Chapter 250

Chapter 250
## Chapter 250. The Black Flame Dragon Collects the Stakes (3)

“Why is he not waking up?”

Ak Byeong-bi’s brows furrowed deeply.

Even the physician, who had dealt with all kinds of dangerous figures within the Black Path, seemed somewhat intimidated by his fierce expression, and his voice crawled along the floor.

“Well. I still do not know the cause. Perhaps it is because his wounds were so severe?”

“You are saying you do not know precisely?”

“Most people who receive such a massive shock fall into a deep sleep for several days or even several weeks. Some……”

The physician, who had been speaking, tightly closed his mouth.

Because everyone in the room was staring at him with razor-sharp eyes.

Not only the Murim Alliance Envoy Delegation, but also Cha Seok-du and Hwang Bu-sik, Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort, and even the elders supporting the Black Thought Alliance.

All of them were glaring at him with an intimidating pressure, as if they might pierce holes right through his face.

“A-Ahem……”

Looking at the faces gathered as if worrying over the safety of a fallen emperor, it was impossible for the physician not to grow incredibly tense.

Among them, the one shooting the absolute iciest gaze was……

Naturally, Ak Byeong-bi.

“Some…… what were you about to say next?”

He had been about to say, “Some sleep for several months, or even years…… perhaps they might never wake again……”

“What were you about to say?”

……But he could not bring himself to open his mouth.

After all, a physician attending an influential figure should be careful with his tongue more than he should be skilled at treatment, should he not?

But there was a limit to how long he could avoid the question.

“I-I will do my absolute best.”

As if he thoroughly disliked the physician’s vague answer, Ak Byeong-bi was about to step forward toward him.

At that moment, Dang Seo-hui spoke up in a voice full of moisture.

“He was probably about to say that he might never wake up forever……”

Dang Seo-hui sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at Jin So-un like a puppy that had lost its owner.

The flustered physician quickly looked around and hurriedly answered,

“I-I will do my best to ensure that does not happen.”

However.

“……”

“……”

No one held much hope because of the physician’s desperate words.

Starting with Cha Seok-du, everyone grasped the grim mood and began leaving the inner chamber one by one, until only the Murim Alliance Envoy Delegation, Blood Battle, and Flame Ghost Consort remained in the room.

“Let us go as well. It is not as if that bastard will wake just because we watch him from beside his bed.”

At Blood Battle’s words, the remaining people also began rising one by one to depart.

At that moment.

Crack—

A strange sound was heard.

“What was that?”

The startled people instantly looked at the physician.

As if wondering whether he had done something harmful to Jin So-un.

However, the physician standing three steps away only shook his head in absolute panic.

And then.

Crack—

The strange sound rang out once again.

“Huh?”

At that moment, a strange light appeared in Dang Seo-hui’s eyes.

At the end of her gaze was……

……Jin So-un’s arm, which had grown visibly longer than usual.

The startled physician was about to rush toward Jin So-un.

Blood Battle stopped him instantly by pressing his Numbing Acupoint.

“No one move!”

“……”

When everyone looked at Blood Battle with startled eyes, a meaningful smile formed on his lips.

“I cannot believe it…… Damn bastard, to think he is this lucky.”

Everyone was puzzled by Blood Battle’s mysterious words, but Blood Battle did not explain further and only looked at Jin So-un.

—

What is this?

Everywhere is completely pitch black.

It does not feel narrow……

It feels like I have entered an immensely vast, endless space.

It is so distant that my very existence feels like less than a speck of dust.

Just what is this……

Ah, am I dead?

Is the life after death like this?

‘Damned bullshit……’

The moment I suddenly thought that, a wave of rage surged up.

They say a bastard with good fate picks up a lump of gold and then immediately picks up another lump of gold, while a bastard with filthy fate gets falsely accused of theft and beaten to death even after picking up a single silver coin……

My case is exactly that.

‘Fuck, of all bastards, I had to cross paths with the Yin-Yang Twin Demon……’

My past life could not be called a particularly lucky life either, but even so, my fate had never been this fierce.

Thinking about it, it seemed my fate grew fierce right after I met the Sojeong Squad bastards……

I was certain. Their misfortune had infected me.

Those useless bastards, as always.

As I was getting heated like that, a red sphere slowly grew within the darkness and began filling the vast space.

Then, inside the sphere, my figure fighting the Yin-Yang Twin Demon was drawn.

‘What is this now?’

Je Geum-hak created ice walls, and I tried desperately to break through them.

But my attacks were blocked each time, and then even the members of the Formless Flying Demon Unit joined in the fray.

A sequence of events unfolded exactly as I had experienced them, and in the end, I collapsed while bleeding heavily.

It looked as if it had drawn out the process by which I died exactly as it had happened.

While living my second life, I had thought I had grown somewhat stronger, but as expected, a Demonic Practitioner was still a Demonic Practitioner.

Thinking about it, I realized I had been underestimating the level of Demonic Practitioners too much until now.

Among the Demonic Practitioners I had faced, how many had been great figures on the level of the Yin-Yang Twin Demon?

Most of the opponents the Sojeong Squad had faced were mid- and low-level armed groups, so my standards had always remained at that level.

‘Those weak Sojeong Squad sons of bitches!’

……Anyway, it was the Sojeong Squad bastards’ fault.

In this life, after obtaining the Taeul True Scripture, the Reverse Demon Scripture, and even the Jade Purity Heavenly Image Power, I had shaken off my fear of Demonic Practitioners as well, but my thinking had been shallow.

Since my position in the Murim Alliance had changed, the bastards I would have to face in the future would also change.

I still had not escaped from the memories of my past life.

At that moment.

‘Hm?’

The red sphere began turning a brilliant golden color.

Within it, the battle between Je Geum-hak and me unfolded once again.

‘Huh?’

However, this time, it was a little different.

I slipped into Je Geum-hak’s chest and unfolded Lotus and Snowflower.

Using only the basic forms of the Minor Heaven Sword Art, I steadily broke down the ice walls.

The consumption of inner arts did not seem that great either.

Until now, in reality, I had crushed opponents with momentum like lightning and storms, but the me inside the sphere crushed the opponent with grace and softness, yet with solidity like a boulder.

It was such a different sight that I wondered whether that was truly me.

‘Is this how the sword should be extended?’

I slowly began copying my own figure.

Then the movements of the images also slowly moved along with me.

Perhaps they were waiting for me to follow?

Crack— Crack—

In the dark space, I kept hearing the sound of something snapping, but I ignored it and continued following the movements.

The movements I had not been able to imitate well at first slowly began developing correctly after I repeated them dozens, hundreds of times.

And by the time those movements had all become perfect.

The figure of “me” returned to the beginning and started fighting Je Geum-hak again.

Crack-crack— Crack-crack—

Snap, snap.

Noises still unrelated to the fight echoed through the entire space.

I forced myself to focus on the fight, and focus again.

The me in the image fired the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm this time and swung Sword Force to fight.

‘Huh! It could have ended this quickly?’

Compared to the time I had spent fighting before, this battle was absurdly short.

But I finished the battle with an overwhelmingly superior advantage.

The fight ended before the Formless Flying Demon Unit even appeared, so I had suppressed the Yin-Yang Twin Demon at a truly absurd speed.

‘It is impressive, but……’

Because it was too overwhelming, it lacked a sense of reality.

Was that truly a battle that referred to the proficiency and amount of inner arts I possessed?

All sorts of complicated thoughts flashed through my mind, but even so, I “simply” followed the movements.

This time, I also circulated my inner arts along with them.

Crack-crack-crack— Crack-crack-crack-crack—

Snap, snap, snap.

The noise grew louder.

Strangely, every time I heard the noise, I felt as though something became clearer.

In any case, what mattered now was fully placing the images inside that sphere into my head and body.

As I copied them again and again, they gradually began settling into my body.

But a problem arose.

‘Huh?’

The noise that had kept ringing suddenly stopped, and a massive sleepiness began rushing over me like mad.

‘No! One strand! Just one more strand at least……!’

Although I knew I had Absolute Memory, I struggled to see even a little more of the forms inside the sphere.

Because I somehow felt I would not be able to easily remember this sensation.

However.

‘This is truly damned bullshit……’

Just like when I had faced the Yin-Yang Twin Demon, my eyes slowly closed shut.

—

My consciousness woke from sleep, and I tried opening my eyes, but they would not open at all.

Blink, blink.

When I forcibly rubbed my eyes, stiff eye crust fell away, and my eyes finally opened.

When I opened them, it was an unfamiliar ceiling.

The furnishings around me and the scent in the air were all completely unfamiliar.

What is this?

A third life?

I thought that and immediately examined my qi center.

‘……What the fuck.’

I felt the energy of the Taeul True Scripture, which had increased by a whopping thirty years from Four Cycles.

At the fact that this was not a third life, I was amazed.

‘Wow, I survived that. Haha.’

Even thinking about it myself, it was absurd.

The amount of blood I had shed back then was something no single person should have been able to shed and survive……

Could a reincarnation of the dead Hua Tuo perhaps be in the Black Thought Alliance?

Hmm. If there was such a skilled physician, I should consider recruiting him.

Would it not be far better for him to live as the exclusive physician of the righteous and pure Taeul Sect than stay in a place full of Black Path bastards like the Black Thought Alliance?

Yes, certainly.

After finishing that productive thought.

Since there did not seem to be anyone immediately around, I turned my head to call someone.

‘What is this now?’

……I saw Dam-ak’s back.

He read documents, busily moved his brush, then read documents and moved his brush again.

Hmm, I feel like I have seen this exact scene somewhere before.

Scratch, scratch.

That is right. I definitely have seen it.

The Grand Strategist did the exact same thing last time.

Does efficiency improve when you work behind an injured person?

No, what am I, some kind of talisman?

“Ahem……”

When I subtly made my presence known, Dam-ak tossed his brush down as if throwing it and sprang up from his seat.

“Are you all right?”

The moment I, too, placed my hand on the bed and put strength into it to slowly raise myself.

Crack.

My hand broke straight through the bottom of the bed.

“Huh?”

What kind of bed is this fragile?

After pulling my hand out, I tried to grab the side rail and stand up.

Crunch.

……This time, the rail helplessly broke apart into pieces.

“……”

Dam-ak looked at me with gray eyes.

Tsk, even if I broke the Black Thought Alliance’s property, I am your life-saver in name at least. Is it not a little much to glare at me like that?

I awkwardly withdrew my hand and said,

“Hmm…… it seems they used old materials.”

“The Alliance Leader’s lodging was built only with the finest materials available.”

“Hm?”

This was the Black Thought Alliance Leader’s lodging?

When I quickly looked around, Dam-ak added in a calm, steady voice.

“They said it would probably take time to adjust to your changed body, so please move carefully.”

I tilted my head in confusion.

“Changed body?”

“Elder Blood Battle said you would understand if I told you that.”

Come to think of it, I had shed a huge amount of blood and fought fiercely.

And yet, strangely, I did not have a single muscle ache, and my joints felt completely smooth.

Just what on earth is going on?

“If you are curious, please ask Elder Blood Battle later. Among the Envoy Delegation and the people in the Black Thought Alliance, only he seemed to know.”

“Is that so?”

Dam-ak looked at me for a moment, then asked politely, “Would you like a cup of tea?”

The words were an invitation, but his actions were already pouring the tea.

If he had been waiting alone after sending away the entire Murim Alliance Envoy Delegation, he surely had some specific intention.

In case I caused another accident, I sat down carefully and held the teacup very lightly.

Crack.

I’m fucked.

“……An antique from the Zhao State era……”

No, if it was that precious, you should not have used it in the first place.

I gave a dry cough and asked, “Do you not have…… an ordinary teacup?”

“……Hoo. Just use it. It is already cracked anyway.”

Good grief, making a person feel so awkward.

“Ahem.”

As I watched the steam rising from the teacup, I felt Dam-ak’s prickling gaze on me.

Fuck. Did he see everything inside the Mystic Gate Formation?

I definitely confirmed he had fainted before I moved……

As I was choosing what excuse to make, Dam-ak opened his mouth first.

“Why did you save me?”

“Hm?”

My head went blank at the unexpected question.

I carefully set the cracked teacup down on the table so it would not break further and asked back,

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Is there any reason not to be curious? ……I am the person who opposed the alliance between the Black Thought Alliance and the Murim Alliance until the very end. Moreover, I did not hesitate to say we would wage war with the Murim Alliance.”

Dam-ak stopped speaking for a moment, then slightly shook his head as if organizing his thoughts before continuing.

“Strategically and tactically, would it not have been far more appropriate not to save me?”

As expected, he was excellent.

A pleased smile formed on my lips without my realizing it.

That was true.

But you have to face the Demonic Cult with me later.

It is not as if I can do all the hard work alone, is it?

In other words, Dam-ak’s existence itself was no different from the “stake” I definitely wanted to win.

However, I could not reveal my true thoughts as they were.

I put on a smile more benevolent than Il-myeong’s and Il-gak’s combined.

“Think of it as repaying a debt.”

“A debt?”

I looked straight into Dam-ak’s eyes, which were filled with confusion.

“The debt owed by the Murim Alliance, which could not extend a hand when the Grand Strategist was waiting so desperately.”

“……”

Dam-ak’s eyes shook with complex emotions.

Looking at those sharp eyes like that, they actually seemed a little blank.

A long moment of silence passed between us.

Still with a complicated gaze, Dam-ak struggled to part his lips.

“……That is not a debt you owe.”

“I know. That is why there is no need for you to feel burdened either.”

“……If I were to accuse you of pretending to be a chivalrous hero…… you bore far too great a risk for it.”

Dam-ak seemed to want to somehow cast a shadow of hypocrisy over my actions.

But the cognitive dissonance in his head seemed to keep interfering with that logic.

I looked at his face, which was full of deep anguish.

“In truth, the image of the Murim Alliance that the Grand Strategist sees is probably the true image of the Murim Alliance.”

For an instant, Dam-ak’s eyes flashed sharply.

“……Are you trying to say that I should still not hate everyone?”

I shook my head.

“You are now the Grand Strategist of the Black Thought Alliance, so should resentment not naturally creep up from the very existence of the Murim Alliance?”

“……”

“I do not particularly want to make you feel indebted or place a heavy debt upon you. In any case, someday, the Black Thought Alliance and the Murim Alliance will become enemies once again.”

Dam-ak put on a completely dumbfounded expression.

Looking at him, I continued speaking my honest thoughts.

“When that time comes, you will have to face a person called me. I will not take your circumstances into account or yield to you, Grand Strategist. Well, in any case, even if you go all out, you will not be able to defeat me.”

“……”

Good grief, I made a light joke, so why did his face stiffen up like that?

How embarrassing.

“In any case, that time is that time, and now is now, is it not? I came as an envoy of the Murim Alliance, and the Black Thought Alliance and Murim Alliance are currently in a relationship where they have concluded an agreement over a Public Enemy. Then can we not help each other for the time being?”

“……Does that mean you throw away your life so easily?”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

This part was actually more because of my personal feelings of wanting to completely screw over that Demonic Practitioner bastard who had been imitating Je Geum-hak—no, Gun Yu-hyeon.

How many times had those bastards deceived people in that exact way in my past life?

I wanted to smear shit on their faces at least once.

On the other hand, I also wanted to repay the debt I owed Dam-ak from my past life.

“Well, there is a degree to every person’s actions. I tend to act a little more dangerously than ordinary people do.”

“A little?”

I waved my hand as if that was enough talk about that.

“In any case, that is how it is. I have nothing more to say either, so if it is the same topic, let us stop here.”

dishonesty.
“……”

Dam-ak looked into my eyes for a very long time, then soon let out a small sigh and lowered his head.

“How did you know his true identity?”

“Who?”

“Gun…… Yu-hyeon.”

The deep wound of betrayal must have been quite great.

Dam-ak’s hand was trembling slightly as he spoke the name.

I quietly looked at that shaking hand and began speaking.

“Do you remember the day we first met?”

“Yes.”

That day, with Gun Yu-hyeon’s help, I sat down at the exact same table as Dam-ak.

And right there, Gun Yu-hyeon made a critical mistake that revealed his own identity.

“The beings I met on the Puyang Plains. They were bastards who hid their bodies entirely in darkness. Even when signal flares exploded, only those standing closest to them could faintly see their true forms.”

Dam-ak tilted his head, listening intently.

“But he said he had seen their forms clearly from afar, so is that not strange?”

Dam-ak’s mouth slowly opened in realization.

“B-But on that day, did you not clearly agree with his words?”

I let out a small, quiet laugh.

“Of course one investigates secretly behind the scenes first.”

“……”

Then I took out and showed him the secret letter I had received from Hao Gate.

“This is the result of the investigation into the sect called the Heavenly Crown Sect. They say the Heavenly Crown Sect’s Eldest Young Master, Gun Yu-hyeon, was a scoundrel-like bastard who trusted blindly in his father and committed all kinds of evil against those around him from a very young age.”

That kind of horrible bastard suddenly reformed and became someone like the current Gun Yu-hyeon?

Did a person’s core nature change so easily?

At the very least, there should have been a visible process.

But according to Hao Gate’s detailed investigation, there had been no such process whatsoever.

It said he had changed completely overnight, as if he had literally become another person entirely……

“There were several other strange circumstances too. Such as his treating money like stone……”

“Why would that matter?”

“No matter how rich someone is, they cannot treat gold as stone. But he truly treated it like stone.”

I tapped the investigation document from Hao Gate.

“That means the value of that gold was exactly the same as a common stone to him, does it not? It means he was not someone originally rooted in the Jianghu.”

Even after my detailed explanation ended, Dam-ak could not open his mouth for a good while.

Then, after a long time, he slowly raised his head to look at me.

“The reason you…… no, the Black Flame Dragon wishes for peace between the Murim Alliance and the Black Thought Alliance is because of ‘them’?”

As expected of him, he was a brilliant person.

He already knew exactly how to draw the whole picture from a few pieces.

As expected, he was someone I absolutely needed.

Still, I think “you” is much better than “Black Flame Dragon” as a way to address me……

“Grand Strategist, you experienced it firsthand through this incident too, did you not?”

“……”

“Do you truly think a single force, whether the Black Thought Alliance, the Murim Alliance, or any other martial sect, can oppose them entirely alone?”

To put it bluntly, those bastards had driven the powerful Black Thought Alliance to the absolute brink of collapse with fewer than twenty people.

If they began moving in earnest, no one knew what would happen to the entire Jianghu.

At my grim explanation, a heavy shadow fell over Dam-ak’s face.

“Just who are they?”

I thought about it for a brief moment.

Was it right to tell him this ancient story, or right not to tell him just yet?

Normally, I would have chosen to keep it hidden.

But Dam-ak was different.

He had now become someone deeply rooted in the Black Thought Alliance, but that was precisely why he would have to move carefully alone.

I did not know whether he would fully understand or not.

But at the very least, when something major happened, he had to be able to instantly recall what I had told him today.

Dam-ak’s existence was that critically important to me.

Important enough that I had wanted to win him over even by staking my very life, like an incredibly attractive stake.

I interlaced my fingers together and spoke quietly into the silence.

“A heaven-defying existence that completely overturned the heavens five hundred years ago.”

“……”

Then I met Dam-ak’s eyes directly and firmly.

“The Demonic Cult.”

“The Demonic Cult?”

“They call themselves the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

His eyes grew indescribably wide with pure shock.