodging several times, Jin Hagun eventually jumped into the river.

“You bastard! I told you to stop.”

“At last, your evil nature has awakened!”

Jin Hagun chased after Geom Mugeuk, who was swimming away.

“Why are you so fast? Did you learn some water technique or something?”

Jin Hagun, who was chasing him, was smiling brightly. He had wanted to jump in and play as well, so he was grateful that Geom Mugeuk had drawn him in so naturally.

As Geom Mugeuk ran across the surface of the water to escape, their real water play began.

“Lee Ahn, the Martial Alliance is attacking!”

“Haryeong, let’s join forces and strike the Cult!”

It was the first time Jin Haryeong had seen her brother play around so innocently. For the first time in a long while, she was reminded of how he had been as a child.

Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun used techniques like Stepping on Water Grass, Water Flight, Crossing the River on a Reed, and even Walking on Air and Sky Crossing. Displaying all sorts of divine feats, they played in the river.

“Seriously, do you have to use even the Heavenly Demon Flying Art just to run away?”

“That’s not something you should say while chasing me like that. Lee Ahn, ask the Unorthodox Alliance for help.”

“Haryeong, call the Ice Palace!”

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk suddenly stopped and said seriously,

“Take that back. If you say that, those two will become tragic lovers.”

“Ah, I’ll take it back.”

Geom Mugeuk grinned wickedly.

“How naïve! Lee Ahn, the Martial Alliance has withdrawn the Ice Palace’s support. Let’s continue our joint attack!”

There was no Righteous Faction, no Unorthodox Faction, and no Demonic Cult there. There were only youths who enjoyed each other’s company and loved to play.

---

That night, they all sat around a campfire.

They had played to their hearts’ content and enjoyed a late dinner made from the game they had hunted.

After finishing the meal, Jin Hagun shared a decision.

“I will head back now.”

It was unexpected, and everyone’s gaze turned to him.

“It’s not because this journey isn’t enjoyable. Quite the opposite. If I stay longer, I feel like I won’t want to return.”

In truth, there was a bigger reason.

It was because of those who had been sacrificed due to the collapsed embankment.

Perhaps it was because he had personally taken part in the rescue and restoration work. The dead and the children kept coming to mind.

Of course, it did not mean he would return to the Main Division and start rebuilding embankments right away. It was because he had realized there were far too many things he needed to do.

Bih Sa-in looked at Han Seol.

She read the meaning in his gaze and nodded. The two of them also had plans.

“Then we will take this opportunity to leave as well. Since we are out here, we plan to visit the Northern Sea.”

It meant they would escort Han Seol back and pay their respects to the Ice Palace Master of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

Geom Mugeuk asked casually,

“Should we come along too?”

Bih Sa-in was about to agree, but Han Seol cut him off firmly.

“We were allies with the Martial Alliance.”

She refused by bringing up their earlier playful banter.

Geom Mugeuk looked at Jin Hagun. Sa-in, with that fierce face, is already being wrapped around her finger! Jin Hagun nodded with a look of agreement.

Since he had expected they might part ways midway, Geom Mugeuk did not consider the journey over.

“Lee Ahn, our journey continues.”

“Yes, Young Cult Leader.”

A joy she could not hide passed across Lee Ahn’s face. Soon, she turned to one person.

“Friend, come with us.”

Jin Haryeong knew Lee Ahn meant it sincerely, but she refused.

“I’m a busy person too.”

How could Jin Hagun not understand his younger sister’s feelings?

“Why do you like this martial artist so much?”

He was not the sort of man who would ever ask such a question, yet he did so for his sister’s sake. Though he had spoken lightly, almost as if it were a joke, it was a question he had struggled to bring himself to ask.

For the sake of his sister, who had given her heart to someone she could never have, he wanted her to cut those feelings off today.

How could Geom Mugeuk not understand? He knew exactly why Jin Hagun asked such a question.

Yes, it was time to make his feelings clear. For Jin Haryeong, and also for Jin Hagun.

Geom Mugeuk looked at Lee Ahn sitting beside him.

Why did he like Lee Ahn?

Because all of this had only been possible because she was there.

Because she had thrown herself forward and blocked Hwa Moogi’s Sword Energy, allowing him to survive.

But that was not the only reason he liked her.

There were many other reasons, but he did not reveal them here. Those were words he would tell Lee Ahn someday, when they were alone.

“She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

Even if Lee Ahn had an ordinary face, or even if the side effects of the All-Body Petrification Technique had not been cured, Geom Mugeuk would still have chosen her.

At his answer, Jin Haryeong deliberately frowned.

“So you judge women only by their looks!”

“If you’re upset, you should’ve been born not just the Beauty of Hubei, but the Greatest Beauty Under the Heavens!”

“You jerk!”

“Don’t forget. We’re the Demonic Cult!”

In fact, Jin Haryeong felt grateful that he answered like that. She could console herself by thinking she had lost because of looks. After all, no one could compare to that face.

“Brother, your sister is being treated like this and you’re just watching? You should say you’ll start a Righteous–Demonic War.”

Jin Hagun replied cautiously,

“To be honest, this martial artist is quite beautiful, isn’t she?”

“I can’t live like this! Seriously!”

Jin Hagun was also grateful to Geom Mugeuk. Only by cutting it off so clearly could his sister move on to a new love.

“Then is tonight our last?”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Bih Sa-in answered,

“It’s best to part when it’s still a little disappointing. That way, we’ll long for the next meeting.”

“You don’t look disappointed at all!”

Han Seol, standing behind, smiled faintly.

Geom Mugeuk made a suggestion to the two of them.

“Let’s make a promise. Once a year, let’s set a date and travel together for a few days. Even if we become the Cult Leader and the Alliance Leader.”

Jin Hagun and Bih Sa-in wondered if such a thing would really be possible even after becoming alliance leaders, but with how they felt now, it seemed entirely possible.

“Very well.”

“I promise.”

As the two agreed, Geom Mugeuk raised his cup high.

“If anyone skips it, the penalty is one stalk of Millennium Snow Ginseng. I’m not joking!”

They all raised their cups and drank together.

“It’s always the one who makes rules like that who ends up missing it.”

“Who said something so ominous?!”

Though they all had sharp, decisive personalities, tonight’s parting did not yield so easily to that sharpness.

Their farewell continued until morning broke.