Mungkinkah dia bisa menghadapinya?
Cha Iran diam-diam menatap Geom Mugeuk.
Dia adalah pria yang menciptakan tempat seperti ini untuk salah satu bawahannya—bahkan bukan bawahannya sendiri—hanya seorang pembunuh biasa.
Dia adalah pria yang akan berlari jauh untuk membeli anggur, berharap mereka berdua bisa kabur bersama.
Dia adalah pria yang mengulurkan tangannya bahkan kepada seseorang yang mencoba membunuhnya. Dan posisi pria itu tidak lain adalah Tuan Muda Kedua dari Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Bagaimana mungkin dia bisa menghadapi pria seperti itu, padahal sepanjang hidupnya sebagai seorang pendekar dia tidak pernah bertemu orang seperti dia?
Jika Tuan Muda Kedua di depannya ini benar-benar menginginkan kehidupan seperti itu, maka dia tidak akan menyukai para pembunuh. Pikiran itu muncul di benaknya.
Geom Mugeuk dengan mudahnya mengakui tebakannya.
"Benar. Yang aku butuhkan bukanlah regu pembunuh, melainkan dirimu."
"Mengapa aku? Tuan pasti sudah memiliki banyak master yang bisa menjalankan perintah Tuan."
Sebenarnya, bahkan itu saja tidak perlu penjelasan lebih lanjut. Tapi ada lagi.
"Kamu cukup cantik untuk bersaing memperebutkan gelar Kecantikan Terhebat di Bawah Langit, dan kemampuan bela dirimu sangat baik. Tapi yang terpenting, ada satu alasan mengapa kamu menonjol di mataku."
Cha Iran bertanya-tanya apa itu. Sepertinya dia sudah mengatakan semua yang bisa dia katakan. Tidak, dia sudah mengatakan begitu banyak sehingga hampir memalukan.
Namun alasan penentu yang diberikan Geom Mugeuk adalah sesuatu yang tidak pernah dia bayangkan.
"!"
"Aku ingin menjadikan orang seperti itu milikku."
Cha Iran akhirnya mengerti mengapa Ak Gunhak tidak membunuh pria ini.
Tidak, mungkin—seperti yang dikatakan Ak Gunhak—bahkan mungkin pria inilah yang memilih untuk tidak membunuhnya.
"Dalam kehidupan biasa yang kamu cari itu, apakah kamu benar-benar berpikir aku diperlukan?"
"Bukankah sudah aku katakan? Hidup itu terasa lebih sulit daripada menyatukan dunia persilatan."
Menumpas semua kekuatan yang bersembunyi di bayang-bayang bukanlah akhir dari segalanya.
Ada janjinya dengan ayahnya.
"Aku tidak mencoba menyangkal kehidupan yang telah kamu jalani sebagai pembunuh. Jika, saat berjalan di jalan ini bersamaku, kamu merasa itu bukan jalan yang benar, maka aku benar-benar akan melepasmu saat itu."
Itu adalah lamaran yang dibuat karena dia membutuhkannya, tetapi itu juga demi kebaikannya. Karena takdir telah mengikat mereka bersama, dia berharap dia menjalani kehidupan selain sebagai pembunuh.
Dalam hidupnya sebelum regresi, dia hidup sebagai pembunuh tanpa nama sampai akhir. Karena dia adalah seseorang yang bisa menahan kehidupan seperti itu dalam diam, dia percaya dia bisa menjalani kehidupan lain dengan baik juga.
"Jika kamu khawatir tentang bawahananmu, maka beri mereka hak untuk memilih."
"Mohon beri aku waktu untuk berpikir."
"Santai saja. Bagaimanapun juga, untuk saat ini, kita harus kembali ke Cult bersama-sama."
Pandangan Geom Mugeuk kembali melayang ke paviliun di atas danau.
Seventeenth Beauty dan Crescent Moon dari Faceless Swordsmen masih ada di sana. Dia pikir kecanggungan akan membuat mereka cepat berpisah, tetapi keduanya masih berbicara tentang sesuatu.
"Ah! Aku mati penasaran. Aku harus mendengar apa yang mereka berdua bicarakan! Apakah benar tidak ada seni rahasia pembunuh untuk menguping dari jauh?"
Malam itu, Cha Iran tidak bisa tidur, tenggelam dalam berbagai macam pikiran.
Akhirnya, dia melangkah keluar untuk menghirup udara segar.
Di halaman Inner Compound, Lee Ahn sedang menatap langit malam.
Saat dia melihat Cha Iran berjalan ke arahnya, Lee Ahn menyapanya lebih dulu.
Mata Lee Ahn ke arah Cha Iran dipenuhi kehangatan. Ada alasan untuk itu.
Lee Ahn membungkuk dalam-dalam kepada Cha Iran.
"Terima kasih banyak telah menyelamatkan Tuan Muda Kedua."
Dari salam yang tulus seperti itu, Cha Iran bisa tahu. Wanita ini benar-benar peduli pada Tuan Muda Kedua.
Tuan Muda Kedua, kamu benar-benar serakah. Dengan seseorang seperti dia di sisimu, kamu masih ingin membawaku masuk juga?
Meski begitu, pandangan Lee Ahn tetap penuh rasa terima kasih, jadi Cha Iran menatap ke langit untuk mengalihkan topik pembicaraan.
"Apa yang sedang kamu lihat?"
"Tidak peduli sesibuk apa pun kamu, lihatlah ke langit sekali sehari! Itu yang selalu dikatakan Tuan Muda Kedua. Aku sering melupakannya, jadi sering kali aku berakhir menatap bintang-bintang larut seperti ini."
Saat dia menatap bintang-bintang di sampingnya, Cha Iran tiba-tiba bertanya,
Mungkin karena pertanyaan itu datang terlalu tiba-tiba, Lee Ahn tidak bisa menjawab dengan mudah.
"Aku bertanya terlalu tiba-tiba, ya kan? Jika kamu tidak ingin menjawab, tidak apa-apa."
Bukan itu alasan Lee Ahn tetap diam.
"Tidak... bukan karena aku tidak ingin menjawab. Hanya saja... dia adalah seseorang yang sangat sulit untuk dijelaskan dengan kata-kata sederhana."
"Tuan Muda Kedua membuatku tawaran. Dia bilang dia ingin menjadikanku bawahannya."
Lee Ahn mengangguk dengan ekspresi yang menunjukkan dia sudah menduganya.
"Apakah Tuan Muda Kedua memberitahumu itu secara langsung?"
"Tidak."
"Jika aku adalah Tuan Muda Kedua, aku akan melakukan hal yang sama."
Cha Iran menatapnya sejenak sebelum berbicara.
"Kamu belajar sesuatu yang buruk darinya. Mengucapkan kata-kata yang ingin didengar orang lain."
"Apakah itu benar-benar buruk?"
"Itu usaha, bukan? Setidaknya, itu berarti dia berpikir sebelumnya tentang apa yang ingin didengar orang lain. Jika kata-kata itu membawa bahaya, maka ya, itu buruk. Tapi menjadi bawahan Tuan Muda Kedua—yah, aku tidak berpikir itu hal yang buruk."
Cha Iran merasakan sesuatu yang berbeda dari Lee Ahn dibandingkan sebelumnya. Setiap kali Lee Ahn berbicara tentang Tuan Muda Kedua, matanya tampak bersinar.
"Apakah kamu mungkin takut bahwa kehidupan masa lalumu mungkin berubah?"
Cha Iran tidak memberi jawaban atas pertanyaan itu. Ya, jika dia ragu-ragu, maka itulah alasan terbesarnya.
"Aku menghabiskan seluruh hidupku sebagai pengawal pribadi Tuan Muda Kedua. Itu adalah kehidupan yang aku sukai, dan aku tidak pernah berpikir untuk hidup dengan cara lain."
Mungkin karena bertekad untuk mengungkapkan isi hatinya malam ini, Lee Ahn berbicara lebih banyak dari biasanya. Pada awalnya, itu karena dia ingin membantu jika Geom Mugeuk benar-benar menginginkan Cha Iran.
Tetapi saat percakapan mereka berlanjut, perasaan sejatinya terlontar.
"Tetapi Tuan Muda Kedua mengubah hidup itu. Sekarang aku bukan lagi hanya pengawalnya, tetapi Komandan Haunted Shade Corps. Apakah kamu tahu apa yang aku rasakan melalui proses itu?"
Pandangan Lee Ahn kembali dalam saat dia menatap bintang-bintang.
"Bahwa menjalani hidup melakukan apa yang kamu suka tidaklah begitu menyenangkan... melainkan sangat sulit."
Itulah kesadaran yang dia dapatkan setelah melepaskan kehidupan sebagai pengawal dan menjadi Komandan Haunted Shade Corps.
"Ketika kamu menyukai sesuatu, kamu ingin melakukannya dengan baik. Dan untuk melakukannya dengan baik, kamu harus bekerja tanpa lelah. Kamu bahkan harus menahan hal-hal yang kamu benci. Aku pikir melakukan apa yang kamu suka akan selalu menyenangkan, tetapi sebenarnya itu melelahkan. Sulit karena itulah yang kamu cintai."
"Apakah kamu tahu apa yang aku pikirkan ketika aku bangun di pagi hari akhir-akhir ini? Ah! Aku tidak perlu melindungi siapa pun lagi. Aku hanya perlu menjaga diriku sendiri dan hidup. Kamu tidak bisa membayangkan betapa lega pikiran itu membuatku. Itu adalah perasaan yang tidak pernah aku ketahui ketika aku masih bekerja sebagai pengawal. Aku menyadari kali ini bahwa ada emosi tertentu yang hanya bisa kamu rasakan setelah kamu berhenti melakukan sesuatu."
Kata-katanya sangat kontras dengan citranya yang tanpa lelah menjaga Mistress of the Sky Flower Pavilion. Namun baik pengabdian itu, maupun kata-kata ini sekarang, sama-sama tulus.
Mendengar kejujuran Lee Ahn, Cha Iran diam-diam bertanya-tanya. Seperti apa rasanya hidup tanpa kontrak pembunuhan baginya? Mungkinkah dia bisa merasakan kelegaan yang sama seperti yang digambarkan Lee Ahn?
"Cobalah rasakan perasaan itu sekali. Bahkan jika kamu akhirnya hidup sebagai pembunuh lagi, itu pasti akan membantumu, Nyonya Cha."
"Mengapa kamu mengatakan ini padaku? Jika aku menjadi bawahan Tuan Muda Kedua, bukankah itu hanya akan merugikanmu?"
"Jika kamu khawatir kasih sayang Tuan Muda Kedua mungkin terbagi..."
Lee Ahn menambahkan sambil tersenyum,
"Kamu belum tahu seberapa besar hati Tuan Muda Kedua kita. Hatinya bisa menampung seluruh dunia dan masih memiliki ruang tersisa."
"Aku hanya berpura-pura begitu."
Lee Ahn membungkuk sopan, lalu mulai berjalan pergi.
Setelah berjalan beberapa langkah, dia menoleh dan berkata,
"Oh, dan jangan khawatir tentang tidak bisa pergi. Tuan Muda Kedua adalah seseorang yang selalu berusaha mengirim orang-orang di sekitarnya pergi, dengan satu atau lain cara."
Dan Cha Iran sudah tahu ini sendiri. Lagipula, dia juga mencoba melepaskan Ak Gunhak.
Semua kata-kata Lee Ahn malam ini diarahkan pada pesan terakhir ini.
"Jadi ketika dia mengulurkan tangannya padamu, genggam erat tangan itu."
Kelompok Geom Mugeuk sedang bersiap untuk kembali ke Cult.
Beberapa kereta telah disiapkan. Selain yang disediakan untuk para pemimpin, sisanya membawa yang terluka.
Faceless Swordsmen yang tidak terluka dan para pembunuh dari Court of Beauties semuanya menaiki kuda untuk mengawal kereta-kereta itu. Setiap dari mereka mengenakan topi bambu dan kerudung wajah.
Sebelum Geom Mugeuk berangkat, Bih Sa-in datang menemuinya—baik untuk mengucapkan selamat tinggal maupun untuk mengungkapkan rasa terima kasihnya.
Bih Sa-in mengungkapkan terima kasihnya.
Jika dia tidak diperingatkan sebelumnya kali ini juga, tidak ada yang bisa mengatakan apa yang mungkin terjadi pada Pemimpin Unorthodox Alliance.
"Kali ini, akulah yang harus berterima kasih. Karena Alliance Leader mempercayakan masalah ini kepadaku, aku mendapat banyak manfaat darinya."
Tetapi Geom Mugeuk berbeda. Tidak ada distorsi dalam ikatan yang dia tawarkan.
"Aku percaya skema yang menargetkan Alliance Leader masih terus berlangsung. Jadi kamu harus tetap waspada."
Mendengar kata-kata Geom Mugeuk, Bih Sa-in mengangguk. Sampai kebenaran di balik masalah ini terungkap, dia berniat menjaga Baek Jagang bersama Thirteen Wolves dari Unorthodox Alliance.
"Jika Heavenly Communication Pavilion menemukan informasi apa pun yang terkait dengan Alliance Leader, aku akan segera mengirimkannya."
Keduanya bertukar pandangan yang tegas dan meyakinkan. Tetapi ketika kilau main-main muncul di mata Geom Mugeuk, Bih Sa-in memotongnya lebih dulu.
Tentu saja, Geom Mugeuk bukan tipe orang yang pergi begitu saja dengan tenang.
"K
Chapter 717: Hold That Hand Tightly
Could she possibly handle him?
Cha Iran silently gazed at Geom Mugeuk.
He was a man who created such a place for one of her subordinates—not even his own—but just an ordinary assassin.
He was a man who would run far away to buy wine, hoping the two could elope together.
He was a man who reached out his hand even to someone who had tried to kill him. And that man’s position was none other than the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
How could she possibly handle such a man, when in all her life as a martial artist she had never met anyone like him?
If this Young Cult Leader before her truly wanted such a life, then he wouldn’t like assassins. That thought came to her mind.
Geom Mugeuk readily admitted to her guess.
“That’s right. What I need is not an assassin squad, but you.”
“Why me? You must already have countless masters who can carry out your commands.”
The truth was, even that alone didn’t require further explanation. But there was more.
“You are beautiful enough to contend for the title of the Greatest Beauty Under the Heavens, and your martial skills are excellent. But above all else, there’s one reason you stand out to me.”
Cha Iran wondered what that could be. It seemed like he had already said everything he could. No, he had said so much already that it was almost embarrassing.
Yet the decisive reason Geom Mugeuk gave was something she had never imagined.
“!”
“I want to make such a person my own.”
Cha Iran finally understood why Ak Gunhak had not killed this man.
No, perhaps—as Ak Gunhak had said—it might even be that this man had chosen not to kill him.
“In that ordinary life you seek, do you truly think I am necessary?”
“Didn’t I already say? That life feels harder than unifying the martial world.”
Wiping out all the forces lurking in the shadows would not be the end of it.
There was his promise with his father.
“I’m not trying to deny the life you’ve lived as an assassin. If, while walking this path with me, you feel it isn’t the right one, then I will truly let you go at that time.”
It was a proposal made because he needed her, but it was also for her sake. Since fate had already tied them together, he wished for her to live a life other than that of an assassin.
In her life before the regression, she had lived as a nameless assassin until the very end. Because she was someone who could endure such a life in silence, he believed she could live another kind of life just as well.
“If you’re worried about your subordinates, then give them the right to choose.”
“Please give me some time to think.”
“Take your time. In any case, for now, we must return to the Cult together.”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze drifted once again toward the pavilion on the lake.
Seventeenth Beauty and Crescent Moon of the Faceless Swordsmen were still there. He thought the awkwardness would make them part ways quickly, but the two were still talking about something.
“Ah! I’m dying of curiosity. I need to hear what those two are talking about! Is there really no assassin’s secret art for eavesdropping from afar?”
That night, Cha Iran could not fall asleep, lost in all sorts of thoughts.
Eventually, she stepped outside to get some air.
In the courtyard of the Inner Compound, Lee Ahn was gazing up at the night sky.
When she saw Cha Iran walking toward her, Lee Ahn greeted her first.
Lee Ahn’s eyes toward Cha Iran were filled with warmth. There was a reason for that.
Lee Ahn bowed deeply to Cha Iran.
“Thank you so much for saving the Young Cult Leader.”
From such a sincere greeting, Cha Iran could tell. This woman truly cared for the Young Cult Leader.
Young Cult Leader, you really are greedy. With someone like her by your side, you still want to take me in as well?
Even so, Lee Ahn’s gaze remained full of gratitude, so Cha Iran looked up at the sky to change the subject.
“What were you looking at?”
“No matter how busy you are, look up at the sky once a day! That’s what the Young Cult Leader always says. I forget most of the time, so often I end up staring at the stars late like this.”
As she stared at the stars alongside her, Cha Iran suddenly asked,
Perhaps because the question came so abruptly, Lee Ahn couldn’t answer easily.
“I asked too suddenly, didn’t I? If you don’t want to say, that’s fine.”
That wasn’t why Lee Ahn remained silent.
“No… it’s not that I don’t want to answer. It’s just… he’s someone so hard to describe in simple words.”
“The Young Cult Leader made me an offer. He said he wanted to take me in as his subordinate.”
Lee Ahn nodded with a look that said she had expected it.
“Did the Young Cult Leader tell you that directly?”
“No.”
“If I were the Young Cult Leader, I would have done the same.”
Cha Iran looked at her for a moment before speaking.
“You’ve learned something bad from him. Saying the words the other person wants to hear.”
“Is that really bad?”
“It’s making an effort, isn’t it? At the very least, it means he thought beforehand about what the other person wanted to hear. If those words bring harm, then yes, it’s bad. But becoming the Young Cult Leader’s subordinate—well, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
Cha Iran felt something different about Lee Ahn than she had before. Whenever Lee Ahn spoke of the Young Cult Leader, her eyes seemed to shine.
“Are you perhaps afraid that your past life might change?”
Cha Iran gave no reply to the question. Yes, if she was hesitating, then that was the biggest reason.
“I spent my entire life as the Young Cult Leader’s bodyguard. It was the life I liked, and I never thought about living any other way.”
Perhaps determined to speak her mind tonight, Lee Ahn spoke more than usual. At first, it was because she wanted to help if Geom Mugeuk truly wanted Cha Iran.
But as their conversation went on, her true feelings slipped out.
“But the Young Cult Leader changed that life. Now I am no longer just his bodyguard, but the Commander of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps. Do you know what I felt through that process?”
Lee Ahn’s gaze deepened again as she looked up at the stars.
“That living a life doing what you like isn’t so much enjoyable… as it is unbearably hard.”
That was the realization she had after giving up the life of a bodyguard and becoming the Commander of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps.
“When you like something, you want to do it well. And to do it well, you have to work tirelessly. You even have to endure the things you hate. I thought doing what you like would always be joyful, but it’s actually exhausting. It’s hard because it’s what you love.”
“Do you know what I’ve been thinking when I wake up in the mornings these days? Ah! I don’t have to protect anyone anymore. I only need to look after myself and live. You can’t imagine how much relief that thought brings me. It was a feeling I never knew back when I was still working as a bodyguard. I realized this time that there are certain emotions you can only feel once you stop doing something.”
Her words stood in stark contrast to the image of her tirelessly guarding the Mistress of the Sky Flower Pavilion. Yet both that devotion, and these words now, were equally sincere.
Hearing Lee Ahn’s honesty, Cha Iran silently wondered. What would life without assassination contracts feel like for her? Would she be able to feel the same relief Lee Ahn described?
“Try experiencing that feeling once. Even if you end up living as an assassin again, it will definitely help you, Lady Cha.”
“Why are you telling me this? If I become the Young Cult Leader’s subordinate, wouldn’t it only put you at a disadvantage?”
“If you’re worried that the Young Cult Leader’s affection might be divided…”
Lee Ahn added with a smile,
“You just don’t know the size of our Young Cult Leader’s heart yet. His heart could hold the entire world and still have room to spare.”
“I only pretend it is.”
Lee Ahn bowed politely, then began to walk away.
After walking a short distance, she turned back and said,
“Oh, and don’t worry about being unable to leave. The Young Cult Leader is someone who always tries to send those around him away, one way or another.”
And Cha Iran already knew this herself. After all, he had tried to let Ak Gunhak go as well.
All of Lee Ahn’s words tonight had been building toward this final message.
“So when he reaches out to you, hold that hand tightly.”
Geom Mugeuk’s group was getting ready to return to the Cult.
Several carriages had been prepared. Aside from those reserved for leaders, the rest carried the injured.
The Faceless Swordsmen who were unharmed and the assassins of the Court of Beauties all mounted horses to escort the carriages. Every one of them wore bamboo hats and face veils.
Before Geom Mugeuk departed, Bih Sa-in came to see him—both to bid farewell and to express his gratitude.
Bih Sa-in expressed his thanks.
If he had not been warned in advance this time as well, no one could tell what might have happened to the Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.
“This time, it’s me who should be thankful. Because the Alliance Leader entrusted me with this matter, I’ve gained much from it.”
But Geom Mugeuk was different. There was no distortion in the bonds he offered.
“I believe the schemes targeting the Alliance Leader are still ongoing. So you must remain vigilant.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Bih Sa-in nodded. Until the whole truth behind this matter was revealed, he intended to guard Baek Jagang alongside the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Alliance.
“If the Heavenly Communication Pavilion finds any information related to the Alliance Leader, I’ll send it immediately.”
The two exchanged a firm and reassuring gaze. But when a playful glint surfaced in Geom Mugeuk’s eyes, Bih Sa-in cut him off in advance.
Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not the sort to just leave quietly.
“You need quick wits like that if you want to sneak in some romance.”
The ceiling was high.
Massive stone pillars supported the rounded dome above.
And here, there were two things that Geom Mugeuk would have recognized immediately, had he been present.
First, in a corner of the chamber, a large Secret Box had been placed. The very one that Ak Gunhak had carried back—it had been stored here all along.
Second, on one wall of the chamber, a symbol had been drawn.
It was the very same symbol Geom Mugeuk had seen beneath the Golden Dragon Martial Hall.
Of these, four emitted a faint glow.
Black, blue, white, and yellow.
Astonishingly, those were the very colors of the orbs Geom Mugeuk had absorbed.
Before them sat a middle-aged woman. Serene yet radiating a sacred aura, she was none other than Gaye, descendant of the Priestess Palace and the current Palace Mistress of the Priestess Palace.
Across from her, hidden in the darkness, sat an old man. His back was straight, his hands calmly placed before his lower abdomen. Even in the shadows, his eyes gleamed—black pupils that were a darkness which suppressed all other darkness.
Just then, the Secret Box drawn on the mural behind Gaye seemed to glow.
Hwaaah—
The fifth circle began to shine with a crimson light.
“The energy of the Red Path has appeared in the world.”
Astonishingly, the mural was revealing when the energies sealed within the orbs emerged outside.
Then, from within the darkness, the old man spoke in a low tone.
“So the Young Cult Leader will now absorb even the energy of the Red Path.”
“The Flying Blood Serpent must have ridden the Red Path’s energy into the Young Cult Leader’s body.”
At her words, the old man in the shadows nodded.
For this plan, they had used the Flying Blood Serpent, which could only be employed once in their generation. If this endeavor succeeded, all their past failures and sacrifices would be redeemed.
How much time passed like that?
The vessel of blood placed before Gaye began to darken. As she looked down at it, her eyes widened in shock.
“The Flying Blood Serpent is dead.”
At her report, the old man’s eyes gleamed with a fierce brilliance. The energy that burst forth was so overwhelming that Gaye had to shut her eyes and bow her head.
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