The Former Supreme Master [Novel] Chapter 25

“You actually accepted that blood silver?”

Lim Chung and Beon Saeng were stunned.

“I did. I even stopped by the Continental Bank on my way back and deposited it safely into my vault.”
“Why on earth would you accept that! It’s a bribe!”
“It tasted pretty sweet when I swallowed it. I suppose this is why everyone gets addicted to bribes.”

This time, Lim Chung stepped forward.
“Didn’t you explicitly advise me against accepting his silver?”
“I told you that because you lack the capacity to bear the consequences.”
“Even for you, Big Brother, accepting a bribe from the Divine Fire Gang could blow up into a massive problem.”
“Silver only becomes a bribe when you deliver on the promise attached to it. The only thing I intend to deliver to that bastard is absolute ruin.”

The word ‘ruin’ sent a chill down both their spines. Heuksu and Cheon Yangho were already buried side-by-side in the front yard. Coming from his mouth, ‘ruin’ wasn’t a metaphor or a joke; it was a literal, physical promise.

“This mess will be concluded before it even has the chance to become a problem.”
Meaning, bribe or no bribe, Wang Gon would be dealt with soon enough.
“Besides, that bastard harbors absolutely zero intention of keeping me around as his subordinate.”
“Then why hand over a fortune like that?”
“He is desperately trying to weather this immediate storm. He intends to use the fact that he successfully recruited a monster like me to offset the colossal blunder of losing Heuksu and Cheon Yangho in the eyes of the Gang.”

Astonishingly, Baek Socheon had dissected Wang Gon’s true motives with surgical precision.

“I plan to use Wang Gon to drag whoever commissioned the Seven Swords Association into the light. The moment I secure the bastard who directly issued the blood contract on behalf of the Gang Leader, I will possess undeniable proof that the Seven Swords Association executed this massacre.”

It was the fastest, most absolute path to fulfilling his promise to Cheon Geuk.
Extracting a confession from a captive was a task entirely suited for Cheon Geuk. After all, among the countless ‘Alliances’ scattered across the Murim World, forcing the truth from sealed lips was an art the Assassin Alliance mastered above all others.

“Ah, I had no idea your plan ran that deep.”
Yet, his plan carried another, unspoken layer of intent.
Baek Socheon turned to Lim Chung.
“As long as I maintain this illusion of an alliance with Wang Gon, they will absolutely never lay a finger on your family.”

Realizing that the safety of his family was woven into the very fabric of Baek Socheon’s dangerous gambit with Wang Gon, Lim Chung felt a profound wave of relief and deep gratitude.
“Thank you, Big Brother.”
“Save your thanks for your son. I’m only doing this because the kid is cute.”

Beon Saeng chimed in slyly.
“Looking closely at our Big Brother, he acts entirely shameless and arrogant, but he’s surprisingly terrible at actually taking credit for his good deeds.”
“Are you cursing me or praising me? Calling me shameless sounds like an insult.”
“It’s praise! Genuine praise, of course.”
Lim Chung scolded the giggling Beon Saeng.
“You punk, stop acting so fresh with Big Brother.”
“It feels like the word ‘Big Brother’ rolls off your tongue far more naturally than mine now, Branch Manager.”

Unable to deny the truth in those words, Lim Chung let out a quiet chuckle. Honestly, when he first heard Beon Saeng proudly declare he was serving Baek Socheon as his ‘Big Brother,’ he had thought the boy was utterly pathetic.
Yet here he was, calling him the exact same thing.

“What should we do moving forward?”
“Act completely normal. Wang Gon’s attention will be entirely fixated on me, so he won’t have the luxury to inflict harm upon either of you.”
“We want to help. If there is anything you need us to execute, please command us.”
Lim Chung and Beon Saeng exchanged a resolute glance, their eyes burning with determination. The war against the Divine Fire Gang had officially begun in earnest.
“I need to rest. You two can leave now.”
“Yes.”

As the two departed, the room, which had been buzzing like a market street, plunged into the silent tranquility of a secluded temple.
Today was designated for physical recovery, so Baek Socheon withdrew a martial arts manual from his leather satchel and began to read in absolute silence. Only the bright moonlight, illuminating his relentless, grueling struggle to resurrect his shattered dantian, bore witness to the depths of his enlightenment and progress.

***

Word from Wang Gon demanding an urgent meeting arrived two days later.
The moment he received the report that an envoy dispatched from the higher-ups had arrived in Munseong, Wang Gon frantically summoned Baek Socheon.

“Is it wise to constantly drag a man burdened with official duties back and forth like a dog?”
Wang Gon’s blood boiled. Was this arrogant demeanor truly fitting for a stray who had just gorged on fifty thousand taels?
Yet, this was no time to reprimand Baek Socheon for his insolence.
“I summoned you for a matter of extreme importance.”
“What crisis demands such frantic scrambling?”
“A towering figure from our Gang will grace us with his presence shortly. I intend to present you to him.”
“Who is it?”
“Great Warrior Yeom Jeonggil. A master martial artist who proudly stands among the Four Great Warriors of the Divine Fire Gang.”

Wang Gon was paralyzed with dread. He had anticipated the Gang dispatching an investigator to dissect this mess, but never in his darkest nightmares did he expect Yeom Jeonggil.
‘Why him, of all people!’
Out of all the hounds they could have unleashed, they sent the absolute worst possible option.
Usually, men burdened with explosive, tempestuous tempers lacked meticulous attention to detail. Yet, Yeom Jeonggil was not only volatile, but suffocatingly meticulous.
When an investigator descended upon the rural branches, it was typically someone far beneath Yeom Jeonggil’s rank. Dispatching one of the Four Great Warriors meant the Gang Leader viewed this crisis with extreme gravity.
‘It must be because of the Ironworks Enterprise.’

Regardless, his absolute priority was convincing Yeom Jeonggil that Baek Socheon held far greater value than Heuksu and Cheon Yangho combined. His entire future hinged on this single gamble.
“I am fully aware you possess immense capability, but in the presence of Great Warrior Yeom, you must absolutely chain your tongue and guard your actions.”
“Why are you trembling like a cornered rat?”
“Great Warrior Yeom possesses a temperament that brooks no disrespect. A single careless word could drag you into a catastrophic nightmare.”

Watching Wang Gon sweat with undisguised panic, Baek Socheon seized the opening.
“Understood. I lack the confidence to cross blades with a monster like that anyway. But tell me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Why did your people butcher the Yangchu family? No matter how much I ponder, it haunts my curiosity.”
Instantly, Wang Gon flinched.
“What nonsense are you spewing?”
“Before he breathed his last, Heuksu confessed everything. He swore your shadows orchestrated their annihilation.”
Baek Socheon pinned the revelation squarely on Heuksu’s corpse.
Wang Gon’s face twisted into a mask of pure fury.
‘That brainless, loose-lipped fool!’
He must have spilled every secret he held while desperately thrashing to survive.

“Shh! If you ever let those words slip past your lips again, you will breathe your last.”
It was both a lethal threat and an undeniable admission of guilt.
“And exactly who is going to kill me?”
“Who else? Do you truly believe the Gang would sit idle while you spout such treason in the open?”
Furthermore, the Gang’s wrath would inevitably rain down upon Wang Gon for his catastrophic failure to manage his subordinate’s loose tongue.
“Who is spouting it in the open? I am only asking you here, behind closed doors.”
“I am telling you, you cannot speak of it even here!”
“Looking closely, you are quite the coward. Do you lack trust in me?”
“I trust you, I trust you! But this matter is an absolute exception.”
“I possess a curiosity that cannot be caged. What if this bottled-up curiosity suddenly explodes while I’m drunk?”
“Are you threatening me right now? Are you?”

Right then, a subordinate called out from beyond the door.
“Great Warrior Yeom has descended.”
“Escort him to the guest pavilion immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Listening to the fading footsteps, Wang Gon whispered with frantic urgency.
“We shall discuss this later.”
“Later? Are you suggesting I demand answers in front of Great Warrior Yeom instead? Or should I ask Great Warrior Yeom directly?”

For a split second, Wang Gon nearly screamed at the top of his lungs.
‘You fucking lunatic!’
Yet, the chilling reality that Yeom Jeonggil was waiting strangled his fury.
“This is not the time for stubbornness! We absolutely cannot keep Great Warrior Yeom waiting.”
“When you evade the question like this, it merely fans the flames of my stubbornness. I must hear the truth right now.”
Baek Socheon aggressively emphasized that his relentless probing stemmed entirely from his own uncontrollable stubbornness, hiding his true intent.
“Do you truly harbor a death wish?”
“Kill me if you wish.”

Strangled by a desperate lack of time, Wang Gon was dragged helplessly to Baek Socheon’s pace.
The pressure mounted as the subordinate’s voice echoed from outside once more.
“I believe you must hurry.”
It seemed the rumor of Yeom Jeonggil’s explosive wrath erupting over a fleeting delay was horrifyingly true.
Baek Socheon feigned a slight compromise.
“Very well. Since the reason is a classified secret, we will skip it. Whose blades carried out the slaughter?”
As if the reason was the only ‘classified secret’ in this mess. Yet, Wang Gon was drowning in panic. If Yeom Jeonggil exploded, this entire operation would burn to ashes.
Ultimately, a name spilled from Wang Gon’s lips.
“The Seven Swords Association.”
“Did you personally issue the blood contract?”
Since he had already crossed the line, the next answer rushed out effortlessly.
“No, Master Jong orchestrated it.”
“Master Jong?”
“I do not know his true name. Whenever a thorny problem arises within the Divine Fire Gang, this Master Jong steps from the shadows to sever it. Now, are you satisfied? We must go, immediately.”
“My mind is finally at peace. Why did you resist with such desperate fervor over something so simple?”

Violently choking down his boiling rage, Wang Gon practically sprinted out the door.
‘Damned bastard! I swear upon my life, I will tear you apart with my own hands!’
Wearing an expression so relaxed he could have been humming a tune, Baek Socheon followed closely behind.
Master Jong.
He had finally unearthed the identity of the man who issued the blood contract.

***

Leaving Baek Socheon waiting outside the door, Wang Gon stepped into the guest pavilion alone.
Yeom Jeonggil’s foul mood was instantly palpable, radiating through the freezing atmosphere of the room.
“You must be incredibly busy.”
“Forgive me. An urgent crisis erupted, demanding my immediate attention.”
“You were detained by the Murim Alliance… Heuksu vanished without a trace, and Taejeong of the Taejeong Faction is dead.”

As anticipated, the atmosphere was suffocating from the very first breath. The fact that he dove straight for the throat without a single formal greeting spoke volumes of his fury.
“I can resolve the chaos with the Taejeong Faction shortly.”
“And I hear Cheon Yangho has also vanished?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“What a complete and utter disaster. Just how poorly have you been managing your Hall to let this transpire?”
“Forgive me.”
Wang Gon immediately bowed his head, offering no excuses. He intended to unveil Baek Socheon only after the man’s tempestuous rage had cooled slightly.
“What fate befell the two missing men?”
“It appears they have perished.”
“By whose hands?”
“A martial artist newly dispatched to the Murim Alliance’s Munseong Branch. A man possessing terrifying martial prowess.”
“To slaughter Heuksu and Cheon Yangho, his prowess must indeed be terrifying.”
“I have already handled him.”
“Handled? You mean you butchered him?”
“No.”

Wang Gon turned toward the door and shouted.
“Enter.”
The door swung open, and Baek Socheon stepped inside.
He offered a respectful martial greeting to Yeom Jeonggil.
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Baek Socheon.”
Among the elder masters of the Murim World, countless recognized the name Baek Socheon. Yeom Jeonggil, too, was well-acquainted with it. The absolute, undisputed hero of the Orthodox-Unorthodox War. However, since the war’s conclusion, his name had faded into silence.
A forgotten hero.
Having never laid eyes upon him personally, Yeom Jeonggil utterly failed to connect the legendary name to the seemingly twenty-something youth standing before him. Even if he were older, Yeom Jeonggil would have never believed the legendary Baek Socheon would be rotting in a desolate wasteland like this.

Regardless, the realization that the man who slaughtered Heuksu and Cheon Yangho had just strolled into the room shocked Yeom Jeonggil. But Wang Gon’s next words delivered a far heavier blow.
“Warrior Baek here has pledged his loyalty to serve me and the Divine Fire Gang moving forward.”
Without uttering a single question, Yeom Jeonggil banished Baek Socheon from the room.
“Wait outside.”
The moment the door clicked shut, Yeom Jeonggil’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“Have you lost your wretched mind?”
“He is a master martial artist far too exceptional to let slip through our fingers.”
“Do you even grasp what kind of monster you are carelessly inviting into our home?”
“Before Cheon Yangho met his end, I utilized his connections within the Murim Alliance to dig into the man’s past. His identity is verified and absolutely secure.”
“Hall Master Wang, can you bear the absolute responsibility for this?”
“I can!”
“Even if it demands your life?”
“Yes. I will stake my life on it.”
Wang Gon declared without a shred of hesitation. Having already hurled Baek Socheon as his ultimate gamble, showing even a sliver of weakness now would be fatal.

Seeing Wang Gon wager his very life, Yeom Jeonggil’s explosive fury cooled slightly. It wasn’t a situation he could simply crush with blind authority. If Wang Gon was willing to bleed for this, it warranted a proper, thorough investigation.
“What are his roots within the Murim Alliance?”
“He is a former Squad Leader of the Iron Sword Corps.”
“The Iron Sword Corps!”
The very name exuded a heavy, crushing intimidation among martial artists.
“Why on earth would a man of that caliber rot in a desolate wasteland like this?”
“He was a martial artist of towering prowess, but his dantian was shattered, resulting in his exile.”
“His dantian is shattered?”
“That is correct.”
“And yet you claim he butchered Heuksu and Cheon Yangho?”
“That is the precise reason I bought his loyalty. He is a master who has stepped into a profound realm of combat. He will undoubtedly prove to be an immense asset to the Gang.”
“Are you certain he didn’t rely on hidden weapons or venom?”
“I am certain.”
“Absolutely sure?”
“Yes.”
Since he hadn’t witnessed the slaughter with his own eyes, he couldn’t be absolutely certain. However, judging from his own brutal encounter with Baek Socheon and the complete evaporation of Heuksu, he was heavily confident the man hadn’t relied on cheap tricks like venom or hidden weapons.

“To handle a crisis of this colossal magnitude in the shadows without reporting it to the higher-ups…”
“I was on the verge of sending word, but upon hearing you were descending, I intended to offer the report in person.”
Wang Gon desperately maintained a posture of profound respect while striving to project unwavering confidence.
“There is a simple method to verify if this hound possesses fangs or if he is merely a useless stray.”
Wang Gon instantly realized Yeom Jeonggil intended to test Baek Socheon’s mettle.
If the verdict deemed him a useless stray, Wang Gon would be forced to swallow the entire catastrophic fallout of this unauthorized operation. Combining this failure with his previous blunders guaranteed a brutal, unforgiving punishment.
‘Baek Socheon, my life rests in your hands.’

Yeom Jeonggil and Wang Gon stepped outside.
Without a word of warning, Yeom Jeonggil violently seized Baek Socheon’s wrist, probing his pressure points. Instantly, he verified the absolute absence of internal energy within the man’s vessel.
“It is undeniably true that he lacks internal energy.”
The fact that there was no deception regarding his crippled state caused Yeom Jeonggil to lower his guard slightly.
Locking his chilling gaze onto Baek Socheon, Yeom Jeonggil spoke.
“If you have truly pledged your blade to our Gang, you must prove your loyalty.”
“Please, give the command.”
“I require you to slaughter a man. Bring me his head, and I will grant you my trust.”
“Whose life do you demand?”
A name neither Baek Socheon nor Wang Gon could have ever anticipated spilled from Yeom Jeonggil’s lips.
“Lim Chung, the Munseong Branch Manager of the Murim Alliance.”