The senior guard, enraged, asked one of the regular red-belted guards.
“Who in the world did this?”
“Well…”
The guard quietly turned his head and gestured with his eyes toward someone standing in rank in the plaza. Seeing who it was, the senior guard was so astonished he was at a loss for words.
“That brat again?”
That brat again. It was Mok Gyeong-un. Having left a strong impression and earned the top rank in the first and second gates, he was impossible to forget even if one wanted to.
“There’s no way he did this to so many cadets alone. Did that brat and his group members do it together?”
“It seems that way.”
‘Ha.’
It was truly absurd. The selection of group leaders and members that happened last night. It was meant to see who had leadership potential by having the cadets voluntarily find their own leaders and members.
Of course, they had anticipated a scramble for members due to the four vacancies created by the undercover agents. And the only restriction they had set was a ban on killing, precisely to allow for a certain amount of fighting among them. But this result was completely unexpected.
‘Damn it.’
He had expected at least five or more squad leaders to be chosen. But in the end, only two had been selected. After the first and second gates, the cadets had proven their basic qualities and mental fortitude, so the goal was to bring as many of them up as possible.
But because of that brat, Mok Gyeong-un, everything had gone awry. The senior guard carefully spoke to the Corpse Blood Valley Master, Lee Ji-yeom.
“Valley Master. I don’t think this can be allowed.”
“What can’t be allowed?”
“He has crossed the line.”
“The line?”
“Don’t you agree? Out of eighty, no, seventy-six cadets, only sixteen have formed groups. If we leave this be, it might get worse…”
“What more of a problem could there be?”
“Pardon?”
The senior guard was flustered by Lee Ji-yeom’s words. If they failed to properly sort out the promising ones by the end of the gate, the higher-ups might take issue with it. To the worried guard, Lee Ji-yeom said, “...
It may be excessive, but he hasn’t broken any rules. On what grounds will you restrain him?” The senior guard frowned.
Just yesterday, the Valley Master had said they needed to keep a closer eye on Mok Gyeong-un. Why was he suddenly being so lenient?
“Valley Master… that brat is not from the Society, he is a hostage brought from the righteous path’s Lotuswood Sword Manor." "If our work of weeding out the promising ones is ruined because of him, the Lord and the executives will surely make it an issue. Perhaps the Lord was aiming for this.”
“…”
At the senior guard’s words, the Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom let out a soft breath. Senior Guard Gwak Mun-gi. He was like his own left arm.
Thus, he knew better than anyone how the Lord and the main headquarters always found fault with everything and made an issue of the Corpse Blood Valley’s affairs. That was why he was voicing such an opinion.
“... That might be so. But it doesn’t matter. In any case… it was the Lord who sent that brat. It will be difficult to hold me responsible for something that happened due to his whim.”
“But…”
“We proceed as is.”
“... I accept your command.”
At the firm words of the Corpse Blood Valley Master, Lee Ji-yeom, the senior guard Gwak Mun-gi finally stopped questioning and accepted the command. But as he bowed his head, his gaze was directed toward Mok Gyeong-un.
-How does it feel to be blindsided for the first time? Blue Spirit’s voice echoed in Mok Gyeong-un’s ear. Why would Blue Spirit say such a thing?
It was because of what happened last night. Mok Gyeong-un turned his head and looked at the eight people standing in rank next to their own group. Among them, a boy with a rather mature appearance and sharp, narrow eyes, and Mok Yu-cheon, stood out.
‘Interesting.’
Last night, Mok Gyeong-un had intended to eliminate everyone except his own group by breaking their legs. If he had succeeded, there was a high chance they would skip the other gates after the third one and move on to the final procedure. But an unexpected event occurred at dawn.
[We’re, we’re in big trouble.]
One of the boys from a five-man team he had sent out came to him in a hurry.
[Where are the others? Why did you come alone?]
[…Well, that is…]
[Something must have happened?]
[…I’m sorry.]
The boy, thinking Mok Gyeong-un would scold him, spoke with great tension. Mok Gyeong-un shook his head and gently soothed him.
[It’s not like someone is going to eat you. Where are the others?]
[They were all captured.]
[Captured… you say?]
[There, there was nothing we could do. When we went to the last room, we didn't know eight people would be hiding in ambush.]
[Eight people were in ambush…]
This was unexpected. It meant that someone had noticed their plan and prepared for it. Well, it was impossible that no one would notice as they went room by room breaking legs.
There were even some who realized what was happening midway and attacked him in a group of four. It seemed there had been a clever one among them.
[Let’s go.]
Mok Gyeong-un joined up with the Demonic Monk, who was possessing the body of Yeom-ga from the Killing Curse Valley, and Mo Ha-rang from the Ensnaring Flower Room, who were finishing up on the upper floor, and headed to the room where his group members had been captured.
In the hallway in front of the room, two boys were standing as if on lookout. They were startled to see Mok Gyeong-un and opened the door. Then, four people came rushing out from inside.
One of them was the boy with the narrow eyes, Mu Jang-yak, and another was none other than Mok Yu-cheon. The moment Mok Yu-cheon saw Mok Gyeong-un, he cursed.
[You crazy bastard. Have you stooped to doing things like this now?]
[Things like this?]
[This is different from the previous gates. All we have to do is pick a leader and cooperate with our members to perform the sword formation, so why are you doing this…]
[Is it wrong to do this?]
[What?]
[In what way is it wrong?]
At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Mok Yu-cheon answered with a dumbfounded expression.
[Are you even serious…]
[I didn’t break the rule against killing, and cadets are bound to be eliminated at each gate anyway. Is there a problem with moving that up a bit?]
[You!]
Mok Yu-cheon was at a loss for words. Frankly, the idea of breaking everyone’s legs was absurd, but it wasn’t entirely right to say it was unconditionally wrong. After all, this was a competition. -Grind!
Realizing that there was no point in arguing logic and that he couldn’t win with words, Mok Yu-cheon said, [Fine. There’s no point arguing with a brat like you.] With those words, Mok Yu-cheon glanced at Mu Jang-yak beside him.
Mu Jang-yak raised a hand and opened his mouth.
[Hello.]
[Yes, hello.]
[You’re here for your group members, right?]
[That’s right. If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you quietly sent our members over.]
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Mu Jang-yak shook his head and said with a faint smile, [Sorry, but that might be a little difficult.]
[All you have to do is hand them over. What’s so difficult about it?]
[If I return your members to you, you’ll try to break our members’ legs just like you did in the other rooms. I can’t let that happen.]
[You know me well.]
Mok Gyeong-un replied with a faint smile of his own. The sight of the two smiling and conversing in a tense situation made their respective group members even more nervous. But Mu Jang-yak’s side had the advantage.
After all, they had hostages.
[Could you turn back for now? We don’t want to waste our strength fighting your group for no reason.]
[Is that so?]
[Yes. If you do, I’ll return your captured members safely tomorrow morning.]
An unexpectedly smooth proposal. It seemed like a concession, but for Mu Jang-yak’s side, this was the best offer. He was convinced that the moment he returned the members, Mok Gyeong-un would definitely target them.
At that moment, Mo Ha-rang spoke in a whisper.
[It’s a shame it’s different from our goal, but I think it would be better to do so. This time, they have the upper hand.]
The number of able-bodied cadets was sixteen. If their own members were to get injured in this situation, the other side would gain the advantage. But they couldn't easily do that either.
Because as long as the numbers were maintained, a fight wouldn't break out, but if they harmed Mok Gyeong-un's members, he would have to fight them to replenish the remaining spots.
‘He’s quite sharp.’
The other side had created this situation because they believed it was the best they could do. At this, Mok Gyeong-un said, [Well, that’s fine, but isn’t there this possibility as well?]
[Possibility?]
[Yes. If you break our members’ legs tomorrow morning and then return them, we’ll be eliminated without being able to do a thing, won’t we?]
[Ah…]
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Mo Ha-rang let out a sigh. Come to think of it, that was a possibility. If the other side kept the hostages, they could backstab them at any time just before the leader was decided.
Then, Mok Yu-cheon scoffed and said, [Do you think we’re the same as you? At least we don’t stab people in the back.]
[You can say anything you want to my face. But situations always force one to make the rational choice.]
[Are you saying breaking a promise is a rational choice?]
[Because it’s advantageous for your side.]
Mok Yu-cheon clicked his tongue at Mok Gyeong-un’s words. He thought that in this situation, at least, he would quietly accept their proposal, but he never imagined he would bring up a move they hadn't even considered. Mok Yu-cheon furtively glanced at Mu Jang-yak beside him.
Mu Jang-yak shrugged once, then opened his mouth.
[I can see why you’d be suspicious, but you don’t have a choice anyway. Other than to trust us.]
To this, Mok Gyeong-un said, [I don’t think that will be possible.]
[If this proposal falls through, you’ll be the one at a disadvantage.]
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said, [I don’t think so. As things are, I just need to make sure eight out of the sixteen are left unharmed. Then won’t things go according to my original plan?] -Flinch!
The cadets who heard Mok Gyeong-un’s words were flabbergasted. Who could have predicted that in this situation, he would come out saying he would abandon his own members and just match the numbers? Does that brat have no attachment to his own group?
Mok Yu-cheon shouted in an angry voice.
[Do you have no sense of camaraderie? The members who trusted and joined you…] -Ssk!
Mu Jang-yak held out a hand toward Mok Yu-cheon and shook his head. Then he turned his head toward Mok Gyeong-un and said, [I thought you might, but I didn’t expect you to come out like that. When I heard from Yu-cheon, I wondered if you would really go that far.]
Mu Jang-yak had heard from Mok Yu-cheon about what happened at the end of the second gate. That was why he had his doubts, but it was just as he had heard. Mok Gyeong-un said to him, [Is that so?
Then you must know my words are not a bluff.]
[Indeed. I’m glad I prepared for a 'what if'.]
[Pardon?]
Glad he prepared for a 'what if'? What did that mean? To the puzzled Mok Gyeong-un, he said, [I never considered the possibility you mentioned earlier, but I did prepare for the chance that you might show up.]
[Prepared… what did you do?]
At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Mu Jang-yak pulled something out from his wrist. It was a thin needle, about the length of a finger joint. It was even smaller than the Forbidden Gate Locks that had been embedded in their Qi gates.
[…What is that?]
[I’ve stuck these into the vital points on the waists of your four captured members, and all of our own members.]
[………]
[Half a day after being pierced by this Cartilage Needle, one will limp for about ten days. In severe cases, they won’t be able to walk for half a month.]
‘!?’
At his words, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed. He had stuck that needle not only into their members but also his own?
[…How can I believe that?]
Mu Jang-yak then had Mok Yu-cheon take off his shirt and show his back. Mok Yu-cheon complied and disrobed his upper body. As he did, Mu Jang-yak began to strike the vital points on Mok Yu-cheon’s back so subtly it was invisible. -Tatatak!
Then, shortly after, -Puk! A needle shot out from Mok Yu-cheon’s back. At the sight, even Mo Ha-rang clicked her tongue in disbelief.
Who could have predicted that he would go so far as to pierce his own members with Cartilage Needles to prepare for such a situation? Mu Jang-yak smiled at Mok Gyeong-un with his narrow eyes and said, [Now, what will you do?
Even if you take Mok Yu-cheon, from whom I’ve removed the needle, if I don’t cooperate, everyone will be unable to walk properly after half a day. Then you and your entire group will be eliminated.] It was a true ‘if I die, you die with me’ countermeasure.
And this countermeasure was extremely effective. It would create a situation where both groups failed to secure eight members, leading to everyone being eliminated.
‘…He is truly brilliant.’
Even Mo Ha-rang couldn’t help but be impressed by the exquisite move. It was a strategy that had perfectly read the unpredictable Mok Gyeong-un. It seemed that this time, even Mok Gyeong-un had no choice but to accept.
But then, Mok Gyeong-un’s lips twitched as he muttered, [This is quite interesting.]
She frowned.
He had essentially lost the battle of wits against Mu Jang-yak, yet he found this situation interesting? While she was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un said to Mu Jang-yak, [I’m torn.]
[Is there a need to be? No matter what move you make, in this situation…]
[No. I’m torn between whether it’s better to kill you now, or if it would be better to let you live.]
‘!?’