Beast Fight (5)

Even after Gyeong Do-cheon was gone, Jin-hyeon kept staring for a long time at the wall he disappeared over.

“…”

A strange silence settled.

It was a shocking situation, but everyone gathered here worried more about Jin-hyeon’s state than Gyeong Do-cheon’s miserable end.

Sarak. Sararak.

Snowflakes fell without pause into the inner court filled with nothing but silence.

Jin-hyeon closed his eyes.

‘Refreshing.’

Even in the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader’s days, he’d taken revenge plenty of times. Because of the memories that had blended into him, he knew both the exhilaration and the emptiness of revenge.

But this was the first revenge that was wholly his own.

‘It doesn’t taste like much.’

It wasn’t sweet, or savory enough to make you crave it.

More plain than he expected. Still, it was a taste he wouldn’t regret tasting.

That was enough. If he hadn’t taken revenge, he wouldn’t have even known what it tasted like.

And if it had been revenge tied up with another person, another matter, he would have tasted something else.

“Patriarch.”

The one who broke the silence that weighed down the air was Han Cheol-sang.

“Are you all right?”

Jin-hyeon let out a small snort of a laugh.

“How could I not be? It’s pretty satisfying.”

“You don’t look like it at all.”

“Then what do I look like?”

Han Cheol-sang grinned.

“Not ‘pretty.’ You look insanely satisfied.”

“Haha.”

Jin-hyeon laughed out loud and nodded.

“You suffered because of me, Brother Han.”

“You’d better know that.”

“A man should know how to be humble at times like this.”

“…Unbelievable.”

With a smile, Jin-hyeon rubbed Han Cheol-sang’s shoulder. Then, all of a sudden, an apologetic look surfaced on his face.

He could have done it alone. But Han Cheol-sang had come to help him anyway.

Thanks to that, things became far easier. He hadn’t asked for help, but having Han Cheol-sang there made him feel steady.

“Later, let’s drink something strong.”

“You’re buying, Patriarch.”

“Of course.”

It was then.

“Uweeek!”

Seated, Gyeong In-geol vomited blood, and his head drooped limply.

Gyeong Hang shouted in alarm.

“In-geol!”

“Patriarch!”

The one who caught him before his head and upper body could slump down was Jin-hyeon. He had flown over and supported him before anyone knew it.

Lee Jung-myeong shouted urgently.

“Move him to the infirmary! You, prepare hot water and towels! Hurry!”

Then Gyeong In-geol waved a hand.

“I’m fine.”

“Patriarch!”

“I’m fine…”

Saying ‘I’m fine’ in such a powerless voice couldn’t reassure anyone.

Lee Jung-myeong, about to move him quickly, clenched his teeth. He realized the poison in Gyeong In-geol’s body was properly flaring up.

It was far faster than expected.

‘I told him he shouldn’t !’

For a critical patient, intense emotion was forbidden. Yet Gyeong In-geol insisted he had to see it with his own eyes as Patriarch, and came here anyway.

As a result, he watched his child being ruined, plain as day. There was no way there wasn’t mental shock.

“Patriarch!”

“Physician Lee, I’m fine.”

Gyeong In-geol smiled.

“I’m really fine.”

He meant he wouldn’t be treated.

If the patient refused treatment himself, you couldn’t drag him and force him to lie down. And if it was the Patriarch, even more so.

At this moment, Gyeong In-geol accepted death. His resolve could be felt.

Sensing the unusual mood, the blacksmiths came closer.

Gyeong In-geol didn’t look over at them. He had fought bitterly with the clan’s smiths. He had resented them many times, but not now.

Still, the reason he didn’t look at them was because he could only see one person.

“Do you resent me?”

Jin-hyeon’s eyes deepened.

“Recall the conversation we had before.”

“…Right.”

Gyeong In-geol’s eyes grew hazy.

When asked if he felt hurt, he answered that he had. In that past-tense answer was everything in Jin-hyeon’s heart.

If it wasn’t now, it meant he had forgiven him, or he had put his heart in order. Jin-hyeon had chosen the latter.

‘Honest.’

Blood didn’t connect them, but he had still taken him as a son. He didn’t want to have a stiff conversation with such a child before dying.

But he knew even that was desire.

“You may want it… but I won’t tell you I’m sorry.”

Gyeong Hang, soaked in sorrow, sighed. It sat poorly with him that his son seemed to be holding his pride to the end.

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“There’s no need to be sorry.”

“Right.”

A bitter look rose on Gyeong In-geol’s face.

“You have no feelings for me, so you won’t care what I think of you.”

“You see clearly.”

It wasn’t something you should say to someone facing death.

But Jin-hyeon spoke honestly. He had no intention of softening anything just because the man was dying.

And that side of him caused a quiet ripple in Gyeong In-geol.

“Physician Lee told me I wasn’t honest. Even while sick and dying.”

“…”

“He was right. Even now, I’m not honest.”

He couldn’t bring himself to spit out even one ‘I’m sorry,’ because of pride.

Not being honest even now meant, in the end, that he was sorry.

Jin-hyeon shook his head.

“I don’t care what feelings you held for me.”

Gyeong In-geol’s eyes shook.

Lee Jung-myeong spoke low.

“Second Young Master!”

“I’m not the Second Young Master. Don’t call me that.”

Jin-hyeon smiled.

“I’ve settled all grudges and debts with this clan. Then we can cleanly act as if it never existed, with no regrets. Isn’t that so?”

“…Right. Yes.”

“So don’t be sorry, and don’t be grateful. Go with an easy heart.”

Gyeong In-geol gave a wry smile. Rather, hearing him speak that coldly made his heart feel at ease.

“Let me ask one thing.”

“Speak.”

“Back then, my condition…”

The thought came to him and he opened his mouth, but he couldn’t bring himself to continue. Even he felt it would be a truly selfish question.

But Jin-hyeon grasped what he meant like a ghost.

“That’s right. It was already too late.”

“…”

“The mixture of Hundred Poisons left in your body, Patriarch, is also called Hundred Ghosts’ Infiltration. It’s a kind of latent poison. If it isn’t drawn out early, it can’t be detoxed unless someone worthy of being called a Divine Physician takes it in hand.”

Lee Jung-myeong lowered his head without meaning to.

“Gyeong Do-cheon’s claim that he could save you, Patriarch, was a lie. Unless you overcome it with your own strength, there is no way to escape the grasp of Hundred Ghosts’ Infiltration.”

Gyeong In-geol’s expression relaxed.

He had been betrayed by his child. Though they had become strangers, he hoped he hadn’t been rejected even by the child he had taken as an adopted son.

Thankfully, he said there was no detox method. That was enough. That alone was something to be grateful for.

Gyeong In-geol, looking up at the sky in silence, closed his eyes.

“Father.”

“…Yes.”

From Gyeong Hang’s suppressed voice seeped a sorrow you couldn’t imagine.

“You suffered so much because of your worthless son.”

“Yes. I truly suffered a lot.”

“I’m sorry.”

At last, tears flowed from Gyeong Hang’s eyes.

“I’ll go soon. Let me receive filial devotion there.”

“…Thank you.”

Everything had been sorted out. It was a distasteful deal, but they had still saved those who could be saved. Wasn’t that enough?

Gyeong In-geol opened his eyes again.

A smile fell over his face as his cloudy eyes watched the heavy snow.

“I miss my wife.”

With those words, Gyeong In-geol breathed his last.

The apprentice physicians and smiths knelt and wailed. Even if he was lacking and dangerous, the Patriarch was still the Patriarch. They grieved his death, and beyond that, the death of the Divine Iron Merchant House.

After seeing Gyeong In-geol off in his arms, Jin-hyeon carefully laid him down.

There was no sorrow. He only thought that, unlike Gyeong Do-cheon, it would have been better if he had formed a different kind of tie with Gyeong In-geol.

Jin-hyeon looked up at the sky again.

Snow fell, speckling and erasing the cloudy sky, and at last touched his face.

“Cold.”¹

Even with the assassins lined up in formation, Mun Jung acted as if he didn’t see them.

“Leaving?”

“I have to.”

“I’ll come by one day.”

“This time, I owed you quite a bit. Thanks.”

“I want to tell you not to forget the debt… but I have a feeling you would’ve handled it yourself even without me.”

“Still, a debt’s a debt.”

“Then call it a debt. Repay it well.”

“Sure.”

“See you.”

As the Branch Chief cleanly left, Seomun Hoe approached.

“I didn’t think you’d really have that kind of relationship with the Sichuan Branch Chief.”

Seomun Hoe spoke with frank admiration.

He thought Jin-hyeon was exceptional beyond anyone, but he didn’t think he’d form ties with the highest authority in Sichuan Murim in such a short time.

But admiration was admiration, and work was work. As before, Jin-hyeon had become someone he absolutely could not afford to offend.

“You worked hard.”

“It was only a deal.”

“Right. Don’t let that mindset change.”

Seomun Hoe paused, then stared at Jin-hyeon.

“Is there something on my face?”

“So you really were Gyeong Se-hwi.”

“You already guessed.”

“You knew?”

“You. Once you get used to it, you’re easier to read than you think.”

“…”

“So keep a proper distance from clients. It’ll be good for you too.”

Seomun Hoe gave a bitter smile.

“I want to, but the more time passes, the more I want to do a lot of work with you.”

“I’m the client.”

“Who knows? I might become the client.”

“I’ll buy a bottle and come soon, so prepare some snacks.”

Seomun Hoe nodded and shifted slightly. Behind him was Oh Gyeong.

Jin-hyeon gave a respectful fist-clasp salute.

“Thanks to you, we were able to finish this with less bloodshed. Thank you.”

It was sincere gratitude. Whatever Oh Gyeong’s past was, if not for him, many people would have died.

Oh Gyeong laughed heartily.

“To benefit from a useless old man. The honor is mine.”

“You accomplished something bigger than the Branch Chief.”

It wasn’t flattery. Jin-hyeon thanked him again, then pointed somewhere.

“By the way, what happens to those fellows?”

Where Jin-hyeon pointed, the Crimson Blood Hands were there. For some reason, they stood without moving.

Oh Gyeong asked evenly.

“How would you like me to handle them, Teacher?”

“I’ll leave their life and death to Old Master Oh. You don’t need to ask my opinion.”

“Now, now. What if I take those brats and go on a rampage like old times?”

“If they get tangled up with my people, then it won’t be a very pleasant relationship.”

At the plain yet vicious remark, Oh Gyeong burst into hearty laughter again.

“Don’t worry. Those lacking brats can’t do anything, and I’ve no intention of it.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

“Still, before you go, let me ask one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

Oh Gyeong’s eyes sparkled.

“I heard you founded a clan.”

Jin-hyeon glanced at Seomun Hoe. Seomun Hoe subtly avoided the look.

“That’s right.”

“Then what kind of clan do you intend to build?”

He didn’t know why he asked that now. But it wasn’t hard to answer, and there was no reason to hide it.

“Just a clan that gathers people worth becoming family with.”

“Family?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s it?”

“Do you need another reason to build a clan?”

“From the look of it, you seem to be refining martial learning that could shake the world. Do you have no greater ambition?”

There wasn’t. No, more precisely, there hadn’t been.

Jin-hyeon looked around in silence for a moment. From Han Cheol-sang, to Gyeong Hang, to the smiths, he saw them in turn.

“I was going to be satisfied with protecting my people without fences… but my mind has changed.”

“You’ve gained ambition?”

“Is that wrong?”

Oh Gyeong laughed loudly again.

Usually in moments like this, it’s human nature to pretend you don’t have it, even if you do. But Jin-hyeon was very honest.

“I’ll come by soon for a drink, so treat me well. .”

“Of course.”

“Heh heh heh.”

And so Seomun Hoe and Oh Gyeong left as well.

Han Cheol-sang approached.

“Are we leaving soon?”

“We have to. I need to sort out the clan.”

“You’re not even the Second Young Master. What are you sorting out?”

“I made a deal with the Patriarch. A deal should be kept.”

Jin-hyeon looked at Gyeong Hang.

Gyeong Hang’s face, holding Gyeong In-geol, looked like it had aged several years in an instant.

“The Divine Iron Merchant House will be dismantled.”