Chapter 259: Dragging Each Other into the Abyss
The King of Assassins, who had been looking at Jin Seong-un with sothing like curiosity, soon resud walking. The assassins of Deathshroud followed behind him.
However, there was one person. The Vice Leader—no, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter—remained standing quietly in place. The King of Assassins suddenly stopped and looked back at the Ghost of Divine Slaughter.
“Do you still have unfinished business?”
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter stared straight at the King of Assassins.
Everyone anticipated what the Ghost of Divine Slaughter would say. He had already made his intentions openly clear through his actions.
The King of Assassins’ eyes narrowed.
“This is troubleso.”
It seed the King of Assassins had also grasped the Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s intent. An assassin who had been a pillar of Deathshroud alongside him for decades now wished to leave Deathshroud.
What should be done about this? Even the King of Assassins, apparently encountering such a situation for the first ti, fell into deep contemplation. At that mont, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter spoke in a plain yet resolute tone.
“I intend to retire.”
It was difficult for the Ghost of Divine Slaughter to predict the King of Assassins’ reaction.
According to Deathshroud’s rules, there was no such thing as retirent.
One either died during a mission or died while fleeing…… in any case, an assassin’s end was nothing but death.
Seo Yu-gyeom stepped closer to the Ghost of Divine Slaughter. It was a sign that he would fight alongside his master depending on the King of Assassins’ response. Jin Seong-un and his companions, though not stepping closer, were thinking much the sa.
The King of Assassins observed that scene for a brief mont before speaking. His voice was extrely dry and calm.
“So be it.”
“……Are you serious?”
Because the tone was so casual, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter instead showed a surprised expression.
The King of Assassins continued.
“You’ve done more than enough. Of course, after retirent, there will be quite a few people who will want to hunt you down and kill you. Just look at that fellow Twin Slaughter Ghost’s face.”
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s gaze turned toward where the King of Assassins pointed. Twin Slaughter Ghost did not openly reveal his expression, but his eyes were filled with killing intent.
That one had always disliked him. He was soone who believed that the reason he could not rise any higher within Deathshroud was precisely because of him.
Of course, from the Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s perspective, that was not the case. That fellow was too emotionally transparent for an assassin, and his skills were also insufficient for the position of Vice Leader.
‘If it were Blind Slaughter Ghost, maybe.’
While the Ghost of Divine Slaughter was thinking that, the King of Assassins calmly continued speaking.
“Since I give the order, I won’t personally target you, but I’ll quietly spread the news of your retirent. I can’t stop that much. Nor is there any reason to.”
It was a reasonable statent.
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter had also steeled himself for this when he decided to retire. If news of his retirent spread throughout the world, many would move imdiately.
Once the protective veil of Deathshroud disappeared, long-simring grudges would co seeking him from all corners of the land.
“Like most retired assassins, you’ll spend your entire life struggling desperately just to keep that one life intact. As you grow older and your strength wanes, life will feel increasingly burdenso.”
The King of Assassins had seen countless such people.
For this reason, retirent was an excessive luxury for an assassin. Those assassins who boldly declared retirent all t predictable ends.
This was a fate that even assassins who had dominated an era could not escape.
“Your ability to fight will gradually disappear, but enemies will endlessly co after you. You’ll receive back exactly what you did to others throughout your life. And then you’ll die. In so inn, in a tavern, on a boat, in a latrine…… one way or another, sowhere, you’ll die.”
At this point, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter could clearly understand the aning embedded in the King of Assassins’ words.
He was reproaching him. Why make a choice whose end was so obvious, why make such a foolish choice that did not suit him.
The King of Assassins stared directly at the Ghost of Divine Slaughter. His eyes, as always, revealed no particular emotion.
From those eyes, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter read the question.
Even so, would he leave Deathshroud?
The answer had already been decided.
“I will bear what cos after.”
“If that’s the case.”
The King of Assassins nodded.
After a brief pause, he continued.
“However, there is a condition.”
“Speak.”
“Once—after retirent, you will carry out one commission without exception. I don’t know when, or whom you’ll be told to kill. But without even such a condition, Deathshroud’s order would fall to the ground, accused of letting a traitor walk free.”
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter understood the King of Assassins’ concern. He himself had been in the position of issuing orders, not receiving them.
Leaving a single commission as a debt created good justification. In na only he would be retired, but it could be claid that he was still an assassin acting under Deathshroud’s command.
However, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter could not answer imdiately.
The King of Assassins realized the reason and let out a hollow laugh.
“Are you worried about those young ones? Truly, truly, you’ve beco weak.”
The King of Assassins clicked his tongue as he spoke.
If it had been the forr Vice Leader, he would surely have imagined this. What if that one mission demanded the death of the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader or the Alliance Leader? That would be no different from killing the Vice Leader through another’s hand.
But the current Vice Leader was worried not about that, but about being ordered to harm his disciple and those close to him.
The King of Assassins found the Vice Leader exceedingly unfamiliar. He felt as though he was seeing with his own eyes just how weak an assassin beca once he harbored affection.
“For an assassin who has grown as weak as you, leaving is actually better for Deathshroud as well. What you’re worried about won’t happen.”
The King of Assassins promised that for that single mission, he would not choose anyone from Seong-un Inn as the target.
Only then did the Ghost of Divine Slaughter nod.
“So be it. Once.”
“I’m in a foul mood.”
Having said that, the King of Assassins turned away without hesitation.
As soon as he took a step, his form scattered like smoke.
Right after he disappeared, the assassins of Deathshroud also leapt away one by one.
Twin Slaughter Ghost, the last remaining, briefly looked back at the Ghost of Divine Slaughter before dispersing like smoke as well.
.
.
.
After the King of Assassins and the assassins had all departed.
Seomun Ak and Moyong Hyeon collapsed onto the dirt ground without any signal between them.
Normally neat and fastidious, Moyong Hyeon did not care in the slightest whether his clothes beca dirty now.
“……Of all things, to actually et the King of Assassins.”
In the martial world, the alias King of Assassins was synonymous with death. According to rumors, if he so desired, he could even kill the heads of the Five Great Clans and the Nine Sects One Gang.
That death had co right up to their doorstep and then vanished. It was only natural that their legs had gone weak.
Seomun Ak added a comnt.
“If we keep working at this inn, it feels like we’ll et the Demon Cult Leader soday too.”
Moyong Hyeon looked at Seomun Ak.
The two exchanged words with their eyes.
-Scared?
-Not really?
Until just monts ago, the two had been seriously considering quitting the inn and returning ho. Yet without anyone telling them to, they provoked each other and ultimately decided to stay at the inn again.
Each was faithfully playing the role of binding the other to the inn.
While the two were staking each other’s lives as collateral, Seo Yu-gyeom approached his master and asked,
“What will you do now? Like the King of Assassins said, all sorts of upstart bastards will be sharpening their blades and coming to kill you.”
“I’ll just live.”
It was an answer heavy with implication.
Seo Yu-gyeom felt inexplicably frustrated and spoke again.
“That is, I’m asking how you’ll live. For all I know, the number of people you’ve beaten to death over the years can’t be counted on one or two hands. Their friends, their children will treat you like prey they’re about to devour. You ntioned it once in passing, didn’t you. The mission that was hardest for you.”
“Killing the Valley Leader of Poison Valley. Now his son has beco the new Valley Leader.”
Moyong Hyeon and Seomun Ak sprang to their feet.
Poison Valley was an Outer Regions murim force that, along with the Sichuan Tang Clan, was said to wield poison better than anyone of the era.
“…….”
“…….”
The two looked at each other once more.
-Running away? I get it. Poison Valley is scary.
-What are you talking about. I’m a man who’s even fought the Demon Cult.
While glaring at each other, both wore miserable expressions inside. There was no way to escape this wretched cycle.
By now, the two had realized it. Before dying, there was no way they would ever leave this inn.
“Master, then ask Jin Seong-un instead. Ask him to let you join the inn. You’d beco the junior of those two fools over there who are dragging each other’s lives into the abyss.”
Seomun Ak and Moyong Hyeon glared at Seo Yu-gyeom at the sa ti. Setting aside being treated like fools, how could he even think of bringing soone as terrifying as Deathshroud’s Vice Leader into the inn?
And a junior, at that?
Seomun Ak briefly imagined the scene. Normally, when a junior ca in, ‘setting them straight’ was one of his greatest pleasures.
That junior, however, was the Ghost of Divine Slaughter.
No, wait! If you wipe the table like that, the stain will co off…… probably. I’ll wipe it once more myself. Please rest for a mont.
Unfortunately, even in his imagination, Seomun Ak was afraid of the Ghost of Divine Slaughter. To begin with, anyone in their right mind could not possibly bully the Ghost of Divine Slaughter.
Moyong Hyeon seed to be imagining sothing similar, as he wore an expression much like Seomun Ak’s.
Jin Seong-un fell into thought for a mont.
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter was not soone who could blend into an inn. If he ca in, everyone except Jin Seong-un and Chef Seo would live while constantly watching his mood.
Moreover, his temperant did not seem suited to inn work.
While that was happening, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter spoke first.
“Stop it. How could I possibly work at an inn? Would those children even be able to breathe properly?”
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter pointed at Seomun Ak and Moyong Hyeon.
The two who were suddenly singled out imdiately tried to act tough.
“Ah, no, that’s not it. What would we…….”
“I-I an, why would I…….”
The two stamred at the sa ti.
They looked at each other with disdain.
It was a real-ti demonstration of the Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s words.
“Leaving that aside, I never had the intention of working at an inn to begin with. I’ve never done such a thing, and I don’t have the confidence to do it either. Didn’t I tell you? I just want to build a small house by the water and spend the rest of my days fishing.”
An assassin and a fisherman shared similarities.
Wasn’t it sothing achieved only after extre patience?
That was why the Ghost of Divine Slaughter liked fishing.
Jin Seong-un spoke as if a good idea had suddenly occurred to him.
“Ah, as it happens, there’s a decent house by the river. You may use it if you’d like.”
Jin Seong-un’s tone had already shifted into polite speech. After all, he was his friend’s master—he could not keep speaking informally forever.
At Jin Seong-un’s words, the Ghost of Divine Slaughter showed rare delight.
“Ho ho, that would suit
just fine.”
“Then please go.”
The Yangtze River Stronghold—no, now the Yangtze Escort Stronghold. Its main base, Jingn Stronghold.
Won Hu-hyeok, Jang Gwang’s right-hand man, the foremost Chief Escort Captain of the era, and now a man engaged in the escort agency business, warmly greeted Jin Seong-un when he suddenly arrived.
“Oh my, Big Brother! What brings such a busy man all the way here…….”
Won Hu-hyeok called Jang Gwang “Big Brother,” and Jin Seong-un “Big Big Brother.” Jang Gwang was much older than Jin Seong-un, but that sort of thing was not particularly important.
If you were strong, you were a big brother. If you helped, you were a big brother. Since Jin Seong-un was both strong and helpful, there was no doubt—he was Big Big Brother.
Jin Seong-un briefly looked around at how the stronghold had changed.
Since the stronghold had joined hands with the Red Cliff Escort Agency and entered the escort business, pirates and porters could be seen everywhere loading and unloading cargo onto ships.
The escort leaders from the Red Cliff Escort Agency also seed to be mingling without issue with the forr pirates of the stronghold.
The lazy and nacing atmosphere was nowhere to be found; instead, the place was filled with a busy and diligent air.
“Ho ho, it’s changed a lot, hasn’t it? Recently, there are even a few fellows who passed the promotion exam and beca escort guards.”
“It looks good.”
“The fact that those good-for-nothing fellows are now living like proper people is all thanks to you, Big Big Brother. By the way, the person who ca with you is…….”
Won Hu-hyeok’s gaze turned to the Ghost of Divine Slaughter.
Even with a bamboo hat pulled low, perhaps because he had lived his entire life as an assassin, he exuded an extraordinary aura.
Jin Seong-un spoke casually.
“This is Elder Ghost of Divine Slaughter.”
“Oh, Ghost of Divine Sla…….”
Won Hu-hyeok stopped mid-sentence and hurriedly looked around.
Having once belonged to the martial world himself, he knew the Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s alias well.
“Th-then why is this person…….”
“Would it be all right if he stayed here for a while?”
“Pardon? Well, if it’s Big Big Brother’s request, of course it’s possible, but…….”
Won Hu-hyeok looked at the Ghost of Divine Slaughter with cautious eyes. Then the Ghost of Divine Slaughter, who had remained silent the entire ti, spoke.
“I will live quietly, as if I do not exist. Do not feel burdened by . No—do not even pay attention to .”
“……We will serve you with utmost care. Since you may feel uncomfortable, I will simply tell the underlings that you are an acquaintance.”
“I told you to treat
as if I do not exist.”
“Yes……!”
Of course, that was impossible.
First, his fa was far too overwhelming to be treated like a nonexistent person, and second, he was a man personally brought here by Jin Seong-un.
Won Hu-hyeok intended to serve the Ghost of Divine Slaughter with the utmost devotion.
Jin Seong-un thought it was a fairly good solution.
Instead of spending his remaining years in lonely retirent in so secluded place, the retired Ghost of Divine Slaughter would now live a lively daily life here.
The porters of the stronghold and the escort agency would, knowingly or not, be under the Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s protection.
Moreover, Jingn Stronghold was very close to Yichang and lay within Seong-un Inn’s sphere of influence, which was also good. Chef Seo’s heart would be much more at ease.
“Do you fish much?”
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter asked Won Hu-hyeok.
Won Hu-hyeok, who had been tense the whole ti, twitched his eyebrows for a mont, and a strangely cocky expression appeared.
“I’m from a river stronghold.”
“I’m fairly decent at fishing myself.”
“Ho ho, it seems the assassin elder doesn’t know the skills of river n.”
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter looked at Won Hu-hyeok as if dumbfounded. He never imagined that the day would co when a pirate would call him “elder brother.”
“You, on the other hand, seem not to know an assassin’s patience or their ability to seize opportunity.”
“The number of fish I’ve caught in my life is a hundred tis greater than the number of people you’ve killed.”
“…….”
It had been ant as a joke to lighten the mood, but it was not particularly funny.
Won Hu-hyeok hurriedly changed the subject.
“F-fishing! Let’s go fishing! Please co along!”
Won Hu-hyeok rushed off sowhere in a hurry.
The Ghost of Divine Slaughter let out a small chuckle and was about to follow when he suddenly spoke to Jin Seong-un, who was about to leave.
“Be careful.”
“What do you an?”
“The look in the King of Assassins’ eyes when he looked at you. It was unmistakable greed. He rembered you today. You will et again in so way, so prepare yourself.”
Whether that ant preparing his heart or strengthening his skills was unclear.
One thing, however, was certain—the distancing Won Hu-hyeok heard the Ghost of Divine Slaughter’s words clearly.
First the Ghost of Divine Slaughter, and now the King of Assassins.
So that man had co and gone.
Won Hu-hyeok stood still and smiled faintly. He wanted to wash his ears with water.
He had no idea what kind of things were happening in this small Yichang.
Now he decided to give up on worry and thought altogether. He would live like the flowing water.
Won Hu-hyeok was drawing close to enlightennt.
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