Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 102

“Didn’t you say that words carry weight and that you take responsibility for what you say yourself?”

Mok Gyeong-un spoke with a smile.

However, that smile was clearly filled with malice.

Looking at this, the expression of Wi So-yeon, the third disciple of the Society Leader, was distinctly different from earlier.

‘Ha.’

She was amazed.

She had thought he was just someone who coveted benefits.

In fact, no matter how much one racked their brain in this situation, it was difficult to come up with an answer.

However, Mok Gyeong-un had come up with a completely unexpected method.

‘…Borrowing a knife to kill.’

Borrowing a knife to kill someone.

It literally meant borrowing a knife to kill someone else.

When he realized that directly killing Yeop Wi-seon would be detrimental to him, he came up with this method.

[Your foolish actions have also put me, who brought you here, in quite a predicament. So, if you open your mouth again, I will execute you on the spot.]

She had sternly warned Yeop Wi-seon to keep his mouth shut.

However, this was not because she intended to kill him on the spot, but to let him know how angry she was.

But Mok Gyeong-un had used this.

‘Since killing him with my own hands would bring the repercussions of Bright Blade King, you’ll borrow my hand?’

Look at this guy.

In this brief moment, he had thought of a very bold method.

It wasn’t simply a level of cunningness, but his ability to think was no ordinary matter.

Mok Gyeong-un then said to her,

“Aaah. I was going to let him go because I’m afraid of Elder Bright Blade King, but it has turned out quite interestingly. To think that the Young Lady has to punish her loyal dog with her own hands.”

‘This, this bastard!’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Yeop Wi-seon couldn’t contain his anger.

Was this guy really desperate to kill him?

Yeop Wi-seon hurriedly looked at Wi So-yeon.

‘Young Lady.’

No matter what, he was a disciple of Bright Blade King and a subordinate who had sworn loyalty to her.

Did it make sense to kill someone like him because of this guy’s antics?

However, Wi So-yeon’s expression, faintly visible through the veil, seemed unusual.

‘Could it be… No way…’

Was she really going to kill him to keep her word?

Startled by this, Yeop Wi-seon hurriedly spoke to her.

“Yo-Young Lady… You’re not really going to do as this bastard says, are you? I… I have sworn loyalty to you.”

“…”

“Young Lady.”

She remained silent.

Desperate, Yeop Wi-seon prostrated himself before her and pleaded.

“Young Lady. This subordinate has indeed made a mistake, but is it something deserving of death? If you kill this subordinate, Master, no, Bright Blade King and all the Heaven and Earth Society people under him will not follow you. Please make a wise choice.”

With those words, Yeop Wi-seon raised his head and glared at Mok Gyeong-un.

Now that things had come to this, there was only one choice for him to survive.

That was to have Mok Gyeong-un killed.

‘The Young Lady has her own thoughts.’

No matter how much she publicly declared that she would keep her word, there was such a thing as weighing the options.

He was a disciple of Bright Blade King Son Yun.

If she were to kill someone like him, it would be no different from abandoning Bright Blade King and the forces under him.

But that guy was completely different.

He had no backing, and if they created a suitable justification, even if he died, there wouldn’t be much trouble.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.

“For someone who is a disciple of Bright Blade King, you’re quite pathetic.”

“What?”

“Someone in your position should have honor and self-esteem, but not only are you pleading for your life, but you’re also trying to make the lord you serve go back on her words by bringing up your master. It seems that the Young Lady’s honor isn’t that important to you.”

‘This guy, really…’

He wanted to tear that mouth apart right away.

However, if he showed his anger here, he wouldn’t be able to evoke any sympathy from Wi So-yeon, so he had to keep his mouth shut.

Mok Gyeong-un looked at Wi So-yeon with an amused smile.

How would she respond?

Given her position and high self-esteem, people like her often strongly adhered to their own words.

However, if she considered the practical benefits, she would abandon her self-esteem and save her subordinate.

Whichever choice she made, it would be a choice that she herself couldn’t readily accept.

At that moment,

“Heh.”

A laugh escaped from behind the veil.

Wi So-yeon was laughing.

Seeing her like this, one of Mok Gyeong-un’s eyebrows raised.

‘Hmm.’

What was it?

He had thought she would be quite cornered by her self-esteem, but he was inwardly puzzled by her unexpected reaction.

Why was she laughing?

While he was thinking that, she laughed for a while and then parted her lips.

“You really exceed my expectations.”

“Excuse me?”

“I thought you were just someone whose mouth moved faster than their brain, driven by self-interest, but you came up with an answer I never even thought of.”

“If that’s a compliment, I’ll gratefully accept it.”

“It is a compliment. But you’re really brazen.”

“What do you mean?”

“If things go wrong for you here, I am someone who has the capability and authority to kill you without any regard for conversation or anything else. In fact, if it were my second elder brother, he might have killed you on the spot for toying with him.”

“Kill me… Well, that could happen.”

Seeing Mok Gyeong-un’s calm reaction, she became even more interested.

Until just now, she had thought that Mok Gyeong-un was someone who only pursued practical benefits and played tricks.

However, her opinion had changed with his current move.

This fellow had the potential to become her Zhang Liang (a famous advisor to Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty) beyond his talent in martial arts.

It was more difficult to find a talented person with a good brain than a talented person with outstanding martial arts.

‘I like him.’

With this, she became determined to make Mok Gyeong-un her person.

While she was thinking that, Mok Gyeong-un said to her,

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“You seem to be happy even though you’re losing a loyal dog.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Yeop Wi-seon, startled, raised his head again and called out to her.

“Yo-Young Lady, are you really going to…”

“No. I won’t kill you. So keep that mouth of yours shut.”

“Yes.”

At her words, Yeop Wi-seon tightly closed his mouth.

Yeop Wi-seon’s face brightened after receiving a definite answer from her that she wouldn’t kill him.

As expected.

How could she possibly kill him?

While he was thinking that, Mok Gyeong-un asked in puzzlement.

“Then you’re going back on your own words?”

At that question, Wi So-yeon shook her head.

Then she took something out from her waist.

-Swish!

She abruptly threw it, and Mok Gyeong-un, who caught it, slightly furrowed his brows.

What she had thrown was none other than a jade token.

It had the words Heaven and Earth Society (天地會) engraved on it, and below that was her name.

Judging by the quality and shape of the jade, it looked quite antique.

“Why this?”

As he was puzzled, Yeop Wi-seon’s bewildered expression was visible.

His eyes were wide open, staring intently at the jade token in Mok Gyeong-un’s hand. Why was he reacting like that?

While he was thinking that, Wi So-yeon said,

“It’s the price of Yeop Wi-seon’s life.”

“Excuse me?”

What did she mean by saying this jade token was the price of his life?

He had no idea what she meant.

To Mok Gyeong-un, who had a puzzled expression, she chuckled and said,

“Didn’t you say it yourself?”

“I did?”

“Yes. You said that either I pay a price equivalent to a life or hand over Yeop Wi-seon’s life.”

“Ah…”

Mok Gyeong-un smacked his lips at her words.

Wi So-yeon herself had also been put in a difficult position of choice due to her own words earlier, but Mok Gyeong-un himself had also first brought up a corresponding price to her.

He had thought she would only respond in two ways due to the atmosphere, but she had chosen to pay a price.

‘She’s not foolish.’

She hadn’t been swayed by the trap he had created.

Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and held up the jade token, saying,

“But what do you mean by saying this is the price of a life? I don’t understand.”

“Ha!”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Yeop Wi-seon made an expression as if he was frustrated or amazed.

Judging by his reaction, did the jade token have some special meaning?

While he was thinking that, Wi So-yeon said,

“When a martial artist entrusts their identity token to someone, it means that they will grant one request from that person within what they can accept.”

‘!?’

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes shone with surprise.

Was that the meaning?

No wonder Yeop Wi-seon had reacted like that.

“May I ask how far you can go in terms of what you can accept?”

“It’s literally what I can accept. If it’s within my means, I will definitely grant your request.”

“That’s ambiguous.”

“Ambiguous?”

‘This insolent…’

Yeop Wi-seon wanted to smack Mok Gyeong-un on the head right away if it weren’t for her orders.

In fact, he had been holding back the urge to do so several times.

While he was thinking that, Wi So-yeon clicked her tongue and said,

“It seems you want a definite answer. Alright. I won’t accept requests like asking me to kill myself or someone related to me. And I will only grant requests that are realistically possible for me to fulfill.”

“Ah. I see.”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un nodded his head.

A request within what was realistically possible for her.

It was still vague and ambiguous.

While he was thinking that, Cheong-ryeong’s voice reached Mok Gyeong-un’s ears.

-Accept it. If you have that wench’s identity token, you can use it in difficult situations within the organization if necessary. You can also use her authority when needed.

Authority.

Well, she was a candidate to be the next leader of the Heaven and Earth Society.

Even if not everything, there would be things he could use when needed.

At least it was better than killing a disciple of Bright Blade King.

Thus, Mok Gyeong-un politely lowered his head.

“I will gratefully accept it.”

“No need to be grateful. Think of it as an investment in a talent I want to recruit.”

“Excuse me?”

“Didn’t you hear me? Then I’ll say it bluntly.”

-Swish!

Wi So-yeon took off the bamboo hat with the veil she was wearing.

Her bare face was revealed.

The moment he saw it, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

‘This is…’

-Ha!

Cheong-ryeong also let out a voice as if she was amazed.

That was because Wi So-yeon’s face was so beautiful that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a peerless beauty.

However, her appearance was strikingly similar to Cheong-ryeong’s.

They looked so alike that it wouldn’t be strange to call them sisters.

The only difference was the aura emanating from their appearance.

‘If Cheong-ryeong gives off an arrogant, cold, and overwhelming feeling, Wi So-yeon has a brighter and more cheerful vibe.’

Additionally, Wi So-yeon looked younger.

However, excluding these aspects, anyone would consider them to be similar.

It was truly a coincidence.

But it couldn’t be considered entirely strange.

‘Well… The real Mok Gyeong-un also resembled me.’

Their resemblance went beyond similarity; they had an appearance like twins that even close relatives couldn’t distinguish.

Considering that, it wasn’t particularly strange that she resembled Cheong-ryeong.

Of course, the person in question found it absurd.

While he was thinking that, Wi So-yeon said,

“Why are you staring at me like that? Could it be that you’ve fallen for my beauty?”

“…”

She seemed to have a very strong sense of self-esteem.

However, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t mind it at all.

“As if.”

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged his shoulders.

What she had said just now was a joke, but seeing Mok Gyeong-un respond as if it was nothing, she glanced at him, seemingly offended.

Then she shook her head and extended her hand, saying,

“There’s no point in talking about this and that, so I’ll cut to the chase. I intend to become the leader of this sect. To do that, I need more talented people.”

“Talented people…”

“Mok Gyeong-un. Join me. With your level of talent, I will provide you with treatment befitting it.”

At her proposal, Yeop Wi-seon bit his lip tightly.

As expected, she coveted Mok Gyeong-un as her subordinate.

‘Damn it.’

If Mok Gyeong-un became her subordinate, it would be troublesome.

He had planned to repay this humiliation someday, but if they became part of the same group, it would be difficult to openly touch him.

Yeop Wi-seon looked at Mok Gyeong-un.

‘There’s no way he’ll refuse.’

It wasn’t just anyone, but a proposal from one of the leader’s successor candidates.

Who would miss such a golden opportunity?

While he was thinking that,

“I apologize, but I must politely decline that proposal.”

“What?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s answer, Yeop Wi-seon looked at him with surprised eyes.

She was a candidate to be the next Society Leader and had directly offered to treat him as a talent, but he refused it in one go?

Was this guy really in his right mind?