Jegal Bo-hyun couldn’t understand it.
‘Chun Ma?’
Is there anyone in Murim who didn’t know what Chun Ma meant?
It was a worshipped t.i.tle within the Sky Demon Order, given to the one who was the strongest in the history of Murim.
Along with the scholars of other factions, such as the Shaolin temple’s monk, and the birth place of martial arts Jianghu region, the figure called Chun ma was a legend.
Everyone knew about that.
However, then appeared Chun Yeowun, the 2nd Chun Ma, who swept the entire Murim over a thousand years ago. It was known that he was the ultimate Chun Ma.
‘I thought there was no other Chun Ma in the demonic Cult.’
Since the 2nd Chun ma, there was no warrior who stood out like the past ones.
And especially now.
Everyone in the Murim a.s.sociation knew that the Sky Demon order had fallen since the company was dissolved.
But now, Chun Yu-jang, who was supposed to be aiming for the t.i.tle of Lord, was acting like a follower?
“Please give me and the members a chance to take revenge for the cult!”
“Give us the chance!”
Following Chun Yu-jang, 8 senior executives of Yongchun shouted.
Since the dissolution of Black Sky Company, they were all waiting for such a chance.
Their blood boils at the thought of what they had been through.
‘Demonic Cult!’
The warriors including Jegal Bo-hyun were sure of one thing.
The monster that the Yongchun Group members were kneeling before, was a member of Demonic Cult.
Hw.a.n.g Bo-yun bit his lip and said.
“I think that"s the reason you are trying to kill us all. Black Sky Company, no, it is for revenge for the destruction of the Demonic…”
Shh! Puck!
“Ack!”
At that moment, two floating Ice Swords flew and pierced both his thighs.
Hw.a.n.g Bo-yun, whose legs weakened, fell to his knees.
Thud!
“Kuak!”
Chun Yeowun spoke to him.
“Demonic Cult? I left you alone because you looked like a nice one, but you seem reckless as well.”
The other warriors would never even dare say anything. However, hw.a.n.g Bo-yun didn’t back down.
“Who are you? I never heard of warriors like you in the Demonic Cult?”
The Lord was imprisoned.
And the three who were fighting for the t.i.tle of Lord weren’t that strong.
Clang! Shh!
Suddenly, director Huan Myung-oh pointed his sword at Hw.a.n.g Bo-yun’s throat and said.
“You aren’t in a position to ask that.”
“… Huan Myung-oh!”
Hw.a.n.g Bo-yun raised his voice and looked at him.
Since they have been sensding spies, he knew that Huan Myung-oh was one of the leaders in the Yongchun group.
Whoop!
“Reckless.”
Huan Bo-yun couldn’t hide his anger.
If it weren’t for Chun Yeowun, he could have taken down Huan Myung-oh right away.
“You never thought that this day would come, did you?”
On the other hand, the smile didn’t leave Huan Myung-oh’s lips.
For nearly 27 years, he spent every day living in shame.
Constantly under the eyes of spies, the Yongchun group struggled to keep a low profile.
However, Hw.a.n.g Bo-yun, a member of the Forces of Justice, one of the three major factions, was now kneeling.
He couldn’t hide the pleasure.
“Give me a chance.”
“A chance?”
“yes!”
Shhh!
Chun Yu-jang put his hand on the sword and answered.
He wanted to slaughter all the warriors right away if Chun Yeowun gave the orders.
That was when someone shouted.
“This is too much!”
It was Chae-sun, the president of Mokyang furniture, one of the executives of the Murim a.s.sociation.
He continued to speak with an upset face.
“Our Mokyang Sword Clan has no relationship with the Cult. Isn’t it too much to kill everyone in here?”
That was true.
The Mokyang Sword clan had joined the Murim a.s.sociation just 15 years ago.
And it was a clan which had nothing to do with the incident that happened 27 years ago.
“They have nothing to do?”
When Chun Yeowun looked at Chun Yu-jang with a questioning look, he nodded his head.
And then someone else shouted.
“Our clan also joined the Murim a.s.sociation just 10 years ago. Like the Mokyang Sword clan, we had nothing to do with the Demonic Cult.”
And when that happened, people kept screaming from here and there telling they had nothing to do with what happened.
“It is the same with us!”
“Our clan had nothing to do with your Cult. Trust us!”
They were all struggling to get noticed, it made no sense for them that they were involved in an incident which happened 27 years ago.
It was disappointing to see that they wanted to get out alive and leave their comrades to die.
“Director Ma! Are you only aiming to save yourself?”
“If not! Should our clan be destroyed because of something that we didn’t even do!”
“What! Director Ma is right. If there is someone to be held responsible, then it should be the ones who did it!”
“Huh, these people! Bowing down to someone just to save your neck!”
“What!”
People began to argue.
‘Haa…’
At that sight, Jegal Bo-hyun’s thoughts turned complicated.
He thought that the members of the Murim a.s.sociation would have a sense of unity, but this was just so messed up.
‘Is this human nature?’
It was a total separation.
Jegal Bo-hyun who was perplexed, looked at someone.
‘Leader Ju?’
It was Ju Mun-pyeong.
He joined the Murim a.s.sociation 16 years ago as an executive in the Jinan City branch.
Along with the other ones, he was someone who had nothing to do with the events which happened 27 years ago. He kept being silent contemplating in fear, till now that is.
‘Well, not everyone turned their backs on us. The Forces of Justice aren"t dead yet… ah!’
Suddenly a good thought came to Jegal Bo-hyun’s mind. He sent a message to Ju Mun-pyeong.
[Leader Ju.]
[Chairman Jegal.]
[Since we don’t have time, I’ll say it.]
[What are you…. ?]
[You have nothing to do with what happened 27 years ago. Please state that.]
[No way. How can I do such a thing just to live among the wicked demonic Cult people who are aiming to destroy justice?]
[I know how righteous you are. But if you survive, you will be able to inform the main body of the Murim a.s.sociation about this.]
Ju Mun-pyeong looked at him with confused eyes.
What Jegal Bo-hyun said was to let the entire Murim a.s.sociation know about what happened.
[If the truth wil be told, then even those who turned their backs on us will end up becoming witnesses.]
[Chairman Jegal…]
[Please. Survive for the cause.]
Ju Mun-pyeong understood it.
Surely, the man was right.
If he survived and revealed the facts, everyone would come together and stop the demonic Cult.
Determined, Ju Mun-pyeong raised his hand and shouted.
“Our Wise Medicine clan also joined the Murim a.s.sociation just 16 years back and we hadn"t done anything to your Cult!”
At that, Jegal Bo-hyun nodded his head.
In the end, 29 clans expressed that they had nothing to do with the demonic cult.
And a total of 187 individual warriors.
“Lord Chun Ma. Are we sparing them?”
Director Hang Yu-rin asked.
She thought that keeping them alive just because they hadn"t done anything, would still turn into trouble.
“They will stab us in the back.”
Another person agreed. Even if the people had nothing to do with the past events, they would sooner or later turn their backs on the Cult the way they turned their backs on the Murim a.s.sociation.
“We need to kill them all.”
At that, Chae-sun, of another clan shouted.
“I will never betray your Cult or back stab you, I swear.”
“We swear too!”
“Please have mercy on us!”
At one person’s words, everyone began to plead. They all didn’t want to die.
Chun Yeowun looked at Chun Yu-jang asked.
“What would you do if you were the Lord?”
‘!?’
When he was asked to speak his opinion out of the blue, Chun Yu-jang was shocked.
He didn’t just ask for his opinion, but asked him what he would do if he was the Lord.
‘Ah… ancestor is testing me.’
He thought his ancestor was testing him.
Chun Yu-jang, who knew that he had to deal with this to get under good graces, was troubled.
As a Lord, he wanted to be wise.
Chun Yu-jang answered with a bright face when he thought of an answer.
“Lord Chun Ma. I found the answer. Can you entrust this to me?”
“Go ahead."
Chun Yeowun allowed it.
Chun Yu-jang stepped ahead and looked at the warriors who were begging for their lives.
“You have all said that you would never stand against the cult.”
“Yes!”
Chae-sun, a warrior, answered.
“Then swear it.”
“We said that we would. We would never divulge this to any…”
“Not that. Swear allegiance to the Cul!”
‘!?’
At Chun Yu-jang’s words, they couldn’t hide their shock.
They did just betray their allies in order to survive.
However, Chun Yu-jang was now asking them to swear their loyalty to the Sky Demon Order.
Mumble!
Confusion arose.
And Chun Yu-jang continued.
“I will spare anyone who comes under the Cult. But if you don’t, we won’t be able to trust you no matter what you say.”
At those harsh words, the clan leaders fell into despair.
It was the only way to stay alive. But they would continue to live in shame.
Chae-sun, of Mokyang Sword Clan, knelt down and cried.
“Our Mokyang Sword clan swears allegiance to the Sky Demon Order. As evidence, our company will be operating as an affiliate to the Yongchun group.”
“H-he! A traitor!”
As he swore, people began to criticize him.
Seeing him do that made them despise the clan.
‘Kuk!’
Feeling ashamed, Chae-sun closed his eyes.
However, he endured it because of his desire to preserve his clan.
“Even so you people…”
Puck!
“Kuak!”
At that moment, Chun Yu-jang’s sword pierced the chest of a warrior who was about to criticize the man.
Chun Yu-jang looked at the warriors and warned them.
“Whoever criticizes our Cult members, will be dead.”
The warning was extremely effective.
Everyone turned silent.
n.o.body criticized Chae-sun anymore.
As everyone turned silent, more clan leaders began to swear allegiance.
At that, Chun Yu-jang gave orders to General Manager Suh-jeong.
“Capture all of this on video.”
“Yes.”
Suh-jeong pulled out his phone and began to record.
‘This…’
Ju Mun-pyeong, who was about to take the oath, was irritated.
If everything was going to be recorded, then it was no longer possible to dream of turning back.
He looked at Jegal Bo-hyun.
‘Ahhh…’
Jegal Bo-hyun sent a message with an apologetic look.
[Please… for the sake of Murim.]
He was encouraging people to make a false oath.
Ju Mun-pyeong nodded with a bitter expression.
He would end up being branded as a traitor on both sides, but if Jegal Bo-hyun could at least vouch for him, then it might work out.
Ju Mun-pyeong stood in front of the place where everyone was taking an oath and said.
“Our Wise Medicine Clan pledges to come under the Sky Demon order. As proof…”
With that, many people came ahead and pledged their allegiance to the Sky Demon Order. As proof, they promised to be affiliated with the Yongchun group.
Since everything was filmed, the executives of the Yongchun group felt satisfied.
‘He is wise.’
‘The lord will praise him.’
This was more beneficial to the Cult than killing them. They even had a video as proof.
Pak!
Once it was done, Chun Yu-jang knelt down and reported.
“Reporting to Lord Chun Ma! 29 clan leaders have pledged allegiance to the cult!”
His eyes were filled with confidence believing that he proved himself a little.
He thought Chun Yeowun would treat him differently than before.
However, what Chun Yeowun said was beyond his expectations.
“This is it?”
“Huh?”
“I asked if this is it.”
Chun Yu-jang was puzzled.
He made people take an oath of allegiance, what else could he do?
“I. Lord Chun ma what you are…”
“Still a long way off.”
“Yes?”
Chun Yeowun reached out his hand, making someone come fly towards him.
Grab!
“Ack!
It was Ju Mun-pyeong. He was suddenly pulled and caught by Chun Yeowun.
Puzzled, he asked.
“W-why?”
Chun Yeowun looked at Jegal Bo-hyun and said,
“How funny! You thought you would make a false oath and I wouldn’t know?”
‘Haaa?’
Jegal Bo-hyun was so shocked that he was at a loss for words.
It was the same with Ju Mun-pyeong, caught in Chun Yeowun’s hand.
‘H-how in h.e.l.l did?’
They used telepathy.
How could he know what they were talking about?
Fl.u.s.tered, Ju Mun-pyeong tried to play it cool.
“W-what do you mean by that? How could I give a false oath…”
Crack!
“Kuak!”
Before the man could ever explain, Chun Yeowun broke his neck.
‘H-how?’
‘He sword allegiance.’
People couldn’t understand what they’d just witnessed.
Only Jegal Bo-hyun had a different reaction.
‘How did he know?’
He had never heard about a person with the ability of eavesdropping on telepathy.
However, Chun Yeowun didn’t seem to do anything. It seemed like he just heard what they conversed.
Chun Yeowun addressed himself to those who swore allegiance to him.
“Let"s test your loyalty.”
“Test?”
Chun Yeowun pointed at Jegal Bo-hyun and the other warriors who didn’t swear allegiance.
“Kill them.”
‘!!!’
The faces of those who swore allegiance went stiff. They thought they would be spared.
But to be asked to kill the people they were working with until a moment ago.
“Suh-jeong.”
“Yes!”
“Shoot the video of them proving their allegiance too.”
“Yes!”
At Chun yeowun’s command, he pulled out the phone again.
The Murim warriors who swore allegiance were dumbfounded.
‘Huh, how can we…’
“Kuak!”
If such a scene was recorded, they would end up being the main culprits.
And if they don"t do what he asked, their loyalty will be questioned.
They were in a dire situation.
Chun Yeowun urged them in a cold voice.
“On the count to three. Kill all those who don’t move.”