Chapter 189: It Was Me
“...Heavenly Demon?”
The single phrase that left Master Gonghyeon's mouth plunged the underground facility into silence.
Every gaze turned toward the man who had emerged from the dust.
“T-The Heavenly Demon?”
“That man is the leader of the Demonic Cult... Dokgo Jinak?”
Shocked voices burst out from all around.
Then—
“Look! Someone else is coming!”
Step. Step.
More footsteps came from beyond the collapsed stone wall.
Several people appeared behind Dokgo Jinak.
Two of them immediately caught my eye.
Flame Attendant Yeom Yuhwa.
And the Overlord Saber Ghost Demon, Muk Jincheol, carrying a massive saber across his back.
Those two came too.
At that exact moment, my eyes met Yeom Yuhwa's.
Her gaze wavered for a brief instant.
Muk Jincheol also seemed to notice me and looked in my direction.
A moment of eye contact.
That was all.
There were far too many righteous martial artists here, including Master Gonghyeon.
There was no reason to reveal that we knew one another before it became necessary.
I looked away from them and toward the others behind them.
Then—
...No way.
My eyes widened before I could stop myself.
He brought all of the Ten Demons too?
Absolute masters who served the Heavenly Demon.
The strongest fighting force of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult...
had gathered inside this underground facility.
“O-Overlord Saber Ghost Demon....”
One of the surviving Righteous Alliance elders apparently recognized Muk Jincheol and muttered his name like a groan.
Another shocked voice followed.
“Aren't those people... the Ten Demons?”
“The Heavenly Demon and the Ten Demons? What in the world is happening?”
The reaction of the righteous martial artists alone was enough to show what the name Ten Demons meant to them.
Then—
“Grrrrrr....”
An unpleasant growl reached my ears.
The demonic humans.
They had sensed something from Dokgo Jinak's group and bared their teeth, growling.
But that was all.
They didn't dare charge.
They only made wary noises.
Some even slowly backed away.
Their instincts understood before their minds ever could.
The people standing before them were not opponents they were capable of attacking.
Dokgo Jinak watched the demonic humans and frowned.
“What are you all doing?”
Muk Jincheol and the other cult members immediately turned toward him.
“Get rid of those ugly things first.”
“By your command!”
Shing!
Muk Jincheol drew the massive saber from his back.
Powerful energy surged over the broad blade.
The next instant—
SWOOOSH!
A huge wave of saber qi flew toward the demonic humans.
Slice!
The head of the one at the front split apart.
Before its body even hit the ground—
BOOM!
Muk Jincheol kicked off the floor.
His heavy frame plunged into the group of demonic humans in an instant.
Whoosh!
Slice!
Every time his saber moved, severed heads flew through the air.
The foremost saber master of the Demonic Cult.
The title Overlord Saber Ghost Demon had not been given to him for nothing.
The other Ten Demons moved immediately afterward.
“It is the Cult Leader's command! Kill them all!”
SWISH!
BOOM!
“KRAAAAGH!”
The demonic humans began falling helplessly.
It was difficult to believe these were the same creatures that had driven us into a corner only moments ago.
Of course...
they didn't simply stand there and die.
“KRAAAAAH!”
Several of them let out grotesque cries and tried to fight back.
Unfortunately—
Tsk. Why would you choose him of all people?
I couldn't help shaking my head.
They were charging straight at Dokgo Jinak.
He watched them approach with an indifferent expression.
Then—
Whoom.
He casually waved one hand.
BOOOOM!
The demonic humans burst apart in midair like balloons.
Black blood and chunks of flesh scattered everywhere.
One movement.
That was all.
A flawless strike so absolute that they didn't even have time to scream.
Dokgo Jinak lowered his hand again with the same indifferent expression.
As if he had merely brushed aside a few annoying insects.
Still the same.
That monstrous level of martial power.
"..."
The righteous martial artists could only stare blankly at what was happening.
Which was understandable.
The Demonic Cult they had treated as lifelong enemies had suddenly appeared...
and was helping them.
It would have been stranger if they weren't confused.
But this wasn't the time to stand there in shock.
“What are all of you doing?!”
I shouted.
“This is our chance! Suppress the demonic humans now!”
Jin Gwangung reacted first.
“Right! Let's wipe out these rotten bastards first!”
WHOOOM!
BOOM!
He charged straight into the demonic humans.
That was the signal.
Master Gonghyeon and the other righteous masters moved.
Righteous faction.
Demonic Cult.
Under normal circumstances, the strongest among them would have aimed their weapons at one another's throats.
Now...
they turned them toward the same enemy.
The result was overwhelming.
SWISH! SLICE! BOOM! KRAAAAGH!
The demonic humans that had tormented us moments ago were cut down like leaves in autumn.
The seemingly endless swarm finally began shrinking visibly.
And not long afterward—
Slice!
Thud.
The head of the final remaining demonic human hit the ground.
“Haa... haa....”
I steadied my rough breathing and looked forward again.
Moyong Cheonhwi.
Heo Seongbaek.
And the black-masked Shadow Corps members lined up behind them.
"..."
Something felt strange.
It was because of how calm Moyong Cheonhwi looked.
Even while the demonic humans were being slaughtered...
he had given no order.
He had simply watched everything with that indifferent expression.
What is this?
I stared at him.
What the hell is he so confident about?
But my thoughts didn't last long.
“Dokgo Jinak!”
A thunderous voice echoed through the underground facility.
Master Gonghyeon.
“Why are you here?!”
Dokgo Jinak slowly turned his head.
Gonghyeon's gaze moved past him to the Ten Demons and the other cult members.
“You came all the way into the Righteous Alliance with members of the Demonic Cult.”
His voice grew heavier.
“What is your purpose?”
"..."
Dokgo Jinak did not answer.
He simply stared coldly at Gonghyeon.
Gonghyeon met his gaze without backing down.
Now that the battle against the demonic humans had calmed...
the hostility between righteous and demonic factions that everyone had briefly forgotten began surfacing again.
The righteous martial artists nearby raised their guard.
The Demonic Cult side did the same.
The atmosphere became tense enough that both sides looked ready to attack at any moment.
Then—
“Please wait!”
A familiar voice came from behind us.
I turned.
A familiar face was running toward us through the collapsed wall.
Yu Seola.
Behind her were Hyeongwon and the other righteous martial artists who had remained above.
“Master Gonghyeon.”
Yu Seola stopped in front of him and offered a martial salute.
“They are not our enemies.”
Gonghyeon's eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“At the very least, we must not fight them right now.”
Yu Seola took a quick breath and continued.
“After you went underground, an attack began above as well.”
Everyone's attention sharpened.
“Masked men and demonic humans appeared.”
Then—
“And some of the Righteous Alliance martial artists who had been waiting with us joined them.”
Gonghyeon's expression changed.
“What?”
Murmurs erupted immediately.
“Righteous Alliance warriors joined them?”
“What does that mean?”
The surviving Righteous Alliance elders looked particularly shaken.
They stared at one another in disbelief...
then slowly turned toward Moyong Cheonhwi.
The Alliance they had belonged to.
Now they couldn't even tell who inside it was enemy and who was ally.
I looked toward Moyong Cheonhwi as well.
As expected.
He had said it himself.
Everyone left above would die too.
He really intended to erase every witness.
Yu Seola continued.
“We couldn't hold them off on our own.”
Then—
“That was when Myeongjeon appeared with these people.”
Master Gonghyeon looked toward Myeongjeon.
Myeongjeon silently offered a martial salute.
“Once the Demonic Cult joined the fight, we were able to defeat the demonic humans and the Righteous Alliance warriors who had betrayed us.”
Yu Seola continued,
“After that, Myeongjeon immediately brought them down here.”
“We stayed above long enough to move the wounded to a safe place first.”
Gonghyeon asked,
“And that is why you came down only now?”
“Yes.”
After she finished, silence returned.
No one knew what to say.
The Demonic Cult had saved them.
For members of the righteous faction...
that wasn't something easy to accept.
Everyone listened with tense expressions.
But my attention had already shifted elsewhere.
I was looking behind Yu Seola.
At the sword strapped across her back.
I recognized it immediately.
The Heavenly Law Sword.
Before entering the underground facility, I had secretly given Myeongjeon two instructions through sound transmission.
First...
bring Dokgo Jinak and his people, who were hiding near the Righteous Alliance.
And second...
retrieve the Heavenly Law Sword from my quarters.
He must've been too busy and asked Yu Seola to carry it instead.
Either way...
seeing the Heavenly Law Sword again brought me some relief.
The demonic humans had already been dealt with.
There was no reason to take it immediately.
I'll get it back once this situation is under control.
I looked toward Gonghyeon again.
Even after hearing Yu Seola's full explanation, caution remained on his face.
Of course it did.
The hatred between righteous and demonic factions had accumulated over countless years.
It wouldn't disappear because of one incident.
And Gonghyeon was the Abbot of Shaolin, one of the foremost symbols of the righteous faction.
If anything, it would be even harder for him.
Then—
“Master Gonghyeon.”
Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon spoke quietly.
“I fully understand why you are wary of them.”
He looked toward Dokgo Jinak's group.
“However, we must not forget that the people left above survived because of them.”
"..."
Gonghyeon didn't respond.
Cheon Gwangcheon continued.
“And it is also true that we ourselves were just helped by them.”
Gonghyeon's gaze hardened.
“Are you saying...”
He asked carefully,
“that we should trust the Demonic Cult?”
Cheon Gwangcheon shook his head.
“That is not what I mean.”
His gaze moved toward Moyong Cheonhwi.
“I mean there is another enemy we should be pointing our swords at right now.”
Gonghyeon still hesitated.
“However....”
Cheon Gwangcheon paused for a moment.
Then spoke again.
“You need not be overly concerned.”
His expression grew serious.
“In truth, I have already met Cult Leader Dokgo Jinak before, at someone's request.”
"...What?!"
Master Gonghyeon stared at him in shock.
“Sect Leader Cheon met the Heavenly Demon?”
“Yes.”
“What are you saying?!”
Gonghyeon's voice rose.
“Who asked you to meet Dokgo Jinak?!”
Now he looked like he might faint from shock.
And he wasn't the only one.
Nearly every righteous martial artist present stared at Cheon Gwangcheon in disbelief.
It was understandable.
Kunlun had spent generations fighting along the border against the Demonic Cult.
And now the Sect Leader of Kunlun was admitting that he had secretly been in contact with them.
Not just anyone from the cult.
The Heavenly Demon himself.
Gonghyeon asked again in a trembling voice.
“Who?”
“Who asked you to do such a thing?”
Cheon Gwangcheon didn't answer immediately.
His expression clearly showed he was struggling with how to explain it.
The longer he hesitated...
the louder the murmurs among the righteous martial artists became.
“How could Kunlun communicate with the Demonic Cult...?”
“Don't tell me Kunlun also had some kind of connection with them....”
I couldn't let this continue.
At this rate...
the righteous martial artists might turn on one another before we even dealt with Moyong Cheonhwi.
So I called out toward Gonghyeon.
“It was me.”
Every gaze turned toward me.
“Commander?”
Gonghyeon stared at me in disbelief.
“Yes.”
I nodded lightly.
“I was the one who asked the Sect Leader to contact Cult Leader Dokgo Jinak.”
Murmurs erupted again.
Even Sect Leader Wonmyeong looked at me with confusion.
I glanced briefly toward Dokgo Jinak.
He said nothing.
He simply stood with his arms folded, watching me.
Then I turned back toward everyone.
“And there is one more thing I need to reveal.”
Gonghyeon's brow furrowed even more deeply.
“...There is still more?”
Yes.
There was no reason to hide it anymore.
I raised my voice so everyone could hear.
“I was also the one who called Cult Leader Dokgo Jinak here.”
