Chapter 779: One Word at a Time, and the Sun will Set, Won’t It?
“I’m about to give the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps their first mission.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Lee Ahn couldn’t hide her excitement. The moment she had first been appointed as the Commander of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps came to mind. She could still vividly remember the day she had been chattering about how she would decorate their uniforms.
“All units of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps will be dispatched.”
The members exchanged glances. It was their first official mission since becoming part of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps. Though they had undergone numerous realistic training sessions before, those were only exercises.
Standing before them were the four unit leaders.
The eyes behind First Unit Leader Cheong Myeon’s mask shone sharply, while Second Unit Leader Seo Jin’s aura grew even fiercer. Third Unit Leader Cha Iran remained calm, and Fourth Unit Leader Ji Han stared at Geom Mugeuk with a firm expression.
Their reactions differed, but their hearts were aligned as one. They were all determined to carry out this mission successfully.
“What is our mission?”
Lee Ahn asked, and the answer that came back was something she hadn’t expected.
“I don’t know either.”
As if he weren’t joking, Geom Mugeuk added with a serious face,
“The mission will be decided once you arrive. You might go out and return after nothing more than breathing some fresh air—or most of you here might die and come back.”
Lee Ahn could tell that Geom Mugeuk meant every word. He was not someone who would easily speak of death in such a way.
If it were up to him, Geom Mugeuk would have preferred to keep them here. But calm seas never make skilled sailors. It was time for them to face the waves.
“I believe you will handle this well.”
“Leave it to us!”
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps responded loudly. They couldn’t hide their excitement and anticipation for their first mission.
“We depart early tomorrow. Everyone, make your preparations. Unit leaders, stay behind. The rest are dismissed.”
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps dispersed, leaving Lee Ahn and the four unit leaders behind.
Geom Mugeuk looked at each of the four in turn.
Cheong Myeon, Seo Jin, Cha Iran, and Ji Han.
Each bound to him through deep ties of fate. They could sense each other’s resolve without needing words, so Geom Mugeuk didn’t speak at length.
“If I were worried about an organization with you four as its leaders, then I wouldn’t have let you lead in the first place. Go and make the preparations for departure. You, Division Leader, stay.”
The unit leaders left, and only Lee Ahn remained.
Geom Mugeuk relaxed his serious expression, as if he had deliberately been building tension.
“My face aches from keeping that expression.”
But Lee Ahn didn’t loosen her stiff expression.
“Do you know what thought just crossed my mind?”
“What did you think?”
“It might sound discouraging before a mission, is that alright?”
“Go ahead.”
Lee Ahn spoke honestly about what she felt.
“Ah, this job really doesn’t suit me!”
She truly had thought that.
“The moment I heard him say that most of us might die, my heart sank, and everything before my eyes went white.”
For someone who had lived her life protecting others, the thought of her subordinates dying was unbearable.
Even if they returned safely this time, what about the next? A life where she would lose her subordinates one by one—could she truly accept that without breaking?
She had worried about such things before, but hearing those words right before a real mission made the fear feel entirely different.
Geom Mugeuk spoke to her.
“Do you know what thought crossed my mind when I said that?”
“What were you thinking, sir?”
“Ah, this job really doesn’t suit me!”
When he said the same thing she had thought earlier, Lee Ahn laughed.
Of course she knew. How could she not? She knew that the Young Cult Leader was happiest when freely roaming the Central Plains, punishing evildoers, and laughing heartily with good people.
The same went for Geom Mugeuk. How could he not understand Lee Ahn’s heart?
“Lee Ahn.”
“Yes, Young Cult Leader.”
“I’m not telling you to live this kind of life forever. But by living this life now, you’ll come to understand just how precious the life you truly want will be when you finally live it.”
Even now, it was an immensely precious life to her.
In a world full of superiors who suffocated their subordinates, she served under a Young Cult Leader who allowed her to breathe. Because of that, she could endure even when it felt like her chest might burst.
“I’ll do my best while I can.”
“Get ready and see me tomorrow. Oh, and there are others who’ll be joining us.”
“Who are they?”
“You’ll see tomorrow.”
Geom Mugeuk didn’t tell her who they were in detail.
“Even if you think you won’t need it, pack it anyway! Once you’re out there, you’ll find yourself wishing you had everything.”
After Lee Ahn left, Geom Mugeuk was alone. No—strictly speaking, he wasn’t.
“Why didn’t you ask me to come along?”
The Sword King silently descended beside Geom Mugeuk.
“How could I take you to a place like that, Brother Ak?”
“Why not?”
“What if the Dark Palace Master shows up? Could you kill him?”
“I could.”
Then, the Sword King revealed why he had never left the organization.
“I didn’t stay because of the Dark Palace Master. I stayed because of you.”
When he learned of the plan to bring back the souls of the dead, he remained to protect Geom Mugeuk. Of course, that plan had been something the Dark Palace Master deliberately revealed to draw him in.
“There’s no need for that. You don’t have to prove your loyalty, Brother Ak. I already know. Just your existence alone is more than I deserve.”
Who else could say such a thing? And so, how could anyone not worry about someone like Geom Mugeuk?
“The Dark Palace Master is strong. No—he’s terrifying because no one knows just how strong he really is.”
The fact that even the Sword King couldn’t gauge his depth spoke volumes about the man’s power.
“We don’t even know how old he is.”
And that wasn’t all.
“Besides the ones you’ve already killed, the Dark Palace Master commands many other experts directly under him.”
That much was expected. The Dark Palace had been a massive organization prepared meticulously for over three hundred years.
“Doesn’t that worry you?”
“You don’t need to worry.”
“Why not?”
Geom Mugeuk lifted his gaze toward the sky. The words he once spoke to his father long ago, he now repeated to the Sword King.
“My demonic path exists for this very moment.”
The reason Geom Mugeuk had worked himself to the brink of death was for this kind of moment—to be able to declare such words without hesitation.
“If even you’re nervous about facing him, then he must be terrifying indeed. A monster whose age and strength are both unknown. An enemy so dreadful that no one even dares to think of killing him.”
Geom Mugeuk’s eyes, which had been fixed on the sky, turned back toward the Sword King.
“To destroy a wickedness so vile and cruel that no human can withstand it—that conviction is the very core of my demonic path.”
Seeing the Sword King watching him silently, Geom Mugeuk added calmly,
“If we can’t kill him, then who will? A demon must be devoured by a greater demon.”
* * *
The next morning.
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps were the first to assemble at the departure site. They were dressed in black martial uniforms with matching masks, each embroidered in white thread with the characters for “Tenebrous Ghosts.”
Wearing the full uniform and masks of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps, they felt fearless.
Their shoulders straightened with pride, and they couldn’t help but wish for a mirror to catch a glimpse of themselves.
Just then, the Division Leader of the Escort Bureau personally appeared.
The Escort Bureau’s martial artists brought horses matching the number of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps and distributed them.
“There are hidden branches of the Escort Bureau scattered throughout the Central Plains. Whenever your horses grow weary, you may switch them out at any time.”
“Thank you, Division Leader.”
Lee Ahn bowed politely to the Division Leader of the Escort Bureau. It was her first time participating in such a large-scale operation, and she hadn’t known that the Escort Bureau provided this kind of direct support.
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps felt secretly pleased. For their deployment, even the Division Leader had come out personally! Of course, that brief pride was short-lived—and entirely misplaced.
Soon after, more martial artists from the Escort Bureau arrived, pulling a series of massive carriages.
They were enormous transport wagons—more than ten of them in total. The Escort Bureau’s members lined them up in perfect order without a single misstep.
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps exchanged puzzled looks.
They were traveling on horseback, so why bring such enormous carriages? Were they transporting supplies? Even so, to bring carriages that large—and in such numbers?
At that moment, another group of martial artists arrived.
Even from afar, it was immediately clear who they were. With their massive builds and overwhelming presence, they could only be the Demonic Army—the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s most elite unit. Their mere appearance radiated an oppressive aura that made the air itself feel heavy.
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps widened their eyes in astonishment at the sight of the Demonic Army. They instantly realized what the enormous carriages were for—they were meant to carry the Demonic Army.
‘Could it be that this mission is a joint operation with the Demonic Army?’
Tear—
When the escort tore away the paper camouflage covering the carriage walls, the symbol of the Demonic Army appeared, along with its name inscribed boldly beneath it.
Demonic Army.
The Demonic Army usually operated in secrecy, but this time it was an official deployment. Just imagining those massive carriages rolling forward in formation was enough to make one’s chest swell.
From among the soldiers of the Demonic Army, the Demonic Army Commander, Jangho, stepped forward.
“Division Leader.”
“Commander Jangho!”
Lee Ahn and Jangho greeted each other warmly.
“This is the first time, isn’t it? Working on a mission together with you, Division Leader.”
“It’s an honor, Commander. I still lack experience, so I ask for your guidance.”
“I’ve heard that the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps is an exceptional unit. I look forward to working together.”
Jangho replied with humble courtesy.
The Tenebrous Ghosts Corps had already been stunned at the thought of joining forces with the Demonic Army, but their surprise was far from over.
For at that moment, the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme arrived.
As she walked in with an air of cold dignity, the atmosphere around them shifted instantly. Even without revealing her demonic energy, her sheer presence made the hair on everyone’s neck stand on end.
Everyone bowed deeply with their fists clasped in a respectful martial salute toward the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme.
None of the warriors had expected that this mission would include her, and their tension soared to new heights. Now they understood why the Division Leader of the Escort Bureau had come in person.
An escort brought forward another carriage—this one reserved exclusively for the Demon Supreme. It was her personal carriage. Its walls were adorned with swirling, intricate patterns that seemed to twist the mind just from looking at them. Those patterns alone were enough to warn any onlooker: meddle with this, and your life will become very complicated.
Then, another Demon Supreme approached, yawning.
“Do we really have to depart this early in the morning?”
The man who appeared, still reeking faintly of wine, was none other than the Drunken Demon.
His arrival shocked the warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps even more. Not one but two Demon Supremes were joining the mission.
The Demonic Army wasn’t enough—two Demon Supremes as well? Just what kind of operation was this?
An escort brought out the Drunken Demon’s carriage. It was a specially modified one, longer than all the others.
“Because of the hangover, I’ll be resting for a while.”
When he opened the carriage door and stepped inside, a bed was waiting for him, with the walls lined entirely with bottles of liquor. It was the first time anyone there had ever seen such a carriage, and their eyes widened in disbelief.
And then, radiating a golden brilliance, the Demonic Buddha entered.
The moment they saw him, the warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps gasped in disbelief.
The Demonic Buddha was going too?
That meant not two, but three Demon Supremes were participating.
Even as they bowed respectfully to the arriving Demon Supremes, the warriors exchanged uneasy glances.
Within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, even catching a glimpse of one Demon Supreme was rare—and now three of them stood before them.
The carriage brought by the Escort Bureau for the Demonic Buddha was plated in gold. It was the kind of carriage that could attract every thief in the world.
Then, a fourth Demon Supreme appeared.
The Evil Smiling Demon and the Master of the Sky Flower Pavilion had arrived. The moment they saw that pure white mask, the warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps froze in place.
The Evil Smiling Demon was joining as well!
It went beyond shock or confusion—it was sheer disbelief.
An escort brought forth the Evil Smiling Demon’s carriage, crafted entirely from walls of pure white, without a single mark or design upon it.
All of the warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps were at a loss for words.
The Young Cult Leader, four Demon Supremes, and the elite Demonic Army—all going together? Only one thought ran through their minds.
‘Has a war broken out?’
While the warriors were in shock, the Master of the Sky Flower Pavilion was surprised for a different reason. She had heard that Geom Mugeuk intended to prepare thoroughly for this mission, but she hadn’t imagined he would go this far.
In truth, she had considered visiting the Priestess Palace alone.
But Geom Mugeuk had judged that this matter required so many to move together.
Then, someone’s voice rang out.
“The Young Cult Leader is arriving!”
The speaker was none other than Jeokyeon, the Chief of the Bodyguards.
Step, step, step, step, step.
The Young Cult Leader’s escort emerged, dressed in their formal black uniforms and masks, forming a path. The bodyguards who had devoted themselves to training radiated such powerful energy that none of the martial artists present dared compare themselves. It was only natural to think that such strength was fitting for the escort of the Young Cult Leader.
Through the ranks, Geom Mugeuk walked forward.
“The main character should always appear last, shouldn’t he?”
The window of the Drunken Demon’s carriage opened, revealing his face.
“Handsome! Our—”
Before he could finish his drunken rambling, Geom Mugeuk waved his hand lightly.
With Void Telekinesis, he shut the carriage window.
“Your hangover must be bad. Please, rest a bit longer.”
Judging by his unsteady state, it seemed he had been practicing martial arts straight through until morning.
After paying formal respects to the Demon Supremes, Geom Mugeuk looked over the others assembled there. When his eyes met Jangho’s, he raised a hand in greeting. That simple gesture made the morale of the Demonic Army soar even higher.
“With this many people, if each of us says even one word, the sun will set before we’re done, won’t it?”
Normally, someone might have said, “Then let’s keep the talking short!” but Geom Mugeuk was different.
“Even if the sun sets, say everything you wish to say.”
Smiles spread across everyone’s faces. Of course, no one was foolish enough to actually speak out in that moment.
Ah, there was one outsider who insisted on coming along.
“Why am I being left behind!”
Somehow, the Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult had found his way there.
“I’m going too.”
“You may not.”
“Why not?”
“It would be uncomfortable for the disciple, so the Master can’t come.”
What he meant was that if he came, it would make things awkward for his disciple, the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme. The fact that such words could even be exchanged in front of her was only possible because it was between Geom Mugeuk and the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.
“You don’t understand. My disciple and I are very close. It’ll be comfortable even if I’m there.”
“That’s what you think. The ones above always feel comfortable. We’re the ones who don’t!”
“I’m not your master, though.”
Unable to argue with that, Geom Mugeuk instead offered praise.
“Because you, Cult Leader, are guarding the main cult, I can depart without worry. The reason I can even take the Demonic Army with me is all thanks to you.”
“Is that so?”
With many people watching, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader puffed up his chest proudly.
“Then what about me!”
When Geom Mugeuk turned around, the Master of the Underworld Pavilion, Seo Daeryong, had also appeared.
The warriors of the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps were once again astonished. The Young Cult Leader was the kind of person who could make even the head of that strict organization come and beg to be taken along.
“Are you afraid the sun will set if I tag along? I’ll keep my mouth shut, I promise.”
He wanted to join this mission, even if it meant abandoning his position as Pavilion Master.
“No, I can’t. I will keep thinking about your newborn baby.”
“I’ll endure it.”
“I don’t mean you’ll endure it—I will. You look so cute that I’ll keep thinking of a baby. I can’t have that.”
With that smooth refusal, Geom Mugeuk turned to the group that would be accompanying him.
“Alright, this time we’re going to make a proper show of it. I’ll be counting on all of you.”
The Escort Bureau’s men brought out the Young Cult Leader’s personal carriage.
Its sturdy walls, impervious even to blades, bore the fierce emblem of the Heavenly Demon Spirit.
“Please return safely!”
Leaving behind Seo Daeryong’s look of regret, everyone boarded the carriages.
The carriages of the Demonic Army took the lead, followed by Geom Mugeuk’s carriage surrounded by mounted escorts.
Behind them came the carriages of the four Demon Supremes, and finally, the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps rode on horseback in the rear.
As the Escort Bureau members signaled to one another and guided the procession in perfect order, they all bowed their heads as Geom Mugeuk’s carriage passed.
The carriages and riders streamed forward in a long, majestic line.
It was the Young Cult Leader’s first official departure from the cult—executed with full ceremony and grandeur.